by Annie Eppa
With a groan, he pulled his shrinking cock out of her, guiding her back toward the pillows. Adelai’s legs gave way, and she sank willingly enough onto the soft blankets as the captain sprawled beside her, his hot breaths leaving goosebumps across her back. His hand was stroking her hips, like he couldn’t stop touching her.
“That was incredible, Adelai.”
She smiled to herself, pleased by the exhausted but extremely satisfied tone in his voice. She felt tired herself, but strangely didn’t want to go to sleep just yet, and sensed that he felt the same. She rolled over so she could study him studying her, his blue eyes now grave.
“What happens now?” She whispered. Her heart clenched at the knowledge she could only accommodate him this one night, that she would be contracted out to the other kingdoms soon enough.
He saw the worry in her eyes. “I have to return soon enough to Sarcopia,” he said quietly, and Adelai’s heart sank even further, “King Garrant sent me here as a scout. He knew that the high priestess has a friendship with Belair, and he wanted to know of any weaknesses Atalantea might have. I believe that once his bloodlust has been sated over Highrolfe he will begin mobilizing the armies again to war, and this time against Belair. I served as a mediator between the kingdoms during the last few months, and he believes that even if King Belair grows suspicious of my presence in Atalantea, I can still provide reasons to remain here.”
“But you are the captain of the guard. It isn’t your responsibility.”
“It is not.” His smile was hard. “The king has personally selected his own bodyguards, and has decided to provide me with new duties instead.”
“Is the Sarcopian king truly mad as you say he is?”
The captain’s eyes darkened. “Much worse than you can imagine, my sweet. Few people outside Sarcopia are aware of this, but many of his own subjects fear him, and it is only after mass torture and executions among his own people did he convince them to support his wars. Most of his advisors, all worthy contemporaries of his father, have either been exiled, imprisoned, or killed, and the rest have been cowed into obedience. It is only a matter of time before he attempts to usurp the other kingdoms, and I refuse to allow Garrant to desecrate the memory of his father in this manner.” His eyes softened, and he touched her cheek with a finger. “And that’s where you come in, little maiden.”
“Me?”
“There is a reason King Belair had singled you out. I am aware of the details, but I owe it to him to explain his plans to you, and not from any other source.”
Adelai took a deep breath. She was beginning to understand what the king and the captain had in mind, but she was still too much in the dark concerning her own role to play in all this. “What do you get from this bargain?” His hands stilled at her side. Though fearing he might take offense, she plunged ahead. “I understand that you want to save your kingdom and prevent another war, but how did you find yourself striking up an alliance with King Belair? Did he offer you more wealth? Lands of your own?” Somehow, Thornton didn’t seem like the kind of man who would willingly forsake his king, even if the king was a tyrant, for something so trivial as wealth or power.
“All that, and more. But what he offered that convinced me to accept is now lying in bed beside me.”
Adelai sat up, fighting down the initial feeling of exhilaration with anger. “So I was merely a bargaining chip? All those lessons were a means to make me more compliant when you finally take me?” She was hurt. Had it been all just a masterful ploy to seduce her? She turned to get out of the bed, but soon found herself with her back against the mattress, the captain glaring down at her.
“You were an unexpected offer.” He said quietly. “When I saw you at the temple, I was interested, and it was taken note of. There is little that goes on in the temple of Inne-Anneah, it seems, that your high priestess doesn’t know about. She allowed us those lessons because she insisted on seeing if you were sincerely attracted to me, and if I truly was to you. The king offered to purchase you at the auctions, as a guarantee of his good faith to ensure mine. It did not take me long to capitulate. You were unexpected, and I allowed them to take advantage of me because I wanted you badly. If you do not believe anything else I say, then at least believe that.”
The anger in his voice was real. She was surprised to realize he was mad at being thought capable of such action. And the thought of him giving up the life he had known, to put himself in this kind of danger in order to have her….
“I believe you,” she said, tenderly cupping his face with a hand and watching those hooded blue eyes soften. “But you are putting yourself at great risk, my lord. You could be discovered and captured, or worse. It is too much for so little benefit.”
“I would rather die than serve that madman on my king’s throne any longer. And besides,” he added huskily, moving down so he could capture her lips with his, “one night with you is worth any price.” His hand delved under her thighs, hooking her leg and drawing it closer to his cock. “Let us not waste any more precious time.”
She arched against him willingly enough, but gasped when he pulled her up to a sitting position, settling her on his lap, with her thighs splayed out on either side of him. She whimpered softly, feeling the unmistakable hardness of his cock poised at her dewy entrance, her legs all that was preventing her from sinking down onto him. His eyes met hers, smiling as the hands on her hips tightened and exerted unrelenting pressure, forcing her to slowly impale herself on him. Adelai’s eyes fell shut. In this position he felt delicious, so achingly large inside her. The mushroom tip of his cock slipped in, but he was painstakingly slow. She felt like he could easily split her in two if he moved faster. “Captain.” She gasped out, straining to take more of him inside and have it done with, but his grip prevented her from doing so.
“No, Adelai.” The captain murmured. “If you are to beg, then you must learn to beg me properly. Say my name. Tell me how badly you want my cock inside of you.”
“Captain…”
“My name, Adelai.”
“Thornton,” she moaned, “oh gods.”
The head of his cock withdrew abruptly from her, and her eyes flew open. “No,” she whined, squirming.
“Say it, Adelai.”
Her knees trembled, as he began to enter her again, even slower than the last. “Please,” she babbled.
“Beg me properly, Adelai.”
“Oh, please, Thornton. Please fuck me. I want you inside me, I want you to fuck me hard. Oh!” She sank a couple of inches down onto his cock without warning, was lifted up again. She groaned, her cunt muscles trying to keep him in.
“Who does this cunt belong to, Adelai?”
“Yours, Thornton! This cunt will always be yours! Oh, fuck me! Fuck me so hard I - “ She broke off with a little scream as he plunged all the way inside her without stopping, until he was buried to the hilt. Adelai threw her head back and wailed out her pleasure as she came almost immediately. She was given no time to rest. Thornton lifted her up by the waist again, until only the tip was lodged inside, and then let her go, forcing her to slam down hard onto his pole.
“Yes!” She panted, her arms around his neck, bracing herself for the next deep thrust, “Yes! Uhn! Uhn! Yes, please! Please fuck me harder, Thornton, fuck me!…” The words drifted off into a wordless cry as he began to increase his pace, lifting her up greedily and ramming her back down into his engorged cock, wet squelching noises filling the air. He grunted, angling her sex and the position of his hips so he could hammer into her more thoroughly, and Adelai shrieked, no longer caring if there was anyone outside listening, no longer caring if her screams could carry down the corridor and all throughout the castle.
“Oh gods, yes! Ahh! Ah! Uhn!”
She was seeking to work with him, forcing herself up so she could bring herself down on his cock as well, adding to the force of his thrusts and meeting his upward thrust with her downward stroke. She was bouncing hard on his lap, her buttocks making quick,
slapping noises every time they came into contact with him.
She could feel herself on the verge of another orgasm, the latest in a long line of orgasms she had long since lost count of. Even as she cried out, her body shuddering its release, she heard him growling, the tempo changing from hard quick thrusts to longer, more deliberate jerks, and she knew instinctively he was about to join her. She encouraged him, muscles clamping down and releasing him at intervals, trying to make herself as tight as she could get. Much to her surprise, she found herself being lifted off him.
“I want to spend in your mouth.” He rasped out.
She was quick to obey, moving down so she could eagerly take him into her mouth, tasting her own musky scent there and not finding it repugnant at all. Her tongue worked its way up his shaft, savoring the soft textured feel. She cupped his balls with one hand as her mouth worshiped him, allowing him to stroke in with short, hard thrusts the way he had been taking her only moments before.
“Ah, fuck!” It was the only warning she received before he jerked, felt streams of cum shooting into her mouth. She swallowed as much of him as she could, a thrill running through her at knowing she could make someone as strong and as powerful as the captain lose control like this, how she could give him this much pleasure. He tasted salty and sweet, his smell enticing. She could feel him growing soft in her mouth, but continued to lick lightly at him, until she was certain he had nothing left to give. That done, she crawled back up beside him, and couldn’t help but feel smug at the stunned look he shot her way.
“You taste very nice.” She said, with a grin, trying to hide her sudden exhaustion.
He laughed. “And you learn fast.” He stroked her breasts, his mouth traveling up to nibble at her neck. He could probably sense that she was sore and tired, for he tucked her against his side, content to nuzzle at her skin but do nothing else.
“Thornton?” Adelai could already feel herself dropping off to sleep, but there was still one nagging question drifting through her mind.
“Yes, little one?”
“What’s going to happen tomorrow?”
There was a pause, before Adelai felt the pressure of his mouth against her eyelids. “I will explain everything to the best of my ability then, sweet. As will Belair, and Saleia. For now, it would be best for you to go get your rest. I have already overused you enough as it is.”
Too tired to argue or ask more questions, Adelai could only nod her head. Within seconds she was fast asleep.
She woke up alone the next morning.
Adelai was first aware of a delicious soreness between her thighs, an aching that wasn’t altogether unpleasant, though decidedly uncomfortable. Her eyes flickered open, as sunlight streamed in through the window, and her first thought was that she had overslept. There were still chores to be done, and Andrika would not be happy to hear she’d been oversleeping. She fought to sit up, and then groaned as the soreness grew more pronounced.
It was only after her eyes took in the unfamiliar bedchamber, a far cry from the simple room she shared with three other sisters, that the events of last night finally sank in. She had been sold at auction to King Belair. No, she had spent the night with….
She closed her eyes, a warm glow suffusing her cheeks she was unable to hide. When she was younger, when she had little understanding of a shrinemaiden’s bid price, she had always imagined her first time with someone that she loved, who she could marry and spend the rest of her life with. As she grew older, those hopes were dashed easily enough, but last night felt to her like the closest she would ever get to those naive dreams.
She was glad to see that the gown she had worn had not been torn, although it was rumpled and creased. She put it on, having no other alternatives. She wondered where the captain was, had been hoping to wake up with him still stretched out beside her, wondered how his naked body might look in the morning light. She was disappointed, but she forced that away. She was a full-fledged shrinemaiden now, and it wouldn’t do for her to be mooning after someone who had taken her virginity given that there would be others waiting in line for her services soon enough - an even likelier one, given the price she had been sold for last night.
The butterflies in her stomach had started up again, and she was debating on whether she should return to the room she and the others had been allotted, or if she should attempt to find Thornton herself, when a knock sounded at her door. A plump maidservant entered, bearing a large breakfast tray, and she had almost forgotten that she was hungry.
“Milady,” the servant said, lifting the tray to reveal loaves of freshly baked bread, scones and butter, hot jam and brewed tea, “I am to tell you that as soon as you have finished with breakfast you are to present yourself to the high priestess in her rooms immediately.”
Adelai fought to hide her anxiety. “Thank you,” she said, and the servant bowed her way out. She sat down to her meal, wincing as her buttocks protested. She forced herself not to think of that upcoming meeting, to fear what the high priestess might tell her, and concentrated on eating until she was satisfied. Stacking the empty plates neatly, she faced the mirror and tried to make herself look as presentable as possible.
It was only after looking at her reflection did she realize that she was a mess. Her blonde hair, perfect the night before with no lock out of place, now hung around her face in long clumps. Her cheeks were flushed, her purple eyes bright. Faint marks stood out on the side of her neck, and she realized them to be bite marks from the captain. Blushing, she combed her hair as best she could, arranging it so it could hide most of the blemishes. She could do little for the rest, and was relieved that the High Priestess was giving her time to look presentable.
She kept her head down as she scurried out of the room and back onto the corridor, not willing to meet the eye of anyone she passed, certain that they had heard what had transpired in the chambers. Adelai had never thought she could be so loud and so vocal when it came to matters of sex - but then again, she had never been bedded before.
Thinking about him made her moan softly to herself. Even remembering the things he had done to her, and the things he made her do to him, sent a heat curling around the base of her thighs, and she felt shocked at this unhereto unknown sensuality. “Focus.” She told herself sternly, as she entered her rooms.
She was glad to see that a bath had been prepared for her, and she wasted no time making use of it, sinking down into the warm water. It did much to soothe her soreness, but she did not want to luxuriate in the bath longer than she needed to. The high priestess was not known for her patience, and Adelai did not want to give her any more incentives to be mad at her, if she was.
She changed into a simple green gown, brushed her hair until she was satisfied, and then headed toward the High priestess’ room at the end of the long hallway. Now that she was properly dressed, she was finding it easier to lift her head as servants and courtiers walked past. Still, she did pause as she reached the door, lifting a hand and letting it hover there for awhile before she could muster the nerve to knock.
“Come in,” The high priestess’ familiar nasal tones sounded through the wood. Adelai took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.
CHAPTER FIVE
A Proposal
There was a meeting in progress when she entered. The high priestess was there, dour and sour-looking as she always looked, in a red flamboyant dressing gown marked with embroidered serpents. It surprised her to find that the priestess was not dressed for visitors, though the old woman herself always told them to look presentable at every occasion whenever possible.
But it was the captain of the guard that caught and held her attention. The man was seated at an armchair across the room from Saleia. He was impeccably dressed, wearing his military uniform and showing no indication of where he had spent the night. His face was stern, but his blue eyes were trained on her, and despite herself Adelai found herself reddening as his gaze dipped almost imperceptibly toward the front of her gown as if remembe
ring how she looked without it.
“You are late.” The high priestess said, in her usual disapproving way. “Take a seat. We have much to discuss.” She indicated a small chair a few feet away from the captain.
Not trusting herself to look back at him, Adelai hastened toward it, seating herself gingerly and focusing on her priestess.
A low, unexpected chuckle sounded somewhere to the old woman’s right. “Well, now. Is this the woman I had bought at the bidding?” Shocked, Adelai’s eyes flew toward the figure of a man leaning back against another chair. She had been too caught up with trying not to look at the captain that she had failed to recognize the other person in the room, and the one with the noble personage. King Belair, the ruler of Atalantea, was studying her. His brown hair was carefully cropped, and intelligent green eyes looked out of a strong, handsome profile, though an amused smile curled at his mouth. He wore a plain shirt and long breeches, and could have easily passed for a stablegroom in this outfit. “She is every inch as breathtaking today as she had been the night before, as I had expected. I can understand why you’re very taken with her, Thornton.”
A swift grunt from the captain was his only response.
“My apologies, my dear.” The king said, apologetic. “I fear that I owe you an explanation - as the captain had been pestering me to do for the last few days. I think Garrant would not dream of us plotting against him in his own palace, but Thornton took steps to ensure we are not overheard today.” Adelai’s gaze swiveled back to Thornton in astonishment. “In truth, no matter how much the captain preferred you, I would not have selected you for this task had your own high priestess not assured me that you are a woman of wit and a good amount of intelligence, with courage and the willingness to do what’s right. Or was she mistaken?”