By the time they stopped for the second night, Merrie was almost humming with excitement. She had come repeatedly over the trip, both as a distraction for everyone in the wagon and because it made her feel good. She didn't have to worry about using magic or making choices, she just had fun.
It almost made up for being convicted of treason, but not quite.
When the wagon stopped, they knew it would be some time before the guards came for her. The wait seemed to stretch out longer with every person walking past the back of the wagon, the guards seemed to take joy in rattling the lock before moving on.
Ston stirred from the uncomfortable silence. “Bitch? Why didn't you do it? Why didn't you close the gate?”
Merrie looked up at him. She was splaying on the cloaks and clothes, her legs spread apart and one smooth ankle resting against the bars. It almost felt good to enjoy the dim light and the coming night.
“I mean, any of us would give our nuts to avoid The Key. You had a chance, close the gate and walk away.”
It was an old question that she still didn't have the answer. She also couldn't explain why the Royal Geas was accepting of it, since it obviously threatened so many people. She sighed and let her ears droop. “I felt right to keep it there.”
“To save this paladin? He raped you. Really raped you.”
“But I'm who I am because of Bass. He showed me what I was.”
“It sounds more like he convinced a pretty face that what he did was the greater good. Told you that you were special to justify shoving his dick into you.”
“No, it was more than that. It was—”
“It had to be more than that. Even if it was the right thing, you should have destroyed that gate… thing once he was saved.”
“Ston,” Monte said. “Don't pick a fight.”
“Why not? She could have gotten free.” Ston pointed at here. “She didn't have to be here. Why did she choose to go to Abbinkey when the rest of us didn't.”
“We all did terrible things, Ston.”
“Fuck off, Monte.”
Monte sighed.
No one in the wagon said anything. Merrie whimpered softly and listened to the guards working outside. It was another permanent prison fortress, she recognized the sound of them replacing the lights with something else that let her crawl without harm. It seemed like a lot of work when it was obvious that Dornen and Hore had no interest in her comfort.
At the same time, she traveled down the same question as before. Why didn't she? Why didn't the Royal Geas prevent her? Or demand that she close it.
“I guess….” She sighed. “It felt right to keep it open.”
“And doom thousands? What does Slender think about that?”
“I'm fine.”
That caused everyone to stare at him.
Slender shrugged. “I grew up Blood County. All of us knew we would die sooner or later. Not everyone gets the choice, but at least in Blood County, they let you go out with a bang.”
“That's…” Ston pulled a face. “Disgusting.”
“We are the only march that doesn't have mandatory military service. The quality of life is the fourth highest of any county in the country, including Franome City. I'm not sure why that's bad. Yeah, you might end up gang-banged and spitted every holiday, but I grew up with good education, a comfortable house, and low taxes.”
Ston paled. “E-Even the guys?”
Slender chuckled. “Yeah, there is a lot of cock and cunts in Blood County. Just because you have balls doesn't mean someone wants to cut them off.”
Ston, Razor, and Mace all crossed their legs.
“Why did you leave?”
Slender shrugged. “Always need fresh blood. I mean cowgirls are—”
“Like your sister?”
“Yeah, she was beautiful. But not too bright. She had accepted it a long time ago. Sometimes, you need a bit of fresh meat. It has… flavor when you get to know them? It's more personal, you know what I mean?”
“No… and thankfully, I never will.”
Slender shrugged. “It was a good life. I miss it but this is where I am. The Key will be just as interesting as Blood County. I even heard they have cannibals there. No doubt some good blood sausage too.”
“Oh,” Ston made a noise, “I think I'm going to be sick.”
“Slender, please. I don't want to think about that,” said Monte.
Slender shrugged and said nothing.
After a few minutes of silence, Razor groaned. “I have to pee again.”
“Just don't say anything.”
“Yeah, dad, I remember. Just hurry the fuck up.”
Finally, the door was unlocked. Dornen stuck his head in. “Okay, who has to go the worst?”
Slender raised his hand. “Me, sir.”
“Then you can go second last,” he said with a grin. He crawled into the wagon and walked past Slender who rolled his eyes. Thankfully for Razor, he and Mace were the first two selected to come out first.
Razor mouthed “thank you” to Slender who ducked his head.
As Dornen lead the two out, Hore remained by the door. Like before, it took about twenty minutes to get two men out at a time. It wasn't long before Merrie was alone in her cage with the rest of the wagon empty.
She prepared herself for a long wait, closing her eyes and slowly stroking her pussy to pass the time. She didn't want to use her timekeeping spell, it wouldn't help and only make the passage of time more painful.
Instead, she masturbated. Her mind didn't focus on one image or another, she just focused on stroking herself slowly and enjoying the little waves of pleasure that echoed inside her body. The orgasm that came was slow and steady, a ripple of pleasure that just danced along her nerves.
“All right, Bitch, your turn.” Dornen seemed more sullen than usual.
She obeyed, waiting for her cage to open, and then crawling out obediently. She had to hop down to land on the white painted path and followed it, letting the guards lead her, though it was obvious how to reach her destination.
As with the night before, there were four stations. She didn't need to use the first but the four guards following her were insistent. She managed to pee slightly and Vace cleaned her with a cold rag. He also cleaned her off, his hands hefting and lingering on her soapy breasts and between her legs before he pulled away.
Merrie wagged her tail as she crawled back around the building. At the point she was pulled off the night before, she hesitated.
“No,” came the stern voice of the captain. Ginny gestured to Merrie. “You are inside tonight.”
Sighs of disappointment echoed around her. Dornen nudged her with his foot and she resumed down the white path. At the stairs, she had to balance herself before climbing up and following the line into the stone building.
Inside, there were cells on both sides of the first floor. They were already filled, six prisoners from the first wagon and five from the other. Mace and Ston shared a cell as well as two other cells doubled up with prisoners she didn't know.
“Food's at the end.”
Merrie crawled over and looked over a table. They were being served nothing more than gruel and what looked like watered-down beer. None of it looked appetizing. She thought about her stomach and her thoughts from earlier. Then, she lowered herself to the ground and looked up at Dornen.
“You need food?”
She shrugged and shook her head.
“If you get hungry in a few hours, no one is feeding you.”
She nodded, her tail wagging. There was a few droplets of water that splashed around her as she did.
“Then in your cell. Let's see, we have to double you up so… let's put you in—”
The captain stepped up and held out her hand. “She's mine tonight.”
Dornen sighed. “Yes, madam.”
“Make sure everyone is set up for the night. I'm retiring.”
The guard gave Ginny and then Merrie a sour look before bowing. Then he walked away from Merrie and stormed out of the front door.
Merrie watched him and then lifted her gaze up to Ginny. The female guard looked tired but flushed at the same time. She had large breasts that were bound down with strips of cloth, Merrie could see the ripple of fabric underneath the guard uniform. Ginny's hair was once again in a ponytail, this time the gray and brown strands were kept carefully bound by a strip of black leather.
The captain looked down. “Like what you see?”
There was something in Ginny's voice, a promise of a far more pleasant night than before. Merrie sat up, on her haunches and brought her wrists to her collar.
“Don't do that.”
She froze. After a moment, she lowered her limbs.
“Up the stairs, Bitch. I don't want to see you groveling.”
Merrie ducked her head and obeyed, crawling off the white line with only a moment of hesitation and then up the stairs. It was a steep staircase and she had been in a cage all day, but it didn't take too long before she was up on the second floor.
Like the first, it had a hallway with doors on both sides. Each door was twice as big as the cell below with what appeared to be an open area to one side on the far end. Talking and jostling rose up from the open area, that was where most of the wagon guards were eating.
Ginny didn't spare them a second glance. She stopped by the first door on the right and unlocked it. Opening it, she gestured for Merrie to enter.
The room had little personality, a plain room with white walls and the seal of Franome hanging off one of them. A double-sized bed had been shoved into the corner with a pile of blankets at the foot. Next to it was four wardrobes that lined the wall and around the corner. Each one had a name on a plaque in front of it. Next to the wardrobes was a small table with two padded chairs.
Merrie lifted herself to keep looking around, curious at what the captain slept in. The opposite side from the bed had a narrow table with a small ice box, a sink, and a few glowing runes that would produce water and heat on demand.
In the final corner was a deep soaking tub. Merrie did a double take, she wasn't expecting to see a luxury like that in the room, much less the steam that rose from the top of the surface out of sight. She took a hesitate smell and was delighted to taste lavender and wildflowers in the air.
“Four of us share the room. In all the way.”
Merrie realized her ass was sticking in the door frame. She crawled inside and sat down to one side. Her tail wagged slowly back and forth. The room was far more comfortable than spending the night on the stump. However that didn't mean she would enjoy it.
Ginny closed the door. “You know why you're in here, right?”
Merrie considered answering in barks but the captain obviously wanted more. “You want to fuck me.”
Her tail wagged faster.
Ginny frowned and then stared at her. “You don't mind?”
Merrie smiled at her, her back arching slightly. “I like to fuck.”
“Even with girls?”
Merrie's smile turned into a grin. “I like everything.”
Ginny's cheeks were flushed. “I don't like pussies.”
“I do.”
A soft inhalation and a barely perceptible moan; Merrie's ears twitched as she looked at Ginny. She was a hard woman, obviously spending much of her time on the road between Franome City and Abbinkey. She also looked worn, if the scars and the sun-burned leathery wrinkles of her skin were any indication.
She was also beautiful in her own way.
“We don't have a lot of woman prisoners on this route.” Ginny glanced at her. “Never any that look like… you.”
Ginny circled around Merrie and walked over to the bed. There was nervousness in her movement but when she looked back, there was also lust.
Merrie crawled forward.
The captain dropped her hand to her sword.
Merrie stopped. “I don't have magic, remember?”
“Yes, but….”
“I'm also a naked woman with no hands or feet. The only weapon I have is my teeth which I intended to use in a few minutes.” As she spoke, she crawler closer.
Ginny backed up until her knees brushed against the bed. Then she stopped. “What are you going to do?”
Merrie answered by hooking one arm on the edge of the bed and pressing her face into Ginny's crotch. The buttons of the captain's trousers scraped against her face but Merrie only cared about the sweet smell of excitement underneath. It was mixed with sweat, smoke, and grime from a day of traveling.
“I found something I want to eat,” Merrie whispered.
Ginny panted.
“You might want to put the sword down, though. I promise I won't use it.” As to make her point, Merrie opened her mouth and pressed against the curve of Ginny's pubic bone. Even through the layers of material, she could feel the heat pulsating underneath. She sucked on the fabric, extracting the first musky taste of a woman who had been thinking about sex of hours.
With a moan, Merrie smiled and lapped at the rough, well-worn fabric. “Tasty,” she whispered.
Ginny moaned herself. With a shaking hand, she unbuckled her sword and placed it on top of a high shelf, well away from Merrie.
Merrie knew that she didn't need it. She didn't care at the moment. As Ginny fumbled with her weapon, Merrie worked the button open on the captain's trousers. Underneath, the fabric of Ginny's underwear was soaked. It was a strong smell of sweat and sex.
Shoving her face against the opening, she took a deep noticeable breath.
Ginny shivered with a moan. The sword slipped from her hand and clattered to the ground.
Instantly, she tensed.
Merrie returned to working the buttons open with her lips and teeth, sliding the metal tabs out of the way so she could part the fabric and gain access to the hairy mound inside.
Ginny's hands reached out and she gingerly stroked Merrie's ears.
To encourage her, Merrie moaned and wiggled her hips. Her tail waved back and forth as she worked the pants down off of Ginny's wide hips and then down to her thighs. She almost continued pushing them down, but the sight of the soaked panties was too much.
With a coo, she planted her mouth on the fabric and sucked on it. Her tongue ran along the cloth-covered furrow, working the thick lips apart as Ginny's stroking of her ears turned into a tight grip.
“Oh, fuck,” gasped the woman.
Merrie smiled and sucked harder, dragging her tongue up and down along the soaked folds. She wasn't in a hurry, not unless her lover insisted on it. Wanting a better angle, she lifted her other arm to hug Ginny's thighs and lapped harder and faster, swirling her tongue along the edge of the fabric as she soaked Ginny's pubic hair with her spit.
“Oh, oh… no, let me get my pants off.”
Merrie pulled back and released the captain.
Ginny was frantic to pull off her pants and underwear off. She fumbled more than once.
Merrie moaned and waited. She pulled back on her haunches and brought her wrists up.
Ginny glanced up, her eyes a little wild and her hair pulling free of the ponytail. “By the Gods, I shouldn't find that sexy.”
“Please?” whispered Merrie. “I need to taste you again.”
She let her tongue slip out.
Ginny frantically shed her bottom clothes and then sat back on the bed.
Merrie followed, her eyes locked on Ginny as she nestled her breasts between Ginny's scarred thighs and lowered her mouth to the swollen lips. When Ginny moaned in desire, Merrie began to lap harder, swirling her tongue along the hairy lips and deeper into the stronger-tasting core of the guard captain.
Ginny gasped and grabbed Merrie's sensitive ears. She shoved Merrie down hard.
Merrie opened her mouth obediently, jamming her entire mouth against the woman's slit. Her tongue swirled and lapped, finding Ginny's clitoris and began to tease it. She knew that lapping wasn't enough, she swirled her tongue in random patterns, with frequent forays to drag the tip through the soaked opening and then back up.
“I'm… I'm going… too fast!”
Merrie didn't stop. She smiled and lapped harder, closing her mouth to clamp her lips on Ginny's clitoris and sucked hard.
“Fuck!” screamed the older woman. Then she came, spraying cum against Merrie's throat and breasts, soaking her almost instantly as she jerked.
Merrie rode her clitoris, sucking and lapping as the hips jerked in all directions. It grew soaked around her but that only added to her pleasure as she chased Ginny through one orgasm and then another.
Too soon, Ginny slumped down. “That… was the best cum I've ever had.” She panted. “What do I do now?”
Merrie smiled, she wasn't done. She leaned forward and nuzzled her nose along the soaked furrow.
Ginny clamped her legs. “Stop, it's too sensitive.”
Merrie lowered her head.
The captain shook her head. “I'm only good for one.”
Merrie grinned even wider, she knew one place that wasn't too sensitive. She burrowed her head down, forcing Ginny's thighs apart with her head.
“What are you?”
Merrie peeked up. “Lift your legs.”
Ginny frowned but obeyed, lifting her legs and bending herself more. Her pussy rose up, swollen and slick. “It is too sensitive to touch, I know… what are you doing?”
Merrie delved her head further down, encouraging Ginny to lift her legs even further until Merrie found what she wanted, the tiny brown sphincter. It smelled of sweat and sex and ass, but that didn't matter. Merrie opened her mouth and clamped her mouth over it.
“I don't think—”
Merrie lapped against the tight opening, swirling her tongue along the crinkles.
The words froze in Ginny's throat.
Encouraged, Merrie lapped again. She had licked far worse over the years and she liked the look of blossoming pleasure on the captain's face as she continued to lap.
“Oh…. oh the gods… oh the gods!”
Ginny lifted her legs higher up, exposing the rosebud to Merrie's tongue. Her pussy began to drool with even more excitement.
With the ease of access, Merrie shifted closer to lap hard and wetly and explore the opening with the tip of her tongue. Her tail wagged violently as she lapped and sucked and delved.
Ginny whimpered, her wail of pleasure rising up in a gasp. “Oh the gods! Oh the gods!”
Merrie bore down as she ate the captain's ass, lapping at it until the other woman sprayed her with another orgasm, coating Merrie's head and ears with her juice. After sucking on her lips a few more times, Merrie pulled back. Her hair was matted and the air smelled of pussy, but she didn't care. It was sated pleasure that she saw in her lover's eyes.
“Oh, fuck, that was…. oh the gods, I never… never did that.”
Merrie smiled and licked her lips.
Ginny sat up. She started to pull Merrie into a kiss but then stopped. Her face wrinkled. “You stink.”
Merrie glanced at the tub with a question. “May I?”
“What? Oh yeah, get cleaned.”
“Yes, madam.”
Ginny shuddered and smiled.
Merrie crawled over the to the tub. It took her a moment to hook her arms on the edge and pull herself up. The water was deep but the tub was short.
“Do you need—”
Merrie dove in, sinking well below the water before coming up. Her severed limbs pawed at the sides until she found the sitting bench and pulled herself on it. Dripping wet, she smiled at the captain and then ducked her head underneath.
It took a few more dips below the surface to finally feel clean. She smiled and leaned back. The water was searingly hot, more so with her icy core. It felt good and her smells were heavenly.
She missed her own perfume, Complicated Bitch, but she didn't think she would ever enjoy the scent again. She was doomed to spend her life at Abbinkey. A flicker of sadness washed over her. She almost let it dwell in her thoughts but didn't, it would hurt too many people if she let herself get plunged into the gasping despair that was too easy to fall into.
Merrie soaked in the tub for almost a half hour before Ginny joined her. The captain sat down in the water before stroking her hands along Merrie's body.
“You are so soft.”
“I don't spend time outside.”
“The sun?”
“Everything.”
“You were a whore, right?”
Merrie nodded. “And a slave. And a master.”
“Did you fight?” Ginny flicked Merrie's nipple before catching it again and rolling it between her fingertips.
Saddened, Merrie nodded. “I lost a lot of friends and lovers too.”
“Is that why you did it?”
“No, I did….” She realized there was nothing that she could say. She could feel Ginny tensing up. She wouldn't understand why the shadow land was created, not any more of why the other prisoners couldn't understand why she choose treason over freedom.
Merrie sighed and came up with a lie instead. “I couldn't stop it once I got started. It was a horrible mistake, one that I will live with for the rest of my life.”
Ginny relaxed slightly. She glanced at the sword still on the floor then back to Merrie.
Merrie knew that the night was going to be a one-time thing. She could see in Ginny's eyes that she was sleeping with a murderer, no matter how pretty Merrie looked or how pleasant she was.
Slowly, she bobbed her head and looked up at her. “May I please you one more time before I go?”
“I can't.”
“I would love if you pinned me down and fucked my face with your pretty ass. I promise I'll lick you to another orgasm.”
If it was going to be her last time, she was going to leave with a smile on Ginny's lips.