Word spread quickly across the northern highlands, especially with such good news on the wind. The demon stronghold had fallen! Their enemies had been scattered like ashes after a great fire, and their warriors were coming home.

That of course meant that the villages along the highlands were expected to care for these warriors on their journey home, and most were only too happy to oblige. There were celebrations everywhere, but for Anya some of these soldiers were a little too eager to have fun. Specifically with her.

She was grateful to her aunt who pulled Anya aside, decanter under one arm as she explained that these two men were the soldier’s leaders and they wished for somewhere more restful to spend the night. Anya was told to take them back to her own home on the edge of the village, with the goats, to give them peace.

Anya obliged. The two men followed her without complaint from the sticky air of the halls and the noise and singing out into the cool of the evening. At first she only felt relief then as she glanced back to them she realised this wasn’t entirely a more relaxing prospect.

One of the men was older, which was surprising to her. Most of the other soldiers were young people, but his temples were greying and there were lines about his mouth that spoke of smiles as much as shouts. Days marching in the sun had left lines in his skin where his now absent armour had protected him.

The younger of the two locked eyes with Anya when she looked at him, turning down a more narrow path to her home, the sound of goats bleating getting louder with each step. She found an excuse to look away sharply, feeling her face get hot. He was keen eyed, and there had been marks on his fingers and forearms that spoke of a seasoned archer.

When she told them to close the gate behind them so the goats wouldn’t rush out, she glanced at them both again. Soldier’s both but of a different cut. In her mind she could easily see that their choice of weapon had molded them into the shape that they now were before her.

The older of the two secured the gate with a tug and a quick fasten of the latch without problem, employing his thighs to heave it closed. The younger glanced around and spotted the fresh stones in the walls surrounding the pens, the newer paint in specific part of the house. The new door where the hinges had been bent and re-bent back into shape.

There was a lot of space for one goat girl in that house. Neither soldier commented on it. They knew that the highlands had been badly hurt. That demons needed food as much as anyone else. That goat was delicious and easy to carry. Humans made a lot of noise and were difficult to move. Better to just be rid of them.

Anya introduced herself as she entered inside and asked them to remove their sandals, knocking the dust from her own as she did so. The older soldier informed her that his name was Minoas, and that the younger was Nik.

An awkward silence descended after that, only broken by the grumbling noises of goats outside. Anya pulled out the benches on either side of the table in the main room and then stared at Nik’s shoulders as he stretched and looked about curiously. After a moment Anya realised he was doing it on purpose as he smiled at her.

“Are you hungry?” She blurted out,

“Yes, some food would be appreciated.” Minoas sat himself down, either blind to Nik’s performance or too used to it to care.

“I don’t have anything like the feast in the hall but…uhm, we have cheese and goat, and some flatbread…oh I think I have wine somewhere.” Anya began digging into the darkness of the pantry.

“Wine! Wine and some water would be a blessing.” Nik cooed, leaning on one arm on the table, his eyes following her obviously.

Food was brought out on to several plates, simple and hearty and primarily from trade or goats. The wine was local and went down easily. As darkness began setting in Anya lit several oil lamps around the house.

The two soldiers were talking in warm, muted tones to one another. Sat in his loose tunic, thighs bare, Anya noted the thin scars on Minoas’ legs. They stopped abruptly in places, squared off at the ends. Slightly merry and tired she didn’t realise she was staring until Minoas cleared his throat.

“What troubles you?” He asked.

Anya stammered and hurriedly shook out the taper she had been using to light the lamps before it burnt her fingers. Nik laughed a little,

“She was admiring your scars!” He giggled.

Anya clamped her mouth shut and glared at Nik, her face hot and didn’t quite know what to do with herself.

“Well some of us do get close enough to fighting to receive scars, Nik.” Minoas said gently but his words seemed to cut Nik and he turned on the bench to pick up some more flat bread and cheese.

“Come, see if you like. It doesn’t bother me.” Minoas patted the space on the end of the bench away from Nik. Anya stood there for a moment, uncertain but feeling like Minoas being between herself and Nik was safe enough.

Anya perched on the end of the bench and Minoas pulled the lamp on the table a little closer to the both of them. He held out his hand for her, thinking that she had been looking at the many nicks and scars crossing it. His knuckles on his right hand were almost entirely white from them in places.

“Oh!” She said quietly in surprise and Minoas tilted his head, trying to glean what she had been looking at.

“She was looking at your battered legs old man.” Nik muttered with an amused tone.

It was Minoas’ turn to look a little red in the face then. His hand moved to touch at the edge of his thigh and Anya’s gaze followed it.

“They’re not battered!” Anya insisted, “I just thought that some of the scars on it were curious. That’s all.”

“Well that’s me told then.” Nik replied in amusement.

“The armour.” Minoas said shortly then nodded, looking back to Anya, “It’s stopped many blades and claws from bleeding me out.”

His finger traced an outline on his thigh where most of the scars ended sharply. Leg plating tied to his thighs to protect him. Anya stared in confusion for a moment then her own finger trailed down the outline of it, noticing the paler skin and making a soft noise of understanding.

Minoas’ leg tensed at the touch, surprised. When Anya’s finger had made its journey nearly up to his hip she paused, feeling the warmth of the wine robbing her of some of her senses she froze.

“Oh! I’m sorry.” She hurried off the bench, making Nik laugh and Minoas chuckle.

“It’s fine. You didn’t see the armour, you don’t know how it sits. You’re just curious.” Minoas poured them all another cup of watered wine and nudged at Nik to stop chuckling to himself.

“I have scars too you know.” Nik said arily as Anya perched on the bench on the other side of the table from him.

“Oh do you?” Anya did her best to sound disinterested but from how her eyes glanced over him it was obvious how she felt. Nik might have been a little more rough around the edges with her but his shoulders were strong and lean looking. On the whole the both of them were much more well behaved than their celebrating men in the halls.

“Look! I’ve survived a demon bite. Not everyone can say that.” He pulled up the shoulder on his tunic and showed Anya two half moon shaped scars. They weren’t pink or white but a rather unsettling black. The skin around them looked healthy, and so did Nik, so she held little fear about them.

They were unpleasant to look at, it made her remember things. She looked away from him, muttering something about how brave he must have been.

Night arrived and Anya went to prepare beds. Nik complained heartily that he wanted to sleep in a real bed for a change, but Minoas informed Nik that he wouldn’t be putting Anya out of her bed. Anya agreed.

Nik suggested that they would all fit in the bed together and Anya contested that, throwing an extra mattress on the floor next to the bed and telling Nik that he could sleep there or with the goats. Anya was brave from the wine and watched with satisfaction as Nik smirked at her telling him off and apologised to her. He was grateful for any bed at all.

Anya then added that Minoas could share the bed with her, as he seemed to be more well behaved. Minoas covered his mouth with his hand to hide a smile as Nik protested loudly all the way to the water barrel that this was preferential treatment. Then conceded that the elderly must be taken care of in their twilight years.

They took turns at the water barrel cleaning then slumped into their respective beds. It was warm enough to sleep in their tunics, which Anya was happy to, though there was a blanket for each of them in case it was needed.

Wine and weariness brought about sleep quickly. The throngs of crickets outside made a soothing background drone to drift off to, and even they were silent. It was then Anya stirred, half awake.

The shape in the bed next to her was confusing at first. Then as her mind woke up she recalled that Minoas was his name, that he was sharing her bed. The sound of gentle snoring from the floor reminded her that Nik was present as well.

Minoas warmth had made her shuffle closer to him in her sleep, which was a little embarrassing but he was asleep, he wasn’t to know. She moved a little closer and rest her head against his chest. He lay on his back, one hand over his middle the other at his side.

In the dark she looked at his profile, softly outlined by shadows. He smelled like warmth as well, she realised, momentarily pressing her face against his chest and tunic. It was nice. The sensation of closeness settled in her stomach, warming her through.

Curiously she looked at his thighs again, her fingers gently running over the strange, blunt ended scars. She felt the length of them then the undamaged skin beyond them, curious at the different sensations beneath her fingertips. After a few minutes of this Minoas took a deep sigh and shifted, causing Anya to freeze.

He didn’t seem to wake but some part of him was certainly…stirring. A bulge under his tunic tensed as her fingers moved over his thighs again. An intoxicating sensation, similar to the wine in her belly, filled her. She had done that to him! She was the source of that obvious enjoyment.

Men often had warm dreams, he wouldn’t know. She told herself this as her fingers moved over his thigh again, daring to graze the inner parts where more delicate skin sat. The bulge twitched and grew until she could almost see him. Almost.

Frustrated and painfully warm in places she glanced up to Minoas’ face to see that he still slept and tentatively reached out to lift that last edge of his tunic. Her fingers grazed him, fleetingly feeling warm skin when a snake quick hand snatched at her wrist.

She sucked in a breath and became rigid, slowly looking up to Minoas again. His eyes were dark but they were open and staring at her. He didn’t seem angry but there was an intensity about him that made her insides squirm.

A moment was spent in silence and his grip didn’t lessen as he pulled Anya’s face close up to his own and kissed her. It was rough and keen at first, making her feel strange and weak in her limbs but when he pulled away he released her wrist.

He glanced over to the floor where snoring still sounded then leant into Anya’s ear and breathed, “Tell me to stop and I will.”

“I-I understand.” she murmured back to him.

More kisses followed, with ample time between them where his mouth roamed across her neck. He pulled aside her tunic enough to let him see her chest, taking a moment to admire her before his mouth was on her, suckling happily.

When it seemed like Anya might make sounds, enough to wake Nik, Minoas moved back to kissing her. It was easier to keep her silent with his mouth than anything else. His hands roamed over her instead. Squirming into warm, slick places with confident ease and pleased sighs at the state of her.

Anya began to feel light headed from all the attention, the heady knowledge that someone else was oblivious nearby making her heart beat hard in her chest. It didn’t help when Minoas shifted her onto her side and hiked her tunic out of the way that she was facing the edge of the bed. She could see Nik’s sleeping form outlined in the dark.

Fingers slick with herself moved to cover her mouth as Minoas curled up behind her, rubbing himself against her as he sought her out. The fat head of his cock felt like so much already as he pushed slowly inside her, filling her with slow rocking motions of his hips.

The soft sounds of skin against skin weren’t enough to wake Nik, and Minoas moved slow so as to not create much noise but it was like torture to Anya. A slowly building tension in her had her nearly biting on Minoas’ hand. When she felt him swell inside her she couldn’t stop her body from responding in kind, shuddering and gasping against his palm.

Heavy breathing filled the room, accompanied by Nik’s snores. Anya turned to face Minoas as he pulled away from her. Some gentle kisses were exchanged and she rest against his chest again.

“In the morning, we will have words.” He warned her quietly.

Anya grinned to herself, “Yes.”