The Tale of Amberley Bloodstar Ch. 03

"I am a Dwarf, and I'm digging a hole!

Diggy-diggy hole!

Diggy-diggy hole!"

"Your song seems to have caught on with them," he mused, his pipe stem in his mouth as he glanced toward the sound. "That speaks well of you, I must say."

"I am wearily flattered," I sighed, stretching out my legs and wiggling my toes, having removed my boots. If the lore about the properties of malachite were true, the stones that adorned my boots had been tested to their limits this day. I pulled out my water skin and drank from it gratefully.

"Worry not about depleting your water too quickly, my friend," Rulim said, smiling. "Not at this stage. We have brought plenty, and there are natural wells and underground springs ahead where we can replenish our supplies."

"Any inns up ahead that offer a soft bed and decadent cuisine?" I murmured, looking at the ceiling.

"Afraid not," he chuckled, shaking his head. "You are made of sterner stuff than you let on, Amberley, you needn't hide it. It is precisely because I sensed these qualities in you that I've convinced my thane to bring you along."

"Don't let my griping fool you, then, Rulim, for I am indeed honoured," I replied, pulling out my sling bag and rummaging around for some food. I bit into an apple that hadn't been bruised to inedibility and sighed, the crispy juice tickling my tongue. If I'd had more of it, I'd have been tempted to pour it over my poor feet. It felt that good.

"Is there anything we can do for your comfort?" he asked. Although there were no clauses in the contract that required them to look after me, it was hardly an inconvenience on their part to make sure I was well-rested and comfortable. A bard is always at their best when they're fresh, of course.

I shook my head. "I have my wine, and I have salves and tinctures for weary muscles. Once I have slept, I will be as hale and hardy as the rest of you."

"I do not doubt it," he said readily as he stood up, dusting ash off the front of his tunic. "I can guarantee you that we have at least ten hours before we move out again, so relax and do as you please. I shall find you when the time has come."

I nodded my head as my companion bowed and then trumped off into the dark to join his kin. I looked around, finally realizing how dim the tunnels were at this point, and how much my eyesight had adjusted. I looked at the ancient carvings in the rock of the tunnel I was sitting in, wondering how old they were. Based on what I'd seen back in Drozzir-Karak, they were several centuries old, at least.

I wished I could read those runes. Maybe my hosts would teach me?

I almost snorted, smiling grimly. The Dwarves taught their tongue to almost no one. They'd more likely give me my enchanted strings for free without going on this venture with them than teach me their language and learn their secrets. Still, it was nice to dream.

Dream. I should have been sleeping, but despite my weariness of foot and body, I found I did not desire sleep. I drank some wine, trying to figure out what I was meant to be doing, if not sleeping. I shifted around and then undid my doublet, breathing deeply as I felt my torso expand in freedom. It was then that I shivered as the silk of my blouse brushed across my nipples, giving me a tingle.

By the Mistress of Song, was I horny? Was that my problem?

I heard the tread of heavy footsteps, and then the young Dwarf I'd been talking with earlier, Dalgrul, was standing nearby me. I smiled up at him and nodded by way of greeting. He seemed hesitant for a moment, and then bowed awkwardly.

"I'm not intruding, am I?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Not at all, master Dwarf. I've hardly spent enough time amongst your people to tire of them already. Please, sit."

I patted the floor next to me, so he dropped his pack and eased himself down to the floor, leaning back against the wall. He pulled out a pipe, and I once again politely refused to partake. He was silent for some time before he spoke.

"I've never been to a human city," he mentioned. "Been to a couple of small settlements near Drozzir-Karak, but that's about it. Don't really know much about them, 'cept what I've been told. Is it true they're noisy and chaotic?"

I shrugged. "Certainly parts are, like markets and the poorer quarters. Upscale and aristocratic neighbourhoods tend to be quieter, in general, although even they can be raucous."

"I spent most of my time in Drozzir-Karak," he sighed. "It must seem dull to a bard who travels the world."

"I don't rightly know yet, I only just got here," I pointed out. "I certainly haven't found it boring up to this point. My only complaint would be that it's somewhat dark."

He grunted in amusement. "Have you known many of my people before now?"

I shook my head. "Dwarves are not terribly common in Furyondy, they say it's too... magical, in some fey Elven way. And I'm not sure it is truly possible for someone of another race to claim they actually know your people."

"Are we really that inscrutable?" he asked, curious. "We keep to ourselves, I guess, but are we that hard to know?"

I smiled. "I have the distinct impression that by the time we are finished with this venture, I will know the Dwarves about as well as any member of my race ever has. And I consider it a privilege."

"Is it true your family is married to an Elven dynasty?" Dalgrul queried. "That seems somewhat unusual."

"It's true, and neither family is too sure about it," I admitted. "But apparently it was a necessity, for whatever reason, and some marriages happened to solidify an alliance. I even have a cousin, he is half-Elven."

"Passing strange, I think, to be related to Elves, I can't even imagine it," he muttered, drawing on his pipe and blowing a cloud into the darkness.

"I can't begin to imagine what your children would look like," I quipped, causing him to guffaw loudly and choke for a moment on his pipe smoke. He wheezed and shook his head while I giggled behind my hand. Once he had composed himself, he packed his pipe away and leaned back again, looking up into the darkness.

"Will you be required to marry an Elf and bear their children?" he murmured finally.

"Thankfully, no," I replied, drawing my knees up to my chest and hugging my arms around them. "I've no desire to marry an Elf and bear children."

"Does it... work the same way as it would for a Dwarf?" he asked, looking at me.

I raised an eyebrow at the question. "You mean the sex?"

He nodded.

"I imagine so, if you Dwarves have sex the way we humans and the Elves do," I reasoned. "I'm not saying I don't enjoy sex with them, because I've had a few Elf lovers over the years, but I've no interest in cleaving to one. And I don't especially want children at this point in my life anyway. I'm not ready to settle down, and I'm certainly not done sampling the rich tapestry of lovers the world has waiting for me."

"You like sex a lot," he suggested.

"Don't you Dwarves?" I asked in return. "It seems like a rather intrinsic thing."

"Dwarf women are few, our race grows only slowly," he said, seeming grim. "In times of war, the deaths of our warriors often outstrips the birth of our young, and our men do not often marry. I have wondered, though, what it is like. Sex, I mean."

I glanced at him in amusement. "Master Dwarf, are you implying that you want to have sex with me?"

"Oh, no, no," he said hastily, blushing past even his ruddy complexion. It was rather endearing, to be honest, to see him flustered. "I... I was just curious what it was like, for... for you humans, your women."

"I see," I mused. "Were you looking for a demonstration?"

"A demonstration?" he murmured, his brow furrowing. "But how?"

I glanced in the direction we had come from. "We passed another tunnel back there. What was down it?"

He shrugged. "Some guard rooms, an empty armoury or two, some privies... why do you ask?"

"Well," I said, rising to my feet. "If you have no other commitments for the next hour or so, then come with me some place me private, and I shall demonstrate how we women pleasure ourselves."

I looked down at him and wiggled my fingers. "Well come now, we haven't got all night!"

Rather hesitantly, he took my hand and I brought him to his feet with a grunt. He was no longer wearing his war gear and armour, but these Dwarves were still stout little fellows, and it took effort. I kept hold of his hand and led him back down the hall and turned the corner. I grabbed a guttering torch from the wall and walked along, stopping in front of the first room we came across, which had a stout wooden door. I opened it and peered inside.

"I think this will do," I announced as I pulled into the privy, setting the torch in a small fixture on the wall. It was a small room, no more than five feet by eight, but for what I had planned, not a lot of room was needed, after all. There was a stone toilet (of course, everything seems to be stone), and a small three-legged stool. "Go ahead and have a seat right there."

"You... you can do this?" he stammered. "Whatever it is you are going to do?"

I smiled and nodded. "Before you approached me, I had concluded that I was indeed horny already, and might need to do something about it if I was to get to sleep. Now I just happen to have an audience, which makes it rather exciting, to be honest."

"I am not your first... audience?" he asked uncertainly.

"Not by any means, but I believe you'll be the first Dwarf," I replied pleasantly once he had sat and I began removing my clothes. Dalgrul watched silently as I slipped off my blouse, revealing my bountiful breasts, the creamy skin warm in the torchlight. The air of the small room was cool, though not cold, and thankfully not clammy or dank. The cool air kissed my rosy nipples, which hardened quickly, and I bit my lip as I relished the tingle it sent through me.

Next, I removed my belt from around my waist, letting it fall to the side. My tan-coloured breeches were next, and I shimmied them down my shapely legs, until I was clad only in my brief undergarment. It was a true delight, made of moonmoth silk, and felt exquisite against my pussy. I removed it before the wetness became too much, since I'd only brought so many pairs on this venture.

I pulled them down, revealing myself to the young dwarf, who tilted his head as he stared intently. I stood up tall, my legs slightly parted, and smiled, while reaching back and undoing the braids in my hair. The golden tresses spilled down and I ran my fingers through it sensually.

"Humans... you have no hair down there?" Dalgrul asked, rather intrigued.

"Yes, we do," I purred, feeling my body warming up as I kept myself on display, swaying side to side. "But for many, it if fashionable and sensual to shave it off. I love how it feels. I take it your own women have hair?"

"Aye," he said, nodding and still staring at my pussy. He was leaning forward to get a good look. "They have no beards, but otherwise, hair like we men. You seem... wet?"

I nodded as well. "As I said, I was feeling aroused before you had joined me, and was considering seeing to it. I may very well have ended up in this room anyway, to take care of my urges."

"Well, do not let me stop you," my companion said, resting his chin on his knuckle, while his elbow rested on his knee. "It must be fascinating."

I almost giggled, since he sounded like he was treating this as a scientific experiment in some deep-buried Dwarven lab, but I couldn't wait to begin all the same. I closed my eyes and continued swaying languorously, listening to the slow, erotic music only I could hear. My hands caressed my thighs, working their way up my body without touching my womanhood just yet, over my stomach and up to my breasts. I sighed as my palms brushed over my erect nipples, the tingling sensations returning.

I moved backward until I felt my heel against the stone of the raised latrine and gracefully sat down on the seat. I smiled at Dalgrul as I pulled my hair off to one side, parting my legs to expose myself. As you may have noticed by now, I feel no particular shame or embarrassment about my body. These are not traits we are known for in Furyondy, and certainly not in my family, the Vails, and the women least of all. My companion could see my womanhood again, and if I was blushing, it was the excitement I was feeling. There were very few times that I did not love having an audience.

I leaned back some more, ignoring the kiss of the cold stone on the skin of my back. I reached down and used stroked my fingers up and down my netherlips slowly, and then used two to pull them apart, exposing my pink inner puss to Dalgrul. He leaned forward again, utterly fascinated as the flickering torchlight played over me.

"Move closer, we don't bite," I purred, enjoying myself.

Dalgrul moved his stool forward, until he was almost between my spread legs, his gaze still on my increasingly wet womanhood. I tried not to squirm too much as I slid my fingers up and down the slick, glistening folds, feeling my clit peeking out from its hood. I moaned softly as my fingers caressed their hello to her. My free hand was stroking and squeezing my ample breasts, the nipples now hard and standing at attention.

In short order, I had almost entirely forgotten that Dalgrul was there, since my body was warming up, and I felt only the yearning and mounting desire to cum. I fondled myself and teased my pussy, eager to show him how I could climax. I admit that I was torn between the need to put on a long and informative show for my companion, or to make myself cum hard and fast, so that I could rest while I had the chance.

I started tugging on and pinching my nipples and groaned as I finally slid a finger inside myself, squirming and loving how wet I sounded. His eyes remained fixed on my pussy while he watched as the digit dipped in and out, glistening with my desire.

"It's... it works the same, I guess, but it is so different, as well," he remarked, fascinated. While my dwarf companion's presence wasn't making me horny directly, I admit that I was enjoying having an audience. Dalgrul was curious about my sexuality, and I was more than happy to put on a display for him. I guess he really didn't know that many humans.

Two fingers continued to plunge in and out of my increasingly wet womanhood, while my thumb strummed over my clit in perfect timing to my needs. My other hand squeezed and fondled my breasts, and I moaned while I squirmed on the stone seat. I could feel sweat on my skin, despite my cool surroundings.

"It feels good?" he asked. A dumb question, for sure, but I guess the differences between us had to make for strange allowances.

"Mmm-hmmmm," I breathed, my legs squeezing shut around my hand as I fingered myself. As I bit my lip, my eyes closed while I molested my breasts, the delicious sting of pinching my nipple sending shivers through me. It wouldn't be long now, and despite my audience, I very much wanted to cum. "I am going to climax soon, Dalgrul."

He nodded, leaning in closer. I was almost bucking against my hand now, my fingers plunging in and out of my greedy pussy. The noises my cunt was making filled the small chamber and my breath was coming in gasps. Slick with sweat, my skin was flushed pink as I pushed myself closer and closer to the release I craved. The warmth building in my core could not be stopped now, and I almost entirely forgot that Dalgrul was in the room with me.

I arched my back and thrust my hips forward against my hand frantically, groaning loudly as the pleasure crashed over me, waves of bliss melting my senses and carrying me away to a place I wished I never had to leave. The climax battered me relentlessly, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I was only barely aware of the obscene noises my pussy made as my fingers plunged in and out madly.

Finally spent, I sagged against the back of the stone chair, my eyes rolled into my head and my chest heaving. It would not be the first time, nor the last, though I found it ironic that even a bard such as myself had so little facility with describing the ecstasy involved in a good climax.

I was not even close to recovered when Dalgrul stood up and nodded. "Thank you for showing me, Amberley," he said simply before leaving the small room, closing the door after himself. I was too spent at that very second to give any consideration to his rather strange reaction. There was a first time for everything, right?

Some time had passed before I felt the urge to right myself and get out of the tiny room. I now felt relaxed, and deliciously fatigued, as I had hoped. Now I could sleep properly, hopefully resting myself for what lay ahead, a grim tale I could barely guess at.

As I returned to my place in the hall and lay down on my bedroll, I led my mind drift, banishing all complicated thoughts and simply laying with my eyes closed, the distant mumbling and droning of my companions lulling me to sleep within moments.

Whatever awaited me, it was in the hands of the goddess, now.

***

I was glad that my new associates were proving so surprisingly forthcoming with me about some things, because I was needing a decided distraction- the tunnels seemed to get narrower and more cramped as we left Drozzir-Karak farther behind. They also decreased in height, and my back was getting quite sore from all the bending and hunching over I was required to do as we pressed on.

There was also less light now, since they began to eschew the use of torches for themselves. This meant I was, by necessity, relegated to the back of the expedition, where the torch I carried was less likely to give us away. Often, I must have been a few hundred yards behind the vanguard, with a small band of younger warriors. I was surprised that they didn't consider me a hindrance.

Rulim explained that we were approaching the places that had been contested for centuries now, and to enjoy the quiet while I could. It wouldn't be long before we would face resistance from our foes.

"The Mines and Forges of Yallarz lie ahead," he said, his wizened face grim with purpose. "Some ninety years ago, we thought we had driven the goblins from these halls and would be able to hold them. But they pushed us out within two weeks, with terrible loss of life on both sides. I cannot forget that battle, and I intend to redeem the shame of my retreat..."

"Do the goblins hold the mines now?" I asked, rather concerned by the look on his face.

He nodded. "Aye, but not as strongly as they should, perhaps. If we have planned this attack well, we should be able to take the mines back swiftly and press on. Some parts of our forces will be splitting off to guard the access points once we have secured the-"

A messenger, a surprisingly slender and lithe Dwarf, hurried back to us, speaking to Rulim and our companions in their thick, incomprehensible tongue. Rulim replied before the messenger sprinted off into the darkness. He turned to look at me now.

"Our vanguard has engaged the goblins in the forge," he said rather gravely. "Prepare yourself, Amberley..."

We hurried on now, and I began to notice the air growing warmer in the darkness. More than that, I began hearing distant sounds, like the ringing of metal, and perhaps cries and screeches. Despite my concerns, I was already narrating to myself about how this battle, this war in the depths of the earth, was unfolding. A tale meant to enthrall and scare men, to let them know of strife unseen and unheard in the world above.

I wondered about these ancient kingdoms as we trudged forward, the scope of them- did the Dwarven realms run beneath the very feet of Men? Were there mighty, age-old passages between the mountain domains? Had this doughty people hollowed the ground beneath us? If so, what wonders lay in those dark, sightless tunnels?