The Contest Ch. 09

Goodness, he certainly was dressed up. His outfit was a masculine version of hers, rainbow layers and all. His jewelry looked different, though. She even stole a quick glance at the top of his head. He had white jade instead of black, probably because white looked better against his dark hair.

The Emperor rested a flat edge of the dagger's blade on one of Rellenora's shoulders. The metal was cold. She gave a slight tremble. The dagger was moved to the other shoulder. Then the Emperor sheathed it rather loudly. He returned it to the purple pillow and picked up the seal. It was meant for shaping hot wax into a dragon shape on the most important royal documents.

The Empress Dowager said a few words, something about blessing this union and having high hopes for the empire. Then, the Emperor reached for the sash around Rellenora's body. He tucked the seal under the golden fabric. Then he took her hands in his.

His flesh felt like porcelain but with sections of roughness, which made sense since he apparently knew how to use a variety of weapons. He even hunted.

He led her hands upwards. Her sleeves fell back. Rellenora looked a bit to her right, focusing on a random guest's pretty clothing. She felt his lips pucker and press on the back of one hand, then the other. Then he let her go.

It was time to walk around the palace, taking a ridiculous scenic route, and then they would go to the dining hall, the same one they had eaten in to celebrate their engagement.

First, the guests and some servants left the Throne Room to gather around outside. Then, the Empress Dowager put the purple pillow and dagger aside. She led the way for the new couple as they all quit the room. The Emperor's hand was practically cemented to Rellenora's shoulder.

Rainbow confetti was launched into the air as the couple stepped out of the building. They received applause and cheering. Then, keeping a few steps behind the Empress Dowager, the couple slowly marched around, showing themselves off. Servants kept near them to cover their heads with large umbrellas. They didn't expect any rain. The umbrellas were symbolic, representing the need to protect the couple from anything that could damage their marriage. They'd be useful if it did rain, though.

Rellenora wondered if her neck would break. Her jaw was tight. Her ears were throbbing.

Ultimately, they went back inside the Imperial Palace, and they went into the dining hall. It was decorated with ribbons and streamers of every color imaginable. They went to the highest table, and the Emperor told all of his guests to enjoy the party.

In was mostly the same as the engagement party. Food that Rellenora hated, two men she didn't fully understand sitting beside her, Naeva seated behind her, music and dancing, it wasn't so different.

But she was married now.

Why ... why did this happen?

It was still so confusing.

Occasionally, a guest would ask to approach the new couple, and they'd offer a gift, which would be shown off and then taken away by a servant. Princess Lagath came and gave them a set of decorative shields with runes of good luck carved into them. Princess Chohni came and gave them two mirrors with handles, plated with silver and encrusted with several gemstones.

At one point, however, someone Rellenora didn't expect to offer a gift approached the table.

Her youngest brother, an older sibling, Prince Galton Braden Nograith of Henrill.

She knew had had been there. She knew he was a guest at the wedding. He was the only member of her family that actually took the time to come all the way to Zenthia to attend the wedding.

But ... he was going to give a present? That wasn't like him.

He was fairly tall, but on the thinner side, and as he bowed, his curly hair seemed to float. He handed his gift to a servant, who showed it to the couple. It was a bolt of silk brocade, pine green with silver and gold rectangles.

That was the first time he had ever given her anything other than a whack to her head.

It frightened her. In fact, her breath chilled and her feet curled as she listened to him thank the Emperor for marrying his sister. His voice was so ... false ... so rehearsed. It disgusted her.

Thankfully, he was being kept in one of the smaller houses in the complex, and she wasn't going to ask him to come to the White Jade Palace. She didn't care about any gossip that might follow.

She didn't even care if she angered him.

And then, Rellenora felt her eyelids draw back as a quiet revelation came to her.

Here, in Zenthia, she had the authority to keep him as far away from her as possible.

Was it worth all the annoying, repellent, uncomfortable things she had to endure, though?

Maybe ... not?

***

The Empress' bedchamber in the White Jade Palace was feminine and delicate. The walls were white and gold. Light paintings of plants and birds were hung here and there. There were statues of puppies, kittens, playful maidens, and relaxing men in attractive locations. Connected to this room, there was a massive dressing room filled with wardrobes and wardrobes of clothing. It was all fairly overwhelming. Even Rellenora, who stubbornly wanted to go home, thought that this was a luxurious place to sleep in.

As Naeva paced around, giggling and stuttering, the maids undressed Rellenora. This included untying her hair from its painful state. Such relief! Rellenora felt the happiness flow from the top of her head to her toes, which flexed and spread with pure joy.

Rellenora was led to a huge bathing chamber of cream and white colored stone. They gently washed her hair. It was like a soothing apology being massaged into her scalp. After that, Rellenora's face and body was wiped and scrubbed clean. Then, with her hair tied up, Rellenora got to sit in a large pool of deliciously hot water with a variety of flower petals floating about. It was the most relaxing thing in the world. Her body thawed and softened. She nearly fell asleep.

Later on, as a few women waved fans over her hair to help it dry, more of that perfume from before was put on her skin. This time, extra perfume was put on her sensitive armpits, between her toes, and even on her inner thighs. Rellenora thought this was a peculiar thing to do. She didn't complain, though, because it smelled nice.

As the sun set, Rellenora lounged about the palace for a few moments, wearing a thin, white robe and gentle slippers. She sipped flowery water and watched her ladies-in-waiting play board games. When it became dark, she was advised to brush her teeth, slip into bed, and pretend to be asleep.

The bed was inside a large alcove, hidden behind a pale blue curtain, not that the color mattered much in the candlelight. And wow, there were so many candles ... some on the floor, some on shelves, some on tables ... Rellenora was a little afraid of something catching on fire.

A maid removed her robe for her. Then she took the slippers. The floor was so cold.

Another maid pulled the bed's curtain back. Rellenora put a knee on the bed and pushed herself inside. The curtain fell down. She could see faint, glowing lights through the fabric.

Her lungs ... were they vibrating?

As a child might do when afraid of a monster, Rellenora hid her body under a blanket. The air was slightly cool. The blanket was welcome. It wasn't too thick, wasn't too thin; it was fine.

Rellenora's nose tingled and heated up. A tear rolled out. She wiped it with the heel of her hand.

But ... it was inevitable.

She lied down, putting her head on a pillow.

Damn it. This wasn't cozy at all. She turned over, getting on her belly, her neck twisting to one side, her cheek sinking into the pillow. He pulled her hair up and out of her way.

How long she was like this, she didn't know, because she dozed off.

Then ... her wild and violent dreams ... they blended into a strange feeling ... hot on her back, gliding up and down.

Her heart might as well have fallen out of her chest.

She gasped.

No mercy. She was gripped by her arm and flipped over. The blanket was gone. Her brain whirled. She kicked at the intruder, but her leg was caught by a hand of steel.

Heat, the heat was sudden. She couldn't get up. Her wrists were seized and held down by her head. Then there was a voice, and then a moment of panting in the darkness as she deciphered the meaning.

"I'm sorry. I was too impatient."

The Emperor ...

Her ...

Husband ...

A kiss ...

His tongue felt so big! Her nerves hummed and vibrated until she was nearly numb in her mouth, nearly.

His arms were all around her, holding her, sliding up and down, pausing only to clutch her buttocks for three seconds or so.

Then ... between her thighs ... she felt ... it was his knee! Why was his knee ...

Ooooooooooooooooh ... that's why.

The friction, the beautiful, blessed friction! It disturbed her labia better than anything she could ever think of, not that she was really thinking.

Rellenora wailed against the tongue in her mouth. Her eyes closed.

And her hips moved.

The Emperor popped his mouth off, his tongue receding in a turning sort of way that had her missing it. His voice rumbled over her. Then he went to her throat, lapping, sucking, carefully biting. Something coasted over her belly, something like a viper ...

The tail?!

And as her husband's knee ground into her, calling extra blood to gather in the little set of lips, the tip of that tail went to the top of her opening. It sought out ... something ...

Her fingernails raced up to his shoulders.

Her ... clitoris ... was being tapped and flicked and rubbed, like he was trying to push the thing around.

And it felt so good, so fucking good!

Her legs pulsed. She made a peculiar barking noise. One of her hands went to the back of his head. His hair had been put in a topknot. She could feel how the black locks had been combed and tied up.

Why didn't anyone tell her this was going to feel so wonderful?! They hadn't even done the actual intercourse yet, and she thought she could die.

Wait ... he said something a while ago. What was it?

"I want your body hot and wet when I put my cock in you!"

Rellenora's nipples were tight. Her throat loved the man's mouth, even when he moved to the other side. Her womanhood was ... was it drooling?

His knee moved away, which had Rellenora nearly sobbing in protest.

But then, that tail moved down ... passing between the swollen labia ... and then Rellenora was so full ...

"Ah! Ah Haaaaaah! Ahhhh Haaaahhhhhhhh!!" Her breath was pumping in and out. Her fingers gouged the Emperor's topknot. Her muscles were being stretched. It was like ... he was licking deep inside of her ...

But the tail pulled out.

And he let her go, rising up, taking his warmth away. Her eyes opened. The dim lighting let her see the man's dark form. He was getting to a kneeling position on the bed. Then he reached for her, putting his hands under her knees. Her legs seemed to naturally spread and bend a little.

That was when he put the head of his erection to her slit.

And pushed.

Rellenora sucked in her breath. Then she held it. That probably wasn't a wise idea.

More pushing, more, tight, thick, so much thicker than that tail, it burned!

She nearly tore the bed-sheets.

Then she let herself breathe.

He pulled her up and down his erection, grunting, throbbing. She thought she saw his head tilt back.

And as her chest rose and fell, as her hair shifted on the pillow and mattress, she thought that her muscles were learning how to tolerate the shaft.

But then ...

She wasn't tolerating. She was begging. Her wet channel was constricting, drawing the erection in deeper with every thrust. Calm, gentle sounds were floating up from her mouth. She sounded like an odd combination of a kitten and a songbird.

The Emperor shouted something. Then he bent over her again, embracing her again, all while he thrust and thrust and thrust! Her legs moved up. Her toes ached from bending so much.

Another deep, probing kiss, and she wanted it. She licked his tongue and actually suckled it. She suckled it!

Her womanhood was thrumming. Her breasts were jammed into his hard body. Sticky and gooey noises were in the air. So was a slapping, fleshy sound. His testicles were ramming into her.

Rellenora needed to speak! If she didn't, she'd go insane! She yanked her mouth away.

She said a word.

Yes.

Loud, pathetic, ungainly, she said that word with a passion she didn't know she could ever have.

Again! Yes! And more! Yes!

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!

He was speaking too. He sounded like he was using many different words, words that were probably graphic and naughty.

All this pleasure reached a fine point, a deadly moment. Rellenora didn't know who she was, what she was doing, or even if she was still alive. There was only feeling, raw and tight feeling. Every muscle in her body was concentrating on something excellent and magical. There was something gushing and dripping out of her, but that was hardly registered in her brain, or what little of her brain that could function.

There were tears.

She was broken.

Silently crying and broken.

Then there was complete darkness and a lack of sound.

***

Someone ... was speaking to her ...

Her eyes opened.

Her womanhood was so sore that she knew she might not be able to walk, and it was so wet that it was nearly loathsome.

When the haze in her vision evaporated, Rellenora knew she was still in her new bed. Her husband's weight was still over her. He was stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.

Hmmmm ... Rellenora was fairly certain that he had said, "Did you faint? Did you truly faint? That's never happened to me before."

She nodded up at him. Then, with a crackling voice, she gave a weak, "Yes." Her throat felt like it was shrinking into itself, and it hurt more than having that penis inside her for the first time.

The Emperor reared back up and pulled the curtain away so he could exit the alcove. Rellenora decided to do the same. She stood outside the bed with quivering legs, rubbing her arms in the cool air, looking at all the candles. Liquid was running and dripping down her thighs. She believed that most of it was semen. Maybe a smudge or two was a bit of blood, but Naeva had told her that even the nicest of men might accidentally make her bleed. It didn't always happen on a woman's first time, but for some it certainly did happen.

Her husband soon returned to her with a tray bearing a bowl of water and a wet cloth. He set the tray on a table, twisted excess water out of the cloth, and offered it to her.

Rellenora took the cloth and wiped herself clean, thinking he probably had already done the same for himself. His rather limp penis did look wet, but not with bodily fluids. The dark hair around the penis reminded her of an ink blot on fresh paper. His testicles had her thinking of a sack of coins.

He took the cloth and put it on the tray. Then he clasped her shoulders and gently pushed her to the bed, putting downwards pressure. Rellenora sat down on the edge of the alcove. He released her immediately after that, and then he said something.

She admired the lengths of her pinky and ring fingernails. They had grown so much. Soon, they would be painted.

Then she pulled her hair over her shoulder as she understood him.

"Are you tired?"

Rellenora nodded and gave another dry yes. She coughed.

The Emperor patted her hand and went off again. He came back with a cup of water. She gulped all of that water down and handed the cup back to him. The clacking sound of its bottom against the tray was enough to make her upper body jolt.

He said something else. Then he leaned over her and kissed her cheek. Rellenora had to close her eyes to avoid seeing his face. His long fingers caressed her scalp. He straightened out one curl, then let it go, as if he was watching the hair return to its bouncy, spiral shape. Rellenora smacked her lips and layered her fists between her breasts. Goosebumps formed on her arms. Her eyebrows lowered, rose, and lowered again.

"I'd love to fuck you until you pass out again, wake you up, and start over, and over, and over, but this is your first time. That's too much to demand from you."

Rellenora nodded. Then she reached up and massaged the back of her neck.

The Emperor sat down beside her, then he put an arm around her shoulders.

Quiet, no words, the couple sat there, looking at the candles.

No words at all, only breathing and shifting.

But suddenly, her husband tensed beside her. He rose, and he walked to the table that held the tray. Under the table, there was a medium sized wooden box that Rellenora hadn't noticed before. He went down on one knee to get it. Then he opened it.

A moment later, his hands rose, taking the box with them.

He hurled the open box onto the stone floor. The clashing, smashing noise had Rellenora recoiling and crying out.

What fell out of the box and slid across the floor, nearly touching a candle, was a little statue of a Majustan man in foreign finery. It was made of green jade. Underneath the statue, at the bottom of the base, there were a few words carved.

Rellenora's legs were weak. She actually crawled on the floor to get to the thing. She heard her husband give her confused words, but she didn't care.

Rellenora picked up the statue and read what was on the base. "To my favorite son."

But ... wasn't her husband an only child?!

***