Tak

The War Wizard - Part 7

     Sheena turned out to be a hard, fierce lover and Tak was hard pressed to keep up with her. A part of him wondered whether they ought to be spending the night before battle so actively. Didn't they ought to be getting a good night's sleep to clear their minds for the next day's spellcasting? The rest of him told the voice to go to hell. He was having much too good a time to worry about tomorrow. And besides, there was a very good chance he was going to die before the yellow sun set again. What better way to spend his last night than making love to a beautiful woman?

     Being with Sheena was a battle in itself, however. She scratched and bit like an animal and howled with pleasure when he thrust inside her. In the end, though, it was she who fell asleep first, with a smile of contentment on her handsome, angular face. Tak felt strangely as though he'd defeated an enemy in battle, and the warm glow of pleasure he felt came almost as much from the victory of outlasting her than from the pleasure of their lovemaking. She'd left him totally exhausted, though, and he fell asleep himself soon after, delighting in the feel of her warm, soft body against his.

     He needn't have worried about getting his sleep. All four of them slept until well after sunup, sleeping right through the blaring of the trumpets that roused the rest of the army, and it wasn't until a servant arrived with breakfast that Tak was finally jerked back to consciousness. He reached for his clothes, but Sheena snatched them out of his hands with an amused laugh and took down the sheet of silk that screened their half of the tent.

     On the other side, Barl and Ehr Laing, still unclothed, were already eating. Tak strove to give no sign of his self consciousness, not wanting to be thought provincial and unsophisticated, and so he joined in with the meal, the four of them sitting naked on their blankets. The two men sat in silence, feeling a little awkward, as the women chatted and laughed like sisters, discussing the relative merits of their partners of the night before.

     Tak thought he was conducting himself with self assured sophistication and was feeling pretty pleased with himself until Sheena shocked him by leaning lazily against him and reaching across to play with his manhood as she ate. Tak grabbed her hand in a pure reflex of self consciousness, acting before his brain had had time to register what was happening, but the black girl snickered as she pulled her hand free of his grasp and returned it to his groin. This time Tak made himself sit still, horribly self conscious as he throbbed and pulsed between her slender, black fingers but afraid of making a spectacle of himself in front of the others by protesting further.

     "That's better, little white man," purred Sheena into his ear, brushing his skin with her lips. "You like, yes? Before you go to war, I take you first to paradise."

     "There'll be time for that later," said Ehr Laing, however. "We have important business to discuss."

     Sheena sighed with disappointment and sat up, but continued leaning against Tak. She took one of his hands in both of hers and pressed it into her lap.

     "This tent is shielded against scrying magic," said the redheaded woman to Tak. "Ostensibly, to prevent the enemy from spying on us, learning our battle plans, but it will also protect us from the undead eyes of Khalkedon. We may speak freely, without fear of consequences. Tak, a year ago, Barl told me that you wanted to free yourself from thraldom to Khalkedon. Is that true?"

     "Yes," replied Tak nervously, hoping he wasn't making a dreadful mistake by trusting them with the truth. "We discussed the possibility of some of us getting together. Working out some kind of plan."

     "We also wish to be free of Khalkedon," stated Ehr Laing, indicating herself and Sheena, "and we know of at least four others who feel the same way. Have you come up with any firm ideas for how we are to attain this happy state?"