The word became official; Ollyn would be home before the spring solstice. My father decided he would need his own home, for it turned out he would be bringing a wife. Who was with child, of course. Needless to say, I then knew without question what my position would be, and I was shocked at how unsettled that made me feel.
Consigned forever to the role of village idiot.
I actually felt a bit insulted at such a casual dismissal by my own parents.
Still, I could think of nothing else to do except set out for the forest with my cart, leading a donkey that everyone said was too stupid to know how to walk. My plan was to sort through the confusion in my heart and head as I helped build Ollyn his house.
The day was cloudy and dark, seeming like a storm was to come, but I sensed no rain in the air. Just quick winds rustling the trees. I didn't care one way or the other, how the day went; I had been rained upon before and hadn't melted.
Then partway in, deep in the shadows, a man approached. He struck me as familiar, not someone who lived near our village but one whom I'd seen before at some time or other. Perhaps a gypsy who had once passed through? Or a serf from the Baron's lands? I could not place him.
"I wondered if you might want some help," he said, his voice cultured and educated. Not the sort of person who is willing to do manual labor.
I wasn't sure about him, and I did prefer to be alone. But...I could well use another strong pair of arms and back to load trees into the cart. And with the top of his tunic wrapped down around his waist, he showed a torso that was tightly muscled and broad shouldered, so had the strength I'd need. Perhaps he had been one of the laborers who'd worked on the monastery and was seeking new employment. That could account for his fine figure.
But then I thought of my six monks, who it seemed had done nothing more than sit at their tables and write manuscripts and toil in the monastery's garden for years, but who had bodies just as well-formed. Perhaps there was some other way of living that afforded men such tight figures.
Now I do not see it as odd that his body was the first thing I noticed. By this time, it had become acceptable, to me. His face was nicely set, as well, but reminded me of a hawk, in the sharpness of his features and eyes. His chin was clean of beard, except for a light moustache and whiskers around the base of it. Dark hair swirled over his chest, belly and arms as well as his solid legs, for he wore no stockings over them; only soft boots that rose halfway up his calves in a style I had never seen before.
"I...I only have a couple pence to offer you," I said.
He did not look at me as he replied, "I'm happy just for something to eat."
Then I had remembered stories of battles between the Barons to the north of us, so now I wondered if he was one from there and had taken his fill of stupid little wars. I saw no dishonor in refusing to fight for the sake of fighting.
"I have bread, cheese and wine," I said.
"Thank you, but I never drink wine."
It had seemed odd but I shrugged it off and said, "You are welcome to join me."
He smiled and took his place behind my cart.
We ventured deeper into the forest, where there was older growth for the beams and braces. I knew Ollyn could be just as particular about things as Gabrielle and Catherine, so my plan was to more than impress him. In fact, I was going to show off my abilities to their best, just to prove I was as worthy as he.
I quickly found six trees to fell, and my companion cleaned off the branches, setting some to dry for kindling and others for dowls and pegs and the like. We worked until late in the day, and before we were done had built up quite a pile, not all of which would fit my cart. I would have to return for the rest, tomorrow.
We had also built a good sweat despite the cool breeze. And hunger. It was closer to dinnertime than lunch when I pulled my mother's basket from the cart, laid some hay before the donkey and unwrapped the tight cloth around the cheese. It was still cool from the larder.
I had long since doffed my tunic to wear only my boots and breeches, so leaned against one of the cart's two wheels as I said, "Here is half the loaf. Take as much cheese as you wish. Good clear water flows in that stream over there."
The wind had settled and the clouds were breaking up, all just visible through the branches, above. I sat down on my haunches to enjoy the brightening of the day.
He took none of the cheese and only nibbled at his bread, as if not hungry. Which I found surprising...
Until I caught him gazing at me in a way that held a different kind of hunger.
He had also removed his tunic, completely, and wore only a loincloth around his waist as well as his boots. The muscles on both our bodies were pumped solid, with my hair matted to my skin by my sweat, but he looked almost fresh as in the morning.
He noticed my hint of confusion and almost smiled.
"There is a pool just down the stream," he said. "It would be nice to jump in to cool down."
"I know of it," I said. "But I prefer the pond. More open."
"Of course."
I offered him the skin of wine, saying, "Are you sure you won't have some? I think we have done well-enough, today."
He rose and stretched, giving his body an amazing fluidity of beauty...and showing his dick was interested in being looked at. And it was not a small one.
I jolted and looked up to his face.
His ice blue eyes locked on mine as he said, far, far too casually, "So you are Léonidès."
I did not recall telling him, as it was not necessary, but it didn't matter. Who else could I be?
"I was told your manners were well-formed. It's nice to see I was not misled. And you have a sister...Gabrielle."
That made me rise to my feet, wary. "How do you know?"
"I have met her."
That did startle me. "Recently?" I asked.
"Somewhat. She is very beautiful."
"Many say so."
"It's unfortunate that she abandoned your family."
I adjusted the belt around my waist so my knife was easier to reach as I said, "Who are you?"
"Would it surprise you to hear she's at court? In the king's castle?"
"No. Why are you asking me this?"
"She is doing very well, though her Duke is being rather stupid, of course. And all of the ladies hate her. So she is thinking of moving on."
"Is she?"
"Would you like to meet her?"
I looked at his boots. They now seemed fine enough for court. And what I had seen of his tunic gave enough of an impression that it was well made. That, coupled with his intrusion into my family's history, irritated me...and also made me nervous.
Still, I only said, "Did she send you?"
"I think she would like to see you."
"That would be a surprise. She's been gone nearly half my life."
He stretched, again, his dick pressing against his loincloth, like a staff. "I think she would appreciate how you turned out so very well. You share the same blood..."
That comment made me far more than uncomfortable. I wanted more than a mere knife to protect myself. I looked away from him and casually felt around the cart for my axe as I said, "That's an odd thing to say."
Suddenly, he was before me, his hands on my hips, his dick pressing against my belly, through his loincloth. "But it's true."
I tried to move away, but he held me, firm. "What're you doing?"
"I debated for too long as to whether or not I should insert myself into this. I had hoped they would grow weary of you. But that is not going to happen and now I can see why — you are far too beautiful to ignore..."
I tried to push him away, saying, "Release me. I...I am not interested in what you want and..."
He grabbed my wrists and shoved my hands behind me, crushing me back against the wheel and pressing his full body to mine. I could feel his dick was more than ready for its full enjoyment, which startled me.
"Yes, you are," he purred. "I have seen you. Watched you."
The words Gregory had spoken to me. I went cold.
"What do you mean, you've been watching?" That was all I could say before he tore away my belt, spun me around to slam against the wheel and used it to bind my hands to its top, all in moves so quick and strong, I could not even think to fight back before it was done. I finally gained enough presence of mind to start yelling, but he tore away part of my breeches to shove into my mouth, and bound more around my face to muffle me.
He stepped back, cooing, "Oh, yes, you are your sister's brother. Far, far too lovely to be real...or refuse..." Then he cupped my ass. "What a pity."
Suddenly, my six monks surrounded the cart. For a moment, I was relieved and thought they would save me...only the little bastards just stood there, in their robes, watching as if it were a play being performed for them.
"Now I understand," the man said, his hands caressing me and groping me and pinching at me. "He truly is glorious. I do not blame you for wanting him to join with us. But as I warned you, he cannot."
Gregory nodded. I tried to call to him but could only grunt and growl. All he did was smile at me.
The man stepped back, his voice now cold and angry. "Have you tasted him?"
"You cannot tell?" Loronce asked, quiet and cool.
"Answer me!" His voice was sharp and cold.
"Why do you even need to ask?" That was Stephane's voice.
The man growled. "There is some aspect about him, something that has joined with you..."
Tellis said, a smirk on his lips. "It's not his blood."
Doric added, "Nor have we entered him in any way."
"As you demanded," said Gregory.
Reyndahl leaned against the cart, grinning. "We know how you feel about virgins."
"It's not about me," the man hissed. "It's about him. I wanted you to stay away from him."
"You told us not to feed on him," Doric snapped.
"Or turn him," said Gregory.
"We did as you asked," said Loronce.
Stephane was calm and cool as he said, "But you didn't say we couldn't have fun with him."
"And he has been so very, very enjoyable," said Gregory as he caressed my face.
I couldn't believe it. Men whom I'd considered friends more than lovers, with whom I'd laughed and played, seemed to feel nothing for my fear. Hell, my terror. Because I was almost certain I was about to die. Or worse, vanish. I would become one of the stories about people who had just disappeared from other villages.
The man was silent, for a moment, then began to caress my ass, soft and gentle. I tried to kick him but found my legs were also bound to the wheel, spread apart.
"Well, I suppose I can understand why," he said. "He is a beauty, and is so much cleaner than any others you've had."
"My doing," said Gregory. "Playing in the pond. The brook."
"You also educated him," the man said, his voice sharp. "Was that wise?"
At this, Gregory hesitated. "My...my hope was that once you saw his intelligence, you would change your mind and he could become one of us..."
Now the man's voice grew angry. "You think it's that easy? That it's up to me? One day I tell you no, it cannot be and the next day it's yes? He is NOT to be turned!"
"Could we doúlos him?"
"That...is...not...possible!" Then he wrapped an arm under my chin to hold my head, whispering, "Let me show you why."
Having him touch me was unimaginable, for his skin was like an icy dagger. I shivered and fought as best I could but his grip was too tight and my bindings too secure. I felt something cut into my back, neither deep nor painful but still shocking. Then he stepped away from me. I felt something warm and wet trail down my skin...and my monks were suddenly tense and animalistic, in their focus.
They actually seemed ready to attack me.
"See how rich and red his blood is," the man murmured. "Far more than any other man or woman you have taken, am I right?"
They all seemed to agree.
"It gleams with life and power. Strength beyond measure, even compared to ours."
"Blood Angel." It was Doric's voice, and he was shaken.
"Why didn't you tell us?!" Stephane cried, almost in panic.
"Why would I need to? My order to stay away from him should have been enough! And instead, you sneak around like teenage boys avoiding your mother and father, congratulating yourselves on how clever you are. I thought you better than that."
"We...we did not turn him." That was Gregory speaking, his voice back to being calm and cool. "Nor did we taste his blood. So it should be all right. Shouldn't it?"
"I do not know," the man said. "The Oiym have only forbidden our kind to bring his kind into the fold. Nothing more."
Stephane managed to say, "You turned Gabrielle..."
"By mistake," he snapped. "I saw her only as someone for you and I to feed upon. I did not realize what she was until I had started. But the Oiym were still very displeased."
"So what do we do with him?" It was Tellis trying to speak, but his voice was so lost in a growl it was hard to understand.
"Since we cannot turn him," said Reyndahl.
"And we cannot release him," said the man.
"We could keep him in the monastery," said Tellis.
"Continue to enjoy him," said Loronce.
"No, this has to be ended." The man ran a hand down my spine, sending chills to every part of my body. "This must be ended before the Oiym learn of it. Is anyone hungry?"
"We're not going to feed on him?" Gregory asked.
"No," said the man. "A raiding party approaches our shore. A boat filled with strong, living Vikings flowing with excellent blood. They will land far enough away from here for safe hunting. There are more than enough for each of us. Perhaps some will even be suitable to bring back, for pleasure at a later date. Or to doúlos. Can you hold your hunger until then?"
I heard Reyndahl say, "I do enjoy a good Viking."
The others murmured agreement. I tried to cry out. To argue that this was not right. That we had been such close friends. That was all I could think to do, but I was unable to make a single coherent sound.
Then Gregory asked, "So what do we do with him?"
I went even colder.
"Have your fun with him, one last time. Enjoy his body, in full. Fill him with your seed, as much as you will. Cover him with it. Hide every sense of him with it."
"Are you certain the Oiym will not sense his death?" Stephane asked.
My death? MY DEATH? They were going to kill me!
"Depends on how it's done," the man purred. "If we end this properly, we should be protected."
"Are you going to watch?" I think it was Gregory asking, but again...the voice was strangled.
"I will not let any of you out of my sight. I do not trust you to maintain control, not after this betrayal of my orders."
"It wasn't a betrayal..." Doric started to say.
The man cut him off with, "Do not play word games with me!"
I looked at Gregory, and his smile was bigger and happier than I had ever seen as he whispered, "Thank you, Prior."
Prior?
Prior Pious?!?!?
That is where I knew him from! I'd only seen his face, once or twice, as a child, and he'd had a full beard, then. Small wonder I did not recognize him now. It was his eyes. Hawk-like. Stark and wary. Those had been the warning to me, and I had not seen it.
So men I'd thought were friends were going to end my life, but I was not ready for that. I kept shifting and straining and fighting against my bonds, to no avail.
Until suddenly I was released. And held. And stripped of the last shreds of my clothing. Then Gregory wrapped his arms around my chest, his dick between my legs as he growled, "Me, first."
Doric all but hissed, "You being the oldest? Selfish."
Gregory laughed and snarled, "Hold him, facing the sky."
I kicked and struggled, but Reyndahl had my left arm; Loronce, my right; Tellis my left leg and Stephane my right, so I was stretched out, spread eagle, face up. Nothing but air below me as Doric's fingers mauled my dick and balls.
Gregory moved to between my legs, laughing as he said, "Come along, Léon. You've wanted this every time we've been with you. Show us how much."
Then he shoved a finger into my hole.
I tried to howl despite the gag as a second finger joined it. His free hand mauled my ass in ways I'd never felt before. Digging. Rough and mean. Then I felt the head of his dick shift to between my cheeks...and his fingers withdrew...and he guided it to my hole...and I felt it push against me.
Harder.
Insistent.
I tried to keep him out but he shoved inside me. Deeper and deeper inside me. Filling me. Stretching me. Cutting me in half as if with a knife.
I shrieked from the pain. From how completely his dick took me over. I knew his size so knew I was being split apart by it. I was horrified and lost in pain and madness.
He pulled back a little, then pushed in, again...and again...and again...and then someone's mouth was on my dick. Tongue. Lips. Hands. Pulling at it. I couldn't believe what was happening, and I was sick with fear.
Suddenly, the gag was ripped down to around my throat and my head forced back and my mouth forced open and someone's dick was shoved into me, there. I choked and tried to bite but hands held me in place as he pumped into my throat. Just as thick and hard and insistent. His balls smacking against my nose as I fought to keep from choking.
It seemed to keep on for hours — Gregory raping my ass and Tellis raping my mouth, I finally figured out, while Doric sucked on my dick as the others caressed and pinched and groped and fondled me. To my shock, I began to feel sensations build within me that had come so many times before, but back then they were laced with a sharp joyous acceptance. This time, they were accompanied by a stronger, far more different intensity of fear and manipulation and even need.
On and on they went until Tellis let loose with a massive load of cum into my throat, yanked himself out and clamped my mouth closed so I would have to swallow it. Still more spurted from him onto my face. And more and more.
Then Gregory was slamming into me faster and harder, which caused my own dick to grow fatter and more ready...and suddenly he shoved himself deep into my ass as he finished. And finished. And finished filling me.
Doric continued working on my dick, his fingers toying with my tits.
Gregory chuckled and withdrew then dipped down to press his face into my now ravaged ass and slip his tongue into my hole in a way that was so startling and glorious and lovely and elegant and horrifying, I had no choice but to release my own seed into Doric's mouth. An explosion the like of which I had never experienced. I actually screamed, and I knew...somehow I knew Doric had swallowed every trace of my cum.
I was given to Loronce to use, next, as Stephane took my mouth, and the process was repeated...and for some ungodly reason, as Reyndahl licked and kissed my dick and balls, I grew hard and eventually came in his mouth, and he gulped in every drop he could.
That is when the vague idea came to me that I was being, for want of a better expression, fucked to death.
They continued raping well past the time when stars filled the sky. Each of them took me in both ass and mouth, more than once. I was scratched and numb and my blood mingled with their cum, which is probably why none of the others followed Gregory's actions with his tongue. Nor did any of them touch the blood on my back.
Finally, Stephane had just completed his third turn deep inside me when Prior Pious called, "He's done. Show him to me."
I was held up for the Prior to inspect, as limp as a half-filled sack of grain.
He caressed me so gently. Found none of them had bitten my neck, though I did feel semen trailing down my legs. In fact, my body was covered with it. He ran his right hand through my hair. Deep down I knew it would be useless to even try and struggle.
"I think he will do well for the pear trees," he said, tickling my pubic hair. "That's why our crops grow so well."
So...I would have companions near my grave. In my addled head, I wondered if I might know any of them. I doubted it, since the only ones who had vanished from our village were men called to help in the king's fights with his barons, or the Crusade, and those had merely not come home.
Gregory calmly picked me up and off we went. No one bothered to dress. Seconds later...maybe hours...we were in the monastery's orchard and I was laid next to a pair of trees. Stephane and Loronce dug a hole midway between them as Gregory gently caressed my face and chest and belly, down and up and again.
"Such a pity to waste one so lovely," he said, not sad but a bit perturbed.
"I know," said the Prior. "But next year's pears with be magnificent. And you may find a Viking who's just as fine."
"Do I get first pick?"
"Again?" Doric snapped.
"Yes," Tellis snarled, "he always gets the best ones."
The Prior snapped, "There will be plenty to go around."
"Will you join with us, this time?" Reyndahl added. "You pick first?"
At that, the Prior chuckled. "Let's see what they have to offer." Then he crouched down and ran his fingers through my hair, again. "But I do enjoy blonds."
He slipped his hands under my arms and raised me up to hold me from behind, his dick slipping between my legs. Then he found my hole...and pushed himself into me. By this point, I felt nothing but the simple knowledge that the Prior was also fucking me.
Except he gripped the cloth gag still around my neck...and twisted it tight. Tighter. As he fucked me. I could not breathe. I know I moaned, but what's funny is, it did not hurt half as much as him raping me, and I thought if he didn't stop, I wasn't going to like this, anymore. I almost laughed. Worrying about my future when I was being murdered? That was the height of insanity.
My head began to pound and I fought to breathe as cold began to envelop me. Darkness descended, blotting out the stars. I drifted back...back...back...as though atop a gentle pool of water...sinking slowly into that hole, and soon all was nothingness...and my last thought was, I was right to be leery of priests, pastors, paters, friars, and priors...
