Knight Elayne - Secrets of the Tavern

Knight Elayne - Secrets of the Tavern

After wandering through densely forested terrain, Elayne finally found a tavern on the side of the road. Earlier she had traveled past an empty village, which looked like there hadn't been anyone living there for many years and there weren't any suitable buildings in which to spend the night. Near the village was a small graveyard, which looked like it had been long abandoned. There was a big tombstone in the middle of some bushes, but the names had worn off a long time ago and the forest had started to take the land back. There were some tracks in the village and also in the graveyard, but nothing that could be demonic. The footprints looked to be human, maybe hunters who had passed by.

Elayne was happy to find this old, quite remote tavern because she really wanted a bath. She didn't have too much money to spend, but a bath was something she really wanted right now. She couldn't even remember when she had a good long bath last, and by the gods, she would have one now.

Elayne walked towards the tavern, and noticed a few horses in the stable. They looked too expensive for peasants to own, and Elayne was curious. There was an old man in the stable who was taking care of the animals. She said hello to him, but the old man just muttered something she couldn't understand. This place was so remote, that maybe these old folk weren't used to visitors. Elayne had only one thing on her mind, a bath, so she didn't waste any more time with the man or the horses and walked towards the door.

When she entered the tavern, it was quiet inside. The fireplace had a fire lit, giving the place a cozy feel. It was a bit on the shabby side like most remote taverns. An older woman sat behind the counter, smoking a pipe while watching Elayne as she walked in. The older woman stood up slowly and asked Elayne what she wanted.

Elayne asked to have a room and a bath.

The old lady nodded and said that she could give her a room, but this wasn't one of those fancy taverns like the central regions, so no baths in the rooms. If she wanted a bath, she would use a room downstairs that has a bathtub in it.

Elayne didn't want to start to argue and if she could just get her bath, everything would be ok. So she agreed to the old woman's offer. She paid the price for the room and got the key. Her coin purse was lighter than she liked, but at least tonight she would treat herself well.

The old woman said that her room was up on the second floor on the left. She would inform her when the bath is ready.

Elayne nodded and went towards the stairs, while the old lady went to the door and yelled to her son to start warming the bathwater.

Elayne walked slowly up the stairs, as she wanted to see the old woman's son. The same old muttering man from the barn walked in with clumsy steps. There must have been something wrong with his legs, or his head, but she didn't want to ask.

The old woman yelled at him and tried to get him to move faster by hitting him with a broom. The old man didn't even notice the broom, and went on about his job. The whole time he was muttering something under his breath.

Elayne went upstairs and found her room. It was small, and the window was nailed shut. The bed was creaking, and the floorboards had rotten holes. Elayne smiled, relieved that she could sleep indoors for a change. She heard someone talking in the room next door. She couldn't hear well enough to understand anything, but then someone left that room.

Elayne peeked into the corridor, and saw a cloaked person disappearing down the stairs. Soon she heard voices outside, as this person took a horse and mounted it. Moments after, there wasn't any sign that this person had even been here. It was a bit odd that someone would leave the Tavern as the sun was setting and night was coming. Elayne didn't care about that, as she was just tired from walking all day. But Elayne couldn't help thinking, a horse would be nice to ride.

Elayne checked her backpack and made sure that her sword stayed with her. Even here in a tavern room on the second floor, one needed to keep one's head on a swivel. Elayne put her backpack under her bed and went down stairs as the old lady was calling her guests to come down.

As she stepped into the corridor, she saw a young brunette-haired female leaving from the next room, where she had heard talking moments ago. She wore a cloak that looked like one that the Mage’s Guild used, and Elayne started to wonder what kind of business a novice mage could have here.

Both of them went down to the main room, and the old lady had made stew with bread for her guests. It wasn’t anything fancy, basic stew from ordinary ingredients, but that was the best that they could offer there. The old lady said that the rabbit in the stew was caught yesterday by her son, and it was tender.

Elayne watched as the novice mage took her meal. She thanked the old woman and went to find a place to sit for herself. She seemed to be cautious about the food and other people around her. The novice mage seemed more interested to know what the stew contained, as she mainly poked it with her wooden spoon.

Elayne took her plate and thanked the old lady too, but she just muttered something in reply, and that made Elayne smile a bit. I guess that's the local way to talk, just mutter something. For Elayne this was the best meal that she had gotten in the whole time that she had spent in that remote location.

The sky was getting darker as the old boy came inside. He muttered something odd to his mother and went back out. The old woman nodded to Elayne and told her that her bath was ready. Towels should be there waiting too.

This was more than perfect timing for Elayne, as she had just finished her food and got up from her table. The novice wasn't so hungry after all and casually studied the stew like trying to figure out what’s in it, while checking the window from time to time. Was she waiting for something or someone? Elayne didn't bother to ask, and walked to the room where the tub was readied.

She found the bathtub, full of warm water and she smiled. She undressed quickly and slid into the water. It was heavenly for her, and Elayne could finally rest for a short while, while washing all that dirt from her skin that she got while roaming around the countryside. A horse would be a good help for her, but she didn't have one yet and that novice mage might not want to sell her horse. Also, Elayne didn't have that much money left anyway.

Elayne lay in the bath tub and felt how the warm water took away all that tiredness, and made her legs feel better again. She could wash her hair at last. Sometimes she missed that she could have married some noble man. That was just a dream to her now, as there weren't any noble men courting her of late. Also, if anyone knew that she had been seduced by demons and allowed them to abuse her, she would be in deep trouble. It wouldn't matter if she had been under the spell of demons or not, she had been touched by fiends, and the Church had only one judgement for that, which was death.

Warm water caressed her body, and Elayne put all her worries aside for the moment, to just relax and enjoy the bath to herself. The whole room started to fill with steam that had risen from the warm water. The water didn't feel like it was getting cold at all, and the bottom of the large tub was still hot. Elayne thought the water must be heated under the tub, one level down from that room. That felt even better for Elayne, as usually the bath water went cold after a while. Now the water stayed warm, so she could enjoy her stay as long as she wanted, or someone told her to get out. She paid for the bath, and that was what she is going to get.

---

The novice mage had eaten as much of the stew that she wanted, and although it tasted good, it looked odd to her. She was getting bored, out here in the middle of nowhere nothing really happened, and her friend hadn't returned yet. Maybe he wasn't coming back tonight? He should be back here in the morning, and would have more information about the lantern that they had dug up in the old graveyard.

The novice mage stood, and returned to her upstairs room.

She wondered why anyone would like the old lantern? It had some old runes on it, but that was it. No other markings about what it's purpose was, if there was more than just light. It was just an old crude lantern with rune markings. She stared at it long enough, like it would just tell it's secrets to her willingly. The novice mage took it in her hands, and turned it, while searching for clues, but found nothing.

It seemed the only way to figure out what the lantern could do, and why someone sent them to get it, was to light it.

The old lantern started vibrating softly, and the light that it gave off seemed to change colors slowly. As the flame warmed up, the smooth colors started to darken and the vibrating stopped.

The novice mage stared at the lantern for a while, and was curious as to why it didn't do anything special. She didn't notice that the air in the room had started to change, and it was thickening fast.

When she finally noticed the change in the air, it was too late, as a strong mystic force made her submit to it's will.

---

Back at the bath room, Elayne had been thinking that she could stay here for a few days more, and take a closer look at the village and graveyard. But right now, the only thing that she wanted to do, was stay in this bathtub. This was one of the few things that she missed from her old life.

She did not notice that she had been in the bath for over an hour, as she assumed the old lady would come knocking on the door when bath time was over.

Elayne was relaxed, and completely gave in to her tiredness. Her eyes shut and she fell into a light sleep

---

As Elayne was falling to sleep, an odd mist that had formed in the upstairs rooms, and moved downstairs, ensnaring everyone within it's reach. The old lady and her son were subdued, and the mist continued to spread throughout the tavern, sinking through gaps in old floorboards. The mist continued spreading, moving, exploring, as if it was alive.

---

In the novice mage's room, the mist started whispering soft words to her, making sure that she was under it's arcane control. The novice mage was too late to create a defense against the mist, and the power of the lantern grew stronger moment by moment. Voices whispered, with teasing musings that made her body become aroused.

Under the influence of the old lantern, the novice started to sway slowly, as if dancing, while at the same time she removed her blue cloak. She dropped her cloak on the floor and stood. She continued dancing, and her hands moved over her body, imagining that someone else was touching her. Her hands removed the rest of what she wore, and soon the entranced novice mage was dancing completely naked in her room.

Her hands moved over her body, keeping her aroused and those whispers drove her to touch herself. She moaned softly while dancing and squeezing her breasts. The voices continued to whisper erotic musings, becoming more sensual, more lewd and suggestive.

She was directed to the bed, and carefully sat on the edge, before reclining onto her back. She moaned softly, and rubbed her hands over her naked belly and hips. She wanted her lover to come and take her right here and now. She spread her legs fully, towards the door, and her fingers rubbed her pussy and clit. She was trembling and moaning from the pleasure, eager for her lover's arrival.

That odd enchanted mist had woken something from a deep slumber. Something moved upstairs, controlled by the mist. It followed the pulsating mist, and a female's cries of pleasure. It felt her behind the door, and knew that she was waiting for it.

The novice mage saw something unlock the door and push it open. A dark figure entered her room, and she knew it was the lover she had been waiting for.

---

Our knight in the bathtub awoke when she heard a soft thump outside the door to the bath room. It didn't come from outside, or from below. It sounded more like it came from the tavern room.

Elayne's hands and legs felt so heavy. Almost too heavy to move, and she assumed it was a result of falling asleep in the hot water. It was a bad place to fall sleep, and now she struggled to get out of the tub.

There was a second thump, followed by an ominous dragging sound. Something heavy was being pulled across the floor.

She finally pulled herself up and climbed out of the tub, sliding to the floor on her hands and knees. The air within the tavern felt odd and dense, and something was telling her to lie down. Elayne felt dizzy, but she crawled she towards her clothes. Within a pouch on her belt, she kept herbs that counteract lethargy and sharpen her senses, as well as keep her awake.

The sound of small soft thumps stopped behind the door of the room. Something strong pushed the door open, causing the latch that had locked the door to break in half.

Two dark creatures move into the steamy room, and Elayne identified them as ghouls, which were more undead than demonic in nature. Her belt was so close, but her fatigue, or something else, slowed her to a crawl.

The ghouls saw naked human female on the floor, and they move to capture her.

Elayne felt the air had gotten even denser, like a soupy mist that was hard to move in. She made a valiant effort, and managed to grab the belt, just as the ghouls dragged her away. She used all the strength she had left, to remove the herbs from her pouch. Her hands were shaking, but she put the herbs into her mouth and ate them.

The ghouls dragged the naked female into the tavern room. The old woman and her son, lay dead on the floor. They dragged their captive to a table and lifted her up onto it, where a third ghoul was waiting for them.

The third ghoul put it's dark-skinned hand on the human female's naked body. It seemed interested in this younger female, as she was a better fit for what they had planned.

Elayne felt the air was dense, like a heavy blanket that prevented her from moving. She felt her breasts squeezed, and fingers pinched her nipples to stiffness. Then someone's hand moved on her inner thighs. It seemed like her body was inspected, and she gasped softly when a finger found it's way into her pussy. But she still couldn't move, or resist as she lay atop the table.

The ghouls were minions from the tavern's forgotten past. Within this building, many guests were abused and murdered by former owners of this tavern. Eventually, the angry villagers had enough, and attacked the tavern one night. The villagers killed the gang that had taken residence here. The bodies were buried in unmarked graves on the tavern grounds. Now, that mist had awakened the dead bandits, allowing them to continue their evil deeds. The old woman and her son may have known what lay buried around the tavern, but they were no match for the reawakened evil.

One of the ghouls moved between the female's legs, and it's evil face smirked as it pushed it's unholy member into the young woman's body. After decades of confinement, and the ghoul would enjoy bodily pleasure again. The creature leaned over the female, so it could lick her firm tits with it's forked tongue.

Elayne felt the hard member slide into her, and was disgusted, but could do nothing to stop it. She was biding her time, waiting for an opportunity to do something. She saw the creature bend over her, to lick and suck her breasts.

The ghoul remembered how the deed was done, and stood up straight so that it could thrust it's cock deeper into her pussy. It remembered the women it had captured long ago, and slashed their throats when it was done with them. The victim's bodies were dragged outside and left in the forest, where wolves and other animals made sure the evidence vanished.

Elayne couldn't defend herself under the spell of the mist, and it also seemed to cause her body to be aroused by the sex. She began to groan with pleasure as the ghoul moved it's unholy tool inside her, and squeezed her breasts with his dirty hands.

At first,  the undead ghouls only recalled their murderous past, but now they remembered more bits and pieces. They remembered the innocent women who rented rooms at the tavern. With the recollections, the ghouls become more aroused than murderous. The first two ghouls moved to hold open the human female's legs, allowing the other ghoul to defile her, and plant his cursed seed into this young female.

The occult mist kept Elayne in an aroused state. She panted and moaned from the pleasure, and felt the first ghoul spill it's unholy seed inside her.

The ghoul grunted, and thrust two more times before it determined the deed was done. It's undead cock was still deep within the woman as it bent over her naked body and pressed a kiss on her lips.

Elayne felt the undead creature kissing her mouth with it's dark lips and tongue. Then the creature leaned back and pulled his member from her pussy. After he stepped away, she was rolled over on her belly, and her feet spread on the floor. She was moved into whatever positions these ghouls liked.

The two other ghouls turned the human female onto her belly on the table. In that position, the woman would be used by both of the foul-smelling ghouls.

Elayne moaned out loud as the second ghoul pushed it's member into her pussy from behind. It leaned over her while keeping it's strong hands on her hips, forcing it's hard member as deep as it could. A dark shadow moved in front of her face and as she gasped, the other ghoul pushed it's foul-tasting cock into Elayne's mouth. While the two ghouls were taking their turn with her, Elayne felt the herbs starting to work, and she began to regain control over her body.

The creatures had not noticed any change in their captive, as they continued reliving their cursed memories from the past. They had robbed travelers on the road, in the forest, and in the tavern. They killed their victims, and had fun with numerous women who disappeared afterwards. After this band of cutthroats had gotten their hands on one too many villagers, the locals had enough, and killed the gang. Now it was their turn to repay the villagers for their actions long ago. The ghouls had no way of knowing that the village was now abandoned. And they had no way of knowing that their current victim wasn't as helpless as they thought.

Elayne felt the ghoul behind her stop thrusting, and it squeezed her naked hips as it began to dump it's unholy seed into her, with a loud groan. The ghoul with it's member in her mouth was watching it's mate, and maybe planned to take it's place, as the other ghoul began pulling out. But Elayne had enough of this. She noticed a large knife on the belt of the ghoul standing in front of her. As the ghoul behind her stepped away, and the ghoul in front of her began to pull out of her mouth, she grabbed the knife, yanking it free from the scabbard.

Elayne stood up, and toppled the ghoul in front of her, by slashing it's throat open. She continued her attack, and the second ghoul lost it's head. The third ghoul took the knife into it's chest. It groaned something like a curse at Elayne, before falling on it's rotten knees and collapsing on the floor.

All three ghouls lay on the floor, dead once again. Elayne made sure of that, and beheaded all of them. Three ghoul heads were placed onto the wooden bar top, and then Elayne remembered the novice mage.

Elayne ran to get her sword from the bathing room. Luckily, her sword belt lay on the floor, just where it was left when the ghouls dragged her out of there. She was lucky to have that herb, and take it just in time, before her fate was sealed.

Elayne rushed upstairs and found two ghouls in the corridor. She made quick work of them, carving them into pieces with her trusty sword. Then she barged into the novice mage's room.

The novice mage was laying on the bed, fully naked, with one of the ghouls above her, thrusting it's unholy cock into her already abused womanhood. Two other ghouls were standing to the sides, and seemed to have done their deed already, as their cocks were wet and dripping. Perhaps they were waiting for the third ghoul to finish, so they might kill the novice mage or toss her to the others downstairs.

Elayne screamed with anger, and charged into the room. The ghouls were surprised, and the two were both impaled together with her sword, nailing them to the wall. Elayne left her sword there, and used both hands to pull the third ghoul off of it's helpless victim.

The ghouls might be slower than Elayne, but they were stronger than her. The last ghoul fought back, and hit her in the stomach, making Elayne drop to her knees. The ghoul drew a knife from it's belt and walks toward her. Elayne was now defenseless, as her sword remained pinned in the two ghouls on the wall.

A desperate voice whispered from the bed. The novice mage said just one word, "Lantern."

Elayne didn't understand right away what she was saying, but as the ghoul took a firm grip of her long blond hair, she saw an ancient lantern on the side table with a lit candle inside. Elayne watched the ghoul raise his knife to strike. She put all her strength into one desperate kick, and knocked the side table over.

The old lantern fell to the ground, and the hot wax extinguished the candle inside.

The ghoul immediately started to groan with pain, and it's knife dropped to the floor. The ghoul released the human female's hair.

Elayne grabbed the dropped knife, and thrust it into the ghoul's throat.

The ghoul's groan was cut short, and the dark mist started to dissipate. The mist's magical hold over Elayne and the novice mage was lifted.

Elayne was panting and checked the novice mage. The dark-haired woman lay naked on the bed, with her legs spread. Elayne could see foul seed dripping from her pussy. The same unholy seed deep that was within her. Elayne felt the need for another bath.

Elayne introduced herself to the novice mage and learned her name was Lori. Both of them were about the same age. She helped Lori up from her bed, and both of them went downstairs to take a bath.

Lori explained that she had herbs that will take care of the foul seed, and prevent it from taking root within their bodies.

Elayne smiled and was relieved to hear that. She did not want to have a half-breed child whose father was a dead ghoul.

Lori was thrilled to meet Elayne, and wanted to hear everything about her travels in the region. Elayne was happy to have rescued a new friend, and maybe someday she might ask a favor of her.

This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

---

Knight Elayne's adventures continue...

---