Russ is too honorable... or proud?

Reluctantly, Russ pulls himself away from your wanting body. "What a wonderful predicament we find ourselves in, no? It leaves an awful taste in my mouth to refuse a woman in need, but I think that's the more palatable option in this circumstance." He stands and fumbles around in the dark for the empty glass he had used for his port earlier in the evening.

The fire in your body won't be satisfied so easily, however, so you crawl to him, still on the bed, and rub your face against the bulge in his pants. "I think I've found a more palatable option right here." You lick his trousers and moan against his crotch.

"Affectionate, aren't we?" He places a hand on your head and gently pushes you away. "Alas, this isn't you. If it were, I wouldn't have wasted the coin on your talents." The insinuation that you're acting like a cheap whore - or was he trying to say you'd be an expensive whore? - does little to deter you. If anything, you feel determined to prove him how worthwhile your talents can be.

You take the hand he tried to push you away with and suck one of his fingers into your mouth, looking up into his face with eyes as round as saucers. He hesitates when you catch his own eyes. He truly seems torn with the idea of taking advantage of you... but it's not taking advantage if you want it so desperately... You lie back again and spread your legs for him, sure that he's ready to pounce on you.

"You make a compelling argument." He loosens the collar of his shirt and slowly kneels on the bed between your legs. "Unfortunately, you leave me little choice." You feel a sharp crack on the side of your head. You're out before you hit the mattress.

When you come to again, you find yourself clothed with a heavy cloak wrapped tightly around you. You seem to be astride Aegis, tied upright in the saddle. You've got a throbbing headache. To your side, you see your new traveling companion, Russ DeLarco, riding his own chestnut-colored horse. The first rays of sunlight are just breaking over the horizon.

"What happened? Where are we?" You try to shake the grogginess out of your voice, but the handsome swordsman chuckles at you regardless.

"Please forgive me. I feel ashamed that I was **** to lay hands upon a woman, but the daemon's venom had seized your rational mind and I saw no other way to help. I took the liberty of dressing you and setting us underway. The trip so far has been boring, you haven't missed much."

The pieces of it are coming back to you now. Oh goddess... you almost gave yourself to a daemon, and then trapped by your own desires, threw yourself at Russ, something you had been fantasizing about anyway. He knocked you out... he could have had his way with your body and you would have willingly rutted with him over and over until he had surely fucked a child into your belly.

You stare at him, studying his handsome features, his well-groomed mustache, eyes that sparkle with mischief but also cover up something he's trying to hide, or perhaps run away from. He would clearly be happy to take your chastity if you honestly offered it to him, but he denied himself when he had the opportunity.

Your thoughts return again to those fantasies you were indulging before you went to sleep. It should embarrass you greatly to think of Russ in such vivid ways when he's so close beside you, but you kind of like the way the heat is rising in your loins, how your breath grows shallow and your heart flutters so quickly.

"Sabine?" You shake yourself out of your reverie when you realize he's speaking to you. Oh goddess, you were staring at him all that time! Did you have a stupid grin on your face? You didn't, did you? Merciful Rose, you did. He knows what you were thinking about!

You shake the frantic thoughts out of your head and quickly snap your head back to the trail ahead of you. "Hmm? Yes? You were saying?"

He grins. "I was saying, it's half a day's ride to Slurry from here. The town can be rough, and not very welcoming to travelers, though I'm sure exceptions would be made for a treat such as yourself. All the more reason for us to pass through quickly. Still, we should arrive in time to break fast, and there are precious few stops along the way to resupply. We shouldn't attract too much undue attention if we eat quickly and rest our horses, but I'd understand if you'd prefer to ride through without stopping."

You weigh his words. You're not keen on the idea of attracting any sort of attention, whether due to your womanhood as Russ has implied or otherwise, and the sooner you arrive at Gerlangen the better, but it's also unreasonable to think that you could ride the rest of the way without stopping again. "Let's see what shape we're in when we arrive."

He nods. "Forewarned is forearmed. I merely advise you to bear it in mind as we approach."

After that, lighter conversation prevails. Russ tells you tales of his travels, women he's romanced, duels he's won... all of his accomplishments are impressive, relative to your lack of worldly experience. Somehow though, he always manages to turn the focus back to you, and before you know it, you've told him nearly as much about your life as you can possibly remember. Admittedly, there isn't much to tell, but he's a better listener than you had expected. The hours pass by in a flash, and you do not realize that morning has actually arrived until long after the sun has already risen.

Eventually the forest gives way to rugged hills. It's when you have climbed to the top of one of these hills that you can spot a quarry down below, and a small, bustling town ahead along the road. There seems to be some sort of commotion, but there's no way to tell what the matter is until you get closer.