Storiesonline.net ------- Take Me Away by Darkniciad Copyright© 2006 by Darkniciad ------- Description: Arilee (from "Blackhawk Hall") struggles to make it on her own after her parents pass away. A visit from her seafaring true love, Amos, helps take her mind off the disturbing, thinly-veiled advances of the local tax collector. ((Codes are for the entire story)) Codes: MF tears rom cons non-con mag het oral mastrb pett ------- ------- Chapter 1 The sun shining in her window awakened Arilee, and she rose as soon as she was awake enough to realize it was morning. There were dark circles under her bloodshot eyes, and she changed from her nightshirt into a plain blouse and skirt with obvious weariness. The sun was long set when she had lain down the previous night, but she could ill afford to sleep in to make up for the lack of rest that plagued her. She walked over to the mirror and pulled a brush through her disheveled blonde locks. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she realized that she needed a bath almost as much as she needed sleep. There were smudges of soot on her cheeks, in addition to the dull luster of her normally golden hair. Shaking her head, she tied up her hair in a leather thong to keep the shoulder-length tresses from interfering with her work. She then turned away before the weary image looking back at her from the glass pulled her spirits down even more. Leaving her room and walking toward the back door, Ari sighed at the lack of the sounds and smells that were still so much a part of awakening in this house. Her father's voice did not sound from the kitchen, speaking to her mother as she prepared breakfast. Neither did the smell of coffee and sizzling pork waft from the kitchen to draw her from her bed like magic. Although her parents had been gone for two years now, Arilee still keenly felt the pain of their passing. Her father had simply collapsed, with absolutely no warning, shortly after going to open his shop one morning. His heart had failed, and with his passing, her mother's heart had broken. Arilee was convinced that her mother had died more of a broken heart than the sickness that struck her only four months later. Ari had cared for her failing mother for six months, forced to grow up and not only tend to the house and her mother's ill health, but the disposition of her father's business as well. With him gone, there was nobody to acquire the goods or run the shop, and so Arilee had been forced to sell it. She knew that the price paid for the business had been paltry compared to its worth, but she had needed the money, and thus had little choice but to accept the offer. When her mother passed on, Arilee was left alone. Taking in washing, mending, and other small tasks had stretched the money from the sale of her father's business for a time, but that coin was now gone. Thus, she was now dependant upon those domestic tasks to support her. At first, she had found more than enough work to make ends meet, but recent increases in taxes strained her ability to earn enough coin to pay them, and still have enough money for food. Ari sighed and opened the back door, squinting against the bright sunlight outside. When her eyes adjusted, she looked around to make sure that nobody was nearby. The skirt she wore — the only remaining one clean — was far too short for her taste, showing off a long expanse of shapely leg, well above the knee. The blouse was likewise almost too small, and barely contained her firm breasts. The thin material also displayed her small, dark nipples far too prominently for Arilee's sense of propriety. Determining that she was likely the only person awake in the area, she opened the door and stepped outside. A summer breeze washed over Ari as she reached down and picked up a wooden bucket, dipping it into the water barrel next to the door. Sitting it down, she likewise filled a second pail, and then picked them both up with a grunt of exertion. She paused for a moment, drinking in the morning that promised that a hot day lay ahead. She would have liked to watch the world wake up, but she just had too much to do. There was always too much to do. Arilee lugged the heavy buckets of water into the kitchen, and with a sigh of relief, sat them down on the table next to the stove. After stirring up the coals and feeding fuel into the stove, she poured the contents of one bucket into a copper pot sitting atop the slowly heating metal. Knowing the water would take some time to heat up, Ari grabbed the remains of her cold supper from the night before — a quarter loaf of bread and a little cheese — and walked toward the front room of the house. Taking a bite of cheese, and then one of the slightly stale bread, Ari sat down in a chair and picked up a pair of trousers, which were split in the backside, from the basket next to the chair. Selecting a spool of thread similar in color to the trousers, she threaded a needle and settled in to mend while the water heated. ------- It was nearly evening before Arilee completed her work for the day. Though she was exhausted, and still had to attend to her own household chores, she smiled as she counted the coin earned from her hard day's work. It was still not enough to pay her taxes, but she would soon have the money if things kept going as they were. To that end, she was also fortunate, as more of the wealthy townsfolk had dropped off laundry for washing and mending during the day. Her day tomorrow would be just as long and tiring, but should also earn her plenty of coin. A glance into the pot on the stove revealed that the water was boiling, so Arilee hurried to refill the washtub, so that she would have clean clothing of her own to wear in the morning. After filling the tub, she went out and checked on the few things of hers she had washed during the day. Ari smiled when she found that her nightshirt, panties, and modest dress were all dry and ready to wear. Pulling the garments down from the line, she took them back inside. The rest of her clothing would dry on the line strung in the kitchen as she slept tonight. The night would be warm, and there appeared to be no sign of rain, but Arilee could not bear the thought of leaving the rest of her panties hanging outside while she was sleeping and could not watch over them. Her modest wardrobe did not take long to wash, and soon all her things were hanging to dry, save what she was wearing at the moment. As Arilee pulled off her blouse, she winced from a whiff of her own smell that arose when she lifted her arm. My clothes aren't the only thing that will be washed before I leave this house today, she thought, The sweeping will just have to wait. When she finished washing and hanging the final garments, Ari decided that draining the washtub would also have to wait until later. She needed a bath, and she needed one now. Mindful not to touch her bare skin, she picked up a pair of whistling kettles from the stove, and carried them toward the bathroom. Even though thick curtains covered the nearby windows, Arilee made sure to avoid walking in direct view of them. A mischievous breeze could leave her exposed to the world outside, and she felt sure that such would cause her to drop dead of embarrassment on the spot, were it to happen. She hurried down the hall, as fast the weight of the hot kettles in each hand would allow, and into the bathroom. One of the few luxuries her father had purchased, Arilee was glad to have the bathtub. Made of tin, it had a drain hole in the bottom plugged with a large cork, which could be removed to drain the tub without dipping the water out in buckets. The tub was large enough for her to lie back in with her knees bent only slightly, and it was one of the few rewards she could afford these days. Having filled the tub with cool water earlier in the day, she guessed it would take no more than one kettle to bring the now warmed water up to an appropriate temperature. Her guess was confirmed when she swirled her hand in the water after pouring in the first kettle. If anything, the water was almost too warm. Sinking into the tub with a sigh of relief, Arilee dunked her head to wash her hair first, so that it would have some time to dry while she washed the rest of her body. Once she smoothed the water out of her hair, she again picked up the cake of soap, lathering a cloth to scrub her skin. She finished by rising up out of the water to scrub the dark blonde carpet of curls adorning her mound. Her face flushed with color as she felt a rush of heat spread throughout her loins from the touch. She had found little time for such pleasure since Amos last returned to sea, and even the commonplace touching required by washing stoked her inner fires. Amos was one of her oldest playmates, and now he was her first love as well. Arilee shivered and absently pressed her fingers tighter against her nether lips as she thought about him. Her mother had always said he looked like a pirate, with his dark, shoulder-length hair and thick, expressive eyebrows. His mysterious brown eyes never failed to make Ari's heart race whenever she looked into them. The thin mustache and patch of hair on his chin completed the roguishly handsome look. A slight moan escaped Arilee as she thought about his body, leanly muscled and strong, yet able to touch her so softly that her whole body quivered from the feather-light caress. Her fingers stroked her folds as she remembered the first time they had lain together. The house had felt so empty after her mother died, and the time he spent with her, talking while she earned her livelihood, had opened her heart to something she had really always known — she was in love with him. She remembered his desire like electricity in the air, and could see it in his eyes, but he always contained his needs with gentlemanly restraint. After days of torturous desire, Ari had overcome her natural shyness and made the first move, leaning in to kiss his lips. That beautiful spring night, he shared her bed, patiently guiding her and introducing her to the pleasures between man and woman. Ignoring his own burning needs, he had gently brought her to her heights, only then sating his passion in her virgin embrace. Ari's back arched, her body flushing with heat, as her deeply buried fingers reproduced that first orgasm on his wonderful cock. A quavering cry of release bubbled from her lips, turning into a long sigh of satisfaction as the first waves of pleasure slowly ebbed. Collapsing back into the bath water, Arilee quivered as the ripples of ecstasy flowed through her body, her face flushed and decorated with a sweet smile. She wanted to drift there in the afterglow forever, but the steadily chilling water prevented that. She prayed that he would be promoted soon, because she knew that he would never ask for her hand in marriage until he felt he could properly provide for her. He had left town two years ago to join the Royal Navy, visiting whenever he had shore leave. Once he had the rank and pay, they would be married and they would find a home near the sea to raise a family. Arilee sighed, knowing it was all just a dream for now. She needed to get dressed and go get something to eat, because he would be at her door soon. If she couldn't earn enough money in time... Ari's stomach churned at the thought of the alternative. Shaking away the thoughts, Arilee dressed and headed down the street to purchase her meager meal for the evening, which would once again double as breakfast in the morning. ------- Another day passed, and Ari was now a few coins closer to her goal. Once again, she was exhausted after her day's work, but at least she was a little closer to having her tax money. Mrs. Clemmins had even brought her some dumplings and an apple pie, so she wouldn't have to go out to get her supper tonight. Her full tummy wasn't helping her stay awake, but she knew she still needed to finish a few things before going to bed. Rising wearily from her chair, Ari walked out the back door to pull down the last of the clothes from the line, after which she planned to get in bed early for once. Setting down the wicker basket, Arilee pulled the clothespins from a pair of thin, lacy panties. Holding the provocative undergarments provoked a flush of heat in Arilee's cheeks. An image of the beautiful woman who owned them flashed through her mind, and Ari's blush deepened. She quickly shook the thought out of her head and started to fold the panties. "Those are nice. Yours?" Ari let out a little yelp surprise and stumbled through the veil of clothes on the line, spinning to face the voice that had emerged from right behind her. The fright sent adrenaline rushing through her body, making her feel as though she were about to burst from the pressure. Through the shifting cloth, Arilee recognized Mazzar, the tax collector. Peeking between the clothes on the line at her, Mazzar squinted his deep-set eyes and chuckled, "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. I just came by to remind you that your taxes are almost due, and couldn't help but mention those. I bet you could stop a man's heart wearing them, and nothing else." Her skin crawling, Arilee did her best not to look directly at the rotund man, and tried to ignore the smell of stale beer on his breath that was nearly overpowering, even across the distance between them. "It's okay, Sir, I was just startled. I'll have the money on time, Sir." Staring at her breasts with a lecherous smile that he made no attempt to hide, Mazzar responded, "Well, if you have any trouble, don't forget that we can work..." He paused for a moment and his smile spread even wider, "... something out." "Yes, Sir," Arilee muttered, keeping her eyes turned away from him. Chuckling, he turned to leave and said, "I'll see you in three days, then." She stayed behind the curtain of clothing until he was well out of sight, her stomach churning. The thought of the alternative payment he had suggested nauseated Arilee. Rumors circulated amongst the young women of the area, and the thought of being on her knees nude in front of Mazzar, paying her taxes with her mouth, was almost too much to bear. Ari quickly pulled down the clothing from the line, deciding to fold it in the house. Back inside the safe confines of her home, the fear and revulsion calmed enough for Ari to remember that she would easily have the money in time, if things continued as they were. If as many people brought her washing and mending tomorrow as they had dropped off today, she would have enough money a day early. That calming thought cheered her, prompting her to hum a love song as she worked. Finishing, she looked at the fading, crimson light streaming through her curtains. She was done, and it wasn't even dark yet. For the first time in many weeks, she was going to get a full night's sleep. A knock on the door startled Ari, jarring her back to the encounter with Mazzar. Once again, her heart raced from fright. When a second knock sounded, though, her eyes opened wide. She recognized the knock — two slow raps followed by three quicker ones. Euphoria bubbled up inside her, as Ari hurried to the door and flung it open. Amos was smiling just as brightly as Ari when she saw him, and her smile only grew wider when he said, "Hello, my angel." "Amos!" Ari exclaimed, as she wrapped her arms around him. She held him close for a long time, as if letting him go would cause him to dissolve into a dream. His arms wrapped around her too, and he stroked her hair as she leaned against his strong chest. Eventually, Arilee looked up at him and they kissed. Her toes curled in her shoes, tingles running up and down her spine, and her skin came alive with a pleasant chill she had not felt in a long time. When their lips parted, she leaned back and smiled. After a moment, her eyes opened wide and she covered her face, "Oh, don't look at me, I must look terrible!" Amos pulled her hands down gently and said, "You are the most welcome, beautiful, and incredible sight I've ever laid eyes on, Angel." Arilee blushed, glancing down demurely, after seeing the adoration in his eyes and knowing that every single word came directly from his heart. "But I'm all dirty and my eyes must look dreadful." "I'm not exactly a bed of roses, Ari, I just walked into town. I came straight here as soon as I got paid by the caravan I guarded on the way here." Ari sniffed and chuckled, "You do need a bath. Why didn't you let me know you had leave?" "We're putting on a show, Angel. I don't mind, but..." Ari's cheeks flooded with color again, "Oh dear, come in." When she closed the door, she turned back to Amos and said, "I'm so embarrassed, I can't believe I was behaving like that with the door wide open." "I missed you too, Ari, people will understand. I didn't write to let you know I had leave because I wanted to surprise you. I only have a few days, but I want to spend them all with you." He took her hand then, and kissed it while looking lovingly into her eyes. "I'm so happy to see you. I hope you don't mind me working while you're here, my taxes are due in a few days, and I don't quite have the money yet." "I have another surprise for you too, Angel." Amos reached into the bag hanging from his shoulder and withdrew a small cloth pouch, which he then handed to Arilee with a smile. Her eyes opened wide when she heard the clink of coins and felt the weight of the pouch in her hand. Pulling open the top, she saw the copper and silver coins within — many of them. Arilee asked, "Amos, what's this?" "That's your tax money, so we can spend our time together. You'll already have almost all of it for next time then too, with what you've already made." Hugging him tight, astounded by what he had just given her, Ari asked, "But how?" Amos chuckled, "I don't spend my money carousing in foreign ports every time we touch land. I eat in the galley, even when we're in port, and I sleep in my berth. The Captain is glad to have me around, because even in port, there are things that need doing, and I'm usually the only one sober enough to do anything. That's why I'm getting promoted to lead the night watch as soon as Jacoby retires in six months." The smile that brightened Ari's face then outshone the now departed sun, "You're going to be promoted? Oh, that's wonderful, Amos!" "I already do the job, really, but Jacoby has earned the right to the job for as long as he wants it. He's just getting up there in years. I can't sense the weather like he can, anyway, so he still does us a lot of good out there on deck at night." Pulling away from him, Ari wrinkled her nose a little bit and laughed, "You really do need a bath." His voice dropping slightly in pitch and volume, he asked, "Would you like to share one with me, Angel?" A shudder ran down her spine as Ari nodded in answer to his question. Amos took her hand and led her to the kitchen, telling her, "We'll put the water on to boil, and I have more presents for you while we wait. I bought some treats, nuts and dried fruits, that I know you're going to love." "Not as much as I love you," Ari breathed softly in response. "I love you too, Ari. You put the water on, and as soon as I've given you your present, I'll go fill the tub." Ari was as anxious to sink into the warm water with her love as she had ever been about anything else in her life. ------- The flush of anticipation in Arilee surged to a fever-like heat as Amos led her to the bath. When they reached the edge of the steaming tub, he pulled her close and kissed her deeply, the entire world around Ari vanishing into a single point where their lips met. When at last they broke from the kiss, Ari reached down to free the tail of his shirt from the waistband of his pants, sliding the material up slowly over Amos' muscled torso. Her fingers grazed across his skin, and she pulled in deep breaths, seeing even more definition in his gorgeous body than the last time he had visited. He raised his arms over his head to allow her to pull the shirt off, and then let it fall negligently to the floor. Her hands went to his smooth chest, decorated with only a triangle of hair between the rock-hard pectoral muscles, feeling the warmth and strength beneath her fingers. Amos reached beneath Ari's hands and started unfastening buttons on her blouse, his breathing increasing with every button that opened to reveal the soft, flushed skin beneath the cloth. When the final button was at last free, Amos reached under the cloth to cup Ari's breasts in his strong hands. Her nipples — hard from anticipation and arousal — pressed against his palms. He slid his hands down her body, drawing a gasp from Ari as she shrugged her blouse off to let it pool to the floor behind her. His fingers slipped between her skin and the concealing cloth, pulling it downward. Ari shivered as a rush of tingles spread through her sex, wetness welling up from deep within her, calling for his cock to be inside her. Beneath the pants, which felt far too tight to him now, Amos' manhood throbbed as he revealed the plain cotton panties Ari wore beneath her skirt. A stronger throb shot through his member when he saw the slight spot of wetness on the cloth, centered over the silhouette of the hair beneath. Again, Ari gasped as her skirt fell to the floor and Amos' gripped her panties between his fingers, pulling them down as well. She shuddered as the cloth slid over her, revealing her mound, and pulled her legs together to allow the soft fabric to fall to her ankles. Amos' breathing was husky, his eyes filled with both desire and love, and Ari's eyes lingered on his for a few moments before falling lower. As soon as her eyes fell upon the outline of his cock, her hand reached of its own violation toward the enticing silhouette. She traced the outline of his manhood with her fingertip before pulling down the concealing cloth to reveal him. When his pants fell to his ankles, Ari reached out again to touch him, feeling him throb against her palm, and letting her fingers just tickle the dark hairs on the orbs below his hard shaft. Stepping out of his pants, Amos took Ari's hand and pulled her toward the tub, admiring the play of her muscles as she sank into the water. He then guided her to move to one end, sliding in behind her. Ari's eyes rolled up to vanish behind their half-closed lids when she felt the tip of his erection brushing against her beneath the water, and she sighed in contentment as he poured water into her hair to wet it. The warm streams of water ran down Ari's body until her hair was soaked, and then Amos picked up the soap. His fingertips intimately massaged her scalp as he washed her golden tresses, causing Ari to drift off into an almost dreamlike state. She was sorry for it to end when he poured water to rinse away the lather. Once he finished rinsing her hair, Ari looked back over her shoulder at her smiling lover, "Let me wash yours for you." Amos nodded and rose up in the water, turning around. As she spun around to face him, Ari had to exercise a great deal of restraint not to reach out for his cock when it rose from the water directly in front of her. Ari washed Amos' long, dark hair with the same intimate care that he had shown her. He let out a little groan and said, "That feels so good Ari, I love the way the touch of your hands makes me feel." As she leaned forward a bit to pull his bangs up and wash them, her turgid nipples brushed against his back. That drew an even louder groan from him, "And that nearly stole my breath." Ari giggled quietly and leaned down to kiss his neck before she continued to wash his hair. As soon as she finished rinsing it, she reached out for a washcloth. Lathering it with soap, she washed Amos' back with slow, careful strokes, his muscles quivering from her touch. When she rinsed the soap away, Amos spun around in the tub with as much grace as he could master in the confined space. Washing the rest of his body, staring into his deep brown eyes the whole time, Ari finished by lingering for a moment on the turgid flesh of his manhood, again nearly succumbing to her desire to have it deep inside her. Amos took the cloth from her trembling hand, smiling and reaching for the cake of soap. He guided her gently to turn in the tub, washing her back as she had for him. Ari's breathing quickened, her body trembling from the caress of his hands on her skin. He reached around her, drawing the washcloth over her tummy while leaning in close to her, his hot breath sending waves of delightful chills through her body as it kissed her skin. Heat surged through Ari's loins as Amos' arm wrapped around her waist, and he kissed her neck at the same time. His other hand moved upward slowly from her tummy, eventually reaching her breasts. The soft, lathered cloth slid over the firm globes, teasing her nipples and causing Ari to lean back against him, her strength draining from her in a long, content sigh. When the cloth slid lower, across her tummy again, Arilee gasped and stiffened in anticipation. When it touched the curly hair on her mound, her back arched, and she reached up to cup her breasts against the ache swelling within them, and the almost painful sting of her erect nipples. The cloth teased over her, just tickling her folds beneath their concealing curtain of blonde adornment. Ari's hips moved beneath his hand, her body begging for more. The cloth fell away, floating to the surface and drifting languidly away, as Amos obliged her obvious desire. He pressed his hand against her, moving it slowly back and forth over her folds. He kissed her neck again, sighs of pleasure present in each hot breath before the next kiss. One finger teased through the protective curls, sliding into the wet heat beyond. Arilee whimpered, her legs parting slightly, her eyes closing tight, and her intimate muscles clamping down tight on his questing finger. A second finger joined the first, increasing the delightful feeling of fullness within her, even as his other hand slid down to circle lightly over her hood. Her breath coming in quick gasps, Ari quickly climbed her mountain of pleasure under his touch, "Oh, Amos, I love you. That feels so good. It has been so long," she whispered, and then cried out as a stronger jolt of pleasure rocked her body. Amos placed a final kiss on her shoulder and whispered huskily into her ear, "I dream of you Ari, lying in my berth at night while the rest of the crew is seeking comfort in the arms of any woman who will have them. I can see your smile, smell your scent, feel you quivering, but it is nothing compared to having you in my arms." A warbling cry of pleasure erupted from Arilee as her body came to life with tingling heat from his words and stroking fingers, "Oh, Amos, I'm so close. I'm... I..." Her orgasm sprang into being and cut off her words, a long scream of pleasure erupting from her as the heat in her loins grew to almost scorching intensity around Amos' fingers. Ari grasped her breasts, her head lashing from the waves of ecstasy, as she soared ever higher on the wings of her climax. Amos sighed contentedly as Arilee sank into his arms, all her strength expended. His fingers were still squeezed tight in her embrace, the warmth surrounding them causing his cock to throb with painful jealousy. He ignored it, just absorbing every quiver of pleasure running through his love's body as she settled down from her peak. Every moment he was with her, he marveled that they had denied what was between them for so long, and he had every intention of making up for lost time. Arilee lay against her man, lost in a dreamlike state that was only broken by the occasional electric tingle of her slowly subsiding orgasm. He knew her heart — and her body — so well that even the slightest touch from him swelled her full of love and ecstasy. For the moment, all she could manage was to try and stay awake, lost in her afterglow and the touch of his hands. For the first time in many months, all was right in the world. ------- Chapter 2 The bright morning sun awakened Arilee once again, but this time the sun's brilliance was matched by both her smile, and the glint in her eyes. She lay with her head on Amos' chest, his skin warm against her cheek, still lost in the afterglow of their lovemaking the night before. Ari rose carefully to avoid waking Amos, climbing out of bed and stretching her arms above her head. Scattered on the floor at her feet were most of the bedclothes, victims of the passion she had shared with her love after so many months of being apart. Amos admired the play of the muscles in Arilee's body as she stretched, her taut bottom flexed even tighter and her breasts held high by upraised arms. His cock twitched and tingled as he drank in the sight of her, blood swelling the organ to hardness as it did any time he looked at her. "Good morning, my beautiful Angel," he said and then yawned. Arilee yelped in surprise and quickly squatted to the floor, picking up a sheet to hide her nudity. Her face burned, and Amos chuckled softly seeing the flush of color in her cheeks as she fumbled to cover her body with the sheet. "Come back to bed, Ari, you don't have to get up and slave away for others today, you have your tax money." Seeing the sheet that covered Amos' loins rising in an ever-larger tent, Arilee wanted nothing more than to slide back in the bed and continue where they had left off upon falling into spent slumber. She felt wetness gathering between her own legs, but she knew that she still had work to do. Her face warmed in embarrassment again when she realized she was staring at his cock beneath the sheet. She cast her eyes downward for a moment before looking back up at him and saying, "I have washing and mending waiting for me, though. I have to keep my promises, and if I stop my work, people will find others to do it. I'll have taxes to pay again next year." Amos sighed, "You're right, of course. Only a while longer, though. I'll help you where I can, if you don't think I'll just be in the way." Arilee's spirits soared, knowing what lay behind his words — the proposal of marriage that would come when he felt he could provide for her properly. "Of course you can help, I'd like that." He smiled and tossed the coverings aside, sliding his legs over the edge of the bed, and rising with a grunt of exertion. Ari's eyes were immediately drawn to his manhood, erect and throbbing between his legs. Unable to tear her eyes away, she asked, "Do I really arouse you so much?" Amos stood and walked to her, kissing her softly. Arilee shivered and released the sheet she held around her to fall with a whisper of cloth at her feet. Her arms wrapped around him as he kissed her, her whole world centered in the point where their lips met. "Of course, my Angel, and not just that either. I love just being with you," he replied when they parted from the kiss. "I love you, Amos." "I love you too, Arilee." Ari's eyes again fell on his cock, so close to her and so gorgeous. "I'm sorry I teased you, standing around with no clothes on." He chuckled, "It's okay, but you still are." Only then did Arilee realize she had let go of the sheet and stood nude before him yet again. She reached down and traced her fingertips over his cock, whispering, "I guess if you're going to help me with my work, it won't take so long today." Amos shuddered from her touch, his hands sliding lower to caress the firm cheeks of her bottom. Her hand wrapped around him, sending a jolt of pleasure through his body and a shiver through hers. With a grunt of exertion, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed, stumbling slightly as she kissed him in heated passion. He sat her down on the bed, and Ari reached out almost immediately to wrap her hand around his erect organ again. She tugged gently, pulling him closer to her, and then leaned down while licking her lips. Amos gasped as her lips wrapped around the head of his cock, her tongue swirling over the swollen flesh before her lips slid lower, engulfing more of him in her mouth. Only a year or so ago, Arilee would have never even considered taking a man in her mouth. Her mother's 'talk' about the subject of sex had been primarily admonitions against it, and Ari's natural shyness prevented her from listening to the exploits of her friends long without becoming embarrassed. She had known nothing about giving or receiving pleasure this way, until Amos has surprised her by sliding his tongue between her legs instead of his cock the first time they made love. Now she delighted in the feeling of him throbbing against her tongue, and the tingling rush of saliva flooding her mouth whenever a flavorful drop of pre-cum seeped from him, because of her ministrations. She stroked him in her mouth, one hand wrapped around the base of his shaft, and the other slipping between her own legs to help dull the ache there. Amos laid his hands on Ari's back, gasping and grunting in pleasure as he watched her golden hair flashing in the morning sunlight. She could sense he was approaching his peak, and increased her pace to match his mounting pleasure. "Gods, Angel, that feels so good," he grunted. Ari moaned around him, knowing he was close. She pushed two fingers into her heat, anticipation of his hot cream filling her mouth sending aching waves of need through her. His fingers pressed tighter on her back as his body stiffened, and then Ari let out a delighted sound of satisfaction as he pulsed and flooded her mouth with the reward for her efforts. She moaned around him as the thick spurts filled her mouth, stroking his slick flesh with her hand and suckling hard on the tip until he had no more to offer. Amos gasped and panted for breath, his legs losing some of their strength from the intensity of the pleasure she was giving him. Ari released him with a final kiss on the tip of his cock, and Amos fell to the bed with a loud gasp. He rolled over sucking in deep breaths and twitching with each throb of his slowly softening cock. He closed his eyes as he tried to catch his breath, and when he opened them, he saw his love smiling at him, her fingers slowly stroking her own need. Groaning in response to the sight, Amos reached out and grasped her free hand. She let out a gasp of anticipation and slid her fingers from inside her as he guided her to straddle his face. As soon as she was within reach, his tongue washed over her hot flesh in a slippery caress. Ari moaned and brought her fingers to her mouth, sucking her juices from them. Her cheeks warmed as she thought about how much she enjoyed the taste, bittersweet and intoxicating. Every time she tasted her own wetness, flashes of thought about tasting another woman this way always crept into her mind. Those disturbing thoughts evaporated almost instantly from the pleasure of Amos' lips and tongue tantalizing her. Amos grasped her bottom as Ari rocked her hips gently against him, his senses filled with her taste and heady scent. He lapped her hungrily, eager for the rush of juices that would wash over his tongue when she reached her peak. "Oh, yes, Amos. Don't stop," Arilee gasped as her pleasure mounted. His lips locked around her clit then, and she squealed as her whole body came to life from the touch. Every pore felt as though it were welling up with heat, her muscles contracted tightly, and when they released, so did she, crying out in ecstasy as she exploded into orgasm. Amos continued to lap for his reward until Arilee pulled away from him with a pained yelp, unable to endure another jolt of pleasure. After a few moments to regulate her breathing, she leaned down and kissed him, again tasting her wetness on his lips. They lay holding each other for a time, and then Amos smiled at her and said, "I think we probably both could use some washing." Arilee let out a little laugh and responded, "Not together, though, or we'll never get anything done today." Amos laughed as well, "I suppose you're right. I'll go wash up first and get the tub ready, and then I'll go get us something to break our fast while you're bathing." "You're so thoughtful," Arilee sighed, and then kissed him again. She felt his cock throbbing against her leg and pulled from the kiss, "Now stop that," she said playfully. "I can't help it," Amos responded with a sly grin as his love climbed out of the bed, wrapping the sheet around her as she rose. "The quicker we're done with my work, the more time we'll be able to spend together later," Ari noted suggestively, looking over her shoulder at him. Amos rose quickly from the bed upon hearing that. ------- Amos proved to be of more help than Arilee would have ever anticipated. His time in the Royal Navy had given him little choice but to become competent at washing his own clothing, and thus Ari was able to concentrate on the mending. It was only mid-afternoon when they hung Ari's own clothing, always the last to be washed, on the line to dry in the summer breezes. They then enjoyed a rare treat for them both, taking their evening meal early at the local inn. The cook the inn employed enjoyed a fair amount of local renown, and the couple agreed that it was well deserved as they sat sipping wine after eating. They left the inn with their bellies full and feeling just a bit light-headed from the wine. Amos retrieved a waxed parchment bundle from his kit when they returned home, and Arilee clapped her hands in anticipation upon seeing it. Amos drew pictures, very good ones, of the places his ship stopped during voyages, and looking at them was yet another high point of his visits home for Arilee. She was not the only one who appreciated the drawings either. The ones he had given her on previous visits rested in an ornate wooden box, given to her as payment to Amos for one of them by the town's woodworker. Ari blushed a little whenever she thought about that, because the bare-breasted mermaid in that drawing bore a strong resemblance to her. Ari's brow furrowed slightly as she looked at the last picture. She pulled out a pair of the drawings and set them side by side on the table in front of her, and then looked over at Amos. "There's one thing I don't understand. You said this one is a rich merchant's pleasure ship, right?" Amos nodded to indicate she was correct. "And this one is a fishing boat?" "One of the biggest and fastest I've ever seen," Amos responded. "If the people are drawn the right size, and I know they are, then the fishing boat is bigger than the merchant ship. So why is the fishing boat just a boat?" Amos opened his mouth to reply, but then his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed exactly as Arilee's had done a few moments before. He let out a booming laugh and replied, "You know, I don't have any idea. It doesn't make much sense, does it? I've never even thought about it until now." He laughed again and continued, "It confused me a bit when I first went to sea too, but I've just never questioned why something that floats is called a boat or a ship. Once I learned what everyone else called them, that's what I called them too. Maybe it has something to do with humility. A merchant wouldn't stand to have his ship called a boat, but fishermen are mostly a humble sort." Ari smiled and said, "I think that's it. We would call a rake or a hoe a tool, but the merchant selling them will call them something silly like farming implements." Amos put his hand on a second bundle he had pulled from his kit with the first, a slightly worried look crossing his face. "I sort of tried something. Tell me if you like it, and be honest?" Arilee's smile broadened and she replied, "Of course, let me see!" He untied the bundle with some obvious hesitation, and then handed it to Arilee unopened, "Please, be honest. If it isn't any good, tell me." "Oh, you're so silly Amos," Arilee laughed as she pulled open the waxed parchment, "Of course I'll..." Ari trailed off in stunned surprise when she saw what the plain wrapping had hidden. It was a small portrait of her, perfect in every detail, her eyes cast downward demurely and a shy smile on her face. Since he had been gone for months, the detail of the picture spoke volumes about how often Amos thought of her when he was away. Only someone who thought about her nearly every waking moment of every day could have kept her face so perfectly etched in his memory. Tears welling up in her eyes, Arilee threw her arms around Amos' neck, leaning her head on his shoulder, and sobbed out, "Oh, it's so beautiful. I love it, and I love you!" Her reaction surprised Amos, but it was certainly pleasing as well, "You really like it that much?" Ari leaned back and looked into his eyes with a nod, and then leaned forward to kiss him. When they broke from the kiss, Arilee sighed and said, "Your kisses just take me away from everything. I forget all about dirty laundry and tax collectors when I kiss you." Amos kissed her again before saying, "One day I'll take you away from it for real too. You'll get to see all the places I draw." "I'd like that," Ari whispered huskily, her passions rising. They kissed again, and soon he was carrying her to the bed once more. ------- The next day's work again done early, Arilee and Amos sat close to each other, sipping some of the finest coffee Ari had ever tasted — the beans from a faraway land where they were grown high in the mountains. "I can't believe you'll have to go the day after tomorrow. It seems like you only just got here," Ari sighed. Amos echoed her sadness when he replied, "I know. I wish I could stay longer, but the pirates out of Draxnog are just on a rampage. We wouldn't have time for leave at all if the Royal Raptor hadn't launched. One more fast battleship in the fleet takes a little pressure off the rest of us, but only a little." "It scares me that you're out there fighting pirates," Ari said with a shudder and a frown. Amos smiled to reassure her and responded, "We don't really fight them that often. They know they're no match for us, so they usually just run up a white flag or put on all the canvas they can and try to run. Some of them will fight when we're pulling them out of the sea as their ship sinks, but most have the good sense to know that only gets them drowned. Most only get jail time, and they know that's far kinder than what they'll get at home for getting sunk. Draxnog likes to make examples of pirates that have misfortune." "It's hard to believe that such a cruel man ruled here not so long ago." "He didn't pay much attention to Egoria, all he wanted was the taxes and the mines, and to enslave the plainsfolk. Those people aren't so bad, really. We've got one on the ship who acts as our lookout. He's got sharper eyes than an eagle, can hit one flying with a bowshot, and he's like a demon in close quarters fighting." Ari wrapped one arm around her and shivered, "Those people frighten me. They always look like they're angry, they paint their faces into scary masks, and they barely wear any clothes." Amos laid his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture, "They just have customs we think are strange, and don't have much reason to trust us palefaces. Enough talk about pirates and plainsmen, I don't like seeing you frown." Smiling mischievously, Ari suggested, "You could try kissing me." Amos laughed and did exactly that, nearly causing them both to spill their coffee in the process. A knock on the door startled them just as their lips parted. Amos asked, "Do you want me to get it? I know I like the short skirt on you, but I'm not sure you want to show that much leg to just anyone coming to the door." Letting out a little laugh and blushing, Arilee nodded to indicate that he should. Amos walked over to the door and opened it, making sure that Arilee could not be seen by whoever was outside. He asked the rotund man standing on the other side of the portal, "Can I help you?" Mazzar looked surprised, and more than a little nervous as he stammered, "Uhm... I simply wished to remind young Arilee that her taxes are due tomorrow. I wouldn't want her to forget." With a cheery smile, Amos said, "We can take care of that right now and save you a trip tomorrow. Wait one moment, and I'll have the money for you." Closing the door in the taxman's face, Amos smiled at the again frowning Arilee and went to her room to collect the coin from where it was hidden. Seeing Arilee still frowning and looking at the door with barely masked trepidation, Amos walked over and kissed her on the forehead. "Are you alright?" Arilee nodded and replied, "That man just... He's disturbing." She couldn't bring herself to mention the rumors about the alternatives he offered to those women who couldn't afford to pay their taxes in coin. Kissing her again, Amos winked and said, "Well, you won't have to see him for another year now. Maybe not ever again if things work out right." He then walked back over to the door and opened it. "Here you are, Sir. Do feel free to count it, if you wish." Staring at the bag in his hand with pursed lips, Mazzar said, "That won't be necessary, I trust. Good evening." "You're welcome, and good evening to you too," Amos replied as he shut the door. Walking back over to Ari, he fanned his hand in front of his face and remarked, "I don't think I've smelled the reek of beer on someone's breath so strong in my life before, and my mates do their fair share of drinking whenever we make port." "I'm glad you were here to give it to him. Now I won't have to see him at all." Grinning, Amos said, "Forget about the tubby taxman with his foul, stale beer breath. Where were we? I think I remember." He kissed her, and Arilee melted into his arms with a content sigh. ------- Mazzar sat in a chair that creaked alarmingly under his weight, staring at the bag on his kitchen table, which was covered in the remains of several day's meals. A large, foaming tankard of cheap beer sat next to the bag, the brew untouched. Every coin was there. Despite his words, he had counted it only moments after having the door shut in his face. The amount actually due for the taxes, the additional coin he always added for his own profit, and even the extra charge he thought would surely be impossible for the blonde woman to possibly attain were all there. Somehow, she had found the coin to ruin his carefully laid plan. He knew he should be satisfied. The additional coin would buy a lot of beer, or even a good whore somewhere in a real city. He could have a good-looking woman who knew how to act like she was enjoying his rut for once. He should be satisfied. He wasn't. She was the perfect opportunity. Her parents were dead, she had no other family to speak of in the area, and she was shy enough that he doubted she would ever consider talking to another person about anything even remotely private. For the last two weeks, his every thought was turned in anticipation to the moment when he went to her door, late in the evening of course, to hear her say she didn't have the coin to pay her taxes. He knew she would have done anything to avoid losing her home. How many times he had daydreamed of her golden hair flashing as she knelt on the floor in front of him, her mouth wrapped around his cock, and his hands full of her firm tits. Staring at the pouch of coin now, he could almost hear the sounds of her coughing and choking as he fisted his hands in her hair and spewed his seed down her throat. He wouldn't have stopped there, not with her. She would never talk, and she would have done anything to keep her home, he just knew it. He could have shoved her down on her own bed and jammed his face between those smooth, perfect thighs. He knew she would have tasted like the sweetest wine, her young cunt so tight and pink. Would she have just lain there? Would she have sobbed, perhaps? Maybe she would have even liked it. Then he would have had her lick his prick until it was hard again. As soon as her tongue aroused him, he would have claimed the ultimate prize, shoving his dick into that tight, hot little pussy of hers. He throbbed now as he imagined her tits bouncing from every thrust until he felt his seed boiling up again. Then he would have pulled out of that sweet little twat and made her swallow him again. His daydream faded, replaced by the bag and the soiled table once more. She had earned the coin. Who in the fuck was that man? Mazzar thought that the man who had answered the door and paid him looked familiar, but just couldn't place him. Growling, he picked up his tankard and took a long drink, dribbling the amber liquid down his chin. Even if she had not earned the coin, that man would have foiled his plans. The fates were conspiring against him, obviously. All he asked for was a little profit from his work and a little young flesh every so often. Was that too much to ask? His job was trying, listening to widows weep and old men snivel, begging for just a few more days when he knew they would never have enough coin, no matter how long he gave them. Was it not a kindness for him to give those young things an alternative to losing all they had? It took only a few minutes out of their day, and saved them for another year. The fates were cruel and unjust, that was the only explanation. Taking another long pull of his beer, Mazzar sat back heavily in his protesting chair. He could not fathom how the woman had earned so much coin just washing and mending clothes. Surely, people didn't pay her that much for such meaningless women's work. Mazzar's eyes widened and a devilish smile spread across his face. Meaningless women's work, that was the key. Perhaps all was not yet lost. He might yet defy the fickle fates and have what he was due in firm female flesh. Then his eyes narrowed and his teeth clenched. There was still that man who had answered the door. As long as he was in the way, it was meaningless to act upon the flash of brilliant inspiration that had just come over him. Draining the dregs of his beer, Mazzar rose to refill the tankard, determined to find out who that man was, and how to get him out of the way. ------- The knock sounding on the door caused both Amos and Ari to let out simultaneous sighs of irritation as they broke from an impassioned kiss. Amos' shirt was partially unbuttoned, Arilee's skirt bunched up to the point it nearly revealed her panties, and her hair was more than a little mussed. "Maybe if we're really quiet and pretend we aren't here, they'll go away," Amos whispered. Ari chuckled quietly into her hand, but shook her head and said, "No, that's just too impolite." Amos buttoned up his shirt while rolling his eyes. A second knock on the door prompted him to hurry, and he leaned down to kiss Arilee. His face broke out into a wide grin when he whispered, "Interrupting someone when they're busy is rude too." Ari smiled back and said, "Only when you know you're interrupting. Now, go answer the door." "Yes, Angel," Amos chuckled and went to the door. "You're not exactly who I expected to open the door, Amos," said a woman's voice when he opened the door. Ari jumped up, running to the door and calling out, "Lil?!" "Ari!" Lillian responded, holding out her arms wide. Arilee immediately stepped around Amos and hugged the other woman, both of them laughing all the while. When they stood back, hints of a smile twitched her lips, "You look a little mussed, Ari, I'm not interrupting something, am I?" Ari's face immediately lit up bright red, and that was answer enough for Lillian, who had known the couple all their lives. "Stop being naughty," Arilee scolded, "It's been too long, I've missed you so much!" "It's been longer for me," Amos agreed. Arilee stepped out of the way and said, "Come in, Lil. When did you get back?" Lillian walked in and Amos closed the door behind her. Arilee led her friend to the couch as Lil answered, "A few hours ago. I came to see Mom and Dad, and they've stolen my children with sweets and hugs, so I have some time to myself." Amos asked, "How old are they?" "Two and three," Lillian answered, "So how is the sea treating you?" "She's a fine lady, but no match for my Angel," Amos replied. Arilee blushed again and smiled at her love. She then turned back to Lil and asked, "Where's James?" Lillian sat down and said, "He's off taking advantage of the new trade opportunities that are springing up everywhere. He has some contacts with the Dwarves and Elves that look promising. That's why I came for a visit. The house just feels empty without him." "It's so good to see you. I've missed you so much. I'm sorry I didn't write more." Ari said, and hugged her friend again. "I should have wrote more too. Are you sure you two don't want to be alone? You still have a button undone, Amos," Lillian noted mischievously. Amos cleared his throat and rehooked the button, while Ari leaned in and whispered to Lil, "We have all night." "Mmm, that sounds like fun," Lillian whispered back. Amos tapped them both on the shoulder and said, "Uhmm, I'm still here!" Both women laughed, and Lillian stuck her tongue out at Amos before saying, "I have a lot to tell you, and I know you have a lot to tell me. I'll have to get back to Mom's in a couple of hours, and then the two of you can pick up where you left off." Amos sat down with a laugh and put his arm around his blushing love. ------- Chapter 3 Lil stayed for quite a bit longer than just the couple of hours she originally planned, the three friends having entirely too much fun catching up and reminiscing about old times. When Lillian wearily wandered home, it was all Ari and Amos could do to crawl into bed. When the sun rose in the morning, Amos got up from the bed and hung a sheet over the window, blocking out the light, and immediately crawled back into bed. Arilee laughed quietly, but leaned up against her man and drifted back off to sleep too. With his help, she would able to finish her work quickly, and thus could afford the luxury of a few extra hours of rest. An hour or so later, Ari awakened yet again. She was simply too used to rising early to sleep very long into the morning. As the last vestiges of sleep evaporated in her mind, she realized that something was pressing against her arm where it was draped across Amos' body beneath the sheet. A shiver ran through her from the feeling of his hard cock against her skin. The steadily building passion they had shared the previous day before being interrupted by Mazzar and Lillian immediately flared back to life. Arilee sucked in deep breaths, heat and wetness gathering between her legs as she let her fingers run over his erection. Looking up at her love, she found him still sound asleep. The sheet was just lying atop both of them, so Ari tugged it slowly down off both of their bodies. Neither had felt like putting on nightclothes the night before, so they were both nude beneath the coverings. Ari licked her lips and shuddered when the sheet slipped down to reveal Amos' manhood. Leaning over him, she swirled her tongue in her mouth, her saliva building quickly in anticipation of wrapping her lips around him. With a quiet moan, Arilee gave his cock a broad-tongued swipe from root to tip, and then curled her tongue around the purple tip before returning to the base to lap upward again. Amos groaned in sleepy confusion, but the tone of the groan changed to something much different when he realized Arilee was bathing his cock with her tongue. "Good morning, Angel," he moaned. Ari looked up at him and smiled, and then engulfed him without a word. Amos let out a long groan and lay a hand on the back of her head, which was now bobbing slowly up and down his shaft. He let her golden curls flow through his fingers as her mouth tantalized him. Ari moaned when the explosion of taste from a drop of pre-cum flooded her mouth. She moved back to the tip of his cock and sucked hard, earning another drop for her efforts. She was burning with need now, and she wasn't going to satisfy that need with him in her mouth. Releasing him and looking back up into his eyes with a hungry, lusty expression, Arilee climbed over his body and leaned down to kiss him. As soon as they broke from the kiss, Ari moved her hips back slightly and reached down between her legs to grasp his cock behind her. Holding him gently by the tip, she eased her hips backward until he touched her folds, and then sank down onto the full length of his manhood. Ari's back arched as he slid into her depths, which thrust her breasts out toward him. He reached up and rubbed his thumbs over her nipples, saying, "I love it when you're the one to ask for it, or take what you need." She blushed, but her slight embarrassment only lasted a moment before a jolt of pleasure caused by a throb of his cock inside her, banished the thought. She knew he liked her initiating their lovemaking, but she was simply too shy to do so most of the time. This morning, her passion had simply overwhelmed her. He had that effect on her, and he loved the results of it. They were truly made for each other. Arilee closed her eyes as she rocked her hips slowly, stroking him inside her tight embrace. Little moans of pleasure burst from her every time he pressed into her depths, and a sharp gasp likewise escaped her when she felt his hands grasp her bottom. Amos kneaded his lover's buttocks, watching both the pleasure in her eyes and the hypnotic sight of her breasts swaying in front of him. Propping himself up on one elbow, he suckled one of her nipples into his mouth and massaged it with his lips for a few moments. She rewarded him with a loud moan, and a slight increase in the pace of her hip movements. Her eyes popped open, her ecstasy evident to Amos in those pale blue orbs and the long, fluttering lashes that framed them. Moving her knees slightly, she found a better position and started to thrust her hips back at him harder and faster. Ari could feel the steadily building warmth in her loins starting to rush throughout her body now. The quiet slapping sounds of her bottom coming to rest on his legs with every movement of her hips, beat out an ever-louder tempo as her passions mounted. Suddenly, she felt her muscles clench and her eyes opened wide. She was held in stasis, hovering on the edge of an explosion, for what seemed like hours, and then the floodgates within her opened. A long warbling cry of pleasure bubbled from Arilee's lips as her walls clenched tight around him, and she fell into a world where nothing except the sweet release of her orgasm existed. As the first wave subsided, she rocked her hips once, setting off another explosive release of energy and a blissful cry of surprised delight. Amos stroked her back as she slowly settled down from her heights, his cock still rock hard in her satin-soft embrace. He had a strong need to relieve himself, and it was deadening the sensation of her wrapped around him just enough to stave off his own climax. As her breathing returned to normal, Ari kissed her man and whispered, "That was wonderful. You didn't... you know..." Amos shook his head, "No, I know we aren't ready for that. I'm going to have to go let off some pressure before I'm going to come up, my bladder feels like it's about to burst." Ari pouted a little, and then shuddered from an aftershock before saying, "Oh, I don't want you to leave me." Amos grinned and responded, "I think I'll be fine, especially if I get to see you trembling and hear you crying out in pleasure again." She gasped as those words sent a fresh jolt of pleasure shooting through her body, fanning her internal flames again. Amos wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him, and then rolled until they were both on their sides. With their bodies pressed tight together like two halves of a mold, Amos pulled back and thrust into her depths once more. Ari wrapped her arms tight around him, pressure within her building in a rush toward another explosion. She whimpered and gasped even as he groaned, and Ari knew that he was drawing close to his point of no return as well. She squeezed even tighter when she toppled over the edge into her perfect place of ecstasy once more. Her walls squeezing him so tight was too much, and Amos had to jerk free of her depths before he accidentally released his seed inside her. He let out a growling scream as he pulled from her, echoed by her loud, surprised yelp from the sensation of his filling girth leaving her. In a series of gasps, Amos said, "Okay, maybe I was wrong. That was too close." Still panting from her orgasm, Ari slid down on the bed while pushing on Amos' hip to guide him to his back. As soon as she could reach him, she wrapped her lips around his throbbing manhood and took him in deep. The taste and scent of her juices coating him filled her senses, as it always did when she brought him to his peak this way after he made love to her. The bittersweet taste of her own juices set off another shockwave of pleasure through her, causing her to moan around him as she felt him pulse, and heard him groan. The spurts of his seed burst into her mouth, nearly choking her as her mouth filled with hot cream. She swallowed and continued to stroke her lips over the swollen head of his cock, eager for every drop he had to offer her. She loved that she was able to arouse him so much, to cause him to erupt like a geyser. She shuddered imagining what it would be like to feel that explosion in her depths someday, when they were ready for children. Ari released him when his climax subsided, crawling back up to wearily fall into his arms again. They lay together for long minutes before reluctantly rising from the bed to start their day, one of the few they had left together before Amos had to go back to sea. ------- With little mending this day, the couple finished Arilee's work in the early afternoon, and decided to take a meal at the inn as a way to celebrate. Walking home hand in hand after eating, they saw Lillian talking to someone they both recognized. Amos smiled at Ari and picked up his pace, guiding his Angel toward Lillian and the huge man with whom she was speaking. "Hey Tobair, you big lug!" The big man's smile was infectious as he turned to see the couple approaching, "Me glad see you Amos and pretty Ari!" He then ran over to Amos and picked him straight up off the ground in a bear hug. "Careful Tobair, I'm going to need those ribs later," Amos chuckled, clenching his teeth. Tobair sat him down, "Sorry, me forget sometimes. Look, Lil here!" "She came to see us last night," Ari told him as she hugged the big man. "Where have you been Toby? I haven't seen you for weeks." "Brother take me to big sea for fish. Me catch fish as big as you!" Arilee laughed and said, "Aren't you exaggerating a bit, dear?" Tobair shook his head no, and Amos turned to Ari at the same time and explained, "I don't doubt it. There are fish out there in the sea that get bigger than that. Tobe is a good fisherman, and he sure is strong enough to fight one of those big fish up onto a boat. Did you go out on a boat, Tobe?" "Yes, me go on boat. Fish from sand too, but like boat better. Fish had long sharp nose, never seen fish like that before. Taste real good! Caught fish with sharp teeth too." Amos opened his eyes wide, "A shark? How big?" "Not as big as sharp nose fish, but almost. Sharp tooth fish try to bite me, but I mash in head and it stop trying to bite. It taste good too!" Amos clapped their muscular friend on the shoulder and said, "One of these days, I'll have a ship of my own, and I'll let you come fishing any time you want, Tobe." A call came from down the street, "Tobair, time to eat, Son!" Tobair looked a little disappointed that he had to leave his friends, but at the same time anxious to get to his meal. "Time to go eat. Me happy see you!" Lillian hugged the big man and told him, "Don't hog all of Christine's time, I want to see her again for a while before I leave." Tobair's face flooded with color as a self-conscious smile spread across his face, "Okay, Lil." He then waved and hurried to where his mother waited on the porch of their home. Amos asked, "Christine?" A knowing grin spread across Lillian's face when she responded, "She's apparently grown up a lot while I've been gone. She finally realized that all those boys she has always stepped out with were just going to hurt her. The last one tried to hit her, and Tobair saw it. He picked the guy up and hurled him face first into a pigpen. She said that the bastard stuck straight up like an arrow for a while before he fell over and pulled his head out of the muck. She swooned and they've been seeing each other ever since. She gave me all the naughty details." Arilee covered her mouth and laughed, "I didn't even know. I spend all my time cooped up in the house with other people's laundry." Lillian stretched her hands apart nearly a foot and twitched her eyebrows, prompting Arilee to cover her burning face and chuckle before slapping her friend playfully and saying, "Stop that!" Lillian laughed and slapped back at Arilee. "You're going to be in trouble when you talk to Christine then. She can't stop talking about him — or that. I need to get back to Mom's. I promised I'd take the kids down to the lake for a swim. It was the only way I could steal them away from their grandparents for a few hours. Do you want to come?" Amos glanced at Ari, and she considered it for a moment before saying, "There will just be so many people there, I feel like everyone's eyes are on me." "Well, we'll be there if you change your mind. I'm sure Amos would be more than happy to smack people's eyes back where they belong. I think you just want to be alone," Lillian responded and winked at her friend. Amos laughed and told Lillian, "I'll try to talk her into it, she could use some time outside of the house." "Good luck!" Lillian laughed and then waved before turning to leave and gather up her children. Arilee asked, "Do you think I should?" "It wouldn't hurt you, but truthfully I want you all to myself. I just knew that if I didn't act like I was going to try and persuade you, Lillian would have just kept trying." "Let's go home then, you can tell me more about those big fish. You've never really talked about them." Amos smiled, "There are even bigger things out there too. Whales aren't really fish, but some of them are bigger than most boats." Grinning, Ari asked, "What about ships?" Amos kissed her and said, "Depends on what you call a ship, I guess." He then winked and laughed before taking her hand and starting back toward the house. ------- Mazzar lurked behind a bush, watching the couple return to Ari's home. After a few questions, now he knew who the man that stood in his way was. He also knew that this Amos would be leaving before long, because he was just on shore leave from the Navy. In a few days, the man would be out of the way, and then it would be time to reveal to the curvy little blonde that there were more taxes due, which he had forgotten about the first time. His cock throbbed as he watched the sway of her hips, and he muttered, "I'll get to see that ass bare soon enough." Stepping out from behind the bush, he walked toward a house he knew almost as well as his own. She was saggy and unattractive, but she would spread her legs for a few coppers, and she would do it now. ------- Conversation was rapidly giving way to passion as Ari and Amos kissed. Their needs after being apart so long were just too strong to ignore. Arilee let out an exasperated growl when a knock sounded on the door. "I'm starting to think we should cover that door up with blankets so we can't hear anybody knocking on it," Amos sighed. "We have all night," Ari said with a smile as she rose to go answer the door. She giggled quietly when she turned around to see Amos watching her bottom sway as she walked. Reaching the door, Arilee opened it and then asked the unfamiliar man outside, "Can I help you?" "I'm lookin' for Amos. Folk told me I could likely find him here," the man answered. Arilee heard Amos get up from where he was sitting and say, "Zed, is that you?" "Aye, Amos, I've got news for ye." Amos stepped into the doorway and Zed looked over at Arilee for a moment. He then shook his head and chuckled, "I thought you was drawing more out of love than what was real, but I see I was wrong." Arilee blushed, and Amos laughed. "I told you she was more beautiful than I could possibly draw. So what's this news?" "Old Jacoby got abducted by his grandbabies. They was waiting for him when we made port, and he sent a letter sayin' that he was retirin' straight away. The Captain wants you back quick, so's we can get you promoted proper and get back to sea. Them cutthroats from Draxnog raided a village up North, raping every woman they came across an' burning the whole place down." He turned to Arilee then when he realized what he was talking about, "Beggin' your pardon miss." Arilee nodded her head to acknowledge his apology, but couldn't find any words. "Give me a few minutes, Zed?" "I'll be over at that inn when you're ready. It's been a long ride an' I'm for a drink 'fore I get back on one of those damnable horses again. My backside is remindin' me why I took to the sea." Amos closed the door and Ari looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "You have to leave — now?" He sighed and nodded his head, "They wouldn't have sent someone after me if it wasn't important. There's more than just a raid and Jacoby retiring, but we're not supposed to talk about some things except with our mates. I have to go, Angel." "It's not fair," Ari pouted. "Think of it this way, Angel," he kissed her then before continuing, "I'm going back to be promoted. I'll have the money for us to get married soon." Ari's heart soared, and a smile spread across her face despite her tears, "That's the first time you've ever actually said that word — married." "I just didn't want to make you think about it all the time. Now that I'm going to get my promotion, we can be married soon, maybe even the next time I get back to port. I do want you to be my wife, Angel, and I'll ask you right, with a ring and everything, when I get back next time." Ari jumped into his arms, hugging him and sobbing, "I've waited for you to say that for so long. I know that was always what you meant, but it's nice to hear the words." "And we'll get a place by the sea too, so I won't be so far away when I get leave." Standing up on her tiptoes, Arilee kissed him, lingering on that kiss to tide her over until the next time they could see each other. She stepped back then and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Get ready Amos, otherwise I'm never going to let you leave." "And I don't think I'll be able to leave if I don't do it now while I'm still a little shocked." Amos nodded then, and went to pack up his kit in preparation to leave. ------- The goodbye was tearful, and Ari only stopped kissing Amos when she noticed the weathered sea dog Zed glancing away with a flush in his cheeks. That sight awakened Ari to just how shameless her behavior was and allowed her to at last step back, and let Amos go. The house felt empty, and she went through an ever-changing range of emotions for the rest of the day, from smiling thinking about his coming proposal, to sobbing because he was gone. She collapsed physically and emotionally exhausted that night quite early. She awoke the next morning with a great sigh, staring longingly at the empty half of the bed next to her. At least I got plenty of rest, she thought as she rose and went to brush out her hair. There was plenty of work to do today, and that would help take her mind off things — somewhat. Ari didn't even have a chance to get started before she heard a knock on her door. She went to answer it, wondering who would be calling so early in the morning. When she opened the door, Lillian gathering her up in her arms startled her. "I heard, you poor dear. Come on, let's get to your work and then give this house a good cleaning. That always helps me when James goes away on a trip. Did you get the word out of him? He's getting his promotion, so there's nothing holding him back now." Arilee nodded and smiled, "Yes, he said it. He said he would come back and propose to me the next time he had leave. I'm finally going to be married." "And you'll be closer to me so we can visit more often! Now, let's get to work!" ------- Both women collapsed into chairs late in the evening, dripping sweat and smudged with dirt. As soon as they had finished the washing and mending, they had turned their attention to sweeping, dusting, and washing everything in the house. Ari blew out a long breath of air and let her head fall against the cushioned back of the chair, "I don't think the house has been this clean since Dad died." "And I don't think I've been this dirty since I was ten," Lillian laughed. "You are quite a fright," Ari remarked. "You look like you've been standing out in a windstorm," Lillian countered and stuck out her tongue. Arilee laughed and said, "Thank you, Lil. You were right. This did help keep me from thinking about it so much. I just need to keep thinking about getting married soon. Whenever I think about that, I still miss him, but at least there's more than just a visit coming the next time we see each other." "You'll at least have money when you get started. James and I ate beans and sat on old barrels for the first two years we were married. Amos just wants to make sure you don't have to start out the hard way, like we did." "I know, and I love him for it. It's just so hard to wait," Ari sighed. "At least you didn't wait to get in practice for the wedding night like we did. James and I almost didn't make it, but Mom and Dad came home earlier than we expected them to. We still laugh about him climbing out the back window trying to pull on his pants." Ari laughed, "You never told me that." "That's why we missed the beginning of the party after the wedding. We couldn't wait any longer. We'd both seen what was waiting for us, and we couldn't wait. Mom and Dad were nice enough to stay at the party and not come home. I know that they knew we weren't just going home to change clothes." "You went home and made love for the first time while everyone was celebrating your wedding? That just ruins the tradition of the men teasing the groom after the party about the wedding night." "Not really, we were in a hurry that first time, we took our time that night and really had fun," Lillian said with a laugh and a wink. "I really need a bath. I helped you clean up, so the least you can do is let me soak in that wonderful tub of yours for a while. I told James that the first thing he's doing if he gets this new business is buying me one." Arilee laughed and stood up, "I need a bath too. Come along and we'll fill it up and get some water heating." "Just don't let me stay in there until I'm all shriveled up like a prune like last time." "I won't. I don't think I'll be able to stand my own smell long enough to let you stay in there too long," Ari said, wrinkling her nose. They shared another laugh and set about preparing the bath. Once the tub was filled, Lillian immediately started peeling off her clothing. Arilee found her eyes drawn to her friend as she undressed. There was barely any evidence that Lillian had two children, her body was still firm and toned. Ari hoped that she would hold up so well once she had children. Lillian's dark hair was a sharp contrast against the fair skin of her back, and Ari felt a tingle run through her body as the other woman bent to pull down her panties, thrusting her firm bottom out in Ari's direction. The tingling only intensified when Lillian turned back toward Ari, revealing her large breasts — and something else. Ari couldn't help but stare at Lillian's loins. Her friend had trimmed the dark tangle of hair there, and shaved her labia completely bare. Ari tore her eyes away as soon as she realized she was staring, but Lillian had noticed. "Do you like it? James brought me some Dwarven razors, and I've kept it this way ever since. I'd tried it before and liked it, but I hated getting bit by the razors. Dwarf steel keeps an edge forever. I just feel cleaner like this, and James loves being able to get to me without wading through a forest of hair." Lillian ran her fingers over her smooth-shaven sex as she spoke. Ari shook her head slightly and said, "I'm sorry, I was just surprised. Aren't you afraid of getting cut down there?" Lillian sank into the bath, sparing Arilee from forcing her eyes away from her friend's body. "I was a little at first, but once you get used to it, it isn't any more difficult than shaving your legs, with a good razor. I could get you one, if you want to give it a try." "I'll think about it," Ari said without much conviction, "I'll go wash out your clothes and find something for you to wear home. I think I might have a blouse that won't squash you, but it is going to make things stand out." "That doesn't bother me. I'm married, not dead. I can still appreciate a man staring at my boobs or my butt," Lillian said and then dunked her head under the water to wet her hair. "You're so naughty," Ari said and laughed. "But it's fun." Arilee picked up her friend's clothes and walked out of the room, doing her best to shake the image of Lillian's bare body out of her head. She didn't know why she had thoughts like this, and they scared her. She wondered if something was wrong with her, looking at another woman like that. It was embarrassing enough to look at Amos with lust, but to look at her friend and feel aroused was just wrong. Try as she might, she couldn't help but think about Lillian's fingers running over her folds, and imagining it was her fingers instead of her friends. ------- Arilee lay tossing and turning in bed, unable to stop thinking about Amos and Lillian. She always felt this way when Amos returned to sea, and it was worse than ever tonight. Her body was screaming for satisfaction, and the image of Lillian's sex appeared in her mind's eye just as often as thoughts of Amos' hard cock. Unable to endure the pressure building in her loins any longer, Ari hiked up her nightshirt and pulled her panties down to her knees, the plain cotton undergarment sliding down to her ankles as she parted her legs. Her fingers flashed over her sex, rubbing back and forth in heated need over her swollen lips and pebble-hard clit. Her back arched up off the bed in rhythm with her panting breaths as her pleasure mounted, and then she curled up tight as her orgasm gripped her. Moaning in release, she realized that she was fantasizing about her head between Lillian's thighs, and Amos' wonderful cock exploding in her depths. The waves of ecstasy had only barely subsided before she felt the need within her swell again. Her fingers were pressing inside her before she even had a chance to think about it. She fell sound asleep nearly an hour later, her fingers and the bedclothes both sticky with her juices from uncountable orgasms. Her nightshirt remained bunched up just beneath her breasts, and her panties clung tenaciously to one ankle. Even then her dreams were filled with Lillian and Amos, and she had to cool the burning heat in her loins again deep in the night when she awakened from a vivid sexual dream about them. The morning proved to be no better, and it was only after a pair of shuddering climaxes that she was able to concentrate and rise to start her day's work. She managed to push the disturbing thoughts of Lillian away after that final orgasm, and kept her mind firmly on her work for the remainder of the day. ------- The next day, Lillian returned to help with Ari's work again, bringing her children this time. The well-behaved children didn't get in the way, and actually proved helpful in any way they could. Thinking about having her own children some day helped to chase away the thoughts that assaulted Ari every time she looked at her friend. She had conquered those desires long ago, but seeing Lillian's sex shaven bare had returned them for some reason. She sat in her favorite chair, sipping a cup of tea Lillian had made just before leaving that evening, daydreaming about a house by the sea filled with laughing children and their smiling father, Amos, so handsome in his special Navy dress uniform. Now that he had his promotion, his dress uniform would be even more ornate, and Ari couldn't wait to see how wonderful he looked in it. Ari's brow furrowed when a knock sounded on the door. It was very late, only an hour or so before she would normally go to bed for the night. It was certainly long after most people were already closing their eyes. Putting down her tea, she walked over to the door and opened it a crack, peeking outside to find Mazzar standing outside. "Sir?" She asked nervously of the grinning man outside. "I'm sorry to disturb you so late, but I'm afraid I made a mistake when I told you how much your taxes would be. I failed to account for the fact you are conducting business from your home." Ari's eyes narrowed in confusion and she asked, "What do you mean?" "You take in laundry and mending, and that is considered a business by the powers that be. I'm afraid there will be an additional two silver crowns required to pay this tax," Mazzar explained, his tone syrupy sweet and full of exaggerated apology. He had her now; she would have to give in to what he wanted. His cock throbbed in anticipation, his eyes undressing her in anticipation. I don't think this is at all fair, but I will not cheat on my taxes. I'll be back in a moment," Ari said and closed the door. Mazzar's eyes widened and he stared at the closed door in front of him. What is she doing? She can't possibly have two silver crowns more. It just isn't possible! Implausible as he considered the possibility, when Arilee opened the door again, she indeed had the amount he requested. He stared at the coins in his hand, disbelieving that is plan to bed the beautiful woman was once again foiled. Arilee asked, "Is that all, Sir?" Raising his eyes from the coins, Mazzar cleared his throat and answered, "Uhm, yes. Thank you. Do remember this next year." "I will sir, good evening," Ari said and closed the door. Ari leaned up against the door and let out a relieved sigh. She whispered, "Thank you, Amos. I don't know what I would have done without the money you gave me." She shuddered and hugged her arms around her tight, trying to forget the lecherous stare of the fat man's eyes roving over her body. She had almost felt his eyes burning into her backside even through the closed door when she walked to her room to retrieve the coin. Come back for me soon, my love. I don't want to see that awful man ever again! ------- Mazzar stuffed the coins in his pocket and wandered off, cursing under his breath. It was unfathomable that the woman could have earned so much coin with such worthless tasks. Someone must have given her money, probably that ignorant sailor who had been standing in his way until now. Kicking a cat that dared to walk to close to him, sending it bolting with a loud screech down the street, he wandered toward his favorite tavern for a few drinks. Every single woman he might have manipulated this year had somehow managed to find the coin to pay his exaggerated taxes. He had more money in his pocket than ever, but it meant little to him without the benefit of firm female flesh yielding unwillingly to his desires. Stomping into the tavern, he sneered at a pair of women known for their loose morals when he saw their faces fall in disappointment upon seeing him. Most of the customers flinched away from him as he crossed toward the bar, and it irritated Mazzar this evening. Normally, he considered that a welcome sign of respect, but tonight it felt like something else. Sitting down heavily on a stool that creaked alarmingly in protest, he slapped one of the two silver crowns Ari had given him on the bar. "Get me a beer, and not the piss-water you usually serve. Give me the stuff you ply off on strangers for a premium until they're too drunk to know what they're paying ridiculous prices for." Smiling, the barman picked up the coin and said, "Celebrating Mazzar? You don't look to be in that sort of mood." "Just shut up and get my beer," Mazzar growled. Dipping a tankard from a cask hidden beneath the bar, the barman set it down in front of Mazzar. "Word is that the tax-collecting business is good this year. I hear that most everyone got their tax money together. I would think that would make you cheerful." Picking up the tankard, Mazzar glared at the barman and said, "Didn't I tell you to shut up? If I wanted to exchange pleasantries, I would have remarked about what a beautiful evening this is." Mazzar sneered the last in a tone that showed obvious contempt for both the words and the man listening to them. "Fine. I'll just take what you owe me out of that crown then, so you'll have to pay again if you want any more." The barkeep then turned and walked away. "Ass," Mazzar mumbled before taking a long pull from the foaming mug of beer. "Look who's talking," someone muttered from behind Mazzar. He turned to glare in the direction the voice had come from, but couldn't know for sure which of the men had spoken. Well, I suppose I'll just have to add a little extra to all of their tax bills next year, then, Mazzar thought and then turned back toward the bar with a mirthless chuckle. Mazzar was no more observant than anyone else was when the barkeep switched the strong flavorful brew he had been serving for bitter piss water an hour or so later. The barman also took great delight in assisting several customers to throw the taxman into the street when he passed out an hour after that. ------- Ari let out a little yelp of surprise when Tobair said, "Hello, pretty Ari," just as she stepped outside her back door to fill buckets for the day's washing. Putting a hand over her heart, Arilee tried to catch her breath and said, "You scared me Toby. Hello Christine." The short blonde woman smiled and said, "We were just going fishing. Actually, Toby is going to fish, and I'm going to watch. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and managed to catch my blouse on the gate as we were leaving. I lost a few buttons. Could you sew them back on for me?" Christine let go of her blouse and revealed that enough buttons were missing for the garment to be more than a little indecent. Ari raised her hand to her mouth and chuckled, "Of course, come on in." Turning to the huge man at her side, Christine said, "Why don't you get those buckets and fill Arilee's washtub for her while she's fixing my blouse, Toby?" "Okay, Crissy," Tobair responded with a wide smile, leaning down. Christine wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Even though he was bending down, she still had to stand on her tiptoes and hang from his neck to reach his lips. The contrast between the big man and the petite woman was almost comical. "You look happy," Ari remarked as she led Christine into the house. "I am. He's so wonderful. I don't know how I missed it all those years." She then winced a little and muttered, "Ouch," under her breath. Ari stopped, obvious concern in her voice, "Are you okay?" Christine blushed and laughed, nodding her head. "I'm just a little bit sore. Toby got a little too enthusiastic last night, and I was too far gone to care. I feel like he's going to split me in half every time but... Oh my!" Ari's face was burning as she listened to the other woman talking about sex. Lillian was obviously right, Christine could obviously think about little else. Christine noticed the other woman's blush and laughed, "I'm sorry, I know things like that embarrass you. I just forget everything when I start thinking about it." "It's okay, I know what you mean," Ari admitted as she picked up a needle and thread. When she turned back around, she was glad that she was already blushing. The sight of Christine's small, perky breasts sent chills running through Ari's body, hardening her nipples. Taking the blouse and buttons from Christine, Ari sat down to thread the needle and sew them back on. Ari worked quickly, but Tobair was even quicker. His great strength allowed him to carry the heavy pails of water as if they weighed nothing, and his long strides ate up twice as much distance as Arilee's ever could. He walked into the room and remarked, "Pretty," to Christine. She turned toward him without an ounce of shame and said, "Thank you, Toby. Why don't you be nice and fill up Ari's bathtub too?" Nodding his head, he said, "Okay," and then turned to leave the room after a final, long look at Christine's bared breasts. Ari finished with the buttons and handed the blouse back to Christine. She had to fight the urge to sigh in relief when the other woman put back on the blouse, hiding the small globes that had threatened to draw Ari's eyes every moment. She had even pricked her finger with the needle, something she never did, because of the distraction. Tobair walked back into the room just as Christine closed the last button on her blouse. "Still pretty. Tub all full." "You're such a sweet man," Christine said, and then turned back to Arilee. "Thank you Ari, I'm all thumbs with a needle and thread." "It's no problem at all, Christine. Thank you for bringing in the water, Toby." "Welcome, pretty Ari." "We're going to get going before the fish stop biting," Christine said, going over to take Tobair's hand. Toby waved and said, "Bye bye," before leading Christine toward the back door of the house again. Ari followed them to start water heating, and waved as they left the house. Once they were outside the door, Toby leaned down and said, "Like see them, pretty." "I don't think you were the only one," Christine said wryly, looking back in the direction of Arilee's house for a moment. Those thoughts didn't disturb her in the slightest, and remembering how Arilee's eyes seemed drawn to her breasts was causing a tickle between her legs from gathering wetness. She always thought she was the only one that felt that way, and the chance that Arilee might think about it was certainly exciting to her. ------- Mazzar wandered out the front door of the saggy whore's house, utterly unsatisfied despite spewing his seed down her throat a few minutes earlier. He considered making a trip to a larger city to find a decent whore, but even that failed to invigorate him. He had been so obsessed with Arilee that the anticipation was nearly driving him mad. Now she had upset his designs twice, and his chance to bed her this year was surely gone. Worse, he heard rumors that the filthy sailor who had just left would be coming back for her, to take her away. He would lose his chance forever if that happened. Growling in frustration, he walked toward the inn to purchase some strong Dwarven liquor. At least he could afford the expensive spirits and get a little joy out of life. Back in his home shortly thereafter, he sipped the spirits, feeling the liquid burn his throat and settle like a bonfire in his belly. He felt as if he were hovering above his chair, and the idea of going to find a decent whore was becoming more enticing by the moment. Maybe he could find one that looked like the golden-haired wench, one that wouldn't complain about rough treatment if he paid her enough. Or maybe... A quick word to the magistrate and an increase in the normal bribes would be in order, of course. A wide grin spread across Mazzar's face as he considered the possibilities, and took a long pull of the burning liquor. ------- Chapter 4 At first, Arilee was planning to cut down the amount of washing and mending she took in, considering she had almost enough money to pay another year's taxes already, but the second visit of Mazzar changed all that. She wanted to make sure that she could pay any amount asked, if Amos did not come to take her away before tax time. Having all the work also helped her to pass the time, and dull the edge of longing she felt for Amos. Her work done for the day, Arilee changed clothes and walked to the inn for a meal. One thing the extra money did allow her to do was eat properly. As soon as she could find the time, she planned to lay in stores at home for the first time in a very long while. For now, she took meals at the inn, since there was always something ready that she could eat and be on her way. It gave her time to have a bath before turning in, and let her get plenty of rest. As Ari approached her home after leaving the inn, she started, thinking she saw something moving in the bushes along the road out of town. Quickening her pace, she covered the short distance to her front door at a walk so brisk it bordered on running. She glanced frequently at the bushes, but saw no further sign of movement. She decided it must have been her imagination, but she still breathed a great sigh of relief when she closed the door behind her and locked it tight. She leaned up against the door for a few moments, trying to catch her breath and settle her nerves. Once she felt as though she wasn't going to jump out of her skin at the slightest sound, she walked through the entire house and peeked out the windows, seeing nothing out of the ordinary either within or without. With a final check of the locks on both doors, Ari at last relaxed and made her way to the bath. ------- Mazzar sat still, sweat pouring from his body and stinging his eyes. She kept looking in his direction, and he knew that to move was to be seen. He was not that far away, and there was enough moonlight that the tiny movement to adjust his swelling cock upon seeing Arilee had been noticed by her. The liquid courage in his system was not helping him stay still. Even as she was closing her door and sighing in relief, so did Mazzar. He waited for several minutes before risking a glance at the house. He almost immediately hid behind the bushes again, seeing her looking out the windows. Once he no longer saw her in the windows, he crept from his hiding place and moved toward the house, making sure to keep out of direct view. She might still be able to see him if she looked far enough to one side, but the short time he would be visible was unavoidable. He reached the house and leaned up against the wall, panting for breath and wiping sweat out of his eyes. He thought, Why does it have to be so hot? The night was really a rather pleasant one, but for a fat man sneaking about, it was hot indeed. Mazzar scanned his surroundings, making sure that nobody else was in the area. It was doubtful, as the young woman's home was on the edge of town, far from anywhere that honest folk would be moving about this time of night, unless they were leaving town or coming to this house. As he pulled something from his pocket, Mazzar's face split into a wide grin. The spying glass had cost him dearly to liberate from the locker where the magistrate kept confiscated items, but it was still far cheaper than if he had purchased the magic item for its real value. Taking a last look around, he crouched and pressed the round piece of glass up against the wall, peeking through it. The magic allowed him to see through the wall, and the size of the item gave him a fairly wide range of vision. He was looking through a wall of the common room in the home, and saw Arilee walking down a hallway toward the back of the house. She carried a towel, and that caused Mazzar to lick his lips in anticipation. Hurrying, as quickly as he could and still maintain anything resembling stealth, the corpulent taxman moved to the back of the house, to a wall he knew was part of the room where the young woman was going. There were a few short bushes near the house here, and Mazzar knelt down behind them and moved immediately to the wall. Pressing the glass up against it, he almost let out an aroused growl when he saw the young blonde start to remove her blouse. He hadn't missed a moment. Holding the glass with one hand, he reached down again to adjust his manhood as she opened the blouse, revealing her firm breasts, and their rosy pink tips. He licked his lips as she hooked her fingers under the waist of her skirt and pulled it down. His cock throbbed as the action revealed her white panties, a dark silhouette in the front hinting at her sex. She turned, kicking the skirt over away from the tub, and then pulled down her panties, bending as she did so to remove them. Her taut ass pressed toward him, and Mazzar leaned in closer to the wall. He could just see the hair on her mound as she bent, and then she stood up and turned around, fully revealing her bare body to him. He had thought only to observe her until she went to bed and he determined that she was fully asleep, but this was a benefit he had not anticipated. He watched her step into the tub, deep noisy breaths escaping him as sweat continued to pour down his face. Wash those tits well, my dear, he thought as she brought a lathered cloth to the globes. She was simply washing and relaxing, but to Mazzar, it was one of the most arousing things he had ever beheld. The cloth moved slowly over her, leaving trails of lather, as the taxman fought to keep his breathing under control. When she finished coating her breasts in suds, she reached down and cupped water in her hands, pouring it over her, to run in enticing streams down her body. He didn't even notice the pain in his knees, from supporting his great weight, until Arilee at last stepped from the tub and dried her body with a towel. Wincing, he moved until he was seated, letting the stabs of pain subside for a time before he moved again. He could feel a wet, sticky spot in his trousers where pre-cum had leaked from him while he watched the young woman bathe. You'll get a good taste of that soon enough, he thought, and then chuckled quietly. He leaned back against the wall, deciding to wait a few moments more before rising and moving to a wall of her bedroom, there to wait for her to fall asleep. ------- Arilee shivered, still feeling as if unfriendly eyes were upon her even after she left the bath. The feeling had crept over her just as she was about to exit the bath, pushing through her state of relaxation to sour her mood. Walking into the kitchen, she picked up a knife, feeling better once it was in her hand. Between the feeling she was having now, and the movement she thought she had seen earlier, having something she could use as a weapon helped to calm her nerves. She again checked the locks on both doors, as she put out the candle lanterns in the house, and then at last decided it was time for bed. Yawning, she walked into her bedroom and put the knife into the top drawer of the small chest of drawers near the bed. Blowing out the candle in the lantern, she slid into the bed and soon drifted off to sleep. ------- Mazzar stood at Arilee's back door, taking a last look around before pulling a small wooden carving from his pocket. Yet another expensive purchase that would have cost far more, had he not bought it from an unscrupulous magistrate; he felt it was well worth the cost. He placed the carving of a door cracked open up against the door before him, and heard a faint click. Reaching down to the doorknob, he turned it and pushed on the door. When it opened — the bolt locking it inside pushed away by the magic item — he quickly moved inside. As soon as he was clear, he pushed the door closed. He paused to catch his breath, and to listen for any sound that might indicate the woman he was here for had awakened. His cock throbbed, and his mouth watered in anticipation. The time waiting for her to fall asleep had been exhausting, but nervous energy filled him now. With stealth that belied his rotund form, Mazzar crept down the hall toward her bedroom. The door was unlocked; he had seen that as he watched her sleep. He paused outside the open doorway, again listening for a minute or two before pulling the magical glass from his pocket again. Placing it against the wall next to the door, he smiled when he saw her still sleeping. Placing the item back in his pocket again, he withdrew his final, expensive piece of magic. This was the most expensive item of all, because he had purchased it from a black market vendor at full price. At more than full price, if the truth were to be told. He had nearly balked upon hearing how much the filthy old man wanted for the magical bottle, but then thoughts of Arilee overcame his reservations. He wanted the woman, and he was going to have her, one way or another. He would simply have to raise his cut of the taxes next year to make up for the expenditure. He moved as quickly as he could without sacrificing stealth, moving to the edge of the bed and placing the small bottle near the pillow where Arilee's head rested. He pulled the cork from the neck of the bottle and stepped back, watching the ruddy-tinged smoke drift upward and curl unnaturally toward the blonde woman's nose. Her nose twitched slightly as the magical vapors reached her, and then her head fell over to the side. Mazzar smiled wide and let out a little growl of anticipation; the magic was working. He waited impatiently until the vapors ceased to flow from the bottle, and then turned to the chest of drawers next to the bed. Opening the top drawer, he pulled out the knife and twirled it between his fat fingers, "I think we'll get rid of this, just in case," he said quietly and chuckled. Ari didn't even twitch, deep in the spell of the magical smoke. Impatient, Mazzar simply walked to the door of the bedroom and hurled the knife out into the hall. He had waited too long to fuck this woman, and he wasn't going to wait any longer. Walking over to the bed, he said in a firm, husky voice, "Wake up." Arilee wondered why her head was throbbing, and why she was dreaming about being in her own bed. When she saw the shadowy form of someone above her, she tried to scream and scramble away, but she couldn't move. Panicking, she turned all her will to trying again, but the magic still paralyzed her. "Don't waste energy struggling," she heard someone say, but couldn't make out the voice, nor would her eyes focus properly to see who the shadowy figure was. It was large, but that was about all she could determine. She was having trouble thinking; every thought felt like it was slogging through thick mud. "Stand up and take off your clothes." Ari could not control herself, as she did exactly what the voice asked, swinging her legs off the edge of the bed and reaching for the hem of her nightshirt. She pulled it over her head, hardly realizing that she was moving before she dropped the garment to the floor and stood nude in the faint light of the room. A large hand roughly pawed first her right, and then her left breast. "You don't know how long I've waited to touch those, my dear," the person groping her said with a slight slur. She knew now it was a man, but his face still would not come into focus. His voice was familiar too, but she still couldn't place it. The smell of stale sweat and beer washed over her, causing her stomach to churn. After a final squeeze and a pinch of her nipple, the hand moved down her body, a husky chuckle coming from the man in front of her. Ari thought she saw his face for a moment, and then it was gone, overshadowed by surprise and shame as she felt a hand cup her sex roughly. A moment later, two fingers curled inside her, weaving through the hair and slipping painfully into her dry sheathe. "Now, let's get that cunt wet, shall we," Ari's assailant growled. Arilee felt her body fill with warmth, and her nipples stiffened as waves of arousal flowed through her against her will. Part of her, buried deep in her magic-addled brain, screamed in revulsion and terror. Her juices started flowing, and after a few moments, the fingers inside her pushed deeper, drawing another mirthless chuckle from her molester. The man reached out with his other hand to run a fingertip over her hardened nipples. He moaned and said, "You want it don't you? Little more than a whore at heart, as I suspected. Well, I'll give you what you want, but all in good time." The fingers inside her jerked free, and she felt a curious mix of disappointment and relief. "Look down," he ordered, and her head dropped so she was staring at the floor. After a moment, his hand came up under her chin, his fingers smelling strongly of her wetness, and raised her eyes until she was staring at his crotch. His pants came down, revealing his small, but fully erect cock nestled in a mass of dark hair and partially hidden by a roll of fat hanging from his stomach. Arilee's stomach churned again, but she was helpless to move a muscle. The unnatural arousal she had felt a moment before vanished, however. "Tell me you want it," he commanded. "I want..." she paused, the words leaving a bad taste in her mouth. The stench of sweat and beer assaulted her again, and her lip twitched slightly toward a frown. "Tell me you want it," he growled again. "I want it," Ari said, her voice dry and with no hint of emotion. She almost knew his voice now, if she could have moved, she would have shaken her head in an effort to clear it. In fact, she felt the muscles in her neck twitch slightly as she thought about that. "Get down on your knees. I've been waiting too long to have those pretty lips around my cock. Then I'll get a taste of that tight cunt before I fuck you." Lost in his desire, the final vestiges of polish in Mazzar's speech vanished, replaced by the crude words that truly spoke from his soul. She knelt down after a moment's hesitation, and he stepped forward, his erection directly in front of her face. The smell of his unwashed genitals burned in her nose, acrid and nauseating. "Now suck my cock," she heard him say. She licked her lips, her stomach rebelling, and leaned forward, wrapping her fingers around the base of his cock to steady it. Just as her lips were about to touch him, the magic over her broke. She jerked back, gagging, and scrambling away from the man. Mazzar! she thought, getting up and rushing toward the wall away from him. "Get back over here and suck my cock, whore," Mazzar growled, stalking toward her, kicking off his pants to free his legs. "Get away from me!" Arilee screamed and bolted toward the door. Mazzar panicked. He had to shut the bitch up, now. If he had to, he'd knock her out and fuck her dry, but he was determined that he was fucking her. He'd spent too much and waited too long. Intercepting her, he clamped a hand over her mouth. Arilee bit down, jerking away from Mazzar when he screamed and pulled his bleeding hand away from her. She darted out the door and stumbled hard on her knees. She cried out in pain, hearing his heavy footsteps coming after her, and saw light glinting off something on the floor in front of her. Just as he came out the door, Arilee snatched up the knife and stood up, turning to face him, backing away slowly. "Put that down, or I'm going to have to hurt you worse. If you'd just behave, you might have a little fun too." He darted forward, and Ari reacted, slashing his arm with the knife. Mazzar screamed in surprise and pain from the cut, and then again, when she slashed a second time before he could jerk his arm away. Now suddenly sober, bleeding, and worried that he was going to be caught, Mazzar darted after the fleeing woman, his only intention now to shut her up and get away quickly. This had gone too far, and someone might have already heard her screaming. He silently cursed the old man and his failed magic for putting him in this situation. Mazzar cursed again when Arilee reached the front door of her home and jerked the bolt away, flinging the door open. He picked up his pace, gasping for breath. He had to reach her before she got outside. Arilee turned and saw him only a few feet away and darted out the door. She looked back to see him still following, and then screamed when she crashed into someone. Mazzar ran out the door, a constant stream of curses running through his head. When he saw the huge man step out from the shadows and grab Arilee protectively in one arm, he tried to skid to a stop and run the other way. He never got a chance as Tobair's huge fist slammed into his head. Mazzar's momentum carried his feet forward when his head stopped against Tobair's fist. Thus, he fell hard backwards and cracked his head on the ground, although he was already unconscious from meeting with the unyielding power of the muscular man's punch. Ari screamed and then realized who held her. She sobbed, "Toby?" Now knowing she was safe, she buried her head against him and started to sob. She felt the cloth beneath her face moving, and lifted her head slightly. The cloth slid up revealing the massively muscled chest beneath it. "Pretty Ari all naked," Tobair said, handing his shirt to her. Arilee's cheeks burned and she pulled the shirt over her head. It fit like a tent, the neck threatening to slip off her shoulders, but it was long enough to cover her to her knees. "Oh, thank you, Toby," she sobbed. Toby asked, "Him try hurt pretty Ari?" He looked back at the unconscious tax collector and then turned back to Arilee. "Tobe stomp him but good, what for try hurt pretty Ari." "Please, just come with me inside and stay. I'm so scared, Toby." "Okay," Tobair replied, and turned to help Arilee back into her house. He gave Mazzar an absent kick, which rolled the fat tax collector over onto his face in the dirt with its power, and then stepped inside the house with Arilee. Mazzar heard the door close as his nose and mouth filled with dust. He tried to remember what happened, but all he knew was pain. It felt as if he had run headlong into a brick wall. Hearing shouts, he rolled over and panicked. Scrambling to his feet, he could hear the sounds of people calling out in alarm. He stumbled off into the darkness, as quickly as possible, before anyone could see him. ------- "I'm sorry, Miss, but we have only your story and the word of the village idiot to back it up. You are accusing an agent of the Crown of a dire crime at a suspicious time of year. How are we to know that you do not simply wish to slander this man in an effort to avoid paying your taxes?" Arilee stared at the magistrate in disbelief. Christine started toward the man's desk, but Tobair restrained her gently, shaking his head. She sighed, and then turned to glare at the magistrate, "Tobair is not an idiot. He's slow, but he is no idiot. If he hadn't been out late fishing, I don't want to think what would have happened to Arilee. Your guardsmen certainly weren't there to do anything!" Lillian stepped forward, "Your own town guardsman found the fat bastard's pants lying in her bedroom floor!" "There is nothing to distinguish to whom those garments may belong," the magistrate countered. "Besides the fact three people could fit into them, the spilled beer stains, and the stink of his unwashed ass on them, you mean?" Lillian sarcastically fumed, putting her hands on her hips and staring daggers. "I suggest you modify your tones, young woman, or I shall have the guards put you in a cell for a few hours, until you regain your manners." "Take me home," Arilee whispered. Christine heard her and walked over closer so she could distinguish the words, "What did you say, Ari?" Tears welling up in her eyes, Arilee said, "Just take me home, take me away from here." Lillian turned and laid a comforting hand on Ari's shoulder. "Okay, Arilee." She then turned back to the magistrate and said, "This is not the end of this," before wheeling on her heels and walking out with all the others. Once the group left the building, Mazzar walked out of a back room with a wide smile on his face. Scowling, the magistrate turned to him and said, "This is going to cost you. People will doubt me after this, I stand to lose much." "I'll pay, fear not," Mazzar answered and chuckled. "I will not cover up your crimes any longer, you have gone too far this time," the magistrate warned. Mazzar waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "They will forget as the time to pay their taxes next year draws near. I'm quite sure you would not want me to reveal your indiscretions to your wife, would you?" The magistrate clenched his teeth and growled, "Get out, Mazzar." "Pleasure doing business with you," Mazzar responded with a knowing grin, and then returned to his home and the waiting cask of beer. ------- "Please, I don't want to talk about it, I don't want to think about it any more," Ari said softly to her angry friends, who were still fuming about the magistrate utterly rejecting the obvious evidence of what had happened here the night before. Lillian sighed, "Okay, Ari. I'm not going to let this rest, though. I'm going to see what I can do when I get back East." A knock sounded on the door, and Christine indicated to Tobair that he should go answer it. The man on the other side of the portal started a bit when he saw Toby's huge form standing in front of him, but cleared his throat and said, "I wanted to talk to Arilee for a moment." Ari nodded and Christine said, "Let him in, Toby." "Okay," Tobair said and stepped out of the way, shutting the door behind the man, a guardsman by his dress, and glaring hard at his back. The newcomer pulled off his leather helmet and cleared his throat, "I'm sorry to bother you, but some of us in the guard don't like the smell of this. We believe you, and we're going to keep an eye on things around here. We talked about it, and we figure we have enough brothers and cousins to keep an eye on your house and that fat tax collector. He won't get near you again." Ari smiled weakly and responded, "Thank you, but I don't want to be any trouble." "It could have been my wife he came after," the guardsman countered, "We'll keep an eye out, and one of my brothers is going to go talk to the governor too. Maybe we can get Mazzar moved somewhere else to extort his blood money, if nothing else." Ari's smile spread a little wider, "Thank you, it will make me feel better." The man put back on his helm and nodded, "You're welcome. Like I said, it could have been my wife. I won't let it happen again." Tobair opened the door to let him out, and then walked back over to where the others were gathered, "Tobe talk about fish big sea, where Amos ride boat." Ari reached out a hand toward him, the sound of Amos' name raising her spirits a little. "I'd like that." ------- Another tax collector replaced Mazzar a few months later, much to the relief of everyone, although not much was said as to why. Arilee recovered from her ordeal, although she still awakened in the night screaming sometimes, dreams of the failed assault leaving her panting and sweating for hours afterward. Lillian returned to her home in the east, but Tobair and Christine visited Ari frequently, a pleasant diversion from her mundane daily routine. Ari was of two minds about their visits, because she enjoyed their company, but she was afraid of the things she thought about Christine. Shame and desire were constantly at war within her whenever Christine was near, and it almost seemed that Christine encouraged the shameful glances Ari could not resist. Arilee wondered if the other blonde woman felt the same way she did, and quite nearly asked several times, but her natural shyness always prevented her from actually speaking about it, even when Tobair wasn't with them. Christine was indeed doing everything in her power to attract Arilee's attention, and growing despondent that it was never going to work. Either she was wrong about the glimpses of attraction she saw in her friend, or nothing was going to make Ari act on them. Either way, Christine was resigned to never getting the chance to explore her desires, as she could no more approach another woman than Arilee could. The leaves started to change, bringing a great deal of new mending into Ari's house. Throughout town, people pulled their winter clothes out of storage, and many thought of Arilee and her careful work when they found those clothes in need of repair. Ari waved away Tobair and Christine, who were helping with the washing while she tried to keep up with the mountains of mending, when someone knocked on the door. She was quite surprised to find Amos' mate, Zed, waiting outside. A wide smile spread across Arilee's face, "Hello, Zed isn't it? Did you bring letters from Amos?" She was so excited to see someone who knew her love that Ari didn't even notice the look on Zed's face. The old sea dog let out a sigh and said, "There ain't no good way to be tellin' this." He handed something he was carrying to Arilee and she looked down at it, realizing it was Amos' sea bag. She looked back up at him, confused, and Zed sighed again before saying, "We lost him. He jumped inta the sea to save a lad what was between the dock and a ship. He got the boy free, but the ship crushed him against that cruel dock. He said yer name with his last breath. I brought that to his folks, but they said you was the one what should have it." She refused to believe it at first, of course, but the look on his face and the sea bag in her hands betrayed the cruel reality to her. Tobair rushed over and caught her up in his powerful arms when she swooned. ------- Though they did their best, Arilee's friends could not draw her back out of the depression that consumed her that day. She gave up all her work, eating only when necessity demanded it, and taking pleasure from nothing. She spent most of her time simply sitting in a chair, sifting through Amos' drawings for hours on end. The seasons passed in their natural progression, and soon it was early summer again. As they did nearly every day, Christine and Tobair walked to Arilee's house in hopes of bringing her some cheer. Today, they had especially good news. Christine was pregnant with their first child. As they approached the house, they saw Arilee talking with a man outside the front door. A sack exchanged hands, and Arilee picked up a large bag at her feet before walking toward her friends, away from the house. Christine put on a smile, noticing that Arilee's expression had changed. Even determination was an improvement over the slack look of indifference she had worn for so many months. She asked, "Who was that?" Her lip starting to quiver, Ari answered, "I sold the house, I'm leaving. I can't bear to be here any longer. Everything reminds me of Amos, or of Mazzar." Christine's eyes misted over, and Tobair's lower lip stuck out. Christine sniffled and said, "I don't want you to go." "No go, pretty Ari," Toby echoed. Arilee's eyes were filling with tears as well when she replied, "I have to. I can't stay here, I'm sorry. I'm going now to find someone who will take me somewhere — anywhere." "But, your things," Christine protested, hoping to persuade her friend to stay. "Amos' sister is going to bring her husband over and put everything in their storage building, if I ever decide I want them. I'm sorry, I know I'm being selfish, but I just can't bear the memories any more." Wiping her eyes and nose, Christine pulled Arilee into a hug. "I understand. I don't like it, but I understand. You'll write to us, and try to visit, won't you?" "I'll try," Ari promised. Tobair hugged her then, and sobbed, "Miss pretty Ari." "I'll miss you too, Toby. I need to go, or I'll never leave." They both stepped back then, Tobair wrapping Christine in his arms as they both sobbed. Arilee waved goodbye with a wan smile, and then turned toward the center of town. It was only after Arilee vanished in the distance that Christine realized she had never told her friend the news of her pregnancy. ------- Ari wandered into the wagon yard, intimidated by the merchants and their mercenary guards. Everywhere men's eyes fell upon her with lust, and she started to have second thoughts. A laugh caught her attention, and she turned toward the jovial sound to find a kindly looking older man sitting atop a wagon, sharing a laugh with one of his guardsmen. The merchant noticed Arilee looking in his direction, and nodded politely to her before returning to his conversation. Looking around, Ari decided he was at least someone she felt comfortable approaching, so she walked over toward the wagon. She had sold her house, and so she had little choice but to stick to her hastily formed plan now. "Good day, Miss. Can I do something for you? I have fine copper pots, and surely I can wait a few minutes if you're in need," The merchant said with a smile as Arilee approached. "I was wondering where you are bound," Ari asked quietly. "North, through a few rough towns, and then on to Fightershaven. Even bar brawlers and sellswords need good pots," he replied. "I'm leaving town, and I wonder if I might ask to ride with you. I can pay." The merchant looked at her, and he could see the pain in her eyes. "Troubles? Well, I'd be glad for the company on the road, but where I'm bound is no place for a woman alone." Her eyes tearing up, Ari said, "Please, just take me away. I have to leave, and I'm afraid to talk to any of the other men here." The man sighed, "Well then, come on up. I'll see if I can't find you someplace to go. I can tell you won't stay, no matter what I say, so I'd feel better if you went with me, so I can watch out for you. Some of these men might decide to accept your offer of pay, and not in coin. Wouldn't be nobody out there to dispute them on the road, neither." Ari shivered, realizing what the man meant. She hadn't even considered that possibility, and it made her blood run cold. "Thank you, Sir." "Just call me Fannon. Now, what's your name, Miss?" "Arilee." He patted the buckboard of his wagon, "Come on up then, Arilee, and I'll tell you a story while we ride." Ari smiled and took his offered hand to climb up onto the wagon. ------- The memories slowly faded, just like the dream. Arilee felt better for having told her story, after waking up in tears from dreaming it, living it all over again. She took a deep breath and finished her tale to Christi, sitting on the bed next to her. "I stayed in a small town not far away called Rhys, for a while, but my money was running out. Someone said that there was plenty of work in Fightershaven for a woman like me. I thought they meant the mending and washing I did for a few people to stretch my coin. I didn't know they meant that." Christi hugged her friend tight as Arilee wiped away a stray tear. "So, that's how you ended up here, at the Ogre, then. I'm glad you told me. I know it must have been hard to talk about it, especially after enduring the dream reliving it all." Arilee sniffled and wiped her nose, "That isn't all, though. I dreamed about Amos at the end. He was telling me to be happy, and that he would be waiting for me. It was so real. It was almost like he was really in my dream." Christi put a hand under Arilee's chin and held it up as she spoke, "He may have been. The gods have done stranger things, that's for sure. I've heard about things like this before, and you did just visit Joshua's grave, after all. You were thinking that you should just stay away from men, weren't you?" Arilee's eyes opened wide and she asked, "How did you know?" Christi sighed and said with uncharacteristic softness, "One day maybe I'll tell you that story. Cerebus doesn't even know — nobody does." The Duchess then swung her legs over the edge of her bed, holding out her hand to Arilee. "Let's get dressed. You have your magic to study, and I need to get back to getting things ready for us to march out for Dalebord." Arilee made a worried face, "I'm not ready for this." Christi made an exaggerated gesture of rolling her eyes, "You didn't think you could learn to fight, or learn magic either, as I remember." That drew a little laugh from Ari as she stood up from the bed, "I suppose you're right." Christi twitched her eyebrows and swatted Ari's bare bottom playfully, "Go, or we'll both be back in that bed." "That's not very discouraging," Arilee replied, and then laughed, as she felt her face grow very warm. "Maybe we should invite your friend Christine here and see if you are right about her feelings," Christi said suggestively, taking a step closer to Ari, "Well, all of them, but especially Christine. I'll take care of finding out for you, but I promise to share." "I'd like that, very much," Ari said, her voice dropping in pitch as passion swelled within her for the beautiful Duchess. A moment later, they were kissing, and a moment after that, they were back in bed. Arilee got quite a late start on her magical studies. ------- The End ------- Posted: 2006-10-20 Last Modified: 2006-11-15 / 12:04:07 am ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------