First Impressions

Jenn started at the feeling of something cold and wet washing over her toes. She shifted stiffly on something warm and gritty beneath her. The sound of whooshing sea water and the feel of another wave lapping at her toes drew her attention to the see behind her. She drew her right arm back to her, which was stretched out as if she were reaching for something; not something, someone Matt.

She remembered holding tight to Matt and a white light enveloping them both. She also remembered a force slicing between them, which sent them flying back in opposite directions. She pushed herself to her hands and knees, and got unsteadily to her feet. Dry sand fell from her body as she stood. She looked to see if there was anyone around, and was disappointed to find Matt was nowhere nearby.

A line of shrubs stood a few feet away from her and a forest of thick trees beyond. The shrub rustled as three men dressed in well-worn clothing, and leather armor emerged from the forest. Their bodies were shiny with sweat, and they stumbled as if they’d been drinking. When they drew closer she could smell the alcohol on them. One of them smiled when he saw her.

“Lookie hear men?” He grunted to his fellows. “A pretty mermaid has washed up on shore. We should give her a proper welcome.”

Jenn stepped back on a wobbly leg. She swayed but managed to keep her balance. She braced herself as the three men advanced on her. The only thing she was certain of was that she was not going down without a fight; even if it was short lived.

“What’s a pretty thing like you doing out here all alone?” One of her possible assailants asked.

“I’m waiting for someone,” Jenn answered. She couldn’t believe she said it but there it was. “My… man is coming here to meet me.”

The three men looked her up and down. She looked down at her white cotton dress covered in sand, and her bare feet. Oh yeah, she thought sarcastically, you totally look like you’re waiting for a man. More like you’re waiting for what these men are offering. She brushed at her dress in an attempt to get the sand off. The three men smiled drunkenly as they watched her run her hands over the flimsy garment.

“We can keep ya company,” one offered, “and help you while away the dull hours of waiting.”

“Oh no,” Jenn protested. “He’s very big, and very jealous. He’d be really angry if he found me spending time with one man other than him. I shudder to think what he’d do if he found me with three.”

“You know what I think, missy?” The man in the middle stepped forward and reached for her. He gripped her arm with a sweaty hand. “I think yer full of shit.”

“No, really, I swear,” Jenn protested. She struggled and easily slipped from the sweaty hand on her arm. She looked down at the dirt he left behind. Eew! She thought. These guys were not going to get their hands on her again. She scanned the area for a root of escape. The shrub shuddered again as something else emerged from the forest.

He was big, and hairy like an animal, but his face was that of a man. The set of bull horns protruding from his head made Jenn and her harassers do a double take. He regarded them with a look, and walked to the shore line a few feet away. He settled on the sand stretching out his legs clad in a pair of dark baggy linen pants, and crossed the ankle of one dark leather boot over the other leg.

Ok, Jenn thought, this could either end really good or really bad. “There he is.”

“That’s your man?” One of the drunken men scoffed. “Prove it!”

“Fine,” Jenn lifted her chin, walked over to the large stranger sitting by the sea, and laid a hand on his broad hairy shoulder. She smiled sweetly when he looked up at her incredulously, and leaned down as if to give him a kiss. Please get what I’m about to say, she thought. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting, but I was delayed.” On the word delayed she glanced back at the three men who were starting to inch back toward the tree line.

“That’s alright,” her new acquaintance slid his arm around her waist and pulled her down into his lap. He cupped her chin and pressed his mouth to hers to stifle her surprised cry. He pulled his mouth away just far enough to speak. “You’re not very good at this.”

“I beg your pardon?” Jenn scowled. He barely knew her, how dare he insult her kissing when she wasn’t even trying.

“If we’re lovers you should certainly expect me to kiss you,” he pointed out, “and it wouldn’t be a far stretch to assume I’d pull you into my lap.”

Jenn shifted in his lap to get a good view of the other three men over his shoulder. They stood in front of the shrub line ready to bolt if the big man turned his sights on them. She tentatively slid her arms around her rescuer-to-be. “They’re still watching.”

“Hmm, guess I’ll have to be convincing for both of us.” She was on her back in one shift of his body, and he was position between her thighs. One of his hands rested palm down beside her head, and the other pointed at the three men, and then drew a line across his own throat with his index finger. He turned the finger down to point at the her, and growled the word, “Mine!”

The other three men nodded in understanding, and nearly tripped over themselves as they disappeared back into the woods. Jenn shifted beneath him to see if they were gone. Her breath caught as she brushed what she was pretty sure was his manhood. Wow, she thought it’s big. When she was sure the first three assailants were gone she attempted to extract herself from the compromising position. She squeaked when she felt a pair of large hands grip her from behind and pull her back into a pair of crossed legs. His long bulge nestled against her back.

“Leaving so soon?”

“Their gone now,” she stated. “Thanks for your help. Sorry, I bothered you. I’ll just be going now.”

“Not so fast,” he tightened his grip on her. “My protection services don’t come free.”

“Seriously?” Jenn inquired. Out of the gang rape and into the fire. “Look I don’t have any money. I lost my pur- a- pouch somewhere in my travels.”

“That’s alright,” her rescuer laughed. He cupped her face in his hand, “perhaps we can take it out in trade.”

“Whoa!” Jenn pushed against him in a feudal attempt to escape. “I’m definitely not that kind of girl!”

“Of course you’re not,” he smiled and released her. She moved out of his lap to sit on the ground beside him. “I’m Taurus.”

“Jenn,” she took the hand he offered and shook it. “Can you tell me where I am?”

“Well, this is Elemental Coast,” Taurus answered. “It’s a prime place for mages because they can draw on all five of the natural elements they use to cast their spells.”

“I see,” Jenn nodded. She was familiar with the four elements. They appeared often in stories she read and games she played. “So, are you a mage?”

“Hardly,” Taurus laughed. He lifted the large sheathed sword lying beside him. “I’m a warrior, well, more of a mercenary.”

“So, you’re a sword for hire,” Jenn guessed.

“Yes, if the money is good, and I feel the cause is just,” he laid the sword across his thighs. “I don’t go raiding villages and slaughtering women and children.”

“Well, that’s good,” Jenn smiled. “You didn’t happen to come across someone on your way here did you?”

“You’ll have to be a bit more specific,” Taurus leaned closer to her. “I encounter a lot of people in my travels.”

“He’s a bit taller than me, but shorter than you,” Jenn began. “He has short dark hair, blue eyes, and facial hair around his mouth.” She drew her finger around the areas of her own face Matt’s beard covered.

“Is this the man you were truly waiting for?” Taurus asked.

“No,” Jenn lowered her eyes. “I made that up so those guys would leave me be.”

“You’re a bad liar,” Taurus laughed. “So, any idea where this friend of yours is?”

“No,” Jenn felt her heart sink even further. She had no idea where to begin looking for Matt. Then she recalled her dreams and Morgan’s words. “Um, are we anywhere near a kingdom?”

“Which kingdom?” Taurus asked. “There’s a few of them.”

“One ruled by a king named, Jarrod,” Jenn looked up at him hopefully.

“As a matter of fact King Jarrod’s castle is the closest, and by closest I mean it could take you a while to get there on your own,” Taurus informed her. “Though the king died two years ago, and his son and heir was abducted by apostates.”

“So, who rules the kingdom now?” Jenn asked.

“Well…” Taurus paused and scratched his own beard. “It seems that the prince’s betrothed has been ruling the kingdom in his absence. The royal magus should have been the next in line but she disappeared the same night as the prince.”

“I see,” Jenn thought back to her dream, and Morgan’s words. She wanted to know the fate of Gwenn, but she didn’t want to give away too much. “Well, perhaps the prince’s betrothed can help me.”

“Perhaps,” Taurus nodded thoughtfully. “After we meet up with my men, we’ll personally escort you to the palace. Perhaps we’ll run into your friend on the way.”

“Oh, yes, thank you,” Jenn couldn’t help smiling. Then her smile faded, “but I don’t have anything to give you in return for your kindness.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Taurus waved his hand dismissively. He stood and offered his hand.

Jenn took his hand, and allowed him to pull her to her feet. A memory of someone else helping her to her feet that way flashed in her mind. He looked like Matt, but his clothes were too fancy. The young man in her memory leaned toward her, but it wasn’t her. The young woman looked just like her, but her hair was longer almost to her waist. The young man pulled his companion close to kiss her, but she turned away at the last moment. She giggled softly as his mouth brushed her cheek. The memory dissolved and Jenn found herself staring into Taurus’s eyes.

“Hey, are you, well?” Taurus released her hand, and gripped her shoulders gently. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I’m fine,” Jenn lied. “Too much sun I guess.”

“Then let’s find a shady spot to wait,” Taurus slipped an arm around her shoulders and guided her toward the trees.

The shrubs shuddered again and a real motley crew emerged. Jenn was able to identify at least one human, two elves, and two dwarves. They all pressed their fists to their chests, and extended them to Taurus. He removed his arm from Jenn’s shoulder, and gave them the same solute.

“We were wondering where you went Taurus,” the female elf snapped. “You left us while we were still in battle.”

“You were wrapping things up, Lyra,” Taurus laughed. “There was only one big guy, and I knocked him flat in one hit. The rest didn’t look worth my effort.”

“I’d offer you a cut of the spoils,” the male elf stated holding up a sack that jingled. He offered Jenn a charming smile and a wink, “but it looks like you found some of your own.”

“She’s not a prize, Zev,” Taurus stated. “She’s a job.”

Jenn scowled and folded her arms beneath her breasts. She wasn’t sure what she disliked more; being addressed as a thing or having them speak about her as if she wasn’t standing right there. As they argued about her Jenn slipped away into the forest. She was not going to stand there and listen to half of them berate her worth while the others merely stood in silence. She settled beneath a shade tree and took a mental inventory. Ok, so you’re lost in a world you don’t know. Your friend is missing; and there are plenty of things out there that can harm you. Having allies would be a good idea, but she wasn’t sure Taurus and his friends were her best choice. At this moment they were her only choice. A rustling in the leaves above her drew her attention. Something hissed and began descending the tree. Jenn jumped to her feet, and ran a few steps forward. A shriek escaped her as a large brown spider emerged from the bushes in front of her. She looked behind her to see the one that had descended the tree crawling toward her. They were both the size of bears. She attempted to run back toward the coast, but only made it a few steps before tripping. Her hands flew up to shield her face as one of the spiders bared down on her. My nightmare made flesh, she realized; devoured by giant spiders. She cried out, and a stream of fire flew from both of her hands. The spider shrank back and shrieked as the flames engulfed it. Forgetting about the other spider Jenn examined her hands. They were warm, but not burned. She was pulled out of her thoughts by fangs sinking into her leg. A burning sensation shot through her leg, and she was not able to move it. The remaining spider began dragging her deeper into the forest. She felt the venom spreading through her, and paralyzing her. Suddenly, the spider released her leg and shrieked as an arrow buried itself shaft deep in the spiders back. She watched as Taurus confronted the beast head on. He hacked away at it with his broad sword while Zev poked at it from behind with two daggers. The female and male dwarves lifted Jenn’s arms and draped them over their necks. They drug her away from the battle, and laid her on her back on the sand. The human and Lyra crouched beside her. Jenn sobbed as Lyra prodded her wound.

“Can you help her, Lyra?” the human asked. Jenn could not tell from the tone of voice whether the human was a man or a woman.

“Only if Zev thinks to bring me a sample of the venom,” Lyra answered. “Looks like the beast left its teeth behind. I can at least remove those.”

Jenn cried out and attempted to squirm away as Lyra poked and prodded at her wound with various metal tools.

“Kael, hold her still,” Lyra snapped.

Kael wrapped his arms around Jenn to hold her in place. The male dwarf held the leg Lyra was working on still. The female dwarf positioned herself beside Jenn’s head and attempted to distract her with conversation.

“My name is Biarric,” she said as she stroked Jenn’s long, curly, strawberry-blonde hair. “What’s your name?”

“Jenn,” she gasped as Lyra tugged on one of the fangs in her leg.

“Are you a mage?” Biarric asked.

“No!” Jenn grunted sharply as Lyra tugged on the tooth again.

“You must be,” Biarric insisted. “You shot fire from your hands, and set one of those beasts on fire. It took off into the woods burning and shrieking. It was quite a sight.”

“It was an amateur’s luck,” Lyra growled. She gave the fang she was working on one final tug and dislodged it. A putrid smelling puss oozed from the hole.

“Don’t suppose you could make an antidote from that?” The male dwarf inquired.

“No,” Lyra went to work on the second fang. “But you might be able to make something nasty with it.”

The male dwarf nodded, and gathered some of the puss into a vial. He tucked it away and resumed holding Jenn’s leg still. Jenn shrieked as Lyra tugged at the second fang.

“Biarric!” Lyra snapped. “Get down here and clear this puss away so I can see what I’m doing!”

“Sorry, I can’t distract you anymore,” Biarric moved down to Jenn’s legs and used cloth she pulled from inside her coat to wipe up the puss oozing from the open wound. “That one looks like it’s deep in there.”

“Cortan,” Lyra looked at the male dwarf, “give me one of your knives.”

With a flick of his wrist Cortan produced a knife from his sleeve, and handed it to Lyra. Jenn whimpered as Lyra dug the thin blade of the knife into the skin around the fang. She turned her head and attempted to bury her face Kael’s chest, but found her face pressed into thick leather armor.

“Sorry,” Kael murmured stroking her hair, “I’m not quite as fury and cuddly as the boss.”

“I heard that, Kael,” Taurus called as he approached them. He took Kael’s place tucking Jenn’s face into his chest, and blocking her sight with his arm. “There now, almost done.”

Jenn felt Lyra give a hard tug, and felt the pressure ease as the second tooth was drawn out. She felt the pressure of small callused fingers squeezing the flesh around the puncture wounds, and a rough cloth swiping at the puss oozing from them.

“Lyra’s making an antidote with the venom we collected,” Taurus informed her.

“I’ve squeezed out all of the puss,” Cortan announced.

Jenn felt a wad of cloth pressed over the wounds, and something tied tight around her leg to hold it in place. She looked down at her leg as Taurus loosened his hold on her. Cortan and Biarric moved away from them, and settled by the fire Kael had built. Cortan stirred something cooking in a pot over the fire. Taurus lifted Jenn into his arms and carried her into a tent larger than the others around it. He laid her on a bed of cushions, and covered her with a blanket. Lyra entered the tent holding a small wooden bowl. She squatted beside the bed, and put the bowl to Jenn’s lips.

“Drink,” she ordered tersely. As soon as Jenn’s lips parted Lyra tilted the bowl so the bitter smelling liquid filled her mouth. Jenn gagged on the liquid, but Lyra pinched her nose forcing her to swallow to clear her airway. When the bowl was empty Lyra stood and headed for the entrance. “The antidote will take effect quickly. She’ll be asleep in moments. My tent is open for you if you wish.”

“I’ll be fine here,” Taurus stated. “There’s enough room for me in my own bed.”

Jenn thought a protest, but her mouth would not open to form the words. All she could manage was a pathetic groan before she passed out.