The Royal Garden Ep. 04

Jakob said, "Yes, your majesty. I'll have to try that someday."

"You'll sleep like a baby," King Eradis said. "Lights, please." Jakob doused the lamps and let himself out, leaving the room in silent darkness except for the moonlight from the terrace.

Orchid pressed her breasts against Daisy's back and wrapped her arms around the other girl, inevitably resting her hands on Daisy's breasts. The girl's nipples hardened at the touch and she groaned softly, her bound hands wiggling against Orchid's tummy. Orchid had never shared a bed with four other people, and she struggled not to squirm or shift, afraid to provoke the King's ire.

Within a few minutes she heard the King's breathing deepen and knew he was asleep. She quietly stretched her leg to make contact with Azalea and felt the other girl push back with her feet when they touched. Direct physical contact with a sleeping subject would make the next part easy. She counted to herself and waited.

After reaching one thousand Orchid closed her eyes. It was impossible to identify one girl's breathing from the others, but Azalea hadn't moved in hundreds of seconds. Orchid sent her mind reaching down through her leg and into Azalea's, and then traveled up it towards her head. On the way past Azalea's hips she couldn't help but notice the throbbing pulse of her heartbeat in her pussy as she came down from the orgasm she'd had just a few minutes before. The heavy metal plug spreading her asshole. Azalea's insides were coated with the King's semen and her body was rapidly absorbing his fluids. Millions of his sperm raced in every direction inside her womb, searching for an egg to fertilize, and Orchid saw that they'd find one soon. Remembering Azalea's earlier disgust, Orchid considered preventing the potential pregnancy by gently squeezing the egg out of existence before any seed could fertilize it. But no, that wasn't her purpose here.

Orchid darted up Azalea's spinal cord and into her brain. She was definitely sleeping. Orchid saw surface memories from the past hour and felt the memory of Azalea's orgasm. Disconnected episodes from earlier today, earlier this week. Random snippets of the past month, tied to fuzzy half-remembered elements from Azalea's more distant past. Orchid could sort it all out if she took enough time, but she didn't care about any of that.

Orchid crafted a thought and pushed it into Azalea's mind: "this is the last time". The chaotic fragments whirled and separated, like water and oil, as a few memories drifted to the top. Gathering clothes and food with Iris. Hiding their packs in the palace, outside the Garden. Travel papers folded into the window frames. Zinnia promised she could remove their tattoos. Don't tell the Reader. Freedom... family...

Orchid pulled herself out of Azalea to discover tears rolling down her own face. Freedom. Maybe they'd take her with them. But of course their plan wouldn't work, right? And they wouldn't trust her anyway. No, the risk was too high. There was no escape for Orchid because Vingoth knew her true identity. But maybe these clues could be helpful... She could talk to Zinnia and identify the Reader.

Orchid stomach tightened as she realized what she had to do. She quietly rolled out of bed and tiptoed to the door, cracking it open and squinting against the light from the office. She peeked her head out but kept her naked body hidden behind the door and immediately drew Jakob's attention as he stood guard outside.

"Yes, my lady Orchid? Don't wake the King," he whispered, uncomfortable with both her nakedness and breach of protocol.

Orchid whispered back. "Iris and Azalea are planning an escape. You'll find their supplies in the housekeeping closet at the base of the Crown Tower, and travel papers hidden in the window frames of their rooms."

Jakob looked at her wide-eyed. "Escape? But what about their tattoos?"

"I don't know," Orchid lied. "I just overheard them whispering."

"Why are you telling me this?" Jakob asked.

Orchid pursed her lips. Yes, why? Jealousy? Of course not. To gain trust. To avoid scrutiny. "For the good of the Kingdom and the people. Just don't mention my name to anyone."

Orchid slipped back into bed and thought she'd lay awake all night second-guessing herself. No, she didn't care about anyone's escape, or anyone's pregnancy, except her own. She had to be ruthless to survive, and anyway, this was her Kingdom. Her mind circled and circled, but Daisy's gentle breathing and soft body gradually led Orchid down into the peaceful depths of sleep.