The World of Alderest - I - A Knight Of The Old Kingdom - Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Tower of Solyma

A dog's furious barking woke Kerrith just before dawn. He lay in the soft darkness of the barn with his eyes still closed. In the darkness behind his eyelids he could hear the soft breathing of Selene and the soft sighing of wind in the hay loft. The dog's barking became more urgent as other dogs joined in. Kerrith opened his eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the dim light of the barn. Selene's arm was draped over his chest and her head rested on his shoulder. He slowly slid off the bed while lifting his scabbard from the headboard. Selene stirred for a moment then burrowed deeper into the blankets.

Kerrith quietly pulled on his breeches and tunic. The dog's barking had increased. He could hear the village awakening. Kerrith could hear a man yelling at his dog as he reached for his chain shirt. He lifted it as quietly as he could, silently cursing the clinking of the mail. He began to creep slowly towards the barn door. As he began to slide it open he heard Selene move behind him.

"Kerrith?" she called sleepily. "What's wrong?" she asked as she spotted the chain mail draped over his arm.

"I'm not sure," he said quietly.

A sudden shrill scream rang out from the other side of the town square. Kerrith yanked the door open as he struggled into his mail. He drew his sword as he ran towards the scream. In the barn, Selene grabbed for her clothes and began to dress.

A thin mist still filled the town square. Kerrith saw the villagers rushing from the buildings, some clutching various weapons. Ivan and Elisa saw Kerrith as they rushed from the inn and ran toward him. Elisa was holding Kerrith's shield to her chest.

"Kerrith, its Selene. I can't find her anywhere!" yelled Ivan.

"Do not worry, she is in the barn," said Kerrith, taking his shield from Elisa with a nod of thanks.

"In the barn? Why-"

He stopped as another scream echoed across the square. Kerrith sprinted towards it along with the ragtag militia of Willowsrun. It was coming from a two-story house directly across from the inn.

Kerrith jumped onto the patio and ran to the front door. He crashed into it with his shield, knocking the door into the entry way. He heard another scream from the second story. With several militia men following he ran up the stairs. Three doors lined the upstairs hallway. Kerrith stepped carefully off the stairs, blade at the ready. He could hear the hissing breathing of a Corthronos from the doorway to the right. Kerrith edged closer to the door, waving at the militia men to keep back. He leaned around the doorway, peering into the room.

A Corthronos was backed into a corner of the bedroom by a salt and pepper haired man in a nightshirt armed with a boar spear. A window was shattered next to it, the curtains moving gently in the morning breeze. It swayed almost drunkenly, its twin swords rising and falling as it tried to keep upright. Kerrith moved quietly to the man's side. He could see the man's wife crouched beside the door. She started in fright when she saw Kerrith.

"About time," the man said.

"We go on three, you stab, I will keep it occupied," said Kerrith.

"Fine, one, two-"

The creature hissed, its mandibles clacking together. It raised its swords and lunged.

"-Three!"

The boar spear stabbed home, hitting dead center in the Corthronos' chest and slamming it back against the wall. The monster roared and tried to run up the shaft of the spear but the crossbar creaked and held.

"Kill it!" the man yelled as his grip on the spear began to slip.

Kerrith stabbed at the monster's brain. It tried to parry but caught one blade on the shaft of the spear. Kerrith blocked the other with his shield while sliding his sword into the creature's brain. It gave one last hiss and slumped against the wall, blood hissing on the hardwood floors.

"What was wrong with it?" the man asked.

"I do not know," answered Kerrith.

The man turned to his wife who rushed into his arms. "Don't worry dear, its dead now." He turned his head to Kerrith. "I'm Havas Ivraim. I'm in charge of the militia here."

Kerrith looked over the man. He had the muscular build of a man-of-arms along with scars over the visible parts of his arms and legs. His voice was a scratchy with the characteristic drawl of the northern regions of the continent.

"I'm also a cobbler," he said, nodding at Kerrith's bare feet. He had forgotten his boots in his rush from the barn. "It took you lazy bunch of sods enough time to get here!" Havas roared at the militia men crowded in the doorway. "You let Kerrith and me do all the work! I could have been killed by that thing while you were sleeping off last night!"

"Mr. Ivraim, I told your men to wait on the stairs, they were just following orders," said Kerrith.

"Eh? Is that true?" he asked the militia men.

They nodded and agreed, one of them accidentally knocking a chip out of the doorway with his axe.

"Driswald, you damned idiot! Hold that axe like I taught you or I'll come around and knock bits of you off with it!" Havas roared.

"Sorry about that, I-" the one called Driswald began.

"Sorry about that, sir!" screamed Havas.

Driswald jerked back, nearly taking off a companions ear. "I'm sorry about that, sir!" he shouted.

Havas made a sound of disgust. "Get out of here and form up in the square. I see we're going to be drilling until you lot can remember what I tell you. Go on, get out!" he yelled.

The militia descended noisily down the stairs accompanied by the noise of weapons gouging holes in the walls.

Havas looked back to Kerrith. "They're a good lot for the most part. They forget discipline though. Besides, I think they like the yelling, makes them feel like they're real soldiers," he said. "I'm going to be spending a fortune on repairing that." He pointed to the charred wood and plaster where the Corthronos had bled its last. "Did I hear you knocking down my door?" he asked Kerrith.

"Yes, I'm sorry Mr. Ivraim," Kerrith apologized.

"Ah, don't worry about it, you were doing your job. Let me get dressed and I'll meet you in the square. Sir." He shook his head. "Been so long since I've done any soldiering I guess I even forgot something."

Kerrith smiled. "I would be greatly interested in learning where you served once I have accomplished my duties."

"I'd be glad to, sir," Havas said.

Kerrith started to say something else when he heard cries of warning from the square. He dashed out of the house with Havas just behind him, both with weapons at the ready.

Most of the village was gathered in the square. They were currently scattering towards the houses around the square with the militia remaining behind. Two winged things were dropping from the mist into the square. They looked like Corthronos at first glance, but as Kerrith ran closer he saw differences. They had limbs which appeared to have been made out of clockwork. Their joints reminded him of the clockwork dolls which were so popular in the capital. As they swooped over the crowd he could see steam hissing from their joints and mouths.

"Bowmen! Assemble!" Havas yelled. "What are those things?"

The flying creatures had stopped, hovering twenty feet above the square. They seemed to be searching the running crowd. With a great burst of steam they dove into the fleeing mass of people, batting aside villagers like they were rag dolls.

Selene turned at the grinding sound of the creatures' flight from where she stood by the inn door. They were flying straight toward her. Before she had time to run they were upon her. One of them grabbed her under the arms and sprang straight up into the thinning mist.

Kerrith saw Selene disappear into the mist. "Selene!" he yelled, sprinting after her. Behind him the bowmen had gathered. They nocked their broad shafted hunting arrows and drew a bead on the remaining creature. It was flying through the square toward a woman tending to those injured by its first charge.

Magda looked up at the thing flying toward her. She tied off the healing weave quickly while standing and backing away. The thing was barely ten feet from her when a hail of arrows slammed into it, knocking it to the ground. She could smell the acid stench of its blood as it staggered to its feet, its arms breaking the arrows off where they had lodged in its body. Magda quickly yanked up her skirt to pull a dagger from where it was sheathed on her thigh. The thing was limping toward her, now only five feet away. She raised her dagger to throw, aiming at the things throat. With a snap of her wrist she sent her dagger plunging into the things throat as another shower of arrows landed in its back.

The Corthronos collapsed to its knees. It clawed at her dagger, jerking it from its throat. A spill a vile reddish yellow blood splashed upon the stone of the square. The creature had managed to raise itself to one knee when a boar spear took it in the back. Havas forced the Corthronos to the ground, planting his bare foot on its back as he twisted the spear. With a last convulsive jerk the Corthronos died.

"Gods above, these things are hard to kill," he grunted.

Magda had turned back to her patient. The weave still glowed across his broken ribs waiting to be finished. She quickly finished the weave and chanted the words of finishing. A few seconds later the man was very sore but healed.

As he thanked her profusely, Magda looked around the square. The rising sun was rapidly burning off the mist, lighting the roofs of the houses with a brilliant golden red. Kerrith was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you all right, Magda?" Havas asked.

She turned back to him. "Yes, you got that thing just in time. Where did Kerrith go?" she asked.

Havas scanned the square. "I saw him take off after the first one." He turned. "No, wait. There he is."

Kerrith had quickly realized that he could not outrun the flying Corthronos. Returning to the square he saw that the other one had been killed by Havas. "I need a swift horse," he said to him.

"I'll get mine, you go finish getting dressed," Havas said.

Kerrith nodded and ran back to the barn. Once inside he began to pull on his boots and armor. When he was through donning the light plate he returned outside to find Havas waiting for him with a splendid white charger.

"He's a good horse. Do you have any idea where that thing is headed?" Havas asked.

"Is there a mage's tower around here?" asked Kerrith.

"There's an abandoned tower due east of here. Maybe three hours ride."

"Then that is where it is going. Ready your men for another attack. I am certain that this is just the beginning of Solyma's plan."

"I'll do that, who's this Solyma?"

Kerrith mounted the horse. "A summoner whom I was dispatched to apprehend."

"Good luck then. May Adramas shield you."

"My thanks, Havas. May Adramas shield you." Kerrith turned the horse to the eastern road. Just as he was about to gallop off he heard Magda yelling at him.

"Kerrith! Wait!" she yelled. She ran up to him. "Help me up."

"What? What are you doing Magda?"

"You'll probably need me, especially if anyone gets hurt. And besides I still remember how to get into heavily guarded places."

"But-"

"We don't have time for this, help me up."

Kerrith paused for a moment and then helped Magda into the saddle behind him. She had changed out of her skirt into a pair of men's breeches and was wearing a knapsack.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" she asked.

Kerrith turned and clapped his heels to the horse's flanks. With the mist almost gone they galloped east out of the village. They rode through the fields of vegetables and vineyards that surrounded Willowsrun. After several miles of fields and vines they began to ride into a light forest. Following a beaten game track they headed east into the rising sun towards the tower.

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Selene woke on a soft bed. For a moment she thought that the abduction had been a nightmare until she realized that she had been bound hand and foot to the bed. Her hands were tied directly above her head while her legs were tied slightly apart to the foot of the bed. She looked around the bedroom. It was richly decorated and lit by the rising sun shining through a window on her right. A heavy door was directly across the room from her. She took a deep breath. She tried to start a weave to loosen the cloth. She had never been very good at moving things with weaves and something was keeping her from starting even the simplest. Selene struggled against her bonds for a moment, succeeding only in getting her dress to ride up her legs.

At least I'm alive, she thought. And they probably wouldn't have put me in a bedroom if they wanted to sacrifice me later, would they? She didn't know much about the habits of summoners. Kerrith had told her father that a summoner had conjured up those demons, hadn't he? Suddenly, she paled. He. Kerrith had told her father that the summoner was a he. Selene looked fearfully around the bedroom. She couldn't tell if a man or woman lived there from what she could see. She moaned as she realized why she was tied to the bed. The summoner most likely wanted to have his way with her. She sobbed helplessly as she pulled against the cloth binding her to the bed.

Kerrith will rescue me, she thought. He'll get here before anything happens. He's probably outside right now, fighting through hordes of those things to rescue me. But what if he isn't? a small voice inside her said. Her further struggles only managed to make her dress ride up to her thighs.

Selene froze as she heard footsteps outside the bedroom's door. She looked down her body at her exposed legs. Beyond them, the doorknob began to turn. She quickly closed her eyes, trying to feign sleep. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as the footsteps approached her right side and cast her in shadow. She felt someone sit on the bed by her.

Selene waited for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for the summoner to do something. She couldn't help jerking from him when he touched her thigh. She cursed herself silently for failing in her ruse.

"I know you're awake," a soft woman's voice said.

Selene opened her eyes in surprise. A woman sat next to her dressed in a peasant blouse and dress which left her shoulders bare. Her body was ravishing, slender and full in all the right places. Her face was hidden by the glare of the sun behind her which gleamed on her coppery hair. "Who-?" Selene began.

"I'm a friend," the woman said, leaning closer. "My name is Sally." Selene could see her face now. She was incredibly beautiful, her full lips tight with concern and her deep green eyes full of worry. She turned and began to untie Selene's feet. "The Master of this place wants you," she said.

"Oh no, no," Selene moaned. She felt herself begin to shake uncontrollably. Tears began to run down her cheeks.

"Shh, shh," the woman whispered. She leaned over Selene, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. "The Master may be satisfied if other conditions can be met."

"What do you mean?" Selene asked through her tears.

"The Master wants the Knight that rescued you. If you can give any information on how he may be defeated-"

"No!" Selene shouted. "I won't help your master kill Kerrith, I, I love him. I'd rather suffer whatever he may do to me than help him."

The woman leaned closer. Her hair brushed against Selene's cheek. "I know that you love him, I saw what happened last night."

Selene's eyes widened as she turned her head to look up at the woman. "How?" she asked.

"The Master saw it all through a scrying portal. I watched as well." The woman lowered her head.

"What does your master want?"

"The Master is trapped. The Corthronos cannot be fully controlled, they can be hampered and guided but they constantly strain. If the Master fails to allow them some freedom they would break the bindings placed on them and escape, wreaking havoc across the counrtyside after first killing the one who summoned them. The Master needs the Knight to destroy them."

"Then why does he want to kill Kerrith?"

"The Master is afraid that the Knight will kill the one who summoned the Corthronos in hopes of breaking their ties to this world. While that may work in most cases, in this case the Corthronos are too well connected to this world. The Master wants the knowledge for protection from your knight."

"But I don't know anything about what weaknesses a knight might have."

"The Master hopes that you can provide other information about Kerrith. What does he fear? What are his fantasies? His hopes?"

Selene blushed. "I don't know. We've only been together that once. I didn't talk to him while we were traveling because I was unconscious most of the time."

Sally sat up suddenly and turned to the door. "The Master is coming!" she whispered. She jumped up and ran out the door, closing it behind her.

Selene pulled herself up into a sitting position next to the headboard. She wiped her cheeks against the shoulders of her dress, trying to hear what was happening. She thought she could hear a muffled conversation.

She started when the door opened revealing Sally. She walked to Selene and sat again on the bed.

"I was able to convince the Master that he would enjoy watching you more than taking you right away," Sally said.

"What do you mean, watching me?" asked Selene nervously.

"The Master enjoys watching women, perform." Sally turned away and sat staring out the window.

"Perform?" Selene realized that reciting poetry or singing was probably not what the Master enjoyed watching.

"Yes." Sally turned back to her. She leaned close to Selene and whispered, "The Master enjoys watching women make love."

Selene froze. "Two women?" she asked.

"Yes."

"So he wants you and-"

"Yes," Sally said quietly.

"I can't do that! I mean, you're very beautiful, but I don't do," she paused, "that with women."

"Please, you must! If you don't, the Master will rape you and punish me! Please do this."

Sally was wringing the covers of the bed between her hands and close to tears.

"Can't you just untie me and let me escape?" Selene asked in a plaintive voice.

"I can't, the Master is watching us right now. I'm sorry, this was the only way I can keep you from being violated."

Selene closed her eyes. The Master or Sally. She opened her eyes. "I guess there's no other way," she said softly. "Can you untie my hands? I won't try to escape."

Sally shook her head. "The Master wants you to remain tied up. The Master enjoys that."

"Oh. How am I supposed to undress?"

Sally reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out a small folding knife. "I'm sorry, the Master ordered me to cut your clothes off."

Selene nodded slowly. She slid down until she was lying flat on the bed. "I'd guess we'd better start then," she said.

Sally opened the knife and began to carefully cut away Selene's clothes. First her dress, then her shift and finally her drawers fell to the floor in pieces. Selene lay naked on the soft covers, her eyes closed. She felt herself blushing despite her efforts not to.

Sally stood by the bed and slowly began to undress. Selene watched out of the corner of her eye as Sally slid her skirt down her legs. She wore nothing underneath. Her long legs stretched as she then slowly lifted her blouse over her head. The sun shone off her alabaster skin, painting her in hues of gold and red. Selene bit her lower lip as Sally sat back on the bed. Her heart was beginning to pound rapidly. She gulped as Sally's bare hip brushed hers.

"Just relax. Imagine I'm Kerrith if that will help," Sally whispered.

Selene moaned as she felt Sally begin to stroke her breasts. Her soft fingers lightly played over the sensitive skin around her nipples, causing them to harden immediately. Selene gasped as Sally took one of her nipples into her mouth, licking around it and then flicking it with her tongue. Selene lifted her head to watch as Sally straddled her, her back arching and her bottom rising in the air. Selene wondered if Sally was putting on a show for their hidden observer. The thought of someone watching as they performed this intimate act sent a shiver through her.

Sally leaned forward, her hair tickling over Selene, to kiss her. Selene resisted for a moment, her eyes darting from side to side, then surrendered, allowing Sally to slide her tongue into her mouth. Selene pulled against the cloths tying her hands as Sally ran her tongue over her lips. Selene moaned as she began to kiss Sally back. Sally raised her head to look Selene in the eyes and smiled while Selene panted below her.

Selene kissed the tops of Sally's breasts. Sally moved to allow Selene to lick her nipples. Selene began to moan softly as she ran her tongue over Sally's breasts, realizing that she was enjoying a woman's soft skin under her tongue.

Sally gently pushed Selene's head back to the pillow as she began to lick her way down Selene's body. First through the valley of Selene's breasts, then down her belly.

"Please, please," Selene moaned.

Sally obliged her by moving her mouth to Selene's womanhood. Her tongue slid deep into Selene and then lapped at her clit. Selene gasped as Sally thrust two fingers deep into her. She began to cry out, her hips bucking.

"Oh gods, yes, please, gods!" Selene yelled.

Sally grinned as Selene climaxed noisily. She continued to lick while Selene writhed across the bed.

Selene thrashed her head from side to side, her hair flying across her face and arms. She felt great waves of heat crash through her as she screamed in ecstasy, uncaring of who might be watching. Selene lay limply on the bedspread, her skin shining with sweat in the sunlight.

Sally rose from between Selene's legs, pushing her fingers one more time into the young woman and then licked the wetness from them. "We're not through yet," she crooned softly as she crawled up the bed.

Selene lay in a blissful fog, barely conscious of Sally moving beside her head. She opened her eyes just as Sally straddled her head and began to lower herself. "No, wait, Sally!" Selene yelled, the last part of her sentence muffled.

Sally threw her head back in pleasure, one hand rubbed her clit and then spread her nether lips. "Lick me, dear, just like I did for you," she moaned huskily.

Selene felt Sally's wet pussy press against her mouth, and hesitantly pushed her tongue inside. She could taste Sally and feel every shiver and shudder run through Sally's body. Above her, Sally began to rock, rubbing herself against Selene's mouth and chin.

"Mmm, yes, keep doing that, oh, lick there, yess," she hissed. "Now suck me there. Ahh!" Sally cried out as Selene found her clit. One of her hands tangled in Selene's long dark hair while the other grasped the headboard. Her knuckles whitened as she felt herself reaching climax. Sally began to hump against Selene, gasping and groaning.

A insistent buzzing by Sally's left ear distracted her. She cursed and continued to grind herself against Selene, trying to block out the irritating noise. The buzzing grew louder, as if a mosquito the size of a pear was flying by her ear.

"What?" she hissed.

"The Knight is approaching, my lady," a cool male voice reported.

"Not now! I'm...  almost... " Sally grunted. "Ahhh, yes, you slut, lick meee-" she trailed off into an inarticulate scream as she orgasmed over Selene. She pressed herself against Selene until the young woman began to struggle for breath. Sally lifted herself off Selene and turned to lean against the headboard.

Selene shrank away from Sally, gasping for air. Sally looked down at Selene, a smile quirking her lips. She seemed to be talking to herself.

"How far away is he? Good. Send the Corthronos. What? No, this is a vital part of my plan. You don't even have a body, don't try to lecture me on what I should and shouldn't-. Yes, fine. Fine!" She shook her head and smiled at Selene. "I'm sorry I lied to you my dear, my name isn't Sally, its Solyma."

Selene gasped in terror. The summoner had wanted her and had got her too. She had been tricked. She began to curse violently at Solyma.

"Oh stop that," Solyma said. "You enjoyed that as much as I did."

Selene turned her body away from Solyma. She felt her face burning with rage and humiliation. "Get away from me!"

"That's no way to talk to your host," Solyma chided. "Here, let me-" she said as she untied Selene's hands.

As soon as her hands were free Selene tried to punch Solyma. She found herself flattened against the bed by a weave of binding. Solyma stood up from the bed and walked around to Selene's side.

"I'll let you go as soon as I leave," she said, stretching. She reached into the wardrobe and pulled on a silk robe. She pushed her hair back from her head and leaned over Selene, a finger tracing the line of her cheek and jaw. "Yes, very pretty indeed. Your parents must be proud."

Selene watched in amazement as Solyma spun a complicated weave over herself. When the weave was finished Selene felt as if she was looking into a mirror. A perfect replica of her own face and body had replaced Solyma's.

"Shapeshifting weave, dear. Now, to meet Kerrith. I'm sure he'll be so glad to see us again, especially when we are ever so eager to show our gratitude."

Selene sputtered in fury as Solyma sashayed out of the room, her hips swaying in a way that would make the most jaded courtesan blush, laughing lightly.

Continued in Chapter 3

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