Chapter 11:
DPOV
After the bath I had dressed, recalled my wolf and told Rose I had some business. I hadn't returned that night. I had spent it checking some things down by the soldiers. Anything to distract me from the painfully beautiful woman that had been in my bed last night. I never thought she would get that far. I knew I was done for. I didn't just find her attractive, I didn't just react to her physically. She touched a part of me that had been asleep for years. I wanted more and that was a dangerous thought.
I was giving Abe's proposal more and more thought. Maybe I could bargain with Abe, make sure Rose and my mother were safe before I joined him. Although it would send a giant red flag if my mother was protected by Abe's men and it might give away our rebellion before it had even begun. But could I live a life without ever feeling Rose's body pressed against me in the aftermath of a passionate filled night?
I leaned over the steel bar of the sparring ring bending it under the strain of my anger. I didn't know if I could let him take this from me too.
"General, Sir? Are you here to train?" A young man, around eighteen, stood next to me. His eyes were large, but whether it was in awe or fear I didn't know. He seemed nervous. I looked beyond him and I saw a group of youngsters his age and they were whispering. No doubt he had been put up by them to talk to me, his friend trying to ascertain his bravery.
Funny how I thought he looked young, but he was the same age as Rose and only a couple of years younger than me. But Rose and I have lived. This boy had an innocence in him that spoke of a life free of trauma and pain.
"It would be an honor to spar with you." He could barely get the words out. I looked him over once more. We were at the sparring ring after all and it had been a while since someone challenged me.
"Alright. I will spar with you." I looked beyond the boy at the other five standing in the corner. "All of you." The youngsters paled, but figured six on one was in their favor. They were wrong of course.
"I won't release my wolf, but you can release yours if you want." With the mood he was in he would tear them to shreds. He was as frustrated as I was and as angry.
They started to grin and poke each other in the chest, all but claiming their victory.
I took off my shirt and put on a couple of binders for my hands. Once done I entered the ring and motioned them forward. They had been conversing amongst themselves, coming up with a bit of strategy.
The first one moved forward. He was fast, no doubt why they put him first. I deflected his blow and at the same time, moved his feet an inch forward with my own. It put him off balance and in the way of the second one who had come at me, instead of fighting me he had to move around his comrade.
"Your footing is poor. You need to place them further apart. Attack from the hip." I directed to the first.
The second one tried to kick me but I stepped out of the way making him kick air. He too had poor balance and wasn't able to retract his foot fast enough to have a footing for my attack. He staggered back and landed on the ground.
"You had too much forward momentum on the kick, either commit to it and move with your momentum when you are done, or have enough restraint you can pull back in time for my attack."
I must admit they weren't bad. But they couldn't match my speed or strength, nor my skill and shrewd battle instinct. After I had given all six a round of hits without any of them landing one on me, they called their wolves forward.
Round two. The blood was pumping in my veins and my skin was coated in sweat, but I loved it. It had been a while and I had forgotten how good it felt to let myself go a little. No one ever restrained me in the ring. Here I was free. I was in control.
The wolves of the youngsters growled at me. One was very small but had exceptionally sharp teeth. It belonged to the youngster that had come closest to hitting me. He had a certain sneakiness in his movements. His fighting technique was unpredictable. So even if the size of the wolf was nothing to be scared about, I knew the wolf was cunning and smart, and probably relied more on its teeth than its strength. The others varied. From just below the knee to one just brushing its master's hip with its jaw. The one with the largest wolf puffed out his chest in pride. I had half a mind to call my own wolf out to crush that pride. They were all gray wolves. Their backs were of a dark but patchy fur and the bottom of their snout towards their feet light, almost white at the paws. The tip of their tail near black.
They attacked. They had learned from the previous round. Not only had they improved slightly with the pointers I gave them, they also seemed to be getting into the rhythm of fighting together against a single opponent.
I could block the hits from them, but had to continuously sidestep their wolves. Although none of them could bring me to the ground where the wolves would be most useful, I still couldn't afford a wolf bite.
Taking on twelve opponents was starting to weigh me down. I knew if I let this go on for a couple more minutes I would start to lose. They were already getting in some hits here and there, but lacked the power to do any real damage. So the hits never slowed me down or stopped my trajectory. Except when that little mut nipped at my ankle, his sharp teeth digging in my achilles heel. I did see the irony in that particular injury.
But they were getting tired too. So it took me no more than a minute to land them on their asses, their wolves by their side. They didn't get up again, the exhaustion clear on their face.
Once I was satisfied none of them would get up I relaxed my posture.
"Well, General? I think they need more training." I turned around to see one of the older lieutenants looking at the sparring pit.
I smiled at the man who was probably in charge of that training.
"They did alright. Learned as they went."
The boys, exhausted as they were, started to recover a bit at my words. The boy that had approached, got up and extended his hand. His skin was coated in a sheen of sweat, but they had earned the praise.
"Thank you General, for your indulgence." I smiled, taking his hand in my own covered in perspiration. "I thank you. I needed a good fight."
My mood was a million times better than coming in. The boys left with the lieutenant who departed with a small nod of respect and gratitude.
Abe's words came back to me. He had believed I owned the respect of the military and could control them that way. I hadn't believed him, but now I started to believe maybe he was right.
RPOV
"So, nothing?"
I shook my head at Lissa's question.
"Not even a little?" she asked and I snorted. "No Liss, it isn't like that." No matter how much I might want it to be. "He helps me with my wolf, he doesn't request me to sleep with me, you know that."
I hadn't informed Lissa about our near-kiss or the fact I heard him in the bathtub groan over and over again as I deliberately stroked his wolf, because really what was the point?
"Well, at least you are exclusive with him right? All the perks without all of the hard work."
I didn't inform Lissa that there was an exception to the rule. Didn't want to drag her into that. I knew I had to be carefull with the King. Certainly after he had ogled me the other day. But I was rather young for a concubine, most of the women he requested were at least twenty five. So here is hoping.
I laid back down on the bench in the medbay. Lissa with a book beside her. "Anything good to read?" I asked her.
She picked it up and showed me some pictures on the inside. "Oh Rose, it is fascinating. This one shows the healing process of broken bones, which kind of fracture required what kind of setting and splint."
I rolled my eyes. We had very different ideas of fascinating.
Lissa was just explaining how for a finger facture you would buddy tape it when one of the guards walked in. He grabbed something from his pocket and handed it to me.
I opened it while he walked out and I read I had an assignment. And it wasn't Dimitri. The letters were written in beautiful calligraphy, the paper itself and expensive stationery. It held the Royal seal and my heart went to my throat. Oh God, not so soon. But when I read further it wasn't the King's name at the bottom.
I bid Lissa goodbye and walked over to Kirova's office. She was busy with some papers but I didn't wait for her to tell me I could come in.
"What is this?"I said as I waved the paper around in the air.
She looked up from her papers and drew her spectacles down a little so she could look over the top of them. "That is an invitation."
I groaned. I wasn't an idiot. "Why do I have one? Am I not supposed to be exclusive?"
She leaned back into the chair. "Yes, well there might be one other who is exempt from that rule. But don't worry, It is sort of a ride of passage if you will."
Okay back to panicking.
Kirova shooed me out of her office with her hands as she went back to her papers.
The invitation told me to go to the west wing in two hours when the sun was high in the sky. I wondered if I could talk to Dimitri before then, but with me having to get ready I knew there wasn't enough time. Dimitri might like me au-natural, but I knew others would prefer a more exuberant concubine. Also it gave me a chance to wear the dresses the tailor had made.
Two hours later I was in front of a door in my best outfit and scared out of my mind. I knew I couldn't refuse. The royal seal made it clear, but I hadn't heard of any other royal staying here. But if they were as bad as the King I could be in a lot of trouble. I had strapped a small knife in my dress, and one in a small thigh sheet under my dress. I was prepared for anything.
I knocked on the door and immediately someone opened. It was a guard that let me through after I had shown him the invitation. The cacophony of sounds of pleasure invaded my ears. Every direction I rotated seemed to be drowning in moans and groans.
Where had I ended up?
The space was large with different alcoves that seemed to house different people. All alcoves conjugated to the center where I was led to. At the center was a woman sitting on a deis. She had a man at her feet that was content just to be there. His chest was bare but he was otherwise clothed. Which was more than could be set for the rest of the people in his room, the guards excluded. The woman was sitting in a small throne-like seat and although she was wearing … some sort of dress, it left very little to the imagination. Her eyes were a stark green set against an ever greener dress. It dipped in the middle below her breasts and flowed around her legs. Her breasts were covered with the fabric of the dress, but barely and I could clearly see erect nipples poking through the fabric. Although she didn't seem at all aroused. She looked bored.
When she noticed me she looked me up and down and her eyes darted to the invitation in my hand.
"Ah, so this is the young wild wolf." She stood up from her seat and walked down a step to the ground. The dress was wrapping around her legs as she approached me.
Like Kirova she seemed to study my physique, tilted my head, touched my hair and felt my hips. I was widely uncomfortable but as long as she didn't attack me I wouldn't and couldn't retaliate. I stiffened under her touch.
"Relax girl. I don't know what Kirova told you, but I don't eat little girls, both figuratively and actually." The sly smile indicated exactly what kind of 'eating' she would normally do around here.
"She said you were a ride of passage?" her shrill laughter filled the room.
"Oh that I am, dear child, that I am. Come sit with me."
I followed her to an alcove that seemed to have a vantage point of a few others. I kept my head down and didn't look at the people in the alcoves. They were all having sex. I couldn't quite figure out what this place was.
She handed me a cup of tea and I took it, finding the intricate pattern on the china suddenly very interesting.
"So Kirova tells me, Dimitri has claimed exclusivity over you."
The way she said his name was somehow different from the others. Not awed by his presence but there was no disdain either. There seemed to be a small hidden bit of affection there.
I had read the name on the invitation. Tatiana Ivashkov. And signed with the Royal seal. Her eyes were the same green as the Kings, although she didn't hold any of his cruelty. That didn't mean she was all fluffs and rainbows. She was a hard woman, who had to be even harder in this man's world. She must somehow be related to the King.
I nodded at her question. "He saved me from the Sorokin pack." as if that would explain everything.
She took a sip of her own tea. Gently setting the cup back down after she was done. Her eyes seemed to compel me to tell more, but I didn't. I wouldn't give this woman too much.
All of a sudden the air pressure changed and several of the guards and the man who had been at her feet fell to the ground bowing down in her direction. The sound of pleasure also seemed to stop for a moment. I could feel her power, power that was so familiar yet so foreign at the same time. And I realized this woman was alpha. Yeah definitely in the King's leanage.
After a few moments of me not bowing down, instinct telling me I needed to stand my ground with this woman, she released the pressure again and smiled at me.
"Yes, now I see why he likes you."
I tried to give nothing away, not the anger of what her family had done to Dimitri, nor the fear of what they still might do to him or me should they wish for it.
"You are related to the King?" I asked instead of continuing this staring contest.
She nodded. "I am his aunt. And if this patriarchal society would have had any brains, I would have been Queen… and passed the throne onto your General."
Now I did show an emotion. Shock. She would have Dimitri on the throne, I am pretty sure a slave wouldn't be able to sit on the throne.
Her eyes took me in but then became...sad almost.
"Randall wasn't always like this, but he had had a cruel streak from early on. He wasn't strong of mind and the political system crushed him, driving him to violence and drink. If he wasn't so damn strong he would have been removed ages ago. I would have removed him. But alas, I may have many privileges as a Royal Alpha female, but I have no rights, my power limited to my own domain."
She waved around the rooms.
"I tweak here and there. Protect where I can. Whisper sweet words where needed, but I manipulate behind the scenes."
Protect? I wonder if she had anything to do with Dimitri surviving attacking the King.
"Who are all these people?" I ask.
They weren't concubines. And although there were slaves designed specifically for sex, that didn't seem to be the case either. Because as I took in the expression of everyone I could see. The flush on their cheeks, the actual trembling of the bodies when they were near orgasm and the love in their eyes for their partner, I knew they were here by choice. And both partners seemed to be slaves.
Tatiana shrugged. "Slaves from the palace. They can't be together anywhere but here." She leaned in closer and whispered the last bit close to me. "I like to watch." She leaned back as if she hadn't divulged the dirtiest secret she had.
"It is win win." She took another sip of her tea.
"So why am I here?" I didn't need Tatiana's particular brand of kindness. If Dimitri and I wanted to be together we could be. That was what everyone was thinking we were doing anyway.
"I have a gift for you."
She waved over a girl in a see-through dress. But she seemed to be a regular servant and didn't partake in any of the exuberant lifestyle Tatiana had created here. But as she stated, 'she liked to watch.' That apparently included women too.
The girl held out a rectangular box. If I didn't know any better, I would think it held jewelry. After a nod of encouragement from Tatiana I opened the box to see two pins. The ends were decorated in the most amazing azure crystals, the pins themselves silver. They were meant to hold a bun of hair. But the most amazing feature was the ends of the pins. They were so sharp, when I tested the tips a small drop of blood immediately bloomed on my fingertip. They were weapons. She was giving me weapons.
"I think you could use those in the coming times." She eyed me carefully to see if I was getting her message. "They would look so pretty in your dark hair."
And they could be worn to a certain King if I were summoned.
I wanted to ask her so much more, but she stood up and motioned me along."Now, for the other reason you are here. I take it upon myself to teach each new concubine a few tricks. Kirova tends to miss the refinement of all sorts of pleasures, just because she never did them. I wish to educate you."
We walked into an alcove. There were two women in there, pleasuring each other at the same time. Their bodies were joined at their most private and sensitive spot. They were riding each other, stimulating each other at the same time. I must admit, that was hot.
"Do you know your own pleasure points?" She asked. My cheeks burned bright. No one had ever asked me that question and honestly I didn't really know how to answer. Seeing the look on my face she waved me off.
She clapped her hands and the two women stopped immediately. One had been particularly close to orgasm and seemed quite frustrated.
"Show her." One woman bend between the legs of her lover and pushed away some curls and spread her sex. She pressed her tumb to a small button at the top and started circling it. The other woman had been close to climax before and was there again in seconds. She was writhing and bucking against the finger for more pressure to send her over the edge.
I knew the spot well. I had found it one night when I was fourteen and knew it was an effective way of giving me release. But the woman didn't just stimulate her bundle, she opened her victim up more and put two fingers inside and began to pump. The added moans of her lover told me this was more pleasurable than the bundle of nerves at the top alone.
"See how she spreads and curls her fingers. It is to touch the spot inside of her that will make her come."
The woman turned her head towards Tatiana in a pleading look, laced with carnal pleasure. Tatiana bowed her head ever so slightly and the woman exploded in a wave of pleasure. She convulsed and her lover rode out her pleasure by slowly moving her fingers in and out, until she came down from her high. When the other woman did retrieve her fingers they were slick with the other woman's heat.
"You fought soldiers right? You are strong physically?"
I shrugged. I suppose. "Thigh and inner muscles strong?" I didn't like where this was heading.
She motioned me towards a different alcove as I saw the two women switching places.
This time it was a man and a woman. The man was laying on the bed in the alcove. The woman on top. He however, was completely still and she was barely moving but somehow it gave them both, but particularly him great pleasure.
I had known the mechanics of sex, knew the man had to move inside the woman, or the other way around if they prefered. But this seemed a little timid for the amount of pleasure they were generating.
The woman however, didn't look relaxed like the man. She seemed to be concentrating and flexing some muscles, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out which ones. Her thighs were relaxed as were her glutes.
Tatiana seemed to study me as I was trying to figure it out. "She is squeezing him with her inner muscles. Over and over again she is clenching around his member, massaging it as you will. It is a slow pleasure, but if done right it can be extremely gratifying."
Inner muscles. Like on the inside. I didn't know you had muscles there. "She works in the stables and rides the horses when they need riding. You use the same muscles to hold onto the saddle as you do holding on to other… hard things."
Okay so there is a certain amount of inner thigh muscle involved.
"If you want to practice, you can put a finger inside to feel the effects. A couple of exercises at night should do the trick. Will help you recover after childbirth too."
I tried not to shutter. The way she was commenting on these sorts of things. She must be very jaded if she didn't get embarrassed at all. Not that I was a prude. Far from it, but to discuss my inner muscles with the...great-ant of my crush was a bit much.
She took me to another three alcoves before she sent me back to Kirova. Not only was I flushed with embarrassment and a good amount of arousal, I had actually learned a thing or two. I was just glad she didn't want to watch me.
I had put the pins in my hair, seeing as it was the only way to safely transport them. I don't think concubines were allowed such deadly weapons. Certainly not when they would be visiting a client. If nobody saw the bottom of them then I could pass them off as ornamental.
