Moonsword - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 

When they got to the camp Amristia immediately handed both Tolian and Brythia cups of warmed wine.    Several cups later (and a couple of bowls of stew later, too) he was feeling quite warm and relaxed.  Tolian was ready to sleep now.  He had lost no time in curling up next to the fire for a long night’s rest.  The others followed in his example, as it was getting late.

The small camp was still and quiet, with only the fire’s crackle, and the forest’s nocturnal noises to be heard.  Tolian had slipped into that state of complete relaxation one reaches as the conscious mind retires for the evening.  He abruptly became aware of a warm body slipping under the blanket next to him.   A warm kiss was gently placed on his cheek and a soft hand caressed his chest.  His sleepiness receded quickly.

“I thought you said we couldn’t do this,” he said.  Then, he opened his eyes.

Myrthis lie under the blanket next to him.  She looked seductive and inviting.  Tolian was dumbfounded.

“Myrthis!” he exclaimed.

“Something wrong?” The druidess asked nonchalantly.

“Uh, yeah.  What’s going on?”

“We’re getting ready to make love, my prince,” she replied as if that explained it all to complete satisfaction.

Tolian found himself enjoying the proximity of her soft feminine body, but he was still perplexed.

“Why?”

Myrthis slipped her hands below the covers and gently stroked him, he felt himself stiffen even more.

“Why ask why?” she said coyly.

He wasn’t positive as to why, exactly he was doing so, but he found himself pulling away from her.  He kept picturing Brythia.  He could not make love to another woman, while thinking of his love for Brythia.

“Sorry, Myrthis,” he said.

“You don’t want to sleep with me?” she asked in amazement.

Tolian stuttered, “I hope I didn’t give you the impression, somehow... .”

“You don’t find me attractive?” she asked in a hurt voice.

“No, no.  Of course, you’re very beautiful.  You even remind me of the girls of Lorm, with your hair and complexion.  It’s just that, well, I’m not sure why you want to sleep with me.  That, and I love another.”

“But...”  was all she could say.

“Yes?”

“We must make love.  I am destined to bear your son.”

“Excuse me?”

Tolian had gotten rather loud; he looked about the camp to see if he had disturbed the others.  A couple of the druidesses stirred slightly in their slumbers, shifting beneath their blankets.  Brythia, however, had sprung up and hurried over to Tolian and Myrthis.

“Is there a problem?” she inquired, sleepily.

“Yes,” said Tolian emphatically.

“He does not want to sleep with me,” Myrthis explained.  “I’m at my most fertile right now.”

“Oh, I see,” Brythia said.  “I hadn’t exactly realized you would be ready quite this soon.”

“Um, could someone please tell me what is going on, here?”

Tolian’s sleepy head was spinning.  Nothing was making any kind of sense to him.

“Of course, Your Highness,” Brythia said.  “You must make love to Myrthis immediately.”

“What?”

“If you want there to be an heir to the House of Hemris, to take your father’s place as king one day, you must mate with Myrthis.”

Tolian was flabbergasted.

“B-b-but...” he stammered.  “I’m going to take my father’s place as king.”

Brythia’s eyes clouded with tears, “No, you’re not.  You will never be King of Lorm.”

“I thought you had said I was expected to survive whatever it is I’m supposed to do?”

“You probably will, but you will not be king,” Brythia said distantly.  “Look, the druidic council knew when you were born that you were to be the world’s champion against the coming evil.  There are certain...preparations that you will be required to undergo.  These preparations will make it impossible for you to sire an heir.  It was the council’s decision that the House of Hemris should not die out due to your participation.”

“Wait a second,” Tolian exclaimed.  “Why won’t I be able to sire a child.  What is the exact nature of these preparations?”

“Do not concern yourself with that right now,” Brythia continued.  “When you were born it was decreed that you would marry the daughter of Rethig, of the House of Curdew.  She was scarcely a year old at the time, but the Druidic high council ordered her abduction so that a suitable heir to the throne could be produced.  Myrthis is the daughter of Rethig.”

It was almost ridiculous.  The woman he loved was patiently explaining that he, the Prince of Lorm, had to father a child, right now upon the woman he would have had to marry if she hadn’t been abducted by druids.  Tolian looked first at Brythia, then at Myrthis, who still reclined beneath his blanket.  Myrthis looked Lormian.   It was true that his infant betrothed did mysteriously disappear soon after Tolian’s birth; his father had told him that several times.  Just the same, he was having no part in anything that would jeopardize his virility in any way, as these preparations were evidently going to do.

“I’m sorry,” Tolian said.  “You didn’t tell me anything about this.  I guess you’re on your own.  I’ve decided to leave in the morning.”

Brythia sighed.

“Look,” Tolian went on.  “I just can’t.  This is all too weird.”

Brythia shook her head sadly.  She spoke with grim determination.  “I hope you can forgive me for this.”

She reached up and placed her palm on his forehead.

Instantly he was unable to move.

Brythia looked down at Myrthis, “I’ll get Kilfrie, to help.”

Tolian stood there motionless, as if he had been turned to stone.  He struggled, yet he was unable to even move his fingers. His eyes were frozen still in his head; he was forced to stare where he had been looking at Brythia, though she had since moved away.  He felt so betrayed.  Yet part of him understood that Brythia must have felt that she had no choice.  This was all impossibly insane.

Kilfrie stepped next to him.  She was dark and mysterious.  Her eyes had no trace of tiredness, only a deep power.

“Hello, Tolian,”  she said casually.

She stared deeply into his eyes.  Something strange was happening.  His mouth moved, forming words that he was not thinking.

“Hello, Kilfrie,”  he heard himself say.

Kilfrie smiled.

She raised her arm up in the air.

Tolian raised his arm in a similar fashion, though he wasn’t causing it to move.

Then Kilfrie proceeded to sit cross legged on the ground.  Now her eyes were closed.

Tolian felt his arm lower.  His head turned, first to the left then to the right.  It was so unreal.  His muscles were moving involuntarily.  He had no control over his body, yet it was moving on its own.  Obviously, somehow Kilfrie had taken control of his body.  Tolian attempted to will his arm to stop moving.  It was pulling off his shirt.  His other arm was pulling down his trousers.  He was helpless.  He had to watch whatever his eyes looked at with no recourse.  He climbed under the covers with Myrthis.

His hand stroked her breast.  His lips kissed her.  His mind was screaming in protest.  He could not help himself.  His erection returned.  It was like a dream.  Myrthis got on top of him and slid herself around him.

“It’s a shame that it had to be like this, Tolian,"” she said.  “This being your last chance to exercise your maleness.  But, I guess you can still feel it.”

She brought herself up and down.

Tolian heard himself say, “Actually, it feels really, really good.  I never imagined that men got this much pleasure.  Oh, what a treat.”

It did feel great.

He felt himself ejaculate.  Ah.

“Yes, yes, yes,” he heard himself say.

Myrthis was now moaning in her own pleasure as well.  His seed moved into her.

His eyes happened to look up for a moment.  He caught a glimpse of Brythia.  She looked terribly sad.

Suddenly, Myrthis words glowed in his memory:  “Your last chance to exercise you maleness.”  Tolian grew afraid.

Myrthis whispered into his ear, “Nice job, Kilfrie.  You’re surprisingly good at that.”

“Thanks,"” Tolian  said, wishing he could control his mouth.

Myrthis leaned right up to his face, “It’s going to be a boy, Your Highness, unlike his father.”

"Don't tease him," Tolian said.  “I can tell, you’ve got him very upset.  Do not belittle the Champion.”

“You’re right, sorry Tolian.”

Tolian’s mouth spoke again and again he wished he could make himself stop talking. , “You should probably put some clothes on and then tie him up, so we can get some sleep.  It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.”

Myrthis’s well- endowed body emerged from the blanket and pulled on her robe and cloak.  She fetched a leather rope and wrapped it around Tolian’s ankles and wrists.  Tolian assisted the entire process, or at least his body did.  When he was secured, Kilfrie stood up.  Instantly Tolian had regained control of his muscles, though he had little opportunity to move them.  He screamed at the top of his lungs.

Amristia rolled over from her sleep to face him.  She began to hum a melody.  It was soft and quiet, soothing.  The tune beckoned him to sleep.  Its lulling tones pulling him towards a dream.  He could not resist.   His last thought before drifting off:  I’ll never underestimate these women again, he thought. They are beings of frightening power.