One Life Well and Truly Promised Read online

  “I’m wonderful,” she replied and to prove it she gently moved her pelvis against his, taking him deeper inside her. Tunde gasped and then smiled wider. After a moment he slowly began to move in and out of her once more, this time taking his weight on his arms and gazing down into her eyes.

  Still sensitive, he moved slowly at first and Akhila felt her first real moments of pleasure. It was not long however, before Akintunde surrendered to the instinctive need to move faster and deeper and all too soon he was pumping away in earnest, oblivious to the person below him in any real sense.

  Akhila hung on, this time feeling no pain, but again just a tantalizing hint of pleasure. Akintunde lasted only a bit longer on his second try, before once more he released deep inside her with a loud groan. He collapsed back down on top of her, breathing deeply and going completely limp with exhaustion. Akhila closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his body and the warm sun on her face. She lay quietly, absently listening to his breathing as it slowly calmed. She was half dozing when Akintunde suddenly lifted off and out of her and then slowly stood. Akhila felt a moment of loss as he slipped away and without thinking her eyes traveled down his body to his still mostly erect member. It glistened in the afternoon sun from the shared moisture of their bodies, and it was large enough that she was surprised the pain had not been greater.

  Finally, she glanced up at Tunde, but his eyes were traveling along her own body with enough intensity that she giggled. He glanced up into her eyes and smiled back at her.

  “Finished?” She asked and struggled to a sitting position, her arms feeling a bit shaky.

  He stuck out an arm and helped her to her feet. “Not yet,” he answered and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her once hard and then again, softer.

  “Yes, you are,” she countered once they parted and pushed him gently away. “I need to eat.”

  Akintunde grinned and nodded. “My legs feel like I’ve been swimming all day,” he told her and she was surprised to find that she agreed with him. Her legs were rubbery and a bit sore, which was odd since all she was doing was lying in the grass on her back.

  They dressed slowly; casting shy glances at one another. Once they were fully clothed, Akhila retrieved her spear and they continued on their way up the hedgerow. They stalked the length of the meadow, walking very close to one another, much closer than need be. As they hunted they each tried to ignore the physical presence of the other and concentrate on their surroundings. Even so, both were distracted by the events of the morning and it wasn’t until they’d circled back through the tall pines that Akintunde realized they were closing on the Onion Hut with nothing to show for it. Hunger suddenly hit him full force and he grimaced.

  “I’ll go back out later this afternoon,” he said dejectedly, their first words since they’d dressed.

  “Ssshhh,” Akhila hissed as she shifted to the left and started forward. Akintunde froze, eyes darting about until they finally landed on the spotted coat of a pair of Fallow deer. They were close, but fortunately upwind, and the skittish animals appeared to be completely unaware of the approaching girl.

  Akhila kept tucked behind a set of large pines as she moved silently closer, while Akintunde held his breath and helplessly watched, afraid to move least he startle the shy animals. He stood absolutely still as Akhila crept forward, pausing every few seconds, now utterly intent on her prey.

  The deer continued to graze, completely oblivious to the approaching danger and when Akhila reached the pair of pines and could go no further she cocked her spear arm and slid from behind the trees.

  The deer immediately came alert, but froze for a split second, and it cost the smallest of the pair. Akhila launched the spear and by the time the animals reacted, it was too late. The pair jumped away at the same moment, but the spear zipped through the air and struck the trailing deer near the right flank.

  “Whooo!” Akintunde yelled and raced forward. The frightened deer bounded off into the pines with both young hunters hot after them. The fleet animals quickly outdistanced their pursuers, but the two followed along confidently, grinning at each other and thinking of food. They were nearly back to the Onion Hut when Akhila came across her spear lying in the needles. The tip was covered with gore and pointed toward a clear trail of blood running off toward the ravine.

  Akhila scooped up the weapon and together they followed the trail. They didn’t have far to go before they came across the wounded deer, sitting patiently and breathing rapidly. It was a young buck, its antlers just beginning to sprout. Blood covered its haunches and it didn’t even look over at the two as they approached. Of the other deer, they saw nothing. Akintunde drew his knife and quickly moved forward. The deer remained compliant and still until Akintunde reached around and pulled the animal’s head back. The deer only bucked once just as Akintunde sliced deeply across its neck.

  The deer kicked a few more times, bleeding out quickly as the two hunters celebrated wildly. Akhila whooped and cheered and jumped into Akintunde’s arms. He spun her around, happier than he’d ever been in his young life. Before either was aware of it they were kissing again, and then groping, and then pulling on one another’s clothing. They were naked very fast, grabbing and clutching at each other as they fell to the ground.

  “Ow!” Akhila yelled and immediately shot back to her feet, pulling at the pine needles sticking out from the skin on her knees. They came out easily and did no real harm, but they hurt. Akintunde laughed and leaned forward and kissed her just above the navel; his hands traveled along the back of her thighs and up to her round, soft backside.

  “Lie down on your clothes,” he insisted and Akhila shivered, loving the touch of his hands on her body, but still she declined and pulled him to his feet.

  “You lie down,” she countered, “the needles are sharp,” she added and then smiled slyly up at him. Before he was aware of her intentions she reached down and firmly gripped his staff of life. It was hard and soft at the same time and much warmer than she would have believed. She moved her hand up and then down slightly and Akintunde gasped. Her smile widened as she held on, showing no sign of releasing him, not that he wanted her to.

  “You lie down,” she repeated and stroked him softly again. Akintunde moaned with pleasure and allowed her to lower him down onto her small tunic. Small as it was, it still protected his back and the upper part of his legs, though his feet and head were resting on pine needles. He hardly noticed as she kept a firm grip on his member.

  Luckily his hips were narrow which allowed her knees to be protected by cloth as she straddled his thighs. She continued to stroke and caress him while he squirmed and jumped, completely lost in the sensations coursing through his body. Again and again he raised his hips against the movement of her hand until suddenly she lifted up, moved forward and slid herself down onto him.

  Akintunde groaned as he slid smoothly into her warmth, and instinctively tried to push farther in before once more retreating. His body wanted to hurry but she was in control now and lifted off of him any time he tried to thrust too quickly.

  “Slow,” she whispered and closed her eyes, relishing the feel of the hard warmth that now filled her.

  She glided up and down, moving ever so slowly and patiently until he finally surrendered to the rhythm of her movements. She let the pleasure build and build, stopping now and again when she felt he was close, gloriously frustrating them both with patient pleasure, until finally even she could not take it any longer. She took him in deeper and deeper, faster and faster but the release she sought remained just out of reach until finally Akintunde cried out and thrust up as hard as his hips would allow and his staff released deep inside her. It was the trigger she needed; her entire body tensed as waves and waves of pleasure engulfed her; the sea of ecstasy lifted her up and carried her safely away.

  Akintunde was smiling up at her when she finally opened her eyes.

  “Your chest and neck are red,” he commented softly and Akhila reached up to check. Her skin
felt hot against her fingertips.

  “So is yours,” she replied with a smile of her own, and then with no warning at all she lifted up and off of him.

  Akintunde groaned softly as Akhila stood on wobbly legs. She was sore all over, but it was a good kind of sore, like she’d been playing hard, which in a way was true.

  She glanced over at the deer lying dead only a few paces away and her stomach complained loudly.

  “Come, I’m hungry,” she said and helped Akintunde to his feet.

  “We’ll never eat if you keep distracting me,” he quipped with a chuckle. They dressed quickly.

  “Oh, I’m distracting you, am I?” she answered, pretending to be indignant.

  “Your beauty,” he replied.

  “Ha! I’d wager you’re not being distracted by my face,” she answered with a laugh and then they bent and hoisted the deer up together. The buck was young, not nearly full grown, but it still weighed more than either of them. Together however, they lifted most of the animal off the ground and half-carried, half-dragged it in the direction of home. Luckily the hut was not too far, and it only took them a quarter of an hour to make it.

  Akhila immediately built up the fire while Akintunde tied the deer’s hind legs together and hoisted the animal up onto the rack his father used for skinning. Akintunde had never actually skinned an animal all by himself before, but he’d watched and helped his father do it countless times. He began by gutting the deer and removing the innards, some of which he put aside for later, then he made several precise cuts along the animal’s legs and flank before pulling and ripping the hide from the succulent flesh beneath. Akintunde was salivating wildly as he worked, and his stomach rumbled and cramped in protest, demanding food. Before he’d proceeded very far with the skinning process, he sliced a big hunk of meat from the animal’s flank and handed it carefully to Akhila like it was precious beyond all measure. She took it happily and soon had it skewered and roasting over the fire.

  Akintunde attempted to skin the rest of the deer carcass, but the smells coming from the roasting meat were a huge distraction, not to mention Akhila. Her back was to him, and she was bending over the fire swaying her hips enticingly from side to side as she spun the skewer. He struggled to keep his mind on his task, but luckily she pulled the meat from the fire when it was still far from done. She neatly sliced off a couple of hunks, one for herself and one for Akintunde. The meat was nicely browned on the outside, but inside it was nearly raw. It hardly mattered; the two wolfed it down in only a matter of minutes. Two more thick slices quickly followed before Akhila balanced what remained over the fire to cook a bit longer. Twenty minutes later the entire flank was gone and the two felt bloated, but deliciously satisfied.

  “I’ve never tasted anything so good!” Akhila sighed contentedly, a feeling amplified by the fact that it was her kill.

  “I have,” Akintunde replied, with a sly smile. Fully sated, he moved over and pulled Akhila into his arms, his hand quickly finding her breasts. Akhila giggled, but slapped him away.

  “Not now,” she scolded playfully, feeling truly desired for the first time in her life. “We have to finish with the deer. We’ll be able to eat off of it for at least a week if we don’t let it go bad,” she continued and Akintunde frowned.

  “A week?” he asked. “We shouldn’t have to be up here that long. Father should have been here already,” he continued as his face clouded over with worry.

  Akhila frowned along with him. “Yes…but they’re not here yet,” she answered. “Tunde, we don’t know what happened. We should finish with the deer just in case we’re alone longer than we expect.”

  Akintunde continued to frown, but then finally agreed.

  They worked on the carcass for nearly two full hours before they were finally satisfied they’d removed everything of use. Akintunde carried the bones and leavings over to the ravine and pitched them cautiously over the side. Even as he worked he was mindful of the steep drop and was very careful to keep a safe distance from the edge. But it was necessary; they didn’t need the carcass attracting any large predators that roamed the area.

  When he returned to camp, Akhila was busily scraping on the hide with a dull knife, attempting to remove all the bits of leftover flesh and blood. They would use it if they could, though Akhila was not overly accomplished at such things. She knew what had to be done, but had never done tanning work on her own.

  Akintunde watched her work for a time, constantly resisting the temptation to try and coax her into the hut for a bit of fun. He knew however, that if they let the hide sit too long it would stiffen and be ruined, so he let her work in peace. He spent most of the afternoon and early evening trying to ignore her enticing presence. It helped that he was busy hanging meat from the rafters of the small smoking hut.

  It was nearly sundown by the time he finished. Akhila had set aside the hide for the moment, and was roasting another large chunk of meat over the main fire. It smelled absolutely wonderful and Akintunde’s stomach growled loudly.

  “Hungry again?” Akhila asked with a huge grin. Her face glowed in the firelight and Akintunde was struck by her uncommon beauty. He wondered how he could have gone through his entire life completely unaware.

  He nodded, unable to find any words. He moved close to her, wanting to touch her, but she was busy turning the hot skewer so he resisted the urge. They waited patiently this time until the meat was fully cooked, and Akintunde noticed that she’d stuffed a bunch of wild onions inside. It smelled absolutely divine. She sliced him off a piece and placed it on a smooth, wooden platter along with some roasted Qazwan nuts.

  They both ate at a leisurely pace, savoring the meal, casting brief, shy glances at one another, the more physical events of the day foremost on their minds. They were both very aware of the other, and each wanted desperately to continue their intimate relationship, but neither wanted to appear wanton. Even after they finished eating they continued to sit around the fire quietly, Akintunde poking and prodding the flames mercilessly.

  Finally Akintunde faked a yawn. “Do you want to…”

  “Yes!” Akhila blurted with a wide smile. She quickly stood and took Akintunde by the hand and pulled him into the hut. They were both quickly naked and whatever tension surrounded them earlier, utterly dissipated. They kissed and fondled, hugged and giggled. They fell down on the soft furs of the bed without knowing how they got there. They made love two more times that night before finally falling asleep very late in the night. In the morning they started up again. For three glorious days they ate, loved and held each other in the safe confines of the Onion Hut, only leaving to cook more food and to relieve themselves. The glade took on a magical quality all its own, as their love filled the surrounding countryside. For one shining moment everything was right; everything was beautiful.

  Chapter Four

  Akintunde and Akhila

  3824 B.C.

  On the morning of the fourth day, Akhila woke early and sat in the dim gloom of the hut watching Akintunde sleep. She loved him; she truly did, and as much as she wanted to stay here in the Onion Hut, she knew they couldn’t hide forever. They needed to return to the village, to find out what happened. She was sure it was bad, Tunde’s father would have come by now if he could…or his mother, or Ilki or even Eryx…their continued absence only hinted at disaster. She pondered the fate of her own mother and father for a long time in the dim light. She hoped they weren’t dead…or enslaved.

  Akintunde stirred and rolled over onto his stomach but did not wake. Akhila stared at his hand, so much larger than her own now. His fingers were long and graceful, and her face colored slightly as she remembered the feel of them wandering up and down her body. Over the years, he’d hit, pulled, punched and grabbed her with those hands. How could those very same hands give her so much pleasure?

  Akintunde mumbled in his sleep and Akhila smiled, love for him filling her up inside like nothing she’d ever felt before. Grinning, she swung one leg over and care
fully straddled his body. She leaned forward; resting her weight on her arms and began to softly kiss the back of his neck. It took a surprisingly long time for him to wake up, but when he did there was a large smile on his face.

  “Good morning,” he whispered and tried to roll over. She lifted her weight, pulled the thin blanket off of his naked body and let him turn over before she settled her weight back down, covering him with the heat of her crotch. He stiffened immediately.

  “Good morning,” she replied and leaned forward once more to kiss him. He kissed her back hungrily. She felt his hard staff come to life, pressing against her sex, trying to find its way inside. She was sore from the past few days, but it was a good kind of discomfort.

  ‘Why didn’t anyone tell me how much fun this is?’ She wondered and smiled, still kissing Akintunde and niftily shifting about, teasing him, keeping him at bay. She kept him trapped against her lower belly for a time, sensing his growing need until finally she lifted up and sat down with her full weight on top of him. They moaned together with pleasure and made love hard and fast, both oblivious to any aches and pains their previous activities caused.

  They made love twice, each time becoming more attuned to each other’s rhythms, before finally moving as one. Afterwards, they both panted for a time, catching their breath, before Akintunde finally rolled over to face her.

  “The gods are with us,” he whispered when his heart finally slowed. He believed it. The gods must favor them to bestow such sweet sensations.

  Akhila frowned and wondered if it was truly so. “Tunde…we need to go down the mountain. We have to find out what happened. I’m afraid. Your family should have come looking for you if…”

  Akintunde’s mood instantly soured and he rubbed his face. He knew what she said was true. The previous night he could hardly sleep for worry, his mother’s face coming to him over and over again in the dark of the hut. He nodded, but did not speak.