Barbarian Bait

I took a moment to breathe. This was all too much to take in at once. With the priests there I felt more comfortable with everything, even if I had been an indifferent worshipper.

I took my first lingering look at Ruk. Before I had seen him but not really seen him, if that makes sense. For the first time, I realized that he was truly handsome, almost as handsome as Dar. I liked his muscular arms and broad shoulders. He looked at me in such an intense endearing way. It wasn't just the fire in his eyes like a stallion for a mare in heat, it was something more, something I know I had never seen before, not even on that magical afternoon with Dar. And suddenly I knew! As much sadness my loss was always going to be to my family, I knew without question that this barbarian would treat me better and love me more than any coddled royal ever could. Had Tye won, I would have begun to die. My illness would have been my betrothal, my wake would have been my wedding, my internment would have been my marriage and all the long years after that I would be waiting for them to close the lid and bury me.

The rest of what transpired could have happened anywhere, even the city. I promised to love and honor Ruk. To be his companion and helpmate. To stand with him in good times and in bad. And then our union was being sealed with a kiss. A better kiss than the last one.

The red-haired woman took the place of the elk horned man. She was still naked. "Now that the marriages are sealed, the goddess will have these pelts!"

"And the god of life shall have his totem!" shouted the hooded figure with the strange guitar.

A very old woman stepped up to the altar with a Y-shaped frame as a very old man scaled the altar opposite her toting a large silken bag.

The red-haired woman asked the crowd, "Which of these worthies should please the goddess first?"

The woman whom I had told about my barbarian great whatever grandmother shouted,

"Ruk's woman has barbarian blood! Let her be first!"

My heart beating a mile a minute I was also profoundly curious. Ruk led me to the altar and I made my way to the Y-shaped frame. The old woman greeted me with a toothless smile and said,

"Have no fear daughter, the honor I perform will not hurt a bit."

The old man said, "Bride I can not say that the honor I perform will not hurt, but eventually you will look upon the gift I give you with fondness."

I was instructed to lie on my back on the frame. In that position, my legs and my intimate parts were on display above the heads of all present. My legs were lashed to the Y and I felt supreme humiliation.

The old woman noted my crimson embarrassment and said, "Now there is no sin in displaying shame. But, after tonight, you will be a bride of the plains and will have no need for shame ever again."

From the bag that she and the old man shared, the woman drew a jar and from that some sort of paste or putty. Gently she applied it to my pubic hair in a thin layer. The substance, whatever it was, quickly hardened, almost leather like. It felt warm at first, then cool. The old woman said some incantation and then produced, a knife with a blade such as I had never seen before. Part of me wanted to scream but for some reason I believed the woman when she said that what she meant to do to me would not hurt. She began to sing a little song as her hands fell to my crotch.

Like a skilled artist, she wielded the blade and I realized it was shaving off my hair! City girls NEVER shave that part of their bodies. We were taught that doing so was sinful except when sometimes necessary during childbirth. My mind was awash with this line of thinking, but I still noted the steady tug of the razor as it worked, it actually felt rather pleasant. It was clear that this woman was quite skilled and experienced at performing this task. Before I could further contemplate the situation, all at once the woman was finished. With a flourish, the woman held up her handiwork. The flesh colored substance she had coated on my privates held my intimate triangle as a single unit. It was as though my cunny fur had been removed in one piece! I had the view of that part of me that I had in the mirror, only now it was being held above my eyes!

"Who claims this pelt?" the woman asked.

"I Ruk, claim that pelt. I shall wear it with pride."

I watched flabbergasted as Ruk, hung what had once been an intimate part of me on a hook which was clearly designed for that purpose on his belt. The rest of the men reached into little satchels about their waist and withdrew pelts of their own and hung them from their own belts!

All I could think is, "That is much more personal than a piece of jewelry."

The old man bid me resume lying down. I recognized the implement in his hand right away as a tattooing kit. My father had paid to have our family crest tattooed in the right ear of every horse in our stable. The farrier had used an identical device.

"Crying out, offends the god Loy and will bring bad luck to your marriage." He told me in a very serious voice. I bit my lip and tried not to think about the repeated bee stings I felt. I watched as though viewing it through a stranger's eyes as a circle about the size of a large city coin appeared on my flesh midway between my navel and my sex. Carefully the old man filled in the circle with an intricate design. Later, Ruk showed me the larger version of the same design on his right shoulder. "It is my family totem," he explained, "and my family has owned it for many generations."

The old man was silent until he completed his work. "Done." he said in a steady yet soft voice. My legs were unleashed from the frame and the elk horned man said to me,

Arise, Luz, wife of Ruk. Assume you place at his side and begin your new life as a bride of the plains!"

I stepped down from the altar, Ruk swept me up in his huge strong arms a planted his sweetest kiss yet upon my lips.The room broke out in applause and cheers. I stood there for a moment or two, gazing at my tattoo, feeling the strangeness of my shaven sex and trying to get used to the idea of Ruk wearing my kitty for all the world to see, like a man from the city would wear a locket about his neck with a portrait of his lady love or a tress or two of her hair. Was this really that much different?

Ruk threw his arm around my shoulder and stole kisses at a steadily increasing pace as we watched the rest of the girls who had been won at the poles be transformed from city girls to barbarian women. When the last of our number rose from the altar the room broke out in a deafening roar. The band began to play loudly and the beautiful barbarian women and handsome barbarian men began dancing vigorously to the music.

Ruk gazed at me with a look even inexperienced I could read. "Care to take a little walk?" he asked my slyly. I told him that first I had to answer nature's call. So did he. We left the sod structure and he directed me to the latrines. He was waiting for me when I finished. The night had gotten much colder and I snuggled up to Ruk for warmth How he found his tent among the hundreds standing about a third of a kilometer from the sod structure I will never know. He entered first, lit some lamps and ushered me inside.

I was shivering and not just from the nighttime chill.

"Please be gentle with me, Ruk." I said softly before his arms encircled me.

"Sweet Luz, a warrior is always kind. His greatest treasure is his bride. Hurting her harms himself and makes the gods angry."

Despite everything, I felt myself relaxing in his arms. The soft light of the lamps made his already handsome features even better. I thought of my afternoon with Dar and was glad that I was not completely innocent. With his encouragement, I slowly undressed him. The muscles on his broad chest were quite pleasing to my eyes. His torso had a dusting of tattoos, none as prominent as his totem.

He sat and I pulled off his riding boots. I noticed the bulge in his tight leather pants right away. I was more curious than afraid. When he stood, I remained on my knees and loosened his belt and unlaced his pants. Ruk smiled at me and began to tug down his trousers. The second male penis I had ever seen emerged into the soft light of the barbarian's tent. He was a bit longer and thicker than Dar. I realized that my current view was one I would be seeing quite often for as far into the future as I could project. I decided that it was not a bad view. Ruk stepped out of his pants and he was as naked as I was.

Somehow understanding what was expected of me, I began to explore Ruk's manhood with my tongue and lips. My second go at this was much easier. I kissed and licked from the tip to each of the balls. Ruk had a musky smell that I really liked. I could tell by his wide smile that I was doing an acceptable job. I was careful to avoid using my teeth, a mistake I now realized I had done with Dar. I know that I had caused Dar pain, but he had been too much of a gentleman to complain. I encircled Ruk's manhood with my mouth and began sliding my head back and forth. Ruk began to purr like my kitten when I fed her cream. For some reason, I liked that I was giving Ruk pleasure.

After a while, Ruk indicated that I was to stop. He helped me to my feet and promptly buried me under an avalanche of kisses. Almost immediately we were on the floor of the now warm tent exchanging kisses. Ruk filled my ear with soft praises and kissed his way down my body. It was then that he began erasing parts of Dar from my memory. His hot lips were magnificently skilled my nipples responded with a vigor that surprised me. Then his soft kisses slowly traced down my rib cage and circled my navy. He carefully avoided my tender tattoo and began working on my newly shorn private parts. The sensitivity of that part of me with the hair missing was revelatory. This time, the tingle worked its way out of my quivering body and I cried "RUK!" so loud I am certain I woke the entire camp.

When I had come back to myself, Ruk mounted me and slid his enormous manhood inside me. His rhythm as he worked was just like that of a trotting horse, steady, slow and deep. I don't remember how many times I or how loudly I called Ruk's name before I felt his seed deep inside me. As he softened he said. "I didn't win you, Luz, You won ME!"

For the longest time afterward we talked. I told him about my family and my life. We ended up talking a great deal about horses. He told me less about his life. Like my brother, Tye he had an older sister, whom he said I would meet in the morning. By now I could see through a gap in the door of the tent that dawn was breaking. It was bright enough that I no longer needed a lamp to see the fire in Ruk's eye and understand what was on his mind. We made love again. This time might have been better than our first encounter, but it could never diminish that first time in my memory. Ruk was extremely giving, always making sure I was comfortable. This time he did nearly all the work, stroking and massaging my body and dining on my bald kitty with his experienced tongue. When his manhood slid inside me that second time it felt so natural, like something I had been waiting for all my life.Almost as soon as Ruk was finished, the stress of my day and the fact that I had not had very much sleep for more than a day hit me hard and I fell into the sleep of death next to Ruk in his sleeping furs.

It was well past the middle of the day when I awoke to Ruk's smiling face staring down at me. He was fully dressed, my "pelt" prominently displayed.

"Good morning, my beautiful bride, Luz." he said in the sweetest voice.

"I should not have let you sleep so long," he continued, "but you were sleeping so soundly and you looked so lovely, it would have been a shame to wake you. I have some clothes for you and my sister Lara, she's your sister now as well, is waiting to take you under her wing. All new brides need an older, more experienced bride to help them settle into their new lives. Lara is dying to meet you. Can I help you dress?"

I nodded and Ruk retrieved some items from a cloth bag. I stood, and a short time later, I was clad in a rather short leather skirt that revealed nearly all of my long legs, and a fur blouse made out of the skins of some animal I could not identify. The blouse displayed the tops of my breasts and exposed my navel. Where was the beautiful attire the barbarian women wore last night? I began to question Ruk, but he shushed me and said simply, "Lara will answer all your questions. She will also help you pick out a pair of boots."

After he had fastened the last button of my brief blouse he said, "Barbarian men have their duties, even on the morning after their nuptials" Then he kissed me deeply, extended his hand and led me out of the tent.

A tall, thin, beautiful blonde woman stood a half meter from the tent. She was dressed in a tight knee length leather skirt, with riding boots, both highly polished, a gorgeous silk blouse, and she had a broadsword hanging from her waist. I recognized the family resemblance immediately. "You must be Lara." I stated.

She embraced me, kissed me full on the lips and said, "Welcome sister Luz." Then she gazed intently at me and said, "I witnessed your wedding to my brother last night. I am not surprised that you don't remember me, there were much more interesting things going on."

I must have had a befuddled look upon my face for Lara said, "Your clothing? You are in new bride attire. It is a visible sign to the barbarians community that all of this is new to you. It also allows your new husband to show you off for your first two sharing moons. After a year, if you apply yourself, you will be rewarded garb such as I am wearing and will begin training with the weapon which suits you best."

She took my hand and said, "Let's see about getting you some boots, then we can sit down to breakfast and I can answer your questions."

I got my first view of the barbarian encampment by daylight. More than a thousand barbarian tents were arrayed on a slight rise in the plain. Off to one side were their spare horses. Off in the distance I could just spy the male barbarians on horseback attending to the great beasts that populate the plain. Where the beasts wandered, the barbarians followed. Now my own fate was tied to these majestic creatures. I noted a cloud of dust being kicked up by a barbarian intent on catching up with the herd. With a start, I realized that the rapidly diminishing figure was Ruk!

"He'll be back at twilight, dusty, sweaty, hungry and with ONE thing on his mind!" said Lara in a mirthful tone.

I looked at her, smiled when I recalled my night with Ruk.

"Don't worry, sister, I will have you ready for him!"

Our first stop was a larger tent than most. Inside sat a leather merchant. I could not tell if he was a barbarian or from the city, his clothing was a mix of both styles. The expression on his face indicated that he was familiar with Lara. His eyes took a rather obvious tour of my body before Lara made him focus elsewhere.

"Knock it off Zek, this is my brand new sister Luz, what do you have in women's riding boots?"

I sat in a chair while he measured my feet. As he performed this task, he was obviously sneaking peeks at my now bald kitty. I brought my thighs together and he frowned. The boots he presented me with, however, were of the very best quality, just like at home. Lara extracted a large number of coins from a satchel on her belt and set them before the leather merchant. Lara then began flirting with the man, calling him handsome and virile and a host of other praises I could scarce believe. I saw an ugly balding man with a weak chin, a pockmarked face, and a significant paunch. Lara ended her barrage of flattery by pulling open the front of her blouse and letting the merchant take a long and lustful look at her very nice and quite large breasts. While the man grinned broadly, Lara retrieved nearly all of the coins that she had previously set down, took my hand, and led me out of the tent.

Once we were out of earshot, Lara closed her blouse and said, "Zek, like most merchants, is a pig, but he is easy to deal with. In his dreams, he beds down with every barbarian woman who enters his tent. Making him believe that he has a chance saves me lots of money. I'd sooner be mounted by a rabid cur!"

A short time later we were seated in the tent, Lara shared with her husband, sipping tea like two city girls. As we talked, I realized that Lara was mostly listening, I liked her lovely face and easy manner, before long I ended up telling her my every secret, even about Dar!

"My brother has won himself an excellent bride! You Luz are a very good match for him. I enjoy hearing you talk, but now it is your turn to listen."

I was sufficiently cowed.

"Your first year will be difficult. It will also have times of great pleasure. Let's begin with some basic grooming details. A barbarian wife always keeps her womanhood shaved. Ruk will be more than happy to perform that daily ritual for you. The goddess, the incarnation of which officiated at your wedding, is the ONLY bride of the plains permitted to keep her pelt. She is prideful and vain and wants to be unique so she makes this demand of her worshippers. That is also why she forbids us from wearing any undergarments at all. She has to be able to see that we are always in obedience to her.The god Loy protects you from her wrath with your husband's totem. Your pelt is your husband's sign that he is yours and his totem is his sign that you are his. I don't want to force our beliefs upon you, Luz, but it is just easier for all if you abide by them."

"Well, Lara, I don't think the great arbitrator was very happy with me, No matter how I tried I simply could not pray and sing with the same intensity of the other girls." I replied.

"That was your barbarian blood rising. The goddess knew that you would return to the plains. Even if you were not aware of it, you heard her call all your life."

I would ponder those words many times in the weeks to come.

"I am glad that you told me about your boy back in the city, that will make the sharing moons easier." stated Lara next.

"Sharing moons?" I asked.

"Every sixth moon is a sharing moon. A beautiful bride such as yourself will attract much attention. Many barbarians will be desirous of having you for a night in their own tent, in their own sleeping furs. Your husband will select one of these men and you will lie with him."

"But..." I sputtered.

"It is the way of our people. Besides," she said with an enigmatic smile, "a smart wife knows how to steer her husband's will into selecting the man SHE prefers."

"Really?" I asked incredulously.

"Certainly, why should she not have the most handsome man? Why should she not have the arms and legs and posterior of the man she has admired from afar? Barbarian women are the equals of their men. We should get what we desire in the sleeping furs as well, is that not fair?"

I realized a world I had never imagined had just opened up to me! There was much wisdom in Lara's words. She told me other things of less import but necessary to know. As I had my second cup of tea she placed a large wafer in front of me.

"Here is a bride of the plains greatest secret. One you must NEVER reveal, not even to Ruk. If you DO reveal our secret, I personally will run you through with my sword." she said to me with total conviction.

I stared at the thin baked good and then at Lara inquiringly.

"Taken daily, it prevents you from becoming pregnant. This way you only have children when you are ready."

"But.." I began.

"Are you really ready for a child, Luz? How well do you know my brother? Perhaps you would prefer the man of a sharing moon to father your child? This makes us the equal of our men in ways not even a sword or horse can. After a year or so, when you are settled..."