Grey Eyes, Green Eyes

"And then, Lord?" Darla asked. Her smile seemed quite real.

Aldar's voice was soft but laden with ill-concealed bitterness. "Then you and I will, sooner or later, be alone with him."

Both women smiled now. These smiles were rather less human.

"Now," he said, grim smile turning to a happier one, "How to amuse ourselves until tomorrow?"

Eldrin looked first at Aldar, then at Darla.

"Perhaps, Lord, you might make a suggestion?"

For the first time, Aldar thought, the sparkle in her eyes was not predatory.  

His eyes examined the youthful forms, lingering here and there. His smile grew as he rose, strode to the four-poster bed.

Heavy embroidered bed curtains to keep out drafts hung from wrist-thick oaken rods running between the tops of the bedposts. Impatiently, his hands pushed the curtains to either end of the bed, exposing the mattress and bedding. He patted the bed with his hand.

"Up."

A pointing finger emphasized the command, then "No, on your feet, facing me. Closer - hold onto the rail."

Obediently, Eldrin and Darla stepped to the very edge of the mattress, upraised hands clutching the upper frame to maintain their balance. Their handhold was high enough to make them stretch just slightly, but even the shorter Darla had no difficulty maintaining a firm grip.

Aldar smiled again and for a second the two women shivered at the momentary and partial emergence of the great lizard, a subtle shift in his facial profile, a brief, baleful gleam in yellow-tinged eyes. Then the dragon had faded and the man returned.

"Good." The women relaxed more at the absence of reptilian tones in his voice. "Stand still."

He raised his arms, let gentle fingers trail up their shins, across knees, along the outside of their thighs, fingers on hips, thumbs tracing softly-padded pelvic ridges.

The two glanced at each other as Aldar leaned forward, softly sniffing their skin as his hands flowed over their forms. A hand clasped each by one buttock, squeezed, caressed, pulled their torsos towards him.

Their glances became more puzzled as the very tip of his tongue flowed over Eldrin, up her inner thighs, bypassing her sex to follow the gentle crease between thigh and groin. Moving to Darla, his tongue traced the same course.

The demons had the notoriously high libido of their kind. They were used to sex, to copulation, but gentleness and foreplay were as foreign to their kind as was the concept of love. Mating was — for both parties — generally akin to consensual rape and evaded being worse only because both sexes were capable of sudden, monstrous violence if pushed too far. Orgasms were normal, but were generally taken, not given, and the act was typically rapid and hurried, something to be completed before the other's own lust and patience faded.

Even after their experiences on the journey, Aldar's gentle caresses left the two perplexed. Still, his hands felt very good as they tenderly slid up shapely legs, stroked slender waists, cupped firm breasts.

His face moved from one girl's sex to the other's as his hands lifted, weighed and mounded their breasts, thumbs circled nipples now taut with their own need. His hands descended, slowly, ever so softly, following their inner thighs before again rising over their stomachs, returning to their breasts, capturing nipples between thumb and forefinger, rolling, toying, stretching.

Darla groaned softly as a long tongue explored her labia, swirled around her pearl. A moment later, Eldrin echoed the moan as Aldar's mouth moved to her. Her hand dropped to his head, but he pulled away, eyes staring up at her.

"Don't let go." The words were low, but full of iron; her hand quickly returned to the rail above her head.

His hands pushed the women's further feet apart, returned to softly fondling their bodies as the man buried his face deeper in Eldrin's sex.

Darla's eyes turned to Eldrin, saw her become flushed, watched her chest rise and fall more and more rapidly, noticed the engorgement of the tall girl's breasts, heard Eldrin gasp softly as a long finger began to explore her depths. And then Aldar had moved to her and Darla's eyes closed at the gale of sensations under Aldar's hand, lips and tongue.

Eldrin shivered as his hand squeezed, swept from one breast to the other, felt the heat within her begin to shine. Her lower lips, swollen now, glistened as she shifted her body. She heard a soft cry, saw Darla writhing where she stood, her head thrown back, eyes closed, mouth half-open in an expression of pure bliss.

Aldar pulled away, grasped the two around their waists, lowered them from the bed to the floor. Two soft, feminine forms molded themselves to his, two faces lifted, two mouths opened as his lips sank first to one, then the other, tongues meshing and playing.

Released by his arms, the two sank to their knees.

Two pairs of hands rose to his cock, tickled behind his great balls. Two tongues swept over his length with broad, lingering strokes. The man ran his hands through their hair, clasped their heads to him.

Eldrin shifted, took his crown into her mouth, began licking and bobbing over it as Darla in her turn carefully sucked a testicle into her mouth and pulled away softly with a low pop  before returning to claim the other.

Eldrin pumped the shaft still outside her mouth, harder now and quicker, soft skin flowing over his length. Her hair rose in a copper nimbus as her head danced over him, cheeks hollow with suction.

Close, very close to his pleasure, the man rose suddenly, lifted the two to their feet and pushed them forward, bellies and breasts against the mattress. He fondled firm bottoms with his palms, squeezed, gave each a slight slap, smiled at the ripples his hand raised in their flesh.

He stepped closer, cock in hand, took aim with one hand and slid forward in one long, smooth motion, burying himself to the hilt in Eldrin's welcoming depths. She gave a soft cry, half-lifted her body off the bed, but fell back as he seized her hips and began to drive into her, his balls against her thighs at each stroke. The girl began to utter a series of high shrieks, her voice growing louder and higher each time Aldar drove home.

Eldrin gave a soft moan of disappointment as he pulled back and slid into Darla. Again he began pounding into her, exultant hardness stretching delighted softness. The girl's buttocks shivered each time his belly slapped against her bottom.

Darla felt her stomach clench, gloried as her pleasure-swollen nipples were dragged over the rich, embroidered silk of the bed cover, then Aldar drove in particularly hard and her world turned to fluttering, iridescent bliss. His hand ran over her back and bottom, fondling, then he was gone, diving back into Eldrin.

Resuming his pounding, he felt his balls slapping against her bottom, felt her inward muscles ripple over him. Eldrin began sobbing in her joy, her hands trying to pull him in deeper, crying out as his cock surged within her, pulsing and jerking with his own breathless release.

Then the two had been lifted, deposited on the bed. Instinctively, they wrapped themselves about his form, their orgasms gradually fading as the night grew darker.

+

The new clothes were delivered late the next afternoon.

Eldrin's and Darla's jaws dropped when they first inspected the ball gowns. Demons they might be, but their female human sides had a strong influence in some areas and luxurious beauty was one of them. Their squeals of delight in turn delighted the old dragon.

The blonde Darla was garbed in a high-waisted, ankle-length gown comprised entirely of pale lace. It had long sleeves, but a deeply-scooped neckline framed her substantial cleavage. Essentially transparent for much of it, the gown stopped just short of being lingerie only because the holes in the lace closed in in some areas, becoming opaque over breasts, buttocks and sex. A harem-style veil of the same lace completed the outfit.

Eldrin's dress was of a fabric Aldar had not seen before, some sort of silver lamé. Sleeveless, with spaghetti straps and a deeply-plunging neckline, it flowed over her body, clung to it like a coat of paint, opening up only at the knees to permit her to walk. A red jeweled domino mask completed the outfit.

In both cases, it was clear that the women wore nothing beneath the gowns; the costumes were as much gift wrap, as much open display, as they were clothing. Even with thousands of years to have grown jaded, Aldar could feel a tension in his groin.

For Eldrin and Darla, this was luxury beyond comprehension. Their hands ran over their bodies, smoothing out every crease, before their eyes flashed up to Aldar's.

"Thank you, Lord!" the two breathed, almost in unison. The happiness in their voices was palpable.

The dragon smiled.

"The seamstresses said they would send a hairdresser," he said. "You will be careful not to mind her touch."

The two nodded, still crowding each other in front of the sole mirror.

"We will dine at the palace, I suspect," he said. "Be careful of the dresses in the meantime."

It was only then that he permitted himself to don his own court gown -- long, made of a dark pearly satin. He tried on the small black domino mask, laid it aside.

There was a knock at the door, the hairdressers.

+

"The landlord will have a carriage for us momentarily," Aldar said, looking at the two. The latest women had not only trimmed and arranged the girls' hair, but had applied some minimal makeup - something even more daring for the time than the dresses. A small bottle of perfume had been produced and applied to their earlobes, wrists and cleavage.

Delighted, Aldar had happily overpaid the hairdressers before ushering them out.

In a reversal of currently-popular elaborate hairstyles, Eldrin's hair had been left long and straight. Caught with a small braid at the angle of her jaw, her lustrous mane flowed like a river over her shoulder and chest, half-concealing her right breast. The combination with her gown shouted of sophistication.

Darla's long locks remained over her back. Two small braids on either side of her head wreathed the rest of her natural blonde curls before melding into one large braid down her back. The arrangement was more complex than Eldrin's, but the effect against her creamy skin exposed by gaps in the lace was stunning.

Aldar watched with amusement the two young women preening in front of the mirror. The two were utterly desirable and they knew it. Aldar smiled to himself; their nipples pressing against the dress fabrics were plain to see. Reigen would find them irresistible.

Waiting until he heard the carriage on the cobblestones below, Aldar gathered them into his arms, pulled them in for a strong hug. The two smelled of soap and perfume and Aldar knew how they would be received at the palace.

"It's time," he said softly. "Mind your manners."

+

Their costumes bought the trio easy access to the castle, the guards giving scarcely a glance to Aldar; their eyes stayed on the two girls.

The hall was filled with people, all but the guards and servants in elaborate costumes. He smiled inwardly as the expanding ring of jealousy, indignation and sensual interest as his women became noticed.

Aldar was also pleased to sense any number of glamour charms being used. He himself had spun a very low-level cloaking charm, one which did little more than disguise his height. So many other spells in one place would make his less noticeable. Between it, the robe and a domino mask, he felt his identity secure.

There was no reception line in the great hall; standing and making polite conversation with all comers was hardly Reigen's style. Instead, a bewigged flunky merely directed them to table of refreshments.

The prince was easy enough to find in any case. A surge of masked sycophants surrounded him like surf on a shoreside rock. Fleshy and essentially chinless, the only regal thing about Reigen was his garb.

Knee breeches of baby-blue silk fitted over white knee socks and matching low shoes with jeweled buckles. A heavily-embroidered long-skirted blue coat fit over a lilac vest. The coat was fitted with a dozen stars and orders, several of which, Aldar knew, had been created quite recently - including a prominent, diamond-studded 'Victory' medal for the just-fumbled war. Reigen wore scent; the chubby hands clutching a gold goblet were fitted with too many rings. His expression managed to encompass being both bored and rapacious at the same time.

Those eyes indeed lit up when they fell upon Aldar and his 'nieces'. Waving others aside, he smiled almost graciously as the three approached.

"Lord Prince," said Aldar, bowing. Beside him stood the two carefully-coached women, eyes modestly downcast.

"Rise, sir. We have not, I fear, been introduced."

"My lord Prince," Aldar said. "I am a traveler through your pleasant land, Armen by name. May I have the honour of presenting my nieces to you, sir? This young lady is Darla."

The young woman curtsied, rose. Her eyes remained downcast.

"And this is her sister, Eldrin."

She, too, curtsied, rose.

The smile on the man's face brightened.

"Nieces, you say, Armen?"

"Yes, sire. My sister's daughters."

The man's eyes roamed without shame over the two girls, openly eyeing their scarcely-concealed curves. Behind the prince, Aldar saw a look of ill-concealed fury on the face of another woman, presumably one with a prior claim on the prince. Well, that was her problem.

The prince took another deep gulp of wine. His eyes twinkled from over its rim, back and forth between Eldrin and Darla.

"Do you dance, ladies?" he said.

A flunky took the goblet, waved towards the orchestra. Obediently, it struck up a dance. The prince extended his arms to the girls, then looked at Aldar.

"Unless their uncle objects, of course..."

Aldar smiled graciously. "How could one such as I possibly object, sire? It is not every girl who will someday be able to say they have danced with a prince."

The prince laughed and, holding a girl in each hand, stepped onto the dance floor. Others quickly followed his lead, forming a large circle of dancers, alternating men and women an arm's length apart.

The men turned, bowed to the women on their right, who curtsied in return. The men turned to their left, bowed and accepted curtsies. Holding hands, the circle skipped left, then right.

Aldar could see Darla and Eldrin trying to keep step. He smiled. It was a simple dance; they would have no trouble.

The men stepped inwards until they were almost touching each other. Each gave a little hop, clapped his hands, spun in place and returned to his place. The women repeated the move.

Holding hands again, both men and women stepped to the centre until their shoulders were touching.

Aldar smiled as the dancers moved inward, wondering if Reigen would take advantage...

And, of course, he did. His hands slipped around the waists of both girls, slid down and gave each plump bottom a quick squeeze as the circle opened again.

Aldar looked for any sign of anger or Change on their faces, satisfied himself that the two were controlling themselves.

The music grew louder, the smile on the face of the potbellied prince wider. The dance continued for some minutes, Reigen never missing a chance to run his hands over the two women.

The dance ended and the dancers broke into a round of applause, couples quickly returning to their seats, relieved to be free of the possibility of similar unwanted attention.

A courtier was waiting with the prince's goblet. Red-faced, the man took a deep drink, looked around. "Here!" he cried. "Wine for my friends, here!" More goblets -- pewter in this case -- were produced.

"So, Armen," he wheezed. "Where are you from and whither bound?"

"We are from the high mountains, sire. We are on our way to find employment for my nieces in the valley kingdoms."

"Employment, you say?"

"Yes, sire. With the lamented death of their parents and my likely departure in the service of my own baron, it will be necessary for them to find something suitable for gentlewomen -- governesses, perhaps."

"Ah, life can be so sad." There was precious little empathy in the prince's tone.

Aldar watched, certain of what the prince would say next, curious only as to how he would phrase it.

"Perhaps..." the nobleman said.

"Sire?"

"Life's vicissitudes can be so very distressing, Armen. Your tale wounds my heart. Perhaps... well, we might possibly find a spot for them here at court."

Aldar's smile was no less brilliant for being a sham.

"Truly? That would be most generous of you, sire. What sort of position?"

Not taking his eyes off the girls' bosoms, the prince replied. "Can they sew? Do they have any musical skills?"

"Sewing is their special skill, sire." Aldar dodged away from music as there was too much chance of their being asked to demonstrate on the spot.

Behind them, the orchestra restarted. After watching a moment to see if Reigen would be on the floor and deciding not, couples emerged and began another circle.

Reigen waved his hand over one ear. "Perhaps," he shouted over the music, "we might consider discussing this in a quieter setting? This ball is beginning to bore me in any case." His eyes lingered on the two women's forms.

"Of course, sire." Aldar extended his hands to his 'nieces'. "Come, girls."

Aldar wondered what plans the prince had for him. Was it to be a strictly cash offer or was it to be a quiet knife in the back?

No matter; his guard was up. He and the two women allowed themselves to be led upstairs, past rows of sentries whose weapons bore the satiny patina of long use. On the way, the prince picked up Ambrose, his seneschal and treasurer. Ambrose had the haunted eyes of a man who had seen far too much.

The prince's private apartment was as luxurious as it was tasteless, a whore's concept of heaven.

"Come in, come in!" the prince insisted. "Ambrose, some wine for my guests!"

"You are most kind, sire," Aldar said.

"But we are all friends here, Armen." His eyes again slithered over the figures of the two young women.

"We among friends," he repeated. "Surely there is no need for masks and such."

As if to set the example, the prince removed his plumed hat, tossed it to one side and fell into a chair.

"Of course, sire. Again, the Prince is most gracious."

He turned to the women, nodded.

The two glanced at him, smiled. Darla removed her veil and Eldrin her domino mask. Putting them aside, they again curtsied to the seated figure. The prince hardly noticed that Aldar kept his own mask on.

Ambrose returned with a silver tray holding four goblets, one gold and three silver. Having served his master first, the seneschal then served Aldar and the women. The dragon sniffed, detected nothing dangerous and faked a small sip.

"Again, my thanks, sire."

"Mmm?" The prince was having some difficulty listening to Aldar, his attention being entirely focused on the two utterly enticing women.

Aldar smiled to himself as he saw the perspiration on the prince's face.

Who would have thought that these two could appear innocent, demure?

His smile turned wicked when the two moved slightly to stand by the window. There was still enough light outside to silhouette their figures through their dresses.

The prince's breath caught; he stared for some seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing, before deliberately turning away from the sight. He rose, took Aldar by the elbow, led him a few steps away from the women.

"How much?" he asked quietly.

"Sire?" Aldar allowed a little bit of a flush to rise onto his human face.

"Come, come, Armen. We're both men of the world. You are no more their uncle than you are mine. How much?"