Chapter 12

During the following weeks it seemed that luck was on my side for once, since the weather was good and I was able to get some deer, finish some work in my small garden and gather some of the apples. Besides that, I collected some berries from the nearby forest and used some of the precious honey I had bought to make some jam. Something inside my head kept on telling me that I was just keeping myself busy so that I wouldn’t need to think about what I had found out. Whether it was true or not didn’t really matter, since even if I tried avoiding thinking about those things during the days, they did come in my dreams. With full force. I remembered most of those dreams, even if I didn’t really want to.

The autumn was really here when I got my next group of visitors. It had been raining heavily two days in a row and I kept a small fire burning just to keep the moisture away. Even Tariel, who usually didn’t care much about the weather, had decided that now it was too wet to spend extra time outside. I challenged the weather a few times a day when I set some snares in the nearby forest. With some careful use of magic, I always had a rabbit or two to share with Tariel. Yes, I was spoiling my cat, but she didn’t seem to mind.

Once again, it was in the middle of the night when my visitors appeared. Late in the evening, I had suspected that they might be close and I’m sure that Tariel heard them before they opened the door and came inside. I tried to, but because of the wind and rain a moose could have entered my porch without me hearing it. Once I was sure they were approaching, I stopped my sensing attempts - no use to tire myself and I still wasn’t at all certain if I had my own defenses down while I was doing that. Anyhow, when the door opened I was sitting on my bed in the darkness.

““You know, it’s quite impolite to enter somebody’s home without knocking.””

Those three figures that were visible in the fireplace glow stopped in their tracks but this time there were no small crossbows pointing in my direction but just three figures in their cloaks and dripping wet. I stood up. took the coat stand from the corner, positioned it closer to the fireplace, and then helped those silent characters disrobe. Once the wet cloaks were on the stand, I added a few more logs on top of the embers. Once they caught fire, I turned to look at my visitors.

““Now, I guess you all may be cold and wet - would you like to have some tea?””

All this time I had been quietly observed by my guests, who all were Elven women. One of them was probably older than the other two, but all of them were raven-haired, at least pretty if not beautiful, and wet. Very wet. I had a distinct feeling of being carefully examined but instead of reacting angrily to it, I just smiled a bit and examined the feeling the best I could. Yes, I was probably being carefully examined, but this feeling was nothing like the examination the creature had done to me. It was like comparing a hit with a hammer to one with a feather. However, I wasn’t at all sure that in this case the feather would be totally harmless. Anyhow, I kept my thoughts in control and adjusted the cloaks a bit more as the feather brushed around my magical senses. I decided that enough was enough and carefully raised my awareness and tried to duplicate the sensing I had felt. The Elven woman in front of me jerked like I had slapped her, but she recovered instantly and instead of a feather I was against a soft wall.

“Bellcauniel warned me about you.”

“I don’t think that I did anything to her against her will.”

All the time there was some gentle, magical pushing going back and forth. I really had no idea what I was doing, except that I had been reacting to her probing me. Since I wasn’t that much interested in any tug-of-war game with rules I had no idea about, I pulled back and hid my abilities the best I could.

“Maybe you didn’t, but she still considered that you’re a cocky, arrogant young man.”

“Aren’t young men supposed to be like that? Just like Elven women are supposed be seductive bitches, who will use some unfair methods in order to get what they want.”

““We seem to understand each other. My name is Ceveneth.””

The smile she gave me was something I hadn’t expected, and so was the fluent change of language. I guess I should have expected something like this; after all, the first group had been, more or less, volunteers and they had been more than bit surprised about what they had found out about me.

““Pleased to meet you, Ceveneth. As you probably know, my name is Stian. Who are these two other ladies?””

““They are Arthwen and Methneth, my nieces.””

““Pleased to meet you both.””

Both younger women had kept on looking at me and their aunt with their dark eyes all the time. Suddenly one them - Arthwen - shivered.

““Now, what kind of host am I, letting my guests be freezing in wet clothes?””

Not too much later all my three guests occupied my bed while I found myself on the sheepskins in front of the fireplace with a blanket. Well, that was much better than sleeping outside. Yet, I would have liked my bed better. Somehow Tariel was able to fit in with my guests. Traitor.

It was early morning and still dark when I felt someone crawling in next to me. Someone without clothes. My reaction was what could be expected and soon I found myself looking at a pussy up close. I was happy to notice that her reaction to my tongue was the same as the other women I had seen. Once she came down from her second orgasm she tried to pull me on the top of her.

““Please, give it to me. Now.””

That was an order, there was no question about that. I used all my willpower to stop myself obeying. Still, I couldn’t be sure if I would be able to hold back much longer.

““No, not until you promise to help me. To teach me.””

““Come, I know you want to. Please, give it to me.””

““NO! Not until you promise.””

I had probably never felt this horny in my life, and even if I tried to avoid it, I had been moving upward, and my stiff prick was throbbing against her warm thighs. So close to that heavenly place. So close. I looked at those dark eyes and the only thing that saved me was the lust I could see in them.

““No, not until you promise. Do you?””

I pushed that thought forward even if all I really wanted was to ram my cock inside her. I kept on looking at her and the time crawled. I crawled until the head of my member almost touched her pussy.

““Yesss, you bastard. Yes. Give it to me, NOW!””

What followed was not making love but fucking in heat. She was angry at me for getting that promise out of her, and I was angry at her for trying to force me. The end result was, that we were both bruised, out of breath, sweaty - and satisfied. Besides that, there were two younger pairs of eyes looking at us in horror under the covers of my bed. Shit.

““It isn’t always like that, I promise. It was just because...””

I stopped since I wasn’t sure if I should give away that battle of wills we had just been through. Especially since I wasn’t at all sure that I was the winner. I turned to look at my sweaty partner.

““Ceveneth, I’m sorry if I hurt you. I’ve never been like that before.””

The look on her face turned into one I had sometimes seen on Tariel’s face. She looked all too happy and satisfied with herself.

““It was ME who made you act like that.””

The following two weeks were maybe the most stressful ones in my life. Yes, Ceveneth did teach me magic but everything I learned I had to dig out with a stick - with a very small stick and very precise questions. In addition to that she kept me on my toes with her magic probing - and sex. Yes, she was there all the time, wanting her share, even if the other women rotated. To keep her satisfied and under some control I had to use much more force and pushing than I really was comfortable with - and if I was not available, she used the younger women. From the discussions between the other women, I figured out that this was a part of her nature that she usually had to hide, but here and now she felt safe to release it. Deep inside, I had to admit to myself that it was stimulating to see two women pleasing themselves next to you, while you’re making love to another woman. Still, I also knew that I could live without that.

When the party left, the most prominent feeling I had was a sense of relief. I started questioning myself as to just what kind of a deal I had done with the Elves. Yeah, like I had refused all that available sex. However, the sad truth was that right now I felt just used, and the most I learned about magic and the Old Language was about the way Ceveneth avoided answering my questions honestly. Yes, she did answer me, but as often as possible her replies were incomplete and evasive. Her presence had also prevented me from forming any kind of relationship with the other women.

During the following weeks my feelings about Ceveneth dampened somewhat, but I couldn’t help wondering if her behavior was common among the Elves. I remembered how my mother had explained to a blushing teenage boy about different sexual preferences people could have, and how some people reacted to them. She had made it clear to me that she believed that, as long as two - or more - people had consensual sex behind closed doors, it wasn’t anybody else’s business. When I thought about it, I had to admit that I hadn’t said anything to Ceveneth that the way she wanted to have sex wasn’t really the way I wanted to have sex. So, I’d better suck it up and stop complaining - and some of the sex had been damned hot. I decided to concentrate on making my home ready to face the winter. There would also be a harvest festival at the village, and Ake had made me promise that I’d be there. I guess I had allowed him to make some very good deals with all the game I had brought to him. So, I had agreed.

The autumn equinox had passed two weeks ago, and the harvest festival would occur during the coming full moon. Since I knew that I’d be having some new visitors at some point or other, I made it a habit to have a short note written in Old Language on my desk. I already knew that closing my door would not stop Elves from entering my home. So, in the early afternoon, I left a note on the table and took two smoked deer legs with me to be served at the festival.

If I had known what to expect at the festival I probably wouldn’t have attended at all. It wasn’t that I lacked social skills, not at all - but for sure, I didn’t want to be the main attraction. I had expected some people would want to know me because I’m a new person in this village, even if I’m living on the outskirts of it. Well actually, well outside of the main village in the forest. Being the only person who’d make his main living by hunting made me a sort of odd fish here but then, there was the fact that I knew some Guardians. Real Guardians - and I had been in a mission with the Guardians. Unlike the people in my old village the people here valued Guardians very highly and appreciated the work they were doing in keeping their surroundings safe. Safe from some of the scavengers and safe from something else. Having spent a year helping them seemed to have given me more of a reputation than I ever believed.

When the evening progressed, more beer and mead were served, and also something stronger was offered to all the men under the tables and the women pretended that they did not notice. I took a polite sip when I was offered something, but I had no intention of making a fool of myself and getting a terrible hangover. So, when an old man picked his violin and started playing I was still in a decent shape and, before I knew it, I was dancing with one of the matrons.

“So, you are the young man who made our seamstress smile again.”

I almost panicked but I had absolutely no intention in saying anything bad about Inge. She deserved all the happiness she could get.

“I’m sure she got some good business with the clothes she made for me, yes.”

“Ooh, not only good-looking but smart, too. What a shame that Erika and Siv can’t both have you. Don’t worry, all the men are totally clueless, and none of the women want to destroy the happiness Inge and her hubby have now.”

Yeah, so much for keeping a low profile. Once the women noticed that I was capable of dancing, I was kept there close to the old man and his violin; only my dance partner was dancing. I did my best to be polite and respectful of my dance partner, which almost seemed to amuse them. I was about to reconsider getting drunk when I suddenly was dancing with Inge.

“How have you been, Stian?”

“Fine, in fact. How about you?”

“Oh, married and happy. Never thought that it’d happen to me.”

“You deserve all of it - and the baby, too.”

“You really mean it, do you?”

“Of course, I’d never lie to you. Of course, I’ll miss some things; but I’ve been without before, and I can manage, now.”

For sure, I was not going to say anything about the Elves, here.

I thanked her for the dance and I was about to walk towards the tables for a drink, when a girl stopped me and asked if I would dance with her. At that point I started to believe that this all had been a set-up. Never underestimate the village matrons.

This girl was so excited that she was almost shaking when we started dancing.

“Hi my name is Siv. Are you a Guardian yourself? Where did you go with them? Did you see any big cities? Was it exciting? I’m fourteen years old and my mother said to me that I should be at least fifteen before I can...”

At that point she suddenly understood what she almost revealed to me and blushed furiously. I held back my laughter and smiled at the red-faced girl.

“Hi, Siv, I’m Stian and I’m by no means so special that you need try something. No, I’m not a Guardian. I just did some tracking for them without visiting any big cities - and I think that you mother is probably right.”

“But I’ve seen that...”

“Shh! No lady should never spread any rumors about other women. What do you like to do, Siv?”

Oh, my, that girl could talk. Within a few moments I heard how she helped with the livestock, took care of her younger siblings, and helped her mother in all household duties. During her free time, she ran around with Erika, teasing younger kids and trying to sneak a peek ... Again, as soon as that slipped out of her mouth, she blushed again.

“Did you tell your mother?”

“Yes.”

“What did she tell you?”

“Not to talk about it. To anyone.”

“Your mother had a good reason to say that, and you should listen to her.”

“Are you mad at me?”

“No, Siv, I’m not. But please don’t talk about it anymore.”

As the dance ended, I carefully placed a kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you for the dance, Siv.”

The young girl had a wide smile when she walked away, but the same could not be said about Erika who had been approaching me. She stopped and was about to turn away when I asked her, “May I have this dance, lady Erika?”

She looked dumbfounded, but she only could nod when I took her hands and started dancing with her.

“You don’t need to dance with me. I already know that I lost.”

“Excuse me, Erika. Just what did you lose?”

“I know what I saw. You kissed her. You kissed Siv.”

“My dear Erika, Siv is not the first girl I have kissed, and will not be the last. In fact, I had planned to kiss you at the end of this dance unless you have something against it. As far as I understand, you two are the only unattached young women here, and I have absolutely no intention in making either of you angry.”

“But...”

“Erika, how old are you?”

“I’m fourteen, fifteen at the beginning of next year!”

I sighed internally, since I was quite able to sense the growing excitement in Erika’s voice.

“So, you are a bit older than Siv - and you two are good friends, right?”

“Yes...”

“Erika, you are both very attractive girls. However, I’m quite sure that your mothers aren’t quite ready for you to get married and become mothers, not yet. I don’t even want to think about what your fathers might do to me if that should happen.”

The look on Erika’s face told me that I had it right. She wanted to have me, but she was even more afraid that it would happen too soon.

“So, Erika, I want you and Siv to continue being friends and I want you to continue doing things you like to do; love and tease your siblings - but, be careful and discreet while spying on other people.”

She blushed and eagerly nodded. I almost groaned since I knew that look all too well: It was the look Saga had given me when I had seduced her. Whatever I did or chose, I’d be in trouble in the future.

“One more thing you both should know. I can read and do arithmetic very well. It would be very nice if my future wife would also be able to do those things.”

She looked almost surprised when the song ended and I placed a kiss on her cheek just as I had done to Siv, but after that kiss, her smile was wide and I was sure that I’d be in trouble sooner rather than later. I made sure that I found my way to the tables where the men had hidden their drinks, and this time, I accepted a mug of caraway-spiced distilled spirit. I had to admit that it was much better than those drinks that had been offered in my old home village. Yet, I’d better not make a habit out of drinking it.

“Yeah, son, you’d better drink NOW since soon you’ll be much too busy to take a sip. The next time you are free to do that, is when your first baby is born - and after that, maybe once or twice a year until you can’t get it up any more.”

That comment came from the old man behind the table and all the other men burst out laughing and a few of them patted my shoulders. So much for staying unnoticed. Friendly banter continued for some time and I got a lot more, good and not-so-good advice how to proceed - together with another mug of the aquavit, as the men called the spirit. After the second mug, I knew that it was time to stop if I wanted to ride home instead of Luna walking me back. I thanked them for the drinks and headed to the tables containing the food.