Barbarian Tales 1: Mistress of the Sword - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Brothers Belehm

Shailaja's brothers followed her from the inn. They had anticipated her decision to accept their advice and had all the supplies she would need to make good her escape, including a pouch containing a small amount of coin. More important than the money, so far as Shailaja was concerned was the fact that they had brought her armour and weapons. They had also brought the thick white bear hide robe from her bed. She had crafted the robe from a white bear that she had killed with a single cast of her spear at the age of fourteen springs. Nights in the mountains of Kaltara could be cold even in the warmest days of summer and the robe would be welcome.

She stowed away all of the gear and then parted from her brothers. This time she could not hold back a few tears as they gave her in farewell what they had denied her in greeting. Her brothers wept as well, Kaltaran men not thinking it shameful to display emotion. And then she was gone, riding west into the Mountains of Storms.

She rode as far as she could, taking advantage of the long summer day. It was a bit of a strain on Halvar, but she planned to go more slowly once she was well away from Lorholm.

While she rode she pondered her predicament. Try as she might she could find no neat solution. As an outlaw she could not plead her case before the Grand Council. And if she could not plead her case she could not have the ban that had been placed upon her removed. Nor could she ride to Prithia to confront the liars who had defamed her. She would almost certainly be killed or even worse captured. She could imagine what a spectacle the Prithians would make out of the barbarian witch who had murdered their emperor.

There seemed nothing for it but to follow her brothers' advice and hope that somehow they would be able to convince the Grand Council that she was innocent of the charges laid against her. She did not have much hope that they would succeed, but it seemed she had little choice.

She camped at dusk, building a small lean-to for shelter and sleeping a few hours before continuing. She did not expect to be followed, as supposedly no one other than her brothers knew she had returned home. However, as she prepared for the day's ride she realized that she had not thought much about where she was going or what she was going to do with herself. It came to her that grim as her situation was, it would give her an opportunity to do something she had always wondered about. Her only time outside Kaltara had been the forced journey she had taken as Cleron's prisoner. Now she had the opportunity, welcome or not, to see what the rest of Vedra was about.

"I will go west through the mountains," she mused, "until I reach the sea. I should find somewhere to go from there."

Actually she had a pretty good idea of where to go. She had always been interested in stories of other lands and the geography she had studied under her mother's guidance had acquainted her with much of Vedra, or at least the northern region of the continent. She was a bit hazy about the south, but so were most Kaltarans as few of them had ever journeyed that far. Maybe I will be the first, she thought. It was exciting to think that she might go where no other Kaltaran had ever travelled.

He mind made up, she headed west to the high country, seeking the mountain passes that were deep in snow even in high summer. She felt no danger in doing this due to her experience and the mount she rode. Halvar could not have been better suited to take her through the dangerous mountain passes.

---

The first part of her journey was made through alpine pastures rich in grass and flowering plants. These provided plentiful food for her mount and she made good time, reaching the snowline in the first quarter of a moon. She now had even less fear of pursuit as anyone following would have to trace her tracks through the snow and a single storm would cover all traces of her passing.

As she travelled her plans became more definite. She would cross the mountain passes and then head southwest toward Kaltara's west coast. The port of Svend lay there and she had some vague notion of finding a ship that would take her to the Kingdom of Tungay which lay just a short voyage across the Gulf of Sorbay.
Going that direction would require that she cross three ranges of mountains, but it would make also make her trail almost impossible to follow and she was confident of being able to provide for herself in the wild.

Kaltarans were raised very close to nature. Children were usually taken on the hunt as soon as they were able to ride, which was usually some time short of their fourth spring. By the time they were adults all were skilled hunters, and it was no boast to say that for her years Shailaja considered herself the equal of any.

And so by degrees, she made her way across the Mountains of Storms, and reached the most westerly range by the end of summer. She encountered dangers, but none that she could not avoid, coming close to serious injury only twice. The first when a cave bear staged an ambush from the side of the trail. Fortune smiled on her that time as the wind shifted just prior to the attack and Halvar picked up the scent. He shied away and the bear missed them by the width of a hair.

Plenya were not known for their speed, but Halvar exceeded himself that day, leaving both the bear and a trail of droppings in his path as he took them both to safety.

The other danger was a great fall of snow; what Kaltarans called an avalanche. This phenomenon occurs when a vast accumulation of snow becomes so heavy that it fails to hold to the mountain slope on which it lies. It tears loose and roars down the mountain, taking with it rocks, trees, and any living thing in its path.

It was such an event that roared toward Shailaja, making the very ground shake with its power and pushing a great wind before it. So great was its speed that there was no escaping it through running, and its width was such that Halvar could not outdistance it. Happily, through the blessing of Marana, they were close to a large rock overhang. Kicking her heels into Halvar's side she made it to the rock only heartbeats before the vast mountain of snow and rock swept past. With a sound like that of the gods come to battle it roared by on either side of them. Safe from its deadly path she waited it out and then continued with her journey.

So remote was the route she had chosen that she encountered none but the creatures of the wild. However, as she crested the final pass that changed. Coming toward her were three men. They were on foot and led several mules on a string. From their garb she took them to be hunters, no doubt making their way into the mountains in pursuit of game and furs.

Not wishing to cause them any alarm she halted Halvar and studied them as they approached. The first thing she noticed was that although they all appeared to be well-made men, none had the height or colouring of a Kaltaran. She found that interesting as she had seen few who were not of her race, Cleron and his Prithian warriors being the exception.

Kaltarans were generally fair-skinned; light of hair and with eyes that were shades of blue, green, and grey. Shailaja's hair was as red as the coals of a fire when blown upon and her eyes were as green as emeralds. Those before her had hair of a dark brown and skin a shade darker than hers. She could not see their eyes from where she was but when they moved closer she discovered that they matched the colour of their hair. With some interest she watched as the strangers approached.

None matched her in height, the tallest coming to her chin, but they were all broad of shoulder and deep of chest. It was obvious that they were men used to heavy labour. She also noted that none of them were armed with more than bows and daggers indicating that they were not warriors and probably intended her no harm.

As they approached within hailing distance she greeted them in the traditional salutation of her people. "Greetings strangers. I give you Marana's blessing."

The men stopped and regarded her for a few heartbeats before replying. "Greetings, lass," the first of them finally replied. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, and his bearded countenance was open and friendly. "The blessings of Teloch be upon you."

The man's accent was thick, speaking Kaltaran with an inflection she had not heard before, but the return greeting proved her guess correct, Teloch being the Kaltaran god of the hunt. The fact that the strangers did not appear to be Kaltaran did not in any way disturb her as it never occurred to her that any other gods except hers existed.

She let them approach closer before offering any further information and noted that the three men were all close in age and bore a strong resemblance to one another.

"I am Shailaja of the Kaltara," she continued, "and I offer you the friendship of the road." She deliberately refrained from using her titles. She was not yet out of Kaltara and although it was extremely unlikely that word of her flight had preceded her, there was no point in leaving anyone behind her who might point any pursuers in the right direction.

"I am Sheb, son of Belehm, and these are my brothers Dain and Lahn," the oldest man replied. "I see by your weapons that you are a Warrior of Kaltara."

That she was a warrior should also have been obvious from her hair, which she wore in a fighting braid, and the fact that all Kaltarans, both male and female were warriors, but these were not fighting men and so she said nothing.

"We are bound for the mountains," Sheb continued. "We are hunters from Svend and plan to spend the winter in search of furs."

That explained their appearance. Although Svend was part of Kaltara, it was not a traditional part of that realm, having only been acquired through conquest a century before in order to provide Kaltara with its only ice-free port. The people who inhabited the coastal area were much like Sheb and his brothers in appearance, being more closely related to the people of Tungay than to those of Kaltara. She later learned that many of the coastal people hunted and trapped during the winter and fished or farmed during the spring and summer months.

"That is a most impressive mount you ride," Dain observed. "I have never seen quite so fine an animal. Do you intend to take it to Svend?"

What she was to do with Halvar was a subject that she had thought on at length without reaching a conclusion. As well suited as he was to the mountains and northern wilds of Kaltara, a plenya was not a creature who fitted well into warmer climes. She had considered abandoning him partway down the last pass before reaching the coastal plain, knowing that he would have no difficulty surviving alone in the mountains and might even find his way back to Lorholm if it suited him. It seem proper to give him his freedom as he had been hers since he was but four springs and was more to her than just a means of transportation. But he was also a source of wealth. If she was to take a ship to Tungay she would need money for the passage and the money her brothers had given her would not last long once she reached settled lands and was forced to pay for her food and lodging. Difficult as the choice was it would make more sense to sell him than set him free. She was not sure what Dain's question was leading to, but it set her mind to the possibility of a sale.

"Halvar has been with me a long time," she replied. "I had not thought to part with him." The last was a lie, of course, but aside from the fact that it is a good bargaining technique to appear reluctant to part with any item of value, if Dain and his brothers were indeed interested in buying her mount then she wished to know a bit more about his buyers before letting him go. She would not turn him over to any who might abuse him.

"He will find the lowlands not to his liking," Dain remarked. "The warmth and damp of the coast is ill-suited to such a beast, and we could make good use of him."

"Perhaps it is something we should discuss a bit more," Shailaja replied. "It is just afternoon, but I am willing to camp early if you are."

The three brothers looked at one another and then nodded agreement. "It will be our pleasure," Sheb smiled. "Seldom do we expect to meet anyone on the way to the high pass this time of year."

"Especially anyone of your remarkable beauty," Lahn grinned. It was the first thing he had said, and the remark brought colour to Shailaja's cheeks, even though similar things had been said about her on previous occasions.

The place where they had met was close to a small stream Shailaja had passed a short time before and she mentioned it as a good campsite. However, her suggestion was rejected. "We have a cabin back the way you have come," Sheb said. "It is just off the trail and will be better than an open camp."

Shailaja was surprised that she might have missed something as obvious as a cabin, but agreed to accompany them and turned Halvar around. They moved up the trail a few hundred yards until they came to a large rock outcropping and Shailaja saw why she had missed the cabin. It was set out of sight of the trail, some hundred paces into the forest. Since the brothers had not made use of it since last winter there was no trail leading to it as there might normally have been.

It was built out of stone with a roof of planks and shingles, and was about the right size for four or five travellers. Reaching the door, Sheb opened it and stepped inside. Shailaja led Halvar to the back of the cabin and tethered him in a stand of pines with access to good grass. He had drunk at a stream no more than a half turn of the glass before so she judged he would not need water until morning. Removing his halter, saddle, and travelling bags she carried her gear to the cabin.

Dain and Lahn had gone with her to tend to the mules and together they entered the cabin. Shailaja saw that it was indeed better than camping out of doors. On one side of the single room were six bunks, three set low and three set high. On the other was a fireplace in which Sheb had already kindled a flame, and in the centre of the room was a table with a bench on either side. Other than that it was bare, but it certainly looked comfortable enough.

Shailaja had the meat of a young buck she had killed the previous day and she offered it as her contribution to the camp. It was gratefully accepted as the three hunters had only dried meat, but they did have a good supply of spices and flour with which to add to the meal. They all removed their outer garments as the fire provided a pleasant heat. Setting the meat to roast, Shailaja sat at the table and helped Dain with the flatbread. While she worked she exchanged information with the brothers as to what they had seen on the trail.

The conversation continued that way until the meal was cooked. They had venison, flatbread, tubers cooked in the coals, and a drink called spahr which Lahn tapped from a keg he took from one of the pack animals.

"I'd never go into the mountains without this," he chuckled. "If a man can't have a woman to warm him then spahr is a good substitute."

This observation produced a laugh, and Shailaja laughed too, although not quite as heartily as the three men. She felt somewhat uncomfortable with the way the three men looked at her and she was not used to having received such a comment from those so much older than she was. In addition, her misadventure with Cleron had somewhat poisoned her outlook toward men. However, she took the comment in fun and hoped it would go no further than that.

Perhaps suspecting she was uncomfortable, Dain changed the subject to the question of Halvar while Lahn took to pouring the spahr. He handed her a cup while Dain made the first proposal.

"We have five mules and can spare two if you are willing to trade with us. So large a beast can certainly carry as much as two mules and from the looks of him he is well suited to the cold and snow of the mountains."

"Two mules for one such as Halvar would certainly be a bargain for you," Shailaja countered. "And I am not sure that I know you well enough to part with him. I could only let him go to someone who will treat him well."

She sipped at the spahr and found it very much stronger than the ale she was used to. Indeed, the single sip sent fire coursing through her mouth and down to her stomach. However, she was not about to show that a Kaltaran Warrior could not hold her drink and only nodded appreciatively.

"I am glad the spahr is too your liking," Lahn grinned. He tipped back his cup and downed it at a gulp, an action that was followed by his brothers.

Not to be outdone, Shailaja too tossed the fiery liquid back. It made her nose run and her eyes water, but she kept it down and held out her cup for more. This time she planned to sip more cautiously, having proven her ability to hold her drink.

"We have a little coin," Sheb said. "Perhaps we could add somewhat to the offer. As you can see from our mules we care well for our animals. Your Halvar would be well taken care of."

Shailaja considered the offer while sipping at the spahr. She found the second taste not as fierce as the first and tipped it back, following the three brothers in their actions. Lahn immediately refilled the cups and the brothers raised them in salutation. By now she was beginning to feel some influence of the drink, although her three hosts seemed to be handling it without difficulty. Not wishing to let down the honour of the Kaltaran people she too drank.

Lahn was once again quick to refill the cups and Shailaja drank more slowly as the discussion returned to the topic of Halvar. Sheb reassured her that her mount would be well cared for. "Judge from our mules," he urged. "Tomorrow when it is light you will see that they are indeed in fine condition. I promise an animal as valuable as Halvar will be treated at least as well as our mules."

The offer seemed more and more reasonable. And as Lahn poured still another round of spahr she agreed to see the mules tomorrow, and then if satisfied, make the trade.

This brought another spate of drinking to honour the agreement. By this time Shailaja found that the spahr went down easily. Lahn seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of the drink, refilling everyone's cup as quickly as they emptied.

Shailaja soon became very comfortable. Well fed and thoroughly warmed by the spahr and the fire that still burned in the hearth, she was feeling very relaxed in the jovial company of her hunter hosts. Somewhere in the back of her mind common sense was shouting a warning, but she downed a final cup of spahr, and nodded to Sheb. "I will see the mules in the morning. For now I need sleep."

Or at least that is what she attempted to say. For some strange reason her tongue seemed stuck to the roof of her mouth and when she attempted to rise she found that her legs would not move.

Shailaja tried to shake her head, but instead of clearing her vision swam. Dimly she realized that her head was lowering to the table, and one of the brothers had to move the remains of her meal to keep her from plunging her face into it.

"By Teloch," one of the brothers exclaimed. "I thought she'd never go down. You sure you were giving her the uncut stuff?"

"I was beginning to wonder," a voice that sounded like Lahn answered. "She drank enough to put three women under, much less a girl."

"Yes, but she's quite a girl," another voice stated. "You think she's ever been breached?"

"I would guess not." It was Sheb's voice this time, although it seemed farther and farther away. "However, I think we are going to enjoy finding out."

Shailaja felt a sensation of touching and movement and realized that she was being helped to her feet. She mumbled something about being tired and got an exclamation of surprise. "She's still awake. Maybe we better tie her."

"Let's see what's under that jerkin first," Lahn's voice proposed. "We can tie her to the table afterwards."

She was plumped down onto the table top, and suddenly hands were moving over her body, tugging at the ties on her clothing. She knew that there was something wrong with this, but seemed to lack the strength to do anything about it. Nevertheless, she pushed out with her arms and heard a surprised response. "She's damned strong for someone who's just had enough spahr to give me a month's headache," Sheb said. "Help me hold her."

More hands clasped at her and more ties were loosened. Suddenly she felt her jerkin being pulled over her head, and then the ties on her shirt were undone. She felt first one arm and then the other removed from the sleeves and then felt the cooler air of the cabin on her skin.

"Get rid of that," Sheb ordered. "Let's have a proper look at her."

Fingers fumbled with the knot between her breasts that held her bindings in place and then her breasts were freed. "By Teloch, she's got breasts like the goddess of war herself."

"More like Selene's," Dain corrected, referring to the goddess of love and beauty.
"Ripe and round as melons, with nipples like plump raspberries."

The touch of hands moving over her skin brought forth a moan. Still helpless in the drink-induced stupor, she resisted only weakly as she was laid upon the table, but she was suddenly awake at the touch of leather on her wrists.

"What are you doing?" she gasped. She tried to pull her hands free as Dain wound the rawhide around them and attempted to secure them to the leg of the table.

"By Teloch, she's still awake." Sheb marvelled. "I'm beginning to think that spahr wasn't properly distilled."

"So much the better if she is," Dain observed. "I'm looking forward to using her."

Shailaja began to struggle, weakly at first, then harder as she realized what was happening. "Damned wildcat; help me hold her," Dain yelled.

She almost succeeded in freeing her hands from his grip when Sheb added his weight to the contest. He was a little less subtle. "She's as strong as a mountain cat," he grunted. "Settle down, girl. We're not going to hurt you."

Shailaja was less than convinced of that and managed to raise her head enough to sink her teeth into his hand.

"Devil cat!" Sheb roared. He brought back his arm and then returned it as a fist, striking her just below her left eye. The blow hurled her back onto the table, and temporarily left her at the mercy of the three men.

Once again her wrists were held and separate leather thongs were wound about each of them. Her arms were then pulled over her head and tied to each corner of the table by securing the thongs to the table legs. She kicked, but Sheb grabbed one leg and Lahn the other, keeping her pinned. Then while she struggled Dain began to unbuckle her belt. Truly awake now, she kicked desperately, hardly able to believe that this was happening to her again. She was a Kaltaran Warrior. How could she be so stupid as to be captured by three backwoodsmen?

But captured she was, and stripped to the waist while three men tried to remove her boots and trousers. She fought frantically, but with her wrists tied to the table all she could do was inconvenience, her captors as first her boots and then her trousers were removed. Sheb and Lahn held her legs tight while Dain tied them, looping a length of leather about each ankle and then bending her legs at the knee and tying each ankle to the table legs. After rendering her helpless they stepped back to admire their handiwork.

"She is a goddess," Sheb remarked. "Or as near to one as we are like to see." He stepped forward to stroke Shailaja's thigh, sending shivers through her body.

She lay panting from exertion, her mind clearing, as fear drove part of the befuddlement of the spahr from her mind. The heaving of her breasts drew the attention of the three men who moved forward to touch her body. Captured and helpless, she heaved against her restraints, cursing the youthful naiveté that had allowed her to fall into the hands of her captors.

"Let me go," she demanded. "I am a Warrior of Kaltara. You will pay for this outrage."

"You are a woman on her back with her legs spread," Lahn laughed. "And that is the way you will be treated."

"We will have you as often as we wish, warrior," Sheb added, "and then we will decide about keeping you or sending you on your way."

"You will be a little sorer for the experience," Dain grinned. "But if you behave and wiggle your hips while we enjoy you we won't treat you harshly."

"I will have vengeance for this," Shailaja shouted. "You will rue the day you acted in so base and treacherous a manner." She strained harder at her bonds, arching her back, but succeeded only in driving the leather thongs painfully into her flesh and exciting her captors.

They were all over her now, moving their hands over her thighs and breasts; pinching her nipples into painful erectness; and testing the warmth of the tender area between her thighs. She was helpless to stop any of it and struggled helplessly, her body quivering with anger and her mind filled with not just a little fear.

She had never felt so helpless, so weak, so … aroused.

The last was a complete surprise, so much so that for a few heartbeats Shailaja went completely still, but there was no denying it. Her very helplessness had ignited the fires of which Usha had spoken and Cleron had noticed, an event her captors were quick to take note of.

A familiar red glow suffused her upper body as she realized that the very act of being made captive and bound hand and foot had set her inner fires to burning, raising the heat of her body and causing the juices of Selene's Grotto to flow.

Sheb's laugh filled the room. "Feel the fires within her. I've never felt such heat in a woman. She burns for her use."

"Release me," Shailaja groaned. "Release me or you will pay with your lives for this insult."

"She protests too much, I think," Lahn grinned. "I'm beginning to wonder about her never having been breached."

"Let me see," said Dain. He moved his hand between her thighs and touched her in such a way that she had to cry out.

"Stop," she moaned. "Release me now and I will let you live."

"I think not," Dain replied. "I think you want this." He moved his hand again and she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. "Let's answer the question that's been on everyone's mind." He touched her deeper, his fingers parting her petals and she moaned, a deep moan of incredible need, and then his fingers plunged deeper still.

"Oh Marana give me strength," Shailaja whimpered. She twisted under his touch, her body writhing, suddenly consumed with a terrible and urgent need.

"I think she's been having us on," Dain grinned. "I've never seen a woman so ready. Give her a little more time and she'll be begging us to take her."

"No," Shailaja moaned wretchedly, "Please stop. You can't so this. I'm a Warrior of Kaltara. You must release me."

"You hear that?" Lahn chuckled. "She wants release. But I think she should beg us for it."

"No," Shailaja cried. "I want you to let me go. Stop touching me."

Dain's fingers were moving inside her now, bringing her pain of a different sort. She twisted in agony, and as Sheb bent to suckle her nipples something seemed to burst inside.

"It hurts," Shailaja moaned. "Please stop."

The heat of desire spread from her loins like a great conflagration, spreading out to consume everything it touched. The slightest touch of Dain's fingers on her swollen petals brought such intense longing she wanted to scream and as Sheb's tongue flicked over the hardness of her nipples and the wetness of his lips teased them she whimpered as if in acute agony.

"Do you really want us to stop, warrior?" Lahn taunted.

"Yes," Shailaja cried. "Please yes." Lahn's finger found the apex of her petals and touched the tiny hooded bud that was hidden there. "No," Shailaja whispered, her voice barely audible, and her teeth clenched against the unbearable torment. "No. No!"

Dain had finally finished his exploration. He held up two fingers that were soaked with the dew of Selene's Grotto. "It seems she has been breached, but the taking will still take some doing, I almost lost my fingers in there."

"No!" Shailaja screamed. In one final and frenzied attempt to escape she heaved her body against the restraints that bound her, the leather cutting deep into her flesh and the table rocking with the violence of her efforts. But the bonds held and left her almost sobbing in the anguish of her need.

Dain moved between her legs and delivered the blow that broke her. Bending low, his tongue stroked her petals, parting them so that he could fully taste her sweet dew and then moved upward until the warm moistness of his tongue stroked the bud at the zenith of her petals. Her passion burst forth, her petals swelling like a ripe peach and she screamed for release.

"Stop!" Shailaja screeched. But the arching of her body gave the lie to her words. She was begging for release, but cruelly, the brothers made her wait while they decided who should have the honour and pleasure of being the first to take her. All the while she moaned and gasped, as Dain and Lahn continued to stroke and lick her most sensitive places.

Sheb held up three straws and Dain chose first. Frowning, he spat into the fire. "Damned if I'll win with this one."

Lahn was the next to draw and smiled as he viewed his straw. Sheb confirmed his victory by revealing that he held the shortest straw.

Sheb grinned in resignation. "I will take her lips and Dain can have her breasts while you see to breaching her. Leave her tight enough for me to enjoy when you're through."

"It will take a good deal more than me to loosen this one. She's as tight as a temple nun."

Shailja moaned again. Whether it was the effect of the spahr or the treachery of her body, she was in agony, her nipples, throbbing with desire and Selene's Grotto aching with need.

Patience, warrior," Lahn smirked. "All will be done in good time."

He loosened the ties on his trousers and let them drop, revealing his swelling manhood. Slowly he approached her, stroking it to even greater rigidity as he prepared to enter her. In agonized anticipation Shailaja watched him approach and whimpered partly in fear and partly in expectation as he hesitated.

Why Lahn did not take her she didn't know. Her body cried out to have him between her thighs, but she could not bring herself to say the words. To be once more taken against her will and used to satisfy the urges of a man was almost too shameful to contemplate.

"I think you want me, in spite of your protests," Lahn drawled. "Let me take you and satisfy your needs while you satisfy those of my brother. Take him in your mouth and I will see that you are well used. Refuse and you will wait on me until I am ready."

Shailaja moaned in protest. What Lahn asked was impossible. She could never shame herself by doing as he asked. But her body cried for release and she writhed on the tabletop in protest.

"I have never seen such stubbornness," Lahn commented. "Any other woman would be begging me to put this inside her." He ran his hand the length of his shaft as he spoke.

Shailaja almost sobbed in pain and frustration. But she could not bring herself to beg for release or to surrender to Lahn's demands to pleasure his brother.

"I'll put some more spahr into her," Dain suggested. "It may make her more agreeable."

Shailaja was not about to accept any more of the drink willingly, but she could do little to stop Dain from bending her head back over the edge of the table so that her mouth was forced open. Using a clay bottle from one of the shelves in the cabin, he transferred some of the spahr from the open cask and forced it between her lips.

Shailaja fought to prevent what he was doing, but in spite of her attempts to turn her head, Dain poured the fiery liquid into her mouth. She tried to spit it out, but some of it ran up her nose causing her to cough and sneeze. In order to keep herself from drowning she was forced to swallow, and swallow again as Dain kept pouring.

Shailaja's senses swam as the powerful liquor took hold. She could feel her resistance to Lahn's demands weakening and then she felt something else as well. Lahn was between her legs, his thighs pressed against hers as he leaned over her. He first kissed her nipples and then gave each one a sharp nip before stroking the swollen lips of her petals with his member and finally giving in to his lust.

As Dain had predicted, it was no easy thing. Shailaja cried out as her nether lips were parted and then whimpered partly in relief and partly in pain as Lahn took her.

There was much grunting from the hunter as Lahn forced his way into her. Shailaja cried out, arching her body into his, unable to prevent the carnal response her passion demanded. But then her gasps of pleasure were cut short as Sheb touched his manhood to her lips and then eased it into her mouth.

Shailaja grunted, almost gagging at the unexpected intrusion, but the effects of the spahr rendered her helpless to resist as Sheb's member slid to the back of her throat. At the same time Dain massaged and nibbled at her breasts while his fingers stroked the throbbing berry at the top of her petals. Barely aware of what she was doing, but overcome by the intense stimulation, Shailaja's lips and tongue began to work on Sheb's staff, quickly bringing him to the edge of release. He pulled back slightly, preserving his throbbing erection while he continued to tease Shailaja's lips with the tip of his phallus.

Lahn took her slowly and deliberately, drawing out his pleasure rather than ending it quickly. Each powerful stroke brought Shailaja pleasure and pain and her body responded, her desire increasing as she writhed upon the tabletop. Inside her something was happening that was beyond her experience. Like the slow building of pressure behind a dam the heat within her increased until like a dam breaking she was overcome by the most incredible sensation of pleasure she had ever experienced. Something surged through her and ended with such a wondrous explosion that she screamed in ecstasy, her body heaving uncontrollably. The incredible outburst left her drained, barely able to move, as Lahn continued his pleasure, stroking into her until he was well satisfied.

"Such is the way of all women beneath a man," Lahn grinned. And then it was Sheb's turn. He took her much harder, plunging deep within her so suddenly she cried out at the strength of his thrust. He continued in this way, driving hard into her again and again as if he were hammering a spike into a log. It was a painful and shameful way to be taken, as if she were no more than a piece of meat to be used any way her captors wished, and indeed at that moment, she probably was. Fortunately, however, he lasted not nearly as long as Lahn, seeding her in less than half the time it had taken his brother. However, he also brought her very little pleasure and quite a bit of pain and she was greatly relieved when he finally finished.

"So should a woman be used," Sheb said with satisfaction. "Hard and fast, and with much pleasure for the man."

And no pleasure for the woman, Shailaja thought. But she did not say it, instead she lay panting in shame, already close to exhaustion from what had been done to her.

Then it was Dain's turn. He took her slowly at first, much in the way Lahn had, and then quickened his pace to match Sheb's. As his strength and power quickened Shailaja felt the wave of pleasure mounting within her once more. She moaned softly at first, and then began to groan loudly, finishing with the same cries and screams she had uttered when Lahn had taken her. It left her barely able to move, but that was of little consequence to her captors.

She was treated to another complete round, beginning with Lahn and finishing with Dain once again. This time it gave her not the slightest pleasure, that element of her nature seemingly depleted. For the three brothers, however, it proved most pleasurable, as it always seemed to be for men.

However, their night of pleasure and Shailaja's night of shame was not quite over. Breaking out the spahr, they toasted her beauty and the pleasures of her body as she lay bound to the table. They even dripped a few drops of the fiery liquid between her lips before deciding that there were more interesting places to put it.

Spilling the spahr onto her body, Lahn proceed to lick it from her breasts and nipples and then poured it into any hollow of her body that would contain it. Thus he licked it from her navel and drank from the hollow of her neck. And then he poured it lower, much lower.

The touch of spahr to Shailaja's petals was like that of molten lead, as her scream of pain bore full witness. Lahn used this as an excuse to act the healer, using his tongue to remove the burning liquor, and then he continued to administer to her, licking, sucking, probing until she felt desire stir within her once more. There was no hiding her state of arousal as the sound of her moans soon filled the room. This in turn stimulated her captors to give her a final round of use. This time their grunts of pleasure were joined by her moans and groans of passion. Once again her body succumbed to the pleasure inflicted upon it, twisting and turning in response to the ministrations of her captors. She was helpless as they did what they wanted with her, and although the sensation was much less than the first time Lahn had taken her, she was filled with shame that she was unable to prevent the response of her body. When Dain finally finished with her she lay exhausted upon the table, her body smelling of the scent of men and her chest heaving from exertion.

Inside the cabin the fire now burned low, but there was little need of its heat, the air being warmed by four sweating bodies. However, the air was so close that Sheb threw open the door to let the cool night air in. As the sweat cooled upon Shailaja's body she suddenly felt chill and Lahn heaped a few more logs on the fire to hold off the cold. It was then that Dain let out an exclamation.

"Look here," he cried. "See what she has done to her wrists and ankles."

The other two men came to see what had disturbed him and muttered in surprise themselves. "We will have to find some other way to bind her," Sheb observed. "Remove the thongs quickly before further damage is done."

Dain and Lahn saw to Shailaja's wrists while Sheb attended to her ankles, however, they were careful to give her no chance to escape. Before removing the thongs about her ankles Sheb tethered her legs just above the knees and Lahn and Dain kept a strong grip on her arms as they untied her wrists.

They need not have worried. So exhausted was she from her ordeal that she was barely able to sit upright and would have put up a very poor fight. However, before releasing her arms a length of leather was stretched across the small of her back and tied just above each elbow. Only then were her injuries attended to.

They were not particularly severe, but they surprised her captors. Her struggles had caused the thongs binding her wrists and ankles to bite into her flesh, removing a good deal of skin and leaving a bloody mess.

Dain quickly dug into his pack and brought out a small bundle. Opening it he revealed it as a kit containing healing supplies and tools and items for dealing with injuries. Sorting through them he took out a small jar of ointment, but first he revealed another use for spahr.

Pouring a small amount on a cloth, he first used it to clean her wounds. Shailaja did not flinch during the procedure in spite of the fiery sting of the spahr as it contacted her raw flesh. Satisfied that her wounds were clean, he then smeared the ointment on them and wrapped them in the same strips of the cloth he had used to clean the wounds. Through all this she sat quietly, too exhausted to do much more. But her mind burned with shame and anger, both for what she had suffered, and for what she had allowed to happen.

She had learned a brutal lesson; that a lone woman among men must be ever wary, no matter how friendly or harmless they might appear. She knew that in battle the three men combined were no match for her, but they had overcome her with ease due to her own stupidity in letting her guard down. It was a lesson she would not forget. Never again would she trust herself among men, no matter how innocent they seemed.

It never occurred to her that she might not escape. Her captors seemed too weak to keep her prisoner forever. Sooner or later they would let down their guard and that would be all the chance she needed. She would just have to wait until the opportunity presented itself.

In that mood she was led to one of the beds. To ensure that she stayed where her captors wanted her, a leather thong was placed around her neck and secured to the top of the bed frame. As her arms were already tethered nothing was done to secure them further, but the loose thong connecting her knees was shortened, bringing her knees together. Unable to move her head more than a few inches, she was helpless to escape even if she had not been so exhausted. Temporarily resigned to her fate, she let her head fall to the mattress and slept.

Continued in Chapter 7

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