Agent in Distress Ch. 03

Lamare paused for a long moment, enjoying the tormented look in the girl's brown eyes, then finally he lowered his hands, putting the gag back in his pocket. He left her for a moment, looked around the shelves for a minute, until he found what he was looking for. Returning to the girl, he removed her bindings, held her by the upper arms and leaned in for emphasis. "Look here, my little spy. You will take this slave ointment, and make sure your mistress uses it. Can you do that?" Nika nodded vigorously, wiping away tears. "Good! And you had better not fail - you must get her to use it or our little deal is off."

"She will use it, Master, it is the only thing that will alleviate her need," she insisted, taking the glass vial in hand. "I--I should go, my mistress will be worried."

The man stepped aside and Nika hustled by, her heart still pounding but the terror subsiding, replaced by guilt, that she had sold out her mistress Lana. Nika told herself she had tried everything she could to be strong, that Lana would understand . . .

When the door opened, it seemed to Lana that her helper had been gone forever. She'd changed into the white gown she'd found left for her, though she hadn't figured out what to do with the two long white straps that dangled from her sides under her arms. The burning heat had subsided only slightly, and was driving her mad.

"Nika, what took you so long?" said Lana, fidgeting as she stood with her legs crossed and tightly closed. Then she saw the girl's face, saw her damp eyes and downtrodden expression. "Nika, what happened? You've been crying!"

"It's—it's nothing, mistress," she said, her new friend's concern making her feel even more guilty. "I should go . . ."

Lana would have none of it, instead reaching out to pull the shorter girl in against her bosom. Reluctantly at first, Nika opened her arms to return the hug, letting out a sniffle.

"Would you like to tell me about it?" asked Lana softly, rubbing the girl's neck with her hand.

Nika shook her head. "Just hold me, mistress," she begged. She feared if she started talking, the truth would spill out. And that not only would get her shipped out on a slave caravan, she might lose her cherished new friend. At that thought, the tears began to flow, and Nika's shoulders began to shake.

"It's ok, sweetheart," comforted Lana, squeezing the sobbing girl tightly to her chest. "It will be alright."

After a minute, the slave girl had herself under control, and she gently pushed the taller girl away, smiling up at her warmly. "Thank you, mistress," she murmured.

Lana only smiled at her, but when the girl turned to leave, she reached out tentatively to touch her shoulder.

"Uh . . . Nika . . . , did you happen to find the medicine?" Her attempts to be calm about it belied the burning in her body, made worse by the feel of Nika's warm body against her sensitive flesh.

Nika paused for longer than seemed normal, then finally nodded unhappily. "Y-yes, mistress . . . but maybe it's better if you didn't use it . . ."

Lana was confused. "But you said it would help ease my discomfort, did you not?"

Nika reluctantly nodded. "Well, yes I did, mistress, but . . . are you sure you need it?

"Yes, Nika, I need it!" whispered Lana. "I'm beside myself, I can't think, I can't focus. Please, I'll try anything right now! There, is that it in your hand, please give it to me."

Nika had never seen her mistress behaving like this, and she reluctantly gave up the vial of slave ointment. She thought maybe if she helped her mistress apply it, she could make sure she didn't use too much of it. "Mistress, why don't you let me apply it for you?"

Lana looked at her in shock. "What, are you crazy? No, Nika, I'll do it, why don't you . . . go tell Warrick or whomever is waiting for me that I'll be down soon." Then she shooed her helper out the door, giving her an affectionate kiss on the forehead. Once Nika was gone she leaned against the door with a sigh, closing it. Wasting no time, she removed the cap and looked at the clear, gooey substance in the vial.

Quickly, she stripped off the white gown and pulled down the white panties, closing her eyes at the sensations of the silk rubbing her sensitive skin. "Oh hell," she exclaimed, digging a finger into the vial and looking at it. "Disgusting," she said aloud, then before she could lose her nerve, she reached down between her legs, and began smearing it around. The initial touch made her gasp, and she bit her lip at the self-inflicted sensations. Yet the salve itself had a strange cooling sensation, and moments later, she felt enormous relief.

It works! she thought. The burning in her womanhood was subsiding already, wherever the salve had touched. Now she mostly felt the arousal in her breasts, and without thinking, Lana scooped up a little more, and applied it liberally to her swollen nipples.

Moments later it was working there as well, and she breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She carefully wiped whatever she could salvage and put it back in the vial. Then she shimmied back into the silk gown, grateful that the soft material didn't ignite any fires in her body this time. She was just looking about for her sandals when she heard a knock on the door.

She reached to open the door, saying "Nika, it worked!" Then her breath caught in her throat, when she saw Warrick standing in the door frame.

"You're up," he said, "and you look well rested, good! What worked," he said, only marginally curious.

"Oh, uh . . . Nika showed me how to get into this dress," said Lana, counting on men's general total disinterest in women's clothing.

"I see," said Warrick, clearly having lost interest already. Then he noticed the white straps hanging under her arms. "Let me tie those for you."

Before Lana could protest, Warrick had taken a strap of her gown in each hand, he then crossed them in front of her chest, and pulled them behind her neck, where he tied the two ends into a bow. Lana felt the soft material pressed tightly against her breasts, showing the outline of her curves, and she immediately decided to undo the straps. Then she realized Warrick was looking her up and down. "Oh, forgive me, milady, you look stunning as always."

Lana blushed. "Oh, uh, thank you, Warrick. You too." She wanted to kick herself, and she forgot all about the straps.

"I look stunning?" said Warrick.

Lana winced, not able to look him in the eye. Instead she pushed him toward the door, but of course he didn't budge an inch until under his own power. He was so solid she wondered if she could move him with her mind. "I'm ready to go, just have to find my sandals. Ah, there they are."

Minutes later, they were back in Lord Khan's meeting room, and he had a map laid out on the table for them. Khan was explaining their journey. Their first stop was just over the border, an inn where they would check that Warrick's uniform would pass inspection before going too deep. Once they left the inn, they would head to the village of Minor Falls, which was a sort of neutral trading center for the slave trade. There they would visit the shop owned by one of Warrick's associates, who would help them prepare for the trip to Nikos' palace. It would also be a good place to acclimate Lana, to give her a few tips and pointers on blending in.

From there they would take a 12-hour ride to the city of Gorum, Nikos' capital and home to his palace. There they would request an audience with the man. If all went well, they would get into the palace, and once they found Nikos, Lana would attempt to capture him, and if that failed, passassinate him. In the expected confusion, Warrick would grab her and make his escape. No one would ever suspect her, even if she were nearby, as long as they didn't know about her abilities.

"Very well, if you two leave now you'll make the border by late afternoon," said Khan, standing up straight and looking at Warrick.

"Why not leave in the morning?" said Lana, curious.

Khan answered her. "I'm afraid the timing has become urgent, my dear. We have received word from our spy that Nikos will be leaving the palace in three days for an extended period. This is our chance, we don't have much time."

Lana nodded, swallowing nervously. It was a mixture of excitement and sheer terror, and she was having trouble standing still.

"Are you ready for this, Lana?" said Warrick, looking at her with a bit of concern.

"Oh yes, I'm excited . . . and nervous!" said Lana, looking up at him with a smile.

"I'll be right at your side the entire time," said the warrior, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"The Lords watch over you," said Lord Khan. "I'll await word of your success." Then he turned to leave, with a nod to Warrick.

Warrick handed her a stack of clothing. "Milady, please go change into this, and then Lamare will take you to meet me outside the palace."

She hadn't packed anything, for as a captured slave, she wasn't expected to carry anything. The only thing she'd have preferred to bring were her plasma pistol, but that was back at the armory in the Institute. Even her hyper alloy sword wouldn't be making the trip. Lana tried to shake the nervousness she felt, on her way to a hostile land, unarmed, and without even her Arbiter's uniform.

The dress she wore was not a slave outfit, for she would be posing as a free woman until they reached Gorum. The outfit looked expensive to her, if not classy, though it was simple in design. A white dress with red trim, skirted and leaving her arms bare. Her breasts had the additional covering of red leather cups that were part of the dress, and leather strings bound them together, forming a rather prominent cleavage. Below the cups was a cute red sash. Another section of leather held the gown tight to her belly. She admired herself in the mirror, then put on her leather sandals with red strings that went up around her calves and matched her dress. Her dark brown hair she tied in a ponytail. The dress came down to just above her knees, which was a relief after some of the other clothing she'd worn that week. They'd of course not provided her a bra, but she wore delicate white string panties. She tucked the small vial of ointment down between her breasts, hoping the bulge wasn't too visible.

They said goodbye to Max, who seemed genuinely concerned about her safety. Then they snuck out of a discrete rear entrance to Khan's palace, away from the inevitable spying eyes. Lamare led her through several passages, turning occasionally to make sure they weren't being followed. Finally they came to an alley where Warrick was waiting for her, mounted on a beautiful black animal with four long legs and a long nose. It snorted through its big nostrils as she moved closer, making her jump. Lana was a bit intimidated by the large animal, yet she found herself fascinated by its big glassy brown eyes and powerful muscles.

"She's called a horse," said Warrick, patting the animal's neck. He reached down for the girl, who held up her arm, and then yelped as she was hoisted up into the air to sit behind the man. The leather saddle was long enough for both of them to sit, but her chest was pressed against his strong back. Lana leaned back, putting her hands on his back in front of her, embarrassed and unsure what to do.

"Here, put your arms around me, or else you'll fall off," he said, reaching both hands behind him to take her gently by the wrists. He brought her arms around his front, and told her to hold onto the seams of his leather armor. He was so broad and thick that the position meant Lana was pressed tightly against the leather on Warrick's back, and she was surprised to realize how nice it felt to be this close to the man. Lana inhaled the mixture of leather and maleness, and sighed contentedly.

Assured that his companion was secure, Warrick guided the horse through the dark streets to the city gates. By the time he reached the crest of the hill that looked down on his city, Warrick smiled, for the girl clutching his back was sound asleep, resting her head on his back.

Lana woke as the horse came to a halt. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes. They were moving through a luscious green valley, ringed on both sides by steep mountains, and she gasped at the beauty of this pristine planet. It was a dark cloudy day that threatened rain, bringing a cool breeze that she would have found refreshing, except that her body was warm and sensitive. The earlier arousal she'd hoped the salve had erased was beginning to return. She wondered how long she had slept, could it be wearing off?

"How long did I sleep?" she asked, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

"A few hours, perhaps," said Warrick, passing a water skin back to her. Lana told him she wasn't thirsty, but he insisted she drink the whole thing. Sighing, she drank the entire water skin, and handed it back to him. Then she went back to clutching his chest as she rocked slightly with the movements of the horse. Yet each step the horse took, she felt a little jolt, that she felt in her breasts as she pressed against Warrick's broad back. With her legs spread, straddling the horse, she also felt each step in the juncture between her thighs. After being awake only a few minutes, Lana felt concerned, as each movement caused a twinge of embarrassing discomfort. Perhaps she was clutching him too tight, for Warrick suddenly stopped.

"This looks like a good place to stop," he said. Reaching around him, he helped her down off the horse, which immediately moved away to a small pond to start drinking noisily. Lana stood there, feeling silly, her thighs tight together. She wasn't sure how long before they'd stop again, so she thought maybe she should apply the salve again.

"Warrick," she said, tentatively, "I'm going to go . . . relieve myself."

"Of course, Lana," Warrick said. "Here is a small towel I brought, just for the occasion. He handed her the small tan colored towel. The girl promptly trotted off in the opposite direction and found a group of bushes. She made sure he couldn't see her, then she pulled the small vial from her bosom and removed the cap. With a quick look around, she applied some to her finger. When she touched herself, she let out a gasp, for her flesh was incredibly tender and sensitive. She had to endure it until finally the salve began to take effect, a minute or so after she applied. She sighed as the blessed relief hit her. Upon return, she blushed when she found Warrick and the horse both looking at her. The animal flared its nostrils, as if it could smell the slight aroma of the slave salve on her. Lana glared at the animal, reaching out with her mind and willing her to remain silent. The animal snorted again and looked away, most likely immune to her telepathy.

Warrick had found a large rock for them to sit on, and he handed the girl a piece of bread and small piece of some kind of meat. For himself, he had much larger pieces of bread and meat, which looked large enough to feed the two of them and the horse. Lana began chewing without much interest. At least the bread wasn't likely to drive her mad like the fruit. Then she had an idea, a way to test the warrior who sat next to her. She reached out with her mind, hoping the fruit might have made her strong enough to read the warrior, but the bulk of the effects of the fruit didn't seem to last long, at least the effects on her telepathy. Yet she sensed a tiny ripple of thought emanating from the warrior, like a tiny wave. She thought she sensed some deceit, but reading people wasn't her strong point.

"Um, Warrick," she said, "this fruit you gave me for breakfast, that made my telepathy stronger . . . does this fruit have any other side effects I should know about?"

She was watching him for a subtle reaction, so when he immediately spit out the water in his mouth, she gaped at him in surprise. Then her eyes narrowed again.

Seeing that he was caught, Warrick confessed. "I'm sorry, Lana, I should have told you. The Somarian fruit has the special property of . . . making your body . . . how should I put this . . . more ripe? Temporarily of course."

Lana was furious, he had known all along, of course. "You had no right! To do this without asking me." She threw a piece of bread at him and watched it sail over his right shoulder.

"For an Arbiter, your aim is a little off," he said, then he flinched when he saw her expression. "Look, Lana, you seemed to like the effects of the fruit, helping your abilities. It was thought . . . why give you the bad news? It will wear off a few days after you stop eating the fruit."

"A few days?" said Lana, her eyes wide in concern.

Warrick looked at her seriously. "The fruit does not give our people mental powers. Yes, the sensations in your body will wear off in a few days." He winked at her then. "You'll just have to maintain a purity of mind until then. That shouldn't be too hard for a trained agent such as yourself?"

With her anger now mostly gone, Lana realized how embarrassing the whole subject was, and she suddenly blushed from head to toe. "I see," was all she could think to say. "Don't you dare think of . . . taking advantage of me in my current state."

Warrick's eyes widened. "Mistress, I would never do such a thing. But I must ask the same of you. Do not try to try to take advantage of me, in your current state."

Lana gasped in shock. "What? I . . ." she was speechless, and then she noticed him grinning at her. She wanted to strangle him.

"Come to think of it, I have heard that in large enough quantities, there is another effect," said the warrior.

"What effect?" demanded Lana. "What else did you neglect to tell me?"

Warrick answered matter-of-factly, but eyed her from the corner of his eye. "It's been known to increase a female's bosom."

Lana gaped at him. She threw another piece of the bread, aiming for his eyeballs. This time it sailed over his left shoulder. "Wonderful!" she cried. "If that happens to me, you are a dead man!" Her breasts were already larger than she'd have preferred, they certainly didn't need to be any larger. But she hadn't eaten that much of the fruit, had she?

"How much is 'large enough quantities?'" she asked, nervously.

Warrick seemed to find the discussion uncomfortable. "Let me just say, if you are satisfied with your own largesse, don't eat much more of it . . ."

Lana gaped at him, horrified at the topic of discussion. After a few silent moments, she just shook her head, "No matter," said Lana. "If it's that hard to find, I won't be seeing it for a while."

"Well . . ." said Warrick, "I actually brought quite a bit, as well as the juice. Just in case you need it."

"You brought it with us?" said Lana, incredulous. "Is that your plan? To . . . to enhance me . . .?"

"Oh no, milady," he said with a serious tone. "One cannot enhance perfection."

Lana looked at him, as ever unsure if he was serious or teasing her. "You tease me as always," she murmured. Well she had found the fruit very useful, so it couldn't hurt to have some lying around. She humphed, finally. "My abilities are just fine without it. Never mind, what's done is done, let's get going with the mission."

"As you wish," replied the warrior, shrugging. Warrick was climbing on the horse, and he motioned for her to give him her hand. Still frowning at him, the girl held up her hand, and he lifted her onto the horse behind him.

With the debilitating desire subsided thanks to the salve, Lana relaxed and enjoyed the rocking motion of the walking horse.

"Tell me something," she asked him, trying to make conversation to fend off the wave of exhaustion. "When you first saw me, what did you think?"

The big warrior chuckled softly.. "I thought your Alliance has a sense of humor, sending us a skinny whelp of a warrior. But this morning when I saw you calmly take on three of my best men, I knew you were no ordinary girl. No Dellune female, not even the barbarian women of the Great Forest would be a match for three of my warriors."