To Claim the Elvin Princess: Apprentice (21 page)

36

Rasten arrived at the terranak pens expecting another routine lesson on flying, having only flown a few dozen times. He quickly discovered this not to be the case, spying his beast laden with supplies and one of the Elvin flyers holding a long and heavy coat, which was lined well and suited for much cold. The elf was grinning unabashedly too.

“No normal lesson?” Rasten sighed.

“None...you’re going on patrol...to spy on the Eridians. Apparently certain ones think you have more skill than you do, and wish you to start getting some practical experience!”

“Either that or the Princess is tired of your ass!” another suggested.

“Probably wants him to earn his keep!” the first countered.

“Where are we going?” Rasten asked, more curious than terrified, a fact that made him worry about his sanity.

“To the east, towards A-Caridzia...Amein is curious to see what sort of Eridian presence might be within striking distance of it.”

“How far is that?” Rasten wondered.

“Two days hard flight! We’ll be gone a week or so...” the leader, a taller than normal elf named Narietin advised him. “How’s your skill with a bow?”

“”Not all that hot...I can barely hit a target at a hundred paces so far. How do you hit anyone while flying?”

“Practice! If we stir up some Eridian flyers, you might get some good experience. Just be careful, and spend more effort dodging...getting shot with an arrow hurts like hell, at least if it doesn’t kill you!”

“Great...thanks for the encouragement!” he muttered.

He quickly found the heavy coat oppressive, the back tail being split so it would lie flat against his legs and the back of his mount. He quickly got over his annoyance as they climbed high, the air becoming surprisingly chilly at height, even this far south. Alarinad was in the upper sub-tropical part of the planet, and it’s winters were passably mild, unlike the more northerly areas where the Eridians held sway.

Rasten wondered how his ass might fare, hoping the hours each day spent on a leather saddle, either on a horse, allowon or terranak might have prepared it for flying such a long distance day after day.

He was kept busy watching the terrain passing slowly below them, trying to reconcile what he was seeing with the maps he had studied, his teacher of
geography
as inflexible and determined that he master their subject as any other, including Master Roein. They barely stopped, eating as they flew, and as the sun was setting, they chose a place to land near a small Elvin village.

When their mounts had been hobbled, they headed into the village, and found a small place that seemed to Rasten to be much like an inn on earth might have been. They were greeted warmly, and when Rasten was introduced their welcome was assured, everyone in the Elvin world aware of who he was.

Sitting at a table, his companions were much amused at how the Elvin women all seemed to be admiring Rasten. Their server seemed so excited she was in danger of wetting her panty and would have probably been willing to be had on a table, had Rasten been inclined. Rasten’s delighted smile and natural flirtiness did nothing to discourage her either.

“We should follow him around and snag the ones he disappoints!” Narietin suggested, nudging the other elf, Kimarien with his elbow.

“What? Oh, come on...I’m not that much of a...” he got no further as another Elvin female slipped up beside him, and gave him a luscious and sexy kiss with no warning. She giggled and disappeared handily, back to where a group of females were sitting, apparently winning a bet, and collecting handily from her boldness. Rasten merely looked guilty and shook his head.

“If this keeps up, we’ll have much to report to the Princess!” Kimarien suggested, teasing Rasten.

They were busy eating when several Elvin men entered, having heard that flyers from the capital had stopped for the night. They moved close, and pulled chairs close, eager to introduce themselves and speak.

“You seem concerned?” Rasten spoke, detecting a current of worry among the elves.

“Your sight is good! We wish to speak of something we’ve noticed...in the past month we’ve observed flyers passing near.” the village leader, Amarein declared.

“Low or high?” Narietin asked quickly.

“High, and coming from the north! They mostly pass northwest to southeast, and then swing more easterly, but we are less sure of that, as they are far afield when they turn!”

“I assume you can spy no markings or other identifying marks, that might reveal who they be?”

“Too high...but we are sure they are not Elvin!”

“Not likely...we are overflying the Eridians systematically, to see what they’re up to, but those flyers would not be coming this way, certainly not without landing!” Narietin declared, certain. Rasten had been staring into space, and suddenly spoke.

“The Eridians wish to study the Elvin, for much the same reasons we are observing them! Shocara is perhaps wiser than those who ruled before her,” he suggested.

“How can you know that?” one of the village Elvin gasped.

“He apparently has Sayarin’s sight,” Kimarien replied.

This seemed to well please all those hearing it, and they talked for an hour, before taking their leave, pleased that word of this oddity and their concerns would not just reach the capital, but would be heard by Amein, Rasten having her ear, among other things.

The place they were at had a half dozen small rooms upstairs, which were available for a modest fee. They headed up, intent on getting awing at first light. Rasten found the room neat and tidy, the bed delightfully soft and inviting, being large enough for a couple to occupy easily. He was amused as always, that the room door had no lock, the Elvin so fanatically honest that none might stoop to stealing or be evil enough to attach another. Due to his earth upbringing, this still made him nervous, but it was at least intellectually appealing.

He had slipped under the covers, and wiggled, enjoying the soft and smooth fabric of the sheets, when he paused, hearing the tiny sound that indicated his door was opening. Knowing his sword was across the room, he cringed, considering what he might do. There was a small Elvin light glowing in the hallway, and by that light he managed to note that it was an Elvin female, nearly bare, which was carefully shutting the door, having slipped in.

Rasten was waiting, when this one sat down gently on the bed, clearly intending something naughty. She gasped when he grabbed her wrist, and turned on the light. They sat, staring at each other a moment, before the young female smiled. Rasten noted that she was wearing a long thin gown, such as many Elvin females preferred for lounging and sleeping. Judging by the female fragrance he could smell, she was not wearing her Elvin panty.

“Lord Rasten? I am Heleinia, the inn keepers daughter! Might I grace your bed, and let you have me? Please? It would mean so much to me! You may instruct me as you wish...I am eager to learn and be more skilled!”

“How old are you?” he wondered.

“I am just turned fifteen, but am well allowed to be with any adult!” she whispered, looking so excited Rasten feared she might collapse.

“Have you even learned to kiss well?” he teased, but quickly regretted it, as she hopped astraddle of him and applied her lips to his. By the time she was desperate for air, he had a throbbing erection, which she noted easily, wiggling her eager bottom.

“Please...I never get a chance to be had by someone special like you, being out here in the village!”

“I shouldn’t, even though I want to!” he sighed.

“Why?! she exclaimed. “If you want to we just should!” she insisted, hoping up to turn off the light, shed her gown, and slip under the covers in one perfect set of movements.

Rasten awoke while it was still dark, the feel of the young Elvin female’s bottom firmly against his middle. He had given in to her persistent eagerness, having her three times, shocked at just how skilled such a young one might be. He had laid awake, guilty and worried, knowing that somehow Amein would discover his having of her, and be upset and angry, or worse, hurt. His partner had no such worries, being a perfectly normal and healthy Elvin female, obsessed with being had, and seeing no reason why anyone wouldn’t be so inclined.

He managed to get up, and drag himself downstairs to eat, with his fellows, regretting missing sleep even more than being guilty. He hoped he might slip out without a display from his naughty young elf, but before they reached the door, he had her wrapped around him, giving him a suggestive kiss goodbye, as he helplessly held her.

“Come back when I’m old enough to have a child, and have me...please?!” she whispered, her eyes gleaming with her desire.

“Perhaps...you’d like that?” he whispered back.

“Every female elf on the planet would!” she suggested, sighing, and looking utterly infatuated.

Walking to their mounts, it didn’t take long before Rasten heard the thing he dreaded.

“”Our friend certainly has a way with the Elvin females, doesn’t he? Perhaps we should take lessons from him?” Kimarien teased, speaking to Narietin.

“I’m sure the Princess would wish him to be well taken care of on our journey!” Kimarien suggested next. Rasten stopped, and turned.

“You do understand that the Princess has some issues with normal Elvin relations at the moment, and hearing about my failings will not likely be rewarded, certainly not for me, but also likely for who ever brings such tidings?”

Narietin glanced at Kimarien before replying.

“We have heard rumors that she might be jealous...but find that difficult to fathom. No elf is jealous!”

“How many are imprinted to someone else?” Rasten asked calmly.

“Is such even possible?” Narienin asked, astounded.

“Elder Madrini suggests it is. She thought to imprint me to her, to assure I would agree to return here, but is more afflicted than me! She’s not pleased by it either, and I’d pity any poor soul who makes her confront such....it is quite embarrassing to her,” Rasten sighed.

“Then we would be wise to make no issue of it. We are dearly devoted to her, and have no desire to burden her more than she is!” Kimarien suggested.

“That would be both kind and wise!” Rasten declared, trying hard not to grin, as he put a hand on each elf’s shoulder. “I want nothing but the best for her!” he insisted.

And I certainly don’t want to be the cause or object of a jealous female fit either!
he thought, hoping Amein might not find out by some arcane power what he had done with the young female elf.

37

Rasten and his fellow flyers had made a long foray over Eridian lands, high and relatively safe, but well able to spy in detail on those below. Rasten had found using the Elvin equivalent of binoculars to be amazing, they not being solely optical, but using a strange Elvin sorcery to enlarge the stereoscopic image far more than an earth set would have. He could clearly see what individual Eridians on the ground were doing, while they were invisible with just his eyes alone.

They had over flown a dozen villages when Rasten spotted something curious; a mass of terranaks were sitting in a field just outside the small village. He waved to Narietin and gestured at the village.

“Why all the terranaks?” he called. This got his companions to look closer, and they were soon appalled.

“They’re planning to raid somewhere!” Kimarien replied. “Lets have some fun!” he called. “Follow and stay close!” he yelled. Rasten had no idea what the elf might consider fun, if it required any involvement with at least fifty Eridian flyers, but he wasn’t about to ask, and collect any grief either.

His companions soon were dropping earthward, and Rasten was busy trying to stay close and in line. He did manage to note that his Elvin companions had grabbed their bows, and nocked arrows, clearly intending something hostile.

They leveled out barely above the trees, their mounts moving at maximum speed, and Rasten realized they would pass over the village at great speed, within easy range of their bows. That they would also be in range of the Eridian’s bows seemed less pleasant to contemplate.

The Elvin goaded their mounts to both screech loudly as they passed over, unleashing their arrows, and taking down two of those tasked with guarding against just such a surprise attack. The village disappeared behind them, and they made a long sweeping turn, the Elvin clearly intending to make a second pass. Rasten thought that crazy, since now the Eridian’s would be roused and alert, but he soon saw his fellow’s intent, as they flashed over the mass of hobbled Terranons, which a dozen men were desperately trying to mount, eager to pursue the enemy. The Elvin cut into a tight turn, circling the area, and shot arrow after arrow down into the hapless enemy, terrorizing them. The Eridians seemed unable to decide whether to mount or try and return fire, and when a half dozen arrows came up at them, they quickly turned away, flying at full speed barely over the tree tops.

Rasten assumed they were flying randomly, but soon changed his mind, when they dropped down into a long valley, which would hide them from the Eridians, and let them gain an insurmountable lead. They were far away, before they saw even a trace of the Eridians in the far distance, but these soon gave up, and turned back.

Later, when they were back on Elvin soil, and had landed for the night, the Elvin were eager to hear his thoughts, and to give him a hard time too.

“Trousers dried out?” Narietin asked good naturedly.

“Weren’t wet to begin with! Do you always do stuff that crazy!”

“Of course! It’s quite effective for cobbling up the Eridian’s plans! What...you think that’s too risky? Just be glad there were no Elvin bowmen on the ground...now that would be wicked!” Kimarien laughed.

“It’s just too bad we didn’t have dozen of our people...we could have taken the lot of them!” Narietin suggested.

“Are you...really? Elvin can fight against those odds and win?”

“Well of course! The Eridians are good fighters, but they aren’t all that disciplined...too much pride to take orders, and be treated like a servant! They all know how to fight, but tend to get in each other’s way at times. If one of us is told to stand in one place, and not move, they will take an arrow rather than break and fail! That cohesiveness is astoundingly effective against a disorganized force!”

“And the Elvin will follow that sort of order, even if it seems suicidal?” Rasten wondered.

“It helps to have faith that your leaders won’t send you to die for nothing, and we certainly do! No commander would wish to suffer the guilt of losing his warriors for nothing!” Narietin agreed. Rasten had no idea if this was reasonable or some perverse Elvin habit, but shrugged, intending to hear Amein’s thoughts at a later date.

The next day they continued on, and made another incursion over Eridian territory. They saw nothing unusual and merely tallied the numbers of occupied dwellings, working to systematically get a count on their enemies. It was on their return to Elvin lands that they spotted a large mass of Eridian flyers, flying straight towards the nearest Eridian village. Being outnumbered at least twenty to one, they chose to give them wide berth, more eager to reach their destination, to see if their fears were warranted. 

Their first hint that they were wise to be concerned became visible, when the noted much smoke rising from where the village should lie. They came in cautiously, swinging in a downward spiral, and finally landed, seeing no sign of movement or life. They hobbled their mounts, and moved toward the village cautiously, swords drawn. The street was littered with bodies, mostly Elvin men, but a few women and children could be seen. The dwellings had been burnt, or what could be set afire, since most were constructed of stone.

“Well, we know where the Eridians were headed...the ones we saw yesterday!” Rasten sighed. They soon had several children, who had run into the woods to escape, and who had been watching emerge, having determined that it was Elvin and not Eridians who were present. All looked utterly terrified, and distraught.

The oldest was a boy of maybe twelve, and Narietin motioned him to come near.

“What can you tell us? This was the Eridians?”

The boy nodded, looking likely to cry more. “They took my mother, and most of the young women!”

“How many?” Rasten wondered. The young elf shrugged.

“Maybe three dozen! Almost every flyer took one. They killed the men, and took some of the older boys, and burned the houses!”

“How long were they here?” Kimarien asked.

“Maybe an hour? Maybe two...I got these to run with me to the forest...my sister and brother wouldn’t...leave!”

“Are these all that escaped?”

“I think...”

A survey turned up no others and a count showed them that nearly eighty had been killed. Kimarien flew off to the two nearest villages, to get more help, so that the dozen surviving children might be moved, and the dead dealt with. Rasten had forced himself to stay focused, the sight of the dead Elvin turning his stomach, and tempting him to a level of rage he had not thought possible. That innocent Elvin, living peacefully, having nothing to do with the wars or fighting, might be slaughtered, or taken prisoner, was more than he could bear. Amein’s words of caution, regarding the need to resist the urge for revenge seemed especially hard in the face of this.

They worked feverishly to get everything done, not arriving at another village with the children until well after dark. The Elvin here were waiting, and handily scooped up the orphans, taking them home with no hesitation or complaint; they would unselfishly care for them until proper relatives were located, and their young refugees placed with close kin. Such was the way the Elvin addressed such a crisis.

Rasten finally got a chance to sit and relax at the local inn, waiting for something to eat. The Elvin females seemed somber and reserved, a dark pall well settled over everyone. The people all understood that if the neighboring village might be attacked and sacked so horridly, they were likely within range of the Eridians also. No one could remember such an event.

“The Eridinas were once far away...they have moved steadily closer over the years, but never made any attempt to attack us,” the innkeeper suggested, coming to chat with them a moment. “We always wished to leave the lands between our villages empty, but apparently the Eridians decided to do otherwise!”

Narietin nodded. “They have grown bolder, needing new lands to farm to support a growing population. Were we not at war, it would perhaps matter little. There is much good land on this world...we occupy not a third of it!” Rasten thought this interesting.

“On my birth world, many wars were fought over resources...growing civilizations over ran others, desperate for a way to feed their people, or to have metals and other valuable things. But somehow I gather that’s not been true of the Eridians and Elvin?”

“I think they attack us from spite...and much desire for revenge. It’s stupid, but every death makes them more eager for vengeance, which only causes more to die! Perhaps they will be happy when the last of them is killed?!” Kimarien suggested.

“There are times like this when I would be happy to help them get to that place! Still, we know first hand how foolish such vengeance is.” Narietin sighed.

“I find it hard not to despise them at the moment. Amein warned me of such,” Rasten admitted.

The innkeeper had wandered away, but soon returned.

“What might be done to defend us better?” he asked simply.

“We will have no choice but to put more warriors in all the vulnerable villages, and to watch more closely. That may well be what the Eridians wish for, hoping we might be less well prepared somewhere else. Still, unless we abandon places like this, we would have little choice,” Narietin suggested. Rasten was staring into his cup of wine, merely listening, struggling with his own feelings. He looked up suddenly, and grinned.

“They have attacked a half dozen far flung places since the attack on Alarinad. They will wish to attack a much larger target, close in somewhere. Shocara has chosen to wage a guerilla war!” he exclaimed, sure this was so.

“What’s this word...guerilla?” Kimarien wondered puzzled. This caused Rasten to explain several things, ending with the theory of warfare.

“Large armies or masses of warriors are difficult and unwieldy to maneuver quickly. Small bands, highly mobile, can attack swiftly, and then disappear, sparing themselves casualties, and inflicting much damage to their enemy. Worse, they demoralize their enemy, who sit, terrified, waiting for an attack that may well not come. Our terranaks are perfect weapons, for bringing warriors to bear, and then spiriting them away quickly!”

The Elvin were fascinated by this. “How do you counter such a thing?”

“By doing the same thing to your enemy! You have to make him just as afraid, just as unsure. We outnumber the Eridians greatly, and could drive them crazy, should we be inclined to carry the war to them. It is hard for anyone to go off to fight, if they are worried that there will be nothing there when they return!” Rasten suggested.

“You need to have a serious chat with the Princess!” Kimarien advised him.

“Oh, he will, especially if she ever finds out about that cute innkeeper’s daughter!” Narietin teased quietly.