Vannerbehn's Luck Pt. 01

- "It matters." said Nikan. "When dying's all you've got, it matters."

Nikan did end up hanging. Marnio was stabbed in an alley brawl. It was so odd that I should think of them now. But I suspected that Nikan was right, so I stood up straight, and pointed one pistol at the dragon's head.

Fuck you, you overgrown lizard, I thought. You're going to remember me.

I fired the first shot. A heartbeat later, I raised my second pistol, and fired again.

The first bullet missed. It glanced off one of those heavy scales, or perhaps it grazed the dragon's horn. But the second shot - half an ounce of solid lead - struck exactly where I'd hoped: right in the dragon's eye.

The monster shrieked, and its body convulsed in pain. I threw myself to the ground as a claw swept by my head. Its wings flapped, and the dragon's tail slapped into another tree.

And then ...

A bolt of lightning hit the dragon. It didn't come from the sky, though; the trajectory of the bolt was more horizontal. A moment later, a great ball of fire struck the beast. I tried to roll behind the shattered stump of a tree, but it wasn't enough cover - my lower legs were badly singed. I screamed, but no one could have heard me.

The dragon turned towards this new threat. I saw two figures in armor surging forward. One was quite tall, while the other had long, brilliant red hair. The face, between the cheek pieces of the helmet, belonged to a woman.

The monster roared its defiance. But it didn't spit a line of acid. Perhaps it needed to re-charge, or reload. Then the dragon's head snapped back, as it uttered another piercing shriek. To my utter amazement, I saw a thick arrow jutting from its second eye.

I tried to sit up, and reload my pistol, but my fingers fumbled, and I dropped the ball. In my defense, I was battered and burnt, and there was quite a bit going on around me.

The dragon continued to shriek, as it thrashed about, clawing divots in the earth, and slapping trees with its swinging tail. I had to roll again, to get a little further away.

More spells struck the dragon; one of them gave off purple sparks. The two armored fighters closed in, and began hacking and slashing at the monster's legs.

The tall one was struck by the dragon's tail, and sent spinning off to one side. But the second fighter - the redhead - must have severed a tendon, because the big lizard suddenly lurched, and fell heavily.

Blinded, hamstrung - and surely severely injured by this point - the dragon was incapable of offering much more serious resistance. It was just butchery from then on. I can't say that I was unhappy about that; it couldn't have happened to a nicer dragon.

- "Everyone alright?" shouted the red-headed warrior, as gore dripped from her sword. "Taliesine? Syrava?"

- "Fine."

- "Here. I'm alright."

- "Where's Aressine?" called the redhead.

- "Over here. A bit stunned. She'll live." said another female voice. "I'm fine, too."

- "Where's Pamna? And did any of the first party survive?"

- "There's one here." said a new voice. My head jerked around, involuntarily, because she was right behind me.

I saw dark hair, brown eyes, and a hooked nose. Earrings bigger than wind chimes.

"Hello." she said.

Then a second figure appeared behind her. This one had long, jet black hair, ornate armor, and exotic features. She stared at me for a moment, and then waved her arm.

- "Nomariki kuntali." she said.

That's all I remember.

***

I was stiff and sore when I awoke. The pain in my legs wasn't so bad, though. I catalogued all these impressions without opening my eyes. My last memory was of a rival party - mostly women - casting some sort of knockout spell on me. Best not to let them know that I was no longer asleep, just yet.

There was no need to move around. I could feel that my pistols had been taken away. Sword and dagger, too. They hadn't found the little knife in my boot, but that wasn't going to get me very far. My hands hadn't been tied, or restrained.

Even through closed eyes, I could feel daylight filtering through the trees.

- "What are we going to do with him?" said a voice.

- "Kill him." said someone else. "The fewer witnesses, the better."

- "Oh, no. There's no need for that. You don't want to tempt fate like that, Syrava." I recognized the third voice: it was Darkhair Hooknose with the earrings.

- "You shouldn't have wasted a healing spell on him." snapped the second speaker. "Especially not while Aressine is still hurting."

That seemed like a good opening to me. "I can heal her." I said, opening my eyes.

- "What?" The redheaded fighter was there, still in armor. There were three gashes on her face, all recently healed, by magic. She was a striking woman. Scars wouldn't change that.

Darkhair with the earrings smiled at me. (I had to admit, upon closer inspection, that her nose wasn't hooked all that much) "How are you feeling?"

- "Much better. Thanks to you, I think." I could feel her magical touch, still. I'd experienced it before, but usually from the other perspective. When you cast a healing spell on someone, it creates a bond - a link, if you prefer. You can sense that person's presence, from quite a distance. The effect can last for up to a full day.

- "I did." she said, with another smile. "You're very welcome." I was beginning to like her, so I smiled back.

- "Let me repay the favor, then." I said, levering myself into a sitting position.

- "Wait." said the redhead.

- "I don't trust him." said the one I took to be Syrava. She had pale, reddish blonde hair, and dark eyes. The pout on her lips made her look childish and petulant. If I was not mistaken, there was a touch of the fey about her. When you've a mixed heritage of your own, you tend to see it in others more easily. At least, that's been my experience.

- "I'm unarmed." I pointed out. "I know a couple of minor spells, which I can convert to healing. I'm no threat to you. I'm offering to help."

- "That's very nice of you." said Earrings. She offered her hand to help me stand up.

- "Careful." growled the redhead.

We circled the carcass of the dragon. Even dead, it was still impressive - though not so terrifying as last night.

Aressine turned out to be the tall warrior I'd seen, charging alongside the redhead. She had her helmet off, and was sitting on a shattered tree stump, still in her armor.

At Pamna's urging, and with her more suspicious friends watching me like hawks, Aressine let me come close. She was very tall, with blonde hair in a long braid. Her face was grimy and sweaty, but still quite attractive.

I cast my little healing spell, and discovered that she was badly bruised, under her armor. Most of her left side would be blue, or even black. I restored the blood flow, and soothed some of the angriest bruises. The big blonde felt it right away, and groaned - with relief.

- "That should feel a bit better." I said, with my best bedside manner.

- "Thanks." she said.

- "You are very welcome." I said, with a smile and a wink for Earrings, who smiled back.

The remainder of their party came around from the other side of the dragon. Two more women: one was Exotic Ravenhair, in her ornate armor - the one who had knocked me out, last night. The other was an elf.

Wood elf, of course - not High Elf. You rarely see any of the Old Ones anymore. This elf had hair so blonde it was practically white. Cute, too. I had to shake my head; was membership in this group open only to very attractive women?

- "What is it?" asked Earrings. She'd seen my head shake.

- "Nothing." I said. "Just glad to be alive - thanks to all of you."

- "We've separated the magic items." said Ravenhair. "Thirteen of them, in all."

- "Nice." said Syrava, the fey one. "Split six ways, that's two each."

- "Why not seven ways?" said Earrings.

- "What?"

Earrings pointed to me. "Don't you think he deserves a share, too?" she said. "I'm sorry - we haven't even asked your name."

I gave her a little bow. "Kelsen Vannerbehn, at your service."

With a grin, she sketched a mock curtsey. "Pamna. Pleased to meet you."

- "Not half so pleased as I was, last night, when you arrived. You ladies saved my life. I am in your debt."

Pamna introduced the rest of her group. The fey spellcaster was Syrava, and I already knew that the tall blonde in armor was Aressine. The redhead was Kima. She appeared to be the leader, though she often deferred to Exotic Ravenhair, whose name turned out to be Taliesine. The elf was Fhaernala.

They didn't seem to know what to do with me, at first. Well, Syrava still looked like she wanted to finish off what the dragon had missed, and bury me behind a tree. Pamna - Earrings - was certainly in my corner.

The redhead - Kima - asked me to excuse them, while they discussed my fate.

- "Don't wander off." she said.

- "Can I look for ... the members of my party?" I asked. I had been about to say 'friends', but that wouldn't have been accurate, except in the case of Gartnait. Him I would miss.

- "We buried them." said Kima.

- "What was left of them?"

- "Yes."

- "Thank you."

There was a grave, which I assumed had been dug for Gartnait. What remained of the other three they'd buried in a hole alongside. It was a relief, in a way, not to have to see what the streams of acid had done to them. I couldn't even feel particularly bereaved; I'd barely known them. I might have ended up liking Benteram, had I been around him longer.

I sat down, on the edge of the dragon's lair, with my back against a tree, while I waited for the women to decide what to do with me. Hopefully, they would return my weapons; I didn't know whether to expect any more.

Then a thought occurred to me. I stood up, and walked over to where they were.

- "Excuse me!" I called out. "Sorry to disturb you. I just thought you'd like to know: we left two wagons on the edge of the forest. You're welcome to use them, if that helps. I can show you where they are."

- "We saw them." said Kima. "But ... thank you."

- "Alright." I said, cheerfully. "Ahh ... I don't know much about horses, but you might want to see to our horses at some point. They've been hobbled in the same place since yesterday afternoon."

Kima pointed - back to where I'd been.

"I'll just sit over there." I said.

They talked for another hour, at least. I may have dozed off, for a time. When I opened my eyes, the redhead, Kima, was standing over me.

- "Can you drive a team?" she asked.

- "I can manage."

The two fighters, the elf, and the exotic spellcaster walked me back along the dragon's path, towards the edge of the forest. Seen in daylight, it was still eerie. It was also a much shorter distance than I remembered.

Once we reached the open grass, Kima and the elf, Fhaernala, went in one direction, while Aressine and Taliesine accompanied me to the spot where we had left our wagons. I helped the blonde fighter get the horses. The raven-haired wizard just watched us.

I glanced at Aressine, and raised an eyebrow. She shook her head.

- "No." said the fighter. "She doesn't do horses. Or wagons."

Aressine drove one wagon, while I followed with the other. Taliesine climbed into my wagon, and sat behind me. Well behind me.

I turned in my seat, and grinned at her.

- "That was an effective spell you used on me, last night." I said. "What was it?"

She didn't seem particularly inclined to answer, but eventually she said: "Sleep."

- "Worked like a charm." I said. "If you'll pardon the pun."

She didn't react at all.

"By your look, I'd say you were Eastern." I continued. "The Empire? Or even further east? Am I close?"

Taliesine frowned. "I mean no offence," she said, "but I have no desire to converse with you. I am only here to make certain that you do nothing foolish."

- "Fair enough." I conceded, and concentrated on driving the wagon. I wasn't particularly insulted, or annoyed. My charm is quite effective, but it doesn't work on all women. Thank goodness for that, really: life would be boring if every woman I encountered was immediately susceptible.

The horses didn't care for the smell of dragon - even dead dragon. We had to stop well short of the monster's lair. That led to another discussion. Kima called me over.

- "All right, Kelsen Vannerbehn." she said. "You'd be dead, if it wasn't for our timely arrival -"

- "I agree completely."

- "Just shut and listen, will you?" She sounded more tired than angry. "Look, we know that your party did considerable damage to the dragon, before they were wiped out. And you shot out one of its eyes, which certainly helped."

"So even though you aren't one of us, we've decided to grant you a half-share of the spoils. Can you live with that?"

- "That's more than fair." I said. Honestly, it was better than I'd expected. Pamna, the witch, liked me, and Aressine may have felt mildly indebted, because I'd healed her. Taliesine was obviously no big admirer of mine, and if I know anything about elves at all, it's that Fhaernala probably didn't care either way. Syrava, the fey, seemed to have taken an active dislike to me, for whatever reason.

Kima's opinion had probably carried more weight. However they had decided, I wasn't about to complain. I was still alive, and I'd be bringing home some loot.

- "We'll borrow your wagons until we get back to the city. After that, they're yours to sell, or keep - as you will." she added.

- "Thank you."

The rest of the day was one long ordeal of lifting and carrying. The dragon's hoard - and it was considerable - had to be separated, and then carried to the wagons. There were coins of every size and shape. Copper, bronze, silver, and gold, plus a few metals I didn't recognize. A numismatist would have been coming in his pants.

But then he or she didn't have to bag the damn things, and then carry them to the wagons. It's amazing how heavy coins are, when they belong to someone else. Only one in thirteen would be mine - and then a tenth, or possibly even a fifth would have to paid to the pirate Lords.

And I fully intended to pay up. It's safer that way, of course, but it's really the right thing to do. Honestly, how the hell do you expect your Overlords to run a city if nobody pays their taxes? Roads, fountains, the night watch (no friends of mine, but still), the city walls ... these things cost money. If you don't want any of those ... then go live in the woods.

The women hadn't mentioned that my half-share also included last pick - of everything. I had the thirteenth pick of gems, which brought me a couple of valuable stones, and some semi-precious ones. I wasn't in the market for armor, or fancy weapons, but I did get a nice dagger and a pair of throwing knifes. I'd always meant to learn how to use them.

But when it came to the magical items, each woman chose twice, and I got the last thing, which none of them wanted.

- "It's magical." said Pamna. "We're just not sure what it does."

It was a rabbit's foot, dyed red. I looked at it, then back at Pamna.

- "A rabbit's foot?"

- "Maybe it'll bring you luck." she said.

- "That would help." I said. "Think I used up most of my luck last night."

I was painfully stiff and sore again by the time we finished, so I healed myself one more time. The women shared their meal with me, but didn't return my weapons. Once I'd eaten, I crawled beneath the furthest of the wagons and prepared myself a bed. I suspected that they wouldn't want me bunking down anywhere near them.

Elves don't sleep much, so Fhaernala kept watch. I felt her eyes on me more than once.

I was close to dozing off when I heard the grass rustle beside my wagon.

- "May I join you?" whispered Pamna.

- "Of course." I was surprised, but recovered quickly. It wasn't the first time a woman had snuck into my room - or bedroll. Hopefully it wouldn't be the last.

I rolled over, and left her a share of my blanket. She had brought her own, though, which she spread over both of us.

- "I thought I'd help you begin to change your luck." she said, softly.

- "That's very ... thoughtful of you."

- "And we both had a harrowing experience just last night." she said. "You more so than me. We healed your external wounds, but I think you could also benefit from some restorative therapy. I certainly could."

Pamna placed her hand on my thigh.

"I like you, Kelsen Vannerbehn."

- "I like you too, Pamna." I said. "And not only because you saved my life. And healed me." I couldn't make out her features very well, in the dark under the wagon, but I definitely saw the flash of her teeth as she smiled.

- "You are a funny man." she said, as she began to stroke my thigh with her fingers. "Handsome, and clever, too, I think. But most of all, I like that you have a good heart. Oh yes, I can tell."

She slid her hand under the waistband of my trousers, and took hold of my rapidly swelling member.

"I suspect that you are a man of many talents." she whispered, just before she leaned down and kissed me. Her mouth tasted wonderful - she must have chewed some mint leaves.

Pamna swirled her tongue around mine, all the while continuing to stroke and manipulate my cock, until I was fully hard.

- "Mmm ..." she moaned. Then she swung a leg over me, and straddled my thighs. She pulled my trousers down, as I lifted my hips to assist her. With my cock now exposed, she continued her manual exploration.

She paused, for a moment, to pull her dress down over one shoulder, and then the other. I understood the invitation, and reached up to caress her breasts. They weren't very big, but she gasped when my thumbs passed over nipples.

I sat up a bit, and drew her close, closing my lips over her nipple. When I caught it, gently, between my teeth, and squeezed a little, Pamna clutched my head and pulled me even closer, feeding her little breast into my mouth.

She hiked up her skirts, and moved forward a bit. Her hand found my erection, and she rubbed the head of my shaft against her lower lips. Then she tucked me inside her, and sat down on me - slowly, deliberately.

- "Ahh - you beautiful witch!" I said.

- "I'm glad you think so." she whispered. "Now suck my nipples again."

Pamna rode me. I let her set the pace - and certainly had no complaints. She was a generous lover, taking her pleasure even as she made sure that I found mine.

She shuddered as she reached her climax, and a moment later I warned her that my own peak was imminent.

- "Inside me." she whispered. That put me over the edge, and I filled her with my seed.

She disengaged gently, and lay down beside me. I wrapped my arm around her, and pulled her close.

- "You're magnificent." I said, softly.

- "Just your everyday healer." she whispered.

- "Does that mean we can do this every day?"

She smiled, and stroked my face.

We whispered some more, and kissed again. I slid my hand under her skirts, where I discovered - as I'd suspected - that she had slender thighs and a shapely ass.

- "Really?" she said. "Aren't you tired?"

- "How could I ever forgive myself," I said, "if I passed up such an opportunity?"

She laughed. "Don't forget my nipples." she said.

I mounted her, in the classic position, and gave her proof of my ardour - and I did not neglect her nipples.

*****