The Riddle

The meeting of the witches at the Seven Mountains was on since midnight. They were the guardians of the Fountain of Elixir located beyond the Seventh Hill. The meeting was called by Cholena the eldest of them all. That very morning another man had succeeded in gaining access to the Fountain of Elixir. He was the fifth in this decade, too many compared to the twenty who had done so in the past century. The increasing failure to prevent access to the elixir by men by posing riddles was bringing them ill-repute in the magical world. One thing was obvious - over the last few years, men were answering their riddles a lot more easily than before. It was suggested in the meeting that Ara, who had recently graduated from the Warthogs University, be appointed in-charge of the Seventh Hill. Barely sixty years of age she was young and full of enthusiasm. Moreover, she had majored in 'tricks, puzzles and mysteries'. Naturally Pazi, a senior witch currently in-charge of the Seventh was upset and most witches were loath to see a senior witch forced to leave her post.

As the pale moon reached the Western horizon, and bats found their way home to rest for the day, Cholena the eldest among them put her proposal to vote. She proposed a promotion for Pazi, by creating a new post as in-charge for creating hurdles for travelers throughout the Mountain, and appointment of Ara as the Riddle Mistress at the Seventh Hill.

The motion scraped through and the meeting was concluded after an early morning drink of pumpkin juice served by Szat the goblin. Ara took over her responsibility and the year had almost passed peacefully when a traveler desirous of a drink of the elixir arrived at the Seven Hills. He passed all the hurdles raised by Pazi in his path and reached the final stretch leading to the cave from which sprang the Fountain of Elixir.

His progress was arrested as a huge, three-headed black dog appeared in his path from nowhere. He crouched on the ground ready with his dagger drawn, when he heard a sweet voice.

"Congratulations Coron, son of Boron, you have reached the Seventh Hill." Coron was surprised that the witch perched on the lip of the cave knew his name. She was none other than Ara, the newly appointed witch.

"You look so tired Coron, it reminds me of a story which begins with two tired travelers. Why don't you let me tell you the story, while you catch your breath?" Ara said.

Coron knew she was not offering a choice, so he sat down on a boulder besides the path, trying to ignore the dog licking its three tongues.

"Good," Ara said when he sat down, "there will be a small question at the end of the story. If you answer it satisfactorily, the dog will disappear, you can enter the cave and take your fill of the Elixir. But if you fail, you will be transformed into a boulder... not unlike the one you are resting on."

Coron nodded and Ara narrated the tale:

The two riders reached the crest of the hill late in the afternoon. Their robes were damp from sweating and their horses were tired.

"Let's take a break," the elder of the two said looking at the dark, cool shadow underneath a tree.

The younger rider, who was the son of the senior, was relieved. He was not used to the tough life in the wilderness. They got down and set free their horses to graze. They sat on the grass underneath the tree.

They were the King and Prince of Kamuka kingdom and had lost contact with their raiding force the night before. They had set out a day ago from the capital to raid a caravan. All caravans passing through the territory of Kamuka had to pay a tribute to the kingdom. Their outpost had reported that the caravan belonging to the Koreh tribe had circumvented the post and passed through the Monin pass without paying. The King had decided to lead the intercepting force as the scout sent ahead had informed him that he had glimpsed some beautiful women through the curtained windows of the cars. The King decided to take the Prince along to teach him the ways of their warrior heritage.

While they were crossing a stream at night a flash flood caused by sudden showers upstream had surprised them. The two of them were stranded on one side of the stream while their riders had already crossed. They signaled the commander of the warriors that they would meet them a few miles downstream where the bed was shallow. But when they reached the rendezvous in the morning, there was no sign of their cavalry. After waiting for a couple of hours the King decided to cross the stream. They soon discovered that they had wandered away from the Caravan path. Then the King decided to head North East, guided by the Sun, in the hope of meeting their raiders on the way back to the capital.

As they sat quietly in the cool shade they gleaned the landscape below for any signs of their men.

"Look there, father!" Aumad, the Prince, exclaimed.

Far down in a sparsely covered area among the trees they saw some movement. Aumad got up to wave to them, but before he could do so the figures disappeared in the trees. They watched that part of the forest and surrounding area intently, but there was no further movement visible, it was probably shielded by the dense woods.

"Let's get down there before they go further away," King Frukh, the father, was up on his feet.

They quickly put gear back on the horses and rode down the hill. When they reached the trees, they found no one there. The King searched the surrounding area and pointed to some flattened grass.

"They went this way," he said, then looking more closely, "I reckon there are two of them." He had a strange excited look on his face that the Prince had not seen before.

They followed the trail beneath the trees and reached a small brook. The king halted once more. He pointed to two pairs of footprints in the wet sand beyond the stream.

"These are women's footprints," he said, "one heavier and the other lighter, smaller."

"We had no women in our party," the Prince said.

"They couldn't have gone far," the King stood up taking in the surrounding.

"May be they will lead us to human habitat," the Prince said.

His father smiled but without a word mounted his black mare again. They rode upstream and came on top of a ridge.

"There!" Aumad exclaimed, pointing to two figures clad in bright tribal clothes walking between the shrubs in the shallow valley with less forest cover. He was about to spur his steed but his father raised his hand.

"They seem to be running away from someone, probably our men." He had shielded his eyes for a good look and noticed that the women were frequently glancing behind. He rested his palms on the bridle of his mare. His sweat-streaked face gleamed red in the setting Sun.

"Our men seem to have carried out the raid without us. The colorful dresses suggest that the women belong to the Koreh tribe. But the fools have let these women escape." The King's face was thoughtful. "I have heard the Chief's wife and daughter are very beautiful. The larger footprints must belong to the mother, and the smaller to the daughter."

The King glanced at the Prince.

"Have you been with a woman before?" he suddenly asked.

The Prince, just come of age, blushed. The King smiled.

"No you haven't. I would've known from my spies, if you had." He peered at the two figures hurrying in the valley. "Tonight you shall have your first woman, as befits a raiding warrior. You take the smaller one who has left smaller footprints, I will take the one with larger ones."

"Father..." Aumud began, but the King motioned him to silence.

"I will circle that grove on the left and intercept them beyond it; wait here till you see me half way down, then come up behind them." the King ordered, "keep the lasso at the ready, in case the women try to escape."

The King rode his black mare just below and along the ridge of the hill, keeping out of sight of the women. Then he raced down the hill shielded from view of the fugitives by the dense tree cover. As the Prince watched his father and the diminishing figures of the two women in bright tribal dresses, he felt a growing excitement. His father was right he had never been truly with a woman, though he had stolen kisses with the daughters of some of the courtiers. Previous summer the youngest wife of the old wise Vizier had almost seduced him in the dark chambers behind the shrine at the annual hill fair. They had escaped detention narrowly when some pilgrims had interrupted them just before she began to undress for him. However, his father was right, he had not yet gone the whole way with any woman yet. Now the prospect of the hunt and the prize made his young blood race through his veins. He saw his father half way down the slope and spurred his stead.

As he drew near, he saw one of the women was petite and blonde while the other was tall and had long dark hair. The women stopped in their tracks and turned around as they heard him gallop towards them, their faces white as a sheet from fear. The blonde stayed put looking at him, but the tall brunette turned and bounded through the trees. He reached the smaller woman who stood still in the middle of the path. He did not bother with the one who had run away, the King would catch her.

Aumad guessed the woman was in her late thirties or early forties. His eyes went over her well-rounded attractive figure, resting longer on her full bosom. She wore garish clothes but they were stained and crumpled. He looked at her attractive face and into her blue eyes. She met his gaze, taking in his robes and the expensive gear. He sensed interest replace fear in her eyes. He dismounted and went close to her.

Then they heard a cry from the far end of the grove. The woman's hand went to her mouth as she stifled a cry. Aumad prepared to launch himself at her if she decided to bolt. But the woman stay put. They turned their gaze in the direction of the cry and sounds of scuffle ensued.

Shortly the King came in sight. He strode towards them holding the brunette by her hair; the black mare followed them at a distance. The brunette was firmly held by the powerful warrior and she had given up struggle, her eyes were screwed in pain.

As they drew closer, Aumad realized the brunette, though taller than the blonde by almost a head, was much younger. Their facial features suggested she was the daughter of the blonde, he thought. Her skin was darker. Her long shapely legs were exposed as her tunic was torn at several places. Her breasts were small but perky under the fabric. He felt a rush of excitement looking at her. He was going to possess the exotic dame soon.

The King sent the girl flying to the ground with a shove. The woman standing next to the Prince, presumably her mother, rushed to her.

"Stupid girl, she bit me, the bitch," the King looked at his hand. The girl lay sprawled on the ground, her thighs exposed. She turned her head and spat on the ground. She tried to rise, but the mother restrained her.

"Don't, Ilma," she said, "it is useless to struggle against powerful men. You'll only get hurt."

Then the mother turned to the King and taking in the royal attire, bowed to him.

"You seem experienced and wise," the King said to the woman, "I am King Frukh."

"I am Fawza, my lord. And this is my daughter Ilma. We are of the Koreh tribe. Our caravan was attacked last night while we were proceeding South," she said, then added, "Were they your men, my lord?"

"We had heard that the Koreh were passing through our territory and came to meet them." King Frukh nodded, "Were you hurt?"

"Luckily no, my lord," she replied, "Ilma wanted to answer nature's call and I had accompanied her to the ravine beside the caravan, when the attackers rode past without seeing us and surrounded the cars. We hid behind boulders and watched them kill the man on watch. The remaining men surrendered. Then we ran."

The King studied the two women turn by turn.

"I guess you are not born of the Koreh, you have white skin and blonde hair. But your daughter has darker skin and black hair."

"You guess right, my lord." she said, "I come from Byzantium and was captured by the Koreh years ago. My daughter is half-blood. I was married to an aged merchant from Constantinople and he had brought me to the Peninsula with him when the Koreh ambushed us and captured me and two other women. The Chief kept me for himself." Then she added, "I am happy we met you, your highness and not your soldiers. Raiding soldiers are usually rough with women."

The King smiled as he remembered some of the exciting raids in his youth and the memories of dozens of women he had raped passed in front of his mind's eye. Fawza helped the daughter to her feet.

"The Sun will be down soon. I noticed a cottage beyond the trees, we can spend the night there," the King said to the Prince. Then he turned to the mother, "I will take the girl, she will ride with me; and you ride with the Prince."

Aumad was surprised. He thought the girl would be for him. He looked at his father with a puzzled look.

"The girl has larger feet than the woman," Frukh said to his son, a sly smile on his face.

"Oh!" Aumad said.

They had agreed that the King would take the one with larger feet. He realized his father had been clever, letting him think that the daughter would be smaller than the mother. His father was going to take the young girl. Aumad had taken a fancy for the girl, but then he realized the mother was also quite exciting and better filled out than the daughter. As it was, he could have done nothing against the King's wish. He did not say anything further.

Fawza quietly helped her daughter mount the mare in front of the King. It seemed Fawza had decided to co-operate than resist the wish of these men. Aumud watched as his father clasped the girl around the waist and pulled her to him. He nudged the mare into a trot. Aumad lent a hand and Fawza mounted his steed. They followed the King.

He was pleasantly surprised when Fawza leaned against him and he felt excited by the touch of her small well-rounded body against him. He put his arm around her and his hand brushed against her full breasts. She sighed and moved closer. She fitted snugly between his thighs. Blood rushed to his loins and he had an instantaneous hard on. He pressed against her and she pressed back.

The King rode to the end of the thicket then turned left. They rode up to the cottage which stood in a clearing. Aumud circled the house on his father's gesture. He saw a well at the back. The cottage looked deserted with its doors and windows boarded up. He returned to the front of the house and dismounted. Aumud reached a hand to help Fawza, she clasped it and stumbled against him as she got down. He clasped her to steady her and her breasts brushed against the Prince's strong chest. He felt her crotch rub against his erection. It reminded him of the touch of the Vazir's wife on his body. But next moment Fawza disengaged from the Prince.

"Thank you, sire," she said with a smile.

The Prince tied the horses to some bushes with rope long enough to give them freedom of movement. The King pushed the door with his shoulder and it creaked open. He brushed cobwebs aside and entered, all the while clasping powerfully the reluctant girl firmly around the waist with his other arm.

The Sun had set by then. The inside of the cottage was almost dark. There was a single room. A ladder was discernible on one side, it probably led to the loft. There was an old cot in one corner and a stove in another. The Prince brought out a torch from the saddle bag and lighted it with flint stones.

"Let's clean the place, Ilma," Fawza said.

"The girl is not to do any work tonight," the King said, abruptly sitting on the contraption he pulled the girl down next to him. He held her with his right arm around her and with his left hand started undoing the knot on her upper garment.

Fawza found a broom and swept the cobwebs away trying not to look at the King play with her daughter. But Aumud couldn't take of his eyes from the pair on the bed. The sight of his father undressing the unwilling struggling girl was both disconcerting and yet immensely exciting. He felt awkward when the girl looked straight at him as if pleading to rescue her. He avoided her gaze and picked up a wooden pale standing on the floor. Fawza offered to help and followed him to the well behind the cottage. Fawza came and stood close to Ahmud in the growing dusk as he tied a rope to the pail.

"I wish your father had given Ilma to you. I am not complaining though. I am happy your father gave me to you," she said breathlessly, "You are so young and strong."

He was flattered. He would have liked to have Ilma but this woman was quite exciting too. He felt both of them were more beautiful than several of the women he had fantasized about from his father's harem.

She filled the pail with water from the well.

"I hope Ilma will co-operate with his lordship and not do anything foolish," Fawza whispered as she poured water to help the Prince wash. "She is wild like her father." Then she added as an afterthought, " She is still a virgin."

She had barely spoken when they heard noises in the house and someone came running towards them. It was Ilma. In the gathering dusk her nude form was very attractive in silhouette - it was clear the King had managed to undress her.

"Catch her, Aumud!" They heard the King shout from within the cottage, "don't let her escape."

Aumad sprang at the girl and they both fell to the ground. He pressed her down with his weight as Ilma tried to grapple with him, but he was too powerful for her. He felt her soft naked body under him and could not resist pressing his hardness between her thighs. Then he became aware of his father's footsteps and got off her, pulling the girl to her feet.

King Frukh came and slapped the girl hard on her bottom. She winced but did not budge from her place. He then caught her arm and started dragging her towards the cottage. Aumad helped him and they placed her on the rickety bed each holding a pair of limbs. The King lay across the girl to press her down as he brought out some rope from his kit. He tied her wrists to the wooden frame of the bed. Fawza entered quietly and placed the pail of water on the floor. Then she knelt by her daughter tied down to the bed.

"Let me speak to her, my lord," she said looking up at the King. She patted the girl's hair and whispered to her. Her whisper was audible to the men in that secluded cottage.

"Be reasonable my child. We are lucky to have been found by the royalty. If the soldiers or some other tribes had found us, they would have raped us or sold us to slave-traders. I have seen it happen, my dear. It has happened to me. I was taken one after the other by three of the Koreh men in front of my husband and several more were in the queue but luckily the Chief saw me and took me for himself. If we behave well and give them pleasure, the King might take us to the palace. I am sick of those caravans and the raids. You don't know what type of men I have suffered before you were born, or you would appreciate these handsome royals. If only you will relax, you can even enjoy the sex."

When she got up, the daughter lay still on the bed. The King stepped forward with an appreciative look towards Fawza and rested his hands on Ilma's breasts. The girl's dark skin glowed like rosewood in the flickering torch light. She squirmed under his touch.

"Let's see what's up there," Fawza took Aumad's hand and led him towards the ladder. He followed the mother but his eyes were fixed on the beautiful nude daughter on the cot. He rested one foot on the rung of the ladder and stood watching. His father took of his robes and dropped them on the floor. His huge erection was awe-inspiring in the torch light. He held Ilma's legs one in each hand and positioned himself over Ilma. Aumad paused for a moment as his father pushed open the girl's thighs and carefully directed his cock. Then his torso plunged down. Ilma cried out.