In Service of the Queen Ch. 08

"Only for you, baby. And only after I've had a few beers to loosen me up." Adelaide scooted around until she had her back pressed up against Tiara. She shivered once. "You're in charge of keeping me warm, by the way."

"Got it," said Tiara, bringing her hand up to rest on Adelaide's shoulder. Tiara turned her head and yawned.

Adelaide reached out and pulled a book partway from her backpack. She looked at the title, Rules of the Game for Players and Coaches. She let it slide back in. Adelaide dug around and pulled out Sign Language: A Comprehensive Dictionary for Beginners. She brought the book up to rest on the mattress beside her.

"Homework?" asked Tiara, peering over Adelaide's shoulder. "Though that doesn't look much like accounting."

Adelaide shook her head. "It's not. It's for me. I wanted to learn a little sign language so I could talk to Beatrice without her having to read my lips all the time."

"Do I know Beatrice?"

"The acrobat," said Adelaide. "She was at the... Oh, it was during your Mabon concert. We were searching for the legendary lost cheese cave."

"Sounds like I missed out on an adventure," said Tiara, yawning again.

Adelaide cracked the book open and began leafing through it. "We never found it. So no, you didn't miss any legendary cheese."

"Hmm," mumbled Tiara.

In front of Tiara, Adelaide stared at the open pages of her book. She held out her right fist and poked her pinky finger up. After a moment, she added her index finger. Then, finally, her thumb, stuck out to the side.

"Throwing horns?" asked Tiara.

"What?"

"People do that at our shows sometimes. Stick their hands up with their two end fingers sticking out. It's supposed to look like an animal with horns. Then they thrash their heads."

"No," said Adelaide. "It's three letters. I, L, and Y. Kind of smooshed together."

"Ily?"

Adelaide frowned and rolled over onto her back. She stared at Tiara. "No, not a word. Three letters. I, L, and Y."

Adelaide picked up Tiara's hand and held it in her own. Glancing quickly over her shoulder at the book, Adelaide focused on Tiara's hand. She wrapped her hand around it to make Tiara's hand into a fist.

Tiara rolled onto her back and scooted up shoulder to shoulder with Adelaide.

"Smile," said Adelaide.

"Smile?"

"The book says you should smile, because you're about to say something wonderful."

"Okay." Tiara flashed a grin.

"Hmph," said Adelaide, "I suppose that'll do."

Adelaide dug at Tiara's hand to pull Tiara's pinky finger up in the air. "That's I," she said.

"I. Okay, got it."

Adelaide pulled at Tiara's index finger next and then her thumb.

Tiara smirked. "Ready to rock."

Adelaide dropped her hand just long enough to smack Tiara on the shoulder. "Pay attention," she said.

Tiara snickered. "Sorry."

"That's L and Y, smooshed together with the I," said Adelaide.

Tiara cocked her head. "L, Y, I?"

"I, L, Y," said Adelaide. She shot a quick glance over her shoulder at the pages of the open book beside her. "That's what the book says, anyway."

"Ily?"

"I, L, Y. It's initials, not a word. Kind of a shorthand phrase."

Tiara furrowed her brow.

"I, L, Y." Adelaide drilled her gaze into Tiara's. "I... Love... You."

Tiara rolled to prop herself on her elbow. "This is what you're practicing to tell Beatrice?"

"No." Adelaide blew out a sigh. "For friend's sake you are dense when you're sleep deprived."

"What?"

Adelaide stared at Tiara. She made a fist. Adelaide popped her pinky finger up. She added her index finger, and finally, her thumb. "I... L... Y..."

"You?" said Tiara.

Slowly, Adelaide nodded.

Tiara lifted her hand and pointed to the center of her chest. "Me?"

Adelaide nodded faster.

"Oh," said Tiara. "Me? You? You? Me...? Oh? Oh!"

"Nevermind," said Adelaide, frowning. "I just thought it would be a cute thing to--"

"Friend Adelaide?" said Tiara.

"Friend Tiara?"

Tiara looked into Adelaide's eyes and raised her fist. She poked out her pinky finger and quickly added her index finger. As the corners of Adelaide's mouth began to tick upward, Tiara popped her thumb up and out to the side.

"Did I do it right?" asked Tiara.

Adelaide answered by leaning in, lips first, to wrap her hand around the back of Tiara's head. Adelaide pressed forward, pushing Tiara backward onto the mattress.

"I guess so," mumbled Tiara.

Adelaide scooted around until she had Tiara flat on her back and was straddling her hips. Adelaide held onto the bed covers, pulling them around her shoulders like a cape. "How much energy do you have, friend?" asked Adelaide.

Tiara grinned. "How much do I need?"

"Enough to scream my name. I owe you that much." Adelaide smirked. "Otherwise, I'll do all the work."

"I think I can handle that."

Adelaide brought her hands up to take hold of Tiara's cheeks. She trailed her fingers down from just under the corners of Tiara's eyes to the tip of her chin. Adelaide held Tiara's chin in one hand and tugged upward while she leaned in with her lips.

Tiara moaned and let her head sink into the pillow under her, as Adelaide planted the first kiss on Tiara's lips.

"Did you mean it?" asked Tiara. She held her hand up in a fist where Adelaide could see. Tiara quickly pushed up her pinky, then her index finger, then stuck her thumb out to the side.

Adelaide grinned. She lowered her mouth to cover Tiara's lips again. When she came back up for air, Adelaide nodded and held up her own fist, just in front of Tiara's gaze. Adelaide stuck her pinky in the air. She followed it with her index finger, and then her thumb out to the side.

Tiara beamed as she brought her arms up to wrap around Adelaide's neck. Tiara tightened her grip until Adelaide was forced to dip her head again. Grinning furiously, Tiara puckered her lips. Adelaide wasted no time closing the gap. She wrapped her right hand around the back of Tiara's head and the two didn't let go for some time.

"Friend Adelaide," heaved Tiara.

"Not yet, baby," said Adelaide, scooting downward. "I'll let you know when you can say my name, but not yet."

Adelaide covered Tiara's cheeks with rapid-fire kisses before moving her mouth to Tiara's throat, where she slowed her pace. Adelaide poked her tongue from between her lips just enough to paint a trail from Tiara's collarbone to the tip of her chin.

Tiara never stopped shuddering. "Friend Adelaide..."

"Not yet," whispered Adelaide, sliding her tongue along Tiara's jawline to just below her left earlobe. "Not yet."

Tiara blew out a breathy sigh.

Adelaide sat up and stared down at Tiara's chest. She moved her hands on either side to scoop up Tiara's flesh in her fingers. "You have the nicest boobs I've ever seen," said Adelaide.

Tiara shook as she chuckled. "I'm sure you say that to all the--"

Adelaide cut Tiara off with a hard kiss on the lips, forcing her tongue inside this time. And while Tiara was trying to wrap Adelaide in her arms again, Adelaide slipped out of her grip and slid down to plant her face between Tiara's breasts. She laid out a line of six kisses, three above each nipple.

"Mmm," moaned Tiara. "Friend Adelaide..."

"Not yet," said Adelaide.

"You keep saying that."

Adelaide shifted herself so her right thigh was parting Tiara's knees, forcing her legs apart.

"Friend Adelaide," repeated Tiara, as Adelaide pushed hard against her.

"Not yet," said Adelaide, wrapping her lips around Tiara's left nipple and drawing it into her mouth with suction. Adelaide let go with a pop and swirled her tongue around the outside of Tiara's stiffening flesh. "Not yet," she whispered.

"Ohh," said Tiara.

Adelaide took Tiara's right nipple between her thumb and forefinger. She gently rolled Tiara's flesh while she lowered her mouth again on the left side. Adelaide pressed in hard with her thigh.

"Mmm," said Tiara, her eyelids fluttering.

"And no falling asleep, friend."

Tiara grinned as she chuckled, but quickly lost the battle to keep her head up as soon as Adelaide lowered her mouth again. Adelaide swirled her tongue as she poised her lips to close in.

"Ohh," heaved Tiara, pressing her head back into the pillow and arching her back.

Adelaide pulled Tiara's nipple into her mouth and released it with a pop.

After a moment of dragging her index finger through the glistening saliva surrounding her recent explorations, Adelaide moved her lips to Tiara's stomach. And while Tiara shuddered and shook, Adelaide laid down a neat circle of kisses all around Tiara's navel.

"Mmm," moaned Tiara.

"Stay awake, baby," whispered Adelaide, reaching down to cup Tiara's sex in her hand. "I'm not done with you."

"Friend Adelaide," whispered Tiara, craning her neck.

"Not yet."

"Mmm." Tiara let her head flop back down on the pillow.

Adelaide grinned as she push her tongue out between her lips. She pulled a line across Tiara's quivering stomach, from the top of her right hip bone to the top of her left. Adelaide popped her head up and blew across the trail she had just made.

Tiara shivered and kicked her heels on the mattress. "Friend--"

"Not yet."

Tiara grumbled, but relaxed onto the mattress.

Adelaide scooted herself down, gripping Tiara's knees and pushing them up and apart, until she lay with her shoulders between Tiara's thighs. Adelaide leaned forward to plant a peck on Tiara's pubic bone, just before lifting her head again.

Tiara looked down with hooded eyes. A slow smile crept over her lips.

Adelaide pushed out her tongue and made a quick path around the outside of Tiara's glistening folds. Tiara shuddered and dropped her head back onto the pillow.

Adelaide pushed her tongue out again. She plowed a slow trail through the center, while Tiara kicked her heels.

"Friend Adelaide..." mumbled Tiara.

Adelaide grinned. "Now is fine," she said, lowering her head once again while pushing out her tongue. Under her, Tiara bucked.

Adalaide laid one hand over the top of Tiara's pubic bone. With her other hand, she extended two fingers and pulled them through the wetness between Tiara's folds, before plunging inside.

Tiara shuddered and kicked. Adelaide held on and lowered her mouth.

"Friend Adelaide," heaved Tiara.

Adelaide grinned down below as she batted at Tiara with her tongue while at the same time rubbing with her fingers.

"Oh, Friend Adelaide..."

"Now is fine," whispered Adelaide, lowering her mouth again to wrap her lips around Tiara's sensitive flesh.

As Tiara bucked and shook, Adelaide flicked her tongue side to side, up and down, and all around. She pulled at Tiara with suction from her mouth. She moved the tip of her thumb to pull at Tiara's hood.

Tiara bucked her hips and arched her back hard enough to cause Adelaide to jerk her head back for a moment. But Adelaide wasted no time getting back to work.

"Friend Adelaide..." moaned Tiara.

Adelaide answered by plunging in and out of Tiara's folds with her fingers, pressing up inside, while using her tongue to flick and batting at Tiara's flesh on the outside.

"Friend Adelaide..."

Adelaide held on as Tiara shuddered and shook.

"Friend Adelaide...!" Tiara kicked her heels.

"Friend...!" Tiara raised her hips up off the mattress, resting her body's weight on her shoulders and feet. She held herself there as her eyes fluttered.

Adelaide never stopped.

"Friend Adelaide!" heaved Tiara, collapsing back onto the bed. "Oh, Friend Adelaide!"

Between Tiara's thighs, Adelaide raised her head and grinned. Her face was slick and glistening.

"Oh... Oh..." mumbled Tiara. She opened her arms. "Come up here. I want to hug you."

Adelaide scooted her way back up the bed and into Tiara's arms. She rested her head on Tiara's shoulder as Tiara wrapped her up in warmth.

"You're..." mumbled Tiara. "Wow!"

Adelaide grinned. "You screamed my name."

"I did."

Tiara heaved a breath, causing Adelaide's body to lift up as she did. She blew it out in a long sigh. "You're good," said Tiara.

Adelaide lifted her head and puckered up to kiss Tiara on the tip of her nose.

"And you've got me all over your face."

Adelaide grinned.

"You want a washcloth?"

"In a minute," said Adelaide.

Tiara nodded. She poked her tongue out and lapped at Adelaide's chin, finishing with a quick kiss. As she caught Adelaide's gaze again, Tiara grinned.

Adelaide laid her head back down on Tiara's shoulder and wrapped her hands around Tiara's arm. "Pull up the covers, baby," she said. "I promised you'd scream my name. And you promised to keep me warm."

"I think I promised I wouldn't fall asleep." Tiara pulled her hand up to stifle a yawn.

Adelaide popped her head up and whispered, "You screamed my name."

"I did."

Adelaide moved her arm across Tiara's chest and cupped Tiara's shoulder in her hand. "Go to sleep, baby."

Tiara raised her fist. She stuck her pinky out, then her index finger. Finally, Tiara pushed her thumb out to the side. She grinned and closed her eyes.

Afterword

We learned Tiara's feelings for Adelaide are very much in tune with those Adelaide holds for her. We also learned a little more about what it takes for non-residents to be granted a more permanent stay in Empyrea. The details are arriving slowly, but surely.

Will we ever find out what lies beneath the veneer of utopia? And what's the roll of the girls in all of this? And where's that confounded cheese cave?

Find out more in the next chapter, friend.