Heaven's Kingdom Ch. 03

River stepped in, "Our prince is looking to have a space where he can get to know the ladies in his personal guard detail a little better."

Chane cocked her head, "What do you mean by that cap...tain."

River watched with some satisfaction as the realization slowly dawned on her. Though she couldn't do what Jax could with his magic, she could still sense her subordinate's body putting the pieces together.

Figure it out, girl. You may just be helping to design the room where my love here will tie you up for the entertainment of the rest of us.

Jax's eyes darted between them, "Uh... I'm sure you know by now that my mother will be away from the castle for the coming months, so I'd like to get started as soon as possible."

"I'll get some surveying equipment and I'll get in touch with the royal engineers immediately, my lord," Chane said quickly, a fire suddenly in her speech, "I suggest making a list of things you want in this place and we'll get started immediately."

"Will do. It was nice to meet you, Chane."

Chane smiled, "Thank you, my lord. Uh, it was nice to see you as well."

Jax glanced around the cavern, "Well once this place gets converted into something nice, maybe we'll see a lot more of each other."

"I'd... I'd like that, my lord. I'll be off now."

She bowed and quickly left, an extra spring her step. Jax turned and shot River a look. River looked away, finding an interesting spot on the wall to stare at.

"You've been doing things behind my back, haven't you?"

"I know nothing of the sort," she answered.

Jax scowled, "Tell me or I'll make you cum right here and right now and leave you writhing in ecstasy for the rest of the night."

"Oh no!" she laughed, "Anything but that!"

"Come on, seriously. What have you been up to?"

"Nothing too bad. Nothing you wouldn't like. I know you're wondering so, yes; I did have a big hand in selecting all the guards who went into your detail when your mother confined you. Sorcerers like me, yes, but that was a given. So... I picked guards who I figured would enjoy spending their lives serving their prince."

"Why are you emphasizing that word?" he blushed.

"Why do you think?" she smirked.

"Am I to guess you've been assembling a harem of military women under my nose this entire time?"

"Well..." she raised a hand to her chin, "Mostly. I made sure I liked them too and that they were good at their jobs before accepting them. With the amount of women I had to choose from it came pretty easily. More than a few of them I trained alongside at the academy."

Jax placed a hand over his head, "Oh my gods, River."

"I told you I made peace with the fact you'd be stuck with multiple girls already. But I figured I could have some fun with it as well."

Jax sighed, "Well I guess I should have seen it coming. Given how you are with me."

River straightened, forcing herself back into guard mode, "Are you upset with me, my lord?"

Jax stared at her, "River, I love you. I could never be upset with you."

Her heart fluttered in her chest at his words. Immediately she felt herself relax. Gods, the boy had a direct line to heartstrings! And he knew just what songs to play to get her going. She wanted to jump him right now and kiss him until the sun went down.

He continued, "Kinda wished you'd let me in on your little girl collecting scheme but seeing as you've done a lot of the heavy lifting for me already, I guess I should thank you."

"Trust me, once you get to know them all, you'll love it. I know I will."

"Yes, I'm starting to get the feeling you were quite the nymphomaniac at boot camp."

"And who's fault is that?" She smiled, caressing his face.

He blushed, "Guilty as charged."

"Hey, I wouldn't have gone along with it if I wasn't having the time of my life with your curious hands all over my body."

"Glad you enjoyed it."

She placed a finger on his chin and kissed him, "And I still do."

"Should we go back upstairs and compile the list?"

"I'd love to."

***

One thing she'd learned over here years serving as guardian angel to Avalon's most powerful sorcerer is his hands felt downright magical. In both the metaphorical and literal sense of the word. Despite the fact she held almost every physical advantage one could have over him, his hands still held a certain masculine quality. Part of it definitely came from the power that flowed through his veins, the magic who's only match died twenty years prior. But a larger part definitely came from his earnest, unflinchingly honest view of the world.

Jax held this weird quality about him, despite his sometimes introverted and quiet personality. He always gave off the impression of being ready to experience the world in its entirety with whatever it offered, ready to take every punch on the chin with arms wide open, meeting every pain and pleasure like a challenge to be conquered and experienced. Always ready to live life at a hundred percent and nothing less.

Of course, this conflicted rather painfully with his confinement. Still, his energies found their outlets. And thankfully, she got to be one of them.

She sighed as his hands massaged her skin, rubbing the massage oil across her abs. His fingers lingered on her muscles, gently caressing over the subtle bumps on her stomach. Part of her felt weird about accepting his massage without giving back, but he insisted. This experience was as much for him as it was for her.

So he said, anyway.

River lay on a padded couch out on the balcony of the tower, reclining comfortably like a model to be painted. Thankfully, the gods granted them a clear day with little wind, allowing the sun to warm the tower and the surrounding mountain top to a comfortable temperature. A rare kind of day in the capital city, but one she got to enjoy.

Her armor lay discarded on the floor of the bedroom, her suit in a crumpled pile nearby. Once again, she'd let him strip her naked, like a child unwrapping a birthday gift. She really did spoil him but the feeling of being so primally wanted by someone never got old. She hoped it never would. He looked at her nude form like she was the most beautiful thing in the world, be it the first time or the thousandth.

She never entirely understood why. River was taller than most women, and frankly most men too. Her life in the guard gave her muscles all over, often in places most people didn't even know they had. Her chest, while not flat, certainly paled in comparison to that of most courtesans. Even her hair, she kept cut shorter than average just for the convenience.

Yet he still looked at her like she was a goddess.

And with his current tastes and interests, she reckoned she had quite an effect on him.

She gasped as his hands found her breast and began to fondle them, gently massaging them with the same love and tenderness he'd given to her as he moved up her body.

"I still don't get what you see in me," she sighed, reveling in his touch. She could feel herself beginning to moisten.

"What do you mean?" he asked, continuing his caresses, his fingertips finding her nipples.

"Ah, oh fuck," she gasped, "I'm-I'm not petite like other girls."

"So?"

"My muscles aren't the most subtle. I'm-I'm not the most svelte woman in the castle."

"It's a good thing I'm not looking for tiny, svelte girls then."

"Seriously, what do you really find attractive about me?"

"I'm not really sure I could explain it. I love what I love. And I happen to really love tall, muscular girls named River who could easily crush my skull like watermelon."

"I was always worried I'd end up looking too much like a man with my muscles."

He gave her nipples a loving pinch, "River you are the most feminine looking girl I've ever seen in my life. And believe me, there are more than enough girls around for me to compare you to. Besides, I love your muscles. I love every second I get to touch and massage them like this."

She giggled as his hands moved lower, massaging more oil into her armpits, "Y-yes but why exactly?"

"I love what I love. But if I had to guess," he said, his hands continuing to tickle her, "Maybe it's because a certain tall, white haired girl, with the sexiest muscles in the universe was always around when I needed her most. Maybe it's because she protected me from far more than just would be killers."

River's giggle by now broke out into a full-blown laugh. Her arms instinctively tried to close at his touch, but they failed to obey. Cheater. Using his magic to keep her still was an old trick of his she enjoyed on many occasions, and now once more.

She knew how much he loved hearing her laugh. He never felt she laughed as much as she should and always tried to pull one out of her, be it through funny jokes, acting silly, or tickling her into submission.

Either way, she always enjoyed the result.

"Maybe it's because she protected me from the wolves of loneliness and isolation. She protected me from the worst monster of all, myself. She guarded the best parts of myself and helped nurture them into something resembling a functioning and adjusted member of society. And above all else, she's my best friend. After all that, how could I not find her body the most beautiful work of art in the universe?"

"You're so bad for me," she gasped out as his hands moved up her arms to her biceps.

"Yet you can't seem to kick the habit. Are you sure I'm not the one who spoils you and not the other way around?"

"I'm your bodyguard. You're not supposed to spoil me."

He planted a loving kiss on her forehead, "I'm a prince, aren't I? I can spoil whomever I want. You get what you deserve."

"What I deserve?"

"Yes. And what you deserve right now is more massage oil."

He reached over and dipped his hands into a nearby bowl, covering them in a clear film of liquid. The oil itself did hold some medicinal qualities. It certainly did wonders for her skin after spending hours upon hours inside her armor. But she knew what it was really for. Just a wonderful excuse for him to touch her all over.

By now, her body shimmered in the sunlight as the oil covered almost her entire front side. She watched intently as he took her hand, rubbing the oil into her forearms and down to her hands, lovingly caressing each individual finger before planting a kiss on her dorsal. What did she do to deserve him?

He scooted his seat behind her, gently placing his hands on her neck, rubbing the oil into her throat. She leaned back, tilting her head up to accommodate him. She felt so vulnerable like this, yet she loved it. The act carried a strange intimacy with it as his hands moved up her neck, stopping just below her jawline.

She closed her eyes as his fingers trailed up her jaw and lightly tickled her ears.

"That was magical," she moaned.

"Was?"

She opened her eyes and sat up, "What?"

"What makes you think it's over? I still have your back to do."

"My back?"

"Yeah. You've been lying here nicely, I didn't get to do the back of your legs, arms, back or that sexy ass of yours."

She blushed, "My lord, you really shouldn't. This was more than enough."

"Not for me."

"Really, my lord, it's not necessary. I shouldn't indulge."

"You aren't. I'm the one indulging. And if you get to enjoy the results of it, well, so it goes."

She slowly rolled over, allowing Jax to place a towel on the couch as she made herself comfortable, resting her head on her arms. She never could say no to him.

"Royalty isn't supposed to do this, you know."

"And who said that?" he asked, lightly trailing his fingertips along her back. She felt her muscles arch at the pleasure of his touch before slowly relaxing. He traced an unknown pattern across her back, his fingers producing a pleasant tingling beneath her skin. Magic or not, now she found the idea of moving completely unappealing.

Still, her lips would protest for the rest of her, at the very least to keep up the act. She had to at least pretend she was being professional.

"It-it just doesn't happen. If anything, I should be doing this to you."

"If anything, and if I were anything like other royals, I'd have a swarm of concubines. And one of them would be doing this to me. But... I'm not like other royals. And I don't keep a small army of concubines."

"Yeah..." she sighed as his fingers traced up her spine, "I've noticed unfortunately."

Why did he have to be so good at everything he did? She felt like melting in his touch. Of course, hindsight gave the answer easily. Spend nearly two years locked away with nothing else to do and one would definitely find something to keep entertained. Gods only knew just what was in all the books he claimed he read.

Right now, she wouldn't doubt if one of them happened to be related to massages and tantric sex.

"I only keep a small army of bodyguards around at my mother's, and recently, your insistence."

"They're for your, ah... ooooohhh that feels so good, they're for your protection."

He laughed behind her, "Yes, so you say. But you've been a very naughty bodyguard, recently haven't you?"

"My lord?"

"I don't have a harem of concubines, soooo... you got one for me. Right under my nose."

"They're bodyguards."

Oil began to drip down across her back as Jax sighed, "Yes, you keep insisting on that word. But don't think I didn't notice how hot all those girls were out in the garden today."

"I'm sure they'd be flattered to hear that, my lord."

"I'm sure you're flattered to hear that because you picked them."

"My lord I only want you to be safe and enjoy your life the best you can."

He chuckled, lightly flicking drops of liquid onto her back, "That's exactly what I'm doing."

"You needed protection anyway. I didn't think you'd mind if I gave you options for some potential wives. You heard your mother after all."

"I only need one wife. But if two of the women in my life are insisting I pick more, I guess I'm stuck, aren't I? And while I appreciate you trying to make the process easier... I do wish you told me earlier. More importantly, I wish you told me your feelings about this sooner."

"Are you upset with me, my lord?"

He leaned into her ear, "River, I love you. I already told you I could never be upset with you."

She felt herself heat up at his words. A strange dual feeling of her heart fluttering her chest and her pussy wetting between her legs overtook her. Thank gods for the towel, else she'd leak all over the couch.

"I live to serve you, my lord," she said, "I only want what's best for you, even if you don't exactly know what that is yet. Which is why I'm finding hard to sit here like this."

"Well it's a good thing you're laying down then. But my little weapon here kept something from me. And while I can never be upset with her, that doesn't mean she doesn't still deserve to be punished for deceiving me."

She wouldn't last long without his touch now, "My lord I never lied to you. I would never."

"Not directly. But still. You've been naughty and something needs to be done about it."

She moved to sit up, "If my lord wishes to punish me then I-"

A firm finger planted itself on her back, forcing her back down, "Your punishment is that you will have to stay here while I finish."

She smiled, "Yes, my lord. Of course. Though I feel I must point out how against royal protocols this is."

"Are you really going to insist on a history lesson for me?"

"Well... most royals are, again, typically on the receiving end of treatments like this. Royals aren't supposed to give their bodyguards massages, much less be fucking them behind the scenes. Royals don't spoil their followers like this. I should be in my armor standing over you like a statue, not naked with your hands all over me."

"River."

"Yes, my lord?"

"I'm a prince. The only prince in this kingdom. And in a few days, the only member of the royal family still inside the country. And I can do whatever the fuck I want."

She shuddered in anticipation at his words. Scratch the magic hands, his silver tongue would do her in before anything else at this point.

"Sooooo," he continued, "Royal protocols be damned. I don't care what other royals in other kingdoms do. If I want to give my super-hot and sexy bodyguard a massage, then that's what I'm going to fucking do."

"And what if, say, your bodyguard wants to go a little further than just a massage?"

"Is that really what she wants to do?"

"Yes." River gasped as his hands began to run over the muscles of her back.

Fuck! She needed him badly! Would it not mess up their little game with each other, she'd use the muscles he loved so much to pin him down and fuck him until the sun went down and came back up again. Clothes be damned, she'd rip them off him until he was as naked as she was and nothing but tatters remained.

"Well then I'd say she's really lucky that the venn diagram of what the prince wants to do and what the bodyguard wants to do is a circle. Though I'd be negligent if I didn't ask if you want me to continue the massage."

"Yes, but again I must remind you it's not appropriate and-"

"I don't care how appropriate it is. Yes or no? And no buts, except this one," he said, giving hers a light slap.

She blushed, "Yes."

"Then lie down and think of Avalon and let me continue."

He'd definitely been studying something. He seemed to know every minor cramp and sore spot on her back and massaged them accordingly. For an amateur with only reading experience, he performed far better than he should have. Of course, his gentle nature probably helped a bit, but she always loved his gentle side. His butterfly touches alone could have drooling below the belt for hours. A full-on massage and, well, if he so much as looked at her the wrong way with his glowing blue eyes and she'd cream herself immediately.

Why did he have to spoil her? She was just an orphan who happened to luck out and land the greatest job in the kingdom. The military carried plenty of respect and the royal guard an even higher level of prestige. As guard captain and personal bodyguard to a prince no less, she stood a cut above the rest, even above other personal bodyguards for the nobility and Jax's own sisters. The only guard more feared and respected than herself was Zander David, the Queen's own personal bodyguard.

Her job came with enough honor, prestige, and benefits to keep anyone satisfied, feeling like they won the military's employment lottery. She guarded a prince for gods' sake! So why did her ward insist on treating her like a princess?

Part of the answer was obvious. She'd be foolish to leave their romantic liaisons out of the equation. But still, even her academy girl crushes never treated her like this. So, what was the difference? Jax was a prince with all the options in the world for girls and he chose her.

"Why are you so good to me?" she asked.

He laughed, "Why not?"

"Seriously. Just being your bodyguard was good enough. I'm so selfish for accepting more from you."

"River, you are the least selfish person I know."

She shook her head, "Every day I wake up and I wonder what I did to deserve you."

"Well, I could tell you, but that would buy you more time on this couch."

"I'm just an orphan who lucked her way into being in the same room as you. You should be doing this stuff to a princess or something, not to me."

"I already told you, I'm a prince so I can do whatever I want. I know what you're thinking and no, you didn't need to make up for whatever inadequacies you feel you have by surrounding me with hot women. I was never going to marry a princess. Even my mother finds the idea rather unappealing."

"Then a noble's daughter or something."

Jax sighed, "I've only ever had eyes for you, love."