The feel of his skin upon me was more than I could bear. Abruptly, I sat, removed my dagger from its leg bands, buried its point in the dirt far out of the male’s possible reach, and then turned back to him. The touch of my belly upon his filled him with fire, and his lips reached up for mine as his legs thrashed wildly about. I took him and used him, crushing my breasts to his chest, grasping his flesh with demanding fingers. Well used was he by this Midanna, and his own pleasure was no small thing. He panted and gasped, urging me on, yet there was no need for urging. Once, deep in his pleasure, he cried out, “By Sigurr’s fetid breath, I must have my arms free about her! I shall have my arms about her!” Then he struggled to free himself, to no avail. When my every need had been satisfied, I returned to my sleeping leather and grasped my dagger in preparation for sleep. The male said nothing, but his leg was near mine as the clouds of sleep covered me.
At last we stood within sight of Bellinard, our host behind the swell of a hill, seeing yet unseen. The massive gates of Bellinard stood opened, and many were those who streamed within its walls. Most came on foot, carrying small bundles; some upon kand, as well as perched atop strange, wheeled contrivances which were drawn by kand. There were many kinds of wheeled things, some roofed over, some not, and. all were allowed within the gates of Bellinard. Those gates remained opened throughout the presence of Mida’s light, but were closed fast when darkness descended. We had watched Bellinard a full fey, and now were prepared to enter.
I went to where our kand were held, along with the captives. We had come upon some caves when yet a number of hind from Bellinard, and there would the balance of my warriors remain with the captives till I and the others returned. My gando danced uneasily, having disliked the sight of Bellinard, and I was glad that I had no need of taking it within those walls. I, too, had disliked my first view of a city, and had no wish to add to any difficulties which might arise.
As I passed the captives, I saw that the eyes of the leader of the males were upon me. He looked angry, for I had not again had him brought to my sleeping leather, leaving him instead for the use of my warriors. I had used another of the males who had thereafter been puffed up with importance, almost battling his leader, but my warriors did not wish to see them damage themselves. They had been parted and separated. I did not concern myself with such small matters, and did not heed the leader’s request that he be allowed to speak with me. I simply used the second, and left the first for my warriors.
Now, as I passed him, he struggled to his feet and called, “Jalav, you must take me with you to Bellinard! You do not know the ways of a city, and must be advised! Jalav, heed my words!”
My warriors shoved him back to the ground, for I had no wish to hear him. I did not trust him. He had but to send a superior force against us, hoping to surprise us before we might end his captured band. He would not succeed, yet he would try. I would be fool indeed were I to allow him his freedom.
Beside the kand waited those warriors who would accompany me. Red-haired, blue-eyed Larid, an excellent warrior and often my second, was amused by the male’s outburst. She grinned in his direction, as did brown-haired, brown-eyed Binat, who also found amusement with males. Fayan, however, frowned at his actions, thinking, no doubt, that a taste of the punishment leather would do well for him. Annoyance filled her large, brown eyes and it was well for the males that she rode with me.
The last of our party was Comir, a warrior barely into her womanhood, but avid to join us. Her soft brown hair was like Kilin’s. She had been with me at the Crystal’s Tower, and had seen what had been done to my warriors. Her need for vengeance was like mine, for one of the warriors who had been slain was close sister to her, as the same warrior had borne them both. Angrily had she demanded the right to ride with me, and I had seen her need and had allowed it. She stood now holding the leads of the kand, smiling slightly toward the males.
As I slid from the back of my gando, black-haired Gimin approached and stopped before me. Gimin had hopes of becoming war leader in her turn, although she had not as yet seen fit to challenge me. If a thing is to be done, it should not be left too long undone, and sooner would I have her challenge than leave her desires to fester within her. I had named her leader in my absence, thinking a taste of leadership would sway her one way or the other. When I returned, I would know how sound my thinking had been.
“It is time to depart, Gimin,” I said, banding her the lead of my gando. “We shall see what we may see, and return as soon as possible. Should a hand of feyd pass without our return, you are then to continue on to Ranistard and enter it as I have described. Allow no warrior to follow us to Bellinard, for you shall need every sword when you reach Ranistard. The Crystal must be recovered.”
“I hear, Jalav,” she said, her gray eyes searching my face. “You think to give me your place without my having to do battle for it, yet this may not be. A war leader who has not earned her position has little to find pride in. Upon your return, the matter will be settled between us.”
“As you say, Gimin,” I smiled, and placed my hand upon her shoulder. “When I return, the matter will be determined. May Mida guard you in this strange land.”
“And you, Jalav,” she said, smiling in return and also placing her hand upon my shoulder. “Be alert, war leader, for it is impossible to challenge one who sits beside Mida.”
“Should there be a way, Gimin,” I laughed, “I don’t doubt that you will find it. Take the others to the caves as soon as we have gone.”
She nodded her agreement, then watched as I joined the others at the kand. I jumped upon the back of the kan I had chosen, and my four warriors, too, were mounted quickly. We raised our hands in farewell, and my warriors who remained drew their blades to salute us. We rode off then, urging the kand to a decent speed, and thought no more about our sisters.
As we carried neither spear nor shield, the kand had little difficulty bearing us toward the gates of Bellinard. The kan I had chosen was a light gray in color, sleekly muscled beneath its soft hide, prideful of its long mane and tail. It, being male, was larger than the other kand, and the farther it went from the presence of gandod, the more it attempted to pull from my hand. As its head went forward for the third time, I wound my free hand in its mane, then hauled back sharply as my knees jabbed tightly in its sides. A sound of surprised pain came from the beast, and thereafter it made no further attempts to set a pace of its own. When one has ridden gandod, kand pose no insurmountable difficulties.
In less than a hin, we were nearly to the gates of Bellinard. With the strengthening of the light, more and more city folk had joined the throng at the gates, till they stretched well away from their destination. We slowed our kand as we passed them, and each of those we passed looked upon us strangely. There were many males, and many slavewomen as well, and some attempted to speak, yet all, in the end, kept silent. Larid and Binat examined many of the males, grins wide upon their faces, although few seriously attracted them. The males were small for the most part, work-wearied and lacking in vigor, and a warrior may find little pleasure from such a male. Their slavewomen seemed soured by their lot in life, and not a smile showed upon any of their faces. Truthfully, it is not difficult to understand such a souring. Even slavewomen should be allowed a male possessing vigor.
As we rode up to the wide-standing gates, we saw the reason for the delay, which had not been apparent from a distance. Armed males stood at the gates, searching the belongings of those who would enter. To the right, a male afoot and his slavewoman waited as their bundle was gone through, and to the left was a large, covered, wheeled conveyance searched by three of the armed males. I guided my kan to the space between these two sets, and as I made to enter the gates, one of the armed males quickly moved to take hold of the guiding leather of my kan and stopped it.