Return to Kedley Holm

This is a continuation of a previous story. To better understand this chapter, reading the first is highly encouraged. While the erotic elements of the story are overt and pronounced, it is intended to be just one aspect of a larger story and a broader setting.

Secondly, this story is a work of high fantasy. The setting is one of magic, warfare, other races, and a time long gone by. As such, there will be scenes involving fantasy-inspired violence.

If this all seems to be to your liking please keep reading, and I hope you enjoy.

***

Toren Boartusk opened the door of his home. It was still mid-morning -but he was late.

Horribly late.

He and Belane Ravenwing -his best and oldest friend -had ventured out to Kedley Holm yesterday. Their plans were significantly altered by the early arrival of this year's first harvest-season storm. Unable to row back in the driving wind and torrential rain, the two had found shelter in an old abandoned hunting cabin.

They walked in lifelong friends. They walked out of the cabin at Kedley Holm lovers and intending to marry.

They had both been virgins before coming together in the firelight of the abandoned cabin. However, the time they shared together naked in bed didn't just feel good -it felt right. Toren and Belane had both discovered they'd harbored growing feelings for one another for some time and, when both could take it no more, those feelings were released through nervous confession, and joyful physical climax.

It was all they could do to resist the urge to become one flesh once more when the sun broke their slumber. They -with much difficulty -opted against it, however. Not because they regretted their actions -far from it. Both young lovers realized that, should they give in to each other upon waking, they'd have spent the entire day joined together.

They would eventually be married -that was certain now. However, keeping things peaceful at home would allow them to break the news when the time was right, and on their own terms.

Before Belane could even enter the door of the Boartusk home -where she had spent much of her childhood -Toren deftly dodged a shoe thrown straight at his head.

"There you are!!" yelled Miri, Toren's mother, as she rushed towards him, "You have no idea how worried I was!"

Toren flinched noticeably as Miri embraced her hulking oldest son. As she held him tightly, he realized that her intentions weren't malicious and embraced her in return.

It was because of this that Miri took him by surprise when she broke their embrace, quickly retrieved her thrown shoe, and went across the back of his head with it.

"I was worried sick about you," she scolded as Toren rubbed his head, "The both of you."

Miri then walked to Belane and warmly embraced her as well. "Mother Miri," Belane said, using the honorific she always used to acknowledge that Toren's mother was a mother figure to her as well, "I just want to remind you that I'm much quicker than Toren."

Miri kissed her on the cheek. "Sweetheart," she said with a grin, "Don't worry. That shoe was only meant for him." Miri's grin got wider as she pinched Belane's cheek.

Hard.

"I KNOW you'd NEVER intend to make me that worried sick," she added with mischief in her voice and her eyes, "It MUST have been COMPLETELY Toren's fault."

As Miri drew her hand away, Belane rubbed her cheek. Her sarcasm made the point well enough, but didn't exactly sting -that was what the pinch was for.

"I told you to bring your cloak," came a voice from the other side of the room.

Dullam, Toren's father, had come into the house. He stood there stoically, looking at Toren and Belane. He surveyed them both up and down, in a silent and astute assessment.

"You both look remarkably well for having survived all night in a huge storm," Miri remarked, completing her own assessment as she looked at her son and the young woman she loved as a daughter, "With how worried I was, the least you could have done is come home looking half-dead."

She could keep up the angry act no longer. Her resolve broke as her stern glare broke into snickering laughter.

"I'm just so glad you're both all right," she added, embracing both of them once more.

"Were you at Kedley Holm the whole night?" asked Dullam.

"Yes," Toren replied, "The storm came up while we were walking back to the boat. By the time we got to the beach, we couldn't risk the trip back."

"Did you find shelter, or did you make shelter?" Dullam inquired.

"We found an abandoned cabin," Belane answered, "We were able to get a fire going and dry out. By the time the storm started to die down, it was too dark to go back, so we slept there and headed back this morning."

Dullam raised a single eyebrow. He said nothing for a few scant moments. "A cabin," he eventually mused, "At Kedley Holm? I can't recall anyone ever living there on a permanent basis."

"It looked like a hunter's cabin," Toren explained, "It didn't have a lot of provisions and it seemed like no one had been there for a bit. There were also trophies on the wall -antlers and skins and the like."

Dullam's eyebrow raised once more. "Interesting," he said, "Not a lot of things there to hunt. That islet's just too small -there haven't been any large game animals there in generations."

"I'm not complaining," Toren explained, "It was shelter when we needed it. I'm just going to be thankful to the God of All that we had a good night."

"Comparatively," Belane added hastily, "It... It was good compared to what it could have been. We'd have half drown or half froze if we had to stay outside all night."

"I suppose so," Miri said, a mildly inquisitive look on her face now, "Being out in that storm last night would have been miserable."

"Did my father make it back to town yet?" Belane asked, trying not to make it obvious that she was changing the subject, and failing miserably.

"He actually came back less than two hours ago," Dullam informed her, "He stayed at an inn not far from here. The storm kept him from getting in last night."

"Well then," said Belane, "I'd better get home. I should probably let my father know I'm still living."

Toren and Belane turned to face one another. "I probably have chores to do today," Toren told her, "But maybe I can see you tomorrow?"

"That sounds just fine," Belane replied before turning to go.

Both Miri and Dullam observed the two briefly hold hands before Belane left.

They also observed that, in that fleeting moment, it was clear the two didn't want to be apart.

***

Ubar Ravenwing was still breaking down his cart and returning his items to their proper place when Belane walked through the door. He gave her a glance before turning back to his work.

"Daughter," he greeted her flatly. His attention seemed to be more consumed with placing a package of spices back into the crate where they would wait until his next trading trip.

"Hello, father," she returned with similar affect, while picking up an apple from a basket nearby, "Did the trip go well?"

"Well enough," Ubar replied. He took a break from his unpacking and ran his hands through his shaggy salt-and-pepper hair. "Most of the things I had marked for resale ended up selling. I wasn't able to move as much of my perishables as I'd like, though."

Lacking any chair or bench, Belane sat down cross-legged on the dirt and hay in front of the dwelling she shared with her father. "I can help you with some of them," she quipped, her mouth full of apple, "But my appetite goes only so far."

"Speaking of appetite," Ubar replied, finally turning his attention to his only child, "What ended up happening with the bilberries you were supposed to bring back from your little adventure yesterday?"

"They're with Mother Miri. She plans to make preserves. She said she'll give us some when she's done."

"That's very nice of her. She and Dullam are good people."

"They are."

"They also let me know that you and their son were due home yesterday evening."

"Toren and I got caught in the storm. Same as you. But we were on Kedley Holm. We couldn't take the boat back so we had to stay the night. We were all right, though."

"I knew you would be. You can look out for yourself well enough. You're practically half-feral."

Belane took her father's comment as the backhanded compliment that it was. She finished the apple, throwing the core into a bunch of scrub bushes nearby as she rose. "I'm going to get the bow," she stated, "I'll probably try to get some game if you're planning on being home for a bit."

"A few days, at least," Ubar confirmed, "I have a contact who'll be arriving soon with some leather goods. I think I'll be able to sell them at the market in Swanford at a good price."

"How long will you be gone?" asked Belane.

"A week," Ubar replied, returning to his unpacking, "Maybe more. I don't think I'll be gone any longer than a week and a half."

Belane huffed noncommittally. Her father had always been fairly transient. His life as a merchant often took him away for prolonged periods of time. After Zalna, Belane's mother, left the family, Ubar never let that stop him from seeking fortune and renown. Instead, he relied on Miri and Dullam Boartusk to stand in as surrogate parents.

As a child, Mother Miri and Father Dullam were often more of a parent than Ubar -and certainly more than Zalna. However, as a young adult, Belane was more than capable of taking care of herself. Truth be told, she had no need to stay with the Boartusk family any longer when Ubar was away. While she spent some nights alone in her home, she still found herself spending a significant amount of time with her surrogate family. So much so that Mother Miri and Father Dullam still kept a bed in the children's room just for her -as it was when she was a child. No one admitted it openly, but everyone knew that the time Belane now spent at the Boartusk home was due to nothing more than her love of her second family.

And -to an only recently-realized degree -her love for Toren.

She emerged from her home with her bow in hand, her quiver on her back, and two hand axes and a knife on her belt. "I'll be back by sundown," she said to Ubar, not even breaking stride as she walked past him.

Her father gave her a grunt of acknowledgement as he took inventory of a box full of rabbit pelts.

***

She was daydreaming again. Belane had been perched in the tree for hours, but had paid barely any attention to the glen below her. She was overlooking a wide path leading to a river, lined on each side with bushes and undergrowth.

She'd hunted here countless times before. Small and larger game alike always seemed to find their way to the clearing on their way to get water. It was normally a matter of time before she was able to bring down something that she could bring back for food.

Today was not a typical day, however. She couldn't stop thinking of last night.

Of Toren.

Of his long, thick, beautiful cock.

Her hand absently drifted to the warm wetness between her legs. It hadn't yet been a full day since he had been inside her. If she focused -if she concentrated -she could still vividly recall the feeling of being slowly opened for the first time.

In her mind, she drifted back to the warmth of him. Back to the embrace she shared with him -with naked skin, grasping arms, and welcoming legs. She could remember how he smelled. How he tasted.

How she had no idea how good it felt to be united in one flesh.

She had no experience with that type of love before last night. She had only a cursory understanding of what man and wife did after they were joined together. She had even heard of young women speak of it in tones that made it seem like something to be feared or to be avoided.

But the time she spent with Toren inside of her felt so natural -so right -that she was sure those other women were doing something wrong. Because the feeling that she was able to give him -the clutching, throbbing explosion of ecstasy that she felt with him inside her was something she couldn't stop thinking about.

Now that she knew they both felt the same way about each other -now that she and Toren had committed themselves to marriage -she had a difficult time understanding why they should wait. Logically, she knew that waiting would be the easiest option. Being newly married as he begins his time with the Vanguard would be difficult.

But so would being apart.

So would pretending they weren't planning on being together.

So would being without his magnificent manhood.

The love in her heart for her dear, dear Toren was matched only by the hunger in her loins for her hard, delicious Toren. If she closed her eyes, she could vividly see the expression on his face as he throbbed and flooded her insides with his warm seed.

Once they had finally become one and professed their love for each other, Belane knew that she would miss him until they were finally wed.

However, she didn't realize that she would also hunger for him. How she would ache so badly for him.

As her bow almost dropped from her hand, Belane was snapped back to reality.

She needed to focus. To calm her mind. To pay attention and bring back something for her and her father to eat.

If she had to, she could always bring her fingers between her legs during the night and pretend it was him, buried in the hot pit of desire deep inside of her body.

***

She emerged from the brush with the deer carcass over her shoulders. She had gotten lucky -she knew that. The small fallow deer had all but wandered in front of her notched arrow. It fell within a quarter mile of the river after the burst of adrenaline wore off. She tracked her prey and had it field dressed within 30 minutes. She stowed the edible offal in a waxed linen pack strapped to her back, while she left the rest of the entrails for scavengers.

As evening fell, the slender, athletic young woman emerging from the woods covered in blood, carrying hunting gear and shouldering a deer carcass that weighed almost as much as she did made townsfolk in her path give her a wide berth.

It was nothing new to Belane, however. She had never been anything approaching the acceptable standard for young maidens within Hilkirk -or anywhere else in Black Hallow, for that matter. She possessed almost none of the ladylike manners and bearing that was expected of her by those who didn't know her. It seemed like only her father and the Boartusk family allowed her to be herself.

However, this particular evening, she found her step lighter and her demeanor completely different. For years, Belane had tried in vain to accept the fact that, while she would always be loved as a family member, she'd most likely never find a man to love her as a partner. She believed that no man would want to spend their lives beside a half-feral, unrefined, opinionated and intense woman like her.

But now, she knew better. Her Toren loved her. He wanted her. He desired her. She still had the remnants of his eruption within her to prove it.

She was going to be married.

She was going to be allowed to be herself.

She was going to spend her days with the love of her life.

She didn't even hear the whispers and see the sidelong glances. She walked down the dirt path towards home, her skin and leathers covered in animal blood, with a fresh kill over her shoulders, weapons on her back and a broad smile on her face.

She'd never been this happy.

***

"What do you think?" Toren asked. His feet dangled from the log where he sat. Next to him was his sister, Tosi. Tosi was the second oldest, at only a few weeks shy of a year younger than Toren.

"Give me a moment," she urged her brother, a bit of annoyance present in her voice, "You barely took a breath when you told me about what happened. Just let me think."

Toren had something weighing on his mind when he asked to take a walk with Tosi. That much was clear. Tosi and Toren had always been close. As the two oldest siblings, and being so close in age, they were often each other's confidant and sounding board. Because of this, both had a significant insight into the other's feelings and thoughts.

Tosi had expected to speak to Toren about the stresses he was dealing with regarding his upcoming acceptance into Black Hallow's Vanguard or his imminent journey out on his own now that he was a man.

What he confided in her, however, took Tosi completely by surprise. He was hesitant to speak at first. However, as they walked he wrung up his courage to tell her what was on his mind. What came out of Toren's mouth was a rapid-fire jumble of mixed up thoughts, recollections, fears, and admissions.

He and Belane were planning to wed.

Belane was going to be her sister-in-law.

And, as of now, Tosi was the only other soul who knew.

"First of all," Tosi began in an even, measured tone, "You said you both discussed this last night. While you were stranded on Kedley Holm?"

"Yes," Toren replied matter-of-factly.

"While you were seeking refuge in... what... some shack, you said?"

"No," Toren countered, "It was a hunting cabin, by the look of it. It seemed like no one had been there in several months."

"Hmm," Tosi mused, "You spent the night together, talking about marriage..."

Toren blushed, already knowing where Tosi was steering her line of questioning.

"Was talking all you did?" she asked, "Or was there... umm... more to the... discussion?"

"We talked about a lot," Toren replied, far too quickly, "I mean... our plans for the future, her family... the Vanguard..."

"That's not what I mean," Tosi admonished softly, "And you know it."

Toren's embarrassed silence said all that needed to be said.

Tosi tried to hide her look of surprise when her suspicions were all but confirmed. While she did an admirable job in doing so, her shock was in no way unclear. "You didn't," she said, "Last night? You and Belane?"

"It..." Toren stammered, "It just... happened. Neither of us planned to. But there was only one bed and-"

"That's far enough," Tosi interrupted, waving her hand in front of her face, "You're my brother. And she's practically my sister. I don't want any details. The last thing I need is an image of you two crashing around in my head. That's disgusting."

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly, "But you asked."

"I did," admitted Tosi, "As much as I regret that now. I just wanted to know because... you know... being... intimate with one another... things can happen."

"I know," Toren replied, running his fingers through his unkempt brown hair, "I wasn't thinking about that at the time. Neither of us were."

"That's obvious," Tosi admonished, rolling her eyes, "What if she's pregnant?"

Toren hopped off the log as if startled, and started pacing. He was clearly a nervous wreck. "Don't you think," he asked sarcastically, "That crossed my mind?"

Tosi ratcheted up the sarcasm, part of her enjoying watching her older brother squirm. "You clearly weren't thinking too hard about it," she retorted with a sisterly smirk, "Or maybe the hard part was your problem..."

Toren stopped pacing and looked at his younger sister, raising an eyebrow. "Really?" he chided her, "Stooping to vulgar humor? Not very ladylike of you. What will Brother Wintersong think of this?"

Tosi's eyes narrowed. "You leave Grio out of this," she snapped. The mention of Grio Wintersong's name in this context began to stoke a fire in her delicate heart. He was the same age as Toren -scarcely a year older than Tosi. He was studying in the Temple of the God of All and would be an ordained cleric by the time Tosi had come of age.

She and Grio had been betrothed for only a few weeks, but Tosi had already found herself becoming attached to -and protective of -her future husband.

"Just because you can't control your loins," Tosi continued coldly, "Doesn't mean you have an excuse to be an... an... obnoxious miscreant."

Toren's jaw set in anger. "I'm sorry," he snapped bitterly, "For not being as perfect as you are. I'm sorry for having to make decisions for myself instead of just waiting for my betrothed to come sweep me off my feet and take me away."

His reflexes weren't quite quick enough to avoid the stick that came whistling towards his head. He yelped in pain as the branch fragment bounced off his forehead and ricocheted off into the underbrush.

"That's enough," Tosi barked as she watched her brother rub the spot on his head where the projectile she threw struck him, "You did what you did. If you're uncomfortable with it, that's not my fault. And there's certainly no reason to bring Grio into this. He's a good man. As a matter of fact, he'd probably be nothing but supportive of you if he were here now."

Toren plopped unceremoniously down on the ground. He sighed heavily as he took a moment to gather his thoughts. "I know," he admitted after drawing a long, centering breath, "Grio's a good man. In time, he'll most likely be a great man. I'm glad you're going to marry him. And I'm glad you care for him."

He shifted his gaze to look his sister in the eyes. "I'm not intending to be rude," he admitted, "I'm just..."

"Scared?" offered Tosi, trying to complete her brother's sentence for him.

"Well..." Toren hesitated, "I... Yes. Scared is a good way to put it. Confused is another. Nervous... Anxious... Those will all work, too."

Tosi offered a heavy sigh of her own and gingerly hopped down from the log she had been sitting upon. She walked beside her brother and, after seeing that her skirt wouldn't be rumpled, she found a dry and fairly clean spot beside him and sat. "How do you feel about her?" inquired Tosi, "Put everything else out of your mind and tell me how you feel about Belane. Not as someone you grew up with... But as a woman."

"I..." said Toren, stumbling over his words, "I.... I love her. I'm in love with her. I want her to be my wife. After what happened yesterday... what happened between Belane and I... I'm even more sure."

"So," Tosi asked, "What's the problem?"

"The problem is that everything is so complicated," Toren replied, exasperation woven through every syllable, "I'm going to be reporting for duty to the Vanguard in just a few weeks. I don't know how long that will take or what my duties will be. Especially if I intend to pledge to the Order of the Eternal Vigil. Going into that with a wife isn't going to be easy. She'll spend more time without me than she will with me. And what happens after that? I don't know what the future will bring. I've heard that the Orc Tribes in the North are gathering. When they did that years ago, we went to war. I remember it felt like Father was gone forever. And that's to say nothing about the Westerners. Those savages attack as they please and if-"

Tosi cleared her throat audibly, cutting her brother off mid-sentence. "I understand," she said softly, "It's a lot to think about. But it's a burden enough to worry about what will most likely happen. It'll only get harder if you start to worry about what might happen as well. Leave the orcs and the Westerners... the Wave Riders and the Elven Separatists... Dwarves and dragons... leave them all wherever they are. Worry about them when they need worrying about."

She placed her hand softly on her brother's shoulder. "Belane is here," she said quietly, her calm voice helping ease Toren's mind, "So are you. If you want to build a life, you can't hold off until things are perfect. They'll never be perfect. All you have to do is make them as good as you can."

Toren chuckled. "You sound like mother," he said, the gratitude he felt was left unsaid, but was clear nonetheless.

"God above," Tosi groaned, "Stop insulting me. Or I'll start to fuss over you and really make you think I'm acting like mother."

"Point taken," conceded Toren, "I know my hair is messy and dirty, I'd rather not have you tell me that before Mother does. But... you have a lot of wisdom like she does. For a child, I mean."

His joke at Tosi's expense had barely come out of his mouth before she swatted him on the shoulder. Once both finished laughing, a strange silence settled over the two of them. Tosi finally broke it by addressing the question she believed had not yet been asked.

"You know it'll be difficult, right?"

"Of course," replied Toren, "We were just talking about that."

"That's not what I meant," clarified Tosi, "I mean having Belane as a wife. I don't think either of you will have it easy."

Toren stayed silent, using nothing but facial expressions to encourage his sister to elaborate.

"She's not exactly..." Tosi hesitated, "Wife material. I can't exactly see her mending clothes or preparing food for a family."

"I don't know," Toren replied, only half in jest, "She's an amazing hunter, and she can butcher and roast a deer like nobody we've ever known."

Tosi laughed. "Good point," she conceded, "But that's not what I'm speaking of. Can she bake bread? Keep a house? Teach your children?"

"I can't really see her doing much of that," Toren confessed, "At least, not willingly."

"That's what I mean, Toren. It's not about whether or not she can live up to the traditional responsibilities of a wife. It's about whether or not she'd even want to."

"You're right. But she brought up wanting children last night, so..."

Tosi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What???" she blurted out, clearly taken aback, "You talked about what??"

"Having children," repeated Toren, "Not now, obviously. But she made it... umm... let's say very clear that she wanted to be a mother to our children."

"Oh," was all Tosi could manage, "Umm... Oh. I... that's just something I never thought about. It's a bit..."

"Intimidating?" Toren replied, prompted a nod of agreement from his sister.

"I was thinking awkward," Tosi elaborated, "But intimidating works well also. For you, I mean. For me it's awkward, but it must be a lot for you to consider."

"It is," Toren confirmed, "But there's so much swirling around in my head I can't give that part the weight I think it deserves."

Toren paused for a few moments before continuing.

"I know Belane's not anywhere close to what would be called a normal wife," he confessed, "But it doesn't bother me. I love her for her. Not for how well or poorly she may take care of a house. But... I believe her when she said she wants children. And I think she has it in her to be a wonderful mother. Not necessarily a traditional one, but a wonderful one."

"Maybe..." hesitated Tosi, "Maybe, as it gets closer to that time, I could... Maybe I could help her learn."

"You??" Tom asked, astounded, "But you don't even like Belane."

"What??!!?" Tosi exclaimed, now that it was her turn to be shocked, "Whoever said that??"

"It's pretty plain," explained Toren, "You and she don't really speak. At least, not one-on-one."

"I don't hate her," Tosi replied emphatically, "I care for her a lot. I love her. She's my... well, she's practically my sister. I'm just scared to death of her."

Toren half-turned his head, giving his sister a side-eyed stare. "What do you mean you're scared to death of her?"

"What do you think I mean?" exclaimed Tosi, confusion etched all over her face, "Have you seen her? Have you met her? She spends her mornings 'meditating' by carving up trees with her hand axe and dagger like she's going to war with nature. When Father was teaching us all to fight as children, he couldn't keep up with her because she was so fast. As a child. I heard that Father even had that hermit half-elf from outside of town to train her when she wouldn't stop pestering him for months. She's the best hunter I've ever seen. She's blunt... direct... she practically has no fear. She's more of a warrior than most of the men in the Vanguard."

Toren couldn't disagree with any of what his sister had to say. In his silence, Tosi was able to read her brother like a book.

"God above," she chuckled, "That's what you like about her, isn't it? You don't see a problem with her not being a traditional wife because that's not something that attracts you. You... You like some fight in your women, don't you big brother?"

Toren blushed as he nodded. "Maybe I do," he admitted, "But that's no reason to be scared of Belane, little sister. She's distant with you because she thinks you don't like her. And she feels incredibly uncomfortable around most women because she feels like they judge her for not being... I don't know... woman enough."

"Well," replied Tosi, "I guess we'll have to fix that. She's going to be moving from someone I call my sister to someone who is actually my family. And I'm going to make sure she knows how much her family loves her. Hopefully she won't hear my teeth chattering in fear while I do it."

Toren hesitated for a moment. "Just..." he struggled, "Just hold off a bit. I don't know how we're going to tell everyone, yet. But as soon as we figure that out, I'll let you know."

"Fair enough." Tosi replied, nodding her head.

Soon after, the two siblings got up and returned to their walk.

***

Belane could hear her father snoring. She'd prepared enough of the deer she'd brought back to cook for dinner tonight. The rest could wait until the morning. Once she and Ubar had their fill of meat, night had long since fallen. As she and her father ate, Belane made the silent decision to spend the night at her home, as opposed to at her second home with the Boartusk family.

This had less to do with wanting to be around her father -who was aloof as ever -and more to do with not trusting herself around Toren while others were asleep.

She lay awake in the dark under the cover of her blankets. She tried to summon the echoes of the feeling of Toren -of her beloved -between her legs.

She could still remember the blissful pressure as his girth opened her up from the inside. She could recall his heat within her, warming her. She could almost recall the taste of is tongue on hers and the smell of his skin.

For a moment, she thought she vividly recalled the wet sounds their bodies made as they danced as one flesh. She could feel the pleasure that his meaty cock gave to her.

Until she realized that she hadn't been hearing the memories of last night.

She was hearing herself in the present moment.

Lost in her memories of the night her virginity had been taken from her, her hand had unconsciously drifted to the wet heat between her legs. Her two middle fingers had found their way inside of herself, and were moving back and forth, mimicking the movements of her beloved's manhood as he claimed her last night.

Her sudden realization halted her. She hadn't realized that she had been pleasuring herself and, now that she knew, she had next to no desire to stop.

Belane had never taken the time to explore herself in that way before. She had felt desire quite often but, the unease she felt within herself made her put such feelings -along with many other ones -out of her mind.

She found that she felt quite differently now. The moments she spent with Toren within her legs' embrace were no less than life-changing. All the feelings she'd denied herself and the hungers that brought them on now came rushing back to her.

They weren't just feelings that would never be reciprocated. Urges with no outlet. She had felt them. She had -for the briefest of moments -had satisfied that hunger.

Her longings now bore the face of the man she finally realized she loved.

They also bore the image of his cock.

She had never felt something so good -so right -as her beloved's long, thick member invading her most sacred of spaces. She had never imagined that his throbbing release could fill her with warm cream that would nourish her very soul.

But now, in the dark of her room, with her father sleeping on the other side of the home, she was positively ravenous. She knew in her heart of hearts that, were she sleeping at her second home with her second family, she would be at the mercy of the fierce desire burning within her. She knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that if she were within the same four walls as her beloved Toren, she would have mounted him already and let him bless her body with his liquid bliss.

Her fingers had found a spot within her that made her body shudder. On the top part of her canal, a few inches in from her warm, wet petals, was a spot that made her have to bite down on her finger to keep from groaning. She caressed it back and forth, letting her body guide her. Her fingers straightened and curled inside, as if beckoning forth the climax that she so wished she was sharing with Toren. Nevertheless, she felt determined to remember every movement over every inch. She was determined to follow her urges to their throbbing, convulsing conclusion.

Within moments, her thrusting fingers and bucking hips brought forth the thing she craved so much. Her limbs stiffened as she thrust her core skyward, as if longing to drive deep the cock that occupied her thoughts. She fought desperately to be quiet as her mouth opened in a silent scream. Her hands clutched at empty air as her whimpers were drown out by the clenching wetness of the spasming heart of her womanhood.

Her body eventually eased into a state of blissful relaxation. She felt satisfied at the intensity of her second real orgasm, but couldn't help but notice how much it paled in comparison to the raw power of the first.

The orgasm that her beloved had driven out of her.

Removing her fingers from her hot, wet, recesses, she was enamored by the way her juices felt on her fingers. She rubbed her fingers and thumb back and forth, the darkness of the room amplifying her sense of touch. Her essence felt slick and silky as it spread luxuriously across her skin. She brought her fingers near her face, inhaling deeply its slightly sweet, musky scent.

Her memories flashed back to the previous night with Toren. In particular, the time he spent with his face buried between her legs. She was too shocked to object when she felt his tongue penetrate her. As the warm, wet muscle within her lover's mouth began to probe and explore inside her, she felt far, far too good to want it to stop.

Without a second thought, she brought her fingers to her mouth and tentatively put them inside. She ran her tongue around them, surprised for an instant at the slightly tangy taste. However, something about the action struck a chord somewhere deep within her. She found herself feasting upon the nectar covering her fingers, savoring the tart and subtle flavor of her arousal.

Her mind was consumed by thoughts of Toren's long, fat, cock. She didn't just want to impale herself upon it.

She wanted it in her mouth.

She wanted to taste him the way he had tasted her. She wanted to coax from his beautiful cock the same cream that her insides took from him the day before.

She wanted to savor his flavor in her mouth before she stared deeply into his eyes and swallowed every drop of his release.

Her body writhed involuntarily in the dark. She wanted her lover so, so badly. She didn't know how much longer she could wait until she could indulge herself on his stiff cock over and over and over again.

Until that time, she would have to ease her hunger to the best of her ability. She sucked the last bits of her silky honey from her fingers before she plunged them back inside to start all over again.

***

His hips bucked involuntarily. As Toren's hands stroked up and down the length of his sizable manhood, he could only wish it was buried in his lover's wet furnace.

His hand couldn't hope to compare with the clutching, needy heat of her core, and the warm embrace of her lithe, strong, bare legs. He had never felt that kind of embrace before and, now that he had, he wanted desperately to be wrapped up in it again. He could feel the slickness of the juices leaking from his hole as he coaxed himself higher and higher.

He had fought off the burning hunger for as long as he could. Lustful, hard, and unable to sleep in the middle of the night, Toren had no wish to satisfy himself in the bedroom he shared with his siblings. Instead, he crept out of the house and into the tree line to take care of the urges throbbing within his loins.

He leaned back heavily against a tree, breeches opened just enough to allow the full length of his manhood to be on display. Stroking himself further, he replayed the events of the previous night over and over in his head.

The amazing flavor of the inside of her body. The strong clenches as she found release while he was buried deep within her. The way she urged him to satisfy himself inside her, and her hunger for his climax. The way she clawed at his back as he throbbed over and over again, painting her insides with spurts of his cream.

His head rocked back as he felt his cock throb once more. Fighting hard not to make a sound, all he could hear was the soft plop of each jet of his spend hitting the ground in front of him. He continued to spasm as he thrust his hips forward, trying to coax more of his bliss from deep within his body.

He rested up against the tree as he let himself go. His spent shaft hung down, the last stray white droplets leaking one drop at a time.

As Toren's breathing returned to normal, he fastened his breeches and let himself enjoy the last remnants of euphoria in the cool night wind. He felt much more relaxed now -much more at ease.

As he took a few cleansing breaths to prepare him for the short walk back home and the even shorter trip into his bed, Toren was surprised at how loud he sounded in the dark silence.

It sounded too loud.

Because it was too quiet.

The normal scurry of nocturnal predators and prey, of bugs and flying insects, of wind in the trees -

None of it seemed to exist.

It was as if everything that should have been moving was quiet.

Not sleeping.

Hiding.

Toren took a quick survey of his surroundings. Out of the tree line to his left was an axe, buried halfway up the blade in a stump. He was sure he could quickly find it in the moonlight if he had to. A spade for one of his mother's spice planters was undoubtedly nearby, but he didn't know where.

The axe would be his best option if there was something out there.

However, he thought as he began to walk deliberately back to the safety of his family home, if there were something out there that meant him harm, he should have been dead by now. He would have made himself a much easier target with closed eyes and cock in hand as he spilled his seed all over the ground like a lust-addled fool.

The silence was only broken by the soft sounds of boots on grass as Toren crossed the open area between the trees and home.

By the time he pulled his blankets over him, Toren had all but convinced himself that his unease was just a figment of his imagination brought on by a potentially ill-advised semi-public moment of self-gratification.

He was soon fast asleep.

***

Belane had left the house while her father was still fast asleep. She had washed briskly with cold water and tied her long, blonde hair in a tight ponytail. She donned simple clothing -brown breeches tied tightly at the ankles and tucked inside her moccasins, and a brown sleeveless tunic, that allowed for freedom of movement as it highlighted the lithe, lean muscle of her athletic frame. As was customary, two daggers were tucked into her belt, as were two hand axes. She slung her bow over her right shoulder and her quiver over her left as she went out into the woods.

As the sweat rolled down her pale skin, she enjoyed the cool air filling her lungs as she moved. After a run through the woods that lasted no more than a quarter hour, she placed her bow and quiver down and drew her hand weapons.

Like she did every morning, she moved instinctively through the efficient movements that Father Dullam had taught her years ago. She also drilled the ones that he taught to her in secret, away from his other children.

Father Dullam had trained her in the basics of armed and unarmed self-defense, in the same way as he taught his biological children. However, it could be argued that none of them -with the exception, perhaps of Toren -took to it with as much dedication and focus as had she.

Once each of his children reached a level of competency, they were given the option to continue learning. Arhan, Toren's youngest brother continued training, but Tosi and Mesim -Toren's middle brother -opted to decline further instruction.

She and Toren, on the other hand, were constantly pushing for more and striving to be better. While Father Dullam could provide a wealth of education to Toren and Arhan -both of whom were strong, tall, and well-built like he was -he could do nothing for her. She was fast, nimble, and agile -none of which were Dullam's strengths. Though he had many people he could turn to who could provide training and instruction to one of that skill-set, none of them would train a woman. Only men were allowed to train for warfare.

Father Dullam had no choice but to call an end to their training. But she continued on, with him or without him.

She spent months drilling the rudimentary movements he had taught her while she was secreted away in the woods. Each practiced move, each fundamental principle, was repeated over and over, her exceptional memory and body control allowing her to make significant progress, even while alone and devoid of a teacher.

But without guidance, she could only progress so far.

All that changed when she found Father Dullam standing behind her while she trained one cold autumn day. Belane found out later that Tosi, her erstwhile sister, had learned of her training and alerted Father Dullam. Initially, she was embarrassed and expected to be dissuaded, if not reprimanded.

Instead, Father Dullam provided her with an alternative.

Belane was introduced to Rivalor, a elven/human half-breed outcast who lived on the outskirts of Hilkirk. He was old, aloof, and liked his solitude. She had no idea how Father Dullam knew a half-breed ascetic who lived most of his life in monasteries far from Black Hallow -much less how he knew him well enough that Rivalor owed him a sizeable favor.

Nevertheless, she soon found herself apprenticed to the old man, who met to train her twice a week. The two outcasts met in secret, both unwilling to explain their actions to those who had no business knowing. Far from the kindly and wise ascetic master of mysteries, Rivalor was instead a brooding, ill-tempered, and stern little man, who was cold to the point of cruelty as a master.

During the three years she spent under his tutelage, Belane never failed to look forward to their unforgiving and brutal dance.

Rivalor had been taught to fight with nothing more than his hands and feet, augmenting them from time to time with a simple wooden staff. Belane stubbornly refused to surrender the dagger and hand axe that were her preferred weapons -not to mention gifts from Father Dullam.

Rivalor spent countless hours trying to convince her of the errors of her ways in as brutal of a fashion as possible. Full-contact training meant repeated and unrelenting assaults with wooden weapon replicas in the name of 'training'. In actuality, it was Rivalor's attempt to break her spirit so she would conform to his teachings.

She proved impossible to break.

The beatings she suffered as a youth slowly became less and less one-sided. Eventually -and begrudgingly -Rivalor began to show her how to use her preferred weapons to their utmost advantage, at which time Belane herself relented and allowed herself to be taught her way around Rivalor's much-loved quarterstaff.

By the time of her last meeting with Rivalor -the day he informed her abruptly, and with no warning, he was moving on from Hilkirk and would see her no more -Belane had proved herself to be a fierce warrior.

But with no war to fight.

That morning, like virtually every other, Belane engaged in physical activity and the same training routine she took herself through every day in the seven months she had no longer been under Rivalor's tutelage. She had no idea what she was training for, but did so nonetheless. As a woman, she would not be allowed to be a warrior. But as a person, she saw no place for her as a woman.

So she still trained.

She had worked up a good sweat and enjoyed the feeling of her blood surging through her body as her heart hit its' stride while she worked. As the time she allotted herself came to an end, she began slowing her movements to give her body time to cool down.

As her breathing slowed and her heart settled down, she became aware of the silence around her.

She heard no movement of animals. No buzzing of insects. Nothing more than the faint blowing of the wind in the trees.

Until she heard the foot step behind her.

She never faltered in her movements, keeping her hands moving rhythmically and her feet moving deliberately. She did not want to betray the fact that she noticed someone in her vicinity who had not yet made their presence known. She began slowly moving her arm motions down to waist level, in order to better access the daggers and hand axes on her belt.

The next footstep brought with it a hint of motion that caught her eye.

Belane's steps had instinctively taken her in a quarter circle, placing the spot where she had heard the footsteps between her and the morning sun. As she predicted, she was able to see the faintest hint of a shadow on the grass behind her.

Whoever it was, they appeared large and solidly-built. She half-expected it to be Toren. He had met her in her private spot many times before and knew when she would be practicing.

But he always made his presence known to her once he saw her.

Whoever this was, this was different.

Unsettling.

She set up her next movement after she heard yet another slow and purposefully silenced footstep. She allowed her hands to drift in tight to her body before she acted.

As quickly as she could manage, she planted her feet and pivoted behind her, her right hand darting down to her belt and grabbing a dagger as she did so. If she took the person by surprise, she'd have a critical instant to decide whether or not to throw the knife.

She had never counted on being as surprised as well.

As she pivoted, a large, sturdy figure came into view. The man behind her was clad in leather armor with bits of ornamental hide stitched into the shoulders and chest pieces. He held a sword loosely in his right hand, its' tip pointing at the ground because its' owner didn't believe he'd use it. Instead, the man's motives were clearly written on the menacing, tusked grin stretched across its' grey-green face.

An orc.

Here.

Coming for her.

She hesitated no longer and the dagger threw from her hand. Her surprise, however, affected her aim, sending the blade towards her target and landing solidly in the orc's collarbone, instead of its' face or throat as intended.

She heard the pained yell that came from the orc as the dagger embedded itself hilt-deep in his body. As the orc staggered backwards, she heard a yell from his companion to her right.

The one she had not yet seen.

He had a mace in one hand and a hatchet in the other, the latter of which swung cruelly towards Belane's head.

She deftly dodged the strike and slipped to her left, unsheathing her own axe and dagger as she did. Without thinking, she matched the warrior scream for scream as she drove towards him, her weapons moving fiercely towards the bare flesh the orc's armor left exposed.

Her hand axe missed, but the dagger slashed into the outside of his right arm, causing the orc to howl in pain. The grey-green brute turned towards her and began to swing ferociously at her once more.

Sensing he had not yet completely recovered from the shock of the slender human woman fighting back, Belane took full advantage. Instead of retreating from the warrior that was more than twice her size, she instead closed the gap even further.

Less than half an arm's length from her enemy, Belane sliced savagely at the orc's right arm as it tried to bring its' axe down on her. The knife bit deeply this time into the orc's flesh. Belane felt resistance as she yanked the frighteningly sharp blade free of its' fleshy prison, severing ligaments and tendons as it went.

The axe fell to the ground as the orc's hand was rendered useless.

She ducked under the orc's left arm and spun around and away, slashing her axe across his hamstring as she went. The orc's howl of pain was matched in volume by Belane's own battle cry.

Luckily, her new vantage point allowed her to see the orc with her knife protruding from him begin to move hastily towards her and his companion.

She surrendered her hand axe, throwing it fiercely. The whirling weapon flew straight and true, seeking out the orc whose flesh still held the dagger. The axe stopped with a wet, hollow thump when it embedded itself in the attacker's head.

Belane didn't even watch him fall. She knew what the wound would result in and she refused to waste a second in retrieving her other hand axe from her belt.

She turned just in time to duck under the second orc's mace. Feeling it pass quickly where her face once was, she answered with a quick slash of her own, which unfortunately cut into nothing but armor.

Belane moved and repositioned herself. The orc was furious now, and she no longer had the element of surprise. She focused on her target, intending her next attack to be both vicious and calculated.

Instead, she was caught by surprise by two strong arms wrapping her up from behind. She looked down and saw the grey-green flesh of another orc -a third whom she hadn't noticed until now.

She cursed herself for not being more alert as she felt her assailant lift her high into the air, only to slam her down savagely onto the ground, knocking the wind out of her.

She recovered quickly. Not quickly enough, however, to avoid the third orc's knee landing roughly on her sternum while grabbed one of her wrists in each of her hands and forced them down onto the grassy ground. Her diaphragm spasmed, making her have to fight to take in the smallest amount of air.

She was pinned. She was helpless.

She knew that she could fight back if given the chance. However, based on the pained screams that were coming from the cut and bloodied second orc, she doubted his companion would give her that chance.

The third orc yelled something in his coarse and guttural language at his companion. He then turned his gaze back to Belane with a leering grin.

She didn't know exactly what her attacker's intentions were, but she had an idea.

Trying to fight down panic, Belane forced her mind to clear so she could search for an advantage.

The advantage that came, however, was one that came from someone other than herself.

A blur cut through her field of vision and, with a loud sound of flesh and bone colliding at high speed, the crushing weight of the orc was all at once lifted from her.

Instantly, she rolled over and grabbed her weapons, taking a deep gulp of air. Before she could even sit up, she heard it.

She heard the screaming.

Yells of pain.

Bellowing roars like some rabid beast.

And the sounds of savage and staccato impacts -like a hammer smashing into a tree stump.

It was Toren.

Her beloved.

He sat astride the third orc, his own large frame about the same size -if not a bit bigger -than the savage attacker beneath him. He rained his huge fists down on the face of the orc, screaming with rage and driven by fury.

He was so focused, he couldn't see the second orc coming up behind him.

The orc wasn't fast. And even struggling to regain her breath, Belane covered the ground between them with frightening ease. She leapt up on the orc's back, plunging her knife into his neck as she did. As her prey began to fall to the ground, she hopped back down to the ground and looked towards her beloved to see if he needed help.

What she saw instead horrified her.

The downed orc's face was already a broken, lumpy and misshapen mess. As he screamed in pain, Toren stopped striking the orc.

Instead, he thrust the fingers of both hands deep into the orc's oversized, wide-open mouth, stretching it brutally as he did so. Screaming wordless fury at the helpless creature beneath him, Toren's thumbs wrapped under the orc's chin, allowing him to grip tightly on the orc's lower jaw.

When she saw the frenzied, animalistic look in Toren's eyes, Belane averted her gaze. While she saw nothing, what she heard was more than enough.

Screams of agony. The horrific wet, rending sounds of tearing ligaments, and popping bone. High-pitched shrieks that turned to wet bubbling gurgles. Choking. Pained gasping. Strangled, damp, whimpers.

Belane hazarded a glance in time to see Toren standing over his quarry. He tossed something grey-green, ugly, and covered in blood off into the trees without a second look. With one last savage, crunching stomp to what was left of the pitiful orc's face, the assailant was rendered mercifully silent.

The large, powerful form of her beloved turned sharply to his left and right, movements quick enough to send drops of someone else's blood flying off of his hands and torso.

Once he was satisfied there was no more imminent danger, his gaze set upon Belane.

A ferocity burned behind his eyes that she'd never seen before. From anyone. Not even remotely.

It changed in an instant as his gaze settled upon her.

In a blink, he was the Toren she knew. Kind. Caring. Loving.

"Are you all right?" he asked urgently as he ran toward her.

She could only manage a nod as he swept her up in his arms.

She was repulsed for a moment by the coppery scent of orc blood, smeared all over Toren's hands, arms, and tunic. But the warmth and comforting hardness of his body quickly won out. She latched onto him like a drowning child. And, like a child, he scooped her up and cradled her, pulling her tight to him to shield her from the world.

It was then that the dam inside Belane burst. While she had spent years training herself into a fierce and effective warrior, she had never engaged an opponent beyond sparring or horseplay.

This was different.

This was lethal.

She ended the lives of two orcs who were trying to harm her -or worse. And she did so up close. She looked down at the blood splatters on her hands and the gore covering her lovely Toren, tears began to pour from her alongside breathless and frightened sobs.

She lay there, safely supported by Toren's strong arms like a beloved child. She was safe. Protected. Loved.

Her beloved brought his cheek softly to hers, his deep voice whispering soft words of encouragement as her feelings poured out of her.

As the world shrank down to nothing but her and her beloved, Belane lost all sense of time. In his embrace, she cried until her fear had fallen away with her tears. All the while, she heard his soft voice whispering:

"You're safe."

Over and over again.

"You're safe. I'm here. You're safe."

She found her fingers working their way through his tousled, dark hair.

"You found me," Belane said, sniffling as she composed herself.

"Yes," Toren replied, nodding, "I wanted to see you. I was hoping I'd find you here so we could have some time to ourselves."

"Unfortunately," replied Belane, half-snickering as she managed a bit of humor, "I wasn't alone."

"No," he said, returning a soft grin to her, "You weren't. And you really need to choose better company."

Both chuckled softly. As Belane composed herself, she moved her hand to wipe away her tears.

Before she could do it, Toren adjusted his arms and brought her body closer to his face. Belane felt the warm softness of his lips as he began to kiss her tears away.

That warmth felt as if it spread from her cheeks throughout Belane's body. Her lips met his and she returned his kisses.

What started out soft and tender, quickly blossomed into something more. Both were struggling with their newly-discovered appetites for one another, just as both were awash in a complex mixture of fear, exhilaration, relief, and concern, all floating on a river of adrenaline.

Within moments, what started as soft kisses grew deeper as the two lovers' mouths opened and their tongues began to dance. They began to drink deeply of one another, their disoriented confusion being eclipsed by a rapidly growing need.

The deep, commanding voice behind them shocked them back to their senses, however.

"What," said Dullam in disbelief, "In the name of God above happened here?"

***

Belane and Toren had cleaned up and were back in the safety of the Boartusk house. With them were Dullam and Miri, along with Toren's siblings Tosi, Mesim, and Arhan. Belane's father, Ubar was also present, having been alerted by Dullam as he escorted the two safely home.

All were crammed into the kitchen which -though fairly spacious -had no way to accommodate all the people present with anything approaching comfort. Still, no one wanted to leave and miss hearing Toren and Belane's recounting of the shocking events of the morning.

Belane and Toren both sipped cups of hot tea, prepared for them by Miri. She had tended to their wounds upon their arrival home, with her usual business-like and skillful manner, honed by years and years of tending to injured members of the Vanguard. Somehow, she not only managed to deliver medical care, but also managed to have a large and steaming pot of stew ready to eat on the top of the hearth -something she somehow whipped up without anyone seeing her cook -and a kettle of water that was somehow already boiling for tea.

"How are you both feeling?" Miri asked.

All assembled in the kitchen waited anxiously for their reply. Not because they were overly concerned, but because all present knew that Miri was holding court. No one dared risk her wrath by asking Toren and Belane questions until Miri was absolutely positive they were safe, healing, and cared for.

Belane and Toren met each other's gaze. Neither could express any complaint. "I think we're fine," replied Toren, speaking for them both, "I don't think either of us got any more than knocked around, after all was said and done."

Belane shook her head. "I got the wind knocked out of me," she added, "But nothing more serious than that, thankfully."

Miri furrowed her brow thoughtfully. Finally satisfied, she silently conceded her authority. "I suppose," she acquiesced, "If you don't need anything else, I'll start handing out soup if anyone wants any. It's about time for lunch anyway."

With that, all assembled knew the floor was now open for questions.

Dullam went first. The old War Priest had served in the Vanguard for decades and had been in a position of command for as long as he could remember. He knew the information that was going to be relayed to him needed to find its' way to the Captain of the Guard. But that meant that the information needed to be as complete and accurate as possible.

"Why don't you both tell us what happened, exactly as you remember it?" Dullam offered, "We'll ask any questions later if we need to."

Belane provided the bulk of the information. Her father and her surrogate family were well aware of her daily routine, so she didn't hesitate to fill them in on details of her morning exercises and practice. She then described noticing one of the orcs before she had a chance to be ambushed and the ensuing fight. She ended her story with Toren saving her from the third orc, but conveniently omitted the details regarding the passionate kiss Dullam observed them enjoying.

Toren, meanwhile, described going out to find Belane in her usual exercise spot. He told them that he wished to talk to her that morning, but decided not to divulge that his intentions were most definitely carnal in nature. He recounted hearing several screams, Belane's among them. Toren described cresting a hill and looking at the small clearing right as Belane was slammed to the ground by the third orc. He said he defaulted to instinct and training, knocking over the orc and dispatching him-though he opted not to relate how he found himself so consumed with anger and fear after seeing what was happening to his beloved that he literally tore the orc apart with his bare hands.

When the two finished, Dullam sat silent for a few moments, letting the stillness hang in the air. He made eye contact with both his son and his surrogate daughter, silently letting them know that their moment of passion would not be discussed now -but would be soon.

At the War Priest's insistence, Belane and Toren described the armor and gear of each orc. "Hmm..." Dullam mused, scratching his salt-and-pepper beard, "I was hoping they were thieves. Raiders, maybe. However it seems more like the orcs were advance scouts."

"How would you think they were thieves?" Toren asked his father, "I haven't seen many orcish vagabonds pillaging unattended bread dressed in armor and carrying sword and shield."

Dullam nodded. "I know," he admitted, "It was more so wishful thinking on my part. My instincts told me what I was looking at, however I had more pressing things on my mind at that point. Particularly what happened involving my children... both blood and by kinship."

Dullam did not elaborate any further on his final statement. However, the brief eye contact he made with Belane and with Toren ensured that the comment landed as it was intended, and with the proper effect.

"Does this mean we're going to war?" Mesim asked. The boy was the third of the four children borne to Dullam and Miri. Of his siblings, Mesim was the most serious, prone to worry and possessing very little in the way of humor and mirth.

"I don't know, child," responded Miri, "It's too soon to tell. The orc tribes to the north tend to attack when times are lean for them. They had a rough winter last year and what little growing area they have didn't produce much. They may just be planning local raids to ensure they have enough to make it through this winter."

"If that's the case," asked Arhan, "Why can't we just help them?" Arhan -the youngest of the siblings -was quickly filling out his frame and seemed destined to turn out tall and strong like his elder brother or his father. As the youngest, he was still full of youthful naiveté and optimism.

"Wouldn't work," answered Ubar, "The orc tribes of the north and the people of Black Hallow have been at each other's' throats for centuries. I don't know of any family -orc, human, or elf -that can't count at least one recent family member dead at the hands of the other. There's just too much blood that's been spilled to trust one another -must less cooperate."

The room nodded in silent agreement, particularly Dullam and Toren. It was Toren who bore the name of his late uncle -Dullam's older brother -who had been killed in a skirmish with an orc war party before his namesake was even born.

"So what happens now?" asked Belane as she finished the last of her tea.

"We notify the Vanguard," Dullam replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "We'll most likely be sending out scouts along the northern border and we'll hopefully get a better idea of what's happening in the north. After that... time will tell."

Idle talk continued in the cramped kitchen until everyone so interested partook in their fill of tea and soup. Eventually, Dullam cleared his throat to speak.

"I think," he said, "It's time for the children to take their leave. I'd like for you to go out of the house. The adults need to speak about something, so I'd like for you all to give us a while."

All were curious, but did not object. As the kitchen began to empty, Ubar gestured to Toren and Belane.

"You two," he instructed, "Need to stay. You're not children anymore. You're part of this discussion."

Both knew full well what they would soon be talking about. And neither Toren nor Belane were looking forward to it.

The silence hung heavy in the air for almost two full minutes.

Miri was the first to speak, and asked a simple two-word question:

"How long?"

Belane and Toren looked at one another, unsure how to proceed.

"You should know," Miri added, "Dullam told both Ubar and I what happened when he found you two. All of it."

The last part of her statement had the exact emotional weight she intended it to. As soon as she said it, Toren squeezed his eyes shut and winced, while Belane let out a heavy, audible sigh.

"Let's try it again, then," encouraged Ubar sternly, "How long has this been going on between you two?"

"It just happened," Belane lied, quickly blurting out the first answer she could think of, "He saved me and we both... It just happened. Nothing like that has-"

"Don't lie to us, girl," scolded Ubar, his voice soft but stern, "I know I'm lacking in a lot of areas a father shouldn't lack in. But I still know my daughter. And she's a terrible liar."

"Belane," added Dullam kindly, "I love you as if you were my own. I'm here to support all of my children -by blood and by kinship. But I can not do that if you lie to me. And the more you lie to me, the more you show me that I'll have to spend more time standing against you than standing beside you."

Toren gently reached out and grabbed Belane's hand. As their fingers interlaced, that silent gesture sent echoes throughout the room, making a firm and definitive statement without making a sound.

Bolstered by the show of support from her beloved, Belane took a deep breath.

"We've had... feelings for each other for some time now," she said, resolute but still unsteady, "But we were... together.... Two days ago in the cabin on Kedley Holm. It was just that one time."

Dullam nodded as he looked at Miri and Ubar. "I suspected as much," he confirmed.

"What are your intentions?" asked Miri. "What happens now?"

Toren thought for a moment. He determined that, as he held the hand of is best friend-now lover -there was no use lying anymore.

"I want to marry Belane," he said, bold and strong, "The more I thought about leaving home and becoming part of the Vanguard, the more I realized I didn't want to do it if she wasn't there with me. I love her... and she loves me. We know each other better than anyone else in the world, and I want nothing more than to spend my life with her. We already spoke about it. As soon as I get back from my training, we're going to get married."

Ubar, Miri, and Dullam said nothing initially. Their silence, however, held no condemnation or judgement.

"It's going to be difficult," confessed Dullam, "Your first few years in the Vanguard are always rough. You don't have much say in where you go, what you do, or how long you do it for. It'll be hard on the both of you -whether or not you wait for the training to finish before you marry."

"I know," affirmed Toren, "We already spoke about it. But we both want this."

The look Belane and Toren shared together made it clear they were both in agreement. Miri, however, addressed Belane directly.

"What about you," she asked softly, "What do you want? It's a big step for both of you and a lot to ask. I want to know where your heart is."

Belane was silent for several moments. She had always had difficulty with expressing her emotions and here -with her father and the couple she considered her second parents looking at her -she could remember very few other moments where she had been this terrified. Her eyes scanned the face of each other person in the room. But in the end, she decided who the words bubbling up from her heart were meant for.

She looked directly at Miri. The woman who had been more of a mother than her own mother was the single person in the room, more than any other, whom she wanted to understand the depth of her love for Toren.

"I will go where Toren goes," Belane stated strongly, tears beginning to well from her eyes, "No matter where. No matter how long. I'll be at your son's side for all of my days. His people will be my people. His God will be my God. My life will belong to him and his to me. I'll bear his children and try for all of my days to be as good as a mother to them as you've been to me. If he leaves this world before me, I will not feel at home until I'm laid in the ground beside him, where I belong. Mother Miri... I want to write a love story for your son that gets told for generations after we're all gone."

The speed at which Miri embraced Belane took them both by surprise. Her arms wrapped around Belane with a love both fierce and overwhelming. As Miri held her tight, Belane could hear and feel Miri's tears.

"I love you," whispered Miri in Belane's ear, "Always. Forever."

In the silence that followed, Dullam looked at Ubar. Belane's father discreetly wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye. "It seems right," he said quietly, gazing upon the emotion-swept face of his only child, "Strange, perhaps. Awkward, quite possibly. But right."

Dullam smiled softly. "It seems settled," he said, "We should probably prepare for a wedding."

Toren's eyebrows raised sharply. "Wedding?" he asked, clearly confused, "But... we were planning to wait until my training is done."

Dullam rubbed his chin, tugging gently on his salt-and-pepper beard. "Really?" he asked, "I'll respect your decision. But why wait? You've been together as husband and wife already. And, by the look of things this morning, you'll... umm... probably do so again. Let it happen how the God of All intended it. You both want to be married. And whether you do so before you go to training or after... it won't make anything easier. You'll still feel empty without one another."

He let his gaze settle deliberately on each one in turn.

"Why not do it?" he asked, "Don't wait to start a life together with someone you love, once you're sure that's what you want. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed. Once you find the person God above has put in your life -don't wait. There's nothing noble about delaying something so beautiful when you don't have to."

After a moment's contemplation, Toren took both of Belane's hands in his as he looked into her eyes. He could see her rapid breathing and feel the cool clamminess of her palms. He smiled softly at her.

He knew what to do. And he knew what she wanted.

"Will you marry me?" he asked.

Before he even completed his sentence, his beloved leapt into his arms. "Yes!" she said, loudly -confidently, "Yes!! I'll marry you right now!"

Feeling no need to hide any longer, she leaned over and kissed her beloved as he held her aloft. As their lips touched, her shame melted away and was replaced with a passion for her beloved and a sense of freedom and acceptance Belane didn't believe she'd ever felt before.

After several moments, of being caught up in the passion of the moment, Dullam cleared his throat and caught the attention of the two lovers. Somewhat embarrassed, Toren and Belane uncoupled their lips from one another and looked sheepishly at the three adults in the room.

Miri smiled broadly, holding tightly to Dullam's arm with her head resting on his shoulder. Both Dullam and Ubar smiled also, though their expressions contained a bit more humorous amusement than Miri's.

"The wedding still has to happen," Ubar chuckled, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves and skip to the 'bearing children' part quite yet, shall we?"

This comment brought a barely-stifled laugh from Dullam, and a similar chuckle from Miri. Belane and Toren both blushed visibly and mumbled embarrassed apologies. Even though those apologies were only half-sincere, they served to be sufficient.

"So," asked Miri, "Now that that's settled... what needs to be taken care of?"

"They'll need a place to stay until they have a place of their own," Ubar observed, "I have a tent that they can have that should work well enough. They can stay on my land. It'll give them some privacy and provide me some protection from orc raiders while I'm away. After Toren finishes training, he and Belane should have a better idea where life will take them and they can work on a home of their own."

Belane nodded her head. "Thank you, father," she said, "That means a lot."

"I think we can manage the wedding in, say... three days' time?" mused Dullam, "That should give us all enough time to prepare."

"Three days?" asked Toren.

"Yes," Dullam replied, "We'd like to have a celebration dinner for you two, at least. You'll also need to spend at least a day in prayer before you pledge your lives to each other. Not to mention there's some... discussions that need to be had beforehand."

"There's one more thing to think about," Miri interjected, "And I think it's the most important. What about their Idyll time? Where will they go?"

Belane and Toren hadn't even bothered to consider that question. Both were so focused on getting married, and the process had gone so fast, that neither had even stopped to consider where they'd spend their Idyll time -the one to two week period of solitude newlyweds enjoy to adjust to life as a couple and enjoy their first days of wedded life.

No one else seemed to have an answer, either. It was several moments before Ubar spoke up.

"The cabin you went to at Kedley Holm," he asked, "I only heard a bit about it. Can you tell me more?"

"Well," Toren replied, slightly confused, "It... It just seemed like a hunter's cabin. It was fairly sparse -just one bed. Some hides and other hunting trophies on the walls. A small pantry... A fireplace... One cabinet and a wooden chest at the foot of the bed..."

"The chest," Ubar interrupted, "Was it dark wood? Stained deep brown with a carving on the front? Something like a sunset or whatnot?"

"Umm..." Toren hesitated, "I... I think so."

"And... one of the hides on the wall..." Ubar remembered, "One of them was almost like a warhog hide? With mottled black and reddish spots?"

"Yes," Belane confirmed, "Yes, it was. I remember it."

"I assumed you'd be the one to remember the hunting trophies," Ubar smirked, "Well then that's probably Lorth Riverhorn's cabin."

"How do you know?" asked Toren.

"I sold him those things about two or three years ago," Ubar explained, "He said he'd just finished building a cabin in the woods on Kedley Holm. You can spend your Idyll time there."

"Lorth Riverhorn... That name doesn't sound familiar..." Dullam said, trying to scour his memory.

"Shouldn't we ask whoever this Mr. Riverhorn is if we can stay there?" Belane inquired.

"I don't think he'll mind," Ubar answered, "He's dead."

"What?" Toren replied.

"Yes," answered Ubar, "Dead. Died of the rot earlier this year. Liked to drink and never really took care of himself, either. Miserable old bastard, to boot. Wife walked out on him years and years ago. Never had kids. His family's all long gone. I think the cabin will eventually just fall to ruin if no one claims it. Might as well spend your Idyll time there."

"It seems appropriate," Miri mused, "Given its' history with you two."

With no further discussion needed, Belane and Toren hastily agreed.

"Well, then," Dullam concluded, "It seems settled."

Miri looked at her son and soon-to-be daughter-in-law. "Now," she admonished, "For the next few days... Keep your hands to yourselves. There's a lot to do in that time. We'll all be very busy. And your patience will be rewarded. The first time you two made love was when you pledged yourselves to be married. The next time you make love will be the first time as husband and wife."

"Now," Dullam instructed, "Go outside and tell Tosi, Mesim, and Arhan that Belane is going to officially be a part of the family."

***

The next few hours were a blur. By the time Belane and Toren had told the rest of the Boartusk family about their impending wedding, the gravity of the situation -and the monumental task ahead of them -was already setting in.

Later in the day, Belane was back on her father's property. She had taken sturdy hide and canvas tent he had mentioned earlier and set it up a few dozen yards behind her home.

Her soon-to-be former home.

Soon after she had brought in the stack of mats that would soon become her marriage bed, she sat on the dirt of the ground and looked around the empty interior. She had no idea where to begin. She didn't know what went into the first cozy home of two newlyweds. Try as she might, nothing came to mind as to what the home should look like. As her frustration began to blossom, there was a rustling at the entrance to the tent.

"May I come in?" a voice said from beyond the door. It was Tosi, Toren's sister.

"Uh..." hesitated Belane, "Yes... Yes, absolutely."

Tosi entered and looked around briefly. She looked at Belane, who stood up to meet her. Both young women were a study in contrast. Tosi smoothed out the cotton fabric of her long skirt nervously, shortly before running her hand self-consciously over her light brown hair, which had been tied up in a simple, sensible bun. Belane avoided eye contact as she toed at the ground nervously, her leather boots kicking up a small puff of dust. She shyly tugged on the bottom of her leather hunting vest and rubbed the skin of her lean and sculpted bare arms as she searched for what to say.

"I..." Tosi began, filling the awkward silence, "I just want to say... I... I knew about... About what happened between you and Toren. On Kedley Holm."

"How?" Belane asked, uncertain where she was going with the conversation.

"Toren," Tosi confessed, "He told me. The next morning... He just couldn't help himself."

Belane chuckled. "So much for keeping it a secret," she muttered dryly.

"I'm..." Tosi struggled, nervously and unnecessarily smoothing out her skirt yet again, "I'm not trying to be judgmental... That is... I... I think it's wonderful."

"You..." Belane struggled, "You do?"

"Yes... I do. It's wonderful that you two are getting married."

"Well... Thank you, Tosi. I'm very glad you approve of me with your brother."

"That's not just...." Tosi attempted, "I... I mean I'm glad for.... For more selfish reasons."

"What do you mean?" Belane asked, "What exactly are you getting at?"

"I'm trying to say," Tosi replied, "That the thing I'm happiest about is... Is the fact that you're finally officially my sister."

"What??" Belane responded, her face awash in surprise, "Tosi... I... I thought you hated me."

Tosi's hands darted over her mouth. "No!" she responded quickly, "No, no, nononononono! Belane I've never hated you for a single second!!! I'm just... we're so different, and... I'm just really.... intimidated by you."

"You??" Belane gasped, "You're the one who scares me!"

Now it was Tosi's turn to look stunned. "How is that possible?" she asked the lithe blonde across from her, "You're just so... fierce. You're more of a warrior than most men in the Vanguard and you can do so many things! You just... You're-"

Belane cut her off. "But you," she retorted, "You're just a natural around people. I always seem to make people angry or uncomfortable. You always know the right thing to do and the right thing to say. Everything that men judge a woman on you're already amazing at. You're everything I'm not. And there's so much about you that I only wish I could be!"

"Like what?" Tosi asked, her shyness slowly disappearing in the authenticity of the conversation.

Belane gestured to the tent around her. "Like this," she said to the short, pixie-like brunette standing opposite her, "I'm trying to set up my first home with my husband. I can set up a tent just fine... But I'm lost when it comes to making it a home, Tosi. I don't know what to do! I don't know how to be a wife."

"You..." Tosi stammered, "That's something that... that you want to do?"

"Yes!" Belane exclaimed, frustrated, "Of course, yes! Just because I don't like the same things most other women do, that doesn't mean I don't want to be a good wife to my husband! I don't know how much of a traditional wife I want to be... But I want to be able to bring peace to a home. I want to..."

Belane was becoming emotional, struggling with her words as she began to confess some of her deepest insecurities to a woman who -up until a moment ago -she thought hated her.

"Yes... I'd be perfectly happy fighting at my beloved's side. But I want to be someone he wants to come home to. I might be able to hunt and fight and track... But you and Mother Miri have a type of quiet strength that I've never had, and I don't know how to find. I've seen you both be so nurturing and.... and healing... You leave almost everyone you touch better for having met you. And I just..."

Tosi began to move closer to her new sister as Belane was becoming overwhelmed, pacing back and forth.

"I want so badly to have children! I want to be a mother like Miri was to you.... and.... and to me... But I'm just so scared that I'll end up being a mother like my mother was... I just... I don't want that! I want to be the wife and mother my husband and children deserve, and I don't know how to do that! I don't know how to do the things that make other people better people! Tosi, I don't want to let him down! I want to help lift him up, and I want to be able to speak to his soul and give him every single thing he needs and I don't want to see our family lack for anything or hurt, and I don't want to-"

Tosi cut off Belane's rambling with a soft embrace.

"Be still," Tosi whispered quietly and lovingly as she stroked Belane's long blonde hair, "You'll be fine. You have so many people who love you."

Tosi took a moment and moved a half step back. She put her hands on Belane's cheeks to guide her eyes to her own. "I'm not going to let my elder sister down," Tosi assured her, "I'll be right here with you. Every step. You won't go through a minute of it alone -not your marriage, not raising your babies... I'll always be here to help my sister."

"I..." Belane sniffed, "I have a sister. I really, really have a sister."

Tosi smiled and nodded, her warm, soft hands still on Belane's tear-damp cheeks. "Yes, Belane," she assured her, "You do. Forever."

The two stepped back a bit as Belane wiped her eyes.

"I'll tell you what," Tosi said, looking around the tent, "The first thing we need here is some floor coverings. I'll bet dirt and grass is good enough when you're on a hunt, but not if the tent is doubling as a house. You're going to want some rugs in here, or dirt is going to get all up in... places you definitely don't want dirt."

Belane looked around and nodded. "I think you're right," she confessed with a chuckle.

"I've got some other ideas," Tosi continued, "But I'll do it on one condition: I'll teach you anything I know that you want to learn. But, in return, I want you to teach me how to fight and how to hunt."

"Really?" Belane asked, excitement blossoming on her face, "You... You do??"

"Absolutely," confirmed Tosi, "There's things I admire about you and, apparently, things you admire about me. Let's work on making each other better."

Tosi had never seen Belane smile so broadly. "I'd love that, Tosi," Belane beamed, "I really, really would."

"Me too," Tosi responded, "Sister."

***

"There's a bit we need to discuss, son," Dullam began. Toren braced himself -he knew the awkward conversation that was going to happen. Following his father's example, Toren found a stump from the wood pile and sat.

"Although..." Dullam continued, barely able to hide a chuckle, "Since you've apparently taken to investigating this sort of thing on your own with your betrothed, maybe this should have come a bit sooner..."

***

Miri and Belane knelt in the garden, both working on harvesting the last of the patch of gourds before the plants would need to be pulled prior to winter. Miri had made it a point to send the other children out with chores that took them away from home, to ensure she had time to be alone with her future daughter-in-law.

"I realize that this is probably going to be as awkward for you as it is for me," Miri advised, trying to find a way to gently transition to the topic she needed to discuss, "But we need to talk about this. Even if it is my son we're both speaking of."

"I'm sorry," Belane said, trying not to show the deeply-rooted shame at her own mother's choice to abandon her only child, "If you don't want to-"

Miri waved her hand, cutting off Belane. "Stop," she chided gently, "You have nothing to apologize for. I've never once complained about stepping in to help guide you as you got older. It's been an honor and a privilege, dearest child. And making love is nothing to be ashamed of -it's one of the greatest gifts the God of All has given to us. It's perfect, and blissful, and joyful, and sacred."

Miri chuckled as she continued. "You'll just have to pardon me it's a bit awkward for me to teach you how to handle my son's manhood."

A tense heartbeat passed before mother-in-law and daughter-in-law burst into laughter.

***

"What does Mesim's sword have to do with this?" Toren asked, his face a mask of utter confusion, "Is this some sort of metaphor for-"

"Hush, now," Dullam interrupted, "I'm getting to it. This is the first time you've heard this, but it's the first time I've ever done this. Now, be patient and answer the question."

"Well... yes," Toren replied, "It's completely different from my longsword. Or your mace. Or uncle Toren's Warhammer."

"Good," Dullam continued, "Now tell me -what do you have to change when you use each of them?"

"Umm..." Toren answered, still utterly baffled as to what his father was getting at, "Mesim's sword is quick and small. You can't swing it as hard as the heavier weapons, or it'll get out of position. Quick cuts... stay towards the center of your body to defend yourself. The longsword can be swung harder, but it still has to stay near the body to be used to parry -even if you have a shield. The mace and hammer are heavier and need more commitment. You don't want to get out of position with those, either, but you'll have to rely on your shield more for protection that if you-"

Dullam raised a hand, cutting off his son. "Exactly," he stated, still as unclear as when the conversation started, "That's what I'm talking about. You learned to listen to what each weapon was telling you. You paid attention when you were using it and -without speaking -each one told you what it needed. What it wanted."

"Well... yes," Toren agreed.

"You've listened to every weapon you've used," continued Dullam, "But you only have to listen to one wife. Your weapons never spoke to you. Your wife will -especially if you encourage her and make it safe for her."

"Ah," Toren replied, now starting to catch on.

"Whenever you're with your wife," Dullam instructed, "Enjoy each other. But never stop learning. Her body will tell you what it wants if you know how to listen. And so will she, if you know how to make it safe for her to speak her mind."

***

"When you both were... together," Miri inquired, "Was your body speaking to you? Could you hear it tell you what it wanted?"

"Y-... Yes," confirmed Belane, a slight blush of crimson on her pale cheeks, "Yes. I think I could."

"Good," replied Miri, "What about Toren? Did you let him know what your body needed?"

"I... I think I did," Belane replied.

"It's a hard thing to do when you do it the first time," Miri assured her, "Especially with something like this. God above knows it can be difficult to talk about mundane things -but you'd probably be surprised how many people struggle to communicate what they want when it comes to their bodies and the bodies of their lovers. That's why this is important. To talk to and listen to your partner. When you both were together... did Toren listen to what you were telling him?"

"Yes," Belane replied, blushing all the more at the memory of her beloved dutifully obeying her urging to erupt inside her.

"I'm so glad," Miri said with a smile, "That's a good start. Now... when you and Toren were together... How did it feel for you? Did you finish?"

"Yes," Belane said, her grin impossible to hide, "Yes... I... I finished. It felt good. Mother Miri, it... it felt so, so good."

Miri was positively beaming. "I cant' tell you how happy I am to hear that, dearest, "It seems like my son has his father's spirit about him."

"Huh?" Belane responded.

Miri laughed out loud. "Nothing, child," she replied, "Only that it seems you both may have a lot to look forward to."

Belane found herself smiling even more at the thought.

"So... another question," Miri continued, "How did it feel? Did it feel natural? Forced? Awkward? Joyful?"

"It felt..." Belane responded, thinking back on the loss of her virginity, "Right. Nothing felt bad. Everything... Everything felt good and wonderful and perfect. Even things I didn't expect."

"Like," Miri asked, urging for more information.

"Like..." Belane continued, "Like... When he put... He put his mouth... On me. There. And his tongue went... in me."

Miri smiled again, looking skyward -almost in a gesture of thanks. "Oh praise God above," she laughed, "He really does have his father's spirit in him."

"Dearest," Miri continued, "Your love making is between you and your husband. Your body and his. It's about finding joyful, ecstatic bliss in one another. It's about exploration and release and connection. If both of you enjoy something and it doesn't harm anyone... Keep on enjoying it. And dear -you'll be surprised at how much you can enjoy a skilled mouth."

"Oh..." Belane gasped, a joyful and curious sense of wonder filling her, "And... If I were to... To put my mouth on..."

"Yes," Miri replied, finishing her daughter-in-law's unspoken thought, "Do it. There's nothing more intimate than your man inside your body. In any part of your body. Dearest, I urge you to do that as often as you can. Savor his taste. Learn how he feels on your tongue. And -by all means -drink deeply from him. Swallow every drop and savor how much it nourishes your body and your spirit."

Miri leaned in close to Belane, her voice dropping. "Father Dullam and I drink from one another several times a week," she said with a wink, "In addition to other things. It's like a water pitcher on the table -you always want to keep that love and connection between the two of you topped up to overflowing at all times."

"So..." Belane began, "You mean..."

"I mean," Miri interrupted, "Make love every chance you get. Enjoy each other's bodies as much as you can. And then more besides. Make love when you don't want to. Make love when he doesn't want to. Make love when you desire one another. Make love when you're mad at one another. Make love to celebrate, to connect, to heal... I assure you, child... you'll never be worse for being one flesh with your beloved."

***

"It's your duty to provide, prosper, and protect," Dullam advised Toren, "But many people get that wrong."

"How so?" asked Toren.

"Most men don't understand the breadth and depth of their duties to their wives," responded Dullam thoughtfully, "Providing and prospering doesn't just mean to feed and clothe your family. It's more. When you marry Belane, you're pledging to her that you'll do everything within your power to help her become the best version of herself. Help her grow. Give her space and opportunity to be better -to be greater -than she's ever been before. Don't just tend to her needs for survival -see to her happiness. Her fulfillment. Her joy. When it comes to her body... When a man and a woman come together, they can create bliss and ecstasy in each other that can't be matched by themselves alone. But that takes care. And intention. And time. And attention. Do you understand what I'm saying?'

"I..." Toren replied, "I think so, yes."

"Like I said," continued Dullam, "Learn to understand her. To know her better than she knows herself. Not to think you know her, you understand... but to really, really know her. Let your body provide the type of bliss, love, and care that nurtures her and makes her soul blossom. Let your counsel be something she views as strongly as her own thoughts. Let your trust for her and your love for her be clear in every word and action... Every breath, even.

"Because you're to be a leader. And that's how you lead. You don't lead by demand -you lead by trust. If a woman -especially a woman like Belane -is going to trust you to lead her, it's because she has to know you value her needs and wants -and the needs and wants of your family -much more than you value your own. To be a good leader, those you lead must trust you to be with them and to be for them in all things.

"In life and in love... Pour every drop of yourself into her, every time you can. Because, in a marriage that's how the God Above intends, your wife will pour back into you. And you'll never be as full as when a good woman gives herself completely to you."

"So," Toren summarized, "I'm to give myself completely to her... And she gives herself completely to me?"

"There's more to it than that," mused Dullam, "But that's enough to work with for now. People can be difficult. You'll have more than your share of difficulties in your marriage. But keep on lifting her up. Hold her tight... Lift her high... And when she does the same for you, you'll be surprised how far you climb together."

"Father," Toren asked, "Do... Do you think Belane and I can do that for each other?"

Dullam grinned. "Son," he responded gently, "I think that, as long as you don't lose track of the bigger picture... and you listen to God above when He leads you... Your marriage could be something truly, truly great."

A small grin came to the old man's face. "I had the same worries when I was going to marry your mother," he mused, half to himself, "But I wouldn't be half the man I am without her. The joy she brings me -in all things -is something I never even knew existed until I became her husband."

***

"He's going to be hard to handle, sometimes," Miri mused to Belane, as her trowel glided over the last patch of dirt that the two had cleared of this year's gourd plants, "The Toren you see will be very different than the Toren the rest of the world sees."

"In what way?" asked Belane.

"You'll be the one who holds his heart in your hands," replied Miri thoughtfully, "He'll be a great man in time. One many people look up to and look to for guidance. But you'll know different. You'll hear of his fears, his doubts, and his insecurities. You'll pick him up when he's broken and put all the pieces back together -making him stronger for it. His strength will have God above and you at its' center."

"So," Belane asked, "I'm just here to support him, then? To help him achieve his goals?"

"Absolutely," Miri responded, "Of course you are. Just like he's to do the same for you. It's not one or the other, dearest. You have wings of your own, child. But -if your marriage works as God above intends -he'll provide a wind you can soar on higher than you've ever known. You both grow together. And you'll never grow as much as you do when you devote yourself completely to him, and he completely to you."

Belane was silent for several moments. Her eyes stared down at the dirt, focused more on the thoughts in her head than the ground beneath her. "He's never asked me to be anything other than what I am," she said softly, "He's never wanted me to change. But... But I want to change. For him. I'd change everything about me if he asked me."

"He won't," Miri confirmed, her hand softly rubbing her daughter-in-law's shoulder, "I'm sure of it. Father Dullam and I didn't ask that of you. The rest of our family didn't. He won't either. He won't because he loves you for who you are, not who he wants you to be. But just the fact that you're willing to change for him... Darling, it gives me no end of joy and hope for you two."

"So," Belane asked, looking up at her mother-in-law, "Do I change?"

Miri shrugged. "Who knows?" she said with a smile, "I certainly don't. Neither do you or Toren. But you'll figure it out. Because you both will change. But... You're going to be united as one. You'll share one flesh. You're a team of two, now. Make the changes you need for the betterment of the team. As long as you grow and change together.... And you both look out for and protect one another... you'll both be just fine."

Belane struggled to put her next question to words.

"Mother Miri," she managed, finally, "Do you... Do you think I'll be a good wife for your son?"

"You know," Miri began, a warm expression on her face, "I've helped raise you since you were a child. You've always been a strange little bird, but I never wanted anything other than what's best for you -the unique you that you are. Since I've grown to see you as my daughter, I never really gave much thought to the idea of you becoming my daughter-in-law. But... to be honest... now that I see what's happening... Looking back at the two of you growing closer together and seeing how you relate to each other... I don't think you'll just be a good wife for Toren...

"I think you'll be the best wife I could have ever hoped for him to have."

***

The evening before their wedding, Toren and Belane each went to their solitary place. Toren retreated to the blind set up in the trees near their house where they hunted deer. There, he could walk around, he would have shelter to sleep, but he would be undisturbed in his final hours of prayer before becoming a married man. There he would spend the day focusing on his life to come, how to honor his wife, his family, and how to honor the God of All with his new family.

Belane secluded herself in the tent that would soon be her first home as a wife. The bed had been carefully prepared a day before -made of several good mats with furs and cloth blankets. Belane had pored over it for hours -making it just right. It would not only be where she slept next to her beloved, but where they soon join together -over and over again -and share in the bounty of each other's bodies.

The rest of the details had as much input from Tosi as there had been from Belane. Simple rugs lined the floor. A table that contained a pitcher and wash basin sat opposite the bed, while a small table, two chairs, and various other personal effects from both the Ravenwing and Boartusk houses were neatly and meaningfully arranged.

She looked around with a sense of appreciation for how she and Tosi had bonded in time it took them to prepare their first, temporary, home. She felt a sense of growing ease and hope at the thought of her life just a few hours from now.

She, however, was lost when it came to how to approach this time of solitude and prayer. She had always believed in the God of All -just as her father and the Boartusk family did. However, Belane had not grown in her faith in such a way that it could be as much a part of her life as it was for her husband and his family.

Frustrated, she hoped for answers while struggling to pray for the same. As she did so, she heard a rustle outside the tent, and the soft voice of Mother Miri asking for permission to enter.

"I apologize," Miri said as Belane invited her in, "I know this should be uninterrupted time between you and God above, but... I felt as if I needed to check up on you."

"Thank you," Belane said quietly, "I appreciate it very much. I'm just... struggling to figure out what I should be doing."

"Praying," Miri stated kindly, "Putting words to your hopes and dreams and fears and concerns. Speaking them to God above and sitting alone with the silence so it's quiet enough for you to listen to the answers."

"I just..." Belane confessed, "Well... It's not something I've ever done before -I mean... not like this."

"I know," assured Miri, "You communicate with your actions. Words have always been hard for you. Especially when you have to speak to someone so vast but so hard to hear like the God of All. But... this is good for you.

"Marriage is about communication, Belane. Our actions can communicate a lot. When the bodies of a husband and wife communicate, it can be absolutely earth-shaking. But you'll never have a successful marriage if you can't talk to one another. Especially when it's hard. Especially when it's a struggle to listen."

Belane nodded silently, thinking about what she'd been told.

"What it," Miri offered, "I help you? I can start. We'll pray together. Alone. Just you and I. When you're ready -and when you're ready to continue on your own -I'll leave you to finish your conversation."

The warmth Belane felt from Miri's offer radiated up into the smile on her face.

"I think I'd like that very much," responded Belane happily, "That would mean a lot to me, Mother Mi-"

Belane stopped the last word abruptly. She then paused and rephrased her response.

"That would mean a lot to me, Mother."

Miri's eyes misted as the weight of the small change of phrasing settled upon her. She leaned over and kissed Belane softly on the forehead.

"I love you, my daughter," she said lovingly, "I love you so much. So, so much. And I'm so proud to be your Mother."

***

Alone in their bed in the dark, Dullam withdrew from inside Miri. He pulled his cock -slick, dripping, deflating, and thoroughly satisfied -from deep within her heat as the last few quivers of her release still lingered in her limbs. She moaned softly as she felt her husband's lips on the nape of her neck where it met her collarbone. He sucked on that spot just the way she loved it, sending shivers and tingles through her body that complemented the last vestiges of her orgasm so deliciously. She reached between them and wrapped her hand around his softening manhood, gently stroking and wiping their combined juices onto her palm, which she soon brought up to her mouth and licked clean.

She slowly returned her fingers to her damp, swollen lips and plunged them inside of herself. As Dullam lay down beside her, he listened to the familiar sounds of his beloved wife happily feasting on the intoxicating mixture of his cream and her nectar. While she enjoyed the treat left for her by her husband, his hand found her bare breast as he cuddled up next to her, pressing his body tight to her warm, flushed skin. He lay there in silence as he listened to his treasured wife lovingly and contentedly cleaning out the wet depths of her womanhood, sucking up and drinking their combined juices from her slick fingers over and over until she was satisfied. It was one of her favorite parts of love making and it never failed to remind Dullam how grateful he was for a woman like Miri.

"Thank you, husband," Miri said softly as she covered his hand on her breast with her own, "You never fail to leave your wife thoroughly satisfied."

"I can say the same," Dullam replied, "You know how to drain every drop from me."

Husband and wife pulled up the blanket and settled in next to each other.

"We should get to sleep," Miri stated softly, "We have an early morning tomorrow."

"No better way to suffer through an early morning," Dullam responded, "Than to have been kept up by a late night inside your wife."

"Mmmmm," Miri moaned appreciatively, "Under normal circumstances, I'd agree and hop back on you and see how long I could keep you up. But you have to marry our son off tomorrow."

"I know," he responded, "I'm looking forward to it."

After a moment, Dullam added: "Did you speak with Belane?"

"Yes," replied Miri, "It took a bit... But she worked it out. We prayed together for a bit, but once she began to see it as a conversation, instead of some ritual or incantation... She did just fine. She was remarkably open. And remarkably wise about what she wished for her marriage."

"I'm glad," Dullam responded, "You know... I think they're both very, very good for one another."

"I do, too," confirmed Miri. Then she added: "Dullam... while I was there... Belane called me 'Mother'".

Dullam didn't need light to see the broad and happy smile on his wife's face. "You've been everything a mother should be to her," he agreed, "And she loves you very much."

"And I love her," added Miri, "I love both of them. I know this came as a bit of a shock at first, but... Dullam... You know... I honestly couldn't be any happier."

There in the dark, as silent minutes passed, Dullam and Miri settled in, bodies still pressed against one another, and tried to sleep. With no sound in the room but their soft breathing, time passed while a cloud of words yet unspoken seemed to linger in their room. Miri knew something weighed heavily on her beloved husband. She also had a reasonable idea what that something is.

"You heard back from some of the scouts, haven't you?" she asked softly after a time.

"Yes... somewhat" came the reply after several heartbeats, "Not the scouts. We've received word from other towns. Two orc attacks in Swanford, and another in Meadowton."

"Hmm..." Miri murmured, thinking, "How bad?"

"Just advance scouts," Dullam confirmed, "Like what stumbled onto Belane. Two people dead in Meadowton and two more in one of the attacks in Swanford. The other party in Swanford killed four before they got run off."

"Run off?" Miri asked.

"Yes," Dullam replied, "The party that attacked Meadowton had one orc that was killed. The ones in Swanford got away without any losses."

"So..." Miri mused with a chuckle, "Our Belane took two on her own, and Toren another. Which is three times better than two other towns combined."

"It would seem so," Dullam responded, "We raise fierce ones, my dear."

Husband and wife both chuckled briefly.

"Next time you see Koritar," Miri said, referencing the head trainer for the Vanguard, and one of Dullam's closest friends, "Tell him. Let him know what Belane did."

"All right," Dullam agreed, "This is important to you, I take it?"

"It is," confirmed Miri, "She's never quite fit in a woman's place and she's been told not welcome in a man's. It would be... important to her. And to me. For someone to know what she accomplished. To know she's capable... Exceptional, even... Even if she doesn't quite fit where people think she should."

"I see," her husband replied, "I think you're right. A little bit of validation can be good for the soul."

"So... If the orcs are on the move, how do you think this will all end?" Miri asked.

"Hopefully with just a few isolated campaigns," Dullam replied hopefully, "Like I said... it was a lean time for the northern tribes last year. Maybe they'll just take enough to hold them over."

"But you don't think so," Miri observed.

"I don't know," replied Dullam cautiously, "I'm hopeful, but my gut tells me it's going to be something much bigger. The scouts should be coming back from the north soon. We'll know more then."

"Are you going to tell them?" Miri asked softly, "This could have a big impact on them. And soon."

"No," said Dullam, "No. I don't think I will. Let Toren and Belane have peace while they can."

***

It all seemed so surreal. Toren and Belane knelt down by each other's side. Dullam stood over them, the old War Priest dressed in his ceremonial vestments as he prayed over them. Behind them stood Ubar, Miri, Tosi, Mesim, and Arhan, all of whom were being united into one large family. Also among them stood Khoritar, the surly trainer of the Vanguard of Black Hallow -and one of Dullam's closest friends -along with Rukhan and Neri Rummor -the church sexton and his wife who were close friends of Miri, Grio Wintersong -the young man to whom Tosi was betrothed -and the church Apparitor Hagor Mav -the church official who would serve as official witness to the wedding.

Toren and Belane were both dressed in simple white garments -a tunic and breeches for Toren, and a simple dress for Belane. The mere fact that Belane had told Tosi that she wished to wear a dress for her wedding impressed upon her husband's younger sister just how much she loved him.

That fact alone caused Tosi to go for almost two days without sleep to ensure she could make it in time for her sister-in-law to wear it on her wedding day. The joy in Belane's face upon receiving it made Tosi's work worth it. When Tosi carefully braided Belane's long, pale blonde hair for the ceremony, she held a mirror to the bride-to-be. Hearing Belane say -for the first time in Tosi's recollection -that she looked beautiful brought tears to Tosi's eyes.

Toren was overcome with emotion as well upon seeing his beloved being walked to him by Ubar. She wept in much the same way when she held the hands of her beloved at the altar.

It was really happening.

As much as Belane wanted to take in every moment -to remember every word and feeling -she felt as if she were floating as she listened to the rite of marriage being undertaken.

For her. And for Toren.

Together.

When the time came when they were pronounced husband and wife, it suddenly dawned upon Toren that this would be the first kiss he and Belane shared that would be in public and a matter to celebrate.

So he made sure that he clearly and openly communicated the passion and love he had for his new wife as he swept her up in his arms and kissed her deeply.

Neither of them even noticed their new, combined family clapping for them.

***

For an hour or two after the wedding, the small group celebrated. Miri and Tosi had prepared a modest assortment of breads, meats, roast vegetables, and a sweet cake. For some reason, Belane opted not to partake in any of it, replying that she was still working through wedding-day nerves when asked why she hadn't eaten.

The singing and dancing, however, were a different story. Grio Wintersong, Tosi's betrothed, brought a flute and violin. In addition to a scholarly priest-in-training, he was also an accomplished speaker, singer, and musician. Within no time at all, all assembled were either dancing or attempting clumsily to do so.

Even Belane. Naturally athletic, she managed to appear at times to know what she was doing. Spurred on by Tosi, the two now-sisters laughed and danced with abandon celebrating not only the joyous occasion, but the sisterly bond rapidly growing between the two young women.

The celebration was not intended to be overly-long, however. The assembled guests would still drink, eat, and dance, but soon the bride and groom were ushered away. Their part of the festivities were over and done with.

It was time that they progressed to their Idyll time and the first days of married life.

Ubar's cart took them to the beach. Though they would have preferred the privacy on the walk to the boat, both had to admit it was quicker than walking. The trip was, however, much less romantic. The presence of Belane's father an arm's length from them stifled whatever urges they had to devour one another. In addition, the old oxcart -though efficient transportation -was not designed with an excess of comfort in mind. The bumping and swaying of the cart as it traversed the stone road towards the beach caused the newlyweds to knock heads while kissing more than once. The atmosphere in the cart was far more comedic than romantic.

The boat ride to Kedley Holm was much the same. Belane sat much closer to Toren than she had during previous boat trips to the holm. However, any more than passing kisses risked capsizing the small boat, which -both agreed -would put a damper on the evening's carnal activities.

By the time they had put ashore on the beach of Kedley Holm, Toren and Belane had both agreed to hurry to the cabin, so they would have more time with each other.

They brought the boat far up the beach and stowed it in their usual spot in the brush. As they began to walk, the also took two large packs that they had been provided with. In them were an ample supply of food, good enough for at least three days, along with two bottles of Rukhan Rummor's dewflower mead.

In addition, Belane and Toren carried a single change of clothes each. They didn't plan on needing more than that. They intended to spend most of their Idyll time naked.

Belane also brought her bow and a handful of arrows, along with a hand axe for her and her husband -should the need for hunting or protection arise.

With a shared smile -almost a giggle -the newlyweds hiked a brisk pace down the path to their destination.

It looked the same as it did just several short days ago. Small and unassuming, but so much more to the two of them.

Walking through the doors felt like home. Enough to stop both in their tracks as they looked around the place where they'd both lost their virginity.

And the place where they hoped to fill every moment making love.

Without a word, wood was brought in and a small fire started. It wasn't needed at the moment, but it would be much easier to feed and build when needed, as opposed to having to start it cold while the two newlyweds were occupied with each other.

Toren moved from the hearth to the table where the packs were placed. "Belane," he asked, "Are you feeling better? I can take some of the cheese and bread so we can eat. You have to be hungry."

"I am," Belane said softly. She stood behind Toren as he rifled through the food. He turned and saw her standing there.

Her dress was folded neatly and lay across a chair. She stood before her husband, completely bare.

Her strong, yet slender legs flowed artistically to the flare of her hips. Her pubic hair had been trimmed severely, allowing her delicate, pale pink petals to peek out beyond the light blonde hair surrounding it. Her tight stomach and narrow waist were highlighted by clearly-defined abdominal muscles, hinting at the athletic power she possessed despite her slight frame. Her small breasts defied gravity deliciously in a delicate teardrop shape, each one punctuated with a pale pink nipple, proudly standing at attention. Her toned and defined arms were raised up, removing the tie from her long almost white-blonde hair and allowing it to cascade in a soft waterfall over her shoulders and down her back.

"I'm very hungry," she repeated, the soft plumpness of her lips catching the eye of her awestruck husband, "But I didn't want to eat."

Belane took a slow step towards Toren. The awkward shyness she often carried like a weight around her neck was gone. In its' place was a woman who had blossomed in the past few days. More confident in her place in the world. More confident in her family. More confident in herself.

The raw sensuality she radiated off of her washed over Toren like a wave. His new wife looked down to the junction between his powerful thighs. She saw how he stiffened at the sight of her. How he rose at the thought of her.

She licked her lips hungrily -almost without thinking. The result was powerfully seductive in it's raw hunger.

"I didn't want to eat," she elaborated, now just a hair's breath from the body of her beloved, "Because I wanted the first thing I ate or drank as a married woman..."

She reached slid her hand down her husband's breeches, her warm hand gripping down the hard thickness of his sizeable endowment.

"To be from the body of my husband."

She slowly sank to her knees.

"I wanted to fall to my knees before him and worship the cock that made me a woman."

She slid his pants down slowly, exposing his firm, full, long, thick, dripping length.

"I wanted to take it in my mouth and bring it to bliss between my lips and on my tongue."

Her hot breath made him twitch and drip as her mouth was inches from him.

"And I wanted to feel it pulse while I suckled... And then I wanted to look in my husband's eyes as I drank every drop."

She paused as she made intense eye contact with him.

"Can I?" she whispered.

Toren, young and inexperienced, was still unsure. "You don't..." he stammered, "If you don't want... You don't have to."

Belane's insecurities were all melting away in a pool of desire as she smelled the musky, manly aroma coming from her lover's loins. Her mouth watered at the surprisingly powerful urge to drink deeply from his seed.

"I want to," she whispered, "More than anything in the world, I want you to feed me."

She gave him a single, sensual stroke, causing him to groan with surprising volume.

"This... This is the cock I want to suck. The cock I want to spear into every hole in my body it wants. The cock I want to spurt and spray inside me and fill me up."

She gave his dripping head a soft, almost imperceptible kiss.

"Let me drink you," she implored softly.

He nodded softly, mesmerized at how unimaginably beautiful she was. He threw his head back and grabbed the table for support as her lips wrapped around him. Basking in her warm wetness, he groaned as her mouth stretched to take his fullness as she slid slowly down his shaft.

As she began to move, she listened and watched intently to his every reaction. His every movement, moan, and urging.

In moments, she could feel the pleasure she gave him by the swirls of her tongue. The moving up and down of her mouth as it rubbed wetly across her tongue and over the insides of her cheeks. The strokes of her hands on the un-sucked parts of his member as she rhythmically moved him in and out.

He was impossibly hard inside her mouth. Belane's eyes closed as savored the flavor of his most intimate skin. The taste of him was exquisite -similar to the taste of his lips or the rest of his skin, but with an earthy, musky note that caused her to drip from her folds as she knelt to worship his cock.

She swirled her tongue around his slit as she tasted the mild saltiness of his arousal as it climbed steadily and rapidly. The pace of his breathing had increased, as well as the volume of his groaning. Each fresh drip seemed to come more rapidly as she began to suckle at his cock, trying to pull each and every drop from the deepest recess of his body.

She realized that she had begun to make hungry, grunting moans of her own as she bobbed up and down on him, while each wet slurp sounded unseemingly loud in the otherwise quiet cabin.

It had been a bare few minutes when he began to warn her of his impending release. His warning served only to spur her on. Her free hand lovingly stroked his hard, powerful thigh and reached behind to caress his flanks. Her pace quickened as she began to moan encouragement to her lover.

Urging him to release inside her mouth.

Urging her beloved to feed her.

His moan became a strong bellow as he shook and leaned heavily on the table next to him. His large cock began to swell, and Belane instinctively placed her tongue over his swelling, throbbing slit.

He throbbed and began to spray into her mouth. His hot cream cascaded over her tongue, surprising her with its' savory flavor and creamy texture. Once she could anticipate how much of his seed each throbbing pulse would give her, she moved her tongue away from the tip of him. Instead, she spiraled it around as he released, swirling her tongue in waves of creamy, delicious semen.

As his climax began to wane, she slowed her ministrations on him and began to savor the taste of her lover. She didn't find the taste at all unpleasant. On the contrary, Belane felt as if she could taste her husband's bliss. She felt as if she held hot, liquid, ecstasy in her mouth, and it absolutely intoxicated her. It was a taste she could feel in her heart, and she knew she had then and there developed a hunger that she would never fully sate.

And that realization brought her indescribable joy.

She suckled for another moment, pulling every drop from the deepest pits of his innards. When she pulled is cock from between her wet lips, she held his spend in her mouth as she stood up.

She gripped his tunic tightly and pulled down towards her face. Locking her gaze intensely with his, he watch her eyes closed in bliss as she joyfully swallowed every drop he had released into her.

"Yeeesssss," she moaned softly, "My love that was so much better than I could have possibly imagined."

With a sharp tug, he ripped his shirt over his head. For a moment, Belane was able to feast on his powerful build, broad shoulders, and solid muscle. Then, he scooped her up in his arms and all but tossed her on the bed.

"My turn," he declared with a hungry smile, as he spread her legs open.

Belane had no intention of resisting. In fact, as he moved towards her waiting opening, she grabbed his hair and forced him down faster.

He was overwhelmed by the same tangy goodness as he had felt the other time he tasted her. Her head rolled backwards and her back arched as she felt his tongue invade her and discovered it felt even better than she remembered.

He vividly recalled the movements and locations that had brought her to pleasure before, and none of them failed him the second time. In fact, he found Belane to be just as vocal as he remembered, and the cues he got from her moans and shouts of joy helped him bring her even higher.

As he slid his finger inside her, he started to rub back and forth. In moments, he felt Belane's hand grip his gently. She moved his hand so his fingers were on the spot she had discovered several nights prior. Once he was there, she moved her finger on the back of his hand in a 'come here' motion.

"Like that," she moaned.

Toren needed no further instruction. He combined the motion of his fingers with the work of his lips and tongue. "Ooooohhhh," she moaned, her body stiffening as she started to buck into him.

Within minutes, Belane was gripping the blankets tightly, her eyes and mouth wide open as she panted.

"Don't stop," she urged, wanting to feel what she almost had the first time he tasted her, "Please, please, please don't stop."

Her whole body began to quiver and, within seconds, she screamed her joyful release to the ceiling. She shoved his face into her, thrashing as she reached heights she'd never felt before. In between her screams, she heard the hungry sounds of her husband, devouring her cunt with joyful abandon. She felt herself throb as he continued to coax more from the special spot inside her, and soon heard her husband's hungry encouragement turn into excited, gulping swallows.

Her orgasm crashed over her like a wave until it left her broken on shore, panting and limp on the bed. Toren looked up, his face surprisingly wet, smiling impossibly wide. "You taste so good," he exclaimed gleefully, "And you're so wet!!"

He quickly crawled up her body. "You taste amazing!" he said.

Belane could feel his hot stiffness drag across his leg as he went.

She was still limp and quivering from her first release. But she was hungry.

She was so hungry.

She wanted so, so much more.

She nodded at her beloved as he was lining himself up at her entrance, once again rock hard.

"Yes," she urged him, "More. Take it... Take it. I want more."

More was precisely what he gave her, as he slowly speared into her. It felt as if Belane was being torn apart -in the absolute best way -on his long, fat cock. Her wetness made her well lubricated as he cored her out, warming her insides with his manhood.

Her legs wrapped around him, locking him down until he filled her cunt with his cum. Toren plunged his tongue in Belane's mouth, who happily returned the favor. Their tongues burrowed as deeply as possible, lapping up the taste of their lover from each other's mouths.

This was less passionate love-making and more frenzied rutting. Each had cast aside their inhibitions and became lust-fueled beasts, copulating on pure instinct, screaming, groaning, and wailing as they were swept up in the excitement.

Within minutes she had climaxed again and was on her way to another when he released inside her. He flooded her as she clutched and massaged him with her insides. Their frenzied kissing never stopped, and neither did their hips.

Not long after, Toren was at full mast once more, pounding into Belane from behind as she was on her hands and knees.

"More!" she yelled the whole time, laughing and crying happy tears, "Yes! I love it! I love it!! Give me more!!"

She managed two more climaxes while he managed one, spurting what little he had to give inside her, while his cock throbbed and clenched violently as it tried to dredge up every drop of semen it had left.

She went to sleep with his deflated cock in her mouth, nursing at it as she slumbered like a newborn baby. He slept on her naked thigh like a pillow, his face nuzzled up to her opening and breathing her scent deeply as he dreamt. They woke as the cabin cooled, getting up just long enough to feed the fire enough to keep them warm the rest of the night.

Sometime, in the deep hours of the night, both awoke yearning to be one person once more. Neither had much left to give the other, but their bodies listened to their demands. They managed to unite once again, thrusting and bucking until Belane climaxed, succumbing to a hard thrusting cock combined with her own fingers. She withdrew him from her body and inhaled him, sucking him clean of her until he fed her once more. She drank her husband's essence and sucked him clean before wrapping herself in his arms to sleep peacefully.

***

Four days.

The newlyweds had four days of peace.

Of togetherness.

Of lust.

True to their word, neither wore a stitch of clothing unless necessary. Their days and nights were spent talking, laughing, licking, sucking, thrusting, throbbing, moaning, and screaming.

And it was glorious.

It was better than either of them had ever dreamed.

On the afternoon of the fifth day, as Belane and Toren finished roasting a pair of rabbits they had caught early that morning, they heard a knock on the door.

Both froze and stared silently at one another.

"It's Mesim!" Toren's younger brother yelled from the other side of the door, "I need to speak to you! It's urgent!"

While Toren hastily threw on his breeches, Belane threw a blanked over her shoulders and closed it around herself so she was covered. Toren then opened the door to find his younger brother standing there, soaking wet.

"Mesim," Toren stammered, "You're... Why are you all wet?"

Mesim looked at his brother as if the large young man were the stupidest thing alive.

"You have the boat here at the holm," he stated patronizingly, "I'm the strongest swimmer, so guess who Father sent out early this morning to swim forever just to fetch you?"

"Fetch us," Belane asked, "Why?"

Mesim's face turned gravely serious. "Reports have come to the Vanguard from the scouts that went north. The orcs are gathering war bands all along the borders. They're putting out the call to the Vanguard all around Black Hallow. You need to return now."

Toren stared at his brother as Belane took the hand of her husband in hers. "Does that mean..." Toren trailed off.

"Father seems to think so," Mesim confirmed solemnly.

"It looks like we're going to war."