Wild Wastes Omnibus

by Randi Darren

  Though the numbers between men and women were starting to rebalance, the vast majority of his own leadership was women.

  Strong survive, weak die. Regardless of sex.

  Meliae opened her pack and pulled out a small pouch. Closing the flap, she set the pouch on her knees. “Most of this I know from my mother, who dealt with the Orc clans often. She made deals with both humans and Orcs. Dryads are keepers of nature and fertility. She taught me many things. I’ve learned some of their culture from Fes herself. Men are measured in a number of ways.”

  Taking a nut from the pouch, she placed it in her mouth.

  “The first is obvious. Their strength and combat prowess,” she continued, crunching up the small morsel. “Another is the number of wives he has, and their comparable strength. Orc men want strong wives. Though not as strong as them.”

  “Figures.” Vince wrinkled his nose. Meliae popped a handful of seeds and nuts in her mouth as he continued. “Fes is stronger than I am; doesn’t bother me in the least. If anything, I feel more assured by it.”

  “She would argue that you are stronger. Back to the discussion at hand, though. For her, this is actually a big problem. She’s stronger, smarter, and faster than those in her tribe. She defeated all the prime marriage candidates handily. She would have needed to go to a clan-meet to seek out a future. Even there, it’s unlikely she would have found someone who could match her that wouldn’t be much older than her.

  “I imagine she would have beaten everyone suitable easily. Which would have only left older males with a great deal more experience. The problem there is their wives would be intimidated by a younger, stronger wife. Fes would have been disparaged by the older generation, and unable to find a place in the younger.

  “Then you came along. She says you defeated her in single combat, spared her, and then gave her what she had challenged you for anyways. Taking and asking nothing of her.” Meliae stuck a finger in her mouth and dislodged something from between her teeth.

  Vince shrugged at that. “And? She was hungry.”

  “Yes. Then she intervened when you attempted to protect two non-combatants from a group of six… gator men, you called them?”

  “Big lizard men. Look like alligators.”

  “Yes, those. You killed half before the other half overwhelmed you?”

  “Something like that.”

  “Then after rescuing you, you called her Fes.”

  “Mm. She asked a question, if I remember correct. Fes was the only word I could make out. I thought it was her name.”

  “I see. If I had to guess, she was asking you if you wanted her to be your First Wife.”

  “I… I don’t—” Vince stopped, his face screwing up in a grimace.

  “You don’t speak her language, I know. She realized that much later herself. Fes means First Wife. Apparently you labeled her that, and then indicated for her to mount you.”

  “What? No! I… this is all a little too much to believe. She told you this?”

  “Yes. She did. She also said how happy you make her. You treat her as an equal and dote on her. That was not her expectation going into a relationship with a human male.”

  Vince scratched at his cheek and turned his eyes away from the Dryad. Vince was feeling embarrassed and a little off balance.

  “My parents acted that way. I’ve seen others act similarly. Seems only natural to act that way to your…” Vince trailed off. He wasn’t quite sure what to call her. Apparently she viewed herself as his First Wife, as it were.

  “Call her Fes. It makes her happy. Using her name would only confuse her.” Meliae’s hand was there suddenly, pressing into his chest. Vince looked up in surprise as she pushed him down to the ground.

  In the time he’d looked from her, she’d managed to remove her pants. Small hands began pulling at his belt.

  “Meliae, w-what are you doing?” Vince asked, his hands moving to fend off her own.

  “Stop,” said the Dryad in a firm voice. “Fes and I already spoke about this and I’ll be second. Meliae is fine, I need no title.” Somehow, she managed to avoid his defending hands and slipped his belt free of the loops.

  Root tendrils snuck out from the ground beneath him and caught the loops of his pants. With a single jerk, Vince was pantless and exposed from the waist down. As quickly as it happened, the roots vanished.

  He felt once again betrayed by the fact that his body was responding to the fact that a woman was taking advantage of him

  “Whoa there, Meliae, I think you’ve got the wrong—”

  Meliae interrupted him by taking his semi-erect self into her mouth. The wet warmth of her caught him off guard and he froze.

  Surrendering immediately to her soft lips and writhing tongue, Vince relaxed into the ground.

  Meliae worked her head back and forth slowly, her lips and tongue doing all of the work. Her right hand reached under and lightly cupped him in one hand as her left slid up under his armor.

  The Dryad released him and then threw a leg over his hips. He felt more than saw her diminutive hand grab his slick, erect length and angle it upwards.

  “Mother always said that’d work. I didn’t believe her,” Meliae whispered, her green eyes watching him. They were full of fear and longing in equal measure.

  Her fingers were tiny and soft, supple. Her skin smooth and pale, exactly as he remembered. Exactly as he had dreamed of. Restraint was only possible during the waking hours since his subconscious had dwelled on her naked form repeatedly.

  Then she managed to fit the tip of him into her narrow opening. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she looked into his face.

  Then, not sparing herself the luxury of going slowly, as if waiting might cause her to lose her nerve, she slammed herself down on him.

  Her saliva let him slide into her tight crevice easily, tearing past the resistance her body held at his invader.

  Her hips and bottom were warm against his thighs and lap, the soft skin pressing to him as she grinded hard into him.

  Meliae’s breath caught and she closed her eyes tight in pain. In that single thrust, she’d committed herself. Now she held perfectly still from the waist down.

  Turning her head to one side, it was obvious to him she’d cracked her virginity on him in that push.

  Not trusting his voice, Vince pressed his hands to her hips and held her there. Slowly, his fingers let her go after a few seconds and began to gently run up and down her hips and lower back.

  He wasn’t going to fight her off, but neither was he going to let her make her first time a painful experience.

  She’d taken the choice from him, but in reality, it was a choice he’d have made anyways.

  Eventually, the Dryad let out a shuddering breath. Her head slowly turned back to him. She slit her eyes and peeked up at him through her lashes.

  Vince gave her an encouraging smile, his fingers ghosting along her lower back and spine.

  Shivering at his touch, Meliae let go of his shoulders to grab the hem of her tunic and under shirt. In one smooth motion, she pulled it off and tossed it to one side.

  Taking the opportunity for what it was, Vince reached up and grabbed her sides. In one smooth motion, he rolled her onto her back and positioned himself atop her.

  “Ah! Vince, ah, wait—” Meliae started, her legs being spread apart by his movement. Her knees trembled as they were pushed outward.

  “Okay, you let me know when to continue,” he said softly. He slid his hands down to rest on each side of her, his forearms pressed to her wide hips.

  “I… alright. Thank you,” Meliae looked everywhere but him for a few seconds. Eventually, with nowhere else to go, her eyes returned to his. “I think I’m ready. Just… slowly, please. I’m not Fes.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re Meliae. A very different woman entirely,” Vince said with a grin. Leaning down, he kissed her tenderly as he pulled his hips back and then pushed forward.

  Her small body shuddered as he reent
ered her. Her knees pressed into his sides while her hands clutched at his lower back.

  Vince kept his pace steady, and slow. He plied her warm skin with soft kisses and gentle nuzzles, traveling back and forth along her neck and shoulders. Coupled with a few grazing bites and light touches of his fingers, he could feel her embarrassment fading.

  The Dryad’s knees sunk down to each side, opening herself up to him completely without a hint of resistance. Her arms circled around his neck and pulled him down to her, kissing him fiercely.

  Her hips started to move as she figured out his rhythm. Rising and falling as he moved. She devoured his face, kissing him repeatedly, never stopping. Practically taking his breath away with her demand to keep her lips to his.

  Taking the subtle unspoken encouragement, Vince continued, building up more speed and force as he went.

  When Meliae started panting, she finally let him free of her hungry mouth. She rested her head on the grass, her body bucking with each thrust of his hips. Her green eyes were partially unfocused as she gazed up at him.

  A small smile lit her face even as her whole body tightened up around him, her skin flushing as she experienced her first orgasm. Her pupils contracted until they were little more than pinpricks, and the green of her eyes looked almost like they were glowing.

  Unable to resist the look of her face or the sensation of her channel pulling at him, urging him, Vince hit his own climax.

  Pushing up firmly against her, he unloaded his seed. Digging deep into her, he felt his shaft swell. His forearms locked to her hips and kept her still. He held her there against the grass as he ground his hips into her thighs.

  Two more solid pumps and Vince felt his peak end. Lowering his head, he rested it on her bare shoulder.

  Meliae lifted a hand and ran her fingers through his hair, her fingernails tickling the back of his head.

  Vince felt her full, moist lips press into his ear, her tongue snaking out to flick at his earlobe.

  “That was wonderful. Again?” whispered the Dryad huskily.

  Isn’t another name for a Dryad a Nymph?

  Chapter 7

  Vince’s brain drew a blank. Slowing his approach to the house, Vince watched as Fes lifted a giant block of stone and set it in front of another.

  They’d only been gone three days, in the end. Admittedly, it was closer to four days, since evening was settling over them, but it hadn’t been long.

  In that time, Fes had started building a heavy stone wall forty feet out from the house. She’d managed to complete several circuits all the way around, the height of it coming up to her thighs.

  The green muscular, shirtless Orc dragged a forearm across her brow before shifting the stone around a touch.

  Vince couldn’t help but appreciate the view of the lovely half-naked woman. Despite being sweaty and dirty, she still had that natural feral charm to her.

  Strange tastes there, Vinny.

  He wasn’t sure what to label his feelings for Fes as. He definitely cared for her. Enjoyed her company at night immensely. Did he love her, though?

  What exactly is love? Is it a deeper form of care?

  Suddenly, Vince wished his parents were around. His interactions with women up to this point had been casual sex. Only a few minor relationships. Right up until Fes.

  Setting the whole thing aside for now, he corrected his course to head straight for Fes.

  “Hey there, beautiful. Now, I admit I don’t mind the view, but maybe I’d be jealous if anyone else saw you?” Vince asked in a teasing voice.

  Fes’s head whipped around at his voice. Her face nearly split in two at the smile she gifted him with, her small tusks slipping free of her lips. She had no embarrassment at his comments or his wandering gaze.

  Her black eyes shifted from him to the Dryad at his side.

  “Done?” the Orc asked.

  “Done. All is taken care of,” Meliae answered. She strode up to the warrior nonchalantly, a smile curling her lips.

  “Good.” Fes leaned down and hugged Meliae warmly. Meliae hugged her in return and then kissed Fes’s cheek, before walking off towards the front of the house.

  Vince shook his head, figuring it for some strange custom he’d have to figure out later. Stepping up to Fes, he tilted his head to the side, indicating the wall.

  “A wall, huh?” Vince asked, looking from the interlocking rocks. He hadn’t noticed it at first, but it looked like Fes had shaped them and even put a paste between the rocks.

  “Good defense. Will protect our home. Always expect an attack and plan. Vince… is okay with a wall?” asked the warrior. Her black eyes watched him.

  “Sure. You’re not wrong. My father would agree with you completely. It’s a good idea, Berenga,” Vince said, stepping in close to her.

  The use of her name froze her in place, her lips coming together and her spine stiffening.

  Vince gently placed his left hand on her strong jaw and kissed her. “Relax, Fes. Fes Berenga. All is well. In the future, I’d like to be consulted on taking more wives, though? I always considered myself a one-woman kind of man, but apparently I now have two.”

  Fes’s cheeks colored a dark green and she nodded her head a fraction.

  “Good.” Vince pressed a kiss to her lips. Running a thumb along the line of her cheekbone, he pressed his forehead to hers. “Woods are fine. Meliae was a big help. You were right on picking her up. Thank you, Berenga, my Fes.”

  Fes only managed the barest of head nods, her black eyes wide.

  “Come on. Let’s clean you up and have dinner together. I’ll scrub you down if you promise to behave.”

  Fes only nodded again, seemingly unable to speak.

  “Meliae, we’re heading to the creek to clean up. Want to come?”

  “No. I’ll start in on the evening meal,” called back the Dryad from the open door. “Take your time.”

  “Well. If the Nymph says take our time, maybe we don’t have to behave after all.”

  A week later, and Vince found himself on the outside of his house looking at the trail west again.

  “For as little time as I get to spend here, I sure do miss it,” he muttered, looking at the building over his shoulder.

  “It’s because it’s home,” Meliae said, adjusting the fake slave collar around her throat. “We’ll return shortly, as you said. We really do need to sell off this… stuff you’ve been collecting. You yourself said this is mostly the castoffs that wouldn’t be worth holding on to.”

  Vince could only nod his head, looking towards the path ahead of them.

  “Yeah, I know. It’ll also give us a chance to put in a request for a glass merchant. Summer is right around the corner. Still.”

  “I understand, Vince,” Fes said, placing a strong hand on his shoulder. “Home for us, too. Come, we go.” Fes put her hand back to the handle of the two-wheeled cart they’d constructed behind her and set off ahead of them.

  Inside of the cart was a jumble of armor, weapons, and odds and ends that Vince had been simply collecting with no plan.

  Meliae had taken one look at it all and then cataloged everything that needed to be gotten rid of.

  Off to sell my junk. Being a bachelor was a lot easier.

  Putting one foot in front of the other, Vince took up a pace behind the cart. Meliae slid in next to him, her green eyes peering at him as if to decipher his odd mood.

  It was slow going with the cart. The trails and mountain paths weren’t meant for it. Nights had gotten interesting, though. Fes and Meliae had worked out some type of agreement or plan. He couldn’t quite figure out a pattern to who ended up in his bed with him, but he quickly realized he didn’t care.

  With Fes, it was the same as always, a wrestling match followed by one of them surrendering to the other.

  For Meliae, it was very different. The Dryad rarely wanted anything different than him mounting her. That and always initiating the whole thing with her mouth.

  Fes had looked con
fused the first time she saw Meliae perform in that way. Each time after that, she’d watched intensely when Meliae started them off.

  For Vince, it was a test of his mental fortitude. He hadn’t thought of himself of shy, but this was something entirely different.

  By the time they reached Knight’s Ferry, he was honestly looking forward to a break, if only to give his battered mental strength a breather.

  After arriving, Vince had noticed they were getting far more scrutiny than he remembered last time. Or any time previously. He wasn’t sure if it was the fact that he had two non-humans with him this time or if it was him.

  He hadn’t seen the men he’d noticed the last two times, but Vince had a thought that they were involved or directly responsible with the atmospheric change. One or the other.

  As they walked along the road towards Deskil’s place, he noticed that he wasn’t alone in the increased scrutiny. Anyone with a non-human was being given a second or third look.

  Either slavery is on the way out… which seems unlikely, given the profit involved. Or non-human sentiment is falling further.

  An older man glared at Fes and then Meliae in turn, ignoring Vince entirely.

  That answers that.

  Vince couldn’t remember clearly the last time it had gotten like this. Only that his parents hadn’t traveled to Knight’s Ferry for a year after something similar had started.

  Apparently this was a normal ebb and flow type of situation. Something would happen, they’d blame non-humans, take “revenge,” then feel satisfied for a while.

  “This’ll be our last trip for a bit. Or at least the three of us together. Make sure you pick up anything you think you might need,” Vince muttered barely loud enough for his companions to hear.

  Fes grunted from up ahead. Vince noticed Meliae nod her head out of the corner of his eye.

  Stopping outside of Deskil’s shop, Vince stepped up to Fes and laid a hand on her forearm. “Get the cart up near the door, Fes. If someone challenges you, call out. I’ll see if we can get Deskil out here quick like,” Vince said. Letting go of Fes, he motioned to Meliae and stepped up to the door.