A Master's Class

"Master I-no, I would never-!"

She laughed, a soft, almost musical sound that seemed to put him at ease, if only just a little.

"I'm sorry, Tillett, I know I shouldn't tease. I won't do it again, I promise!"

He didn't reply, only looking down to hide what was clearly a deep blush. She looked back to the shelf, smirking to herself.

*****

"So, any plans for the evening, Tillett?"

"Oh, well...no. I hadn't really thought about it."

"Well, I suppose I did spring this early closure on you out of nowhere."

"Oh, don't misunderstand, it's not a problem," Tillett said, grinning sheepishly as they strolled side-by-side down the main aisle. "You're the Master Librarian, after all. You can close the place down whenever you feel like-at least, that's what I assume, anyway."

Abelina chuckled. "Well, there are limits concerning what even I can and can't do here. For example, were I to close the place hours earlier than I ought to every day and ultimately neglect my duties, mistreat our guests or not thoroughly vet my staff, the King and Queen would have me ousted in no time at all-and rightfully so! So, yes, while I do technically decide when the Library opens and closes as well as everything else concerning the day-to-day operation of the place, my word is by no means the be-all, end-all that you might imagine it to be. There have to be limits on power. After all, we as Ralleans know that better than most."

Tillett smiled. "True, true. The idea of you neglecting the Library and your duties is wholly alien to me though, Master Abelina. You care too much to allow such a thing to happen, I think."

Abelina felt a surge of warmth in her chest upon hearing his words. "You are too sweet, Tillett." Immediately, he blushed and looked at the floor.

"I-I did not mean to overstep-"

Abelina chuckled again as they emerged near the front desk. "You've done no such thing, my dear. Though I do still suspect that you might have glanced up my robe earlier..."

She laughed softly as Tillett went bright red. "I-I didn't-!"

She laughed. "I know, I know! Goodness, Tillett, you needn't be so self-conscious! I'm still only teasing you!"

"I...I suppose I'll learn eventually to recognize it eventually, even though I believe you did already promise to stop it," he mumbled, smirking up at the arched stone ceiling far above their heads. She grinned, crossing her arms as she came to a stop only a few paces from the double doors leading into and out of the Library.

"Tillett, are you at all partial to tea?"

He halted, and glanced down at her in surprise and confusion. "I-well, yes, I do like tea. Why do you-?"

"I ask," she said, cutting him off, "because I acquired a box of absolutely fabulous green from Nocturne the other day, and it's far too good not to share."

"Oh?"

"Yes! Would you care to join me in trying it?"

The red tone upon Tillett's cheeks deepened even further. "I-I mean, I don't want you to waste-"

"Please do not say such things," she said quietly, placing her hands on her hips in a show of disapproval. "You are more than worth sharing my tea with, Tillett."

"Apologies," he said, bowing his head, "I did not mean to upset you, Master Abelina."

She took a step forward and placed a hand on his left forearm. "And I accept your apology. Now, you can make it up to me by partaking in my tea and keeping me company for a while. Does that sound fair to you?"

He laughed nervously. "I can think of worse things to do with my evening."

"Is that a 'yes'?" She spoke carefully, moderating her tone to conceal her anticipation and excitement.

"All right, then, I think tea sounds wonderful. Thank you for the invitation, Master." He smiled at her, and her heart skipped another beat.

"Off we go, then," she said. "Come along!"

She stepped forward and pushed the left door outward, stepping through the opening with Tillett following in her footsteps. She then swung the massive slab closed behind her without a sound, pulling an ornate steel key from the pocket of her black robes and slipping it into the lock on the left door, giving it a swift turn. There came a low, heavy, mechanical 'clunk', as it latched shut for the evening. She pocketed the key again, turned to Tillett and gave him a smile, motioning down the hallway.

"Shall we?"

Side by side, they strolled to the eastern side of the Keep, where the Masters' quarters were established. Every moment that they traversed the torch-lit stone halls, Abelina had to resist the urge to simply reach out and touch him; to run her hands across his tall, slender body, to make him shiver in surprise and anticipation. She wanted to simply push him against the wall then and there, to take him inside of her and hear him gasp as he filled her with his seed. The very thought of it made her wet, but she must show restraint! Tillett was young, inexperienced, and anxious; he must be approached gently, not leaped upon like some disposable fuck-toy. He was too sweet and kind for such treatment; so considerate and polite, and oh what a fine husband he would make-

She cut herself off. It would not do to get ahead of herself; she had to stay grounded and work him slowly, as difficult a prospect as that might seem.

"Do you usually invite your Acolytes over for tea?" Tillett asked as they finally found themselves outside the door to her quarters. It wasn't a suspicious inquiry, merely a curious one.

"I rarely invite anyone at all back to my quarters, so you ought to feel honored," Abelina said with a smirk. "Think of yourself as a 'special case', I suppose."

"I don't see what makes me stand out," he said with a chuckle.

"You've proven yourself a fantastic addition to the Library staff," she said as she set her hand upon the doorknob, "and I think you deserve a little more than a few Ren for your work, if I am honest." The words, the lie, felt strange on her tongue; she hadn't exactly been honest with Tillett since they'd met, and she was certainly taking that policy even further this evening. But wasn't she working to correct all of that now? Wasn't she working her way toward the honesty that she'd denied him up to that point? She hoped that he wouldn't be upset with her. The thought of his sweet face being filled with anger and disappointment was enough to send a low wave of dread coursing through her body.

"You are very kind, Master," he said as she lay a hand on the doorknob. "And, well...you pay me rather more than a few Ren," he added with a chuckle.

"The Crown can more than afford it," she said with a wink. "Oh!" She suddenly took her hand off the doorknob and turned to face him. "Would you like to know something interesting about me? Something that few people know?"

Tillett gave her a confused look. "What is that?"

"Well," she replied, "tell me-do you notice anything odd about this door?"

No less confused than before, the young Acolyte looked up and down the length of the door for a moment. Abelina leaned against the stone wall to the right, her arms crossed, smirking as she waited for him to decode the minor mystery. Suddenly, his eyebrows perked up, and the confusion on his face deepened.

"There's no keyhole in this door!"

Abelina clapped her hands together. "Precisely! Well done, Tillett!"

"But, then...how are you supposed to keep out potential intruders?"

"Ah," she said, holding up an index finger, "observe, will you?" He watched as she once again laid a hand upon the doorknob, and held it there for a split second before the door emitted a soft, metallic 'click'. She twisted the knob and pulled outward, the door swinging silently on its' hinges as Tillett looked on in amazement.

"How-?"

Abelina reached under the collar of her black robes and pulled something out from beneath them. It was a small amulet, one which hung from a delicate-looking silver chain. Made of matching silver, it had been formed into the shape of a coiled serpent-a viper, specifically, or so it appeared to Tillett. Inset into its' eye sockets were two small, yet brilliantly bright pieces of aquamarine-tinted crystal.

"Is that-?"

"A conduit, yes," she said slyly as she passed through the door, her Acolyte in tow. She closed it behind them, holding one hand on the doorknob so as to lock it again. "While I am by no means an adept spellcaster-Master Jakobus and most others who formally teach and practice magic would trounce me with little effort-I made it a point when I was younger to learn some...practical magic, I suppose you could call it. I commissioned Master Jakobus himself to enchant and install this doorknob when I was first granted these quarters; it will open only when I command it to."

"I am sure he charged you appropriately."

"It wasn't as expensive as you'd think. I think the wily old Master Mage simply enjoys any opportunity to apply his knowledge in a real-world manner."

"You are full of surprises, Master."

She laughed softly. "Oh, my dear Tillett, you are more right than you know."

Into the Master's quarters they walked, where Tillett glanced around in awe at what turned out to be her sitting room. From the fifteen-foot ceiling hung a pair of large wrought-iron chandeliers, upon which deep red candles were evenly spaced. Each shone with an odd intensity, casting the main space in a glow that seemed relaxing in a way that the Acolyte could not quite put his finger on. Tall bookshelves, each packed with countless volumes, were set within alcoves in the carefully-carved walls, each sealed behind beautifully-figured display doors. Iron tendrils made to resemble great tree branches snaked across glass panels, all of them connected by solid trunks that would split in half vertically if they were opened. A colossal granite fireplace directly ahead of them flickered to life as Master Abelina made an odd waving motion towards it. After only a few seconds, the flames were surging powerfully within the space, filling the room with a pleasant warmth.

To the left against the wall stood a colossal wooden desk, built of expertly-carved and dovetailed dark hardwood, a very comfortable-looking chair set in front of it. The desk itself sported neatly-arranged stacks of books, rolls of parchment, and various small tools. It was a personal correspondence and research station, by the looks of it. To the right of the desk was a closed door; the entrance to the bedroom, perhaps...? But there was another door on the far-right side of the room as well, which was also closed, that could serve as a candidate-Tillett did not know, and did not feel it appropriate to ask his Master about it. Finally, set a good six feet from the fireplace, was a beautiful couch clad in dark hardwood similar to that which made up the desk, as well as a luxurious midnight blue fabric that looked to have been generously stuffed. It was here she led him, leaning over and patting the cushion lightly.

"Have a seat, Tillett, don't be shy! I'll be right back!"

"Oh, well...all right, then."

The Acolyte sat down quietly on the couch and got comfortable, while Abelina slipped through the door next to the exquisite desk (he managed to get a peek inside as she opened the door, and from what little he could make out, it did seem to be the bedroom). She closed it behind her, and in her absence, he took to staring into the dancing, flickering flames within the fireplace, letting their hypnotic dance relax him as he tried to calm the hormones which coursed through his young, inexperienced, and terribly desirous body.

Meanwhile, Abelina was striding across the bedroom to her nightstand, where a small wooden box that had been bound in simple brown twine sat upon its surface. She scooped it up and untied the knot with one deft pull, letting it fall back onto the nightstand. She undid the small iron latch holding the lid closed, opened it, and lifted it to her nose. She took a long, deep whiff of its' contents, letting the scent wash over her. Sweet, with just a hint of underlying bite-just the way she liked it. Hopefully, those descriptors would apply to Tillett as well...

She snapped the box shut so as to snap herself out of it, set it back on the nightstand, and took a deep breath. She turned and walked to her wardrobe, pulling the heavy door open to reveal a modestly-sized rack of neatly-arranged clothing. She began looking through the collection in earnest; her choice of apparel had to be perfect, or she'd give the game away too soon. It needed to be just alluring enough to get his attention, but not so much so that it gave her intentions away immediately. It couldn't be too loose or baggy, because that would simply defeat the entire purpose. It also needed to be quick and easy to get out of, should that become necessary-and she would make it necessary if at all possible, by the Mother. She thumbed through the hanging pieces deftly and impatiently, until-

Ah, yes, that looked perfect! She quickly pulled a set of light blue robes from its' wooden hanger and examined them closely. Breathable, thin, and a little more form-fitting than her work robes...yes, these would do nicely. She quickly stripped, stopping to examine herself in the full-body mirror on the inside of the wardrobe's door. She liked what she saw: slender, skin almost as light as porcelain, and surprisingly toned midsection and legs (lifting and hauling around armfuls of books, pushing and pulling heavy carts, and walking what likely amounted to several miles per day throughout the massive Library had kept her in surprisingly good shape). Her hips and bottom flared softly outward, simply begging to be massaged by the hands of a handsome young Acolyte. Her dark hair, still tied in her signature tight bun, provided ideal contrast to her skin. And while her breasts might not have been the largest in the Kingdom, in her experience it hardly seemed to matter; men didn't seem to care whether they were huge or hardly present at all, as they were able to run their hands and tongues across them.

Her nipples were only a shade or two darker than the hue of her skin, a gentle pink that she was sure Tillett would find appealing. She began, almost absent-mindedly, to run her fingers over them, gently flicking the tips until they were swollen and erect. Little jolts of pleasure shot through her body with each pass, her womanhood beginning to moisten in tandem as she imagined Tillett running his hands gently over her mounds, massaging them as she would gasp and mewl in elation just before he ran one set of fingers down her belly and toward the small, trimmed strip of black hair between her legs-

You're doing it again, Abelina! She shocked herself back to reality and quickly slipped into the new set of robes. Yes, perfect-they accentuated her curves in all the right ways without being too modest. Before she went back to the nightstand to retrieve the small box of tea, she noticed that the shapes of her nipples were visible through the thin, soft fabric. She wondered at first if this would be a problem. Then again, she knew deep down that she wanted him to look. So why worry at all?

She closed her eyes, let out a short, quiet sigh, and walked back to the bedroom door. With the turn of a doorknob she was back in the living room, the box of Nocturnal green tea in hand. Tillett had not left the couch, and he glanced up at her with a nervous smile.

"My dear Tillett, I am sorry. I simply had to change, I did not mean to keep you waiting!"

"It's quite all right, Master," he replied, "you were only gone a minute or two. I had time to admire your quarters, anyway."

"Well then, do they impress?" She smirked at him as she walked toward the fireplace and took hold of the old steel kettle that sat beside it.

"Yes, they are lovely! I must say, being a Master almost seems worth it for the quarters alone!"

"Trust me when I say that the pay is good too," she said with a chuckle. "Possibly even more worth the effort than the quarters, if you can believe that."

He appeared stunned. "Three above," he said quietly as she leaned over and peeked through the lid of the kettle.

"Did I-? Yes, yes I did, good! Thought I might have forgotten to refill this after the other night," Abelina said proudly, picking up the kettle and sloshing its' contents around as she smiled sheepishly back at him. "I do that sometimes, you know. I can remember where just about every last damned tome or scroll goes in the Library stacks, but half the time I can't remember to fill this stupid thing..."

Leaning over again so as to give him the best possible view of her ass, she used a long steel hook to set the kettle onto the grate in the fireplace before setting it back into its' small rack nearby. She quickly snapped back up, turned around, and placed her hands on her hips with a smile.

"Well? How do I look?"

And then, for reasons even she could not quite understand, she spun around lightly in place-almost as a dancer would. She had to stop herself from giggling as she saw the blush creep onto Tillett's cheeks.

"I-you l-look lovely, Master-"

"Oh, pfft," she said, rolling her eyes and waving a hand dismissively. "We aren't in the Library anymore, so you can just call me Abelina." She strode over to the couch and plopped down next to the young Acolyte, sighing contentedly as she sank into the luxurious cushions.

"I do so love this couch," she said. "My mother was kind enough to pass it on to me when I moved in," she peered over at Tillett. "Claimed that it was too soft for her liking, but in truth, I think she just wanted me to have it because it means so much to me."

"I can see why you value it so," Tillett replied, shifting his slender body. "It's so very cozy."

"Oh, it's so much more than that! You know, many memories of my formative years involve sitting, lying, or even falling asleep on this very couch. My parents would read to my sister and me when we were girls; we'd crowd onto this thing and sit enraptured as they would tell us story after story, reading to us from their vast collection of books. That's where my love of the written word truly began, I think," she said, patting the cushion between them. "Right here, on this very couch."

"Your family sound like lovely people," Tillett said.

"They certainly are. Wish my sister would come back from M'zaera to visit for a while," she grumbled, rolling her eyes, "but she likes it there, and it's there she'll stay for the foreseeable future, I think."

"My mother spent a year there, doing some sort of specialized military contracting."

"Really?" Abelina sat up. "Whereabouts?"

"Outside the capital, in a town called Alissar," he replied. "Never got to see the place for myself though; it was all before my time, you understand."

"Did your parents ever read to you much?"

"Well...no," Tillett replied, his voice sheepish. "In fact, my...well, my mother wasn't too keen on my joining the Library at all. She's a career soldier, and I think she hoped I would carry the torch. Even though the Army stresses the importance of reading and absorbing information-she'd always be quick to remind me of that, you see-she would...I'm sorry," he chuckled nervously, "I'm rambling."

"No, please," Abelina scooted closer to him, her hands flat on the couch cushion as she gazed concernedly at him. "Go on, Tillett. I want to hear this, please."

That seemed to put him at ease. "Well...all right. As I alluded to, my mother is in the Army, her parents had both been in the Army, my great-grandfather had been a Lieutenant Colonel, and so on. I'm an only child, you see, and my deviation broke a longstanding tradition of military service in my family. That's why I appreciated your quip back in the Library about my joining up, you know? But I think...well, I think it hurt my mother a little, my choice of career path. My father saw no issue with it; he simply told me that it was my life to live, and to live it however I saw fit. But my mother...well, she wouldn't admit it outright, but I know that some part of her was heartbroken. 'I cannot remember the last generation in which at least one child did not serve,' she said when I told her of my decision to join the Library, 'but I suppose all things must change in time.' Yes, I still remember her exact words."