Hummingbird

There were several books in my collection that contained characters of other races, including wood elves, imps, and dwarves, but never dark elves. What I had said to Raina, I had never read in any book; the words had just spilled from my lips, and they had surprised me as much as her. I was not sure what would happen next, and I was less sure how to respond to it. Of romance, I knew only of what I had read, trysts and affairs, but not much regarding what exactly took place in the heat of such circumstances. But if I could say what I did without having read it before, then should such an affair occur between Raina and me, perhaps I could do it again, but with actions rather than words. Not that I expected anything of the sort to happen. For all I knew of dark elves, perhaps such an affair was physically impossible, or quite different in nature, even. I dozed off in the chair at some point, slumping over a little. When I awoke, I was leaning forward so that my head rested on my arms on the edge of the bed. And Raina was gone.

I was quite sore for having slept in such a position, and it took a minute of massaging the tightened muscles in my back before I could stand up straight. The door was closed, but no longer barred; she had left. I opened the door, finding that it was not quite morning. The sky was dark, but not as dark toward the east. I wanted to call for her, but I did not know if the brigands were still out in the woods. As I had just begun to fear the worst, I saw movement in the woods to the north. I grabbed for my bow, came back to the door, and breathed a sigh of relief. It was Raina, cloaked, approaching. She pushed her hood back as she came close.

"They are camped in the woods north of here, but not very far."

"You worried me," I understated, "Why did you leave?"

"Forgive me, I only went to find where they were. Also, I had hoped to reclaim my weapons, but they hid them, I knew not where."

I shook my head, "It is dangerous out there. If they had caught you, I would not know about it until it was too late."

"Be easy, for I am fine... still sore and bruised, but my medicine is helping."

"I cannot be easy with thoughts of you slain," I frowned.

"Come, please, let us go inside," she took my hand, and I followed. I barred the door, and then turned to her as she removed her cloak and sat down on the edge of the bed with a wince.

The fire had gotten low, the wood mostly consumed. I threw a few logs on, sparks swirling up before winking out. I poked at the char underneath, and flames sprouted up, catching upon the logs, growing brighter once more.

Little calmed, I sat in the chair next to the bed, "You are still in pain?"

"The medicine works for most of it," she answered, removing her boots, "You worry too much."

"I am concerned. To lose you so soon after finding you..."

"Come and lie down. You must be most sore from sleeping in a chair."

I allowed her to pull me close to her. She pulled my arm around her and snuggled against my chest. I could feel her breathing slow, and she was quickly asleep. I, however, took longer, so greedy for the sight of her in my arms, for the warmth of her breaths.

I awoke some time later, feeling disoriented for a moment. At some point, Raina had turned over so that we both faced the same way, her body comfortably pressed against mine, and my arm positioned in such a way that the palm of my hand rested upon a firm, high breast. I felt a flush creeping up my neck and lighting on my cheeks until my face burned. I began to move my hand away, but then her hand grabbed mine and pulled it back. I could feel a part of my body responding to such intimate contact, and I turned slightly so that I could keep it to myself.

"Your body seems to know what it wants," I heard her whisper, and my flush deepened.

"I am sorry if I offended," I mumbled.

"I take no offense to the way your body responded to me. Be easy."

I relaxed slightly, and she pulled me tighter against her. The sudden pressure of her body against that burning, sensitive hardness of me caused me to gasp in surprise. She started, turning toward me, concerned.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Ah..." I flushed deeper, "No, I... just wasn't expecting... no, you did not hurt me."

She smiled slightly, shy, "If it calms you to know, I did not mind your touch. Perhaps, when I have recovered more... we may... touch like this again."

Eventually, we both left the bed. She gathered some pork, cut into small chunks, and added it to a pot of boiling water. I collected what little I had in the way of vegetables, including milk-pea pods, carrots, and a usable head of leaf-bloom, and she cut them up as well, adding them to the mixture in the pot, making a stew. She added some spices from the store room, and rich, savory smells wafted from the pot. She covered it to let the stew cook for a while, and we both sat at the table, and she asked me to tell her my story. I did, about my father's banishment, how we ended up in this cabin, learning everything I knew. In return, she told me about herself, about a subterranean city where she lived, her father, her clan, and the other clans that inhabited the city. I was surprised to learn that she had lived already for one hundred and twenty-seven years.

"Essentially, I am hardly an adult," she explained, "My kind can live over a thousand years, though the oldest I know of at this point is Iselu, of the Windfang clan, who is nine hundred and thirteen years of age."

"Then you have quite a long time to live," I tried not to think about how my entire life would pass in what would amount to about half a decade of her own life.

"It would have been quite short, if you had not found me when you did," she reminded me.

Eager to change the subject, I asked, "What do you do when you are home with your clan?"

"I collect herbs and plants to make medicines and salves," she said.

"So this is why you go to the surface, to collect herbs and plants?"

She nodded, "I could have them bought from some of the shops near me, but they are never as strong as the things I pick on the surface. I believe that the freshness makes a difference. Beside s that, I enjoy the sun on my skin, the freshness of the air, the openness of the surface... it was this, more than the freshness of the plants and herbs, that made me want to venture up. And now, you..."

"How long until you are missed, and they send people to search for you?"

She frowned, "They might already be at this moment. There is no telling. Of course, nobody knows exactly where I am, as I was only planning on going as far as the fields south of the eastern woods. But if the scouts sent to find me can track me, they will eventually track me here. So, once I have healed... I will need to get back."

Thoughts passed, unbidden and unwelcome, through my mind, thoughts of the consequences faced if her clan, or any of the other clans, discovered our friendship, of the hundreds of years of life ahead of her, while I, if lucky, would be given about seventy years, of how any others would see our differences and respond negatively, not that I cared about what people thought, but of how violently they might react to the discovery... it seemed that the chances of our living a peaceful life together, even only in friendship, were quite low. But even with all that, I could see the way she looked at me, her words, and I believed that this meant more than just a simple friendship. Was it doomed to end badly?

"If you were any more transparent, I would see right through you," she said.

I started, "What do you mean?"

"You are concerned, it is written on your face. Why do you worry?"

I shook my head, "It has been so long since I have had friendship... I worry about losing you."

Raina moved closer to me, her hand in mine, "I would be false if I said that I do not worry as well. But it would not do to worry over events that may or may not take place, more so because we cannot control them. It only darkens the time we do have, you see."

"Then I will do my best not to worry," I promised.

"That is very well... I do believe the stew is ready to eat."

I lifted the lid, and the fragrant aroma of well-prepared stew filled the cabin. We ate well, two bowls each, and then lazed for a while, sated and warm.

I had begun to doze off, feeling much better than I had for years, grateful for the welcome weight of her as she leaned against me, her head on my shoulder, her hand in mine. My mind drifted ever closer toward slumber, when I felt her sit up and regard me. She moved close and kissed my cheek, and I opened my eyes, turning to her. She leaned forward and kissed my lips, and I kissed her back, feeling the nervous tremors in her lips. We kissed like this for another ten seconds, and then she sat back a little.

"All of this is very new to me," she confessed, her eyes searching mine.

"I know very little, from books I have read..."

We kissed again, and I touched her gently, afraid that I would bump a bruise. Her arms went around me, resting upon my shoulders and pulling me close. Her lips parted slightly, and I felt the heat and wetness of her tongue, so I parted my own lips and met her tongue with my own, and our kiss deepened as our hunger for each other grew. I pulled her into my lap, and her hands began sliding up and down my back. I unlaced the ribbon laces on the side of her blouse, and slowly removed her shirt, our lips parting briefly so that I could pull it off of her. Her skin was soft, dark blue-gray, bruises apparent along her right side, her arms, and on her back. Her breasts were firm in my hands, her areolas a darker blue, almost midnight, capped by small nipples. She kissed me harder as my fingers brushed her hardened nipples, her breath harsh with passion. My own body was responding as well, jutting out proudly, pressed against her. She suddenly looked down, surprised, as she noticed it.

"Am I hurting you?"

I shook my head, "No, all is well. All is more than well... only, are you very sore, still? I do not wish to cause you pain."

She pressed her body tightly against mine, "Do not concern yourself with that. All I concern myself with is that you love me as you will. I am yours in passion only as you speak it once more to me, the words you spoke to me, I beg of you."

I smiled, "My love, you are as the hummingbird, fierce, full of beauty and grace."

Tears sparkled in her eyes, her lips trembling, "I shall never tire of hearing such lovely words."

I spread the bear pelt on the floor, and then I further undressed her until she lay before me, her body presented to me. I knelt before her and busied my hands to explore the lithe beauty of her. My lips met hers briefly, so briefly that I took the time for another deep, unrestrained kiss before planting more kisses along her cheek, to her neck, her throat, to her shoulders. Her fingers stroked through my hair, lighting upon small areas of my head that caused tingles to race along my scalp. My lips reached her breasts, and she gasped as I teased the delicate nipples, unable to focus upon one for long before noticing the other and moving to attend it. Her flesh prickled up in response, and she whimpered as I captured a nipple in my mouth, pressing my lips around it and flicking the tip of it with my tongue.

But, as much as I would have liked to remain at her breasts, there were other wonders to behold, other pleasures to be wrought, so I kissed along her ribs, to her flat, slightly concaved stomach. Her provocative, slightly musky aroma permeated my nose, captivating me. I moved down to its source, her thighs parting under my urging. Between her lovely thighs, my eyes beheld two slender petals under a patch of silver, wispy, soft hairs, two petals that leaked a moisture of desire, and it was from within that gave such tantalizing aromas that made me ache with want. As I lowered my face toward those soft petals, she started slightly. I stopped and raised my head to ask of her concern.

"That part of me..." she seemed afraid.

"That part of you is as lovely as its whole, my love, and I wish to praise it with my lips. Be easy, as I will be gentle in your pleasure."

She nodded, biting her bottom lip with concern, but not bidding me cease. I returned to plant soft kisses along her thighs, her trembling of worry replaced with shivers of delight. I continued, kissing ever closer, wishing to light directly upon those slender petals, but staying that wish as I more wished not to cause her fear. Finally, no longer able to avoid it, I kissed first upon one side, then the other, catching some of her moisture and tasting it to find it as irresistible as its scent. I used my tongue to swipe up one side, and then then other, hearing her gasp, but not bidding me cease, so I continued. Her thighs parted more as she found the sensations of my tongue between them quite enjoyable, and I parted the petals to find purplish-blue within, and more moisture seeping outward toward me. As I delved my tongue inside to taste her, her hands clutched the bear pelt on either side of her waist, and I paused, believing I had hurt her.

"No, do not stop, I beg, I have never before felt such wonderful sensations!" she cried.

I brought my tongue to explore as she wished, feeling her tighten upon it, the moisture increasing with the pleasure I gave her, and I wanted more, greedy I became for the taste of her. Her body writhed, her legs resting on my shoulders and back, her cries and moans increasing in intensity as I brought her to fulfillment, and then her body shuddered as the pleasure overwhelmed her, her hips thrusting up at me uncontrollably. Then, gradually, she began to relax, her legs leaving my back to rest upon the floor, the tension leaving her body with flutters of tremors. She gasped for breath, her eyes wide with amazement.

"I..." she laughed weakly, "That was..."

"The first of many times, I pray," I replied.

"I shall repay pleasure with pleasure," she came to me and kissed me deeply, paying no heed to the moisture from her that rested upon my lips. Then she began to unclothe me, stopping frequently to kiss me more. Finally, as I was fully unclothed, she regarded me, her fingers stroking across my skin, and down to that part of me that throbbed and yearned for attention.

She encircled it in her fingers, feeling the smoothness of the flesh, the veins that crossed it, the pulse of my heart raced through it, a drop of clear fluid suspended upon the tip.

"This is," she spoke of it, excited, "Just as the ones some of the women in my clan use to fulfill their desires while the men work and the little ones sleep. I happened upon it by chance, and my mother explained its purpose... she never did so in great detail... but, one day, I spied upon her and three of her sisters as they gave themselves and each other pleasure."

I was unsure what to say of this, so I said nothing.

"It was quite startling," she admitted, "And still exciting, as I was not supposed to witness it... and it aroused... other feelings in me as well, much like you have just done. Does this alarm you?"

I considered her question, and then shook my head, "Not in the least."

"It did me, a little at first... A part of me wanted to join them, but I was too afraid."

She leaned down and captured the tip of my flesh between her lips, and then enveloped half of the length into her mouth. As she backed out, her tongue tickled the sensitive organ, causing it to jump slightly in her mouth. Slowly, she moved me in and out of her mouth, her saliva coating the skin. I moaned at the intensely pleasurable feelings, watching her as she continued sucking at me, her finger and thumb wrapped gently but firmly around the base.

Encouraged by my favorable reactions, she became more confident, her mouth moving over me more hastily, her lips pressed tighter around the hard flesh, and I was suddenly poised at a great precipice, my body thrumming with overwhelming pleasure. I groaned, and felt a great release, and another, as thick strings of my seed burst forth, surprising her so that she released me from her mouth. More and more spewed from me onto her, dripping slowly from one cheek, her chin, and her breasts. Finally, the eruption of my seed subsided, one last lazy bit oozing from the tip to drizzle down the side.

"Forgive me," I gasped, "I did not expect to make such a mess."

She wiped her cheek and chin, examining the sticky mess now on her fingers, "I swallowed some before I even realized what had happened."

I felt remorseful, but she seemed more surprised by the amount than where it had landed.

"I have never tried such a thing before," she gazed at the seed on her hand, "Nor have I witnessed it..."

She brought her hand to her lips and licked some of the creamy liquid from it, "It has a most unusual taste, almost of water from the sea, but not as salty. Perhaps when next I do this, I will try to take all of it."

I fetched her a cloth with which to clean her of my seed, and she regarded the mess more.

"You are ready for more, I see," she licked her lips, "I would like to do more... I still have my purity... and I wish to give myself to you."

I was worried, "Am I worthy of it?"

She nodded, "You are, many times over. Would you accept me as your lover, as I offer it to no other?"

"I am yours, if you wish it."

"I wish it," she climbed into my lap so that my hard flesh pressed against her thigh. She took hold of it and guided it between the petals of her maidenhead. She hesitated only briefly, and then bore down, sending me within. She gasped, her thighs tightening, wincing with the pain as I went where no man had ever been before me. I was alarmed, my hands moving to halt her, but she only shook her head.

"No, do not, if you have love for me," she insisted, hissing the pain through her teeth, "Only let me remain where I am until the stinging subsides. For now and ever, we are joined and no other can make it not so."

For almost a minute, neither she nor I moved, and then, with slow, small motions, she brought more of me into her, until I was fully joined with her.

"I believe this way is best for my first time," she spoke, "So that I may grow used to being filled so completely. You wince, too. I am hurting you?"

"The tightness, nothing more, and, see, it is not so much. I am concerned more for your pain."

She smiled, "I cannot be sure, as I have no account to compare with, but I believe that the first time is to feel much like this, and that it will become more pleasurable not long after, and more so each time after this."

With slow, tentative motions, she began moving, her hands upon my chest, her eyes on mine. She winced a few more times, but no more than that. Her motions became more fluid, her actions more natural. I looked down, and was dismayed to see that there was blood, bright red, with our joining, but she showed no more signs of pain or distress. Indeed, she began to show enjoyment, and I was already relishing the sensations as well. It was as it had been when she had had me in her mouth, but even better, as if I was sheathed in heated oils, enveloped completely, every inch of my organ massaged by her.

She began to gasp, each breath punctuated with a moan, or a whimper, and then she flung her head back, crying out as her body was wracked with shudders, and I felt a flood of fluids covering my manhood, still more as she continued to move. She exclaimed in her native tongue, words I knew not flowing much as her liquids flowed from her.

Finally speaking in the way I understood, she moaned, "Oh, this is so wonderful, please, I beg, release your seed within me, I must have it!"

She moved quicker, insistently, and the pleasure was more than I could stand. I cried out and thrust myself deep, sending her into another bout of paroxysms of ecstasy even as I released myself inside her, each spurt inspiring a shiver that coursed throughout my entire body. She relaxed as soon as she felt the last weak spasm of my stuff within, and lay upon me so that I remained joined to her, our breaths ragged and explosive.