Dark Acolyte Ch. 04

Zerafina awoke to the sounds of hooves striking the cobbled road. She slowly raised her head off of the makeshift pillow that she had made from her satchel bag and looked around. The two strings of control that she had tied to the skyyrim with the lust spell guided her eyes to where they had stationed themselves. They had already dressed in their armored kilts and scaled armor and were loosely holding their broad bladed spears in preparation. She shook her head and pushed herself to her feet, feeling slightly weak from hunger. The reptilian warriors glanced in her direction, and she could see their forked tongues darting out to taste the air. Zerafina felt herself grow wet at the thought of those tongues and what they were most definitely capable of, but pushed those thoughts aside for the moment. After all, she had been traveling with the two warriors for a few days now, and there would be plenty of time to take advantage of their talents later.

She started to dust herself off, but then thought better of it, instead recalling a simple spell that she had learned back when she had been but a mere apprentice. She muttered the words, made the appropriate mystic gesture with her left hand, and with a shimmer in the air her clothes, skin, and hair were refreshed and cleaned. It still did nothing for her stomach, which grumbled in protest. She glanced around for her familiar, Tidgit, and whistled to him, beckoning him to come closer. Once he was in arm's reach, her hand shot out, grabbing the perverted little imp around his neck.

"Go, be useful to me," she purred, letting her fingers run along the imp's perpetually engorged cock. "Go and see who travels along the road. May be I can bend them to my purpose."

Zerafina had to admit that she was in a better place than she had been a week ago. Then she had been homeless, her former home having been destroyed along with the wizard she had been apprenticed to, penniless, and without a plan. Now, after giving herself wholly over to Nyyphas, Dark God of Lust, and having managed to entrance the two skyyrim, the beginnings of a plan were beginning to take shape. She was still homeless and penniless, of course, but she felt that those were obstacles that could be overcome.

She saw Tidgit flit over the tops of the trees and off to the road. She smiled and closed her eyes, muttering the simple charm that would allow her to see through her familiar's eyes. Her tongue poked between her lips as Tidgit flitted above the tree tops. The disadvantage to the charm was that she also received some of Tidgit's emotions. They came through in a filtered way, and it was no great feat to lock the imp's desires out of her conscious thoughts. Still, she screwed her face up slightly at the wave of lust that battered against her. The imp was truly incorrigible, and Zerafina found herself wondering if the imp had any connection to Nyyphas, or if the imp was naturally perpetually horny.

She pushed such thoughts to the side for the time being as Tidgit crested over the tree line and came in sight of the road. The imp's eagle like sight quickly picked out a band of people on horses. Zerafina willed her imp closer, and Tidgit complied, staying near the tops of the trees so as to remain concealed, but otherwise advancing to get a better view. As far as Zerafina could tell, it looked like a noble entourage. Six men-at-arms, arrayed in chain mail and carrying axes and maces were arrayed on horses in a formation around two other figures. From the look of their clothes and the quality of their horses, Zerafina took them to be nobles of some sort. Given the paltry size of their escort, Zerafina thought that they must be minor nobility, but nobility all the same. She willed Tidgit to stay where he was.

Opening her eyes, she crooked her finger to the two skyyrim and started off for the road, her hunger forgotten for the moment at the new possibilities that opened before her. If she had been able to gain control over the skyyrim as easily as fucking them, it could not be that much more difficult to exert her will over a few soldiers. The question was though how best to approach the group?

"Stay hidden," she hissed at the skyyrim, urging the reptilian warriors to stay back and out of sight. Likewise, she directed Tidgit to make himself scarce and to keep himself busy by harassing squirrels or the like. Her plan hinged on her being seen as non-threatening as possible, and skyyrim bodyguards and an imp familiar would go along way to dispelling that illusion.

She walked out beside the road and sat down beside the tree. The group was still a few miles away, so she ate some of the last of her food from her satchel as she browsed through her master's book. When she had first fled the destruction of her master's tower nearly all of the spells in the book had been utterly incomprehensible. The old man had refused to teach Zerafina more than what was helpful to him for her to know, and as a result her learning of arcane arts had been greatly stunted. After summoning, albeit unintentionally, the Demon God of Lust, she had found that she suddenly possessed understanding far beyond her years. All she had to do in return was pledge herself to Nyyphas, though she was uncertain what else the Demon God might require of her. She tried to focus on the spells and formula depicted in the book, but found her mind wandering. Sighing at her lack of attention, she put the book away and stood, stretching her limbs. Surprisingly, she wasn't too sore from the fucking the skyyrim had given her the night before or the night before that. She could only surmise that after being ravished by Nyyphas, anything else was going to pale in comparison.

Opening her eyes, she looked down the road. In the distance, she caught a gleam of sunshine reflecting off of metal in the distance. She had Tidgit survey the area, and they were the only other humans, or other bipeds for that matter, within his keen sight. She stood up, and thought quickly of how she was going to introduce herself. Luckily, she did not much resemble the stereotypical witch. Her black hair was free from grey, her face was smooth and clean, and her breasts were full and firm. She took a moment to adjust her robe to allow a bit more of her considerable cleavage to show, then, slinging her bag back around her shoulder, started to walk down the road in the same direction that the other group was traveling.

It took about fifteen minutes of walking, but she finally heard someone calling in the distance. Zerafina stood to one side of the road, and looked back as a horseman galloped up. A coat of arms was proudly displayed on the banner that he carried, but studying arcane arts and acting as a live-in maid hadn't given her much chance to stay current on her heraldry. There was something vaguely familiar about it though, something that tugged on the strings of her memory.

"Hold there, wench!" the armored horseman declared. The visor of his helm was raised, and Zerafina could see fierce black eyes over a sharp, aquiline nose. The figure sported a braided beard that was black shot through with grey. "'It is strange to see a woman traveling by herself on these roads. The nearest town must be ten miles away, so I must ask what you are doing out in these parts." The knight rested his hand lightly on the handle of the axe that was looped through his saddle. His voice was hard and rough, much like the rest of him, Zerafina surmised.

"M'lord, I am just traveling from town to town looking for work as a midwife," she replied. "The last town already had one, and didn't want any competition. Seeing as how she was the mayor's wife, I wasn't about to argue with her. I'm hoping to be able to find work in the next town."

The knight snorted. "I met the mayor and his wife, and I can't say I find your story hard to believe, much as you don't look like a midwife," he added with a leer as he leaned over for a better view at the tops of Zerafina's breasts. "I am no lord though, merely a sellsword in the employ of M'Lady Firanda. A bit of a spoiled brat, but the pay is good enough." The knight paused, running a gloved hand over his bearded chin. "If you are heading in the same direction as we are, I don't see much reason why you couldn't travel with us for a spell, at least as far as the next town. If you are amenable, of course."

Zerafina lowered her head, hiding her smile as he showed humility. "I would hate to be a burden, m'... sir," she replied. "I have little in the way of money, and thus would be unable to pay you."

The sellsword smiled, showing a row of even, white teeth. "I'm getting paid enough to deal with Firanda as it is. I'm sure we could come to some other arrangement." He extended a hand down to Zerafina, who took it, and was hoisted up in the saddle in front of the sellsword. As he reached around to grab the reins, his right hand cupped Zerafina's right breast and squeezed it, causing the witch to let out a moan. "Consider that a taste of what's to be your payment, wench," he whispered in her ear, as he turned his horse back in the direction of the rest of the party.

Zerafina smiled larger, and was only slightly disappointed by the fact that the sellsword's chain shirt prevented her from reaching back and feeling his cock. Perhaps that was for the best, however, as they soon rejoined the rest of the sellsword's group. Zerafina quickly noted the other five mercenaries, all of whom gazed appreciatively at Zerafina, obviously admiring her charms. The all had the look of hardened sellswords, men that knew their way around battlefields and brothels, but had little concern with the niceties of court and intrigue. The other two members of the party were both trying their utmost to look down their noses at Zerafina. One, who Zerafina could only assume was the Lady Firanda, was dressed in a high neck gown. A small tiara sat atop her golden hair, and her face was pinched. She shifted on her saddle uncomfortably, and Zerafina could only assume that she was more used to riding in palanquins than on horseback. The other woman was a bit older, dressed more plainly, and was doing her utmost to mirror Firanda's petulant, disapproving expression. Zerafina guessed her to be the brat's governess.

"Who is this, Padryc?" Firanda demanded. "Have you taken to picking up common whores along the side of the road?"

Padryc grinned over the top of Zerafina's head, though there was no warmth in the smile. "Lady Firanda, you made it abundantly clear last night that my men and I were to have no dalliances with common whores. This poor midwife, however, is on her way to the next town, and I thought we might let her travel with us as far as the next town. After all, it is the charitable thing to do."

Firanda sniffed haughtily. "Midwife? She has more the look of a common strumpet. Need I remind you, Padryc, that it is my Uncle Galfaunt, the Baron of Gorendale, who is paying you to see me safely escorted? Should I remind you of how my uncle acts when he is angry?"

Zerafina felt her stomach leap up into her throat at the mention of the Baron of Gorendale. After all, it was the Baron who had killed her former master, the Baron who was the reason why Zerafina was currently homeless and on the road. And here was the lordly bastard's niece, right in front of her!

"There's no need for yet another of your reminders, milady," Padryc replied, though Zerafina could hear his teeth grind together in frustration. She had to wonder just what else Padryc had been forced to endure while escorting the brat.

Firanda sniffed again. "Just be sure that all you do is let her ride with us to the next town, Padryc. I will not tolerate indiscretions among my servants. Is that perfectly clear?" she finished.

"Crystal, milady," Padryc replied, his tone nothing short of cool and professional.

Firanda's governess shook her head at the sellsword, her displeasure written clearly across her face. Zerafina was quite sure the governess was just following her mistress. There was no doubt in her mind who was the dominant personality in that relationship. Some people craved to be controlled, and simply sought out those that were willing to do the controlling. Zerafina ran her tongue over her teeth when she considered the possibilities.

As the party turned to head out, Padryc let his horse fall behind that of Firanda's and her governess. With a wink to the soldier riding next to them, Padryc reached inside Zerafina's robe and tweaked her nipple. She bit her lip, the rough leather of his glove rubbing raw against her soft skin. She enjoyed the feeling of power in Padryc's hand, her relative helplessness in her situation.

She turned her head suddenly, catching movement out of the corner of her eye. Her ties to the skyyrim told her that they were shadowing the group, following along at a discrete distance and concealed by the dense vegetation. If it wasn't for the ties of lust and control that she had looped around their wills, she would never have known them to be there.

"Is everything all right?" Padryc asked. Firanda turned around sharply in her saddle, but Padryc's hands were holding the reins, even if his arms were a little tighter around Zerafina than would otherwise be customary.

"Yes," she said, trying to affect as casual a tone as she could. "I just thought I caught sight of an animal," she said.

She could hear Padryc's armor jingle as he nodded. "I wouldn't be too surprised if there were a few wolves and the like around here. This part of the world is fairly uncivilized, and the wild is always just over the next hill." He shifted slightly in the saddle. "I wouldn't give it much worry though. Wolves aren't likely to attack a group of humans traveling together and if it was a wolf of the two-legged variety..." Zerafina heard him slap his hand against the handle of his axe. "I wouldn't concern myself with it much either way, in fact."

"I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear it," she said in reply, leaning back against his chest. "I'll have to be sure that you are thanked properly once we stop for the night."

The group rode on for another three hours before stopping to rest the horses. One of the men passed around provisions, and Padryc shared his wineskin with Zerafina. She nodded her thanks as she sipped from the skin, just enough to relieve her parched throat with the too sour wine. She noted that Firanda was looking a little less haughty and sure of herself, and Zerafina caught her glancing over in her direction more than once. Zerafina closed her eyes and sought out Tidgit with her will. He was a mile away and harassing a blue jay when she wrapped her mind around his. She willed her familiar back up above the tree line to take a look around. The nearest town was still a little more than a day's ride away, thus they would need to camp for the night. Zerafina's lips turned up in a slight smile, as this worked well with her intended plans. First, she would need to get Padryc alone with her, though given the way he had taken every opportunity to paw at her breasts during their ride, she didn't think that would be difficult.

"Maybe the wench should ride with me for a while," one of the other sellswords said, as they readied to mount their horses once again. It was the same sellsword who had ridden next to Padryc for the first leg of their journey. His face was clean shaven, and he bore a slight scar over his left eye from a previous campaign. He looked older than Padryc by a good ten years. Zerafina was less than interested in the man, but if it took spreading her legs for each and every one of Padryc's band in order to get her revenge, that was a sacrifice she was more than ready to make. "After all, there's no cause to be selfish," he added with a leer. The other sellswords chuckled.

Zerafina smiled at the mercenary, and sashayed over to him. "Are you going to be able to keep your eyes on the path?" she asked, resting her hand lightly on the sellsword's armored chest to the laughing and hollering of the other mercenaries, Padryc included. The sellsword was easily a head taller than her and he looked down with a broad grin into Zerafina's exposed cleavage.

"I think I can manage just as well as the Captain," he chuckled, swatting Zerafina on the ass, stinging it slightly. "I've been bedding wenches like you since before his daddy spent his seed in his mother's womb!"

"That's enough, Karlin," Padryc said with a smile. "No need to scare the good lady off. She should feel free to decide who to ride with."

Zerafina thought about it for a moment, and then smiled at Karlin. "I'll ride with you," she replied. It was as easy for her to seduce two as it was to seduce one. As she hitched up her robe to mount the horse, she caught sight of Firanda looking more than a little relieved and it was all she could do not to laugh. The little brat was jealous of her! More likely than not, the girl had a crush on Padryc and was worried that Zerafina was competition.

As the troupe set off, Zerafina found Karlin's hands wandering even more than Padryc's had. He started off by slipping his hand into her robe to squeeze first one breast than the other. He soon grew bored with that, and after pulling off his glove with his teeth, slipped his hand along her thigh and up the inside of her robe. Zerafina squirmed slightly but didn't say make any complaint. He had positioned himself in the party so that one of the other sellswords was in between Firanda and their mount.

Karlin chuckled. "Looks like milady might be right about you. You are a little slut aren't you? Wonder what else you might be willing to let me do," he said as his calloused finger slipped along her slit. Zerafina bit her lip to stifle a moan and wished again that these mercenaries could be wearing something that would give her easier access to their cocks.

"Don't think Padryc will mind sharing?" she asked in a breathy whisper. She shifted her body so that she was pressing against Karlin's chest. "I wouldn't want you to get into trouble with your Captain." She leaned back even more and flicked Karlin's ear with her tongue.

Karlin pressed his finger into Zerafina's pussy and she gave out an involuntary moan of pleasure as it entered her. "Oh, the Captain knows that it is best to share with his men. It keeps us happy and in line." He slowly worked his finger back and forth in her, and Zerafina found herself rocking her hips in time with the movements of the horse. She couldn't believe just how good it felt. After all, she had been well fucked by the demon Prince of Lust himself, and Karlin's finger didn't even begin to approach the size of what the skyyrim had penetrated her with. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation, feeling her orgasm slowly build. She smiled, sticking her tongue out slightly from between her full lips. If this was the service that the Demon God demanded, then she would pay it gladly.

She felt her orgasm building, and Karlin did nothing to stop it from overcoming her. She pressed back hard into his chest and she moaned and she could only hope that the sound of the horses drowned out the sound of her release. A few of the other sellswords did twist around and winked at Karlin before ogling Zerafina. They chuckled when he pulled his slick finger from her pussy and licked it off.

As she recovered her wits, she realized that the attention was due to more than just Padryc's hand between her legs. She hadn't noticed that her robe had fallen open, baring her breasts to the mercenaries. Luckily there were enough people between her, Firanda and her governess that they didn't realize what was going on. With a sigh of reluctance, Zerafina covered her ample chest, and then leaned her head back so it was resting on Padryc's shoulder. "When next we stop, be sure to come find me," she breathed huskily into his ear. "I'll be sure that your kindness will be repaid," she added, flicking her tongue out to lick his ear.