Heaven's Kingdom Ch. 01

Nearly twenty years had passed since the end of the Long War. Nearly twenty years since the end of a conflict that ravaged the entire known world down to fractions of what it once was. Nearly twenty years since the changes it thrust upon the survivors took hold in their societies. Nearly twenty years since the High King of Avalon fell in the last battle of the Long War. And coincidentally, nearly twenty years since the birth of Prince Jaxis.

He stood up from his desk and began pacing around his room. A wide space with high ceilings and open floors, the walls displayed many of his possessions. Everything from his swords, to his armor to even shelves for the models and carvings he did in his spare time. In one corner sat a training dummy and a mannequin with his armor. In another sat an easel with a large collection of drawing and painting supplies scattered around it, a half-finished work awaiting completion. Another contained his workstation and tools for his more hands on hobbies. And in another sat his bed, large enough to hold at least six people comfortably and far too small for just him.

Combined with tented ceilings and a balcony with a view of the city to die for, it was a prison anyone would be happy to serve time in.

Unfortunately, a gilded cage was still a cage.

Jax sighed, pushing the curtains aside and moving to the balcony. Built into the side of the mountain, the castle sat at a nearly unassailable position. Natural, sheer cliff face walls to the rear and the best the royal engineers could build for the others. Then came the city surrounding it and the massive standing army guarding it. And beyond that, the super wide river that led to the sea and the fleet of ships bobbing in it like bath toys. It was enough protection for a god, let alone a scion of the Kingdom of Avalon.

Yet for his mother, the Queen, all of that was not enough and likely never would be enough. And so here he resided, in his room at the back of the castle, in the tallest spire in the most secure wing of the most secure building in the most secure district in the most secure city in the entire country.

And likely the entire world.

So extreme were his protections that the tower he called his home rested above the summit of the mountain itself. And on some days, even the clouds themselves flowed beneath him like waves on the ocean.

And despite it all, despite all the good intentions behind it, despite how necessary all the precautions may or may not have been, Jax hated them.

Being the youngest of the Queen's three children didn't help matters. Being her only son made it even worse.

The Long War stole much from every nation involved, even the victors. Though Avalon managed to avoid the extremely bitter taste of defeat, victory still came at a heavy cost. By the end of the seventeen-year long conflict, the majority of the nation's male population had been whittled down to a mere fraction of the original amount. What once had been a 1 to 1 ratio of men to women, by the war's end sat closer to 1 to 4. And compared to the other participants, Avalon got off comparatively light with that imbalance.

With the majority of the nation's soldiers, sailors, dragon riders, and sorcerers all dead at the end of the war, the few men left now found themselves in a rather odd and unorthodox position. And so, the war changed things.

The door to his chambers opened and the telltale sound of clacking metal and the sliding of leather entered. He sighed again.

For starters, now the militaries of the world were mostly composed of women. And that extended to the royal guards. And in his case, his personal bodyguard.

Though the war had ended, threats against the royal family didn't just go away. In many ways the war never ended, just that the means of fighting had changed. Especially with a significant lack of people to throw into the gears of the machine. In recent years, assassination attempts against nobles, royals, priestesses and sorcerers had increased in the surrounding kingdoms. And so, the Queen, in her infinite wisdom, began restricting the young prince's freedom. Once he was free to roam the city at will; now he was effectively confined to his own private wing of the castle.

Of course, that didn't exactly stop him from attempting to sneak out. But with River around, they usually stayed as just that: attempts.

These days, almost no one had access to the young scion. Even Jax's sisters were told to stay well enough away from his section of the castle. Only the guards, his instructors, and his personal chef were allowed in or out, though in practice, they effectively lived with him in his small slice of the castle. In many ways, Jax was more protected than the Queen herself.

River made sure of that.

River was a special case. Though she was only a few six years older than himself, she'd fought and clawed her way up to becoming one of the most respected and, in many ways, feared fighters in the royal guard and by extension, the kingdom, even able to match war veterans in one on one combat. Her status as a minor sorcerer probably helped in that regard, giving her enhanced speed, strength, stamina, and above all else, durability. With the magic that flowed through her veins, she even recovered from wounds and illness far better and far quicker than most. And with it too, came the gift of extended life.

Perfect for a royal bodyguard.

Especially when that bodyguard's charge was, not only the only male left in the royal family, but also the sole sorcerer.

He turned around; the view of the city mostly obscured by clouds anyway. River stood at his door, her body covered in a shimmering visage of magically enhanced plates and panels, all custom built, and following the curves of her body like a work of art. On her back, hung her primary weapon: a massive single edged sword with a blade long and thick enough to cleave through cave trolls like they were nothing but melted butter. The fact that her powers allowed her to swing it with the speed and precision of a dagger made it only the more deadlier. At her side, rested a small pack.

She stood at attention, her arms clasped behind her back, her collapsible helmet folded below her neckline as Jax scanned over her. Someone recently cut her signature silver hair back down to her preferred length and style. An almost boyish mop atop her head with the sides and back trimmed considerably closer to her scalp. One less thing for someone to grab onto in a fight she reasoned.

Jax crossed his arms, giving her a small smile. Nearly half of her twenty-six years had been spent guarding and training him. She knew him well enough to know a coming question when she saw one. Still, her royal training rarely allowed her a moment of levity, even just between the two of them. River never entirely dropped her guard.

"You're here alone so I assume you want something," Jax said.

She tensed ever so microscopically. Jax's eyes narrowed. Like a doting hawk, River made sure that the only person he was ever alone with was her. The few meetings with others outside the guard and royalty he did have were always supervised by her. Hell, even the meetings with other guards and royalty were still supervised by her. So pervasive was her presence in his life that she'd become as permanent a fixture as the sun itself.

Not that Jax exactly minded. If his mother had to force a jailer upon him, he was glad it was his River.

"I'm afraid I don't understand, my lord," she said.

Despite her appearance, and despite the fact that even without armor, she stood almost three full inches taller than him, her voice still surprised him with how feminine it sounded, how warm and comforting it was, how girly it was. Her voice flowed out of her like cool, gentle wind on a warm day.

"I've retired for the evening. A little early, I know, but normally you return to your own quarters... In the suite below me."

She took a step forward, "My lord, I-"

"If you're here this late in the evening, you're not here as my bodyguard River, no more honorifics."

"This time, I am here as your bodyguard."

"Oh? What for?"

"You know exactly what for."

Jax turned and walked back to the balcony, "You haven't told mother, have you?"

She sighed behind him, "As much as I feel I should... no I have not, per your request."

Jax breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you. Believe me, I know how you feel but I have everything under control."

"With respect, my lord, I don't think you do."

"Have everything under control?"

"No, in fact I think quite the opposite, which is what has me worried. I know many of the spies you're using, I trained alongside many of them. The fact that I know just how competent and how good they are has me worried with what you're directing them to do?"

"Which is?"

"There's a Bene Dai assassin in the city here to kill you. She'll make her attempt tomorrow night. And you intend to let her."

Jax smiled, "Not exactly but close. I may be stuck up here for the moment, but this tower is far from blind. Every assassin, every would-be murderer, every potential threat against my life you and your companions have done wonders at neutralizing."

"So why have you instructed them to leave this one alone? Do you intend to kill her yourself? Are you really that bored up here?"

He shook his head, "No I don't intend to kill her. You'll be privy to my plans for her soon enough as you'll be here with me making sure nothing goes wrong."

"My lord, I still don't feel comfortable about this."

Jax turned and walked over to her. Her stoic face betrayed nothing of her inner turmoil. Yet as his most trusted advisor and companion and, above all else, friend, she could hide nothing from him. Jax raised a hand and gently caressed her face. Her eyes momentarily closed, and she leaned into his touch.

"Trust me, River. I have everything under control. Besides, you may end up having more fun with this experiment than I will."

"I doubt that, my lord," she said, taking his hand in hers.

"Everything will go according to plan. Believe me, I've done my homework. I didn't just choose this Bene Dai assassin at random. In fact, this plan only works if it's her."

"I hope you're right. You worry me sometimes."

"I've been confined to this part of the castle for months now, how can you be worried?"

She leaned down and kissed him gently on the mouth, her gloved hand running through his hair. Jax closed his eyes as she let out a small moan at the gesture before separating, a hot blush burning across her creamy white skin.

"It's easy when it's you," she said.

Jax smiled and placed a hand under her chin, gently returning the gesture. What once would have been scandalous in the kingdom, now was almost an inevitability. A prince and his bodyguard. In previous generations it was not entirely uncommon for royalty of both genders to keep concubines among their staff. Of course, many of them trained alongside the primary bodyguard so that the nobility was never without protection. However rarely did royalty ever take their own protectors as lovers.

Now in these modern times, things changed considerably. As a prince it would have been unsurprising if he ended up in a marriage of political convenience with a few concubines and servants under him, any one of them serving as his true romantic interest. Today, however, his blood was far too valuable to simply be married off. And yet, with such a significant lack of men, he could no longer be expected to marry just one lone female. Society and its expectations could no longer afford to suffer the monogamy of previous generations. The whole affair now resembled a complicated web of nested expectations, his own desires, and what reality would allow.

Gently, Jax separated from her. River's eyes remained closed, her face doing its best to remain its typical professional stoicism, but her hot blush giving everything away. He never expected his love life to be so complicated.

"I know I don't necessarily look it," he said, "But I am stronger than you. So, for once, please don't worry yourself ragged."

"You are only stronger with the Gods' blood that flows through your veins. Sorcerer or not, you aren't perfect, you aren't invincible, no matter how much I wish you were."

He sighed, "So what are you really here for then? You didn't just come up here to voice your worries about my safety again, did you?"

"No, my lord," she shook her head, "With the current threats upon your life, along with the... imminent one you're preparing to deal with personally, I feel that as your chief of security it is my job to be prepared to deal with any and all potential threats to your safety that may arise during this period."

"That's a rather long-winded way of announcing that you are planning on staying over tonight."

She straightened, "I know it's not my place to insist..."

"But you're going to insist."

"Yes, my lord."

Jax paused, making sure to put on a good show of pondering her proposal. Of course, he already knew his choice. River stayed perfectly stoic, an exemplar of military professionalism. Jax raised a hand, watching as the door latch behind her slid shut, locking his door for the evening. Now only another sorcerer could open the door.

"There's only one bed so I hope you don't mind sharing," he said.

"No, my lord," River said, noticeably relaxing.

"Well, since I'm retired for the evening, I'm going to take a bath," Jax moved to another door on the far side of the room.

She bowed, "Of course, my lord."

Jax paused at the door as River placed her bag near one of the unused parts of the room, pulling her massive sword off her back and leaning it against the wall. Though she'd kept it professional, only part of the truth came through in their previous conversation. She may have held some legitimate security concerns but those were far from her primary motivation for appearing tonight. Part of it was the unspoken game they played with each other, a game they got to play in front of the rest of the castle. A game that provided one of the few pieces of entertainment Jax could still enjoy.

And a game he knew River enjoyed far more than she ever let on; than she would ever admit.

"I wouldn't mind company."

"Yes, my lord," River bowed, "I will wait for you inside."

Jax raised an eyebrow, mentally pushing the door open with his magic. Inside, the bathroom was nearly as large as his bedroom itself. White quartz tiles decorated every surface from the floors, to the walls and benches, to even the counters and sinks set along the wall. The faucets and other metallic surfaces all beamed with gold plating. Various towels hung from golden racks and custom upholstered benches and ottomans all sat scattered in strategic locations near the room's sinks, saunas, showers, and tub.

The tub itself, the main feature of the space, dominated. Recessed into the floor, it easily could have served an entire bathhouse, let alone one lone prince and his bodyguard. The entire thing appeared carved and polished out of a single large piece of crystal, with larger, faceted crystals near the rear of the bath near the faucets. Surrounding the bath, a set of tall, stained glass windows that helped to complete the room, giving it the feeling of a mystical cave.

Jax raised a hand, lightly flicking on the magitek powered faucets. Water poured into the tub like a river going over a waterfall, slowly filling it. He ushered her inside.

River bowed with an ever-growing blush upon her face and entered, allowing him to close the door behind her. Still, her trained stoic expression remained.

Jax removed his robe, leaving him only in his undergarments and shirt. He turned to River, who remained standing on the far side of the room, her magitek suit appearing out of place among the crystal walls of the room.

"When I said I wanted company, I meant you, not a magitek mannequin standing in the corner."

"I can sit on the bench near the tub, my lord."

"Or you can get out of your armor and join me."

"My lord, I'm not sure that would be entirely appropriate," she closed her eyes.

Jax glanced back at the tub. They still had time before it filled completely. Just enough, if he recalled, to get his bodyguard out of her armor. He walked up to her, placing a gentle hand on her cheek before placing a passionate kiss on her lips.

He felt her tense up as if preparing to receive a sword strike. His hands snaked behind her shoulders as he reached out with his own magic, feeling exactly which normally unreachable pins and screws had to be loosened to free her from her prison.

Eventually, his need for air betrayed him and pulled himself away. But by then, River's two shoulder pauldrons were floating gently to the floor, exposing her nearly skintight magitek laced under suit.

She glanced at her shoulders, "You should take your bath, my lord."

"The room will steam up soon. You'll cook in that armor."

He waved his hand across her chest, gripping the pieces of her armor in his magic and gently pulling them away, revealing more of her body beneath. Though she wasn't nude yet, the suit beneath that her armor attached to left very little to the imagination. Even the faint outline of her abs could be seen through the metallic fabric.

Jax allowed himself a small grin as he waved his hand over the rest of her armor, slowly disassembling it like the intricate puzzle it was. River, of course, could do it herself but it felt more fun for him to strip her himself. Piece by piece, he freed her body from her suit until it lay, disassembled at her feet, each piece still shimmering like small individual gemstones.

Now she stood in only her bodysuit, small lines of magic occasionally shooting across its surface in angular, geometric lines. Jax removed his shirt and shorts, tossing them to the floor. River's eyes near instantly scanned up and down his chest, her face remaining stone faced despite the massive blush burning across her visage.

"Doesn't that feel better?"

"A bit," she conceded.

"You'll still bake in that suit of yours."

The tiniest of smiles danced across her stony visage, "Maybe my lord should help me out of it."

Jax grinned, "Naughty girl."

He waved a hand across her chest. Slowly, the suit loosened, the neckline widening as the magic laced fibers began to relax. Her shoulders revealed themselves, followed by her collarbone, then her chest and breasts.

A warm burn rushed to his face.

Unlike most of the women in the court, River's tits weren't large. Though Jax would never consider her flat chested, her assets clung closer to her more muscular form rather than hanging from it. To him, they were perfect with just enough to grab onto without hindering her movements in a fight.

She pulled the suit down, revealing more of her body to him.

Besides her obvious feminine features, one of the stranger things Jax felt himself gravitate to over the years were her arms. Though in a one on one magic fight, even with all her training River wouldn't stand a chance and she knew it. But without his magic to help him, River could easily overpower and strangle him to near death, and he knew it. Her sculpted biceps appeared perfectly toned, giving way to her pronounced forearms and powerful hands.

Over the years, plenty of opportunities presented themselves to see River outside of her armor. When not officially on duty, or during less volatile times, she often wore more stylish, civilian clothes. Though her signature look was always something without sleeves.

Jax's eyes remained glued to her form as she continued to peel off her suit, slowly revealing more and more her perfect form. Eventually, only her powerful legs remained covered by the suit, leaving her pussy exposed for him to see. Like all members of the guard, she was shaved clean. In fact, not a single hair grew anywhere on her body below her head. Nothing could be allowed to interfere with her suit. One of the things he liked about the royal guards.