The Imperial Spy: Orcish Seduction

"I am Duke Kristian Goldstone, heir of the Goldstone mining clan," he declared loudly as he straightened up, a boastful glint of pride in his blue eyes. "No need to introduce yourself, Princess. It is the grandest delight to be made your acquaintance."

Eyda took a step back and kept her focus entirely on Zhara. Despite her initial fear that this distraction would be problematic, the Spy had learned from her human employer to make every situation into an opportunity. This encounter would hopefully give her some insight into the orc.

"The pleasure is mine, sir," the Princess responded mechanically. Despite her lack of enthusiasm to engage with the Duke, she knew she had a responsibility to be pleasant and polite. "How can I help you, sir Goldstone?"

"Just the sight of you is help enough, my lady," he flattered gallantly. "But if you truly wanted to make a dwarf's night you would simply accept his most humble offer to take your delicate hand on this next dance," he said, nodding to his side. Though most of the guests were gathered around the tables enjoying the cups and plates there offered, some odd couple had taken on the dancefloor to sway at the slow rhythms the bards were playing.

Zhara smiled diplomatically but shook her head slowly "I'm afraid I will have to refuse, my good sir. I'm a terrible dancer, and I would only embarrass you if I joined you out there."

"Nonsense! I will teach you on to go Princess. You have but to follow my lead," he said persistently, though the confidence in his smile had faded slightly.

Zhara stumbled on her own words and failed to make up another excuse before Kristian walked towards her, hand outstretched. Noticing the Princess's distress, Eyda swiftly stepped on the dwarf's path.

"I'm sorry Duke but is that not your father calling for you over there?" she asked, pointing at a handful of increasingly drunk dwarves on the opposite end of the room. "He seems to require your assistance."

Kristian saw the group and, unable to discern from such a distance if his father was among them, was forced to approach the crowd. Before he could return to the Princess, a tankard of ale had been placed on his hands and he found himself encircled by his merry kin.

"Thank you, Miss Diana," Zhara whispered gladly and sighed. "I had no idea how to get rid of him."

"It's not a problem at all, my lady," Eyda muttered back, intrigued by how the brief chat had unfolded. "I must admit, I do find it quite strange that you would refuse the Duke's offer. It is commonly held among the ladies of the court that he is as handsome as he is wealthy. Many would find it preposterous to reject his advances."

Once more, Zhara floundered with her words and averted her eyes as she talked. "I am to be married soon," she offered as an explanation, a drop of uncertainty in her voice.

Eyda smiled triumphantly, immediately recognizing her words as an excuse. "I heard rumors to that nature, my lady. But you are still unwed, are you not? A little fun wouldn't hurt, would it? It is a party after all," she prodded, eager to find out the real reason behind the Princess's actions.

"I guess that is true. I just happen to find the Duke... unappealing," Zhara answered, choosing her words carefully. She knew she wasn't supposed to say that about powerful men... about men in general, actually.

"Is that so, Princess? Well, I'm not one to judge you for your taste. But I have to say, with your position you could easily have any man in this room for at least a dance. Even the married ones," she added with a soft, playful chuckle. "Why don't you pick one? I can introduce you if want me to."

Zhara kept on avoiding Eyda's gaze and stuttered nervously as she spoke. "I just don't find any of them precisely... attractive."

Eyda's gut had a strong theory as to why the topic was making the Princess uncomfortable, but the mission required professionalism, and so she forced herself to poke even further. "What a tragedy it must be for them to have such a gorgeous woman so close yet always out of reach," she praised, a generous dash of flirtation in her voice.

As the half-elf had expected, the Princess blushed deeply at her words and hurriedly tried to change the topic, this time making up a question about human and elven architecture. Eyda humored her for a short while and then excused herself right before the main dance begun. She needed to avoid suspicion, and sticking by the Princess's side all night would only draw unwanted attention.

She quickly blended into the crowd as all the guests and hosts returned to the dancefloor, the alcohol and food having replenished their energies and subdued their inhibitions. The aura in the room was cheerful and celebratory, and locals and foreigners mingled and partnered up as the music grew faster and louder. Eyda was smart enough to avoid indulging in anything through the party, refraining from actually drinking from the cups she held and only eating enough to satisfy her hunger. She only danced in order to assimilate with the rest of the partygoers, and changed partners frequently, always keeping her mind on Zhara. A plan was formed in the spy's mind, and she bid her time to set it in motion.

As the night grew older and the crowd started thinning down, Eyda let go of her dance partner and grabbed her still untouched cup of wine before approaching Zhara's general direction. She kept her distance and waited for her cue, and soon enough, as she had suspected, she spotted the Duke walking towards the Princess, ready for his second attempt at seducing her. The half-elf sneaked towards them through the side, cautious to avoid being spotted prematurely, and perked up her ears. The moment Eyda heard Zhara stuttering to give a pretext for refusing him once more she walked towards her, took a sharp turn, and positioned herself right where the Princess would bump into her.

"Oh no, I'm- I'm so sorry," Zhara apologized as she turned around, the Duke peeking out from her side to see what had happened. "Miss Diana! I didn't see you there!"

"It's alright princess, I wasn't watching my step," Eyda retorted lightheartedly. She then looked down to her sleeve and faked a gasp as she pretended to just then notice the growing wine stain there.

"Oh my goodness, did I make your drop your drink?" Zhara asked, anxious with guilt, her eyes wide open. Her mother had personally trained her in etiquette, and she knew very well that spilling drinks on people's clothes was not appropriate for a princess.

"Its nothing, Princess, just a little wine," the spy said with calculated kindness and a feigned smile. "I'll just head over to the bath and clean it up."

The orc looked at Kristian, who raised an eyebrow at her and gestured to the dancefloor with his head and then at Eyda, who was assessing the dampness of her sleeve and decided to solve one problem with another. "My, the least I could do is accompany you, Miss Diana. I can't believe how clumsy I can be. Will you excuse us, Duke?" she said, her eyes pleading innocently at the dwarf.

"Oh, but of course Princess," he answered, his politeness unable to fully conceal his displeasure. "I shall be waiting for you eagerly," he added, trying to salvage his situation.

The two ladies bowed courteously at the Duke and left him by himself as they made their way out of the room. Zhara followed Eyda through the hallways and into a large tiled room. It was one of the wonders of the castle, constructed in no small part by the magicians at the Emperor's employ. It had a large rectangular mirror that spanned the length of the room, below which was a row of six white basins, spaced out on a large marble counter. Each of them had a blue arcane glyph at their bottom. Torches with weak blue fire were set alongside the walls, showering the room with a cool, dim light. Opposite to the mirror there were two large doors, each leading to smaller rooms with pools for the castle's most distinguished denizens to bathe in. Zhara looked around in amazement, having never seen a bath just like this one. Kazir was remarkable for many reasons, but magic wasn't one them, and a room like this was beyond her imagination.

"It's incredible, isn't it? Only an Emperor can afford to have something like this," Eyda commented as she approached one of the empty basins. She pressed the glyph at its bottom and the sound of running water filled the room as it was slowly filled by the spell embedded on it. She smiled once it was up to the brim, knowing nobody would walk into the bathing room during the party. They had the whole place to themselves, and they wouldn't be interrupted. "The castle staff wash the noble's clothes here while they bathe. It should be no trouble getting the stains out."

Zhara turned her gaze back to Eyda and saw her taking off the suit jacket, fully revealing the white, buttoned-up shirt she had underneath it. She stood a few feet behind her and watched in the mirror as the half-elf grabbed the sleeve of the coat and submerged it into the water, the wine spreading out of it in deep red clouds. She watched the young woman's reflection, her eyes roaming over her curled up hair, pointed ears, freckled cheeks... Zhara found it hard to believe people expected her to find someone like the Duke more appealing than her. Even the Emperor, despite his youth and fine looks, was put to shame if compared with the young half-elf, at least in her eyes.

As Eyda worked on the coat, the Princess was reminded of the women of the palace she had seen washing clothes before and remembered how the water sometimes splashed on them and made their clothes cling to their bodies. Those memories stirred in her more excitement than any of the suitors that had approached her in her whole life. In a heartbeat, she almost wished her new companion would have a similar blunder and find her own clothing dampened. She was mesmerized for a minute as she pictured the woman's white shirt becoming translucent as it stuck to her body... and then suddenly remembered that it was her own fault that she was in this whole situation. "Miss Diana, please, let me help you," she said as she dashed to Eyda's side.

"I am almost done with the coat, my lady, but my hands are a mess and I still need to wash the sleeve of my shirt," Eyda explained, gesturing towards the besmirched area. "Would you be so kind as to unbutton my shirt for me? Just so I don't smear anything where it's still clean." It was an unnecessary request from her part and her last test for the Princess. If she accepted, then the spy could get the wedding undone.

"O-of course," the Princess answered, and after taking a deep breath, stepped forward until she stood right behind the half-elf, barely inches away from her. She saw her own face reflected above Eyda's and watched in the mirror as her own hands slowly made their way by the woman's side and towards her neck. The half-elf had let go of the coat, which now laid on the side of the basin, the wet sleeve silently dripping into the tiled floor. Zhara had never untied a bowtie before and struggled to do so now, her fingers shaky and clumsy. It didn't help that her face was just above the woman's curls, and every time she breathed she took in the scent of flowers of her perfume.

Eyda's hands, still wet from the washing, laid comfortably on the side of the basin as she allowed herself to be undressed by the orc. A soft smile never left her lips, and her eyes were focused on the reflection of the Princess, effortlessly studying her. It took her a while, but eventually Zhara pulled the bowtie out and placed it by the coat. She then looked at Eyda, who nodded encouragingly and let her fingers go to the topmost button. The Princess gulped and started unbuttoning the shirt. The first one barely revealed some skin, but as the orc lowered her hands and kept working on the shirt, more and more was exposed. The straps and top part of a green, velvet brassiere came to view, and Zhara's cheeks reddened as she realized that the next button was exactly between the half-elf's breasts. She stopped for a second, her hands hovering inches away from Eyda's chest, unsure whether to continue.

"Please go on, Princess. Before the wine dries," Eyda said, the sultry tone in her voice betraying the alleged innocence of her words.

Zhara wasted no time, and unclasped the button, fully revealing the piece of lingerie that enticingly concealed the breasts beneath it. It wasn't a revealing piece, but the softness of the material and what it hid made it almost irresistible to touch. The Princess lingered for more than would have been appropriate, her eyes glued to the reflection oh what her hands wanted to grab.

"Is something the matter, Princess?" Eyda asked playfully.

"I... err... my apologies," Zhara answered as her blush grew deeper. "I-I.. um..."

"I know why you didn't want to dance with any of the men tonight, Princess," the half-elf whispered. Eyda's hands had dried by now, and she confidently brought them towards the orc's. Despite being much smaller, they guided Zhara's still palms downwards until they pressed into the velvet of the brassiere. "I'm just like you, Zhara," she added, boldly using the Princess's first name.

The words were enough to push the orc over the edge. She didn't need Eyda's guidance anymore as her green fingers greedily dug into the half-elf's perky breasts. The smaller woman didn't have to fake the low groan she let out as the Princess kneaded her over the piece of lingerie, her nipples hardening under the frantic contact. Zhara's eyes were focused on the reflection, looking at her own hands as they played with the woman's body. Eyda's breasts weren't small, but they fit comfortably in the orc's large hands. The half-elf pressed her back into the Princess and dropped her hands to her sides, closing her eyes and focusing on the orc's inexperienced yet passionate groping. After a few moments, she turned around sharply and looked up, straight at Zhara's eyes.

Despite being smaller and weaker, Eyda was clearly in control of the situation as she grabbed the Princess by the waist with one hand and removed her veil with the other. Their eyes met and for a second they just stared into each other, their bodies pressing together. Zhara parted her lips to say something, but instead of words she let out a gasp as the half-elf planted a loud kiss on her neck. Now it was the orc's turn to close her eyes in bliss as the spy's expert lips worked their magic all the way up and down, from the neckline of her dress to the edge of her jaw, leaving a faint trail of moisture behind. The Princess couldn't help but embrace the half-elf, one hand on the small of her back, the other grabbing onto her head, urging her to continue.

Eyda knew that, at this point, the mission was just an excuse. Yes, what she was doing was furthering the Emperor's agenda. But as her left hand let go of the orc's hip and grabbed onto her ass instead, it was impossible for the spy to deny that she was enjoying herself. Her right hand quickly followed, and through the pink silk of the Princess's dress Eyda grasped onto her round rear, her fingers hungrily fondling the orc.

Emboldened by the half-elf's touch, Zhara pulled her away from her neck and dove towards her lips, one hand pushing her partner's head into the kiss, the other resuming the almost-forgotten task of removing the shirt. Eyda's tongue had no trouble slipping into Zhara's mouth and passionately taking over as she was being undressed. The Princess unclasped the last button, broke the kiss and took a step back to admire the half-elf.

"You err... you didn't let me speak before," the orc said sheepishly, still flushed. "I wanted to say that your bowtie and bra both match your eyes. The color looks beautiful on you."

Eyda was caught off guard by the compliment and couldn't help but blush a bit, but was quick to respond. "I'm wearing something else of the same color, Princess," she declared confidently, nodding downwards and slightly parting her legs. "Would you like to see it?"

Zhara was left speechless as her mind inevitably drifted to what was beneath the half-elf's pants and the only answer she was capable of giving was an eager nod.

"Why don't we head over to your quarters, then?" Eyda suggested as she grabbed her coat and bowtie. "You are on the guest's wings, aren't you? I know the way from here."

"What if someone sees us?" the Princess asked, fearing what would be said of her if this was discovered. A second later, however, she realized that the prospect of hiding her desires for the rest of her life was more terrifying than any court's gossip.

"Trust me, Zhara, nobody will know. Look..." Eyda added, and then she removed the unbuttoned shirt, leaving her upper half clad only in the velvet lingerie "I'm not going to dress back up because I'm absolutely sure we won't be spotted."

"I'm sorry miss Diana, but that's crazy!" Zhara said, unable to hold back a few giggles. "You'll only make it obvious that we are..."

"About to make love? I don't know Princess. Do you want me to get dressed?" she asked, grabbing her own tits and making a show out of her almost naked chest. "Or would you rather skip the worrying and have me finish undressing in your room?"

At that point Zhara lost her final inhibitions. She lurched forwards, gave the half-elf an intense kiss, and then turned for the exit, unable to conceal the excitement in her smile. Eyda approached her, loudly slapped her in the ass, and opened the door. "Follow me," she whispered, and the orc did just that.

________________

With the click of a key the two women locked themselves in the Princess's room for the rest of the night. They were both still panting from their secret race through the castle's corridors and stairwells. They had successfully avoided notice, though on a few occasions they had to hide from guards or nobles walking by. Every time they did, whether it be inside a broom closet or behind a decorative suit of armor, their lips would meet and their hands would desperately grab on to the other's body, their mutual desire almost impossible to keep in check.

While Zhara lit some candles and placed them around the room, Eyda dropped her already discarded clothing on a fanciful armchair. She looked around the room, basking in on the luxuries the Emperor offered to his most esteemed guests. Only one thing in the entire place, however, had her full attention: a four-poster bed, large enough for three half-elves to fit in comfortably, with sturdy wooden framework and elegant curtains hanging loosely. Its covers looked soft and were dark red in color, not unlike the wine that Eyda used to spark this encounter. A couple of thick, plump pillows rested on top of it.

The spy was surprised by the smell of burning incense and turned around to see that the Princess had lit some next to the handful of candles that now dimly illuminated the large bedroom. Luckily for Eyda, half-elves could see in the twilight better than most other races, and so despite the softness of the tiny fires, she could still take in every little detail of the orc standing only a few feet from her. Eyda smiled genuinely, and Zhara returned the smile as their eyes met, and their lips quickly followed. The pleasant, happy kiss grew in passion at a hasty pace, and before long hands small and large once more roamed every curve they could get on.

Impatiently, the orc's fingers snuck behind Eyda's neck and untied the brassiere, finally releasing the breasts from their velvet prison. The half-elf's pale skin was splashed by freckles, and her light pink nipples stood proudly. The orc's digits were amazingly delicate and soft for their size, a fact Eyda noticed immediately as they latched onto her hardened tips, twisting and flicking them vigorously yet careful not to hurt her. The spy half-moaned half-smiled as the orc teased her, endeared by her partner's evident desire and curiosity. She allowed herself to enjoy the touch for a few moments before parting the kiss and gently stopping the orc.