"I'm sorry, but I can’t hear you. What did you say?"
The woman stared at her for a long time, causing her to wonder if she had upset her. But Kylor shook her head then, and expelled a loud sigh while her gaze drifted to the window.
"This must stop."
"Excuse me?"
What in the creators' name was she talking about? Wishing enlightenment would come at some point, she pricked her ears to grasp the words her protector muttered under her breath.
Chapter Five
"I said buckskins aren’t for your kind of woman. If you must know everything, they're for mine."
Now she understood. She may be a farm girl but a single day around Kylor had taught her much.
"You mean women with a cock between their legs?"
As quickly as that, the smile was back on her companion's face and her eyes alight with mirth.
"That's it."
They ate breakfast heartily, both enjoying each other’s presence. Gathering their few belongings didn't take long given that she had departed the farm empty-handed, but she figured they'd reach Palance soon. When they were all set to leave, her guardian lifted her face.
"Stay near me, and don't speak to anybody."
They crossed the tavern's main room to go down to the stables, women making way for her protector. Whether young or older, she caught them looking at Kylor with a twinkle in their eyes.
She recognized this particular glimmer now. It had to do with the kissing, licking, and caressing she experienced the previous night. Still stunned by the revelation of these incredible sensations, she wondered if she also regarded her companion with desire.
The rain had stopped. Sunshine flooded the village and attracted women to the beautiful marketplace beside the inn. Deserted as it had been a day earlier, the street was much livelier now.
A few horses without riders pushed their way amidst the crowd of women pulling carts, setting up stalls, selling or buying goods, and yelling at their daughters to come help them.
Mindful to keep up with Kylor, she nonetheless observed everything with intensity. At home, she was forbidden to talk to anyone she might encounter in the fields, or even to walk to the nearest settlement.
Her mother always went on her own to the village, so she had kept to herself much of her eighteen springs. She'd met a young tribeswoman once on her way to the river. They'd exchanged a few words, but not enough for her to learn about what lay beyond the fields she knew by heart.
The girl seemed in a hurry, worried about being late to meet someone she called the … of the Clans. As usual, she felt like fretting over her bout of deafness. Later that evening, she narrated her adventure to her mother who confirmed the existence of various tribes.
Where and how did those women live? In small farms like herself, or in bigger places similar to the houses she glimpsed when her impulse led her to go for a stroll by the edge of the woods?
On several occasions, she'd gone to pick daisies and tulips in the countryside, or to collect chestnuts in the forest, and she had heard women chattering about her from a distance.
"Who’s that girl? Is she from the village? Hush, she’s the girl from the haunted farm. Let’s be on our way."
She felt lonely at times, but her mother’s love and teachings filled her childhood. Her daily chores also kept her busy. Still, she had to admit that journeying was wonderful.
Discovering landscapes, villages, and life outside the farm was exhilarating, although she didn't care much for hard riding. With help from the mighty gods, she would soon lay eyes on Palance.
Though disconcerting and a little scary, traveling with her protector proved daunting. The way Kylor kissed and licked her body was the best thing that had ever happened to her.
She blinked as they entered the stables, the rather gloomy shed contrasting with the bright sun outside. Kylor didn't waste time to mount her steed. Tall and proud astride her magnificent black horse, golden rays shining through the straw roof in her fair hair, she looked like a great warrior.
She extended a hand, easily lifting her so she'd rest her back against the strong chest. She smiled, basking in the safety of Kylor’s arms.
"I saw horses without riders in the street. Women shouldn't let them loose in a place so crowded. Don't you think they might hurt a child?"
She watched her protector take up the reins and grab them tightly before replying in a low tone.
"I can assure you those animals aren't loose in the streets. They belong to someone."
"Who?"
She must have asked the wrong question because her protector just clucked her tongue and directed the stallion out of the stables. They rode all morning. In the heart of the woods, they dismounted by a stream on the edge of a clearing. Kylor tied her horse to a tree and rifled through her saddlebags.
She handed her a few strips of dried meat and some yellow-looking cheese topped with apples and nuts. She also produced a grey goblet that she refilled from the clear stream.
"Eat and drink, because we'll ride till dusk."
Once she had spread her long cloak on the grass, the woman waited for her to sit down before she squatted by her side. Birds chirped in the woods as a light breeze blew across the clearing.
Satisfying if not very tasty, the cold food sated her hunger and the fresh water sluiced off dust from the country roads. She was chewing on the dried meat when her companion suddenly stiffened.
Hand on the hilt of her sword, she seemed to be listening to something inaudible. Then Kylor relaxed, but a most peculiar thing occurred. She stood up, bowed briefly, and started talking to emptiness.
"She's here with me."
With a tilt of her head and a large sweep of her hand, her guardian indicated the long cloak she sat on.
"I feared being delayed, but we've made good speed. We should reach Palance in due time."
No answer. Not a woman in sight. A gust of wind stirred branches, the stream ran its course, the air smelled of fresh grass.
"I know . . . ."
Some of her protector's words were imperceptible, and she knew she was once more suffering from a bout of deafness. As frustration threatened to make her fingers twitch, she heard Kylor again.
"It'll be done tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll tell her."
Dread crept in her stomach at the sight of her guardian conversing with thin air. After the blissful moment they'd shared last night, she couldn't bear the thought of her companion turning into a madwoman.
"Who are you talking to?"
Kylor appeared to freeze for an instant. Then she held a hand up, but didn’t glance over her.
"Hush, Anya, trust me."
A twig snapped not far from Kylor, but she ignored the sound and resumed her private discussion.
"Where's the royal guard?"
Her muscles tensed with frustration at hearing only one side of the conversation. Silence ensued, quickly broken.
"Well, that should give us enough time."
The woman bowed again with a respectful gesture. At last, she turned to her, assessing what she assumed to be a look of concern on her features and uncertainty in her eyes.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
"Were you speaking to someone?"
She tried to keep her voice from sounding distressed or panicked as her protector stepped nearer, looking ill at ease but not insane.
"I was. To a person you can't see."
"Why?"
Was the woman now going to tell her she was also blind? Weird things had happened of late, yet she didn't believe so. Surely, she would have noticed this predicament before.
"Am I blind as well as deaf?"
The day was warm and beautiful, the last one prior to summer solstice. Kylor sat beside her, grabbed an apple, bit into the fruit and took her fingers in her hand.
"Not in the least."
Shivering in spite of the nice day, she stared at her protector’s open face. A long-delayed explanation was coming her way, an
d she feared her life would never be the same.
Chapter Six
"You've been cursed, Anya."
Eyes wide, mouth agape, she couldn't think of anything but repeat the woman's upsetting words.
"Cursed. How?"
"A powerful witch from Palance put you under a spell."
She recalled the conversation that had taken place a day earlier between her mother and protector. They’d talked about breaking a curse, and for some reason, she was the person who had been afflicted.
"I don’t remember being cursed. When did it happen?"
"Eighteen springs ago, on the day you were born."
"Why? What's the purpose?"
"That's a long story, and one I shouldn't yet divulge. But I firmly believe the time has come for you to understand."
Her guardian retrieved her hand gently to grab the goblet. She gulped some water down, and looked into the distance.
"First I need to explain the situation in the Four Kingdoms. At that time, the … and the queen ruled over the whole territory of Palance."
The what and the queen? Seeing her mouth opening, Kylor sealed her enquiry with a finger.
"No questions, Anya. Please, listen to my tale."
She wanted to know who else ruled but she'd have to wait. As she pressed her lips together, her protector resumed.
"The land was rich, and as a consequence, people lived well. There were skirmishes on the borders sometimes, that's to be expected, but peace had settled in. Then one summer solstice, huge, great rocks dropped from the skies. They crashed through the forest near Palance, and the devastating impact set fire to the woods. Half of the trees burned down that night. Although few people got hurt, everybody feared the end was near."
Picturing massive blocks of stone falling from the ethers, she couldn't help but interrupt.
"Rocks don’t fly. What were they?"
"Nobody could tell, but people started whispering about a punishment from the mighty gods. As you can imagine, consternation quickly grew into fear. That's when a powerful witch came out of her hole. Her name was Melisande. She hadn’t been seen for a very long time, and her appearance disturbed many people."
Her heartbeat jumped up with excitement at the mention of a sorceress. Eyes widening, she leaned forward.
"A real witch?" What did she look like?"
Kylor chuckled and raised her eyebrows, probably entertained by her spontaneous reaction.
"I never laid eyes on her."
A vague disappointment grazing her stomach, she gestured to her guardian to go on.
"Melisande claimed the flying rocks were a warning from the creators. She foretold that eighteen years would pass before endless night plagued the land and killed all source of life. As it was bound to happen, her prediction struck terror into many souls."
Kylor took some kind of object shaped like a V from her haversack, and cracked a few nuts before continuing.
"The witch also said that the terrible downfall could be prevented if a human sacrifice was offered to the mighty gods. The queen and her counselors wouldn’t hear of it, but it was too late. People already believed they were going to die. To prove them right, Melisande abducted a newborn."
"Oh, dear spirits."
Throat dry, she dropped the hand holding nuts and winced at the intensity of her companion's tone.
"The witch marked the baby girl and cursed her. She was to stay a maiden until the exact day of her eighteenth spring. In order to stay pure, the girl wouldn't see nor hear—"
At this point of the story, Kylor reached for her knee, seemingly looking for the right word.
"Nor hear women with cocks."
She couldn’t imagine enormous rocks falling from the skies, or baseless predictions. Although this incredible event had taken place, she didn’t deem it as divine wrath. The mighty gods had given them life in the first place and they wouldn’t waste their time eradicating their own creatures. The idea just came across as being senseless and ridiculous.
On the other hand, the witch had obviously derived an advantage from a natural disaster. Her personal profit had led to her blindness and deafness regarding women with cocks between their legs.
"Does it mean there are women I can't see?"
Letting go of her knee, Kylor smiled while she filled the empty goblet with fresh water.
"Yes, a lot of them, and they can't see you either."
She was instantly reminded of the invisible weight attacking her back at the farm, trying to strangle her. Kylor hadn't been pummeling the ground after all but saving her life.
The assailant probably had a difficult time locating her. Deprived of the usual means to spy on someone, that woman with an extra body part in her buckskins must have established her presence and pinpointed her position thanks to the bucket beside her. Which explained many things, yet still left unresolved the matter of Kylor's ability.
"Why can you? You belong to the other kind of women, so you shouldn't be able to see me."
"True. There is a reason, but it isn't mine to divulge. I believe you'll know soon enough though."
She'd have to bide her time once more before finding out everything about her past and the people involved in it.
"I don't like your story much. It's frightening."
"I know, Anya, but you must hear it."
Her protector was right, of course. She might have tarried, but something in her kicked, stronger than her fear. The need to know pushed her, tempted her to ask about everything she didn’t understand.
"What's a maiden?"
"To explain it to you, I need to use words you won't hear, so just listen to me for now. The witch Melisande took the baby girl to her lair. She intended to raise her until the day . . . ."
Kylor gripped the hilt of her sword, her face a mask of coldness as she fought to continue.
"Until the day where she'd be put to death to appease the gods."
That horrible sorceress must have been out of her mind. Shaken by the ominous words, she whispered.
"Am I that baby girl?"
"You are."
"It can't be."
The idea of her dear mother as an instrument of evil was revolting, causing Anya’s stomach to roil.
"My mother loves me, and she's no evil witch."
"She isn’t. Someone didn’t believe Melisande’s prediction because … thought she wanted the child for herself. That person lived in the castle of Palance and was able to wield magic. In great secret … stole the baby girl from Melisande, then gave her back to her rightful mother."
Struck by a new bout of deafness, she shook her head while taping against her ears, angry and frustrated by the unwelcomed hindrance. Seeing her discomfort, Kylor slowed down.
"Using magic, … hid the baby girl and her mother in a secluded place. A farm where nobody would ever find them until the day of the sacrifice."
"So, my mother is my real mother?"
Kylor nodded while displaying an appeasing smile. Immense relief flooded her at the sight of her guardian's grin, spreading warmth and comfort in her heart. But curiosity soon won over.
"What happened after?"
"This person spent many years trying to discover a way to break the curse. Far away … journeyed to find old scrolls, manuscripts, and prophecies written by the Ancients. A very long time … searched for answers when the solution was plain from the beginning."
As though she wanted to ascertain a delicate point, Kylor leant towards her and lifted her chin.
"If the maiden loses her virtue on the very day of summer solstice, the ritual can't be performed."
The woman obviously meant to reveal a shattering truth, yet she didn't have the slightest clue as to what Kylor was going on about. Fidgeting on the cloak, she spoke with animation.
"Please, tell me what a maiden is? What's her virtue?"
"Again, there are some things I just can't explain to you because you won't hear them."
"All right, but what about endless night
and destruction?"
"People must be shown the prediction is false. The day following summer solstice the sun will shine, and the former maiden will be officially presented to them. Then they'll know the prediction was nothing but a tale. With any luck, we might be witnesses to a witch hunt."
"Whatever her purpose, she doesn’t deserve any less."
She tightened her fingers into a fist, heated by feelings of vindictiveness and revenge. The sorceress' plan had to be thwarted. Now that she knew the hard facts, a particular instance still nagged her.
"I don’t understand. Is it so difficult to be a maiden?"
"I must say it usually is when you are pleasing to the eye and you live around haystacks."
Despite the grin stretching Kylor's lips, she had the impression that the woman was leading her straight to her doom.
"So, you really are my protector?"
"My sword and my life lay at your feet, my lady."
Her guardian's voice and manner brought tears to her face. Wiping them from her cheeks, Kylor took her in her arms to brush her smooth brow. She raised her head, losing herself in the blue gaze.
Their hungry mouths found each other, their lips joining in a passionate kiss, tongues fervently rolling, and stroking. Crushed against her body, she felt Kylor's cock hardening in the tight buckskins.
Chapter Seven
As the intense kiss deepened, satisfaction filled her for she knew the woman desired her. With any luck, her protector might suck the ever so sensitive place between her thighs again. But Kylor drew back, breathless, and pulled on her buckskins.
"Sorry, Anya, you caught me off guard. I'm very attracted to you, and I would gladly prove it, but we should be going."
Swept away by this newfound passion igniting her whole body, she agreed with reluctance.
"I know. But before we leave, tell me who this person is. She saved my life, and I'd like to thank her."
"… is one of my relatives, and a close friend to your mother. Earlier on … was the person I was speaking to."
"Someone from your family?" Is that why you're my guardian?"