Orin The Great Ch. 05

Orin felt the sorceress come closer to him. She set a hand on his shoulder and whispered to him. "Could you love a woman such as I, Orin?"

"You would come in second to Rohanna, but yes." The young man joked. After having voiced those words, he realized how foolish they sounded. They were a boy's words, and not a man's. "Yes, Sundri. I cannot say how long a love between you and I would have lasted, but yes, I could have... I can love a woman like you."

"Oh, Orin..." Sundri started, drifting closer to him.

Their lips met, so softly they were caresses and not revolts. Orin held the woman's waist and pulled her close enough for their chests to touch. He had always enjoyed the touch of her, and the soft rumbles that ebbed from her mouth when they kissed.

"We have no bed handy." He chuckled.

"The beds here are all worn flat. Perhaps we can have a roll in the piles of hay we saw in those empty stables, but later. For now, let me show you the proper way to blow out a man's candle. Loosen your trousers for me."

He did, feeling Sundri's hands tug at his sides until his arse was left out in the quiet breeze. The woman slid down before him, soon finding his cock with her soft hand and stirring it up until it was rigid. Orin had thought the gypsy's mouth was a wonder, but Sundri had so much more tenderness and finesse to her lips. She drew his breaths out of him, and coaxed his body, and caused a great lust to blossom within his head.

Sundri's voice was exhilarated, when she pulled away to catch her breath. "One day, Orin, I will move heaven and earth for you. One day, I will turn back the sun."

She mouthed him once again, warming and wetting that sensitive part of him. Since Orin was still a novice at this, he did nothing but grip Sundri's shoulders, and to keep his mouth closed so the entire fort would not hear what they were doing.

When Orin couldn't help but to gasp out over and over, Sundri let him go. He thought the sensual act was done with, before she mouthed him again. This time, Sundri's lips were tighter, and moved faster. She stimulated his cock to higher and higher levels, until Orin's hands felt like claws on her shoulders.

It happened soon. Orin's lust had grown to the size of the mountain behind him, until his expulsion tumbled out of him like a small, white flood. He could hear Sundri issuing soft moans and purrs, as he spilled away, into her mouth and onto her face. He assumed she was done at the same time he was, but she gripped him once more and kept him still. More sensations of bliss filled him up, leaving him panting and clutching at her, until finally, his cock had wilted so much he fell away from her.

"You've made a sticky mess of me." Sundri said, standing up. Her breaths were still panting out of her.

Orin reached out for her, to snatch her by the shoulder and pull her to him. He wanted to kiss her, yearned for it, but she was already gone. His hand reached out and caught nothing.

"Sundri?" Orin called out. "Where did you go, Sundri?"

"Keep your voice down." Bartram cautioned from a short distance away.

"But she left. Why did she leave?"

"Don't you worry. She'll be back once she's cleaned up. A woman doesn't like to be seen with a man's cream all over her face, you know."

"Are you sure? I thought I did something wrong to her. Perhaps I squeezed her shoulder too hard. Bartram?"

"Calm down, you dumb waif." Bartram sounded as if he was chuckling. "Put your pants up and go back to your watch."

Sundri had gone off somewhere to sleep, while Orin and Bartram had stayed at their post as long as they could. They took turns curling up against the palisade wall and taking short naps, but the hard wood was entirely uncomfortable for them. Finally, the next man on watch came to relieve them, allowing the two newcomers to head into the garrison.

Regardless, the morning arrived much too fast for them, with the result that they were still bone tired when they got up. They had to get up early, unfortunately, as their plan was to follow the farmers out to the orchards.

"I'm tired, Bartram." Orin complained, once they'd gone out far enough.

"You're not the only one." His friend seconded.

Besides watching over the apples and pears, the farmers had also planted a few rows of beets, onions, radishes and potatoes. The local men were glad when they saw Orin and Bartram holding bows, although they did not see where the stringed weapons had come from. Earlier and discreetly, Sundri had taken the bows and quivers out of her magical hiding place.

"We are glad to have you with us." One farmer said. "We know there are some beasts out there digging up our crops while we work in the orchards."

"Probably a boar." Another man said.

"You've seen its tracks?" Bartram asked.

"We have. You can come and have a look at them."

"No, no, not yet." The archer waved the men off. "Orin and I still need to catch up on our sleep. Once we are a bit more rested, we will go out hunting the beast."

"You can rest in that house there."

Orin turned to see a small shack sitting on the edge of the onion field, or more accurately, the onion patch, as it was so small. Soon enough, Bartram was leading them in that direction.

The young man noticed that Sundri had been keeping her distance from him all morning, as well as being unusually quiet. "Is all well with you, dear?"

The sorceress glanced over at him, giving him a slight grin. "Everything is very well, thank you. Don't trouble yourself about me, Orin. I am only remembering a few things from long ago. Bartram, do you think you and Orin will be able to sleep right away, with the sun shining so bright today?"

The archer considered the clear skies and full morning. "I hope so. I would rather not be tired all day, so we must sleep now. With any luck, we'll be back on our feet at about noon."

"I have old leaves I can make a tea with." Sundri told them. "They aren't as potent as if they were fresh, but it should help you sleep."

The insides of the shack were full of cobwebs and dust, they discovered. The rough planks of wood making up the walls were warped and let in both air and sunlight, and no furniture at all was left inside. After taking a short time to clear things out, Orin and Bartram lay down on the bare ground, as no floor was ever put in. Sundri pulled old, wool blankets out of her secret place, enough to give some comfort to the men, before she went outside to prepare her tea.

Both men were yawning their heads off, but still unable to doze thanks to the light and their head full of worries. The tea solved all of that, as once it had warmed their insides, and added to whatever other ingredients Sundri had thrown into it, they were soon sound asleep.

Orin dreamed of Miriam, that raven-haired young woman whom he had only known for a short time. Despite this short introduction, he found he was captivated with her eyes, and with her demeanor that was just different enough from other women to attract him. He might have had a long dream of her, or a short one, but he would never know which because he felt sudden movement about him.

Sundri had pulled his blanket away, Orin assumed. When he'd gone to sleep, he only wore his undergarment, leaving the rest of him nude. As he lay there on that hard ground with only one layer of wool to give him comfort, he felt the woman's hands tugging at his garment until his manhood was exposed. So far, Orin had kept his eyes closed, but when the young man realized that the hand encircling his cock was not small and soft, but instead larger and calloused, he raised his head to have a look.

It was Bartram, a very nude Bartram that was sitting next to his stretched out form and holding Orin's semi-erect cock.

"What are you doing, Bartram?" Orin asked. "I thought you were my friend!"

"I am your friend." The archer replied.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but where I come from, friends do not handle the cocks of other friends. Friends leave their friends' cocks alone!"

"If you tell me to, I will stop." Bartram decided. "If you let me, I will take you to the little death."

"You've always looked at me, not like a friend, but as something more. Haven't you? Admit it."

"Not since the start, but yes, I have. Does that anger you?"

"Should it?"

"Some men would not approve of what I am doing. You have to decide, Orin. Should I continue or should I stop?"

"Do you dream about me at night?"

"I would be a liar if I said I did not."

Orin had gone rigid, thanks to that man and his rough hand.

"Will you let me go through with this?" Bartram asked. "Later, after we are done, you can tell me if you enjoyed it or not. It is fair, isn't it, to try something first before you decide whether or not you like it?"

"I suppose, Bartram." Orin suspired, as he did not have the inclination to refuse his friend outright. "I will close my eyes and pretend you are Sundri."

"I don't mind that so much."

Orin did shut his eyes. He thought Bartram would only tug on his cock until he spilled over, and that's how it started off. After a time, however, he felt his friend's body lean over his. For a moment, Bartram's breaths were felt flowing over Orin's groin, and then the man's mouth was on him. Bartram was different than Sundri; his harsh mouth pulled and sucked, while Sundri was gentler, and in a way, more elegant and refined.

Bartram showed him something new, when he pulled Orin's cock up against his stomach. This exposed the younger man's sack, and the underside of his cock. His body shook when Bartram began to lick at both of those parts.

Orin groaned as that man's tongue licked at his length, and squirmed when he felt Bartram's mouth enclosing his sack. The archer mouthed him, and pushed his tongue onto Orin, and ran his tongue in the crevices of Orin's thighs. After this lavish attention, the archer went back to Orin's shaft, pouncing on it and pulling on it, until it finally unleashed its creamy contents. Only then did Bartram let him go from his lips, putting his hand on Orin's cock until all of his cream was milked out of him. Orin could not help but moan repeatedly until Bartram finally released him.

"There, it is done." The archer said. "I have wanted to do that to you ever since the first time I saw you nude, in the river with Sundri."

Suddenly, Orin was on his guard. "Are you here with us, Sundri? Have you turned invisible?"

"I don't think she is here." Bartram said. "Would it matter if she was? Here, clean yourself off with this rag. Don't tell her I did this with you."

"Why not?"

"She will become jealous, that's why."

"Do you think so?"

"Of course. She loves you. We've slept enough, haven't we? Let's get our things together. We can go out and hunt that boar now."

They found Sundri out on the edge of the orchard, examining tree trunks.

"Have you discovered anything new?" Bartram called out on their close approach.

"Animal spoor, nothing more." She revealed. "There are several bucks in the area, and only one boar, but it is a large one. A bear came through here once, but judging by its tracks, this was some time ago."

"Is it the animals that are digging up the field?"

At this, Sundri left her examination of the trees and glanced out over the plain of the field. Curiously, Orin lowered his head to avoid her eyes. She replied, "I would say it is the animals doing that. Would you have a look for yourself?"

As Bartram walked by, the sorceress tried to look into Orin's face a second time, only to see him shift away again. "Orin, what troubles you?"

"Nothing, Sundri." He answered, hastening his steps to catch up to the archer.

"Did you have a good sleep?" She persisted.

"Yes, I did thanks to your tea."

"Why are you so nervous? Orin, look at me. What is the matter?"

Bartram was quick to interject. "You've made him shy, Sundri, after what you did to him last night. He doesn't know how to act around you any longer."

"Is that true, Orin?"

"Yes." The young man timidly nodded.

Because Sundri worried that Orin might not favor her after her act, she decided not to press him. Instead, she walked over to where the archer studied the same scratched and marked trees she had found, and also the various animal tracks seen on the ground.

"There must be a watering hole near here." Bartram figured. "If we can find that, we will be able to lie in wait and see what sort of wildlife frequents this area. Did you ask about any streams or creeks, Sundri?"

"No, I did not. I have only been walking the edges of the orchards and fields looking for traces of magic. When I did not find them, I began looking for animal tracks."

"What does a trace of magic look like?" Orin wondered.

"It doesn't look like anything." Sundri answered. "Mostly it is sensed, but only by one who practices magic and understands the mystical energies that lie behind it. If a mage cast some spell from the trees or the fields, I might be able to find residue. As it stands, there is no magical residue either on the house you two slept in, or in any of the fields I've been to."

"Then it must be found in the mines." Orin guessed.

"That is possible." The sorceress nodded. "But it is also possible that someone in the camp is a mage, and is causing this havoc with the three demons with the deliberate intention of driving the residents away."

"Who would do that?" Orin asked. "Why would they do it?"

"It could hinge on what is found in the mine." Bartram reasoned. "If there is a new material found there, more valuable than copper and tin, perhaps some man or woman has decided to scare away the rest and take the mine by force."

"Could Dunder secretly be a mage, or that man Nettle?"

"Neither." Sundri answered. "Last night, I walked to and fro in that fort. If there is anyone there capable of manipulating magic, I could not detect it."

"We should walk out to the mine." Bartram decided.

"No, not yet." The sorceress told him. "The farmers say the three wicked men have come to pester the farmers from their fields. If the demons are indeed from the mines, the bulk of their power will lie there. I think we should keep to the fields for now, because if the demons come, they will be weaker here than at the mines."

"We will stay here for the rest of the day?" Orin inquired.

"Longer than that." Sundri informed him. "We must spend the night here."

"That makes sense." Bartram agreed. "The local people did say that while the demons have appeared in the day, they mostly show up at night. Are you up to having a battle with all three of them, dear?"

"That would depend on how powerful they are." Sundri replied.

"You are the most powerful sorceress I have ever seen!" Orin said. "Surely, no mere demons can best our Sundri!"

The older woman looked pleased to hear the compliments.

"I hope you have a plan." Bartram said. "It would cause me to feel safer if you did."

"Of course I have a plan!" Sundri replied, slightly irritated. While Orin's words made her feel omnipotent, Bartram's made her feel like an amateur.

Throughout the rest of that day, the sorceress set about creating magical threads that stretched out from one tree to another, in the areas just outside where the farmers toiled. Orin and Bartram could not see these threads, no matter how hard they tried to find them. Sundri was confident that her invisible threads would snare any weak trespasser, or if a trespasser were strong enough to rip through them, the threads would give off a strong enough signal for her to track the culprit into the wild.

A dozen farmers shuffled about, picking fruits for half the day and tilling the soil for the other half. Since Orin had nothing better to do, he helped a bit with the plowing, as the farmers no longer had no horses or oxen for the laborious task.

Bartram went off alone in search of prey, coming back in a strange mood because, while he had downed a squirrel, he had also broken an arrow that he could not easily replace. Alone, he skinned and cooked his catch, sharing it with his friends but not with the farmers. At first, the farmers were resentful, until Bartram explained that they would not be returning to the fort once the sun came down. This caused the farmers to become afraid of the three adventurers, for surely those people were insane to stay out where it was known that demons roamed.

Sundri pulled weeds from the fields and burned them in Bartram's small fire, and if she caught any bugs, she would burn them as well. When the farmers figured out that she was doing some sort of sorcery, they began to fear her even more.

"What is it that you're doing?" Orin asked, when he came in later, dirty and sweaty from the fields.

"You don't want to know." Sundri replied, looking into a small bowl containing a number of the pests she'd caught.

"If I didn't want to know, I don't think I would have asked."

"Fine, I will tell you." She relented, picking up a long, green worm. "Do you see this creature? I am going to toss it into the fire so I can watch it burn. I will have to be quick; otherwise I will miss the brief moment. If there is any trace of magic on this creature, I will see it separate from the creature's body as the flames devour it."

"You won't find anything." Orin shook his head. "Who would use magic on a common worm?"

"What do you know about magic?"

"Well, nothing."

"Then don't presume to tell me what will happen, when I have been studying magic for a great many years."

"I'm sorry, dear. Will you tell me about it?"

Sundri cast an impatient look at the young man, before she let up. "There are many paths in magic, and many, many spells to be learned and used. At first, it may not make sense to you that I am looking for residue in worms and bugs. An insect or an animal might step on a magical item, for example, or they might walk through a place that has been cloaked by magic. The magic will seek to cling to them without hurting them, and so the creatures might walk off in their search for food. If the spell is powerful, the magic will fade away in a slow pace. If the spell is weak, it will fade faster, but that will also tell me the mage that cast that magic must be close by. There is a certain spell that can be cast on a bug such as a butterfly or a bird, that will allow the good mage to see whatever the creature does until the spell is gone. A good mage might also create false insects on occasion, and fill these insects with a poison of some sort, and send them out to bite unknowing victims."

"There is so much to know!" Orin marveled. "Have you found anything?"

"Only traces, mostly on the feet of crawling insects. I have found nothing on creatures with wings."

"What does that reveal to you?"

Sundri considered this. "It tells me to keep wary of tree branches and leaves on the ground."

"But why? I don't understand."

"Because these demons are clever." She revealed. "They aren't skulking about trying to sneak their way into the fort. They are out here, in the open where they can spy on people. They might hide in a tree all day, or hide by lying down on the ground on a pile of leaves. The demons keep perfectly still, so still that bugs like these worms can crawl over their bodies and catch a trace of their magic, while the demons keep their evil watch on us."

Orin shivered at the idea. Morbidly, he glanced into the trees.

"I haven't found too many." Sundri tried to put him back at ease. "But I have found some. They were ants, mind you. I picked them in the far end of the apple orchards."

"And you're sure you want to spend the night in these fields?"

"Why did we come out here, Orin?" She reminded him.

"For adventure." The young man nodded. "I know I shouldn't let the tales frighten me. Back in Dunnidale, there was so much mystery regarding the Devil's Cave, but the gist of it was that heroes always ran away from it. Here, we already know there is a foe, three foes even, because they have stolen many people. Red Rock is much scarier than Dunnidale, if you ask me."