Chapter 39: A Ring

Once we were packed, we headed down the passageway.

The man-made features lasted longer in this tunnel. Initially, it was rectangular. After about 20m, it changed abruptly. When I investigated, I pointed out to Mica that I believed it had once ended with a spelled door. When we had flashed our lights down this tunnel, it had appeared as a dead end.

It was only as we got to the end did we realise it joined a cross passageway. The new path had a lower more rounded roof and was narrower. We marked the passages, East, West and Home. I put a light on the back wall to make the intersection stand out better.

“Which way, my Lady?” I asked Mica with a little bow.

“East,” she decided. So we turned east. I had a habit of placing a lamp about every thirty or so steps unless we hit an impasse or change in direction. We both noticed that this passage had a northern twist in it and it was going down.

I placed the lamps on the outer wall as soon as the last one wasn’t visible. “That’s twenty,” I said to Mica sometime later.

She looked back and then at me with a frown. “It’s an odd tunnel. It’s very deceptive in just how far we have come and how deep.”

“Yes. Have you noticed it had switched back more easterly about three lamps back?” I replied.

“I did,” she answered.

We had placed four more lights before we came to a dead end in a small 4m square by the 3m high chamber. I marked the entrance and put a lamp just inside it and one on the chamber wall on the other side. With it and our headlamps, we could see quite well.

“Okay mister mage, find the door,” Mica said grinning at me. She pulled a water bottle from her pack and leant back against the wall not far from where we entered, to watch me.

I trailed my fingers along the wall as I walked around the room. I got back to Mica and trailed my hand up to her body. She stiffened a little but didn’t move. I grinned lecherously and her and slipped my hand just behind her. I leant in as if I was going to kiss her and her eyes widened but she didn’t move.

I could smell her excitement. It and the pulse in my groin damn near reefed my ability to concentrate out of my head. I grabbed her just as I broke the spell. As she felt herself falling backwards, she reached for me and pulled me through the doorway as she stepped back and tried to gain her balance.

We hit the back of the new passage, and I was plastered against her with her holding me tightly. She looked up at me, and I did kiss her. I softly pressed my lips to hers and gently sucked on them. I have no idea how long we stood in that embrace with my hard cock pressed against her, as we explored each other’s mouths.

Her wiggling against my cock and my groan brought me back to my senses. “Bad girl,” I mumbled and released her. I stepped back and turned to the doorway we had entered.

“Shit,” I said. I placed my hands where it should be and felt around for a hot spot as I had done the first time. I went up, and I went down. I went 2m to either side. I stopped in front of where I believed the door was and placed both hands on the wall I saw.

Closing my eyes, I concentrated. After several minutes, I swore again and turned to Mica, “It had a trap spell on it, and I triggered it. I can’t seem to unravel the new spells. They seem to keep reinventing themselves as fast I try to break them. We many need to find another way out of here.”

I moved down the wall several metres and investigated the material the wall was made from. I frowned again, “Mica, the spell affects the whole wall. I can’t break through it either.”

“So we will have to find a wall that isn’t spelled or some other exit,” she replied.

She didn’t seem perturbed. I guess she trusted me to find a way out of here. I placed a lamp either side of where the door was hidden. The passage to the left of the door was short and a dead end. The passage to the right was also short, but it ended at another intersection. We went that way.

I marked the intersection and noted it was set up like the last, but the long passage went further. When we reached the end, it was blocked by an invisible door. This time I took longer looking at the spell. It didn’t appear to be a trap.

It was a very simple spell and more like the spells I’d found on doors in Horn City when I went to find the androids. The door opened, and we found ourselves in a cavernous room. “Wow, a Transportation Ring room,” I said. “This one is much larger than the one at home.”

The room was a 50m dome. The ceiling was smothered in crystals down to about 2m from the floor. In the centre was a round, raised dais. It had one step and then embedded in the top platform was a dark metal ring. It was 15cm wide and had an internal diameter of 3m. Another metre of tiles was placed outside the ring.

10m from the dais were six curved pits that were a metre wide with 50cm high bung walls. Each pit was evenly spaced with a gap as wide as the pit between them. Three other doorways gave access to this room. The room was very warm and had a sulphurous smell, but it wasn’t overpowering.

“Can we get out of here using this transportation ring thing?” Mica asked.

“I’ve never tried to use one. The problem is if we did get it to work, we could end up anywhere. Rose said magicians used them to get from one continent to another. If we used it, the others wouldn’t know where we went, and then we would have to find our way back here the hard way.”

“That’s a shame; we will have to look for another way out then. We have two days to find one before we are missed,” Mica pointed out.

“Wait,” I said. I riffled in my bag and pulled out my organiser. I called Rose. I was delighted that she could pick up. “Rose, I’ve found a ring room,” I said excitedly.

“That could explain why that wall is heated if it has active lava pits,” she replied.

I checked, “Yes they are active, Rose. You should see the crystals in here, they are massive formations. I was getting worried by my stock dwindling, so now I will be able to collect some new ones. The only problem is that I triggered a locking spell on a door and Mica and I will have to find a new way out.”

“That’s fine Bron. I’m sure you will. Most of those rooms have several entrances. I’ll let the others know. How much food did you take in with you?” Rose asked me.

“I restocked my satchel this morning. I probably have enough to feed us for four or five days easy. Since I’ve got all of these crystals to use I won’t eat as much,” I replied.

“If the crystals and spells in that area are working, find the kitchen. They always used to leave them very well stocked. Take your time Bron. We are in no hurry. We still have two weeks before we should head back,” Rose reassured me.

“I’ll call you later, Rose,” I said and signed off. I felt more relieved knowing that I could contact Rose. I looked up when Mica called out, “Over here Bron. You have got to see this.”

I followed her, and I walked into what I guessed was the Lord’s Retreat. “Bloody hell!” I exclaimed in wonderment. It was very opulent. Soft, green toned silks lined the walls. Large chandeliers hung down from the 4m high ceilings lighting up the area.

Dwarf inner walls and a couple of full ones divided the space into several rooms. To my right was a spacious seating area large enough for a dozen people. Comfortable looking couches and small tables were spread around the room. A huge fireplace was placed in the full wall I faced.

When I walked passed it, a dwarf wall partitioned off a huge bed. The other side of the fireplace opened into this room too. I could see that cupboards lined the other wall and a doorway was on the back wall that the huge bed sat up against.

This door led to a big bathing room with a 4m square tub towards one end. Two flushers and two shower heads were on the other wall, and several racks held large soft cloths to use as towels. Several seats were placed so you could sit to remove your boots.

Thick plush rugs covered the floors in all of the rooms bar the kitchen and bathing room, which had low pile mats. The walls that weren’t silk covered had smooth pastel coloured coverings that helped brighten the rooms.

Opposite the bedroom was a dining table for twelve. A row of lavishly designed cupboards lined the wall displaying ornate crockery and silverware to use on the table. The chairs were high backed and covered in intricate scroll work with soft cushions on the seats.

The Kitchen had devices in it, but I had no idea what many of them were used for. There was a lot of working space with a central island that had a built-in butcher’s block. A double sink and several types of food heating devices were on the side benches or built in the cupboards that were as high as 2m from the floor.

The cold food storage room was humongous. It held enough meat, fish, fruits, vegetables and dairy products to feed us for a year and possibly longer. The dry storage room was twice as big. Shelves held sacks of flour, meal and grains. I’m not even sure I knew what plant some of the grains we found had come from.

Sliding drawers held different sorts of root vegetables and herbs. Jars held pickles, fruits, jams, candies and a lot of condiments. Other drawers were filled with packets designed to seal dried fruits and vegetables. Still, others held bread and rolls that were as fresh as the day they were baked.

Mica stood beside me and said in wonderment, “What is this place?”

“A Lord’s Retreat. I guess he used it as a lovers’ nest,” I replied.

“Did you trap me in her deliberately?” she asked. She sounded sad rather than angry.

“No, I had no more idea than you that this place was even here. Mica, nothing will happen that you don’t want to,” I tried to reassure her.

She sighed and looked at me resignedly, “It will happen.”

“Why? I can control myself you know,” I said peeved that she didn’t trust me.

She shook her head, “You may try, but unless you find me a room I can lock myself in, it will happen.”

“Oh crap!” I said as my brain caught up with my nose. I walked out of the storeroom and into the seating area. I flicked my fingers at the fireplace, and it roared into life. I plopped down onto the plush lounge to sulk.

Mica sat in front of me on a low table. “Why are you pissed off? You told me I’d be your wife?” she said crankily.

“I will not take you by force,” I said mulishly.

“I’ll probably not stop you know,” she said. I guessed by her look that she wasn’t sure if I wanted to be here with her or not and it confused her. She knew I desired her but the fact I’d not touched her until I kissed her half an hour before, made her uncertain of my intentions.

I sighed. “Mica, I have loved every minute of the time we have spent together since I’ve known you. The number of times I have wished to kiss you and make love to you I’ve lost count of. I find you funny and charming, and your intelligence and compassion astound me.”

“But, I will not force myself on you. Never, I can’t Mica, I just can’t,” I told her. I then told her about my grandfather, Sable and Honey. Somewhere in the explanations, I had ended up in her arms, and she was hugging me and petting me. I wasn’t even aware I was crying until I rubbed my face against the wet patch on her coat that covered her lovely udders.

I pulled back from her and looked into her eyes. Her compassion damn near overrode my good senses. “Mica, I didn’t tell you so that you would feel better about having me here with you while you were in season. I told you so you’d understand I can’t take you if you are not sure in your heart that you wish to be mine.”

“I know this is a different situation in that I do love you. But I won’t do to you what Honey did to me. I know she had strong feelings, but she didn’t really love me. She did want me, but she wasn’t able to give herself to me in love.”

“And you don’t think I love you,” Mica said.

“I’m not sure Mica. Sometimes I think you do, but other times I feel a barrier. It’s why I haven’t pushed you. Why I tried to be your friend first as you seemed to need this from me,” I told her.

“You are a very complex young man, Bron Horn,” Mica replied.

“You not without your complexities, Mica. I think it’s one of the things that I love about you the most. All my spouses have something that is unique about them. I can’t even describe what it is or why it attracts me. It is just them.”

“Greta is my dame. She will always hold a very special place in my heart and not just because she found Sable for me. If you get to meet her, you will find you can’t help but love her. She doesn’t bully or ride over Bea and Cora. She loves them as deeply as I do.”

“Cora has a soft nature and is a nurturer. Getting a hug from Cora just makes your day. Bea is fiercely independent and loyal. She is tough on the outside but jelly on the inside. If you were to hurt Greta or the calves, you don’t want Bea or Cora on your arse, as they will rip you shreds.”

“Greta can be just as damn scary if you get on her bad side and mistreat anyone she believes is under her or my care. Trixi is a master at wheedling just about anything out of you. She listens and doesn’t judge. She gives very sound advice.”

“She also has this knack of just sitting with you and saying nothing but also says everything you need to hear. Sable has loved having her with us, and I have no complaints either. She is a lovely and loving person.”

“You already know that Trixi had no qualms about accepting you in our family and neither does Sable. They are both excellent judges of character. They can see in you what I do. You have a loving and generous nature. You are loyal and protective, what’s not to love.”

She sat quietly beside for a minute and then she said unexpectedly, “I did love Mick you know. I thought he was my father. I tried and tried to do what he asked of me. I even hated my mother. I discovered that she loved my grandfather and not Mick. I didn’t understand how she could do that to him.”

“Then one day I was in her room. I liked to play in her huge cupboard full of dresses and shoes. I heard Mick and her come into the bedroom, and they were arguing about her pregnancy. He knew the child she carried wasn’t his. He and I didn’t know that none of us children were his, just that one.”

“I got frightened and sat quietly in the cupboard. They didn’t fight often, but when they did, they always ended up in the bedroom. I got very worried when my mother screamed. He had hit her, and it must have been hard. He then muffled her cry as it was cut off before it was finished.”

“I could hear ripping noises, and Mick screamed at her, ‘I’ll fuck and cut that bastard out of you.’ I could hear my mother struggling with him and crying. Then the bed rocked into the wall hard, and my mother grunted. I guessed that he had thrown her onto it.”

“It kept banging the wall, and I could hear them both grunting. Then mother started screaming again. I think he must have gagged her as it sounded muted. I didn’t know at the time that he was cutting her. It was his weird little giggles and then the bed banging again that scared me the most.”

“I was terrified. If this was how babies were made, I didn’t want to know about it. It was my mother’s final scream, which truly chilled me. Even muffled it was a torturous scream. I could hear Mick laughing manically, and that was even scarier. He said, ‘He won’t get any more little bastards on you now bitch.’ Then he laughed again.”

“It was a little while before I heard him finally leave the room. I worked out many years later he was removing the gag and the ties from my mother’s wrists. He even put a nightdress on her and tucked her in under the blankets. He ignored her sobs of pain.”

“I waited a bit longer, but my mother’s sobs forced me from the cupboard. When she saw me, she was horrified and started crying. She sent me to get Nan. I ran as fast as I could. She died that night,” Mica finished in a small voice.

“Bloody hell, I thought it was bad enough being raped. How old were you, eleven, twelve?” I asked shocked and appalled she had to suffer through such horror.

“I’d just turned twelve,” she replied with a sigh. “That time I only heard him. I saw Smithy the day he stopped Mick from raping the girl he had in his room. I was fifteen. Later when I helped Nan release her, Nan muttered and said that they had stopped him before he disembowelling this one.”

“I also recognised the marks as the same as on my mother’s wrists. And the red marks on her mouth. I knew then for sure that Mick had killed my mother. I cried for weeks when I remembered how poorly I had treated her.”

“I think that was why Tare couldn’t sway Smithy and me. Neither of us trusted either of them after my mother died. Smithy had hated Mick even longer than I had. I don’t know what else he knew about their relationship or what Mick had been doing.”

“In some ways, I couldn’t understand why people made love at all. I knew how silly Smithy was about Polly before he left. When Casey started sleeping around, I feared she was being abused, but she didn’t act like it.”

“Nan even had a talk to me about the difference between abusive sex and love when I told her I was worried about Casey. I guess I didn’t really get it until this week. I’d listen to you all, and it wasn’t the same.”

“It was kisses, hugs and sighs and groans of pleasure. You were all encouraging your partners to do whatever you were doing to each other. You all talked quietly afterwards. The smiles and looks of love the next morning were incomprehensible to me.”

“Foxi bailed me up a couple of mornings ago. She asked me if I’d ever made love before. When I blushed, she told me that I didn’t know what I was missing. When I chided her about not loving Albi, she giggled and said they may not be in love but they did enjoy making love.”

She looked at me. “Is it really that good?” she asked me perplexed.