Gryff The Griffin Rider Read online

  ​ Not sure what I expected but apparently they had heard promises before that had fallen flat. The crowd dispersed to begin the day's work. Elan presented a lady who had her cart with her.

  ​ “Mr. Gryff if I can see your coins I can see what travel rations you can afford. Know there is not much to spare after we fill the quota to the Horde. I am Marga, by the way, my husband Stov is at home with the children. If I am not at my cart, he is.” She stuck out her hand, palm up waiting for a coin.

  ​ I dug into my man purse, yeah that was going to take some getting used to. I found a silver coin and handed it over. She took a good look at the coin for a whole minute.

  ​ “This is quality silver, even Cern uses coins far less pure. Do you have a bronze? This is too much.”

  ​ I fished out a bronze and handed it over. She produced seven stacks of bundled food for me. I honestly didn't need them at this point as I was planning on staying but figured it could help feed others.

  ​ “Thank you, Marga,” I said dismissively.

  ​ “Elan before I go inspect the farms in the western fields could I buy a map please?”

  ​ He nodded and limped back into the town center. It only took him a short while before he returned with a rolled-up map.

  ​ “Keep it, we have plenty. The map is a very basic depiction of the area between here and Cern. You should have no problem reading it. Think of it as a thank you for giving a little hope to the people. I pray you can deliver on your promise and help the good people of Fernlan out.” Elan said to me.

  ​ “Last question, if I go past the peace accord boundary and into land controlled by the Horde I can be hunted correct? What happens if I do the hunting and kill some of the Horde? Will there be reprisal to the village?” I noticed his brow furl as he frowned.

  ​ “Yes you will one hundred percent be hunted in the wild lands as we call them now. Most Horde creatures are smart with uncanny smelling. This is where the first crusade failed so miserably. The enemy is not a brain dead mindless fool. They set traps, ambushes, and decoys. They built siege engines and used battlefield tactics like pincers, flanks, and warg charges. There were far too many lessons ignored in the early part of the invasion. Know you are going to face an enemy that is as smart as you. Well, the middle to elite ones at least. They still have their own idiots just like we do.

  ​ “The main rule for humans entering the wild lands is the size of the party. Over a dozen is considered a military war band and the safe zone they leave from will go red and prevent further exits. If you do go hunting them and are successful, the accords allow it. The worst thing that will happen is more powerful Horde members will make their way here trying to find and kill you. You have to understand the mind of our enemy. They live for battle, and a weak easy battle is left for the inexperienced members of the Horde. If the elites hear of a sudden, powerful warrior, eliminating weak Horde members they will swarm to find you. If you hide for a bit and come back expect traps and ambushes. I hope that is clear enough for now. Oh, and be careful, there are occasionally elite members hiding out in the wild lands close to us simply because they like the quiet. Some of the women farmers have reported seeing a massive ogre on a few occasions by the western perimeter.”

  ​ “Thank you very much Elan, I appreciate the map and knowledge. Have a good day.” I said and headed in the direction I last saw Velia and Lily.

  ​ It didn't take long to reach the western farm fields. They were expansive and flowed almost as far as the eye could see. Past the fields, there was a tree line off in the distance. Crops of all sorts were being grown. Some I could easily recognize like corn, grapes, lettuce, carrots, while others I had no idea. The widows and orphaned must have numbered over forty. They were scattered in a close field picking some sort of purple berry, placing them into buckets that hung from their hips.

  ​ The shacks, for that, is what they were, barely had four walls and a roof. Some had no roofs. Others had collapsed by what I had to guess was a light wind. It was appalling. Hell, I had grown up in an orphanage that had bigger closets than some of these huts. Well, at least I knew where to begin. From scratch, none of these were worth improving.

  ​ Velia lifted her head from berry picking and approached me swiftly. The mass of women followed behind her while the children were ordered to keep working.

  ​ “Stop. The words were nice, and we could use the help but how do we know you are not here to prey on the children?” She asked defiantly with hands on her hips. “It is not natural for a man in Vin who is older than me to be without a wife or child.”

  ​ I avoided her question and death stare. I placed six of the seven travel rations on the ground in a friendly offering. I tucked one into my belt line for later. A woman quickly scooped up the rations and ran to hand them to the working children.

  ​ Her statement of my age bothered me. Off to the right, I noticed a well with a bucket. I dropped the bucket down and pulled it up to find it only a quarter full. That was probably why everyone was so dirty. I looked at my reflection that mirrored in the water.

  ​ I was older, almost as if I had aged a decade or more. Gone was the youthful vibrant face of a young man. I was a grizzled adult with thick stubble. I was still me, but older looking. Actually, I thought this made me look far more handsome. I took a small sip of water and turned to Velia.

  ​ “So...” hmm, how to tackle this one. “Let us start with my lack of a wife and children. I have been in a sort of training that was insanely intensive. I had very little free time, but when I could I craved a woman's flesh. On planet Red having children has become hard. There are many things that prevent it. Including a... how do I say it... a preventative even men could use. As for proving that I like women and not children I would gladly prove it but there may be an issue.”

  ​ The women nodded in understanding when I mentioned prevention measures. They looked confused about the issue of me proving my desire for adult women. I patiently waited until one of them would ask what the issue was. A tall redhead among the group no more than five foot five with almost no breasts or hips nudged Velia.

  ​ “What is the issue?” Velia asked.

  ​ “You are worked so hard you may not have had time to care how you appear or smell. I don't mean offense. I am sure most of you clean up nicely but right now you all need a bath, and your clothes a wash. Not to mention I will probably put a child in you. I am super fertile due to my physical conditioning. I had the doctors back on Red asking to use my sperm to help couples with issues make babies. I denied them but I would be worried about it here. Look I would love to bend one of you over and have my way with you but I am guessing there is a reason everyone is so filthy and that well only brings up a fraction of the water this village needs.” I finished my speech by pointing at the well.

  ​ The redhead who nudged Velia earlier got everyone's attention with a throat clear.

  ​ “I am on my moon flow. I will volunteer and save you all from trying to feed another starving child.” To my dismay she walked over to the well lifted her skirt to which there were no undergarments and waved me over. She obviously didn't care that I thought her current condition was gross.

  ​ “She serious? I have to do this?” I had so many objections but kept most of them from being said.

  ​ “Very. Prove you are a man and take her.” Velia said.

  ​ “There are children not far away.” I hissed quietly at her.

  ​ “They know how babies are made. They will not look and the well provides plenty of cover. This is how things are done here, outsider.”

  ​ “Can I clean with the well water after?”

  ​ “No, but not far into the wild lands there is a large river. The well water is only for drinking. We lost three widows when we overused the well and had to venture beyond the village limits for water. Be a man, she is a good woman and her offer won't last long.” She sighed and marched back toward the working children and berries.

  ​ The
redhead still waited for me. This place was weird but it was my first real test and no way was I going to back down. I gathered my courage and walked to her. I lifted my kilt, grabbed my semi hard cock, and stroked it to fullness. I spit on my middle and index finger until they were nicely wet. With my left hand, I lifted her skirt higher and with my right hand, swiped her slit to wet it. I didn't need to, between the moon flow and her desire she was dripping. I tilted my head to the sky in frustration about doing this out here in the open and... To avoid the smell. If I had to guess it was the way things were done, privacy didn't exist, making babies took place in the open.

  ​ I slid my large stiff cock into her slowly. Her tight lips squeezed my girth with desire. I was halfway in when I found out she was a loud one.

  ​ “So tight... ahhhhhh... so what is your name?”

  ​ “Lyna, now shut up and fuck me. It has been over six months since I have got to feel the pleasure of a man. Don't spoil it with small talk.” Lyna ordered as she gazed at me with lust in her bright blue eyes. This made me feel it was less a test and more a setup for sex with the new handsome single man.

  ​ I was not in the mood for having public sex or for being ordered around by a half starved filthy woman. So I did what any man would, I stopped being nice and gave it to her rough. I went from a gentle half deep stroke to smacking her ass cheeks one hit per each cheek. I then began feeding her my entire cock as rough and as hard as I could.

  ​ “So huge... Oh yes... Oh yes... I am cumming...” She screamed for the world to know as I joined her in climax. I didn't moan or cry out. Sure I enjoyed her tight pussy pumping my cum out but this wasn't a lovemaking session. When I was done filling her with my seed I pulled out and watched as blood mixed with sperm dripped to the ground. I was done and hopefully, now I could help these people without fear of me being a predator to the children. I straightened out my kilt and eyed the berry field. Based on the looks the women gave with flushed faces and rosy checks I was desired by more than Lyna.

  ​ I pulled out my map and studied it as I walked the trail toward Velia. The river was not far into the western wild lands and the map showed at one point it had been diverted with a spillway to the village.

  ​ “Hey Velia, is there a pick and a shovel I can use? Oh, and maybe a small axe? I am going to the wild lands to try to reroute the river back into the village protection area. That way we can at least bathe.”

  ​ She looked at me as if she wanted to argue but nodded and proceeded to a collapsed shed. She shifted some wood covering a pile and reached into it. A few moments later she had the tools I requested.

  ​ “Do not lose these. Tools are very hard to replace. Look, I know what happened with Lyna probably wasn't normal where you are from, but these people are everything to me. Please be good to us, and we will do the same. Now if you encounter anything out there that is big and scary, run. The river is only about a ten minute hike. Know that some creatures of the Horde blocked our spillway to make a trap. That was how the three widows died about two months ago. Since then no one goes to the river and if I had to guess they abandoned their ambush due to lack of prey showing up. If you do kill something, bring it back. We need meat and certain parts fetch good money by the mages and alchemists in the big cities. Cern will gladly buy eyes, hearts, and tongues for spells or potions and such.” She said handing me the tools. “Oh and good luck. I would love a bath but I really want a roof over my head.” With that said she rested a hand on my large bicep and smiled with a twinkle in her eye.

  ​ I was only slightly shocked this time. The reality of Vin was sinking in. I turned and followed the map route to the river when I felt a hand slap my ass with a loud smack as I walked by. I thought it was Velia but couldn't be certain.

  “Ladies rule!” was shouted.

  ​ “I will get whoever that was back later,” I said with a tease as I got further into the farm fields and away from the group.

  ​ A quiet fell over the area. For the first time since coming to Vin, I was alone. It was peaceful. The farm fields were neatly organized, and the crops swayed gently in the breeze. I scanned the skyline for birds but found it empty. A dark set of clouds rolled away in the distant north. I checked the dirt in the fields for tracks of prey but found none. I knew these people were starving and doubted many animals like wild bunnies would survive long around the villagers.

  ​ There was a worn trail that headed straight for the river. I followed it as the fields gave way to the sporadic pines and then pine tree forest with thick underbrush. Not sure where this barrier started so I proceeded slowly. About a hundred feet left of me was the dried out creek bed from where the water used to flow into the settlement. It was at least five feet deep and cut into the farm fields of the village then continued back towards the wild lands to rejoin the river. If I got this creek filled again the villagers could be safe while cleaning and bathing. Clean hygiene was vital, that had been drilled into me from a young age and I figured a flowing water source would help more than a roof. Plus my nose would burn less from the smell that wafted off the villagers. That in itself was a big plus and incentive. Especially since I believed all I needed to do was get a portion of the river to spill into this lower elevation creek. It was dug deep enough on a gentle slope that it should work fine without flooding the fields. Based on the bed of the waterway a lot of humans had spent a lot of time digging this canal out.

  ​ I made the decision to follow the dried up creek bed instead of the trail. I was worried about traps the Horde could have laid. This also was around the area where the ogre had been spotted so I hoped the lower terrain would help hide my profile. I pulled a javelin out of the quiver type case and feeling somewhat prepared I stepped into the unknown.

  ​ A very slight shiver tingled through my body. I would have to see if I felt the same thing around the same place on the way back. If so the village protection extended a good distance into the pines and would make acquiring wood much easier than I anticipated. I had worried I would be chopping down trees in hostile territory.

  ​ The trip was quiet and somewhat spooky. There was little in the way of noise besides the sound of swaying plant life from the light breeze. I was on the constant lookout for tracks. I did see a few giant flat footprints about halfway there. That had to be the tracks of an ogre. There were a few signs of other humanoid creatures off the beaten path but not many and nothing that looked fresh.

  ​ The sound of fast moving water told me I was close to the river. I continued on the dry creek bed until I found a dam. I had to give credit to whoever had designed the blockage. There was a row of condensed trees planted deep into the ground. In front of the tightly packed log wall was a large pile of rocks. They then tossed large amounts of mud, twigs, and anything else they could into the rocks and tree fence. This sealed the dam up nicely. I had hoped to have faced a much easier task than this at getting the water to flow again.

  ​ I took a minute to study my surroundings. Up and down the river, trees blocked out most of the sunlight as they hung over the waterway. A few trails to the water were prevalent but no life moved. I patiently waited to see if anything or anyone would reveal itself. When I was fairly confident I was alone I stripped my clothes off until I was naked. I noticed my birthmark on my thigh and gave a silent chuckle at seeing it. Realism at its finest.

  ​ With the pickaxe in hand, I slid into the calm part of the river where the dam was built. I knew I had a few options here. I could smash the wood support fence from the bottom and probably break the dam with the power of the river. Without the support, the rocks would wash downstream and the water would flow again. That would not only be loud but it would clearly show that someone had been here. I instead chose to spring a big leak. That would look more natural, happen faster, and cause much less noise.

  ​ Naked, and in chest high water I pried the pick behind a large rock up high in the middle of the dam. With it firmly wedged behind the rock I planted my feet for leverage and pulled on th
e pickaxe. The large rock shifted violently and rolled in between my legs towards the main river. That was close to smashing a leg or worse my nuts. My brain screamed at me to proceed with caution. I found the next rock and as soon as I leveraged it, it too came free and went into deeper water. This one went down safely. With the two main rocks gone I picked and pulled out the twigs. I scooped pebbles with clay mud by hand and flung it over my shoulder into the river. I saw the wall of wood start to bow a little as the river was free to push against it. I cleared some small rocks wedged between the wood wall pieces until water trickled on the other side.

  ​ Tossing the pick on the ground I emerged from the river to see how much was getting through. It was a steady flow but not nearly enough. I went to my pile of gear and took out my dagger. With the sharp tool in my hand, I went to the backside of the log wall. I went to work where the water seeped into the now muddy creek bed. I shaved, pried, and cut until a small jet of water shot from the damn and into the village creek. Satisfied with my work I went back to my gear.

  ​ A noise startled me. I quickly geared myself and dove into a large bush. There... that noise came again. It sounded like someone shaking a tree limb. I crept forward and watched the shore. This time I saw it. I noticed a branch across the river shaking furiously. A string was being jerked to and fro in the water. It dawned on me. That must be a fishing line set by the Horde. I quickly stripped down again and grabbed a single javelin.

  ​ The river was moving at a steady pace but I was a great swimmer. Unless it was freezing cold and I was dragged down by someone. I drove head first once in deep enough water and raced for the opposite side where the fish line was. My brain told my fear there was no giant crazy monster about to grab me and yank me to the depths. I made it to the other side and pulled myself on the shore using a tree root for leverage. I hurried as quietly as I could to the shaking tree limb. My plan at this point was if someone stumbled upon me to jump back into the river and swim across to my armor. I waited a moment to ensure I was alone and then grabbed the line. I pulled in two large fish, I did not know the species but they were heavy, at least five pounds each. They had long whiskers and a single sharp spiky dorsal fin. They flopped noisily on the shore which forced me to kill them swiftly with a stab to the brain. I then hooked each of them through the gills to the mouth on the javelin for travel.