The Contest Ch. 12

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In short, don't be stupid.
5.4k words
4.7
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Part 12 of the 18 part series

Updated 06/08/2023
Created 04/10/2018
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Henrill fashions were ideal for sneaking around.

Rellenora slipped out of the White Jade Palace with a dark blue cloak around her figure. Her soft leather shoes made almost no sound as she slipped out of a low window on the first floor. Avoiding the somewhat tired guards that stood around, Rellenora hopped and ran on all the pathways and bridges.

One of the palace gates was connected to a wide road that led to the capital. Rellenora wasn't planning on going to the capital. She was hoping to sneak out of the gate and run to the left, which would eventually take her to the woods. Once she was at the gate, all she'd have to do was wait for it to be opened. Day and night, it didn't matter. That gate was usually opened for deliveries, especially food. The occupants in the complex didn't normally go shopping in the capital, but they needed to eat.

A nightly delivery of food just happened to be coming through the gate when Rellenora arrived. The guards were busy watching the carriage. They didn't notice her sneak through the gate. She was tempted to stop and look at the glowing city in the distance, but her mission was more important. She needed to be herself.

She ran and ran.

But ... she didn't think about the guards outside the walls.

Loud, masculine voices, dark figures rushing to her. Rellenora tried to flee.

Something whizzed at her, something heavy and light all at once. Rellenora happened to move to one side, and something painfully grazed her left cheek. It stung. An arrow?! Was she bleeding? She felt like it was bleeding. Maybe if they knew she was a woman, they'd go easy on her?

She screamed in the most delicate, feminine way she knew how.

Fortunately for her, men were protective of women ... generally.

No more arrows were sent her way, but she was caught by a few men. She was lifted up and carried off through a gate. They were probably going to interrogate her. Maybe they thought she was an assassin. Rellenora chose not to kick and squeal like a pig. She let the men hold her with more ease than they probably expected.

She was taken straight to a room hidden inside one of the thick walls that protected the complex. It was dark in there. It smelled like alcohol, sweat, leather, and iron. Someone lit a few torches. She was put on a rustic bench of wood.

The men's voiced turned surprised. When they felt around her body for any signs of weapons, all they found was a pouch full of tinderboxes. Rellenora didn't have her writing materials tied to her clothing because when she left the White Jade Palace she didn't think she needed them.

It didn't take long for her to realize that she had been very stupid.

One man took her chin in his gloved hand and pushed her head back. Rellenora looked away at a sack of broken weapons. That man's breath smelled fairly nasty. Was one of his teeth rotten? It didn't matter, though, did it? She had almost died this night, and here she was, thinking of rotten teeth. She felt like more of an idiot than usual.

But hey, if these men didn't kill her, then maybe the Emperor would find out about this, announce that she truly was more stupid than he had thought, and divorce her.

More confusing words that she didn't bother thinking about ... but she thought Henrill was mixed in there ... somewhere. Did they notice that her clothing matched what their Empress used to wear when she was only a princess?

For her own safety, Rellenora decided to say something.

"Sorry."

She used her least offensive, most girlish voice.

She was kept in the room a few minutes more. She was able to understand some of the questions. "Who are you? Why are you dressed like that? What were you doing out there?"

Damn it. Maybe she should have brought her slate, after all.

She managed to say one thing. "Rellenora." Then she said with a very contrite tone, "Sorry." She even got down on her knees, put her hands down, and put her forehead on her hands, the humblest apology one could give in this empire.

The men laughed at her. Did they believe her? At least they weren't beating her up.

Someone's strong hand went to the back of her neck and pulled her torso up. It was nearly enough pressure to make her dizzy. They didn't believe her. If they did, she wouldn't have been touched that way.

She stared at her knees and wiggled her fingers. A heavy hand reached down to pick up one of hers. Her hand was soft and ladylike. Her fingernails were beautifully painted. While the thumb's nail and the first two fingernails on each hand had a small length, the last two fingernails were very long. They were also painted. There was even a bit of gold colored lacquer there. It wasn't real gold, because that seemed to be far too wasteful, but the elites in Zenthia loved to at least appear to have gold or silver on their nails on some days.

Another man reached for her hair, her curly, sweet smelling hair. Curly hair wasn't unheard of in Zenthia, but Rellenora hadn't seen many women inside the palace walls with hair exactly like hers. It was very, very pale.

She was pulled to her feet. Then someone poked her back with the blunt handle of a dagger, urging her out of the room. She was escorted through the complex and to the Imperial Palace. They led her through a side entrance, and then all around the interior, until they were at a tall door with carved designs of birds and insects. A guard knocked on that door.

Rellenora believed the person who answered was the butler. There was recognition in his surprised voice. He got to his knees and gave the greeting, one of his hands lingering on the handle of his door. Rellenora horizontally waved her hands back and forth and said, "No, no. Up, up." The butler got up.

Soon, Rellenora was led to a reception room. Then she was left alone. She perched herself onto a chair. Her legs were tingling. Her throat was oddly cold. She tapped her fingernails together and listened to the tile-like noises they made.

The door opened, and the first person she saw had damaged hands. His voice was strained, like it would fall apart. Prince Yban? He was loosely dressed, as if he had rushed to get his clothes on. Rellenora watched him enter the room and get on his knees. As he gave the greeting, Antonai walked into the room. His clothing was similar to his friend's, barely even on him.

And he was yelling.

Antonai made broad, furious gestures. His tail was straight behind him and vibrating. His voice shook the whole room. It made Rellenora feel like ... a child that had ran away from home. Or ... rather ... Rellenora was almost literally that. She was a childish creature that had ran away from what was supposed to be her home. She had been planning to come back, of course, but goodness did she make herself seem doltish!

Rellenora was frozen for the longest time, but then she realized that Yban was still kneeling. She quickly waved her hand at Yban so he could get up, and he did so, but his hands were trembling ... and he was making sniffing noises.

Antonai soon frightened Rellenora even more. He went to the nearest vase, picked it up, and threw it at a wall. The pretty, expensive thing broke so well that it was like a little explosion. Then, as Rellenora was using her feet to push her chair back, she watched her husband pick up a table and toss it across the room.

This was too alarming. Rellenora wanted to soothe the man, but she didn't know how. All she could think of to do was get down to the low, kneeling apology bow, head on her hands. Then she repeated the word sorry over and over.

More crashing. More objects being broken. Rellenora hoped he didn't break something over her back or head.

She felt footsteps coming towards her. A hand patted her back. She got up to a typical kneeling position, and she saw Yban's hands. Those hands went to her upper arms, and he pulled her to her nervous feet.

One of his arms went around her shoulders. Rellenora didn't like it. She wanted to rip his arm off of her and ram his elbow into something hard and thin. Yban guided her into the hallway and then into the room across from the wild fit Antonai was pitching.

Even when Yban closed the door, Rellenora could still hear her husband bellowing and destroying everything.

Rellenora thought that perhaps Yban was going to criticize her ... or try to have sexual contact wither her. If he tried the latter, Rellenora decided she would jam her fist in his throat. She'd submit to her husband any hour of the day. She didn't want to do that for Yban ... but ...

What if he badmouthed her to her husband? He really could do that.

Maybe she did need to submit to him?

There was a soft, but still masculine intake of air.

His fingers went around hers. Her palm was put against his sharp cheek.

Thin, warm, trailing down his face. Tears? Fresh tears?

Prince Yban murmured something weak.

Rellenora's eyebrows rose, then lowered, then rose and lowered again. Her fingers spread out, then tightened. The moisture went between her digits.

"You could've been killed."

Rellenora was surprised that he didn't outright insult her. Even Naeva would have called her a fool or a stupid child. He said something else, something with odd pauses, something fragmented.

Rellenora tugged her hand away and wiped it on her dress. He put his arm around her shoulders again, which had her gurgling in her throat. She rubbed an itch out of her nose. The scent of the man's tears was still there. Rellenora grumbled at it.

"He's heartbroken ... and frenzied. He needs ... he needs a loving touch. Go to him. Go now."

She looked at Yban's throat. Her eyelids narrowed. Her head went to one side. He touched her back, and then he waved his hand towards the door. Rellenora folded her arms and sighed. Then she quit the room to cross the hallway and try not to get hit with any furniture.

Dodging a flying bowl of potpourri, and the dry bits of plant material that was moving like happy confetti, Rellenora ran up to her husband, and she slapped her arms around his waist as if she was claiming a favorite pillow.

His breath sounded like it had been knocked out of him. He dropped a painting he had apparently ripped off a wall. It clattered and shuddered on the floor.

Not even Rellenora was so dense that she didn't understand what Yban had meant by a loving touch. Something sexual, of course. People were like that, weren't they? Sometimes they needed that kind of release. Not only had she vaguely heard about it in her life, but she had also read about it in Oana's house.

She looked back to make sure Yban wasn't watching. He'd better not show up later. Rellenora thought she might imitate her husband's little tantrum if that prince showed up. Best get on with it, though.

Rellenora untied the cords and belts on Antonai's clothing. She tried to remember what her voice sounded like when she was aroused. Like a baby animal? A hatchling or a kit? Her larynx seemed to stretch as she made what she hoped to be her version of a mating call ... even though hatchlings and kits just don't give out mating calls. They were too young.

She fought the urge to shake her head at her unimportant thoughts.

Antonai was tugging the cloth around her head off. Then, that cloth softly landed on the floor. He touched her cheek, right at the scratch. It wasn't bleeding anymore. Honestly, Rellenora had forgotten all about it.

He pinched her ear. Then he tugged on it. Rellenora sighed and took the lavish yet casual material of Antonai's trousers and drawers down. Her body followed her hand, slipping down. When she was on her knees, the trousers were rumpled at Antonai's knees. His heady, thick scent had her thinking of sweat and clay.

With lightly shaking fingers, Rellenora's other hand rose to the dark head of her husband's penis. A little movement, a pulsing, was made in the length. Going with her own assumptions, Rellenora surrounded the head with her fingers. Then she stroked down to the base. Back up. Down. The man made a croon of a noise. Rellenora took a gulp of saliva and licked her lips.

Don't poke or scratch him with the nails! That what she thought to herself.

As if it was slowly being filled, the organ hardened as she petted him. Meanwhile he petted her too, right on her head, folding and flipping her long hair. He spoke with dulcet, gentle tones. Was he praising her? That was rather sweet.

Rellenora thought about how penises generally responded well to suction, heat, and moisture. Then she thought about how Antonai had once put his mouth on her.

Well ...

She held the shaft tightly, and her lips went over the head.

He tasted like ... well almost like his fingers when wet with her womanly fluids ... but even more bitter and more consuming. The fact that she had to breath with her nose meant the she was taking in more of his essence.

Antonai's happy little vocalizations had her thinking of a pet cat snuggling with a beloved owner. Taking this as a positive cue, Rellenora allowed more of the organ into her mouth. When she believed she could have no more of the length, she let her tongue shove its way down, tasting as much of him as possible.

She moved up and down, letting her saliva lubricate the way.

Antonai wasn't petting her head anymore. He was holding her head and trying to pump himself in and out of her. One of Rellenora's hands went to his thighs. The other remained on the bit of the shaft that she couldn't put in her mouth.

His testicles were ... rocking and swinging against her chin. It was nearly ... irritating ... but Rellenora was able to ignore it.

After a while, her jaw was sore. She didn't know this would hurt so much. She wanted to stop, but she was afraid of disappointing him.

How much longer ... how much longer did she need to endure ... looking at his belly button ... it was a clean belly button.

A noise, something like, "Ahh! Haaaaah!" It waved out from the man. He pushed himself in so hard that she nearly gagged.

Then she thought she would choke, because hot liquid was going down her throat. With a light cough, Rellenora took her mouth off of the man's squirting erection. As she shuffled backwards, her hands flew to her raw lips. Antonai was still making desperate, weakened sounds. His fingers went around the wet stalk, nearly hiding it.

She saw a bit more semen come out of the hole and drip down his hand. Then she felt relief as he seemed to calm down. He pawed around for a chair, which had been thrown. He put it to its normal, standing position. Then he lowered himself onto the seat.

Rellenora wasn't certain what the next move should be. Should she bow? Should she leave?

He held his hands out towards her, palms up. The fingers waved at her. One of those hands was shiny for obvious reasons. Rellenora pushed herself up and stepped to him. His dry hand patted his messy lap. Rellenora stared at him for a second or so. He patted his lap again. Was an insect there?

Seeming to lose his patience, Antonai took her body quickly, settling her in his lap. He put her cheek on his chest. She heard and felt his sigh.

Even though Rellenora believed she was only supposed to be thinking of Antonai, she wondered about Yban. The man had cried. He cried over her.

Or ... was he the kind who could fake tears?

But why would he want her to know that he cried?

Had he ... been worried about her?

Rellenora's brain hurt a little.

Eventually, she was allowed to return to the White Jade Palace. As she tried to sleep in her alcove bed, Rellenora thought that she should probably suck on Antonai's penis more often. It wasn't the most enjoyable thing in the world for her, but it wasn't bad either, and it made her husband happy. Goodness, she might even learn to like it.

***

Hoping to earn Chohni's trust, Rellenora looked into her own, personal wardrobe and decided to give a large portion of her clothes, jewelry, and other assorted things to the princess. She had Chohni standing between tall mirrors while the maids playfully experimented with all the options. Naeva had said to Rellenora in a low pitch, "You're being far too generous, but I think your new husband will be impressed with you."

Once Chohni was looking like a piece of expensive, precious art, Rellenora did something she wouldn't normally do. She chose to socialize with the Royal Court, or rather, she walked with Chohni, Naeva, and all the ladies-in-waiting that worked for each royal woman, around the complex, stopping to greet people and overall look fancy.

When Rellenora saw her husband taking the Royal Piglet for a walk, she took her great entourage of women to him. As she petted Noffnoff's warm head, Rellenora hoped that Chohni would be sneaky and bold enough to be seductive to the Emperor, not that Rellenora knew how to be seductive. But Chohni was certainly capable, wasn't she?

After a few moments, Antonai reached down to grip one of Rellenora's hands. He squeezed her manicured fingers. Then he patted her cheek, the one that had a scratch on it. There was some powder there, but Rellenora imagined that he still saw the mark. Rellenora asked her husband if he would like to join them for a walk. Antonai lightly refused. He said that he wanted to put his pet back to her home and then go for a ride with Yban. Rellenora nodded and gave Noffnoff a sad goodbye.

Later, Rellenora sent most of the women away so she could go to the physician's house and read books. Lots of interesting and useful information was there. She stayed in the building until someone alerted her to the nearing lunch hour.

She ate with Princess Chohni, listening to the woman go on and on. Rellenora thought she might have been talking about all the different types of clay and stone that was used in sculpture. It was a little dull, but Rellenora tried to follow the conversation. When lunch was done, Antonai and Yban came for a visit. Rellenora hated seeing Yban, but she bottled her feelings away and accepted the guests with courtesy.

She used the opportunity to ask Chohni to play her ocarina. When that was done, she asked Chohni if she was able to dance while burdened by Zenthian clothing. The princess turned out to be more than capable, even graceful.

At the end of it, Rellenora asked Chohni to read some poetry aloud ... which was actually more boring than Rellenora had assumed it would be, but she thought that the men were entertained.

Soon, it was time for a few games, board games, tile-based games, card games, and even bowling games. It was a fairly nice time.

Sadly, the Emperor didn't seem very interested in the beautiful and talented Chohni. Rellenora was the owner of the hand he possessively claimed. Rellenora was the woman he asked to have a moment alone with once everyone was too tired to continue playing. Rellenora was the one led to the Empress' bedchamber. And Rellenora was the one that had to pull her clothes up past her waist and let the Emperor do as he pleased.

Well ... it wasn't too sad ... it felt nice, especially in the beginning.

He sat her down on a chair and removed her slippers and socks. Then he knelt down beside her feet, his back to her, and he spent a long while just ... touching and rubbing her feet. It was mildly embarrassing at first, but over time, she grew to enjoy the way his fingers ran up and down her insteps, curling a bit between her toes. When he shifted his body so he could press his thumbs into her arches, Rellenora had to swallow down happy little noises as her toes fanned out.

Soon, he lifted a foot and bent forward so he could put his lips to her clean toenails. His small headdress had a long pin of gold. On each side of the pin, there was a dangling ribbon of pale yellow silk. Those ribbons tickled and slid against her ankle as his head rose and he went to kiss the other foot.

12