Ogres and Ogresses Ch. 20

"I can't breathe. I have to get out."

"You don't need to breathe! You're talking aren't you!"

"Ginger I will cut my way out if you don't loosen this!"

"I put my heart, soul, and foot into getting you in this properly! If you touch a single strand I'll cut you off once and for all!"

"I'll cut you off! With a knife!"

Rell opened the tent to see Zyra and Ginger rolling around and shouting. He swallowed his smirk, irritated that he found the situation both hilarious and arousing.

"I see you haven't finished dressing," he said respectfully. "I'll come back."

"Rell...help," Zyra coughed. She could feel her lungs failing.

"Yeah Rell help!" Ginger snapped. "Get that knife away from her!"

Seeing the knife made Rell pause. "Are you trying to kill each other?"

"She's trying to kill me," Zyra coughed. "I can't breathe."

Being sensible, Rell immediately went to her side and started undoing the strands. To a man, couldn't breathe was a genuine threat. Ginger did not take this very well.

"Fine," she growled. "See if I help either one of you!" She leaned in, whispering in venomous tones. "No sex for you and no clothes for you."

She pulled closer to Zyra. "I hope your dress slips and you trip butt naked into the fire!"

Then she stormed out.

As if on cue, Rell managed to loosen out the first side.

Sighing in extravagant relief, she braced against Rell's chest as he undid the other side.

"Bless you," she breathed thankfully.

She could feel that if Ginger in her infinite wisdom had kept her stuffed in that dress she might have gotten welts.

"Not a problem," Rell said dismissively. "I'm good for something."

"I never said you weren't," Zyra chuckled.

Rell sniffed as he undid the other side. All too suddenly he became aware that Zyra was pressing against him, her brown hips slowly becoming more exposed as he undid her dress. His heart began to race and his fingers fumbled as he tried to release her quicker. When she was free she turned unabashed and began stretching herself.

"Ugh, thank you," she sighed. "I thought I would actually have to harm her for progress."

It was then she heard his heart. Turning to look at him she saw he had diverted his gaze and was fumbling with his own clothes. The setting sun highlighted his fine features. Light feathery eyelashes adorned his blue soulful eyes, thin but full pink lips paired elegantly with an upturned nose and a pointed chin. His muscles had given him a princely air instead of a mousy air.

She grimaced when she looked down at his long thin fingers and thought about their uses. Kail's hands were bigger, his fingers longer, but she couldn't help but wonder what the differences between men were in pleasure. She had only been with Kail, and she had been scared out of her mind when she had half consummated with Rell. Her experience with Scallen was still fresh in her mind and served as one of the most erotic memories she had ever known, even with Kail's talents. Kail was very lucky that she loved him.

"Zyra?"

Looking from his hands she saw that he had been staring at her, possibly for some time.

"Sorry. I was distracted," Zyra mumbled, heading to her corner.

She looked into her mirror, another gift from Kyzu, and saw that before Ginger's temper tantrum she had put her hair up and wrapped it around her head in two massive rolls. These rolls were secured at the back of her head by a tight bead.

"Nice," she said to herself. "Ginger might be insane, but the woman knows her aesthetics. One day someone will make her pregnant, and one day she will be a great mom...but we'll never know who the father is."

"Zyra, may I ask you a question?"

Zyra looked back at him, unnerved that his gaze had not left her.

"Yes?"

"Why did you choose Kail?"

The question made her eyes widen.

"Rell, I—"

"I'm not asking for me," he interrupted, slightly offended by her alarm. "I just wanted to know, what attracted you to him? You know, from a huntress' perspective?"

Zyra rubbed her chin in thought. What had attracted her to him? Well there was always his looks, but Rell and Hanto were attractive as well. And she despised Hanto.

"He saved Nima, which I appreciated," she said, mentally contradicting herself with the fact that she hadn't wanted him at that point. She went back into thought with a pause so long, Rell had to ask again.

"Is that all?"

"I'm thinking."

"You have to think that hard?"

Zyra huffed. "It's not that simple."

Rell chuckled in response. "No, I suppose nothing is ever quite simple with you is it?"

Zyra hit him in response and he took it unflinchingly. Zyra noted that in that back of her mind. Suddenly he doesn't flinch?

He beckoned her over with a finger and she went to him, curious as to his intentions. Reaching up from his seated position he began tightening her strings again.

"Tell me if it's too tight alright?"

"Oh I'll let you know."

They sat in silence until Zyra spoke again. She had thought long and hard.

"I think I was stunned when I learned he wanted me. He was the first man that I wasn't fully repulsed by that had actively pursued me. To be honest I didn't feel attracted to anyone for a long time, but there was something about him that lured me to him. Something that called to me."

Rell nodded, finishing the right tie with an expert knot. "Have you ever felt that way with anyone else?"

"Felt how?"

"Attracted."

Zyra avoided looking at him on purpose. Rell, with his strange faerie-like beauty had called to her at some point in the past. He was so weak though she could not truly respect him. He was Kail's antithesis, but it felt like the lines of their relationship were constantly blurred.

Rell had met her for the first time as a lover, then her dependent as she saved him from harm. He had been her enemy when he suspected her of treachery, been her friend and sharer of the curse, and lastly he had become her brother.

Rell understood that this conversation would have a lot of silences, so he simply finished the other side and patted her when he was done. The pat seemed to startle her out of her revere.

Looking up at his and Ginger's handiwork he couldn't help but envy Kail just a tad. Zyra was truly beautiful, and he wished he had someone as loyal as her to call his own. His thoughts went Rair. If only he was lucky enough.

Zyra tried to ignore it, but since Rell was thinking about her she had heard everything he just thought. She had never told him about that power and for now she was grateful she never had. Every bone in her body was asking that she run to Kail, but she knew it would be too costly a mistake. Besides, she could survive two more days without the ogre. Couldn't she?

Yes, now was not the time for mistakes.

"Yes, I have," she admitted finally. "But never as strongly. I needed someone who would reach me. I didn't have the self-esteem or self-worth to reach for someone knowing they might reject me. Kail wanted me from the beginning, and on some level I also wanted him. He worked for me, and because of him I feel like I'm...more...loving."

To her surprise Rell began laughing.

"What?" she demanded. "What about my heart is so amusing?"

"I did not mean to offend you sister," Rell said, stifling his chuckles. "But reaching lovers or not, no one could make you, more loving Zyra."

His comment was completely genuine and Zyra couldn't help but feel touched.

"You do seem like you'd be an exotically interesting pair," Rell added. "Kail is in fact handsome, I have no denial in that. I simply envy you."

"Why?"

Rell sighed. "I...I have feelings, but they cannot be defined. You are lucky to know you are in love and with the proper person. I feel like I could fall in love, but I can't do it knowing I will flounder on my own."

Zyra patted him comfortingly. "With whom?"

"I have admired Rair for some time," he sighed heavily. "I was worried that "we" would deter her, and she was never fond of strangers to begin with. Today she spoke with me and told me she regarded me as a Rovian."

"Really?"

"Yes. You look as shocked as I was. The problem is that she runs from me."

"Then you should chase after her," Zyra suggested. "That's what Kail did."

"There's a difference," Rell pointedly remarked. "You wanted to be chased. Rair...I don't know what Rair wants. For a long time I thought I disgusted her. Even now, it feels like she has only acknowledged me because I've been protecting you."

Zyra winced. It almost felt like her fault, though she knew it was nothing close to it.

"Maybe you should speak with her," Zyra suggested. "Maybe if you are honest and open you can get an answer. Yes or no, it should be better than constant worry."

"Then there is you."

"What about me?"

Rell's frown became more prominent as he looked at the irritated woman before him.

"You understand me quite clearly Zyra. Don't play games with me."

Zyra wasn't sure what to say; somehow honestly always caught her off guard.

"You can't tell me you've never thought of it," he said uncomfortably. "When we first met, it was for me to take your virginity. It's not something I'll likely ever forget, sister."

"Well brother," Zyra snapped back. "Even if I have, it's only curiosity."

Rell shrugged his shoulders and lay on her floor.

"Hm."

Zyra leaned in to read him mind. She found his thoughts to be startlingly blank. He was either not thinking about her at all, or hiding his feelings very carefully. As a result, paranoia set in.

"Well what does Hm mean?" Zyra demanded.

"It's just a sound Zyra."

"It's not just a sound!"

Rell raised an eyebrow. "Are you angry that I told you?"

"No.I just..."

"Don't know what to do with it?"

She nodded.

"Yes, I feel about the same way," he admitted. "Sometimes I feel like you're the only one who understands me, truly understands me. We even bare the same curse." He lifted up his wrist to show her his mark. "We both share a lot of things, and I can't help but want to be close to you. But does that make us brother and sister? Sometimes I feel nothing for you but a relative's or a dear friend's love, and other times..."

A flash of erotic images swept trhough his mind and Zyra swallowed. He remembered that night quite vividly, especially sucking on her breasts.

"Other times I am thwarted by my humanity."

Zyra groaned mirthlessly. "That is certainly a clean version."

"I have learned one thing though."

"What?"

"We can never try to have sex ever again."

Zyra blinked owlishly. "Not that I'm complaining, but why is that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Rell declared, a smirk appearing on his face.

He stood up and patted his clothing flat. Night had fallen during their chat and the celebration was beginning. He held her upright as she slipped on her sandals and she followed after him, her hand automatically in his. They passed the other couples and waved cheerily as they had practiced.

"You never answered Rell," Zyra whispered.

"Well if you are going to be my sister, I probably shouldn't sleep with you," he stated plainly.

"Ginger is your sister."

"True, but there's also the fear that you shall fall madly in love with me should I ever grace you with my vast talents."

Zyra snorted. "Right."

"And," he said dramatically. "I value my life. You might be training me to fight like you, but I'm far from taking on a murderous rampaging ogre."

"But Rell,I'm sure you could take him. So what he's twice your size. Let my love carry you through."

"And I'm relatively certain that if we have sex, I'll probably fall in love with you."

Zyra halted midstride, causing Rell to laugh loudly.

"I'm not in love with you yet Zyra, and if we have any luck I won't be. Besides, I still think Kail might rip my head from my shoulders."

Zyra rolled her eyes and pulled him to the fire.

"Come on you hopeless romantic, I want to eat meat until I puke. And if I get drunk you have to carry me."

"Of course. And if I get drunk, you carry me."
_______________________________________________

"...And then. The Great Turtle rose with the water upon its back. The oceans formed, and the rivers ran. High above the turtle back, mountains! And the Great Turtle..."

The Ursie Chief told an old creation legend while a few dancers danced around the fire to his tale. They threw colored dust into the fire to make it jump as he told of blue oceans, and green trees. He had even told of a story of the Old World, one his great grandfather had told his father, about a land of men who rode in the bellies of beasts, and made the ground move to take them to new places.

Fermented berries and fruits that had stored for years made them dizzy with merriment. Gharla had her hair twined in a blue ribbon and she wore a short white dress. The liquor had warmed her, and she swayed to a chant with Rell as he tried to impress them with his Ursie dance of jumping.

"See? I'm light on my feet!"

Enui clapped happily while Ginger sat on the lap of a large handsome Ursie who was content to kiss her in between sips and bites of food.

Happy, Zyra watched as the community intertwined together as lust, love, and friendship blurred in a euphoric pattern. For some reason she felt more affected by the merriment than usual. Normally she didn't participate much in the revelry, but she now felt like an idiot for doing so. This was so much fun.

The world began to spin and she wondered if it was because she was dancing. Looking down at her feet she laughed; apparently she was.

She lost her balance and fell into the arms of someone who caught her and held her tightly. Looking up she found herself staring into the face of Hanto.

"Oh!" she hiccupped. "You've caught me."

He said nothing, his furious face doing nothing to the unaware keromedio. His rage didn't ring any bells, his bruising grip didn't seem to mean a thing either. It wasn't until she was pulled away by Enui and Gharla that she remembered she wasn't supposed to go near him. What was his name again? Wait, what was her name again.

"I love you guys," she slurred happily as her equally unstable friends sat her down.

"I love you too," Gharla moaned. "I love everybody. But Hanto. I'd shove a stick up his toned ass."

"Wait...you like his ass?"

"Shove a stick up my ass," Enui groaned, lying on her lap. "All these dicks here suck."

"Nobody is shoving...no sticks up...no ass," Zyra commanded. "Dats nasty."

"Don't you knock it til you try it," Enui mumbled, then she fell asleep on Gharla's lap.

"Mm," Gharla grumbled. "I am drunk. Those Ursies can make good drunk...I mean drink. Ugh..."

Being the most sober she shook her head.

"Ok. We need to um...wait where's Rell? First thing, I'm going to put Enui to sleep. You stay here okay?"

Zyra gave her a smile and a nod as she swayed in place. Gharla lifted Enui onto her back and unsteadily carried her off to the nearest of the four's tents.

Zyra sat for 3 minutes, then remembered that Gharla had said Rell was missing. Filled with no alarm, but a sense of purpose, she stood up and began stumbling around the fire.

After a few minutes she found him lying on his stomach, passed out by a log. Crawling on her knees she went beside him and poked him.

"Wake up....wake up! Rell. You gotta...be up now...Are you dead?"

Sighing she bent her head down and listened to his heart. No he was still alive, and he was apparently drunker than her. How? He had been dancing a minute ago.

"Promise is a promise," she groaned.

Slowly she sat him upright and was about to place him on her back when a hand tugged her up.

"Hey! What..."

One of the dancers pressed a cup to her mouth and she sputtered as it went down. She tried to make her mouth cooperate and close, but she was unable to figure out that function. In the end, to avoid drowning, she swallowed. Immediately the dancer grabbed her hand and sat her down.

Zyra groaned as the edges of her mind grew fuzzy. What was going on?

Something was wrong, she had never been so drunk before. Or was this...uneasy? She had drunk quite a bit, she should never have felt so out of it.

The dancer returned with something white and grabbed her hand. Forcefully they pulled her into the woods.

"Wai- where are you..."

The dancer didn't respond to her question. Instead it pulled her, stumbling as weak as a baby through the dark dim forest. When they were far enough in she felt herself pushed down. She landed hard on the ground and moaned. Pushing on her arms she tried to get up and found she couldn't. The dancer started to retreat.

"Wait...don't leave me," she pleaded, but she could already hear the footsteps receding.

Then it was dark. As though the dancer had lit her on fire she began burning all over. She was hot, too hot to be wearing such a restricting dress.

Rolling around in agony she cried out, trying with uncertain fingers to pull the strands open. She failed as the sweat rolled down in heavy beads all over her. Tears began streaming out of her eyes as she rolled miserably, unable to settle her feet underneath her or pull off her dress.

Suddenly she felt hands on her waist. They flipped her over onto her back and pushed the hair from her face.

Alarmed yellow eyes stared down at her and promptly lifted her up.

"Zyra? Are you alright? What are you doing here?"

"Take it off," she begged, hissing at his proximity.

The friction of his clothing was added pain.

"Please!"

Swiftly he settled her over his shoulders and took her towards his campsite.
_______________________________________________

Henna smiled as she watched the ogre take Zyra away. She was in the trees, far away from his eye level. Running to the selected tree she went to tie the white cloth, but was scared by a hand closing over hers. Looking to her left she saw Hanto come from behind the tree.

"I saw you," he said stiffly. "You were careless. Others could have seen."

"They saw a dancer," Henna snapped, pulling back from him. "There were many."

Hanto looked into the forest, a fist clenched.

"So, is she..."

"Not yet," Henna grumbled. "But she will be."

"How are you so certain?"

"I am certain. That is all you need to know."

Hanto bit his lip, trying to contain his rage. The idle confused look in Zyra's eyes made him feel guilty, but that warred with his feelings of being wronged. She was wronging him. He had no need of guilt.

"What did you do to my brother?" Hanto inquired.

He had seen Rell suddenly fall down after a drink or two. Before he had gone to the tree, he had lifted him up and placed him inside his tent. They were brothers after all.

"I just gave him something to make him sleepy," Henna said quickly, seeing the anger in his eyes. "He'll sleep it off and be fine in the morning."

"Speaking of that," Hanto mused. "When you wake the villagers tomorrow...don't include Zyra's sister."

Henna shook her head. Hanto didn't understand. Kyzu wasn't a fan on Zyra either.

"But she's the Chieftess," Henna protested. "She needs to see..."

"She is family," Hanto interjected. "No matter how she acts towards Zyra, she is her sister. That bond is obviously something you can't understand."

Henna glared at him hatefully. No, it wasn't. Henna had no one, not a single person in this entire tribe. She was an adopted orphan, and so she stayed with a ragtag group that all sought the attention of the huntresses or the older village women that had adopted them. It was cutthroat to find attention. Loyalty required fitting in, and so Henna knew nothing about loyalty. Zyra constantly threatened her place in the tribe, especially when she demoted her from huntress whenever she pleased. Zyra had to be stopped.