Anahet Ch. 02 - Choices

"I actually got mugged by the same lot," I interjected with a rather impolite mouthful of couscous.

"Oh?!" she exclaimed and looked over to me.

Swallowing the stew, I nodded. "They wounded me rather badly, but I got the best of them. They're gone now. The doctor in the merc camp patched me up."

"Good riddance, fucking shit-shovellers," she cursed in a furious growl. "They killed Alexandro, a runemaster travelling with us. He was such a nice elderly gentlemen. He took down four of them before they… they…" I could see her body tremble as her voice trailed off.

I reached out to rest a calming hand on her arm. "You're safe now."

Her shaking slowly stopped. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed. "I know. It's just the first time I've seen… you know…"

"It's difficult to lose someone." I nodded and removed my hand from her arm. I waited for the fear to fade from her expression, then when she seemed ready, I changed the subject. "Why did you want to come here?"

She spoke in a more world-weary tone. "I hope to speak with the Satrap. The Kryn dynasty might gain control over the eastern trade networks in a few years. If I could make some connections in their family now, it could benefit me greatly in the long run."

"I might be able to help."

"Oh?" I saw her face light up.

"She'll probably be a client of mine. If the opportunity presents itself, I'll ask her to grant you an audience."

"You will?! Thank you!" she leaned over and kissed my cheek, causing a small tremble to pass through my body.

We chatted about the regional power dynamics while I continued eating my food. The topic interested me as a Companion, and was vital for Gwen's entrepreneurial aspirations. It relieved me to see the conversation pushing the earlier tragedy away from her thoughts -- at least in the short term.

Discussing intrigue among royal families didn't help to end my distractions. I got a special thrill from dominating powerful nobles. Damnit. There's probably a wet spot on my skirt. I'll have to be careful when I stand up.Janus, please let me escape to my bedroom without anyone noticing! I wanted a friend, not another fuck-buddy. All too often I met someone interesting, we used each other for mutual satisfaction, and parted ways. I wanted more. Time to excuse myself to the privacy of my bedroom.

I finished the stew. "Thank you for the lovely conversation, Gwen! I don't wish to interrupt our discussion, but I should unpack my gear. I gotta check my armor and weapons."

I saw a faint blush appear on her cheeks. She went quiet a moment, then finally asked, "Do you mind if I join you?"

Fuck.

Her voice dropped as she continued in a whisper, "I feel embarrassed to ask, but I've never met a soldier before! I'd love to learn more about life in the army."

Well, at least she wasn't asking for sex. That was a relief. Her attention to my military service made me a little uncomfortable, however. I saw the hero worship in her gaze. Still, what else could I talk about? It's not like I had other professions or hobbies. Besides, I've never had a friend I can truly share things with. "Sure, you can join me."

She saw my hesitation. "If... this seems strange, I understand, we don't have to. I don't mean to intrude."

I flashed her a reassuring smile, and concealed the awkwardness with a truthful, though evasive reply. "Forgive me, that simply reminded me I need to get some new gear fitted later. I'd love your company."

I picked up my companion documents as we stood from the bar, and casually held them behind my back, concealing the damp spot on my skirt. I led Gwen down the hall in front of me so she didn't see anything. I could swear she swayed her hips seductively ahead of me, showing off her pretty... No. I bit my lip and shook the thought out of my head. That's just my valk libido imagining things.

The bedroom was ornately decorated by typical standards of a small-town caravanserai. The center featured a round feather mattress resting on the floor in Medinese style. Linen sheets with silver trim covered the bed (silk was rare this far west). A smoking pipe surrounded by pastel-colored pillows flanked the bed to one side of the room, while a curvy lounging sofa rest against the other wall. A window above the lounger let in vibrant night light from the ring of Janus. The light occasionally dimmed as a tree swayed in the small vegetable garden behind the inn.

I silently thanked my patron deity for her dim light. I opened the window to let in a breeze, and left the red drapes open, choosing to unpack with the natural glow. A lamp might reveal too much. Someone had helpfully moved my gear into the room while I ate my dinner. I removed my boots and started unpacking my gear. Gwen looked around, then flopped down on the lounger and asked, "So, what's it like, being in the military?"

"Hmm," I murmured and took a minute to figure out how to explain it. "Well, imagine being stuck in a repetitive job for a year, around coworkers you might hate. You've got no privacy, and no option to go home each day. You're in a foreign land where people you pass on the street look at you with open hatred. Combat is rare and messy."

"Huh. I pictured it differently."

"Yeah, stories like to glamorize things, but in reality I just did my job. I spent most of my time cleaning my armor, marching, cleaning some more, practicing with weapons, and doing even more marching. I signed up to make a living, not to become some legendary warrior fighting glorious battles." I know, it seems ironic in retrospect.

She leaned back on the sofa, relaxing while I went about my routine. "If it's like that, why'd you join?"

I checked my leather armor. There was obvious damage from yesterday's fight, but also signs of normal wear and tear. I'd have to take care of that tomorrow. "The army doesn't care who you are or where you're from. You have a purpose as long as you know how to face the pointy end of a spear in the right direction. I needed work, and couldn't find it anywhere else."

"Because you're..."

"Valkyrja? Yeah. When people find out, theymysteriously no longer need my services."

Gwen leaned back with confusion on her face. "I thought that's illegal?"

I shrugged. "It's usually tough to prove. One called me a 'valk whore' to my face, but most are more subtle. They find some other excuse to get rid of you. And it's difficult to even get started in most professions..."

My voice trailed off as I finished my inspection. Feeling rather exhausted from the long journey, I sat on the sofa a friendly distance away from Gwen. She moved closer and rest a hand on my leg. Gods help me. "Please continue," she asked with an attentive, curious gaze. This woman has such a delightfully inquisitive mind.

"You're sure? I don't want to ramble."

"I like listening." She squeezed my thigh, and I bit my lip. I hoped she didn't notice the new bulge under my skirt.

"Well... years ago I applied for a runecrafting apprenticeship in Medio. I figured it'd be a great way to discover things about my arcane biology." I laughed and shook my head. "I've always been rebellious. I wore cutoff shirts and skimpy skirts, proudly displaying the runes adorning my skin. I didn't give a damn if people knew who I was. The mistress of the academy looked shocked, then uneasy when she saw me walk into the room. I saw her eyes stare down at my skirt on numerous occasions while we went through the interview."

"She just... stared? That seems so rude!" Gwen interjected with a look of shock. "I wouldn't like someone gazing at me that way."

"At that age, I liked the attention. But the interview was awkward. 'There's lots of young women and men in these classes,' the headmistress cautioned me. 'They might harass you. Kids will be kids, you know? Mean sometimes, to those who are… different. You might consider another apprenticeship, like weapon training, where you'll be more welcome.'"

"So blatant about it..."

"I didn't care. I completed the course and survived their beatings, but never did find a mentor to become a runesmith. The positions always happened to close hours before I arrived. I know, what a coincidence, right?!" I laughed and shook my head, and Gwen giggled, the most beautiful sound sparkling from within. "In retrospect, I should have picked my battles more carefully. Sure, I should be able to show my runes, but I fought that fight instead of doing everything I could to complete the apprenticeship."

"Any regrets?"

"Somewhat, yeah. On the other hand, the fighting skills and runelore I learned served me well in later years."

Gwen removed her hand from my leg and fell silent a moment. She looked off into the distance to my right, then back to me. "You're not what I expected."

"You've probably heard some pretty wild stories."

"Ah... welllll.... you might say that," she mused and grinned.

"I think I heard the worst urban legend from a rather... inebriated young man. He told of battalions of crimson-eyed goddesses riding spirit beasts of blue fire to war. Personal avatars of the worldragon Ignus, they slew thousands of enemies with a single spell, and consumed the souls of the fallen in a chaotic orgy."

I had to pause because of Gwen's rising giggles. It felt wonderful share silly things like this with a new friend. "Gosh, that's SO corny!" she giggled.

"I literally died groaning when I heard it," I added and chuckled with a grin.

"Literally? Oh, come on. When people use literally like... Wait, oh Gods, don't tell me..." she groaned and facepalmed.

"You guessed it. I learned that day we're immortal reincarnations of The Eternal Empress! Who knew?! Certainly not me. There's nooooo way I'd know what 'dem sexy Valks' are like, so why should you bother asking, random drunk man at the bar?"

She genuinely laughed now, and I grinned at the beautiful sight.

I sighed and shook my head. "The stories contain some truth, like all myths. But we live, love and die like everyone else." I paused a moment and giggled. "Heh, I'm probably not doing myself any favors, telling you how boring and ordinary I am. Wait, what am I doing?! Stop this nonsense!"

We laughed together on the sofa, the first true moment of happiness I'd felt in many months.

"I like your humility," she purred and leaned forward, kissing my cheek. I bit my lower lip, and probably did a horrible job hiding the shiver that touch through my body. "Which parts of it are true?"

"Hmm. Well, it's true we're born with the runes. They're part of us while in the womb."

"What do they look like... like my tattoos?"

"Not really. More curvy, and they go through my entire body, not just on the surface." I hesitated a moment. "You can see if you want."

"You wouldn't mind?"

"No, it's alright." Damn, what am I getting myself into? I didn't want her to think I just chatted her up to get in her dress. She's just expressing friendly curiosity, I told myself rather unconvincingly. Show just my belly. It's not like I stripped naked the moment we entered the room. No big deal.

I lifted up the bottom of my shirt to just below my breasts. She looked down, fascinated, and her soft fingers traced along the curvy dark-blue patterns embracing my skin. Their strange blue design contrasted with the traditional black Amacavi tattoos on her exploring hands. Her touch stirred an immediate reaction from my loins, and I worried what she might think if she looked further down.

I jumped slightly as her touch tickled. She giggled, "Sorry."

"It's okay," I comforted her.

"Do they give you... abilities?"

I shook my head. "Not the way you might think. I can't cast spells with them. Permanent inscriptions like these are more like what you see on a building or airship, augmenting it in some way."

"How do they enhance you?" she asked and looked up into my eyes.

"Well, I can't get sick. No one knows why, but valkyrja don't catch diseases."

"I didn't know that!"

I nodded. Her hand was still on my belly, dangerously close to my skirt.

"Do they cover more of your body?" she asked in a quiet voice. I looked into her eyes, and saw desire reflecting back at me.

Gwen suddenly shifted with a nervous expression, and she removed her hand from my thigh. She stammered, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I don't... I didn't want to imply I wanted you that way. I don't have enough money to afford..." her voice hesitated as I took her chin in my hand. I gently turned her back to look at me again.

"I'm not a Companion tonight," I reassured her while gazing into her brown eyes. "Just an ordinary person enjoying the extraordinary company of a fascinating woman I met at the bar."

"Who might that be?" Gwen teased and giggled. "I'd like to meet her."

I surrendered to my desire. I leaned forward, and our lips touched in a light, playful kiss, then deepened as she quietly moaned. I slipped my arms around her waist. She wiggled playfully under my touch. Gods help me. I can't resist any longer. I removed her necklace and began to untie her dress. I slipped away from her lips, and kissed lightly up her neck, trailing a soft cascade of caresses along her skin. I caught her earlobe and nibbled. She gasped, and shivered.

Gwen stood to help lift her dress over her head. As she sat back on my lap, I unlatched the garment covering her bosom and tossed it aside. My kisses trailed down her body. I wrapped warm lips around one bare nipple, and suckled it into my mouth with a low hummmm of delight. She pushed her bosom forward with a gasp. My eyes gazed up to her while I caught the tender little nub gently in my teeth, then swirled and flicked my tongue across the sensitive bud.

Down below, her hips rubbed gently against my lap in a steady grind. I purred with a deeper moan as she pushed downward more firmly, her body caressing the warm desire rising under my skirt.

She briefly led me from her bosom to tug off my shirt, then I returned my lips to her other, unattended breast, kissing a warm circle around the dry nipple. A sweet laugh escaped her bubbly lips. The warm smile glowing on her face grew ever brighter while her eyes lit up with delight. Her hands moved upward to caress my breasts, gliding along the blue runes curving down my bosom and disappearing into my skirt. For a moment she forgot to move her body, but my lips against her nipple were a quick reminder.

"Got your mind on something, do ya?" she chimed impishly as she began to grind her hips firmly against the bulge of arousal tenting my skirt. Her hands moved up my curves to pull my bra away, then fondled my breasts, lightly pinching my pertly aroused nipples.

I gazed up from her bosom and purred with a grin, "I can't resist when there's someone as beautiful as you on my lap."

"Can't resist what?" she purred teasingly. "Pressin' them beautiful lips against a soft body… or… oh!" she gasped and blushed deeply as my hands slid down to her cute butt, caressing her rump fondly. She playfully pushed her hips down again against my growing stiffness.

She leaned forward, nibbled my ear, and whispered with a mischievous tone, "Or… can't resist stuffing a sweet gal like me?" She rolled her hips against me to accentuate her words.

I growled around her perky nipple and rocked my hips upward with desire. My smooth hands tightened their grip on her sexy ass, and I rolled us to the side, resting her on her back. She cheerfully laughed as I removed her shorts and bottoms. "I'll take that as both!"

She unfastened my skirt, tossed it aside, and helped me slide down my own tight panties. My arousal slipped free of the confining fabric, resting hot and heavy against her damp body. The first touch of my shaft brought a delighted gasp from Gwen. I leaned down to kiss her in a passionate embrace. My breasts pillowed to her own petite bosom, pertly aroused nipples poking her dark brown skin. Her naked form eagerly pressed up against the smoothness of my body.

I shifted my hips down until the tip of my firm desire rest against her flowery entrance. I gazed into her eyes and purred, "You're irresistible, Gwen. Your personality, looks, everything about you. I want you."

"Ahhh, I bet… ye say that..." she pants while wrapping tightly around me, "to all the… ohhhhh..." I pressed forward as she spoke, parting her folds, and squeezed up into her tight wet depths with a slow, inexorable thrust of lustful need. I gasped as I felt her invite me in with a tug of her arms around my back.

She angled her legs apart, then hooked them around my back, and pulled me close. Her arms caressed over the runes on my back. Her chest pressed firmly up against my own bosom, and the sound of her moan stirred in the air like a potent drug. Gwen's eyes fluttered, and her smile grew inebriated to the point that she was lost in pure bliss, her depths caressed around my shaft like a silken sleeve fitted just a little too tightly. I rest there a moment, kissing her, giving her time to adjust to my thick shaft throbbing within her body.

I slid my hands down and cupped her sexy hips in my palms. With a firm grip on her curves, I pulled my shaft completely free… then pushed in deeper, pulled out, and *slammed* in harder, starting to pound her harder and faster, fucking her in a powerful rhythm of my thick, hard cock.

"Ohh… gods…" she gasped as I thrust inside. My heavy breasts bounced forward against her bosom with each strong thrust of my body. Her tunnel stretched wide around my cock, and she pushed up her hips to lustfully meet me, the silken skin of her outer lips repeatedly kissing the base of my shaft. Her head rolled back, and her mouth fell open, panting heavily, eyes unfocused, losing herself in blissful euphoria.

I leaned down and kissed her lips with a groan as I sped up my thrusts. I broke the kiss with a gasp, then kissed down her neck, and moaned past her ear. The sound of my hips slapping to hers filled the air. Her gasps drifted through the room, blending with lewd wet noises from my shaft slamming forcefully into her slippery depths. Her hands clasped around me, caressing, roaming over every inch of my form while her brown eyes stared up with blissful happiness. Without warning, I suddenly felt her pussy clench down around my shaft, and quiver in delight. She tossed her head back and cried out in a shuddering climax.

I felt a moment of clarity as her pleasure peaked. I wanted to be the good girl, to make a new friend, yet I'd only known this woman a few hours before she's screaming in ecstasy. What would she think of me the next day? Would she think I just used her? Most of all, why'd this have to feel so fucking good?!

Well, damn. It's not easy to change who you are. There's no sense holding back any more; I'm only lying to myself. I pulled completely free of her empty body. She took in a deep breath of worry, but her moment of confusion quickly turned to surprise when I rolled her over face-down on the sofa. I tugged her ass in the air, and slipped a pillow under her chest for support.

"Oh FUCK yes!" she cried out as I mounted her from behind. I let out all my frustration and worry as I *slammed* the full length of my hard cock back inside her tight little sex. I aggressively pounded her, driving faster inside her, my hips slapping rhythmically to her round ass. She mewled as I took her roughly from behind."OH!...hnng… fuck me… yess…"

Each thrust of my cock interrupted her words with a gasp of pleasure. I groaned as she cried out in a second orgasm, shaking and trembling on the pillow below me. I wanted more, wanted something different, yet the way she screamed drove me wild! I enjoyed it. I loved fucking her, taking this strange woman, making her mine. Claiming her like a bitch. I felt a twinge of guilt thinking that, but the dirty thought turned me on even more. I wanted her, wanted every part of her. I threw myself into pounding her with lustful hunger.