The next night passed uneventfully. Fearful of attracting any unwanted attention, they walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, stopping only a few times to down some pemmican and berries or tend to nature’s call. As the sun rose, the forest canopy suddenly gave way, and a vast field of grassland stretched in front of them as far as the eye could see, with only an occasional copse of trees to break up the monotony. A few steps into the sea of grass Aalina came to an abrupt halt. Grimbol turned and inquired, “What is it?” “It’s just… I’ve never been outside of the Great Wood before." The morning sun glinted off her tear-filled eyes. “I’d seen the grassland from the trees but never dared to venture out.” And for the first time she thought to ask, “Where is it we are going?” He stepped toward the river bank and beckoned for her to follow. Finding a stick, he cleared the ground and began to sketch. “This river is the Po. It runs from the Great Wood, across these plains to the sea. From there we head south along this trade road to the city of Leeside. I have business there, and you’ll be safe to start a new life.” The enormity of her situation suddenly struck Aalina. The city? What could she possibly do in a city full of strangers, probably all humans? But as far as she knew her people were all gone. The orc hordes had made sure of that. Even before the final raid, the elves’ numbers had been dwindling, slowly picked off by roaming bands of the monsters. No, the woods were not safe. But where else could she go? Like it or not, this aloof adventurer was all she had. The numbness, her denial of what had happened, began to melt away, and her tear-filled eyes began to overflow. She tried to stifle her sobs, but a few whimpers broke forth, and her shoulders shook. Grimbol stood from where he was crouching in the dirt, uncomfortable at her display of emotion. His inclination was to comfort her. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. She fell into his embrace and began to cry freely. “It’s alright, Aalina. It’s alright.” It was the first time he had said her name, and it felt awkward and foreign on his tongue. He reached up and rubbed her shoulders, and her body began to relax a little. They stood that way for a long while. Finally, her tears subsided. Then Grimbol kissed the nape of her neck gently. “Maybe I can help you feel better,” he mirrored her words from the day before. Despite herself, a small smile broke across her lips. She took Grimbol’s face in her hands and, on tip-toes, planted a kiss on his mouth. He gazed down at her, leaned forward, and gently kissed away a salty bit of moisture from her cheek. From there they began to kiss more passionately. Their mouths opened as their sensitive lips found each other. They tasted of the road, earthy and a little sour, but it was not unpleasant. Then Aalina’s tongue stroked Grimbol’s lips, sending warm shivers down his spine. He returned the favor, and soon they were kissing deeply, the sensuous tingles spreading throughout their bodies in sultry waves. His hands began to kneed her bottom, and she moaned softly into his mouth. She felt her lubrication moistening her inner recesses. Their kissing continued, and he moved one hand to reach inside her leather vest to rest upon the thin fabric covering her supple breast. Her nipple stiffened at his touch. After a few minutes of this, she leaned away and unfastened the rope from about her waist, letting her makeshift skirt fall to the ground. She lifted her chemise over her head, and it too dropped. He followed suit with his own tunic, revealing his manly, muscular chest. The hair was thick and dark, but criss-crossed with bald lines where the scars of many battles remained. He was handsome in a rugged way, but dark shaggy facial hair largely obscured his features. The exception was his eyes. They were steel grey with a thin golden line surrounding the pupils. They dilated as she stared into them, and they seemed oddly not quite round. Then he leaned forward again, kissing her lips briefly before moving on to her cheek, her ear, descending to her neck, her chest, and her breast. Aalina’s heat increased as his tongue flicked her nipple, while his hands kept rubbing her back side and her other breast. He reclined then, bringing her down on top of him. His hands caressed her arms and her sides, and she pressed her body into him, grinding her pelvis on his. A jolt of pain shot through her as her sore pussy lips had been engaged, so she adjusted her stance. He craned his neck upward, continuing to kiss and suck her delicious mounds. His one hand found the crack of her buttocks. The other traced down her taut stomach to reach her downy mound. She felt his soft fingertips running through her delicate wisps of blonde hair. Then they ventured south, lightly brushing over the tip of her vulva. Her clit ached, longing for a firmer touch. As if reading her mind, Grimbol quickly licked his fingers and returned them to their duty. He rubbed, gently at first, over the girl’s hood. More waves of passion spread out from the contact. Her heart raced, and she felt her juices dripping. He rubbed a moment longer, then clenching both her buttocks, easily lifted her forward to straddle his face. Aalina’s shins met the cool, damp ground, the sensation mixing with the heat of the rest her body. Then Grimbol began to lick her in earnest. He seemed to know to avoid her tender areas and focused his attention on her clit and the immediately surrounding flesh. His deft tongue was skilled, and she cried out softly as she rode it. His hands again reached for her breasts. They had always been sensitive, and the added feeling brought another flood of exhilaration. The tempo was rising, and she neared climax. Grimbol began to suck lightly on her button, and she ground her groin harder against him. He alternately licked and sucked, licked and sucked. Her nipples hardened even further as she was sent over the edge. Crying out, she shuddered, wave after wave of pleasure inundating her entire being. He stopped licking and pressed his tongue flat against her responsive area. She bucked and shook again. As the orgasm ebbed, he began the process again. She longed to have him inside of her but knew, given her condition, that it would have to wait. Returning to the present, Aalina’s feelings quickly crescendoed again. He lapped her clit and milked her breasts, and in moments she was set off into ecstatic oblivion again. Grimbol likely would have kept at it, but she rolled off of him, squeezing her legs tightly together and holding her pleasantly tingling crotch in her hand. The chill earth was refreshing against her heated body. Then suddenly aware of her selfishness, she looked Grimbol in the eye, “Oh, let me take care of you too!” She made a move toward him, but he demurred. “No, no. Really, I’ll be alright. It was my pleasure to give you pleasure.” He grinned widely, juices glistening on his face and dripping down his chin. Another flush of warmth flowed into Aalina’s cheeks, and she returned the smile, feeling true affection for the strange man. They made their way back to the grassy area, and without even dressing or setting up camp, they settled into each other’s arms in the warm sun and fell into a fast, contented sleep.