the Leathermines

Back to Chapter 23

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he Autumn had been mild after a hot Summer.  The gardens that Laun was being escorted through showed signs that heat and lack of rain had been hard on the flowers and trees.  Though it was not a delicate bloom that Laun was seeking that afternoon.

There was a small house on the estate in the middle of the gardens.  A few rooms surrounded by well tended shrubs making a maze for those unfamiliar with the paths.  She passed a fountain at one corner, a statue at an intersection and then a bench with the woman that Laun was there to see.

Baroness Fairhaven stood, putting the sewing in her hand by where she had been sitting.  The black dress loosely flowed from her shoulders, the lacings down the front more for show than for fitting.  She held out her hand and Laun took it up, kissing the back of the hand before coming to attention as an officer in uniform Blacks should.  Jessi blushed and waived Laun to her side, starting to walk the rest of the way to the small house.

“My condolences at the loss of your Husband, Baroness.”  Laun’s voice had nothing of sympathy or the sweetness she often heard when others were saying the same words.

Jessi smiled and bowed her head to Laun, saying, “Thank you, your Highness.  It was a blow, but not...unexpected.”  She looked up and the women both had glints in their eyes above the smiles on their lips.

Laun was expected and a small meal was laid out on a small table next to a low, wide couch.  It made Laun smile thinking of what had been done to her on a similar couch, and what she hoped would be happening soon.

The women sat on the couch, Laun taking her leather cap from her head and putting it on a small protrusion from an upright holding the roof over the open area.  Laun took the offered goblet, smiling at the golden liquid.

“I see that you have caught a taste for the Dumonde brew.”

Jessi smiled and Laun saw just a hint of a blush.  “I made the acquaintance of one of the brothers in charge.  He...gifted me with a few casks.”

“All the better for today, Lady.”  Laun looked at her host over the rim of the goblet and they drank at the same time.

Jessi looked into her honey beer after she drank, a slightly worried look on her face.  “I received your missive through the lost nail before I had the official message from Geri’s head man.  I was not sure what to think, but I was relieved.”

Laun put her goblet down and took the woman’s hand.  “You do not have to think anything.  He will not bother you or the rest of us again.”

Jerri smiled and held Laun’s hand tight.  “Tell me...  What happened?”

Laun tilted her head, the small gold bell on the thong at the end of her braid moving against the back of her ear.  “I first have something for you.”

The older woman watched as Laun reached inside her leather jerkin and brought out a small silk pouch.  The Baroness’ eyes were riveted to it and she knew what it was even before Laun slid the jewelry out.  “His signet.”

Laun smiled.  “Yours, Baroness.”  Laun took the goblet still in the woman’s hand and put it to the side.  A delicate touch raised Jessi’s hand and the index finger had the ring slip slowly onto it.  There was a shiver and Laun was not sure if it was the action or what was being placed that caused it.

Several shallow breaths were taken before Laun raised the hand with the large carved ring to her lips, kissing the knuckles and then turning it over and kissing the palm.  Jessi’s eyes went from the ring to Laun’s eyes.  There was a pause and then the older woman guided Laun’s mouth to hers.

It was a slow kiss, searching and lingering.  Jessi pulled back and was smiling.  Laun nodded and smiled back.

“I am afraid to say that your late husband’s love of horses and dogs is what caused the accident, Baroness.”

There was concern in Jessi’s tilt of her eyebrows.  “The report is true?”

Laun smiled widely.  “His excellency was invited to a hunting gathering hosted by my Grandfather to celebrate my new Uncle.  The day seemed to go well for all and the Baron was able to bring down several fowl from the air.  All from horseback, too.”

Jessi looked puzzled.  “His last day, and he...enjoyed himself?”

Laun leaned in and gave the woman another light kiss before saying, “Even he deserved that.”

There were blinks and then a tear showed at the corner of Jessi’s eye.  “Please- please go on.”

Laun took both of Jessi’s hands in hers.  “There was chaos.  The hunting party was coming in and your late husband’s dogs were let loose under the horses.  One of the chargers took exception and bumped into your husband’s racer.”  Laun smiled.  “He fell.”

Laun took one of the woman’s hands and put it against her lips.  She lowered her voice and could see the effect as she said, “He had not seen me that day until just before he fell.  The new Flint was there, too.  Purcy will not last, but he was there to attend his Master at the end.  Purcy had the dogs, but when Flint... Your late husband saw me, something happened and the dogs were let loose.  Unfortunately, when he fell, he did not immediately break his neck.”

Jessi smiled and closed her eyes as the rumble Laun used went through her.  “I am told that there was an odd bruise at the back of his neck.”

Laun started to kiss the fingertips of the hand at her mouth.  “A new symbol, and the first time it was officially used.  Seems like the bruise was right over where his neck broke and was in the shape of a flower.”

The woman’s eyes opened and went to Laun’s breast.  It was covered with many layers, but Jessi knew what flower it had been.  “It seems that your contract has been fulfilled.  Thank you, Peach.”

“Thank you, Pebble.”

The women kissed.  Jessi’s hands firmly held Laun until she had to breathe, her head going to Laun’s shoulder.  Laun stroked the side of Jessi’s face as they looked into  each other’s eyes.

“So young.  And so deadly.”  Jessi trailed her fingers along Laun’s lips.  “Show me what else you can do?”

Laun took the lead, leaning Jessi back into the low couch and kneeling on the wooden floor below.  She ran her hands over the woman, seeing where there were good reactions, noting where there were bad ones.  The lacings along the front of the dress were slowly undone, Laun lingering as much as she could to draw out the sensations for the woman with her.

Jessi was bare to the Autumn air, Laun’s mouth finding sweet spots on the exposed breasts and neck.  Hands started to pull on Laun’s uniform, a need to have Laun exposed plain to read.

Laun knelt back on her heels and undid the leather jerkin, taking it off and putting it on the ground behind her.  She had left her weapons belt at the main house at the insistence of Jessi’s brother, but that did not mean she was without weapons.  The tunic came off and the armored undergarment was there along with several harnesses with more of the peridot jeweled thin knives.

Jessi ran her hands along the edge of the leather cups, tracing the scars and drawing Laun to her.  The straps and such that held Laun in were not difficult to undo, but the woman’s attention was on what was below.  Laun helped to release herself, the smile on the Baroness’ face nice to see.

“You made it from this flower.”

Laun smiled.  “The artisan was not sure what to do when I brought it out for him-”  A mouth was on her breast and Laun could not speak.

Layers came off and the women were on the low couch together.  Laun was on top, her knee between Jessi’s legs.  This was not an unexperienced woman with her, but Laun found places that Jessi had not known were sensitive.  Laun took it slow, held back to let things in her companion build.  

Laun found little scars along Jessi’s ribcage.  When she went to touch them, Jessi tried to push her away.  Laun moved down, kissing along the way until Jessi could not deny the attentions Laun was giving her.  The scars when close up looked like burns.  A few were round.  A few were jagged. They had been on her for a very long time.   They all seemed to be made by the same thing, and Laun only cared that they had hurt the woman she was with, and to find who did it to her.

An extended moment was taken to kiss and give the scars attention.  Laun could feel Jessi relaxing again as she licked around the edges of the scars.  There was a smile and Laun now understood some of what Silar saw and felt in herself.  They were scars, yes, but it was on a living person who had survived something, a story to be told.  They were part of the woman under her and because of that, were there to be loved.

Laun worked her way back up but kept stroking along Jessi’s ribcage.  There was a smile on the woman’s face, but also a tear in her eye.  “He...  He would get angry and use the fire tender.  No one but he ever saw right there...”  The tears fell and Laun kissed along the trail, tasting the bitter salt.

“He is gone and will not hurt you any longer, Jessi.”  Laun tried to rumble, but the protective emotion she had go through her was unexpected and her voice became soft as she whispered into Jessi’s neck.

Their lips met and the older woman became desperate in her actions.  She needed to be touched, to be given pleasure.  Laun had been holding off touching below the waist, but it was time.

Laun’s fingers found that Jesi’s womanhood was slick.  Thoughts and actions had brought her past intrigued, past receptive, and to wanting.  Laun stroked on the outside of Jessi’s womanhood, the button easy to find and causing great reactions when it was touched.

The moans were not loud, but they were not held back, either.  The Baroness was brought to her first peak, her body writhing under Laun, her skin flushing and sweating.  Laun brought her wet fingers up and tasted the woman, a slightly confused look to the pleasure washing through Jessi.  The taste was sweet, slightly salty and very clean.

“You have not had anyone for far too long, Jessi.”

The flush turned to a blush as the woman nodded.  “Even with being a noble and a Master in the grey, I couldn’t go against my husband.  He...”

Laun kissed her, sharing Jessi’s taste and finding the woman wanting much more.  The kiss slid to her chin and then Laun started to work her way down.  Laun gave each of the breasts under her time and attention, Jessi’s peak becoming a plateau as the sensations went through her.

Laun murmured up to her host as she was between those breasts, “It is a shame you did not have a lover.  Your body is lovely and you deserve pleasure.”  Laun saw a smile and Jessi closed her eyes as Laun’s mouth went for one of her brown nipples.

“You are the first person in months to touch me...” Jessi whispered.  Her hand held Laun to her breast and a sigh escaped.

The nipple rolled in Laun’s mouth as her tongue pressed into the woman’s flesh.  The firmness of it, even though the woman was twice Laun’s age, told Laun that she had never had a child.  The thought of Flint needing to control made Laun think that he had rarely laid with his wife, and that only for his own pleasure.  Pebble’s loyalty to such a man confounded Laun, but she understood that was how the woman under her had been.

The kisses started to go lower, trailing down Jessi’s chest to her rounded belly.  Laun found little wrinkles and folds along the bottom of the belly and had a little fun playing along those.  It made Jessi wiggle, and not just from the sensations.  Laun felt the push and pull of the woman’s hands on her to try to get her to move.  She did not like her own softness, but Laun was not going to let Jessi rush her.  Laun slowed down, tasting and breathing in the woman’s essence from the slightly neglected area.

The hands on Laun’s head pulled on the pins holding her braids in place.  The gold bell drew the braid on that side down, hitting Jessi’s thigh.  The other braid had a gold weight on it that pulled it to the other side, the small nut-like charm pulling the braid past Jessi’s fur and hitting her clit.

The reaction from the small impact was glorious to Laun.  Jessi’s back arched and a whimper came out.  The hand that had been trying to get Laun to move from the folds of skin and roundness pushed down, an insistence that showed that Pebble could be distracted from what she was thinking.

Laun started to lick and suck on the sensitive nub at the top of Jessi’s womanhood.  The thighs of the woman pressed in and Laun had to be careful breathing with limited gaps to get air from.  Laun rubbed up and down the wet slit with her knuckles before pressing one finger slowly in.

Jessi almost immediately arched her back and Laun could feel the contractions around her finger.  Sensitive and in need.  Laun smiled into the wetness pressed to her face.

Fingers slowly going in and out of the woman, Laun kissed her way up the writhing body to lay on top, holding the woman down as the movements became fiercer.    Jessi gasped as her third full orgasm rolled through her, her fingernails digging into Laun’s arms and back.  Even at the main house on the estate, the wail Jessi let out could be heard, thought to be grief shared by most there.

Laun gathered the woman up in her arms and supported her head on her chest.  She stroked down the neck of the woman and felt that there needed to be time before Jessi would be able to handle any more.  There was a series of sighs, a few tears from Jessi, but nothing but a smile on her lips.

Laun started to hum a lullaby she had learned recently for the children.  She felt the relaxation that Jessi had and that sleep was close.  Laun did not have a reason to push, did not want to delve into the mind of the woman with her.  They were there as companions, peers.  But it would have been so easy to try.

The afternoon was calm and warm.  The light changed as the sun went behind clouds and came out again, bathing the Southern land with a gentle warmth that was healing.  Laun watched Jessi as she slept, a small snore coming out when she dipped into true sleep.  It was hard to stay awake with the warm body and no pressing needs.  But Laun did it, enjoying the feelings going through her.

A small sigh and Jessi opened her eyes.  She started fully awake and then relaxed when she knew who she was with.  She sought out Laun’s hand and twined her fingers through, holding tight.

“That is the best rest I have had in a while.  I never fall asleep...”

Laun kissed the Baroness’ forehead.  “Thank you for trusting me enough to sleep.”

Jessi looked up into Laun’s eyes.  She blinked and smiled.  “I do trust you.  It has been too long since I have been able to trust.  Part of being in the grey, and part of being a Master.”

Laun nodded.  “I hope to earn and retain that trust, Master.”

Jessi smiled and pushed herself up and was about to kiss Laun when she stopped.  The look on her face changed and became serious.  “Something happened.  Mistress, what happened?”

Laun knew she was going to tell.  Even before she had made the short journey from Hamlis to where the Baroness was staying with her brother, Laun had to tell.  “Pebble Master, before your husband’s unfortunate accident, his gold bell came to me.”

Jessi pushed herself up and put her arms around her, hiding her breasts.  “Is this my last day?”

Laun shook her head and smiled.  She sat and put her arms around the woman.  “He came as a red scarf customer.  He paid handsomely to make sure that the silver had not been misled.  Mimi and I entertained him for an evening and I have to admit, whoever trained him did a good job.”

There was a small raise of one corner of Jessi’s mouth.  “With his bravado, I thought he would have less skill, and less manhood.”

Laun laughed.  “As you know, Master, always go to the source of the flow when you can.  He might not have been the most impressive in stature, but he had a willingness to please that made that unimportant.”  Laun drew her hand down Jessi’s arm and felt the woman relax into her.

“It was not the actions that he had that night that should concern you.  It is his words.”  Jessi looked up but did not say anything.  “Between bouts, his habit of bragging took him.  I didn’t even have to prod him much...well-”  Laun blushed.  “I did not have to ask him anything for him to say some slightly disturbing things.”

There was enough of a pause that Jessi’s breathing quickened and she said, “What?”

“He loves you.  Has loved you for quite a while.  He was drawn to Flint because he wanted to be closer to you, not understanding that...you and your husband were not that close.”  She put her hand along Jessi’s chin and jaw and looked into the woman’s eyes.  “And that he had to hide it from everyone because Flint had you followed.  He had to make sure that if his Master was not with you that no one was.”

Jessi blinked and frowned.

“Purcy had to be the one to take care of men who tried to get close to you.  He used Blue’s girls more than once in the last few years to eliminate men Flint thought were getting too friendly with you.  The gold did not like it.”

Jessi shook her head.  “No.  He could not have known-”  She fell silent and closed her eyes, tears starting to flow down her cheeks.

“A Master information gatherer will have his way, and you know that.  Flint was always jealous of you and needed to keep you under control.  Even one Master to another, he needed that control over you.”

Laun kept quiet, watching as Jessi worked through the last few years, knew who had been killed because of her.  Her eyes flew open and looked around before focusing back on Laun.  “The blondes.  Like the girl that was with you.  I would see them and then...”  She drew in a breath and let it out, calmness coming to her again.  “But he is gone.  Another Flint is in his place.”

Laun nodded.  She kissed the woman in her arms and felt a flatness in the gesture.  The passion was no longer there.  “Master, Purcy gave information too freely.  And he was turned too easily.”

“...the dogs.”  Laun nodded to the whisper.  “He helped to kill his own Master.”

“It is not my place, Master, to tell you what is and what should be.  I humbly suggest that you spend some time with the new Flint.  Even being gold, I do not believe that he was ready to take his Master’s place, but you could be the lesson he needs to finish.”

Jessi thought as she was held.  Laun understood that silence.  The birds flew by and sang to each other in the afternoon skies.  The sun moved through the light clouds towards the horizon.  The bird calls changed and Laun felt herself relax.  A cooling wind coming to them from the ocean several miles away started through and Jessi stirred.

She looked around and smiled at Laun.  “Mistress, I thank you for your talents.  Your information is useful and I know how I will be able to use it.”  She motioned to the garden and said, “The evening breeze off the water is coming in and it will be chilly soon.  Will you join me for evening meal?”

Laun looked over at the untouched food and smiled.  “I would be honored, Master.”

They dressed each other, a slow process that led to garments coming off several times and moans flowing over the garden before the clothing was truly in place.  The food that was there was devoured and a small bellpull was tugged on, letting someone in the main house know that it was time to bring the evening meal.

It took a while for the servants to come, giving the women time to talk more.  It was all light things, nothing sensitive or pressing.  It was communication between companions and a familiar way to spend time.

Laun smiled as she heard the servants approach.  Jessi frowned and then saw Launs smile and relaxed.  Trays were being carried by men not of the household.  They were wearing the Salam-Dir dark green and black, but that was all that matched between them.

The old trays were taken away from the table by the household servants, the men placed the new trays and stood back, both at parade rest.  The household servants glanced at the men and their Lady before leaving.

Laun stood and watched the concern and curiosity on Jessi’s face.  “May I be so bold, Baroness.  I was not sure if I would be able to...handle you by myself.  I asked them to wait, just in case.”

Jessi’s eyes went along each of the men, taking in the wide shoulders and darkness of one and the light hair and broken nose of the other.  “You are offering...?”

There was a smile on Silar’s face as he heard his Mistress say what she always did.  “You do not have to do anything you do not want to.  But, either, or both if you wish, are here to pleasure you.”

Laun went to Daffyd, running her hand down from his shoulder to his chest.  She looked at the nose that she broke and remembered the first time they had met in the attack during the storm.  She smiled thinking of the second time they met, he was kneeling in front of the barricade into Salam-Dir.  He had found where Laun lived and had tracked her as he had the first time.  It had been for himself that he sought her the second time.

Laun turned to Jessi and waved to the men.  “My sworn are here for us.  Have them feed us, have them fuck us.  It is up to you what they do.”

There were a few moments where Laun was certain she had pushed things too far.  Jessi was not moving, except for her eyes.  She looked from man to man and then stared at Laun.  Laun could stare down anyone, but she did not have to try with the Baroness.  There was a smile.

A hand was held out to Laun and she went to the woman, kneeling and kissing the hand.  “My dear Peach, since we just did eat what was left of luncheon, I guess we will have to go with the second option for now.”  There were smiles exchanged and Laun made a small signal, the men dropping the tunics and pants within seconds.  Laun kept her eyes on the face of Jessi and saw her host’s eyes widen, and the smile show teeth with her tongue drawing across the tips.

Laun knew what the men looked like.  Silar, dark with the lines of scars similar to her own crossing his body, his cock restrained with the ring through the head and a thong around his waist.  Daffyd, the fine blonde hair going all the way down from his helmet length hair to past his groin, the sac between his legs impressive, if you saw it past his manhood.

Daffyd went to one knee and bowed his head.  Silar came forward and held his hand to Jessi, helping her up and then out of her clothing.  Laun sat and watched as the dark hair of the Baroness flowed across her skin as it was unbound from her braid.  Silar’s dark hands traveled across the older woman and made Laun ache for a release she had not yet had that day.

It was not her time.  This was Jessi’s time.  She was to be pleasured.  The coins were not what had bought this, it was the connections she had sent Laun’s way, the sympathy she had garnered for Laun in the Bell Council and the training Laun had acquired because of it.  Laun watched and then clicked her tongue, Daffyd rising and taking position balancing Silar with Jessi between.

Laun watched as the older woman was impaled and held in the air between the men.  She muffled her cries in the chest of the man in front of her as she had waves of pleasure go through her and then a peak that the men had difficulty keeping contained between them.  Daffyd withdrew but not because his seed was spilling.  Laun moved away from the couch before the men brought Jessi to the low couch and Silar went down on their host as Daffyd stroked and fondled the woman, keeping her warm in the cooling evening.

Silar entered Jessi after bringing her to climax around his fingers.  She was not expecting the sensations the ring gave and grabbed onto the back of the couch and the shoulder of Daffyd as just entering her pushed her back over the edge.  Silar kept still until Jessi calmed a little before stroking into her.  

Laun was leaning on one of the uprights while watching, finding her own hand trying to get beneath her armored undergarment to her own breast.  She started to take her clothing off when Daffyd looked over and smiled.  He signaled to come to her and she nodded.  Silar covered Jessi and she did not notice the missing man.

Laun was naked in the evening breeze.  Daffyd had gone through many trials to show that he was willing to follow Mistress Peach, the last one having been in the chamber of death on the altar.  It had felt appropriate, and amused Laun to break and rebuild someone from Rosemond into her man.  She had straddled him and it had taken concentration to keep her face calm as she slid onto his cock.  But he had sworn himself to her three times that day and the third time was before she had let him come to his peak, coating her stomach as she slid down his legs.

Now, he was a favorite as a balance to Silar.  He was strong and could feel when Laun needed blood, his own offered willingly.  She had seen him pair off with one of the protector women, but all Laun had to do was look in his direction and he was at her feet.  He was there, now, kissing her womanhood as she leaned against the upright.

The calls of passion went into the night.  The men were able to bring both women to several peaks before letting themselves orgasm.  Jessi was exhausted and almost asleep when Laun signaled for her men to prepare to go.

Laun was dressed, her hair being pinned up before the cap would go on.  A thick blanket was drawn over Jessi on the low couch, her eyes blinking slowly in the lamplight.  Laun knelt by Jessi’s side and kissed her cheek.

“Master, I should go.”

“mmmm...  I guess you should.”  Jessi moved and they were kissing, the lack of energy the only thing that was keeping Laun from being drawn to the woman again.

They looked into each other’s eyes.  Laun kissed the older woman on the forehead, getting a sigh in response.  “Jessi...  Thank you for this day.”

There was a nod and a smile.

Laun stayed kneeling as the cap was placed on her head, her hand feeling the crisp lines as she smoothed it out unnecessarily.  The men had dressed her in her blacks every day that week and knew better than she how she should look.  She had a hand up when her own legs threatened to give out on her and she stood looking down at the woman she had come to see.

“If you need me, you know how to get ahold of me, Pebble.”  There was a nod from her, the closed eyes saying that she may not have heard Laun.

A pull on the bellpull brought a line of lights being lit as the servants came out to the little house.  Laun smiled at the speed and the breathiness of the servants that came to attend.  Laun did not say anything, but started towards the main house following the line of lights.

They were joined by two darkly dressed figures partway out of the garden, and then by yet another two as the horses were brought to them at the front of the building.

Laun did not look around as she asked, “How many?”

“Four, Mistress,” was the low answer from Hazalam.

“Alive?”

“One.”  Wanda seemed pleased with herself.  A cloth and rope wrapped object was on the back of one of the chargers, a dark, wet streak showing even in the torch light.

Laun clicked her tongue and her bey palfrey knelt after finding grass beside the gravel.  Laun threw her leg over and signaled for Grace to rise.  The rest mounted, two of the horses shared.  Laun waived to the Brother of Pebble and pitied him for what would be found in his garden the next day.  

He would never know that his sister had been the focus of a contract put out just a day before Flint died.  Purcy had come to Laun that night, under the guise of paying for her body for a second time when he had found out.  He had been the one to exchange monies for his Master, but it was the last time he would do so.

It had not been hard to know who had taken the contract.  It had not been hard to track and trail, even after the death of the contract holder.  Blue and her assassins were still active in the Midlands, even with Lady Engrid held on the Island Principality off of Rosemond’s coast.  They had lured four of them, the number Laun had found and confirmed of the girls still left.  They had protected Pebble Master because the new Flint loved Jessi.

And now, they had an assassin who knew Blue Master’s network.

Laun was going to have fun.

End book Four.