The Ambition of the Dreadlord Raveres
Part II: Allies, Foes, and Bargains
Episode Eleven
The Druchii and her companions walked after their host-slaves down a corridor from the entrance hall and towards the palace's guest rooms.
The slaves were dressed in the exact same clothes; they were both barefoot and wore strange billowy pants which were tied at the base of their ankles, their tops were sleeveless and high collared with a shallow neckline which only showed the lines of their collar bones and a hint of cleavage. Everything they wore was heron-blue in colour; but the dye was such a light shade that it could easily be seen as either whitish-blue or bluish-white.
Overall it was strange to Raveres and it appeared both indescribable for her and at once irritating. She felt almost repulsed by the sight of the unflattering uniform, but was keeping her discontent to herself. The Bretonnians were speaking to one another quickly, though to Raveres it sounded more like a one-sided lecture. She smiled and shot a look to her side at Jacque; the youth furrowed his brow and cocked his mouth to one side before returning his attention to his master and nodding, saying 'yes' several times.
Raveres almost escaped a scolding but Sir Jean turned to her and her smug expression changed. Jacque hid a small smile and looked ahead.
"And you too!" the knight began, "We are guests of the Emir and I expect you to hold your tongue and to speak as softly as you can possibly fathom! I do not want to lose my head because of your brashness or disrespect."
Raveres rolled her tongue around in her mouth as the knight cleared his throat to continue, "Do you understand Druchii? And before you speak, remember your oath to me."
The she-elf opened her mouth and immediately felt a shot to her ego: memories of her 'over-acting' and her pleading with the knight came back with embarrassing vividness.
The combination of lies and truth and the blurring of the two gave her pause before she nodded and quietly acquiesced; "I, understand. And I remember."
The knight grunted, "Good. Now I don't know how much waiting on from slaves I can take here. But we will accept this hospitality and be on our way as swiftly as possible. Gods know I can barely tolerate such injustice…"
The knight muttered to himself more as they walked along, and before long the hall split and the two men were led one way while Raveres another. The she-elf felt uneasy to part from Sir Jean, but at the same time she felt some relief to be out from under his paternal gaze.
A few yards walk down the stone and carpeted hall and the short female slave led Raveres to an ornately decorated door between two large columns set into the wall. The slave unlatched the handle and easily pushed it open, bowing her head as she waved the guest to enter.
Raveres raised an eyebrow but followed the slave's insistence.
The Druchii was thankful for having gone first, otherwise the slave would have seen her dumbstruck expression. The first thing which stopped her was the colours: The chamber was lavishly decorated, and opposite the door was a wide balcony and window which looked over the palace walls to the city. The curtains were practically useless; they were a thin see-through material which easily blew and moved in the wind. But as with everything else they were vibrantly dyed.
Looking downwards Raveres gawked, even the floor tiles were brightly coloured! Arranged in dazzling patterns, the builders had used azure, white and black marble; jade, as well as red-stone to make an intricate weaving of geometric shapes and mathematical angles.
The lounging furniture had to have been made by artisans; the fabric thread of the cushions had been spun with gold and glittered as the afternoon sun shone on them. After taking a few steps into the room the slave followed her, closing the door before stepping around and in front of Raveres. The slave began pointing towards a steaming stone bathtub which was built into the side of the room on her left.
The Druchii smiled and continued to look around the room as she slowly stepped after the slave. To her right was the room's massive bed, it had pillows strewn about the velvet-looking sheets and each feather-filled comfort seemed carefully placed to appear the most inviting to her wearied body. The bed was dyed blue and had accenting colours which reflected the palatial status of room.
The slave lowered beside the tub and dipped her tan fingers in to feel the water. Looking up she nodded, it had cooled enough and was now ready for use.
"Gods…" Raveres sighed.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she smelt the fragrance of incense which must have been burning somewhere close; it was sweet to her nose, and soothing. So far everything about the chamber told her, for the first time since falling from her ship; 'it's going to be okay'.
When she opened her eyes she waved the slave forwards and spoke, though she knew the slave didn't understand her, Raveres didn't care. She just had to speak; she needed to get her thoughts out of her head and off of her tongue.
"Come hither and help me undress."
Finally articulating the desire to remove the stifling filth and the clothes which she felt trapped in was almost half the relief. Her chest felt a weight removed from around her heart and lungs and she drew an easy breath.
For as long as she was in this chamber, she would have reprieve. Her thoughts began to reinforce this sentiment and issued a small prayer almost, 'We are, for once, at home here…'
She smiled, 'Warm water… can you imagine it? Look! Look!' She looked downwards at the rippling and steaming bath and felt a pleasant shiver of anticipation through her legs.
'And an attendant too?' she privately smirked, 'I wonder if Sadalsuud was being literal when he said they'd satisfy every need? Or if he was merely being polite.'
Now somewhat at ease Raveres looked back up and finally got a good look at the servant which had been assigned to her.
"Hmm…"
The slave girl was swarthy, and her skin was just a few shades lighter than Sadalsuud's, but unlike the merchant-prince the slave was far more groomed and 'far better looking' Raveres thought with a laugh.
Her hair was long and had been pulled back into a tight braid which went down her back to her waist. It was black as pitch and but there were a few beads which glittered in between the dark locks of the braid; some strands of her hair had been needled through small clasps or rings.
Raveres couldn't help but wonder at the amount of time it must have taken the slave to have done such braiding herself, but knowing the opulence displayed so far by Sadalsuud and his family they probably had servants specifically to groom their servants!
The girl's eyes were a light brown, but they were framed by very dark lashes, and her eyebrows had been carefully painted on. Raveres furrowed her brow, 'Painted? Why on earth…' she thought about it but couldn't come up with a reason the slave would have needed to remove her facial hair in such a way.
The woman saw how Raveres was looking at her and she averted her eyes awkwardly. The slave's lips and mouth was small but nicely shaped, and as the she thought she would make a small movement of her nose and lips to one side, almost like a smirk, subconsciously. It was endearing, and Raveres smiled to herself as she admired the slave's subdued beauty.
Finally having worked up the courage the slave slowly rose and looked up at Raveres, indicating the bath as she came towards her. Raveres nodded once and then the slave pointed at the Druchii's chest before pantomiming taking off her shirt.
Reaching to her side Raveres began unlatching the buckles and leather straps which held the two pieces of her cuirass together. The slave immediately understood how to help and set her small and nimble fingers towards the leather.
Raveres removed her hands to give the slave clear access, and raised her arms into a t-pose, while standing motionless. Then she sighed, 'I honestly cannot believe just how nice it a feeling it is to be treated and waited on by a servant once more.'
"Next time I leave home, I'm bringing Riccard." She thought aloud.
She huffed and dryly laughed under her breath as she remembered the Norscan.
"Oh Riccard…" she thought wistfully, "Maybe Elianna too…"
She smiled and paused as pleasant thoughts of home came back to her like warm caresses.
"Blacklight Tower seems so utterly small when compared to this place…"
As her breastplate peeled away from her body, she let out another heavy breath as the weight of the dented steel came off her shoulders. Standing still she looked around the guest chamber again. Its walls had been painted with geometric patterns and the room was well lit by sconces and the wide window.
"Even my bedchamber back home is smaller…" she shook her head, 'this room is nearly double the size, at least!'
Her chest filled with a strange feeling as she continued to picture home. She shut her eyes and groaned as she began pulling her blouse over her head.
Her amulet of Khaine jingled along its chain musically and she looked down to see that it had pressed an awkward divot into her skin from the hours since the battle against the Red-Riders. Her arms were sore, and to lift them above her shoulders was far more uncomfortable than it should have been.
The slave laid the cuirass, the thick leather belt which had wrapped around it, as well as the sword which Sadalsuud had gifted, onto the ground before darting back up to help her undress. The girl reached towards Raveres' neck and was going to help remove the chain and amulet from but the Druchii shot the human a serious look and the slave stopped quickly, instead stooping to assist in removing her trousers.
When she was finally naked Raveres stepped forwards and stretched her arms while groaning. The slave folded the she-elf's filthy clothes into neat squares and set them onto the floor before reaching forwards and taking the Raveres' hand in hers.
The slave's hand was so light and soft that as soon as it entered Raveres' palm she noticed how calloused and rough her skin had become.
"Ugh I'm going to need lots of salves to heal my poor flesh." she loudly complained.
If her hand was rough or unappealing to the touch the slave gave no indication of it and quietly led Raveres towards the bath's step. Standing mute, the slave helped to steady her guest and assist the Druchii into the water. The bath must have been infused with salts and some kind of enchanting oil; for as soon as the bare skin of her foot broke the surface of the calm water, she could feel the sweat and grime come off.
With a loud moan Raveres shuddered and her eyes shut as she savoured the feeling, "Dark Mother… I shall sing your praises!"
Quickly planting her other foot into the tub she stepped down the first level inside the bath so that the water was now at the top of her thighs just before her pelvis.
She stood on her tip-toes, apprehensive of submerging herself completely, and thus feeling the shock of the water against her. The slave let go of her hand and lowered down to her knees beside the edge of the tub. Several small towels, glass bottles, and what appeared to be a sea-sponge sat laid out for the servant's use.
'Okay… I think we're used to it now, it's not as hot as the air out there in the wastes that's for sure!'
Drawing a shallow breath Raveres stepped down to the bottom of the tub, while also bending her knees; submerging herself up to her shoulders. She let out a combination of a shriek and a weary groan as the water danced along her body and teased her skin.
"Ah, ha, oh gods…" she sat on the edge of the bath's interior bottom step and was motionless for several seconds, staring headlong into the wall while issuing a low groan.
The slave raised a brow out of sight of her guest and took in a breath. She regarded the elf strangely, but her job didn't allow her the luxury of questioning or thinking about whom, or in this case what she was dealing with. Snapping back to life Raveres looked to her side at the slave and then snapped her fingers, while waving her forwards.
"Come now, what have you got there?"
Moving through the water with a loud slosh Raveres leaned over the edge of the stone tub and motioned to the bottles of ointment and soap. The servant bowed her head quickly and picked up the first bottle for her. It was the largest out of all of them and was the most interesting colour; the contents appeared yellow and oily, but as the servant moved the vessel the liquid moved as slowly as molasses.
Uncorking the eighteen-ounce, glass bottle the slave held it out as Raveres brought her nose over the lip. Closing her eyes, the Druchii drew a deep breath and bit her tongue to keep from embarrassing herself with an 'eek' of joy.
'It's like wine and flowers?!' she took another sniff and exhaled happily,
"I don't even need to smell the others now!" she said with a smile, leaning back into the water. "Which is that for?"
The servant's face began to wane, she could tell that she'd been asked a question but she had no means of responding, and she felt woefully remiss. Thinking quickly the tanned woman pantomimed pouring the bottle and a scrubbing motion.
Raveres sighed, "Soap… lovely…"
Waving her hand and nodding Raveres closed her eyes as the slave wet the sponge and poured a coin's worth of the liquid onto it. As soon as the wet and suds-filled sponge began scrubbing her sword-arm she opened her eyes and threw her head back with a laugh. The slave hid a smile of her own and her features lightened.
Looking over the woman's face again Raveres smirked. Angling her legs out of the water she rested her feet on the edge of the tub and pressed her back against the other 'wall' of the bath.
Laying her head back she relaxed and let the weight of her head sit on the warm stone.
"Keep at that… Gods be good, may this moment last forever…"
By the time the slave had finished scrubbing the dead skin, grime, and dirt off of Raveres' body the water was a murky grey. Thankfully the various soaps and ointments which the servant had rubbed upon her had bubbled and generated white foam, obscuring the water and thus it's filthy colour from potentially embarrassing the guest.
And when it came to her hair Raveres sat on the edge of the tub's lip as the slave combed through the tangles and massaged her scalp. She nearly fell asleep as the slave continued to rub and carefully clean her silver locks. The slave risked a laugh and Raveres debated striking the human, but a second thought about the angle of the movement, the effort required, and the likelihood of pulling her arm, caused her to relent and continue to relax instead.
When the servant signaled, she had finished she assisted the Druchii from the water and began wiping her down with a soft towel. Raveres felt like she'd been rudely ripped from a pleasant dream but her fingers and toes itched with prune-like fissures and wrinkles and she begrudgingly acknowledged that the slave was right to have called it when she did. But she still didn't like the pseudo-command she'd been given, by a servant…
'Bloody human.' she complained.
The servant set to rub her down and skillfully searched after every stray drop and bead of water which she could spot. The proximity of the human's face to her skin made Raveres think; 'She's so close to me…'
Her eyes widened and she felt tenseness in her chest. The servant stood up and ran the towel over Raveres' breasts, lightly lifting each one up with one hand while rubbing the soft material along the underside her flesh. The Druchii took a breath and swallowed, though she made no effort to hide her gaze at the servant.
'I wonder…' she thought.
The slave immediately took notice and lowered her head as she attempted to continue her work, but her smile had faded and her face began to darken with redness across her cheeks. Even her movements became less skillful and focused as she obviously became embarrassed.
Having finished drying her body the servant stooped to pick up and offer Raveres a small cloth. She pointed to her face indicating what it was for and she nervously began to stiffen as Raveres failed to take the cloth.
Knowing exactly what she was doing the Druchii began making a small sadistic smile, until the slave met her gaze again and futilely repeated the pointing motion from before. She extended the cloth again and her arm visibly shook.
"Are you uncomfortable?" Raveres asked rhetorically.
The slave opened her mouth and spoke for the first time as she averted her gaze and took a half step backwards. Her words were quiet and completely alien to the Druchii but she could hazard a guess as to what she had said.
Undaunted by the protest Raveres' grin widened and she took a full step forwards. The slave was forced to move her extend arm backwards lest she touch the she-elf. Tilting her head down Raveres blinked and drew a breath before speaking.
"Look, at, me."
Her tone was soft but completely authoritarian. The slave seemed to have understood and hesitantly brought her eyes to meet with the she-elf's. Extending her hand Raveres slowly took hold of the cloth and began a low laugh at the expression across the slave's face.
Stepping back from the servant Raveres began rubbing her face down, continuing to laugh as the human relaxed and tried to make sense of the situation. With a satisfied sigh and the water wiped from her brow the Druchii threw the damp cloth to the side and looked back at the slave.
Calming down from her laughter and feeling her heartbeat begin to thump loudly she rolled her shoulders and flicked her damp hair off her chest and back behind her.
The slave's expression of surprise-turned relief soured and her eyes widened at the Druchii's new expression; she wasn't jesting now… and she wasn't leering… The slave swallowed dryly and stepped backwards in apprehension at Raveres' eyes.
Her voice wasn't soft this time and she stepped forwards while raising a hand.
"Now… come here."
…
"All I'm saying Sir Jean is that we might have been able to make use of the palace's services for laundering… you didn't have to dismiss-"
"Silence boy!"
The two Bretonnians were in their guest room, removing their armour and lightly cleaning themselves with the towels by the bath which had been provided for them.
"We clean ourselves quickly, and then we clean our clothes, then our armour."
The squire silently groaned as he pulled his undershirt from over his head and threw it to the pile of his clothes and discarded tabard.
"We've enjoyed too much decadence on this journey so far!" the knight began hastily rubbing his soap suds across his chest with a small cloth before dipping it back into the tub again.
"At least one of us could enjoy the tub though, is all I-"
"Non! I say non!"
The squire grumbled as he took up his cleaning cloth and began scrubbing himself as well.
"We are to be cleaned and ready for what comes… We are not envoys, we are not courtiers, we are to be knights yes? We have no need for perfumes and for… for attendants."
'But it may be nice…' Jacque mentally complained.
Begrudgingly he numbly repeated what he'd been saying since arriving to the palace, "Yes sir…"
Sir Jean began scrubbing his scar covered arms and groaned as he reached one of his many new bruises.
"I need to make myself ready to meet with the Emir… There are things I must say, expressions required and then we shall speak with Sadalsuud."
He laughed as he came under his arm, "We…" he repeated, "I meant myself, you shall remain here and clean our armour!"
Jacque dipped his head into the tub and growled under the water before coming back up, dripping "I avowed that wasn't my fault! Please Sir Jean you cannot keep me punished for what I didn't do!"
The knight slowed and then looked over at his young charge. He exhaled heavily and briefly considered agreeing with his squire, but he pursed his lips. The journey so far and his age were catching up to him and his voice revealed his overall weariness,
"Just do as I have bid Jacque."
The youth huffed and set to scrubbing his short hair, but the tone of his master sunk in and he paused for a brief moment as he thought about how Jean sounded. The knight cupped some water and began washing his scruffy and whisker covered face. Regret and pain was etched across his features and he opened his mouth,
"I am sorry my son…" the knight began.
The squire stopped moving and turned to look at his master.
"When we finish this," the gruff man paused and cleared his throat, "we shall return home."
Jacque wiped some suds from his eyes and held his breath.
"I should not have taken on this elf as I have…" he trailed off and chuckled hollowly. Sir Jean sounded tired and he washed the soap from his face as he leaned towards the bath and stood pensively.
"We shall see this done and bid Araby adieu. It has been too long since we were in Bretonnia."
Jacque was stiff with surprise, and spoke quietly, "But what of Duke Meroux? Of the tomes, o-our mission?"
Sir Jean shut his eyes.
"The Duke is dead my boy… Lord Lucian told me so."
Jacque's eyes widened and memories of his jovial and pleasant liege-lord came back to him in a flurry.
"D-dead?" he repeated.
The knight nodded, "Aye. I told Lord Lucian; after we see our duty done here that we shall return to Bretonnia directly."
Seemingly ignoring Sir Jean's words the squire asked, "H-how did he… pass?"
Sitting on the edge of the bath's steps Sir Jean nodded and spoke, "Age it seems. His son has taken his place. Naturally we must pledge ourselves to his service in person."
Jacque stood for several seconds motionless and quiet.
"So our mission… the tomes, the price paid. It was all for naught?"
Sir Jean shook his head, "No my boy, they shall still go to their intended master, there is nothing which ought to irritate us…"
Jacque dipped his white capped head into the tub and washed the soap from his hair, "Okay then… Returned to Bretonnia…"
Sir Jean nodded, and clarified, "Home."
Jacque cringed internally, 'Home? What home… a hovel, choleric siblings, dead father and dying mother?'
His memories soured as he began to remember the wet spring that his family died. He was just a few years old at most… He could walk on his own and speak a few words, but he had no wits to see understand what had transpired.
He shook his head as he recollected, 'I met Sir Jean and that is all… Bretonnia is home yes. That place is not…'
Finding his voice he spoke up, "So Lord Farris, is now the new Duke Meroux?"
Sir Jean nodded, "It looks that way my boy."
The squire began drying his head, "Well… I doubt he's the most bookish of men. Hopefully he'll appreciate the tomes none the less."
Sir Jean smirked at his squire's wit and chuckled loudly in surprise, Jacque enjoyed a smile himself and the two laughed together as if they were father and son.
When Sir Jean had finished he dried his face and nodded, "I hope so as well."
…
Though she was just cleaned Raveres chest had several beads of sweat slowly dibbling down her breasts and abdomen. She groaned and threw her head backwards with a subdued grunt and moan. The servant was resistant, and tried to fight her at first, but eventually Raveres succeeded in bringing the human around to fulfil her bidding.
The human's darkly tanned, and warm, supple flesh was at the moment pleasurably pressed against her pale ivory. The contact made her open her eyes and look down. Raveres drew a satisfied breath through her teeth as she looked over the sensual contrast of tones.
Her body rippled with a tight and relief-filled sensation and her thoughts became dominated by swearing and the pursuit of yet more pleasure,
'Oh Dark mother… yes… gods below yes!'
Her voice began to climb and the Druchii loudly exclaimed an orgasmic moan, shamelessly abandoning her decency she grabbed the human's thin wrist and forced her to press deeper.
The human furrowed her brow in concern as she went along with her guest's demands and Raveres nodded encouragement for her to continue, adding "Keep at it! Oh, gods yes!"
The slave was pressing her fingers into Raveres' thigh and kneading her tight and swollen muscles with expert attention. There was a tight knot a few inches above her knee and at the moment the servant's thumbs were pressed deeply into the tight and unyielding bump.
Narrowing her eyes and biting her lip Raveres clutched at the cushioning of the bed as the slave pressed as hard as she dared. It was a beautiful marriage of pleasure and pain… And for the Druchii she delighted in both aspects of the experience almost as much as the bath she just had.
"Ah! Oh fuck!" Raveres exclaimed.
Throwing her head back she spread her arms out and fell onto the bed with a heavy flop, "Finally! Oh, the relief… Sweet fucking Khaine!"
She lay for several seconds with her eyes closed, her chest heaving as the slave began massaging out the rest of Raveres' left leg. Moving her way down the limb the servant started to work her fingers into the she-elf's calf and smirked at the moan which it elicited from its owner.
"Ughhh oh, yes, right t-there you little s-sluttt…"
Raveres slowly rose back to a sitting position and her sore abs crunched and rippled as the small drops of sweat ran towards her pelvis. The slave smiled and Raveres exhaled tiredly while nodding. Looking on with barely restrained pleasure the Druchii nodded profusely as the slave cupped her foot and began squeezing her heel.
"Oh gods, fuck me. th-that's it! Fuck a bride of Khaine, that's sooo sore, I didn't even know…"
Her eyes rolled back as she pursed her lips and grunted. The servant re-wet her hands with ointment and began skillfully and tightly giving attention to each of Raveres' toes.
"I think I'm going to die… that's it! This is how I'm going to die!"
Raveres cooed and threw herself back again as she let out a long and loud groan. The servant tried her best not to laugh but continued on with her work, quietly giggling as she moved over to the other leg. When the human was finally finished Raveres loudly moaned and stretched out her arms.
Her body was exhausted now and all she desired was sleep, but she had to dress and she was expected to appear at the Emir's court.
"Gods…" she complained.
The servant rose from the end of the bed and tried to draw Raveres' attention to a small chest. The Druchii looked up and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Opening the small, rather plain, wooden box, the slave took hold of what was within and began pulling it upwards. As it unfurled and descended Raveres scoffed in surprise.
…