Casus Belli Ch. 12: Victory Celebrations

He just kept cumming, and put a huge load inside her before slowly pulling out. She felt his hands on her buttocks, kneading the firm flesh. "This one's going to be for my personal use only," he then announced to his two subordinates, who just nodded. Valérie looked at her former master, who looked even less pleased now, making her smile softly.

Valérie was again being led down stairs by her leash, but this time the bastard holding it wasn't the Duc de Carentaon but Khalid Alwahsh, the Mercandon whose warm seed she felt flowing down the insides of her thighs. They soon arrived at the inn's ground floor, which held its stables. Khalid led her to where another half dozen of what she now knew were his guards were waiting, and then she noticed the three strange riding beasts in the box behind them. It took her a moment before she recognized what they were; camels. She knew the animals from paintings, but had never seen one in real life before. Khalid said something to the waiting men in Mercandon, something sounding like an order, and they responded by leading the camels out of the boxes.

The six Mercandon guards from the common room then moved off towards the inn's heavily gated entrance, with Khalid and his two henchmen following. All three of them were leading a camel by its reins, while Khalid was leading her by her leash too. When they got near the heavy wooden doors they were opened by two men belonging to the 'Le Pont' inn, and Valérie blinked as she was led out into the bright sunlight. There was a lot of activity outside the inn, mainly merchantmen traveling between Loras and Mercandon, and her nakedness attracted a lot of attention. She was used to it by now though, and simply ignored their leering looks.

Khalid mounted his camel, his henchmen followed his example, and she wondered if she was going to have to ride with him. He gave the leading half dozen guards an order in Mercandon instead, and when they started moving east, towards the nearby bridge, he spurred his camel to follow them. As the leash tightened she followed behind it, while Khalid's henchmen steered their camels to fall in at both sides of him. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed the other six guards were bringing up the rear, some ten yards behind her. They moved onto the road, with the leading guards clearing it, making the other traffic move onto its shoulders.

It was only a couple of hundred yards to the bridge, but there was no shade to speak of, and the road surface felt hot beneath her feet. Despite her earlier experience Valérie felt hot beneath her collar too, from all the onlookers, both Mercandon and Lorasian. She tried to ignore all of it, by concentrating on her surroundings. The road was slowly descending towards the mighty Cravas River, and the land beside it was arid, and covered in low scrub and some sparse bushes. As they got nearer to the bridge, which consisted of stone foundations and a wooden span, she noticed another group of Mercandon guards, about a dozen strong, at its Lorasian side.

Six of them started moving across the bridge, clearing it of all traffic, and by the time Khalid's party arrived not a soul remained on it. The three-abreast camels filled the bridge's width as they started crossing it, and Valérie noticed the river was full of debris as she followed them. The water was murky, and looking pretty wild, and she realized the debris consisted mainly of uprooted trees and bushes. There had been some really bad weather upstream by the looks of it. She glanced back across her shoulder once more, and saw the other half of the squad that had been waiting for them at the bridge file in behind the six guards already following behind her.

As Valérie looked to her front again full awareness finally descended. She was about to enter Mercandon, as a slave, and rather unlikely to ever be leaving it again. It made her shiver despite the warmth, and the silhouette of the city of Madani rising up beyond the three abreast camels in front of her suddenly turned very menacing. And what's going to happen to you once he's finished breeding you, you stupid girl? the little voice in the back of her head asked suddenly. Valérie felt panic rise as her mind filled with the horrific images of all kinds of bloodied torture equipment, and mutilated female bodies.

They were nearing the middle of the bridge by now, and as she regained control of all her faculties she realized that she could swim, and that Khalid clearly wasn't aware that the brass connector with which the leash was connected to her collar wasn't a lock. She glanced at the river besides her, and swallowed hard. It was at least a thirty feet drop, into churning water. Her glance returned to the back of the Mercandon in front of her, and then her right hand reached up towards her collar. It took her maybe two seconds to open the connector, and then she was on her way to the low railing at the upstream side of the bridge, checking the river below for drifting obstacles as she did.

She heard warning screams behind her as she scrambled on top the ten inch wide wooden beam, and turned around. The guards that had been following behind her were now moving towards her, but as she put her hand up towards them they stopped in their tracks. The camels had come to a stop too by now, and Khalid had turned halfway around in his saddle, and was looking straight at her. "I'll drown myself before becoming your breeding mare," she shouted at him, "and ending as your torture toy."

His face turned from surprised to angry, and then he produced this obviously fake smile. "What are you talking about girl? No one is going to torture you!" He was clearly trying to distract her, and she noticed the urgent gesture he made with his lowered hand. Movement in the corner of her eyes announced the guards had started moving towards her again. She spit towards her master, and then she let herself fall backwards. "Grab her!" she heard Khalid scream, but they were too late, she was already tumbling towards the water. She made half a backwards somersault, breathing in deeply while reaching up and grabbing the back of her head. Her elbows moved in front of her face, to protect it, and then she hit the water head-first.

Valérie curled up on entry, and the surface churned behind her as her momentum drove her towards the river's cold and murky depths. She just relaxed, and let the strong current carry her. The murky water around her turned dark, and then it became lighter again, indicating she had passed beneath the bridge. She started to swim upwards towards the light slowly, looking for dark spots, and when one appeared above her she moved towards it. As she got closer she noticed leaf covered branches, and after getting hold of one, and with her air running out, she slowly surfaced among them. She breathed in deeply, and then she checked her surroundings.

The bridge was some fifty yards upstream already, and she watched from the shade offered by the heavily leaved branch just above her head as the Mercandon, including Khalid and his two henchmen, scoured the river surface from it. The water was cold, but not freezing, and she noticed the upper layer was much warmer. Valérie let her lower body float up in the water, and hooked a leg over a nearby submerged branch. The water felt almost cozy now, the riverbanks were far away, and she just let the current carry her while she wondered about still being alive, and watched the bridge getting smaller and smaller, until it disappeared from view entirely.

When Cassandra woke once more, the bedchamber lights were on at their lowest setting, creating this warm twilight. Her tummy rumbled. "I heard that," Syldan's voice sounded amused. She rubbed her eyes, and looked over to where the raven haired beauty was sitting in the comfy chair, watching her. "It's close to dinner time," the girl then told her, "you slept through lunch time, but you had a late breakfast anyway, so we decided to let you sleep." She nodded, and when she did she realized her head was feeling much better. "I'll go warn the others that you're awake," Syldan said with a soft smile as she got up from the chair.

The sleepy girl watched her move to the bed and turn up the light, then move to the bedchamber doors and open them. "She's awake," Syldan said while leaving the room. Cassandra expected girls spilling in, but what actually did spill in were males, all of them except for Bashuk and Kurgan.

The males sat down on the edges of the bed, surrounding her. "This is our fault," Batul then said softly, "we're so sorry."

"We failed you," Yakha added, "which is most embarrassing."

Cassandra took in the five sorry faces, and then she smiled softly, as she reevaluated the worth of the pack once more. "No one ever did what this Kragos did before, did they?" she asked softly. They all shook their heads. "Just file it under experience then," she added "and realize that with humans, devious behavior such as this might be more common than what you're used to." They nodded. "And thank you," she said next, "for keeping Bashuk safe." They started to object, but she cut them short, "I know it's your job to keep him safe, but thank you nevertheless." She looked them over, both Batul and Durgat had some bandages around their arms, but for the rest the damage seemed to be limited to scratches and bruises.

"Don't worry," Batul reacted, guessing her thoughts, "we're all okay. Those traitors forgot we didn't become guards to a warlord for nothing. They were good, but once they had been disarmed we took them apart in no time."

Denora and Moiga entered the bedchamber in turn, carrying towels and a large steaming bowl. "Alright, everyone without tits out of the room!" Denora ordered. Yakha, to the amusement of all present, actually checked the contents of his shirt. After a round of laughter the males all got up, but not before having hugged Cassandra, one by one. "How was that, 'pleasure slave'," Denora said with a chuckle once they had all left, while she put the towels down on the bed, and Moiga placed the bowl on the nightstand. Cassandra just blushed, and then Denora ordered her to sit on the edge of the bed, and the girls proceeded to wash her abrasions.

Once the girls were content with their cleaning they applied the salve the orcs had provided, "We're going to pass on applying it to the inside of your mouth for now," Denora stated, "as dinner could arrive from the kitchens at any moment." They tucked her in again, and left the bedchamber, taking the bowl and towels with them. Maybe five minutes passed, and then they came in once more, carrying a large tray this time. "Dinner is served," her former senior maiden said smiling, as they put the tray down on the bed next to her.

"I'm feeling okay, I can eat in the dining room with the rest of you..." Cassandra told them.

Denora shook her head, "Oh no you don't. I have no intention of ending up across Bashuk's lap, getting my cheeks turned a nice glowing red..."

"And neither have I," Moiga chuckled, while lifting the covers of the plates on the tray.

The pleasure slave's eyes widened as she looked at her dinner. "Drunken rabbit? with roasted carrots and crispy Lorasian potatoes?"

Moiga chuckled once more, "Your master thoroughly 'grilled' us before deciding on this dish..."

Cassandra felt her mouth water as all the delicious smells entered her nostrils, "Where's my cutlery?"

"Coming up..." Bashuk's voice sounded behind her. She was sitting upright already, and looked over her shoulder, watched him move towards the bed. "Alright girls," the huge orc said, "go get your chow, I'm taking it from here." Both Denora and Moiga smiled at her, and Denora winked, before they got up and left for the living room. She watched her master sit down on the bed next to her while the girls closed the bedchamber doors behind them. She reached up to take the cutlery from him. "Uh uh," he said with a smile, "my turn, Cassy." She blushed as he started feeding her, sharing the meal with her. "This is really nice," he said after chewing his first mouthful of rabbit down.

She nodded, "It isn't my favorite dish for nothing..." She blushed, "You're spoiling me..., master...."

He reached out and gently rubbed her cheek, "Your master is very sorry for what happened to you girl."

Cassandra emptied her mouth, "They told me how you... how you gelded him... before you broke his neck."

Bashuk shrugged, "He had seriously hurt you, maybe even killed you... I was..., quite beyond myself..." He swallowed, "You have no idea how glad I am that you're okay, and how sorry I am that it happened in the first place."

She gestured at the food, "I got the general idea..." She blushed, "and a master feeding his slave?"

Her master smiled, and gestured at the closed doors, "We're alone Cassy... Better not get used to it though..." She nodded, and he grinned. "I will keep feeding you the contents of my balls on a regular basis of course, both in private and in public..."

Cassandra blushed, and then she giggled, "Ooh..., master's sperm..., yummy..."

After dinner Bashuk escorted her to the bathroom, where he also made her thoroughly rinse her mouth, before taking her back to the bedchamber and tucking her in himself. She told him she wasn't tired, but he wasn't going to have any of it. "You'll rest," he said, "end of discussion..." With that he left, to return with Denora and Polly in tow only minutes later. Denora applied salve to the damaged inside of her cheek, which tasted yucky, while Polly installed herself in the comfy chair. Her former senior maiden then dimmed the light, Bashuk gave her a hug, and a peck on the nose, and then they both left.

Once they had closed the door behind them she looked at Polly. "Are you really going to just sit there and get cold?" Polly's eyebrows rose, and she patted the comforter next to her. "Or is a lowly slave undeserving of an officer of the watch?" Polly was down to her undies and beneath the comforter next to her in a flash. "Now tell me all about Kasho," Cassandra whispered, after they had snuggled up against each other.

"He's so nice," Polly started, "and he chose me over four very beautiful girls." She blushed, "He can't stop himself from kissing my breasts, and licking the nipples. And once he starts licking me, you know, down there..." She moaned softly, and then she giggled, "I like licking him too, sucking on that huge cock of his. I..., the second time I sucked him I managed to take him down my throat... It felt so good, pleasuring him like that." She caressed Cassandra's face, "And how are things going with you and Bashuk?"

Cassandra blushed in turn, "He's very nice too, especially considering I'm just a slave really. The sex is great, and has become even greater now that I'm allowed korkumun tea. It feels like I simply can't spread my legs fast and wide and often enough for him." She whimpered, "Which would be great if he actually was my lover..." She closed her eyes in shame, and started to cry, "I'm betraying the love of my life..." Polly hugged her close, and smothered her in kisses, and she slowly regained control over her emotions.

"We all loved Brando," the petite blonde said once she had stilled, "and we all love him still, and hope he's going to be alright, but... He isn't part of our life anymore, and he isn't part of your life anymore either, so stop torturing yourself, and make the best of what life still has to offer..." She kissed her face once more. "And I'm sure Brando wouldn't want it any other way, because he truly loves you... Also, nobody says you have to stop loving him. We don't stop loving people once they are gone, do we? And Brando may still be alive, but for all practical purposes, he's gone."

Cassandra let out a shuddering breath, and her voice sounded broken, "I know, but still..."

"Do you think Bashuk has stopped loving his deceased mate?" Polly asked next. "Do you think he doesn't think of her every day, and will not remember her for the rest of his life?" The small girl's lovely soprano voice trembled. "Last night, Kasho called for his mate, in his sleep. He was crying, I didn't even know orcs could cry... The point is, Cassy, that love doesn't come in a finite supply, to get diluted when you love more people. The fact Kasho still loves his deceased mate doesn't mean he can't grow to love me as much as he loved, and still loves, her. It only means that he's capable of great love, and that, in the future, that love could be mine too." She chuckled softly, "And did I mention yet that he loves my puny tits?"

"You don't have 'puny tits'," Cassandra reacted smiling.

"Ah, there's that smile I was missing so much," Polly replied. "Bashuk's clearly on his way to falling in love with you," she then said. "Just let it happen Cassy, just open your heart once more, there's room to spare. You don't have to stop loving Brando to start loving Bashuk, just like Kasho doesn't have to stop loving Loyka to start loving me." She swallowed, "Just like what I feel developing for Kasho isn't going to change how much I love you..."

Cassandra melted into her former junior maiden. "Gods Polly, what did I ever do to deserve you?"

"Love me?" Polly whispered softly, after which it became the girl's turn to get smothered in kisses. After a long moment she giggled, "Alright, I know you love me!"

She loosened her tight grip on the petite blonde, and locked eyes with her in the twilight, "Even if I grow to love him Polly, and he grows to love me, I'll still be just a pleasure slave. What happens if he falls in love with another female? Mates with her? Where would that leave me? I would only be a beloved sex toy. That's not easy for a former Pryoness, a Kangess even..."

Polly caressed her face, "We know that a warlord can have more mates, and there can't have been a lack of orcish girls wanting to mate with Bashuk, still he had but one mate..." Cassandra felt doubt. "Would he want to breed you if he was planning on acquiring a mate?" Polly asked next.

The former Kangess started to smile, and then her face darkened once more, "I turned him down Polly. He was so disappointed, and then he told me I could have korkumun tea for as long as I liked..."

The petite blonde chuckled, "You're absolutely hopeless... He simply understood you weren't ready for a pregnancy yet, and he didn't want to hurt you, risk turning you away from him."

"Do you think?" Cassandra asked timidly. Polly nodded enthusiastically, and then she sighed, and her expression turned worried. "What's up?" her former Kangess asked.

Polly shrugged, "The exchanging of mates is still going to start tonight, just without you and Bashuk..."

Cassandra thought for a moment, "So you're going to spend the night with Bolar?" Polly nodded, biting her lower lip. "Are you afraid he's going too..."

"No!" Polly reacted, "it's not that, I trust Bolar, I trust all of them, but... I don't want to get second thoughts about Kasho..."

Now it was Cassandra's turn to chuckle, "You worrying about that happening, already as good as ensures that it isn't going to happen..."

"Do you think?" Polly asked timidly, and Cassandra just nodded enthusiastically.

It was Bashuk's laughing that woke Cassandra. "I was awake!" Polly's voice sounded embarrassed nearby, "I was watching her all the time!"

As Cassandra opened her eyes the first thing she saw was Polly's blushing face. The girl sat up in the bed next to her, and then Bashuk moved into view, reached across her, and ruffled the petite blonde's hair. "I didn't doubt you for a minute," he told the embarrassed girl, and then he winked at her, "I'm here to relieve you..." Polly nodded and then she sighed, and Bashuk cupped her chin and gently rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Don't worry," he then said, "Bolar's only going to spoil you, and if he doesn't, his ass is toast." He chuckled, "And that would be before Kasho gets his hands on him..."