The Amazon's Valley

[Veroe]

((Closed for Myself and Kaena))

IC: Theron

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I was cold-bitterly cold. It was just the beginning of winter, but up here in the high white-capped mountains the Gauldeans we had conquered in the autumn had called the Great Wall of the Gods winter had proclaimed its supremacy early. The serpentine pass through the mountains had been all but impassable, thick with snowbanks. Long arduous travel through chest deep snow freezing wind and the constant threat of avalanche had made for a harrowing gauntlet we had passed through. Of the twelve of us King Harolom had sent ahead only seven remained. The five that had died had died of the ever present bone chilling cold.

Now we stumbled, slid, scrambled to the tree line of a great valley filled with trees. The Gauldeans had told of a mythical forest of Aruna ringed by high mountain walls, warmed by hot springs pools, with abundant fruit trees and game animals. Harolom the great king, chosen by destiny to rule all lands and peoples heard these legends of a paradise in the mountains scoffed at the tales of invincible women warriors who protected the valley and had laid claim to it.

He laid claim to all lands. Here they were on the edge of the world and Harolom was still not satisfied. I was. I was sick of the the fighting, the killing, conquering the next kingdom after the next after the next. I had left my little village in Faro a boy eager for adventure and glory and now fifteen years later I wished only to return home. I wanted to see my mother and father, perhaps speak to Gorsah’s father about matrimony if someone else hadn’t come along since I’d been off to add to the glory of Mad King Harolom. I wanted to sleep in the bed I had as a boy, and perhaps sleep without the nightmares of the women and children I had slaughtered like animals at my king’s orders staring at me face to face. Their dead lifeless eyes accusing me rightfully so of the destruction of their peaceful innocent lives.

I shivered though not from the cold frigid air and began to head off into the thicker part of the forest.

“Hold Theron,” Gorol my Captain called out behind me, “Stay close, we’ll search about some before we return to report to the Emperor.”

I sighed, Harolom had proclaimed himself Emperor of the Earth below and Heavens above just before we left. He could of course, we had overwhelmed every kingdom in the known world to make him sovereign over all he could ever survey. Except that wasn’t enough. The man was drunk on glory and conquest.

“And how long will it be until we’re calling Harolom a god next,” I asked him angrily. Gorol was from Faro too. I had known the man since I was a boy. If there was anyone I still respected it would be him.

He looked thoughtful at his words. Apparently it was something he had been thinking too, and he was trying to frame the best reply to console the desolation he‘d been sensing in me (always the big brother these fifteen years even now that I’ve long since proven to him I could look after myself) and the fact that he was Harolom’s officer.

Fost laughed, the man laughed too much, and never at anything funny. “Sounds like you need a woman.”

Wartenau nodded, “Where’re them women warriors, the pussy Gauldeans tried to scare us with tales of?” He glance about but the only thing they could see were trees in any direction but the way they came.

Sarobrue smirked, “Just our luck, they turn out to be nothing but myths. If I don’t get some warm tight pussy soon, I’ll just have to settle for one of you loose-assed bastards.” He cast his smirk over to me.

Apparently Sarobrue had already chosen which of us would suffice for a woman. I wasn’t at all flattered. My hand reached for my sword at my hip the other pointing my mace at the big swarthy animal of a man. “You even look at me again I’ll rip your head off and shove it so far up your ass…”

“Enough,” Gorol growled, “Let’s go take a look and maybe we will find these women or we won’t either way we need to gather food for the return to the Emperor’s camp.”

I followed Gorol and Fost through the trees holding a satchel as they pulled nuts from a tree and some berries from a bush and dropped them in. “Gorol, do you believe the Gauldeans were telling the truth about the women warriors.”

“Women warriors,” Fost guffawed, “What self respecting man would let them out of the house. The place for women is either the kitchen or the bed anything else is just wasting time they could be cooking or taking my cock.”

“Shut up Fost,” Gorol snapped dumping another handful of nuts into the satchel, “To answer your question, Theron. Take a look around you saw the whole valley did you see any town or village any smoke from cookfires. The pass is the only way in or out and there was no road. If there are women up here then they‘re nothing but savages and will be easy for the Emperor to conquer.”

“Gorol,” I said slowly, “What if we don’t return to camp at all?”

“Don’t Theron,” Gorol shook a finger at me, “Where would we go? Harolom has conquered the world.”

“We could stay here.”

“He and the army will be marching through that pass as soon as the snows melt.”

“I’m sick of it, Gorol,” I snarled at the only man alive I called friend, “And don’t tell me you aren’t too.”

“You’re talking desertion,” Fost chuckled, “Don’t you remember what happened to the last deserters we caught tied head, arms, legs and dick to six horses and ripped apart like a child‘s toy.”

Gorol drew his sword and leveled it at me, a man who saved me time and time again in the past. A man I would’ve called brother.

“Don’t make me do this, Theron,” he said levelly. “When we left Faro I promised I’d look after you.”

I could just shut up as I had shut up so many times before. I could return and wade in more blood with the rest of the scouting party as we conquered more lands for the already over-bloated ego of a lunatic king.

“Just turn around,” I told him, “When you look back I’ll be gone.”

Gorol considered this, but Fost would have none of it he hefted his axe and charged at me shouting at the top of his lungs, “Desertion. Theron’s deserting.”

My sword slid out of the scabbard slicing his throat in a red grin from ear to ear. He fell to the ground dead already, no longer able to laugh ever again.

Gorol swore, “Hathrag’s balls Theron.” He looked over to rustling leaves off to the side. Sarobrue and Wartenau had heard Fost and were making their way to them. He looked nervously back to me, “Go I’ll hold them off.”

“Gorol,” I said pointing down to Fost’s head.

He looked back to me, “What are you doing run.”

“Look,” I said pointing more forcefully at the ground beside Fost’s head. There in the soft moist loam was a footprint, a bare one when they all wore boots, and it was fresh made only moments before.

 

[Kaena]

Lyta

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I had been tracking them since they had entered the valley, if you could call it that. The trail they left in their wake was one that even a child of my village could have followed. It was if they were not even trying to hide the fact that they were there. It was obvious that these men had not heard about the inhabitants of the valley, which were my people, either that or they just were arrogant enough to think that they were invincible. It was not something that I was accustomed to, we didn't get many visitors to our valley and those that did stumble upon our little piece of paradise usually didn't stay long.

It seemed to me that the older man, Gorol, was the one in charge of this disheveled bunch of men, he held an air of authority over the others. If he had been younger he may have been the object of my attention, but it was the one they were calling Theron that had caught my eye. It was obvious that the years of battle and the things he had seen and done had taken a toll on him, but he was still young and fit enough to be of use to me. I could feel the thrill of the hunt and capture boiling through my veins as he spoke of leaving his party and deserting his quest. It would have been easy for me to dispatch the others, considering I had the upper hand, but I would have rather just let them go on their way and quietly take him captive once he was alone.

If it hadn't been for that damn Fost, a weasel of a man if I have ever saw one, my plan would have gone smoothly. I would have tracked him until he camped for the night and taken him then. But as soon as I heard the cry of deserter fall from Fost's lips, I knew it wasn't going to be that easy. I could hear the heavy footfalls of the other men running towards my hiding spot and I barely lept out of the way and across the path in front of the men without being spotted. Of course, I had miscalculated how many there were and I ran head first into one of the men, a blow that nearly knocked the air out of me as I was knocked back flat on my ass.

"Well, well, what do we have here," he sneered, his white grin looking ghastly on his dirt stained face. "Looks like the legends are true. Hey guys, forget about Theron, look what I ...." He never got to finish his sentence as I lept, burying my knife to the hilt in his throat. Wiping the blood on his clothes, I slipped it back into it's sheath and crouched low, waiting. I was certain they had heard the man's cry before he had fallen and it wouldn't be long before they would be onto me. I waited and listened, groaning in dismay as I heard him discover the footprint I had so stupidly left behind.

 

[Veroe]

Theron

Just as Sarobrue and Wartenau crested a hill running over a gametrail Just as a woman jumped out of a nearby bush colliding into the wide solid body of Wartenau and causing her to fall on her ass on the ground below.

He and Sarobrue sneered down at her, "Well, well, what do we have here?" Wartenau glanced over to me and Gorol. "Looks like the legends are true. Hey guys, forget about Theron, look what I ...."

The woman leapt up as Wartenau had averted his gaze on her and stuck a vicious looking dagger into his throat. He fell back and rolling down the hillside choking on his own blood.

"Hey, a feisty one," Sarobrue pulled out his twin swords and began to circle her, a playful smirk on his face, "I like it when they fight back."

"So these women do exist," Gorol muttered as we ran up the hill to them. "Sarobrue, don't kill her, we need information from her."

"Furthest thing from my mind, Captain," Sarobrue laughed, "She and I are going to get real intimate come nightfall."

I was sickened. I had watched Sarobrue with his women. There was no tenderness or kindness in the man. He was a brute. I felt nothing but pity for the poor girl.

We came up to the top of the hill and Gorol approached her slowly. "Hello, I won't harm you." That was only partly true. She could trust Gorol's words. Theron had never seen him break a promise he made, but that word wasn't binding on Sarobrue, and if Gorol tried to keep Sarobrue from her...well they had been warned that Sarobrue's last captain had died of a freak training accident after he had ordered the big brute's lusts curtailed.

"Where is your village, girl," Gorol continued, "Are there many of your people here?"

I blinked realizing this was my chance to escape. Both Gorol and Sarobrue were locked onto the woman. She was the only one looking in my direction. I began to inch over to a large tree preparing to burst into a sprint through the trees.

I didn't know where I'd go, but I only knew I couldn't continue this anymore.

 

[Kaena]

The fresh blood on my hands was revolting, but not as revolting as the man who was circling me, swords in hands. Even though he stood down wind, I could smell his stench, his leer causing my own anger to begin to boil. I glanced quickly over at the other two men, never quite taking my eyes off the man before me. Out of the three, he seemed to be the most interested in what I had to offer as a woman, not the information I could provide them about the valley and my village. I had encountered men like him before and none of them had lived to even lay a hand on me.

"Are you really that arrogant to think you can take me," I replied, drawing my own sword as I watched him. I looked down at the blood splattered across my arm from his friend and shook my head. "If you are anything like him, this won't take long."

I ignored Gorol's words as I began my own circle, moving with almost feline grace as matched his moves with that of my own.

"How can I trust any of you," I finally replied, not taking my eyes off of Sarobue as I addressed Gorol. "From my experience men are nothing but liars. If you leave now I will let you live, stay now and you will be joining your friend in the afterworld."

A small movement caught my eye as I spoke and I looked quickly to see Theron inching over towards the trees. I frowned at the thought that he would get away, but he would be easy enough to find again, it was the men with him that were my concern for the moment. The brief second I looked away was all Sarobrue needed to make his move, I barely stepped to the side as the large man rushed at me with his swords, intent to maim me, if not kill me. Though I knew from his words, he would rather keep me aive, and I intended to use that to my advantage.

Moving with the speed of a cat, I rolled out of the way, my own blade coming up as I leapt back to my feet. In a brief second I had managed to get behind him, my blade slicing through the air to strike beneath his shoulder blades, the tip portruding from his chest as he stared down at it disbelief. I tugged on the blade to pull it free, watching in disgust as his body crumbled to the ground.

"What about you old man," I said, sure that the site of me standing there with blood dripping from my blade was enough to scare any mortal man. "Do you want to live or die? Leave now and never speak of this place and I will let you live. You have already seen how easily it is for me to kill, one more won't make any difference to me. You are too old to be of any use to my village."

 

[Veroe]

Theron

I watched as she dispatched Sarobrue. She was good, damned good. Sarobrue was no pushover but as he looked down at the sword tip protruding from the center of his chest I was not sad to see his eyes roll up and him to fall a bleeding lump on the forest's game trail.

"What about you old man," The woman told Gorol, "Do you want to live or die? Leave now and never speak of this place and I will let you live. You have already seen how easily it is for me to kill, one more won't make any difference to me. You are too old to be of any use to my village."

"I may be older than Sarobrue or Theron," Gorol said holding his sword out at guard between them, "But with age comes wisdom. Theron, go around side of her she can't defend against both of us at once."

I don't know why, I obeyed Gorol's orders. Maybe it was from fifteen years of long practice, but I circled around her. Still I wasn't too sold on the idea.

"I can't do this again, Gorol," I told him, "I don't want to kill her."

"Neither do I," Gorol admitted, "But what choice do we have?" He charged engaging her sword and lowering his shoulder to collide into her chest. She staggered backward a few steps from the impact but it was enough for me to come up behind her and wrap her up in my arms.

Gorol leveled his swordtip under her chin, "Now about those questions, lass?"

 

[Kaena]

I had to admit that they moved quicker than I had expected. Especially the old man. I had underestimated him for sure, a mistake that could very well end up being fatal for me. I don't know if it was my earlier struggle with the other two men that had slowed my reflexes, but Gorol took me by suprise when he rushed at me and I was thrown backwards into Theron's arms before I even realized what was going on.

A fire came to my eyes as I glared at the older man across the blade of his sword. Sure he had the upper hand, at least for now. But, what him and his younger companian hadn't noticed while they were focusing on me was the stealthy approach of a number of my sisters, their clothing blending easily with the trees, masked by the waning light of the evening.

"I bet you feel like a man now, having a woman at the other end of your sword," I spat, my voice barely masking my anger. "And you," I addressed Theron. "You say you don't want him to kill me, but you run like a puppet on strings as soon as he says jump. You disgust me."

My words were intended to distract the men as my sisters moved into position. Gorol was so intent in gloating over his sudden upperhand that he didn't notice Ariana, the leader of our clan, sneak up behind him until she herself had her blade against his throat. The sudden coolness of the blade against his throat caused Gorol to flinch giving me enough room to pull away from the dangerous tip of his sword at my throat. Throwing myself backwards I pushed myself into Theron, bringing us both to the ground as I twisted in his arms.

"Lyta made the mistake of offering you your life old man and this is how you repay her," Ariana said, driving her knee savagely into the back of his leg. The crack of his bone mingled with his gutteral scream echoed through the night as he fell to his knees, his leg broken. Pushing him away in disgust, her eyes travelled over to where I was struggling with Theron.

"You have grown weak Lyta," she said, her voice causing a spark of anger mixed with shame deep inside me. "You have seen the wake of torture and despair that has been left by man, you yourself a product of the rape and torture of your mother by a man that entered our valley." I could see her eyes over Theron's shoulder that she had no intention of leaving either of the men alive, which was something that I wasn't about to allow.

Twisting frantically I managed to squirm out of Theron's grasp and pin him beneath me, my body between him and the sharp edge of Ariana's sword.

"There is no weakness in mercy," I replied angrily, my eyes throwing daggers as I looked at her over my shoulder. "I claim these men as mine and you know by tribal law you no longer have any say on their fate."

 

[Veroe]

Theron

She felt good in my arms. All lithe and strong, dangerous, with a feline grace to her that made her beautiful and enticing to me.

Gorol leveled his swordtip under her chin, "Now about those questions, lass?"

"I bet you feel like a man now, having a woman at the other end of your sword," She snarled at him.

She glared at me over her shoulder, "And you, You say you don't want him to kill me, but you run like a puppet on strings as soon as he says jump. You disgust me."

"It's..." I blinked wondering why having to defend myself to her stung me so much. Her vehemence hurt me-hurt me alot, "...It's complicated. Just don't do anything stupid so we won't have to hurt-."

A sudden motion from the tree gorol stood in front of and another beautiful women emerged from behind him.

"-Gorol-" I tried to warn him but the woman was too fast before I could form another word she had already had her vicious-looking knife around to rest its razor sharp edge under his adam's apple. Gorol froze recognizing the fact that one more word, one more breath may be his very last.

Then suddenly the woman in my arms shoved herself back against me tipping us over onto the forest floor. She was a wildcat in my arms swiveling around wrestling like we did in camp for training with me.

The woman holding Gorol said something and suddenly he screamed as he crashed down to the ground across from us clutching his broken leg.

As we struggled the other woman regarded the woman in my arms coldly. "You have grown weak Lyta," she told her softly, "You have seen the wake of torture and despair that has been left by man, you yourself a product of the rape and torture of your mother by a man that entered our valley."

"There is no weakness in mercy," She replied swiveling completely around and pinning me to the ground with an elbow against my throat. I was distracted by her weight against me and the smooth press of her thigh against my manhood.

"I claim these men as mine and you know by tribal law you no longer have any say on their fate."

"Do not lecture me on the laws of our tribe," The other woman scowled down at her, "Keep them. Both of them, but remember you will have to present them to the goddess, and you can count on the fact that I won't be lenient on either of these gutless worms when you do." She turned and kicked one of Sarobrue's swords away from Gorol's reaching hand.

She glared over to the woman atop me, "We'll make for the village soon. I expect your new men to be well in hand by then, Lyta." she stalked over to the dead body of Sarobrue kicking him over and pulling out his belongings.

I looked at the woman she had called Lyta, "What just happened?"

 

[Kaena]

I can't say that I wasn't aware of his manhood pressed against my thigh as I pinned him to the ground, but I ignored it for the time being. I was too angry with Ariana at the moment. She always seemed to know what to say to bring out the worst in me.

"I am well aware of my responsabilities Ariana," I sneered, watching with disinterest as she searched the body of the man I had killed. In reality the spoils of the fight belonged to me, but I wasn't in the mood to argue with her at the moment. I had already been treading on dangerous ground by claiming the men and denying her the kill.

I frowned slightly as I looked over at Gorol who lay on the ground clutching his leg. Ariana hadn't needed to break his leg, she had clearly had the upper hand by having the knife at his throat. It was purely out of sadistic pleasure she had done so. Still it made it him useless to me until he healed, since I had no use for him sexually I had intended to make him into a worker. Now I would have to tend to him until he healed, which didn't give me much time to prepare him for when I had to present him and Theron both before the Goddess. He had to be trained properly and in good health in order to pass the tests that would be placed upon him and in his state there was a possibility he would fail if I was not given enough time with him.

I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I hadn't realized that Theron had spoken until he shifted underneath me. I looked down at him, releasing some of the pressure against his throat to allow him to breath before replying.

"That woman is the leader of our tribe," I explained, moving off him enough so I could flip him over on his stomach as I spoke. I knew if I didn't move quickly, it was possible he could find a way out of my grasp. Pulling a length of rope from my belt, I tied his hands behind his back. "She is a sadistic woman who would have killed you if I had not claimed you. By claiming you, I have made it known that you and Gorol are now my slaves and are under my protection."

"Fuck you, I'm nobody's slave," Gorol spat from where he lay within hearing distance. Struggling against the pain of his leg, he tried to pull himself to his feet, only to be driven back down to the ground by the back of Ariana's hand across his face.

"You would do well to teach your men some respect," Ariana said, motioning to a couple of the other women who came forward with a makeshift stretcher to carry Gorol on. There was no fight left in him as they quickly loaded him onto it and tied him in place. "Or I will do it for you."

Getting to my feet, I pulled Theron up with me, brushing away the dirt and grass on my clothes from our struggle. I glared at Ariana as I moved to kneel beside the stretcher, wiping away the blood on Gorol's cheek where Ariana's wrist guard had cut him. He turned his head and tried to bite me before I was able to pull back my hand.

"And you would do well to keep your hands off my men," I replied angrily, getting back to my feet. My eyes flashed with bridled anger as I looked at her defiantly. My next words mirrored hers, but my voice portrayed my intention for them to be a threat. "Or I will do it for you."

Grabbing Theron's arm, I pulled him towards the trail that led further into the forest and towards our home. Night was about to fall and my body longed for my soft bed, but I knew sleep was still far away. I had to get the men back to the village and take care of Gorol's leg before I could even begin to think about sleep.

 

[Veroe]

Theron

"We'll make for the village soon. I expect your new men to be well in hand by then, Lyta." the tall vicious woman-warrior stalked over to the dead body of Sarobrue kicking him over and pulling out his belongings.

"I am well aware of my responsabilities Ariana," The woman she had called Lyta sneered at her.

"What just happened," I asked her. I was trying not to think on how nice she felt atop me, it had been weeks since I last laid with a woman.

"That woman is the leader of our tribe," She explained rising off him. I coughed as the weight of her elbow left my throat. Before I could recover fully she had flipped me over and was pulling my hands behind me. I struggled against her but her knee in the small of my back gave her all the leverage advantage in the contest. Soon she had my hands tied tightly behind me. "She is a sadistic woman who would have killed you if I had not claimed you."

"Claimed me," I sputtered. I did not like the choice of words she had used, it made me feel like some prize cow sold at auction.

"By claiming you, I have made it known that you and Gorol are now my slaves and are under my protection."

"Slaves," I said stricken. Harolom had a whole host of slaves mostly women from lands we had conquered, but he dabbled with men too, and the common element was that every one of them was treated worse than a stray dog.

Fuck you, I'm nobody's slave," Gorol swore and I concurred. I hadn't set myself to deserting quasi-bondage to that lunatic, Harolom, just to become an actual slave to...to such barbaric and cruel women.

To prove my point their leader, Ariana, rose up and smacked Gorol across the face with the back of her hand. "You would do well to teach your men some respect," She glared to Lyta.

"And you would do well to keep your hands off my men," She said rising up to the challenge. "Or I will do it for you."

That was when it hit me. Lyta was trying to protect us. Why? She should want us dead as much as Ariana if not more so, but she was defending us in her own way. In the past fifteen years I had grown up and served in Harolom's army where mercy was a foreign concept. Others begged it of us. But we never delivered it. In Harolom's army mercy was a weakness in those we conquered. Now, this woman, whom Sarobrue would've raped, whom Gorol would have pried out secrets from that would lead to the conquest of her people. Yet she in her own way was offering them a modicum of mercy.

So I allowed her to lead me down the game trail deeper into the forest trusting her since it was fairly apparent myself and Gorol didn't have a choice at the moment.

 

[Kaena]

I could hear the laughter of the children as we approached the village. All females of course, we did not keep any male children that we bore. The stories told about us may have painted us as a cruel and barbaric tribe, but we would never stoop as low as to kill a child. Luckily, the Goddess usually blessed us with female babies, otherwise the villages on the outskirts of the valley would be inundated with the male orphans we left on their doorsteps.

The sound of the children brought an almost sorrow to my heart. Twenty five summers had come and gone and I had yet to experience the joy of motherhood, though I had taken to bed a number of men that had been captured by my sisters. I looked over at Theron. Perhaps my luck was about to change.

I was pulled from my thoughts at the sound of a loud growl on the path before us. Standing between us and the village stood a large black panther, its fur shining in the pale moonlight. Before I even had a chance to blink, the panther was running towards me and tackling me to the ground, its huge paws easily pinning me.

Laughing, I petted the huge head above me, looking up at Theron to see what his reaction was to this all.

"I have missed you too Kaiya," I said, easily pushing the large cat off me and getting to my feet. Kaiya was my companian and friend, a gift from the Goddess herself. For many years my sisters had thought that I had been forsaken by the Goddess because of my lack of children. That was until Kaiya had showed up. Many generations had passed since the last spirit guardian, as we called the majestic animals, had chosen a human companian ad it had been a great honor to have it happen to me. It was another bone of contention between Ariana and I, since she believed as the leader of our village that she was the one that had been chosen. But it was my hut that the cub had found that night years before and it was me that had been marked by her claws. I still bore the scar on my arm to prove it.

Kaiya growled as her eyes fell on the two men that I had brought with me. She slowly walked around them, keeping her distance as she smelled them. Satisfied that they were of no threat, she returned to my side, nuzzling my hand as we approached the village. The campfires were warmly lit, inviting us home. The site of a male captive was nothing out of the ordinary and the others barely gave us a second glance as I led the way to my hut. Once there the others dumped Gorol's stretcher unceremoniously on the floor and left us alone. I waited until I was sure we were completely alone, other than Kaiya curled up at the base of my bed, before I spoke.

"This will be your home as long as you remain my slaves," I said, kneeling beside Gorol's stretcher and quickly cutting his pants away from his broken leg. I could see that the bone was broken cleanly, but there was no way that I could set it in place without help. I looked over at Theron. "Can I trust you not to do anything stupid if I untie you. I need your help setting his leg."

 

[Veroe]

Theron

We traveled down the gametrail deeper into the heart of the forest past flowering plants, even when the rest of world was falling under the sway of winter, past steaming pools of hot springs, and past creatures not seen anywhere else the world over. Soon the forest canopy blocked out the sun completely so it was as dark as night on the forest floor. I faltered uncertain at the wisdom of proceeding further in the dark but Lyta pushed me yet deeper into the forest.

It was getting warmer the further we traveled into the forest, steamier, more humid too. I realized that the skimpy revealing clothes these women warriors wore served more than just a distraction to me and any other man they faced in battle. They were quite comfortable in the sticky heat while me and Gorol under the layers of wool and fur we had worn to protect us from the bitter deadly cold throughout our trek through the mountain passes were sweltering. In silence I endured the heat sweating profusely, but unwilling to offer these women the oppurtunity to be cruel to us again.

The sun was setting and the darkness of night was adding to the shadows of the jungle thicket. The moon was full and cast shafts of faint light through the cracks of the canopy above us only making the darkness more impenetrable to my eyes. We slowed a little but Lyta pushed me forward ignoring my protests. though I suspected Lyta would be atleast reasonable to atleast listen to those complaints, however we had no real alternative but to endure the heat as we had no alternative but to endure the cold before. So I kept my complaints to myself.

Eventually I was beginning to hear sounds outside the baying and hooting of nocturnal animals going about their business in the night. I heard children, laughing, playing, their mothers scolding them for rambunctiousness. Grandmothers attending the preparations for evening meals. Women, women, and women. All women, not once did I hear the sound of a man's voice. Where were their men? Was it possible that they had none whatsoever?

Then came a low growl from the shadows of the path before us. The shape of a big black jungle cat sauntered into a shaft of moonlight ears low. It vaulted forward towards where Lyta stood.

In shock I shouted, "Watch out!" Moving instinctively to try to interpose myself in the cat's path. I was stopped by Ariana who grabbed me by my shoulder and pulled me back as the cat brought Lyta to the ground. I watched in confusion as she laughed and petted the panther's head in a fond familiar manner.

"I have missed you too Kaiya," She said playfully pushing the cat off her.

I watched as she brushed the dirt off of her and Kaiya, the black panther, circled me and Gorol sampling out scent with interest. I couldn't tell if it was interest as dinner or interest in greeting strangers.

Finally we moved again entering the village proper. Their village were buidlings of local wood exquisitely carved and crafted with feline motifs decorating everything. The village itself circled the largest steaming, bubbling hotsprings pool we had yet crossed. Across the other side of the pool was the largest building in the village it's design and embellished adornments of cat reliefs and carved wooden sculptures suggested some sort of temple to me.

We traveled through the village avenues and inevitably stopping at a house in particular. The women carrying Gorol dropped him unceremoniously on the ground beside the front door. Inside it wasn't a very large house a common room, a kitchen, and a bedroom. The cat, Kaiya, sauntered into the bed and curled up over a fur rug on the floor at the end of the big bed and settled in for a good cat nap.

"This will be your home as long as you remain my slaves," Lyta explained to us, and I only nodded not really trusting myself to answer that. That last word she had used really didn't sit well with me.

The other warriors had left now leaving both me and Gorol alone with Lyta. She knelt down next to him and cut open his pant leg to examine his injury. "Can I trust you not to do anything stupid if I untie you. I need your help setting his leg."

Looking down to Gorol, my only friend in the world, I noticed again how strained his face was. The man could endure alot, but he must be in agony right now. So this time I spoke rather than nodded to her, "Yes, I promise."

So we began. She applied some sort of poltice on his leg that she said would help him heal faster while I collected two lengths of wood for splints and tore Gorols cloak into strips to be used as bandages. Together we bound his leg, and then she gathered some plants from her kitchen and placed them over the cookfire in a pot with water while I stayed with Gorol trying to comfort him. The shock had worn off and he was under more pain than ever. Lyta offered him a cup of tea to help him sleep through the pain.

It wasn't long before Gorol had fallen asleep his little wooden teacup dangling precariously from his fingers.

I looked to Lyta now as she banked the cookfire. She didn't seem so...so..severe now. In fact she seemed...feminine...beautiful even. When she turned back to me I looked down at my hands before me asking, "Lyta, from what I have seen of your people lead only a simple life, and you certainly know how to take care of yourself." I looked up at her. "What use could you possibly have for us as your slaves?"

 

[Kaena]

I really wasn't sure if I could trust him to keep his word, but I didn't have much of a choice. I needed to get Gorol's leg set and my sisters had left it to me, refusing to assist me with it. It was true, once we had laid claim on a man they were our responsability, but I couldn't say I was happy by the fact that they simply had dropped him in my lap, leaving me to fix the problem that Ariana had created.

Cutting the ropes that held Theron's wrist, I put him to task with finding something to splint and wrap Gorol's leg. We worked in silence, in an easy rhythm usually found with people that had known each other for years, not a few simple hours. It wasn't until Gorol's leg was fully set and he was fast asleep, aided by the herb I had slipped into his tea, that I took a moment to truly study the man I had taken captive. I had to admit that I was pleased by his rugged good looks and what seemed like a muscular, toned body beneath his clothes.

It was then that I noticed how heavy his clothes were. I frowned at myself for not noticing it earlier. He wasn't dressed for the weather in the valley. If he continued to wear the furs and heavy fabrics that he was, he would soon fall ill from the humidity and heat. Not that it would matter soon. All male slaves were required to remain naked while they were within their dwellings. It not only kept them ready for whenever their mistress decided to make use of them, but it dissuaded them from trying to run.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do with Gorol in that aspect. I hadn't thought it through when I had claimed both men as my slaves. My only thought at the time being saving Gorol from the blade of Ariana's sword. He was far past his prime to be of any use as a sex slave and I wasn't the type to have an audience while I partook in any type of pleasure. Perhaps he would be of use to some of the older women of the village as a house slave, once he had healed.

It was almost has if Theron had picked up on part of my thoughts by the question he asked. I contemplated his question for a moment before answering, trying to figure out the best way to tell him what would be required of him as my slave. Taking a seat on a cushioned chair by the fire, I crossed my legs and motioned him to sit beside me on the floor.

"I am sure you have noticed that our village is lacking in men," I finally said, watching his face as I did. "What men that do live here are slaves, captured when they ventured too far into our valley, such as yourself and Gorol. Men serve two purposes here. They take care of the sexual needs that cannot be satisfied by our other sisters and they father the daughters needed to keep our people in existance."

I took a deep breath before I continued, my hand resting on the knife on my belt just in case his reaction to the news was in any way violent. "As for Gorol, I am well aware that he would probably be of no use to us in this aspect. I claimed him as my slave as only a means of sparing his life. If one of the older women don't take him as a house slave, I will keep him in that aspect only. I have no interest in using him in an sexual manner."

I looked over at Gorol as he muttered something in his sleep, reaching over to wipe a cool cloth across his forehead. He was still wearing the majority of his heavy clothes and the weight of them all were more of a hinderance than a help in his rest.

"He needs to have some of his clothes removed in order to be comfortable," I said, getting to my feet and starting to untie the laces of his one remaining boot. "Help me get him undressed so he can rest comfortably. Once we are done, you will undress as well."

 

[Veroe]

Theron

"Lyta, from what I have seen of your people you lead only a simple life, and you certainly know how to take care of yourself." I looked up at her. "What use could you possibly have for us as your slaves?"

She crossed the sitting room to a chair by the fire and sat before answering, "I am sure you have noticed that our village is lacking in men."

I nodded crossing over to stand before her where she indicated.

"What men that do live here are slaves, captured when they ventured too far into our valley, such as yourself and Gorol." she continued watching my face with interest in the reactions that would show up there.

I tried to stay as neutral in expression as possible as I asked, "For what purpose?"

"Men serve two purposes here. They take care of the sexual needs that cannot be satisfied by our other sisters and they father the daughters needed to keep our people in existance."

Despite my efforts not too show her anything I was fairly certain my surprise was evident on my face. "You mean me..." He pointed at himself then at her, "...and you?"

For a moment I was that fourteen year old boy from Faro again. Lyta was quite desirable and the fact that she had chosen me to be...with her...well it was flattering and embarassing. I'd had women in the fifteen years since I left my far off village but most of them were camp followers, whores, more desiring of the few silvers Harolom paid me than of me in truth. Oh they all knew how to act their part, say the right things, atleast they gave me the fantasy of being in bed with a women who cared. The few who weren't were spoils of conquest and I despised taking them to bed the most. The swearing, the cursing, the struggling, the beating their fists on my back, the crying, the stiffening as unresponsive as a statue when despair took them away. Pigs like Sarobrue sought that out, found it empowering. Me, I found it nothing but demeaning, depressing, and degrading to me.

I had never had a woman who desired me...enough to claim me as her property...not that I much liked the prospect of being her slave...but the fact that she desired me in that way at all stirred something deep down inside me.

I shook my head, "If you wanted me in your bed, Lyta, then all you needed to do was ask."

She was watching me carefully now. I did not fail to notice how her hand had strayed to the knife on her belt. "As for Gorol, I am well aware that he would probably be of no use to us in this aspect. I claimed him as my slave as only a means of sparing his life."

"He's not so old that he's of no use in the sack," I said, "He's only seen thirty-six winters afterall. Sure he has a few grey hairs now, but he's still as vital as when he took me under his wing as recruits." I began to wonder why I was defending Gorol so much. Maybe it was the concept of being seperated from him, but if he stayed here. She would take him to bed, and something about that made his stomach roll and blood boil.

"If one of the older women don't take him as a house slave, I will keep him in that aspect only. I have no interest in using him in an sexual manner."

He nodded surprised at his own relief at her words.

"He needs to have some of his clothes removed in order to be comfortable," She said rising from the chair and crossing back over to the snoring Gorol. "Help me get him undressed so he can rest comfortably." I helped her remove his boots, his tattered fur and velvet cloak, his layer of chainmail, and the thick woolen jerkin beneath. I thought we were done but she continued pulling off his his undertunic and his breaches leaving him there in only his linen small clothes.

She glanced back up at me, "Once we are done, you will undress as well."

"Me," I stammered looking up at her, "You mean with you watching?"

 

[Kaena]

I was suprised by his reaction to what I told him. I had expected him to get angry at the idea of being my sex slave and try to attack me. Instead he just stood there a little bewildered and took it all in, remaining silent for the most part as I spoke.

"If you wanted me in your bed, Lyta, then all you needed to do was ask."

His words shook me for a moment and left me speechless, I wasn't sure exactly how to react to what he said. I licked my lip slowly as I contemplated this, my eyes still watching him closely.

"You say that now," I finally said, shaking my head slowly. "But when we met you were more than ready to do what Gorol told you to, which would have led to my death or me as your captive, so I find your words hard to believe. Anyway, it doesn't matter now. You belong to me and will be expected to serve me in that aspect, whether you give yourself willingly or not."

I couldn't help taking a good look at Gorol when Theron spoke of his age. The years in battle had not been kind to his body, making him look older than Theron claimed he was. If he was really only the age Theron said he was, then it was highly likely that he would be of use to one of the other women in the village. It was something I would bring up to Ariana once he was healed.

I could almost see the relief on Theron's face when I told him that I did not intend to keep Gorol to serve me sexually. The fact brought a slight smile on my face, which I hid from him by letting my long hair fall across my face. As much as I fully intended to bed Theron, without or without his cooperation, the fact that he desired me enough to be jealous of his friend warming my bed was rather amusing and a little flattering.

I didn't take us long to undress Gorol, removing all but his underclothes. The herb in his tea had knocked him out enough that he didn't even stir as we moved him to remove the clothes. Placing a hand on his forehead, I was relieved to see that his body temperature was already lowering, which would help him on his road to recovery.

"You mean with you watching?" I smiled at him, stepping back to run my eyes up and down his body.

"You will be spending most of your time naked while in my presence," I replied, licking my lips slowly. "Getting undress in front of me should be the least of your worries. Now, do as your told, or I will do it for you."

 

[Veroe]

Theron

"Once we are done, you will undress as well."

"Me," I stammered looking up at her, "You mean with you watching?"

"You will be spending most of your time naked while in my presence," She calmly replied. "Getting undress in front of me should be the least of your worries. Now, do as your told, or I will do it for you."

I mulled that over. I wasn't liking the way she was threatening me, but looking at her now. With the silken black hair. The fierce fire in her eyes. The lithe and supple frame, and the surprising speed and strength I had witnessed her use earlier: all of it made me want her.

I nodded to her and began to unfasten my fur mantle from my broad shoulders. I had never been too modest after all, and since I wanted to see more of her, it was only fair I indulge her request first.

My steel curass was next followed by the chainmail shirt. The leather jerkin and woolen tunic fell atop them. followed by my boots and breeches. And so finally I stood there in only my linen small clothes before her.

I remained standing but when it became clear Lyta wanted more I looked down blushing a bit, despite my jaded experience with women. I had never been the one exposed to another's eyes. My hands shook as I pulled the linen shirt up over my head unveiling my torso to those eyes.

Fifteen years of training, battle, and soldier's life had given me a strong muscled body and weeks of quarter-rations throughout our trek through the pass to get here had given the smooth healthy look, but what body-fat I had had been melted away giving my muscular frame a hard, dangerous, painful, and dangerous look. That wasn't why I was self-conscious of taking off my shirt for her. Up and down my body was a collection of scars with dozens of stories behind each one. A shallow swordslash accross my pectoral, an arrowpuncture in my shoulder just below the clavacal, and a close one from an axe horizontally on his side below the rib cage when we took the fortress-city Pravari Dann were only a few. If it hadn't been for Gorol that one would've taken my life.

I stood there in only my scivies looking back at her. A moment passed, another. I looked down realizing she was waiting for me to finish up. My hands moved to the last article of clothing I had left. Slowly began to lower them down. I bent and realized she could see the wicked web of scars running the length of my back. I looked back up at her explaining, "My King is a big believer in discipline and in the principal that if one soldier is caught breakind that discipline his entire unit received the punishment alongside them."

Finally the linen scivies landed onto the floor and I stood before her in all my glory, nude as the day my mother bore me.

 

[Kaena]

I had to admit I was pleasantly surpised by the body that was slowly being revealed as each piece of clothing fell to the floor. The scars that peppered his body only acted as confirmation of my belief that he had led a hard life. From the looks of things he had had several close calls, the scar along his rib cage especially nasty.

If I hadn't been confident of my own abilities, the site of his muscular body might have struck fear in my heart. Fear that I would have be overpowered by him one day and my village would be put in danger. But I knew despite the fact that his body was hard and rippling with muscles, I still had the upper hand on him. If he was ever to try and attack me, my speed and strength would be a great asset, but I also held another weapon that my sisters did not possess. Unless Theron managed to kill Kaiya first before attacking me, it would take the large cat mere seconds to kill him. Such was a mistake several men had made before him, ending in their very bloody demise.

I spat in disgust as he spoke of his King. I had heard stories of this self made King, a man that was both cruel and ruthless, not only with his men but with the people that he conquered. Many rulers had been displaced by his invading troops, their bodies fed the wild dogs that followed the army, their women taken as captives and brutally used against their will. It was only by sheer luck that he had yet to come to our valley, but by the presence of Theron and his men, I was sure that an invasion was soon to come. Still, it was not something that worried my people. We hadn't managed to survive this long to allow ourselves to be ruled by any man. We had been training for the impending invasion since we had word that King Harolom was heading our way. We would either defeat his army or die trying. I smiled at the thought of having the arrogant man himself at the end of my sword and putting him through some of the torture he had bestowed on others before dispatching him to the underworld. It was a fantasy that I entertained often, though I knew it most likely to never be brought to fruition.

"He is no longer your king," I finally said, moving forward to trail my fingers lightly along the scars on his body. "You belong to me and since he has no claim to this valley, you are no longer under his rule."

I walked slowly around him, inspecting his body from all angles. It was obvious that any children he bore would be strong and great warriors. I only hoped that the Goddess would finally bless me with a child of my own.

"We have our own form of discipline here," I said, my voice taking on a tone that demanded respect. "I may not be as cruel as your former master, but I will not tolerate disobedience in any form. If this was not your first day here, I would have punished you for your hesitation when I told you to undress. I expect my orders to be followed immediately, whether you like them or not. Am I understood?"

"I see the way you look at me," I continued, my hand continuing its slow exploration of his scars. "I can see that you desire me and perhaps you think just because you are now naked that I will return the favour and show you my body. It doesn't work that way. You will not touch or see my body unless I allow it and you have yet to earn that privilege."

 

[Veroe]

Theron

"My King is a big believer in discipline and in the principal that if one soldier is caught breaking that discipline his entire unit receives the punishment alongside him."

She spat at that. "He is no longer your king. You belong to me and since he has no claim to this valley, you are no longer under his rule."

"He wasn't much of a king anyway," I replied wondering if she was ever going to take off her clothes. She ran her hands over me seductively circling like buzzard would a meal in the desert. "But don't underestimate him. The man is insane, but the gods gifted him and cursed the world with a cunning unmatched on the battlefield. He and his army has conquered every kingdom he has liad claim upon just like he has laid claim on this valley. Whether or not he has the right is pointless as long as he has the might to make it so."

"And come to think of it. How is he any different than you. Harolom has claimed this valley as belonging to him and will put you to the sword to prove it regardless of what you say against it just like you laid claim to me and Gorol regardless of what we say about it."

"I want to be free for once in my life. To go where I choose, do what I wish to do, and just be at peace with the things a lunatic had me do to too many good people in the world." I shook my head and clenched my fists. "I am not your slave, Lyta. I will be my own man from now on." He tried to look over his shoulder at her, but she had already moved out of his view in her circle around him. "I have been beaten and whipped before. I have been disciplined before, for expressing myself by Harolom's men. Are you going to do the same now and prove you and he are of the same ilk?"

"We have our own form of discipline here," She said in a tone that demanded to be noticed, "I may not be as cruel as your former master, but I will not tolerate disobedience in any form. If this was not your first day here, I would have punished you for your hesitation when I told you to undress. I expect my orders to be followed immediately, whether you like them or not. Am I understood?"

"I see," I bit out. If it weren't for Gorol I'd be already putting back on my clothes and heading out the door ready to take my chances keeping ahead of these women. But with Gorol's leg broken I would have to wait for it to heal before risking an escape to freedom together. I was certainly not going to leave him in the clutches of such women as these. It meant I would have to endure slavery. But I had endured such throughout my adult life to Harolom's army. What was a couple more weeks?

When Gorol's leg healed Lyta would awaken one morning to find the both of us simply gone. Until then...

"Yes Mistress," Saying what she wanted to hear and keeping my oppinions to myself. It was something I had grown quite capable at.

"I see the way you look at me," She said suddenly running her hand along the scar under my ribs. "I can see that you desire me and perhaps you think just because you are now naked that I will return the favour and show you my body. It doesn't work that way. You will not touch or see my body unless I allow it and you have yet to earn that privilege."

His word came out flat lifeless, "As you command Mistress." Lyta was beautiful, fierce and strong, a strangely arousing mix, but obviously she wasn't at all interested in me, only my cock in chains.

 

[Kaena]

I could feel my anger start to rise as he compared me to the arrogant man he called his king. Looking away from him, I took a deep breath, contemplating his words. I didn't want to admit it to myself but it was the truth of his words that angered me the most. How was I any different from Harolom? I had captured him and Gorol and had forced them to become my slaves against their will and here I was threatening punishment if they didn't obey me. As much as I tried to justify my actions to myself, I continued to come to the same conclusion, I wasn't any better that Harolom in some ways, but it was too late the change the situation now.

"You are right," I finally said, turning back towards him. "I am not any better than Harolom considering the fact that I have taken you against your will. But what is done is done. If it hadn't been me, it would have been someone else in the village, perhaps even Ariana herself, and your situation could be much worse."

I studied his face for a minute before I spoke again. If there was anything I could say I was good at it was reading people. As much as he may have been trying to hide his thoughts, they were written all over his face. Though his words were obedient and respectful, I knew deep down inside he hated the idea of being my slave and he would try to escape at the first chance he got.

"You would be foolish to even contemplate escaping," I finally said, placing my fingers beneath his chin and lifting his head so I could look into his eyes. "There are worse things out there than being my slave"

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

He had scored a direct hit on her with his comparison of her and Harolom. It surprised him at the mix of emotions seeing her distress at the comparison caused in him. Satisfaction that he made such a telling point, but also came a surprising amount of empathy. Lyta had treated Gorol's injury, did her best to defend them against that sadistic she-devil Ariana. Truth to tell, she had been nothing but fair in her own pushy, bossy way.

But despite my empathy for her that didn't change my intolerable situation. I wanted freedom. I had to have it.

"You are right," She said, "I am not any better than Harolom considering the fact that I have taken you against your will. But what is done is done. If it hadn't been me, it would have been someone else in the village, perhaps even Ariana herself, and your situation could be much worse."

"It's bad enough as it is." He said before adding the flat, "Mistress."

She stood there eyes watching me, like some foreign goddess, peering underneath the surface and into what I was trying to hide from her. "You would be foolish to even contemplate escaping."

She grabs my chin then and raises my gaze up to peer into my eyes. The surprise within them betraying the truth to her intuition.

"There are worse things out there than being my slave"

"From one form of slavery to another," I answer her, "What makes you better than any other. Why should I be a slave to you?"

 

[Kaena]

It took all my control to keep myself from losing my patience with him. He had already seen what Ariana was capable of, yet he still chose to question why he was better off being my slave than anything else. There was only one other way I could make him realize that he was better off with me, show him the alternative.

Dropping my hand away from his chin I moved to the chest at the end of my bed. Opening the heavy lid, I took out a pair of dearskin pants and tossed them towards him.

"Put those on," I ordered, waiting impatiently for him to do as he was told. "I am going to show you why you are better off as my slave than trying to escape or being a slave to any other woman in this village."

Moving towards the door, I opened it and looked out into the village. The sun was just starting to set over the horizon, leaving the village bathed in a soft dusk. The busy sounds of the other women preparing their evening meal and finishing their daily tasks echoed around me. As I stood waiting, I felt the soft nudge of Kaiya's head against my hand and I petted her without thought, my mind focused on what I was about to show Theron and whether it would make a difference in his attitude towards me or not.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

"From one form of slavery to another," I answer her, "What makes you better than any other. Why should I be a slave to you?"

"Put those on," She tossed me some deerskin pants from a chest nearby. I did as I was told pulling them up over my legs. They were tight and molded over the muscles of my legs.

"I am going to show you why you are better off as my slave than trying to escape or being a slave to any other woman in this village."

She led me outside her cabin and further into the village where women were preparing their evening meals. My stomach rumbled at the delicious smells. One was dining outside with her man. She was a blond woman middle aged with a generous bust. The man was one of the short scrawny Gauldeans Harolom's army had conquered weeks ago. The man was naked save for a metal studded leather wrapped around the man's penis and pulled painfully down by heavy weights.

"Greetings Lyta," The woman hailed, "What brings you out tonight?" She glanced over to me. I looked at her into her eyes. "And with such an unruly manslave in tow."

 

[Kaena]

I had expected him to argue with me when I told him to get dressed or at least question why it was needed, but instead he just put the pants I handed him on without question and followed me outside without saying a word. Kaiya followed close behind us on silent paws, her eyes ever watchful for any danger that would present itself to me. Though I felt rather safe within the village, I was sure there were some women who resented that I had taken possession of the two new men and as much as I wouldn't admit it, I was grateful of Kaiya's presence as we walked among the houses.

Most of the women had already retired to their huts to finish their meals and take care of other business, but a few had chosen to enjoy the cool breeze of the night, eating outside, some in the company of their men. The first hut that we approached belonged to Caroline, one of the older women of the village and also one of the ones that I didn't get along with. Caroline didn't approve of the fact that Kaiya had chosen me as her mistress and had very publicly spoken of her disproval. She had tried to make the others believe that I was too young and not strong enough to be the guardian of such a gift from the Goddess.

I could feel her disapproving gaze travelling over me and then Theron as we approached. Caroline was one of the women that believed that men needed constant discipline and punishment to keep them in line, something that I had often argued with her and the others over. Sure I believed that discipline and punishment had its place, but there was a point where it was just torture for pure sadistic satisfaction, as was the case with the device that Caroline had placed on her man's cock. I tried to hide my distaste at the site of it, she was my elder after all and I needed to show some kind of respect, but I was sure it was written all over my face.

Kaiya growled softly at my side as Caroline spoke, only quieted by my gentle hand on her head. Caroline was one of the women that Kaiya had also taken a disliking to and I knew if she made any move to show hostility towards me, Kaiya would end her life in a quick and messy manner.

"We were just taking a walk around the village," I replied, ignoring her comment about Theron and avoiding the real reason why I had taken him out into the village. The fact that he was questioning my ownership of him as my slave was not something I wanted any of the other women to get wind of. They already thought I was too soft and weak, I didn't need to give them more fuel for that fire. "It is such a lovely evening, I didn't want to be cooped up inside all night."

"I can see you have yet to break this one,"Caroline said as she got to her feet. "He needs to learn some respect."

I moved quickly to catch Caroline's arm as she raised her hand to strike Theron across the face. I could feel my anger rising quickly and I was sure my eyes burned with the fire of what I was feeling towards her.

"Do not touch him,"I said slowly, my voice taking on a cool, yet dangerous tone. "You may feel the need to treat your men like nothing more than dogs, but you will not dare tell me what to do with my men or lay a finger on them."

If looks could kill, we would have both been dead by her glare. She pulled her arm from my grasp, her steel grey eyes showing their obvious disproval as she looked Theron up and down again.

"You would be wise to watch your tongue with me girl,"she replied. "One word from me to Ariana and your precious boy will be nothing more than wolf bait."

As much as I wanted to smack that smug look off her face, I really had no desire to get in a fight or have the wrath of Ariana come down on me or Theron. I just shook my head and turned away from her, leading Theron further down the path to the middle of the village where a single pole stood. It was the man tied to the pole that I wanted to show Theron. He was tied naked with his hands above his head, his body covered in welts caused by his owners whip. His eyes followed us as we entered the square, his silence a sign that his punishment had broken him of the last bit of fight he had left in him. He had made one last feeble attempt to escape and had paid the price for it.

I looked over at Theron, watching his face closely for his reaction. I hoped that this example, along with how Caroline treated her man, would make him realize how different I was from the other women of the village.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

"Greetings Lyta," The woman hailed, "What brings you out tonight?" She glanced over to me. I looked at her into her eyes. "And with such an unruly manslave in tow."

My eyes didn't falter or lower. I continued observing this woman boldly ignoring her domineering and ominous tone towards. This woman was older than Lyta, in the early autumn of her years.

I also noticed that the jungle cat that followed Lyta around like a puppy watched this one warily, kept at bay by the gentle pressure of Lyta's hand atop her head. It was clear that this one was regarded as Lyta's enemy.

"We were just taking a walk around the village," Lyta answered the woman's question, "It is such a lovely evening, I didn't want to be cooped up inside all night."

The fact that she was less than truthful confirmed it for me. This was not someone she kept in her confidence, an enemy, certainly.

"I can see you have yet to break this one," She said rising to her feet. She stepped towards me her eyes meeting my glare. "He needs to learn some respect."

I saw the strike coming and braced myself. It wouldn't be the first time I had been slapped by a woman, even one who knew how to make it hurt as this experienced warrior probably knew how to do. My instinct was to raise my hands and defend myself, but I purposely kept my fists taut but at my sides. I was a captive and until the moment came to escape I needed to lull my captors with passivity. But just before the old hag's strike connected Lyta stepped forward her hand intercepting the other woman's.

"Do not touch him." I was surprised by the tone of her words. "You may feel the need to treat your men like nothing more than dogs, but you will not dare tell me what to do with my men or lay a finger on them."

I could tell there was a depth of emotion under tight control in her voice right then. A sidelong glance to her eyes as she glared down the other woman confirmed it for me. I was left wondering why was she so fervent in coming to my defense. It did not make sense. We were enemies just hours ago today, and she was the woman keeping me as her captive. So what was I to her to make her care for my well-being so?

"You would be wise to watch your tongue with me girl," The woman was not gulled by the furnaced heat in Lyta's glare, and met it with her own. She pulled her hand from Lyta's. "One word from me to Ariana and your precious boy will be nothing more than wolf bait."

"Boy, was I? Nothing more than wolf bait?" I knew enough not to voice my thoughts on her oppinion of me. But I was no farmer taken from my field in a surprise attack like most of the Gauldeans they had here surely was. I had been fighting since I was fifteen. I had killed hundreds, many with nothing more than my bare hands. I had survived dozens of wars trampling over kingdom after kingdom. I was no boy to be scared by this harpy's threats. I had long ago forgotten how to be that young.

Lyta shook her head and turned to leave. I looked back at the Gauldean man who remained where I had seen him first. Eyes down, meek expression on his face despite the agony the weights on his manhood must be putting him through. When the old hag turned her attention from glaring after Lyta to glare at me I turned to follow after her.

Lyta led me deeper into the village passing more of her fellow tribeswomen, greeting some, avoiding speaking with others. She stopped at the village's center with a tall wooden post stood in the center a man chained to it. He was beaten, the angry red welts of the bite of a whipping split and bleeding from a dozen places from head to toe.

"This is what you wanted me to see, Lyta," I asked her quietly, "I have seen brutality before. I've even been the one doing the brutalising before."

It saddened me that even here in this paradise of a valley cut off from the rest of the world such violence and oppression had found ground to take root in.

I watched the man hang there from his chains. His arms taut and straining under the weight of his body. I stepped forward and bent down putting my shoulder under him lifting him up bearing his weight for him.

He groaned as my arms pressed against his wounds, but he got back to his bloodied feet.

"What are you..." He asked in a pained voice.

"Save your breath," I told him. I turned my head to look on Lyta wondering if this first act of compassion in fifteen years of savagery from me was going to earn me her wrath.

 

[Kaena]

I could feel Caroline's glare burning into my back as I turned away from her and continued on our walk through the village. If I knew anything about her, and I made it my priority to know my enemies well, she had already ran to Ariana to tell her of my actions. I was sure to hear of it from Ariana later, but that really didn't concern me that much. I could hold my own against her, whether she was the leader or not. And of course, Kaiya gave me an instant advantage over her. As much as Ariana resented me, she wasn't about to anger the Goddess by harming her or me.

I saw through Theron's passivity immediately, but fortunately it wasn't something Caroline had picked up on. I knew by the way he had fought me in the forest that he was not some weakling like Caroline's Gauldean slave and if given the chance, he would have been a fair battle against Caroline or any of the other women in the village for that matter. I wasn't about to let my guard down now, even if he pretended to have accepted his fate.

He was silent as we made our way through the village and while I greeted some of the women I could legitimately call as friends. Having learned by our encounter with Caroline, I chose to avoid the rest of the women that were allied against me with Ariana. I did make a note of pointing out how the men of these women were being treated as we walked. Just as Caroline's man had been, most of the men of these women were naked and showed signs of abuse and even some of them, malnutrition.

I couldn't help but wince at the sight of the man that was chained in the middle of the village square, though I had seen many in his condition before. His body was covered in welts and a pool of his own blood had dried on the ground at his feet. I watched Theron closely for his reaction, hoping he would realize why I had brought him there.

"I have seen brutality before. I've even been the one doing the brutalising before." I frowned at his words. Once again I was brought to the realization that as much as our village was secluded from the rest of the world we really were not that much different. Or at least some of us were not any better.

"I am aware that you were exposed to brutal acts of cruelty while under the rule of King Harolam," I finally said, looking away from him to hide the mixture of distaste and shame on my face. "I only brought you here as a warning of what the other women in this village were capable of. The only crime this man committed was trying to rescue his daughter and escape back to his own village. It was Ariana herself that did this to him, only have some of us pleaded with her to spare his life. She had originally planned to kill him as an example to the others. Though.." I looked at him and then back at the man again. "I am beginning to wonder if death would have been a better option for him."

He moved towards the beaten man before I had a chance to stop him. I watched as he helped him to his feet, easing some of the pain by using his body to support the man's weight. The look of shock and relief on the man's face stopped me for reprimanding him for the moment. I never did approve of Ariana's form of discipline, however, I knew better than to interfere with anything she did with her men. I took a moment to think about how to approach the subject with him, without putting myself in the same category as the rest.

"What the hell is going on here?" Ariana's voice carried across the village square, making up my mind for me. I needed to look like I had him under control, or things would not go well for him.

"It's nothing of your concern Ariana," I replied, moving forward and grabbing his arm firmly. I flashed him a look I hoped he understood before pulling him away from the injured man. "He has yet to learn the rules of our village. I will deal with him once I return to my hut." I held my breath while Ariana seemed to mull over my words. I breathed a sigh of relief when she nodded her head and turned her gaze away from Theron and onto her slave.

"Get him out of here. If I hear of anything like this again, I will take his training into my own hands." Ariana said, dismissing us with her voice as she ran a hand through her slave's hair, causing him to cry out softly as she tugged on it harshly. "I have things to finish up here anyway and don't have time to concern myself with your lack of control of your slave." At her words, the young man looked up at us, pleading in his eyes. He knew he had just earned himself more punishment by no fault of his own. With a heavy heart, I turned away and walked back towards my hut, gently pulling Theron along with me.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Theron

Lyta led me deeper into the village passing more of her fellow tribeswomen, greeting some, avoiding speaking with others. She stopped at the village's center with a tall wooden post stood in the center a man chained to it. He was beaten, the angry red welts of the bite of a whipping split and bleeding from a dozen places from head to toe.

"This is what you wanted me to see, Lyta," I asked her quietly, "I have seen brutality before. I've even been the one doing the brutalising before."

"I am aware that you were exposed to brutal acts of cruelty while under the rule of King Harolam," She answered, "I only brought you here as a warning of what the other women in this village were capable of. The only crime this man committed was trying to rescue his daughter and escape back to his own village. It was Ariana herself that did this to him, only have some of us pleaded with her to spare his life. She had originally planned to kill him as an example to the others. Though.." She looked over to the man then back to me. "I am beginning to wonder if death would have been a better option for him. I am beginning to wonder if death would have been a better option for him."

I watched the man hang there from his chains. His arms taut and straining under the weight of his body. I stepped forward and bent down putting my shoulder under him lifting him up bearing his weight for him.

He groaned as my arms pressed against his wounds, but he got back to his bloodied feet.

"What are you..." He asked in a pained voice.

"Save your breath," I told him. I turned my head to look on Lyta wondering if this first act of compassion in fifteen years of savagery from me was going to earn me her wrath.

She kept her distance seemingly to think on how to react from my effort to support the man. It was odd. I had caught the wince she had made when first looking upon what was done to this man. It didn't seem feigned or anything but genuine. Yet she lived in a village where such scenes must surely be a common sight. That and the snippets of conversation I had overheard between her and Ariana and the old hag just moments ago were beginning to make me realize that this village had two factions vying for dominance. Atop one faction was Ariana and the other was Lyta, and the subject these two factions differed was the treatment of their slaves. Slaves such as myself.

I supposed I should be grateful Lyta had laid claim to him and Gorol when she had instead of Ariana or one of the adherents to the more viscious faction.

"What the hell is going on here?" Came the strong judgmental voice of Ariana.

“Go, run,” The man chained to the post whispered to me, “Save yourself.”
"It's nothing of your concern Ariana," Lyta told the large muscular woman.

She took hold of my arm flashing me a look warning me against disobeying or struggling against her. So, I allowed her to pull me away from the man.

I kept my head down eyes away as Lyta continued, "He has yet to learn the rules of our village. I will deal with him once I return to my hut."

After a tense moment Ariana agreed, "Get him out of here. If I hear of anything like this again, I will take his training into my own hands." My head raised as the chained man gasped. "I have things to finish up here anyway and don't have time to concern myself with your lack of control of your slave." I saw Ariana pulling back the man’s head by his hair. I can tell he was going to be the surrogate for her indignation now. My fist clenched, but to my shame I turned away and followed after Lyta.

As we walked away we could hear the pained cries of the man. It enraged me. I wanted to hit something, hard, to strangle the breath out of someone. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t risk the danger that would fall on Gorol, or even the danger that would fall upon Lyta, as much as holding that concern for her surprised me. I was powerless, and I hated it.

My life and safety in this village, the life and safety of Gorol, were dependant on Lyta’s appearance of controlling us, and if I were to be truthful she had been fairly even handed with me and Gorol. I was stuck here until Gorol was healed, and to be honest I was intrigued by the compassion and power I sensed in Lyta. I was not prepared to leave her just yet. In fact part of me was curious on what would happen if I stayed and became her sex slave.

We eventually arrived back at her cabin. “Alright, I understand that trying to escape and getting caught is a very bad idea, Lyta.” I told her. “I will submit to you, but only to you.” I lowered slowly keeping my eyes on hers so she could see the sincerity to my words. “What do you desire of me, Mistress?”