Claiming the Skies Ch. 01

Ses holds a sheet of paper towards her. Anka takes it. Her eyes go wide when she sees the drawing of her kissing Ses inked on to its surface.

"My father wants to talk to the both of us, now." Ses says in a quivering voice.

"But how?" Anka asks holding the paper.

"It has to be the ship. That voice belonged to who drew that." Ses says with a little strength return to her voice.

Anka took Ses's hand as she left the room. A house guard fell in step behind them. Anka raised an eyebrow but got a curt head shake from Ses. Left to her own thoughts, Anka tried to decide what she would say to the Count. An excuse, logical argument, or passionate plea. None of them felt right.

Ses could feel the questioning glances from Anka but held her silence. She didn't know the guard that walked with them. She would have thought her father would have sent Renfro. This raised her suspicion. As the climbed the she began to calm slightly.

"You two get in here." Renfro hisses open the door quickly.

"What happened to you?" Ses asks seeing his haggard state.

"Answers later. Go see your father in the library." he says ushering them in. "Double the patrols Jethre."

Ses pulls Anka through the hall. Any hope of rational conversation crumbled the further Anka went into the home of her lover's family.

"Welcome home Sesselic. Would you please introduce your friend?" James asked as calmy as he could muster.

"Anka Tes Fretero, Alchemic-Mage. This is my father, Count James Trezilian." Ses says.

Renfro touches the rune on an obsidian pillar, activating an anti-scry field.

"Father what's going on? This can't be about me having a girlfriend. We've had that conversation several times already." Ses says scrutinizing the library.

"Have I ever lied to you? About anything?" James asks holding eye contact with his daughter.

"No, but..." Ses answers cut off by her father's next words.

"Will you trust me and answer some questions for me? It's a matter of life and death." James pleads.

Ses looks at Anka answering, "We both will."

"Where is the Suavis Flos?" Renfro asks.

"The what?" Anka asks.

James shakes his head, "The ship, where is the ship?"

"Dock 15." Ses says like it's common knowledge.

"XV, 15. The old royal ship dock." Anka adds.

Renfro looks over a few maps, "These maps don't include Royal holdings." He comments.

"They're just past Western dock 12." Anka says pointing at the location on the map.

"How did you get onboard?" James asks awestruck.

"Walked up the gang plank." Ses says not understanding how this was such a big deal.

"But it's magically sealed and cursed. Not to mention the onboard enchantments, wards, and defensive runes." Renfro blurted.

James held up a hand, "You both study magic in one form. So, ask yourself this, if it's sealed, why is it still floating?"

"I have wondered that since I first found it five and a half semesters ago. Nothing on the ship functions yet it hasn't settled to the ground. I defy current magical theory, more so with much of it having been stripped." Ses rambles excitedly.

"Wait... that's almost three years." Renfro interrupts.

"I'd never seen it until yesterday." Anka says sheepishly.

"From the top Sesselic, and don't skip the details." James said sternly, causing Anka to blush fiercely.

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Jordan was snapped out of his inner thoughts when one of the neighborhood dogs barked at him. He looked at the terrier confused. It sat in front of him wagging its tail, begging. Looking down he chuckled as he tossed the forgotten sandwich to the animal. Taking stock of where has was he turned towards the bar district.

He wasn't normally inclined to use the services of the brothels but, when clients want something. He knew of three that were discreet enough to do business with. But that was by reputation only, not first-hand experience.

The Blushing Rose stood on the conner opposite the garment district. In was an imposing three story build baring no outward indication of the services offered within. This felt like a good sign to Jordan.

Stepping up to the door, it was opened for him from the inside. The dwarf holding the door gave him a sour look. Sounds of a subdued dinner party came from the double doors on the left side of the foyer.

"You ain't the usual gent. What's you need?" The dwarf asked.

"I have need of four women. Might I have word with the madame?"

"Four? You can't handle one by the look ah-yah." The dwarf snorted. "Bet you ain't had a woman yet."

"Enough Sara. Leave the Mr. Jordan alone." A delicate feminine voice said, snapping Brents eyes to the speaker.

She was shapely, toned, and wearing little that wasn't sheer enough to see through. Her ample breast covered by only a strip of cloth draped from her neck. She walked on the balls of her feet, as if wearing heels, giving her shapely legs even more definition. His mind blanked when his eyes wondered over the silhouette of womanhood at the apex of her thighs.

"What? This one lost normal blood flow in record time. Half surprised we didn't hear him blast a hole through his under britches." Sara says pointing at the tent in the front of Brent's trousers.

"I'm sure once he finishes discussing what has brought him here, Sam might want something on the menu. Now enough with your jibes. Honey Florist, welcome to the Blushing Rose. If you'd follow me, Sam, we can talk in my office." Honey said beckoning him with a finger.

"But you're..." Brent says.

"Honey Florist." She states before he can say anything else. "Say anything else and our business will conclude with your heart stopping."

He shut his mouth and just followed her. Even with the dwarf's blatant attempt to humiliate him, it wasn't until taking that first step that he realized he was hard. His checks burning brightly made Honey giggle discreetly.

He couldn't get his head wrapped around what he was seeing. Nelia Rosenette, Valkyrie of Kings Bay, daughter of the city Regent, and the mostly nude madame of a brothel.

He followed her into an office. It was well appointed in a functional sense save two markedly unusual features. First to catch his attention was the glass top table the served as a desk. Second was the nude women hanging from chains between the bookcases on the right wall.

"Please have a seat, Sam." She said gesturing to a chair in front of the table.

He quickly put his ass in the chair hoping to make the tent less noticeable before she turned to look at him again. He couldn't help stealing a few glances at the women in chains. Honey cleared her throat to get his attention. His glance had been blatant leering before he had realized.

"First a few rules, Sam. Using real names here is not allowed. No means no, regardless of context. Lastly, ogling my pet can be hazardous. Not that I think you would mind her level of affection, it however would interfere with what has brought you here." Honey said smoothly.

"Pet?" He asks thumbing at the woman in chains.

"Yes. What brings you here?" she asks in a colder tone.

"I need four women for a privet engagement. They were to be vocal with pretty pussy. I have some drawings here of preferred esthetics." He said extending her the pile of papers.

"Vocal? Is it a dinner party with conversation?" She asked.

He flinched when the woman from the chains tugged the papers from his hand before he could answer.

"Pretty pussies indeed." the woman purred.

"Behave yourself, Vex." Honey chided as she held out her hand for the papers.

Brent felt dizzy as something unspoken passed between the women in front of him. Honey flipped through the pages stopping about half way through, "Vex, this one looks like you."

Vex tilted her head, "You think?"

"Who drew these?" Honey asks.

"I don't know." Brent said as the fog cleared from his head. "Not relevant to why I'm here."

"Four women, I haven't forgotten. But vocal? Still need clarification on that." Honey says setting the last of the drawings aside.

"I was asked to get four women. Vocal, fuck your balls off working girls. He doesn't care what color their hair is, or their skin is, but their pussy must be pretty. Then handed that stack of drawings and sent on my way. Between who I was asked by and finding you here, if the sun were to rise blue tomorrow it wouldn't surprise me." Brent said, feeling less uncomfortable in his pants.

"Who are you working for?" Honey asked jumping to her feet, eyes narrowed in an icy glare.

"Count Trezilian." He answered trying not to cower.

Honey's expression went from cold to astonished, with a wistful dreamy look in her eyes. Vex hit the floor like a puppet with its stings cut. Vex's hand dove between her legs, pushing two fingers into herself. The throaty moan that came from Vex could have turned on even prudish virgin priestesses.

The sound blurred Brents vision and set his heart pounding painfully in his chest. Pain that was mirrored in his once again standing manhood. He gasped for breath as if the very air had been taken away. Then she was there.

Vex kneeling in front of him, her eyes fixated on the bulge in his trousers. She peeled way the layers of fabric in the span of a heartbeat. Nary a sound could escape his lips before his length had vanished in hers. His world turned inward as the liquid heat of her mouth triggered an explosive orgasm.

He moaned loudly as her lips clamped vigorously at the base of him. He had just about spent his seed when she moaned on his member. His heart about stopped as the second orgasm gripped him. She mewed and purred, he grits his teeth, knuckles going white to the chair's armrests. His muscles cried in white furry as they tried to push his throbbing phallus deeper into her throat.

Pulling at the chair, he got deeper into her. She sucked hard, constricting her throat around his bucking cock. As his balls drew up and he let out a primal growl. The scale of his third orgasm echoed from every fiber of his being. His vision went white as a tear rolled down his cheek. The last of his seed pulsing from him in waves of pleasured victory. He slumped into the chair as unconsciousness claimed him.

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Honey hadn't reacted fast enough. Brent was already in Vex's thrall. For many a man this would be the most pleasurable 15 minutes of their lives. But for others, which she thought Brent one of, it could take well over an hour. The better the man, the more pleasurable his cock sucking experience.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. The Count had sent this man. She crossed the room glancing at the two of them only once. She stepped from the office thinking about who she should send first. The Count would want them to keep secret their encounter but why four? She knew it had something to do with the Suavis Flos, but most of that lore was before her time.

Vex would know but asking her wouldn't happen anytime soon. Willa was not in town this week, Lilliana was down stairs hosting a bachelor party, and Hena wasn't back from the market run. She crashed into Alica as she turned the corner to the privet rooms.

"Alica!" She yelped grabbing the girls' arms to keep they both on their feet.

"Ma'am?" the girl yelped.

"You have a pretty pussy." Honey sighed.

"I um what?" Alica said stepping back a few paces.

"You have ah, wait, what are you doing this evening?" Honey asked.

"Going in to the party to mingle." Alica replies pointing at the parlor doors.

"Want a privet client. It's a house call. It'll give you a bump in house rank. Ruby? Better pay up front. Your own room?" Honey prattled.

"Are you serious? Wait, why is this so important?" Alica asked tilting her head.

"Saphire?" Honey pleaded.

Alica retreated, "Stop. What are you asking?" she asked holding her hands up defensively.

Honey froze, looked at Alica, and tried to reign in her emotions. A throaty moaned echoed from down the hall. Alica raised an eyebrow only to have it reform as wide-eyed jaw-dropped silence. Honey was crimson red.

"It's important, unusual, and right now. You will have to be professional and never speak of it. Not even to me. This is one of those 'could change your life' requests. Moreover, you won't be going alone. You will be going first." Honey spelled out as blushing subsided.

"And my girl parts being pretty?" Alica asked.

"Client specified." Honey answers linking arms with Alica. "Let's get you dressed while we talk."

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With a heavy sigh Captain John Phillips dropped into his desk chair. He dalliance with the dockside debutant had been most pleasurable and very overdue. The scent of her still hung in the air of his cabin. Her temperament was inexperienced but her body still had the vigor and stamina of youth.

She had asked for five silvers. His expectations were not high but, in the end, he had given her fifteen. He leaned back in the chair as a smile once more appeared on his face. The look of her as she rode him. Her body sheened in sweat, eyes locked with his, holding a look that said he was the most pleasurable thing she had ever experienced.

He had felt twenty-five with her. But the moment had passed and his forty-three-year-old body gave more than couple of complaints. Then there was the matter of the ship's business. Payroll, previsions, and the crew reviews for those not signing on for another voyage.

"Captain?" A soft female voice came from the other side of his cabin door.

"The door isn't locked. I thought you had departed." He called back.

"She did." said the leather clad woman stepping into his cabin.

"Who are you?" John asked.

"Jane's boss." she answered as she crossed the room.

"I did nothing she didn't want. I even gave her quite a bit more than she had agreed to." John said defensively.

"Yes, she was very taken with your charms." She agreed sitting down in the chair facing his desk.

"Why are you here then?" John asked, checking for weapons in reach.

"I am Lady Raga and I want your ship." Raga says brushing a few stray hairs from her face. "If you'll work for a woman."

"You're a madame?" John ventured.

"In the same way you are a blood thirsty pirate. Jane was a token of friendship. As well as a test of your temperament and objectivity. I am after knowledge. I just need a ride, with a high level of privacy." She says leaning forward in the chair far enough for him see down the valley of her cleavage.

"Forgive the misinterpretation. With what you have said, buying my ship isn't what you're after." John said calming some.

"I want passage, for myself and three others. My personal staff, Jane being one of them. She isn't a working girl but found pretending to be one exciting. Her typical duties are domestic in nature." Raga says with a smirk.

"So why go through all the trouble?" He asking as the business side of his mind realized it had work to do.

"Like I said, it was a test and I need to do this away from prying eyes. Your ship is just back in to port. It will be here for maintenance repairs. Any other modifications could easily go unnoticed. Moving of my personal items onto the ship could be pass as any other supplies coming on board." She said.

"Have you approached anyone else? This is a trade ship and after six years wholly owned by me. This seems a bit like a set up by the lenders. My paying off my loan so quickly has cost them much in interest payments. Forgive me if I am blunt but I need more proof before I go remodeling something I have owned outright for less than three hours." John says before realizing how much of that he should have kept to himself.

"I'm sorry Captain. You just felt one of the reasons I need a privet vessel. It's part of a curse I inherited from my father. I'm half demon." states Raga.

John stared at her wide eyed. He looked at the guard rune over the door. It hadn't activated at her entering. Swindlers, thieves, and dark mages walking through the door set the rune glowing in various degrees. But it remained dark at her presence.

"To answer your other question, Talbrod of the Willow Rook. He didn't pass so I never spoke to him directly." She said bringing his attention back the here and now.

"What exactly are you asking for and don't skimp on the details." John said pulling some paper and a set of knives on the desk.

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Anka sat across from Ses as they ate. Count Trezilian had questioned them about the ship and apparently, it's trapped Captain. Ses had been very quiet, not making eye contact with her in almost an hour.

"Ses talk to me. Aren't we still friends?" Anka pleads.

"We're still friends, for now. I'm worried if we start talking that will change." Ses answered keeping her eyes on her plate.

"We were friends long before anything else. I don't see how talking now would end our friendship." Anke says dropping her fork onto the plate.

"I kept where I was from hidden." Ses all but whispers.

"So have I." Anka says trying to get Ses to look at her.

Ses quickly turned toward her, "You have?"

"Of course, I have. Do you know the name of my home town? How many siblings I have? What my parents do? No, you don't, because we never needed to talk about our pasts to be friends. We shared goals for learning magic. Both of us understood the perils of dalliances with males. Add that to the fact neither of us is ready for motherhood." Anka rattled.

Ses looked at her friend in amazement. Then she started to laugh. Anka joined the laughter feeling the stress of their day melt away. They were just regaining their composure when Lester entered the room.

"Lady Sesselic, your father would like you to join him in the library if you are done eating." Lester states.

"We're good?" Anka asks.

Ses nods, "He meant both of us, did he not?"

"I believe so." Lester says weakly.

"You're coming." Ses says waving Anka around the table, "TO bad if he doesn't like it."

Anka blushed as Ses grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind her. It was the closest either of them had been to a public display of affection. Both women came to a slack jawed stop at the doors. A young woman about their age stood nude in the middle of the room.

"Ladies, this is Feather." James said gesturing toward the girl.

Ses shakenly blurted, "Why is she naked?"

Anka held back any judgement and kept silent.

"Would you two say her pussy is pretty?" James asked not having noticed their shocked expressions.

"What kinda question is that?" Anka asked before realizing she had done so.

"Father that isn't even proper. Just because I have one girl friend doesn't mean I only seek women for company." Ses angrily growls.

"I am aware of that. It has been a long time since I have had any type of interaction with a woman. And during those I have had, a critique of their anatomy wasn't even a thought. To be honest, I have only had eyes for your mother. Even after her passing those many years back, her body is the only one I see." James said as a look of longing crossed his face.

Renfro stepped past them, "We asked the ladies of the house staff but their reaction was less civil than yours. Something about debaucheries and flames imprisoning our souls. I have calmed them, Count, but there are a few that may still seek employment elsewhere."

Ses realized Feather had been unphased by any of the conversation around her. She stood comfortably watching the interactions but still had a relaxed posture. It calmed Ses enough to continue into the room.