"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.

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Morrow's Private Quarters:

Morrow asked, "...would you permit me to at least kiss you, m'lady?"

Stella wanted to kiss Morrow as badly as he wanted to kiss her; with the exception of Luna -- who obviously wasn't a man -- Stella had never kissed anyone before. But after letting Morrow get close enough to reach out for her waist, their bodies nearly coming into contact, she backed a step suddenly.

"I cannot, m'lord," Stella said softly, with a touch of disappointment in her tone. She couldn't meet his gaze as she explainied, "I cannot, m'lord ... because ... I ... I wouldn't want to stop at ... at just a kiss. I wouldn't stop ... at just a kiss, m'lord."

Tears that had begun quickly welling in Stella's eyes ran down her cheeks as she backed another step, sobbed once, then turned and hurried away.

Despite it being the middle of the day, Stella didn't come across another person until she turned the last corner before Luna's private quarters. She suddenly ceased her half-walking, half-running pace, word her eyes and cheeks, and resumed at a more casual pace to the door, which the Warrior Elite Bodyguard opened for her with a respectful, "M'lady."

Inside, the moment she made eye contact with Luna, Stella again began crying. Luna went straight to her, taking her into her arms, inquiring with loving concern, "Stella, what is it...? What happened?" Then, with a more accusatory time, asked, "What did he do to you?"

Stella sobbed a couple of times, then managed, "Nothing, m'grace. He did nothing ... nothing ... to me." Pulling back to look into Luna's eyes through her own tears, Stella sobbed once more, then confessed, "I wanted him to, though. I wanted him to..."

In all of their years of intimacy together, dating back to the youth of kissing and touching for curiosity's sake, to the first serious drives for the euphoria of sexual ecstasy, Stella had never once been the one of them to initiate an encounter, and yet now, she pulled Luna to her and engaged her in a kiss that she hoped would replace the one she'd missed with Morrow.

It did ... and at the same, it didn't. As the passion between the two of them immediately exploded, leading to an hour and a half of emotion-filled love making and multiple orgasms -- most of them uncharacteristically her own -- Stella couldn't get Lord Morrow out of her mind. It was the first time in their shared sex life that Stella's mind hadn't been fully set upon the person in her arms.

They napped for some time after they'd concluded their impromptu love making, after which they slipped on thick, warm robes and socks and sat at the fire in the other room; it had been fed and stoked by a female servant over the past two hours to keep that room warm, but no one has dared enter Luna's bed chamber itself or even knock at the door while it was closed and Luna was alone with her Handmaiden.

"Do you want him, Stella?" Luna finally asked after a servant had brought them hot tea and a platter of food. When the younger woman responded by only looking down into her streaming cup, Luna clarified, "Do you want to be Lord Morrow's lover, Stella?"

A long moment passed in silence before the Handmaiden responded with obvious conflict, "I ... I don't ... I don't ... know the answer, My Queen."

"Luna," the older female corrected. When Stella looked up into her eyes, Luna was smiling as she explained, "I'm not asking as your Queen. I'm not asking as your lover ... your current lover."

She laughed, trying to relieve the tension obvious in Stella's expression and body. Luna continued, "I'm asking as your friend, Stella. Do you want to be with Morrow...? Do you want to lie with him ... to make love with him...?"

Stella began crying again, overwhelmed by it all. It wasn't just the uncertainty of whether she wanted to be with Morrow intimately, sexually; it was also that Stella felt as though she was betraying her Queen, her lover, and her friend.

Luna understood that without Stella having to explain and scooted over closer, taking the Handmaiden into her arms for a loving hug. After a long moment of soothing caresses, Luna broke the silence with something the other woman never expected to hear. "I release you from your commitment, Stella."

The younger woman looked into the older's eyes with surprise, responding only, "My Queen...?"

"You committed to being my Handmaiden, to remaining chaste," Luna reminded her, "until I told you it was time for you to no longer be so."

"Until I married," Stella clarified. "Until you choose me a husband."

"No," Luna countered. "Until I told you it was time for you move on ... to be a woman ... a real woman--"

Stella pulled Luna's face to her own, kissing her, before doing her own reminding, "I've been a real woman ... with you, Luna."

"With a man," the Queen corrected. "It's time--"

"I'm not married--"

"You don't have to be!" Luna stressed. "Not now ... not anymore ... as of this moment." Luna turned Stella's face to meet her eyes and asked yet again, "Do you want to be with Lord Morrow?"

Stella just stared for a moment into the eyes of her Queen, her lover, her friend. Then, finally -- with a blush and a happy smile -- she nodded her head enthusiastically.

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Morrow's Private Quarters:

"I wouldn't want to stop at ... at just a kiss," Stella told Morrow. "I wouldn't stop ... at just a kiss, m'lord."

Morrow liked that thought. That she wouldn't want to stop. Not that she wouldn't be able to control herself. Which were actually the same thing if one thought about it. Which Morrow preferred not to do.

Tears began welling in Stella's eyes. And then she turned and was gone. Morrow considered calling for her to stop. He considered going after her. But he knew he had to let her go. He'd pushed as far as he really should have. He'd learned what he wanted to know. She wanted to kiss him just as he did her. She wanted to do more with him just as he did her.

He closed the door and wandered about a moment, thinking. Then, he masturbated to the fantasy of standing behind the beauty as she was on her hands and knees upon his new bed. It wasn't nearly the same as to actually being inside Stella. But it was as close as he'd likely get until they were finally married. If they were finally married.

Morrow spent an hour or so tending to his possessions. He was conflicted on learning that everything he owned was here now. Luna hadn't had just enough moved here from the cottage to serve him for a few days. Literally everything he owned that had been in the home he shared with Clara was here.

That made him wonder, though. It seemed pretty obvious that Luna or Clara or both didn't want him to have a reason to return to the cottage. Could that possibly be because Clara was still there? Morrow wanted to jump on his horse and ride there for an answer.

But he knew that that was wrong. He'd given Clara the opportunity to move on. She'd taken it. He couldn't go back on that. Their last minutes together had been spent in the throes of passion, followed by Clara asking him to leave. Forever. Oh, she hadn't actually said the word. But she'd meant it. For him. For herself.

Instead, Morrow headed for Luna's private quarters to inquire about Lord Rolph of Windham. Morrow had planned on meeting with Rolph days ago, only to instead end up in the dungeon. Upon his release, Morrow had been told that Rolph was here in the Capital. Possibly in the Castle even.

"The Queen is not receiving visitors, Lord Morrow," the Bodyguard at Luna's door told him when he arrived. "However, I can tell you where you will find Lord Windham."

Morrow found the Republic's newest Viscount in yet another corner of Luna's Castle. Rolph was sitting with a trio of men around a table filled with maps and parchment writings. Rolph was delighted to see Morrow again, as was Morrow of Rolph. The latter dismissed the other men for an hour-long break.

Rolph had two immediate needs for the break. He wanted to catch Morrow up on the search for the missing girls. But first, "Tell me about life in the dungeon."

The Lord of Windham laughed, saying, "I'm only giving you a hard time. Queen Luna told me what happened, and she said the punishment was only to ensure that others didn't follow your intrusion, they are calling it."

"What exactly does that mean?" Morrow asked, specifying, "Intrusion."

Rolph described the rumors flying about regarding Morrow's actions. He started with the least offensive and most accurate of them. "That you stormed your way to the door of the Queen's bed chamber, demanding to see her, and after you struck down one of her Bodyguards, you yourself were knocked silly by the Warrior Elite. They say that even the Queen got in a punch or two."

"Well, that's not horribly far off, though, not entirely accurate," Morrow responded. He asked, "And the worst of the rumors?"

Rolph described how it was being said that Morrow busted his way through the Bodyguard, burst into Luna's bed chamber while she and her Handmaiden were in the bath, pleasuring one another. "Some are saying you demanded to fuck both of them but that the Queen being the Queen and all only permitted you to fuck her Handmaiden, in the ass as her purity is being protected for some lucky duck Noble husband."

By the time Rolph had finished, Morrow was steaming hot with fury. "Who is spreading this filth? Who started this? I want to know!"

Rolph was concerned about naming names. He knew Morrow's capabilities from the night of Viscount Ulronni's death. To name one of the gossipers meant certain violence and likely bloody death. When he hesitated on providing a name, Rolph found himself slammed against a tapestry covered stone wall. The breath knocked out of him, it took Rolph a moment to grunt out, "I'll give names."

When Morrow backed off and he had regained his composure, Rolph warned, "This can only lead to violence that could harm your reputation--"

"It's not my reputation about which I am concerned!" Morrow snapped.

Even though it sounded to Rolph that Morrow was speaking about the Queen's reputation, it was actually her Handmaiden's that Morrow was concerned with. Morrow pressed him again. Rolph hesitated, then finally said, "Captain Hilleran, of the Warrior Elite. From what I have learned, he is the most vocal of the Queen's opponents who still work for her."

"Why the fuck is he still in the Warrior Elite?" Morrow shouted. "How can a man like that still be part of her Bodyguard?"

"Well, for clarification, he'd not part of Queen Luna's Bodyguard," Rolph explained. "He actually requested not to be assigned directly to the Queen's protection. He leads the City Guard--"

"Not anymore, he doesn't," Morrow said.

He spun and strode out of the room. Rolph watched him go. Then, knowing Morrow was going to need backup, Rolph snatched up his weapons belt and strapped it on. He followed Morrow as he stormed through the passageways asking for Hilleran's current location. They eventually learned that the captain was drilling his forces on the Training Field between the Primary and Secondary City Walls.

Morrow had also spoken quietly to some men and women loyal to him during his trek through the castle. Rolph had gotten the impression that Morrow had been gathering backup. And yet none of those people remained with him.

Finally, Morrow strode out of the castle, through the first castle wall, and onward to the Training Field. Rolph was close behind. Looking back over his shoulder, he began to notice something. Some of the people Morrow had spoken to earlier were also exiting the castle and following them.

As they neared the Field, Rolph caught sight of another of Morrow's men, a young runner from the castle. The boy wasn't coming from the direction of the castle but from the Secondary Gate, from the City. And over the next minute or so, a dozen more men, all armed, would hurry in through the gate, heading Morrow's direction.

Rolph finally figured out what was going on. Morrow had gathered his loyal forces without looking like he was gathering forces.

Morrow and Rolph's quick moving pace directly at him eventually caught Hilleran's attention. He was standing in the midst of more than 30 men. The unit's members ranged from common soldiers to experienced Elite Force trainers.

They all had two things in common, though. The first was battlefield experience. One did not join the Warriors Elite without it. The second was a tendency for blind loyalty. These men were expected to defend their leaders without question. That went for the Queen. And that went for their Captain.

(part 2 is coming)

 

[HumanBean]

(part 2)

"That's far enough, Lord Tyne!" Hilleran called out, using Morrow's surname when he was still about 30 yards off. "You are not welcomed on this field of honor!"

It seemed obvious to Rolph that Hilleran understood the reason behind Morrow's approach. When Morrow continued onward, the Captain gestured two of his more senior trainers forward. Although each wore steel daggers, they'd been teaching swordplay with Batons.

As the distance between Morrow and the pair closed to combat distance, they raised their weapons. Morrow could have pulled his own sword. But he wasn't here to harm these men. Instead, he surged at the nearest Trainer when close. The man attempted to strike Morrow, who ducked, sidestepped, and threw a punch. It connected solidly, dropping the man as Morrow snatched the Baton.

The second Trainer charged, swinging his weapon at Morrow's head. Again, Morrow dodged, this time swinging his own Baton. It struck the man in the back of his skull, sending him falling forward to the ground. Morrow checked that both men were staying down. They were.

Turning back, Morrow found Hilleran turning round and round in place as he scanned all about him. The Captain had caught sight of Morrow's impromptu force as it quickly closed on the Field from multiple directions. Ultimately, Hilleran and his 30 men would find them surrounded by more than 50.

"Stop, Tyne!" Hilleran commanded as he turned back to Morrow. "Stop! Disarm and disperse then men! Before I order my Warrior Elite to kill each and everyone of them."

Rolph couldn't help but smile as he watched Morrow slow to a casual walk toward Hilleran. The Captain had tossed out the Warrior Elite name expecting it to scare Morrow's own little army into fleeing for their lives. Rolph could see that it hadn't worked.

With a calm but firm voice, Morrow ordered, "Captain Hilleran! On your knees! Renounce your untrue accusations against Lady Stella--"

Morrow went silent a moment. His demand centered on the reputation of his future wife, not on that of his Queen. Quickly, he continued, "Untrue accusations against Queen Luna and Lady Stella immediately or lose your head!"

"Morrow!" Rolph called from a few yards behind. When the man only half turned his head, Rolph said softer, "You don't have the authority to--"

"Captain!" Morrow cut Rolph off, turning back to Hilleran. He ripped his sword from his left side and his dagger from the right. Starting toward the Captain slowly, he repeated, "You will renounce you untrue accusations--"

"Warriors!" Hilleran called out. He called out a formation style, and his men reacted accordingly.

Rolph couldn't help but notice that the new formation was designed to protect Hilleran specifically. It didn't necessarily make the Unit more dangerous to Morrow's men or better protected from them either.

Rolph caught Morrow looking into the air to his right, then his left, then making a signal. Before Rolph knew what was coming, a slew of arrows struck the ground at the feet of the Warriors Elite unit. Rolph looked to the Primary and Secondary Walls. On each, he found a dozen or so archers notching a second course of missiles. The Elite unit began to show panic.

"You have one chance to survive this, Warriors," Morrow said in a calm voice. "Disarm and drop to your knees."

"Warriors!" Hilleran called out again. "If the man beside you drops his weapon, drops to his knees, or in any way surrenders and shirks his duty, kill him!"

A second gesture from Morrow led to another volley of arrows. These pierced the ground even closer to the Warriors' feet. Immediately, half a dozen men tossed their weapons onto the ground and knelt. Over the next twenty or thirty seconds, a dozen more would join the surrender.

Hilleran again called out his threat. But only more men surrendered with not one of the still armed threatening his fellow Warrior. Morrow made another gesture. The encirclement leapt forward a step. They clashed steel against steel or shook their weapons menacingly while letting out a war cry.

More of Hilleran's Warriors surrendered. The Captain scanned his unit. Fewer than a dozen men still stood. Rolph couldn't help but think they were all about to shit their pants. Warrior Elites, my ass, he thought to himself.

"Captain Hilleran, surrender you weapon, drop to your knees, and--" Morrow repeated again.

But Hilleran instead charged Morrow, his steel sword up against Morrow's wooden one. Again, Morrow was able to perform a simple dodging maneuver. He struck Hilleran across the shoulders with great force. It nearly put the man on the ground.

Behind him, Morrow's forces advanced on the still standing Elites, again crying out loudly. A third barrage of arrows struck, some of them finding feet and legs. Almost immediately, the remaining standing Warriors surrendered. Morrows force began collecting weapons.

"Captain Hilleran...!" Morrow was again calling.

The man once again rushed Morrow. This time, though, the Queen's assassin pulled his sword from its pommel. He blocked Hilleran's swing easily. A sword fight erupted. The Captain was a skilled swordsman. But he was aging. And he enjoyed his fatty, sweety foods a bit too much.

Morrow was simply the better man. He blocked or dodged two dozen swings and stabs. In the process, he sliced his weapon across Hilleran. The man suffered a cut to each arm and a shallow stab to his side.

"Renounce your untrue accusations, Captain," Morrow demanded as Hilleran began to show his exhaustion and pain. "Renounce. And you will live." Then, more menacingly, Morrow threatened, "You will keep your head right where it is as opposed to upon a pike."

As Rolph watched from several yards, Hilleran's face filled with anger. He growled, "First, you kill the King for his chicken shit wannabe King of a son. Then you kill the Prince for his whore of a snatch-snacking sister."

That seemed to be too much for Morrow, Rolph could see. Morrow began closing on the Captain. When the distance was right, Hilleran lunged forward with a skillful attack. Unfortunately for him, Morrow had anticipated it. He spun away to the side, swinging his sword with speed and force. It caught the Warrior Elite Commander in the back of his neck. The man's head was neatly sliced from his shoulders. It bounced across the ground, rolling to a stop near the kneeling soldiers.

In various directions, there were cries or gasps, mostly from civilians who'd come across the fight. For a long moment after that, there was only silence. Eventually, Morrow began a slow, firm, serious talk about how absolute loyalty and respect was expected from every member of the Queen's service.

"If you cannot swear to this oath," Morrow told them as he walked amongst them, "you are welcome to drop your arms, armor, and anything indicating your service to the Queen and the Republic of Yalla. Then, you can get your chicken shit ass out of this castle. Out of this city. And out of this Republic."

He looked about him at the faces, then hollered, "Do I make myself clear?"

Some of the men acknowledged Morrow. He just happened to be near Hilleran's head at that moment. He whipped out his dagger, sunk it through the Captain's temple, then lofted the skull by the man's long hair. He repeated expectantly, "Do I make myself clear?"

There was an almost universal, almost simultaneous mix of, "Yes, m'lord", "Yes Lord Morrow," and "Yes, sire."

 

[MarieDavisRPs]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Queen Luna's Quarters:

Stella was helping Luna into something warm but comfortable, casual yet still royal, when a hard rap at the main door to her quarters' foyer was followed immediately by the entry of one of her Bodyguards. Wearing a concerned look as he pounded a fist to his chest in salute, he said, "My Queen, forgive me, but ... there's something you need to see ... now, Your Highness."

Her Handmaiden quickly helped Luna into her boots and Rock-bear stole, followed by strapping her weapons belt around her waist. By the time they'd finished, four more Warrior Elite Bodyguards had arrived at the door, certain that there was going to be trouble that might threaten their Queen. They led her through the Castle, into the Ward and then out the Primary Gate.

There, Luna stopped in shock, uncertain of what had just happened: another of her Warrior Elite Units was on its knees, disarmed and surrounded by armed, mostly civilians in street dress; above her on the walls to each side were archers, most but not all in Castle Guard uniforms; and most shockingly of all, between her and the disarmed Elite unit, stood Lord Rolph of Windham next to Lord Morrow of Orland ... who was holding aloft a dagger, upon which was the severed head of who she would soon learn was one of her Warrior Elite Captains.

A sudden cry of terror came from next to Luna as her Handmaiden saw what her Queen had. Stella spun away, hiding her face in her hands as she cried into them in horror. Luna quickly took hold of her, trying to calm her as she gestured one of her Bodyguard and told him, "Take her back to my Quarters. Stay with her until I return."

The Bodyguard did as ordered; Stella peeked back once, only to turn away again, unable to look upon the horror. Luna waited until Stella was gone, then looked back toward Morrow, wondering what the hell had happened and what the fuck she was supposed to do about it; somehow, she thought this was going to end with her assassin once again shackled to the dungeon wall.

 

[HumanBean]

Map of the Known World -- OOC thread

The Castle of Yalla
Warrior Elite Practice Grounds

Midday:

Lord Rolph of Windham was the first to notice Luna and her Bodyguard contingent approaching. Quickly, he called to his new friend, "Lord Morrow ... behind you."

Morrow turned to see the approaching horde of Elites. His first thought was that they were coming to Hilleran's aide. Then they parted to reveal the Queen. Without hesitation, Morrow dropped to one knee, lowering his eyes to the ground before him. The skull of the dead Captain hit the ground, held firmly in place by the dagger still in Morrow's hand.

Beside him, Rolph looked up to the archers and waved them off. Then, as they began clearing, he looked to the small army and indicated they should sheath their weapons. Most did. Some of them, though, didn't have a proper scabbard or pommel on their belt. They'd been working their day in, day out civilian jobs when they'd been to Morrow's aid.

Once that was as underway as it was going to get, Rolph knelt, too. Behind him, whether soldier or smithy or shoemaker, each man dropped to one or two knees.

A sudden cry of terror brought Morrow's eyes up again. He saw the horrified face of Stella just before she spun away. Morrow's heart turned over anxiously. This couldn't possibly help me, he thought.

"Take her back to my Quarters," they heard Luna told one of her Bodyguards. "Stay with her until I return."

Morrow dropped his eyes again, waiting. If Luna approached, he would wait until she was near to say, "My Queen, I can explain."