13. Elspeth
Chapter thirteen
Elspeth
IN WHICH DIFFICULTIES ARE ENCOUNTERED AND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS ARE EMPLOYED
W ith firm hands and calluses that rasped against the fine fabric of her new chemise, Aegir picked Elspeth’s sanity apart. He didn’t stray, never ventured beyond the parameters she gave him. Within that, she found the freedom to experience her own pleasure again. When she shifted, offering him her other breast in her desperation, he wasted no time spoiling it.
Elspeth moaned, unable to stop the sound from escaping her lips. She bucked back into him. The thick, decadent pressure of him was not where she needed it, but it was better than nothing. Better than having to say what she wanted.
How could she say what she wanted, when she didn’t even know? She knew she wanted him, she knew she wanted to slake this incessant thirst. How much did she want? If she was honest, she wanted everything, but she wasn’t certain if she was well enough yet…
Aegir’s hand brushed her side, where her pelt was draped over her and Elspeth froze. Vague memories of her time on the boat flashed through her head, sending panic—like a wave of frigid water—coursing through her. Hands roamed across her and her pelt, asserting their claim.
No. She shook her head, willing the thoughts away.
She wanted to be here.
She wanted to be now.
She wanted Aegir.
Those were his hands on her, which she desperately wanted.
And yet, the feeling of them, so pleasurable one second before, had morphed into something that made her shiver without her assent.
Behind her, Aegir froze.
“Elspeth? Are you well?”
“I—of course I’m quite well. Why ever would I be anything bad? ”
Aegir's hands shifted on her, leaving her breasts to pull up the shoulder of her chemise where it had fallen off. He picked up a strand of her hair, toying with it.
“Perhaps I haven't mentioned that I can scent your pheromones," he said. “So, when you’re scared, I know it. I don’t want you to be scared of me, a murúch."
“I just had a bad memory, and felt like I couldn’t separate then and now… it’s silly really."
“It’s not silly at all. Honestly, I wondered if this might happen after what you’ve been through.”
Elspeth rolled over onto her back so she could look at him. "What do you mean? You don’t even know what I’ve been through."
“You’re right about that, I don't. But I do have sisters who have spent time in the Empire, in positions like mine, and there’s a reason they don’t do that anymore. Further, I’ve spent enough time pretending to be a Pathian officer that I know that their ideas of fun are often distasteful. Further, you aren't the first person I've been with that is still learning how to reclaim their body after negative experiences."
"I'm not? You're not... upset?"
"Not in the least. Some people have an easier time bouncing back than others, all of it is normal. All of it is healing. If there's something you want from me, we can figure it out, everything on your terms. We can do everything or nothing or anything in between.”
Elspeth squeezed her eyes shut as tears began to prick at them. "It just makes me want to scream," she said. "It’s my body, I should be able to do what I want with it. I hate that what happened is getting in the way of what I want. Of what I need!"
Now that she was on her back, she realized that seeing his face helped. She was still getting used to his Elvish—no, his human—face, but seeing that it was him, that he was here with her, calmed her nerves. How could she feel, after such a short time, so safe with him?
With a deep breath, she smiled at him. "Looking at you helps. It reminds me that I am here, now, with you."
"Good. I'm glad. I know it's early days, and there are complications, but I'd never hurt you, and I would never let anyone else hurt you. Even the thought sounds like clawing out my own heart." He smiled sadly. "Though, I will admit, I don't dislike hearing you speak of your need."
She blushed as he mentioned it, the intense feelings of her arousal warring with the residual fear .
Aegir's eyes were heavy, hooded from sleep and perhaps desire. The dim morning light made her feel as if they were in some sort of secret place apart from time, that perhaps here, if she stayed focused, stayed present, she could do this. She met his eyes and reached down to touch his stomach, willing him to give her another chance.
Perhaps he knew, because he presented another opportunity. "Now, you mentioned your need, what is it you need, Elspeth?"
Elspeth gulped in a breath. The kindlings of desire rebuilt at the roughness in his voice, at the hunger she saw in his eyes. Aegir licked his lips and tilted his head. His fingers were a whisper on her cheek, sending shivers through her body. She wanted this. She deserved this.
"I need... you. I need release. I need... something. I need to know where this is going!" The words tumbled out of her mouth like a dam breaking. They spilled out, filling the space between them, and though she thought she should have felt nervous or embarrassed, she couldn't find it in her to feel either. How could she when he looked at her like that? When he touched her as if she were something precious?
"Och, a murúch. You might not be singing, but you've got me captivated. I'd love to help you with that, desperately."
"But how—"
"I have a few ideas... and a few questions. Let's see what we come up with, shall we?"
"A-alright." Her voice quavered, but with her eyes trained on his, she found the courage to entertain his line of exploration.
"It seems to me that perhaps touching might be a bit much for you just now."
"No, I want it, please—" That wasn't a question at all! It was an observation, and she didn't see how that was going to help the situation.
"Elspeth, that's not a problem. Hell, it might even be fun..."
"Fun? What might be fun?"
"I thought that you might touch yourself, and I might touch myself..."
"Oh."
Heat flooded through her as Elspeth pictured it, Aegir lying beside her, his decadent body stretched out, chest heaving as he writhed in pleasure. "Yes," she squeaked.
Squeaked? Pull it together, Elspeth.
Clearing her throat, she began again. "Yes, I can see how that could work quite well."
"Good." Aegir purred. "Let's try something, shall we? Alright, a murúch, what would you have me do?"
"Do?"
"Just so. How should I begin?"
"Ah... well, perhaps you might take off your shirt?" Her cheeks burned as the words came out. She wasn't some inexperienced miss, but she'd never been nearly so direct with her wants. All of her previous experiences could be best described as "tumbles." Of course, a hayloft or alley behind someone’s house didn’t exactly provide the most romantic of locations, but it wasn’t like she’d ever been able to bring anyone home. She lived in a small house with her family, and they’d surely notice.
Aegir ran his hands slowly up his body, lifting his shirt until the broad expanse of his chest and stomach were exposed. Knowing he could control how he looked, she thought it was interesting to think about how he presented himself. For example, while he was muscular in his arms and shoulders—and she strongly suspected his thighs—his stomach showed no sign of abs. Instead, it was gently rounded like her own, and the small similarity brought a private, secret smile to her face. They were a matched pair, and she found she quite liked it.
She quite liked most things about him, really. Having grown up only among her people, she had never seen skin, so smooth, so unmarred by markings. Her entire life, everyone she known had been born with the circular spots of their pelt. Aegir was completely bare—no, not bare, he had wisps of hair. Soft, downy white hairs littered his chest. They sprinkled across his skin, only interrupted by his nipples, and in a very few places, a small mole or freckle caught her notice. His pectorals stuck out invitingly, as if they were calling for her to squeeze them. Of course, she’d seen him naked earlier, and had been plenty familiar with his chest, considering she just admired it through their entire swim. But looking at this, she was fairly certain that he hadn’t had hair then. In fact, she realized, he would have needed to go through the extra effort to grow the hair, so did he find the hair particularly attractive?
Aegir knelt there, next to her where she could see, smiling, as if indulging her. He still clutched his shirt in his right hand, though his left flexed several times, as if resisting touching her.
“Look your fill, a murúch, it’s more than your due." He said, smirking. “Though I wouldn’t argue if you wanted to remove your chemise... "
That cheeky man! In some ways, it was so embarrassing for him to come out and speak so openly about it, and to expect her to speak so openly about what she wanted. Then again, it was also refreshing. She felt like she didn’t need to wonder with Aegir, and if she was, perhaps she could just ask.
His teasing made her bold, and she smiled back at him, deviously waggling her eyebrows. “Oh, but if I remove my chemise, I will be naked. And you will still have those infernal trousers!"
"Oh, ho, you drive a hard bargain I see. I suppose I should just have to rid myself of them.” Reaching for his tie, he released it without ceremony, unfastening his trousers and letting them fall to the ground. Elspeth gasped as they settled around his ankles. She wasn’t certain what she’d expected, but his cock was long and vibrant pink, extruding from a slit at his groin.
Abnormal though it might be, it was gorgeously formed, and her eyes followed as the tip of it twisted about his hand playfully.
“If you keep looking at me like you’re going to devour me, I’m afraid my performance might not be very impressive," he chided with a smirk.
Elspeth giggled and nodded her head, enjoying the feel of him watching her. His eyes traveled down her body, following her hands. When she reached her hem, she toyed with it a minute, gratified to see the echo of her own hunger reflected back.
Like she was jumping off a cliff, Elspeth tugged her chemise up and over her head in one quick motion. For several seconds afterward, she couldn’t even look at Aegir, she was so nervous about what he might think. As soon as she did though, she realized she needn't have worried.
If he had looked hungry before, Aegir was desperate now. A blush darkened his cheeks, pinkening the white sections, and a viscous string of precum dangled off his tip. With eyes that never strayed from her, Aegir reached down to grasp himself, his strong fingers wrapping around himself. He nodded, gesturing with his eyes that she should also indulge.
Elspeth's fingers slipped through her folds, her slickness coating her fingers in seconds. The brush of her finger sent a jolt of pleasure through her. Aegir knelt at her side, each pump of his fist timed to coincide with the twitch of her finger. When she sped, so did he, when she slowed and teased, his fist matched her pace.
“That’s my siren," Aegir whispered.
She stared at his face, watching where his eyes were fixed on her pussy. His breaths wracked his chest, and already drops of sweat clung to the sparkling white chest hairs in a dazzling array.
Moans and whimpers escaped her lips, creating a symphony of sin, with the slick sounds of her fingers in her cunt, and his as he pumped himself. Aegir's face reddened, and he bit down on his lips, a tortured expression taking over his face.
“What’s wrong?" she asked, her fingers slowing. Dread filled inside her, was it not nearly as entertaining as he thought it would be? Was he disappointed in how this was progressing?
“I want to talk to you, tell you what to do, tell you what to think about, but I don’t want to ruin it." He bit out through clenched teeth.
Relief, like the rays of sunshine that peaked between the curtains suffused her—followed quickly by heat as she comprehended his words.
“I’d like that. I want—" she gulped down a breath. “I want to know what you want to do to me.”
The pain on Aegir's face eased, and he paused for a second to spit into his hand before pumping himself faster. His words came out a low, guttural gasp.
“If I could touch you—no, when I can touch you—I’m going to start by worshipping every delectable mark on your body. Every spot, every marking of your pelt, reflected on your skin will be kissed and licked and sucked.”
He liked her markings? She'd never thought much about them herself. They'd always been part of her, and of everyone else she knew. If she’d had a moment to think about it, she might have even worried that he wouldn’t like them for some reason.
“Does that surprise you, a murúch?" He tilted his head to the side. “They’ve always intrigued me, but since I realized they mirror the markings on your pelt? They are driving me wild. Perhaps this thing between us is not something you’d have chosen, but were it not for your pelt, you wouldn’t be laying in my bed, stretched out and writhing in pleasure so prettily." He paused, pumping himself. “Then, I can circle your breasts, teasing and nibbling on them until you beg me for more. I can’t help but wonder, are they sensitive? Is that something you’d enjoy? Show me? Show me how you like to be touched?"
His voice was so achingly vulnerable that it didn’t come out as an order, more a request. Her right hand crept up to her nipple, rolling it between her fingers and pinching lightly. Shifting how she held it, she allowed the sharp points of her nails to prick her skin, and she cried out.
"Yes, Elspeth. Just like that. Do you like a little pain with your pleasure?” He prompted. He shuttled his hand up and down the length of his cock, furiously stroking himself. Periodically, she noticed he would pause and tighten his grip at his base.
“Will you try something for me? Will you imagine that it’s my hands on you? That it’s my teeth teasing that perfect little nipple?"
Elspeth nodded, desire thrumming through her. She didn’t even need to close her eyes to imagine it. She'd felt those teeth on her before, and knew how wicked they were. And yet, she knew he would be oh, so careful. He would tease her with them, press into her for only a moment, she'd worry he would break the skin, but he’d release her then, laving away the pain with his tongue, only to suckle her to the edge again .
“Damn Elspeth, the smell of you is going to kill me. I can smell how wet you are, so thick I can almost taste it. I can’t wait to get my hands on you, but… fuck, my mouth? My tongue? It’s going to be glorious. It’ll be everything."
The inferno that had been building inside of her flared, pulling her muscles, called tight and bending her off the bed. It burned through her, almost too intense to fathom.
As the haze of her orgasm cleared, Elspeth found she wasn’t nearly sated.
Next to her, Aegir's eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. His gaze darted across her body, as if he couldn’t decide where to look.
“I swear, Elspeth, when you let me touch you, you will never regret it. Watching that was one of the most erotic things I’ve ever seen. And when I taste you?” He broke off, moaning. Strangling his cock so furiously that his stream of his pre-cum flicked off to land on her skin. She focused on it, and how the long strand connected the tip of his cock to the pool of it on her upper thigh.
Aegir inhaled deeply, his tongue tracing across his lips as if he might find the taste of her lingering there. As erotic as imagining his hands on her was, the thought of his touch still made her feel nervous.
But the thought of his mouth ? That didn’t seem to have any negative association at all. Indeed, just the thought of his lips on her sent her climbing toward orgasm again. If only she didn’t have to worry about his hands, if—
"If you let me pin your arms down, you can taste me," she burst out.
He froze for a moment, his face frozen in shock, before he shook and, in a flash, Aegir was prostrate before her. He held his arms on either side of her, his mouth hovering over her sex.
“I’m just me right now, with my regular tongue, but I’ll make sure to be more interesting next time,” he rushed out.
Elspeth grasped onto each of his forearms, pinning them to the bed, as if they were the only thing keeping her on the planet. And perhaps, they were, because the second his mouth was on her, all thoughts of a “more interesting tongue,” and what that might entail vanished.
He licked at her labia, sucking, laughing, as if chasing the taste of her. He moaned into her, the hum of his sounds vibrating her clit.
His ass was in the air, knelt as he was over her, and his hips bucked, his neglected cock clearly seeking friction. Aegir wasted no time, once he had tasted every inch of her, he honed in on her clit. He toyed with her hood, running his tongue up and down the sides, slipping underneath to tap it. Elspeth had no idea what sorts of sounds she was making, But Aegir was clearly enjoying himself. On either side of her, his hands fisted the sheets, wresting her next orgasm from her with insistent pulses of his tongue. He sucked her through it, relenting only for a second before he latched onto her again, as if seeking another. On and on and it went, with Aegir pulling orgasms from her faster than she could recover.
Eventually, she was a puddle of pleasure, the feeling unending, until all at once, it was too much. Releasing his arms, Elspeth pushed his head away. Aegir grinned up at her languidly, half-lidded eyes sparkling. He flopped down next to her, and in her hazy, exhausted state Elspeth realized that his cock lay flaccid and leaking against his leg. The sight of it shocked her to attention.
“Did you come?”
Aegir blushed. “All over the sheets, like a first timer. I’m sorry if that’s not very impressive. I could’ve suppressed it, but you just tasted too good… And when you screamed my name as you came? It was over."
She screamed his name? Had she? “When did I do that?" she asked, trying not to sound smug .
“I think about four orgasms ago?” he said. That cocky smile worked its way onto his face again, and Elspeth reached over to push his shoulder.
“You needn't look so smug, you’re the one that came all over the sheets," she teased. When she moved her leg, she could feel the stickiness of it between them. “They’re covered! Well, since you decided to come all over my side of the bed, you’re going to have to share yours with me." Now that their intense moment was over, Elspeth felt more comfortable with the idea of his hands on her.
She scooted over, righting her chemise so that it covered her once more and presented Aegir with her back, grabbing each of his arms to wrap around her. She was uncertain why the barrier of her thin cloth was sufficient for her comfort, but she wasn't going to read too much into it, she'd rather just enjoy.
“How long before we need to leave?” She drew out the last syllable as she yawned.
“We have an hour or so. We could even leave around midday and still make it just after nightfall if we wanted to. Though, the dwarves tend to be very accommodating people, and if we arrive early enough, they might just decide that a feast is in order, but only if we give them enough time to prepare." Elspeth could hear the smile in his voice, and squeezed his arms around her waist.
“That sounds nice, do they make very good food?” From what little she had heard of dwarves, she half expected them to eat all manner of mushrooms, and nothing else.
“The best. Plus, I have friends there who could make us human or Orcish food as well, if you’d like to try it.”
Dwarf, human, and Orcish food? Her palate was going to be getting a tour it seemed. 1
“Oh! Do you like children? My friends have three, and I usually stay with them, but if you aren’t fond of them, we could always stay elsewhere. They are a little rowdy, but part of that is my fault. They associate me with presents and piggyback rides.”
Pursing her lips, Elspeth nodded. "No, that’s fine. I like children well enough. I don’t—" she turned her head and buried her face into the pillow.
He'd sounded so fond when he spoke of the children but it brought up all sorts of other questions. Would he want his own? Would he expect her to give them to him? And why was she even thinking of such things when the entire point of this mission, aside from rescuing her brother, was finding some way out of the situation?
“I’m certainly not ready for any of my own, but I like them well enough," she called out, the pillow muffling her words.
Behind her, Aegir nestled into the side of her neck. “Don’t start talking about that, then I’ll be thinking about filling you up with my cum. Which, by the way, I can make sure won’t result in any children until you give me the word otherwise. I don’t think either of us are ready for them right now…" He trailed off, leaving them in silence for a moment. “Especially not with everything, so… unsettled. I’ve never been sure about it either way, but as it is, my current lifestyle doesn’t lend itself especially well to the idea of pups."
“Good. That’s quite convenient. I’ve spent so long caring for everyone else, that the idea of having some time to explore what I want is incredibly appealing."
She was young still, only thirty, and had plenty of time to worry about pups later. Then again—she realized—she had no idea how long-lived Aegir might be. Was he thousands of years old like the elves? Or was he already in the twilight of his life? She had heard of races who had but fifty short years, and it was possible, though he was obviously an adult, Aegir could be half her age. She shuddered.
"How old are you? How long do humans live?" she asked, unable to keep the shake of fear from her voice.
“I'm thirty-two, and if my guess is correct, we are probably somewhat of an age. Most people in my village live to be around 150. And you?”
“Around the same.” Good. That was one less thing that she’d need to worry about if they were unable to break the bond.
When they were dressed to leave. Elspeth had chosen her dark purple striped dress and had asked Aegir to fix her hair again. He was so attentive and his fingers so gentle that it didn't bother her when he touched her. Perhaps they needed to explore exactly what made her feel unsafe, perhaps it was fine because she’d asked him to?
“As I said, I usually bring the children presents, do you mind if we stop and get them something on the way out of town?" he asked, pulling her from her musings.
“Not at all," she said, eager to see what the store might be like in the elves’ town.
Walking down the small main street with her arm in his, Elspeth marveled at how easy it all felt. Her arm seemed to fit into the crook of his, as if it was made to be there. Again, she wondered at the difference from the night before, and decided that it might have something to do with the intent behind a touch.
Several doors down they ducked into what appeared to be some sort of general store.
“What do they like? What are they like, the children?"
“Well, Ursule and Halsten are eight-year-old twins, a boy and girl. Halsten enjoys art, so I think you might be helpful there. Ursule enjoys making her own clothes, so I always try to bring her interesting fabrics or adornments. Finally, Bjorn is still quite young, so something simple will suffice for him.”
They wandered through the store, Aegir picking out a bolt of brocade fabric in a pale green covered in leaves. “The kids are half Orcish, but because they live among the dwarves, they sometimes need to change their skin to blend in, so they like wearing green to compensate when they can."
Elspeth helped him pick out a smart little lap desk for Halsten, that opened to house art supplies inside. Once they settled on a small doll in the shape of a faun for Bjorn, they set off for Berggeheimnis at last.
Time passed quickly from where she rode on his back, the road was increasingly deserted, but for some reason it worried her more than a busy one would.
"How many people do you suppose travel along this road each month, will we run into Pathian soldiers?" she asked with a tremble in her voice.
"I have good news for you there. If there were Pathian soldiers in the area, we'd know already," he said.
Elspeth leaned forward, putting her hands on his shoulders, leaning toward him. "We would?"
"Yes. The dwarves and dragons of Berggeheimnis are quite secretive. If the dragons had spotted any soldiers, we'd have seen dwarven patrols, disguised as merchants, by now."
"So the fact that we've seen no one..."
"Is a very good sign.”
“Even this far out?”
“Absolutely. The dragons can fly quite a ways in a short time.”
"Do they know we are coming already?"
"Of course. You might not have seen them, but a dragon passed over fifteen minutes or so ago. I'd have pointed them out, but they really are hard to spot unless you know what to look for. "
"If they are secretive... are they going to be alright with me just showing up with you?"
"Yes, they trust my judgment. I daresay they know that I have more to lose than they do in this case. You and I would be easily dispatched should it come to that."
"I see, I suppose I have had it made abundantly clear that I am not much of a fighter. Hell, I didn’t even try, not like Feann."
“Your brother?”
“Yes, he tried to help me and was taken himself, though he was bound immediately, and then no one could do anything," she said. The overwhelming emotions of that day echoed within her. Anger, fear, and helplessness.
“Except you.”
“What?”
“No one would help, you said. But you still want to help him." Aegir reached back and squeezed her ankle.
“Yes, I suppose I can’t just give up. I can’t allow him to go through that just because he’s been bound. I hope it doesn’t offend you if I say that binding isn’t the end of the world. And it’s not as if my mother died when my father did, profound as her grief may be. While what I went through was terrible, I can’t help but think about Feann. He’s been captive much longer than I was—I imagine he has been through a lot. I never pictured myself as a vengeful soul. Frankly, the idea that I would kill anyone is preposterous. And yet, if that is the only way to liberate him, I will see it done." The longer she spoke, the greater the conviction she felt until she sat straight up, still bouncing slowly to match Aegir's movements, but she had taken on a confident seat.
“I’m not offended in the least. I hope you agree when I say that accidental though it may be, that is the only thing our bond shares. Even if you decide to sever it, that is if we find a way, I will still regard it as positive.”
If she decided. Did that mean Aegir didn’t want to sever the bond? Perhaps he simply wanted to make sure she knew she had the power to decide. Such a typically Aegir thing to do.
As they traveled, the lush green forests that had surrounded Cedartowne gave away to sparse, twisted trees with yellowing leaves and needles, and bulbous, sickly protrusions that clung to the trees like sores. The underbrush at the sides of the road became sparser until it looked so crisp that it appeared it would go up in flames in an instant. Everything gave such a strong impression of being sickly and bedraggled that Elspeth couldn’t see how it might support a community as large as Aegir had implied Berggeheimnis to be.
“Are we getting close?" she asked.
“Are you getting worried about how it looks?” Aegir chuckled.
“Perhaps," she said. “It hardly looks like anyone at all could live here.”
“That’s the idea,” he said, looking back over his shoulder at her with a smirk. "It’s going to get worse before it gets better, but the dwarves have perfected the art of appearing weak before the Empire." 2
Aegir was right, it got so much worse. As they continued, they encountered a string of broken-down houses and destroyed farms. Derelict abandoned buildings were all that seemed to populate the countryside. Eventually, they arrived at the fringe of what was perhaps the creepiest place Elspeth had ever been. The mountains which had been in the distance were quite close now, casting a massive shadow over the entire area.
The trees overhead no longer provided a cheery canopy. Instead, they loomed over the road, chilling the air and her soul. Instead of the ramshackle houses that had dotted the countryside, they transitioned onto a main street that could have been inhabited by ghosts. On one house they passed, a porch swing swayed lazily in the breeze, on another, an unsecured shutter rapped against the house. Every house they passed gave the impression that someone had left suddenly, with the intent to return only moments later, but had never done so. A butter churn wafted the sour scent of curdled milk their way, and a bucket of feed spilled grain across the ground for chickens that were nowhere in sight.
Elspeth shivered. “It’s going to get better, you say??
“Yes, I promise. Genius, though, isn’t it? You should see it when everyone is here.”
“What do you mean? ”
“This is the Berggeheimnis the Pathian Empire knows. A small town at the base of the mountain, barely hanging on. When the Empire comes to call, the dwarves slap on some makeup, making themselves look as ill-fed and mangy as possible to sell the illusion.”
As they neared the edge of town, and consequently the base of the mountain, they approached a barn built flush against it. An elderly man, shorter than her, sat out front whittling at a stick. Propped against the wall of the barn sat a long gun and next to him was the most pathetic goat she had ever seen. It chewed a mouth full of hay, its strange pupils staring lazily at her.
“I’m going to assume that you know what you’re doing bringing her, Aegir." The old man didn’t look up from his whittling as he spoke, though he did raise his eyebrows, and tilted his chin towards Elspeth.
“You’d be correct in your assumption, Heinrich.”
“Well, come on then." The stocky man stood, opening the door to the barn, and waving them through. Once inside, Aegir prompted Elspeth to dismount, and shifted back to his humanoid shape. He returned his orca markings and pointed ears, she noted.
Aegir dressed quickly, and the dwarf led them to a door in the back of the darkened barn. Inside, Elspeth was swept up in the atmosphere of the barn. Smells of hay and dust surrounded her, and though it was generally dark, cracks of light peeked through holes in the boards. Heinrich led them deep inside, until he stood between them and the wall. He faced away, his hands flying over the wall, until it cracked open with a groan.
The slotted wood of the siding opened like a door toward them to reveal a slab of stone sliding to the side, unearthing a dark stone passageway. A cool breeze wafted out at them and chilled the sweat on Elspeth’s brow. Aegir slipped his hand into hers, the warm, calloused feeling of him calling her from her stupor. With a thud, the door closed behind them, and Aegir pulled her deeper into the passage.
Elspeth was grateful she could see in low light, because there were no lanterns or wall sconces to speak of. 3 From somewhere ahead of them, she could see a gentle, ambient light. Aegir led her through a series of passages, the way eventually being softly lit by gently glowing mushrooms.
Around the final bend appeared a cage. Aegir opened the door and waved her inside. She stepped backward, but Aegir waved her forward with a smile.
“It’s alright, I promise. Do you trust me?”
“Yes.” As she spoke it, she found it to be true. Somehow, over the course of the last few weeks, she had grown to trust him. She took a deep breath and approached.
It was quite large, could hold several more people, at least, but when Elspeth stepped inside, she was startled to find that the cage shook. Aegir stepped in after her, closing the door with a smile. Reaching up, he pulled on a rope that dangled from the ceiling twice, waited a few seconds and pulled it one final time. Each pull sounded a distant bell, which was shortly answered by a cheery jangling near her own head.
“Hold on,” Aegir said. He grasped one of the support beams of what Elspeth now realized was not a cage, but some sort of basket, and placed the other firmly on her hip. Elspeth clung to him and her own support beam, gasping as the basket descended into the floor. In moments, they were surrounded by solid stone walls, and Elspeth’s pulse quickened. Aegir pulled her flush against him, circling his hand on the small of her back, and she was glad she only seemed bothered by certain touches, as this one was so reassuring.
“Nearly there now.” He whispered into her hair.
Elspeth squeezed her eyes shut before taking a deep breath and nodding up at him.
True to his words, they were free from the rock in moments, and the sight that opened up before her made Elspeth gasp in wonder. They hung in the air over a vast chamber. The walls and ceiling of the cavern were littered with glowing crystals and luminous mushrooms that must be as large as her house back home. They glowed, warm yellow, blues, pinks, and green, casting the entire place in a gentle light. As they got closer, Elspeth could see that a city covered the floor of the cavern.
Placing his hands on her hips, Aegir spun Elspeth around, so she was looking out over the cavern.
“I told you it would get better,” he whispered into her ear. Leaning back against him, his broad chest supporting her, Elspeth took in the view ravenously. As they descended, she was able to pick out more detail. Different districts began to coalesce, and she was able to differentiate where residential or market areas were. In one section, it seemed as if those large mushrooms had been cultivated to form canopies for some sort of park with stairs that brought people to the top, where she could just make out parties picnicking. The general hubbub of the city slowly resolved into individual voices, with children’s shrieks of joy rising above the din. As they neared the cavern floor, the basket slowed its descent and locked into place with a bump. The cheery face of a young dwarf popped over the side of the basket as it swung open.
“Oh, Aegir, welcome back!" the young man said.
“It’s good to be back, Hilden.” Aegir clapped the young dwarf on the shoulder, holding his other hand out to Elspeth to assist her departure. Taking his hand, Elspeth was pleased to step on solid ground once more. Aegir led her through a door and into a small rounded room. Cutting the room in half was a desk manned by a female dwarf. Said desk hit both the dwarf woman and Elspeth in the middle of their chest, Aegir, on the other hand, looked comically tall. With a giggle, Elspeth realized that he needed to stoop to fit in the room, though he tried to mask it by leaning on the counter. As was apparently his nature, he greeted the attendant by name, and even asked after her family. Everywhere they’d gone, Aegir had made it a point to remember details about the people he knew, but in that moment, Elspeth realized none of them ever seemed to know much at all about him.
1. Each culture in the Empire has a distinct cuisine, though many can be categorized in flavor groups with both other races within the Empire as well as nations in the Compact. For example, minotaur, cyclops, and satyr cuisine share many of the same types of dishes, spices, and preparations even though they are separated by hundreds of miles. Further, those same things are also shared with the nation of Helas a continent away.
2. The dwarves were probably the oldest and most organized of the peoples in rebellion against the Empire. By the time of this story, they had kept their population numbers secret from the Pathians for over five hundred years.
3. Many of the peoples of Caihalaith can see in much lower light than humans, a holdover from when, in antiquity, Caihalaith was literally darker than our own continent.