The Real Barbarians
#3 of Tales From Crown City
Enkidu looked out over the vast patchwork of terrain below. This was the first time he had ever ridden an airship and he was loving it, but because of his people's taboo about showing emotion, his face remained a blank and unreadable slate. He could feel the wind blowing by and ruffling his thick white fur, beneath which rippled muscles that could rend trees asunder.
The mighty Ice Bear warrior could feel the eyes of the other passengers on him, watching the bear with a mix of fear and curiosity. He doubted that the group of tiny, weak westerners had ever even SEEN one of his kind, let alone seen them on an airship bound for the capital.
Enkidu sighed to himself as he looked down and laid his eyes on Crown City for the first time. It was a strange sight, like tiny mountains of stone stacked one next to the other and stretching out for as far as the eye could see. Then, beyond the expanse of buildings the bear could see the Sea of Tears, a shimmering blue piece of sky laid down onto the earth. The ursine caught his breath at that. He had never seen the ocean before, this being the first time he had ever ventured out of his deep forest home.
The Ice Bear had lived his entire life within the confines of the ancient, cold, pine forests of Ursaria, the region of land that lay between the vast mountain lands of the Dwarves, the constantly warring kingdoms of the elves, and the burning jungles that formed the barrier between them and the tiny kingdoms that swore loyalty to Draconia. Ursaria had been the ancestral homeland to all of Ursine kind, but now only the Ice Bears remained, the white furred giants who had stayed behind when the rest of their kind had gone on their legendary march nearly five thousand years ago, spreading their people out across all the world, never to return.
For those countless millennia the ivory warriors had kept to themselves, brutally defending their territory from outsiders. Enkidu had been proud to be part of that tradition. He had spent his life as a warrior, living by the edge of his enormous battle axe and defending the honor of his people and their land. Then, three seasons ago, the weeping death had swept through the old forests and the trees had rang with the moans of the dieing. It was a terrible sickness, making the afflicted bleed from their eyes as they died and it had taken many brave warriors to their grave. His entire tribe had fallen before it, leaving the bear alone in the world. He could have easily gone to another tribe and asked for asylum, but the old ursine was too proud for that, and the memories of seeing his family die before his very eyes was too painful. He had spent the first two days after the plague struck his village burying the dead, including his wife and daughter.
After that there had been nothing left for the proud warrior but to leave, embracing the mercenary exile that tradition demanded of him. Thus he had journeyed northeast, into the frigid mountains of the dwarves. He had spent two months working for one of the countless clans of bearded cave dwellers as a mercenary, aiding them in their petty struggle with another clan. It had not been the sort of work that the bear took interest in. The battles were few and far between and when they did occur they were small, usually being no more than a brawl between thirty or forty people. At last word had reached there of a war that was occurring far to the west, on the other side of the world. The bear had leapt at the chance when an airship, carrying valuable trade goods came from that mysterious land to purchase dwarven weapons. He had paid the ship captain to take him with them when they returned, hoping to take part in this great conflict and, more than anything else, find a glorious death in battle against a worthy opponent.
"Hey there big fella!" Came a shrill and annoyingly familiar voice. Enkidu turned his head to find the merchant captain of the ship standing beside him. The merchant was a grey and white furred weasel named Mitus, and had been a constant annoyance to Enkidu during the trip. "Hell of a place isn't it?" The talkative merchant asked, pointing down to the quickly approaching city, "Crown City." Mitus said the name almost reverently, "If it exists, you'll find it here pal!" The bear remained silent. Mitus had gotten used to this, and apparently chalked it up to a quiet nature rather than the truth, which was that the ursine wanted him to leave him alone.
The weasel looked him up and down, eyeing the thick, heavy iron chains that linked around the bear's shoulders, coming together at two large, iron hoops on his chest and back. Attached at the bottom of the hoops was another thick chain, this one leading down to his waist and holding up the hard, steel and leather tasset he wore. It was fine armor, the minimalist kind that all Ice Bears wore. Then the merchant's eyes moved to the massive battle axe on the ursine's back, strapped there by two hoops in the chain that went over his shoulders. The weapon weighed a good hundred pounds, the thick, heavy blade and sturdy iron handle being delicately shaped and molded to a precision rarely seen in such barbaric weapons. To the mighty, eight foot tall bear the axe felt as light as any sword.
"Some weapon you got there." Mitus noted for what had to be the thirtieth time.
"I will not sell it." Enkidu grunted before the weasel could ask him again.
"Suit yourself." The sly trader replied with a seemingly indifferent shrug, "All I wanted with it was as a collectible anyway." The weasel had informed the bear at an earlier point that he was into collecting foreign weapons and had relentlessly attempted to buy the ursine's weapon. The axe itself was the last reminder of his family he had left, having been an heirloom handed down from father to son. It had been gifted to his ancestor by the dwarves after he had joined with a group of strange western adventurers and journeyed far into the mountain dweller's land. The blade was made of indestructible adamant, the miraculous metal of the dwarves, the handle out of steel without equal.
"How long until the sky boat lands?" The bear asked, his voice the same calm and cold tone that it always was.
"Just a couple of minutes actually." The weasel answered, pointing to a rapidly approaching patch of grey below. "That big stone area is the landing zone." Enkidu looked down, noticing several other large, wooden vessels like this one. As they came over top of the area, the large metal propellers that kept the ship aloft began to slow down, allowing the airship to gently loose altitude. Within minutes the flat bottom of the merchant vessel touched down onto the stone platform, several furs in uniform rushing across the landing zone to help lower the wooden ramp that would allow them to disembark.
Within ten minutes the bear at last found his paws back on solid ground. He sniffed the air with distaste. Even here, on the edge of the city, he could smell the strange, squalid urban sprawl.
"Hey Bear!" Came a shout from behind him. Enkidu sighed, turning to find the weasel once again. "I got a couple hours to kill before this ol' dingy is unloaded so what say me and you hit up a vore brothel?" The titanic warrior cocked his head curiously.
"A... vore brothel?" He muttered without understanding.
"Come on!" Mitus laughed, "Never seen a vore brothel? Man! You really are from the sticks aren't ya?"
"What is this place you are talking of?" Enkidu quizzed, his curiosity momentarily peaked.
"Oh you'll love it!" The merchant assured him, gesturing for him to follow, "I'll get us a taxi and we'll hit up this little joint in the market district that I know." The bear shrugged, supposing that it couldn't hurt to investigate. He followed the smaller weasel toward the large, rectangular building that marked the edge of the landing field, a few small crowds having gathered there with their piles of luggage stacked all around them. The pair made their way past them, the enormous Ice Bear drawing the hushed and fearful stares of the waiting voyagers. As they walked briskly around the building, the Bear spied a couple of soldiers checking the papers of the people coming in. They looked over at Mitus and seemed like they were about to ask him for his when they saw the bear behind him, suddenly deciding that perhaps they didn't REALLY need to see the weasel's papers. The two moved unmolested to the busy street on the other side of the building, where several large, black, wooden boxes with wheels sat, each one tied to a pair of sturdy looking horses. On top of each box sat a man, holding the long reins that led to the horses.
"Taxi!" The weasel shouted, waving over to one of the boxes. The man on top looked up, giving the weasel a courteous smile as he snapped the reins, causing the horses to move, pulling that odd box behind them.
"Where to gents?" The man on the box asked, taking off his funny looking, tall, black hat and tipping it politely to them. The weasel moved over to the side of the box, opening a door with a tiny window in it.
"Market district!" Mitus replied, gesturing for Enkidu to step inside, "Madame Moon's place!" The man in the hat gave a chuckle at that, but nodded. Enkidu looked uncertainly at the inside of the box. It looked rather cramped to him, but he did as the weasel suggested, stepping up into the box and sitting on one of the benches inside. As the bear stepped in, the box creaked, visibly lowering down from his weight. The warrior wiggled about on the tiny seat uncomfortably as Mitus stepped in, sitting in on the seat opposite him and shut the door.
"This box is small." The Ice Bear noted, looking out the tiny window in the door as the man outside snapped the reins again and they set off.
"It's called a carriage," The merchant chuckled, looking a little cramped himself, "and they aren't exactly built with people of your... proportions, in mind." The giant warrior nodded, watching as the great stone platform vanished from sight, replaced by countless, identical, white stone buildings that whirled by in a blur along with the people in the street in front of them.
"So what is this place that we are going to?" Enkidu asked again.
"Well," The weasel tried to explain, "it's a place you can go and pay people to get some... err... tail, if you know what I mean?" The bear looked back blankly at him.
"Ok," Mitus sighed, "It's a place where you go and pay for the chance to get someone to breed with?" The warrior understood that, at least in principle.
"Why would I pay for breeding?" Enkidu inquired, "If I wished a woman, I would just go take her." The merchant chuckled.
"This isn't the forest anymore bear," Mitus chided with a smile, "you do that kind of thing out here and it might not go over so well." The bear looked back out the window. This certainly was a strange land.
After a while they arrived at the market district, the carriage coming to a stop in front of a large, blue building. As they got out the bear stretched in relief as the weasel paid the driver. The building itself was much fancier than those around it, being made of stone, but with a pretty blue side paneling and a red shingled roof with delicate looking window panes. From inside the giant could hear laughter and shouting, the smell of tobacco smoke, ale, and male musk assaulting his nose. Beside the door stood a large merchant shingle with the picture of a fox's head and a crescent moon next to the words "Madame Moon's House of Delights" in bold blue letters. Mitus hurried over and put a hand on Enkidu's arm.
"Nothing personal mate," The weasel told him, "but let me do the talking. With that funny accent of yours, and don't get me wrong, you have a great grasp of common tongue, but they may have a little trouble understanding you!" The warrior shrugged disinterestedly. He was actually somewhat excited for the chance now, having not been given the chance to breed since his wife died. The pair walked in, the air inside the place being thick with smoke. Almost immediately they were met by a tiny white feathered avian boy, wearing nothing but a small brown loincloth.
"Greetings sirs." The boy said, looking up at the bear with a hint of fear, "Are you here for the three o'clock show? It's a pretty young fox girl being fed to a griffon today." Enkidu cocked an eye at that.
"No no!" Mitus answered hurriedly, giving a nervous chuckle, "None of that. Just here to pick out a couple of slaves for a good time." The bird nodded, giving the bear another quick glance.
"I'll let Madame Moon know. What are your names?" The feathered youth inquired.
"Just tell her old Mitty is here!" The weasel laughed as the boy scurried off. The room was wide and full of large round tables, almost all of which held laughing, drinking, smoking furs, many of whom had nude girls or boys sitting in their lap. Enkidu was experiencing a bit of culture shock by then, having never encountered anything like this. As the pair found an empty table near the entrance and sat down he looked over to the merchant.
"Why are all of the nude ones wearing collars?" He asked, noticing the single unifying thing about all of them.
"Because they're slaves mate!" The weasel answered, rolling his eyes, "Don't tell me they didn't have slaves in that backwater forest of yours!?" The bear shrugged. They had indeed possessed slaves, but it had been nothing like this. They didn't wear collars and certainly weren't sold to other beings for sex. Before they could speak further, they were joined by a lovely vixen, covered in bright red fur. She wore a long, blue, silk dress that clung suggestively to her curvaceous frame.
"Mitty!" She giggled, sitting down next to the merchant, her thin golden earrings jingling in both ears as she did. "What can I do for you and your... large friend here?" She turned to Enkidu, giving him a warm smile. The bear's face didn't change.
"We could use a couple of nice girls to help ease some tension after our journey." Mitus responded, smiling charmingly at her. The vixen nodded, snapping her fingers. At that signal the young avian boy returned, a long line of lovely females of a variety of races came walking out.
"Oh my!" The weasel laughed, watching the long line of slaves come marching in on cue. "Rabbits, mice, wolves, foxes, rats, bats, cows, horses, bears, falcons, cats, lions, and even humans! You really do have the best selection in town Moony!" The weasel noted, counting off the race of each girl as she came marching out.
"Of course my dear." The vixen giggled, "And if none of these strike your fancy, I just bought a couple of young girls from the Western Isles! Or were you perhaps looking for something of a different sex today?" She added coyly.
"No," Mitus chuckled, "nor is my big pal here. As for those island girls? I'll pass. They're too short. Every time I see them I can't help but think they're kids. Creeps me out." The merchant turned to Enkidu, nodding toward the line of girls who now stood patiently looking at them, waiting to be selected. "What'll it be pal?" He asked. Enkidu surveyed the options, looking each girl up and down before moving on to the next. At last he found something that caught his fancy. It was a slender doe with pretty brown fur and thin, delicate arms.
"Ah!" Lady Moon exclaimed, pointing at the pretty young deer, "Fancying Cynia eh? Good choice. Only been used a couple of times that one." The vixen paused there, looking over at Mitus suspiciously, "Your friend isn't going to EAT her is he? You know that costs extra!" The weasel shook his head quickly.
"No!" The twisted merchant assured her, sounding a little hurt, "You shouldn't ask that every time I come here! That only happened once, and I paid you for it fair and square!"
"After I threatened to have your knees broken, yes." Moon laughed, nodding to Cynia, "Take this gentleman upstairs dear and show him a good time. The cervine nodded, walking up to Enkidu and gently taking his hand. The bear looked uncertainly over to the weasel, who simply laughed and waved him off.
"Go on mate!" Mitus told him, "I'm going to sit here and have a couple of drinks while I make up my mind. You go enjoy some Crown City hospitality!" The warrior stood up, letting the slender deer girl guide him through the crowded room and to a hallway at the back. There were four rooms there, two on each side of the hall. Three of the doors were closed, sounds coming out that sounded suspiciously like screams (And not the kind one would associate with anything pleasant), the fourth was open. Inside the Ice Bear caught a glimpse of something that made his stomach churn. There were several men in chairs, gathered around a cage inside of which stood a sobbing and panicking young lizard boy and an enormous snake. As they passed, Enkidu could see the serpent slowly closing in on the hapless reptile as he screamed and tried desperately to squeeze his way through the bars. The ursine considered going back and trying to help the boy but, with a loud grunt, he decided that it really wasn't any of his concern. Thus they moved on, the deer leading him up a set of twisting stairs at the end of the hall that led to the second floor. This story was similar to the first, with the same dingy walls and wood floors, but there were many moor doors in the long hallway upstairs. Cynia led him to an open door to their right.
The bear found himself in a small, cramped room with nothing but a bed and an old, rickety wooden chair in it.
"Do you wish for me to retrieve any restraints or gags master?" The deer asked, looking up timidly. The ursine looked at her blankly.
"I thought we were here to breed." Enkidu answered.
"Yes sir." The doe expounded, looking at him curiously, "But I ask in case you wished to restrain or silence me. Since I assume you do not..." The young girl reached up, untying the simple piece of tan cloth that hid her breasts, her black fingers moving quickly and with the accuracy of experience. The covering fell to the ground, exposing the soft, tan colored fur of her chest, matching that on her stomach. She was petite, like most deer, her perky c-cups bouncing slightly as she leaned down, undoing the only other cloth she wore, a plain, tan, hide skirt. The ugly looking clothing fell to the floor, pooling around her hooves before she stepped out of them, moving toward the bear. "Do you wish me to undress you sir?" The doe asked.
"No." The bear replied. He could smell the young deer girl and he had to admit he wanted to breed, even though the thought of what he had seen earlier still weighed on his mind. The ursine reached up to the metal circle on his chest that supported his armored tasset, moving the lower chain around and allowing his coverings to fall off. The doe let out a surprised squeak as she looked down at Enkidu's crotch. The bear was fairly average for his kind, which of course meant he had about a foot of throbbing cock, which was now pointed right at the surprised slave girl.
"I... I..." Cynia stammered, looking nervously at the bear's hard, black shaft, "I don't know if I can take that all master!" The ursine looked at the skinny little doe and had to agree. Nonetheless, he walked over and sat down on the bed.
"There are other things you can do." The warrior told her, nodding toward his shaft to signal her to get to work. The girl came over, dropping to her knees in front of him. She gave a soft whimper as she wrapped her soft hands gently around his cock. The bear let out a soft churr. It had been so long since he had felt the touch of a woman and he was eager. Cynia looked at the throbbing bear cock in something akin to terror, noticing her tiny hands could only reach halfway around it, thus having to use two to get a full grip. The doe slowly began to move her hands back and forth, gently stroking the ursine's aching member.
Enkidu looked down at the girl, placing a hand atop her head. "Use your mouth." He instructed, his voice staying just as cool and even as ever. The doe leaned forward, parting her maw as she slipped as much of the tip into her mouth as she could. The bear was far too large for her to actually suck on his cock, but the deer began to lick and kiss across the head, making the bear shudder slightly. The girl seemed to relax a little, keeping up her licking and kissing as she began to stroke him harder. The black cock in her hands spurted out a little bit of warm, salty pre which she was quick to lap up. The ursine had been pent up far too long, and within minutes he could feel himself getting close to orgasm. He reached down, lifting the does head away from his member.
"I have another idea." The bear told her, reaching an arm down her back and pulling the slender deer closer to his crotch, her soft, furry breasts pressing against the sensitive flesh of his slimy cock. The deer seemed to get the idea and put her hands on either side of her breasts, squeezing them together against the bear's hard penis, starting to steadily move them up and down. Enkidu groaned in approval, the sensation being quite nice. The doe did her best to keep a steady rhythm as the ursine's needy cock pumped out more warm pre-cum, coating her lovely chest with his sticky goo. The bear grabbed hold of the sheets of the bed, feeling himself finally reach his limits. With one hand he grabbed Cynia's head, forcing her mouth over the tip of his shaft as he came, spurting waves of hot bear cum out into her mouth. The slave struggled valiantly to swallow the salty liquid, but there was simply too much, causing the doe to start to choke, sending a good volume of the white seed out onto her lips and chin.
At last the flood of cum stopped and the giant allowed the pretty young slave to pull back, coughing and sputtering as she wiped the excess seed from her face and onto one of the bed sheets.
"I... I hope that I pleased you sir?" Cynia whimpered, looking up at him with a hint of dread.
"You did well girl." The barbarian bear replied, standing up and wiping his now limp shaft off onto the bed sheet as well. As he stood there, cleaning himself off, he could see that the young doe was trembling.
"A...are you going to eat me sir?" She sniffled, fighting back a sob. The bear turned his head to her and gave the girl his typical, blank expression.
"Why would I do this?" Enkidu questioned, looking curiously at the trembling deer.
"T...thank the gods!" The doe sighed, looking relieved, "When I saw you, I thought this would be it for sure!" The bear shook his head.
"How strange that your people call MY kind the barbarians." The warrior muttered irritably. The doe seemed to relax a little, taking a seat on the bed next to the bear.
"It's just how things are." Cynia responded, "We are slaves, and thus it is their right to do with us as they please." The bear looked over and shook his head in disgust.
"We had slaves in my land." Enkidu informed her, "But we were not cruel. A slave was to be treated as part of the family, not as property. The bond between slave and master is a strong one there. Here? Here slaves are tortured and raped by tiny little men with black little hearts." The deer's ears perked up at that.
"Do you dislike slavery?" She inquired pointedly.
"I do not like the kind of slavery I have seen here." The bear answered as he stood up, starting to get dressed.
"Then... then maybe you would help?" Cynia inquired of him. The ursine looked over at her uncomprehendingly.
"What do you mean deer?" The giant asked as he re-linked the chain holding up his tasset.
"Would you help to end slavery here?" She expanded, "I... I have friends who are working to do it as we speak! They could use someone like you, I just know it!"
"It is not my concern." Enkidu replied coldly. He had not come to this strange land, so far from the shelter of his ancestral forest simply to help some slaves to defy their masters. He had come seeking battle, seeking a glorious death. The doe looked disappointed, but said no more as the Ice Bear opened the door and walked out. Enkidu had seen enough of this place and was eager to leave as he stomped back downstairs. When he reached the first floor, he found the entire front room in an uproar. Mitus was standing on the far side of the room, shouting at someone as loud as he could. As the warrior approached, he saw who the merchant was yelling at. It was a young, pretty bear girl. A slave, Enkidu judged by the presence of the collar around her neck.
"P... please sir!" The girl sobbed, backed into a corner by the expletive shouting weasel, "It was an accident! I swear!"
"Lying whore!" The weasel shouted, backhanding her hard across the face. Enkidu watched for a moment, feeling something odd from the scene. The bear girl was easily a foot taller than the angry merchant, yet she did not defend herself as Mitus brought another blow raining down, this one connecting with her stomach and doubling the girl over. "I told you no teeth! You bit down on purpose you worthless bitch!" The ursine girl looked up at the weasel pleadingly as she held her stomach, her pretty blue eyes full of tears. Enkidu recalled his own daughter then. She had possessed those same deep, blue eyes.
A memory came back to him of his little girl, Baga. She had only been about fourteen seasons old at the time (And since Ursaria only had two seasons, winter and spring, that would have made her about seven by Imperial reckoning) and he had taken her with him that day, deep into the forest, to the sacred grove of their tribe. He had held her atop his shoulders, the smiling, white cub having held onto her papa's head for dear life. He had sat her down on his knees as he took a seat on an old log, just outside the small, treeless lake of grass. She had asked him about the great pile of stones in the center of the clearing and he had told her that was the shrine of life, the sacred spot where members of their tribe took their wedding vows, becoming mates for life.
"Like you and momma?" Baga had asked, looking in wonder at the mysterious site.
"Exactly." Enkidu had told her, "And when you take your vows there, it will tie you and the one you love together for all eternity."
"Will I get to go up to it one day papa?" She had asked. Enkidu felt a lone tear snake its way down his cheek as he remembered his answer.
"Of course Baga." The warrior had told her, "And your momma and I will be right there to watch you take your vows." The white titan had seen enough.
As he stormed across the floor, the crowd of spectators parted, looking at the angry bear in terror. The weasel was just raising his hand, preparing to strike her again when Enkidu reached him.
"That is enough Mitus." The warrior growled, his lips curling into a snarl that showed his enormous fangs. The merchant turned around, seemingly surprised by the bear's presence.
"Well *Hic* you certainly didn't take long!" The weasel slurred, the scent of ale strong on his breath. He turned his attention back to the sobbing bear girl. "Be with you in just a second pal! Gotta *Hic* teach this fucking slut a lesson!" Enkidu's hand shot out, wrapping his massive paws around the merchant's arm and holding it tight. This seemed to hit a chord with the weasel, who reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a small switchblade. "You want some too?!" Mitus spat. The crowd let out a yell as the weasel made a swing at Enkidu. The knife never hit its mark, but a moment later the floor was covered in blood none-the-less. The crowd went silent, staring at the angry white barbarian, the weasel's severed arm in his hand. The drunken merchant lay on the floor at his feet, blood gushing from the spot on his shoulder where his appendage used to be. No one made any move to stop the great warrior as he made his way toward the rear exit, thinking it better to avoid going out into the middle of the busy market district whilst covered in fresh blood.
The bear found himself in an alley that led behind the vore brothel, leading off toward a series of backstreets. Not really knowing where he was headed, Enkidu headed off to his right, but stopped when he heard the little doe call after him. The warrior turned to find the young slave deer standing just outside the rear exit to Madame Moon's, looking at him with a mix of awe and hope.
"You do care." Cynia said, "Otherwise, why would you have helped poor Angi with that awful weasel?" The bear didn't answer, being uncertain as to what he should say. After a moment of silence, the deer moved closer, looking about to make certain that no one was listening. "The guards will be looking for you soon." The doe whispered, "Go to the Bum's Pit, on the south side of the city. When you get there, head to the temple of Terra and tell one of the sisters that you were sent by a friend of a friend. They'll know what it means!" Cynia gave Enkidu one last look, then rushed back inside before anyone noticed her. The giant stood there for a minute longer, mulling it over.
"What else have I to do?" The bear muttered to himself with a weary shrug, turning and heading off towards the south, choosing to seek out this temple in the Bum's Pit and see where it led him.