Bloodstone Ch. 04

"You have my word," he said, then he was running after her, notching an arrow into his bow as he ran. He caught up to her on the edge of a large rise. She was staring down into a small valley where Rowan was fighting off some of Magnus's ugly troops. She pulled the bow string back until it touched her pursed lips, and let the arrow fly, letting loose a cry of joy when the creature sneaking up behind the mighty cat fell to his knees.

Quickly notching a second arrow, she aimed and killed another soldier, and then another after that, making sure each shot was worthy. Between her bow and Graeme's, they cleared the area around the cat, giving him a chance to bound off to safety. He made his way up the steep hill, his big paws eating up the area until he stood beside Luria and nuzzled up to her in appreciation.

"We must be away," Luria said softly. "There is a way up this hill and those beasts will find it. We must gather up our camp and be away from this place before they do."

"I agree, Lady. You are a fearsome adversary with a bow. Where did you learn to use one?"

"From a young man in my youth. He taught me to use a bow and a sword, how to ride like the wind and how to find the right herbs for any illness. He was elf kind, like you, Sir Graeme." As she spoke, she took Graeme's arm and pulled him back toward the camp, hurrying him along as Rowan came behind.

"What was the name of this elf?" Graeme asked. Most of his kind would have little to do with humans, whether man or woman, child or adult.

"His name was Bowden, Sir Graeme. My father found him along the side of the road one late evening. He'd been beaten and treated ill by the people of the town we were leaving. We took him with us and my mother healed his wounds. He became my constant companion after that." Looking around carefully, she stepped into camp and dropped down by a nervous Balor.

"You're unhurt?" he growled, his eyes roaming over her as he pulled on her tunic, checking for wounds. "That was a foolish thing to do, Lady Luria. You cannot be allowed to perish, not if we are to keep the prophecy from coming true."

"I don't understand," she said softly, as she reached over him and began to pack up what little they'd set out. "Wouldn't my death be the best way to stop the prophesy?"

"No, for it would only end part of the prophesy, Luria. The other speaks of a great prince and how, with your help, he is able to defeat the dark lord and make a new life for all the peoples of the seven kingdoms."

"You are that prince," she said, staring at him.

"It is beginning to look so," he said, trying not to smile at the disgruntled look in her eyes.

"So I help you ... do what?"

"Rid the land of Magnus," he said. "Isn't that a worthy endeavor?"

The memory of what Magnus had forced upon her was still clear in her mind. Stealing the precious gift of her innocence had been the worst, for it wasn't just a thin piece of skin he'd pierced as he'd forced her down upon his cock, but also her ideals, her choices, her dreams. He'd taken her and made her feel filthy, and for that she could not forgive him.

"It is a more than worthy cause and I shall ride with you to his end, Prince Balor. Any power that I may have will be put into your use, you've but to tell me what you wish me to do." She rose, going to the huge stallion that even his grooms were slightly afraid of. He stood like a docile mare under her stroking hand, moaning a bit as Luria scratched under the leather of his bridal, finding his most itchy places and scratching them for him.

"You'll spoil him," Balor warned. "If you aren't careful, he'll decide he doesn't want to work without being scratched every day."

"He doesn't want to be scratched every day, just once a week," Luria said, grinning at him. "But we don't have time now. There is an army of beasts, Magnus's beasts that he has set against us. We must away to Tindale."

Graeme lifted Balor onto his horse's back, hearing the sick man groan. Then he turned to Luria. "You must ride double. Make sure he doesn't fall off his horse."

Balor shook his head trying to rid it of the double vision the poison seemed to have given him. He sat tall in the saddle, pulling Luria up in front of him when she would have gone behind.

Luria looked down at Rowan, who was looking up at her. "Go scout ahead. Come back to let us know what you find."

Rowan bounded away and the horses started off. For the first few hours, Balor sat firmly in the saddle, refusing to allow weakness or illness to show. But slowly his demeanor changed and he started snuffling at Luria, his nose buried against her neck, his hands filled with her breasts.

"Balor, no," she begged, pushing his hands away. "You're sick and you need rest."

His hands didn't drop but clutched at her again. "I'm not that sick," he said, laughing uproariously as if he had the most excellent sense of humor. He sobered enough to tweak each hard nipple and then whisper in her ear what he wanted to do to her.

Each word was an erotic torture, each scintillating syllable sent her heart racing into overdrive and had him lusting after her more.

"Get rid of the elf and let's stop somewhere to play," he growled against her lobe.

"NO!" she said emphatically. She dropped to the ground in front of him and then started walking behind his horse. It was the poison, she had no doubt, that was bringing out this baser side of the prince.

Rowan burst through the brush and startled the horses that were still not used to the wild animal being so close. The men controlled them deftly as the beast padded up next to her, nosing her to get some attention.

She scratched his big head, finding the itchy spots around his ears and down under his chin where the dark mane grew thick. "Rowan, what have you seen?"

The lion's response caused Luria to cry out and fall to her knees.

"What is it, Lady?" Graeme asked.

"Up ahead, a small caravan is falling to Magnus's beasts. There are children there and adults, but the beasts want the children to ... to eat. We have to save them!"

"Bah," Balor said, firmly in the grip of the poison despite their earlier treatments.

"I'll go," Graeme said. "But my Lady, you must promise to continue down this road. High yourself to Tindale even if you cannot get him to go with you. You'll find safety there. Promise me this," he said seriously, coming up and grasping her chin lightly as he bent down over his saddle. "Promise me this!" he said again, more insistently.

"I shall go, but I have to help you. I can shoot, you know I can."

"You cannot. Who will watch Balor?"

A smile came to her lips and she closed her eyes, concentrating fiercely. A crashing in the underbrush told her that she was successful and she smiled wider, staring at the beast as it came up to her.