Banished Pt. 09

"Would this way hurt her? Physically I mean," she asked, and I shook my head.

"No. But, let's say that it would be a 'morally questionable solution' to say the least.. Not coercive, but manipulative, rather."

She shot me a curious look, then nodded.

"For the sake of the group? I would say do it," she replied, and I nodded in response, as she turned and walked away.

As I spotted Gisela in the distance, overseeing the new construction work being done by the supply carts, I headed over to her side.

"How is it going?" I asked.

"The workings of the gods are truly a thing to behold. Jiren, our artisan, says that enough material was acquired to build proper supply-carts. We might even be able to carry excess material, for repair, or trade."

I nodded, though I wondered if transporting wood was a good idea, given that we could cut planks quite easily whenever they were needed.

Either way, it was quite a relief, as it meant construction would be much easier when we were ready to settle down.

"Gisela, can a more private space be prepared for me to sleep? I wish to spend the night with Cameron," I explained, and she quickly nodded.

"Of course, Herr Nathan. It will be done. It brought me great joy to learn of her progression."

I rubbed the back of my head, chuckling a little as I did.

"Thanks," I replied. "By the way, I've noticed that most of the Kobalt who came with us were, life-bringers, is it?"

Gisela nodded.

"Will it be of concern later on? Finding mates for them?"

Gisela bit her lip, as she considered my question.

"It is beyond my sight. Seed-bearers will not flock to stalks whose roots are not anchored firmly to the earth, so the burden rests upon us to convince the rooted to cast their seeds out to the unpredictable, shifting winds of our crossing."

I rubbed my chin as I considered the predicament.

The problem would solve itself if our caravan generated sufficient attention, wouldn't it?

With the princess of Palancar amongst our number, there was bound to be interest, but maybe we needed to demonstrate stability.

Maybe even some tales of our daring deeds would help to generate some renown, and draw settlers to our cause?

As I considered the possibilities, my mind went to Miriam.

Her speeches had been quite charismatically delivered, hadn't they?

I mean, the people of Palancar; even those who did not follow us... they had been moved to tears by her words, hadn't they?

"Gisela, is the princess well known for her ability to speak in gatherings?"

Gisela nodded.

"Princesses often are, but she was regarded highly even amongst their ranks."

She'd spoken at the cluster before we left, and it was reasonable to assume that she'd planned on addressing the gatherings at the various steadings we were bound to pass through on our journey.

But maybe we should consider throwing in a story or two, perhaps, of our battle here with the monsters?

Maybe play up Francesca's heroism in combat?

The selfless sacrifice of those who'd died?

I relayed the idea to Gisela, and she rubbed her chin thoughtfully, smiling.

"This suggestion is virtuous. Regaling listeners with word of our accomplishment will certainly draw interest."

I smiled, as I was sure that Miriam would excel at the task.

As I chatted with Gisela, light had begun to fade in the grove, and one of Miriam's companion-servants came over to us.

She spoke to Gisela for a bit, and Gisela nodded, turning to me.

"If all is prepared, we may gather the Kobalt," she said.

I nodded, then headed over to the sleeping area.

Apart from Raul, Bianca, and Lucia, everyone had gotten at least some rest, and would be able to at least attend the memorial.

As I woke Francesca and the others, however, my eyes fell on Lucia, and I wondered if maybe she would have wanted to be there as well, given that her father would be memorialized with those who had fallen in combat on that night.

I shook her gently, and as she stirred, I scooped her up into my arms.

"You can sleep if you like, but I plan to honor your life-bringer," I said, and she rubbed her eyes, studying me.

I wasn't sure if she understood, but she didn't complain, so I carried her in my arms while Cameron and Jeannie explained our plan to those who'd just woken up.

"This is a good idea. Was it yours?" Francesca asked, moving to my side.

"I guess. Though I did get the idea from Jeannie," I said, shooting her a knowing look, and she blushed, and looked away.

"And is this the little lioness? You killed a freakin' Aufhöcker last night!" Francesca exclaimed, pinching Lucia's cheek, and the girl giggled a little in response.

I regarded the interaction with some amusement, as it was perhaps one of the few childlike responses I'd ever seen from her, despite her age, but as I kept an eye on her, I noted that she seemed to keep stealing glances at Francesca, and I figured that she had been captivated by her combat ability, like so many of the other Kobalt warriors.

Wouldn't be a half-bad idea to have Francesca train her a little, I thought.

Maybe they might both develop their combat skills in the process?

As the Kobalt gathered up into a crowd, and the conscious otherworlders gathered with us, alongside Miriam, Gisela, and Myrinne, Gisela shot me a look, and I cleared my throat, and handed Lucia over to Francesca, as I moved to the front of the group, beside the boulder we'd moved there.

"Last night, we faced an army of monsters. One that threatened to erase our very existence in this world-"

As I spoke, Gisela began to translate, and while the Kobalt nodded in response to her words, their eyes were on me, as I continued.

"-but thanks to you. Our brave hunters. Our tireless runners. And everyone who worked night and day to keep this caravan moving along on this journey. You, who left your homes, uprooted yourselves, and cut yourselves from the trees that would anchor you safely, had you chosen to stay. Thanks to you, we survived the night!"

"Ehre sei den Göttern -- Glory to the Gods!" a voice from the crowd cried, followed by a quick flurry of words in their language, and cheers and cries of affirmation sounded in response.

"Glory to the gods," Gisela translated. "He says without you, they are nothing, and that they would follow you even into the thickest grove of blight."

I raised a hand, then turned, and directed everyone's attention to the saplings, planted in honor of the fallen Kobalt.

"Without the sacrifice of these brave Kobalt, we would not stand here today. Not the gods, nor Kobalt; so, let us honor them!"

As the time to make the inscriptions came, however, I eyed my dagger, then turned to Cameron.

"Do you mind?" I whispered, and she shook her head, as she shot a quick glance at Leanna.

The girl however, seemed happy to be relieved of the task, and she shot me a conspiratorial look, as if to say 'good performance', as Cameron moved to the rock, and began to inscribe the names at Gisela's direction.

"We will embed the names of these Kobalt, so that all who look upon these trees will know the names of those who fell, only to rise to heights that we could never dream of!"

The Kobalt cheered again, and I turned as Gisela went over the names, one by one, with Cameron, and she inscribed them onto the rock.

When the process was done, I gestured to her, and as she nodded, the princess moved forward to speak.

Her speech was short but solemn, and as it drew to an end, Gisela signaled to the rest of the companion-servants, and they began to bring out the customary evening meal, which the gathering sat and enjoyed as a community.

"How was that?" I asked Gisela, and she smiled.

"You were captivating," she said, an admiring expression on her face, and I nodded as Francesca brought Lucia back to me.

Lucia seemed a little down, and as I scooped her up, I decided to move over to the memorial stone.

"This is your father's name," I said, brushing the name with my fingers, and as she repeated the gesture, her eyes teared up.

She wrapped her arms around me, and as I rubbed her back soothingly, she sobbed a little; soft, little whimpers, while I held her.

Evie shot me a pitying look, and I nodded, as she walked over to me.

She offered Lucia a little pat, before turning to take a look around.

"You're a pretty good speaker," she said, and I snickered a little.

"Had no clue what I was doing up there, to be honest."

"That kind of describes everything that we're all doing right now. I mean, I was holding a knife in my hand last night and thinking that I have no clue how to even fight off those things if they broke past our front line, and came after the rest of us. I mean, killing one with just a knife kind of seems improbable."

I snickered in response.

"You know, the first one I killed was with one of those knives," I explained, and she sighed.

"Of course it was."

She gave Lucia one more pat, before resting a hand over mine, and giving it a little squeeze, as she headed over to Molly's side.

Lucia seemed quiet, and as I wondered if I should get her to bed, I spotted Cameron and Nolan close by, so I headed over to join them.

"How's the injury?" I asked, and Nolan sighed.

"I feel tired, but nothing else, honestly. If I wasn't having nightmares about how it felt inside of the jaws of that monster, I'd probably doubt that it'd even happened."

"You should probably rest anyway," I said, and he nodded, as Jordan moved to join us, with a little wooden platter of roasted meat in his hand.

He offered some to Nolan, and Cameron moved to my side, as we left the two to their meal.

"She looks tired," she said, and I nodded.

"Was just thinking to put her to bed. Wanna come with?" I asked, and she nodded.

We moved to the sleeping area, and as I settled her down beside Bianca, she took my hand, and curled up into a little ball, clutching onto it, and holding me close to her chest.

"You know, she did the same thing when she slept last night," Cameron said, and I tilted my head.

"Oh? I was unconscious, I guess," I replied, as I'd basically had a dreamless night of sleep after the battle.

I stroked her back reassuringly, and as I caught Cameron studying me with that sparkly eyed look, I blushed a little.

"What're you thinking?" I asked, and she chuckled.

"You know what I'm thinking," she replied, and I smiled.

"I know, I just wanted to hear you say it."

She scooted over to me, then leaned over to kiss me.

"Can't wait to see you do that with our own child," she said.

I felt my stomach tighten a little, as I recalled momentarily how imminent that day might actually be, but I quickly shook the thought from my mind.

As Lucia's grasp on my hand loosened, I figured she'd fallen fast asleep, and I withdrew slowly, trying not to wake her, before standing up, and pulling Cameron with me.

"I made sure we could sleep together tonight," I said, and she blushed a little.

"Oh~. When you make it sound all official like that, a girl gets a little nervous," she said.

"We don't have to go straight to bed," I replied, casting a little glance over at the gathering, but she quickly shook her head.

"I wanna go straight to bed, just not straight to sleep," she said, and I smiled a little as she blushed, despite the suggestive nature of her words.

As she moved towards me, however, I stole a quick glance around, before pulling her with me to one of the larger trees within the camp, and she shot me a curious look as we disappeared from the sight of the rest of the camp.

Despite the questioning look in her eyes, she followed, and as I pulled her to me and kissed her, she shook her head.

"You know, we could just do this in our little space," she began, and I shook my head.

"This way, it kinda feels like we're naughty teenagers slipping away from the party to make out behind the bleachers," I said, and she giggled.

"Is that something you miss?"

"More like, something I've never done," I replied, and she frowned.

"You know, you say these things and I find it difficult to believe. How were you not a complete chick magnet back on earth?"

"My psychological assessment had a tendency to get out no matter where I went. Made it difficult to pick up chicks. Or, sane ones at least."

"Hm. So even the ones who were attracted to you, only saw your label, and not... you," she asked.

I nodded, and she smiled.

She took a look around, then ran a finger down my chest suggestively, as she licked her lips.

"Well, allow me to make it up to you," she said, as she leaned in to kiss me.

She put both hands on the sides of my face as she kissed me, and pressed her body against mine, forcing me to wrap my arms around her, to steady her as she did.

"We wouldn't be horny teenagers if you didn't feel me up," she suggested, and she smiled as I gave her butt a playful little squeeze.

As she leaned in and we kissed, and our tongues began to explore, my own part slipping past her lips, and as they danced, I began to really let my hands roam her body, fondling and squeezing her ass with my left, while my right hand reached up her shirt, enjoying the smooth feel of the bare skin along her side.

"Mmh," she cooed, as my hand finally found the outer swell of her breast. "As much as I want to fulfill your teenage fantasies, I'm dripping wet right now and in dire need of a proper fucking."

"So much for not swearing in front of your kid," I replied, brushing my fingers against her stomach, as she broke away, and pulled me with her to the princess' sleeping area.

We quickly moved to the little area, out of sight from the general campgrounds, and as Cameron lay down, I moved between her legs, and brought my lips down over her stomach.

I caressed the tiny, almost imperceptible bump, and her eyes were sparkly as she studied me.

"You put that in me," she said, her smile gleeful, almost, and I smiled, as I leaned down, and slowly removed her pants.

She spread her legs before me, and I drank in the sight, before locking onto her eyes again, as I crouched low, and approached her sex with a determined look; like a wild animal on the hunt for its prey.

She squirmed in anticipation, and as I moved in, I placed my hands around her legs from underneath, and held her firmly in place as I leaned down and placed a single, deliberate kiss on this inside of her leg.

Cameron cooed, and tried to clamp her legs down on me, as shudders ran up her spine, and I smirked a little, as I continued my probing, teasing approach, kissing along her leg, the spot above the beginning of her slit, before finally moving to the main course, and placing a long, smacking kiss onto the moist waiting lips of her slit.

"Mmh, baby," she moaned in appreciation.

Her hands went for my head, searching desperately for me, and I kissed her slit several times, before running my lips all along the wet folds of her mound, smearing her juices about as I inhaled deeply of her musky, womanly scent.

"Come to me, baby," she pleaded, and as I stood up, I undid the straps on my breastplate, and tossed the thing aside, before quickly stripping off the rest of it and treating it in kind, and she licked her lips as I crawled up onto her.

"These feel wonderful," she said, as her hands moved to the muscles along my abdomen, and she trailed the lines of what was quickly developing into well-defined abs, licking her lips as she did.

"I know you probably didn't have these in your younger days on earth, but even so, you probably had some quiet little girl in high school creaming herself while thinking about you at night. You just never knew it."

I smiled, then leaned in to kiss her.

"I think I much rather the pretty girl in front of me right now," I replied, and Cameron blushed as I brushed her cheek, and she pushed me back, then stripped her own shirt off in one move, tossing it onto the pile of armor, before leaning back and pulling me towards her chest.

She purred into the top of my head as she planted a kiss there, and I took one of her firm breasts into my mouth, and wrapped my lips around the stiff, puffy nipple that stood enticingly at me.

The camp was now more or less shrouded in darkness, and I noted once more that Cameron's body always seemed to glow almost in that light, her dirty blonde hair turning silver, and her skin glistening with a kind of radiance that made her seem... angelic, even.

As I fondled and devoured Cameron's breasts, she spread her legs out under me, and began to grind her hips against me, eagerly awaiting the next step.

I reached down, and she gave a little yelp as I aimed my cockhead at her sex, brushing it just slightly, and I shot her a little worried glance.

"Sorry. Reflex reaction," she said, and I shook my head, as I rested my hand against her cheek, and kissed her.

"You never have to apologize for that," I said, and she smiled, then put her hands to my chest, and gently directed me onto my back, as she climbed on top.

I nodded, as I'd realized that being in control when I first entered her always seemed to put her nerves to ease a bit, and as she took a deep breath, she positioned my head at the opening of her slit, and as her lips parted and I slid slowly inside, she shuddered again, and I put a hand on her hip comfortingly, as she took a deep breath in.

"I want you so much, that I feel stupid for reacting like this," she said, biting her lip a little, and I shook my head again.

"Even if the heart wants, the body remembers; and it will take time to heal," I replied. "You can take your time, every single time we do it. I'm not going anywhere," I said, and she nodded, smiling again, and resting her hand against my cheek this time as she leaned down to kiss me.

As our lips met, she kept them mashed together as she moved, slowly, taking more of my rigid length into her inner canal, until I finally bottomed out, and she let out a little pleasurable sigh into my mouth.

"I love you so much," she said, biting her lips as she made the admission, and I smiled, and kissed her again.

"I love you too," I answered, still not entirely sure if I really meant it or not, but knowing that it meant the world to her in that moment.

She made a happy little squeak, as she nodded, and again, we kissed as she began to slowly move up the length of my cock, and back down.

The rhythms were soft and gentle, but the stimulation, combined with the euphoric feeling of holding this beautiful woman in my arms, as we kissed, caressed each other's bodies, and gently made love, collectively made for an experience that I absolutely savored.

There was no rush, and every sensation was heavenly, making me wish that we could spend an eternity in that gentle, rocking rhythm, enjoying each other in that sensual little paradise.

"Despite all of the impending death, I'm starting to feel glad that I was sent here... if nothing else, to meet you," she admitted, and I nodded in agreement, as I leaned in and began to suckle her breasts.

"You truly are a goddess," I crooned. "My goddess."

She moaned at the added stimulation, cradling my head into her bosom, as she picked up the intensity of her riding.

I could feel myself slowly approaching my climax.

"I'm getting close to cumming," I said, and she smiled, as she picked up the pace a little.

"It's- fine. At this, mmh... rate. I'm gonna cum, ahn... when I feel you; unloading inside of me."

Being ridden to an orgasm while smothered between her breasts, and the feel of her insides wrapped around me, moving as I came; it had quickly become one of my favorite sensations.

Period.

It was addictive, even, and as she rode me to the cusp of my climax, I let out a little sigh as I leaned back, and to my delight, she followed me, mashing her breasts against my chest as she slapped her pelvis up and down along my length, and I wrapped my arms around her instinctively as I let out a final grunt, and began to unload deep inside of her womb.