Looking out the large windows of the palace's ballroom, Queen Calliope Torres looked over her city with the slightest crease in her brow. She could barely see the flags of these 'United Kingdoms' fluttering in the smog and smoke choked winds. When her mother united the squabbling nations of these islands, she doubted the woman would ever have foreseen the urban sprawl that Callie looked upon now. So much had changed since those flags were sewn by hand in a back alley shop. Now hundreds were pumped out by the day from machines of spinning gears, pipes, needles and so much more.
10 years before
Callie was the daughter of one of the prominent royal families whose estate had sat some fifty miles from London and there she had spent her entire life— her education and recreation not requiring her to ever leave it. As such, though well read and in good physical health, she had been quite naive in many ways, lacking the experience of contact with people outside the circles her family embraced. As a crown princess, she had already mastered all her arts, especially sewing and embroidering. When she was at the palace, she spent hours upon hours sewing flags, drapes, uniforms and what not, most of which got donated to many charities her parents supported, but her mother often told her that she should not do this much sewing as it was a maid's job and she was a princess. Callie barely paid any heed to her. There was something cathartic about sewing that Callie never understood herself.
Complacent in the safety of her family's sprawling land, she also often stayed out riding horses, reading, or writing until well past dusk, arriving home after dark much to the annoyance of her mother Queen Lucia Torres.
"You will be the death of me and likely yourself one of these days," Lucia often scolded upon her daughter's return. Callie would laugh and shake loose her raven hair from her riding hat, chiding her mother for fussing. She was afforded such latitude primarily because she was the youngest child and only daughter, her two older brothers tasked with learning the armoury and generally acting responsibly.
Callie's responsibility, if you could call it that, was to choose a suitable husband from those eligible gentlemen who represented an acceptable addition to their family. In 1777, she had just turned twenty and was expected to do this soon; her father had grown impatient on a number of occasions as she turned away proposals one upon another. Not short of choice when it came to suitors, she had little interest in any of them.
Callie had a secret. And given her age and family's status, one she guarded vigilantly. When she turned 16, Callie discovered something about her sexuality that scared her preponderantly. Although she would still pretend and show coyness and make the right noises to show her interest in men….. to please her father just enough, the truth was, Callie only had eyes for a much fairer prize.
For her own pleasure, Callie sought the company of women.
But in her limited world this was no easy task. The frequent dinners and functions her family enjoyed gave her opportunity to meet and mingle with many of England's gentry and while among the painted wives and daughters there were many she thought were attractive, making any advance was fraught with risk. To be discovered would spell disaster for Callie; homosexuality, or even such attraction, was abhorrent to their society and would no doubt lead to incarceration in one of England's private madhouses, likely for life.
There were two occasions when the circumstances aligned themselves to present opportunities and Callie took them without hesitation, the frustration of needing to express her desires becoming paramount. While one was a mind-bending experience, the other was a total catastrophe.
The first was with one of the chambermaids, Arizona, with whom Callie had shared many private moments as she tended to the bed clothes or lit up the fireplace on chilly evenings. Though a year younger than Callie, the two had found a shared love of folk tales and would talk and laugh easily together when alone.
The more time she spent in the blonde maid's company, the bolder she got with her staring and touches. Every now and then she will find Arizona gasping and flinching at the simplest of touches and it would give her a sense of power. A power that she never experienced with any of the men her father set her up with. Men always liked to dominate, Arizona on the other hand, will always make her draw towards her rather than dominate her.
The folktales reading soon became a nightly routine for them. Arizona would get so enamoured by the princes in the stories who will risk their kingdom to fall in love with a commoner that Callie would have to remind her that the reality is far different.
"These stories are so unrealistic. Now why would a prince even look at a slave?"
"Because they are in love, your grace. That's what people do in love. Love makes you fight the wild fires, brave the storms and face the world"
"Well love sounds cretinous!"
And with that Arizona's face would fall. It would make Callie feel a flutter of emotions around her heart that she could never name, but none too powerful to make her think otherwise. If a prince had desires, he can always act on them the regular way, why call it love? Callie hated those princes in the stories who got to act on their urges so effortlessly. None of the princesses ever got to do so.
Over time, Callie found herself focusing more on Arizona's delicate features; the shape of her blue eyes, how they sparkled when she laughed, the fullness of her unpainted lips, how they curved when she smiled, or how a deep indentation would appear on her cheeks whenever she laughed heartily, the softness of her delicately tapered fingers as they touched the skin of her neck when Callie had asked for her hair to be brushed. On a few occasions while doing this, Callie had seen a faraway look in the woman's eyes as she watched her in the mirror, a slight smile on her lips, her gaze lingering on Callie's neck and shoulders where they were exposed.
Callie had her doubts about Arizona being attracted to her, about these feelings to be mutual but she could also tell that the maid was as scared as she was.
Quite deliberately on one cold evening, Callie had asked Arizona's help in getting her dress for a dinner and the maid agreed with no complaint.
"I am stiff from a long ride today. Would you mind helping with my hosiery, Arizona?" Callie tried to keep her voice light but inside she trembled with daring and secret desire. She had locked her chamber door already, as Arizona had tended the fire and was now planning to lure the object of her desire. She had been on edge for months now and no amount of self pleasure was helping her tame the desire she felt for the blonde woman.
"Be right there, your grace," came the cheery reply and a few moments later, Arizona approached. Callie sat on the edge of her bed wearing only her slip, the silk hosiery draped over the edge next to her. Arizona knelt in front of her and gently took one of Callie's bare feet, placing it on her knee. She picked up one hose, gathering it to the foot, then beckoned Callie to lift one foot while she slid it over. Then very slowly and with gentle stroke, she eased it up the shapely leg, her fingers caressing Callie's smooth skin as she did. By the time Arizona reached the top of the hose, her hands were on Callie's upper thigh and the feel of those delicate fingers on her soft skin drew a small gasp from Callie's lips.
Arizona looked up in alarm; her attention had been entirely on the skin and shape of Callie's leg and Callie had seen how she had watched them travel up every inch of it with deliberate slowness. It was as Callie had hoped, of that there was no doubt; Arizona had an eye for Callie and now she had seen it clearly. Callie smiled warmly, placed her hands on the maid's cheeks.
"It's alright, you didn't hurt me. Quite the opposite in fact; you have the softest touch, you could drive a girl wild with that touch," Callie whispered with intent.
Arizona's mouth opened and closed twice before she spoke. "I didn't mean anything, your grace. You have divine legs, skin like silk. I just..." she was cut off as Callie gently pulled her face, urging her to come closer. She knelt higher and Callie leaned in slowly, keeping her eyes locked on Arizona's until their lips were almost touching. The maid was trembling but did not move, did not pull away.
"Do you want this?" Callie breathed the words at her. Without waiting for an answer, she pressed their slightly parted lips together anyway.
A long moment passed and Callie pulled back, the feel of their gentle touching of lips beginning a cascade of pleasure. She stood and still holding Arizona's face, gently urged her to stand. She kissed Arizona again, feeling more urgency this time and the kisses became firmer, faster, still only with their lips but each pushing and exploring the other until Callie felt she needed more. She pulled Arizona toward her as she fell backwards down onto the bed, the maid, not resisting the pull, falling on top of her. The press of their bodies, though the maid was still fully clothed, drove Callie more into her passion.
She hooked her legs around the maid's, one arm around her waist, the other at the back of her head and pulled her nose to nose. "Teach me how to kiss if you would, Arizona," whispered Callie, consumed with her desire.
"As you please, your grace," replied the maid, almost breathless. With that, she pressed their lips together again, parting them slightly now, gently pushing her tongue into Callie's soft mouth.
The Torres empire's crown princess was a fast learner and within moments they were locked together, their lips a seal as their eager tongues became acquainted. Callie was soon lost in the joy of it, her focus entirely on the dance of tongues within their mated lips. Arizona's hips began to move against hers and she knew the blonde was enjoying this as much as she. Pushing back she found their rhythm and they moved in harmony, each becoming more aroused as the dance of hips joined their tongues in union.
With one hand, Arizona reached down and took hold of Callie's slip, pulling it up to her hips, exposing the caramel skin of her thigh. Releasing the slip, the hand now returned to the thigh, the fingers tracing the curve of it, gently at first then with firmer grip, stroking the silken skin from knee to hip. The pace of their pelvic rhythm gradually increased as each sought more intimate pressure against the other and Arizona began to gently push her breath into Callie's lungs, their lips still sealed in perfect union.
Following Arizona's lead, Callie accepted each breath, taking each as deep as it was offered, then returning it, slowly, carefully. The wetness between her legs became a torrent and the desire for pressure became more urgent. The kiss was exquisite, the give and take of breath sublime, but Callie wanted more; the feel of skin on skin, the press of sex on sex, these things beckoned with imminent desire. The part of her mind still anchored in reality poked at her, reminding her she had been dressing for dinner and lost in the passion of her first real kiss, she had lost all track of time.
Arizona, also lost in their kiss of air, her hips betraying her own needful passion, continued to press Callie down into the bed, still stroking her exposed thigh with sensuous fingers. Callie was torn now between the nag of reality and the urgency of her physical desire but the distraction broke her rhythm and Arizona sensed the change.
"Something wrong, your grace?" she asked, slightly breathless.
"Call me Callie or Calliope. Seems silly to still call me 'your grace' after such intimacy." Callie stroked away the hair stuck to Arizona's rosy cheek. The maid looked so pretty in her aroused state, the sheen of her exertion giving her flushed face an ethereal glow in the lamp light.
"Begging your pardon, your grace but no, I cannot do that. Your passion is sublime and I want you something fierce but I'll not risk us to be found out by being so familiar. 'Your grace' it is and 'your grace' it stays." Arizona had a pragmatic look at life that Callie admired and she had to agree the blonde had a point.
"You're right of course," Callie agreed and pulled Arizona's lips to hers for another brief but softly moist kiss. "No, nothing is wrong but I am supposed to be dressing for dinner and I have no idea of the time now." She laughed, still wet and aching for more time and intimacy with her sensual maid. "I should better do my duty lest raise suspicion but come to my chambers tonight when the guests depart. I require more of your services, I fear," she announced with comic nonchalance.
Arizona kissed Callie firmly, her tongue swiftly but sensitively teasing at Callie's for an instant before she released her hold on Callie's leg and raised her body from their clinch.
"As you please, your grace." She breathed the words at Callie, her own need still obvious from her dark & dreamy blue eyes and pink tinged cheeks. With that she got up from the bed, smoothed down her dress and rewrapped and tied her hair in a neat bun. "Will there be anything else for now, your grace?"
"I seem to be wearing only one hose," giggled Callie as she pushed herself up to sit on the edge of the bed. "Would you mind...?"
It was nearly midnight when Callie finally made it back to her chambers, more than little tipsy from the wine she had drunk. As she entered and locked the door, she was grateful for the quiet, the dimly lit lamps adding to the peacefulness after the noise and vexations of the party. Callie was largely a private creature and though not antisocial per se, her life had been mostly quiet and free from human distractions. A noise from the fireplace drew her attention and she saw Arizona kneeling there, adding a fresh log.
Blinking away the fog of wine, she stared at the maid, struggling to focus on what it was that was different. The log now settled in place, Arizona stood and turned, curtsying quickly to her mistress.
"An enjoyable evening, miss?" Arizona asked, a mischievous edge to her voice.
Callie's breath caught in her throat as she beheld the Arizona's nakedness, her long blonde hair released from its bun and brushed out to its full length, spilling around her naked shoulders like gold. The firelight and flickering lamp light played over her skin and Callie gazed upon her with renewed desire. Trying to keep her eyes on the naked blonde, she made her way to her dresser and began fumbling at the buttons on her dress, hands eager to remove the prison of cloth.
"If it pleases you, your grace...?" Arizona was already next to her, holding her hands, then moving her own fingers to the buttons to deftly continue where Callie left off. The raven haired girl nodded, struck dumb by the reality of her quite beautiful maid, raised her hands and allowed Arizona to remove her dress. Arizona continued to undress Callie, her skilful fingers softly stroking Callie's naked skin as it began to emerge from the clothing until Callie also stood naked, save for her silk hosiery.
Arizona stood back, looking now upon Callie's exposed body with the glint of lust in her now, azure eyes. She said nothing, merely looked her up and down, before kneeling in front of Callie and placing her hands at the top of one shapely naked thigh. Slowly, softly, she ran her hands down the length of Callie's shapely leg, pushing the hose from them, repeating the action with the other leg so that her princess stood as naked as she. Standing then herself, their proximity left them almost touching and the ache she recalled form earlier in the evening returned swiftly as Callie resisted the urge to simply grab Arizona and pull their nakedness together.
Arizona raised her hands to Callie's hair next, and removed the combs holding it in place and pulled the long dark locks down over her shoulders. With a cursory glance, she seemed satisfied that Callie was now completely unadorned, and placed one hand on the carmel neck, her soft fingers stroking Callie's jaw as she did. She placed the other hand on the Callie's hip, then slid it around her waist as Arizona took one last step and brought their bodies together in a heavenly meeting of soft flesh.
Callie shuddered as she surrendered to the sensations; the kiss of breasts as they cushioned together, the press of her tummy against Arizona's, pulled gently but firmly from behind by the arm around her waist. She mirrored Arizona's touch, putting one hand on her cheek and the other arm around the blonde's waist, pulled them more firmly together. The tingle in her center had fast become an ache, the wetness there now unmistakable. She wanted to throw herself onto the maid with reckless abandon but enjoyed the slow seduction, so continued to follow Arizona's lead.
Their lips were brushing each other with the faintest of touch, eyes locked to each other as if in hypnotic trance and Callie allowed her breath to come and go in time with Arizona's. Her body grew hot, felt in turn the heat from the maid as each woman allowed their desire to build. As Callie felt her need begin to overwhelm her reason, Arizona pressed their lips together, sliding her tongue between them to reach for hers, finding it, teasing it. With tiny steps she walked their joined bodies toward the bed.
Callie felt the bed behind her thighs and fell backwards still holding tightly to Arizona, pulled her face so their mouths could not part and as they hit the bed, their teeth grated against each other, momentum pushing them hard together. The maid grunted from the impact and Callie absorbed it, thrilling in the forbidden pleasure. She slid one leg between Arizona's, wrapped around it, felt her do the same and they locked to each other as the kiss became more urgent. The moist heat against her thigh told of the maid's pleasure, mirroring her own in intensity and they almost gasped in and out of each other now, beginning to lose control of the slow burning seduction. As she felt her lungs burn with the need for air but not wanting to break the exchange of breath, Arizona pulled away, breaking the seal, leaving an amount of spittle upon Callie's wanton lips. She lowered her mouth again to the waiting lips and softly sucked away the remainder of their kiss before pushing herself off Callie and moving down her body, kissing each breast softly as she did so. Arizona suckled on her chest for a bit and then moved downwards.
Instinctively, Callie did not move, merely closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of those soft kisses as they travelled down her body, over her tummy to her hips, then her inner thigh. She opened her legs more to allow Arizona's head to approach her swollen and needful sex. As the first soft kiss landed on her other lips, Callie trembled, knowing something wonderful was about to befall her. The blonde began to gently stroke the lips of her sex with her tongue, then softly pushed between them, teasing the waiting clitoris, alternately circling then pressing it gently.
She wanted to clamp her thighs around Arizona's head, hold her mouth against her sex. Heat was building in her, she knew not to what end, only that she needed this and did not want it to stop. Unconsciously, her hips began to move in opposition to the stroking tongue, which now moved down to taste deeper in her, between its circling and pressing on her clitoris. Callie felt tingling there, a pressure in her stomach, her heart thundered in her chest and now, bereft of reason, she gripped the bed clothes, throwing her head back to try and quell the building scream.
Like Arizona could read the need of her body, Arizona's stroking tongue circled faster, pressed harder until Callie felt her mind would break with such extreme sensation. Then, just as she thought she had reached her limit, white hot fire hit her like a crashing wave, her sex burning, her mind awash with pleasure she had never felt, the waiting scream breaking forth.
The tongue reduced its pace, with very gentle touches now, each sending a shock though Callie's body which seemed to have taken a mind all its own, jerking and bucking with each soft touch.
Arizona stopped probing with her tongue and climbed back up the bed to straddle the exhausted Callie, she lowered her face and kissed her passionately. Arizona's mouth was sticky, sweet with a musky aroma Callie had never encountered. Knowing it must be the juice of her own sex, she kissed the maid with as much vigour as she could manage though she still shook, exhausted from the first orgasm she had ever experienced.
"Such pleasure as I never imagined," she whispered as the blonde pulled back her face for a moment.
"Happy to be of service, your grace," said the maid almost in a whisper, her lips stroking Callie's as she spoke.
Feeling her strength slowly return, Callie grabbed the smiling blonde with both arms pulling her body down to hers once more then rolled to the side, reversing their positions. She kissed Arizona hard for a long moment, then whispered in her ear. "I'm a fast learner, my teacher."
In perfect imitation of Arizona's seductive ritual, she began to kiss her way down the glistening nakedness to return the pleasure she had just experienced, needing to know the beautiful maid was as satisfied as she.
They lost all track of time in the all consuming passion of their love-making and after several exchanges of secret kisses and the ensuing fire of orgasms, they lay together in Callie's bed, a tangle of limbs, soft skin, perspiration and feminine aroma. Callie was overwhelmed and now, utterly spent, she clung tightly to the architect of that pleasure, kissing her softly, feeling their well oiled smoothness sliding easily together. She wanted to hold Arizona forever, wrapped in their pleasure and each other, high society and its rules be damned. They both knew the danger of their passion, though and as they drifted into sleep, cradled in each other's arms, both wondered on the future and what fate may hold for this forbidden union.
When Callie awoke, unaware of the hour, her arms and bed were empty, only the depression in the pillow next to her evidence that Arizona had been there. Casting her mind back over their night of passion, she smiled to herself; Arizona was an extraordinary girl and she could not have guessed she was such a seductress. She rose and rang for hot water, the musky aroma of their love-making very much in evidence upon her. Expecting Arizona to bring the water she was surprised to see one of the other maids arrive at her door and wondered where her lover had got to. She bathed quickly, dressed for walking and skipped downstairs to see who was abroad.
Finding her mother in the drawing room, Callie wished her good morning and attempting as casual an air as possible, enquired after her absent maid.
"She asked to take her leave early this morning, some family trouble, I understand. I asked James to take her in the carriage to Sevenoaks. Lovely girl; I wrote a glowing recommendation should she need it and bade her return to us whenever she may be able." Her mother looked up from her embroidery. "Did you need her for something? Ask one of the other girls to help you, dear."
"I was going to ask if she could be my personal handmaid, she does my hair just how I like it," said Callie, trying to hold back the tears, her voice nearly breaking.
"I could ask the girls to line up later if you would like, take your pick of them...?" asked her mother obligingly.
Callie turned, walking hurriedly away before she lost control. "No it's fine, thank you, Mother," she called over her shoulder before running back up the stairs to her chambers, tears burning her eyes. Once the door was locked, Callie allowed herself to cry, the pain in her chest as acute as her passion had been the previous night. Their lovemaking had been an awakening for Callie and it was unthinkable that the lovely Arizona was gone just as their adventure had begun.
She walked slowly to her dressing table and sat down heavily. She stared at herself through bleary eyes, trying to blink away the tears. There, propped against the mirror, was a small envelope sealed with a blob of wax, her name written on the front in delicate feminine script. She quickly broke the seal and removed the folded letter.
My Dearest Calliope,
By the time you read this I will be gone. I hope you will eventually forgive me for parting this way, with no goodbye but I feared if I should have to face you, I would have neither the strength nor resolve to leave. Though it breaks my heart to do this, to remain would mean danger for us both.
Our time together was divine, I mean that truly and I am not sorry for it but we risked too much to be together; I fear if we remained close, temptation would conquer us to our eventual ruin. Our world is cruel and some things just cannot be.
Please do not hate me too much for doing what I must. I will remember our time and our love forever.
Yours with purest love,
Arizona
With tears now falling freely, Callie carefully refolded the letter, placed it back in the envelope and tucked it into her bodice. She knew Arizona was right, felt no hate toward her but the pain remained; lost love is never an easy thing, Callie knew from the many poems that covered the subject. Arizona had been a revelation and she had learned so much from her, that she would hold that dear if nothing else.
AN - Alright homies! I know nothing about history or England (besides that they invaded every other country out there lol), and this is a completely fictional work and it will have many wrong facts, figures, location, language and what not - let's just go with it.
AN 2 - This will be another multi chapter fic but right now it will just stay at simmering stage. It will pick pace once I wrap my other fic up.
AN 3 - Let me know your thoughts!