Buzzards, Hawks and Ravens

(Account of Six Friends' Lives in the "Dark" Ages)

by

Ruwen Rouhs

Chapter 11

- Dancing Through the Winter-time -

 

Long after dark, Bastian steered the magicians´ cart into the court yard of a tavern in a small market town. The place was located on a tributary stream of the fast flowing river coming down from Quentisburry. Berrit and Ruwen, accompanied by Thimus, checked for the landlord in the taproom, while Bastian unharnessed the horses as Anzo kept hidden in the cart out of fear of spies.

The temperature in the taproom was unbearable at first, because of the heat emitted by flames in the big fireplace and by the many guests. All the tables were already taken by travelling merchants, cattle and horse traders, jugglers and minstrels waiting for the opening of the market day the next morning. Most of them had also been in Veldegg and welcomed the magicians with a great `hello'.

Noticing Thimus, one of the traders called over, "Did you pick up a servant or is this small boy your mascot?" Thimus having the gift of the gab, answered before Berrit or Ruwen could reply, "You know, big man, I am a Prince and my companions are Princes also!" pointing at Ruwen, "He is the famous Midsummer Night Prince Ruwen and the other Prince, Bastian, will be here in a jiffy!"

Before Thimus could reveal Berrit's identity, Ruwen silenced the boy by putting his finger on his lips, "Thimus is exaggerating massively! He boasts! But he is right, we are the midnight princes you all have heard of. But you also know that we are just farm boys! But this man," taking a bow in front of Berrit, "is the famous medic and magician from Persia, the great Ibn Sina. If any one of you needs help or medical advice we will be honoured to provide it!"

The landlord bowed deeply and ushered the three to a place close by the fireplace, having those there move to other places. Soon afterwards, Bastian and Anzo arrived at their table. Being of equal build, Anzo was able to use Ruwen's clothing to look like a farmhand. Therefore, everybody took him for a servant and paid no special attention to him. Soon the curious stares at the group ceased and the four, together with little Thimus, could devote themselves to a healthy meal of roast pork and fresh bread.

Not much later, while Anzo relieved himself at the outhouse and Thimus was resting his weary head on Berrit's shoulder, the door opened and a late customer entered. Dressed in black clothes and concealing his head with a grey beret, the late visitor drew the eyes of the guests. Smiling broadly, he announced with a squeaky voice, "Dear Landlord. I am late. I got delayed at the border. But for good money you will sure give me a good meal and a soft bed!" With this he walked over to the only seat left free, Anzo's seat, removed his beret and took the place without asking permission from the others.

Just at that moment, Anzo returned from the outhouse. While still in the shade of the doorway, he recognized the foxy hair of the newcomer and retreated into the dark, outside. Thimus stirred by the newcomer and noticing Anzo leave again, jumped from the wooden bench, ran to the door, pulling Berrit along, shouting "Timo, Timo!"

"That foxy guy is one of Count Menno's spies." Anzo whispered into Berrit's ear. "Just like I thought, my step-uncle is sending out his bailiffs to catch me!"

After discussing countermeasures with Berrit, Anzo retired to the cart with the sleepy Thimus. The young count returned to the table brightly smiling, "I finally managed to get Thimus into his cradle. I am glad to have Timo around to stay with him." and, turning to the foxy-looking guy, "That boy is moonstruck and someone always has to guard him at night." Then, turning to his friends, "What's up, boys? Let's play a shell game! The looser pays for the drinks! Agreed upon?"

Ruwen, as well as Bastian, was caught in surprise, because they hated games of chance. "Would you like to take part, stranger?" Berrit asked, "You are welcome, but we keep the stakes small; we are poor magicians!" Berrit started the game with the three shells. Bastian lost, Ruwen lost, but the foxy-looking spy hit the right shell and won. Berrit paid for the first round and everyone downed the wine with one swallow. The foxy guy took the bank. None of his opponents tipped the right shell and Ruwen had to pay for the next round. In no time the other guests gathered around the players and cheered the foxy guy. The next round was again lost by Bastian, then Ruwen lost and it was their turn to pay the next bouts.

Neither Berrit nor the midnight princes gulped down their drinks, while Menno's spy did and started singing and bragged about how able he was at holding his drink. He was a heavy drinker, but he couldn't outdo three opponents at the same time. Soon he was tipsy and got bolder. He proposed playing for money and challenged Berrit and the midnight princes, as well as the merchants standing around. They all decided to change to a game of dice, because more people could take part.

Berrit volunteered for the job of banker. He had gathered experience as `banker' in games, as captain of the Grey Raiders, where he had also had ample opportunity to learn how to cheat.

Berrit was determined to trick Menno's spy. At first the foxy guy seemed to have a run of good luck. He won game after game and the pile of coins in front of him got higher and higher. With the size of the pile the foxy guy's appetite rose, "I want to increase the stakes! Who dares to play the game with me! Are you all chicken?"

Two of the merchants were rich enough, or careless enough, to accept the challenge. The first lost, the second won. This broke the winning streak of the foxy guy. Soon he had gambled away all his money. But the gambling devil had him in his clutches. At first he put his gold ring on the line. He lost again. He put his blanket at risk, then his coat, and the saddle of his horse. The foxy spy lost, while the coins piled in front of the merchants. "Give me a loan!" he asked Berrit, the banker. "Sure, Foxy Guy!" Berrit smiled, "Money for pledge? All right! What do you have left to pledge?"

"My riding horse!" foxy guy answered, "It's my lucky charm! It's the fastest horse around! I'll put in Whirlwind against all the money of the bank!"

The foxy guy lost and the horse changed owners as quickly as his other possessions had changed hands. The merchants jibed at foxy guy. Berrit was the new owner to Whirlwind!

Now foxy guy broke down completely. His speech got slurred. He wallowed in self-pity and confessed all his sins to the bystanders. However, Ruwen, Berrit and Bastian were relentlessly. They decided to teach the poor guy a last lesson. Inviting him to a drink, they offered him a bucket of sweet wine spiked with the essence of Wild Spikenard. Soon the foxy guy began to bring up the food and wine he had swallowed all night long and vomited all over the place.

The landlord kicked him out and Menno's spy ended up on the dung pile. This bed was warm and soft, but smelly. When he woke up the next morning, the village lads drove him out of the market place with whips and down to the icy river for a refreshing bath.

*.*.*

 

Anzo had made his sleeping place in the back of the covered wagon on a thick layer of furs. In the middle of the cart Thimus had rolled himself up in soft blankets like a kitten without shedding his clothes. "Sing a lullaby to me, please Anzo. I am used to that; grandma always sings to me. Please!" Anzo couldn't help but give in, as Thimus had already stolen his heart, at least the part that was left by Berrit.

Anzo crawled to Thimus, embraced him and began to whisper the only lullaby he remembered by heart, an old carol the novices sang at the Holy Innocents days:

1.    Lullay, Thou little tiny Child,

By, by, lully, lullay.

Lullay, Thou little tiny Child.

By, by, lully, lullay.

2.    O sisters, too, how may we do,

For to preserve this day;

This poor Youngling for whom we sing,

By, by, lully, lullay.

3.    Herod the King, in his raging,

Charged he hath this day;

His men of might, in his own sight,

All children young, to slay.

4.    Then woe is me, poor Child, for Thee,

And ever mourn and say;

For Thy parting, nor say nor sing,

By, by, lully, lullay.

Back in his own sleeping place, Anzo tried to fall asleep listening to slight snoring from Thimus. His mind was still full of excitement because of the reunion with Berrit. However, the stressful flight from Veldegg yesterday and the few hours of sleep the night before took their toll and after a while he must have fallen asleep, despite the noises coming from the taproom.

Delicate touches from cold fingers and soft spoken words brought Anzo back to life. "Anzo, my dear Anzo. My dear!" The voice at his ear kept repeating these simple sentences over and over again. The nearly forgotten scent of Berrit finally brought him back to reality. "Berrit, my life!" he whispered back, "Berrit, my love!" and the rest of the cold December night went by like a dream.

Ruwen, seeking warmness in Bastian's arms in the front part of the cart, snickered while he tickled his twin prince in the neck, "Close your ears Bastian. Those siren songs are not for you and me. Don't go missing; I need you more than ever."

*.*.*

 

In the morning Berrit steered an unwilling Anzo toward the stable, "My wedding present for you is waiting there. Come and see!" and he dragged his friend to the far end of the stable. In the last bay the wedding present itself welcomed Anzo with a soft whining. "Whirlwind, hey, my Whirlwind, did you come alone all the way from Veldegg to meet me?" Anzo shouted in surprise and ran his fingers through the mane of the horse. "How did you find this horse? It's Whirlwind, the horse which saved my life!" and he planted soft kisses on Whirlwind's nostrils. Then he turned to Berrit, smiling back at the horse over his shoulders, he instructed, "Don't get jealous Whirlwind; this is my prince. You will have to share my affection with Berrit and Thimus." Then Anzo started to kiss Berrit, without taking notice of the other people in the stable, while the horse pawed on the ground impatiently.

The December weather halfway up to the mountain pass was cold and nasty, but for Anzo and Berrit it seemed like springtime. While Ruwen and Bastian opened the magician's consultations in the market place, the two friends, separated for such a long time, set out for a ride into the thick forests surrounding the village. What they did in the silent and lonesome woods was their secret alone. But upon their return in the evening, their beaming faces made Bastian smile. Pretending to be grumpy, he complained in a harsh voice, "Ruwen, Thimus and I, did all the work today and you had all the fun! Tomorrow we will switch tasks!"

Enjoying a relaxed evening in the tavern the four, and Thimus, were surprised by ugly information. A very agitated dark-haired lad, called Sturdy Uri, the son of the burgomaster, entered the taproom and called out to the landlord. "We got him, uncle! We got that thievish fox, the bastard, just before he was able to cross the bridge back to Veldegg-County. When he saw the chase was for him, he nearly bludgeoned your horse to death. But we caught him! And now his body is decorating the old oak at the bridge. The vultures will care for the body!"

Warming his hands with a beaker full of hot punch, the young farmer approached the table where the magicians enjoyed their meal. "I am Uri, the burgomaster's son. I and my friends caught the crook, this foxy guy. He broke into my uncle's paddock and stole himself a horse. We caught the guy and he is now dead! Look! That's the warrant he had in his pocket. Do you know that fine young man on the wanted poster?"

It was a drawing of Anzo and the legend said:

 

 

! Dangerous Runaway Wanted !

! Dead or Alive !

! Reward: 10 Gold Ducats !

 

 

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.**.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

 

Attention! Attention!

Dear readers, this is the beginning of a story within a story. This interlude tells about the young farmer Uri, called Sturdy Uri, his beautiful sister Sinah, called Sweetie Sini and Fintan, their poor neighbour. Fintan, called Fair Fynn by his peers, is lovesick and wants to ask the great magician Mimir, better known as Ruwen the Healer, for help. Keep in mind Ruwen is not very experienced in love things, at least with love things involving girls! After Ruwen gives his help, the friends go on their way, but this short interlude is continued as it played out for Uri, Sinah, and Fynn.

 

- Ruwen Lends a Helping Hand -

 

The bad mood now overwhelming Ruwen, Bastian, Berrit and Anzo was soon alleviated by good food and a bowl of hot punch, while Thimus enjoyed hot milk. At their second night in the tavern they abstained from gambling and enjoyed the songs of the minstrels praising the love of sweet girls and tough boys in all seasons. Many of the merchants had already left and now most of the guests were villagers and farmers. The sturdy young farmer, apparently the hero of the others, together with his friends, gathered around the fireplace and discussed the pursuit of the horse-thief. Only a fair looking lad kept aloof from the discussions and circled the table where the magicians were, always watched closely by Sturdy Uri.

Timidly, the fair lad approached Ruwen, as the latter left the table for a second helping of the delicious punch. "Can I have a word with you, wise man? Please lend me your ear; my heart is on fire!"

"You have a bad case of love sickness, do you?" Ruwen checked back with a smile.

"My heart is crying from love!" the blushing lad breathed in Ruwen's ear. In a dark corner he began his confession, "Great magician Mimir, I am in love with our neighbour's daughter, the beautiful daughter of our burgomaster, with Sweetie Sini. Sinah is more beautiful than a lily in spring, a pink rose in summer or a red aster in fall! Her white body is perfect and her lovely smile has cast a spell over me! I dream of her day and night!"

"Then why don't you just go ahead and tell her of your love! If you use those words, she will surely fall for you and answer your prayers!" Ruwen encouraged the fair lad.

"I've tried everything, but she just laughs at me. Please help me. Prepare me a love potion, please! You can have all the money I saved." He took a small burse out of his pocket, turned it over and three small coins rolled in Ruwen's open hand.

Immediately Ruwen was aware of the lad's problem. He was poor as a church mouse and the girl seemed to be the richest farmer's daughter. In the blink of an eye he recalled the appropriate recipe to solve the lad's problem. "Follow me to our cart. While I will fetch five of the ingredients necessary for your remedy, you have to prepare the sixth one, the most important one."

"I am just a poor day labourer's son. I do not know anything about medicine! How will I be able to contribute to the ingredients?"

"You have to contribute your share to the potion to make it successful! And you can!" Ruwen insisted with a grin, "But at first tell me your name! I need it for the love potion!"

The poor boy, suspecting Ruwen wanted to jack up the price, made his last try. "Here take this silver ring also; I got it for my love as a betrothal gift."

Ruwen had to suppress laughter because the ring was cheap and surely not silver, "Keep your coins, keep the silver ring, what I need is something else, something only you can contribute."

"My name is Fintan. Everybody has called me Fair Fynn as far back as I can think back! But I am ashamed of this name now, because I am grown up! So please call me Fynn." Blushing even more, he bowed in front Ruwen, "Please, great magician, tell me now what I have to do! What do you want me to do?"

"What do you do, Fynn, when you are dreaming of lovely Sinah at night? What are you doing when you dream of Sweetie Sini in the outhouse? Tell me!"

Fynn blushed! He knew what he was doing, when he thought of his Sweetie Sini in his bed; when he thought of Sweetie Sini while having his pants at his ankles in the outhouse. But he didn't dare to tell the truth to the magician, this famous magician. This awe-inspiring magician surely was thinking of something more divine!

Noticing the blushing face of the Fair Fynn, Ruwen grinned and then he touched the startled lad at the crotch and began to feel him up. With a giggle the great Magician remarked, "I knew it. Even my words can work wonders; they can make soft wood hard." Probing some more, he added, "Don't be ashamed, you got a wood like the Pharos of Alexandria!"

Fair Fynn froze with awe and respect and didn't dare to move. Ruwen put on a solemn face, fished Fynn's wood out of his pants and commanded the fair lad, "Whack off! Do it right away because your spunk will be the essential ingredient of the love potion."

Fair Fynn was still scared stiff, but the red head of his dick would surely be able set the cart on fire. Sniggering, Ruwen began to polish the confused lad's wood with great relish. After a while Fair Fynn relaxed and began to toss off, while the great magician fetched a small vial to collect the precious stuff.

With a loud groan Fair Fynn shot off a huge load filling half of the vial. Ruwen added a pinch of the ground tip of a billy goat's cock, of ground boar testicles, of dried stinkhorn witch's eggs and of the essence of lovage. Swaying to and fro, Ruwen began to chant with low voice pretending the song was a charm. Meanwhile, he mixed the ingredients carefully, with brandy, and flavoured the potion with honey and the essence of red roses.

Si puer cum pullula

moraretur in cellula,

felix coniunctio.

Amore suscrescente

pariter e medio

avulso procul tedio,

fit ludus ineffabilis

membris, lacertis, labii!

The song wasn't a charm and Ruwen wasn't sure if the love potion would work either. But he was pretty sure of it.

Ruwen returned the three coins and the ringlet to the lad and commanded, "Now get going, Fair Fynn, your sweetheart has to enjoy the love potion tonight, tomorrow its power may be gone."

Back in the taproom Sturdy Uri asked Ruwen in a timid voice, "Where is the fair lad; where is Fair Fynn?" And, blushing, he added, "I don't see him. He left with you! Where is he now, Master?"

"He sure did. He was in a hurry, however, I do not know where he went, but I'd guess he went to visit his sweetheart, Sweetie Sini!"

Sturdy Uri grew pale and uttering a hopeless sigh, he stormed out of the tavern.

*.*.*

 

Fair Fynn rushed to the burgomaster's stately estate. Spying through the windows, he found his sweetheart in the kitchen, sewing clothes. Tapping on the door, he shyly stepped closer. Blushing from ear to ear, he bowed deeply in front of the queen of his heart and offered her the vial with the love potion. "Dearest Sinah, will you accept my present, my dearest Lady? I got this present for you at the market today. The wise magician prepared it especially for you, my lovely lady!"

Sweetie Sini laughed, but then she got curious and opened the small vial. "Oh!" she exclaimed with surprise, "What a lovely scent! Fintan, your present brings back the summer nights to me. It smells like a thousand roses. I think I feel faint!"

"You haven't tasted it yet! You have to try it to experience its full power. It works wonders! It tastes sweet, like honey in summer, and rich, like the fallen apples in October."

"You try it first, maybe you want to poison me!" Sinah bid Fintan.

Just kissing the cup, Fair Fynn's heart began to race and his eyes brightened. He was tempted to empty the vial.

Watching his eyes going wide in excitement, Sinah wrenched the vial out of his hands and dipped the tip of her tongue into the potion. The scent and the flavour overwhelmed her too. She couldn't help and she did a big swing. Her body exploded, A fire, never experienced before, spread through her veins and her eyes widened and sparkled like stars.

Just at that moment, Sturdy Uri, her brother, broke into the kitchen, searching for Fair Fynn. He nearly tripped over the doorstep and had to hold onto Fintan to avoid kissing the floor. Fair Fynn turned pale in fright and Sturdy Uri blushed.

The intense scent of the potion hit Uri's nostrils. "What is this in that vial?" he stammered, "Let me try it too. This scent makes my heart melt." And without asking permission, he swallowed the remainder of the love potion.

Sturdy Uri's body burst into shudders, his eyes sparkled, but just when he was about to take Fair Fynn into a bear hug, his father, the burgomaster, hollered from the barn, "The cow is calving! Get out here, boy! Quick! Uri, I need your help in the cow-barn!"

Sinah however, to her own surprise, discovered for the first time in her life just how fair their poor neighbour's lad was. Everybody called him Fair Fynn, but for her he had been always the poor, but nice, son of the widow next door. For Sinah, Fintan was not somebody to fall in love with.

However, tonight everything was different. The light of the oil lamp was brighter than ever, the dark shadows in the corners were deeper than ever and the Fintan was the fairest lad she had ever seen. "Fintan, Fintan!" she exclaimed in wonder. Yes, Fintan was really Fair Fynn, he was the fairest of all lads. Sinah couldn't help but take him in her arms and kiss him. Like she was under the command of a heavenly power, she took his hand and guided him into the main room, and to her parents' four poster bed. She shed all her clothes, pulled back the curtains, reclined in the soft pillows and declared, with her sweetest voice, "Dear Fintan, I love you so! Dearest Fintan, I need you so! Please make love to me!"

*.*.*

 

Being out of his senses Fair Fynn leaped into the bed and began to cover Sweetie Sini´s body with hot kisses. At first he kissed her sweet face, then her blooming bosom, her stiff nipples, her soft navel and finally her fragrant pubes. When he arrived at her pussy, he nearly fainted. It was hot and wet and dripping of honey. He touched the love button with the tip of his tongue and went nearly crazy. This time he didn't need a helping hand. He hadn't made love to a girl before, but the burning tip of his hard cock found her honey pot at once and their first flight into a timeless land began.

Coming down from the high of their first love making, they rested, holding each other in a tight embrace. Sweetie Sini was still in another land. This flight was so perfect, so unbelievable perfect. She had lost her virginity to Uri, when she was ten years and he was twelve. She had made love with boys in the bushes during the rites of spring, but none of those bore the slightest resemblance to this flight.

She had to repeat the voyage through the stars; now. It was her turn to caress Fair Fynn from head to toe. She started with his forehead, turned to his red lips, nibbled his earlobes and finally kissed the head of his cock. Fintan had creamed her pussy, but his swollen cock was still hard as an oak. She wanted it differently now. She knelt down on all fours and presented her cream-white bumcheeks to him and asked "Dear Fynn, Fair Fynn, please make love to me again. I want to be your stud for ever."

Knowing how stallions act, the fair lad began to sniff the cleft between the white mounds of her bum, inhaled the scent of her wet pussy and then began to tease her pussy with his pulsing member. When he finally could not control himself anymore, he rammed his hot cock between the dark red lips of her pussy with one thrust. The swollen lips caught his rod vise-like and the sensitive head of his dick caressed her hot tunnel. He kissed her back along the spine, squeezed her tits, licked her white shoulders and tasted her earlobes.

Sinah's body quivered from head to toe and sweat poured from every pore of her body. Fair Fynn lasted and lasted, moving his rod in and out of her pussy like a demon. She moaned and gasped, pushed back and constrained her love channel to heighten their pleasures. Exhausted and glistening of sweat all over Fair Fynn gave a last and mighty thrust and filled her pussy, for the second time, with his semen. Both collapsed in the soft sheets.

Fair Fynn was drained for the moment, because he had spent his semen for the third time this evening, but Sweetie Sini wasn't worn out and she wanted more, much more. Up to now they had made love in the cosy darkness of the four poster bed. She hadn't seen Fair Fynn naked before and now was curious how he looked in his birthday suit. She pulled back the curtain. In front of her rested the most delicate lad she had ever seen. He was slender and lean, with strong muscles on his arms and legs, and no fat on his belly nor on his hips. Between his legs dangled the sweetest toy Sweetie Sini could imagine. His spend cock looked like one belonging to a young boy, but she knew better from the love dance before. She wanted his member hard again. She kissed his cock, licked its tip and finally sucked it. She was successful. The little boy's toy started to grow. It got hard again and filled her mouth completely. She closed the curtain, squatted over Fair Fynn's lower body and directed the red-hot rod deep into her dripping honey pot. The rod entered her pussy like a thread entered the eye of a needle. She began bouncing up and down on top of him, while he cherished her bosom, sucking the nipples and biting gently into the white flesh.

Suddenly the door of the house crashed open and her father's voice called out loudly, "Dear daughter, where are you? I have your favourite drink, the first milk of a new mother cow!"

Sweetie Sini and Fair Fynn froze in panic, but nevertheless, with a last upward thrust, he filled her pussy with his hot spunk.

"I've got an aching belly, father, a terrible tearing and tugging between my legs! Father, I never had this prickling feeling down here before. I just had to get some relief in your four poster bed!" She slipped out of the bed, wrapped only in a blanket, and hurried to her father, waiting in the kitchen, and planted a peck on his cheek.

"Oh, poor girl. Your face looks as if it is on fire." he uttered, anxious. "Hurry back into bed; I am afraid the fever will kill you."

"Yes, Dad, dear Dad. My whole body is dripping with sweat! But I just need a little rest to recover!"

While Sinah was diverting her father's attention, Fynn left the room through the window, in his birthday suit, his clothes in his arms.

*.*.*

 

Sturdy Uri had been in a bad mood ever since his father had called him to the barn to help with the calving heifer. For more than two hours he had been supervising the labouring cow. 'Wouldn't you know it', he thought, `just at that crucial moment, the heifer was due to calve'. Just at the moment when he had finally overcome his timid heart and decided to take a big step forward, the heifer needs help.

Finally the calf slipped out of his mother. It was strong bull-calf. In the blink of an eye the bullock was standing on his legs and began to search for milk between his mother's legs.

The young farmer cringed when his father batted his back. "Well done, son; that heifer is a hit. That's all your credit!"

"No, Dad! No! You taught me about breeding!"

"No, no, my son, you are the best breeder all around. I am so proud of you. Since you began tending the cows, sheep and goats eight years ago, the offspring turn out better from year to year. Look at the young cow, her smooth fur, her soft belly, her stately back! And she likes you so much, look how she is eying you. And look boy, this fine bullock, you have to be proud of your breeding!"

Sturdy Uri was jumpy, because he expected that Fair Fynn and his sister Sinah were still in the main room, may be even in the four poster bed! Something was different today. His sister had always jibed at Fintan, because he was the son of the poor widow next door. He had asked her about Fynn, but all she answered was, "I know he loves me, but dear brother, I want a rich husband, not a poor farmer or day labourer like Fintan!"

Now they had been together for more than two hours already. He knew that for sure, because he had spied on the two. What did this mean? He was unable to make heads and tails out of their being together. And, what was even worse, he couldn't make heads or tails out of his feeling towards Fintan. Just thinking of Fair Fynn made his cock go hard and pulse like crazy. He was mad about Fynn; feelings he had had for him for years.

When his father left for the kitchen and entered the house, the window of the main room swung open. He saw Fintan slip out of the window in his birthday suit and clutching his clothes.

Sturdy Uri knew he had to act. It was now or never! He hid himself by the door of the barn, in the dark. When Fair Fynn rushed by, Uri grabbed his shoulders and pulled him into the barn. Holding the trembling Fintan in a tight hug the he stuttered, "My, my, my dearest Fynn, I have to confess to you. I have loved you since we were boys. I am crazy for you, and have been since we skinny–dipped together for the first time. Remember, just me and you, behind the willows?" Fighting for breath, Sturdy Uri continued, "I didn't dare to tell you till now. But tonight I got the courage!" Taking a deep breath of the cold night air, he took the Fair Fynn into his strong arms and carried him into the barn, kissing him over and over.

Fintan's heart nearly stopped when the cold hands gripped him. He nearly soiled his pants, but being bare assed, that wasn't possible. He wanted to fall onto his knees and beg for mercy. But then he heard these words, and was smothered in all these kisses, these unexpected kisses, these hot kisses all over his face; kisses from his Uri, from Sturdy Uri. He fainted, stunned by the events of the last hours.

*.*.*

 

Sturdy Uri was desperate. In his arms he was carrying the dream of his life, but the perfect body of his boy-love was limp; limp like the body of the horse-thief he had hit on the head this afternoon. Had he killed Fair Fynn with his words? Oh, Virgin Mary, please don't let my love die! Tears began streaming down his cheeks. In the warm hay of the cold barn he put his dream-boy down in the cosy nest he had prepared for Fintan and himself.

Fair Fynn came to his senses in the soft hay. Uri was holding him tight in his strong arms, whispering again and again "I love you, my Fair Fynn! I love you! Do you love me too? Please, do not die!"

Fintan opened his eyes and searched Uri's eyes. He locked his dark eyes with the blue ones of the trembling Sturdy Uri holding him. He sighed with pleasure and gave up all his resistance.

Sturdy Uri had never, never in his life felt so high. At first he showered the face of his dream-boy with hot kisses, then he turned to Fair Fynn's hairless breast, sucked the tiny nipples, he cleaned the navel with his tongue, sniffed the scent of the pubes, liked the purple knob of his dream-boy's flaccid prick. He sucked every single toe, then lifted his dream boy's legs over his head and inhaled the odour of the cleft between the perfect mounds of the little ass. And there it was, Uri's great dream, Fynn's tender rosebud surrounded by a rim of soft hairs.

Sturdy Uri was drunk with desire. He shed his clothing and began another discovery tour. This time Fair Fynn responded with kisses, but not only kisses. He sucked the dark-haired lad's lips, bit into his earlobes, licked the silky tip of his aching cock head and finally turned around to offer his hot rosebud to Uri.

Sturdy Uri inserted his tongue deep between the fair lad's mounds. He probed the rosebud with the dip of his tongue. The taste was overwhelming, far better than honey and sweet cake.

Fair Fynn loved every moment of this treatment. He began to wiggle his bum, because his rosebud had never enjoyed such pleasure before. He had tried a lot of things during the last several years to make his rosebud feel good. He had used his wet finger to tease his hole; he had poked in cucumbers in summer and carrots in winter and he had even tried to plug in the cold rod of a dead boar. Nothing could compare to Uri's hot tongue. His desire increased and he pushed back with all his might and his rose bud opened more and more. He nearly panicked when the sweet ministrations suddenly ended, but then his heart began to jump with joy. His lean body was suddenly covered by Sturdy Uri's strong body, whose husky voice asked, "Can I be the first? Can I be the one to take your virginity?"

Fair Fynn's heart jumped with joy and he began to press his waiting rosebud against the tip of the Uri's pulsing rod. At first the silky head touched the rosebud only slightly, but then it pushed apart the tight muscle ring and advanced further and further into the waiting channel. In minute steps the cock slipped deeper and deeper into Fintan, till it was buried up to the root in his warm body.

Uri's rod pulsed. It felt so perfect inside the Fair Fynn's body. He had penetrated virgin ewes and goats, heifers and innocent studs, but nothing could compare to his feelings now. He didn't need to move a single bit. All by itself his rod began to swell and swell, its pulses increased and without a thrust Uri's semen flooded Fynn's hot channel. Suddenly Uri's brain was drained. Dead tired, he fell into the hay, while Fair Fynn still moaned in ecstasy.

Clinging to each other tightly, the young lads recovered bit by bit. Then Fair Fynn turned around, demanding of Uri, "Take me again! I want to feel you inside me again! I need to, please!" Fynn opened his legs wide and invited the young farmer for a second round, this time face to face. This journey lasted longer, much longer. Starting with kisses on every single part of the Fair Fynn's body, the strong lad finally sucked the worn-out prick of his lover-boy back to life. Caressing this precious part with his left hand, he inserted his own hard rod in the glistening love tunnel. A long ride began; one which didn't seem to end. But eventually both came together. Fair Fynn's hot spunk decorated both bellies. Sturdy Uri didn't want to waste a single drop of this precious cream. He licked clean his dream-boy's breast and belly. Then he turned his Fair Fynn onto his belly and savoured every drop of semen emerging from the now dark red rosebud.

Spooning tightly, Sturdy Uri and Fair Fynn slept till the roosters announced the end of the night. But, they didn't want to depart from each other without a third round of love making, and, like a self-controlled missile, the head of Uri's hard member searched out the rosebud in Fair Fynn's cleft, and the love game started all over again.

*.*.*

 

The cleaning of the cow-barn lasted longer than usual. Not only because of the number of kisses the two lovers exchanged, but also because Sturdy Uri decided to introduced his Fair Fynn to his special way of breeding farm animals.

When Uri was eight, he had a little pet, a ewe lamb called Lisa, with the softest coat of white wool, with long eyelashes and a sweet little nose. One morning however, the lamb seemed to be sick. Instead of wandering around in the pasture she stayed close to her little shepherd, with her head hanging down. He caressed her, he fondled her, but in vain. Then he noticed that her little sweet cunt was red and winking. He took her to his father; "Daddy, Daddy, look! Lisa is sick! Look, her cunt is on fire!" His dad only laughed at young Uri, "Your little love is grown up now and wants to make love. Take her to the ram!"

Uri hated the ram because he was fat, smelled bad, and always wanted to fight him. He didn't want sweet Lisa to become a martyr to this old ram.

Contemplating the situation seriously, his little pecker got hard. It got so hard and itchy that Uri decided to make love to Lisa himself. He inserted his stiffy in her soft cunt and Lisa seemed to love it. She stayed with him for three days and he did her time and again. On the fourth day his dad asked, "Have you brought your Lisa to the ram yet? It's high time now, if you want to have lambs next year." With a guilty conscience, he offered her to the ram. But sadly, Lisa was not faithful to Uri and loved the ram too.

This little adventure made Uri addicted to ewe lambs. From then on, he deflowered every ewe lamb before he introduced it to the ram. His mode of teaching little ewes how to make love turned out to be very successful, because next year his father's flock of sheep had a lot lambs. Uri decided to employ this successful method of breeding with goats as well. With every growth spurt of his young body his pecker grew too, and with every growth spurt of his pecker, Uri was ready for bigger tasks. His next task was the improvement of cattle breeding and then of horse breeding.

His dad praised his skills and all the other farmers of the village got envious. When his little sister Sinah became ten, she wanted to know how to successfully breed all these animals. Uri showed her and after his lessons she was no longer a virgin.

Despite his big success as a breeder and his standing in the group of his peers, Sturdy Uri was unhappy. That was because of Fair Fynn, his neighbour's son. For as far back as Uri could remember, they were best friends, but at thirteen something changed. Uri got butterflies in his stomach as soon he was close to Fintan, Fair Fynn. He tried to fight these feelings because they both were boys. He told himself, I am the richest lad in town and I should not be friends with the poorest lad. And Fintan got poorer every year, because his father died, and his mother got sick and the livestock got blacklegs and perished. Uri tried everything he could think of to distract his feelings; he made love to his sheep, his goats, his calves, and his fillies. Uri even made love to girls, but it was all in vain. Every night he had dreamed of Fair Fynn, but today Fair Fynn's love potion had changed everything. Now he was sure about one thing: Fintan was his destiny.

He had two great presents to offer his Fair Fynn. He decided to offer him the second best immediately. He was going to introduce Fintan to the right way of breeding livestock. He explained, "When a heifer gets hot for the first time, you have to be the one to teach her love, only you and not the bull! This will give the cow all the blessing she needs for her offspring and for her future life! I have a present for you my love, a virgin heifer! Make love to her now!"

The virgin heifer was unwilling at first, but the petting by Uri and Fintan's hot cock of pistoning in and out of her cunt made her snatch wink with pleasure. When Uri brought the young bull along, he felt the heifer's excitement and in only one lunge he mated her.

Sturdy Uri smiled, content; kissed his dream-boy and stated proudly, "My livestock proves that we have to be partners for our lifetimes."

*.*.*

 

Uri's still excited sister waited for him at the breakfast table. She couldn't stand the itch in her pussy any longer and needed relief urgently. Since last nigh,t she was sure of the remedy, Fair Fynn. She nearly dropped the bowl with the hot morning porridge when the door opened and two laughing lads entered holding hands, Sturdy Uri and Fair Fynn. She was used to the smell of cows that her brother gave off when he came from the cow-barn, but the scent of the two was different. They smelled of cows, but also another, much stronger, odour.

She gave her brother a quick peck on each cheek, inhaling his scent. He smelled of cows and of love making! She turned to Fair Fynn and kissed him hard on the mouth. He smelled of cows and love making too, but distinctly different from the night before. She got curious! What had the two lads done? She asked Fintan, "Did you have a peaceful night? I couldn't sleep, as my body was itching all over!"

Fair Fynn blushed, recalling the all unanticipated events since his meeting with the magician, and stammered, "I...I...!"

Sturdy Uri, knowing his sister well, answered with a mocking voice, "After his hasty retreat from your bed, I caught Fintan at the barn door and he had to pay for all the evil acts he had done to you; for all the harm!" and then, grinning like a Cheshire cat, he added, "I made him pay back in full measure what he did to you; all the pains...!"

Now she laughed out loud, "Did you make love to Fair Fynn, too? Did he enjoy your punishments?"

Fair Fynn blushed and tried to scurry off, but Sturdy Uri intercepted him laughingly, "We know all about each other! We share all our secrets! Do not be embarrassed."

Sitting at the table, relaxed between sister and brother, Fintan was soon comfortable enough to fight with Sinah and Uri for the last morsel. As soon as the bowls were swept clean she breathed into the fair lad's ear, temptingly, "Do you like honey, Fintan? You haven't found the honey pot yet, Fair Fynn."

His mouth watered, because he liked sweets. But there was no honey pot on the table; there wasn't any on top of the sideboard either. "Am I blind?" he asked.

Sister and brother laughed impishly. Snickering, Sweetie Sini guided his left hand to her lap, where the honey pot was already on display. At first Fynn's fingers touched the soft fur of Sweetie Sini's pubes, then fondled the swollen lips of her pussy, kneaded her love button for a moment and finally dived deep into her warm wet slit. The girl leaned into him and began to thrust back vigorously.

Sturdy Uri, the naughty rascal, pretended to be new to the game and reproached, "Don't murder my sister, Fair Fynn; I need my lovely sister. She is all I have besides you! Look, she is already out of breath!" But Urs wanted his part in the fun too. He took Fintan's other hand, "Your right hand needs to be occupied too!" He put it around his pulsing member and asked, "What do you think of my candle? Isn't it hot as hell!"

Just before Sweetie Sini and Sturdy Uri climaxed, the door of the house slammed open and their father clomped into the kitchen. He saw a beautiful picture. Sitting on the bench seat behind the table the three beamed like the Holy Trinity at Pentecost. "Dear children, your faces are red like beets! What kind of contagious disease have you got?"

"Oh father, dear father, I have this awful itch down there again." Sweetie Sini answered for the rest, "I need a remedy!"

"I consulted Fintan's mother. I had to consult with her all night long, till she finally told me the remedy!" and with a bright smile he continued, "You need to be married, and the sooner the better! I know just the right groom for you; your late mother's cousin's oldest son!"

"Oh, dear father, I thank you so much, but I have already made my choice!" looking at her amazed father, Sini continued, "You know him, and I think you like him! It's Fintan!"

Sinah's father gasped for breath, "No! I like him, but..." He wanted to say `not that poor wretch; not that day labourer', even with Fynn sitting right there, but he could not finish his sentence because of Uri interrupting.

"I agree with Sinah, he is the one. I want him as my brother, too!" and then smiling, "We three, Sinah, Fynn and me will manage the farm! Don't object...Fintan is as a good a breeder as I am!"

Sinah added, with a sly grin, "Father, weren't you aware that we know about your nightly consultations with Fintan's mother? She will need your help more than ever, because Fintan is ours now!"

*.*.*

 

On the second day after Christmas a big wedding took place. The whole village was invited and Sturdy Uri was the best man at this wedding of Sweetie Sini and Fair Fynn. When the festivity was over and all the guests gone, Sinah, Fintan and Uri met in the four poster bed in their birthday suits. Fair Fynn took the middle; Sweetie Sini was on Fynn's left side and Sturdy Uri on his right. After the stresses of the this wonderful day had eased, Uri was the first to kiss Fynn, but Sini joined in enthusiastically, and Fynn did his best to cuddle and hug both siblings. That night the three had a great time caressing and fondling each other and playing all the games young lovers are supposed to play on their wedding night. But being three, they had many more choices. When they were close to climaxing for the third or fourth time, Sturdy Uri turned to Fair Fynn, "I bestowed on you my second best present that first night, in the cow-barn; my breeding knowledge. But, tonight, I will offer you my very best, my virginity. My rosebud is yours. Please take me!"

Sinah just smiled because she was already exhausted from serving first Fynn and then Uri. "Take his virginity! He has saved it for you, Fair Fynn! He loves you as much as I love you!"

About nine months later, Sinah gave birth to two strong boys. One was dark-eyed like Fintan and the other blue-eyed like Uri. About nine years later, the two strong boys, one slender like Fynn and the other sturdy like Uri, discovered on their own how to improve the breeding of ewe lambs. Actually, they rediscovered the method, after they caught Fair Fynn and Sturdy Uri having fun together in their little love nest in the hay loft in the cow barn.

That is the end of this little story inside the story. I hope you enjoyed it! But don't worry, that's not the end of Fair Fynn and Sturdy Uri. You will meet these two again soon!

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.**.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

 

 

- Dancing Through the Winter-time -

- resumed -

 

! Dangerous Runaway Wanted !

! Wanted Dead or Alive !

! Reward: 10 Gold Ducats !

The `wanted' poster recovered by Sturdy Uri from the pocket the foxy guy, Count Menno's spy, was more than an unpleasant surprise to our four friends. It was a huge threat, especially to Anzo. Luckily the drawing on the poster didn't resemble the young Count of Veldegg very closely. Non-the-less he got scared. "Let's leave this town immediately and hide in that old castle in the mountains that you talked about yesterday, Berrit!" Anzo implored full of despair. "I will never ever be able to go back to Veldegg, as long as Menno is alive!"

"There is no sense in leaving tonight." Bastian, down to earth like only a farmer's son could be, shook his head, "It's pitch dark already; the road is too rough and full of bumps. Nobody can drive a cart safely up into the mountains in the dark! We'll have to stay for now. Believe me, tonight we will be safe here!"

"Please, let's start now! My step uncle's blood hounds will soon be here again!"

"You may be right, but at the moment I can't see any imminent danger for you, Anzo." Ruwen assured his friend.

Berrit consoled Anzo by taking him into a tight embrace and kissing him, saying, "You need not to be afraid, my dear Anzo. You've got three able-bodied friends to thwart every attack!" Thimus, not really aware of the danger his big friend was in, embraced both, Anzo and Berrit, and smiled, "You know, my Anzo, you have four able friends, not just three! I am a prince and I will fight for you. Nobody in this world can do you any harm!"

At midmorning the next day, the party of the magicians left the small town. Just outside, at the place where a bridge crossed the swift water coming down from the glacier, a slender lad called them to a halt. Ruwen didn't recognize him at first, because the young man beamed from ear to ear. "You saved my life, Great Mimir. Now I not only have the sweetest bride of the whole world, but I've also got back the friend whose love I have been missing for a long time!" Opening his pack Fynn produced five white eggs. "I don't have more to offer to you in return for the love potion, but these are the best eggs one can find around here! They will make you strong, you and your friends!"

About three miles up the steep road the clopping of a fast approaching horse alerted the travellers to someone coming from behind them. They turned their coats inside out and prepared their weapons for defense. Now the great Healer Mimir was again Ruwen, and his faithful servant Galahad turned once again into Bastian. On their coats, the sons of the three Norns sported their emblem with the Tree of Life, the Yggdrasil. Abu Sina had transformed into Berrit, the Duke of Quentisburry, proudly showing his coat of arms with the silver falcon. Even Anzo displayed an emblem on his cape. During his confinement in Veldegg he had devised his own arms of coat. It had three red roses in a dark blue field, on shield of silver.

Ruwen and Anzo hid behind some trees to the left and right sides of the road, while Berrit and Bastian waited for the unknown follower in the cover of the cart. When the rider arrived, the four companions challenged him, with their arms drawn. His horse rose on its hind legs and the rider dismounted precipitously. Now on his knees in the mud, the rider held his hands above his head, begging for mercy. "Don't kill me, noble knights! I surrender! I surrender! Have mercy; please don't kill me, noble knights! I am only a poor farmer! I've got nothing but my horse! Take the horse, take my clothes, but spare my life!"

Ruwen recognized the shaking lad. It was Sturdy Uri the strong lad, who had killed the spy! He smiled, put his sword back into its sheath and asked, "Aren't you Uri, the burgomaster's son, the lad who killed Menno's spy?"

Uri looked at Ruwen and the others in wonder. He didn't understand what was happening! What was this knight talking about? How would he know poor Uri?

Ruwen took Uri by the hand to help him out of the mud. "Don't you recognize me and my friends? We are the healers, the magicians! Look!" Uri still looked blank. "We are not really simple healers; we are of noble origin." Ruwen added, "Look!" pointing at Berrit, "That's your lord, Duke Berrit of Quentisburry; that's Anzo, Count of Veldegg; and we three are princes also, the Midsummer Night Princes, Bastian and Ruwen, and little Lord Thimus!"

Now Uri caught on. "You are the Magician Mimir and these are your friends! Thank God! Thank God! I am so happy! I finally caught up with you! I nearly raced my horse to death!"

"Is something wrong in the village? Is somebody sick and needs our help?"

"No! Everything is fine! Everything is great! I am so happy. Fair Fynn is happy and my sister Sinah is happy too! Thanks to the love potion, I have my friend back and Sweetie Sini will have the best husband in the world!" Uri's excitement wouldn't let him stop talking! "Now Fair Fynn is mine, for ever!"

The four burst out with laughter and Berrit asked Ruwen, "Great Mimir, what have you done? What kind of love potion did you mix?" Then he turned to Uri, "Congratulations, Mimir discovered the most miraculous love potion of them all!"

"Let me now pay off my great debt of gratitude!" Uri said, and out of his an embroidered burse he took a nugget of gold as big as a hen's egg. "That's my life savings. Take it. It's much less than you bestowed upon me; you gave me back my life, my Fintan!"

The four friends looked each other in the eyes and then told Uri in unison, "Keep your gold! Your love for Sinah and Fynn is more then we could expect! Keep the gold and attain happiness with your beloved forever!"

Thimus, watching the discussion closely, approached Sturdy Uri's horse and pointed at the little drum attached to the saddle, "Leave us this timbrel! We can use this tambourine to shoo away evil ghosts and our enemies!"

"But it's just a tambourine I crafted myself. It's of no value at all!"

"Give it to Thimus, please! He is right. You crafted it at the winter solstice, right? It's worth more than gold! But, don't forget to make yourself another one this midwinter!"

*.*.*

 

In the evening, the four friends and little Thimus rested in an old bothy high on the mountain pass, the crossing of four roads. They had gathered around a low fire to discuss their route.

"I will go back to Veldegg only when I am strong enough to overthrow Menno, that dreadful tyrant. I want to set my people free!" Anzo swore.

"Let's take the road to the west. I want to see Paris, the fabulous city, and visit the miraculous springs of Brittany!" Bastian proposed, "I want to see the world!"

"I promised my mother to make a pilgrimage to the holy waters of Saint Oranna and thank her for safeguarding me during the murderous attempt back in Quentisburry." Berrit put forward, "From there, we should go to Trescrossing to find out why the Archbishop hates my father."

While Anzo was leaning on Berrit, and Ruwen was cuddling with Bastian, little Thimus felt alone and left out. At first he had been playing with the timbrel, but now tears poured down his little face and he sniffled, heartbroken.

"What is the matter, little prince? Are you sad?" Ruwen asked worried.

"You each have a friend; Anzo loves Berrit, Bastian loves you; but I, I am the only one without a friend! I am so sad!" and he started crying.

Anzo took Thimus in his arms and placed him on his lap.

"Don't be sad, little prince!" Ruwen continued, "I know a friend is waiting for you in Quentisburry! I am sure you will love him, like we big ones like each other!" Turning to the others, "For three night now, in a dream, I have seen Jannes waiting on top of the city gate, watching out for us. We promised him to take him along as an apprentice, but then we left without warning."

You are right! First we should return to my father's castle to spend the wintertime there!" Berrit stated, and turning to little Thimus, "Don't be sad anymore, little friend. Soon we will be in Quentisburry! Tomorrow morning we will start for home!"

Two days later, around noon, the little cavalcade arrived at the hills overlooking Quentisburry. Jannes, waiting in his lookout on the city gate was the first to notice the arriving cavalcade, "Father, Father!" he called, "Come quick, look the healers are coming. I told you they would be back for the Christmas market!"

"I'm not sure, Jannes. I don't see the drawings on the canvas!"

"But I am sure, Father, my heart knows!" and with that remark he climbed down the stairs of the tower and raced to be the first one to meet them.

Coming closer to the approaching cavalcade, Jannes wasn't nearly as convinced as he had been up on the tower. The young man on the black horse was wearing a coat with the emblem of a green tree and not a cloak with runes. The other rider, the one on the brown horse, had an emblem with a silvery falcon. But then he recognized the first one. He called "Mimir, Mimir, is that you?"

Ruwen smiled, and lifted Jannes onto his horse, "Sure, it is I, and that man you know as Ibn Sina, is actually your duke's son, Duke Berrit! And look, there is Galahad, his real name is Bastian. He is my friend and that is Berrit's true love, Anzo."

Jannes was struck with awe, but he didn't have a chance to recover from this news, because a small boy jumped out of the cart, shouting on top of his voice, "Jannes, Jannes, I am Thimus! I need a friend too. Would you like to be my best friend?" and then he joined Jannes on the horse's back.

When the small cavalcade passed through the city gate all the church bells began to chime, announcing the happy return of the Duke Berrit and his friend Anzo, the Count of Veldegg, the midnight princes Ruwen and Bastian, and last but not least, two proud little boys, Thimus and Jannes.

 

AUTHOR NOTE

I would like to express my special thanks to B. for doing a wonderful job by correcting all the wrong expressions and the punctuation used by a non native English writer.

Comments, reviews, questions and complaints are welcomed. Please send them to Ruwen Rouhs. And I would like to add, thanks for reading.

e-mail: ruwenrouhs@hotmail.de

Copyright Notice - Copyright © 2008

The author copyrights this story and retains all rights. This work may not be duplicated in any form – physical, electronic, audio, or otherwise – without the author's expressed permission. All applicable copyright laws apply.

 

Ruwen Rouhs