Rachel: Wasteland Barbarian Queen #4 (Part 1)

The Siege of Canterbury Commons (Part 1)

Rachel walked, her head filled with the musings of one who had tasted power and lusted for more. She slew as she found them, Raiders, bandits and beasts. Her travels cleared the area around Canterbury Commons, allowing it to expand.

Word spread of her deeds, as those willing to work hard found their way to the town. Soon the mere handful she began with burgeoned into a city to rival Megaton, Underworld, and Rivet City.

Under the watchful eye of the Mechanist and his marvelous Turrets, the town seemed safe. Little did they know their greatest trial was yet to come, forever forging the destiny of the crimson haired Barbarian.

Slaves had come to Canterbury, first in small number, then more as time went on. In his lair beneath the horrid idol of the excesses of the World Before, Eulogy Jones brooded. The warlord would stand no more losses. He sent his trained dogs to kill Rachel.

Late, she slept beneath a pale moon atop a ruined water tower. Three figures crept slowly toward her, silent as the night breeze. Evading Rachel's traps, Crimson and Clover approached her from either side of the catwalk while Carolina Red ascended a short ladder to the roof. Flakes of rusted silt shifted and blew into the wind as Carolina Red settled to bear her wand on the sleeping Barbarian's head. She primed the fiendish weapon with the gentlest of clicks.

Rachel erupted into a crouch, drawing her sword before she was fully awake. Throwing her mass into the side of the tower, she narrowly avoided Clover's thrown dagger. Crimson lept to intercept her, gaining purchase on her leg.

Rachel wrapped a broken length of hanging chain around her arm, pulling herself up as she used Crimson's head to kick off from the ledge. Still the frenzied woman did not release her grip. Rachel swung at Clover, missing her neck by a hair's width. She let go a loop of chain, steeling herself as she connected solidly with the railing. Crimson broke the rusted supports, letting go of Rachel as she hung on to a broken pipe with one hand.

Rachel rolled back onto the ledge, taking a kick from Clover on the chin. Disoriented, her blade flashed in a wide circle, driving the girl back long enough to get a moment's breath. Rachel could hear Carolina Red shuffling about above, trying to find a rusted hole wide enough to assail her with mage fire.

Trusting her instincts to carry her through, she swung again, running along the rail as sparks flew scant inches behind her. Rachel let go and dove for the catwalk. Carolina Red impaled Crimson neatly between her eyes as Rachel rolled past. She spared a glance at the falling form as she regained her feet.

Rachel spotted the dagger Crimson had thrown. Rolling into a somersault, she came up and threw. Red staggered backwards, joining Crimson in her plummeting flight to earth. A low, feral growl, more animal than woman came from behind. The sound of such raw emotion sent Rachel's loins to tingling.

Thrusting her sword over her shoulder and down, she blocked Clover's blade. Whirling, she locked the blade of the smaller woman. Face to face, eye to eye, Rachel asserted her will. The woman pushed and twisted, Rachel countering clover's every attempt to free her steel.

As Rachel's fire grew from staring into the eyes of so magnificent a passion, so too did Clover's heart begin to burn. Each knew they would forever need the other like a dying beggar needs pure water. Dropping their blades, the women came together in a fierce kiss, as much a combat as an act of love. Rachel took the girl by her collar to the bedding she had made herself and roughly had her way with her.

In the morning's light, Rachel awoke to Clover sleeping curled against her. Kissing her gently on the head, she smiled as the sleepy kitten awoke. “Come now, girl. We return to Canturbury.” The she-tiger stretched and yawned as she wiped the sleep from her eyes. “Yes, Mistress.”

Rachel and her bride set off for home.