The Lowlander

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Hanna's coven is captured by the Lowlanders.
4.9k words
4.73
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Part 1 of the 2 part series

Updated 06/08/2023
Created 05/20/2017
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Should I write a second chapter? Let me know in the comments below.

Cheers

*

"Stop it."

Hanna rattled the chains that bound her to the earthen floor, her knees scratched and bruised from the hours she'd spent on them. She looked longingly at the large windows, knowing full well that given half the chance, she'd throw herself out of it, come what may.

The coven had a mission to complete -- their final mission before they were dissolved altogether. When Mistress Linette had passed two days ago, no one had expected it, even Linette, who'd been a talented prophet. She hadn't appointed a successor and the High Council had determined there wasn't going to be another in their little town of Caverna.

Her coven sisters had been on their last pilgrimage to Eden Coast to scatter Linette's ashes when they'd trespassed on scared Lowland territory. It had been a stupid plan -- they'd all known the risks but passing through the Lowlands was a significant shortcut.

It really hadn't been worth getting caught by the native Lowland tribe.

She watched the tall woman who captured her sit heavily on her bed and work on the sets of ties that held her boots together. She worked meticulously, her long fingers moving quickly over the leather.

Jem, they'd called her. No last name. A warrior, and a skilled one from the way she'd deflected Hanna's every attempt to escape. But not quickly enough -- the angry red marks on Jem's cheek and neck gave Hanna a sense of pride... and a little bit of regret for marking a beautiful canvas.

Jem's muscles were well-honed from years of training; the way they flexed and relaxed as she worked was intriguing. Her blonde hair was cut short, much to Hanna's envy. It wouldn't get in the way of battle as her own dark tresses had done several times before, despite the fact that she always wore it in a thick braid. But the cutting of hair or altering the body in any way was considered sacrilegious by the coven.

"Are you done?" Jem's low voice cut across the room.

"What?" Hanna asked, trying not to wince at the scrape of rusty metal against her wrists.

"Fighting the restraints will only hurt you."

"That doesn't mean I won't try."

Jem shrugged and stood in her bare feet, her toes digging into the bearskin rug around the bed as she stretched. The pop of her joints could be heard all the way across the room.

"How long do I have to stay this way?"

"Until the Council decides what to do with your coven."

"I would like to see my sisters."

"No. That only spells trouble."

"It was stupid," Hanna said, her voice barely a whisper. "We shouldn't have trespassed. It was just the closest way to the Coast."

"I know."

Jem tugged her shirt over her head and let it fall to the floor. The quick intake of breath across the room was unmistakable.

"Are you uncomfortable?" Jem asked over her shoulder.

"No." Hanna's chin tilted defiantly.

Jem sluiced chilled water over her overheated body from a pitcher by the bed. It had been a long, tiring day, and the little trespassers from the Highlands had only added to the long list of duties on her schedule.

Hanna watched the muscles work on Jem's back, the broad shoulders and their subtle strength mesmerizing in a way she'd not seen before. Never had she known that women could be so... well muscled. Stately. Handsome, even?

She looked away, feeling her face flush with heat. Then she heard the telltale creak of leather britches and shut her eyes. She shouldn't look. This felt wrong. The splash of water reached ears followed by a hiss of pain. Her eyes snapped back to the lithe form by the bed, eyes narrowing on the nasty gash on Jem's thigh. Rivulets of blood ran down her dark skin and wet the carpet by the bed.

Knife wound.

"You need to put a salve on that before it gets infected." The words left Hanna's lips before she could stop it.

"I need to clean it first." Jem sat heavily on the bed and ran a cloth over the wound.

"I can help." Hanna offered, rattling the chains.

A surprised bark of laughter escaped Jem. "I'm not that foolish, little girl."

Hanna sighed heavily. "I can help you even with my hands in irons. Just lengthen the chains on the floor."

"No."

The words were final. Hanna looked down at her knees. The grit on the floor had torn through the soft material of her britches and the earth showed spots of blood. She bit back a frustrated scream as she tried to find a position that didn't hurt.

"Could you at least loosen the chains a little so I can sit down?"

There was no response. Hanna watched Jem wrap a clean cloth around the wound and tuck the edges into the fold like she'd done so countless times before. Then she walked to a small chest and pulled out loose nightclothes, slipping them over her head.

And finally, finally, Jem allowed herself to look over at Hanna, her small form crumpled pathetically in a corner of the room. Where was the fiery vixen who'd climbed Jem like a tree and used her shackles to try and choke the life out of her?

Perhaps it was time to loosen the shackles after all. As she knelt beside the chains, she noticed the small pools of blood under Hanna's knees.

"Little fool," Jem chastised. "I told you not to fight the chains."

Hanna let her head fall forward, tired of fighting. "Please just let me go."

She felt Jem's fingers on her chin, tilting Hanna's head to meet her eyes. "You know I can't do that."

Hanna's eyes filled with tears and she tried to blink them back in vain.

"Don't do that." Jem's voice was soft.

"You don't understand. This was going to be our last mission. Our Coven mistress passed and we were going to scatter her ashes."

"You still broke a law trying to do that."

Hanna heaved a frustrated sigh. "Please release me."

"No."

But the chains loosened and Hanna stretched her legs with a sharp cry of pain.

Jem cursed when she saw the extent of the damage the little fool had inflicted on herself. With a flick of the lock, she unchained Hanna and lifted her. Too tired to fight, Hanna merely asked, "What are you doing?"

"Your wounds need to be cleaned. Like you said, they'll get infected."

She laid Hanna on the bed and secured her shackles to the iron headboard, watching a flash of heat creep up Hanna's chest and neck.

"You're flushed," Jem commented, laying a hand on Hanna's forehead. "You're not developing a fever, are you?"

"No," she said, but Hanna only seemed to redden further.

"Good. Now lift your hips and I'll slide your britches off." When Hanna hesitated, Jem added, "It's either this or I cut them off you."

Balancing on her elbows, Hanna lifted her hips up and felt the cool breeze of the room slide over her bare thighs. A thin piece of cloth still covered her womanhood and the thought of it made her wonder if her face could possibly get any redder.

But Jem didn't seem to notice her nakedness. Instead, she concentrated on cleaning the cuts on Hanna's knees, her touch gentle and professional, almost indifferent.

Hanna shut her eyes, trying to ignore the small snicks of pain as the cool cloth passed over her wounds.

The next thing she knew, Jem was prodding her awake. She looked down at her knees, now properly salved and bandaged in clean cloth.

"Thank you," she said, her voice thick with sleep.

Jem merely gave her a curt nod. "I suppose it would be cruel to set you back on the floor."

Hanna raised hopeful eyes to the woman seated on the edge of the bed. The kind woman who'd tended to her wounds despite the fact that Hanna had tried to choke her to death only a few hours ago.

"I'm sorry," Hanna said, her voice soft. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I shouldn't have done it. You were only doing your job."

Jem started to turn away but Hanna stopped her by sitting up as far as the chains allowed.

"I mean what I say," she continued, reaching up to trace the angry red marks on Jem's face. "I can't believe I did this."

"I've had worse."

Hanna shook her head, her fingers tracing the scars down Jem's neck. Sharp brown eyes watched her as Hanna assessed the damage her nails had caused. The light tan of her fingers contrasted beautifully with the smooth caramel of Jem's skin. She could feel the power under her fingertips, coiled, just waiting to be unleashed if Hanna made one wrong move.

Instead, she chose to cup Jem's cheek as best as she could in her chains. "Beautiful," she said, letting the word linger between them.

Jem's lips twisted in a sad smile. "I still can't let you go."

"No," Hanna protested, cupping Jem's cheek a little harder. "It's not because of that. You truly are beautiful."

Hanna could feel her cheeks heating again. Do it for your sisters, she reminded herself.

"I suppose you're beautiful as well, although I can't tell under all that dirt."

"Oh," Hanna retracted her hand and lifted it to her cheeks. Crusty bits of mud came away on her palm.

"I'll get some fresh water."

With a wet cloth and a little soap, Jem slowly washed away the mud on Hanna's face, focusing so intently on each section that she wasn't prepared for what she uncovered when she sat back.

Exotic. That's what Hanna was. Her eyes had been arresting from the start, almond-shaped and black as sin, but her arched brows and sharp cheekbones were stunning. Her lips were an enticing light pink, the lower lip curved generously, perfect for suckling. Little freckles spread across the bridge of her nose kept her from looking altogether ethereal.

"What?" Hanna asked, a wry smile twisting her lips. "Is there something on my face?"

Jem cleared her throat. "No. You have very unusual features." You're the most captivating woman I've ever seen.

"Um. Thank you?" Hanna arched a confused brow.

Jem didn't clarify.

She reached over to set the cloth on the bedside table. In one quick move, Hanna flipped the chain link over Jem's head and pulled her close, their faces inches away from one another.

Jem only raised an eyebrow, undeterred by Hanna's antics. "What are you doing?"

"Testing the waters," Hanna said, moving closer to press a kiss on Jem's cheek.

"You should stop."

"Why?"

Jem could only stare as Hanna started on the ties that held her modest white ensemble together. Inch by inch, she exposed the skin down to the swell of her breasts.

"Should I stop now?" Hanna asked, her fingers lingering on the ties of her shirt.

"Yes." Jem's gaze was fixed on the exposed skin but her wits hadn't left her.

Hanna sat up a little further, letting the shirt fall off one shoulder to reveal the top of her left breast. Then she leaned forward and cupped Jem's unscarred cheek, holding her gaze steadily as she placed a soft kiss on Jem's hard lips.

They were unyielding. Seconds ticked by without a response from Jem. It felt like she was kissing a brick wall.

Hanna's face flushed and she pulled away, holding the sides of her shirt closed with her hand.

"S-sorry. I didn't --"

Rough hands cupped her waist and pushed her back onto the center of the bed. The weight of Jem's body stole her breath before she could say anything else.

"I told you to stop." Jem's voice was low, guttural. The heat in her eyes made Hanna quiver -- she couldn't decide if she liked it. If she should like it.

One roughened palm clasped her throat, squeezing lightly. The other held her chains taut, preventing any movement.

"I know exactly what you're up to," Jem breathed against Hanna's ear, her teeth lightly nicking the soft flesh.

"I'm not-"

"Shut up." The hand on her throat tightened. "I'm going to enjoy you, little girl. My way, not yours."

Hanna couldn't mask the tremble that wracked her body. The intensity of Jem's gaze thickened her blood, awakened parts of her she didn't know existed.

"Please, I-" she managed to say before Jem's lips covered hers.

The kiss was hard, punishing; the hand on her throat a reminder of what this was. This wasn't going to be the sweet seduction that Hanna had planned to facilitate her escape; it was going to be a taking, devoid of a gentle touch. And where would that leave her? Did she even care?

Heat blossomed in her belly. Did she like that? Was the possibility of being taken by this woman making her melt?

She felt a tug on her braid and her hair came undone, scenting the air with the essence of roses.

Jem made a sound of approval at the back of her throat.

"Impractical. But I like it," she said, running her fingers through the tightly wound curls.

Jem's fingers wandered over Hanna's soft exposed shoulder, the flesh beautifully pale and freckled against her own darker skin. She was very selective about the women she bedded -- and those instances were usually few and far between. She couldn't recall when she last had a woman. And definitely none as lovely as the fiery little fighter in her arms just then.

Hanna trembled as Jem's fingers leisurely followed the swell of her breast, still half-hidden by the fabric of her shirt. When Jem's fingers thumbed a taut peak over the cloth, Hanna's breath caught in an audible gasp. So Jem did it again. And again.

Hanna knew Jem was just toying with her but that didn't stop her body from tightening into a knot of need. She hadn't known being with a woman could feel this way. She'd fooled around with men -- boys, really -- before she'd joined the coven and those experiences had been exciting at first but eventually lackluster. None of those boys had taken their time to explore the crevices of her body; they'd never bothered to learn what she liked, what she craved. They hadn't held her gaze so intensely as they leaned in for a kiss.

Hanna's eyes closed on contact, her fingers clenching into fists in the shackles, wishing they could delve into Jem's blonde locks to hold her in place. Instead, she settled for slipping her tongue between Jem's lips, seeking the contact she so craved.

She felt fingers wander down to her thigh but the heat Jem's mouth created overtook everything else.

Jem heard a whimper and opened her eyes. Hanna's eyes were dazed, her lips a beautiful, well-suckled red. As Jem ran her thumb over them, Hanna's thick bottom lip parted on a sigh.

"You're the most exquisite woman I've ever had in my bed." Jem's voice was barely audible, as though she were revealing her darkest secret.

Hanna could just make out the words over the frantic drum of her heartbeat. The shackles rattled again as she tried to reach for Jem, only to be waylaid by the thick ropes of metal.

"I like you in chains," Jem murmured against the exposed skin of Hanna's chest. Her teeth scraped against the top of one breast and Hanna squirmed from the sharp unexpected contact. "You can't deny me anything this way."

"W-what are you going to do to me?" Hanna's voice was breathy with need.

"This," Jem said a moment before she tugged a nipple with her thumb and forefinger.

Hanna's back arched and a loud moan echoed in the room.

Jem soon replaced her fingers with her teeth, pushing the light cloth aside to lave, nip and suckle on the beautiful pink offering. Hanna, with her hands bound, could do nothing but watch as Jem's tongue whipped her into heights of frenzied pleasure she'd never known before.

Hanna had melted -- her bones has dissolved into lax puddles and her sex was aching and unsatisfied, the wet cloth of her underclothing clinging to the already parted lips.

Then she felt the swipe of Jem's tongue on one breast and the pinch of her fingers on the other. The pleasure spiraled. There were no words -- the dual sensations, each so very good and so very different, coming together like a whirlwind in her body. It was... indescribable.

She tugged on her chains, needing desperately to hold on to something as she felt a wave crest inside her. Her harsh pants echoed the room as she reached for that elusive release, legs quivering, core melting. And then she felt a lithe hand slide between her palms, seeking a connection, and she held on. Held on as the waves of release crashed over her, pulled her under.

Was it possible to drown from pleasure? It certainly felt possible. She'd only experienced climaxes while playing with herself when she'd been younger. She hadn't even thought of sexual matters in years. And it certainly hadn't felt anything like what she'd just experienced. Maybe she'd been doing it wrong...

Hanna blinked. And blinked again. Her vision couldn't seem to focus and her limbs were numb. She couldn't get past the word 'I' when her lips moved. So she lay back and let the languor take over, feeling it ebb and flow like a tide in her core.

When she returned to some degree of normalcy, soft brown eyes greeted her.

"That was... I've never... It was good." Hanna winced at her own words.

"Just good?" Jem asked, her fingers running over Hanna's jawline. "Maybe I should try a little harder."

Hanna groaned. "I think that'll kill me."

A genuine smile curled Jem's lips and Hanna couldn't look away. The woman was captivating; her smile was so mesmerizing that Hanna felt her own lips turn upwards.

Hanna leaned forward and placed a kiss on the base of Jem's throat, inhaling the scent of soap and woman. She saw more than felt the goosebumps rise to the surface on Jem's skin. Her tongue came out to play as she licked a trail up to Jem's jawline, where she placed a single kiss.

But before she could coax a proper kiss from Jem, Hanna's stomach growled loudly. Embarrassingly. She pulled back quickly as her cheeks flushed.

"Did the guards not feed you?" Jem asked, already sliding off the bed for the small bowl of fruit in the corner of the room.

"No. They weren't very charitable."

"They usually aren't when you trespass and then try to choke their commander in the town square."

"I already said I was sorry," Hanna grumbled, struggling to sit up in her chains.

Jem returned to bed and helped Hanna into an upright position.

"Here," she said, offering Hanna a slice of an apple. Hanna took it gratefully.

She ate in silence for minutes. Jem simply watched her, saying nothing. Hanna found the silence excruciating. The sound of her chewing seemed to echo through the room.

"I don't think this is what the Chief expected when he ordered me to keep a close eye on you," Jem's words pierced the silence as she lifted another slice of apple to Hanna's lips.

"You are doing a very good job of keeping an eye on me. It's not like I could go anywhere." Hanna rattled the chains.

Jem said nothing.

"So, uh..." Hanna scrambled for something to say. "How long have you been Commander?"

"A few years."

Hanna nodded. "Good answer. Very specific."

Jem's lips twisted upwards just a tiny bit. "How long have you been with the coven?"

"Ten years now. I joined when I was sixteen."

"A long time," Jem commented, raising another slice of apple to Hanna's lips.

"It is." Hanna chewed thoughtfully. "I was terribly unhappy at first because I didn't really have a choice. My parents passed when I was very young and my grandmother cared for me until she died. After that, I had to fend for myself. The Coven offered food and board in return for my sword arm." Hanna shrugged.

"I'm sorry," Jem said, her gaze softening.

Hanna shrugged again. "Don't be. It was a long time ago."

More silence as she ate.

Then Hanna asked, "Tell me a little about you."

"Why?"

Hanna face flushed. "We've been intimate... and I would like to know you."

"What would you like to know?"

"How old are you?"

"34."

"Were you born in the Lowlands?"

"Yes."

"Do you... do you have a wife?"

Jem's eyes narrowed. "No."

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'?"

"Why aren't you married?" Hanna asked, reaching into the fruit bowl and popping a grape into her mouth. "You're very attractive, you've got a high-ranking position, decent accommodations... what more could a woman want?"

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