the Leathermines

Back to Chapter 29

 

It seemed empty.  The last time Laun was there, there had been a tent city filling the landscape.

Laun pulled back the curtain and looked out on a grassy set of low hills.  It was peaceful as if there had never been any trouble.  There was even a large pond or small lake glinting in the distance.  Laun could hear geese somewhere close.

There was a small welcoming party from the main house near the entrance marker to the Hawkwell lands.  Laun saw Captain Leon talking to several people in the dark colors before motioning for the group to follow.  The carriage lurched forward and Laun held onto the strap anchored in the wall of the cabin to keep from falling into the footwell.

Laun was helped out at the same place she had been helped out of a carriage a year before.  She was escorted through the same receiving hall with the same murals.  This time, she purposely stopped and looked at them.  Yes, she was a Hawkwell.  Yes, Tressa and she looked remarkably alike, but the resemblance between Laun and Falmir now was even more striking.  She did see that the portrait had been done many years before.  Falmir now had grey in his brown hair and lines between his eyebrows.  Or, perhaps, it had been the year of governing that had done it.

Laun saw familiar things as she was escorted through the halls.  To a familiar room.

The room she had first met Dreng, King of the Midlands, was the one she was going to be living in.  The pastoral winter mural was both welcoming and disheartening.  She really wanted to be outside.  The best she had at the moment was the view of a courtyard that was dusty and empty of plants.

Gem helped to move the chests and such into the room.  She looked about and saw the elaborate mural, several standing chest of drawers and several doors off of the room.  She opened one that led to a small, basic bathing and privy room.  The one out to the courtyard was locked.  Gem put things into drawers and generally investigated as much of the room as she could without looking obvious.

Laun was sitting on the same couch she had rested on in the first interview with Dreng.  She looked out the window to the bleak courtyard and felt overwhelmed.  She hurt all over, her face and hands still tingling where the poison had been smeared.  Her ankles were the size of her calves and her feet hurt.  Her hands were also puffy.  Laun did not want to know what her face looked like.

A little of the weariness was fading as she sat on a non-moving surface.  She watched Gem go past several times as the assassin was doing her servant duties.  Laun focused on the mural, looking at the deer and the mountains painted ever so cleverly on the wall.  The dark brown beams were part of the design making it look like trees, not supports.  Laun’s eyes went up, following the false branches into the brown leaves painted on the ceiling.

Laun put her hand over her eyes as if her head hurt.  She kept looking up and into the painting through her fingers.  There was a grating that was partially painted, partially designed to blend into the mural.  Laun thought she had seen movement, possibly eyes on the other side of that grating.

Gem saw that Laun seemed to be in pain.  “Mistress?  Is there anything I can do to help?”

Laun thought as she nodded.  She moved her head slowly back upright.  She sighed and looked Gem in the eyes.  “Perhaps some water, if it available.  My head is still pounding from the road.”  Gem nodded and went to the door.

There were servants on the other side who took Gem to the kitchens.  Laun knew it would be a while before they were back.  She sighed again and leaned back on the couch, putting her feet up and draping her arm over her forehead.  The fabric of the tunic covered some of her face, but she could see up to the grating.  Yes, there was a slight movement.  She even saw a little dust floating down after one of the movements.

Falmir had known what Dreng was doing while the festival was in progress.  Dreng had arrived late, but Falmir had him under surveillance once he had arrived.  Now, Falmir’s people were keeping her under surveillance.  She would have to be careful, and did not quite know how to tell Gem about the watchers.

What were the watchers looking for from her?  Were they working for Falmir, or someone else?  What information did they really think she had?  Laun wondered about all of this as she lay there looking like she was about to fall asleep.  She could put somethings together from what she knew, what she had seen on the way in.  But it had looked like the servants keeping the Hawkwell lands active were few there.

Though...  Laun wondered what was going to happen to the company of men once Laun had settled in.  Were they going back to the Capitol City or were they going on to another place?  Perhaps to Salam-Dir?  Why hadn’t she thought of that before?  Captain Leon was frustrated and angry enough over the death of Bregnan that he might have been able to be questioned, subtly, about the next mission.  Laun had been so distracted by her body on the trip that she had not been able to think straight.

Laun had a start and almost sat up.  She turned on the couch and tried to make herself more comfortable.  The orders had been for a hard march.  Get to the estate as soon as possible.  Falmir knew that if she had any time with any of the men, she would be able to get information out of them.  Use her own body against her.  She smiled.  Good boy.

Gem came back with several of the other servants with her.  Gem had seen other tidbits on hand and had made them platter it up for Laun.  Water was the drink for now.  There were some breads, some a few days old.  There were some cheeses.  There was a small bowl with some oat gruel.  Gem had tried to get a selection.

Laun smiled at Gem, and then at the other servants.  The ones in the Dark tried to keep their eyes on the ground and left.  Laun was handed a goblet of water and was thankful.

Gem sat on the floor by the couch and attentively watched her Mistress.  She saw that something was not quite right, but was not sure if that was from the travel or from something else.  “Mistress...?  Do you need something else?”

Laun tilted her head.  That meant she was thinking.  “No, not right now.  I thank the heavens that you are beside me.”  Laun looked up and Gem glanced up, too.  Her eyes came back down and she hoped that she did not look too surprised.

Laun smiled and nodded.  “For what it is worth, there is not much for you to do around here right now.  I am thinking of taking a nap.  Why don’t you go and see if there are any good books for us to read.”

Gem was on her feet, helping her mistress up and over to the bed.  Gem whispered, “Shall I really bring books back?”

Laun nodded and whispered back, “It doesn’t really matter what, but since we will probably be reading whatever you bring back, make sure it is something you want to read.  Scout the inside, make the other servants think I beat you if they will talk with you.”

Gem paused as she pulled a light cover over her mistress.  “Why?”

Laun glanced around and saw another listening hole in the wall.  She turned away from it and lowly said, “Gain sympathy now, it is easier later to get information or help.  Don’t right out and say it.  I know you can do it.”  Laun smiled.

Gem stepped back from the bed.  She brought her voice up to a normal level and said, “Anything else?”

Laun motioned and said testily, “Leave me alone.”  Laun winked before rubbing her face on the clean linen pillowcase and closing her eyes.

Gem left the room and immediately had the other servants around her.  She made a slight show of rubbing one of her arms.  She quietly asked, “My Lady wishes for some books.  May I be shown the library?”

The other servants outside the guest chamber door looked at each other and one of them motioned for Gem to follow.  Gem walked a little slower than he and called out after he almost turned a corner several paces in front of her, “Please.  I’m sorry, I can’t seem to keep up.”

The other servant turned and waited until Gem caught up.  He went down the next corridor a little slower, glancing sideways at Gem.  She kept rubbing her arm and tried to look embarrassed when they locked eyes for a moment.  She put her hands together at her waist and kept walking next to the servant.  Gem kept a count of doors and windows that they passed and how many times they turned before they stopped.

The door they stopped at was not large, but it seemed massive when the servant pulled it open.  It was twice as thick as normal doors, the wall it was in matching it.  Inside, the Hawkwell library was shelved.

“Two books.  One for you, one for your Lady.”  He stepped into the middle of the room and motioned to the walls.

Gem had not been one to read.  Not before her mistress had asked if she could.  Books and folios and manuscripts were just there to give her a little information as she studied weapons techniques or poisons or something else for her next test with the Blue Master.  Laun had handed her the storybook and told her to read it.  She had enjoyed reading it just for the story.

Gem looked around and it seemed to be categorized somehow.  It took a little time, but Gem could see where the journals and histories were put.  Next to them were books about hunting and animals.  There was a small section about cooking.  She found the storybooks and children's picturebooks and pulled out one that had a bright spine and looked fairly well used.  The inside cover was stuck to the first few pages, an old smear of some sort of dark purple-brown substance keeping it together.

Gem turned and saw that the servant had moved.  He was now between her and one small shelf next to the massive desk in the room.  Gem knew she was not going to be able to get anything from that shelf right then, but it was now a goal.  

She found herself smiling at the servant and had to say, “I think I found mine.  I think my Lady would like one of the histories, but I am not sure which one.  Could you help me?”  She dropped her smile and her eyes.  “I don’t want to pick a bad one.”

He moved towards the shelves with the historical volumes.  “Do you know what she has read before?”

Gem knew only of the two she had seen in the green room and she listed them off, along with the book with the plant pictures and the travel log.  He turned to the shelf and looked at the spines, his head turning sideways to read some of the titles.  He pulled out one book, reasonably new and opened it.  He nodded to himself and handed it to Gem.

“It is an account of someone who went to the other continent to study with the Dragon of the East.  I don’t care for such things as I think it is all lies.  Your Lady may like it.”

Gem held the books to her chest and smiled.  “Thank you.  You have been so kind.  I’m sure she will like it.”  She found that she was holding her eyes wide and blinking at him.

She saw...  Something in the way he was standing changed.  He had been very tall and straight.  He seemed to soften, rounding his shoulders slightly.  His face did not change from the impassive mask he wore, but she had gotten to him.

“You should get back.”  He turned to the door and saw Gem was not following.  “Come on.”

Gem’s eyes darted around the room.  She was trying to delay him.  “Since I am here, I know my Lady will want something to write on.  She has...  People that she would like to keep in contact with in the Capitol City.  Are there inks and paper I may have for her?”  She kept the books to her chest and looked hopeful at the man.

He looked at her.  It was a little unnerving, but Laun had used the same sort of unblinking gaze on Gem if she was displeased about something.  Gem just kept looking back until the servant said, “Let me check and if we can let you have some, I’ll bring it to you.”

Gem tried to force the nervousness.  She dropped her eyes to the floor and said, “Thank you.”  She hesitantly stepped forward and he led her back to the room.

Gem quietly put the books on the couch and went to the side of the bed.  Laun was asleep, her mouth slightly open with a line of spittle going over the reddened patch around her lips.  The assassin had seen water in the small privy and went to get a cloth.

Gem spotted a watch hole in the privy area, too.  Not too obvious, but at about the level of someone who was sitting if they had to stay there to watch.  She thought that there was probably a network of ways though the place, just like at the Palace.  Just a little more discreet in it’s use.

A small bowl with water and a cloth was in Gem’s hand as she came out of the privy.  She thought she heard something in the walls as she walked to Laun’s bedside.  Laun’s eyes were open.  She smiled and winked before she said, “What are you doing?  I thought I told you to leave me alone?”

Gem bowed her head and presented the wet cloth to Laun.  “Mistress, I thought you might want to refresh-”

Laun grabbed the cloth out of Gem’s hand and threw it against the wall.  It made a wet splat and fell to the floor, the paint smearing slightly.  Laun propped herself up and made a signal for Gem to evade.  “Do not do anything I do not tell you to do!”  Laun reached out and did a full force swing at Gem, connecting with a glancing blow to her arm.

Gem rolled with the blow and moved away, holding her arm.  “Ye-yes, mistress.”  Her eyes were on the floor.

Laun sat up and propped herself with the pillows.  “Now.  Go get another cloth.  I think I need it for that damned acid burn.”  Laun made a signal for good.

Gem curtseyed and heard more movement in the wall as she went for another cloth.  There seemed to be quiet from the watchers as she came from the privy.  Gem found that the hole near the bed was small.  She had an idea.

Gem presented the cloth to Laun who took it and dipped it in the water herself.  There was obvious relief on her face a the cloth was pressed to the red skin.

“Mistress, shall I tack up some of the current correspondence?  Like at the Palace?”

Laun tilted her head and Gem could see the smile wrinkles around Laun’s eyes.  “Yes.  Might as well try to have something for you to do.”

Laun watched as Gem went through the travel chest that the letters and such had been put into.  She pulled out the messages from Liam about his adventures.  He only wrote on one side of the thicker pulp paper making it a good candidate for her plan.  She showed Laun the sheaf of paper in her hand and Laun nodded.

“Make sure you have it in order this time.”

Gem used a little of one of the sticky perfumed ointments and positioned the paper on the painted wall.  She did not look directly into the hole, but she made sure that the hole was completely covered by one of the pieces of paper.  She put up two of his stories, six sheets of paper in all.  Gem stepped back and was pleased.

There had been a little movement behind the wall after the paper had been put up.  Possibly even a small curse.  Laun smiled and made an appreciative motion with her hands.  Laun put the cloth back on her face briefly and then motioned Gem to sit on the bed with her.

Laun put her hand on Gems neck and pulled her forward to kiss her.  It was a light kiss.  They smiled at each other and Laun spoke in a low tone to Gem.

“That was amazing.  You are so smart.  I would not have thought of that.”

“Thank you, Mistress.”  Gem had a shy smile and looked at her Lady’s hands.  She could feel herself getting wet knowing that Laun liked what she had done.

Laun’s head slightly tilted and watched the blush come up Gem’s cheeks.  “You are learning well.”  Her hand went to one of the cheeks and lightly ran her fingers down and to her assassin’s lips.

“I am?”  Gem had confusion in her eyes as she looked up.

“What would you have done a month ago under your Blue Master?”

Gem looked from side to side and then back up to Laun’s eyes.  “I’m not sure.  Nothing, I think.  Nona-She didn’t...like us to do anything on our own.”

Laun had a slight sneer as she said, “Would she have even seen the listening holes?”

Gem fully flushed and shook her head.  “I don’t know.”

Laun smiled.  “So, since you were the one to figure that little diversion out, I will let you make up for not having a question last night.”

Gem had a hopeful smile on her face and looked straight into Laun’s eyes.  “Yes, Mistress?”

Laun nodded and put her hand under Gem’s chin.  “This time, you get to ask me a question.  If you like the answer...”

Gem knew what she wanted to know and it came tumbling out, perhaps a little louder than she meant at first.  “Will I have to go through the trials that gave you those scars?”

Laun leaned back and thought.  “No.  In my tradition, each person goes through trials that are suited to them.  Your trials will be yours.  I hope that you do not have to go through what I did.”  Gem saw a wash of sadness over Laun’s face.  “I had to loose too much to get to where I am.”

Gem looked at Laun and thought about the answer.  “Yes.  I like the answer, Mistress.”

The assassin was caught off guard and Laun’s hand was pushing her back onto the bed.  Laun stood and pulled off her tunic, letting it drop onto the floor.  Gem had come through the shock of being pushed back and started to pull her own garments up and off.  Gem moved up the bed a bit and Laun carefully got back onto the bed.

“This is not as easy as it used to be...” Laun grumbled.  She grabbed a pillow and put it under her chest as she lay between her assassin’s legs.

Laun saw that Gem was already soaking the covers beneath her ass.  That gave Laun a little idea.  She grabbed the wet cloth and ran it across Gems asshole.  There was a little gasp.

“I ask permission to take your other virginity.”  Laun fingered the dark red button at the top of the blonde’s slit as she asked.

Gem sucked in her breath.  She gasped out, “Mistress!  No fair!”

Laun licked at the womanhood in front of her and ran her fingers down, spreading the slickness under her tongue.  She ran her mouth up and down, getting lower each time and flicking at Gem’s lower hole with the tip of her tongue.

“Mistress!  Yes!”  Gem’s hand was on Laun’s head, pushing her lower.

Laun backed off slightly and pushed the damp cloth under Gem’s butt.  She slicked her fingers on the amazingly wet slit and gently rubbed on Gem’s asshole.  The reaction was sudden and positive.  Gem’s legs went up so that Laun would have better access, the girls’ arms hugging her knees to her chest.

Laun had a wonderful view and access to her girl.  She sucked on the upper button as she worked a finger around the outside of Gem’s asshole.  She felt it relax and started to push in slightly.

Gem moaned and grabbed a pillow to put over her face.  Even bent as she was, her hips moved and bucked as Laun’s hands and mouth were working on her.  One of the movements brought out almost a scream into the pillow as Laun’s finger went in up to the last knuckle.

Laun liked the reaction.  She pulled the finger out slowly, even though Gem’s hips were trying to get her to thrust the finger back in again.  There was a little shit on her finger, but Laun wiped it on the cloth.  She rubbed the finger back around the little puckering hole and pushed back in again.  Gems legs came down and Laun’s hand was trapped.  Gem’s body arched up.  Laun pushed her face into Gem and sucked hard on her.

The hip movements told Laun that Gem was getting close to peaking.  The sounds were loud, too.  Gem was not shy about voicing her pleasure, now that she knew she could have some.  Laun wiggled her finger inside Gem and forced her finger in as far as she could.  Laun sucked and licked and felt her assassin melt under her.

Gem went wild.  Laun could barely keep her mouth on the womanhood of the writhing girl.  She screamed and the pillow did nothing to muffle her.

She calmed down and relaxed, letting Laun pull out of her.  The cloth was used to clean off Laun’s hand and Gems ass before getting tossed off the side of the bed.

Laun moved up the bed, bringing the pillow with her.  The two women embraced, Gem licking her own juices off of Laun’s face.  They kissed deeply and for quite a while.

“Mistress...?”

Laun brushed her lips across Gems and answered, “Yes?”

“Is...  Is the other place like that, too?”

Laun smiled.  “I like it.  And...”  Laun felt herself blush.  “I’ve never had anyone take to my ass.”

Gem had wide eyes that could almost focus on her close Mistress.  “You haven’t had that?  How did you know that I would like it?”

“Just a hunch.  I’m glad you liked it, Gem.”

“Thank you, Mistress.”

It was warm enough in each other’s arms that they did not need a blanket as they fell asleep.

 

 

Onto Chapter 31.