"Girls Gone Wild:" A Fantasy Adventure in a Fantasy Land

[TimTimTyner]

In the center of the Riverbend East Road Bridge:

Captain Warton eyes the approaching woman -- who he will learn is named Wendy -- with great interest; she is undeniably the most beautiful creature upon whom he's ever laid eyes.

"My name is Captain Warton," he greets her with a pleasant smile and tone upon her arrival. As best he can, he gives her a respectful bow from atop his horse. He waits to see if she will introduce herself, and once she has -- or hasn't -- he looks to the village and sees the bodies of his brother's men. "My Lord, Count Turan, will want to know whether or not his brother still lives."

Again he pauses for a response: if he learns Quinn is still alive, he will want to negotiate for the man's release; if he learns Quinn is dead, he will want to negotiate the return of the man's body. If he learns that Quinn is dead, Warton will say, "Is it your intention to retain control of the Village of Riverbend? You understand that, as Count Quinn's brother and only living relative, my Lord Count Turan is the rightful heir to Riverbend and, therefore, rightful Lord over its residents."

 

[AmyRoberts]

In the center of the Riverbend East Road Bridge:

Wendy notes how the man who will introduce himself as Captain Warton eyes her form. She smirks a bit: this isn't uncommon, and the Wonder Woman costume only adds to the ogling from the man who -- in this strange, ancient, fantasy dimension -- likely thinks a woman's sole purpose is to lay on her back while he fucks her hard and fast to get his rocks off.

"My name is Captain Warton," he greets her, bowing.

The messenger who'd crossed the bridge earlier had spoken of the man as Captain Warton of Greenhill, and during her slow ride out to meet him, Wendy has had time to reflect on that description. She now introduces herself to Warton, "I am Wendy of Portlandia."

Wendy, Rachelle, and Sharla all grew up in the same no-name unincorporated burg outside of Portland, Oregon. Sharla was actually close to 2 years older than the other two, but Wendy and Rachelle had both started 1st grade at age 5, not the typical age 6, and Sharla had been set back a year in elementary school due to a long bout with illness.

The result was that they'd all ended up in the same 4th grade class. They were such good friends all their lives that when it came time to head off for University, they all headed to the same Northern California University.

"My Lord, Count Turan, will want to know whether or not his brother still lives," Warton said.

"He does not," Wendy says without hesitation. She studies the man's reaction, which tells her that he isn't at all surprised. She adds, "He was killed by the very people over whom he wreaked so much horror and violence."

When Warton asks if his Lord can claim his brother's body, Wendy contemplates. "Yes. We will make his corpse presentable first, and you can claim him here on the bridge before sundown. Is that satisfactory for you?"

Warton says yes, then asks, "Is it your intention to retain control of the Village of Riverbend? You understand that, as Count Quinn's brother and only living relative, my Lord Count Turan is the rightful heir to Riverbend and, therefore, rightful Lord over its residents."

"It is my intention to see that the people of Riverbend retain control of the Village of Riverbend, Captain," Wendy says without really having to think about the subject at all. She comes from a culture of democracy, law, and order; she doesn't really understand this new land, but if she has anything to say about it, the people of Riverbend will live with freedom and safety. She looks past Warton conspicuously, then back to the mounted man before her. "If it is your intention to regain control of Riverbend by force, Captain Warton, I can assure you that I and my friends are fully capable of killing everyone of your men, just as we did Count Quinn's men this morning."

Then, just for fun, Wendy conspicuously eyes the damage Warton suffered to his face years earlier and smiles. "It would be a terrible shame for the two of us to find ourselves on opposite sides of a fight that might mess up that pretty face of yours."

With a flirty smile and tone, she adds, "I don't know if anyone's ever told you this before, but chicks dig scars."

 

[TimTimTyner]

Captain Warton hears Wendy of Portlandia's comment about his face; his playful smirk slowly fades. But then she adds, "I don't know if anyone's ever told you this before, but chicks dig scars."

He's never heard a woman referred to as a chick, but he's no idiot and correctly interprets the odd usage of the word. His smirk returns and he responds, "I have other more interesting scars, in more interesting places. Perhaps I will get the opportunity to show you some of them at some point in what I hope to one day soon refer to as our relationship."

His lips spread in a wider smile yet. He glances past Wendy, then back to his own people on the opposite end of the bridge. "It would seem apparent that my men are not needed here. Perhaps, if I sent them back to Greenhill, you would invite me into Riverbend. Dinner perhaps? And we can further discuss the future of the village and its peasantry."

He looked for Wendy's reaction to that last word. Warton couldn't know what the woman's own societal status was, but the armor she wore spoke of money and status. He couldn't know, of course, that her armor and arms had begun their existence as costumes and toys from something called a Big Box store.

Was Wendy possibly Nobility? Royalty? Warton was well connected and knew just about anyone who was someone in this region, yet the woman before him and at least 3 of the women at the other end of the bridge were unfamiliar to him. Were they, too, little more than peasants?

 

[AmyRoberts]

(OOC: I speak for Warton once. I didn't think you would mind.)

Just as Captain Warton had listened to and appreciated Wendy's suggestive comments, she, too, listens to his and smiles. "Interesting scars, huh? We'll see. For now, let's begin this relationship of which you speak with dinner, as you requested, and with you turning over your weapons."

Wendy studies Warton's reaction just as he did hers. She is running all sorts of movie and television scenes through her mind, wondering whether Hollywood had things right and wondering whether or not any of those scenes had a basis in reality.

"I think it's customary for a man such as yourself to have an ... what, an Attendant at such functions? A Squire?" She's unsure of what to call such a person, but if the Captain is a Noble or some such person of stature, won't he have someone who tends to his horse, his dress, his weapons, and his general needs? "If you wish to call a man forward, you are welcome to do so."

The waits for his response, then says, "I need to return to my people and explain what is happening."

Back at the west end of the bridge, the crowd has more than triples as curious villagers joined the Sorority Sisters and the few armed residents. Wendy says for all to hear, "Captain Warton of Greenhill is joining us for dinner."

There were some growls amongst the peasants. Wendy had a good idea that they were familiar with this man. She continued with a firm tone, "We will provide him the hospitality he deserves."

There are more gripes, but Wendy cuts them off, "Or ... my friends and I could ride out of here and leave you to deal with the Captain and his soldiers on your own."

That shuts the crowd up. Wendy looks back to Warton and the man who has ridden up to join him. She looks to her Sisters. Quietly, she says, "Keep an eye on them, and at the first sign of treachery, kill them both."

"Happily," Rachel says.

Wendy rides back to the middle of the bridge, this time with one of the men of the village, Francis, who had taken up arms against the soldiers. Wendy asks for the swords and big daggers, saying with a smirk, "I'm sure that you have smaller blades hidden, but I won't ask for them. Just keep in mind that today, me and my friends killed two dozen men without suffering a scratch ourselves."

That isn't exactly true, of course, but the Healing Spell Sharla casted multiple times on Wendy's leg had very nearly caused the scar to disappear. Warton can't possibly know that she suffered it only half a day before.

"My man here," Warton begins as the four of them begin the slow walk of their horses to the west, "has inquired about the title you wish us to use when addressing you, Wendy of Portlandia."

Wendy doesn't immediately respond, but when she does she says, "Lady Wendy will do, Captain."

At her end of the bridge, Wendy looks to his end of the bridge: his forces remain where they were. She looks to Warton and suggests, "Your men might be more comfortable back in Greenhill, Captain."

He responds as he will, and Wendy leads him and his Second through the party crowd. There are many suspicious glares, but no one says a word, but the only person to speak is Michelle. "Follow me, Wendy. I have already told Sharla and Rachel that you could take Count Quinn's residence. It only seems appropriate."

Michelle fast walked the foursome to the home just east of the tower ruins. There, she and others took the reins of the horses, and Wendy leads their visitors inside. Michelle tells the Sorority Sisters that there is already a staff for the home, assuming that sticking with those servants will be sufficient and satisfactory.

Sharla immediately begins to object, saying, "I'm not going to have people--"

"That will be fine, Michelle," Wendy cuts her off. She shushes Sharla, then gestures Warton and his man, Phillip, toward the hearth, in which a fire is burning. After sending Michelle off to locate the appropriate people, Wendy whispers to her Sorority Sisters, "We are heroes to the people of Riverbend. And they are accustomed to serving heroes. We will let them."

Sharla begins to object again, but Wendy again cuts her off. "We're not taking advantage of these people, not like Quinn did, not like Warton probably does back in the Greenhill. But look at it this way: if we were Execs at some big bank back home and we're in a hotel somewhere, waiting for hedge fund meetings or whatever, we would have room service and dry cleaning and housekeeping and all that. So, chill! Just think of this place as the Four Seasons for now."

"Sure," Rachel says quietly, "the Four Seasons with blood, guts, and magic."

Wendy calms the pair down, then joins Warton near the fire. He has located a bottle of alcohol and poured drinks for him and Wendy. When Sharla and Rachel join them, he pours them drinks as well.

"I already introduced myself to Captain Warton, as Wendy of Portlandia," the Warrior says. She grins and winks inconspicuously to the pair, who are giving her questioning glances. "Perhaps you should introduce yourselves."

Neither of them respond immediately, but Wendy can see that each is contemplating their introductions. The Ranger strikes first, saying, "I am Rachel of Rip City."

Wendy had just taken a drink of the liqueur that was sweet and heavy. At the mentioning of one of Portland's sports-based nicknames -- celebratory of the city's NBA team, the Trailblazers -- she almost spits the mouthful of drink all over their guests.

Sharla is giggling, too, but contains it in time to add her bit of humor. "I am Sharla of Stumptown."

Wendy can't help but laugh at this one. Stumptown dated clear back to the 1840s when Portland was expanding so quickly and so many workers were involved in construction that there was no one available to removed the stumps of the trees cut down to feed lumber mills. At that time it was said that there were more stumps in Portland than there were trees.

Wendy can see in Warton's expression that he, too, finds the names interesting. But is it because he's never heard of the towns of Portlandia, Rip City, or Stumptown? Or because he correctly thinks that perhaps the trio is playing with him.

The topic of who is now the Lord or Lady of Riverbend is raised again, but before either of the Sorority Sisters can respond, the answer comes from Michelle, who has just returned with the house's servants, a family consisting of a wife, her three children (ages 14, 12, and 9), as well as of her minorly crippled brother.

"Lady Wendy of Portlandia is Riverbend's ruling Noble," Michelle says. She sees the looks from the three newcomers and smiles. She performs a proper curtsey to Wendy, then explains, "Lady Wendy and her Sisters saved Riverbend from the misery and horror brought forth upon us by Count Quinn, and, while the two of you were speaking on the bridge--"

She looks to Wendy, then to Warton. "--it was decided that Lady Wendy, Lady Sharla, and Lady Rachel would lead Riverbend."

The three Sorority Sisters stare at Michelle, then look to each other. Wendy shrugs. The other two show no sign of disagreeing. Wendy tells Warton, "I guess I am the Lady of Riverbend."

 

[TimTimTyner]

Still on the bridge:

Captain Warton is more than happy to surrender his weapons, or at least he claims to be. When Wendy suggests that he may have additional hidden weapons, he only smiles: he does, of course, but he has every hope not to need them during this visit to Riverbend.

The soft jeers at the other end of the bridge upon reaching it don't surprise Warton. The Sisters don't know his history with Riverbend, but they certainly will once they have a chance to ask around.

It was his Lord, Count Turan, who was actually responsible for Count Quinn's conquest of Riverbend. Turan had loaned his younger brother the additional soldiers and conscripted peasant fighters needed to conquer the village. The cost of the loan was supposed to be Quinn returning the favor, aiding his brother in conquering yet another small town to the east of Greenhill.

But Quinn reneged on his duty, and the brothers had been at odds since. Turan had been pressuring Quinn to come through on his commitments on a regular basis. Finally unwilling to wait any longer, Turan's forces slipped into Riverbend one night and caught Quinn sweaty up the bed with a pair of village girls.

Warton hadn't played a part in the original conquest of Riverbend for Quinn, but he had been in charge of this operation to capture the Count. And the operation had been pulled off splendidly, meaning that none of his men had been killed. Quinn hasn't been so lucky, losing 6 men.

Warton had also been in charge of what came next, though, he hadn't honestly been excited about having to pull such a dastardly act: the confiscation of a portion of Riverbend's most valuable resource, its people. The Captain took 6 men, 12 women, and 16 children into bondage, marching and carting them to Greenhill. From there, they were sold into slavery to Nobles in every direction.

The remaining people of Riverbend had never forgotten or forgiven this horrific taking of friends and family. On at least four occasions, residents of the little town had slipped out of Riverbend and into Greenhill, attempting to locate and kill Warton. Obviously, that had never happened.

He was a bit intrigued when Wendy told him that he could call her Lady as he doubted very much that she was of the Noble class. He also didn't recognize the names Portlandia, Rip City, and Stumptown. They almost sounded fictional, but Warton couldn't imagine why someone would fabricate such odd names.

"And who is the new Lord of Riverbend?" he asked as they were making themselves comfortable at what had been Count Quinn's wet bar. The interaction between Michelle and the three other woman was as intriguing as the three women's titles. He lifted his glass in Wendy's direction and toasted, "I wish you all the success possible."

After another servant entered and announced that a hot meal would be ready in half an hour, Warton said, "I had a long night, and after the ride here this morning, I wouldn't mind taking a nap. Is there a place where I can lay down?"

The servant was under the impression that Lady Wendy would be taking the deceased Lord Quinn's largest of bed chambers, so she led Captain Walton to a second bedroom. He kicked off his boots and shed his outer layer of clothing before laying down and simply staring into the rafters for the next couple of hours. He awoke of his own accord, realizing that they had let him sleep, despite lunch being ready some time ago.

Back out in the house's main chamber, Warton caught talking in the next room over about the kidnapped Riverbend residents. When the Sorority Sisters all came into the room, he asked, "May I assume that we have something to discuss."

 

[AmyRoberts]

Hours earlier:

No sooner has Captain Warton disappeared behind the bedroom door than Michelle says anxiously, "I must return to my brother."

The Sisters understand, so much so that Sharla volunteers to go with her. Sharla, of course, isn't a rider, so once again she mounts a horse behind the young Robert and the four of them -- Martha the Healer goes as well -- are riding for the cabin in the woods.

"What do you think about this guy, this Captain?" Rachel asks Wendy, adding with some humor, "Lady Wendy of Portlandia."

They laugh about their new titles, then discuss Warton. As they are doing so, the Maid of the house tells them about the missing villagers: 6 men, 12 women, and 16 children, taken away into bondage.

"I'll kill him while he sleeps," Wendy growls, pulling out one of her daggers.

"No!" Rachel calls out, cutting in front of her. "You can't kill him here, now, like this. He is a guest. He's a fucking creep! But, legally and politically, even in an ancient time, he is a guest, like a diplomat. Think diplomatic immunity."

The two argue back and forth for quite a while without coming to agreement on the subject. They end that conversation, though, when they are asked to come outside to discuss something else. They are invited to the largest building in Riverbend, which is a church and community center -- including kitchen and pantry -- on the first floor of most of the building.

The first floor on the northside addition was once the home of the Priest, who was killed during the conquest of the town a year ago. Additionally, the second floor of the building is essentially a homeless shelter, serving men, women, and children whose homes were destroyed during the attacks or during the meantime.

There is a lively conversation taking place about the place of Wendy, Sharla, and Rachelle in Riverbend. Many -- mostly women and older children -- believe that the three women deserve places of honor in the town for what they did liberating it from Count Quinn. Others, though -- mostly men -- consider them to be outsiders with no claim to rule, particularly since they are merely women.

"I assure you, we are not like Count Quinn," Wendy tells the group when she gets a chance to speak. "We -- I -- have no intention of ruling over you as a Lord or Lady would."

She recalls what she and her Sisters discusses about being 21st century Americans in an ancient, likely-imaginary land of swords and sorcery; they agreed to act as if they belonged here and to go with the cultural flow for now.

Wendy continues, thinking about all the sporting teams for which she had been a Captain or Co-Captain over the years, "Where I come from, I was a leader. I was a Count. But where I come from, Counts don't kidnap and kill and treat their people with cruelty. If they do, they are voted out, expelled."

"Where we come from," Rachel sounds off, trying to act like she actually means what she's saying, "leaders are benevolent and work for the people, setting their own ambitions aside to better the lives of their people."

Wendy and Rachel look to each other with the same thoughts about how for generations and particularly during the last few years, the reality is that majority of leaders and politicians work only for themselves and for their rich donors, and the rich themselves are eternally gaining more wealth while the middle class shrinks, enlarging the poverty classes which continues to sink deeper and deeper into debt and despair.

"I make you this vow right now," Wendy continues. "If you will allow me to stand in as your Lady, for now, I will do everything I can to find and return your missing friends and family to you."

That piques the interest of many of the villagers, most of whom are missing one or more loved ones. Rachel adds, "I will help my friend, as will our third friend. Give us a chance to do this for you, and if you are unhappy with the result, we will leave this place and never return."

That is a pretty easy thing for Rachel to say, considering that at any moment, she expects to awake from this oddest of odd dreams. Some of the people who are supportive of the Sisters argue on their behalf; those opposed are becoming more silent, though, there are still a handful -- again, mostly men -- who are silently against such a proposal.

(17) The vast majority of the community agrees to give the women a chance, based upon the good they did this day. Wendy tells them, "We are going to go speak to Captain Warton now, to get what we can from him about where your friends and family are now. I have been told that many of you all meet here each night for a community dinner."

Wendy has been told that with Count Quinn confiscating and selling much of the food as taxes, there isn't enough for everyone, so they combined what they had to more efficiently cook a large meal for all here each night. For some, it is the only meal of the day they have, with their breakfast being little more than bread and maybe rabbit or squirrel from the forest and rarely any form of lunch at all.

"And we will hunt," Rachel called out over the murmuring crowd. "I need 20 volunteers to go with me into the forest to beat the bush. We will kill deer and squirrels and grouse together, and tonight we will have a feast to celebrate the liberation of Riverbend."

There were actually some cheers, and as the meeting broke up, Rachel began getting volunteers to partake not only of the hunt but of foraging the forest for other edibles as well. They go the woods -- checking on Marcus, too, and learning that he is quickly healing -- and after forming a large semi-circle, drive pretty much everything on legs to the forest's edge, where Rachel uses her bow and others use their own weapons to kill 6 deer and 13 other animals.

With their catch returned to the village, they skin and slaughter the animals and put them over fires in the Great Hall.

Meanwhile, as Rachel was out on the hunt, Wendy was learning about Riverbend, Greenhill, the other neighboring towns, and the land in general. Suddenly, she found herself no longer in the Great Hall with a dozen or so concerned citizens but on a small hillock overlooking Riverbend, with Rachel, Sharla, and a fourth person...

The Guide.

 

[TimTimTyner]

The Guide Returns

The Guide wears a pleased smile as he says, "It is so very good to see all three of you still alive." He sees the looks of confusion on the Sorority Sisters' faces. "I knew I picked the right girls."

"Picked for what?" one of the Sorority sisters asks. "Why us?"

"Why not?" The Guide asks in return. He looks out across the landscape, to the town of Riverbend, to the long, winding river, to the hills to the north and south and even taller mountain ranges to the east and west. "This land is ripe for adventure for three girls of your caliber. You were each special and unique in your own world, though, you likely would never have been able to achieve the great things there that you can achieve here.

"Wendy," he says, looking to the Warrior. "You are powerful and charismatic. The people will follow you, if only you will lead." He steps closer to the youngest but also most confident and adventurous of the three, looks her deeply in her eyes, and says with a sincere tone, "Wendy of Portlandia ... you will be Queen of this land if only you will lead the people."

He turns to and slowly nears the Sorceress as he continues, "Sharla of Stumptown, you have discovered the magic within you. You have seen and felt the power of the Earth within you. You will become the most powerful Sorceress of this land with study and practice, and with employment of your powers for good, the people of this land will come to worship you."

Again, The Guide turns to the third Sister. "Rachel of Rip City, there are wonders hidden deep in the forests and mountainous regions of this land. You will discover these places if only you take the risk of venturing there. You will discover new peoples..." He is close to Rachel and reaches a hand up slowly to gently caress his fingertips upon the ears that began as plastic toys attached with spirit gum but which are now very much real to being. He finishes, "...you will discover your people, and together with your Sisters, you will bring this land, their lands, and all lands together as one peaceful and prosperous Realm."

Suddenly, before any of them can respond or react, their eyes and minds fill with disorienting sights and sounds, and a moment later they are each back where they'd been previously: Wendy in the Riverbend, speaking with the villagers about the future of the community; Rachel on the forest's edge, hunting with a bow with which she is suddenly wonderfully skilled; Sharla in the forest cabin, using her magic to tend to the wounds of the man with whom she is becoming romantically interested.

 

[AmyRoberts]

"I knew I picked the right girls," the Guide tells them.

"Picked for what?" Wendy asks. "Why us?"

"Why not?"

The three Sisters are so baffled by all that is taking place now and all that has taken place over the past, what, day and a half? It all seems like such a dream, a fantastical dream, but at the same time -- particularly when Wendy runs her hand over her thigh scar or Rachel feels the newly found power within her or Sharla imagines the great things she will learn -- they want to believe that all of this is true.

"This land is ripe for adventure for three girls of your caliber," the Guide goes on. He speaks of their special and unique attributes, and all three feel a surge of power and understanding within them.

"Wendy of Portlandia..."

The Guide speaks of how she could become Queen of this land. Wendy smiles, then laughs. "Queen? You gotta be kidding?"

But he only moves on, saying, "Sharla of Stumptown..."

She listens to his vision and -- unlike Wendy -- she believes all the Guide has to say, even the worship part, which -- down deep -- she welcomes after a life of feeling invisible to so many people around her.

"Rachel of Rip City..."

The Ranger is caught between the feelings of her Sisters. She yearns for the promised adventure, though, she can't believe that it can be all that the Guide says it will be. But when he touches her pointy Elven ear and speaks of her people -- as if she is no longer simply a Human Being, her stomach turns over anxiously at the thought, Just what adventures await me, await my friends?

And then, with a dizzying of their minds, they are all back where they were before the Guide brought them to that hill overlooking the town they'd freed...

<> <> <> <> <>​

Wendy strides to the house that is now hers -- and Rachel and Sharla's, of course -- and enters to find Captain Warton just coming out of the bedroom, seeming to be well rested. He has overheard others in the house speaking of the missing villagers, and he now asks Wendy, "May I assume that we have something to discuss?"

She is approaching him rather quickly, and his escort -- fearing an attack on his superior -- pulls a hidden dagger and heads to intercept Wendy. She, however, rips her sword out quickly and holds it out to his throat before he can react. "Lose the knife or lose your life."

The man drops the blade. Wendy commands, "Leave this house. Now!"

The man hesitates, but the feel of the sharp sword tip at his Adam's Apple convinces him to depart. As he does, Wendy divides her attention between the two men; she's confident that she has this under control, but she's also smart enough to know that this new world and this new existence is new to her, and she doesn't know everything she should know to be totally safe.

Once they are alone, Wendy -- her sword now pointing at the Captain -- tells Warton firmly, "You will help me and my people find and return to Riverbend each and every man, woman, and child you took. In exchange, I will spare your life and your lord master Count Turan's life. If you refuse ... if you do not help me in every way, I will bring down upon you a wrath that this world has never seen before."

That was pretty bold talk, of course, seeing how Wendy has no idea what kind of wrath is available in this land. She lowers but does not sheath the sword as she says with a bit less venom, "What you did to this town is ... horrific. I think you know that. I sense in you, in the way you responded to hearing the others speaking of the kidnapping ... in the way some of the villagers spoke about how you were surprisingly gentle you were with the women and children you took ... I sense that there is good still within you."

Wendy can't help but smile and then even blush a bit when she realizes that she is sounding like Luke Skywalker speaking to Darth Vader on the second Death Star. She finally sheaths the sword, saying, "Help me do the right thing. Help me bring peace to these people, to the people of Riverbend. And maybe, while you're at it, bring peace to you."

<> <> <> <> <>​

Rachel looses one last arrow, putting it into the rib cage of a doe running at full speed along the edge of the forest. It falls to the ground, rolling in a kicked up cloud of dust and debris. She walks to it slowly, kneels at its side as it is slowly dying, and whispers, "Lothron i cuil cin gar- given inspire others na on- cuil in rinn-."

Robert is standing over the doe and asks with surprise, "What was that?"

Rachel chuckles, saying, "I'm not sure."

A moment passes, and her face lights up with recognition. "No. I do know. It's the language of my people."

"You mean Elves?" the teenaged boy asks. "My mother always said there were Elves, but I've never seen one before. Not until you, I mean."

"It means May the life you have given inspire others to give life in return," Rachel explains as she watches the doe's chest rise and fall with its last breath. She pulls out a dagger, hands it to the boy, and says, "We will honor this animal's sacrifice by using every part of it: meat, hide, bone ... they all have a use."

Together, they gut the animal and then carry it back to the village, as has been done with the other prey killed that afternoon. The fire in the church is roaring, roasting many carcasses while other fires across the town are doing the same.

Rachel has noticed that one of the male villagers -- one of only a few who took up arms against Quinn's men -- has been watching her more than some of the others, watching her and then smiling to her when she meets his gaze. She makes her way slowly to his side.

"I saw how you used your knife against one of the soldiers," she tells him softly. "I wonder, would you be interested in showing me how to do that, use a knife in a fight?"

<> <> <> <> <>​

Sharla can't help but smile to Marcus as they converse with each other in the cabin. His sister Michelle has gone outside to check his snares, and the healer, Martha, has returned to Riverbend after reassuring all concerned that Marcus is likely to make a full recovering in the days or perhaps weeks to come. This has left the two of them alone in the lightly lit cabin, and even the inexperienced and even virginal Sharla can't help but feel the intimacy of being so near the man who she'd spontaneously kissed earlier in the day.

"Are you married?" she asks, suddenly realizing that after all of this time, she'd never made such an inquiry of him or his sister. His answer is a satisfactory one to Sharla, causing her to blush as she whispers more to herself than to him, "Good."

She moves close again, checking his forehead for signs of a return of his fever. Her touch to his skin is a bit longer lasting than necessary, and -- once again -- Sharla blushes at the thoughts passing through her mind. She is the eldest of the three Sorority Sisters by 2 years, and yet she is the only virgin amongst them. Oh, it's not as if men haven't made an effort to part her legs before, of course.

Sharla is a very beautiful woman, and dozens of men from high school to University have made a play for her. But none has succeeded, because Sharla wouldn't allow it. But now, in this new world of great adventures, she is thinking that perhaps it is time for her to take this great adventure.

 

[TimTimTyner]

In what is now Lady Wendy's home:

Captain Warton of Greenhill flinches at, then smiles at the speed and agility with which Wendy of Portlandia pulls her sword and threatens his man. He, too, reached a hand for a blade, hidden under his clothing. But Warton does not pull the weapon. Instead, he nods to his man to depart when told to do so.

"You will help me and my people find and return to Riverbend each and every man, woman, and child you took," Wendy tells him, her weapon now pointed at him. "In exchange, I will spare your life and your lord master Count Turan's life. If you refuse ... if you do not help me in every way, I will bring down upon you a wrath that this world has never seen before."

Despite the woman's lack of familiarity with this new land in which she finds herself, Warton believes that Wendy believes that she can indeed follow through with her threat to bring down a serious wrath upon his head.

She speaks of the horrific kidnapping Warton conducted -- innocent men, women, and children taken from their homes and sold into slavery -- but then credits him for what even some of the villagers interpreted as his reluctance in performing the act.

"I sense that there is good still within you."

There is, but Warton does not respond to her assumption. Warton is not a monster as so many think he is. He once was a loyal, courageous, heroic defender of the King, his Family, and his realm. He only came to work for Count Turan when there were no legitimate places of employment for him; the good in this land had become very short in supply, while at the same time the pay offered by less worthy men was rising all the time.

"Help me do the right thing," Wendy asks.

Warton considers the offer as he turns away and slowly paces about the room. He ends up at what Wendy's culture would term the wet bar, where he pours a local alcoholic liquid -- what Wendy might recognize as whiskey -- into two metal cups. He returns to her offers out one of the containers, sips from his own, and then slowly pulls out the dagger that he'd very nearly drawn earlier.

"I believe any further negotiation will be better believed if we are not both armed, m'lady," Warton says, tossing the blade onto a nearby table. He moves to an arm chair, sits, sips, and says, "You efforts will be vain if you do not begin them with the capture and killing of my Lord, Count Turan. He hated his brother, and he was only waiting for someone -- someone like you and your friends -- to kill the Count, so that he himself could sweep in and take over Riverbend."

He sips again, then continues, "My squad is loyal to me, and if I ask them to betray the Count, they will do so without hesitation. There are not enough of them to accomplish this task, however. To do this, I will need help. Your help."

Again he sips, then explains, "I will deliver you and your friends to Count Turan in the guise of being prisoners. Then, once we are all in his presence, we will strike. Once Turan and most of his loyal soldiers are dead, I will assume control of Greenhill and help you locate and return to Riverbend as many of its missing people as possible."

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In the Riverbend Church:

"I saw how you used your knife against one of the soldiers," Rachel tells the man who's been eying her rather conspicuously. "I wonder, would you be interested in showing me how to do that, use a knife in a fight?"

"It would be my pleasure, m'lady," the man says. He gestures her toward the exit of the Church, telling her, "My name is Matthew."

Outside, after they each pull out daggers, Matthew begins with the basics of how to hold a blade for different purposes: offensive, defensive, throwing, etc. (17) He is dubious about her unfamiliarity with the weapon, asking, "Are you sure you've never handled a blade before?"

When she tells him she hasn't, Matthew smiles. "I only ask because you are very good at this. I though maybe this might simply be an excuse to spend time with me."

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In the Forest Cabin:

"Are you married?" Sharla asks Marcus, blushing.

"No, I'm not married," he says, smiling in delight at the question. Women don't usually ask a man if he's married unless they themselves are having thoughts about being married to him, or maybe just naked with him. He hears her mumble Good and laughs. "And what about you? Are you married?"

She answers in the negative, just as Marcus had. Playfully, and with a bit more volume, he says back, "Good."

Sharla examines his wounds, which are healing shockingly quickly due to her spells, and Marcus thanks her for all she's gone. His sister, Michelle, returns with more food, herbs, and fresh, clean water. She sees in the others' reactions and expressions that they're not exactly pleased with her untimely return. She tells than she thinks she knows where a patch of button mushrooms are ready to be picked and once again departs.

"I'm only a simple peasant farmer," Marcus begins as soon as the pair of them are alone again, "and I am not worthy of a woman such as yourself. But if I were to somehow be worthy in your eyes, it would be my greatest joy in life to be your man."

 

[AmyRoberts]

In what is now Lady Wendy's home:

Wendy tenses a bit when she see Warton reaching for his hidden weapon. But she is relieved when he sits it on the table and takes a seat to engage in the negotiations.

He suggests capturing and executing his boss, which surprises Wendy. She is conflicted when he adds, "I will assume control of Greenhill and help you locate and return to Riverbend as many of its missing people as possible."

The second half of that is surprising: Wendy wasn't sure whether or not he would agree to such a task. The first half, though, isn't surprising at all: he wants something out of this, of course, that something being the Town and County of Greenhill.

"I agree," Wendy says after sitting across from him. She sips her drink, wincing at the alcoholic content. "I will help you capture Count Turan and Greenhill. In return you will help me locate the missing men, women, and children. All of the missing. I will not hold you personally responsible for any who we do not find and return to Riverbend. However, I will expect you to make recompense to the families of those people not found and returned in safe condition."

Wendy begins to remember that she hasn't eaten but is drinking strong alcohol when she realizes that she is wondering what Warton looks like naked. She blushes a fiery hot red, looking away before standing and stepping off. She downs the rest of her second drink, then says, "I believe that they are holding some food for us in the Church. Shall we?"

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Outside the Riverbend Church:

"My name is Matthew," the dagger trainer informs Rachel.

They practice for an hour or more, and in that time, Rachel is handing the dagger like she grew up playing with one. When Matthew sets up a chunk of firewood as a throwing target, Rachel easily stick her dagger in it again and again from more than 30 feet away.

When Matthew questions her supposed lack of familiarity with daggers and wonders aloud if perhaps this wasn't all a ruse to spend time with him, Rachel blushes. She tells him, "Perhaps it is."

His reaction seems to be positive. Rachel suddenly realizes that she is burning with lust for this man who she's only just met. This isn't usual for her; Rachel doesn't do one night stands or fuck men she's only just met. She doesn't realize it yet, but her transformation to an Elven species is doing things to her biology that is leading to her lust for Matthew.

And yet, she finds herself taking him by the hand and leading him out back of the Church toward the river's edge. Once they are out of sight of anyone back at the Church, she wraps her arms around his neck, pulls his mouth to hers, and kisses him passionately while their bodies press firmly together.

"I want you," Rachel says, pushing him back to the soft, grassy bank of the river. She pulls up her skirt and down her undergarments, not unlike what she would call granny panties. Dropping onto Matthew's thighs, she begins unbuckling and untying his own lower garments, repeating and clarifying, "I want you. I want you inside me."

If he does nothing to stop her, Rachel will mount him for a hard, fast, and satisfying (for both of them) fuck.

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In the Forest Cabin:

"No, I'm not married," Marcus tells Sharla. "And what about you? Are you married?"

"No, not married." she says. She wants to tell him, I'm still a virgin but doesn't. When Marcus tells Sharla that he doesn't think he even deserves a woman like her, she immediately contradicts him, saying, "You are a simple farmer, I am a simple--"

She stops short, thinking, then laughing. "Well, I don't know exactly what I am. But what I do know is that I am exactly what you are worthy for."

Sharla moves closer still, leans in, and kisses Marcus softly, intimately on the lips. The embrace become increasingly more erotic until Marcus suddenly winces and cries out at a sudden, sharp pain in one of his wounds. Sharla quickly apologizes, checks the bandages, then laughs nervously.

"I'm never been with a man before," she says softly. She sees Marcus's reaction and adds, "Perhaps when you are properly healed..."

Sharla let the thought fade.

 

[TimTimTyner]

Lady Wendy's Home (north end, just east of the Tower ruins):

Warton considers what Wendy demands in regards to compensating villagers for the loss of their family members should they not be located and returned. Off and on, he has heard the house's Maid making noise in the adjacent kitchen. He calls for her.

"Yes, m'lord," she says, curtseying when she arrives.

"Your name?" he asks.

"Laura, m'lord."

"You may call me Captain, Laura," Warton tells her. "I am not your Lord. Lady Wendy is your Noble, your Lady." Laura hesitantly nods her understanding. Warton continues, "Laura, did I take any of your family members as hostages as part of Count Quinn's tribute to his brother, Count Turan?"

Laura hesitates, but Warton says with a sincere tone, "You may speak freely, Laura. You have nothing to fear from me or from answering my question. Please."

Laura is hesitant still but responds. "My brother, m'lord. Steven. You--" She pauses, continuing, "Your men, they took him."

Warton stands tall, reaches into a pocket in his jacket, and removes two gold coins. He sets them on the table between the maid and himself. "Laura, if I was to tell you that I was unable to locate and safely return your brother to you, would these two coins be sufficient recompense for his loss?" When she doesn't immediately respond, Warton asks, "Do you understand the word recompense, Laura? Compensation?"

"Compensation, yes, m'Lord," she answered, quickly correcting, "Captain." He waits, and when she realizes he is expecting an answer to his odd question, she says with a dutiful tone, "Yes, Captain."

"Are you sure, Laura?" Warton asks. "Or are you only saying that because you are who and what you are and I am who and what I am ... and you feel you have no choice but to accept what I have offered for the loss of your brother?"

Laura drops her gaze to the floor, ashamed of her lack of status amongst those in the room. Warton looks to Wendy as he explains, "The average peasant farmer, through his labor, will earn his Master 10 Silver Sovereigns a year, or 100 Silver Sovereigns per decade. 100 Silver to a Gold means ... what was your brother's name?"

"Steven, Captain," Laura responds, her gaze still on the floor between her and Warton.

"That means that Steven's value to his Master, presuming he works productively in the fields for 2 decades, is 200 Silver Sovereigns, or 2 Gold Sovereigns." Warton looks down at the 2 coins on the table, then to the maid. "Laura, please look at me." The maid hesitates, and when she does her eyes are glistening over with threatening tears. "Those two coins represent the worth of your brother in labor to his master, Laura."

He hesitates, then reaches into his pocket again and withdraws 3 more gold coins and sets them gently atop the other two. "But your brother's value to you went far beyond the value of his labor to his Master, to Count Quinn while he lived here and to his new Master, wherever that might be today." Pushing the stack of coins closer to the maid, Warton continues with a sincerely compassionate tone, "I may not be able to do something about returning your brother to you and your family. And I have no right to place a value on him, his life, and his labor. This is the best that I can do. I can make up for the value of the labor lost when your brother was-- when I took your brother. I can not do anything about the true loss of your brother, to you, his sister. All I can do is give you these coins ... and give you my sincere apology for being responsible for your loss."

Laura looked at the coins, peaked up at Warton, then looked to Wendy for some idea of how she was supposed to react to this.

<> <> <> <> <>​

On the riverbank behind the Riverbend Church:

Matthew is simply stunned when the beautiful Rachel begins seducing him on the riverbank.

"I want you," she purrs to him. "I want you inside me."

A moment later, his trousers are unfastened, his already rock hard cock is out in the cool, early evening air, and the fascinating Elf is lowering herself into his lap, her wet, warm, and tight pussy taking his length inside it slowly, carefully. He lets out a long, deep, guttural groan as he feels his shaft being swallowed up.

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In the Forest Cabin:

Sharla tells Marcus, "I'm never been with a man before."

His eyes widen with shock. Sharla is a beautiful woman a handful of years past when most women surrender their virginity willingly to their chosen lovers or less so to husbands of arranged marriages. How can it be that no man has claimed her innocence.

"Perhaps when you are properly healed..."

"I'm fine now!" Marcus says excitedly. He tries to sit up to get closer to the Sorceress who brought him back from the brink of death. When he winces and groans from pain, Marcus lays back again. "So. Maybe we should wait."

 

[AmyRoberts]

Lady Wendy's Home:

As she listens to Warton's explanation about the worth of a peasant farmer, then watches as he offers Laura what amounts to a small fortune to a peasant, Wendy is simply amazed. She wouldn't have expected such generosity from a man like the Captain.

Laura looks to Wendy for some sign of what to do. The Warrior nods, saying, "It can't replace your brother, Laura. But it will help you with greatly. Take it. We will still look for Steven, but until then, use the Captain's gold to take care of your family.

The maid takes the coins, pocketing them. She doesn't know what she's going to do with such valuable coins: Copper Sovereigns or even Silvers would be much easier to spend, obviously. But she'll figure it out, she thinks to herself as she imagines all she can do with that kind of fortune.

She leaves, and Wendy asks, "Are you going to do that for each of the villagers missing family? Can you afford to do that?"

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On the riverbank behind the Riverbend Church:

Rachel begins rocking fore and back atop Matthew's body, taking his cock in and out and -- more importantly -- sliding her sensitive clitoris to and fro upon him, causing herself the most incredible pleasure.

She is just beginning to break a sweat when that pleasure grows quickly, then peaks. Rachel cries out in delight as her entire body is enveloped with the joy of orgasm. She has seen and heard the man's own climax already, and after her pleasure peaks, she falls forward to lay upon him, panting and whispering her compliments.

After several minutes as her breathing and heart rate are retuning to normal, Rachel sits up tall again. She smiles, then begins all over again, telling Matthew simply, "Round two."

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In the Forest:

Sharla leaves Marcus side finally, moving to the food offerings to make them dinner. They chat about many things, flirting off and on. She really likes Marcus, and it's difficult not stripping off her clothes and attacking the handsome man.

 

[TimTimTyner]

Introducing Meena

Lady Wendy's Home:

"No, I cannot," Captain Warton responds to the Warrior's question as to whether he can afford to give up 5 Gold Sovereigns for every one of the 6 men, 12 women, and 16 children that he had had taken away into bondage. "But I needed a show of good faith, to you and to the people of Riverbend. I vow to you, Lady Wendy, that I will aid you to the best of my ability to find your missing people."

He turns toward the door, pauses, and says, "You said something about a meal."

<> <> <> <> <>​

On the riverbank behind the Riverbend Church:

As she begins rocking her body to and fro atop his, Rachel tells Matthew, "Round two."

He's never heard it put that way, but he understands well enough that one orgasm wasn't enough for her. He's still enjoying the euphoria from his first climax, but he's more than happy to partake of another one. With a quick movement, he rolls the now-Elven Ranger to her back upon the grass, shifts his position to allow his knees to dig into the soft bank of the river, and begins thrusting hard, deep, and fast. He looks into Rachel's face the entire time, marveling at the expressions and sounds coming from her as he slowly but surely drives her -- and then him -- to yet another sexual explosion.

They lay there for the longest time with Matthew keeping their bodies together yet still using his knees and elbows to keep most of his weight off of the smaller woman. He feels her heart beating against his body while his own pounds within his; he listens to her soft, post-coital whimpers while his own breaths of exertion slowly fade.

Again rolling -- this time putting Rachel atop him -- he looks up into her eyes and smiles. "You are the most incredible woman I've ever known."

They spend more time there, then head for the Church and dinner. As they leave the bank, Matthew holds Rachel's hand. But as they return to the public eye, he isn't sure whether or not he still should; if she releases his hand -- hell, if she increases distance between them -- he will understand. After all, they are not married or even betrothed -- fuck, they must met this day -- and Matthew doesn't want others to think that the beautiful Elf will part her legs for just any man's cock.

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In the Forest:

Marcus has greatly enjoyed his time alone -- most of it alone -- with Sharla. But his injury and subsequent healing has left him tired; he drifts off to a state of sleep without even knowing he has.

One of the Sisters has sent a mounted messenger out to the cabin, a young woman named Meena, to check on Sharla, Michelle, and Marcus. Before he leaves, she tells Sharla, "Your friends would like to see you when you have time. I've brought a second horse and will leave it for you."

She doesn't know until this moment that Sharla doesn't ride solo. She giggles. Meena calls Michelle in from where she is foraging and tells Sharla, "Come with me. I will show you how to ride." She has to practically drag Sharla out the door and onto the horse. "You sit in front."

Meena leaps skillfully onto the back of the horse, gives some instructions on how to hold the reins properly, how to direct the horse, and -- "This is important!" -- how not to fall off when the horse alters speed or takes corners. They leave the forest for the open space of the fields and walk, trot, canter, and gallop the horse for almost an hour.

"Flip your leg over the horse's whithers," Meena tells Sharla when they have stopped near the forest where they'd first been. She giggles as the woman's confusion. "The base of the horse's neck, in front of you. That's the whithers. Kick your foot over before you, so that you are ... yeah, like that."

Sharla had already been doing as directed, and when she had both legs draped over the horse's left side and had her own left side to the other woman's front side, the Sorceress is suddenly feeling Meena's lips upon her own in an unexpected and erotic kiss that is accompanied with the village girl's arms pulling Sharla's body into her own.

(OOC: Sending you an important PM about how to take this forward. Read if before posting; it concerns who continues to write Meena.)

 

[AmyRoberts]

Lady Wendy's Home:

Wendy isn't surprised when Captain Warton says that he can't afford to pay 5 Gold Sovereigns for each of the 34 hostages; she doesn't yet know the economy of this strange, fantastical land, but even so, 5 gold coins about the size of a quarter have obvious value.

But his promise to search for the missing villagers sounds sincere.

"You said something about a meal," Warton says.

"Of course," she says. Wendy leads the Captain out of the house toward the Church. She catches herself eyeballing him several times during the walk; she doesn't want to admit it, considering who he is, but Warton is a handsome and well built man, even with the prominent facial scars.

They arrive at the Church's community gathering area, when every night a meal is served. Typically, though, the mean was much smaller, less than satisfying, and anything but balanced. The hunt Rachel led and the foraging that accompanied it has resulted in the most substantial meal these people have seen in months.

The story of the gold pieces had already begun to circulate. Villagers come up to Wendy, asking the truth of it. Some approach Warton as well; what he tells them Wendy waits to see.

Rachel arrives a bit later, and as she passes Wendy, the warrior snags her by the arm, pulling her closer and sniffing at her. She smiles, asking, "Oh my god, did you just get laid?"

Matthew enters a respectable amount of time after his new lover. Peeking back at him, then back to her friend. Rachel blushes and giggles. She whispers, "I needed that."

She glances around, leans in, and asks suggestively, "So, anyone catch your eye?"

Wendy glances to Warton, then back; Rachel has noticed this, and her mouth falls open. "Really?"

"I can't help it," Wendy admits. "I know he's probably a bad boy, but Jesus, did you see the add in those leather pants?"

They laugh together and join the feast.

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On the Forest's edge:

Sharla is surprised when Meena's lips find her own. She flinches in surprise, but her lips remain pressed against the other woman's. Meena's arms wrap around Sharla's torso, pulling her closer as the woman's lips part and the kiss becomes more erotic.

Sharla is a virgin, but she isn't entirely innocent: she's engaged in make out sessions with a dozen or so people, one of which had been a young woman at a campus party. Rachel and Wendy -- each of whom had had female lovers, either in high school or university -- had told Sharla that making out with another chick at a party or in her Sorority room was almost a college requirement; it was why, when given the chance, Sharla had taken it. It had gone on for nearly an hour and had included a good deal of groping and over-the-clothes caressing. Yet it hadn't gone all the way as Sharla might have termed it in high school as she was simply not ready for sex, be it with a woman or a man.

Despite not knowing this young beauty and, of course, having already expressed to Marcus the possibility of him claiming her innocence, Sharla fully and eagerly engages Meena in the embrace. Her loins stir in a warm desire she has never fully realized before.

"I want to be your lover, Sorceress," Meena whispers between kisses.

Sharla pulls her head back to look into the experienced rider's eyes with a curious expression. Sorceress. She knows about what I did. What I can do. Sharla wasn't aware that villagers other than those with whom she'd already dealt knew about her powers.

Meena continues, "When I was a little girl, the Seer told my mother I would one day be the Consort of a great Wizard. I didn't know what that meant then, of course. But I do now. And while I have always believed this great Wizard would be a man, I believe now that she meant you."

Meena kisses Sharla again, and Sharla returns the passion. She turns and tosses her leg back over the horse's withers, asking, "Where can we go to be alone."

 

[TimTimTyner]

In the Church during the feast:

Warton is approached by several villagers who have heard about Laura's good fortune. Some are polite about making inquiries about receiving their own gold coins; others are less so, essentially demanding them; still others confront him about how he thinks he can simply pay them off, whether it be with Copper, Silver, or Gold Sovereigns.

"May I have everyone's attention, please?" Warton finally calls out. The room quiets a bit, even more after he calls out, "Please, everyone. Please, I have something to say that I feel will ... well, please, let me speak."

Warton makes his way to the dais from which the Priest used to share his sermon, before he was killed for defending his flock. The Captain explains that he cannot simply hand out gold coins to each and every resident of Riverbend: "I simply do not have that amount of coinage with me."

There are grumbles and even some accusations, but he gestures for quiet and continues. "As I have told your Lady, I regret my participation in the taking of your friends and family, and I wish to do what I can to make up for this, which includes searching for and returning as many of those people as possible or paying compensation for those who simply cannot be found--"

"Or are already dead!" someone calls out in anger, causing a bit of an uproar before Warton can reclaim calm.

"I think it needs to be noted that I do not have to do this, any of this," Warton says with a bit of a harsher tone. "I have chosen to do this because it is the right thing to do."

"Because you know we'll hang you from a tree limb if you don't," that same angry voice called out.

Warton raises his arms out to his side, saying to the man, "Do as you will, my good man." There are more murmurs, including some saying it should be done. But Warton cuts them off with, "But if you do, you will never see any of your missing friends and family again. And my men at the far end of the bridge will return to Greenhill to gather the balance of Count Turan's forces, and they will return to burn Riverbend to the ground and take all of you whom the don't kill into slavery."

That quieted down the let's string him up rhetoric. "Please, hear me. This does not need to be contentious. I am offering to make up for what I did while under the direction of Count Turan. These were not decisions I made on my own. But helping you is my decision. You have only to decide whether or not you want my help."

Things calm down a bit, and a couple of the residents even come up to Warton to politely ask him if he has any information on where their relatives might be. He doesn't, not specifically anyway. He goes to Wendy and says, "I think perhaps I need to retire for the evening. I need my man to go to the bridge and inform my squad of what is happening. I would like them to cross the bridge and be put up for the night, if that works for you. They will, of course, disarm, and you can keep a guard on them as well."

On the Forest's edge:

Sharla asks, "Where can we go to be alone."

Meena smiles with delight. "I know the perfect place."

Meena directs Sharla along the edge of the woods, then into them. They move slowly in the deepening darkness; the skilled rider's hands hold and sometimes caress the riding trainee. The trail cuts through the forest, and the sound of water begins to fill their ears. Suddenly, the forest breaks and before them is a pool of water into which a tall falls is dumping.

The beautiful redhead slides off the horse. She helps Sharla down, taking her into her arms for another round of holding and kissing. She pulls away with the Sorceress's hand, saying, "Come with me."

They near the waterfall along the edge of the pool, then pass behind it. There is an empty space behind it, an openness that continues to narrow into a cave that fluctuates from barely large enough through which to pass to as large as twice their height high or wide or both at times.

Meena stops at a brazier and sparks it to life with a flint and stone. She lights a torch, then continues to lead Sharla for almost two hundred feet, always on a slight incline. There is plenty of water everywhere, above and below, and sometimes the path is slick. Finally, the cave opens on the other side of the rock face, in a small, roundish valley with a pond in the middle. Meena points. "There."

A tiny hut sits on the far side of a little bridge; it crosses over the stream that produces the waterfall behind which they'd walked. Meena continues leading Sharla, now very excited. They enter the one room hut, where Meena lights candles and a fire in a small hearth. As the illumination increases, it becomes obvious that the hut was built for one and only one purpose: a sexual encounter.

Other than the hearth and a small stack of variously sized firewood, there is nothing more than a bed, a simply mattress of straw over which are layers of bedding. Meena explains, "The Seer led me to this place. No one else knows about it. I built this for my Wizard. I built if for you, Sharla."

Meena reaches to just below her chin and begins untying the thong holding her dress closed. If Sharla says nothing to stop her, Meena will let her dress, under blouse, and shirt drop to the packed dirt floor, leaving her in nothing more than her riding boots.

 

[AmyRoberts]

In the Church during the feast:

Wendy says nothing during Warton's discussion with the villagers. She doesn't seem to need to: he has this well in hand.

"I think perhaps I need to retire for the evening," the Captain says once he's had his say. "I need my man to go to the bridge and inform my squad of what is happening. I would like them to cross the bridge and be put up for the night, if that works for you. They will, of course, disarm, and you can keep a guard on them as well."

"I will send a man with your man," Wendy tells him. With a smirk she adds, "To collect the weapons."

She asks Matthew to join her, and together they walk with Warton and his man halfway back to what is now her home, with Sharla and Rachel, of course. The two men split off to travel to the bridge, while Wendy and Warton continue onward to the house. Inside, they are met by the now-rich maid, who has returned from the Church as well. She greets them, asking if they need anything more.

"Laura, I want to assure you that if you wish to remain on as a servant to this house, that you will be treated well," Wendy tells her. The woman thanks the Lady of Riverbend, then -- with Wendy telling her that she is done for the evening -- she departs. Wendy turns to Warton and can't help but imagining the two of them sweating up the sheets in her room. But instead, knowing that she simply doesn't know the man well enough to do such a thing, she tells him, "Good night, Captain. I hope you sleep well."

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In the Hidden Hut:

Sharla watches in silence as Meena's clothing falls to the floor about her ankles. She realizes that her heart is pounding with excitement; her nipples are hard as well, and between her legs she is again feeling the heat that she had when she kissed Marcus earlier.

Marcus, Sharla thinks to herself. What do I do about him? Sharla has little relationship experience: she's only every had 2 boyfriends with whom she only kissed, caressed, groped, and grinded to varying degrees. She was loyal to each of them to the end of their relationships, though, splitting off from them only at their request.

She's already unconsciously -- or perhaps consciously -- thinking that this very moment is the beginning of another long, lasting relationship. Why wouldn't it be? Sharla isn't the one night stand type of girl, as evidenced by the fact that many a man has propositioned her in the past and yet none has every put his cock in any of her holes.

In no time at all, the beautiful redhead is naked before Sharla, with the exception of her nearly knee high riding boots. Meena is absolutely stunning: slim but with perfect, baseball sized breasts and shapely hips; fair, freckled skin that is flawlessly smooth; and a little carpet-matching-the-drapes muff of red hair at the meeting of her thighs.

When Sharla only continues to stare at her beautiful figure, Meena closes the distance between them and begins undressing her Wizard. Sharla allows this to happen, spending the time looking into the other woman's eyes. Not too much later, Sharla, too, is standing there in no more than her tall boots. Their bodies couldn't be anymore different. Sharla is three inches taller than Meena at 5'8", with an hourglass of a figure that measures in her world at 34C-24-36. Meena doesn't shave her body -- not yet, anyway -- but her hairs are so fine, so soft, and so rare that her body looks almost as hair-free as Sharla's, which is shaved from her arm pits downward.

"I think you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Sharla says in whisper, stepping out of her shed clothing and urging Meena to do the same. The Sorceress takes the other woman into her hands, and the kissing and caressing begins again. She finds herself trembling and shaking on occasion; the experience is simply amazing and unexpected and welcome in every way. She takes Meena's hand and leads her the two little steps to the bed, telling her, "Lay with me."

They spend the next few hours making love to one another with great joy and great satisfaction. Although it was Meena who began all of this with a kiss and the revelation of a prophecy, it is Sharla who leads the way in the sometimes simply intimate, sometimes very energetic lovemaking.

Meena repeats again that she knew she was destined to be Sharla's lover the moment she learned of the woman's magical abilities. Yet, she'd known nothing at all about making love to another woman: it was up to Sharla, who -- while a virgin to gay lovemaking, as well as hetero activity -- had enjoyed her share of lesbian porn on nights when she'd been in a private place with any of a number of battery operated toys.

By the time they are spent, too exhausted to continue, each of them has enjoyed an uncountable number of orgasms. The two feel they were most definitely destined to be lovers by the time they curl up in each others arms and fall asleep beneath the layers of blankets.

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The next morning:

Sharla and Meena awake together and renew their passion for yet more euphoric climaxes. After eating some dried meat and vegetables Meena has replaced periodically over the years in preparation for this night, they head out naked to a small pool within a rock wall next to the pond; it is heated by a hot water vent, leaving it the perfect temperature for yet a third round of love making before they dress and head back for Riverbend.

Wendy didn't sleep well at all initially, her mind wandering all about. In the room across the hall was a man who in her world would be considered a War Criminal and Human Trafficker -- possibly even a Sex Trafficker -- and yet she can't help but imagine him on his back in her bed as she works herself to climax atop his hopefully long and thick cock.

She only finally gets to sleep after slipping her hands into her Victoria's Secret panties and driving herself to the orgasm she had wished she'd been sharing with Warton. She awakes to Laura entering the room with a tray of food and drink and the news, "The Captain has gone to speak to his men and wishes to see you before he leaves town. He says the two of you have planning to discuss?"

Laura helps Wendy with a bath using a wet rag and water in a large bowl; she hasn't done this since a family camping trip at a teen, the weekend in which she first discovered the pleasure of another's touch at the hands of her female cousin. There's no intentional sexual pleasuring this time, though honestly, feeling the pretty maid's hands running a rag down her back, buttocks, and legs did in fact swell her nipples and clit.

Dressed, Wendy goes out to find Warton, who has his men ready to leave. They make their final arrangements, but before the men from Greenhill depart, the Lady of Riverbend casually invites the man in charge to step aside from the others for a few quiet words.

"I want to believe that all you have told me is true and honest, Captain Warton," she tells him, looking up into his dark eyes. "I want you to know that if you are being true and honest with me, there might be something more waiting for you other than control over a town. Something more ... personal."

She hesitates a moment to let that sink in, then asks softly, "Do you understand what I mean, William?"

Warton seems surprised by the last word Wendy speaks. She smiles wide, then explains, "I asked around, and learned of your given name. I like it ... William. I can almost see myself whispering it to you in a certain situation that might come to pass if you and I remain friends ... and become friendly"

She backs away from Warton, fearful that she herself might suddenly jump into the man's arms. She gives him a slight, respectful nod of the head, backs again, turns, and tells Matthew, "Please see that our friends get their weapons back at the far end of the bridge."

As she's leaving, she flashes to Warton the knife he'd voluntarily surrendered the night before. She laughs, telling him, "You get this back later, either as a thank you gift from me for doing good or in the middle of your chest for doing bad."

"Do you trust him?" Rachel asks when Wendy reaches the front of their home.

"He wants to fuck me," the Warrior responds, adding, "And he knows he won't get to unless he remains true to his word."

"There's a lot of women for him to fuck, Wendy," Rachel warns.

Wendy laughs. "Yeah. But you didn't see the way he ogled me all night and then again this morning. I wouldn't doubt at all that right now he's having a hard time riding ... with his cock fully erect and telling him Don't fuck this up, Captain."

The two of them laugh together as they head inside. Martha is there to speak about returning to the cabin for a check up on Marcus. Wendy tells her, "Send Sharla back if she can leave. We need to--"

"Sharla isn't at the cabin, m'lady," Martha says. She tells them that one of the messengers had gone out there just after dark to deliver hot soup, only to find that Sharla and a village girl named Meena had ridden off together. Martha is wearing a knowing expression, which Wendy asks about. She informs the pair about Meena's prophecy regarding an as-of-yet-unknown Wizard. With obvious reluctance, she suggests, "Could it be that Sharla is Meena's Wizard? I mean ... she's female."

Wendy and Rachel look to one another; the former shrugs and the latter giggles. Rachel asks Martha, "Do you not have women who prefer other women here?"

Martha looks horrified. "Of course not! That is against the Laws of Nature."

The two Sorority Sisters -- each of whom has been with at least one other woman in their lives -- again look at one another; they try to hide their smiles but fail. Rachel says, "Well, we will keep this to ourselves, won't we, Martha."

The Healer looks uncomfortable but nods. She leaves to attend her work, which includes dealing with some minor cuts, bruises, and abrasions from the fight the previous night, as well as attend to Marcus at the cabin.

Later in the morning, Meena and Sharla arrive at the village; the latter is on her own horse and looking better as a rider, if not still uncomfortable. When she is alone with her Sisters, Wendy asks, "So, did you enjoy yourself with the Ginger?"

Sharla explodes in a fiery blush, laughing in embarrassment. The other two come to her for hugs of happiness for her, and when the embraces end, Sharla confesses, "I've never known anything so powerful in my life. I think ... oh, fuck ... I think I'm in love."

 

[TimTimTyner]

The previous evening, in Lady Wendy's home:

Warton watches Wendy depart for her own bedroom in silence, sipping at the drink the House Maid, Laura had poured for him. He continues to simply stand there by the hearth for the longest time, thinking: he wants to go to the beautiful Warrior's bed and take her in a way he never has with a woman before.

But in the end, he heads for his own room.

<> <> <> <> <>​

The previous evening, in the Hidden Hut beyond the Falls Cave:

Meena lays in Sharla's arms, her chest swelling and shrinking to yet another of many orgasms she's enjoyed this night. She's never known such pleasure in her life; the prophecy had told her that to touch herself would be devastating to her future, so she'd never even masturbated. This encounter with Sharla has been simply overwhelming.

"I never imagined it would be like this," she says softly. She kisses the other woman's neck, then her lips. She giggles. "I always thought it would be with a man, of course. The prophecy had said a User of the Magical Arts, which I had assumed meant a male Wizard. But this ... this seems to right ... so natural."

<> <> <> <> <>​

The next morning:

Meena recovers from yet another orgasm brought on by the wondrous workings of Sharla's fingers upon her clit. They are chest deep in a pool of water warmed by a hot spring rising from a crack in the earth. She whispers once she has recovered from the euphoria, "Your turn."

She urges Sharla out of the water onto a large flat rock at the pool's edge. Repeating what the Sorceress taught her the night before, she drives her lover to climax. After Sharla has cried out in delight and laid back upon the flat, warmed stone, Meena joins her. She kisses and caresses the shapely woman, smiling.

"I never new it would be like this," she says. She giggles. "I think I already said that, didn't?"

They lay together until Meena finally rises, offers a hand, and says, "Come with me."

She leads Sharla back into the hut. From under the straw mattress, she removes an old, worn, cracked map drawn in black and green inks upon parchment. She explains, "I have had this since I was a child. I can read: I learned from the Seer. But I can't read this!"

Sharla won't be able to read it either for a combination of reasons: the text is not visible, though Sharla will understand that it is there but must be exposed by magic; and once she does reveal it, she will learn it is in Elvish.

The pair make their way back to the Forest Cabin. Sharla checks on Marcus, who is doing so much better. Meena notices some body language and glances between the pair, a result of the Sorceress's suggestion to the Fighter that they may become lovers at some point.

After word, the pair head back to Riverbend, where Meena reluctantly departs Sharla's company.

Near the East Bridge, Wendy tells the new man in her life, "I want to believe that all you have told me is true and honest, Captain Warton."

Warton reassures the young beauty, "Have no fear, m'lady. You can trust that I would never betray you."

"I want you to know that if you are being true and honest with me," Wendy continues, "there might be something more waiting for you other than control over a town. Something more ... personal."

Warton doesn't respond, not verbally, anyway. He thinks Wendy is suggesting that -- just maybe -- he might get a chance to fuck her if he stays true to her word. He can't help but let his eyes fall for a moment to Wendy's incredible figure before forcing them up to her eyes once again.

Then she asks, "Do you understand what I mean, William?"

Warton is surprised by Wendy's use of his given name: no one other than his long dead mother and, later, his wife had ever called him by that name. She explains that she asked around, then says suggestively, "I can almost see myself whispering it to you in a certain situation that might come to pass if you and I remain friends ... and become friendly"

Warton yearns to take the wonderful Warrior's hand, hold it intimately, kiss it softly, then take her to her bed and fuck her long and hard before going back to his life. But Wendy backs away, makes her farewells, and send him with his men and an escort back to the bridge.

"In two days time," he tells her before leaving, "I will send a messenger with an update on how we will take the County of Greenhill from Count Turan."

<> <> <> <> <>​

"Hello, girls."

It is later in the day, and The Guide has suddenly appeared before the three Sorority Sisters while they are in their home. He smiles at their surprise, gestures a curling finger at them, and says, "Come with me. I want to show you something."

He leads them outside, where the population of Riverbend is working hard; no one seems to take notice of the four as they stand amongst them. The Guide says, "Take a look around you, at the people." He gives them a few seconds, then says with a grim tone, "Half of these people will be dead in less than 5 years." He sees their reactions, then continues, "From disease, starvation, harsh weather, and -- of course -- violence."

He looks to them one after another, saying, "But you can prevent this."

And then suddenly, he's no longer there. And some of the villagers near the Sisters address them with greetings and questions and concerns and more, never having seen the man with whom they'd been speaking.

 

[AmyRoberts]

"Hello, girls."

"Jesus Christ!" Wendy exclaims at the sudden appearance of the Guide. "You gotta stop doing that. Reminds me of Kramer, sliding into Jerry's apartment without warning all the time."

"Come with me," he tells them. "I want to show you something."

When he tells them that half of Riverbend's population of 50 or so will be dead in less than 5 years without their help, all three of them are affected in their own way. Suddenly he's gone, just as quickly as he'd arrived.

"What does he mean?" Rachel asks, "That we can prevent this?"

"That we can prevent this," Sharla stresses. She looks between the pair and says with a sense of surprise in them, "Come on! We are smart ass girls from the 21st century! We know about disease and famine and efficient agriculture and so much more that these people don't!"

"We can build defenses," Wendy says, "to protect them from raiders and armies, like Count Turan's. All those movies I used to watch about ancient races and Romans and all their weapons and defensive fortifications and stuff, the movies and TV shows you both said were a waste of time. We can build all that here now."

"And I can work with Martha the Healer," Sharla went on, "and we can prevent deaths from such silly shit as food poisoning and bad water. I mean, Riverbend doesn't even have a well. They're getting their water out of the river. Really?"

"Well, they don't know about ... what's it called?" Wendy asks, trying to recall the biology and chemistry classes she had to take as requisites. "Crypto-something or other."

"Cryptosporidium," Sharla says, chuckling. "And E.coli and all kinds of nasty shit.
We can teach them to make their soil more fertile, to rotate crops, to leave fields fallow."

The other two give her a strange look. Sharla explains, "Fallow means to not plant a plot one year. To let it rest."

Rachel laughs. "I know what it means, silly. I'm just surprised that you do."

Sharla gives her Sister a shove, saying, "Hey, Pointy, all I've ever done all my life is read. You'd be shocked to know what I know about."

They spend almost an hour just talking about the possibilities for Riverbend before passing the word that everyone is to meet in the Church that night after dark for the meal and the future. Wendy -- who many now sincerely see as their Lady -- takes the lead, explaining that there will be some improvements in their lives. Rachel and Sharla add things when the details are more to their knowledge and abilities to explain.

"First things first, though," Wendy says after about an hour of conversation. "Count Quinn's death and the elimination of his armed force have left a vacuum that must be filled. Captain Warton has promised his assistance, and I trust that he will come through for us."

Wendy doesn't want to say that her belief in William was based on just how badly he wanted to fuck her. She continues, "We need to build barriers, at the bridges and around the southern perimeter of the village. We need to train warriors to defend the town and the people within, and we will be training men and women."

"Women?" more than one person calls out almost simultaneously.

Wendy explains, "Where I come from, women are warriors, too. I saw some of you womenfolk take up arms when the attack on Quinn's army was taking place. I know you can do this."

In truth, Wendy hadn't seen this: of the entire village, only one man -- Matthew -- joined Wendy, Sharla, and Rachel in the fight. But she hopes that if she shows her faith and enthusiasm for their involvement, some of them will take up the offer to be trained.

"For those of you women who do not think they can handle a sword," Rachel cuts in, "I will be teaching you how to use a bow. It's a weapon that, when properly made and used, can be even more deadly and effective than a sword, no offense, Wendy."

"And I will be teaching some of you how to make things that are not weapons but are as important as swords or bows," Sharla added. "I will teach you how to care for the injured and -- believe it or not -- harm and distract the enemy with all sorts of things, which we won't go into right now."

They spoke more about the defense of the town before breaking up to eat dessert and end the night.

<> <> <> <> <> <>​

The next day, the Sorority Sisters broke about half of the village into groups to cut timber for barricades or train with their chosen weapons, while the remainder of the population did the normal village work.

By the end of the day, both bridges were protected by sharpened-pole barricades and plans were made for building a curved ditch that would reach from the west bridge east and then north to the bank of the river, north of what people were already calling the Noble House.

 

[TimTimTyner]

Captain William Warton returns to Greenhill with good news for Count Turan. Of course, all he tells the man is bullshit. He tells Turan that the new leader of Riverbend is a mere woman with no experience in warfare, administration of a town, or negotiating; that she doesn't have the full support of her people; that he himself has three different contacts in the town who will keep him apprised of the goings-on there; and that, if it becomes necessary, their combined forces can easily sweep into Riverbend and take it for Turan to rule as his second of possibly many villages.

"You will soon be an Earl, m'lord," Warton tells Turan. "But for now, until we know more about this Lady Wendy of Portlandia, I believe we should make an arrangement by which Riverbend serves as a fealty County, m'lord."

Warton knows that from the moment he'd decided to join forces with the Riverbend Sisters, there is a possibility his plot might be uncovered. Factoring in that his men -- those who had accompanied him to the town -- are the most loyal of soldiers and the fact that he's always had the full trust of Count Turan in the past, (d20+5+5=18), Warton isn't surprised at all that his Lord nods his agreement, telling him, "Keep me up to date, Captain."

"Yes, m'lord," Warton responds, relieved.

<> <> <> <> <>​

Two days later, a messenger arrives at the east end of the East Bridge. He finds a barricade at the opposite end and walks his horse slowly down the length of the bridge. He waits for an armed man there to retrieve Lady Wendy. When she arrives, Warton raises his hooded head, smiles, and says, "It is good to see you looking so well, m'lady. So good indeed."

 

[AmyRoberts]

"M'lady," one of the newly trained Swordsmen says after rushing up to Riverbend's ruling Noblewoman, "There is a messenger at the East Bridge. He is asking for you by name."

"I'll be along shortly," Wendy tells the young man, sending him back. "Offer him and his horse water."

She contemplates finding her Sisters for the meeting with the messenger, only to remember that neither of them are here at the moment: Rachel is supposedly off hunting in the woods, but since Matthew isn't holding a swordsmanship training session, it's more likely that she's off at the Forest Cabin getting laid; and Sharla is gone as well, off with Meena on another of their jaunts deep into the forest where she is studying her Magical Arts by a pond her Sisters are yet to see for themselves and, likely, also having incredible sex.

It seems so ironic to Wendy that of the three Sisters, she is the only one not getting fucked. Oh, she was no slut back home, with more of her sexual relationships being more or less monogamous, while they lasted anyway. She had never been a one-night stand kind of girl, though, she wasn't shy about getting naked with a guy on their first date.

That might sound contradictory, claiming not to be into one-offs and yet spreading her legs for a man following their first dinner or night of dancing. But Wendy was such a fantastic fuck that there were very few men she's ever slept with who didn't nearly bed to get naked with her at her earliest convenience and availability.

"It is good to see you looking so well, m'lady," a familiar voice says, just before the hooded man raises his head and reveals himself to be Captain William Warton. He adds with a pleased smile, "So good indeed."

Wendy's heart actually leapt at seeing the man for whom she'd been having fantasies and for whom she'd been masturbating during his absence. "It is good to see you so well, Captain. Please, come in."

The two Guards open the sharpened pole barricade enough to let Warton's horse walk through. One of the men calls up to the man, "Weapons, please."

"That isn't necessary, Trevor," Wendy says. "Captain Warton is our trusted guest."

The other guard takes the horse's reins, and Warton dismounts. Wendy turns, and the pair walk slowly toward town...

She notes that Warton himself notes the construction taking place. In addition to the barricade gate at the west end of the East Bridge, a heavy Oak gate is under construction for the town entrance attached to the Keep's ruins. They pass under the rock arch to the center of the town, from where they can see a similar barricade at the east end of the West Bridge.

Regarding the moat and barricads on the south side of Riverbend, Wendy tells Warton, "The workers need some rest now, but the plans for the earthen works are ready. They were modeled from The 13th Warrior--"

Wendy goes silent suddenly, looking to Warton for any sign of curiosity about what she might have been about to say. How would she explain the movie about Viking warriors fighting bear people or who Antonia Banderas is or any of such topics? She wonders also whether or not she should really be talking to Warton about the timetable of the town's defensive construction. She wants so desperately to trust in him, but it's still too early for that.

They walk past the archery range, where a half dozen girls, boys, women, and a sole man are practicing with the bows just recently created by the town's arms makers. There is also a long, narrow, beaten down trail where riders have been training to use weapons from horseback.

"If we get attacked any time soon," Wendy tells Warton, "we'll be able to defend the town just fine."

She leads him to the Apothecary, wanting to show him some of the advancements there. Martha, Sharla, Rachel, Michelle, and others have been foraging in the forests and fields for a multitude of ingredients for everything from poultices and dietary supplements to pain and fever relievers and much more.

Wendy doesn't trust herself to be alone with Warton. She invites him to a meal at the Church instead.

 

[TimTimTyner]

"It is good to see you so well, Captain," Wendy tells Warton when she realizes it is he at the bridge. "Please, come in."

"Weapons, please," one of the guards, a man named Trevor, requests.

Even though Wendy says that isn't necessary and that Warton is a trusted guest, the Captain dismounts from his horse, unbuckles his weapons belt, and hands the array of deadly objects over. "I do not mind, m'lady, and also, it is entirely appropriate for your man here to ask."

They head into town...

...and Warton comments, "I'm impressed. You've accomplished a great deal in only two days." Wendy proceeds to give him a short tour, and again the Captain expresses his approval. With a sincere tone that is not meant to but does reveal his sexist thinking, he tells her, "I would be impressed by all of this if you were a man of war, Lady Wendy, but I am doubly impressed that you, a woman -- a beauty, intelligent woman -- have this foresight. It is an uncommon trait, but one of which you should be proud."

After they have continued onward for some time, Warton asks, "Perhaps the two of us could visit your collection of fine drinks. Take a sip or two and visit."

But Wendy chooses to lead Warton to the Church for a meal instead. He can't help but wonder -- and she has already determined -- whether or not she doesn't trust herself to be alone with him. He recalls what she said about his return to Riverbend perhaps including something personal, should he prove himself to be a trustworthy man.

"You have a man named Connor here in Riverbend, I believe," Warton says as they are sitting down to eat. "I would like to speak to him if you can arrange it."

Wendy confirms the name, and -- upon the Captain's request -- someone is sent to find him where a crew is cutting the logs for the barricades. The man looks very nervous when he approaches the pair, barely able to make eye contact with the visitor.

"Connor here works for me," Warton begins his explanation. Howard's face goes white, and he opens his mouth to speak but is cut off by Warton's raised hand. "It is okay, Connor. You have done nothing wrong, and you have nothing to be concerned about." To Wendy, he continues, "Connor is a spy, yes. And typically, spies who are revealed and caught are often tortured and killed."

The young spy was shaking in his boots, looking about for eavesdroppers and -- luckily -- finding none. Warton continued, "But in this case, I believe Connor's presence in Riverbend is of benefit to you, Lady Wendy."

Warton goes on to explain his plan for conquering Greenhill, which -- obviously -- includes a need for the trembling man. "Six days hence, our friend Connor here will arrive at the gates of Greenhill, exhausted and sweating from the four mile run from here, with a message for Count Turan: Raiders from the west have attacked Riverbend and killed its Lady and most of its warriors, but in the process the raiders themselves have suffered serious casualties.

"I will, in turn, recommend to the Count that it is the right time to take Riverbend, seeing how we likely can no longer depend on its population -- now devastated and distraught -- to provide the demanded tribute. In addition, I will recommend that Count Turan himself attend the conquest of the town, so as to bolster his reputation as a leader of warriors and an appropriate candidate for the title of Earl.

"However, once the Count and his men are on the road to Riverbend," Warton continues, smiling with delight at the woman he so badly wants to fuck, "your forces will ambush the force. Turan always travels with his men surrounding him and any additional forces both leading and following the train. You have only to attack the middle from both sides of the road, and after a period of time in which I am barking out orders to save the Count -- orders which will, of course, be ignored by my men -- we will join the attack and finish Turan's men off from the road."

 

[AmyRoberts]

Wendy is conflicted when she learns about Connor being in league with Captain Warton: he is a spy, obviously, but has he done any harm, seeing how William is on the Sisters and Riverbend's side in the upcoming conflict?

Of course, that is assuming that Warton is on their side. Wendy still has her doubts: she's been cheated and lied to by men before.

Warton explains his thought for a ruse six days hence, as he puts it. "I will recommend that Count Turan himself attend the conquest of the town..."

This is something about which Wendy is not conflicted, the capture of Count Turan. The man is directly responsible for the taking of Riverbend's missing men, women, and children. Despite this event having taken place months before she, Rachel, and Sharla arrived in Rovalia, Wendy still takes the crime very personal.

Warton finishes explaining his plan. Wendy tells him, "It sounds like feasible, Captain."

They pour a couple of flasks of strong ale and toast, then speak more about the improvements to the town's defenses without Wendy getting into too much detail. He doesn't need to know that much, she tells herself. She stands, saying, "Excuse me a moment, Captain. Girly business."

She departs and finds a young lad she knows to be good on a horse and tells him, "Find Sharla the Sorceress now! Tell her I need to see her ASAP."

Wendy returns to the Dining Hall and engages Warton in a discussion about Rovalia. "Tell me more about what's out there."

<> <> <> <> <> <>​

(d20=6) Unfortunately for Wendy, Sharla is no where to be found. The boy rides quickly for the Forest Cabin, as directed by his Lady, but instead of finding the Sorceress, he finds Rachel -- engaged in things with Matthew that piqued the boy's interest but gets him yelled at by the naked Ranger.

The boy is informed that Sharla is deep in the woods studying her magic and is not to be disturbed. The boy rides back to the forest's edge, then returns to find the trail, despite being told to go back to Riverbend. He finds the trail, but within an hour is lost; he backtracks to the town, finds Wendy, and shakes his head, revealing his failure.

 

[TimTimTyner]

Six days later:

As planned, Connor departs Riverbend just after sunrise, running the full distance of 4 miles toward Greenhill. He is stopped just outside the town by Count Turan's soldiers, who take him to Captain Warton upon hearing about the supposed attack on the nearby town. Warton, of course, takes the messenger to his Lord, and after less than ten minutes, Turan has ordered the attack on Riverbend.

"You should lead the force, m'lord," Warton says. With a gleam in his eye, he is practically prophetic as he continues, "To lead the conquest of Riverbend, defeating not only the town's defenders but also those who attacked it ... this is proof of your worthiness of the title Earl. Earl Turan."

Warton does his best to make the case that the Count must partake of the attack: (a) Turan trusts Warton; (b) Turan is very ambitious. (d20+4+4=20) Turan doesn't even hesitate to agree with Warton. He goes overboard a bit, honestly, donning his most elaborate armor, strapping his father's sacred sword to his side, mounting his most favored horse, and bringing with him to record the event not just one, not just two, but three historians: his official scribe, Greenhill's priest, and an artist who is directed to bear witness and create historical evidence of the great victory afterward.

Warton, of course, is barely able to contain himself, not just because he knows it's an ambush but because his Lord believes that capturing the tiny town of Riverbend is some sort of great, history altering war.

(For percentage: d20=8 or 80%. For recruitment: d20=22) Turan orders most of his own forces (d20+12=18) men assembled and appropriately armed, then conscripts another 22 villagers and arms them as well.

The army marching for Riverbend numbers 44, far more than Warton or Wendy of Portlandia were anticipating. This concerns Warton, but he can't talk the number down after expressing to his Lord how important this victory will be.

(d20=3) Warton turns out to be wrong on one more topic, too: the Count puts his own forces out front and Warton's more directly subordinate men in the rear. Now, rather than having Turan's men ambushed from the sides and then attacked from the front and rear, one side of the company -- the side nearest Riverbend, which will be unprotected -- will have the ability to flee, and that portion will include the very Lord who is the target of the ambush.

Warton wants to slip a man out to warn Wendy (d10). He manages to get him out of town, but there is doubt in the Captain's mind as to whether he will reach Wendy in time to warn her.

The Greenhill army marches:

• Count Turan (+4)
  • 6 elite bodyguards (+6)
  • 8 swordsmen (+4)
  • 4 archers (+2)
  • 22 conscripted villagers (No bonuses; odds of flight +2)
• Captain Warton (+7 blades; +5 bow/other)
  • 4 bodyguard (+6)
  • 8 swordsmen (+4)
  • 4 archers (+2)

 

[AmyRoberts]

Six Days Ago, at the Noble House:

Wendy walks with Warton to the City Gates, where his horse and weapons are made available to him. She bids him farewell and good luck and -- with disappointment -- watches him ride away to, over, and beyond the East Bridge. She feels silly about her feelings of lust for the man: she's never fallen for a guy so deeply and so completely, and his potential status as a bad boy -- actually, a potential traitor -- only makes Wendy feel more foolish.

"It makes no sense," she later tells Laura, to whom she has given what she thinks is the more appropriate title of Lady's Maid. "I don't know this man any more than I've known any other man I've ever been involved with, I mean, not that I'm involved with William."

"William?" Laura asks with a questioning tone. Wendy explains about learning the Captain given name, and the Lady's Maid warns, "Many people of Riverbend dislike the Captain for what he did to their family and friends. Please, m'lady, do not become involved with him in the way I believe you mean. I fear it would not be good for you."

Wendy understands Laura's concerns. She tells her not to worry: "I will maintain a healthy distance, in that way that you think I mean."

She doesn't mean it, of course: Wendy plans on sleeping with Warton as soon as he proves himself. That night, Laura prepares Wendy's bath and offers to help scrub her. But Wendy dismisses the Lady's Maid to keep secret her masturbatory fantasy of William's mouth on her clit while soaking in the hot water.

<> <> <> <> <> <>​

That same day, at the Magic Pool:

"Can we can back to the hut and get naked now?"

Meena laughs at Sharla's question and firmly tells her, "No! You have to practice!"

The lovers have spent most of each of the past two days here in the hills behind and above the waterfall. They make love every day, usually two or three times. And in between, Sharla practices her magic.

"Stand there, on that boulder," Meena says, directing Sharla to a large rock on the pool's edge. When the Sorceress is in place, the Apprentice orders, "Close your eyes. Listen. What do you hear?"

"The stream," Sharla says, referring to the small creek that fills the Magic Pool from just a few yards away.

"Listen beyond that," Meena directs her. "Beyond the Pool, beyond the stream. In the forest. Do you hear them? The birds in the trees."

After a moment, Sharla says without a great amount of excitement, "Yeah, what of it?"

"Remember the words?" Meena asks. "You know which one I mean."

Over the past two days, some of the previously incomprehensible runes in Sharla's Tome of Spells have become readable. "Think the words. Then, speak the words."

Sharla contemplates the runes, then chants them silently, then audibly. Meena tells her, "Again. And again. And don't stop until I tell you to stop."

The Sorority Sister does as told, and as she speaks aloud the poetic verses, Meena comes closer. She walks slowly around the boulder. She whispers soft words of encouragement; she urges Sharla to feel the air around her, the sky above that, and the trees in the adjacent forest. "Become the air. Become the sky. Become the trees."

This goes on for several minutes before Meena steps away. "Keep your eyes closed and raise your arms out wide. Eyes closed."

Sharla does. Meena asks after another minute passes, "What do you feel?"

"Something," Sharla answers. "All over me. My skin, my arms, my shoulders. Even my head. Prickly sensations."

Sharla wonders if maybe this is what it feels like to become the air and the sky and the trees. Meena finally directs her, "Now, calmly open your eyes, and don't -- what was that word you used yesterday? -- don't freak out."

When she cracks and then fully opens her eyes, Sharla is shocked to find more than two dozen little song birds perched all along her arms from one hand to the other; they are even on her head. She giggles, whispering, "What ... the ... fuck."

"Turn ever so very slowly, until you can see the other side of the pool," Meena tells Sharla with a soft voice. The Sorceress looks at and then beyond the water. She sees the fox that -- while beautiful and fun to watch -- has been sneaking into the hut on occasion and stealing their food. "Concentrate on it. Remember what it has been up to the last couple of days. Taking our food."

Sharla didn't really find the fox to be that much of a threat, of course, but she understood where Meena was taking this. She concentrated on the fox, recalled the rest of the spell, then said softly aloud, "Tweet tweet."

Suddenly, all of the birds resting on her took flight and shot at the fox, tweeting out noisily. The fox literally jumped straight up in shock, turned upon hitting the ground, and shot as fast as it could for the depth of the forest.

At the boulder, Sharla laughed. Then she asked her lover with concern, "They won't hurt him, will they?"

"Not if you don't want them to hurt him," Meena promised.

They came together for a passionate embrace. Sharla said with excitement, "Let's work on Fertility."

They worked on that spell, as well as Courage and Fright, then retired to the hut to once again make love.

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That same day on the East Road:

"There," Rachel says, pointing up a deer trail at a rise that looks over the road. "Let's check that out."

Matthew dismounts and slings his horse's reins over a limb. Rachel does the same, and the two of them scramble up the trail. Soon, they are looking out over the road from behind shrubs. Rachel is pleased: "This is a perfect place for the archers."

(d20+4=12, d20 for %=19=95%)

"They'll be ready, I'm sure of it," Matthew asks. Rachel had been training 12 new archers for the past two days. Some of them were already experienced hunters and some of them simply take to the bow as if they'd always been using one. The results were phenomenal, with nearly everyone of them being able to his a human-sized target consistently from as far as 50 feet away. "You are a great trainer, Rachel."

They spend a few more minutes mapping out firing positions. They find a patch of moss covered ground and make love before returning to Riverbend.

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The next six days are feverish with preparations for the upcoming ambush of Count Turan's forces. Every morning, the residents of Riverbend begin their day with the most important of work and chores as they have been performing for years and generations. Then, they the second half of the day either working on the town's defenses or on their own training.

(14, or ~75%) Wendy was being accepted more and more each day as the new leader of Riverbend. There were still some residents who questioned whether she was the appropriate leader: she hadn't been a resident of the town, she doesn't seem to fit into their culture in many ways, and -- of course -- she is a woman.

Wendy splits her time between leading the community, directing the construction, and both training herself and helping Matthew train others. (d20+6 days=8, ugh!) Her skills with the sword improve but not nearly as much as she wished it did. (+2 more). (d20+6 days=16) Ironically, her riding skills improve so very much better. She practices using the spear from the saddle, as well as the sword. By the time the 6 days has passed, she is quite deadly on horseback (+3 more).

Sharla continues practicing her magic, and by the day of the attack, she had improved in all of them. (

And in addition to practicing with her bow, often on horseback, Rachel has begun practicing swordsmanship under Matthew ... that is when she's not literally under the man with whom she's having sex daily if not more often than that.

(d20=7) Matthew trains 7 more swordsmen. He and the Sisters wish there were more, but most of the men and women capable of such training were killed in the attack by Count Quinn.

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The day of the ambush:

"Is there a chance this is an ambush?" Rachel asks as the Sisters prepared for the battle. When she gets playful smiles and chuckles, she clarifies, "I mean, an ambush of us!"

"No," Wendy says simply. When her friend asks how she can be so sure, the Lady of Riverbend says, "I didn't tell you because I feared you might let it slip -- don't be offended -- but I've been sending scouts out to watch the East Road."

She gets surprised expressions from both Sharla and Rachel. She shrugs. "I have to be honest: I had concerns, too. So, I've been watching the road. There has been no signs of Turan sending out forces to ambush us instead. I trust William. Captain Warton."

"You know how they say men make many decisions with their little head?" Rachel asks. She jabs a pointing finger toward Wendy's crotch and says, "I hope you aren't putting too much on how you want William's little head in there!"

"First, I'm not," Wendy says, laughing. "And second, I hope to God that William's little head ain't little."

The three of them laugh, then head outside to rally the troops to the ambush zone. When they reach the deer trail earlier scouted, Wendy and Rachel -- still on horseback -- lead most of the force up the hill. These two sisters continue up the trail to where it crosses another trail that descends back to the road, to the east side of the ambush zone. With them are half of the swordsmen, some of whom are also armed with spears.

The archers, of course, take positions on the cliff above the road. Sharla is with them.

The rest of the foot soldiers hide just up the trail, close enough to reach the road after a short descent.

The plan is simple: Sharla hits Turan's force with some spells, the archers loose their dangerous missiles, and amid the chaos, the riders and foot soldiers attack.

"Easy peasy," Wendy reminded them all before leaving, and now as she sees the force coming down the road, she once again reminds herself, "Easy peasy. This is simple."

Then, Wendy sees that Count Turan is riding up front, with his more elegantly dressed bodyguard surrounding him. And Turan's force is larger than expected, by at least 10 men. Her first fear is that Captain William Warton has indeed betrayed her. His forces were supposed to be placed to strike Turan from both directions.

"This doesn't change anything!" she tells Rachel and the swordsmen with her. She looks for Sharla and the archers, but they are just out of sight through the trees. Wendy doesn't dare send a messenger as they have done so much already to keep this ambush a firm secret.

(OOC: Is the ambush still a success? I'm sending you the opening salvo in PM. Perform it, then I will continue.)

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Wendy -- Warrior

• Picture, Profile
• Weapons: long sword, daggers, and steel shield.
• Hit Bonus:
  • Blade weapons: +7
  • On horseback: +9

Sharla -- Sorcerer

• Picture, Profile
• Weapons: Staff, daggers (2), and magic book.
• Hit bonus:
  • Staff: she is yet to practice with it, so right now it is Zero.
  • Daggers: again, unpracticed.
• Magic Book: Spells include:
  • "Mud" (+5)
  • "Shine" (+5)
  • "Flames" (+4)
  • "Hiss" (+3)
  • "Power of the Earth" (+5)
  • "Heal" (+9)
  • "Tweet, Tweet" +4 (+6 if a flock of birds is within sight).
  • "Courage" and "Fright" +3 (+6 if she herself has successfully attacked enemies within sight of the subjects of this spell).
  • "Fertility"http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=93906861&postcount=17 +3.

Rachel -- Elven Ranger

• Picture, Profile
• Recurve bow.
  • Hit bonus +6 on the ground
  • Hit bonus +11 on horseback
  • Hit bonuses increase +1 with each battle including multiple, successive, successful hits.
• Short sword and daggers (2): +2

Riverbend Defenders:

• Matthew: swordsman, +6
• 12 archers: +5 (average, to make it simple)
• 7 swordsmen: +3 (average, to make it simple)

Other Riverbend Residents:

• Michelle -- a villager; Marcus's sister.
• Marcus -- a villager; Michelle's brother. (Note: he is a swordsman (+3) but his is still healing from a chest wound.)
• Martha -- Apothecary Healer.
• ~21 other villagers: 7 women, 28 children
• Notes about Riverbend residents:
  • Count Quinn's conquest resulted in the kidnapping of 6 men, 12 women, and 16 children were taken away as slaves. (No more about these people is known at the time of this posting.)

Bad Guys:

• Riverbend:
  • Deceased -- Count Quinn: local despot of the village of Riverbend.
  • Deceased -- ~20 violent ruffians (occupying and controlling Riverbend under Quinn)
• Greenhill: controlled by Quinn's brother, the self-appointed Count Turan.
  • Count Turan: the now-deceased Count Quinn's brother.
  • Captain Warton: Turan's Captain of his Guard.
  • Turan's army: 17 men.

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The Greenhill army:

• Count Turan (+4)
  • 6 elite bodyguards (+6)
  • 8 swordsmen (+4)
  • 4 archers (+2)
  • 22 conscripted villagers (No bonuses; odds of flight +2)
• Captain Warton (+7 blades; +5 bow/other)
  • 4 bodyguard (+6)
  • 8 swordsmen (+4)
  • 4 archers (+2)
• Note: Turan only left about 6 soldiers (plus about 12 civilians who carry arms but aren't true combatants) behind to guard the town of Greenhill.

 

[TimTimTyner]

As Count Turan's army heads out, Captain Warton can't help but contemplate one important aspect of what's about to happen: he doesn't know where it's going to happen. He knows that Lady Wendy still hasn't decided whether or not he can be trusted. Because of this, she never offered to tell him where the ambush would take place and he never asked. Warton only knows that it will happen somewhere along the 4 mile long road between the two towns, a road that twists and turns through foothills shadowed in many places by thick woods.

(d20=15) As Count Turan is not expecting an ambush, he doesn't put much emphasis on preparing for one: he sends one scout out before the Company to check the road, and the man does find hoof and boot prints that would indicate a large force having moved through recently to the east.

But by the time he backtracks to make his report, the company has reached the ambush point and his warning does little but cause Turan's men to become guarded.

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AmyRoberts' PM in black with TTT's roll results in blue:

At the first sign of Turan's forces, Sharla -- who is gathered with the swordsmen who will surge down the hill to the west (forward) end -- will cast:

• "Power of the Earth" -- it causes those who work with the earth (farmers, ranchers, Rangers, etc.) to become more courageous, bolder, stronger, etc. (Since all of the current swordsmen are workers of the earth, this spell will encourage and embolden them.)
• d20+3=16 The swordsmen with Sharla see their courage emboldened, increasing their To Hit (average) to 9.

Sharla will see that Count Turan and his men are out front, rather than in the middle. She has to think fast. She will decide to wait until the first riders of the Greenhill force -- which includes Turan -- are almost to the trail down which the Riverbend swordsmen will attack before giving the signal to the archers hiding to her left (east).

All up and down the line, archers will begin sparking flints at arrows with oil soaks balls at the ends of them. At that same time, Sharla will cast:

• "Mud" -- Casted on the ground directly under Count Turan, in an effort to muck the road and disturb his mount, preventing him from attacking or fleeing.
• d20=20+3 -- Sharla maxes out on this spell, and all about Count Turan and the 4 Bodyguards nearest him the ground instantaneously becomes thick, sloppy mud; it is so deep under Turan's horse that it sinks to its knees, panics, tries to jump and stomp about, and throws Turan to the mud.
  

On Sharla's signal, the archers will fire their now-burning arrows at the riders below them, aiming specifically at the ground about their horses' hooves. As the arrows fly, she will cast:

• "Flames" -- the hope is that the fires will upset the horses so much that they will throw riders or, at the least, cause mayhem in the ranks.
• d20+2=10 -- as the arrows flies outward, the flames grow to about the size of a gourd, striking the ground and spitting flames and sparks all about. Most of the horses panic; several men fall to the ground, while others choose to dismount amongst the chaos. Essentially, the danger of a cavalry advantage is decreased in half.
  [*]By now, the swordsmen out front are attacking down the hill, as are the cavalry (the Sisters and friends) are attacking in the rear.

And last but not least, she will cast:

• "Hiss" -- it will cause some of the soldiers to believe they are surrounded by and/or being attacked by poisonous snakes.
• Sharla has experimented with this sequence of spells and other acts twice already. It was very exhausting, leaving her unable to do any other magic for a full day. But she is hyped and ready to do this.
• d20+1-3 (she is more mentally drained than she thought she would be = 16 -- The ambushed soldiers are trying to assemble to put up a unified defense, but between the mud, the fire, and now the snakes, they are one big panicked bunch of Get me outta here guys!

Rolled 1 D20: 15, 13, 20, 8, 18

Amy, you take over! What you are going to encounter is:

• The majority of the conscripted fighters fleeing, mostly east but also down the slope to the south.
• The majority of Turan's soldiers panicked such that their To Hit bonuses are worth shit. Make them Zero.
• The Bodyguard will gather around Turan -- they are loyal -- but they are disorganized and lose half their To Hit bonus.
• And there are only 4 Greenhill men still on horseback. Deal with them as you will.
• Good hunting!

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Wendy -- Warrior

• Picture, Profile
• Weapons: long sword, daggers, and steel shield.
• Hit Bonus:
  • Blade weapons: +7
  • On horseback: +9

Sharla -- Sorcerer

• Picture, Profile
• Weapons: Staff, daggers (2), and magic book.
• Hit bonus:
  • Staff: she is yet to practice with it, so right now it is Zero.
  • Daggers: again, unpracticed.
• Magic Book: Spells include:
  • "Mud" (+5)
  • "Shine" (+5)
  • "Flames" (+4)
  • "Hiss" (+3)
  • "Power of the Earth" (+5)
  • "Heal" (+9)
  • "Tweet, Tweet" +4 (+6 if a flock of birds is within sight).
  • "Courage" and "Fright" +3 (+6 if she herself has successfully attacked enemies within sight of the subjects of this spell).
  • "Fertility"http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=93906861&postcount=17 +3.

Rachel -- Elven Ranger

• Picture, Profile
• Recurve bow.
  • Hit bonus +6 on the ground
  • Hit bonus +11 on horseback
  • Hit bonuses increase +1 with each battle including multiple, successive, successful hits.
• Short sword and daggers (2): +2

Riverbend Defenders:

• Matthew: swordsman, +6
• 12 archers: +5 (average, to make it simple)
• 7 swordsmen: +3 (average, to make it simple)

Other Riverbend Residents:

• Michelle -- a villager; Marcus's sister.
• Marcus -- a villager; Michelle's brother. (Note: he is a swordsman (+3) but his is still healing from a chest wound.)
• Martha -- Apothecary Healer.
• ~21 other villagers: 7 women, 28 children
• Notes about Riverbend residents:
  • Count Quinn's conquest resulted in the kidnapping of 6 men, 12 women, and 16 children were taken away as slaves. (No more about these people is known at the time of this posting.)

Bad Guys:

• Riverbend:
  • Deceased -- Count Quinn: local despot of the village of Riverbend.
  • Deceased -- ~20 violent ruffians (occupying and controlling Riverbend under Quinn)
• Greenhill: controlled by Quinn's brother, the self-appointed Count Turan.
  • Count Turan: the now-deceased Count Quinn's brother.
  • Captain Warton: Turan's Captain of his Guard.
  • Turan's army: 17 men.

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The Greenhill army:

• Count Turan (+4)
  • 6 elite bodyguards (+6)
  • 8 swordsmen (+4)
  • 4 archers (+2)
  • 22 conscripted villagers (No bonuses; odds of flight +2)
• Captain Warton (+7 blades; +5 bow/other)
  • 4 bodyguard (+6)
  • 8 swordsmen (+4)
  • 4 archers (+2)
• Note: Turan only left about 6 soldiers (plus about 12 civilians who carry arms but aren't true combatants) behind to guard the town of Greenhill.