by D. R. Rosier
Mina laughed a little hysterically, “I guess you’re second in command?”
She blushed, but didn’t argue either. No one else had spoken up, and things were about to go from bad to much worse.
“I think we should stick to floor ten for a while, at least until we find a good strategy against ten of those damned things,” she said as she watched Cary tend to Diana’s wound.
She let out a sigh of relief, when Diana moaned, “Damned right we should.”
It was several hours later that she found herself rather tipsy, as they ate and drank together at the adventurers’ tavern. She’d grown close with all of them over the last few weeks, even if they could only train three times a week. Today’s close call had merely made their growing bonds even more obvious to her.
She was tipsy, as was the rest of the team, except for Cary who was drunk.
Cary said, “Thanks Cat, sorry for what I said in there earlier today, I thought… what I thought was stupid, sorry.”
She waved it off, “I don’t think I’d have been thinking straight at all if Mina had been the one hurt, don’t mention it, it’s forgotten.”
Diana nodded and sounded a little tipsy herself, “You did good. Many would let foolish pride and bravado force them to try and hold in a situation like that. We weren’t ready, although I still think we could take level eleven, we just need a different plan. Raising the stakes with an ambush was damned sneaky of the dungeon. Now that we know about it, we can make a plan to deal with it. Not right now though. I can’t plan with the damned floor rolling around like that.”
She giggled, and noticed the daylight fading outside the window. She sighed, she really didn’t want to go home yet, it made her feel like a little kid wanting to stay out and play, but she had responsibilities. Mostly to check up on her nobles and make sure they didn’t do anything stupid while she was gone. She did that every evening after a training day. Tactfully of course.
“Mina, we should get going.”
Karl cleared his throat, “Actually, could I speak to you in private about something?”
She looked at Mina who shrugged, and then nodded to Karl as she stood up.
“Outside?”
Karl agreed and they took a walk. He didn’t say anything until they were far enough away from the inn no one could overhear them.
“Duchess Catalina, would you do me the honor of allowing me to court you?”
She froze and stopped walking, and just looked at Karl as he stopped and then turned to face her.
Her first impulse was to just say no and walk away, but she was curious.
“You know how much I love Mina, why?”
Her why was loaded with a whole lot of questions, mostly wondering why he’d want to court her when she was so clearly in love with another, a woman.
Karl said, “Yes, Levin is having a similar conversation with Mina right now I’d imagine. Look, you know I care about you, and I mean the woman inside in addition to how attractive you are to me. Your confidence, strength, and grace draws me to you. I think… I’ve noticed the way you look at me at times as well. I also know the political picture as well, although that’s the last reason I’m doing this.”
She tried to be objective for a moment but it was hard, as her heart was screaming for Mina. But, she did like Karl a lot, they got along very well on a friendship level, and with being in a party together. She trusted him. She also had to admit the thought of going to bed with him made her entire body tingle, especially between her legs. The man was gorgeous, built, and also a good man she’d be safe with.
“So, you planned this together? I’m trying to understand. I don’t know if I’m ready yet, to leave Mina I mean. No I take that back, I’m definitely not ready yet.”
Karl shook his head, “You misunderstand. Normally Levin and I wouldn’t have a chance of being with women like you two. Not because of our titles, or that we’re unworthy or something, but because we are church paladins. There will be duties and times that my oaths to the church will take me away, probably for weeks, or sometimes months at a time. For the next long while, years even until you reach master levels, I’m permanently assigned to this training party, but once that’s over in the coming years I wouldn’t always be around. Neither would Levin. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
She thought she did, and her heart was hammering in her chest, but she said, “Forget titles and what’s appropriate, just spell it out, what are you saying? What do you want?”
He said, “I don’t want a sham of a relationship, I wouldn’t accept that. I already love you Catalina, and I believe you’re more than capable of loving me. I’m pretty sure you’re already halfway there, I saw the look in your eyes as we danced at Carlton’s and Liren’s wedding a few days ago. If we are together, I’d want your love, and to be more than just a duty you have to fulfill. I’d want to make a life together.
“But, what I’m saying is this. I do not judge or begrudge your relationship with Mina, neither the emotional or physical aspects of it. If you do allow me to court you, and at the end we are married, I am okay with you keeping on with it, given certain conditions. That when I’m available and at home, I would come first and you would spend your nights with me. You wouldn’t have to ignore her or even not make love to her, but at the end of the night you’d be in our bed, and in my arms.”
She was completely speechless, she also had the urge to jump him right now, but they were in a damned field behind the inn, and she needed to get back to the castle. Plus, she was a little nervous, while she wanted it, she’d never actually been with a man before. The most important reason she didn’t just say fuck it and do it anyway, was because she wouldn’t cheat on Mina for anything, no matter how hot she was for Karl in that moment.
Her mind eventually caught up to things, “And Levin, he feels the same way about all this? About Mina?”
He nodded, “We’ve talked about it. It’s worth the price to both of us to have you. Plus, we thought maybe the part where we wouldn’t be around half the time wouldn’t run you off if you two got to keep each other in the bargain. You wouldn’t be lonely with each other there. To keep each other company when we’re both on assignment. It’s more than that even, but those are our main reasons.”
She asked, “More than that?”
He turned away a second as he blushed, but then he looked back down at her, “Well, you’re both obviously deeply in love with each other, and to be honest the idea of you two together in bed is a real turn on for me. The only way it will work though, is if you can love me too, and make me and our family first in your life when it comes along. Not more important, but first, if that makes sense.”
She frowned, “Do you want me to keep her a secret? There will be whispers if this actually happens out in the open. Assuming we both want to move forward after you court me.”
As a duchess, she had to court for six months before getting married, it was a tradition she had to follow. It wasn’t just her either, any noble ranked baron and above had to abide by it.
He smiled, “I won’t change my mind, trust me Cat, unless you don’t come to love me that is. As for keeping your relationship with Mina a secret after us getting together, it’s up to you. I imagine the damage of not keeping it a secret will affect you, Mina, and theirs and our children far more than it would affect me or Levin.”
She nodded slowly, barely daring to believe she might be able to follow her duty, and her heart. Karl was right about more than just that as well, she believed she could come to love him. In a way, she already did love him, she just wasn’t in love with him. Attracted, very attracted, and she trusted him with her life, but in love? Not yet. It all seemed too good to be true, could she really keep Mina and have the wonderful man in front of her too?
Not an empty marriage for duty as she’d dreaded these last weeks since her father’s passing, but a true marriage of both love and respect, plus Mina too?
“I’ll have to speak with Mina about it be
fore I can answer, but it wouldn’t go amiss if you sent a letter of intent, to make things official and all.”
Karl smiled widely, “Consider it done Cat.”
She was still bemused, and thanks to being tipsy as well, she was a little unsteady on her feet. As a result, Karl took her hand and walked her back to the tavern…
When they were alone later that night, and in bed, Mina asked, “So what do you think?”
She didn’t wonder what Mina was talking about, she knew. She’d thought of little else since Karl had brought up the possibility.
“I… feel incredibly selfish. Because I want it all more than you can imagine. I want to grow old with you, and a husband, and have children.”
Mina asked, “No concerns?”
She frowned, and then kissed Mina softly before she answered.
“Honestly just one concern, and it’s a selfish thing too, and quite hypocritical considering what Levin and Karl are willing to do to have our love. I’m horribly jealous every time I imagine you in love with and fucking Levin.”
Mina giggled, “That’s my problem too. Levin is… it won’t be a burden to love him and you at the same time, or to steal time with you. We could raise our families together, those two are best friends, and so are we. It will be easy to remain lovers either in the open or on the sly. But every time I think of you riding Karl’s cock I want to slap you.”
There was a pause, and then Mina admitted in a low whisper, “It also kind of turns me on at the same time, isn’t that horrible?”
She reached down and cupped Mina’s mound, which was soaked, and she giggled as she slipped two fingers between her lover’s labia. Mina gasped, arched her back, and spread her legs to give her better access. She smiled naughtily as she worked her fingers inside her lover.
“So that really turns you on, does it? Thinking about Karl’s cock driving into me. Is he being soft, or taking me hard and mercilessly from behind in this perverted fantasy of yours. Did you want to watch, maybe from the door, as I let him ravage me?”
Mina gasped, moaned, and wiggled as she pushed down on her lover’s nub with her palm, then Mina gasped out, “You tramp! Goddess! Hard and fast of course.”
She whispered sultrily in Mina’s ear, “It turns me on too. Levin taking you, possessing you, making you scream.”
She watched as Mina came undone underneath her, damn, it must really turn Mina on. It seemed clear they’d move ahead with it, and she just hoped that their love and affection was stronger than the jealousy it may cause between them. She was almost positive, that it would be. Strangely, it was the idea of Mina loving Levin, more than the sex, that caused her jealousy to rise, the latter just… turned her on as much as it did Mina.
Mina finally caught her breath as she came down, “My turn.”
She giggled as Mina pushed her down and straddled her to pin her there, and then she gasped in pleasure at her water mage’s intimate touch…
Chapter Sixteen
Carlton moaned in approval, and arousal. He loved the way Liren tasted on his tongue, as she sat on his desk lewdly, with her legs wide open, feet on the arms of his chair, and her cleric’s robes up around her waist. It was more than just the sweet taste of her sex as he licked along the silken folds of her labia, or when he dipped the tip of his tongue deep inside of her.
No, it was the way she gasped, wriggled, and moaned in pleasure. It was the way his beautiful sexy wife trembled at his touch, and on his tongue. It was the way she spoke his name in need and desire while he pleasured her with tongue, lips, and fingertips. It was the way she ran her fingers through his hair and then grabbed tightly and pulled his face into her as she arched her back, and cried out his name in ecstasy.
Dear goddess, he loved his wife.
He stood up, lifted his own robes, and pushed into her still quivering sex. She was incredibly tight, but also warm, soft, and incredibly wet from her hot silken liquid pleasure, that he easily slid right in to the hilt.
“Oh Carlton,” she moaned as she arched her back and ground against him.
He took her hard and fast, just the way she wanted it. She was so mesmerizing, the way her body responded and worked in a rhythm with his. He loved watching her come undone underneath him, lying across his desk, as he continued to pleasure her with long firm hard strokes, over and over again he watched as she shivered, trembled, quaked, and exploded in pleasure, until he too joined her in ecstatic bliss.
They took a moment to clean up after they came down, and then she opened a window.
“Good thing you don’t have more appointments today my love. It smells like a whore house in here, not like the office of the highest of the church of light.”
He laughed, he’d never been so happy, or felt so complete. Which was a miracle considering all the tasks he had to get done, until things grew a little he was stuck with a lot of the small details that would normally be assigned to others. Still, his wife had everything to do with his great mood. She was sexy, vivacious, wise, beautiful, strong, and all his. He knew marriage was hard work, but for her he was willing to do whatever it took to keep her happy and satisfied in their relationship.
Things were getting interesting in Selwyn’s last report as well, although so far, he hadn’t managed to get to know anything about Nurien like he’d asked him to do, but he’d observed a lot. He wasn’t really worried though, Nurien seemed a valuable ally, but he was curious about the man who had come out of nowhere.
Selwyn also noted the amount of affinities they’d found. When the man returned, he’d have to dispatch a cleric to go around to all the towns in a circuit, to tailor the training and help the paladin on site. He wouldn’t send Selwyn back though, that man was scheduled to sit in his chair. Then he could go to the crown city where he belonged.
It’d been almost six weeks since the invasion, and he decided to dispatch a replacement cleric for the capitol. He was also sending two initiates along as well, the king could suck it up, or do without. He’d been feeling guilty about that, none of his clerics deserved to be so isolated. At least the replacement would have some company, and could train them to fill in the time between weddings.
There was just so much to do, but that didn’t stop him from taking frequent breaks with his wife.
He sighed and his head dropped forward as Liren’s hands dug into his shoulders.
“You are far too good to me Liren.”
Liren laughed lightly, “So are you husband. I have to go to training though, or at least, I should.”
He nodded, “I’ll be done for the day when you get back, let’s go out to eat, and dance. I want to hold you and spin you around.”
She leaned down and kissed the side of his neck, “See, I told you that you’re too good to me. That sounds like fun.”
As usual, he watched Liren’s swaying hips as she left his office, and she turned and busted him with a smirk. It was their thing, quite silly but also fun. Marriages were a lot of work, and he knew he’d need to not take her for granted, and treat her well if he wanted the intense love and bedroom games to continue. Right now though, in their honeymoon stage, it didn’t seem like work at all. Spending any time at all with his vivacious wife was a blessing.
He was busy as hell, and had plenty to do. But he also had his priorities, and the first one had just walked out the door. As long as he kept that firmly in mind, they shouldn’t have any trouble. At least he had good people to help with the actual training, and holding services at the temple. But he was already very tired of paperwork. Training reports, advancement reports, finances, costs of food, weapons, armor, horses, upkeep of temples and buildings, clothing, and the list went on and on. Usually balancing the budget, and acquiring what they needed fell to others. All he was supposed to be doing was reports on training, advancement, assignments, and any discipline reports, along with a sermon once a week. That’s it. But there weren’t enough clerics or paladins, and everyone was doing extra right now, not just him.
Diana wa
lked in with a mysterious and smug smile.
“Hi Diana, anything I should know about?”
She smiled wider, “Nothing official, but my matchmaking efforts have borne fruit.”
Okay…
“What matchmaking efforts?”
Diana snickered, “Not you sir, I wouldn’t dare. Although I would dare to say if I had, you should be thanking me. No, I’m talking about our favorite duchess, and her lover.”
He frowned, and held his tongue, as gossip was really below his station. Which lasted about a whole three seconds.
“What are you talking about?”
She shrugged, “Those nobles were after her to just pick a man, any man, and get married, when she was already in love with another. Let’s just say that’s really stupid. I chose Karl and Levin very carefully for our party, stuck them close together with the ladies, and then just sat back and watched. It seems to be working. I’m expecting a courting declaration in the morning.”
He grunted, “Why? I mean, it’s not our business, is it?”
She sighed, “This wasn’t political Carlton, just me looking after some of my own, meaning women. Cat is still a little rough around the edges, but she’s damned impressive, and Mina isn’t far behind.”
He still didn’t really get it, but that wouldn’t stop him from being happy for the duchess. Come to think of it, he had some vague memories about her dancing quite closely with Karl at his wedding reception, but he’d been too focused on Liren at the time to really take notice of the significance of that.
“So… will there be a report.”
She snorted and rolled her eyes, “No highest, no report.”
Then she laughed and shook her head, “I’ve got trainees to see to, just dropped by to brag, and ask if you needed anything. Though I imagine Liren is helping you out?”