Chapter 43

King Dougal listened as Jasmina reported the daily occurrences at the keep and how the human lord seemed to be pining for the company of the gryphoness he had briefly met. Dougal’s eyebrows beetled together as he considered this oddity.

“First we have two dragonesses taking up with humans and now another human is having inappropriate thoughts about a lady gryphon” he shook his head wonderingly.

Jasmina nodded “Yes, your majesty, and this lake seems tied up in it somehow”

Dougal nodded and waved a lazy hand towards the pair of fairies “I want you two to go explore this lake, tell me what you find and see there. I suspect a magic even older than our own is at work” he finished mysteriously.

Ploom and Jasmina exchanged glances “As you wish Sire, Is there anything we should be looking out for in particular?” Jasmina asked, bobbing a curtsey that caused Ploom’s eyes to wander to her well-turned thighs.

The fairy King tugged on his mustache “Hoofprints” he said shortly, dismissing the pair and turning back to a scroll he had been reading,

Flying low over the tops of the trees towards the lake Jasmina couldn’t help feeling as though she was being kept ignorant of something. She had delivered Duncan’s missive to Katreen and read it out to her and her brother. Both seem elated at the news but she hadn’t missed the brief frown that had crossed the brothers face when he saw how eager Katreen was to meet Duncan once more, the gryphoness eagerly accepting the offer and asking her to pass on that she would return the following evening – in time for dinner.

Jasmina grimaced to herself as they flew down to the lake, the two fairies eyeing the water suspiciously, as they perched on a bulrush overlooking the water.

“What do you think the King meant?” asked Ploom as he bounced up and down slowly, causing the plants sausage-shaped head to dip dangerously close to the water.

Jasmina idly plucked soft tufts from the plant and let them fall slowly into the water “I don’t know – I wish I did. What did he mean by hoofprints?” she sighed and stood up slowly. She pointed to the north “lets go look for some, I’ll go round that way and you go the other and we’ll meet up”

Ploom nodded and took off in the indicated direction as Jasmina followed her own path.

Tomako gritted his teeth in pain and moved a little closer to the fire, waves of agony threatening to overwhelm his control, trying to stand only made his head swim and spots dance in front of his eyes. He looked round in renewed horror at the steaming corpses and pushed at the dirt as he tried to scoot away from the nearest.

Blood stained the linen round his thigh as the wound leaked. He knew he had to get help soon or die here alone. Flying was out of the question, nor would Shalla hear him, as she was involved with her human.

He moaned softly and scooted backwards on his rump, finally fetching up against the wagon. Grasping a wheel, he tried to pull himself upright only to fall back. Hissing through his teeth in frustration, he moved towards the horses, only to have them whinny in panic and move as far away as their tethers would let them, the smell of blood strong in their nostrils.

                He was about to try and call Cill when he felt a sudden chill on the back of his neck. The chill abruptly resolving itself into a sharp point that pressed firmly though with a slight trembling that suggested the holder was none too sure at its use.

 “Hello?” he croaked weakly, feeling foolish at leaving an enemy alive and anger at being at another’s mercy once more.

“Who the hell are you?” asked Caroline tensely, “Did you do this?” her voice rising in growing hysteria as she realized her predicament.

Tomako nodded his head weakly “Only tried to stop them…” he muttered ”but they attacked me” his head spun as blood loss took its toll on him. “Tried to save them…” his voice trailing off as he slumped forward weakly, his mana instinctively holding his form as he drifted into unconsciousness.

Caroline let the saber droop as her captive rolled forward and fell silent. She was on her own now. Left with an apparent outlaw as her prisoner, she thought the offspring of a hard man like Lord Hampton would not quail from dealing with the situation.

Steeling herself, she stood and walked around the campfire, after taking in the carnage and the horrendous wounds on the bodies, she was convinced that her mysterious outlaw was more lucky than skilled.

She returned to the unconscious man and with a grunt, rolled him over onto his back.

Peeling back the linen on his leg she examined it carefully, it looked grievous but survivable. Turning back to the wagon, she went in search of her sewing kit.

Father Champlain sat at his table, sweating in the candlelight as he made plans for the wedding of James and…his dragoness. He still had reservations over the idea but he had the lordships word to back him up and of course, he would have to baptize the dragon during the wedding to ensure the purity of the union. He half-hoped that the baptism would cause it to turn into a fire-breathing hell-spawn in front of the congregation.

 Kneading his pudgy fingers together, he blew lightly on the scroll that listed the wedding guests, the bishop’s name being prominent at the top of the page.

Glancing towards the altar he smiled, even if this event went without incident, the church would have a fine new golden altar cloth and a few other items he had assured Duncan were essential for the ceremony. He might be defrocked after this but he would leave his mark on his church and the keep.

Sipping on a cup of broth, he considered the news from hushed confessionals that Duncan had been seen keeping company with a strange beast also. One that he had taken up to his room privately, and although people were unsure what sex it was, it was surely unwise to allow tongues to flap so.

He made a mental note to have a word with the lad.

Ploom sighed as he flew slowly around the lake, dipping briefly now and then to inspect the ground in the hopes of spotting something before Jasmina. He had to admit his feelings towards the feisty flower-fairy were a little mixed. She could be soft and adorable and he shivered in pleasure at the remembrance of the kiss they had shared. At the same time, she could be as spiky as a thistle and just as painful when crossed.

Pausing atop another bulrush to catch his breath he thought he caught a flicker of moonlit whiteness at the lake edge, flittering up into the air he headed in the direction of the disturbance only to find an empty spot at the edge of the lake.

Shaking his head in frustration he muttered under his breath and was about to turn around when moonlight glittered on a fresh hoofprint set deep in the mud, water gently trickling in and gradually obliterating it.

Bouncing up and down in glee at having found this before Jasmina, he sent up a small spark to signal her while setting up a temporary barrier to keep the water from destroying the evidence.

A sullen buzz announced the arrival of the flower fairy, huffing at the small male she started to complain at the interruption “What’s the matter now?”

Ploom just smiled at her and pointed at the large hoofprint glistening beneath him.

Jasmina gaped and then angrily clenched her mouth shut before flying down to the print. “It doesn’t look very special,” she stated, gingerly reaching out a finger to poke the muddy print.

Ploom landed beside her and looked a little closer “There does seem to be some sort of magical halo there,” he murmured, also reaching out a curious hand.

“I can’t see one” Jasmina huffed, grasping a handful of mud and pondering shoving it down his neck.

“It’s very faint but there is definitely something there” Ploom replied, his finger finally contacting the greasy mud.

Jasmina was about to scold him once more when there was a damp blue flash and a yelp. Ploom flew up and then fell like a stone into the mud where he lay still on his back.

Jasmina let out a shriek and flew down next to him, tugging him free of the mud and dragging him towards the firmer ground. She felt odd as he weighed a lot less than her and her unease grew as a hot flush rippled through her, nipples peaking beneath her mud-caked uniform. She felt her gaze drag down to the smaller fairy, which though he had his eyes closed, was smiling broadly and wiggling against her

She staggered and they both fell in a tangle beneath a clump of reeds, Jasmina fetching up over the smiling form of her friend.

“Ploom?” she murmured, extricating herself from beneath him “Are you alright?”

“Mmm?” she heard him reply dreamily. Leaning over him she looked him over, he seemed unhurt but there was something different. She let out a gasp as Ploom’s hand suddenly closed over her breast, massaging it through her damp uniform, the feeling sending hot tingles of desire rushing through her body.

Hearing herself let out a moan she leaned into the caress, suddenly feeling a hunger growing within her, she looked down once more into Ploom’s now-open eyes and felt a different thrill as the emotions crackled between them.

The magic that had jumped to Ploom now trickled to Jasmina and she could not prevent herself bending to kiss the small fairy on the lips, the touch unlocking their urgent desires. She felt her clothing slip away as the usually shy fairy took the initiative, busy fingers tugging on the ties.

Jasmina felt as though she was in a dream, but she eagerly returned his affections, stripping his trousers off rapidly and casting them away and soon the pair writhed naked against one another, differences forgotten.

Jasmina rolled onto her back, spreading her thighs and letting out a brief gasp of pain as Ploom entered her, both of them consumed with need and though the young fairy was inexperienced, he knew what to do.

Both mud-covered fairies mated furiously on the bank of the lake, their moans and gasps attracting the attention of various other denizens of the pond. Insects sat and watched inscrutably, antennae waving as the curious ball of limbs thrashed towards the first of many mutual orgasms.

Hesitantly, Caroline tugged the cloth away from the angry wound on the youth’s leg. She had heard enough of her father’s tales about battlefield injuries to know she had to staunch the bleeding and prevent the leg from mortifying in the process. Holding a threaded needle tip in the flames briefly, she gritted her teeth and plunged it through the flesh, yanking both sides together. The odd youth didn’t so much as moan as she slowly worked her way down the length of the rip.

               She took in the face of her apparent prisoner and noted how young he seemed. Had he in truth killed all these men? What had been that odd roaring she had heard during the battle? It seemed unlikely, yet his hands were large and had many calluses as though he was used to heavy work. She huffed impatiently and wiped sweat from her forehead as she finished up, replacing the blood-sodden dressing with clean linen from her own stores before sitting back and admiring her handiwork. Covering him with a blanket, she secured his hands and then sat back against the rim of the wagon-wheel and toyed with the saber, her eyes not leaving his face.

Tomako struggled through painful nightmares, the faces of the men he had killed rising up before him repeatedly. The sullen roaring of his father in the background added to the horror of his actions as he felt the searing pain in his thigh once more and the last desperate act of flame as it charred the hapless human to cinders. He felt a crushing shame, how could he have been so proud and foolish? Was he doomed to keep making such mistakes despite having wise friends who broke custom to protect him and his sister?

Sadness engulfed him and he couldn’t help whimpering like a new-hatched whelp as he shuddered towards wakefulness.

Caroline watched the youth tremble and shiver under the blanket, scarcely an hour had passed since she had treated his thigh, she was a little surprised as such a wound would normally lay a man abed for days according to her limited knowledge. He made small sounds and twitched as if dreaming. She shook her head, she needed help to get to the keep and if this outlaw was the only help she had then she needed to make the best of it.

Leaning over him, she wiped his forehead clean of sweat once more and waited, her touch seeming to soothe him. She jerked back a little as he opened his eyes and met her gaze. His eyes! They were a brilliant shade of golden-yellow and she felt herself lean down toward him before she caught hold of her senses and shook her head as if to clear her mind. “How are you feeling?” she asked coldly, sitting back on her knees with the saber across them.

Tomako smiled weakly “A little better”, he murmured “My thanks for your healing”

“No thanks are required, merely your presence” Caroline replied, “You shall drive my wagon to Guildford Keep and surrender yourself to the Lord there for punishment”

Tomako sighed and tried to sit up “I was a fool” he admitted, “I thought they would stop fighting and listen to me, but they all attacked me and I had to kill them” he shuddered and clenched his eyes tightly. “I hear them still”

Caroline blinked; this callow youth had killed several highly trained guardsmen and outlaws all by himself? “Why did you attack us?” she asked with a tear in her voice “All we wanted to do was pass through the forest!” she threw a weak punch at him that pushed him back down onto the ground once more.

 “All I did was see the fight and try and stop them… I will take you to the keep and may Lord Duncan forgive me for interfering.” He coughed weakly and tried to sit up once more “I fear I shall need your help Lady…?”

“Lady Caroline Hampton,” She told him, icy nobility coloring her reply.

She was surprised as the youth groaned loudly and lowered his face.

 “N-not James’s friend?” she heard him ask as the enormity of his act grew ever larger in his mind.

Caroline frowned anew at him “You know James? Did he send you?”

Tomako nodded slowly, dreading James’s reaction when he returned, “He is a good friend. I am a blacksmiths apprentice at the Keep. He is eagerly awaiting your arrival, along with his…wife” he finished, the human word tasting odd to him.

 Caroline gaped at him in shock, ”His wife?!” she all but screamed at him, the saber suddenly pointed at him. “When did he get married!” she felt betrayed and scorned at the revelation and the fury lent strength to her arm.

Tomako gulped as the saber bobbed in front of his nose, “James and Cill were bonded in a ceremony not long ago. The wedding is to take place when you arrive as guest of honor” He wondered just how much he should tell this mercurial female.

Caroline growled and stood up, pacing back and forth whilst muttering to herself “Guest of honor” she turned to a tree and violently denuded it of branches with the saber whilst kicking it, screeching at the top of her lungs.

Tomako watched nervously, finally understanding the reaction, this female had planned on claiming James as her mate, but had now been thwarted in her desires.

Caroline suddenly dropped the saber point-first into the sod and slumped down near him, tears pouring from her eyes and shoulders shaking with grief.

“I came all this way,”she sobbed “and now...this” she waved a hand around at the battlefield “If he had only told me…they might still be alive”

Tomako said nothing. He was aware of the tension in the air as he watched her warily, knowing the saber could damage him seriously if she took it to him.

Caroline sat and thought furiously, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Tomako. “Why didn’t he invite his parents and family for the wedding?” she asked him, anger coloring her word as she once more tugged the saber out of the earth..

Tomako could do nothing but shrug “He thought his parents would not approve of his choice. I know Cill’s parents were very reluctant” he replied carefully.

Caroline’s knuckles grew white on the handle of the saber “She’s not a commoner is she?” she asked suspiciously, “I know the Earl would be livid if James married a commoner”

Tomako shook his head emphatically “Oh no, Cill is anything but common”

Caroline shook her head, brushing her errant blonde locks out of the way “Then why the secrecy” she asked herself before looking at her prisoner “What’s your name anyway? ‘Blacksmiths apprentice’” she sneered the last words.

“Tomako” he answered quietly, still feeling black guilt roiling in his mind. “Just Tomako”

Shalla lay on her back atop the makeshift bed, her mind whirling as Tommy slowly spread the warm oil over her belly, she felt as if she was under some sort of spell, one that she knew she could break whenever she wanted to but unwilling to in case it went away forever.

Firm hands caressed the supple hide and teased the softer areas beneath her breasts as her lover added his tongue to the seductive massage. The sensations sent little flashes of pleasure through her body, arching up against him she gently returned his touch, cautiously at first, then with growing eagerness.

Somewhere in their passion, clothing had been discarded and his naked flesh slid against her sensitive hide as he sought to comfort and please his lover. Shalla’s breathing was shallow and urgent as she felt her sex moisten in anticipation.

Tommy had heeded James’s words well and thrown himself into doing his utmost, knowing they had several more hours before her brother was due to return had reduced the sense of urgency, allowing him to give her a languorous introduction to the pleasures of mating.

He slithered up so he could kiss her on the muzzle, their eyes meeting, hers heavy-lidded and seductive while his were bright and eager.

“You are truly beautiful” he murmured between kisses “A dream come true”

Shalla smiled and gave a soft laugh “I know” she purred, a hint of her former arrogance coming into her voice “That drake father chose may have been nasty, but he was a high council member” she gave a squeak as he teasingly tweaked a nipple.

“Will you accept a humble novice?” Tommy asked with a grin as she moved slowly with him”

“Perrrrhaps” she murred in response.” If you please me”, A wicked twinkle coming to her golden eyes.

“And how should I go about pleasuring such a noble dragoness? He asked, his fingers gently tugging on the firm, oily nipple.

Her response was to gently roll him over so she could examine her first naked human close-up “I’m sure you’ll think of something” she snickered as her tongue snaked over his chest and then lightly teased his groin as she inhaled the scents there.

 The light from the fireglobes cast long shadows against the walls as she delicately curled her tongue around his swollen shaft, the slippery sensation making him groan with pleasure.

Encouraged by his reaction Shalla looked up at him as she continued to sample the tip, catching a drizzle of precum and savouring it eagerly.
She let out a squeak as he stroked her head, finding a spot behind her ears that made her shiver, her tongue snaked down to lap at his heavy balls, hefting them carefully as she wondered at how his seed would feel splashing into her. The memories that she had seen seemed pale shadows of the real thing and she felt her heart pound in anticipation.

Looking down at the grinning human, she was about to say something when he vanished, slithering down until his head was neatly planted between her squatting thighs and his face planted against her swollen lips. She fell forward with a groan and dug her talons into the bedding as her hips swayed gently from side to side.

Tommy worked his mouth eagerly, tongue busily attacking her clit while he moved up and down, juices trickling from his chin as she whimpered above him. The mental link telling him she was indeed pleased as her tail thumped slowly against the bedding.

Carlina lay back in her lair with a satisfied smirk on her muzzle; rubbing her freshly filled belly with a gentle paw, anticipating the new egg that would be along in a few months. Nokala snored gently beside her as he recovered from the efforts her heat had put him through. She still felt the glow of pleasure from the new-learnt positions and tips that Cill had been passing to her and wondered if she should perhaps write them out on a scroll sometime.

She slowly uncurled and stood somewhat unsteadily before making her way to the pantry. All this mating made her hungry, she was finishing off a haunch of deer when the portal gave a curious ring, signaling someone wished to come and visit.

Making her way to the portal room she looked hard at the smoky sigil hovering above the portal and frowned. It wasn’t one she was familiar with, but she sent the affirmative response back to the origin and waited.

The air above the portal grew chill and misty as the form of the visitor took shape.

Carlina cocked her head at the blue and white dragoness there, without leaving the portal the female bowed her head in submission and spoke “Noble Carlina, I am Nakkouralamina and I humbly request sanctuary. With peace in my heart and no malice for you and your kin, I beg permission to enter. My talons are empty and I bring no harm”

Carlina blinked, nodding her acceptance of the ancient oath and allowing Nakkour to step free of the portal, the dragoness hefting several heavy looking kegs with her.

“Be welcome and at peace, Nakkour” Carlina said finally, “You shall be safe here, what brings you to us?”

Nakkour gulped and turned such a look of naked fear on Carlina that she rocked back on her haunches, “My young have joined with your daughter, much to my former mates displeasure” she admitted, forepaws clutching at one another. “He attacked me. I went to see the Clanmaster and he sent me here to speak with you”

Carlina reached out and took Nakkour’s paws into hers “Come with me” she murmured, leading her to a separate sleeping room “We shall get you settled and then talk in the morning”

Caroline looked up at the moon and shuddered “How far are we from the keep?” she asked her reluctant captive, she had bound his hands behind him and propped him up close to the fire to help prevent chills.

Tomako followed her gaze, “Several hours, we should make it by dawn if we left now” he struggled to rise but was still too weak to succeed. “I fear I shall need your aid if I am to help at all”

Caroline glanced back at him, all her instincts were telling her that this boy could not have killed all those men but there was something else…

“So…” she asked him, scorn dripping from her lips “How did you kill them? With  a sword? Or a crossbow?”

“Nay lady” Tomako said quietly “I know not how to use a sword, just how to make them and in that I am but a novice” He nodded towards the now cool corpses. “I merely used those weapons I possess through nature”

Amusement split Caroline’s face briefly “You did this with no weapons but your hands?” she let out a scornful snort “I’ll wot that you were one left behind to clean the others boots”

Tomako felt himself shivering, another unpleasant human characteristic that the anifornum spell’s designer had inserted for added verisimilitude.

“I do not lie lady” he murmured and flexed his shoulders, his body was healing…slower than one gifted like James but his dragon constitution was rebuilding itself, drawing on inner reserves he had been unaware of.

He should shift and depart the forest when he was ready, never to return. Exile was the usual punishment meted out to rogue dragons and human-killers.

He seriously weighed this option, but he also counted his responsibilities, he owed James an explanation and he wanted to say farewell to his sister, wishing her and Tommy the best of luck before disappearing from the their lives forever.

His gaze slid to the female crouched nervously opposite him and realized he had a new responsibility now.  He could not risk turning back into his usual form yet but he had to get this female to the keep safely, if only to salve his own guilt for depriving her of her guards.

“If you would help me up to the wagon I shall take you safely to the keep,” he offered, his gaze meeting hers evenly.

Caroline hesitated, should she risk this unwashed brigands efforts or wait here until help arrived? The cold realization that sitting still they were vulnerable to the outlaws friends helped speed her decision.

“No tricks now” she warned, waving the rusty saber at him.

Tomako sighed, “Lady Caroline, I swear that I shall protect you from harm and that you have nothing to fear from me” He realized this perhaps wasn’t the best worded oath to make but he felt he had little choice.

Caroline peered at him, hearing nothing but honesty in his tone. Either this one was a skilful liar or telling the truth.

Struggling to his feet with her aid, Tomako clambered clumsily atop the wagon and stared at the reins and the whip laid neatly on the seat. He had no idea how to drive such beasts nor did he wish to harm them as openly as the humans had done judging from the scars on their rumps.

Caroline tugged the trembling horses into position with the ease of long practice and with soothing words backed them into the traces, attaching the yoke carefully she then removed the chocks blocking the wheels and joined Tomako at the drivers seat.

“Well?” she demanded, “lets go”

Tomako nervously picked up the reins and gave them an experimental tug, his brief views of horses at the keep told him these were meant to make the horses go but he was unsure how to get them started. Luckily for him, the horses were well trained and after adjusting to their hesitant new driver, promptly started back towards the track leading to the keep.

Ploom and Jasmina lay on their backs groaning, whatever it was that had caused the overpowering urge to mate had passed after several bouts of lovemaking and the pair were too exhausted to move. Both were grinning broadly however and Jasmina felt that she had never been happier.

“Wow” said Ploom weakly, inching towards Jasmina again. “That was amazing”

Jasmina could only grunt a satisfied reply but she snuggled up against the smaller fairy who wrapped his arms around her.

“D’you think this is what’s causing the humans to act funny?” he asked, yawning widely.

“Mmm..It seems pretty obvious…You only got hit by a little bit of it and look what happened” Jasmina reached over to ruffle his hair teasingly.

“But why did it affect me so much?” Ploom mumbled curiously “You touched it too”

Jasmina shrugged lightly “I don’t know, I think the King will want to know about this though”

“What…all of it?” Ploom asked, a hint of horror entering his tone.

“Mmm…. No, not all of it” Jasmina purred as she snuggled him close “I doubt we will need to go into that much detail.”

She arched her back happily and flexed her wings “We will need to bathe before going back anyway” she looked at the small fairy with amusement sparkling in her eyes “You look like more like a brownie now” she giggled, referring to their mud-colored tree-dwelling brethren.

Ploom nodded as he took in his filthy state and their new uniforms were sodden and caked with mud as well.

It didn’t take long for the pair to haul themselves free and carefully wash their clothes in the clean water. Ploom was thoughtfully quiet as he hung the uniforms up to dry> He had not considered the ramifications of his actions and now that he and Jasmina had mated...several times… what would she expect of him now?

He risked a glance over at her; the flower fairy was humming happily and washing off her long shapely legs. Ploom could not recall seeing her happy before and he hoped she would remain so.

Knowing their lust had been caused by an external agency made him feel a little apprehensive yet she didn’t seem to be concerned. Of course, he had those feelings before he touched the hoofprint but he had been too afraid to act on the impulses.

Under fairy law, the female made the choice of choosing a long-term partner though certainly they weren’t tied to a single mate. There were not enough fairies round to be that fussy. Ploom counted his lucky stars and could only hope for a repeat performance sometime, hopefully one that would not require strange hoofprints.

This made him think suddenly, he had seen a whitish flash before discovering the hoofprint but not seen anything beyond that. What could move so fast it was able to evade fairy vision?

Ploom pondered this for a while until Jasmina came up behind him, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her lips to the back of his neck in a manner that made his skin tingle.

“So what shall we do until the clothes dry?” she purred into his ear.

Shalla felt her thigh muscles tense as her vulva twitched under the attentions of her lover. Tommy lapped eagerly while his hands shifted to her stomach, rubbing the fine scales there and spreading the oil around.

Letting out a squeak of pleasure Shalla drenched the hapless young man with a gush of juices as she had a small climax, the scent familiar to him from when she had used it to hide from her parents, unwittingly marking him as hers even then.

Tommy paused as she groaned and writhed above him, her chest heaving and heart pounding as he watched her vulva wink insistently, the scent acting on him and making him harder than ever before.

Sliding himself forward he stroked her neck and arched upwards, letting her feel the slippery shaft bump against her outer lips.

“May I?” he asked, meeting her gaze as she shuddered deliciously at the contact.

“Yesss” she hissed in reply, grinding downwards against him, the well-lubricated shaft pushing its way past her lips with a squelch and brief squeal as Shalla’s virginity was breached.

Eager inner muscles gripped Tommy firmly as she ground down, pressing him hard into the bed, his shaft massaged by the rippling, hot flesh. This was far better than any woman he had bedded before, he thought as he matched her thrusts with his own.

Shalla whined and squirmed, as she settled into a rhythmic mating, savouring the sensations and crooning in pleasure as she felt his hot tongue against her nipples, the delicate nibbling centering in her belly. Though not in full heat she felt the desire to breed growing and her eyes glazed a little as her innards felt a firm cock pushing at her walls for the first time.

Tommy panted and heaved between Shalla’s spread thighs, doing his best to get as deep as he could inside her, mashing his loins against her clit as she ground down against him growling lustfully. There was an urgency to the mating, Shalla seeking meaning in her future and gaining pleasure while Tommy found himself wanting her all the more, their minds entangled and sharing their mingled sensations as they built towards a mutual orgasm.

Gingerly guiding the horses along the track at night was not as easy as Caroline had thought, and she was not aware that it was Tomako’s superior vision that was making it easy as it was. The slow pace of travel irked her though and she kept nervously looking over her shoulder as if expecting another horde of outlaws intent on ravishing her to come charging from the woods.

              She didn’t trust this rough-looking ruffian as far as she could throw him, yet she couldn’t stop her eyes from traveling down his body. He had recovered more rapidly than she had expected and put it down to her nursing skills, he was in fine shape and there was something about those eyes.

She had never seen eyes like that on a man before, only owls or hunting falcons, and she gave a little shudder as she recalled the effect they had on her when she first saw them. Berating herself for daydreaming she took the riding whip from the chair where it lay and flicked it at the horses rumps, wanting them to go faster. She jerked and squeaked when Tomako reached over and took it out of her grip, tossing it onto the road before scowling at her.

“Don’t hurt them, They’re tired and hungry,” he stated slowly, his yellow eyes glimmering in the moonlight. “And if you whip them to exhaustion, they will be unable to reach the keep before daylight”

Caroline snorted and tugged on her dress self-consciously “As if you care about the beasts. You just want your friends to catch us up”, she nervously looked behind them and clenched her fists.

Tomako nodded “I would indeed like my friends here…but this mess is of my own doing and I must see you safely to the keep”, he felt the dull throb of his wound and gritted his teeth against the pain.

Caroline snorted, making sure to keep to the edge of the seat “I am sure they will hang you as an outlaw regardless” she looked at him to see the effect of these words.

“No...I shall leave and go far away” Tomako replied sadly, “I did not think, and my pride cost those men their lives. I will have to leave my sister and friends”

“My father would hunt you down wherever you hid” Caroline stated flatly, “You killed several of his friends back there”

Tomako looked even more morose, “Then I shall have to meet him and tell him what happened. I only interfered because I heard a scream” he shook his head and went back to studying the road.

Caroline bit her lip and thought before speaking again, “You say you know James?”

Tomako nodded “We met when he claimed Cill as his mate” he felt awkward as to what he should say and how much he should say.

That’s an odd way of putting it, thought Caroline “So is she beautiful?” she asked, curious despite her anger.

“Oh yes” Tomako thought rapidly, what would be attractive to humans? “She is very beautiful, she and James make a wonderful couple” he finished lamely.

Caroline growled inwardly, insulted by the crass response. “I bet she is just some common scullery wench who has slept with every man in the keep” she muttered to herself.

Tomako blinked as his sensitive hearing picked this up, wondering why she would say such a thing.

 “Cill had never mated before she met James” he stated flatly “Nor is she common, she is the daughter of two very powerful er...people”

Caroline clenched her teeth, Tomako, not realizing he was making things worse, carried on.

“Her parents were very annoyed about her choice, but she wanted to choose for herself. She is very skilled and it’s obvious they love each other a lot”

Feeling confused, tired and angry, Caroline burst into tears, sobbing into a sleeve as she swayed back and forth on the seat.

Tomako stared at her sadly, he was obviously doomed to bring nothing but grief to others, but a strange impulse made him reach out and gently pull her against him where she clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably for several minutes until she finally calmed down and drifted off to sleep. He sighed and kept the horses pointed towards the keep and an uncertain reception.

Shalla lay on her back, wings spread slightly as she felt her human lover push himself as deep as he could inside her, she growled and moaned as her loins grew tight and innards fluttered against the heated member. Tommy straddled her tail as he tried to hold back until she had climaxed, drenched with sweat, he ground upwards against her clitoral ridge until she shuddered beneath him.

Shalla could not believe the feelings as she felt herself go into a delicious slow throbbing, reaching down she clasped the sweaty human’s rump gently as she growled and hissed her way through her orgasm, her delight obvious to Tommy through both her vocalizations and mental link as she held him deep inside her.

Letting himself sink into that embrace he felt himself climax powerfully within her, groaning with each shivering jet he released into his partner, the sensations mingling with hers as they both surrendered their feelings and shared the pleasure, species and culture irrelevant for the long moment their minds were entwined fully.

Sated and relaxed Shalla finally understood why Cill had done what she had and why she was willing to break all the rules for her partner and in a flash of insight, she realized that she would do the same. There was no shadow of doubt in her mind, this human was hers and with a sudden flush of embarrassment, she acknowledged that she was his also.

Tomako panted happily on her belly as she stroked his back slowly, still linked with her mind he could feel her happiness and he leaned up to kiss her on the muzzle.

“You were magnificent,” he murmured, still hilted in her warmth. Shalla responded just as eagerly and her long tongue laved him slowly as the lovers caressed one another in the afterglow.

Shalla had tuned out her brother and family during the mating but she realized that her mother would probably have felt at least some of her first mating and would be wondering who the lucky drake was, she gave a mental snort – she didn’t care anymore. Just wait till she told Eriga and Gergid about this.

Carlina settled Nakkour down and helped her move her kegs of hoard against the walls. She was just about to return to Nokala when she heard Nakkour give a strange whimper, just a brief sound of despondency. Turning back, she saw tears starting from the Blue’s eyes.

“What’s the matter?” she asked quietly, nuzzling the other dragoness.

“My daughter has mated” Nakkour moaned softly, her head slowly moving side to side.

Carlina looked puzzled “That should be an occasion to rejoice then” she murmured back. “Do you know the lucky drake?”

Nakkour shook her head “N-no…It was not a drake” she stammered, “I know that now”

Carlina blinked and put two and two together rapidly “A human?” she asked delicately, remembering that Nakkour had said her young had run off to join Cill.

Nakkour moaned and slumped “Yes” she muttered, “Divitchka will hunt her and her new mate down and kill them both” her paws clenched and clasped one another.

“He cannot know...I doubt he will have felt it” comforted Carlina as she stroked Nakkour’s neck gently, edging her towards the bed “And she is not without friends”

Nakkour nodded hesitantly, curling herself up and trying to get some rest as Carlina left to speak with Nokala.

To be continued