The Long Road to Ruin Ch. 20

Carlen smiled and pulled a few spare blankets and a small pillow from a chest of drawers. He handed them to her while eyeing her naked body with much interest.

She yawned and spread out the blankets, making herself a nest of sorts. Soon the warmth of the fire had soothed her into drowsiness and she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

She jerked awake when she felt something heavy cover her. Putting up a struggle, she felt hot breath on her skin as hands tore the blankets that covered her away from her body. "I haven't given up hope that you might stay," a harsh voice growled.

The smell of cheap ale assailed her and she struggled fiercely as she felt a pair of lips sliding across her cheek to her mouth. She cried out in protest and gagged as he covered her mouth with his, jamming his tongue inside. He kissed her roughly, devouring her crudely.

He ran his fingers over her supple soft skin, tracing over her face, down her neck and across the top of her chest until his hand lightly rested on her breast and gave it a little squeeze. He squeezed a bit more, and more, until he was just rubbing and fondling one large full nipple. He kissed her again, this time slipping more tongue between her lips.

Carlen removed his pants, freed his raging hard member, and placed it in her hand. He cupped his hand around hers and started jacking off. The feeling was new as he had never done that with anyone before. He started kissing her cheek, down her neck, and across her shoulders before he released her hand. He rolled Shiloh onto her back, stilling her struggling body with a stinging slap to her thigh. Carlen groaned as he pressed her breasts together, gazing down upon her delicious cleavage. Her nipples were large, long, and thick. They weren't quite as big as his wife's had been, but were just as beautiful and tempting. Taking one in his mouth he started sucking and twirling his tongue around the nub, feeling it grow and harden in his mouth. Shiloh groaned and flailed about beneath him.

Another cry escaped her lips, "Stop this now!"

Carlen ignored her and placed his hand on her thigh, slid in between her legs, and pried them apart revealing the tiny triangle of curls concealing her sweet pussy. Covering her mound with his hand, he began to massage her the way that drives all women wild. Before long she ceased her struggles and he could feel the warmth between her legs rising and knew she was almost ready.

He leaned in close, and took a deep breath, inhaling her fragrance. Shiloh had a thick, rich smell that intoxicated him. All thoughts of this being wrong vanished along with any care or concern for the consequences. Spreading her lips with his fingers he deeply inhaled her smell, extended his tongue, and licked from the very bottom of her canal to the tip of her clit in one smooth motion. Her pussy was creamy and had a strong, slightly sweet taste.

Carlen looked up into Shiloh's wild blue eyes and said, "You taste divine, sweet girl." He lowered his head back to her pussy and started licking again. He ran his tongue up and down her folds, licked and sucked her clit, and tongued as deep as he could into her slit. Shiloh was very wet and by the time he pulled up from lapping as much as he could, the room was filled with her thick smell.

Crawling over her, he kissed his way up to her heaving breasts, pausing to lick and suck on each one before he continued on, kissing his way up her neck before he stopped. Carlen was completely on top of her now, his cock hovering right over her pussy. He gazed lustfully into her eyes, taking in every detail. The curves of her face, her slender nose, full lips, and straight blonde hair. He whispered, "Stay with me" and pressed his lips to hers as he began to slide his swollen cock into her pussy. Her pussy lips spread easily around his head drawing him in further till he was buried all the way in her to the hilt.

He pumped back and forth easily in her juicy pussy, watching her large breasts bounce in rhythm to his thrusts. Carlen could feel his orgasm building and started going faster and faster. The sloppy slapping sound of hard, wet sex echoed in the room as he pounded her pussy harder and faster with each stroke. The pressure in his balls kept building the more he fucked the lovely Shiloh until he cried out and slammed his dick deep in her pussy, erupting spurt after spurt of hot cum inside her.

Covered in sweat, he collapsed on top of her panting and reveling in his orgasm. He laid there catching his breath while his dick softened inside her, feeling their heartbeats as he lay pressed against her. He pulled out of her and sat back for a moment. Shiloh turned her fury upon him in that moment.

"Did you enjoy FUCKING me?!?!?!" She lunged to her feet and scooped up her clothing. Hastily she dressed, pulling on her damp pants and tunic.

"You are such a sweet thing. I wanted you to stay with me," he replied. "I thought if I bedded you, you would feel obligated."

"OBLIGATED!" She screeched.

"Shhh...you'll wake the children." He growled in return.

Shiloh reached for the knife amongst her belongings and brought it up to his neck. She jabbed him with it, drawing blood as she raked it across hastily. Carlen yelped in pain. "Get away from me, NOW!"

Carlen angrily grabbed hold of her. He snatched up her pack and the clothes on the line. "Merciless bitch..." he growled, dragging her to the door. Unbarring it, he tossed her out into the rain. "And don't come back!"

Shiloh let out a cry of exasperation. The nerve of him! He violated her and vented his lust upon her then threw her out when she defended her honor. She vowed to come back and visit her vengeance upon him once she made it back to Betancuria safely. After making a rude gesture at the closed door, she pulled on her still wet cloak and gathered her belongings.

Now where was that road? To the west, she remembered. As stealthily as she could, she crept through the trees, avoiding a bear that was using a fairly good sized tree as a scratching post. She shivered, and quickened her movement ever so slightly. She didn't want to become the bear's new scratching post. Finally the road came into view and she hastened to it. North to Sargoza and Min-Toras or south to Betancuria and home. Home, yes, she was headed home.

Wary of the bandits that the farmer, curse him, had mentioned she cautiously crept down the road until she came to a bridge. She noticed a ramshackle wagon. Hmmm...that must be the bandits. She knew she had better be careful. Silently she walked across the bridge, checking for anything that looked out of the ordinary. She noticed a shabbily disguised snare trap and bent to disable it. They wouldn't be getting her. After disarming it, she tossed the components into the river and continued to the end of the bridge.

She spotted a female archer at the edge of the wagon and made her way over to her. Pulling the poisoned dagger that Alfons had gifted her after succeeding on the wizard's tower mission, she pressed it to the archer's throat.

The female gasped and dropped her bow instantly, "Don't kill me," she whispered too quickly. Shiloh knew the girl's quick mind was already working overtime to figure out a way to escape alive.

Shiloh chuckled wickedly in the girl's ear. "Too late," she wrenched her head back and dug the knife in, slashing her throat from ear to ear. The girl gurgled and collapsed to the ground. Shiloh watched her fall and leaned over to wipe the blade off on her black tunic. Silly wench, she spat.

She skulked to the end of the wagon and peered around it, taking note of the prisoner tied to the tree. She counted three more bandits sleeping soundly around a fire and one more archer positioned at the edge of the camp. Hmmm...perhaps she should spare the one remaining female archer and take her back to Master Nathan.

She made her way over to her, pulling the sap full of lead and metal ingots that Vico had given her. With every ounce of strength Shiloh possessed, she swung the sap and heard it connect soundly with the archer's skull. A grunt of pain sounded before she buckled and fell to the ground in a heap. Removing a length of rope from her pack, Shiloh took her time and securely tied her up.

Then she made her way over to the three sleeping male bandits, delivering a coup de grace to each of them. She gave them no mercy, crudely slitting their throats with her poisoned blade. So quiet a death it was and so painless for her.

Then she turned her attention to the man shackled to the tree. She stepped out of the shadows and giggled as she appeared before him. He let out a startled cry. He then eyed her up and down.

"You are not a bandit."

Shiloh chuckled. "No, I am not."

"Would you mind freeing me?" he asked, pointing to the shackles that bound him.

"Oh, sure." Shiloh bent down and quickly dispatched the locks that kept him chained to the tree. He winced as the heavy cuffs fell from his wrists and ankles.

"Watch out," he called down to her as a hidden archer stepped out from behind a tree. Shiloh spun and attempted to dodge out of the way of the arrow that was speeding her way, but failed as it firmly connected with her shoulder. She yelped in pain and snapped the shaft in half before charging at the remaining bandit. Inner rage boiled in her blood...she had missed one and had jeopardized both of their lives. Shiloh unleashed a scream and pulled out both her short swords. She forced the bandit to drop his bow as she slashed at his hands and then plunged the dripping green blade into his shoulder. He groaned and spit at her.

Shiloh whirled; sidestepping the rapier he pulled from his belt and brought her second short sword up to nick his face. She let out a ragged curse, scolding herself for missing his neck. He jabbed his rapier at her, piercing her other shoulder. He raked it down her arm, slicing a narrow gash open.

Shiloh hissed in pain, a low wail escaping her clenched teeth. She thrust her short swords in at him, both finding purchase in his upper chest. He growled at her, cursing her. "Bloody bitch, I'll waste you yet."

"You can try," she retorted as she pulled back and feinted to the left. She danced around him, bringing her blades down into his back. He lurched and stumbled, going down on one knee. Shiloh pounced, sliding her poison sword to his neck. She slit him from ear to ear as an arrow hissed through the air and planted firmly in one of his eye sockets.

She dropped him to the ground and scanned the area cautiously. She smiled as she took note of the man she had freed standing several yards away, a drawn bow with a nocked arrow in hand.

"Thank you, good sir," she smiled at him.

"No, sweet lady, I thank you for freeing me." He returned her smile with one of his own.

"It was my pleasure. I'm glad you were there to help." Shiloh staggered to the camp and sat down before the fire to check her wounds. Her head felt fuzzy.

"My name is Anden, a woodsman." He knelt beside her and noticed how her eyes looked glazed over. "Let me help you. I fear you may have been poisoned by his weapons."

"It's...the...arrow. Pull it out, please."

Anden gathered a few supplies, looting the wagon. He found a healer's kit that contained a tube of salve and some bandages. He returned to her, only to find her listless and fevered. It must have been a fast acting poison to have affected her so quickly.

Doing what he knew must be done, he quickly tore the tunic away from the wound and grasped the remaining shaft of the arrow. He quickly jerked it out of her shoulder and pressed a bandage against it to staunch the flow of blood. She whimpered and mumbled incoherently. He hated to see her hurt, but knew she'd be worse off if he hadn't been here. If he hadn't been here, he mused...if he hadn't been here she most likely would have skirted the bandit camp. He wondered what a pretty girl was doing out here in the wild.

Getting back to the task at hand, he washed the wound with fresh water from the skin he found attached to her pack and applied the healing salve to it. Next he dug around and located some of his own belongings that the bandits had stolen from him and pulled out a pouch of healing herbs and began to brew some willow bark tea. He would get that and a few other herbs into her system and hope her body would start to heal itself.

He dug into her pack and pulled out a potion vial. He popped the stopper lip off and tasted it with his pinkie. He grimaced, ugh...for a healing potion it sure tasted foul, but he figured it would work on her.

He returned to cleaning the shallow nicks and cuts on her upper body, paying special attention to the long gash on her arm. He didn't relish them becoming infected. Not while he could save her that much.

Prying her mouth open, he wedged the vial between her lips and tilted it to drain into her mouth. Then he massaged her throat to make her swallow it without choking. She needed to heal properly. He watched the gashes begin to knit and coalesce together. The wound on her shoulder ceased to ooze blood.

He cleaned it again and bound it with clean bandages. Then he set the heated water aside and poured it into a small tin cup along with the willow bark. He allowed it to steep and cool. He'd have her drink it as soon as it wouldn't scald her throat.

Then he stood up and looked around. He made his way over to the dead bandits, and gathered the possessions they had on their bodies. Some of their ill-gotten gains had been his. He picked up his bow from the bandit chief and set it aside. All of the arrows he could find joined his bow.

Next he dragged all of their bodies to one central pile and proceeded to set fire to them. The smell of burning flesh choked him and made him gag. He hated to do it, but he would not leave the bodies behind to attract unwanted wild animals or vermin. Plus he knew he didn't want to foul the river by throwing them in.

Walking over to the female Shiloh had knocked out, he picked her up and carried her over to the fire. He thought it was poetic justice that they'd had vengeance visited upon them as they would have done to him, but the voice inside him nagged at him not to leave her out there tied up in the pouring rain. He pulled the canvas awning out from the wagon and propped it up with a few poles he found stowed inside it. That would keep the rain off of them. It'd be easier to heal her if she were warm and dry.

He watched the fire he'd set while checking the temperature of the tea. He took a tiny sip and set it aside to cool further. He checked her breathing and noticed it wasn't as erratic as it had been. Sweat broke out on her brow. Her feverish symptoms were slacking away. It must have been the healing potion he'd made her drink.

As soon as the tea had cooled sufficiently enough, he once again held the cup to her lips and pulled her mouth open. He slowly dumped it in and massaged her throat to make her swallow. Once it was all down, he followed it up with some water. Then he let her rest, hoping a rejuvenating sleep would claim her.