Vandal Hearts Ch. 05

Rhine Bridge

A LIGHT EASTERLY BREEZE BLOWS in and hits the old wooden bridge causing it to sway slightly. It creaks a little from the movement and the sound can be heard just over the soft gurgling of the steady flow of the river below.

"These kinds of bridges just aren't safe," Huxley the priest complains as the group approaches the wooden bridge.

"C'mon," Diego waves passing the old man. "I'm going anyway."

"I'm not so sure about that," Clint says raising a finger toward the opposite end of the bridge.

Across the way a small group of roughly dressed men clamber onto the bridge. Some carry swords and shields and a few bows or just swords. A couple jump up and dangle themselves onto the cables that suspend the bridge.

"Huh?" one of the thieves says realizing for the first time who Ash and his companions are. "Those aren't merchants."

"Don't bother me none," the thief's companion says. "We can always sell their stuff for money after we kill'em."

"Oh hell," Diego mutters. "Where did these guys come from all of a sudden?"

"Don't worry," Ash says as he draws out his sword and steps forward onto the bridge. "Piece of cake."

The first thief smiles, gaining his confidence back. "Hey, it looks like these guys are game!"

"Don't worry. We won't even bloody our hands!" his companion laughs.

As Clint follows behind the remainder of the group he stops and sniffs. It takes a moment for him to remember what the smell reminds him of. "Look out!" he yells. "I smell gunpowder!"

Then part of the bridge behind the group erupts in an explosion, rocking the entirety of the bridge. The bridge sway violently but refuses to fall and when it finally settles back there is a wide gap between the group and the land they were just on. The only thing remaining are remarkably the cables that hold the bridge up and in place.

"Huh?" the thief looks puzzled. "I missed? Well that's okay. This bridge will collapse soon anyway. They're headed for the bottom of the river."

"This is not good," Huxley says matter of factly.

"Then let's get across before it collapses," Ash orders.

The band of thieves charge with intensity and Ash is they first to greet them, by taking the head off the first thief.

"Watch out Ash!" Diego yells as he sends an arrow into the throat of an attacking thief. The thief stumbles back but regains his footing and goes for another attack.

Before Ash or Diego can react Eleni charges a spell that sends the thief over the edge of the bridge to a watery grave. "Vox of universum habitum. Atrum Astrum!"

A blackness surrounds the thief with sharp edges fluctuating in and out and then suddenly collapses in on itself piercing him. His eyes go wide then fade into darkness before his body goes limp and he falls over the edge.

Ash nods his thanks then blocks an incoming sword strike with his sword that is countered by Clint stabbing his into the side of the thief ending his life.

Enthralled by what he has just witnessed Diego looks at Eleni and says, Why don't you whip out some golems now?"

Don't you remember?" she smirks. "You destroyed them all. Do you know how long it took me to make those golems?"

Diego simply shrugs his shoulders.

"One year to form them from the mud and two years to give them life," she answers with fieriness.

Okay, okay. I got it," he says hold up his hands in surrender. "Next time you should make them a little more durable."

"Hmph!"

"Whenever you two are done playing, you can join us," Clint calls over his shoulder as his sword cuts through the bow of a thief.

The thief falls to the ground frightened. Clint whips his sword around and is about to run the thief through when a shield slams into him knocking him to the side off balance.

Clint finds his footing and finds himself facing off with three new opponents. The one that attacked him has a wide toothy grin displayed across his face, "Get him boys."

Clint braces himself for the attack, but as the two thieves behind toothy step forward the old priest surprises them all, flying over head. "Aiiieee!"

His staff strikes the thief on the right across the face sending him to the ground. As Huxley lands he sends his weapon into the stomach of the other, doubling him over then up into his chin, knocking him up and over the edge of the bridge.

Having seen enough of the rampaging priest, toothy turns to hightail it out and receives and arrow straight into his left eye. He is dead before he even hits the deck.

On the other side of the bridge is standing a female in brown and pink garments with long brown hair and quite attractive carrying a bow. "Looks like you guys could use some help!"

"Who are you?" Ash questions. "Friend or foe?"

"My name's Kira Wulfstan and isn't it obvious?" she answers. "Let's fight together."

"Yes, let's!" Diego yells in agreement.

With only a few of the thieves left, Ash, his companions and Kira Wulfstan quickly eliminate them and their threat, leaving none of them alive. When it is all over they gather together on the safety of the land on the other side of the bridge.

"I'm glad to be off that rickety old thing," Huxley huffs. "This trip is already too dangerous for you young miss."

Eleni casts him a glare but says nothing and instead moves closer to Ash.

"I'm Ash Lambert," he says extending his hand toward the young and attractive woman holding the bow. "Thanks for helping us."

"I'm Kira," she says ignoring the gesture and instead waving her hand at him, "A mercenary."

"A fierce warrior and a beauty as well," Diego adds. "I think I'm in love."

'That's rude Diego," Clint says frowning.

"That's okay," Kira says with a sweet smile. "Want to hire me as a bodyguard?" she asks changing the subject. "It looks like you only have this one cute guy as an archer. I'll bet you could use another archer. How about it?"

"Hehe. She called me cute," Diego chuckles. "You're a fine archer," he says flirting back. "We welcome you to our party, right Ash?"

"Of course we do," Ash agrees without skipping a beat. "You'll be a great help."

"Now things are getting interesting," Diego says with a sly smile.

"Are you sure, Ash?" Clint asks incredulously. "We shouldn't involve some woman who we hardly know."

"Oh yeah?" Kira says angrily. "Well I bet I'm a match for even you!" She jabs a finger into Clint's armor to emphasize her point.

"It's not your strength that I'm questioning," he says defensively.

"You sound like a grumpy old man, Clint," Diego states.

Clint looks at Diego with a hard look but doesn't say anything. Ash seeing the situation brewing badly says, "The sun will set soon, let's make camp."

WITH CAMP SET UP EVERYONE took to bed quickly except for Ash who couldn't find sleep. He wanders down to the river and with the soothing noise of the flowing water and the brightness of the moon he pulls out his ocarina and plays a soothing melody. Not long after Eleni slowly wanders down and waits.

"That's beautiful," she says when he finishes the tune.

Ash looks over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of her. "Oh, it's you," he says nonchalantly. "Couldn't sleep?"

"I want to apologize for forcing you to take me," she says avoiding his question.

"Well I understand you're worried about your dad," he says with a shrug, trying to brush off the previous experience. "But you should know that it's possible that your dad really is a traitor. It's also possible that he has reasons that neither of us know about. I want you to be ready to judge for yourself when the time comes."

"I know what you're trying to say, but I trust my father completely," she argues.

A long pause follows as they both watch the river flow by and listen to its soothing sound. Eventually Eleni breaks the silence.

"The truth is I'm adopted," she explains. "Fifteen years ago, Magnus found me. my parents had been killed in the war and I couldn't remember who I was or what my name was. But Magnus loved me as if I was his own flesh and Blood. That's why I'll always trust my father even if no one else does."

Ash's eyes soften. "That's beautiful. I'm jealous of you."

"You don't trust your father?" she asks curiously.

"He died during the Revolution."

"I'm so sorry," Eleni says and she means it.

"No," he says quickly. "Don't be sorry. He doesn't deserve it. My father was a soldier in the Liberation Army, but he switched sides and died a traitor's death. My mother and I faced constant humiliation. After mother died I fell apart and only Commander Beckett trusted me. He saved me from myself."

"Mr. Lambert—"

"Anyway, I didn't mean to bore you with that," he interrupts. "Please call me Ash. Okay Eleni?"

"Sure, Ash and you can call me Eleni." She leans in and kisses him lightly at first with her lips brushing his and then more forcibly when he doesn't pull away.

Within moments they are pulling off each other clothing and armor, letting it fall wherever and themselves to the ground. Ash shifts his body so that he is between Eleni's legs. She spreads her legs a bit allowing him to move in.

"I've never," Eleni says a bit nervously. She quickly collects herself and reaches out and grabs Ash's cock and pulls it toward her pussy. Once the tip of his cock enters her opening she lets go and Ash takes full control and pushes into her.

Slowly as he starts to inch his way inside her she feels mixed feelings of pain and pleasure. Ash keeps going slowly until he reaches her hymen where he stops and looks into her eyes.

"Take me," Eleni moans.

Ash nods and withdraws his cock a bit and then slams it forward breaking through her hymen until he is balls deep in her. Eleni lets out a scream of pain and pleasure and holds onto Ash with her arms wrapped around his chest.

As Eleni relaxes so does her grip on Ash and he moves his head down and begins playing with her nipples as he begins to pull out his cock slowly and then push it back in even slower. He keeps this slow pace for a while, going ever so slowly until Eleni is squirming around underneath him.

Eleni shouts in frustration, "Just fuck me already would you!"

Ash smiles as he was just waiting for that moment to arrive. He withdraws himself even slower than before and then drives in hard and fast. Eleni wraps her arms around him and lets out a moan of pleasure. Ash begins to get a rhythm going where he pulls out slowly until just the head of his cock is in and then he slams it back into Eleni's waiting pussy.

After several long minutes Ash begins to realize he isn't going to last much longer with Eleni's pussy pulsating and squeezing his cock so tightly. He lets his animal instincts take over and begins to drives his cock as fast and as hard as he can into her.

Eleni wraps her legs and arms around Ash and closes her eyes and begins moaning out, "Yes, yes, yes! Fuck me! Fuck me hard!"

Ash needing no more encouragement starts giving everything he has and begins to piston in and out of Eleni as fast as he can. He feels his balls begin to tighten up and he knows he is going to cum.

"I'm going to cum," he manages to say through gritted teeth.

Eleni can't form any words and just nods and pulls him further in with her legs. She throws her head back and gives out her loudest moan yet. Ash feels his cock being gripped over and over again as Eleni is rocked by her orgasm. The feeling is indescribable to Ash and that is all he needs to be pushed over the edge.

Ash slams himself as deep as he can into Eleni and holds himself there as he shoots all his cum as deep as he can into her. Eleni, feeling Ash's warm cum shoot deep into her pussy, is sent to a whole new height in her orgasm. It is all she can do just to hold on to Ash for dear life as her body is ravaged by wave after wave of pleasure as Ash lays there enjoying the feeling of Eleni milking all the cum out of his cock with her pussy.

Ash lays on Eleni exhausted from his efforts but fully satisfied. Eleni coming down from her orgasm begins to smile as she reflects on her best orgasm ever. She turns to Ash and kisses him softly and then rolls back over and slowly gets to her feet.

Silently she clothes herself and just before she turns to leave she says, "Sweet dreams, Ash."

"Goodnight, Eleni."

He watches as Eleni walks back to where she came from. When she disappears from sight, he rolls to his back, folds his arms across his chest and closes his eyes.