The Palace Pt. 08

Tinele, it turned out, was the last of the holdovers. That is, she was the last of the seven concubines who belonged to Zoer's reign. There were more, of course, but Yasina had sent them away, marrying them off outside the capital.

When I reached the end of the list, so to speak, Yasina simply had me start over. I slept with subtle Adina again, with energetic Olom, and the beautiful Nima. Then the even more beautiful and frighteningly tall Lottana, and then Alakis. Finally, the rambunctious Avadi, and big-breasted Tinele, who had revealed my question about gardeners to her trainers.

I did not hold it against her, though. Any of the girls would likely have done the same.

After that, Yasina gave me a night off, to spend at home. The pattern was the same: I gave a coin to the same beggar - Serim - for luck, then was escorted home by Notroh and Enpy. Father regaled me with the local gossip, and then the Palace gossip - which he knew more about than I did.

And finally, some quiet time with Minika, to make love quietly, intimately - without anyone watching, or reporting everything I said or did.

When I returned to the Palace, though, Yasina did her best to kill me. She probably assumed that I had been resting. Regardless, the Empress set up a schedule that very nearly finished me off.

The morning after I returned to the Palace, I awoke to find a woman kissing and licking my shaft. It was Olom, approaching her task with habitual energy. She brought me to full erection, and then to orgasm, swallowing my ejaculate.

In the afternoon, Notroh gave me a warning shortly before Lottana arrived. I was just as mesmerized by her beautiful face as I had been the first two times. Then I 'climbed the mountain', so to speak.

And in the evening, Avadi arrived. If Yasina was doing the scheduling personally, she had chosen well. Avadi pounced on me, and soon coaxed a third erection out of me. Then she rode me hard, until I finished inside her.

I was completely drained, and slept like a dead man.

Yasina sent for me the next day.

- "Three in one day! Well done." she said. "The women's quarters are all abuzz with it. And the gardeners are already planting new rose bushes. We may need them, at the rate you're going."

She was dressed to kill, once again, in a sheer, clinging dress that revealed far more than it covered. Tired as I was, I still felt a stirring in my loins at the sight.

"You deserve a rest." she said, with a predatory smile. "Luckily for you, the Emperor will be paying a short visit to the nearest garrison city - inspecting the troops, impressing the governor, and so on. So the concubines will be getting a rest from your attentions, too."

"Nanka has asked for a rematch, the day after tomorrow. Would you be 'up' for that?" asked Yasina. "And the day afterthat,I suspect that I myself will be in need of some attention."

- "I will be ready for you, Highness." I said. That was only the truth.

But if I had told her another truth, it would have been that I was looking forward to seeing Nanka again. Well, sleeping with her again, to be more exact. I did see her frequently, in the baths, or getting a shave. But she was always very guarded in that environment.

I saw Nanka the day before our 'scheduled' encounter. She shaved me extra carefully.

- "Have I told you," I said, "how much I enjoy it when you shave me?"

- "Yes. Many time." she said.

- "You make it such a ... sensual experience. Thank you, for that."

- "You tahk so much." said Nanka.

- "Does it bother you?" I asked.

She stopped, and tilted her head to look at me sideways. "No." she said.

- "I am looking forward to tomorrow." I said. "Very much."

Nanka stopped again, holding the razor very close to my neck. "You must show more caution."

- "How do you mean? In what I say?"

- "Ears everywhere, in Parrace." she said.

The next day, she arrived in my quarters wearing the same clothes she always wore, including her cheap, flat-soled sandals. It made her seem even shorter, and smaller. But despite the lack of makeup and ornaments, I thought Nanka looked every bit as desirable as the concubines.

I kissed her on the cheek, and she surprised me by whispering in my ear.

- "Treat me like concubine." she said.

- "Have you been watching?" I asked her.

- "No. But I hear."

As instructed, I led Nanka to the divan. I helped her divest herself of her clothing, re-acquainting myself with her olive skin, and her superb little body. I caressed the soft globes of her breasts, and explored her legs with my fingers. After licking and sucking on her nipples for a while, I trailed kisses down her belly. She spread her legs wide to give me unfettered access to her treasures.

She clutched my head, and pulled my hair when she climaxed. I even coaxed a moan out of her, and she shuddered. She had done the same the first time we were together.

I picked her up, and carried her to my bed. I lay down next to her, our faces only inches apart. I gently caressed her hip.

- "Can I speak now? If I whisper?" I asked her.

- "Yes. Not too much."

- "You're beautiful." I whispered.

- "You have to whisper for that?"

I kissed her on the lips. She was not at all shy about tasting herself on my lips.

- "Why must I be cautious, Nanka? Is it because you don't want her to know that I like you? Or is it because you don't want her to know that you like me?"

- "It is dangerous." she said.

- "For you? Or for me?" I asked.

- "Both."

- "Is she listening now? Or watching?"

- "She ahways rristening - ahways watching." whispered Nanka.

- "Then I will be more careful." I promised.

- "I ride you now." she said. "But you finish outside - I don't want to get pregnant."

With that, Nanka pushed me on my back, and climbed aboard. She very cleverly varied the pace, slowing down every now and again so that I would last longer. It was very effective. And while she slid back and forth atop me, I thought I detected the ghost of a smile on her face.

After a fairly long ride, Nanka dismounted, and lay on her back beside me. I didn't need any more invitation than that. I swung over, above her. She wrapped her legs around me as I penetrated deep.

- "'Member - finish outside." she reminded.

I warned her when my orgasm was imminent, and pulled my engorged penis from her moist cavern. I stroked it with my hand, and grunted with the release, as I fired ropes of semen onto her belly. One splashed her breast.

Nanka surprised me by gathering my ejaculate with her fingers, and massaging it into her breasts. I lay beside her, fascinated, as she rubbed my sticky sperm all over her skin. Then we lay side by side, recovering.

I wondered if I could trust her at all. She had warned me - but Nanka was closer than anyone to the Empress' secrets, and had been with her for years. I would have to think on this. For the immediate present, I had enough to occupy myself, as I admired her trim body.

- "Again?" I asked.

- "Once is enough." Nanka said. "She ahways want more, when she has you. Save some strength."

That, as it turned out, was excellent advice.

Because Yasina tried her best to wear me out. She had me bring her to two orgasms, just as a preliminary - one with my fingers, and a second with lips and tongue.

After a brief rest, we had intercourse on my bed, with her sitting on my erection, but facing in the opposite direction. You learn something new every day, I suppose.

Then we repaired to my bathing pool, and Yasina sat on my lap while I played with her Imperial breasts. We both reached orgasm that way.

Back on my bed, Yasina was beginning to toy with my scrotum. I tried to distract her by asking questions.

- "When will the Emperor marry?"

- "We've received a few offers." she admitted. "But I'm not sure they're quite good enough, for a first wife."

- "Oh?"

She propped herself up on one elbow, idly caressing my nipples while she explained. "The first wife is the senior wife - she has to have considerable clout, in the Empire. It doesn't matter if she's ugly as sin, as long as she has status, or brings about an alliance."

"But for Bishkur ..." She let out a deep sigh. "There're the additional problems, of course. I still have to consider our options."

- "You haven't told me, Highness - has the Emperor ... called upon any of the new concubines? I assume that they have been arriving ..."

- "Of course." said Yasina. "They started arriving within weeks of his accession. You're just wondering whyyouhaven't sampled any of them yet." She poked me in the ribs.

- "No, Highness. I'm fully occupied as it is." I squeezed her breast. "Happily so. I was just curious." I said.

Yasina began rolling my testicles between her fingers. "They've been arriving for weeks. But there are protocols."

- "Protocols?"

- "The Emperor doesn't take every girl sent to him as a concubine. He doesn't even sleep with all of them." she explained.

- "I thought ... you told me that none of them were ugly." I said.

- "Well - there are exceptions!" she laughed. "Listen: every Emperor has his own particular tastes. Zoer didn't like them too delicate, or too young. Some of the girls sent as gifts went untouched. They would be married to his officers, or his court officials."

"Some girls were attractive enough to catch his attention, but when he slept with them, turned out to be a disappointment. You don't make her a concubine if you're never going to fuck her again."

- "That's understandable." I said.

- "But there are some that the Emperor never sleeps with in the first place." she said.

My disbelief must have shown.

"It's true." she continued. "It's an honor, you see, for noble families to have a daughter, or a sister, in the Imperial household. Only the wealthiest, or most powerful would dare to send a homely girl - but it has happened. These women are hosted with the concubines - but they're not for sex. They're a link between their family and the Emperor."

- "I see. But these girls who have been arriving - what happens to them?"

- "They have to be trained, Carrach. And tested." said Yasina.

- "Trained? You mean ..."

- "Etiquette. Courtly graces. Some of these girls have no manners whatsoever when they get here. So we teach them. If they have an aptitude, such as dancing, or musical ability, we enhance it."

- "And do they receive ... special training?" I asked.

Yasina grinned. "What do you think?"

- "I think that there's a sexual component to their training." I said.

- "There most certainly is." said Yasina. "But I'm not giving away any secrets. You'll have to use your imagination."

- "I am."

Yasina laughed again, and then gave me a demonstration of her own training. She did something exceptional with her hands, and then her mouth, and produced yet another erection from me. I thought I was done - thoroughly exhausted. But there it was, proudly pointing at my chin. She chuckled throatily, as she admired the result of her handwork - and mouthwork.

- "Hmm." she said. "What should we do withthis?I think that I want what Avadi asked for."

- "Really?"

- "Oh, yes. Not all the time - but I have a craving, now." she said.

And so I found myself on my knees behind the Empress, my cock buried in her ass, fucking her for all I was worth. Having climaxed twice already, I was able to thoroughly pummel her backside, until I sensed that she was nearing yet another orgasm. I reached beneath us to rub her clitoris. But it was when I seized hold of her nipples, and pinched them roughly, that Yasina let out a full-throated cry, and just collapsed beneath me on the bed.

I almost panicked, for a moment. But she was still breathing, and drooling a bit on the sheets. She didn't seem to be in any danger. I cleaned myself off, in the pool, and then returned to the bed. I lay next to her, and watched carefully.

Yasina slept - either that, or she was unconscious - for only a short while. Then her eyelids fluttered, and her eyes opened.

- "Hello." I said.

- "What ... happened?" she said, still a bit groggy.

- "I believe you passed out." I told her.

- "Mmmm." she mumbled. Then she slept.

***************************

Two days later, I still felt like the victim of a beating. Everything hurt. At this rate, Yasina was going to reduce me to rubble. Nanka commiserated with me while she shaved my face. While she did, I remembered something the Empress had said, and decided to ask her maid about it.

- "Nanka, the concubines are trained - I know that. But the Empress said that they're also 'tested' - what does that mean?"

- "Royahty." was the answer. With her Roxoni accent, I had to guess what that meant.

- "Royalty?" That made little sense.

- "No.Royahty. Can they be trusted." she said.

- "Ah -loyalty."I said.

- "What I said. She couhd be spy, or assassin." explained Nanka.

- "I see. It would be a perfect opportunity if they were left alone with the Emperor. I wonder if it ever happened before. Hmm ... is the test very thorough?"

- "Tests." she said. "Many. When you think they are over, they are not."

- "Were you tested, Nanka?" I asked.

- "Yes."

- "Not a pleasant memory?"

She shook her head.

- "But you passed the tests." I said.

Nanka didn't say anything. But the look on her face spoke volumes.

***************************

"Carrach, how would you go about ... deflowering a virgin?' the Emperor asked me.

I was taken aback, obviously. We were sipping fruit juice, discussing military history, when Bishkur suddenly changed the subject. It's not something that men discuss very frequently - at least in my social circles.

- "I know," he continued, "that this is an unusual topic. But I am beginning to think of you as a tutor, as well as a fellow student ... in military history and sexual ... matters. Even my Mother said you were something of a teacher. Did you not show her how to play chess?"

I coughed, and began to choke. Bishkur responded quickly, pounding me on the back.

- "Are you alright?" he asked.

- "Went - down - wrong passage." I got out. I wasn't about to tell him the real reason for the coughing fit: I had indeed shown Yasina how the chess pieces moved - while she lay naked on a massage table - and then she had invited me to climb on to that table, and take her from behind. I decided right then that I wouldn't include this in my report to the Empress.

- "Virgins?" prompted the Emperor.

- "I have no personal experience with a virgin." I told him, still trying to get the image of his naked mother out of my head. "Only what I've read. Wouldn't the Empress be a better guide in this situation?"

- "She suggested that I ask you." he replied. "Besides, I don't believe that my mother was a ... typical virgin. In any case -youare the one I want to ... emulate. So tell me: how would you go about it?"

I organized my thoughts. "First, the girl will likely be nervous, or even afraid. She will have heard stories, that it will be painful. You should try to put her at ease."

"Talk to her, have a drink of wine with her - or possibly two. You want her relaxed - but not inebriated."

- "What would I talk about, with a concubine?" he asked.

- "A concubine? I'm sorry - I thought you meant your future wives."

- "No - I thought it might be wise to ... gain some experience. My mother suggested that if I 'practiced' on one or two of the concubines, those girls could be kept separate. If they never ... encounter you, they won't know the difference." Bishkur made a face. "She also suggested that if the experience was a disaster, the girls in question could be ... married off quickly. I suppose that is so that they would not ... discuss it with the others."

- "I'm sure that it won't be a disaster." I said.

- "I hope not." said Bishkur. "But that is one reason I am asking you. You were saying that I should talk to her. What should I discuss?"

- "Don't talktoher. Getherto talk. Treat her like a lover. Would you not be curious about her? Ask her questions: where she's from, her family, her impressions of the Palace. Compliment her - her eyes, her skin, her hair. Sit her down next to you, with a glass of wine. This could be your ... opportunity to learn about the life of a concubine."

- "I see. That's a good strategy."

- "Exactly, Highness. Sorry." Bishkur had asked me - repeatedly - not to call him that when we were alone. I think he wanted to feel as if we were friends, just having a conversation. Perhaps he didn't have many true friends.

"But the military analogy is a good one. Several authors use it. Preparation is key."

- "Conversation, relaxation, wine." he said. "And then?"

- "The concubines have been trained to dance. It should be possible to find out - in advance - if this particular girl is a good dancer. Ask her to dance for you. Fully clothed."

"If she likes to dance, it will relax her even more. If she is good at it, she will become more aware of her body, of her beauty. She will gain confidence, and feel more ... sensual."

- "I see." said Bishkur.

- "Then you should have her sit beside you. Now you can caress her, kiss her - gently."

- "Of course." he agreed.

- "But these are mere feints, to test the fortress 'defences. Don't press home your attack just yet. A kiss here, a caress there - and then withdraw. Ask her another question, then - or two."

"At this point, you have to use your own judgment. You'll want to move her to your bed. If she's nervous, or afraid, this will be the moment she fears."

- "I will need to remove her clothing." he said. "Or should I ask her to do it?"

- "Whichever you think wisest. Possibly both. Now let's assume that she's naked - on your bed. The defenders believe that an assault is imminent - they are alert, and ready. If the girl is in this state of mind, she will be tense - and itwillhurt."

- "So I need to relax her?"

- "Yes. Talk to her, compliment her beauty, even as you caress her. Arms and hands, feet and legs, first. Slowly, and gradually, before you approach her most sensitive areas."

- "And then the oral sex?" he said, rather abruptly.

- "Eventually. Touch her, first." I suggested, while trying to keep a straight face.

- "Itisrather like a siege." he observed.

We discussed it quite a bit more. Bishkur seemed happy enough to consider it as a theoretical problem.

- "There is something else." he said. "I am going to ask you a question, Carrach - you don't have to answer it if you prefer not to. You swore an oath to report to my mother - in writing - everything I discuss with you. Yes?"

- "I did." I was suddenly - and completely - alert. Was this the kind of test Nanka was telling me about?

- "Were those the exact words? Everything I 'discuss' with you?"

I nodded.

Bishkur poured himself another glass of juice. "So, theoretically speaking ... if I asked you a question, but you did not answer - that would not be a discussion, would it?"

- "I suppose not." I said. Now I was tense, as well as alert. Was I supposed to report this - or not? It was a test, obviously. But whose? Bishkur's - or his mother's?

- "Or if I gave you a direct instruction - an order, if you will - would you be obligated to report it?"

I had a vision, then, of the eunuch Opkor, in the next room, writing down every word we said. Or perhaps Yasina herself, listening to her son's conversations. My answer to this simple question could be very dangerous for me. Either way.

- "The word 'discuss' is quite specific. I don't believe that it includes direct instructions. Nor would it cover something thatIsaid, to which Your Highness did not respond. For example, as I am well aware, you prefer that Inotcall you 'Highness' when we are alone. But I just did it deliberately. And since you did not respond, there is no need for me to report it in writing."