Chapter 2 - The Captive

For a moment she was actually stunned and at a loss what to do. She stood in the cave blinking out at the wide sunlit opening through which the beastmen had left, her hand resting on her belly. Then she shook her head and, grabbing her clothes, dressed hastily. Her shirt was more or less intact, the thin material clinging to her sweat soaked body. Her dress was torn straight down the middle but loose enough that it held up when she tied it together. 

Then, trying not to meet her husband's dead eyes, she picked up his cudgel. She couldn't see his knife after it had dropped from her fingers but her own was still at his belt.

Following the monsters out of the cave mouth seemed like a bad idea so, with a last guilty look at her husband's corpse, she retraced her steps to the back of the cave and there she found the narrow crack through which she and Dohn had entered. A few minutes later she emerged from the narrow river coarse and into the daylight at the scree slope and was breathing fresh air again. She scrambled down, grasping at small shrubs to control her descent.

She followed the path up which Dohn had earlier pursued her and, where he had first confronted her, she could again hear shouting, close now, and one of the voices, she was sure, was Esmeia's. With her heart in her mouth she followed the sound of the conflict through crevasses and terraces, down the hill until she encountered the source. A little below her, where the trail opened into a small clearing the ram-headed beastman who had raped her... fathered her children... was fighting Falltrick and Esmeia. The two of them had both unsheathed their swords. Esmeia's short blade stabbed and licked low as she attempted to circle around the beastman. Falltrick, his face grim and determined, held his broadsword in two hands as he swung it against the creature, demanding its attention while the girl sought the opportunity to make a crippling strike. 

The beastman was wielding his spear, parrying the broadsword while constantly circling to avoid being outflanked by Esmeia. It occasionally stabbed with the spear against one or the other of its assailants in an attempt to inflict a wound and turn the tide. Maybe it would have been an equal match against Falltrick alone but with Esmeia constantly threatening and harassing it looked like they had the advantage.

Nelly hesitated, torn. They were her friends (in Esmeia's case, Falltrick technically a lover) but she could still feel the beastman's seed in her womb, promising life and death, and tying her to it at some deep level. And she still remembered its smell, its taste, her adulation for its power and dominance as she gazed up at its monstrous form after it had brought her to climax...

She moved forward, down the remaining length of the path hefting Dohn's cudgel intent to intervene but not sure how. She was in line of sight of Falltrick and Esmeia but neither reacted; so focused they were on their opponent's action. The beastman at one point turned his head slightly towards her and she was sure he was aware of her approach but didn't react or change his defence. Did it believe she wouldn't attack it? And was it right? The cudgel weighed heavily in her grip. Her heart was in her mouth.

She was still some paces away when suddenly the beastman staggered and Nelly saw a brown feathered arrow, one of Habel's, had penetrated its thigh. Esmeia actually pulled back in surprise but Falltrick took the opportunity to swing hard against the monster's neck. It parried again with the spear but this time only partly as it deflected the blow down against its shoulder. With an animal grunt it collapsed to a knee and Falltrick raised his sword as it lifted its spear again in one hand in a doomed attempt to block the killing blow.

A sudden desperate urge spurred Nelly forward and before Falltrick could start his swing she brought her husband's cudgel down hard on the beastman's horned head; so hard she nearly dropped the cudgel from her stunned hand. The beastman collapsed hard on all fours and Falltrick kicked the spear from its grasp and readied his blade again.

"No, don't kill hi-... it!" cried Nelly, raising her cudgel over it to block the blow. 

"What?" exclaimed Falltrick. 

Nelly pulled back as the beastman struggled to raise its body. Its injured arm was questing to grip the cudgel at its belt but Esmeia spotted the danger came in with a sharp stab into its biceps with her short sword, deterring it.

"It's worth money... alive" said Nelly, pleading. 

Falltrick and Esmeia exchanged looks briefly before the old soldier switch his attention back to the squatting monster. The old hunter, Habel had emerged from the trees above the clearing and was approaching slowly another arrow notched in his bow. The beastman gripped the shaft of the arrow embedded in its thigh and gritting its teeth it snapped it. Habel also winced at the sight of losing an arrow.

"How much money?" said Falltrick, not lifting his suspicious eyes from the beastman.

Nelly saw Esmeia's eyes narrow but before the other woman could lie she said: "Thirty gold". 

Falltrick whistled quietly and Esmeia nodded, her lips pursed. 

"More than I got from my pension" the old soldier said. "Get that club, and its knife."

Galvanised by the cooperation of the others Nelly bent over the semi prone monster . She could smell the dizzying animal odour as she did so and a low deep growl told her that it was not a willing participant as she liberated it of its crude, but heavy, wooden club and rusty iron knife, with a hilt wrapped with leather strips.

Falltrick kept his sword at the ready but had moved around slightly perhaps to avoid the possibility of it charging him from a squat with those horns. 

"Where do we get the money?" he demanded.

"Densport" Esmeia answered

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"At the Royal docks?"

"Yeah."

"Think we can get it on a barge?" 

"Think so."

"You sure?"

"Yeah... it's solid" Esmeia said determinedly.

The big man allowed himself a tight smile: "Tie its hands... behind it".

There was a brief pause then Habel, realising he possessed the only rope opened his small kit back and pulled out several lengths.

"Me" said Esmeia "Done enough ropework on the barges".

Nelly stepped back as Esmeia tied the beastman's hands behind it at the wrists. Then they forced it to sit while, at Falltrick's insistence she tied its legs at the ankles together leaving a length of rope long enough that it could walk but hopefully not run or leap. As she knelt before it fastening the knots she joked: "Kinda ripe down here... stench of big fucker if you know what I mean."

Falltrick seemed to relax a bit now that the monster was restrained. "Where's Dohn?" he asked.

Nelly's heart jumped. For a moment she couldn't find the words, even though they were obvious and there was really only one possible answer.

"He's dead" she choked.

Everyone looked shocked, Esmeia, who had finished hobbling the beastman's goat legs, fell back on her haunches wide eyed, her mouth hanging open. 

Habel stiffened. 

Falltrick said "Fuck..." Then he raised his sword to the beastman glaring up at him. "Was it him?"

Nelly hesitated for a moment, then she said "No... there was another. We found a cave."

Falltrick lowered his blade an inch. "How many of them?"

"Two. Just two."

"Fuck" said Falltrick again.

"We kill'd the other" said Habel, "Me and Hann. But..." his eyes darted "... one o' Hann's sons wus kill'd too. It killed him, then me an' Hann kill'd it back."

"Fuck" said Falltrick again. "Where's Hann?"

"T' other lad ran after his brother was kill'd... he ran. Off down the ravine. Hann went after him once we kill'd t' other one..." he nodded towards the beastman who met his gaze with a hateful stare.

Falltrick's brow creased and he lifted a hand signalling silence while he considered. The others waited for him. Esmeia got to her feet and moved to Nelly's side putting an arm around her shoulder.

"OK" he said "Hann doesn't need to know about this..." he nodded towards the beastman. Habel started but Falltrick pressed on "... he won't handle it and there's no point in spreading the money too thin!

"We'll get it to the village and put it in your barn," he nodded to Nelly "then we get it on the first barge to the port. Tomorrow hopefully. I'll go to the city too" and he flashed a look at Esmeia who shrugged and sniffed.

"I'll take half," he continued "you three can split the rest" and, before anyone could argue, he continued menacingly "... and if anyone thinks they can do this without me, think again".

After giving them a moment for collective tongue biting he went on: "Habel, you go back find Hann an his lad and bring them back across the valley the same way we came. The rest of us and -" he pointed with his sword at the beastman "- will head further east and cross the valley river upstream so we don't get seen. Then we can take the sheep tracks to your barn. Don't tell no one, mind. It'll be your share you'll be splitting."

He turned to Nelly. "We'll need to leave Dohn for tonight. He's up there, in a cave, yeah?" 

Nelly nodded. 

"Maybe safe from cougars if they think they smell beastmen. We'll get him tomorrow - you can go, I will send some lads with you. Early as possible. Alright?"

They all nodded. 

"We'll need that arrow out of his leg" said Falltrick nodding at the beastman again.

Habel reluctantly moved forward and beside the creature. The arrow did not pull out easily but the beastman, with Falltrick's sword still menacing it, seemed to understand that it was going to happen so gritted its teeth and remained immobile even when Habel put his boot on thigh so he could use the whole body strength to wrench the barbed arrowhead free. At the sight of the blood running from the open wound Nelly disentangled herself from Esmeia's embrace and knelt beside it. She tore off a strip of her already ruined skirt  (no one had asked her) and bound the wound, then a second one when the first failed to staunch the bleeding. As she tightened it, her hand on its thigh again, she looked up at it, meeting its angry gaze and felt a flush rising up her chest.

"Cut its armour off again before you go" said Falltrick to Habel "It's not going to need it any more. And if I need to put it down I don't want to make it too hard."

Habel made short work of the straps and soon it's cuirass, codpiece and vambraces were on the ground, leaving it wearing only its heavy leather loincloth, as they forced it to stand. It did so stiffly its breathing was heavy.

Falltrick took a cautionary step back. Standing fully erect the beastman was about the same height as the old soldier but for the horns. In full daylight Nelly could see its powerful bands of lean muscles bulging beneath its glistening tan flesh. The coarse hair that covered much of the head, back, thick neck and legs was a darker brown, nearly black. It's eyes were pools of angry ochre. Esmeia, redrawing her sword circled slowly examining it with a small smile.

There was some blood matting its fur both of its face, where Nelly had hit it, and its right chest and shoulder from he injury that Falltrick had inflicted,  but it didn't seem to be bleeding further  so the partly parried sword stroke must have cut shallow. The bandage on its thigh was also blackened with blood around the wound but it didn't seem to be spreading any more either as the creature shifted its weight, testing its leg.

Esmeia had recovered Nelly's spear after she discarded it earlier and tossed it to her from where she dropped in when the melee started and together they moved off, Esmeia and Falltrick keeping their swords drawn to drive the hobbled beastman down the path.

They made their way down to the floor of the ravine together and Habel departed to find Hann while the rest of them followed the stream to the exit. It was late afternoon when they re-entered the valley and bore east. Despite the circuitous route and the state of their prisoner they managed a reasonable pace. Falltrick remained at the rear, his sword prodding the beastman whenever it slowed while Nelly and Esmeia lead, Nelly basically guessing the best route. Esmeia did her best to comfort Nelly and she, in turn, tried to sound more upset than she actually felt. 

They crossed the valley river without too much trouble. The spot Nelly chose was deeper and faster than the point they had crossed with Habel but still fordable at this time of year.

Sensing that Nelly was still numbed Esmeia said:  "Look you're just in shock. It'll catch up with you but I think you should rest tonight, when we get back. It has been a bad day. I will stay with you." 

"I will need to go find Dohn's body tomorrow morning" replied Nelly. 

"I know but I think tomorrow I should go with you, that probably won't be as easy as you think."

"No, it's OK, you will need to keep an eye on... " Nelly inclined her head behind her to indicate the beastman.

Esmeia sighed. "We'll see in the morning. It's OK that you don't feel upset now. Don't get guilty. It's all part of the process. And then you can get on with your life. " She gave Nelly a small smile and patted her arm.

The shadows were lengthening as the began to climb to the sheep tracks. Falltrick took the lead now with Nelly and Esmeia in the rear. The old soldier wasn't going to put himself in a position where the beastman could throw itself onto him from an elevated position. The pace slowed. With its arms tied behind his back and its legs hobbled the monster was not able to scramble up the steeper slopes and instead had to navigate them tentatively often in a partial crawl, grunting as it did so.

Esmeia chuckled at it discomfort. "So much for men" she said. Then she shouted ahead to the struggling beastman "Common hurry up or you'll get the same as your little friend here." The beastman turned to glower at her, understanding her tone if not her words. Its eyes alighted on the bundle she was waving on the bloodied handkerchief and it frowned. Nelly wondered what it would have done if it knew the handkerchief contained the severed genitals of the deerman.

"Can't wait to get it back home and unwrap it" said Esmeia, cheekily apparently meaning the beastman and its loincloth, not the handkerchief. "Don't worry, I'm not going to cut anything off it, its worth more intact, I think."

"Yeah, probably, good" agreed Nelly.

"Do you think its ever fucked a human?" 

Nelly shrugged non-committally.

"Do you think they even can?" continued Esmeia. "They must have the same bits I suppose but I have never heard of them breeding with anything but beasts. Do you think its just what they prefer or is it even possible?"

"They can" shouted Falltrick from above but apparently close enough to eavesdrop. "Heard of the occasional shepherd who gets knocked up, that's why the witches and hags offer cures. Its not worth the price for just a sheep but.. well if you're willing to sell your flock to get load of baby monsters outta yer ass... " Nelly had never thought of shepherding as such a hazardous occupation "... and up north east in the deserts there is a few of its kind who work as mercenaries so I heard... and I heard that you don't want to be on the losing side against them." He winked.

They moved on, the sun was setting now as they crested the rise and found themselves on one of the many paths that led to the village. 

"What do you think they look like when the come from humans?" said Esmeia. "If they look like the animals that bore them?" Nelly tried to look like disinterested. 

"Goats" interjected Falltrick again. "They always look goaty. They fuck a horse and they look like a goaty horse. Fuck a deer: goaty deer. Fuck a cow: goaty cow... always human bodies... " he looked back at the beastman contemplating its hybrid nature "... but goaty head and legs regardless. Fuck a human: goaty human. Dunno why." 

Esmeia smiled. "Fuck a goat: goaty goat." Nelly allowed herself a smile and Falltrick laughed.

Between them the beastman glowered.

Falltrick chuckled. Then said "We're almost there... you better see if the coast is clear". 

Nelly went on ahead, it was only a few minutes to her barn and cottage and skirting around the orchards she didn't see anyone in the growing darkness. The cottage was dark and closed up as she and Dohn had left it that morning and she realised that she would be returning to it alone now. Dohn would never see it again. Her hand went to her belly again and she sensed the new life within her... could it replace her marriage? It certainly shouldn't. She should find a witch or a hag and have it seen sorted like a hapless shepherd. May they would take a pig and a goat in payment. But not tonight. Or tomorrow. She would be busy.

The gibbous moon, Selene, had risen, her broken face almost whole and her veil, the pale wispy band that stretched from horizon to horizon at night along which she and her companions travelled, was brightening with the stars.

Nelly headed back. Esmeia and Falltrick were waiting where she had left them. Both had swords drawn. On the end of Esmeia's hung a long length of cloth. Nelly raised an eyebrow and Esmeia said breezily "Wanna help?" as Falltrick rolled his eyes.

Nelly frowned deeper.

"We thought we would take the opportunity to let Lover Boy", she nodded at the dark form of the beastman reclining on an embankment with his injured leg stretched out "to take a piss." She raised her sword and Nelly saw that the cloth that hung there was the beastman's loin cloth and realised that she could smell the heady musk of the beastman's urine once again... and for a moment the recollection of the cave and her post coital bliss flashed through her mind. 

"I took it off him but I think someone else should dress him again. Falltrick declined." Esmeia smiled brightly, her teeth white in the moonlight. Nelly looked at the beastman peering at the shadows where his groin was exposed, remembering and she felt a flush rising again.

"Believe me, you won't regret... he is well hung." Esmeia's smiled transformed into a grin. 

"Fuck that, he doesn't need dressing for now" spat Falltrick, looking impatient to move. "Keep it though, we may need him dressed up for the barge or the city.  Is the way clear?" he asked, turning to Nelly.

Nelly nodded.

They followed the path back to the barn.

Esmeia exclaimed quietly "So this is home?"

Nelly fetched her lanterns and rope from the cottage. The barn was split lengthways into two sections with the door, wide enough to lead a cow through in one of the side corners. In the narrower long section furthest from the door were the pens for the pig and goats. The long section on the door side was wider, intended to be big enough for a cow. Two sturdy wooden pillars supported that section of the roof, the one beside the door where Nelly and Falltrick fucked and a second towards the back. Falltrick tested that one for strength and deciding it was good enough he positioned Nelly's unused milking stool at it base and they manoeuvred the naked beastman at sword point to sit facing the door. Esmeia threw his loincloth in the corner.

The goats bleated and the pig grunted in curiosity at their new barnmate. Nelly had been worried that they may panic instead.

Then with the rope that Nelly had bought from the cottage they trussed the beastman up against the pillar. The rope was old but Esmeia managed to get six coils of its length around the beastman's chest and arms before securing it tightly, her leg braced against the pillar, while Nelly watched quietly from behind Falltrick, her eyes straying to its beasthood, her heart beating hard and her breathing heavy. Falltrick then insisted that Esmeia used one of the remaining lengths of rope tied loosely around the beastman's neck to prevent it from butting anyone who came too close and retie the rope around its legs so that it ran behind the pillar.

Then they left the barn in darkness.

"Do you think it'll be secure in there?" asked Esmeia.

"Sure, for a night or two," replied Falltrick throwing the bar across the barn door, "I need to get down and see if Habel's brought Hann back yet. You can go see if there's any barges come in overnight." 

Esmeia nodded. "I need to pick up my stuff anyway, I'll stay here tonight..." she turned to Nelly "if that's OK?"

"Yep, no problem." Nelly stretched stiffly and felt the tiredness in her joints. "I think I need a bath though."

Falltrick nodded approval and Esmeia asked: "You have a tub?"

"A leaky one, yeah."

"And the water?"

"The well's just down the hill".

Falltrick sighed, he sounded a bit tired himself. "I'll help with the water, you can put a pot on if you want it warm."

"I'll help too" said Esmeia.

Nelly nodded and handing them a bucket went to start the fire in the cottage. By the time Esmeia had arrived with the first bucketful the fire was heating the base of her big iron pot and she had hauled the old bath out into the floor at the side where there was a hole in the wall where spillage would drain out and she was checking Dohn's straw and bitumen repairs. Within ten minutes the three of them, Falltrick drawing at the well down the hill and the women shuttling buckets to the cottage, had filled the pot and the bath two thirds of the way full. They left the last two bucketfuls aside for topping up the pot and Falltrick took his leave, heading down to the village centre. Esmeia, promising she would be back within an hour followed.

Nelly sighed, alone again. In the cottage the pot of water was heating slowly but wouldn't be boiling for some time. She added more logs to the fire, stacking it until they almost lifted the base of the pot. Then she ladled some of the still tepid water into a wooden bowl and topped the pot up with cold water. She grabbed some rags, a lantern and headed out to the barn. 

She entered quietly and stood there looking into the darkness for a few seconds, listening to the heavy breathing of the captive. One of the goats bleated and she heard the beastman suddenly grunt and start and she realised that it had been sleeping. She unshuttered the lantern to look at it. 

It remained solidly trussed against the pillar. the lantern light reflected menacingly in the inky darkness of its eyes. Her eyes were drawn again to the curve of its organ visible between its legs.

Today this creature had killed her husband then overpowered and raped her. And it had  forced her to accept its dominance over her, forced her to take pleasure from it, lose her mind to it, gaze up at it worshipfully as she would a god. And it had spilt its seed into her, fertilising her, binding them together body and soul. 

... Dooming her...

She didn't know whether she should love or hate it. But now it was at her mercy.

She picked up the lantern and bowl and advanced towards it. Then she placed it down beside it and bringing the lantern up inspected its wounded shoulder. Falltrick's sword cut was raw and looked bad but she didn't see much blood leaking and she couldn't smell anything amiss over the heavy animal scent. She hung the lantern on a hook on one of the posts of the barrier between her and the goat pen so she could see clearly, rung one of the rags in the water and began to clean the matted fur around the cut.  The creature flinched as she touched the wound and she met its eye. Its lips curled briefly in a yellow toothed snarl then it settled again. 

"It's OK, I need to clean it" she said quietly.

"Let me go or I will fuck you." Its voice was deep and guttural and it spoke the words like the bestial language she had heard them using.

Her mouth sprang open and she blinked. If she had been holding the lantern she probably would have dropped it on the straw.

"You talk?" she said after a few moments.

It grunted, then repeated. "Let me go... now".

"No" she said. "Why didn't you talk before?"

It looked at her with contempt and snorted. 

"You... are a vessel. You carry my seed. You do not talk to me." Bestial eyes narrowed as it rumbled out the words. "I fucked inside you... now you are mine. I felt you..."

She swallowed, feeling weak suddenly.

"Free me, I will fuck you... hard... fill you. Make you burst"

She tried to meet its burning eyes. "So you fuck me if I let you go and you fuck me if I don't let you go?" 

Her attempt at logic sounded hollow and it chuckled in her face.

Rinsing the rag she turned her attention to cleaning the wound, rubbing it vigorously this time and, although she saw the snarl reappear with the pain she was obviously causing, it didn't react. 

"What's your name?" she asked through heavy breaths.

The was a pause. "Garhorn". 

She met its eyes again. Then tried "I'm Nelly". 

It didn't react. She rinsed the rag and moved the bowl around and the lantern to a hook on the outer wall so she could see its thigh wound.

As she removed the makeshift bandages she said: "I am not letting you go, we are going to sell you for money; a lot of money. If you cooperate we will take care of you." She looked it in the eye, trying to sound convincing.

It stared back at her and then said. "You... mine. You will be fat with my spawn... die happy... see spawn rip your belly!" 

She stared at him, aware of the life stirring within her womb. She tried to feel outrage instead of yearning. She turned her attention to his wound and began to clean it methodically while resting her free hand on its thigh, feeing the tendon and muscle beneath the coarse hair and leathery skin. The scent of his musk to fill her lungs. As she rinsed the rag she allowed her free hand to track up the inside of its thighs and against the back of it she suddenly felt hot flesh stirring between its legs.

Her breath caught as she snatched her hand back. She rinsed the rag again and stood up avoiding looking down at its groin while her hands moved to clean the blood from its brow and around the thick fur where its horns sprouted but, as she did so, she gazed into its eyes locked on her, horizontal pupils bestial and evil, wholly non human. And she wondered how she could have allowed it to dominate her... or maybe how she could ever have resisted its domination. 

She brought a leg over its thigh, straddling it as she leant in. Her free hand fell again, down its chest, her fingers tracing the coarse ropes that trussed it and then brushing against the rising pillar of flesh at its groin. She leant in further and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply of it. Her breasts pressed against it, her hard nipples catching through the thin material of her shirt. Her skirt caught on its thigh and rode up and her bare sex brushed against he coarse hair of its leg above its knee. A soft moan escaped her lips as she arched her back, her swollen lower lips moving across its thigh, leaving wetness. 

It lifted its chin and made a noise it its throat, then spat in her face a thick string of spittle spread from her brow down her nose, mouth and chin. It had done this is  the cave and she knew what it meant. It was heavy and sticky on her lips as they parted, her tongue moving to collect it, take it into her mouth, swallowing, accepting the beastman's issue willingly within her.

It smirked at her as her hand closed on the firm, hot flesh of its organ. 

It knew and so did she that she was still its possession, she was trapped by her own lusts, her hips were moving of their own volition now, grinding against its kneecap while her hand stroked its organ feeling the heavy leather of its foreskin slip over its blunt glans. A sheen of sweat had risen and her nipples poked urgently from the dampened clinging material at her chest. Her other hand was now tracing the spiral of its horn as she gazed slack mouthed into its cruel visage as her breathing became ragged.

Then she stood up with a sigh, releasing its column, straightening her back, allowing him to see her readiness as her chest rose, her breasts prominent and the thin dress and shirt clinging tightly to her nubile form, her belly, her hips and thighs. Her master grinned. Almost as if she was in a dream she found herself taking the lamp from its hook moving around behind him. 

The ropes were securely tied. Esmeia obviously knew her business. She tried to loosen the knot but it seemed firm. But there was a knife in the house... she backed away in anticipation but, as she turned for the door, it flew open and Esmeia walked in. 

"Heya" said the other girl airily, "No barges, what's happening here... and what the fuck!" she had caught sight of the beasts arousal and her jaw dropped. 

Nelly felt she had suddenly been dropped in an ice cold pool; her passion had so suddenly disappeared. Her mouth worked and she blurted "I was cleaning his wounds."

"And that happened?"

Nelly nodded dumbly, wiping her face.

"Lucky you, eh?" chuckled Esmeia. "How's the bath water heating? Are you done here?"

"Err... Should be getting hot... done... yes."

She looked back at the beastman. His organ remain fully erect and his smirk had not subsided.

"His name's Garhorn... he can talk"  she said.

"What talk? In Common? Imperial Trade speech?"

"Yeah."

"Wow. Who'd have thought?  Do you want me to get that" she nodded towards the beastman.

Nelly took a moment to realise she was talking about the water bowl beside it.

"Ah... yeah, just tip it out."

Esmeia recovered the bowl, skirting around the beastman with an air of fake caution, and then, after a moment's thought, leant over and poured the tepid water over Garhorn's groin. "Down boy, or you are going to have to sleep on that". The beastman gave her a dark look and she smiled winsomely back over her shoulder as she sasheyed back past Nelly.

As they left the barn  she said: "He's obviously settling in well... we'll need to watch he's not getting ideas." She wrapped her arm around Nelly's and steered her to the cottage. "You look like a wreck, girl. Even worse than before. Let's get you in the water, then bed."

The bag of Esmeia's belongings was on the floor of the cottage at the door where she had obviously dumped it before heading to the barn. The air was warm and smoky from the fire and the water was steaming in the pot. Using the yoke, the two women carried it to the bath and poured it in. That was going to be a problem without Dohn thought Nelly. The yoke needed two people to carry the hot water pot without burning hands.

As Esmeia returned the pot to the fire and refilled it with the bucket Nelly undressed carefully, feigning modesty to hide the bruises on her breasts and thighs and scratches and scrapes on her back where grit and sand was still encrusted after her ordeal in the cave. The water was at best lukewarm but that was good enough for her as she lowered herself in. The tub was not big enough for her to stretch out fully: she had to draw her knees up if she was to submerge her chest.

Esmeia came over, arranging a stool beside the bath and on it put a parcel that she unwrapped. There was a half loaf of bread and a half chicken, one from the Inn, broiled and roasted. It smelt heavenly and Nelly suddenly realised how hungry she was. 

"This is to share ... and this too..." said Esmeia, producing a small bottle of cherry brandy and two of Nelly's stoneware cups. The bottle was the stuff that the Inn sold to traders and bargemen, the cheap: stuff not the expensive stuff that was sent to the city or the even cheaper stuff that the distiller sold to the villagers "... but I think you should take it easy tonight, booze-wise". 

"Thanks" said Nelly, meaning it earnestly. 

"Sorry there's not more" said Esmeia pouring the brandy, "I am living on debt at the moment, its going on my tab at the Inn."

"I didn't think they do tabs?" Nelly was tearing a chunk from the bread greedily.

"You have to be a special customer", Esmeia winked. Then she turned her attention to securing her share of the food before Nelly had demolished the entire meal. A few minutes later there was an unladylike tussle over the remains of the chicken while both women stripped and sucked the last of the flesh from the bones leaving the carcass a glistening white pile.

"I needed that", said Nelly, leaning back in the bath, draining her cup of the last of the strong brandy.

"You're welcome" said Esmeia leaning over to refill her cup, then planting an unexpected kiss on the other woman's forehead. 

Taken by surprise Nelly said, "Thanks... for the drink," she paused, "we probably should feed... Garhorn."

"Should have watered him at least I suppose. But he can wait, I'll get him in the morning. When are you going back for Dohn?"

Nelly contemplated her knees. "As soon as Falltrick arranges some people to help I suppose. Probably early, he never seem to sleep in."

"I'll look after the monster while you're away." Esmeia stood up. "I'm going to top up the buckets, you stay and soak. I'll refill you when I get back." At the door she turned and added "Been a crazy day. Things'll be alright again soon, don't worry."

Nelly smiled at her from the bath.

"Thanks for coming back to stay" she said as the other woman exited, although she really meant Thanks for interrupting me before I did something really stupid.

Left alone again she sunk back down into the bathwater. 

It had been a crazy day and she had been acting crazy. And that unsettled her. Now with some peace she decided to face up to the realities of the situation.

Dohn was dead. Truth. Did she care? Not as much as she should. And she felt a little guilty about her lack of compassion. But Esmeia was probably right: it was just shock and was going to change in the following days.

The monster that had killed Dohn had raped her and she had submitted it to save her own life. Truth. Maybe nobody could blame her for that.

And she had enjoyed it. Truth. Everyone would probably blamed have her for that but everyone had not experienced its overwhelming masculine dominance.

And it had impregnated her. Truth. But then that is its nature and she couldn't blame it, she supposed.

And its offspring would kill her when they birthed in a few months. Truth. And a crazy part of her actually wanted it. Maybe it was some kind of twisted fertility magic, but it was a real yearning that had been implanted in her along with its seed.

And she still lusted for the beastman's touch. Truth.

And it was still a bloodthirsty rapey monster that didn't care less about her or anyone. And would probably kill anyone in its way to escape is she gave it the chance. Truth.

And its capture was worth a lot of gold (although less thanks to Falltrick). Truth. And as a widow she might really need the money.

So no, there was nothing really wrong with her. She was maybe a bit selfish and completely perverted but that was her own business. She was already bearing its larvae so even if she did indulge with the beastman again there shouldn't be any further issues. If the opportunity arose again she could take it without feeling guilty. So long as she wasn't foolish enough to consider letting it free to endanger herself or others; she couldn't really see a problem. A smile crossed her lips.

However, despite her dark yearnings, sacrificing herself to give birth to a brood of monsters really had no part of any of her life plans so she was going to seek out a solution for that problem just as soon as the beastman was out of the picture.

Tomorrow would be a busy day. Dohn would probably be seen off and she would officially become a widow in the eyes of the village with all the privileges and meagre benefits that status brought. The beastman would probably be on a barge and she would not have to face it again. And the day after tomorrow could be the start of her new life.

"Hey!" Esmeia crashed back into the cottage, spilling water from the heavy twin buckets that she was manoeuvring through the doorway.

"Hey!" said Nelly in reply. "I think I am just about done now. Do you want to?"

Esmeia looked at the tub: "I was going to ask. Thanks".

Nelly climbed out of the bath, stiffly, now realising how tired she was and, retrieving a small towel, she began to dry off the heaviest water. 

She caught Esmeia looking at her, a frown on her face.

"What happened?" the smaller woman asked and Nelly realised that she had seen her bruised and scratched body. 

"Ah... I had to escape the cave down a little crevice... I got caught up, ruined my skirt..."

Esmeia nodded "And your breasts?"

"Ah... yes... that was um... Falltrick... before".

"Oh," said Esmeia and after a moment she shrugged and a smile returned to her face as she averted her gaze, "of course." She moved over to the pot which was beginning to steam now. 

"I'll help", said Esmeia. 

They emptied some of the water from the bath and then Nelly, still naked but now feeling less self conscious, helped Esmeia carry the new pot over on the yoke to refill the bath to a lukewarm state. She hung the towel up and sat down in front of the fire to help dry the remaining moisture while Esmeia undressed. She had nice round breasts full but not heavy with dark nipples and her body was trim with only a little curve to the hips. Nelly could see the line of muscles in the the olive skin of the other woman's flat stomach. She wondered how beautiful Esmeia would look being fucked by a beastman as is the natural way and she felt her nipples hardening at the thought. And barely guilty.

Esmeia had stopped dressing and Nelly realised she was looking back at her. There eyes met, then they both turned away embarrassed by their nakedness. Then Esmeia slipped into the bath and was soon singing softly and happily to herself.

Nelly listened to the singing. It was not bad, maybe not bard standard but she could hold a melody and hit a few of the notes and it was nice and relaxing along with the warmth of the fire. A short while later she started, realising that she had drowsed off, Esmeia was still singing and splashing softly. She felt she was dry enough now so she got up she and pulled on a recently laundered night shirt. 

"You can go in the bed, I'll make up a cot" she told the other woman.

"No way" said Esmeia, "I'm the guest, this is your house, and you need a proper bed... tonight if ever... and every other reason. I have bedding in my bag I can sort a cot." 

Nelly shrugged. "OK, but I think I need to go down now."

"Sure, shall I empty the bath?"

"No just leave it 'til morn" answered Nelly, yawning. She slipped into the bed. "G'night" she said. She was asleep before she heard the reply.

But it was a fitful sleep , dark images and dreams invaded her slumber. 

She was  in a dark forest, deep, dark and ancient with great indistinct trunks rising above her, all around, so high that she could not see foliage. Through them she could see some reddish glow, fire or distant sunlight, it was so dim and the shadow trees so thick that it could as well have been night. Or maybe the darkness was a heavy smoke, there seemed to be a breeze that she could not feel but moved the darkness and stirred the trees. 

She seemed to recognise this place, the paths seemed the familiar ones of the village, and there was the well, but there was no sign of the cottages or cherry and apple orchards amongst the ancient trees 

And there were others with her, her uncle, Dohn's family, Hann's boys... she recognised even though she could not make out their precise forms in the gloom. She saw her cousin, Meg, and called out to her. The other girl laughed and then took off, despite her club foot, running swiftly like a gazelle into the trees. Nelly followed after her and the others were also now running, their swift feet carrying them like the wind, darting like swift, sleek creatures between the great trees.

And between the trees dark shapes stalked them. 

The chase began, the dark shapes racing in pursuit of their fleet prey or the leaping from the darkness and shadows. She saw her fellows weave and dodge or be caught and brought down under the horned forms of their predators. One of them was now behind her, she could feel its heavy hoof falls close and sensed its hot breath as it chased her but it was elation, not fear that drove her feet as she weaved and twisted between her feet. 

She raced through a place of squat dark stones like those at her village's meeting circle but in the centre, instead of the flat granite slab was a column of white light rising almost like one of the great tree trunks. 

She ran past it without slowing, her pursuer still on her heels as she weaved back into the trees, laughing with the exhilaration of the hunt. Meg crossed her path and ahead of them a squat horned shape rose from the darkness. The two girls split and she heard the ambusher roar in primal frustration as it grasped for both of them and failed to catch either. 

Past the village pond that should have been amidst the orchards. Another of her fellows suddenly ran across her path and she nearly stumbled as she dodged him, twisting to see her own pursuer veer off suddenly and bring the man down, both grunting with the impact. Running beside her Meg also laughed at this as she turned to Nelly but failed to see the sleek, hungry form of another hunter closing in from beside her, leaping. Her cousin fell with a cry under the dark form of the beast that claimed her. 

Nelly ran on, ducking and weaving in between the trees, dodging around or leaping over the coupling bodies, her feet carrying her like the wind as her fellow prey did likewise, shadows flickering across the spaces between the trees, while the hunters leaps and raced and roared in their frustration. 

She could not be caught, she was like a ghost, a gust of wind, a blur of legs racing swift across the ground and her pursuers too clumsy and slow to catch her. 

She thought.

Then a heavy body drove into her from behind.... 

... how swift it had been to catch her...

... how silent to do so without her hearing it ... 

... how strong it was to bear her down its powerful limbs crushing her...

... she was caught, mastered!

She was driven on to all fours, it weight pressing down and trapping her and, as it moved behind her to claim its prize, it howled in wanton lust and she joined it, spreading her legs...

When, sometime in the wee hours, she felt a familiar woman's arms embrace her comfortingly she realised that she had been moaning and crying out loud and hoped that her companion had not noticed the hardness of her nipples or dampness between her thighs.
