He glimpsed a pale shape swimming just below the surface to the right and turned to it.
The shape moved at a blinding speed and darted between his legs. Was it his imagination? Did whatever it was reach up and stroke his loins as it passed? Goron’s eyes narrowed at the possible violation.
The violator approached from the left, and Goron adjusted his stance ready to cleave the fish in two. His axe was ready to strike when the fish flashed behind him. This time he definitely felt the affront. The marine creature pinched his backside. Hot anger rumbled from his gut, he clenched his axe, and bellowed a challenge.
The sound of tinkling laughter behind him was like the clinking of crystal. Goron whirled around. The snarl dropped from his face as his eyes widened. There was a woman in the river. Her hair, unusually long and fluorescent green, floated around her like waterweed. The pale skin, aglow in the moonlight, illuminated the delicate facial features, sculpted from the finest china. She was naked. A patch of pubic hair, the same glorious colour as her tresses, was visible beneath the water’s surface.
The sight brought a flood of heat to Goron’s face and nethers. “By Murdus,” he gasped.
There was a coy smile on the woman’s lips as if she knew his desire. “Greetings,” she called. Her voice resonated like the cascading sound wave from the note of a harp.
“Hello there,” Goron said. It seemed impolite to keep his clothes on, and he hurriedly undressed under the gaze of the large, moss-green eyes. He flung his discarded garments on an overhanging tree branch and splashed out to meet her with all the grace of a drowning donkey. The woman swam to him. Her long hair and arms ensnared him as her hard nipples pressed against his chest. His penis swelled and pushed against her belly.
“What is your name?” Goron asked.
“Blodwen.” She bit at his lip. Her breath smelled rich and earthy like the forest after an autumn rain. He responded hungrily and pushed his tongue between her teeth and explored her mouth. His tongue found hers and the two organs tussled as she forced Goron down into the shallows of the water. Reaching for him, she guided him inside her and thrust down upon him. Her thighs slapped the water and created waves that rippled to the river’s banks. Faster and faster she moved until they both cried out, and Blodwen collapsed panting upon Goron. They lay there quietly bodies entwined, listening to each other’s breath until a pale sun rose above the forest turning the violet waters cream. “I must go,” Blodwen said.
“Stay awhile, meet the others.”
“No, I must return to my tree. I’ve been here too long.” Blodwen rose, a vision of beauty fashioned from ivory.
He reached up and pulled her back onto him. He couldn’t let something so beautiful escape, not when Morwen had told him he was cursed, and love and lust would always escape him.
Blodwen squirmed out of his embrace.
“You could come with me,” she told him. She ran a pointed toe from his belly to his crotch. “I’ll make you happy, always.”
Goron looked back at the camp, but he couldn’t see it above the riverbank. He’d accepted his mission on which the fate of Wichsault depended. If he eloped with Blodwen, he’d undoubtedly put the mission at risk and condemn the people of Wichsault to death. On the other hand, the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen was offering to make him happy forever. The choice was simple.
Goron rose and took Blodwen’s hand. It seemed to float as fragile and light as a butterfly inside his. Without glancing back to his deserted companions, he walked into the forest.
Morwen woke with a start. “Cut it out,” she yelped pushing the demon and the smouldering blanket off her.
“What?” Szat said rubbing the sleep from his eyes with chubby, red hands that spluttered flames.
“You’re dreaming again.” Her hand went to her belly where an angry red welt had appeared. Another scar to add to her many.
Szat grinned displaying yellow, needled teeth. “It was a wonderful dream too. I was slow-roasting the plump cook on a spit for refusing me fourth helpings.” Szat had long-running problems with Wichsault’s cook, Margot, who found him a greedy pest and chased him from the kitchens with a meat cleaver. “She was smeared in honey mustard and was roasting over an open fire. The smell...” Szat’s eyes glazed over and a string of drool hung like a jungle vine from his chin.
“He’s gone,” Caroc said. The ranger stirred a simmering pot by the fire. Szat grunted in delight and ran over to peer inside.
“Who?” Morwen said pulling on her robe and wincing as the fabric brushed against her burnt flesh.
“Goron, I found his clothes and armour down by the river. The stupid fool must have taken a night swim.”
The not unpleasant image of Goron naked and frolicking in the river flashed in Morwen’s head.
“Something got him for sure. You don’t take midnight dips in that river,” Caroc said.
Szat, seemingly unimpressed with the broth Caroc had made, squealed with joy. He scampered over to Goron’s pack and pulled out all the food supplies.
Morwen shrugged. “We’ll be fine without him. We’ve got the staff now.” She hid the drunken butterflies that lurched around in her stomach. Goron was very handy with his axe and not to mention pleasing on the eye if she admitted it. Now with just the three of them, and Caroc being as useful in a fight as a toothpick against a sword, their quest had become a whole lot harder.
By mid-morning Morwen’s back ached, and she was exhausted. Szat weighed twice as much as normal after eating a week’s worth of Goron’s food supplies. She didn’t begrudge
