Orc Dominion: Rebellion Ch. 13

She had made some concessions of course. Zentara would pay to repair the Bone Bridge, since she was set on impoverishing Heste. It went unsaid though that she would control the tolls paid whenever it was crossed. A soft laugh trickled from between her lips as she ran her hands over her breasts, and her pink tongue brushed along her lips, wetting them as she slowly circled the display. More treasure waited beyond that, the Golden Mask of Swetford, a silver bowl holding a ring with a large ruby stone shaped like a heart, a jade pendant and other trinkets. Bolts of silk cloth from the elfs and from the Eastern Kingdoms hung horizontally, holding a collection of horns said to be from unicorns, minotaurs, and giant leviathans from beneath the waves.

The Queen quivered softly as she ran the soft fabric between her legs, letting it dance and tickle the flesh of her inner thighs and brush along her bare slit before placing it back on the display. Another ring, fashioned from ivory into the shape of a bent claw, with a black onyx stone rested atop a pedestal to her right. The Eye of the Abyss, she thought, it's been years since I've seen this. Jeanette picked up the ring and brushed the cool, smooth stone over her nipple and then pressed it to her lips, before finally slipping it onto her finger.

The ring had belonged to Duke Andarrion the Thrice-Cursed, an ancient Duke of Ruar, before the city-states were united. He was supposedly cursed for his use of dark magic, and for betraying his allies the Dukes of Fullorm and Haverset in a war with Swetford. After the Duke of Swetford had been defeated, he set his army upon his allies, massacring them as they celebrated. The tribute he demanded from all three had filled his coffers for years.

She couldn't remember what the third curse was for, though she had known it once. As a child she had stolen the ring out of the treasure to show Susannah. It was said that anyone who looked into the ring would get lost in the abyss and lose her mind. She had taken great relish in telling Susannah the story, and then chasing her around the castle with the ring. In the end, the only thing that would calm Susannah down was if Jeanette looked into the ring herself, but by that time she had half-convinced herself that the story was true. She did it though, looking right into the black depths of the stone to reassure her friend.

Jeanette smiled at the memory. She had let Susannah be gone from court for too long. It was good that she had returned with them to Ruar along with her baby. It would take a while for the Duchy of Braden to settle down and be safe again, and she needed her friend here while she decided what to do with her prisoners. Many were calling for their death, but Susannah had been tireless in arguing for the lives of her father and brother. Chancellor Trodott joined her in appealing for their lives, though they were the only ones. Still, Jeanette was glad to have a reason to push off their execution; if the mother of the Duke of Braden and the Chancellor of Zentara plead for their lives, she had good reason to stay judgment. If she waited long enough, Frederick might die regardless. It hurt her to think like that, but he was wounded in the battle, and had since fallen ill. His wounds weren't healing properly and he was very weak. It would be a relief if she were spared from having to decide his fate.

A cloak of white bear fur hung off a nearby pole, and Jeanette draped it over her shoulders. She closed her eyes, smiling as she relished the feeling of the silk lining swaying over her bare backside. She wrapped the soft fur tightly around her naked flesh and resumed walking through the treasury.

A sudden ringing from the entrance made her snap out of her thoughts. Someone wanted her attention, and she supposed she better go see who it was. She put the Hesten Crown back on its pedestal, and slipped her dress back on before returning to the entrance. It must be important for someone to have come all the way down here for her. The door was easy to open from the inside, and as it swung open she found a flushed, breathless Susannah waiting for her.

"Jeanette, there you are, please, I have something important to tell you" Susannah said, a worried expression on her face.

****

Jeanette stormed down the long passageway, the slit folds of her dress billowing around her thighs. The black of the hallway melted around the light of her torch as she stormed through the dungeon. Her knuckles were white from her tight grip. The Eye of the Abyss caught the firelight, making the black onyx stone sparkle menacingly. The black depths of the gem matched her mood. Jeanette didn't want to believe Susannah when her friend told her how Katerei and Gorath had been spying on her for Thesta this whole time.

But it wasn't like Susannah to lie, even if the information was given to spare her father and brother's lives. It was hard to forget that Katerei had worked for Amelie for years, even training her in the art of being a warrior. And Gorath had been Kat's lover since long before they met Jeanette, she couldn't really expect to come between them. Still, I had hoped we could be the three of us together, not me and the two of them.

Maybe it was only at first, she thought. Maybe they had changed their minds. Susannah hadn't been entirely clear on that score, only telling her that she overheard them speaking about the information they had sent to Thesta. How much could they know? And should I give them the chance to come clean, or strike first? She couldn't risk letting Thesta know the truth about how close she had been with Gorath. Amelie was supportive now, but the Princess-Knight would always put her Kingdom first, and could cause great harm with that knowledge.

The Queen was grinding her teeth by the time the cell at the end of the hall came into view. As she approached, the prisoner scrambled to her feet and rushed to the bars. "You! Whore!"

"Says the kettle to the pot."

Cindy snarled angrily. "Orc whore! Whore Queen! You don't deserve to wear your crown!"

When Jeanette arrived at the bars she noticed the long scar travelling down Cindy's face. "That was you, that day. You're the one who attacked me. You caused a lot of death that day, Cindy. I might have averted that war if you hadn't interfered."

"You mean you would have tricked them into slavery! Letting the orcs rule over everything, taking what they want and doing what they please!"

"It wasn't like that," Jeanette bristled angrily, "It never was! Do you really hate me that much, for fucking those orcs back at the Soiled Dove? That was nine years ago Cindy! Move on!"

Cindy reached through the bars, trying to grab at Jeanette but she couldn't reach. "Fucking the orcs was bad enough! But that wasn't enough for you, was it? You wanted everyone else to fuck them too! You sent them to fuck me for your own petty revenge!"

Had she? That was so long ago she couldn't remember now. "Orcs aren't any different than men. I should know, I've fucked enough of them." Is that really what she's so angry about? How many thousands, orcs and humans alike, had died because of such a minor slight so many years ago? She could understand Frederick's treason; Susannah had been terribly dishonored and mistreated. But Cindy wasn't forced to do anything that Jeanette hadn't done herself.

"That says a lot about how fucked this Kingdom is. When the Whore Queen spends her time fucking orcs and scheming on how to torture honest working girls."

"An honest working girl? Is that what you are now?" Jeanette snorted derisively.

"More honest than you! I might spread my legs for coin, but I do it to earn a living. You fuck orcs and men and who knows what else for your own sick pleasure!"

Jeanette was taken aback by the look of pure rage on Cindy's face and the hint of madness in her eyes. This wasn't the same girl who taught her how to be a harlot so many years ago. This was a completely different woman. There wouldn't be any reasoning with her, no convincing her to take back her words and recant.

There might have been a chance for clemency, if Cindy agreed to take back what she said. Jeanette bristled at the memory of returning to the city after the campaign. She had expected cheering crowds and a hero's welcome. Well, the crowds were cheering, but she wasn't being treated as a hero. Lewd graffiti was on every street corner, showing her performing the most debauched sex acts. Men and women laughed at her, calling our jeers and insults as she paraded to the castle. Oh sure, many were celebrating her victory. The crowd was by no means rebellious, just mocking, but the fact that she was dressed in a V-shaped leather breastplate that left her midriff and much of her breasts exposed and a pleated leather miniskirt only lent credence to their jeers.

Despite their accuracy, the barbs still stung. It was too late to erase them now, but if Cindy recanted, and the Madame of the Soiled Dove denied everything than it might have won some of the people back. That was all gone now, though. Cindy would never relent.

"It's true, I've fucked men and orcs alike for pleasure. So what? Women should be allowed to enjoy themselves, just the same as men. And what about you? Now that your rebellion has been crushed, informers have been lining up to tell me what happened in hopes of a pardon. You gave yourself pretty easily to the Duke of Swetford to try and bend him to your madness. What I did was for enjoyment, you sold your body for death and carnage."

"For justice! For me and all the other women who were raped by your orc lovers! You can kill me, I don't care anymore. But at least the whole Kingdom knows the truth now, knows that their precious queen is a filthy whore!"

She has me there. All the more reason to force the issue with Kat and Gorath. I can't give them the opportunity to spread their tale and add fuel to the fire. I may forgive them, but first I need to confront them, and let them explain themselves. Then we'll see. "Lies, all lies started by the Duke of Swetford to win people to his cause. He doesn't care about orcs and humans, by the abyss, he was fucking one of them! Didn't know that, did you? He took one of the orc women as a lover, near the end of it. All he cared about was his own glory. And he'll be joining you soon, don't doubt it. I will see to it that he pays the price for all the blood that's been shed."

"Liar! I've known you a long time, 'Jeanette', and you've always been a liar! You lied that first day in the Soiled Dove and you're lying now. You lie to everyone about everything! Well, sooner or later it's going to catch up with you. You built your kingdom on deceit, and once your lies begin to unravel the whole foundation will crumble around you. I may not be there to see it, but when it does I want you to think of me!"

The look of raw hatred on Cindy's face would follow her for years, but for now she pushed it deep down inside her. A liar, am I? Fine. "Perhaps I'll start setting things to right, then. I've treated you most abominably, keeping you locked up all alone down here. I'll send some of my orcs to keep you company, how about that?"

"Bitch! Send them down here and I'll send them back to you in pieces!" Despite her bravado, she paled an even starker white. She had been surprised that none of the orcs had raped her yet, and had feared that very thing for a long time before she realized that it wouldn't happen. Surely if it hadn't happened by now it wouldn't happen at all.

Jeanette grinned in ferocious satisfaction at the way Cindy wilted under the threat. "We'll see. Your butchers killed so many of their women, I'm sure more than one will want to risk it to have a chance to breed. Maybe you'll spawn the next generation of orc warriors to help me rule the Kingdom right here in this cell?"

Snarling incomprehensibly, Cindy reached through the bars to grab and Jeanette, but couldn't reach. She raged and banged against the metal, trying to claw the Queen to pieces. She kicked and punched, and tried to tear the bars from stone.

Jeanette just smiled back serenely, and then turned to leave the cell. "I'll send them down to you shortly. I can see how desperate you are for some company." She began the long walk out of the dungeon, lost in her thoughts. Cindy was crazy, and her madness had led to her treason. She couldn't be reasoned with. Swetford betrayed her for power and glory, and for his own position. He conspired with Heste, and started a war that had killed thousands. He'd have to pay for that when he was caught.

Frederick had been like a father to her, but he had betrayed her as well. But unlike the others, he had done it for his daughter, Susannah, even though she hadn't asked for it, nor wanted it. Too, he might have genuinely believed that she was destroying the Kingdom. Certainly her orcs had misruled Braden, but the ones in her court were not that bad. The rest of the Kingdom was doing splendidly, and that would spread to the former Hesten possessions. Still, Frederick could be reasoned with, she hoped. He could be saved, if he let her.

That left Katerei and Gorath. Both had used her, betrayed her. They did it for Thesta, whom she grudgingly admitted had first claims to their loyalty, and the secrets she sent weren't that important anyway. However, if their loyalty was to Thesta, then she couldn't trust them to keep the secret of how close they became, and what happened as a consequence of it. She had had enough of people whispering her secrets across the city. After the stories Cindy spread, the people would be all too willing to believe this, and that would cause problems with Turogg.

On the other hand, she couldn't picture herself ordering their deaths. It made her desolate to even think of that, especially since Kat was likely pregnant. But she couldn't let them return to Thesta, nor could she trust them enough to let them stay. There is another option, she thought. I just hope that enough of their affection was genuine that they'll go for it.

The dungeon guards opened the door for her when she arrived at the end of the hall. Trodott was waiting for her, eager to hear how it went. She didn't even stop walking as she said, "See that she hangs herself in her cell. Don't ever let her see the light of day. Then call the court to the throne room. It's time to deliver my judgment on the rest of the prisoners. But first, bring me half a dozen guards. I need to find Katerei and Gorath."

****

The loud, raucous noise in the throne room turned to a tense silence the moment the Queen entered the hall. A path was cleared to the throne itself, allowing Jeanette to pass through the ranks of courtiers and nobles who had been summoned to hear her judgment. As she strode towards her royal seat, the long skirt of her dress brushed over the red walkway leading up to her dais. She wore one of her old dresses, made of gold velvet that covered nearly her entire body. The commoner's jests still rang in her head, and she thought it was best to keep a lower profile, at least for a little while.

She still managed some small measure of resistance though. Beneath the dress her breasts were tightly bound by a leather strap that barely covered her areolas. Each step made the smooth, firm leather slide and rub back and forth against her nipples, raising goosebumps beneath the fabric of her dress. Another strap was fitted about her waist, and ran down between her legs. It ratcheted tightly against her slit, so much so that her labia spread around it and allowed the strap to rub against her pink inner folds. The pinching pressure was a constant reminder for her that beneath her golden exterior was a lustful, wanton woman in command of her own sexuality.

Jeanette climbed the steps, and then turned to stand before her throne as she looked out at the assemble crowd. Rulers from six of the eight duchies were present, and a seventh would join them shortly. Duke Willem Gulford of Fullorm stood closest, still dressed in armor, his chest puffed out in pride. No doubt he'll be telling the story of his heroism for the rest of his life. Next to him were Duke Gollorn Vasper of Crovoth and Duke Samuel Crickon of Iaena. The former was looking older than when she last saw him, and she wondered how long it would be until his son was raised to Duke. Crickon was neither as old nor as hard. Jeanette might have thought he'd have been changed by the fighting in his lands, but apparently not. Oh well, we'll see how he likes my pronouncement.

On the other side of her were Duchess Elizabeth Stinton of Abshire, conservatively dressed in the old fashion, and Dukes Paulus Freswick of Testin and Bradley Horton of Oxmain. They had done their due diligence during the war, but none had gone above and beyond in a show of support. That is why this needs to be done, she thought, the power of the Eight Duchies must be balanced. "Your Graces, my lords and ladies, and ladies and gentlemen of the court, we are here today so that I may pass judgment on those who have rebelled against the crown, as well as to settle the disposition of spoils gained in the war."

Murmurs traveled through the crowd, from those worried about what judgments might be passed to those who hoped to share in the spoils of victory. Jeanette paid them no mind. "The Low Counties adjacent to the Warne River have been ceded to us as partial reparations for the brutal war waged against us by Heste. To consolidate these new territories, I raise up Chancellor Trodott as their new Lord." The murmurs got louder, many of them sounding angry, though Trodott didn't seem to mind. "I also name him Viceroy for all the territory formerly belonging to the Kingdom of Heste. I grant him the authority to award writs and grants to mine and develop the land to the Guilds and Merchants, in order to correct the mismanagement that had afflicted the region previously."

Master Forath and the other Guild Masters looked pleased at that. They were largely barred in Zentara from owning or controlling any of the mines. Now, at least in Braden, they would be allowed greater control over the property that operated. It was an important first step for them in increasing their own power, she knew, but at least that power was coming at the expense of the Duchies.

"Lady Susannah Welton," Jeanette looked down at Susannah, who was returned the gaze apprehensively, "I recognize your son, Frederak, as the true son of Bodak, Duke of Braden, and confer upon him his father's seat. I also name you regent, to rule the Duchy for him until he comes of age." The murmurs grew even louder still, though now they reaction was more mixed.

Susannah still looked worried though, as the fate of her father and brother had not yet been decided. "Thank you, Your Highness, on behalf of my son. We shall rule diligently, and set right the many ills which have been inflicted on your people." Susannah curtsied low.

"Which brings us to Frederick and Alfred Welton. Guards, bring in the prisoner." Two guards escoreted Alfred to the front of the throne. "Alfred, your father is too ill to stand judgment today. As his eldest son, and co-conspirator, I summon you to answer for your crimes. Do you confess to your treason, and recant it?"

Alfred licked his lips, glancing over at Susannah, who nodded to him encouragingly. He looked thin and frail, his long imprisonment not having been kind to him. "Y-yes Your Highness, most heartily. We were misled by the Duke of Swetford, who used lies, treachery, and deceit to turn us against you. We had only the best interests of our people, the Kingdom, and Your Highness at heart. We only wanted to make things better. I apologize to you, for myself, and for my father, and beg your royal pardon for any wrongs we might have done and offer my services to make amends in any way I can."