The Gem of Troth Ch. 01

Princess Carina was blessed with beauty and intelligence, and she was an accomplished sorceress. Her father, the king, had conquered the land of Torin, which was far from their home, and the princess had been sent there to rule in his stead. Her guards were handpicked by the king, and her staff was of the highest quality. As a leader, Carina was wise and strong, though at times she may have been too compassionate.

Everyone believed that the princess was the most fortunate person in the world, which is why the servants were so distressed to see her fleeing to her chambers, tears streaming down her cheeks. Carina hated herself for crying in front of others. She was the representative of the king and couldn't show weakness to her subjects. But the princess had precious few friends, and she had been betrayed by them. At this point she wasn't even surprised at betrayal, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

Carina reached her chambers, closed the door behind her, and leaned against it sobbing. She tried to think of happier times, but that only brought memories of further betrayals, and the princess threw herself on her bed, buried her face in a silken pillow, and cried and cried. As her tears began to run out, she came up with a plan. She began studying her spell books and sent for the necessary materials. Using her eldritch powers, the princess summoned up all the trust from her heart in the form of a crystal. It was an emerald the size of a fist. Having done this, with a wave of her hand and a great flash of light, she banished the crystal to a far off land and hid it behind many defensive barriers. "I'm done with trust," the princess said, and so it was for some years.

--

It was early spring in Torin, and the palace was holding a party to celebrate the melting snows. The walls were adorned with colorful tapestries and more than a hundred nobles and sycophants crowded into the massive palace hall. Carina performed her royal duties admirably, conversing with the local nobles, allaying their fears and flattering their egos. As the night drew on, the princess grew weary. She was considering sleep when she noticed a man across the ballroom stealing glances at her. His long, dark hair and full beard made it clear that he was not from Torin. His clothes, while elegant in their own way, were out of place at this high class ball, because they were made of rabbit fur and deer hide. Carina made certain not to look at him again, and discreetly asked her lady chamberlain, Sophie, "Who is that man?"

"Your highness, that is a trader," she spat the word as if it tasted sour, "from the lawless lands in the north. His name is Jon. One of the nobles insisted on his admittance, I understand he is very successful. Should I have him removed, your highness?"

"No," she replied, with a little too much haste, "Thank you, Lady Chamberlain."

Carina tried to ignore the man. He was but a trader, and from the lands of the north, which had no name and no king. Still, she couldn't help but watch as he made small talk with the nobles, and every now and then, looked to the throne. This went on for a while before Carina got careless and he caught her watching him. They locked eyes and he stared into her. The way he looked at her sent fire through Carina, longing that she thought she had been long past. She couldn't take it any longer and quit the throne, leaving the party without waiting for the customary announcements.

Carina had intended to return to her chambers and go to sleep. To be done with this night. But she was no longer tired and she wasn't ready to face what her body might do if left in her bed. So, she found herself roaming the halls in a wing of the castle which had been all but abandoned for the party. More out of habit than anything else, she called on her magic to create an illusion. It was a glamour that she frequently used when she wanted to be alone, making her and anyone she touched unable to be seen or heard by those not under the spell.

The torches were burning low, so she stepped onto a balcony and looked out over her moonlit kingdom. Beyond the wall of the castle, the township stretched right to the ocean's edge. Only a few lights were on this late at night. Most people turned in shortly after dark, but the inns and the guard patrols still had their fires lit. Carina's eye traveled out to the shore and the docks. Torin was a major port town and had been since before it was conquered by Carina's father. The lady chamberlain had wisely encouraged trade in the years since. Hundreds of boats were now docked, and although they were little more than specks from this distance, the princess wondered which of them belonged to the trader.

Suddenly, Carina realized she was thinking of this man again, and grabbed her hair as if to use it as a hand hold to pull the thoughts out of her head. She spun around and stormed back into the hallway. No sooner had she crossed the threshold than did she slam into a man wearing well tailored rabbit furs and deer hides. They collided with such force that Carina would have fallen over had the trader not caught her in his arms. Carina jumped back and gasped and Jon exclaimed, "Your highness! Where did you come from?"

The princess was speechless, still trying to take in what had just transpired. She had touched him, meaning he was now under her glamour.

Jon furrowed his eyebrows questioningly and asked, "Are you alright, your highness?"

"It's you," is all the words Carina could make her mouth say.

"Do you know me, your highness?"

Carina replied, "No," as though having a revelation.

Dropping to one knee, the trader declared, "I am Jon Alfarlinga. I am a warrior and trader from the nameless lands." When the princess did not say anything immediately, he rose to his feet.

Carina tried to listen to what he was saying, but he was looking at her again in that way. It was charged with an animal hunger that made her want for nothing more than his touch. Standing next to him, she suddenly noticed that she had to look up at him, and she didn't like it. Still as if in a daze, she said, "I did not give you leave to stand."

He was somewhat fazed by her rebuke, but its delivery was so feeble that he sensed something else going on within the princess. He stepped closer to her nonchalantly, and said, "No, but the stone floor was uncomfortable on my knee. What are you doing here, your highness? Aren't your chambers in the other wing?"

His irreverent attitude brought the princess back to herself, she stepped back as he encroached on her personal space, and spat, "You need not inquire as to my business. You are a simple trader and barbarian!"

"You wound me, your highness, I assure you, I am anything but simple," Jon said with mock pain as he stepped forward again.

Carina stepped back again, but this time not as far. He continued to stare at her with those damnable hungry eyes. No one had ever looked at her like that before, and it was almost painful to resist the call of his flesh. "Stop that," she gasped.

"Stop what?" Jon stepped forward again. He was close enough to smell her now.

She shifted her wait away, but did not take a step this time. She was a princess and she was not supposed to feel this way about a tradesman and a commoner, but her body refused to obey her will. "Stop looking at me like that."

"I am not one of your subjects, princess. Where I come from we are free to look where we please, and you will not take that right from me without a fight."

Her mind grasped at rational thought, but all she could think about was the sense of his hot breath against her skin. Finally, her will broke under her carnal desire and she slammed her lips against his. No sooner had she done this than he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him.

Jon knew the Torin customs separating their princess from the peasants even though his homeland had no such customs. He had come to the celebration simply to sell his wares. But then he had seen the princess for the first time, and for the rest of the night he was unable to tear his attention from her. Still, he knew there was no chance between them, until he saw her return his gaze. He could see in her eyes that she felt something for him as well. So when she fled the hall, he began to search for her. It had been difficult to get around the guards, but now he was glad he had taken the risk.

Carina's skin was cold from the night air, but she fit perfectly into the trader's powerful arms. It felt like a fire everywhere their skin touched. The trader dug his fingers into Carina's hair and softly squeezed until he had control over her. Then he gently tilted her head back so that he could kiss her neck.

He started underneath her chin and moved down her throat to the base of her neck and then began to move around the right side. His kisses tickled and warmed her, and promises of greater pleasures swirled in her mind.

Meanwhile, Jon's other hand traveled down the princess' back to take her ass in his hand. He was hard for her now and wanted her to know it, so he pulled her against him as hard as he could.

The princess moaned with pleasure and put a hand on Jon's neck, so with his hand still controlling her head, he forced her to look at him again, and kissed her as if he was starving and her lips were the only sustenance that could satisfy him.

Clothes. Clothes were the problem. Carina reached down to untie the trader's belt. When she did this, the trader's hands started to work behind her back, unlacing her gown. His pants promptly dropped to the floor, and after some careful maneuvering, so did her gown.

Carina's breasts were mostly exposed now, and the trader pushed her against a wall, and began to kiss them. He moved his lips up and down the edge of her corset, and squeezed her breasts with his hand. She held onto his neck with one hand, while the other reached down to feel his now exposed penis. It was hard and throbbing and hot. And it was larger than she had imagined.

Jon grunted in pleasure as the princess began to massage him. He threw off his coat and shirt as her hand tightened around him and traveled up and down. Her silken touch drove him mad with lust, and his lips attacked her neck and ears while he grunted like an animal. She tasted salty with sweat, despite the cold air.

Their lips met once more, and Jon reached his arms around her to untie her corset. The princess wrapped her free hand around the base of his penis and pushed down, while continuing her massage up the length. The gentle tug and stretch sensations caused Jon to pause in his knot-work, and hold on to the princess tightly while still kissing and grunting his approval.

Carina continued to work the trader's shaft as she broke off the kiss and grinned, "I'm sorry, are you finding it hard to concentrate?" But he reached down to place the palm of his hand on her vagina and push her against the wall, then using his other hand, the trader pulled her neck toward him until her check was pressed against his chest.

"Two can play at that game," he whispered, and he began to stroke her soft bush with his hand while squeezing her lower lips between his thumb and ring finger. Carina's chest tightened and breathing became hard, so conflicted were her emotions. No one had ever touched her like this before, and it made her want to run away and cry. But at the same time the trader's touch made her body come alive. And it was his touch. The way he held her face to his chest so that she heard his heart beat made her feel wanted.

The princess put her arms around Jon's waist and let out a murmur of satisfaction as he continued to caress her. Her nails digging into his skin and the soft locks of her hair rolling down his chest made his nerves tingle. The heat he felt between her legs made him want her even more.

Jon continued to fondle her lips until he felt her wetness on his hand. Then he stepped in closer to her, bringing her head up to kiss him, and gently spread her lower lips to explore her with his fingers.

Carina was sure that she had reached the height of satisfaction, but when the trader's rough finger began to tease her warm, wet clit, it was like nothing she could imagine. He explored up the insides of her lips, swirling over the spot between her clit and vagina. She wanted to scream, but he still held her lips against his, so she took hold of his tongue and sucked on it as hard as she could.

Then the trader let go of her to finish untying her corset. After it fell to the floor, he put one hand back to work on her pussy and the other began to fondle her breast. Teasing and squeezing was too much and she broke away from his lips to scream out her enjoyment. She tried to take hold of his cock once more, but he was out of reach.

Jon began kissing his way down her body. Kissing and licking at her shoulders and neck; just above her breasts, then her nipples, then under her breasts; her belly and sides, stopping to focus on the spot just under her navel for a bit. His hands were still groping the princess when he settled on his knees and took in the view of her.

The way the princess' hips bucked and gyrated in response to his touch made Jon wild with excitement. She obviously didn't trim her pubic hair, which gave have her an air of innocence that excited Jon. He was close enough now to feel her heat on his face, and with his hands not moving, but still holding her pussy and breast, leaned in to kiss her thigh. She gasped and tensed in anticipation, holding her breath as he kissed the other thigh and the spot just above her slit.

Carina needed to cum. She was so close, so ready to explode, but he was taking too long. She wanted to grab his head and force him to pleasure her. Was that how these things were done? She didn't know what to do, and she couldn't think strait, only submit to his pleasuring of her. After what seemed like forever, he moved his hands, taking her ass cheek in one, and running a finger of the other from the top of her slit, to the bottom. Then he kissed her lips, and Carina could feel her pussy throb with expectance. Two of the trader's fingers slowly and steadily worked their way through the lips and fully into her. She whimpered softly, and they stopped moving.

Mortified at the suspense of it all, Carina looked down and saw him looking back at her. The trader's eyes said that he was eager as she was. She put her hand on his cheek, and just as they touched, he buried his face in her pussy. He put his hand to use squeezing and pushing her ass toward him while he sucked and licked her clit, and pulled and thrust inside her with his fingers. As Carina's mind exploded once more with so many stimuli at once, she grabbed the trader's hair with her hands, taking hold and riding his face like a royal stallion.

This whole situation was so impossible, Jon thought. In his homelands, the women were more sexually outgoing. The scene he was currently enacting would not be unusual behind a tavern, with a promiscuous barmaid. But this was a civilized lady, and a royal at that! Besides, Jon had never been eager for that meaningless sex. It was a waste of time, and time was money. He didn't know what this was, but he knew it wasn't meaningless. Jon loved the sensation of eating the princess out. His slobber and her cum was pouring down his chin, and soaking his beard. As he sucked on her clit, he slurped up as much of her cum as he could. He wanted her in his mouth. With his mouth on her pink, his fingers worked her g-spot until she convulsed in orgasm and collapsed in his arms on the floor.

--

Over the following weeks, officers of the crown kept the trader from the nameless lands in the harbor, while Princess Carina discussed trade opportunities and contracts with him, often in private council. He of course, was provided with quarters in the palace and a modest stipend, to compensate him for the loss of profit while he remained in Torin.

Meanwhile, Jon and Carina were together in various stages of undress nearly all the time that Carina wasn't required in public. Sometimes it was "official" visits to discuss trade, and sometimes it was more clandestine in nature. They pleasured each other, and took pleasure in each other.

Only Lady Chamberlain Sophie knew the true purpose of these meetings. She was the princesses' last confidant since leaving her father's court and the betrayal by others in Torin.

Knowing of Carina's pain and isolation, the lady chamberlain ensured that Carina had plenty of opportunity to indulge her newfound diversion. And if she accidentally saw the princess and the trader together once or twice, she kept the revelation to herself.

Sophie was a solitary individual; she had only a few experimental relationships as an adolescent, and since moving to Torin with the princess, she had focused on her work as lady chamberlain. Recently, this work found her frequently within earshot of the princess' private "negotiations."

In the first week, the lady chamberlain maintained a respectful ignorance when she passed by a meeting, but curiosity eventually won out. One day, Carina and the trader held congress in an antechamber off of the main throne room. The chamber was built with a gallery, surrounded on one side by audience seating, and a balcony circling the room. It was generally used for hosting plays. Sophie suggested it to the eager princess because the latest performance troupe had just left town and the staff was finished cleaning the chamber.

At the time of the suggestion, Lady Chamberlain Sophie forgot to mention that she had yet to personally inspect the staff's cleanup, although that was clearly her duty. Shortly after the young lovers were safely isolated, and Sophia passed instructions that made the antechamber off-limits, she realized her negligence. After and brief struggle between duty to supervise her staff and to ignore her mistress' activities, curiosity versus propriety, Sophie decided to make her inspection. Whether it was genuine attention to detail or simple voyeurism, even she could not tell.

Slowly and carefully opening the door to the balcony, Sophie crept into the room. She tried to stroll in calmly, telling herself that she was on crown's business, but already there was the sound of soft speech and intimate giggles coming from below. She peered over the balcony from the shadow of a heavy curtain and saw the trader sitting, shirtless, on a table on the stage, and the princess standing in front of him. Jon's hair fell to just touch his broad shoulders. From Sophie's viewpoint, she could make out a tattoo of a ship and a tree on his back. They were expertly painted to accentuate his powerful muscles.

Carina wore only a thin night dress and modeled for the trader, turning and twisting to show all the best angles. The lady chamberlain had seen Carina dress before, offering fashion and ettiquette advice. Watching her in this contextwas like seeing a stranger. Her large, soft breasts hung out of the gown lewdly. Her wide hips shifted back and forth in an approximation of an eastern dance. Her long, brown hair fell all about her shoulders and swung back and forth as she moved.

As Carina danced, she moved within reach of the trader and allowed him to remove the gown. The lady chamberlain crept around the balcony to get a better view of the show, hiding in a place where she could see the actors from the side and little closer at hand. The trader was now fondling and kissing the ample breasts he was presented with. Sophie saw him reach down to touch the princess's pussy, but she suddenly pulled back, giggling.

"No!" Carina admonished. "This time I get to please you."

Without the night dress, Carina's smooth and creamy skin was bared for all to see. Sophie could tell that the princess had shaven her legs and pubic hair, leaving her completely revealed. The scene unfolding before her caused Sophie's heart to beat faster, and as the princess helped the trader out of his pants, Sophie's hand found its way to her own sex, which was beginning to throb with expectation.