Gears of Troy: A Scifi Fantasy Harem
Page 21
At dawn, the King and Queen sent several dozen troops stationed at the city to join us. Among them was a small group of grizzled veteran soldiers who called themselves the Wild Boars.
“We are at your command, my liege,” said their presumed leader. “We have seen many battles in our time, and would be honored to come to the city’s aid in this one, even more so if it turns out to be our last.”
I laughed. “Where were you guys earlier, then?”
“We were inside the walls, armed and ready to defend our families if the enemy broke through. It would not be wise to leave the inside of the city undefended with them charging for the gates. Now that they have been pushed back, we feel more comfortable leaving our families and taking the fight to them.”
“I’m only joking,” I said, patting him on the shoulder. “I’m relieved you’re here. As you can all see, we’ve done a lot of damage, but even with our new headcount, I think we’re still outnumbered roughly two to one. I’m not saying we can’t handle them—I think we all saw what went down last night—but it will be tough. Especially now that ambushing them isn’t much of an option.”
The crowd around me murmured agreement. I looked at the hundreds of bodies littering the field. We had cleared a spot for our camp, leaving a handful of piles that would need to be taken care of after the battle.
I turned to the leader of the Wild Boars and said, “So many Trojans have lost their lives today. How can the kingdom make up that loss? Even if we win this war, we would be virtually unprotected against any reasonable army.”
He shook his head. “Half of these men are from the city itself. The other half are from the surrounding areas. The kingdom is wide-reaching. It is true that the enemy has burned settlements around the kingdom’s domain, but there are very many able-bodied men in the communities that are still standing. Like us, many of them have chosen to stay home and protect their families. Some men were made to come here; others were not. We cannot sanely leave every settlement unguarded, you see?”
That made total sense and gave me a lot of hope. I felt kind of dumb for asking the question, but, oh man, that was a load off my back.
Though we pitched our tents, we decided against taking any more time away from fighting than we needed to plan our next moves. The Wild Boars were insistent they join me on the front lines. My small group would accompany me, as was their duty. After much pleading, Helen assured her place at the front. I did not want her to come for her own safety but knew I could not keep her away. The princes would take their men and flank the camp on either side, and Artession would take his warriors around the back of the camp to prevent escape. We would have them enclosed on all sides. All we had to do was wait for night to fall and sneak over. Several tribesmen would snake ahead and take out any scouts they found.
On any other day, I would have been tired out of my wits, but that night I had more adrenaline running through my veins than blood cells. I was ready to make quick work of the remaining enemy soldiers and knew I wasn’t alone in feeling that way. They might have had us outnumbered, but I knew their conditions for victory weighed heavy on their shoulders. All my team had to do to consider ourselves victorious was kill all of them. The other team didn’t only have to kill all of us but then take the city as well. That alone would be no easy task. There were many soldiers still guarding the walls, and they weren’t going to let any unwelcome guests in without a fight. I hoped Priam was right to put so much faith in morale because ours was pretty high for the situation, and it was reasonable to assume theirs was pretty low.
The plan went into action. My crew moved straight for the enemy camp, preceded by Thirian scouts who cleared the way. On both sides we heard faint sounds of skirmishes behind groups of trees or on the other sides of hills, all ending within seconds. One time, I turned to look back at our tents in the flat plains. As the day before, we turned our camp into a decoy, but this time we did not expect to lure the enemy in with it. Instead, it was an illusion to make them believe we were not on our way to them during the night. Four men stayed behind to tend the fire and make the camp appear alive with activity.
The Greeks must not have expected us to take the fight to them because most of them were sleeping when we showed up. Their wakeup calls were the death cries of the poor saps dozing in the first tents the Wild Boars set to work on.
The site erupted in chaos. Our men firing from three sides; my team and I charging in like we had nothing to lose. Helen danced through the madness, making an artform of battle as she always did, stabbing Greeks with the sword she had lifted back at Dardanelles. My guards formed a semicircle around her and I, keeping a close watch but allowing enough space for us to have a little fun.
I could see Artession and his men at the other end of the camp doing their job well. Any shred of morale the enemy had left was ripped to shreds as the alarm of our surprise attack pulled them from their moment’s respite. Many of these demoralized soldiers did not waste any time fighting a battle they were sure they would lose and darted straight for the exit, only to be sent to the ground by eager tribesmen.
The odds evened before my very eyes. I reached a new level of understanding then. Surprise created chaos, chaos created fear, and fear forced the opponent to defeat themselves for me. Many of the men were scared enough to flee without regard to their safety or that of their brothers. After having a battle forced onto them where they were unprepared, many more were too afraid to think rationally, and therefore they could not adequately defend themselves. This erratic behavior effectively reduced the enemy army to half before the blood really even began to pour.
I wanted to laugh at it all. If the Greeks could have taken a moment to pull themselves together, they still would have likely been able to destroy our army, but it seemed like what Helen had said all those times was true; they were a spineless people.
I must have killed over thirty men myself when all was said and done. At first, I was raging full throttle just to make up for my lack of action in the previous battle, but after the first fifteen or so kills, I was simply going for speed, trying to set my personal best as high as I could. I pounced on screaming men like it was whack-a-mole, silencing them with single blows. The battlefield was a symphony of pain for a solid two hours, and I was its conductor. I danced around swinging my blade, high on a twisted sadistic euphoria.
Their forces drained to sparsity and we hammered the remaining men down to none. All of us survivors stood in silence when the last Greek head hit the ground. It was finally over, and we had actually won.
I looked to Artession and held my arm up as a signal of victory. He returned my call with a similar gesture. Helen ran to me and kissed me on the lips, reminding me of our first encounter, but this kiss was without reserve. Both princes had survived. They surveyed the remains of the camp, appraising their work. As for the Wild Boars, none of them remained.
I had a feeling many of them planned for this to be their last fight. It was expected that old warriors such as themselves would want to go out with a bang. I do not think they could have asked for a better last stand. I would make sure their families would hear of their valor and how essential their part was in winning the fight that ended the Greek invasion. Helen and I had a prolonged moment of silence for those brave old souls, saluting them one last time.
Most of the soldiers returned to the city shortly after, save for the Thirians, a few exhausted Trojans, Helen, and me. We figured we might as well get some rest before we launched into celebration mode, and there was no place more preferable than where we currently stood. With minimal conversation, we cleared some tents and settled down, the first time we were able to relax in days.
37
A quiet sound woke me in the predawn hours. Cautious footsteps, it seemed, almost like a deer. Helen rolled away as I sat up. She was determined to see a full night’s sleep. I thought it would be best to check on the men keeping watch, so I left the tent but stopped short the moment my head cleared the front flap.
The night watchmen were sitting away on the other side of the fire, each looking off in a different direction over the surrounding area. Surely, they had seen this young girl approach, but they must have realized she came from the city and posed no threat.
“Leave here,” I whispered. “This is no place for a girl like you.”
She continued standing there watching me as I gazed up at her from the tent, and said, “I am the daughter of Priam.”
That came as a surprise. It was a few days after my arrival before I had learned of Priam’s other sons, Hektor and Alexzander. I assumed that they were all of the royal siblings since Paris had died, but here I was, face-to-face with yet another. I found it odd both that the King and Queen did not speak of their children unless it was necessary, and also that none of them appeared to live in the palace. I thought it over and realized that this girl had said she was Priam’s daughter, making no mention of Hecuba. Perhaps that had something to do with why I had not been made aware of her. It was believable that many such half-royal children were spread across the kingdom.
“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you—I think your dad’s a great guy—but you really should not be here. This is a warzone, and you’re putting yourself in danger.”
“I see you and your future,” she continued, still ignoring my warnings. “You will take me now.”
Her tunic dropped to the ground in a pile around her feet. I stifled a gasp and brought my head back inside the tent to look at Helen, sleeping like a baby blissfully unaware of the temptation her lover was facing. The two of us were something. We had both seen some serious stuff in our time together and grew from it. The foundation our relationship was built upon was getting stronger each passing day.
I tried to bury my carnal desires, not wanting to risk everything we had built for a little fun. I still thought that later down the line I would be open to the advances of other women, but I didn’t want to lie to Helen about it, especially not now. We would discuss it later when the time was right.
I popped my head back out and tried not to stare at the full breasts waiting above me, outlined by the light of the fire. The men keeping watch, all Thirians, had their full attention on us now; mischievous smirks marked the corners of their mouths.
“I really can’t,” I told her. “Maybe another time, but right now is just not—”
She reached into the tent and urged me up, her chest brushing against my face. I relented and came out. If I had an Achilles heel, it was gorgeous women. I think most men could empathize.
She took my hand and led me over to a nearby tent. The watchers whistled after us, cheering us on. She opened the front flap and crawled in, stringing me along behind her. The tent was vacant, and I wondered if she set it up herself for this purpose.
She lay flat on her back and said, “Take me.”
I dropped my pants and climbed over her, intrigued by her total submission. The other girls had at least guided me in the right direction—not that I needed it, but it was nice to have their say in the matter. This situation seemed a little unusual to me. She clearly wanted me but seemed unwilling to make a move beyond displaying her body to do with as I pleased.
I looked down into her eyes. She met my gaze with her own and pleaded, “Take me. I will be honored to have you as my first, Champion.”
Oh. She was inexperienced. That explained everything. I had mixed feelings, but as I admired her glowing youthful figure, it became increasingly harder to think.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” I asked, my member throbbing inches from her pubic hair. “Your first time . . . that’s really important. And I—Helen . . .”
She reached up and covered my mouth, nodding that she understood. “I know what I want. Now take me—for tonight.”
Without another word, I set to work. My fingers slid in with ease, letting me know she was ready. I pressed my pelvis against hers and slowly crept inside. Her eyes widened; she reached up and grabbed my waist. I took it nice and slow, responding to the movements of her hands. She would tap me in rapid succession, and I would lessen my pace; she would pull me close, and I would pick up speed.
Gradually, she grew accustomed to the sensation, so I was able to go faster. She moaned and hugged me against her.
“There?” I whispered after an especially emphatic show of pleasure.
She smiled and nodded.
Her hand wandered down to touch the action as it was happening. It surprised me at first, and I almost laughed. She was curious to feel me as I slid in and out of her. She giggled, pulling her hand away, her fingers covered in the stickiness of earthly delights.
I turned her on her side and cuddled from behind like we were spooning before darting back into the action from my new position. She laughed, feeling my hand cupping her breast, and turned her head to face me, offering a kiss. I obliged and was introduced to her tongue. I moved my hand from her chest to hold her cheek as we kissed, trying to prolong the gift of her full lips.
Wanting more, she pulled herself from me and pushed me on my back. My member was in her iron grip as she climbed on top and stuck me in from below with a loud squeal. Her sudden boldness was exhilarating. She rocked her hips back and forth, falling forward and reaching her arms out to brace herself against my chest.
She continued to squeal, and I heard the men catcalling from outside. Helen was sure to be awake from all the commotion.
She clawed at my chest and fell forward the rest of the way, hugging my neck and nuzzling my face. Her speed was picking up. I grabbed her thighs and added my own motion to the mix. The giggles returned to moans, which morphed into satisfied grunts. There was the animal that had been hiding inside when we first met eyes.
Warm, excited puffs of breath hit my ear each time I plunged inside. She lurched forward with each swing, her breasts pressing firmly against the hair of my chest, buoying the rest of her upper body as she moved.
“Ah—ah—ah!” she yelped, spasming all over before settling down.
She breathed long, relaxed breaths, feeling the beat of my heart against her head. Her attention was elsewhere for several moments, her eyes staring blankly to the side at something that was not there.
I watched as her head slowly turned to face me again and heard her whisper, “Listen to my words; if you fight the hidden king while standing, you will die.”
Before I could ask what the hell she meant, she had already crawled from the tent. I heard more calls from the men outside as she presumably got dressed and took her leave.
Helen was awake when I returned to our tent. The guilt hit me like a sack of bricks. I told her what happened and how conflicted I was, how it was going to take some time getting used to my new fame.
She looked at me for a long minute, her face etched in stone. She finally exhaled and said, “It is okay. I still stand with you, Troy.” She cocked her head, as if listening, her eyes focused somewhere in the distance, and added, “Shadows never stand, but you cannot escape them. I think the same might be true of you and your sword . . . and my place is beside you for that if nothing else.”
38
The next morning, I decided to stay behind and start burning the bodies. I planned to celebrate upon my return that evening, but I needed time to mull over what I had been told the previous night, and the monotonous activity suited that need well.
I sent my guards back with the other Trojans who had spent the night with us. Artession and the Thirians elected to stay behind until the work was done, wanting to leave nothing for later. Helen, true to her word, remained at my side.
Priam sent a messenger to ask me if everything was all right, and he wanted to
know my take on the situation. I told him I believed peace was finally at hand and that his people should be able to live their lives again. I did not mention my meeting with the girl who called herself his daughter or what I had learned from her.
My friends from Santorini were efficient with the cleanup, working in sync like a hive of bees. They had taken a heavy hit in the battle. The Trojans may have had other warriors tucked away all over the kingdom, but the same could not be said of my proud, naked friends. They arrived with an army three hundred strong. Now their warriors were less than fifty, but they did not seem to lament this loss.
They marked a separate plot for the bodies of their brothers. A few of the remaining warriors set about preparing those men for consumption, as was their custom. I was curious to see if they actually planned to eat all of them since there were so many. I told myself that if I was asked to partake this time around, I just might, out of respect for the fallen.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Artession observing the scene as well.
“We . . . eat,” he said, the first words I had ever understood coming out of his mouth. He pointed to the city and grunted, “Tribe.” He waved his other hand to indicate his men around us and said, “Tribe.” Then he pressed both hands together, looking me in the eyes, and said, “Tribe. Eat.”
I nodded. I was not sure if he meant that he was inviting the Trojans in the city to eat with them because he considered them part of his tribe now, or if he was only referencing the tribesmen in the city, saying they all would join his warriors here and dine on their fallen brethren. I assumed he meant the latter, since the practice was held so dear to them, but I did not know how sharing the battlefield alongside a foreign people fit into their belief system. I thought it a little insensitive to ask, so I only nodded that I understood. He clapped me on the shoulder and drew me in for a hug, murmuring something in his language.