War of the Races Ch. 38

Bastet and Hlina were not enthusiastic, but they accepted Glenna's council. Then, taking Hlina's hand in hers, Glenna led her off in the direction of the battleground to look for the injured.

Coella, Huxian, and Shahad were the only three who had previously experienced the restorative, and sexually arousing nature of my pollen. None of them were priestesses at the time, so I didn't know how it would affect them now that Coella and Huxian were shrine maidens. As it turned out, Huxian was excused from learning how to heal due to tending to her six infants. Coella, Tsukino, and Usagi were out with Glenna. They were not excused from learning the art of healing. Shahad was lending a hand escorting the newly healed, and naked captives to their containment area. When I did see Shahad she sent waves of sexual pheromones alluding to lurid breeding scenarios that would increase the girth of her abdomen after I inseminated yet more of her eggs. I still wasn't sure if this was just how she was, or if she was being affected by my pollen.

Ogrethanne, accompanied by Fjallindae and Ra'Shaal were the first svartalf priestesses I came across after my transformation. There were also a half dozen svartalf Initiates with them.

"Hey! Fjallindae!" Bastet called out to the priestess, "We come to lend aid. Why don't you all come and take a break with Viridian? When he is an arboreal he can restore your constitution!"

Fjallindae and Ra'Shaal exchanged a look before they started to gather their charges and come over. They took note of the large dome of golden pollen shooting up from my wheat stalk-like hair before falling to the ground all around me. Fjallindae and Ra'Shaal stopped at the edge and regarded the grass and wildflowers that were greener and more vibrant.

Ogrethanne plowed right past them and into the area of effect of my pollen. The Initiates glanced at Fjallindae but didn't bother with hiding the look they cast my way. It was as if I was a piece of meat to be devoured, and they were all salivating in anticipation!

Sharing another look, Fjallindae and Ra'Shaal shrugged before stepping inside the dome of golden pollen. They were all very beautiful and all very naked, except for Fjallindae and Ra'Shaal who still wore their spider lace habits. As one, all of them inhaled deeply, their eyes glazed over with carnal lust, and they rushed me!

I'm not sure how much time passed. I'm not even sure that all of the priestesses were the first nine I ran into, as a matter of fact, I'm sure of it! I could have fought back, I suppose. I could have run. But, I didn't.

I heard Bastet gasp and then hiss before running away. I assumed to get help, but if she did, none ever came. Actually, quite the opposite happened.

Chuckling and laughter from Sequoia and Quebracho followed them removing my Barkskin clothing only seconds before Ogrethanne's charging supple body bore me to the ground like a lioness with her kill between her teeth.

I didn't stand a chance. She grabbed my manhood, guided it to her wet femininity, and sank down my length with a luxuriant sigh. I never pegged her for the passionate sort, but a second later she was lavishing my face with kisses and clawing my chest as she rode me to climax. She openly growled as she came and then kept going as she reached one peak after another. Only once she was too raw for the act of sex to be pleasurable did she relent and let the Initiates have their turns.

To my surprise Fjallindae and Ra'Shaal took their own turns together, each one allowing me to partake of her feminine delight, planting their behinds on my face as I orally ministered to them before trading places. They, too, couldn't stop themselves until they were sore to the point of walking tenderly as they continued their search for those who needed healing. After they left, another group of svartalf Disciples followed.

Sometime later Coella and Orsa appeared, and then Hlina. Hlina made love to me like she was in a competition with all of the other priestesses. She was fierce and hungry, making Ogrethanne seem childish and innocent by comparison while doing things to me I had never known possible until she did them.

I think the svartalf priestesses started coming back for seconds and thirds at some point because some of them were starting to become familiar. Ogrethanne being the most notable and the most aggressive came back six times. However, it was also she who mentioned two priestesses that had suffered grievous wounds including the removal of their tongues. When I asked who they were, she offered Thurdain and Illglan's names as the victims. Nodding that I knew of them I said nothing more and neither did she.

As the sun was setting, Glenna appeared and straddled my hips and took a turn, and then, surprisingly, she waved for Tsukino and Usagi to join her.

"They must learn the way of the 'Contribution for Power'," Glenna explained.

"Are they to become my concubines, as well then?" I asked.

Glenna shrugged as she asked, "Is that what you wish them to be?"

I regarded both Tsukino and Usagi, but both were consumed by their lusts for me and each other.

"Is it what they want?" I asked.

"Oh goddess, yes!" Usagi moaned wantonly as Tsukino's hands ministered to her sex.

I didn't know if she was acknowledging me or expressing gratitude to Tsukino, but I took it as consent. Glenna continued until she climaxed and then left. She and Hlina were the only two that didn't need me in order to procure my life force. However, it didn't stop them from returning for the more carnal delight of it. Once left alone with Usagi and Tsukino they committed themselves completely to getting their 'Contribution' together. Usagi sat on my face first and let me consume her nectar while Tsukino took her time riding me until she was so sore she could barely stand. Thankfully, I healed her with my Healing Seed. Then, they swapped places and it was Usagi's turn. She was twice as fierce as Tsukino or any of the priestesses. The only person she was close to being as intense as was Hlina, and maybe Ogrethanne. Usagi moved like she was possessed. Her body vibrated and undulated. Her fat heavy breasts bounced and jiggled. Her thighs and buttocks were just amazing, and then her whole body, every muscle, contracted as her eyes crossed and her expression twisted as if she had eaten a bitter fruit!

As Usagi continued until she climaxed eleven more times I became more and more happy that I was in my arboreal-form. My arousal never waned. My root never flagged. And my wooden skin never chafed.

Shahad had her time with me sometime later. Then Bastet and Leandra. Coella, Tsukino, and Usagi started coming to me together, and then the next time it was Coella and Huxian. Once it was too dark to search anymore there was one last round of all the priestesses, and then my wives and concubines before everyone began retiring for the day.

----(!)----

Upon returning to Forelain's camp I found many changes. The first and most notable was that to the north, northeast, and east were three large paddocks made of stone and earthen walls. Each wall was some thirty feet high and sloped inward so that they couldn't be physically climbed out of, or floated out of with a magical device or some other means. Facing the camp were three square openings accessing each paddock. One portal for each paddock through which svartalf slaves shuttled food and drinks, or carried blankets for soldiers, officers, craftsmen, or other slaves.

Only the sven'dahl seemed to be fairly independent. They had required a different approach from the svartalf prisoners. Hlina, with Svartsilki and Gloa's help, made a gigantic hole in the ground with only one opening for entry and exit while many much smaller tunnels provided adequate airflow, then glossy black arachnids scuttled into their hole almost happily.

I found Hlina and Glenna separated and apart from everyone else. As I drew close I overheard Glenna instructing Hlina on the ways and forms of priestly conduct.

"--As I said, the conduct of a priestess of Seline will differ from those of Arachne, Gaia, Lauma, or Zephyra and her sisters Eurunia, Borheas, and Notus," Glenna said quietly in her teaching voice, "Your best option is to stick close to Orsa. She is a shaman of Gaia. And Shahad since she too hears the voice of Gaia. You might even make them shrine maidens as I have with Coella, Tsukino, and Usagi."

Glenna's voice fell away as I approached and they both turned to smile at me.

"What has you two over here all by yourselves?" I asked, seeing that they didn't want me to overhear their conversation.

"Nothing that should concern you," Glenna replied casually before asking, "Why is it you have sought us out, husband?"

"Just returned from contributing to the priestesses," I said as I moved in between Glenna and Hlina and wrapped my arms around their waists, "I saw that you two have been hard at work. I was hoping I could get a tour, or, at least, an explanation as to what all has been done."

The way that Glenna's skin was now a portal to view the universe made it hard to see her expressions. However, Hlina smiled honestly and without any hint of annoyance at my interrupting their private conversation. Both of them grabbed my hands which were resting on their hips and kindly moved them so that I was holding their hands as we began to walk around the camp.

It was growing dark, but glow rods and torches were being erected by craftsmen and slaves that knew their duties well. As we walked I noticed that Hlina was now wearing a fair number of Glenna's rings on her fingers and wondered about them but said nothing. Glenna was still completely nude. Hlina was as well except for a chain she wore around her waist and loincloth that flapped about as she walked so much that it was rendered mostly useless if its purpose was to cover her sex.

Hlina led me to the northern paddock and we walked through the large square opening. Inside, the paddock was illuminated by nonflammable glow rods stabbed into the ground at intervals around the perimeter and down the center.

Just inside the opening, we found Aalyn along with her sisters sitting together on their blankets. Further down, filling the paddock were the rest of the ranking nobility that made up the majority of the officers. To the back, furthest away from the opening were the common soldiers, few though they were. From Aalyn to the lowest-ranked soldier, they were all stripped of their weapons, armor, and clothing. They were the smallest group of survivors and their building was the smallest of the three.

As we passed through the impromptu building, I watched the soldiers cut their eyes towards us as they whispered with their companions. Interestingly they regarded me with indifference or hostility, but when they looked at Glenna and Hlina their fear and awe were noticeable. Seen as the principal reason for their loss in the Moonfire War, Glenna and Hlina were given something akin to goddess status and wherever they went they were given a wide berth. They were something to be respected, feared, and possibly--worshiped.

Aalyn watched quietly as we passed by. Thurdain and Illglan were signing to each other but Aalyn wasn't paying attention. She was sitting cross-legged on her blanket, her hands on her knees, her whole continence expressing patience as she watched us leave.

The next paddock housed the craftsman and slaves. The craftsmen were a mixed lot made up mostly of males, but there were a few females and many of them had wives, husbands, or apprentices. They all seemed to segregate themselves mostly by professions, and then by families afterward.

The slaves were mostly female. They were mostly the property of the nobles though there were more than a few that were owned by the craftsmen. In either group, nobles or craftsmen, the males always preferred female slaves. That way they could have their liberties after a long day of work without having to pay the prostitutes. The female nobles also preferred females but for differing reasons. The male slaves they kept could be for many reasons which included having a docile male whom they could seek out their pleasures with, or take out their frustrations. Among the craftsmen, male slaves were usually sought after for their strength and endurance and were worked to exhaustion.

Glenna and Hlina were again given a wide berth by anyone passing by us, but for the most part, we were ignored. Craftsmen and slaves alike were too busy tending to their work, families, or other duties to be distracted by visitors. Interestingly, neither the slaves nor the craftsmen were stripped of their clothing, and many of them retained their possessions. All except the armors and weapons makers.

The third paddock housed the priestesses and as soon as I entered I knew I had made a mistake. Ogrethanne was the first to approach with lust in her eyes and asked if I was there to bed her again. As she asked the other priestesses began to move as one toward us. Their hunger was not as crazed as it had been earlier in the day. My Healing Seed seemed to have inoculated them to a degree against my pheromones. However, seeing that Glenna and Hlina were my wives, there was beginning to be a hopeful expectation among them of my taking some or all of them as wives as well. Ogrethanne was the most persistent of them all.

Turning us around Glenna hastily led us back out of the priestesses' paddock and over to a mound with a large hole beneath it. Off to the side, Gloa and Svartsilki along with about a hundred female sven'dahl butchered two all too humanoid figures.

"Are those?" I asked but didn't finish as I looked away in stomach turning disgust.

Hlina nodded, "They waited until after dark and then they dragged bodies from the battlefield. Gloa and Svartsilki have been very discriminating about preparing their food for their brethren even though the craftsmen and slaves, and I'm sure the nobles all know what is on the sven'dahl's food menu."

"No doubt they do," I agreed, but shook my head as we passed on by.

I was starving so badly, but after what I had just seen my belly felt a bit turbulent. Turning as one, Glenna and Hlina guided me back to Forelain's camp while Glenna spoke up for the first time during the tour, "Husband, we have news that we would like to share with you before we rejoin the others."

We slowed our pace and I regarded Glenna with love and patience as she continued, "First, I lost the child growing in my belly during the battle. True, it was only an embryo, but it was a life you and I created together."

I nodded solemnly. The news stung, but it was not surprising. I also knew that the first few weeks of pregnancy were dangerous for the embryo no matter what was happening. If it hadn't settled soon and planted, Glenna still would have miscarried.

Turning to Glenna I hugged her tight as I whispered, "When you are ready we can try again."

Glenna nodded her head and then we kissed. When we pulled back Glenna turned to look at Hlina. She was smiling.

"I have faith that Glenna will conceive again, and soon," Hlina purred, then she stepped in and wrapped her arms around Glenna and me as she said, "Daniel, I'm pregnant!"

Smiling even more broadly than before, I kissed Hlina and held her close. We stood there for a while before I asked, "When?"

Hlina's dark eyes glinted as she said, "Today! I felt it as soon as it happened! Daniel! I'm so happy!"

Hlina's exuberance was so vivacious that I couldn't bring myself to correct her for using my old name.

"Well," I said instead, "Since you're eating for two, I guess we should see about feeding you."

Hlina laughed as she nodded in agreement, but added, "Oh, I'm eating for more than two."

That shocked me! I started to stop but then Glenna and Hlina hoisted me along after them with a laugh.

"No stopping now," Hlina purred, "And no, I am not telling you just how pregnant you've made me!"

----(!)----

The meal that evening was especially grand. I had an appetite that could have consumed an elephant, and so did Hlina and Glenna. As we were eating, Sinaan, leading Forelain on his arm with Fjallindae on his other arm, approached and sat across from me.

My eyes caught Fjallindae's and she blushed before looking away from Sinaan. I nodded inwardly but showed none of my thoughts.

"With your assistance, the priestesses were able to find all the survivors I think we will find. Thank you for allowing us to heal our injured and recover some of the dead. Tomorrow, with your blessing, we will start burying the dead," Forelain signed as Fjallindae spoke.

"Of course," I replied with a nod of my head.

"This leads me to our next problem," Forelain continued as she flashed a brief smirk in acknowledgment of my respect towards her, "Idavollr never has had the capacity to provide burial places for our dead. Usually, funerals end with our dead being given back to Gaia."

"How is that done?" I asked.

"An old lava tube," Forelain explained, "Leads to a river of lava the jarndvergr created to bypass Idavollr so that the city would not be destroyed. At least that is how the nobility is disposed of."

"I see," I mumbled. Looking out at the battlefield I asked, "How are the commoners disposed of?"

"Usually," Sinaan answered matter of factly, "They are eaten by denizens of the lower halls."

"Like the sven'dahl?" I asked.

"Yes," Sinaan replied, "and others. Idavollr has many animal slaves that must be fed regularly and most of them are carnivores."

Looking back at Sinaan and then to Forelain I agreed with a nod of my head as I said, "Tomorrow have your priestesses perform your funeral rights, then Hlina, Orsa, and I will help with the burials."

"My thanks," Fjallindae said as Forelain signed. Forelain paused for a few seconds to differentiate a topic change before continuing, "I thought you would like to know the statistics of who we were able to save and in what numbers,"

"I would," I replied as Ra'Shaal walked up with Aalyn, Thurdain, and Illglan in tow.

They sat and Forelain arranged herself with Sinaan on one side and Fjallindae and Ra'Shaal on the other. On Sinaan's other side sat Aalyn, Thurdain, and Illglan. Once Forelain was settled she signed while Fjallindae interpreted, "Out of a little over four thousand troops House Abendroth took the least casualties, retaining all of their troops that were not killed by Hayden, Gunngrul, and Rweble's revolt."

"How did that happen?" I asked.

"Pure happenstance," Forelain replied through Fjallindae, "They were sent north, and are in fact still marching around the Gaiavatn. On the other hand, House Jafnrok was completely wiped out. Not even the nobles who made up most of the ranking officers survived. They were the company sent to circle around the Tunglvatn. With no survivors I can not substantiate my suspicions, however, I will hazard a guess that since Captain Radnoc Jafnrok was field promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, he subsequently was looking to make a name for himself. Captain Gertrundae Svartvaenn, of the Svart Guard of House Svartvaenn, stated that when the command came Lieutenant Colonel Radnoc gathered the Jafnrok company and sped south thereby abandoning his post and House Svartvaenn. Captain Gertrundae is the only surviving member of the Svartvaenn company."

Forelain paused for a second before continuing, "The Faline company was already removed from the field, and so, of course, did not participate in the battle."

"Of course," I replied.

Forelain flashed another quick smirk, and then Fjallindae continued speaking for her as she signed, "House Aettadrhael's company survives by ten warriors including Captain Tunglbani Aettadrhael of the Moon Guard. House Dokkskirn company survives by Captain Ahnaliegh Dokkskirn, her five sisters, each a Second Lieutenant, and her twelve brothers, each of varying rank, plus seventeen personal guards. Lieutenant Colonel Quindiehl Ljosbani of the Dokkheim Guard managed to save herself and fifteen of her guards. Her favorites I hear. She left her sisters, brothers, and cousins on the field to die. Captain Bischul Rancorus of the Razor Guard lost his entire company. House Malicide's company, led by Captain Formica Malicide of the Hunter Guard, fared second best to House Abendroth. She managed to salvage one hundred and twenty of her hunters, including all of her ranking officers. Lastly, the Annolstad company. Lieutenant Colonel Rastof Annolstad of the Razor Guard..."