Smitten Ch. 07

- "Alatey came to me again - just after midday. He's a randy bugger, that one."

- "I saw him first." complained Lambug. Ogash ground her teeth, angry that she had chosen the wrong human male right from the start.

- "Enough!" snapped Ditgurat. "You can share him, for whatever time he has left with us."

Coopah did most of the talking, relating what had been said by the Duke, and by me. Shaghar sat beside me, squeezing my hand every time Coopah said something that made her think that I'd done well. Lagakh smiled at me several times, too - it was her way of saying 'I couldn't have done better myself'.

That was when I finally realized just how far the Red Knees had come. Arivan Cunedda had been surprised that the orcs would let a human speak for them - especially a man who had only been among them for a few months.

Ditgurat put her hand on my shoulder. "You did well." she said. "I was wise, to have you speak."

- "I think that you impressed the Duke." I said.

- "We will see. Now - go with Shaghar." She gave me a push.

Shaghar took my hand, and we left the council.

- "I am so proud of you." she said.

- "It wasn't that difficult. I just told the truth."

- "You must have been nervous."

- "Terrified." I admitted.

Shaghar smiled, and squeezed my hand again.

- "May I ask a favour, Smit?" she asked.

- "Of course."

- "Would you mind if ... if Ghorza came with us? We both want to be with you tonight."

I followed Shaghar's eyes, and looked over my shoulder. Little Ghorza stood there, alone, watching us. I understood: they were both afraid for me. If the Varnan Duke was bent on treachery, he could take us prisoner on the morrow. He could then exchange us for his men - or even execute us, thus depriving the Red Knees of their leader.

Shaghar and Ghorza were afraid that they might never see me again. They had been just as terrified as I was, the night before. They regretted having let me go to meet the Duke without loving me first. And they meant to make up for that omission. Together.

I let go of Shaghar's hand, and went over to Ghorza. She seemed uncertain, unsure of what I was going to say or do. I walked right up to her, and put my arms around her.

- "Come with me." I said.

The three of us found a private spot on the edge of our temporary camp in the woods. There we kissed and caressed each other. I was the recipient of most of the touches. It was wonderful, but very distracting, because I found it difficult to divide my attention between the two of them.

Shaghar helped solve that problem by gently directing me towards Ghorza.

- "She has waited longer." said my unselfish lover.

The moment I penetrated Ghorza, she wrapped both arms and both legs around me, clinging tightly. It was urgent, and it was intense. My climax came upon me suddenly, almost unexpectedly. Ghorza was not in the least disappointed: she hummed in my ear as she felt me ejaculate inside her.

Shaghar let me rest for a few moments, stroking my back and my arm. When she decided that I recovered, she used her fingers and her mouth to arouse me once again. Ghorza watched as Shaghar stimulated me, and then climbed aboard, straddling my hips and sinking down slowly on my erection.

I held her lovely breasts as she slowly rode me, drawing out the pleasure for both of us. I lasted a long, long time, and we both enjoyed every moment of it.

Shaghar came first; the long, slow buildup made it a particularly strong orgasm - she dug her fingers into my chest and bit her own lip.

My own orgasm was still far off. Shaghar seemed to know it; she dismounted, and offered her place to her friend. Ghorza seemed uncertain, again, but when I held out my hands to her, she grinned, and climbed on top of me. She took hold of my erection, still slick with Shaghar's juices, and sheathed it inside herself.

***

I had no foreboding of disaster. But I wasn't certain that we had succeeded, either. Since there was nothing I could do to affect the outcome until we met the Duke again, I simply chose not to worry about it.

Ditgurat, Coopah and I walked toward the Blasted Tree. Arivan Cunedda met us with the same two men as yesterday. We sat down, and waited for him to speak.

When he did, he addressed me.

- "I still can't believe that you've only been among the orcs for a few months." he said. "Coopah's story is quite amazing, but yours is just as incredible. It's ... very encouraging to think that a human could adjust to living with orcs and half-orcs so quickly - and also that they could adjust to you so soon, to the point of making you one of their emissaries."

He cleared his throat. "I'm also impressed that you've, ah ... found love as well. I think that your offspring will only create new bonds between our peoples."

The Duke turned slightly, to look Ditgurat in the eye. "I have decided to accept your offer." he said.

***

EPILOGUE

Gintar returned to Calep, and was reunited with his wife.

Alatey was returned to the Duke as well, but after they'd spoken - at length - Arivan Cunedda asked if Alatey could be allowed to live with the Red Knees.

- "To help us? Or to spy on us?" asked Ditgurat.

- "Couldn't he do both?" said the Duke. "I would make him my official representative among you. Alatey can write. If you have concerns that require my attention, he could send me a letter explaining the issue."

- "Hmm ..."

- "There is also the fact that he seems to be ... enamored of some of your young females. Quite smitten, I would say."

That was how Alatey came to live with us. It led to endless bickering between Lambug and Bula. It was Bula who had the last word, I suppose, because she ended up bearing him five children, while Lambug only had four. Neither of them seemed to care that he sired five more children by four other females.

The Duke kept his promises. He officially took us under his protection, which was remarkably effective. There were very few encroachments on the territory of the Red Knees - and those which did occur were swiftly dealt with by the Duke's men.

He also sent me an anvil.

Umog bore a daughter. Shortly thereafter, she entrusted the child to Shaghar, and went off to Elmina, the capital of Varna, as one of the contingent sent to serve the Duke, as part of our agreement.

- "I am a warrior." she told me. "And you know that I hate to share. If I stayed here, you would only continue to make me crazy. Better for me to go."

I didn't try to talk her out of it. She was right.

Umog was the most impressive of the fighters we sent, and soon became renowned as she travelled everywhere with the Duke.

She found another lover, too, and bore two more children, who were raised in Elmina, as members of the Duke's Household.

Urzoth also went to Varna, to serve the Duke. But many were surprised when Ogash, Ditgurat's younger daughter, volunteered to go as well.

As Lagakh had predicted, I had eventually given in, and had sex with her. Twice. I don't know if Ogash was disappointed, or if she believed that she could find a human male of her own in Elmina.

She did find a man, and bore him three children.

Shelur's ankle never healed properly. She continued to walk with a limp. She also remained close by, working with me in the forge. I liked Shelur very much, and I hadn't forgotten that I'd agreed to give her a child.

We had extremely friendly, thoroughly satisfying sex on a number of occasions. Shelur was an enthusiastic, inventive partner - and incredibly fertile. She bore 4 sons and 2 daughters - all by me.

Coopah continued to age gracefully. He taught Bula everything he knew, to the point that she effectively became our cooper and chief woodworker, with Coopah serving more and more in a merely advisory role. He also continued to advise his daughter, the chieftain.

Ditgurat gave birth to a daughter.

- "I want to name her Yotul." she said, asking my opinion.

- "That's an excellent idea."

Ditgurat enjoyed tremendous status among the Red Knees. She had defeated challengers, survived in adverse circumstances, and bore a child almost twenty years after her last daughter. She was considered wise, and lucky - which might have been more important.

She still called on me for sex, though less frequently than before - perhaps once a month. She also took precautions so that she would not fall pregnant again.

- "It was a good day, Smit, when you came to us." she said.

- "For me, too."

Lagakh was not even remotely tempted to go to Elmina.

- "My place is here." she said.

Ditgurat rarely made a decision without consulting her. Many of the Red Knees looked upon Lagakh as a miracle-worker, and as a symbol of their good luck. She remained the consummate warrior, but also the perfect heir-apparent, gifted with her mother's wisdom as well as her courage.

She became pregnant shortly after our agreement with the Duke, which virtually everyone considered an excellent omen.

Lagakh delivered a strapping baby boy.

And then another.

Then a girl. And another boy. Then a second girl.

- "Could you just use your tongue, tonight, Smit? I'm afraid that you only have to look at me to make me pregnant."

Lagakh was our future. Even as she aged, she was still the greatest warrior among the Red Knees. Wise, brave, a fearsome fighter, lucky ... and fertile.

Ghorza became one of our scouts. She was bright as well as quick. Lambug needed the help, especially when she was pregnant so often, and with Shelur still limping. Ghorza tirelessly patrolled our borders.

And when she returned, I was usually waiting for her. I had many lovers, but I was in love with only a select few. Ghorza was one of those.

I couldn't quite explain it, in words. We had few long conversations. But when I was with Ghorza, I felt a powerful sense of ... rightness. It was expressed, sometimes, in the way she held me, or in the way she looked at me - or the way I looked at her.

- "Why do you have to explain it?" Shaghar asked me. "You love her. Why wouldn't you? She can't find words for it, either - but you shouldn't doubt it."

Ghorza struggled to conceive, which only made her feel less worthy of me. Lagakh was pregnant, Shelur was pregnant, ... but she wasn't.

Seven years after my arrival among the Red Knees, Ghorza conceived a child. She delivered a healthy baby girl. And then two more children after that.

Shaghar grew into her role as Shaman of the Red Knees. She became accustomed to people asking for advice, or for help with their problems. She was kind, and she was patient - two prime requisites for the role that had been foisted on her.

She remained unselfish, never jealous. She took Umog's child, and raised it (with help) as one of our own. She celebrated every time Lagakh or Shelur conceived, and gave birth. She was ecstatic when Ghorza became pregnant. Yet I never for a moment doubted that she loved me above all else. As I loved her ...

Shaghar made me happy. We rarely quarrelled, and those disputes were about minor things, or short-lived, or both. We had two children together - a girl and a boy. I wanted to name them both Shaghar, but she overruled me, and insisted that the boy be named 'Smitten'.

Snak was the ideal apprentice: hard-working, curious, and full of questions. She was my most effective assistant when it came to charcoal burning, or the bloomery. She was almost always in a good mood, and raised my spirits.

I treated her like a little sister - she was only ten years my junior. That worked reasonably well until she grew up, and began to develop.

Snak would never lose her buck teeth, or her small fangs. But she did swell and blossom, growing slightly more curvaceous as she grew older. She began dropping ever broader hints about the person she wanted to be her first lover, and to father her children.

- "You aren't old enough to have children." I said. In my mind, she was still a child herself. I didn't tell her that she would be better off with someone her own age - because I didn't believe that for a moment. She'd had a crush on me for years. I had to admit, to, that I was incredibly fond of her. I'd loved her when she was a 10 year-old runt, and I'd only come to like here as she grew up. But I was damned if I was going to take advantage of her youth and inexperience.

- "I thought you liked me." she said, with a sad little buck-toothed pout.

- "You know that I do. And that's why this isn't going to happen until you are considerably older. It if happens at all."

But Snak only heard the first two things I'd said.

- "So it's going to happen." she said. "If it's going to happen, then why wait?"

- "I don't want you to make a mistake that you'll regret later."

- "I know what I want, Smit. And I think that you want me, too."

- "Aargh! Enough - go talk to Shaghar."

More often than not, Shaghar would take my side. On this subject, though ...

- "Why are you torturing the poor girl?" she asked me.

- "What?"

- "Making her wait. It's cruel."

- "It is not cruel. I'm trying to protect her."

- "She's been smitten with you since you first arrived."

- "Exactly! It's a little girl's infatuation. When she eventually grows out of it, I don't want her to regret having given her virginity to the wrong person."

Shaghar shook her head. "Smit: she won't grow out of it. Snak has never wavered. And she's not a little girl anymore."

- "She's still too young." I insisted.

- "Is that it? Her age? How old would be old enough?"

- "Eighteen." I said, a little impulsively.

- "That's an arbitrary number." said Shaghar. "Why 18?"

- "Because that's how old I was. And I was still too young even then."

- "She's much wiser than you were at that age. And maybe even wiser than you are now."

- "Very funny."

But Shaghar wasn't joking, and she immediately went and told Snak what I'd said.

I have to give my apprentice some credit; instead of confronting me right away, she waited until the next day, giving herself time to think it over. Maybe Shaghar was right: Snak might well have been smarter than I was.

- "I accept." she said.

- "You accept what?"

- "Your condition." she said. "I will wait another year and a half. But not a day more." That said, Snak stopped pestering me. As far as she was concerned, I'd made a promise, and the matter was settled.

Time flies, they say. The seasons slide by, with increasing speed as one ages. It might have seemed like an eternity to Snak, but the months went by in a blur for me - and then, all of a sudden, the day was only weeks away.

I was subjected to knowing smiles and sly grins from virtually everyone. I was patted or slapped on the back so many times, my shoulder blades ached. It reached a point where I went to complain to Ditgurat and Shaghar.

- "This is not going to happen in front of an audience. I don't want a crowd gathering to watch!"

- "That could be fun." said Ditgurat. She was just joking - I think.

- "Take her to the stream to bathe." suggested Shaghar. "After that, bring her back to your forge. I'll make sure that no one bothers you."

- "The forge? For her first time?"

- "Smit, she has probably dreamed of it a thousand times. The forge is the perfect place."

Shaghar was definitely wiser than I was.

It was hard to say who was more nervous. Snak had little wildflowers wound into her thick, dark hair. She held my hand, and waited for me to lead her down to the stream. Her head was down, her eyes on the ground. My heart was beating so loudly, I thought she might be able to hear it.

She had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Truth be told, so had I - no matter how often I'd tried to delay or postpone it. But I had enough sense to know that my own anxiety was meaningless. Tonight was about Snak - and I wanted the experience to be wonderful for her.

I squeezed her hand.

- "Do you know," I said, "I think that I fell in love with you the first time I saw you."

- "When you asked my name?"

- "No. It was the day before. I was just waking up, and saw you trotting by. But you definitely got my attention when you spoke to me. You have no idea how important that was for me."

- "Truly?"

- "You made me feel ten times better. In the days to come, I looked back to that moment, and realized that there might be a place for me here, among you."

Snak moved a little closer, and leaned her head against my upper arm. She wasn't tall enough to reach my shoulder. She was no taller than Ghorza, and even more slender, with fewer curves. She was small-breasted, narrow-waisted, and had a delicious little backside that made me think of juicy peaches.

But it was the person she was that made my heart race. Curious, inquisitive, a tireless worker, even-tempered, kind and considerate ... I'd had years to compile a list of complimentary adjectives which described her.

And I told her all of them, as we stood outside the forge, hand in hand.

- "You do like me." she whispered.

- "You've always known that I do. You're one of the most amazing people I've ever met."

- "I feel the same."

- "Shall we go bathe?"

I led her down to the stream.

*****

Thanks again to my editors, Alianath Iriad and Lastman416. I hope to write another story about Leinyere, this time about the successors of Arivan Cunedda, Duke of Varna.