Tales of Erogenia: Book 3 - Chapter 8

Chapter 8:  Humiliation and Retribution

The forced fellatio was the hardest thing Zenaria had ever done. She thought briefly of using her strong white teeth to do something else to Qirlan's member, but dismissed it at a comment from the shaman. "I know what you're thinking, pale-skin. But you try anything stupid and you can watch while the princess is mated to the stallion, and then she can watch while the same thing is done to you. I can heal any wound you inflict, but I doubt you have the same ability. Now open that sweet mouth."

It was a disgusting and humiliating ordeal as Qirlan stepped forward and shoved his thick member between her lips. She felt the lowest slave as he gripped her hair and shoved himself into her with a moan of pleasure. Unconsciously she tensed her muscles against the bonds binding her wrists and arms, but there was not the slightest give. Qirlan worked his member back and forth pushing it to the back of her throat and choking off her breathing. She almost gagged, but fought back the reflex while she fought for breath through her nostrils.

She could not see Sulia, but hoped that the princess was not watching the degradation. Desperately she tried to think of something else, but Quirlan's grunts of pleasure as his phallus invaded her mouth, and the smell of his sweat made that almost impossible. She could take comfort only in the fact that what she was doing was saving Sulia from a much more brutal fate. But even that solace was taken away from her a few heartbeats later.

Qirlan removed his saliva-coated phallus from her mouth. "That was a good start," he grinned and turned to Sulia. "Now you finish me off."

Zenaria watched in disgust and anger as Qirlan used Sulia to repeat the performance. Zenaria did not protest, but turned her face away as the shaman humiliated her companion. Sadly, she could not shut out the sounds of Sulia's degradation. The Urulana Princess gasped as she fought for breath and grunted as Qirlan probed her mouth. Added to that were the guttural sounds of the shaman as he enjoyed his prize. It seemed like a small lifetime before he groaned and emptied his seed into his victim.

"That was enjoyable," Qirlan gloated. "We will do it again tomorrow. You will learn your place in my new order."

Neither woman replied, but both silently vowed vengeance as Qirlan kept his promise to untie them. However, in spite of being released there was no hope of exacting retribution. Qirlan had them sealed off from the main camp by a thorn barrier, the outside of which was heavily patrolled by baboons. Seething with anger, neither woman had the appetite to force down the simple food they were given.

Zenaria spat out her water, an act Sulia emulated as they sought to wash the taste of their defilement from their mouths. But the taste of Qirlan remained seared in their mind. More than ever, Zenaria wished she had used her teeth when she had the chance, but knew that she was firmly in the grip of the shaman. She could do nothing that would risk harm to Sulia. Qirlan could take either of them whenever he wished.

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The night passed. Somehow both women managed to sleep. Curled up on the ground, they shared one another's body heat and blessed the fact that the nights were not too cold. The next morning they awoke and accepted the food and water they were given. Still burning with anger they ate, knowing that Qirlan might decide that depriving them of food and water for the remainder of the day might serve as another way of impressing his superiority upon them.

Fortunately, as before the march was a leisurely one, and in spite of the fact that they were both bound once more, neither woman had any difficulty keeping up.

Zenaria's biggest problem was the sun. Although by now she was heavily tanned, she did not have the natural protection that Sulia and Qirlan had and she could feel her skin burning as the day wore on. By the time they stopped for the night, parts of her body were bright red.

Qirlan noted her condition in surprise, running his hands over her blistered shoulders. Zenaria growled under the painful touch and the shaman laughed. "It appears you require more care than an Urulanan warrior. I can't have you burnt to a crisp. You and the princess will be the jewels in my collection." He unrolled his medical kit and mixed up a salve. "This is normally used on children who have not yet developed resistance to the sun," he explained. "It should work for you."

The salve seemed to help, although the pain of the burns was still intense. It did not stop Qirlan from carrying out his promise, however. Once again he forced both women to serve him orally, although this time he took Sulia first, forcing Zenaria to swallow his load of semen. And then he went one step further.

Her wrists and arms still bound, Zenaria was helpless as he forced her mouth open and held the waterskin containing the shugo to her lips. She tried to twist her head away, but he grabbed her long hair and tilting her head back forced her mouth open through sheer strength. Bruising her lips he shoved the waterskin into her mouth and upended it.

The fiery sensation of shugo filled her mouth and sinuses. She tried to spit it out, but Qirlan held her nose and mouth shut, forcing her to swallow. Then he raised the waterskin once more and forced her to swallow again. Zenaria's head swam as the powerful aphrodisiac burned its way down her throat, spreading throughout her body and filling her loins with an overwhelming sexual desire.

"The Moon and Sun curse you," she gasped, as sweat speckled her body. She was helpless as Qirlan pushed her back against the ground, lifted her leopard-skin skirt and spread her legs. She struggled weakly to close her legs, but Qirlan easily pried them apart. He had already recovered his erection and he thrust hard into her, penetrating her slick and willing pleasure thicket.

Zenaria cried out, both at the savagery of the thrust and the intense waves of pleasure that spread through her. She rotated her hips and arched upward, offering herself to him even though the act shamed her. Overcome by the power of the aphrodisiac, she gave herself over to carnal desire, quivering in eagerness and crying out again and again as Qirlan thrust into her. The shaman froze in mid-stroke as his shaft pulsed and deposited his seed with her. As he finished, she was still moaning from a series of powerful orgasms that left her physically and emotionally depleted.

She could not look at Sulia. But Qirlan did it for her. "Tomorrow, princess," he gloated, "you will be wiggling your backside under me while the whole of your tribe watches."

Sulia's dark skin was incapable of showing pallor, but her quick breathing and the slight trembling of her body showed her fear. "You will never succeed," she said. "I will die before I submit to you."

"Your pale-skinned companion will die first. But not before I am through with her. And that will take a very long time."

Sulia held her head high, but she could not hide the tears of rage and frustration that glinted in her dark eyes.

"You are almost broken," Qirlan sneered. "I will soon have the Princess of the Urulana grovelling at my feet."

Neither woman replied. Shamed and demoralized, their fate seemed inescapable. Too angry to eat or sleep, and consumed by hatred for their captor, they waited for morning.

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Dawn came eventually, and with it the conclusion of the march to the Urulana village. The last part of the march was through a heavily forested area and steadily uphill. The Mountain of Fire took up the entire horizon and although it was quiescent, lightning strikes flickered through a dark cloud that hung above it.

Qirlan's baboon army had now grown. A thousand baboons swarmed over the landscape, accompanied by several of the giant animals similar to the one that had hurled Zenaria into the thorn bush. She now knew that they were called 'rhinos' and they were accompanied by an even larger number of the huge tusked beasts called 'elephants'. Zenaria realized that brave as the Urulana were, it would be impossible for them to withstand the might of Qirlan's forces.

By noon, the meandering army crested a steep hill and emerged from the forest. Before them stretched an open area of cultivated fields and large herds of cattle. Beyond the fields was the Urulanan capital of Luruana.

It was not at all what Zenaria had expected. She had pictured a village something like hers with a crude wooden palisade surrounding strongly built wooden buildings. What she saw instead was a fortress of stone. Three concentric circles of stone walls surrounded a complex of wood and stone buildings. Each wall was built of black stone and higher than the first. There were no towers as she had seen in the Sandakar city but the walls would be a formidable barrier against the sort of lightly armed warriors she had encountered in this strange land.

However, against Qirlan's bizarre army she doubted that the defenders would have much of a chance. Walls were no defence against creatures that could scamper up walls the or use their huge bulk to smash through wooden gates. She could visualize the attack; the baboons swarming up the walls, the elephants and rhinos crashing through the gates; and the hordes of hyenas and jackals following the huge grey beasts into the walled city. And then there were the massive gorillas and other large apes as well as several formidable members of the cat family. This was not an army that even a people as brave as the Urulana could hope to defeat.

Qirlan stood tall and straight, with one hand on his hip and the other on his staff. He looked every inch a conqueror, his face showing clear contempt for the Urulana and their fortress city. "I will destroy them utterly," he said. "They will all bow before me and watch as I violate their queen and princess. I will exact vengeance for the way they treated me."

"How can you say that?" Zenaria asked. "None of these people were born when you were punished for your crimes. To them you are just a legend."

"They will see that I am real enough when I enslave their children and force the young women to become my concubines."

Zenaria's keen eyes could see hundreds of figures lining the walls of the fortress city, but she doubted that they would have any chance of defending for long against Qirlan's animal horde. She watched grimly as the attack began.

It started with the baboons and other apes. They swarmed toward the walls, so many of them that they looked like ants as they swept over the neatly planted fields. Behind them came the elephants and rhinos, heading for the main gates and followed by hundreds and hundreds of jackals and hyenas ready to charge into the city and savage the defenders as soon as the large wooden gates were brought down.

Zenaria gave the city little chance. It had been designed to defend against human attackers, not an army of savage animals. She could imagine the horror of the attack as the hyenas and jackals, supported by the lions and leopards, tore into the city tearing apart any living thing they encountered. It would be sheer butchery. She doubted that there would be any left alive to witness Qirlan's victory.

She looked at the shaman. And noted that he was completely focused on the attack. Even for a shaman of Qirlan's power it took immense concentration to coordinate such a massive attack. The thousands of animals were acting completely against their nature and it probably took almost all of his formidable abilities to keep them under control. Zenaria could attest to the strength of his will. She had already attempted to reach out to one of the leopards caught up in Qirlan's magic, and found that her own limited powers were far overshadowed by that of the shaman. Although she could touch the leopard's mind there was no response to her plea; only a sense of confusion and bloodthirsty rage.

The bestial army swept through the neatly plants fields and fruits trees, and past the herds of cattle, which fled in panic before them. They pushed through and over the fencing surrounding the walls and then onto the walls.

Sulia cried out in dismay and Zenaria held their breath. Nothing could survive such an assault. But just yards from reaching the walls, something unexpected occurred. A hundred fiery missiles arced into the air and fell among the charging beasts; and then a hundred more. The surprise assault threw Qirlan's army into disarray. Many animals broke and ran while others milled in confusion. A few others continued only to be met by more flaming projectiles.

From beside her, Zenaria heard Sulia gasp in surprise and horror. "They throw away their weapons."

It was anathema for the Urulana to use their spears as missile weapons. It left a warrior defenceless and so they were always held back for hand to hand combat. The throwing of a spear was regarded as an act of cowardice as it usually meant that the warrior was going to flee the enemy. But Zenaria realized in a sudden flash what had really happened. "Those are not spears," she said.

Her assumption proved correct a few heartbeats later when bundles of burning thorns were hurled from the walls. Shaped into large spheres, the flaming thorns rolled toward the remnants of Qirlan's beast army, scattering what was left. The animals broke, some howling in terror, others trumpeting and grunting in fear as they fled from their age-old enemy.

Qirlan screamed in rage and shook his staff as his army was routed. His concentration broken, he could do nothing as his dreams of conquest evaporated. Clearly he had not expected the defence that the Urulana had prepared.

Zenaria seized her chance. "Sister, come to me!" Her thoughts went out and found the leopard she had contacted before. The beast was close to panic. Frightened by the fires and by the stampeding of the other animals; she did not come willingly.

"Come, sister. Help me", Zenaria persisted. The task was far from easy as the leopard's main goal was to get as far away as possible from this place of terror. But she had one thing that helped her. Leopards were not good at long range running and this one was already close to its limit. Exhaustion forced it to slow and Zenaria's mental plea began to register.

Once again she received the leopard's curt reply. "I come."

Qirlan's face was pinched with anger. "How could this have happened?" he raged. He turned to Sulia. "You will not escape. I will parade you before the walls and lure the defenders from the city. I will yet have victory."

He turned back. reasserting his will upon his bestial army, and Zenaria felt her hold on the leopard almost torn away. What saved her was that she had made the connection to the leopard. Concentrating harder than she had ever concentrated before, she focused her will calling the leopard to her. Somehow the leopard remained hers, even as the thousands of animals fleeing the fire of the Urulana stopped their headlong flight and returned to his control.

It was an impressive display of power, but one animal escaped his control. Unnoticed, a single leopard threaded its way across through the fields toward the ridge where Qirlan and his two captives waited. Zenaria now recognized that the leopard was the same animal that had come to her rescue when she and the Urulana warriors had been captured by the slavers. It possibly accounted for her ability to establish a rapport with the animal. She now knew the leopard's name. "Tralee, come. I need you again."

The familiar savage images clouded her mind. The leopard was not moving fast, but it was coming steadily nearer even as Qirlan ordered his captives forward. "Move," he commanded. "Let us see what happens when the cowards see their princess ravished while they hide behind their walls."

Sulia stepped forward, her features reflecting her fear. It seemed that nothing anyone could do would save her from her fate, but Zenaria could sense Tralee moving closer, moving among the horde of animals that Qirlan had called to his will.

Qirlan moved with them, safe behind his baboon and gorilla guard. They were now almost within a spear cast of the wall, and Qirlan halted. Zenaria sent out her message, but nothing happened. She could sense the nearness of the leopard, but this close to the shaman she could no longer reach Tralee's mind.

The shaman turned to the walls. His voice magically amplified as he shouted to the city. "I am Qirlan. I have your Princess. Defend her if you dare."

From inside the fortress a roar went up as thousands of Urulana shouted their anger. Qirlan's ruse appeared to be working and it became even more certain as he turned and forced Sulia back against the trunk of a tree. Nude, except for her jewellery, she fought Qirlan as he spread her legs, but there was nothing she could do to stop him. In the fields around the fortress, thousands of beasts waited for the gates to open. Zenaria frantically sought Tralee with her mind. But there was nothing. She could only watch as Qirlan pushed aside his loincloth and prepared to do to Sulia what he had done to her.

Sweat poured from Zenaria's skin and her body trembled as she fought to overcome the power of Qirlan's magic. But there was not the faintest trace of the leopard. The animal must have fallen under the shaman's spell again, and Zenaria had not the strength to match him.

In desperation she struggled toward Qirlan, frantic to find some way to stop him. She was still bound and her ankles were tethered, rendering her almost helpless. But she could still walk. Qirlan had his back to her as he pinned Sulia against the tree. He lifted one of her thighs, spreading her open to him. The princess was fighting to preserve her honour, her eyes wide, he body trembling in fear and exertion. Zenaria lurched forward, pushing her way past several snarling baboons. The giant gorilla, Saugh stood just yards from the shaman and growled menacingly, but Zenaria did not stop. At the last second, she pitched herself forward and slammed all of her weight into the back of Qirlan's legs.

With a shout of surprise, the shaman fell backwards, landing on top of Zenaria. He rolled away from her, avoiding her attempt to tangle him in her legs, and rose to his feet, eyes blazing with anger. "Pale-skinned bitch!" he raged, "I will feed you to the hyenas when I am finished with you!"

Zenaria could only lie on her back and stare up at him, but suddenly there was a signal in her mind. "I come."

There was a scream from the baboon gaurds as a black and gold shape hurled itself past them. At the last instant, Qirlan saw the attacker and threw up his arms, but the leopard smashed him to the ground. Her claws raked his chest, and he screamed in pain asTralee's jaws closed on his throat. There was a spurt of blood, and a strangled gurgle, followed by a final spasm before Qirlan's body went limp.

Then there was complete turmoil, as thousands of animals were suddenly released from the shaman's spell. Sulia and Zenaria huddled on the ground, helpless to defend themselves, but guarded by the snarling leopard. Fortunately, there was no reprisal from the animals that had served as Qirlan's guard. Instead, they either turned on one another or fled. Within seconds, the area around the two helpless women became a battleground as hyenas and jackals fought baboons and lions.

It was a brief battle. Even with their huge numbers, neither hyenas nor baboons could match a male lion in sheer strength. Within a few heartbeats they were all fleeing, leaving the battleground to the big cats. That left only Sulia and Zenaria and their lone leopard guard. Tralee did not leave them, and growled fiercely as several somewhat bemused lions circled her. One huge black-maned male moved forward, seemingly intent on batting the much smaller cat aside.

A sudden shout changed that; a shout from a very familiar voice. "Zenaria!" Tralee growled menacingly as Varden, followed by dozens of Urulana suddenly appeared on the scene. The big cats hesitated and then bolted, unwilling to face the spear-wielding warriors.

"Friends," Zenaria sent. "Go, sister."

Tralee growled one more time, and then with a bound, she was gone. Varden ran to Zenaria's side. He was fully dressed in his gleaming armour, the brilliance almost blinding, but Zenaria had never been more glad to see him. Immediately he cut her ropes and pulled her to him while the other warriors swarmed around Sulia.

Embarrassed at her helplessness, Zenaria managed to untangle herself from Varden and get to her feet. By this time Sulia was also standing, and surrounded by a crowd of warriors, many of whom Zenaria recognized as being members of her Companion Guard.

Everyone was speaking at once and Zenaria stood quietly, waiting for things to sort themselves out. Finally at a word from Sulia everyone fell silent. "Come," the Princess said, taking Zenaria's arm. "Luruana awaits."

In spite of her brave show, Zenaria could hardly stand. The battle with Qirlan, to call Tralee to her side, had exhausted her physically and mentally. But she was determined not to show weakness, and attempted to walk unaided. She stumbled and fell after one step, but Varden knew her well, and caught her before she hit the ground. A young woman Zenaria recognized as Kindra, quickly took her other arm. Other warriors moved to her aid, and much to Zenaria's utter chagrin, hoisted her onto their shoulders and carried her toward the fortress.

As they moved, Kindra ran alongside chatting like a magpie. She was full of praise both for Zenaria's virtues as well as those of Varden. It turned out that the Kivalian knight was responsible for a good deal of the surprise defences against Qirlan's assault. It made sense that Varden would be somewhat acquainted with siege warfare considering his background, but the knight was rather apologetic.

"The defence was the best I could do with such short notice. I had only three days to prepare. Had I more time I would have had a bit more than just a few burning spears and flaming bushes. And it would have been even better had the Urulana been more inclined to use bows. However, what I managed worked well enough. It was more than fortunate, however, that you found a way to overcome the evil sorcerer."

"The Shining One hides the truth," Kindra said. "Had it not been for him, we would have been overcome in the assault."

"It was nothing that someone else could not have worked out," Varden replied. "It is common knowledge that all animals fear fire."

Varden had removed his helmet and Zenaria could see that the knight was a little uncomfortable with Kindra's praise, but the warrior woman was not to be put off. "The Shining One neglects to mention that it was his gilded tongue that convinced our Queen to let him arrange the defence."

Varden shrugged, a movement largely hidden by his armour, but Zenaria knew him well enough to see it. "Had it not been for Kindra, I would have made no progress. She was able to convince her father to intercede on my behalf."

"My father is High Shaman of the Urulana," Kindra said proudly. "He was mot impressed by the Shining One's power to heal."

Zenaria sensed that there was more that what Kindra and Varden were telling her, but she was suddenly too tired to focus properly on their words. Even as she struggled to remain conscious she felt her psychic and physical fatigue overwhelm her. In spite of her best efforts she felt her world slipping away and sleep took her to its more than welcome embrace.

Continued in Chapter 9

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