Part 15

The bright sun of morning did little to warm the day. A chill northern breeze brought winds down from the mountains and whipped the turning leaves into orange and brown blizzards.

Hyandai clutched her cloak about herself. "I dislike fall." She said to Harlen, peering back over her shoulder at him.

Eying the trees as they denuded themselves for the winter, Harlen nodded. "It's colorful, at least." He said, plodding behind her as they passed through a small gap between two large brambles.

They had been marching for five hours, and Harlen had declared that the road should be just ahead any moment. The sun was still well over the horizon and they had plenty of travel time remaining. Harlen moved a bit faster to walk aside her as they passed the narrow cleft.

"Teach me elven." He said, suddenly.

Hyandai blinked a few times. "Just like that?" She asked.

Harlen smiled. "Uh-huh." He said, nodding.

Turning her eyes to him, she said. "It will take time."

"Start by naming things we see and actions we take." Harlen suggested, pointing to a rock nearby. "What is a large stone like that called?"

Hyandai glanced down along his extended arm. "Ureondo." She said. "Large rock. But you could also call it a Uregond."

"Do all elven words have two expressions?" Harlen asked.

"No." Hyandai said. She began to tell him the elven words for other objects they passed, and for things they did as they walked.

"Miqula, hmm?" Harlen said as they parted lips. "Good to know."

They walked onward, as the sun sank toward the rolling hills as they moved southward now, at a much better pace, following the old Norboro Road.

Hyandai laughed. "Would you prefer me to teach you some 'practical' elven words?" She asked, grabbing him around the waist and moving her slender fingers around his belt, following it to his front.

Harlen chuckled, also, but said. "I think, perhaps we would both like to get home for any more education in the useful elven phrases."

With a mocking pout, Hyandai unhanded his belt buckle and slid around him kissing his cheek as she turned back to face down the road.

"Are we getting near?" She asked, gazing ahead into the misty distance.

Harlen squinted ahead and said. "Perhaps we will arrive shortly after dark." He said. "Unless you would rather make camp?"

A quick shake of the head answered him.

"The Ehladrel made a sound when you screamed earlier." Harlen said.

Hyandai decided that she would need to grow used to his sudden non-sequiturs. "What do you mean, beloved?" She asked, turning her head to watch him.

"Well, when you had release," he replied, "it sort of echoed you, like it was singing along."

There was a long pause as Hyandai pondered this. "You are sure it was echoing me, and not just a reverberation off the tent walls or some such?" She asked.

Harlen nodded.

"Perhaps, as the last person to channel it, I am 'attuned' in some way to it." Hyandai offered. "But, I have never heard of it having such properties."

Harlen looked at her. Hyandai's eyes seemed to show honest surprise at his revelation.

"It flashed very faintly, too." Harlen said. "Right as you stopped screaming."

She looked down at her side, where the weapon hung, wrapped in a sheet of leather that Harlen had sewn into a makeshift pouch. The pouch was draped over her shoulder to just under her right arm by a long leather strap. The blade's tip barely managed to stay clear of the ground.

"I am afraid that I do not know all the properties that it possesses." Hyandai said. "I was more interested in the reacquiring it for my clan than using it myself. It was always our intent for Eleean to use the blade."

Harlen nodded at this, and glanced over at the sun as it touched the edge of the horizon. "It will be darkening soon." He commented. "I think it better if we proceed, as well. I would like to spend the night in our bed."

The elf's face spread in a wide smile at the word 'our.' She leaned over and kissed Harlen's shoulder.

True to his word, almost exactly two hours after full dark, as the moon was just cresting over the Worldspine Mountains west, they came to their home. There was only one candle burning in the entry foyer, as was normal for after Trevir had gone to bed.

Harlen went through the house and out the back while Hyandai tended to their backpacks.

Knocking gently on Trevir's door, Harlen heard a muzzy voice. "Who's that?" Trevir asked.

"It's me." Harlen replied, opening the door a crack. "Just letting you know Hyandai and I are returned, and that we will talk to you tomorrow. Good rest to you, Trev."

"And to you, Master Harlen." Trevir said, smiling. "I'm glad you're home."

As he walked back into the house, Harlen found Hyandai already moving gear from the packs and into storage in the workroom. She had also shed her traveling cloak and her boots.

She padded up to him and kissed him soundly. "Welcome home." She said quietly.

Harlen put his powerful arms about her and pulled her tight to him, she smiled and leaned against his broad chest, folding her arms before her so that she was being coddled. They stood like that a long moment, enjoying the touch, sound, and the smell of one another.

Finally, after long moments of simply enjoying being held, Hyandai looked up. "Are we ready to sleep or just for bed?" She asked, raising both eyebrows inquiringly.

Harlen smiled. "I'm very tired, but if such joy is in the offing." He replied.

She slid her hands around him and gripped both his buttocks in her small hands, pulling them toward her. "It is quite in the offing." She said.

His arms released her and she turned about, and took one of his hands, leading him up the stairs, looking back from time to time with a wide grin.

"You know, this amount of activity is not very elven." She said as they arrived at the top of the wooden stairs. "But, I have to say, I think I prefer the human way in this matter, very much."

Harlen chuckled. "I'll try to increase the frequency, if that will help you feel more 'elven.'" He said.

Throwing him a look of fictitious alarm, she said. "You know that is not what I meant." She said. "Elven couples are considered 'active' if they make love once a week."

A look of deep consideration came over Harlen's face. "That would explain the low numbers." He mused.

Hyandai giggled and looked at him. "I suppose I am simply doing my part to get those numbers back up." She said, her face taking on a look of righteousness. "We elven folk thank you for your assistance in that odious endeavor."

He pushed her back gently to the bed, pinning her against one of the great oaken posts. "It's a sacrifice I know I must make." He said, then kissed her, slipping his fingers into her thick mane of red hair.

When he knotted them into the tresses, she gasped and her face became flushed. He pulled back gently, forcing her head to tilt back and exposing her exquisitely slim neck to his gaze and to his lips. Bending down, he began to kiss and suck on the exposed, taut flesh of her throat, eliciting small moans and gasps from her with each touch.

Once again, Harlen marveled at her responsiveness and her general magnetism, as she parted her lips and breathed heavily, he found himself desiring to take her, and to do so roughly. She would let him, and gladly accept him, he knew.

He undressed her slowly, pausing at moments to allow her to do the same to him. They removed one article of clothing, then another. Soon, however, they stood before one another nude and thoroughly aroused.

"I would take you forcefully." He murmured into her ear as he gently licked at the pointed shell. "If you will allow it."

She smiled upon him. "Of course, betrothed." She said in return. "Ever, you have been gentle with me. If once, you wish to do so a bit more, well, wantonly, then I would welcome it, as well.

Harlen smiled and put his hands on her flanks, just at the bottom of her ribs. With a grunt he lifted her and threw her back onto the bed, landing her almost dead center as she bounced slightly.

Harlen started crawling up after her. She flipped over and stood upon her hands and knees. There was a somewhat feral look in her emerald eyes.

"If you wish to take me roughly, my lover," She said, a threatening tone in her soprano voice, "then you must best me, and take me in your victory."

Harlen smiled slightly at her challenge, and he lunged for her.

Hyandai's remarkable reflexes prevented him getting a hold upon her, and she was now kneeling at the right headboard corner of the bed, watching him carefully and even wagging her backside, preparing to leap aside should he come at her again.

He did, casting his arms wide to encompass anything that he could. Gracefully, she bounded aside, almost like a startled cat, leaping up and over him, again landing on all fours.

"If you do not catch me soon, you will be too winded to take what is rightfully yours." She said, teasing him. "I have no energy to spare for a man who cannot even cat..."

She was interrupted by Harlen's next charge, wrapping one massive arm about her waist; he funneled her into the area directly before him.

She tried a desperate gamble to elude his grasping hands, spinning about she tried to spring forth and grip one of the massive posts, intending to pivot around it and come back onto the bed behind him.

However, his strong hands locked onto her shoulders as she gathered up her muscles to leap. Forcing her shoulders to the mattress, he found himself behind her, with her shapely legs folded partially beneath her.

Hyandai's head came around, and he saw teeth flash for his neck. Harlen pulled back and moved one hand from her shoulder into her thick hair. Taking hold of a massive fistful of the hair, he forced her head back down to the covers and held her there.

"You will have to let my head or my shoulder go to take me." She taunted, her voice gravelly with some deep growl.

Pushing his elbow down right between her shoulder blades, he held her down with one arm, reaching between their bodies, and aiming his organ at her entrance from behind. She tried to wriggle her hips aside.

Harlen reflexively smacked her backside as she attempted to move herself out of his way. This earned him a startled gasp and moan from Hyandai as she felt the shock of his spanking.

The random movements of her rump ceased and he aimed again for her tight entrance. Once his cock had pushed up against it, he felt moisture at her opening.

His aim was checked by his hand again, then he shoved himself into her, slapping her butt again with his lower abdomen. Hyandai cried out as he spread her wide and took her deeply, filling her with his cock. She glared up at him in a mocking fury; however, the response of her body betrayed how much she really enjoyed it.

Thrusting into her, he thought for a moment about going a bit easier, watching her face grimace with a mix of pleasure and pain from the rough handling her intimate places were receiving. She pushed her rear back to receive each of his thrusts, and he could feel it beginning to well up in him, the release he so desired.

However, Hyandai was far more aroused than he even guessed by the manhandling he was tendering her. Within minutes, her climax tore through her, sending sharp shudders throughout her tiny body.

With her immediate needs at least partially sated, Harlen began to grow rougher with her, plowing into her cunt with increasing force and speed. Sweat was dripping from his bangs as he brought his swollen organ home over and over, feeling her receive it.

Hyandai was coated in a sheen of perspiration, as well, and he doubted not she was trying just as hard as he, working toward individual, but shared goals.

The man's orgasm was imminent, and he at last gave her every ounce he could muster of strength and desperation and lust and hunger. Her body quaked with each impact of his pelvis as his organ rammed into her, knocking her breath from her lungs with each entry.

Finally, he came. Grasping her hair tightly in his hand, and pulling back, he lifted her by her thick hair to standing upright upon her knees before him. He spilled himself into her, pulsing stream after stream into her tight entrance, and up into her womb. Her groans were exciting him farther, and he gave her a final few fierce thrusts, that lifted her from her knees and caused her back to arch painfully, bringing her neck to his mouth and teeth.

He bit her neck for the last few grinding motions inside her. Then ultimately stopped.

Her thick hair was released by his fingers, and she fell forward onto the mattress, bouncing once and simply laying there gasping for air.

One emerald eye turned to regard him. "I love you." Hyandai said, her voice both hoarse and soft.

Harlen bent and kissed the nape of her neck gently. "And I love you." He replied. Her legs unfolded and he slowly sank atop her. He laid upon her a long moment, feeling her heart beat and her breathing.

"I hope I did not hurt you." Harlen finally said.

Hyandai smiled and wiggled her rump. "You did, a little, my lover." She said. "But I did ask for it, and very much I enjoyed it." A rather mischievous grin crossed her face. "Would you like to take me thus again?" She said, her eyes flashing.

"How could I refuse such a generous offer?" Harlen said, leaning down to kiss her. She gave him an infusion of whatever mysterious energy she could tap to grant him. Almost without pause, his manhood swelled back to full growth within her tender and well-used cunt.

He lifted her back up onto her knees, then started giving her his full power again. With fully renewed vigor, she found herself being roughly handled. His massive hands gripped her hips, and he slammed his cock into her over and over.

More and more force was poured into his actions, and within a brief time she was screaming out in her release again. His renewed erection did not falter, though, and he continued tearing into her. Her hands were entwined with the sheets and blanket, gripping them for purchase against the intense inertia he was expending into her private places.

Close on the heels of the prior, she had another orgasm, this time one that was quieter, but just as intense as the more vocal ones. As her orgasm again subsided, he felt the build up of his own release into her waiting opening.

Crying out "Hyandai!" He spilt forth his semen again. His entire body was wracked with tensed and quivering muscles. They all soon relaxed, far beyond the normal level of repose taken by most spent lovers. Harlen collapsed and rolled onto his side while Hyandai's legs simply slid down the bed, her feet hanging off the side. It was long minutes before either moved. All that could be heard in the room was gasping for air, and tiny moans escaping Hyandai's lips.

"I think I will now sleep." Hyandai said in almost a whisper as she crawled up the disheveled sheets to the big pillows at the headboard.

Harlen marveled at how slowly she crawled, and how tired she looked now. When he attempted to rise, he found he could not. His organ throbbed, and was slightly reddened by the rough payment he had forced it to mete out.

He wound up crawling up beside her, just as slowly and lethargically. Hyandai rolled toward him, cuddling up against his chest in a tiny ball. He protectively wrapped his arms around her and felt her relax as sleep took her from the world of the waking.

Once Harlen was convinced she was fully resting, he allowed himself to drift off to dreamland as well.

The sound should not have awakened Harlen, so exhausted as he was. But it had.

His eyes snapped open and he sat up. Muscles in his back and sides screamed in protest to the movement, but they responded. Hyandai opened one eye blearily.

"What is it, beloved?" She whispered, her voice slurry with sleep and exhaustion.

Harlen glanced at the door. "I thought I heard something." He said, rising from the bed and padding to the wardrobe. He silently opened the wardrobe and drew out a long knife from a sheath tacked to the backside of its door.

Hyandai sat up, seeing the drawn weapon; she was as awake as he, now. She rolled out of the bed and silently moved beside him. There was a soft creak outside the bedroom, on the stairs, from the sound of it.

Someone was climbing the stairs, someone trying very hard to not be heard.

Harlen held out an arm and pushed Hyandai back slightly as he stepped back from the door, getting himself out of its path, should it swing inward suddenly.There was a minute click as the thumb latch on the far side was pushed down. Harlen brought up the knife and prepared to lunge.

The door swung open, followed by a cloaked shape. Harlen waited until it was mostly into the room and waited too long, the shape gasped and turned toward him, steel flashing in the dim moonlight coming in through the windows.

Harlen swung his knife, connecting with the figure's arm as it came up with a sword. There was a rasping sound as his blade slid over steel rings. The figure was wearing a mail shirt. It forced Harlen back with a feint with its sword, swinging it toward his head.

Hyandai was forced back also and was near the bed. She dove for the side of the bed, under which she had concealed the Ehladrel.

"Run, Hyandai." Harlen grunted as the shape pressed him back and another shape slipped unhampered into the room.

"No!" Hyandai shouted, "Never again!" She stood up, holding the Ehladrel in its leather covering.

The shape fighting back Harlen hissed something to the other in elven. Harlen recognized only the word 'Ehladrel.' Hyandai's eyes widened and she said a single word in elven, then reached into the leather case.

The second shape said a single word that seemed to fill the room with ambient noise as she spoke. She had a beautiful soprano voice, similar, but even richer than Hyandai's. The sound filled the room and as Hyandai pulled the leather, a flash emerged from the second elf's outstretched hand.

The air before that hand turned into an imperfect lens, as it seemed to compress, and form a tight, thick wave. That lens then shot forth and struck Hyandai in the chest.

Harlen watched, helpless, as his lover was lifted and flung bodily out the back window of the room, shattering it and the wooden frame it was set into. There was a soft thudding sound as she rolled down the sloped roof of the bathing room. The elven woman was hot on Hyandai's path, leaping to the window in one graceful jump.

The sword came down at Harlen again and he parried it with the small knife.

"You cannot beat me, human." The elf before him said. "Your little whore is already dead, and you will die too, just slightly sooner than your short-lived kind normally do."

The blade whistled around as the elf took a wide swing with it. Harlen leapt back and watched as the blade sank into the corner post of the bed with a solid and satisfyingly loud thunk.

Harlen came around with the knife and tried to stab his attacker, however, the elf raised his forearm and met Harlen's own forearm on the downward swing, knocking the knife from his grip in the process.

The huntsman, however, had learned a trick from Hyandai. His left hand had already started an uppercut as his knife arm was being blocked. He caught the elf in the chin with the sneaky punch. The elf flew back as if struck by a really big man, which coincidentally, was exactly true. The slight creature lost his grip on his sword and landed, sprawled upon the floor.

As Harlen moved forward to kick at the elf, the cloaked figure sprang back onto his feet with an odd and graceful motion of his legs and shoulders.

With a smooth and flowing motion of his arm, the elf struck Harlen in the chest with his palm. The blow hurt, but did not stop the large man.

"You'll have to do better than that, elf." Harlen growled as he grabbed the slender man about the waist and lifted him from the floor. Accelerating across the room, Harlen aimed for a solid section of wall to smash this little man against.

Fists battered Harlen's head and shoulders, and boxed his ears so that they rang.

However, the hail of blows stopped when his momentum was cancelled by the solid stone and mortar wall. There was a huge whoosh of air by his ear as the elf was pinned against the wall and slammed into it with a human smashing him. There was a dull cracking sound in the elf's chest, and Harlen knew he had broken some of the smaller man's ribs.

Stepping back, Harlen let the elf go. The elf seemed to be toppling forward into a fall, but at the last second, changed course and lunged up at Harlen's throat, another blade gleaming in his fist. This one shorter than the sword, belatedly, Harlen realized it was his own knife.

The blade gouged deeply into Harlen's arm, and then across his chest in a shallow cut. Harlen dove back across the bed and landed nearly off the foot of the large four-poster. His upper half hung over the side precariously, but he saw above him the elf's sword. Gripping it in one hand Harlen lifted himself with it, then yanked it free of the wood with one quick pull.

The elf was leaping over the bed toward him as he brought the sword around in an intercepting motion.

Unable to still his forward momentum, the elf impaled his own leg upon the sword, running it through his upper thigh and out the back. He growled something in elven at Harlen and swung the knife again.

Pain seared through Harlen's chest again as the dagger bit deeply into his flesh. "You will wish you had killed me first, you arrogant elven shit!" Harlen screamed, pulling the sword to the side, severing many tendons of the elf's inner thigh and ripping the large vessel and vein that fed blood to that leg.

Harlen could see the elf's eyes widen in realization that he was going to die in seconds. Blood sprayed from the wound in a huge fan. Dousing the bed and Harlen in a crimson mist.

The knife came back around, but Harlen caught the elf's wrist with his left hand, clamping down with every ounce of strength in his muscles. Harlen heard bones grinding together in the elf's wrist.

"And now, you self-righteous prick, you die." Harlen said and brought the sword's blade around and nearly cut through the elf's neck. There was a soft whimper from the elf as he collapsed onto the bed and ceased moving.

Harlen did not watch him for more than three heartbeats though, and bolted out the bedroom door.

Hyandai felt the flesh of her back pierced and cut by many shards of broken glass as she smashed bodily through it. Stunned, she was unable to control her fall, and landed upon her back on the sloped roof of the bathing room, still sliding.

The sound of tinkling glass and wooden thuds followed her as she slid inexorably downward. Her mind cringed realizing what was next, and in slow motion, she felt herself falling to the ground behind the house. The thud knocked what little air she still had in her free.