Bastileborn Ch. 04

A slew of festivals kicked off across Bastileborn during the summer solstice. The Tavee Feather Festival was the wildest. Ships began crowding the ports three days in advance to attend. The feather-themed festival got its start from an old island religion that worshiped the colorful Tavee parrot. The parrot disciples believed them to have magical properties that protected the island from misfortune. The islanders would don pink, red, orange, and yellow feathered cloaks and dance around the island at night while high in spirits to honor the birds.

Rachel was excited as she and Alex donned their multi-colored feathered cloaks and sneaked out of the palace to join the street party on Whistlechase Row. After discovering Irena and Tabitha were being held captive in Daylith, Alex decided to step up his efforts to undermine Brimsly's warmongering. Knox had recruited Alex into the Shadow Guard a few years earlier, and Alex recruited Rachel right after discovering Irena in Daylith. They hurried down to the white sands of the beach and made their way under the largest docks connected to Whistlechase Row. The massive boardwalk overhead made the beach feel like it was inside a cave. They were waiting to spy on a particular pirate ship disguised as a merchant ship from Luria.

"This is so much fun!" Rachel laughed. "How many times have you met Captain Sid?" she asked as she sat next to Alex on a rock under dock B37, waiting for the world-famous pirate ship to drop anchor.

"A few times over the years. He's a great guy. You would never think he was a pirate if you met him in the market. He doesn't look much older than nineteen, but he's been captain of the Black Wing for more than five years."

"Just when I think you couldn't get any more sexy or mysterious, you divulge your adventures as a spy in a secret society that fraternizes with pirates! I'm ashamed to admit how horny that makes me. Does Irena know you're a Shadow Guard?" Rachel asked as she reached up and ran her fingers through his dark blond hair.

Alex laughed and turned his bright blue eyes on her. He had been laughing and smiling more since he made love to Irena, and Rachel noticed. She intentionally mentioned Irena's name every chance she got just to see Alex smile.

"She doesn't know. I didn't get a chance to tell her," he said a little sadly.

"Don't get gloomy again. We're about to attend the wildest party in Bastileborn as secret agents, and we're about to meet a pirate! Would you think less of me if I requested your services right now?" she asked as she stood in front of him with her arms around his neck. She smiled at the slightly shocked expression on his handsome face. She adored his constant attempts to uphold modesty as a pleasure slave.

"I uh... won't think less of you. I do think this is a fairly risky place for that kind of behavior," he said with a shrug.

"Oh please, no one but spies and terrorists ever come under these docks during the festival. If the guards catch us, I'll simply tell them to fuck off. I know you would rather be fucking Irena right now, but until we kill Brimsly, you'll just have to settle for me," she said before she leaned in and kissed him.

Alex smiled against her kiss. He wasn't in love with Rachel, but he admired her playful spirit. Being her slave wasn't a terrible fate. Her big dark eyes and olive skin revealed she was an island native. Her beauty earned her the title of Goddess of Tavee. Her royal subjects were passionately in love with her.

"Hmm," she hummed as she drew away from him, smiling. "You know, I owe you for letting me be a Shadow Guard. Allow me to show you my appreciation," she whispered as she pushed her feathered cloak open and began untying the front of her dress.

Alex gulped as he watched her open her simple corset, allowing her beautiful round breasts to escape the fabric. He felt hot all over as he admired her. She tossed her dark curls off her shoulders and suddenly knelt down in the sand in front of him. His heart was pounding as she pushed his knees apart and began untying his pants.

"I can tell you're eager for me," she said with a smirk. His erection was pushing against the fabric of his pants.

He moaned softly when her warm hand slid around his cock and pulled it free of his clothes. She smiled as she stroked him a few times. She rarely examined him so closely. He was thicker and more shapely than Dienon, and his scent made her wetter between her legs. She moaned as she breathed him in. Then she slowly licked up the underside of his cock from base to tip, making him squirm against the rock. He closed his eyes and listened to the waves crashing into the piers. He felt warm and relaxed as Rachel's tongue lavished his shaft with hot, wet strokes. He groaned when she took his cock into her mouth and sucked him lovingly. She was really good at sucking. It surprised him every time she did it. She didn't do it often. He was the slave, after all, not her. She had him extremely hot in less than a minute. He groaned and struggled with the tingles that were threatening to overwhelm him as her hot mouth stroked him. He didn't want to embarrass himself by cumming so soon, so he figured he should speak up.

"Rachel, I'm going to cum fast if you keep that up," he confessed as he clutched at the rock to keep himself steady.

She stopped sucking him and smiled at his half-lidded eyes and blushing face.

"Wow, I didn't realize I was that good. Thanks for warning me. You're incredibly hard. I want to feel it in my cunt before you explode. Give me a moment."

Alex's heart was pounding as he watched her stand and remove her cloak. She spread it out on the sand behind her and lay down on it. She smiled at Alex as she pulled up her dress and opened her legs, revealing her swollen pink cunt to him. He returned her smile as he watched her slide her fingers through the moisture that was glistening inside her opening.

"Come fuck me, Alex. I need it."

He quickly climbed over her beautiful body and shoved his aching cock into her tight heat. She gasped in delight from the aggressive penetration. He kissed her hard as he began to fuck her. She clutched at his arms, gasping in ecstasy as he jarred her body against the sand. Something was making him hotter than normal. He didn't know if it was the strange location or the memory of fucking Irena, but he was pounding the princess with incredible passion. Rachel cried out with orgasm a few seconds later. Alex fucked her through it before he tensed with pleasure. He groaned in delight as he pushed deep inside her with his cock jumping. He was thinking about Irena as he came, and it made his orgasm sharper than normal. He shuddered all over as he spent himself inside of Rachel.

"Oh, wow, Alex. That was wild," she groaned with a smile. "I need to take you to the beach more often."

He chuckled at her comment as he relaxed against her warm body. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his cheek as their hearts pounded against each other.

"Thanks, Rachel. You've always been good to me. Whatever happens in the future, I hope we can stay friends."

"We will. I'm counting on it. Maybe after I marry Dienon and you marry Irena, we can have a newlywed foursome," she said with a huge grin.

"I... um... don't think Irena would be up for that," he mumbled.

She burst out laughing at his comment.

"It could happen. You never know. If Irena is up for it, would you be?"

"Well, actually, I would do it if she wanted me to."

"Oh, I like the sound of that," she purred as she squeezed his cock with her inner muscles. "Do you have another round in you?" she whispered before she sucked on his earlobe.

"Um, maybe later, Sid's ship is docked. I need to see what he's wearing when he steps off, so I'll be able to find him on the boardwalk. Sorry," he said and kissed her one last time before he climbed off of her to fix his clothes.

"Fine... back to spy business," she sighed and climbed off the sand to straighten her clothes.

Alex climbed up the rocks and peered through a crack in the boardwalk to see the gangplank being lowered from the disguised ship. The Black Wing pirate ship was too fancy to truly pass as a merchant ship from Luria, but Captain Sid's crew did an excellent job covering its distinctive features with Lurian banners. Sid paid hush-money to the Tavee port patrol to ensure his comings and goings were kept a secret from the Daylith military police. Rachel climbed up next to Alex to see what he was seeing. She was able to squeeze in enough to get her right eye in front of a small crack.

They watched as four figures strolled together down the gangplank to speak with the port warden. The man and woman in front were dressed in fancy Corbliss merchant attire, likely stolen at an earlier time. The man had shiny black hair and brilliant blue eyes. Rachel knew that was Captain Sid. He did look too young to be a world-famous pirate captain. The woman on his arm was rather enchanting in appearance. She had golden blond curls and an angelic face. The men behind them were dressed in dark blue servant uniforms. They were obviously pretending to be their slaves.

"By the gods... is that Princess Lacia?" Rachel gasped when she recognized the woman.

"Holy shit! That is Lacia! What is a Lurian princess doing with a pirate?" Alex whispered in disbelief as he watched the port warden wave the new arrivals into Whistlechase.

"Well, at least she looks thrilled to be here," Rachel chuckled as she watched the beaming smile on Lacia's beautiful face.

Rachel and Alex pulled on their feathered hoods to hide their heads before making their way back to the main boardwalk. Rachel stayed in the shadows as Alex looked for an opportunity to pass Captain Sid a note. Alex agreed to let Rachel pick the location for their secret meeting, and she picked the most expensive inn on the island. Alex figured Sid wouldn't mind. The pirate obviously had expensive taste if he was courting a Lurian princess. As the pirate group stopped to enjoy some rum and cream in front of a drink vendor, Alex hurried across the festive boardwalk and bumped Captain Sid's shoulder. He stealthily placed a small note in the captain's jacket pocket as he passed.

"Oh, pardon me," the men said in unison before Alex hurried back into the crowd.

Alex found his way back to Rachel after that. They were free to enjoy the Feather Festival until nightfall.

"Sweet! Great job! Now, let's eat, dance, and maybe screw on the beach more!" Rachel said excitedly.

Alex chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"I'm game for all of that. We have a few hours to kill. Where are we supposed to pick up our Shovee cloaks for the secret meeting? I'm rather excited about parading around as a spirit of a dead parrot," he said with a grin.

"Seriously? You would look forward to the most depressing part of the festival," Rachel said as she rolled her eyes.

"It's not depressing. It's mystical."

They planned to dress as Shovee spirits a few hours after nightfall. They would don black and gray feathered cloaks to represent the dead spirits of the Tavee parrots. As the Shovee passed through the streets, all the party-goers would fall to their knees and remain silent until the symbols of death passed on. The Shovee would randomly visit houses to bestow small gifts to the islanders, but one of their stops was planned that year.

Rachel and Alex strolled through the festive common market that was built along the rustic boardwalk. It was known worldwide as Whistlechase Row. A shopper could find exotic fashion from all over the world in that vibrant market. The famous boardwalk overlooked the beach next to the main port before it wound its way into the island's tropical foliage. Vendor huts were built right into the massive roots of ancient palm trees along the boardwalk. Rachel and Alex enjoyed a delicious supper of coconut shrimp before they returned to the beach for more screwing under the docks.

As sunset turned the sky into a fiery orange palette, the island's atmosphere grew tense with anticipation of what was about to happen. As the last bit of sunlight disappeared into the sea, music and firelight spilled out of the houses and along the boardwalks. It was a sight to behold as droves of feather-clad dancers flowed through alleyways carrying lanterns on ten-foot polls. Musicians and acrobats were spinning and dancing in every open space. Sweet smells and festive music made the night feel enchanting. Every party-goer kept a coconut cup in hand as heavy-set men paraded through the streets with barrels of coconut rum mixed with cream. They stopped at every street corner to distribute the stiff party drink.

Alex and Rachel danced and drank two cups each before they cut themselves off for the evening. They didn't want to be drunk for their secret meeting with Captain Sid. As the night wore on, they decided to retrieve their dark Shovee cloaks and begin their mystical walk through the throngs of party-goers. Alex was smiling under his dark hood as costumed revelers dropped to their knees at the sight of him and Rachel. It made passage through the crowded streets fairly easy.

They arrived at the fancy tropical inn less than ten minutes later. The innkeeper bowed to them out of respect for the Shovee and directed them towards Sid's private cottage. They strolled through the inn's courtyard and knocked loudly on Sid's front door. They were greeted by the handsome captain himself. He bowed to them and motioned for them to enter. They glided into the room and stopped to look around. The two servants that were with the captain earlier were standing guard close to the door. The older sailor had hints of gray in his black beard and small throwing axes on his belt. He was standing opposite the younger blonde sailor. The young sailor had a classic pirate cutlass on his belt. They looked ready to attack an unwelcome visitor. Alex figured a pirate had plenty of enemies in the world and needed a good bodyguard or two.

Princess Lacia was sitting in a chair against the wall, looking nervous as she stared at the mysterious hooded figures. Rachel and Alex both wanted to laugh at her expression. She was obviously new to secret meetings and probably unaware that her pirate boyfriend was a Shadow Guard. Sid closed the door behind them, allowing the party outside to spring back to life. He approached the Shovee and bowed low to them.

"Barnabas, Rupert, please secure the room," Sid ordered to his servants.

They quickly went about the room, closing all the curtains and making sure the windows were closed and locked.

"Everything checks out, captain," Barnabas announced. He was the older sailor. He had a handsome northern accent like the dwarves of Icebard City.

"Excellent. Thank you, my friends. Welcome, Shovee Shadow Guards," the captain said with a smile as he looked between the hooded figures. "Shall we get down to business, or would you like a glass of rum first?"

Alex and Rachel exchanged glances. They were both looking forward to revealing themselves to Lacia. The Lurian princess gulped when the hooded figures turned their hidden eyes on her.

"No, Captain Sid," Rachel hissed in a harsh, theatrical voice. Alex had to suppress the urge to laugh at her antics. "We demand a taste of her blood first!" she snapped as she pointed at Lacia.

The princess gasped and dropped her coconut cup. She sprang to her feet in a panic. Then the room erupted with laughter.

"What the fuck?" Lacia snapped as she looked around at her friends.

"Sorry, Lacia, that was too easy," Rachel chuckled as she pulled her hood back, revealing her dark curly hair.

Lacia's mouth dropped open in astonishment as she looked at her.

"Rachel Blake! What the fuck are you doing out of the palace?" she laughed as she ran to her and embraced her.

"I'm a Shadow Guard. What the fuck are you doing here with a pirate? I knew you were wild, but I didn't think you would regress to outright piracy. What happened to you?" Rachel asked in disbelief.

"Uh... it's a long story," Lacia said as she drew away from her friend and glanced at Sid. He was smiling at her thoughtfully.

"Ahem," Alex announced as he pulled his hood back. "I would also love to know why you're hanging out with a pirate, Lacia."

"Alexander Clover! I thought you were dead!" Lacia laughed as she quickly hugged him. She had often spent time with Alex in the Swaying Valley when she visited Irena and Tabitha.

"He's been with me for five years now," Rachel began. "Alex is my personal slave. He goes with me when I travel to Daylith to visit Dienon. He can enter the slave quarters to contact the other Shadow Guards."

"You've been with Rachel the entire time?" Lacia asked in amazement. "You were the man in the orange hooded cloak that served Rachel when we visited, weren't you?"

"That was me," Alex confessed. "It was best that I stay hidden. Your father would have been outraged to see me as Rachel's slave. Things are getting so dangerous now. I discovered the Shadow Guards among the palace slaves of Daylith a few years ago. I wish I had befriended them sooner. We failed to protect the Swaying Valley from Brimsly. He has Irena and Tabitha now. They're safe as far as I know, but if we lose again, the elves could be massacred," he said gravely as he glanced at Sid.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be more help," the captain said sadly. "Things have been complicated for me this year, but I did protect something extremely important," he said as he picked up Lacia's hand and kissed it.

"Interesting," Rachel said with a smile as she looked between them. They were obviously a couple. She was rather jealous of Lacia's devilishly-handsome pirate boyfriend.

They gathered around the dining table to speak as Rupert, the young blonde servant, gave everyone snacks and drinks. The oak table and chairs were the only normal furniture in the tropical cottage. It was mostly built with carved stone and bamboo. The colors inside the cottage reflected the natural green colors of the surrounding tropical forest. Sid, Lacia, Rachel, and Alex began explaining everything they knew was happening in Bastileborn. Princess Lacia was astonished to learn about the Shadow Guard. Their agents were scattered all over the world among slaves and royalty. They worked to smuggle slaves out of Daylith and into Luria. Their mission changed to include watching Brimsly as Daylith's warmongering grew more rampant.

"It's happening already? Brimsly is calling up armies from the south?" Sid asked as he stared at Alex in astonishment.

"They're marching in from the south and east. Fritmon is ready to assist Brimsly with an attack on Carus. Messengers and soldiers have been streaming out of Daylith for weeks now. Every resource Brimsly has south of Leeriod is being gathered for his attack. My biggest fear is he will attack Luria and Carus at the same time. That could mean certain death for the elves in the Midlands. With the humans distracted on their home front, there's no one close enough to help them."

"This is worse than I thought," Sid sighed as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his face. "We need to speak to all the Lurian kings. Gregory, Luradon, and Duke Arum need to know what's happening as soon as possible. Talfane is the closest human kingdom to Carus. They can give the most aid on short notice, but contacting them promptly will be difficult."

"That's not a problem for you," Lacia said as she looked at the captain and smiled.

"Um, what do you mean by that, Lacia?" Alex asked with an eyebrow raised. "Talfane is landlocked. Sid's ship can't fly."

"Oh! Right, they don't know... do they?" Lacia asked nervously.

"It's all right, little flame. I'm about to tell them. They need to know what's going on with Faddon anyway."

"The dragon king?" Rachel asked in surprise. "What does he have to do with anything? He's not a threat. He never leaves the Living Mountain."