A Paladin's Training Ch. 15

Liddea and Aran had made love for the first time several days ago, after Aran had walked into his room to find the dwarf and Sorla naked and playing kissing games on his bed. Seeing Aran come in, Sorla had playfully wrestled with the immensely busty, fire-haired dwarf, until the half-orc was lying back against the pillows, restraining Liddea's arms and pinning her back against her own very considerable chest.

Liddea had not put up much of a fight, willingly opening her plump thighs so that Aran could climb between them. Sorla's hands had quickly found the mountainous orbs on Liddea's chest, firmly squeezing and holding them up for Aran's eager lips.

It had been a fun afternoon, no doubt. Afterwards, Aran and Liddea talked for a long time, and Aran learned that Liddea had come from a poor family in the east, and her father had taught her the ways of the Servants after her mother died many years ago. Liddea was nearly fifty years old, which for dwarves meant she was roughly a quarter-way through her life.

All in all, the Hidden Temple was not a bad place to be holed up, by any measure, but Aran couldn't help but wish the circumstances were less dire. He also wished he knew why he couldn't reach the other Paladins and Amina; all that should be required is that they be asleep, but no matter what time of day or night he tried, there was no response from any of them.

Conversely, he'd been successfully able to begin teaching Sara of the Plane of Aros, as he'd had no problem reaching her while they slept, which perplexed him no end. Why could he reach Sara, and not the others?

Additionally, the fleeting signals that they'd all been sensing from the surface - which they assumed were from young Gifted - had ceased some days ago, which boded ill for Aran's hopes to find them before the Heralds did.

When the Herald's still had not withdrawn their search after two weeks of tense waiting, Aran called a meeting.

Standing at the head of the long darkwood table, Aran regarded his family. Liddea, Sorla and Lynelle sat at the table on his left, while Sylvia, Sara and Erik lined the right.

They waited patiently for him to begin, probably wondering what he had to say.

"Well, my friends," he began, eyeing each of them in turn. "Our circumstances dictate that the time has come for us to move from the Hidden Temple."

Sad looks crossed faces, but they nodded in agreement, offering no argument. Aran felt moved by their loyalty, both to him, and to each other.

"The Heralds have a stranglehold on Maralon, and have somehow gained the City Watch's help. It's only a matter of time before they figure out there's a network of unmapped tunnels down here."

More nods.

"The signals of the Gifted we've been sensing have vanished, as you know. I hope the best for them, but fear the worst. As we are, we are not ready to confront a small army, and I would not chance your lives in the hope of rescuing two Gifted that may or may not be alive."

Erik spoke up. "If I know you, Aran, you've got a plan. Tell us what to do, and we'll see it done."

It's a shame Erik was not Gifted; he would make a fine Paladin. "Sylvia recently discovered a tunnel that exits Maralon. It runs for a mile or so, and will put us out south of the city. From there, we head further south into the Karvani Mountains, where I know of another Temple."

"Another Temple?" Liddea asked, surprised. "In the Karvanis?"

Aran nodded. "Yes, I've been there. I believe our best option is to travel there as quickly as possible. It will be a long trek, but worth it. A Priestess called Amina lives there, and she will be glad to meet you all, I think."

All the Servants, excluding Sorla - who already knew about Amina - looked amazed.

"A Priestess still lives?" Lynelle exclaimed, her perfect eyebrows raised high.

Smiling, Aran nodded. "We should leave tonight, as soon as we're prepared. Bring enough food for a fortnight's travel; it's a long way on foot, and we have no horses."

The others all glanced at each other for long moments, as if something had gone unsaid.

Sylvia broke the silence. "What about Elaina, Aran? Isn't she on her way?"

Aran kept his features smooth, though he wanted to furrow his brow with worry. "She was meant to be, Sylvia," he said gently. "But as she's not here by now, and I'm unable to contact her through the usual means, I can only work with the information I have. Elaina is tough, and capable, and I have full confidence in her. All will be well."

At that, the others rose and began busying themselves with packing. A grave silence had settled over them; perhaps Aran had not masked his concern for Elaina as well as he'd thought.

***

Elaina returned to her body after briefly visiting Smythe on the Plane. Rather than return to normal sleep - something that was getting harder to do due to her concerns over Jeira's safety, as well as Aran's - she got up, crossing the smooth wooden floor of the room the elves had given her and stepped out onto the small balcony which overlooked the beautiful elven village of Ildernass.

The houses were all high in the massive trees, looking as if they had grown there naturally, with their rounded walls and roofs of thick green branches that even the heaviest rains couldn't penetrate. It was late, but elves slept little, and many circular windows were illuminated by candlelight, shadows playing on walls as they moved about their homes.

Living bridges woven of vines and branches spanned between the thick trees, some wide enough for one person, others wide enough for three abreast. The elves were skilled gardeners, and could coax trees and plants to grow into many different forms.

Lanterns hung everywhere in preparation for the end of spring - an event the elves celebrated with abandon - lit by a luminescent sap that the elves harvested from a special tree, bathing the village in a warm, golden glow. According to Induin and Liaren, tomorrow night Ildernass would be alive with feasting and wine and dancing as the elves rejoiced in the changing of the season from spring to summer.

Elaina hadn't bothered to dress - the elves were not a shy people - and the cool spring breeze felt good on her exposed skin; it took her mind temporarily away from Aran, whom she should have been able to reach on the Plane by now, but each time she'd tried over the past weeks, she'd had no success.

Ildernass was truly a beautiful place, but Elaina felt guilty staying here while Aran, Smythe and Amina were out there, possibly putting themselves in danger. It had been a relief to finally reach Smythe, who said he too had been unable to contact Aran, but would start searching for Jeira and her husband immediately.

Elaina would try once more to reach Amina tonight, and if that didn't work, she would leave Ildernass and seek Aran herself.

Why hadn't she Bonded with him when she had the chance? At least she would know if he was well; it was the not-knowing that bothered her the most.

A distant wolf's howl floated on the chill breeze, and Elaina suppressed a shiver. The howls had been fairly regular, most nights, coming from the Emerin Forest across the river. To her mind, the howls bore a note of triumph, as if the Druids were celebrating something, but what? They had failed in capturing her, and one of them - the wolf - had been taking it's last breaths on the forest floor, it's hide peppered with arrows, the last she'd seen it.

And yet a wolf's howls continued to disturb the otherwise peaceful forest every night she'd been in Ildnernass. There had to be more than one wolf. Either that, or the same one had somehow miraculously recovered.

Shivering - and not just from the cold - she moved back inside and climbed into bed, preparing to try and contact Amina one last time.

***

Braith let his howl echo once more through the forest before turning and padding back into the forest, away from the riverbank. Every few nights, when the forest was clear of elvish scouts, he'd returned, howling across the river to let the elves, and that Paladin bitch know that he was still alive, and hadn't forgotten them.

Back at the glen, the rest of the clan were preparing for the arrival of Lyrra's cubs, which were only a few weeks away, at Braith's guess. It had been a long time since a Druid had given birth, and the anticipation was high. Fionn had been in a mating frenzy since hearing Lyrra's news, fucking Braith, Leif, and Fergin at every opportunity in the renewed hope of bearing children of her own. Suffice it to say, none of the men had complained; dark and sleek and beautiful, Fionn was not a woman to ignore.

Whether Fionn produced cubs or not, Lyrra still would, and the clan would grow. Druid children grew quickly - faster than any other race - and though Braith was hesitant to grow too hopeful, he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps the Druids were not fated to die out, after all.

***

Elaina could have jumped for joy when Amina finally appeared before her on the Plane of Aros, standing on the soft grass of the sunlit meadow Elaina had created upon arriving. The tall, perfectly-shaped Priestess regarded Elaina warmly before embracing her, pressing her lush, naked body up against her and capturing her lips in a tender kiss.

Elaina moaned softly into Amina's mouth, temporarily losing herself in the embrace of a goddess. She preferred men, to be truthful, but there was something about Amina that sent her mind into a spin, and her body into a tempest of aching desire.

"We need to talk, Priestess," Elaina whispered into Amina's lips.

"I know, child," Amina said, lightly tracing her fingers down Elaina's spine, which sent tingles directly to her breasts and belly. "Come," she said, gently ending the embrace and sitting cross-legged on the grass. "Let us talk."

How the woman managed to appear regal and dignified while sitting naked on the ground escaped Elaina. Folding herself down opposite Amina, Elaina began to share her concerns. "I am worried for Aran, Priestess. I have been unable to reach him on the Plane, as has Henley."

Amina looked thoughtful for a moment. "He was last known to be in Maralon, yes?"

Elaina nodded.

"It's possible that he's beneath the Planeward," Amina continued. "Which would make him unreachable to anyone on the outside of it."

"Planeward?" Elaina asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"It's a device that was constructed during the Darkening to protect Gifted from being found by their Darkened brothers and sisters." The note of sadness was clear in Amina's voice, and her eyes took on a faraway look.

Elaina couldn't imagine how it must have been, to see so many loved ones taken away so quickly. She respected Amina's strength immensely.

The Priestess's sapphire eyes focused back on Elaina. "As you know, Maralon sits atop the remains of a Grand Temple. During the Darkening, a small group of survivors fortified the tunnels beneath the Temple, and created the Planeward; a shield preventing connections to the Plane of Aros between people within the Planeward and those without. It also prevents other Gifted from sensing the Gifts of whomever is inside the Planeward. Conversely, those inside it can still sense Gifted on the outside.

"My hope is that Aran has discovered the old Temple, and has been beneath the Planeward in recent weeks. What drove him down there is another question, however, to which I have not the answer."

Elaina had never heard of such a thing being made. It made her wonder what other remnants of the old Order existed that she knew nothing about. "Is there a way through the Planeward? Some way to penetrate it?"

Elaina's hopes rose when Amina nodded, then fell again as she listened.

"There is," Amina began. "Though you would require a greater number of Gifted to penetrate it than was used to create the Planeward in the first place. Unfortunately, I don't believe it's possible for us at this time."

Elaina was at a loss. She felt completely useless; not a feeling she was accustomed to. "So, what should I do, Priestess? I can't stay with the elves forever. It's driving me mad, all the waiting and worrying over Aran, that and knowing the Druids are searching for him."

Amina's brow furrowed at the word 'Druids,' and her blue eyes sharpened into augurs. "Druids? Tell me everything, child."

Gone was the soft, loving Priestess, replaced by an angered, powerful queen. The anger was not directed at Elaina, but even still, she swallowed nervously before telling Amina everything that had happened, from Jeira's farm, to getting taken, to the elves rescuing her.

Amina listened intently to every word, asking a sharp question here and there to get more information. Elaina did her best to answer, hoping her memory was serving her correctly.

"This is disturbing news, child," Amina said quietly once Elaina had finished her tale. "When Morgeth first arrived on our plane, the Druids were the first to pledge allegiance to her; they had refused a place in the Kingdoms centuries ago, choosing instead to remain wild and lawless, which was a pity, as their culture held great promise.

"We hunted them extensively during - and after - the War, but now it would appear we did not purge them all from the land. Perhaps we can reason with them, if possible, to avoid more bloodshed."

Elaina pursed her lips, shaking her head slightly. "I'm not sure about that, Priestess. When they had me, I tried to align with their leader, but found no light in his heart."

"Then Morgeth's shadow must still hold sway over them," Amina said with a sigh, her blue eyes downcast. "Truly a shame, to see such noble creatures fallen to darkness."

Elaina once again felt for Amina, who had seen so much in her long life, but that feeling was shoved aside when a presence bloomed in her awareness, and Amina's eyes shot up, fixing on something behind Elaina.

She didn't have to turn to know it was Aran.

The next few moments happened without thought. In a fraction of a second, she went from being seated on the grass to wrapped around Aran, squeezing him with all her strength and furiously planting kisses on his lips and face, not caring that she was behaving like an adolescent girl.

Laughing, he returned the kisses and held her tightly, his hands squeezing her bottom possessively, which sent pleasurable tingles through her whole body.

After a time, the kissing slowed, and eventually stopped. "Where have you been?" She asked him quietly, remaining in his arms, her forehead pressed against his. She could feel his hard length resting against her bottom, making her want to feel him inside her.

"I was stuck in Maralon for over a month," he replied. "For some reason, I was unable to reach anyone on the Plane. It wasn't until we escaped the city yesterday that I was able to come here."

"You were beneath a Planeward," Amina said, appearing beside them. She beamed at Aran. "It is good to see you again, Paladin."

"And you, Priestess," Aran replied warmly, removing a hand from Elaina's bottom and lifting an arm to invite Amina into the embrace. With physical laws not applicable in this place, Aran didn't really need to hold Elaina up at all, but she still enjoyed feeling his strong hands on her.

She watched intently as Amina pressed herself up against them both and shared a deep, loving kiss with Aran. Elaina was already aroused, but watching Aran passionately kissing the Priestess added more fuel to the fire.

Once finished with Aran, Amina turned her head and kissed Elaina hard on the mouth. Simultaneously, the Priestess also reached down underneath Elaina's bottom, grasped Aran's rigid cock and guided it to the entrance of Elaina's very wet and willing pussy.

Moaning into Amina's mouth, Elaina took it from there, pushing her hips forward and taking as much of him inside her as she could, until she could feel his smooth balls resting against her bottom. Breaking the kiss with Amina, Elaina buried her head into Aran's neck as he began to fuck her, slowly and gently at first, then with increasing vigour. She could feel his desire, his need for her through the Gift, and it felt wonderful.

Wave after wave of pleasure crashed through her body, and her cries grew louder with each one, the waves pushed higher and higher by the circulating energy of three Gifted experiencing pleasure in such close proximity.

Amina stayed with them, smiling as the two Paladins made love, slowly running her hands over their backs, their bottoms, every now and then kissing Elaina or Aran when they weren't kissing each other.

Elaina wanted this moment to last forever, for Aran to fuck her until they both dropped from exhaustion, but she also wanted to feel him explode inside her, to give her his seed. The thought of perhaps one day having his children entered her mind, and she clutched him tighter as she considered the idea that one day, that may just be possible.

"Come inside me, Stud," she whispered into his ear before kissing him along his strong jawline and capturing his mouth with hers as he groaned deeply, pulling her tightly against his body as his hips began to buck in the telling, sporadic rhythm of a man climaxing.

Elaina reached the crest of yet another wave of pleasure as she felt heat bathe her core when Aran erupted inside her, and her own fluids escaped unbidden, a small stream that dripped down onto the green grass below.

Aran broke the kiss to catch his breath, and chuckled as he looked lovingly into her eyes. "I've missed you, Elaina. There is nothing quite like making love with you."

"I'm glad you think so, Stud," she said, grinning at him. Had he always been this handsome?

"My children," Amina gently interjected. "I love nothing more than watching the two of you together, but there are some matters we should discuss while we are together."

The Paladins disengaged from one another, and Amina changed the setting to a cozy, carpeted circle in a forest clearing complete with a big fire pit, before which lay three wide, comfortable-looking cushions. Day had become night, and myriad stars dotted the clear indigo sky.

The three sat on the cushions facing each other, and Aran began first, describing the happenings of the last month or so. It truly was quite a story, with Sara and Sorla being captured by the Heralds - who sounded dangerous, to say the least - before escaping just as Aran discovered where they were.

Elaina felt a stab of sadness for Aran when she learned he had killed two men - thugs that had attacked him in back alleys - while searching for Sara and Sorla. She supposed he would have been forced to take a life sooner or later, in defense of himself or others, but still, killing was not an easy thing.

She was stunned to hear about him and the women being offered sanctuary by no fewer than four Servants! Who knew that many would be in one place?

It turned out that Amina was accurate with her guess that Aran had retreated beneath Maralon to escape the Heralds. The young Paladin described his time in the Hidden Temple in detail, particularly with how quickly Sara was picking up the training, how strong she was becoming, and how much she'd changed in such a short time.

The Servants all sounded like amazing people, and Elaina couldn't wait to meet them all, especially Erik, whose deep knowledge of history piqued her interest.

Amina asked a question from time to time, but for the most part, just listened quietly.

Aran finished on a positive note, saying that he and his group were well out of Maralon city, and on their way south to the Karvani Mountains, where Amina's Temple lay.

Amina smiled at that. "Excellent decision, Aran. I very much look forward to meeting the Servants, not to mention Sara, who sounds remarkable indeed. They will all be safe at my Temple."