Chapter 141: Surrender in the Shadows
The silence inside Kellar’s room was only broken by the crackling of the stone brazier. After gazing at the snow-covered courtyard through the window, the young shaman returned to his wooden desk and poured wine into a clay cup.
A few firm knocks echoed against the door.
"Enter," said Kellar.
The oak door opened, and Helga stepped into the chamber, closing it behind her. She had left her rifleman escort guarding the outer hallway. Her face, illuminated by the warm glow of the brazier, bore a mixture of stern resolve and absolute submission.
She walked into the center of the room and, without a hesitation, knelt upon the bear pelt covering the floor, bowing her head toward Kellar.
"Great Shaman," said Helga, her voice steady yet filled with reverence. "The fortress is secure. The twenty riflemen have been deployed in three eight-hour shifts along the main battlements, and Krag has been taken to the depths of the mines under Vael’s custody. I have come to pledge my loyalty and place myself entirely at your command."
Kellar observed her in silence for a moment, enjoying the contrast between the woman who was once the wife of the mountain’s war chief and the commander who now depended entirely on his favor.
"Stand up, Helga," said Kellar, taking a sip from his cup as he walked around the desk.
Helga rose keeping her eyes locked onto the young shaman.
"You showed more vision and resolve than your former husband," said Kellar, stopping just a few steps from her. "You handed me a traitor’s head before he could ruin everything we built. That is why I granted you command of this mountain. However, I do not tolerate second mistakes in my tribe."
"There will be no mistakes, Great Shaman," said Helga, taking a step forward to close the distance between them. "Krag allowed himself to be blinded by Mark’s ambition, but I know the true power you hold. My life, my loyalty, and this fortress belong entirely to you. Anything you demand will be done without hesitation."
Kellar smiled coldly, sensing the unconditional devotion of the woman who had just risen to power beneath his shadow.
"I will see to it that it is," said Kellar, brushing the trim of his fur cloak. "At sunrise tomorrow, I depart for the main village, but I leave the north in your hands. As long as you keep the ore flowing to the forge and maintain discipline on the walls, you will have the full backing of the Bear God and my hand."
Helga paused in her tracks, her eyes lingering on the young shaman before she could turn toward the oak door. The dismissal was clear, yet her boots remained anchored to the bear pelt covering the floor.
"Is there something else, Commander?" said Kellar, setting his clay cup down on the wooden desk.
Helga swallowed hard, the tension in her throat betraying the stoic discipline she had maintained all evening.
"I... I do not wish to leave your presence so soon, Great Shaman," said Helga, taking a step back toward him instead of heading for the exit.
Kellar raised an eyebrow, watching her closely as she reached for the laces securing her fitted leather dress. She untied the knots and let the garment slide downward, exposing the tight curve of her waist and the fullness of her breasts to the warmth of the chamber.
"My loyalty is not merely a matter of words or military command, Kellar," said Helga, her voice dropping lower as she closed the distance.
Ever since that night when he had visited her tent and an accidental brush had made her feel the sheer size of his cock in the shadows, Helga had been unable to get the memory out of her head. The mere recollection of that unintended touch had sparked a lingering heat within her that now threatened to boil over.
Kellar did not move from the desk, his gaze scanning her exposed skin illuminated by the glowing coals.
"Prove it to me," said Kellar.
Helga closed the remaining space between them, unbuckling Kellar’s belt and letting it fall alongside her clothes. She dropped to her knees, looking up into his eyes before pressing her lips against his inner thigh. She trailed slow, burning kisses upward until her hands pulled Kellar’s trousers down past his hips. Taking his length into her mouth, she wrapped him in her hot breath and deep, rhythmic licks, feeling the same impressive stiffness that had plagued her thoughts for days.
Kellar let out a low growl, burying his fingers in Helga’s dark hair to set the pace, holding her tight against him until her breathing grew short and ragged.
"On the desk," said Kellar, lifting her by the waist.
Helga climbed onto the desk sweeping aside the parchment maps. She parted her thighs with heavy breaths as Kellar pulled her to the edge and buried himself deep inside her in one swift, firm stroke.
A muffled gasp escaped Helga’s lips as her fingers gripped the edge of the wood, her back arching beneath the warm firelight.
"You belong to this mountain now, Helga," said Kellar, thrusting with a hard, relentless rhythm that echoed off the timber walls.
"I belong to you, Great Shaman," said Helga, locking her legs around his waist to pull him even deeper with every strike.
The heat inside the chamber intensified, every impact echoing against the timber walls. The friction of their bodies drove them straight toward the edge, their skin slick with sweat under the warm glow of the coals. Kellar gripped her hips with bruising force, driving into her with a final, brutal sequence of thrusts that pushed Helga over the brink.
A loud, uncontrolled cry escaped Helga’s throat, filling the enclosed room as her body shattered in a wave of intense release. Her walls clenched tightly around him, her nails digging deep into the oak desk while her back arched off the surface. Driven by her sudden tightness, Kellar growled, pinning her against the wood as he thrust deep one last time, pouring his heat into her depth.
"If you never betray me, Helga," said Kellar, his voice low against her neck as he held her pinned beneath his weight, "I will never abandon you. This mountain, its power, and my protection will be yours forever."
"I am yours... always, Great Shaman," said Helga, her voice trembling between ragged breaths as her body continued to shudder under his command.