“They look pretty intimidating in black. Celina, what do you think about wearing red robes? I’m sure Tina would wear pink if I asked her to.” Tina winked and nodded.
Celina shrugged. “If the yellows think that it would be safer, then we should do it. I didn’t know that we had any enemies until we saw them beating that poor man today. What if they were doing that to little Tamia because we were afraid of looking cultish? I think it might be a good idea.”
I nodded. “That’s settled, then. We’ll get robes made for everyone close to us so the guards can do their job better.”
Dinner arrived and we sat around the table chatting about the day. Tina had been amazed by almost everything we’d seen and done. Celina was still going on about the man taking the beating and I was there to listen. Finally, Celina looked out the window and saw that the sun had been down for a while.
She stood up. “Early to bed…”
I laughed. “We’ve heard that enough in our lives, haven’t we, sis?”
She nodded while hugging me, and then she hugged Tina. “See you two in the morning.”
I went to the door and held it for her, and then told Noam we were calling it a night. He could go if he’d like, because I was locking up. He nodded and I closed up for the evening.
“Tina, do you need to go home? I could port us to the road, walk you home and port back. I wouldn’t want your father to worry.”
“Father knows where I am and what I’m doing. He won’t worry at all.” She walked over and stood by the bed.
I dimmed the lights and pulled the window drapes with a wave. I pulled my tunic over my head and dropped my trousers, laying them across the back of a chair.
Tina spoke shyly, “This is the way you want me, isn’t it?”
I turned around and she’d slipped off her robe and crawled to the center of the bed. She was on her knees and elbows with her bare backside aloft. I said, “That will certainly work for me, if you’re comfortable.”
She looked back over her shoulder, blushing beautifully, and nodded. I laid on the bed, face up, and floated myself back between her thighs. I pulled her to me and went to work on the spot I’d so recently learned about. Her gasps and moans were like music. I really liked Tina a lot and wanted our first time together to be special. I felt her body quiver and shudder over and over before I released her. I slid myself free and got on my knees behind her.
I positioned myself and she gasped, “Oh, there? Be gentle, please, Seth. I want to tell you something, after.”
“I’ll be as gentle as I can and try not to hurt you. I care for you too much to hurt you.”
I slowly slid into her, amazed at how tight the fit was, until I came to an obstruction. It was then I realized that my little Tina had been wearing the wrong color, for some reason. I was glad she had been, because I might not have picked her in white. As carefully as I could, I pushed my way through, then buried myself to the hilt. I let her adjust to the invasion and began thrusting. Within moments, she began moving with me and the passion built. I grabbed a pillow and laid it across her back and buried my face as she buried her face in the bed. At our orgasms, our primal minds took over, releasing animalistic yelps of pleasure. She collapsed forward and I went with her, our sweaty bodies barely joined.
Finally sanity returned and I floated a towel from Tabitha’s side nightstand. I laid it under her as we separated to prevent red stains on the sheets. I went to the wash table and cleaned up as she gathered herself together.
Both sane and clean, she joined me in bed and lay in my arms. I encouraged her, “I suppose I can hear that story now. Your robes were most certainly the wrong color!”
“Okay, when I was nine or ten the neighbor boy, who was my age, came over. He’d seen his parents doing something and he wanted to try it with me. Where you put yourself wasn’t where he was trying to enter, but he never got it to work. Father came home and caught me on my knees like that and said I wasn’t a virgin anymore. I thought he knew what we’d been doing, or trying to do, so that’s why I was in light blue. I didn’t know I was a virgin because I have never been around lovemaking at all. I wasn’t trying to deceive you.”
I smiled. “I am glad for the mistake. I might not have been so free-handed if I thought you were a virgin. I was actually surprised when I started having strong feelings for you. I don’t want you to leave me, Tina. Do you think your father would allow you to stay with me?”
“I can’t think of anything my father would like more!” The excitement in her voice was clear.
“Then you should plan on staying and I’ll make it work with my wife. I’m sure she’ll accept you as a concubine. We’ll get your own place set up tomorrow, but I hope you’ll stay with me until Tabitha returns.”
“That would make me very happy, Seth. All I’ll need are some of my clothes.”
“That’s our plan then. Maybe you’ll teach me what you and the neighbor were trying to do.”
She nudged me playfully with her shoulder and we drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Thirteen
The next morning I woke with Tina cuddled next to me. We’d both kicked off the blanket and sheets during the night, so I had a clear view of her nude body. Her curves weren’t very pronounced and her breasts were barely a handful, but she was beautiful to me. She’d said that I had saved her father, but I wasn’t sure which one he was. There had been so many healed over the last couple weeks, but I was sure either he or Tina’s mother must be very small people.
Watching her sleep woke me up and I had to know something. Since she had been a virgin, she might want to avoid sexual contact, just as the non-virgin Diana had. As a test, almost as much as out of lust, I began kissing her neck to wake her. She was smiling before she opened her eyes.
She sighed. “Good morning, my love. I like waking up like that and will miss it when Lady Tabitha returns. I’m sure she’ll still let me be with you when the time comes. I’ll also miss doing this first thing in the morning.”
She slid over on top over me and answered my question for me. We made love in a more traditional fashion than the night before. We dressed afterwards, and I opened the door. A maid with our breakfast was waiting patiently. Noam followed her in. “My Lord, the yellows have sent a message that they would like you to look at the southern farm this morning. From what I’ve gathered, the people who were sitting around by the road went to work out there. We only have a few people in front of the house now. There are roughly six yellows there and a number of your guard. Oh, and of course, the young ladies are still there, just in case.”
I smiled at Tina. “I think that the girls might be waiting a long time. Miss Tina seems quite capable of keeping my magic charged. Perhaps they could go and assist the workmen at the farm by carrying water or cooking. The suggestion should be made gently, because I don’t want them to be too disappointed. Perhaps they could be told that I can port them to me from there if I needed them and I didn’t want them to get bored just standing around.”
“That sounds like a very good plan, My Lord. I’ll pass that on to the yellows for you. First thing this morning we received robes for you and your sister. There are also pink ones for Miss Tina and Miss Diana. They are hoping that you’ll wear them during your inspection this morning. Robes for the three ladies that are visiting your homeland are being made today.”
“Thank you, Noam. I’ll go locate Celina and she can go out with us. I’m sure she’s interested in the well down there looking nice.” He bowed his head and we went in search of Celina.
Since she wasn’t in her room, I thought that the kitchen might be where she’d decided to take breakfast. As we passed Diana’s room, I knocked lightly. She answered quickly and her eyes lit up. “Good morning, Seth. How can I help you today? Would you like to come in?”
“We’re getting ready to go to the south farm and I wondered if you’d like to go. I have a robe that the yellows would like for you to wear in public, if you do. You can change and meet us by
the door in a few minutes.”
“I’d be happy to and thank you for inviting me. About the other morning…”
“Water under the bridge, don’t worry about it.”
“Will you give me a chance to talk to you about it later? Please?”
I smiled and my soft heart yielded. “Of course we can. I’m sure a lot of it was what my father calls my ‘little man syndrome’. I’m sure only he knows what that means.”
She happily took the robe and stepped back into her room. Tina took her robe and ran back upstairs, saying that she’d catch up. Noam and I continued down to the kitchen, where we found Celina chatting amiably with the cooks and other staff. I gave her the robe that had been delivered for her and shook out mine. We both threw them on over our clothes and went out the door.
At the gate, the yellows led the group, with my guard flanking us. Tina dropped back and was chatting with some of the young ladies in light blue and white. As we went through town, I stopped by the jeweler’s, paid him fifteen platinum coins for his work and picked up the dozen ornate daggers and sheaths. At the smith’s, the man was very happy with six platinum coins for his work.
With Noam carrying the bag of daggers, we continued our trek south. We could see brush piles being burned off around the farm site and three buildings standing. The one that Cel had helped with looked completed and the other two were coming along nicely. The head man in yellow explained that one of the buildings was to be for families and had nice, self-contained apartments. The one to the farthest south was for my guard and they’d set up a training ground beside it. The third would be used for single men and women. It seemed that some families didn’t really care for their young ones associating with our group and were putting them out. He knew that I’d want them taken care of, so he had that building erected. There were plans for several more buildings, such as barns and storage depots. Since Krose bordered a forest, lumber wasn’t a problem at all.
The compound was growing larger by the day and I knew that it was all done in love. The thing I noticed that had the most appeal for me at the moment wasn’t really built for love. It was built to aid in the protection of those we loved. A very nice archery range had been set up and it reminded me of home. I headed for it at a brisk pace and when Celina saw where I was going, she trotted up quickly behind me.
“Okay, little sister, see those logs? Let’s ask and see if we can have a few. Their targets wouldn’t stand a chance, but neither will the logs. We could make a nice pile of firewood with some heavy energy bolts and blow off some steam.”
She grinned. “If I had known we were going to do this, I would have sent a note to Davie. I would like to have some competition, after all.
I laughed as we strolled over to where a group of men were standing. “Excuse me, gentlemen, I was wondering if my sister and I could use a couple of the logs in that pile for targets.”
A man wearing a red arm band on his black robe stepped forward. “Of course you may, My Lord. Everything you see is yours, after all. If there is anything we need to assist you with, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you, sir, you’re too kind. Could you explain the red armband?”
“I am your Captain, Sir, until I die or you choose to replace me. I was an officer in the king’s army until I retired to Krose. I’ve seen your work and have joined to help train your guard.”
“It’s good to have you with us, Captain. If there’s anything that I or mine can do for you, please let me know.”
A young man broke from the huddle of men and tapped the Captain on the shoulder. They chatted for a few minutes and the Captain turned back to me. “Sir, the men have requested that they be allowed to watch you and your sister practice. And on a more personal note, this young man would like permission to spend the morning with Lady Celina.”
“Permission granted on both counts and I’m sure that after watching my sister practice, the young man will mind his manners.”
There were chuckles from the listening men. Cel and I went to the pile of logs and each picked a hefty, ten foot tall log from the pile. We levitated them upright and with a hand motion to help us visualize what we wanted, sharpened one end to a point. We floated them where they would be in line with the archery buttes and with a heavy telekinetic shove, buried one end in the ground. As we walked back to the firing line, I noted that the men had either astounded or frightened looks on their faces from that simple magic.
Before we started, I addressed them, “Just remember that we’re on your side and you have nothing to fear from either of us. You know that I love you all.”
They nodded and replied, “And we also love you.”
I winked at Celina, who was chomping at the bit to blow something up. “I suggest that we start with magic arrow and move up to energy bolt. When the log is gone, we can start a fire or two, if the urge hits us.”
She grinned and fired a golden magic arrow at the log in front of her. I matched her and heard the murmurs behind us. I looked around and it seemed that everyone in the compound was running our way to watch. We fired a few more times, until there were small smoking holes in the logs. Magic arrows are great for small animals or wounding someone, not much else.
I looked back and everyone, an entire ocean of blue with other colors interspersed, was watching us. I winked at Cel. “One-foot lengths from the top?”
She nodded and we fired heavy energy bolts, the like of which wand casters could only dream. We chopped the logs into one foot sections all the way to the ground. We grinned at each other.
“Little sister, shall we finish our target practice by lighting our campfires?” She grinned and on a three count we cast ‘flamestrike’ on the piles of wood that had been our targets. I turned around and our ocean had smoothed out. Everyone that had been watching was now on their knees and faces, bowing to Celina and me.
Celina and I looked at each other, astonished by what our display had caused. I quickly amplified my voice and soothed, “Good people, there’s no need to bow. I’m still the same man and my sister the same woman who have been with you. We’ve shown you that we care about all of you and don’t want anything in return. Least of all to be worshiped! Please, stand up and treat us as a brother and sister to you. You know we love you all!”
“And we also love you.” The crowd intoned as they recaptured their wits and their feet.
The Captain put his hand on my shoulder. “I assure you, the young man who asked to spend the morning with Lady Celina will most certainly mind his manners.” I laughed and some of the tension in the atmosphere was discharged.
I waved Noam and the head yellow robe over to me and asked the man in yellow, “You have to have a name. I can’t keep thinking of you as the head guy in yellow.”
He laughed. “My name is Joshua, My Lord. Judging by the age of the crowds we are around, I think that Elder Joshua would fit. In fact, Elder would fit for all of us old folks in yellow.”
I chuckled. “I wouldn’t call you old; you all seem to be in good health and happy.”
He shrugged. “I am getting on in years. I’m pushing forty, after all, and I’m the oldest of your Elders. So how can I help you this morning?”
“If you could call all the Elders to me, I have something for them. Cel and I could port them from the crowd, but that would frighten the people more than we already have. After that, you can tell me what we might be running short of, so my sis and I can help with that.”
He nodded and made a gesture that caused all the yellow robes in the crowd to start making their way to the front. The people cleared a path for them and it didn’t take long for all twelve to be standing behind Joshua, waiting to hear what I had to say.
I amplified my voice slightly and announced, “Since you twelve have been with me from the beginning and have helped in so many ways, I’d like to say ‘thank you’. In recognition for all you’ve done and continue to do, I’d like to give you a small token, as a symbol of your rank with us.”
&nbs
p; I had Noam bring the bag of daggers to me and I passed them out to the yellow-robed Elders. They were all smiles as they received the gifts and I was happy. They did a lot and seemed to be everywhere, so they deserved something in return.
I asked Joshua, “Do we have plenty of supplies, such as food, wood, and iron that are needed to continue the building of our compound?”
He shook his head. “Food and wood have never been a problem in Krose. The problem we have is that all our iron comes from Ferro City, which is a month to the east. It’s often longer, since the oxen can’t move as swiftly as horses, but are necessary due to the weight of the carts.”
I looked toward Celina. “Do you feel like staring at some rock with me? You and your friend could go wander, if you’d prefer. I just want to scan this mountainside and see if I might find a source of iron.”
“You go on ahead, big brother; Warin and I will catch up. I’d just like to chat with him a bit, and you know how I forget to walk when I get to chatting.”
“I do know that’s true. Joshua, would you like to go with me? It will be pretty boring unless I find something, so it’s up to you.”
He nodded. “I’d like to see what you’re planning. Michelle, who’s another Elder and my wife, might like to go and the rest can get back to business. Who will be going with our group?”
“I’m sure that Tina and Diana will stay with me; Noam, of course; Celina is bringing up the rear with a young guard; me and you two.” He made a hand gesture and two guards fell into position behind us. I led us around the compound and to the mountain on the northeast side of the city. I hoped that I didn’t find ore too close, because we could see my house from the first spot I decided to try. Having an iron mine in my side yard didn’t sound pleasant.
Seth, A Naiad's Son (Generations of Eredwynn Book 3) Page 13
