Nysroth's Royal Order of Paladins (looking for one female)

[Veseor]

Nysroth's Royal Order of Paladins (closed plightofsabine)

Nysroth wasn't a big country or a particular rich one on the continent, but after a many devastating wars in the past it had finally become a peaceful country with a just king as ruler. No one had expected that after the last bloody civil war between the many races which called Nysroth their home, it would ever recover. But Endlor, back then just a young adventurer, today the respected and loved king miraculously managed to unite the elves with the men and convinced the dwarfs to lay down their arms and instead pick up their working tools. Even the aggressive centaurs were soothed into a truth.

Of course that has happened nearly three decades ago, it was nearly ancient history and every child learned about it in school wondering how this calm land they know since their birth could ever have been that hostile. However while the land prospered and the people started to forget or never knew of the old hardships, a new evil started ever so silently to seep into the land. A force, invisible to the eyes of men took hold of their souls, corrupting them bit by bit. It began all so very harmless: The taxes were too high for your family? Just drop a few coins into the right hand and the law turned blind. The neighbor had more sheep than you? Well he wouldn't notice one missing. The daughter of your friend gave you a wink at the high summer fair? Your wife didn't had to know what happened in the night behind the stables.

Morals eroded, the sword of the law became blunt and an unrest spread over the land. The effects were visible everywhere, but some villages and places seemed to be affected more than the remaining country, becoming hotspots for crime and fear. When the first reports of slaver attacks and gnoll raids reached the ear of the Endlor, he knew that it was time to act or all his life work would have been in vain and succumb to the corrupting power. But he wasn't the strong man of his youth anymore and he had to govern a country. He couldn't just grab his sword and move out to face the dangers.

He sat in his throne and considered his options: He could send soldiers from his royal army to the those places were the evil was most rampant to enforce the law and return the peace. But similar things were tried before when the local rulers sent the town guards to deal with the problems. The reports about the outcome were disheartening: Not only did they fail to contain the evil but the longer they stayed the more of the guards seemed to get corrupted themselves. They stopped fighting crime and became a part of it, which only increased the initial problem because now there were trained and armed warriors terrorizing the remaining citizen. Endlor trusted his royal army, his soldiers had a good heart and would die for him. But they were chosen and trained to fight other armies, to repel invasions or quell rebellions. Not to withstand a power which corrupts their minds.

So he needed a force, specialized into defeating this new threat. "That's it", he thought and jumped out of his throne giving an nearly endless stream of commands to his ministers. On the next day messengers swarmed the land, spreading the kings call to every citizen of the land. And many followed: The best architects traveled to the kings keep, masses of construction worker lend their support, the most seasoned warriors undusted their weapons and the highest priests pilgrimaged to aid their ruler. No time was wasted and just one month later a new building surmounted every other in the capital city Kelorm - with the exception of the kings keep. It appeared like someone tried to squeeze a monastery, an university and a warriors training ground into one place: A high tower nearly touching the clouds offered home to the oldest and wisest priests in the country, a huge complex of white buildings harbored lecture halls, libraries, dorm rooms and refectories and training grounds for archers and fighters could be seen everywhere, plastered with wooden training dummies and targets. On the huge iron gate which shielded the area the inscription of a golden sign read: "Nysroth's Royal Order of Paladins - Justice and Truth will prevail where our sword strikes"

Six month later, ten recruits of the order were chosen to become the very first full paladins of the order. All of them were women. Men were not allowed to join the order as paladins, because it was decided that their heart was much more prone to corruption and doubt than those of pure women. It had also practical reason: It was assumed that women could more easily win the trust of the people when they were sent to root out corruption and crime. After all, their enemy was not a foreign army but a power which took hold of their own fellow citizen, spilling their blood was only to be the last resort. Of these ten recruits all were promising and talented, but the truth was that need dictated their quick graduation much more than their hard studies and relentless training. The situation had gotten worse and Endlor had placed all his resources into creating the Order - he needed to know if they would succeed were everything else had failed.

And so it came that he overviewed the ceremony which would turn those women from simple recruits to the last hope for the Nysroth. After the endless speeches of the priests and a lot cheering, the first Paladin stepped up to him and sank to her knees to swear the oath of loyalty to him and her homeland. He commanded her to arise and gave her a royal signet ring, which would show everyone that she acted with his authority. Before she turned around to make place for the next would-be paladin, he mustered her one last time, taking in her appearance.


OOC:
Hey! As you can see on my post count, this is my first try on SRP here on Literotica - not on RP though. Lets see how it works out

 

[plightofsabine]

And so it came that he overviewed the ceremony which would turn those women from simple recruits to the last hope for the Nysroth. After the endless speeches of the priests and a lot cheering, the first Paladin stepped up to him and sank to her knees to swear the oath of loyalty to him and her homeland. He commanded her to arise and gave her a royal signet ring, which would show everyone that she acted with his authority. Before she turned around to make place for the next would-be paladin, he mustered her one last time, taking in her appearance.
[/I]

It was a shame to see the moral fiber of the people around her start to degrade. A coin here and a favor there led to a deeper corruption of the human spirit. There was more to life than being on top of the pig-pile. The young woman had grown disgusted. Her family home had been filled with a vibrancy that could not be recreated. Even its brilliance started to dull as her brothers and father became weighed down with worry for the future.

The enduring peace between the humans and their neighbors was a miracle in contrast to what society was turning into. The elves and dwarves steered clear of human affairs and would provide little to no help. She had heard about the local guards and their weak moral constitution. If the people of Nysroth were being conquered from within, what hopes would the land have when eyes turned their way?

The day had come where the young woman would make a decision. Adora had decided to apply for the training as a paladin and take her chances in the world. Her family was not pleased with her role and rather would have wanted the option to sell her off for a mule or a few barrels of ale. At least then, they would have had coin. She was all alone now and beside the few who had similar ambitions.

Adora grasped the signet ring firmly in her hand and rose upon command. She kept her breathing slow and steady to control the nervous excitement she felt. Standing at a height of 5'6, she lifted her chin and the light illuminated her sea blue eyes. There was a certain pride and confidence within the depths of her gaze. The features of her face were framed by the long strands of blonde hair and the remaining was bound by a loose braid she left draped over her left shoulder. Dressed out in full plate armor and sword by her side, the woman was still slender by standards. The armor was designed to repel a weapon as well as to conform to the unique curves of a woman’s form. Adora could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she stood before the throne. She bowed and stepped back slowly before turning on a heel to rejoin the line of women who had now become the line of defense for their beloved Nysroth.

 

[Veseor]

Endlor's eyes followed Adora as she stepped away.
"So confident and eager. But will a hand full of paladins be able to stand against the evil which threatens us? Or am I sending her to her doom? No, I have to cast away those those dark thoughts, I was an adventurer not unlike her too one day. I should know that one person can turn the tide".
With those thoughts he continued to take the oaths of the remaining nine women.

***

One night was all the newly appointed paladin was given. On the early next morning a servant knocked on the door of Adora's chamber, informing her that the council of the order asked for her presence in one hour. When she arrived she found the three members of the council already waiting impatiently, all of them sitting on one side of a huge, richly ornamented table.

To the left sat Tored, head of the warrior instructors. It was said he was once one of the finest fighters Nysroth had ever seen, only surpassed by the king himself. Adora knew him from some of her sword practice lessons. He was a bit grumpy and easily lost his temper when a recruit wasn't able to follow his instructions, but his skill was without doubt and she suspected that behind his shell he did care a lot about his students. Now he was sitting there in silence and mustered her with a worried look.

Next to him in the middle sat Belir, the dean of the university section. She never spoke to him before but saw him quite often in the library when she had to fetch a book for her lessons. Like many scholars his real and probably only passion was knowledge, sometimes to an extend which made one wonder if the events of the present had still a place in his mind. Finally to the left sat Geder the highest ranking priest of the order in his long white robes. His age had left its marks on his face and skin, but with every passing year he didn't just look older, but also wiser like he tried to become wisdom himself one day.

Before Adora had much more time to muse about the men in front of her - or the strange fact that they actually were men in an order which did accept only women as recruits - Belir raised his voice:
"Welcome Paladin Adora. Please, sit down.", he said in a friendly tone and pointed to the lonely chair on the opposite side of the table. He continued once she let herself slide into the chair:
"Adora, I wish we could give you more time to get acquainted with your new position and responsibilities, but I fear time is a luxury we cannot afford anymore. However before I continue let me inform you of one important fact: Being a paladins means you have to make your own decision from now on. No one has the authority to command you and you answer only to yourself and your heart. The king himself decreed this to make sure that no corrupting force will impede your mission.".

Belir stopped for a few seconds to give Adora time to understand the significance of this rule and then went on:
"So we, the council, control the fate of the order and represent it to outside, but we will not command you where to go. You must decide yourself which injustice calls for a paladins sword. But of course we will guide and support you with all our power. Now... where is it..."
The rustling of paper filled the room when Belir tried to find a specific document.
"Ah here. I recently received this report of centaurs questioning the decade-old truth and I think the council agrees that this is probably the most important task at..."

The dean didn't get any further as Torrad's furious words interrupted him: "What?! Are you out of your mind? We can send a diplomat to those horse people, we need her to look into the reports of slavery in the Estos province. Slavers are the worst imaginable evil and they need to be stopped before they can gain a foothold in Nysroth!"

"Gentlemen, please", the priest Geder chimed in with a soothing calm voice, "we should not quarrel. Besides, you are both wrong. Her first task should be to find out what disturbs the forbidden forest and if the rumors of orcs are true."

With that the room erupted with the noise of three men arguing which problem was the most dire one.

 

[plightofsabine]

The revelry that followed the induction of the ten women into the order kept many up through the night. Adora had no real use for the drunken display of the participants. She had watched her father fall into a state of stupor after a few tankards of ale leaving her mother alone in their bed. As the night wore on, the revelers who were not unconscious or asleep were satisfying their lustful energies. As Adora made her way back to her chambers, she could hear the muted grunts and groans of pleasure from behind the solid doors. Her sudden discomfort hastened her trip back to her room and she quickly closed the large door. Sleep would not come soon enough.

Dressed in a loose white shirt, brown breeches and soft leather boots, Adora had just finished fastening her sword belt. The days following were going to become new challenges and she wanted to be ready. She slipped a dagger into the right boot and the knock upon the door caught her attention. The summons would not be ignored and Adora quickly made her way to meet with the council.

The paladin listened intently to what each council member had to day. Each had a valid concern. Adora’s unique position gave her the opportunity to make a judgment based on her knowledge and her instinct. Deciding which situation required her attention was the first test. Adora remained still as the council members continued to argue and silently debated the merit of each task.

The young woman knew it was important to secure the relationship with the centaurs and to keep the peace. If the centaurs chose to break the peace, they could potentially sway the elves to follow. Neither race saw much merit in the human condition and any aggression towards a single race could destabilize the region. Still, Tored was correct. A skilled diplomat could secure talks and give the order the time to deal with some of the more pressing corruption that was spreading. Adora rotated the signet ring that rested on her smallest finger of her right hand. The voices in the room grew louder.

The forbidden forest was home to many species of which Adora had little to no experience with. She had heard stories as a child telling of all the mysterious happenings that came out of the forest. Storytellers spoke of fantastic creatures such as overly large snakes, poisonous toads, ghosts, goblins and the like. The young woman had brushed the stories off as something to scare little children into obedience. The council wouldn’t need a force of paladins to investigate the haunting of a forest. Orcs were said to be generally the average size of humans with less intelligence and reminded her of a walking pig. She wrinkled her nose at the thought. No wonder they were aggressive. Like any parasite, orcs needed to be kept under control.

Adora finally settled on what to address first. The young woman sat forward in her chair and cleared her throat loudly. The arguing parties grew silent and looked at her expectantly. She rose from her chair and stood before them, resting her left hand upon the sword hilt.

“Gentlemen,” she began. “It is clear that all three tasks are important to the security of Nysroth. As suggested moments ago, a diplomat could be dispatched to open talks with the centaurs to get an idea as to their current views. There has been no report of aggression and therefore, no immediate threat. In addition, a patrol of guards could be dispatched to the forbidden forest to confirm any sightings of orcs. The local people have told so many stories, who’s to say this isn’t another fantastic tale?”

She saw the corners of Tored’s mouth turned upward just slightly and the room one more became a flurry of argument. This is what they asked for and Adora was going to hold them to their word. No amount of argument would sway the idealistic paladin. She had a higher calling. The paladin cleared her throat once again and raised her voice to carry over the current argument.

“I will investigate the slavery situation in the Eros Province. We cannot maintain the security of the region when our own people are being demoralized, humiliated and treated like chattel,” she declared firmly. “Do we have any specific information I can use? I am prepared to leave immediately.” Adora’s gaze remained affixed upon the three council members and waited for their response.

 

[Veseor]

Belir shook his head slightly while he was in his thoughts. He hadn't expected that Adora would be that strong-willed to really choose her own path. Sure the king had given the order he explained to her before, but he was a scholar with that much more knowledge than her. How could such a young woman be allowed to overrule him? Well, it couldn't be helped. For now a diplomat would have to appease the centaurs long enough until a paladin of the order would take on this mission. And he would talk to the king about that ludicrous decree when the time was right.

Finally, Tored broke the silence: "A worthy decision, paladin!"
His respect for Adora had increased greatly after her choice and not only because she agreed to do the right task, but also because she proofed that she was strong enough to lead. An important trait for any warrior. All his usual grumpiness vanished for the moment and gave way to nearly youthful enthusiasm.
"I will tell you what we know about this issue." With that he stood up, went to one of the bookshelves behind him, grabbed a scroll and spread it open on the table. Adora could see that it was a very detailed map of Nysroth. Nearly in the center was the capital and home to the order: Kelorm. Far in the south the ocean build a natural border, just like the huge mountains in the west. The neighboring country Orst could be seen in the east and to the north lay the endless dessert of Adia.

"Here", Tored said to her and drew a circle with his fingers on the north-eastern part of the map, "is the province of Estos. It is a two-day ride from here. " He traced a line to the center of the map. "The roads are more dangerous than they used to be for unsuspecting travelers and merchants, but a paladin like you shouldn't have to worry too much about those few scattered highwayman."


He gave her an approving nod and continued: "Now about the slavers: We received the first reports of missing farmers about 7 month ago." His fingers stabbed on some points on the map, apparently highlighting the location of those first cases. "Lord Kalyd, the ruler of the province, didn't paid too much attention to it when it started. But in the following months the count of people who just disappeared had reached an alarmingly high number. Guards were sent out to investigate, but they didn't found any trace or clue about what happened. To be honest, for nearly three months were groping in the dark.
However, chance intervened and three weeks ago one of the victims was found. But only because her father recognized her face when he went to the nearest town to sell his crop. She was in the company of a very rich traveling trader. When the summoned town guards tried to solve the situation, the trader in all seriousness insisted that he legally brought her and that she was his property. Of course he was put to jail immediately, but he managed to escape the very next day before he could be questioned. One of the prison guards disappeared too. It is not hard to imagine what happened". Tored let out a deep frustrated grunt.
"As for the victim... she wouldn't tell us anything. She insisted that she would never betray her... master and that her only purpose in life was to... err..", Tored interrupted searching for the proper words while his face turned slightly red with embarrassment, "... well that is not important, as I said she was of no help."

Looking up from the map, Tored continued: "So the truth is we don't have any lead. We only know that slavers are involved, but we need to find out who commands them, where their base is and of course we need to rescue the kidnapped men and women. I know that sounds like an impossible task, but you are one of the first Paladins, Adora. If anyone has a chance to help those people it is you. You are a strong, I know you can do it."

For the first time since the argument Geder raised his voice: "Yes Adora. We have faith in you. Where your sword strikes, Justice and Truth prevails. That is the motto of our order and it shall not be broken. However, don't forget that your sword and armor only protect you against the foes you can see. On your mission, treachery and deception will never be far away and only your heart and mind can defend your against those."
Geder made a short break to underline his last sentence and then went on: "One of our best horses is readied and waiting for you in the yard in front of the stables. And for your journey...", Geder gave Belir a small push with his elbow to pull him out of his thought, "Belir, the gold!".

Belir jumped slightly but managed to compose himself rather quickly. He pulled out a heavy looking purse and put it on the table in front of Adora. The sound of gold coins was unmistakable, there had to be a small fortune inside. Belir didn't seemed to mind parting with it as he explained to Adora: "The king provided a small amount of gold for each paladin, so it may help them to fulfill their mission without being dependent on the hospitality and charity of others. It may also help to loosen a tongue here and there if you chose to."

It was Tored's turn to say the final words: "This is all the help we can provide Adora. Now it is up to you to fulfill your duty to your king and land. We are counting on you. Godspeed."

 

[plightofsabine]

When the silence was broken, the young paladin met Tored’s gaze and smiled in spite of herself. She was just 19 and she found a certain satisfaction having the support of one of the finest warriors. Adora respected all of the council members, but she had a higher regard for Tored. The experiences and knowledge he chose to impart upon the students would be the difference between success and failure. Surely, if she could not defend herself, she couldn’t possibly be expected to help others. This belief prompted all the extra hours she had spent with her weapons and in the books. The young woman stepped forward and planted her palms flat, leaning over the table as the scroll was spread open.

Adora studied the map carefully while Tored pointed out all the pertinent information. She had never traveled further than the next few towns. The paladin would need to create a small version of the map before she departed. The paladin continued to listen – her brow furrowing in a serious expression as Tored explained the current situation with the slavers. She had to wonder what else, besides the missing farmers, Lord Kalyd dismissed. Adora nodded from time to time, paying particular attention to the locations where the farmers were coming up missing. Was there a pattern? Was it on a common trade route? It seemed to her that people simply didn’t disappear without a clue. There should be some small indicator as to what happened. She let that thought lay for a few minutes.

The important point the young woman took from the last part of the briefing was that the victim chose not to help the authorities. The victim displayed uncommon loyalty for having been plucked from her home. Adora found this confusing. Perhaps the victim had been brain-washed. There were half a dozen reasons why the victim could have turned, so she wasn’t going to mull over it overly much. There was only one way to find out and that was to get started on her trek to the province of Estos. She also hoped she would have the support of Lord Kalyd and his forces. If the paladin was right, the slavers would have mercenaries to protect their investments.

Adora collected the purse from the table and stepped back. “Gentlemen, thank you for the information. I will endeavor to right this issue to the best of my ability. There are a few things I need to get together and I will leave out. If there is anything else you can think of that will be helpful, please let me know,” she stated. The young woman turned upon her heel and quickly exited the room – the only reminder of her presence was the faint scent of rosemary and leather.

Having made her way back to her chambers, the young paladin packed the things she would need, to include a few days provisions, healing herbs, rope and some other equipment. Adora had no idea what she was about to come up against and wanted to be prepared. Once the packing was complete, she sat down and drew out a map that mirrored the larger one she studied. She rolled up the map and tucked it safely away. As a precautionary measure, Adora divided the purse of gold. She didn’t want to be the victim of a skilled thief. The young woman looked around one more time before her attention fell upon the armor. She took a moment in silence, praying for guidance and favor and expressing her thanks for the opportunity to serve.

 

[plightofsabine]

With the last piece of armor secured, the young paladin grabbed her gear and set off to find the mount that was readied for her journey. Minutes later, she secured the gear to her mount. She gathered the reigns, climbed up into the saddle and with a swift kick to the horse’s flank, she was off. Two days wasn’t going to be a long journey and she was sure to see something new.

**********

Adora rode through most of the day and it was getting near dusk. It was time for her to take a break. She looked for some form of civilization, but there wasn’t anything nearby. It was just her, the road and the birds and other creatures for company. The paladin dismounted and led her horse from the road into the woodline to a small clearing. After securing and caring for her mount, Adora gathered fallen tinder and wood for a fire. It wasn’t long before she had a decent fire going and she removed the armor for the evening. She laid out a bed roll and kept her dagger and sword close. The wild animals wouldn’t dare venture this close to the fire and it was going to be a clear night. The young woman nibbled on a bit of bread and cheese as she sat staring into the fire. Her body was tired from the ride and she felt the same nervous excitement she has experienced in the throne room just the day before.

When she had finished her meal, Adora laid back and settled down for the night. The fire would continue to burn through morning and would ward off the chill. She hadn’t noticed any evidence of danger, so she closed her eyes. After what seemed like forever, the young woman finally drifted off to sleep.

 

[Veseor]

*******
Meanwhile:

Lord Kalyd was sitting on a comfortable chair in his chambers. His black hair was in slight disarray and his deep, brown eyes closed while he was lost in thoughts. Even then, his handsome aristocratic face radiated an aura of power and dignity, which was rarely seen on someone who was just in his early thirties. But Kalyd was a born ruler. From the day of his birth it was predetermined that he would take over his fathers rule of the Estos province one day and his tutors prepared him for that ever since. It happened earlier than anyone expected or hoped for when his father succumbed to the black death one year ago, but still after a short period of grieving he was ready to rule.

"Mhhmmmppff!"

It was an arduous task at first. Even though he knew how to govern his province in theory it was not the same as doing it in practice. His advisors and servants often had their own goals and motivation, not plotting a rebellion or treason, but trying to manipulate his decisions secretly into a direction that would benefit themselves most. It was the everlasting political game of plots and twists played at every court. Fortunately, it didn't take him long to grasp its rules and learn its tricks and he soon became a master in it. The following months were a lot easier and while many agreed that he was an just and able ruler, he also became increasingly bored by it. It wasn't until half a year ago, that he discovered how power was really meant to be used.

"Mhmmpf!, MHHHMMMMPF!!!"

Kalyd opened his eyes and followed the muffled sound. His gaze stopped when it had reached his bed in front of him. On top of it a naked, young woman struggled against the rope which bound her arms on her back. Another piece held her ankles together and was connected to the bed, making it impossible for her to escape or even stand up. Her long blond hair fell into her face with each movements while her cheeks were red from the exhaustion. Whenever gravity won and pulled her back onto the bed the soft impact sent waves through her body making her firm breast bounce up and down. He enjoyed watching her struggle like a fish outside the water. When he looked into her eyes, he could see the mix of defiance and fear they all had before they were broken and trained. He didn't knew her name, nor did her care for it. She had come earlier this day to him to request an audience about some problem that plagued her village. He didn't really listen, but he was impressed by her fierce speech and decided then to keep and tame her.

His fingers tapped on his armrest in a slow rhythm when he thought about the slave problem. Everything went according to his plan for the last few months. In the wake of all the other problems Nysroth faced not many paid too much attention to some missing women. Even when the demand increased and he had to order more women to be kidnapped it didn't caused a lot of interest. But a few weeks ago some idiot trader was stupid enough to bring his newly acquired slave back to the Estos province - a clear violation of the contract. And of course there had be her father around just in that moment to recognize her. He couldn't stop the town guards from blurting out the news - after all most of them were still true to the law, but he took care of that moron trader and was present when they questioned the slave. She was trained well and knew better than saying anything when she saw him.

But the word spread nevertheless, so he had to play along, sending some guards to investigate here and there, interrogate suspects, patrol the streets and so on. Of course without any results. He even sent a letter to the Order of Paladins with a plea for help. It was a risky move: A well trained paladin might be able to see though the facade of lies and deception he had carefully constructed during the last months. But when he heard that all the paladins were female he couldn't resist. It was said that a paladin was incorruptible, that nothing could bend or break a paladins will. He loved a good challenge. The thought of slowly invading her mind, playing with it, corrupting it, breaking it until all what will be left of the once proud warrior is a toy for his pleasure aroused him enormously.

"Well, that can be helped.", he thought and unbuttoned his pants. He slowly let them slide down as he stood up, revealing his erected manhood to the bound women on his bed. Her eyes widened and she doubled her futile struggles when it dawned to her what was going to happen. Kalyd just smiled and took a step forward to close the gap between him and the bed. "I will worry about the paladin later.", he thought as his hand softly stroked the woman's cheeks, "For tonight I will be satisfied with that little toy".

********

 

[plightofsabine]

The morning came quickly for the paladin. It took her a few minutes longer to get re-packed as she still had some issue with folding everything to a manageable size. Sleeping out under the stars wasn’t one of her favorite things to do and preferred the safety of an inn or stable. The fire had kept the creatures at bay and was smoldering while she broke camp. Adora doused the embers with water and threw fresh dirt over the fire ring.

Dressed and equipped, the paladin walked over to the chestnut mare. She checked the horse’s withers and back for any hot spots. Finding none, she ran her fingers down the horse’s legs one at a time to check the joints and feet. Yesterday had been a long ride and she still had another day to go. Finally, she saddled the mare and secured her equipment. It was time to go.

Adora rode for most of the day, passing small villages and farms along the way. She met a number of carts with farmers headed to market. By mid-afternoon, life was getting interesting. The paladin stopped for a quick break and to stretch her legs. Distracted and deep in thought, she heard some rustling from the brush. Before she could rise, she was knocked back with the butt of a sword hilt and landed unceremoniously upon her back.

“Ooof!” The breath was knocked from her lungs. While she scrambled to get to her feet, her eyes scanned the area in front of her and spied two burly, unkempt men dressed in make shift padded armor. They laughed raucously and jeered at her.

“Well look what we found,” said one.

“What’s a little girl like you doing out here all alone?” asked the other. They really weren’t looking for answers.

Adora started to reach for her sword only to find the point of one at her neck. “uh, uh uh. I wouldn’t do that,” the first warned. The paladin slowly dropped her hand.

“What do you want?!” she snapped at the two men and her blue eyes filled with fire.

“Tsk, tsk. That’s no way to ask. We were thinking we would need your horse over there and maybe whatever else would help us along,” the first answered.

The second brigand walked around the young paladin, reaching out to touch her hair. Adora suddenly jerked her head to the side. “Don’t touch me, rogue!” The point of the sword pressed against the flesh of her neck to remind her she was at a significant disadvantage. Both men laughed and started taunting her.

“How about you just take off that armor and you can suck my cock?” the first suggested. “If you do a good job, I might let you suck my friend off too,” he added. The second brigand smiled a toothy grin, displaying his rotting teeth. Adora was repulsed at the suggestion. The young woman felt her fear course through her. She was not about to let these common thieves get the better of her. She swallowed hard and slowly went to her knees. The two men watched her carefully.

Adora shifted gears and licked her lips slowly as she watched the two, mesmerized with the shape of her pink lips. “If you like,” she answered with a sultry tone. “I have to remove these plates one by one,” she explained and added, “won’t one of you help me?”

The second man rubbed the bulge in his crotch as the first shifted his weight, still armed. “You will have to put the sword down to help me remove this heavy plate,” Adora suggested. The armed brigand looked at her suspiciously. Adora slowly brought her hands down, talking to the armed thief. “I would love to suck your cock,” she stated, cooing in pleasure. The armed brigand lowered the sword just a hair and leaned forward grabbing the paladin’s hair. With all the strength she could muster, Adora’s arm shot up and her fist made contact with the brigand’s crotch. The man doubled over and Adora sprang to her feet, giving her an opportunity to draw her sword.

Seeing what was happening, the second man drew his sword and rushed the young paladin. Adora threw her sword up to defend the sudden attack. The man was strong, but she managed to deflect his attack. He rushed her again and the swords rang out as the two fought. The sounds of metal echoed in the distance and before long, both men were engaging her.

It didn’t take long to dispatch the two, though Adora could feel the nauseating rush of adrenaline coursing through her. She collapsed to her knee as she looked over the two dead bodies. It was a disgusting sight. The scent of blood was strong in the air and she felt the immediate need to leave the area. Nothing would be gained from this. Adora started to shake as she came to her feet and headed over to the mare that had wandered off to a sweeter patch of grass. The young woman swung back up into the saddle and headed back down the road.

By dark, Adora had managed to make it to the province of Estos. She boarded her horse with the blacksmith and secured a small room in a local in for the night. She desperately needed to clean her sword, take a bath and get a good night’s rest.

 

[Veseor]

***********
"So you see my lord, it is clear as rain that this pig would have never been born, if it wasn't for my Erble. He won the village's 'Best Looking Boar' price just three years ago and his seed is worth many gold coins. But this crook just sent his hog to seduce Erble without my consent or payment, stealing my property. Therefor I demand that in the name of justice, I should be reimbursed with at least 5 gold pieces. That piglet will be worth much more due to its father once it has grown up." Small beads of sweat run down from the forehead of the fat pig farmer and his chubby cheeks puffed with outrage.

Kalyd sat in his throne taking a deep breath and trying to suppress the urge to kill both of the men in front of him right away. That wouldn't be good for his reputation as a benevolent ruler. It didn't help however that the stench of pig filled his nostrils while its source happily explored its unusual surroundings, coming to a sniffing rest at his boots. They had dared to bring the object of their dispute into his great hall. A piglet. His left boot moved forward and shoved the piglet away from his throne to which it responded with an indignant squeaking.

The farmers didn't seem to notice and the second one went on: "My Lord, with all due respect, that is nonsense. My hog gave birth to that piglet so it is mine. If that dimwit doesn't wants his boar to impregnate other hogs, he needs to keep it on his land and not allow it to roam around".

It was petition day again. The law dictated that whenever two citizens of the Estos province had a dispute which could not be resolved by their village major, they had the right to bring the case before him, so that he would solve it. Kalyd was once convinced that this was a good law, connecting the ruler to his subjects and avoiding violent conflicts. However since his new discovery of power, he just hated those days. If he could, he would have abandoned this custom, but that would have raised questions and left scratches on his 'Just Ruler'-masquerade. The only pleasant moments during those session occurred when a particular interesting female requested an audience. If he was sure he could cover the tracks he might decide to keep her. Not too often of course as to not leave a pattern, but sometimes he could afford it. Like two days ago. His mind drifted to the following night. Yes, that was entertaining: The soft whimpers, the muffled screams, the sweet tears...

"My lord? Have you reached a decision?". The fat farmer interrupted his vivid remembrance pulling him back into the present.

Kalyd could barely keep his annoyance from showing. "Yes I have indeed. The piglet belongs to both of you. So it shall be split and each of you shall carry home one half of it. Guards, please help them to carry out my ruling".

Both farmers paled and the guards were clearly surprised by this decision too, but before long one of them pulled out his sword and walked towards the piglet which followed the development with a horrified look.

"Erm... no... wait a moment there. I think we can come to another agreement, right Jeff?", the fat Farmer stammered. "True, we were a bit hasty to seek your lords wise counsel. Lets talk about that over an ale", agreed the second farmer. He grabbed his piglet and both of them retreated hastily out of the hall.

With a sigh Kalyd leaned back, waiting for the next petitioner to appear. Instead his advisor Cuzom entered the hall, stepped up to him and whispered into his ear: "My lord, my spies report that a paladin has traveled into our province this very morning. She is currently staying at the 'Sunken Fish' Inn at in the south. Do you want me to handle that situation?".

Allowing Cuzom to 'handle' it would probably result in this Inn burning to the ground the very next night, poisoned food being served to all of its guests or a violent group of marauders raiding it and killing everyone in the process. In any case the paladin would be either dead or escape and be warned making her even more dangerous. He didn't like neither of those two options. He wanted her alive and he wanted her to unknowingly take part in his game.

"No.", he responded to Cuzom while he raised from his throne and walked to the writing table. A clear sheet of parchment lay in front of him and a quill drew his words onto it:

"Honored Paladin,

word has reached me that the Royal Order of Paladins has responded to my plea and has sent one of their finest members to help solving the slaver problem which plagues my province.
For that I am very thankful and I invite you to visit me in my humble palace, so we can discuss the problem together and root out this evil once and for all. I promise to lend you any support and help I can muster. There is also a room prepared for you offering you a safe and clean place to stay as long as your investigation may take.

I sincerely hope you will accept my offer and that your mission will be a quick success, allowing the citizens of the Estos province to sleep in peace again.

Yours,
Lord Kalyd"

Kalyd rolled the sheet together, added his seal and handed it over to Cuzom. "Deliver this message to the paldin with your fastest messenger. And make sure none of your men bothers her. She is not to be touched. Do you understand?".

Cuzom looked slightly disappointed, there was little doubt that he would have preferred one of his deadly plans to get rid of the paladin rather sooner than later. But he knew better than questioning any order Kalyd gave to him. "Of course my Lord". With that he took the scroll and left the hall.

"And so the game begins. It's your turn now, paladin", Kalyd thought with a smile.

*************

Estos wasn't a huge province and the streets were in good conditions, so the messenger reached his destination mere hours later. He would need a fresh horse for the way back, but that didn't mattered once his task had been completed. He jumped out of his saddle, threw open the door to the inn and announced with a loud voice: "Important message from Lord Kalyd himself for the paladin who is staying here".

 

[plightofsabine]

The Sunken Fish Inn wasn’t much to mention by way of an establishment, but it was clean. The paladin had rarely stepped foot in one of these places and she found the owner of the place extremely helpful. It helped, of course, that she paid well. Her room was on the second floor and a bit away from the noisy great-room where the rest gathered to drink, eat and generally cavort. When she was shown to her room, Adora slipped the innkeeper a couple of coins; some for a good meal and the rest for privacy. The innkeeper was more than happy to accept whatever she chose to give and assured her some quiet.

The paladin looked around the room. The room was Spartan in appearance. She didn’t need much – a bed, a wash basin with water and soap, even a table and desk with lamp. A trunk sat at the foot of the bed that was obviously used for storage. This would do fine. After inspecting the room carefully, Adora set her sword on the table and stripped out of the armor down to her brown breeches and soft white shirt. She didn’t mind wearing the armor during travel, but she really enjoyed being in normal clothes. She had even modified her dresses by cutting long slits up the sides where her legs would move more freely and complimented it with a set of breeches underneath. It still allowed her to be feminine despite being armed.
Adora’s first task was to clean her sword. The young paladin pulled out a soft cloth and a small container of oil. She sat down on the bed and with a soft cloth, began to wipe the blade down. The battle with those two knuckleheads had left the blade dirty. The young woman looked over the blade carefully, watching for possible nicks in the metal. Finding none, she grinned with satisfaction. It hadn’t been the first time she had used the blade, but it was the first battle with someone who had wanted to do her harm. When she was finished wiping down the blade, she proceeded to wipe it down with oil. Upon completion, she put the supplies back in her pack and set her sword aside.

A knock came at the door. When Adora opened the door, a small-framed woman stood there with tray of food. The paladin took the tray from her and sent her off with a small tip and a thank-you. The woman didn’t know what she needed first – a bath or food. Adora ultimately decided to partake in her meal before attempting to scrub everything else outside of her hands. She had built up quite a headache, so the faster she could bathe, the more likely she would get some sleep.

When Adora lived at home, they used the creek to wash in. When it got too cold, they retreated to the house and to a wash basin. The inn was no different. She had heard of the aristocrats having an actual full-body wash basin, but the young woman had never seen one. Adora pondered on that a while. Nevertheless, the paladin poured water into the wash basin. She stripped off her top and proceeded to bathe.

The young woman scrubbed her skin vigorously, leaving no part of the surface of her skin untouched. The paladin learned that the pleasure of just being clean was a treat. She wasn’t going to waste the opportunity. Suddenly, Adora’s keen ears picked out a bantering soul. It sounded like he was down the hall. She couldn’t hear what was said, but she knew the person was loud. Adora muttered under her breath “What the heck is that?!”

No sooner had she uttered those words than there was someone knocking on the door. Again. This time, she hadn’t asked for anything in particular. “Just a moment,” she answered, as she slipped her top back on. The young woman opened the door. It was the innkeeper.

“Miss, are you the paladin? the inkeeper asked.

"Yes" Adora answered quietly.

"Well, a message has been delivered to you,” the innkeeper said.

“Who is it from?” the paladin asked.

“Lord Kalyd,” the innkeeper answered, handing her the scroll.

‘Well that was quick,’ she thought to herself.

Adora broke the seal and opened the message, reading it over carefully. Lord Kalyd was offering to put her up during her investigation. Not a bad idea. She would be closer to receive assistance, should it be necessary.

The innkeeper interrupted her as she debated, “Miss, the messenger is waiting for an answer. What would you like me to tell him?”

“Tell the messenger that I appreciate the effort taken to assure my presence was announced so quickly and that I would consider Lord Kalyd’s gracious hospitality.” Adora left it at that. She didn’t feel like traveling another step until she had some rest over the evening.

The innkeeper nodded in acknowledgement and left Adora to her rest.

 

[Veseor]

The messenger waited impatiently for the innkeepers return. He didn't risked his neck by riding his horse hard down the roads only to have this old geezer waste his time now. No one asked why a messenger was late when judging how well he had performed his task and there sure was not one employer who would pay a delayed messenger. Finally he could see the innkeeper slowly trudging the stairs down. He took a few steps into his direction to shorten the distance and called out to him: "What answer may I report?".

The innkeeper cleared his throat and took a moment to ponder about his words before responding: "The Paladin has read Lord Kalyd's letter and will consider his invitation. That is all. Godspeed.".

Lord Kalyd had invited the Paladin and he was refusing to accept? What was he supposed to do know? Wait here in the inn until he made up his mind? If he returned three days later with an answer, he might just as well look for a new job right away. Or should he ride back and tell the Lord that the paladin ignored his offer and will only think about it? There is a saying that one shouldn't kill the messenger only because he brings bad news. But that's all it was: A saying born out of the hope that at least some receivers of such news would remember it.

He didn't quite trust Lord Kalyd to be one of those. Sure, everyone said he was a fair and kind ruler but lately other messengers did disappear after delivering particular bad news. No one noticed, or at least everyone who did pretended not to, but the messenger wasn't willing to take chances only because of one arrogant paladin.

"That won't do, I will speak to him myself", he barked to the innkeeper and started to climb up the stairs.

"What? You cannot just bother my guests! This is a place to rest! This will not....", the voice of the innkeeper faded into the background when the messenger reached the second floor. There were three wooden room doors on this floor and he selected one at random. He knocked and opened the door without waiting: "My apologies, Paladin". The room was empty. He repeated the procedure on the next room with the same success. Being sure, that the last door had to be the right one, he began his final try and started his speech again. However he quickly silenced when he saw the young, beautiful woman inside the room. Was this the wrong room again? No, she had to be the Paladin. A woman. He realized that he was staring at her breasts and remembered that this would not make the best impression.

So after a quick to cough to cover up the break, he went on: "I am the messenger of Lord Kalyd. My lady, I will deliver whatever message you want me to carry to the Lord, but I urge you to reconsider your hesitation. It would be a great insult to ignore a personal invitation from the ruler of this province himself and let him wait. I am sure that was not your intentions, as the Lord undoubtedly thinks very high of you. It would surely cause great grief if a misunderstanding would interfere with the good relations between the Lord and the Order of Paladins."

He made a short pause and then went on: "So my humble advise would be to set forth at once. My horse can carry two riders and could swiftly reach the palace." The idea of the young beautiful woman sitting behind him on a horse, embracing his chest and rubbing her body against him whenever the horse jumped nearly caused an embarrassing situation when his pants started to bulge slightly. However he quickly remembered that she still was a paladin and any sexual advances would probably end up in some part of his body being chopped off with the huge sword which was standing behind her. This thought took care of his arising pant problem and he quickly added to his speech: "But of course you have your own horse, so that won't be necessary. All I am asking for is that you make haste to reach the palace".

He looked at her hopefully, praying that he didn't make too much of a fool out of himself.

 

[plightofsabine]

The paladin crossed her arms to break the young man’s gaze. It was her favorite shirt and she also realized it could also be distracting. Adora listened as the messenger stumbled over his request, touting the severity of her not answering the summons directly. Tired from the trip, she suppressed her desire to send the messenger away. She looked at the hopeful messenger and her features softened a bit.

“I’m sorry. You’re probably right. I was hoping to get some rest before hand, preferring to meet with a fresh mind. If it will keep you in the graces of your Lord, I suppose I can put off my rest” she answered.

“If you please, I need to get changed before we head out. Can you wait downstairs? I promise not to be long.”

With that, the messenger expressed his thanks and smiled. He had been successful in his mission. She didn’t seem overly arrogant as he had assumed, but he wasn’t taking chances with his neck out. He headed out the door to wait down stairs. Adora watched him go. Once the door closed, she closed her pack. The paladin took the time to comb out and re-braid her hair – a task that took her little time, but kept her appearance neat. She then put her armor back on and strapped her sword to her side. She checked the boot dagger before she grabbed her things. Looking around the room, she sighed. Duty called – Loudly.

Adora walked down the hall and reached the top of the stairs. She looked down, her blue eyes searching for the messenger that was just at her door. Spying him, she headed down the stairs and walked over to him. The messenger almost didn’t recognize her as she approached. The armor hid much of her form under the specially designed plates, confirming his initial assumption that she was more than just a simple girl.

“My mount is stabled at the blacksmith’s shoppe. I will need to retrieve her before we head out,” she informed him. “I will meet you in front of the inn momentarily,” she added.

Moments later Adora returned, now ready to go. “Lead on, good sir” she said. Adora nudged her mare forward and they headed back to the palace of Lord Kalyd. The messenger was obviously in a hurry and it didn’t take much for Adora’s mount to keep up. She was pretty fast on her feet. In no time at all, they were approaching the large palace. Adora surveyed her surroundings and they made their way through the gates.

 

[Veseor]

Lord Kalyd stood at his window and observed the two arriving riders. So she had followed his invitation and sooner than he had expected. Good. He needed to be careful from now on. The paladin might be his next prey, but a prey with sharp teeth, remarkable fighting skills and a strong will... until now. He himself had decent experience in sword fighting either, but his true weapons were his manipulating words and he probably would lose a direct sword duel against her. However he didn't intended to let it come to this.

The huge door of the palace opened and let Adora inside. She watched as a palace servant approached her and smiled only when the servant engaged her.

"Good evening, my Lady. Who may I announce to the Lord at the late hour?", the servant asked her in a respectful but cool voice.

"I am Paladin Adora of the Royal Order of Paladins. I believe Lord Kalyd is expecting my arrival.", she answered. The servant nodded and walked from the entrance hall.

While Adora waited she explored the hall, appreciating the craftsmanship. It must have taken some time to build the palace with so many aesthetically pleasing features. It was not as grand as the King's residence and was much larger than the small home from where she grown up.

A knock sounded through the room and Kalyd knew that it would be the servant announcing the paladin. He let the servant do his job nevertheless and sent him away afterwards. Taking a last look into the mirror, he decided he was ready for the first act of his play and went outside, descending the long stairs with a firm tread.

Adora's hand rested on her sword naturally as she walked, pausing now and again when something caught her eye. Finally, her trained ear heard the foot falls of someone approaching.

When he arrived, he could see that Adora was regarding the architecture and statues of the hall. She must have heard him coming, but she didn't look into his direction to greet or acknowledge him. Kalyd smiled inwardly and finally ended this little pretense by announcing his presence in a strong voice:
"Good evening, Paladin Adora. I am Lord Kalyd, rightful ruler of the Estos province and loyal servant of the king. I am honored to welcome you in my palace. I didn't expect you so soon, but I can assure you it is a most pleasant surprise."

He hadn't gotten a good look at her until she turned to acknowledge his welcome. She approached him, moving fluidly even in the heavy armor. In respect for his position, Adora chose to keep a respectable distance between herself and Kalyd. Many men did not expect a woman paladin and that in itself could create a sense of discomfort. Her deep blue eyes scanned him from the feet up until they met his eyes directly. She lifted her chin just a little and the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile.

"Thank you for the offer of hospitality. I would have rather waited until morning, but your note had a sense of urgency and your messenger assured me my presence was required immediately," she answered.

He made a mental note to give the messenger a raise. He liked servants who had the ability to get his wishes done, even if he didn't commanded them directly. His eyes traveled from her feet, up to her long armored legs over her curved torso plate to finally meet her eyes. "A hard shell to crack for an innocent core to corrupt", he thought to himself.

Avoiding a pause in the conversation he continued: "I trust you had a safe journey and didn't had to experience any inconvenience. It is a shame, but the roads aren't as secure as they used to be"

Adora waved her hand absently. "The journey up was no trouble at all. The majority of the trip was beautiful scenery."

He didn't bothered to press this issue further, even through he knew it must have been a lie. After all he was personally responsible for some of the dangers on the roads which crossed Estos. But he intended to play his next move and the time for it was perfect now. She was tired after a long journey, probably more interested in getting some rest than starting a discussion about her investigation with him. He need to coax her into accepting his offer without allowing her to think about it too much:
"As for the unfortunate reason of your mission, I will assure you that you have my full support in your investigation. In fact I have decided to make it my personal duty to assist you in this investigation. A ruler should be never be above doing an important task himself for the good of his subjects. That is only if you don't object of course."

Adora stood there for a moment to consider his offer.

Kalyd quickly went on: "I am sure my presence will open doors which might be otherwise closed even for a paladin"

"I don't have any objections with your assistance, although at times I would prefer to do some things on my own, if you don't mind.", Adora agreed in the end.

Now that this was done, he would prepare her to her first training session. Without her noticing of course: "Excellent. I have already arranged an appointment with the woman we were able to free from slavery. As she is our only witness I am sure you will want to questions her, even if we failed to learn anything helpful from her. But maybe a paladin like you will be more successful in this task"

Adora nodded, acknowledging him.

"But you must be tired from all the travel and I don't mean to exhaust you any more. My servant will gladly show you the room which has been prepared for you. The troubles may be grave but they are surely easier to solve when one is well rested. Good night, Adora. I will meet you in the morning and then we shall start our investigation", Kalyd offered her, satisfied that everything had worked just as he intended so far. He would have to finish some preparations during the night, most importantly visiting the slave and instructing her for tomorrows questioning. He didn't want anything to go wrong tomorrow. The first steps were always the most important ones.

With that he left Adora to the servant and went to work.

 

[plightofsabine]

The paladin watched after Kalyd when he departed. It was unusual for someone in his position to even consider participating personally in these matters. They usually commanded security forces to take care of these things. Had they been successful, she would not be here now. Despite the oddity, inwardly, she was accepting of his assistance. Adora must have had an expressive look on her face while considering her encounter because the servant had an exasperated look having taken several long moments to gain the paladin’s attention.

Her attention shifted back to the beckoning servant. The paladin apologized and much to the relief of the servant, quietly followed behind making note of her surroundings. She didn’t want to find herself turned around. When the two had arrived at her chambers, the servant clicked the latch and pushed on the heavy door. Adora entered the chamber and the servant spent the next few minutes orienting her to her surroundings. Once the young woman was satisfied, she thanked the servant and she was left to her own devices.

Adora realized she had not brought her things in. She chided herself silently for being so silly and attributed it to just being tired and was just about to hurry out the door to collect them. Adora had turned her head just so and happened to spy her things across the room. Someone had delivered the bags from her mount. The young woman sighed in relief. She took her time to remove her armor and pull out a couple of things before sleep began to beckon. She slipped into a comfortable night shirt.

Adora pulled out a small container of a thick, sticky creme and slathered it generously across each leg, rubbing them gently. The long ride had cramped up her legs and she found it necessary to stretch her tired body slowly. Her long legs finally relaxed and Adora was finally able to seek the security of the large bed. Tomorrow would be a new day.

 

[Veseor]

Kalyd was in a good mood when he ate the rich breakfast brought into his chamber, looking towards the events which would unfold this day. He had made sure that Adora would get an equally appetizing meal and let the servant deliver a message that he would meet her at 10 o clock in his conference hall. Even this little message was part of his game: Harmless and after his announcement to join the investigation an expected followup, it was already the second command to Adora she would obey. It was important that she learned early to follow his orders if she was to be a good toy one day.

Pondering about his outfit he decided for his light formal armor, made out of thin steel plates covered by red colored cloth. The huge emblem on the torso showed everyone who dared to look that the ruler of Estos himself stood in front of him, lending him an aura of power and dominance. It would not be the perfect armor in a fight, but it offered a good protection against arrows and unseen daggers. Not that he expected any incidents anyway.

An hour later he sat in his conference room, soon joined by Adora:

"Good Morning, Adora!", he deliberately omitted the paladin title, "You look well rested. I hope the room and hospitality was to your liking?"

In front of him lay a stack of documents and he pretended to read them carefully while he casually continued the conversation: "I took the liberty to collect every written detail about this case. After all we do want to be prepared for the interrogation".

Skimming through the documents he stopped on one specific page and reported: "The woman's name is er.. ", his acting reached its climax when he tried to find the name of the woman he trained himself very recently, " ahh, Lyell. But she doesn't uses this name anymore." Indeed, he made it his objective during the training to teach her to only call herself 'Fucktoy' from thereon. Being very shy and coy before her abduction he found it amusing to make her use the most vulgar and lewd words in conversations. Any cheap tavern whore would flush with embarrassment when talking to Lyell.

"She is 20 years old and was reported missing by her farther three months ago. A group of town guards was dispatched to look into her disappearance but was unable to find any clues. They concluded that she ran of on freewill to escape the boring farm life. It happens, but unfortunately that was obviously not the case here. I think you are already aware of the circumstances of her rescue, so there is no need to go into details here. But if you have any question we can go into that after we have spoken to her."

"Now,", Kalyd ordered the documents and stood up, " I think it is time to set off, we don't want to let her waiting, do we? She currently resides in the 'Good Will'-Inn near the eastern city gates. Her farther has refused to take her in - a sad story - so I organized this as temporary place for her to stay until she is ready to get back on her own feet." Actually, he rather intended to take her back into his slave quarters and auction her off again once the whole affair had cooled down a bit. And of course, after he was done with Adora he reminded himself.

 

[plightofsabine]

Kalyd was in a good mood when he ate the rich breakfast brought into his chamber, looking towards the events which would unfold this day. He had made sure that Adora would get an equally appetizing meal and let the servant deliver a message that he would meet her at 10 o clock in his conference hall. Even this little message was part of his game: Harmless and after his announcement to join the investigation an expected followup, it was already the second command to Adora she would obey. It was important that she learned early to follow his orders if she was to be a good toy one day.

Adora’s dreams had been strange. Visions of a familiar green glade melted the unconscious grey of her mind. It was a place where Adora felt safe. She had been there many times in her dreams and her heart was always lightened from it. Adora was on horseback, riding like the wind across the grass and trails. This time, something darker invaded her sanctuary. The faces of the two dispatched brigands from the road slithered from the shadows. The voices of the recently dead haunted her, tauntingly. The young paladin tossed and turned, moaning in her sleep until the intensity of the scenes her mind crafted forced her body awake. She was breathing hard having awoken in a cold sweat. She shivered and pulled the blankets over her tightly. Just before dawn, the young woman drifted back into a dreamless sleep.

When the servant had brought sustenance, the paladin was more than ready to greet the day. Though she consumed very little, it would be enough to sustain her. Adora was just happy to escape the darkness in her mind.

Pondering about his outfit he decided for his light formal armor, made out of thin steel plates covered by red colored cloth. The huge emblem on the torso showed everyone who dared to look that the ruler of Estos himself stood in front of him, lending him an aura of power and dominance. It would not be the perfect armor in a fight, but it offered a good protection against arrows and unseen daggers. Not that he expected any incidents anyway.

An hour later he sat in his conference room, soon joined by Adora:

"Good Morning, Adora!", he deliberately omitted the paladin title, "You look well rested. I hope the room and hospitality was to your liking?"

True to her nature, the paladin entered the hall dressed, equipped and on time. She was now ready to deal with what would be thrown at her. Hearing Kalyd’s morning greeting she felt a grating on her nerves at his familiarity with her name and her jaw tightened. She suffered through her momentary inner monologue.

‘How dare he?! Who does he think he is?!’

Adora would have demanded more from anyone else and would have been happy to teach the lesson. Kalyd was charged by the King to care for this province and that was the only reason she dismissed her sudden impulse to correct him. She settled upon another tack. “Thank you, the accommodations are comfortable,” she answered smoothly.

In front of him lay a stack of documents and he pretended to read them carefully while he casually continued the conversation: "I took the liberty to collect every written detail about this case. After all we do want to be prepared for the interrogation".

Skimming through the documents he stopped on one specific page and reported: "The woman's name is er.. ", his acting reached its climax when he tried to find the name of the woman he trained himself very recently, " ahh, Lyell. But she doesn't use this name anymore." Indeed, he made it his objective during the training to teach her to only call herself 'Fucktoy' from thereon. Being very shy and coy before her abduction he found it amusing to make her use the most vulgar and lewd words in conversations. Any cheap tavern whore would flush with embarrassment when talking to Lyell.

Adora moved closer as Kalyd began to sift through the documents paying close attention to the documents he reviewed. Adora had been given some of the initial details that were transmitted to the King. The paladin waited to see what other information Kalyd would provide. She would find the truth. “What other information do you have on this girl?”

"She is 20 years old and was reported missing by her father three months ago. A group of town guards was dispatched to look into her disappearance but was unable to find any clues. They concluded that she ran off on freewill to escape the boring farm life. It happens, but unfortunately that was obviously not the case here. I think you are already aware of the circumstances of her rescue, so there is no need to go into details here. But if you have any question we can go into that after we have spoken to her."

"Now,", Kalyd ordered the documents and stood up, " I think it is time to set off, we don't want to let her waiting, do we? She currently resides in the 'Good Will'-Inn near the eastern city gates. Her father has refused to take her in - a sad story - so I organized this as temporary place for her to stay until she is ready to get back on her own feet." Actually, he rather intended to take her back into his slave quarters and auction her off again once the whole affair had cooled down a bit. And of course, after he was done with Adora he reminded himself.

Adora watched him fiddle with the documents for a few minutes longer and acknowledged Kalyd with a nod. She couldn’t fault his desire to want to get a start. From his current state of dress, she was justified in taking her own precautions. She always took precautions.

 

[Veseor]

A short time later Adora and Kalyd left the palace and made their way to towards the eastern city gates. Four guards, two in the front and two in the back, build the escort more busy with shoving peasants away who didn't clear the street fast enough than protecting them against a possible ambush. Sometimes a cheer or greeting for either the Lord or the Paladin was given by random citizens nearby and many stopped to gawk at the unusual and prominent pair. A few beggars tried to seize the opportunity and plead to the obviously powerful pair for some gold coins, but the escort made sure none of them got too close to Kalyd or Adora.

Before long they stood in front of a rather small two-storied wooden house. A worn-out sign in front of it dangled slowly in the wind and announced to every reader that this was the 'Good Will'-Inn. Giving his guards the command to wait outside, Kalyd opened the door and stepped in. Stale air and the smell of food greeted them inside. The room they stood in was rather small for a tavern holding only four tables with chairs and the small bar. Other than this it the Inns features were a rather nondescript resembling those of countless other Inns throughout the land. What was remarkable however was the fact that all tables were occupied by patrons. Apparently the business went very well for its owner.

Reaching the Innkeeper, Kalyd announced: "We are her too see Lyell. Please lead us to her room".

Being visible nervous and uncomfortable with this situation the Innkeeper returned: "Of course, Lord Kalyd. I would love to... but, the lady has.. err..", he continued to stammer, "a guest and is occupied at the moment I think."

"I'm sure that no guest is that important to make the me and this Paladin wait. And you might remember that I am paying for her stay. So, please, see if she can't spare a few moments of her time.", Kalyd said in a cold, slightly threatening voice.

The Innkeeper stumbled away and up the stairs, happy to get away from the dangerous patron but dreading the task to follow. From below Kalyd and Adora could hear an aggressive argument. One male voice was shouting something, while another one tried to sooth him down. Finally a door slammed and a brawny looking man stepped onto the stairs. While still being busy with closing all the buttons of his pants he started to bark:

"Who of you dimwits couldn't wait for his turn? I will show you what...", his gaze fell on Kalyd and Adora noticing the potential deadly error he just made, "ohh... Lord Kalyd! I had no idea, my Lord. Of course, I didn't meant to say". He babbled away, giving countless apologies and begs for forgiveness while he retreated to the door bolting outside.

"I think she will have time to receive us now. I will leave the talking to you, Adora. After all this is your investigation and I do not want to interfere.", Kalyd said and made a gesture for her to go ahead.

 

[plightofsabine]

The paladin shook off Kalyd’s lack of formality. The issue made the hairs on the back of her neck bristle. Entering the room, the young woman came face to face with one of the recent victims. She couldn’t help but to feel sorry for the girl, who obviously had been through a great deal. Adora took a moment to introduce herself and inform Lyell of why she was here.

“I am Paladin Adora. I am here to find out what happened to you – why you were taken. Will you speak with me?”

Lyell seemed to ponder about this a while, before replying to Adora’s question: "Mistress, I was commanded to offer pleasure to anyone who I might meet. For men that often means sucking their cocks or letting them pound my cunt and ass. But if you are aroused by words, I suppose that I would be allowed to talk to you. Otherwise, I could also lick your pussy, I can assure you that I have been very well trained in that skill."

Despite her desire to display complete professionalism, it took a moment before Adora recovered from the girl’s initial response. She had been left speechless and had to work to keep a straight face. How incredible! The paladin had never heard such a lewd and pointed answer before. Could the girl be that rude? She had to remember the purpose of her mission and to the subjects that would most likely be affected. To distract herself from the obvious flush she felt, Adora had to do something.

Exercising patience, the paladin took a seat, as much as she could in bulky armor and looking somewhat uncomfortable. This stuff wasn’t meant to just sit in and it pinched her in all the wrong places when she did. Adora shifted in her seat and brushed an idle hand across her own thigh.

“Lyell –", Adora was interruped instantly by her dialogue partner."Fucktoy. That is my name and purpose. I am sorry Mistress, but I am only allowed to obey if I am called by my name"

“According to the records and reports by your family, your given name at birth was Lyell. Don’t you have issues with other people calling you by something other than your given name? Does it not matter to you that your…name… is demeaning? A twisted sexual reference??” Adora looked back and forth between Kalyd and Lyell, noting the silence and calm indifference in both of them. Adora waited a moment and acknowledged the girl had probably been brainwashed or suffered from some other dark affliction. As Lyell continued to hold her tongue, Adora sighed inwardly. To get more information she would simply have to accede to her wishes, as distasteful as it was. The paladin collected her thoughts and nearly bit her tongue before she tried to engage the girl again.

"Very well…Fucktoy, why don’t we start with you telling me what happened the day you were taken?”

"My master found me Mistress. And he took me when I was on my way to the city. It was the first step into my new life."

The paladin watched Lyell carefully as she answered the question. ‘New life she says,’ Adora thought. It appeared the girl was telling the truth. She actually believed in what she was saying. Adora pressed the girl further.

“Did you know any of your captors?”

"I had never met my master or his aides before."

“Did you try to escape?”

"At first, when I didn't knew better. But I was punished hard for my disobedience.", alone the memory of this even made Lyell squirm slightly, "I never tried it again."

“What did you do when you were under the control of your captors?”

"I learned my place in life and was prepared for it: To be a cum recipient for my owner, to pleasure him and follow all of his commands. I mastered to take a cock into my mouth up till the root and to pleasure three men at once with my holes, I..." The paladin interrupted the girl before she could finish. “You mean you willingly gave up a respectable life to whore yourself for someone’s pleasure? You wanted these things so much you had no other option?”
Lyell looked at the paladin briefly. “I am very good at what I do, Mistress. I promise you I am well taken care of.”

“How can you be so well cared for if all that you do is provide sexual release to others? What kind of life is that?”

The girl responded immediately, “Mistress, your questions are common for those who have never experienced sex. If you like, I can suck on your clit until you cum. Then you may understand why. ”

Adora released a long breath and resigned to asking another, more neutral question. “How did you come to the trader?”

"I was auctioned off to him. He said my tight pussy and firm tits were worth a fortune, so he paid a high price to my master for the right to keep me".

“Where were you sold?”

"At the old abandoned farm near the village of Sular, of course. Everyone...", she interrupts looking uneasy before adding, "I don't think I am allowed to say any more Mistress."

The paladin settled her hands on the table before her and rose to her feet. “Thank you, Lyell” Adora stated dully. Adora looked to Kalyd. “I believe I am done here.” The paladin turned on her heel and moved to the door.

As they moved out of earshot of the inn, Adora took a few moments to collect her thoughts. She hadn’t forgotten about Kalyd’s lack of decorum before they spoke with Lyell. He was either very confident in his charm or he was just that ignorant. Either way, the details of the young girl’s statements flooded her mind once again and she forgot temporarily about formalities.

“We need to find the abandoned farm outside of Sular,” Adora suggested, indicating the direction she wanted to go next.

 

[Veseor]

Smiling inwardly, Kalyd enjoyed seeing Adora struggle to handle the conversation. Her flushed red cheeks and nervous behavior told everyone that she wasn't as confident and secure as she would like to be in this situation. Indeed, he strongly suspected that she was never taken by a man before which would heighten the pleasure of her training considerable for him. Calling Lyell by the degrading name he had also completed Adora's lesson for this day: Acknowledging that a woman's life could be dedicated to nothing more than sexually pleasuring men without any regard for self-worth would be Adora's first step to becoming such a slave herself.

In the end, she seemed so eager to finish the interrogation and get away from Lyell, that she didn't even notice how remarkably easy it was to get such an important fact like an exact location out of someone, who was supposedly questioned by the town guards before without any result. Of course Kalyd had instructed Lyell to sprinkle this vital clue into the conversation, after all he wanted to control Adora's next move rather than having her investigate on her own. Before he left the chamber he gave Lyell an approving nod, informing her that he approved of her performance.

Catching up with Adora, he began to speak: "Excellent work, you have done very well Adora!" he commended her like a father would praise a little child which had finished a task given to it. He made sure however to not get over the top with his patronizing undertones, not offering her an opening for a rebuttal or complaint.

“We need to find the abandoned farm outside of Sular,” Adora suggested, indicating the direction she wanted to go next.

Now Kalyd just needed to nudge her a bit further onto the road he had in mind for her. It shouldn't be too hard as it would seem to be a reasonable suggestion:

"Indeed, that we should do. Finding the farm will not be a problem: Sular is a village an hours ride to the north and I do doubt that there are many abandoned farms located nearby which would fit our description. We rather need to plan how to approach this place. If I were to order a regiment of my guards to accompany us, there is no doubts their spies would sight us long before we arrive and empty houses we would all we could find. Similarly if we do ride alone and somehow managed the risky task of defeating their guards and capturing this place, its likely that those who could give us information leading to the string-puller behind the slavers would either escape, be killed in the fight or may simply withstand our interrogation later on. We cannot risk to lose our most important lead in this case."

Kalyd paused, as if pondering about a solution to this problem:

"I think there is only one possibility: We need to infiltrate such a slave auction by entering it in the disguise of traders, interested in acquiring new slaves. That way we can search for further leads within their ranks and they won't be warned about our presence."

He looked at a Adora expectantly, waiting for an answer.

 

[plightofsabine]

Adora was visibly irritated. Her furrowed brows and tightened jaw were set as the information processed in her mind. She had gained very little over the interview due to the distracting responses of the girl. So distracted in fact, she never bothered to ask WHO these so called masters were. The only bit of useable information the girl managed to offer was the abandoned farm. Then, it was the girl who decided she could say no more. Adora bristled more.

The paladin struggled silently with the concepts presented. She couldn’t comprehend that someone could be happy being degraded, humiliated. The girl nearly accused Adora of ignorance because she chose not to explore sexuality. Adora knew one didn’t have to experience sex to understand slavery. This is really what it all lead to, whether one was in the fields, in the home or locked up in a tavern whoring. The whole thing was so wrong it was repulsive and made her want to vomit.

Kalyd’s suggestion to masquerade as traders wasn’t how she normally did business. With the situation as it was and trying to root out the source of the operation, the man had to be given some credit. It made sense to her. She didn’t like him – not even a little. He was arrogant and patronizing. Adora remembered there were several areas from which townsfolk were taken. After a moment of deliberation, Adora finally met Kalyd’s gaze. Her blue eyes took on a hardened, serious look and she was clearly in no mood for any tom foolery.

“What you suggest is risky… Kalyd. I would like to take a good look at a map and see just what the province looks like in relation to Sular. You wouldn’t happen to have access to such a map, would you?”

 

[Veseor]

Kalyd's lips became a thin line when he tried to avoid showing his annoyance caused by Adora's refusal to outright agree on his suggestion. What use would she have for a map of his province? He had the urge to punish her right there for her hesitation to follow his order, preferable by bending her over in front of all the citizens nearby and spanking her bottom until she cried for mercy.. and then some. Obviously that wasn't an option at this time and he reminded himself that her training was at the very beginning, so he had to be lenient.

They had taken several steps in silence before he finally acknowledged her words: "Of course it is dangerous, Adora. I assumed this was the reason the order sent you, someone who was trained for delicate situations and who wouldn't shy down to risk his own life for the greater good. I myself am willing to do this, even if my advisors would surely despair if they would come to know this plan. But what worth is a ruler if he isn't willing to sacrifice himself for his subjects?"

He let his 'selfless hero' speech sink in for a few moments, hoping he didn't overdo it. But he figured Adora was idealistic enough to believe that such a thing as an altruistic ruler indeed existed. As far as Kalyid was concerned such humans were as common as intellectual orcs with a fondness for gardening. Not wanting to lose her trust however, he gave in to her demand:

"But of course if you do prefer to study maps instead, I will arrange this. My library has the most detailed maps of this province; after all I do need to know my land".

After they had returned to the palace they found themselves standing in the conference hall again. Servants had pinned a huge parchment onto the wall and fine charcoal strokes and lines depicted each road, mountain, river and village of the Estos province.

 

[plightofsabine]

The paladin was glad to have stood her ground in this. The lecture over self-less service rubbed on her nerves, but she dismissed it. For someone who wanted to see the end of this slavery issue, he wasn’t being as cautious as he needed to be. One did not just rush into something, unthinking. Adora was accustomed to weighing the odds and taking calculated risks. She sensed some contradictions in his responses to her. Still, she appreciated his need to want to rid the providence of this evil.

The ride back to the palace was quiet. Adora knew it wasn’t what Kalyd had wanted, but perhaps she could gain some sense of pattern when she matched up the locations of the recent disappearances to Sular. The young woman had a hunch.

Adora retrieved the small, reconstructed map and noted the markings of all the different locations she was given before she left for Estos. Her blue eyes studied the huge parchment and compared the two maps.

“So where is Sular, exactly?” she asked.

Kalyd stepped forward and poked his finger onto the map, sending small ripples through the parchment.

"Right, here. As I said, a two hours ride away from us. We could be there this evening.", he pointed out.

Adora nodded, acknowledging Kalyd’s answer and her gaze fell back to the map. A smile formed on her face signaling her irritation had faded. She studied the map for a few moments longer and she rolled up her own small map. The village, she noted, did not seem to have any geographical significance.

“We should get going then. At least now, if we get separated for any reason, I will know where I am. After all, you know your province and I do not.”

 

[plightofsabine]

“I’m going to get changed. It wouldn’t be convincing to be a trader with all this plate. I suggest you do the same – don’t want them to see you coming…” her voice trailed off. Adora turned upon her heel leaving Kalyd in silence in the conference hall all alone with his map.

The time it took to get from the conference hall back to her assigned chambers was long enough for her to process through the information she had sought. The map of the province was large. Thankfully she had a decent memory and could recall the details she needed to fill in the needed areas on her map. She did this quickly before deciding on what her disguise should be.

The paladin settled for leather. That would have to do. She pulled out a fitted leather corset matching breeches and a hooded cloak. Adora stripped down. The woman always tried to dress as quickly as possible – her bare flesh felt vulnerable.

The open air caressed her skin and her nipples started to harden causing a shiver to course through her. She brushed her hands across the awakened peaks, inadvertently causing her to release a slight moan. The girl’s lewd suggestions had affected the paladin in ways she didn’t appreciate. It bothered her. Even now she could sense her own arousal in her recollections.

She murmured her disapproval of what her body was trying to tell her, "I don't need these distractions right now. Be professional about this, Adora..."

Determined to ignore the responses, Adora attempted to shrug it all off. Her palms quickly warmed her skin and she reached for the leather. The corset was tight. It pushed up her ample breasts creating a deep cleavage. The piece left her neck, shoulders and arms unprotected, so the cloak would have to provide cover for her. The paladin then pulled on her boots and slid daggers into them. If she couldn’t wear the armor, she’d still be well armed. She grabbed her sword and cloak in hand and tucked a few things away – to include a small purse. There was no way to hide her long hair and she wasn’t about to cut it just for a disguise. It wasn’t as obvious a trademark, like her armor would be. So many people were counting on her success, especially herself.

Fifteen minutes later, Adora left the confines of the chambers and made her way back to the deserted conference hall. The map had been put away since her departure leaving her to the company of her own thoughts and waiting for Kalyd to reappear.

 

[Veseor]

“We should get going then. At least now, if we get separated for any reason, I will know where I am. After all, you know your province and I do not.”

Kalyd doubted that this was the reason she asked for a map, but now that she agreed to his wishes, he didn't saw any point in pressing this issue neither.

"A wise precaution, Adora.", he lied instead, "But I do doubt that anything will cause us to get separated.". He mentally added in his thoughts: "As much as you will hope for it very soon".

“I’m going to get changed. It wouldn’t be convincing to be a trader with all this plate. I suggest you do the same – don’t want them to see you coming…” her voice trailed off. Adora turned upon her heel leaving Kalyd in silence in the conference hall all alone with his map.

He didn't needed her to say how to execute his plan. But she was right nevertheless, it wouldn't go well if someone would recognize him as Lord Kalyd during this trip. After all no one would believe him to be a genuine slave trader and while he was the mastermind behind the whole operation, none of the lower ranking thugs and mercenaries knew of it. Being discovered would in the best case mean revealing his role in the slave trade in front of Adora and in the worst case it would lead to a sword rammed through his body - carried by a mercenary he would have paid for.

So he took the task of creating yet another, albeit more physical, masquerade very seriously. An expensive wig hid his deep black hair beneath bright blonde streaks, reaching down to his shoulder and giving his look a more feral touch. Being no stranger to creating disguises, he quickly managed to paint several authentic looking scars on his cheeks and forehead, further bolstering his appearance as scruffy and dangerous trader in a dirty business. A studded leather-scale cuirass together with reinforced black pants and boots would constitute his armor. The outside materials appeared to be a slightly shabby and worn in order to not draw any attention, while the inside was of the best quality gold could buy and would offer him a distinct advantage in any fight. The light one-hander fastened on his belt finally finished his outfit. Taking a last look in the mirror he made sure that he didn't miss any flaw in his disguise and once satisfied left for the conference hall.

What he saw there took him by surprise and he stopped dead in his tracks. He had half expected Adora to dress in a robe or some similar inadequate but conservative outfit. He had even already played through the ensuing discussion in his mind to convince her to wear something which would fit a female slave trader, rather than a traveling maiden. But as it turned out he didn't need to worry.

"Well that is a very daring outfit!", he declared and made his point by letting his eyes linger for a long moment on her breasts, "I didn't expected a Paladin to own such clothing much less wear it. But it fits you well and will do an excellent job for our task."

He resumed his steps and joined Adora while taking a closer look at her outfit... and breasts. Finally he announced: "It looks like we are ready to depart then. My servants have prepared two horse for us, which are more corresponding to our 'new calling' than the noble breeds we are used to ride."

A short time later two riders trotted side by side through the city's north gate. It would be a two hour ride and Kalyd figured that there was no reason to spend it in silence. A bit small talk would be at least entertaining allowing him to come to know more about the old life of his future slave and maybe he even learned a few details, which would come in handy later.

So he started a conversation in a jovial tone: "So Adora, I wonder what made you chose to become a Paladin? Besides doing good of course. Seeking the thrill of adventure? Or maybe the knowledge the Order offers?"