14 comments/ 73259 views/ 76 favorites Venturer By: xelliebabex Sliding along feeling the thick rope beneath her feet, she drew deep breaths, focusing on the point where the rope ended and became a solid stand again. She moved with grace and skill honed by many hours of training. The taut rope felt solid to her now and she pivoted midway along her route to the gasps of the watchers. Below her, the others in her troupe prepared the finale, a spectacle of tumbling, juggling and fire, while she held the audiences in rapt attention with small wobbles and feigned unbalanced movements as she spun and twirled her way across the rope above their heads. Eventually she was given a signal from the giant Alec. With a cheeky smile and a wink to the audience below she dove off the rope, the cries of those watching singing in her ears as she spun mid air to be caught by the giant. After acknowledging the cheers and applause from the crowd for a moment she tumbled away in a series of back flips to join the troupe in the finale. She smiled widely genuinely enjoying the fast paced movements and intricate series of tricks she was involved in as the show came to an end. Rapturous applause greeted them as they moved forward to bow ostentatiously signalling the end of the performance. Leaving the small arena in place the troupe began to mingle with the crowd. Maurice the troupe leader was in his element. He took all the accolades as his own and she smiled as she watched him soak up the spot light. Quietly, she wandered to the edges of the crowds and onto the tent housing the harvest feast. She was always famished after a performance, her nerves making her unable to eat the day before. These were good people. They had become her friends and family as they travelled through villages and towns, the anxiousness of ever letting them down gripped her deeply. The feast was sumptuous and she ate her fill sitting demurely in a corner her face bent to the food not inviting any conversation from those around her. Alec came to sit beside her. The giant had become her closest friend, mostly because he was as quiet as her. He didn't waste his words,, he said what he meant and never tried to pry into her past or what haunted her. She looked up at the man whose strong arms caught her safely every time she flew from the high rope and smiled. "Good food." He said between mouthfuls, "You should eat more you are too skinny. My arms could catch three of you easy." "I have eaten plenty, look," she giggled as she poked out her belly rubbing it, the small rounded bulge showing clearly under her good dress. "Any more and I might do you damage when you try to catch me." Alec snorted in amusement taking a honey cake from his mound of food and placing it before her. "Eat," He said simply. Laughing she picked up the cake and took a bite, "Okay but don't complain when I'm so heavy I break your arms when try to you catch me." He rolled his eyes at her, happy that she was eating more. They sat in companionable silence as they finished their food. Finally he looked at her, "Ale?" he questioned. "No. I need some fresh air but I will walk with you as far as the tavern." As the revellers in the village continued to celebrate the end of the Harvest Season and the coming of the Season of Frost, Honey farewelled Alec and continued on to the edge of the village, walking quietly through the moonlit meadow near their camp. She looked up at the full moon smiling, reaching her arms out wide she spun around feeling the effects of the goblet of mulled wine she had had with her meal. "Life was good," she thought. It was not always so and she revelled in her good fortune of being able to join this troupe as it passed through a village she had been hiding in many moons ago. Flopping back into the long grass she stared up at the moon, the harvest moon. Her mind wandered to the same harvest moon so long ago when she had fled her home. Her father, the Duke of Martizen, drunken and full of bluff had lost heavily playing dice with well to do visitors. He had put her freedom up as his stake in the end and lost once more. She was supposed to be delivered to the man who won her the following day to be wed. That was the day she ran away. She remembered with a shiver the man she was to marry, Kade. His serious unsmiling face, the way others seem to fear his moods and she knew she would be trading one tyrant for another. She felt no regret at what would happen to her father when she fled. He had been demanding and brutal since the passing of her mother into the evermore and, try as she might, she could not find a fond memory of him. Nor did she want to, so she roused herself and slowly made her way back to camp. Expecting most of the troupe to still be at the celebrations, she made her way to the tent she shared with Maurice. Seeing her pack safely tucked under her bed, she berated herself for becoming complacent. She had stayed longer than was safe with these people but she finally felt like she belonged somewhere. From the pack she took out her dark blouse and a pair of pants fashioned to seem like a skirt so they would pass a cursory glance but give her freedom of movement if she needed to run once again. Stowing her one good dress back into the pack with her few precious belongings she lay down to sleep in the dark garments. As dawn was breaking, she was roused from her sleep by Maurice. Ostensibly the others saw her as his mistress and this was how she had able to join the troupe so easily. The reality was that Maurice liked men, pretty young men even better. Villages mostly frowned on this type of love and she gave him the appearance of respectability if any questions were raised. When he was unlucky in finding love he would rouse her like now. It was the sacrifice she made for her freedom and life here with Maurice was far more preferable to that from which she ran. Dutifully she slid from the bed and fell to her knees taking his semi hard cock between her lips. Lifting a hand to his balls, she massaged them gently as she sucked and licked him to full erection. He groaned when she fluttered her tongue under the head of his cock and he took her head in both hands beginning to thrust into her mouth with increasing fervour. She had learned to pace her breathing and swallow around his cock as he forced it into her throat making her choke and gurgle. Tears filled her eyes till they rolled down her cheeks. He came quickly as usual and she drank all of him never spilling a drop until he released her and staggered to his bed. Climbing back into her own bed, her hand snaked down her body to gambol in the damp folds of her sex and at the tease the hard little nub there, wondering at how such a loveless encounter could make her so aroused, so wet. Her fingers teased and trailed through the wet lips, her thumb remaining tight on the hard nub as a finger invaded her depths. Her back arched up off the bed as the first small waves rolled through her body she played her tight little hole in search of the bigger waves. Eventually giving in to her need for more, she reached the other hand up to pinch and twist a nipple rivulets of pain flowing into her breast making her gasp as her legs began to shake coming closer to apex. She bit down on her lip so as not to cry out as she pinched and twisted hard at the other nipple doing the same to the swollen nub between her legs. Her mind exploded and her body quivered as she whimpered through her bitten lip, collapsing back onto the bed panting lifting her sticky fingers to her mouth to lick them clean. The sun slowly lifted above the horizon and she lay quietly with her eyes closed savouring the last joyful waves of her orgasm before swinging her legs from the bed to greet the new day. Taking her pack she went to the wash tent to heat some water and clean up her tear stained face and sex stained undergarments. Taking the chance that everyone had partied late into the night Honey stripped off everything using the heated a cauldron of water to bathe properly with soap for the first time in days. She inspected her body and fingering the faded scars from a cruel adolescence at the hands of her father who had abused her from the time her mother died. "Why hadn't she left earlier," she wondered idly, "Why did it take being gambled away like a cheap possession to make her run?" Clean now she shook herself from her reverie. She began to hear noise within the camp and dressed quickly for the day. They would be moving into a town for the Season of Frost and would need to start their journey today. She smiled as she approached the cook fire and smelled fresh bread. Provisions on the road were never as good as in villages so everyone had gathered for one last good meal before the trek that would lead them to the city of Erato. Having a reputation for lawlessness, she felt there was less chance of being recognised as the runaway daughter of a Duke by anyone that would care in Erato and she looked forward to exploring the town. Packing up the camp was a busy time. Honey was expected to do her share and she rushed to gather and put things away in the wagons. The men dismantled and moved the tents they dwelt in when in villages to the carts. She was just crossing to the wagon she rode in with Alec and Maurice, when she was swept up by the giant, Alec, who bundled her quickly into the back of a wagon and covered her with tent fabric. "Be still." He said with such urgency she could not think to do anything else. Straining her ears she could hear snatches of heated conversations, ".... Last town.... young.... sodomy... charges..." She held her breath. After what seemed an eternity the canvas was lifted off and she saw the face of Alec looking grave. He spoke softly explaining that Maurice had been arrested for the sodomy of a young man in the last town, too young this time it seemed. "They have asked to see his mistress to corroborate his story of being with her that night." He looked at her as he measured his words, "If you run now you won't get far. I don't know what you are running from nor do I care but it can't be so bad you would run now when you are needed by your friends." His voice was pained and she felt her tummy tighten. Her need to flee was strong and her heart raced as she looked up into his caring eyes. The giant who always caught her, who made her feel safe and cared for. He and this troupe had become like family in the short time she had been with them and her racing heart warred between fear and the feelings she had for her friends. Guessing her inner turmoil Alec took her choices away by picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder before taking her to where the troupe was assembled before putting her down to face them. She looked into each of the faces of her friends seeing their relief at her appearance before turning to face the Men at Arms and the Knights that led them. She paled and involuntarily took a step back as she gazed into the piecing blue eyes of the man standing with Maurice. "Kade," she breathed and turned as if to run but Alec rested his giant hand on her shoulder and turned her back to the crowd. Kade seemed not to notice her reaction as his deep voice rumbled, "Ah the elusive Honey. We meet at last. She seems a bit young for you Maurice. How did you manage to claim her as your mistress? Win her in a game of dice?" He looked at her as he said the last a twinkle in his eye and she died inside. Maurice began to splutter about hearts meeting and love growing. The man raised a questioning eyebrow and looked pointed at Honey until she moved on shaky legs to stand beside Maurice and nod dumbly in agreement. Turning to his men, Kade, announced, "This will be no simple judgement. I believe we will have to accompany this troupe to Erato and seek guidance from the magistrates there." He turned back to the gathering as he continued to speak, "Help them pack their camp so we can be on our way. Our search for the Lady Honiara will have to be delayed but I have the feeling we are moving in the right direction, regardless." Turning back, he could not hide his smirk as he took in her wide green eyes, "And to ensure no one disappears, I will keep the lovely Honey here with me. Jarrau you go with Maurice to supervise the decampment." As the troupe moved off she looked pleadingly at Alec not to leave her there, he nodded at her for reassurance before ambling away with Maurice to the wagons. Once the troupe were out of earshot Kade leaned close to her ear and whispered menacingly, "So my betrothed has become another mans whore. How very disappointing. I believe I will punish you when I have the time and leisure." He saw her stiffen a small barely audible squeak escaping her. "Something for you to think about as we continue this charade until we reach Erato. I would not like my men to know the Lady Honiara has become nothing more than a common man's whore." Tears rolled down her cheeks. She felt trapped and humiliated and she sagged down onto the ground at Kade's feet to sit and await her fate. After long minutes of silence as she stared at the ground near his boots he pulled her to her feet and dragged her to a nearby building. It was empty, the occupants at work in the village. He pushed her against a wall and pressed up close to her whispering in a deep sinister voice. "It has been a long chase little lady you have been quite elusive. Imagine my surprise when I found you had joined a troupe. You are a very talented girl indeed." He was angry, his voice a snarl as he continued, "What other talents are you hiding my dear or should I ask Maurice?" She said not a word, standing with her head down blushing furiously at his words shaken deeply by the depth of his anger toward her. Berating her self for staying too long with the troupe, his torments continued to rain down on her. He called her a whore and a cheap harlot lashing her with his sharp tongue. The torment continued until at last he pulled her to a chair and sitting pushed her down over his lap. His hand hit her rounded ass cheeks and she yelped in surprise. He continued to bark questions about what she had let Maurice do to her in increasing lewd detail. She said nothing biting her lip and whimpering determined not to cry out. He spanked her a dozen times before reaching between her legs and cupping her sex demanding to know if she gave up her virginity easily. She cringed. Thinking of her brutish father and the deal made with this man, she screwed her eyes shut tight and blocked out the questions about Maurice knowing they were unanswerable and her tears flowed freely. He took her silence as a sign of her guilt and betrayal, ripping her undergarment to insert his finger in her heated folds. He found the tight hole unyielding to his large fingers as he attempted to force a digit inside her, 'Still a virgin!' he was stunned by the thought 'No, she couldn't be. She was a whore and a mistress to the troupe leader.' He faltered in his torment of her. She gasped her body trembling in heat and pain, "How easily the whore is aroused." He growled at her the tone of his voice not as harsh as it had been but the words retaining their sting despite his confusion. Pushing her to the floor she lay at his feet panting and whimpering. Standing above her he whispered menacingly, "The punishment had just begun." Leaving her lying on the floor he stalked across the room and out of the door considering what he had just found. The building was just one room. He stood just outside the open doorway his back to her as she got up unsteadily and stood where he had left her. She looked longingly at the window and wondered how far she could get. Determination to thwart him she walked to the wash basin beside the open window. She splashed water onto her face then, turning to watch his back, she took a step toward the window. Before she could take a second step, he moved with lightning speed to grab her by the waist and push her back toward the door. "Listen to me carefully Honiara," his face told her of his seriousness. His menacing voice continued "Should you run now these friends who have hidden you so well will pay dearly. Do you understand?" Her eyes flared wide as she looked up, showing that she cared too much for these people and he smirked as she nodded meekly. "You will continue to be the whore, Honey during our journey and tell no one of your real identity or your knowledge of me. You WILL obey me because should you try to gain help or flee from me once more, trust me, the consequences will be dire for all involved. I have wasted too many seasons searching for you." His voice was demanding and harsh. "And I will waste no more." With that, he grasped her arms behind her back and propelled her ahead of him. He led her to the lead wagon and Maurice. Making sure she was settled within the wagon, he called for his horse. Maurice and Alec looked at her with concern. "I am so sorry, Honey." Maurice looked desolate, his own fate hanging in the balance with hers he thought. With Kade and his men riding alongside, the caravan rolled forward heading east to Erato. Having lost time in the morning they travelled late into the first night, sleeping under the wagons rather than erecting tents. Kade or one of his men stood guard duty during the night so no one could accidentally get lost. After a cold unfulfilling breakfast, they moved out. Honey spoke to no one aside of the daily greetings and sat in her own private hell, reliving her brutal adolescence, knowing that same brutal treatment waited in her future. ...................................................... Travelling at speed, they covered a lot of ground only stopping late at night to rest the horses and sleep. Each time she roused herself from her dark thoughts, he was there watching her with his icy blue eyes. His anger seemed to simmer just below the surface as he regarded her. This seemed the pattern for four days. On the fifth day, they found a stream early in the afternoon and Kade called a halt. He instructed the troupe to set up tents as they were less than a day's ride from Erato and they would spend the night here before entering the city. After helping unpack wagons and set up the camp Honey strolled down to the stream with the ever present Kade not far behind her. He hadn't spoken to her since that first morning for which she was grateful but she had felt his eyes constantly watching and seeking her out as they travelled. She would be allowed no opportunity to escape him now. Desperation for the chance to bathe in privacy made her turn to him, her question frozen on her lips. He looked back at her and simply said, "No." At the edge of the stream she took off her boots and stockings testing the water with her bare feet. It felt wonderful, she longed to swim naked and unfettered. She sighed, glancing over her shoulder at the ever present Kade who was now perched on a rock a few feet from her. He watched her carefully as she moved deeper into the water, ready to pounce if she moved too deep. The situation he found her in with these people confused him. 'How could she be happy here? She could have so much more if she wanted.' "Well these clothes needed washing anyway," she thought and stepped into the water moving slowly deeper the heaviness of her skirt dragging her down. In waist deep water she reached back to unbutton the skirt and pull it off. Washing it and swimming to the edge to wring it out, she laid it over a rock before finally doing the same with her blouse. She finally ducked under the water feeling the grime loosen from her hair and swam enjoying the water despite the clinging undergarments she kept in place. Kade had laughed at her modesty, reminding her that she was a harlot who whored herself out for food and a place to hide, making her blush and be more determined to keep her remaining clothes in place. She stayed in the water until her pruned skin could stand it no longer and the afternoon cooled to evening. The season of frost was approaching fast and she shivered as she redressed in the still wet clothes gathered her boots and returned to camp. Relieved to see it erected she walked into the tent she had always shared with Maurice. Venturer Ch. 02 Authors Note: This is the second part of a story and as such may be difficult to follow the story line if you have not read the first part. To those people who liked the first part thank you so much for your encouragement to continue the story. This story has been resubmitted, due some overwhelming feeding, with some thorough copy-editing by LaRascasse, thank you for your help and your friendship. ~ellie. ........................ Twice during the short night, she had woken in terror and struggled in his arms. Each time he had held her tightly comforting her, his calm voice reassuring her that no one would harm her again. Nuzzling and petting her until she slept once more, it took more will power than he knew he possessed not to take her each time she woke and his hands travelled over her lithe, supple body soothing her fears. Pale light filtered into the room through the small windows as the sun rose and Honey murmured sleepily when Kade reluctantly pulled his arms from her body. "Oh the things I want to do to you, my Honey." He thought as he leaned over and kissed her neck before rolling carefully from the bed not wanting to wake her fully. He gazed down on her small form as she slept and wondered at the dreams that terrorised her sleep. He penned a quick note at the desk in the sitting room, left it on the pillow beside her and bent to kiss her a last time. He smiled, so pleased to have her here where he could watch over her but there was much to accomplish so they could be wed as soon as possible. The season of frost was fast approaching making travel arduous. Greeting the guard, Leneer, as he left the room, Kade told him of his plans for the day in case he was needed and hurried down to the small study he had taken for his office. Spending time penning several missives, he then went down to the dining room and finding three men he trusted sent them to deliver the dispatches with all speed before sitting next to the bleary eyed Jarrau. "I didn't expect to see you this fine morning, my friend. The bar wenches in this town not to your liking?" Jarrau gave him a withering look, "Didn't want to miss the fireworks here." He shrugged. Kade helped himself to the food that was piled on platters on the table and ate heartily. "Well you're alive," Jarrau murmured holding his head, "Should I go check on the lady?" Kade gave his friend an uncharacteristically wide smile, "She is quite well and unharmed I assure you." Taking a large gulp of watered wine, Jarrau looked at him dubiously and sat up straighter, "Well, well, did you gag her so your men, meaning me, wouldn't hear the screams and come to rescue the damsel?" "How else could I get her to listen to me?" Kade smirked at his friend. "Plans today?" "Well since you children behaved last night, I need to go and let Alec know Lady Honiara is well and let him know he can come and visit." He could see his friend's shoulders become rigid as he said the last. "You're not really intending to take her only friends from her are you?" "She will make new ones," Kade grumbled. "She will hate you for it and it is because I am your friend I say this: You are an arrogant selfish prick at times." Jarrau took a breath and tried reason, "You will break that girl's spirit locking her away from the world like her father did. If you care about her at all, you will let them in when I bring them this evening." Kade sat stony faced, the comparison to her father rocking him to his core, "She is finally here with me. I want her to smile at me the way she smiles at them." He was sullen. "How do you expect me to share her," he paused before adding, "with anyone that could take her and those smiles from me?" "Yes she is here, but willingly? You have made her a prisoner. She thought you were going to throw her in a dungeon, you ass." Jarrau shook his head, "Show her you care that she is happy here let her see her friends. Maybe she will be more accepting." He had known Kade since he was a child. In battle there was no one better, cool clearheaded, ice cold but he also knew that this girl stirred deep passions in Kade that made him irrational, hot headed and far more dangerous. Kade could not bear the thought of Honey running again and those friends would help her if she asked. He knew the odds of her staying with him were not in his favour yet but the words of his oldest friend had stung him. "Fine" He growled reluctantly, "But if she runs, I will hold you responsible and you can look forward to another season of frost travelling cold roads to find her." "Good, 'cause I told her that if she gave me a night of peace I would bring them. Now I don't have to look like as bigger prick as you by not honouring my words." He grinned at his friend, a glint in his eyes as he leaned over and teased, "She likes me, you know? Not that we can blame her. No woman can resist my charm and wit and I think this news might just get me one of those smiles your envious of. Want to come and watch?" "Don't trip over your ego on the stairs my OLD friend." Kade said drolly. "You will ride after her if she runs with or without a broken leg." Jarrau got up from the table feeling better as the watered wine settled his stomach and cleared his head. He chuckled, "I guess you're not coming then." And laughing loudly he strolled off making the other knights look in their direction. Kade smirked, his friend was incorrigible, but he always made him see things from a different view always. He was one of the few people who not afraid to call him an arrogant prick. He loved him as a brother and trusted his opinion. Grudgingly, he admitted to himself that seeing Alec and people of the troupe would make her happy. He wanted her to be happy. His thoughts went dark, 'It was just that I want to be the one to make her happy.' He shook his head sadly knowing it would take time and patience but he had a plan and he needed to start putting things in place. With that thought he left the house and walked out into the town. ...................................... Honey stayed in the bed long after she had woken alone, unwilling to get up and explore her prison. Rolling to her back she noticed the silk scarf still tied to the bed post and tilted her head. It felt like a dream now when she closed her eyes and remembered the feeling of his tongue on her sex. She rubbed her thighs together as she felt her arousal stir thinking of the delicious feelings he gave her. Lifting her hands above her head as she relived the moment, she found the note from Kade. "Good Morning Mine, Regrettably I have business that must be attended to this morning and have had to leave before you woke. Your day will be busy so eat well and replenish your strength, please. Should you need anything at all please ask Delenn or Leneer who is stationed at your door and they will see it is delivered. I will return to you this evening. Kade" Honey could hear Delenn quietly moving around the sitting room. Eventually, the smell of food drove her from the bed. She padded out to the sitting room and flopped into a chair at the table holding breakfast. She dwelt on the note, his calling her 'mine' made her feel as trapped as the knowledge that one of his men stood guard at her door. She nibbled at the food, the fresh fruit and cheese waking her tastebuds but she found her stomach rebelling after barely eating since Kade and his men had joined their journey to the town. There was a knock at the door and she looked down with dismay realising she had not brought her pack with her and had no clothes to change into. "Delenn, did Sir Kade leave any clothes for me to change into?" "No Mil..." she looked around before continuing "...Honey. Just the night gown and a house cloak." "Of course not," She thought sullenly, "It's not like prisoners can leave their dungeons." Feeling antagonistic she asked for the cloak. Putting it on she walked to the door to her rooms and reefed it open suddenly startling the young guard outside who was talking with Jarrau. "Good morning, Lady Honiara." They said almost in unison. She realised her clothes were making the young guard blush as he looked anywhere but at her. Taking pity on him, she returned to the room, murmuring a soft reply, "Good morning Sirs." Jarrau followed her into the room as she sat and began eating again. His eyes scanned the room for signs of trouble from the night before as he sat with her at her request. "Dungeon food is pretty good," she smiled "Help yourself, Sir Jarrau." He laughed easily at her words, "Seems you were a good girl last night. I don't see any signs of a fight and my big brooding friend was actually smiling when I saw him earlier." Honey looked up in surprise but recovered quickly as she eagerly asked, "You will bring my friends to see me?" A big smile crept over her face as he nodded popping a berry into his mouth. "No wonder Kade was envious of those smiles. They light up her whole face." Jarrau thought. Delenn cleared her throat and Honey turned the girl, "You have a visitor, Milady." "I shall leave you and go find your friends to let them know you are safe and well and that they can come and see for themselves." Jarrau winked and stood as an older man in the green robes of a physician entered the apartment. Raising an eyebrow at the man, Jarrau turned back to Honey, "You are well, aren't you?" "Yes, I am fine." She replied her confusion at the appearance of a physician evident on her face. "Don't get up, don't get up." The old physician shuffled toward the table, "A good breakfast is important. Keep eating young lady." She looked at the man in astonishment as he sat in the chair recently vacated by Jarrau and then back up at the disappearing back of Jarrau. The physician continued "Eat. Eat, while I look over my notes. Lord Venturin asked me to come see you for... Ah yes you were mistreated by a hostile duke. I am so sorry my dear," he said patting her hand, "These are perilous times we live in." She was stunned, she couldn't speak or eat. She sat there mute and uncomprehending, vivid images of the hostile duke, her father, swimming in her head. She pushed her plate away horrified that Kade, "Lord Venturin", would tell this man of her shame and she hung her head as the physician continued prattling on distractedly as he checked his notes. Retreating into herself and moving where he guided her, she was taken to the bedroom where she endured a thorough examination while her mind played over how she received each and every scar. Tears rolled unnoticed down her face as she remembered the day her mother died. They had been out riding and the horse her mother rode had thrown her, breaking her neck. Her father had blamed Honey's love of riding for her mother's death and ignored her existence for many moons turning to drink in his despair. Late one night Honey had left the library encountering her father in a dark corridor. He had gasped and called her by her mother's name, Anouria. When she had protested he had raged at her "You will deny me no longer! It has been too long. A man needs his wife." Pushing her to an alcove he forced her to her knees and pulling forth his fat cock he had slurred at her, "If I feel teeth, I will knock them from your head." Frightened beyond belief, she cried out as he gripped her hair and forced the fat sausage between her lips. She cried, gurgled and choked noisily as he sawed in and out of her mouth, groaning and breathing heavily making her scream in terror as he shot hot salty cum into her mouth. His eyes seemed to clear as he pulled away from her, his voice lowered as he took in her tear streaked messy face, "Honey! You bewitched me, demon child. You made me do that just as you killed your mother!" Her father seemed almost to run from her leaving her kneeling and sobbing in the dark alcove to eventually make her way back to own her bed. She was woken again before dawn, dragged by hooded men to the castle's dungeon and tied to large wooden beams in the shape of an 'X'. Her father stood to one side as she begged and cried to be set free and a priest approached her. He sprinkled rank oils on her intoning, "You will be free, child, once we purge the demons from your flesh." The first lash of the whip bit into her back then, by the third she had passed out. She was attended to by acolytes of the temple who were vowed to silence, their salves healing her quickly but leaving raw puckered scars on her body. Try as she might she could not avoid her father who seemed to have lapsed into a state of constant inebriation and visions of her mother. She knew as he called her Anouria that he would push this fat cock into her mouth again then send her to the priests to be rid of the demons that possessed her, bewitching him into thinking she was her mother. It did not always happen this way. Sometimes he knew who she was and more often than not. On these occasions, he stripped her clothes, lamenting the fact she was worth more to him as a virgin for he would sell her to the highest bidder when the time was right. Living in a nightmare, terrified of being sold to someone worse than him and wanting to avoid the sadistic whip wielding priest, she learned to suck his cock well and block out the cruel words he rained on her. Reliving many occasions of the use and abuse and cringing at the torment of being held responsible for her mother's death, she had not spoken or listened to the physician during the examination, tears falling silently from her eyes. She raised her head as he finally covered her with a blanket and looked at her kindly. "I am truly sorry, Lady. No one should have suffered so." Her voice was barely a whisper, "Did Kade tell you how ...?" her voice trailed off. "Oh no, I am only here to make sure you are well and that you do not suffer any further." He sat on the bed beside her his kind eyes holding hers. "Physically you are in no danger. You have been lucky not to have been raped but I am sure you do not feel that way." He patted her hand again, "I fear, though, you suffer in ways I cannot see nor mend. Would you like to tell me what happened to you? Lord Venturin did not give me many details and talking can sometimes heal the deepest scars." Tears threatened again as she shook her head and whispered, "No thank you." Delenn knocked softly and the physician went to the door, coming back to her side he smiled "You have more visitors it seems. Are you up to it or shall I send them away saying you need bed rest?" "I will get up. Thank you for your concern and for your care." Honey gave him a weak smile before gathering her night dress and house cloak and slipping them on. Walking from the bedroom with the physician she took in a flamboyantly dressed group of ladies who curtsied awkwardly. The physician bid her farewell and Delenn introduced the women as seamstresses sent by Kade to make her some new clothes. Knowing she would need clothes for the visit from her friends, Honey let herself be poked and prodded and pinched into rich fabrics, too tight corsets and underwear for the rest of the day. The women had either been told or were too polite to mention the scars traversing her torso. By mid-afternoon, she stood in a beautiful dress of emerald green velvet the bodice scooped low hinting at the scars that wrapped her body and the strait skirt flaring slightly from her hips to pool at her feet. Honey looked at her reflection in the large looking glass seeing the girl she had been at her father's castle, the demon child, and gasped. The painful memories stirred again and her eyes clouded as the women fussed believing she did not like the dress. She smiled assuring them she was just overwhelmed by their skill. Her brain screamed at her to run far away where no one could know her shame. She sat quietly in a chair as they promised to return the next day with more garments for her, now that they knew her measurements. Leaving boots and stockings and a pretty hair band to keep her hair from her face they left, silence surrounding Honey for the first time in what seemed like days instead of hours. Delenn came to stand behind her and began to brush out her hair. "You look so pretty in green, Honey. Sir Kade will be happy to see you dressed as a lady should be." Honey gazed around the room. During the day visitors had arrived with beautiful flowers, books about the lands to the north where the sun always shone brightly, and baskets full of ribbons, threads, muslins and artists tools. ......................................... Kade had ridden out to locate the mayor of the town and the leader of the merchant's guild. He inquired after all his needs including tailors, cobblers and jewellers as well as the local baron. Armed with information, he dispatched the men on his behalf to organise certain items and people he would need to make Honey's stay more comfortable. He made a stop at one merchant personally to design several items and spent longer than he wished explaining his exacting requirements. Only when he was satisfied the man could produce what he wanted did he remount and ride toward the town gates. Jarrau was lounging against a wall at the town gates talking with the guard as Kade reigned in and cocked his head. "You coming or holding up that wall with your dead weight?" "Oh I thought I might come for a ride even if only to describe to you the smile I received over breakfast with Lady Honiara this morning. It was like a second sun rising." Jarrau smirked and gathered the reigns to his horse. Kade scowled and kicked his horse into motion galloping out in the country side at speed. Within an hour, they rode into the courtyard of the local baron's castle and dismounted. Using his full name and title, Kade was ushered inside and announced with a flourish, obviously interrupting the morning's business, as all eyes turned in his and Jarrau's direction. The Baron declared an end to Petition Day to much grumbling of the petitioners and bade the knights follow him as the moved to a smaller room with an open fire and comfortable sitting chairs. The Baron Whitford was known as a pompous man with an over-blown ego, so Kade began with flattery complimenting his lands and castle before dropping the information that he had sent word to his mother that he had decided on these beautiful lands to be wed. "Of course your mother must stay here in the castle." The baron insisted but as Kade went on about people she might tell and who may arrive with her. The Baron paled and his brain calculated the logistics. Kade brought forth a small chest of gold and said, "For your troubles, Baron. It would not be right of me to impose otherwise." The obsequious man's eyes lit up with greed even as he acted affronted that Kade would offer gold to a wealthy baron such as himself. Kade played the game insisting on the stipend and promising to let him know details of the guest's arrival as soon as he knew of them. As soon as they left the room Kade and Jarrau could hear yelling and shouting of orders that continued to ring through the building even as they made their way back down to the stables. Jarrau chuckled, "I don't know what impressed him more, your title or the chest of gold. I thought his head was going to explode when you started listing off royal names. You haven't really invited all those people have you?" "Of course not," Kade said, "But you know my mother, unpredictable would be understating it." He stepped into his saddle smiling as he pictured his mother and rode out of the gate with Jarrau following a minute later. Reining in to a slow walk as they crested the hill above the town, Kade's face turned sombre, considering how much he needed to tell Jarrau about Honey's past. Realising something was amiss Jarrau took the lead with his usual bluntness, "Okay, out with it. You have what you want. What is there to brood over now?" Venturer Ch. 02 "She wasn't running from me, you know." Kade took in the startled expression on his friends face and sighed deciding to tell his friend as much as he knew which wasn't very much. Jarrau muttered oaths under his breath as he described the scars and Honeys reluctance to discuss them. "I am worried about what damage he did to her mind as well as body." "Well that explains the physician's arrival this morning." "I sent word to the Duke that she has been found and the wedding would go ahead, but in my letter to him asked that he did not attend. If Honey sees him again I am not sure what she will do. You cannot tell her he knows she is here. She will try and run again and from me this time for telling him and possibly bringing him here." Kade's voice held anxiety. "All those seasons of watching her and you never knew?" Jarrau mumbled under his breath, "No. Of course you wouldn't have left her there if you knew she was being whipped within an inch of her life." "She saw us as friends to her father I think. She does not trust us. Not yet anyway." "Time is a great healer, my friend, but we will be more vigilant. Your own men need to know the danger or the father may unwittingly slip through our ranks." "She cannot be told any of this, Jarrau. It is imperative." Jarrau grunted nodding thoughtfully and spurred his horse forward and they rode back to the town in silence. Once through the gates, Kade turned his horse to the mayor's residence again to check that his wishes were carried out and meet with the physician. Jarrau went to the camp of the acrobats to escort them to the house to check on Honey. He would tell Kade's men only that she was in danger from within and even her father was not to be allowed to see her without Kade present, impressing upon them the need to be vigilant during their watch without alarming her. ..................................... There was a knock at the door. Finishing Honey's hair with the headband, Delenn went to answer it. The jovial voice of Jarrau roused Honey from her dark thoughts as he walked in and whistled, "If you were not already betrothed to my brother knight, I would send a wagon of gold to your father and ask for your hand myself, Lady Honiara." He watched the expression on her face change from wide eyed terror to the soft countenance of a lady, "You have a golden tongue, Sir Knight," she replied with a small smile that did not reach her eyes. "Are they here yet?" He kicked himself for mentioning her father and kept the lightness in his voice, "Yes they are down stairs. I will take you whenever you are ready." She squeaked in delight jumping up quickly, "I am ready. I am ready!" Grinning, he offered her his arm and they walked back through the maze of a house, to the dining hall. She smiled as she saw them sitting uncomfortably in the room full of knights and squires. They did not seem to recognise her at first, taking a second look before relief washed over their faces. She ran the last few steps to hug Alec, feeling the familiar arms wrap around her and lift her from the floor in a giant bear hug as he stood to greet her. Putting her back down Alec let Honey hug Maurice before pulling her down to the bench seat beside him. Jarrau smiled and said he would go and organise them some food, as he knew that Lady Honiara had not eaten much that day and must be famished. Alec frown at her "You must eat. Keep your strength up." She sat between them on one side of the table enjoying the familiar feel and sound of her friends as the men quizzed her on her safety and comfort, looking at her dubiously as she assured them that Kade had brought a physician to her as Alec had wanted and pointed out the new dress to them. "I am being treated well enough." Maids brought steaming platters of meat soaked in gravy, fresh bread and roasted vegetables and Honey laughed as Alec frowned and added more to her plate than she had given herself. "Stop that or I will never fit into my fine new dress again." Honey noticed Jarrau had taken a seat at a table adjacent to theirs giving them some sense of privacy within the crowded hall, she smiled at him gratefully. Leaning over and pointing at her plate with his fork, Maurice pretended to tell her to eat more as his low voice instead asked urgently, "Does what you ran from still plague you? Do you need escape? We could help. It would be dangerous but we..." Hope flared briefly before she shook her head stopping him. She would not endanger her friends again. "No, you must not do anything to endanger yourselves. I will not permit it." Alec chuckled "Look who is giving orders all of a sudden." He put another buttered slice of bread on her plate as he whispered, "If you need us we will be here. We have a plan of sorts." She replied glibly, "There are worse places I could be." Maurice looked at her considering her words, "I never believed you to be a fugitive from justice so I do not think you have to worry about dungeons I just wish I knew why he chased you." She took a deep breath. These men had been kind and good to her in their own ways and she owed them this explanation. "Because I am betrothed to him," Her voice was a whisper as she dropped her eyes not wanting to look at them. Maurice nodded, "Yes a knight marrying the Duke's only daughter would enhance his fortunes considerably." He mused and asked "It was him you ran from?" "No, well not really," She whispered though he was partly the reason she ran from her father and her nightmares. "I barely knew him and had only met him twice before I left my home." Jarrau had noticed her head drop and anxiety stiffen her shoulders. Moving lightly to their table, his easy voice cut into the quiet murmuring. He asked if they wanted more wine, brandishing a jug. She held up her cup, relief washing over her features as she looked up and caught his wink. He took a seat opposite them and proceeded to regale them with impersonations of the local baron he had met that day while the men ate and Honey pushed her food around her plate. Jarrau waved Kade over as he entered the dining room, his eyes searching for them and pulled out a chair for him to sit as he stood stiffly by the table. "Tell them I am not exaggerating about the baron's head almost exploding when you mentioned royalty might be visiting." Kade blanched cursing inwardly at his friend's loose tongue, but nodded, encouraged by Honey's amused expression while she watched Jarrau's impersonation again, and murmured, "Apoplexy would be a closer description." "Is royalty really coming to this hole in the ground?" Maurice asked intrigued. "Probably just the Queen of the North and one of her sons I should expect." Kade answered as if considering the question deeply. "As if Queen Dragora would let her youngest baby boy get married without fussing over him," Jarrau teased laughingly as Kade stiffened watching honeys face for a reaction. She gaped at him, "You? You're a prince?" "Barely," he laughed, "I have five older brothers. Succession doesn't factor in my future I am afraid, I am more comfortable as the knight you see before you." Maurice whistled, "Lady Honiara and Prince Kadegan travelling with our troupe of acrobats. I would put it on the marquee if I thought anyone would believe us, or do you prefer your other title as a Knight of this kingdom, Lord Venturin." "Sir Kade is just fine, thank you." Kade grumbled. Honey was still gaping at him and Alec reached under the table to take her hand gently and squeeze it reassuringly. Kade smiled though his body was tense, "You are well versed in the affairs of royalty and Knights, Master Maurice. May I ask if you spent time with one of my men during our journey here, Andreus? He also is very current with the affairs royalty and such." Honey had looked up at Alec and smiled, Kade who had been watching her carefully stiffened further and Jarrau interrupted the moment saying, "The hour grows late. Would you gentlemen like an escort back to your camp?" Alec looked amused, "No, I don't think that will be necessary." "Come, Lady Honiara. Let us walk our guests to the door" Jarrau held out his arm to her, she took it and they all walked slowly to the door. Alec bent to pick her up in a bear hug whispering in her ear, "I will visit as often as I can. If you need me, send a message and I will come, whether the Prince likes it or not." "Thank you." She whispered back hugging him fiercely. "I do not deserve a friend such as you." "I think I will walk a little way with our friends," Kade said from behind her and stepped to the doorway. "I won't be away too long. Jarrau send Andreus after me when you see him. These are not good streets to travel alone at night even for the likes of these strong men." He smiled at Honey who looked at him curiously, "You look tired, little Lady. Try to get some rest." He reached out to stroke her cheek gently, and for once, she didn't instantly flinch away. It was a small boon but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Honey quickly hugged Maurice goodbye thanking him for coming. She watched them all disappear into the night and turned to Jarrau, "I don't know how to find my room and apparently I am looking tired." She smiled cheekily. "Let me escort you Lady. It's the beauty of our wickedly contrived house. No one can get in let alone get out. We once found an old knight who had been lost in here for days, wandering the corridors like a lonely ghost." He smirked at her and she laughed at him as they threaded their way back through the maze of corridors and stairs. Reaching her room, Jarrau bowed with a flourish and looked around as Leneer appeared a minute behind them. "I will leave you now and go in search of entertainment and perhaps a comely wench." He winked and smiled before wandering back down the hall. Honey went to step into her room, halted momentarily by the sight Leneer who had leaned back against the wall beside her door. "Relax, Leneer. You don't have to babysit me tonight I am too tired to go anywhere." "Oh, Lady. You can go where you like within reason and I would be more than happy to escort you. I am here to keep intruders out. Your safety is important to Sir Kade and thus to all of his men." Leneer looked at her earnestly as he said the last and she was taken aback. "You would escort me if I wanted to go exploring?" She asked. "Within reason, Lady. You are not a prisoner. We only wish to maintain your safety now that your identity is known." She frowned at his words, and went to ask more but bit her lip. She wasn't sure she would like the answer. "Goodnight, Leneer." She entered the rooms shaking her head. She really didn't understand Kade at all. She barely knew him except that she knew she could make him angry without even trying. He was right though she was tired it had been a long day of being poked and prodded. With Delenn's help, she took off the dress and restricting corset pulling her silk nightgown over her head and climbing into bed. She wondered if that protection from intruders would extend to Dukes and priests. She tossed and turned as she tried to put those dark thoughts from her mind. Kade had seen her scarred body and was not repulsed. Neither he nor the physician had held her responsible for the punishment that had caused them. Her mind turned what she did know of Kade over again and she decided she should try to know him better if she was to marry him and she didn't see an escape from that, yet. Truthfully she didn't know if she needed one. He had promised she would never be hurt like she had been again, but could she trust him? The thought nagged at her. .............................................. Kade walked quietly with the acrobats, three big men looking ominous as they strolled through the streets of Erato. With the camp almost in sight Kade spoke, "She has told me very little of what she runs from but I promise you both I mean her no harm. I want only to keep her in safety." They remained silent so he continued, "I know you care for her but I ask you to trust she is safest where she is. It was not me she ran from." Alec was the first to speak, "I will trust you for now because it seems to be what Honey wants but if anything happens to her I will come for you." Kade looked Alec in the eye trying to convey his sincerity, "That is as it should be. I would expect no less from a loyal friend." His voice was low and neither dropped his gaze until they were interrupted. Andreus who was jogging to catch up to them, smiled and greeted them all with a friendly, "Ho there, Gentlemen," and the blonde knight fell into step. "Thank you for coming. It's been a long day. Any news from the network?" Kade eyed Maurice as he said this and Andreus took his cue. "No news yet, but you can bet news of any royal move in the season of frost will see the sky filled with pigeons and hawks." Andreus grinned loving the intrigue of politics. Being from the southern kingdom, he had grown up as part of the country's biggest spy network and he was Kade's best information source finding a contact or spy in every town they visited. "I thought you and Maurice might like to talk as we walk. It seems he is almost as update with current affairs as you are my friend and I would hate to have to replace you." Kade laughed at the stunned expressions on the two men's faces, "It isn't often I am one step ahead of you, Andreus." Laughing more he walked on with Alec as the two other men murmured quietly behind them. Arriving at the camp of the acrobats, Kade farewelled them saying, "Visit as you wish. Honey is not a prisoner, but until I am sure she is safe from what haunts her, she will be safest where she is. It will make her happy to have friends to distract her over the coming weeks, I am sure." Leaving them with that cryptic farewell and content for the moment that all was well, he returned to the house with Andreus confirming the notion that Maurice was indeed originally from the south and worked within that kingdoms spy network but also that Alec had connections beyond what he seemed to have. Entering the House of Venturer and taking the stairs two at a time, Kade made his way to Honey's room. Nodding to the young knight, Leneer, telling him to go find a bed and be back in the morning before he entered quietly. In the dim light, he saw Delenn dozing on the couch and rousing her gently, escorted her to the door of her small bedroom beside Honey's suite, and sent her to bed. Kade turned back into the room after closing the door quietly and looked up just as Honey entered the sitting room. "You should be in bed little lady." He chastised her. "I couldn't sleep, too much to think about." She moved to sit at one end of the couch, looking up at him again. "Thank you for all of this." Her hand waved around the room. "I just don't understand why you would do it all or want to marry a girl who was gambled away so cheaply by her father." She looked into his eyes sighing heavily, "Are you certain you wish to marry a girl such as me? You are a Prince, you should marry much better." "I have answered this question already, twice!" He growled, "You would be surprised what I want." "That's just it. I don't know you at all! I don't know what you like or want. How could I not be surprised, I didn't even know who you were until tonight? How could I know the type of man you might be or why you would want a scarred and abused girl as a bride?" Her words stung him, he could hear the truth in them and was unsure what to say in response, quietly and looking at her softly he picked up her hand as he said, "I would never hurt you as others have. That is not to say I would not give you a spanking should you need or deserve it or because I want to," he smirked, "but I would never scar your mind and body in such a way." Lifting her chin to draw her eyes to his he continued, "If I had known what was happening to you, I would not have left you in the Duke's castle even if I had to resort to kidnap." Pulling her eyes away she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them putting a barrier between her scars and his looming presence. Her mind wanted to scream "Why?" She had been told over and over she not lovable, that she was a demon. "Why would this man want to rescue her from her nightmares?" She wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer but she knew she needed to know. Just as he needed to know the answers of the questions he constantly asked her. Taking a deep breath she spoke with a confidence she did not feel. She tried to ignore the scowl that had appeared on his face as she had withdrawn her hands and curled into a ball, "You have asked me questions I have not wanted to answer and in turn you have avoided answering mine directly." She took another deep breath, "I will let you ask three questions which I will answer with absolute honesty, if you will do the same for me." He was startled, "I could ask anything at all?" She nodded biting her lip and balling her fists, he could see the tension in her but he needed to know how the scars occurred if he was to keep her safe. "Alright." he said guardedly, "it is your game you may begin." "You seem to know me so well yet I barely know you, how?" He told her of their first meeting at the Great King of the central kingdom's palace when she was young and precocious, when her mother still lived and again later when she was older and blooming and simply the most beautiful well-bred lady he had met. He continued on through his volunteering as emissary to the east and watching over her, talking to the castle maids, finding out as much as he could about her as he tried to flatter and cajole her father into giving him her hand before finally contriving the plan to win her which had worked until she disappeared. She listened her eyes wide as he spoke, bewildered that someone would go to so much trouble to win her hand. He had stopped speaking and was watching her concerned. She looked up at him and knew she must tell him what he wanted to know, "I know your first question. You want to know about my scars, how I got them and why?" His hand reached out to take hers but she shook him free. "No please," she whispered, "Do not touch me. I cannot bear it right now. I will tell you what you want to know and you will see, like me, that you deserve a much better wife." He started to protest but she held up a shaky hand silencing him. Tears leaked from her eyes and she shook as she relived her nightmare. His arms reached for her several times and she shied away from him finally moving onto the floor out of his reach where she sat facing him but her eyes on the floor. When she finally fell silent, he sat on the floor beside her and pulled her resisting body into his arms saying nothing just making soothing "Shh" noises as she shook silently and tears fell from her eyes. As she calmed slightly she asked between sobbing breaths, "Now that you know my nightmares, I ask again because I need an answer, the real answer. Why would you want to marry such a girl who is possessed by demons?" Curses still ran through his head. He was angrier than he had ever been in his life and her question ripped at his heart. "The evil men that did this to you are the possessed ones not you," he hissed before letting out a string of curses that would have made sailors blush. She could hear the anger in his voice and stiffened, afraid and ready to run from him. His arms tightened around her as if he could sense her fear and he took a deep breath. "Do not run from me, please. I am not angry at you, Honey, none of it was your fault. Not your mother's death, and not your father's drunken ramblings and abuse and certainly not the punishment you received." He turned her in his lap and tilted her chin up to him and kissed her deeply. "I have wanted you since our first meeting, your unspoilt nature and breeding, your obedience, your acknowledgement of every small kindness shown to you by lord or servant alike. These are the very things that allowed those evil men to brutalise you but I am not evil, Honey, and while I may not always be gentle or forgiving, I will never betray your trust as they did." Venturer Ch. 02 He kissed her again, "I was angry when I first found you with the troupe. I shouldn't have treated you as I did then, I see that now. I acted from hurt and rejection, my ego was dealt a cruel blow because I believed that you chose the life of a mistress, a whore, over a life with me." He shook his head sadly, still holding her face up to his he whispered, "Promise to obey me, honour me and try to trust and love me. Marry me, Honey. Be mine and I will protect from those evil men." Stunned by the emotions in his voice and face, anger, passion and need showing in his words, she had no reply as he kissed her again. Breaking the silence he asked quietly, "Why did you run the night I won your freedom from your father, when you hadn't run before? You finally had your freedom, was it me you ran from?" "Partly," she admitted sadly, "I didn't know you." She hurried on. "As far as I knew you were just like him and his priest." She looked up at his frown sensing his sadness, his body stiffening. She felt bad for putting the sadness there and she pushed at his chest moving away from him slightly, swallowing noisily before continuing, "The answers must be honest so I will tell you why I was so afraid that I ran from the only home I knew." He looked at her saying nothing, his tense body rigid as if awaiting a further blow to his ego, "He hadn't sold me to the highest bidder you won me in a game of dice like a cheap possession. Any value I had to him was gone. His threat to sell me was gone my virginity was no longer a commodity." She couldn't look at him as she kept talking, "I wasn't sure I could survive his raping me. I wasn't sure he wouldn't kill me." She took a breath and gulped loudly against the tears in throat before whispering, "It was as if you had signed my execution papers, rather than giving me the freedom that you thought you were." He finally snapped and his rage poured out. His curses rung out loudly as he raged at himself and the Duke at all the seasons spent searching for her to avenge his wounded ego. She crawled away and into a chair pulling a cushion in front of her as if to shield her from his anger. He raged around the room stalking to the fireplace and hurling a large marble figure across the room to crash against the wall. He drew deep shuddering breaths as the curses continued and objects flew above her head to crash into walls. Suddenly, the door of her rooms flew open and a wild eyed Jarrau stood there sword in hand taking in the scene. Kade continued to seethe with rage but stopped his stalking destruction as he regarded his friend warily "Her father was going to kill her rather than let her marry me." He stated by way of explanation. She looked between the two knights wide eyed, though that was not quite what she had said she could understand how he felt that was its essence. Jarrau looked at the man standing in the doorway behind him and motioned him to stay as he entered and closed the door. "You're terrifying the Lady, Kade. Can't you see that it's not just about you anymore, you arrogant prick?" "She is stronger than you think stronger than I could have believed possible." He looked at her and grimaced, "I am sorry, my Honey. The last thing I wanted was to scare you." He moved to her and took the pillow from her hands and smiled sadly at her, "Truly." Kade turned back to Jarrau, "She told me the whole story tonight, she may not have run from me exactly but she ran from a situation I made infinitely worse with my actions." "As you said to me earlier today, how could you have known?" Glad his friend was growing calmer now he looked at Honey, "I am glad you have shared what haunts you and I will not pry but try to understand, we had no idea you were in peril or we would have helped you. I swear it." "I will stand just outside the door while I send someone for some mulled wine, you only need to call Lady and I shall return in an instant." He turned to Kade, "One more temper tantrum like that and I will lock you up for the night and don't think I won't. I will bring you both some mulled wine in a few minutes, now behave children." With that Jarrau stepped out of the room. Honey ended the silence, "He is right you know. You have nothing to feel guilt over. I didn't know who you were, if I could trust you or that you would help me and you didn't know I needed help." He gave an exaggerated sigh and bent to pick her up, sitting back in the chair with her on his lap gently wrapping his arms around her waist, before pulling her against his chest and murmuring, "Don't leave me again. You are safe here with me." "I need to ask my last question." She whispered. Tightening his grip on her so she couldn't move away from him again he nodded, "Alright, if you must." "Does my father know you have found me? That I am here with you?" She felt him stiffen and trying to sit up to look at him she reminded, "You must be as honest as I have been." He let her sit up but still held her in place as he nodded sadly. She called "Jarrau!" before he could explain. She beat on his chest trying to wriggle from his arms looking at the door as it opened. "Tell him to let me go. I have to go. I can't be here! He knows I am here!" She was shaking her eyes wide with panic. Kade's voice cut through her hysteria, "Yes I wrote and told him I found you, and that we would be wed, I also told him not to come. I knew those scars were his work just not the details. I told him not to come, Honey. Listen to me please." "Let her go, Kade. There are four armed men on the other side of that door. She is not going anywhere." Jarrau took her hand and pulled her from Kade's lap. "Honey, breathe just breathe and listen to my voice." She was panting her eyes wild, "Take deep breaths for me, Lady, breathe deep, and again breathe." His low voice became a hypnotic monotone as he held her hand. "Good girl, keep breathing nice and deep. You saw how quickly I appeared when you called?" She nodded. "All of Kade's men would come as fast. You are safest here. You are safe now. Do you understand?" "I can't see him. I can't see him again," her whole being shook. "Then you don't have to. It is as simple as that. No one will force you to see him. Kade had to tell him the wedding was going ahead, you realise? It was the right thing to do and he did not know your story at the time." He led her to the table and asked her to sit, "He may not have always treated you well but his heart is true. Let Kade explain what he did, listen to him and I will get that wine it is at the door." Kade crouched beside her, "Honey." he asked tentatively and she turned to him her face blank in her shock. "You will not see him if he comes. I will make sure of it." She nodded dumbly. He held both her hands "Come back to me, Honey." He looked into her wide green eyes and whispered, "You haven't answered my third question. I need my answer now." She continued drawing big shaky breaths, their words of safety and not being forced to see him sinking through her panic. "You haven't asked it." Her whisper was barely audible. Jarrau came back pressing the wine cup into her hands. "Thank you Sir Jarrau." She could not look at Kade so she sipped the wine. They let her sit for some minutes while she drank and colour began to come back to her pale face. "Where is that comely wench you are always in search, of Sir Jarrau?" She gave him a lopsided smile, and took another sip of the wine. "I can't find one that will put up with the company I keep." He rolled his eyes at her and nodded his head towards Kade. She felt herself settle with the wine and Jarrau's infectious smile. "He does have a temper to go with that huge ego," she smiled shaking her head commiserating with Jarrau. Kade raised an eyebrow and nodded speaking softly, "No more fireworks tonight, no more temper. She has told me the worst. You have haven't you? I know it all now?" Honey finally turned to look at him with her tear streaked face and nodded. "As for my ego, it has taken quite a battering lately. Jarrau keeps telling me I am arrogant. He is right this time, this is not about me. We will keep you safe Honey. You can trust us." Jarrau laughed, "Better take that quick, Honey. He never apologises and that's about as close to an apology as I have heard him give. You won't hear that again." Kade scowled at his friend, "You aren't helping me here, you realise?" "Of course not. She didn't call me to her aid because you were being delightful. You, my friend, are an ass and as such deserve everything you're getting right now." Honey grinned at Jarrau, who took her hand. "I will stay close. I have taken a room on this corridor as will Kade's other men. You are very safe here Lady, even from him." He smirked and looked at Kade who was still scowling. "Now that we know how you feel we will not let your father near you without your consent. Trust us and though he is ass at times," he winked at her, "Kade is loyal and true. I trust him with my life and you can too." Dropping his voice to a whisper he murmured, "Don't tell him I told you but you could ask him for the moon right now and he would try to get it for you." She laughed merrily at Jarrau's smirk and the look of sullen petulance on Kade's face. "Whatever would I do with the moon, mount it on a ring?" She shook her head, "You have been so very gallant tonight, Sir Jarrau. Could I ask that you stay a little longer, while we finish our talk? I owe him one more honest answer and the last two of my answers have caused his temper to rage." "Of course, my Lady, but enough with the Sir's, we are friends now, are we not?" Honey nodded and smiled. "I will be just outside the door telling the men to put their swords away and move their belongings up here." As Jarrau left, Honey he turned to Kade who was still crouched beside her and let him take her hand. Kade looked up at her concern on his face, "I did ask a question when I answered your first question, but let me ask again as it was not my turn to ask at that time." He moved to one knee, "Promise to obey me and honour me, try to trust and love me, marry me Honey? If you promise to be mine I will protect you and keep you safe forever more." She could see the sincerity in his eyes. The big, brooding, harsh man, who had terrified her when he had found her in the camp of the acrobats, was kneeling before her now showing his need and desire. He wanted her even knowing her nightmares. Would he keep her safe? She had been so alone for so long, had not trusted anyone with her secrets, not even Alec who she felt a bond with. She had felt unloved and abandoned since her mother's death. Could she rely on this man? Could she trust him? So many questions filled her head that she knew she could not promise all he asked. She looked into his eyes and whispered. "I cannot promise I will not try to run if he comes here, but I do believe you mean to keep me safe from him. I will try to trust you, the rest will come in time." "It is enough," he said, "For now, at least. I do not wish to have Jarrau in here again as I make you promise not to run or agree to the wedding tonight, but I will ask again tomorrow and every day after that until you say yes." She smiled slightly and they talked a little longer. She felt strangely lighter with him now. He knew her fears. She knew why he pursued her and why he had been so cruel when he found her as a mistress not knowing of the relationship's true nature. "Knowing everything about me, he still wants me." The thought was slowly taking root in her mind and she found herself finally relaxing her guard with him slightly. Wrapping her house cloak around her she stood and walked calmly to the door without saying a word to him. She opened it with Kade barely a step behind her, worry clouding his features. Four men turned to meet her eyes, "I wanted to apologise to you all for my hysterics tonight and thank you all for your concern. You can all relax now as I am barely able to stay awake a moment longer. Good night, gentlemen." Jarrau bowed with a flourish and they all followed suit making her smile and step back into the room. He picked her up as she closed the door and carried her to the bedroom, taking her cloak from her and laying her down he asked, "Why did you do that?" She looked up as he removed his boots, belt and scabbard, "Because they wouldn't have believed you, if you had said it." She grinned. He climbed into bed with her wrapping his arms around her. "You are right." He chuckled lightly. "Sleep, my Honey. It's been a long day." She was tired and warm but his closeness, the feel of his body against hers stirred her to restlessness again. She heard his breathing deepen as he relaxed into sleep and little by little she squirmed to loosen his hold on her rolling to her back. Turning her head, she could see the silk scarf from the night before hanging from the bed post and she closed her eyes remembering the feel of his tongue on her sex. She let out a soft purr as her thighs rubbed together. "Such a nice sound," he murmured sleepily and his hand lazily stroked over her breast, teasing at the nipple. "What makes this little kitten purr so sweetly?" "The scarf still hangs from the bed post. No one has ever kissed me in the places you did last night. It felt umm good," she whispered her face blushing deeply in the dying firelight. The word 'good' felt inadequate. "Does it feel that good for men? Better? I know little about men apart from sucking their cock, and that from the opening in their pants. I have never even seen a man fully naked or how his body reacts aside of that one part." "I would guess even better, but then I am a man." His voice was deep and hungry. Sitting up he pulled his clothes off and lay back on the bed, "Be my guest and drink your fill. We are to be wed so you will have no other to compare it to but I have all the parts that make a man." She knelt up on the bed beside him looking down on him. Reaching out with a hand she traced his jawline trailing her fingers lightly over the rough stubble there before running them down his neck, eliciting a half moan from him. Whispering she asked shyly, "May I have a lamp? The fire has died too low." Rising, he slipped from the bed, walked to the dwindling fireplace and took a lamp from the mantle, lighting it and holding it before his body walked back to the bed. She watched him, his muscles moving beneath his skin reminding her of a sleek horse. Placing the lamp on the bed table he stretched back out beside her, "Better?" "Thank you." She nodded and reached out tentatively again her fingertips trailing over his neck to his chest. His flesh was hard all muscle and sinew even relaxed there was not much give in it as her fingers trailed up and down his ribs and over his belly. Leaning closer to his ribs she whispered surprised, "You have a scar. How did you get it?" "I have several, sword fights mostly. Though one I fell out of a tree as a boy trying to keep up with my brothers when they tried to leave me behind." He smirked, at her "I was a headstrong boy with a temper. I guess not much has changed." She smiled trying to imagine him as a small boy, over confident and trailing behind his brothers raging at them to wait for him. Her fingers continued their teasingly light trail over his skin seeking out more imperfections. She marvelled at the way his broad shoulders tapered to an almost narrow waist as her fingers brushed lower over his hips to his thighs. She softly caressed down his legs, "I do not see any more," she whispered and he rolled to his side exposing his back to her. Her hands glided over his back finding small fading scars as she explored more of him. "Which is the one from when you were a boy?" She asked curiously. He rolled onto his back again, lifting the hair from the left side of his face and ear. She leaned in and noticed for the first time the faint trace of a line that ran from his cheekbone up and over his ear into his hair line. He touched her cheek, bringing her face closer as he leaned up to kiss her gently, "You missed an important part of my body with those soft hands of yours," he murmured into the kiss and she blushed. "I already explored that part last night, though not with my hands." He grinned at her, "My point exactly. No need to act shy now. I have kissed you and you me in the most private of places." He chuckled. She had never been in a position to refuse before. Even last night, he had been angry with her and forced her to her knees. She knelt back up gazing down at him, he was not commanding or forcing, he was suggesting, asking in his own way. "What would he do if she refused? Become angry and force her again?" She wasn't sure but she knew she was no longer frightened of him and that thought surprised her. Her hand moved down his body trailing through the hair nestled above his rapidly growing cock. She curled her hand around his shaft and squeezed slightly, her eyes watching as it grew within her grasp and she started to stroke him. Her other hand moved to explore the heavy sac hanging below the rapidly expanding flesh, the pebbly skin soft under her fingers as she stroked over it and under it eliciting groans from him as she explored without fear. She half expected to feel his hands on her bending her head to him as had happened each time she had been faced with a cock before but he had put his hands behind his head leaving her free to do as she pleased. Her hand squeezed up the shaft to the head, its mushroom cap turning purple and swollen as a small drop of cum appeared before her eyes. She leaned down to lick at it feeling him shudder. He groaned "So good, sweet Honey." Feeling powerful for the first time in her life and knowing it was her that was making him groan with pleasure, she fluttered her tongue around the head of his cock stroking and squeezing the small drops from him almost as if she was milking him. His sac seemed to shrink in her hand as his increasing moans of pleasure urged her on to tease him more. Wrapping her lips around the mushroomed head and sucking hard she pumped him into her mouth as she heard him hiss "Oh yes, yes My Honey." His cock pulsed in her hand as he came gasping and shuddering. It was different to how she had ever felt doing this. She did not feel bad about it or ashamed. In a way she felt proud she had brought him this pleasure on her own. She continued to suck and stroke until he pulled her to him wrapping his arms around her as he breathed heavily. "I adore you, my Honey. Now my turn." With that he sat up and helped her take off the gown before lying her face down on the bed. "You are beautiful to me. When I look at you, I do not see these," his fingers trailed over the lines scarring her back. "I see only the girl I fell in love with when I was a boy. No other girl has captured my attention as you did so long ago." She was silent her hands balled into fists as he moved his hands over her scarred back once more moving down to gently caress her ass. He smacked it lightly as he continued to speak softly, "My temper was boiling when I found you with Maurice. My ego was crushed thinking you had run from me to that fop." She squeaked her eyes flaring wide, "I understand now it was a convenience for you both but you can concede my belief that you were his whore." He smacked her ass lightly again and rolled her over to look at him straddling her body to lean down and kiss her, "Oh the things I want to do to you, my lady whore." He smirked as her eyes widened. His hands travelled over her shoulders to her breasts kneading them gently, the nipples hard against his palms. She put her hands over his as if to lift his hands but he only pushed them harder into her flesh. "Don't look so shocked. Whores know how to not only receive pleasure but give it. They do not lay back and endure their husband's attentions as ladies are taught to. They enjoy it and participate in it." His mouth descended on her nipple flicking at it with his tongue. Venturer Ch. 02 Lifting his head and blowing over the hard pink flesh he continued huskily, "You enjoyed these pleasures last night, little lady whore, and it pleases me greatly. When we wed you will delight in these pleasures and much, much more." His head lowered to tease the nipple with is mouth again grazing his teeth lightly over the turgid flesh. She gasped as little thrills rolled into her breast his magical mouth that had brought her such pleasure the night before was on her again and she panted in heat as she squirmed below him. He smiled up at her as he moved his body to her side letting a hand trail down over to belly to her sex, "Let's see how much my lady enjoys being intimately acquainted with her betrothed." He suckled at her breast as his fingers delved into her sex parting the wet lips and teasing at her swelling clitoris making her whimper and roll her hips and arch her back slightly. His hand working through her increasingly wet folds he moved up to her ear murmuring, "You will never be a lady that merely endures her husband's attentions. You will be my whore in the bedroom and I will give you such joy as your rewards." His tongue trailed down her body licking around the flesh of her breasts as he travelled agonisingly slowly lowerm her hips rolling against the fingers teasing her. He lapped over her belly as he moved between her legs his body making her widen them. His head moved down to tease her thighs with small bites making her squirm and whimper more, "Please," she gasped, "please let me feel it like last night." His mouth moved to her then licking out with a lazy tongue to lap at the wet folds tasting her. His thumb pressed on her clit as he lapped and licked into her tight hole revelling in the taste of her. His thumbs moved down as her hips bucked and rolled and her panting whimpers grew in intensity to replace his mouth dipping into her slightly as his tongue moved to tease her clit before sucking it into his mouth. Honey felt his teeth graze her small swollen clit and cried out in pleasure her back arching as her hips bucked and legs shook. He continued to suck and tease her. She squirted cumming hard against his hand. The waves of pleasure continued to roll into her as he teased her mercilessly and she tried to squirm away the pleasure unbearable. Finally, he crawled up her body and kissed her deeply, murmuring, "You are mine." She kissed him back, her head still clouded by sex and let him hold her against him tightly, "Sleep, my love" he murmured, "We will be man and wife soon enough and I am only a man. Sleep please." He moved to make them more comfortable and wrapped his arms possessively around her. He kissed her neck and ear before whispering, "Oh the pleasures I will show you my lady whore, once you are my wife." Venturer Ch. 03 Authors note: Thank you once again to my copy editor LaRascasse who assures me my grammar and spelling mishaps are improving. I hope you enjoy this chapter, especially a frequent reader whose feedback makes me smile when she reminds me I need to catch up with stories. Thank you Mayness for your gentle nudges, I truly appreciate them. * Honey lay in bed, feeling Kade's strong arms entwined around her. She had woken from a night terror again. Kade had soothed her as he had done every time her own cries had woken her during the past nights, gasping and trembling. It had been five days since the night they had finally been honest with each other and slowly Honey and Kade had grown closer. Kade was attentive and protective, ensuring she knew he would keep her from harm. When he left her to attend to business, she was always given a guard to escort her about the house and, after much cajoling on her behalf, the stables. Alec had come to visit her every day and Delenn was a sweet girl and a good companion to while away time with in the comfort of her rooms as Honey settled into the routine of the house. Honey had begun to trust these few people, and for the first time since her mother's death, had begun to relax her guard a little within the company of others. She had stopped actively seeking escape routes from her confinement within the house but remained keenly aware of every possibility that presented itself and filed the information away in the dark corners of her mind that were still filled with the terror of her past coming back to claim her. Much of her early life had been filled with pain, degradation, fear and loathing but finally she had escaped it, only to be tracked down by the man her father had betrothed her to over a game of dice. He had found her as an acrobat with a travelling troupe and believed her a whore to the owner, Maurice. He had treated her with cruelty and disdain before the reality came to light that she was nothing but a prop to hide his homosexuality. Surprising her with his desire to still wed her, Kade had brought her here and all but imprisoned her so she could not run from him again, not realising that it was her father she ran from not him at all. The terrible night of honesty where he had raged and she had tried to flee once more had brought them closer. She marvelled that the man who had chased her for long seasons still wanted to marry her after knowing her past. Believing his shallow breathing meant he was asleep, Honey started to turn gently in his arms to look at him. "Sleep," Kade growled and pulled her closer. "You never seem to sleep," Honey whispered looking at his face, "You close your eyes but you never seem to be asleep." "I might sleep if you didn't wiggle about like a like a playful kitten all the time," Kade murmured his eyes still closed. Honey smiled and ran a hand lazily down his chest and over his belly before he caught it and groaned, "Don't do that." "Tell me again why we have to wait until we are married to rid me of my virginity? I mean if we are to be married anyway I don't see why we have to wait." There was a mischievous glint in her eyes as he held her hand from exploring any lower on his body. Kade opened his eyes and regarded her, "It is the right thing to do," he sighed, "When I take you the first time you will be mine in every way. It is what I want, little lady, and as you know now, I will do what I have to, to get what I want." Kade leaned in to kiss her gently, "I wanted you and it took me many years to get you here. There is no rush now." "But what if..." Honey began but faltered. Kade held her close, "He isn't coming, Honey. No one can get near you. You are safe here. Now sleep please." Honey sighed dramatically, "You chased me through villages and towns and now you want to wait." Honey pressed against him and squirmed a little in a way that she knew aroused him and whispered softly in his ear, "Fine, let's just get married tomorrow and then again when your mother arrives. I would be doubly yours." She could feel his arousal against her as she squirmed. "So eager, little lady whore, it pleases me no end that you look forward to our wedding night." Kade groaned and rolled away from her to his back. Honey took advantage and scooted down the bed to explore him once again, her hand wrapping around his cock, "But we already know each other intimately. How can it be so different?" "You do not want to be with child, your belly full and obvious when you stand before the priest, do you?" Kade reached out and pulled at her hips until she had turned her body for him. Pulling her wet folds to his mouth he teased her as she teased him. Honey lowered her head down his shaft filling her mouth with his cock as she felt the thrill of his tongue whipping at her clit. The room filled with the sounds of pleasure as their mouths worked in tandem to bring each other the release they both craved, their cries of pleasure muffled as they vibrated into each other's sex. Pulling her back up into his arms as they lay panting, he stroked her hair back from her face, "I adore you, little lady." Honey looked up at him with wide green eyes and while she knew she felt something for him she wasn't sure what it was exactly and could not say the words he longed to hear in return so she leaned up to kiss him. Holding her close he broke the kiss and whispered, "Now sleep or I will spank your cute little ass." Kade gave it a quick smack and grinned at her. Honey furrowed her brow but there was an excited glint in her eye, "I will call for Jarrau if you dare!" "Nothing a gag wouldn't fix," Kade replied nonchalantly, "Now sleep." Honey considered him for a moment. She knew he did not make idle threats, and she knew now was not the time for more cheekiness so she rolled over turning her back on him with a little growl as he chuckled and gathered her into his arms again. "Good girl." ........................ Honey woke in the big bed alone as usual. Sunlight streamed in and she could hear voices in the next room. Pulling on a gown and robe, she padded out on bare feet to find Kade chatting with a man who was almost his mirror image. Honey squeaked in surprise and pulled her robe tighter about her before fleeing back into the bedroom to dress properly, Delenn hurrying close on her heels. Not bothering with a corset, Honey let Delenn help her into one of the many dresses she now owned and sat to lace up the bodice as Delenn brushed out her hair. Honey returned to the main room better prepared to receive visitors and smiled shyly as the men turned to look at her again. "You could have warned me someone was here," she almost pouted at Kade as she came forward and turned to greet the familiar looking stranger. "Welcome to my prison," Honey said sweetly. "I am most honoured, Lady Honiara," the stranger said bowing with a flourish. "My brother has no manners as I am sure you have noticed, so let me introduced myself," he was smiling widely already liking the small girl before him, "I am Bennison, brother to your evil prison master, Kadegan." Honey curtsied to him and took his arm walking Bennison toward the table, effectively turning her back on Kade, "Have you eaten? The breakfast here is not too bad for dungeon food." Kade groaned loudly and Bennison laughed with genuine mirth sitting at the table with Honey. "I am always happy to eat with such beautiful company, Lady Honiara." Bennison winked at her and continued the game, "Tell me dear Lady, do you need rescuing? It would be my duty as a knight and a prince to rescue any damsel in distress I meet on my travels." "I could almost swoon at the thought kind Sir..." "Alright, that is enough," Kade cut through the conversation and Honey giggled liking the man who sat across from her. "Now now, brother, you are not married yet. Perhaps the Lady would like to be rescued from this dire prison?" Bennison had a completely straight face as he said it. Kade eyed his brother before taking a chair at the table with them and shrugging his shoulders, "I guess you could give her a chance to answer, but I will not be the one to tell mother she came all this way for nothing, if Lady Honiara agrees to the rescue attempt." Bennison pulled a face and turned to Honey with a look of deep regret, "I am afraid that in light of that information, I will have to withdraw my offer of rescue at this time and leave you to languish under the cruel watch of the evil Prince Kadegan." "Oh dear," Honey chewed her lip, "Is the queen really so scary?" She looked between the brothers at their startled looks. "I have been promising my mother this wedding since that season so long ago when you ran from your father's castle," he smiled at her, "if Bennison deprived her of it now she would spank him like a little boy, in the great king's court." "She does love a wedding," Bennison chimed in nodding his head. "She is more likely to drown you in a sea of happy tears or smother you with kindness than scare you, sweet Lady." Honey relaxed a little and sipped at a glass of juice. She had been dreading meeting Queen Dragora for the last few days and a knot began to form in the pit of her stomach. She started to think through all the escape plans she had secretly filed away in her mind during her exploration of this house and wondered if any of them could work. Kade watched Honey, the anxiety showing in her face and he cupped her chin raising her eyes to his. "There is nothing to worry over," he soothed her and kissed her, "I love you and my family will too. You have already made a friend of Ben and he doesn't like anyone." Looking into her eyes he saw the panic he knew lay just beneath the surface of her burgeoning trust in him. "Promise to stay with at least one of my men today. No wandering off." Honey nodded silently, dropping her eyes, "I need to hear it Honey, promise me." Kade persisted. "I promise," Honey murmured but the troubled look remained in her eyes. Bennison had watched the pair and realised there was more to the story than his brother had told him, "I think I will go wake Jarrau. It's been too long since I saw him," he said feeling uncomfortable with the intimacy of couple and stood, "Come find me when you're ready, brother." "Oh I am so sorry," Honey pulled her eyes from Kade's, "It was so nice to meet you Prince Bennison. I hope to see more of you while you are here." Her eyes twinkled with mischief, "It can be so boring in my little prison, and to have such a handsome and gallant prince come to my rescue would surely make the darkest day brighter." Kade rolled his eyes and gave Bennison a withering look as he bowed with a flourish and chuckled, "At your service, sweet Lady." Kade stood and walk with him to the door. Honey watched them together. The resemblance of the brothers was uncanny from a distance. Even their stances matched. It was only when speaking with them at closer quarters that she could see the subtle differences in their features and age. Bennison, she reasoned must be one of the eldest brothers. She tried to remember how many brothers Kade had said he had while she picked at the breakfast before her. When Kade came back to her, he was smiling. He picked her up from her seat and held her to him kissing her deeply. Seems you will get what you wanted after all my spoilt little Lady, "Finish eating while I talk with Delenn and Leneer." Kade placed her back in the chair and went to her bedroom to find Delenn who was attending to the morning chores. "What do you mean 'get what I wanted'?" Honey followed him into the bedroom. "We will be married today, little Lady, no more waiting for..." Kade looked meaningfully at the bed they shared. Honey gasped, she felt her heart race. She had been living in a protected little bubble here since he had imprisoned her here. Now everything was suddenly moving faster than she could comprehend. "Married? Today? The queen hasn't even met me." "Yes today. You think I want to wait any longer than necessary either?" Kade smirked at her. "Mother will love you because I do. You have nothing to worry about except dresses and flowers." Honey was stunned to silence. She had waited too long to escape. Her mind searched for a way out, her whole world tipping precariously again. She wasn't ready. She thought she had more time. She thought it was some far off notion getting further away each time he refused her demands to take her virginity telling her to wait. Honey looked up at Kade as he spoke to Delenn with a wide smile on his face. She had grown to care for him in her own way. He looked so carefree when he smiled like he did now. He was every girl's dream husband a tall, dark, handsome prince. Why was she plotting escape routes? Things could be very much worse and a picture of her father threatening to sell her into slavery ran through her mind making her shiver and automatically move closer to the man who had sworn to protect her. Honey fought the instincts to flee from anyone who professed to care for her that had fed her survival for so long on her own. She looked up into his handsome face and accepted that marrying Kade was not a bad thing at all and she tried to shake the sense of unease that threatened to overwhelm her. Honey stood watching him for long moments, not really hearing what he was saying so quietly to Delenn. Kade moved to her then and wrapped his arms around her, picking her up and carrying her back to the breakfast laden table. "You must eat today." Placing several things on a plate for her he placed it in front of her and went to the door ushering Leneer into the room. "Make sure she eats everything on her plate plus more if you can coax it into her. I do not want a fainting bride." "Sure Kade," Leneer replied happily. The youngest of Kade's men at arms, Leneer had appointed himself as Honey's personal guard, only leaving her for a few hours on the practice fields each day. He enjoyed being her guide and talking with her. They were of similar age and Leneer found himself becoming overly fond of her and more than understanding why Kade had searched for so long for such a girl. Leneer sat down across from her and smiled warmly, "So what's for breakfast?" "Here," Honey said passing him her own plate, "Help yourself," she smiled. "Eat as much as you want." They could hear Kade in the hallway outside bellowing the names of his men and Leneer chuckled, "Do you think I am foolhardy enough to do that? Eat your own breakfast, Honey. There is plenty enough here for me as well." Honey pouted, "Oh, Leneer. However will you become a true night if you cannot rescue damsels in distress?" A small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth threatened to ruin the effect of her pouting. "Bravery and the subsequent rescuing of damsels are expected traits in a knight of course, but that breakfast does not look dangerous enough to pose a threat to you." He smiled at her and motioned her to start eating. Jarrau sauntered into her room followed by Bennison. Jarrau pulled out a chair and reversed before sitting and leaning over the back. "I need to go to the castle and see to some preparations the queen wants, so here is your last chance to leave my moody friend and run away with me for a blissful day or two until he catches us and castrates me." Honey laughed merrily and leaned over to kiss his cheek, "I could never seal a fate like that for you, Sir Jarrau. What would all those comely wenches you keep company with do to me if I tried?" She grimaced at him. Bennison laughed uproariously, "The more I see this girl the more I like her. I am going to enjoy watching her run rings around Kade." As the joking went on, Honey handed her plate unnoticed to Jarrau who took it and started to eat. Honey picked up her juice smirking to herself until she saw Leneer frowning at her. Jarrau handed her back the plate having eaten everything between bantering with Bennison and she put it back down in front of her just as Kade returned. "Good you ate, now bathe." Honey sent a pleading look at Leneer as Kade took her hand and started to pull her to her feet. Leneer cleared his throat uncomfortably, and Honey sagged to the seat, "I really wasn't hungry," she murmured, "and I was just being a good hostess offering a plate of food to our guests," she looked between Kade and Leneer, "I ate a little and I promise to finish all the juice." She gulped down the goblet of juice then stood and smiled sweetly, "Now if you will excuse me gentlemen, I fear if I do not follow the next order to the letter, Jarrau may have to protect me with his sword again." Honey hurried form the room with Kade stalking after her closing the heavy doors to the bedroom behind him. Walking up behind her, he wrapped his hands about her waist, "Such a cheeky little brat you are this morning. You know what happens when you push me like that?" his fingers traced up along her ribcage before pulling out the laces of her bodice dropping the dress from her shoulders and down over slender hips. He pulled her naked body with him to the bed and laid her over his lap. His hands stroked her ass and he murmured, "There are a lot of people in the next room. Be careful before you decide to cry out," his hand smacked her ass not hard but enough to raise a slight pink hand mark. Over the last few days he had discovered in her a need to feel some small measure of erotic pain to orgasm intensely, and that he had not imagined her scent and wetness that first day he had found and spanked her. He was careful and mindful never to take it too far and always offer equal pleasure to outweigh the pain. He placed one hand between her legs widening them to cup her sex and his fingers teasing between her folds as the other hand alternately rubbed and smacked the small rounded cheeks of her ass. Honey buried her face in the bed covers and squealed. She felt the heat from her reddening cheeks mingle with the delicious feelings his finger gave her and as always during these times of heightened arousal, his words of pleasures untold once they were married filled her mind. He spanked her until she came, squirting wetly over his hand and crying out into the mattress as her body shook with each spasm. Picking her up he carried her to the bathroom and gently placed her in the tub Delenn had filled with scented water murmuring, "We can't have the bride smelling like a whore on her wedding day," his grin was wide as she panted and leaned back into the tub. Stroking her hair and kissing her forehead he stood to leave. "I will be back shortly. Relax, my little lady." Kade stepped back out into the room and the men looked at him expectantly. Kade smiled broadly and nodded to Delenn, "Go make sure the lady doesn't drown in that bath." The girl disappeared quickly into the other rooms and Kade looked at his companions. "Cheeky little lady, isn't she?" and grinned at them all. "Oh brother," Bennison clapped him on the shoulder, "I fear your life will never again be dull. She is just delightful, I have enjoyed meeting her immensely." Hugging his brother in a warm embrace, "she is not at all the type of woman we expected you to marry." "Lady Honiara was quite the mousey scared type of girl you were expecting when we first encountered her. She barely spoke, except to Alec the giant," Jarrau smiled, "it is good to see her happy and smiling now." "She is exactly the way I remember her from Great King Brandt's palace so many years ago. She is the girl I have always wanted, and very soon she will be mine forever," Kade smiled broadly. "I don't think I have ever seen him smile so much," Bennison remarked to Jarrau, "He was always so serious even when he was younger. Serious and determined, once he set his mind on something, he went and did it. Poor Honiara had no chance since that first fateful meeting." Venturer Ch. 03 "Right gentlemen, enough reminiscing there is work to be done and if I know my mother, she will be turning the Baron's castle upside down with her preparations. Jarrau, you know what I want. Go with Bennison and talk to her about it. She likes you." Kade tried to organise his men with the utmost seriousness but he could not wipe the smile from his face as the culmination of a weeks worth of planning and years of unfulfilled longing began falling into place. ........................................ Honey scrubbed herself raw and still did not feel clean enough to be presented to the queen, but as her skin began to prune, she reluctantly stepped from the bath. Drying carefully, she went to the bedroom where Delenn was waiting to help her. A white satin corset with suspenders for white hose, and short underwear, underskirt and finally the dress, a golden satin that hugged her body to make her curves seem more voluptuous than was the reality. The scooped neckline was embroidered with daisies, stark white against the shining gold. She sat at the mirror and let Delenn fix her hair as she tried desperately to quell the uneasiness in her stomach. "Excuse me M'lady," Delenn looked around and corrected herself, "Honey, could you help me now? I am probably not supposed to ask but I don't know how I would do it on my own." Honey was taken aback, she had been so self absorbed that she hadn't considered there were other plans at work. "Of course, Delenn, tell me what you need." "I wouldn't have asked except I cannot do it on my own," Delenn looked chastened by the idea she had said too much. Honey smiled and hugged Delenn, "Men have no idea, really. Let's go and do what ever it is you need help with." Delenn lead Honey to her small room off the main living area of the suite and showed her an identical outfit to the one Honey wore. Honey looked at it confused at first, then reality dawning on her the danger of leaving the security of this maze filled house. "No, Delenn. You can't pretend to be me. It's too dangerous if my father comes. You can't imagine what he will do to you," Honeys voice rose in the panic she was feeling as her safe days in this house shattered around her. "M'lady, your dress is so beautiful I have never worn anything like it. Please let me. I promise to be a good Lady. I won't even speak if you don't want me to. I won't go near your father at the ceremony, I promise," Delenn almost pleaded. "I shouldn't have told you. I didn't understand. I am just a servant." "No Delenn. You are not. You are wonderful and true and beautiful. I am honoured that you would do this for me to keep me safe but I cannot let you. It is too dangerous. I am sorry," Honey turned and left the room. Honey walked slowly to the front door, her mind warping with new fears, fears for Delenn and the men of Kade's guard. She opened the door to her suite and saw the startled expressions of Leneer and Accuda, "I need to speak with Kade, please, gentlemen." "He's not here at the moment, my Lady," Leneer stated seeing the strained look on her face. "When will he be back?" Honey was angry and she was struggling to keep her voice even. "I am not sure. I do not imagine he will be away much longer. Do you want me to send for him?" Leneer was looking concerned. "No," Honey didn't want to cause a fuss today of all days. She went back into the room and seeing the disappointment on the girl's face immediately regretted refusing to help Delenn. She was a sweet girl who didn't know what the dress meant. "I will help you wear the dress if you really want to. It is the least you deserve for helping me so much," Honey watched the girl smile and begin to disrobe. Her mind was racing she had one chance at running again and it all depended on Alec arriving at the same given time he did everyday. She just wasn't sure that she wanted to run anymore, her burgeoning feelings for Kade were at war with her fears of being returned to her father. Honey helped Delenn dress, gauging the time constantly. "You look amazing, Delenn. Come look in the big mirror in my room," Honey effused as the dress finally settled into place. Delenn was giddy with delight and followed Honey. She sat in front of the mirror and let Honey stand behind her to do her hair in the same fashion as they had done earlier in reverse. "You look more like a Lady than I do, Delenn," Honey smiled. "Let's go see if Leneer can tell the difference between us." Leneer and Accuda had both been suitably startled and complimentary in their acknowledgement of how fine Delenn appeared. He noted that the two ladies could pass for sisters. Lunch came and went mostly untouched with still no sign of Kade and, much to Honey's chagrin, Alec had not arrived yet either. Her fears gnawed at her until she could sit still no longer and begged Leneer to take her down to the stables for a little while, to distract her. The stables were by far Honey's favourite part of this house. The horses were so sleek and beautiful. She longed for the day when she would be allowed to ride again. As they left the back entrance to the house, the stables were eerily quiet. No grooms came out to meet them and Leneer turned to usher the ladies back into the house. Leneer froze with a look of wide eyed wonder appearing on his face as he grunted and slumped forward falling to the ground an arrow wedged in his lower back. Honey and Delenn screamed in unison as hooded shapes followed the arrow's path and swept them across saddles riding from the stable as men rushed from the house. Within minutes, the hooded kidnappers rode under a darkened portico throwing both girls to the ground and kept riding fast toward the west gate. Unseen in the darkness, the girls were imprisoned by rough hands, gagged and wrapped in dark cloaks before being dragged into the building. Honey heard the pursuing men thunder after the riders, leaving her and Delenn at the mercy of their captors. ................................... Kade raged and stalked around the room as Jarrau patiently questioned every man who had seen or heard the abduction. Andreus was seeking information from all the contacts he had made in Erato and several other men were out questioning the townsfolk. Kade had promised to keep her safe and now she was gone. He raged uncontrollably at himself and his men until his mother swept into the room closely followed by his brother. "Not now, mother," Kade growled. Queen Dagora turned to her eldest son, "Bennison, help mother and bring your brother into the next room, please." "Of course mother," Bennison closed the distance between himself and Kade, "We can do this the hard way if you like, brother, but you know you will have to go in eventually." Kade cursed effusively at his brother and stalked to the next room followed by his mother and brother. Once the door had closed the Queen lost any semblance of propriety and rushed over to hold her youngest son in a tight embrace, tears in her eyes, "Oh Kadegan I am so sorry, I know how much she means to you. You really love her, don't you?" Kade felt tears prick at his own eyes, "I promised to keep her safe from him, mother. I promised..." "Raging at your men is not going to find her, Kadegan. The town is being searched and gates have been closed. The men we believe took her are still claiming innocence," she pulled back from him momentarily. "Bennison has told me what he knows about the situation but you better tell us all." Kade looked up at his brother, "I talked to Jarrau this morning before we left," Bennison said by way of explanation. "If the Duke needs dealing with I am just the woman to put him in his place. Now tell me everything Kadegan. And I mean everything," the queen embraced her son fiercely again. "Sometimes brute strength is not the only way to solve a situation." ............................... Honey and Delenn had been taken to a cellar. Bound and gagged they had cried as they were manacled together to chains hanging from the back wall and left alone. Honey's nightmares came back to life as she looked around the dimly lit space, the large wooden cross beams made into an 'X', hooks and chains dangling from the walls and ceiling, wooden saw horses and benches. She closed her eyes her mind breaking apart with the image of Leneer falling to the ground. She could feel Delenn shaking in terror beside her. Honey wished she could apologise for this having happened to her. She turned her body and leaned toward Delenn as if to hug her, rubbing her cheek against the other girl's wet one. As soon as the captors arrived she would tell them to let Delenn go they didn't need her. The only thought keeping her sane was that someone would be searching for her, "Kade where are you?" She whispered to herself. She had never had anyone to rely on in the past and the thoughts of how much he had come to trust and believe in Kade surprised her. ..................................... At Jarrau's behest, Andreus had gone straight to Maurice and Alec. Both men went into action immediately all but running through the town and into a dark alleyway. Andreus followed but was not admitted to the basement both men disappeared into. "Wait here," Maurice had urged him, "We will get the answers we need from Raziel." Andreus paced nervously as the two giant muscled men descended the stairs into the den of thieves. Raziel was the queen of the corrupt seedier side of the city and was the one person who knew everything that went on in the town. Her network of thieves, cutthroats and prostitutes kept her well informed and well paid. After a brief explanation from the two burly men, Raziel looked aghast. "None of my guild would dare without informing me. Give me an hour I will have answers for you," the woman was clearly disturbed and called several of her people to her. "This is my town. I rule here more than the mayor or that oaf of a baron. If there are rogue cutthroats and kidnappers after the reward, they will answer to me." Alec was surprised by the word 'reward' but said nothing as he shot Maurice a look that spoke volumes. Out in the alley Andreus watched several men and women and even a couple of small boys rush past him and split in several directions from the ally. Feeling time running through his hands he hammered on the door. "Maurice. Alec. What is happening?" he bellowed. The door opened quickly and a menacing man with a bandage wrapped around his head grabbed him roughly by the shirt. "Shut your cake hole! When they have something to say they will say it?" pushing Andreus back against the wall, he held him that way until Maurice appeared. "Go tell Kade we have people on it and come straight back. We should know something within the hour if not sooner," Maurice tapped the angry bandit on the shoulder, "Let him go Zeb." Andreus let go of the sword hilt he held gripped tightly and stepped away from the reeking thug. Maurice walked with him to end of the alley, "If she is in this town, we will find her. There is nothing that goes on the network of thieves and beggars do not see." "I hope you are right my friend," Andreus murmured, "or Prince Kadegan will begin pulling this town apart brick by brick. I will be back within the half hour," Clasping the big man's arm in farewell, Andreus turned and jogged up the street in the direction of Venturer House. ........................... "Lady... hey Lady.." a small voice called, Honey peered around the dimly lit room too frightened to say anything. Delenn whimpered through her gag. "I think they're gagged. Can you push me up higher?" Honey and Delenn squealed behind the gags as the grate covering the drain in the floor began to move sliding back . A small dirty face appeared whispering "Shoosh, I am a friend. Just nod if one of you is Lady Honiara." The girls both nodded, "Show me the chains if you can. I can't get through the hole it's too small," he whispered again. The girls tried to move enough to expose the manacles that chained them to the wall. "Right," the boy said, "I will be back with friends, don't worry we will get you out." The grate scraped back into place and the girls huddled together hope flickering in their eyes briefly as a door opened flooding the room with new light. Two people came in hooded and robed in monk's vestments. "Don't look at them, they will bewitch you. They say they are possessed by demons," one of the men said as they inspected the room. "This dungeon gives me the creeps. It was probably just rats knocking the beams. Let's go," the second man said. Honey began to cry, the image of the bishop who wielded the cruel whip that he claimed cleansed demons from her floated into her minds eye, 'Hurry, Kade, hurry,' she pleaded silently. .................................. Queen Dragora rushed into the cathedral of the lost souls, crying for a priest, a bishop, a cardinal. Grabbing the small priest that came from an antechamber she pleaded, "Gather all your priests and monks. I must have a prayer sung, now." Holding the priests arm in a vice like grip she turned to the soldiers of her personal guard that had followed her in, "Go find more priests and monks, I must have a choir!" "My dear Lady, your men cannot go in there," the priest began but she cut him off. "I am not a lady, I am a Queen!" Dragora let her voice rise hysterically, the priests eyes widened in shock, the Queens sharp mind was working fast, the child had said he had heard monks talk of demons, "I am Queen Dragora of the North. Gather your monks to sing the prayers of lost souls for we have lost a beautiful soul this day," the queen wailed loudly. "There are very few here," the priest stammered, trying to free his arm from the wailing woman. "We are lucky to have a clergy at all within this godless city." Andreus moved with a group of men through the small monastery gathering monks as they went and sending them to the cathedral. As the monastery, emptied Kade with another group of men followed a small grimy boy in search of the dungeon, stopping in several rooms to take up spare monks robes. The boy held up his hand to the men at arms holding a finger to his lips and motioned Alec toward him. Alec grunted as he stood and turned to Kade, "Wait here, you will hear when it's clear," he murmured, "Leave this to us for a minute." The boy ran off and Alec lumbered along behind him, Kade could hear startled cries and Alec roaring "Come back here, you little thief. I will teach you to pick pockets!" There was a large crack and then silence, the boy appeared and motioned the men to follow. They hurried after the boy and found Alec bent over the prone bodies of two monks. He looked up and threw Kade a set of keys before hefting a monk handing the unconscious form to Accuda and taking the other over his own shoulder. Kade opened the door and the young boy held up his hand to him and slipped into the partially opened doorway. Kade was done waiting and followed the boy through the door taking another two monks by surprise. "Stop!" one of them screeched holding a cross before him. Kade negligently backhanded him, stepping past to the door on the far side of the room. Opening the door, Kade peered into the gloom, "Torch," he yelled over his shoulder thrusting out a hand without stopping his progress into the room beyond. His fingers wrapped around a torch and he held it before him calling out, "Honey? Delenn?" Hearing a faint whimper he hurried down the stairs, Jarrau and Alec close behind him. The muffled cries of the girls grew stronger as he held the torch before him and all but ran to the far wall dropping to his knees to embrace Honey. Pulling the gag from her mouth and kissing her passionately. "I thought I had lost you again," he looked deep into her tear filled eyes. "I will find out who did this and they will pay dearly. I am so sorry, my love." Freeing her hands he pulled her up to him. "I knew you would come," she whispered wrapping her arms around him and clinging to him as if for life. "Leneer?" She asked unable to bring the rest of the question from her lips. He shook his head, "I don't know. The physician was with him." Jarrau had freed Delenn and had pulled the monks robe over her head. Kade dressed Honey in a monks robe as well. Turning to Alec who had dropped the unconscious monk against the wall Kade spoke with deathly calm, "Take them back to Venturer House. Emban, let mother know we have them. She will know what to do. Gairn, Marko, stay here. The rest go with Alec make sure the girls are safe." "No," Honey whispered wide eyed, "Come with me please," her voice sounded panicked again. "I will be with you soon enough, my love," Kade held her tightly, "I will find who ordered this though and they will pay. Now go with Alec so I know you are safe." Alec picked her up, "These strong arms have never failed you girl, and won't this time." Alec carried her from the room quickly followed closely by Accuda holding Delenn. Gairn and Marko took up positions replacing the monks who had been guarding the outer door. Kade turned to the one monk that remained conscious, "Now," he said in a deathly quiet growl, "Who do you take your orders from?" ............................................ The queen feigned a swoon as she saw Emban reappear and turned her head slightly to see the others head to the rear door furtively. "You must practise," she cried, "Sing it every hour for the lost souls in the vain hope that we find them alive." Collapsing into her oldest son's arms she brought tears to her own eyes as she beseeched the priest without words and let Bennison walk her from the church. Climbing into her curtained carriage, the queen took in the two hooded figures sitting opposite her quietly. The carriage pulled away with Alec riding up with the driver and the queens guard heavily reinforced with Kade's men surrounding it. "Delenn?" the queen said with a question in her voice, watching one of the girls head come up automatically at the question. Dragora smiled kindly. "Yes, your Majesty," Delenn whispered her tear stained face barely visible beneath the hood. "Did they mistreat you at all?" Dragora asked the young girl allowing Honey the time she needed, knowing now about her fears. "No, your Majesty, we were imprisoned and left alone," Delenn spoke slightly louder but still barely more than a whisper. "You girls are so brave," the queen reached across the small space in the carriage and clasped her hand taking one of Honey's also, "You will be safe now, I promise." Honey raised her head and looked at the queen, tears shining in her eyes. "I don't think I will ever be safe. Every time I think I have found somewhere to belong I am wrenched from it savagely," Honey sounded so desolate and she turned to Delenn, "I am so sorry, my friend. I never intended you to be hurt because of me." Delenn took in Honey's expression and took a deep calming breath, "Are you kidding? Look at me dressed in fine silks and riding in the Queen's carriage, with the queen herself no less. If my mother could only see me now, she would be so proud!" She laughed merrily trying to raise Honey's spirits. "It was nothing more than bad moment. We both knew Sir Kade would find us. This is an adventure now." The queen laughed as well seeing the worry in Delenn's eyes for her mistress despite her words, "I must admit playing the grief stricken queen back there was fun. You should have seen that little mouse of a priest stammer and stutter as the soldiers entered his monastery." Honey looked at the two women wide eyed as they continued to giggle. Finding it contagious a smile curled at Honey's lips. "Let's have some more fun," the queen declared. Pushing her hand past the curtain she held it up and leaned to it as Bennison leaned down from his horse as he trotted beside them slowly. "I need to pay my condolences to Delenn's mother, regarding her missing daughter..." Venturer Ch. 03 "Not now, mother. You would have one less son if Kadegan found out. Let's follow his plan, then you can have all the fun you want," Bennison cut her off and rode on rather than listen to his mother's reproach. Honey's eyes clouded again as she was reminded of the danger she had put her friends in. The Queen shook her head, "Those boys of mine. They have hard heads at times. What I would have given for sweet daughters like you two young girls." Venturer house had been turned into a fortress. Men patrolled the rooftops and guards were now stationed at the gates. The carriage rolled into the courtyard slowly, the men on alert. The girls had been bundled in traveller's cloaks and swept inside under the protection of their escorts. Once safely inside, Honey threw back the hood of her cloak and robe and looked around. Spotting Accuda beside Delenn she approached him taking hold of his arm. "Take me to Leneer, please," there was anguish in her voice. Accuda looked at Bennison who shrugged non-commitally, before turning to look into the glistening green eyes of the girl clasping his arm. Grunting softly Accuda lead her through the maze of the house. The door opened before them and Honey could see the young knight's ashen face. He was laying on his front, the old physician hovering over him. An involuntary gasp issued from her mouth and she rushed in to kneel beside his bed. Leneer's eyes flickered open and he smiled, "You are safe," he whispered and his eyes closed again. Tears fell again as Honey sobbed, "I am so sorry. This is all my fault. I am so sorry, Leneer." "Don't be silly girl," the physician rumbled. "He will be fine eventually. I just gave him a sleeping draft to numb the pain. "The arrow doesn't seem to have hit anything vital. The bleeding was stopped easily enough the good men here knew not to remove the arrow before I arrived," he patted Honey on the shoulder; "Let him sleep now. You can see him tomorrow." Accuda picked up the sobbing girl and took her to her rooms on the same floor. Sniffing she wiped her face on the sleeve of her robe as she walked into the now familiar rooms. Alec smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her. "Come girl, Let's get you comfortable," Alec murmured. Looking around, she was grateful no one was else was present and pulled the monks robe over her head revealing the dirtied golden dress and went to curl up on the lounge. Alec sat with her and Delenn appeared at the door with a jug of wine and glasses. "The queen is haranguing everyone down stairs. The men are all acting like scared little boys," she grinned at Honey as she poured the wine and handed cups to the others. As she sat with a cup if her own she smiled shyly, "The queen insisted I have a cup too. Do think I will be allowed to keep the dress as well?" "Of course, Delenn, it was made just for you. It's yours already," Honey gushed still feeling guilty over their earlier captivity. "What an adventure. My family will never believe me when I tell them everything," Delenn's eyes were bright and she seemed to be enjoying the wine as she continued to talk. "The wedding, the dress, being captured by rogues and rescued by brave knights, poor Leneer being alive. I am living in a fairytale and it's all because of you, Honey." "Oh I am so sorry, Delenn. I would never have purposely put you in danger. Forgive me please," Honey was morose. "No, Honey, No," Delenn said earnestly, "I wasn't blaming you I was thanking you. My life has been wonderful since you arrived. I would still be down in the kitchen being fondled by the chefs had Kade not chosen me to be your maid." She leaned forward taking one of Honey's hand, "I was scared in the dungeon but we both knew Kade would find us and he did! It was barely a moment in time and I wasn't harmed." Honey hugged the girl to her, "I do not deserve a friend such as you, Delenn." ................................. With infinite charm, Jarrau had explained good-naturedly that the monks had imprisoned royalty and under the laws of the land that was regarded as an act of treason. That the girl, Lady Honaria, was betrothed to a prince and that made her a princess, and the queen was looking for heads to roll over this insult to her family. At this point the monk lost any semblance of piety and pulled a rough piece of paper from his pocket and threw it on the table. "We're not monks, we are bounty hunters and for that amount of money every bounty hunter, rogue and villain in Martizen and beyond will be looking for your princess," he spat realising his time in this world was now numbered in minutes rather than years. Kade picked up the parchment and read, his temper rising once more. Jarrau seeing the darkening expression took the parchment before Kade could destroy it and he filled the surrounding air with curses that would make a fisherman blush. Kade pulled his sword form its scabbard and levelled it at the bounty hunter, "I give you this one chance but should I ever find you within a mile of my soon to be wife you life will be forfeit," he growled and herded the man down into the dungeon. Jarrau followed carrying the unconscious form of the other monk. "We will tell the priest you are here praying for forgiveness for your sins. He will see you are freed eventually," Kade said in a cruel voice and turned to leave locking the door behind him. .................................... Delenn had just finished her second cup of wine when Queen Dragora and another little woman came bustling into the room. "Mother!" Delenn let out a half excited half terrified squeal dropping the cup from her hands. "My girl," the round faced woman moved into the room and hugged her daughter fiercely before making a short curtsey to Honey, "Lady Honiara, what a pleasure to meet you." Honey stood and the woman looked at her in dismay, before turning back to Delenn, "You left your lady in a stained dress, Delenn?" Honey quickly interjected, "Oh she tried to make me change but I was too overcome with emotion and just needed a moment's rest first. It is very nice to meet you..." "Lenore," the woman curtsied again. "Let's see what we can do to repair the damage shall we?" She hugged her daughter again, "The queen needs to speak with you again, my girl. I will help your mistress for now." Alec had stood and moved away from the women discreetly lounging against a wall. As Honey and Lenore disappeared into the bedroom, Queen Dragora approached Alec, "The wedding will be tonight no matter how late. Can you send for your troupe? I have not been able to find the leader." "Yes Ma'am, but I do not want to leave the girl alone," Alec's deep voice rumbled. "Bennison," Dragora called and the door to the suite opened. "Yes, Mother," Bennison looked at his mother with a question eyebrow raised. "Go get that Accuda fellow, will you?" She looked back at Alec, "You are a giant of a man, so if I leave both Accuda and Bennison in the suite until you return will that suffice?" Alec grunted and nodded slowly as if considering it, "Yes ma'am." "Good," Dragora smiled she thought she would have to battle harder to get Honey's self appointed protector to leave her side. Bennison reappeared with Accuda, "Good," Dragora looked at Alec, "Now off you go. I know she will be happy to see them all here tonight." The queen hustled Alec out of the room and turned to Delenn, "Come with me sweet girl. We have things to do," and she strode into the bedroom. Lenore had put Honey into a bath and the queen began to go through the closet noting the newness of the clothes it held. "I think I can work with this," she declared. Smiling at Delenn who seemed to be enjoying all the fuss, she called Lenore back into the room, "Now you tell me your mother is the best cook in the town and I know the mayor did not like giving her up tonight. So I want you to take her down to that kitchen and tell them I have put her in charge of the wedding feast. Take a couple of my men with you so they realise that it is not negotiable." Turning to Lenore she clasped the other woman's hand and spoke with feeling, "Only a good woman could have raised such a brave and true daughter," she pressed a small jingling pouch into her hands, "Bribe, cajole, bully, you have my complete discretion. Just make it something special for them. It has been a long time coming." Flattered beyond words, Lenore's shoulders straightened and a steely resolve settled in her eyes, "You can rely on me, your Majesty. I will send Delenn back to assist you as soon as possible." As she reached the door she turned once more, "We all want the best for our children. I am so honoured you have included me tonight." ................................. Finally dressed and looking like a lady again, Honey frowned at the smiling Delenn, "What's going on?" "Well I am hungry," Delenn said, "My mother is the best cook in the whole town and she is making us dinner." The girl's grin was infectious and Honey could understand her being excited about seeing her mother. Delenn continued, "Do you think we could go eat down stairs so I can show off my pretty dress one more time, especially now that you are not wearing the same thing and I won't be compared to your beauty in it?" Honey laughed, "You are more beautiful than me by far, Delenn," Honey shrugged her shoulders and reminded of her scarred body beneath the fine ice pink silks. "It is I who should be grateful not to be compared to you. Of course we can eat down stairs. It's the least I can do after our dreadful afternoon." The girls still smiling went out to the lounge room. Accuda and Alec stopped their conversation to look up at them. "We thought we might go down to eat in the dining room tonight if that is okay," Honey looked at Accuda before hurrying on, "I am sure Kade wont mind." Accuda smiled, "As you wish, Lady Honiara. We have a small surprise for Delenn first if you don't mind a small detour." "Of course not," Honey grinned at Delenn and took her hand, "I wonder what it is. Do you have a beau you have been hiding?" Delenn blushed and shook her head, "I have no idea what it is. Are you sure it's for me?" The men lead the girls down the hall, the guards falling into step with them as they passed. Reaching Leneer's room Accuda knocked and a girl answered, squealing with delight as Accuda stepped back out of the way. The young girl threw herself at Delenn, "I didn't recognise you. You look like a lady, Delenn!" "Milla, what are you doing here?" "Mother sent for me from the apothecary shop to help nurse this knight back to health," Remembering her manners she stepped back and curtsied to Honey, "Forgive me, Lady. I was just so excited to see my sister." Honey smiled, "Don't be silly. Would you like to come and dine with us? Delenn has been so excited about eating your mother's cooking I can't wait to taste it." "I couldn't," the girl said. "Of course you can. Make her come down to dinner please, Accuda," Honey pouted at him but it was Alec that laughed and looked into the room, to talk to the physician. .............................. Kade stood at the front of the large dining room glaring at he brother and best friend, Jarrau. He had not yet seen Honey since his arrival back to Venturer House. Instead he had been disarmed, bullied, berated and forced to bathe, shave and dress in his official uniform. Now he stood beside a priest in front of a room full of people seething that he still had not been able to see her before his mother had brought him into this elaborate show. The dining room doors finally opened and within a guard of twelve knights Honey entered. The room was bright and decorated festively and Honey looked around confused until her eyes met Kade's. She felt her heart skip a beat as he beamed a smile at her and realised jut how much she had grown to love him. 'Yes Love,' she told herself the realisation shocking her a little. Ignoring the room and the people she hurried to him and threw her arms around him. "Where have you been?" Laughing genuinely, he picked her off her feet in a tight hug, "Oh I have been here and there." She scowled at him and he laughed more. "Before you get carried away and scold me, I think the priest here has some words to say to us." Honey widened her eyes, seeing the priest for the first time. She disentangled herself from Kade's arms and blushed deeply, "I am sorry, oh my," she looked around the room taking in everything she had missed. The decorations, the food, the smiling faces, her friends! She looked back at Kade, "You did all this?" "My mother is a fairly determined woman once she gets an idea in her head. Add to that Delenn's mother and I don't think any man here had a choice but to go along with their scheming. I was kept in the dark as much as you, my love," he grinned at her again, "It may not be the wedding I had planned but it's not so horrible, is it?" Honey took both his hands in hers and looked up with shining eyes, "It is just the way it should be. It's wonderful." Swallowing hard she whispered, "I love you, Kade. Marry me, please." Kade felt his heart swell within his chest to the point of bursting. This was all he had wanted for so long, his obsession. He turned to the priest, "You heard my love. Marry us now." The ceremony sped by them both as they gazed into each other's eyes. For Honey the realisation that she trusted and loved the man beside her had opened her eyes to how much he loved and wanted her. She was not the demon child, the starving runaway, the scarred and damaged young lady of weeks ago. She was the love of a prince and he in turn was hers. He placed a ring made of fire opal and diamonds onto her hand and a tiara made with a similar honey coloured stone as its centre piece. When Kade kissed her it was so full of passion it made her knees weak. He murmured into her ear, "Would it seem rude if we went to our marital bed immediately?" Honey blushed deeply, lost for words a wide smile on her face as people gathered around them to congratulate them. They were led to a table and the feasting began. The troupe performed, constantly encouraging Honey to join them but in the long flowing dress it was impossible. Without all the restrictions of the usual formalities the queen was enjoying herself immensely, "Why don't you change then my new daughter?" the queen said encouragingly, "I would love to see you perform." Bennison laughed raucously and leaned toward his mother, "If that girl takes one article of clothing off tonight, I doubt Kadegan would let her return here to amuse us. Wedding nights being so full of amusements all their own you understand." The matronly queen gaped at her oldest son, "Bennison, you can be so crude sometimes." Kade took his cue, "Don't be coy, mother. You have how many sons? I think I will start trying for my first right now, thank you." The men laughed heartily at the scandalous look the queen gave her sons before murmuring dramatically, "What I wouldn't have given for daughters." Taking Honey's hand he murmured in her ear, "I can wait not a minute longer!" She quivered in anticipation and he pulled her from the room. In his eagerness he picked her up and took the stairs two at a time as she clung to him and buried her face in his neck breathing in his scent. Men still lined to corridor to her suite, but she barely noticed them as he opened the door and took her to the bedroom. Standing her on her feet he lit several lanterns and went to the bathroom returning with a towel. Honey watched him bemused and a little nervous, she constantly played with the golden ring on her finger. "I did not get you a wedding present," she whispered quietly. Kade came to her side, "Yes you did my love," he kissed her deeply and fumbled with the buttons on her dress, breaking the kiss he cursed softly and tore the buttoned edge apart watching the dress fall from her lithe body. "You said you loved me," he looked into her eyes, "that was all I ever wanted from you." Honey looked up at him with wide eyes, she smiled shyly, "I have been very difficult haven't I?" "Nothing good comes easy," he growled wrestling with her corsetry, until it too finally fell away from her body. Left in loose underclothes and boots, Honey put her hands over his, "I married you, remember, there is not rush we have all the time in the world." Her hands slid over his chest, "and I think husband, you have far too many clothes on for my liking." Kade let her help him undress as he undressed her. Finally naked he marvelled at the girl who was now his wife, pulling her toward him and kissing her deeply and pulling her to the bed. They explored each other as they had done so often in the last week with hand and mouth until he pulled back slightly, his arousal making his voice a low growl, "This first time will hurt my love," rolling her to her back he looked over her spreading her thighs wide with his own." Honey nodded in understanding her breathing shallow as he rubbed his cock over her wet sex. She lifted her hips showing her willingness as he pressed up against her. She felt herself stretching as he made short thrusts barely moving into her. With a growl, he thrust hard and she cried out, pain flaring into her brain white light blinding her momentarily. Staying still he let her adjust, when her eyes began to focus again, he moved slowly in and out, her whimpers and gasps the only sound in the room. She was so tight he knew this first time would not last long and unable to contain himself, he began to move faster pulling her legs up and placing his hands under her ass as he fucked her giving vent to the seasons of frustration that had grown within him. The initial flash of pain subsided quickly in a dull ache of need and wanting as he found her hips rocking up to meet his rhythm. She stared at his face seeing the emotions flicker there. She felt butterflies fill her stomach and spread out into her limbs as they began to tremble, she cried out for him and reached up to touch him. He leaned down to claim her mouth and her cries as he fucked her harder. Her body shook and her inner muscles clamped down around his cock as he drove deep inside her and let for his own release grunting and growling. He held her close, kissing her deeply. They were both breathless and euphoroc from each others need. As they came down from the high Kade rolled to his side rolling her with him to stay within her as long as possible. Honey looked up at him and smiled, "I would like to do that again, my husband." "I would give you anything my little princess, but let me recover a just a bit first," he chuckled. Picking her up he took her too the bathroom, and ran a warm bath for them, "As he put her down, she noticed the blood for the first time and gasped. "It is only natural the first time, my love. Nothing to worry over," Kade gathered her back into his arms and kissed her. Smiling he placed her in the bath. "I know you haven't had a mother on hand to tell you all these things, but you can talk to mine about it tomorrow or the next day when I finally let you out of my bed," he grinned at her, "You have a great big family now and trust me you will find them as tiresome as I do eventually." "I have been on my own for so long..." Honey said wistfully. Kade shut off the water and stepped into the bath pulling her to rest her back against his chest. His hands trailed down over her body to her sex which he cupped gently, "Does it hurt very much?" Honey tilted her head up to him and kissed his chin, "In a good way." Kade's arousal grew rapidly and her turned her in his arms to straddle his thighs. Kissing her gently he guided her down onto his cock letting her slowly move and adjust to the stretching of her tight cunt over his cock. Leaning back, Kade reached out to tease her breasts and nipples as he slowly moved up and down on him, the water sloshing in waves to the floor. Venturer Ch. 03 Honey had closed her eyes feeling his cock deep within her body, unlike anything she had known before she clenched to muscles tightly around him to feel more within her grinding down into his pelvis. She could feel his hands on her breasts and the thrills that ran between her nipples and cunt as she rose and fell on him. Butterflies tickled at her insides bursting to be free again and at Kade's urging she began to rise and fall faster. Kade could hear her panting breath become even shallower. Placing one arm around her waist, he watched the beautiful girl tremble violently as he twisted one nipple cruelly sending her over the edge again into pleasure, the spasms of her cunt milking at his cock as he came with her. She collapsed onto his chest and they lay there in the warm water breathing deeply. As their breathing returned to normal she looked up at him and kissed him, "More?" she grinned at him. "You plan to wear your new husband out on the first night?" he laughed. "It's not like you didn't have warning, husband. It was you who explained to me the difference between nice shy ladies and whores in bed. Perhaps now you are regretting your decision to continue to pursue me, but alas it is too late for you," there was a cheeky twinkle in her eye as she pretended to shake her head sadly with the words. "Such a cheeky girl. Is that the way a wife should speak to her husband?" he attempted to look sternly at her. The twinkle still in her eyes she leaning in and whispered, "Perhaps it is the way a whore speaks to her lover." "Well I am afraid my cock will need stronger encouragement than that, little whore," he stood up and stepped from the bath lifting her with him. Discarding the blood stained towel he lay her on the bed. They kissed and explored each other with hands and mouths, he brought her another orgasm as he played with her body before finally being able to mount her and fuck her again. Unlike the gentle earlier love making he was rough and hard as he took her his passion and need showing as he slammed into her small frame. Each of them lost in their own feelings they came explosively and curled together basking in the aftermath. "I think it is me who has worn out first," Honey whispered her eyes closed. "I don't think I can move even an inch now." Kade tightened his arms about her, "Sleep, my princess, sleep." No night terrors haunted her dreams that night. Venturer Taking out her pack, she pulled her clothes out laying out a new skirt, blouse and undergarments. She began to remove the wet clothes as Kade stepped inside the tent, remaining beside the tent flap which he closed tightly behind him ensuring no others would see her. 'Will he never let me be?' she grimaced. Closing her eyes in humiliation, she turned her back to him changing as modestly and quickly as she could. He physically blanched in shock as he glimpsed the scarring on her back as she removed her undergarments and redressed quickly. He said nothing but his jaw clenched together as he watched until she was done. "Put your hair back up into that bun you always wear I do not want my men recognising you." He continued his voice softer than his usual brusque tone, "I do not think any but Jarrau met you at your father's castle but they have heard descriptions including the long flowing apple brandy coloured hair." "Surely you do not still want a girl you call a whore so regularly to be your wife, Sir?" she was aghast at the idea. It was the first time she had spoken directly to him since he had discovered her in the troupe and he smiled remembering the musical qualities her voice held. She glared at him as she tied her hair up loosely and he laughed with genuine good humour saying, "You'd be surprised what I want little lady. But first some food, come." She gave him a cold hard stare and marched out of the tent her face blushing furiously. "How could he laugh at her? He infuriated her, so smug and self righteous, why would he want a wife that did not want him?" Her inner voice berated her for letting him get the better of her. "She would not talk to him again, ever!" she determined. She squeezed herself onto a bench seat between Alec and Maurice. She felt so small between the two muscular acrobats. She cared for them both and the troupe was in trouble because of her. She tried to apologise, but they of course had no idea what she was talking about and one look at Kade, who shook his head slightly, told her she could not explain. She ate quietly, concentrating on being with people she cared about if only for one last meal, tomorrow she would be made to leave them without even a goodbye most probably. She felt tears prick at her eyes and she kept her head down while she ate lost in her own thoughts. Tired from the long days of travel and with satisfyingly full bellies, the troupe retired early. Honey lingered at the camp fire listening to the jovial jibes and jokes of her friends as they retired. Kade's men at arms even joined in with the troupe from time to time. She would miss them all and performing in the arena. How she had loved being an acrobat. Sadness swept over her and finally she gave in approaching the tent and her bed knowing only nightmares awaited her. She was dimly aware of a watcher following her at a slight distance. It wasn't Kade for once and she wondered idly where he was until she entered the tent. Seeing her enter Kade, went to talk with her watcher briefly and returned looking gravely at her. "Oh gosh," she thought, "What in the name of Tarana has happened now?" Maurice appeared nervous and flustered as Kade resumed his chair beckoning her over, 'Kneel beside me. Apparently you have spent a lot of time on your knees so you should be comfortable down there." Her eyes flew wide as she looked at Maurice who could not meet her gaze. All business like she heard Kade continue, "So to get to the crux of the situation, you did sodomise the young man but you did not realise his age and you only use the mouth of this whore for your pleasure and that occurs seldom. Do I have it right?" Maurice's horrified look and strangled "Yes Sir" made Honey cringe. Kade continued on unfazed. "Well I am sure we can come to an agreement then about not returning to certain areas of the realm and avoid a lengthy trial." He stroked his chin thoughtfully, "The young man said you did not force him, though there is still the question of his age of course." Maurice looked more relaxed but still miserable as he was guided to a table full of maps where he and Kade talked in hushed tones. Honey fidgeted, unsure if she was dismissed so she stayed where she was. Finally leaving the table of maps Kade spoke again as he neared Honey. "Now that that is dealt with, there is still the matter of harbouring this fugitive. While I can speak for the King on some matters on others my hands are tied. I am afraid when we reach the city you will lose this girl to the dungeons." Honey was horrified, "Dungeons!" her mind whirled, "Had he told Maurice who she was? Surely not," the conversation went on as if she was not there. "Is there nothing we can do for her?" Maurice's plucked up some small courage as he looked sadly at Honey who had been physically rocked by Kade's statement. "What is she accused of? I cannot imagine this sweet girl committing any crime worthy of a dungeon." Honey looked around for a way out of the tent wondering how far she could get before they dragged her back. "There is no need to warn you I am sure that anyone trying to aid her in flight would be dealt with most harshly so best not to tell your troupe until after the event me thinks." Kade stared at Maurice his face serious showing he meant what he said. "So there nothing I can do to plead her case," Maurice tried a last time looking at her sadly, "She is one of the best acrobats we have ever had. I hate to lose her talent." Kade raised an eyebrow at him then shook his head "No, I am afraid she must make amends for her deeds." "And you will not tell me of the charges?" "No. It's best this case is kept discreet," he said the last word pointedly and Maurice nodded sadly. "Now could you give us some time alone please, my friend?" He patted Maurice on the back consolingly as he walked him to the flap of the tent. "Do not to worry any further about this matter and the misunderstanding about the boy can be sorted out. The boy obviously lied about his age." Reassuring him Kade gently pushed Maurice from the tent. As Maurice disappeared Kade closed the tent flap and taking his time executed a series of intricate knots to seal it shut and then, returned to the chair she knelt beside. Once settled he reached out to stroke her cheek and she flinched away as if scalded, his brow furrowed and he withdrew the hand reluctantly. "Let your hair down, little lady." Knowing he could make her life and the lives of her friends even more unbearable she reached up to loosen the bun and let her long hair flow down over her shoulders and back. Again he reached out and she shied away before stilling her movements stoically. His hand went to her hair stroking it gently. "Good girl." He said in a soothing voice as if he was patting the mane of a skittish horse. "Tell me of the scars on your back. Maurice claims to have never seen you naked and has no knowledge of them. Is this true?" She stiffened and swallowed noisily. "I believed him anyway," he continued as she did not answer, "Women are not his taste. I wish to know the cause of your scarred back," his tone was soft but commanding. She lowered her head, determining not to speak to him earlier was a moot point now as her tongue froze. She trembled, unable and unwilling to relive her painful past. Taking a handful of her hair he pulled her head back slowly until she looked up to him and he could see deep into her eyes, "Tell me how you got them," his voice became hard. Unable to lower her head her eyes dropped and she bit her lip. "We will do this the hard way then shall we?" He pulled her to her feet standing beside her. The roughness of his hand in her hair and his closeness unfroze her tongue, "Why do you care?" She lashed out at him as he dragged her to her feet. "Why do you care about one whore? There are prettier, finer virgins out there in the kingdom, go find yourself one of them to torment and gamble with." She kicked at his legs as he held her by her arms, fear and pain and anger at her plight making her rash. "You can have your pick, I am sure. Better than winning a whore in a game of dice..." "STOP!" he roared. Picking up her thrashing body and holding her against him tightly he moved to the other end of the tent and threw her on the bed. "Take the blouse off or I will do it for you, but you will run out of clothes if I destroy them because you cannot obey me." He glowered at her. "No!" she shrieked at him, "I am not YOUR whore nor will I ever be. Lock me up in your dungeons or whatever you're going to do." Her eyes darted around the room looking for escape her fight or flight instinct making her seem feral as she looked up at him preparing to kick him again. A loud commotion outside the tent interrupted them. "See," he snarled "Your childish tantrum has endangered your friends. Is that what you want?" Horror filled her face. "No" she whispered. "No." "We will continue this..." He left it hanging as he stalked over to the tent entrance, simmering rage barely kept in check as he undid the knots deftly and stormed out into the night. The commotion ceased and she curled into a ball on her bed and cried. 'Why did he care about her scars?' awful images of her big brutal father danced across her mind and she shook remembering the extreme punishments he lavished on her as a young girl. "What does Kade want from me? Why can't he just leave me here?" She felt the bed sink with the added weight of someone sitting beside her. She curled into a tighter ball refusing to look up dreading to see Kade's face there. The big familiar hand of Alec touched her shoulder gently as he asked, "You okay, Honey? Did he hurt you?" She sat up slowly hugging her knees to her, "No, Alec" she sighed wearily, "He did not touch me. I might have hurt him though, I kicked him pretty hard." She grinned up at her friend but the smile did not hide the fear and pain in her eyes. He pulled her into a bear hug and she squeaked. "You're going to run again, aren't you?" he whispered sadly. She nodded unable to speak. "I knew the time would come but I had hoped..." he shrugged and rocked her in his big arms. "I will miss you, you know. Try and come back to us one day." From deep within his tunic he pulled a leather sheath, putting his finger to her lip to silence her he showed her the small dagger within and pointed to her pack. Her eyes widened and she hugged him hard. "Erato is a big town. It will be easy to slip into the shadows." "Thank you," she whispered burying the dagger deeply in her pack. He nodded at her, wishing to give her more to keep her safe, to run with her, but she would not let him he knew. She was a solitary creature; he hoped she could find a place of safety where her fears could be put to rest and her nightmares cease. Jarrau entered the tent disturbing them to hand her a small glass of mulled wine, "Drink. It will help you sleep." They talked lightly as she drank the wine, Jarrau joining in talk about the town of Erato, laughing easily as he chatted with them in his relaxed friendly way. Honey had warmed to him over the last couple of days despite his knight's attire. Too soon Alec made her lie down saying he would stay until she slept to chase away her demons. Feeling safe as always with Alec watching over her, she lay down, exhaustion quickly sweeping over her, she was grateful too that it was Jarrau watching her tonight rather than the ice blue eyes of Kade. ............................................... She had woken slowly from a deep sleep and blinked clearing the last remnants of strange dreams from her mind. She stretched and rolled over her eyes coming to rest on Kade. "Urg," she groaned and he looked up from the map he was studying. "Awake at last. Good." Getting up and walking to her he picked up a plate from a small table beside her, "Eat. You missed breakfast." It was a command and she looked up at him sharply. "Please." He added. "The rest of the camp is almost packed. They wait to pull down this tent." He sat contemplating her as she ate. "Will you still not tell me how you came to be scarred so deeply along your back?" She stopped eating and pushed the plate away at his question. Not answering him she arose from the bed smoothing out the skirt she had fallen asleep in and noticing a wine stain decided she needed to change her blouse. Taking her pack and moving away to the opposite end of the tent from him, she lifted her hands to the buttons and removed the blouse reaching quickly to take up another. He was suddenly behind her slipping the straps of her camisole from her shoulders to see her bare back. She stiffened and gasped but did not want the commotion of last night so she clamped her mouth tightly shut as she shook. He grimaced, scars from years of beatings crisscrossed her back most faded to fine white lines the deeper holding a slight pink tinge to them still. His finger traced the lines and she crossed an arm over her breasts trembling under his tender touch. She bit her lip at the feather light touch and taking a deep breath she tried to relax as he spoke quietly "These are mostly faded so I truly believe Maurice that they did not happen during your time as his mistress." His fingers traced down her back and up her ribs touching the side of her breast making her quiver visibly. She could hear the smirk in his voice as he asked "Are you cold, little lady?" She stiffened and taking a step away from him pulled up her camisole straps and redressed in the new blouse, stowing the old one in her pack, carefully hiding the dagger Alec had given her deeper. He remained standing close behind her watching, turning his eyes and following her as she moved away. He marvelled at her, beautiful and lithe, her eyes showing a wide eyed vulnerability that gave her a sweet innocent appearance. Even in these plain clothes and with her hair pulled tightly into a knot behind her head, she still exuded everything that had drawn him to her so long ago, beauty, frailty, and breeding and that was why he had searched the last six seasons for her. He had first seen her when she was barely sixteen, a small quiet girl jumping at her fathers demands, during a visit to her uncle, the King. Something about her had touched him even then and he found himself volunteering as the Kings emissary to the lands of the East. Her father was overprotective and let no man close enough to talk with her other than the expected formalities. Kade had coveted her from afar. He had tried to ask for her hand in the formal way but her father had refused to give her hand to anyone and there had been several suitable candidates besides him self who had courted his favour in this regard. Not one to give up easily Kade had studied the Duke and biding his time had learned the Duke's weaknesses. Over two years later, during one of his visits to the Dukes castle to deliver a birthday present from the king to her, he had been able to talk with her. She had thanked him for his trouble in delivering her gift and had smiled a smile at him that lit up her face. The smile had totally disarmed him and she spoke with him easily until her father appeared and she reverted back to her timid mouse like persona. Finding her accomplished and bright, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was his perfect mate and that she could light up his life with those smiles. That evening he had plied her father with drink and had won Honiara's hand from her father through manipulation and subterfuge in a game of dice but she had disappeared the following day as they had detained her father in dowry talks. Unwatched and unfettered by servants who were scurrying to prepare a feast for their betrothal, she had escaped the castle in the early morning darkness when all thought her to be asleep. Realisation hit him suddenly like a flash of lightning and he cursed the man that could scar his only child in such a way. Her father had kept his daughter close, and out of reach of any other, and now Kade knew why, He felt his anger rise again. Her father had treated her abominably. No wonder she had run at the first opportunity. His brooding thoughts melted some of the ice around his heart and he moved to her purposefully. His hand travelled over her back again as she flinched and stiffened, she was skittish, afraid to be touched and ready to scamper away any moment. She was not the naïve spoilt brat on an adventure he had expected to find and punish into submission, but rather a girl surviving her past, running from its memories. His desire that she be his grew even stronger. "She would be his. He had known from the moment he first saw her she was his perfect mate he felt it in his heart and soul each time he looked at her. If only she knew it." He lamented. "He knew he could bring her peace if she would just let him." He was determined but he realised now just how hard it would be to win a small smile from her let alone her trust and affection. Moving away from his light touch which confused her, she looked at him and the odd look he had in his eyes; sad, angry and hungry all at once in a way that disturbed her. Not wanting to be near him any longer she curtsied to him in a farcical move she hoped would disconcert him. She whispered, "With your leave, My Lord." Then she turned and slipped out of the tent leaving him staring at flapping canvas door. Kade watched her as the last of the camp was packed into the wagons for the final trek to Erato. Each of the troupe members had approached her as she wandered around hugging her to them making Kade increasingly uneasy. Scowling he approached Maurice, "You told them I am taking Honey when we reach the town." It was a statement more than a question and Kade voice told of his anger and the threat behind his words. "No. No. No." Maurice held up his hands before him his eyes wide. "You've misread the situation." Kade growled and raised an eyebrow. "Tell me what is going on." His voice was low and menacing. Maurice motioned him to follow and walked beside Kade away from the camp activity slightly. In hushed tones, Maurice spoke quickly, "We found her half starved in a village back toward the East. She was running from something." He looked to Kade's face seeking a reaction but he saw nothing but the impassive stony glare that had been there from the beginning of this conversation. Exasperated Maurice sighed, "With my troubles bringing the Kings men along with us, they believe she will run again once in the town." Still no reaction, not a muscle moving Kade's rigid face Maurice sighed, "They are saying good bye in their own way." Honey moved among the wagons cursing Alec for letting word get out that she would be leaving them discreetly once they got to the town. She could feel Kade and his men at arms watching her intently as if they realised something was amiss. She saw Kade move away with Maurice toward the edge of the camp and Honey took the opportunity to walk down to the stream just for a few moments of peace and freedom before she was locked away. "Dungeon" he had said and she despaired. As soon as the troupe was safe in town she would run. She just had to know they would not be held responsible. There was a crashing sound in the sparse wood behind her and she turned to see the livid face of Kade. Breathing heavily, he strode to her purposefully as she looked at the relief in the face of Jarrau, who had appeared just behind him. Kade picked her up bodily and slung her over his shoulder. She beat on his broad back with her fists as he marched back to the camp his rage oozing out of every pore as he roared. "You WILL stop running from me!" He slapped her ass and she shrieked at him as she beat on his back. "Let me go. Why do you care so much? I am not a bag of gold to be won or lost in a game of dice!" Venturer As they moved back into the clearing Alec paled and moved toward her as she was dumped unceremoniously on the ground next to the wagon. Jarrau moved to stand between Alec and Kade. Realising the unease was gaining momentum; Jarrau looked between the troupe and the men of Kade's guard raising his voice, "Tell them. Tell them who she is before this gets out of hand." Kade glowered at Jarrau, every inch of his body seething with rage tinged with self loathing for losing his control when he had thought she had run again. He looked down at her, tears staining her cheeks and he turned his rage inward, berating himself and muttering darkly, "You have known this whole time, Jarrau?" "Tell them." Jarrau pointed the blade he had drawn from the scabbard on his hip at the men of the troupe who had gathered together ready to follow Alec's lead. "This, ungrateful wretch," Kade pointed at the sobbing girl. "Is the Lady Honiara, only child to Duke Charl of Martizen, niece of the Great King Brandt." He pointed to Honey growling "Stay." To his men he said "Guard her well," before stalking off. Alec looked at Honey in disbelief and a few of the men laughed believing this to be a joke of some kind as Kade disappeared into the wood back toward the stream. Maurice paled, rocked by the news and thinking of how he had treated the girl. "No," he thought. "She couldn't be." He turned and looked toward the wood where Kade had disappeared before catching the last of a heated conversation between Alec and Jarrau. "Do you really think knights of the realm would involve themselves in local justice if something bigger was not at stake?" Jarrau had allowed Alec to comfort Honey who was looking at the ground unwilling to meet anyone's eyes. Maurice walked slowly back to his wagon, "Something wasn't right here. There was more to this story." He scratched at the stubble on his chin trying to think it all through. A smart man he had been in tight situations before but taking on Knights was beyond his abilities he thought. He needed to get to the town and his old friend, Raziel. A short time later a shadow of a plan was forming in Maurice's mind as he watched Kade re-emerge from the wood his hair wet but the veneer of controlled self assurance back in place. Maurice scratched his chin absently considering the man and why the girl seemed to matter so much to him. It was more than just a bounty hunt, of that Maurice was sure. ........................................ The wagons rolled into the town of Erato. They had decamped and started moving with no further incident. Kade sent two of his men ahead to scout the road for bandits and prepare lodgings in Erato for the knights. He had left her sitting where she was until the last moment then picked her up and threw her into the back of the wagon. She had not made a sound and lay curled in a ball for the entire journey. Kade had ridden on one side of their wagon, Jarrau on the other with two of their men at the rear. Maurice drove slowly through the outer gates as Alec tried to raise Honey from the back to look at the town. She was unresponsive as in her mind vivid frightening images of dungeons and torture haunted her. 'She shouldn't have stayed. Why did she stay with these people? She should have kept running.' She found herself resenting the friendships she had forged that made her complacent endangering them as well as herself. The wagons pulled into fenced paddocks just inside the town wall. Her eyes were open but she lay unmoving and unseeing as Alec tried to rouse her. He moved away obviously taking to Kade, "Something is very wrong. Her mind is gone. Let me take her to a healer, please." Hearing her friend, her brother of sorts so upset and almost pleading with Kade on her behalf was more than she could bear and she roused herself reluctantly from her self imposed catatonia sitting up slowly. "She is fine, look for yourself." Kade said without a trace of concern, his voice impassive. Alec looked at her, "She isn't fine. Any fool and see that. Where will you take her? I'll send a healer." Kade did not reply and Honey spoke softly and slowly, "Alec, don't worry so much, I am fine. We knew I would leave one day. That day is today. Lift me down so I can kiss you goodbye and you can watch me walk away instead of run." She wouldn't let her friend be in anymore danger because of her. She hugged Alec tight and kissed his cheek as he lifted her from the wagon. She smiled up into his face as he finally put her down and touched his cheek, "You have been my truest friend and I will always think you to be the strongest man in the world." Turning to Maurice who had been standing with Alec she smiled again, "Maurice, these seasons with your troupe have been the happiest in my life. No words can ever thank you for taking me in." She hugged him tightly and keeping her head held high, every inch the lady they knew she was now, she walked over to Kade. Kade called to two of his men, "You two will stay here and I will send others from the keep to relieve your watch. Lenneer give the lady your horse. I will see he is returned to you shortly." Without question the young man stepped down from his saddle and lifted Honey into place. The remaining men formed up around her and without a backward glance the group cantered off into the city. Try as she might, she could not see the town through the bodies of the men huddled closely around her as they rode. The horse's hooves clattered over cobble stones and she settled into the steady movement of the ride. She had loved to ride as a child and she let her mind drift to a time when her mother was alive and rode with her. Lost in her reverie the horses stopping startled her and she looked up to see the men stepping off their mounts and handing them to stable hands. Jarrau approached her and lifted her from her mount guiding her to the large manor house across the court yard. "Welcome to Venturer House." "This house is kept by the knights of our order. We have one in most towns all called Venturer House." He rolled his eyes, "We knights are not known for creativity in our surroundings." Jarrau was talking to her like it was everyday he escorted a female prisoner to a dungeon. He continued to make conversation pointing out paintings of foreign lands and dignitaries, asking her questions though she never said a word. The corridors and stairs seemed endless as he led her deeper into the home showing her around like an esteemed guest. "You know I have never been to this town before or this house but each of the Order of Venturer Houses is exactly the same. Disappointing really," he mused, "No one is using this third floor, so I hope you will not be lonely up here. We knights rarely have ladies stay here with us aside of the servants." She wasn't really listening as she followed behind him her shoulders sagging as she tried to resign herself to her fate and the dungeon that awaited her. He opened a door wide showing her a large comfortable room. Ushering her in before him, he closed the door. "The sitting room." he waved his hand about and opening a door on the nearest wall he motioned her to follow, "... and this is the bedroom." She followed obediently to the doorway wondering why she was here still brooding over what sort of dungeon this big house would have. A young girl appeared at the door and curtsied quickly, "Milady." Jarrau came out of the bedroom at her voice and smiled, "Oh good you're here. I was getting tired of talking to myself. Lady Honiara this is Delenn she will be your maid while you are with us. I will leave you to explore your room." Honey stood open mouthed, "Her room? A maid?" "Delenn run the lady a bath and find her something clean to wear I am sure there are clothes somewhere." As the maid darted off in the direction of the bathroom Jarrau turned to Honey and spoke softy. "Do not run lady. He will only make me go with him to chase you again and this knight needs a long break from the road to drink and carouse with warm soft wenches. Take pity on me, please." At his plaintive tone a hint of a smile crept into her confused expression. "Be a good girl and he might even let your friends visit you." Jarrau wheedled. "I am not going to the dungeon?" She whispered incredulously more to herself than him. "Where did you get that idea? Oh don't worry," he said holding up his hand, "I can guess." He looked at her shaking his head, "I have never known him to get so mad or lose control as often as he does with you Honiara. Now you are here and safe his moods will improve I promise." He continued to talk as he led her through the bedroom to a small tiled room where Delenn was filling a tub from a pipe in the wall. "Marvellous invention," he smiled quickly changing the topic away from Kade, "We heat tanks of rainwater on the roof and get instant hot water on tap." She looked longingly at the hot bath and smelled the scent of fragrant soap. "Now I will leave you and find that drink," he turned to Delenn, "Look after her she has had a difficult time." Honey looked at him chewing her lip as he spoke to Delenn hearing the concern in his voice, "Jarrau," she whispered, "Do you really think he would let Alec or Maurice visit me?" "Promise me one night of peace between the two of you and I will bring them myself." He smiled his eyes hopeful. She looked at him dubiously, "As you say I seem to make him angry without even knowing how or why." She looked up at him seriously, "Can't you take him with you to find a warm wench who doesn't make him angry?" He chuckled with genuine mirth, "Don't you think I have already tried that in all the time we have searched for you?" Laughing loudly again he walked out of the room shaking his head and closing the door behind him. ......................... It was late when she emerged from the scented bath and she was helped into a soft white satin night dress by Delenn who had quietly hovered in her room while she had luxuriated in the hot water scrubbing the days of travel from her skin and hair with delicate soaps. "Where did this come from?" She asked absently as the soft material caressed her body. "Sir Kade sent it while you were in the bath. Are you hungry Milady?" "Can you just call me Honey please?" Delenn looked worried and started to shake her head, "When we are alone please?" Honey pleaded. Delenn acquiesced "As long as you eat something please, Mila... Honey," she corrected reluctantly. "Sir Kade insisted I try to get you to eat." Honey rolled her eyes but she was hungry so she ate ignoring the comment about 'Sir' Kade. Speaking quietly with Delenn, Honey learned more about the house and town. Eventually seeing no way for a quick escape from her fate and no longer able to keep her eyes open she lay down to sleep. 'A real bed with fine sheets,' she thought, 'There were very few things I missed about home but this was one of them," she thought as her eyes closed. "There are worse dungeons than this." she mused and sleep took her. She woke in terror, the nightmares of her father blending with Kade and his stony face. She blinked into the darkness to find Kade hovering over her causing an involuntary scream to fill the silence of the room, her nightmare lingering in her mind. His hand pulled away from her hair which he had been stroking as he tried to wake her from her night terror. Trying to shake the terrifying images from her head she crawled up to the opposite corner from him hugging her knees to chest. "I only wished to comfort you little lady," he said softly. "You let other men comfort you. Am I so abhorrent?" "Other men do not treat me as a cheap possession to be won or lost on the roll of a dice." She spat His anger rose within him as always when taking to her, "Yet you let Maurice use you like a cheap possession, without love like a whore on the streets." She sounder braver than she felt as she gave vent to her fears, "I would be his whore a hundred times over if it meant I did not have to see you or my father ever again." His voice became brittle at her rejection, "So you would rather be treated as a whore than lady would you?" His voice was growing deeper with each word, "That's fine with me!" he snarled. Her eyes widened in fear and she squealed as he pulled her from the bed. He held both her hands in one of his big paws and stroked the other over her night gown feeling her nakedness beneath. "Whore it is then, my betrothed." He could not help himself his cock hardened just looking at her, trailing his fingers over the lithe silk clad body he guided her to her knees before him, stroking her hair back from her face. 'If this was what she wanted then so be it.' She knew this position and what she must do. Her father and Maurice had taught her well. In a trance like state, her body reacted to his now soft touches and she reached up to free his cock. He was already hard as she drew his cock out licking her lips she leaned in to take him in her mouth, rolling her tongue about the head tasting him and coating his cock with saliva till it shone in the moonlight. Tugging the trews lower, she cupped his balls with one hand and wrapped the other around the thick shaft as she licked at him, fluttering her tongue the length of his shaft and teasing at his balls before finally taking him into the warm cavern over mouth making him groan in pleasure. Her hand worked the long shaft as her mouth adjusted to the size of his cock nestling on her tongue. She bobbed her head slightly and felt it nudge at her throat making her gag slightly. She became more confident at the sounds of pleasure he made and his hands tightened in her hair as she swallowed past her gag reflex to take him deeply. His breath was coming faster and she knew he would not last much longer. His hands tightened further in her hair but he did not force himself deeper or faster letting her set her own pace and adjust her breathing. The pain of her hair being pulled became erotic to her making her suck harder and deeper. Crying out, he pulled from her mouth coating her lips and cheeks in thick globs of cum as he pulled her head back making her look up at him with teary sex glazed eyes. She made his heart race faster and placing his softening cock back into her open mouth he murmured, "So beautiful." She squirmed feeling her wet thighs rub against each other hoping he would go to sleep immediately as Maurice had always done so she could take her own pleasure but he did not let her go. She panted softly in need for her own release her hips rolling slightly as her thighs rubbed. Finally he let her hair loose and let her fall back. "The difference between a whore and a lady is that she gets her pleasure too." She was stunned by his words. He picked her up and placed her back on her bed. He moved away momentarily and she relaxed slightly for a moment then tensed again as with a silk scarf he cleaned his cum from her face softly before saying, "Open." She opened her mouth slightly and he wedged the scarf between her lips murmuring, "We do not want to wake my brother knights." Alarmed she struggled slightly. Straddling her body, he grabbed her wrists tying them with another scarf and lifted them above her head to tie her to the post of her bed. "Relax, little one. I will not hurt you." His voice was pained. He closed his eyes and trailed his hands lightly over her body making calming noises "I would never harm you as you have been harmed in the past." His hand moved up her thighs lifting the night gown to expose her sex to him. She stiffened below him and he moved back still holding her legs below his body as he kissed over her belly and hips to her thighs his breath blowing over her sex making her squirm more. In the moonlight from the windows, he could see her glisten wetly and was momentarily surprised. He leaned up freeing her legs wrapping his hands around her thighs to hold her in place as he bent to kiss her mound above the slit, breathing in her scent. She whimpered pitifully into the scarf, frightened and aroused. She could feel her breasts swell as the nipples grew under the soft material. Holding her thighs tightly, he widened them trailing his tongue between the wet lips of her sex flicking over the hard little nub before finally reaching her hole and lapping at the juices that poured so freely from her. She was panting now her body arching as small waves of pleasure started rolling through her. All thought was gone from her mind as his tongue held her enthral, she lifted her hips to him seeking more. Wedging the tip of his finger within her wanting to leave her in tact he leaned up slightly watching her breath rise and fall rapidly as he rolled his tongue around clit. She arched more and he bared his teeth biting lightly as he drew it to his mouth and sucked on her. She came explosively, her body arching as she convulsed her hands pulling at the scarf that held them above her head as she gave a muffled cry. The noise of her panting and muffled cries filled the room and he moved slowly up her body leaving his hand on her hot wet sex. He kissed both her breasts and laid beside her his fingers keeping her aroused as he nibbled at her throat and whispered in her ear. "If I take the scarf from your mouth, you will be quiet, yes?" She nodded and he leaned forward, his face inches from hers taking the scarf from her mouth and immediately covering it in a deep possessive kiss. He breathed deeply as he pulled back to look at her his eyes softening. She was beautiful and finally she was here with him. He reached out smoothing her hair back from her face gently. She squirmed, his soft eyes and touch making her uncomfortable. She had been expecting punishment. She did not know what to do or say to this different Kade. She felt his cock which had regained its rigidity rub against her thigh and her eyes widened making her tense up again. He spoke softly, "Do not fear. I do not wish to take the virginity you have guarded so well until we are wed for then every inch of you will be mine take at leisure." He held her face between his hands and kissed her again murmuring hotly as he ground against her thigh, "Get to know my cock well, little lady whore as it is the only one you will be seeing from now on and I promise, you will see it often." She dropped her eyes again humiliation and memories coursing through her of her father who had told her she would never see another as well as he tormented her childhood. He saw her eyes drop and not knowing her thoughts he took it as another rejection. Rolling off her and looking up at the bed canopy he considered what he had just done, "I will not hurt you as your father did. I swear to you, Honey." It was the first time he had called her that and she looked at him his face glowing in moonlight. "You still wish to wed me? A girl abused and despoiled by her fathers misdeeds? Knowing what he did to me you would still wed me?" Her voice seemed small and frightened. He took a breath, "This is not the first time you have asked me this question. And I give you the same answer. You would be surprised what I want little lady." He turned to face her speaking with conviction, "Do not forget I know you to be the Lovely Lady Honiara who is at home in the courts of the Duke and King. You will be that lady to the public view and you will make me proud. I know this." Then he leaned forward looming over her again, his nose and lips grazing her throat as he murmured, "But now I also now know that you can enjoy the delights of an arduous bedding and I am most pleased to discover this about you. It will greatly shorten your training to be my wife for I can a demanding man and my needs would be hard for an naive young girl to accommodate." He ground against her thigh his need rising again and growled deeply in passion nibbling at her neck. Venturer "I did not know what your father was subjecting you to or I would have tried to take you from him much sooner leaving him with scars equalling your own." She felt herself responding to him, his thumb began to work over her sensitive clit again and her panting increased. "He did well to leave your virginity in tact or I may have ridden back as soon as I realised how he had treated you" She gasped, and turned her face to him, "Why do you care? Why do you chase me? Why do you not find a sweet unblemished pure........" the last words were almost staccato pants and she whimpered his fingers expertly heating her sex and fogging her mind. His voice was a growl in her ear as he whispered, "Because you are mine. I want no other." His mouth descended on hers kissing her deeply. "Now we will do this again, my lady whore, but we will do it together," he straddled her face and fed her his cock as he bent his head to bite lightly at her thighs, his thumb working the sensitive nub. Becoming lost in the sensations their twin noises filled the room with pleasure until they came together each drinking of the other. He moved up her body breathing heavily and kissed her deeply before untying her wrists and holding her close to his body. He pulled the covers over them and murmured in her ear, "Sleep, sweet Honey, sleep." She lay wide eyed staring into the darkness realising she did not feel the need to squirm out of his arms and run from him as she would have before this encounter. She was not sure how she felt at this moment, confusion overwhelmed her. She had thought this man to be a friend to her father. He had gambled for her like a sack of gold. She continued to list off all the reasons she had fled rather than wed him. 'Could she have been wrong?' She berated herself, 'No, he had been cruel and uncaring to her when he found her with the troupe, shaming and humiliating her with his words ever since.' The Kade she knew was hostile and angry at her all of the time she did not know the Kade who had brought her mind numbing joy just minutes earlier and was now holding her possessively against him. She wriggled a little to move from his arms but his muscles tightened around her and he pulled her even closer, murmuring "Sleep, Honey." Her thoughts continued to muddle her mind as she finally she fell into a restless troubled sleep. * Thank you to LaRascasse for copy editing for me. Ventures and Capital Pike arrived in the early morning sun to walk through the open screen and look around at the dark woods of the mission style hallway and doorways. Feminine voices in the kitchen up to the left were chatting about the carpentry work to bid when a surprised soft voice demanded, 'where is the top to your bikini; the bidding on the workroom is this afternoon, everything I have is riding on this project!' A pouty voice responded, 'I was getting rid of tan lines, it can wait.' Everything Pike had was riding on this project too; the woman was paying enough to ensure the higher stakes that came with assured success. The early arrival was not just an attempt for some alone time with the client before the vultures arrived, especially the vulture that was Pikes' former boss. It was better for clients to have a few minutes to get used to the unusual appearance Pike presented. If alone with them for a few disarming minutes, they couldn't become engrossed in the competition as a way of giving in to the fear. A pouty voice interrupted the thoughts and impressions bouncing off the expensive woods and tiles, 'anyway, mine aren't huge like these!' After a struggle the soft voice laughed, 'hands off my girls!" "Oh!" The soft voice continued in sad surprise, 'what happened?' 'Open some buttons for her you prude,' commanded a whispery voice! 'Come here baby,' directed the soft voice. Pike decided to risk a quick glimpse, before possibly interrupting such an intimate exchange. The glimpse presented from the woman's kitchen offered up an almost completely naked girl. She had the look of a college girl and was naked except for the tiny red bikini bottom almost covering her perfectly filled out cheeks. Her ample curves sloped down to her booty which was becoming more and more exposed from the strokes it was receiving under her bikini by the slow hands of the two women standing both in front of her and on her side. Almost more remarkable than the topless, soon to be bottomless brunette being slowly caressed over the flawless skin of her exposed body and up and down her back under a dancing long, thick ponytail was the appearance of the two women petting her; the blonde of the two was losing her shirt. The beach blonde Business Woman was losing her shirt because the girl had her arms buried inside of the shirt's mostly open buttons. The semi-nude girl's arms were wrapped around the blonde's waist, with her face pressed against the woman's large, mostly exposed breasts on display just above the low cut lace of her bra cups. As the girl rubbed her face into the woman's exposed breasts, the 5'6"ish woman whom Pike estimated to be somewhere in her mid twenties was pushed back over her spiked black stiletto heels against the refrigerator door. "Easy now, Candy!" chided the beach blonde woman with a soft voice and kind laughing eyes as she continued to push the bikini aside to stroke the dark brunette's cheeks. The friction of the woman's ass against the grooved surface of the stainless steel on the refrigerator door edged up her black silk skirt to show the tops of sheer black thigh high hose and expose the beginnings of her sloping, creamy, round, edible ass. "I have to be in one piece for the contractors and hopefully for the suppliers if I'm going to save any of us." "Sorry, Cindy," replied Candy never removing her face from just atop the nipples of Cindy's bare, ripe chest. Candy paused almost imperceptibly in her feasting, and then used her tongue prying it under each of Cindy's double C breasts in rapid order to release them entirely from the low cut lace bra cups, popping out the large beauties from their teased imprisonment. Presented with the melon buffet eyeing her in abundance, the girl brought her lips to the taught right nipple, circled it with her tongue then latched onto it tongue and lips. "Little imp," yelped Candy! "Teeth are crossing the line you phony pouter!" Candy heartlessly fought to remove the girl's attacking head from her chest as the woman to their side tossed back her taller platinum head in laughter which trilled above the bouncing of her remarkable chest. The platinum haired woman was simply astoundingly beautiful and shimmered in an air of subdued authority. Though her laugh was as whispery as Cindy's was soft, there was a wisdom to it that ushered the woman's age into the timeless range. Matching her timeless air was the old-fashioned billowing silk of the woman's black shirtsleeves saddled onto her very low-cut, simple shirt which pulled across professionally sized, but not humongous breasts. The shirt was atop the woman's narrow waist and over longer, creased black leather pants that were belled and slit at the bottom with long, narrow pockets above the slits that exposed spiked black stiletto heeled boots. The slit pockets were not empty. One pocket looked to hold either a black leather sheathed knife or riding crop. The other was possibly a brush or whip handle. The utensils in her pockets were continued in the many pockets of the woman's apron. She wore a much lower-cut black leather butcher's apron with numerous pockets all displaying mostly black leather utensils over her low silk shirt and long leather pants. The effect of the shoulder strap on the apron and its back ties was to create a huge display shelf of the stunning woman's global breasts, just under where her nipples were teasing exposure. Cindy yelped over the exposure and fondling of her breasts by the crunching teen, but did not return the juicy orbs to their lace display case. Instead while the girl furiously sucked and grabbed her breasts, she ripped down the bikini bottom over the brunette's ass dropping it to the just above the girl's knees and began rapidly spanking the teen's bottom. "Oh! Pussy, help," cried Candy as she swiveled to the side unlatching her mouth from Cindy's exposed breasts and backed up against the platinum blonde's body, lodging herself entirely under the beautiful woman's chest. The now exposed girl shouted, "Pussy, she's scarred my booty!" The nude girl then used her position to raise her arms up over and behind her head to feel around the sides of each breast on the tall gorgeous woman and anchor herself just under the shoulder straps. From Pike's position just off the doorway entrance to the kitchen, a keen eye swept over the girl called Candy starting at the floor and moved upward. The first order of attention was the cute teen's athletic legs which displayed taped and skinned knees. Just above them, her thighs spread to halt the red bikini bottom's fall. The lowered bikini bottom hung under her exposed pussy lips which were entirely hairless. Her flat stomach sported a navel ring over pert little breasts. The girl had a mischievous looking face that was sporting the beginnings of a shiner around light brown eyes. "Cindy! Hasn't Candy had enough abuse? Come to Pussy, Little One!" The slightly taller platinum haired woman now positioned her back against the kitchen's center island across from the busy refrigerator and chided down to Cindy, whose mouth was pulled into a laughing smile. The woman called Pussy reached her arms down to embrace the young girl from behind, wrapping her arms just under the girl's breast and placed a quick kiss atop the girl's forehead as Candy continued her Venus pose. "You are such a brat!" Cindy teased at Candy and reached out a hand towards the served up perky little exclamation points on the orbs being cupped by Pussy's crossed hands. Cindy tweaked one nipple before bending to her knees in front of the embraced pair and lowered herself into a squat, putting her at eye-level with the teen's exposed lower lips. "They were love pats you faker. I bet there isn't even a mark." Cindy protested putting a hand on each side of Candy's lower hips and planting an opportune lingering kiss on the girl's exposed offering as she moved to twist Candy's full frontal offering away from Pike's view and towards the kitchen door. "The pool has too much chlorine. Remind me to add more lavender." Cindy remarked after her first kiss and returned for a second, taking further ownership of the girl's swiveling hips. At that moment, the kitchen door burst open carrying in a Latino girl with quick eyes and reddish tones to long, loose, layered hair that partially obscured the badges on a police uniform. "What the hell is this?" The Latino girl demanded from lips that were covered in a highly glossed red lipstick as she dropped her car keys on the island counter. The girl's rapid, angry voice did not match the sparkling smile of her deep brown eyes and high cheekbones titled up to the side in a pleased pause. She used that pause and the momentarily shocked silence to take in the three fondling women. The timeless, authoritarian air commanded her attention first allowing the Latino Cop's eyes to sample the reciprocal embraces of Pussy's warrior breasts toppling over Candy's head and under the platinum beauty's cupped display. Her eyes then traveled down to Cindy's paused lips floating in front of Candy's bare pussy and atop the lowered bikini bottoms. With a quick dart of her eyes, the girl clearly checked out Cindy's exposed double C's and equally overflowing booty before returning back to the tight little red bikini bottom. "Hey, that's mine! I wrote Angela on the tag you thief!" The Cop rushed at the women, untied the bikini side and yanked it away leaving the dark brunette with raised arms, arched and naked for her view. Pussy continued to kiss Candy's forehead and cheeks as Angela's hand softly stroked the bruise on Candy's face and Cindy completed turning Candy's body into Pussy's ribcage. Pussy's hand joined Angela's on Candy's face, but cupped her chin to tilt it towards the beautiful woman's own. "Was it like Jerry did on your eighteenth birthday; or was it your Mom again?" Angela asked as she softly stroked the coming shiner on Candy's face with the back of her long red painted fingernails. "Does it matter? Isn't someone, somewhere always trying to kill one of us?" Pussy stated as she pulled Candy's wounds to her lips, and then traveled her kisses to the teen's lips; stopping only to softly lick them. Using her tongue, she parted the young girl's lips and brought her in to begin a deep, long, extended kiss. Pussy must have offered her tongue to Candy's mouth as the girl's mouth was repeating her hungry, latched sucking. Candy's at first upturned face now tilted to the side in Pike's direction and was pressed into the overflowing breast pillowing her shining cheek by Pussy's searching arms. Pussy's hands pulled at the girl stroking her back with one hand and cupping her breast with the other also for Pike's direct view. When the girl again reached up and around the woman's breast and waist, Pussy nuzzled Candy further into her infinite warmth and began thumbing the teen's nipple. "Candy accused me of scarring her booty for life and I was just going to prove otherwise. I can't have damaged goods on my team OR frauds!" Cindy ignored the heavy breathing above from her squatting position. The grooved stainless steel refrigerator door had successfully grabbed almost all of Cindy's skirt to deposit it at her waist when she dropped to the floor. Angela's eyes stopped to view the one booty in the room that was only slightly less full than her own before squatting to join Candy for inspection. "Where's my hello!" Cindy demanded of the curvy, arriving cop. Angela immediately smiled from her crouched position and buried her face behind Cindy's head, blocking Pike's view but serving up the sounds of deep breathing. What Pike was able to see was that Angela's hands were also saying hello to the double exposure of Cindy's breasts and booty. Angela broke from the assumed kiss to insert her head between Cindy's smile and Candy's booty to devour and linger on the orbs so perfectly served up by the lace underwire of Cindy's exposed bra and ripped open shirt. The deep groan that came from the feasting cop intertwined with Cindy's soft exhale. "These are my favorite end of shift meal!" Angela announced before lowering her head and hand further. "But these are a gourmet dessert!" Pike watched Angela's tongue dart to circle and tease each of Cindy's suspended nipples. As her hands extended their finger, she barred her teeth to inhale the entire buffet. Pike took a moment to find sanity as both Cindy and Candy were writhing under the expert titillation of their breasts and focused stroking by masterful hands. Cindy's body was being pumped higher and higher from the vigorous assault of the Cop's hand and would have shot to standing if her nipples were not locked down into Angela's teeth. Cindy's closed eyes wrenched her head back as the unmistakable sound of an orgasm shuddered from Cindy's crouched and well offered body. Cindy looked down to Angela when breath was restored to her lungs, "hello to you too." She then reached her tongue down to pull Angela into a kiss. When the girl's broke the kiss, Angela's upturned face return with a quizzical look, "you taste like chlorine." Cindy's smile once again turned to the trapped Candy. Cindy ran her hands over Candy's ass before massaging her cheeks then kneading them as if they were bakery dough all while the girl remained pressed into an embrace and kissed and stroked by the stunningly beautiful platinum blonde. Cindy turned her face to Angela whose impish smile was probably returning one equal to Cindy's. "I don't see any marks, do you Angie?" "Hmmm, said Angela as her hands replaced Cindy's on the slightly writhing booty cheeks. "Let me investigate." The Latino girl repeated stroking and kneading Candy's cheeks, but took it a step further as she separated the young cheeks allowing Angela and Cindy to begin shooting a series of heated breaths into the exposed fold. "Hmmm." The groan oozed down to the torturing duo from their trapped toy. "Maybe this will help?" Angela kindly suggested with clear evil intent in her eyes before she and Cindy began sucking on the rounded cups of Candy's exposure. From the sounds of Angela's mouth, it seemed her goal was to replace the flawless skin with marks of her making. "MMMM?" The heightened groan attempted to escape the tantalizing new game. "It is so important to conduct a thorough investigation!" Angela stuck her long tongue out at Cindy and began flicking it up down rapid fire. At Cindy's laughter, Angela's tongue disappeared behind the folds of Cindy's booty cheeks. "MMMMMMMMMMMM?" The pronounced groan escaped from the trapped young teen, followed about ten second later by the sound of a 'thwack,' as Pussy reached down her index finger to smack Cindy's closer head. Angela smiled at her guiltier counterpart and joined her in rising to stand. "Nope, nothing, you didn't leave a single scar." Angela used her voice to punctuate the word scar in a higher tone as the devil in her eye winked at Cindy. Visible to Pike on both cheeks were the marks left by the shared guilt of the girls. One cheek displayed what would soon be a very colorful hickey. The other cheek displayed the unmistakable red of bite marks that would soon indent for the duration. "Maybe this will take?" With that Angela belted hard fast slaps down onto the targets on the girl's exposed cheeks! Candy shot from Pussy's embrace to spin around breathless to grab hold of her own ass cheeks. She looked from Angela to Cindy and back again before rolling her eyes and tilting back her head. She threw her shoulders into a deep arch and shot up and back propelling herself onto the kitchen's center island over spread legs that were adorned with her open pussy lips. Pike's now obstructed view could still see Cindy standing sideways and closest to the hallway. Some of Angela and only the top of Pussy's head were also visible and all heads inspected the exposed pussy. "I don't care what you two do to me, as long as you please take me now. I'm dying. I'm going to explode. You two have had your fun. You owe me! "Oh, damn, I'm going to die!" The pussy was rocking on the counter top. "Oh, please fuck me, please fuck me, pleeaaaassseee?" Cindy looked at the clock atop the distant kitchen door. Her look was captured by Pussy and Angela who also diverted their attention from the pink pussy lips jumping up and down to beg for their attention. Angela's hand reached down to casually pat a few pets on top of the girl's tortured and dancing mound. "Do we have time, Boss?" her head looked to Cindy who was lowering her skirt over her restored green silk thong. Cindy kept her eyes on the clock, but freed a hand to reach towards Candy's begging pussy. Using her index finger in the manner of dialing a rotary phone, she circled up the standing princess of the girl's throbbing pink clit. "It would be tight." A frustrated scream came from out of Pike's view as Cindy's hand returned to begin fastening her shirt and the cunt on the table hopped with the veracity of Mexican jumping beans. Pussy turned to look at the dancing lips begging on the counter, then at Cindy's busy hands. She reached out to insert a hand into the beach blonde's skirt front and yanked her forward. Her eyes paused in command to the startled woman, "not yet." Her graceful hands seized the orbs that were still being served around their small party by the lace under wire bra. She cupped each breast slowly locked into her hands raising them softly to her experienced lips. Her authoritarian air commanded a pause in the room that lowered the eyes demurely in service of both the Cop and the Business Woman. The calm was serviced from the quiet of the rapid disrobing by Angela of her uniform's tie and shirt, leaving it peeled apart still tucked into the belt at her waist. Once Pussy viewed the women's obedience to her calm, she tongued the first nipple with a sweetness that was only matched by the heat of the engulfing milky white drink that followed, four times, gracefully and completely down the line, and all in good time. When her consuming meal was through, Pussy reached out a hand to pat the Business Woman's booty, then the Cop's booty. "Good girls." The statuesque stunning siren then stepped back to appraise her body. She straightened her shirt, pulling the billowing silk of the outstretch arms on her shirtsleeves to order, and then smoothed down her apron. Her hands moved to adjust the again happily protruding, military sized breasts that matched the finesse of her lean waist, giving special attention to the nipples that constantly teased for release from her black leather surprise filled apron. Once pleased with her appearance, she stroked her fingers down through the waves of her platinum hair giving her head a shake. Her last agenda item was to flick a hand forward out from the narrow pocket poised above the long slit of her creased black leather pants to unleash the crack of her whip before returning her eyes expectantly to the Beach Blonde. A barely whispered breath escaped from Cindy demonstrating that the effects of the show were not lost on her either. "You're call; my sovereign Queen." Venturing Onto the Other Side *** Author's Note This is my second time writing gay fiction. This is intended as more of a romantic story; it has to do with German boy helping his Korean friend realize he doesn't have to look to girls for love. There's not really any penetration to speak of, but there's a brief handjob near the end. Please leave any comments or constructive criticism, I love seeing them, even if they're negative. Enjoy! *** Rain drummed on the windows, obscuring the view of the parking lot and the campus beyond. The sheets of falling water allowed nothing but a grayish light into the room. Samuel sighed as he looked out at it, looking back down at the pot of boiling white Alfredo sauce he was cooking. Picking up the frying pan on the next burner, he used a spatula to scoot the seasoned chicken he'd been frying into the sauce. He was nearly done. He looked up at the clock; 6:12. Odd, Theo should have been back by now. His evening class got out at 5:45 today. His roommate must have gotten hung up somewhere. Oh well. He could keep the sauce warm till his roommate arrived. He'd promise Theodore dinner. Though he knew the Korean wasn't picky, he'd rather have something good and fresh waiting. Anyway, this gave him more time to prepare the pasta. Samuel brushed his hair out of his face. It was black, and came down past his chin. The longer bangs framing his face were dyed blue (and, he noted, were due for a re-dying soon) and framed his delicate features and dark green eyes. He put the frying pan into the sink and filled a pot with water, putting it where the pan had been and starting the burner. As it heated, he washed the oily frying pan off and set it in the rack, moving to the pantry to get some- Suddenly, the door of the apartment rattled and then opened. Theo was home. He walked in and looked over with his brown eyes. "Hey, Sam." He said in his deep voice. He didn't sound Asian in the least. Sam detected something in his voice, and in his handsome face...something was wrong. "Hallo, Theo, how do you feel?" Asked Sam. He had a slight German accent. He thought it was kind of funny calling an Asian Theo; but, as did many Korean children, his roommate had both an American and a Korean name. Apparently his parents had been admirers of President Roosevelt. "Ah, I'm okay." He said. "That smells good." He said, giving a smile. "Be back." He said, disappearing into his room, probably to change out of his jeans and polo shirt to the clothes he wore around the apartment. For his own part, Sam was wearing a pair of very short, very tight shorts and a snug white t-shirt. He came back out around the time Sam was draining the pasta, dressed in a pair of baggy sweat shorts and a t-shirt. He was not a stereotypical lithe Asian, he had a pudgy build if anything, but Sam thought it suited him. He smiled up at him. "Hey." "What's good, fag?" He asked, standing next to Sam so he could see what he was cooking. Sam had been friends with Theo for three years now, the two were extremely close. When he called him a fag, it was a term of endearment. "Hopefully whatever it is that I'm cooking." He answered. "It's almost done. I did promise you dinner, didn't I?" "Mm. You did." Rumbled Theo. He sighed and moved to the fridge, opening it. "Hey, Franziskaner! You found some!" He exclaimed. "Where did you find the shit? I couldn't find it fucking anywhere." "Oh, John and I went to the ABC over on 67th. They had them there." He smiled backwards at his roommate as he began to remove plates from the cabinet. "Can you help me with the cups?" He asked. Theo was of average height, but Sam was short. His roommate brushed bodily against his back as he reached up to grab a couple of the cheap blue plastic cups out of the package they'd gotten at Wal-Mart. Sam let out a quiet sigh as his roommate's warm, soft body brushed up against his lithe, trim frame. "What are you drinking?" He asked. "Oh, just the Coke that's in the fridge." Theo opened it. "The box is empty." "How can it be empty? I just bought some." Asked Sam, looking over at him. "Well, give me whatever we have, it's fine." Said the German, smiling. After sorting out the beverage situation, they finally sat down at the small table. "So are you talking about the John you know or my John?" Asked Theo. "Oh god, this is good. Fuck." He said as he tasted the pasta. Sam smiled broadly at him. "I'm happy you like it. I was worried I fucked up the spices." He said. "I was talking about my friend, you know your John is afraid of me." Theo nodded as he sipped from the cup where he'd poured one of the Franziskaner beers Sam had bought him. "Yeah, that's what I was wondering, I mean he keeps up the front, but-" "Ja, like you told me, I think he is...how do you say it, afraid of the gays?" "Homophobic." He sipped the beer again, and sighed. "I'm really glad you found this, I've been looking high and low for this shit, in like twenty places and no one had it." "I know, that's why I grabbed it when I saw it." Sam said, watching Theo for a moment. He nodded. "At least something's going right." He sighed. Sam stared for a moment. Here it was. He leaned a bit closer. "What's wrong?" Theo shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, it's really not that big a deal, just trouble with women, you know. Oh wait, no you don't." Sam sat back and chuckled. "No, I know they are crazy, though." "Yeah, well, I can definitely testify to that." He rumbled, shaking his head, putting his fork down, taking a long swig of his beer. "You know Vanessa? "That girl you were hitting on?" Asked Sam, putting a piece of chicken in his mouth. Theo nodded and took another swig of his drink. "Yeah. Well, you know how we went out the last couple of nights?" Sam shook his head as Theo finished his beer and got up for another. Sam said; "Well, you never said what you did last night, you were in a hurry this morning." "Oh, right. Well." He popped the top off the beer, taking a moment to stare at the monk on the label before coming back. "Anyway, you know, sometimes I go places with her and whatnot." "Ja." Sitting down, he continued. "Well, day before yesterday, you know I went out at like midnight to see a movie at her place." Sam nodded. "Yeah." Theo continued, gesticulating with one hand while pouring his beer. "And, like, I was sitting on her bed with her, at her suggestion. Nothing really happened, but you know, she suggested I sit on her bed because 'It's more comfortable than the floor, Theo.' Then after we went to Jimmy John's, and I came back here. Then yesterday we went to the movies, and the whole time, she's leaning on her armrest in such away that she is kind of...rubbing against me the whole time. And, you know, it seems like something up there, I mean, am I off in interpreting this?" Sam shook his head. "No, it is kind of suspicious." "Right. And I mean, I told you the other stuff she did. Anyway." He sighed. "Today I finally worked up the courage to ask her if she liked me romantically, you know, cause I was convinced she did." "Oh no." Sam said, frowning, knowing where this was headed. "Yeah." Theo slumped. "The thing is, she fucking laughed. Not a little flattered titter, she laughs like its some kind of fucking joke. It really hurt, man. I kept cool though, I just kind of said something and left, I don't remember what I said." Sam frowned. "I'm sorry, Theo. Really, I know you were working yourself up for that. I'm proud of you for stepping in there though, as you'd probably say, stepping into battle." He nodded and sighed. "Thanks. I still feel stupid. I shouldn't have said anything, I don't know if she'll talk to me anymore after this." He shook his head, sighing. They finished eating in silence. Another few minutes later, and they were sitting on the couch, drinking the beer Sam had bought. The rain was still pouring and the twilight was upon the city, the scene outside painted in deep blues, interrupted by the gleaming orange beacons of the streetlamps. They sat there for a while, not saying anything. Finally, Theo broke the silence. "You know." "Hmm?" Sam looked over at him. "I wish girls could just be straightforward and honest. This has happened too many times to me, man, they always lead me on, I don't know why. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. But that doesn't change the fact that they just...I dunno." He shook his head. "I know what you mean, Theo." Sam said, smiling over at him. "I can really understand being gay sometimes." Sam chuckled. "I know, too bad girls make your cock hard." He said. Theo laughed and went silent for a bit, polishing off the last beer. Sam sighed, looking over at him. He really was a good guy. He felt bad for him. Theodore was such a great friend to him, ever since he'd come to the university to study... Looking out the window, he began to ponder something, something he'd wondered about in the past. He was doing well; he had a scholarship, he had good parents, he was doing well in grades. Theo was pulling an A-B average but he was stressed out. The Korean had come into a lot of work lately. He had a scholarship too (which he had almost lost due to the incompetence of the university bureaucracy), though it wasn't as big of one, and had to take a loan for school. He was worried about paying it off when he graduated. But Sam knew the wanted most was someone else. He knew his roommate very, very well. And he wanted to know him better. Should he really try what he was thinking of? It might make things really weird, especially coming off the heels of his drama with the girl. But then again, Theo was just ranting about how he hated dishonesty coming from the girls...maybe he should tell him how he felt? Sam shook his head and looked over at the Korean. He was slightly drunk, he could tell. Would it really be fair to do things in this condition to him? Then again, Theo had said in the past that he never did anything he was against when he was drunk... Sam took a deep breath. He turned to his friend. "Theo." "Hmm?" 'It's tough, isn't it? The girls, I mean." "Got that right." He said, nodding, staring at the empty beer bottle before setting it on the floor by his feet. They didn't have a coffee table. After a moment, Sam spoke up. "Did you ever...think about...taking a different approach? Trying to find love elsewhere?" Sam asked timidly, his accent getting thicker. He fought the urge to shrink away. He didn't want to lose his best friend, but...he had to get it out there... If he wanted dramatic results, he needed to do something dramatic. "Um. What do you mean?" Rumbled Theo, looking over at him. Sam scooted himself closer. "You said girls are all crazy...did you ever think...about...guys?" "What? No." Theo denied quickly and somewhat aggressively. Still, Sam persisted, moving closer to his friend. "Please, just hear me. Those girls only ever hurt you. They just want to bat your heart back and forth like a cat and mouse." Theo was looking at him, studying his face, expressionless. "I won't ever do anything like that to you, I care about you, I want you to be happy. I'm as soft and warm as a girl." Sam said, brow furrowing. "Please. We can be together and be happy, and no dumb girls are going to toy with you or tell you how to be. It'll be how we are now, but deeper, and..." Theo's face was softening somewhat. Perhaps he could sense just how much this meant to him... Sam moved close enough for their bodies to touch. He slid one hand onto Theo's leg. "Please, just...give me a chance to make you happy." Theo looked towards the window, then the floor, and sighed. "I didn't know you felt that way. I... I'd like to....but... my instincts tell me to go after girls, I don't think I can do anything with a guy. I don't know if this will work. We're happy as friends, right?" He said, making eye contact again. Sam smiled at him. "Of course. But...well..." He slid the hand on his roommate's leg further, gripping his cock through his shorts. Theo gasped, surprised. Sam began to slowly rub. He could already feel it swelling... "I can make you feel as good as a girl..." "Ahh..." Theo closed his eyes for a moment, before looking back and opening them. He shook his head. "No, come on, stop..." "Your cock likes it. It's completely hard for me now..." Sam said, smiling. He stopped for a moment, withdrawing his hand...only to slide it under Theo's waistband, into his shorts. He gripped his cock and pressed up against him, talking low into his ear as his soft, delicate hand jerked his friend off. Theo pushed against him. "Oooh...please...please stop it... Sam. I'm not gay." He gasped. "You don't have to be..." He purred, starting to stroke his cock faster. "I just want you to consider us bois too... I know you, Theo, you're a big strong guy, you could throw me off if you wanted to... You like it, don't you..." He leaned in and kissed his friend's neck. Theo outright moaned now. "Mmm, Teddy is enjoying my hand job, isn't he..." Sam said. "Mmm.... No..." "Yes you are..." Breathed Sam, softly biting at his earlobe. "Ahh. Sammy...oh...Sam... mmm...I'm gonna cum..." "Sammy? I like that name..." He chuckled. "Cum for Sammy, come on..." He reached down and gripped the sweat shorts' elastic waistband and pulled it down, exposing the Korean's cock to the air. "Cum for me..." He bent his head down, taking the phallus in his mouth. He was rewarded when he felt a hot jet of thick liquid fill his mouth, a powerful stream hitting the back of his throat. He bobbed his head up and down, sucking on the cock as it spasmed and blew its load into his hot mouth. He moaned around the cock. Then, as it ended, he withdrew his mouth from his friend's penis with a slurp, looking up at him, licking his lips, and swallowing. "Mmm, you taste good, Theo..." The Korean was breathing hard, his chest heaving. "Oh god." He said. "You..." He shook his head. "I've never came so hard..." He closed his eyes. Sammy smiled at him. "I can do this for you more, Theo, please. I can make you cum just as well as any of them. I just hate to see what the girls do to you." He said, kissing Theo's cheek. "Will you give me a chance?" Theo looked over, sighing. Then, he smiled slightly. "You know how I hate being called Teddy?" Sammy nodded, not sure where this was going. "Yeah?" "You can if you want to." He smiled at him. Then, he nodded, moving closer to the German boi. "You're a great friend, I'd love to get closer. I'll give you your chance." "Oh, ist das wundervoll. You won't regret it." He exclaimed, leaning closer, wrapping his arm around Teddy's neck so he could kiss him.