Command and Vanquish Ch. 03

She choked on a sob, and tried to push him away. He caught her wrists, and pulled on her arms until she went to her knees. Then taking a fist full of hair, he jerked her head back so she would look up at him. "Girl, you're going to wish YOU were dead unless you begin treating your Master a little more respectfully."

Her eyes burned with anger, filled with tears. "You're not my master," through clenched teeth.

"Hmm." He let go of her hair, and back-handed her hard. She fell on the floor and cried. The last time she was in this predicament was at the hands of Jem. She knew this could get worse, fast.

He pulled her back up to a kneeling position. "Now, would you like to try that again? I said you should treat your Master a little more respectfully. And your response is...?"

Swallowing the blood from the cut in her mouth, she kept her eyes down, "Yes...Master."

Her owner threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, this is terrific! Worth every penny spent capturing you just to hear that. But I didn't capture you to hear you speak. I did it for this," placing his hand on her ass, smiling cruelly as her heart sank. "Come now, girl, no need to look so disappointed." He reached down and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "You'll like this, I promise."

She jerked her head away from his hand, and again he struck her. "Crawl to my bed, slut!"

She had no choice but to do what he wanted. "Get up there, get on all fours on my bed." As she struggled to comply, her owner sat at the bottom and stared at her ass. Looking between her thighs, he noticed the wetness her fear had created. "My my, slut! I've barely touched you and you're wet already! The little Princess must like taking instruction rather than giving it."

She shook as she heard him come up behind her. Using both hands, he gripped the cheeks of her ass and molded them. "Now...are you going to be good, or do I need to tie you here?"

"You're going to have to tie me," she choked through sobs, "because I'll try and kill you if I get the chance."

He laughed, and slapped her ass hard. "I believe you meant to say, 'I beg to be tied, Master'."

"Go to hell," she cried. He pulled out a whip beside his bed. Drawing back his arm, he laid into her hard, until she was squirming on his bed, screaming.

"I said get on all fours!" He hit her again. "Now, do you want to be tied?"

Struggling to get back up, she said, "fuck you."

A cruel laugh escaped him, "oh no, my dear, I'm going to fuck YOU. And for that..." he shoved a finger into her asshole hard, "I'm going to take my pleasure in your ass." She screamed as he probed her unexpectedly and unlubricated in her ass.

"No!" she screamed, "Stop, please!"

"Oh, so NOW you're begging. Too late for that my dear. Besides, you forgot to address me properly. I'll let you make it up to me. You can beg me, using my proper title, to go to the shelf and get some lubrication, or..." he slapped her ass hard, "...or I can fuck you raw, which I'm kind of hoping for, so go ahead and keep fighting."

"No!" She cried, in fear, "Please...Master...please let me get some lubrication."

"You beg to be lubricated so I can fuck you in the ass? Say it!"

She cried, "Yes, Master...I beg to be lubricated so you can...so you can...fuck me in the ass."

"Again, faster!"

"Master, I beg to be lubricated so you can fuck me in the ass!"

He chuckled, "Alright then, but only because you beg so nicely. Go ahead, girl. Go get some, then come back here and get on all fours." She did, barely believing what she was doing. She felt like this was a nightmare, and kept trying to wake up. If she couldn't wake up, she told herself, she would try and dream of a different place. She closed her eyes, and thought of sitting at the café alone with Jem on one of their first dates. She didn't know who he was at first, but she loved him. He was so wonderful...

She was ripped back to reality as her owner shoved inside of her. It was too much, she was too full, and she felt like he was tearing her in half. She twisted in pain, trying to find a position to accommodate the intrusion better, but no matter where she moved, it hurt terribly.

He pulled out slowly, then shoved back in. Pain seared once more as her owner groaned. "mmmm.....that's so nice, you're so tight, good girl..."

Pulled out slow, thrust back in. In and out, stretching her ass. "Help me Jem..." she softly cried.

"No one and nothing is going to stop this" groaned her owner in ecstasy. He pulled in and out, stretching her ass out, fucking her hard. He seemed to fuck her forever, raping her ass, harder, faster, until finally he exploded, shooting his seed deep into her.

He gripped her sides, trying to steady himself, spent. "Alright...good girl..." he panted. He fumbled with chains at the side of his bed. Reaching around, he attached a collar and chain to her neck, tethering her to the bed. "Lay on the floor. I'm taking you back to your father in the morning."

He lay on his bed and fell asleep. Isabella lay on the floor and cried.

*********

A very despondent Prince Jaimeth sat at the council table, barely able to hold himself up. The meeting was somber as they reviewed their limited options.

"We still have no idea where Prince Benito, and now Princess Isabella are," one of the generals said.

"Perhaps we could offer a deal on the war in exchange for both of them; back out of their territory a bit, and see what happens."

"No," said Jem. "Espinan doesn't act rationally. Their goal is to antagonize us, and this will be to their own demise," said Jem. He stared back at the table. "They aren't ever going to release Benny or Iz."

The room froze as the idea sunk in. Heart of hearts, they knew Jem was right.

Rayth stared into the table as well. "What are we going to do Jem? It's your army...your call."

Jem was silent for a long moment. "We're going to destroy the royal castle, bring it down to rubble. I want every single member of the royal family dead; if they run for protection, kill them on the spot. The castle will be the prick of the needle: we'll bleed through the rest of Espinan from there."

Navin's face was grave as he considered the implications. "Sir...it's possible Isabella's in that castle, perhaps living her old life as Espinan royalty. How do you plan to protect her?"

Jem nearly shook with pain; he knew what he had to do. "They're trying to take advantage of her presence right now. We can't have any sort of plan to protect her. If I order special protection for her, they'll exploit it like they did when they took her...and when they took Benny. We can't give them leeway or any sort of advantage." He choked up, "Demolish the castle. We'll look for her after."

Navin cleared his throat, shocked. "Sir...if she's inside that castle when we bring it down, and you're not ordering special protection of her, she could die by this order before we even find her."

Jem stared straight ahead, tears forming. "I know. The order stands: castle comes down, all royal members die. All males regardless of status die. Female non-royalty take as slave."

Rayth didn't look up. "And Benny?"

"Exception made for children. Take all children as slave; we'll be on the lookout for him."

Everyone sat still, before Jem sullenly said, "What the fuck is everyone waiting for? Crank out the orders, put your people in position. No one speak to me again until every last member of the Espinan royal family is dead."

*********

Princess Isabella fought, bit, kicked, and swore at the soldiers who unceremoniously dragged her through the corridors of the dungeon. She recognized the place; it was the prison not far from the palace. "Stop FIGHTING!" one of the soldiers said as he slapped her.

"Go to hell!" she screamed as she kept fighting. Finally, they opened a cell and threw her inside. She scambled to the cell door, trying to keep it open as the much stronger guards slammed it shut. One of the guards took out a whip and beat it once against the bars. "Stay back!" he instructed, sneering, "You have a special visitor."

Isabella's anger flashed in her eyes as she back away from the bars, wanting to see who it was. She gasped and tears welled in her eyes as her father, the King of Espinan, stepped into her view.

"Well, well, my dear, I don't believe I raised you to be so aggressive. You must have learned those bad habits from that barbarian lover boy of yours. No daughter of mine would behave that way."

"And no father of mine would allow me to be treated like a prisoner slave! Or have my bodyguards slaughtered! Or break an agreement for exchange between myself and Prince Benito!"

"It appears then our familial ties are severed. But don't blame me. You're the one who spat on your family's name for a few nice dresses. You whored yourself to the enemy for a few decadent meals. You..."

"You left me there with no intentions of paying your debts to bring me back! Now you've done THIS to me!"

"This is true, my dear, but you could have accepted your duty a bit more gracefully. Now, I'm afraid, you'll spend what's left of your days here. But fear not, I've provided good company for you."

He stepped aside so that she could see the cell directly across from hers. Huddled in the straw sat Benito, looking back at her in shock.

Isabella ran to the cell door to grip the bars, "Let him go, I beg you! You don't need him, you have me! Send him back to his home!"

Her father, the King simply laughed. "Why would I give up such a useful negotiating tool? Look what it's given me already: you! I wonder what else I can pull from your sorry excuse for a lover. Now that I have his brother, now you, Prince Jaimeth will call off his armies and give me anything I want."

Isabella glared at the King and said icily, "Then you don't know Jem very well."

"Perhaps I should renounce my country to get better acquainted. Think about that while you're locked down here. Goodnight...daughter." He laughed cruelly as he left with the guards, and she spit after him. Although she was in pain and angry, she turned her attention across the hall.

"Benny...it's going to be okay. How are you?"

He sniffled, "I'm okay. How did you get here? Did they hurt you?"

She scowled, tears forming, "I'm okay. I was supposed to be exchanged for you. But listen to me, and listen well. We need to get you out of here and back to Pangain. The strategy was: get you home, then Pangain strikes to finish the war. Our strategy is...um, delayed right now, but we can still make it work. Let me think." She searched her cell, feeling the walls. Nothing, except a small air duct near the ceiling for ventilation. It was too small for her to fit through...but Benny!

"Benny! Do you have an air duct over there?"

He looked up. "Yes, but it's all the way at the ceiling. I've tried already, I can't get to it."

"You need to reach it...I think it's big enough for you to crawl through. It will lead directly outside, and they don't guard the outside like they do the inside. Do you have anything over there to climb with?"

"No, Isabella, there's nothing over here. They won't even give me a blanket to cover up with."

"Cover up with...yes, Benny that's it!" She almost laughed as she said, "Don't tell your brother, once you get home, what I'm about to do. Turn around, you're too young." She pulled off her dress, and once naked, began to tear it along the seams. She needed long strips of cloth, and when she had them, she tied them together.

"Pst! Benny! Okay, now, take this." She threw him her homemade rope across the hallway into his cell. "Can you tie a knot, and catch it on something to climb up?"

"I think so, but it doesn't look very stable."

"Oh, Benny, just try, you're small, nothing will break off easily."

He threw the knot up, and amazingly, it caught on the first try! "Iz! I did it!"

"Good, sweetheart! Now climb...quickly! And Benny...if you get outside, you need to run. Don't worry about me, this war depends on you getting home, SAFE. We're counting on you."

"I don't want to leave you here alone. They're mean."

"I need you to help me by getting home and telling Jem where I am. Go...run, hide, don't get caught. You must make it home."

Benny struggled to pull his small frame up the improvised rope, but finally, he was able to barely squeeze himself into the air duct. Twisting himself inside, he poked his head out to look at Isabella in a silent goodbye before he turned and crawled through.

*********

Jem lay on his back in the courtyard; recently, he had felt numb, but now was eagerly reading Rayth's report from Espinan. The armies of Pangain had taken full control of the border, and were crossing towards the palace in enormous quantities. As ordered, they torched every building between the border and the palace, giving no retreat to the Espinans. But they wouldn't destroy everything; once Pangain took over, they'd rebuild the country, then annex it. Espinan would cease to exist; Pangain would simply be larger.

According to Rayth's estimates, the palace would cave and be utterly destroyed by the end of the week. The royal family would be dead. Aside from the rebuilding process, the war would be practically over.

But Jem closed his eyes, miserable. He couldn't stop thinking about what was happening, or has happened, to Isabella and Benito. Were they still alive? If they were, were they okay? Was Benito getting enough to eat? What were the Espinans doing with Isabella? What would happen when Rayth tore apart the palace. ...Was she inside? Would she survive?

One of his body slaves, barely clothed and unbidden, came out to him. "Master?"

He didn't move or acknowledge she spoke. He was too deep in thought, in sadness.

"Um, Master? Can I bring you anything? Do anything for you?"

It hurt most of the slaves who loved Jem to see him like this. He hadn't called for a girl since Isabella had left.

The girl cautiously approached, and stood over his lying form. Then crouching down near him, she touched his arm.

"Let me make you feel better, Master."

He suddenly jerked and gripped the hand she touched him with. His eyes glared at her hard, angry...but hollow. He saw her fear, and the sadist in him stirred. Time and time again Prince Jaimeth vented anger and frustration on his body slaves. It was his right; he was ridiculously powerful, heir to the largest, richest, strongest country in existence and could command anyone to do/give him anything. But somehow, looking at this girl now, a number of things fell into place. He had been thinking about Rayth... the war.... then Isabella... now this slave. He stood up, and made her stand with him. He looked over her body, curved, beautiful, sensual, ready to do whatever he desired. He owned her.

Like Rayth owned Alenya. He remembered back to he and Rayth's last decent conversation. As Jem looked over the face of the girl keeping her eyes lowered in front of him, he wondered. "Speak to me plainly, slave, I promise...I will not harm you. Have you ever loved before, slave?"

"Yes, Master."

"Who?"

"Master, it was..." she feared. Jem was notoriously harsh.

"Slave," he somewhat chuckled, "my promise, I will not harm you."

"Master, I once loved another Master deeply...the Master that owned me before he sold me to you."

"Why did he sell you?"

"Master...because you wanted me, and no one is permitted to refuse you anything."

Jem thought, and the corners of his mouth hinted a smile. "Do you like it here?"

"Oh, yes, Master!"

Jem chuckled, "Of course you do." He knew that she knew better than to say otherwise. "Do you have any regrets?"

"Only, Master, that I didn't give enough to him. I wish..." she blushed, speaking to Jem for the first time so openly, "I wish I would have done more, performed better, shown him my love more often."

Jem sat, as an epiphany hit him. He regretted not being more loving towards Isabella, towards his family. He regretted not treating his friends better...not being more kind to Rayth. Rayth had been a wonderful loyal friend. Their last conversation; he had an idea of a kind thing he could do for him...involving Alenya.

Jem stroked the slave's face. "Girl, go fetch captain Navin for me. He and I have somewhere to go."

"Yes, Master." She rose to leave, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back to him.

"First, give me the name of your former Master. I'll send you back to him when you return."

*********

Isabella sat cold and naked as a number of soldiers rushed in to the prison, all of them yelling incoherently, stirring up quite a commotion. Suddenly in the distance, sounds of heavy thuds shook the prison.

"I can't believe this!" "What the hell are they doing" "How did they get passed..." "What are we..." "This can't be...." So many soldiers' conversations jumbled together, deafened occasionally by a serious of shaking thuds.

Isabella ran to her bars, "What is going on?"

A few of the panicked soldiers turned their attention to her. "You! You whore!" One of them said, "This is mostly your fault, but it isn't going to matter much anymore. Do you see this?" He held up a piece of paper. "This is your death sentence."

"What?!" she shrieked, "My father signed for my death?"

More thuds in the distance. "No, you bitch. This is signed by your fucking lover boy across the border. Read it, whore, it calls for the death of every royal family member. They're tearing apart the palace, and they aren't going to stop until you're all dead."

"That doesn't pertain to me! Prince Jaimeth would NEVER do that!"

"Read carefully!" the soldier said, flinging the paper at her, "Specific orders were given not to show you any preference; you're going to die with the rest of your family."

Isabella looked at the writing in shock and horror. The soldier was right; Jem practically signed for her death. "No..." she gasped, barely able to comprehend what was happening.

"Do you hear that?" the soldier said over the loud thuds in the distance. "They're tearing down your family's palace. Once it's in ruins, the soldiers are going to hunt you down. When they find you, they're ordered to kill any royalty on sight."

"This is a mistake..." she said incredulously.

"No, what's a mistake is to let you hide in here. They're going to kill us all until all you royalty are dead. So you know what?" He unlocked her cell. "I'm going to give you to them."

"No!" She screamed and struggled as he pulled her out.

"There!" he said, releasing her. "Go ahead and leave. When you run into the Pangain soldiers, they're going to kill you. Good riddance."

The soldiers ran off, still yelling and trying to come up with a plan. Isabella stood in the hallway for a long moment, not sure where to run. The Espinans wouldn't help her; they hate her for becoming engaged to Jem. The Pangains, by order of that message she saw, were going to kill her amidst the commotion. "This is a mistake," she said to herself, "but until it gets sorted out, I need to hide. I need to hide who I am; my identity can't be known until the war is over. Only Jem's direct word can save me."

*********

Rayth walked through the ruins of the Espinan Castle. He was covered in dirt, blood, ash from the fires, as were all the soldiers who had brought the castle down, and carried out Jem's execution orders. Still, as he stepped over the piles of rock, ruins of art, he was looking, searching. A soldier ran up to him and handed him a report.

"Sir...we don't have all the confirmed kills recorded yet, but we got the king, the queen, and all of the princes."

Rayth looked gravely at the report. Yes...they had done their job well. "Any confirmed kills on any of the Princesses?"

"Sir, we have many of the women dead, but we can figure out who is who. Many of the bodies are severely mangled. We can't tell if they're cooks, visitors, princesses..."