Another Battlefield

The evening found the Miriam within the tents of the surgeon, aiding the surgeon in setting bones and dressing wounds. He had a team to aid him already but with the crushing defeat felt that day, there was plenty need for additional help. The cold made her hands stiff and her short red hair frustratingly fell into her face. She was in the middle of stitching a laceration across the torso of a magus when her name was called out.

"Miriam," said the soldier whom she had encountered on the field and when he saw that she recognized him, a smile once more touched his features. "I thought I wouldn't be able to find you in this mess of a camp" he continued, looking around and taking in the decreasing gore.

Her hands paused in their work for but a moment before returning her attention to the patient at her fingertips. "Why did you seek me...?" but the name of the older soldier eluded her again and she blushed slightly wishing her hair was long to hide behind.

He answered her, the smile leaving his voice, "It's me, Brendon... you recently joined the artisans guild, no?" but before she could answer, "You didn't remember my name, did you." Miriam stood up tall and swallowed, her eyes closed as she sought an answer but instead felt his steady warm hands as he stepped in to help her finish the stitching.

"I've got it Brendon, you don't have to...." But he chuckled, "You're fatigued from today, allow me to help you." His gentle voice broke the punishment she was putting herself through by working so hard. She watched his nimble fingers knot the ends and cut the sinew. He then packed the wound with a poultice and bandaged over it, she watched his strong features bemused and thankful. "You're right, I'm sorry I didn't remember your name... thank you for helping me."

Brendon's eyes regarded the woman for a moment before he gently took her by the elbow and lead her outside of the stuffy tent. "No need for apologies let me attend to you now for I have had my rest..." Miriam began to pull back a little before Brendon chuckled and increased his grasp on her arm, "We have stew." Was all he said before walking off smiling, lady in tow.

Miriam finished her meal of stew and biscuits with zest; Brendon had shared part of his ration with the woman whom seemed to have no end to her appetite. He maintained an easy silence while she ate and made some small talk with the remaining soldiers from his cavalry; when he realized she had finished her feeding frenzy, he smiled again. "Feel better?" She nodded, her eyelids were becoming heavy and she found herself reciprocating his smile. "You've been infinitely kind to me..."

"Of course, you are not only friend in battle but a guild mate as well. Do unto others or so they say..." He waited for a response, regarding her carefully.

The fire was smoldering; tended embers gave off low light but good heat and the warmth and sounds soothed her. "I did not expect to see you here, Brendon. Though now I cannot imagine fighting along the side of a more able bodied friend."

Brendon gave a little hum of approval; he too stared into the embers. "You're beautiful Miriam... keep me company through this cold night." And he glanced back to her, continuing. "Just... be."

Miriam blushed again, giggling under her breath as much as possible so as not to attract the attention of the other men and women who all talked in hushed circles. "Aye... I owe you that much, and thank you... you're a kind soul." Her eyes closed fully for a moment before she felt his insistent hand upon her arm again.

"Come, we should retire." Wearily, Miriam stood and followed Brendon to what was apparently his tent, not far from the fire. She shrugged off her cloak and laid down on the blankets, her eyes were closed almost immediately and a smile found her lips again as Brendon pulled blankets over the top of them and settled in close.

***

By the lack of light illuminating the, Miriam assumed she had slept a couple hours. She had been kept warm by Brendon who still remained close. She couldn't decide what had woken her and so stretched and turned over propping her head up on her hand; she couldn't see well in the dark but could make out and watched Brendon' steady breathing. His smell was warm and heady, his presence ultimately comforting and for the first time in a long time, Miriam found herself overcome with gratitude and attraction.

Tallish for a man and average of feature, she found herself attracted to the aura he exuded. Her friend's shoulder length blond hair was skewed across the floor and she paused for a moment before pushing it away from his face with her fingers. His breathing paused and he turned his head toward her, mumbling lightly into where his face was now comfortably in her shoulder. She chuckled at this and he did wake to the sound, immediately he was sober enough to stare straight into her face from where he lay.

"I'm sorry... didn't mean to wa..." but before she could finish her train of thought, Brendon raised a finger to her lips and totted her for apologizing. "I said there was no need for that." And pushed himself up to kiss her full on the lips.

He tasted lightly of the mead they had drank during dinner and his lips were gentle yet insistent like he had been the previous evening. The effect was intoxicating and Miriam's breath hitched; hungrily she sought his mouth in return and apologies were forgotten.

Brendon continued to sit himself up, using a hand to gently lower Miriam back to the floor and he ran that same hand down across her athletic breast to untuck the sweater she wore. His rough hand paused on the skin of her ribs while his mouth moved to greedily kiss her cheek, nip at her chin and kiss along her jaw and up to the delicate flesh of her ears.

A moan of appreciation escaped Miriam and she ran her fingers through his hair and over his well muscled shoulders. She could feel him smile and his breathe tickled her heated skin. She snaked an arm from his shoulders and gripped his lower back, effectively resting more of his weight on her and pressing a burgeoning erection into the warm cleft of her hips. He too moaned in response and pulled away slightly to pull her sweater over her head, setting it to the side. His teeth pinched and teased first at one nipple and then quickly the other; his hands already roved over her belt, loosening it and exploring the soft, curved skin of her abdomen.

Miriam also stripped Brendon of his shirt and rubbed her hand along the now rigid line in his breeches. She was so excited by him that a painful ache began between her legs; her movements were as laborious as her breathing and the exquisite pain only increased as Brendon kissed down her belly to where he was lowering jodhpurs over her hips. His own progression seemed sluggish as though they were making love on a muggy day; he paused again when a low guttural moan tore from her throat. "Are you alright my dear?" His voice was thick with passion and Miriam found humor in his concern.

Chuckling she replied with an edge to her voice, "I have waited for this release, do not leave me wanting." He complied smiling and his vigor left her breathless.

His mouth was upon her exposed ribs, just below her breast and he yanked her pants free, wrapping an arm about her waist and stroking her thigh with his free hand. Her hands gripped his shoulders and he touched her slickness for the first time; her hips bucked lightly and she whined quietly. Anticipation was etched into her body and Brendon did all he could to keep from taking her wet pussy hard, then and there.

Lips found their way back to her soft abdomen as he slid his finger slowly but firmly in and out. Her body yielded to his touch and he added another finger to the sweet torture he knew she must be feeling. Indeed Miriam could hardly breathe and felt her body tighten with each stroke; when he kissed her inner thigh she pulled his head to her cleft impatiently and she could feel his smile. She could not reciprocate however as the desire she felt was overly insistent, pulling her sanity apart thread by thread.

Her body wasn't just wet, it was sopping by the time his mouth touched her most intimate area; lapping at the wetness caused his need to grow quickly and he found himself growing rough with her, his hands greedy. The noises she made, akin to mewing and growling at the same time let him know his efforts at pleasing her were not in vain; he held on however for her to find enjoyment first.

She did so and quickly; the exquisite pain which had built up in Miriam's stomach grew across her body and her skin felt taught in anticipation until she felt her first climax. Her back arched and one of her own hands covered her mouth in a silent scream as she came on his face and hand; her breathing was in sobs and he continued, though more gently, to lap up her cum.

Brendon pulled himself up to kiss Miriam again, his face still moist from her climax and she returned his kisses, still hungry for more. Her hands rushed to his breeches again and she pulled them from his hips; her left hand firmly on his lower back and the other luxuriously stroking his insistent erection.

"By the gods" she whispered into Brendon's ear, "I need this too..." And this time it was his turn to moan, it came like a roll of thunder for Miriam's senses and he nearly growled at her to roll over and kneel on her hands and knees. She complied on shaky legs, offering her soft and full buttocks to his viewing. He slid two fingers back into her wetness, working her up to the heightened ecstasy she felt before and with his hands, gripped her cheeks to open her pussy to his cock, lustful strokes buried him to the hilt. One hand moved to her hip, holding her steady while the other caressed her buttocks; his newly wetted fingers finding the guarded opening.

Miriam tensed up and Brendon whispered to her, "Trust me, dear..." Slowly he worked a finger into her ass and she held her breathe as a new wave of sensations washed over her. He moved his finger in unison with the strokes of his hips and gasped as he felt her muscles tighten around his rigid cock. "I can't hold on for much longer..." He gasped and held her tighter; his cock was pulsating with the desired need to cum and she moaned out the answer to which he yearned for most. "I think... ohh. I'm coming again Brendon. Oh..."

With these words he released all that he had pent up onto the top of Miriam's ass. The hand which had been holding her hip now held his own cock and slipped across the solid flesh with relief. He kissed her back and wiped her down gingerly with a cloth before cleaning himself. Both were exhausted and she curled up next to him, head on his shoulder; Brendon kissed her brow before both fell into a deep sleep.