Barbarian of Gor Chapter Seventeen

 

“Where is Laetitia?” Livinnia stood before the prone figures of Felix and Adamus. She wore a brief, long sleeved riding tunic of coarse wool, long brown hose on her legs, a scarlet cape and cap, and black boots with spurs. Her hair was tied back into a pony tail, and she was armed with weapons more suitable for a Gorean man – a short sword and long knife. Lying to one side, where she might quickly reach for it, was her short bow of ka-la-na wood and a quiver of goose fletched arrows. Both Felix and Adamus were naked, and both men now lay on their backs in the mossy grass with their wrists and ankles widely stretched out to wooden stakes. They were secured there with binding fibre and helpless.

 

Four riding tharlarion were tethered to nearby trees. On the backs of the beasts were long, light lances and a number of throwing javelins. 

 

Livinnia wasn’t alone in the clearing. The lovely huntresses, Svetlana and Danata were with her. Svetlana seemed alert, keeping watch as Danata knelt beside the bound figure of Adamus. 

 

“We are refugees from the small town of Tynen, kind Lady. I do not know who this woman you ask of is,” said Felix. “We are just fleeing the soldiers, my brother and I. Please have mercy on us. We have suffered so much already. I lost my free companion to raiders, and then my daughter. She was only five.”

 

His voice sound tearful, pleading, and scared. I suspected it was an act.

 

“Look at me, Felix of Tynen,” said Livinnia as she knelt down beside his helplessly bound body. “What do you see?”

 

“A mighty Lady,” said Felix. “A strong huntress. We have no quarrel with you. Take what little we have, if you must, but please spare us. We only want to live.”

 

“Do you see a fool?” asked Livinnia, after a moment of silence.

 

Felix began to cry to the best of his ability. He really was very good. 

 

“Let me reassure you I am not a fool.” She cocked her head to one side. “What I am is an expert in how poorly men lie.”

 

My blood turned to ice as I recalled her questioning the warrior of Corcyrus who had surrendered to her companion’s cavalry. 

 

***************

 

Laetitia and I had followed the direction of travel through the woods that the remaining huntresses had taken while I was no doubt speaking with a bound and helpless Mishka somewhere down river. It was still dark, making tracking the women nearly impossible, but we had one thing in our favour, that although the huntresses might have wanted to move quietly, Felix and Adamus certainly weren’t going to do so. The women had obviously gagged them, but they deliberately blundered through the woods and there was no real way of preventing that, beyond killing them.

 

I guessed they had maybe a five to ten ehn head start on us.

 

Laetitia had gripped my left hand with her right and had followed quietly, not making a sound. We slipped between the sparse trees and navigated the best path through the low scrubs, treading lightly but maintaining an adequate pace that allowed us to close the gap without risking being seen. I wished I had a sword. A sword would mean I would have greater reach than any of the women, and that counts for a lot in combat. Mishka, for example, was about five feet and five inches tall, with a correspondingly short reach compared to me, and this is typical for most Gorean women. Many centuries of natural selection have favoured women who correspond to traditional definitions of femininity. While I’m sure nature does throw up occasional anomalies - strapping wenches in the style of Brienne of Tarth - the sad truth is they’re unlikely to see their genes passed down through future generations. Simply put, Gorean men won’t be attracted to them. Who would you want in your furs? The small, but delightfully curvaceous Daenerys, or the tall, masculine looking Brienne? 

 

Case in point.

 

Before setting out I had explained my likely plan to Laetitia. Assuming I would locate the huntresses’ camp, and assuming they were at least partially distracted by the interrogation of Felix and Adamus, I would direct Laetitia to show herself. A flustered slave girl, scared, alone – possibly the very same slave girl they had glimpsed at our camp before attacking – would flounder and stumble into the periphery of their camp. What a mistake! Quickly, she would turn on her hells, possibly cry out in alarm, and run back through the trees. She had meant to escape, but had obviously run in circles and ended up close to her pursuers.

 

I hoped that a single huntress would go after her. It would not take much to run down a fleeing slave. Laetitia could then be brought back to the camp.

 

Only I would be waiting for the huntress in the dark.

 

Then there would only be two of them with Adamus and Felix. And I might have gained a short sword. 

 

It was a simple plan, but effective. I think Rolfe would have approved. 

 

***************

 

I watched from my hidden position as Livinnia placed her hand on Felix’s taut abdomen. “Soon, very soon, you will experience great pain.”

 

Despite himself, Felix tensed his muscles. There was something in the woman’s voice that told him she meant precisely what she said.

 

“You and I, and your friend, here, we will talk of many things. You will lie to me throughout, perhaps mixing those lies with half-truths and actual truths. I will listen and I will learn. I am very patient. I fully expect you to maintain your story. But I know who you are. And I know you have what I want. Then will come the period of pain. Oh, but the pain will be unbearable.” She leaned closer, her lips moving beside his ear, speaking softly, almost as if a lover. “You will cry out and you will beg for the pain to end, and perhaps I will soothe and comfort you throughout the pain, holding you to my breast like the mother you will scream to for deliverance. And I will tell you that I wished I could save you from this pain, but I cannot. We will suffer together, you and I. But I will carry you through that pain and we will come out the other side, and you will then know the relief of finally baring your soul to me. And then there will be no more lies or half-truths. You will beg for the chance to tell me what I need to know. You will take great comfort in doing so.”

 

Her left hand moved over the man’s penis and began to stimulate it. “You are clearly a strong man. Of course you are a strong man. The Tatrix of Corcyrus would not have chosen a weak man. I admire your strength, but I have known so many strong men, tied with binding fibre to my torture rack, over the years. They all break and cry in the end.”

 

I felt Laetitia’s hand on my arm. She remained silent, but she was clearly agitated.

 

She wanted me to do something. 

 

“But first we must rob you of your pride. Oh, but you are such a proud man. And your pride stands in the way of helping me.” Livinnia had easily stimulated Felix to a full erection. “Can I tell you a secret? Will you listen to me carefully?” She moved closer and touched her lips softly to his. “It is impossible for a woman to rape a man in the conventional sense. I can only have you if you find me desirable. And then it isn’t rape. Oh, I could violate you with a phallus, but I’m hardly going to do that. I am a woman, and I do not choose to have you as a man might. I want you inside of me. Deep, deep in the deep. I want to feel your helpless, futile rage. You shall be the plough, and I shall be the furrow, and we shall give each other such pleasure. This is what you want, isn’t it? Look how hard you are. Look how much you desire me. Look how helpless you are before me. We have many hours together, so-called Felix of Tynen, and soon there will be such excruciating agony, but for now, enjoy me. Take comfort in a little pleasure before your descent into Hell.”

 

I leaned close to Laetitia and whispered directly into her ear so as to minimise any chance of being heard by the huntresses. “In a few moments you will run, stumbling in panic, apparently lost, directly through the edge of the clearing. Cry out in alarm when you see the women, and then turn quickly on the balls of your feet and run back along the route I showed you. At least one of the women will pursue you, and I will be waiting for her.”

 

Laetitia turned to face me as she nodded. Her lips were moist and pursed as if she wanted me to kiss her.

 

“No,” I whispered. “Concentrate. This has to go perfectly.”

 

The girl was scared. Of course she was scared. But she rose to her feet and began to circle the clearing, ready to make her grand entrance. I got to my feet and slipped back through the greenery, ready to follow when a huntress chose to pursue Laetitia.

 

My pretty little slave girl certainly wasn’t quiet. I heard her stumble between the bushes and then let out a sharp cry when she found herself in a clearing with three huntresses and two bound men. And in fairness, it probably wasn’t pure acting on her part. 

 

“It’s the slave!” cried Livinnia. “Svetlana, take her. Quickly!”

 

I smiled as I pictured Laetitia now turning and running back the way she came along a pre-determined flight path, with Svetlana in swift pursuit. Laetitia was lighter on her feet than Svetlana, though neither woman was particularly big, and that would enable her to maintain a lead without actually losing Svetlana in the darkness. And of course it was impossible for Svetlana to move quietly when she was running at full speed after a fleeing kajira. All I had to do was wait until she ran past my hiding place.

 

Laetitia was first to appear. I hadn’t told her where I would be hiding, so she simply ran past me without knowing. Moments later Svetlana emerged from the undergrowth, a hunting knife in her left hand, and binding fibre wrapped loosely about that same wrist, ready for use when she brought down her fleeing prey. The huntress was focused only on Laetitia, so by the time she became aware of my presence I had sprung out just behind her, bringing her swiftly down with a blow from my clenched fist. She hit the grass face first, only barely comprehending what had just happened. And then I had my full body weight on top of her, and I thrust a makeshift gag of another large stone wrapped in a length of cloth firmly between her teeth and into her mouth, forcing her jaws open and her tongue down. I had stifled her scream just in time. She thrashed wildly, unable to get up, and unable to strike back at me while I lay on top of her. 

 

Moments later Laetitia joined me, and she began to tie the gag at the back of Svetlana’s head while I drew back her wrists and secured them in efficient Gorean capture knots. 

 

Svetlana’s eyes were ablaze with anger and hatred as Laetitia checked the security of the gag once the knots were done. The huntress struggled to free her wrists and I was happy to let her do so while I crossed her ankles and secured them in the same fashion. Her knife lay on the ground, where she had dropped it when she fell. I handed it to Laetitia for safekeeping and then helped myself to the huntresses’ sword and scabbard and her short bow and quiver of arrows. 

 

“Now I have a short bow. Ho-ho-ho,” I said. Unfortunately, the pop culture reference was lost on both of the girls. 

 

Two huntresses were down, and two still standing. The odds were looking better all the time.

 

“Lie still,” I whispered to Svetlana. She wriggled against her wrist and ankle ties, mewling softly through her gag, for all the good it did her. As I had done with Mishka, I brought her ankles back to where her wrists were bound behind the small of her back, and I then secured both sets of binding fibre together, putting her body into a graceful bow and rendering her now completely helpless.  

 

I signalled Laetitia to heel me, and then I moved quietly back towards the clearing where Livinnia and Danata remained with their prisoners. Only a few ehn had gone by since Svetlana had pursued the fleeing slave, so if I was lucky the other two women might not yet be alarmed by their sister’s continued absence. Seizing and binding a captive takes time, and for all they knew Svetlana might be interrogating the slave before returning with her as a prize. 

 

But no. I reckoned without Livinnia’s professionalism and intuition for danger. As I crouched down in the thickets, I plainly saw that the huntresses were now bow armed, crouching low and moving in the direction that Svetlana had taken. They had arrows nocked to their bows and they were moving softly, placing one foot ahead of the other as they crept silently between the trees, positioning themselves side by side so that they covered one another’s backs and could turn instantly to shoot. Clearly Livinnia wasn’t going to be foolish enough to remain in the open glade, offering up a convenient target to me. 

 

I whispered some urgent instructions to Laetitia and motioned for her to move round the women as quietly as she could. It was still at least an ahn before dawn, and until the sun rose the darkness would be my friend. The women had to look for Svetlana. I on the other hand could simply remain still, hidden from their view. 

 

Livinnia made no attempt to call out Svetlana’s name, which was sensible. The fact that Svetlana hadn’t promptly returned indicated that she couldn’t. If she had been able to call out for help then she would have by now. I watched as the women made slow, cautious progress in the direction that Svetlana had chased after the runaway slave. As each ehn ticked by, they moved closer and closer to my position. If Laetitia was doing as she was told, she would be watching from the other side of the thicket. Once the women passed the trunk of a low hanging tree, Laetitia would make a sound, snapping a twig in her hands. It would be enough to make the huntresses turn in that direction and level their bows. Their backs would be to me, presenting still targets as they sought to conceal themselves from Laetitia, not knowing I was the more immediate threat, hidden directly behind their position.

 

I didn’t enjoy the thought of what was to follow. It was dark, and I could only make out the silhouettes of the slow moving, crouching women. I would only have time for a single shot before the women reacted. There was no way I could do anything but shoot to kill. Forget aiming for a limb. It had to be a direct shot at one of their backs. The thought of killing a woman, especially a woman I had known in the past was anathema to me, but I saw no other option. If I didn’t hit with my first bow shot, I would be in serious trouble. 

 

I notched an arrow to the ka-la-na wood short bow I had taken from Mishka and I made ready to rise up, draw and shoot. I was no stranger to archery. In my early adult life I had spent some time at a local archery club, so felt I could probably hit one of the huntresses at a range of twelve yards or so. Had this been a long bow then it would have been a completely different story, as I would have lacked the upper body strength to draw the bow back sufficiently. That said, if I couldn’t pull a longbow, then a woman certainly wouldn’t be able to either. 

 

There was a crack as if a slave had stepped on some dry twigs. Instantly the two women turned in Laetitia’s direction, dropping low, raising their bows and readying themselves for loosing their arrows at the first sign of movement.

 

I rose above the concealment of the thicket, drew back my bow string, aimed at Danata’s back, and released the shot. I dropped back down into concealment as soon as I fired, but I didn’t need to see whether my aim had been true. There was a woman’s scream and I knew instantly that I had shot Danata. 

 

Please don’t be dead, I thought to myself. I don’t want to take your life, pretty Danata.  

 

Livinnia’s reaction was perfect; she span round with bow raised, and moved to the side of the low hanging tree for cover from my side of the woodland. She didn’t panic. An amateur might have loosed an arrow at nothing. Livinnia held her fire and tried to make out where the bow shot had come from. Good luck with that. With half an ahn still until dawn, it would be impossible to work out the line of fire. All she knew was it had come from somewhere to her rear. 

 

And then Laetitia did the second thing I had told her to do. She began running through the thickets on her side of the woodland, making  no attempt at silence. With Livinnia now in a heightened sense of alertness, the sound might easily be mistaken for several men moving now to attack her. She reacted swiftly, turning her attention to Laetitia’s side of the forest, sweeping her bow round. Laetitia dropped to her belly, violently shaking a single bush in the process. Instantly, then, Livinnia reacted, firing an arrow directly at that bush.

 

She assumed of course, with the direction of her shot, that there would be a standing or crouching target. I prayed that Laetitia lying flat on her belly, digging in to the ground for dear Iife, would be too low for the shot to strike her.

 

As soon as Livinnia had loosed her arrow I was running across the twelve yards of scrubland like a charging sleen. Livinnia heard me of course and turned, reaching into her quiver for a second arrow.

 

I was going hell for leather, trusting to my speed in Gor’s lighter gravity, and trusting that I could reach her before she could draw, notch, pull, aim, and release. 

 

She was fast. I’ll give her that. She had the arrow notched to her string in a couple of ihn, her hips turning as she did so to face me. I saw the ka-la-na wood bow rise and aim. But here’s the thing – Livinnia was a huntress, not a warrior. She was not used to being charged headlong from close range as she speed drew on her bow. A warrior is used to that, but Livinnia was not a warrior. In her panic, seeing me almost upon her, she loosed the arrow before she was ready and I heard a thrum as it shot past my head, missing me by inches.

 

Panic does it every time. You can practice on a target range all you like, but when a man is almost upon you, you panic. 

 

And of course the darkness helped. 

 

I smacked into her with all my body weight. Livinnia was bowled over, rolling across the grass with me on top of her. I smacked my fist into her stomach and took all the wind out of her. She gasped, trying to draw a breath, and for a crucial few ihn she couldn’t do a thing. I rolled her onto her stomach then as she was choking for breath. This time I didn’t need to worry about a gag. I sat down on her body and drew back her right wrist, twisting her arm behind her back until she screamed in pain. Then I looped binding fibre about it. She tried raising herself up with her left arm, but I was simply too heavy. I pulled her left wrist back and swiftly secured it with capture knots to her right wrist. And then I rolled her over on to her wrist bound back. 

 

I reached with my left hand and searched inside the neckline of her tunic until I found the poison vial – the one she promised to swallow if ever she was captured. As Livinnia continued to gasp lungful’s of precious air, I broke the string and threw the vial away into the darkness of the woodland.

 

It would be dawn rise in just over a quarter of an ahn.