The Contest Ch. 11

The stringed music was so quiet.

"You're so beautiful when you cum. I'd love to see you cum with his lips on your clit." No more. She could endure no more.

She beat a fist on his chest and forced her mouth away. Her eyes opened and deliriously searched for the exit. Her clothing swished in the air as she ran off, gripping her white skirts. The Emperor's voice rang out, but she didn't bother translating the noise. She only ran, ran and ran ... she didn't know where she was going.

Was she lost again?

Rellenora looked around as she ran, trying to find something familiar.

And her head collided with a thick column.

The pain dazed her senses. The world flashed as if lightning had shone. Then it was dim. Her knees were loose. She fell to the floor. She felt a little ... nauseated. She closed her eyes and whined.

Pounding footsteps, so many footsteps, and clanging armor. They put great vibrations in the floor. Voices, the most annoying voices, they were directed at her. Rellenora wanted to weep. Why couldn't they just shut up and let her get some rest?

***

Rellenora was put on a bed in the nearest guest room. She wanted to sleep, but nobody would let her do so. Someone was always around, talking to her, asking her stupid questions like, "What's your name? What day of the week is it? Where are you?"

Oana Nidi arrived quickly. She examined Rellenora with light touches. She asked more stupid questions. Rellenora's mood was so bitter that she actually called the physician a fool. Patient and sweet, Oana only said, "That's fine, Your Majesty. Don't worry." Then, she said to someone, "The concussion has made her irritable. We shouldn't be offended."

Resting in that cozy little bed, her back propped up by pillows, Rellenora was served special tea that was made with a sort of tree bark known for easing pain. There wasn't any caffeine in it. She was kept in this room and closely watched for a full twenty four hours. Nobody would let her read, write, do needlework, listen to music, or do anything else interesting. Oana said that her brain needed to rest.

The Emperor sat beside Rellenora for a long time. He spoke to her softly, slowly, as if he was afraid that his words could hurt her. The only reason Rellenora didn't want him gone was because he was speaking to her, and listening to him was more fun than doing nothing.

When she was allowed to sleep, someone woke her up every fifteen minutes for the first two hours. For the next two hours, she was woken up every thirty minutes. Then she was woken up hourly. Apparently, this was done to make sure she could actually wake up.

All in all, the worst part was how she wasn't allowed to write. Oana literally cut the cord keeping her slate, chalk, and wiping cloth on her clothes. Then she handed these things to one of the Emperor's servants. This meant that communication was much, much slower for for her than it needed to be.

The foods they had her eating weren't bad, strange enough. The wouldn't let her have any sugar, fried foods, or alcohol. The food she was given included fish, honey, seeds and nuts, autumn fruits and vegetables, fresh butter, light cheeses, and eggs that were either boiled or scrambled.

The next day, she was allowed to walk back to the White Jade Palace, but only with several people close to her. Prince Galton appeared and tried to talk to her, but, much to Rellenora's dry amusement, a guard slashed his long sword before the prince and told him that the Empress was terribly ill.

Rellenora knew her brother didn't have anything particularly important to talk to her about. He was just angry because he was always being refused. He was one of the loved children in the family. He wasn't used to being treated like this.

During the next few days, Rellenora was still carefully monitored. She wasn't allowed to walk long distances. Running was out of the question. She was allowed to write but only when she needed to communicate vital and complex information. She wasn't allowed to do much else. Desperate to keep their mistress from pitching a fit out of pure boredom, the ladies-in-waiting kept her entertained in two ways, talking to her or showing her pretty yet simple pieces of art. Whenever the Emperor visited his wife, he did much of the same.

Eventually, Oana examined her and announced that she was fine. Rellenora was relieved. The first thing she did was pin her skirts and robes up and run around the perimeter of the White Jade Palace until her body gave out and she fell onto a bench. She didn't think the good doctor would have approved of that, but she didn't care. On the morning after Rellenora's little run, a paper scroll, held in a copper case with carved sleeping dragons, was sent to the White Jade Palace. It was from the Emperor himself, and it was meant to be given to his Empress.

Alone inside her office, Rellenora opened the case and pulled the scroll out. She unrolled as much as she could on her desk, and then she read it.

***

To Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Rellenora Analisa Varesqu.

From His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Antonai Karlen Varesqu.

Remorse and anguish. Those are the two greatest emotions haunting my mind. I believe that if I hadn't frightened and embarrassed you, you wouldn't have fled, and you wouldn't have injured yourself. I also believe that I haven't treated you fairly. If you would please keep your patience, I have an explanation concerning my unusual brand of aggressiveness.

Before I married you, before I became the Emperor, gruesome circumstances brought Prince Yban and I together, and we became friends, and then we became lovers.

Prince Yban is in a desirable position. He should have been married by now, but because of my power, he has been living at the Royal Palace as my unofficial favorite. As a lower prince of a kingdom in this empire, he doesn't have any true authority, but he's free here. He's happy, and that has always been enough to delight me.

Are we jealous lovers? Yes and no. We've agreed not to have any other male lovers. After all, what could another man give us that we couldn't give each other? As for women, we've decided that before taking one, we should discuss the matter. On many occasions, we've even invited fine courtesans to join us. Us. Plural. I'm certain that you understand.

However, as the Emperor, I have many obligations. One of them is to marry and produce as many heirs as possible. Prince Yban has always been aware of this, and he can't help but be interested in you. At the risk if seeming tawdry, I should admit that I'm interested in his interest.

I won't force you into any situation involving him, but I hope you can at least become his friend. He's a good person. He has my trust.

I hope I've made my position clearer to you. I'm sorry, terribly sorry, for the disorder I might have caused.

***

Rellenora rolled the scroll closed and put it back into its case. Then she folded her arms on her desk and put her cheek on the silk clad limbs.

She had always assumed her husband had at least one lover out there. Her own father had two known bastards floating around. Monogamy was almost unheard of among world leaders.

But ... he had a man ... at least there wouldn't be any bastards from him ... but ... Rellenora hadn't expected such a relationship.

A few more moments of thinking brought a new conclusion to her mind.

The Emperor was in love with him. He was in love! Why else would be even be willing to ... share ... his own ... wife?! The foolish, hopeless, enamored creature!

That ... that Yban ... he was ... taking advantage of the Emperor's love! He was using his body to gain all the advantages he shouldn't have, and he was bold enough to whisper unacceptable debauchery into the Emperor's ear! It was possible that Yban didn't even like her very much. He probably wanted to lay down with her just to know that he could, just to have the power! He was a megalomaniac!

Rellenora didn't love the Emperor, and she never promised love to him, but she pitied him. The poor man was being treated poorly, and she couldn't do anything about it. She was new here. She was still basically an outsider. Yban had the Emperor's heart.

He could convince the Emperor to have her deposed and executed if he wanted!

Rellenora wanted to vomit.

And she wanted to go home, far away from the madness here.

If only Antonai had chosen a different woman! If only he could see how beautiful and wonderful the other women were! They would likely know exactly how to handle this delicate situation!

But what if ...

What if the Emperor fell in love with someone else?

True ... he did have some affection for her, but Rellenora was going to leave. It wouldn't be fair to have him love her.

But ... what if Rellenora could convince Lagath or Chohni to remain at this palace with her, as a friend? What if Rellenora did everything she could think of to put Antonai's attention to one of those women? They were beautiful women, after all.

She needed to hurry. The princesses would leave soon if she didn't hurry.

***

Rellenora asked Lagath to visit, and Rellenora handed her a polite note asking her to remain in Zenthia for an undecided amount of time, to be an unofficial companion to her. It wouldn't be a bad life. Basically, an Empress would be her new best friend ever, and even give her occasional presents.

After reading the note, Lagath laughed. Then she wrote on a blackboard, "I miss my home, and my family. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again. Regrettably, I'll have to refuse Her Majesty's generous proposition."

It was unfortunate, but Rellenora understood her feelings, painfully so.

Later, she asked Chohni to visit. Then she handed her another polite note. The lovely hands of the princess held the note with a hint of a tremor. Then she put the note on a table, her long nails tapping the marble tabletop. Then she glided to the blackboard and wrote, "I am grateful for Her Majesty's offer. I would be honored to live in the White Jade Palace for a time. If her Majesty permits it, I will write to my family and tell them that I've decided to remain here, at least until they have arranged a marriage for me."

Widely grinning, Rellenora told the maids to open a guest room for the princess.

Then, Rellenora made certain to ask a maid to pick a good quantity of juniper berries to be stored. There were quite a few juniper trees in the gardens, and the berries needed to be picked before the frost came.

After all this was finished, Rellenora wondered if she could sneak into the Hunting Grounds at night.

***