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Lady Dragon – part 1


     Hunted

 can smell the gunpowder all around me and I’m sure it’s coming from the rifles of the hunters, which are all aiming at me waiting for my next move and even if I can’t see them, I know they are coming closer.  It took several days of chasing to them to be able to push me through a gorge at the foot of the mountain where I usually live and where I can stay away from the humans or any other race of the Continent of Drakoonia. Despite the considerable power that comes from the demon blood running through my veins, I couldn’t climb a wall so steep, especially considering the fact that I have several wounds caused by the weapons and the traps of the hunters, probably the most prepared group of them I ever have meet. The only chance to break free is a frontal attack with great risk to fall under the fire of the their rifles and more I look around me, more I realize how much they were able to put me with my back against this gorge. And I’m quite sure they are almost ready for the final rush of this long hunt.
But I don’t want to give up......I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in some cage like a beast, or even a worst fate can wait me, for what I know! A beast....yes, a beast is what normal people usually see in me, in my body trapped between the one of a pretty young girl and the one of a demon! Probably, if the problem was just the horns over my head, I could try to hide them with a hood or an ornament, making them appear to be part of it, but the real problem has always been my legs, two powerful legs with sharp claws instead of feet, which could pierce the body of an adamantine bear in a moment, if only I want it! And I can’t really hide them so easily! Or, anyway, not in a no suspicious way!
At last, I’m almost ready to attack, even if I know the risks, when a noise caught my attention upward. When taking a look over me, I can see that hunters have caused an avalanche which is going to crash right on my head! Thanks to my body and strength, dodge the first isolated boulders was not so difficult, even if I’m starting to move with increasing difficulty, but I can’t say the same for the others which follows after that first wave: there were too many of them and at last, for one I dodge, two hit me causing me more wounds and pain, till I’m totally overwhelmed by them. And, little by little, I’m getting trapped on the bottom of the gorge, with more boulders still falling over me. The noise they made is deafening, probably too much even for me, and I’m losing the count of how many of them are hitting me till, at last, all around me become black and I lost conscious.

When I get conscious again, my head is so confused.... Where am I?! What happened?! Appealing to my strength, I’ll try to get up, but something is restraining my body: am I still trapped under the avalanche!? No, it cannot be.... I can clearly see the sunlight shining, even if my vision is still blurred and I’m sure it's not a crack between the rocks.... it’s something different, maybe.... yes, now I can see things more clear.... the ones I see are.... bars!? What happened while I was unconscious!? I try to get up yet, but nothing to do.... then, I try to look around, moving my arms.... these are also blocked, but from what?! Appealing to my little strength, I try to lift my right arm.... a clatter of metal makes me finally understand what it is: chains! That's right.... at the end, the hunters were able to capture me, and they wrapped my body with strong chains, restraining me and imprisoned me in a wagon with which they are transporting me somewhere!
Suddenly, an unmistakable smell of salty air hit my nose. I have no doubt, we are heading towards the Berin Sea, where probably my new destiny is waiting me: to be exposed in a cage for the rest of my life! I can’t allow it.... no, this is not the life I want, I don’t want to live like a caged animal.... there is a lot I want to experience and, most important, I would like to find someone who will support me in good time but more, when things looks bad and the presence of someone who can cuddle you is more needed. But I know this will remain just a dream, no one could love a half-demon and more if he found out my secret.... no, that would remain forever a beautiful, sweet dream. What expects me now is just harsh reality....

When we finally reach the harbor, someone open the cage’s door. Strong hands grab tight my legs and drag me out, causing a huge metal uproar: for a moment, I think this is my only chance to escape from there and I try to wriggle with all my strength, but the grip of those hands is surprisingly strong, almost comparable to mine. I look up to this mysterious entity that posses this incredible strength and what I see leave me stunned: a 6,6 feet and more tall figure, self-confident despite he’s facing a being that many others wouldn’t have hesitated to call "monster"! Watching carefully, I am impressed to discover it’s a human! How is it possible he can have so much power!? I never met one like him! His body is massive and the muscles of his arms are perfectly sculpted, maybe even too much, a clear sign of the long and hard workouts that has subjected his body. A body I can’t stop to look at, as if it has hypnotized me with his strength.

Then, the voice of a man distracts my attention from that incredible figure.

"Horgus, take that creature in the hut reserved for the gladiators and take care of her wounds! Those idiot hunters.... they will never learn how to capture their prey uninjured!"

"As you wish, Lord Barton!" the figure thundered, whit steady and strong voice.

Saying this, he carry me on his mighty shoulders, without any apparent fatigue, as if he is transporting a small bag of floor or something similar, and not another person like me, almost 7 feet tall! Everything seems so incredible, I always thought humans were small, weak, coward, but not him, he looks different from all the other humans I ever met! Horgus.... at least, I know his name now, a name that suit perfectly to a man of such strength and vigor and who is able to make my heart bump faster and wild: is it possible that this man has impressed me so much!? And why I’m starting to feel attracted by him and his mighty appearance!? I’m so lost in my thoughts that I hardly notice that we have reached a hut and he laid me on a straw bed, just before to begin removing the chains that imprison me.

"I suggest you to don’t try to escape.... you are too weak and it will be easy for me to catch you again. But don’t worry, I’ll take care of your wounds, and soon you will also serve Lord Barton! "

"Yeah, sure ...." are the only words I can say at this moment. I can’t believe I’m acting like a little human girl who fell in love for the first time, not after I survive after facing many dangers and wild animals .... Horgus might have abducted my heart so much and so quickly!? A sudden shudder pervades my body .... it takes me awhile to finally realize that the hands of Horgus are caressing my body, cleaning it up from the mud and the blood gushed from my wounds.

"Take off your clothes.... they must be washed and I can’t take care of your wounds properly with them on!"

Those words, even if they don’t have second thoughts, make my face flush and I can feel chills running on my spine. I turn away to don’t face him but most, cause I don’t want he see my blushed cheeks, I don’t want he can understand the strange, but wonderful, effect he is having on me. Then, I try to find an excuse to don’t undress right in front of him.

"But .... but I really don’t .... "my face looked ready to explode, now I can feel it burning " .... I don’t know if I can do it .... "

"You'll soon get used to it, from today we will share this place because I’ll going to take care of you and I’ll teach you everything you need to know to be a fighter". Hearing those words, my heart leaped again.... sharing the same place!? With him? It seemed like a dream! "Now hurry up or did you want to be punished by Lord Barton!?"

 "Y-yes ......" hesitant and confused, I begin to remove the belt first, then my vest. I let it slide down my upper body, slowly, but when it reaches my belly, agitation takes control of me again. I’m getting so nervous and embarrassed by this situation..... it’s not something I’m used to do!

"Please, don’t look! It’s .... it's too embarrassing! I can’t!" I suddenly yell, trying to catch the vest before it falls on the floor to cover my belly.

My heart begin to bump like crazy, I can feel his eyes pointed on me while I try to hide my secret: no matter how much I can resemble a human girl, I’m definitely not! Horns and legs are not the only unnatural parts of my body: under my frayed and dirty vest, my shaft has started to react to Horgus gentle touch and to my feelings, growing and getting hard as I never felt it before! I don’t have enough courage to look at his face .... how could I!? Maybe he’s my first love, but he could be attracted, or even feel interested, by a freak like me!? I can’t get this thought out of my head, pounding incessantly to the point I didn’t notice how close Horgus is to my face.

“Are you fine!? You act strange and your face is all red .... maybe your wounds get infected or it’s fever....”

Saying this, he put his forehead on mine. His face is now so close to mine, I just need to move for few inches to being able to kiss him, but I’m petrified.... any muscles of my body is blocked, even my lips! And I’m sure he notices it, someway.

“No, I don’t think is fever....” he says, moving a step forward “but I’m sure something is not good....”

I would like to scream to him what I feel but I can’t. Not a single word is coming out of my mouth, maybe even my breath can’t find its natural way. All I can do now, is staring at him: he is not a so attractive man but in his sculpted and toned body, there is something wild that caught my attention, something I can see more clearly in his black and deep eyes. Now I’m sure of it, that man have a sort of animal presence (instinct, maybe!?) who makes my demon’s blood boil and I can’t control it!

Insecure on what to do, I let the vest fall on the floor and reveal my shaft to him for the first time. I’ll try to cover it with my hands, but agitation and nervousness has take control of me, letting me fall on my back and exposing my full naked body to him: if I was able to hold the shame till that moment, my face was now burning as it never has done before and I can’t hold his eyes who are now exploring any inch of myself. I was sure he will leave the hut disappointed by this ugly view, but something unexpected, suddenly happen.

“You are a wonderful creature....”

Few words.... probably he told them too many girls but this is the first time someone told them to me! I look at him suspiciously, without worrying to cover my body: my mind is sure they are just a lie but when I look deep into his eyes, I can see the truth of them, I can see the surprise but also a strange light, similar to admiration or it looks like that to me.
He gently helps me to stand and sit on the bed, and for all the time I can sense his eyes glued on me. Even if his words and act had helped me to relax a little, I’m still confused and agitated: that situation, embarrassing at the begin, is now turned into something different. Or maybe it was for me.... the attraction I felt for that man till the first time I saw him has grown and it’s more than instinct for me now, it’s love! Maybe Horgus can appear like a rude and strong man (and he probably is!) but he’s showing me a sensible side of him, something he probably hide and he is revealing it to me now, a half-demon, a creature usually hunted by the humans.

“That’s why you were so nervous!?” he asks me, breaking the silence between us.

“Yes .... I’m a half-demon and not only that .... half man and half woman .... it’s my curse....” I reply, looking down.

“Maybe.... or maybe not! This can make you a special creature!” he says, taking a sponge and starting to clean my body “Look  at me, for example. I’m a human, but most think I’m weird.... I’m tallest then everyone else and have a massive body.... someone think I’m a mixed race and avoid me....”

Silence fills the place, again. We stare at each other, both surprised to see how our lives where similar and how destiny, sometimes, can be cruel but, at last, sometimes it gives a small sparkle of hope. After that confession, we didn’t say a word. Just when he finishes the treatment of my wounds, he spoke to me again.

“I have business to do, but I’ll come back later with new clothes…. now, try to rest!”

Then, he vanishes outside the hut, just to come back when it was already dark with some food. This was the first of many sleepless nights spent admiring at my Horgus, so kind and sweet while he takes care of my wounds, but resolute when he is in the arena behind Lord Barton’s Estate training the gladiators at Lord Barton’s service.

I must say it, every time I look at Horgus during the trainee’s sessions in the arena, I’m surprised by his strength. Of course, he is not at my same level but for being a common human, he is really powerful and his techniques are more than excellent, plus no one of the other gladiators are closed to be compared to him! Probably, even my fighting techniques are not effective as his ones, especially considering the fact I never had someone who taught me how to fight. And this aspect of Horgus is fascinating me too, making me impatient to step down in the arena to face him and finally be able to evaluate his real strength.
But at the same time, another feeling is growing inside me. Every time Horgus touch my body to take care of my wounds, strong shivers run thorough my body and they make my blood burn so intensely that it become very difficult to resist to the temptation to reveal to him my true feelings. Feelings that he returns with joy, as I’m about to discover....and maybe, Horgus’s feelings are even deeper and stronger than mine! And even if I’m able to take care of me by myself, I take advantage of the situation to have some intimate time with him, something I have the impression Horgus is appreciating too.

Then, during one of those sleepless nights, something happened....something which is going to change many things in my life.

That night, naked in my straw bed, sleep was very difficult. Few steps far from me, Horgus lies just wearing his leather pants: covered by a thin sheet from toes to head, I stare at him and  at his incredible and mighty body. I wonder if he notices to have my attention…. carefully, I continue to look at him, just to turn on the other side when he, sometimes, look in my direction. Even if I can’t see him, I can sense his eyes pointed on me, trying to catch any movement I made.
Suddenly, shivers run over me body, surprising me: a gentle hand caress my back, slowly, giving me some strong and intense emotions. I turn back to see who is touching me but before I can see something, strong lips are against mine, leaving me breathless for a moment: they felt warm and firm in that long kiss and when they finally are away from mine, I can clearly recognize Horgus. Without saying a word, his lips kiss my neck, moving down to my chin, then to my tits, till they reach my nipples at last: this is a totally new sensation for me, something  thought I’d never felt.... his lips huddle around my nipples, his tongue gently caressing them.... it’s a sensation so intense that I can’t hold a moan of pleasure. Horgus immediately noticed it, I can feel it in his hands who are touching me, exploring every inch of my body, eager, as he doesn’t has touch a woman’s body for so long.

I can’t control these new sensations he is giving to me and he know it! I’m overwhelmed by them, to the point I’m losing myself and I didn’t realize immediately to have his hard and mighty rod pressed on my belly, barely touching mine in an intense and intimacy ceremony. My face flushed, again, when he spread my legs with a fast but firm movement of his pelvis and his rod reach my entrance, pressing over it. I can’t believe to what is going to happen and on how badly he wants me! This make me happy but at the same time, fear start to run in my body.

"I-I don’t ...." I try to babble.

"Don’t say anything .... I understand it from how your body reacts, from your breath and your eyes .... I can read clearly the desire but also the fear .... this is your first time, isn’t it!? "

I nod at him, with my eyes closed. I’m too embarrassed to look at him and he probably notices it, because he starts to kiss my belly gently and slowly moving down till he reaches my entrance. His tongue lingers for a while around my entrance, greedy, but at the same time temptress, waiting for my reaction.... or rather, a reaction of my body. And he doesn’t have to wait for it so long: my body squirms at his gentle but firm touch, reacts with increasing force, the feeling becomes more intense, overwhelming! Is that what you feel when someone caresses your body, when he want you!? It's a unique and inebriant sensation!
But Horgus leave me no time to get lost in these thoughts. While I think I’ve reached the climax, his tongue slip into my hole, slowly at first, then more and more strongly, so much so that I can’t hold a moan, then another…. and again! More I try to resist, more the excitement rise in my body, making my blood burn of intense and unexpected lust …. lust that increase suddenly when Horgus 's fingers open their way inside, exploring my body like no one had ever done before! They move inside me trying to open a way to dig deeper and deeper: at first, the pain arrived, but pleasure take its place, becoming more intense as I get used to them and at all the new sensation they are giving me. And that pleasant torture continues for several time, till they begin to move out slowly, finally leaving me the chance to breath, to calm the beat of my heart.
But Horgus don’t want give me time to rest: he grab my waist and pull myself close to him and rubbing his shaft against my barely open entrance. I close my eyes and nervously swallow, thinking to be ready for it, but I’m probably wrong!

"No, please .... I .... I’m not ready for this! " I yell trying to push him away.

But I know I keep lying to myself .... perhaps I’m not mentally ready, but my body is! My breath becomes more heavy and even if I don’t want to admit it, I want it as much, or maybe more, then Horgus want it too. But he surprises me again.

"If you really think you are not ready, I can wait .... I don’t want to force you to do something you don’t want ...." as he said this, his hands loosen their grip on me, and moving on my side.

"Forgive me .... I would, but I’m afraid .... afraid of all this unknown sensations!"

Without realizing it, tears flow from my eyes and fall slowly down my cheeks. I’m acting like a little girl who looks out at the world for the first time: a world she never had seen before and she find scary, even if she want to explore it. Looking at my tears, Horgus move closed to me, gently dries my tears and hug me, giving me another beautiful moment of great happiness and I can finally feel safe in a world who always has try to refuse my existence.

"I’ll teach you everything you need to know, not only on fighting .... I like you, I want you .... but I don’t want to see you suffer! We have plenty of time so we take one step at a time till you are ready to do it."

" Horgus .... " is all I’m able to say before he gives me another passionate kiss.

     A new life

hree years have passed from that first night in the hut of Lord Burton’s gladiators and many changes happened in my life. Every day, for six months, Horgus has trained me hard to get ready to fight in the arenas of the kingdom, to became the champion of Lord Barton, until finally I can join my first tournament: here, the crowd cheered his favorite champion, no matter the race or anything else.... all they want is to see an intense and crude fight between two excellent fighters. I wonder why they can be so exalted watching two of them biting the dust and getting covered by mud and blood, I think they can be really weird sometimes, but I must admit it.... the fight excite me too, awakening my demon side and giving me an intense pleasure. But it’s not even similar to what I feel when Horgus holds me in his powerful arms, while he touch my body and when his lips looks for mine for an endless and passionate kiss or when he wants me so badly to hardly resist to come and join me in the fighters area after a match .... or even before it! Horgus is giving me sensations I forget for many years, maybe for too much, something who brings my memory back to the happy days of my childhood when I was living with my mother: I feel safe and relaxed with him and I love to feel the warm of his naked body against mine, our breaths getting heavy when he posses me, making me reach a strong and intense orgasm! I must admit it.... I can’t imagine my life without him now! He makes me change my opinion about humans, not all of them are weird or heartless.... there are some who have a gentle heart and they don’t have forget what love is, no matter who you are!

And I must say that even being at Lord Barton service, after all, is better than I was expecting: of course, he always demands the best from his gladiators and he know how to be cruel with those of them who don’t satisfy his expectation, but at least he has never try to hinder our relationship even if he didn’t approve it at the begin! But in the end, he realized that Horgus is my weak point, the only thing that really interested me, and he realized that he could use it in his favor. But now, after all the victories I  reported and with the champion’s title firmly in my hand, he started to take me in highest consideration, to the point he sometimes asked my opinion about the new gladiators and their abilities.
But that wasn’t the only change in my life as a gladiator at the service of Lord Barton. After the first time I won the champion’s title of the league, it wasn’t so rare that other members of the nobles’ families want to know and meet me. And it’s for this reason that Lord Barton took the decision to gave me a proper education, especially about the etiquette I must follow when I’m in front of nobles or highest rank citizens of Rhoonas and of the other cities of the kingdom. At the begin, being used to all those formality wasn’t easy and too many times I made mistakes, but little by little, at last I was able to learn how to act as a perfect lady while I was in front of nobles and, of course, of the Royal’s Family.

And it was during a banquet at the Estate of lord Barton that one of the nobles was particularly impressed by the incredible contrast between my appearance, fierce and almost majestic, and my perfect manners, maybe even more perfect than some of the noblewomen invited at the banquet. He was the first one who called me “Lady Dragon”, even if it was just a sort of joke, and from that moment that became my official name, the only one I had memory since I was a child.
Even Lord Barton was surprisingly satisfied by that name, the perfect mix of strength and femininity. Soon, my name became really popular in every country of the kingdom, thanks to my continuous victories which bring more popularity to me and to the Barton’s family. Lord Barton, since he was young, was always interested in gladiators and their fights in the arena, as many others in the whole kingdom, so I found really strange the fact he rarely came to the arena to follow the trainees, leaving to Horgus the whole responsibility to follow them for him. Probably, he leaves the trainees in Horgus’ hands because he has full trust in that giant but lovely man! And that’s why today I’m surprised to see him coming to the arena, in the middle of our train.

"Well, well .... I see with pleasure that despite tomorrow we’ll sail for Libidinis, you still training hard today ...." he say, pleased to see we are working hard as usual "Lady, being invited to join the Libidinis’ tournament is a rare opportunity.... I expect the best from you!”

"Of course, Milord , I’ll never disappoint your expectations!"

"It's the least you can do, Lady .... the loss is not concerned, you know! it It’s a big chance for the Barton’s family to enlarge its influence! In the afternoon, don’t forget to prepare all we need, Horgus!"

Horgus nod at him and after that, Lord Barton leave the arena . To both of us, it’s clear how much Lord Barton is pointing on the tournament and to me to gain the favor of Libidinis’ citizen to expand the area where the name of the Barton’s family is known and find new area for his business: I know I can’t disappoint him or I’ll going to pay the consequence of my failure and he will probably push me far from Horgus, something I can’t deal with! I look at my Horgus, standing near me and I’m surprised to see his body barely trembling and I wonder why! I mean, I fought in many tournaments and I never had seen him like this, with his eyes pointing at the sky and full of not so hidden hope!

During the whole day, I can’t get out of my head that strange expression he have but I’m sure something is going on in his mind. Something I understand when he bring me in the forest and, when he’s sure no one is around us, hold my shoulders tight with all his strength and watch me straightly in my eyes

"Listen Lady .... win this tournament is your big chance! I know how it works, there are many young fighters in search of fame and many Nobile let their fighters join it to show how powerful are and to gain realms favor! But the important thing, for you, is if you win, you can have one wish granted....."

The expression on his face is even more serious and I’m starting to understand what he means with his talk. The silence probably lasted a few seconds but it was enough for me to understand that chance can give me back my freedom! Thinking at it, I can’t hold a smile and Horgus noise.

"Lady, I think you understand what I mean: you can get your freedom back!” he continues, holding me tight “but listen me carefully now, because I have something important to say to you!”

I nod at him, staring at his serious expression.

“Lady....if you win and you will have your freedom back.... marries me! I’m thinking about this from months and this is our opportunity to be happy together!"

Marrying him!? He really is asking this to me!? Is this what he really wants!? I mean .... in these last three years, Horgus gave me so much, making me feel needed and sowing me what love is.... something who was given me only by my mother, till I was able to live with her. It looks unbelievable to me and his request echo in my mind.

"Do you.... do you really want to marry me? A half-demon!?" I ask him, hesitant.

At these words, his face becomes more serious and he looks straight in my eye.

"Do you think I’ve played with your feelings all this time!? " he said, puzzled , " I don’t care about your demon heritage, I have always loved you  and want to live my life with you ...."

The silence that follows his words was long. He observe me to catch any little change of my expression while in my mind I can see all the moment we spent together, alone, far away from curious eyes: he show me the best side of humans and he gave me his love, without hesitation, and I gave him my soul, my body.... everything I have and in exchange, I received more than I ever had for many years ago! He teaches me what love is, he makes me feels like a normal girl.... and I love him for doing it!

"I know you never done it and I never played with yours .... I love you too .... I can’t imagine my life without you...."

He didn’t answer me with words but with a passionate kiss who cut my breath: it’s strange how time can change you .... until three years ago, I probably never has trust his words and has push him away getting ready to fight, but now .... now I’m living a wonderful dream with him, a dream I wish will never end and I know it’s going to happen till we are together!

Our tongues are now seeking, greedy, and the contact with his sweaty ant toned body is making me horny, while the smell of his skin burnt by the summer’s sun is intoxicating me, like a pleasant drug that begin to circulate in my veins. I feel clearly his right hand quiver with desire as it slowly move down my spine, till it reach my bum cheeks: it grab and squeeze them harder with his left hand, making me wince to the point of not being able to hold back a moan of pleasure. His hand slipped under my dress, grab my panties and literally rip them off ....he looks like a beast, unstoppable and unable to win against his instinct, but I like it! I like the way he squeeze my cheek, the way he show me how much he want me but most of all, I like when he hold me tight in his arms kissing me....it make me feel like normal girl who have finally find happiness and a wonderful man who want to take care of her. But his fingers are not giving me much time to think: I can sense the med one rubbing in circle at my entrance, firmly, teasing me again and again, making me desire with all my strength for the moment he will open its way inside me and Horgus know very well this is something I can barely resist to and how much it aroused me! I want to yell at him to stop, to don’t tease me like this but his lips and his tongue didn’t give me any chance to breath: they are eager, lustfully and those feelings pass from him to me, unstoppable, running wild from my tongue to my rosebud, making my body squirm when his finger open its way in it! It’s pleasant and my body react to it, more and more, at any thrust he give me with his mighty finger who is digging his way deep in me, till Horgus barely pull it out just to push it back with another one, stretching my wet entrance more.

A suffocated moan rise up my throat....this feeling drive me crazy, it’s like he’s gaining full control of me and I love it! I always give all of myself to Horgus, body and mind, I have full trust in him and he always repay me with strong and intense sensations who show me his deep love and desire for me, but today it’s different....he’s thrusting his fingers in me roughly and his tongue is dancing wild with mine as ever done before! I can barely hold the pleasure who rise at any thrust and even if I can’t yell it out, my body can’t hide it: I never had my nipples so hard and erect, as I never felt my rosebud getting so wet....any sensation is pushed at the limit but it looks not enough....I want...no, I need strongest emotions....more....emotions who never end! He got everything from me in those three years: my body, my soul, my trust....now, Horgus is my whole world and I have done everything for him, because I love him....so deeply....he’s my man, my lover! I can feel his brawny hard rod pressed against my belly....it’s throbbing, it desire me so badly that the leather pants can’t restrain it properly and that massive bulge is clearly visible!
I want it in me here, now....I can’t wait anymore but Horgus is too caught by playing with my rosebud! He pushed a third finger inside, it’s a little painful but so exciting....it makes my whole body burn and I can feel my blood boiling as never happen before: instinctively, I dig my fingers in Horgus’ back, making him bleed a little, but he didn’t stop, he get more rough, squeezing my tits in his left hand till it hurts and I can’t hold the pain and the ecstasy and reach a first intense orgasm who makes my leg tremble. In all the three years we had live together, this is the first time he make me reach an orgasm just using his hands and I’m happily surprised by this....I never felt like this before with him and I’m sure more have to come right now!

And in fact, I don’t have to wait too much: Horgus push me against one of the trees and, with my disappointing, he pop his fingers out of my throbbing rosebud while I try to hold them in, failing, in a last desperate search of pleasure. Finally, after a long, pleasant and breathless encounter, Horgus set me free from his mighty body just to let his leather pants fall over his ankles. The view in front of my eyes is stunning: his rod is standing up hardest and biggest as I ever seen, throbbing and with some precum leaking out of its swollen tip. The desire of holding it in my hands and taste his precious seed is strong, I can’t let my eyes go away of that exciting view, till the point my mind is about to turn blank for the trepidation..... I need to swallow twice before I can try to approach that “monster” and finally being able to feel its almighty presence, but Horgus give me no time for that! He suddenly grab my knees and with an energetic movement push them over my shoulders, exposing my stretched entrance to his rod and forcing my back tight to the trunk, putting me again under his full control: his swollen and flushed tip rubs on my wet and opened spot, moving in circle, and he push it a little harder on it, time by time, opening it to receive it within. I want to beg him to take me now, to put an end to this endless wait and I’m about to do it, but again he’s faster than my words: he dig his majestic rod in me in one go, roughly, letting me scream my whole pleasure loudly and finally fulfilling my wish, pounding now faster and harder, now slowly but deeply but always giving me the strong sensation to be ripped in half by him. And I have to admit it....I love it so much! I love when he take me roughly....I love when his breath is heavy because of me! And more, I love when my body is filled by chills of pleasure....is an unique sensation who make me fill alive, even more than a fight in the arena and Horgus know it! He know everything of me, my weakness, my sensible spots around my body....and he usual like to stimulate them till I beg him to take me, but today....today it’s different, it’s just pure and wild sex, only leaded by lust and animal’s instinct who are now running into us, unstoppable and so powerful till the point no one of us can take them under control! And we both know the reason....even if at the moment it’s just a far away chance, the possibility to live our story without any restriction, is exalting us and our libido had lose any restriction that usually block us and even if we know we can encounter big trouble with Lord Barton if someone find out we have a relationship, we can’t listen at our voices of reason right now: our love is too strong and we are both too happy now to have care about someone can catch us right now, here, merged into each other, experiencing the most intense and wonderful moment we ever had together.

His thrust is getting stronger and faster, I can feel his rod hitting my belly, draining out all my energy and I can’t stop moaning and panting. I’m exhausted and excited at the same time....on the other hand, Horgus appear in full force: his breath isn’t heavy as mine and his vigorous thrust is getting faster and harder, making me squirm like the first time we made love three years ago. My body is torn by this incredible sensation and more it rise, more my nails sink into Horgus back but he didn’t say a word, not a spasm of pain....he looks drugged and I’m his drug, I can clearly seen it in his eyes, wide open and glued on me.
He makes me feel like a child....he gained the full control of the situation and of me and I must admit I like it so much....maybe too much, to the point I’m losing the sense of reality around me and all myself is focused, or better say trapped, by the strong pleasure running wild all over me. The demon is losing against the part of me awaken by Horgus three years ago....the little, defenseless girl so eager of love and happiness and unable to oppose any resistance to her man, to the way he makes her feel. And now I’m that little girl, no matter about my horns or claws, he make me feel human and loved as any other normal girls and I love this sensation, his attention....attention he’s not showing me today but I don’t dislike it anyway! He’s pounding inside my canal roughly and faster as he never have done, making me burst in any cell of my body and I adore it so much that it’s hard to not yell loud my pleasure and it takes not so longer before I spray all my cum over his naked chest and on my vest, soon followed by a second one.

He stare at the incredible mess I did and with a pretty evil smile on his face, he sink his mighty rod all inside me, till his balls slam hard on my skin once, twice....his more vigorous now and so throbbing! I know he’s almost close to explode deep in me and I love that warm sensation who fill my belly when he do....it’s pleasant and relaxing, even if Horgus usually give me just a moment to breath before he seals my mouth with a deep and passionate kiss. And this time it’s not different....his warm and white seed is now filling me, with energetic streams similar to a flooded river: my belly burns because of it, my full body twitch again, intensely, and I can’t hold another intense stream of my seed who cover us again. But this time, he didn’t stop....his thrust is less vigorous then before, but looks far then have done with me! He carry me on his strong arms and put me down on the grass an lie over me, kissing my neck and moving down along it till his lip finally reach my hard and erect nipples, just to wrap them with his lips and start sucking them gently. I want to scream his name but all I’m able to do is panting and moaning.... I’m totally overwhelmed by him and by this lascivious pleasure and even if this is not my first time, seems like I’m unable to react, no matter how hard I try! He took everything from me....and he didn’t have enough! He still playing with my nipples, sucking, licking and pinching them, while he’s pounding his rod in my canal, rhythmically, in an endless spiral of passion and lust, were we are now caught, unable to escape from it....or better say, no one of us want to escape! And we didn’t, till the sky turn dark....

We lie on the grass, exhausted, staring at the first star shining in the sky. Horgus push me against him, forcing me to put my head over his toned and sweaty chest. His smell fills my nostrils and his eyes are now glued on mine. I can see happiness and impatience in them and I perfectly know why....because I have the same feeling right now! I softly kiss him on his lips, then I smile at him

“I swear you....I’ll going to win this tournament, for our future!”

He smiles back to me, holding me more tight.

“I’m sure you will win....and then, we can happily live together!”

After saying this, he holds my head tight in his left arm and kisses me passionately, in an endless and unforgettable instant.

That night, once we are back at the hut, we continuously stare at each other. It doesn’t matter if the other gladiators can notice it, this is our moment to be happy and nothing else is more important than our future. We both know it: the next weeks are going to be the time to create our new life together....a life we are both daydreaming right now, wishing to be in each other arms. And while I try to fall asleep, I can’t get out of my head and my body all the sensations Horgus make me felt in the afternoon.... they still running all over me, giving me pleasant shivers and making me eager for more! I want to sneak in his bed right now, kiss him and make love with him, but I must resist.... for us and to finally build our future as a family! And now he’s looking at me: I can see his dark brown eyes sparkling in the moonlight while a little smiles on his face.

“I love you....” we both whisper at the same time, smiling at each other and taking a look at the moon, the only witness of our relationship.

     Travel and Despair

ate morning.... the ship is on its way for Libidinis and the coast where the City of Rhoonas lies, now is three hours away. The two cities are not so far, but the Berin Sea is usually crossed by several vortexes that makes the sailing difficult and slow, forcing the ships to proceed at a reduced speed and often changing their routes. Even sailing along the coast isn’t a solution to make the travel safe and short, in fact the internal area of the sea is the territory of a gang of pirates well-known for causing many trouble to merchant’s ships who have the disgrace to fall in their aim. No one know how many of them are there, but everyone know they have their cove long the coast and many sailors, who escape from their attack, swear to had seen their ship coming out from a vortex, while others swear to had seen the vortexes following their ships and attack the merchants and this legends has raise their worst reputation, till the point they are considered like a curse by all the nearest kingdoms. Even reach Libidinis by land is not a so available option....an extended mountain range, force any traveler to turn around it, losing even four days during winter season, plus, they are forced to cross the frontier of two different realms, paying high taxes for their goods and this is not acceptable if they want to obtain some profitable business.

And now, from what I understand, we should be in the middle of our journey for Libidinis and it’s going quiet well, even if it’s a little boring. Fortunately, I can use this time to stay with my beloved Horgus even if it’s just to learn a little more about my opponents: some will be mercenaries hired by local families, other scions of the nobility that rules the city and at last, of course, others who are in my same situation, forced to fight against their will for the prestige of their Masters. Not that I care to fight against my will, because I know what it means this time, plus, I must admit it, I don’t dislike so much when my blood burn for the excitement of the battle but I know very well I must restrain my strength when I fought against humans or I can seriously injured them easily and this will mean I can be disqualified, ruining mine and Horgus dream forever. And even if most of the contestants are humans, sometime happen that mercenaries can be from other races, like elves or felinx (creature half human and half feline) who both have granted many victories to the ones who request their services and this makes them very requested during the tournament that usually is running with the Summer Festival. I know I have good chance to win against them, but I know there can be surprises waiting me: knowing I’m going to take part at the tournament, the nobles are probably hiring strongest fighters then usually and others will move to Libidinis to have a chance to fight against me once in their life and I know they can be expert opponents ready to put all they have to win against me!

But I’m not less motivate then them: I’m self confident enough about myself to be sure I can win the contest and finally realize our dream, plus Horgus is putting all his hopes in my hands and I don’t want....no, I can’t disappoint him! I stare at him while he tries to put my attention back to his words, failing in it.

“Come on, Lady....you must pay attention!” he thunder me, but the tone of his voice didn’t hide so much his impatience, probably biggest then mine.

The desire to hold him in my arms and kiss him is strong, but I know I can’t do that right now, with everyone around us on the main bridge. I’ll try to put my attention back to his words looking at his face, but all I obtain is to have my eyes glued on his lips: the memories of the day before are now filling my mind and shivers begin to run over my body while I daydreaming of being alone with him and having his rod right between my tits, just a moment before he let his tasty seed land over them and on my face. I feel the heat rising, running from my belly to my face....it’s intoxicating me! I close my eyes and cover my face with my left hand, trying to push away those images, but now they are carved too deep in my mind.

“Can we take a break, Horgus!? I can’t focus in this situation....” I ask him, trying to stay composed in front of him.

“I think it’s a good idea....” he reply, standing up “we both need a break....”

And then I notice it....a perfect bulge right in the middle of his pants is growing to the point he can’t hide it any longer. I want to jump on him and free that growing thing from the leather, just to trap it with my lips but I must resist, for our own sake, even if now it’s really hard to control my instinct. We both know our dreams is getting close and this complicate the situation, more then we expect, and here on this ship we can’t have a single safe corner just for us....we can sense the pressure of our feeling but we can’t allow them to take control of us as it happened the day before. I look at Horgus moving to the upper desk, where he can finally take a deep breath. I hate to don’t have him near me but at the moment, I recognize this is the only way to don’t cause any trouble that will push us away from each other.

I stand up too and move in the opposite direction, watching at the sea that is surrounding us. Till three years ago, I wasn’t used to this salty air....my home were the mountains and the forests around Rhoonas and I never went so close to the sea, to don’t risk to met soldiers or simple citizens. But now, I must say it’s not that bad even if that salty smell itched my nose sometimes....not that is a big problem for me, it’s just a little boring to deal with it. But the view of the sea and sky mixing at the horizon, is incredible....it’s like if two entity are fusing into one, creating a vast and endless space, too big for any creatures to explore it by itself, but big enough to let any of them live free in it, without any restrictions! The breeze is nice and fresh on my skin and the summer sun burn it a little but I don’t dislike this feeling who makes me feel alive and I must say, breathing it helped me a little to calm my body.

*sniff, sniff* a strange smell hitched my nostrils after a little.

*sniff, sniff, sniff* it’s getting a little more intense but I can’t recognize it at all.

*sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff*

“GUNPOWDER!!!” I yell out loud, turning into the direction of the Captain “SOMEONE IS FIRING AT US!”

“There are no other ship here....what the hell are you saying!?” he reply me upset, just before a cannonball miss the stern just by few feet. The ship wobbles dramatically while other two shots are approaching threatening but they miss us again, even if they are getting more close to their target.

“More are coming!” I shout again to the Captain and pointing my finger in their direction. He suddenly makes the helm turn and the ship immediately change its direction, avoiding the cannonball again for the third time.

“Mr. Cord, all the men in their position.....NOW!” the Captain shout to his second in charge.

“Aye aye, Captain!” Mr. Cord reply, just before ringing a bell. Hearing it, all the sailors leave their activities and holding their rifles, take their places, ready to engage the fight with our unknown enemy. They are fast and well trained and it takes no time for them to prepare the two cannons, one for each side, to fire but first of all we must find their position or we are defenseless against them and at the moment, I’m the only one who can have a chance to recognize where they are. I’ll try to focus all my sense on the smell of the powder: it’s more intense now and I’m sure it’s coming from one direction but it’s difficult to estimate how far the enemy’s ship is without eye contact. Last chance I have, is to use my fine hearing but all around me is full of noises: the cannons, the sailors shouting at each other and the Captain giving orders to all of them....all those sounds distract me and localizing the enemies is getting difficult with the increasing nervousness that is filling our ship. I close my eyes and try to concentrate on the explosions of the cannons: I can barely hear them at the begins but more I focus on them, more I can clearly figured their position and now I’m near to determinate it, when someone shout loud.

“VORTEX! CAPTAIN, THERE’S ONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US!”

The Captain turn the helm faster as he can to make us avoid it and the ship start wobbles visibly while sailing on the edge of it, making everyone lose balance and forcing us to find a support to don’t fall on the sea.

“MAN OVERBOARD!” Mr. Cord yell, pointing his finger into the direction where one of the sailors is trying to stay afloat, while another vortex attracting him to it. One of the sailor throw him a rope, trying to save him: he reach the rope and grab it, holding it with all the strength he have but the stream is strong, too much for a single man and on the bridge of the wobbling ship, most of the sailors can’t move properly and land a hand to save him from the fury of the sea. Everyone turn to Mr. Cord, waiting for an order.

“Cut the rope, we can do nothing for him!”

“But....Mr. Cord, we can pull him back onboard!” retorts the one who is holding the rope, looking at Mr. Cord and then to his comrade caught but the stream.

“There is no choice....it’s too late for him and we are under attack! Cut the rope, I’m not going to repeat it again!”

Despite his determined expression, I can see the desperation in Mr. Cord eyes for losing one of his men and I can say the same about the sailor that had taken his knife and it’s now ready to execute the order received, when I heard him whispering few words.

“I’m sorry, brother....”

And after said them, he drops the knife cutting the rope in one go. The screams of his brother are overwhelmed by the uproar of the vortex and soon, I can’t hear him anymore and even if I understand the reason of that sacrifice, I can’t understand how he was able to obey to an order like that without any hesitation.

This remind me to the time when my mother died to save me. I was six or maybe seven years old when it happened but those images are deeply carved in my memories and heart: we were living in a small village and at that time hiding my true nature was easy because I was looking like any other children of my age but soon, my body start to change and my half-demon’s blood was revealed, shocking all the villagers. From that moment, our life start to fell into hell: all my friends leave me alone and anytime something strange happened, the villagers came to knock at our door, pretending I was the cause of all the disgraces and even if my mother swear them I wasn’t, the villagers start to look at us with suspicious eyes, till one day they call some soldiers from a nearby outpost. That day I was playing in our house, as I usually do, when suddenly she slammed the door and after collect few essential things, she bring me to a nearest forest, hiding me inside a small natural hole between some rocks.
She gave me the sweetest kiss I ever had on my forehead, wishing me to stay silent and to be strong from that moment and the rest of my life, then she run away, leaving me there, alone. And then, it happened. The soldiers found her and when she refuse to tell them where I was, they don’t hesitate to hit and torture her to death: from my hideout, I was able to hear her scream....it last for hours, till silence filled the area again and for the following two days, I stayed there in perfect silence, waiting for her return and crying softly to avoid to be caught by soldiers who can be nearby, looking for me. But she never came back to me....and that was the first day who changed my whole life, till I met Horgus three years ago, bringing back some light in my existence.

I stare at the sailor, then at the vortex that swallowed his brother....I can imagine the pain in his heart but at the same time, he know that was a sacrifice needed to save the whole ship and now it’s my turn to find a way to save everyone! I’ll try to focus my senses again on the explosions of the cannons and look straight in the direction I’m barely sure they are coming. Slowly, I can finally start to see something similar to a thin layer of fog moving over the water and I’m barely sure about the fact it’s following us without getting close to our ship: more I focus on it, more my eyes caught some little details like spray of water or some light trace of smokes probably coming from the cannons.

“Captain, over there!” I yell loud, pointing my finger into their direction “They are around two hundred and twenty feet far from us!”

“Perfect!” the Captain reply, just before turning to his second in charge “Mr. Cord, open fire following Lady’s instruction!”

“Aye aye, Captain!”

Mr. Cord, trying to don’t lose his balance, reaches me and leads me to cannon location on the right side of the ship. Here, two sailors are preparing it to fire at the enemy, aiming at the direction I pointed my finger just a minute ago but without any visible reference, they are having several difficulties. After talked with them, Mr. Cord turns to me.

“Lady, we can set the distance of the shot easily, but you have to aim it!”

I look at the cannon, then back to the empty sea.

“I can do that....but let me do it by myself!” I told him, looking back at the cannon “set the distance, they are moving on a parallel route at the moment....around two hundred feet!”

They all stare at me, then Mr. Cord order to the sailor to do as I ask. The two sailors look at me then at each other: it’s clear from their expression they have doubt about my request and after murmuring something between them, they turn again to the second in charge.

“That cannon is too heavy for one person, Mr. Cord....she can’t do that! Not alone!”

“I can’t do that, you said....” I think to myself, while they arguing with him, without carrying of the situation. I push them away, firmly, and grab the cannon  basement, moving it into the right position to aim at the mysterious ship that is attacking us.

“Here we go!” I yell them, when the cannon is ready “now set the distance and fire!”

“How....how cold her....” they babble, unbelieving.

“No time for question....get ready to fire!” I yell them back, just before an enemy cannonball hit the main tree of our ship, breaking it in half. The smoke caused by the explosion cover all the bridge and shattered pieces of wood are thrown in any direction, hitting some of the sailors and even Mr. Cord can’t avoid one of them that hit him on his left leg, making him fall down. After few moments of chaos, I can finally take a look around: many men are wounded by the debris, other are trying to help them to reach a safe area and again, others are trying to go back to their position before a new shot can hit the ship but the enemies are faster than us: a second cannonball hit the flank, right down the area where our cannon is placed, making the bridge collapsing and bringing the cannon and the two sailor with it.

As it’s not enough, without the main tree the ship is losing its speed and with it, the possibility to sail faster between the vortexes that surround us: now, the risk to be caught by their violent stream is high, to don’t mention the fact that the enemies’ cannons are shooting continuously at us, increasing the number of cannonballs who reach their target, thanks to our actual low speed. The whole crew is now in panic: one third of them are injured and the bridge is seriously damaged in three or four different point, plus the Captain can barely control the hem now and let the ship stay on its route. Horgus is now at his side, trying to help him with the hem, especially when we are close to vortexes and thanks to his strength, sudden changes of direction are a little easy.

“Captain, what about the situation!?” Lord Barton ask, coming out on the upper bridge.

“We are having serious problem, Milord....most of the sailors are injured and can’t help with maneuvers plus, most of the structure of the ship is compromised!”

Lord Barton look around: wherever his eyes are looking, he can see wounded men and missing parts of the ship, plus we are barely moving now and the stream of the vortexes around us make the ship advancing now turning left, now right, risking to get caught by one of them anytime. Lord Barton take a deep breath, then look back at the Captain and Horgus.

“What we can do to escape them, Captain!?”

“Nothing, I suppose….just try to resist as long as we can….”

“So, this is the end!? I can’t allow it….” Lord Barton reply with a big sigh

“We will fight till the last man, Mi….lor….d….”

Blood start to spill out of his mouth and his body tremble....Horgus and Lord Barton are both staring at his chest with a stunned expression: the Captain look down at his chest too, just to discover blood spurting conspicuously from a hole right in the middle of it. He try to stop it pressing both his hands over it, but it have no effect: he can sense the last feeble breath of life leaving him, just before his dead body fall on the hem and then on the upper deck. Horgus, instinctively, grab the hem to prevent it to spin to the point the ship will definitively lose control and get caught by one of the nearest vortexes but not being practice about navigation techniques, he must proceed with various try before he can put the ship back on a safe route.

“What can we do now, Horgus!?” a frightening Lord Barton asks, staring at the corpse of the Captain.

Horgus takes a look all around him, then he take a big breath

“Milord, our chance are low....too many men are injured and the ship is getting uncontrollable minute after another....”

Lord Barton turns to face him.

“You mean this is the end!? Am  I going to die!?” with a hysteric smile on his face, Lord Barton grab Horgus shirt, trying to shake him but failing in it “I’m your Lord....you must save me....”

Lord Barton release his grip on Horgus and turn to the main bridge, with his eyes wild open, and shout all around

“I will cover all of you in gold if you save my life....yes....I made you rich....” and a hysterical laugh follow it, filling the air. All the sailors look at him: their Lord is pathetic now, no more than a scared man only worried for his own life....no one is paying attention to his words now, everyone of them know how difficult it will be to survive in our situation and I can feel the nervousness running all over the ship. But no one of us was expecting what’s going to happen in few minutes....

   It was so sudden....the enemy’s ship appear, like it’s coming out of a veil of fog, straightly pointing to us: fast and accurate, the rostrum applied to its keel, crashes on the flank of our ship, penetrating it with all its length. The ship tremble visibly, as it never had done before, making us lose our balance and unable to avoid the first wave of shoots: five of our men fall under this first wave and others get injured and are now unable to fight....the situation is turning worst, our resistance is compromised but I can see the determination to survive in everyone of us! And in fact, the second wave, catch us ready: everyone has back to their position, finding a protection and ready to shoot back at our assaulters, who are now jumping on the wrecked bridge of our ship. The noise of the rifles fill the air and screams of pain follow it soon, coming from both side with blood covering the bridge, the one of our allies mixing with the one of the enemies....corpses are falling, one after the other....we are overwhelmed by our opponents, but no one of us makes a step back in front of them: we fight with all our strength, conscious of the fact we are in inferiority and the situation can only turn worst for us, more the assault will be long, more the chances to survive go down. Just Lord Barton is walking here and there as if nothing is going on around him: probably, he lost his reason and no one of us can help him, he’s now in a too exposed position and even if he is our Lord, we know how high is the risk we can encounter if we try to bring him in a safe place. Even Horgus, who was near him till few minutes ago, had move to the main bridge to stop our opponents and try to push them back to their ship and find an opening to escape soon as possible.

The firepower of our enemies is cornering us. We have few men with rifles, plus I and Horgus are both fighting bare hands, forcing us to advance under the steel’s rain of bullets that graze our bodies at every step forward we make and even if we reach our target, we must move fast to the next one to avoid a more close and intense wave of steel. We are pushing our self to our limits but the situation isn’t turning easy for us: more we advance, more we are easy target for our opponents and our comrades can’t cover us properly, not without risking to expose them self to enemies’ fire. This is one of the few times I don’t regret to have a strong and resistant body but no matter how hard I try, there is not enough space to move freely and this is the biggest gap I have right now and Horgus is in the same situation. We step back, using the fallen main tree as a shelter and we are trying to reorganize our counterattack, when we hear Lord Barton yelling

“I’LL GIVE YOU ALL MY GOLD, IF YOU SAVE MY LIFE....IT’S ALL YOURS....”

We turn to him, just in time to see his body being hitted by three shoots and fall on the sea, with a chocked laugh who disappear in the deeps of the sea....we stare at each other for an endless moment, then turn to the remaining sailors who are visible proved by the continuous attack.

“Listen to me, men!” Horgus thunders them “I know you have put all you have to survive, as I know we are all at our limit....”

Horgus take a break and look around, at every one of us. The determination still in our eyes but on our faces he can read the sufferance for the fallen comrades and it’s clear from the hard breath many of us have, how exhausting the fight was till now. He look at every one again, then continue

“We have only one chance….I and Lady will try to attack directly the enemy’s ship and you will cover us with the rifles! Who is with me!?”

After a moment of silence, the voices of all the men rise high in the air and all are now screaming his name, a clear sign of the trust they have in Horgus, plus I can see that the determination in their eyes is now more visible then before. Proud of my beloved man, I turn to face him just before he put his left hand on my nape and push my face closed to him, placing his lips on mine for a passionate kiss: no more words are needed between us, our goal is to survive and realize our dream, it doesn’t matter how hard we have to fight, I know we are both going to do our best for our own sake! When our lips are finally away, we nod at each other and jump out of our shelter, running to the enemy’s ship before they can open fire upon us again: they were surprised by our sudden action and we reach the prow without any problem, but what expect us now is the most difficult part of our plan. The sailors on our ship opens fire on the main bridge of our enemies’ one, trying to bring their attention away from us or, at least, to prevent they can aim at us easily, in a desperate chance to don’t make us an easy target for their rifles. While Horgus engage a fight with the men who has jumped on our ship, I’ll try to collect all my strength and looking at him, I can’t avoid to think at the high risk we are about to run but at the same time, I know this is the only available option we have: push the rostrum back till it’s completely out of the flank! Indeed, it sound like a desperate plan but thanks to my demon’s legacy, it’s not an impossible task, even if the probability to realize it are against us....
I’ll take a deep breath and after have look around me to be sure no one is approaching, I place my back against the rostrum and start to push on it with all I have: no matter how hard I try, it seems like it’s not moving....the wood of the bridge crept under my claws as I increase the pressure on it. I’m so focused on what I’m doing to completely forget about the fight who is running all around me: the sound of the rifles and the scream of the two factions look so far now....my whole self is absolutely concentrated on my objective, no matter what....I must do it! And I try and try till the whole wood of the flank crept and the rostrum barely tremble, finally making a little step back: I can feel every cells of my body near to collapse, but I can’t give up....not now that my hard work is finally showing us a light of hope. I focus more my power and push harder and harder, giving all myself in reaching my goal, till I’m able, at last, to make a complete step back, releasing partially the rostrum from our ship. Then a second one follow it, then a third....more the rostrum move back, more it’s easy, for me, to free the flank from it. And it’s finally done, when one of our opponents jump down to our ship....

It all happen in a wink: while their ship is caught by a vortex, he jump down of it and immediately run to me, with his sword pointed directly at my heart: I, unstable on my legs, stare at him, unable to react fast at his action and while I’ll try to bring back some strength, I can see the blade getting closed to my chest. Instinctively, I close my eyes, realizing that this time I can’t avoid a direct hit: my last thought is now for Horgus and for the promise I can’t accomplished, but I’m sure he will survive thanks to my sacrifice. I have accepted my fate but looking back at the last three years, happiness run thorough my body and I can’t hold a smile. It’s like the time has stopped, the blade seems so close to me but it didn’t reach me....it’s taking long, too much maybe....I wonder if this is what you feel when you know your life is about to slide away from your hands and you can do nothing to avoid it!
Those thoughts are now pounding in my mind, till I heard a scream. Suddenly, I open my eyes, just in time to see blood’s drops landing on my face and chest, but what really shocked me, is what I see a moment later: in front of me, there is Horgus back and from it, emerges the tip of a bloody blade. Breathless and immobilize by that view, I just can babbling Horgus name, while his body is falling back with the blade sliding out of that deadly wound.

“Horgus....why....why....” I babble with a feeble voice, catching him in my arms “you don’t had to....you....”

Unable to speak, I fall on my knees. Tears are now flowing from my closed eyes, they run through my cheeks till they reach my chin, just to land over Horgus face: I can’t stop them, as I can’t stop holding tight Horgus to me, in a desperate try to don’t let his life leaving that mighty body he have. I’m grinning my teeth, while something warm start to graze my left cheek, gently. When I open my eyes, the blurred vision of Horgus face, in front of me, with the gentle and cute smile he always show me when we are alone.

“Don’t cry, Lady....” he say, with blood spilling from the corner of his mouth “I don’t like to see your face covered by tears....”

I look at him, trying to hold the tears but I fail....I experienced this feeling before, it was long time ago and I always prayed to don’t have to feel it again, not after I lose my mother.

“Sorry....they don’t want to stop....not till I know you are safe....”

“I wish I can swear you I’ll be better....but I can’t....I feel the breath of life leaving me....” he reply, with a forced smile. He cough some blood, then continue “I’m the one who must be sorry....I gave you a dream yesterday....and now....”

I interrupt him with a light kiss. It taste salty, and thinking about it can be the last one we exchange, it gives me a strange shiver all over my body: I can feel it clearly, it run free on my spine and it’s expanding in any single cell of my body and it makes my blood boil with increasing intensity at any moment and more Horgus body is getting cold, more my blood burns. And the words that are coming from our opponents who are surrounding us, makes it burn more.

“Look....kissed by an ugly monster....how disgusting!”  “He sacrifice his life for that! Pout!”  “It sucked out his soul....that beast!”  “He must be insane to love that thing!”

And many laughs follow their words. More the sound of their laughs increase, more my blood burns: a new and unexpected power has start to born in me and more I hear their voices, more it increase, filling my whole body with a strength I never had before. But I’m trying to take it under control, most for Horgus, who is now holding my hand.

“Don’t listen at them....you are the most beautiful girl I ever seen....” he say, with feeble voice and trying to comfort me. And more laughs follow his words....again!

I stare at him, the only man I’d ever love, but now his life is sliding away from him and a hole is opening in my heart. A hole who has start to be filled by hate....hate for the men all around me and for what they do to the most important thing I had in my whole life. I hate the fact they are staring at us, fooling Horgus for is sweet soul: I don’t care about how they can treat me, but I can’t let them continue to treat my beloved Horgus as a pathetic man. My grip on his hand become tighter, while the light in his eyes is slowly disappearing: I hate then, but I hate myself too for not being able to react at a simple attack....simple but at the same time able to destroy my whole world and happiness. I know it....I will never forgive them and me for what happen....

“You have no fault, my love....” Horgus say smiling, like he was reading my mind “I was ready for this....every man on our ship was....”

“But I’m not ready to lose you....you are everything for me!”

He smile at me again, then reply “I’m honored by your words and I can tell you the same....but trust me....this world is big enough and I’m sure you will find someone else who will love you!”

After saying this, he close is eyes and lean his head back. His whole body is now relaxing in my arms and the last breath of life leaves him, at last: the desperation for losing him is now turning into hanger and at this point I can barely take it under control. I was gently lying Horgus body on the bridge when I heard a voice

“He goes first...now, it’s your turn, monster!”

At those words, I reach my limit: with a sudden movement, I jump on him and without leaving him the time to react, I’ll grab his face and slam it on the bridge breaking his neck: shattered pieces of wood are thrown around us, lightly scratching my skin, and the sound of his cracking neck echoes in my ears really exciting me, till I instinctively lick my lips, just before looking at the rest of my opponents. It take a minute at them to understand what’s going on. They all turns to face me, determinate to kill me: I see it in their eyes, no matter how hard they try to hide it, there is fear in them....fear for the beast they are now facing! And I must admit it....that scared eyesight they have, pleased me! Maybe they didn’t realize it, but their legs are trembling and even if it’s imperceptible, they a moving away from me. Looking at them, I can’t hold an evil smirk....a smirk that turn in a grinning expression soon! They are there, in front of me and behind them, lies Horgus body....

“Mere humans, what have you done!?” I growl at them, making a step forward, while they take one back.

“GRRROOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!”

My roar of rage fill the air, overwhelming any other sound all around us and it’s the last thing I remember....

When I get conscious again, there is a deep silence surrounding me. Looking around, I can see nothing moving except me: I can see the corpse of our enemies near the one of our comrades and everyone of them is clearly lifeless: no matter how hard I try, I can’t put back in my mind how it happen....it’s like I wasn’t here during the fight but there are clear signs I was! Most of our opponents’ body are covered by the signs of claws and I had seen theme before....they are mine! But how I was able to do that!? Just few minutes ago, I felt my body drained by all its energy and then....I’ve done this all by myself! I can’t explain it rationally....but it happen! For a moment, the smell of the blood around me and on my clothes and body, make me sick .... it's stinging and it fulfill my nostrils, covering any other smell in the area. I must lie on the broken main tree to try to rest a little bud suddenly, I remember it: Horgus body! I turn around, trying to find it, but all I can see is the shattered main bridge: there are signs of my claws and the one left by the cannons....all the damages it got, make walking on it not easy and at any step it crept under my weight. I look everywhere, but I can’t see my beloved Horgus....desperation is now gripping my heart and my eyesight is getting blurred because of the tears, when suddenly the ship wobble caught by an intense stream over the sea. It makes me lose my balance and I end rolling on the bridge for nine or maybe ten feet, till I can finally stop and try to stand up to continue the research for him. But then it happen: near me, I can see Horgus body with no traces of blood, except the one over the mortal wound, fallen on her body, even no pieces of the ship has hit him and looks like he’s simple sleeping, with a smile on his face. I wonder how it happen....the whole structure of the ship looks compromised, except the area where hi lies: a miracle maybe, I think in my mind, or just a cruel joke of destiny for me. Sitting on my knees, I hold him in my arms, holding his head close to mine in a last desperate hope to see him opening his dark purple eyes....

   It’s late night…a couple of hours and it will be dawn. The stream has pushed the ship all the time, moving us away from the vortexes’ area: I have no idea about where we are going and honestly I don’t care so much of it....I had spent all the time holding Horgus’ body in my arms, cuddling him gently, and yes....I’d cry a lot till my eyes become red for irritation. Only the moon is watching us in this last travel we are making together and at the moment, its pale light it’s the only source of light around us. It makes me remember at all the time we went out in the night on the hills around Lord Barton estate to find a moment only for us and at how many times we made love there with the moon as the only witness of those intimate moments, but now, it’s all over....our dreams become just an unrealizable fantasy for me and with my heart torn by pain and desperation, I can’t think about a future alone, again, as I was three years ago.

Suddenly, the ship wobble dramatically, catching my attention. I look around us but I can’t see any vortex....so, why it’s so unstable now!? When I raise my eyes in front of us, I finally understand: merging form the sea right in front of us, I can see stone walls built by humans over the cliff and the stream is pushing us close to one of them. The impact is now inevitable and there are high chances that the structure can’t resist to it, especially if the area where it will happen is the one where the rostrum was planted in the flank of the ship. My first thought is to find a safe place for us, if there is one on this wreck: I stand up and holding Horgus’ corps in my arm, I’ll run to the stern risking many times to fall on the hold because the tablets of the bridge breaks when step over them. When I finally reach it, I lye Horgus on it and I cover him with my body, to protect him by pieces of wood or rocks that can fall from the cliff and ruin all over the ship, making it sink once and for all: just thinking at the possibility I can lose his corps in the deep of the sea after I had lose his presence in my life, make me tighten my grip on him, when suddenly the ship crash against the cliff. Luck wants that the area where the ship is hit, is not the same where the rostrum had seriously compromised the structure and in a way or another, the ship can continue to float even if it’s tilting to the right side, probably because water is now entering by a breach on that flank, but despite its condition, the ship is moving forward surpassing the massive walls. What I see behind them surprise me: we are now entering in an harbor apparently quiet and peacefully but soon, many flames appear on it and they are all converging right in front of us. More we advance, more I can recognize what’s happening on the dock: humans’ guards are grouping waiting us, an unidentified wrecked ship that suddenly enter in their domain.

The ship advance slowly and surrounded by the only sound of the creaky wood, while water copiously continue to enter from the breach, slowing it more. On the harbor, I can approximately count fifty or more guards, everyone of them taking us under control and with their weapons firmly grasped in their hands: it doesn’t seems like they want attack us right now, but I’m sure they are ready to jump onboard when we finally reach the dock. And in fact, it’s what happen when the prow smash on the dock, definitively stopping the advance of the ship: soon, ten of them reach me on the stern and pointing their lances to me, surround me while others are looking all over the ship. It takes some minutes before two more guards join us on the upper bridge and whisper something at the others, just to turn to me and looking at me with a threatening eyesight on their faces.

“What happen on this ship!? And who are you!?” one of them yell against me. But he get no answer....all I want in this moment, is to be sure they don’t want to take me away from Horgus: kneeled on his body and holding it tight against my chest, I look around at them, trying to catch any imperceptible movement they make, ready to make my move if needed

“ANSWER ME, MONSTER!!”

Again....another human who see me as a mere monster. I grin at him, ready to react at his next move, barely sure he will attack me right now, when a voice caught the attention of all of us.

“Stop it right now, Mardukas! It’s an order!”

I and the guards, turn to the direction where the voice is coming. I can see the guards between us making a step away, freeing the space between him and me: looking at him, I notice he’s less tall then Horgus or me, but he have a well trained body, judging from what I can see, and I can’t see hostility on his face, something that surprise me. After a minute of silence, he speak again

“This ship....I recognized the blazons around it.” He takes a break to look around, then continue “it belong to Lord Barton and you must be the famous Lady Dragon! Am I wrong!?”

I nod at him, uncertain about the fact if I can trust him or not. Without waiting more answers by me, he kneel and start to examine me and Horgus: he’s watching at us very carefully....my wounds, Horgus corps....everything, but he always pay attention to don’t touch us, especially Horgus, like he understand how important he is to me. Then, he stand up and makes his man stand back, ensuring them there is no problem they must take care and only when he see they are all obeying him, he turn back to me.

“I’m sorry for the unfriendly actions of my men, Milady, but we were all surprised by your arrival....hope you can understand it!”

I nod at him again, without saying any words. He looks at me, probably doubtful about what to say or do, then continue.

“I’m Votan, Captain of the guards of the free City of Libidinis and we are honored to have you here in our city, Milady!” he tells me, holding out his hand.

I’m pleasantly surprised by his manner. He acts in the opposite way of his men and he give me good feeling….something I really need now, the darkest hours I ever experienced in my whole life. I grab his hand and he help me standing up but I don’t let go Horgus’ corps and I’m sure he’s wondering why.

“Milady, I’ll assure you we are going to give to your comrades the honor they need….so, please, let’s my men take care of him too!”

No answer from me, again. I look at Horgus then back at the Captain: I can clearly say he don’t have bad intensions, but I don’t want to let go my beloved Horgus….I’m not ready to do it! Any time my eyes lie on his dead corps, I have a lump in my throat and speak isn’t easy….

“Thanks for your kindness, Sir….but he’s special for me and I’d like to take care of him personally….”

“I understand....I don’t think there is any problem for it. Milady, I was hoping you will be so gentle to explain me what happened to you during the sail, but we can talk about it later.” then he turns to the one who had apostrophize me as “monster” and the order he gave him, surprised me “Mardukas, run and call one of the monk, we have a funereal ceremony to do!”

Mardukas, without hesitation, leave immediately the place and soon disappear in the dark of the streets of Libidinis, while Captain Votan call six of his men and give them other orders. After he assigned them their tasks, he turn to me and with a gentle tone, he speaks to me.

“Milady, we’ll be honored to take part at the commemoration for the premature departure of this man.”

“The honor is mine, Sir....and thanks for your kindness, I appreciated it!”

“Milady, it’s my pleasure....now, please, would you like to follow me!?”

“Of course....” I simply reply to him.

Sir Votan opens the way to the small group, leading it in the night of the city enlightened just by the feeble flames of our torches. I’m behind him, carrying on my arms the corpse of my beloved Horgus and trying to hold the tears: it’s difficult and few drops fall on Horgus chest. I raise my head to the sky while rain start to fall down, soaking us during our solemn march: even the sky, now, is crying for the dead of my beloved man....

     Free City of Libidinis

onight, I’m not able to sleep....again! And now, the travel of hope me and Horgus were waiting so much, is turned into the one of desperation and I can’t forget the sensation to have the cold corpse of Horgus in my arms and his life leaving him with me unable to do something. And at last I’m here, in this city, alone....
This is going to be the second day for me here in Libidinis and the first one wasn’t how I had imagined it just three days ago. After the ceremony for Horgus departure, Sir Votan has took me to one of the taverns of the city, the “Silver Horn”, to give me the chance to rest a little after the events happened during the travel for Libidinis, but the memories of  the day, didn’t made me close my eyes: every time I’ll try to slept, the imagine of Horgus pierced by that blade jump back in my mind, waking me suddenly in a bath of sweat. Plus, most of the day after my arrival in this city, I was busy at the guards main barrack of the city’s guards: Sir Votan asked me to explain him any detail of the travel and of the assault we were involved and in many different moments, it was difficult for me to revive them without felt my heart pierced by pain. Noticing it, he gave me the chance to reorganize my idea and relax a little, something I was really in need for. He wasn’t pedant with me, he always tried to make me feel comfortable, but at the same time he pretend to know even the smallest details I can remember and at last, I spent almost the whole day at the barrack, talking with him, in fact it was already dusk when I finally can leave that place.

And now I’m here, on this empty bed, with heavy breath and my body burning as hell: the room looks small and it’s suffocating me till the point even the fresh air of the night that is entering thorough the window can’t give me the relieve I’m searching. Sitting on the border, I look outside the window at the sky: the moon is shining high in it and its feeble light create some strange shadows in the room, shadows that are dancing all around me, making me revive the events of two days ago. People say that “time heal any wounds, of the body and of soul”....well, I’ll be damned if this is nothing more than bullshit! No matter how many days, months or years are passed away, the wounds of soul can’t be healed so easily, they still bleeding till a single fragment of happiness didn’t push them away. And I had my moment....it lasted three years, three years leaved with a special man that wasn’t afraid by me or by my nature....he helped me in many ways, showing me what it feels to be a normal girl who finally found a man to love, able to made me forget about the pain for had lost my mother when I was too young to live by myself, to don’t mention the last and wonderful dream he was about to gave me, asking me to become his wife! Thinking at this, I can feel my head nearly to blow and I must admit that I hope it will happen, giving me the chance to be with Horgus again and forever, but his last words echoes in my mind:

“....but trust me....this world is big enough and I’m sure you will find someone else who will love you!”

I know why he said them: he want I continue to live my life, even if my heart is now filled by an indescribable pain. Till the last moment, he cares of me as just my mother did in past and he gifted me some incredible moment I will never forget till a breath of life still in my body, bud at the same time, now he opened a huge hole in my heart, too difficult to close or to fill again with love and happiness....or this is how I feel right now!

Dawn come faster....the moon leave the place to the sun, that sweeps away all the shadow around me, but not the one in my heart. I’d like to stay in my room, alone, but there are too many things I must do before the tournament begin, a tournament that have no meaning for me now. After stand up from the bed, I wash my face with the fresh water of the bowl that lies over the dresser: looking at me reflected on the water, I can see how my eyes are swollen because of the missing sleep and for all the tears I shed in the last days.

“Where is the mighty dragon hiding now!?” I ask to myself, looking at my image again “I looks like a pathetic girl...Horgus will be not happy of me....”

Forcing myself to smile, I’ll take my dress and wear it. It still covered by some blood and here and there, there are the signs of the fight, so one of the priority for me is to buy a new one I can wear to walk around the city, without being considered a homeless by the citizens of Libidinis. But to buy something, I need money, money I don’t have because I lived as Lord Barton’s slave in the last three years and I never needed money before I was captured....so, how can I collect something to pay the tavern or stuff for myself from now on!? Maybe, a solution can be the tournament: if I win it, there is a money prize I can use but till the tournament didn’t end, my problem isn’t solved! What can I do!? With this though in my mind, I move downstairs where I can see just the owner of the tavern and his wife cleaning the tables before the other customers wake up and come down for breakfast. Again, I’m surprised to see how different this two are: he’s probably fifty or so, I’m not sure, and I can’t say he’s so charming with that fatty belly not so hidden....on the other hand, his wife is youngest then him, maybe she’s twenty-two or twenty-three, or less, probably, and many customers had try to seduce that pretty and voluptuous redhead but seems like no one was able to do that. Really....more I stare at them, more I wonder how he was able to win her heart!

“Good morning, Milady....hope you was able to sleep tonight!” the owner ask me, with a gentle smile, and catching back my attention.

“Oh, if I was, I’m not going to wake up so early, trust me....”

“I’m sorry, Milady....maybe, my wife Colette can prepare for you her special tisane, tonight....it usually work very well!”

“Oh, I will try it with pleasure....if it taste good as the food she cook, it will be delicious!” I reply, turning and smiling to her. Her face flushed lightly and to hide it, she bow her head, just to move back to her work. Looking at her doing it, his husband explode in a loud laugh then turn to me again.

“Excuse her, Milady....despite the fact she can handle the men that usually come here just for her, she’s a little shy when a praise come from a girl....”

I watch at her for an instant and I notice she’s doing the same. Our eyesight meet just for a wink but I have the impression that there is a strange light in them and she give me an indefinite feeling, like she’s trying to explore deep in my intimacy with that single look. “Is she into girls!?” is the first thing that jump on my mind, while I try to focus back on all the thing I have to do today....and they are a lot, I must say, even too much to get lost in some ridiculous fantasies. Without worrying of Colette, I take a sit at one of the table and it takes just a minute before she approach me.

“Milady, maybe you will enjoy some breakfast now....but I’m sorry, it will not ready before thirty minutes!”

“That’s normal....” I say to myself, after all it’s just dawn and probably there is no one in the kitchen at the moment plus, probably, my presence is making their work a little difficult at the moment, even if she seems with my presence near her. Now that she’s so close to me, I can say why all men come at the tavern: she’s a real beauty compared to most of the girls I had seen before and her curly hair really makes her look attractive, even if they are not the part of her body that catch the attention of the customers, I seen it with my own eyes yesterday, during dinner....and yes, I wonder again at how they became a married couple! But most important, I wonder why I’m focusing on such things....

“It’s ok, Colette....I’m not hungry....” I reply her, try to push away all that strange thoughts from my mind “or maybe I must say I can’t....”

I turn my face to don’t let her see tears coming out and filling my eyes again. No matter how hard I try, they still coming time by time and when it happen, I can feel my heart tighten gripped by pain and guilt to don’t have saved Horgus. Then, why I can’t avoid to think at Colette!? Her presence pounds in my mind and even if I can’t be sure, I have the impression something strange is happening here.... I shake my head, trying to wake up from this numbness

“Milady, is everything fine with you!?” Colette ask me, with a little worried and surprised expression on her face.

“I’m fine....just exhausted for the missing sleep, I suppose....” I reply her, standing up but trembling.

Colette grab me immediately, trying to support me. She is very close now and I cannot notice her red, fleshy lips....they make me swallow nervously, attracting me as never happen before and more I try to turn my eyes away, more I feel the desire to kiss them. Yet, I have never been attracted by other women....so, why I desire Colette’s lips so much!? In a desperate try to resist to this strange sensation, I move away of few steps without looking at her face again.

“Milady, you must rest....you are not strong enough at the moment!” she say, trying to catch my arm.

I take another step away, avoiding her grip and using one of the chairs as support.

“I’m fine, Colette....I just need some fresh air and I’ll be better....” or it’s what I hope while I move to the tavern’s exit. Even if I can’t see her, I have the sensation she’s staring at me with her deep, emerald eyes and I can feel them trying to get deep in my soul, like she want to catch it and block me right here, but failing in it. When I’m finally out, I take a deep breath and the sensation of the fresh air on my skin, immediately relieve me a little.
“A shy girl with women....I don’t think so....” I say to myself, thinking at the words of the innkeeper. I don’t know what it was and have no proof, but it seems like a strong charm appeal that surround her and more she was close to me, more that charm was effective on me: I wonder, if this happens with other girls or it was just because of my nature....but there is something I know, I will probably find it again, when I’ll be back later at the tavern and this, I must admit, intrigue me a little and at the same time worried me...how can I be attracted by someone else when I’d just lose the man I loved!? I’m about to leave the tavern, when someone call me.

“Milady, please, wait!”

It’s him, Colette’s husband, that is running out the tavern trying to catch me before I can leave the area. I look at him running and I can’t hold a smile noticing his hard breath after making just few feet.

“Sorry to stopping you, but...ufff....there is something I must give you!”

Something for me!? I wonder what is it....I know no one in this city, except him, his wife and Sir Votan. I’m still trying to figured out who can be the one that have sent me something, when he hands me a letter.

“Sir Votan had leaved this for you, yesterday....I’m sorry, I was about to forget to give it to you....”

“It’s ok....I’ll thanks you for your service, Sir.” I reply him, taking the letter from his hand “I’m sorry because I can’t reward you for them”

“Oh, it’s not a problem, Milady....Sir Votan exposed me your situation and here in Libidinis, we are always ready to help who is in need!”

Smiling while telling this to me, he turns back and move to the tavern. “Strange man....” it’s what I think. I don’t know if he noticed all the attentions Colette was having for me or, maybe, if he was just ignoring them...again, I can say they are a very strange couple!

And now I’m here, in the empty street of Libidinis. There is no one around, except the guards patrolling the city, and it’s too early to go to the market, so I decide to move to the harbor and take some times to read the letter Sir Votan left for me. Here, many men are carrying different type of merchandises on the ships, to preparing them to sail in the morning: everyone is working hard, doing their duty under the severe control of the merchant and some guards that are here to probably be sure no one will try to steal some of the stuff, something that probably happen regularly, during this operation. I sit on a crate and look at the sea that lies behind the mighty walls created to protect the harbor: the water looks so calm now and near the city, there are no sign of the vortexes, neither of ships that are entering or leaving the city....maybe, if things goes in a different way, now I can have him here by my side and we can contemplate this wonderful view together....
Again, pain and sadness are filling my heart and tikes me a while before I can find the right mood to open the letter I’m holding in my hand.

“Milady,
I’d like to let you know about the rescue of most of the stuff that were stocked in Lord Barton’s ship. According to our law, as the only survivor, part of them belong to you and I’m sure they going to be useful during your stay here in Libidinis.

Please, meet me at the harbor in late morning and I’ll gladly let you take what you need.

                                                                                                              Sir Votan”

Stuff I need, he said....but the only thing, or better say person, I want back, can’t be found there, but I must admit that some money can be useful right now or in the near future, especially if I want to go back to the mountains around Rhoonas or everywhere I want to go after leaving this city. Maybe I can use that money to investigate about Horgus hometown.....he didn’t talked to me about it and about his family but I have to found them because I want....no, I must let them know about Horgus death and I want to do it personally. All I know is that city is far from Rhoonas, so the travel can be long and winter will be here soon, so why don’t use the money to have some meal and sleep in a comfy bed!? Plus, I really need to buy some new clothes, I can’t wear this one forever....yes, definitively, I’ll accept Sir Votan invitation, but first there are other things I must do! And it’s time....I can see people finally coming out of their houses and moving in to the direction of the market, the clear sign that the shop are finally opening for business.

   First thing I have to do, is to look for a tailor or for some clothes’ shop. I can see the people around me staring at me for my appearance: my horns and claws can’t be hide to their eyesight and it’s clear some of them are frightening by me and I can understand their reaction, it’s the first time I went in Libidinis and they are not used to my presence, something that happened in the past in most of the city I had take part as some tournaments, so I’m used to it. On the other hand, I’m surprised by what I see at the market: here, there are many different races side by side with others, something not so usual to find out in the others cities I visited. For example, elves....it’s rare to see them walking along a human’s builded city, because they are usually so diffident of them, even if recently some human’s settlements had started to interact with them for their manufacturing realized using leather, really appreciated as light or medium defense clothes by archers. There are lot of them here, some selling their goodies and others walking through the stands, fascinated by the products of other races. Looking at them, I’m not surprised by the fact they are considered the most attractive race of the whole continent: tall, with slim but toned body and long hairs, to don’t mention their skin that seems like silk....now I understand why they are so wanted in some kingdom, especially as personal servants or sex slaves!
Two of them caught my attention but most than for their beauty, for their equipment, so similar to the one of the elves I’d seen before in the country I was living when I was a child. One of them has shoulder armory made from the finest of red dragon skin, with polished claws, that shine in the glint of the sun ad I can tell she’s topless and her breasts seems full and firm, covered  teasingly by the strategically placed shoulder pad overhang that hardly cover her nipples sometimes, attracting many men attention on them. Her forearm and shin are covered by red protectors made by the same material of the pad and around her waist a white linen knotted skirt, which shows the full length of her left leg, from the ankle to her shapely hip and waist. The second one is dressed very similar to the other. They wear the same colored cloak and the same white knotted linen skirt, showing the full length of her left shapely leg and both of them are bare feet. Over the cloak, she wears a warm, brown shoulder cover, made from the finest of bird feathers. It is expertly woven for warmth and protection and , from this, hangs a matching breast cover, hiding their fullness from view except for the tantalizing side and underside glimpses that occur when she moves a certain way. Also, she wears leather slatted shin guards and wrist jewelry and, on her left thigh, a bangle which curls round her upper leg muscle like a snake’s tail. Apparently, they looks different, the first one with long silky blue hair that trails down her back to her mid thigh in an elegant plait while the other with long, silver hair, that drapes over her pointed elfin ears and also down her back to her bottom, but their scent is very similar, too much to be just a coincidence and that’s why I’m sure there is a deep bond between them, I can tell they are sisters, probably....two beautiful and very attractive sisters, I can say! And judging from what I can see, I’m not the only one that thinks it....

But as I said, elves are not the only race here in Libidinis. All around the market, I can see any sort of creatures: centaurs, felinx, dwarfs....and many others! Some of them are just visiting the city for the summer festival that will start soon, but others live here and run their activities in the city or in the country beneath its borders. It’s impressive how they are now integrated in the life of a city founded by humans and more than this, I’m surprised by the perfect harmony I can see between all of them despite all the difference that usually tend to let all those races live far from each others. I can’t thing about my past, at the village where I was born and grown for the first ages of my life: probably, if I was born in Libidinis, my life was very different from the one I lived and probably I never met Horgus....Horgus, that had opened a hole in my heart, now just filled by pain.

“A flower, Milady!?” a voice ask me, bringing me back to reality. I turn to look at my interlocutor and what I see, surprise me: in front of me, there is a young elf girl with a bouquet of flowers in her arms and she’s now handing one of them to me. The scent of that flower fill my nostrils and immediately my mind is relaxing, pushing away all the bad thoughts from it and giving me a deep sense of peace as I don’t felt it in the last three days.

“What flower is this!?” I ask, looking at her: she looks different from any other elves I ever seen around, in fact her dress is obviously manufactured by humans. Despite her long light brown hair that cover her shoulders and her pointed ears barely popping out of them, the creamy and grey sleeveless jacket she’s wearing and the leather string just below her breasts, are not something an elf is used to wear, plus the dorsum of her gloves have some metallic protectors pinned on them and even the left shoulder protector is made in a similar way. Dark brown leather miniskirt and boots complete her outfit, giving her the appearance of an adventurer, thanks to the leather bag tied around her left thigh, a bag where her personal stuff are stocked, probably.

“It’s a primulae soavious, a flower that is cultivated in just one of the farms outside the city’s walls....its effect is immediately and can be used to make a very delicious tisane with the same properties....”

Colette’s tisane it’s made with the some flower, probably....I definitively have to try it tonight, if I want finally sleep but at least I’m a little worried by what happened early in the morning, at the tavern. But there is time to take care of that problem. Now, the noise of the market isn’t so disturbing as it was just few minutes ago, not that it disappear, but being finally able to have back some interior peace, had calmed my nerves and around me, everything seems bright, even if I’m still living one of the darkest moment of my entire life.

“How I can thanks you, Miss!? I have no money to pay this flower, at the moment....”

“No need to pay it, Milady....it’s a gift, a gift to make you feel better....” she replies, smiling.

“Then, let me thank you in some other way, Miss.....!?”

“Xenia....it’s my name. And really, I want nothing in exchange....” she have a cute smile on her face that makes her very radiant “and you are welcome, if you want to visit my potions’ shop!”

A potions’ shop....now I can understand why she know the proprieties of flower so well and why she have certain species of them usually used for medications and elixir.

“I’ll gladly visit it, but now I have lot of business to take care....and thanks for the flower, Xenia”

We smile at each other, just before both of us move again on our way for the business that wait us. It takes no long to me before I find a shop specialized in clothes for fighters. Here, after had talked with the owner exposing my situation, I find the perfect suit for me to replace the one I’m wearing: it’s blue, trimmed with yellow gold, that although feminine, had protective powers. It’s  tissue with a light but resistant material and interwoven in it there is a discrete chain mail of sorts that protected her body to some extent from sharp objects that could only pierce it with some force.  It was worn over her head, like a pinafore, a collar neck, and ties at the side, long enough to hide my cock and hold my ample bosom and slender hips in place. It need some little fix, due my not so common height for normal girls, but the owner assured me he can do it in few hours and it can be ready for the early afternoon, just in time for me to go and meet Sir Votan and collect the money I need to pay his services. It takes few minutes to him to take some measurements to be sure about the fixing work he have to done, but I must admit it, it feel strange to me to be touched by different hands from the one of Horgus, I’m not used to it....well, not outside the arena anyway! When I finally leave the shop, it’s too early to go and meet Sir Votan, so I decide to continue my tour of the market. There are artifacts that come from all the three kingdom that surround Libidinis and some even from far away area I never heard about before today and probably I can’t be able to enjoy them if it wasn’t for the flower Xenia gave me: till an hour ago, all the scents, the music....everything around me have no meaning for me, but now I can enjoy them even if deep in my heart the loss of Horgus had leaved an indelible scar....a scar that will bleed for long time, probably. But I can handle with it now….maybe not for so long, but it surely help to raise my mood, as it help the festive and joyful atmosphere that can be breathed in the whole city. I lost myself in this happiness and enjoy every moment, till the time to meet Sir Votan come.

   When I reach the harbor, he’s there waiting for me and Mardukas is with him. When I arrived in the city, the first approach with Mardukas wasn’t idyllic and even during the ceremony for Horgus, I clearly felt his eyes above me, like he was expecting some reaction from me, maybe an explosion of rage or something similar. But after clarifying the whole situation, his behavior has changed a little: of course, he always pays attention to me, but he turns gentler than our first encounter and his manners are very different now. When they see me, Sir Votan approaches me.

“I see you had my message, Milady!”

“Yes….the innkeeper gave me it this morning. I didn’t know you were trying to rescue goodies from our ship….”

“Yes, we did it….” he replies, scratching his head “it’s a usual procedure. There can be relatives that want them back or, like in this case, they become property of the city….”

I understand what he mean….however it goes, the city can gain riches that can be used to realize new structures or if calamities hit the city and need to be rebuilded, to don’t mention the fact that some of the men involved in the rescue’s operations can probably subtract a part of them for their own pockets! Anyway, the fact that they have done it, it’s useful for me too, because even if I have basically nothing that I own, they can have found my left forearm guard, something I care a lot, because Horgus had forged personally for me.

“Did you have found a forearm guard in the ship!?” I ask, with hope in my heart.

“Yes, and not only it....there were parts of another armor too! Want to see them, Milady!?”

“Of course, I’d like to see them!”

“This way, then!”

I follow him long the harbor’s dock, moving to the east area of it, thinking at his words. Other pieces of armors....they are probably the ones Horgus was using during his past match in the arena and I had seen him wearing them during official ceremony, when he went with me as my trainer....I can’t see any other explanation! It takes few minutes before we reach the warehouse: here, four guards are patrolling the entrance, while others men are making a list of all the stuff rescued from the ship, to estimate them and, judging from what I hear by their talk, to give to the Prefect of the city an accurate and detailed list of all the new properties of the city. Sir Votan led me inside the warehouse, till we reach a small room: we enter in it and looking around, all I can see are book on some shelters and several objects (or it’s what I imagine they are) on the table, covered by a blanket. In a corner of the room, an old man is busy counting a sack of golden coins and only when Sir Votan speaks to him, he notices us.

“Votan....is she our new guest!?” he asks him, in a friendly way. I’m surprised by them, it’s the first time I see someone in Libidinis talking to Sir Votan directly using his name.

“She is....Milady, let me introduce my father Varon, ex captain of the guards” he say, then turn to his father and continue “Father, let me introduce you Lady, from Rhoonas”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Milord”

“Oh oh oh! Don’t be so formal, my dear....Varon is enough!”

Saying this, he smile at me while his still playing with one coin. Despite to the incredible physical resemblance between them, Varon have a complete different approach with people, more friendly I can say, and looks like this disappoint Sir Votan a little, a man who is engraved by the not so easy role to coordinate the military forces of Libidinis and this, probably, makes him use more formal etiquette in public.

“I think my son had explained you why we called you here, Lady”

“He does, yes....and I must say that letter surprised me at the begin....”

“Hope it doesn’t bothered you, Milady....” Sir Votan asks, interrupting us.

I look at him, uncertain on how to answer him “Oh, no....I’m just arrived here and wasn’t expecting a missive, Milord....you never bothered me, on the contrary, you have done too much for me!”

“It’s our duty as guards of Libidinis....” Varon reply, looking at us “and not only it....”

A malicious smile is now on his face and it’s clearly aimed to Sir Votan. The way he’s looking at his father, make me understand how uncomfortable those words are for him and now that I think well at it, during the whole time we were at the guards’ barrack, I noticed some little extra attention from him, but I was too shocked and down to notice them and now I wonder if he really have some feeling for me!

“Father!” Sir Votan thunder, as he tries to change the subject “we are here for business, not for silly chit chat!”

“Yes yes....as you said, Votan....” Varon replies, rising his shoulders and kneeling to take something from under the table.

That little scene makes me smile and both of them notice it. Sir Votan seems happy to see me smiling for the first time after our first met and this reaction give me the proof he really is feeling something for me. I wonder how much this make me feel alive again, but at the same time makes me feel dirty: Horgus died two days ago and am I falling for another man so soon!? How it can be!? Only after a minute I remember about the flower Xenia gave me at the market....yes, it’s probably its fault, my love for Horgus was deep and real and I don’t want to betray his memories....not so early, anyway!

“So, let’s talk of business!” Varon say, slamming a sack on the table. I heard that sound before, it’s impossible to don’t recognize it: it’s the sound of coins hitting each other and from what I hear, there are a lot of them inside that sack! And in fact, I’m right: when Varon open it, I can see how many of them fill the sack, already reaching the upper boarder.

“There are three thousands Sheckles inside it, my dear....and they are all yours now!”

Three thousands!? Really!? I’m shocked by the amount of Sheckles they are about to give me. In all my entire life, probably I holded just three of them, nothing more....and now, I can have three thousand!? It’s more than how I was expecting and even if I use them to pay my new clothes, probably I have to spend fifty or sixty, nothing more....probably, I can buy even a small house with all that money....I can’t believe they are all mine now!

“It’s the amount we reserved for you, Milady, as the only one survivor....”

“I....I don’t know what to say....” I reply trying to breathe “it’s more than I had imagined!”

“They are yours....and about the forearm guard....” Sir Votan grabs the blanket and pulls it away, discovering several parts of armor on the table. I stare at them, unable to believe at what I see: near my guard, there are all the pieces of Horgus armor, from the gauntlet to the shoulder and even the pectoral plate! And Sir Votan’s men had rescued all them....

“They are all yours, if you want, Milady....”

“Really!?” I babble, touching the dragon’s head shaped shoulder “this is the most wonderful gift you can ever give me....”

Tears start to come out again and the two men notice it. They both understand how important they are for me and Varon pats energetically his son’s back, pushing him outside the small room and closing the door behind them. I don’t know how long I stayed in that room, alone, holding tight the shoulder plate on my chest....all I know is how I was feeling happy to have something that can remind me about Horgus, even if it can appear just as a simple object to foreign eyes. And it was when they came back into the room that I take my decision....

“I have to ask you a last favor, Milord....”

“Of course....I’ll gladly do that, if I can!” Sir Votan reply, surprised to see determination in my eyes.

“I’d like to meet the best blacksmith of the entire city....I have something to commission him....”

“I’ll lead you to him, Milady....I think I understand what you wanted he do for you!”

And he does as promised. After passing by the shop where I bought my new clothes to take them, we finally reach the furnace and here, the owner and I talk for almost two hours, to settle all the works I need he do for me: adapting some of the parts of Horgus armor to me! The gauntlet, the arm, the shoulder and at last the pectoral plate. The whole work isn’t cheap and he need around four days to make it, but I don’t care because that offer me the chance to have something that was of Horgus to take with me, giving me the sensation he’s by my side even now. Finally I can feel energy running again in my body and feeble hope of a better and radiant future, a future I want to catch in my hands, as Horgus had prayed me to do just before he died in my arms.

   With a new sparkle of life in my heart, I leave the blacksmith to his work and after have said bye to Sir Votan, I look at myself: in the last two days, I didn’t take care of my body or have done some trainee to let my muscles stay tonic, so what’s better then a bath to relax!? In the market, in the morning, I heard about hot springs in the north-west area of it and even if I never had visited them before, I know those places are perfect for relaxing after a hard day and I can say I really have hard days recently! Finding the place isn’t difficult, everyone know it in the city and there is no one that not speak well of it and of the services they provide to their customers, services very well accepted by men and even by women that visit the place regularly. And now that I’m in front of the hot springs, I can say I’m curious to find out the type of services they offer, because I noticed some young women giggling happily when I ask them to explain me about them, but all I have as answer was “They worth the wait....”.

When I finally step into the small hall, a delicious fragrance fills my nostrils. It’s fresh and relaxing, different from the scent of the primulae soavious but it’s pleasant enough to calm me a little more and to give me some interior peace. I must admit it....I really enjoy this sensation now, more than I ever done before! The voice of a young girl, suddenly catch my attention back.

“Welcome to Libidinis’ hot springs, Milady! Which services we can provide to you, today!?” she asks, with a pretty smile.

I look at her, while I try to figure out about those services....again! I have no idea of what she’s talking about and honestly, I’m not sure of my answer. And she notices it.

“First time here for you, Milady!?”

“Welllll.....yes, I’m just arrived in this city....” I answer, scratching my head a little nervously “and I’m not so practice of all the places around it!”

“I understand....maybe, one of our employer can let you have a tour and help you to choose” she replies, ringing a small bell placed on the counter. Immediately, a black long hair girl pops into the room from a side door, wearing just a thin light blue vest, too short to cover her long and toned legs and barely showing the bottom of her perfect round bum and too transparent to don’t let me notice she’s no wearing any undies under it: I can barely see her dark pink nipples pressed on the vest, that wraps them perfectly, and more important, the small and well cured black bush just over her young pussy. Judging from what I see, she must be younger than me, maybe just eighteen or slightly more, but she surely looks very pretty and sensual plus, she give me a strange sensation, similar to the one Colette’s was giving me this morning, but it’s not that strong.

“Iris is one of our best employers and she will guide you inside the hot springs, Milady!”

Iris, with a gracious smile, invites me to follow her inside the hot springs and lead me to the women’s changing room. Here, again, I can see females of many races undressing together and having a friendly chat as I never had seen before: I must admit it, more I visit Libidinis, more I’m surprised to see how interracial this city is….and I’m sure that I will have more surprises in the next days! With all my stuffs locked in a closet and my body wrapped in a soft and fragrant towel, I follow Iris till we reach the end of the corridor. Here, two different doors lead in to different area of the building: the one in front of me, lead to the internal bath area, directly connected to the outside natural pool of hot water, while the one on the left lead to a series of chambers where it’s possible to receive a relaxing massage and some “extra” services. From how Iris said the word “extra”, now I can understand what she mean and why all the girls who told me to visit the hot springs were excited by the idea of coming back here soon as possible, but I’m not interested in them....or this is what I’m thinking right now. When I finally step in the bath, I’m stunned by how big it is and by how many girls of any age are here: some are helping each other washing their back, other seems to be here alone and it takes short time to begin to chat and be friendly with the one near them. I look around at the whole room, trying to find an empty place where I can finally clean my body from blood and sweat, hoping it will help me to feel a little better. It takes a little, but at last I notice a little area on the opposite side of the room: the sound of my claws on the stone floor attracts the attention of many of the other customers and I can sense their eyes glued on me, especially on my claws and horns. Strangely, no one of them looks scared by my presence, probably because they are used to non humans being, I think they are more surprised by my appearance, so different from all the other creatures I had seen all day around the city and now, I’m starting to get used to their presence as I always lived here.

When I finally reach the free spot, I can’t avoid to stare at the girl near me: her skin seems really white and smooth, like some precious silk, and I can tell she take care of it a lot, because I can’t see traces of wounds or scratches, something strange for a young girl like her. And same can be said for her long dark blonde hair, which perfectly framed her face, making her looks very sensual despite her young age. The bracelet she’s wearing on her left arm, catch my attention: a bracelet that apparently is made by fine decorated gold and with two or maybe three rubies embedded in it: it looks definitely expensive, something that can be bought just by a noble and this probably mean she’s the daughter of some rich family or something similar. The fact she’s here in a public place and not in her family estate looks strange to me, but maybe she’s here for the same reason of all the other girls, the services that the employers provides, to enjoy them away from indiscrete eyes. I’m pondering about this when she turn and our eyes meet: despite her young looking face, her dark blue eyes are the ones of a girl who had experienced some difficult and painful situation, maybe something similar to what I’m experiencing right now, and I have the impression they are able to go deep in myself and expose my inner true feeling very easily. It takes a minute or so before I recognize she’s staring at me too, but she don’t seems scared....I can’t tell what is it, but it give me a strange feeling.

“Sorry, Milady....I don’t want to disturb you....” I apologize to her.

She looks at me a little longer, then answers.

“Don’t need to apologize....it happen so often that the other girls are surprised to find me here!” she say, smiling at me “and I’m not a Lady....I’m just an ordinary girl so, please....don’t be so formal.”

“With pleasure!” I reply smiling back at her “Can I ask you your name!?”

“Of course....it’s Kyla”

“Nice to meet you, Kyla! I don’t have a name, but most known me as Lady Dragon....just Lady, for friends!”

“Then, I hope I can call you just Lady!” she says, with a pretty smile on her face.

I smile back at her “Of course!”

We talk a lot while we were both washing our self and we start to know each other better. She told me she’s here to assist at the tournament, because a very special person for her is going to participate in it and she want to cheers her during the matches. And then, I told her about the travel that had lead me to the City of Libidinis, how I lost the man I loved and my impression to this new amazing city and we both agree about the fact that it’s different from any other city we ever visited before. Talking with her is pleasant and we are so caught by our conversation to the point we didn’t notice to be the only two girls in the bath area and the thing makes us laugh. Soon even Kyla leave the bath to go to the external pool and now I’m really alone in this big room but I don’t care because the silence of the room offer me the chance to think about some plan for the future while the sensation of the cold water that slips down on my skin helps me to have some restoration.

I’m lost in my thoughts with my eyes closed, when suddenly gentle hands graze my shoulders.

“Kyla, is it you!?” I ask, without opening my eyes.

“No, Milady....I’m not this Kyla....”

That voice....I recognize it immediately: Colette! I’m surprised and a little shocked to find her here and I wonder what’s going to happen from now on.

“I didn’t expect to find you here, Colette....”

“I can say the same, Milady....” she replies smiling, then continue “I’m a co-owner here and I come every day to relax before customers come to the tavern to have dinner.”

Now I understand why I got a sensation so similar to the one Colette has gave to me in the morning when Iris was leading me inside this place. Colette’s hands are now moving down from my shoulders to my breasts and that sensation is pervading my whole body again: it’s more intense then how it was in the morning, probably because I’m still under the effect of the flower Xenia gave to me and even because now I’m more relaxed then how I was in the morning. I’m starting to feel a little dizzy while her hands gently touch my breasts, massaging them with some surprising expert movements, plus now her breasts are pressed against my back, making my face flush a little. Despite their full and firm appearance, her breasts are soft but not as her lips: she’s now kissing my neck with slow but sensual movement, slipping along it till they reach my right shoulder, just to move back after indulging on it for few seconds. I want to try to free myself from that pleasant and warm hug but I can’t: I’m too caught by her now and the pleasure that is now running in my body is becoming too strong to resist it, especially now that she’s playing with my nipples, pinching and pulling them between her expert fingers, giving me  the proof about the suspect I had in the morning....she really is interested in women and not in men! I wonder if her husband knows about this....

“Co-Colette....please, stop it! I can’t do that!” I babble, trying to hold a moan.

“It’s not what your body want, Milady!”

I don’t want to admit it, but she’s so right! Even if my mind is telling me to run away, my body don’t react as I want, it’s like if I have lose the control of it and I’m not able to regain it from Colette. And I can tell she really enjoy to play with my tits, even if they can’t be compared with hers, especially she adore to squeeze them so energetically that I can’t continue too long to resist and hold my moans and I’m sure she noticed it: she lightly bite my right lobe and squeeze my tits so tight that I moan loudly, probably catching the attention of some women in the outside pool, or this is what I think. But no one is coming to see what’s going on in the bath....probably, these types of things happen often in this place and usual customers didn’t pay attention to them....or something similar, I suppose....

“Your moan was so delicious, Milady....hope you will do it more for me....” Colette says, with a malicious smile on her face.

I feel like if Colette is abusing of me, but I like it....I like the fact she’s making me feel alive again after two long days darkest then hell and I must say that I’m starting to enjoy this new situation.

“I will moan for you all the time you want, Colette....and stop calling me Milady....Lady is enough!” I reply her, turning my head to face her. And without any hesitation, she place her lips on mine in a sweet and warm kiss: it lasted no long before her tongue try to open its way in my mouth, seeking for mine that reply immediately, starting a voluptuous dance together that make me feel even more alive. Of course, Colette didn’t forget about taking care of my body: her hands are still playing with my tits but soon her right hand start to slips down to my belly, slowly but unstoppable, giving me shivers that runs wild on my spine and making my body burn. And not only....for the first time, I can feel my cock reacting instinctively to the gentle and sensual touch of Colette’s hand on my body: it grow and get hard so fast, I’m surprised by this, and Colette is too, when her hand reach and grab it, making me moan again. Her hand is barely moving stroking my cock, probably more for curiosity than because she really want it.

“Wow....it’s the first time I hold one in my hand....” she say, a little puzzled “it’s.....strange!”

Her words confirm my suspects, at last. With my breath getting heavy time after time, I stare at her for a moment, and then ask.

“So, you really are....”

“A lesbian!?” she say, interrupting me “Yes, I prefer young and beautiful girls to men....is it a problem for you!?”

I shake my head, unable to speak for the intense pleasure she’s giving to me. If this is the first time for her to hold a cock, I have to say that it’s the first time for me too: not even Horgus had never taken my cock in his hand, he always treat me as a normal girl, and even I have never feel the desire to take it in my own hand and stroke it. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I think I have to do it someway.

“I must confess you….it’s my first time with a girl….” I take a little break to breath, then continue “..and I’m sorry for not telling you before about my body….”

Colette is staring at me directly in the eyes, with a strange expression that I can’t interpret, no matter how hard and long I try do it. Her eyes make me feel nervous for how deep they are looking inside me and the fact that she’s not saying a single word, increase this feeling to the point I can’t avoid to swallow during the wait, with my eyes glued on her fleshy lips.

“From the first moment you entered in the tavern, I had felt you was special, in some way....and now I know why....” she say, just before kissing me again with more intense passion, while her hands are still playing with my tits and my hard cock. But it takes no long to her right hand to slip down from my cock to my balls, till her fingers are over my pulsing rosebud, just to tease me touching it gently.

“You weren’t lying....” she whispers me, when our lips are finally away.

“I never have done it....” I reply, enjoying that sensation she’s giving me with the tip of her finger, when suddenly she stops. I look at her, disappointed by her action and she needs no words to understand that I want more of that from her. She bite my lobe again and squeeze my tits, while his finger open its way inside my rosebud exploring it with all its length, making me moan even louder than before. And with her finger taken by its exploration and my left nipple pressed tightly between her thumb and the index finger, she whisper me few words:

“I know the perfect place where I can teach you as two girls can love each other....”

I simply nod at her, trying to take my body under control and don’t let this ecstasy make me fall for Colette. When she finally set my body free from the grip of her skilled hands, I try to take a deep restoring breath but it last just a second: moving her slender fingers and with a malicious and intriguing smile on the face, she makes me sign to follow her. And I do it, without any hesitation: now it’s clear to myself that I’m not just fall in love with her, it’s something different from what I felt when I was near Horgus, it’s a strongest and more intense sensation and I feel like if I’m hypnotized by Colette, but I can’t explain how she was able to do it! Not that I care to find it out at the moment: all I want now, is to enjoy once more the incredible sensations she was giving me and nothing more, sensations that were able to make me forget about all the pain that had filled my heart for the last two days.

Colette leads me in the area of the massage’s chambers, till we reach a door with a sign over it. I look at it and I notice the writes that say “Employers only” and I can see her opening it with a key linked to a small bracelet she’s wearing on her left wrist. Judging by what I can see, the room is twice or so the one I have at the tavern and right in the middle of it there is the biggest round bed I ever seen before and it’s covered by red silky sheets, with some pillow made with the same silk all over it. Around the bed, there are many closets probably used by the employers to storage their personal things while they are working at the hot springs, but what really surprise me is the absence of windows in the room: on the wall to the right of the door, I can see a wooden grid that let fresh air enter into the room and right in front of it, there is a door that lead to the entrance of the building, judging by the conformation of the place.

While I’m looking around, Colette close the door behind us, leaving the key in the lock, probably to be sure no one will come inside to disturb us during our “play”: she sit on the bed, crossing her legs, and again, with her finger, she invite me to join her on it. And she don’t have to wait too long before I sit near her, as I don’t have to wait to have her tongue again in my mouth and her right hand on my tits, gently playing with them and with my erect nipples. Colette lay me down over the sheets, without giving to my tongue the chance to rest a little: I can feel how eager she is while her right hand slip down long my belly till it reach my left thigh....her light touch is sensual and different from the one of Horgus, but it’s not less intense then the one he gave me so many time during our wild and steamy nights. Her hand is moving more down till it reach my knee and indulge on it, while her left hand is still holding my nape to don’t let me escape from our endless and deep kiss: holding my knee, she spread my legs and push her right thigh between them, rising it till it strokes against my balls and on my bum cheeks. I want to scream my pleasure but her lips are glued on mine forcing me to be quiet but without being able to stop the shivers that runs all over my body or my hands, now lightly scratching her back and moving all over it, from shoulders to her bum cheeks. I experienced this before, but this time is different: Colette pay more attention in finding my sensible spots and her gentle touch on them is more effective on me than the one of Horgus....my neck, for example....Colette’s tongue is now licking it, slowly, down from my chin and for all its length and back, finally making me able to express my pleasure with my moans. And even the sensation of my cock pressed between our bellies is different: her soft body literally wraps it and the slow movement of her body on mine, increase the intensity of the pleasure I feel, like if she’s stroking it with her full body. Instinctively, I grab her cheeks and squeeze them, maybe putting too much strength in it: she screams, in a mix of pain and pleasure and I find it  so irresistible that I squeeze them again, with more strength then before. Colette scream again, looking at me, but I don’t see angriness in her eyes, all I see is pure and wild passions that is running in her vein and in mine too, now.

“What a bad girl you are, Lady....”

“Ahhnnn....sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you....” I apologize trying to catch my breath back and staring at her malicious smile.

“Oh, but you didn’t hurt me....” she replies, squeezing hard my nipple “you are a bad girl because you are like me, addicted to pleasure!”

Addicted to pleasure as her....maybe she’s right, right now I’m not simply attracted by her but by the incredible pleasure she’s giving me and, I’m sure, she’s far to have done with me! She help me to stand on my knees, then she placed a pillow right in front of me, leaving me perplexed about what she’s planning in that crazy mind she have.

“Now, lay with your belly over it, Lady….” she says, moving by my side and staring at me as I do as she said.

“Like this!?” I ask her a little embarrassed, after noticing my bottom raised up and perfectly exposed to her eyes. I try to lift my chest a little, but Colette pushes me down over the sheets.

“It’s perfect like this….now don’t move!”

Saying this, she move behind me and soon her hands are on my bottom again, fondling it slowly and gently but it takes not so long before I can sense them slipping down long my thigh. Sometimes she barely graze my skin with the tip of her fingers and that light touch give me the strongest shiver I ever feel, to the point I must bite my lower lip to don’t moan again and again. Her hands move expertly along my inner thighs, up from my knees to my fully exposed bottom: their movement is slow but unstoppable and Colette knows the right spots where she has to focus with her fingers to raise my pleasure and let me lose control. I turn my mace to look at her, while her hands are filled by my bum cheeks and her fingers, so gentle till a moment ago, are now sharpen as claws, chaws that are scratching my skin, trying to find their way for my secret entrance: it takes no long to her thumbs to reach the border of my secret door, I can sense them titling it and deluding myself that they are going to open their way into this entrance right now. I see it in her eyes, she enjoy teasing me and probably I can enjoy it too but inside me, the frustration that the wait is causing me is strongest than the pleasure this wait can give: Colette is cruel and exciting at the same time, she’s really able at understanding other girls desires’ and weaknesses, she know how to use them for her advantage and I can say she never makes problem to herself in using them. And she’s doing this to me right now....

From my position, I just can see her eyes popping up from over my bum. They are deeply looking into mine and I’m sure that a skilled and intuitive girl as Colette is, have understand the fact that she had pushed me at my limit and I’m at the point that I’m ready to beg her to give me the extreme pleasure I’m waiting so much. But she continue to tease me: her thumbs, so close to my pulsing rosebud, are still stroking slowly all around it and I’m about to lose hope to feel them exploring my intimacy, when suddenly she press them more and stretched my anus, placing the tip of her tongue in it. Its small but determined movements make me squirm and moan loud....so loud as I never have done before and when her tongue open more her way inside me, I moan again and again, filling the room with my voice and, probably, even outside it someone can hear me right now! Her tongue moves sinuous and tireless, like a snake looking for prey and Colette have found one of them in me: I have the sensation that her tongue has reached my stomach and it’s mixing it and making me feel upside down and even if I want to scream loud my pleasure, all I can do is panting hardly and drooling all over the sheets, now completely soaked by my saliva. I can feel my legs stiff and my muscles strained by the spasm that fulfill my whole body and leave me at Colette’s mercy and the slow but continues penetration of her tongue, is inexorably leading me to one of the most intense and violent orgasm I ever had and no matter how hard I try to resist to it, I can clearly feel it rising inside me, completely out of my control.

I’m quite sure I can’t sense a deeper and incredible ecstasy then now, but Colette proves me that I’m wrong again. Without any hesitation and, more important, without giving me a moment to rest, she push two fingers inside my stretched and greedy rosebud, paying attention to don’t slow the movements of her tongue: she push them inside in one go, operation that is made easy by all the lubrication’s work that her tongue have done for several minutes, and they start to explore my canal, rhythmically, perfectly synchronized with her tongue. My whole body is now burning, enslaved to Colette’s skills and luxury that is now running into me too, making me desire for more and intense pleasure, something that even Horgus was able to let me feel in the three years we were together. Horgus....the pain that was gripping my heart till few hours ago, looks so far now and my mind is so overwhelmed by all the sensation that are running into my body and even if I know this is not what my heart want, I can’t stop now, my body and mind are now addicted to this, too much and too early, maybe, but it makes me feel alive again! Almost lost in this incredible lust, I close my eyes and immediately, I can see the satisfied expression on Colette face while she continue to rape me: exactly, I feel raped by that skilled girl that appear so young to be so expert in pleasing a woman. Not that she's more youngest then me, after all I’m just twenty-four, but it's unbelievable for me to think at how many experience with other girls she had before to become expert like this....or maybe it's not only thanks to her skill that she's an amazing lover!

“The hell are you thinking, Lady!?” I ask to myself in a short moment of lucidity. But that moment immediately disappear, overwhelmed by an infinite amount of sensations that are pushing me more than over my limits and Colette can read how I feel from any little movement of my body, in my heavy breath and in any other little thing regarding me. As a perfect luxury machine, she knows that this is the right time to make me surrender to the infinite pleasure she's giving me: with a majestic movement of her fingers, she spread more my torn rosebud and push another finger inside it and increasing the thrust of them and of her tongue. My body squirms visibly but not a single moan spill out of my mouth, it's like if the whole attention of body is focused on my anus and can't properly provide to any other actions except the one to let this infinite penetration I’m experiencing. And her fingers are now giving the same sensation of her tongue: it seems like they are now very deep in me, I can feel my belly being battered by them but I know this is just an impression my body is giving to my mind, reacting to something new and too intense for me. But I like it....I like the sensation to be possessed....it's something you can't imagine if you never had try it before and it's what Colette is doing right now and in a so easily that I’m astonished and my mind is now completely blank, like an empty page of a book no one had ever write. And my body is almost ready to surrender too: my cock is so big and swollen that I’m surprised by the fact that I can still hold a vast spray of my seed  all over the silky sheets....I wonder how I’m able to resist despite the extreme ecstasy that is pervading my whole self from different minute!

And it happens again. I’m barely sure I can hold the pleasure a little longer, but I’m wrong: at last, a liberating moan spit out of my wide open and drooling mouth, filling the room again but this time it's louder and wild, like the one of an animal. And at the same time, my cock is finally free to release its white and sticky nectar that land all over my belly and on the pillow behind him, soaking it completely: it looks endlessly, as if I never had reach an orgasm in my entire life and that make me hope that the rape she's doing to me is finally over, but I’m wrong again. Her thrust turns faster and rougher, to the point a second and a third spray of seed arrive, wild and uncontrollable, and till the last drop didn't spit out of my cock, Colette didn't stop her thrust, but finally, at last, her fingers and tongue are giving me the chance to take a breath: I must admit that I’m surprised when she push them out of my devastated ass, but at the same time I’m disappointed, deep inside me I hope she will continue more with that pleasant torture. Not that I’m not relieved buy this break but I feel like as all she have done to me till now wasn't enough, even if I’m clearly exhausted and unable to move a single muscle of my body. I’m trying to catch my breath back, when Colette turn me on my back, placing herself right over my chest: her sweaty skin makes her appear even more attractive and sensual than how she usually is (something very hard to believe, to be honest!) and only when the slow movements of her arms catches my attention I notice her drooling and opened pussy. It’s an hypnotizing view and it’s so damn wet that Colette’s love juice is dripping all over my breasts: its smell seems sweet and pungent, it’s so different from the smell of my or Horgus seed, it’s more similar to a delicious fragrance that fulfill my nostrils making my mind a little confused.

“Now it’s your turn to pleased me, Lady….”

Her voice is sensual and soft and it’s similar to a celestial music in my ears. I’m exhausted and powerless, she drain everything out of me but no matter how I try, I’m not able to tell her I need to rest and more her swollen pussy is getting near my face, more resist to her appeal is difficult. And now, at last, her wet pussy is right over my mouth and some drops or her juice is landing on my lips and I can’t avoid to luxuriously lick them.

“This will be a long and hot afternoon….” are the words she says to me, again with a pretty and malicious smile on her face, just before she push her pussy against my mouth. And I know she’s absolutely right….

     Interlude 1:  Howls in The Night

t’s an ancestral story and it’s well-known in many realms even if no one really know how it’s started but lycans’ story have crossed all the continent for centuries and the most important is the one about the first hunt to extinguish their race. It was organized under the supervision of the four most important and powerful kingdom of the continent where the lycans has caused the most trouble for over two hundred years. Was organized an entire army, formed by the most expert and strongest soldiers coming from each kingdom and it was leaded in to the battle by a General that soon was known for the ferocious attitude his men have, giving no mercy to the lycans, no matter if they were adults or just children: at the end of the first big hunt, the storytellers narrate that under the leadership of the General, over seventy percent of the lycans were exterminated, even their leader. But the five commanders of the lycans survived to the extermination and they formed five clan to protect the survivors and reorganize them under their control and thanks to the magical properties of the fragments of a mysterious artifact in their possession, the clans were able to prosper for several decades.

But their prosperity didn’t last forever. With the passing years, between the clans were born frictions caused by different point of view of the new leaders and from the increasing diffidence that there was now between them. Soon, internal conflicts began and there were years of internal fight between the clans, with the only purpose to collect all the five pieces in the hands of just one of the commanders, in a last try to reunite all the lycans again in only one and more powerful group. But these battles did not pass unobserved to the eyes of humans that want to take advantage of the situation to complete what their ancestors weren’t able to do, leading the continent to the second lycans’ hunt. But even this time, the lycans survive to the extermination the humans were planning and even the third great hunt, ten years later, was a failure for the humans, but not for the Kingdom of Swabia (the last one that join the alliance against the lycans) that takes advantage by the absence of many soldiers to expand its domain, subjugating several small realms.

After the third great hunt and four hundred years, lycans are still living around the continent but the five clans weren’t able to reunion them all under the flag of just one leader, making them continue their intestine fight for gain the full control on the entire race.

Nowadays, outside the Libidinis borders

   It’s already midnight when the group can finally see the mountains chain which has always guaranteed protection to the Free City of Libidinis, saving it from the expansionist ambitions of the neighboring Kingdom. Their journey was long and perilous but the information that their spies have obtained must be verified soon as possible because they are vital for the future of the clan, the smallest of the five lycans’ clan and this make them an easy target for the other four. But despite the low number of its member, the clan can count on the most skilled elements of the whole lycans race, hard trained since they are nothing less than children and this explain why they were able to defeat the other clans so many time during the intestinal fight that is running from centuries between them.

Soon, three shadows can be spotted climbing along the headland where the group is stationed. Immediately, the men put their hands on the hilt of their swords, taking positions just in case the shadows are enemies and to prevent they can be caught before their mission can begin: the three shadows are approaching, with fast walk, and now they are at half of the slope that lead to the top of the headland.

“Put your hands off from the swords!” a voice thunder them, without any hesitation.

All the men follow his order, without waiting any other explanation, and move aside to let him advance in to the direction of the mysterious shadows, now so close to the point that all the men are now certain about the fact they are their comrades. The three men knees in front of the one which was now waiting them impatiently and remove the capes that covers their faces.

“Welcome to Libidinis, Master....”

“You are late” he thunder again.

“We are sorry....but as regular citizen of Libidinis, we have to be cautious when we leave it, or our undercover identity can be lost!”

“Mmmm....I think you are right. So, the information are certain!?”

“Looks like they are, Master....the object almost fit the description we have.”

“Almost!?” the Master asks with an upset expression on his face.

At his words, the three men begin to cold sweat and tremble, knowing perfectly how cruel the Master can be when someone disappoint him, but seems like this time he is calm and just waiting for their explanation. The oldest of them, takes the first step and replies to the even more impatient Master.

“I-I’m sorry, Master, but....” he babbles, swallowing nervously “ we were able to see it just for a moment and didn’t have the chance to examine it....”

“But the runes carved on it are the one our ancestors use....” another one of them continue, then immediately is silent, waiting for their Master reaction.

A reaction that arrived very soon. He stares at them, moving his eyes from one to another but without letting any emotion appear on his face, then speak

“It’s more than what we found in the last century....you have done a good job, after all” he says, staring at the city that lies behind the mountains right in front of him “now, lead us inside the city!”

The three men look at each other, then back at him, uncertain about how answering him.

“Master, I must apologies, but we can’t go back till it’s dawn or the guards will suspect something!”

He takes a break, staring at his Master, desperately hoping he will be not upset by his words: slowly, he raise his eyes, till he can see his face and his burning eyes pointed on him, while the right hand of the Master is grazing the hilt of the sword that lies along his flank, extracting half of it. He swallow twice, quiet sure the Master is going to extract his sword and point it at his throat, when one of the men who reached the city following him, interrupt them.

“Master, we can’t risk to let them lose their undercover identity....I think we have to do as they suggest.”

The Master looks at that man and after an endless minute, he let his sword slide back in to the sheath.

“As usual you are right, Hivraah....I must try to be more patient or the mission can turn in to a total fail!”

Telling this, he sits on a nearest rock and points his eyes to the sky, looking for the moon. He explore the sky in silent, staring at each star, stars he know very well, because since he was a child, he was attracted by them and by the moon, that pale lady that watches over everyone of her children which show to truly worship her. Then, he sees her, shining in all her beauty.

“Milady....soon we will be with you again....” he says, staring at her. He stay like this for almost two hours, contemplating the moon as a knight can do with the most beautiful princess of the whole heart, literally taken by her till Hivraah come to call him.

“Master, the time has come!”

Without telling any words, the Master stand up and reach his men already regrouped and just waiting his orders to move: the three men from Libidinis are in front of him on his left, the others on his right and just Hivraah is at his side, the clear sign that he is the Master’s right arm. He looks at them all, knowing perfectly they are the best men of the clan and they are all well trained and ready to accomplish at this important mission. He looks down the headland and how his men from Libidinis has predicted, a small caravan is moving in the direction of the city: he smirk, perfectly knowing the fact that those humans going to be an easy prey for them, especially with the help of the artifact he is jealously protecting in his bag. He take the artifact in his hand and rise it high in the sky, placing it between the moon and the group on his right: soon, their bodies start to change, their skin is now covered by black fur and their hands and feet begin to change, till they are replaced by claws. Even their faces change, slowly: their noses are getting longer, more similar to the one of a wolf and soon fangs replaced their teeth and pointed and furry ears grown on their heads, till the transformation is finally complete.

“Go, my brothers....for our Goddess!”

The group, fast and unstoppable, starts to run down the headland and soon they are at few feet from the caravan. They were surprised by the lycans attack and weren’t ready to reply at their fury: half of them fall under the lycans’ claw in a row, no matter if they are men, women or children, they all fall one after the other and even if they try to escape, they are not fast enough to avoid to be reached and killed. The only thing the lycans care, at the moment, is to not leave signs of blood on the wagons, to be sure no one in the city will notice them, when they are going to use them to enter in it. And in fact, they reach their objective: the whole assault last twenty or maybe twenty-five minutes and the extermination was easy and complete, without any visible sign of the fight on the wagons and, most important, without any survivor, as they had planned.

The Master, Hivraah and the remaining three men, were watching at the whole scene and only when it’s finally ended they join their companion, now waiting them near a pile of dead corpses. The smell of fresh meat and blood, fill their nostrils till the point they can barely resist to that incredible and unexpected banquet, but no one of them try to touch one of the corpses without the permission of their Master. Permission that comes soon: the Master turns himself and the other four in to their monstrous form and soon they all begin a macabre banquet to propitiate the success of their mission.

Meanwhile, at the external gate of the City of Libidinis, the guards are looking at the horizon, to prevent any enemies’ incursion during the night. It’s all quiet, to the point one of them is about to fall asleep, when howls suddenly wake him.

“Wolf....and they are not so far....” one of the guards, says.

“Yes.....yaaawnnnn....after all, it’s going to be full moon, soon....”

“You are right. Perfect time for them to hunt....” he replies, barely smirking in the shadow....

Lady Dragon – part 2


     The Tournament

ays are running fast and now I’m here in this city from about five of them. Not that I regret the time I’m spending here, especially after what happened at the hot springs with Colette, but even if living in this city is a new and very nice experience, I can’t get out of my head the sensation about how wrong is the way I’m acting, like I’m dishonoring Horgus memory: in fact, after that day at the hot springs, Colette has become like a drug for me....a pleasant drug to be honest, and I can’t resist too long without her touch and kisses. I had try very hard to resist to the incredible attraction I feel for her, but always fail: I know, I can sense it, now she’s in touch with the lusty part of me and she’s using it to have full control on me, till the point I’m just a puppet in her hands. And deep inside me, I like it....I like the fact she’s able to take the pain for the loss of Horgus far from my heart but at the same time, I know it’s wrong....so damn wrong!
This is what I always repeat to myself when we are together, like now: in the afternoon, the employers room of the hot springs, has become our alcove, a place where no one come and disturb us during our “massaging sessions”, if it’s how I can call the incredible and exciting hours we spent there together. And anytime, no matter how hard I try, she always wins against my awareness, she know how to lock it in a corner and let the libido take the lead of myself and she always do that, like she have a special key for it or maybe....some special abilities!

And it’s exactly what is going on right now. I never felt so breathless and my body so heavy as today, I’m stunned by how much far she can push me, making me to surpass my limits more and more, but I’m more stunned by the fact she do it naturally, without any apparently fatigue, something so natural as it’s breathing for everyone else.

“Please....stop now....” I babble, without sorting any effect “you know I have business to do soon!”

“They can wait....this is what you really need....” she reply, pushing all her hand up my fully stretched ass.

That sensation makes me scream and its intensity makes me arch my back while I’ll grab the silky sheets with all my strength. The way she dominates me, drive me crazy any time and she makes me reach several orgasms at day and a new one, I’m sure, is about to arrive, as an unstoppable wall of water that is about to land on an unstable ship during a sea storm, sinking it. And I’m that ship, unable to resist to the fury of the nature....or better say, in this case, of a single girl: Colette is pure passion, any cell of her body is filled by it and it takes no long to her to seduce a person near her, no matter if it’s a girl or a man, her presence attract everyone to her, as honey attract bears or bees. And she know this very well, in fact she always use this unnatural ability for her advantage: I heard many rumors about her, here at the hot springs, and each one of them involve Colette with a different girl or woman that usually is a customer of this place. I can suppose this is a sort of hunting field for her, a field she know very well and she used to visit every day to discover a new and tasty prey for her pleasure. And now it’s my turn to fulfill her desire....or maybe I must say, it’s my turn to be her victim! Yes, I’m a victim....a victim of her endless lust, lust which is now running all over my body, wild and unstoppable, while she deeply push her hand back and forth in my rectum....again and again, making my intense pleasure rising and grow till the point it turn into pure ecstasy which explode in an incredible and wild orgasm, leaving me exhausted, again! But even this fourth orgasm she gave me don’t makes her stop: as it happens during our first time, I can sense her hand reaching my stomach, devastating it with its thrust and she continue till she can see a little sparkle of energy in my body.

When I finally wake up, I’m alone in the room. I look around and I can see no traces of Colette, just my towel she threw over one of the furniture when we enter here and two of the employers that are changing to left the hot springs. I can hear them giggling while looking at my naked body and murmuring between them about something, I’m too disoriented to understand what they are talking about, but I’m sure it’s about me and Colette, judging by the fact they discretely turn to look at  me time by time. At this point, I can presume everyone from the staff , or anyway the female part of it, know about me and Colette and what we are doing in this room for hours and the situation make me blush visibly, while I try to cover myself with the silk sheets.

“Girls, can you tell me the time, please!?” I ask them, when I’m finally able to put words one after the other.

“Few minutes and the hot springs will be close....”

“Good Lord, I’m in late!” I yell, taking the towel and running to the door, opening it “please, can you give me the time to use the bath!? I just need three minutes or less!”

“Of course, Milady....Miss Colette gave us directives about it, take your time!”

Thanks to my unstable and trembling legs, running to the bath area wasn’t easy and when I reach it, the employers had started to clean all around it, but they didn’t put out any problem when I ask them to use it for a little, proof that Colette had give some directives to everyone here, to be sure I can go to my meeting cleaned and refreshed.....welllll, cleaned for sure, I have to say, but refreshed....it’s a bit hard, looking at my condition, but I cannot go to meet the Prefect of Libidinis, after he asked me to visit him at his house. I wonder why he want to meet me now and not when I arrived in the town, but I can presume it have something to do with the imminent begin of the Summer Festival and of the tournament which is running during it, tournament that have no more meaning for me and this is why, three days ago, I’ve told to Sir Votan I don’t want to take part at it. But something tell me that the Prefect don’t want to lose a potential attraction for visitors or pilgrims, not after all the posters he sent to neighbor kingdoms, claiming I’ll going to take part in the show. And in fact....

When finally I arrive at the Prefect house, placed in the north-east corner of the main square, the sun had started to fall on to the horizon and the streets of the city, usually crowed by people, are empty and the street lamps has started to be turned on, a clear sign of how late it is. After had taken a deep breath, I knock at the main door of the house but no one answer me and I’m about to knock again when the door creaks, starting to open.

“What can I do for you, Milady!?” a man’s voice asks me, while he comes out of the shadow. He must be around sixty or more, judging by his grizzled hair, but despite his not so more younger appearance, I must say he have an imposing presence, but not because he have a trained body or something similar, it’s more for an aura that is surrounding him. But he’s far from impressing me....

“I’m Lady Dragon, and I was invited by the Prefect for a talk”

“Oh, yes, we were waiting you, Milady....” the man replies, opening completely the door “please, come in!”

He leads me inside the house, long a not so lighted corridor, till we reach a little room, then he turn to me.

“Milady, can you wait here for a moment, please!?”

“Of course....” I reply, just before he disappears behind a door on the opposite side of the room. It takes few minutes before he come back, inviting me to follow him in the nearest room. Here, I can see different people sited around a small table, sipping some red wine and chatting between them, just to interrupt their chat and turn to me when I enter the room.

“Milord, Lady Dragon is here”

Then, he turns to me and pointing at a chair near the big couch where most of the people in the room are sitting, he continues.

“Please, Milady, take a sit!”

Saying this, the old man grab the chair and place it right in front of the couch, adjusting it while I’m sitting down on it, adjusting my dress with my hands, to don’t risk to sense it uncomfortable while I’m talking with the Prefect and the other people. Discreetly, I look at the three in front of me: the Prefect, on my right, it’s a man which look to be around fifty, or maybe a little less, and looks like a resolute man who know how to take advantage of any situation to gain for him more power and control on the people around him, thanks to the important role his family, the House of Mercator, got in making the city grew. And on my left, a young man is sitting on a chair nearby the couch, where a youngest girl is sitting, crossing her legs and holding the man’s hand. This mean they are in some type or relationship and judging by the admiration I can see in the eyes of the man, I can clearly say they are a couple but I can’t say if they are married or not. The only thing I’m sure is about they are not ordinary citizen or nobles, it’s clear by the jewelry she’s wearing and by their clothes that they are exponent of some highest rank, maybe from some monarchy, but there is a thing I’m sure about: despite her feminine appearance, the long black hair and the scent of the perfume she’s using, my nose can’t be tricked so easily....

The voice of the Prefect interrupts me, bringing me back to reality.

“I’m very thankful for accepting my invite, Lady....” he says, with his voice calm and quiet.

“My pleasure, Milord....I hope you will forgive me for being in late.” I answer him, with the same tone.

“Oh, it’s not a problem....as you can see, I’m very busy here, tonight! And please, call me Signis!”

“Very well....Signis. I can imagine how busy you are....I suppose your guests are all here for the festival” I say looking around me, then looking back at the mysterious girl on my left.

“You are right, my dear....but not at all! They are all here for the tournament!”

The tournament....I completely forget about it, or better say I don’t care about it after what happened during and after my travel to come here in Libidinis. But for the city and, most important, for the Prefect, this is an event that can bring many money in their coffers and now I have no more doubts about the reason why I’m here tonight, but I want to listen at Signis words before doing my move. But the first one who talks isn’t him, it’s the mysterious girl.

“Your name has reached even my realm, the Kingdom of Lombrady, and now I’m very impatient to admire you in the arena, Lady!”

The Kingdom of Lombrady, she say....it’s far from here and I never had visited it, but I heard about it and about the beautiful Queen that rule it from about five years, Ophala, and I must say I’m surprised to see her here in front of me because I heard the conflict against the Kingdom of Swabia is getting worst recently and the armies of Lombrady are not strong enough to resist to the continuous assault from once of Swabia. Bud probably, those voices are false, or it’s what I can say judging by the calm Queen Ophala is showing me right now. False as her identity....no matter how much she take care of her hair and makeup, or if she wear so much provocative dress (the slit of the dress completely reveal her long and slim legs), she can’t hide the scent of her masculine body to me, it’s clearly different from the one of a woman and my nose is too sensitive to don’t recognize it. I stare at “her” for a little, trying to imagine the reason of this deception and the only one I can find is about how the Kingdom of Lombrady was ruled for centuries, namely by its Queens: probably, and this is just my supposition, the last Queen didn’t had a daughter and Ophala, or whatever her real name is, was educated as a girl....Good lord!

“There is something wrong!?” she directly asks me, noticing I’m looking at her.

“No, your highness....I was just wondering why a beautiful Lady as you is interested in a tournament like this!” I reply, telling a lie to her.

“Well, it’s very simple, to be honest....this kind of tournaments are perfect to discover some impressive talent and an opponent like you, is perfect to evaluate them.” she takes a break to sip some wine from her goblet, then continue “and this lead us to the reason why we ask to our dear Signis to invite you here, Lady!”

So, there are them behind this invite....and probably, many other delegations of the other Kingdoms had makes the same request to Signis and, of course, he can’t refuse to accomplish their request or the good name of his House can be partially ruined by it. And in fact, Signis takes the word.

“Lady, we called you here to ask you to take part at the tournament, but not as a gladiator of Lord Barton....”

I look at him perplexed: not as gladiator of Lord Barton!? I can’t join the tournament as his gladiator, not now that he is dead during the assault at his ship! I’m pretty sure they are planning something to let me join the event, without giving me any chance to refuse but not in my worsteds nightmare, I can suppose what they are going to tell me. Signis, without carrying by my strange look at him, continue.

“You can be an independent contestant, Lady....but you can’t at the moment! Despite the fact your Lord is dead, you officially are still a slave and everyone can claim to buy your life, but we want to offer you the chance to gain your freedom....”

I’ll suddenly stand up, interrupting him, and making the chair slam on the floor.

“A slave!? And who is my Lord now!?” I yell, furious “I had lost everything I had coming in this city and now you are telling me I’m still a slave!?”

“Indeed, my dear....you are property of Libidinis, now....and this mean I can dispose of your life, as Prefect of this city!” he reply, calm and not worried by my reaction.

“See, my dear Lady, a slave is always a slave, no matter if her Lord die, they are all registered.... but we have the power to give you your freedom and it will be noticed to every kingdom of the alliance....” Queen Ophala say, standing up and coming close to me and watching me straight in my eyes. Then, she move to the table behind me, placing her bum on its border and looking at a parchment that lies over it “with my and Signis signature on this parchment, you will be a free citizen....and if you accept to join the tournament, we are ready to sign it right now!”

“But now it’s up to you, Lady....are you going to accept our offer!?” Signis ask me, joining Queen Ophala.

As usual....people which have the power in their hands, always try to gain the highest benefits for them, no matter if this mean using some subterfuges and if they have to abuse of people that are not able to protect them self and even if I can easily escape from them, the only effect I can obtain is to be hunted for my whole life by head hunters and mercenaries in search of glory and money. I’d like to jump against them and give them a lesson they hardly forget too soon but I know I’m not in the position to do it, especially if I don’t want to make Libidinis and Lombrady my eternal enemies.

“What happen, if I accept your “gentle” request!?” I ask, grinning, my teeth.

“It’s simple....you will be the main attraction of the fighting tournament, you just need to sign the tournament subscription module and after you have done it, we are going to sign the document that prove the fact you are a free citizen from today!” Signis grab a feather and merge it in the ink bowl, then he hand it to me “We have a deal, dear Lady!?”

I stare at the feather and then at him and Queen Ophala, really tempted to run away from this place but taking my hanger under control, I move close to them.

“I think it’s a reasonable deal....I accept it with grrrratitude!” I answer, looking at them with fire in my eyes and taking the feather from Signis hand “where I have to sign the module!?”

With a satisfied smile on his face, Signis show me where I have to sign it, exhorting me to do it immediately. And I do it, without hesitation and after me they both have to do the same with my document, finally putting an end to this story. When I’m done, Signis take the module and examine it closely, to be sure my sign is well recognizable, then he pass it to Queen Ophala that makes the same thing and I can tell they looks really complacent by having that simple piece of paper in their hands, especially Signis because now, the reputation of the House of Mercator is safe. And finally, it’s their turn to accomplish at their part of our deal and they immediately do that, both signing the document that give me my freedom back, finally! When they are done with the document, Signis move back to the small table where we were till few minutes ago and takes two empty goblets and the bottle of wine, handing one of them to him, the he begin to fulfill Ophala’s one, mine and, at last, his one, till we all have our goblets full of red and delicious wine.

“Let’s celebrate this event with a toast, my dear Ladies....” he say, rising his goblet right in front of his face, then he turn to me “to the tournament and our champion! Cheer!”

“Cheer!!” I and Queen Ophala answer him, as one, then we all take a long sip of wine. It taste delicious, for sure more than the wine I’m usually used, and it’s strongest than any other one I ever tasted before: looking at Signis and then at Ophala, I can clearly tell how not used she is to wine, because her face is visibly flushing and I have the impression she’s a little unstable on her legs. I smirk at that view, it’s a sort of little revenge for me....a sweet and delicious one! I take another sip of wine, exhorting them to do the same, noticing the fact she’s doing it with hesitation, proof of what I was supposing is right.

“Too strong for your highness!?” I ask her, with a devilish smile.

“Of course it isn’t, my dear....” she reply, then she take a long sip, till her goblet is empty. Her face turn more red but she plays the role of the strong girl, trying to resist to the effect of that nectar.

“The most delicious wine I ever taste, Signis....really....”

But she didn’t have the time to finish her talk, that her legs tremble visibly, forcing her to use a nearest chair as support. Immediately, the man which was at her side on the couch, run to her and hold Ophala in his arms, visibly worried.

“My beloved, you know the effect wine have on you....you are not used to it!” he say, fondling her back and taking away the goblet from her hand and placing it on the table.

Hearing this words, I’m about to explode in a loud laugh but I hold it, just to don’t risk her and Signis can change their mind about our deal, but to be honest I’d like to joke a little more with her, even if it’s not the case, probably. After placing my goblet on the table too, I help the man to support Queen Ophala, taking her outside on the garden of the Prefect house, a garden that have his privacy thanks to the tall walls that surround it, pushing away some indiscrete eyes.

“I’m sorry, Milord....if I knew about how low resistant her highness has about alcohol, I never had pushed her to drink more!” I tell him, without hiding a little smirk on my lips.

“It’s not your fault, my fair Lady....she usually play the role of the strong girl....she have to do!”

“Why, if I can ask!?”

“For her kingdom and its citizen....” he takes a break, then continues “the war is getting long and it’s straining the whole kingdom....”

“I heard about the war against Swabia....it must be difficult for Lombrady to resist to their continues attacks!”

“It is, in fact....I’ll try to give her all my effort, but the war is not going well for Lombrady....”

“Even hiding her secrets, I suppose....” I ask him, while we help the Queen to sit on a wooden bench in the garden.

“What did you mean, Milady!?” he asks me with a puzzled and worried expression on his face.

“Milord, I know something about law of Lombrady, especially about the throne heir....and I know about “her” true self....” I whisper him, and after a small break I continue “so, I suggest to her, and to you of course, to don’t try to trick me again, in the future....”

He stares at me with his eyes wide open. I can imagine what he’s thinking right now and before he can say anything, I point at my nose with my left index finger. It takes a little before he can reorganize his thoughts and talk to me again.

“Milady, I don’t know what are you talking about, but....let’s presume the Queen have a secret of that type, did you think it’s possible, for you, to keep it secret if I swear you that what happened tonight will be not repeated anymore!?”

Anxiously, he was waiting for my answer: he was trembling, while his hands are holding the ones of his Queen and gently fondling her back to help her to feel a little relieved and the wait is clearly killing him and nervousness is rising in him, to the point he is cold sweating.

“Presuming she have that type of secret....I think I can keep it for me, Milord!” I finally reply, smiling at him.

At my words, he takes a deep relieved breath and thanks me, babbling a little. We cut our talk just a moment before Signis join us, taking a glass of water for the Queen, already visibly dazed by the wine.

“Prince Henrik, I’m so sorry....I didn’t knew about the fact Queen Ophala it’s not used to alcohol!”

“Milord, it’s not your fault....and I’m sure she will feel better soon!” Henrik replies, reassuring Signis about the actual situation, then continues “maybe I have to take her back to our room....it will be helpful!”

“I think Prince Henrik is right, Signis....some rest will help her to recover soon!”

“Indeed....let me call one of my servants to help you, Prince Henrik!”

“It’s no needed, Milord....I can take care of the Queen by myself, really!”

“Well, let me offer you the escort of some of my soldiers....it’s night and the streets are not safe....”

Prince Henrik gladly accept the offer of Signis and after had saying goodbye to all the other customers, he leave the Prefect house, helping Queen Ophala to walk back to the room (or better say house, probably) Signis have reserved for them, during all their stay in Libidinis.

After had giving instruction to his soldiers, Signis came back to the garden, joining me with a full bottle of red wine in his hand. He sit near me and without saying any words, he fill my empty goblet till the board, then he do the same with his one and rise it to me, for another toast. Our goblets clink in the quiet of the night and soon, all the wine in them is gone and same happen for other two times: Signis, which is now showing the first signs of all the alcohol we drunk, is now staring at me with a little surprised expression.

“You surely can hold well alcohol, Lady....I didn’t expect to see a girl drink so much!”

“Oh, my constitution helps me a lot with it....considering me as a normal girl is not correct, Signis....” I reply, taking a last sip.

“I guess so....anyway, thanks for accepting our request.”

“Did I have choice!?” I ask, looking at him disappointed.

Signis didn’t answer me immediately: his eyes are now fixed on his almost empty goblet and I can see a serious expression on his face, like if many thoughts are now running in his mind and he is trying to order them. He takes a deep breath, then turn to me.

“Maybe what we did isn’t correct, Lady....but administrating a city like this and taking care of a festival isn’t an easy thing, considering the fact that this event is always waited by the merchants that live here!”

“Mmmm....and this gives you the right to use subterfuges to gain your goal!?”

“Sometimes it’s needed....” he says, taking another sip “it’s the same of fighting in the arena, just on biggest scale! You can call it strategy, if you prefer....”

He stands up, looking at our empty goblets and then at the bottle, just to find out that even this one is empty now. He is about to call one of his servant to let him bring to us another bottle, but I stop him before he can do it, assuring him I got enough wine and I must leave to move back to the tavern and have some rest, to be able to prepare me properly for the imminent begin of the tournament. But most important, I really need to rest after another incredible and marvelous afternoon with Colette....but this is not something I can tell him, not without risking to put both of us in trouble, even if I have to admit I had seen many incredible things here in this city, things that can’t be seen elsewhere or, anyway, not under the sunlight: probably, this city is more free then how its name can show to people that come here for the first time.

When I step inside the “Silver Horn” it’s around midnight and few customers are still there trying again to seduce Colette. I had seen them coming here every night in the last five days and this prove how appealing she is, but no one of them can imagine the secret she’s hiding and now I share with her, being part of it and there is no day that Colette let pass away without remembering me about it. And I’m sure, more days of intense passion are waiting me....

   Two days have passed form my talk with Signis and Queen Ophala and finally the time is arrived: today, the Summer Festival of the free City of Libidinis begin and with it, many events too but the most waited, surely is the wrestling tournament in the arena: here, many men and women coming from the cities or from the allied kingdoms, will prove their strength and abilities in front of nobles and normal citizens, gathered here attracted by one of the most followed event in the whole continent. And now I’m here, waiting for its begin, in a room crowed by warriors of any race and nations, anyone so different from each other but with the same goal in their mind: the victory! Some do it for their Lords, others for them self, to have their freedom back, and then there are the ones that do it just because they are attracted by the money of the prize....everyone here have a reason, no matter where we from or how our lives are running day after day.

Felinx, elves, humans....more I look around and more much different type of contestants I can see in this room. All of them looks well trained and ready to show it to the crowd that fill the arena, but no one of them is even close comparable to me, or this is what I think till I see her, on the opposite corner of the room: a naga! It’s the first time I see one of their specie, they usually don’t leave in this area of the continent but even if I never talked to her before, I know who she is or maybe, it’s more accurate to tell I can imagine who she is: Kyla’s friend! I must say that I was stunned by how Kyla had described her to me, but now that I can see her with my own eyes, she looks even more incredible then how I had imagine her: her long tail, almost three meter long, is covered by scarlet scales and looks like a very powerful weapon in a hand to hand confrontation as this tournament is and despite she doesn’t appear so tall, I’m sure she can easily outclass most of the opponents she will face, if she use her tail as support to rise her body. She looks focused on her thoughts, maybe she’s preparing herself for the match and everyone else is doing it right now, anyone in a different way, but for sure, she’s doing it in one I never had seen before: she’s grasping tight a pendant in her left hand, something very important for her, probably, and I wonder what makes it so important to push her to hold it like that. Maybe it’s a gift from someone she is in love or maybe it’s a memory of her family, I can’t know it for sue, but there is no doubt about how precious it is, I can tell it even from the way she’s looking at it, when I notice it’s open and can barely see a picture painted inside it. I can’t tell who’s on that picture, but her expression let me understand that it’s not a simple man or woman on it, but someone very special for her, someone that probably is her reason of life and probably, the reason why she’s taking part at the tournament.

“It’s time! Get ready for the arena!”

A male voice caught my attention. Finally, the moment to be introduced and claimed by the crowd that is filling the arena has come: slowly, any contestant stand up and take his steps to the stone corridor that link this room to the field where everyone of us is impatient to show how powerful we are to the spectators that are waiting us. While we walk in the corridor, I can hear the screams of the crowd getting louder, till they explode in a thunderous ovation when we finally came out of it and the first of us step on the sand of the arena’s field and at anyone of us that enter in it, the screams get louder, till I make my entry: the arena is rumbling and the excitement of the spectators fill the whole arena. My eyes need few moments to get used to the bright of the outside and I must say that I’m pleasant surprises by what I see. Probably, this arena is half the size of the one of Rhoonas (ones of the biggest, with the two in the Capital of Swabia’s Kingdom) but it’s full to the point that spectators are pressed to each other so much that their number is overwhelming the maximal capacity of the arena. Plus, as it’s not enough, I heard that many others are outside the place watching at the event via special magical instruments that permit to transfer the images in front of them on some special equipment placed outside the arena and in other areas of the city, like the main square or the taverns.

When Prefect Signis stand up and start to talk, the whole arena turns quiet and in any corner of it, people can hear his voice.

“Citizen of the Free City of Libidinis....and all of you that made a long travel from all around the continent to be here at the annual Summer Festival....let me thank you all for being here!”

The sound of a multitude of clapping hands feel the area, while Signis look around the arena with a satisfied smile, then continue.

“Please....my dear friends, save your admiration and cheers for the contestants! We have lot of interesting fighters this year, coming from the entire continent but today, I’m very proud to announce you we have a special guest!”

The crowd is now murmuring, impatient to know who this guest is and all the eyes are now looking carefully at us, one after the other, trying to examine any one of us to discover witch of us is the one Signis is talking about.

“It’s her....her!” some very excited voices claim, after few moments, then Signis takes back the words.

“Exactly! I’m proud to announce you all the presence of Lady Dragon, coming directly from the City of Rhoonas! She’s here to fight in the name of her Lord, Sir Barton, that perishes during the travel to reach Libidinis!”

Signis takes a short break, just to look around another time, then he speaks again.

“We offer her hospitality and she gently accept to take part at the tournament in name of her Lord and....” he is now looking at me. “I gently accept, uh!?”, I think to myself, remembering my talk with him and Queen Ophala two days ago, when he continues. “and to honor the name of the man she loves, Horgus the Titan!”

Ovations of joy rise immediately from the crowd, as they heard the name of a hero and I’m really surprised by this reaction. Horgus the Titan....it’s the first time I heard my beloved Horgus being named like this and I wonder why Signis do it so sudden, but maybe I’m starting to understand it and soon, my suspect have a confirmation, directly from Signis mouth.

“Someone of you, probably remember him! Till six years ago, Horgus the Titan was a well-known name in any arena of the continent and as you probably know, no one has ever defeated him, till he retired from competitions and become an excellent trainer! And today, here at Libidinis, we have his last disciple, Lady Dragon!”

The crowd goes loud then before. All the eyes are now pointed on me, even the others contestants are looking at me, surprised by Signis’ words but probably, right now I’m the most surprised one. I had always suspected about that Horgus was a fighter in the past, but never had imagine he was so well know and popular and this explain very well why Lord Barton was taking his opinion in so high consideration. I’m stunned by this revelation, but at the same time, I wonder if there are any other things about Horgus he didn’t told to me, but at the same time I’ll understand why he knows so well about Libidinis tournament, because probably, or better say I’m quite sure of it, he had take part at it in one of the past edition, or maybe to more than one!

“Please...please my friends....there will be time to celebrate our champions....” Signis says, trying to calm a little the now too much excited spectators of the arena, then he turns to us, looking straightly at everyone of the contestants and smiling he speak to us.

“Here, today, you all are the strongest fighters of the whole continent and I’m sure you are ready to show us your power and abilities....I wish this contest can run in name of the respect that every one of you has for each other and of the rules you all know! Let the Goddess of Victory smile at the strongest of you and grant him, or her, the victory! May the contest begin!”

The whole arena is rumbling louder than before and probably, the same happens in any other place where citizens of Libidinis and travelers are now watching at the ceremony for the begin of the tournament. I’m sure that Signis is quiet satisfied by the reaction of the spectators and in his mind he has started to ponder about the profits the city, but most important him, will gain by the event, now that he enlight the soul of anyone of them with the memories of Horgus, a man that everyone consider a hero of the arena. While an employer is leading us back to the room where we were waiting for the begin of the ceremony, I take a last look at the stage where Signis is: there, I can easily recognize Queen Ophala and her beloved Prince Henrik, both with a satisfied expression on their faces. Then, I notice another man I had seen before near them, a man that usually came to visit Lord Barton at his estate before any match I had at the arena of Rhoonas. He’s Markus, the Prefect of Rhoonas, and he’s probably here to enjoy the tournament and to establish a more solid partnership with the City of Libidinis, something he was expecting from Lord Barton, being him the biggest merchant of Rhoonas and considering he had business in several sectors. But now, with his premature departure, the City of Rhoonas has lost its charismatic figure and knowing that, Markus has take the decision to move his steps personally, avoiding to use any mediocre intermediary that can ruin a delicate negotiations with Libidinis. In fact, Lord Barton was well-known in Rhoonas for being an excellent merchant with many interests and often the Prefect asked him to solve lot of delicate affairs that made the city prosper fast and become a crucial point for business and this, of course, made the name of the Barton’s Family grown in fame and respectability in any city and country that have commercial interaction with the City of Rhoonas. Now, I wonder what type of business Markus have in mind, but I’m sure they are very important if he is here personally, anyway, it’s not like I care of them too much, all I hope is he’s not trying to involve me in them, obtaining my property from Signis.

While we are waiting to be called for our match, the others start to submerge me with questions about my relationship with Horgus and on how he train me for almost three years: which type of exercises he suggest me, how many hours at day we do them and, last but not least, how it was to be her lover. I try to avoid answering at the last one, but some of them are really insistent and the only thing that save me from them, is the fact that some employers of the arena come to call some of us for the first four matches, leading the first of us to the arena to accomplish at our role. The rules of the tournament are simple and easy to remember: any match is one against one and no weapons are allowed during it, plus there is a time limit for each match and it settled to be at last no longer than an hour. There are two judges for any match and have the delicate role to verified that no one break the rules and, the most important, to establish who will be the winner in case of reaching the time limit, judging the performance of the two contestants and who of them has demonstrated to be the most powerful and skilled, claiming our victory or our failure. The first match ends in few minutes and I’m not surprised of it: in fact, one of the two contestants is Serpentina, the female naga I noticed before we were introduced in the arena and presented by Signis to the spectators. Her foe, if it’s how I can call our opponent during the match, was a felinx, but despite the incredible agility they have, he wasn’t able to face her fast tail and the strength of her coils. In fact, he surrender to her while she was strangling him with her tail, leaving him few chance to free himself from its tight grasp, but the rivalry they showed in the arena, immediately disappear once they are back here in the waiting room.

“Damnnn....I was sure to avoid the grasp of your tail, this time!” the felinx says, massaging his neck.

“You improved a lot, Damian, especially your speed....but you must work harder if you want to beat me!”

“Yeah, yeah, sure....ouch! It hurts everywhere!”

“Sorry....maybe I put too much strength in my tail! What about some hale, later, to let me be forgiven!?”

“Sure thing, my friend! See you tonight at The Anvil!?”

“I’ll be there at nine!”

The felinx nod at her before leaving the room and Serpentina sit on her tail not so far from me. She didn’t look tired after her match, after all it wasn’t a difficult challenge, well, not for someone like her, anyway! In fact, due to the fact she had an easy victory, felinx are considered as very difficult opponents in the arena, because they can mix their extreme and useful agility with the strength they gain following the hard trains that waits everyone who want to start the career of a gladiator, no matter the reason why he, or she, want to do it. I must admit the fact she intrigue me, for two reasons: the first, is because I never had met one of her race before, the second is because I’m electrified by the chance to face her during this tournament. And this is why I take the decision to approach her.

“Easy win for you, today!”

“Maybe....but Damian is getting good fast!”

“Damian....is the name of that felinx!?” I ask her, continuing our conversation.

“Yes....never had met him on the battlefield!?” she asks me, surprised.

I shake my head “I never had take part at tournaments outside the league where the City of Rhoonas belongs!”

“That explain a lot....Damian and I are rivals from almost three years.”

“But also good friends, from what I see....” I ask, interrupting her.

“Indeed. We don’t have a Lord to serve, we are both free and we respect each other, till the point we become friends!” she takes a break then continues “Only friends....if it’s what you want to ask me!”

“Understand....” I simply reply to her. Damn, I must admit she’s very good at reading other expressions and I’m sure she’s going to be a hard opponent to beat! Too bad I wasn’t able to look at their match, probably I can learn something about her tactics and style from it, but there is nothing I can do....those are the rules and we all have to follow them. While I’m focusing on my thoughts, her question brings me back to reality.

“I notice you were staring at me, before we were introduced in the arena.....why, if I can ask!?

“Uhmmm....nothing, really! I was surprised to see a naga here, it’s the first time I see one of your race in an arena., even, welll....I know about you, someway!”

“Soooorry!? How it can be!?” she asks, perplexed.

“I met your friend Kyla at the hot springs, few days ago, and we talked a little....I can say she was looking pretty excited, when she was talking of you!”

“That girl....” she says, turning away, a little pissed off “she always speaks too much!”

It’s clear for me why she’s reacting like this: even if Serpentina is trying to hide it, by her expression I can tell there is something more than a simple friendship between them and the funny thing is the fact she is thinking that Kyla reveal it to me, when she didn’t! Pondering at the situation, I can’t hold a loud laugh.

“What’s funny for you!?” she asks me, with her cheeks barely flushing and placing her closed hands or her flanks. I try to stop laughing, but the situation is a little too hilarious and it takes a minute before I can finally answer her.

“Sorry....I think you mistaken my words!”

“Mistaken!?”

“Yes....Kyla was looking very proud of being your friend and of your ability....that’s it!”

“Kyla said what!?” she asks me, with her eyes wide open and a little confused “nothing more than this!?”

I nod at her, trying to hold another smile “But your reaction confirm my suspicious....you two are more than friends....or am I wrong!?”

Now, on my face Serpentina can see a malicious smile, while she’s flushing a little embarrassed but not for my words, no, she’s more for the situation she have create right now. A deep silence is now upon us, while the others contestants are all focused on their preparations for their match and no one is paying attention to our talk, just me and her, now caught in a little embarrassing silence that do not want leave us. Taking a deep breath, I talk first.

“Listen....it wasn’t my intention to put you in a so embarrassing situation....I’m sorry for this! Plus, welllll....I’m not the one that can judge you two, especially now that I’m involved in a similar relationship....if I can call it like that....” I say, scratching my head and lowering my eyes with my heart pounding faster.

I don’t know how she will react now, I know how difficult it could be to talk of such things: admit that I’m deeply caught by Colette isn’t easy, both because she’s a woman and because of my recent loss of Horgus. I’m an expert in sentimental relationship and now I’m the first one to be confused for how I’m acting, despite my heart is still wishing for my beloved Horgus return.....something I rationally know will never happen, not now that his corpse lie six feet under the cold earth of a foreign city. The only thing that relieved me a little, is the fact he’s well-known here and this, probably, will mean there will be someone which is going to take care of his tombstone even if I’ll be away from Libidinis. I raise my eyes and look at her, now visibly relieved by my words and I can see she’s trying to put together some ideas and words, because she has a serious expression on her face.

“It’s not your fault....” she says, taking a little break “I mistaken your words and what Kyla told you....you know, we are a couple from long time, but our relationship wasn’t so easy at the begin....”

I look at her, trying to imagine what she’s trying to say. All I can presume, is the fact that her families, or the one of Kyla anyway, had always try to push the two girls away from each other, because a not hidden relationship between two girls is not well accepted in most of the countries I had visited as Lord Barton’s gladiator. Plus, there is the fact that they are from two different races, something considered a taboo in some countries, till the point I heard stories of girls left in the hands of slaves that use them to satisfy ages of carnal privations, that usual lead to the death of the girls. But thanks Goodness, things look different here in the Free City of Libidinis and I had seen it with my own eyes so, probably, here they are more free to live their relationship than elsewhere.

“Don’t worry, Serpentina....” I tell her with my nicest smile “mistakes happened! The important thing is to clarify them! And let me assure you that I will take your relationship secret, if this is the problem!”

“Well, the reason is not exactly that, but....I appreciated it!” Serpentina answer me with a relieved expression on her face. She’s now taking a deep breath and finally, I can see her whole body relaxing as she has avoided the biggest trouble she never had and now I can clearly say that the problem is not the fact they are lovers or because they are from two different species, but it must be something else, something they will never reveal, probably.

“I’m sorry to had made you worried for nothing, Serpentina....wasn’t my intention from the begin!” I apologize to her, when suddenly I heard the usual same male’s voice calling me for my match.

“Must go now....seems like my turn has come! See you later here!” I say to Serpentina just before leave to follow the arena employer.

“About this....would you like to join me, Kyla and Damian at the tavern The Anvil!?”

“Sure thing, Serpentina! It will be a pleasure! At nine, right!?” I reply, waving my hand while I walk along the corridor that leads to the arena’s field.

   IIn the arena, the sun is shining higher and outside it’s more bright than before, with the crowd being really noisy when I and my opponent makes our entry. We take our steps to the platform used as ring and here, one of the two judges introduces us.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the today most waited match is about to begin! On my left, from the Kingdom of Swabia, a man who want to face the fate here, in the arena! BRUTUSSSSS!”

The whole crowd, especially the delegation from the Kingdom of Swabia, is cheering loud the young man. He didn’t have the aspect of the usual gladiator, I mean....yes, he have a massive and probably well trained body, but he’s not so tall, maybe few inches than a normal man and this look strange to me, but this doesn’t mean I can underestimate his strength.

“And on my right, a girl which is a legend in the League of Taranis....her name makes any other gladiators tremble when he or she hear it, but not today....and not here in Libidinis....LADYYYY DRAGONNNN!”

Again....the whole arena is rumbling and I can sense my blood starting to burn: more the crowd turn noisy, more I’m getting excited and this is the moment of being a gladiator I like the most. My opponent and I, take our places in the middle of the ring, waiting for the signal of the judge to begin our match: when he is finally down the platform and have reach his position, we both know that will take few seconds before our dance for victory will begin. And in fact, we don’t have to wait too long for it.

“Ready!? FIGHT!”

At the words of the judge, Brutus immediately jump into my direction, with a fast movement that surprise me, but not so much to don’t be able to easily avoid his first strike. Faster as we can, we both turn to face each other and I must admit that he’s movements are excellent in terms of speed and precision, a clear sign of the fact I’m not in front of a common man. He dash again to me, this time with increased speed and, even if he try to hide it to my sight, I’m sure he want to hit me with his left arm: I’m pondering about how to reply to him when I barely notice a change in his posture, a sign of the change of strategy he’s doing while his directly attacking me. I kneel down and using my right arm as a pivot, I’ll hit his legs with a rotating kick that make him lose balance and fall on the floor, but appealing to his ability, he land on his hands and roll into a position which give him the chance to be ready for a possible counter attack from me. An attack that I hesitate to do, trying to understand what the real ability of my opponent is: his true ability is incredible, I rarely met someone with his agility during other tournaments in the League of Taranis, maybe he is at the same level of Horgus, but I can’t tell it certainly. But for sure, I can tell how well prepared are the fighters coming from the Kingdom of Swabia, something I only heard from Horgus during our trainees: since they are nothing more than child, they begin their trainee, forged to be the excellent warriors in the world and many of them can’t resist to the fatigue, dying before they can even take part at the first tournament, to don’t mention the fact that the Kingdom of Swabia is well known for the cruelty of his army and the gladiators are formed to be used as soldiers too, so I’m not surprised about the abilities Brutus is showing to me right now.

We are now observing each other, try to catch any little movements of our opponent muscles, trying to understand what the next move we are planning is. Maybe this situation was just few seconds long, but for us looks endless: we both know the fact that the first of us who will make his move can have a big chance to hit the other, but at the same time we both know how high is the level of our opponent and this only mean there can be the possibility he can dodge or block our strike and, probably, take a fast and critical counter attack which can establish the end of our match. We are moving in circle and when one of us advance, the other take a step back, without taking a real initiative, like a slow dance. The crowd start to whistle at us, bored by this wait: the match they were waiting all day, must be dynamic, full of surprises, not boring as it is now! But we don’t care about their opinion. We both know how strong our opponent is and, most important, we both know we can’t underestimate each other. This time it’s my turn to take the initiative: with slow but firm steps, I approach Brutus, which stands in front of me without moving, but I can tell his whole body is ready to react, judging by the tension of his muscles. Now, I’m few steps away from him and I can see the determination in his eyes, but at the same time, he is uncertain about my next move. A move I hesitate to make, not because I’m worried by his reaction or not so self confident with my strength, but because I’m waiting in the hope he can get nervous enough to make a wrong step.

And in fact, it happens. Being sure I’ll going to attack him from the right, Brutus move to the left, ignoring the fact I just give him the impression to want to do it, so my sudden and aimed attack to his left flank caught him unprepared, making him fall on the ground and roll for several feet, till he is finally able to take a look at me, but it’s too late. Immediately, I rush into his direction and now I’m almost over him, ready to hit him with another kick. Kick that make him fly in the air, just to land few feet far away, while the whole arena has start to rumble again for the incredible roar coming from the sidelines. Brutus, despite the two strong attacks he received, immediately try to stand up, ready to face my next clash: he didn’t have to wait too long before I’m engaging him in a close exchange of punches and kicks and I must say I’m really impressed about the amount of them he is able to dodge or block, but it’s clear the fact that his body have takes serious damages from my first two attacks. In fact, he is a little unstable on his legs and this is giving me a certain advantage, showing me a possible weak point I can use to grab the victory in my hands. But this doesn’t mean Brutus is giving up. His attacks are well aimed and many of them reach their target, but despite all the strength he is putting in them, my body is too much resistant and well trained to receive high damages by him. I must admit those are the typical situation when I’m glad to have a so particular constitution: my half-demon’s blood surely help me when it’s about to resist to a close combat like the one I and Brutus are having now and this is another weak point for him, in fact more he try to hit me, more he’s attacks are turning weak.

And I know this is the right moment, for me, to write the word “end” to our match. My left punch land straight on his stomach, making him bend down for the pain, while I immediately attack Brutus with an high kick that hit him right on his chin, making him fly high in the air, just to let him fall on the ground a moment later. Now Brutus is at my feet, spilling some drops of blood from his mouth: when he look at me, I don’t see fear in his eyes....well, not only that, to be honest....I can see a strong determination to continue to fight, something a little unusual in others men, I must say. Brutus try to hit my legs with a kick, but his legs are now trembling too visibly to sort some effect, but this is another proof of his determination and I’m truly honored to fight against a man like him, but we both know there can be just a winner. I attack Brutus with a kick on his right flank, making him roll for about three or maybe four feet and despite his condition, Brutus is trying again to stand up and continue the match but he’s movements are slow and he’s arms and legs are trembling visibly, a clear sign of the fact he’s close to his limit. Without hesitation, I place my foot on his chest and push him on the ground, forcing Brutus to lie on his back and blocking his movements. But in Brutus’ eyes, the determination is not decreasing; it still burning and this make him a dangerous opponent.

“Don’t you think it’s time to give up!?” I ask him, with a lascivious smirk on my face “If you continue to resist, you will hurt yourself seriously!”

But Brutus doesn’t answer me. He is visibly in trouble, but I can sense the fire of determination burning in him and now I’m quite sure of the fact he will try something else before he definitely surrender to me. And I wasn’t wrong but what Brutus does, catch me unprepared: he throw to me a small and sharp knife that scratched my left cheek, making some blood leak out of it. Instinctively, I jump back freely him from the pressure of my foot and Brutus, collecting all his remaining strength, stands up and immediately jump over me.