The Value of Gold.
Chapter 1
Tartolette sat beneath an old tree and stared into the fire before him. "How did I get into this mess? Why me?" he thought to himself.
Tartolette is a young male wolf from the kingdom of Lionel. There he was studying the art of alchemy under a world renowned master. During his studies Tartolette had discovered the secret to turn any metal into gold. His master told him "Tartolette, never reveal this information to anyone. If people found out that you know how to turn any metal into gold, you'll become a wanted man and will be hunted down for that knowledge." "Yes master." Tartolette answered.
Tartolette let out a big sigh as he watched the flames dance. "If I didn't discover that secret, he would still be alive" he thought. He remembers the night well.
--Flashback--
Tartolette was returning to his master home. The lights were out and there was no movement inside. Tartolette found this to be strange for his master would usually be working long into the night. He entered the home to see it had been ransacked. The table was over turned, books and book cases were push to the floor and papers were thrown everywhere. "What happen!" he quietly said to himself. He heard a low moan come from beneath one of the bookcases. He moved the bookcase to find his master lying on the ground stabbed in the chest. "Master..." Tartolette was cut off by his master. "Tartolette (cough, cough) they found out. You must flee. (Cough) Take your journal and my pendant. I have nothing left to teach you. Now go." And after his master spoke he passed away. "No, Master!" Tartolette screamed. He turned his head for he heard voices. "He must be in there. Lets get him, the king has a huge reward to who ever can bring him in alive." At the sounds of the voices, Tartolette took the pendant from around his master's neck, grabbed his journal and some supplies, left his home and never looked back.
--End Flashback--
Ashlyn is a young tigress from a far away land. She came over to the kingdom of Lionel and it lands after hearing of the reward for Tartolette. She is a relentless bounty hunter who became famous for bringing in some of the most notorious criminals in the land. No one is sure how she is able to capture these men where others had failed, but everyone knew she would bring in her prey dead or alive.
Ashlyn looked up at Tartolette and told him "Stop sighing, it annoying." "Sorry." He replied. He then asked "Could you loosen these ropes my arms and wrists hurt?" "No. Just sit there quietly." She replied. Tartolette sat beneath an old tree in the middle of an old forest with his hands bound behind his back. He watched Ashlyn as she was looking through his bag.
A few days earlier, Tartolette was in the kingdom of Emral. Emral is a sister kingdom to Lionel, but the two were separated by a month travel by foot. Ashlyn was in the local bar of Emral. She heard rumors that Tartolette was seen two towns to the South of Emral. She stopped to gather supplies and to rest up before she continued her hunt. She was sitting at a table went she looked towards the bar. A young wolf had just finished his drink and was getting up to leave the bar. He paid the barkeep, turn and walked towards the door. Ashlyn watched him as he was leaving. The barkeep called to the man as he started to walk out the door "Sir you forgot your book." Tartolette turned around and walk over to retrieve his journal. Ashlyn saw a familiar looking pendant around his neck as he walk towards the bar. "Thank you" the man replied and then left the bar. She stood up, left money on the table and followed the young man.
He entered a store across the street for supplies. She followed. As she entered the store she heard him talk to the store owner "I'll need ten days worth of dried meat, fifteen days worth of grain, any fruit or vegetables, fresh breads and fifteen days worth of water." She slowly walked up behind the man and pulled out her dagger. She placed the dagger into his back and he turned around to see what was happening. Tartolette looked at her then looked back at the store owner. "I forgot. I have a traveling companion. I'm going to need double the order if you please." He told the store owner with a smile on his face. At hearing this Ashlyn smiled too.
The two packed up their supplies and left the town. Ashlyn forced Tartolette into the nearby woods. Once they were deep enough in the woods she told him "Stop right there. Drop your bag and don't move. If you do I will kill you." He did as he was told. "Turn around so I can see you." Ashlyn demanded.
Tartolette turned around and Ashlyn careful surveyed him. He wore a pair of old leather boots and dirty pair of light brown pants. He was also wearing a faded grey long sleeve shirt. Around his waist hung a new leather belt with a dagger on his right side and two pouches on his left. He had a green hooded travel cloak tied around his neck. Ashlyn assumed that if he needed to hide he would close his cloak and hide in the forest. She looked at his face. He had bags under his blue eyes and looked like he hasn't slept for one or two days His silver hair appeared as if he just woke up and around his neck hung the pedant that led her to him. "I don't understand why the king offered such a huge reward for him. He looks more like a drifter who was run out of town." She thought to herself. "Just a worthless person who is probably better dead than alive"
As she was looking him over he was doing the same to her. She wore thigh high leather boots with silver metal guards fixed around her ankles. She wore a brown long sleeved dress that stopped just above her boots. She had a sliver chest plate strapped around her upper body. Her hands were wrapped in linen straps. Around her waist she had a leather tunic and a belt. Fasten to the belt on her left side was a short sword on her right were two daggers. Her brown eyes seemed to piercing though his soul. Her black hair partial coved the front of her face and in the back it was in a single braid which stopped at her lower back. "She looks more like the spoiled child of a lord than a bounty hunter. She seems to try and fool people into thinking she is stronger than she is." He thought to himself. "She probably is a scared little girl on the inside."
Ashlyn slowly move towards him with her dagger in hand. She reaches out and removed his dagger from it sheath. She told him to turn around and to puts his hands behind his back. He did as she told him. She then reached into her bag and pulled out a rope. She bound Tartolette's hands behind his back. As she was binding him, he asked "Who are you? What are you doing? I've done nothing wrong. I'm no criminal." You're right." She said, "You're not a criminal, but there is a reward on your life." She told him "Sit down by that tree and don't move. I'm Ashlyn if you must know and I'm bringing you back to Lionel." He listened as he sat down. He replied "I still do not know why you've bound me. I have no business in Lionel. Please let me go." "I can not." She answered "Your pedant gave you away." And at that comment he sighed and asked "So that is how you knew who I was." "Yes" she replied smiling at him. "This pedant belonged to my master and to his master and so on. It's passed on to the next student after finishing their studies." He told her. "I don't care." She replied.
Chapter 2
She was looking through his bag and found his journal. She opened it up flipped though the pages and threw it near the fire. "Please, be careful with that." Tartolette said. "Why? It's just an old book." She replied. "That journal is more important than my life. It holds the knowledge the king of Lionel wants. He only needs me because I can read it." He said. She lent over and carefully picked up the journal. "What is in here that is so important?" she asked. "To keep you safe I will just say an important formula. If it is destroyed it can not be recalculated." He answered. "What do you mean 'To keep me safe'?" she asked. "The less you know about it, the greater your chances of living." He answered. Ashlyn did not press any further. She placed the journal back into his bag. She lied down and went to sleep.
She awoke to the noise of a bird in the distance. It was dark; the fire had burnt down to ashes. She looked around and screamed "Damn it." She stood up and started to search the woods. "Next time I'll tie him to the tree first." She said to herself.
Tartolette had waited until she fell asleep. He stood up and ran for his life. He could not risk undoing his bonds near her for she might have woken up. He knew he left his journal with her and he did not care. "With out the journal I'm no one and would be just fine." He thought to himself. He heard a noise behind him. He ducked behind a tree and slid to the ground to hind himself the best that he could. It was Ashlyn. "She caught up." He thought. "I better stay quiet or she'll find me." Tartolette sat there motionless. Ashlyn looked around then continued passed him. He smiled and started to get up when he heard her scream "Out of my way or I kill you." He heard this and headed towards her.
He looked around a tree to see Ashlyn, sword in hand, was surrounded by bandits. "Just give us your money, weapon, and maybe some time with you alone and we'll let you go" one of the bandits said. "Never." She answered and with that the bandits attacked. Tartolette just stood there and watched her fight. She was not the weak person he first thought she was. He knew after watching her, she would not hesitate to take his life if he did not cooperate. Being out numbered and defending herself so well. She was well trained, probably by a master swordsman.
Then one of the bandits lunged at her from behind and plunged his dagger into her side. She screamed with pain and dropped her sword. The bandit smiled. He pulled his danger back and was going to kill her with his next thrust. "Nooooo!" Tartolette screamed as he ran towards the fight. Ashlyn turn to see Tartolette run into the bandit, his hands still bound, and pushed him away from her. This was what she needed. As the bandits surrounded Tartolette she picked her sword back up and attacked. She killed two of the bandits and the rest ran for their lives. She walked over to Tartolette and grabbed him by his shirt collar. "I should kill you for the trouble you put me through, but you did..."she fell silent. She fell into Tartolette and passed out.
She awoke the next day to see Tartolette in front of a fire. He appeared to be grinding something in a mortar and pestle. She had a headache and moaned. When he heard her moan, he turned and said "Good Morning. I see you're still alive." She sat up quickly to reach for her weapon. As she did so she felt a pain in her side. "I wouldn't. Your wound needs some more time to heal." He replied. She looked down at her side to see her wound was dressed. "The dagger he stabbed you with was covered in poison. You're lucky. My master made me study medical herbs and plants as part of my studies."
She carefully looked at his face as he talked. The tried look had left his face and his hair was groomed and tied back in a small pony tail. His clothing was still worn but that didn't seem to matter. He appeared to be a different man than she had first thought. He was more a scholarly gentleman than a worthless drifter. "I'm making some more medical ointment for your wound." He said as he showed her the mortar. "I'll need to change the dressing at least two more times to make sure all the poison is neutralized." He replied turning back towards the fire. "Thank you for saving my life" she replied. He turned and smiled at her.
"How did you..." she began to ask. He turned around to face her again. "After you passed out" he started "I used one of the daggers a bandit dropped to free myself. I thought of leaving you there and escaping but I couldn't do it. I carried you back here and laid out my blanket for you to rest on. I then started a new fire then began to search the woods for roots, berries and herbs to help heal your wound. I made the ointment, spread it over your wound and then dressed it so it would not become infected. Once I was finished, I covered you with my cloak; I leaned against a tree and got some sleep. She looked at the cloak covering her and she pulled it cloak close to her She again thanked him for saving her life. "It was my pleasure. Here eat you'll need to regain your strength." He said to her and handed her some cooked meat and bread. She slowly reached out and to the food and ate.
That night Ashlyn lay near the fire sleeping. Tartolette was leaning against a tree staring deeply at the flames. "I still could try an escape, but is she alright. If I leave will her wound worsen? I can believe I'm going to stay to make sure my captor is alright." He thought to himself. He slowly drifted to sleep.
When Ashlyn had regained enough strength she told him "We're going now." Tartolette stood up, walked over to her and asked "Are you going to bind my hands again?" "No." she replied "But don't think I will let you escape." "I will not escape." He told her with a smile. And with that the two set out for Lionel. As the two traveled they talked and Ashlyn thought to herself "He is a kind man. He left everything he had behind him. Why does the king want him so badly?" And as the two traveled Ashlyn started to develop feelings towards this man and she knew better than to let her feelings distract her.
Chapter 3
Tartolette had noticed that Ashlyn was a true bounty hunter but she did not act as one. She was a kind person, who would rather bring the prey in alive than dead. He asked "Your choice of work does not suit you, why are you a bounty hunter?" She replied "My reasons are my own." And the two looked at another as the traveled.
Ashlyn had her heart broken once and she did not want it to happen again. She was hired to hunt down another man and return him to a powerful lord. On the return journey the two had developed deep feelings for one another. As they were nearing the lord's land she had a change of heart. She was planning on releasing him and starting a new life with him, but it was not to be. Two of the lord's guards had seen the two standing there. The guards approached the two and were happy at the sight. One of the guards returned to the town to gather some more men. The other guard walked up and congratulated her. He took the man from her and escorted them to the lord. The lord was happy and paid her. She never saw the man again. She vowed to never let her emotion get it the way of her job again.
As the two continued walking, Ashlyn asked "Will you tell me why the king wants you so badly?" Tartolette stopped walking. Ashlyn stopped and looked at him. He let out a sigh. "Fine, I will tell you everything." And with that he told her everything.
"I see. You can make gold." She said. "Yes, but only with the formula in my journal." He replied. "Without that stupid formula, I would be a free man." "Think about it. The king who has the most gold can fund wars and with wars that king can expand his kingdom. Many people would die and many kingdoms would fall. Peace would leave the land. Also if I'm handed over to the king my fate is sealed. I will be locked away and force to fund his ambitions. Once my usefulness has expired, he would probably force me to teach this skill to another and dispose of me." He told her with a grim look on his face.
He turned his head back towards the path and started to walk again and she followed. "I can keep him for myself and force him into making me the gold. Or I give him to the king for the reward. Or I let him go." these and other thoughts filled Ashlyn head as they traveled. Tartolette looked over at her as she was thinking and thought to himself. "She is a beautiful woman. I wonder if we met under different circumstances if we could of..."
Chapter 4
One day they found themselves caught in a heavy rain. The two ran until they came across a small house. They entered. Inside were a table and two chairs. There was a bed in the corner. There was a fire place with dried wood stacked near it. The home appeared to have been left by in owner.
"We'll stay here for now" Tartolette said. "Fine." She replied. Tartolette started a fire in the fire place and look over at Ashlyn. She was shivering. "You're not familiar with these lands are you or you would have brought a travel cloak. Here." Tartolette pulled out his blanket from his bag and he took off his travel cloak and gave them to her. "I'm going out side. Take your clothes off and get warm by the fire. Since you don't travel with a cloak, you and your clothing are all wet." He stepped out into the rain after he spoke to her and closed the door.
Ashlyn did not like being told what to do, but she listened to him. She took her time before she told him to come back in out of the rain. She watched as he entered. He was soaked from head to toe and she softly laughed to herself. He looked over at her to see she was sitting in front of the fire wrapped in the blanket and wearing his travel cloak. She had undone her braid and was drying her hair.
He was taken back by her beauty. He looked at her, her hair flowing over her body and he was captivated by how the fire light danced on her face. She noticed him staring at her motionless and made a small cough. He shook his head and came back to his senses. He walk towards her clothing, picked them up and hung them near the fire.
Tartolette then started to cook some of the meat he had while she watched. The two sat in silence as they ate. Looking out the window, Tartolette thought it was best for the two to go to sleep. "Please, you use the bed. I will sleep in to chair near the fire." He told her. She was about the answer him when he cut her off and said "I insist." They looked in to each others eyes. He could tell she did not like being told what to do. She smiled at him and went over to the bed, and lied down.
Ashlyn awoke to Tatrolette sneezing. She saw that he didn't wake up; he was sleeping in the chair in front of the fire, which had grown small. He was shivering as he slept. She remembered that she kept him waiting outside in the rain as she undressed. He had given her his cloak to use with his blanket. She thought about what she saw. She stood up; keeping herself wrapped in the blanket and walked over to him. She woke him. He was startled and asked "What's wrong?" "Nothing." She replied. "I saw you shivering and I want you to undress and place you clothes near the fire to dry. Then you are going to join me in bed. I'm willing to share some warmth with you." He was about to respond when she told him "I insist." and smiled at him. He had a confused look on his face from what she said to him. He looked at her again and saw her smiling. He smiled back at her, undressed, placed his clothes near the fire and joined her in bed.
As they lay down, Ashlyn offer him the blanket. As he reached for it she pushed her naked body up against his. Tartolette made a gulp sound and he looked at her. She looked back at him, smiled and said "I said I would share some warmth with you." He smiled back and embraced her body close to his. Ashlyn blushed as he held her tight. As he held her, she thought to herself "He just like him. Should I? I know I shouldn't but..." Ashlyn had made up her mind and she slowly reached down to his groin and grabbed his penis in her had. "What are you doing?" he asked her. "Well...This is the best way to share the warmth." She answered while blushing. "Just relax and the two of use will enjoy the night together."
He laid there as she moved herself towards his penis. She looked at it as she held it. It was becoming hard in her hand. She began to slowly stroke it and looked at his face. He began to slowly pant and he had a look of desire in his eyes. She knew what he wanted after looking in to his eyes. She turned her head back towards his penis, opened her mouth and swallowed it. Tartolette let out a groan when she did this. She kept one hand on his penis as she slowly moved her head back and forth. She would look at him as she was caressing his penis with her mouth. He had his eyes closed and a small smile was on his face. She stopped and asked "Enjoying yourself?" He opened his eyes and looked at her. He answered "Yes. More please, I want more." She smiled when he said that. She licked the tip of his penis and then went back to using her mouth. She went faster and faster. He groaned "I going to cum." She looked at him and went faster until he came in her mouth. She pulled back. His seaman glistened on her lips. She was panting for air and licked her lips. She smiled at him and said "It' my turn now."
Tartolette moved to lie on his side. "I want you to lie next to me with your back facing me." He told her. She lay down next to him as he asked. He reached around her with one of his arms and grabbed her breast in his hands. She squirmed in his embraced when he did this. He slowly moved his mouth to the back of her neck and began to softly kiss her. She was purring as he kissed her neck. He began to squeeze her breast a little harder when she began purring. She purred even more. He then moved away from her and she fell on her back.
Once she was on her back his positioned his upper body over hers and he looked deeply into her eyes. Her hair fell over her face and she was smiling at him. She continued to purr as he gently brushed her hair from her face. He moved in closer and kissed her. He then slowly moved his lips down her neck to her chest. She shivered as he did this. He again grabbed her breasts in both hands and began to lick them. She moaned happily as he licked her breasts. After he was done playing with her breasts he moved down and kissed her belly button. She gave a little laugh when he did this and then purred with satisfaction. He looked at her as he moved towards his final destination. She was smiling and told him "Eat my pussy." He gave her an evil grim, opened his mouth, extended his tongue near her pussy and began to lick her.
She let out a small scream and began to pant hard. He slowly licked her pussy. She started to become wet as he continued. He pulled back so he could use his finger to gently rub her. As he rubbed her, she arched her back and moaned loudly. He then stuck his finger deep inside her and started to lick her again. "More, deeper, more..." she panted. He was happy to oblige. With that he pushed his finger in deeper and push harder on her with his tongue. "Yes...ri...right there..." she scream. She came for him. She closed her eyes, arched her back more and shivers of pleasure fill her. She moaned loudly until the pleasure left her. She opened her eyes and purred at him.
"What would my lady want me to do now?" he asked smiling. "Don't be such a pain. You now what I want. Now give it to me." She said. He smiled and positioned himself over her. He reached and grabbed her thighs and opened her legs up. He then thrust his penis deep inside her. She screamed "Yes. More, I want more." And he began to thrust hard. He moaned and she panted hard. She looked at him and wrapped her legs around his waist. He leaned forward to hold her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck. She screamed into his ear as he thrust harder and harder, then she bit him on his shoulder.
"Don't bit so hard" he told her. She let go of his shoulder and started to gently lick him where she bit. She felt his warmth rising in her as he held her close. She did not want this night to end. He stopped and leaned back. She looked at him with desire. Her eyes told him she wasn't done, she wanted more. He reached down and picked her up. He turned her so she was on her hands and knees. He came up behind her and again he thrust his penis deeply into her. She moaned loudly then purred happily and he continued to thrust deeper and deeper. "Yes, yes. That's it. I want more. I want you to fill me, cum in me." She screamed. He closed his eyes and thrust harder still. "I am going to cum." He told her. "Yes me too." She answered. And the two came. He pushed as deep as he could go into her. Ashlyn closed her eyes and tried to scream but couldn't. He pulled out and she collapsed to the bed. He looked at her. Her eyes were closed and she was panting. She opened her eyes, looked at him and smiled. He smiled back, lay down next to her and embraced her. She purred in his arms and the two fell to sleep.
Chapter 5
The next morning, Tartolette awoke to see Ashlyn next to him. He reached out and gently touched her face with the back of his hand. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "That was a wonderful night." She said. The two took their time getting out of bed that morning. They getting dressed and Ashlyn did not braid her. After they ate breakfast the two left the cabin. As they continued their travels, Ashlyn bumped up against Tartolette and he put has arm around her. Along their journey the two grew very close, but Ashlyn remained unattached. Tartolette could only wonder why she did not want to give in to her feelings.
Their journey together was coming to an end. The two had reached the outskirts of the kingdom of Lionel. Tartolette sighed as he saw his old homeland. "Sorry, but I need the money and I can't let my reputation be ruined." She told him. "That's alright, I understand." He replied.
The two stayed near the woods as they got closer to the town below the castle. Ashlyn grabbed Tartolette by the arm a pulled him into the woods. "What's wrong" he asked. "Nothing, it's just I can't enter the town with you at my side. You are my prey after all." She replied. "I see." He answered. She started to braid her hair. He stood there and watched. When she finished, he dropped his bag and turned around. Once his back was towards her, she quickly bent down and picked up a broken branch from the ground.
He began to place his hands behind his back when "Ahhhh." Tartolette fell to the ground and lay there unconscious. Ashlyn had struck the back of his head with the branch. She dropped the branch and looked at his motionless body on the ground. She let out a sigh and dragged him over to a tree. She knelt down and bounded him tightly to the tree. She stood up and again looked at him. She drew her dagger and softly said "I'm sorry." She knelt down near him again and thrust her dagger.
"Your highness, the bounty hunter Ashlyn has returned." A servant cried out. "Good, good. Bring her to me." The king ordered. Ashlyn was brought to the king. She knelt before him. "Well where is he?" The king asked. She remained in her knelt position. "Arise." the king ordered her. "Well where is Tartolette?" he asked. She stood up and reached into her bag. She pulled out his blood stained journal and the pedant he wore around his neck. "Sorry your highness, he would not come peacefully. I had to..." She was cut of by the king. "I see, I see. Where is the body?" he asked. "It is back in Emral. I could not carry his body all the way from Emral to you for you to see. That is why I brought you his journal and pedant." She told him. "His journal you say?" The king asked. "Yes. Here you may see it." and she handed him the blood stained journal.
The king opened it and began to slowly look threw the pages. He stopped on a page and called on one of his alchemists over to his side. "Do you under stand any of this?" the king as his alchemist. The alchemist took the journal from his had and reviewed the page. "Yes your highness. I understand the formulas." He replied. The king smiled and said "Good." "Your highness" Ashlyn started "and hear is his pendant." "No, no. Don't worry about his pedant. This journal is proof enough of your word." The king answered. "It is ashamed that he would not come back peacefully. It is horrible that he needed to die. He was a very gifted man and quite young." The king said "Very well. Bring her the reward." The king ordered his servants. They returned with a small chest full of gold and silver. She examined it and replied "Thank you, your highness. Do you need my services for any thing else?" "No, no. That will be all." He answered. She gathered her reward and left.
She returned to the woods to find Tartolette still tied to the tree and still unconscious. She threw a buck of water on him and he awoke. "What the...What are you doing? Untie me?" he screamed. "Quiet. Dead men can't scream." She said. He fell silent and was confused by her statement. He then noticed a pain in his leg and he looked to see he was cut on his upper leg. He looked at her. She was now holding his pedant in front of his face.
"The king thinks your dead." She said as she threw pedant onto his lap. "What?" he said as she was cutting his bindings away. "I brought the king your blood stained journal and your pedant. I told him that I killed you because you would not come along peacefully." She said. "Where is my journal now?" he asked. "The king has it. Why?" she asked. "What did he do with it?" Tartolette asked as he stood up. "He showed it to one of his alchemist, asked him a question and then smiled at his response." She explained to him. Tartolette had placed his pedant back around hi neck. Tartolette could not believe what he heard. Ashlyn stepped closer to comfort him when he started laughing.
"He has my journal. He has my journal." He laughed. "Yes, but what is so funny?" she asked. Tartolette reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "Without the formula on this piece of paper the formula in my journal is worthless." He said laughing. She looked at him, first with anger for not telling her everything, but then with joy. She was happy to know that no one would be looking for him. She walked up and hugged him. He looked at her and she said "We better get you out of those wet clothes and warm you up." And with that they smiled at one another.
The two left the kingdom of Lionel and together returned to Ashlyn's homeland. There Tartolette started a new life. He stood outside his new home watching the sunset with his new wife Ashlyn in his arms. She was wearing his pedant and holding their new daughter Nikki. As he laid his head on her shoulder he knew he had found something more valuable than all the gold he could make.
This story is the property of Gary Stricker.