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Message-ID: <27429asstr$974049003@assm.asstr-mirror.org>
From: "Emton" <god@fulu.dhs.org>
NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2000 06:25:21 MET
Subject: {ASSM} Farseer 2 - Hidden strength {Emton} (MF, con, magic, drug)
Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2000 12:10:03 -0500
Path: assm.asstr-mirror.org!not-for-mail
Approved: <assm@asstr-mirror.org>
Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories
Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d

**********************************************************************
My second story and the second chapter in the tale
about Rayne Farseer. Sorry it took so long, but
at least I have a universe and a plot now. :-)

Any comments and/or suggestions would be greatly
appreciated. Send them to: god@fulu.dhs.org or
post in alt.sex.stories.d

I hope you like it.

This story may be freely copied and distributed as long as no
money changes hands.

-=Emton=-
**********************************************************************

Chapter 2 - Hidden strength

The weather wasn't quite as grim as my mood but it was getting there.
Over the past two weeks, Ilea and I had developed a warm friendship
and much more than that in the strict physical sense. The last thing
I wanted was for her to leave. Every day I watched her get more and
more nervous the closer we got to the shipping lanes into Alvadon.
Finally, she had decided that loyalty to her people's doctrine of
secrecy had to come before our mutual merriment and vanished into the
sea, taking the Uruk with her. No one would believe my story of a
miriel and her seabeast even if I did tell it and that was the point.

Ilea had given me more than just a few memories, she had saved my
life from death by starvation on the open sea. Now, the island my map
called Almidian was on the horizon. I didn't fancy the cold shower
the heavy clouds above promised so I started rowing. The faint green
line on the horizon grew ever so steadily into a sight I will never
forget.

The Westwood forest is indeed a mighty view. If you're approaching
the island in a small lifeboat after months of nothing but water
below and clouds above (not to mention a horny mermaid in the middle)
it's nothing short of terrifying. A shiver crawled up my spine when I
turned from rowing to see where I was heading.

 From afar it looked like a solid wall of timber, like a fort built by
giants. The closer I got, the more detail was revealed. The immense
trees, some of which one could probably build several fishing boats
from, lifted what looked like a solid canopy of green high up in the
sky. Beneath the green ceiling hung an intricate network of branches
that looked not unlike a spider's web - some spider it would have
been too. Below that were bushes, and smaller trees of all shapes and
sizes. I was a bit concerned about how I was to travel through this
wilderness without losing my way.

A drop on my shoulder reminded me to pick my jaw up from the deck and
get back to rowing. The Westwood had made a powerful first impression
on an inexperienced soul. It was with a light drizzle on my back that
pulled the lifeboat ashore on the pebbled beach and started gathering
my belongings. The air was so heavy with moisture I had difficulty
breathing at first.

I did not want to leave my boat on the shore, but I could hardly take
it with me. Leaving it meant leaving the sea on which I had spent a
considerable amount of time lately. More than that, it made me feel
like I was abandoning Ilea, not the other way around. Even the nuns
in the orphanage were far beyond reach just like everyone else I had
ever known. Though I didn't fear for my life like I had on the open
sea, I felt no less alone. Nevertheless, Alvadon awaited.

The first few hundred metren in were harder than expected. It was
almost like the forest wanted to push me back out with its bushes and
undergrowth. There were branches in every direction and the thick
leaves were like cold, wet hands grasping for me no matter which
direction I walked. The soft moss covering the ground made walking
exhausting after only a short while. I had had plenty of "exercise"
while at sea so I felt as fit as I ever had but this was just too
much.

I was sweating heavily by the time I encountered a small stream. The
forest opened up a bit on either side and it looked to head more or
less in the direction I was going. Finally a bit of luck. Short of
breath, I kneeled by the stream and drank my fill. Even the water
Ilea had brought me while at sea hadn't tasted this good. My head was
filled with images of mountains and glaciers like those the
illusionists back home in Sobruk used to create when they were
selling their "miracle water". It was a well kept secret that the
same water was tapped from the village pump when the illusionists
thought no one was looking. One I made a fair amount of coin from
said illusionists by keeping to myself.

The drink was invigorating but it left me acutely aware of a hunger I
hadn't felt before. Suddenly I wished I hadn't skipped so many of the
fauna and flora classes Sister Theresa taught. I could picture her
mockingly saying "I told you so" as I used what little I after all
did learn to gather a small meal from whatever grew near the river.
The pickings were as sparse as my knowledge. As it turned out, the
roots were drier than bearable and only surpassed in foulness by the
bitter berries I found. What I wouldn't have given for a bit of
Sister Miriam's fresh-baked bread just then.

I was nearly overcome by a longing for the orphanage by the images of
the two aforementioned sisters. I had skipped many of Theresa's
classes to help Miriam in the kitchen. The fact that Theresa was an
old crone with a sadistic streak and Miriam was the object of half
the orphanage's wet dreams had absolutely nothing to do with it. She
was a nun for Lumin's sake. We would spend hours in the hot kitchen,
talking while plate after plate of the bread for the next three days
would bake. The whole lower monastery would smell...

Horrible.

I looked around to find where the foul odour that had so rudely
interrupted my daydreaming came from.

A group of small, round mushrooms close to the river clung together
like they were conspiring to poison the whole world with their
stench. The minute globes, only a few finger-breadths wide, were
speckled brown in colour and smelled like fruit that definitely had
seen better days. Even the ground was barren where the little
clusters grew, but of course, I didn't take the hint and picked one
for study. Closer examination revealed tiny, transparent blisters
with a bluish hue covering the fruit. The whole group looked sickly
and frail. No doubt they were halfway rotting, I thought.

I was awarded for my critical study of the mushrooms by a spray of
liquid in the face when one of the blisters suddenly burst.

Sweet, merciful Lumin how it burned. Seconds after being sprayed, my
face was on fire with pain. Trying to wipe off the poison I succeeded
only in rubbing it further into my eyes. Half blind and tears flowing
I stumbled into the stream and buried my head in the cooling water. I
vigorously washed myself for minutes before I even dared trying to
stop. It felt like an eternity before the pain was tolerable. Every
time I brought water to my face it stung like a bad sunburn and my
hand came away red with blood from my nose. At length and with much
washing, however, the pain receded.

Horrible as it was, it didn't look like there would be any lasting
scars. My skin still felt whole even if I probably was redder than a
drunken dwarf at a clan gathering. At the end of the day, my ego
would be more bruised than my face.

"Point taken, sister Theresa," I muttered to myself and gathered my
things. I was mighty careful where I stepped after that incident.
There were things in this forest that were easily underestimated.

Once I had penetrated what almost felt like a shield of brambles
along the stream, the forest displayed its majesty. The massive
wooden pillars seemed to hold the very sky in place and the bushes
gave way to rolling hills with the odd flat clearing here and there.
Walking was easier now that I had convinced the forest of my
determination. There were less of the weeds and bushes to hinder me,
no doubt due to less sunlight slipping through the thick leaves. When
I passed the more open areas, I heard the faint pitter patter of a
light shower, but little of the water penetrated the thick leaves
above where I walked.

Somehow, I felt, my vision was clearer. I noticed small squirrels in
the trees, birds on branches far above and even caterpillars on
leaves nearby. I had never taken notice of such things before. Had
the sea robbed me of such images for so long that my mind absorbed
them more readily when on land? "This must be why sailors are always
so anxious to make it to port," I thought wrongly.

The air smelled strongly of earth, bark and grass. I wondered if the
poisoned mushroom had sensitised my nose like a slap on the wrist
makes it tender. There were also strange sounds that felt alien and
familiar at the same time. Perhaps I had heard the rolling of the
waves at sea for so long that I was more used to them than the sounds
of land. Either way, I knew I had never heard the chattering of birds
as anything more than background noises back in the miller's forest.
Here, the noises were the language of the forest itself. It was
almost like I experienced everything for the first time.

Before long I heard noises that were not the forest speaking.

Carefully sneaking up a hill to peek over it, I left my harpoon and
other things behind to not have the clattering give me away. As I
guessed, the noises I heard were trees being chopped down. I quickly
saw, however, that it was a mob of goblins doing the chopping.
Especially since I was treated to a grand view up a goblin's backside
just as I looked over the top of the hill.

A classic insult back home goes "you can't tell his face from his
arse." I think this saying is a fitting description for greenskins in
general and goblins in particular. They are simply ugly all over.
Right from the evil grins perpetually present when they are about to
con someone (in other words, always) to the... well... other end.
These greenies were no exception even if they were dressed quite
different from the little troublemakers at home. Nearly naked, save
for a loincloth here and there, they went at the trees with wild
abandon. It all looked like a well organised lumbering party. As
organised as goblins could get at any rate.

My newfound friend whom I already knew more about than I cared to
luckily hadn't noticed me. I turned to sneak down the hill again.
Best to leave well enough alone, I thought. Halfway to my bundle of
things I heard a hoarse high-pitched voice from behind and above me.

"Oi! Where'ye going 'umie? Looks like I's caught me a spy innit?"

Before I could think of a reasonably intelligent answer the goblin
jumped me and we ended up rolling on the ground, him trying to stab
me with a knife, me trying to avoid being carved like a pig at
Pinnock's day. It just goes from bad to worse in this place, I
thought as we struggled. I was half hoping that the tree I heard
falling would squash the pair of us. Perhaps it was all a nightmare
and I would awaken to in Miriam's kitchen if it did.

"I will 'ave yer head on me stake by evenin' I will," The green one
shrieked and slashed clumsily at me with his knife. I grabbed for it
and we ended up rolling further downhill to the little stream.

The rumbling and crashing seemed to come closer but we continued
fighting. The little one cursed and spat like a true sailor. Suddenly
he grabbed a fistful of dirt and shoved in my already too tender
face. Momentarily on top he raised his knife to finish me off the
second I regained eyesight. Stupid lot, those greenskins.

My hand was burning with pain yet again, but in the struggle I had
managed to grab a small, round mushroom with blue blisters on it. I
made sure the greenie got a good, close look while I grabbed for the
knife. Eyes wide in horror and a silent scream from his lips, my
attacker got to his feet and frantically wiped at his face. I gave
him a solidly placed knee in the groin lest he forget me. His eyes
rolled back in his head before he fell into the water with a glazed
expression on his face.

I wondered when that tree would finish falling and suddenly the
rumbling noise stopped right behind me. I nearly joined the goblin in
unconsciousness when I turned round to stare into a giant earth-
creature half again the size of a man. A tall man, even.

The creature was vaguely human in shape. Moss and grass covered the
thing and roots stuck out of the body at odd angles. The head was not
so much a head as it was a lump between the shoulders with two very
unfriendly eyes staring at me. Unfriendlier still was the big rock it
was about to crush me with. I thought I was done for. The goblins
must have heard the fight and sent this thing to finish off the
intruder.

"Golem, Stop!" shouted an authoritative voice from somewhere behind
the thing just as it was about to crush me.

Golem was it? I was staring up at a creature of myth, used by mothers
to scare naughty children. The thing sighed heavily and took a step
back but didn't lower the rock. Out from behind the mass stepped a
green-robed figure. Too tall to be a goblin, I saw.

It was a woman. The long, golden tresses that flowed out of the green
hood told me that much. She drew back the hood, placed a hand on a
narrow hip and studied me critically. The presence of the huge beast
somehow slipped to the back of my mind when I saw her face. If she
was older than me, it wasn't by much. For all my infatuation with
Ilea, I had to admit that this woman possessed the kind of beauty
that could launch ships and inspire songs. She was beautiful even if
she was skinny as a twig and looked about as frail. I wondered how a
girl like this could muster the authority to boss around a golem. A
slight smirk crossed her lips and she gestured to the goblin now with
green foam bubbling out of his mouth.

"What exactly did you do to that poor greenie?" she chuckled and
helped me to my feet, voice now much more light and cheerful. I took
a careful step away from the golem before I shrugged and showed her
the remains of the mushroom I had shoved in the goblin's face.

"He won't be going near those anytime soon. I learned it the hard way
too," I said and added, "You're not with them, are you? You stopped
that... thing from crushing me."

"It's called a golem," she sounded surprised that I didn't seem to be
as familiar with it as she was, "and I'm a dryad. I keep these woods.
My name is Lithirie." She started fiddling with a small pouch in her
belt.

"Rayne," I replied and her face lit up at that for some reason.
"Lithirie? That sounds elvish." I had never met an elf before but I
had seen them at the docks bartering with the merchants. They always
struck me as rather arrogant, but this one was different. She
fidgeted with a small flask retrieved from the pouch like she was
impatient and reluctant at the same time. I surprised myself with
this insight. I usually wasn't the most observant of people. Many
things were changing lately.

"Wood-elf if you must know," she sighed, "I have been waiting for
rain for some time, now I seem to have gotten Rayne as well," a
melodic laugh at a terrible joke. "Here's something to neutralise the
poison. Drink it." It appeared she had won the internal struggle and
handed me the flask.

If she had wanted to harm me, she wouldn't have stopped the golem, I
reasoned, so I accepted.

"What about the others?" I asked and downed the potion. "Earth-boy
there isn't exactly subtle." I acted more manly than I felt. "They
ran for the hills, right?"

"Exactly," Lithire laughed. "I have never had to harm any of them.
They run at first sight of one of these."

"These," I thought. "So there are more of them." This woman is
apparently a force to be reckoned with in this forest if she commands
more of those. At any rate, it was comforting that the goblins at
least were the same as home.

"It's a good thing too," She continued, "For all the damage they some
times cause, the forest goblins belong here as much as I do. It's
been more than usual lately, though." She gestured up the hill and we
started walking, golem in tow. She walked with quick, small steps and
I got the feeling she was impatient about something.

"Speaking of which. What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I'm from Brest. I enlisted on a merchantman and got... err...
disgracefully discharged. Ah-hem. By the grace of the Lumin and a
favourable wind I made it to shore not far from here in a lifeboat."
I was a terrible liar but I had promised Ilea not to tell anyone
exactly how I got there. Besides, the dryad would probably think me
nuts anyway. That, at least was the miriels' plan, though I suspected
that when one associated with goblins and golems daily, believing in
mermaids might not be that much of a stretch.

"Must have been some wind." She knew I was lying.

For every tree we passed, Lithirie bent down, placed a hand on it and
recited a short litany. She grew more agitated for every tree and by
the last one she had to wipe a tear.

"It's such a waste," she said sadly. "Trees cut for shelter I can
live with, but these were cut for the stupid war machines they always
build. Them and those damned orcs." I shuddered at her mentioning of
the goblins' larger and, if possible, even more stupid cousins.

I couldn't really comprehend this wood-elf. In one instant she was
commanding the very earth with the authority of a general, the next
she was grieving for the loss of a tree. I sat down next to her by a
stump.

"Why can't you chase them away with a few of those?" I asked and
gestured towards the golem. "Even if they do 'belong' here, aren't
they damaging the forest?"

"Yes, but it's necessary damage. Sort of. Just like you prune a
garden, they prune the forest in a way. It's still sad, though and
it's still a waste. Speaking of golems. I guess we're safe now." She
chanted another litany in that melodic elven tongue. The golem
collapsed with a tired sigh and the smell of stale, wet earth washed
over us. All that was left, was a pile of earth and moss with a large
rock nearby. She casually walked over to the mound and retrieved the
two stones that had been its eyes, only now they had turned
completely white where before there were red pupils.

"They're useful, but they drain the earth of energy if used for too
long," She explained and put the stones in a pouch attached to her
belt. By the sound they made, I guessed there to be several more such
stones there. I got the impression that there was something she
wanted to tell me, but didn't know how to start.

"What's wrong?" I asked, unable to contain myself any longer. "I saw
you recognise my name and you misread your litany for the dead trees
twice. What's on your mind?"

She looked at me like I had dispelled all her doubts. "How do you
feel?" she asked and sat beside me on the fallen tree.

"A little light-headed actually, why?" Why did she change the
subject?

"I knew you were coming here. There is much you don't know, Rayne.
Some people are very interested in you. I can't tell you who they are
so don't ask. I was supposed to just help you get to Alvadon and I
will, but I need your help also. The mother is ill and you can help
me revive her. The potion you drank also has...side effects." That
got me worried.

"You poisoned me so I wouldn't refuse? How will I reach the others
you mentioned if I'm dead? Table rapping?" I was beginning to feel
dizzy. Vivid colours danced for me every time I closed my eyes.

"Oh, no. Quite the opposite." Lithirie smiled. "The drug is a magical
elven aphrodisiac. It also won't allow you to conceive children for
about a week. I am asking you to mate with me, Rayne."

Damn, she was blunt.

She looked half relieved to get it off her chest and half concerned
about my reply. "Do this and I'll help you further." I let it sink
for a few moments before I answered.

"I'm very flattered, but how exactly will the two of us screwing
bring your mother back to life?" I wasn't entirely happy about being
drugged, but Lithirie still didn't seem malicious, only desperate.

"Not my mother - The mother," she spoke slowly as if to a child. "The
mother is the first tree in the forest. We dryads can't just move
into forests, we must grow them ourselves, starting from a single
tree, the mother."

"You grew the Westwood *yourself*?" I asked incredulously.

"A long time ago my family planted the first tree, yes. Lately, the
'pruning' by the forest goblins has been too strong in the north and
there is something wrong with the water. If anything is wrong with
the forest, the mother is the first sign." I could tell the girl was
anxious for my answer, "The only way to quickly save the mother tree
is by a certain... ritual, where we give our fertility to the soil.
Please, Rayne. If the mother dies, I have nowhere to go."

I was torn. I wanted to help the dryad, naturally. Besides, she was
certainly desirable. But, my feelings for Ilea were strong and
without the drug my yes would probably have been a bit less
enthusiastic. But I would have agreed either way.

A burden seemed to lift from Lithirie's back. She threw her arms
around my neck and thanked me until I was gasping for air. Any
hesitations I initially had were quickly being swept away by the
aphrodisiac and I saw the dryad in a new light. Lithirie, relieved
that I'd agree to 'help the mother' became playful and almost loving
as we waited for the drug to take full effect. After a while, she
said it was time to go and we walked away from the fallen trees, into
the forest.

Images of sister Theresa damning me for my lack of chastity and
sister Miriam laughing at the bizarre situations I had stumbled into
became more vivid as Lithirie and I walked. She held my hand and was
presumably leading me to where this 'mother tree' had been planted.
The wood-elves knew how to mix their potions, I'd give them that. I
still felt in control of my actions, but my vision was blurred, my
balance was more than just slightly off kilter and every noise had
developed an echo.

Oh, not to mention the enormous erection that made my walking even
more difficult. The potion was driving me crazy with lust. Before I
thought of Lithirie as beautiful but now she was nothing short of a
goddess among women in my eyes. Every move she made suggested hidden
pleasures to my drugged mind. Every curve caressed by her robe was
uncharted lands waiting for my exploration. Lithirie seemed to be
getting in the mood as well because she glanced back at me every now
and then and barely managed to conceal a wicked smile.

What I wouldn't have given for the recipe for that potion.

I was so desperate for relief that I was close to taking matters into
my own hands, so to speak, when we arrived at a small clearing.  The
opening seemed almost perfectly circular and small flowers of every
colour covered the ground. In the middle was an ancient looking tree
about five-six metren tall. It's branches were crooked and the bark
looked dry and brittle but there was an air of stubborn endurance
about the tree. The thing threw me off guard for a second and I
didn't notice that we had stopped at first.

I turned to Lithirie and this time she was definitely smiling,
grinning in fact. She took a few steps backward and undid the belt
about her waist. I moved to take her in my arms, but she stopped me
with a raised finger.

"Let's make sure you're absolutely ready," she teased. I groaned
inwardly with pent up desire as she started dancing for me. Belt
undone, the green robe hung loose about her and she used it to full
effect, twisting her body to stretch the material at just the right
places as she danced. She raised her arms to she sky and suddenly
a light rain started again. Only hours earlier, I had done my best to
keep away from it, but now the few drops of water hardly even
registered on my mind.

Faster, she spun and twisted. The robe flared outwards and I caught
glimpses of bare feet and slim ankles. As if answering an unheard
request, she let the robe fall off her pale, narrow shoulders. At
first covering her breasts, the robe was lowered ever so slowly to
reveal her naked body while she continued dancing.

The movements became softer and tenderer. She circled me a few times,
a teasing smile on her lips. A few times I reached out, but she
slipped elegantly away only to return closer when I'd learned to
behave. She started touching me, however. A hand undid my shirt when
she passed in front and another snaked around my waist when she was
behind to unfasten my frayed breeches. Ever circling me, Lithirie
stripped me slowly and lovingly.

When I stood naked as the day I'd been born she again danced away
from me, stopped and again stretched her slender arms to the sky. The
shower increased in strength and the rain falling around us in the
clearing sounded like the waves at sea. Or clapping. I'd be damned if
the forest wasn't applauding her.

Head tilted to the side and with a mock inquiring tone she asked,
"Ready now?" and grinned.

Rain pouring down on us, I held her tightly in my arms and we kissed.
Her naked form melted against mine and she relinquished all control.
Lumin help me, I wanted to be gentle and take my time, but my mind
was a haze of lust. We ended up on the ground, her below and me on
top. I entered her forcefully and covered her mouth with mine.

I felt out of control and was momentarily jarred when I thought I was
back on the boat with Ilea, seaspray washing over us. A small part of
my mind told me it was just the drug but the rest wasn't listening.
Before I knew it, I was back in the forest with Lithirie moaning up a
storm below me. My hands were digging into the ground and I fucked
her with all the strength I could muster.

"Faster," she commanded. There was that authoritative voice again.
Her legs wrapped hard around me and for a moment I feared she'd break
my back. I kept underestimating this elf.

"Fuck me," She gasped, "I'm so close. Fuck me." I was caught in an
iron grip and felt my strength rapidly diminishing but I couldn't
stop. I would have come a lot sooner, but something wasn't allowing
me the release.

"Close, so close," Lithirie continued and finally she let out a half
moan half scream and locked me deep in her with her legs. Something
let go in my mind and I came as well, completely spent and with a
cramp in almost every muscle.

The rain stopped shortly after and we lay wet and satisfied among the
fragrant flowers. I hadn't the strength to pull out of her for
several minutes and she made it clear that she didn't want me to. I
think we slept a little but I couldn't be sure.

When my mind was clearer and we lay side by side, legs entwined,
Lithirie kissed me again. This time it was not a kiss of lust, but
one of gratitude and love.

"I thought you might enjoy helping me," she said, "I wish you could
'help' a lot more, but I was told to get you on your way to Alvadon
quickly. No offense, but someone there needs you more than me."

I felt so used.

"Who are these people? Do they mean any harm?"

"I can't tell you who, but I'm sure they mean no harm. There are
things that will be explained to you when you get there by people who
can do it much better than me," she sighed, "Don't worry, we'll meet
again, though. Don't ask, I just know." She placed a finger on my
lips to silence me and kissed me again.

Again I was somewhere I didn't want to leave, but I now needed to get
to Alvadon more than ever."



To be continued.

-=Emton=-

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reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
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