Gathering

"There's an interesting thought. Scary, but interesting. Come on, let's get back and see how Jandol and Malisa got on."

She touched his arm, then held her psident up. "I have to know."

"Of course." He held his own, and his breath, relaxing when both psidents emitted a soft golden glow. He grinned at her. "Genetically compatible."

She grinned back at him. "Sexually, too."

Riding back into the Gathering compound, Alaric was aware of how many admiring glances his companion was receiving from the young - and not so young - men of the clans. He didn't realise the attention he was getting from the girls, but Luana noticed and hid her smile. They had corralled their horses and were heading towards the commissary when they saw Jandol and Malisa riding in, so they waited until the horses had been attended to, and the others came to join them.

Luana laughed.

"What?" said Alaric.

"Malisa. I know that look. I would say that my sister has been very satisfactorily fucked. It seems that Jandol lives up to our hopes, too." Luana looked across at Alaric. "Give us a moment together. You and Jandol give us a start, then follow. Are we going to the same commissary?"

"I think so. Arli will make sure we're looked after."

Luana nodded, then moved to greet her sister. The four of them stood together for a moment, then Luana and Malisa moved off towards the commissary, heads close together as they walked. Alaric put a hand on Jandol's arm.

"A moment. Lu wants a chance to talk to her sister. Okay, we'll follow them now. Did you have a good time? Sorry, silly question. Obviously, judging by the grin on your face."

"Very good," said Jandol. "You?"

Unable to prevent it, a grin spread over Alaric's face, and Jandol laughed. "Seems we both had a good time."

"And more to come tomorrow. Apparently, Lu and Mal share everything, including their men."

Jandol grinned. "That's what Mal said, too." He chuckled. "Seems we're going to enjoy our camping trip. I hope Hari and Nan are good with it."

"If Lu has anything to do with it, we get to try all three of them. Apparently she's never had her cousin and wants to remedy the omission."

Jandol looked across at him, pleased surprise on his face. "I certainly wouldn't turn down the chance to have Nan. I think she's a lovely girl."

"I can't - I won't - argue with you there. She is lovely, very much so, but it's as much her personality, I think. She's just one of the nicest people I know."

"No argument there. Looks like the big discussion is finished. Our Hinazi ladies are waiting for us."

As Alaric and Jandol joined them, Malisa took Alaric's arm and Luana Jandol's. Alaric looked down into Malisa's laughing eyes. "What's so funny?"

"You. Me. Life. Everything. I feel good, thanks to Jandol, and Lu says she feels good, thanks to you. So I laugh. I like you, I like Jandol, I like sex, and I like the fact that you are happy to share me and Lu with Jandol."

Alaric laughed. "Well, if you work it out, that means Jandol and I always have at least one of you in our bed, don't we?"

Malisa gave an emphatic nod. "Yes. You do." She looked up at him again. "Tomorrow?"

"What about tomorow?"

"Tonight, when you're sleeping alone?" Malisa made a face. "And me, worse luck."

"What about tonight?"

"Think about how best you'd like to have me tomorrow. If you have a favourite, I'll do my best to accommodate you."

Alaric looked down into her smiling face, amused. "You will?"

She sobered. "Never doubt me."

"Being a gallant Leori clansman, I would never dream of doubting a Hinazi lady, but I think the choice should be yours, and I will do my very best to accommodate you."

Malisa grinned. "I'm no lady in bed, Alaric, I promise you! But thank you, a very gallant gesture." Malisa gestured. "Looks like we've arrived."

The commissary was quieter this time, and Arli spotted them immediately and came across.

"Welcome. Have you come for the evening meal?"

"We have, Arli," said Alaric. "Have you a table?"

"There's a quiet one in the corner. I've been saving it for someone special. You four qualify. This way." She led the way to the table and waited until Alaric and Jandol had seated the girls and were about to take their own places. "Alaric? A word, please?", she said, drawing him a little away from the table.

"Of course, what is it?"

"You'll be alone at home tonight. Jeni is staying with her friend Elna. As you know, your father is one of the wardens for the Gathering, and he's drawn the midnight watch. He has a tent tucked away in a corner and I said I'd stay and warm his bed. I don't start tomorrow until the noon meal, so we can have a little fun. I just wanted you to know in case you wondered where everyone was." She grinned. "You might want somewhere to take your Hinazi girl?"

Alaric laughed. "Not tonight. They're spending the evening with their mothers, who just happen to be the Hinazi Host-wives."

"Oh, my! Still, you'll have the house to yourself for three nights. Maybe later?"

"Perhaps. Thanks, Arli. You and Father enjoy yourselves."

She grinned, and winked. "We will, don't worry. Now, sit yourself down and I'll fetch the menu. It's limited, but there is some choice. Back in a moment."

Alaric sat and Jandol looked across at him. "Any problems? "

"No, just a domestic arrangement." Perhaps perversely, he didn't mention that he'd be alone. He needed to do some serious thinking, about himself, about Luana, and Malisa, and about his future.

The meal was simple, well-cooked, and satisfying, and the conversation at the table was easy and enjoyable. They were just about finished and making preparations to leave when Hari came in, alone.

"No Nanora?" said Luana, concerned.

Hari smiled. "She's gone home to be ready for tomorrow. She told me to tell you that she'll meet Alaric and Jandol at the turn-off, to save riding all of the way into the Gathering site."

"We'll be sure to look out for her," said Alaric.

"Having passed on the message, I'm going to wander around for a while, then have an early night, to be fresh tomorrow. I'll see you all in the morning." And with a wave, Hari was gone.

"I'm afraid we'll have to go, too," said Luana. "We promised our mothers we'd see them after the evening meal."

"The least we can do is escort you," said Alaric.

Unplanned, but feeling natural, Luana walked with Alaric, Malisa with Jandol, but it was only a short walk. Alna and Lila were in the Host-wives compound, and unaccompanied males were not permitted, only those accompanied by a Host-wife. Both of the girls kissed each of them goodnight, and then Jandol and Alaric were on their own.

"I think I'll head for home," Alaric said. "Get ready for tomorrow. I'll see you an hour after sun-up. If the girls haven't arrived, we'll ride in to meet them."

"An hour after sun-up. Okay, let's go get our horses."

It was a quiet ride to the point where they separated, as neither of them felt the need to fill a comfortable silence with pointless chatter, and they parted with only a wave and a "see you in the morning."

Alaric had only ridden a couple of hundred metres of his route home when he became aware of a presence at the side of the track, revealed a moment later as someone he knew.

"Nan! What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you. Alaric, can we talk? I need some advice, maybe some help."

"Of course. What is it?"

Nanora looked around, hesitating. "Is there somewhere we can be private?"

"Come home with me. I'm alone there tonight. Father has night warden and Arli's gone to make sure he has something warm to come back to after his shift and, of course, Mama is Host-wife."

"You're sure?"

"Of course. Come on, it's only another couple of klicks."

It wasn't long before they were in the house, Alaric's gelding unsaddled, Nanora's with the cinch loosened, and a feed of grain. He ushered Nanora into the sitting-room. "Do you want anything to drink?" She shook her head, colour high in her cheeks, staring at the floor. "Nan, what is it? Is something wrong?"

"No. Yes. Oh, I don't know, maybe."

"Start at the beginning."

"Hari."

"What about him?"

"Alaric, I like him, I like him a lot, and I think he likes me - "

"I'm sure he does. What's not to like?"

Nan smiled briefly. "When he asked me to go away, to come with you, be away overnight, my first thought was 'yes', and all the time I was with him I could hardly get the idea out of my mind, I was so excited."

"I sense a 'but'?"

She nodded. "Alaric, I have so little experience in bed with a man, I'm scared he'll be disappointed."

"You're not virgin, I take it?"

"No, but I might as well be. Only twice, and neither time was particularly good."

"Whose fault?"

"Mine probably."

"I doubt that. I won't ask you who, it's none of my business, but why are you asking me? Why not your mother?"

Nan shrugged, a grimace on her face. "Mama isn't always easy to talk to."

"Okay, you're here, you're asking me. So, what do you want of me? I can't exactly go to Hari and say, 'Hey, Hari, Nanora is a wonderful lover', can I?"

Nan laughed. "No." She paused, and when she spoke again her voice was low. "At least, not yet, you can't."

Alaric's breath caught. "Nan, what are you saying?"

"I saw you when you came back with Luana. She had the look of a girl who'd had a good time, and you looked quite pleased."

"I was, and I think she did have a good time. Good enough to want a repeat, at least."

"That's good, by my standards." Nan bit her lip, then looked straight at Alaric. "Take me to bed, now, and show me what I'm doing wrong."

He gazed at her, trying to hide the excitement, and turmoil, in his mind. "Nan, do you know what you're asking?"

She gave him a wry grin. "Emotional rescue? With some good sex?"

"Are you sure?"

"As I'll ever be."

"In that case, I'd be honoured."

"Where?"

"Nan, relax. Do you need to go home again?"

She shook her head. "No. I've been home, and I have everything I need for tomorrow with me."

"I'm alone here tonight, so first things first. Let's unsaddle your horse, then we'll have a swim."

"A swim? Why?"

"Because you're as tight as a drum and I want you relaxed."

Nan laughed, and he could almost see her tension easing. "You're right. Come on, then, let's go get my saddle off."

Unsaddling her horse and rubbing it down didn't take long, but they were both more relaxed when the task was done.

"Where do we swim, then?" she said, after they'd put her saddlebags into the hallway. "It's almost dark outside."

"You'll see. I'll just get a couple of towels."

Towels in hand, Alaric took Nan's hand and led her along the path to the pool. He and Jad had installed path lights, solar-charged, and controlled by a switch in the house, and they had no difficulty following the path. Both moons were near full and the clearing was silvered by moonlight.

"Alaric, it's beautiful! If I'd known you had this, I'd have come visiting!"

"You're welcome to come anytime, whether I'm here or not." He laughed. "One thing, with it being Festival, we're already undressed."

Nan laughed and indicated the pool. "Isn't it cold?"

"It's lovely. There's a hot spring as well as the stream."

Naked, he looked at her as she discarded her boots, her only item of apparel. Nanora Bilnar was slender, with small but beautiful breasts, a slim waist, slim, but unmistakably female, hips, and a neat triangle of dark hair between her thighs. Her body was silvered by the moonlight, glowing almost.

"You're beautiful, Nan," he said, feeling the beginnings of an erection.

"Thank you," she said, her voice soft.

He took her hand. "Come on, let's swim." They waded into the pool hand-in-hand, then launched themselves into the deeper water. Nan was a good swimmer and they played in the pool for a half hour or so, before Alaric led the way out of the water. He took up a towel and held it open. "Come on, I'll dry you." She moved easily into the towel, turning so that it covered her back and he began to rub her dry, working down almost to her ankles. He straightened and she turned to him.

"Now, do my front," she whispered, and he smiled, holding her eyes with his as he caressed her breasts with the towel. Even in the moonlight he could see the flush on her face, but she was smiling, enjoying the sensuous moment. Dried, she reached for her boots, but he shook his head.

"Carry them," he said, and she smiled. She held her free hand out to him and together, hand-in-hand the two of them strolled back to the house. Inside, Alaric led her straight to his bedroom, and took her boots from her. His own, he'd discarded. Both of them naked, the room lit only by a shaded bedside lamp, he took both of her hands in his and drew her towards him.

She made no protest, moving easily into his arms, raising her mouth for his kiss, her lips parting easily as the kiss quickly deepened, grew hotter, the heat rising in each of them until Nan broke it with a shudder, breathing heavily. She squealed when he picked her up and laid her on his bed, laying beside her, his left arm under her neck, his right on her flat stomach. He bent to kiss her again and began to stroke her stomach, letting his hand creep up to the under-slopes of her breast, then over it, cupping the soft weight of her, his thumb rubbing over her nipple. He bent and kissed her breast, then let his lips close over her nipple, suckling gently, then letting her feel his teeth. She shuddered.

He was hard now, and pressed lightly against her, and she shivered. She looked up at him.

"Now, please, do it now."

He moved over her as she spread her legs, bracing himself on one arm, his other hand holding his erection, lowering it, guiding it into her. He was on target and she gasped as she felt him move into her. He paused, taking his hand away, smiling down at her. Holding her eyes with his, he pushed into her, feeling the resistance as he moved in. He pulled back, spreading her juices, and pressed in again, further now, and she gasped again as she felt the blunt force of him, but there was only acceptance on her face, and she was smiling as he moved. A few strokes, and he was deep within her. He paused, bending to kiss her, and her answering kiss was urgent, demanding.

"Yes, Alaric, yes!"

He pushed into her, deep, then back, enjoying the hot cling of her around him, enjoying this making a friend into a willing lover, even if only the once, or maybe twice, if Luana's plans for the pool came to fruition. Nan was breathing heavily, engrossed in the moment, her eyes closed, her fingers tight on his shoulders as he moved, her face flushed, and a smile quirking her mouth.

"Feel good?" he murmured, and her eyes flashed open.

"Damn right, it does!" She giggled. "Now I know why Luana looked so smug, if you gave her what you're giving me."

"I always try to make my partner feel good, Nan."

"And I do! Oh, yes, I do feel good. Oh, Alaric, if it had only been like this before, I wouldn't have been so worried." She giggled again. "And, most likely, we wouldn't be doing this."

"Probably not, but I'm glad we are."

"You can pretend I'm Luana."

"Why would I want to do that? You're Nan, Nanora, my good friend, and now my part-time lover, and Luana is Luana, a Hinazi girl I like very much."

"I like Hari. I'm looking forward to bedding him, now."

"I'm glad. He seems to be very nice."

"He is, but he's not here. You are, and it's you who is making me feel so good. We'll talk about Hari later, maybe. For now, love me, love me hard!"

Alaric grinned down at her and she blew him a kiss as he lengthened his stroke a little, then a little more, moving easily, audibly now, in Nan's free-flowing juices. She gasped as he pushed deep, her breathing changing, modulating, so that she was breathing in time with his thrusts, then breaking the link as a tremor caught her, as she came up to the precipice of climax, a gasp, a moan, fracturing her rhythm.

Alaric was getting close, too, and he concentrated on trying to give Nan pleasure, as much as she was giving him. He heard her breathing change again, a cry, a moan, a tight, muffled scream, and she came, her core clutching at him, trying to drain him, drawing him over the edge, so that his hips jerked in reflex, thrusting into her, his seed jetting into her depths in four or five hard spurts, slowing, weakening, trickling, the pulses easing even as Nan's pulses eased, too, so that they came off the plateau together, easing, calming, slowing.

Long moments later, Alaric eased from her, and flopped to his back beside her, still breathing heavily. She half-rolled, kissing his cheek, then lay back again.

"Those other times, I wasn't involved, and I think, nor was my partner, but this time I wanted it, wanted my partner - you, dear Alaric - wanted my partner to want me in return."

"I did, Nan. I wanted you. Just about as soon as I knew you wanted me." He chuckled. "Or perhaps when I saw you in your beautiful skin this morning."

She laughed. "I was terrified at first, I think, until you and Jandol told me how good I looked. I didn't believe you, of course, but you did reassure me, and when I saw how Hari was looking at me, well, I guess I mesmerised myself! Oh, Alaric, if you'd seen the way I was flaunting myself!"

"Be yourself, Nan, just be yourself. One of the nicest people I know. The fact that you're beautiful, too, makes you even better, to me."

"Thank you, kind sir." She paused. "Alaric, do I have to go home, or can I stay?"

"Of course you can stay. Do you want the spare room, or to sleep with me?"

"Is it all right if I sleep with you?"

"Of course it is."

"Alaric?"

"Yes?"

"You've reassured me, I think, but do you think we can do that again, just to make sure?"

"I think we might just manage that. And again in the morning?"

"Please. But save some for Luana."

"Malisa, too, apparently. It seems they share a lot."

Nan snorted. "Yeah!"

"Alaric shrugged. "I won't complain, just as long as I end up with the girl I started with."

"You like Luana?"

"Very much. You like Hari?"

Nan laughed. "Very much. I like you, too."

"I think you just proved that," he said with a grin.

She blew him a kiss. "I wish I'd done that a long time ago."

"I won't argue. Um, Jandol? Would you bed him, too?"

There was a pause. "Yes, I think I would. There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"

Alaric grimaced. "I think Lu has visions of us all exchanging."

"You mean, I might be bedding you, Jandol and Hari tomorrow?"

"Possibly."

Nan grinned. "Earlier, before we made love, I would most likely have said no. I would have been too inhibited. Now? Now, I think I might enjoy it, enjoy it a lot, in fact. But, like you with Luana, just so I end up with the one I started with, Hari."

Alaric nodded. "How I feel, too. And I'm pretty sure Jandol will want Malisa; they seemed to hit it off really well, as I did with Luana."

"And me with Hari. They're easy to like, those Hinazi, aren't they?"

"Those three are. I've no experience of any others."

"Alaric, may I ask you a very personal question?"

"Yes, you can ask, but I may not answer."

"Okay. Um, how many women have you had?"

"Oh! I'll need to count. Um, seven, counting you, and Luana. Not Malisa, she makes number eight. I hope."

"Can I ask who? You don't have to answer, of course."

"Two at last year's Gathering. One of the Jikali Host-wives, and one of the Bruini. Arli, and my mother, Jandol's mother, Ellora, Luana, and now you. And you? Who have you had?"

"My uncle Rol, my cousin Arlo, and you." She smiled. "You were definitely the best!"

"Thank you for that."

"Of course, I need to confirm my first impressions." Nan reached out and stroked his limp prick where it lay on his thigh. "But first, I need to persuade our mutual friend to perform."