Highness

[a_libertine]

Marsdan drained the water that was in the tub and refilled it quickly. He spent very little time in the bath, dunking himself in and stepping out within a moment or two. He walked into the bedroom, water still streaming off his body and saw Sabirah kneeling on the bed, her head thrown back.

Her tits hung gently down, her hard nipples pointing at an angle toward the bed. "Very nice," he said softly as he circled around the foot of the bed, his eyes burning as they drank her in.

He reached over and pulled her hair straight back, extending her neck even further. His eyes took in every detail of her neck, every ridge, every crevasse. He firmly kept pulling until Sabirah fell onto her back, and then he spun her until her head dangled off the edge of the bed.

"Open your mouth," he ordered.

When she complied, he straddled her head, and began feeding his cock into her mouth. He pressed his hips forward until she gagged on the head of his member. Marsdan stepped on her raven locks which were on the floor, pinning her head in place and began fucking her face, slowly at first, then picking up speed.

 

[plightofsabine]

A tremble coursed through her when his hands once again became entangled in her hair. She had felt his presence the moment he entered the chamber and the need consumed her.

She followed him with her eyes until he moved out of her field of vision and even then continued to follow him using her peripheral vision. Physically, the change in him was extraordinary. She might have been gifted, but it was she who enjoyed the gift of his attention. It was Sabirah who silently gave thanks for such a blessing and who asked for the ability to keep him pleased. Her skin flushed a healthy pink at the thought.

when he pulled her into yet a different position, she complied without resistance. He always found a way to pull her off guard, leaving her further vulnerable. When her head dangled off the bed she knew she was in for a challenge. Her pink lips wrapped firmly around his powerful cock and her tongue flicked over his shaft until he thrust its length to the depth of her throat.

The plunging motion in and out of her mouth had her hungry. Though he tapped her throat often, the shiver of delight continued to grip her. Her small hands gripped the bed and before long, found their way to the backs of his thighs. The sheer power of his body was held in check by his will, but she could feel the muscle under the surface of his flesh. Great Stars!

Sabirah focused her attention on his invading cock. Her hot mouth tightened around him each time she sucked on him. Each time he gagged her she thrust her tongue forward trying to ease her body's response. She drooled messily as strings of saliva coated his flesh.

When he allowed her to breathe, she did so- quickly. Even here, with him so perched over her, he held the breath she took into her lungs as his, holding that delicate balance. Her trembling deepened and at some point he heard her moan out from behind his large shaft.

As much as she wanted to squirm, to squelch the arousal that was running amock, she remained still. She felt the pressure of his feet on her hair and knew most certainly if she would move it would not be as pleasant. Again, he managed to pin her. Her pulse grew stronger, and the heat that grew between her thighs continued still. It was a dilemma. Her clit throbbed as she serviced him...or rather...as he had his way with her throat. She needed this.

 

[a_libertine]

Marsdan's eyes rolled into the back of his head a moment at the sheer pleasure he was receiving from Sabirah, or, more precisely, her throat. He opened his eyes and slapped first her left thigh, then her right thigh, prodding them open. He continued slapping them, somewhere between gently and hard, turning her skin pink from near her knees to just below the junction of her legs.

He reached down and cupped her pussy, his middle finger pressing against her opening. She was so wet, so needy, that as soon as he touched it, she began leaking, no pouring, her quim from her opening.

He smiled deviously as he pulled his cock out of her mouth, "You may cum right now," he said as he slapped her clit. It was a firm slap, not hard, and it jammed the firm little nub against her pelvis. Sabirah's body tensed up and quivered, a low moan escaped her body as she exploded beneath him. He continued stimulating her sensitivity, alternating between rubbing it, and slapping it. Each slap slightly harder than the last.

As Sabirah cascaded through her orgasm and began to settle down, he scooped her up into his arms, and held her tight against him. "You are so beautiful," he whispered, "so accepting, so desirous of my, and your own, pleasures."

He kissed her deeply, pouring his strength and affections down her throat. As they kissed he laid her back, her head on her pillow. Breaking the kiss he moved to where he was kneeling between her knees, his hard cock bobbing up and down above her pelvis.

He pinned her down with his body, his mouth seeking hers out as his cock pressed into her pussy. He slowly filled her on each end until his pelvis was pressed against hers.

"Now I will make love to you," he whispered into her mouth as he began to raise his hips slowly, and lowered them even slower.

 

[plightofsabine]

Marsdan was a complicated man. There were days he could become a violent storm, and in the same breath become a gentle breeze. It was a part of why Sabirah was so attracted to him. Her whole body trembled under him and when he pressed into her, he felt her open to him. As he lowered his hips, Sabirah tightened around him. She clung to him as if he offered her the next breath. Her fingertips pressed into the flesh of his shoulders and a soft, needful moan filled his mouth as she kissed him.

The heat of his kiss spread. Sabirah wanted to hold each moment in her heart and memory. The warmth of his body gave her a wonderfully warm sense of security. Somehow, knowing she could have him close in a matter of seconds gave her comfort. Even now, as their bodies merged, she felt the overwhelming emotion they shared, overtaking her. The further he pressed into her, the stronger it became.

Their intimate dance was soulful and timeless. She pushed her hips upwards meeting his deep, slow strokes again and again. Her small hands slid from his shoulders down his back, raking his flesh when the intensity of her emotion increased.

Tears welled up and started to fall down her cheeks. “I love you, Marsdan,” she murmured against his lips.

 

[a_libertine]

"I love you too, Sabirah," he replied as his pelvis ground into her clit as he drove his hard member into her. It was an easy pace, one he would be able to maintain for as long as he wanted after the multitude of orgasms he had already had during the evening and day. He had every intention of driving her over the edge of orgasmic bliss as frequently as possible, after the first one.

That one, he wanted to postpone until she begged him for it.

To that end he began varying the angle which he drove himself into her. Sometimes pressing his pelvis into her clit and grinding his way down, other times not touching her clit at all with his body. Her breathing became ragged, course, harried, and fraught with need. He smiled at her, his mouth working from her mouth to her ear, to her neck, sometimes to a breast, and back to start over again.

 

[plightofsabine]

His tactics were working. The slow, intense build he had initiated, followed by the changes in angle and depth started to wear on her. Sabirah was becoming impatient. She could feel the edge he had brought her to and as quick as he did so, he pulled her from it. Each time he felt her body tense, he changed something. It was a maddening game.

His mouth teased her with precision she couldn’t fathom. His hot breath encouraged goose bumps to form on her skin, and when his lips approached her ear, he could feel her shudder. It was as if every kiss, every touch, every glance throughout the day had led up to this.

The longer he persisted, the more frustrated she became. She wanted to turn the tides on him, to topple him onto his back, but his position over her clearly prevented that. Sabirah was firmly beneath him, pinned by his torso and pelvis.

She arched when his mouth found her breast, releasing a deeply guttural groan. The sensations were multiplying with each pass of his tongue and her nails were finding purchase in the flesh of his back.

He could feel her body gripping him each time he drove into her. Her contractions were strong, mirroring the need she felt for him. The results of his tease trickled down her derriere and she couldn’t help but to squirm and buck under him. He could see the woman under him transforming before his eyes. Her normal calm demeanor was gone. She was a proud woman, and she didn’t want to beg, but the pleading in her eyes told him differently. She was incapable of doing anything but what he wished of her. Marsdan’s pace continued, pushing her. Sabirah panted heavily and when she couldn’t bear it further, she cried out for his mercy, the ragged tones of her voice reaching his ears between her panting and gasping for air...

“PLEASE HAVE MERCY, MARSDAN! PLEASE LET ME CUM… I BEG YOU...”

 

[a_libertine]

"Good girl, " he whispered as she cried out to him. "Hold it... Hold it...," he encouraged. At the point that he and she both thought Sabirah would explode he ordered, "Now Sabirah, cum for me."

Her body froze, a rigor orgasmic, then she screamed as her body exploded in a rash of movement. Marsdan continued hammering at her clit with his pelvis, then rotating his hips downward to fill her with his engorged member. His hips fired up and down rapidly extending the orgasm as long as he could. He clamped his mouth over hers, his tongue diving in to duel with hers ad he swallowed her screams and moans as if he were hoarding it.

As she came down, he slowed the pace, maintaining a constant pressure against her clit. "That was beautiful Sabirah, " he moaned out.

He cupped her tit, fingers twisting and pulling at her areola, maintaining a small distance from the nipple proper. "Mine," he declared, "even after death. "

 

[plightofsabine]

To Sabirah, death seemed to be a long ways away. But even as she gasped and panted for breath under him, she was aging, just as he was. The day would come where one or the other would expire. Sabirah believed every word. She just couldn’t imagine life without Marsdan. Even after their bodies were returned to their origins, to the dirt, she would seek him out. She felt it was so. He consumed her. He consumed her soul.

She responded, though her pulse was still beating wildly, “Yours…”

----

It didn’t take long for the spy to make his way back to his master. After all, he was being paid very well. Thanks to the previous Emperor’s generosity, certain nobles had been housed not far from the palace. It was in one of these very places the spy had found shelter.

A familiar visage stepped from the sitting room to greet she shadowed figure.
“What do you have to report?”

The mousey figure looked down the hall as the imposing figure of Lord Hadad appeared. Hadad looked a bit annoyed. He had just made his way home from the palace after the few days of inconvenience. The event was still fresh in his mind. “Well, what have you heard today?

Joss bowed low. “Ohhhhh… Joss brings news. Interesting news.”

“Well, get on with it!” Hadad snapped, as he stood by the stairs and leaned back against the bottom of the banister.

Joss blinked and bowed again. “Of course. Moren has taken on a mistress. One of the Queen’s ladies. Very pretty, long eyelashes, sweet face…”Joss continued to describe her.

Lord Hadad crossed his arms, “Yes, and?”

Joss continued, “her name is Lady Alia. Anyways, she seems to be getting close to Moren and distracting him from his real purpose. Joss thinks Moren is going to tell her about the agreement before long.”

“Damn Moren. I need him to distract the Queen, not some worthless cunt like one of her ladies,” Hadad responded. “How long has he been seeing this woman?” he asked.

“Joss isn’t sure, my Lord. Joss only sees and hears when it is convenient. Not for very long, Joss guesses. Master, if Moren is going to be doing what he’s supposed to, he needs focus on Queen. He needs dump the woman. OH! OHHHHH! Joss forget to tell you! Heard strange, strange things in the halls earlier. Very, very strange things.” He gave Hadad a toothy, lecherous grin.
A black cloud seemed to linger over Hadad’s mood. Joss could see it move in like a wave. “What else did you hear?” Hadad asked.

“Ohhh it appears the Queen has found someone to entertain her.”

“WHO?”

Joss bowed his head more, “I don’t have a name… good master.”

Lord Hadad spun around and slammed his hand down on top of the wooden rail of the banister, muttering something under his breath.”

“Find out who it is,” he growled out. “Don’t come back until you know.”

“Of course, Joss looks to please,” the mousey man answered, leaving the presence of Lord Hadad. When the door shut behind him, Lord Hadad roared out in anger and stalked back into his study. He had to get a grasp on things quickly. Maybe if he knew who, he could assure that person met with certain death at the tournament. After all, he was assisting with the preparations. It was a perfect opportunity.

 

[a_libertine]

Morning found Marsdan on the back of a griffon, powerful wings buffeting the air. The power of the beast throbbed between his legs and he could feel each twitch of the muscles needed to flap the wings. It was comforting some how. Marsdan always liked the rush of the air through his hair as he flew on the magnificent beasts.

Flying allowed him time to think and more importantly, not think. He found a simple pleasure in it and today was not different.

Until he looked up and saw the storm cloud on the horizon. It stretched from horizon to horizon and lightning flashed ominously and frequently in the upper portion of the cloud. He whistled low and to himself as he began dissecting the issue.

The cloud was most certainly magical in nature; that was plain. Marsdan did not know yet what powered the spell but once he learned that, the spell could be shut down.

As he and the griffon approached the cloud the winds picked up, a furious gale blew trying to knock them from the sky. Slowly they descended until they landed. Marsdan patted the griffon on the neck and instructed it to return home.

Turning back to the cloud he watched it for more than an hour. There were symmetrical patterns and movements, clues to the maker and more importantly how it was made.

 

[plightofsabine]

The morning was quiet in comparison to the night before. But even in the silence, her mind was ever busy.

The tournament.

Sabirah needed an update. As she sat in the hall picking at her breakfast she sent off a messenger to retrieve the two who could answer her questions. When Navar and Hadad found their way to the hall, Sabirah’s gaze flickered upward. She cut another piece of meat from the tray and with a wave of the knife she still held in her hand, motioned for the two to sit.

When the two were settled, Sabirah sat back in her chair with her elbows resting on the arms and her fingertips steepled in front of her face.

“Navar, tell me the details of the tournament, and start with the rules,” she instructed.

“The rules of the tournament are standard. All nobles and titled dignitaries are allowed to participate. The process of elimination will cut the numbers in half on the first round. Winners will advance from one event to the next creating a tiered effect,” Navar explained.

Sabirah nodded. “I want more than feats of strength, Navar, I want to see how they perform under pressure. I want to see if they can think… strategize…”

“I understand, Your Grace,” Navar responded. He thought for a moment, tapping his finger against his lips thoughtfully. “I think I have the answer. How about this: Suppose we start with archery, move to sword, then hand-to-hand combat? When we have determined the winners in the last tier, we can have a series of puzzles to unravel, starting with a maze. Within the maze we can set traps and other challenges. The first three to complete the course will be set to horse with the final objective to retrieve a designated object. Does that sound more of what you’re looking for?”

A smile formed on Sabirah’s face. “I do believe you know my intent. It’s perfect,” she answered, her gaze shifting between Navar and Hadad.

Amir Hadad sat there contemplating how he could rig the challenges. He still didn’t know who the competition was going to be, but he wanted to make very sure they all failed miserably. He averted his gaze when the Queen glanced in his direction.

Sabirah started to feel some excitement at the prospect. Her dark eyes danced as she began to outline her vision. “I also want to make perfectly plain that the participants, landed or not, all have the opportunity to participate. They don’t have to, by any means. This isn’t mandatory, but, I don’t want anyone disqualified for not meeting the definition of what a noble should be. If they are titled, they are eligible. I also have the perfect garden maze that will make a splendid challenge,” she added, clapping her hands together. Sabirah laid her hands flat on the table and rose to her feet, causing her to lean forward over the table. She felt vigor swell in her belly.

“From now until the tournament, the garden is off limits to everyone, while we build in the challenges. In regards to the race, I think it should be significant.” Sabirah shook her finger in Navar’s direction. “I don’t want something just around the city. I want the race to be carried out through the countryside. It should take them three days to get from here to the object and back. I want the levels of difficulty to rise with each phase. When the winner returns and presents the object to me, there will be no protest and no doubt. The best man will have won.”

“A splendid plan, Your Grace,” Hadad injected finally. “Do you not have one that bears your favors already? Why go through the expense and time it takes to put this tournament together?” he asked curiously.

Sabirah met his eyes with hers a moment. She knew very well why. Her reasoning was sound. Her gaze wandered from his face to the table as she sat down again, reaching for the glass of wine and sipping from it momentarily.

“By privilege of station, all titled nobles have the opportunity to make their propositions. The tournament is just a means to an end. I respect each of you, and while I might have some preferences, I must think sensibly. The man who meets these challenges could some day, be at my side. I must know for certain the challengers have been vetted and challenged accordingly. Upon completion, we can hold a grand feast.” Sabirah answered.

“And… it wouldn’t do Marsdan any harm to put his skills to the test…” she thought to herself. It was a grand showing, and one she intended Marsdan to complete skillfully.

“Any final decisions on the contests will be made by me. It will be fair. If I deem any challenge to have been tampered with, or the conditions of the contests altered, the results will be null and void,” she added.

Navar and Hadad bowed their heads in acknowledgement.

Sabirah beamed happily. “Very well then! Draw up the announcement and send it out to the criers today. Send copies of the announcement out to our absent forces. ” We will hold the tournament in three weeks time. That should get them moving on home.”

Sabirah would have rather held the tournament tomorrow, but she knew very well many would protest the effort. She was excited to have this done and over with.

Navar and Hadad rose from their seats. Navar turned and whispered, sending Hadad back to the secretary office. Navar, on the other hand, approached the Queen as she sat at the end of the table.

“May I?” he asked.

Sabirah nodded as she took another small piece of meat and popped it into her mouth, chewing slowly.

“Your Grace…” he began, lowering his voice. “It has come to my attention that you may have certain… interests in the manner by which this contest ends. Are you sure you want to do this?”

Sabirah raised an eyebrow. “Of course I do. Why would you ask?”

Navar pursed his lips together momentarily and chose his words carefully, “Your Grace, about last night…”

“Go on,” she answered, watching his eyes shift nervously.

“The guards…the ladies… heard some things last night.” Navar tried to explain. Exasperated, he sighed heavily. “What I mean is, if you are no longer virginal, it might cause some consternation amongst the nobles.”

Now Sabirah rose both brows. “So it is perfectly fine for a man to take what he will and not a woman? Is that what you are saying?” she challenged.

“Your Grace, please…” Navar pleaded quietly. “All I am trying to relay is concern over what value the throne has at this time.”

Sabirah leaned forward, “Navar, many who sat on the throne before me have had their moments. I think I’m quite capable of ruling just as effectively as they. Even as a woman. Go see to the announcement. Leave the rest to me.”

Navar nodded and vacated the chair next to her. Only when he left did she feel the tension leave her.

 

[a_libertine]

Almost immediately Marsdan regretted sending the griffon off. The mobility it provided would come in handy. Studying the cloud he discerned that it was powered by a spell engine of some sort. The trick would be separating the engine from the spells that powered it. To do that he would have to know what was powering the engine.

The spell powering it was powerful, and well within Marsdan's ability to cast, or dispel. The craftsmanship for the underlying spells was not one that Marsdan recognized. Pursing his lips he began casting a spell that would help him see the interlocking threads of magic more clearly.

Walking forward to the front of the cloud he stood and watched as it passed overhead. The rain started slowly, then picked up speed until it was a torrential down pour. The rain pelted him, cold, nearly freezing. He shivered until he adjusted to the cold.

As the mid point of the column, more importantly the coffin containing the emperor, pulled along side him, the rain was at it's peak, and was freezing as it hit. Marsdan looked at the coffin and swore under his breath. The coffin, and the enchantments that Marsdan put on it, were powering the spell engine.

General Tarath approached and looked at Marsdan warily. "You here to do something about the damnable rain?"

Marsdan nodded, "Yes, but the rain is linked to the coffin." His eyes flicked to the general and said, "Poses an interesting problem, do I risk disturbing the dead, or risk allowing this to continue."

The general whistled, "If this is up for debate, then take the damn thing down and risk his rising."

"That is something that the Queen should have a say in. He was her father." His eyes were pained as he shook his head, "May not be time for me to teleport there and fly back. It looks like it is getting stronger."

General Tarath replied, "It is, and colder too."

Marsdan breathed deeply and let it our in a huff, "Okay, I will explain it to her after I am done. Get a priest. No, get as many as you can."

 

[plightofsabine]

Office of the Secretary

The afternoon led Navar and Amir Hadad to much busier work. Busy with the announcements and the arrangements for the tournament became tedious.

“Are you planning on participating in the tournament?” Amir Hadad looked up briefly seeing Navar staring at him intently.

“I think I should. All nobility has the duty to,” Hadad responded matter-of-factly.

“In that case, it would be best if you deliver the messages to the criers and the outlying areas so I can finish up the details. It wouldn’t be proper for you to have the details on the challenges ahead,” Navar decidedly announced, pointing to the stack of scrolls on the table.

“If I were you, I’d get on with it, so you’re back before the evening meal. Otherwise, you’re going to be stranded on the road for the night,” the older man added.

Hadad thought to argue, but thought better of it. He had other opportunities to gain the information needed. Amir Hadad grabbed his cloak and gloves and headed out the door with a bundle of announcements.

Somewhere in the Shadows

Joss lingered just out of sight, watching the comings and goings through the main hall. There would be signs of activity, if there were activity at all. Those who came to see the Queen were many and the issues were always dull. Still, the mousey figure listened carefully. He watched as Moren entered the hall and stood in the back of the crowd. Joss creeped along the shadows, as if seemingly less noticeable in the light of day. When he finally made his way next to Moren, he jabbed the man in the side.

“Looks like your chances have been dulled,” Joss baited.

Moren leaned his head, never allowing his eyes to drift from the small, petite figure on the throne. She was so blissfully ignorant to what was occurring right under her very watchful eye. “What do you mean?”

Joss leaned in further, whispering “You do know she has taken someone to her bed, and it’s not you.”

“Don’t play with me, little man,” Moren growled between gritting teeth.

“Oh, Joss would never, ever joke about something like this,” the man answered, bowing his head dutifully.

“What makes you think she would do that? Where did you hear it?” Moren pressed.

“Oh, the walls told me,” came the answer, and not one Moren particularly cared for. “You’d better do something, before your chance is lost.”

“What do you expect me to do? She doesn’t give me the time of day!”

“Perhaps a gift, some prose, something to gain her attention?”Joss suggested impishly.

Moren had a few ideas, but none meant for romance. He had every intention of joining in the tournament, but wasn’t confident he could win. If what Joss said was true, maybe some blackmail would work much better.

Moren moved further into the crowd, leaving a grinning, satisfied Joss behind. His Master would be pleased, Joss thought to himself. Very pleased. Pushing Moren would not only leave his Master’s hands clean, but give the crown something to focus on while his Master’s plan was completed.

 

[a_libertine]

The day had faded into night, and Marsdan toiled away at separating the spell engine from the casket that held the emperor. The priests chanted in the tongue of the angels to the good gods, blessing the place, the action, and the dead body within.

As midnight approached, Marsdan separated the first part of the spell engine. For a moment the storm paused, and a quiet filled the area. Then a bright light seared the eyes of everyone within five hundred feet of the coffin as a loud explosion blew the column apart throwing men and animals around like so many porcelain dolls.

Marsdan awoke six hours later the first face he saw was that of General Tarath. "Nice job mage. You damn near killed all of the priests and my officers."

Marsdan moaned as he sat upright; a supernova of pain flaring in his chest and abdomen. He moaned a low guttural pained sound, which barely passed as human. The next thing he was aware of was the lack of sound from the torrential rain. "No rain?"

Tarath laughed, "No, no rain. It is snow, the likes of which I have never seen before."

"Snow?" Marsdan mused. "Fuck." He attempted to swing his legs off the cot he was on, and the world turned red and black as pain roared through his body.

"Whoa, you need to relax," Tarath said, not unkindly. "You literally are the only one that lived through that explosion that was within 100 feet of it. All the priests, a good portion of my officers, and my honor guard."

"Damn, Tarath, I am so sorry." Marsdan paused a moment then remembered, "Your son?"

Tarath smiled, "He is fine, he was in his tent at the front. Not so well for the other fifty or so though."

Marsdan nodded. "Do you have any potions? I need to fix as much of this as I can. I need to break that spell."

"Not that way you aren't. Too much risk. What other plan do you have?"

Marsdan looked up at Tarath and hung his head, "Take the casket, body and all far away where I can destroy it with little risk to anyone but me."

Tarath looked at him a moment, "How much risk to you?"

Marsdan looked back, "Enough that I dare not think I will survive."

Tarath considered Marsdan and the situation for minutes on end, then said, "Let me get those potions."

 

[plightofsabine]

Sabirah slept. Not so soundly as she had with Marsdan near, but it was enough to put her into a deep sleep. Her nightmares were many, filled with unseen faces and forces she didn’t understand. She shifted in her sleep, tossing her head back and forth, and before long, had entangled her body in the silk sheets that covered her body.

The bracelet on her wrist started to glow faintly.

The normal compliment of guard that was stationed at her apartment doors had temporarily found their way down the hall to attend the minor disturbance at hand. The shadow waited for the opportunity before slipping past the doors and into the front room of the Queen’s apartment. He was amazed it was that easy. Perhaps the Queen didn’t realize the importance of security with her fragile hold on the throne. It didn’t matter, rather, it benefitted him greatly. He stepped carefully and quietly, keeping to the corners and shadows of the room. Each step achingly slow in order not to disturb the sleeping woman.

The Queen’s moans and whimpering from the series of nightmares were growing stronger. Thanks to the sheet, her exquisite body was shielded from his view. He would have to find a way to untangle her without waking her.
The stones’ glow increased, catching the eye of the intruder.

It was an oddity, but he suspected it was the reflection of light from the full moon outside. With the Queen’s body bathed in moonlight, it was time for the shadow to step into the light. He had to steel himself to step closer. There was no going back, now. As he looked down upon her sleeping body, he noted the shimmer of her ebony hair. The lines of her face were sculpted, and the tormented facial expressions from the dreams did not match the natural curves of her face. Whatever she was dreaming was scaring her beyond belief. He ventured to guess there was no man that would willingly give up a chance with her.

He leaned over her and dared to touch her soft hair. “To think, they will all be competing for the opportunity to get close to you,” he whispered softly.

He had a plan when he walked in to her apartment. The details of his venture started to blur the longer he stood over her. As the final dream sequence washed over Sabirah, she cried out, shaking her into consciousness.

 

[a_libertine]

The potions arrived a half hour later, and Marsdan quaffed them down quickly. After the third one, he felt much better. He stepped out of the tent and whistled at the snow fall. It was blinding, obscuring anything more than four or five feet away. He bumbled and stumbled his way to the tent holding the emperor.

He stood at the casket and looked it over carefully. He could see that he had indeed severed the one strand, but somehow strengthened the others. He poked his head out and looked at the guard. "Get everyone away from here, at least a quarter mile out."

He looked back in then back to the soldier, "You have 10 minutes then I will do what I must."

Ten minutes later, Marsdan began casting again, this time a transportation spell. At the completion of the spell both he and the casket were hundreds of miles away on a mountain top. Within a minute, clouds began forming in the sky above the coffin and he. Marsdan could see the cave that he needed not far away, and he began pushing the coffin toward it.

 

[plightofsabine]

The shadow in the room had observed her awakening and he jumped to the side next to the headboard in case she turned her head. It was clear she was waking up, but he would still have the element of surprise. He watched as her conscious mind started to acknowledge her surroundings.

The Queen’s eyes still had that far away look as the fog of sleep slowly dissipated, and the shiver that remained gripped Sabirah tightly. Her eyes focused on the wall at the near side of the room opposite the large windows. She was still panting hard as her heart beat wildly in her chest. The nightmares had become strong as of late and it seemed they would not leave her to her peace. Sabirah focused her breath until she felt some calm return and the tension in her body eased off.

The blanket of darkness still enveloped the room, but she could see the beams of light from the full moon that radiated downward and into the apartment. Shadows shrunk back from the ethereal light, leaving a soft glow behind. It was time to sleep again. Sabirah felt the constriction of the sheets and she kicked at them, loosening them from around her legs. Then she rolled over.
The chance was finally upon him.

Before a sound could leave her lips, his hand was firmly against her mouth. Her dark eyes widened as she realized what was going on. The only sound that managed to filter into the room were her muted screams. The dark figure pounced, straddling her body and Sabirah struggled against him. His breath smelled like cheap wine. He was heavy, and reeked of sweat, leaving her somewhat nauseated.

“You are at a bit of a disadvantage, Your Grace,” the figure taunted. Wait! She knew that voice! Sabirah struggled with her memory as well as with trying to unseat the aggressor. Failing at both, she pounded on his chest, hard, with both hands before biting him squarely on the hand.

The figure yanked his hand away from her mouth and yelled out in a rage, “YOU BITCH!"

There was no mercy for her. With his full strength he backhanded her. She let out a painful shriek as the fight drained from her body and the radiating pain gave her a splitting headache. She could feel the skin swelling with each achingly slow second that passed. The strike had disoriented her.

It took her a moment to recover and when she did, she shouted, “GET OFF ME!” Sabirah squirmed and bucked harder, desperately trying to unseat the man.

“That’s not very accommodating,” he growled at her, shifting his weight to keep from getting toppled onto the floor.

“It seems you play your favorites, woman, so let’s play!” he barked, grabbing each of her wrists painfully tight and pulling them over her head.

He pinned her body with his own and crushed her bruised lips with his own.

Sabirah winced in pain. A new spike of pain shot through her face making it's way to her spine. OHHH How she hurt.

She growled deeply and bit savagely into his lip, tearing the sensitive flesh open and spilling his blood. The wounded aggressor howled out in pain and gave her just enough room to strike her bracelet against the stone headboard, shattering the ruby stone. With a final buck of her hips and a push with both hands, she managed to topple the man from her resulting in him hitting the marble floor temporarily.

“GUARDS!” she shouted, as she sought to scramble clumsily from the bed, looking for a dagger in the dark. Her head was reeling and the room started to spin.

Then there was silence.

 

[a_libertine]

Marsdan began pushing the casket into the cave which sloped downward eventually opening to a lake of fire. The coffin was damn ably heavy even though it was made of wood. Marsdan quietly thanked the gods it was not the stone sarcophagus that the body would have eventually been interred within.

Marsdan took a break wiping the sweat from his eyes as he looked down the cave tunnel. Not so much farther he thought and began to push again when the scene changed.

He was in Sabirah's room and some one was on top of her? For a half beat of a heart he wondered if they were fucking, then rejected the notion. Sabirah was his. There was no way she was sleeping with another guy.

With a word every candle in the room flared up chasing shadows away. He could Se instantly that it was Moren and judging by his anger things weren't going so well for him.

"Moren!" Marsdan yelled. "What in the names of the gods are you doing?"

Marsdan was not completely surprised when Moren lunged at him. Fortunately Moren didn't have a weapon in hand as he charged Marsdan. Hearing the clamor of men running down the hall Marsdan took the charge allowing himself to be bowled over.

 

[plightofsabine]

The cavalry was a little late in coming; amazingly enough, the guards heard Sabirah’s call. If it weren’t for the fact they were down the hall chasing down a ghost, they would have heard the commotion before then. But, as would be the norm, men came rushing into the apartment quickly surrounding Moren and the toppled Marsdan.

Moren’s plan had gone horribly wrong. But then, his whole plan had been flawed and coached in such a way he had been led to this end. He still struggled in the hands of the guards and it was pointless to do so. Even if he managed to escape one, the others would bear down on him quickly enough.

He started chanting jibberish.

To the guards, he was clearly mad. The man had gone completely off his rocker to even think of assaulting the Queen. He had to have known there was no way out. He had to have known that leveling violence against her would just give him a death sentence. So why did he do it? Why did the man knowingly and willingly carry out this maddening scene? It didn’t make any sense at all.

One of the guards offered a hand to Marsdan, helping him up. The one person they didn’t see standing was the Queen. The group started looking for her. Somewhere between the time of the sudden transport and the time the men acknowledged the ruckus, Sabirah had collapsed. Her silent form lay there on the marble floor beside her bed, now with a knot rising on the back of her head.

 

[a_libertine]

It took only a moment for Marsdan to see the queen on the floor. He picked the queen up and laid her upon her bed. "Get a cleric, " he ordered the remaining guard.

The guard paused, as if he were going to question the order. Marsdan gave him a look and a moment later the guard ran out of the door. Marsdan looked the queen over and straightened her night gown up.

The cleric came in a few minutes later and fussed over the queen a minute then cast a spell. "She will sleep through the night and will be well in the morning. "

Marsdan nodded and settled in to watch over her for the night.

 

[plightofsabine]

Sabirah’s breathing was slow and steady and slept through the rest of the night, clear of any nightmare. Her wounds sustained with the encounter had been quickly dealt with and would be just a faint memory upon her awakening.
Moren’s fate, however, wouldn’t be a distant memory. The guards drug the jabbering man down to the dungeon to await the proper process. It had been some time since the court had witnessed an execution, but the offenses for which this crazed noble would be charged with demanded as much.

The conditions in which Moren found himself were dreary. The cold stone of the cell wept with moisture. There was a chamber pot in the corner of the cell with straw strung out around it. There was no natural light to this cell; the only visible light being that from a lamp that was hung in the hallway. A simple wooden bunk was supplied on the opposite site of the room. The bars at the entrance of his cell was his only outlet to the world around him.

Whispers of Moren’s demise spread faster than fire, from the guards, through the ladies and soon the others who tended court. It was not known exactly what his offense was, but it didn’t matter. It was something new to gossip over. The political machine that was the Empire, dared to claim it knew the hearts of those who were a part of it. Sometimes, it knew nothing at all.

Upon the break of morning, Sabirah finally wakened from her sleep. The rays of the sun slowly washed over the same marble the moonlight had occupied the night before. With it, came the warmth she adored. The early morning light, as a strong motivator, encouraged her rising. It took a moment for her eyes to focus before she turned her head. It all must have been a horrific nightmare. There was no pain. When she turned her head finally, she saw Marsdan.
Hadn’t he been away? Yes… yes he had. She struggled with her memory. She had been prepared for his extended absence, but yet, here he was.

She sat up slowly, stretching before she could speak intelligently.

 

[a_libertine]

Marsdan fretted for the first hour or so, and then cast a spell that would sound an alarm if someone entered the room. He slept fitfully in the chair that he had pulled over next to the bed and woke frequently to check on her.

As the sun rose his eyes snapped open and he watched her wake slowly. When she woke, it may have been one of the most sensuous things he had ever seen to see her stretch.

He waited until her eyes focused on him and he was sure that she was in the here and now. "Don't you know that I am the adventurer and you are the one waiting at home for me? You should not be adventuring."

He stood and walked over to her, "Especially at home."

 

[plightofsabine]

Sabirah felt the familiar warmth rise up within her when she was graced with the welcome visage of Marsdan. True to his nature, he had something clever say. The young queen gave him a wry grin, not altogether unhappy about the message’s intent, though she could have just as easily pouted from his gentle scolding.

“But Marsdan, why should you get all the fun? While you’re off gallivanting into the business of things,” she paused momentarily as her hands became animated to drive her point home. “I’m back here fending off the population of the nearly insane. It’s truly unfair!” she responded, flopping her hands down on the sheets in an overly dramatic fashion.

“Why are you here, anyways? Don’t you know people need your brilliant counsel? You’re not going to get anything done if you keep popping in and out like this. I know you miss me terribly!” she suggested playfully. A smile formed on her lips.

In truth, it was she who missed him when he was gone. The details of the night before were slowly coming forward into her conscious mind and she realized the vulnerability of accepting her surroundings for what they were. She would need to start keeping a dagger close to her bed. It was, perhaps, the first sensible thing she would make sure to do for the day. She couldn’t recall the resulting events after she managed to call for the guards the night before.

“Did they manage to apprehend the intruder??” she asked suddenly.

 

[a_libertine]

Marsdan waved vaguely toward her arm, "You broke the ruby, so I am here."

He looked off into the distance, and said, "I have to go, now. I have to finish what I started before you were attacked. I cannot put it off any longer, it has been too long already."

He glanced at her, "I am sorry, you will have to deal with Moren today alone, at least for now. Find my apprentice Nehori, tell him I said that he is to stay with you until I return."

With that he disappeared to land back at the cave he had vacated previously. It didn't dawn on him that something was terribly wrong until he arrived at the sarcophagus to find it both open and empty.

 

[plightofsabine]

“Gather those around you who will bring you the most success and waste not”

She laid there a while running a million thoughts through her mind, seemingly struggling with something. The sun was going to continue to rise in the distance. There was no way to rewind the events as they were, so the day would just have to march on. She focused heavily on the events from the night before. What happened that night would never, ever happen again. She felt a dark heaviness slip over her, seeping into her very pores to sour her mood. The seed of her rage started to grow in the depths of her belly. Someone was trying very hard to distract her from what she needed to do and it was unwelcome. Her gaze darkened as she continued to stare out the window and she finally shifted to focus on getting dressed.

It wasn’t hard to figure out what she was going to do today. All audiences would be cancelled. The rest, would be dependent on the circumstances.
Sabirah arrived in the main hall a little later than normal. Her demeanor was a little less welcoming as she met every pair of eyes that remained in the hall. It wasn’t too difficult to read the expressions, but there were some exceptions to note. Those people would be of some concern later.

Navar found his way to the Queen. “Make sure they double the guard around my apartment,” she instructed and added, “and a guard will be posted just inside the door from here on out.”

“I was told about the incident of last night, Your Grace,” he responded.

“That is your job to know. Now tell me what I don’t know, like how the hell he got passed the guards to my chamber,” she snapped back. He should have known she would have wanted answers this morning and the fact he did not have them irritated her. His job was to anticipate.

Navar stepped away, tensing, taken aback at her aggressiveness. He half expected her to strike out at him, and while he prepared for it, it never came. After an uncomfortable moment or two, he found the courage to speak up.

“I’ll look into it, Your Grace,” he answered guardedly, bowing before leaving her presence.

Done with that aggravation, Sabirah considered Marsdan’s last instructions as she took a seat and ripped into a small loaf of bread. It was a kind offer, but she was going to muddle through this without help. She would adjust. Marsdan made her feel weak and needy at times and she thought perhaps it wasn’t always beneficial, especially with him being gone. Sabirah had to stand on her own two feet or she’d never gain the respect she needed. She chewed on a piece of the bread, still deep in thought. What was she going to do about Moren?

Pulling the dagger from her boot, she reached over to the platter and cut a piece of meat from it. She slammed the dagger into the table, leaving it stuck deep in the wood as she continued to eat. She watched those eyes and their reactions. Someone would give themselves away, somehow, and when they did, she would crush them.

It was as if they all held their breath. The common conversations that usually filled the air were absent this morning. Perhaps each of them taking stock of what they had invested in the court. Maybe others contemplating how best to shield themselves from her wrath. Maybe there was one or two out there, trying to plot how next to push her. She wasn't going to explode into some raging dragon. After all, she was just a woman, but she wasn't going to tell them that.

 

[a_libertine]

Marsdan stood staring at the coffin for an hour, examining it in great detail, looking for each and every clue he could find. The lid had been pried open with something resembling a crow bar. The insides appeared like the Emperor had stood up and walked from the coffin of his own volition.

While that was not completely out of the realm of possibility, it was unlikely. The emperor was certainly dead. The questions remained of did someone of great power resurrect him? Or did someone bring him back as an undead creature? If so, what variety? The emperor was not one to be wasted on a zombie or skeleton.

A Morte Cavaliere? That is a good use for a dead emperor. Especially one hell bent on conquest.

Marsdan pushed the coffin down the chute until gravity took over and he watched it tumble end over end into the fiery lake below.

He watched it burn then teleported away.

He strode from his tower sending for Nehori while heading toward the open court.

Nehori joined him about half way, "Master?"

Marsdan nodded to him, "Why are you not with the queen?"

Nahori looked perplexed, "She did not send for me, my lord."

They entered the court and Marsdan moved to his historical spot. Nahori followed him and stood behind the other mages. Marsdan looked at the queen and shook his head while smiling gently at her.

As soon as there was a break he approached the queen, "My queen," he said bowing, "there is a grave matter or two we must discuss. May I have about two hours of your time?"