Tag: stellae illustris

#Lore24 – Entry #335 – Fantasy Month IV #30 – Return to the Great Library

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

It took us much longer to return home than it took me to reach the Wildlands when I first began my journey, for we could not make use of the teleportation circle that Lady Armenia had first used because of the size of our procession, but once we approached Draconis Magna, I felt a growing delight at being so near to the Great Library once again.  I said my goodbyes to Risai and Kovalis as we passed the city, promising to try to catch up with them again in the future.  Within a few more days, I would once again see the towering visage of the Great Library, feeling a wonderful sense of relief and joy as I once again returned to my home.

Mother Felaria was the first to greet me upon my return, and I was glad to once again see and embrace her.  I had never been away from the Library for so long.  I would spend much of the rest of that day greeting my brothers and sisters as I oversaw the safe unloading of our new study materials.  I would spend the rest of the day catching up with my family, though it would take much longer before I would truly be caught up, for the work must come first. 

I was surprised to find Aishi still lingering around me as evening came, figuring she would be returning to the Emperor’s side now that I had been seen safely home, but she told me then that she was to remain with me for the foreseeable future; the Emperor had been very pleased with my work and wanted to make absolutely certain that it would continue.  She seemed to be quite pleased with the development.  I could only wonder if this would be a blessing or a curse…what had I done to warrant such a close watch by the Emperor’s most loyal guardians?

That was not the only surprise I would have that evening, though.  Following dinner, before I could retreat to my room for a much-needed rest, Mother would deliver to me a letter and a small, wrapped box from Lady Armenia.  The letter expressed her delight for my companionship during our time together, that she and Yurisaya had been quite pleased with my willingness to participate in their fun.  She expressed a desire to see me again once my work allowed me to do so, and that I had a standing invitation to visit her estate.  Likewise, she had sent me some gifts that I could enjoy as I saw fit, the keys to which were inside the box.  Even though I had surmised what the gifts she spoke of were before I even opened the long crate that sat in my floor, I was still completely shocked when I opened it, for the chastity armor and hobble dress were not the only gifts she had sent me.

Inside the crate was none other than Ryona, the kerryn slave that had been so eager to please during my time as Alekos’s tutor, secured in not only the very hobble dress and chastity gear I had once worn, but additional leather straps that had her securely restrained inside the crate, and she had been fitted with a feeder gag harness and wrapped with silken ribbons, tied in several bows.  I could already hear the buzzing of the various devices upon her, could smell her intense arousal, and she stirred, looking up to me with pleading eyes, moaning and whimpering as she wiggled inside the crate. 

Several questions raced through my mind as I stared at her, dumbfounded.  How long had she been trapped in there?!  Why had she been given to me?  How could I possibly get any work done with her here?  What had happened to Alekos?  How would Aishi take to her being there?  How would Ryona take to Aishi?  Would I even be able to find the rest I had so very much desired upon my return to the Library now?  I was finally drawn out of my state of shock when Aishi came up behind me and started laughing at Ryona’s state, looking quite pleased at the lesser slave’s predicament. 

Maybe I could divert Ryona’s attention by encouraging Aishi’s attention upon her?  It was a terrible thought to have, perhaps, but I was too tired and road-weary to give it much more thought.  I knelt beside Ryona and inquired as to her condition, and she answered that she was doing well in spite of the restraints and buzzing accessories.  Feeling my fatigue crashing into me, I nodded, promised her that I would take care of her in the morning, and promptly closed the crate, heading back to my bed for the first time in over a year, where I fell into it and fell asleep in a matter of moments.

And so my strange journey to and through the Wildlands and back had come to a close.  Though this was the end of this tale, there would be plenty more to come, for I would find little in the way of rest during the following days.

But that’s a story for another time.

#Lore24 – Entry #334 – Fantasy Month IV #29 – Parting of Ways, Leaving the Wildlands

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

It has been some time since I last wrote in this journal, for I have been immensely busy with my work in the ancient Cathedral of Eminent Tranquility.  I would spend nearly a month within the chamber working on my initial studies of the chamber, with the rest of my party rotating out to make supply runs to Vindinium and report our success to Commander Asselin and Lady Armenia, as well as deliver my messages to the Great Library.  It did not take long for the Emperor himself to learn of the discovery, for by the end of that first month, the army would establish a secured route between Vindinium and the ruins, with more than enough soldiers to keep the area quite safe, as well as escorting many of my brothers and sisters from the Library to the site to assist with cataloguing the many documents and relics I had found.

Lady Armenia and Commander Asselin would join us for a time, though I was far too focused on the work to recall much of what we discussed.  I daresay I was possessed by a need to know all that I could that I had never felt before.  I do recall Lady Armenia pulling me away for at least a night, though, making sure that I ate properly and got at least one proper night’s rest.  She likewise released me from my “armor” and restored my body to its original state, her fun having been had, and recognizing that I had found something that even she could not tear me away from.  She was quite pleased with the outcome, and we would remain friendly with one another in the coming months, though I would see little of her, as she would leave the area to return to her duties within Draconis Magna, leaving another priestess in charge of the temple she had created for Yurisaya.

I would remain within the region of the ruins throughout the winter, well into the next year as I led the Library’s researchers in our work, though I would be forced to deal with the Emperor’s own arcanists and archivists as well.  I’m told I became quite snippy with them at times, refusing to yield to their “authority” and, as I recall, blatant stupidity at times; for a wonder, I was not chastised for my actions, though I’m sure I will likely have to deal with some of the consequences in the future.  Being diplomatic and working my way through the Imperial political machine is not where my skills lie.

With summer in full swing now, I have finally come to an end of my time in the Wildlands.  Thanks to the work of the many archivists Mother sent to me, we have completed the initial phases of our work of cataloging the scrolls and books and have packed them for transport to the library.  I will be overseeing their safety along the road, though I doubt anyone would dare attack with the size of the Imperial guard that has been set to escort us.

I said my goodbyes to the Heroes of Vindinium, who had, in the time since our plunder of the vault, grown quite famous locally for their investment in the town itself.  Shassk would be remaining in the area, with many of his clan joining him to continue safeguarding the draconic ruins.  Gresilda would stay on as the leader of the growing Erisayan presence in the area as a new temple was constructed, and Ellisar was even staying, feeling that there was much more to learn from the region, even starting his own fledgling arcanist school.  It seemed that civilization was indeed coming to the Wildlands.

Risai and Korvalis were growing quite restless, though, and would be traveling with us back to the Empire until they decided exactly where they would adventure to next, though Risai said she would visit Lady Armenia before setting out. 

It also seems that I have earned the Emperor’s attention as well, for I learned, upon the day we would begin our return journey, that Aishi had been assigned to safeguard me on the way and for the foreseeable future while another of the Stellae Illustris would be assigned to Commander Asselin.  I can’t say I was pleased with this development, though at least some of her interests in me have waned in the months since I was last in the redoubt, the loss of my chastity gear and magically altered anatomy making me less appealing to her now, though she would continue her teasing and belittling of me in that smug way she had about her. 

It would undoubtedly be a trying journey back to the Great Library, but given the focus I had developed over the last few months, I had every confidence I could continue to withstand her attempts to have me begging her for release, which I no longer craved every moment of the day.

For now, though, I will finally allow myself a chance to rest.  I think I’ve earned one.

#Lore24 – Entry #324 – Fantasy Month IV #19 – A Night Most Humiliating

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

The following day, I conferred with the adventurers about our plans for finding the next ritual site, and proposed the general bearings I had determined based on our previous travels and the maps we had.  We had little knowledge of the regions we would need to travel, but made the wise assumption that they were just as dangerous as the areas we’d already visited.  We would pack more supplies this time, and Gresilda, Ellisar, and I would spend some time the next couple of days brewing potions to augment our own abilities.

Risai had arrived late to our discussions, and I noticed that she was having trouble concentrating on our topics, for she kept fidgeting and casting glances toward the redoubt.  She likewise kept brushing her hands over her breasts when she would move her arms, not really doing much to hide the obvious erection of her nipples beneath her shirt.  I quite correctly surmised that this was not simply a lingering effect of the maidenbane vines, as she tried to dismissively inform us.  I would find out that evening the nature of her arrangement with Lady Armenia when I too would be drawn into the affair.

I suppose I should not linger too long in my description of our preparations, for they were fairly mundane.  We did confirm that the magical marks upon us, one of the runes on our foreheads, the other on our left biceps, were still quite visible to those who concentrated upon us when using arcane sight; I did wonder how long they would linger if we were not in pursuit of the standing stones, or if they would vanish entirely were we to leave the region. 

That evening, once the sun had set and we had finished our dinner in the tavern, Risai and I returned to the redoubt.  She told the others she was simply escorting me there, but I knew better, and said not a word of it.  The others suspected, I’m sure, especially Gresilda, but as I’ve said before, Risai is her own woman.  I said nothing, but could sense her frustration, which had only grown following her evening bath, which she had returned from looking quite disappointed and anxious, for I knew it quite well.  I saw Aishi following Commander Asselin along the fort’s walls, catching her knowing gaze and that smugness of her expression once more.

Lady Armenia awaited Risai and I at the commander’s quarters, her expression amused and expectant.  Risai perked up in spite of her apparent lack of fulfilment and constant arousal since her visit last night, looking as if she anticipated something amazing to happen.  Without a word, Lady Armenia bid us to follow her, and so we did, perhaps my own curiosity overriding my common sense.  Or perhaps it was my intense arousal that drove me forward, for the cock cage had been acutely tight and bothersome today, the vibrations there and in my nipple rings likewise seeming to be at their worst.

I had suspected we would go to Lady Armenia’s chambers, but instead she led us away from the commander’s quarters and toward another section of the redoubt, once I had not spent much time in at all.  She led us toward the barracks, then below, not into one of the storage areas, but toward the dungeons.  I daresay that Risai was nearly salivating as we descended, and I resolved that perhaps I should inquire as to the exact nature of her fantasies at some point during our travels, assuming I did not find out all about them this night.  As we descended into the darkness, Lady Armenia summoned a ball of light to guide us, and as we continued deeper, through an underground that was much larger than I had assumed, we came to a heavy, ancient door, recently cleaned and tended to.  I spotted two of her drakonae warriors skulking at the edges of the light, keeping watch over the room, and wondered where the others had been hiding as we passed through the dark corridors.  She removed the new lock upon it and led us inside, and with a snap of her fingers, candles ignited all around us.  As I took in the scene, the door was closed behind us.

It was undeniably a torture chamber, though all of the ancient tools and devices had been cleaned and repaired, the room itself brought back to an immaculate state, complete with a shrine to the Dark Lady, Yurisaya, a large image of her black half-mask entwined with thorn-covered vines displayed prominently at the front of the chamber.  This place had become her temple within the Wildlands, and we were to be the first “sacrifices” to anoint this place in her name.  Lady Armenia had indeed been quite busy during our days of travel through the wilderness.

Silently cursing my curiosity about the nature of Yurisayan rituals, I nonetheless obeyed Lady Armenia’s command when she big Risai and I to strip, for she left no room for protest with the dominance she projected.  I noticed that Risai sported a pair of nipple rings like my own when she and I finally stood together in our nude state, and bore a curious magical glyph, glowing a deep purple color, upon her body, above her pubic mound, which I assumed was a more temporary form of the enchantments upon my cock cage that prevented me from finding release to my frustrations, judging by the moisture upon her thighs and the strong scent of her arousal that filled my nose as we stood beside one another.

Though some of the events of that night remain blurry in my memory, I will recount those that I can remember most clearly here.  In short order, Risai and I were secured with heavy manacles between two pillars, our limbs spread painfully wide, facing each other with perhaps ten feet between us, our mouths fitted with large, leather-wrapped bit gags secured by harnesses about our heads.  Thusly secured, our devices began to hum, seemingly with anticipation, as Lady Armenia began her ritual to dedicate the new temple, offering her prayers to Yurisaya over the table of implements she would use upon us that night.

With the metal shackles biting my flesh, but my anticipation and arousal constantly rising, I watched with rapt attention as Lady Armenia took up the wide leather strap and turned first to me.  She stepped behind me, my only warning before the strap struck my backside being the whooshing sound before the blow landed.  I screamed, jerked in my bonds, as pain flared throughout flesh, my ass stinging immediately from the blow, though it was only the first of many.  Lady Armenia would concentrate upon my hips and thighs, making me rise upon my toes as I fought in vain to dance away from the strap.  Once I was in sufficient agony, though I cannot deny the intensity of the arousal I felt during this, for my cock strained hard against its cage, dripping constantly upon the stones of the floor, she turned her attentions to the anxiously awaiting Risai, performing the same procedure upon her, fueling what must have been a deeply masochistic desire within the large woman.

Next, Lady Armenia secured hooks to our nipple rings, guiding the attached strings upward, through a pulley between us, adjusting it so that our rings were constantly being pulled upward and away from us, forcing us to lean forward against our chains.  This was but the first torment to our breasts, though, for she shortly returned with a wicked-looking flogger, its many tassels set with beads upon the ends of its leather thongs.  When she went to Risai first, and struck the first blow against the woman’s back, causing a surprisingly loud cry of pain from her, I was immediately worried, and felt the woman jerk through the painful tug upon my nipple rings.  I was already in agony by the time the warrior’s body had been thoroughly flogged, leaving her a quivering, moaning mass of flesh.  Once it was turned upon me, I know I did not black out, yet my memory of the event is fuzzy, filled with pain, yet a strange sense of pleasure like I had never before experienced.

My energy did not wane during this ordeal, however, and I felt an unusual vigor fill me as we continued to the next phase.  Risai was fitted with a heavy steel collar and released from her standing spreadeagle, commanded to  hands and knees by Lady Armenia, who choked her with a tug on the chain leash as she whipped Risai’s backside with a riding crop while grinding her tall heel into the much larger woman’s back.  She paraded Risai around me, striking her frequently, making her squeal, then guided her toward a stout wooden pillory that stood before the symbol of Yurisaya.  The large warrior was secured into the heavy wooden device, bent over at her waist, her legs once again spread wide, her dripping crotch receiving several swats with the crop. 

Then it was my turn for Lady Armenia’s attention.  Her zeal had only grown, a veritable fire in her eyes as she approached me and secured a leash to my collar, giving me a few very painful swats with the crop.  Before she released me, however, she retrieved another device, which she secured around my hips and between my legs.  It was what I considered to be a very large dildo, secured to a leather harness that settled perfectly around me, placing the phallus right above my caged anatomy.  Feeling a surge of magic as it was settled onto me, Lady Armenia then undid my restraints and secured my arms behind me with a pair of stout leather straps, then guided me forward with the crop, directly toward Risai.  Once I was positioned behind the warrior, Lady Armenia gave the dildo a quick swat with her crop, making me squeal and dance as if my own anatomy had been struck.  Sensing her lascivious smile more than I saw it, I was guided into position behind the waiting Risai, the head of the dildo guided toward her waiting womanhood.  I could feel the heat of her body, the wetness of her juices as the head of the device pressed against her swollen lower lips.  A swat from the crop moved me forward, sinking the dildo deeper into Risai, making us both moan with pleasure.  Lady Armenia’s hands upon my hips guided me ever forward, until the dildo was, I believe the term is “hilted” within Risai, then she took my leash and secured it to the top of the pillory, assuring that I couldn’t move further than a good thrusting distance.

Feeling the pleasure swirling throughout me, I needed little further encouragement to thrust my hips, moving backward to the limit my leash would allow, then pushing forward eagerly, feeling the strange mix of pain in my magically formed, caged cock as it mingled with the pleasure coming from the magically charged dildo, only to mix further with the pain filling my body.  It was a nigh maddening, yet highly intoxicating experience.

I can recall Lady Armenia resecuring the hooks to my nipple rings as I became absorbed into my task, somehow feeding the attached strings upward to a pulley.  I think Risai’s own rings were similarly hooked, her cords ran through a ring on the floor and then upward and secured to my own, for I recall that shortly after this, I would feel constant jerking pains in my breasts.  Though I could not see Lady Armenia at the time, I felt her come up behind me again, now naked, for her body radiated an intense warmth, perhaps fueled by a combination of her hot mazoku blood and the power of Yurisaya.  I then felt a hot, fleshy pressure against my anus, and realized suddenly that she was sliding her own dripping cock into my ass.  How long she had possessed this, I do not know, perhaps all along?  Or perhaps it was simply another dildo harness?  The pleasure and pain that went through me as we stood together, she fucking me, and me fucking the pilloried Risai, before the visage of Yurisaya, the eye of the half-mask having taken on a peculiar glow, must have been overwhelming for my mortal mind.

I have vague flashes of what followed, for I think I finally experienced orgasm in spite of the caged nature of my anatomy, perhaps several of them that night.  The pain-pleasure haze had fully consumed me as we fucked in that debaucherous state.  I can recall that perhaps there were others who came into the room following this, some of the soldiers from the fort above, perhaps, for I remember sucking several cocks, perhaps Lady Armenia’s own, then feeling them inside my ass at the same time, seeing Risai in a similar state, every hole filled by a vague figure, her hands working hard on two more men.  I remember the feel of their fluids upon my body, in my ass, in my mouth, the hot, salty taste.  Then I remember licking it from Risai’s pussy as she in turn licked it from my ass.

I feel like it may have gone on much longer, but beyond that, the night’s events were a blur.  I awoke late the following morning, somehow feeling refreshed, if remaining groggy far longer than I normally would have.  Risai and I were both in Lady Armenia’s bed, nestled against the priestess on either side, bearing no signs of our ordeal aside from the collar that remained around Risai’s neck, now looking more like my own than it had previously.  Perhaps I simply dreamed it all? 

No, it was far too vivid to be but a dream…

And yet…yet I remain as aroused and horny as I was before, in spite of all that may have occurred.  It is a maddening state I find myself in as we make our final preparations to return to our quest.

#Lore24 – Entry #323 – Fantasy Month IV #18 – Recovery in Vindinium

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

Glad to be back in civilization, and thankful that the tavern keeper was willing to fix us a warm meal after our arrival, I began to consider just how weary I was of all the travel we had done, to say nothing of the ordeal which we had just endured, barely making it through the meal before my fatigue overtook me.  Though Lady Armenia was no doubt anxious to hear of what I had learned thus far, and would no doubt ask for all of the intricate details of the lewdest aspects of my adventure thus far, it would have to wait until the following day.  I don’t recall falling asleep at the table, nor being carried to bed, but the following morning I awoke in a room at the inn next to Risai, who had apparently mistaken me for a pillow, not unlike how Lady Armenia had cuddled with me when I had shared her bed.

Once Risai had finally awakened and I could extract myself from her remarkably strong arms, even while she slept, we would have a laugh over the whole situation and have some breakfast and get ourselves cleaned up.  Everyone arose late this morning, and after some discussion of what we would do, I ventured to the redoubt to find Lady Armenia and Commander Asselin to report on our discoveries thus far.  I encountered Aishi before I could reach the commander’s quarters, her smugly superior smirk and sensitive nose picking up on much of what I had hoped to remain hidden.  She asked if I was ready to take her up on her offer, and for a very brief moment, I considered it.  My aroused state, and lack of fulfillment, especially after the encounter with the maidenbane vines, had left me quite frustrated.  I politely declined, still unsettled in her presence.  She seemed to think it was only a matter of time before I would come begging to her, and perhaps it would be.  She walked with me to my meeting and stood behind Commander Asselin as I recounted the events of the last few weeks, showing my notes on the draconic ruins.

It was well into the afternoon by the time I had finished my exhaustive report, omitting exactly how the druids had been dealt with for now, lest I stir up some suspicions about Korvalis that would prove harmful to a man I’ve trusted my life to on several occasions.  In the days since our departure, a handful of other adventurers had come and gone, but had given us some little detail about lands further to the southwest of us, though nothing that would prove terribly useful in determining our course to the next standing stones, though we became aware of at least two additional bandit groups, at least one allied with another tribe of orcs. 

Commander Asselin was of the mind to set up a defensive position at the vault entrance, but given their lack of manpower, that could prove more dangerous to the village and fort should the various forces stirring around them get wind of it and decide to attack the split force.  For now only the party I had joined with and those in the room were aware of the location of the site, though no doubt whispers had spread through the garrison of some kind of big treasure we were hunting, the village as well.  Plus, I had no doubts that the Emperor himself was aware of the find, for Aishi was no doubt sending everything she learned back to him through that curious link the Stellae Illustris shared with him.

Though I wished to return to the party to coordinate our plans and work on determining our next course of action, Lady Armenia insisted I spend some more time recovering from my ordeal under her care before I worried with that.  Somehow I knew that her definition of “recovery” would not match mine, and this proved to be quite accurate when I found myself securely restrained once again in her chamber, my “armor” removed but for the cock cage, which she proceeded to tease and torment as only she can do, coaxing every detail of what I’d left out of the official record from me.  She seemed rather impressed that I had managed to resist my sexual desires so well (not that I could really do anything for them, of course), though I fear that I may have inadvertently turned her eyes toward Risai, given the barbarian’s curious reaction to my situation and her apparent enjoyment of the situation with the vines. 

By evening, after I had been mercilessly teased into a dripping mess by Lady Armenia and found some semblance of rest once she had had her fill, with the plug securely in my ass once more, I was back in my small room, allowed out of the “armor” for a time, working on my notes and attempting to make some form of hybrid map, between what we knew of the region versus what I had found upon the vault door of the ancient city layout, using our path of travel and rough travel times to roughly estimate where the other standing stones could be.  The central stones were likely somewhere in the swamplands that covered the central region; the next closest of the sites should be a few days from Vindinium, to the south, somewhere in the forested hills.  The two sites furthest from us were harder to determine as our knowledge of the geography of the region that far out was limited, but there were higher mountains in the southwesterly direction, and a region that contained some grasslands as the valley flattened to the west and northwest, and each of these were as likely as anything else as possibilities. 

As I began to think of possible magical means of tracking these locations, for there was no question that there as a flow of primal power between the sites and the central vault that could perhaps be followed, my thoughts were interrupted by Aishi as she barged in, smirking down at me in that oh-so-dangerous way she had.  She made it a point to express just how overpowering the scent of my frustration was, before informing me that Risai had been summoned by Lady Armenia and was now enjoying a private audience with the Yurisayan priestess.  When this proclamation failed to illicit the response she wanted, for Risai was her own woman, and what she chose to do with Lady Armenia was between them, Aishi became quite forward with me, snatched my collar and forced me up from my chair and against the wall, her knee rising between my legs to apply pressure to my caged cock and my swollen testes.  The plug inside me decided to activate at that moment, making me squirm, much to her amusement.  She leaned in close, a low, predatory growl rumbling from her as she stared into my eyes.  Bouncing her knee against my magically-induced anatomy, she again offered to relieve my frustrations as only she could.  Her free hand had found my breasts by this point, her fingers squeezing my flesh and tugging at my nipple rings, eliciting an intense rush of desire within me, an overwhelming lust trapped by the tightness of the cage surrounding my dripping anatomy.

All I had to do was beg her for it, beg her to give me what I craved.  Why should I be denied while Lady Armenia and Risai enjoyed themselves, after all?

I very nearly accepted Aishi’s offer then, feeling a wave of desperation surge through me as my arousal peaked once more, driven by her touch and the vibrations of my gear.  Yet somehow, I resisted her, resisted the temptation to sate my own desires.  Somehow, I felt it would be a betrayal to Lady Armenia to submit myself to Aishi, though given that I Lady Armenia had given me little choice in my current situation, there was no good reason I couldn’t have submitted to the kerryn right then and there, aside from my own stubbornness and perhaps a lingering fear of what exactly that could mean.

Aishi grabbed my caged cock, smirking at me as she squeezed the swelling testes and licked my cheek.  She said she would await my inevitable change of mind when I would come crawling to her to find my relief, giving my nipples one last firm twist before she made her exit, leaving me quivering and panting.  For a time I played with myself as I stood against the wall, my thoughts dancing between my own predicament and wondering what exactly it was that Lady Armenia was doing with Risai in the moment, but all I found was my continued frustration as I stood upon an edge of a most pleasurable experience that I simply could not reach.

It was with utmost frustration that I finally slept that night, fitful and restless, rethinking my decision to rebuff Aishi then, but only briefly before I finally managed to rest.  This would pale in comparison to the frustration I would feel the following night, however.

#Lore24 – Entry #315 – Fantasy Month IV #10 – Nights of Torment

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

My wish that Lady Armenia would see fit to grant me a proper release that night was not to be.  Following our dinner with Commander Asselin, she had indeed brought me to her room, bidding me to strip down to my “armor”.  Hopeful, I eagerly complied, noting the recent addition of several iron rings set into the wooden framing of the room.  It would not take her long to make use of these, for I was soon spreadeagled in the center of the room, my wrist and ankle cuffs secured with ropes to the rings, my eyes covered by a leather mask, and a ball gag harness secured about my head. 

She removed the chastity gear then, though the infernal cage around my cock still remained, leaving my chest free for her to grope, which she most eagerly did, tugging at my nipple rings several times while she teased and squeezed my testes, which felt swollen with my pent-up frustrations, making the cage feel all the tighter.  Once I was even more worked up than I somehow was already, she began something new, moving more to the painful practices her religion is more known for.  She swiftly bound my breasts with rough twine, causing them to swell rather painfully in a matter of minutes, then began adding weight to the nipple rings to add a constant, somewhat painful pressure.  She likewise bound my new anatomy with small leather thongs, stretching the testes rather painfully before she added weights to those as well.

My torment was far from over, for everything that remained continued vibrating, keeping me at consistent edge of climax, my cock dripping constantly.  It was then that she began using a flogger upon me, the sting of the knotted leather thongs making me yelp and struggle against the ropes, causing the hanging weights to swing and bounce, increasing my torment drastically.  Each strike was as if several bees had stung me, the worst of the pain fading quickly to leave my skin tingling and hot, the sensations repeated over most of my body. 

At long last, when Lady Armenia removed the plug in my rear, I had hoped it was finally time for my reward.  I could hear her doing something behind me, then her hands were upon my tingling rear, spreading something cool around my anus.  Then I felt the head of a dildo pressing against it, and within moments it slid inside me.  I moaned quite loudly, and most lewdly, as it stretched me and pushed deeper and deeper.  When I felt the base of the dildo press against my cheeks, felt her hips brush mine, I squirmed eagerly.  Then she pulled backward, then pushed forward, building up to a steady thrusting of her hips as she fucked me with the dildo, her own heated moans joining my own as her claws dug into the flesh of my hips.  The cage around my cock had grown so painfully tight, a constant stream of fluid dripping from it as I continued to hit that wall that separated me from my desired pleasure.  Lady Armenia slowed her pace, giving me a few moments for the fires of lust to die down, then picked up again.

I know not how long she worked the dildo in and out of my ass, but never once did she let me climax.  Nor, notably, did she climax.  Though her cries of pleasure were quite loud, and she worked her thrusts quite forcefully, she never reached climax either.  With a final cry that sounded more frustrated than pleased, she pulled out of me, whispering that I had done well, that Yurisaya was quite pleased with our performance, and that she would free me to rest soon.  In somewhat shocked disbelief, I hung there limply, whimpering and pleading around the ball that filled my mouth for that sweet release that I had so desperately craved. 

It was not to be, for once Lady Armenia had tended to herself, she undid the various objects of torment that had remained attached to me before she replaced the butt plug and then my “armor”, which felt even tighter than ever.  At long last she unbound me, holding me too her for a time, my head against her chest, as I cried in frustration.  Once the weakness had passed, she kissed my forehead, promising that the time would come soon, before she sent me off to bed.

The following three nights were much the same, to my great frustration.  Lots of build-up, hoping against hope that I would be allowed to climax, and finding denial each and every time.  Yet, for whatever reason that she did not divulge to me, Lady Armenia never climaxed either.  I could tell she was just as aroused as I was, perhaps more so, but she never gave in, never allowed herself to succumb to the pleasure. 

Yurisaya’s ways are indeed strange.

The following mornings were perhaps worse in some ways, for not only did I wake from fitful slumber as horny as ever, cursing the chastity gear that I could not remove, I had to deal with Aishi’s smug, knowing grin when we would have breakfast with the commander, her subtle teases, little flicks of her tongue or motions with her hands to intimate carnal acts.  I am loathe to admit it, but I found myself very much considering taking her up on her offer of aid, whatever I would have to do to obtain it. 

Thankfully the Heroes of Vindinium finally returned around noon on the fourth day, and I would have something else to distract myself with.

#Lore24 – Entry #314 – Fantasy Month IV #9 – A Private Encounter with the Stellae Illustris

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

Lady Armenia had decided to rest for the rest of the day and bid me to explore about the fort and village if I wished; she wouldn’t have need of me until that night.  The constant stimulation and edging of the devices I’d been dealing with for days now had my focus severely impeded, so I decided that a walk would not be amiss, though that came with its own challenges thanks to the random nature of the vibrations that came from them. 

I took in the lay of the redoubt first, spoke with a few of the workers who were tasked with restoring the fort to proper form.  From what I’d learned, it was at least a couple centuries since it was last used, and had been remarkably well maintained all things considered, though I saw large sections of the walls that had been recently rebuilt, along with many sections of the inner structures.  New additions had been made, specifically an additional watch tower and the aforementioned gate leading up the road to the fort, with another two planned. 

Then I ventured down into Vindinium to see what facilities were available and learn what I could of the nature of the adventurers who I would be working with, and to get the lay of the town and a feel for its people.  For the most part, those I spoke to seemed rather favorable to the coming of the Imperial garrison, for the area had grown much less stable over the last few years, with raids from the tribal orcs, kobolds, and other non-human races becoming all too frequent.  For a time, trade caravans had come from the elvish lands further to the southwest, but those had mostly stopped now due to the banditry that plagued the road deeper into the Wildlands; there was a whole town, Duskgulch, a few days on that seemed overrun with thieves and criminals of all sorts, they told me, though for now I couldn’t tell if that was just the nature of villagers to be overly proud of their own town or not.

Regardless, there had been several groups of adventurers to have come through in the wake of the Imperial Legion’s reclaiming of the fort, for Commander Asselin had made the call specifically to lure them in with the promise of great wealth should they help them restore order to the area.  A shrewd decision, given the lack of manpower he’d originally been given.  All told, he had perhaps a hundred men, though perhaps only half of those were soldiers, the rest support staff and builders.  The Emperor certainly wasn’t making the task too easy for him.  Some adventurers hadn’t been seen since they had set off weeks ago, their fates unknown for the moment, while others, specifically the “Heroes of Vindinium” as they had been named, seemed well-liked.  They weren’t particularly disruptive, had brought in a few shipments of stolen goods back to the town, and additional wealth taken from a few bandit groups they’d encountered.  Plus they had cleared out some nearby tribals and monstrous creatures that had plagued the village, and had even helped construct the new palisade. 

I sampled some of the local liquor and some pastries while I was in town, not enough to spoil the coming dinner later that night and introduced myself to most of the merchants in town as I perused their wares.  Somehow, I managed to keep from embarrassing myself with a random, useless attempt to grope my breasts or adjust my “manhood”, which I might note, felt extremely confined and very uncomfortable in its unceasing attempts to remain erect, to say nothing of the plug that filled my rear.  I almost wished these devices were of a mundane, unmagical sort so that they would have to be removed regularly.

As evening approached, the shadows growing long, I returned to the fort and to my quarters, a small room near to Lady Armenia’s where my scant few possessions had been placed.  However, before I could enter, I saw Aishi approaching me with the most smug look upon her face, her eyes not glowing quite so brilliantly as they had upon our first meeting.  Though I briefly hoped she was headed elsewhere, she reached my door first and waited for me, bidding me to enter so that we could speak privately.

Already nervous around her, for even though she was a kerryn, she was also in direct service to the Emperor, this very nearly sent me into a panic right there.  Somehow, I maintained my composure, though, and invited her inside.  I let her move past me and closed the door, and the moment I turned to face her, she pushed me up against it, purring in a predatory way, her nose twitching as she took in my scent.  Her gauntleted hands went to my chest, her fingers tapping knowingly against the mythril that kept my anatomy shielded, while one knee came up between my legs and rested directly against my entrapped anatomy.  My piercings and anal plug began to vibrate at that moment, most powerfully, making me squirm even more vigorously in her grasp, hear keen ears no doubt hearing everything.

I won’t repeat everything she said to me here, for it was quite lewd and embarrassing, and hardly accurate to my true nature, though my constant state of arousal and inability to find relief had certainly done little to prove anything to the contrary.  She had known the moment she had first laid eyes upon me that I was quite well entrapped by Lady Armenia, had spotted the arcane signatures of not only my chastity gear, but of the transformation spell she had performed upon me, though she admitted it only took a keep enough nose to pick up on most of that.  I smelled “like a randy whore” she had said at one point. 

Aishi had pressed herself against me then, replacing her knee with a strong hand, while her tongue licked at my cheeks, her lips finding mine.  My brain told me to protest such treatment and resist her, but I did no such thing, and in fact did quite the opposite, leaning into her and eagerly engaging the intimate contact to the limit of my ability, driven so close to a climax by my gear that I felt near completely defeated when they stopped, leaving me on the edge of that precipice.  Aishi seemed to enjoy my desperation as she pulled away.  She told me that she could help with my predicament if I but begged her to do so.  I was too flustered to reply in the moment, but she excused herself, delivering a sharp slap to my ass before she left, telling me to remember her when I had reached the end of my endurance and just had to sate the fire inside me.

For once I found myself hoping that tonight would be the night that Lady Armenia would give me what I so desperately needed, simply so that I would not be driven to even consider Aishi’s offer. 

#Lore24 – Entry #313 – Fantasy Month IV #8 – A Village and a Fort, a Commander and a Shadow

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos

I was expecting to be dressed once more into the hobbling dress the following morning, but instead I was allowed back into the riding dress; Lady Armenia said that we would be leaving the Imperial border once we were into the mountains, and even she wouldn’t take a chance on leaving me defenseless through potentially hostile terrain.  In fact, she even returned my scimitar and bookish bulwark, even had me make sure that my new “armor” wasn’t a hindrance after breakfast.  Aside from some rather unwelcome pressure and pinching between my legs for what must be quite obvious reasons now, I was quite capable of going through my practice routines.

Of course, that didn’t stop her from continuing my “training” along the way.  She was assured we would have ample warning in case of an attack, for her drakonae scouts were unrivaled guardians, so she told me.  Travel was slow once we had entered the mountains, the road recently shored up to some extent, but still rough and windy.  So, it was practicing some things that did not involve improving my ability to take large phallic objects into my throat, including more worship of her feet and more endless edging in my case, while practicing various new positions in which I found myself restrained.  I was rather impressed by the number of anchor points hidden away behind the panel work of the carriage, and the variety of restraints Lady Armenia had packed for the journey.

Further oral practice with the dildo would wait until we made camp that evening, in the privacy of her tent.  I was quite a horny mess by then, and would remain so for the foreseeable future, as she seemed to have no intention of allowing me to remove my chastity gear, nor the plug in my rear, the enchantments upon the items seeing to it that my bodily functions were taken care of.  She had promised a surprise if I performed my oral exercise satisfactorily the first night, and indeed, after some time with my lips and tongue working the dildo as she held it between her legs, I experienced a most intense ejaculation of salty, white fluid from the device, nearly choking me and then spraying upon my face.  The flavor was most familiar, being the same mixture that was produced by the feeder gag, though never before had I experienced it in such volume nor in such an embarrassing manner.

I daresay the journey through the mountains was rather mundane compared to the first couple of nights, but with good reason.  We were indeed attacked in the mountains no less than three times, once by a rather large group of bandits who appeared quite desperate, and then again by two separate orc tribes.  In each case, our injuries were relatively minor, and I did not become engaged in the combat, as I was officially on guard duty for the Lady Armenia.  Though having seen the soldiers and drakonae in action, I daresay I would have made a poor final line of defense, not that a priestess such as herself couldn’t defend herself. 

After the long journey through the mountains, we descended into something of a large valley basin, and I could see the fort that was our destination from some distance away, standing high upon a rocky plateau, overlooking a village.  These were the Dawnsummit Redoubt and Vindinium, respectively, the Baydwell River running along out of the mountains near the village.  As we came to the village, I could see that it had recently been enhanced with a stout wooden palisade, complete with a quartet of small, recently built watch towers.  We followed the road through the village, the people there seeming to look upon us favorably as we passed.

Beyond the village, it was a short trip to the road leading up to the overlooking ridge and the redoubt, a series of spiked wooden barricades having been constructed to slow any advancing force, with an additional stone gatehouse currently under construction closer to the top of the plateau.  The roadway led right to the fort’s walls and gatehouse, both of which having been recently repaired to Imperial Legion standards and were even now being further reinforced by a mix of dwarven and drakonae craftsmen.  I counted what seemed a rather small amount of soldiers on patrol and guard about the fort and village, though, a curious detail.  I thought perhaps they had gathered inside the walls of the fort for some reason, but as the carriage passed through into the courtyard and grounds, I saw only a fraction of what I had expected. 

In short order, our large group had come to a stop and Lady Armenia and I left the carriage.  The commander of the soldiers sent to guard her was already barking orders to some of his men to see about reinforcing the current garrison troops, and a notable pair approached us from the direction of the commander’s quarters.  The garrison commander seemed familiar to me, walking with a pronounced limp and making use of a crutch, his left leg obviously having received a wound that had not properly healed.  He was an older human, dark hair graying from his temples, wearing a neatly trimmed beard with his hair cut short, still seeming to be in rather good shape overall aside from the leg.  He wore one of the Legion’s broadswords at his side, garbed in the tunic of a general.  He introduced himself as Lexaundre Asselin, and I certainly remembered the name then, for that name held only slightly less infamy than that of Res’Taringal for which the notable rebellion had been named.  He and his house had spoken in support of the Res’Taringals but had notably not committed any significant resources to the ill-fated operation, which is likely why he was alive now, and almost certainly why he had been sent into the Wildlands with such a small force with orders to tame it.

The second person to join us kept her distance, remaining back about ten feet from us, seemingly not interested in our discussions, though I doubted she was ignoring us.  It was a kerryn, golden hair loose about her shoulders, with red-tinged fur upon her ears and tail, brilliant blue-green eyes that faintly glowed, marking her clearly as a Stellae Illustris, even if the armor and cloak, bearing the red, black, and gold colors of the Emperor, and her collar stamped with the insignia of the order, had not marked her as such.  She was armed with a longer, narrower bladed sword than that of Asselin, which she kept one hand upon, ready to draw at a moment’s notice.  This was Aishi, as Asselin told us, his second shadow.  She offered us a smile then, playful, no, predatory, though she refused to bow as would other kerryn.  I had heard the Stella Illustris were quite proud of their positions, and would only bow to the Emperor himself, perhaps a handful of others, and seeing this behavior, perhaps that was indeed true.  She certainly came off as quite smug, the more I regarded her. 

Once our introductions were complete, Commander Asselin gave us the tour of Dawnsummit Redoubt, highlighting the impressive work they’d managed to complete so far in restoring the fort to its long-lost glory days, some centuries ago, and with such a small force.  Aishi remained behind us, but within a few strides should danger come, though I suspected her reason for being there was rather obvious, to ensure that Asselin did nothing to step out of line, to make sure that his support of the Emperor was genuine.  As I watched her out of the corner of my eye, I got the sense that she was quite dangerous, very much a great hunting cat stalking fresh pray as she tried to get a sense of what Lady Armenia and I were about.

Then we retired to the commander’s offices, where he showed us a map of the large region he had been tasked with civilizing, spread over the top of a table, the map itself a copy of one much older judging by the style of the drawings and relative newness of the parchment, lacking much in the way of details about the region besides major landmarks.  There were new additions however, drawn directly upon the map, showing several significant discoveries made by the adventurers who had come into the area seeking wealth and glory, including a few ruins and ancient ritual sites, lairs and territories of various hostile tribes of orcs, kobolds, gnolls, and even lizardmen in the area, and of course, the ruins that had recently been discovered marking what was thought to be an ancient temple of some sort, bearing draconic iconography.  With permission, I began making notes and copying the map for myself.

The adventurers had been gone for several days now but were expected to return within the week to resupply from their further attempts to secure the area around the ruins, and upon their return, we would have proper introductions, for I would be working closely with them going forward.  In the meantime, Dawnsummit and Vindinium were open to us.  There would be a feast later that night in honor of Lady Armenia, and she would retire to the quarters that had been prepared for her (and I, for now).  I would remain here, making my notes and studying the notes left by the adventurers, as well as the handful of artifacts they had recovered from the site.  I felt the eyes of Aishi lingering upon me for a few moments more as the others left, and I sensed that I would be having my own encounter with her before long.  There was something about her that made me nervous.

#Lore24 – Entry #152 – Muckenmyre Month #31 – Dawning of a New Spring and a New Life

From the journal of Takara, Free Kerryn, the Gray Matron of Grimbridge, Justicar Initiate of Lashana

As the new spring dawned upon Grimbridge, so too would I resolve myself to take a new path.  I had had ample time to consider my life in the Empire and all that I had learned since I was taken from its grasp.  There is much that I have not written within this journal, for its pages are nearly gone, and surely only a keeper in the Great Library could hope to keep up with the pace of all the thoughts that have been battling in my mind these past months.  So, as this journal reaches its end, so too shall this part of my life.

I have spoken with my dearest friend Satella at length of what comes next and have likewise spoken with the people of Grimbridge, whom I will always treasure as friends and allies, of my future.  As I sit atop the lighthouse’s upper deck writing this entry, looking out over the sea that delivered me to Grimbridge, bathed in the warm spring sun, I can say that I have settled my mind on many things.  Much of the conflict within me has been resolved, though I think some will always remain, for I can never forget my upbringing, my time as a slave, a slave trainer, and as an inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris.  They have shaped me, for better or worse, and it is the knowledge and life experiences that I had during my life in the Empire that has helped me come to the decision I have committed to now.

I held my collar and cuffs, markers of my slavery, for the first time in many weeks today, and brought them atop the lighthouse with me.  I can recall there being a time that I wished for them to be whole again, to feel their unrelenting bite at my neck and upon my wrists, to once again be where I thought I belonged. 

Now, having considered at length what I believe in my heart, it was with no hesitation that I cast them into the sea and forever out of my life.  Satella and I removed my slave brand and the mark of the Stellae Illustris earlier this morning.  I hereby resolve myself to never again accept the Empire into my heart, for all that it has taught to my people are lies, and all it has given us is slavery and suffering.  I will do everything in my power to see to it that this injustice is rectified, though I fully understand that this is a long and dangerous road I place myself upon.

I will not be alone in this, however.  Satella will be traveling with me once we leave Grimbridge, her path aligning with mine for the foreseeable future, for she tells me that Yurisaya has taken interest in our new quest.  Furthermore, I now have something I’d never known before…faith of my own in a greater power, not just a man sitting on a throne or the system of control he represents.  I have accepted Lashana into my heart, and I can feel what could only be the goddess herself resonating there, perhaps even with my very soul.  Upon our return to Ryanathyr, I will dedicate myself to her service as a Justicar Initiate, taking her oaths, and seeking vengeance for the great injustice that was done to my people and our fallen goddess.

Though the task of bringing down an entire Empire is nigh insurmountable, I can say that I have faith that it is one that will not be in vain, however long it may take.  I know there are other groups seeking to rebel within the Empire’s borders, and I am sure there are others who seek to end their dominance from without.  Further, I am aware of certain secrets that may be useful in the future…not just of the inner workings of the Empire, but some of its darker secrets.  Should she have survived the ordeal that was placed before her intact, and could be located, Vanessa Res’Taringal may yet still live, and having her voice heard once again may well stir future resistance.

But that is for much later, perhaps many years in the future.  For now, I will say my goodbyes to my friends in Grimbridge, though perhaps not forever, and will begin my new journey.  Following my initiation into Lashana’s faith, I hope to join with the Nakao clan as they return this way and travel to new places, to learn more of their ways and of our people, to make new friends and allies along the way, perhaps all the way to the great city of Arcavarlon.  I know not how I will get there, but I will eventually return to the shores of the Empire, never again as a slave, and I will not be alone when I arrive there.

For all that I have experienced in my life, I feel as though my journey is only just beginning, and I couldn’t be happier at this very moment to begin to discover what my future will hold, the least of which being a new journal, purchased with the money I have earned for myself.  

Truly, I am liberated in my heart and soul.

#Lore24 – Entry #151 – Muckenmyre Month #30 – Winter in Grimbridge

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris, Town Marshal of Grimbridge.

The first couple of weeks following my return to Grimbridge were fairly calm, giving me some time to study the teachings of Lashana I had been given.  Though not a complete delve into the goddess’s doctrines, the book served as an excellent introduction to her ways, and contained the church’s view on the events surrounding the Great Cataclysm, and the nature of the lies surrounding it.  I still questioned the truth, of course, knowing that everyone who spoke of the matter had their own viewpoints and agendas to consider.  However, I did find her ways appealing, given my own tendency toward strong discipline, and her pursuit of justice and rightful vengeance resonated even more.  During my free time, I would begin learning more of Lashana’s ways, and of the other gods in general, speaking with those of the faiths, or reading what books I could find on them.

Unsurprisingly by now, there were more differences taught, even amongst the faithful of the gods, in the Empire. 

Though we had intended to find lodgings for ourselves, Mayor Pleasence, in his stern way, insisted that we continue lodging with him during the winter at least; I believe he was quite fond of having someone cooking and maintaining the home while he was busy with town business.  Satella continued her work as a cook and part-time healer, for those who could stand her goddess’s particular form of healing.

As promised by the constable, things did indeed pick up as the winter settled in.  More and more ships began to arrive, offloading goods along the Way instead of the rougher and often icy seas to the north, and troubles in the town began to escalate.  Sailors being what they are, there were plenty of scuffles on the docks and at the Bloated Floater, arguments on prices and quality of items, or just general attempts to bully the townsfolk.  As agreed between myself and Constable Tamblyn, we would tolerate none of it, nor would any of the town guard.  Some days went better than others, with my mere presence and a warning gaze enough to calm matters, but often there were fights I had to become involved in.  Though I always waited for the offending outsiders to start the fights with me, jumping in without thought to those that had started when I wasn’t present, I saw to it that I was the one who finished them, most often in ways that would leave the offenders in agony, and any companions of them hesitant, if not outright afraid, to try something on their own.  Satella would find no shortage of customers during the busiest of times, for the other healers in town would typically refuse to heal those who had been taught a lesson from me as a lesson of their own.

Somehow, I eventually earned a reputation and a name for myself in Grimbridge, the Gray Matron.  I was known for my harsh lessons, the pain I inflicted teaching lessons like no scholar could, but also for my willingness to see to it that the law was upheld to the letter, or as closely as possible given certain discretionary judgements rendered by the constable or the town, of course.  Though Lashana is strict on interpretation and application of the law, she is not without consideration for circumstances that may lead some to stray from the straight and narrow.  I had found myself trying to live up to her doctrines more and more as the winter continued, and though my thoughts were still drifting over the vast sea toward the Empire, they were doing so less and less; I barely took out my collar and cuffs to tend to them anymore, feeling guilty when I did, but also ashamed of my past.

As the winter continued, things would settle down in Grimbridge to some extent.  My reputation, and that of the town for taking a no-nonsense approach to outsiders causing trouble had grown, and for the most part, usually aside from drunken sailors getting into brawls, things were calm.  Jessiryn and Augra would earn quite a haul themselves during this time, as they would often escort trade caravans through the Way to Ryanthyr, though we saw little of each other.

Eventually, though, the cool of the winter months would fade, the fresh and warmer air of spring would begin to appear.  As the weather improved, the rush of activity the winter had brought to the docks would begin to fade, and so to would I find more and more time to consider where my path would lead me.

#Lore24 – Entry #150 – Muckenmyre Month #29 – The Truths we Learn for Ourselves

From the journal of Takara, Slave Inquisitor of the Stellae Illustris, Town Marshal of Grimbridge.

Satella and I awoke with the camp the following morning after a deep, peaceful slumber.  Though my mind would later be filled with many questions and puzzles I could not immediately work out, for the time being I simply enjoyed the atmosphere of the camp, the simplicity of their lifestyle.  We joined Emika and a few others for breakfast that morning.  It was another pleasant experience, though I told them we had companions waiting for us near the Muckenmyre and had business yet in Grimbridge that we had to tend to.  They respected my sense of duty and we would part on friendly terms, though I was quite surprised when Emika extended an offer for me to travel amongst them if I decided that I wanted to be part of their family. 

I didn’t know what to say at first, feeling a sudden, strong desire to take her up on the offer, but deciding that I should consider my future more carefully first.  I thanked her graciously and told her I would consider her offer, learning that they would be in Ryanthyr for a few more days before moving on to the southeast for milder winters and friendly territory, but that they planned to come back this way in the spring, which should give me ample time to consider their offer.  I thanked her again and said my goodbyes before Satella and I returned to our inn and retrieved our horses and a few supplies for the road, heading back toward Grimbridge.

I would not be much for conversation on the journey back, meeting up with Jessiryn and Augra around noon to continue down Grimbridge Way together.  My mind would be churning almost nonstop, trying to find the truth hidden amongst all the new information I had learned.  After my initial shock of learning what I had from Justicar Grayforge and Emika, even of the nature of the kerryn language itself, I could finally start to make sense of it all. 

Again, my well-trained slave’s mind tried to tell me that all I had learned was false, that the Emperor was simply doing his duty to protect the world from another kerryn catastrophe by keeping us in check…and yet the other part of my mind, the newly awakening state of a free kerryn, could counter those arguments easily with all that I had learned in a matter of a couple days.  Could all that I had learned be wrong?  Perhaps, but the words were spoken with conviction from people I felt I could trust, from which I sensed no deception.  They were truths to them, at least, and perhaps they were indeed facts…but could not the same be said of what was being taught to and about the kerryn within the Empire?  How big a part in the truth did the elves play in it all?  Their influence seemed to be much greater here than in the Empire, so perhaps they had manipulated the facts to a greater extent, but to what end?

To say that I was a conflicted, confused mess during that journey would be putting it mildly.

The journey back to Grimbridge was uneventful, save for some cooler temperatures and colder rains on the way back, and as we came back into town, I willed myself to push my muddled, conflicting thoughts away for a time so that I could properly greet Mayor Pleasence and others within the town.  The constable and the town guards had returned safely, and we were finally given our rewards for the services wee had rendered with the twins and bandits.  Though in the grand scheme of things, the pouch of gold and silver coins was a trifling amount, but for me, it was a stunning amount of wealth.  With my simple needs, it would last a long time, especially in Grimbridge.

I was briefly uncertain of what would come next, but as it turns out, I would have a job offer already waiting.  Constable Tamblyn asked me to stay on as a marshal for the town since I had done such a good job previously, and due to what would likely be a busy winter for them.  With the warmer climate in the region, and a worse than usual winter being predicted to the north, it meant more ships coming here and traveling along the Way, and that brought with it a lot more disturbances and potential problems.  I readily agreed to continue my services, for I still felt obligated to assist the town that had done so much for me.

And so it was that my winter in Grimbridge would begin.