"The Queen's Assassin" (closed)

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Luna's bed chamber:

Morrow was only enjoying the feel of the warmth wholly surrounding him. Suddenly, hands were pulling him back above the water surface.

"Lord Morrow," Luna asked with concern. "Are you okay?"

He blinked the water from his eyes. They filled again from the water dripping down his forehead, so he shook it to clear them. He looked from the Queen to her Handmaiden. Then, feeling as though returning to life, he grabbed Stella and pulled her into the tub atop him. And. Laughed.

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Luna's bed chamber:

Stella squealed in surprise as Morrow pulled her over the edge of the tub into the warm water, splashing it to the floor and all over her. She scrambled for a hold to get out, but as she did, Stella ended up with a handful of manhood. She didn't immediately know what her fingers had grasped, and when she realized that it was Morrow's cock, she quickly pulled her hand back, the result being that Stella fell directly into Morrow's torso and arms.

Her embarrassment was immeasurable, and Luna's laughter didn't help. Again, Stella flailed both her arms and legs in an effort to grab anything that wasn't Morrow. She got her hands on the tub's rim finally, but her dress and shift were an issue; the fabric was clinging to her legs, preventing her from parting her knees enough to get them -- then her feet -- on the tub's bottom to climb out.

Scrambling, Stella's knees finally came free of the cloth, but spreading them to find the hardwood, she only found Morrow's manhood ... with her womanhood!

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Luna's bed chamber:

Stella's squeal made Morrow laugh, just as it had Luna. The whole incident was turning out to be far funnier than he'd ever expected.

He didn't do anything to make it harder for the Handmaiden to escape the tub. But he also didn't necessarily do anything to help her. Morrow suddenly felt Stella's hand wrapped around his cock. It was only now that he realized that it had grown some since he'd entered the tub. The comfort of the bath had had an effect on Morrow that he only recognized now.

The shock was all too evident in Stella's reaction. She struggled to get control of herself. But that only landed her atop him. Morrow instinctively grasped her waist. He was fearful that she was going to fall facedown into the water again.

Luna's laughter continued as the mayhem did. Finally, Stella gained purchase on the tub to lift out. Two very obvious things became immediate to Morrow. The first was the Handmaiden's delicious bosom. The thing fabric of her dress and shift were glued to her young, firm tits. Her nipples, swollen and hard from either the unexpected excitement or their natural state, poked out at Morrow like fingertips.

The second thing he noticed was that she'd ended up with her thighs parted as her womanhood was just barely touching his balls. With his hands still on Stella's waist and without thinking of the ramifications, Morrow pulled the young thing up his body a few inches. Her pussy slid right atop his cock. He could feel fabric between his bared cock and her pussy. Maybe the shift was between them? Maybe it was another linen garment? All Morrow knew was that if it hadn't been there, he could have so easily moved Stella just another couple of inches this way, then that way, and been inside her.

But he could see the horror in Stella's eyes. And believe it or not after pulling her into the tub in the first place, Morrow wasn't really a cruel man. At least, not with women. So, he lowered his hands to her hips and lifted her upwards in an attempt to help her out.

"Sorry about that, Lady Stella," he apologized with a sincere tone. "I was only trying to be funny. I was inappropriate. Please forgive me."

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Luna's bed chamber:

Stella felt Morrow pull her forward with his strong hands on her waist, and the feel of his erection -- partial or not, who knew and who cared? -- pressing hard against her pussy. She was, in fact, wearing a pair of linen underpants, and they might have been the only reason Stella's purity was taken from her at that moment.

At the same moment that Morrow lifted her weight from him, Stella managed to straighten out her legs; the result was that she was suddenly above the man, feet on the tub's floor, hands on its lip, as she looked right down into Morrow's face. Her heart was pounding hard and fast, the madness of what had happened overwhelming her brain and preventing her from moving any farther out of the bath.

"Sorry about that, Lady Stella," Morrow apologized, looking up to her. "I was only trying to be funny."

"Funny...?" she asked, repeating with more shocking emphasis, "Funny?"

"I was inappropriate," he told her, his tone sincere. "Please forgive me."

Stella hesitated, just remaining there over the top of him for a long moment as the water continued to drip down off of her and her drenched clothing. Her emotions were all over the place: she was embarrassed by the unexpected bath and the fact that she'd been so inappropriately close to the man's nakedness, also known as his cock; but she was also feeling some other emotion that she'd never felt in a man's presence, and she wouldn't realize until after she'd gotten out of the tub that it had been lust.

Suddenly, with her mind beginning to clear out some of the confused feelings, Stella leaned her weight to her left arm, reared back with the right one, and punched Morrow right in the nose. Oh, it could barely be called a punch, of course; it wouldn't even draw blood from his nostrils. But she thought that it made her point. With Luna finally offering a hand, Stella made her way out of the bathtub, hurried covering the distance to the privacy changing screen usually used by Luna when the male dressmakers were here showing her the latest fashions. Behind the screen, she looked down to her body and found the clothing stuck to her curves like a second skin. She almost laughed, slapping a hand over her mouth to stifle the outburst.

"Well, that was interesting," Luna said, standing over Morrow with a smile. She glanced toward the middle of the tub, finding that the lower water level and his excitement had left the tip of his cock just barely peeking out with its cyclops eye. She couldn't help but think Oh, I hate to waste a good stiffy ... but... She looked to Morrow's face again, telling him, "Finish up. I have food and drink for you ... and after you're done with those, we need to talk about the future."

Luna strolled to the screen, found Stella, laughed -- which caused her to blush and giggle -- and helped her out of the sticking wet layers of clothes to dry her off. A trip to her own walk-in closet and a few minutes of work, and the two of them emerged from behind the screen again. Stella walked tentatively toward Morrow, her gaze mostly on the floor before her, and apologized, "I'm sorry for hitting you, Lord Morrow."

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Luna's bed chamber:

Stella didn't much appreciate Morrow's apology. Instead of accepting or refusing it, she punched him instead. It hurt, of course. But he'd done worse damage to himself after getting too drunk and falling on his face.

Luna helped her Handmaiden from the tub. Morrow watched with great interest as Stella padded barefoot across the stone floor or rugs. Her ass and even her legs were so wonderfully displayed by the clothing clinging to her. His only thought was how he wanted her even so much more now, despite being slugged.

"Well, that was interesting," Luna said, smiling.

He caught her looking down his body. His own glance found his cock poking a bit out of the seriously dirty water. Luna told him, "Finish up."

Morrow chuckled at his first thought. It involved his erection and either the Queen's mouth, the Handmaiden's pussy, or his hand. He wisely kept those ideas to himself.

"...after you're done with those," she said about the meal on the table, "we need to talk about the future."

He watched Luna head for the screen. Again, his gaze was on a beautiful ass. She disappeared, a moment later laughing with the other female. Morrow wondered what they were laughing about specifically.

He finished cleaning, then pulled the cork plug from the tub's side. The water rushed out a hole and into a gulley that took it Gods knew where. It might have been wasted to the outside of the castle. It might have gone to the animal pens. It might have gone to the laundry. Each castle had different uses for dirty bathing water.

He stood, lifted a bucket of clean water, and dumped it over his head. Shaking off, he then dried with a towel and stepped out to a fur mat. Someone in Luna's employ had retrieved some of his clothes from the cottage. Seeing them made him think of Clara for the millionth time since last he'd seen her. He would ask Luna about the girl. But not right now.

Morrow chose to don his warrior clothes. He sat at the table to eat. He initially did so quickly. He had barely eaten in four days. But then he remembered what gorging would do to a starving man. He'd nearly starved to death on a handful of occasions in his life. They'd all occurred for different reasons. But the results had been the same. He'd gorged on what food finally came to him. And then he'd retched it all up again.

"I'm sorry for hitting you, Lord Morrow," Stella told him after Luna led her out from behind the screen.

He stood and bowed politely to her. "You had every right, Lady Stella. I acted inappropriately."

They all sat to eat. Plenty of food and drink had been brought for all. Luna asked if Morrow had a plan for what came next. "There are a handful of conspirators still on the loose, My Queen. I'll direct my men on gathering them up. Since we've already held the public execution, I assume that you don't mind that we deal with the others at the time we find them?"

Morrow listened to Luna's opinion. He would agree to whichever way she wanted to take care of these people. He continued, "Lord Rolph of Windham has expressed a desire to chase after the kidnappers immediately. He is--"

He paused. He'd been about to say He is going to be here tomorrow. But then he remembered that he'd been in the dungeon for four days. He instead said, "I will have to make contact with him to see where we are on this, My Queen."

They discussed that some more, too, before he said, "I do have another project in mind. I learned of a gentleman operating a piracy scheme near the Mouth of the Western Yall. I hear it's rather profitable. This man holds the title of Count and has four or five hundred acres of mostly timber and wetlands in his name.

"My suggestion, if you are interested, My Queen," Morrow continued, "is to pay this man a visit and learn a little more about what he'd been up to. I suggest this, as opposed to simply cutting his head off and feeding it to the crocodiles, because no one has been complaining about this man's piracy. There must be a reason for this. One does not simply pay off a pirate on one's way to a distant market and not report it to the Authorities once you reach port."

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Luna's bed chamber:

When Morrow brought up Rolph -- with whom the former had failed to meet as he'd been chained to a wall in the dungeon -- Luna informed him, "Lord Windham is here in the City now. He arrived yesterday ... which, as it happens, if the reason you are here clean, fed, and watered."

Stella couldn't help but chuckle, nearly spitting out the chunk of bread upon which she'd been chewing. When the others looked to her with curiosity, she gulped the food down, cleared her throat, and said meekly, "Sorry, My Queen, My Lord, it just ... well--"

"It sounded as though I was referring to Lord Morrow as I would refer to a stock animal," Luna filled in; she, too, chuckled a bit before looking to the man apologizing, "Forgive me, Lord Morrow. It wasn't supposed to come out that way. What I meant to say is that Lord Windham and I have been discussing the mission to rescue the kidnapped girls. I have him squared away with forces and supplies ... but we need your knowledge ... your intelligence connections ... before we proceed."

They discussed that a while before Morrow informed Luna, "I do have another project in mind." He spoke of the piracy taking place at the Mouth of the Western Yall. (OOC: map; bottom center). He wanted to deal with this pirate in a way that most might find unorthodox; most people would simply find the man and his accomplices and kill them all, but Morrow wanted to interrogate him first as there were questions that needed to be answered first.

"...no one has been complaining about this man's piracy," Morrow said. "There must be a reason for this. One does not simply pay off a pirate on one's way to a distant market and not report it to the Authorities once you reach port."

"I agree," Luna said, her response initially short and sweet. Morrow seemed to have his plan in place; what more did she need to say to show her approval? She did tell him, "Let me know what resources you need -- men, coin, other supplies -- and they are yours."

Luna had noted that during their hour-long meal and conversation -- as well as during the hour or so that preceded it -- Morrow had not once mentioned Clara. Luna had been prepared to inform him of the girl's situation and had simply been waiting, but now as their dinner and discussion neared its end and he still hadn't brought up his former partner in both work and pleasure, Luna wondered if whether or not she should simply remain quiet on the subject.

Then, without forewarning, Stella rose, crossed the room to the Queen's writing desk, retrieved and returned with a folded and wax-sealed piece of parchment, and set it next to Luna without a word. Luna looked between it and her Handmaiden with a hesitant expression, then moved the parchment to a place between her and Morrow.

"Lady Clara wished you to have this once you were able," Luna said. "She tried to write a message to you herself ... but, as you know, her literacy skills were not particularly..." Luna went silent a moment; she was in no way wanting to belittle Clara for only having the basic writing and reading skills afforded many people of the Peasant Class. "She asked me if I would write it for her ... which I did."

"She is well," Stella offered when the chance came. She would have said more if now for the glance she got from Luna that spoke volumes about how the woman Morrow wanted to wed and bed probably shouldn't be speaking about the current well-being of the woman he'd bedded but not wedded.

"When you are ready, Lord Morrow," Luna continued as she stood, indicating that the meal and discussion were over, "If you have more questions than those answered in Lady Clara's letter, I will answer them ... if I can." She looked between the two -- both stood as was appropriate when the Queen herself stood -- and finished, "For now, Stella, will you please show Lord Morrow to the quarters we have arranged for him here in the castle?"

"Yes, My Queen," the Handmaiden said, curtseying before circling around her for the door.

"Lord Morrow," Luna continued, "We had some of your things brought to the castle. They are here in your quarters ... quarters which are yours permanently, if you wish to keep them. I want you to feel at home here while the repairs are continuing at Orland House, which, by the way, have continued during your time with us." Luna had to suppress a smile at her quip about Morrow's time shackled in the dungeon. "I put one of the Castle Architects in charge of the project. I hope you don't mind."

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Morrow's Private Quarters:

The quarters Luna had arranged for Morrow were far more than he'd expected. They were far more than he needed actually. But her take them. Willingly.

Morrow looked to Stella, standing in the still open doorway. She looked unwilling to enter his private quarters. He didn't blame her. Not after what he'd done in the bathtub.

"I want to apologize again for my behavior in the bathtub," he told her. "I meant no offense. And--"

He paused, looking to the floor. Looking up again, he said, "The way I touched you. It was inexcusable."

Morrow hesitated a moment. He contemplated the various wrong directions his next words could take him. "I found myself overwhelmed. By you, m'lady. By my lust for you, Lady Stella."

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Morrow's Private Quarters:

"The way I touched you," Morrow said. "It was inexcusable."

Stella studied Morrow's expression and body language as he dropped his gaze to the floor and searched for his next words. She didn't know him as well as some might -- Clara, obviously -- but she thought she knew Morrow enough to know that he was being sincere.

"I found myself overwhelmed," he continued. "By you, m'lady."

Stella smiled, both tickled and a bit embarrassed by his declaration. She'd had many men say similar things about her to others or directly to her face, but Stella had never wanted any man to say them as much as she did Morrow.

Stella had never before had romantic feelings for a man. Oh, she'd had feelings of lust for men on occasion. It was natural. Instinctive. But Stella had always been able to slake that lust in Luna's bed. She's never even felt the need to masturbate ... until Morrow.

He continued explaining his sense of being overwhelmed with, "By my lust for you, Lady Stella."

A fiery blush exploded through Stella's face and neck as she diverted her eyes like Morrow had before her. She didn't know how to react to Morrow's statement; she herself was confused about her own feelings, about sex, about men in general, and about Morrow in particular.

"I cannot," Stella said barely above a whisper. She looked up to Morrow again, meeting his gaze; her eyes began to glaze over with threatening years. She clarified her statement, saying, "I cannot ... cannot be with you, m'lord ... even though ... even though I want to."

Stella's heart was pounding as her eyes feel to the floor again. "I ... I must remain pure ... for my husband..." She peeked up at Morrow, smiling meekly as she said, "...whoever he might be."

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Morrow's Private Quarters:

Morrow couldn't figure out what was going through Stella's mind. All he knew for certain was that she hadn't run away in fear or disgust of him.

"I cannot," Stella said barely above a whisper.

Morrow wasn't certain what she meant by that. Then she continued, "I cannot ... cannot be with you, m'lord..."

That wasn't a surprise to Morrow, of course. She was the Queen's Handmaiden. She was take with maintaining her purity of body until the night following her wedding. To a true Noble. Chosen by her Queen, no less.

Sure, Luna had said she would consider giving Stella to him. He was, after all, earning Stella in ways no other Noble ever could. But Morrow hadn't honestly concluded the Stella was to be his yet.

Then, Stella said something that shocked Morrow. Speaking of not being able to be with him, she added, "...even though ... even though I want to."
Morrow to a step toward Stella, but her body language warned him not to get closer. With the most sincere voice possible, he told her, "I want to be with you, Stella. You want to be with me."

"I ... I must remain pure ... for my husband..." she responded to the question Morrow hadn't yet asked. She peeked up, smiling. Meekly, she said, "...whoever he might be."

Morrow decided to risk it. He began walking ever so slowly toward Stella as he spoke. He would stop, both walking and talking, the moment she looked ready to flee.

"You know what I asked of Queen Luna in return for my work, yes?" Morrow asked. "I asked for a Noble title. She gave that to me. I asked for an estate to go with that title. She did. I am now Lord Morrow Tyne, Viscount of Orland.

"Most importantly, though," he continued, "I asked for a wife. Stella, I asked for you. I want you to be my wife, Stella. The Countess of Orland."

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Morrow's Private Quarters:

When Morrow took his first step toward her, Stella flinched a bit, moving one foot so little as to not be considered a step but most certainly to have been noticed as Morrow stopped where he was. He told her, "I want to be with you, Stella. You want to be with me."

After she said she had to remain a virgin for her husband, then gave the smallest of hints that possibly she'd accept him as such, Morrow again began moving her direction; his forward movement was so slow that one might have thought he was staking a deer in the forest, not a pure woman who he wished to make less so.

"You know what I asked of Queen Luna in return for my work, yes?" he asked.

"Yes, m'lord," she answered.

He wanted to ensure that she knew precisely what his requests had been and reminded her: a Noble title, an estate, and a wife. "Stella, I asked for you. I want you to be my wife, Stella. The Countess of Orland."

She'd stood fast where she was the entire time he'd been talking, and when he finished, Morrow was within reach of Stella. Her heart was pounding harder than it ever had; her chest swelled and shrunk with deepening breaths, causing her bosom to become more obvious with each inhale as -- after the bathtub incident -- she'd changed into a tighter fitting top that tended to lift and squish her breasts together.

After a long moment of them simply staring into one another's eyes, Stella said, "If My Queen decides that I am to marry you, m'lord..." She paused, verifying with the voice in her head that this was truly what she wanted for herself before continuing, this time with a smile, "...I will happily become your wife ... your Countess of Orland, m'lord."

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Morrow's Private Quarters:

Morrow couldn't have missed the excitement Stella's body was showing if he'd wanted. She'd picked the most perfect blouse to wear. He wondered if she'd picked it to purposely show off her perfect, young firm, breasts. Or had it simply been happenstance? All he wanted to do was put his mouth upon those perfect orbs and kiss them until she was moaning from the pleasure.

"If My Queen decides that I am to marry you, m'lord..." Stella began.

Morrow was fully prepared for her to simply say that she would submit to the future chosen for her by Luna. Many if not most women found themselves betrothed to men they themselves had not chosen. That went for the Peasants Commoners, Nobles, and Royals alike.

But Stella smiled with what Morrow thought was happiness, even delight. She finished, "...I will happily become your wife ... your Countess of Orland, m'lord."

Morrow's lips widened in a smile as well. He moved a bit closer to her still. Only inches separated them. He asked, "Even though I know and accept that we will not be together until after we are wed, would you permit me to at least kiss you, m'lady?"

If she said yes, Morrow would gently move up against Stella, taking her waist into his hands as he leaned in to kiss her.