“What did you have in mind, my delight?” Prince Rasgen inquired, slipping his hand over her thighs beneath the split side of her dress.
Sobella’s eyes fell on the foreign relations minister, but it was clear she was speaking to the Prince. “We talk to our coalition allies. The question of what to do with the former Komestran city and the lands around it are something of an open one. We propose that we do something new. Intercity auctions…”
Prince Rasgen grew suddenly excited, his hand came up from her thigh, and slapped sharply down on it as he grasped her intention. “Ha! I see!”
Sobella jumped a bit with the sting of the slap on her thigh, and turned her throaty voice and blood red eyes to him as she could feel his want rising in that very moment. “Please My Prince, honor me by completing my thoughts.”
“We buy it through proxies and claim it for the city, we then sell it, but accept ‘only’ the foreign coinage in private sales. Thus, they all come into our hands, we then melt the pure metal down and create new reserves of currency and we don’t have to worry about economic collapse!” His fist struck the table with such enthusiasm that he broke a chunk of it off. Prince Rasgen had the eyes of the council on him, but he had eyes only for Sobella.
“Have I done it?” He smirked at her.
“My love, you are a man like no other. May we… call this meeting adjourned?” Sobella asked hopefully, her silken hand caressing the smooth, strong thighs beneath the burdensome clothing of her Prince.
“For now, but remember to see to the other slave, she has two that she keeps close, perhaps if the one cannot be turned, the other may… I still find it… unbelievable that ‘she’ is the one who bought the advisor to Prince Sado. But, perhaps that can be turned to advantage later if necessary. For now though, enough. Minister Kesmet, reach out to the ambassadors of the other five cities, and… Minister Ulmin, ensure we have enough money available to buy up every scrap of Komestran territory we can. Even if the proxies have to dip into their own pockets, ensure that they know compensation will be made, when the time comes.”
“My Prince.” The ministers stood, bowed, and filed out of the room one by one.
The door hadn’t shut all the way before Sobella hopped up on the table and threw aside the front of the dress that was slit at her thighs. Long in front and back, it had no sides, baring the thighs her Prince would fight through armies to touch. There was nothing beneath to hide her nether mouth from his wanton eyes or wanton touch. “Nothing bars my Prince from his treasure.” She gasped out in a throaty voice as her legs parted so far apart that they were aligned with one another.
“Nothing that is, save himself!” She giggled as he had to work the belt and pants and took longer to be prepared than she did.
He grinned as they fell and took a moment to bask in her radiance, her deep, night purple flesh the picture of royalty. Her horns, decorated with little silver bells that made music to the timing of endless thrusts of flesh to flesh. Her ample breasts heaved with desire as she arched her back, spread her arms out, and moved them over the smooth surface, before thrusting her hips at the air to taunt and tease Rasgen beyond his control.
Her dusky lips parted and she licked them hungrily. Then closed her eyes with bliss as she felt his strong, rough, large, warrior hands take her hips in hand, and pulled her onto the length of his manhood. The feeling of fullness and the pleasing comfort of strength drove the couple who lived on the border of death, beyond all control.
He covered her with his body and sought the pert nipples of her bosom, and her hands reached around to claw at his back, raking so sharply that she tore a shirt that cost as much as a tailor’s month’s wages to make. He didn’t care about the shirt, nor the claw-like marks of her nails. ‘I want her, I need her… I could never… ever give her up…’ His mouth found her neck, and she moaned in ecstasy.
‘Yes! Yes! Kiss the place the lock of my collar once lay, kiss the place where you freed me! And let me offer freely, all that I am, My Prince! My precious Prince!’ She thought as she spasmed in electric bliss as her body climaxed and bathed his shaft with her desire.
His lips sought her ears, and nibbled on them, driving her to crying out, screaming her desire as she felt her release again, her legs hooked around his body, digging into his warrior thighs. She felt her eyes roll back in her head as he neared his own release, and she grabbed his hair and yanked his head away, only for a moment, before they attacked one another’s lips and tongues dueled until she felt the inevitable.
He released within her body and seized up with sudden tension, his hands gripping so tight she was sure that were it not for her dark skin, he would have left obvious bruises. It sent her over the edge yet again, and finally they collapsed atop the council table.
They lay entwined and joined together still, and finally after long, deep breathes in common rhythm, she whispered, “I can think of no better place, to conceive the next Prince of Pas’en, than the table from which it is ruled.”
It brought a deep laugh from the Prince’s throat. “Maybe so, but… you know I find you irresistible when you excel, nothing like your greatness on display, can stir my want for you.”
Sobella pouted, “That almost sounds like you’re insulting my looks…” She giggled as his mouth dropped open in consternation. “I tease you.” She put her fingers beneath his jaw and gently closed his mouth.
He snorted back his amusement, and finally began to rise from the table and tend to his clothing. “I suppose I’ll need another shirt.” He let a smirk form on his face, “Your fault for that one.”
“No, My Prince. Your fault, for making me want you so much.” She smirked in turn and sat on the edge of the table, flinging the front fabric over herself again. She added a wink for good measure, and he wasn’t going to argue with ‘that’ assessment of blame.
“Pleasure aside, it really is an excellent idea, but I can’t help but wonder if we’re not also putting down the foundation of a later problem if she’s able to acquire a lot of land. I don’t care to raise up rivals against me.” Prince Rasgen said while gritting his teeth.
Sobella shrugged, “If she does, then just marry her. As a foreigner, her position would never be secure without a tie to local authority. Even a passing conversation shows she’s no fool. That draining of years is a concern, but… if it becomes known that she can do it, then it seems less likely she’ll actually use it in any way that would publicly implicate her in any killing.”
“So we should spread her reputation a bit, at least as far as that goes?” Prince Rasgen asked and headed for the door.
“Yes, if she’s feared, she won’t be loved like you are, and maybe then she’ll make a useful tool, and if she ‘does’ acquire enough land for the Purple… then marriage makes her your weapon too.” Sobella made the argument pragmatically and professionally, but as they reached the door, Prince Rasgen stopped with his hand at the grip to open it. The door remained shut.
“Sobella… she’s a foreigner, her ways aren’t necessarily ours. I know… you’re not bothered by my little harem, and would think nothing of remaining my mistress… but what she said of the west.” Rasgen bit his lip, and Sobella put her hand, the nails still stained with the blood of his back, onto his cheek.
“You are my Prince. I can never… ever rule beside you, you know this. No slave of Pas’en, can ever rule Pas’en, even when she is set free. Never in our time together, have I ever been troubled by the thought of you taking a wife, nor of her bearing children to you… because I knew if I ever bore them for you, you’d love them as much because they would be ours. I never wanted to rule anyway, I only wanted you. But… you are the Prince of Pas’en first. Mine second. If you must take a foreign woman as a bride, your vows with her prohibit my touch ever again…” Sobella blinked away tears at the thought.
Then she lay her hand over his at the handle of the door, “Then I will support you in that. I will never hurt the city that set me free, nor the Prince who removed my collar of iron. I will stay at your side in council or in bed, until I can’t. And I’ll just have to treasure the memory of our time together.”
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
“Sobella… let’s not think of this now… nobody can say what will happen tomorrow, and she hasn’t even come back alive yet, let alone successful, nor has she ascended to the Purple. If… if that does happen… no, we’ll not speak of that for now.” He shook his head, and savored the common scent they’d left upon one another, and exited the room together to see to the greater good of the city.
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It was early morning when Kaiji awoke in the arms of her companion, the scent of each was on the other, and she pressed her lips lovingly to the brown haired girl who called herself a coward. ‘Foolish of her to think so of herself… how much she risked… over this foolish demon-elf that only months ago wouldn’t have thought her worth more than ten silvers. Now… she’s Priceless, and I don’t think I could bear this life without her.’ She wasn’t trying to wake Priceless, but it happened anyway. The brown haired woman stretched out languorously and wrapped her arms around Kaiji’s neck.
“It’s so wonderful… to be in a bed… and with someone I want to be there with me.” Priceless whispered softly and nuzzled her cheek against the breast of her fellow slave.
“You know, when the Mistress returns… if she offers a reward for our good service… I’m going to ask that she give me a cage large enough for both of us. Do you think that’s too much?” Kaiji asked with slight anxiousness in her voice.
“I don’t know… she’s generous to free people and she gave us very good food, but if we do well and she asks us what we’d like… that would be nice.” Priceless replied before she started to get up. “What’s on the to-do list today?” She asked as she went and pulled the cord to call for water to wash themselves.
“Well, the new man has to be talked to, he’ll know who I am, but then I have to visit the palace to request official permission for the mistress to buy city auctioned land. We need to replace our food, and Karlo will probably come by soon with information, he’ll need to be paid. Why don’t I take care of the first two, and you see to food and wait for Karlo.” Kaiji suggested as she laid out their clothing for them both.
“You don’t want to see him, do you?” Priceless asked, reaching behind Kaiji and touching her shoulder.
Kaiji shook her head. “I don’t. He’s always calling me… Lady Kaiji. He’s a free man, he can talk to me how he likes, what can I say about it, other than beg him not to say that. I keep telling him… he’s calling me a dead woman’s name… I’m not her.” Kaiji hugged her arms and started to shake, “I’m not. I’m not. I’m not. I want to forget she ever lived, but he just won’t let me. I know he doesn’t mean any harm, foolish boy that he is, he wants to help. But every time he says ‘Lady Kaiji’ it cuts me like a knife! In a way, it’s worse than when we, I, saw Mordren. Kindness poorly handled, is worse than cruelty.”
Priceless drew the woman against herself. “There, there… you don’t have to see him. I’ll take care of that and get us some additional rolls to supplement the food we get from here. We’ve worked so quickly that… honestly we may have some real free time soon, depending on how long the Mistress takes.”
“That would be nice.” Kaiji whispered and went to the door to let the servants in who would fill the wash tub. She thought nothing of her exposed skin now, though she was quick to put herself in front of Priceless when the human turned her back to them as they worked.
She sighed happily when she felt her lovers hands washing her, and cooed affectionately as her ears were caressed. The soft feel of playing touch wcould have become far more than the practical need to simply be clean, if it weren’t for the shared knowledge of a busy day ahead. So while the bath was sensual, intimate, and even joyful for first one, and then the other, it was not long and didn’t leave them needing to call for water a second time.
In short order, Kaiji dressed and went to the front desk where the new clerk spoke far more politely and gratefully to her than he previously had. ‘Discretion with the free, makes the free grateful, even to the slave.’ Kaiji noted as he informed her of the delivery made late the previous day.
“...So he was provided a blanket, food, simple fare, I waived the cost as a… courtesy.” He coughed and she nodded to show she understood his appreciation. “He was inspected and had no marks, bruises, or breaks. But he’s still in a leather collar. Should another be ordered for him, will we need magic suppression enchantments?” His voice was slightly nasal, and he stroked his thin dark mustache with a certain anxiousness that showed he was still mildly concerned about the mistress of the slave in front of him.
Kaiji’s thoughts raced like horses as she contemplated the question. She felt the almost invisible hairs on her arm stand on end and her heart beat faster. ‘Do I make that decision without her permission? How far does my latitude with her finances go? If I overstepped anywhere, it was probably in buying him at all. I suppose a collar wouldn’t be a stretch but… would Priceless know? No, she wouldn’t know this, not the way she’s been used. I’ll try it. Hopefully, Mistress Aiwenor will understand I was just trying to be a good slave and not punish me even if I’ve gone too far.’
“Yes, Sir. He’ll need a bronze collar for his skill level. Also I’d like to ask that he be provided a book to read with every meal, if the hotel library can sustain that. But no magic suppression is necessary.” Kaiji replied finally, then folding her hands in front of her and lowering her eyes, she bowed deep enough that her hands stopped just above her knees. “Thank you, Sir.” She said as he wrote it down.
“Anything else, slave?” He asked with calm, professional patience.
Kaiji shuddered, but then added with a nervous glance at the entrance, “If- if a man, a free man, named Mordren should come, before Mistress Aiwenor returns… he should be considered a threat to her property. He should not be allowed alone with either of us until he has her permission.”
The desk clerk looked at her in silence for a long moment, Kaiji kept her eyes down and tried very hard not to cry. ‘Please believe me… please… please…’ She thought anxiously. ‘Why did I have to see him? Why did I ever have to own him… why? Have the stars such a hatred for me that they would guide his eyes to me as I am now?’
She held her breath, and the clerk nodded. “I’ll add a note to your room information. If he lodges any accusation, it will be held back until her return.”
She let her breath out, and bowed repeatedly. “Thank you, sir.” She said urgently and then rushed out of the door and over to the stable.
She found him right where she expected. He sat in a cage wrapped in a blanket, an empty food bowl in front of him. “So it was you.” He said immediately as she approached. He wasn’t a large man, but nor was he small either. However his muscles were thick and his beard still retained something of its former glory, even unkempt as it presently was. His green eyes looked at hers with recognition, but not great affection.
She inclined her head politely as she sat down cross legged on the other side of the bars. “Yes, it was me. I survived, and for what it’s worth, I’m glad you did, too.”
He grunted begrudgingly and tugged at the leather collar. “You want to call this surviving, yeah, I survived.”
“Come on, Onimeus, you know I did my best back there.” She said with resignation when his unblinking look didn’t waver.
“For all the good it did.” He grumbled.
“Yes well… we can’t go back. We can’t fix the past, and we’re no longer free, but…” She grabbed the bar of his cage, “that doesn’t mean we’re powerless.”
He cocked his head. She felt his piercing eyes staring into her, already calculating her meaning. “Explain.”
“My mistress, her name is Nua Calen Aiwenor, a mercenary captain from a far off foreign land. She has wealth far beyond your wildest dreams, she spends thick platinum coins like they were coppers… and ambition wafts from her like the scent of sex in a Prince’s harem.” Kaiji let out a small, conspiratorial smile that drew him to lean forward.
“We can still help our people… the Mistress, she’s… I serve her loyally, and my sin… I mean, Lady Kaiji’s sins, can be corrected, at least somewhat. She wants to buy Komestran land and Komestran slaves. She can save many, many of us from the Tlalmok tribute if we work well for her.” Kaiji’s words were of urgent voice and she leaned closer to her newest acquisition.
Onimeus did not answer. Kaiji continued to implore him as he wavered between one choice and the other. “Come on, Onimeus, this is the best chance we have. Prince Sado is dead, there’s no help for that. But many of our people still live, just because we failed them once, doesn’t mean we have to let that failure stand! I’m willing to work, aren’t you? Have you given up?! Would you rather I just sold you again, maybe you can live out your days as a butler in some well to do house… and just watch our people trudge by in collars… is that the legacy of our city?”
“The day before you bought me,” He said in a hollow voice, his green eyes haunted and welling up, “I heard someone say ‘Komestran… come here.’ and they were not referring to a Komestran. Our city… our identity, is already becoming synonymous with ‘slave’. Some of the flesh traders are saying that we… our proud people, our great legacy, well… they’re now saying we’re natural slaves. Twenty years ago, no city wanted to war with us. It took a coalition of six to bring us to ground. Now… not even a month, and we’re thought of this way. In a generation, maybe less… it’ll be so natural that it’ll be seen as wrong to set a Komestran free.”
Kaiji shuddered, but he went on without letting her speak, “I overheard a flesh merchant from Ka’sung talk about using the circle letter symbol of our city, to mark all his slaves since it’s just easier. Our very city’s symbol, triumphant on a hundred battlefields… reduced to the symbol of bondage and burned into flesh as a mark of status. In time, I wouldn’t be shocked to know that we’re relegated to this status by birth alone… and no Komestran will ever be free again. The only memory of us as independent people, the only monument, scattered, tumbled stones in the ruins of our city.”
“Well… aren’t you just a barrel full of joy.” Kaiji said with an icy chill to her voice.
“They didn’t call me a seer because of my incorrect predictions.” Onimeus said starkly. “I warned Prince Sado the same as you, we can’t beat six, at our best we could have only beaten five, and that was if everything went perfectly. And now, here again I see a pattern of events unfolding that will leave us nothing but slaves and food for the rest of time. I see nothing that can change that”
Kaiji practically spat her words at him and shook the bars of his cage. “And I’m telling you Onimeus, that I do! I may not have the natural talent you did for war, but I know a force for change when I see it. If we have ‘any’ hope as a people to save ourselves, accept her collar, and serve her loyally. Unless you ‘want’ to see us to the end you now predict!”
Onimeus frowned, “You’re serious, aren’t you?” He asked the question bluntly, but his mind was working overtime. ‘She was never stupid, and she’s met this woman, I haven’t.’ He pondered, and as she nodded over and over with great rapidity, he asked, “When do I meet her?”
“She’s gone after Bracer, with twenty five soldiers… and he has two hundred. You remember Bracer, don’t you?” Kaiji asked calmly. The effect on Onimeus was to freeze his entire body tensely.
Onimeus growled unhappily. “Yes. Dangerous warrior, not a great commander, but he didn’t need to be, I saw him kill a dozen people to break a line, before he was exposed as a smuggler… His sword was a tide turner in a fight. If she’s going after him, and comes back alive? Well fine, I’ll bend my neck and let her put the bronze on me, it may be that she’s our only hope. If she fulfills that hope, with or without the bronze, I’ll stick by her till death.”
Kaiji stuck her hand through the cage with a hopeful smile alight in her red eyes, “Glad to hear it, then work hard for her, and let Komestra rise again.”
The feel of his iron grip on her hand might have hurt, but in that moment, Kaiji couldn’t have felt better.