War Of The Wildlands(45)

All of the Sycamore Clan’s warriors now had runed weapons thanks to Yori’s newfound skill. Previously, his grandfather had only bothered to rune special weapons for the Overseer and the clan’s most skilled warriors. War had not visited their people for a long time, but rune carvers continued to pass along their knowledge throughout the generations.

Darin had not forgotten his promise to Reylana. Yori had etched over a hundred arrow tips which would be used in the war against the Na’zorans. Though he was not a woodworker, he had managed to etch strengthening runes into new bows that would now last indefinitely. Every night Yori went to bed with cramps in his fingers and neck from the tedious work, but he enjoyed every moment. Finally, he had found a purpose in life, and it felt wonderful to be needed and welcome among his own people.



* * * * *



“This has healed nicely,” the old woman said. “You should be swinging that sword again in no time.”

Reylana flexed the muscles of her left arm which had spent too much time motionless in a sling. They still felt tight, but she was sure they would be back to normal by the time she returned to her brother. “Thank you,” she said, stretching her shoulder. She stepped out of the healer’s hut and into the bitterly cold wind. She pulled her sword from its sheath and inspected the blade. It looked a bit dull both in color and sharpness. Since she had been unable to fight, she had not tended to the sword’s needs. To her, this was almost like ignoring a crying child. She set off toward the smithy to remedy the situation.

Yori could not help but notice the lovely auburn-haired elf coming his way. She was curvy despite the tight leather armor that bound her slender form. She headed straight for Darin, carrying her sword across both hands.

“Good day, Darin,” she said. “My blade is in need of some care, I think.” She offered the sword to the old elf, who accepted it with a smile.

“I’ll soon have it fixed up for you, young lady,” he said. “My grandson has been busy with those arrow tips for you. Some will explode on contact, and some will survive to be used over and over again. Would you like us to add runes to your sword?”

“Of course,” she replied. “What can you do with it?”

“We can affect the weight, prevent it from becoming dull, strengthen its blow, and many other things.”

“Don’t do anything with the weight. I’m used to it being heavy, and that’s how I like it. If you can prevent it from dulling and make it stronger, I would be in your debt.” She looked over at Yori, who she had never noticed before. “Are you new around here?” she asked.

“Sort of,” he replied. “I’ve been here a couple of weeks, but I’ve rarely left the forge.” Yori regretted not spending any time amongst the clansmen. In front of him was someone he wouldn’t mind knowing better.

“You’re tall,” she replied, looking him up and down. “You must be the tallest male elf I’ve ever met. Would you like to mate?”

Yori’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, and the chisel in his hand dropped to the workbench with a loud clang. He glanced over at his grandfather, who was grinning from ear to ear. He flicked his head in the direction of his hut, indicating to Yori to show the girl inside. Reylana stood patiently, awaiting Yori’s response. Apparently, her request had been serious.

Without a word, Yori walked to the other side of his workbench and took Reylana’s hand. She smiled and followed him to the hut. Once inside, she tugged violently at his pants until they fell to his ankles. She shoved him roughly onto the bed and proceeded to remove only her shoes and pants before climbing on top of him. Taking full control of the encounter, she rode him until her appetite was satiated. Yori felt a sudden surge of pleasure so intense that he clenched his jaw to stop himself from crying out. He had no intention of looking like a fool in front of this woman.

Reylana climbed off of him and retrieved her clothing from the floor. Yori sat up on the bed and stared at her, amazed by the entire event. She leaned over and kissed him on the side of his head.

“After the war is over, we should mate again. I’d love to have a tall son.” As she reached for the door, she stopped abruptly and turned to face him. “I’ll be back for the sword tomorrow.” With those words she exited the hut, leaving Yori behind.

Yori dressed and returned to the forge, a look of bewilderment still apparent on his face. His grandfather laughed at the sight of him and clapped him on the back. “Looks like you’re truly a man now,” he said proudly. “You’re just a piece of meat to the women around here. Romance is a rare thing among our people.”