I rose with the dawn, as I did every morning, and began to stretch. Today was important; if I managed this, I could be done. Finished stretching, I took a cursory glance in the mirror. My chestnut hair was tightly braided and a single lock fell in front of my grey-blue eyes. My clothes were simple, and well-worn. The rough linen blouse laid open to reveal more of my breasts than I was comfortable with and the dingy blue skirt had ripped while I was gathering straw two days ago, but it was the best I could find when I had received this assignment. Besides, I was supposed to look the part of a peasant and nothing sold the idea better than a coating of dirt. I did miss my leggings though, and feeling the security of my sword at my side. My hand clenched reflexively thinking of it, but I snapped my thoughts back to the plan.
Today, I was supposed to be working in the queen's quarters. Dignitaries were coming from several kingdoms to discuss a treaty and she had ordered that the entire palace be cleaned thoroughly. It had taken some work getting into the crew that was cleaning in her quarters. I had been forced to give five other girls food poisoning without arousing suspicion, a difficult task and one that I had almost been caught in twice. Thinking about the payoff of this job pushed aside my guilt. I didn't like harming the innocent, but it was necessary in this case. Many more people would be saved if I did manage to kill the Evil Queen.
Someone knocked at the door, "Ayleth, we're going to be late." Surprised at the time, I shouted back.
"I'll be out in a second! Wait for me!" I slid a garter up my leg and snuggly tucked a small vial against my inner thigh before opening my door and walking swiftly down the hall.
. . .
"Next!" shouted the castle guard, waving the girl past him and I moved forward.
"Hey Roland," I said with a smile, "How has your day been?"
"Oh, hey Ayleth," he said, smiling back, "It's been long already. I don't see why we have to check the staff; it's not like you would be trying to kill the Queen!" I laughed with him, more at the irony than anything else.
"Go on in," he said to me with a smile, "Next!"
I walked through the gates, silently breathing a sigh of relief. Turning to the left, I entered the Steward's Hall and joined the group already there. We got our orders and moved to gather the necessary supplies. I was assigned to wash the floors in the Queen's chamber, just as I had arranged. I grabbed the bucket and brush and went to fetch water in two buckets so that I wouldn't have to change the water as often; my chance wouldn't come until later in the day, so I needed to keep busy and look the part until then.
I spent hours cleaning the stone and marble floors. My back ached and my arms burned. It was surprising how strained my body felt cleaning floors when I had been working at swordplay since I was old enough to hold a sword. I guessed that the muscles I used were different ones and thought longingly of a hot bath.
As I worked, lost in thought, I almost didn't hear the sound of doors opening in the hall and the clicking of heels against stone. When I did look up, it was as someone passed me. A feminine figure sauntered confidently by in a high collared black dress with silver accents. The dress itself was beautiful, but my eyes were indelibly drawn to her firm, round ass. It was immaculate and the way she moved caught me off guard, making me feel uncomfortably aroused. This, I realized, was my target. The Evil Queen.
Before I could muster any more of a reaction, she had disappeared into the room at the end of the hall. My heart raced as I realized how close I had been. I calmed my breathing and continued to work. It was an hour before I was done with the hall and my next stop was the Queen's bed chamber. She had not yet come out of the room, but I knew that she didn't pay attention to the servants, so I moved to the servant's entrance and very quietly began my work. As I had thought, she didn't even look up at me. She was consumed, pouring over some ancient looking book near the fire. As I scrubbed the floors, my mind raced. I needed to figure out how I was supposed to do anything while she was here. The answer surprised me when I heard a quiet, authoritative voice.
"You, pour me some of that wine," she said, not looking up from her book. I curtsied and moved quickly to the small table behind her, not believing my luck. I poured the deep red wine carefully into a goblet and pulled out the vial, which I had moved to my sleeve earlier for easier access. I deftly unstopped it and poured a small amount of clear, odorless liquid into the goblet as well.
"Are you pouring the wine, girl, or are you stomping the grapes?" she asked irritably.
"I am sorry, your Majesty," I responded meekly as I carried the goblet over to her. I placed it on the table next to her and backed away, curtsying again. She absently lifted the glass with one elegant hand while cradling the book. It seemed that I was invisible again, and I moved to leave the room as I saw her raising the glass to her lips.
Just as I had reached the door, I felt an odd pull as though my body were moving against a strong wind. Then, my feet were rooted to the ground and I couldn't move my arms.
"Did someone really tell you it would be that easy to kill me or are you just stupid?" asked the Queen as she stalked over to me with the goblet. She couldn't have expected me to answer her, since she had obviously magically paralyzed me. Facing me, she poured the wine onto the floor at my feet and smiled darkly.
"You and I are going to have a talk," she said.
. . .
I had been a guest of the Queen's torturer for at least a week by my count, but it could have been longer. They had been trying to break me, but my benefactor had been secretive for good reason and had told me nothing outside of my orders. I had lost track of the tortures they had used, but nothing had yielded useful information from me. I had heard one of the guards saying how they were going to be changing tactics and chuckling darkly. I was waiting for this new torment now, tied to a heavy wooden chair with my back to the door.
"Hello there, you look comfortable like that," said a sultry voice behind me. My heart fell.
"Oh, you seem disappointed to see me darling," said the Queen as she circled into my view. She was in a deep red dress today. Her neckline plunged provocatively and drew focus to her cleavage. It was even more pronounced as she leaned over me.
"I think it's time you and I had that talk," she smiled as she gently stroked my cheek with graceful fingers.
"I don't know anything that I haven't already told them," I said, jerking my face away from her touch. She frowned prettily and took a step back, looking me over. I blushed slightly as I noticed her eyes were fixed on my breasts for quite some time and she smiled slightly when she saw this.
"You do have a nice body my dear, even under those shapeless rags." I blushed furiously despite my best effort.
"My body is not your business," I shot back sharply. She laughed, throwing her head back and revealing the line of her neck. The skin there looked soft.
"Your body is a part of my kingdom," she said, forcing my eyes to meet hers, "So it is very much my business." Despite my fear, I defiantly held her gaze, daring her to look away first. She easily understood my purpose, and raised her eyebrow slightly, both mocking and searching.
"Speaking of business, I need some answers from you," she said with a threatening smile, "My assistants tell me that you have no more information for me. That you took payment from a shadow who left your instructions and that poison for you to find in a tree. I think you know more than that."
"I don't."
"We'll see about that," she said, pulling her hand back and curling her fingers slightly. She thrust her hand towards my chest and before I could even flinch, inside of my body. Quick fingers grasped my heart and squeezed slightly. A terrible pressure surrounded my body; I shouted in pain, but couldn't hear anything except the blood rushing in my ears. I strained at the ropes as she jerked my heart out of my body and held it in front of my face. The feeling was indescribable.
"Now that I have your full attention, tell me the truth about your contract." I repeated the story, just as I had when I had told the guards, but I felt as though I couldn't stop the words this time. She watched me intently as I described the contract dealing in detail. As I spoke, her face darkened and her grip tightened slightly on my pulsing heart, making me cringe. As I began describing how I tricked my way into the castle, she stopped me.
"Enough about that. I must say that I'm disappointed. I had hoped that you would have something more useful to tell me, but since you don't, I might as well kill you." She tightened her hand around my heart and it grew hard for me to breathe.
"No. Wait. Please," I gasped out, "I can be useful to you still." She loosened her grip slightly, allowing me to catch my breath.
"What exactly do you think you can do for me?" she asked, almost sounding amused at the prospect.
"Anything you desire," I replied quickly. She appeared to think about my offer.
"We will just have to see if you are worth the effort first," she said, making up her mind. She placed my heart carefully in a satchel at her hip and snapped her fingers. The ropes holding me sprung loose and I massaged my aching wrists, watching her.
"Come with me," she commanded, strolling out of the room. I followed behind her meekly. Though they looked curiously at me, no guards dared to speak to her or question me. She walked briskly to the Royal Wing and down the hall I had scrubbed. It seemed so long ago that I had entered her chambers. This time I trailed down the hall and through the main door behind her like a ragged shadow. Upon entering the room, she casually waved her hand behind her and the doors swung shut and clicked authoritatively.
"Stand there," she said to me, motioning towards the center of the room. Obediently, I moved to the center of the room. While I moved, the Queen disappeared behind a tapestry and re-emerged without the satchel. I started to ask her where she had put it, but thought better of it. Instead, I tracked her movements with my eyes as she strolled around the room. She moved with such determined confidence that I found myself captivated by her most simple movements. She was pouring a glass of wine from the same bottle I had when I had first been here. Instead of drinking from it herself, she walked over and handed it to me before settling herself on the chair by the fire, which was now turned to face me.
"Drink," she said, leaning back and watching me. I swirled the wine in the goblet, wondering if it was poisoned. She saw my expression almost instantaneously and laughed.
"Don't worry my dear, I have far more interesting things planned for you than a poisoned drink."
That did make sense; she wouldn't have taken my heart to kill me with poison. I lifted the glass to my nose and delicately sniffed the bouquet before taking a sip. It was floral and sweet, but crisp, and it tasted of apples. She watched me as I drank, seeming almost startled.
"You are quite the anomaly," she said in an amused tone, "I had you pegged for a gutter snipe when you were washing my floors and an assassin when you slipped the poison in my drink. The muscles in your arms and the twitching of your hand give you away as a sell sword, but here you are examining the refreshments as though you have studied wine."
"I am full of surprises, Your Majesty," I said, lifting the glass slightly and smiling. She let me finish the wine as she studied me. When I was done, she motioned for me to place it back on the tray and return to my position. I did so and waited for her next command.
"Strip," she said quietly. It was my turn for a surprise, it seemed. I began to argue, to ask why, but her eyes caught mine and she raised one eyebrow slightly. The rags I had been wearing had been minimal, simply an overly large shirt and a length of cloth that could be wrapped around the waist as a skirt. I started with the shirt, pulling it over my head as best as I could. There were welts and bruises everywhere on my back and arms. As I revealed my own breasts to her, I tried my best to act as though it were normal for me, but I couldn't help but blush slightly as the cold air left my nipples at attention.
I dropped the filthy shirt to the ground and moved to begin unwrapping the skirt. The Queen's intense eyes were fixed on my breasts, making me feel unnerved and aroused both. She scanned my body as I revealed myself to her completely, only meeting my eyes after she was satisfied at what she saw. She seemed to enjoy watching me squirm under her gaze, and when she next spoke, there was a smile in her voice.
"How long have you trained with a sword?"
"Seventeen years; I began training when I was eight."
"How good are you?" she asked.
"I would match my blade to that of anyone else without hesitation," I said firmly.
"Show me," she said.
"Of course, Your Majesty. But-" I looked pointedly down at my naked body and then up at her.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot," she said, waving her hand in a circular motion. I felt myself enveloped in a deep smoke, and when I emerged, I found myself wearing clothes again. The blouse pure black and made of a fine silk. The neck line plunged boldly, revealing a considerable amount of my cleavage. The leggings were equally dark and equally well made. Sheathed at my side was an elegant sword. Glancing up at her for permission, I pulled the sword free and examined the balance. It was as though it had been made for me. I moved to get into a fighting stance, and despite the protests of my aching body, worked my way through some simple forms.
"Are you ready?" she asked. I nodded and a helmeted guard appeared in another flash of smoke.
"You will fight until I tell you to stop," she said. As an afterthought, she added, "Oh, and don't destroy the room. Begin."
The knight charged me quite suddenly, roaring as he did so. I rolled my eyes and sidestepped his advance easily, scoring his hand as he passed. His heavy armor may protect him, but it made him slow. He turned and slashed, quicker than I expected given his clumsy charge. I managed to dodge again, but my poor muscles did not respond as quickly as they normally did. He sliced the shirt sleeve at my bicep and marked me. I felt the cold trickle of my blood as it welled out from the wound. It wasn't a bad one, but it would bleed for a while.
After this first test, the knight and I sparred in earnest. We traded blows, neither of us landing another mark. He would lunge and I would parry neatly, allowing my muscles to warm and loosen as we fought. In a trick move, the knight moved close to bring his sword down above me, and tripped me as I twirled away and opened a gash on my cheek. I did not lose my sword in the fall, and recovered more quickly than he had hoped, using my new low stance to cut his knees out from under him. He went down with a shout of pain and dropped his sword. I looked to the Queen, who shook her head at me. I plunged my sword into his neck, ending his life quickly. Smoke enveloped the corpse, and within seconds, I stood alone in the center of the room again, with the sword driven into the stones at my feet.
I took a deep breath and checked the sword. It was clean, so I slid it into the sheathe and allowed my breath to slow as I waited for the Queen's next order. I looked at her as I waited. Her face was calm, but I could see a riot of emotions roiling behind her eyes. She stood and approached, stopping within inches of my body. She raised a finger to wipe away the trickle of blood at my cheek, and surprisingly and firmly pressed her lips against mine. My body reacted instinctively, wrapping an arm around her waist to deepen the kiss. She pulled back quickly, but with a smile.
"Oh no, my dear. You don't get to move," she said into my ear, "Not until I say so." A hot flash of arousal shot through me at her words. With effort, I returned my arms to my sides and waited. She kissed me again, more leisurely this time. Her breasts were firm against my chest, and though I was aching from her nearness, I resisted the urge to move. She left soft kisses in a trail from my mouth to my neck, where she bit me just enough to elicit a gasp.
Nimble fingers reached up to trace my collarbone and follow the v of my shirt down to the first button. She slowly, teasingly unfastened the buttons of my shirt until it fell open at the front. Fingers wandered gently over bruises and danced over my hips, measuring out pain-laced pleasure. She slid her hands up my body, between my breasts and to my shoulders. Using a fluid motion, she pushed the shirt back and down over my arms. When she reached the wound on my arm, she pressed against it, sending a wave of pain and an ocean of pleasure through my body.
"If I didn't know any better," she whispered in my ear, "I would think that you just enjoyed that." I met her eyes, letting my desire show through in answer. Her only response was to slide the shirt the rest of the way down my arms until it caught at my wrists. She stepped back slightly to appreciate the effect. With my arms behind me, my breasts were thrust forward. I was breathing hard and shuddering as her eyes slid up and down my body.
Her hands lifted to grasp my breasts. The sensation of her hands against them made me moan. The urge to move, to explore her body, was almost impossible to control, but I knew that she would be harder on me if I did. She grasped the belt that held my sword and tugged me towards her, loosening it as she did.
"Moan for me again," she demanded, sliding a single finger into the front of my pants.
I gasped at her touch and leaned forward to press my lips against her neck as I moaned into her ear. She let out a noise that was half laugh and half growl. Her hand moved to my chest again and she pushed me firmly backwards until I hit the stone wall behind me. As my back hit the uneven surface, I let out a grunt of pain.
"I told you not to move," she said, one hand still pressed hard against my chest. One finger was still tucked inside of my leggings, and while she had been pushing me away, my belt and sword had fallen to the floor. My legs trembled beneath me as I felt myself aching.
"I was going to sate your need, but since you disobeyed me, you must be punished," as she said this, she delved her hand into my pants and pressed it against my aching core. I gasped and thrust my hips against the hand, but she held it there, not moving, just making contact and feeling the wetness.
"My, you are a naughty girl, aren't you?" she said in a breathless voice, clearly enjoying herself. My need was so great that I was beyond words. I shook against her hands and I could feel every small movement that she made against me. It was the most exquisite torture I could imagine and I felt as though I had never needed anything more in my life. She knew exactly what she was doing to me too. I had resisted for longer than I thought possible, but I couldn't hold out anymore.
"Please," I gasped out, "Please. Oh, god please."
"Please what?" she asked, moaning in my ear.
"Please, let me feel you inside of me. Please take me. I need you so badly," my voice broke into a low, deep moan as she thrust two fingers inside of me. I came hard for her, my whole body shaking, and felt as my knees began to give out on me.
"Oh no you don't," she growled, pressing her body against mine, "I'm nowhere near done with you." She pushed inside of me again hard and fast, setting a pace. Unable to control myself, I threw my arms around her neck and cried out as I orgasmed again. The third time, I bit her neck, startling a small yelp out of her. I came until I couldn't breathe, and even then, she kept going. At last, I half-screamed before collapsing against the wall. She stood over me, leaning forward against the wall and breathing hard.
Somehow, I managed to regain my breath before she did. Taking stock of my position, I smiled impishly up at her.
"Now, your Majesty, let me show you what I can do for you." Without waiting for permission, I lifted her dress and ducked beneath it. It was with delight that I realized that she wasn't wearing anything beneath the dress. I lightly nipped at her inner thigh and noted how incredibly wet she was. I moaned slightly and felt her body shudder in response. Gently, teasingly, I pressed my tongue against her core and tasted her. She grabbed my head and pushed it forward, growling at me as she did so. I pushed my tongue deep inside of her without hesitation, not willing to test her patience. She was close already, and I sent her over the edge. Even as she came for me, I did not stop. I kept licking and thrusting my tongue inside of her until her legs began to shake. At last, she slid to the floor. I came back out from under her dress to catch her shaking, exhausted body.
It was some time before she was able to get up. I waited, letting her lean against me. Once I had escorted her to that chair by the fire, I walked over, getting her a glass of wine. As I approached to hand it to her, she smiled.
"It's not poisoned, is it?" she quipped. In response, I brought the glass to my lips and took a sip before handing it to her. She smiled.
"You know, I think I can find some use for you, after all."