Eros

Hail to the King - 7

The chain-mail Kaido wore beneath his plates swished as he paced with a slight sway to his steps.

After knocking out the soldier in the alley and 'borrowing' his armor, finding the town's jail was easy. It was a relatively small structure, not even remotely intimidating compared to the capital's dreadful Iron Bastille.

He took a good look at the guards before trying to enter, the armor left his face uncovered, and he was a wanted man. But the fading gold paint of their chain-mail and the red lines crudely drawn across it told they were locals, and probably still not aware of his face.

In a confident stride, he entered the prison and took three wrong turns before reaching the dining room. The mixture of smells that floated in the air brought a broad smile to his face.

Less than ten minutes had passed and Kaido already had his abdomen stuffed to capacity. He ate three slices of fresh bread and cheese, dipped in the bowl creamy tomato soup he drained like water, and refilled twice. But these were just side dishes to the heaps of meat he devoured.

Lazily holding a hand over his bloated stomach, he leaned back into the chair, and gulped the last of the ale. He then focused to study the service counter and the staff behind it. They were taking the leftovers back to the kitchen. It was already late into the evening, and the hall was emptying by the minute.

A vast, content sigh brushed past his lips as he pushed himself from the chair and walked up to the counter. He handed his mug over for a refill of ale, and took a moment to inspect the kitchen's open door.

It had a lock beneath the handle, but its wood looked thin and frail. He could bust it open nice and easy. He thanked the man who handed him back the filled mug, and thus, his plan was set.

He picked one of the prison's corridors at random and advanced as far in as he could. To one side, a wall of stone bricks holstered torches, and to the other were prison cells, most of them empty – confirming Kaido's assumption regarding this town's peaceful nature.

With that thought, he was reminded with one already crossed his mind earlier: What were the capital's soldiers doing here?

The two he encountered at the bar were on a hunt for him, as always, a step behind. But he was certain the armor he stole belonged to the vanguard, and the stains across the plates meant recent activity. What front-line am I not aware of?

As he reached the end of the corridor, the sight of a single, wooden chair distracted him from the thought.

Perfect. He smiled to himself and slumped into it. He sipped from his ale then breathed through his cigarette, his muscles loosening as he crossed his legs and sunk further against the chair's support.

He decided to pretend to be guarding these cells, and catch some rest. Once the kitchen staff clears out he'd sneak in, get as much food as he can carry, and get back on the road.

"Uhm', excuse me sir?" A mellow voice spoke at a heavily accented, yet fluent Velsarian.

He looked towards the cell it came from, and saw what he least expected to see in that corner cell: The most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Her hair cascaded in silky locks, shining like silver. Long, lithe ears perked out from between them, slanted behind her temples.

He'd witnessed the renowned elven beauty before, and she had it put to shame. With a snow white complexion, lush pink lips, dainty nose and delicate cheekbones, she was no less than angelic. Kaido found his eyes mesmerized to hers. A forest green haze engulfed them, shimmering brightly.

"May I have a sip?" She asked, raising an arm to point at the mug in his grip. Her shy smile broadened slightly, but oh-so-sweetly.

He looked at her for another silent moment, then rose from his seat and stepped to the cell, passing her the mug between the bars. She took an eager sip that dragged long enough to make Kaido second guess his choice to share the ale.

"Thank you!" She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and beamed another, even lovelier smile.

"It's worth your smile." A faint smirk crooked the angle of his mouth. For a brief moment, she seemed surprised by his flattery, but then she snickered.

"It's just so hot in this cell..." She murmured, coy eyes lowering as she tugged on her loose undershirt, airing out her skin. Her cleavage was momentarily exposed to Kaido as she did so, and he couldn't keep his eyes from wandering.

The linen of her undershirt fell to drape over the hourglass curves of her breasts and hips. Beneath it, leathers trousers sheathed her toned legs, riding up the curve of her thighs and snugging round buttocks and slender waist.

The muscles along her arms were sleek and subtle, like a dancer's, or a feline's. Her milky flesh was firm where it should be and soft where it should be, arousing an almost irresistible urge to clutch onto it. He could nearly feel the silky smoothness he imagined to her skin at the tips of his fingers.

"It is." He agreed, eyes fixating on hers. She gazed at him, and the shyness that was about her up until then replaced by something else.

"You know what else it is in this cell?" She drew another sip from the mug and leaned closer to the bars. A husky whisper left her lips and infiltrated into his ear with a trace of her breath.

"Really..." She raised a hand through the bars, her fingers brushing away a strand of Kaido's black hair as their tips trailed down the side of his neck. "Really..." She withdrew, and her lips spread in a playful smile. "Boring."

"Hmm'..." Kaido uttered, as if in deep thought, and flicked the butt of the dying cigarette to the floor.

"I could think of a few things we can do to pass the time." He said, and the elf licked her lips slowly.

"Is that so?" She teased, swaying her body even closer to the bars.

"It is." He stepped nearer, and she moved back.

"I can't see how anything could be done when I am in here and you are out there."

"Well..." He moved his hand to the wall beside him, then back to before the bars. A ring with a rusty key dangled from his finger. "I might be able to change that."

Her eyes traced down his body; slim at the waist and broad at the shoulders, his strength was evident even while clad in armor.

"What are you waiting for, then?" She asked, biting her bottom lip. Kaido leaned closer, holding her eyes with his penetrating, dark green gaze.

"A taste." He whispered. Without hesitation, she slipped her hand through the bars, clasped onto his nape, and pulled his head towards her with surprising assertiveness.

Instead of the kiss Kaido expected, he got the iron bound base of the mug smashed against his forehead. His skin split and sheer pain pierced his skull. He lost balance, and heard the ring of something metallic dropping against the stone floor.