Titans Ch. 01

He didn't miss the subtext in those words. An attractive woman who was clearly a second class citizen, surrounded by poorly disciplined soldiers. It wasn't surprising. He hated that it wasn't surprising.

"Could you help me bandage my chest? I have some cracked ribs that need seeing to."

Talia's head shot up in surprise, he caught a glimpse of startling golden eyes framed by sharp cheekbones before she hid her face behind her hair again.

"Of course my lord," she said, approaching slowly and falling to her knees.

Alex found a length of bandage in his first aid kit. He stuck the adhesive tip to his left shoulder and rolled the bandage under his right armpit, passing it to Talia behind his back. She pulled it tight and passed it back over his left shoulder. Her fingers danced delicately over his shoulder blades. They looped it around several times, covering all his fractured ribs. When they had run out of bandage, he stuck down the other end, triggering the rest of it to tighten and harden like the cast had.

Talia's hands twitched away as the bandage shifted. Alex turned on the spot until he was sat cross legged facing her. He reached for a sling and began sizing it.

"I was told that I should stay here," he said to her, "The general wants me in this camp and Major Swift told me that this was my tent. If I'm intruding at all, then I'll sleep elsewhere. I shouldn't need a tent for more than a few days."

Talia smiled shyly at the mention of the major. It seemed like they knew each other.

"That's quite alright my lord, I'm happy to accommodate you."

"Enough with the titles," Alex laughed, "If you were under my command then you could call me "sir", but my name is Captain Alexander Murray, so you can call me Alex, or Captain Murray if you're feeling formal."

He looped the sling around his neck and his right wrist - to hold his shoulder in position - then extended his left for a shake. Talia daintily took his hand and shook it. Her fingers felt like feathers on his hard skin.

"Talia. Talia Styrrwinn, my lor... Captain."

"Talia Styrrwinn, I apologise for intruding on your space. I promise I'll be out of here as soon as I can," he held on to her hand until she looked up at his smiling face.

She wasn't stunningly beautiful in the same way as Elizabeth, but Talia had a face that could only be described as cute. Everything about her, from her chin to her eyebrows, looked delicate. An ugly looking bruise shadowed her right eye. Alex reached out and brushed her hair away from it and she flinched. He pulled back, showing his empty palm in a gesture of peace.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, "I might have something that can help with that."

Again Alex reached into the kit, and pulled out a tube of ointment. Strictly speaking it was intended for sprains and muscle injuries, but between them it hadn't taken long for the mech pilots to work out that it could cover up an unfortunate bruise before an inspection. He gently pulled her hand towards him, and then squeezed out a small amount of the cream onto the tip of her finger.

"Rub that in carefully, make sure you don't get any in your eye."

Talia nodded, and Alex pushed himself to his feet and made towards the entrance.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"You're welcome," he replied, then left the tent.

"Thrak," he called to the orc who was still sat reading, "You seem about my size, I don't suppose I could borrow a loose shirt?"

Thrak took in the bandages and then got to his feet, carefully placing a bookmark on his current page.

"Of course Alex, no problem at all."

He folded his way into the tent behind him, nearly going double to fit through the opening. Alex joined the two dwarves at the broken anvil.

"Is Talia okay?" he asked quietly, "She had a bruised eye, it looked fresh."

"Och, the poor lass. Aye, she'll be right as rain, she has more iron in her blood than ye might think," said Daine, who Alex recognised as having the slightly lighter colored beard.

"You're Scottish," Alex muttered under his breath, "Of course you're Scottish."

"What was tha'?" asked Borrin.

"Nothing, nothing," Alex waved it off.

Thrak came back with a baggy, brown shirt that Alex slipped over his head. It was a little short in the sleeve, but at least it was loose over his slinged arm. It smelt of strong soap, and it scratched a little, but it was better than no shirt.

"There you go Alex, keep that as long as you like."

Alex thanked Thrak, then disappeared back into the tent as he went back to his book.

Talia was still kneeling on the floor, holding his combat knife balanced across her fingers. Almost all trace of the bruise had gone. There was a bit more strength in her voice than before when she spoke.

"Your knife, what is it made from?"

"Uh, steel mostly," Alex replied, but she shook her head.

"I can tell that, but there are so many impurities in it. This knife should be as brittle as dry wood, but it's stronger than anything I've ever felt."

"You can tell that?" he raised his eyebrows.

"I'm an artificer, I can do magic with metals," she gestured to be pile of books, "Unusual materials are an interest of mine."

She blushed, her face lit up like a neon sign and she gave an embarrassed grin. Her ears fluttered like butterflies and went bright red. It was incredibly cute. Alex sat down in front of her again.

Magic. Well why the hell not? It's not like any of this makes sense anyway.

"What a coincidence," he smiled brightly, "That's an interest of mine too."

When Elizabeth arrived, she found Alex and Talia on the floor of the tent surrounded by open books and pages of hastily sketched diagrams. A couple of empty bowls all that remained of the evening meal Thrak had kindly brought them. Talia had been explaining something, but when the major entered she leapt to her feet.

"Elizabeth!" she cried, and bounded over to her for a hug.

Elizabeth met the hug happily, and smiled at the captain over the elf's shoulder.

"I had a feeling you two would get along," she laughed.

She noticed Alex's arm slinged beneath his shirt and her face fell from happy to accusatory.

"What did you do?" she asked pointedly, gently pushing Talia away.

Alex shrugged with one shoulder.

"Injuries from yesterday, before the giants, cracked ribs and collarbone and a broken wrist."

"You fought three giants and marched ten leagues with a broken wrist and shoulder?"

Again he shrugged.

"My suit keeps things together well enough for me to cope, and I don't do much moving inside the bigger armor."

Elizabeth gave him an appraising look.

"If it weren't for the fact that your armor isn't exactly stealthy, I'd want you in my scout company. Speaking of which, I've made sure that none of the patrols will mention anything unusual in the rock pillars in their official reports, though I can't promise anyone else will keep the secret. You have a couple of days at best before a hunting party heads out in that direction so you might want to go and pick it up before then."

A call came from outside, and Elizabeth's face reset to the familiar scowl. Talia smiled at her.

"Go, I'll be alright."

Elizabeth nodded, her spirits lifted a bit, and she left the tent. Alex followed her, and when they were both outside he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Talia had a bruised eye earlier, just thought you should know."

"I know exactly who did that," she growled, "That rat bastard."

She looked to Alex.

"When she goes to the armory tomorrow, go with her. Make sure she's alright. I'll come visit when I can."

He nodded. The call came for Elizabeth again, and she nodded to him, then jogged away. Alex turned and went back inside.

"I don't need protecting," Talia said flatly to him.

She was gathering the books and papers, not meeting his eyes. Evidently she had overheard the conversation outside.

"Just give me more of that ointment before Elizabeth shows up and we can pretend it never happened."

Alex sighed, and ran his fingers through his hair.

"If there's one thing I can't stand, it's bullies. If this is happening repeatedly for no good reason, then I can't sit by and watch."

Talia whipped around, fury in her eyes.

"I am eighty-seven years of age; I will not be looked after by some fledgling human still wet behind the ears!"

"I'm not pure human, and I'm ninety years old," corrected Alex, sitting on the bed, "I understand having pride, but if you're allowing people to walk all over you then you've already lost it. That's something I know about all too well."

"You're really ninety?" asked Talia, her anger evaporating under his cool gaze, "You look so young..."

"Yes I am, and I've probably fought in more battles than have happened in your lifetime on this world. I pilot one of the deadliest war machines ever built, but even then I've still had to ask for help. Somewhere else on this planet is a woman who has helped me out of more bad situations than I can count and I want to find her. If I help you with your problems, will you help me with mine?"

Talia deflated, and slumped onto the bed next to Alex. She leant her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his good arm around her.

"I don't know how much use I can be, if I can't even help myself then how can I help you?"

"You're brilliant and intelligent, probably the only person in this world who can fix my mech, not to mention the only one who could understand how it works."

She wrapped her arms around him and pressed herself into his shoulder. His ribs hurt, but he wasn't about to tell her that. Instead, he kissed the top of her head lightly. When his lips touched her scalp they tingled, and Talia's breath caught in her throat. She looked up at him with an unknown question in her eyes, then in a quick, darting motion she pressed her lips against his. They felt fantastic, smooth and supple, and the tingling intensified. He pushed her away.

"Talia, what are you doing?" he gasped; he hadn't felt this out of breath before without doing a long distance run.

"I know what I want," she said to him, her golden eyes flickered like fire, "Don't you dare try and stop me."

She kissed him again and he groaned and responded. Her tongue made its way into his mouth and danced with his own. The elf pulled away only to remove his shirt, and her hands grasped and kneaded at the muscles on his back. Finally, Alex began to move, as his own hand grabbed her at the waist and pulled her body again his.

They collapsed backwards on to the bed with Talia on top, and her hands moved to his front where they stroked at his chest. Alex moved his hand lower and held her ass. It was small and firm, filling his palm nicely. They broke for air, and Talia straddled him, the heat of her sex pressing on his cock as it strained against the crotch of the pilot suit. She grabbed the hem of her dress and swiftly pulled it up and over her head. She was wearing nothing underneath, not even a hair covered her flawless skin from his gaze. Her breasts were small but perfectly shaped, capped with hard, pink nipples.

Alex pulled her back down again and hungrily sucked and nibbled at her nipples. Talia whimpered in delight and began to fumble with his belt. When she finally unfastened it he lifted his hips and she pulled down his pants and briefs. The fingers that had felt so light on his hand now stroked his cock and it felt like heaven. It was only through a superhuman display of self-control that he didn't cum right then.

Talia knelt up again, lifting herself and lining his cock up with her entrance. She shifted backwards and forwards, and her sweet juices flowed out over the head of his cock. They both moaned. As she began to lower herself onto Alex, both of them went silent. There was an incredibly pleasurable pressure as his head split her pussy lips, and then he was in; the same tingling he had felt on his lips now spread over every part of him inside her. For the second time in as many minutes, Alex had to struggle not to blow his load.

He was only just in, and it was already tighter than he could have ever imagined. As the elven woman rocked back and forth, very slowly he began to slip further inside. When he was still only halfway in, he felt a resistance. Talia bit her lip and closed her eyes, with a push downwards she sank the rest of the way onto him; burying him to the hilt in her hot, wet cunt.

She collapsed forwards, holding him close as her hips rocked of their own accord.

"So good," Talia whispered, and Alex had to agree.

When he began to thrust into her, she whimpered and buried her face in his neck. He grabbed at her ass and lifted it up and down in sync with his own pace. She kissed his neck, and he felt a line of lightning connecting her two pairs of lips via his spine.

They fucked at a slow and relentless pace. Three times Talia muffled her cries of climax into his shoulder before Alex felt his own release approaching. She seemed to sense it, and brought herself up on her elbows to look into his eyes.

"Do it," she said, and kissed him again.

Again he felt the bolt of lightning jump down his spine, and he bucked his hips wildly. Hot cum splashed against her insides, and Talia came again, her pussy clenching as his cock twitched. They moaned into each other's mouths, and when the sparks of pleasure finally stopped, she went limp on top of him.

Alex held her in his arm as they both gradually came down from the highs of ecstasy. When she seemed to have regained some control of her muscles, she rolled off of him, gasping as his limp cock slipped out of her and his cum oozed onto her thigh. She snuggled into the crook of his arm, and her breathing slowed as she drifted off to sleep. Feeling more relaxed than he had in a long time, it wasn't long before Alex joined her.

*****

Cold metal against his throat woke the Captain from his slumber. Major Swift stood over him with her sword pressed to his neck. Her jaw was set in anger and there was murder in her eyes.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't slit your throat right now you bastard," her voice shook and he could hear the pain of betrayal in it.

He slowly turned his head, Talia lay with her back to him and they were both still naked. This looked bad.

"It was her decision," he said loudly and clearly.

The major shook her head.

"She would never. I'd say you have no idea what she's been through but you were clearly a part of it," she spat.

She turned the blade so its sharp edge nicked Alex's adam's apple. His left arm was underneath Talia and his right was still in the sling. There wasn't a lot he could do from this position, so he just kept his expression calm and neutral. The major growled and her knuckles went white on the grip of her sword, but then it was suddenly flung across the tent - torn from her clutch by an invisible force.

"Elizabeth!" Talia sat up, her outstretched hand contorted in a claw as she pushed the major back to the opposite corner to her sword; her breastplate leading her there as if drawn by a magnet.

Alex sat up and put a gentle hand on Talia's shoulder.

"She found us like this, she thought that I had..." he trailed off.

"I know exactly what she thought!"

Talia stood up and stomped naked across the room. Despite the situation, he found himself admiring her perky backside. Talia stopped in front of Elizabeth, who was extremely conflicted about the angry, naked elf in front of her. She pressed her hand to her abdomen, just above her mound. When she spoke, there were tears in her voice.

"I felt it Elizabeth, you know what that means. Don't you ruin this for me."

Elizabeth's skin turned a paler shade of white. Her eyes darted between the two lovers with something that looked like shock.

"I'm sorry," she stammered out, then fled the tent; leaving her sword behind.

Talia leapt back into the bed, throwing her arms around Alex's neck. Tears fell from her eyes but she was laughing with joy, repeating "I found you, I found you!" to herself. Alex was dazed, so he just put his arm around the naked elf and rested his chin on her shoulder.

Eventually Talia pulled back and kissed him passionately. Holding his face in her hands. When she saw the confusion in his eyes, her face fell and her ears drooped.

"What's wrong?" she asked him, she sounded afraid, "Why aren't you happy?"

"Well I'm quite pleased I didn't get my throat slit open," he blinked, "Other than that, I have no idea what's going on."

Talia sat back, exposing herself to him. Again she pressed her hand over where her womb would be.

"I felt it, we're a match," she smiled at him bashfully.

"We're a match?" Alex's eyebrows went up.

It was Talia's turn to look confused.

"Are you not familiar with elves?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Not even slightly," Alex shook his head, "Where I come from, there's only humans and us."

Talia slumped backwards, pondering, and then began to talk. Elves, she explained, were naturally magical, and as such there were some differences between them and the other races. They lived long lives and could communicate with plants and animals. Elven women, the legend went, knew instinctively when the person they were with was a match for them. The practical side of this was that they felt when someone was suitable for them, as the magic within them recognised certain qualities in their mate. When they found that mate, they would stay with them for life.

"I see..." Alex said slowly.

To say this was unexpected would be an understatement. He was in shock.

"This magic," he asked finally, Talia's ears pricked up, "Does it work both ways? Will it make me stay with you for my whole life?"

"It doesn't work like that," she shook her head, "It doesn't change anything about us, it just recognises that you will make me happy."

"And it's definitely always right? I'm from another species, and I've never even had a serious relationship before."

She laughed tunefully.

"Don't worry about it, just be yourself. Be as impulsive or as controlled as you would normally be. Anything you would willingly do is something I already thought you should, our desires match perfectly; that's what the magic means."

She kissed him softly on the lips, then whispered sensually in his ear.

"Anything you want to do to me, I will love it. Anything you do with anyone else will only excite me. I am yours, completely."

Alex's brain temporarily shut down as all his blood rushed to his cock. That was quite possibly - actually, it was definitely - the most arousing thing anyone had ever said to him. He growled animalistically and wove his fingers into Talia's long hair, kissing her deeply. She moaned happily and grabbed at his cock to insert it into her again, but Alex had other ideas. He picked her up and flipped her onto her back. She was surprisingly light for a woman as tall as she was. The elf gasped, and a wide smile spread across her face as he moved between her legs and slipped his cock into her burning pussy.

Alex pumped his cock in and out of Talia as she writhed in bliss beneath him. Supporting himself on his good arm he leaned over her head and kissed her. Again his pleasure intensified, until it was almost like his tongue was a second cock. From the noises she was making, it seemed Talia felt the same. Her hands clutched at her breasts, pinching her nipples between slender fingers as she came again and again. When Alex was finally spent, he pressed himself deep inside her and unloaded his cum. She squeaked in surprise and pleasure as his twitching cock set her off again, and then moaned in delight as after a brief rest inside of her he began fucking her once more.