Chapter; 2 A Troubled Mind Knows No Rest

"Sir Brax" Spoke the stableboys, as Brax walked into the yard. They bowed slightly,

they had seen Orcs before, but never like him, most Orcs were greenish yellow, but

Sir Brax was greyish. "Is my horse and mule ready?" Brax asked, with a small grin.

A stableboy said, "Yes sir!" with a too eager voice, "your horse and mule, and we

were told to pack up a pony for you too!" Brax furrowed his brow, "and who told ya

to do that?" Brax asked, "I don't ever recall owning a pony." The boys paused, then

one spoke slowly, "the stable master told us Sir", the boy unsure of how to handle

the question, "honest". "Go fetch me the stable master then" Brax spoke just as

slowly as the boy, "I need to make sure I'm not taking anything that I'm not suppose

to." Brax stood and waited.

Soon a sourly older Bugbear appeared, "Is there anything wrong Sir?" in a deep

voice, sounding like a drum of war, "I have made sure everything was packed,

including your trunk, did we miss anything?" The Bugbear stable master tilted his

head, unsure of what he may have done wrong. Brax spoke, "the boys mentioned a

pony" The Stable master smiled, "Yes Sir, we were instructed to provide you with a

pony, not all of your belongings would fit on the mule" Brax paused, then said,

"Very well, and could you thank whoever it was for me, I feel the need to go, in a

hurry." Brax started to turn towards the animals now being lead out of the stables.

The Bugbear spoke, "Sir, if I may?" now pausing, the Bugbear not certain of what he

was to say, "I just wanted to tell you," He hesitated, "Thank you" the old Bugbear

being more uncertain by the minute, "At the Pass, what you and your kind did, it

was," the aged Bugbear at a lost for words paused once more, "I had sons there, four

sons, the oldest not more then 16, and the youngest was but 10, if it hadn't been for

you'alls stand, I would hate to think about what might have happened, if them Ogers

had gotten through like that, they would've surprised the camp." Brax put on a stern

face. The stablemaster continued his voice getting deeper, "You'all saved the Army,

you saved them all, my sons, they all got to come home, thanks to you, and I just

wanted to say, Thank You Sir Brax!" Brax stood firmly, a gentle nod, barely

noticable. He spoke, " It was our duty, you are welcome, and please give to your

sons my regards." Brax turned, walked to the Horse.

Brax felt silly, as he stood gentley petting the nose of the horse. He felt silly with all

this attention, silly for all the thank yous, silly because of these new clothes, silly

for the way he looked, and silly because he didn't know what he was suppose to say.

Brax thought, time to feel less silly, going to the chest, now strapped upon the mule

along one side, and another chest upon the other, poor animal Brax thought quitely,

He reached inside and pulled out the chainmail shirt, slipped it over his clothes. It

was shortsleeved, and barely knee length. A split ran down the sides of both legs,

Brax squinted, unsure of how effective it would be in combat. All of a sudden he

noticed just how well it fit him, they measured him for new clothes, so maybe they

fitted him for this new armour too, it would make sense. Out of the chest he brought

out a new sword, looking at he noticed that it was a match for the sword he had

been presented the day before. Except this sword was shorter and not as broad. Not

a short sword, but not a long sword either, he sinched it to his side gearing it on.

The other sword was a larger version of this sword, but broader. He would check it

better later. He secured the truck lid and lashed it down good and tight. His very

large two handed sword that he had been presented the day before was strapped to

his horse.

He began to mount the horse when a cry came out from the gateway. "Sir Brax a

word, if you would please." shouted an elderly Elf Lord, "I would have a word

please, before you set off". Brax didn't know him, but by his cloathing and the

Badges he wore, he knew he must be important. The Elf, out of breath, paused part

way there, "My Sir Brax, if you would a word please". Brax moved to cut down the

distance between them, as he moved he saw the Elf was of considerable age, and not

in the best of health. Brax spoke, "stay your ground My Lord, and I will come to

you".

Brax moved slowly, unsure of what this may be about. As Brax closed the distance,

the Elf Lord was made more clear, he was a Duke, by the look of his crest in the

Badge. As soon as Brax was in earshoot, the Elf Duke began to speak, "Sir Brax, I

would ask you for a word". Brax nodded, "Of course, My Lord, how may I attend to

the Duke?" A relieved look, from the Duke swayed Brax, seldom had Brax ever seen

such a look of torment, saddness, mixed with regret. The Duke spoke with an aged

quivering voice of desperation, "It is about my son" The Duke closed his eyes, pain

upon his face, "I would ask you first for your forgivness, it was my eldest son who

command the Army in such a disgraceful fashion that lead to a near disaster." Brax

cut him off, "My Lord, he was young and over eager, such a mistake can be easily

overlooked" The Elf interupted him, "No! It can not!" An angry look replaced the

expressions from momnets ago, " I will have to live with that disgrace for all my

remaining years, I made so many mistakes leading up to that day, and THAT child is

my biggest!" the Duke grimmaced in possible pain, Brax was unsure of what to do,

yet again. The Duke pressed on, "accept my apolagies, for all the lives that were lost

because of his ill planning, and know that the gift of the slave girl that I sent to you

last night is just one of many?" Brax was not ceratin if the Duke was requesting his

acceptance of demanding it now. Brax raised his head, and said, "of course My

Lord"  Brax had not been aware that the young Elf Maiden last night had been a

slave.

The Elf Duke then looked sad once more, "Sir Brax, a request," the Duke speaking

softly once more and with a slight weezing and cough, "I have a deliquit situation, a

matter of an old indiscreation from many years ago, and I would intend to have you

to perhaps set it right for me." Brax was confused, and he now had the feeling that

this would become his daily norm. Speaking softly, the Duke said, "You know that

upon the same morning that your Company made it's stand at the Pass, that another

group made up of 3 Companies held the Bridge to the North?" Brax nodded not

sure where the Duke was going with this. The Duke continued, "Though the Bridge

did fall, they did make a valiant stand, they bought the time that was needed to

bring up from the rear more troops, and among them was a young Elf, a Half Elf, he

survived but was wounded many times that day" the Duke paused, "He was my son,

my son, but not from my wife". Brax didn't know why the other species had such

notions like this, amoungest his own kind such births did not offer such

embassments. The Duke found his voice once more, "I know him to be brave, and

true, I never acknowledged him, openly, I seem to have failed in which son to

mentor and which one to cast away, but I would now ask you Sir Brax to set it

right." The Duke clearing his throat, "Would you consider finding him and making

him your Squire?" 

Halbrandt walked slowly, with a limp as he approached the village farm houses

along the road. His leg ached, and had been bleeding all afternoon. He hobbled

along with a crude crutch under his good arm, his left arm was still in a make shift

sling. He stopped and raised his head, looking about to see if he reconized anyone,

or anyplace. He didn't. Letting out a breath and inhailing deeply he mustered up te

strength to carry on a few more dozen yards to the first house, to beg for a night in

the loft of the barn.
 
Halbrandt dragged his wounded left leg forward until he could reach the door, once

there he knocked, took his hat in hand and wished for kindness. Remembering a bit

too late to dust off his clothes, for as he started, the door opened. Standing at the

open door was an older gruff looking Goblin woman, with large jowles and an

overbite. She looked as if gauging him, as if trying to figure out who or perhaps what

he was. "What do ya want" she asked in a gruff, crackling voice, "What are ya?" she

wrinkled an eye. "You can call he Hal, mam'm" Halbrandt spoke, "I'm a soldier

returning home from the war" He paused, "as for what I am, I am a Halfling". She

grunted, "You don't look like most Halflings that I've ever seen," The old Goblin

woman inhailed sharply, "ya told me who ya are, but not what ya wants." Hal

opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, he was interupted. "I suppose you

be asking for some charity?" She said, "I don't have none". "I just need a night in

Your barn mam'm" Hal spoke, "Just a night, to rest my leg", Hal then added, "you

are correct too, I'm not much like the other Halflings, I am part Elf."

Hal had a rough time climbing the ladder into the old loft of the barn. Now settled

in, he pulled out a bit of his old rations from the Army, and had a bite of dried meat,

and sampled his dried fruit. He reached for his wine skin, only to find it mostly

drained, much as he now was. He choked down the last few drops, wrapped himself

in his worn, tattered wool blanket, and drifted off into a deep sleep.

Hal felt the warm lips press against his, waking with sun drifting into his window, he

smile, as the soft voice whispered, good morning. Then her body was against his, her

 ample breast teasing him through her night gown. Hal grabbed the beautiful

Halfling and pulled her close. Soon he had her breast out and began to kiss and

suckle them. She moaned with pleasure. Hal worked his way down and pulled up

the end of the gown, kissing then licking he wet pussy. He began to work his way

around the clit then began to take turns kissing, then blowing and then kissing. She

moaned as he licked and she quivered and came. Now she was on top and he was

laying propped up against the bed rail, she had his cock in her hand and she slowly

pumped his cock as she sucked on the head. Her other hand slipped into his ass

checks, he could feel her slip a finger into his ass as she gave him head, slowly

pushing her long nailed fingers into his ass, and searching for that spot she knew all

to well.

Hal closed his eyes and she pushed two fingers into his ass, working his cock with

her other hand, and sucking just the tip of his cock. She looked up at him with those

beautiful brown eyes of hers, she knew he would be close, but she wanted him to

know what she was thinking. Hal could hold off no longer, she could feel his

impending release, she pulled with both fingers into his groan, pumped faster with

her other hand, and sucked hard on the head of his cock, as he looked into her eyes.

Hal could hold it no longer, and released hard, she pumped her hand, and squeezed

every drop of Hals' into her mouth. Then backing off his cock, but keeping her

fingers in his ass, she raised up and kissed him hard, slipping every drop of his cum

into his mouth. Hal kissed his wife deep and accepted her gift to him. and began to

relax. She pulled her fingers out, and lay beside him.

Hal woke up with the sound of rain, he felt cold. The dream of the last day with his

wife was fresh on his mind. Hal missed her so much, no woman had ever been able

to please him as she had. That had been so long ago, before the war. Hal just

wanted to get home, to once more hold her. He wrapped himself up tight in his

worn blanket. It was still dark, his wounds were still very sore. The rain pounded

upon the roof of the old, now leakey barn. The air had the chill in it that it had not

had a few hours before. His bones ached, and now after that dream, so did his groin.

He ached for his wife. Hal, now found sleep, a hard to find objective, his mind to

full of memories.