Tannah the Warlord Pt. 03

"After the Gorak, that's when," Tannah replied, "come to my room in town, and bring your ... appetite," she said, glancing at his cock.

Less than an hour later Tannah was in armor, riding through a crowd of lizard men that hissed and banged on their shields while she passed.

Hissing wasn't always a sign of aggression, regardless, Aretta and the other guards looked left and right nervously as they approached the Gorak.

Green and grey scaled bodies thronged a large open space. Five figures sat in front of a bonfire in the center of the clearing, three of them dressed in fine, brightly colored clothing, and two of them naked.

Tannah's guards fanned out as she approached the group, their reptilian eyes following her closely. She studied their faces as she stood before them, lifting her arms while two of her men detached her placard from her breast plate.

They removed the whole front piece of her armor, metal skirt and all, then carried it away. She hated leaving her midsection exposed when among so many potential enemies, but it was necessary to sit and attend the Gorak. She glanced at the other Nauls and then unfastened and lifted her helm from her head, further sacrificing safety for the alliance she had worked so hard to achieve.

Tannah sat down on the ground as best she could with greaves and cuisses covering her legs. She looked over her shoulder and saw Silga standing just behind her, flanked by Aretta and another bodyguard.

Silga's neck inflated and he opened his mouth, letting out a low warbeling croak that quieted the crowd.

"This begins the Gorak of Tannah, in the eighth day, nineteenth cycle," he spoke. "This gathering will decide the fate of our people." Silga's head swiveled as he focused on the creatures all around them.

"Since you all await this decision so eagerly I shall skip most formalities and state the question plainly for us all. Shall we go south and rebuild, and live among humans, or shall we brave the north and face death beyond the Kalar mountains?"

There was a chorus of angry hisses from the crowd but Tannah's eyes remained on the other Nauls. They were mostly women, a fact that Tannah found intriguing. The two to the left of Tannah were dressed the most flamboyantly.

One female wore a bright orange and red dress and wore peacock feathers amid her already feathered mane. The one beside her, a male, wore a suit of ceremonial armor constructed of large iridescent scales. The scales were from some creature called a wemic, and judging by their size Tannah was glad she'd never seen whatever that was.

The ones to the left of Tannah made up the richest members of their society and the ones to her right, save the most immediate, made up the poorest.

The two poorest, a male and a female, sat naked and waited for someone to speak, and the first to speak was the female lizard person directly to Tannah's right.

"Who will oversee our supply routes?" she said, focusing her yellow eyes intently on Tannah. "If we go to this place, not knowing the laws of your people, or where we can forage, it may be risky for our hunters safety, and for the alliance." The other Nauls regarded her. Tratalis, Naul of the hunt, wore darker colors. She had naturally purple plumage and wore gold jewelry to keep the others aware of her status.

"We will provide your hunters with an up-to-date map of each region ..." Tannah answered, setting off a wave of murmurs throughout the crowd. "And! ...'' she continued, quieting the other Nauls, "... our hunters will accompany you. Our gatherers will keep stock of every catch and find, as will yours. Both teams will submit a list of vital finds which will be brought to a central tent and divided up based on need."

There was more murmuring from behind her. Tannah spoke louder.

"Your hunters! ..." she began, waiting a moment for the crowd to calm down. "Tratalis and her hunters will attend the central tent, where they may observe and be certain that the procedure is fair."

"... Ssss, and what IF these procedures are not fair," one of the naked ones asked. "What if it is Tratalis against all humans?" A clamor of voices and semi-hushed whispers filled the air again. Tannah looked at the creature that had spoken. The nude lizard man truly looked like one of the poorest members of their society. His scales were caked with dirt and dappled with patches of unshed skin.

"The Nauls of lowness embody the worst of us," she recalled Silga telling her. "Their station is punishment, and all about them from their appearance to their most strongly held ideal is formulated to break us," he had explained. Tannah turned to look at the Nauls of greatness, wondering if they had anything to say about her proposal.

"Silga will arbitrate all disputes," Tannah answered, causing another uproar. A rattling croak from Silga silenced the crowd again.

"Does thissss council still trust Silga's judgment?" Silga asked aloud, his words turning into irritated hisses as he spoke. "Silga has been arbitrator for these meetings for a hundred years," he said, glaring challenge at the faces all around them. "If Silga is no longer valued as such, then let that truth be spoken so we can choose someone else."

The whole gathering went quiet. Tannah and the other Nauls glanced around, waiting for an answer to Silga's question.

"Not good," Tannah thought. Silga was her biggest bargaining chip. If his people turned against him here because he seemed too sympathetic to her cause then the situation could degrade fast.

Tannah started thinking about her escape route. She had two rows of bodyguards that she could retreat between if she absolutely had to. It wouldn't be her favorite option but against so many she would have to consider it.

Then a single deep croak echoed from the back.

"Silga isn't in question," a burly lizard man said, stepping past the bodies in the front and walking into the clearing. "Tannah is," he hissed. Tannah narrowed her eyes at the hulking creature.

He was dressed for combat, the way his people did, with leather pants, a thatch armored chest, and a long, hooked club that seemed to double as a walking stick.

"Tannah is not true Silgan. I, Kalok, challenge for position as war Naul," he called out, his voice a rumbling purr that rose above the chatter of the others.

Tannah stood up and placed a hand on the pommel of her weapon. She studied everyone around her cautiously. The crowd was mumbling, all eyes were on her and Kalok. Some of the lizard men who were dressed for combat seemed eager while others had expressions of uncertainty.

"You do not have to accept any challenge," Silga told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It is not our usual way to make such arrangements ... but, were I in your place now ... I would accept."

"Tannah, do NOT fight that monster," Aretta demanded.

"Agreed, I don't like this," another guard cautioned. Tannah glanced at each of them and then back at Silga, who looked resolute.

"Kalok will get what he desires by other means if this meeting is allowed to adjourn," Silga spoke. "His influence has grown much, you must kill him, for this alliance to survive." Tannah regarded Kalok again.

"What are the terms of this challenge?" Tannah asked aloud, the murmurs growing louder as Kalok seemed to form a grin with his wide reptilian jaw. He chuckled darkly, his laughter more of a growl.

"It is as it has always been, as any true Silgan warrior would know. We fight, head, arms, and chests bare, first blood deciding the victor," Kalok purred. Tannah looked back at Silga to see if he had anything to add, and seeing only resign in his eyes she turned back to her opponent.

"Aretta, remove my breastplate," she said.

"Tannah ..." Aretta started.

"Do it now!" Tannah snapped. There was silence behind her and then a pair of hands began tugging at the straps securing her chest piece. Tannah stared into Kalok's eyes, not looking away as they removed her armor, one piece at a time.

When her breastplate was finally lifted over her head Tannah pulled at the sleeves of her arming jacket, slipping her arms out of them before pulling it over her head, her naked breasts dropping free.

"Kill him," she thought, staring at his long arms while the crowd stared at her exposed nipples.

"I have but one adjustment to make, to the terms of this fight," Tannah said. "You said first blood decides the victor? I say first death."

The crowd went quiet for just a moment. Kalok let out a low hissing laugh.

"Agreed," he croaked, lifting his club and taking a fighting stance as the other Nauls quickly stood up and moved away from the clearing. Tannah drew her blade and spread her feet apart as she sank into guard position.

Silga made another strange noise to announce the start of the match and Kalok leapt forward, swinging his long club. Tannah didn't bother trying to parry the thing. Instead she hopped backward, a warm breeze whipping across her naked breasts and buffeting the shaved side of her head as it sailed past.

She lunged at the haft of her opponent's weapon, where he gripped it, hoping to sever some fingers, but before the blow landed Kalok brought it back for another quick swipe that bounced off of Tannah's shoulder, jostling her, and sending a wave of numbness up her arm. The crowd reacted with gasps as Tannah fought to keep her balance.

Tannah put her right foot under herself just in time and leapt backward as Kalok brought the hook end of his weapon down toward her head. It slammed into the dirt in front of her feet and Tannah watched him lift the heavy implement up and set it on his shoulder.

Despite the club's size he wielded it like a child waving a reed about. When Kalok came at her again Tannah knew she couldn't beat the creature. He swung his weapon down and across. Tannah side-stepped the club and lunged, hurling herself blade first into Kalok's body.

There was a chorus of angry hisses as Tannah's sword sank to its hilt in the creature's abdomen. Something like an angry growl escaped Kalok's toothy mouth. She tore her blade from his stomach as quickly as her muscles would allow, pulling pink viscera out of his body and spraying her thighs with blood as she threw herself backward.

Kalok's large hand passed within inches of her face as he made a grab for her neck, then a one-handed blow from his club knocked Tannah's feet out from under her. She felt the blow launch her and then she landed on her side, gasping, still somehow clutching the pommel of her weapon.

Disoriented and winded Tannah rolled over and put her feet under her. She wobbled as she lifted herself upright then jumped out of the path of her foe's club again, hearing it pound the dirt hard where she had been standing. She held her weapon in two hands and turned to block the swing that she knew would be aimed at her side.

She felt the shock of the impact against her palms, felt her weapon bend under the weight of the blow. Tannah stumbled backward and regained her footing as Kalok lagged in his assault, his club dragging across the sandy ground at the end of his swing.

The blood from the wound in his stomach was everywhere, oozing from the ragged opening in his gut, dotting the sand, pooling around his feet and coloring his loincloth crimson.

"If I'd kept my cursed mouth shut this fight would be over already," Tannah thought as she glanced down at her weapon and saw what she already knew. The blade was twisted and ruined.

Kalok raised his club for a renewed assault and took one final step toward Tannah, before collapsing to his hands and knees. He crawled toward her, looking dazed. He tried to lift himself and his club one more time but it slipped from his fingers.

"Thank the gods," she thought, watching him falter. The whole crowd stared in silence as he pawed about in the dirt looking confused, searching for his weapon while Tannah stood safely out of his reach.

Kalok clutched his stomach and laid his serpentlike snout against the ground. The flames crackled as he groped at the handle of his weapon with his other hand, finally locating it, gripping it weakly. He let out a rasping snort and trembled violently, then stopped moving, his body curled up in his last attempt at life.

Tannah took a deep breath and felt a sharp twinge of pain in her chest as the rush of combat faded. She tossed her broken sword at Kalok's body and it clattered to rest atop his outstretched arm.

"Let him be the last Silgan slain in this conflict," Tannah said, her voice trembling, tasting blood in her mouth. She turned and ambled slowly toward Aretta while noisy cheers rose up from all directions. Tannah moved slowly to hide the limp in her step while two of her bodyguards helped her to her horse.

The ride back was painful. She moved past ecstatic lizard people and mercenaries nervously watching the crowd, her joints protesting even the slightest swaying motion. Once they were beyond the Silgan gathering grounds she leaned over the side of her horse and puked a frothy stream of pink bile into the dirt. Her head spun as she clung to the saddle, retching dryly, bloody vomit dangling from her lower lip.

"Swallowed too much blood ..." she grunted, clinging to the saddle and hoping it wasn't her gut that was injured.

Almost two hours later Tannah sat naked at the edge of her bed while a healer examined her, Aretta scowling over his shoulder. Her lip wasn't bleeding anymore but she could still feel her head throbbing from the jostle of combat.

"You have a lot of bruises but nothing too serious," the man in brown robes said as he felt around her breasts with wrinkled hands. "I would avoid doing anything too strenuous for at least a week to avoid making your injuries worse. No fighting or wrestling, and try to stay in bed if possible. You can have sex ... I wouldn't in your state but it won't kill you."

Tannah raised an eyebrow at the old priest. The man studied her nude form once more before standing up straight.

"The only other advice I can give you is to pick a safer profession," he said with a sigh.

"I didn't ask for advice, I asked if I was okay," Tannah said with a sneer. The older man nodded and turned to leave, opening the door just enough to slip out into the hallway, and pulling it closed behind him.

Aretta shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"I want to say that was fucking stupid," she said, "but you got so damned lucky it would feel out of place." She shook her head again.

"Well I'm glad I avoided such an important life lesson," Tannah said with a smile, tossing her hair to the opposite side of her head and massaging her aching temples.

Tannah had one of the nicest inn rooms available in Bristelkeer. It was spacious with a large bed, and an outside porch that offered a gorgeous view of the city at night.

It had been a gift. When her and her badgers first arrived to deal with Silga's tribes they were celebrated by the locals. Now many of them despised her presence for inviting the lizard men to live and work around the town. Never mind the fact that Bristelkeer had nearly doubled in size due to their work.

Tannah chuckled under her breath. Then suddenly there were three solid knocks at the door. Her and Aretta both looked at the entryway and Aretta moved to see who it was.

She cracked the door to peer into the hallway. Tannah reached out and gripped the handle of her knife, which sat sheathed on the bed beside her, then she heard familiar voices coming from the other side.

"Let them in," she said, just as Aretta was about to speak. Balter stepped in first, grinning slyly when he noticed Tannah. Cavil and Alswain followed him in and Aretta shut the door behind them, latching it.

Tannah stood up and the three men looked her up and down with smiles on their faces, their gazes lingering on her thick dark bush and bare tits.

"I heard about your success," Cavil said, stroking his beard as he admired Tannah's hairy cunt. "Twould be a shame to spoil such a victory by denying these people passage, would it not?"

Tannah walked slowly toward Cavil, looking into his eyes as she approached.

"Sorry Tannah," Balter apologized, "he had me followed." Tannah smirked. She knelt between them, facing the handsome lord in the middle, placing her face inches away from his groin.

"It's fine Balter, doubtless he's just here to collect on the bargain we struck earlier," she guessed, placing her hands on Cavil's hips and looking up into his eyes, "is that not it?" she asked. Cavil's smile widened.

"It is, get to work, general," he answered and Tannah obliged, pulling his silken drawers carefully down. He stared down his nose at her as his pants slid down past his pubic bone, revealing the base of his cock and a large set of balls.

His groin was completely shaved, much to Tannah's interest. She'd rarely seen a man who cared to remove the hair around his penis.

"Mmm," Tannah hummed as she drew his pants over the head of his member, seeing his pink mushroom-tip throb with arousal as it was exposed. She curled her fingers around the shaft of his manhood and stroked it softly, kissing it's bell and then taking it into her mouth.

"Ooh," Cavil moaned, his cock growing firm between Tannah's tongue and palate. Tannah's lips slid over the bulb of his erection and she could feel it swell with arousal, her hand moving gingerly along its length as it became hard.

"Well, look at that, a rich bitch who knows how to use her mouth," Cavil chuckled, smoothing over the strip of medium length hair that hung to one side of Tannah's head. He took a handful of it and held it in a fist as he watched her mouth glide down his member.

"Mmmm," Tannah sighed, gripping the base of his cock and bobbing her head, her lips leaving a sheen of slippery saliva along its surface. She felt his erection grow longer and longer as it slid across her tongue, veins bulging along his shaft as she sucked its engorged tip.

"I heard you slew a giant today," Balter said. "... a lizard as big as an ox with a club the same size as you."

"Impressive," Cavil said, glancing at Balter briefly. Tannah's cheeks burned, her mouth around the head of Cavil's manhood, blushing as he pulled her hair. She reached out and put a hand on Balter's groin, feeling for his penis and finding it tucked neatly against his leg.

"Hhhmmm," she moaned, tasting sweet precum as she drew her lips back along Cavil's hard shaft. She removed her hand from his erection, placing it on his leg, then she looked up at him and let her lips slide down his cock and press against his hairless balls.

"Nnnggh," she gagged, her eyes watering as the bell of Cavil's manhood swelled in the back of her throat. Tannah saw Balter shift about for a moment at the edge of her sight and then he grabbed her hand and pressed his fat penis against her palm. She grinned, drawing back, sucking the slimy drool off of Cavil's length, a single tear rolling down her face.

She smiled up at the man, blushing. She'd been looking forward to a good hard fuck from her husband all afternoon, but this would do just as well. She had enough energy for several men anyways, despite laying with Aretta or Beustalar whenever the need struck.

"Most men say I fuck as well as I fight," she told Cavil before opening her jaw and letting his erection glide down her tongue and into her throat. "Nnnkk, gluch, glhk ..." she gagged as she swayed forward and back, taking the head of his penis deep and covering its thick girth with her slobber.

"Indeed, the rumors say the same," Cavil groaned, smiling as he tugged at her scalp and watched, his precum flowing abundantly from the tip of his member, mixing with her spit and slicking the roof of her mouth. Tannah moved her hand along Balter's penis and felt it grow hard while saliva bubbled from between her lips and clung to Cavil's balls.