At His Good Friend’s Request... (closed for Veroe)

[Homerun2611]

The land of Ukrai, was one of the most southern based land in the World of Tutoriala. There were four lands in total, each sovereigned by a different form of government. Of all the lands Ukrai was the most abundant in natural resources, both vegetable and mineral. The Year was 1815, and this part of the world was almost a technological parallel to that of the far off Napoleonic Europe. Neither area, literally on opposite ends of the world, knew of of the other, yet there were eerie parallels in technology, culture and fashions.

Lord Arturo Etienne had long ruled Ukrai, having taken over from his father nearly twenty years earlier. Technically he was not a king, unlike his good friend to the far northeast, the King of Isic, he was elected like clockwork, every six years by a people to whom he had proven himself over and over as both a military leader and steward of a thriving economy.

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Arturo was getting older, he was well respected by his people, his friends and even his enemies. He had been a bachelor for over 18 years since his beloved wife Katerina had died giving birth to their second child, what would have been a daughter, if complications had not claimed them both. He had raised his son Nazar to be a strong and fierce man before sending him to the northern border to learn military command under one of his top military strategists and tacticians.

After morning his wife's death for nearly two years, he had indulged himself in many pleasures of the flesh, bedding whores and nobility with equal lust and disdain. None of them could replace his wife and over the last few years he had tired of the hunt. And so, it was with some trepidation he had accepted a request from his good friend, the King of Isic.

As they had done annually, the two men left their realms behind for a week of either hunting or fishing. This past fall while hunting bear in the nordic region, the King had lamented on his challenges with his eighteen year old daughter. She was a wild child and the apple of the King's eye, but as she was now, no man would ever take her for a wife. And so, he made the request, he knew Arturo was sa man of strong conviction and steady nerve, all he asked was when his daughter returned she be a woman that a good man, a regal man might want....

 

[Veroe]

IC: Emmeranda Jessekkah Liuwese Rafaella Ettruserren

The carriage wound its way through the streets of the city. The voyage over the ocean had been long and sheer and utter torment to her. Emma hated being cooped up. She hated all cages even the gilded ones worthy of a Princess of the ruling dynasty of the silver kingdom of Rondelland. Now the terrible ship had landed and she was on her way to yet another cage with another jailer. It was intolerable to Emma.

"My dearest baby girl," She could hear her father's words echoing in her ears. "You are a princess of the realm...one must always act with the utmost decorum. That is the responsibility we must bear as members of the nobility. Why I remember back when I was young and seeing your mother for the first time. I...blah...blah...blah..."

The carriage trundled on through rough cobblestone streets from the docks their ship had stopped at all the way through the city's beating, bustling heart. She watched out of the carriage window envying each and every one of the simple commoner folk that passed by as was being carted towards her next gilded cage.

It soon came to a grand palace at the heart of the city's center. The carriage trundled to a stop and servants came to open the doors and help her down. Emma emerged in her rose colored dress resplendent in the summer sun.

She came inside and made it all the way to the center of the palace where the Lord's residence. There she was told to wait for Lord Ettienne to finish with an important matter of state to receive her.

She huffed arms crossed in the room she was led to wait in. She hated waiting. She hated being bound by rules. She hated her life...her entire life.

Still she buried the fiery embers of her rage. She wanted to make a good impression...at least at first...she could play the part...put on a smiling face...be the perfect little princess her father always wanted. Only when they thought they had her safely locked away in her cage would she show them what she truly had in her heart.

 

[Homerun2611]

IC: Lord Arturo Etienne

The Lord was looking out his window, listening to Duke Pasquelli blather on about his son was too frail and a bit sickly to take his turn in military duty. The pitiful little man was nearly in tears as he detailed, in excruciating detail, his myriad of concerns. He might as well have been buzzing like a bee, or whistling like a nightingale for all the Lord cared, but he let him drone on, as no one could say he didn't give audience to his people.

His attention on the other hand was on the long drive, behind the steel fenced gates, that led to the circular drive which surrounded the lush fountain and garden which were the entrance to his estate. Yes, it was a palace, but he preferred estate, just as he preferred Lord to King, despite the fact he would undoubtedly serve in his role until he died, and should he survive him, his son would be the next Lord of Ukrai. He took great pride in his reelection, and the affirmative consent he felt it gave him to lead in the sometimes unorthodox manner he did. Never did he worry about occasional naysayers who almost always met an untimely and violent demise, as whatever their protest might be, went with them.

He watched the carriage, and when she stepped out, he smiled. She was even more fair than she was described, a true beauty, with the blonde hair of an angel. He knew not to be fooled by her appearance. However, as she was the age his own dear daughter would be, should she have survived her birth, a warmth came over his heart that he tried to dismiss. His dear friend, King Rupert of Rondelland, had been honest. "My daughter is the apple of my eye, I am embarrassed at how she can wrap me around that delicate little finger of hers. She had a beauty that is transcendent, even as her father, I can see how now male could refuse her. Please, my friend Aurturo, I need your firm guidance to tame my wild mare, for if she does not learn to take a bit soon, display the proper carriage and step, I am afraid no fine gentleman will have her, no matter how her body ignites passion. I do not want my daughter to be some man's whore, I want her t be a lady of nobility and a source of constant pride to the realm."

Yes Arturo understood why his friend had turned to him, for he could tame any beast, his voice commanding, his look stern, his strength intimidating. He had, had enough. "My God man, is there no end to your groveling. I am afraid you have come here in vain, unless your purpose was to show me just exactly how bad your boy does indeed need that training. My own son now defends our northern borders, do you believe I would demand any less of you than I do my own blood. It is a shame really that my father was in command and not I when you were given a pass from duty. Now look at you, are you even a man at all. We will not wait to the morrow, my guards will accompany you back to your home and pack your son tonight. I will not delay another second for fear your worthlessness, might further tarnish any chance he might have to actually be a man worthy of consideration!"

The meeting was over, and the Duke was lead away, emasculated. The Lord then entered the room to meet his new guest in fine spirits, another job expertly handled. A slight smile on his face the Lord glanced at the girl and nodded as he walked across the landing above the greeting area, standing on a small stage eight stairs above his new guest. He looked at her and frowned, taking a stance, legs shoulder width apart, arms crossed against his chest. "I know you are a king's daughter, so I would have thought you knew the appropriate behavior for a lady when meeting her lord. Since you don't listen carefully as this is your first and only warning. When I or any senior official first enter a room you will curtsy, and address them with an appropriate greeting, such as good morning, good afternoon or good evening. Am I understood, if so please do as I have suggested?"

When she was finished he could barely hold back his smile as he saw the spirit in her eyes, even if she might try to disguise it. He love breaking wild horses and turning them into obedient, yet beautiful show pieces. He let his eyes scan her up and down, she was indeed quite beautiful and should someday make someone an elegant and well behaved wife. He nodded to his lead chamber maid, "Miriam please take the princess to her room and help her clean and prepare for dinner, I have taken the liberty of having several fine dresses made for you, with undergarments more suited for a woman than a girl. You shall dine with me tonight, and since it is your first night I have told the chef to make your favorite. I hope you like your quarters and bath, they too have been designed befitting a princess, with a few special accommodations which may be necessary to your training. I take the responsibility your father has entrusted in me quite seriously, and I expect both of us to be committed to not letting him down....so until dinner, you are dismissed." He gestured with his hand, again expecting her to curtsy before departing.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Emmeranda Ettruseren

She huffed arms crossed in the room she was led to wait in. She hated waiting. She hated being bound by rules. She hated her life...her entire life.

Still she buried the fiery embers of her rage. She wanted to make a good impression...at least at first...she could play the part...put on a smiling face...be the perfect little princess her father always wanted. Only when they thought they had her safely locked away in her cage would she show them what she truly had in her heart.

More time passed. It was intolerable. Was this man, this king, playing games with her making her wait like this? She kept pacing her thoughts growing more enraged.

Well...she would show him. She didn't have to just stand here and take it. She was just about to leave this little cage of a room and march in their slap this supposed king straight in his arrogant face and give him a piece of her mind.

Then suddenly the door opened and an older man in regal well-kept clothing entered into the room. He stopped at the dais atop the steps and regarded her.

She sneered to him, "Well it's about time."

He came to the edge of the landing and crossed his arms giving her a sterner look.

Their eyes met and unlike whenever she matched wills with her father she saw no give in their exchange. She wanted to tell him what exactly she thought of him, her father, and his entire country. Yet she didn't. Somehow, something in his iron gaze pulled her up short.

"I know you are a king's daughter," He sounded, "So I would have thought you knew the appropriate behavior for a lady when meeting her lord."

She was supposed to curtsy like a polite and proper lady, the perfect little princess. Yeah, fuck that horseshite!

"Since you don't listen carefully as this is your first and only warning. When I or any senior official first enter a room you will curtsy, and address them with an appropriate greeting," He continued, "Such as good morning, good afternoon or good evening."

She wanted to sneer at him for his arrogant air.

He then pressed the issue again, "Am I understood, if so please do as I have suggested?"

At that she took a deep breath matching gazes with him still, and then her hands took the skirt of her dress as she took one foot back and performed the perfect little princess curtsy for him, "As you wish 'your Majesty'," She told him usually it was her experience that assholes with titles such as him loved it when people used them. "Good evening to you."

That seemed enough for the fool. He had a servant, because of course he couldn't be bothered to do it, Kingly matters of course, lead her to her new cage/room. However when it came time to join Lord Arturo for supper she feigned illness, and instead dressed in trousers and coat she slipped out of her window and climbed down the outside of the palace.

She was stopped by the guard in the courtyard of course. However he agreed to look the other way when she dropped to her knees and pulled down his pants. Men were easy to get to do whatever a woman asked him to when she had his little bit in her mouth.

A few moments of unpleasantness, and a cloyingly salty aftertaste later, and she was on her way free to explore the city. It took an hour or two of questioning random citizens and she was directed to the most disreputable part of town. The Seacrest district was just outside the docks and waterfront area proper. This was the dirty, close in, ramshackle, part of the port city. There was a darkened alleys past every street where all the worst examples of human nature could be found...

...her kind of place.

 

[Homerun2611]

IC: Lord Arturo Etienne

At that she took a deep breath matching gazes with him still, and then her hands took the skirt of her dress as she took one foot back and performed the perfect little princess curtsy for him, "As you wish 'your Majesty'," She told him usually it was her experience that assholes with titles such as him loved it when people used them. "Good evening to you."

Inside he seethed, but he looked at her and smiled. "I am not your majesty, I am your Lord, I rule at the will and support of my people, this is not a right born into, but one well earned. I care you not make that mistake again, absent consequences." He did not waste any more words on the girl, he well knew when someone was trying to placate him, and he would not have any of that, she would learn the proper behavior and respect, Arturo had promised her father, and nothing else would suffice.

The Lord spent the rest of the afternoon taking audiences with other citizens, solving those requests of merit, dismissing others. Despite his heavy handed methods, Lord Etienne was generally considered just, he just did not suffer fools patiently.

He had made sure his cooks had cooked Emmeranda's favorite, a fine prime roast and potatoes dressed in cloves and butter and herbs. There were green beans and roasted vegetables, a true feast for the time. In honor of his new guest he even dressed in a formal kilt, and his finest sash, an outfit fitting a nobleman at a ceremonial dinner. He had seen his maids would dress her in a formal, silk gown of rich scarlett, adorned in lace, and showing the proper amount of cleavage of her young, firm breasts.

So, imagine the Lord's surprise when he first entered the formal dining hall and was alone. This was most uncustomary, but the Lord showed remarkable restraint, at first waiting, enjoying a goblet of his finest wine. However after 15 minutes, any patience he might have had was long since waned. He commanded his hand maids, "Where is she?" He screamed.

The maids lowered their heads, not wanting to incur his anger, even though they knew it was not directed at them. "She is not in her quarters Master, she had said she was ill, but we hesitated in telling you, hoping she might recover, but...well, she appears to be gone."

The Lord dismissed the foolish women and called in his guards who quickly uncovered the depth of her deception, including the sexual bribing of the foolish young guard. He called the man before him, as he was held by his top guards who were a bit humiliated themselves. "Well, it is clear, that when given the choice between loyalty to your Lord, and indulgence of your cock, you cannot be trusted. That is easy enough to fix." The look on the young man was priceless as one guard held him and the second undid his trousers. With on deft movement of the Lord's sword, the man was castrated. "Well, if he lives we will see if this tamed version is of any use. Feed his balls to the dogs and get this pitiful excuse out of my sight."

The one guard removed the man, leaving a bloody trail that the guards would make sure was cleaned. The Lord muttered under his breath, "Well, my friend Rupert, you have given me a greater challenge than I first realized, this should be fun." He then turned to the other guard, "Given she is willing to whore herself out to get what she wants, I want this town turned upside down and I expect her before me soon, is that understood?"

Based on the eunuch guard's confession, the girl had been gone for nearly three hours, who know what type of trouble she might find. "I believe you only need search the establishments of the worst repute and you will locate her...once found I want her chained at the ankles and feet and brought to me, I don't care what time it is?" The guard simply bowed, and let himself out. He would not fail, one castration tonight was more than enough!

 

[Veroe]

IC: Emmeranda Ettruseren

A few moments of unpleasantness, and a cloyingly salty aftertaste later, and she was on her way free to explore the city. It took an hour or two of questioning random citizens and she was directed to the most disreputable part of town. The Seacrest district was just outside the docks and waterfront area proper. This was the dirty, close in, ramshackle, part of the port city. There was a darkened alleys past every street where all the worst examples of human nature could be found...

...her kind of place.

Eventually she found the place. a gamehall called the Luck's favor just a street or two off of the road her carriage had traveled down to take her to Lord Etienne's palace. Inside were several sailors from the merchant ships docked along the waterfront playing a card game named citadel. She'd sit her little self down at one of the tables and offered to join a game. Over the course of several hours in the game she'd more than tripled the money she'd come in with. Most of the other players had all their money lost and all that was left was herself and one other. He was a swarthy man of narrowed face and gaunt body, a local, a cardshark out to free the varied sailors from their meager pay at the citadel table-like herself.

Now it was reaching closer to daybreak, and Emma was looking down at her cards. She had two knights and three soldiers and one general, of the red black and gold armies. It wasn't much, not terrible at all really, but nothing she could beat such a skilled player with. If she drew the right card she could make a winning hand out of it. To do that she'd need the golden cleric or the red general. then she'd have enough for an assault one of the best hands in the game. If she risked discarding up her black soldier and her red knight to gain the cleric and an archer from any of the four armies she'd have a divine assault the best hand in the whole game. She schooled her face to reveal none of her anxiety as she pushed her entire stack of money. "I raise."

The gaunt cardshark looked at her revealing no betraying emotions and pulled one card onto the discard pile and drew one to add to his hand. Then pushed in a matching stack of coins into the center of the table. "I see your call, beautiful."

He'd been using the sweet talk to throw her off her game. Emma had been ignoring it all night.

Carefully she pulled her red knight and one of the soldiers to add onto the discard pile to draw two for her own hand. She gazed down at the two new cards and kept her expression neutral as she looked down at a blue archer and golden soldier. This was a disaster. She had needed the archer but another soldier made her hand absolutely worthless to her.

the gaunt man looked on across the table at her, "Well, pretty thing, you gonna play or not?"

She beamed at him as her hand surreptitiously snuck that useless soldier under the table hidden by her coat and palm. "You really think I'm pretty mister?"

She snuck the soldier into the sleeve of the coat replaced with the golden cleric she had snuck in there before leaving the palace earlier that night.

"Darling if I was a younger man," With an appreciative sweep of his eyes that centered on the shirt she'd only buttoned halfway. She purposely leaned forward so he'd focus on the cleavage her open shirt revealed and to give herself cover as she raised her hand again to join the cleric with her hand of cards.

She gave him a flirty wink, "Too bad...I am attracted to older men."

"Then how about after this game you and I share a bottle of this place's best Amberwine, sweetling,"

"I might just take you up on that," She said laying out her divine assault face up on the table, "But I suspect I'd be the one buying the Amberwine."

"You are pretty," The man said sadly looking down at the best hand in the game, "And playing with you has been rather diverting, but it's time to put all our cards on the table, darling."

"What do you mean," She said as she was reaching for her winnings.

He reached out seizing her arm. The one that had the cards tucked up her sleeve. "All of our cards on the table." His other hand began to pull out the four cards she'd tucked in there. She'd used them to 'enhance her hands throughout the game this night. Apparently she hadn't been as good at hiding her cheating as she thought.

She glowered at him, "I suggest you get your fucking hand off me."

"I will provided we share that bottle of Amberwine alone in my place, beautiful," He leaned in pulling out the handle of his knife in his pocket, "There we can discuss just how you can repay me for attempting to cheat me at citadel tonight."

"Repay you...like hell." She blustered reaching behind her to the tiny pistol she tucked into the back of her breaches. "I won't-"

Then the door kicked in and members of the palace guard rushed in. One pointed at her. "There she is."

Less than an hour later she was being shoved unceremoniously along with the gaunt man into Lord Etrienne's office. Fine. This wouldn't be the first time she'd gotten a scolding from a pompous older man. She'd sit through it and promptly do whatever the hell she wanted as soon as it was over.

"The palace? Lord Ettrienne himself?" The gaunt man gasped shooting her a glance, "I thought you were just some girl thinking she could cheat me at Citadel. Just who the hell are you, girl?"

 

[Homerun2611]

IC: Lord Arturo Etienne

The young cavalry scout, Luscious was sent to alert the Lord that the Princess Emmeranda had finally been located. The Lord after eating his dinner alone, fuming, but also a bit amused, at the insolence of the young princess had retired with strict orders to awaken him and bring her to him as soon as she was found.

"My Lord, she was not alone..." The young soldier was terrified of the Lord, and sometimes being the messenger of bad news meant you felt the full wraith of the Lord's well known temper. Yet this time the equally respected and feared Lord smiled. "Was she at least dressed, and how many were with her?" Given how she had escaped, he had fears of her maidenhood being taken in some unglorious gang bang in the part of town where that type of activity was broadly enjoyed. "...just one Sir, she was playing Citadel...and I believe she had just been caught cheating."

The Lord showed the proper surprise and horror, but inside he was not really surprised, and actually amused. Well there you had it, she was a whore and a cheat, just luckily she was inexperienced and not particularly good at either. This meant she was a challenge worth taking, a thoroughbred worth breaking, but all white gloves or any need of manners or social propriety could be put on the back burner, he looked forward to their next meeting. Arturo looked at the soldier sweating before him, "And the person she was playing with, it was a man?" The young soldier nodded, "Yes, Sire...uhm Sir." Lord Etienne forgave the transgression, he was too busy considering his options. "I assume my men are gathering him as well?" He said cooly. The young soldier's voice cracked, "I believe so, ..." Arturo raised his brow, "You and they better hope so." The implications of the threat quite intentional.

He ran his fingers over his beard thinking, "Arrange to bring the spanking bench to the greeting hall, and when the Princess arrives, I want shackles placed on her wrists and ankles and her chained to the bench. As for her partner, have him placed on the rack." The soldier looked at him wide eyed, "You want the princess chained?" Arturo's nostrils flared, "Am I not clear? Shackled and put over the bench, but in no way otherwise touched or I will have heads roll. Now go, before I feel a need to test the rack ahead of time." The young soldier nodded and scurried out before the conversation with this fierce man took a turn for the worst.

Arturo was now awake and decided to get up, do calisthenics, clean up and get dressed. He thought about what lay ahead this morning, and then he thought about the spanking bench. The bench was something he had received as a gift, and he had found quite to his amusement. Tying a wench to it, and spanking her bottom to a rosy hue, only to then pound the slutty pussies of the women who naturally responded to that brutal treatment. He had never used it as anything more than a sexual aid, so now it would finally be used for its original intent. Yet, the Princess did have a most attractive young bottom....

 

[Veroe]

IC: Emmeranda Ettruseren

Less than an hour later she was being shoved unceremoniously along with the gaunt man into Lord Etrienne's office. Fine. This wouldn't be the first time she'd gotten a scolding from a pompous older man. She'd sit through it and promptly do whatever the hell she wanted as soon as it was over.

"The palace? Lord Ettrienne himself?" The gaunt man gasped shooting her a glance, "I thought you were just some girl thinking she could cheat me at Citadel. Just who the hell are you, girl?"

'A prisoner' was the words she wanted to say, but instead just gave him a smirk. "I'll get out of this with merely a smacked wrist, you on the other hand, my good man...well, royalty isn't likely to take kindly to peasants that threaten noble ladies."

"I didn't know..." He said shook and glancing about for a way out, "Burn it, girl, you got me into this mess. This is your fault not mine....get me out of this."

They walls were full of gilded columns, dotted with paintings of great battles and portraits of the former lords of Ukrai. The gaurds were dressed in coats of the typical blue and red coloring of the palace guard with gold thread and buttons polished to an impeccable shine, and wearing tall hats with dangling golden tassles from their peak. They led them to the desk which was unoccopied at the moment.

They spun as the doors to the office was opened and wide and more palace gaurd entered followed by a bevy of palace servants carrying in two large peices of wood and iron furniture. As they started settling it on either side of the office she frowned and asked, "What is this? What is going on?"

One of the guards stepped up to her, "Milady, My name is Luscious, and the man you seduced was a friend of mine." He reached out and clapped a pair of manacles onto her wrist.

"What," She said pulling her hands from him and desperately trying in vain to pull her hands free, "How dare you treat me like this. Lord Ettrienne, will have your commission for this."

At her side the guards pulled the man she'd been playing citadel with and threw him protesting and pleading for mercy to the rack.

"I command you all to stop this," She demanded.

Then the Lord stepped through the doors and into his office.

 

[Homerun2611]

IC: Lord Arturo Etienne

The Lord of course had been told of his "guests" arrival. "Treat her roughly with little heed for her title or nobility, tonight she is a whore and a gambler. Treat, what is his name? Oh yes, Diego Francois, the same."

So Lord Etienne stood outside his entrance to his own office, one that only he could access and listened. He smiled at her spirit, a wild mare, badly in need of breaking, she would learn to embrace the bit and reins. Lord Etienne was dressed in a fine white shirt and a charcoal gray vest and suit, so that the shirt was barely visible, and he was patient as he waited there listening.

They spun as the doors to the office was opened and wide and more palace guard entered followed by a bevy of palace servants carrying in two large pieces of wood and iron furniture. As they started settling it on either side of the office she frowned and asked, "What is this? What is going on?"

One of the guards stepped up to her, "Milady, My name is Luscious, and the man you seduced was a friend of mine." He reached out and clapped a pair of manacles onto her wrist.

"What," She said pulling her hands from him and desperately trying in vain to pull her hands free, "How dare you treat me like this. Lord Ettienne, will have your commission for this."

At her side the guards pulled the man she'd been playing citadel with and threw him protesting and pleading for mercy to the rack.

"I command you all to stop this," She demanded.


It was time, and Lord Etienne entered the room with a flourish, the heavy door flying open and the large, stern looking Lord rapidly entering the room. "You what? You command?!?!...My dear princess, the only person with less rank in this room right now, is the cheating gambler next to you, and...." He tuned, his 8 inch broad blade hunting knife in his hand, "...that mouse scurrying over there" he pointed the pointy tip of the sharp blade that glinted brightly in the morning light.

The gaunt man, the cardshark one Diego Francois, had the brave spirit and poor judgment to speak up, "My good lord, I am not a cheating..." The Lord spun and with the speed of a man less than half his age, brought the blade to the card sharks throat..."SILENCE, you will speak when spoken to...as of now I am planning to let you live...do not change my mind!"

The cardshark was well aware of the Lord's temper and harsh punishments, and in the excitement and fear lost control of his bladder and bowels, creating sickening odor that seemed to repulse all but the Lord. He turned his focus to the man. "So, my guards tell me, the princess cheated you at Citadel?" He paused for a second and Diego took a chance, "Yes....and ...." The blade was again at his neck. The lord again speaking, "...yet we both know...that you both were cheating, she is just not as good as you."

Diego wanted to object, but wisely thought otherwise. Lord Etienne took the man's hand pinned in the rack, and with his blade he slid it inside the left arm sleeve of the man's coat, and deftly sliced the threading of the seam, only to watch two golden clerics and an archer of every color spill out. "So there we have it, yes she cheated you, she just wasn't as good at it." His eyes were steely, and the man would have shit himself again if he had anything left in him. "Please sire, forgiveness, I am but a poor..." "THIEF, you are a miserable, and poor thief!" Two quick movements later and the man no longer possessed the middle through pinky fingers on either hand. "That should do it, palming those cards just got far more difficult...should you be brought back to me, you won't walk out so easily."

The man was bleeding profusely, as Lord Etienne had him released. "Bandage him and send im oh his way, have you anything to say?" The man was an odd shade of pale and green, but he knew what was expected. "Thank you my Lord, you are a just and fair ruler, you have taught me well." Lord Etienne smiled, "And...anything else?" The man swallowed, as he was now useless as a gambler, at least a gambler with an edge. "Uh..of course." He signaled to Etienne's maid, "Please take a gold coin from my pocket for my contribution to the poor." The gold coin was worth the entirely of tonight's winnings, but such was the court of Lord Etiennne.

The Lord looked at Emma..."Thank you everyone...now I would like to be left alone with the princess, I will ring for assistance when I am done."