Author's Note: This story includes sex involving an eleven year old, sometimes with adults, sometimes with other underage boys. If you don't like that or its illegal where you live, please leave. This is a work in progress and I'm trying to learn as much as I can as I write, if you have feedback please send it to JustAnotherRandom@mail.com. Without further ado:
ONE
Growing up an orphan in the port city of Alumyth isn't easy. In fact, most of us either starve to death on the streets, die in prison, or are forced to sell our bodies to survive. I was one of the lucky ones. When I was five I was able to get a job looking for herbs for one of the city's apothecaries. It didn't pay super well or anything, but it was enough to eat and she'd let me sleep in the back room of her shop.
As usual, I awoke as she came down the stairs that connected the shop with her living area. "Kaiden, are you up?" The 60-something year old called out.
I quickly pulled on my pants and ran to the base of the stairs. "Yes Ma'am." Her name was Margaret, and for a while she asked me to call her that, but I refused, and eventually she gave up on it.
"I need you to gather some ingredients for a healing balm. Lord Aerion's daughter has been sick and he will be coming to collect it this evening, I'll write you a list." She explained as she walked to a nearby table to write down the needed ingredients.
While she wrote, I pulled on my tunic and folded up the blanket I slept on, storing it in the corner of one of the shelves. I walked up beside her as she finished the list and looked at it. There were three herbs on the list, two of which would be quite easy to find, but the third would be a little more difficult. I had only ever found it growing by a lake about 2km into the nearby woods, and various animals, including bears, used that as a watering hole. However, this wasn't too far out of the ordinary, so I picked up the list, put it in my pocket, grabbed a basket to carry the herbs, and ran out the front door. "I'll be back before you know it." I said as I closed the door behind me.
I looked again at the list. I had learned quite a bit about healing plants and potions, and knew that these plants wouldn't cure any sickness, they would only relieve pain. If Lord Aerion's daughter really was sick, she's beyond even the madam's expertise to cure.
The sun was just starting to peak over the water, and most of the city away from the harbour was still asleep, so I was able to move fairly quickly through the streets without being harassed. Within a few minutes I came up to the West Gates, where the guards eyed me with obvious distaste as I walked through. One of them stepped in front of me and demanded "Who'd you steal that basket from, street rat?" As I prepared myself to run around these men, another man came into view and I knew that it wouldn't be necessary.
"Let him through, he's Margaret's errand boy." The voice belonged to Jarret, who was the senior of these guards, and someone that had come to the shop on multiple occasions, and so knew who I was. The guard that stopped me stepped out of my way, but continued to glare at me, probably until I was completely out of sight.
I can't really blame him for thinking I was a thief. Even though I was more fortunate than most kids, I still looked like I lived on the streets, my brown hair a tangled mess, my clothes dirty and a little small on me (my pants ended above my ankles and my tunic only barely reached my thighs, and I didn't even have shoes) but it still was annoying having to deal with that almost daily. Luckily Jarret was there, though the first time we met he too thought I was a street kid. He even offered to pay for my "service", which I declined.
By the time I reached the woods the sun had finished rising, and I was starting to get hungry. Luckily the forest provides plenty of food, and as I walked into the dense treeline I kept my eye out not only for the required ingredients, but also for something to eat. Whenever I was in here, my senses seemed to grow ten times stronger. I could hear squirrels climbing in the trees, I could smell the pine trees and faintly something smokey, and I could see even the subtlest movements in the tree canopy. While not having shoes would have proven an inconvenience to most, I loved being able to move nearly silently, and feeling the fallen leaves under my feet made me feel whole, like this is where I'm meant to be.
I found a berry bush and picked a few to eat now, and another handful to carry in the basket to eat later, and soon located the first of the herbs, which was purple and grew as three leaves on a stem on the side of a tree. I grabbed enough for the balm and continued walking towards the lake I knew I would need to go to. Another kilometre in, I found the second, a flower which looks like a daisy but blooms at night. I picked a few, then sat down for a minute to eat the rest of the berries. I no longer heard any squirrels or birds, but I didn't think too much of it for the moment.
As I neared the lake, I got down low, trying to stay as concealed as possible while I looked around for any animals that might not like my intrusion. When I was satisfied that I was alone, I walked up to the water line, where I found the third ingredient, a bright green fern that only grew to be about 5cm tall. I picked what I needed, then looked at the water. It had been several days since I had bathed, and even though I was only eleven, I still got stinky after that long. I looked around again, to make sure no animals were approaching, then stripped down and jumped in. I had plenty of time to get back, so after washing off the layers of dirt and grime, I swam around the lake for about an hour before getting out and laying down on a large rock to dry off.
As my lean body sun-dried, I looked around once again. There was no movement, not even the wind. And there were still no bird-songs. And that smokey smell from before had grown stronger, but it wasn't a pleasant smoke like when the nobles would smoke pigs, it was sharp, almost acidic. Deciding I was dry enough, I quickly put on my clothes and grabbed my basket. Just as I was walking back into the treeline, I heard a slight shifting of leaves behind me. I turned around, and maybe 100 meters from me I saw a wolf, which normally wouldn't have bothered me, as they don't usually go after people. But this wasn't any wolf I had ever seen before.
The beast was as tall as a horse, its eyes looked like lava, they were even glowing, and its coat was pitch black. It was looking straight at me, and as soon as it realized I saw it, it started charging straight at me. That's when I noticed its claws. They were long, probably 10 cm. I decided that rather than staring at this frightening beast, I should get out of there.
But where? It was closing in fast, and there was no way I could outrun it. It was a lot bigger than my 130cm frame, so maybe i could get into a small space somewhere. I could try to climb up a tree, but if this thing could climb I wouldn't be in any better of a position than I am now. Then I saw it:a crack in the earth. Maybe a cave? I ran up to it, hearing the beast behind me, I didn't dare look at it. The crack would barely fit me, there's no way the beast could fit, so without thinking I jumped in.
I swear I heard jaws clamping shut just above my head as I went down. I fell about three meters before hitting the ground, dropping my basket. My right ankle hurt, and for a moment I feared I had broken it. I felt around it, and the pain wasn't as bad as if I had broken it, so I moved my attention on to more pressing matters: Where the hell am I?
The only light in here was streaming in through the crack I came in through, but there was no way I could get back up there, even if the beast left. I looked around the space and saw that it was closed in fairly close on three sides, no wider than two meters across, but there was a tunnel leading off one direction. I wasn't sure how far because it became pitch black quite quickly. I gathered up the basket and herbs and started walking, my ankle sore but getting better with every step. I quickly learned that my eyesight wouldn't help me much at all here, so I just closed them and walked with a hand out in front of me, trying to listen for any movement. I hope there aren't any ledges in here. After what seemed like an hour, though it was hard to tell with no sun, I heard movement ahead of me. It sounded like shoes on rock. Is someone else down here?
I stood still, trying to get a better read on what and where they were. They were getting closer. A light appeared on my eyelids, so I opened them, and noticed firelight down a bend in the tunnel. There was nowhere to hide, so I prepared myself for a fight as the light grew closer and the footsteps grew louder, and a figure came into view. A man, maybe in his early 30s, 190cm tall with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing leather armour and carrying a torch in his hand with a sword sheathed at his side. When he saw me, he raised his empty hand and said in a deep voice "I'm not here to hurt you. I saw the warg chasing you and was worried you got hurt when you jumped into the cave. That was smart by the way, I thought you were going to climb a tree. They can jump high enough that you would've been doggy chow."
I took a half step back, not willing to trust this stranger yet "I- uh- Who are you? What is a- a warg? Why were y-" I began questioning before he cut me off.
"Slow down there buddy," he smiled, "One question at a time. My name is Mikal. I'm a Guardian,we hunt monsters like that warg you encountered today. Long story short, they're evil giant wolves that usually don't come this far South, but something must have caught it's attention..." He paused and looked me over. It wasn't the way that men would sometimes look at me that wanted to use my body, it was a sort of curiosity, like he was considering some difficult question that was written on me. "...or someone.
"Come, we should get to the surface. I understand if you don't trust me, but please let me lead you out." He extended his hand towards me, and I considered my options: either I turn around and wander around a pitch black cave, or I follow this strange man who says he knows a way out and seems to know more than he's letting on.
I nodded "Alright. But I'll not get closer than I am now."
He gave a half-shrug, turned around, and started walking with me following a few meters behind. "Well go ahead, you had a lot of questions before and I'm sure I only left you with more."
"You said it was after someone. You mean me, don't you?" I demanded, "what would that- that thing want with me?"
"Honestly it's just a feeling; there's something about you. A sort of quality that reminds me of the Druids of the Moon. Wargs are the antithesis of nature, and seek to devour the things that most strongly embody it. Do you have Druid blood in your veins?" Mikal replied.
"I don't know. I never knew my parents."I responded, then continued after a few seconds of silence, "is that why I feel so different when I'm out here in the forest? And where is the warg now? Did it follow you?"
"It's dead. I cut off its head and burned its body. As for your lineage, it's possible. The Druids have nearly superhuman abilities in environments heavily connected with nature. And then there's their magic on top of it. There is someone who will know for sure, and lucky for you he came with me. He's just outside the cave."
I stopped walking, suddenly feeling like I was being led into some kind of trap. "There are more of you?"
He turned around to look at me and said "Well, not exactly. I have a very unique mount. A gift from the Druids, actually. He is a Frothian Stag. They are as in tune with nature as the Druids, and can sense when a person is a Druid immediately." He drew his sword and I started taking steps backwards until he put his blade on the ground and kicked it towards me. "I have no intention of harming you, and while it may not be much of a consolation, if I wanted you dead you would be lying on the ground where we first met."
I walked forward and picked up his sword. It was beautiful. And heavy. Almost as long as I was tall, and wider than my hand. The guard looked like small antlers, the grip an intricate braid of some fabric I wasn't familiar with, and the pommel housed a single, peach-sized emerald. I took off my tunic and twisted it so it was rope-like, then tied my basket around me. Not exactly comfortable, but it allowed me to use both hands to carry the sword. I looked up and Mikal was smiling at me. For some reason I was suddenly self-conscious of being naked from the waist up, and had a weird feeling inside my chest. I shook my head and said "let's go," and sped up my pace as we started walking again so I could catch up with him, now walking only a couple of paces behind him.
"Would you tell me your name?" He inquired.
"Kaiden, errand boy of Margaret Salutem," I responded, feeling slightly embarrassed that I forgot to introduce myself.
"Well Kaiden, errand boy of Margaret Salutem, would you like me to carry that basket for you? Or did you want to show off your chest to me?" He asked, and I felt my face turn red, when he looked back and started laughing.
I undid the knot and handed him the basket, but didn't put my tunic back on, instead just tying it around my waist. "It's too hot down here for my tunic," which was true. Since there was no air flow down here, it got quite stuffy, and the events of the day had gotten me sweaty.
To my surprise, he took off his own tunic and tied it around his waist too, revealing well defined muscles, and more than a few scars. Then I remembered what he said. Monsters like that warg. What else has he fought? I shuddered as I thought about what could have caused a large jagged scar down his entire back. For some reason him being shirtless too made me feel more comfortable around him.
We walked mostly in silence for the next 30 minutes or so, until we came upon an opening that he had to squeeze through, though I had no trouble walking through, even with the unwieldy sword. Just outside there was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. A large stag, pure white, with large antlers ending in at least 20 points,and a large mane like a lion. As I stood, transfixed on its magnificence, it walked up to me and laid down right in front of me, as if waiting for me to give it a command. Mikal nodded and said "as I thought, you have Druid blood in you. Shishigami senses it, and is giving you permission to touch it."
I laid the blade down and reached a hand out, stroking the animal's face. It pushed its face into my hand, and I spent the next several minutes stroking its face,mane, and down its back. Then I felt a cool breeze, and realized the sun was going to be setting soon. The herbs. Oh no. If the Madam can't complete the order, Lord Aerion will have her punished. "I have to get back to the city. Thank you Mikal," I bowed, "for helping me get out of the cave, and for getting rid of that warg. I don't know how I can repay you, but I must be off as soon as possible."
He walked up and put a hand on my shoulder. Why did I let him touch me? But then I realized I didn't mind his touch. In fact, it was giving me that weird feeling in my chest again. "How about you repay me by letting me take you home. I have many questions, and would like to be able to talk more with you, as well as this Margaret. He picked up and sheathed his blade, put out his torch and put it in a bag tied to the side of Shishigami along with my herbs, and climbed on top of the animal, patting the space behind him as he grabbed the reins.
I climbed up behind him with a little difficulty, then looked around, "what am I supposed to hold onto?" In response, Mikal let go of the reins, grabbed my hands and wrapped them around his waist, before picking the reins back up and making Shishigami get up. Feeling my chest against his back made me feel like there was an electrical current flowing between us, and his scent had me intoxicated. As Shishigami started moving and our bodies rubbed together, I felt a tightness in my pants. I hoped he couldn't feel it, though part of me wanted him to; if he did, he didn't say anything.
I broke free of his spell on me long enough to notice we were moving incredibly fast, much faster than any horse I had seen. In no time we were at the gates, and as we approached he pulled something out of his pocket, showed it to the guards and they quickly moved out of his way. As we pulled up to the shop he hopped down, put his tunic back on, then held out his hand to help me down. I was still hard, and hesitated. He glanced down to the front of my pants smirked, "it's nothing I haven't seen before. Hold your basket in front of it and no one else will notice it." I blushed, then grabbed his hand and got down, put my own tunic on, then applied his advice as he tied Shishigami to the hitching post, though he didn't tie him very well and I'm sure he could have gotten himself out with no problem.
We walked in the door and I immediately said "I'm so sorry I'm late Ma'am, but I have the herbs here," as I ran up towards the counter where she stood.
She smiled and began "Don't worry, Lord Aerion hasn't come by yet," and as she saw the large man walk in behind me she started "how may I help you sir?"
Mikal again reached into his pant pocket and pulled an object out. It was a twisted silver ring about the size of a cherry with a silver carved boar head in the middle. He explained "Kaiden and I ran into each other in the nearby woods. I must say, he is quite smart, and brave. Where most grown men would have frozen in fear, he analyzed the situation and outsmarted a terrifying beast that would have otherwise ripped him to shreds." At hearing this she gasped, ran up to me and pulled me against her. Unperturbed, he continued: "The worrying thing is that I'm fairly certain the beast had tracked your Kaiden, travelling possibly hundreds of kilometres to find him. I don't believe he is safe here anymore. Tonight I will talk with some others within my order and we will decide what to do, but I suggest you both prepare for him to be gone for a long time. I apologize for walking in and speaking like this, but I'm afraid these circumstances don't permit for pleasantries. I will talk to the city guard and have them post men here for tonight while I am away. I bid you a good day madam. I'll be back soon, Kaiden." And with that he turned around and left, leaving me there in the Madam's embrace. I'm pretty sure she was crying, and before long I felt a few tears drip from my eyes as well. She was one of the only people that had shown me kindness in my eleven years of life, and I would miss her, but knew that what Mikal said was true. If I stay here, and those beasts really can sense me, I'm only putting her and everyone else in danger. At least if I'm with Mikal he can defend himself. And me.