The Slave Queen of Etherion Ch. 29

Chapter 29

Palatium Ebenum, Secarium

King Jan's Royal Ball was the talk of the world, from Mount Whitschear to all three vertices, northing, easting and westing. Jan had received responses from all of the royal families of Etherion, all of whom had confirmed that they would attend, and had sent lists of the attendees, some sooner than others, though even the latest response arrived in plenty of time for Jan to issue the appropriate orders and his retainers to make the appropriate preparations, starting in early autumn. By mid-autumn, the guests began to arrive.

King Earle had made the journey from Saydorf Palace across Lake Ard, down the Beraud River, beneath the vast arch upon which stood the Monastery of Chains, to the village of Peronsay, where he had boarded a ship headed for Secarium. He arrived alone, save for his retinue. The sixteen-year-old Queen Lynnette of Vertellan arrived in company with her regent, Prince Robin, and her retinue, having sailed across the Sweet Sea from Corsarnast to Secarium. Queen Severine, Prince Dexter and Princess Delilah of Isolian, along with King Cyrnor and Prince Beckett of Clynastrum, arrived with them, the royalty of Isolian and Clynastrum having travelled downriver to Corsarnast in time to take ship with Vertellan's queen. King Clarke, Prince Tigh and Princess Melody of Boletia had travelled to Secarium with their retinue over land from Myrnor via Harlensis. Jade and Rodger sailed from Lysannum to Secarium with their retinue, which included Xenia and Biblis. They arrived just before King Kael of Kelvortyne and his retinue. King Cipher, Queen Sigrun, Prince Silvermark and Princess Amorette of Harquen travelled from Domus Redux by road, arriving only three days before the ball.

However, as time wore on and the week and more before the ball decreased to a mere day or so, more and more of the royalty of Etherion began to comment upon the absence of King Gorm, Queen Anemone and Princess Tansy of Cyrstendran, who had written to Jan, accepting his invitation, but had not arrived. Of course, travel through the forests of Easting Etherion being what it was, they might arrive on the day of the ball without being considered late.

In the lead-up to the ball, there was little to do except catch up with the other royalty of Etherion and explore King Jan's refurbished palace. Rodger and Jade caught up with the royalty of Harquen one afternoon, soon after they arrived, in the palace gardens, which were a riot of red, orange, yellow, brown and green autumn colours.

Rodger shook hands with his brother-in-law, Prince Silvermark and hugged his sister Amorette, and Jade exchanged kisses with them. Silvermark and Amorette introduced Silvermark's parents, King Cipher and Queen Sigrun, both of whom were old and grey, but still fit-looking.

"It's so good to meet you both at last," Rodger said to Cipher and Sigrun. He suppressed his surprise at the apparent lack of familial similarity between Silvermark and his parents.

"It's good to meet you too, Rodger," King Cipher shook his hand very firmly. "Amorette has told us a lot of the stories about you... it was a bit of a scandal, what?"

"Uh... I suppose it was," Rodger admitted.

"That's the ticket! You'll have to tell us all about it! There's nothing like a good scandal for a bit of entertainment!" Cipher grinned, showing rather yellowed teeth.

"Perhaps some time later," Rodger replied dubiously.

"When are you due?" Jade was asking Amorette, who was rather pregnant, with a big, swollen belly beneath her tailored maternity gown.

"I'm due in about a month and a half, in early winter," Amorette replied. "Provided everything goes well, of course. I've also heard that you're pregnant again."

"I'm not as far along as you are. I'm not due until mid-winter," Jade shared.

"Let's both hope that it's not as harsh a winter as it was in '17, then," Amorette said. "But you're still well ahead of me. This one's my first, but that's your second, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. But you married Silvermark in the summer of '17, and it's taken you all this time for your first?" Jade asked.

Amorette shrugged and grinned. "It wasn't for lack of trying. It took lots and lots of practise," she reached out and took Silvermark's hand.

"Hmm? What was that, dear?" Silvermark looked at his wife with a fond smile.

"I was saying that it took lots of practise before I became pregnant," Amorette repeated.

"Oh... yes, it really did," Silvermark grinned.

"So, tell me, have you noticed that the Cyrstendrans haven't arrived yet?" Rodger asked.

"Yes, we have," Queen Sigrun replied. She looked around the palace garden, but there wasn't anyone near them. "Cipher and I were saying just last month that Cyrstendran would be Jan's next target if he was in an expansionist mood."

"Rodger said the same thing to me just after we received our invitiation," Jade added.

"If there has been any foul play on Jan's part, he's hiding it well," Silvermark said. "We've kept an eye on Jan since he added Mensalia and Radsarnum to his holdings, but his knights and soldiers are all at their estates or their usual posts and on a peace-time footing. None of them -- save for a small honour guard -- have headed anywhere near Glen Dram," he referred to the capitol of Cyrstendran, though by the standards of Galadon, Rodger considered it to be a village... not that he had ever seen the place. "Or the Cyr or the Sten rivers," he referred to the two rivers that formed Cyrstendran's border with Mensalia.

"This is all probably idle speculation, and Gorm, Anemone and Tansy will arrive in the next day or two," Amorette said.

"We can hope so," Jade said.

"So, tell me, why do you all live in Domus Redux when there's the palace at Cautes Regina standing empty?" Rodger changed the subject.

"It's haunted, Rodger," Queen Sigrun replied. "The ghost of Empress Staruchel has haunted it since the day that Lysanna the Strong cut off her head, and all the clergy of the good gods haven't been able to exorcise her."

"She drives away anyone who approaches the throne, saying that only an enslaved queen and her master who rule all Etherion may take the two thrones," King Cipher added. "She's made the Imperial Palace uninhabitable."

Later on, Xenia reported seeing and overhearing King Kael in talks with King Clarke of Boletia about the possibility of Kael marrying Clarke's daughter, Princess Melody, while she had been in an assignation with one of Jan's serving men in the garden nearby.

"I pity the poor girl if she marries him," Xenia said to Jade and Rodger. "Kael's a cold fish. He'd probably want to make appointments to bed her."

"He seemed that way to me too," Rodger agreed.

"He didn't inspire me either," Jade agreed. "However, I've heard that Melody's cold too. Bookish, studious and emotionless... and she's as plain as you can get for a princess of Etherion. They might be better suited to each-other than you think."

"Then she'd be just like King Clarke and Prince Tigh," Xenia remarked. "They're both bookish and studious too."

"Did you ever bed Prince Tigh, Xeni?" Rodger asked.

"No," Xenia replied. "He said he was saving his virgin gift for his wife when he marries. I expect he still is."

"It was one of the reasons why I turned him down," Jade said. "The other was that he's not big enough to be a good dominant. He's shorter than me!"

King Jan made a point of meeting privately with the monarchs of the other lands in the days before the ball. Like the other monarchs, Jade received an invitation to meet with Jan, in the company of an adviser.

"You'll come with me, of course?" Jade asked Rodger after the servant bearing the invitation had left.

"Of course," Rodger replied. "Will you try to seduce Jan?" he gave Jade tacit permission.

"It would be good to know what he's up to," Jade replied. "Perhaps, since Alyssa's also pregnant, we could swap?"

"If they're willing, of course," Rodger agreed. "The general opinion of the men I've spoken to is that Alyssa's almost as beautiful as you."

Just before Jade and Rodger had their meeting with Jan and Alyssa, they made sure to don their most seductive clothing, Rodger putting on a tight shirt, tight hose and a codpiece, while Jade donned her sheer white gown that had been made in imitation of the outfit that Faltorios' elf slave woman had worn at The Rut. Xenia helped Jade with her cosmetics, applying them not only to her face but also her body, to help Jade look as if she was so lustful as to be practically in heat. Rodger attached a leash to Jade's collar as the last touch.

When Jade and Rodger were shown into the room with Jan and Alyssa, Jade turned the full force of her charm upon Jan, and was pleased to note that Jan's eyes dilated, his face became flushed, and his codpiece swelled. Rodger also exercised his charm when he greeted Alyssa -- despite her being a slave who was more properly ignored -- and he also had the satisfaction of seeing her blush all the way down to her gauze-covered breasts.

Jan and Jade spoke about matters of mutual interest. They spoke of his military posture; which was to maintain the security of his lands, and his larger army was a necessity given the larger area of lands he had to defend, and since two of the provinces of his kingdom -- Esphobel and Mensalia -- were partially contiguous, he was reducing his standing army as old soldiers retired and did not need to be replaced. They spoke about matters of trade, though neither were surprised when the status-quo was maintained. They spoke about taxation of imports and exports. However, while Jan and Alyssa both appeared to be aroused, they didn't make any advances toward Jade or Rodger, even as Jade and Jan ran out of things to discuss.

"Jan... Have you considered... closer relations between us?" Jade asked, as seductively as she could.

Jan swallowed, looking uncomfortable and even more flushed. "Uh... I... You know that I... once... thought that we might marry," he said awkwardly. "But... I'm happy with Alyssa and... I'm... happy that you've found joy... in your own life," he finished diplomatically.

"Have you never been curious about what it might have been like to be lovers, Jan?" Jade asked.

"I... ah... I have... but... it wouldn't be fair... to Alyssa... to explore that," Jan practically stammered.

"Both Alyssa and I are pregnant, so there could be no embarrassing consequences were we to swap," Jade suggested with her most sultry expression.

Jan hesitated for a long moment before he began to reach out toward Jade. Then Alyssa reached out and took his hand, despite neither of them looking at each-other. "I've... shared Alyssa before... and I didn't find it... particularly... agreeable," he said then.

"I didn't find it... entirely... agreeable either," Alyssa added, also blushing as she squeezed Jan's hand tightly.

"I thank you for your consideration... but we... must... refuse," Jan said as if it was causing him pain to say the words. "With the... greatest of regret."

Jade looked at Rodger, and he at her. It was evident that Jan was going to continue to refuse, and neither had to say anything to know that the other knew it. Jade turned back to Jan.

"Then I think that there's little else to say," Jade concluded as she stood. "Other than to hope that you'll save a dance for me, and that Alyssa will dance with Rodger?"

"Of course," Jan replied with only partial relief as he stood up. "Thank you for coming to speak with me, Queen Jade."

"Thank you for your invitation," Jade replied.

As soon as Jade and Rodger had left the room, Jan quietly closed the door. There was the sound of footsteps, followed by the sound of cloth tearing, followed by female gasps, moans, and a sound like clapping. It took little imagination to conclude that Jan had torn off Alyssa's sheer clothing and was fucking her energetically.

"Damn," Jade said quietly to Rodger as they walked away. "Jan must really love Alyssa a lot. I thought I had him, until they held hands."

"You can give it another go at the ball," Rodger suggested.

"Of course... but don't expect a miracle."

After dinner the following evening as the guests waited to enter the Palatium Ebenum's ballroom, it was the talk of King Jan's court that King Gorm, Queen Anemone and Princess Tansy hadn't arrived in time for the ball.

"I went up to the palace's lookout tower and had a good look around less than an hour ago," Queen Severine of Isolian was saying as the guests began to enter the ballroom. "With my telescope, I could see all the way past the Covenant of Vertex Mensa and the Pentagonal Table in Mensalia, and there was no sign of Gorm or his entourage."

"They're not just a bit late, then," Jade replied. "Even if they emerged from the Easting Woods right after you left the tower, it'd be tomorrow morning before they could get here at the rate that Gorm's old wagon travels."

"It's a pity, really," Queen Sigrun said. "Princess Tansy is such a nice girl, and I know that King Gorm and Anemone were hoping to arrange her nuptials here. Didn't you have hopes for Tansy and your Dexter, Severine?"

"Well, yes, now that Delilah's going to marry King Earle, Dexter needs to find a wife too, especially since he's my oldest," Queen Severine replied. "He's been spreading his wild oats far too long."

Once inside the ballroom, the gossiping didn't stop, but it was accompanied by dancing. There were line dances, chain dances and circle dances. These group dances gave way to couples dances like the basse, pavane and volta. It was at this point that Rodger and Jade introduced the waltz, which had been introduced at a ball at the Storm Palace a decade ago, and Rodger had first danced it in public with Duchess Lysette. Rodger hummed the tune for the musicians, and then he and Jade demonstrated it for Jan's court. As they danced, they both glimpsed Xenia standing with Princess Melody of Boletia, though they had no chance of hearing what they were talking about so animatedly.

After Jade and Rodger had finished, the ballroom was abuzz at the 'scandalous' new dance... though not so scandalous that no-one else wanted to try it. King Jan and Alyssa were pressed to dance with Jade and Rodger respectively, so that they could be taught it. Rodger took pleasure in dancing closely with Alyssa, and he could see that Jade was dancing just as closely with Jan. However, once they were done, Jan called for everyone to join in, and insisted on dancing with Alyssa, again deflecting Jade's attempt to seduce him. Jade found herself dancing with Prince Dexter of Isolian, while Rodger danced with Princess Melody of Boletia, who had been practically pushed toward him by Xenia, who was smiling about it.

For a young woman who had been said to be 'cold' and 'bookish', Melody seemed to pick up the waltz quite quickly... and she was soon dancing quite closely to Rodger, pressing her body against his with a small, enigmatic smile on her face.

"I was interested to find that your slave Xenia is also known by her pen name, Lady Scarlett," Melody said in quiet, calm tones, once she had sufficiently learned the steps.

"Really?" Rodger asked. "How did you learn that?"

"I'm something of a devotee of Lady Scarlett's works, and I'm afraid that I used my royal influence -- what little I have -- to enquire with the publisher as to her true identity."

"How did Xenia take that?" Rodger asked. "Obviously not too badly."

"She didn't seem too amused when I first revealed that I knew her pen name, but she soon warmed up when I promised that I had not and would not speak of it to anyone who didn't already know," Melody said.

"I presume that she told you that I know?" Rodger asked.

"Of course, though once I knew who Lady Scarlett really was, it wasn't too hard to deduce that the character of Lord John Ploughman in 'Aphrodisian Summer' was based upon you," Melody smiled again.

"Really? I've been rather busy, and I haven't really had the time to do more than glance at Lady Scarlett's writings."

Melody laughed, her face lighting up for a moment before returning to her usual serious expression. "Just like Lord Ploughman from her book. I wonder how else you're like him?" she pressed herself even more firmly against him.

As the dance music came to an end, Rodger saw Jade and Dexter nearby, Jade looking enquiringly at Rodger. When their gazes met, Jade nodded toward Dexter and then the moonlit garden outside the ballroom. Rodger nodded, and Jade began to lead Prince Dexter toward the open ballroom doors.

Melody had been watching this exchange. "Shall we continue this conversation in the garden too, Prince Rodger?" She pulled him by the hand toward the doors.

Rodger let himself be pulled outside, into the faux wilderness that was lit by the full moon, which was visible above patchy clouds. It was a warm evening for mid-autumn.

"Aren't you spoken for, Princess?" Rodger asked as they walked down a tree-covered path. "There's rumours that you're to marry King Kael."

"Dad is negotiating with Kael for my hand," Melody said seriously. "But I don't want to give Kael my virgin gift. I'd rather give it to you."

"Me?!" Rodger was surprised. "You don't know me!"

"Maybe not... but if you're anything like Lord John Ploughman, I know enough," Melody turned to face Rodger, pressed her body against his and raised her face to his. "Besides, Xenia said that John Ploughman was based on you... and if you deflowered me, you'd do a proper job of it."

Rodger inhaled and smelled the scent of alcohol. "Have you been drinking?" he asked.

"Just a bit, for confidence," Melody admitted. "Not enough to make me drunk."

Rodger sighed. "Why me? Don't you want to share virgin gifts with your husband to be?"

"No," Melody replied firmly. "I want my first time to be with a man who is an expert at... well... ploughing a woman, not with a man who barely thinks of women. I want to know what to ask my husband for when I marry and not just accept what I'm given as all there is because I don't know any better."

Rodger nodded. "I understand. Kael does have that sort of reputation. I don't know how well founded it'll turn out to be."

"Well, Prince Rodger... Shall I trade my virgin gift to you in exchange for your instruction in the amorous arts?" Melody asked. Rodger thought that she might be quoting Xenia's book.

"What if I get you pregnant?" Rodger asked.

"You won't. I've taken birthbane," Melody replied.

"All right then," Rodger smiled.

"It's a pity that I haven't heard of any deflowering stones nearby," Melody said. "Not that they should be called deflowering stones... they should really be called pairing stones."

"Why do you say that?" Rodger asked.

"There's a deflowering stone five miles westing-n'westing of Myrnor called Maiden's Breach, where virgins go alone to give up their virginity without giving it to any man. That's a deflowering stone, in my opinion."

"You might have a point," Rodger said. "However, there's a deflowering stone -- what you'd call a pairing stone -- seven miles or so easting of here."

"It'd take all night to reach it," Melody said in a disappointed tone. "Though Xenia said to trust you to know where the nearest one was!"

Rodger laughed. "If we were to go up to the watch tower, we could get there in a few minutes."

"Will the guards let us up there?" Melody asked.

"Queen Severine said that she went up there earlier, so I expect so," Rodger offered Melody his arm

"Let's go, then," Melody said decisively, taking his arm. "I'm interested in seeing just how you intend to get us there so quickly."

Jade accompanied Prince Dexter into the garden, looking for an appropriately secluded place in which to slake their lusts. Dexter led the way to a moonlit tree-encircled grotto with a number of benches around the edges... however, the grotto was occupied. Two men were there already; their clothes having been discarded beside them on a bench. One of the men had his left leg on a bench's seat, while he was leaning forward, his hands resting on the back of the seat. The second man was behind the first, fucking him in the arse, while his left hand reached beneath the first's leg and was grasping his balls. Jade realised that she recognised both men, the one being fucked and having his balls pulled was Prince Robin of Vertellan, one of her former suitors, while the other was Prince Beckett of Clynastrum, whom Jade had met only a few days ago.

"Prince Robin? Prince Beckett?!" Jade said involuntarily in her surprise. "Oh! Excuse me, I shouldn't have interrupted!"

The two men turned to look at Jade and Dexter.

"Don't mind us, there's plenty of room," Beckett replied with a grin. "And besides, I like women too... but what say you, Robin?"

"Jade's all right. She was very understanding when I told her I'm gay after Mum and Dad sent me to court her, and she kept it from them until they died... and I know that Dexter's also pretty open-minded for a straight guy," Robin said.

Jade turned to look at Dexter. "Well?"

"Robin propositioned me, and I turned him down," Dexter said. "But a guy should get his pleasures wherever he can, and if it's with another guy, it's no skin off my nose... it just leaves more women for me," he grinned.

"Then shut up and fuck me!" Jade said to Prince Dexter, leading him to the nearest unoccupied bench seat.

"Gladly!" Dexter replied, as he pulled at the hem of Jade's gown, pulling it off over her head.

Jade was already horny, so it didn't take much in the way of handling from Dexter to arouse her. She helped him out of his clothes -- in fact, she almost tore them off him -- all while he kissed and caressed her, squeezed her breasts, fingered her pussy, spanked her bum and nipped at her skin. When her pussy was throbbing and dripping with arousal, she leaned against the back of the bench seat and stuck out her bum as Dexter probed for her pussy with the tip of his cock, then grasped her narrow waist as he pushed inside her.

As Prince Dexter fucked her, she watched the hairy, muscular, bearded Beckett fucking the slighter, clean-shaved and smooth-bodied Robin. He still had his hand around Robin's scrotum, above his balls, squeezing and stretching it, and Robin's erect cock bobbed up and down in time with Beckett's thrusts, since Robin had his hands on the back of the seat, except when he reached back to caress Beckett's sides. Robin's cock dripped beads and strings of pre-cum. Both men -- and also Dexter -- were barely making any sound at all, merely breathing more deeply and a little more harshly, while Jade was soon moaning aloud with her pleasure.

Jade established a rapport with Prince Dexter. Jade examined his memories... his mother, Queen Severine, had been his grandfather's sole heir, and was thus queen in her own right. His own father had been a minor knight before marrying his mother, and had fathered him and his sister Delilah before he had been killed in a jousting accident when Dexter was fourteen, when his opponent's lance had disintegrated on impact as it should, but a splinter had gone into the eye-slot of his father's helmet and had killed him instantly. It was a tragic accident, but sufficient to convince Dexter that jousting for sport was a fool's game. While Dexter still trained with sword and lance, when he had achieved a suitable level of maturity, he had decided that women were a better hobby for a man than participating in tournaments, and he had become something of a stud, seducing as many of the women who crossed his path as he could. As for his other achievements... he was literate, but only barely by Jade's rather high standards. He had a poor grasp of mathematics for a prince, though at least as good as an educated peasant's. He read only when he had to, and he had a slovenly hand when writing. He was a clothes-horse, his wardrobe being one of his weapons in his seducer's arsenal. However, for all that he seduced women as far and wide as he could, he was kind and generous, giving his lovers gifts and seeing that their lives were improved as far as he could. He tried not to upset his lovers' menfolk, mostly by moving in on women who were single, even if only temporarily, or by making it known to both his intended and her man that he could help them with their troubles if they both agreed... in exchange for some assistance that was little enough for him, but very significant for them. He occasionally got into fights with offended male relatives or boyfriends, but as long as they kept it to fists, he was content to let them get in a few licks before he put them in their place, and he usually kept the matters out of the courts as long as they were prepared to leave it there, but if they persisted in picking fights, or used weapons, he would reluctantly get the courts involved. Sometimes, the men in his lovers' lives took out their frustrations on those women instead... and that was something that Dexter had no time for at all, unless they could fight back and had clearly done so, which was very seldom. His usual response was to beat the offending man at least as severely as that man had abused the woman in question, and make it clear that any further abuse would come to the attention of the courts, though sometimes it did come to that.

Dexter loved his sister Delilah. She was a beautiful, delicate, sensitive, artistic and studious girl, everything that he was not. He hoped that she would be happy in her marriage to King Earle, who Dexter knew as a cheerful man who also liked a good bout of fisticuffs. He thought that it would be a good match... Earle was the physical type, and Delilah was an intellectual, so she would end up running Ardthalen and whispering instructions in Earle's cauliflower ears from behind the throne, and Earle would be glad of the advice.

Jade examined Dexter's memories of King Earle a bit more. He knew that Earle liked brawling and boxing, and Dexter had engaged in a friendly bout of boxing with Earle himself, though he had come out second-best... but he had got in a few good licks himself, to Earle's delight. However, Jade was pretty sure that Dexter didn't know that Earle liked hitting women too. In fact, if Earle did hit Delilah after they were married, Dexter wouldn't forgive himself for letting his sister marry Earle -- even though it wasn't his decision -- and he would try to kill Earle himself, regardless of the trouble it caused.

As Jade reflected for a moment -- while still gasping and moaning in delight at the fucking she was receiving -- she thought that it would be better if Earle didn't marry Princess Delilah. She summoned up some of her own memories of Xenia speaking about Earle, combined and modified them a bit, and inserted it into Dexter's memory as something he had just heard:

"Haven't any of your lovers ever hit you, Xenia?" a man's voice asked as a couple walked past near the grotto.

"Well... yes, on occasion, but it was usually just a bit of a smack that didn't really hurt. Not like that asshole King Earle, who gave me a shiner so that I'd look better to him... though he was a prince at the time. After he hit me and gave me that shiner, he said, 'Now you're perfect!'" Xenia replied as they passed the grotto, the rest of their conversation lost to distance.

Jade observed the shock of revelation rippling through Prince Dexter's mind, his resolve to find and question that 'Xenia' so that he could find out if Earle was indeed an unsuitable husband for his sister... though he had Jade to consider. He resolved to go find that 'Xenia' after he had satisfied Jade... and himself too.

Satisfied with Dexter's reaction, Jade gave herself over to enjoying the prince's lustful attentions. As she watched, Robin orgasmed with little more than a few satisfied grunts, his dripping, oozing cock suddenly spurting whitish ropes of semen across the bench over which he leaned, even though Beckett had hardly touched Robin's cock the whole time. She was a little intrigued... she hadn't thought that men could orgasm save by penile stimulation.

By this time, Jade was orgasming herself, and she was soon joined in her pleasure by Dexter, who groaned as he came inside her.

Mensalia

Rodger had led Melody up to the Palatium Ebenum's lookout tower, and while it was manned by King Jan's soldiers, it was big and public enough that guests were permitted to use it to observe the surrounding landscape. It took Rodger only a moment to cast an Eyes of the Eagle Intellego Imaginem spell upon himself, and knowing approximately where the deflowering stone he sought had to be, it took him only a minute to find it, about seven miles distant, a dark stone standing upon a hill-top.

"There it is," Rodger murmured to Melody. "I'll send you there, and I'll be along a few moments later."

"What...?" Melody began.

Rodger cast a Seven League Stride Rego Corpus spell upon Melody, and she vanished instantly, without a sound, appearing beside the dark stone seven miles distant. He paused for a moment while he took a few deep breaths -- that spell had been right at his limit for a spell he could cast from memory -- and a little bit later, he cast it again.

Rodger appeared beside Melody, next to the dark stone, though he didn't have time to look at it, since he was too busy gasping for breath... two spells of that magnitude cast so close together had taken his breath away even more than just one would have.

"Sorry!" Rodger panted, leaning forward and resting his hands on his knees. "Casting that... spell twice... is rather... tiring."

"I didn't know that you could do magic!" Melody said. "You're not a bit uncanny, like Nerva, our court magus."

"I'm still... an apprentice... technically," Rodger replied between deep breaths.

"How in the worlds did you become a magus... even an apprentice magus?" Melody asked.

"Jade's... virgin gift," Rodger panted.

"Oh! Of course!" Melody nodded. "Every man in the world wanted Jade's virgin gift... Even my brother Tigh," she didn't sound entirely pleased. "They don't seem to be lining up to get mine!"

Rodger's breathing was slowing. "Then they're idiots," he said. "You're a beautiful woman."

"Only because I'm a Princess of Etherion! It's in the rules! We all have to be beautiful!" Melody protested. "For a princess, I'm as plain as I can be!"

Rodger straightened, took a step, and took Melody into his arms. "Shhh... Don't make comparisons. You're the most beautiful woman here, and there's no-one else I'd rather be with right now."

Melody tentatively put her arms around Rodger. "Are you lying to me? Wouldn't you rather be with Jade?"

"Of course not," Rodger replied. "Jade and I like swapping, and she's gone off with another man... and you're making comparisons again."

"You're not jealous?"

"Jealousy is a poison."

Melody sighed. "Lady Scarlett has written that a few times in her books that have been published over the last few years. Did she get it from you?"

"Possibly. It is something that I've said a few times," Rodger said. He moved his hand upwards, put his fingers beneath Melody's chin, and gently tilted her head back so that he could kiss her on the lips.

It seemed to take Melody a few moments before she realised that she was being kissed and she began to return Rodger's kisses. As her heart began to beat a little faster, he opened his lips and briefly licked across her closed lips, while his hands began to stroke her body through her clothes. His tongue flicked across her lips again as he continued to stroke her back soothingly. The third time, Melody tried it herself, and when their tongues touched and then intertwined, she was surprised that Rodger's mouth tasted pleasantly different to her own. As she responded to Rodger's kisses and caresses, he began to explore more of her body, his hands straying down to her bum and around to the sides of her breasts. She began to feel flushed and hot, and even though it was a warm night for mid-autumn, it wasn't all that warm, not like summer. Melody grew bolder, her own hands exploring Rodger, exploring his muscular shoulders and arse. She felt a hard bump in front of her groin that had developed as they had kissed, and even though she had never seen a man's erect penis, she had read about them and she had seen mares being covered by stallions, and the thought of being so close to an aroused man excited her even further.

Melody had noticed that the bodice of her gown was feeling hot and tight, until suddenly it seemed looser... Rodger's hands were at her back, and he had begun to unlace her clothing. His hands were on her shoulders, and they were pushing her gown down over them, and suddenly she seemed tangled in it. She moved back from Rodger a little to allow her clothes to fall out of the way and felt the slight breeze cool on her sweaty skin, teasing her nipples, brushing the hair on her mons... she hadn't noticed until just then that her brassiere and bloomers had followed her gown onto the ground.

Rodger's hands ran over Melody's bare skin now, making her feel hot, and she longed to feel Rodger's skin too, not just his hands and his clothes. She found the buttons of his top and began to unfasten them... there were way too many of them, and it seemed to take forever to undo them, and then when they were undone and he moved his arms away from her for just a moment to let his jacket fall to the ground behind him, he was wearing a shirt! His shirt also seemed to have far too many buttons, but at least when she had undone them, she could run her hands over his lightly furred chest and begin to pull his shirt out from where it was tucked into his trousers. His trousers were in the way too, and it took a moment for her to unbuckle his belt and unbutton them, and then to push them down his muscular legs. She could see his erect cock in the moonlight, its tip glistening in front of her face, just as she realised that he must have kicked off his low boots, since his trousers slipped over his feet without much hindrance, followed by his socks.

Melody's own high boots were something more of a problem, and Rodger sat her on the deflowering stone to remove them. The black stone seemed warm, waxy-smooth and somehow soft beneath her bum despite its firmness, though she was soon distracted from that by Rodger untying and unlacing her boots one by one, removing them and the stockings beneath them... then there was nothing more for either of them to remove, and Rodger picked her up with his hands beneath her arm-pits and lifted her so that her breasts dangled in front of his face. She gasped when he took her left nipple into his mouth, sucking it in while his tongue swirled over it, sending a feeling almost like a jolt straight to her groin... which was feeling wet and heavy and was now beginning to throb in time with the beating of her heart. Then, after a while, he moved his mouth to her right nipple and attended to it too, leaving her left nipple to cool and tighten in the breeze as it dried.

Melody glanced behind herself longingly, seeing the deflowering stone properly for the first time. It was like a black stone wave with two peaks and a hollow between them, one peak higher than the other, the other half the height, and the bottom of the hollow only half the height of the lower peak above the ground. It was barely more than a foot wide... then Rodger sat her on the higher of the two peaks, facing away from the lower peak and the valley between. Again, it was smooth and seemed soft beneath her bum despite being rigid stone... and she noticed that Rodger's cock was level with her mons... so very close.

Rodger ran his hands down her arms and took hold of her hands.

"Lean back," he instructed her. "I've got you."

"All right," she replied breathlessly, and did as she was told.

Melody felt herself going back further and further, until it seemed that she was almost upside-down before her back and head made contact with the warm, soft-seeming stone. Rodger released her hands and pulled at her hips, bringing her up a little, so that the small of her back was at the peak of the higher wave and her head almost in the central hollow. The stone was so narrow that her arms and shoulders dangled over the sides amidst the short-cropped grass... then she felt Rodger's hands upon her knees, then he pushed them apart and moved to stand between them. She felt something nudge her pussy, and Rodger's hands moved over her mons and teased her, sliding between her slick labia and over her clit, making her gasp.

"Tell me what you want me to do, Melody," Rodger said then. "Do you want me to take your virginity... or do you want this to stop?"

"Yes... Please!" she gasped, looking up at him over her belly and hips.

"'Please' what?" Rodger asked as he continued to caress her cleft and her clit. "You have to say what you want."

"Please... take my virginity," Melody gasped.

"As you wish, Princess," Rodger replied, as he moved his hands to her hips.

Rodger pushed his cock into her pussy. There was a moment of resistance, then Melody felt a pop and a sudden sting as it slid deep inside her.

"Oooooh!" Melody moaned, smiling through the slight pain and the more intense pleasure of being filled up.

Rodger began to thrust his cock in and out of Melody's cunt. The pain faded, but there was a burst of pleasure with every movement of Rodger's cock, and Melody found herself groaning with pleasure at every thrust. "Uuuurgh! Uuuurgh! Uuuurgh...!" she groaned repeatedly as she was wracked with pleasures she had not anticipated.

Rodger continued to thrust, moving his hand to her belly, where he massaged her clit with his thumb. She continued to groan, until her body tensed, she shivered, and she cried out in surprise at her orgasm, "Aaah! Aaah! Aaah! Aaah! Ohh! Ooh!" Rodger stopped thrusting and withdrew his cock.

"Is that all there is?" Melody asked, panting a little.

"Not at all, Melody," Rodger replied, reaching forward to her. "You said that you wanted instruction in the amorous arts, so let's change position."

"All right," Melody took Rodger's hand and let him help her back into a sitting position.

"Turn around and lean over the stone," Rodger instructed.

Melody did as she was told, leaning over the stone and putting her hands on its surface, which seemed to retain the sun's warmth even well after dark. Rodger took hold of her hips and she felt his cock sliding over her clit and pussy before he slid it inside her again... and this time there was only pleasure as he began to thrust again.

"Uuuurgh! Uuuurgh! Uuuurgh! Uuuurgh...!" she groaned once more as he... ploughed her pussy, like Lord John Plowman had pleasured Lady Fanny in 'Aphrodisian Summer'. His hands left her hips, and she felt him lean over her back, and then he cupped her breasts as they dangled just above the warm stone. He stroked them, then his fingers found her nipples, and he gently squeezed and rolled them between his fingers, making them tighten and send further jolts of pleasure through her body.

"Some men... like to pull... their lover's... hair," Rodger said as he continued to pleasure her with his thrusting cock. "Shall I?" he gently gathered her long, wavy hair into a ponytail in his hand.

"Uuuurgh! Uuuurgh! Yes! Uuuurgh! Please! Uuuurgh...!" she groaned.

Rodger pulled her ponytail, pulling her head back, taking the weight off her hands. She didn't find it particularly painful and it seemed to arouse her even further.

"Some women caress their own breasts or clitoris while they're being fucked like this," Rodger said.

Melody couldn't reach her clit, since her belly was pressed against the deflowering stone, but she could reach her breasts, and it was nice to caress them and pinch her nipples as she was fucked... ploughed... Rodgered...

As her orgasm crashed over her again, she shuddered and her groans gave way to higher-pitched cries, and Rodger stopped again.

"Another position?" she asked hopefully.

"Certainly, Princess," Rodger replied. "I haven't cum yet."

Rodger moved to the centre of the deflowering stone, sat in the low saddle between the peaks and leaned back against the higher peak, putting his hands behind his head.

"Come, milady, mount me," he instructed with a smile.

Melody had read about that, so she moved next to him, put her leg over his hips, and lowered herself onto him... though his cock was lying against his belly and didn't go inside her, merely resting against her pussy and clit, and he appeared to have no desire to help her. She raised herself a little and took hold of his cock -- damp with her fluids -- and lowered herself onto it, groaning with pleasure again as it finally slid inside her again... but then what?

"You need to thrust in this position, milady," Rodger smiled. "Raise and lower your cunt upon my cock or move your hips back and forth to rub your clit against me. Doing the former will make me cum sooner, while the latter will make you cum sooner."

Melody began to raise and lower herself upon Rodger's cock, still groaning as his thick organ tugged at her cunt. He brought his hands forward from behind his head and began to stroke her body, caress her breasts and hold his palms in front of them so that her nipples grazed across them as her breasts bounced in time with her movements. He put his hands behind her head and pulled her forward for a kiss, thrusting his tongue into her mouth and accepting hers into his in return as she took his head between her hands. He began to twitch his hips back and forth in time with her own thrusts. As they kissed, one of his hands returned to her breasts, while the other dipped between them to caress her fluid-slick clit once more... and Melody found herself cumming once more, shuddering and gasping with pleasure yet again.

"We can change positions again... or you can keep going and try to make me cum," Rodger said.

Melody stopped and stood up. "Let's change again," she replied. "What position is my husband likely to want on my wedding night?"

"I'll show you. Lie on your back with your feet in the middle and your head over the low end," he instructed.

When she obeyed, Rodger pushed her up a little, so that the deflowering stone's lower peak was just below her shoulder blades, then he pushed her legs apart and settled to his knees between them. He moved over her, kissing her belly and breasts, then as he moved up further, his cock slid straight into her pussy and into her cunt. Melody began to groan again as he began to thrust. She found herself clinging to him, putting her arms around his back and her legs around his arse, trying to get more of his cock inside her. She found that if she tilted her hips in time with his thrusts, she could rub her clit against him. She found herself building toward another orgasm when Rodger shuddered and let out a low, wordless exclamation as her cunt suddenly seemed very much wetter and more slippery, right before she shivered and cried out with her own orgasm.

"Did you just...?" Melody asked as Rodger rested motionlessly, comfortingly, on top of her.

"Yes, I did just fill you with my cum," Rodger confirmed her unfinished question. "You've now experienced pretty much the full sexual act... or at least just a few variations of it."

"Just a few variations?"

"There are many different positions and circumstances. I've tried to show you a few of the more pleasant ones."

"So, is that all?" Melody asked.

"Not quite," Rodger grinned in the moonlight. "I'm afraid that my cumming inside you has made you a bit messy, and we wouldn't want your clothes to be soiled when you put them back on."

"There isn't exactly a bath here," Melody replied.

"That's the quickest, most efficient way, but there is another way that's more enjoyable, though less efficient and a bit slower."

"Let's try that, then."

Rodger's 'more enjoyable' method proved to involve him lying on his back, while Melody lay on top of him, so that she could suck and lick his cock clean, while he did the same to her pussy and cunt. She had to admit that even though it was awkward to clean Rodger's cock that way, his oral attentions upon her pussy were very enjoyable, and brought her to yet another orgasm.

After that, they helped each-other dress. It was a bit more prosaic and less enjoyable to ensure that buttons were fastened and laces threaded through the correct holes. They checked each-other to make sure that nothing had been missed.

"It's time to send you back, now, Melody," Rodger said when they were both dressed and presentable once more.

"Thank you for the lesson, Prince Rodger," Melody curtsied gracefully to him. "It was very instructive... and enjoyable."

"Thank you for the pleasure you've given me, and your virgin gift, Princess Melody," Rodger bowed to her equally formally. "Though I'm going to have to decide what I'm going to do with it. I'm going to send you back to Queen Jade now... for some reason, I always seem to be able to find her."

As soon as Rodger cast his 'Seven League Stride' spell upon her, Melody vanished.

Rodger sat for a moment on the end of the deflowering stone, gradually becoming repelled by the greasy-seeming black stone, which seemed to be chilling rather rapidly now, while he recovered his breath. It seemed that the place was repelling him, now that its intended purpose had been fulfilled, with Melody's maiden blood and their mixed sexual fluids spilled upon it as a willing sacrifice. Rodger stood and walked away while he regained his breath, and he thought about what he wanted from Melody's virgin gift.

It seemed to him that Jade was destined to live a long time -- three hundred and seventy nine years, according to the auguries on Jade's coronation day -- and while magi could prolong their lives, it took time and study, and the longevity rituals only slowed physical ageing. He knew that Jade loved him as a young man... 'That's what I want... to be unaging, so that I'll remain as young and healthy as Jade, for long as she lives,' he decided. He'd still need the longevity rituals, but he wouldn't have to worry about looking older.

Once he had regained his breath, he cast 'Seven League Stride' upon himself and appeared next to Jade in the Palatium Ebenum.

Palatium Ebenum, Secarium

After Jade and Dexter had achieved their respective climaxes, they both began putting their clothes back on, and since Robin and Beckett were also done with their lustful exercise, they were dressing too.

"Tell me, Jade, would you fancy a bit of comfort from me?" Beckett asked her.

"Not right now... Not until you've had a wash, considering what you've just been doing," Jade replied. "But later... anything could happen."

"Fair enough," Beckett replied, inclining his head for a moment. "Fucking you right now would be a shitty thing to do."

Robin, Jade and Dexter all laughed at Beckett's joke.

"Robin... I'm curious... how can you cum without your cock being touched?" Jade asked.

Robin shrugged. "I don't know... I just like having a man's cock in my arse. It's easier for me to cum that way than when I have my cock in another man's arse. But tell me, Jade, are all women as noisy as you when they're being fucked?"

"I don't know all women... but a lot of us are, I think," Jade replied.

"Hmmf," Robin grunted in acknowledgement.

"Say, does anyone know a woman called Xenia?" Dexter asked.

"Isn't your faun friend called Xenia, Jade?" Robin asked.

"Yes, she is," Jade replied. "If you're looking for another conquest, I'm sure that she'd consider your request seriously," Jade smiled.

"I'll keep that in mind," Prince Dexter replied cheerfully.

Jade returned to the ballroom, in search of Xenia, in order to warn her that Prince Dexter was looking for her. However, as she entered through the glass doors, she passed the young Queen Lynette, King Clarke and Prince Tigh of Boletia.

"Oh, Queen Jade! There's something that I'd like you to witness... and Robin! It's good that you've arrived just in time!" Lynette said, just as Robin was entering the ballroom behind Jade.

"How can I help, Lynette?" Jade asked.

"I've decided that I want to marry Prince Tigh when I come of age," Lynette declared.

"Aren't you only sixteen?" Jade asked. "That's a bit young to be talking about... that!"

"Don't I get a say as your regent?" Robin added. "And Jade's right about your age."

"This is not about that, as you put it," Lynette replied assertively. "Tigh is a serious scholar, and so am I, and we're friends who get along well, so I wanted to get the matter of my marriage out of the way before I become an adult and start having all those adult thoughts, that I understand can be quite distracting."

"You may feel differently in a couple of years, Lyn," Robin said.

"That's precisely why I want there to be an understanding at least, right now," Lynette said. "Besides, there's a tradition of arranging marriages ahead of time that goes back centuries."

"I'm twenty-three, Lyn, seven years older than you," Tigh said. "By the time you're of age, I'll be twenty-five."

"Do I need to start listing all the men in their thirties or forties who have married eighteen or nineteen-year old women over the centuries?" Lynette asked pointedly. "Or all the girls who were married in their early teens only last century, in The Age of The Rain?"

Robin sighed. "We can have an informal understanding now, if King Clarke and Prince Tigh agree, but it will not be an official engagement until you're eighteen and can make a fully informed decision," he decided. "This is The Age of The Unicorn, and we don't do things like that anymore."

"I do like you, Lyn, but you're legally a child," Tigh said firmly. "I will not treat this as settled until you get to look at me as an adult woman and make your decision then."

Lynette looked around with an expression of frustration. "If you'll all excuse me, I need to go and throw a childish tantrum, somewhere in private," she said politely and calmly, then she walked away briskly.

King Clarke rolled his eyes. "Kids! At least you, Lamont and Melody weren't like that," he referred to Crown Prince Lamont and his youngest child.

After that distraction, Jade caught up with Xenia in the corridor of the palace's guest quarters, coming out of one of the guest suites with a satisfied expression on her face.

"How was Prince Dexter?" Xenia asked Jade, with no preamble.

"Entertaining," Jade replied. "Who were you with?"

"Kael's factotum, Swann," Xenia replied. "He seems very proper... but not when it counts."

"Let's go to our suite," Jade said with a smile.

"All right," Xenia replied.

A few minutes later, they were in the suite set aside for Jade, Rodger and their entourage, with the doors closed.

"What's up, Jadie?" Xenia asked.

"Prince Dexter may ask you about another prince," Jade said, miming punching Xenia in the left eye, but not actually touching her.

"Mmm hmm," Xenia replied, looking around the suite and wiggling her ears with her fingers, then raising her eyebrows questioningly.

Jade nodded. "I was just going to say that you should always tell the truth."

"I think it's probably a good idea too," Xenia replied with a nod. "Do you think I'd like Dexter?"

"He's really quite decent... and he has lots of experience," Jade said with a smile and a nod.

There was a dull 'Fffmmmp,' a barely audible change in air pressure that seemed to pull at Jade and Xenia briefly as Princess Melody appeared abruptly a couple of paces away from Jade.

Melody yawned and rubbed at her ears. "Oh! I'm sorry... I hope I wasn't interrupting anything!"

"No, not at all, your highness," Jade replied with a smile. "I gather that you've been... ah... enjoying our master's company?" Jade asked with a smile.

"How was he?" Xenia asked, also smiling.

"As... instructive and entertaining as you led me to believe, Xenia," Melody replied carefully, though she was also smiling. "Perhaps even more so. I can quite see the resemblance to Lord John Ploughman."

"One of the characters in your later books, Xeni?" Jade asked.

"It was in 'Aphrodisian Summer,'" Xenia said.

"I'm sorry that I haven't had time to read your books since I became queen," Jade apologised. "I rather liked all the others I read."

"I must say that I liked that Lady Fanny was a rather naïve writer who was writing about a young male writer before she met Lord Ploughman," Melody said. "I found that amusingly recursive."

"Perhaps," Jade said, slightly puzzled. "Xeni did try rather hard to shed her naïveté once she grew up."

"Well, I could stand around and discuss books for hours, but I'm sure that you both have other demands upon your time, and so do I, so if you'll excuse me?" Melody said.

"Of course," Jade replied.

Melody headed for the door, then paused and turned back to Jade and Xenia. "Oh... Rodger should make an appearance in a few minutes... once he catches his breath. So sorry for the interruption," she opened the door, walked out, and closed it behind her quietly.

There was another dull 'Fffump,' accompanied by another barely perceptible change in air pressure that briefly ruffled Jade and Xenia's clothes as Rodger appeared abruptly a couple of paces away from Jade.

Rodger immediately went to Jade and hugged her. "Hello love," he kissed her then, though he was breathing deeply.

"How was your evening, Master?" Jade asked after they had finished kissing.

"Quite enjoyable," Rodger replied, then he sighed. "How was your evening?"

"Ask me later, in bed," Jade put her hand on Rodger's crotch and raised one eyebrow suggestively.

"I will."

"The ball isn't nearly over yet," Xenia pointed out. "Are we going back out?"

"Why not?" Rodger looked at Jade.

"I'd like to hear more of the gossip," Jade said. "And I suspect that Prince Dexter will be looking for you, Xeni."

While there was much more gossip, many of the guests still couldn't help wondering what had happened to Gorm, Anemone and Tansy of Cyrstandran.

* * *