All within hearing muttered angrily, and I demanded of her, “How many?”
“Four hands was I able to count,” she panted, her life sign rising and falling with each breath she took. “They fell upon our warriors from the trees, nearly before our eyes. There was no hope for battle with the others already taken, therefore we returned here.”
“A wise decision,” I commended her, my hand upon her shoulder. “Should these males be those in possession of the Crystal of Mida, we would not care to have any of them escape us. Two sets will be ample to see to them.” I turned to another warrior. “Sets one and four shall accompany me, sets two and three remain here. Inform the others.”
Unhappily, she nodded, then turned away to pass on my word. She was not of set one or four, therefore would be left behind. Not many reckid was it before the sets were formed, and I led my warriors on foot toward where our sisters had been taken, the five relieving warriors showing the way. Quickly and silently we moved between the trees, flowing with the light from the Entry to Mida’s Realm, making no greater disturbance than the light itself. Carefully we watched for posted sentries; however, the males had not seen fit to provide such. As we sighted them within a clearing, about the forms of our warriors, I smiled, realizing that they would soon regret their foolishness.
Indeed four hands in number were the males, big and well-made, yet covered as were all city males in garments that reached to the middle of their thighs. My warriors grinned at the sight of them, for never had we taken males in such numbers. These males would provide much sport if they had not stolen the Crystal. They stood between two fires, in a tight circle about our warriors, who had been stripped of their weapons and bound, and as we neared, we heard their laughter.
“A fine catch,” one of them laughed, walking forward to a pale-haired warrior, releasing the war leather which held her hair at the base of her neck. She struggled against the leather which kept her wrists behind her, and again the male laughed. “Do not tire yourself so, little lovely,” he chided gently. “There will be other things to take what strength you have. I will ask yet again, and this time expect an answer: what do you and these others do here in these woods all alone? From whence do you come and for what purpose?”
My pale-haired warrior held his eyes, yet she spoke not a word in answer. Indeed, I would have been surprised if she had. The high, excited chirp of a lellin told me that the males were surrounded, therefore I stepped farther into the clearing.
“You are mistaken,” I said quite clearly, causing the males to whirl toward me in surprise. “They are not alone.”
The males reached for the swords they wore, but my warriors stepped from the trees, bows bent and arrows hard upon targets a warrior might not easily miss. The males looked about themselves and saw their deaths clearly in many places. I stood beyond the fires they had lit, my arms folded beneath my life sign, prepared to order them feathered should they refuse to yield. They then looked to the male who had been questioning my warrior. He nodded his head sourly, and all of the males threw down their weapons. Two hands of my warriors put down their bows, went quickly to the males, then took the lengths of leather we had fetched with us for the purpose, and bound them well. My five warriors who had been captured were released, and they joined in examining the prisoners.
“You had an excellent reason for remaining silent,” the male who had questioned the light-haired warrior said to her, a rueful expression upon his broad, dark face. “Might I now know the reason for so many lovely girls abroad in these woods?”
My warrior smiled and looked toward me, and the captive looked upon me also. He was dark complexioned yet had light eyes, with dark brows beneath unruly, dark hair. He and the others had shorn their hair to well above their shoulders, showing that they felt shame in its appearance. City males truly have no souls.
“We travel to see Bellinard,” I said, smiling at the discomfort the male appeared to be experiencing. “Is it yet far distant?”
“Merely a three-fey ride to the northwest,” he said, his eyes beginning to blaze as they inspected me. “We are hunters from there, my lovely, and I would assure you that these woods are not safe. My men and I have been well punished for our laxity in guarding ourselves; now must we be released so that we may see to the safety of all of you. I would not have the beasts rend your bodies while we lie here helpless.”
I laughed lightly at his words. He sought to make Hosta fear the forests, thinking us, no doubt, sisters to the slavewomen of his city. I raised my eyes from him to note the return of the warriors I had sent to seek the mounts of the males. The leader of them informed me that the Crystal of Mida was not among the goods the males carried, and I was not surprised. The thieves of the Crystal would know well the appearance of Hosta clan colors, and would have little need to question the presence of Hosta in their vicinity. These males were innocent of the theft, and therefore free for the taking.
“Enough of this foolishness, girl!” the male leader snapped. “I know not from whence you come, nor do I care! You have had your amusement at our expense, now you shall release us and return our weapons! At once!”
In the mutter of agreement from the others, his gaze was sharp and strong upon me, his anger doing much to counter his desire for me. The flickering light of the fires illuminated him but partially, but I was able to see his strength. I removed my swordbelt and crouched, then placed my band upon his covering.
“Is your body truly so ugly that it must be hidden?” I asked softly, stroking my hand down his side to his bare thigh. “Surely your comfort would be greater if this were removed?”
His consternation consumed him so, he did not seem to hear the gentle laughter of my warriors. His eyes widened at the caress, and he moved beneath my hand, then smiled hungrily, and his voice turned husky.
“I had not expected this,” he said, his chest rising higher with his breathing. “Free me quickly, girl, and I shall remove the covering the moment we have reached the darkness beyond the fires. You shall be well seen to in the darkness, this I swear!”
“I much prefer the light,” I said, “and I should be pleased to remove the covering from you as you are.”
He blinked at the dagger in my hand, then rolled about in protest as I brought it to his covering. “No!” he shouted, attempting to free himself from the leather which bound him. “There is no need for this! I have not refused you!”
“Nor shall you,” I murmured, applying my dagger to the side of his covering. Easily it split open from neck to waist to thigh, and a sigh of appreciation escaped from my warriors as the covering was moved aside. Amid the silence of the other males, the captive moved in fury, his hard, broad body before us, in no manner ugly. I replaced my dagger in its leg bands, then placed both hands upon him.
“Perhaps you feel a chill in the air of darkness,” I murmured, my hands and eyes exploring him with pleasure. “I shall not allow you to remain cold long.”
I brought my lips to his firm, flat belly, pressing them there, then moving them about. The male moaned with his arousal, nor was it he alone who moaned. The eyes of the other males were upon us, some raised up as best they might to see better. The smell of a male in need was strong, and the captive, his skin coarse with hair, writhed beneath my hands.
“No,” he protested weakly, his head moving back and forth, attempting to deny his need. “Release me and I shall see to you. I swear it!”
“You find no interest in me as you are?” I asked, and then placed my knees across and to either side of him. Slowly I leaned down, sliding a short way onto his thighs, the tips of my breasts brushing his hair-covered chest. “Shall I then choose another of your males to give me pleasure? Which of them should it be?”