Rescue Part 3
The screaming, pleading and begging was lessening as Colonel Esta Kernes quickly read through the documents she held in her gauntleted hand.
“Well Lieutenant Den Hestern, it would appear that our trackers were correct,” said the Colonel.
“Not entirely Colonel Kernes, we are stilling having some... difficulty locating the other part of our mission.”
Colonel Kernes thought for a moment, “Have the trackers carry out another sweep, this time concentrate on the area closer to the border, I want them found.”
“Of course Colonel,” said the Lieutenant, “As for your other orders, as you commanded we have kept the one you saw earlier.”
“Untouched and fully questioned?”
“Yes Colonel, untouched and fully questioned, she has given up all the information she possessed.”
“Good, bring her to me after you’ve given the trackers their orders.”
“Of course Colonel,” said the Lieutenant as she placed her right fist against her chest and bowed then quickly turned and strode away.
The Colonel placed the documents into the pouch attached to a strap over her right shoulder and removed a map. Unfolding it she began to study what it showed, examining the known ways, paths and tracks to and from the border.
The disappearance of Chaplain-Colonel Orlton and her retinue inside the boundaries of Elstrand had enraged the Arch-Abbess of Keln Candida Renville and she had ordered that they be found no matter what it took. Colonel Kernes and her cavalry troop had been one of the first units dispatched from the fortress at Drinas, the very place Chaplain-Colonel Orlton and her detachment had departed from before their disappearance.
It had taken Colonel Kernes and her troop of cavalry four days to find the bodies of Chaplain-Colonel Orlton and her detachment. Colonel Kernes had disliked Chaplain-Colonel Orlton but the woman had always had strong family connections with the Queens court, especially the Arch-Abbess. It had been the Colonel’s unpleasant duty to write the report that was sent to the Arch-Abbess detailing what she had discovered. She could easily imagine the fury this had engendered.
At least now she could report that part of the retribution the Arch-Abbess had demanded had been meted out. The Colonel could only hope that no blame would attach to herself for not being able to bring aid in a more timely fashion. After all, it was evident that Chaplain-Colonel Orton and her party had been dead before the Colonel and her cavalry had even left to begin their search.
A polite cough attracted Colonel Kernes’s attention and diverted her from her ruminations. The Colonel looked up and smiled, “Good,” she said with a grin, Lieutenant Den Hestern had returned and with her three other figures.
Following close behind the lieutenant, the high stiletto heels of their boots sinking into the soft ground, were two Elstrandian sex-slaves and between them was a young woman. The slaves were forcing the woman forward, their gloved hands holding tightly onto her upper arms as they pulled and pushed her towards the Colonel.
The woman’s progress was restricted by the bondage she was in, leather cuffs around her ankles with a chain between them hobbled her and limited her steps while her hands were held before her in another pair of leather cuffs with a single link between them. To silence the woman and reduce her pleading and begging to almost nothing a large ball gag had been forced into her mouth and the straps buckled at the back of her head. The slaves stopped in front of the Colonel as the woman looked desperately around with tears running from her wide terrified eyes.
The Colonel grinned and removed her gauntlets, passing them to the lieutenant who in turn passed the Colonel a small leather bottle, “Thank you lieutenant,” said Colonel Kernes as she examined the young woman, “She’ll do nicely.”
The lieutenant gave a small nod as the Colonel walked around the terrified young woman as the two slaves held her tightly. The woman was looking from side to side, desperately trying to say something to the leather-clad slaves but only muted sounds could be heard from behind the gag that filled her mouth. The Colonel stopped behind the woman and for a moment stared at the captives brown buckskin covered buttocks then she quickly moved.
With practised ease the Colonel quickly undid the buckle securing the straps of the ball gag and pulled the gag from the captives mouth. The young woman immediately began to plead with the two slaves who were holding her, “Please help me, please I beg you, please don’t let them ens...” was all she managed to say.
Colonel Kernes took hold of a handful of the woman’s hair and pulled harshly on it, the young woman opened her mouth wide and screamed in pain as her head was pulled back so her face pointed up. The Colonel had already removed the top from the leather bottle, she lifted it to the woman’s open screaming mouth and tipped the thick black contents between her lips.
The desperate woman tried to move her head and close her lips but the Colonel’s grip was to firm and the mouth of the bottle was too far between them to allow her to spit out the thick black fluid filling her mouth. Forced to swallow or choke the spluttering and coughing woman had no option but to gulp down the thick black potion.
“No, no, pleae don’t, please don’t,” she managed to say as she coughed and spluttered. A fine spray of the thick black fluid coming from her mouth as the Colonel, still pulling hard on the woman’s hair, dropped the bottle on the ground.
“I beg you, I... please don’t do this to me... please don’t, please I don’t...” said the woman as her voice gradually trailed of and with a deep sigh she became silent.
The Colonel released the woman’s hair and pushed her head forward so that she was looking straight ahead then walked around until she was in front of the woman and the two slaves. The calming juice had had its usual effect and the tall, athletic young woman was unable to move or feel any emotion but was also fully aware of what was happening to her.
The Colonel stroked the immobile woman’s face with her fingers, there was no response “Good, you two will remove its bonds and strip it,” ordered the Colonel, “Get it ready to become my slave.”
Unable to speak because of the leather that covered their mouths the two slaves simply nodded their understanding.
The Colonel turned her attention to Lieutenant Den Hestern, “Ready things for our departure, as soon as I’ve fucked it into being my new pet and it’s dressed more appropriately we’ll leave.”
The Lieutenant saluted and strode away as the Colonel looked at the young woman who would soon be a sex-slave. The slaves were removing the bonds that held her arms and legs as she stood immobile and unresisting, “Just wait there and I’ll be right back,” said the Colonel with a grin. Turning, the Colonel walked away as the slaves leather-gloved hands began to remove the clothes of the motionless woman.
The quietness was palpable. No birds or insects could be heard, even the wind seemed to have dropped and did not disturb the grass of the secluded glade. Around them it seemed that the world was waiting for the next thing to happen as the threat of bloody violence hung in the air.
“It feels like it’s taken forever to find you,” said the woman.
For a moment there was no response, “Who are you, why are you here?” came the question as the tips of two swords, held in unwavering grips, were pointed at her throat.
The woman looked down at the two blades and swallowed fearfully, realising the danger she was in she spoke carefully, “Please, my name is Elyssa Kastellen I’m the daughter of Duke Ernest Kastellen the Chancellor of The Conclave of Caer-Corlendell.”
“Why should we believe you, how do we know you aren’t a spy, an agent of the witches?”
The young woman thought quickly, she knew her life was in jeopardy so she spoke carefully, trying to be convincing and sincere, “During the night you saw four women enslaved, they were nuns and they were part of my escort. Their names are... their names were Sister Martene Sund, Sister Tenesen Rovesa, Sister Dreena Barris and Sister Jesnna Norvens.”
Elyssa looked tearfully at Aleksandra, “Like you I could do nothing but hide when they were taken and... and enslaved. So like you I hid, knowing I could do nothing as they were transformed, knowing that if my presence should be detected I too would end up in leather slave-wear as a sexual pet with no knowledge of who I had been. Fear made me a coward, but I think it also made you one.”
Aleksandra and Vendra remained silent, their swords still pointed steadfastly at Elyssa, “Up until then I hadn’t seen you, you had hidden well, and of course you did the same as I did. You waited until the witches left, waited until they rode away with their... with their new human pets,” said Elyssa sorrowfully.
“When you finally left I followed you, as uncertain about you as you now are about me, but when I saw your camp and heard you talking to your friend I knew that I had found at least temporary salvation. And think on this, if I had been one of the witches then surely I would have simply subdued both of you with magic. I would not have needed to expose myself to risk and you would now both be on the way to becoming slaves,” said Elyssa with certainty.
Aleksandra briefly glanced at Vendra, she could see the tension in her friends body and face, almost reluctantly Aleksandra gave a small, curt nod, “She’s right,” said Aleksandra.
Slowly the swords were lowered then placed back into scabbards as the young woman released a deeply held breath, “Thank you,” she said, “I promise you I’m telling the truth.”
For a moment there was silence, “I feel that we have no option other than to believe you, and what you say has a ring of truth to it,” said Aleksandra with some reluctance in her voice.
“Come on, you can tell us your story and we’ll tell you ours,” said Aleksandra as she turned and walked back to the campfire. Behind her Elyssa sighed with relief then followed.
The three women sat down, “So, what is it you are actually doing and how did you end up in Grent, or should I say how did you end up in Elstrand?” asked Aleksandra.
“The first part of your question is easy to answer although I can’t give you a full explanation but the second part is more difficult,” said Elysaa.
Aleksandra and Vendra said nothing as they looked at the young woman expectantly.
“I am betrothed to the son of Lord the ruler of the city-state of Kar-Nedrev to the east of Lindest, so each demi-year I travel there to meet him. The betrothal was at the behest of our parents, an arranged marriage, but over the years since the betrothal’s inception we have met regularly and become fond of each so I have no objection to the wedding.”
If Elyssa expected any comment from Aleksandra or Vendra she was to be disappointed, clearing her throat Elyssa continued, “The journey was as it always is until we reached the place where the way took us close to the border of what had been Grent. A thick cloying fog descended that reduced the visibility to mere yards and disorientated us totally, a bad situation as we had left the road two days earlier, confident in our ability to cut across land my guards knew well.”
Elyssa looked at Aleksandra, “In Caer-Calendell we have a name for these sudden fogs, they are seen regularly on the border with Elstrand, we call them Siv’s Breath. These fogs are known and feared, they have an evil reputation because where they form people are known to simply vanish. But for some reason, and may the Light forgive me for this, I did not make the association at the time instead, like the others in my party, I felt... disorientated... lost... even dizzy at times.”
“For five days the fog enshrouded us, day and night it was present and then, as rapidly as it had come it simply melted away and we were bathed in bright and welcome sunlight. Unfortunately it was then that we realised that we were utterly lost, nothing we saw was familiar, nothing recognisable. Scouts were sent out and we set up camp to wait for their return, when they did come back the news they brought was terrifying. Not only were deep inside Elstrand we were being tracked.”
Tears ran down Elyssa’s cheeks as she continued to speak, “We did the only thing possible, leaving our baggage behind so that we could travel light we fled in the direction we thought would lead us to the border and to safety. Unfortunately we were not quick enough and by the time you saw the end of the chase all but one of our mounts had perished, unable to keep up the pace we needed and demanded of them to remain ahead of the witches following us. At the insistence of the others I took that last mount and escaped, the rest you know as well as I do,” said Elyssa with a touch of defiance in her voice.
“Yes I do, and I believe your story, you have our deepest sympathy on the loss you have suffered,” said Aleksandra, “Now let me explain how we came to be here.”
Esta Kernes lifted her hips from the furs that formed the bed in her tent, moaning with pleasure as the pierced tongue that was pleasuring her flicked between the wet folds of her sex and across her clitoris. Taking hold of the leather hooded head between her thighs the Colonel pressed the slaves mouth more firmly against her mound.
The Colonel was certain that before being transformed into a slave the athletic young woman would have had absolutely no interest in lesbian sex. However, in the four days since being enslaved the Colonel’s new pet had become expert in pleasuring its new owner in exactly the way its Mistress enjoyed. With no memory of ever having been anything other than its Mistresses property the sex-slave desired only one thing, to please its Mistress in every way imaginable.
It was naked but for the skin-tight red leather hood that sheathed its head and face and left only its eyes and mouth uncovered knee high stiletto heeled red boots and wrist length red leather gloves, The sex-slave was in ecstasy as its Mistress forced its mouth against the sopping wet cunt it adored. The slave whimpered and groaned in pleasure, its cunt just as wet as the one it was eagerly feasting on.
Colonel Kernes gripped the slave’s leather-sheathed head with a tighter grip, forcing it harder against her pussy, encouraging the slave to increase its ministrations. Suddenly she was distracted by a polite cough from the entrance to the tent.
The Colonel moaned then slowly opened her lust filled eyes as her slave continued to hungrily perform, “There had better be a fucking good reason for this lieutenant or I’m going to have your head mounted on a fucking spike to deter others from interrupting me,” she said angrily.
“My sincere apologies for the impertinent interruption Colonel but something has happened that I’m certain you should be informed of as per your orders,” said Lieutenant Den Hestern as she held the flap of the tent open.
The Colonel looked at the lieutenant then sighed and firmly pushed the slaves head away from her pussy, “Can’t it wait?”
“I consider that it can’t Colonel or I would not have disturbed your rest, we have visitors in camp, they are Blood Guard”
The colonel looked at the embarrassed lieutenant, “Blood Guard,” she said in surprise,” Very well lieutenant, give me a few moments and I’ll join you.”
“Yes ma’am,” said the obviously embarrassed young officer as she let the flap fall across the entrance to the tent.
Colonel Kernes looked down her body at the leather covered face of the sex-slave between her thighs, the eyes of the athletic young slave were fixed on its Mistress, its leather surrounded mouth wet with its owners juices as it waited for instruction.
“Help me get cleaned up,” said the Colonel, “It seems I’m needed.”
It was ten minutes later that Colonel Kernes exited her tent to find Lieutenant Den Hestern nervously waiting outside.
“So, what is so important that you had to disturb me at this hour?”
“This way please Colonel, all will become apparent,” said the lieutenant.
“You had better be right,” said Colonel Kernes as pulling on her gauntlets she followed the lieutenant.
The walk through the darkened, fire lit camp didn’t take long and finally the lieutenant stopped in front of a group of people the Colonel didn’t recognise.
Colonel Kernes gave a grunt of surprise, warming their hands around a campfire were five women. Four of them were garbed in the red leather armour of the Witch-Queen’s personal regiment, the Blood Guard. While the third was dressed in the black velvet robes, high-heeled boots and black leather gloves of a member of the order known as The Sisters of Torment.
“Colonel, allow me to introduce Captain Alessa Jurven of The Blood Guard,” said Lieutenant Den Hestern.
The Captain held out her hand and the Colonel took it, “Well met Colonel, I have of course heard of you before. I believe we have a mutual friend in Lady Velice Cheverton,” said the Captain.
“You know Velice,” said the Colonel, “I haven’t seen her for a while, how is she?”
“She was well last time I saw her,” said the captain, “And as randy as ever,” she smirked.
The Colonel gave a short laugh, “Good, should you see her before I do give her my best,” said the Colonel courteously.
“I will,” said Captain Jurven.
”Now, may I ask what brings you to my camp?” asked Colonel Kernes.
“We have also been on a search, but not one with as tragic an outcome as you,” said Captain Jurven, “My patrol and I were tasked to find a group that had possibly strayed into our territory,” continued the Captain.
“Sending the Blood Guard to search for some mere interlopers seems a bit extreme to say the least,” said the Colonel.
“Normally yes, but these particular... interlopers included Lady Elyssa Kastellen the daughter of Duke Ernest Kastellen the Chancellor of The Conclave of Caer-Corlendell. When Her Majesty heard of Lady Kastellen’s possible incursion she sent orders to dispatch a patrol to find Elyssa Kastellen and bring her to High Elstrand.”
“And did you succeed?” asked the Colonel.
“With the assistance of Sister Tethin we did, well partially at least,” said Captain Jurven with a small nod in the direction of the black robed Sister of Torment.
Colonel Kernes looked at Sister Tethin, the black velvet cowl of the priestess’s robes was pulled up over her head obscuring her face despite the light from the fire. The woman’s leather gloved hands were clasped on her lap as she sat silent and unmoving.
“What we found was not what we had hoped for,” said Captain Jurven, “Our targets had discovered we were searching for them. So to protect their charge the escorts she was with, six guards and four nuns, persuaded Lady Kastellen to leave them behind. They would act as a distraction so that she could attempt to make her way over the border and out of our territory. She had done this unwillingly but successfully before we arrived and we had no idea Lady Kastellen was no longer with them until the guards were dead and the nun’s were our captives.”
Captain Jurven again nodded in the priestess’s direction, “It was through Sister Tethin’s... questioning that we discovered the subterfuge and that we were too late to capture Lady Kastellen.”
Then the Captain grinned, “However the four nuns did provide us with a certain level of entertainment,” she said as she and the other Blood Guard laughed. With the grin still on her face Captain Jurven reached out and stroked the head of the figure next to her. Kneeling beside each of the four Blood Guards was a sex-slave.
The four slaves were dressed identically in the traditional red leather of an Elstradian sex-slave. A skin-tight red leather cat suit covered their bodies entire bodies from the neck down while red thigh length boots with six-inch stiletto heels were laced to within inches of their crotches. Snugly fitting red leather opera length gloves reached from their fingertips to the middle of their biceps while a tautly fitting red leather hood that left only their eyes and mouth free covered their heads and faces.
Around each slaves neck was a collar that was as individual as the slave’s owner and was patterned, studded or jewelled to show whose property the slave was. The final touch was the slave’s hair that came out of a small hole in the back and was braided around a long strip of red-leather in a style that was known throughout the realm as a slave-braid.
The Captain stroked her pet’s leather sheathed head, the leash attached to its collar held firmly in her hand, “They may have been good nuns but they are definitely excellent slaves and of much more use now than they were worshipping a false god,” she said with a laugh.
The Colonel nodded in agreement, “You are undoubtedly right, but I assume the reason you asked to see me was not to show me your new pets?”
“You are of course correct but I will leave it to Sister Tethin to explain,” said Captain Jurven.
All eyes turned to the Sister of Torment who had so far remained silent, for a moment she neither said nor did anything then she raised her black-gloved hands and pulled back her black velvet cowl.
Colonel Kernes was surprised to see not an older woman with greying hair as she had expected but a young woman in her late teens or early twenties with short auburn hair and grey eyes. The young woman had rounded cheeks and smooth, creamy skin that gave her an innocent look but when she turned her grey eyes on the Colonel there was something about the look that made the Colonel shudder. Despite her youth this was obviously a woman not to be trifled with.
“A pleasure to meet you Sister Tethin,” said Colonel Kernes as she placed her right fist onto her left breast in salute.
“As you have heard from the Captain we missed our intended target,” said Sister Tethin in a soft, low voice that strangely seemed to carry easily to those around her.
“Unfortunately the Captain’s senses are not attuned in the way mine are, hers are more directed at the waging of war and the protection of our Queen, whereas mine are harmonized for other purposes. This means that as we left the site of the capture of these slaves she did not feel what I did.”
Sister Tethin’s gaze seemed to brush over the Captain before returning to the Colonel, “We were watched. I cannot say by how many or from where only that there was more than one of them and that they were women. I would have known the stink of a male if one was present,” she said with obvious distaste.
“Their... position was indistinct and shrouded, how close they were I cannot say, a troubling occurrence, but a search with out few numbers would have been... fruitless. It is probable that one of the watchers was Lady Kastellen, waiting to see what became of her escort, but the other is a mystery, I do not recognise her... taste or where she came from.”
The priestess paused, “I... failed... I could not locate them and their taste quickly enough... it simply evaporated to leave me with nothing,” she said with frustrated anger in her voice.
A frown appeared on the priestess’s face, “The place where they were lost was... strange to me. A vast bowl shaped depression that from on high would look as if some massive, mythical giant had pressed their fist into the ground to create an enormous circular depression many leagues across. I have not known it’s like before nor experienced an effect such as I did there, my magic was... constrained... limited... suppressed.”
The Colonel and Captain looked at each other then back at the Sister of Torment, “This is not usual for me, not usual at all” said Sister Tethin, “However, I then remembered your own search. You are seeking those who killed Chaplain-Colonel Orlton, an admirable task and one that you have partially completed. It occurred to me that perhaps at least one of those I had sensed was one of the ones you are searching for and that with the greater numbers you command you may be more successful than us. I will of course be happy to assist you with your task.”
Everyone turned and looked at Lieutenant Den Hestern as she suddenly spoke, “I have seen their like before but if you do not come from the province of Wilderhaven in the far north as I do you would not have heard of them,” said the lieutenant in a thoughtful tone.
“There is a legend, a myth, a fable that the Goddess Siv was doing battle with another God and that two of the rocks She threw missed their target and fell to earth in a blaze of fire and brimstone. When they struck the ground the rocks left features just as you have described Sister Tethin, features that have become foliage covered and softened with time. We call them the Stonefalls of the Goddess”
The lieutenant stopped and looked around, suddenly aware that all those present were looking at her, “I have never heard of these Stonefalls of the Goddess, “said Sister Tethin, “But I will make it my business to discover more about them, thank you lieutenant.”
The Colonel turned her attention back to Captain Jurven, “Captain, can you show me the location on a map of were you were when you intercepted Lady Kastellen’s party?” the Colonel asked eagerly.
“Of course Colonel, but I will tell you this, it was on an almost straight line between here and the border.”
“Lieutenant, bring me a map immediately and give orders to break camp,” ordered the Colonel
With a salute Lieutenant Den Hestern turned and sprinted away.
“Sister Tethin your presence would be a bonus to me,” said the Colonel intently, “We will ride as soon as camp is broken.”
Aleksandra went from sleep to wakefulness in an instant as she sat bolt upright, a single word was in her mind but a word spoken by a voice she did not recognise. Then she heard it again, a single word, “Flee,” said in a voice that was sibilant but decidedly feminine, “Flee.”
Aleksandra looked around both Vendra and Elyssa were also awake and sitting up, their eyes wide and fearful as they stared open mouthed at Aleksandra.
They had not meant to spend the extra time at this site but Elyssa’s arrival and her shocked and disbelieving introduction to the slaves Aleksandra and Vendra were attempting to rescue had delayed them. But now, with the echoes of the voice still in her mind Aleksandra knew they must leave and rapidly, she climbed quickly to her.
“We have to get out of here as quickly as possible,” she said.
“I know,” said Vendra obviously still in amazed shock, “What just happened?”
“I’ve no idea, and we don’t have time to discuss it, but whatever it was we’re going to get out of here as swiftly as possible. Break camp and let’s get moving,” sad Aleksandra.
Aleksandra looked briefly around, searching for the presence of another but there was no one. With a shake of her head she began to walk hastily towards the horses but as she did she could have sworn that in the distance she heard a woman’s laughter fading slowly away.