A Dream of Empire Ch. 022

"Say, Alanna, must we still be here? Maria's watching Talos for the night. I've a decent present to gift you. A decent gift to present, even. Let us take advantage and retire, and be alone."

He could have convinced me to do just about anything at that moment. 'Aroused' didn't even begin to describe my current mood, and I'd been absentmindedly dry-humping him for who knows how long.

"No, we mustn't," I moaned, once again feeling his hardness brush against my sex. "Let's retire. I think I still owe you dirty favors, anyway."

"Yep. You do. Need to say goodbye to anyone?" he asked with a grin. I shook my head and lept from his lap, brushing down my dress to retain some level of modesty.

"Rail them. I'll see them on 'morrow," I smirked, brushing my worries aside.

-=-=-

The night was quite aged by the time we left the castle, but no one had told the people of Solais. It seemed every third estate we passed was still celebrating the Solstice in full, and many a one-night couple were performing deeds in public that would never have flown on any other day. Yet, even though the night was so festive, Talos and I decided to remain proper. We held hands as we walked through the streets and past revelers drinking the night away, and spoke of things deeper than this night should have brought.

"So. Are you as relieved as you thought you'd be, now that the party's over?" Talos asked, breaking a short silence.

"Hm... it hasn't hit me quite yet," I smiled. "Planning the Midwinter ball has taken more of my time than the rest of my duties combined. I... suppose I'm about to have a very light schedule. Why, the next function isn't until the spring."

"Long ways off. Any plans to keep yourself occupied?"

"You," I giggled, gently bumping into him as we strolled. "And mayhaps some study. I'm thinking abjuration, since we've already a master transmuter."

Talos whistled. "Study? Damn, Alanna. Doesn't sound like you."

"I know... it's funny. Every day that I was going to College, I dreamt of graduation. I'd finally be able to live a normal life. I wouldn't have to study from dawn 'til dusk." I flashed Talos a haste smile, then glanced towards my feet. "But now that I'm surrounded by such great people, I only want to better myself - and I'm not talkin' Alfred."

"Mm," he smiled. I figured I might as well continue, seeing as home was a way's off.

"I think to myself, the gods chose me - well, at least one did - but I wonder, why they would decide on such an average sorceress? I think, maybe I forced him to choose me... but that isn't right, surely? I took what was offered. He came to me through happenstance, yet... there is no happenstance, is there? All things happen for a reason. So then I figure, well, I've only twenty years. I've my whole life ahead of me. Perhaps I'm not destined to be average? Maybe... maybe I'll be counted amongst the great sorceresses of my time. Alanna the Enchantress -- Pelagius' Wife on Mundus. It's pretty sweet, huh?"

"Yeah. But for what it's worth, I don't find you average."

"I know," I giggled, biting my lip. "Because you, Talos, love me, like the forest loves the rain. You're not capable of seeing me with unobstructed sight. But Pelagius... I wonder what he thinks of me? You know, up there?" I asked, pointing skyward. "Does he care of me at all? Or am I just his shard's plaything? I wouldn't mind either way, truthfully... but someday, I hope I'll find out. And I hope I'll get to see you in heaven, no matter Casiama's thoughts on the matter."

"We'll make good with her in time. Though, I do wish I had answers for you now," Talos softly replied before changing subjects. "You know, most people don't have a choice of which King they serve, but I know those that do don't oft serve Kings they're dissatisfied with. If I could get us back to the Empire someday, would you be open to leaving all this behind?"

"Oh, most assuredly," I warmly replied. "I mean, Alfred's not really a cock like we jest. His heart's in the right place. I just think that um, Alfred, and Solais as a whole really, is only a small part of the larger painting. And I don't wanna be relegated to the frame. I'd be happy to return to Catriona - er, wherever. Wherever you'd like to go."

"I'm glad we share that outlook. Because honestly, there's truly a lack of beautiful women here," Talos dryly jested.

"I know! What's with that?" I giggled, squeezing his hand.

"There's no College," he shrugged. "There's no reason for the bright and fortunate girls of the world to come here."

Huh. He was absolutely right. Something I could bring up at the next Council meeting, if I remembered to.

-=-=-

Our combined anticipation for the upcoming night became more and more distracting the closer we got to home. This was mostly my doing, as I'd planned on making tonight's activities quite special for Talos. My favorite author from another age, Rose from Mschuleft, wrote once that name days and reconciliations were the most important nights for a couple. They should be spiced, and not easily forgotten until the next year or fight; and if your jaunts in bed were already spicy, why, add another pinch.

She'd given her readers five separate avenues of fulfilling this objective; what you wore, what you said, what you did, what you had, and who you brought. The last, of course, wouldn't affect us tonight, but I'd a few tricks up my sleeve to provide a night Talos wouldn't soon forget.

We unlaced fingers as we walked up the steps to our home. I gazed into his eyes as I held a hand against his chest, then rolled my head towards the door.

"Honey. Once we pass that threshold, I don't want you reading me until I say so. I wanna try something," I told him.

"Mm-kay."

"You remember our word?"

"Mhm. Cantrella," he answered with a curious grin. I unlocked the door and stepped inside, and instantly transformed into a girl he did not know.

"Talos, fetch me a glass of wine," I cheekily demanded of him over my shoulder. "The good stuff. I'll be in the bedroom."

I charmed him into not replying, and also ensured that he was watching me as I strut away from him towards the bedchamber. My hips swayed with an exaggerated panache, I casually kicked off my heels, and I rounded the bend without sparing him a glance.

I didn't even want wine, only time, and my nonchalance instantly disappeared as soon as I was safe from his gaze. I quickly removed my dress, leaving it on the floor right outside our room as a lewd forewarning of what to expect inside. Then, I shut the door.

I glanced towards the mirror to review myself. I was down to my corset, panties, and knee-high socks, all in a sultry, lacy black to drive my man insane. I ruffled up my hair a bit, finding it too neat to fit the part I desired, and let it fall evenly over my shoulders.

Hm. Should be okay. But my heart was pounding as I laid down onto the bed, as I'd no idea how Talos would react to my teases. My saving thought was that I could always retreat, I could always give way to normalcy by uttering a single word. But, that would be cowardly. I needed to play out my part. I could only do this once.

About five minutes later did I hear his heavy footsteps coming down the hall. I quickly arched my knees, shut my eyes, and turned my head away from the door as my hand shot down to my crotch. I pretended to pleasure myself through my panties, though I wasn't thinking of anything at all except my thumping heart.

The door opened. I glanced through Talos with my third eye, and found him holding two glasses of wine as he looked me over. Don't smile. Don't react. Don't give him anything, I reminded myself as I whimpered and moaned.

No words were shared as Talos set the wine glasses down on the nightstand, nor were any uttered while he undressed himself. I knew he was hard as stone. He settled beside me on the bed as I rubbed myself through my clothes, then placed a hand on my thigh to caress me.

Now.

"What are you doing?" I aggressively asked, snapping my eyes open to glare at him. His hand stopped moving. I had him.

"Uh... touching you?" he replied. I pulled my leg away.

"Don't," I huffed, turning my head away as well. It took him a moment to respond, stunned as he was.

"E-excuse me, Alanna?" His voice actually cracked. I turned my thin gaze back towards him.

"Don't. Touch. Me."

He glared back at me.

"I'm not sorry, Talos - but I'll admit, I was instantly turned off when you told Tanya your years earlier. To think that I'd let someone so ancient use me is just... it's repulsive, quite frankly. You can watch me if you'd like and jerk your fucking cock, but I'm saving my body for a younger man who can please me properly. Like I deserve."

"Alanna, stop fuckin' around-"

"I'm not. Hand me my wine," I demanded, summoning my inner bitch to the fore.

Talos didn't immediately move or respond to me, and I read that, even though he didn't believe my words, he was still quite incensed that I'd latched onto his tick. He eventually stood up from the bed so he was between me and the nightstand.

"Get it yourself," he gruffly replied, crossing his arms at his chest. I rolled atop the bed towards him and sat on the edge, just out of arm's reach. I glared up at him, he stared down at me, and it took every fiber of my being to stop myself from jumping into his arms. I reached for the wine glass, careful as could be.

And then he had the gall to grab my wrist.

"Talos! What did I just say?!" I snarled, trying but failing to pull my arm away.

"Fuck what you said. You're mine, Alanna. Without me you'd be nothing but an Orc's cock-sleeve or worse, so now I own you 'til the world falls into itself. You should be thanking me."

"Let me go," I whimpered, hoping to hide my amazement of how strong he was. It took all my willpower to keep my gaze away from his pulsing, perfect cock, standing at attention right before my face... and even then, I still took a glance or two. "I don't want you. I won't let you defile me any longer!"

"Good thing for me, then, that your opinion's irrelevant in light of mine. Wife."

Patriarchal delusions! I kicked him, finally freeing my arm from his grasp, and crawled backwards on the bed while ensuring my legs were parted for his amusement. But he sure didn't look amused...

"Irrelevant?! But I'm a sorceress!" I cried. "I'm an acolyte of four schools of magic, I extract great power from the world strings, I rule the fucking arcane! You've no right to command me, own me, or enslave my body to sate your perverted whi-"

Talos forced himself atop me. He pinned me to the bed with his overwhelming strength, and smacked me hard enough to where I saw stars and tears rolled down my cheeks.

We both went still for a moment, and his glare was overruled by a sudden guilt and concern. I looked up at him, furrowed my brow... and smirked.

And all the hells broke loose.

I barely had time to flip onto my tummy before he had pinned to the bed once more. I tried to crawl away from him, I tried to kick him, but he was too strong, and his ravenous hands roamed over my soft flesh like a lion would paw at fresh prey.

"Noo! Talos! What is wrong with you? Why would you take me against my will..." I whimpered in mock defeat. Talos leaned over me, wrapping one hand around the back of my neck as his other groped my ass.

"You forget that I'm the deity of love, love," he whispered into my ear. "I know what's best for you. Lay still, and I won't harm you any more."

I'll confess, I shivered when I heard his imperious command. Yet, a rushing warmth within me made me realize something that I did not expect; I wanted him to harm me. I wanted him to hit me again. I wanted him to punish me like a little fucking slut. His little fucking slut.

"Talos..." I murmured, tilting my shit-eating grin towards him. "I... think you're a dirty old man. And I'd fuck the whole of Solais before ever letting you in me again."

He spanked me harder than I'd ever been struck before, causing butterflies to burst from my chest. He then caressed my clit through my panties.

"Ah-huh!" I yelped. "And I wouldn't feel bad doing it! I'll service them one-by-one with a true enthusiasm, you'll see!"

He rewarded me with another hard smack and fleeting rub. "Gah! A-and I'd, um, I'd-I'd-"

He roughly tugged on my hair before I could finish my statement, forcing my head back and my mouth to slack open. "Ow!" And I received another well-deserved spanking, followed by another caress. "Ah!"

"You're enjoying this," Talos smugly said as he began to unlace my corset.

I froze. It was then - in that moment of anticipation between his strikes - that I discovered he'd been going easy on me before today. I also realized that I'd ruined my well-laid plans for him to take me by force tonight.

"No I'm not..." I murmured. Smack!

Talos then alternated between unlacing my corset, spanking me like I was a disobedient schoolgirl, and pleasuring my pearl. I would clench in anticipation after every knot was untied, cry out after every smack, and then moan with glee just after. My mind further turned to mush the longer he worked, and when Talos finally lifted my corset away, my reddened, jiggling ass was stinging as if I'd walked butt-first into a... um... what's the word?

"Huh, huh, huh... Talos..." I exhaled.

"Hm?"

"Nuh, I... I can't say no. Um, I mean - I can't think, b-but... harder... please...?" I squeaked.

"Seriously?" he bemusedly asked.

"Yeah... harder!" I cried, wiggling my ass at him with an utmost need. He gave me another monstrous smack and another quick caress. "Augh..."

"Come on, let's flip you over," he sighed, forcibly rolling me onto my back. "I've met girls like you before. Know what they like. Still remember our word?"

Word. word... "Can't... really..."

Talos shrugged. "Eh, close enough. I'll go easy."

"You... uh... y-you won't go at all! You can't have me, you pi- gah!" I cried as he gave my cheek another hard smack and my pussy another stroke. He ripped my panties from me, then settled over me and wrapped his strong hand around my throat. I shivered with a mixture of fear and delight as I gazed up into his stone cold eyes.

"Shut the fuck up, Alanna," he demanded of me colder still.

"... o-okay..." I whimpered. He shook his head as if he didn't appreciate my sudden submission, so I tried to backpedal, if only to please him.

"I mean, um..." but I didn't know what to say. He should have been fucking me by now, surely?! I was already overflowing! "Don't say you're gonna... try and teach me a lesson? With your big, fat cock?"

Little did I know that I was already spreading my thighs for him on instinct, wrapping my legs around his, and wiggling my hips in anticipation. Why, he had me right where he wanted me. Just fuck me!

But he didn't fuck me. He only laughed. "Oh, if only you could see the desperation in your eyes. How little willpower do you have anyway, Alanna? I slap you around a bit, and you're suddenly a slut again?"

Wha... was he... turning this against me?! "No, no! I-I'm a good girl, I would never! I'd... huuhh..."

I sank into the bed and melted as he began rubbing my clit in earnest, finally giving me the satisfaction that I needed. His hand clenched tighter around my throat the longer he stroked me, and I squirmed, I moaned, and...

He stopped.

"No!" I was so close! "Fuck me!"

Another hard smack. More pressure on my throat. I almost came from the sensation alone.

"I don't fuck sows like you," he gruffly declared. "Only girls who call me master, with true intention."

Master? I could do that. That's easy. "Master! Fuck me, master!" I begged. Smack!

"I'm not your master, cunt. You're instead enslaved to all the cocks of Solais, as you said but a moment ago."

"No! You're my master! I was only... um... nuuh... yes... just a little... a little more... no!"

I was a wreck. Not only would Talos not let me cum, but his forceful grip on my throat was making it difficult to think. My mouth slacked open, I gasped for air when he let me, and I desperately tried thinking of our word. I needed an out. I needed to cum!

"Master! Please!"

I desperately humped his hand when it found its way back to my mound. But he caressed me so painfully slow that I wanted to cry, I wanted to cum, and cum, and cum, and what's the fucking word?!

Cantrella.

"CANTRELLA!!!" I screamed through a sudden, world-shattering orgasm. The stranglehold on my neck disappeared. The stars in my eyes twinkled out of existence. My chest heaved wildly as I gasped for breath, and I couldn't stop my eyes from fluttering shut...

-=-=-

By the time I'd calmed and met the world again, Talos was laying beside me, softly stroking my hair.

"I win," he whispered ever-so-smugly. Fuck.

"It's... not a competition," I chuckled, snuggling into him as my exhausted mind settled. "What about you?"

He sighed. "As much as I love striking and strangling you, sweetie, I lost my appetite."

I glanced downward, feeling my heart plunge when I discovered my man was at half-mast. On his name day. After a bout in bed that I'd designed to please him. This was no good at all.

"I'm so sorry, Talos! We should never have laid unbound! I can do the work for both of us, if you'll let me?" I hastily offered.

"Don't concern yourself," he softly replied. "It was probably for the best. Rather not learn to appreciate being hit, y'know?"

"Oh... I feel so selfish..." I pouted. "I thought... I thought you'd appreciate the roleplay because I would. You know, sometimes I forget that were two souls entwined? Rather than one?"

"An easy mistake to make," he said as he scooched away from me and rose from the bed. He then offered me a hand, and he helped lift me to my feet.

We leaned on one other in silence for a time. He took both of my hands in his, and pecked me on the forehead. Gods, how perfect he was. How could I ever believe he'd want to hurt me, even in play?

"Alanna. I love you. You're intelligent, beautiful, and a very sweet girl. But that was a pretty shit name day present," he smirked.

"I'm sorry," I smiled, shaking my head.

"No worries, 'cause you're gonna to make it up to me," he casually replied, pulling me in for a kiss. "I'm gonna take a walk. Meanwhile, you'll use what's in your wardrobe to appear as a princess. I'll return in fifteen."

"Adorable princess or slutty princess?" I teased.

"Somewhere betwixt the two," he answered after another loving smooch. He then sauntered off, leaving me alone with thirty-some unsuitable dresses and quite the pit in my stomach. I should have thought of this, damnit, not him! I should've known better. As if my knight in black armor would ever enjoy striking me. As if me being a complete and utter bitch was a gift!

Sigh. I'd no time to worry of the failures of the past. I flung open the doors to my closet with more than a hint of desperation, furrowing my brow as I reviewed my options. Talos had already seen all of these dresses, and most of them were a mundane purple anyhow. I needed to get creative. What would Tanya do?

Well, for one, she wouldn't be in this mess. She'd smartly given him a gift that he could enjoy at any time, no matter where he was. Who knew what kind of sexy memory was on that middle etching? And why was my heart racing so violently?!