Earlier this week I was part of a joint writing project with a friend of mine. She and I are both in the same role playing game group and all the members do a lot of writing about their characters.
The game is set in the same time and place as the George RR Martins, A Song of Ice and Fire. Her character Leeann, is a Crannog Woman. A druidic type, destined to be a wise woman among her people. My character, Donag is kind of a streetwise scoundrel who found his true calling as a hunter in the forests around Winterfell.
It's a sexy story because, hey, it's Game of Thrones but I was really happy with how it turned out. We took turn writing parts and I was very pleased with how well they linked together. I was also happy that it was about hunting a Hart and it was also about human hearts. Enjoy!
The Hart
The barge bumped the shore, skimming the shallows. Leeann jumped to the marshy shore, skipping quickly to the dry bank. Turning, she watched the rest of the party lower the walkway and debark while the barge master began to settle his vessel in for the night. They had been traveling for ten days, and the whole thing had become fairly routine.
Something caught Leeann's eye as she turned; tracks. "Donag, come look." The rangy hunter walked over.
"Yes?"
She pointed down. "At least 300 stone." The banks showed the clear tracks of a large deer. "Interested? It's been a span of days since we've had fresh meat."
Donag bent down to look at the tracks. Indeed this was a big buck and the tracks were fresh; it was probably still near. Donag looked to the sun, there were probably only a couple of hours of sunlight left though. " I'm up for it" he said, and then grinning he added. "Just you and me?"
"Sure", she answered.
Donag was dumbfounded; he hadn't expected her to agree to that but he did his best not to let it show on his face.
Leeann smiled, "Let's go. Allyn! We're going to do a bit of hunting." The scholar nodded, busy with setting up the camp, at which he excelled.
The two hunters set out, following the tracks that grew fainter as they entered the trees. Leeann could not only see the faint impressions of bent grass but smell the buck, as well. She hadn't meant to attenuate her senses that strongly- she would need to have better control, she supposed. She'd talk to Allyn about it later. Donag pointed out the small branches and twigs that had been snapped or just pulled out of shape. "Likely at least 10 points, maybe more." He murmured.
Leeann was impressed with his eye and quiet step, and used the ease of the trail to examine her fellow hunter a bit more closely. His body was long and lean, his step was quiet, his hands on his bow were deft… A sudden sound broke her reverie.
They turned as one to the northeast. Donag looked back at her and motioned her to the left. She moved with a cat's step to the edge of the clearing that appeared, the buck was doing some late grazing, and he was 20 points if anything. Splendid. A magnificent Hart. Even seasoned hunters rarely saw a beast as majestic as this. Indeed, Donag had seen only one rack to match it's like in Badger's cabin.
And yet...taking this stag was not to Donag taste. This was more meat than they could eat or use. If Donag had his way he'd give away all the extra but he was sure Allyn and Ash would want to sell it. No, killing this beast would be purely sport. There were many small holdfasts in the area and plenty of people who could appreciate this kill for more than just sport, winter was coming after all.
On the other hand, if he gave up now the hunt would be over. Though they had spent most of the time hunting and tracking, Donag had definitely been enjoying his time out here with Leeann. She was so unlike the other women he'd known. Sure, Ash and Kyra were just as different but only Leeann did so without losing her femininity. At least to Donag's eye. Perhaps there was a way to prolong this hunt.
Though the fletchings were all the same, the knocks of Donag's arrows were different. Looking down to his quiver, Donag slowly drew a blunt tip. The kind he used for small game and fowl. He only hoped Leeann didn't notice. Stealthily, he knocked and drew back the arrow, the supple weirwood and well-seasoned string gave nary a creak or squeak. Taking careful aim he let fly. The arrow flew true exactly where Donag aimed and clattered harmlessly through the hart's great antlers. With a snort the great beast launched himself through the forest and bounded away. "DAMN! Come on!", shouted Donag and he charged after the deer, pausing only briefly to retrieve and quiver his arrow before continuing the chase.
Leeann paused before following. She had seen Donag shoot, many times, and he rarely missed. Crossing her arms, she stood her ground, something was going on. After a few yards, Donag realized that she was not following, and he turned around. It may have been her imagination, but he looked slightly sheepish.
"He's getting away." He said, gesturing, the buck being long gone at this point.
"He is." Leeann said, walking slowly towards him. An idea had occurred to her.
"You don't want to follow him?" Donag asked.
"Do you?" Leeann stopped at an arm's length, considering the young man in front of her.
"Well, I-" Donag started to answer, but Leeann stepped into him, kissing him fiercely, pressing herself against him. After a single shocked moment, he wrapped his arms around her and pushed her against the nearest tree. Leeann wrapped her leg around him, pulling him tight against her, sighing with satisfaction at the feeling of him, warm and eager.
The hunt was quickly forgotten. Donag lifted Leeann easily and she responded by wrapping both legs around him, clinging to him tightly as they kissed. He pinned her firmly between himself and the tree, leaving his hands free to wander, caressing her thighs and torso as they ground their hips together. Leeann broke their kiss and smiled down at him, "Enjoying yourself?"
"Immensely", Donag answered. He then kissed and nuzzled his way along her cheek and jawline, to her earlobes and then to her neck.
When Donag sensed that Leeann was getting weary of holding this position, he lifted her again. Turning and taking a few steps further into the clearing he slowly lowered her until they were both on their knees facing one another. Eagerly he began to strip Leeann of gear and clothing above her waist. "If I'd known this was my reward for missing, I'd have done it weeks ago!", He said with a smile.
She laughed, "Perhaps I shouldn't reward such a bad performance." She curled her fingers into his hair, pulling his head to the side as she ran her tongue up his throat and back to his mouth. She shrugged off her tunic and turned her attention to his, thrilling to the feel of skin on skin contact, running her fingers against his ribs and tracing the skin above his smallclothes.
"No, no," he murmured against her mouth, "please do."
Leeann pulled him down to the soft clover that covered the clearing. The last of the sun was disappearing over the horizon, leaving a cool darkness and a sprinkling of the first stars. She lay down, savoring the cool grass and the warm flesh, and looked up at him, running a finger down his side.
Leeann's touch sent shivers through him. Returning the favor, Donag languidly ran his fingernails lightly up one side of her body, from mid-thigh along her torso and up the backs of her arms and even the palm of her hand which he then clasped in his own above her head. Then he did the same on her other side. All the while he kissed her, sucking playfully on her bottom lip and tongue and enjoying the feeling of her shivering beneath him as he ran his fingers along her most sensitive spots. He remembered to make a note of where those were for later.
After several minutes of this he released her hands and began to slide his way down her body, enjoying the feel of her soft warm skin gliding against his. Pausing at her breasts he began to pay lavish attention to them. In turns he took each nipple into his mouth and swirled his warm tongue around them then released them and blew lightly. The warm wetness followed by the cool air caused Leeann's nipples to stiffen and he heard her inhale sharply beneath him at each one. He loved running his hands over her breasts then, luxuriated in sensation of their heat and the extra soft skin; thrilled to the feeling of her nipples tickling his palms and flicking lightly against each finger as he lightly grazed his hands over them.
"What is it about men and breasts?", Leeann laughed.
"You always want what you don't have", answered Donag.
"You could have had that stag earlier", Leeann said, bluntly. "You didn't have that before"
"I know and I'm sorry" a touch of sorrow tinged Donag's voice. "But I know I could have and you know too. That's all that matters to me"
"I just don't understand why you-" Donag moved up and covered Leeann's mouth with his own.
When she settled into the kiss he said, "Look, we can either talk about that now, or we can do this now and talk about that latter. Which do you want?"
Leeann arched one eyebrow. "This." She said, pulling her hands free and grasping his cock firmly through his clothing. Smiling at his sudden intake of breath, she started undoing his trews and smallclothes, and Donag started removing hers. Free of everything, Leeann slid one bare leg up his, curled her ankle around him, and with one deft movement, flipped him over to straddle him. The sensation of him bare and hard underneath her was so delicious, she wanted to take him right then, but she sensed that he wanted a little more… play. Lacing her fingers through his, she pushed his arms back against the ground, letting her nipples trace across his chest, and nuzzled his jaw, just under his ear.
Donag was happy to let Leeann have her way with him. She kissed and licked her way from one collar bone to the other at the same time her nipples traced patterns on his chest. A delicious shiver ran down his spine whenever one of her nipples grazed across one of his. Donag pushed against her with his hips and felt the warm slickness sliding against him threatening to push him over the edge.
Freeing his hands he slid them up her back and worked them into her dreadlocked hair. Leeann gasped as he pulled her head back, exposing her neck to his waiting mouth. He was hungry for her and it showed as he raked his teeth against her throat.
Donag thought about how long he'd been waiting for this moment, ever since he had first met Leeann, if truth be told. But Donag was not used to spending so much time with a woman he desired and not being able to do something about it. He wasn't used to learning more things to appreciate and admire her for beyond what he could immediately fathom, and definitely not ready for the way that would shape his desire for her. He sighed inwardly, "was today to be full of near misses?" He hoped not.
He slid his hands down her back and slowed his rhythmic thrusting against her. "Leeann, you know I really like you, yes?"
"what?" Leeann said groggily. She was not prepared for the abrupt change of pace.
"I mean, we've fought together, hunted together, shed blood together."
"Donag, what are you talking about?". Leeann couldn't believe he was bringing this up now.
"I just want you to know you're special to me.", he said.
Sensing there was more Leeann prompted him, "But...?".
Donag let it spill all in one go, "But that thing, like what Allyn and Ash have, I ca- I don't want that. And if you think this is leading there then I'm sorry, this is just the now. I don't know about tomorrow or the next day but that doesn't mean I-"
"Think of me as a whore?" Leeann cut in.
"-don't think you're a very special woman." Donag finished.
"Thank you, yes, you're very special, too," she answered, distractedly. "Now, are we going to do this, or do I need to satisfy myself? I didn't think it would be so difficult to get you inside me!"
Donag groaned, torn between his need and his burgeoning conscious, "I just need to know that I haven't misled you."
Leeann sat up, looked him in the eye, and smiled gently. "I appreciate that. You have been surprisingly honorable. But in the time we have spent together, did you come to think of me as someone who would do something she did not want to, or would seek complications?" She shook her head, "I am going to return to the Crannog to be the next wise woman, not settle down as a hunter's wife." She sighed and ran a hand down Donag's warm chest before climbing off of him. "What do you want right now?" she asked gently.
"This!" he said insistently. "I want this". He sat up and reached for her hand, "I just don't want anything else to change between us, Leeann."
"It won't Donag. I know who you are, I know who I am and I know what we're doing here." She leaned forward and kissed him.
"Well, alright then." He kissed her back, gently pushing against her as he did. She yielded, arms around his neck as she slowly reclined.
Midway she broke the kiss and said, "But we're still going to talk about that buck!".
"Shut up", Donag smiled and playfully pushed her the rest of the way down and then kissed her some more.
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