Caught Fire

Caught Fire

Part 1

By Dari

Until now my life had been pretty one-dimensional. I had never had the freedom

to make my own decisions; there had always been others who were there to tell me

what to do. First my father and aunt, who had done their best to raise me as a

pious farmer's daughter. When it became apparent that I was not really suited

for this kind of life - being a farmer is kind of the last job that you want to

have when you can ignite whole fields of wheat with the power of your thoughts

when you're upset - they had ushered me into the not so tender care of the

innkeeper of the next village.

The village was more than a two day ride away from my father's farm, so I was

well out of their way. Mrs. Tumbler, said innkeeper, had had no patience for

lazy tavern wenches, so instead of working on the fields from sunup to sundown,

I worked in the kitchen from sunup to well into the night, depending on the

number of patrons. But I won't complain, work there had been alright, considered

how some girls fared in the taverns of the big cities. Mrs. Tumbler would never

tolerate a drunkard to even stare at one of the girls, least of all the cook's

apprentice, so apart from working myself numb everything was fine.

Then there came the "incident". I still say that it was not my fault that some

rags in the kitchen had caught fire, and the inn would have burnt down if it

had not been raining that night, but my employer remembered all too well why my

aunt had been happy to have me out of her hair, so Mrs. Tumbler did the only

thing she thought was right - she threw me out, talking gentle and sweetly, but

nevertheless dumping me on the street not soon after the last embers had burnt

down to ash.

It had been pure luck that one of the patrons from a town in the south had

mentioned the Academy some nights before the "incident". The Academy was some

kind of institution no one knew any clear details about, but everyone agreed

that the mages that studied there were the best in the whole realm. Of course

such an education had to be rather costly, and I had only enough money to

provide myself with food for a week, but nevertheless being admitted there

seemed like THE idea to me. So I took my leave from the inn and went south, not

really knowing what I had to expect, but at least I had a goal.

After two weeks of wandering the roads of the country I finally reached

Midriver, the great city of the south, where the Academy was. Having lived for

more than ten years on a farm I had been able to provide myself with enough food

to make it to the city, but when I finally stared at the gates in awe, I

realized that not everything might go as I wanted it to go. First, there were

way too many people in that city, and I doubted that I could live in such a

crowded place. Second, even some of the obviously poor had better clothing than

me, and with no way to help myself to even a bath I saw my chances dwindle.

For the most part of my first morning in the city I walked through the streets

and simply stared at the buildings. When I had finally figured out which

buildings might be taverns or inns, I tried to apply for a job as a cook or

kitchen apprentice there, but most of the owners just laughed at me, and at

midday I had to except defeat. There was no way that I would be able to work

for a better start here. So I asked the next best person on the street where the

Academy was, so I could at least try my luck there.

It took me four tries to find someone to even notice me, and the answers I got

ranged from uninformative to useless. Only one woman seemed to have pity with me

and finally told me how I could get there, but she warned me that I wouldn't

even be let onto the grounds of the Academy, and that it was very rare that

women were even admitted there, poor women never.

All that depressed me a lot, but as I had no other real choice I thanked her and

followed her instructions. When I arrived at the gates of the Academy I knew

what she had wanted to tell me with her words. The gate was barred and guarded

on the inside, and on the lawns that were behind I could see some people

strolling around, all clad in clothes that must have cost more than my father's

farm.

With the last residues of my will I approached one of the guards and asked if it

were possible that I might speak to someone who was in charge, as I wanted to

apply for a study here, and he did the same as most of the others, he simply

laughed at me and told me to be gone. I was already close to tears when he and

his colleague began to taunt me, telling me that a girl as ugly as me wouldn't

even find admittance in the city's brothels. For a moment I just stared at them,

totally dumbfounded while the second guard said something about applying to some

other things I couldn't even imagine, when suddenly something inside of me

snapped. The next thing I remember was the guard's uniforms, all thick oiled

leather, catching fire, turning their taunts into oaths, followed by curses.

It then dawned me that the best thing for me would be to turn around and run,

but before I could do that two men clad in long grey robes emerged from one of

the buildings, evidently alarmed by the guards' shouts. One of them extended a

hand, making a flourish, and the fire went out. The other mage stared at me, and

suddenly the air around me seemed to freeze, making it impossible for me to even

move, let alone flee.

"What happened here? What is this commotion all about?" Before I could even open

my mouth, the first guard began to stammer about me having attacked them with no

reason. The mages both listened intently, while dread rose inside of me. They

would surely believe their own guards, not the filthy girl who looked like

straight out of the slums, and I didn't even want to start thinking what they

might do to me.

When the guard had finished his report, the mage that had snuffed out the fire

turned his gaze on me. I nearly began to cry anew when he scowled at me, but

instead of bringing down doom upon me, he just smiled.

"I am sure that she did exactly what you told me. That is why she is crying now,

because she is so terribly sorry that she didn't succeed. Now girl, tell me,

what is your name, and why are you here?"

It took me three attempts of even utter a single sound, and some more to answer

with a coherent sentence. "I'm Jeanne, and I wanted to ask here if I might be

admitted into the Academy." At least that was what I wanted to say, out came

something that closely resembled a slight murmur. Nevertheless the mage nodded,

as if he had understood. Maybe he had. They were mages, they could call down the

wrath of the gods, maybe they could even read my mind, or something.

"Well, then I guess we should at least go into the Hall instead of standing

around here. I will now release you, but please don't run away; it was good of

you to come here." Then the invisible bonds disappeared from my body, and I

could move again. Yet I was too terrified to run away, so I followed the two

mages when they made their way into the next building, the one they had come

from.

What came next really astonished me. Instead of threatening me with punishment

for threatening the guards no one further mentioned that detail, and everyone

was peculiar about my life. They asked me where I hailed from, what I had been

doing until now, and many other things. After having heard most of my life's

uninteresting details they asked me about my Gift, as they called it, the innate

ability to control fire. I could tell them next to nothing, only that sometimes

when I was angry or scared something ignited around me. For me that was a

greater nuisance, for them it seemed to be a perfectly normal thing.

They explained to me that they were frequently roaming the land, looking for

children who had similar abilities like me. Not everyone could become a mage,

and only very few ever developed the ability to do things like I could on their

own. Normally these children were found before they reached their tenth year,

but as the land was mostly wilderness with only few villages and farms it was

nearly impossible to find all the Gifted. Some of them, like me, eventually

turned up on their doorstep, and everyone seemed to be grateful about that. I

didn't really understand why, yet I was treated like something special, and with

that I had no problem.

After the initial talk I was ushered into a small room upstairs, and two women

came in to help me wash and dress with proper clothes. I refused their help,

being unfamiliar with that kind of attention, yet grateful that I was provided

with fresh clothing. I had never owned something that was made out of such fine

linen, and wanted to persist to simply wash my old clothes and wear them

afterwards, but the maids only laughed cheerfully and ended that by telling me

to either wear the provided clothes or stay naked. A bit undignified I put on

the bodice and slip, next a long white undergarment, and atop that a light blue

simple dress. The maids even combed out my still wet hair and braided it anew.

After being content with the outcome they brought me back to the hall where some

of the mages that had interrogated me before still milled around. I was greeted

again, and they explained what there might be in store for me here, if I still

wanted to be admitted. Eagerly I listened to their explanations, and after five

minutes I knew that I wanted to stay. I had no problems with being disciplined,

and learning more about my abilities sounded really perfect. The only obstacle

might be that I was nearly twice as old as most of their students; normally they

taught children, I with my twenty years couldn't be called a child any longer.

Yet they told me that they would handle that in some way.

When I had agreed to stay here I was lead to another chamber, this being my room

for the next few days. I thought it would be my room for much longer, not

knowing that I would leave here all too soon at this time. I was provided with

food and drink, and then left for the night.

The next day I was introduced to some of the teachers, meeting some of the

students, younger and older ones alike. Then I was assigned to a young woman who

couldn't be much older than me. She would be my guide for the first days,

teaching me the basics of meditation and concentration that seemed to be so

important for using magic; another of her duties was to test if and how well I

could read and write. They seemed to be astonished that I could write more than

my name and read at all, although both not really fast or without splotching ink

everywhere. So the next three days passed quite fast, and although I was

still a bit intimidated by the simply size of the Academy, I began to feel at

home here.

One morning I was again called before a gathering of the elder mages. I was not

alone there, many other students, mainly children, were already in the hall.

Before I could ask what this was about I was told that we now had to decide

which field of magic we wanted to learn, and some of us would from now on learn

with a private teacher outside the Academy. Most of the girls, quite a lot

considering the apparently false information about women not being admitted here

so easily, wanted to learn more about healing, and many students were enticed by

other fields that I couldn't even imagine they were good for. The mages asked

each and every student what they wanted to study, collecting them in small

groups and leading them out afterwards. Me they left out till the end, either

because they went by age, or because they already knew that I didn't understand

enough to make such decisions.

Most of the other students had already left when one of the mages finally

approached me. When she asked me what I wanted to do, I explained that I had

come here to learn to control my ability, and to be true, I wasn't really

interested in healing or conjuring or some other strange things. The mage only

nodded and then proposed to her colleagues to sent me to one of their

specialists in elemental magics. There I would learn how to control the forces

of water and air, and so on. Only when I asked if I could maybe learn to control

fire, some of them didn't look all that happy.

After exchanging many uneasy gazes the mage who had talked to me at the Academy

gates finally took me by the arm and steered me away from the others. I was a

bit baffled by his behaviour but didn't ask. He would soon enough explain

himself, I thought, which he promptly did.

"I know that fire magic is your reason to be here, and it would be a waste to

not teach you how to use your gift - you have it in you to become quite a

powerful sorceress, but nevertheless, you should consider studying something

different for now, and learn some fire spells from the books."

That not only sounded dreadfully boring, it didn't really interest me in the

least. Yet I didn't want to anger him, so I just hesitated to answer, which

seemed to be answer enough. The old mage sighed and then nodded. "Well, I

thought that you might react like this, and maybe you know what's the best for

you. If you want to, I will contact the one sorcerer I know who seeks an

apprentice right now and who might teach you all that you want to know about

fire, and many other things, too. But I can't promise you anything, he normally

only teaches young children, strictly boys, so I don't know if he will even come

here to talk to you in person. And maybe you will change your mind after that

talk. Tane is not really a man many can stomach, most women less than men." I

only nodded, thinking that he expected this of me, and after that I was again

free to roam the Academy grounds. But the way everyone had treated this subject,

and the words of the old mage made me quite itchy and quizzical. Who was this

Tane that they spoke that way about him? Until now everyone here had been quite

unbiased and kind to me, never blustering about anyone.

The rest of the day I was left to my own thoughts, same as the following night.

In the morning one of the maids who came to change the sheets of my bed told me

that I was to go down to one of the rooms next to the gathering hall. I

downright flew down the flights of stairs, and only stopped before the great

doors of the hall to rearrange my clothes and catch my breath. Then I entered,

full of anticipation and a little dread.

Only two people were in the hall, the old mage and another man whom I couldn't

see all that well because he stood with his back to me in front of a window with

the morning sun ridding him of everything but his silhouette.

The mage came over to me with a greeting and worried eyes and told me that

he would wait outside the hall. I should catch up to him there to tell him of my

decision. Then he left, leaving me standing in the middle of the room with that

mysterious man everyone seemed to be uneasy about.

When the door closed the man finally turned and slowly took some steps towards

me. When he stepped out of the sunlight I could see that he didn't look quite as

I had expected. He was quite young for a teacher, only in his early thirties,

with blond hair bound into a short tail at the nape of his neck, his face devoid

of any beard. Intent blue eyes assessed me with a few quick gazes while he

stopped with still two meters of distance between us. With the bulky black robe

that he wore I couldn't really estimate how his body looked, but the way he

moved spoke of grace and strength, two things that most of the mages around here

lacked.

"So, you are the girl that troubles them enough to bite the bullet and call me

down here." His voice was a deep baritone, sounding quite pleasant, being

another contradiction to my thoughts. Either the mages had all overreacted, or

he was the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing. Judging from the intent way he

still stared at my face, and only my face, I went for the latter.

"Well, they must have told you a lot of stories about me, at least some of which

are true, but most are, sad but true, pure fiction. Life would be all that much

easier if they were true." He then smiled, and it dawned on me what kind of

stories that might have been. No one had told me, so I didn't know for sure, but

his smile was full of half-hidden dark suggestions ...

But maybe I was only imagining all of that. Maybe he just wanted to taunt me.

And I didn't like it when people wanted to taunt me. So I just smiled and tried

to be a bit sassy. "They didn't tell me a thing - I guess you're not that

infamous as you believe, or want to believe."

Tane laughed, a rich sound being that, and when he finally stopped a slight

smile had crept on his features. "That might be as next to the truth as we will

get today."

Then he sobered visibly, and for the first time he looked me up and down, as if

I was only now that I had shown some backbone, worth to be regarded. Yet when

his gaze was back at my face it stayed there, and there was no way of telling if

he liked what he had seen.

"I guess we are both not here for stupid small talk, so let's get some things

straight. If they really haven't told you anything, they are as stupid as if

they'd drowned you in crazy stories. I have my knacks, and although some around

here would rather commit suicide than be in the same room with me, I'm not that

unbearable. I'm just a little bit ... eccentric." He made it sound as if that

explained all, which it of course did not, but I guess he just wanted me to ask.

So I did him that favour.

"Eccentric?" Tane laughed again. "At least you're not as dull as some of the

others. Predicting what others want of you is a feat that is far too less

distributed around here." He hesitated briefly, than made a show of studying one

of the carpets that hung at the walls, while resuming his tale.

"They must have told you that I normally only teach young boys. I can't stand

criticism, yet I hate it when I'm surrounded by boot-heel licking bastards. The

younger, the more formable my students tend to be, so ten to twelve is a good

age. I don't know how old you are, but I guess you could top that by a decade."

Before I could nod, he extended his hand towards me, still not looking at me,

and went on.

"It doesn't really interest me, at least not now. If you'll really become my

student we'll have plenty of time for such talk. Right now it is important that

you understand what to expect of this. I won't have you tell me afterwards that

I didn't warn you."

Still he studied the carpets, and this somehow enervated me. Couldn't he look me

in the face when he was talking to me? As if he had read my thoughts, Tane then

turned and studied me with a certain calm. "You have a certain potential, that I

can feel even from here, but if you think that you'll only have to cope with me

during the lessons, you're wrong. My hut is about two days worth of riding from

the next town, and there are no other people around there." He then walked over

to me, stopping right in front of me. "It can get quite lonely out there, you

should know." Tane extended a hand and lightly brushed a strand of hair off

my face. I nearly jerked away from him when the heel of his hand touched my

cheek.

He waited until I again looked at him before he continued. "I should stay to the

facts. I must already be boring you with the details." Somehow still a bit in

shock I just stared at him, waiting for him to go on. Tane snickered briefly. "I

guess I've hinted enough. If you stay with me, you'll not get around sharing my

bed with me. And I'm not talking about fucking you once a week or such nonsense.

I'm also not talking about any stupid feelings like love et cetera. I'm a man

who has needs that have to be satisfied, and if I have the means at hand not to

do all the work for myself ..." He chuckled again, either because he thought the

whole thing funny, or because I was already blushing deep red. "And you don't

look like the woman who stays celibate all of her own. But we'll have to work on

that nice colour of yours that is creeping over your face right now. What's the

matter, does is startle you that I tell you that you'll have to content yourself

with having sex with me, or is it just my manners, that I say it out loud so

bluntly?"

To be true, I had expected something like that after the hint the old mage had

given me. Either that or Tane must have been gay, and considering that other

bits and pieces about him being unbearable for some people, I hadn't figured

that it was about the gender he preferred. But with him standing so close to me,

telling me all that straight in the face, it was a different matter.

I had to clear my throat before I could answer him. "The latter. You're really

quite straight-forward." He only smiled as if I had complemented him on

something. Maybe I had. I simply didn't know. "You've got a problem with my way

of dealing with things?" I simply shook my head and in the same time tried to

keep myself from blushing further.

Tane frowned briefly. "I take it that you're no longer a virgin. Even if you came

from a family of high standing, what you evidently don't do, you're old

enough to have kids on your own. What have you been doing before you came over

here?"

I didn't know if I should be offended because of his words about my heritage,

but let it go, knowing all too well that my manner of speaking was not that of a

noble woman. I could have said the same about him. But the question about my

life was something I could answer without problems. "I've been working in a

tavern for the last three years."

Tane's grin grew lopsided, and before I could worry about what that might mean,

he stated it out loud. "Whore, or only part time whore?" Again colour was

creeping over my cheeks, but this time it was not shame but anger. "Kitchen

apprentice!" My words came out in a low hiss, which drew another laugh off

him, while he held up his hands conciliating. "Okay, I see, there is a backbone

behind all this cute maid of the country attire, after all." Somehow he was just

confusing me. Nevertheless I tried to stay calm, seeing that he had been

taunting me. At least that was what I preferred to believe.

He then sighed and briefly rubbed his eyes with one hand. "Of course we'll be

having some problems in the beginning, until we've settled all the disputes and

grown accustomed to one another. I've been living alone for ten years now, only

five years of that I had apprentices, I'm kind of absolutely not used to having

a woman around me. But we'll manage. You won't have to cook often or run the

household; that chaos runs itself alright."

He then turned around and began to briefly pace the room. When he came back to

me he stopped and again let his eyes roam over my body. Although he still didn't

show what he thought about me, I hated to be scrutinized like that, but I didn't

dare speak up. Who knew what he might have in store for me if I complained about

being stared at. Apart from his flippant tongue he seemed quite okay, at least

from what I could tell after five minutes in the same room with him.

"Hm, Jeanne is your name if I remember right, isn't it?" I nodded. "Well,

Jeanne, would you have any problems with coming with me from what you know right

now? I'm quite demanding of my students, but I try to stay fair; both don't

really apply to my other ways, but what do you think right now? Would you just

come with me? Or do you want to ask some questions? Talk to people around here

who already know me?" It somehow astonished me that he asked all of this. From

the words of the mage I had thought that Tane would say stay here or come with

me, not give me that many options. Now I was a little bit at a loss.

"I honestly don't know." He frowned mockingly. "You don't know if you dare go

with a self-declared sex obsessed man, or you don't know if you want to assure

yourself that I'm quite insane?"

Somehow the lilt in his voice made me laugh, and I could then see in his eyes

that this reaction had gained me something with him, same as when I had reacted

with anger before. Most of the time in my life I had never dared to be sarcastic

or even a bit ironic, with a very conservative aunt and an employer who thought

that laughs were a sure sign for slack behaviour. Maybe that would change now.

The least I could try was venture that road a bit further.

"Maybe I believe you capable of being both and don't really care about it right

now, as long as I get something out of that all?" He answered my grin with a

mock bow. "Be assured my lady, you'll get more than you've bargained for, and

you will find most of that quite enticing. Or why do you think I'm quite hated

around here? It's not just because I break most of their rules with every stride

I take." He didn't continue, but the intense look he gave me was answer enough.

With that he returned to his questions. "So, would you accompany me, or do you

rather stay here with all the dusty tomes and senile old men? You'll surely have

more fun with me, although that might develop into a play with fire. But that's

exactly what you want, isn't it?" I briefly blinked, trying to discern how much

to read into his words, but gave up after some seconds. "I guess I'll take that

risk. Provided you let me go if we really can't get along with each other?" The

last was said a bit too hesitant for my likings, but talking when being stressed

is not one of my favourite things.

Tane snickered again. "Took you long to throw yourself into that safety net.

Thought you would ask that the moment I gave you the option to ask." He

scratched his chin as if to think, then shrugged. "Of course I'll bring you back

here if everything goes wrong. I'm not a monster - I know better than most here

what you are capable of should I really bother you too much. The gods only know

what happens to the guy who is dumb enough to try to rape a girl who has the

power to incinerate everything around her without even thinking about it,

preferably when she's stressed and frightened." I must have looked quite

disturbed by his words, because he laughed and made a soothing gesture. "I don't

intend to do anything like that to you, and I didn't say it to frighten you -

but sooner or later you will have to realise what you are really capable of.

Even now, without direct control of your powers, you could wreck havoc around

here. Think of what you'll be able to accomplish after two years with me. Never

forget that."

He gave me the time to think about his words, meanwhile going to the windows and

looking out. When he turned back around he grinned slightly and then gestured at

me with his right hand. "Now that you've decided to come with me, I guess I'll

have to test your resolve. Would it be too much to ask you to undress?" I could

just stare at him. "Pardon me?" Tane grinned and then sat down on the

windowsill. "Remove your clothes that is." I continued staring at him. He

couldn't be serious, now could he?

Tane's grin grew with every second that I just stood there and stared at him.

"Too modest? It would be nice to know what to expect. But I guess there was

nothing else to be expected from a kitchen apprentice." I didn't know why, but

somehow this let my rage flare again. So I locked gazes with him, bent down and

grabbed the hem of my dress in both hands. After a last second of hesitation I

slipped the dress over my head and let it slide to the floor. Tane just looked

at me, again showing no emotions on his face. Before my morale could get the

better of me I also slipped out of the undergarment, leaving only the bodice and

slip. My breath caught in my lungs, and I could feel my heartbeat quicken. Yet I

somehow succeeded in putting only defiance into my eyes, while I did my best to

inhale as much as possible to let my middle look a bit less womanly.

Still Tane did nothing but look at me, and it unnerved me even more now that I

was only scantly clad. With the last bits of my strength I undid the strings

that help my bodice tight in place, then let it fall to the floor, while hooking

my fingers into the sides of my slip and stepping out of the last bit of

clothing that still covered my body. Then I looked up at him again, cramping my

arms in front of my belly. It would have been a stupid gesture to try to cover

my tits, so that was all I could do.

For five more seconds Tane just looked at me without moving a muscle. I could

tell, because I counted the seconds. Then my resolve snapped. "Could you,

please, say something? Anything? I know that I look awful, but telling me that

is still better than just staring at me!" He smirked, but then his features

flattened again and he stepped away from the window towards me. "No, you don't

look awful. You might not be of otherworldly beauty, but I prefer talent and

character over cute smiles." This time he didn't stop in front of me, but

circled me once, to stop behind my back. I didn't dare turn around, so I just stayed

as I was, praying that this would end soon.

When he touched my shoulders I really jumped, making Tane laugh softly. "Easy

there, I'm not going to do anything but look and maybe touch you a bit. Stay

calm, I swear it won't hurt." He then moved his hands from my shoulders down my

arms to clasp them atop my hands, leaning into me while softly whispering into

my ear. "At least you've got some tits to speak of, and a nice ass. I really

prefer that to a skinny girl. I mean when I'm with a woman, I expect her to look

and feel like a woman, not like a prepubescent girl. I guess I'm making a good

deal with you there." He softly loosened my fingers and brought my hands to

my sides, then slid his hands from my hips upwards to gently cup my breasts,

making me catch my breath and stiffen some more. I hadn't felt that

uncomfortable in ages, yet somehow it excited me, too.

"See, just perfect, how your breasts fit into my hands. I will never understand why

some women prefer to be thin as a willow when their bodies can be so beautiful

with just a bit more padding. Any complaints?" He didn't really seem to expect

me to answer, as he began to softly kiss the side of my neck while beginning to

kneed my firm breasts. When I inhaled to get the breath to answer him

nevertheless he moved the thumb and index finger of his right hand to my nipple

and twisted a bit. Pain and desire both welled up through my body, and I gasped.

While he continued to softly pinch my nipple his other hand moved from my breast

down over my belly to settle firmly over my crotch, not toughing any

particularly sensitive parts of me, but nevertheless arousing me more. My legs

seemed to move apart on their own account, giving him free access to everything.

Tane softly chuckled against my neck and then stopped teasing me, with his

second hand again cupped over my breast.

"I'm not going to lie to you in any way. When I tell you that I find you

beautiful, I mean it. I wouldn't touch you if I didn't mean it. I'm not that

desperate." Again he chuckled, his breath tickling my neck and making me squirm

a bit. "Whoa, so eager to get this going on?" Only then I realized what my

moving had done to his grip on me, dipping one of his fingers nearly inside me

while rubbing another over my clit. I inhaled sharply, heat creeping over my face.

"No, I mean, I just ..." Once more a dry laugh, then he let go of me completely,

and I could feel the warmth of his body disappear from mine when he stepped

away. As happy as that made me, it also made me instantly long for his caress

once more. Strange feelings for me, but all of this was not the normal situation

I was used to.

When I didn't hear anything from him, neither a word nor the sound of his

footsteps I hesitantly turned around, this time not able to keep my hands calm

and unoccupied. Tane stood some feet away from me with his arms crossed before

his chest and looked at me, seemingly amused by my belated attempt to cover

myself up.

"It's okay; I know that I tickled you. But don't be cruel to me, let me believe

that at least some part of you might have loved it if I had continued. Okay?" I

nodded hesitantly, feeling stupid all the while. This all was just too strange.

This time I was really happy when Tane continued to speak. "Good. Now that this

is settled, do you still want to come with me? If you really hated me touching

you like that I'd advise you to decline and stay here. Although I hate to admit

it, there are capable people around here who can help you control your magic.

But I'd really hate to let the possibility to fuck you slide. But it's yours to

decide. Will you accompany me?"

His words somehow confused me. While I kept my legs shut tightly I could still

feel a slight trickle flow out of my pussy. Hadn't he felt that? Didn't he know

that he had aroused me? And if not, he must have seen, and felt, my nipples grow

hard. Or did he just omit to mention these signs to keep my embarrassment as low

as possible? I didn't know, and right now I was not capable of asking. I was

also incapable of answering, so I just nodded. My mind might scream at me to

stay here, to take the thoughtful decision, but my body insisted that I would

like what came from a man who could make me hot with minute effort. Maybe it was

the wrong decision to follow my body instead of my mind, but when I saw him

register my answer, I felt a lump disappear from my throat.

"Well, now that that's settled you can get dressed again. Provided you want to

dress? I wouldn't mind seeing the whole of you some more." He hadn't even

finished speaking when I already bent down and scrambled to get my clothes back

together and properly on my body. Tane all the while laughed, speeding me on in

my efforts.

We left the city about an hour later. Tane had briefly talked to some of the

mages while I had returned to my chamber for the last time, getting my scarce

belongings. When I returned I earned some looks that were full of pity from the

assembled mages, but no one tried to change my mind. We were off the Academy

grounds within fifteen minutes of my redressing attempts.

When he saw my little bundle Tane just frowned but let it go uncommented. Yet

before we turned to the road that lead out of the city towards the west he

ushered me into the shop of a seamstress, ordering five full sets of clothes for

me. I can't say how happy I was that the woman measured me with just a gaze and

didn't have me strip again. Tane paid and then handed me the bundle of clothes.

Next we went for some groceries and to a strange smelling shop where he bade me

wait outside. It looked like a tanner's shop, but I wasn't sure. The bundle he

came out with didn't give me any clues about its contents, and I didn't ask. It

was not my thing to enquire everything that happened around me.

Just before we reached the gates we stopped once more in a tavern. Tane briefly

talked with the owner, and then told me to wait out front. Some minutes later he

reappeared from a side street, leading two mules, one of whom was drawing a

small cart. He told me to hop atop that one, all the while swinging himself atop

the other. When I had finally accomplished the task of settling on the back of

the mule Tane led his animal towards the gates, my one following without further

motivation. I wouldn't have been able to provide it anyway.

Underway Tane told me that the cart and mules were rented from a small village

that we would reach later that afternoon. From there on we would have to go to

his hut.

Most of the day passed by me in a blur. We didn't talk much, as Tane kept his

mule in front of mine which made talking quite inconvenient, so I was left alone

with my thoughts. Not that bad either, as I was used to that. When the sun was

about to set we finally arrived in the small village he had been talking about.

Tane led us to a small house at the other end where he jumped down from the

mule and went into the building. This way at least no one looked at me while I

ungracefully made my way down from my animal. Then Tane and an elder man

returned, unbound the cart and brought the mules into the stables. After another

brief exchange of words both Tane and I took the bundles of our belongings and

set out again.

We had been walking for half an hour maybe, venturing at the outskirts of a

small forest, when Tane stopped and set down his things. When I eyed him

askance, he only smiled. "I haven't mastered a good part of the elemental magics

to go the better part of a week through the world. Now that we are outside any

part of civilization I no longer have to pretend to stick to the rules."

Evidently he didn't expect understanding form me, because he turned around

without another word, and for some minutes just stared at the air in front of

him. Then he raised his hands, and in the next moment the air in front of him

began to waver and spin. Within seconds a hole appeared there. I can't describe

it any other way. Through it I could see a rocky plateau with scarce trees.

Tane picked up his things and then motioned at the hole. "You've got to go

first, it will close the moment I step through. Just go through as if entering a

house, it's not that much different." For some moments I was too scared to even

move, but when he came over to me to usher me through with a benevolent smile on

his face I let myself be guided through.

The moment I stepped down at the other side of the hole, a gush of wind tore at

my hair. The air seemed to be a bit thinner here, and when I looked around I

could see that I was standing half-way up some mountain. The plateau was on one

side seamed by a meadow running downhill, on two other sides by steep cliffs,

and the forth side was represented by a steep rock wall that seemed to go on for at

least two hundred meters above the plain. A small wooden hut lay nestled against the

wall, nearly invisible next to a small grove.

"You like it?" I looked around to see Tane beside me. The hole in the air had

already closed itself. Again I looked around, nodding my agreement. In the distance I

could see further high mountains, altering the rolling meadows into rocky cliffs. I

couldn't make out the city or the village that we had left behind before, but we

really must have made some ground. A convenient way of travelling, I had to

admit. "Let's get to the hut. I'm hungry, and after a day of riding that cursed

mule I'm eager to sit down without feeling the world move beneath me."

I followed him up to the hut. The door was unbarred, but considering the lonely

wilderness around us and Tane's profession it would have been stupid to lock

anything around here up. After dumping the things next to a small fireplace Tane

showed me around. There were only four rooms, one of them being the big room we

were right now standing in. It contained the large fireplace, a small

arrangement of a kitchen with a table, chairs, a bench, and a cupboard with

dishes. In front of the fireplace stood two cosy looking padded chairs, with

much unoccupied room around everything. A second door at the back lead into a

small corridor with two further doors leading away on the right side, the rooms

behind being aligned parallel to the living room, and a small pantry at the end.

Tane opened the first door, revealing a small room with a bed, a shelf and a

trunk. "That's the room my students normally occupy. We'll see if we need

separate bedrooms." He smirked and went to the other, much bigger, room. "And

that's my combined study and bedroom. Here I keep most of my books and other

stuff that not everyone should mess with." Said stuff occupied one shelf of a

cupboard. The other two shelves were full of books. "I'm normally working

outside or in the living room, so I don't need all that much space. It's just

for storage." The other furniture of the room consisted of two large trunks and

a large bed, easily big enough for three or four people. "The rest I won't have

to address, now do I?" After another quick smile Tane turned around and went

back into the front room. I directed another gaze at the bed, before following him.

While Tane was loading some of his bundles into the other rooms I prepared

dinner. Cooking at least I was capable of, as Tane happily admitted when he

joined me. When I had finished we sat down on the table, me on the bench, him in

one of the chairs, and ate. All the while Tane talked about the house and the

surroundings, explaining to me where I should be careful to venture, where the

near creak lay, and so on. When it grew too dark to properly see Tane got up and

fetched a big candle. He didn't fumble around with a firestone but briefly

extended a finger towards the wick, which caught flame instantly. When he saw me

staring, Tane just laughed. "Within the next month you'll be able to do that and

other small tasks. Quite convenient sometimes."

After finishing the meal I got up and cleaned the dishes in a small water

bucket, and sat down again afterwards. An awkward kind of silence seemed to

stretch between us then, and I involuntarily began to fidget around on my place.

Tane waited until I was near to bursting, then leaned over the table, taking

one of my hands into his. For a moment he studied my palm, and then he began to

trace the lines there with a finger. I couldn't see his face clearly because of

the flickering light of the candle, but when he lifted his gaze from my hand to

my face I had no problems with identifying the look he directed at me. "I guess

it's time to go to bed." I just nodded, letting him help me to my feet and

leading me into his room.

The moment we entered, a dozen candles flared to life, turning the room into a

landscape of light and shadows. Tane closed the door behind us and stepped

up to me, laying his hands on my shoulders, all the while keeping me from

turning around to face him. "Last chance, you can now walk out of here, and I'll

open a gate for you back to the Academy." For a split second I considered his

words, but shook my head. "No, I'll stay."

I guess he was smiling then, but I couldn't see it with him holding me still.

After some moments he released me, and when I looked back at him over my

shoulder I saw him leaning against the door frame and looking at me. He seemed

to try to keep his face blank again, but a dark hunger seemed to be creeping

over his features faster than he could ban it. Now it was my turn to smile, and

although it was a hesitant smile, I tried to put an invitation in it. Evidently

that was all he needed for encouragement.

Tane crossed the distance between us with two swift steps, then encompassed me

in a warm embrace, and kissed me. I could feel my body melt against his while I

opened my lips to let his tongue explore my mouth. He took his time doing that,

while his arms slowly crept down my back from my shoulders to my behind. When he

finally broke the kiss he only leaned back enough to give me some space to

breathe. His face was almost too near for me to focus on it, but his blue eyes

had some mesmerizing quality in them. Then he kissed me again, still tender but

a bit harder than the first time, while he slowly stirred me towards the bed.

When my legs hit the wooden frame he stopped, again moving his lips away from

mine.

I half expected him to now throw me on the bed or something, but he looked at me

for some moments, while he still held my ass firmly gripped in his hands.

"You'll have to promise me one thing." I raised an eyebrow, urging him on to

continue. "There's only one thing I expect of you. The truth." That drew a frown

onto my face. "What do you mean by this?" He smiled briefly, but it didn't reach

his eyes this time. "I generally don't want you to lie to me, but when we are

having sex, I want you to never hide or feign something. If you love what I do

to you, moan and shout all you want, there's no one around here who might be

disturbed by it. If you don't like it, you don't have to tell me to the face,

although you can of course, but just let it pass. And never, ever, feign an

orgasm with me, do you understand?" I didn't really understand, and as he had

just told me to be open, I didn't let that slide. "Why? Most men I've ever been

with seemed quite happy when a girl pretends to be more aroused than she really

is. And, you know, at least I don't come every time I'm having sex."

The smile he directed at me was very close to a leer. "I don't expect that of

you. Sometimes it doesn't work, so what? There are many reasons why you might

not come, most of them being my fault. I don't claim to be the perfect lover,

maybe I'm not even a good lover, but I want to learn the way your body responds.

I want to know what I have to do to get you screaming in five minutes, and what

you like the most. You'll get equal feedback from me, the only condition being

to not pretend anything. I will never scold you for not coming, or for being

unable to make me cum. With patience and time we'll get over every obstacle that

might be around there somewhere. Deal?" I nodded, and then raised my hands to

entwine them in his hair and draw his head down to mine. "Deal." Then I kissed

him, while pressing my body against his. I could already feel him getting hard

against me. A promising thing.

Next he began to undress me, ridding me of my dress and undergarment in one

draw. When I wanted to start an attempt to do the same to his robe, he just

caught my hands in his and smirked. "No way. At least tonight I'm setting the

pace, and you'll be a good girl and let me do it." It might sound stupid, but I

still felt a little uneasy being partly undressed, but before that feeling could

grow into fright or something I quenched it with a witty response.

"So, how do you think this will go, getting me to develop a steady backbone and

self-confidence on the one hand, and expecting me to be submissive on the other

hand?" Tane laughed and kissed my lips, but drew away before I could respond.

"Not really submissive. And sex is only a part of everything. What you'll do

with other guys is your thing, with me you'll just not get away with jumping on

me, ridding me of my clothes and being atop me before I can even speak your

name." I frowned mockingly. "I didn't attempt that." "Maybe not now, but there

is always a tomorrow." With that he opened the strings of my bodice, pushed the

damned thing down to about waist level, bent down and encompassed one of my

nipples with his mouth, greedily sucking at it. I sighed before I even knew what

I was doing, but then remembered what I had agreed to just before, and let it

go, arching my back a bit and loosing his hair while he worked on my breast. By

the time his blonde mane fell loosely atop his shoulders I was already biting my

lips to stifle a first slight moan.

Tane then released my nipple and moved to my other breast, gently biting down on

my other nipple. After sucking some more he stopped and then went down to his

knees to grasp the waistband of my slip with his teeth and draw it down to about

knee-level. A slight breeze came in from the opened window, cool against my

skin, and my wet nipples hardened instantly.

When he had removed my panties Tane got up again to embrace me once more. This

time he didn't kiss me on my mouth but began to nibble at my ear while pressing

my naked body against the coarse fabric of his robe. Again I bit my lip and

closed my eyes, savouring the sensation.

He continued by bending down, picking me up without any further warning, which

drew a squeal from me, and lay me down atop the bed. I just lay there, looking up at

him. He then grabbed his robe and pulled it over his head. Underneath he wore a linen

shirt and dark pants. Before I could even begin to study his body he also

removed the shirt, giving me free excess to look at his torso. Well muscled he

was, this guy. Although the muscles were not the only eye catcher on him. The

skin on his upper arms, shoulders, chest and down over his belly was full of

strange symbols being tattooed and etched or branded into his skin, making him

look quite feral with the open hear spilling over his face and hiding most of

it. Apparently he was already used to women staring at him when they first saw

him naked, because he gave me a lot of time to gaze at him. When he finally

broke the silence, his voice sounded a bit hoarse. "Like what you see?" I

nodded, not daring to even open my mouth. "I hope you don't mind that my skin is

not unblemished." I shook my head, still studying the lines and symbols. Now

that the first impression was wearing off I realized that some of the lines were

scars, some regular like animal claws, some different.

"Where you got these from?" I extended a hand and traced one strangely curved

scar that ran over his rib cage. Tane's eyes briefly narrowed, then a slight

look of bewilderment went over his face. "Most women don't see the scars until

later. Guess I'm growing old if my muscles are no longer that impressive." I

smiled and moved my hand back so it lay atop my belly. "That I wouldn't say,

it's just unusual. Some of the scars could be claw marks, but this one ..." He

just shrugged. "Long story. Too long for now. I'll tell you later."

Then he leaned over me and kissed me passionately, while gently grabbing my

wrists with his hands and drawing them over my head. "I hope you don't mind?" I

looked a bit baffled at him, then felt him tying my right wrist with a rather

strong leather restraint to a bar that connected the posts of the bed. Before I

could even think about protesting my other wrist was also secured, and a brief

tug showed that he had quite well immobilized me. Fright briefly fluttered in my

stomach and must have shown on my face, because the next moment Tane laid a

finger gently onto my lips. "Don't panic. The restraints are not that tight that

you can no longer move, you'll see. I'm just keeping your hands out of the whole

thing. Okay?" He smiled warmly at me, and that smile melted some of the fear.

When I tried to wriggle around a bit I succeeded, and the way he had fastened my

hands my arms rested on the pillow, not overly straining any muscles or hurting

me. He hadn't done that for the first time, that was clear. Now I wouldn't be

able to get away from the bed, but where should I have run in the first place?

Until now he hadn't really given me any reason to bolt. So I breathed in and out

to calm myself and nodded. "It's okay, at least for now." I was rewarded with a

quick kiss, then Tane moved back again, briefly looking down at me.

"I really like your body. Your long auburn hair, your skin, your breasts, simply

how everything fits. Although ..." He frowned mockingly, scratching his chin.

"Although?" I asked, still fighting the fluttering feeling in my belly. Tane

bent down to trace a winding line with two fingers from between my breasts down

to my crotch, stopping where the hair began. "Would you mind shaving your pubic

hair? Might interfere a bit, if you understand what I mean." I couldn't keep

from frowning, but then nodded, again. I nodded a lot, lately. "No problem."

Then a slight smile began to creep on my face. "But I'm quite inexperienced with

shaving. Maybe you'll help me?" Tane laughed, licking his lips. "If you insist,

we can start a trip to one of the hot springs in the caves tomorrow. Warm water

is so much better for shaving. For now I guess I'll have to cope with fighting

my way through this forest."

He then went around the bed to flop down next to me, resting his head on one

hand while extending the other to lay it atop my belly. Tane caught my gaze and

then grinned hungrily. "I guess it's about time that we continued from where

we've been in the morning." He moved his hand down to my crotch, tracing my

labia with two of his fingers. I closed my eyes for a moment and shifted a bit.

When I opened them again I saw Tane get up on all fours, to lay down a bit

lower, so that he was nearer to my lower regions. He gently took hold of my legs

at knee level and pushed them apart, helping himself to a better view. I simply

let him rearrange my position, not resisting but not helping him either. Again

he shifted, lifting me left knee and crawled partly underneath it, so that I

lost part of my sight of him. I guess I would soon enough feel what he was doing

down there, even when I couldn't see it. Anticipation was already overriding the

last bits of fear from being bound to the bed.

For some moments nothing happened, then he bent up and began to kiss my raised

left leg at the hollow of the knee. I giggled briefly when he tickled me with

his tongue there. Slowly he kissed his way up from my knee to my pubic region,

softly tracing lines on my other thigh with his free hand. Shortly before coming

too close to any more sensitive parts he stopped, and then resumes kissing my

other leg, resting my raised leg on his side so that it was still elevated.

For some time he continued kissing and tracing lines on my skin, making me long

for him to move his attention a little bit higher. The next time he came to the

top of my thigh with his kisses he stopped there. I could feel his breath softly

whispering over my crotch, making me shiver a bit. Next he began to stroke my

outer pussy lips with his fingers, up and down. All the while he hid his face

behind my raised leg so I couldn't see if he looked kind of mischievous, but I

guess he did. At least from my point of view he was tormenting me with his

gentle movements, coming slowly closer, but never really touching anything

really sensitive. Yet he succeeded with getting me wet without ever touching my

clit or entering me.

Again he shifted, for the first time looking up to me, and then rested his head

against my leg, while his fingers still threaded their way through my pubic

hair. "Like it?" I nodded, yet tried to scowl not too much. I really liked it, I

mean most women must like it when a man is that interested in her nether

regions, but I might like it even more if he sped on a bit.

Apparently he got the cue, because he laughed softly and then spread my pussy

lips with his fingers, to then bend over and lick over my labia from my hole

upwards, ending with curtly flicking his tongue over my clit. I wriggled a bit,

urging him on to continue. Of course he didn't. That man really talked way too

much!

"You're already soaking wet, do you know?" He again licked his lips while

waiting for me to answer. First I only growled, but when this only widened his

smile I responded with words nevertheless. "Yeah, I know, you're doing a good

job arousing me. But please, go on?" Tane's eyes seemed to sparkle for a moment,

and his voice got a certain lilt again. "Oh my, is it so easy to get you to

plead? What will you do when I really keep you away from coming, preventing your

release for a long, long time?" I just frowned, although I didn't really manage

to look fretted. I don't know how other women react in such situations, but when

a man already got me aroused my social skills tended to hide somewhere.

He snickered and bent down again, closing his lips over my clit and gently

sucked on it, while letting go of my pussy lips and instead stroking the skin

between them around my hole. Now I was not able to stifle the moan that was

building in me, and I didn't really try. If he wanted feedback, he could have

it. I just wished for my hands to be free so I might intertwine my fingers in

his hair, but as that was not possible I resigned myself to relishing the

sensations that radiated up from between my legs.

My breath already quickened, with my blood rushing in my ears, when Tane stopped

again and then released me. He got up to his knees and studied me once more,

looking rather satisfied when I didn't even make an attempt to close my legs.

His pants were already bulging at his crotch, but he took his time fiddling with

the binding before removing his leg wear. "Don't look all too disappointed, I'm

really not hung like a horse. Guess you've seen better endowed men in your life.

But I keep on thinking that size doesn't matter as long as the technique fits."

After a last smile directed at me he removed his pants, fidgeting around a bit.

He wasn't wearing anything underneath, and after having freed himself of his

pants he knelt down between my legs and let me the time to study all of him. And

I might not be a real competence on that level, having been not overly active in

the last years, but his cock was not as small as he made it sound. It was about

five and a half inches long, and rather thick, and looked quite okay, so to say.

Judging from his words he either didn't share my view, or just wanted

reassurance. "Looks great. If it also feels like it looks I'll be in heaven

soon." Tane snickered briefly and reached down to get a good grip on his penis

and stroked it a bit. "I've already had two women complain about it, that was

nearly more than I could deal with and still stay hard enough to fuck them."

I just grunted. "I'm surely not here to complain. If you want to know, once I've

been with a guy who prided himself with a rather large cock. It only hurt, and

he was a total jerk. Didn't even get me aroused during the whole scene." Tane

stopped stroking himself and settled down to sit on his heels. The guy really

had too much time.

"I hope that I won't fail you that way." Grinning, he settled his hands on my

knees and leaned forward a bit, still locking his gaze on my face. He then

inched closer, now kneeling between my open legs. After another pause he moved

his hands to the backs of my knees and raised my legs up, to rest them on his

shoulders. I tried to move closer to him, but the bonds on my wrists prevented

me from that, only resulting in jerking my shoulders. Of course he saw that, and

chuckled again. "Seems like restraining you was a good idea, you are way too

impatient." I just snarled, only deepening his grin, and just wanted to call him

some ugly name, when he moved his hips forward and slid into me. There wasn't

much resistance from my side, and while I was still gasping I felt his balls

slap against my ass.

Tane smirked down on me while massaging my calves, still staying inside of me to

the hilt. When I didn't make any further attempts to speak he pulled back a bit,

until only the head of his cock was still inside of me. I could feel my vagina

contract a bit as if to hinder him from withdrawing. Then he plunged back fully

into me, bringing about a squelching sound. Once again he paused while fully

inside of me, curtly nuzzling my ankle. "Everything okay?" I rolled my eyes and

was somehow even able to raise my upper body a bit, resulting in my ass shifting

a bit so his cock was rubbing inside of me. "Quit talking and get it on! You're

driving me insane!" He laughed out loud and got a better grip on my legs.

"You're just so cute when you're getting angry when you're hot." This time I

really growled, what soon turned into a howl when he withdrew a bit and then

began a steady rhythm of fucking me.

Soon I lay sweating underneath him, arching my back and moaning softly while he

downright pounded inside me. His cock was now really hard and seemed to have

gained another half inch of circumference, filling the whole of my vagina, and

just feeling good. I wasn't really about to cum, but it just felt nearly too

good to be true. And I wasn't the only one who was moaning around here.

Then Tane stopped, his whole body shuddering, his eyes dilated, and started to

come inside of me. Two more hard strokes and he stopped, holding my legs tightly

and moaning all the while. I could feel his sperm inside of me, only adding a

bit to the general flood of liquids inside of me. When he was done Tane didn't

pull out of me but instead leaned against my legs and looked down on me, his

eyes slowly focusing on my face. Then he smiled, pushed my legs down on his

sides, shifted a bit and then lay down next to me, drawing me on my side and

into a loose embrace. I could already feel him grow soft inside of me, but he

only moved closer to me and then kissed me long and gentle, while stroking some

sweat-drenched hair strands from my face. I put my upper leg over his, closing

the distance between us as much as possible.

"I hope you don't mind that you didn't have an orgasm?" I just smiled and shook

my head. "No, if not coming always feels so good I won't have a problem with

it." He kissed me again and then settled one hand firmly over my ass cheek. "But

we aren't yet done for tonight, so who knows what's yet to come?" Snickering he

reached up over my head to loose the restraints, resulting in my wrapping my

arms around him the moment I was free. Tane then went back to kissing me.

With a last wet sound he finally slid out of me, bringing a gust of juice with

him. I briefly looked down on his still swollen penis now lying on my wet thigh

and grinned. "I guess if you always handle me like this I'll have to drink more

to compensate the liquid drain." I was only rewarded with a smirk, before he

began to lick down my neck and collarbone, kissing and licking his way from one

shoulder to the other, all the while encountering some of my erogenous zones.

After making me sigh a lot he stopped and again flopped down next to me on his

side, while gazing at me. I smiled and then ran one hand over the taught muscles

on this belly, down to gently stroke his penis. He grunted then. "Give an old

man some time to regain his strength, now will you? There's enough of me to

satisfy even the most insatiable nymphomaniac." I only widened my smile and

continued, still gentler running my fingers over his cock and testicles. "If you

need rest, maybe you'll now tell me about your scars?"

Tane frowned slightly, but then nodded. "If you want to - at least it won't

become too apparent when I'm getting aroused from the memories, I can always

blame you for that." He then moved onto his back, drawing me to rest on his arm,

snuggling closer to him while still stroking his member.

"Okay, where should I begin? It happened about fifteen years back, shortly after

I had graduated on the Academy. I was one of the few sorcerers there, not a

wizard like the mages you know, but a real sorcerer. You know the difference?" I

shook my head. "Well, you see, most of them might have the spark of magic inside

of them, but they have to study long and hard, leaning from books, taking them

years to master the art. And there are just a few who are like us, like me and

you, in whom the magic burns like a bonfire, manifesting itself long before the

training ever begins. Sorcerers are mostly limited to the powers of controlling

the elements and being able to heal, and only one in hundred has the ability

that you have, calling forth fire. It's the most dangerous for the sorcerer

himself and for the people around him, but we haven't applied for the job, now

have we?"

He sighed, contently closing his eyes for a moment. I guess I was accountable

for that. Then he continued, his eyes still closed. "It took me two years of

learning to be able to call forth my fire in any thinkable way, either in a

small flame dancing above my hand, or a searing beam of fire to incinerate my

enemies, and lots of others. Yet I was a boy of small and slight built, never

really getting along with the others who scolded me for not even being able to

heal the simplest of wounds or conjure up some illusions etc. During the washing

times they always picked on my because of my cock." He briefly opened one eye to

gaze at me. "I've had another growth burst in my twenties, you know." I

snickered quietly while softly squeezing his flesh, then resumed my stroking.

"And then came the war - you might or not have heard about it, some stupid

upraid further south. Many mages joined the army, and I therein saw my chance to

get away from all these stupid people. At least there I could do what I really

was good at - wreck havoc with my fire. And I mean it that way. Not only my

fellow soldiers were surprised, also the enemy seemed most interested. One night

they raided the small camp I had been sleeping in, killed most of the others,

and captured me." He swallowed, and this time I guess it were the memories.

"They threw me into some dark hole, drugging me so that I was unable to call

forth the flames, and let me rot there for some days. Then two of the guards

decided that all the fuss their commanders were making about that crumbled

little guy who was crying half the nights through was just unnecessary, and they

came to me at night, wanting to have their fun with me." Tane then turned his

head to look at me, his eyes devoid of any emotion. "And I've told you before

today, never be stupid enough to try to rape a pyromaniac, even if he looks weak

and is drugged, if there is enough wit left to fuel fear or anger, you will

burn, and burn they did." Briefly he smirked, then went on.

"The guards screamed too much before they burnt down to ashes, so others were

alarmed by that, and before I could free myself I was already brought before the

two head torturers the commander who had captured me employed. Two very

beautiful women. Only their cruelty could rival their beauty." He squeezed my

ass once more before locking gazes with me. "That was when I had to realize that

looks are not everything. What they did to me I don't want to tell you, not even

remember, but I still bear some of the scars, mostly from the whips. They turned

me inside out, nearly driving me insane, just torturing me for the fun of it. I

couldn't provide them with any useful information, although I would have told

them anything I knew as long as they would just stop." While speaking he turned

his head away from me to look at the ceiling.

"Eventually they let me go. It was after the war had ended, and they had more

useful victims to entertain them. After regaining my wits enough to get home

again, I went back north, but never returned to the Academy. Instead I made my

living as a mercenary, intent on learning how to defend myself, steel my body,

erase all the traces of the boy that I've been. Five years it went like this,

until I returned to Midriver. I pretty much looked like I do now, tattoos and so

forth. At first no one recognized me, but when they did they just ogled at me,

and I no longer wanted to cope with that. So I applied for the post of teacher,

and with my first student I went up here, built this hut, and taught him all I

could."

Tane snickered briefly. "Mostly I took young boys with me. Most of my fellows at

the Academy said it was because I couldn't stand to be with a grown woman, but I

never touched one of the boys. I just wanted to give them the chance I never

had, to prepare them for a world that could suddenly turn against them." Again

he closed his eyes and for some minutes let me stroke him in silence, him

already getting semi-hard again. Then he turned around, facing me, intently

studying my face for some time.

"But that's not everything. Some things stayed with me from the tender care of

my two mistresses. Not just the resolve to change my life. After that, I've

never been the same again." Gently he began to trace the curve of my lips. "It

might sound stupid, even contradictory, but maybe you'll somehow understand it

if you'll be living longer with me. Or maybe they haven't changed me at all,

maybe they just brought to the light what had been lurking in the dark all the

years before." Add a dramatic pause here. "Maybe you already suspect what I want

to say, but I'll voice it nevertheless. I'm a control freak. I only feel

comfortable when I can set the pace, when it's me who is the leading part. I

couldn't stand it to ever be restrained, yet I love to tie the girls I'm with

down." He still looked at my face, maybe searching for something there, but went

on before I could even begin to think of an answer. "And it continues from

there. I don't want to say that I'm getting off from really torturing someone,

but I love to see women squirm underneath me from both pleasure and pain. I love

inflicting that pain." Something flickered in his eyes, while his voice turned

huskier by the moment, and still he went on. "I would never only hurt a woman,

but I simply can't just hold her and fuck her gently. Violence always comes with

me, and although I can restrain myself enough not to rape a woman, some have

already accused me of nearly violating them. Rough is the softest I can manage,

for most that is already too much."

When he paused this time, I could no longer hold my tongue. "So you are telling

me this because ...?" He sighed, then closed his eyes, rolled over, slipping out

of my grasp all the while, and got up from the bed. Tane went over to the open

window and stared out at the dark landscape, giving me a good view at his firm

buttocks and the net of scars that webbed his back, all old and partly faded,

but clearly visible because of the sheer number of them. And somehow it hurt

inside to see that powerfully built man hunched over there like a beaten puppy.

I don't know why, but somehow a certain amount of trust built up in me, driving

me to get up and pad over to him. Me, with my thighs still sticky with my own

juice, and my body still ready to go on.

When he felt my hand on his shoulder he didn't shy away, but turned his head to

wearily gaze at me. I tried to force a smile on my face, but didn't succeed. I

can't smile on command, and this somehow was too important for me. "You told me

that because you wanted to warn me what there might be in store for me." No

question, just a statement. He nodded. I paused briefly, then sighed and also

looked out into the night. Moonlight lay in a silver haze over the dark grass.

When I turned my head again he was still looking at me, waiting. I sighed again.

"Now look at me, do I seem frightened?" He blinked briefly. "Hearing something

is one thing, but having it being done to you is a whole different matter." Now

I was able to smile, but it was rather a dry grin. "Well, yeah, of course, and

you are right when you tell me that I have no idea what it might be like to be

with you. But just look at me. I don't know how rough what you did to me was,

but it was fun. I liked it. You told me not to fake anything, so I didn't. It

didn't hurt for a moment, and I can at least tell that you weren't very gentle

while you tried to fuck my brains out of me." A slight glint and a twitching of

his mouth. "And I don't mind being tied up. It can be unnerving, I admit that,

when you are talking, and talking, and talking instead of fucking me when you

are already getting me wet enough to drown in, but I really don't mind. If you

always turn me on before you bear down that way on me, it's okay with me.

Really."

He seemed to consider that, then drew me into an embrace from behind, pinning me

between his body and the window, again ridding me of the view of him. "You

really mean what you say?" I nodded. "Yeah." He paused, then let his hands roam

over my body, only briefly pausing over my breasts, to settle down around my

waist. "You know, I might do more than just tie your hands. Maybe tie you down

as a whole, suspend you from somewhere, things like that." Again a nod. "Might

be worth a try." "And I might be hurting you, even to the point of making you

cry and wishing for me to be gone. Slapping you, whipping you, etc." I leant

back against him, breathing out to calm the flutter of fright inside of me. "But

you will also pleasure me?" This time he nodded. "Making you come over and over

again, scream yourself raw from pain and pleasure both. And it won't scar, if

you fear that. You might develop some muscles in places you don't even know

exist, but no permanent marks will stay." I sighed and closed my eyes. "Okay.

I'll deal with this when it comes to that. But I'll manage it. I trust you."

Tane then chuckled low in his throat. "You know me for one day and already trust

me?" I sighed and tried to turn around to face him, but he held me immobilized

the way I was. So I sagged back against him again, not struggling any longer.

"Yes, I know, it's quite a short time, but I know how you look at me, how you

talk to me, how you touch me. The way a man handles a woman when fucking her

tells a lot about that man. And what I read from you is enough to obtain my

trust. If I'm wrong, I'll be the one to blame and the one who has to get through

it, so you shouldn't bother with that."

Again he laughed, but then turned me around with a quite determined look on his

face. "Show me." I just eyed him askance. "Same as today in the Academy. I'll

only believe you after I've done it all to you. When you can look me in the face

afterwards and still tell me you don't mind, then I'll take you for your word.

Not now." I should have expected this. He really wasn't the man whom words could

convince. I could just hope to somehow be able to stick to my words long enough

to convince him. "Okay, what am I to do?" His smile turned nasty. "Just do what

you are told." With that he picked me up and carried me back to the bed.

After laying me down and telling me to get up on all fours, Tane hesitated a

bit, and I could see doubt clearly on his face. For some seconds he seemed to be

staring right through me, then he really looked at me, and still didn't move a

muscle. He seemed downright reluctant to do anything. And I couldn't really help

him, not knowing what he had in mind. To be true, I was not sure if I would have

helped him if I had known, but somehow just looking at him watching me was

strange.

Then he somehow woke up of his torpor and bent down to retrieve something from

the floor. It looked suspiciously as if he took something out of that bundle

that we had acquired at the shop where I had to wait outside, but I couldn't be

sure. Did I know where he kept his 'equipment'?

Tane then showed me two long leather straps. One he discarded on the bed, and

told me to kneel down and fold my arms before my body. I did as I was told, and

he began to bind my forearms to one another, from elbow to wrist. After tying

the final knot he tested my bonds, telling me to try if I could get free. When I

couldn't, he pushed my upper body back on the bed, briefly pressing my face into

the pillow. While I struggled to get into a half lying, half kneeling position

with my head lying partly on my bound arms, face well away from the pillow, he

picked up the second strap, told me to lift my head and fastened it around my

neck. That was far less comfortable as my bound arms, because when he once

yanked the strap the noose pulled rather tightly around my throat, not really

cutting me off from air, but nevertheless ...

Yet he did not further demonstrate what he could cause with that second strap

but instead went to the foot of the bed to fidget around with something for a

while. I didn't really dare turn around or even ask, his mood seemed to have

cooled down a lot and I didn't want to risk really angering him. Yet that only

fuelled my unease, of course.

I nearly yelped when he dropped down next to my hindquarters and squeezed my ass

cheeks. "Spread your legs and keep your knees apart. If I have to tell you once

again, you'll get some extra whacks for disobeying me, if I have to tell you

twice, I'm tying your legs down, and you don't want to know what comes by three

times."

I hurried to follow his instructions, evidently a bit too slow as he slapped me

once on either thigh. When my muscles were already starting to protest he told

me to stay that way and hold still. My knees must have been more than a meter

apart by now. Tane sat down next to me and patted my ass once more. I was just

beginning to wonder what this was all about when he slapped my ass hard without

further warning. I yelped, and before I could stop myself I tried to shut my

legs. Not a good reflex.

The noose around my neck was suddenly drawn tight, for a moment really

suffocating me. Tane leaned over my back whispering softly into my ear. "First

warning, don't do this again. Understand?" Only when I somehow managed to nod he

released the leather strap, letting me breath again. Again I was too slow to

open my legs, and this time he slapped me much harder. I bit down hard on my lip

to keep from screaming, and succeeded in both, keeping quiet and opening my legs

far enough.

The next time he slapped my ass I cried out once more, but didn't move, which I

was rewarded with a noncommittal grunt. Four more slaps landed on my ass before

he got up again, this time positioning one foot at either side of my body, and

bent down. Once more he began slapping my ass, but then moved down to my thighs.

It didn't hurt all that much, and the pain he inflicted went away rather fast.

My shouts came mostly from being unprepared. But I'm not that accustomed to

having my ass slapped.

After working on my thighs Tane stopped for a moment. I could already hear him

breathing hard, mostly from the exercise, but maybe he was also getting excited.

When his next slap landed squarely upon my pussy I jerked up involuntarily,

nearly knocking him off the bed. He must have anticipated this reaction because

he had been steadying himself beforehand, but before I could react in any way

the strap around my neck was already strung tight and my vision went wavery for

a moment. Tears began to spring to my eyes but I tried hard to fight them. All

the while Tane cursed under his breath, jumping from the bed, then jerking hard

on first one ankle, then the other, tying them to the posts of the bed. My knees

instantly began to hurt, being strained at an unusual angle. "Second warning.

Now it should be harder for you to disobey me, but if you do I'll make sure that

you will never ever disobey me again."

His voice was very near to a growl, and I preferred not to answer. Once again he

got up on the bed and resumed where he had stopped, slapping my pussy. With the

next slap I jerked as before, but the restraints held me tightly in place, only

resulting in bringing more pain from my knee than from my pussy. Before I could

calm down he slapped me again, then once more, and again, again, again ...

When he finally stopped I was whimpering constantly, tears streaking my face, my

pussy being one throbbing big bunch of flesh. My ass and thighs were slick with

sweat and juice, and although I couldn't quite understand my own body, most of

that was not the residue of our fucking from before. I might be wailing like a

banshee, but some part of me was getting hot by being slapped. Now that was

something to consider.

But Tane didn't leave me enough time for idle thoughts about my state of mind.

Before I had even been able to breathe once more after the last slap he was

already hunkering down between my spread legs and plunged into me, this time not

starting slowly or something. The pain that was only just beginning to subside

bloomed again, and I pressed my face into the pillow to keep my screams as

muffled as possible. He felt hard enough to soon be about to come, and I counted

that that would be the end of it. Of course he didn't make it that easy for me.

Although beaten and a bit raw my body already began to react to the stimulus of

him fucking me hard and fast, and the first pangs of pleasure began to spread

through my flesh. Call me a slut, but I'm not that hard to get off. When the

pleasure began to reach the same level as the pain he reached around my body and

firmly gripped my tits in his hands. No gently caress, and when he punched my

nipples I had to stifle another cry, but although it hurt it somehow aroused me,

too.

"You like that, don't you?" He was already panting, yet I could still hear that

cold anger from before in his voice. I didn't really dare speak up, but I also

dreaded not to answer him. But again he didn't really wait for a reply, but

instead let go of my breasts, stopped his pumping in my pussy, withdrew from me,

spread my ass cheeks some more, and then pushed his cock into my ass.

For a moment my world went red, and now I really arched my back, although I

didn't have the means to bolt. Only my being really wet saved me from being

ripped open, as his cock was slippery from my pussy, but he pushed far too fast

into my ass to let me adjust to it. I've only once had a man fuck me up there,

and it hadn't been all that bad, but unprepared it simply hurt. Now his rather

fat cock was a real bane.

To me it seemed as if he had plunged right into my ass, but when he finally

withdrew and then entered me again with the same speed it was already getting

bearable. As rough as he seemed to handle me he was still holding back a bit,

making sure that it just hurt me, but no more.

When he finally began to steadily fuck me it was slower than he had fucked my

pussy, and he held my hips tight enough to prevent me from any jerking movements

that might have caused me more pain than release. Just when I thought that it

began to get fun he took hold on the strap around my neck and drew it towards

him, bringing my face out of the pillow and making me take short gasping

breaths. With his other hand he went under my body, found my clit and began

rubbing it hard and fast with two fingers, briefly stopping to dunk them once

into my still wet pussy, then went on with enough lubrication. How he still

managed to fuck my ass I don't know. Yet he evidently did, from the sensations

that went through me.

Soon my vision began to waver again, narrowing itself on the edges. My panic

rose instantly, and I wanted to buck some more, when my whole body began to

shiver and I lost control. Only then I realized that he wasn't already

strangling me, but that a really hard orgasm was beginning to wreck through me,

nearly making me black out by the sheer force of it. So I only gasped and

shivered, jerking a bit, but unable to really cry out because of lack of air,

while he steadily fucked and rubbed me raw. I was sure that he was feeling it.

He could impossibly not feel it, yet he went on mercilessly, keeping me coming

for a really long time.

When my whole energy seemed to be spent I simply went slack, although my muscles

still shivered and contracted, but I couldn't hold myself up any more. Tears

flowed down freely over my cheeks, but no sound came out of my mouth, and I was

even too exhausted to heave my shoulders while crying. Only dimly I noted Tane

withdrawing from me, then loosening my leg restrains and the strap around my

throat, permitting me to breathe freely again. While he removed the restraints

around my arms I was already curling up into a foetal position, drawing my knees

up to my chin. He let me, and while I cried I could hear him rummaging around

the room, then exiting and shortly after that returning.

When he lay down beside me I let him draw me into an embrace, cuddling me

against him, softly stroking my hair and uttering some soothing words to calm me

down. It took me long to get my bearings back, and when I finally did I just lay

there and let him soothe me some more. I hurt all over, but it was mostly a

somehow even comfortable pain, not unlike the feelings I got when I was fucked a

bit too thoroughly. I guess exactly that had happened, although I had never

endured something like that before.

When I felt ready to talk again I raised my head from the hollow of his neck and

looked at him. He calmly gazed down at me, not showing a single emotion on his

face. I didn't know how he managed that, but I somehow envied him. After having

stared at him for more than a minute he let his hands rest on my body and

finally asked. "Changed your decision yet?" It was somehow hard to admit, and my

mind was already running rampage to get me to tell him that I was off the first

minute I regained the strength to stand on my own feet again, but that was not

what my body and instinct decided. And once more I let my mind run loose without

paying it any heed. "No, I'll stay."

He blinked, the first sign of anything coming back to his face. It was a mixture

of satisfaction and surprise, both a bit contradictory, but hey, neither of us

both was all that predictable. "Sure?" I nodded, and then did something I

wouldn't have imagined only a short time before. I heaved myself up a bit and

kissed him long and passionately. This time I was quick enough to get my

tongue between his lips before he could do the same to me. Guess I nearly

surprised him as much as I did myself. He let me fare for a while, then gently

pushed me down to again lay at his side. He didn't need to do more than dip my

arms, I was already tired enough to no longer be able to hold myself atop him.

Tane smiled gently down at me, softly toughing my cheek, wiping the last tears

away. "Liked it?" I took my time to ponder that question, not really finding an

answer. He let me, but I could feel him getting nervous. So I waited some more.

I didn't have much means to torture him, but the few I got I would use. At least

now, I just needed that.

When he was about to ask again I breathed out loud and cut him short with that.

"I don't know. I came, so I must have liked it, must I not?" He studied my face

a while before he answered. "Could be just the reaction of your body. You needed

some kind of release, and when I rid you of all the other means, that was the

outcome." I thought about that for a moment, but then shook my head. "Might be

part of it, but for some of it I'm to be held accountable. You did a good job of

hurting me, but somehow it was all arousing me, too. If you hadn't nearly

strangled me, you would have heard me shout in pleasure, too." I tried to scold

him a bit, but his grin just widened, but I guess he got the meaning

nevertheless. "Maybe I'll change that the next time. I guess I prefer hearing

you scream your voice raw over getting you off faster. But at least for tonight

I had to distract you from what I had in mind, and I guess in that I succeeded."

He then moved one of his hands down to my ass and gently stroked my

still-hurting anus. I shot him a glare which he chose to ignore, instead bending

down to quickly kiss me. When I could breathe free again I voiced my thoughts

nevertheless. "You could at least have prepared me a little or used more

lubricant. For a moment I really thought you were going to split me in two."

Tane just smirked and let his finger wander to my pussy to push into me,

wriggling around a bit. Then he pulled out again and slowly began to push the

finger inside my ass. He didn't have to push hard for my muscles to give. All

the while he kept his gaze locked with mine, and I did everything to put all the

contempt into my eyes that I could manage. The effect was quite diminished when

I began to moan and pushed against his finger, making him laugh again, a sound I

had already been missing dearly. When he pulled out again I nearly asked him to

continue, but stopped myself before a single sound came over my lips. I didn't

know if I could take it if he really went on.

"Forgive me that comment, but you are just a little bit insatiable." I managed a

weak smile and let him roll me on my other side, snuggling up against his front

with my back. He cuddled me some more and gently stroked my raised hip.

Just when I was about to drift off I felt him slowly edging his cock between my

legs. Without opening my eyes I shifted my legs a bit to make his work easier,

drawing a low chuckle from him that vibrated through my whole body. "Back or

front?" His breath whispered over my ears and tickled me just a bit. I resigned

myself to a shrug. "Do as you like. But don't expect much of me, I'm so tired."

Again he laughed, when I felt him slide inside my vagina. At least that solved

the lube problem, but I guess a mouthful of saliva would also have done the job.

But I didn't complain when he held me a bit tighter and gently began to move

inside of me. Once more I began to drift into that state between waking and

sleeping, relishing his tender caresses that kept me partly awake. He didn't

rush it, not really out to cum himself or get me there, just slowly fucking me.

Once again my mind roused itself out of the stupor, enough to let me ask one

last question. "I thought you only played rough?" Again he chuckled, although it

was a sleepy sound. "Guess when I've spent enough energy I can also turn down

the pace. Even I get tired eventually." Then he softly kissed my neck, and I let

myself go. After all not a bad way of falling asleep.