Fourth Vector Ch. 28

"Two years, like you said," confirmed Gaius. "Food has never been of much importance to the Swabians. They import what they need to feed their soldiers here. We never get any of that food, except when it affects the mining operations. They learned a long time ago that hungry men don't make great miners. So they spare only what it takes to keep the Nax in their mines and nothing more."

"I'd heard that they took slaves as well," said Jack. "They took the Nax back to Swabia as slaves—fruits of their conquest."

"I've heard that as well," said Gaius. "Although I've had trouble confirming it. I can't tell how many people are left from this cell too easily, beyond this mine of course which is always running at full capacity. It wouldn't surprise me if they did that too. Nax are good workers. Besides, it might be better for them to go to Swabia anyway. It would be a better life there even as slaves compared to staying here."

"A bold thing to admit," said Jack. "Better off as slaves than they are in their own homeland."

"Better off than here," said Gaius. "I'd rather they be slaves than starving beggars. One of those is only marginally better than the other."

Jack nodded, knowing the Nax king to have spoken truthfully. It was a hard thing for anyone to admit, but it was an admission borne out of practicality. As long as the Nax were well-treated as slaves, they would survive.

Survivors had the hope of rebuilding the future.

"How did it all come to this?" asked Jack after a few moments of silence. "Why did the Swabians desire Naxos so badly? From the sounds of it, the wealth has always been here. So why now?"

Gaius let out a low sigh. "I've long wondered that. What made them attack us now of all times? Naxos has been independent since the dawn of time. We had no major allies, and we didn't take part in the major wars against the Swabians across the centuries. The Nax were content to live on their island in peace and obscurity. So what made them a target now of all times?"

"It would seem the aggression of the Swabians knows no boundaries right now," said Jack. "Myself personally, I've fought them in Sorella, Andalucia, and Picardy."

Gaius raised an eyebrow. "There's a story there somewhere. I'd much like to hear it."

"It looks like we'll have all night," said Jack. "So you'll get your turn, I promise you. But back to the question. Do you know why now?"

Gaius shook his head. "My thoughts are that this time in history is a relatively unique one. There is only one major power in the West, one that has the forces to subjugate the rest of the countries in this part of the world. Any student of history can tell you that the last two millennia have been divided up between two opposing sides doing battle over and over again."

"Galicia and Swabia," guessed Jack.

Gaius pointed his finger at him. "You're right, Jack. The rivalry between those two countries spilled over into war more times than anyone can count. But in that rivalry, the balance of the rest of the West was contained. No one side was able to get too strong. Even as the Swabians began to get powerful, the Galicians assembled an even more powerful alliance to counter them. In all of those wars and history, the country of Naxos was born."

"We are an offshoot of the Apulians," started Gaius before casting an eye at Jack. "Did you know that?"

Jack shook his head. "My history of this part of the world is a bit limited. I'm afraid I don't know too many Apulians to know better. And you're the first Nax that I've met."

"We are Apulian ethnically," said Gaius. "Many of the old families of Naxos can trace their heritage back to the early days of Marmora, the capital city of Apulia. Of course, that was before the Split."

"What's that? The Split?"

"The conflict that led to the migration to Naxos," said Gaius. "That was when the separatist Apulians left the country. The argument was the monarchy."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Who didn't want the monarchy anymore?"

"Most of the Apulians," answered Gaius. "To this day, Apulia is a republic. Back then, there was some considerable tension about the kings. Many of the people thought them too spoiled and that they didn't do much to lead the country. As you can imagine, tensions started to grow. I think the only thing that stopped it from becoming a full-fledged civil war was the situation with our numbers."

"What do you mean by that?"

"We were too few," said Gaius with a sad smile. "Those that eventually became the Nax were a small minority of Apulians who wanted to keep the monarchy. They knew they would lose any war against the rest of the country and so they decided to separate peacefully. At the time, Naxos was barely settled. It was a virgin island just to the southeast of Apulia. It was determined that those that were unhappy could take their king and go to Naxos. And that's exactly what we did. The rest of Apulia were all too happy to see us go. After all, it was averting a war so they helped us. They provided us with supplies and food to make the journey. They donated the ships for us to settle in Naxos. The very first settlers came ashore here, in Millpond, establishing the first settlement that would eventually become the capital."

"That's quite a unique story," said Jack. "You don't hear that too much of a potential conflict being settled without bloodshed."

Gaius nodded. "When the Split was complete, all the ill will and bad feelings between the Nax and the Apulians virtually disappeared. We were more than content with the lines of kings, who include all of my ancestors I might add. The Apulians were content with their republic. We established close relations as far as trade went although our foreign policy remained vastly different than theirs. They were more open to the world whereas we were not. Naxos is too small to be a player on the world's stage. But in having that kinship with the Apulians, we had protection."

"You had a large power that would watch out for their cousins in Naxos," said Jack.

"Correct again, Jack," said Gaius with a small chuckle. "Apulia was our protector on the world's stage. And as long as Apulia was allied with Galicia, we could be free of Swabian influence."

"So when the Galicians turned inward after the kings died, that put Naxos down the long road that led to the Swabian intervention."

"It's what I believe, Jack," said Gaius. "Of course, the disbandment of the Apulian army had a lot to do with it too, I suppose. The two traditional bulwarks of Naxos virtually disappeared. So when the Swabians started getting aggressive about two centuries ago, it was only a matter of time. Frankly, I'm surprised they held themselves back this long. We all know how the Swabians are with their aggression. The fact that it took them two hundred years to make a move against Naxos is an exercise in restraint. But even still, the storm eventually came, and we were swept away with the tide."

As if to emphasize his point, Gaius swept his arm across his body and turned back out to face the mines.

"So much in this world depended on the Galicians being the counterweight to the Swabians," muttered Jack quietly under his breath.

Gaius heard him. "So when they failed at their duties, it put the rest of us at risk. And now here we are. I'm imprisoned while my children are worked to death. And maybe soon I will be put to death too." he shared a solemn look with Jack. "As you will be too, my friend. I'm sure that death can only be awaiting you since you share the same cell as I do."

Jack put his hand on the older man's shoulder. "We're still alive, aren't we? Where there's life, there's hope."

"I'm afraid my existence here has quite put that maxim to rest," said Gaius with miserable eyes. "I have nothing left to hope for, Jack. And if you were smart, you'd abandon it as well."

*****

"Is there anything else you require, sir? Perhaps another drink?"

Adalbert took a deep sigh of pleasure as he nodded his head and pushed his nearly empty glass of Apulian wine into the servant girl's hands. She took it eagerly and turned on her heels, presenting her voluptuous figure to his leering eyes. Unlike the rest of the Nax in the city, this girl wasn't nearly as thin. She was full-figured and tight in all the right places, befitting of her status as one of the whores for the city's mining operation, which was completely run by the Swabian garrison.

The whore, who Adalbert later learned was named Gianna, returned with a full glass of wine moments later.

"Your wine, sir," she said, placing the glass back into his hands.

"Wonderful, now please don't dither," said Adalbert as he snapped the fingers of his free hand. "Join your friend."

Gianna nodded and wordlessly fell to her knees as she crawled between his legs. It was a tight fit to get into position, mostly because her friend was already trying to deepthroat Adalbert's cock.

Adalbert let out another sigh of approval as Gianna began to tongue his balls, reaching the only part of his manhood that she had access to. It was quite the pleasurable sensation to have two girls working him at one time.

"I really could get used to this kind of treatment," he muttered to himself.

It was a total change from the last reception he had at the hands of his own countrymen. Back then, his cousin had promised to kill him if he failed one more time.

There was a swift knock at the door. Head Mining Director Gerhard stuck his head in the door, and finding Adalbert suitably occupied, he managed a slavish smile.

"Is everything as you require it, sir?" asked the director.

Adalbert let out a low hiss as the other whore turned on a deeper suction. "It was going great until you interrupted me. Get out!"

The director nodded his head and closed the door, letting Adalbert feast his attention on the scene between his legs. It was an experience that he thought might never happen again. Sure, he was used to Darcy's attentions back in Picardy, but she was only one woman and a mouthy one at that. He regretted having to kill her, but when she stabbed Easterbrook with that knife, she could have killed his ticket to freedom. That was one stupid act that couldn't remain unpunished.

But now? He was enjoying the premier talents of two of the best whores in Naxos. The way Gianna gently hummed on his balls while the other one worked his shaft with extreme suction was on a level of its own. And to think, his fortunes changed almost as soon as he landed in Naxos.

After he left Easterbrook to be deposited in the basement prison, Adalbert entered into the main building of the civilian mining operation to report in. That's when he was informed that his earlier dispatch to his cousin had been received, and he already had a small pile of gold from the emperor waiting for him. What was even better was that the emperor had told Director Gerhard, the highest-ranking civilian in the entire city, that Adalbert was to receive the royal treatment as long as Easterbrook was in his custody.

That unleashed the nonstop orgy that he'd taken part in over the last half day. Of the thirty whores registered to the company, Adalbert had fucked the five hottest of them. He'd even double penetrated one of the whores—one of the girls used a strap-on phallus to perform the opposing act while he took the whore's ass.

Frankly, he'd been surprised by how many times he'd achieved orgasm since earlier this morning. His normal refractory time was usually twenty-four hours, especially when it was with Darcy and that particularly loose pussy that she had. But these whores were premium quality. They were as tight as a whistle. And he'd enjoyed depositing heavy loads into their bodies nearly the entire day.

At some point though, the nonstop fucking had to come to an end. He was just worn out from it. That was when he made most of the whores go away, all except for Gianna and her friend here. They were to service him orally while he enjoyed a fine Apulian wine and reminisced on such a fine day.

Adalbert was hopeful this wouldn't be a one-time event. Surely the reward from his cousin would be considerable when he arrived in Dagobern and deposited his main rival at his feet. If that was to be the case, Adalbert wanted legions of whores—an entire harem—to be delivered to him. And he wouldn't only want Swabian girls or any Nax slaves that he could find. He wanted variety.

He wanted to take the ass of a dark-haired Sorellan girl. He wanted to get blown by a pair of Apulian twins. He wanted to get rimmed by a pouty-lipped Swabian that looked like Magda. He wouldn't mind another Picard girl, as long as she was prettier than Darcy. Hell, he even would have taken a Galician bitch, if only for the humiliation he would inflict upon her sexually. His appetites and wishes were compounding by the hour, such was the state of his changed fortunes.

For now though, the girls were starting to once again bring him to the cusp of orgasm. What would this be for today? The fifth or sixth time he'd came? Adalbert had long lost track. He glanced down at the girls to see that Gianna had now gotten in on the action, and both of them were sliding their mouths along one side of his shaft. They were focusing eye contact on him too, intense at first but with the silent request to cover them in his cum.

To that, he was only too happy to oblige. Adalbert winced as the orgasm came and a paltry few drops escaped his cock to wind up on the cheek of Gianna. He was so burned out from all the activity today that he was surprised he managed a few drops at all.

The show didn't end there yet. The other whore turned her affections toward Gianna, making long, delicate licks of the woman's cheek and swallowing what was left of his semen. Once it was down her throat, her lips found Gianna's and they continued to make out in front of him for several minutes before they relaxed.

"How was that, sir? Was that to your liking?" asked Gianna with a sweet smile.

Adalbert wagged his finger. "No, no, no, you remember my rules about talking after I cum."

Gianna made a pouting face. "I'm sorry, sir."

Adalbert began to pat his lap. "You remember the punishment from earlier, don't you? Come up here please."

Gianna rose to her feet swiftly and then leaned over his lap, placing her ass (which was still full of his cum from earlier) directly within reach. Adalbert delivered several crisp smacks to her bottom, the last of which made Gianna yelp because of the intensity.

"Do I need to remind you again of the rules?" asked Adalbert softly.

Gianna didn't speak. Instead, she just shook her head in reply.

"Good," said Adalbert as he took another sip of wine.

Can life get any better?

*****

Things weren't nearly so joyous on the other side of the ocean. In fact, the mood in Belfort that morning was somber.

Everywhere one looked, there was blackness. The halls of the great palace were dark. They were quiet too, with no one wanting to be near the scene of the crime. The city was nearly silent that morning. Bells rang out at one point but ceased after the perfunctory ringing. Great black drapes were placed over the outer facades of several public buildings.

Belfort was the city of the dead, and today alone, it matched the emperor's mood.

Ordinarily, Emperor Charles IX had a hard time seeing eye to eye with his only son, the former Crown Prince George. The two men were almost too alike. While for some, that might have made for a long lasting paternal relationship, but with George and Charles, it meant the two butted heads far too often. George was slovenly, perverted, and lazy. Frankly, he reminded Charles way too much of himself at that age. He'd grown out of some of the more damaging behaviors, but George showed every indication of becoming the same kind of man that Charles was.

That is, when he was still alive.

It was the second morning since George had been found dead in his royal chambers, the life having left his fat face in the middle of the night. The servants were the ones who originally found him, a pair that consisted of an older man and a younger, more rotund woman. If they could be believed, there was nothing more to the story. The crown prince's heart had given out over the night without a suggestion of fowl play.

While it was certainly believable in some aspects (George was heavily overweight and no doubt suffered from heart problems), Charles had a hard time believing this story. For one, he'd seen his son's dead body when it had been taken in for the autopsy. George's face was slightly bluish in tint, something that to him would seem to suggest a forcible cessation of air intake. George also didn't have a shortage of enemies either, due to his flamboyant behavior that could and often did stretch over the boundary of cruelty.

Chief amongst those enemies was the fleet admiral of the Javan navy, Percival Bancroft. There was no love lost between those two men. Bancroft was the stuffy perfectionist and frequently ran into problems with the more laid-back and lazy crown prince. Those had come to a head recently when the two men had a meeting last week when George had taunted the admiral, even forcing him to snap back in frustration.

That was why Bancroft was high on Charles' list of suspects for the foul deed. The only struggle here was what could Bancroft hope to gain from George's death? Sure, George was a pest but he interfered very little in the affairs of running the navy since he was more concerned with the army. Bancroft would also know that his complicity in such an affair would be a swift death sentence, so would it really be worthwhile to strike such a blow?

At the current time, there was nothing he could pin on Bancroft even if the man had his suspicions. Charles suspected that even if Bancroft was involved, he would have gone to great lengths to cover his tracks, making the uncovering of such an operation difficult indeed. Even still, Charles' suspicions wouldn't go away any time soon. He resolved to keep a close eye on Bancroft from that moment forward.

For if he was so bold as to kill his son, what would stop him from doing something else just as dastardly?

These were the questions that Charles pondered that morning as they prepared for his son's funeral. The crown prince would receive a funeral befitting of his status—a worthy sendoff for a Javan crown prince. Of course, there would be some delay in setting up the event. The first thing that was needed was a coffin large enough to contain George's hefty frame. One had to be custom-made to contain the dead prince's rolls, and that was but one activity that needed to be attended to before the ceremony could get on in earnest.

For Charles though, the funeral took a secondary importance. His chief concern now would be the state of the succession for his throne. George had been his only son. Charles had a single great-nephew who was somewhat of an idiot—the result of many years of inbreeding taking a heavy toll—but his long established plans to have George succeed him were now thrown in doubt.

He knew the country would be talking more about this than anything George accomplished in his life. It would be vastly more interesting, the debate over who would take the throne next. After all, it wasn't like Charles was a young man. His time left in this world was limited. He would just have to work harder on getting a new heir. Even if that meant taking the grand-nephew under his wing.

Charles walked outside to the main courtyard of the palace where the sky was as dark as he felt inside. Gathered out in the courtyard was a whole host of people. George's entire corps of servants were here, nearly eighty strong. They were a mix of all Javans—old, young, fat, skinny, men and women. Almost all of them had copulated with each other thanks to George's peculiar perversions. And now, all of them looked petrified.