Give Me the Man Pt. 02

"I saw the Tower only yesterday. A strange experience."

"Strange, Ardan? How so?"

He told the two women about the keeta, and how it had led him to its trapped cub. They were both fascinated and Leara's eyes were shining. "I must go!" she said.

"Ardan," said Alna, "will you return there as my daughter's escort?"

"I'd be delighted," he said, glancing at Leara, who flushed and dropped her eyes.

"We're lodging at the Black Shield guesting house, near the South gate. At the eighth hour? Do you know where it is?"

"I'll find it."

"Good. We look forward to seeing you then. For the moment, if you will excuse us. Our thanks for your hospitality." Alna smiled. "And for saving my purse."

"My pleasure. Until tomorrow, Alna. Leara." He bowed. He watched the two women until they were out of sight, both tall, erect, both blonde, both beautiful.

Vella was a little cool when he told her that evening, after they had made love for the second time in an hour.

"Come with us," said Ardan.

"I promised to help Elli again. Torbin Hal says he will begin paying me from tomorrow. He says I shall have her room from Lastday, if I wish."

"Do you?"

"Want to have her room?"

"Yes."

Vella turned to him, propping herself on her elbow. "I do, Ardan. With a room of my own, and some income, however little, I have independence." She smiled. "Forgive my little display of jealousy. I do not love you, and you do not love me, save as friends. You are a wonderful convenience," she said kissing him gently, "very much so. I know that any child of yours that I may bear will be a wonderful child, but I am still in love with my husband, even if he is dead. If I conceive, and if I have a boy, his name will be Jonal, not Ardan."

Ardan reached out and squeezed her fingers. "Rightly so, dear Vella. Remember, he was my friend, as well as your husband."

"I know, Ardan. Enjoy your ride tomorrow with your lady friend." Vella giggled. "Perhaps you'll get to ride her, too."

"I doubt that, Vella, we hardly know each other." But he felt his prick thicken at the thought and for a moment lost himself in the fantasy of shafting Leara.

"You can hope," Vella said, her voice gentle. She stretched across and kissed him. "Good night, dear Ardan."

Ardan was early next morning at the Black Shield, his nerves still tingling from the love-making he and Vella had shared, for she had kissed and licked him to heated stiffness in the dawn light before riding him to a nerve-jangling climax. At his enquiry, the hostess at the Black Shield directed him to a private parlour where Leara and her mother were just breaking their fast.

"Ardan! So good to see you again. Some tea?" Alna was gracious and welcoming.

"Thank you, but no, Alna. Good morning, Leara."

"Good morning, Ardan," the blonde replied, with a polite smile. "I am ready whenever you are."

"Your horse?"

"In the stable, ready saddled. She just needs the cinch tightened."

"We can leave whenever you're ready. It's a day's trip, there and back."

"Very well. I'll get my cloak and meet you at the front. 'Bye, Mama. See you tonight."

"Have a good day, dear."

Leara went out and Ardan found himself instantly distracted by the sight of her shapely bottom, in the tightest pair of trousers he had ever seen on a woman. Behind him, Alna coughed and Ardan whirled, flushing. Alna was smiling.

"I told her she needed new riding trousers," she said mildly.

"Um," Ardan began.

Alna laughed, a rich, warm gurgle that made his prick twitch. "Admit it, Ardan, you would only regret it if she wore a looser pair."

He nodded, shamefaced. "A sight to stir any man's blood," he admitted.

"I think my daughter seeks to stir yours," said Alna.

"She has succeeded."

Alna smiled again. "Be good to her, Ardan. She likes you," she said softly.

"I will."

"Good. I think I see her outside. Time you were off."

Ardan bowed. "I treasure your trust," he said, looking Alna straight in the eye.

"You have it. Go!"

Twenty minutes later, they were on the trail North. There was little traffic but at one point they had to pull off the trail to make way for a wagon train, supplies bound for the city, an escort of Guides with it. Ardan scanned the Guide troop, but there was no one he knew in the party.

"Do you look for someone you know?" Leara asked, curious.

"I took the Guide entrance examination before I came for my Initiation. I get my results in an eightday or two."

"Will you pass?"

"I think so. I did well in the mock examination at the academy."

Leara gestured. "Are you good with that sword?"

"Yes, I am."

"I like the way you say that. Confident, not arrogant." An expression of distaste crossed her pretty face as they made their way back onto the trail, spurring their horses to a trot, Northwards again.

"Something bothers you?"

"A boy at home, always pestering me. Unlike you, he boasts, but his boasts are empty. He thinks he is important because his father is our richest merchant."

"Is he? Important, I mean."

"Not to me." Leara's tone was contemptuous.

"Is he aware of your feeling?"

"He should be, I've told him often enough. His ego is so enormous he probably thinks I'm teasing him." She laughed. "Enough of him. Tell me again about the keeta."

As they rode Ardan told Leara again of his experience. Her eyes were bright, her blonde hair, loosely tied back, flowed loose about her shoulders, bright in the sunshine. In the warmth of the sun they had tied their cloaks behind their saddles and her tunic was snug to her torso, the accent of her breasts drawing his eyes like magnets, despite his efforts to look away. She caught his eye and smiled, a warm, happy smile. He pointed. "Not far now."

"Oh, my goodness. Is that it?"

"It is. We'll be there within the hour. It's almost noon. Shall we stop for a drink and something to eat?"

"When we get there. Then we'll explore?"

"As you wish," he said, content for now just to be with her.

A half mile short of the tower, they stopped, picketing the horses on the thick grass. Leara had a bright rug in her saddle bag and they sprawled on that, eating bread and cheese, drinking fruit juice, just enjoying being there. Leara's eyes were fixed on the tower. She turned to him.

"Is it like this all the way round?"

"As far as I could see, yes. Unclimbable."

Leara shook her head. "No. I think there's a possible route. I need to be closer to be sure."

"I couldn't see a way up."

"Do you climb much?"

"Some. Mostly since I started Guide training. Elementary mountain craft is expected of us."

"I've been climbing since I was six years old. The Hinazi are a mountain people, Ardan. It's in our blood."

"Whereas I come from a race of lowland people. You impress me, Leara, if you think you could climb that tower."

"Lea."

"Sorry?"

"Call me Lea."

"Okay, Lea." He grinned. "You still impress me."

She smiled, quick, then sobered, her eyes on the tower. "I'd need some equipment we've developed over the years, but I think it's possible. Do you want that last ap-fruit?"

"You have it. I've had enough. When you've finished we'll go closer and you can show me this possible route."

Closer, the tower still looked inaccessible to Ardan, but Lea pulled her mare close and pointed. He squinted along her arm, conscious of the spring flower freshness of the light perfume she wore.

"See the dark patch?"

"Y-e-s."

"To the right. A line. It slants to the left, then straight up, then to the left again?"

"I see it. That is a route?"

"With the right equipment, I think so. Come on, we'll ride round, there may be an easier way."

They moved on, letting the horses pick their way through the scattered rocks. Ardan pointed. "That's where the keeta was trapped, see the pile of roc - Goddess! She's there! Look."

"Oh, my goodness." There was awe in Leara's voice. "She's beautiful."

"Isn't she. She knows we're here." The keeta was watching them, but Ardan sensed, the only word for it, that the big cat knew they meant her no harm.

"Any sign of the cubs?"

"About three feet to her left. Lower."

"I see them. The stripes are fainter."

"I think they only really show on the adult. Come on, we'll let them relax."

They continued riding around the tower. Leara suddenly reined in, staring at the rockface. "It's been climbed before."

"Surely not. How can you tell."

"Get closer, I want to be sure."

About forty feet from the foot of the tower, among the detritus of rockfalls, she paused. She pointed. "Look there. Hammer marks. I think they used pegs." She stared for a while, eyes moving over the rock. "It's old, very old. No-one has climbed that for a long, long time. I wonder who they were?"

"We'll probably never know. Come on, or we'll have to ride hard to get back before dark."

Leara smiled. "Thanks for bringing me, Ardan."

"The pleasure is mine, Lea."

The ride back to Jalx was made in quick time, but they found time to chat about all kinds of things. She told him she was an only child and teased him about his sister. She was eager to know the details of ranching in the lowlands, quick to answer his own questions about her mountain life. By the time they reached Jalx Ardan felt he had known Leara for years instead of days and was saddened to think that when she left he might never see her again. When they reached the Black Shield he helped her rub down the mare and followed her into the guesting house without hesitation when she asked if he would like some supper.

Alna and Leara had a small private suite and Alna smiled a welcome when Leara led him into their little parlour. "Leara. And Ardan, a pleasant surprise. Did you have a good day? Was the tower interesting?"

"Oh, Mama, yes! I'd love to try climbing it."

"Not this year, I fear, my sweet. What about you, Ardan, would you climb it?"

"Never as a leader, Alna. My skills aren't up to it. I'd love to see the view from the top."

"Meet me here next summer, Ardan. We'll climb it then." Leara's eyes were bright, her face flushed, hair tousled.

"Yes! When?"

"First day of the summer solstice?"

"It's a date. Just we two?"

"Why not? I feel that it's our tower." She turned to her mother. "Mama, we saw the keeta!"

"You did? Wonderful, you must tell me all about them. Later, perhaps, when Ardan has gone. Get changed, my dear, and I'll organise some supper for you both."

When Ardan returned to his guesting house, Vella was already in their room, doing some mending. She smiled. "How was your day?"

"Good."

"That's all you can say? Good? You've been out all day with a pretty girl - she is pretty, isn't she? - and all you can say is 'good'?"

Ardan laughed. "It was good. We took food and drink and went out to that supposedly unclimbable Gray Tower near the Northern approach. Leara thinks it's been climbed before."

"Does she now? How does she know?"

"She's a climber herself. She's Hinazi."

Despite herself, Vella was interested. "What's she like, this Leara of yours?"

"She's not mine. She's her own woman. What's she like? She's tall, half a head shorter than me, blonde, green eyes, beautiful, like you - " he grinned, " - and you are, so don't deny it, slim and athletic."

Vella laughed, merry. "I think you're in love with her."

Ardan gazed at Vella, not seeing her, looking through her. "I don't know," he said, "what does love feel like?"

Vella smiled. "I'm not poet enough to describe it, Ardan, would that I were. I think you'll know when the time comes. Are you going to take me to bed? Pretend I'm Leara?"

He smiled at her. "Take you to bed, yes. But it will be Vella I make love to, not Leara."

Vella put her mending to one side and stood, loosening her dress. "I'll try to be good, Ardan. I may not be in love with you, but I love you enough to want you for yourself, and to want you to enjoy me."

The rest of the eightday went well for Ardan. He managed to see Leara and Alna once or twice and each evening Vella was waiting to share the night with him. On Seventhday, Ardan was readying himself for departure, for he intended to take the road home next day. First though, he had a dinner appointment at the home of Peralon Traln.

He was early, but Peralon Traln opened his door immediately and welcomed him. "Ardan, good of you to come. I think it likely that Jandol has seen enough of his cousins and would welcome your presence. I didn't tell him you were coming. If you'll wait in here, I'll send him through. Ardan waited and a few moments later Jandol put his head around the door, his expression curious, replaced instantly by a great smile. He seized Ardan's extended hand in both of his.

"Ardan! Uncle Peralon said he had a guest he wanted me to meet. I had no idea it was you. How come you here?"

"Father bought me a sword. Your uncle and I got to talking and one thing just led to another. He asked me to dinner to see you before I leave."

"Leave? When?"

"Tomorrow, I'm afraid." Ardan shrugged. "I'm not the city type. I've been here long enough."

"Why are you here?"

"I came for my Initiation."

Jandol laughed. "And?"

"Wonderful," said Ardan. "A lovely lady. Most accommodating."

"Ha! Tell me more. We have a while until dinner."

Ardan told him some of his Initiation, but there had been an intimacy between himself and Arla that he believed uncommon and he was reluctant to give detail, although he did describe her rescue. Jandol sensed his restraint and made no attempt to prise the information from his friend. By unspoken consent they moved on to other things.

"How do you think you did in the Guide exams? I think I did enough to pass, but not to come anywhere near top. You, though. You must have a good chance."

"Of passing, yes," said Ardan. "Top? I doubt it."

"More chance than me." Jandol looked up as the door opened. Peralon Traln was there.

"Dinner is being served. Would you join us?"

There were seven at dinner. Peralon and his first-wife, Mala, their daughters Tera and Luva, his second-wife, Alia, Jandol and Ardan. It was a good meal and he enjoyed himself, but he was conscious that he was ready to go home on the morrow.

Vella was already in bed when he got back, but she was awake, waiting for him. Thinking back, later, Ardan had the feeling that Vella made love that night as if she knew it could only ever be their last time together. She was demanding, giving, fierce, soft, sometimes all simultaneously. She took him and drained him, then raised him again and drained him anew. Breaking his fast, as Vella bustled around helping Elli serve the other guests he knew he was ready to leave. As the others left and things quietened, he took Vella to one side.

"You're leaving," she said, a simple statement.

"Yes, I'm sor - " Her finger across his lips stopped him.

"Not 'sorry', Ardan, never that." Vella smiled, soft, a little sad. "I may be carrying the child I always wanted. I hope so and I pray to the Goddess that it is so, but even if I'm not, I have pleased you, old friend of my husband, and that pleases me, too."

Ardan hugged her.

Vella smiled. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too."

An impish smile quirked her lips. "Only until you find someone else to share your bed. Leara, perhaps."

Ardan grinned, shaking his head. "Not so, Vella, and you know it." He sobered. "I wish you well, Vella."

"And I, you. Now go, before I start crying and make a fool of myself."

Ardan packed quickly and was on the road within the quarter-hour. He guided Shadow through the streets to the Black Shield but found when he arrived that, "The Asolan ladies left first thing this morning. They've been gone over an hour."

He thanked the landlord and set Shadow to the road. He might catch the women before the Vilna Station and Ansel Crossing roads diverged. He put Shadow to a mile-eating trot and hoped.

I hope you enjoyed my little tale. Feedback, particularly constructive feedback, is welcome. If you ask me anything make sure I have an address to reply to! A vote would be nice, too. Go on, it's only a couple of mouse-clicks!