Pale Painter Ch. 010

"Esther! Ah!"

"Don't act surprised. We both knew this would happen eventually." Esther's laughter rained down on her like a gentle drizzle on a warm summer morning. Then Esther rubbed her nose against hers.

Then there was the thick, spiraling heat spreading throughout her nerves, from her sticky core, all the way up to her breasts. Lillitu's tongue was sucked into Esther's mouth, and she let the taller woman soothe her even as she inflamed her.

A drawing, stringy feeling burned and stung her senses. Her comb fell out of her hair, which was becoming a misshapen version of the hairstyle it once was.

And soon, Lillitu was screaming against Esther's tongue as her toes clamped down on the bed and her hips bounced. Her chest and throat were raw from the intensity of her wailing.

"You're such a beauty, Lillitu!"

"Mmmmmmm ... are you being honest?"

"Of course!"

Lillitu gave the side of Esther's hip a quick little slap. The resulting sound was crisp. Esther jolted a little, but she took it with a smile.

"Kneel over my face, Esther, and I'll give you a bit of honesty."

There were shuffling, wispy sounds as Esther moved her body up, and she opened her bent legs over Lillitu's face. Her musky, fresh scent filled Lillitu's lungs, and she was thrilled to experience it. Esther's black, curled pubic hair was trimmed and pretty. She had pouty, adorable labia.

Lillitu spread her fingers over Esther's soft, thick thighs. She moved her head up a bit, and she let her tongue open the woman up. Her taste was the right combination of sweet and bitter.

The woman over her trembled and squeaked out silly little noises. Then two of Esther's fingers slid down to make an upside-down V over herself, revealing more of the bright pinkness inside. Lillitu lapped at her, flicked at her, and even suckled when she thought the pointed little clit was ready.

It was as if something in Esther had stretched and snapped. Her screams were so high pitched that Lillitu was surprised she could even hear them. Her body was vibrating as intensely as a poorly maintained machine. Even her scent seemed to intensify. Lillitu was soaked in it.

And when Esther had quieted down, when her body relaxed, when she said she was spent and needed a cuddle, regret crept into Lillitu's mind again, giving her a mild headache.

As they held each other, Lillitu gripped Esther's hand, and she gave another confession.

"I'm sorry, Esther. I truly am an awful person. I shouldn't have let this happen."

Esther's legs tightened about Lillitu's smaller frame. Her eyes sharpened. "What's wrong this time?"

"What ... what we began ... cannot last."

Esther put a hand under her head, propping herself up. "What are you going on about?"

Lillitu's hands wandered about for something to fiddle with. Then she found her expensive comb and twirled it about in her fingers. "I'm in the market for a husband. Ismael needs a father."

"Oh." Esther's face lost its cheer.

"Once I'm married, and I hope to be, I can't guarantee that we can ... continue."

Esther was hurt. Lillitu knew she was hurt.

But ... Esther was clearly trying to hide it. Her face didn't regain any of its former glory as she barked out a laugh and put on a wide grin. "That's all you're worried about! Goodness! Don't worry! I understand! It's all well and fine!"

It wasn't all well and fine.

Anybody would have understood that.

***

"Alright, Jewel! Go into conversation mode!"

As the little red jewel hovered a little bit above the rough wooden table, glittering under the light of a candle, it said in a completely emotionless tone, "Conversation mode activated."

Threne slammed his backside into a firm chair and whined to the jewel. He didn't have anybody else to complain to about his problems.

"It was another wish I couldn't grant! Another one! Why the fuck do I keep getting these?!"

The jewel said coldly, "I understand your frustration."

Threne's long fingers slapped the table, causing the candle's flame to jolt. "That woman actually said she wished to be a man! I couldn't accept that wish. I don't know how to do that. Did you see how angry she was when I said I wouldn't pray for her? I wouldn't have batted an eyelid if her pretty black hair caught on fire."

"Please tell me more," the jewel said as it spun in a leisurely way, its voice as cold and delicate as a snowflake.

Threne pulled his legs up, using the table as support for the heels of his leather boots. A little mud was knocked onto the table, but he didn't care. He'd wipe it away later.

"Poor woman! I think she worked for the government. She had a detective's strategy when questioning me. She almost had me confessing my true nature. Clever cookie, that was!"

"I understand your frustration."

Threne sighed as a few trailing, mist-like thoughts blended in his mind. His hands relaxed, his fingers curling like the legs of dead spiders.

"Some people wish to be young again. Some want to steal the talent of others. Some even want to change themselves into something completely different." He yawned into one of his lax hands. "Some have even wanted money to poof itself into existence, something from nothing."

"Please tell me more."

"I've given people money before, but I can't just ... alter the nature of reality itself. It's too upsetting. Sometimes granting wishes is too difficult."

"I understand your frustration."

Threne made a hard, painful sniff, and his head throbbed a bit. "Ugghhh ... this is all one big, pink, sebaceous cyst that you can't slice or squeeze. I love a challenge, but I don't love useless impossibilities."

"Please tell me more."

He rolled his eyes at the repetition that the jewel naturally used when in this mode. "Can't you ever think of anything else to say? Do you even think?"

"I understand your frustration."

"Back to normal mode."

"Normal mode activated."

Threne's heels scraped onto the table as he put his feet back onto the floor. He scooped up the jewel and watched it disappear into nothing.

***

The main headline on the newspaper was large.

"Crown Prince Secretly Marries Artist Lover!"

According to the article, His Royal Highness, Prince Kutberth Alexandrio Lothair, had gone to the Glass Temple in Henrisk, apparently in the middle of the night. He paid the priest there a small bribe to arrange paperwork and oversee a ceremony. Then he presented his new wife to his mother, who had approved.

"I was reluctant at first," Her Majesty said in an interview, "but when I saw the determination in his eyes, my heart softened. This isn't the first time in the history of his mighty lineage that a prince or princess married a commoner. I understand that a courtesan is in his line."

His Majesty, the King, refused to grant an interview.

The royal inheritance laws of Navia were very firm. When a prince, or princess, granted their titles by blood, takes a spouse, the spouse would be recognized as prince consorts or princess consorts. The royal family couldn't do anything. If they refused to arrange a coronation ceremony for the new princess, then they would put disharmony in the government and risk their reputation. Quite a few nobles had ended up marrying commoners. They would be more sympathetic to the prince. Such difficulty could escalate to something horrible one day, perhaps even civil war.

Anyway, there would be a coronation ceremony to attend soon.

Duke Adurant folded his newspaper and neatly placed it beside his new ashtray. One of his hands crossed over his front so he could massage his shoulder and back. A headache was coming. Even the bones in his feet could sense it.

His rough face soaked in the sun as he heard delicate heels click against the floor.

"Ah! My poor feet are suffering much more than I expected! Do you suppose this child will become a fine dancer?"

"Don't stay for long, Danetta. I'm going to light my pipe soon." Between the two of them, Erdgar was the most concerned about second-hand smoke damaging the unborn child. He smelled her newest favorite perfume as she walked closer to him. It was something similar to a light soap.

"Oh! The prince married Miss Lunai?" Danetta's curls brushed against his arm. "I wasn't expecting that. Do you suppose she'll adapt well?"

"I don't know her well enough to answer that." Erdgar shrugged. "I don't have room to be concerned."

"You're still worried over Lillitu?"

He turned a bit and took Danetta's hand. His masculine pride was boosted by the sight of his pregnant wife, wearing fine silks and jewelry, plump and happy.

"Yes, I am wondering about her relationship with Miss Urvine. I hope it won't ruin any relationship she begins with a man."

Danetta's head tilted to one side, and she asked very innocently, "What do you mean?"

Erdgar hesitated, and then he gently petted Danetta's belly. "Never mind. Hmm ... I do wish a little girl would grace us with her charm."

Their wish wasn't granted. Erdgar received another boy, but he loved him all the same. They named him Amalric. As he grew, his hair turned into a black, curled mess that Erdgar loved to pet. His were eyes also like his father's a lovely gray.

When Amalric was around two years old, and soon after his older brother Andreo was properly breeched, Erdgar gained an opportunity to show his children off.

Lillitu was to be married. She had chosen a tailor, or all people, to be her husband. The wedding took place in the Kloen province, at a large temple made of fine white bricks.

Andreo was much quieter in his seat than his troubled brother, who was whining in his brother's lap. Andreo's eventual solution was to distract Amalric with a thick ribbon with a large button on one end, threaded into through several squares of felt. Amalric was soon pleased with trying to move the squares up and down the ribbon. Erdgar patted Andreo's head when he noticed that.

Lillitu was escorted down an aisle by her betrothed. His name was Bram Hristobel. He seemed like a fine man, handsome and healthy, but Erdgar didn't know very much about him.

The bride was quite pretty. Her diminutive frame had been placed in a gown of pale pink with golden ribbons. Layers of white feathers bounced in her hair. But her face was very serious, almost painful. It was as if she had a toothache.

After the ceremony, there was an outdoor lunch served to everyone. There was also casual music and dancing. It wasn't a bad party at all.

Except ... what broke Erdgar's heart ... was the look on one guest's face.

It was Esther Urvine.

If Lillitu looked like she had a toothache, Esther looked like her tongue had been ripped out.

Erdgar wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how to do it.

People don't always get what they want, no matter how badly they wanted it.

***

The End

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Author's Note: I'm planning on continuing this series. I definitely want to work with the Duke of Bransted now. I think I need a little extra time to figure it out, though. I'm worried that this series might be decreasing in overall quality. Feel free to comment about it all. Thank you so much for reading. I appreciate it.