The Witch of Aggodar Ch. 08

"Close the door," Shay said quickly as she beckoned Maeve into the room.

Maeve swiftly shut the door behind her and hurried over to the witch, stealing a quick glance around the massive suite as she did so. The walls were covered in small mosaic tiles of deep clay colours, rich reds and forest greens that formed intricate, geometric patterns. Larger gold patterns criss crossed the ceiling and wound there way down the columns of the archways that led out out onto a wide balcony that overlooked the palace grounds and the city beyond. The polished wood floor was covered in thick, tasseled rugs with bold geometric designs and large terracotta pots containing broad ferns and sprigs of blue wisteria were dotted about the room. There was a central sitting area with three low sofas arranged in a 'u' shape to face the balcony, a beautiful carved mahogany desk upon which sat a chessboard made from polished ivory, and at the far end of the room there was a vast bed set beneath an ornate frame of painted wood and stylised gold leaf. Silk curtains in deep, rust orange hung over the crisp linen sheets of the bed and over the archways of the balcony, their hems stirring in the breeze created by the fans that cooled the enormous room. If this was what Shay's room was like, Maeve could only wonder at how incredible Sheik Junda's room must have been.

Shay led Maeve to the edge of the bed and sat down beside her. Her eyes travelled over Maeve's body, admiring the gold chains that were draped across her breasts and the wisps of sheer cloth that hung from her golden waist chain.

"You look beautiful," she said softly.

Maeve smiled appreciatively as she looked at the witch. The touch of the Mutes as they'd massaged the oils and glitter into her body had left her feeling more than a little frustrated and she wanted nothing more than for Shay to take her then and there, but she needed to tell her what she had seen first.

"I overheard the Sheik arguing with someone," she said. "They told him that he has been away from the city for too long and that he has not seen the problems that they have. It... It seemed like they were challenging his rulership, or at least implying that somebody else was."

"Did you see who he was talking to?" Shay asked.

Maeve shook her head. "Fazah hid me from them. But there was a man and a woman and they both called the Sheik 'uncle'."

Shay was silent for a moment, her expression one of deep thought. "Khatya and Rhan," she said eventually. "They are the Sheik's niece and nephew. Their parents were killed by a rival city not long after they were born, so Junda raised them himself."

"You know them?"

"They were still children when I was last here," she said. "Junda believed that they both showed signs of magical talent and asked me to train them. Part of the reason why I left was because I refused to do so."

"Why?"

Shay pursed her lips thoughtfully. "They were unpleasant children," she explained slowly. "They were cruel and vindictive and would constantly terrorise the palace staff. Junda did his best to teach them right from wrong... But some people are just rotten to their core. I feared what they would become if they were trained to use magic as well."

"Do you think someone else trained them?" Maeve asked.

Shay shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "Magic is rarer in Arridian blood and highly prized. Junda understood why I refused to train the twins... But I doubt it would have stopped him looking for someone else to do the job."

Maeve considered this as Shay stood and began to pace up and down in front of the bed. "You said you wanted to tell me something too?" she prompted.

The witch turned to her, her brow furrowed in a mixture of thought and concern. "Junda is worried," she said. "He told me in the carriage that strange things are happening all over the city. People are vanishing. And on the way to the palace I thought I saw..."

"What?" Maeve said softly as the witch trailed off.

Shay ground her teeth as she resumed her pacing. "It was difficult to see," she muttered. "There were so many damn people... But I thought I saw the mark of a Djinn."

"A Djinn?" Maeve repeated.

"They are an old Arridian legend," Shay explained. "Some believe they are daemons, others think that they are the spirits of the first people who walked the desert. They speak in riddles and half-truths and are believed to have the power to grant wishes to anyone who can capture them."

"Are they dangerous?" Maeve asked uncertainly.

"That rather depends on who their master is," Shay said grimly. "Djinn are neither good nor evil, but the magic that they are said to possess is virtually limitless."

"But they are only a legend?"

Shay laughed dryly as she looked at her. "In some cultures, witches are only legends. And did you not think the Fae were only a myth as well?"

Maeve chewed her tongue as she mulled this over. Shay had a good point. She had already seen so much that she would never have thought was true to begin doubting myths and legends now.

"Do you think the twins might be involved?" she asked eventually.

"It takes an incredibly cunning person to capture a Djinn," the witch said carefully. "The Katya and Rhan that I knew would not have been that powerful. But if they have been trained..."

"What do we do?" Maeve asked.

Shay was silent for several minutes. "We need to get out of here as soon as we can," she said.

Mave blinked in surprise. "What about the city? What about Junda?"

"Junda has an army to defend him."

She shook her head angrily. "You know that won't be enough," she said bluntly. "Could you stop a Djinn?"

The witch bit her lip. "I don't know," she said truthfully. "But I am not about to risk our lives to find out!"

Maeve's expression hardened. "But if you don't, what happens to all those people out there?" she asked. "I know you, Shay. I know you are a good person. You can't just walk away. I can't just walk away."

Shay pressed her hands to her face before looking at Maeve, her pink eyes full of uncertainty. "I do not know if I can stop this," she said quietly.

Maeve nodded slowly. "So we find out as much as we can," she said. "We listen to every rumour and we follow every lead until we know for certain what it is that you are facing and how you can beat it."

Shay's eyes shone with admiration as she chewed her lip. She clearly thought she ought to protest some more, but the determination behind her gaze told Maeve that the witch wanted to stay. The Djinn had sparked her curiosity and Maeve asking her whether she could stop it was a challenge that the witch did not want to back down from.

A small smile tugged at the Shay's lips as she jerked her head towards the door. "Lets get started then," she said.

****

Junda's throne room was as vast and impressive as every other part of the palace that Maeve had seen. Columns of gleaming white marble rose towards the high ceilings decorated with gold leaf and vibrant frescos of peacock blue, scarlet and mint greens. Marble tiles of white and blue formed a diamond pattern in the floor whilst two pools of crystal clear water ran parallel to each other down the centre of the room. Junda's throne was carved from mahogany, padded with velvet and silk cushions and sat upon a dais of gold and marble. Huge potted plants dominated the corners of the room whilst massive archways in the rear wall led directly out to the palace gardens.

The throne room was already busy when Maeve and Shay entered. Soldiers in crisp uniforms stood to attention around the perimeter of the room whilst nobles and other important looking guests mingled in the centre of the room. Servants in thin togas moved between the guests, offering glasses of sparkling wine and skewers of dried meats and fruits. Amongst their number were other concubines. Some, like her, were clad in thin bras, skimpy shorts and gold bangles, whilst others were completely naked. Some were bound and gagged whilst others knelt at their masters' feet. A few even engaged in conversation with the other guests, smiling and sipping on glasses of sparkling wine or punch as the men and women that they spoke to admired their exposed flesh.

"Are you ready for this?" Shay whispered.

Maeve swallowed, already spying several guests glancing curiously over at her. She remembered how it had felt to walk naked through Junda's ship and kneel beside Maeve at his table. She had been the centre of attention then, there hadn't been any other concubines to steal focus from her and yet, somehow this setting seemed strangely more intimidating.

"You don't have to do this," the witch whispered.

"No," Maeve said firmly. "I'm ready."

Shay squeezed her hand encouragingly before leading her into the throne room. The crowd parted before them and it seemed as if every eye turned to stare at the two of them. Maeve held her head high and kept her attention on Shay as she plucked two glasses from a passing servant and led her to a position near the front of the crowd.

"Drink this," she said, handing Maeve one of the glasses.

"Thank you, Mistress," Maeve whispered, remembering her manners now that they were in company.

She sipped her drink slowly as she looked around the room, one eye on the affluent merchants and politicians who were now whispering urgently amongst themselves, the other on the concubines who would be her competition in the coming games. The atmosphere in the room seemed to have shifted, with some people stealing looks of admiration in her and Shay's direction and others barely managing to hide their jealousy. Shay had warned her about Arridian politics. The courts were notoriously treacherous and thrived on a culture of scheming, backstabbing and blackmail as the Sheik's advisors vied for power and favour. Shay was convinced that Katya and Rhan were not acting along, but as she looked around she wondered how they would ever spot the viper amongst the false pleasantries and fake smiles that met her gaze.

A thin man with a narrow black goatee peeled away from the group of people he had been talking to. Gold slippers poked out from beneath his black robes and a teal sash was wrapped around his waist from which hung a jewelled dagger that was far too ornate to have been anything but ceremonial. With his hooked nose, beady eyes and thinning head of hair, he reminded Maeve of a vulture and the smile that he gave to Shay as he bowed before them sent a shiver down her spine.

"Lady Shay," the man said, his voice sounding strangely familiar to Maeve. "I had heard you were back in the city but did not believe the rumours."

"Prince Rhan," Shay replied smoothly, the casualness with which she said his name nearly causing Maeve to choke on her wine in surprise. "Your uncle has kindly welcomed me back for a short visit. It is good to see you again."

"Likewise," Rhan purred before glancing at Maeve. "I hear you are to enter the games? I take it this is your current slave?"

Maeve bowed respectfully as the Prince turned his gaze towards her, glad of the excuse to not meet his gaze. She could feel his narrow eyes slide over her body and felt her skin crawl in disgust.

"She is," Shay said sharply. Your uncle thought it would be entertaining to see me compete again."

"I have no doubt," Rhan replied, finally tearing his eyes away from Maeve's breasts. "Katya will be most excited to see you again, I'm sure."

"Is the Princess here?" Shay asked, pretending to look around the room.

"She is meeting with an old friend at present," Rhan replied smoothly.

"I see," Shay said, her expression unreadable. "So tell me, how are you and your sister? When last I was here you were both suffering a strange illness. I do hope it was nothing serious."

Rhan's lips curled into a smile and suddenly he no longer looked like a vulture, but more like a shark that had just smelt blood. "As it turns out, Lady Shay, my sister and I were both blessed with a talent for sorcery."

"Is that so?" Shay replied without missing a beat.

"Indeed," Rhan purred. "It is curious that you did not recognise the signs, don't you think?"

Shay smiled thinly and Maeve noticed her flex the fingers of her free hand. "Perhaps," she said calmly. "But I am sure your uncle found you a suitable tutor?"

"He did," Rhan replied, holding out his hand to conjure a ball of blue fire in the air between them. "My sister and I have grown powerful since you were here last."

Shay smiled as she calmly placed her hand beneath the fireball and closed her fist around the flame, snuffing it out as if it had been no more than a candle. "I'm sure you have," she replied with an air of disinterest. "But as any good sorcerer knows, there is always more to learn."

Rhan's lip curled angrily as he glared at the witch. Several people nearby had stopped their conversations to watch the exchange and Maeve could hear them muttering uncertainly to each other, impressed by the ease of which Shay had dispelled the Prince's magic.

"It was good to see you, Lady Shay," the Prince said curtly. "I wish you luck in the games."

He turned and stalked away, vanishing into the crowd without looking back. Several of the onlookers smiled at Shay and a couple even raised their glasses in her direction. Maeve remembered how Junda had commented that the twins had plenty of enemies themselves and supposed at least that would help to narrow down their search.

A woman in a pale green dress trimmed with gold and ruby beads walked up to them both and smiled. It took Maeve a moment to realise that it was Mhati, the handler who had dressed her when they had arrived at the palace. Her silver-black hair was pinned beneath a silk cowl and her lips sparkled with cherry red gloss. Maeve couldn't help but think that she looked about ten years younger than when she had first met her and she saw more than one man glance appreciatively at the handler from across the room.

"That was a quite a show," Mhati said with a smile.

"Even the most basic sorcerer can conjure a fireball," Shay replied cooly. "If he was trying to intimidate me, he will have to do better than that."

Mhati laughed softly. "I grew up in this palace," she said quietly. "The Prince and Princess were a few years younger than me, but they still made my life hell. It is a joy to see them taken down a place or two."

Shay glanced sideways at the woman as if realising who she was talking to. "You're the Sheik's current slave handler?" she asked.

"At your service," Mhati replied with a graceful bow of her head. "I have heard a lot about you, Lady Shay. And might I say, it was a joy to work with your friend here. She has made quite the impression."

"I have?" Maeve asked, momentarily forgetting that she was only supposed to speak when spoken to.

A smile flickered across Mhati's face as she nodded. "Oh, yes. People can't take their eyes off of you, Maeve. I daresay you'll be the talk of the games tonight."

Maeve felt herself blush as she looked around the room, suddenly even more aware of the eyes that lingered on her body. She didn't begrudge the attention at all and even though Shay had told her that there were strict rules in place to protect the concubines who competed in the games, she was very glad that Shay was there to watch over her.

Music suddenly filled the room as a squad of guards accompanied by a trio of musicians playing long, bone coloured flutes that emitted a high, droning sound entered the throne room. The Sheik walked between the two rows formed by his guards, Fazah marching along behind him as he smiled and waved to the applauding crowd. Junda's face was warm and full of joy as he made his way through the crowd to his throne, shaking hands and engaging in polite conversation with his guests. Maeve thought he might have been the happiest person she had ever seen and it was hard to imagine that it had been the Sheik that she had heard screaming at his niece and nephew just a few hours ago.

He walked up to Shay and bowed low, taking her hand and placing a kiss on her pale skin. "Lady Shay, as beautiful as ever," he said before turning to Maeve. His eyes sparkled as he clapped his hands together. "And Lady Maeve," he said. "You look stunning."

"Thank you, Your Excellency," Maeve replied with a polite bow.

The Sheik kissed her hand in turn and Maeve heard a flurry of murmurs ripple through the crowd as he winked at her before swiftly ascending the dais to his throne, Fazah taking up a position to his left with his broad arms folded across his chest.

"Friends! Family," Junda said as the room fell silent. "It is a pleasure to see you all gathered together again. It has been too long since we have celebrated together."

A murmur of "here-here's" filled the room and several people raised their glasses towards the throne to toast the Sheik.

"I will keep this short, as I know we are all eager to begin, and the cook has informed me that the feast is almost ready." He waited as his audience laughed politely before continuing. "These games are not only about competing. They are an opportunity for us to deepen the bonds that connect us, to forge new friendships and share ideas for the future. The Golden City is the jewell of Arridia, and it is because of our work that it remains so!"

Junda smiled broadly as the crowd applauded, his eyes flitting from face to face like a proud father surveying his children. Maeve risked a glance behind her to see if Rhan was applauding, but the Prince was nowhere to be seen.

"This year, we are graced by the presence of Lady Shay of Everdale. Some of you may remember her as my former advisor and trainer. She has gracefully agreed to enter the games along with her charming concubine, Lady Maeve of Everdale."

A ripple of conversation passed through the crowd as Shay turned and smiled politely at the other guests. Maeve did not know whether she should acknowledge the crowd as well or not, so decided to keep her attention on Junda's face, holding her head high even as she felt the guests staring at her bare back and ass.

"As always, tonight will begin with the weighing of the concubines," Junda continued. "Tomorrow, the games begin in earnest. All that remains for me to say is good luck, and I shall see you all at the feast!"

As the crowd broke into applause again Maeve turned uncertainly to Shay. "What's the weighing of the concubines?" she whispered nervously.

"It's the introductory ceremony," the witch replied. "These games attract huge bets from the spectators so this is a chance for people to examine the contestants and pick their favourites."

"What does that even mean?" Maeve hissed urgently.

"It means, my dear," Mhati said with a bemused smile, "That you are going to have a busy evening."

Shay chewed her tongue as she gave Mhati a long look before taking Maeve's arm and leading her to the centre of the room where the other trainers and their concubines had begun to gather. Maeve's heart was pounding in her chest. It had been one thing to agree to take part in the games the night before, but now that they were about to begin her nerves were threatening to undo her.

"Shay..." she hissed.

The witch looked down at her, her pink eyes full of concern. Maeve knew that if she wanted to, she could forfeit her place in the games. Shay would not make her do anything that she did not want to do, even if it risked her own reputation or potentially even exposing the true reason why they had come to Arridia. Maeve also knew, however, that the witch wouldn't have let her compete if she did not think she could handle what was to come, and that thought alone was enough to bolster her confidence and still her nerves for the time being.

Maeve swallowed and flashed a smile at the witch. "Nothing," she said with a small shake of her head.

The other concubines were standing in a line beside their trainers. Some were bouncing on the balls of their feet whilst others exchanged hushed conversations with their masters. Most of them seemed nervous but excited whilst a handful simply stared blankly ahead, their eyes dull and lifeless.

Maeve and Shay took their place in the line behind a girl with olive coloured skin whose arms were bound behind her back, and her sandy haired master. They looked around as they approached, the concubine smiling shyly at Maeve whilst her master bowed nervously to Shay.

"Lady Shay," he stammered. "It... It's an honour!"

Shay looked down at the young trainer with a smile that did not quite meet her eyes. Maeve thought he was in his early twenties and the white and gold robes that he wore were a poor fit for his slightly chubby frame.

"My name is Taroh," he said. "I have recently become a trainer."

"You don't say," Shay said cooly. "And how did you come to be here, Taroh?"

He blushed as he glanced at the girl beside him. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said quietly.

"Try me," Shay replied bluntly.

He looked around nervously before saying in a low whisper, "We were invited by Princess Katya!"

Shay's expression changed and she suddenly looked at Taroh with renewed interest. "The Princess?" she said. "She must have great faith in your abilities."

"That's the thing," Taroh muttered, glancing at the girl beside him. "We've never done this before! I don't even know how the Princess came to know of us!"

Shay frowned. "Have you tried asking her?"

"She won't even speak to us," Taroh said, his voice hushed and urgent. "I thought maybe she had taken a shine to Clara here but... I just don't know. The invitation came one morning to my house. I thought it was a joke at first but then she sent a carriage for us... I didn't know what to do... The money was too good for either of us to pass up though and..."

Shay held up her hand to stop the babbling man. "If I might offer you some advise?" she said quietly.

Taroh nodded eagerly. From the look in his eyes, Maeve thought he was probably more scared than Clara was.

"Leave," she said bluntly. "But if the money is too tempting then be extremely careful. These games are not to be entered lightly. Do nothing to draw attention to yourselves. Keep your heads down and focus on each task as they come." She looked at Clara, her face softening as she said, "And look after her. Whatever she wants, it is your duty as her trainer to get it for her. If the money is that important to you, she is the one who will win it for you. Always remember that."

Taroh looked at Clara before turning back to Shay and nodding. "I will," he said breathlessly.

"Don't worry," Maeve whispered softly to Clara. "This is all new to me as well."

Clara smiled as her eyes darted over Maeve's body and the many chains and gold bands that she wore. "You could have fooled me," she replied with a nervous smile.

Before Maeve could answer, the line began to move and Shay placed her hand on her arm and gave her a look that told her the time for speaking had passed. They followed the other trainers and their concubines out of the throne room and through the palace corridors to another large room that looked out over the gardens. The room had been cleared of whatever furniture that it had previously held and just over a dozen large gold rings had been placed in two parallel lines down the centre of the room. Cuffs were fitted to the top and bottom of each of the rings which themselves were attached to sturdy gold frames with a set of steps resting in front of them. Beside each ring was a small trolley upon which had been laid out various gags, clamps and assorted toys with which the trainers could display their concubines.

Shay led Maeve to one of the rings facing out towards the garden and took a moment to examine the contents of the trolley. Maeve could see the witch's mind at work and the glimmer in her pink eyes was one that she had come to know all too well and associated with her imminent arousal. Her heart fluttered in her chest as Shay helped her up the steps and turned her to face out towards the garden. The witch took her hands and locked them one at a time into the cuffs at the top of the ring before repeating the process with her ankles to cuffs below so that Maeve was left suspended in the shape of an 'x' in the centre of the ring. Shay smiled as she carefully arranged the chains that covered her breasts, making sure that her nipples were visible between the golden links. She then turned to the trolley and picked out a shiny gold ball gag with a pair of matching nipple clamps that attached to the buckles on either side of the ball. Maeve opened her mouth obediently as Shay pressed the ball between her lips and fastened the straps behind her head. She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly as the witch rolled her nipples gently between her thumb and forefinger before squeezing them between the metal clamps.

As she finished fitting the gag, the witch kissed her softly on the cheek and whispered in her ear. "Keep your ears open. People tend to be less careful when they think no one is listening."

Maeve nodded her understanding, wincing as she inadvertently pulled on the nipple clamps attached to her gag. The witch smirked coyly as she returned to the tray and picked up a pair of pebble shaped devices connected via wires to magical cores known as sparks that acted as batteries for the vibrators. Shay had used them on her before and Maeve was all too aware of how powerful they could be. How did Shay expect her to pay any attention to what people were saying with those things distracting her?

The witch pushed aside Maeve's silk loincloth and began to gently probe her slit with the tip of one of her fingers. Maeve moaned softly, the rest of the room fading into the background as she reacted to Shay's touch. Her pussy quickly began to grow moist and she groaned again as she felt Shay slide both vibrators into her body before strapping the two sparks to each of her thighs.

"I'll come check on you in an hour," the witch said as she leant forward and kissed Maeve's top lip.

"Ah owr?" Maeve exclaimed.

Shay smiled wickedly as she gave the nipple clamps a playful tug. "Don't forget to make a good impression," she teased before slipping away.

Maeve scowled as the witch walked off, leaving her hanging in the middle of the gold ring with the currently motionless vibrators sticking out of her increasing frustrated pussy. She looked around the room as best she could at the other concubines who were similarly secured in their own rings. Some were gagged as she was whilst some also wore blindfolds. Some had toys of their own strapped too the legs and were already moaning in pleasure from the stimulation whilst others had been left to endure the pain of weighted clamps or spark pads that emitted frequent shocks to the skin. She was at least glad to see that Clara was in the ring next to hers. She wore a black bit gag that buckled beneath her chin and behind her head and a leather blindfold over her eyes and even though she could not see her, Maeve was at least glad to have a familiar face by her side.

The minutes ticked slowly by and Maeve found herself becoming increasingly aroused by her surroundings as she listened to the other concubines shift and moan in their rings. Shay's touch had infuriated her and she was silently willing the vibrators in her pussy to come to life and satiate her desire. She kept looking over at Clara, watching the slow rise and fall of her breasts as her breathing matched the pulse of the vibrator strapped to her thigh. Like all the concubines, she was incredibly beautiful and Maeve wondered how she had come to be in Taroh's possession and how much money the pair had been promised to enter the competition.

She heard a door open and suddenly a crowd of people began flooding into the room, laughing and talking to each other as they strolled down the lines of suspended concubines. Maeve recognised the faces of the Sheik's guests as they lingered in front of her, admiring the curves of her breasts and commenting on everything from the colour of her hair to the complexion of her skin. She saw Shay watching from the back of the crowd, a glass of sparkling wine in her hand as she spoke with Mhati. Their eyes met and whether it was a coincidence or not, Maeve felt the vibrators inside of her suddenly explode into motion.

She moaned in surprise and joy, her arms and legs tensing against the metal cuffs that secured her. The group in front of her mumbled something that she didn't hear but the smug expressions on their faces made her cheeks burn brightly as she fought to control her reactions. She heard another of the concubines moan loudly as she orgasmed and someone behind her was purring platitudes at one of the guests as he quizzed her on her role. One of the male concubines stared straight ahead as a group of women commented on the impressive size of his cock and then someone else was orgasming at the far end of the room.

Maeve bit down hard on her ball gag, glaring at the faces of the guests beneath her as the vibrators continued to pulse in her pussy. She was determined not to embarrass herself by cumming in front of them. She could fight the wave of pleasure that was building higher and higher within her even if all she wanted to do was to give in to it.

"This one's feisty," one of the men commented.

"She best be if the witch has trained her," muttered one of his companions.

"She's certainly the most beautiful," the woman beside him said. "What I would give for tits like those."

Maeve closed her eyes to their chatter, doing everything she could not to cum. She was trembling now, her whole body feeling like it might burst if she held back her orgasm for much longer. She felt someone approach her and opened her eyes fearfully only to find herself staring into Shay's eyes. The witch smiled reasuringly at her as she tucked a strand of her peppermint hair behind her ear and said, just loud enough for the corwd that had formed in front of her to hear, "You have my permission to cum."

Her words were like the key to a lock that Maeve hadn't realised she was missing. They sent a shiver down her spine and with it, the fire that she had been fighting became an explosion. Shockwaves of pleasure rolled over her and she moaned uncontrollably as she came before a crowd of people that she didn't know. It was humiliating. It was terrifying. But it was also the most exhilarating feeling that she had ever had and throughout it all, Shay was standing right next to her, protecting her even as she bared everything to the world. The vibrators clicked off mercifully and she slumped in the ring, exhausted and embarrassed, but deeply, deeply satisfied.

"Good girl," the witch whispered before placing a kiss on her forehead and walking back to join Mhati.

The rest of the evening was a blur. People came and went, sometimes viewing the concubines alone, other times coming in large groups. The vibrators continued to tease and torment Maeve but after her first orgasm she had stopped fighting them. She rode the waves of pleasure as they came and went, adding her moans to the chorus of the other concubines' without caring who was there to see it. They were given only a brief break for water and food before they were secured back to their rings for what, seemingly, would be the night. Maeve was exhausted. Streaks of makeup ran down her cheeks and drool covered her chin. Her eyes were glazed and unfocused as she heard the door open again and two people walked in, both already deep in conversation.

"I told you it was too soon to act," one of them hissed. "The old man is already suspicious."

"Now is the only time to act!" snapped a second voice. Maeve thought they were both female, but she couldn't be sure.

"But we aren't prepared," the first speaker hissed. They were getting closer. Maeve dared not turn her head for fear that they would realise she was eavesdropping. "What if he finds out?"

"It is too late either way," the second voice growled irritably. "By the time he realises what is happening there will be nothing that can stop us."

The vibrators in Maeve's pussy began to stir. She closed her eyes, biting back the moan of frustration that threatened to escape her lips. Not now! she thought desperately.

The two figures appeared at the far end of the room. They were both clad in cloaks, one of midnight blue the other of shimmering gold but whilst the woman in blue had her hood drawn up to cover her face, the woman in gold's face was exposed and her resemblance to her brother was unmistakable.

Princess Katya frowned as she glanced sideways at the male concubine they had paused beside. "I still do not understand why it had to be now," she said, idly reaching out to fondle the man's balls. He stirred, growling behind the gag and blindfold that he wore until the Princess swatted his cock with a look of disdain.

The first woman sighed. "Of course you don't," she muttered. "But have I ever led you astray?"

"No..." Katya said as they continued down the row of concubines.

The vibrations were getting stronger. It was taking every ounce of strength that Maeve possessed to remain still and silent, to keep her eyes half shut so that they might think she had fallen asleep like so many of the other concubines had done.

"Trust me. This is for the best."

The two women came to a stop in front of Maeve and she could feel Katya's eyes roaming over her body. "What about the witch?" she said sinisterly. "Could she be a problem?"

"The witch is a complication, but one that can be easily overcome," the other woman said. "I do not yet know her motives, but if she stands in our way, I will destroy her."

"At least she has good taste," Katya muttered as she walked up the steps towards Maeve.

Maeve's heart pounded in her chest as the Princess drew close to her. She was not unattractive, but she had the same hooked nose as her brother and something about her made Maeve's skin crawl. She took Maeve's chin in her hand and shook her awake, smiling wickedly as she looked into her glazed eyes.

"Look at you," Katya purred. "Aren't you just the perfect little slut?"

Maeve glared at the Princess, her legs and arms shaking from the orgasm that she was desperately fighting.

"Do you know who I am, slut?"

"Katya," the other woman said cautiously.

She leaned forward, her lilac perfume filling Maeve's nostrils. "I'm going to be your new mistress. I'm going to offer your witch so much money that she'll forget all about you and then I'm going to keep you like this and fuck you whenever I want to. Would you like that, little slut?"

Maeve glared at her, trying not to let the terror that she felt creep into her vision.

Katya laughed and pulled sharply on Maeve's nipple clamps, the action very nearly causing her to lose control of her body as she skipped down the stairs and waltzed away with the other woman. Maeve waited until she heard the door swing shut behind them before finally allowing herself to relax. She shook as she came, wave after wave of pleasure coursing through her body as relief washed over her.

She drifted on the edge of consciousness but she knew that she could not sleep yet. She had to speak to Shay. She had to tell her what she had learned. Katya was involved, but she wasn't alone and worst of all it seemed as though Shay was in terrible danger...