Barbarian Bait Ch. 02

We spent the entire next day until dusk in his tent. Trent had meals delivered. Despite the many times he had taken me he was still infatuated with me. I lost track of how many time we made love. All good things must come to an end. An hour before twilight, when Ruk would return to escort me home, Trent redressed me. He had a spare brush and comb and I dealt with my hair.

"You are everything I imagined and more, Luz" stated Trent softly. He presented me with a small box tied with a bow. Inside were two lovely and quite expensive earrings. The first jewelry I had received since the lost pearls mom had slid around my neck. I noted the workmanship as that from the city.

"I shall certainly take care of your husband. This gift is above and apart from what he will receive." stated Trent as I sat open mouthed. "Please wear these with pride, and think of me when you do."

"Of course, Trent." I at last stammered.

"It's Captain." replied my lover of a single night. With that, I knew our roles were what they had been the previous dusk. He was my husband's commanding officer and I was the wife of one of his privates. But Ruk would not remain a private for long!

When Ruk appeared to escort me home, I could not wait to fall into his arms and kiss him. Protocol, however, dictated we walk every step to return the enlisted men's encampment. I practically tore the dress uniform off him before we made love. I would have treasured memories of Trent my entire life but I wanted to demonstrate to Ruk that I still loved him. Only later did I realize that the demonstration had been for both of our benefits.

When I saw Lara again, it was clear that she had had a VERY nice time. The afterglow of Trent must have been with me as well because Lara stated, "You certainly seem to have enjoyed yourself!"

We talked about our encounters. Lara was quite impressed with the earrings.

"Of course you must wear them every day! To be given such a personal gift upon your first sharing moon is a rare honor. Only officer's wives can wear jewelry in public but if a wife of an enlisted man is gifted such things by an officer it is her obligation to wear them, such a gift demonstrates that the wearer is no ordinary wife. You will be highly valued and with each sharing moon the men who express interest in you will be increasingly powerful. You are truly blessed, Luz. Just as importantly, you are a blessing to my brother!"

Lara showed me her own collection of jewelry. In all honesty, nothing she owned was as nice as my earrings. In the city, they would have adorned a very rich woman. Here, in their own way, they made me a rich woman as well.

I thought Ruk would burst with pride when he returned home. There was the sound of gold jingling from the satchel on his belt but best of all was the Sergeant's chevrons he clutched.

"Oh, Luz. I have been promoted two ranks! I was due to be promoted to Corporal but this is even better! Oh, Luz, winning you is the best thing that ever happened to me!"

His lovemaking that night was truly divine. I took delight in sewing on his insignia. Our status immediately improved. The next morning we packed our belongings and moved to the NonCommissioned Officers' encampment. It meant a slightly larger tent a bit more furniture and a lot more work for Ruk but he was overjoyed. Now, in a limited way, he could give orders as well as receive and obey them. At the lunch for the Sergeant's wives, my earrings drew gasps. I felt very good indeed.

However, things changed only so much. I was still a newlywed bride and was still expected to serve as wine steward and try to attract the attention of the right sort of man to benefit my husband. Captain Trent continued to smile sweetly at me but now seemed focused on a tall blonde newlywed. I tried not to be hurt, but truthfully, I thought I was prettier. There was Major who could put my husband on patrol. The barbarians were, by and large, a peaceful lot but roving bands of brigands sometimes made trouble on the plains. They would kill beasts simply for sport and raid trade convoys. The brigands tended to be renegade barbarians and exiled city folk trying to make money. Holding a convoy for ransom could be quite lucrative. Both the city and the plains depended upon these shipments. The city did not have much of an army, but it spent most of its time protecting convoys near its walls.

The barbarians had more territory to cover, but was just as committed to maintaining trade. One of the few ways that the peace treaty between the city and the plains could be abrogated, aside from not participating in the peace exchange, was by not defending the trade convoys. The brigands were not shy about using their crossbows. Every year the city lost about a dozen soldiers to brigand bolts. No one in the city knew how many barbarians lost their lives every year but it was believed their losses were proportional.

If Ruk went on patrol, there was a slight chance he could be killed. On the other hand, he would make rank faster and possibly be an officer before he was thirty. From what I had seen of Captain Trent's life, I wanted my husband to be an officer. To be honest, part of my rationale was selfish. Officer's wives like Lara had much more freedom not only in their bed partners but in their lives. Officer's wives got to drill twice a month and range over the plains. Once issued a weapon, I could ride without Ruk at my side. Not that I intended too often, but it would be fun to explore on my own. Every once in a while, barbarian women fought brigands on their own terms. The barbarian women also had a trick riding cadre, but only officers' wives were eligible. I KNEW that I would be an excellent trick rider, but that life was off limits to me so long as I was married to a noncommissioned officer. I took a long look at the major. He was NOT unattractive.

It was not hard to capture the major's attention. He was more angular than Trent but had the greenest eyes I had ever encountered. During a lull in the dinner, when both men were sure I was out of view, I spied Captain Trent and the Major in conversation. I was positive they were discussing me. Ruk was attentive as ever, I found myself falling more deeply in love with him each passing day. However, we had less time together because being an NCO required more of him. The higher ranking sergeants also hazed him considerably. I felt truly ashamed of myself for laughing when he came home bald. The other Sergeants had tied him up and shaved his head! After a short time, however, Ruk began to thrive. He earned his next chevron in record time.

It was not hard to steer Ruk into the major's orbit. I had certainly caught the officer's interest. Ruk wanted to be an officer and the fastest way to that was through patrol duty. There was only so much drilling he could do and so many new recruits to order around. At dinner, I remained fetchingly in view before the major. Yes, I sometimes "accidentally" was in a position where he could see up my brief skirt, what of it? Other wives would do the same thing! I never had the same connection with the Major that I had with the captain but lightning does not always strike twice. The main thing is he was VERY interested in me!

Before I knew it, my second sharing moon had arrived. Not only would I be sharing the major's bed. The following day my new bride status would vanish and I would be initiated into the sisterhood of barbarian wives. I was looking forward to my new wardrobe, even if it meant for future assignations, it would not be as easy, perhaps, to have powerful officers notice me. Since I was tall and strong, I already knew that I would begin broadsword lessons with the New Year. I thought of my brother Tye. I could just imagine his disgust at the thought of his "helpless" sister wielding a weapon. I sincerely hoped that dad had not been too hard on him. Mom would forgive him, eventually, but dad could really hold a grudge. The letter to my parents was written. Now all I needed was a passing priest and they would know that I was well. Priests, however were as rare as trees on the plains, only the truly committed would wander this close to a major barbarian settlement. Not that they were hated, they were mostly just ignored. I could recite the entire pantheon of barbarian gods now. Nearly everything I learned in worship in the city had already escaped me.

The eve before my night with the major, Ruk and I engaged in passionate lovemaking. I did not feel guilty or that I was betraying my husband, especially as, this time, he would not be spending the night alone. A private who was simply not cut out for the military would be providing his wife to Ruk to try and curry any favor he could. She was a mousy slip of a girl. A barbarian by birth, her lottery number had never come up. She had married unwisely to a boy she had grown up with. Her husband was shorter than I was! A wiser man would have become a trader or a clerk but this foolish boy saw himself as a heroic soldier. Even though it was not my place, I had actually taken his petite wife aside and tried to encourage her to impel her husband to seek other employment. "Your husband is many things," I told her, "but he is no soldier, surely even you can see that."

She reacted as though I had thrown acid in her face. "Alet is every bit the soldier your husband is!"

"How long has he been a private again?" I replied stiffly. Alet had been in the army longer than my Ruk and was still viewed as something of a joke. Humiliatingly, several sharing moons had passed with no one expressing interest in the puny wife. She stormed off and, in short order, began throwing herself at Ruk. She was as delusional as her husband Ruk had absolutely no, interest in the mousy wife. It was mainly on a dare from the other sergeants that he agreed to bed her. We had a long conversation about the issue.

"Mainly I'm curious as to how far she will go." Ruk confided in me. "There is precious little I can do for her husband, he is the worst soldier in the entire barbarian army! The best I can do is give him fewer boots to shine and a bit less armor to oil. Alet is hopeless. Providing his wife to me will avail him nothing. Perhaps, if I make use of her and no benefit ensues, he will be able to dissuade himself of the illusion that he is a soldier. I'm trying to steer him into the ordinance corps. Sharpening swords and repairing crossbows is more his metier. Cavalry? It is to laugh!"

"Don't you find her attractive at all I asked?"

"Come now Luz, you know I like tall girls." he winked at me and continued. "I think her buttocks is rather nice."

"Make sure you make use of hers. I told Ruk. "I positively abhor that woman."

"There will be other sharing moons." replied Ruk. "Perhaps on a future one, you will have reason to worry."

"Darling husband," I deadpanned, "THAT day will never come!"

"Oh how I love you, Luz."

We kissed for a long time before he led me to the Major's tent. Only then did I feel a bit of turmoil. I was sure to enjoy my evening far more than Ruk his. Then I realized that betting pool Ruk was sure to claim for taking Alet's mouse was probably considerable. "It will be fun spending the money, my husband receives for bedding that witch." I thought to myself before I brought myself back to the present and my handsome, Major (though, admittedly, not as handsome as Captain Trent.) Just as six months before, Ruk shepherded me to the front of tent and made his presence known

"Staff Sergeant Ruk would be honored to present the beautiful Luz to Major Arno with my compliments, SIR!"

The Major exited his tent, smiled broadly at me.

"Excellent, Sergeant, Dismissed!"

Just as before, Ruck squeezed my hand as he left to hustle back to our own tent. For the briefest of moments, I wondered how long it would take to get the odor of Private Alet's mouse out of my sleeping furs. I pushed the thought away and entered the Major's tent upon his request.

This Major was a widower. His tent needed a woman's touch. Not that there was a single thing out of place. There was just a sadness and an absence about things I had learned that the Major had been very much in love with his wife. Upon her death he had plunged into duty with renewed gusto, often taking dangerous assignments and driving his men in hard but fair ways. I felt comfortable with him leading my husband. The Major was brave but not reckless.

Nearly a half hour elapsed before I was seated comfortably next to the Major. Arno seemed to want to talk only about me. His late wife, he had won decades before at the peace fair. She too had been a city girl. To the Major, I seemed too good to be true. He showed me a likeness of her from all those years ago. I am positive I was not imagining a resemblance between that picture and my reflection in the Major's mirror.

After a slow warm up, however, things became very hot. The longer I was with the Major more excited and passionate he became. I don't remember losing my clothes. I DO recall my first impression of him naked. Major Arno was not bad at all. Thin, but muscular, there was a hardness about him. The sort of physique that came from years in the saddle responsible living and eating light. His manhood was not quite as nice as the Captain's but was just about the same length and girth as my Ruk. I suckled him and then allowed him to take the initiative. He got everything he sought and more. As did I!

The next morning the Major took my cute little ass twice before I sucked him off and swallowed. It was my way of saying goodbye. After I was dressed, The Major kissed me quite sweetly for a considerable length of time. There was no gift for me that day, but I was told to look for something in the next few days. Within a week, Ruk had been rotated into regular patrol duty and a small box was delivered to me containing several pieces of the Major's late wife's jewelry.

When Ruk retrieved me after my assignation. He seemed, distracted, "How was your date with Mrs. Mouse?" I asked.

"That woman loves her husband, quite passionately for some reason. I almost wish I could help her."

"You can't possibly be developing feelings for that wisp of flesh!" I replied.

"Not at all." said Ruk defensively. "It is just that she behaved like I was a general or something."

"Darling, don't you grasp the obvious?" I replied, "It is the first time she has ever slept with a real man. The thought of sharing the sleeping furs with Alet makes me positively ill. I'm sure, even though she will deny it in the face of torture, that she regrets her marriage. She also dislikes me intensely. In her delusional mind, she probably believes that by sleeping with you, she can make me jealous or even drive me from your mind." I laughed long and hard and finished with. "Those two deserve each other!"

Under other circumstances, I would have gone straight home and made love to my husband but it was time for dinner and, just after that, the, now no longer, newlywed brides would become wives with full rights. After Lara and all of the other wives who chaperoned us our first year gathered us by torchlight, us wives marched some distance to the tent where the incarnation of the goddess resided. Her large tent was crimson and quite well apportioned. It was staked before a small pond. The goddess wore her usual minuscule clothing. Stark naked, wearing a collar around his neck, chained to a pole, his body glistening with oil, was the incarnation of the god Loy. He was without question, the most muscular and handsome man any of us women had ever encountered. His fabulous body was hairless below the neck his manhood was astonishing in size. He bore an obvious love for the goddess in his eyes. I'm sure I was not the only female present who, at that moment, greatly envied the incarnation of the Great goddess.

A quartet of musicians played softly off to one side. There was also a collection of elderly priestesses. I recognized the tune as a barbarian hymn. The instruments fell silent as the goddess began to speak.

"Brides of the plain. Tonight you become wives of warriors. After tonight, we will ALL be sisters!"

She ordered us to strip and our bride attire, excepting our boots, was thrown into a roaring bonfire and incinerated. Priestesses passed among us anointing our bodies with an aromatic paste that stung a bit. It was permitted to sting away at our flesh for a few moments before, one by one, we entered the pond and submerged ourselves entirely. The incarnation of the goddess then took a golden blade a cut a small furrow in each of our forearms. Over a small fire, each of us allowed several drops of blood to spill into the flames. As the goddess repeated the same incantation over and over.

A priestess bandaged our wounds and then we each fell single file before the incarnation of the god Loy and suckled his huge manhood for several minutes. Loy's endurance was astounding. Despite the attentions of dozens of women, he never ejaculated once. Lara had told me that the incarnation of Loy was only permitted release under the hand of the goddess. Had he come, she would have severely punished him. In the past, incarnations of the goddess were known to castrate incarnations of Loy who failed to maintain control.

In a small torch lit circle, we stated our name and our husband's name and, if he was in the army, his rank. Two priestesses dressed us in our new wife attire. The silk blouse felt wonderful against my chest and back. The leather skirt felt divine upon my legs. Once dressed, we were presented with the weapon chosen for us based on our abilities and stature. I was surprised at how heavy the broadsword was, but its scabbard felt very good indeed about my waist. We sang several simple songs in unison very loudly. The Goddess kissed each of us on the lips, shouted our names and ordered us to abstain from sex with our husbands for fourteen full days and nights. It was heavily suggested (OK, we were ordered) to live with our chaperones during that time so that we did not sin.

The walk home by torchlight was truly moving. I already knew that that night would be emblazoned in my mind forever. Had services been like that in the city, I would still have been a follower of the great arbitrator! Not coincidentally, the night of our initiation, Tac and Ruk were both called away to active duty. Still, I moved in with Lara. With a wooden practice sword, my sister-in-law, who was an expert with the blade, began tutoring me in basic technique.

The annual Peace Fair was scheduled for the day following our initiation ceremony. Now I understood one of the reasons why no wives were at the festival. We did witness the barbarian maidens that would serve their time on poles mount up into the wagons that would transport them to the outskirts of the great walled city. Priestesses moved about these beautiful young women, giving them advice and running last minute errands. I could not help but contrast this wagon load of confident, proud, and uniformly beautiful girls, to how I and my peers from the city had behaved when we were in their place. I made me sad to realize that some, perhaps half, of these women would be exiled from the plains forever. Not a one of them shed a tear, although a few did appear distressed. Stoic mothers and dignified fathers parted from their daughters quietly, almost wordlessly. I knew that I wanted a daughter. The realization that I could lose her forever one day reminded me of my own mother and father. In a new way, I understood her pain and hurt. I also considered my niece Jula, and how deeply Lara loved her. Barbarian wives were taught to bear hardship, City wives are not. Even so, I knew that if I lost a daughter to the city part of me would mourn her forever. I caught the same emotion in the eyes of the wives who had stood at the peace poles with me a year before, more than a few of us were in tears as the wagons of maidens pulled away.