Blind to Men (5 page)

Urging the horse on,
Kylor kept silent. They neared Palance by mid-afternoon. The lively bustle on
the road roused her, exciting noises, smells, and colors drawing her out of her
gloomy thoughts. Horses and carts cluttered the way, all going in the same
direction.

Joyous yells could be
heard over the constant rumbling of wheels on the wide, paved way. Little girls
played runes or jumbling sticks in the back of carts, older women casually
conversed, laughed and traded various items. A young woman wearing a
tight-fitting, multicolored dress jingled a tambourine, sang and danced along
the road.

Pushing her horse through
the crowd, sometimes trotting in the bordering fields, her guardian made way
for them. She deemed it safer to ride in the open although their progress was
slower. In any case, they had nearly reached their intended destination.

"Kylor, who are all
these women? Where are they going?"

"They're farmers and
traders on their way to the city. I'd like to take you down to the market, you'd
enjoy it."

To their left, an old
woman sitting in a frayed cart smiled at them. The gesture revealed large gaps
between two teeth when she called out and handed bright-looking beads.

"Hey! Can I interest
you in something? Mayhap this shiny necklace for the lovely lady?"

Kylor reined in but didn't
reply until she had thoroughly looked over the contents of the cart.

"I'd be more interested
in a cloak."

The old woman chuckled.
"Why d'you want a cloak for? T'would be a sin to hide such a beauty."

Without warning, she
swiveled her head to the left and started speaking to an empty spot.

"Why, that young
lady on the horse. You going blind in your old age?"

She faced them again and
grinned, displaying the wide gaps in her mouth like a hard-won trophy.

"Excuse my … It
seems … eyesight is failing."

Once more she missed a
few words, yet her deafness didn’t bother her so much now she was aware of the
reason. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kylor wave her hand in a dismissive
gesture.

"Forget it. Have a
good day."

"Hold on."

The old woman rummaged
around to pull out a dark grey fabric from a big pile of clothing.

"'Tis so I've the perfect
cloak for your lady. What d'you think? 'Tis only a silver crown."

"I'll take it."

Kylor tossed her a coin
before grabbing the proffered cloak. The trader bit the silver with enthusiasm
and bobbed her head up and down in appreciation.

"Thank you very
much, my … Good day to you!"

Before Kylor could push
her horse forward, the old woman turned back to the empty spot beside her. She
looked flushed while she gestured toward them and articulated as though talking
to the village idiot.

"This young lady,
there on the horse. Didn’t you hear what I said? You deaf as well as
blind?"

But her face suddenly drooped
as she spoke the words. Her eyes narrowed, shifting from Kylor to her.

"By the mighty gods,
'tis summer solstice."

Brow deeply furrowed, voice
trailing off, she pointed a long, crooked finger at her.

"You are . . ."

Kylor didn't wait for her
to say more. She clucked her tongue to spur the horse on as she took advantage
of a sudden clearing in their path. Wending her way between horses and carts,
she crossed to the other side of the road and steered her mount towards open
land.

Free from the crowd, they
trotted to the nearest woods. It seemed the road to Palance might not be as
safe as they'd assumed. When they reached a canopy of trees, her protector
reined in to give her the dark cloak.

"You need to wear
this. Women can see you and we're too close to the city to fail now."

"Do you know that
old woman?"

"No, but she's aware
of who you are."

She glanced back to see
Kylor looking at her with tenderness before she caressed her cheek with the
back of her hand.

"She's old and wise.
She can't have forgotten the witch’s prediction and the curse on the baby
girl."

"Will she tell
anyone?"

Her companion pursed her
lips as she draped the large grey cloak around her shoulders.

"I don't know, but
we'll find out soon enough."

The afternoon already
being well on its way, she didn't relish another night in the forest.

"Where are we
going?"

"To the 'Fair
Knave'. The tavern belongs to a friend of mine. We'll be able to clean up and
rest there."

They rode till dusk in
the protective bosom of the forest. They crossed the outer city of Palance
without her being able to discern much in the dark. As night invaded the Four
Kingdoms and shadows concealed them, her guardian judged it safe to enter the inner
city.

She wrapped herself in
the cloak when they neared the entrance, and pulled the hood down. The horse
brought them to the drawbridge where Kylor stopped in front of the town gates.

"It's me,
Kylor."

She used a low voice, probably
in answer to someone. There was a pause before she spoke again.

"Can't you see I'm
alone?"

Whoever she talked to
must be observing the surroundings given that her lie was followed by another
pause.

"I'll come by
tomorrow. Good night."

They crossed the bridge
leading to the city and entered Palance. Shivers of excitement twisted her
stomach unfortunately it was already too dark for her to distinguish much.

She picked out bulky
shapes in narrow streets to her left, and what could be a vast marketplace in front
of them. Few women walked the streets, even when they halted behind a big
house. After tying the horse to a hitching post near the door, Kylor helped
Anya dismount.

"This is the back
door. My friend is expecting me, but I don’t want to attract unnecessary
attention. Stay close to me."

It was warm inside, and
quiet. They walked past the main room, empty of patrons. Up a narrow flight of stairs,
Kylor led her to the second door on the right before ushering her into the
room.

"Anya, I need to
speak to my friend. Please don't come out before I return. I won’t be
long."

She nodded as her
guardian turned heels. Darkness was master of the place here so she sat by the
window to peer outside. She had daydreamed of laying eyes on Palance for most
of her life, yet all she could see were shadows broken by the vague glow of the
moon.

The street appeared
deserted, but as a measure of safety, she pulled the drapes shut. She stood up
to remove her new cloak then lit some candles and took a look around. The unfamiliar
room displayed a huge tub in a corner and fresh linen on the large bed.

As she had done the day
they met, her companion came back promptly with a servant, both carrying hot
water for bathing. She watched their comings and goings until the tub was full and
the maid left for the final time. This one didn't gawk at Kylor but remained
focused on her work.

Without grasping the
exact reason, relief washed over her while she observed the servant. Why did
she find comfort in the young girl's demure attitude? Did it have something to
do with the special moments when her protector touched her most intimate parts?

She'd have to ponder
about this later as Kylor locked the door and made a sweeping gesture toward
the tub.

"For you."

"For us. You need it
as much as me."

Delicious flutters
invaded her at the thought of undressing and seeing her companion's bare body. Turning
round to show her back to Kylor, she asked in a light voice.

"Would you
mind?"

Her guardian truly
possessed deft fingers. The dress fell to the floor in no time while shadows
from the candles danced on her revealed skin. With a smile, she went to the tub
and stepped in.

The rather hot liquid
didn't extract a sound from her, but she couldn't help gasping when she glanced
up to watch her companion. Kylor waited, tall, proud, and entirely naked.

Below the square muscles
of her flat chest and belly, hemmed in by a thick growth of hair, her hard cock
stuck out. She had to refrain from sighing, happy and flattered to witness such
an arousing vision.

"Kylor, you desire
me."

"I do."

The woman's low tone seemed
to penetrate her limbs. Although she almost trembled with anticipation, she
didn't forget she looked like a grimy street cat carrying the mud of a long
road.

The significant moment
she'd been waiting for would have to be delayed until she felt free from dirt. She
sat in the so-wonderful hot water and tilted her head in an apologizing manner.

"Can you wait a
little longer?"

She could tell that the
woman only feigned disappointment by the way she took a quick bow before
joining her in the tub.

"Of course I can. Anything
for my lady."

They stared at each other.
The blatant desire glimmering in Kylor's gaze caused her to wonder if her eyes
reflected the same. But in spite of their hunger, they proceeded with their
cleansing, splashing water on the floor and sluicing off dust from the journey.

She twisted her hair
above the water when she felt clean. The movement made her sit upright, her
breasts buoyed by the cooling liquid. Kylor gaped at her, the twinkle in her
eyes indicating the washing was over.

She drew in a sharp
breath when her companion touched her breasts. She stroked them without hurry,
the calloused skin of her hands striking sparks in her whole being.

She jerked when Kylor ensnared
her nipples, undulations rippling across the surface of the water. She rolled
them between thumbs and forefingers before rubbing them with her palms.

"You're so enticing."

Her excited voice accelerated
her breathing as the woman leaned in to draw her closer.

"I'm in drastic need
of you."

She bent her head down,
found the erect flesh with the rim of her lips and nibbled it. Caught in her
protector's arms, she moaned, desire flashing through her limbs.

"I need you too."

Kylor rose to sweep her
into her arms. She carried her to the bed, their skin dripping droplets on the
floor. Her heart thumping like a church bell on Sunday mornings, she licked her
lips.

"Do with me as you
wish."

Her companion shuddered.
Gaze inflamed, she laid her down on the bed with great care.

"Touch me, Anya. Feel
my affection for you."

She didn't want anything
else. Taking hold of the cock, she enjoyed its hardness and its strength. Kylor
lay on top of her, kissing her keenly, stirring fiery sensations in the pit of
her stomach and between her thighs. A strange urgency overwhelming her, she felt
like spreading her legs.

And she did, her
intuition awaiting something she couldn’t fathom. Resting on her elbows, her
protector placed a tender kiss on her lips while her stiff member brushed
against her thighs. The light touch burned her as Kylor traced her jaw line
with the back of her hand.

"I might hurt you a
little, my lady, but it's necessary. Believe me when I say the pain won’t
last."

"I trust you."

She felt the tip of the
rigid dick touch her special place and her body seemed to open up. Although she
didn’t know what was in store for her, excitement and impatience made her head
spin.

More than anything, she
wanted to discover the full power of her guardian’s affection. After eighteen
years of doing her chores at the farm, nothing mattered but this culmination.

The blue eyes held her
gaze and the strong hands resting along her sides quivered when her companion
entered her slowly.

"Kiss me, Anya."

With her mouth pressed
against her lips, Kylor seemed to heave just before she plunged her shaft into
her soft flesh. Pain shot through her and she let loose a sharp yell.

"Forgive me, my
lady."

Her protector remained
motionless but scattered light kisses over her lids, nose, and cheeks.

"Please don't be
nervous, it's over."

But she couldn’t calm
down because her body started glowing. Emanating from her very core, a hot, golden
light illuminated her limbs. The two of them stared at the uncanny phenomenon
without moving until the light slowly dimmed then vanished as if it had never
shone. Apprehension furrowing her brow, she heard the tremors in her voice.

"What was it? What’s
happening to me?"

"The curse is
lifted. You're free."

Really? She hadn't
imagined breaking the spell would occur so quickly, although Kylor sounded
relieved and fearful.

"Now look at me,
Anya. I'm a man."

She looked. Hearing the
word for the first time, other locutions like
he
,
his
and
him
bubbled up in her brain as if they had always been there. Different words also
pushed their way into her mind before she had time to register them, followed
by images of boys and men.

Throat locked from the
vivid swirl of knowledge penetrating her, she nevertheless saw him for who he
was: a strong warrior who had sworn to protect her. She had thought him the
ugliest woman in the Four Kingdoms, yet she now found him extremely pleasing to
her eye.

"You're a man."

She watched raw lust
twirl in his eyes.  With his cock inside her, she sensed his profound need for
acknowledgment. All this time he had pretended to be a woman for her sake.

To avoid frightening her,
he'd played along while suppressing his natural instincts. Would she ever find
the right way to thank him for his patience and understanding?

Instinct guiding her, she
wrapped her legs around his waist. She opened herself to him and he rose to her
invitation. His intense gaze riveted on her, he pushed his dick inside her.

There was no pain this
time, only a forceful sensation of being filled along with the need to keep him
inside her forever. So when he withdrew, she grabbed his shoulders to restrain
him.

"No, don’t go."

His abrupt smile
heightening the resolve in his eyes told her that she had misunderstood his
action.

"I'm not going
anywhere."

He began to move in her,
coming and going, embedding his shaft ever deeper. She'd never lived through
such exquisite, heady sensations, and her eagerness to experience them to
completion took her breath away.

Overwhelmed by the
potency of his thrusts as much as her own response, she couldn’t stop moaning,
rolling her head from side to side, tightening her grip around his waist and lifting
her pelvis toward his stomach.

She felt chained to this
man, bound to the love he was giving her. The fierce movements of his cock sent
her mind reeling, the beat of her heart resounding in her ears, her body
calling for more.

More of this blinding
pleasure he elicited in her with a simple touch of his hands and hard member.
More of this stupefying feeling he provided her as though she was born to lie
underneath him.

She hadn’t known life
before this. She'd been but a shell waiting to be made full. He filled her to
her heart’s content, and each time she thought she'd brim over, his dick made
his way farther into her.

"You set me on fire,
Anya."

"Kylor, I—"

Her small, uncontrollable
cries flew past him while his hoarse voice and uneven breaths warmed her cheek.

"It feels like my
cock is a part of you."

A mighty agitation
engulfed her. Without scaring her, the intense turmoil prompted her to seize
his shoulders as she suddenly perceived herself on the verge of being swallowed
whole.

"Dear creators,
something is happening to me."

"You're coming, my
beloved."

His taut features showing
the same violent emotion flipping her mind around, he strengthened his grip on
her.

"Hold me tight, I'll
take you there."

Although she wanted
something to free her from this unbearable pleasure, her muscles strained
against her volition. But she believed him, and his lustful tone lulled her inner
tension.

"Let it happen,
Anya."

His shaft hard and tender
inside her, he quickened his powerful thrusts to devour her. She let out a long
wail when a shattering sensation ran her through, and the whole world dimmed.

Swept away by
unrestrained passion, she still heard his raucous grunts of satisfaction and felt
his body jerk under the untamed force of his release. The curse couldn't forbid
her anymore to enter reality. Thanks to him, she had just become a woman.

Kylor’s body was slumped
over hers when she came back to her senses. She opened her eyes to his handsome
face, delighted smile, and caring expression. He regarded her with eyes that
showed how he cherished her.

"You offered
yourself to me, Anya. I'll never forget the amazing gift you gave me this day."

Her heart brimmed with
love at hearing his genuine confession and she expelled a long sigh of
satisfaction.

 "You freed and
fulfilled me, Kylor. I'll never forget it.