The Clan Pt. 01

"You do understand that as heir to a Matriarch, I never travel in public without a quarter guard that is very well trained and equipped?"

"Yes of course Zara." He began to steady up, realizing he'd stepped in it.

"But what you may not know is that I have a black belt in two martial arts and between my skills and those of my escort, you have nothing to worry about. I'll keep you perfectly safe." She was clearly struggling to contain a smirk as she looked up at him. The golden yellow rays of the descending sun highlighted her beautifully. He noticed for the first time that the pupils of her eyes were ringed with bright golden circles. How exotic, he thought.

He broke into a smile, "Good one Zara, you got me. I trust you completely."

The two of them shared a moment of laughter.

"Alright then, let's go." she said grabbing his left arm in a hug with both of hers, she turned him westward, "This way. I know how to get to the park."

"Wow- you've really done your homework!" replied Nicholas.

"Right?" was her instant reply.

Off the two of them went, continuing to chat. The feeling of Zara on his arm thrilled Nicholas, who was just now beginning to have the tiniest inkling of what was happening. The surprise visit, the informed questions, and now the quiet time and conversation out of earshot from anyone else. He decided to go with the flow. Not that he really had a choice in any case.

As the slowly walked to Riverside Park, the two continued to ask questions of each other ranging from opinions on international politics to what it was like growing up as a clan elite vs a dedicated servant. As it turned out, not so different.

They'd both spent the formative years in the loving care of their parents. After that, their respective lives differed less than they were the same. Both were at early ages streamed into academic pursuits that included maths and science, history, languages, economics, the humanities, balanced with physical education, music, and art.

In their senior years they were again streamed into higher education based on their gender and aptitude. Here, the curriculum differed widely. He studied military history, economics, management theory, applied science and theoretical mathematics in preparation for an advanced public university degree in engineering and then military service. She had studied languages, diplomacy, social sciences, theology and had recently graduated from Harvard Law School.

Zara's life until now had been one long interview for the position of Matriarch Juno, whereas Nicholas had been schooled both as a warrior and an expert in construction, which enabled him to serve the clan capably in whatever capacity was needed, similar to many of his clan brothers. In his case however, because of his aptitude, character and what was considered a desirable genome, he'd been identified early on for special duties ensuring the clans future, which both restricted his life somewhat, while granting privileges unknown to all but a select few of his clan brothers.

Zara proved an excellent storey teller and this evening took great delight in recounting stories of trips to the mountains of Italy both in winter and summer she had done with her sisters and cousins, family celebrations and her adventures on the rare occasion when she managed to slip her escort and get away with friends for an adventurous hour or two. Young Ladies it seemed, grew up in gilded cages.

For his part Nicholas recounted tales of hilarious antics as a student at prep school and university, and later as a young army officer on exchange postings or leave, as well as some of his solo travel adventures over the years. Unlike most clansmen, he was allowed three weeks' vacation twice a year to do as he pleased and go wherever he wanted. With duty, also comes reward.

All the while Zara held onto his arm, occasionally taking his hand, and squeezing it gently. Each time his heart raced, leaving him awash in the warm glow of excitement. Clearly, she was using some advanced mind control on him, wittingly or otherwise. What should have been a twenty-minute walk to Speed took more than forty-five.

They moved along the edge of the river towards the lawn bowling club and then crossed the bridge and continued back down the other side, deep in conversation. By now Zara was leaning on him, so he decided to place his arm around her and they continued on a little further until they came to a spot where there was a weir across the river creating a meter high water fall of across the river. Some children were splashing and playing in the water behind the weir, lifting rocks off the river bottom and tossing them over the side.

"Let's stop here for bit Nicholas." she said looking up at him in a most disarming way.

"Of course, my Lady." he replied.

"My Lady." She replied imitating his deeper male voice mockingly, then giggled before continuing, "Actually I like that. It's not quite proper form but it's definitely friendly and respectful."

Feeling playful, Zara turned to face him and then slipped into her version of a southern belle's accent, "You honour me sir!"

She paused briefly before clearing her throat, then studied the children briefly before continuing, "I love watching little ones at play."

The two stood leaning on the handrail that rose above the river wall and watched silently as the kids continued their game a while. Eventually one of the parents shouted from across the river that it was getting dark and time to go home. Through protests, and with slump shouldered feet dragging, and plenty of complaint, they worked their way across the shallow river and into the arms of their parents to be wrapped in towels and whisked away for the night.

"You know, all I ever wanted was to be a mother and have an entire brood of my own, but thats not to be." She spoke longingly softly as though others were listening and she didn't want to be heard. There was some regret in her voice.

"Surely you'll have children of your own Zara." offered Nick, wondering if perhaps she was suffering some medical condition that would prevent her having children.

"Oh yes of course but not as many as I would like I think."

"Well you may change your mind once you've had one or two." He offered trying to be helpful.

"Yes, I've thought about that." she said, "Which brings me straight to why I've asked to spend the evening getting to know you Nicholas Alexander Connor. It's been decided I will succeed as Matriarch Juno upon the passing of my grand-mater. I trust I have your complete confidence?" she asked.

"Without reservation my Lady." He replied.

"Well as such, it's my right to choose a clansman to be my loyal consort and sire to my children." She paused briefly, gathering her thoughts, "When women of the third generation turn twenty-one, we get access to a registry of those the Vestalem consider as elligable. It's a very detailed document. I'm sure most would be surprised just how detailed. It ensures the widest possibility of choice and of course, prevents future generations of Matriarchs from having runny eyes and webbed feet. You must remember being screened and sitting a series of exams and psychological profile testing after grad school Nick? Only three of every ten they screen get registered. You're in it in case you didn't know."

"I thought the testing was used to match skills and abilities with career assignments." Nick stated.

"Oh, they're used for that as well, certainly- for both men and women, but lately there has been a greater interest in the eugenics component. The clan has been in existence for nearly eighteen centuries and the gene pool is getting a little thinner than we'd like." she continued, "As you can imagine there's a few clansmen who curry favour with my family. The Junos are as eager to create political alliances as any other family in the Vestalem. I'm under a lot of pressure to consider certain individuals." She paused there briefly looking out over the river again for a moment before continuing.

Nicholas ruminated on that briefly. He'd long suspected that such a thing existed and had on occasion heard rumours that it did. "I can well imagine you are." he offered.

Zara took hold of both his large strong hands and continued, "I was given a hundred and forty-six potential matches to choose from Nicholas and I'm here to tell you," she swallowed before continuing, her voice betraying nervousness upon the brink of breaking, "that my choosing time is at hand, that you are not one of the choices I've followed and considered these last four years." She looked deep into his eyes looking for a reaction.

She saw first confusion and then as the certainty of what she was saying settled upon him, he appeared deflated, a little sad with disappointment. He'd only considered the possibility that she was interested in him a few hours but now the illusion was gone, and he was crushed, making no attempt to hide it. Why on earth did she bother to meet him then, he wondered.

Zara studied him a few seconds longer seeing what she'd hoped for, and then squeezing his hands again said, "Nicholas, you are the only man I want. If you refuse me, I'll understand, but I won't agree to a life with another."

He blurted out a gasp of laughter at that. That was totally unexpected and put him into mild shock. They continued to hold each other's gaze a moment longer until Zara burst out laughing with girlish delight. Any trace of nervousness had vanished.

"I'm asking you to give me an evening or two and the weekend for us to better get to know each other. If you're wilkling, I will put forward our union proposal before the college to consider. I can't see any meaningful challenge to my choice for a union. Ultimately the decision is mine. Their approval is only a formality now that I've been named successor."

Dumbfounded, he didn't know how to respond. His world had just irrevocably changed. She could simply insist that he join her for the weekend or as consort, as was her right of position, so saying 'no' was not really an option. She had chosen to grant him the opportunity to decline which demonstrated great character in his view. But he truly, noble qualities aside, he wanted to spend more time with her. She was lovely, intelligent, powerful yet kind. He could feel that he was developing feelings for her which was something he seldom allowed himself to do.

"Zara, I, ah, I really don't know what to say except that I think you're kind and lovely and would truly enjoy getting to know you better."

"I'm so glad Nicholas!" With that she took both his cheeks in her hands and rising on tip toes, kissed him firmly on the lips. "I need to give you a lift home. It's a long trip back to the city and I have a lot of hideously important and vastly boring meetings to attend, so I need my beauty sleep."

Zara turned to head to towards the SUV with the tinted windows that had parked a hundred meters away ten minutes earlier. Nick, taking her hand pulled her close and whispered, "Wait, I just want to try something first- confirm your guard are on their toes."

"Okay." Zara allowed slowly. This could be fun. "What did you have in mind?"

"Just follow my lead. Put both hands on the top rail and place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart." Zara quickly complied.

"Now keep looking ahead, don't turn either left or right." he said.

Zara complied and he moved in close enough that his thighs were firmly pressed against the curve of her buns, forcing her closer to the rail. He could feel her thick ponytail pressing against his Adam's Apple. He wrapped an arm around her slender waste and took a firm grip at the base of her ponytail, pulling her head back slightly before whispering softly into her ear, "Don't go into the city tonight Lady Zara. Stay the night and we can learn so much more about each other..." He spoke about how much she excited him before leaning down to gently kiss her neck behind the ear.

"Yumm, my consort!" she moaned in response, "What will you do?"

Nicholas knew how to take charge of her sexually despite the difference in their station. Zara liked that, feeling a sudden tug of excitement as he seized control of her body.

"Rise up on your tip toes and I'll show you my Lady" he instructed her.

She did as told and could now feel the swelling bulge of his manhood squarely in the fold between the two cheeks of her back side.

"Oh my, I can feel that." she said before giving her hips a gentle wiggle, "Most impressive. I would like that very much." she offered, a breathless passion rising in her voice.

Just then Nicholas took a giant step back, and turning about swiftly, and outstretched his arms, "Local friendly!" he blurted out loud enough that the two man team that had approached within five meters could hear and stopped in their tracks.

"Sir, I'm going to need you to lie face down! Right NOW sir!" announced the one on the right as the one on the left continued to edge closer.

"I said 'local friendly', guardsman. You both can stand down." announced Nicholas with a bit of menace. Not knowing the challenge and password for this protection team he had used a universal term akin to slapping the mat in wrestling that was used to end a training exercise or drill.

"It's okay, Daniel, relax, I'm fine. This is Captain Connor who is also a member of the Reserve Protection Branch." Zara chimed in and the tension immediately disappeared.

"Sorry Captain, just making sure. Doing our job sir." volunteered the one on the right.

"All good guardsman, just doing your job- but why weren't you briefed on who Lady Juno's escort was?" he asked.

It seemed out of the ordinary. The two should have been apprised of who he was withing ten minutes of their leaving the house.

"Yes sir. Captain Nicholas Connor, IC Alpha Company, Reserve Protection Branch. But, well, sir, with all due respect I don't know you." came the reply.

"Of course," Replied Nick, "You're absolutely right. Okay, well done." Apparently, the operational readiness level trust protocols had been increased without his being in the loop. That seemed irregular as well.

"Get what you want?" asked Zara as the four of them walked towards the SUV.

"Yes, I did." he replied. He was also glad that she intervened and diffused things before he had to take the two young men apart. Again, Zara seemed to have a sense of noblesse oblige and cared about the people of the clan, including her security detail.

The ride back to Sofie's place took less than five minutes. Zara used it to firm up timings and to jot down her personal cell number on a card before handing it to him. "Just in case you want to text me 'good night' or something." she said sounding a little like a teenage girl with a serious crush.

They were alone in the back of the vehicle with a tinted window concealing the driver. When the vehicle stopped, they had a very not so chaste good night kiss before Nick opened the door and slipped into the night. He stood at the curb as the vehicle eased into the night, followed five seconds later by three similar vehicles that were racing to catch hers at the intersection and form a packet for the trip into the city.

Nick turned and went around to the back entrance to gather up his running shoes to take inside lest it rain or there was a heavy dew in the morning. Sofie had already brought them in. He found her in the family room watching evening television. She seemed a little distraught, sitting on the edge of the seat cushion.

"How did it go with the patrician?" she asked, "You're wearing her lipstick I see."

Ouch thought Nick. That was unlike Matron.

"I'm tired Nicholas and need an early night and it's been too long since you had a proper release. I could use one myself. Tonight, you are in my bed." She announced, turning off the television and heading up the stairs to her bedroom. "Come along Nicholas, and make sure you wash your face."

"Yes Matron."

He was surprised, assuming she must have been made aware of Lady Juno's intentions. It didn't matter in any case. The decision was not yet final, and Matron could take comfort with him any evening of her choosing by right of her position. At present, he was her instrument and she was free to use him as she pleased.

He quickly texted Zara 'good night and sweet dreams' adding hug and kiss emojis, lest he not get the chance to do so later. He then quickly prepared for what if the past were any indication would be a very raucous evening. Sofie was very aggressive sexually and liked to take charge in bed. He absolutely adored her for it.

As soon as he'd entered the bedroom, she grabbed a handful of his thick brown hair and put him on his knees. Raising the front of her teddy, she pulled his head toward her sex, placing his mouth squarely upon an already moist and swollen labia. She gripped his locks fiercely, directing the pressure and locus of his attention as her passion rose, to different areas of her sex.

Her knees began to buckle as her excitement grew, so letting go, she tossed herself backward onto her large fourposter bed. Nicholas loved the taste of Sofie. She reminded him of fresh cucumber somehow. He had his mouth on her pussy within seconds. Sofie clutched his hair with both hands crushing his mouth to her clitoral hood, raising her knees to her chest.

She had always appreciated a lover who could pleasure her this way, but Nick had mastered the technique and taken it to the next level in the few months they'd been together. He brought her excitement level first quickly, then slowly to the verge of bliss before backing off slightly, shifting his attention to licking and sucking her juicy labia while her arousal settled.

"No more games Nick! Give me that orgasm!" she railed in frustration.

He moved quickly back to her hood and inserting a finger into her swollen pussy, soon had her writhing in the throes of orgasm beneath him.

Once Sofie's composure had returned, they moved into the study where a large polar bearskin rug was sprawled across the floor. She had Nicholas lay across it while she squatted above his head, her sex within easy reach of his eager lips. She ordered him to keep working her clitoris, as she bounced up and down, tapping his mouth with her inner labia as he craned his neck to reach her. She established a rhythm of pussy to mouth contact like that of an expert dry fly fisherman, tapping the water with his line, torturing a prize trout into striking. As she continued, she stroked his swollen shaft fiercely, edging him close to orgasm before breaking her rhythm at the first sign of seminal fluid at the tip of his penis. She decided after several minutes that she need him inside and just as his penis began its orgasmic twitch again, she deftly squeezed his glans, forcing much of the blood out of it and quenching his orgasm in the process.

Rising, she announced they were moving back to the bedroom where she assumed a doggy position at the end of her large four poster bed and then howling with satisfaction, thrust backward as he pounded her aggressively with his thick phallus, matching every stroke.

"Come on Nicholas Baby, cum- fill me with your seed stud!"

Sofie had began to let out a constant wailing moan.

"I'm ovulating Nicholas, I want your precious cum..."

He couldn't hold back any longer and released an initial spurt of semen deep into her vagina. He gripped her waist fiercely, no unwilling to let her escape him. She felt it at once and clamped viscously on his quivering shaft. That was it, all he could take as he surrendered to orgasm completely filling her up with several days of accumulated semen, for what seemed an eternity.

After catching his breath, he lay down on her bed, bathed in sweat closing his eyes. Sofie was soon kneeling over him again, pressing her cum filled vulva against his mouth. She loved being cleaned up after their sex and he was happy to oblige. She returned the favour, leaning forward and grasping his still erect phallus with both hands. She began licking and sucking as much of his considerable length as she could comfortably fit in her mouth.