Queen Yavara Ch. 27

"I don't see why pants and a shirt won't work." I grumbled.

"Pants and a shirt?!"

"It's utilitarian. If I'm going to Lord Ternias as myself, then shouldn't I be wearing-"

"Shut up." Leveria put her fingers to my lips, "You're not shooting arrows in the forest, Ranger, you're attempting to infiltrate a conspiracy in the highest echelons of the aristocracy. Would you wear a bright yellow dress to camouflage in the woods?"

"No."

"Exactly. We need something elegant, but sexy. Ternias needs to see you as a noble woman's daughter, but also an Alkandran loyalist. Something he can understand, and something that intrigues him." Leveria paused at a dress, and cocked her head. "Perfect."

The dress was a vivid crimson, strapless to expose my athletic shoulders and robust chest, but with a bodice that concealed enough cleavage to be tasteful. It formed tightly to my body, contouring me in a shapely silhouette from chest to ankles. I was absolutely shocked at how... pretty I looked. I'd never worn lipstick before, and it shown vivid red and luscious from my full lips. I'd never worn eyeshadow before, and it turned my eyes to luminous orbs within mysterious smoky depths.

"Wow," I muttered, "I'm fucking hot."

Leveria laughed and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "Did you just realize it?" She breathed into my hair, "You're the sexiest fucking bitch on this planet, and it's taking every inch of my will not to tear that dress off you right now."

I rotated in the mirror, marveling at the woman who looked back at me, the splendid curves rising beneath the lustrous fabric. There was one glaring discontinuity, however. "I guess I could just tuck it between my legs and keep it contained with my panties." I mused.

"What? No, that defeats the entire purpose of the dress!"

"You want him to see it?"

Leveria grinned devilishly. "The nobles are notorious perverts, Elena, and on a beauty like you, your cock isn't a deformity, but a novelty. It would've been uncouth to reveal yourself before the entire court, but in private, you should be anything but subtle. Besides, Ternias is expecting a true representative from Alkandra, and so you must not disappoint."

"You want me to fuck him?!"

"I want you to string him along until he's drooling at the mere mention of you." Leveria tittered, "I wouldn't ask you to give your virginity to Lucas Ternias, yuck!"

I looked back at her with a crooked smile. "You think I'm a virgin?"

Leveria raised her brows. "You're a homosexual. I don't doubt that Yavara's shoved everything imaginable up your orifices, but that doesn't really count."

I laughed. "Babe, I'm half dark-elf; I fuck everything with a pulse." I grabbed her and pulled her giggling into my arms, "So don't think you're so special. But you're right, I am gay... in both genders."

"Interesting..." Leveria gave me an appraising look, "So, are you a top or a bottom?"

"Oh, I bottom hard." I giggled, "I'm such a hopeless little faggot."

"I'd love to see that side of you." Leveria grinned, running her hand along my jaw, "Who did you lose your virginity to?"

"Brock Terdini."

"Brock Terdini?!" She gasped, "How?!"

"I'm very elastic." I grinned down at Leveria's awed face, "Though were it not for Zander's healing spell, I wouldn't have been able to walk the next day."

"You are endlessly fascinating, you know that?" Leveria took a gentle hold of my chin, "I thought I at least had more experience in the man department, but you've had an eight-foot tall orc notched on your bedpost this whole time. I can't compete with you, can I?"

"It's a futile endeavor." I chuckled, "Though, I've never actually given head before."

"No?" Leveria raised her brows, then grinned, "Good thing you've been learning from the master then." She dropped to her knees, hoisted up my skirt, and began teaching me a valuable lesson. I entangled my fingers into her fine hair and bit my lip as I eased myself into a chair, marveling at the sensation of her lips pulling so generously upon my loins, her tongue caressing me gently, then lathering my shaft in sloppy hedonism, tasting all that she could as she took me into her throat. She guided my legs to part with gentle hands, slid three fingers into my flowering slit, and pushed two more into my puckered anus. I groaned, my high heels scraping against the floor as I spread my legs even wider, my skirt bunching at my hips, my free hand brought to my mouth so that I could suck indulgently upon each finger.

"Leveria?" A masculine voice called from the other side of the door. She froze, her eyes going wide. "Leveria?" The voice called again. I recognized it the second time, though barely. What had once been a stately and commanding baritone was reduced to a rasping tenor, its inflection sounding like a plea. "Leveria?" Clartias Tiadoa asked his daughter a third time, his knuckles rapping the bedroom door. Leveria took a deep breath through her nose, then pulled my cock from her mouth.

"Father, I'm terribly busy." She called, "I'll go to your château later tonight, I promise."

"I haven't seen you in weeks." He said, "I know you well enough to know you're avoiding me."

"There's a war."

"I am well aware of the going-ons of state, though I care for them less each day. You used to make time for us no matter the crisis, now you won't even open your door for me. Come girl, at least let me see your face."

'I'll leave.'' I mouthed, pulling away from her.

'NO!' She mouthed back, not letting me go. "Father, I will come to your château tonight, but I am busy now!" She said firmly, "I thought you of all people would understand the pressure I'm under."

"Oh, I understand." He croaked, "I understand it intimately. Do you know where that leads? Alone in a château to drink your days away like a retired horse sent to pasture, shunned by the ones you love for being nothing more than an inconvenience."

"You made yourself an inconvenience, old man." Leveria hissed with such venom that it made my blood cold.

Clartias didn't answer for a moment, but I swore I heard weeping on the other side of the door. Finally, through a strained voice, he moaned, "Leveria?"

"Goodbye, Father." She answered with cold finality. He shuffled away. She cocked her head, her pointed ear perked to hear the sounds of his waning footsteps. Then she rolled her eyes and smiled at me. "Now, where were we?"

"You're a vicious cunt."

"Mm-hmm." She giggled, licking my tip.

"Sometimes I almost forget."

"Don't ever forget, Elena." Her sapphire eyes twinkled as she sniffed the length of my cock, and shivered perceptibly, "My heart isn't cold, but it is a terrible multitasker."

Before I could question that statement further, she enveloped me into her throat, and all my worries and misgivings washed away.

ADRIANNA

Furia had her arms wrapped around my waist, her breasts pillowed against my back, and her crotch pressed against my ass as we rode my horse. I was used to having a woman in that position, but I wasn't used to the feeling of her bulge nestled between my cheeks. Even more alien was the comfort I derived from it, and even worse were the tinges of excitement I felt when it pulsed against my crack. Even worse than that, was the way I looked back at her with my inviting smile, and shifted so that she could press herself deeper. It wasn't just her body I liked. Furia was an unassuming girl with a curious mind and a quirky sense of humor, but beneath that was a warrior of limitless fury, and that was who I wanted to... taste..

It had been three days since we left Castle Thorum, and though I slept beside Furia every night, the breakneck pace Yavara set us upon left everyone, even the nymphs, too exhausted to do anything but collapse into slumber when night fell. During the day's travel, I had gotten to know the other hybrids, those who once called me 'Commander,' and we'd become fast friends. I guessed it was a natural friendship, for our situation didn't allow for much commonality with anyone else in the world. We rode together in Yavara's column, sharing old stories and remembering lost friends. We even talked about the future, though I was loath to. I was surprised when the others didn't share my sentiment. They seemed excited for a chance at a new life, and brushed away the loss of their old one. I wondered if Yavara was right about them.

The outline of Castle Alkandra was revealed as we crested a hill. It was a gothic structure, with twisting spires that cornered it, and imposing black walls that stood a hundred feet on a side. It was a strange sight in an empty field, where even the ruins of old Alkandra had been turned to rubble over the centuries. Yavara marveled at her new home as we approached it, but her joy soon turned to concern the closer we got.

"Oh shit," Yavara said as she stared at the sprawling settlement that had sprung up around Castle Alkandra, "who the fuck are these people?"

"Former citizens of Ardeni Dreus." Arbor replied, "They have been coming here for days."

"How the fuck am I supposed to feed them?!"

"The soil is fertile and moist, and will bear fruit with the right amount of love." Arbor said, sinking her bare foot into the ground, "My children and I can help you grow the crops, but I will need help to harvest them."

"You," Yavara said to a passing goblin, "who's in charge here?"

"You are, my queen." The goblin said, bowing dramatically.

"Who was in charge here?"

"Certiok Terdini." The goblin pointed toward the castle.

We rode through the campsite, dodging unorganized traffic and navigating makeshift roads. "Make way for the queen!" Someone shouted, and a path of prostrators was formed before us. The Ardeni beasts numbered in the thousands, and were milling about setting up residency and hashing out territory with no administrators or regulations. They planted their tents where ever they had room, and room was becoming sparse. Conversely, the Protaki and Terdini lived in spacious huts they'd built close to the castle moat, giving them immediate access to freshwater and the security of living so close to the castle. The moat was a manmade tributary cut from the Knife River, and so flowed back to its source, carrying all the waste the Terdini and Protaki saw fit to dump in it. That waste was, of course, the water supply for the encampment. For all Yavara's talk about how her kingdom would be different, it was certainly starting out on a familiar note.

Certiok Terdini was in a large hut closest to the castle, frantically shouting orders and losing her temper with every syllable. She looked near to weeping when she saw Yavara. "Thank god you're here!" She cried, running up to us.

"Certiok," Yavara said, "what is going on?"

"They just keep coming!" Certiok exclaimed, "Hundreds more every day off the boats from Ardeni Dreus! I was put in charge because I'm a chief's daughter, but Dad's method of population management was to just starve the citizens into submission, and well..." she gestured heatedly at the massive camp, "...I didn't want to emulate him, but the surrounding forest's been foraged and hunted to nothing, and the river's been fished clean! Your Highness, I can't keep-"

"Thank you, Certiok." Yavara said, putting a calming hand on the she-orc's shoulder, "You've done a wonderful job, better than anyone could've asked for."

Certiok visibly relaxed. "Well, I tried my best. It'll be good to have someone in charge who actually knows what she's doing."

"Yes." Yavara said, then turned to me, "Adrianna, you're now the acting governess of Alkandra."

"Wut." I said dumbly, not quite processing what she'd just said. The other hybrids gawked at me, and Certiok looked at us like she'd just noticed us for the first time.

"You were in charge of supplying, feeding, housing, training and governing a battalion for over a decade." Yavara said, "Castle Thorum was essentially a city unto itself, so who better to govern Alkandra than you?"

"Um... you?!" I said disbelievingly.

"I'm much more of a figurehead than an administrator; you know, the big-picture kind of gal." She flashed her winning smile, "Besides, I'm a bonafide weapon of mass destruction, and in case you haven't heard, there's a war going on."

"With all due respect, my queen," I said, completely thrown off by my new promotion, "I'm probably not the best choice."

"Nonsense! Name someone else with your credentials."

"Probably somebody who the entire city doesn't want to kill." Certiok cut in, narrowing her eyes at me.

Yavara turned to Certiok. "Thomas Adarian has paid dearly for his crimes against the tribes, but Adrianna is innocent of them. She is a most valued asset and ally of mine, and I will be very angry if her, or any of the other hybrids are harmed in any way."

"So we're to be ruled by elves again?!" Certiok growled.

"What am I, Certiok?" Yavara asked gently, "They are not imperials any longer, but creatures of my flesh and blood. That makes them nearly my children, which makes them nearly royalty. You will treat them with respect, you will follow their orders, and you will help organize this clusterfuck into something that resembles a city."

"My queen," I interjected, "I still don't think-"

"Thank you for undertaking this monumental task, Governess Adrianna." Yavara smiled sweetly, but her eyes were deadly, "I don't know when I'll be back, but I expect to see great progress when I arrive." And with that, Yavara launched herself from her horse and into the sky. I stared up, dumbfounded at what had just transpired.

Furia embraced me tightly from behind and kissed my cheek. "You're going to do great."

ELENA

Lord Lucas Ternias was a very dangerous man. Leveria had told me as much, but I hadn't realized the breadth of it until I met him. It wasn't that he was physically imposing, for I was sure I could've killed him a hundred different ways with just my hands; it was his talent with people that made him deadly. He was much like Leveria, and that made me wary. For the one time I'd faced off against Leveria, I'd done so with the advantage of a day's preparation, tactful deception, and the element of surprise, and she'd still crushed me like an insignificant bug.

"My lady." He said with a sweeping bow, kissing my proffered hand. He was a handsome man, I supposed, though older.

"My lord." I answered, my voice echoing in the atrium of his expansive estate house in Ternianas, the fiefdom of the Ternias family. I was used to the pomp and pageantry of noble houses, having grown up in one myself, but the shear amount of ornamentation in the Ternias estate was nearly nauseating. The lord escorted Glendian and I up an expansive staircase, and into a lavish office. He bid me to sit, then poured wine for the three of us before sitting opposite me.

"So," He said magnanimously, swirling the wine in his glass, "you're Lydia's daughter. You can imagine that I've heard many stories about you since your arrival."

"I imagine we've heard quite a few stories about one another from quite a few biased mouths." I said, leaning back in my chair, "Perhaps we should hear it from the source."

"You might find that the source is the most unreliable mouth to hear it from." Ternias smiled, "But sometimes the face shows what the mouth won't tell."

"You fancy yourself a reader of people, don't you?" I uncrossed and crossed my legs, "I'm sure you can read between the lines."

Ternias might've been well-trained to keep his eyes off a woman's chest, but he was wholly unprepared for what moved between my legs. He stared for a long second before recovering, but when he met my eyes, he wasn't in the least bit bashful about it. "Some rumors I couldn't believe until seen with my own eyes." He said softly.

"Sometimes even seeing isn't enough." I replied over my glass, drawing him into my azure gaze.

Ternias glanced at Glendian. "The headmaster told me you were a captive of our merciful and kindly monarch, yet you seem to operate with autonomy."

"Glendian also told you about the threat facing my mother if I disobey her majesty." I replied.

"Ah yes, the assassin." Ternias said with amusement, "Leveria has shadows following all the nobles at all times. It's her security blanket in case things become disastrous for her. She has a healthy amount of paranoia, I believe."

"And do you have one of Leveria's shadows, my lord?"

"I've had several, but after sending eight of their heads back to Leveria in gift-wrapped boxes, she apparently couldn't find another to take on the job." Ternias said lightly. He took a sip of his wine, "I know who shadows your mother. I know where he lives, I know when he reports to the queen, and I know how he intends to kill Lady Straltaira if so ordered. What I can't account for, is you."

"You think I have a shadow?"

Ternias cocked his head. "I think you are a shadow, my dear Elena Straltaira. I just don't know whose."

"My allegiance is with Yavara."

"Is it?" Ternias smiled crookedly.

"It is, and it always will be."

"That performance you put on for us yesterday was absolutely spectacular. The shear audacity of it!" Ternias barked a laugh. Then his smile faded, though the mirth didn't leave his eyes. "The game played between houses is a subtle one, and our queen is one of the best there is. There are layers to the game, you understand, and-"

"You sound just like her." I laughed, interrupting him.

"We're very much alike." Ternias smiled back, "Although, I'm less prone to murder than she; it's a tactic that must be used sparingly to have the greatest effect. Isn't that right, Headmaster Glendian?"

The headmaster was asleep in his chair, his wine glass resting on his bulbous belly. A belly that wasn't rising with slumberous breaths, for Glendian was not sleeping, nor breathing. I stuck my finger down my throat, and emptied my stomach onto the floor.

"There was no need for that, Elena." Ternias said, offering me a handkerchief, "If I was going to kill you, I would never warn you of it first."

"You're sure I won't return the favor?" I spat, pulling off my stiletto heel.

"I'm sure you're more than capable, but I'm also betting that you're smart enough not to."

"That's a hell of a lot to gamble."

"Am I wrong?" Ternias raised his brows. He reached into the bowl next to him, and proffered a small candy. "Peppermint? I imagine the wine wasn't half as good the second time."

I wiped my lips, then took the mint from his hand and popped it in my mouth. "Why?" I asked.

"Headmaster Glendian would not have brought you here unless Leveria asked him to; he was too much of a coward to do that. I have no more use for him, and frankly, neither does she. I think I did everyone a favor, including you."

"How's that?"

"By giving you plausible deniability. With him dead, you and I can speak plainly."

"And what do we have to talk about, Lucas?" I asked, putting my shoe back on.

Ternias stood up and offered me his hand. "If it will please you, my lady, I much prefer to conspire without a pool of vomit between us."

Ternias led me through the ornate halls of his estate, the baroque décor turning to marble pylons and statues. The sound of running water met my ears before we entered a large, bright room. Gold leaf speckled the tan-marble walls, which vaulted a domed ceiling completely covered in glass, letting soft sunlight bathe the circular pool that took up most of the floorspace, a two-story statue of some heathen elven goddess standing naked in the center of it.

"Diodratias." Ternias said, gesturing to the statue, "Legend said she was an Earth Former who carved the Bentius Bay. That is why the cliffs there are so precise. Do you prefer men or women?"