A familiar form came into sight in the distance. Nijello, the Skrizzit, was heading off on some errand, it seemed, the man taking a different pathway leading toward the city center. Rykker shifted his course immediately, a new idea blossoming in his mind.
I must talk with him, he decided, shifting course, ignoring the rippling of his aroused member pressing flat against his belly.Nijello may have answers.
He picked up his pace, taking care not to draw attention to himself by moving too fast. He also didn’t know how his shockingly sensitive cock might react to the increased friction and pressure slipping into a jog might create, and he had no intention of letting loose in his trousers like some pubescent boy. He was Rykker, after all. A man come of age and fully trained, a leader selected to be one of the escorts for the next female to venture from their city.
He took a deep breath, focusing on forcing the blood to slowly drain from his erection, his years of practice in the art of control paying off, at least a little. While his cock was still quite firm, at least the distracting pulsing was lessening. It would have to be enough for now.
“Nijello!” he called out in greeting as he approached the Skrizzit.
“Rykker, pleasant to see you. Are you well? You appear a bit flushed.”
“I am fine. Simply the effect of a vigorous walk. And I see you are out taking in the air as well. Do you mind if I walk with you a spell?”
“I would enjoy the company. Where are you heading?”
“Home, actually.”
“But this is not the way?—”
“I felt like taking in some air first. It is a lovely day, and I would make the most of it.”
Nijello nodded his agreement. “A wise choice. So, how go things with you? I believe it is just a few short years before you will be departing on your escort duties.”
“Yes, the time is finally approaching. I have been looking forward to seeking a mate.”
“You are one of the lucky ones. Though, with the amount of preparation your sort put in, I suppose we should not call it luck, but rather hard work.”
Rykker laughed. “At times you could call it that. But in the end, Gods willing, it will all pay off. Until then, we carry on as always, eh?”
“Indeed.”
“Though I must admit, the other day was a most unusual surprise.”
The corners of Nijello’s eyes crinkled slightly with an amused look as he realized what the man was getting at. “Ah, yes. The newcomer.”
“A full-grown woman who is not marked with the runes? It is unfathomable.”
“And yet here we are with just such a person in our midst. Or, at least, formerly.”
“Yes, you applied the runes the other day,” Rykker replied, his true intentions hard to hide. “So, how did it go? Did she accept the pigment easily, or were there any complications?”
“Her kind is quite compatible with the pigment, though her existing markings did prove a bit of a challenge to work around.”
Rykker’s eyes widened. “She has existing runes?”
“Not runes, exactly, but rather a series of quite ornate and most beautiful designs placed on various locations on her body. The artist was most skilled.”
“I thought her kind did not use runes. What sort of powers do they imbue her with?”
“Oh, my dear boy, they do not do anything of the sort. Hers are merely decorative, though now that I have incorporated the Dotharian runes into several of them, I do wonder if she might develop some variants of the usual abilities.”
“Interesting. But tell me, did you notice any unusual scent to her when you were doing your work?” the man asked as casually as he could.
Nijello grinned. “Funny.”
“What?”
“You are not the first to ask me that question. But the answer is the same. No, I did not notice any fragrance from our guest. Why? Did you detect something?”
