Into The Unknown

The Divide. An unforgiving place, in order to live longer than one day, one has to be on their guard. Numerous men die every day from the beasts that inhabit The Expanse. Once someone crosses the border, there is no chance in hell you would make it back alive or sane. Every few years a few high ranking mages take twenty or more of our men into The Expanse, all but a handful of soldier's die, the ones who come back end up returning to the divide, as if something was pulling them in. The wagon the mages brought with them would be torn to shreds and covered by their return. The sounds emanating from the cage would be best described as a cross between a woman's anguished scream, and that of an animal. The last time the mages payed The Divide a visit they took a whole squad as per usual. Upon their return, all hell broke loose. Rock, metal, and dead bodies strewn inside and out of the gates, the bodys were never able to be identified. No one in that stronghold survived.

"That was almost two years ago, the day I was drafted. Another victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time." The man thought.

***

Heavy foot falls and the chorus of steel tore him out of his earlier thoughts and immediately to his training. Weekly troop rotations, they kept soldiers on their toes, keeping them from getting too relaxed and letting their guard down.

Movement and a groan reminded the man that he had a bed partner. Long strands of white hair were spread across his chest. A lithe arm, covered with dark runes and black swirling markings, draped over his torso. Fingers tenderly trailed across his torso. Reaching up, he ran his fingers through the bountiful strands of pure white hair, devoid of any other color. Brushing the loose strands behind her ear. She lifts her head off his chest turning to rest her chin on him. Her left eye,a bright sapphire blue, studied his face. A vertical scar going over her right eye dividing her brow, the eye now clouded over and almost completely white. The memory of her losing it, hit him like a brick, his stomach sank. His smile disappeared. Anguish, regret and grief flooded his face.

"I still blame myself for what happened." he says, reaching down with his hand, he rests it on her cheek. Gently caressing the lower portion of the scar below her eye. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you enough Vi, I promise I will make it up to you soon."

"Stop beating yourself up, it wasn't your fault." she said pressing her face into his touch. "No one knew he was going to do that. I'm just glad it was a fair trade." She was now giggling.

The man soon joined in with some laughter. "how long has it been now? Almost a year?"

"Just about, but it feels like it happened yesterday. I'm still not used to it." Vi lets out a soft sigh. "I know my fighting has gotten worse, I can't even train the recruits anymore..."

"Vi..." the man starts stroking her hair, his fingers combing through it. The strands catch the morning suns rays making her look ever more beautiful. "Do you want to talk about what happened? It might help."

Vi let out a long breath she didn't know she was holding. "Do you want me to start from the beginning, or just give you the gist of what happened?"

"If you are comfortable with sharing that memory, I would like to hear the whole thing... please?"

In almost an instant she went from depressed to lustful. She smiles and pushes up, her lips now hovering just out of reach. Sharing a quick passionate kiss, her breathing becomes more labored. Pulling away and bringing her head next to his, the heat of her words with the occasional light brushing of her lips on his ear send chills down his entire body, goosebumps rising on his arms.

"It's going to cost you~" she said whilst playfully nibbling on his lobe. Her tone, filled with lust.

"How much?" his arms now following the path of her back down to her supple rear, grabbing a hand full of her ass in each hand. Her breasts pressed upon his chest, her breathing grew heavier. Giving her ass a light squeeze, she shuddered and dropped her head back as she let out a small moan. Sitting up she bit her lip, drawing both arms up and behind her head putting the perky cantaloupe sized breasts that gave her chest its curves, on display.

"You know you can do more than look~" she said breaking eye contact with him, and turning her head to the side, blushing all the while

He let out a low groan, his hands leave her ass and tease their way to her breasts, making her writhe with pleasure. giving her nipples a light pinch.

"Is this enough payment?" the man asked teasingly.

Her attention brought back, her gaze fell on his. "this doesn't even come close to covering half of I-"

Giving her nipples a harder pinch she lets out a slightly louder moan "Hmmm, how about a month's worth of nights together?" Resuming rolling her nipples between thumb and forefinger lightly pinching them here and there

"Nnnggg... That... sounds... more... like it..."

"Now then, all you have to do is keep your end of the deal." He said letting go of her nipples and cupping one of her large breasts in his hand, wrapping the other arm around her pulling her closer. "how did it start?"

"Don't... be such... a tease..." she pants. She grabs my hands and guided them away from her breasts to rest on her hips. "I know you are just as worked up as I am. I want you... I want you to make love to me again. Tristan... Last night was amazing, you are better than any man I have ever been with in bed." She slides off to the side of him and reaches down to grab his cock,and starts to stroke his already erect phallus.

Tristan smiles, these weren't the words of a woman just sleeping with him, these were the words of a woman who was in love with him. "Come here." He opens his arms inviting her into his embrace, pulling her to him he kisses her tenderly, holding her tightly like this was their last day together.

Breaking the kiss Vi says "I need you to fuck me, you got me so horny that I'm... I'm ... I can't think straight. I... need your cock, please."

Scooting up into a better position Tristan helps guide her hips so they were positioned right above his. Vi lowered her hips, pressing his shaft on her clit. Slowly grinding on his rigid member her breathing quickened. Reaching out tristan cups one of her breasts in one hand and placed the other behind her neck, pulling her in for a kiss. Kneading her pliant breast flesh a few moans escape from Vi between kisses. Pulling his hand reluctantly away from her perfect supple breasts he places both upon her ass and gently guides her up and onto his firm prick.

***

Panting Vi rolls off of Tristan, "And here I thought last night was good."

"So I passed?"

"Mmmhmm, with flying colors. I don't get it though..." she paused averting her gaze from his. "You were amazing, this was only our second time together but it seemed as if we've been together for years. You knew exactly what to do, almost like you were in my head."

"I wasn't in your head, you don't have to worry about that... I don't want to rush anything but when you are ready, I am here to listen."

"Thanks..."

A few minutes of silence go by, Vi pressed up against Tristan his arm wrapped around her holding her close.

"I don't know if you figured it out yet... but, a man in a position of power. It's not quite a turn on but I am attracted to it. It's just an old habit of mine, i've been sleeping with men in a position of power, both to survive and stay off the streets. Very few were decent in bed, most of them were in it for themselves, thinking that all they needed to please a woman was wealth. I wasn't there for the money but it was nice to have some and get away once I needed to. It didn't help any that I also took some lessons to improve my performance" she added sheepishly.

"So that's how you got so good... I thought you were a natural. Yeah I figured you got around but I wasn't expecting this..."

"Does this change things between us?" She asked scooting away starting to look a little scared.

"No, no no no no." He gently grabs her arm and pulled her into his embrace. "This changes nothing, why would you ever think that?" He murmurs, stroking her hair to comfort her.

"You sure this doesn't bother you?"

Laughing, he says "If I told you that I've slept with more than my fair share of women would that bother you?"

Meeting his eyes with hers, "No, not really. It does kind of make me a little... well I wouldn't say jealous, that you are with more than just me right now." Her face flushed red and she turned away from his gaze again. "Can I continue?"

"Only if you are comfortable continuing."

Smiling she continues her tale."Before I knew it i ended up here, in the guard. The first squad i ended up in, no one wanted me, I didn't know how to fight, cook, or heal. I just knew how to survive, I used my 'skill set' to get one of the best combat instructors in the guard. By the time I was in the third squad i became extremely proficient in weapon's combat and hand to hand combat. The last squad I was in was hopeless, everyone died after our first rotation, they got too drunk and a few of them fell off the towers. The others died from an attack that happened the next night. A few weeks later I got your letter, at that time I didn't know that I was that well known amongst the ranks"

Tristan laughs. "Your instructor is a good friend of mine, that's how i heard of you. He said you were a prodigy."

"I bet he also had shared what our agreement was." she pauses and sighs "I hope that didn't change your view of me even though we never met, I know I shouldn't worry about your view on me. I just can't help being self conscious about it."

"Not at all, I'm surprised you fucked your way to being better than fucking to get out of here."

"I thought about that, but it would have just been more of the same. I needed a change, and this was the best way to start." She turns and smiles "I mean I did find..." she sighs. "You found me."

"So you really did fall in love? You sure my 'power' isn't getting to your head?"

"Please, you don't have that much power. After all you are only a bar owner."

"You would be surprised, but yes I do own a bar... and a nice cabin in the woods. When we get out of this I'll take you there."

"That would be nice" throwing the covers off she crawled off of him

"Do you want to talk about the rest later?"

"Yeah, that would probably be best." Vi walks over to the wardrobe and takes out her clothes and brings them over to the bed. After inspecting her shirt for rips or tears she pulls on the loose long sleeved cotton shirt that was once Tristan's.

"I should probably get dressed too." After getting out of bed, he looks back at Vi on his way to the wardrobe, she was bent over slipping one of her legs into a set of skin tight leather pants. Turning back towards the wardrobe tristan pulls out his undergarments and slips them on, then slips into a similar loose cotton shirt, and a pair of free fitting comfortable cotton pants.

"You mind helping me lace up when you have a moment?" Vi asks

"Yeah let me get my boots on real quick." After he pulled on his mid calf height boots Tristan Joined Vi at the end of the bed. Just now realizing how much larger than her he is. She stood to be about mid chest height on him. Not to mention that he was bulky enough to break her like a twig. Unsure of how long he was in thought for he tore himself out of his thoughts.

"...It's the front laced one, this one is a pain to do by myself."

"How tight you want it?" Tristan asked as he started to pull all the slack out of the lacing in her hardened leather bodice.

"Just enough to hug my figure." she said winking him.

After he got all the slack out of the lacing he started to pull the laces taut, as he was doing so the laces at the top of the shirt started coming undone revealing more and more of Vi's wonderous cleavage. Once Tristan tied off the bodice she walked to the mirror.

"I may just have to take the lacing out of the shirt completely." She said while cupping her own breasts. "I don't even think you noticed the little show I was putting on for you." She pouted.

"Oh I noticed alright, but we have all night tonight." Walking up to her he placed a hand on her cheek. "I also think it's been established that you have completely given yourself to me and would let me do whatever I wish with you."

Vi bit her lip and nodded, "I belong to you, there is no other man in this world or another that I would rather hand myself over to than you."

Tristan smiled and looked into the mirror, the contrast of his dark brown hair and hazel eyes with Vi's white hair and shining sapphire eye was huge, looking back down on her, he said, "I'm going to go get a mug of something from Sonia, care to join me atop the wall in a few?"

"You can count on it."

***

After giving the pub a visit and getting a large mug of a sweet fruity mead, Tristan found himself upon the wall sipping from the tankard enjoying the view. Lost in thought. I need to know what we are up against. If this was just a war fighting nothing but fear, it wasn't worth being here. He thought to himself

"What flavor is it this morning?"

"Something fruity, very exotic, sweet, a hint of citrus, and has a nice burn to it. I'm thinking of getting a few casks before it's gone, or just add it to one of the permanent imports." swirling the contents in the tankard he pass it towards her "want to try it?"

"Why not, you always seem to have a knack for finding the good stuff" she said taking a good swig from the tankard Before passing it back to him. "What you thinking about this time?" She asked

"I need answers, what are we really up against. No one but those 'mages' even know what the monsters we are fighting are. I need to get out there."

She let out a long breath "We got word that his highness has granted the mages permission to cross into The Expanse... they are using our outposts gate." She turned her head and looked at him, fear and a hint of sadness etched into her face.

"How many men have they requested?"

"One squad... And... and you" she looked out over the rolling hills.

"What?" shock and disbelief twisted his words, "Why me?"

"My guess is as good as yours. More than likely they know."

"At Least that saves me the hassle of requesting to join them. It's probably safer going with them than going out there by myself too." taking another swig of mead he looks at her, a tear running down her cheek. Reaching out, he wipes it off with a tender touch. She turns to look at him both eyes welling up. Setting his tankard down he steps over to her pulling her into a comforting embrace.

"Come here." he murmured.

She broke down into tears, sobbing into his chest. Reaching up with one hand he strokes her soft pure white hair, holding her close.

"I don't... want you to go out there." she said between sobs.

"Shhh." he took his hand and lifted her chin. "nothing is going to happen to me, I promise." he said before leaning down planting a passionate kiss on her lips.

She was shocked by the suddenness of his kiss slowly melting into it she wrapped her arms around his neck, the kiss growing ever more passionate. The two broke up for a moment breathing heavily, resting their foreheads together.

"When are we supposed to disembark?" He asked her trying not to ruin the mood.

"They didn't say, I have a feeling it's going to be sooner than later though." the sadness started creeping back.

"Then we should enjoy this while we can. It might be a few days before we are able to do this again."

Kissing her with new found passion, he grabbed her rear and hoisted her up. Her arms wrapped around his neck, she kept him close savoring every moment, longing for it to never end, but alas they couldn't have been interrupted any sooner. They were interrupted by a rather haughty voice.

"Tristan Draygar?"