The two younger women listened to him with rapt attention, the rest with lesser - but still they found the story interesting. As he was speaking, Hurwar's wife - who Mark learned was called Mitaria - distributed around the food - a stew from hare and various vegetables. After that she sat down and continued to listen with the rest... as Mark spun his tale. They didn't seem to be inclined to comment until he finished.
"... mermaid princess and a Numenorian noble lived happily on the Numenor until... until Numenor went on the bottom of the sea and they both turned into merfolk which allowed the princess to show her world to her husband as he showed her his. Legend says that now they rule in Underwater ruins of the great human kingdom" Mark finished the modified story, happy to be at the center of attention.
Kana clapped happily as the story ended, as Tara looked at Mark with wide eyes. Mitaria and Hurwar were on the other hand somber. Hana chuckled from her position next to Juka. "At least you can use that that gab of yours for entertainment." The man got up. "Okay, time to sleep." He waved at Kana who pouted. And as Mark looked up, he realised it was already night. "I will stay by a fire for a few hours." He turned to Hana who nodded. "We will take the rest of the night guarding the camp." She stated.
"I'll go and quickly check if anything dangerous is around," and indeed, Mark slipped into the shadows to quickly check the surroundings but then he tried to sneak past the place where the farmer was towards girls, who he assumed, wouldn't sleep after such an interesting story.
"In the darkness?" Hana exclaimed with accusation as she threw it at him as if he was a half wit. As Mark moved around, he realised that Kana and Tara were in the wagon, while Mitaria still moved outside, moving things around and putting them in order.
Mark chose a moment when Mitarua became focused on something else and approached the wagon using his stealth skill. Once there he surprised the girls with "I have more interesting stories to tell should you sneak away after your parents go asleep" and promptly retreated before being spotted by the mother.
Spoiler: sneak success Mark managed to sneak past Mitaria and looked underneath the cloth to speak to the girls. As soon as he did, he successfully moved back into forest. The entire event took less then half a minute, but that was enough to make his heart racing.
"If you only knew exactly what your plan is" Mark said to himself before returning back to the fire. Going for the murderous route and killing the sole protector of the girls would be a far less convoluted option for getting new slaves but he still didn't want to do something of this nature.
As Mark returned to the fire, he found Juka sleeping with two places prepared for sleep next to her. Hanna was meanwhile discussing something quietly with Hurwar.
"Hana may be liking this role a little too much," Mark mumbled in his nose and dropped himself near Juka to get some rest before possible night adventures, he was quite tired after all.
As Mark lied down and closed eyes, Spoiler: hearing success his ears slowly started to catch what the two were talking about. "...bandits. It's possible... patrols will be ... the forest.... The west." "I see..." "What of East?" "There is a... the Arnor... Shire. The wild... dangerous... maybe bandits, but... rumours..." Slowly he closed his eyes as he fell asleep. ... He opened his eyes as he felt someone shaking him. As Mark looked up, he noticed Juka looking down at him. Right next to him, Hana was sleeping soundly.
"Oh, our shift, right?" Mark asked getting up. "I guess our host went to sleep? Let's see if this night will bring anything interesting. "How are you Juka? It must be not very entertaining spending all this time silent."
Juka nodded, looking a little tired. "Hurwar went to sleep. But, it's not yet your turn..." She nodded her head to the side, and Mark noticed Kana sitting on the ground. She smiled and waved her hand.
"I guess Tara is less adventurous?" Mark asked smiling at the girl back. Her youthful enthusiasm was... alluring. And the idea of corrupting her was offering a new type of lust. He would definitely enjoy her as an addition to his harem but definitely not in the way as Juka was added. "So, what kind of a story would you like to hear?"
"She was tired after long day." Kana shrugged. "Tell me story about prince falling in love with a common girl~" The young woman said enthusiastically, as she sat on the ground facing him. Juka yawned as she sat next to the fire.
"I can tell you a story about an elven princess falling in love with a common peasant human girl," Mark said with a smile, testing the waters to see what Kana thinks about this kind of relationship.
Kana looked surprised as she processed the information. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before finally reaching conclusion. "You mean like sisters? Family?"
"No, I mean lovers. Like lips to lips... lips to neck... lips to breasts... lips to... places below" Mark almost whispered those words "Two women can share pleasure no worse than a woman and a man. Some argue it is even more pleasurable."
Hearing those words, Kana's face twisted. "Ugh..." She shook her head. "That's... revolting!" She grabbed a cup and drank water from it. "There are people like that... that's disgusting."
"Do you really think that... that... " Mark paused and smiled, in the place where he grew up such views were rather absurd "...that Juka is disgusting? That her lips aren't soft and warm? That her breasts aren't firm and smooth. That her... sweet spot... isn't pleasantly warm and wet?" He knew that his next action may destroy any admiration Kana accumulated towards him but it was too amusing not to try. Juka, please, show Kana how pleasant a kiss may be.
