The Path to Destiny: Tia's Folly (12 page)

           
As he reached down to yank her robe above her hips, she
knew she had been wrong. He moved to crush her mouth with his and brutally
kissed her even as he raised his own robes. Tia felt a moment of defeat as she
relinquished control of the situation.

 
          
Feeling
him probe her womanhood with his cock, Tia spread her legs wider and yielded to
his uncontrollable passion. Tensing as he plunged deep into her, she sighed in
relief as she felt little pain.

           
Roland gripped her hips tightly and forced her to lift
her hips to meet his hungry thrusts. The mating wasn’t
all
unpleasant for Tia, she squeezed her eyes tightly and unbidden
images of Bylan sprung to her mind. She imagined it was he who was riding her
and she felt a rush of heat as her body produced its natural lubrication in
response to her budding desire.

           
Tia shoved the guilt she felt over her fantasy out of her
mind and concentrated on reliving the wonderful feelings she had experienced
with the green-eyed man. As she pretended it was Bylan who was kissing her and
Bylan who was pounding deep into her body, she felt herself lifting towards her
woman’s pleasure.

           
Roland groaned into her mouth and shuddered as he came
inside of her. Tia was disappointed that he had finished just as she had
started feeling something good out of it, but she consoled herself with the
idea that at least now she knew how to make the experience a little more
bearable in the future…if not pleasurable.

           
“I must go get some rags to clean us up,” Roland kissed
Tia tenderly as pulled out of her and stood up.

           
Reaching over, Tia opened the stone for him and then
commanded the stone to allow him entrance when he returned. She knew this meant
that the stones wouldn’t admit anyone else and would remain sealed but she
hesitated for just a moment after he had left.

           
On a whim, she reached down between her legs and for the
first time in her life explored the forbidden area. Easily finding the little bud
Bylan had taught her about, she fingered herself. It took a few moments to
figure out what felt
good
and what was just too
intense before she settled into an easy rhythm that soon had her gasping and
lifting her hips for the imaginary cock that just wasn’t there.

           
Reaching down with her other hand, Tia inserted a couple
of fingers into her slick folds and delved in. After a few more minutes of
trying to determine what felt the best, Tia finally found – what she could only
describe as – the sweet spot. Moaning appreciatively, she felt herself begin to
quicken and knew the end was near.

           
A light touch on her wrist startled her and she opened
her eyes in horror to find herself staring into Rolands smoldering eyes. Frozen
in her shameful position, Tia wondered what he would do. Nothing prepared her
for him stripping off his robe.

           
“Let me do this right this time.” Roland pulled Tia into
a sitting position and gently removed her robe.

           
“I’m sorry-” She was sure he was about to spank her or
something.

           
“Don’t apologize,” he pushed her onto her back and
bundled up their robes as he smiled at her. Gently raising her hips he pushed
the ball of robes underneath her before he settled between her thighs once
again. “I have struggled with controlling my desire for years; I know what it
is like. Let me help you find relief.”

           
Tia was surprised to note that he was already hard as he
began pushing slowly back inside her body. Pulling up his knees so that he was
kneeling with Tia’s legs pulled all the way open and to either side of him, he
reached down and began softly stroking her clitoris.

           
Heat immediately blossomed low in her abdomen and Tia
moaned enthusiastically.

           
“I am so close,” she breathlessly informed Roland with a
shy smile. “I don’t think I can last much longer.”

           
“I want to see your face when you find your completion,”
Roland choked as he said the unfamiliar and embarrassing words but sped up his
hand and began thrusting faster into her.

           
Closing her eyes, Tia saw Bylan leaning over her,
thrusting into her. Her nipples immediately hardened in response and her body
began shaking as her orgasm hit her unexpectedly. Stars exploded behind her
eyelids even as she reached for Roland’s hips to pull him harder against her.
Gasping and moaning, Tia jerkily raised her hips as the aftershocks shook her
body. Shuddering softly, she collapsed feeling as she
were
melting into the floor.

           
“My turn again,” Roland leaned over and nipped one of her
nipples.
“On your knees.”

           
Rolling over, Tia allowed him to enter her from behind. Her
mind wandered as he pounded away behind her. Grunting every now and then from
the force of his thrusts, Tia wondered how she would tell him she was barren.

           
She had no doubt the subject would come up sooner rather
than later. And if they continued to bond multiple times a day, she was going
to have to hold him off by admitting that she was still a little sore inside.

Growing
bored and just a little anxious to have him be done with it – she
really was
sore inside still – Tia
reached between her legs and cupped Roland’s sac. Rolling the sensitive globes
gently yet firmly, she knew her bonded was enjoying the special attention by
all of the little sounds of pleasure coming from his throat.

Speeding
up his thrusts, Roland moved in and out with little short bursts until he cried
out in rapture. Tia felt the corresponding rush of heat as he once again came
inside of her. Giving him a few moments to recover as his body trembled
uncontrollably; she then pulled away and went to wash up in the basin of warm
water he had brought with him.

Lightly
gliding her fingers over the stone, she instructed the ring to allow
anyone
coming to find them entrance.
Quickly pulling her robe over her head, Tia instructed Roland to do the same.
Taking a deep breath, she knew it was time to share what had happened with him.
She knew the lies that the Centaurs had told everyone but the truth still
needed telling.

Sitting
down in front of him, she gently told him it was time for them to share what
had happened in the other’s absence. Four moon cycles had passed since they had
last seen each other; their lives and their destiny’s had both been destroyed
in that time. And once again it was Tia’s fault. She had chosen to go see the
Centaurs and in doing so she had ruined their lives and their Afterlife.

           
 
It was much later
that evening before Uren reluctantly interrupted the pair.

           
“I have made the sleeping draught for you,” the Elder
gently reminded them of the duties they were forgetting. “It is time to make
the rounds.”

           
Nodding, Tia kissed Roland once more before rising to
follow Uren. It seemed no matter what they did, they were always being
separated. With a final glance over her shoulder, Tia emerged from the ring and
was surprised to see it was already dark.

           
“Uren.”
Tia touched his arm and
stopped. “If the Centaurs told you I was dead, why were you in the meadow?”

           
“This old goat didn’t believe it.” He winked at her. “And
a certain Falkerie assured me Helena was lying. Apparently, you made a couple
of friends while you were away.”

           
“Why would Helena lie about my death?” she questioned him
sadly. It just didn’t make any sense.

           
“I wondered that myself,” Uren shrugged as he shook his
head. “The best I have been able to come up with – since she died in the battle
and I cannot just ask her – is that she somehow learned that Roland had
promised to be at the battle. A participating Druid is much more effective in
killing the enemy than a Druid who is just there to observe.”

           
Rolling the idea around in her head, Tia decided it made
a lot of sense considering everything that Roland had just confessed to her.
Helena was probably just trying to strengthen the army against the Phoenix. She
hoped the Centaur woman didn’t know the Gods had forbidden them from joining
this war; or the horrific punishment Roland would receive for disobeying those
orders.

           
Taking the bag of sleeping draughts, she watched as Uren
turned away and entered the ring.
 

           
“The Elder sent me,” a deep voice said from behind Tia.
Turning, she saw an unfamiliar Druid. “I have been charged with holding the bag
of sleeping draughts and making the rounds with you.”

           
Now Druids are normally big and uncomely, but
this
Druid easily stood seven and a half
feet tall and was
absolutely ugly
!
Even covered from head to toe in his cloak, a blind man could tell he was built
like a tree.

           
“Of course.”
Tia struggled to
keep a straight face as she handed over the bag. Obviously, sending this Druid
with her was meant to give a message to the other beings. If she were asked to
interpret what it was, she would have to say;
Leave Tia alone
.

           
Having the giant along, she had no doubt the rounds went
much faster than they would have otherwise.
 
Most took one look at the man accompanying her, held out their hands for
the draught, and then scurried back into their tents the first moment manners
allowed them too. Giggling, at the ridiculousness of being afraid of a man who
was forbidden to do others harm, Tia turned to the last set of tents.

           
Her heart hammered in her chest and sweat beaded on her
forehead as she forced herself to walk towards the Phoenix guard. Taking a deep
breath, she tried unsuccessfully to stop the memories from the night she and
Roland were at the Warlord’s mercy from flashing through her head. A cold knot
of fear settled in her stomach as she had a sudden vision of their
torture…Panic coursed through her veins from the utter helplessness of the
situation causing her to trip over her own feet.

           
In a flash, a hand steadied her on her feet. Looking up
at her companion, she saw his understanding and his silent determination to
help her. His giant lopsided grin promised to protect her no matter what.
Garnering strength, she approached the camp with somewhat steadier legs.

           
“I am here to deliver the sleeping draughts,” she
addressed the guard.

           
“We have been instructed to bring you to the noblemen
when you arrive,” he replied, barely concealing his sneer.

           
“They can come to me,” Tia countered with much more
authority than she felt.

           
“I have my orders.” The guard stepped forward to grab her
arm.

           
With a sudden move, the giant Druid had the Phoenix guard
flat on his face with one arm twisted up behind his back. Placing a knee in the
guard’s back, he looked to Tia - whose mouth was opening and closing like a
gasping fish - for direction.

           
“You are lucky I don’t instruct the giant to break your
arm,” a man remarked with an amused smile as he approached the trio. “However,
as I am sure that would be a mark against
him
according to his Gods, I am going to ask him to let you go and allow
me
to dole out a suitable punishment.”

Turning his attentio
n to Tia, the man – a Phoenix nobleman
by the
look of him – held out his hand in invitation. “Hello. I am
Lord Scythe. I have some private business to discuss
with you but you are welcome to bring your bodyguard.”

           
Tia ignored the noble’s hand - loath to touch another
Phoenix man ever again - and motioned softly for her companion to let go of the
guard.

           
“I was led to believe everyone had heard my story,” she
softly replied, lowering her eyes to the ground to lessen the impact of the
insult she had just leveled at him.

           
“I’m sorry.” The Lord dropped his hand, looking uneasy.
“The Peace Council is very unpopular with the Phoenix people and I just wanted
the chance to apologize. This violence
should
not
be the way of my people, but I do not know what the nobles can
do
to change the minds and hearts of
people.”

           
“This is the start.” She just hoped she was right.

           
“I need to ask you some questions,” he told her but his
tone was compassionate, “I need to know what happened to you so I can relay the
story when it comes time to pass judgment on Bylan.”