Twelve Realms Ch. 14-15

"He will end the negotiations if he hears even a rumor of the Emperor's intentions. We must keep him here as long as possible. The Princes want the additional time to build up our forces along the border."

"Ultimately it doesn't matter what terms we negotiate. Once the half-breed princess bears the Emperor a child, we will eliminate the king and the new prince and the Twelve Realms will be ours."

Amber didn't let what she was hearing get in the way of giving the diplomat the best blow job of his life, even though her thoughts were racing at what she just heard. As her lips and tongue worked on his shaft, her fingers went to her collar and pressed the hidden button there letting Bart know she needed a distraction. Short minutes later the room was rocked with an explosion. The diplomat roughly pushed her off of him and stood. He and his cohort strode out of the room without giving their whores a second glance.

Amber scurried out not far behind them and met Bart at their rendezvous point near the entrance to the Empire's assigned quarters. He was dressed as an Imperial soldier and escorted her back through the satellite to the quarters of the delegation from the Twelve Realms and into the room they shared.

"I need to shower and dress, and then I need to talk to His Grace," Amber told Bart. "Can you find out where he is and then come get me?" she asked as she walked into the bathroom.

"Of course. I'll be back here when you're ready."

Chapter 15: The Empire Attacks

Fiona was sitting in Maester Vincent's personal library, stroking the slight swell of her pregnant belly, while she read through ancient spell books with tantalizing clues to the magic of Land Law. She was reading about the last Royal Princess to marry the heir to Citadel. As her eyes swept across the page, she chewed nervously on her pencil. The princess had died in childbirth, though the child survived to become Jacob's many-times-great-grandfather.

She was desperate to see Jacob. They hadn't seen each other in over three cycles. Jacob and Edward were busy planning... well, planning something. Neither would tell her what was going on during their infrequent and far too formal communication. She just knew that Jake had been in negotiations with the Empire, and then he wasn't, leaving the negotiations to the trained diplomats. He'd returned to Citadel, or so she'd been told, but that was as much as the official news sources would tell her. David had told her she had to maintain radio silence. They had good reason to believe that her personal communication was being monitored.

She had not even been able to tell Jacob of her pregnancy. Even if she could use the comms freely, she did not want to distract him from his task of protecting the Twelve Realms from the Emperor. He knew he'd worry for her if he knew, so she kept her condition a secret, even from her brother and mother. She dared not let Edward know since she'd no doubt he'd tell Jacob. She knew that the secret couldn't last, however. Even the shapeless alb she wore couldn't conceal her changing body much longer.

She was daydreaming about her future children, a small smile on her face, when she heard the distant sounds of explosions and shouting in the hallway. She walked over to the door and carefully opened it to look out. There was smoke and soldiers in Academy livery running towards the main stairs.

"What's going on?" Fiona shouted.

"We're under attack!" one of the soldiers yelled. "The cease fire has been abandoned."

Fiona made her way down towards the main floor via one of the back stairways. When she got to one of the classroom levels she heard crying and went to investigate. She looked in three or four classrooms before finding a dozen children cowering in a closet.

"Where is your Maester," she asked them urgently.

"He went to see what was going on, Your Highness," one of the older girls answered, her eyes wide with terror.

"Okay," she told them. "You can't stay here. Follow me. We're going to head to the tunnels."

The group of children, lead by Fiona, crept down the hall and back to the stairs. They had gone down another two levels when Fiona heard marching footsteps. She told her charges to stay in the stairwell as she went to investigate. She used her concealment glamour and went through the door to see what she could see. She followed the corridor to where it joined the main hall of the level. She stood at the corner and watched a squad of Imperial Dog monsters lead by a human man chase after someone. It looked to her like it was Tam of Aelfir, but she couldn't be sure. She turned to go back to the children and nearly ran headlong into Tam herself. Her impact with him caused her glamour to shatter. She nearly fell, but he grabbed her wrist to steady her.

"My, my," he said with a smirk, tightening his grip on her arm. "If it isn't Her Royal Highness. I do think they are looking for you, by the way. Why else would they be in the University?"

"Let go of me!" she hissed in anger.

"Lucky for you, dear cousin Fiona, I would rather keep you for myself." He pressed her against the wall so that she was trapped by his entire body. She looked up and met his cold green eyes, they were dilated with arousal, the corners wrinkled with mischief. "My magic has chosen you. Gods know why."

"Please. Let me go. I am trying to get a group of children out."

"Don't worry, I'll help you cousin," he smiled and carressed her face with his free hand. She recoiled from his ice blue fingers but couldn't get away. She felt a surge of desire rushing through her body at his touch and she groaned.

"You know I've been trying to get you alone with me for ages. Cycles and cycles. It's too bad I finally have you under these circumstances. I will have to modify my plans somewhat. Leave us both... unsatisfied." He leaned down and kissed her. To her dismay, her body reacted and she moaned her need into his mouth.

"I must know, though. Who is the father of your child? Who has had you before me?" He pressed his palm to her forehead and she gasped as she re-lived her first time with Jacob. She felt his mouth against hers, she felt his hands on her breasts, between her legs. She felt his cock surging in and out of her. She ground her teeth together to silence her climax right there in the smoke-filled hallway as Tam forced her to experience the memory so he could experience it, too. He ran his free hand through his long blue-black hair as he struggled to regain his breath and composure.

"I never expected such passion out of Citadel. Who knew?" Tam grinned and again kissed her with even more fire, his tongue sliding between her lips and his hand sliding up to cup her breast and pinching her nipple through the rough linen robe she wore.

"Please," she whispered. "Tam. We need to get the children to safety." Her body was desperate for him, but her mind was clearly on the task of escorting the children away from the invaders.

"I need to fuck you," he murmured into her ear. He felt her swallow and tremble against his body.

"No," she gasped. "Please, no. I can't. Jacob... ."

"I don't think I've ever wanted to fuck a pregnant woman before." he thought aloud, wonder in his voice. "But my magic wants what my magic wants."

"The children, Tam," she tried to break his hold on her arm and cut through whatever had him mesmerized.

"The children... ." he seemed to shake himself out of his trance and then stared into her violet eyes, his face pinched into a frown. His fingers released her and she nearly fell again. He took a step back from her and gestured for her to lead the way.

At first she stumbled, her knees weak, as she walked warily towards where she had left the children. She noticed that the children visibly relaxed when she appeared to them. She put her fingers to her lips and walked down the stairs past them, beckoning them to follow her. Tam brought up the rear. As they got closer to the main floor of the building they could hear the sounds of fighting. When they reached the door that would take them out into the courtyard that separated the University and the Kype they opened the door just a sliver to see if they could make out what was going on.

Fiona could see people fighting, including an enormous gray ogre tossing dog monsters around and pulling their limbs off. She could see soldiers in the livery of Academy fighting alongside the ogre against the invaders. Humans in unfamiliar uniforms shot energy blasts into the ogre and the massed defensive troops. At a glance, it was impossible to tell who had the upper hand in the chaos. A large cloud of smoke rolled up the stairs from the level below before Fiona could suggest they move down another level.

"The Duke's ogre is truly a fearsome beast!" Tam exclaimed in appreciation.

"Tam! We can't go down and we dare not go back up!" Fiona tried to get him to focus on the task at hand.

"We need to cross the Hoff to the Kype. The University wasn't built for defense!"

"I know! But even if we can cross over to there, how will we get in? They won't just have a welcome sign hanging out!"

"Can you put your glamour over all of us?" Tam demanded, grabbing her around the upper arm.

"Stop grabbing me!" she hissed at him, her eyes blazing.

His hand just tightened and he leaned his body into hers. Fiona could see the children watching her, their eyes bright with fear.

"I think you deserve to be spanked," Tam growled directly into her ear, biting down on her earlobe hard enough to bring tears to her eyes. "I expect you to obey me." His hand moved around her throat, he squeezed her gently but his eyes showed the threat was very real.

"Now, can you put a glamour over all of us?" he released her and took a step away. "Everyone knows you have a gift for concealment."

"I... I think so. I've never concealed so many at one time."

"If you can conceal us, I can get us into the Kype."

She nodded in response.

"Let me know when you are ready," he told her. "I'll lead the way and you take up the rear."

She nodded again, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes to calm herself. She opened her eyes and concentrated.

"Okay. Go." she whispered, her voice betraying some strain.

Tam opened the door and slipped out. Each child followed, quiet as a mouse, until Fiona at last passed through the door herself. Tam lead the group quickly, hugging the wall of the University, trying to distance themselves from the fighting. Fiona rushed to follow, maintaining her glamour over them as she looked around.

She could see that dogfights were going on in the air above them while spacecraft battled above the planet. She realized that this was a major offensive against the Twelve Realms. But why would they attack Academy? It was far inside the sector. Strategically it didn't make sense. Academy didn't provide anything of military value to the Twelve Realms; its only export was knowledge.

With no warning whatsoever, one of the invader's ships unleashed fire on the Hoff and its environs. The children screamed in fear. Fiona caught Tam's eye and dropped her concealment glamour and formed instead a shield over all of them. He marched back to her, corralling the children into a much smaller space, and reached out his hand to twine his fingers in hers, adding his strength to hers. She tried to call her Land Law magic, but just as on D-702 it failed to respond. She was forced to use her Aelfir magic in its rawest form. Their voices mingled while they screamed in strain and pain as the fire washed over them for many long minutes. They could hear the bellows of the invading monsters over the screeches of the soldiers as they all died in agony. The ogre roared in pain. Finally the fire stopped. The only sounds the crying of the children, the moaning of the ogre, and the pop and crackle of the super-heated stone of the courtyard cooling.

Fiona was dimly aware of one of the girls screaming for her father over and over, but she couldn't seem to focus her eyes. She tried to release Tam's hand, but could not feel her fingers. She felt her knees buckle and her body start to topple forward. A sharp, searing pain in her abdomen made her cry out. Her brain went black before she hit the ground.

***

"Elias!" Jacob shouted, trying to find the boy amid the chaos of explosions and fire outside the barrier shield surrounding the city of Citadel.

"Your Grace!" Elias called over the noise.

Jacob found the boy, covered in dirt, sweat streaking his face. A cut above his eye trickled blood down his face.

"Elias, our communication array is down. I need you to get a message out to His Majesty. Find Lady Amber and Sir Bartholomew and take a squad back with you to the palace. You can free your ogre if you think it prudent."

"Yes, sir!"

Jacob and his squad fought to protect his people as they retreated from their little town towards an evacuation ship. They would be safe once they launched. Or so he hoped. This attack by the Imperials was far more fierce than they had experienced previously. Citadel was being attacked by over a dozen Imperial Legions. As an Outer Belt desmenes his dukedom had a huge standing army ready to protect the planet and the sector, along with guarding the Inner Belt sectors, but he didn't think they would withstand this kind of bombardment for long. They needed reinforcements. Their only hope was in getting word to Edward.

A flash of light blinded him for a moment and he cried out. Once his vision cleared, Jacob could see that the shield surrounding the city had collapsed under the relentless attack from the air. He tried to rally his troops together to charge back to the capitol, knowing that the city housed the young and vulnerable. Before he could do more than shout for them there was another tremendous explosion which threw Jacob into the air like a rag doll. He was knocked out by the violence of it and crumpled to the ground.

***

Hours later Jacob awoke to a shooting pain in his left shoulder and side. After the pain, he became aware that his right cheek was pressed against something cold and smooth. He tried to open his eyes but was confused by the darkness, unsure if his eyes were functioning properly. He tried to listen for clues as to his location, but all he could hear was a loud ringing in his ears. Soon sleep called to him again and he succumbed to pain and exhaustion.

When he woke a second time he was still in tremendous pain from his left shoulder, but at least his eyes and ears seemed to be working. He became aware of the sound of something scraping across the floor once he was able to separate sound from the pounding of his head. He opened his eyes only to realize that one of them was swollen shut. He moved his jaw a little and discovered it also pained him and all of his teeth felt loose in his head. He tasted his own blood on his lips.

"I see you're finally awake, Your Grace," a voice came from far above him. "I'm glad you can join us." The chuckle that followed made Jacob's skin prickle. A hand tried to pull Jacob up by his left bicep, eliciting a scream of pain. The person attached to the hand did not seem to care. "On your feet, Your Grace, or I'll have no choice but to drag you. I guarantee that will hurt even more."

Jacob struggled to his feet, his left arm hanging uselessly at his side. From the pain in his side, he was sure he had a few broken ribs. He swayed a little on his feet before stabilizing. He tried to take stock of his surroundings. It looked like he was in a small cell, the floor and walls a dull gray, a drain in the middle of the floor.

"Excellent," the voice said. "Follow me."

Jacob was led through a door into a dimly lit hallway. He was able to get a good look at his host for the first time. The voice belonged to a tall but rail thin being with skin that resembled nothing more than the peel of an over-ripe orange in both color and texture. Jacob recognized him as a Naran, from a sector deep in the Empire.

The Naran lead him through long corridors of what Jacob assumed was an Imperial Capital ship. Eventually they came to a large room that reminded him of Edward's council chambers. The room was dark, low, and long. There was a large window through which Jacob could see Citadel, the city in darkness, fires large enough to be seen from space obvious in its night. A large man with skin the color of milk sat at the head of a long table looking at a computer monitor. Jacob and his guide stood waiting for several minutes before the man acknowledged their presence.

"Thank you, Diego," the man said to the Naran. "Please wait for my instructions outside."

"Yes, Master," the Naran replied, obsequious. He quietly left the chamber, leaving Jacob standing and swaying with pain.

The man looked at Jacob, tilting his head to one side, considering him not unlike a lion might consider fresh meat.

"We meet at last, Your Grace," the man finally said, his deep voice gravelly. "You are younger than I expected."

Jacob said nothing, just staring at the man.

"You were not my target, but when circumstances unfolded which brought you into my grasp... . Well, I'm sure that you understand I had no choice but to take you into my custody."

The man pushed back from the table and stood. Even with the table between them, Jacob had to tilt his head back to meet the man's eyes.

"What do you think," the man mused. "Will Edward negotiate for your release? The mighty Duke of Citadel is his best friend, after all."

"No. He won't." Jacob's voice sounded foreign even to himself.

"Hmm. That's too bad.

"You know his sister was my first choice as hostage. She and a prince of the Aelfir are both students in your University for sorcerers. I thought to kill two birds with one stone. Two hostages to use in negotiations, one for the Aelfir, one for the Terrans. But the attempt to extract them failed. Rumor has it that the half-breed princess and the Aelfir prince protected little children from my rain of fire using nothing but their personal magic." The man delivered this information to Jacob without inflection, watching the Duke carefully for his response. Jacob could not suppress the tears that came to his eyes at this news.

"The prince survived unscathed. The princess was not so lucky. My spies tell me she is in a coma. Poor thing."

"Fi...?" Jacob moaned in pain for his beloved, his heart breaking for her and his inability to comfort her in his arms.

"The poor girl suffered a miscarriage due to the stress to her body. She probably sees it as a blessing, though. I'm sure a child out of wedlock is quite as much a scandal in the Twelve Realms as it would be in my Empire," the man gave Jacob a knowing smile and winked. "And this way I know she is fertile. And that there is nothing to stop me from taking her to my bed once I make her my bride."

"Noooooo!" Jacob shouted.

"Do you think you can stop me," the man asked, his eyes flashing with anger. "You are just a boy playing at being a warrior, Duke of a burning planet. I am the Emperor of an ever growing swath of worlds."

"What do you want," Jacob whispered, licking his lips nervously trying to moisten them.

"I want the princess. She is a beautiful prize - the spoils of war, if you will. I want to squeeze her tits and enjoy her screaming while I fuck her," the Emperor responded, a cruel smile on his face, menace in every word.

"I want Edward to surrender," he leaned toward Jacob, leaning on the table.

"I want the Twelve Realms to bow to me. I want 50% tithing. I want tributes: All of the first-born children ages 50 cycles to 250 to be trained in my army. To be returned to you at age 300 cycles, my loyal subjects... if they survive."

"Edward will never agree to any of that," Jacob snarled.