To Claim the Elvin Princess: Apprentice (22 page)

38

Rasten had been aware that the Elvin possessed means to communicate from place to place, distance having no meaning. What the Elvin and others termed
sorecery,
was to Rasten’s eye something between a technology and magic. Having no understanding how it or for that matter any Elvin devices worked, he found calling it sorcery somehow apt. He went with Narietin to the village center, to the small meeting house that served a variety of functions. One of them was to hold the device that let them communicate with distant places, especially the capital of Alarinad.

Rasten was not sure whether the device reminded him more of a crystal ball, or some other thing. Narietin stepped up to it, and touched it strongly, making a series of light gestures on the smooth curved surface. In only a moment, what seemed to be a three dimensional image coalesced around them, of another space, where two Elvin seemed to be observing them.

“Greetings! I am Narietin and Lord Rasten is here with me...we have urgent news for the Princess!” he began, before giving his location, and being greeted in turn by the others. He was soon explaining what had occurred in the adjacent village to the shocked listeners.

When he was finished, being like most Elvin capable of being brief and precise when necessary, one of the distant Elvin asked what else he wished conveyed to Amein.

“The other villages in the area are as vulnerable to attack as this first one. A suitable number of warriors should be placed here, to discourage any additional attacks!”

“Lord Rasten, might you have any other insights?” the one on duty in Alarinad asked him, likely to be polite.

“Tell her that is likely what they wish, but that there is no choice. I have other thoughts I will share with her in person, as to how the Eridians might be dealt with!” They exchanged goodbyes, and the image faded away, when Narietin again touched the crystal device.

Rasten was thrilled that none of the local Elvin females were inclined to try to talk themselves into his bed. His mood was dark and distressed, the images of the dead Elvin still sharp and unforgettable. His companions, who had seen much horror were not untouched, the dead women and children touching them in ways that dead fellow warriors normally did not. Rasten noted their quietness, and thought to inquire as to it’s nature.

Kinarien shrugged. “It is one thing to see warriors fall, quite another to see innocent ones slaughtered. I have known nothing such as this in my time! The Eridians are fond of trying to capture Elvin women, prizing them greatly, but have never just killed everyone in a village like this!”

“Perhaps they are growing more desperate, and willing to do more terrible things, hopping foolishly to make the Elvin give ground! On my birth world, there were many times when some group decided to attack non-combatants, to try and overwhelm their enemy with terror or refugees!”

“They play with fire, if they do such, the Elvin capable of annihilating them easily!” Kimarien suggested bitterly.

“Aren’t the Eridians composed of many different groups...tribes or such?” Rasten wondered.

“Yes. They have five major tribes, or clans. They co-operate at times, in attacking us, but mostly act separately, even attacking each other, to steal land, women or precious things. The only unity they have is in hating us!” Narietin suggested wryly.

“But doesn’t Shocara rule over them?”

“Maybe...when they wish to listen to her! Her father ruled over all of them many years, before he was crippled, and they follow her likely out of fear...it is rumored that none can stand against her blade.” Rasten stared into space a time, sipping his wine.

“I somehow suspect this was the doing of someone other than her...from what I’ve heard, she seems too shrewd to have done something this likely to provoke the Elvin. Her attack on Alarinad was sly and brilliant, not foolish! Only a fool runs in and pokes a dangerous animal with a stick, no matter how much they might hate it or wish to kill it!”

“True, but if the Eridians were smart, they wouldn’t be attacking us at all! They could gain so much from peace!”

“Has anyone suggested that to them recently?” Rasten wondered. He was surprised at the startled looks on his companions faces. Finally Narietin chuckled.

“I imagine there would be few willing to carry such an offer to the Eridians, considering how they treat captives!”

“That might be true. However, we need to capture more Eridians, and find out better what they really want! Are they fighting from spite, for vengeance, or something else...something we don’t even recognize?” Rasten wondered.

They soon tired, and retired, eager to get up early the next morning, and head off.

The next day’s flight was uneventful, no other flyers visible. They flew high, but tracked along the line between Elvin lands and Eridian, spying on those they might find far below. They spotted no masses of Eridian flyers, which seemed a good thing, and as evening approached, they neared the village where they had stopped on their way from Alarinad. Rastin was less than eager for this, worried that his over eager young bedmate might be inclined for a repeat visit.

She was flirty and warm, but seemed less overtly pushy than she had before. Rasten thought he might be safe, when she made no effort to follow him upstairs, but had barely gotten into bed when the door opened, and someone slipped in. Sighing, much annoyed, he turned on the light as he felt the bed move. He was shocked, but not because Helienia was present; another slightly older seeming elf was sitting, eyeing him and looking quite eager and excited.

“Who are you?!” he demanded.

“I am Helienia’s mother! May I spend the night with you, and play?” she asked, breathless. Rasten frowned, suspecting he knew exactly what she was interested in.

“What is your name?”

“Amiteirnia! Please?” she begged.

“Will you promise not to allow yourself to get pregnant...that’s what you want, isn’t it?”  Rasten was delighted by how intense her blush was.

“It...it isn’t terrible! Please?”

“Amiteirnia!  It is not proper for someone else to have my child before Amein does! Is that not true?” Rasten spoke quietly, touching her face gently. She sighed heavily.

“Yes...I was hoping you might not know such! Please forgive me, but I want it so much!”

“You think having my child would make you special?”

“Of course it would! Our whole family would be so thrilled and proud! If Heleinia was old enough, she would do the same! You found her acceptable?”

“I was surprised at how skilled she is...she was quite delightful to be with!” he confessed, feeling guilty admitting such to the young one’s mother.

“Wonderful! I would not wish her to disappoint you or any other! But she is still learning. I should at least like a chance to show you what I might do in your arms!”

Amiteirnia had slipped her hand between her legs and touched herself while Rasten was occupied watching her face. He suddenly had her fingers, strong with the essence of her femaleness at his nose, a moment before she leaned close to kiss him. Keeping her lips on his, she managed to get up enough to pull the sheet down, and slip astraddle of him, caressing his rapidly growing organ with her wet self. By the time she pulled her lips away, he was deep inside her.

“Don’t get pregnant!” he managed to moan, overwhelmed by his desire.

“I’ll try!” she purred vaguely, not clear what she intended, to avoid or to get pregnant.

In the morning, Rasten woke while it was still dark, hoping to slip out unnoticed. He soon gave this idea up, as Amiterinia woke and grabbed him, giggling, taking a hold of his maleness easily. Nothing would do but to have her again, before she would let him get dressed. While he was pulling up his trousers, he looked at her sternly.

“You didn’t?”

“I didn’t try!” she giggled. Rasten’s truth sense could detect no over lie, but he remained suspicious.

“Didn’t try to get pregnant or try to avoid it?” he asked. This garnered him a strong blush, and a guilty expression.

“Did you find me acceptable?” she asked, clearly eager to change the subject.

“Of course, but I would be more pleased if you had obeyed me!”

“Please...don’t be angry at me...I will be discrete, and not let any beyond my closest family know what I’ve done!”

“You think something like that can be kept quiet? Really? Elves don’t gossip?”

“We can keep a secret when it is necessary! You’ve made me a very happy elf, and my daughter too! It isn’t often that ordinary Elvin can be with someone like you!” she sighed.

Rasten laughed at this. “I don’t think of myself as all that special. You Elvin females are all amazingly naughty and delightful. It is hard to say no to any of you!”

“And we much enjoy that!” she whispered, kissing him.

He was almost to his terranon, walking with the other’s when Kimarien spoke.

“Innkeeper’s daughter?” he teased. Rasten sighed, exasperated.

“Her mother! No wonder the young one is such a naughty tart!”

“I’ve yet to find an Elvin female that isn’t so inclined!” Narietin laughed.

They flew all day, approaching Alarinad at dusk. They were surprised to have a half dozen terranaks flown by Elvin warriors greet them, intent on determining who they were. That several had bows strung and arrows ready gave them a reason to feel nervous. When they landed, Rasten made his way to the Citadel quickly, eager to find Amein. He changed his mind, when he stopped to relieve himself, noting that he still had a strong scent of Elvin female on his organ. He managed to slip upstairs and into the bath, without being observed, eager to get clean and smelling of something other than Elvin pussy. He emerged to find a couple of servants eager to help him dress, and likely any thing else he might be inclined for.

He made his way downstairs, and found Amein speaking with a dozen others. He was worried that she might ask him a leading question, which he would not wish to answer honestly, and which answer her truthsense would determine was false. Instead, she asked something that brought up other, wicked feelings.

“How did you feel about the Eridians after seeing our dead women and children?” she asked softly, stepping close.

“I understood what you meant, about it being hard to resist the desire for vengeance. We have to do something, to punish them, so they will never touch any but a warrior!”

“Good! I am inclined the same...now tell me...what is this thing you’ve spoken of...that thing called a
guerilla
war?” she demanded, clearly curious.

39

Shocara was still debating what to do about the Elvin captives when a worse bit of news reached her ears. One of her messengers had returned from a long transit to the east, relaying instructions and gathering information for her. She had been eating with many of the men, talking about potential targets for more raids, when Ashuta had come seeking her, bearing the news of his long transit.

“How was it?” she wondered.

“As well as ever...it is a long journey! The weather is getting worse too...much rain and cold!” he sighed, warming himself by they fire.

“Have the other’s been reasonable or are they doing things I’d be displeased over?”

Ashuta shrugged. “Most seem inclined to be patient, and wait for your word...but not all. The Kaderi attacked an Elvin village...” he replied.

Shocara stared at him several moments considering this. “What did they do...raid for goods and valuables?”

“No Princess...they took many women, and killed everyone that didn’t escape, then burned what they could...” he answered, expecting Shocara to explode.

“Are they insane?!” she shrieked. “What do they think the Elvin will do about that?”

“They seem unconcerned, and are quite proud of their effort. Their leader, Rumarin, suggests you would be more to their liking should all Eridians start trying to exterminate the Elvin!”

“Do you know how many they killed?”

“Nearly a hundred...they took three dozen captive, and have them in their village!”

Shocara sat, considering this.

“What might you be inclined to do regarding this?” Hacarim wondered.

“Send word to they other villages nearby. I want a hundred flyers gathered in two days! The Kaderi need to select a new leader, one less stupid than Rumarin!” she cried, her anger visible.

“You think to persuade him to step aside?” Hacarim wondered, frowning.

“I intend to take his head off, to express my disapproval!” Shocara suggested. “If the Kaderi aren’t inclined to listen to my words, we will burn their village to the ground also! We shall also take the Elvin with us!”

“But what if the Elvin attack them, intending to recover their women?” someone asked. Shocara grinned.

“That will be the Kaderi’s problem, won’t it?” she said simply. “I won’t be ignored, on something this important!”

“Why do you seem so concerned about what the Elvin might do?” Hacarim wondered. Shocara looked tired and annoyed.

“Understand this...the Elvin out number us beyond your ability to even count! Their sorcery is such that they might wipe us from the very world! We walk a very thin line between pushing them to give in to us, and them simply ridding the world of us! Should we become too great a problem, we would doom our people. We want more for our people, not an end to us!”

“I should wish the world was less hard and complex than it seems,” Hacarim complained.

“Then you should have been born on a world where no Elvin live!” Shocara suggested. “If one might even exist...” she muttered, remembering what the young Elf had told her.

Before she left with her warriors, Shocara went to see her father. Telling him what had been done by the Kaderi and what she intended to do about it didn’t please him.

“You should honor them for their efforts! They can’t kill enough of the Elvin!” he grumbled.

“You have no more sense than the Kaderi! Do you not understand what a power the Elvin are?”

“Should I prevail, we will have a way to wipe them out! Your concern for them will look foolish, when that day comes!” he wheezed.

“My wisdom will seem brilliant when the Elvin come to eradicate our people, but much too late! With fools like Rumarin, that time moves closer, and so does our doom. I hunger for victory, not annihilation!”

“You worry like a girl child for nothing! It is unfortunate that I am too crippled to still lead us!”

“Likely that is all that has kept us alive! I am going to visit the Kaderi, and impart some wisdom on them. I may be a fool, by while I can wield a sword, I am leading our people!”

“May the gods pity us!” Katouric sneered.

“They aren’t anymore likely too than the Elvin will be!” Shocara yelled, going out and slamming the door.

The flight to the Kaderi’s main village took a full two days. Not wanting to arrive at almost dark and be at a disadvantage, should things prove unpleasant, they stopped five leagues away, camping in an unoccupied area. The following morning they took wing, landing at the Kaderi’s village in mid morning. The sight of Shocara and over a hundred of her warriors made the Kaderi much curious and a good bit nervous. There were not nearly as many of their own warriors present, like Shocara’s clan, they had gathered men from several villages to attack the Elvin.

Shocara walked through the village followed by  two dozen of her best fighters, and by the time she reached the middle of the place, Rumarin had come out to see what was afoot. He seemed annoyed to see her.

“Ah, the princess has decided to come visit us! How excellent! You’ve come to congratulate us on our victory over the Elvin?” he smirked.

“I have come to declare you an idiot, and a fool, who has not the sense to watch over a small herd of avarin! Your people deserve better leadership, should they wish to stay alive!”

None of the Kaderi found her words pleasant, all looking disgruntled.

“Our people would prefer more action and less regard for the Elvin. They bleed and die quite handily!” he laughed.

Shocara said nothing, but drew her sword and slashed Rumarin’s neck in one blindingly fast motion. He staggered and fell, blood gushing.

“It appears a fool bleeds and dies easily too!” she replied. “What sort of warrior thinks he is manly for killing unarmed women and children?” she demanded. Her fighters had spread themselves among the Kaderi, and had drawn swords, to discourage them from doing anything in response.

“I would suggest you choose a new leader who is more wise, and inclined to follow my orders. If you fight the Elvin, you will fight their warriors, or you will fight mine!” she said simply. “Toss down your weapons, and bring me the Elvin captives! Now!” she loudly commanded.

Shocara was soon confronting three dozen, mostly women and girls, and a handful of boys.

“We are taking them, and will somehow return them to the Elvin. I have no desire to be caught in possession of their females!” she informed the Kaderi.

“But what if the Elvin come here, intent on retrieving them?!”

“Then you will get to be manly, and fight real warriors. Perhaps then you can die with honor, not live as cowards, killing helpless, unarmed children!” she insisted. “Send your new leader to me, prepared to swear allegiance and to listen to my words!” she said.

Shocara mounted her terranak, and had a young Elvin girl handed up, to sit in front of her. The girl was clearly terrified, having no idea who Shocara and her warriors were, but assuming she was being spared one fate for possibly a worse one. Shocara reached around her for the reins, and gently pulled her back against herself. For all of her normal and long lasting hatred of the Elvin, she found it difficult to muster the same disdain for this young one. Since she could not speak with her passenger, she devoted herself to her thoughts, which seemed likely to disturb her more.

How is it that I have these feelings? I no longer trust the things we have always believed! Is that a sign of good or ill? Always we have seen the Elvin as less then ourselves, as unworthy. How can that even be possible? They are superb fighters, have great sorcery and much wealth. On any level, they seem our masters! Is our hatred solely the result of our envy and jealousy? What does that make us? Does such not declare us unworthy? What do the Elvin think of us? Are we only beasts in their eyes? Perhaps more than anything we hunger to be respected!
she thought, this a new idea.

How will we ever manage that?! Just the sight of their city made me feel weak and insignificant!
It suddenly dawned on her that their attack on Alarinad had not been much different than what the Kaderi had done. Most of those they had killed had not been warriors.
I was proud of that attack, but was it not unworthy? We snuck in and attacked, and then ran away, before the Elvin could muster their warriors or flyers! Maybe Hacarim is right...it is cowardly! Still, what can we do? How can we entice the Elvin warriors to fight us, in places where we might prevail? Perhaps our friends among the Elvin can help us? We have been fools long enough, and need to understand the world better. I wish I could go among them and learn their ways, so that I might know what their weaknesses are. If they have any weaknesses,
she thought, unsure.

The young Elvin girl sitting in her arms seemed strangely slender and almost frail. Shocara touched her hair, finding it amazingly soft and fine, blowing back past her cheek in the wind. Feeling Shocara’s touch, the young one turned to peek back at her, and smiled slightly, so far relieved to not be hurt or abused. Shocara found herself smiling in return, but soon frowned, when the Elf turned back around.

If I’m not careful, I might start liking them! Then what would happen? My people would likely kill me!

They camped at night away from any Eridian village, wishing to keep their Elvin unseen and unsnatched. They resumed their flight the next day, the Elvin too terrified to even consider escaping, knowing they were well away from Elvin lands.

Most of the older girls and women had been well raped by the Kaderi, and since Shocara’s group had not done so, the Elvin hoped this was better than what other possible Eridians might do.

When they arrived at Shocara’s village, the people were amazed to see such a group of Elvin. Shocara sent for the Elvin girl who spoke Eridian, so she could speak to the new ones, telling them of her plans. She had to devise places to keep them, and make sure they were fed, before coming to join her men.

“You really intend to return them to the Elvin?” Hacarim wondered, not sure if this was wise or the thinking of a lunatic. Still, having seen what she did to the Kaderi leader, he was not inclined to complain excessively.

“I wish to give them no justification for coming and killing all of us! That seems worthy to me. I wish a chance to beat them, not die at their hands, especially for something others did!”