Elf Maidens of Thurn Pt. 04

Part 4: Into the Wilderness

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Chapter 11: A new job

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My extensive research and recommendations on improving the life of both Elf Maidens and their offspring attracts some tentative support from the emperor. However, like many wealthy and powerful Thurnian men, he and his advisers soon succumb to their own personal interests. The radical changes I proposed in my reports soon get watered-down by the Chief Procurator and his allies. Eventually they are virtually meaningless tokens disguised as progress. I am very frustrated that months of my work is distorted and manipulated, while the original report is consigned to some dusty archive.

As the daughter of the emperor, Cassandra is less constrained in voicing her opinion about the dismissal of my report's main recommendations. However, her father won't be swayed. With so many powerful businessmen relying on the cheap labour elves are forced to provide, there is no appetite to make more than cosmetic changes to the law. The Chief Procurator is ecstatic at my name being added to the list of men who have attempted and failed to solve the so-called Elf Maiden problem.

As an added symbol of his victory, the Chief Procurator has the emperor assign me to be a Thurnian trade envoy to the newly discovered elven communities deep in the western forests. Despite a grand title, the role is a meaningless position. The elven communities I discovered are more than capable of trading with local Thurnian towns and villages without the need for an official trade envoy. But the appointment carries the emperor's approval, so I cannot refuse.

"When do we leave?" asks Cassandra.

"In a few days. I will understand if you wish to remain here, near your father," I reply.

"Nonsense. I'm your wife. We go together. I think our two Elf Maidens intend to come with us."

The contracts I have signed with Defina35 and Defina36 don't require them to follow me to the far reaches of the empire, but I will be glad of their company. Not simply because they are good company and excellent sex partners, but their knowledge and skills will be useful in establishing trust with the remote elven communities.

The Chief Procurator is his usual vague self when it comes to telling me what is expected from a trade envoy to the elven communities. While he doesn't openly admit that he has created my new role simply to keep me out of the way, he doesn't say or do anything to dispel that impression. The elven communities of the western wilderness are peaceful, but they don't regard themselves as part of Thurn. Even the Thurnian cities on the west coast are only nominally part of the empire. Each city fiercely defends its quasi-independence. None of them are likely to welcome an imperial official of any description being based in their city. My previous official trips to the western cities have been received with surly tolerance and minimal assistance. Fortunately my experience in dealing with the Chief Procurator has given me skills at circumventing the obstructions unwilling officials are likely to throw in my way.

"We should establish contact with the elven communities before deciding on which Thurnian city to use as a base," suggests Cassandra when I pose the problem of where to go first.

Her suggestion is the opposite of what the Chief Procurator had in mind. The Chief Procurator suggested making contacts with local Thurnian merchants to see what products they need, or can sell to the elven communities. That, of course, assumes the merchants are willing to trade with elves; which is far from certain. Not only is there the racial bigotry to overcome, but transporting goods through dense forests, which are the territory of dangerous animals, would make all but the bravest merchant prefer to trade elsewhere.

I value Cassandra's opinion far more than that of the backstabbing Chief Procurator. We therefore make plans to bypass the western cities and travel directly to one of the elven communities that I visited during my earlier travels. With winter only a couple of months away, we can't afford to delay or we may end up spending the entire winter snowbound in a remote elven village. The shortest route would be to travel overland by coach along the highway that I used to return to Thurn after my last visit. The eastern part of the route, between Thurn city and the town of Stormguard, follows the wide fertile valley that provides Thurn with most of its food and minerals. But the highway ends at Stormguard. Only farm tracks and forest trails extend beyond it. Even they end after a short distance. Without guides we could never find our way through the wilderness to one of the elven villages. During my visit a few months ago, the citizens of Stormguard made it clear they want nothing to do with elves. Waiting for an elven trader to arrive at Stormguard would be a waste of time.

The alternative route to the elven communities requires us to take a longer, more southerly, journey parallel to the coast. Rugged coastal hills and fast-flowing rivers are obstacles that force lengthy detours, making an overland journey frustratingly slow. However, the route will take us to the southern boundary of the wilderness where there are several small Thurnian villages that regularly trade with the elves. Travelling to one of them and waiting for an elven trader provides a better chance of reaching our destination as quickly as possible.

"What if we hire a small ship to take us as far as Reak?" suggest Cassandra as we study the map.

The Reakie river was once a major trading route in the years before the southern highway was built. It is one of the few rivers that is navigable to small ships far into the hinterland between the sea in the south and the wilderness to the north. The township of Reak was once much larger, and boasted docks and warehouses where trade goods from the western cities arrived overland by caravan, and were transferred to ships bound for Thurn city. These days the trade goods travel along the southern highway, or by ships large enough to brave the treacherous waters bordering the western cities. Reak, and its river, are now rarely used as a trade route.

Since some of the tributaries of the Reakie river pass near several of the villages that trade with the elves, Cassandra's suggestion has merit. We could travel by ship to Reak, and from there follow the river north-west to one of the villages we seek. It sounds easy in theory, but can we find a suitable ship at short notice, and do we need to transport our means of completing our journey, or can we buy what we need in Reak? The government records about Reak are so out-of-date as to be worthless.

Fortunately, Cassandra and the two Definas are willing and able to organise storage of our possessions and find transport as far as Reak. That leaves me free to attend to the paperwork and politics surrounding my appointment as trade envoy to all the elven colonies (known, and so far unknown) in the western wilderness. My official warrant is purely for the benefit of any Thurnian official I come across in my travels. Elves are prohibited from learning to read and write and their trade is conducted without fanciful contracts and written agreements. Somehow I doubt they will understand what a trade envoy does. I'm not so sure about that myself.

Two days later the four of us depart Thurn on board the Fair Catch, a fishing vessel that is only just large enough to be described as a ship rather than a boat. The crew of three men are all part of the same family. The ship's compliment is boosted by two Elf Maidens who prepare the meals in addition to providing the usual sexual services for the crew. The Elf Maidens' inclusion at least means Defina36, who is in heat, doesn't need to service the crew as well as Cassandra and me.

Since the sea is calm and the prevailing wind blows in a favourable direction, there is plenty of time for both crew and passengers to relax. Given the cramped conditions on board the ship, we all soon agree that sexual activity need not be confined to the few private corners of the vessel. This is apparently the usual arrangement the crew and their Elf Maidens, Cena42 and Asima37, have while at sea. Cassandra and I soon shake off the remnants of our strict upbringing regarding proper behaviour in mixed company. The Fair Catch is soon home to what can only be described as a seaborne orgy.

My cock, along with the rest of me, is exhausted by the time we reach the estuary of the Reakie river. We wait until dawn before turning north up the river. From here on the crew will need to pay closer attention to sailing their ship, and less to fucking their Elf Maidens. Although Cassandra and I aren't needed for sailing the ship, we cease our sexual activity for completely different reasons. Firstly Defina36 is no longer in heat and Defina35 isn't due to start for a week or so. My cock might respond to the presence of Cena42, who is in heat, but enlisting her services would likely cause unnecessary friction with the crew. Secondly, Cassandra discovers that she is expecting our first child. The Rutting Season, when Thurnian women are fertile, ended several weeks ago. We are now in the period when Thurnian women usually discover the outcome of whatever sexual activity they engaged in during the Season. In Cassandra's and my case, sex was a several-times-a-day occurrence, so her announcement is hardly a surprise.

Having made good time from Thurn to the river estuary, our journey slows considerably as the crew sail against the river current. We need to anchor whenever the wind drops to avoid the current pushing us back downstream. Fortunately that isn't very often, and we don't need to resort to towing the ship with the small rowing boat stored on the cabin roof. We pass the ferry crossing that links either side of the southern highway later that afternoon. By my estimate, we have saved three days travel to this place by travelling by ship. We don't stop at the tiny village on the eastern bank, and we push on towards Reak. We arrive there late the following morning, much to the surprise of locals who haven't seen a ship as large as the Fair Catch use their dilapidated quayside for many years. Our arrival is a cause for celebration among the townspeople.

"We don't allow elves into the town," says the town alderman when he notices the Elf Maidens with us.

Unfortunately, the alderman's attitude towards elves is common throughout Thurn's provincial towns and villages. Even some cities aren't immune to the hypocrisy of profiting from the cheap labour elves provide while denying them access to large parts of the city. Cassandra is about to launch into a protest, but I quickly calm her anger. We will need the alderman's assistance to acquire suitable transport to complete our journey. The ship's crew are treated as celebrities and they lap up the attention. They either fail to notice, or simply don't care, how their two Elf Maidens feel about being confined to the ship.

We don't linger in Reak any longer than necessary. We find a local trader with a small boat who is willing to transport our party north to one of the villages we seek. The two tributaries of the Reakie river, the Rea and the Kie, merge a short distance upstream. Both tributaries flow from the north-west and their courses are roughly parallel either side of a high ridge. The ridge, which the locals unimaginatively call the High Ridge, acts as a barrier to travel between Thurn's western cities and the wilderness. Nobody knows how far the ridge extends to the north, but the southern arm ends abruptly in a sheer cliff overlooking the fork in the river. Eastbound overland travellers and trade from the western cities must either follow the southern highway, pass through Reak or follow a steep winding trail over a saddle in the High Ridge some distance to the north-west of us. I've travelled that route only once, and I'm not is a hurry to repeat the experience. Nevertheless, the saddle road is the preferred route for adolescent elves who have been expelled from any of the western cities.

We say farewell to the crew of the Fair Catch who are still sobering up from the previous night's celebrations. I don't know what their plans are from here. The Rea and the Kie are apparently too shallow to sail the Fair Catch any further north. If we can establish a regular trade route from the elven wilderness communities to the cities of Thurn, then there is the possibility of Reak re-establishing its former role as a trade hub. But not if Reak's citizens keep refusing to have anything to so with elves.

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Chapter 12: Arrival at the elven commune

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Our journey up the Rea is uncomfortable. The trader's boat is a glorified raft, relying on a large sail and huge rear oar for propulsion. The trader and a huge oarsman are the only crew. They have a rapport that suggests that they've made this trip together many times before. We sit among the crates and sacks that the trader is transporting. There's nowhere to lie down and we will need to go ashore to sleep overnight. The trader estimates our journey will take three days providing the weather holds. The river current is sluggish at the moment, so it offers little hindrance to our progress. However, the trader says that the river can rise quickly in wet weather, and the current become too strong to battle against.

We halt our journey at midday for a brief rest and a light lunch. The ridge to the left towers above us, and the forest on the opposite bank is too dense to risk going far. Indeed, there are few places along the river where a boat can safely put ashore. The small riverside clearing where we stop must be a regular way-point for the trader. Fortunately neither the trader nor his oarsman have any biases against elves, so Defina35 and Defina36 are treated as equals. Given the cramped conditions on-board the raft, it would be difficult were that not so.

"You seem puzzled," I say to the trader as he checks the stowage of his cargo before we resume our journey.

"Yes. I've occasionally lost goods overboard in my travels, but never have I acquired unexplained cargo mid-journey. I loaded a dozen sacks of flour at Reak, and now I have fourteen sacks."

The mystery is soon solved. Inside two of the large sacks we find Cena42 and Asima37. They initially refuse to say how they came to be here. It is only when Defina35 and Defina36 admit to helping them stowaway on board the raft do we get to the truth. By confining the elves on-board the Fair Catch, its crew had broken their contract with their two Elf Maidens. Consequently they decided to leave. The easiest way of doing so was to join us in our travels.

The rash action of the Elf Maidens may place us in an awkward situation should we cross paths with the crew of the Fair Catch. However, there is nothing illegal in the Elf Maidens' departure. In any case, we may never meet the crew again. From what Asima37 says, the crew will quickly find replacement Elf Maidens once they return to Thurn. The close friendship Cassandra and I enjoy with Defina35 and Defina36 was not replicated between the crew of the Fair Catch and their Elf Maidens.

After renegotiating the price of our journey with the merchant, everyone on the raft seems happy with the new travelling arrangement. The fact that Cena42 is in heat soon smooths out any lingering problems with the merchant and his oarsman. They at least control their urges until we stop for the night at a small island in the middle of the river. Once the tents are erected, the two men don't waste any time in taking Cena42 inside. By now I am accustomed to the regular sound of men and Elf Maidens have sex. It's hard to recall what life is like for the majority of Thurnian men and women who don't use the advantages Elf Maidens can bring to their personal relationships.

Our journey north resumes the next morning despite the oarsman looking worn out. Cena42 looks like she is ready for more. If it wasn't for Cassandra having a bout of morning sickness, I might have been tempted to fuck the Elf Maiden. As it is, I focus on attending to Cassandra's needs as best I can. Because of Thurnian biology, it is common for many Thurnian women to be in the early stages of pregnancy at this time of year. Most pregnant Thurnian women suffer from morning sickness, so Cassandra's suffering is very common. It is another of those differences between the biology of Thurnian women and Elf Maidens, who rarely suffer from the discomfort of morning sickness.

Fortunately the wind is blowing up-river, so the sail takes most of the strain. The oarsman only needs to use his oar to steer, while the merchant adjusts the sails. As anticipated, we arrive at the small Thurnian village of Fallowfield on the third day after leaving Reak. The warm reception we all receive confirms that the inhabitants regularly have dealings with elves. Now all we need to do is find our way through the wilderness to the elven community.

The trader soon completes his business in Fallowfield although he lingers for a few days while Cena42 remains in heat. He even tries to tempt her into joining him on his return journey to Reak, but Cena42 wisely declines. She won't be welcome in Reak, and we don't know whether the crew of the Fair Catch are still there. We wake the following morning to find that the merchant and his oarsman have departed.

We only need to wait a further two days before four adolescent elves enter the village. I didn't see them arrive but the local villagers say the elves came from the forest rather than along the track leading to the saddle over the High Ridge. Defina36 soon establishes that the elves come from a community I didn't visit on my previous journey six months ago. Only one of the elves has a serial number tattooed on her inner arm, signifying that she was born in a Thurnian city. The other three must be native to the wilderness. They have come to trade for flour which they intend to purchase with some of the gemstones they have mined from the huge network of caverns they call home.

The villagers have just received a delivery of flour, so meeting the request isn't a problem. However, I can't see how these four elves can carry even one of the heavy sacks back to their community. That doesn't stop the villagers from selling six of the flour sacks the merchant delivered a few days ago.

The four adolescent elves are happy to meet the four Elf Maidens in our party, but they regard Cassandra and me with suspicion. While young Thurnian men periodically visit the elven communities for the plentiful sex on offer, they are usually from local villages. A male visitor from the city of Thurn, travelling with a Thurnian woman, is something none of these young elves have come across before. Fortunately, they haven't journeyed to the village alone. A short distance from the village is a group of three more elves, waiting with six pack mules ready to transport the flour back to the eleven community. The leader of the elven group is an Elf Maiden called Akenehi. I know from my previous visit that the numbering of elven clones, that has been established practise ever since elves first arrived in Thurn, has no place among the wildness elven communities.

"What business do you have with our commune?" asks Akenehi.

"I have been appointed by the emperor of Thurn as a trade envoy," I reply. "My task is to improve trade between the elven communities in the wilderness and the towns and cities of Thurn."

"And why are you here?" Akenehi asks of Cassandra.

"I am travelling with my husband. We have both been making efforts to improve the treatment of elves living in Thurnian cities."