Tiara- Part One Page 4

  I spoke that way, and I touched, and I caressed. Gretchena said nothing, but she watched me, her lips parted slightly.

  I leaned down and kissed her, then whispered into her ears, “You’re going to be so beautiful, so obedient.”

  I talked. I touched.

  I think we both got worked up. In fact, I know we did. But I talked, and then Dee handed me one of the devices. I looked at it. “Do you know what to do?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  I shifted, reaching down, and then I began teasing her with it, just like I might with my fingers. She was beyond ready for me, and when I pressed, just trying to tease, it easily slid into her, and I almost lost control. But I pressed it into her. She smiled. “Yes,” she whispered. “I love you, Darfelsa. Don’t stop now. Please don’t stop.”

  I didn’t.

  I did, however, become lost to everything that was happening. Gretchena was lying in the resin, and it climbed her body nicely. But I was kneeling in it, and it climbed me, too.

  “Your Highness,” Dee said. “Your Highness.” I turned to her. “You are Princess Darfelsa Cinnabar, right hand of Crown Princess Ahlianna. You are in command of what happens here.”

  I looked down. I was quite red, and it felt so good.

  “Finish claiming your loyal slave,” Dee said. “Think about what you’re doing, Princess Darfelsa.”

  It took a moment to realize what she was saying, but I nodded then turned my gaze back to the woman underneath me. I pressed at her, and she gave a fresh gasp. “Mine, Chay,” I said. I pressed. “Mine.” Pressed. “Mine.” I pressed, and I pressed, and she began panting quickly.

  “Yes, yes, yes,” she whispered.

  “Mine, mine, mine,” I commanded.

  She began to shake, straining at the restraints. I didn’t relax. But I looked into her eyes, and she stared up into mine. “Yes!” she said. “Yes, Darfelsa.”

  It took time, but the resin finished coating her. It coated me, too, but not as completely, or I didn’t think so. The resin coated her, and she gave out large moans before I could feel the magic pouring into her, binding her obedience to my will, her pleasure to my pleasure. I felt it wrap around her and claim her as she gave a great cry, shuddering deeply, her entire body shuddering and shuddering.

  * * * *

  We lay together in the tub for a while. Bee and Dee had untied her, but we lay together, Chay holding me, both of us in the resin. I was pretty out of it myself.

  Then Allium was there, kneeling beside the tub. I turned to look at her. I smiled somewhat languidly. “Do you need help, Darfelsa?”

  “I don’t know,” I whispered.

  “You need to see to your new slave. Can you do that?”

  “Yes,” I said. It took a minute, but I managed to stand, and then I lifted Chay to me. We kissed, there in the tub, and I felt the resin sliding from my body. But then we stepped from it, Chay clinging to me.

  * * * *

  They helped me get her home. I was out of it, and so at the door to my quarters, Bee took Chay from me, and Dee turned me to her. She caressed my cheek. “You’re going to listen to me, Darfelsa.” I nodded. “Go in there with her and tell her to see to your pleasures. Let her wear you out, and then order her to sleep.”

  I nodded again. “All right.”

  “Good. Have fun.”

  “I will.”

  I did.

  * * * *

  I had an amazing three days. I think Chay did, too. Okay, I know she did. She wore me out quite thoroughly, and I wouldn’t have gotten any rest at all if I didn’t order her periodically to sleep. She was otherwise quite ravenous for me.

  We didn’t go anywhere. We wouldn’t even have left my quarters if Allium hadn’t insisted. On things like that, I did as she directed.

  It was quite odd to have Chay kneeling to me for meals, but I enjoyed feeding her from my own fingers.

  The third evening came. Olivia and Gionna came to dinner, and then afterwards, it was Gionna that led all of us back to my room. I didn’t ask, but it was Gionna that helped me to free Chay.

  She clung to me afterwards and begged permission to stay the night.

  I never wanted her to leave.

  * * * *

  Three days later, ensconced alone in a carriage, surrounded by a modest honor guard of Olivia’s, I sobbed as we left Charth.

  I wasn’t sure when I’d be back.

  Part Two

  While going home wasn’t entirely an unhappy experience, I was, for the most part, miserable. I missed pretty much everything about Charth. Gretchena, of course, was at the forefront of that, but I missed all of it. I missed feeling safe walking down the streets, and I missed the embassy. I missed Allium, Gionna, and Olivia. I missed my coworkers.

  We reached the Verlies River, and by then I was riding. We kept the carriage with us, but I’m not sure why, and if I’d been leading the team, I’d have sent it back. We reached the river and then came to a stop right at the entrance to the bridge.

  And across from us, firmly inside Flarvor, was a significantly larger troop of soldiers. I recognized the uniform of the royal guard. I turned to Sergeant Gillaltie. “Thank you,” I told her.

  “Friends?” she asked with a gesture.

  “The Royal Guard.”

  “How about the one on the bridge?”

  I looked back across the water. “You might recognize her,” I said. “That’s my sister. I thought we’d be spending time in Barrish together, but I guess she’s returning to Charth with you.”

  “We hadn’t heard, but that would be lovely,” said the sergeant. “Princess, I’m sure it will all turn out.”

  “I’m sorry I’ve been poor company.”

  “You’re leaving a lover behind, aren’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s rough,” she said.

  “How about you?”

  “I’m not ready to settle down,” she replied. “So many women, but only one of me.”

  I laughed. “I bet. Thank you, Sergeant.”

  “I hope the weather holds for you,” she replied. “Good luck, Princess, and I hope our paths cross again.”

  “So do I.”

  I nodded to her then turned my horse for the bridge.

  Ahlianna waited at the center of the bridge, right at the center marker. I came to a stop facing her. “Hello, Sister. Good trip?”

  “Peachy,” I said.

  She didn’t respond to my tone. “Is there anyone in particular I should meet?” She gestured across the bridge.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I’m wondering if Gionna is with you, or Major Bess, or anyone else I might know?”

  “Oh. Sergeant Gillaltie.”

  “I don’t think we’ve met.” She shrugged. “I’ll meet her another time. Ready?”

  “Wait. I’m confused.”

  “Okay, but over what?”

  “You’re going that way.” I gestured over my shoulder.

  “No, Little Sister,” she said. “I’m going back to Barrish with you.”

  “You came to get me?”

  “You sound surprised.”

  “I am.”

  “Don’t read anything into it. Father is giving me command authority. Running a team for a simple trip like this seemed like a good way to do it.”

  “That’s all?”

  “As simple as that,” she said. “Upset?”

  “I was when I thought we were going to just wave to each other as we passed.”

  “Nope. You’re stuck with me. We’ll return to Barrish. I’ll stick around for a few days. Then I’ll head north.”

  “Gionna is looking forward to your visit.”

  “Is that your way of telling me you don't want me to ride with you?”

  “No. I don’t know what it is.” I considered. “I’m happy to see you, Ahlianna.”

  “And I, you,” she replied. She waved to the waiting soldiers on the north side of the river then turned her horse. I cluc
ked to mine, and together, we rode across the bridge.

  * * * *

  Weather was good, and the roads dry, so we made good time for our trip to Barrish. For the first two days, I managed to dance around Ahlianna’s more intrusive questions, but I was dying to tell her, and finally I gave in. “I do have one tidbit you may care about, but I’m only going to tell you if you promise not to tell anyone.”

  “Ooh, a secret,” she said. “Does Allium know?”

  “Yes, and Gionna and Olivia,” I said.

  “So, what you really mean is you don’t want to tell Mother and Father.”

  “Right.”

  “Is Father likely to ask?”

  “Only if someone plants ideas in his head.” I paused. “Or there’s something in this dispatch case about it.”

  She laughed. “Tell me.”

  “You haven’t promised.”

  “I promise that unless Father asks me very direct questions, I won’t say a word to either Mother or Father.”

  “Gretchena gave herself to me.”

  She paused. “Did you just tell me something I’ve known for two years?”

  “No. We had a practice challenge, but one she was guaranteed to lose.” I gave her the less salacious details.

  When I finished, she smiled. “Well, Little Sister, that places you ahead of me.”

  “I suppose it does.”

  “For now,” she added.

  “I know.”

  There must have been something in my tone, as she looked at me sharply. “What was that?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “That’s what you say when you know exactly what I’m talking about,” she replied. I didn’t answer, and she said gently, “Just tell me, Darfelsa.”

  “Is that an order from the crown princess?”

  “It’s a request from your sister, who loves you.”

  “It’s just…” I paused. “You’re going to take this the wrong way.”

  “I’ll try very hard not to.”

  “Your timing sucks.”

  “My timing for what?”

  “Why couldn’t you have waited just a few more weeks?”

  “Waited for what? I really don’t know what you’re trying to say, Little Sister.”

  “To tell us you were coming to Charth,” I clarified. “Two more weeks, maybe three more, and Allium would have let me have my first challenge.”

  It took a few minutes to explain everything. She asked a few questions, and then she said, “I’m sorry, Darfelsa. It wasn’t exactly my timing.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I said. “I was just looking forward to it.”

  “It sounds like you had your first challenge anyway.”

  “It wasn’t the same.”

  “No; you would have lost. Instead, you had Gretchena for three days. I’d say it turned out better.”

  “I’m being stupid.”

  “No. You had your heart set on something, and life interfered. That’s frustrating, but it’s the way of things.”

  “I know. I feel like a spoiled child about it. I hadn’t planned on saying anything to anyone else.”

  “Well, I’m glad you told me. I’m sorry for the timing, but I’m glad to know what’s going on in your life. Darfelsa, it’s not you and me against Mother and Father, but it is you and me against the world sometimes. You understand that, right? That’s what it means to be my right hand.”

  “I suppose it does. Except I’m not really your right hand yet.”

  “No, but you’ve been getting experience I haven’t had, and I’m not talking about a lovely pleasure slave.”

  “I suppose I have, but you’re the one in command of my honor guard.”

  “And I’m getting experience you haven’t had yet,” she amended. “But seeing as how nothing is going to happen that requires a real command, I’d say the experiences you’ve been having are better.” She grinned at me. “How was it?”

  “Amazing,” I said. “Ahlianna.”

  “Oh, something new. Tell me.”

  “I love her.”

  “I know,” she said. “What are you going to do about it?”

  “I don’t know. Does Mother have a bunch of suitors waiting to pounce on me the moment I get home.”

  “Of course not. You’ll smell of horse. They won’t pounce until after you’ve bathed.”

  “I’m serious.”

  “I am, too,” she said. She held her nose.

  “Could I please have a real answer.” I looked at her. “That is a real answer!”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Ahlianna!”

  “She’s been shoving them at me for years. It’s your turn.”

  “Are you just teasing?”

  “No, Darfelsa. I’m not.”

  “What am I going to do?”

  “You’re going to be polite.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Just that. You’re going to be polite and very, very proper.”

  She let me think about that. “How proper?” I finally asked.

  “I imagine exceedingly proper. I recommend a chaperone. I’ve enlisted Madam Bessari.”

  “That old prune?”

  “She’s actually very nice and a fascinating conversationalist,” Ahlianna said. “And a she-tiger if anyone gets out of line. She’s perfect.”

  “You’re entirely serious.”

  She put on a gruff voice. “I’m sure we don’t need Madam Bessari to join us.” Then she changed her voice again. “Tee, hee, hee. Wouldn’t that be scandalous?”

  “No way,” I said. “There’s no way you’re acting like some vapid … vapid… something-or-other.”

  She laughed. “Okay, maybe not that vapid,” she admitted. “But yes, actually.”

  “Why not just say ‘no’?”

  “Because when I finally invite someone to my marriage bed, it needs to look like I actually gave others a chance.”

  “Even though you’re not.”

  “Right.”

  “You’re absolutely serious, aren’t you?”

  “Unfortunately. As long as we’re talking about this, I want to ask you about Allium.”

  “What about Allium? Thinking of proposing to her?”

  “No. I’m wondering if she’s been getting close with anyone in particular.”

  “Are you going to tell me why you’re asking?”

  “Is it a big secret?”

  “No. You’re not going to tell me?”

  “I’m curious.”

  “In other words, you don’t know what I’m talking about?”

  She chuckled. “Yes, something like that.”

  “Well, she had Gionna in red a few weeks ago. And she spends time with Olivia, Bee, and Dee. I think she also spends time with other people, but no one at the embassy.”

  Ahlianna nodded acknowledgement.

  “You’re not going to tell me why you’re asking?”

  “I’m just curious.”

  “I’d rather you said ‘no’ than lie to me.”

  She looked over at me. I watched her as she decided how much to tell me. Finally, she said, “Allium is going to be important to us for decades, Darfelsa.”

  “And?”

  “And I want her to be happy, even if we need her back in Barrish. Now, Darfelsa, speaking as the Crown Princess, I want you to leave this alone. No meddling.”

  “I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I would love to see Allium find someone to marry,” she clarified. “But in case you were tempted to match make or talk to her about it or anything, I want you to leave it alone.”

  “Oh. I’m not sure any of that would even have occurred to me.”

  “Well, it has occurred to me, so I was only making sure,” she said with a smile.

  I laughed. “Got it.”

  “What is the proper response after having been given a direct order?”

  “I won’t i
nterfere in Allium’s love life or her life plans, Crown Princess Ahlianna,” I said solemnly.

  “Thank you, Darfelsa,” she said. “You will, however, keep me apprised.”

  I laughed again. “Do you want detailed reports every time she has a date?”

  “No. But if you feel she’s showing particular interest, you will tell me.”

  “Beyond Gionna and Olivia?”

  “Yes. Is she serious about Gionna?”

  “I think it’s just play. You know how it is.”

  “No, not really,” she said.

  * * * *

  It was late afternoon when, side-by-side, we rode into Barrish. I wouldn’t say the city turned out, but we were noticed, and we waved left and right as we traveled the streets. Here and there, people called out our names. A few yelled, “Welcome home, Princess.” But then there was a woman, clearly pregnant, who called out, “I love you, Princess Darfelsa.”

  “Say something to that one,” Ahlianna whispered. So, I held up my hand, pulling our troop to a stop. I descended from the mount and approached the woman, the guards taking up protective positions and watching the small crowd.

  “That’s very sweet,” I told the woman. I lifted my voice. “In case anyone is wondering, the child isn’t mine.”

  They liked that, laughing.

  I stepped closer. “May I touch?”

  “Yes, Princess,” said the woman.

  I actually knelt before her and set a hand on her stomach. “It will be soon?”

  “He’s late.”

  “It’s a boy?”

  “The way he’s been kicking my kidneys, I think so,” replied the expectant mother. And just then, the child kicked, or something. I felt movement. The woman set her hand on her stomach, her fingers just touching mine. “Did you feel that?”

  “I did,” I confirmed. And then I leaned forward and kissed her stomach. “I hope it is an easy birth.”

  “It won’t be,” she replied. “But it’s not my first. We’re going to be fine.”

  I stood and smiled. “Good,” I told her. “Congratulations.” Then I turned away, but as I passed the lieutenant, I whispered, “Find out who she is and where she lives. I want to send a birth gift.”