Casus Belli Ch. 01: Prelude to War

With that her father looked at the wall mounted chronometer, "You're all invited to stay for dinner, which will be served in the dining room next door, half an hour from now. This meeting is now adjourned."

Cassandra met up with Brando on the way out, then led him past the dining room, and out of her father's quarters, to have some privacy. "I missed you, and I'm looking forward to having you around for the time being," she told him once they were out of earshot of the other council members.

Brando sighed, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you my love. I'll be leaving again in the morning. I have to get back to the army, to pass the Drak the news regarding the orcs." She pouted, and he pulled her against him, "Don't worry, I'll be back for the grand gathering."

She looked around, checking if there was no one in sight, then pulled Brando with her into the entrance to the spiral staircase and kissed him deeply. He returned her kiss, and they made out for a couple of minutes, until the sound of nearing footsteps on the tiled floor stopped them. Leaving the staircase they ran into a male servant, who smiled surprised at them. They slowly headed back towards her father's dining room, and once the servant had disappeared inside the staircase Brando reached out and pulled her close again, "I'm going to come by your chambers after dinner; I want Pryoness for dessert..."

She normally only allowed him to visit her chambers during the daytime, to avoid gossip, and protect her reputation. But she had missed him terribly, and after tonight he would be gone for more than a week again. "Okay, but not too long," she answered, "and you'll have to make sure you're seen in public after you leave."

They were nearing the dining room by now, and nearby voices could be heard through the closed hallway doors in front of them. Brando kissed her cheek, then let go of her, and they passed the doors just holding hands. Three of the councilors were gathered in the hallway in front of the dining room, discussing something related to the issue with the orcs. Brando led her inside the dining room past them, and then over to the large dining table. Most of the councilors were seated already, as was her father, who waved at her, and then pointed at two still unoccupied chairs to his right.

Brando pulled out the chair next to her father for her, and then sat himself down next to her. Dinner was excellent, to the highest standards, as usual. While the atmosphere was far from jubilant, it wasn't as bad as it had been during the dinner she had in Bragstone. The main reason for that was her father leading the conversation away from the dire situation with the orcs, and towards more pleasant topics. But even if it had been all pleasant, she was longing to be alone with Brando, and just for that dinner couldn't be over fast enough.

She left the dining room at the first opportunity, leaving Brando behind with a glass of Lorasian Brandy, to handle the rearguard fight. He had thanked the servers for dessert, then winked at her, and gotten her unbelievably wet. She hurried along the sandstone hallways towards her chambers, knowing Brando wouldn't be far behind. Entering the reception room she found Denora waiting for her. "I'm expecting a visitor," she smiled at her.

"Should I arrange for tea in the living room then milady?" Cassandra shook her head. "Wine then, or something stronger?" Denora added.

She felt herself blush. Denora chuckled. "You're teasing me!" she exclaimed.

Denora winked, "I'll make sure no one disturbs the two of you milady. But isn't it dangerous to have him over at this late an hour?"

She shrugged, "Yes, but I missed him, and he is supposed to leave again in the morning. So I won't see him for a week at least. And with this war looming, you never know. The orcs might not keep their word after all. In which case I might not see Brando ever again..."

Her senior maiden nodded her understanding, at which point she heard voices outside in the hallway, and recognized one of them as Brando's. She stepped out of view of the doors, and watched Brando come in. "Good evening sir," Denora welcomed him, "the Pryoness is waiting for you in the living room. She asked me to fetch the wedding checklist, so she could look it over with you."

Nobody would ever accuse Brando of being slow on the uptake, "Great, I already feared she had forgotten." And with that he closed the door behind him, whispering at Denora, "You think they'll buy that?"

Denora shrugged, "We at least gave them something plausible to remember should someone ask them why you were here."

Cassandra chuckled, "The two of you should start giving acting classes..." She moved up to Brando and hugged him close, kissing his cheek, then whispered into his ear, "Let's go to bed, I have that dessert you were gagging for." Brando kissed her on the lips, then pulled her with him towards the private hallway that led to, among other things, her bedchamber. She looked over her shoulder before entering, Denora was sitting herself down behind the reception table, facing the hallway doors, taking up 'guard' duty. She smiled when the pretty auburn haired girl winked at her.

Brando dragged her through the private hallway into the living room, and then into the bedchamber, before turning and closing the doors behind them. When he turned towards her again his hands reached out, grabbed her waist and pulled her against him. Next he swirled her around and pushed her against the doors, pressing up against her. His lips found hers and they kissed deeply. She moaned softly in his mouth, as their tongues danced, tasting the sweet smell of brandy on him. His hand slipped up over the soft fabric of her dress, cupped her ample breasts. She felt her nipples harden under his caress. He kneaded her firm flesh through the covering layers of fabric, forcing even louder moans out of her.

His lips let go of hers, "I love you," he breathed in her face, "and I want you."

She just moaned her own need in response. He swept her up in his arms, carried her over to the large opulent bed and dropped her unceremoniously on top of it, then followed her down. His fingers pulled at her tight dress, without getting anywhere. He groaned frustrated, and she rolled over on her belly, chuckling, and offering him access to the laces on her back.

She felt him start to loosen them, "Modern women's fashion is in serious need of upgrading," he groaned frustrated.

"It's to separate the boys from the men," she chuckled, "this way the boys will have already emptied themselves by the time they can actually get their hands on the objects of their heated desire. Sparing the lady in question an unsatisfying coupling." The laces gave way and he started to pull her dress down, rather roughly in his enthusiasm. "Careful," she exclaimed laughing, "I want to be able to wear it again!" She rolled herself on her back and started to help him getting her undressed, then moved her attention to undressing him when he had her down to her underwear. She was naked by the time he was down to his army issue long johns. "Talking about fashion in need of an upgrade," she grinned.

"Those are manly, and quite fashionable," he replied with mock indignity.

She laughed, "Yeah right..."

He moved on top of her, looking down at her, "I never got complaints from the ladies before..."

She stilled, locking eyes with him. She knew he had been with other women before, whores even, albeit expensive ones. He was twenty seven, six years her senior, and it was normal for young Nigawan noble men to 'get experienced' before marriage.

He swallowed, "I have never been unfaithful Cassy. I haven't been with another woman from the moment I started to have feelings for you. We weren't even dating then."

She smiled softly, "I know. And I never doubted you. It just feels a bit..., unfair. But that's not your fault." She reached up and pulled him down, kissing him tenderly for a moment. She let go, dropped her head back on the bed, locking eyes with him again, "And you're right, those long johns are very masculine..."

He looked surprised for a moment, then he grinned, and started tickling her. "You're mocking me!"

She squirmed beneath him, "I'm sorreeee..."

He stopped, looking down at her heaving chest, "God you have beautiful tits."

"Brando!" she exclaimed playfully.

He grinned, "I beg your pardon your highness; I meant beautiful breasts of course!" He winked, "And you have a nice round ass too!"

She slapped his chest in mock anger, "You foul mouthed brute, where are your manners?"

He started tickling her again, and they rolled about on the bed for a minute, with her protesting loudly. And then he stopped, positioned between her legs, with his chin on her belly, and her breasts in his hands. She was on her back, with her head up, and their eyes locked. His thumbs started rubbing her stiff nipples, and she let her head drop back again, moaning softly as pleasure found its way from her nipples to her pussy. He lifted his head from her belly, and his hands let go of her breasts, sliding down her torso, to where his chin had rested only moments before. He circled her navel, and then his fingers moved further down, and ruffled the soft blonde hair on her pubis.

He moved his body a bit further down too, and she felt his breath on her most private parts. She groomed herself down there, or more correctly, had her maidens groom her down there. So her pubis sported this neatly manicured little triangle, but her pussy was cleanly shaven, and thus fully exposed to his hot breath. She knew how wet she was, and spread her trembling legs wide before pulling her thighs up, knowing she was exposing herself to him entirely.

She heard him inhaling through his nose. "So wet for me," he whispered, "such a horny little Pryoness."

She moaned slightly put out. His fingers were still ruffling her small blond patch, and she could feel his mouth just inches away from her pussy. "Don't be so mean to me," she whimpered, "It's only because I missed you so much."

That's when his tongue touched the bottom of her slightly spread labia, and slowly slid up, the tip tracking the pink cleft. She trembled in anticipation as he neared the top and her still covered little nub. She shuddered slightly as he ran the tip around the core of her pleasure. His tongue retreated, and his voice sounded softly, "I know Cassy, and I'm just teasing you a bit."

With that the tongue returned, circling her clit again, then pushing up from beneath against the little hood still covering it, before making contact. She bucked, and almost came. "Not yet my love," he said, and she moaned frustratedly, as his tongue retreated yet again. She felt him move his fingers down, to the crease of her thighs, then up the tender insides. He stroked her gently for a moment, and then his fingers moved down again, to the underside of her buttocks. "Pull your legs back for me, honey," he said.

Cassandra let go of the sheets, then reached behind her knees, grabbed them and pulled back until her thighs were bent as far back as they would go. She felt his hands slide beneath her butt, each one cupping a firm cheek, and then he lifted her nether regions up to his face. She moaned in anticipation, and a little scream escaped as he placed his mouth on top of her wet opening. His tongue pried her labia open, and he started lapping up her juices, groaning his satisfaction. He slowly delved deeper, probing the entrance to her sheath.

"Oh Brando," she moaned, "I so want to feel you slide inside me, to feel your cock ripping through my hymen, to feel my sheath take all of you." Brando moaned his frustration, and she so wanted to offer him that pleasure. She hesitated for a moment, and then, thinking about Moiga's earlier misfortune, whispered hesitatingly, "My other opening, it doesn't have a hymen..., if you want..."

His head came up, his eyes locking with hers, and she didn't end her sentence, "No," he said, "I've never done that before, but I've been told that, without the proper preparations, it can hurt the girl terribly." He blinked a couple of times, "I love you and I'm not going to do that to you." With that his head dropped, then came up again. He started a sentence, and then thought the better of it apparently.

His head started to drop again, but she stopped him, "What did you want to say?" He blushed, but said nothing. "Come on," she grinned, "Out with it."

He hesitated, then whispered softly, "When you're sucking me, it would be nice if you took me deeper. Maybe even..." he stopped at that, blushing even more fiercely.

"Maybe even what?" she asked gently, already having an idea regarding what he wanted to say.

"Maybe even let me come inside your mouth?"

She almost started telling him that was not something decent girls were supposed to allow for, but stopped as she noticed the glistening wetness covering the bottom half of his face. He fills his mouth with your juices every time he's going down on you, and he lets you cum in his mouth, she thought. And then yet another realization hit, And you never noticed him spitting anything out afterwards...

He seemed to have guessed what she was thinking, "I love you Cassy," he said, "I'm not turned off by what your body offers me."

She blushed from shame, "I'm sorry Bran..., I just never thought of it that way..." She swallowed, "I have been an inconsiderate lover... I'm so sorry."

He smiled softly, "I know it wasn't your intention to be inconsiderate Cassy - it's not a worry. You're just inexperienced. Please don't do anything you're not comfortable with yet. I like what you've been doing up to now too, you know."

With that he dropped his head again, and really went to town on her, making her groan and gasp loudly. His tongue delved into her dripping wet sheath, then slid up between her labia to her clit again, and started to lap at it in frenzy. She trembled as the pleasure built. With her body on fire he closed his lips on her erect clit, sucked and then rubbed his tongue over the captured little nub. Pleasure exploded, and she arched and came hard, moaning his name. He didn't let her off, his tongue driving her orgasm on.

She let go of her knees and moved her hands on top of his head, pushing against it, "Please! Brando! I can't take anymore..."

He let go of her clit, and started lapping softly at her dripping labia. She came down shuddering, ruffling his hair tenderly. Her feet dropped back on the mattress, and he slowly moved up between her still spread thighs, kissing her nipples. He moved up even further, supporting his weight on his elbows, until his face hovered above hers, his lips glistening wetly. She swallowed, then lifted her head and placed her lips on his. As they touched his tongue gently probed, and she opened up for him, tasting her pussy on him for the first time.

He kissed her gently but deeply, then came up and locked eyes with her, "You taste nice Cassy: musky and sweet. I love how you taste."

She licked her lips, agreeing with him. Her hands moved to his waist, then slid down until her fingers met the waistband of his long johns. "Your turn," she whispered at the face just inches above her. She slipped her thumbs beneath the waistband, then pushed down, baring his butt and freeing his cock. He felt hot and hard on her belly, "Turn over," she whispered, "get on your back for me." He did as asked, and she sat herself up, then leaned over him. His cock was fully erect, with the head uncovered and throbbing eagerly.

She got up on her knees, placed a hand on both sides of his hips, and moved her face down towards his straining erection. She parted her lips and caught the tip of the wet glistening head between them, then opened wide and sucked him inside over her tongue. Suppressing the impulse to put a hand around its base to restrict his penetration, she sucked him in all the way to the back of her throat. He moaned, and she moved her tongue around him, paying attention to the taste of his pre-cum for the first time. Except for a slight saltiness there actually wasn't much taste at all.

She started to slowly bob up and down on him, but she couldn't take much more than about two thirds of his length before her gag reflex kicked in. That didn't mean he didn't sound happy though. Going by how loudly he was moaning, he hugely appreciated her efforts, which pleased her no end. She felt wanton, sucking him like this, and decided to let him cum in her mouth too, to really blow his mind. His breathing became more erratic, and she felt him starting to swell much sooner than normal.

"Almost there," he groaned.

She brought a hand up to his balls, cupped them, then started to softly massage them. The effect was almost immediate; he arched, lifting his hips up towards her mouth, and then he came with a loud guttural roar. She had moved up a bit when he bucked, keeping just the head inside her mouth, then felt his balls jolt in her hand. The head swelled, and a first rope of hot seed blasted inside her mouth, covering everything. She sucked, swirling her tongue around him, and a second blast filled her mouth. His balls jolted rhythmically, and another four blasts filled her mouth to capacity before he sank back into the mattress, looking spent.

She let his softening cock slip out from between her lips, and felt a bit of spilled semen drip down her chin. She hadn't really thought about what to do once he had cum inside her mouth, and looked around for a solution. She caught her own reflection in the large mirror, her cheeks were bulging; she looked like a greedy squirrel. She turned her head towards Brando, his eyes were as big as saucers. His semen tasted much stronger than his pre-cum had, both salty and sweet, and the solution to her little problem was really easy now she thought about it. She swallowed, and swallowed again, and then swallowed a last time to empty her mouth entirely.

His warm seed felt strange sliding down her throat. But her attention was fixed on Brando, whose eyes had almost popped out of his skull. It looked rather comical. She opened her mouth and licked her lips clean, then wiped her chin with her fingers and licked those clean too. "Hmm, that didn't taste halfway bad," she grinned, "and I already had dessert..." Brando said nothing, he just reached out and grabbed her, then pulled her down and rolled on top of her. He pushed his arms beneath her shoulders, holding her head in his hands. "Brando?" she whispered, as her eyes searched his.

His face was hovering above her, his eyes burning into hers, "Gods I love you," he groaned. Then his mouth came down on hers, their lips meshing. His tongue was not to be denied, she opened up and he kissed her with a ferocity he had never shown before in the half year or so that they had been intimate. He kissed her for what felt like an eternity, then came up and locked eyes with her again, "Can I stay the night?" he almost begged.

She slowly shook her head, "You know I would love that, Bran, but you can't.

He blinked a couple of times, "I'm not going to..., we'll just sleep. I only want to sleep with you in my arms."

She wavered for a moment, then spoke softly again, "You have no idea how much I want to, but we can't." She swallowed, "The keep has eyes and ears. Having sex with you during the evening is risky already. If you were to stay the night, it would get out for sure, and my reputation would be shot. That's why you'll have to make sure you are seen somewhere public after leaving here, so nobody can claim you spend the night with me."

Sadness filled his eyes, "I'm not going to dump you Cassy! As far as I'm concerned we're married already. For me the wedding at the solstice is just a formality."