Fourth Vector Ch. 07

"Hera would say the same thing," said Elektra while wiping her cheek of tears. "She was heartbroken. I don't think she came out of her room once for a whole week. Not even father could comfort her. She was locked away in his family's house and of course, that was the one that took the direct hit during the assault on our city."

Nikias nodded, remembering the look of despair on the king's face as he clutched his lifeless daughter in his arms, wailing to the heavens at her passing.

Elektra sniffled again. "I guess it's a good thing that she's gone too. She can rejoin him in the afterlife. It would've been torture for her to survive the conflict and for him not to. I don't know if she would've ever lived that one down. She was infatuated with him."

"Perhaps a blessing in disguise," agreed Nikias.

Elektra made a sour face. "And now father will want me to be betrothed here soon as well. And I can't stand the very thought!"

Nikias sat up noticeably straighter and cast his eyes on the lovely redhead. Even the look of annoyance on her face did nothing to take from her beauty. For him, there was no more striking sight in the entire world than the vision of the princess in front of him while the fire danced in her eyes.

"Do you have any idea who your father will choose?" he asked awkwardly. "As a suitor, I mean?"

Elektra shrugged. "I have no idea. I doubt I'll be as lucky as Hera to get a love match. With how few of us that are left, I'll probably have to pick between two toothless old nobles."

Nikias smiled at that thought, and once she noticed the look on his face, she began to giggle as well. "It's true, Nikias! Don't laugh at my misfortune!"

"I'm not laughing at you, I swear," he said while holding up his hands. "I'm just surprised that you don't get a larger say on who you'll marry. If you ask me, that should be of paramount importance that you get to decide which man you'd like to call your husband someday."

Elektra blew a strand of stray hair out of her face. "Such things are above my station apparently. Some things only the king gets to decide. It seems even as a princess, I have to follow more orders than I get to issue."

Nikias cleared his throat to ask the question that was burning in his mind. "If you were given the choice, who would you pick? For a husband, that is?"

She swept her gaze over and locked eyes with him. Elektra didn't speak for several moments as she processed his words, but Nikias was afraid she'd be able to see right through the question at his real intent for asking. His heart seized in his chest as he awaited her answer.

"I don't know," she said finally with shaky words. "Someone kind. Someone wise. Someone who would love me and whom I could love as well. Someone not hard on the eyes either—he must be handsome, after all."

She ended that last part with a smirk, enough to make Nikias begin to chuckle. "We can't forget handsome now. That should have been the first requirement."

She giggled and looked back at him before assuming a more hopeless look. "I know there's not many who will match that description of my father's nobles, especially the ones that survived the war. Frankly, it doesn't make me any more likely to want marriage, at least any time soon." Elektra let out a long sigh. "Perhaps I'm just going to be unhappy no matter what."

"Or perhaps you just need to find the right man," said Nikias quietly.

She locked eyes on him again, her gaze questioning his words. "Do you know of someone who would marry me? Who I could want as well."

Now or never, thought Nikias.

"I don't know of any man who would turn down someone as incredibly beautiful, or as resourceful, or as captivating as you, Elektra," answered Nikias bravely.

She turned her head away quickly and cleared her throat while staring back into the fire. "You shouldn't say such things with my father nearby. Who knows what might happen if he heard you say that."

"He already has," said Nikias, remembering an early conversation with Jack.

Her head spun around to lock on him. "And? What did he say?"

He took a deep breath. "He didn't say no."

Elektra huffed. "Because he knew he didn't have to. That could never happen. We're of two different classes. You're not a noble, and I can only marry one of noble blood. It's Sorellan custom."

Nikias leaned away from her. "So it's a no then?"

"It's not a no. It's just that it can't happen."

"So you don't want it to happen?"

"I didn't say that."

"What are you saying then?"

Elektra took a deep breath. "That it doesn't matter how we feel about it. The laws won't take into account feelings, only cold, hard reality."

"We feel?" asked Nikias with a hopeful tone. "How do you feel about it, Elektra?"

Her face turned away from him. It was enough to make him hop off the log and approach her from the other side. In the darkness of the night, only the fire danced in the reflection from her eyes, but he could clearly see something else underneath.

"What would you want me to say?" she whispered.

"The truth. Just tell me the truth."

Elektra muttered something quickly and inaudibly under her breath.

"You're going to have to say that louder."

"I wouldn't be opposed to it," she said in a clearer voice.

"You wouldn't?"

Elektra met his gaze. "No."

"So I meet the handsome requirements?" he asked with a grin.

She rolled her eyes at him. "If you think I'm going to answer that truthfully, you have another thing coming!"

He could only smile in return. There was something to her words and her actions just now that pointed to something deeper. Something that resembled the way he felt about her. His heart swelled at the possibilities that his feelings for her may not be unrequited after all.

"I've been enamored with you for as long as I can remember," said Nikias while forcing her to look at him. "Your grace and your beauty and the way you carry yourself—all of it. There hasn't been a quiet moment in the last few years where you haven't popped into my head."

By saying such a thing so candidly to anyone else, he could have expected to be slapped. But not with Elektra. Her smile only grew wider the longer he kept talking. She was beaming by the time he finished, her blue eyes locked on his.

"I've watched you since I was a teenager," she admitted quietly. "I've always wondered if you would ever notice me. You were so important to my father that I thought you'd never take notice of his young, teenaged daughter."

"You're not a wallflower that could ever be ignored, Elektra. You brighten every room that you enter. There are times when all it took was a single look from you that it was enough to make me forget anything else that was on my mind."

She reached out and caressed his face. His hand quickly covered her own, holding her in place. "I've thought the same about you. But, Nikias, you know this could never be."

The smile dropped from his face. "Why not? We could talk with him about it. I'm sure he could make a special arrangement."

Elektra shook her head. "Laws aren't so easily broken. You know that just as much as I."

"There must be something."

"There's nothing," she said with a tone of finality. She turned her head away from him.

Nikias reached his hand across to her chin and gently pulled her head back in place. When she didn't resist and her eyes once more locked on his, he pressed in for a long, tender kiss. As soon as their lips met, every nerve in his body exploded in euphoria at finally kissing the one woman he had wanted for so long from a distance. When Elektra pressed into his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, he pulled her in tight, his fingers gliding through her red locks.

For those few seconds, he felt total bliss. Having Elektra in his arms and tasting her on his lips was the ultimate dream made reality for him. His only regret was that it ended too soon.

"Are you crazy?" whispered Elektra fiercely as she pulled away from his kiss. "My father is just a few feet away!"

"I don't care," whispered back Nikias. "I would kiss you in front of all of Sorella just so there would be no mistake in how I feel about you."

Despite wanting to feign anger at him, his words couldn't help but solicit a smile from her lips. Nikias pressed in with one more kiss, a deeper lip lock that ended just as quickly as the first.

"We need to be more careful about this," moaned Elektra after separating from his lips. "We can't just let anyone see. At least not until we find out if we could ever make this happen."

"I'll fight for it as long as I have to," promised Nikias. "Whatever I have to do to have you, I'll do it."

"I had no idea you were such a charmer," she said with a grin.

"I had no idea that you felt the same way that I did," he repeated in the same tone.

She caressed his face. "You might have if you paid better attention. Sometimes I felt like a lovesick girl around you. How you never noticed, I'll never understand."

"I'm noticing now, trust me," he added with a smile.

"We need to separate," she said while chewing her lip. "The watch is almost over. Greg will be coming to relieve me at any time."

"That's fine," he said with a nod. "I'll get back to my sleeping bag. Although, I wish you were coming with me."

Elektra brought her finger to her lips and shushed him but the unmistakable look in her eyes told him she approved of the idea as much as he did. With one last kiss, he whispered goodnight against her lips and reluctantly pulled himself away from her.

Settling down in his sleeping bag, Nikias found himself anything but tired. His heart was racing, his eyes were wide open and a smile filled his face. He could still taste the princess on his lips and his mind raced with the possibilities of a future with Elektra. A long time later, long after Greg had taken over the watch, the minister fell asleep in good spirits, delighted at what the future could bring.

*****

Melitos had a tough decision in front of him.

On his left-hand side was the younger woman. Mia was all of twenty years old, and she looked the part as well with smooth, supple skin and young, innocent eyes. What wasn't innocent was her body, with giant, magnificent tits and large nipples that he just wanted to squeeze and pinch all over.

On the other hand, the woman on his right wasn't bad either. Ann was a bit older, just over thirty but still in a damn good shape especially when compared with her younger competition. Ann's body had never seen childbirth, and her figure was just as svelte as it was a decade ago. Not to mention, her ass had enough plump to it that it constantly invited Melito's hands every time she was nearby.

It was the same decision he faced most nights with the whores. Usually age won out but not every time—sometimes he preferred the pleasures of experience and wanton desire over young and supple. Tonight though, it was truly a toss-up.

Thankfully, both women were true professionals, having been whoring for long enough that they never took it personal. Especially Ann, since she was usually on the losing end. That's not to say that she didn't know the right words to sway a decision in her favor.

"You can cum in me tonight," said Ann invitingly as her fingers trailed delicately up her smooth leg. "It should be quite safe tonight if you wanted to unload your seed in me."

Melitos pursed his lips and considered her offer. It wasn't often he could cum inside the whores, not wanting to knock them up. But it was an added treat when it was on the menu and tonight appeared to be swaying in Ann's favor.

Not to be undone, Mia cleared her throat to get his attention. "You can have my ass tonight, if you want. And you can always cum in that, no problem. What do you say to that, Melitos?"

Melitos waffled again and now considered the younger woman and her offer. Her ass was tight, much tighter than either of their loose snatches, and now that he could cum inside both women, the offer of her ass seemed to be the better choice.

It wasn't often in his life that he had the choice between two different whores fighting over him, but then again it was only recently that he had the extra coin to pay them for the satisfaction. Most of his life was spent in the nontraditional manner, and there wasn't a trade or job that Melitos hadn't tried. Being a fisherman sucked the most, and he was clearly not cut out for the traditional Sorellan job of most of the coastal villages.

Farming was for the useless, and he'd sooner swallow his own musket than to spend another day planting in the fields like the rest of the peasants. Bricklaying, trading, and mining were equally just as bad, so as a last resort, he figured he'd give soldiering a shot, signing up to be in one of King Daimanos' regiments. After all, he never minded killing.

That is, as long as it was him doing the killing and someone else doing the dying. It seemed that in the end, Daimanos was as good at soldiering as he was at being a king, and when his armies began to disintegrate, Melitos found himself once again without a job. And that's how he turned to thievery.

"Melitos, we've gotten another one," said a voice from just outside his tent.

Melitos turned away from both the girls, scowling at the temporary disruption of his impending pleasure and opened the flap to his tent. Outside stood Baxos, one of the men who'd been under his employ for the longest. He had picked Baxos up on his third robbery in the countryside, the man having been the bodyguard assigned to protect Melitos' intended target. Of course, it was only for the pay and not for any feelings of protection to his employer. Once Melitos had robbed them blind of all their possessions, Baxos chased after the man and asked if he could join forces with him. Together, it was the start of their merry band of thieves.

A band that had grown now to eight men, a good number for the tough land of the interior of Sorella. With the current political climate being what it was, and the number of old soldiers still crisscrossing the island in search of food, coin, or women, eight was a good number to have and still be a nimble but deadly force to take advantage of those who came through without protection.

And it seems, so many tried to cross his lands unarmed or unprepared. To that, Melitos had to only shrug, figuring that it was the law of nature that the weak had to submit to the strong. If he was stronger than them, it was only natural that he took their money and food, and sometimes their pretty women. Besides, it's not like he killed them. Unless they struggled too much, of course.

"What did you get tonight, Baxos?" asked Melitos to his second-in-command.

"A small wagon, two men and one woman," answered the man while peering into his tent to look at the two whores. "They resisted, unfortunately for them."

"What did you get from them?"

Baxos grinned. "Besides their lives? Their entire food rations and about fifty silver coins."

Melitos nodded respectfully. "That's not a bad haul."

"I'll add it to the coffers," said Baxos.

"Add it, and then prepare to go out again. I've heard news from the nearby villages."

"What news is that?" asked Baxos.

"There's another group coming. A small group comprised of an old man and a young woman."

If possible, the smile on Baxos face grew larger. "I like the sound of that. Where are they?"

"Just to the southeast of us, if my source from the nearby village can be trusted."

Baxos nodded. "I'll send my men out immediately. We should be able to catch them near dawn."

"Take some of Vito's group with you. I've heard news that the king is nearby," said Melitos.

Baxos gave him a confused look. "I thought Daimanos was dead?"

"Not that king, you idiot," huffed Melitos. "The real king. Heron."

"Heron? What is he doing on this side of the island?"

"Nothing to our benefit, I can assure you. I want you to keep an eye out for his party. I hear he's traveling with six people. Four men and two women."

"What are we to do if we encounter them?" asked Baxos.

"Why, you are to do what you do best," said Melitos with a cunning grin.

Baxos took a step back. "You want us to attack the king as well?" he whispered.

"Yes! Must I repeat myself?" snapped Melitos. "It's not me that's ordering this. Word just reached me from Barak. He's the one giving the order."

Baxos relaxed noticeably at hearing the name of their paymaster. "I didn't realize that. We'll keep an eye out for that party as well and attack them when in sight."

"Good," said Melitos while rubbing his hands together. "Cheer up, Baxos. Who knows what kind of treasures a king might have on him. We may be able to quit this all together with that kind of fortune."

"If they don't kill us first," muttered Baxos under his breath.

The other man's words brought an enraged look to Melitos' face. He held back from chastising the deputy in favor of some restraint. "Just get going! I won't miss out on any bounties or orders from Barak because you spent too much time questioning orders!"

Baxos nodded quickly, and with one more glance at the whores, he turned heel toward the rest of his group.

Once he was gone, Melitos let the flap to his tent fall and retraced the steps back to Ann and Mia who were still waiting patiently for his reappearance. Both women looked eager for him to make his decision, with each thrusting their chest out in an effort to catch his attention over her rival. Melitos had no more patience for indecision, and with a snap of his fingers, he called out the name of tonight's winner.

"Mia, get over here and get on all fours," he said quickly. He watched as her face slipped into a satisfied smirk before bounding over to the space in front of him and quickly assuming the position with her ass in the air. Mia grabbed her tunic and raised it over her hips, and Melitos watched as her pussy came into view, as well as her tightly-puckered asshole.

"Ann, stay here and watch. I'd like to have an audience," said Melitos with another snap of his fingers.

The older woman approached the both of them and plopped herself down right next them, close enough to touch. Melitos gripped Mia's ass with both cheeks, and a quick swab of her asshole told him he'd need some lube to get into the tight hole tonight.

"Ann, you can be of some use tonight," he said while waving his cock in front of her face. "Do me the honors."

Her eyes flickered down to his cock held between his dirty fingers. She gripped it with one hand, and wasting no time, she started to suck on the tip of his unit.

"That's it, woman," said Melitos. "Use all your skill. Really get me wet and slippery."

She took to his command easily enough, and within a few moments, she was sliding all the way down his shaft with an audible slurping sound. Beads of saliva were slipping from the corners of her mouth as she sought to coat him thoroughly. At one point, her nose buried into his pubic hair as she sought to take as much of him down her throat as she could handle.

Once he was satisfied with the wetness, and as he watched the swaying of Mia's ass due to impatience, he pulled it from Ann's mouth with an audible pop. "That'll do, Ann. What a lovely job," he complimented the whore.

Without any more words, he pushed the fat, purple knob against the younger girl's asshole and began to push. Mia let out a small whimper but if it was due to pain or pleasure, Melitos never found out. The spongy resistance of her asshole pushed back at him, and he found himself having to push harder until he finally slipped past the outer ring of her ass.

"Argh," groaned Mia as the tip slipped into her hot asshole.

Melitos moaned in approval at the sheer heat on his cock and began to feed more of himself inside the young whore. He kept Mia's hips in place to prevent her from squirming away as more of his shaft pierced her tight, narrow channel.