Stolen Alchemy Ch. 06

A few days had passed since Peter had undergone his transformation. Both he and Catherine were starting to get used to their changed bodies, and they were enjoying them thoroughly. Whereas before they might have had sex once or twice a week at most - less if Catherine was feeling poorly - they were now vigorously fucking at least twice a day, and each session was an extended marathon with multiple orgasms for both of them.

Their days weren't entirely spent immersed in pleasure however, much as they both wished to do so. Catherine had been poring over the stack of books that Peter had pilfered from Alexei's workshop - she seemed to find reading them a lot easier than Peter - but so far she hadn't found anything that described the potion they had both drunk from. She also had to spend quite a lot of time preparing food, as their rampant libido came with a price - a massively increased appetite.

For his part, Peter spent quite a large portion of his day out in the city. They had discussed what to do next, and had decided that they should leave the city. Both of their appearances had changed dramatically, and while most people didn't seem to notice or comment on Catherine's changed appearance, whatever magic had altered people's perception of her didn't seem to have had the same effect on Peter. After the first extremely awkward conversation with a casual friend where he tried to claim he had gained muscles simply by exercising more, Peter took care to try and avoid anyone who knew him too well, and if he couldn't, he tried to keep the conversations short. At least he didn't need a completely new wardrobe like Catherine - most of his clothes still fit, even if they were now a lot tighter in some places than they used to be.

Most of his errands in the city were either shopping for more food, or in preparation for leaving the city. They didn't have much to bring with them, but they also didn't have much of a goal of where to go. But wherever they went, they needed to head out soon - their landlord had come by the previous day. Paying him their rent combined with the cost of feeding their insatiable appetites and the need to buy Catherine fabric to make new clothes meant their savings were rapidly dwindling, and without any income forthcoming they would soon be out of money.

So far, Peter had been trying to supplement their funds by selling off anything which they didn't think they would be able to travel with, which included most of Catherine's old clothes (which no longer fit her anyway). It was while he was in the market haggling with an ornery vegetable seller that he heard the recruiter. There was a small rotund man standing on top of a box trying to gather a crowd, and Peter wandered over to hear better.

"...great opportunity! My lord has need of able bodied workers and settlers, and promises fair compensation for one and all! Whatever your trade - be it tailor, carpenter or farmer, he will have a place for you! You there!" The recruiter pointed at a burly man to Peter's left, "what is your trade?"

The man seemed surprised to be singled out. "Uh...what? I mean, I'm a journeyman candlemaker." he said.

The small man clapped his hands in delight. "A candlemaker! A fine trade indeed! And sir, does the prospect of having your own business, your own shop, appeal to you?" The candlemaker nodded, but before he could continue the recruiter continued, raising his voice to address the crowd even as he focused on his target. "If you were to sign up to my lord's town charter, you would be given the opportunity to run your very own business! Perhaps take on an apprentice or two of your own! A town will always have need of candles to light the dark nights after all! Doesn't that sound like a fine offer? All you need to do is review the charter and sign up!"

The crowd was growing, and there were murmurs as people digested what had been said. The recruiter saw that he had the crowd's attention, and raised his voice once more, clearly enjoying his job.

"And we don't just need candlemakers! Millers, masons, shoemakers, chandlers, brewers - my lord has need of any and all professions! But what if you don't have a trade I hear you say? Fear not! My lord's new town will need men and women to help build it as well as to work in it! Be you a laborer, sailor or field-hand, there is work for any who wish it!"

Seeing the crowd was now completely focused on him, and clearly eager, the little man now changed tack - he had dangled the carrot, and now it was time to draw them in. "My lord is generous and ambitious, but this is a limited opportunity! I call out to all amongst you who seek to start a new life, sign up now! My compatriots will be taking names and signatures, and will provide you with any details you should require! Don't worry if you cannot read, my friends here will happily take care of that for you!"

With a flourish, the man gestured towards a pair of men who had set up a small stall beside his make-shift podium, with ledgers, ink, quills and stacks of paper instead of goods to be sold. A freshly painted wooden sign above them proclaimed "Silvanford", along with a crude painting of a house.

The recruiter hopped down from his podium to take a break and grab a drink, and while most of the crowd dispersed to return to whatever they were up to previously a few approached the stall, and Peter found himself amongst them.

******

Catherine was sitting by the window and reading. She had never really been very interested in books even though she had learned to read as a child, but she had found herself growing fascinated as she read through the books they had taken from Alexei's shop. She had even had Peter spend some of their savings on a dictionary to help her understand the plethora of strange words she had never come across before. She put the book down and sighed, wondering when Peter would come home.

Today she was wearing a simple one-piece dress that was belted at her waist, but even wearing such a basic piece of clothing she knew that her curves drew attention, and she wanted to see Peter's reaction to her choices. Thankfully she didn't have long to wait, as a minute later the door opened and Peter entered.

"Hey there, handsome. How was town today?" she asked, flicking away a strand of hair that had fallen across her face.

Peter looked pleased with himself as he set down a sack of vegetables. "I think I found the perfect opportunity for us - we can get out of town and set up a new life where no-one will ask questions!"

Catherine sat up, immediately interested. They had discussed where to go nearly every night, but hadn't ever settled on anything. "Oh? What is it?" she asked.

"Well, when I was in the market there was a recruiter looking for people - some young lordling has been granted a tract of land out East, and he wants to build a town. Apparently there aren't many people living out that way, so he sent men to the city to recruit settlers. They are looking for all sorts - laborers and skilled workers alike. All we need to do is sign a settlers charter."

Catherine jumped up out of her chair and ran to hug her husband. "Oh that sounds PERFECT! When are they leaving? What do we need to bring?"

Peter freed himself from her grip so that he could breathe freely before answering. "They will be leaving from the east gate in three days' time. They said we can bring our own cart if we have one, and if not they will carry a chest or two for us on the communal wagons but we would have to walk rather than ride. It's apparently a long journey - nearly three weeks - and the lord is providing food for the journey, but there aren't any inns or anything so we would have to have our own tent and set up our own camp every night."

"Three weeks travel? And no inns? That sounds like a long way." Catherine looked around at their meagre lodgings. "Still, anything would be better than staying here, and maybe the distance is a good thing. We should see if we can get a small cart and a donkey - I don't fancy walking for three weeks. And what about when we get there?"

Peter shrugged. "Well, we'll have to live in a tent at first I'm afraid. I had a look over the charter, and the lord is granting plots of land for houses in the town but we would have to build them ourselves."

"I have to admit that doesn't sound too appealing, but I'm sure we can make it work. Oh Peter! This really does sound like a great opportunity - a new town, a new start!" She leaned in to hug Peter tightly again, delighted that they now had a goal for what they were going to do next. As had happened so often recently, her happiness was a catalyst to making her horny too and as she squeezed herself tighter to her husband she intentionally ground against him, pleased to feel his formidable member hardening in his pants. Catherine reached down a hand and stroked him through the fabric. "So...now that the question of where we are going to go has been answered, how about we celebrate a little? I've been stuck here...all alone...for HOURS you know..."

Peter grunted his agreement, and pulled her into a steamy kiss. When they broke apart, she knelt down in front of him, simultaneously pulling down his pants with a now-practised movement. His mighty cock sprang free and bobbed before her, already starting to grow. Catherine began to slowly stroke him, admiring every aspect of his dick as it swelled under her ministrations. When it reached its full size it was so thick that she couldn't fully encircle it with a single hand anymore. She continued to slowly stroke him as he throbbed with eagerness, sliding back the foreskin to unsheathe the mushroom-like head and leaning in to kiss the sides of his cock while occasionally darting out her tongue to lap at the pre-cum that was already starting to ooze from the tip.

Catherine hadn't told Peter, but the magical connection she had formed with him when she healed him using magic had never quite broken - just faded - and over the last few days she had grown adept at using that connection to tell just how aroused Peter was getting. Being able to feel his reactions meant she now knew exactly how tightly he liked to be gripped while she stroked him, and she could tell just how much he was enjoying her teasing. It also had the added benefit that the feedback from his arousal stoked her own fires, and she could feel desire building in her nethers.

She decided that he had been subjected to enough initial teasing, and opened her mouth to accept his cock into her mouth. With her mouth stretched as wide as possible she was just about able to fit its swollen girth, and she savoured the earthy and masculine flavour as she sucked upon his shaft, using her tongue to continue to tease him and making him moan.

Over the past few days she had gotten in a lot of practice doing this, and was quickly learning what both she and her husband liked. Peter's hands were on her head, keeping himself balanced and encouraging her to keep going, but he never tried to force her. Unfortunately she wasn't able to take in his full length - maybe before his transformation she might have been able to do so, but no longer. She bobbed up and down on his shaft, his head reaching the back of her throat every time she descended upon him. She could feel how close Peter was getting to cumming through her connection to him, but there was something she wanted to try before letting him achieve release.

Suppressing her gag reflex, Catherine slid herself onto his member one more time but this time when his mighty head reached the back of her throat she kept going - feeling his cock sliding down her throat. Peter let out an inarticulate groan, and clutched her hair as his hands clenched in pleasure. She had been worried that swallowing his dick like this might be difficult or uncomfortable, but it was proving to be surprisingly easy. And the feeling of Peter's cock pulsing and throbbing in the tight confines of her throat was just...indescribably hot. She nearly came just from the novel feeling. Still, she hadn't reached the base of his cock yet.

Slowly, she raised herself back up, savouring every inch of her husband's dick as it was slowly released until finally she let it go and it bounced free in the air once more.

"Holy shit Catherine, you've been getting better and better at blowjobs...but damn! That was something else entirely!" said Peter.

Catherine smiled up at him, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "Oh don't flatter me just yet. I'm not quite done with you."

Then she dove upon his cock once more. She didn't return to a normal blowjob though - she was determined to swallow Peter's entire cock and she knew what to expect this time. He was already well-lubricated by a combination of precum and saliva allowing her to devour the entire length of his manhood in one swift movement. Her mouth was virtually at his balls and she could feel the head of his cock nestled somewhere in her neck. It felt tight enough that if someone had been watching them, Catherine was convinced that they would be able to see the outline of Peter's cock against her throat. Surprisingly there was no pain or discomfort, but Catherine was struggling a little to focus. It wasn't exactly possible to breathe with her husband's cock completely blocking her airway and at the same time her connection to Peter was being flooded by the pleasure he was feeling. The need to breathe meant she wouldn't be able to keep him like this for long, but she could feel just how close he was to climax.

She began to make tiny movements, never releasing him from her throat, and using the muscles of her neck to try and squeeze his shaft in whatever way she could. Moments later she was rewarded as she felt Peter tip over into climax. His cock swelled even further, and with him nestled within her mouth she could feel every pulse as his seed was sent shooting straight down her eager throat. The combination of the feedback from his pleasure and her own arousal made her cum, and she quivered and shook as she soaked her legs with her own juices. Unfortunately an urgent need to breathe meant she had to release him before he finished, but Peter kept shooting his load even as his cock bounced free and one last spurt splattered all over her face.

They were both breathing heavily, and as Catherine stood up her legs were already a little shaky. But she hadn't had nearly enough herself yet. She may have already cum from giving her husband a blowjob, but she was still burning with unfulfilled desire. Not bothering to clean off her semen-covered face she threw herself at Peter, passionately kissing him even as she grabbed his cock again. She knew from experience that cumming once was no longer enough for him, and with a tight grip on his still-hard member she guided him to the bedroom. She didn't intend on stopping until she had repeatedly speared herself on that magnificent cock.

Later as she enjoyed the post-coital afterglow and Peter snoozed, his head resting in her cleavage, Catherine found herself thinking about the settlers charter Peter had mentioned. She knew for certain that she wanted to go anyway - neither of them felt comfortable in the city anymore, and there would always be the spectre of what would happen to them if Alexei ever found out they had stolen his potion. However she still wondered about why this lord was offering a settlers charter in the first place - it seemed exceedingly generous for a lord to simply give away land in order to attract people to build a new town. There had to be a catch somewhere. Still, there was nothing she could do for now. She would just have to keep her ears open and watch out for any surprise.

******

Peter huffed as he loaded the last bag onto the cart. He might be stronger now thanks to his improved physique, but loading up a cart with all of their worldly possessions was still hard work. Catherine had offered to help, but Peter had feared that the sight of her effortlessly lifting loads that would otherwise require two men might attract too much attention. He stepped back and looked at his work. They had managed to acquire an old cart, as well as a donkey to pull it, surprisingly cheaply. Their remaining savings had mostly been spent on supplies and equipment to start their new life - a tent, tools, food and whatever else they could think of. They still had a little coinage left over, but not a lot.

Satisfied that everything was as secure as it could be he hoisted himself up onto the driver's seat, causing the old cart to creak alarmingly, but everything seemed to hold. He looked around, wondering where Catherine was. She had left early that morning saying she wanted to get a few more things before they left the city. He had offered to get whatever it was for her, but she had been insistent that she had to get them herself. She had been gone for two hours now and still hadn't returned. If she wasn't back soon they were going to be late.

Then he saw her turn the corner, a small wooden case tucked under one arm. She was once again dressed in a simple one-piece dress, but today she was wearing a hooded cloak as well to try and attract less attention. Not that she succeeded much, as even with the voluminous cloak it was hard to hide the prodigious size of her chest, and Peter imagined that every man who had seen her striding around town must have been entranced by her.

"So, did you get what you needed?" he asked.

Catherine vaulted up beside him and kissed his cheek. "Yep, not many people in the city sell this kind of stuff so it took me a while, but this was probably my last chance to find any of it."

Peter raised an eyebrow. "Really? What on earth did you just buy?"

"Well...you know I've been reading those books we took from Alexei?" Peter nodded, and she continued. "I found a couple that described how to extract and distill simple remedies from plants, and then last night I found a diagram actually showing the equipment! I figured that sort of thing might be useful and I want to try it myself, so I went out looking for the equipment in the picture - a lot of it is very delicate metalwork, or even glass, so I didn't think we would find anything like it once we left."

"How on earth did you afford stuff like that? Alexei had tons of it in his laboratory, but I know none of it was cheap and we didn't exactly have a lot of money left."

Catherine looked embarrassed. "Well, uh, we don't actually have any money left now. I spent the last of it on that box. And before you get mad, I really think it's going to be worth it! We can learn from those books to make medicines for people! Something like that is sure to be a valuable skill if we're helping to build a new town."

Peter gaped in disbelief. "All of our..." He shook his head, then sighed. "Well, it's already spent now and if you can use it properly maybe it will be worth it. But still, how did you afford it? We really didn't have much money left, and I can't imagine any kind of alchemy equipment being cheap."

Catherine blushed. "Well...the man I found who sells this stuff seemed a bit, well, smitten with me when I walked in. And I, uh, might have flirted with him a bit to get a discount." She held up her hands to forestall Peter before he could protest. "No, I didn't do any kind of sex thing with him", she shuddered, "I may have a more active libido these days, but even the thought of doing something like that just to get a discount is....ugh, gross. Anyway, I flirted and haggled with him for a bit and in the end he sold me a box of second-hand stuff in return for whatever I could pay. It isn't a complete set of alchemy equipment, but it should have everything I need according to that book. Enough about what I bought though, have we got everything else ready to go?"

They spent a bit of time going over everything in the cart, but there wasn't anything missing and so they hitched up the donkey and headed off to the east gate to meet up with the settler caravan. It wasn't hard to find the rest of the group - the recruiter had managed to entice quite a few other people to travel with him. It was mostly young couples or single people who had yet to establish themselves, and there were a few young children running amok amongst the gathered carts and animals. As well as the settlers there were six wagons heavily loaded with goods, tools and food that were destined for the town as well. The teamsters in charge of the wagons sat apart from the rest of the group, talking amongst themselves and shooing away any of the children who strayed too close.