Command and Vanquish Ch. 02

Strangely, in spite of the pain, the girl's body called out for Navin. She felt completely at his mercy, yet thrilled his was merciful enough to beat her instead of letting all of them fuck her. She wouldn't mind Navin fucking her though...looking at his rippling muscles as he flexed to beat her...

Third strike, third scream, third red mark.

She couldn't help it. The her thighs were wet with her juices; her pussy was crying out to be filled by Navin. She began to drip all over the floor, to the laughter of many of the guards. One of them went behind her to dip his finger into her and whispered to her, "You want to be owned, don't you, you little slut? You like the feeling of a man owning your skin, don't you?" He began to fuck her hard with his fingers.

Fourth strike, fourth red line...but instead of a scream came a moan.

Isabella walked into the room.

She had a wide-eyed look of panic and horror on her face, like she might pass out. She looked incredulously at Jem: how could he just sit there? She had never seen this side of him before. She looked at Benito crying, and her heart went out to comfort him.

Everyone froze. A very wide range of emotions went through Jem: worry about Isabella's reaction, anger at Rayth, disappointment that Isabella saw this, panic that he felt "caught", worried that this would blow the entire strategy for interrogation, fear that Isabella's compassion might turn against him, but curiosity if he can make himself look more "cruel" by playing off such a reaction. Jem thought quickly, and rose to greet her.

"My dear Princess," he said with a smile on his face. "Please, sit and join us. We're almost through here, finishing up for the night. While Navin's finishing, you may ask us questions about what went on."

Isabella was horrified, and looked at Jem with anger. "Do you think I'm going to sit here? No, no..." she looked around the room and realized her mistake. No one, not even her, should question/refuse Jem in public, especially not in front of a prisoner. Jem's eyes flashed momentary anger as she recovered. "I mean, please Sir, I am not used to these techniques or customs, and I would be most grateful to you if you would please excuse me."

She looked up into Jem's hard eyes, as hers began to well with tears. "Please Sir, I only came to tell you I had a good evening, and to wish you good night. May I bid you good night in the hallway? I see you are busy, and wish not to interrupt." Jem's eyes softened a bit as he found his window to save face. "Of course, sweet Princess." And he ushered her into the hallway.

Once alone, Isabella was frightened, and Jem firmly grabbed her arms, "My Princess, I'm trying very hard right now to control my anger. Rayth was to take you out to protect you from this..."

"But I..." she interrupted.

"LET me finish." Jem warned. "Certain things must be done. We're on the brink of war. Some things that must be done are not for the weak of heart. You're a good person; a better person than I am. That woman has information..."

"That woman was one of my countrymen! I can tell from her features!"

Jem exhaled fumingly, "Don't. Interrupt. Me again." Isabella's eyes filled with tears. He continued, "That woman had information that needs to be broken out of her. Breaking a person, no, it isn't pretty. But for the safety of our country, you damn well better believe I'll do the dirty work. Someone has to, and I happen to be good at it." Jem relaxed a bit with her, although his anger was still evident. "You could have blown it in there. Everything I did all night could have been blown if the captive was shown pity. I know you didn't mean it, but when you know I can't be with you, know it is for good reason."

Jem rubbed his hands through his tussled brown hair, as Isabella didn't know if it was safe to speak yet. Finally she ventured, "Jem...I'm sorry. Please forgive me. May I take Benito to his room, and allow us to go to bed?"

Jem looked at her incredulously. The audacity! "You want to get Benito out of there?"

"I just think he's too young..."

"I WAS TOO YOUNG!" he roared. The baggage of his childhood suddenly became evident. He was only 9 when he became heir, and had to learn quickly to stomach the job of sovereign ruler. No one knew the full toll it had taken on his development, but statements such as these were a window into the depths.

Jem needed to collect his anger before returning to the room.

"Very well. You two fucking weaklings can go cry yourselves to sleep. Stay in your room tomorrow until I call for you. You're not to see Rayth."

Isabella almost couldn't believe her ears. He was sentencing her? He was too angry for reason, and she thought it best to comply, especially for Benny's sake. "Yes Sir," she tried nobly. "Thank you, and I'm sorry for what I did...I shouldn't have interrupted. Shall I go collect Benito or will you send him out?"

Jem turned his back to walk in the room, and didn't answer her. After standing in the hallway a few moments, Benito crept out of the room. As soon as the door shut, he ran to Isabella, and she fell to her knees to catch his small body in a hug. They held one another and cried and cried. Eventually, Isabella picked him up, and carried him to her own bedroom. She didn't want him to be alone that night. Down the hallway, the sound of struck flesh preceded another blood curdling scream.

*********

Rayth walked into his dark room and waited for his eyes to adjust. He looked around and wondered, I wonder if Alenya is alright?

Pulling his clothes off, he didn't bother lighting the room; he just wanted to crawl into his bed. Pulling back the covers and climbing in, he nearly panicked when he felt something warm and hard move against his legs.

He peeked down in to see Alenya smiling up at him before she whispered, "Welcome home, Master!"

Rayth laughed as he saw what his clever girl had done: after she lay in his bed, she built pillows around her, making the bed surface even, then draping heavy blankets to make the bed appear smooth and unused.

He threw the pillows off the bed, scooped her up, and collapsed onto his own pillows with her. Pressing a kiss to her forehead and smiling, he said, "I'm glad to see you made it."

*********

The tear-stained face of the spy looked up at Navin, who was standing over her kneeling frame. "Be nice to her, now" he told himself. He had her alone in his bedroom.

"I'm impressed, you handled yourself very well out there tonight." He searched her face for a response. "May I offer you some wine, beauty?"

Almost unbelievable, she nodded her head. He poured a glass, and held the bottle in his hand. She took the glass, and gratefully took a sip, hoping it would dull the pain in her back. With the bottle, he poured a bit over her nipples, then sucked the wine off. "Be gentle with her" Navin told himself.

She was still wet, and seemingly becoming more so. Using the opening of the bottle, he swirled it around her clit. "Such a beautiful girl" he murmured to her, and continued sucking on her nipples. He took her glass and set it on the floor, and gently pushed her back on the bed. He kissed all over her body, teasing her openings with his bottle of wine, before setting the bottle on the floor. He plunged his fingers into her cunt and murmured, "So lucky that a little beauty like you ended up here...tell me why..."

He would stroke a confession out of her. *********

The next morning, Rayth was tying on his belt when he noticed a figure was standing in his doorway. Mildly startled, he looked over to see Jem standing in the frame of the door, arms folded. He didn't look happy.

Rayth smiled at him, "Hey Jem, how did the party go last night?"

Jem held his stare at Rayth, not returning the smile. Finally, he said "It went great...right up until the end. An unexpected visitor almost ruined everything."

Rayth's smile dropped quickly, and his mouth went dry. After a moment of looking into Jem's hard eyes, Rayth said, "Isabella showed up, didn't she?"

Jem's eyebrows raised, "Oh, you knew she was going to?"

Rayth looked somewhat worried, "...She said she wanted to say goodnight to you. I had asked her to only check your room, and she promised me she wouldn't compromise...me."

Jem, arms still folded, sauntered into the room, "No, what she almost compromised was the job we were finishing. You know how it's important to maintain positive control? Her compassionate nature was speaking for her for a moment."

"Jem...I'm terribly sorry...I don't know, should I have stayed with her in her room until you were finished?"

"Do what I ask of you, regardless of how you get it done."

"Yes, Sir...I'm sorry Jem."

Jem smiled when Rayth called him "Sir." Rayth hadn't done that since the military academy. Somehow, this broke the ice.

"The strategy worked well. The spy warmed up to Navin, and I'm sure he spent the night pulling a confession out of her with each stroke of his cock. Speaking of fucking...where's Alenya? Haven't seen her since yesterday?"

Rayth thought "there's a reason for that" before telling Jem, "She's with Isabella...they're getting ready for your engagement party."

"So who are you planning to take? I know a certain general's daughter who practically begged me to throw you to her."

Rayth grinned, "Actually ...I want to take Alenya."

"What, to hold your drinks?"

"No...with the right dress and a little social help, she could accompany me as any lady would."

Jem didn't know whether to laugh or smack Rayth. He truly felt like doing both. "...you're serious, aren't you, you fuck?"

"I don't want to be bored. I can't watch you be happy with a wonderful girl, and have some leech attached to me, saying boring shit, showing off to all her friends, and sucking the life right out of me. At least with Alenya, I know I'll have a good time..." he laughed, "...because I could tie her to a whipping post afterwards if she doesn't keep me happy." He wasn't at all serious about the last part, but knew it would appeal to Jem.

Jem twisted his face in thought...

"One condition, Rayth: Make sure not a single person knows she's a slave...fuck, I couldn't handle that kind of diversion"

"Isabella said the same thing. She agreed to make Alenya presentable in time."

Jem perked up, and his heart went out for Isabella. He momentarily forgot he was angry with her and said, "...did Isabella have a good time out with you last night?"

*********

Isabella had Alenya stand, but Alenya wouldn't raise her head. Isabella belonged with Jem, and that made Alenya fearful. Isabella knew she had to make Alenya comfortable.

"Alenya," Isabella said warmly, "if you're going to be Rayth's date, you have to get used to looking at and speaking with royalty and nobility."

Alenya almost had tears in her eyes, "Yes, Madam Princess...I just didn't know that Rayth..." she stopped dead. She had just spoken her Master's name, a crime for a slave. Her eyes closed, then looked at Princess Isabella to see how severely she would be punished.

Isabella gave her a hug and smiled, "Well, at least you're looking at me now. And don't worry, you may use Rayth's name around me. You'll have to use it at the party as well. Do NOT call him 'Master' while you're there. 'Lord Rayth' or 'my Lord' will be just fine."

Alenya smiled shyly. The Princess was so kind to her!

Isabella moved around her to correct her posture, pulling Alenya's shoulders back, lifting her chin. To make small talk, Isabella asked, "Are you excited to be going with Rayth?"

Alenya bent her head again, which Isabella corrected. "Well, Princess..." Alenya smiled, "I'm very frightened to go to the party...but very happy that..." she had trouble saying his name, "...that...Rayth...asked me to go with him."

Isabella winked at Alenya, "Rayth's devilishly good-looking, isn't he?"

Alenya's eyes sparkled, "Madam Princess, I about faint every time he speaks to me."

Isabella laughed, "Don't tell my Prince, but me too!"

Alenya laughed as well, and felt encouraged, "Lord Rayth makes me very happy. Even if he is in a higher status than I am."

Isabella sighed, "Alenya, I know the feeling." Isabella didn't have many people to talk to, except Jem's family. She was enjoying this opportunity. "Sometimes," she continued, "I think in some ways I have my own slavery to Jem. He loves me, we have so much fun together, and he buys me anything I want, but then, nothing I have is my own. Everything I do is in a way by his permission...if he chose to take it all away, that's his discretion."

"Madam Princess, may I tell you something?"

"Of course, Alenya! We must learn to speak freely to one another; it will be expected at the party," Isabella winked.

"Princess, I've been at the palace a long time. Your Prince has always frightened me, and he terrifies most people except his family, my Master, and the guards. But with you, Princess...he's always happy and smiling. He's in a better mood, all the time. You bring out the best in him, Princess, and everyone, even we slaves, see it. It makes some of the girls who like him jealous; they wish they were you! But they couldn't have been. He's never cared for anyone like he cares for you."

Isabella smiled as Alenya spoke, and hugged her when she finished. "Thank you for telling me that...I just hope I didn't spoil his affections be my actions last night..."

*********

Navin found Prince Jaimeth and Lord Rayth still talking in Rayth's room. "Sirs!" Navin said, running in, "Problem...that Espinan spy spilled her guts; I had her tell me the information several times, and her story's the same every time, I think she's telling the truth."

Rayth had never seen Navin so upset before, and instantly was concerned. "What's wrong?"

"The information she had was for an assassination attempt on the Queen...and on you, Jem. The Espinan's have their elite small-team forces camped about 15 miles from here. They were waiting for her information to infiltrate the palace and Prince's Hall. My Prince, the idea is with you gone, the monarchy fails; no one else would be ready to assume sovereign rule."

Jem looked stunned, "Nav, do you think the information they had would get passed our security?"

"I don't know, Sir, the security is pretty tight; I oversee it myself, but I don't even like the sound of an attempt on your life, Sir."

"...me neither. Where the hell is this camp?"

The men moved quickly to the planning rooms to look over the maps, and Navin pointed, "That's the grid coordinate that she gave me."

"The closest outpost we have, here," Rayth pointed, "is equipped enough to handle a battalion-sized unit."

"That should be sufficient. The Espinan's elite teams are camped, but they're small teams. Sheer size should over-power them."

"Just the same," said Jem, "I want it tactically impressive. Don't underestimate the small teams. Surround them first, give them no outlet, then push inward."

Rayth knelt, "With permission Jem, I'll oversee the mission."

Jem slapped Rayth once hard on the back: "Go."

*********

Lillian, Jem's oldest sister, looked worried as Jem spoke to her.

"Lillian, I want you to take Sonia and Benito to Lord Rayth's castle in the south. Since he's here all the time and never uses it, you are to make yourselves at home there with his family."

"Jem, I just don't understand, if you're safe here, why aren't we?"

Jem looked sad for a minute. "Rayth has conquered and captured the potential assassins. He's bringing them back here to the dungeons for interrogation tomorrow. Just in case anything goes wrong...if they break out, or escape or something..." Jem looked at her, hoping she'd understand.

She hugged her younger brother tightly. "Oh Jem, nothing is going to happen to you." She let go of him and smiled, "I've seen you practice with your blade, and I know you. If ever last guard failed you, you'd take care of yourself."

"...But I'm worried about you guys. If anything happened to any of you..." he trailed off. "You three are my life. If anything happens to you, my life's over."

Lillian knew she would agree to Jem's request, and go to Rayth's castle. "Can we at least come back for the engagement party?"

Jem's eyes turned cold. "There will be no engagement party. I'll be damned if any member of Espinan's royal family set foot on my soil."

"That's already happened, Jem: your Princess."

Jem looked off. "Don't remind me."

*********

As Jem looked through the bars at the captured assassins, something inside him turned as cold as the dungeon walls. Why would the Espinans want to kill him? Over land? Over their debt? Pangain had been a responsible neighbor; they didn't want to hurt/intimidate Espinan. Why did they have to start this war?

Jem was quickly tiring of everything to do with Espinan.

And tiring of any challenge to him or his family.

Jem said quietly to Rayth, "clean one of them up, and bring them upstairs. Divide and conquer, I'll break one at a time."

"Yes Sir," said Rayth.

As Jem turned to walk back up the stairs, he said over his shoulder, "When that's done, get my military council together. Time for the armies to strike."

*********

Sonia ran through the halls of Lord Rayth's castle happily. "Come on, Benny! Rayth told me he had a room full of toys just for us!"

Benito was struggling to keep up with his sister, but he was happy too. Lillian walked with Navin, who had escorted the family to the castle. "How do you think Jem will be?"

Navin's felt a range of emotion. "Security-wise, he's going to be excellent, my Princess. He's personally a brilliant general, and has the world's best military and guard at his disposal. Personally...I wish the three of you would stay at Prince's Hall with him."

"Why's that?" Lillian asked. She agreed, but wanted to hear Navin's thoughts.

"Forgive me if I offend your family, but Prince Jaimeth is starting to take a mental downward turn. Negative, pessimistic, suspicious...I'm worried. Forgive me, Princess...but this is exactly how your father became before he went off the deep end and your grandmother promised the throne to Jem. I don't know...I just think it would help if you would still be around to help him through the oncoming war. War always brings out the worst in people."

Lillian put her hand on Navin's arm to stop him and look at his face. The corners of her mouth turned in a faint smile. "I trust you to protect my brother...even if that means protecting him from himself."

Navin nodded. "Let's also inspect the grounds for you, Sonia, and Benito. I'm concerned about your protection here, too."

*********

Isabella came to Rayth's room, looking for Alenya. While the status difference was striking, Isabella considered Alenya an immediate friend who could understand her feelings; Isabella and Jem shared as dynamic a relationship as Alenya and Rayth. Alenya was carrying fresh linen's to Rayth's bed, and through a cracked voice Isabella asked, "Please...talk to me while I help you with that?"

Alenya set the sheets down and spun to look at the Princess's tear-stained face in shock, unsure of what to do. "Madam Princess?" She fumbled for what to say, "W... what's wrong that I might help you with?"

Isabella broke down into sobs as Alenya rushed to hug her. "It's Jem...he won't let me near him, he won't let me speak with him...I don't know what's wrong or what to do!" she cried.

Lord Rayth stepped into the room to find his slave and the Princess on the floor, and didn't know who his heart went out to more. He was only supposed to come back to his room temporarily to get his whip then return to the dungeon, but Alenya looked up at him, her eyes pleading for help. Rayth approached the two, and crouched down to hug the Princess.

"Madam," he murmured, "are you alright?"