Green Rose of the Underground Ch. 10

Thix could no longer hold back the need to gag, and her body bowed upward at the overpowering sensation of her inner muscles squeezing down on something hard, twitching, and unyielding. Above her, she heard and felt Gerard's moan vibrating through his chest. It might have been purely uncomfortable, if not for the increasing pressure and pace with which Gerard was also fucking her sex with his fingers. All at once, Gerard pulled out of her, and his absence gave her time to gasp in air. She didn't want to cough, but she had to. She only got several seconds before he pressed insistently into her again.

He was turning her upside down, inside out. Making even her mouth a wet greedy hole to be fucked. She stretched her arms out above her, grabbing his hips for purchase as he drove into her again, and again.

It became easier, as if he were teaching her body how to receive him. Thix timed her breathing carefully, and when he forced himself down her throat again, swallowed around him repeatedly. Her muscles milking the tip of his cock. It helped fight down the discomfort of having him someplace no man was supposed to be. Not to mention the increasingly loud and shameless noises he made. Those were worth it!

Oh Vorkah! How could he go deeper?! The silenced groan vibrated around his length, and Thix felt her lips pressed tight to the root of his cock. His hot, sweat moistened pouch covered her nose, so that Thix's flustered breaths were filled with the lusty essence of his scent. Above her, Gerard let out a desperate bestial noise, and whatever restraint he'd had broke entirely.

His length forced her open repeatedly, his rubbing becoming frantic and without rhythm. Thix could feel his release coming. Feel his thighs trembling beneath her hands, feel the jumping and twitching as his cock lodged down her throat. Finally, Gerard began fucking her mouth hard and deep in long quivering thrusts. Once. Seconds passing before he pulled out and slammed back down. Twice. Thix tried to take in a frantic breath, but could not. Again. Oh...OH! The force of her release exploded between her legs, and behind her eyes at the same time. Again. Her screams of overwhelmed bliss became lurid wet noises as her insides tightened around his shaft, and the fingers stretching her sex. Again.

Thix bucked her hips upward, she felt as if her juices were pouring out of her. She gasped in a burning lungful of air as he pulled out, and then speared into her a final time.

She could feel it as he came, pouring his seed into her. His cock swelling repeatedly, and a tiny but palpable warmth that dripped down and left her reflexively swallowing. A long quiet moment existed where Thix felt utterly and completely spent, helpless and painfully sated, before Gerard slowly pulled away. She was aware of the entirety of his length being taken out of her, aware of his engorged head as it parted from her sore and tight hole, aware as he parted her lips which felt swollen and throbbing.

Thix breathed. In. Out. Low and deep. It felt like the whole world was spinning around her. That had been... intense. What in the deepest dark of the mountain's roots had they just done?!

Hesitantly, Thix turned over on her side. Her bottom, and the side of her hip felt puzzlingly wet. Eh, she could worry about that later. Her garnet eyes fluttered, coming to rest upon Gerard where he sat. His knees were up to his chest, and he had in his head buried in both hands. He was breathing almost as hard as she was, which just didn't seem fair all things considered.

"Ge-rar-"

Ugh! It hurt to talk! Her voice, already much rougher and higher than his was, had even more gravel in it than usual. It was practically a croak. He didn't respond to her. So instead, she crawled over, finding more and more of her energy returning as she did. When Thix touched him, Gerard made an odd high sound. He did not pull away at least, which... was good. It had to be right? Gentle... that was the way.

It took a moment to get to her feet, which was the only way she could reach, and Thix was able to do for him what he'd done for her when she'd been in distress. Softly, she began to pet his head. Since it was hard to speak, she made little shushing noises in the meantime. Eventually settling for Galtes, which turned out to be a good tongue for whispering because you couldn't quite talk.

"Shush. C'est bon. C'est bon Gerard."

"Je suis... je suis vraiment désolé. Je... je..."

"Non. Non, non. Non désolé."

Thix wrapped her free arm around him in a tight hug and kept running her hand through his hair. Eventually, it seemed to calm him. Gerard's hands flopped down to his sides. His expression had a certain empty, hollowed out look to it that troubled her. Maybe she really had pushed him too far... He wasn't pulling away from her at least. Finally, though some presence began to return to him, and he leaned into her touch. Thix didn't try to speak. If he needed to think, she would give him the time for it.

"Your eyes. They shine in the dark. Did you know?"

The words came out almost lost. Idle musings as his thoughts drifted through unknown places. Well... they did. She'd sort of forgotten about that. Been away from her own kind for so long. It was just how things were. Thix hadn't really wondered why human eyes did not.

"Yes. I do know this."

"Oh."

He took in a labored breath, held it, and let it out slowly. Then again. Then he snorted in laughter and muttered something.

"Mon goblin gobeur."

Gerard began to laugh, though it had a weak, pained quality to it and he covered his face again with his hands.

"Gerard?"

His head shook back and forth, and finally the chuckling quieted.

"Non. Non, pas important."

Thix dropped her hand from his head and squeezed her arms tighter around him.

"Sleep. We should sleep."

"Oui. D'accord."

Gerard delicately shrugged from her embrace and laughed again, this time with a shade more humor.

"We made a mess."

Oh. Thix turned to examine the bed roll and was glad he could not see how dark her cheeks flushed. They really had. Well...she had, mostly. There were drops and puddles of wetness soaking the thick cloth.

"I sorry."

"Non. Do not trouble. Wait here. I take. Bring more."

He got dressed first. Well, rather, he put his undergarments back on. Thix had to retreat into the corner of the tent, kneeling on the grass while Gerard gathered up the bedroll, and after a moment of examination, rolled up the canvas that had covered the ground and took that with him too. From outside, the remaining glow of the fire still cast a dim orange light. In the silence she was able to track Gerard's presence by his footsteps. How they faded away, and after a time returned again. Oh no. They had... had been so loud.

He brought a spare bedroll with him, and in his other hand was the blanket Thix used. Clearly the only other option. Silently Gerard lay it down upon the grass, and unfurled the roll. She was confused when he left again, and returned shortly after with the canteen of water.

"Drink."

Oh. That was thoughtful. Thix gratefully accepted and almost started to cough at the first gulp. Ugh. Nope. Little sips. So sore. It would make it hard to sleep, but it wasn't as if Thix hadn't goaded him on.

"Merci."

"De rien."

What was that? Well, she could ask tomorrow.

"Hold me? I hold you."

"Oui."

Thix allowed him to lay down first, before climbing on top of him and resting her head upon the top of his chest. She nuzzled into him, curling up comfortably as she felt his arms surround her.

"Goodnight, Gerard."

"Oui. Bon nuit, Thix."

Ah. So that was good night, not too different. Good to know. He felt tense beneath her. Thix could feel that cold wrongness still waiting, but refused to let it threaten them this time. Poor thing. Poor human.

So wrapped up in his own inner fears. She reached up and rested her palm against his cheek, gently stroking his face up and down. Though it still hurt to speak, she endured it.

"Je suis là. Non mal. J'ai aimé. Comprende? Relax. Safe. With me. Sleep."

She would have hummed a calming melody if it wouldn't have caused her throat agony. So instead, she simply continued to make little shushing noises, and lay gently kisses upon his firm shoulder.

It took time, but eventually she felt Gerard go loose, and the rising and falling of his chest spoke to her of his descent into sleep.

Thix had broken something.

She rode with Gerard and Theo again. Sitting in a painful, dead silence. Not helped at all by the stillness of the forest. The air was thick with gray, cold mist, as their caravan rolled slowly onward.

Thix had known that morning that something was still troubling him. Gerard had hardly spoken to her, and worse had barely looked at her. It seemed almost difficult for him. When she'd suggested riding inside, that had somehow made him impatient and agitated, and so Thix had not pressed it.

It was probably what she'd made him do... and it had not helped how everyone else had reacted.

If she had imagined Solène had thought poorly of her before, it paled before the glare of revulsion and scorn she speared Thix with upon her eventual appearance. Guy, her mate, simply refused to look at Thix or even acknowledge her presence in any way. There was a point where the boy began speaking in quiet words towards his parents only to be harshly shushed and silenced.

Claude as usual, was his chipper chubby self, but even he had an unusual glint of mischievous humor in his eyes. The three young men however... Before, it had only been one of them. The tallest, and lankiest of the group, that Thix recognized as having devoured her with hungry looks. Now though, they all spoke amongst each other. Wicked and unpleasant smiles stretching their lips as they watched her.

Beasts. Animals. She hadn't thought or felt that way about humans before, but these three made her feel it. She stayed as close to Gerard as possible as they'd had breakfast. Even though he too felt as if he were a great distance away.

Theo, oddly enough, was the one person who did not seem especially different. He had never been very talkative, and wasn't now, but shared some few words of courtesy with Thix as he provided her a bowl of plain oats. He'd been the same as he helped her up onto the front of the carriage, and when he noticed that her voice was raw, wordlessly offered her a flask of wine.

That had helped tremendously. It made her feel shame, that only her gratitude towards him made her really pay attention and appreciate the hard lines and somber features of his face. The darkness of his hair. That and the little mustache. It was cute. So thin. The man was so different from Gerard.

So. Here they sat. Riding. Quiet in dread. While Thix anxiously swallowed around the swollen thickness in her throat, over, and over, and over again.

There was anger too. Anger at Gerard. For being so... so... fragile inside! It had been fun! Amazing! Why did he have to go and ruin it by sulking!? It had been overwhelming sure, and the pain of it lingered, yes. Even so, Thix sort of wanted to try it again. In a proper bed this time. Maybe she would get used to it? She wanted to talk about what they did with him. Hadn't he enjoyed himself? It certainly seemed like he had. It had made him go wild, and she liked that. What was so wrong with that? Was this one of those ways, seen as making love wrong, that he feared? Why? Damn him. It wasn't fair. She was suffering too. Unable to know what was going on in his head, and feeling guilty somehow! That word was for both of them, he could have used it again if he truly hadn't felt comfortable!

As things were... they couldn't speak of it. Couldn't speak of anything. Well, they could, but it would have felt too weird with Theo sitting right there. What had he thought about the noises they were making last night? Hopefully nothing too bad. It didn't get lighter. If anything, it became darker. How? Oh.

Through the thick canopy, Thix began to hear the sudden white sound, and then the first drop of rain upon her forehead. A fine drizzle began to come down on them. Gerard silently adjusted her hood so that it sat above her head. It was not heavy enough for them to stop, but it thickened the fog that hung about them further. The path fanned out, the trees thinning. Were they reaching the end? A bit of hope lighted her chest.

Thix hated the damned place, and wanted to be as far away from this cursed forest and all of their companions as soon as possible. It was not to be. Instead, they came upon a river. Not too deep. It looked as if their horses could cross it easily. For some reason though, the large wagon belonging to Claude came to a full stop at the edge. Theo pulled at the reins, drawing them to a slow rolling halt. His eyes narrowed as he leaned to the side, trying to get a better view.

"Que se passe-t-il?"

Ahead of them Thix heard Claude shouting something through the noise of the rain and burbling water.

Gerard exchanged a glance with Theo and sighed.

"Aller. Voyez ce qui ne va pas."

Theo held the stare for an uncomfortable period of time before finally letting out a grunt and descending from his side of the carriage, grabbing his sword from its strap as he went. Thix watched as he trudged through the rain and increasingly muddy ground on up ahead.

Not long after, Guy's wagon rolled up beside their carriage. The man's wet hair stuck to his forehead.

"Ce qui se passe?"

"Je ne sais pas."

Gerard shrugged behind her.

"Guy, est-ce que tout va bien?"

His mate poked her head out, Thix quickly turned away. Another voice came from the direction of Claude's wagon. It sounded like Theo this time. Thix wasn't able to make out what had been said, but apparently Gerard and Guy understood well enough.

"Je suppose que je vais aller voir."

Gerard let out a sigh before responding.

"Nous allons tous les deux."

Gerard gently tapped Thix upon the thigh.

"Wait here. Bien?"

"Oui. I wait."

Solène.

Thix looked sadly at the curtained entrance for a while. Why? Really? Sure, if they hadn't made such noise the other night, the woman would still have been suspicious of her. Even so... her attitude towards her now was so much worse. What was so bad about two people enjoying themselves? Enjoying each other? It was good. It was natural, wasn't it? It was for her people. Not like humans popped up out of the ground like seedlings. They did have sex. It was how the woman had gotten her child! So why? Why?!

With her pre-occupation, and the pervasive sound of the rain, Thix didn't hear anything suspicious. She might have, if she'd been paying attention.

Turning back around to watch the two of them, she had just enough time to see the motions of surprise and alarm through their bodies. Guy reeled back, something sticking out of his shoulder, and Gerard drew out his blade. Frozen, Thix stared numb in shock. That was when she heard the first hint of a sound. Too late. A hand seized her by the upper arm and yanked her hard so that she fell sideways. The grip dragging her towards the edge of the carriage before Thix had a chance to react. When she finally did begin to reach for something to grab onto to, Thix went utterly still at the cold, fine, edge against her neck.

"Ne bougez pas, petite salope verte. Ou je t'ai coupé."

The words were nonsense to her, but Thix knew a blade when she felt one. She knew what was said by the quiet and hard tone.

"Bien. Bonne fille."

The voice hissed with satisfaction. She was too frightened to make a sound, let alone call out to Gerard. Her eyes twisted as far as they could to where Gerard still stood, slowly backing up. Even if she could... it wouldn't have been any use. The edge of the knife was removed, but only long enough for the offending grip to pull her the rest of the way off the carriage. It wasn't considerate enough to catch her on the way down. She fell on her back. The impact knocking the breath out of her, and the first gasp set her throat on fire.

Thix curled up, coughing. Vision spinning with dizziness and finally settling on a pair of boots. In a panic she struggled to rise, getting her hands beneath her on the way grass and mud, and trying to crawl at the same time as run. The human's reach was too long. An arm wrapped around her midsection and the blade was once again at her throat, directing her upright. She whimpered, red eyes darting around. He was behind her, so she couldn't see.

"Viens."

She knew that one. Come. Slowly, she was pushed forward. Behind her the human man grumbled.

Walking one small step at a time around the other side of the carriage, so that she could clearly see Gerard where he stood, and Guy where he lay on the ground groaning. He had his hand pressed tight to the spot where what looked like a short arrow was shot into his right shoulder. The axe he'd been carrying lay on the ground several feet away. Gerard's gaze was set in front of him, until he finally noticed Thix being marched towards them from the side. No words needed to be said to him. He turned fully to see her and a look of utter defeat, drained the life out of his face.

Thix was close enough to hear Claude shouting something more, and then from the front of his wagon he came into view. Following after him were... well she now doubted they were his sons. One was dragging Theo forward with a knife to this throat just the same way as her. He was alive, at least. Though he must have been hit on the head, the front of his scalp seemed to be red with blood. The other held something she'd heard about, but hadn't seen before. A crossbow. Pointed outward towards Gerard. No... Vorkah no.

Gerard dropped his blade to the ground and held his hands out loosely. What followed was a conversation that seemed chillingly too polite between Gerard and their captor.

The chubby man cast a glimpse at Thix, then back at Gerard before continuing on. Damn it! If she could only make out what they were saying! She only got little pieces, and even if she could hear properly through the rain she knew only the simple words in Galtes. What was happening? What should she do?

"Sometimes, you have to stop and think! My precious gem... your head is the best tool you have, and yours is sharp. You'd lead our clan one day, if you only stopped and used your head once in a while!"

Her First Father Kun's voice as good as dropped into the front of her mind. He'd been right... he'd always been right. She took a deep breath, mindful and careful of the cold edge pressed up against her skin.

They were not dead. No one was dead. Not even Guy. If they wanted them dead, it wouldn't have been too hard. Could have slit Thix's throat. Could have shot Guy. Could have killed Theo, if it came to that.

Maybe not though... if they had killed Theo first, then everyone would have heard a struggle. Could have killed him earlier, but Gerard would have fought. Could kill him now, but then Gerard would fight, and even if he was shot too he might hurt them before he went down. They had Thix too... but she was alive. It wasn't that they were being merciful. They wanted something, and were being cautious. Must keep watching.

She was terrified, her whole body shaking. Thix did her best to focus on her senses and push through the drowning fear. The hood of her cloak had fallen down, it hung heavier on her from the wetness. Her shoes were soaked. They were still talking. She watched them carefully, all these big people. The man holding the crossbow began moving, keeping his gaze on Gerard and Guy until he was far enough away. He was several feet from them. Ugh. Thix knew who the one holding her was now... of course it had to be.

The other man was heading for Guy's wagon now, crossbow raised. When he got several paces, he stopped. More exchanged conversation, this time including Guy's pained voice before he called out loudly for his mate.