Fan Fiction ❯ Demon Blood: Nekredos ❯ Nekredos: parts one through three ( Chapter 1 )

Nekredos Part One: Journeying on a holy quest.

Miharys was walking along minding her way carefully. She had stumbled in gopher and other rodent burrows several times when she had failed to pay attention. Her journey had been long and as her weariness began to grow deeper her senses began to become numb. She was just about to consider making camp for the day , her bluring sight and aching head urging her to quit before she would have done several days earlier on the journey. When out of nowhere she ran into something hard and unyielding that knocked her back on her behind with it's resistance to her foreward motion.

Didn't think that there were trees in the plains at the foot of the mountains of the Northern range. She thought to herself. Trees aren't metalic feeling ether and that was metal plate, as in armor. Her ever attentive analytical mind scolded her. She looked up to see what obstical existed that would impede her progress and also wear armor. It was a warrior of decent stature, a foot taller then herself easily. His eyes were harsh and cold as he appraised her, and she had the oddest feeling that he was considering squishing her as she would a roach that erringly found it's way into her kitchen back home.

The human looked up at him with open curiosity in her eyes. Aparently the soft little female had worn herself past endurance. Even the humans had enough of a sense of sight to customarily see what was directly in front of them. He winced internally as her scent reminded him again that this was a soft little female. He had not been to the clan meets in many centuries, and had thus not claimed any females for far to great a length of time. "If you wish to trek across my territory human then I suggest that you pay proper toll, and then get some rest before you begin. There are many starving beasts out there that would apriciate even so scrawny a morsel as yourself being added to their diets." He mocked readily. Whenever he found himself in unfamiliar ground he resorted to a sharp tongue. Which had no more indeared him to the clan leaders as it was doing to the human now.

"Good Sir, I am poor save for what few possessions I have, all of which I need to complete my holy quest. If you will tell me how far the distance in ether direction is the edge of your territory I will gladly go round and bother you no further." The delecate thing requested politely. She was slightly pink across her frekled nose, burned by sun and wind that she did not daily face as those of this country did. "Dearest questing one. I ask not for property, money or goods. I am well aware that you can spare none of the books you carry nor the ink you write with daily nor the few pieces of clothing or protective gear that you bear in your pack. Instead I ask for you to share your company with me as a man and a woman share company. In exchange I will permit your crossing of my territories and aid you along your way till we reach their edges." He offered.

Miharys wanted to cry, but didn't dare. She knew that this person was being nice. If he wanted a `quick tumble' as her eldest cousin referred to it, he could just as easily force her to. This just reaffirmed what that same cousin had once told her. That she was to plain to be even worth the maximum of effort to secure her favors. "So be it Sir. My favors, dubious as they may be and my actual companionship which in my opinion is of greater value, in echange for safe escorted passage across your territories." She agreed promptly. Little thought was needed.

This one would be of great use on her quest and all he wanted was to share her warmth for a time in exchange. The virtue of one undesired is worth nothing. Or so her favorite priest had told her in temple when she was just coming to her woman's changes. At least her virtue had become worth something on this mad journey, even if it was only through lack of supply and a very high demand. Finally Miharys found herself wanted as a woman. The bird thin little scholar with the dancers legs and eyes weakened by much night reading was finally a disirable woman! Surely hell itself must be freezing over She thought to herself.

He watched as she considered and rapidly decided to aquiesce to his wishes! Her thoughts had been strange for one of her beauty. Considering herself worthless in comparison to others only proved that perhaps humans could not see what treasures had been set in front of their faces after all. He extended his hand to take hers for sealing of the bargain. The familiar jolt of a true deal fairly compromised shot up his arm as their word worked to magically bind them together.

"What was that then eh?" She asked in an exhausted tone. He realized that she had no reserves left to her at all. "Come ahead then Miharys. We will discuss it further once we have reached a safer place to camp. Dropping down on the open plains without any shelter invites trouble." He grinned in pleasure at her name rolling so easily off his lips. That he could touch her deep self, her true identity was a good sign. It meant that their activities after dark would be all the more satisfying. Canines still flashing in the light he took her hand again and led her off into the tall grasses.

Miharys walked along stumbling every so often as her new guide practically dragged her across the landscape. Her last hidden reserves of strength were nearly depleated when they finally came to an outcropping of rocks that she had not seen from the edge of his lands. He led her around one, to a obviously well used campsite. Firewood was well assembled around a stone ringed fire pit, piles of the local grasses had been assembled into sleeping pallets around the fire but well enough away that a spark would not set them ablaze. Those piles of grass were what interested her tired bones the most. He looked at her and for a moment his eyes, which had ben all a glitter with anticipation softened somewhat, if not to actual kindness then at least to forebearance of her weaker form.

"Rest first little one. The charms on my camp will protect you, and I will need time to find and prepare food." He offered. Obviously his little trick had revealed to him more then just her name. No sane being would want to eat her camp cooking. Cooking out of doors instead of on a stove, one that worked very well thanks to her father's workers, had utterly confounded her. She let the pleasant memory of her fathers household warm her weary soul as she unrolled her blankets and curled up to get some rest. She slowly allowed her mind and senses to relax, and as she did her part of the deal was revealed to her.

He was Nekredos, a demon warrior of the Northern mountains. His territory might well stretch all the way to the edge of her enemy's lands, and had been earned as much through warrior's skills as by other demons merely wishing to avoid his unpleasant company. The facade of sharp tongueed meanness was a flase one, made just for that purpose. He liked his own kind even less then they liked him. So, because he had no use for them and did not wish to get any of the simpering females with child, he had refused outright to go to their clan meetings where matings and child rearing arrangements were usually made.

She sensed that he felt not yet ready for fatherhood, but desperately wanted to have offspring some day when his territory was vast enough and rich enough to support a mate and offspring in plentitude. Along next came a flash of an image that made her slumbering features flush with embarassment. A nude Nekredos was an awesome sight, muscles that rippled under smooth golden sheened skin, strength and poise made into every limb, and his manhood, or would one say demonhood? That to flowed well with the whole of his impressive self. The thing was lengthy and thicker then she had hoped for, and that meant she was in for a great deal of pain.

Her reasonable, analytical self chastised her for the mounting fear in her heart. It would hurt if he were willow thin and breakfast sausage short Miharys. Don't be a complete ass, just do well when the time comes and don't fear him. Her thoughts quieted after that and she went to sleep for real.

Her thoughts had finally quieted once her analytical self had satisfied it's need to know of and about him. He smiled as he strolled back into camp. Just as he had expected her connection to him woke her for an instant. Once her exhausted body determined that no food was to be had, and no mating was expected of her she dropped right back off again. It was one of the more useful skills that he had spent a decade developing before he had left his family group to strike out on his own. He was glad that it came so easily to her use.

She woke rather rapidly when the smell of cooking meat reached her nostrils. Using one of his non poisonous blades he cut a large chunk of the plains beast off for her and skewering it on a stick stripped of bark he handed it to her. The lesser sun had just slid beneath the horizon. He looked up at the stars and judged fair omens from their patterns and visability, just as his mother had taught him. "Victory after many trials. Not just on my quest but for all of the world. How fortunate." She commented around a mouthful of beast. Miharys seemed intent on eating and once the beast was devoured she asked politely for another piece and then yet another after that.

"A little hungry are we?" he mockingly asked. "Not any more. Thank you so much." He nodded. He felt her reach for their connection again and try to determine exactly the time table for her deflowering. He gave her a guess, since he had no idea what might occur between now and then. Many dangerous things could cross their path in the next three days in which he was going to let her recover her lost strength here at camp. He felt her desire to just hurry onward, her fear for her father, whom was the object of her holy quest, and her sorrow at the fact that she might just get him back to lose him again. "Why would that be?" He asked aloud.

"Simple that. When he figures out what I have given up for your aid he will most likely cast me out on the mercy of the temple. Only his gratitude at my rescuing him will keep him from slaying me outright for dishonoring the family. Yet I still have to save him. Bonds of blood are of the utmost importance in our land you see, and if I don't save him I would face even greater dishonor. My whole line would be branded weak cowards. That is not the way I wish for people of courage like my mother to be remembered." She responded. He felt her sorrow that she would never return again to her home. "Once this unworthy fellow is rescued, if he is as asinine as you say, and casts you out, I will give you a home with me." He found himself promising.

Her radiant smile was a suitable reward for now for his oathbound word to protect her even after her adventure was over. Soon as she recovered herself he would see about claiming the rest of what was now his right by mated oath. She sensed this small part of him that was eager enough to threaten his control. Much to his surprise hers was not a reaction of fear to the feirceness of his desire, but instead a hearty chuckle full of warmth. "On the fourth night then." She agreed, and lay back down in her bedding to return to sleep. By now it was full dark, and he to decided to get what rest his painful arousal would allow.

Miharys awoke the next morning feeling as near to good as she had in many, many weeks. The unconcearned rest, knowing herself well protected by the biggest baddest predator on the plains, had definately been an improvement. The fact that when she did wake up a hearty breakfast was just coming off the fire further improved her outlook on her strange situation. More beast meat, a roasted root tuber of some kind, split open and covered in beast drippings, and two fried wild bird eggs where served to her by her companion. Then he went out of camp to seek more beasts, this time to make into travelling jerky.

Her own morning abulations took her of to the riverside. She avoided the still pool that would have fish gathering around in them and instead went upstream a few yards to wash in a small rapid where the waters own sounds would cover her splashing about. Ah to be clean again! It just felt so good! She dried herself off on her one small towel, the scholarly short hair making this far easier then had she kept the girlish length from her youth. She was eighteen now, but could have chosen to keep it anyway. Her teachers had made it clear that they would be far more pleased though had she cut it. So now it brushed her nape, and if not for her figure would have been cause to mistake her for a boy. Especially since now she was going to go fishing, a most unladylike pursuit. Good for thinking though, perhaps to good for thinking.

She found herself contemplating that she would be suffering another loss for the sake of her father. A promise made was often hard to keep. So it turns out was her promise to her dying mother to care for her father always. She would now have to give up the career of endless study and learning that had so delighted her. She doubted that Nekredos would allow his play toy to stack his winter home with books charts graphs and other various articles of scholarship. "It would seem that you are not to be my `Play Toy' but my mated female instead. If it pleases you to spend your time in endless study in the winters then I will set aside a stock of candles, and carve out a new cavern for your library." He spoke softly as he settled into a crouch beside her.

His father had come through just at that moment and insisted that he fullfill his family obligations as eldest son. No wonder he looked so dazed! "I told my father that I had already found a suitable female, and that all that remained was to see if my seed would soon enough take root. He smelled you over here and we have been watching you since you started fishing. He just granted his approval, both of you by looks and your courage to go on this quest for your father. He saw the nachini that stole your father as it went away to the extreme North. We will start out four days from now to get him back." He finished then he got up and went away back to watch over his smoking meats, before his control could break. Apparently her smell when clean was capable of making him quite desirous.

Nekredos snarled under his breath as he turned the meat racks over. His fathers, `quick little visit,' had been more along the lines of a nightmare. He considered himself fortunate to be even able to make his own choice on the matter of a mate to carry foreward the family lineage. That and her smell when he had squatted beside her to inform her of the changes in their common fate had nearly driven him mad with lust. She had known this to after the fashion of their deepening bond, and yet had not been frightened. His mate, so brave and soon to be completely his, father had been very pleased, but not as pleased as his son was soon to be!

Time passed as he watched the meat. Soon enough his mate returned carrying a string of fish still dangling by their mouth's from the hooks that dragged them from the waters. She gutted them efficiantly with a small knife he had left by the fire for her use. She was not one to fail one attempt without getting right back to making the next one. He watched facinated as she pulled a book from her bag and read something carefully several times before going back to her catch. Her cooking things he had left out by the fire, and from these things she took a small ceramic jar and her heavy camp frying pan.

He fed her encouragement along their bond and she briefly looked up at him, a mild mannered smile on her soft lips. Then she took a small amount of the jar's contents out and dropped it into the pan. The sizzle of the butter surprised him. "I figured it out I did!" She exclaimed. She had obviously neglected to use the butter the last several times she tried to fry something. "Makes sense mate. After all one cannot fry anything without some type of grease yes?" She turned and glared at him for a second. "Keep it up mister and no fish for you." She made what she considered a dire threat. He just laughed. At least his mate could amuse him even if her little experiment failed proving she lacked worth as a cook.

`His mate', she thought with mild concern. Miharys would have been out of her mind with terror at the prospect of such a rapidly concluded courtship were she back home. However her logical mind once again saved her from dissolving into tears in front of Nekredos. Customs change with the lands and peoples one incounters, at least he doesn't want to put an ownership ring in your nose! You are not back home Miharys dearie! His people finalize much quicker thats all. Makes sense if one doesn't get started one might die before passing on the genes. The voice in her head sounded a lot like her mother's grandmother.

That woman had been such a fount of wisdom. She only wished that she were here now to tell her exactly what to do and how to behave with Nekredos. She had heard stories from the younger scholars about what went on between married folks and betwen the braver ones who chose only to be lovers. Those had been embarasing enough, and now she had caught blush-worthy hints from her mate about how things were accomplished. She flipped the fish while she contemplated, not wanting to fail at this again in front of her mate.

The fish cooked slowly, as they were all quite thick. The sun was high overhead when they were finally done enough for her taste. Miharys took careful care getting them out of the pan and onto a wooden platter left by Nekredos next to the firepit. She then put some more butter on the fish along with a sparing sprinkle of her salt and pepper. Taking the two eating utensils that her `father-in-law' had left for them as a small `wedding gift' she went and crouched next to her mate at the smoking pits. Nekredos took one of the three tined forks and tryed a bite of the fish without ever looking away from the meat he was smoking in the middle pit.

She felt his astonishment that she had made so much good food out of so little ingredients. "Butter does wonders apparently. Shows what a ninny I was not to accept daddy's cook's offer of lessons. Otherwise I would not have been so weak and starved when I finally ran into you." She admitted. He put an arm around her shoulders as they ate, comforting her which had been the very thing she needed. She was pretty sure that grandma, when faced with all the facts as she ad so far seen them, would say that Nekredos and his worldy nature were exactly what she required. A great big dose of reality to wake her up and grow her up from the naieve little scholar-girl she had been.

~*~

The next days pased rapidly. The tasks of securing and preserving food blurring together through constant repetition. Nekredos found that even when he returned,bone weary and drained from hunting the larger kinds of prey available on the plains, the site of his mate never failed to arouse him. He was fearful that she might be injured severely when they first came together if he did not get himself under control. The fourth day dawned under cover of clouds, perfectly expressing his mood. He did not like to be afraid. It made him feel weak and useless as a small child.

His mate, sensing out the origins of his distress, used her scholarly knowledge to try and sooth his concerns. "It's supposed to hurt a bit the first time `kre, but not after that. Don't worry about me. I was champion in the city wide footraces back home for several years. I have enough energy and stamina to live through the night!" The thunder growled in the distance, echoing the misery of the noise in his own throat. Why did it have to chose today to rain? Why now that he had his mate, but not his tent, which he had found full of moth holes when he removed it from storage after the long winter?

Miharys was deeply concerned for her mate's mental well being. He was going to beat himself up over the fact that her loss of her virginity was going to hurt. This she knew was unavoidable in the natural way of things. She also knew that he had a legitamate concern when it came to his strength presenting a real risk to her safety. However she could see no other way to set things right then to just get to business and show him she could handle a little pain, if it meant a lot of pleasure for them both in the future.

.Nekredos looked up startled, as he found himself with a lap full of Miharys. "My mate, what do you think you are up to?" He asked. She smiled softly in a way that made his groin tighten. "I, my mate, am doing what I should have done the moment you started getting all grumpy. Please forgive how long it took for me to realize the proper plan of action. I can only say that I am more accustomed to dealing with books then people, and that is just a lame excuse." She said, and then she went so far as to kiss him.

She tasted delightful, as he had known she would. Nekredos plundered her mouth in a way meant to startle. Her reaction was as he had thought it would be. Her gasp of shock allowing him easier access to all the nooks and crannies of her mouth that he desired to taste. He lifted her by scooping her up with both clawed hands curved under her firm buttocks, and centered her better on his lap.

Miharys could not believe the effect she was having on her mate. Nether could she believe the effect he was having on her. Her innards felt as if they had turned to molten nectar, and she was certain that should she try to stand, her watery knees would not hold her weight. His claws kneaded into her behind with a will, in a way that made her even more excited. She wanted both to laugh and to weep the feelings he evoked in her felt so very good.

She sighed with contentment as he picked her up more securely and stood to move them to the sleeping pallets. He would nether waste time or skimp on making proper love to his mate on the first go round. She was begining to adore this sense of oneness, of complete encapsulation of their individual selves in the whole that they made as a mated pair. It showed her so much, and taught her to see the world through his eyes. Thus showing her things that she would never have seen otherwise, nor understood had she seen them.

He felt the wonder she had at their bond and her delight in it shining right along with her awakening passion. Her hands found with gentle skill, born of his centuries of habit, the way to undo and unclasp every bit of armor and unbind and set aside every blade he carried. She soon had found her way down to his undertunic and his last belt. Now they were even, so he took careful care in peeling her free of her overtunic. Hands given speed by rising desire flung the last of his clothing away and left her in only her cotton shift. This she slid up wards over her skin with teasing slowness. When she finally flung it aside he was certain that she must see fire in his eyes, for it felt as if his whole self was filled with liquid flame.

Miharys felt the heat of him pressed against her thigh and knew that soon what she had seen of him would find itself buried inside her. She reached out to him, afraid of and seeking comfort from the same source. All at once she found herself flat on her back on his sleeping pallet, as he trailed kisses down her bare torso. He stopped long enough to lick and nip at her nipples until they were nearly painfully erect peaks, and swirl his tongue around in her navel.

He made his way downward towards his intended destination by way of slow nuzzling motions. Then swift as a bolt from the heavens, he spread her thighs apart, and brought her womanhood together with his questing tongue. They surely heard her screams of pleasure all the way back home if the wind was blowing rightly. After a few moments of torture by his fangs and lips and tongue as well as skillfully applied breaths over tender spots, she managed to stop thrashing about long enough to prop herself up on her elbows. She looked down into eyes that were no more black then her own were green. Instead of their usual obsidian, cool even when amused, these eyes were a burining metalic gold, with the pupils only slightly darker gold.

He looked up at her and saw her soft eyes slightly darkened in their passion. They were a perfect night sky blue, just as it was begining to darken to navy the sky first touched upon the shade now staring down at him. The request in those eyes was blatant one. He could feel on his now caressing fingers the intense wet heat of her eager sex. She made a small wimpering noise in her throat and he nodded. Yes! He would give her exactly what she wanted now, what she needed now. Lifting her with a very tender grip, he found himself sitting back on his heels and lowering her carefully into position.

He slid himself inside her tightness inch by inch, heedful of when she would be able to stand the next incriment of his length. He finally came up against the barrier of her maidenhood, and when she gave a brief nod, thrust himself the rest of the way in. The way her lip quavered as she endeavored not to cry made a part of him sorrow over causing her pain. The rest of him reminded him that he was buried to the hilt in a hot, wet female, and insisted he take advantage of the situation. He refused to let his baser instincts take complete hold of him just yet. She would have to make the next move. He would force himself to be still until Miharys was ready.

Miharys looked into his gold gleaming eyes with some concern. Apparently he would wait until she moved first! She blushed with embarassment at having to take the innitiative during her very first time. Remebering that she was supposed to show how brave her kin was she thought for only a brief second as to how this could best be accomplished. Easy enough as it seemed it took a great deal of the strength of her runner's legs to lift her up slowly and bring her back down again. She accomplished it several times before deciding to ask him to help. Before the words had formed fully in her mind he nodded with a wicked fanged smirk on his face, and took ahold to ease the way.

He slid his hands once more around to grip her behind, and began to lift her and bring her back down with just the strength in his arms. In and out, in and out, each time the slick heat re-enveloped him he thought he might black out from the bliss. Her own cycle of completion was almost fulfilled. Nekredos could tell by the way her body trembled so very fiercely, as if the pleasure they were sharing would shake her apart. In the end it did. Feeling her climax hit her, both along the bond, and in the way her inner muscles grabbed his shaft tightly as they spasmed, drove him over the edge as well.

When Nekredos finally came he arched back his head and howled fit to shake the sky off it's moorings. His eyes had been glowing ever brighter, and now they actually shined with a pure hot white light like true starfire. He closed them for a moment and she sighed with her own wonderful completion, kissing him gently on his smirking mouth as they both spiraled back down to normal. They slowly disentangled themselves. The ache between her legs was bad, but not so bad as to make it unbearable. She had worse pains from scraping her knees as a playful, tomboyish, child. Choosing to ignore it as a mild irritant, she settled down, and resting her head on Nekredos's bare chest, went right to sleep.

~*~

Morning came way to soon for her liking. Miharys got up anyway and sensing her mate off hunting, decided that it was time for a bath. She bathed swiftly, wanting to catch a few fish to break her fast with before Nekredos returned and needed help with the big beast he had finally caught. She had returned to their camp only to find that she had her inlaws as guests. One of Nekredos's four brothers, as well as his father and his mother's brother were seated around their fire.

She bowed slightly from the waist to the two older demons out of respect, and from the shoulder as to one equal to another, to Nekredos's brother. They returned these greetings as custom dictated. "Your bond with my son is deep daughter-in-law. It must be to learn our ways so rapidly. This pleases me much." Heillion informed her. She offered another bow by way of acknowledgement then went back to frying fish.

Soon Nekredos sent ahead for help as he was bringing back a huge beast. Rather then doing so herself she leaned over the shoulder of her brother-in-law and asked him to go in her stead. "Nekredos is off about three hundred yards in that direction my dear brother. Please go help him with that giant thing he has killed." He folowed her gesture and could see the returning form of his brother in the distance. Getting up, Gherrion strode off to help.

That left her to finish her fish and then go check the smoking meat that had been set up yesterday. It looked ready to her eyes, but she checked with Nekredos just to be sure. Yes that will do well my mate. Came his easygoing thought. He seemd in a lot better mood today. For the obvious reasons of course. He had taken her, gone out and killed a big prey animal, and now was going to get to show it off in front of his kin. All the base instictual needs were covered.

Nekredos grinned as his brother came to help. The widening of that one's eyes at the sight of what type of beast he had slain amused him greatly. He knew well that Gherrion had yet to slay anything of this size, let alone something as ferocious as an Underhectare worm. He came back with his brother carrying the tale end of the thirty foot long beast. When Miharys caught sight of it she actually giggled, clapping her hands gleefully. He bowed as would a showman strutting his stuff after a play. She came to his side and with the help of his family they set about deviding up the beast into it's muscular sections.

Much of what he had brought would go with his father in exchange for the riding beasts and various pieces of equipment he had requested from his father's storehouse. "Your mother will greatly appriciate this my son." His father said. "As will your Aunt." Agreed Uncle Jethosai. "Again? The both of you?" he asked, to which both nodded with wide grins on their usually somber faces. "Babies?" Inquired Miharys. "Yea daughter. My mate is once again heavy with child. She hopes that this will be another daughter since she has only had one of those so far, but I am most certain that it will be a son." His father explained. "I will pray then for twins so that both your wishes may be fulfilled." Miharys said. His father looked at her in wonder as she returned to packing away meat into barrels from the supply of the worm that was swiftly being depleated.

Soon enough all was in readiness for his father's departure back to his stronghold. "I shall tell my mate of your prayers upon her behalf daughter." He said then he rode away, one hand raised in somber farewell. Behind him, tied to the saddle of Gherrion was a triple string of pack beasts each with a barrel of meat dangling from each side of their sturdy backs. They numbered well over three dozen and each had their barels full to bursting. Mother's appitite during her pregnanacies was legendary among his kind, with Aunt Nyleen not very much the lesser. This though might well hold them till they delivered of his latest siblings and cousins. It would be siblings, and cousins of that he was certain, for even the greater gods would not dare to ignore the wishes of His mate.

Miharys was very tired after the hard work of tending to the remains of the worm. They had barreled up their own meat, in heavily salted brine, for when they reached the barrens around the high hills. Until then they would have plenty of fresh meat to eat. Out of a new instinct she had known that plants did not grow or give fruit ether in the barrens so she had followed the river as soon as the worm was dealt with and gathered a large basket full of various edible fruits and taken them back to dry out in the sun. She had made seven more trips and the fruit laid out on the basket by dusk was enough when dried to last the six weeks it would take them to cross the barrens.

They would be sharing her bedding tonight. Thanks to her relatives lengthy visit she had not gotten around to washing his bedding till just after noontime meal. His sleeping mat and one blanket were still drying after her struggle to remove the stains of her lost innocence from the sturdy fabric. When Nekredos had seen it he could not make the grin go away. It stayed on his face until well after they had settled in for the night. Finally she felt as if his gloating had gone on long enough and with a light punch to the arm she insisted that he cut it out. His laughter at her attempt did not make her amused at all. "Please stop it Nekredos. Teasing me about that is cruel."

His brow furrowed in concern. She thought he was teasing her about coming innocent to their mating bed? "Gah! Woman do not be so tender hearted! I am not teasing. I am happy that I will be not only your only one from now on, but that I was also your first. I meant no offense to your tender sensabilities!" He growled. "Really? You are genuinely glad, not just gloating?" She asked. She felt so very insecure of herself still. He could sense in her mind the fear of him leaving her the first time a pretty light skirted miss passed him in town. "Never! You are my mate, forever and always! Need I remind you of what lies between us?" He chastised gently.

Please do, she thought with a wicked smirk of her own acros her face. As you wish my mate! He readily agreed. Nekredos seemed even more happy tonight then he had been last night. Their deepening bond made her heart ache. She wondered if demons could love, or if this incredible intamacy made the point moot between a mated pair. Oh but we can love, and you, my gift, have seen the proof of it. For if love is not in the heart of both halves of the pair, the bond is sickly and causes the one without love in them a great deal of pain. I feel none and I know that you find only wonder in our union. His thoughts were soft and soothing to her tired soul.

The gentle play between them would only be that tonight. Nekredos could feel his mate slipping away into slumber as he held her close to his heart. She had worn herself down again, doing what she only percieved as her fair share of the work that aided their survival. He was pleased that fate had sent him a human who did not shirk a task, nor refuse a job given her. A lazy mate he would not have cared for at all. This one, however, would need the rest of this journey to recover the strength she had lost in her solo trip from her city home.

He would merely have to invoke ancient custom, custom that dictated that for he first two months after a demon took a mate he did all the tasks for the two of them so that she could horde strength and energy for her first pregnancy. Though he felt that she was not ready to have children ether so he would not tell her why the custom was inacted just yet, just that he had inacted it. He was sure she would be delighted. Having thought of a way to get around his mate's industrious nature to secure her safety, he lay back and fell asleep, as he always did, with his eyes open.

PART #2 A QUEST IS UNDERTAKEN

Miharys awoke refreshed to find that it was nerely noon! She jumped up, chagringed that she had somehow managed to fail her mate so badly in the first few days of their mated life. "Nay little one. It was a mere sleeping charm that insisted to your body that it sleep until it was properly rested, no matter when your mind might have trained itself to awaken. It worked well and gave me a chance to do the packing up that remained before you woke." Nekredos said from across the fire pit. He held out a plate with roasted fish instead of fried on it. She took it, and ate heartily from it. He had already broken his fast hours ago, and he ate a smaller noon meal beside her.

Once this was acomplished he boosted her onto the back of a riding beast. After stowing the remaining cooking gear and flinging dirt over the fire, he mounted up as well. She only looked back once as they set out. The stars had said they would return so she had to believe it.

Nekredos looked over at his mate as they rode Northward. Her eyes were sorrowed and she seemed to be clutching some sort of amulet very tightly in her hands. "You pray for your father?" He asked without really needing to. He could sense that it was so, but his mate needed to hear the sound of another's voice after being alone for so long before. She nodded and sighed. "I realize now that it was important for our shared destiny that I come out here and meet you, since nothing under heaven would have gotten you into the temple of scholars where I used to spend my days. I have wished though, that the fates could have chosen another way to get me to come cross country rather then stealing my dear father." He nodded and allowed his strength to comfort her along their bond.

The ride was rather uneventful for the first seven weeks. Only a summer thunderstorm livened what had become a dull reutien for them. Ride all day, stop set up a meager camp and then eat then sleep. Ocasionally they made love under the stars when the days riding had not worn them down to much, but not to often. Nekredos could sense her fear of becoming pregnant then losing a child during the difficult time they would have in retrieving her father, and he did not in any way wish to bring further sorrow to his mate. He was concerned she could tell, just why though was rather hazy and unclear.

"What is the matter `Kre?" She asked him as the settled into that night's camp. "Several things. One is that once we retreat after we liberate your parent we shall have to go to my stronghold in the hills. This will be hard because unlike what I would have prefered I will not have had the time to properly stock the larder for the winter. With two other mouths it shall be worse then just I going hungry. Yet it will be fortified and even should pursuit follow after us and lay siege my father would liberate us in the springtime.

That is a worry farther off. However I am more concerned with what you expect to find once we do liberate your father and how badly you will take what is most logically happening to him even as we speak." Miharys nodded in suden understanding. "Fear not my mate. I have no illusions left to me anymore. He will have been tortured most harshly. They want his most secret of secrets and he will not give it up because it is not his to give...it is mine."

She felt Nekredos startle at her admission. "I had wondered if anyone would have let you depart by yourself on this dangerous quest only for your father." He said. She showed him the staff and the magical memories of everyone who had wielded it down her mothers line beyond all time back to the very begining when it was crafted by a now dead God. That God was part of her line as well, which assured that since he had been a god of fertility that they would easily concieve many children when the time came. This pleased her mate immensely. He sent her a thought about the size of family he hoped to have. "An even dozen!" she exclaimed in horror. He just nodded.

~*~

So it was that they reached the halfway point between the Southern edge of his territory and the other side of it at the base of the Northern mountains. Nekredos watched as his mate reoriented on the location of her missing parent. He understood now that she was not seeking her father's much loved presence but the mystical vibrations of the god crafted staff. Until the revelation of the second part of her quest he had been curious how a simple human girl could hope to even find where her father had been taken all by her self.

The land flowed by easily until they reached the edge of the Barrens. Once they reached the edge of the forsaken lands it was obvious. The grass just stopped. It didn't die out slowly it was just gone, as if it had ben cut from the surface of the ground with a razor. "You remeber the scar across my father's face do you not my mate?" Nekredos asked her. Miharys nodded. "The battle in which he recieved it also wrought this damage upon the land. It was in the days before the mediation laws. The result of his battle with his older brother destroyed the land for another distance like the one you covered from your home to my territory's edge." Miharys Stared at him, her awe clear through the bond. "I thought that only gods destroyed the very life from a place when they battled, but..." Nekredos's grin was a wicked one. "Remeber my heart that one man's god is another's demon. Never forget that upon this land your kind are immigrants that are tolerated because you amuse creatures far greater then you. Otherwise your kind would be food, or perhaps slaves at the very most."

This gave her some things for her needy mind to chew on until they reached the land's midway point. Ten more days would bring them out of the barrens. She joined him as he lit a log on fire. He did it with his will, eager to display some of his more minor magics to his new mate. They only used the one log to heat their food then extinguished it. Nothing lived on the black glassy sand that was the soil of the barrens. This made it so fire was not needed to frighten away beasts while they slept and only one pack beast carried their fuel so it had to be rationed.

Miharys ate her food determinedly, as she did everything now that her goal was so tantilizingly near. After she had went behind a glassy dune to relieve herself, she had returned ready to rest up for tomorrow. He had held out his arms to her and she settled in to rest. Her energy had been returning to her steadily for the last several weeks. Still he felt inclined to pamper his mate until they actually passed out of the misery that was the barrens. He could sense how the lack of growing life affected the little fertility God's descendant. The gloom of the place even burrowed under his own skin when he let it and she had absolutely no defense against it but what he could give her. "If Mother could see me now do you think...do you think she would be proud of how brave and fearless I have become?" She asked him in soft sleepy tones. "I am proud of you my little heart, surely your mother would be ten times as proud of your achievements, having brought you into this world." He reassured her, Nekredos felt her nod her head then slip away into slumber.

They reached the other side of the barrens a day sooner then he had calculated for. He was very impressed by the sudden welling up of strength in his mate. "Come on `Kre' We can make another twenty miles today easy!" Became a familiar phrase as they continued towards the ever nearer mountains. He smiled as he watched her fierce hearted glower turn towards their destination. Whomever it was that had stolen away her father and the legacy of her mother's line was not long for this world, that was most obvious!

Miharys looked up at the distant yet much nearer snow covered peaks as the terrain began to slope slowly upwards. "Soon Papa. I'm on my way so just hold on a little longer." She whispered. Then she lowered her head against the harsh wind and urged her beast onward with a will.

PART #3 A gift beyond all knowing

It was nearly dark when they entered the little village at the mouth of a sharp sided valley. She led them up to the tavern and dismounted. A young boy of about ten came foreward and she offered him a coin she had kept hidden in her pack to take care of their beasts. With their packs over their shoulders she and Nekredos walked into the common room and up to the counter. "May I help you madam? Sir?" The fat and jolly looking Tavern master inquired. "Yea good Sir. I and my husband require a room for... say three days?" This last she turned towards Nekredos, who agreed to the time table. Even he was beginning to feel the staff through their bond, so it had to be close.

They ate a hot meal, cooked by hands other then her own or his, and took a hot bath in the bath house that was attached to the Tavern right out the doors from the main room. After a wash and a good long soak in the meditation pool Miharys felt whole again. She had forgotten how much she loved good soap and freshly washed warm towels. She nestled in close to a clean smelling Nekredos in a huge feather bed and smiled as she drifted off to sleep. Life as a plains nomad was all well and good but civilization had its advantages.

The next morning brought word through an overheard coversation of a mad sorcerer who was expanding his holdings by force a day's travel to the north. They would b able to reach his fortress by nightfall, if they hurried. Miharys was not even worried, but Nekredos did not see this as being easy. If this mad sorcerer had been expanding his territory forcefully for the past three years he had to possess more powers then the staff, which Miharys had assured him was unmasterable when it loathed it's weilder as it did with the unknown magicker.

The fortress rose up on the horizon at sunset. Even to his own eyes it looked like a place where vile energies had pooled and festered. When they drew near enough to see the walls clearly he felt his mate shudder. "Rys?" he inquired. She gestured that he look closer at the walls, which he did, revealing the sight of rotting human bodies in even clearer detail to his demonically sharp vision. They were speared through by the spikes that were mounted atop the walls in gore soaked fashon that indicated they had still had some life in them when they were so impaled.

"I like this one less and less as we go along my mate. I might just have to kill him for you. I do hope that a good washing will remove his blood from that artifact of yours." He said to her. She tried to hide it but his offer made her amused for some reason. "Can't let you `Kre'. I have to defeat him myself otherwise the staff will repudate me and possibly the whole line, maybe even chose this evil man instead!" She cautioned. "Are his hirelings under this same restriction?" He asked, knowing as he did that it was not so. He merely wanted to hear whatever humorous response his mate would give. "No the staff is not that bone headed. You can have all the unfortunate hirelings without violating any of the rules. As my spouse you are even considered my champion, and are supposedly expected to handle such things."

They hid their riding beasts in a clump of dying trees that was convienietly growing near to the fortress and continued on foot. It seemed as if the men under the sorcerer's command expected his reputation to keep enemies at bay. No guards walked the walls nor stood at the gates. He could well understand why they might vacate the walls with the stench of rotting flesh heavy in the air, but the fortress's main gate? "Obviously they are idiots. I will do your race a favor and kill them all before any of them can pass on their genes to the next generation." He snarled. Cruel was one thing, it might be considered ruthless in some circles of his kind, but cruel and stupid was another. Such a useless waste of air and food had to be removed before it caused to much harm to the society.

Nekredos reached inside of the gate with his clawed hands and gripped the heavy iron lock. It broke into pieces when he exerted his strength against it. She smirked as she followed him inside the fortress. The courtyard was quiet, red flamed torches burning and an ocasional skitter of a rat or other vermin the only sound that could be detected. She sensed the life of the Guardsmen and they were indeed guarding someone. The doors of the main keep flew open and out of it strode the vile Sorcerer accompanied by his personal body guards.

"Ah so the faithful daughter has come to reclaim her stolen father. Come child and give me the staff's power, then I will give you back your pappy." The evil monster said. She smiled innocently at him. "How am I to know that you haven't already killed him? Give him to me first and then you have my word that I will give you the Staff's power." Nekredos smirked inside his own mind, though it did not show on his face. His mate would give the sorcerer the power of the staff certainly. But not in the nice and submissive way he thought she was going to!

Miharys watched as some minions were sent scuttling off to wherever the dungeon was located. They returned with her father dangling between them. They then brought him to her and she eased him down onto the flagstones. Not the softest cushion for a wounded man but better then being in a grimey dungeon. It was then that she saw what they had done to her father, and it was only through her bond with Nekredos that she managed to stay so stoically calm. Her father's left eye was gone, the socket empty, and a huge red scar ran down his face. "Unfortunately he struggled when the Shinnari brought him to me. Struggles excite the Shinnari, and the birdling lost what meager control it possessed in the first place." The vile one said with a sly sort of amusement. "It is indeed unfortunate."

Miharys rose from her crouched position by her father's prone form, and took three steps toward the sorcerer and his party. "You wished to have the power of the Staff did you not?" The Sorcerer grinned and nodded. "Then have it." She said then she made a beconing gesture. The white staff with it's top of curled fern leaves lept from the grip of the Sorcerer and settled with a pulse of light into Miharys's hands. Then green light enveloped both his mate and the staff. When the light faded that all could see once more, a totally different Miharys stood in the spot where the old one had been standing.

Her hair had grown back out to the length of her girlhood and even greater to now hang down past her firm buttocks. A shimmering white dress replaced the grimey travel garments that had not come clean even with `proper washing in soap.' The ferns that had lain curled on the top of the staff were now green and glowing, and they had also multiplied so that they might form a tiara similar to a hero's laurels about her head. Boots of softest green leather, and fingerless green gauntlets that covered only her thumbs had also appeared on her. The staff pulsed rythmically and his mate listened.

She then turned to the Sorcerer. "As promised I now present the power of the staff. Here you have it!" She brought the Staff around in a sweeping gesture and then down with a fierce stroke. Up from the ground came thorny vines that would have in better times been covered in roses. Five of them whipped at the vile Sorcerer. So it was that he who had stolen His mate's Father, and her Mother's legacy had been slain, cut into six equal chunks that spread a pool of blood nearly to her feet.

"That is only part fo the hell you diserve for taking what is a gift beyond measure unto my line. It was above any value and you tried to sully it with your evil. Fool." She spat on the gory remains and turned back to face him. "Kre' you may have the minions now, that is any that try to give you trouble. Otherwise round them all up and put them in the dungeon to await judgement. The Staff says that one is coming who will rule here. He will judge them and sort the cruel ones from the ones protecting and feeding their families. Until then let us ransack the place for food and treat father's wounds. Oh and Kre?" He noded. "Yes My Mate?" She sighed and he felt how weary her new responsibility made her feel. "I know it is unpleasant but would you do me a favor once you are done with the prisoners, and get those bodies off the spikes?" He nodded and gave her a supportive grin.

The vines, now smoothed of their previous thorns, carried her father gently inside before snaking back out again and crawling up the side of the castle. Once they reached the top floor of the keep they popped open some windows and settled on an ancient iron trellace that had gone unused for centuries. She walked in behind her father's dangling form and carefully began to strip him of the soiled rags that had once been his finest temple outfit. Once that was done a servant unrelated to the mass of mercenaries that had occupied the place brought her a basin of warm water and she carefully washed her father's body. He woke up halfway once durning his bath and smiled at her. His bravery even when so horribly injured made her eyes fill with tears.

Once he was clean she could see that they had beaten him fiercely but no other injuries were there to compare with the loss of his eye. She carefully stitched up a deep gash in his side but she dispaired as to what to do about the eye. "You should send for Sorcerer Zenxuae Mistress. He's a good un unlike that there mess, and he gave my man a new eye when he lost his fighten with a bear that tried to eat the youngin's." A kindly member of the house keeping staff offered. "I do not trust Sorcerers in general, but I suppose I can't lump the whole lot with that one. How does one send for this Zenxuae?" There was a poof and an acrid smelling smoke filled the room.

"One need merely call for me. I always listen for my name." Their guest was rather young looking for a great magick user, but the points to his ears and the slightly fanged teeth hinted at demonic parentage not human, so she refused to judge him further on appearance alone. "Friend Zenxuae. It has been told to me hat you possess a skill for replacing lost eyes. Is this in fact the case?" The Sorcerer smiled. "It is indeed the case Madam. I am quite skilled in restoring sight to the sightless. Ah hello Midge my dear. How does Tarnly fare?" The woman curtseyied as deply to the Sorcerer as she had to Miharys. "He's doin fine, and it's just like ya said, that there orb ya set in his socket gave him darn fine night vision too." The Sorccerer smiled as if that was the greatest gift he could recieve was to help someone in need.

The Staff had sensed him out while he chatted with the servant, and it pronounced that he had a decent healing gift as well as mighty sorcery running through his blood. A name fuzzy but still definately related to the sorcerer came to the front of her mind. She decided to use it. "Ah but Zenxuae, are you as skilled as that ancestor of yours, what was his name...Lemorinn?" The Sorcerer snorted. "I am surprised that a human like yourself has heard of him madam, but I long ago surpassed the skill of my reviered ancestor, may his soul find repose." The demonic sorcerer replied, revealing without deeply offensive questions the nature of his origins.

Weeks had passed and through the powers of the Staff and those of Zenxuae, her father began to recover from his ordeal. It was in the fifth week, the middle day, at about eight bells in the morning that Nekredos's family arrived. Nekredos went out and opened the gates. The brothers Gherrion, Lupherian, Mortigrall, and Utherna the sole female ofspring of Heillion had arrived. "Father is with mother. We should have siblings by now. As we left her birth pains were starting." Utherna said to Nekredos.

"Now brother dear we are eager to see this Mate of yours that Gherrion, and our Father speak so highly of." The one called Mortigrall said. "I shall be down in a moment brothers, sister!" His Mate called out. She gracefully lofted herself over the rail of the high balcony and was caught half way down by the vines.

They sat her down unruffled and serene looking at his side. The Staff as always was in her hands and the crown of gleaming fern shaped emeralds still rested on her head.The boots she had exchanged for her ordinary sandals but the gauntlets she had kept. She smirked up at him briefly, laughing along their bond at how excited he got when he thought of the look she used when she peeled the lether armor down her arms.

She bowed as one equal to another to each of the brothers, then breaking with demonic tradition she went and embraced her new sister. The moment that she did this the Staff started chiming wildly. "Yes yes alright you stubborn inaninmate object you!" Miharys told it like she would speak to a stubborn child. It settled then pulsed softly three times. "Oh thanks for the reminder. One moment kinsmen. I have a cake about due to come out of the oven." Then she hustled back inside. Headed for the kitchen and the allegged cake.

"Industrious, and friendly at least."Lupherian commented blandly as was his way. He was even more somber and controlled then their father.Utherna smiled softly. Her sister soon enough made a reappearance and she grabbed her and dragged her aside. "Be right back boys!" The exuberant human shouted. Once she had dragged her around a couple of corners and past several busy looking guards she stopped in a fairly lovely garden. "I haven't quite finished with this one yet. What do you think I should put in here?" The human woman asked.

"Sister if it were my garden I would put in something red. Perhaps poppies mixed in with those red sunflowers they have in the south? I do not know if they would grow here or not, but if they could they would go well with the plants already here." Her new sister smiled and made a gesture over her open palm with the staff she carried. A small Flash of green light flickered from staff to the surface of her skin then she cast her hand out over the flower bed that had been empty. The seeds landed, sank into the ground, and then began to grow. In the space of five breaths full grown plants with large blooms were everywhere.

"Oh and sister dear, this is your garden. This is your keep too. Thats what the Staff was having a fit about earlier. It is your destiny to rule over all that the vile sorcerer conquered." The small human said. "I had not thought to have my own territory. However if it is the will of Destiny I am far to small a thing to refuse." Utherna agreed. Her new sister smiled at her and giving her another encouraging hug turned to go back to the `boys' as she had called them.

The Staff was humming lightly. It did not like to go adventuring on it's own. Fortune had favored it, or so it seemed, that it's mistress had picked a fine set of companions meant that all would most likely go well. This would be only the very first journey, which it was sure the mistress would not be pleased about at all!