In Thrall (6 page)

Having seen quite a few women give birth over the years, she could have refuted that, but held her tongue. “Come, my Lord,” she said gently, offering him her hand.

He seemed to find it all amusing, and he humored her - allowing her to pull him to the tub. He stepped in, and sunk into the water, pulling his legs up. Water slopped over the edge.

She took a small, clean cloth and found the women had left a small block of fatty soap. She sniffed it curiously. It had no real fragrance.

She sat by the tub and dipped her cloth, and Leif watched her face curiously as she began to squeeze water over his chest. Bit by bit the dirt washed away, and she gently wiped his skin, staying carefully above the water line. She soaped his long hair and rinsed it with water from the jug.

Zahira daydreamed, lost in the comforting ritual. A month ago she had had a servant girl doing this for her. If anyone had told her then how things would change, she never would have believed it.

She rinsed the soap from his hair, and blushed as she began to wash lower. She carefully sponged around the wound, cleaning away the dried blood as best she could. It didn't look too bad once it was washed. It should have been cleaned straight away, but she supposed it was not something these Northmen usually bothered with.

“
See? It's but a scratch,” he grinned at her.

She furrowed her brow. “How did it happen?”

He shrugged. “I speared a boar. He tried to spear me. It was lucky he mostly missed.”

“
It was lucky you were armored.”

He laughed, humor glinting in his eyes, and changed the subject. “You look a little ragged around the edges yourself. Did you go hunting today?”

“Chasing after children.” She muttered, scrubbing his upper arms.

“
You should get clean in the tub with me.”

She had to smile a little at that. “There is not enough room, my Lord.”

“You can sit in my lap.”

“
I don't think I would get very clean.”

“
I might just order you to do it.”

“
If you order me to do it, I will obey.” She answered.

He looked at her, his eyes wandering over her naked breasts, their nipples hard, drops of water dripping down her chest.

Again, he changed the subject, looking away. “Did Hilde ask you what you wanted at the markets?”

“
Freja did.”

Leif raised his brows in surprise. “Really? What did
she
have to say?”

Zahira bit her lower lip, unsure how to answer. She didn't want to anger him when he was in such a good mood. “She asked what I could do to pull my weight.”

She noticed his jaw tense a little, and hurried to continue. “It's alright, my Lord. I wanted to find something to help with. And it was good to be with the children.”

“
You like children?”

She smiled. “Of course.”

He took a deep breath, and raised cupped hands full of water to rinse his face.

“
I sail again after the new moon,” he said, “I will bring back jewels and silk, wine and candies, and all of those things your people are so fond of.”

She didn't know how she felt about him going away- about being left with the thralls, and his abrasive sister. She stayed silent, until Leif reached over and picked up her hand, getting water all over her arm. Then she finally voiced her confusion. “My Lord,” she asked, “Why?”

He chuckled quietly, and shrugged. “Because it pleases me to do so.”

Zahira didn't know what to say.

“If there is anything you desire,” he continued, “tell me, and I will bring it to you.”

She swallowed, remembering something she had been afraid to ask from Freja. “My Lord, the only thing I would ask for is an instrument so that I can play for you. A lap harp or a lute.” She had always enjoyed playing, and missed the sounds of music around her.

He cocked his head at her. The gesture looked strange and boyish on him. “Huh. You play? Harald would love to learn from you. That boy collects instruments. I'll never understand it.”

“
I would be glad to teach him.”

She gently took her hand from his, and used the soapy cloth to wash his abdomen. She felt the muscles of his stomach contract as she moved over his skin. As she moved lower she brushed against his erect member, and he chuckled.

She blushed, and felt stupid for it. But she continued washing, even rubbing the cloth gently between his legs, over, then underneath his balls. He leaned back, and sighed in pleasure, and she took her time – circling on his thighs, and back up, wrapping the cloth around his phallus with her hand to tease his skin.

The girl watched his body, learning its paths and curves, and the places he liked to be touched. She stroked wet hands up over his chest and shoulders, letting the cloth drag from her fingers.

She traced his scars, and the muscles of his arms. He closed his eyes, relaxing. It was the first time she had seen him look anything approaching serene.

She wondered if she should pleasure him, here in the bath. He had not ordered her to, but he didn't object to her touching him either.

Opening her hand she let the cloth drift away in the water as she ran her fingernails over his taut stomach, wrapped her hand around his shaft, and stroked him up and down.

A smile came to his lips, and he hummed in approval. Encouraged, she began to move in a rhythm,  twisting her hand slightly around his member as it became even harder. She thought she could feel it throb in her grip.

Her thumb teased the swollen head, her fingers caressed him gently, then firmly, then gently again.

“
Mmm,” Leif murmured, opening his eyes. He watched her for a moment as she continued, meeting his eyes. The way he looked at her so intimately gave her chills, and she felt the betrayal of warmth and wetness in her sex.

Without a word, he suddenly sat up, and began to rise from the bath. Zahira stood too, backing up as he stepped dripping from the tub. He shook his head like a dog, droplets of water spraying out from his hair. Then he came to her, and took her in his arms.

His hard cock pressed firmly against her belly as he pulled her close and kissed her roughly, and this time she was ready and eager for his tongue. Their lips played together, nibbling and sucking. His tongue captured hers again and again. His wet flesh slid against hers.

He broke the kiss, only to bend his head and kiss her neck. He sucked on the skin under her ear, hard enough that it felt bruised, and she gasped. It hurt, but it felt good. No one had told her it could be that way. She still didn't understand it.

Zahira wrapped her arms around his waist, her arms clutching his back. His kisses on her neck sent shivers down her spine.

Suddenly, he lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around him as he carried her across the room.

He threw her on the bed, and stood over her, a looming silhouette in the dim light, looking down on her naked body. She saw him take hold of his cock, slowly pumping it in his hand. The sight was so deliciously wicked and arousing, and she widened her legs without thinking.

“
Hmm...” He mused, in a mocking tone. “Should I finish myself off, and spurt on your face? Or are you finally ready to admit that you want me?”

She swallowed hard, watching his hand stroking in slow, deliberate movements. “Yes... yes, my Lord.” She breathed. “I want you.” It felt good to admit it to him, and to herself. God help her, she did want him. “I want you to take me, I want you to claim me, my Master.”

He growled, a low erotic sound, and let go of his phallus, grabbing her by the ankles and dragging her toward the edge of the bed. He took hold of her hips and suddenly knelt, bending his head between her legs and delving his tongue immediately into her slick folds.

The sensation was unlike anything she had experienced. She was shocked at the urgency in him - the need - as he licked and sucked on her clit, and forced his tongue inside her over and over. In only a few seconds she moaned, heedless of who might hear, arching her hips to meet him and reaching down to hold his face against her.

She quickly felt herself approach the edge. Alarmed, she cried out. “My Lord, I... I'm going to -”

He withdrew his tongue, and stood up, grinning wildly. Grabbing her hips, he pushed himself up against her, bending over to kiss her roughly.

She tasted herself on his lips, and to her surprise she found it very pleasant. After a moment she had to turn her head away and catch her breath. Her body was on the very precipice. She felt as though any moment she might go over.

He bent to bite her neck again, near the collarbone, and she felt his cock right against her entrance. It felt impossibly large, as though it might stretch her to breaking. But she thought it might be the kind of pain that felt good. She wanted to break for him. She wrapped her legs around him – tried to pull him closer.

He pushed inside her, forcing just the tip of his huge member past her barrier. She felt a burning pain, and closed her eyes tightly.

He nibbled on her neck again, and when the pain ebbed and she relaxed, he pushed further, firmly pushing himself in to the hilt.

This time, she cried out as the pain became tearing, and tears formed in her eyes. He did not stop though, rocking his hips against hers before pulling out, then thrusting in again and again.

It felt impossibly tight, and yet he slid easily in and out of her slick cunt, and soon the pain gave way to pleasure – the delicious friction sending waves of sensation through her body.

She began to moan again, and he thrust harder, lifting her hips easily as he pumped mercilessly into her.

“
That's it, my girl,” he said, his voice shaking and his breathing ragged. “Come for me now.” He reached out with one arm, and grabbed her breast, cupping it in his huge hand, then pinching the nipple hard.

The intense sensation, and the raw hunger in his voice – the need – sent her over the edge. She clutched his shoulders as she arched her back, tensing. Little convulsions ran through her as the pleasure took over, and she cried out in ecstasy again and again.

She felt herself clench around his cock in rhythmic pulses, and as she locked her legs around him even harder he threw his head back and growled.

His cock pulsed inside her, and he thrust one last time, holding her hips tightly against his as he released his seed in forceful spurts.

Leif moaned quietly, his head lolling forward for a moment as he breathed heavily, still twitching inside her.

Her pleasure was slowly fading away, leaving a warm afterglow. Zahira relaxed her legs, and Leif slowly withdrew from her. She felt some of his seed spill out of her as she moved, drawing her legs up onto the bed and rolling on her side, making room for her Master.

With a heavy sigh he collapsed next to her. His skin was still wet from the bath, his hair still dripping. Zahira's breathing gradually slowed as she recovered. She felt drained, and thoroughly sated. She was throbbing and sore between the legs, but she knew it would pass. Above all, she was amazed. How had this wild, rough man made her want him so much?

For a moment she thought he had fallen asleep, and was beginning to wonder if she should get out of the bed. Then he rolled, turning over to face her.

“Are you pleased, my Lord?” She asked.

He paused for a moment, then smiled at her. It was one of the first times he had looked unguarded – with no mockery, teasing or bragging. He reached out and stroked her hair out of her face. “Yes, my pet. I am pleased.” He said.

They lay quiet for a while, and Zahira was almost asleep when he got out of bed. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and wrapped a fur around herself.

Leif prodded the fire and added a log, and went to a cupboard, searching for something. In a moment, he sat back down next to her on the bed. She caught sight of the object he held. It was a fine hair comb, with a mother-of-pearl handle.

He turned her head away from him, took her hair in his hands, and began to run the comb through it.

A myriad of emotions was churning through the girl. She didn't know how to voice any of them, so she didn't. She had no choice left to her. This man, her Master, held her life entirely in his hands. But was it possible... could it turn out to be not so bad?

He was gentle as he untangled her hair, and combed it until it was glossy.

She turned her head. “Thank you, my Lord.” She said, meaning it.

He smiled, and she thought he looked wistful.

“
That is a beautiful comb,” she said, admiring it as he held it loosely, hand resting on his lap.

“
It belonged to my wife.” He replied.

Zahira was stunned into silence. She wanted to ask questions, but didn't want to pry. Instead, she acted on impulse, putting her arms around him and kissing him on his rough cheek.

He looked surprised, and it snapped him out of his pensive mood.

He smiled. “Share my bed tonight.”

A tiny flicker of happiness sparked inside her. “I would like that.” She answered.