1

Nara had walked for miles, since leaving her village, traveling by moonlight, wishing to put as much distance between her home and herself as possible. She feared that someone might follow her, such as Nacru, who was very skilled at tracking, wanting to take her back, denying her the chance to escape her hurt and misery.

That a small part of her would be disappointed if no one came, seemed less significant; she was utterly absorbed by her hurt and loss. Tark’s death, at the hands of the priests, had taken her will to even live. It was only her guilt, over the potential loss of her child’s life that held her prisoner. How could she deny Tark’s child a chance at living? It was this that forced her on, and pushed at her, to go and seek a place elsewhere, where she could be free of her memories and pain, and where her child, Tark’s child, might have a home.

On the first night of her journey, she walked until she stumbled, so tired she could scarcely lift her feet. She carefully looked, and found a place just off the path, where she could spread her sleeping mat, and lying down, she was almost instantly asleep.

In the morning, she awoke, the light, blocked by the deep forest canopy, barely touching the place where she lay. She struggled to her feet, stepped a pace away and squatted to pee, before rolling up her mat, and shouldering her things. Stepping cautiously out onto the path, she was fearful that she might see someone, yet she was utterly alone. More pleased than disturbed by this, she took a drink from her water skin, and rummaging in her shoulder bag, she pulled out a piece of goat jerky to chew, as she headed off.

When she was able to glimpse the skyfire, she was aghast that it was very high; she had slept away a large part of the morning. Knowing that anyone wishing to follow her would have started at first light, she nervously glanced over her shoulder several times, mostly when she reached a high spot on the trail; she saw nothing. Pleased, she worried less about being tracked by her fellow villagers, and more about meeting someone from elsewhere. At least two villages lay ahead of her, before she got anywhere near the city of Ukarútan. She planned to skirt both of them, as their inhabitants were most likely to hold her, and return her to her own village; runaways were seldom, and dealt with firmly, should any child prove foolish and disobedient enough to try something stupid. Nara grinned at this thought, having done something far less proper than this by sacrificing her virginity to Tark!

It was while approaching the first village, Whaŕan, that she faced her first challenge, seeing a small group of villagers heading her way, when she crested a small rise. She panicked, running into the brush hastily, getting cut and scratched by some wicked briars as she tried to get back from the path. She crouched down, behind a large tree, trying to listen and peek discretely to see if she had been spotted. The group, leading two Amaku’s laded with goods, passed by, not even hesitating. This annoyed Nara, as she considered her scratches, which burned from her sweat.

Creeping cautiously back towards the trail, she was even more offended to discover that if she had chosen to enter the forest five or six paces to either side of the way she actually had gone, she would have had no briars to contend with at all! She cursed the wicked vines, and her own fear, which had caused her foolish choice of path. The idea that she was suffering because she wasn’t where a young girl belonged, came to her, and was harshly rejected.

Am I to just sit, miserable and alone? she wondered, finding this little to her liking. I’d much prefer to die!  she thought, offended at the idea of being helpless.  Maybe I deserve to suffer, she suddenly thought, the idea coming to her that perhaps the Gods were displeased with her disobedience in surrendering to Tark. Would they have brought this upon me? Am I to blame for all that has happened?  she wondered, overwhelmed by this possibility. Are the Gods really that… unforgiving and cruel, that they would kill Tark, and leave me alone, miserable and shamed? she wondered, terrified that this might be so. We were fools, weren’t we, to disobey what we were taught?  she suddenly understood, weeping in abject misery at this fact, which she had long tried to refute. The idea of being sent to be the mate of her father’s friend’s son seemed much less terrible than it had before, in comparison to what she was now experiencing.

“I’m sorry!” she whispered, overcome. She had stopped moving, and had slipped to her knees, bowed down under her load of guilt and shame. “Please…help me! Forgive me for being such a fool,” she sighed, wiping at her eyes. She cried unabated several minutes, before wiping her eyes again and slowly getting to her feet. She considered turning around, and going back to Matco, but her sense of shame made this too terrible to embrace. “They would be better to be rid of me…” she sighed, stepping again towards Ukarútan.

Nara neared Whaŕan late in the afternoon, and left the main trail, working her way through the forest to avoid being seen. This village was much like her own had been, the huts built close to the river, and the fields sprawling away towards the hills; the rich river bottom land nurtured all of the villages along it.

It was nearly dark when she reached the main trail again, unseen and greatly relieved. Even though her feet and legs ached, she pushed on, wanting to move as far away as she could. The newly risen moon, Itél, soon gave her light, to ease her travel. By the time it reached its highest point, she was eager to stop and lie down, finding a place several paces off the path.

In spite of her fatigue, her sleep was restless. Twice she was forced to get up to pee, nervous and worried that she might step on a serpent in the dark, and get bite on her leg, or worse, on her vulnerable female part. Worse, waking to pee let her recall her dreams, which were quite vivid and inflamed her guilt and misery even more. One had even displayed her being sacrificed, apparently at the God’s bidding, for having shamelessly violated the teachings of her tribe. A later one had shown her being sacrificed for defiling a priest, enticing him with her womanhood into having her. That the priest in the dream had been Naśka, the priest she had actually done such an improper thing with, seemed even more sharp and terrible. She lay awake for a time, finally crying herself back to sleep, smothered by her shame and guilt.

She awoke, earlier than the previous day, feeling more tired than when she had laid down. After peeing, she sat on her mat, in the gloom, chewing on a piece of goat jerky, and considering again her dreams. The possibility that she actually deserved to be punished slowly came to her consciousness, bringing more misery to her mind. Worse, along with this she was obligated to understand that her parents were fully justified in being displeased by her choices and actions; she had avoided this quite handily while violating her tribes taboos. Now, she was beginning to grasp just how foolish she and Tark had been. She was much less than pleased by her understanding.

I destroyed my life…threw away my home, didn’t I? All because I wanted to have something forbidden! Do I have what I desired? Of course not…and I lost everything else I loved… she thought, paralyzed by the magnitude of her failure and foolishness. Mother tried to tell me…and I wouldn’t listen or trust her!  she sighed heavily. She again sat crying, lost in her agonizing funk.

She would likely have sat unmoving much longer, but the snort of an amakú, from nearby, forced her to focus. Crouching, she hastily gathered her things, and moved back further from the trail. She had barely gotten behind a tree, when a small party of men, leading several heavily laden animals went by, heading the same way she had been traveling.

Nara waited a few moments, before creeping out, and, when they were almost out of sight, following them. She kept them within hearing distance, but out of sight, pleased to have someone ahead of her. She was hopeful that this would alert her to anyone coming the other way, knowing she would hear their greetings and conversations.

This proved to be an effective strategy, although she was forced to wait, when they stopped to rest and eat at mid day. Still, she felt more secure, and welcomed the chance to sit and wait, watching discretely from a hiding place closer to where the party had stopped.

When they started moving again, she tagged along behind, out of sight, most pleased by her method. She had gone with no problem, several miles, when she heard a loud scream, followed by much yelling and the sound of some sort of fight or struggle. Puzzled and a good bit nervous, she ran forward, hoping to glimpse what was happening. They were on a section of trail that curved rather sharply, following the river.

Nara quickly reached a point where she could peek from behind a tree, seeing a hundred paces ahead, the cause of all the commotion; the amakús were being rounded up by a man, who appeared to be a warrior of sorts, as several others stood around, observing the men who had been leading the animals. These were all on the ground, appearing dead or severely wounded.

Understanding that someone had ambushed the party, she turned to flee, wanting to not end up a victim or prisoner herself. She managed to travel about fifty paces, when she felt a rope hit her feet, and swiftly coil around her ankles. She was summarily jerked off her feet, falling harshly onto the hard ground, knocking the wind out of her.

Nara struggled to breath, trying to get onto her knees, wanting desperately to escape. She managed to gasp, drawing a breath an instant before a man’s foot touched her side, and shoved her over, to land helplessly on her back. She froze, having the razor sharp point of a warrior’s spear at her throat. The man holding it motioned to someone else, grinning widely, speaking in a language Nara could not understand. She was quickly ringed by fierce looking and amused men, who seemed quite pleased to have her so helpless. The one with the spear spoke rapidly to another, and this one addressed her, speaking in her own tongue.

“You are Utec’s prisoner. You will obey him or die…do you understand?” this one asked not unkindly. Nara, so terrified that she had wet herself could only nod. The one who had spoken turned to Utec, and conveyed this. Utec grinned, took his spear point, and cut the belt of her ne’pa at her left side, and tossed the front cloth out of the way so he might better see her womanhood. Noting her wet bottom, the men laughed, finding this quite funny.

“Why are you here, alone?” the man who spoke her language demanded.

“I…I ran away…” she declared, giving a small explanation of what had caused her disobedience. When passed to the others, there was much laughter.

“In our land, your father would have simple killed you, or made you be a prostitute for disobeying. You are lucky. Well, you were, until now!” he suggested.

“What will be…my fate? Please…I don’t want to die!” she moaned, terrified.

“You will give yourself to Utec. If you please him, he will keep you as one of his women. If he is not satisfied, another will try you, to see if he is pleased by you. If no one finds you worthwhile, we will simply kill you and leave your body for the beasts! We have little patience for foolish girls! What is your name?” he asked.

Nara, too terrified to even regret her foolishness, whispered, “Nara,” trying desperately not to cry.

“Do you have any idea what to even do with your woman hood?” the man, who was named Pranac wondered, grinning.

“I…I have some experience, which is why I’m here, instead of in my village,” she admitted sadly. Passed along, this caused the others to laugh quite loudly.

“Good! You should pray that it’s enough…either you’ll get much more experience, or have no further need of your womanhood,” he advised her, winking wickedly at her expression.

2

Nara expected to be used on the spot, but was surprised to find that not to be the case. Instead, she was jerked rudely upright, and her hands were bound tightly together. She was placed in line, with a line around her neck, being in effect led like an Amakú. She was still burdened by her bag, and was completely naked.

She noted in passing the site of the ambush, that the bodies had been dragged away, leaving only a few traces of spilled blood, which two men were erasing with handfuls of loose dirt. The men with the captured animals fell in behind the others, and they swiftly left the road, disappearing into the trackless brush and forest.

Nara had the remainder of the afternoon to contemplate her foolishness more deeply, as well as to be miserable. The men seemed exceptionally hardy and strong, and marched unabated until the skyfire had gotten much lower, stopping only a moment to relieve themselves, or to have a drink.

Nara had been so tired by the last stop, that when she squatted to pee, she had trouble standing upright again, still burdened by her possessions. Her bag seemed to be filled with stones, and her shoulder ached from the strap.

When she stumbled and fell, crying in misery, there was much laughter, which made her angry. Pranac pulled her up, and swatted her bare bottom twice, to help motivate her to get moving. This did nothing but make her more miserable; finding herself treated like a small child only reinforced her feelings of failure and inadequacy.

Mother was right…I was a fool to run away! she thought, tired and miserable. She tried to tell me there were worse things than being killed, but I had to be stubborn, and refuse to listen! How terrible will it be to have to use my womanhood to save my life? I don’t honestly want to die, but…what will become of me…even if someone keeps me? Who are these men? Where are they from? They seem much different than my people…much harder and cruel!

She was spared further reflection when the suddenly entered a small clearing, where Nara could glimpse the remains of a fire, and the signs of habitation. She was led over to a shady spot, and ordered to sit, as the man who had been holding her leash tied it to a small sapling. Clearly, she wasn’t going to be allowed to escape.

Nara was ignored for a time, and occupied herself chewing on a piece of jerky, while she observed the men, who were investigating what was in the amakús’ packs.   Her water skin was nearly empty, but she was reluctant to interrupt the men, to ask for more, preferring to be thirsty instead of being slapped or beaten. Pranac finally noticed that she was eating something, and came close to investigate.

“What have you got, girl?” he demanded, grinning, and holding his hand out. Nara reached into her bag, and pulled out a piece of the goat jerky, and handed it to the man, who seemed less terrible than the others, because she could at least understand him. He sampled this, and grinned widely. Peering into the bag, he took it from Nara, and called to the others, who came to investigate. Everyone tried the offering, and seemed well pleased. There was much conversation, before Pranac returned to her.

“This is good! Where did you get it?” he asked.

“We make it…in my village…my old village…” she corrected herself, feeling a strong pang of regret. “They raise goats, as well as chak…and do much weaving too!”

“Your village sounds like a nice place…why did you leave it?” he asked, sounding kind and curious. Nara swallowed hard, afraid anything she said would sound like a lie. Several of the men had come close, and squatted down, relaxed and eager to hear her tale.

“My father wanted to give me to his friend’s son, in Matcahauraco. I desired my friend, Tark. Tark was a strong young man, wise and a good hunter. He battled  a hesrúto, and killed it! Also, he hunted an akazule, returning with it’s pelt! I…sacrificed my virginity to him. He was taken to the sacred city by the priests, to study and…become one. My father promised to give me to him then, but the priests…killed him!” she finished, weeping. She managed to wipe her eyes, and looked at them. “I could not bear to live, with his memory…tormenting me, so I…ran away. I was going to Whaŕan, when you…found me,” she ended, almost in a whisper. Pranac grinned at this.

“We’ve been to Whaŕan…you won’t miss much by not going. We killed many soldiers!” He seemed rather proud of this.

“Where are you from?” Nara asked.

“Across the mountains, where you’ll be going, if you prove worthy and desirable enough!” he said, laughing. He turned, to relate her story to the others, who found her tale mostly amusing. There was much commentary, as the men discussed her history. Finally, Pranac turned back to her, smiling slyly.

“Our men find your tale slightly moving, but mostly funny. They think you may regret disobeying your family, likely quite much, before you are a few moons older!” he advised her. Nara, smiling slightly through her tears, nodded.

“Tell them I already regret it very much, and would run all the way to my village if they would permit it!” she sighed. Conveyed to the men, there was a suddenly burst of laughter, and much stamping of feet at her humor. Utec, who had listened impassively, was also grinning, and spoke to Pranac, gesturing towards Nara. Pranac translated this to Nara.

“Utec wishes me to tell you that you aren’t going anywhere…he likes your cute ass too much. He will, however give you much opportunity to please him tonight should you wish to stay alive, and earn a place with our people! You should be glad that you’re pretty…we’d have just killed an ugly girl!” he added wickedly, patting her cheek.

Nara managed to beg for more water, and was grateful when someone tossed her a small water skin. She watched, as the camp became busy again, several of the men building a small fire and putting a cooking pot filled with water on to heat. Other’s went off into the brush, only to have different ones return a bit later; Nara concluded that there were guards watching somewhere out in the brush, on the off chance that anyone might discover them. When she had a chance to ask Pranac, he confirmed this.

“We always watch! That is how we captured and killed several warriors who were hunting for us! They were foolish, and inattentive. We are better fighters, all in all!” he said and laughed.

“You think much of yourselves, don’t you?” Nara blurted out, before freezing, terrified she would earn a beating for sounding critical. Instead, Pranac laughed.

“We have good reason to! We are not boastful or inclined to exaggerate our skills. We do much fighting, and work hard to never loose!” he advised her smiling. Nara sighed.

“I know little of such things. My father was once a fighter…he was wounded in the great battle near Uusco many years ago. It has been long since our men went off to fight!” she said, frowning.

“Which makes them easy prey, for warriors like us! Even the soldiers we fought are no match for us. Likely our boys could defeat them!” he declared and laughed.

“Why are you here?” Nara wondered.

“Utec wanted to come, and see what we might find. We could use more land, and more women!”

“Really? Why?” Nara wondered. Pranac shrugged.

“Some of our men have only one wife…and could use another one or two! It makes life more interesting, and more women means more children, which means more fighters! How many women do your men have?” he asked. Nara, who was shocked by the idea of a man having more than one wife, managed to shake her head.

“They only have one! How can several women live in the same hut? Wouldn’t they be jealous, and fight?”

Pranac shrugged. “If allowed to, but they get along, or we beat them! It really works quite well, as the women help each other with the children and chores. And if one dies giving birth, her children are cared for. We like our way!” he said.

“Oh, I suppose I will get to see what that’s like…if…”

“Of course! If you please Utec, you’ll be the youngest wife…he has four now. They will train you well!” he suggested, sniggering slightly.

“I assume I won’t enjoy that?” she asked, hesitant.

“Few do. Do you like being whipped with a switch?” he asked. He stood up to do other things.

“Pranac, our people could not resist your warriors…what would you do with them, if you attacked?”

Pranac tousled her hair, and grinned wickedly.

“Take everything of value, especially any cute women or girls, kill anyone who resists, and then leave. We don’t slaughter helpless people. We prefer killing warriors!” he declared, and chuckled.

 

When the water boiled in the cooking pot, one of the men poured some cuze into it, to cook the grain. When it was ready, they moved it from the fire, to cool a bit, before taking turns eating from the pot. After all had eaten, they sat the pot in front of Nara, and untied her hands, allowing her to eat. After eating nothing but goat jerky for two days, she was delighted by this.

“Eat well, you’ll need your strength tonight!” Pranac called to her from across the clearing. Nara nodded, finding this reminder of what awaited her to be rather disturbing.

Am I really that easy of a girl, that I can just give myself to anyone? I desired Tark! I even desired Naska, the young priest, when I spent time with him. Can I just give myself, be pleasing to a man…one that almost frightens me? I certainly can’t say no! And if he doesn’t like me, I’ll have to yield to another, and another…until someone keeps me, or…” she paused, hesitant to even think of that possibility. The idea that her performance was all she had with which to survive, seemed terrible. I made this choice! she thought, daunted by her situation. I hope I can survive it!  she considered, wiping her eyes.

Nara was forced to wait as the shadows lengthened. She noted Itel rising above the trees to the east, bright and large. It’s light would illuminate any area that it reached. She noted that the men had positioned their sleeping mats in between trees around the clearing. Pranac approached her, and stopped to untie her leash from the small tree.

“Ready? Get your mat!” he instructed. He led her across the clearing, to the place where Utec had placed his own mat, and had her spread hers overlapping Utec’s slightly. He removed the rope from her neck, and tied it on her right ankle. When done, he tied the loose end on Utec’s left ankle, and prepared to leave them.

“What should I do?!” she asked, panicked. Pranac laughed at her.

“Make him want you more than any woman in existence! He has four willing ones now…you need to be even more eager and willing, if you are to be kept by him!” he said, and departed.

Nara felt like her heart might burst, it was pounding so hard from her terror. To calm herself, she leaned forward, kneeling beside the prostrate form of the warrior leader, putting her lips on his. She concentrated on kissing him as wantonly as possible, while brushing her hair over his chest.

She was thrilled to have him respond to her lips and tongue, gently teasing her. When they paused a moment, she slipped her hand down over his hard belly, lightly raking her fingertips. She applied her lips to his chest, lightly kissing, and when her hand slid further down, she was thrilled to discover his erect maleness straining against his ne’pa. Grinning, she turned her attention to this, working the fabric loose from its belt, and freeing his organ.

Perhaps I’m more shameless than I thought! she considered, smiling wickedly in the gloom.

3

Nara had only hesitated slightly to pleasure Utec’s maleness with her mouth and tongue. She had mastered this with Tark, finding it exciting for what it did to render him utterly excited and nearly helpless. When she judged him properly aroused, she hopped onto him, and impaled herself on his hard organ, and rode him until he had a strong orgasm.

Judging from his breathing, he had been quite well aroused by her. She was still intensely aroused, having not gotten to the point of having an orgasm. She began touching herself, and quickly climaxed, with Utec’s semi erect organ still inside her. Her spasms seemed to reawaken his desire, and before she could calm her breathing, he swiftly rolled her off, onto her back, and quickly slipped between her legs, and entered her.

Nara found herself clasping him, legs wrapped around his back, as he had her, hard and urgent. She moaned loudly, when she had another orgasm, moments before Utec came deep inside her. They were both covered with a sheen of sweat, and stayed joined together, breathing hard. Nara found the smell of Utec’s sweat, mixed with her own and the smell of her womanhood, was overpowering in its sexual sense. She wiggled her bottom, feeling Utec’s organ moving slightly in her sopping wet womanhood. He laughed at her gently, prodding her with his mostly limp organ, before kissing her, and then rolling off, to lie beside her. Nara turned on her side, so she could snuggle and touch.

“I wish you could understand me!” she whispered. “I’m willing to be your woman, and will do anything you want me to do, to please you. I just wish I wasn’t so sad, and didn’t miss Tark so much,” she sighed. “I wonder if you love any of your women? Do you have favorites? What will my place be? I need to be made to yield to someone!” she declared, sounding a bit petulant. Utec made no response, as Nara continued to speak. Finally, he put a finger on her lips, to silence her. She kissed and sucked his finger, before reaching for his organ. She began playing with it, and was pleased to feel it get larger. Even though she was tired, she again got on her knees, and slipped astraddle of him, sliding her wet self back and forth on his organ. She placed his hands on her breasts, and gasped when he began kneading them, his touch making her nipples hard and prominent.

Nara moaned when Utec lifted her up, and set her firmly down on his hard organ. She was quickly grinding her femaleness hard against his pubic bone, eager to arouse herself. She was shocked at his strength, as her moved her when he pleased to, as if she was a small child. She felt completely helpless as he thrust into her, utterly thrilled to be had so thoroughly; she had badly missed Tark’s attention.

By the time they both were ready to orgasm, Nara was dripping sweat. The feel of their wet bodies, slipping against each other made the experience even more sensual. Nara’s orgasm was so intense, she nearly blacked out, and would have fallen off him, had his hands not gripped her tightly. She was vaguely aware of his spasming organ, deep inside her, and when he released her, he guided her down beside him. Gasping for air, she slowly calmed down, and as Utec kissed her, she managed to whisper, “That was wonderful,” before she was asleep.

 

When she awoke at first light, needing to pee, she found Utec already awake, and watching her, propped on his arm. He did not seem displeased. Hesitant, she managed to get up, on hands and knees, and stood, to step off the mats. She could only move a short distance, her ankle still tied to Utec’s. She squatted, facing him, to relieve herself, wanting to see his expression more than she needed privacy. She had been peeing in plain view of others her entire life, and had no idea of any other way. Utec watched, relaxed, and when she had dribbled her last, he gestured for her to come to him. She grinned when he turned on his back, to reveal his manhood, which looked quite ready for attention.

Nara slipped astraddle of him, her femaleness still sopping wet from her night’s having; she wordlessly impaled herself, moaning at the intense feeling being penetrated caused her. She wiggled her bottom suggestively and, guided by Utec’s hands, she began moving, working unhesitatingly to pleasure him. That she was being also pleasured was not her prime goal, but a welcome, delightful consequence. She wanted to earn a place, and knew she had only her womanhood to do so with.

Nara was quickly aroused. Noting that several of the other warriors were watching, likely making comments about her efforts, seemed to incite her desire even more. Even though this was the coolest part of the day, she was covered in a sheen of sweat, as she labored, moaning loudly. In the dark of night, she had wished to be quiet; now she felt no such hesitation, and let her wanton energy flow unimpeded.

The feel of Utec’s organ, spasming, deep inside her, made her explode, as she ground herself hard against his body. She moaned even more loudly, ending in sobs, overwhelmed by her orgasm. Utec was pleased by her effort, delighted by her wet tightness, and her expressiveness. When he recovered his own breath, still holding her arms, so she wouldn’t fall on him, he yelled something to Pranac, who had been watching with the others.

Nara found herself being guided carefully off , onto her mat. She lay, still breathing hard, and noted Pranac had come close. Utec spoke briefly to him, gesturing at Nara. Having no idea what was being said, she felt a swift wave of panic grip her. Was she being rejected? Had her efforts been unacceptable? Utec’s expression was unreadable, and Pranic’s fleeting smile offered little comfort. When Pranac turned to her, and pointed at her, she stopped breathing.

“Utec wishes me to tell you he approves of your womanhood, and what you do with it! He will keep you, as a wife. You will probably regret that many times,” he added, grinning wickedly.

“Why?” Nara gasped, thrilled to have been found worthy, but not sure why she might regret it. Was she not being spared having to please others? Or worse, killed? How could this be bad? She asked this of Pranac, who laughed.

“You will have four reasons for regretting, that being the current four wives, who will not be thrilled to share with you! That you are the youngest, will also offend them. They will make you work extra hard to earn your keep!” he said and laughed.

“Oh,” Nara sighed, having not considered this well. Being from a village where men never had more than one wife, she found herself unprepared to consider this wisely.

“Will…will they be permitted to…hurt me?” she asked. Pranac related her question to all those around. Most laughed, which did nothing to reassure her. Finally, Utec spoke. Pranac, grinned.

“Utec will inform them that he wishes to see no scars on your pretty skin, but they will be quite thorough and good at using a switch on you, without leaving scars, I can assure you!” Seeing her horrified look turn pouty, as she crossed her arms, he said, “How do you expect to be trained and motivated to learn the language? Women do much better when whipped soundly upon occasion. Just pray that Utec has no need to whip you!” he added, and laughed loudly.

“I’ve been whipped before, she sighed.

“By a woman or a man?” Pranac wondered kindly.

“My…my father,” she sighed. “He was mean to me!” she declared. When Pranac asked what she had done to earn such a thing, and after she explained, Pranac relayed this to the warriors. There was much laughter, and comment, before Pranac informed her of the prevailing opinion.

“They wish to advise you that you were lucky to have been so spoiled by your father. In our land, for doing such things, you would have scars! We don’t coddle our children, as you were!” he added and laughed.

Nara again regretted not obeying her mother’s advice.

“Please tell Utec I will be very obedient! If I displease him in the least, all he needs to do is use his manhood on me!” she suggested.

“Oh, don’t worry, he will…after he uses his whip!” Pranac. Utec had untied the rope from their ankles as they talked. He gestured for her to get up, and once they were standing, he issued instructions to several men. Pranac nodded, and informed Nara, “We need to eat and get moving! It’s a long hike to your new home, girl!” Thrilled, inspite of her misgivings, she quickly hugged Utec. her eyes teary.

“Thank you! I’m glad you’re pleased…” she managed, before she lost her voice.

 

When the party of men departed their camp, some leading the amaku, while others moved, spears ready and observant, Nara found herself with no rope tied to her. This seemed suspicious even though she approved. Were they that sure she wouldn’t try to run away? When Pranac was near, she asked, curious to hear what he would say. He grinned at her, and tousled her hair.

“Utec has captured your womanhood…you belong to him. You’re no longer eager to run away, are you?” he warrior asked. Nara, shocked by this idea, considered her feelings, and felt a twinge of lust touch her. She smiled, looking down a moment, her embarrassment plain.

“Perhaps…” she sighed. “But I am nervous…about what my life will be like! Pranac shrugged.

“I suspect you will find it much like life was in your village. Utec will have you as he pleases. You will desire him, and yield your womanhood whenever you can. You will have children, and mother them. He will wage war, and do what men do. How is this different than your old life?” he wondered. Nara, astounded to hear life described so simply, and with such an embarrassing candor, took several moments to digest it.

“I don’t know! I never thought of such things…who thinks about life? You simply do it…live each day, as it has always been done. Except…when you’re stupid, and…violate what should be…” she admitted, before her guilt stifled her. Pranac looked gently at her, noting her wet eyes.

“You have much pain, and many regrets? All because you violated your tribe’s ways. That was not a good way to prove yourselves wise…was it?”

“No! We showed everyone just how…stupid a young person can be!” she wiped at her eyes, this revisiting of her failure unpleasant. She managed a small smile. “At least we gave the other young ones a good reason to behave, and obey!” she said, bitterly. “I just hope none of my siblings are as stupid as I was,” she sighed.

“I can’t imagine anyone could be that slow!” Pranac suggested. Nara frowned at this, her shoulders slumping. Pranac suddenly laughed at her pouty expression, and put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a small hug.

“I’m teasing! But of course, that was pretty dumb,” he added.

“I’m not likely to forget that for a long time!” she said, her voice snippy and sharp.

“Oh, you will eventually. You’ll soon have more urgent things to be miserable about!” he assured her.

“Great! The Gods must hate me!” she sighed. Pranac thought that funny.

“I suspect the Gods hate all of us, frankly,” he said. “But as long as they help us defeat our enemies, we shouldn’t complain, although we do,” he admitted, shrugging, while grinning fully.