Bonds of Frost

by InfiniteDragon

Dominic Alders (OC) is just a normal guard, a normal man, a normal soldier, a normal spy. Until chance alone leads him to become one of the most important people in the life of Arendelle's future Queen... and her sister. And several other people. An OC Elsa-Harem romance with a D/s and light-mid BDSM twist, slow build, realistic mythology and magic, and a mostly original plot. NSFW

2. Chapter 2: Wander by Starlight

As a reminder, you can find MORE of this on my SubStar (dot adult slash KajaWilder), it's posted up past Ch. 20 there.

And if you're just interested in discussing things with other readers, of course, you can go to my DISCORD here: h- t_ t_ p-s -: -/ -/ -discord . g-g / N9yDA8t6Cw (taking out hyphens, underscores, and spaces of course).

You can also read my ORIGINAL FICTION on Kindle. If you've got Kindle Unlimited, they're all free. Here's my author page, h-t_t_p-s -:- /-/ tinyurl _._ com /- 4ffb7wph with links to everything published. (Remove all Hyphens, Spaces, and Underscores, of course... 'cause Ffnet.)

FINALLY, my Pa tree on is back up, under a new name (same management)! Dot Com, Slash WildErotica, for all those who would like to support but can't, or won't, use Sub Star for whatever reason. Follow the links there for access. I won't be posting there frequently or directly any more, but the links will take you to the same posts everyone else who has early access sees. :)

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Chap. 2: Wander by Starlight

Late-night walks were something Dominic was very used to even as a teenager, though the frigid temperatures that were the norm shortly after the sun fell below the western mountains were something that had taken him some months to get used to.

It had made his late-night shifts on patrol when he was but a low-ranking soldier, or the more rare ones as a corporal or sergeant, much easier to bear. Fortunately, as a Lieutenant, it wasn't ever necessary for him to do the late-night patrols any longer, which meant he simply enjoy the solitude, the quiet, the chill (now that he'd gotten used to it), and the city lights. Once even those began to dim, if he was out late enough, the stars of Arendelle were more clear and bright than they ever had been back home.

It was those that had him falling in love with Arendelle itself for the first time. Even his more rural home town didn't have such clear skies at night, due to the more heavy guard presence and well-lit streets. The Lion, the Hunter, the Sphinx, all were bright tonight, and he spotted each of them before even reaching the unfortunately well-lit causeway out of the castle. Yet, even though Dominic had walked the same path earlier that afternoon, it was very different after the bells had rung out nine times.

He was armed as always with his saber, and wore his Lieutenant's sash around his upper left arm, where it belonged, but otherwise he was completely out of uniform aside from his coat, which all soldiers were permitted to wear over their other uniform if needed. The niceties of a uniform, well-dressed soldiery fell to the necessity of keeping your soldiers alive, after all, and with good reason. For those reasons, he wasn't very concerned with being attacked. Arendelle didn't have a high crime rate anyway, most people were too concerned with keeping the community as a whole healthy and strong. The few vandals, thugs, and low-lifes that escaped imprisonment had learned to lay low, since the princess-Regent had made the constabulary directly linked to the standing army. Any of the guards could arrest someone just as easily as the Sheriff or his deputies.

In fact, the only real threat he would consider were the occasional wild mountain goat or very hungry wolf that might stray into the town, and the more-common bears which were just getting ready for hibernation and therefore hungry indeed.

Most of those were little threat to him, but the ursine monsters would easily ravage just one man, no matter how skilled, based on their sheer strength, hardiness, and reach.

Still, he walked the causeway with confidence and ease, nodding to the returning patrol he passed and getting a universal salute from the three soldiers, before passing into the city proper. From there, he kept following the main thoroughfare, out into the edge of the city, and on up into the valley. He didn't really have a destination in mind until he had left the last outskirts behind, but the distant shimmering line of reflected starlight high up the valley, visible only after passing into some of the farmland, had given him one since.

Around eleven, two or more miles outside the town thanks to his brisk walk- as much to keep him warm as anything else- he ate a pair of apples from his coat-pockets without slowing his pace. It was just after midnight, he guessed, when he started climbing the steeper path, and twelve-thirty, long after the final bells of the night had rung out a low, rumbling peal thanks to the distance, when he reached the top of Aren Falls.

It was plenty dark, of course, so he wasn't worried about being spotted from any of the farmhouses below, since it wasn't actually the waterfall he was here to see. The two nearer ones, Jhokka on the left, the beet farmer, and Brahms a little further on his right, the last farm up the valley, who grew mostly turnips, were almost identical cabins, with a single dim candle glowing in the window of the further home. Both had fences around their property, but the line between them, near the river, was broken in several spots.

Dominic shook his head, then left the trail, crossing onto what he was sure, now, was Jhokka's land to trace the fence nearest the river, at the edge of what was probably arable, until he reached the large stone that separated them, which also jutted out over the waterfall's northern side. It was a low thrum from the broken fences of the disputed territory, but Dominic was more focused on the damage. Hammers, axes... it was torn apart. From both sides, by the look of it, and at different times.

It was hard to tell the last, given the sliver of moon, but he'd always had good night-vision, thanks to his long walks, so he was just able to pick out the discoloration of the wood from aging, and the splinters' wear from the elements. A year, or so, for the older ones... the new ones as early as a few weeks. Hmm...

He continued to wander around for a bit, looking for more clues or evidence as to what had suddenly started this dispute- the fences themselves were far older than a year- for more than an hour before he found it, though 'it' was not what he expected.

The thick pines that lined the river, beyond what was most easily farmed, were mostly free of shrubbery and undergrowth due to the canopy's density. One massive fir towered over the rest, though, and it was that which drew Dominic's attention the moment he saw it. Wayward pine. I wonder how many children have camped there...? Is it large enough for me?

As he approached the gigantic, dark-green conifer, the spy began to spot evidence that it probably was. Footprints, more than a few pair, at least one feminine and one masculine, moved back and forth, some faint... and some fresh. They also came, he noticed quickly, from slightly different directions. A quick turn made him smile: one set, or more, from each of the two nearest houses, almost in a straight line. There was more.

He wasn't a great woodsman by any means, but Dominic did have an eye for detail, and spotting the broken twigs and scraps of hair or cloth, even at night, was something he was capable of when he was paying attention, like now. Lovers...? An affair?

He spotted the base of the pine after one more turn in the narrow, barely-there trail, and took a quick step backward before peering out carefully between the leaves and branches of a blueberry bush long ripened.

There was a small light, a campfire of sorts but tiny, glowing beneath the pine, which did not shield its occupants as well as they might have expected, if he was right. The woman was mostly clothed, but her skirts were bunched up around her waist, with her knees near her head, long blonde hair curled up at the top of her crown in a twist. The burly young man was shirtless, his leather breeches around his ankles as he knelt between the woman's legs with her propped up on his thighs as he hammered into her at a brisk pace. Both were gasping, panting, covered in sweat and pine needle fragments despite the late-night chill. Been going at it a while, then.

He debated interrupting them, but passed on the idea quickly as being needlessly cruel. They were clearly both consensual and enjoying themselves, if the moans of pleasure both were giving off, audible even from fifteen feet away and through the pine's branches, told him anything. Instead, filled with a sort of morbid curiosity, Dominic decided to watch, maintaining his position for now.

The voyeuristic aspect of it was a thrill in itself, much like watching Elsa masturbate had given him, but Dominic realized quickly that there was more. The sense of power he got from knowing he could stop them, interrupt them, report the two young lovers- neither was twenty, if he was right- to their families, and there was nothing they could do to stop him, gave him a different sort of thrill, but no less pleasurable. He wasn't going to, of course, but he could.

Just as he was starting to reach for his trousers to pleasure himself, the man grunted once, loudly, and slammed against the woman with even more force, before he began shaking.

The next thing he knew, the sound of a slap- her hand across his chest- made him wince at what he'd been about to do. "You weren't suppose'd do it inside me, yah knuckle-brain," the woman grumbled, but even Dominic knew there was no heat in it- she'd clearly enjoyed that part, too.

The man only laughed, "Well, that'd keep our parents from fighting, if you had my baby."

"An' wha' makes you think I wan' your baby?"

While they bantered, dressing efficiently as if this was a long practice for them, Dominic caught a few more details of import, too. Lacey, the girl, was definitely the one in charge of the pair, having set up their regular rendezvous, usually on or near the new moon, while Dalton, the Brahms' eldest and only son, was more 'muscle'. Definitely not the brains of the pair, it's clear she only wants him for his looks and his... damn, he's big.

A minute later, he had to spin and duck low as the man pushed his way out after a final kiss while Lacey finished dressing. He didn't even turn in Dominic's direction, and might not have spotted him anyway in the darkness thanks to his clothing choice. He was long gone, apparently having decided it was plenty safe enough for Lacey to return home on her own, by the time the woman herself stepped out of the tree, after snuffing the fire and dousing it with sand.

He remained motionless as he neared, but a split-second decision had him stepping out of hiding directly into her path, his hand over the woman's mouth to prevent a sudden noise. "Quiet, I'm not gonna hurt you," he growled.

Lacey froze, eyes wide enough that the pale of her sclera and the dark brown irises contrasted deeply. "Don't scream. Don't make a sound. I'm a member of- well, let's just say I'm here to help you, not hurt you. But I can't do that if you scream. In fact, it'll only be telling your Pa what you've been up to, won't it? Nod if you understand."

She did, a quivering, jerking movement.

"Alright. I'm gonna take my hand away now, and you and I are gonna talk. You aren't gonna call for help, and I'm not gonna go tell your dad what I just saw. Nod again if you agree."

This time, it was a bit more sure, but the woman's eyes began darting over Dominic's shoulders, as if desperate for her lover to return. Still, he did as he'd said, pulling his hand away. "So- you seem like a smart girl. Pretty enough, you caught the eye of the neighbor boy. You love him?"

It wasn't with any great surprise to Dominic that she shrugged half-heartedly, but nodded too. "Alright, so. You don't want your father- or his- finding out about you two, right? So here's my idea. I've been a little pent-up lately. A smart girl like you can guess what I mean. But I should tell them. It's my job- the Princess herself asked me to help her resolve their little dispute. I want to help you two out, though, you know? I appreciate love. And you two are certainly star-crossed, but who doesn't love a bitter romance, right?"

"Right," she murmured, a little wistfully. Lacey sent a wary, shrewd glance his way too, no doubt trying to figure out how serious he was.

"So here's the thing. Like I said, I'm pent up. Help me out- tonight and one other time- and I'll forget about everything I just saw and heard. We'll find another way to resolve this dispute over land. A dispute that I'm guessing flared up as soon as one of you told the other you were in love."

"That idiot," she jerked her chin vaguely in the direction of the Brahms' home.

Dominic smiled, "Still, there's something to be said for a handsome husband, right? So... do you agree?"

Proving her intelligence, Lacey's eyes narrowed and her posture shifted to be just a little more confrontational. "What kind of help are we talkin' here? I won' spread m'legs for jus' anyone."

"Nor am I asking you to," he clarified, only just then realizing he hadn't been. Instead... "See, I figure a mouth'll do just fine. Even a hand, if you're good with it."

Lacey grimaced, but nodded strangely quickly, "Aright, if that's what you wan'. You don't go sayin' a word to either of our folks- in fact, keep it just at yerself- an' I'll do that. Tonight an' one other time."

"Let's say a month from now, after the next new moon- or if I miss your tryst date, the month after, and so on. In fact, to make it more fair, if I miss three in a row you're Scott-free, and the once is enough."

"I do like them odds," she murmured, eyes still narrowed as he caught her looking him up and down, "We bes' get behind the blueberry, though. Can be seen from m'house if you know where to look, standin' here."

"Alright," Dominic agreed amiably, and followed her closely. It wouldn't due to give Lacey a chance to find a branch or other weapon and catch him by surprise. Not at all. In fact, the soldier was more than aware that- if she reported it- he could be jailed for this, too. Yet strangely, he doubted she would. The girl wasn't nearly hesitant enough, but all talk of 'love' between her and the Brahms' boy provoked that same thing. Was she basically using him for sex, or the off chance that he'd get her pregnant and she could live off his hard work? It would hardly be the first time. More likely both, now that I think of it. Better reason for me to avoid any chance of that, then, if I'm going to get my fun too. Can't believe I'm basically blackmailing this girl for a blowjob or two, but frankly, Elsa's left me desperate for some good relief. My hand just isn't doing it anymore, the princess is just too... well, sexy. Beautiful, gorgeous, intelligent... naive. Just like this girl is, thinking she'll get away with just a couple blow-jobs, if I want more.

Heh, that depends on how good she is, I guess.

Lacey Jhokka stopped just outside the tree's outermost, lower branches and turned to face him again, her eyes calculating. Dominic didn't really care, she could try and figure out a way out of this if she wanted, but only after he'd gotten his. "On your knees," he reminded her, "You'll find it hard to do your duty standing up."

The young woman grimaced, then gave a sort of half-hearted shrug before lowering herself down to kneel in the pine-forest loam. Dominic waited until she was down before stepping closer, then reaching for his trousers and opening them quickly. "You do the rest," he commanded, "and mind the teeth. Remember, if I'm not satisfied, dear Daddy hears everything. Maybe even this. Maybe I'll even tell your lover what you've done for me. So make it good, understand?"

She gulped, suddenly seeming much more scared, but nodded silently and reached for his breeches, pulling them down smoothly but carefully over his hardening member, then lowered his underwear too. She swallowed with sudden nerves at the sight of him, and Dominic smirked. "Your lover's not bad, pretty big even, but I've got him beat, don't I?"

"Y- Yes," Lacey whispered, "A bit..."

"Good. Go on, do what you agreed to."

"I've, um, n- never done this before," she whispered, glancing up at him.

"Tch... fine. Open your mouth. Use your tongue, lick it. All around the head is a good place to start, then up and down the shaft. It's simple, even a child could do it. Once I'm fully hard, wrap your lips around the head and I'll show you how to do the rest."

Not that he was any master, of course, having only ever received one blowjob before, on the night the courtesan had taken his virginity. That experience had been spectacular, almost as good as the sex afterward. Still, he could tell her if something wasn't doing it for him. And maybe, just maybe, she'd learn a new trick for her lover. He sighed in relief, scant though it was, as her tongue licked across the slit at the end of his now-engorged penis. "Grip it, too," he instructed, "use your hands, too- you've done that, I hope?"

She nodded nervously, still staring at him. "Good. Pump me slowly, but lick as much as you can. Get me nice and wet with your tongue."

The blonde girl nodded, then leaned in and started licking with some fervor. She clearly wasn't that into it, Dominic could tell, for the look on her face was one of displeasure, as if he was something unpleasant. I suppose I am, to her, he chuckled while enjoying her clumsy oral attention until he was truly hard and aching. "Alright, open your mouth. Stay still for a second, put your hands on your lap. You can move them again in a second."

With a shudder, Lacey obeyed, glancing up at him once before she settled in place. He stepped in again so he was standing over her lap, then reached down grabbed his penis to slap her lightly across the cheek with his shaft. "Open your mouth," he repeated.

She did, far too wide, but closed it again, swallowed audibly, then opened it once more. "There. Now, I'm going to put it in- not too far, I don't want you to gag. Maybe later. Once it's in, close your lips around it, but keep your teeth off me."
"Just get- get it over with," she murmured.

"Heh, I will- if you keep your teeth off. It'll just make it take longer for me to finish. Here I go."

She closed her mouth with a moment's more hesitation, but seemed to get over the last little bit quickly as he rested his length against her tongue.

"Now I'm going to slowly move back and forth. As you get used to it, I'm going to go deeper. I will probably make you want to gag- don't. Just try and relax. When you're better at this, you can control it yourself, but for now I'm going to."

Without removing him from her mouth, Lacey nodded. Dominic grinned as he put his hands on her head and held her still before starting to push further in. She coughed almost at once, but he pushed further, and further still, until he tapped her throat's furthest regions when her lips were about half-way down the length of his cock. She was already squirming, her eyes watering and scrunched shut, but he withdrew painfully slowly, his greater strength easily guiding her struggles. "Good," he chuckled when she coughed as he pulled all the way out. She kept coughing, but he talked over her while she gagged to the side, thankfully clear of his shoes. "Not bad at all, you can take more than I thought. Remember, keep your teeth clear and your throat relaxed, it makes it easier. I'm going to go faster now, in and out, like sex but with your mouth. I won't go that fast," he told her as her eyes widened in sudden panic, "but faster."

Slowly, Lacey sat back up onto her knees and opened her mouth. This time, she closed her lips more quickly, and true to his word, Dominic moved in slowly, then back out with just a few inches in her mouth, down to where her lips were being tugged out by his wider cap, and back in. She continued to whimper, or let loose the occasional cough or gag for a couple of minutes, but Dominic, even pent up as he was, wasn't ready to blow yet. She simply couldn't take enough of him for real pleasure, it was more like her mouth was teasing him. "More," he grunted.

She pulled away during his moment of relax, and groaned, "My mouth is startin' to hurt. Can' you just use my cunt?"

"No," he growled, then quickly fisted a hand in her hair, just tight enough to hurt. "Let me be really clear: I don't want your pussy, not after that lug had it. I'm gonna be cumming in your mouth tonight. The more you do what I say and make it good for me, the faster it'll be. So shut up and take it back in. I'm gonna go deeper and faster now."

She whined lowly, but obeyed once more, giving Dominic another rush of satisfaction at the power he wielded, real or perceived, over this young woman. His hands settled on her head again, and true to his word, dove in hard and fast, groaning as the head of his cock bent painfully to enter her throat.

Still holding Lacey's head, he stepped back once, dragging her with him to adjust the angle, then started thrusting faster, so she was taking at least half of him now. The blonde started whimpering and gagging around him again, but the convulsions in her throat only made him go faster, for they made her tighter. The rough tongue against his base, slithering back and forth across the shaft as she tried to control her gag reflex, combined with the control and power he felt in that moment finally tipped him over after more than a minute of fucking the girl's mouth as if it were a toy for his amusement.

He debated warning her, but quickly discarded the idea- he'd said he would cum in her mouth, so that's what he'd do. The only mercy he did grant, as great waves of pleasure began rolling over his body, outward from his laden testicles and wetted cock as he jetted one stream after another into her throat, was that the last few loads were left directly into Lacey's mouth, which was still sealed tight against him as her eyes screwed even more tightly shut. Just to let her have a taste.

Once he was finally done, Dominic reached down to hold her jaw shut, then pulled free with a soft popping sound. "Now, swallow it all," he ordered, "It's impolite to waste a man's cum unless he wants it on you."

It was no such thing, of course, but Dominic had heard one of his buddies in the soldiery say that a while ago, and had appreciate the sentiment a great deal.

With another pained grimace, he watched Lacey's throat work a few times, then ordered, "Now show me... there's a good girl."

She had indeed swallowed almost all of it, but a few remnants remained, no doubt leaving a bitter, salty taste in her mouth. Dominic stepped back twice while pulling her back to a regular kneeling position, and put his slowly-softening erection back into his trousers. "Good girl," he repeated, "Now I'm going to let you get back home. So far you've kept up your part of the bargain, and I'll keep mine. But you still owe me one more. Find a cucumber or something to practice on."

He didn't say anything else, merely turned and walked away. Dominic heard her stand up when he was nearly back to the fence-line, but by the time he saw her moonlit dress crossing the fields, he had vanished within the darkness of the trail at the waterfall's head, very much out of sight. Okay, I know I should feel guilty, but that was damned nice, he thought as he turned and began the long walk back to the castle. For the entirety of the long walk, the soldier kept turning over the situation with the farmers in his head, trying to work out a way for both of the patriarchs to be happy with the princess' decision, to allow the lovers to be happy- if they are, he reminded himself mentally- and, if possible, benefit himself, too.

He wasn't really interested in getting more from Lacey. Her clear reluctance, as much as it had enhanced his sense of power, made it less appealing than it might have been if she'd submitted willingly, and her looks were only average at best. Or maybe seeing Elsa mostly nude, pleasuring herself, has ruined other women for me. He was actually pretty arousal-free, after forcing the farm-girl to take his cock, but was already feeling that change as his mind drifted toward the beautiful young Regent. He forced his mind back to the puzzle of the farmers whenever it began to stray, using his deeply-hidden long-term goals as a guide.

It was on that same long walk back across the causeway bridge into the castle that Dominic finally dared voice, even in his head, what that goal was.

I want Elsa. I want the Princess.

I want her... body and soul. I know I can't wed her, I'm far too low in the nobility, but maybe, if I 'teach' her enough... maybe I can convince her to forget about her chastity. Maybe she'll even fall in love, marriage or not. I... I have to admit I'm not just feeling particularly friendly toward her.

I'll have to start slowly, though. Get her more comfortable with me watching, then maybe she if she'll let me help her more directly with my hands or something...

And I can use the farmer's situation to do it. It might take some creative deception, but I should be able to do that, right? I won't even really have to lie to Elsa- in fact, I probably should avoid that.

A smile stole across Dominic's face as he made his way into the castle itself, shedding his coat once the doors closed behind him. The halls were still relatively chilly at night, since the castle was so vacant, but it was a lot warmer than outdoors. In fact, if I do this well, I could literally have Elsa begging me to take her, and willing to reward me for helping out with the farmers. I just have to come up with a way to make sure all parties are happy, and I think I've got that in the works already...

Dominic was so lost in his thoughts that he was finished with dinner and undressing for bed before he realized there was a sealed envelope on his bed. Once again, it bore Arendelle's official seal and his name. Shit, again? That's twice in one day. He opened the envelope quickly to find not one but two pieces of paper. One a note from Elsa, as he'd expected, and the other a voucher for the office of the exchequer for 'services rendered to the Crown'. The voucher was good for ten full Crowns, nearly a month's salary for the average guard, and three weeks for one of the Royal Guard, two for his own position as a lieutenant. All this just for, what... talking to her about the farmers? I haven't even found anything yet. She came up with the ideas herself.

The letter was a little longer than the last one.

Mr. Alders,

As payment for services rendered these last few weeks, please visit the office of the exchequer at your convenience to redeem this voucher. You can expect more as your services continue. This is one of two ways I have decided to reward you for your service. I will tell you more when next we meet in person. Thank you once again.

To that end, you may knock on my door as the eleven-bells ring tomorrow night, providing the hallway is clear.

Elsa Arendelle, Princess-Regent

Even though he'd had a decent orgasm just a few hours before, Dominic was suddenly desperate for another. Perhaps this was his chance? Could he convince the princess to let him actually touch her tomorrow? Could he use what the courtesan taught him about pleasing a woman to finally allow her to orgasm? Would that be enough to convince her that it would be easier and more pleasurable to let him keep doing it for her? Only one way to find out, I suppose, he told himself. Until then, I'll just have to dream of it while I use my hand again.

So he did, bringing himself to a barely-satisfying climax twice before finally rolling over in his bed, frustrated, and forcing himself to sleep at nearly ten in the morning, well after he would normally be passed out.

---

The first five hours of his on-duty shift were pure torture for him, as Dominic wrestled with keeping his near-constant erection from being visible inside his uniform trousers while traffic in the hallways was as heavy as it ever got. One of the maids, a girl named Emma, he thought actually noticed, for she'd sent him a coy smile and blushed before hurrying away down the corridor, only to send him one more quick glance before vanishing from sight. I wouldn't mind bringing her to my bed either, he thought, but pushed it aside for now. Maybe if the princess was fully accepting of everything Dominic felt he could offer, bringing in others to play with would be an option. Until he knew for sure, though, it was best to play it safe.

It wasn't like guards were forbidden from sleeping with each other, or the other castle staff, or even townsfolk. They were only forbidden from using those relationships for their gain. Still, he knew many of the girls in the city and castle both quite enjoyed seeing a man in a crisp uniform. It was the same in Lansington, he now knew.

Dinner came and went, and Elsa didn't send him more than a glance as she thanked the maid for dropping it off for the both of them. Like all on-duty members of the Royal Guard (not the common soldiery), Dominic ate on-post, in a little alcove next to where he normally stood, and was delivered food, often the same as the princess ate, on the same cart. That provided the first semi-effective distraction, but he was finished eating and the food had been taken away again (that was when Emma spotted his erection), leaving him nothing to do but run through scenarios in his mind of what he could tell the princess, what he could suggest, with either the farmers' situation or her own more personal one. More importantly, what he could do to further ingratiate himself to her.

He had no idea the princess was thinking along the same lines.

As usual, most everyone was long asleep when the penultimate bells rang out at the cathedral in town, but Dominic was already moving, his glaive in hand, before the eleven bells had rung out three times.

By the fifth, he was inside, and the princess he'd been thinking about so often lately was locking the door.

Then they stood there facing each other until long after the bells had stopped echoing back and forth across the valley. Finally, he offered, "I, uh, have something- some information- for you. If you want it. About the, uh, the two farmers. Jhokka and Brahms."

One of Elsa's eyebrows lifted. "Oh? I thought that situation had been resolved."

"Well, your plan will work I'm sure," Dominic conceded, and followed as the princess, clad once more in her nightgown but with a different, white, long silk robe over it tied tightly at her narrow waist, moved to sit at her usual spot on the couch. He sat down at her gesture across from her in his usual place, "But I went for a walk yesterday, since I wasn't working, and without really meaning to, I ended up there. Found the waterfall, and checked out the farms a bit. If you're interested in hearing about it, of course. I wouldn't want to waste your time, Your Highness."

Elsa shrugged faintly, "If you have information that's relevant, then it isn't wasting my time, is it? I'm happy to give them both more land if that's what it takes, but if there is another way to resolve the situation amicably, then I see no reason why we can't do that, either."

"That was my thinking, too, Your Highness. There's-"
"I believe we are alone," she interrupted, voice flat, while she gave him a pointed stare.

"S- Sorry. It's just... well, you are a princess, so... I'm sorry. I'll try to remember."

"Thank you," Elsa said softly, "I do get sick of being treated with... well, with children's gloves, as they say. Princess, Regent, or not, I am still a person, Dominic. Yet very few people treat me as one. I do not want you to get in the habit of doing the same others do."

There was a hint, the barest flicker, of real vulnerability there. It made him hesitate, if only for a moment, about his goals. Doing so would be taking advantage of her, would it not? But no, a normal person likes feeling good, likes sex, so wouldn't I be doing more of that if I did help her? So what if it helps me, too? The merchant profits, the craftsman profits, the teacher profits- this is just profit of a different sort. "W- Well, yes, I'll try. Elsa. So the farmers, um... Brahms is on the right as you go up the trail, and he's got a son. Handsome enough lad, I suppose, a bit on the dumb side, according to someone I, uh, talked to. Brahms' only son."

Elsa nodded, "Go on."

"Jhokka has at least one daughter of marrying age, her name's Lacey, she's the one I talked to. The two are- well, involved. S- sexually."

Both of the princess' eyebrows shot higher, "They what?"

"They're- having an affair. Sleeping together. Well, not sleeping..."

"I am aware of what sex is, Dominic," Elsa said, rolling her eyes, "I was expressing surprise. How did you find out this information?"

"Well," Dominic blushed faintly, unable to help himself, "I caught them at it. I was simply looking around, when I came across a large pine. They had a fire beneath it, sheltered from view of both houses, and they were... mid-coitus."

"Oh. I- I see."

"After they were done, I had the opportunity to, er, speak with the daughter, who was the second to leave. She told me a little about their relationship. The farmers, I think, had been rivals of a sort for a long time, but once their relationship became more known, I believe the fathers forbade them from seeing each other, and it was that which escalated the feud. Now they have broken fences- on both sides- footprints from both, damaged crops."

"That seems counter-productive," Elsa muttered, running a hand through her hair, then pulling out a comb from behind her head and fluffing it out. She stared into the fireplace, which was bright this night, before setting the gem-encrusted silver hairpiece down on the equally ornate end-table of the couch. "So what do you suggest, then?"

"There's a few things we can do," he replied, "We- you- could officially endorse their relationship, publicly. The farmers would have little choice but to patch things up if the Crown wanted their children wed. Right?"

She nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, but I fear that might engender... more bad blood."

"True, which is why I think that's the worst option. Secondly, we can announce that damaging another citizen's livelihood or property now carries a more severe penalty, and see if that cools things down. I don't really think it will, but it might. Third, you could order the two families to share a meal together once a week, in company of an official of the Crown in some capacity- a soldier or guard would do- to ensure they're getting along. It might take time, but they could probably work past their differences if we made them to."

"Hmm... that could work, but may take some time."

He nodded, "Or we can do a combination of all of them. Raise the penalty, perhaps offer some sort of stipend for newly married couples- a few Queens or even a Crown to help the couple get on their feet after marriage, for example- and use the younger people as an example of just the sort you want to promote. That could actually increase population down the road, too, so the long-term tax increase would pay for itself. Over time, of course."

"Yes, that would do, but I can't raise taxes. Nor can I start a new fund, not until I'm Queen. I'll think on that. Anything else?"

"We could, while doing those things, send specific word to both families by your messengers requesting that they make a trip to the castle. You could meet with them yourself-"

"No. Absolutely not."

"W- no? Why not?"

"You know why," Elsa said sternly, "I'm not- I'm not safe around people. My power is too... uncontrolled."

Indeed, there was a sudden chilly nip in the air, and the fire itself seemed to have darkened considerably.

"A- Alright, that's fine. But I'm not worried about being around you, Elsa."

He meant it, too. Even if she was upset, if there was one thing he'd learned about the platinum-haired woman, it was that she cared. If she cared, she didn't want to hurt anyone.

The epiphany that followed stunned Dominic in its simplicity, yet it was as profound as he could have ever expected a realization to be.

Oh. That's- that's why she locks herself away. It isn't shyness... she's afraid of hurting people if she loses control. Even- even her sister.

Pieces fell into place, which raised more questions in his mind, but Dominic shook them off for the moment to return to the matter at hand. "Then your sister. Hells, I could do it if you want. Just someone higher up, with some authority, to show the Crown's approval of their wedding. Give them the extra land- but earmark it for the expansion of the children's own property once they wed. Make the land contingent on their acceptance and wedding. Or maybe give them a little to make up for what they're both 'losing', but give them more if they come to an amicable agreement about the children."

Slowly, the chill dissipated, as Elsa's thin lips curled up into an almost cruel smile, "You are devious, Mr. Alders... I like it. As for the funding, I could just do a one-time thing. Perhaps say it's a once-per-year gift to newly engaged couples. Play it off as a clerical error based on rumor if they argue, but who would turn down free land? More permanently, there is a clause in the widows and orphans fund... I could donate money to that, raise their funding, without setting up something new. Earmark that, too, for this new idea of yours to 'encourage proper families', which will 'give more families the opportunity to adopt'. It might even work."

He smiled, "I like the way you think, princess."

"You too... knight."

He froze. "Er... knight?"

"It's true knights went out of fashion years ago," Elsa waved a hand, "but I still rather like the romantic aspect of them. A sworn fighter for a church or kingdom, oath-bound to honor and chivalry? What's not to love?"

"Sure," he replied, chuckling, "but I'm hardly a knight."

"Doesn't matter," Elsa waved off his concern casually, "It's the best I could come up with on the spot. Don't call me princess unless you want me to assign you random titles."

He laughed out loud at that, and she joined in a moment after.

"A- About the, um, other matter you've helped me with recently."

He sobered quickly, gulping to clear the sudden tightness in his throat. It did nothing for the one in his pants, but Elsa didn't look down. Instead, she was watching his face closely. "Y- Yes?"

"I've... read the smaller gift in its entirety. I found the larger one rather... bland, and haven't made it through that yet."

He blushed, but forced himself to ask, "And- did you like it?"

Almost shyly, Elsa nodded, "It was... enlightening. I... found myself p- pleasuring myself several times while reading it. But while enjoyable, I still didn't... finish. At least, I don't think I did. It did give me several ideas for ways to repay you, however, for helping me with this issue."

Dominic swallowed again. "S- Such as...?"

"Nothing too extreme," she giggled softly, looking away now, "but- from now on, I'll permit you to- to relieve yourself in my presence while I do the same. When I have need, of course. I assume that, as a man, you will always have need?"

He couldn't help but grin and nod, "Almost always, yes."

"Excellent. Well, I'm rather tired, but tell me more about what you saw. Beneath the pine."

He swallowed, "Er... are you sure? It's... well, they were rather intimate, Elsa."

"Are you being shy, Mr. Alders?"

"No," he chuckled, "I'm just trying to protect your sensitive ears from the vulgar language of a soldier, princess."

Elsa snorted, "After buying an erotic book for me? I think not. Tell me- I find myself interested. Tell me in detail."

"W- Well, when I found them, I could only see through the gap in the pines and around a blueberry bush, but he was on his knees, with her thighs on his, only her head and shoulders on the ground. She was wearing a simple dress bunched up around her shoulders, chest bare- he was shirtless, pretty muscular- and he was fucking her hard, slamming into her cunt a couple times a second."

He was deliberately trying to make Elsa blush, and her cheeks did darken as he talked, but the woman displayed no signs of embarrassment. Instead, as he continued to give more details about what he'd seen and heard, she untied her robe there on the couch, pulled it open and then cupped one of her silk-covered breasts with one hand while the other slipped higher and higher up her leg.

She whimpered when he described Dalton's load leaking out of Lacey's vagina, and her eyes fluttered a few times before drifting closed to better imagine it. "Go on," she whispered, then brazenly reached for the hem of her nightgown and pulled it up, lifting her hips to bare herself from the waist down, and spread her legs.

He gaped as the soft, pale-pink flesh there was fully revealed, from about half the distance as from her doorway to the bed, and full-on. Elsa let him look for a few seconds, then her hand drifted down to cover it gently before beginning to move in slow circles. "The book said this was better, and it is," she whispered into the stunned silence, "still- not enough. Keep going."

"They- they already finished," he reminded her.

"But there's more... I can tell. You're easy to read, Dominic. You talked to Lacey afterward."

"W- Well, yes," Dominic shifted in his chair, growing increasingly uncomfortable, yet eager to see more of the princess as she slowly pleasured herself. "I..."

"Take it out," Elsa reminded him, "You have my permission... now and until such time as I say otherwise. Tell me what you did with the girl."

How did she know? Am I that easy to read?

He swallowed, his fingers stumbling over the clasp of his belt and then the ties on his trousers as he tried to obey swiftly. Elsa, meanwhile, continued to rub herself, the upper hand occasionally switching sides on her chest, but now her eyes were further down his torso, watching his hands. For a moment, he hesitated before pulling himself free, lifting his hips as the princess had to push them down, but the same bravery that had called her bluff about hearing the story made him act now. Perhaps it was foolish rather than brave, but Dominic did it anyway, pushing the cloth down until it was around his ankles, and he was as bare as Elsa herself was.

To his slight shame, he wasn't quite fully hard thanks to the nerves he was experiencing, but watching the reclusive princess stare at him while touching herself quickly had him back to full mast, even if he was even more anxious than before. "Touch it," she whispered, "show me what a man pleasuring himself looks like. I've- I've never seen someone do that. Or.. one of those, like that. Not even in pictures."

Dominic swallowed, but was just as determined now to give the princess what she said she wanted, so he opened his legs so she could see all of him, including his balls, which were withdrawing in the cooler air. His erection was twitching and throbbing in time with his heartbeat, rapid and strong. Slowly, his right hand moved up to circle the top third of his shaft, and he began dragging it back and forth while he struggled to remember her other request. "The girl... she wanted me to forget everything I'd seen. I told her I couldn't do that, because the Crown had ordered me to find out about the feud."

"You lied to her?"

He nodded, "Yes. Sort of. You had asked me about it, I was just... investigating on my own. It's part of my duty, after all, to serve the Crown."

Elsa smirked, "Well done. Go on... what did you make her do? Did you have her, too?"
"No," he told her, shaking his head once as his hand's movements grew more confident in her presence and gaze, "But I told her I would be obligated to end the feud- and that telling her father about her affair, telling Brahms about his son's business, would end it badly. Told her I wanted to help, but that she had to help me... make it worth my while. She offered herself, actually..."

"But you didn't? You've still only been with that courtesan?"

"Yes... at least, fully. I didn't want Dalton's... mess, on me."

"It makes a mess?"

He blinked, surprised by the question, "Er, yes? When a man climaxes, stuff comes out. From a woman, too, but different... fluids. A man's is sticky, gooey. A woman's is more like water, or white wine. It can be sticky too, but it's thinner."

"A- Ah... like when I'm wet?"

"Yes, just like that, but more I think," he told her. "A- Anyway, I told her I didn't want that if she was dirty, but that her mouth would work. She was... reluctant, but she did it. It took a little convincing, but I started telling her how to do it- she never had before. Licking... she licked everything you can see, and on the back, my balls..."

"Testicles?"

"They're inside," he informed her, then pulled his sack a bit to let her see the shape of them before resuming languid strokes, "it's what produces the man's fluids, I think. So... the licking got me hard, like this, but I wanted more."
"How do you use a mouth, then, if the tongue isn't enough?"

"It goes inside," he grunted, imagining Elsa's perfect mouth wrapping around him, instead of hanging open slightly from a half-dozen feet away as she watched raptly. "Your lips close around it," a deliberate word choice on his part, hopefully to implant the suggestion in her mind that it would indeed be her lips soon enough, "make a seal, and you inhale a bit- create some suction, like slurping up soup- and move back and forth. Licking while it's in there is great, too. Use your hand where you can't reach. If- if you're good, like the courtesan was, you can take the whole thing, all the way back into your throat, but I think that takes some practice."

"How far did the farm-girl go?" Elsa asked, whispering but with a strange intensity in her voice.

Her eyes widened and watched as he moved his other hand to about the half-way mark, "Just there for the first bit. Once I started getting frustrated- like you I suppose- I told her I was going to use her mouth like it was a pussy, and I did. Not as hard as I could have, but I held her head with my hands and- and-"

"What did you do?" Elsa whispered again.

"I made her stay there while I rutted at her face like an animal," he growled, "and she hated it, she was crying and gagging, but she stayed. She let me, didn't fight."

"I... I see."

"Anyway, that was... better. I liked having her down there, afraid of what I'd do to her and her lover... afraid of me... of the power I wielded over her. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I did. Even now I don't... regret it. I wanted to use her... as she was using Dalton. She doesn't love him, though he does her. It's plain to see. She is using him to get pregnant, or for sex, or both. That's all. There's no love there on her side."

"Interesting," Elsa whimpered, her hand speeding up slightly as he talked, slowing again as she did, "then why encourage them to wed?"

"Punishing her for using him, of course," he grunted, "a girl like that, who uses her body to enslave a man needs to be taught a lesson. He's too simple to've come up with a plan like that. She's far more cunning."

"Gods," Elsa whispered, "You truly are cruel... yet just. I... is there more?"

"A little. I climaxed into her throat at first, but it was long- I was particularly needy, if not for her. I finished in her mouth, made her taste it- some women don't like the taste, some do. I think she doesn't, but she still swallowed it after I let her. Then she left after... After I told her to be available for one more time to ensure my silence."

To his surprise, Elsa, who he wanted and who seemed to be most interested at least in his member at that moment, smiled at how he'd treated the girl, but she giggled at hearing of the promise that he would do so again. But when her laughter had subsided, again her hands stilled. "I... believe I'm done, once again. Close once more, but... still unsatisfying. That was definitely fun, however. I believe... I believe I'll ask you to seek out more. Tell me when you take the farm-girl again, but find another. Tell me how you have... conquered her, to use the language of that dreadful romance."

Dominic grinned, "It is truly bad, isn't it? Are- are you sure, though? That isn't... well, most people would not do that."

"I am not most people," the Regent reminded him quietly, "I rather enjoyed your own excitement, and imagining you doing those things you said. They are exciting."

"A- Oh. I... think I understand, Y- Elsa. Um... if you will allow it, I... I believe there is something else we could do- I could do for you, really- which may help you."

"And what is that?"

"Well," he hesitated, slightly encouraged that her nightshirt was still bunched up and her hand between her legs, even if it was still, and further that she had not told him to put his penis away, he swallowed once then half-whispered, "I could... do it for you. I've, um... well, I've both heard and, er, in my experience, it is... more stimulating when someone else does it... does it for you."

Elsa looked at him for several seconds, her expression guarded, inscrutable. "You ask to lay your hands upon Arendelle's eldest princess... more, in her most intimate of places?"

Shocking himself, Dominic shook his head and replied quickly, "Not asking. I am offering. If you decline, I will only say that the offer remains open if you wish it."

"And you have only, what, altruism as your reward? You wish only to help me? Pardon if I sound skeptical. I do trust you, Dominic, but that is..."

"If your answer is no, then so be it," he filled in as she trailed off, feeling his hopes dwindle, though they didn't die out. Perhaps she simply needed time to adjust to the idea? "I can go, if you would prefer."

"No," Elsa said, shaking her head quickly. With another vague hand-wave toward his crotch, she said, "I have already left you... 'pent up', I believe is the phrase, once. You may... you may finish, if you will allow me to watch."

"Er... it, uh... I think it would feel a bit strange to... well, to do it on display, if you catch my meaning."

Elsa blinked, "Oh, yes... I can see how that would be. Very well. If it would encourage you, I'll continue. It does feel good, after all, I simply grow frustrated." Without another word, her hand started moving between her legs again, and she leaned back into the couch once more.

She still watched him, and Dominic felt his arousal, barely faded, renew with a vengeance, knowing that this time, she was doing it for him, even if she hadn't quite realized it. The Princess of Arendelle, Regent of her country, was masturbating for his enjoyment. No, my plans aren't dashed just yet, he told himself, and that knowledge brought about his release a bit faster. In fact, as his breathing increased in pace, growing heavier too, so did hers. Soon, she was panting along with him, and Dominic strongly suspected she was quite near orgasm for the first time when he grunted twice, loudly, and began to spurt. The first jet went high, coming back down on his hand and penis. The second, no doubt deflected by the first, spun somewhere to the left, disappearing into the carpet. The third flew toward Elsa- purely by accident- but landed on the coffee table between them in a bronze penny-sized circle. The rest, without as much force, oozed and dribbled as he continued to breathe heavily, watching himself as Elsa continued to climb higher and higher, her eyes locked on his still-pumping fist.

After several more seconds, she let out an almost piteous whine, then hissed, "Do it, Dominic... touch me, touch me, make me... push me over, I can't, I can't, but I need to, I- I-"

Then he was there, kneeling before the couch, his semen-free hand gently but swiftly pushing hers out of the way, the other still slowly stroking himself, though lighter now with the aftermath of his own orgasm leaving him too sensitive for more.

The hand between Elsa's legs stroked lightly along her precious, untouched mound just once, making her shudder, before he rested the pad of his thumb on the hood of her little clit and pushed, ever so gently, while vibrating it back and forth in tiny, fast motions. She whimpered again, and her hips started to twitch and grind against him. Without conscious thought it seemed, Elsa's hand, freed from pleasuring herself, slashed through the air, grabbed his wrist, and brought the cum-covered hand to her mouth, and sucked the webbing between his thumb and fingers into her mouth, eagerly licking at his residue. He groaned again, the sight arousing in and of itself, but knowing it was her, Elsa, doing it bringing yet more, heightening the sensation.

To reward her, he asked, voice low and husky, "Do you trust me, Elsa?"

"Y- Yes," she groaned as if in great pain, "I feel it- I feel it coming, I'm so close... make me... make me do it, Dominic, your hand feels so good!"

Without another word, he spun his hand around, leaving his thumb on her clit, then pushed his middle finger up to the first knuckle inside her. Elsa gasped, hissed at the sudden intrusion, and a moment later let out a high-pitched, almost inaudible wail as she finally crested. Her hips raised completely off the couch, pushing her delicious pussy toward Dominic's face as she let loose a tiny squirt of fluid over his arm and hand. She twitched there, waist elevated with his hand still on her, moving as before, for several seconds while he continued to pleasure her throughout. Once he sensed she was coming back down, he pulled his finger and hand free.

Elsa immediately collapsed back to the couch, gasping hoarsely for air she had been denied while climaxing- her body had forgotten to breathe.

After more than a minute, she started chuckling almost silently, laying there with him kneeling between her legs. He did too, nervously. Had he gone too far? Would she regret it, now that it was over?

Soon, though, her chuckle had switched to almost hysterical giggles as she leaned forward, reaching for his hand again, and brought it back to her mouth once more. This time, more sedately, she licked his fingers clean, shuddering again as she did so. Once she was done with that, Elsa leaned forward further still and reached downward to wrap both hands around his still semi-rigid dick. She tugged a few times, a bit too rough for him at the moment, to coax out a bit more semen from the tip, then slipped just one hand to catch it and the last remnants still there in her palm, which she brought to her mouth and licked clean in one swipe as well.

Another giggle fell from her lips as she collapsed backward onto the couch. "That... that was... most enjoyable. And I feel... so... so..."

"Satisfied?"

She smiled at his word, her word really, and nodded. "Yes... satisfied. That was most satisfactory, Dominic. I... I cannot say that it will... be a regular thing. But if you do not object, I'll definitely be having you do that again. It was far more stimulating than my own meager efforts."

"Perhaps you need a bit more intensive coaching, not that I'm an expert," he suggested, still amazed at everything that had just transpired. She'd not only gotten herself almost off for him, she'd eaten his semen with apparent relish and come back for more, had the first orgasm of her life (and an intense one, from the look of it), and then told him they would be doing it all again! And he was still kneeling between her legs! If he but leaned in, he could use his own mouth to...

No. Too far, too fast. When she's ready.

"Perhaps," Elsa conceded, "But after what... what just happened, I think I will be less reluctant in future to let you show me things... directly. I have never... never imagined it was that... powerful. Words do not..."

"No, they don't," he finished with a knowing grin, "but that was a strong one, from the looks of it. Not all will be like that."

"I don't know how many of those I could take," Elsa pointed out, "still... you have received your pleasure and I mine. The hour is late, Dominic. Perhaps you should return to your post, and me to bed?"

"Er, y- yes. You're absolutely right, Elsa. Um... good night."

"Good night, Dominic. Have pleasant dreams when you have the opportunity."

"And- and you, Your Highness."

There were a few more quiet pleasantries exchanged at the door, which gave a person who had been peering down the hallway, wondering where the guard had disappeared to, time to duck behind a statue into the shadows and further back, out of sight, but still in range enough to poke her head around the corner and see Dominic resume his post, glaive in hand. "What... what's going on?" the person whispered, not quietly enough.

Dominic's head whipped around, and his hand, which had just left the glaive, closed around it again. "Who goes there?"

The person vanished, scurrying on slipper-clad feet back to safety in another wing of the castle entirely. Dominic walked down to the intersection with his glaive in one hand and a small alarm bell in the other, just in case. It wouldn't be loud enough to rouse many, but at least some of the guards in other nearby areas would hear, and they could sound the larger alarm system. Only, when he reached the darkened southern corridor, there was no one there. Hm... I could've sworn I heard someone whisper. Emma, maybe? Or one of the other maids?

Either way, he couldn't see anyone in the dimly-lit hallway, so Dominic returned to his post, his mind now, for once, on scanning for threats rather than ways to distract himself from thoughts of the princess he guarded.

---

A few days later, on Wednesday night, the princess opened the door of her room without preamble, dressed for a short walk through the castle, with a satchel overflowing with books hanging from her shoulder. "Library?" Dominic asked her.

It was a little earlier than normal, but on her normal day, and while the princess was usually more cautious, asking or at least glancing around for others- she apparently dreaded running into her younger sister more than anyone else- before fully leaving her room. On this night, though, Elsa brazenly stepped forth and gave him a nod. "Library. I shouldn't be long."

He fell into step behind and beside her smoothly, his glaive comfortably in hand, tapping occasionally on the floor. It wasn't that he needed the walking stick, it was a low-key way of signaling to the other guards that he was coming, one that Captain Farthson had come up with shortly after Dominic joined the Royal Guards. This way, anyone that heard them would have just a little more time to clear the way, especially of said younger princess.

Not many others had semi-regular tapping patterns moving through the halls of the mostly-empty castle, so it was a fairly distinctive signal, but innocuous that Dominic doubted anyone not in the know already, the elder princess included, would ever notice.

Something was off about the blonde woman, though Dominic couldn't put his finger on what. She was immaculately dressed in her form-hugging pants and a typical work outfit, her stride was normal enough, if a bit hurried, but he knew from experience that she was always energetic, almost nervously so, when heading for more books. She kept a tight grip on the satchel's strap, but that wasn't unusual, either.

Still, something's wrong. It's... cold. Too cold for being inside the castle when it's still in the warmer months. She's... scared? Nervous, or tense. Definitely tense... look at how solid her shoulders are right now.

The library wasn't far from Elsa's quarters, so it didn't take more than a few minutes to reach it, and the guard outside, one Dominic didn't remember the name of since they so rarely interacted outside of training, snapped off a crisp-enough salute to the pair of them, but did not directly look at the princess as she passed. Nor did Elsa look at him, which was as normal as could be. She does avoid as much contact as possible, doesn't she?

He'd already known that, of course, but having gotten to know her a bit more the last few weeks had made him more conscious of her unusual habits. Without pause again, something less usual for she usually announced her presence with a knock, Elsa swept into the library, reaching the long, low, walnut-stained counter with a few long strides. "Fabian, I have the... well, I think it's about twelve of the books. Here you are."

Fabian White, the head (and only, really) librarian of Arendelle Castle was something of a scholar too. Rumor among the Guard had it that he'd read every book in the expansive royal collection at least twice, but these days his memory was starting to slip, for the man was wrinkled and balding, well into his seventies. Dominic didn't actually know how old the man was, but he carried himself tall and straight still, behind large, thick glasses and a wispy head of hair that capped a worn, weathered face full of old smile lines. "Ah, little Elsa. Good to see you, dear, good to see you. What subject's caught your fancy this week, hmm?"

"Oh," Elsa hemmed and hawed for a moment, "Nothing, really. I've been too busy working to focus on anything to learn."

That wasn't quite true, Dominic knew, but it was hardly his place to correct the princess, especially since he knew that the falsehood was because she didn't want anyone knowing about what the pair of them had been up to behind closed doors. The thought made him grin, which he had to fight down as the old, rheumy eyes looked up, "And Mr. Alders. Welcome, as always. Come for some more military texts? I'm afraid I've nothing new."

"Er, no," he said softly, shaking his head, "I'm actually on duty, escorting Her Highness."

"Ah, of course, how silly of me," the old man muttered, rolling his eyes at himself, "Well, let's narrow it down, then. Sciences, history, fiction, theology, theosophy, alchemy? Something else?"

"Hm... anything in... biology?"

"Ah... a fascinating subject, there's so much we don't know. Come, this way, this way."

She allowed the old man to lead her down the stacks of aisles, Dominic a few steps behind, though she sent the guard an amused smile behind the librarian's back. No doubt, she knew the layout and what was where at least as well as Fabian did. But there was a benefit to the man coming along, and they both knew it. Fabian himself, senile or not, was a wealth of knowledge about each book in the large room, and could list authors, errors, good information, or any other detail about a particular text if you simply asked. In short, he could help you find anything you needed to know.

But today, Elsa did not want the old man's help, not really. The sudden interest in biology was not for academic purposes.

After he had lead she and Dominic to the proper shelves, he gestured in, "As always, if you wish for more assistance in narrowing down your search, I am happy to help, Your Highness."

"Thank you, Fabian. That will be all."

He nodded and smiled, turning and slowly hobbling back to the desk where he had been dozing in an old armchair. Elsa waited until he was gone, then turned to Dominic and said quietly, "This way."

He followed her deeper, completely out of the sciences section, past history, classic literature, and two other sections before the stacks ended and the wall, a deep walnut colored wood now, came into view of Elsa's single candle. Then she turned left without pausing, only glancing back once to make sure her guard was still present. He was right behind her, of course, glaive no longer tapping on the teak floorboards of the library to save them the damage the metal-capped butt would cause. Besides, something gives me the impression Elsa doesn't want anyone knowing where we are in here.

His suspicions proved true when she turned and lifted a single finger to her lips in a universal gesture. They crossed two more rows, then she turned to look at him once more. She spoke softly so as not to carry, but didn't quite whisper, "What I'm going to show you is a state secret. It is not at the level of my powers, but if my trust is abused..."

"I'm not going to do that, Your Highness," he assured her, shaking his head, "It's never even crossed my mind. But if it worries you, then don't show me."

"I want you to see," Elsa murmured, then reached up and lifted the bottom of a painting of Arendelle Castle an inch or so from the wall. With just enough room for her hand to slip beneath it, Elsa manipulated something he couldn't see, which made a soft click within the wall behind the painting. With one dainty foot, she pushed forward on the panel below the painting, which swung inward. A secret passage? Of course the castle would have an escape route or two, but in the library?

"Go on," Elsa urged, "you'll have to duck but it widens up just past the wall and you can stand there. Be quiet while inside."

"A- Alright. I suppose no one will attack you while I'm in there."

"I will also be right behind you, Dominic. Go on."

He nodded, then crouched. He had to actually crawl on his hands and knees to get through the panel's space, but could see just enough to tell that Elsa had been correct. He could stand inside, though it was still only a few feet wide, a long, narrow passage with no light except the tiny bit her candle made through the panel's gap.

Light which shifted and moved, growing brighter as her hand moved it into the hole before one leg stepped through. Elsa was tall, but flexible enough she only had to crouch into an almost-squat to make it through the hole. It gave Dominic a rather pleasant, if brief, view of her crotch, but the princess was too dressed for anything more than seeing a vague crease in her pants. Once she was inside, Elsa turned to push the panel close with another soft click, "If you need to open it from this side, simply lift the catch, see?"

It was a simple mechanism, a rope that must move through a hole behind the painting, leading to a drop-latch that secured the panel in place from casual impact. "Ingenious."

"Ssh. Too loud- sound carries through the passages. I can't tell you how many times our parents found Anna and I when we thought we were being quiet in here."

"Sorry," he murmured, "So... what are we doing in here?"

"Follow me," the princess said again, giving him another determined, but slightly nervous smile. Down the hall, up a short flight of stairs- about half a floor, he guessed, for there were eight steps- to the left, on again, and then back down more than one floor before entering another long passage they moved, the only light her candle, which made his vision shift strangely as he followed directly behind Elsa's silhouette. Once again, she lifted the finger to her lips then whispered, so quiet he could barely hear it, "No noise. Just watch, listen."

Only after she pointed them out did Dominic spot the small holes in the wall she was facing. Six of them, spaced an alternating two feet or so apart, in pairs two or three inches from each other. "Eye slits?"

He had tried to keep his voice as soft as her own, but Elsa sent him a glare before nodding and gesturing at them again.

What he saw should not really have surprised him, but it did all the same.

The maid's baths. They were empty at the moment, but he could hear, just faintly, the sound of a few women or girls chattering animatedly, growing louder. After a minute or so, the first one came into view, wrapped only in her towel. Two others followed, one dressed and the other completely nude. Emma, Charlene, and Bitta, the three youngest maids in the castle. All friends, he knew, though he obviously knew Emma best, as she was the one who delivered the evening and breakfast meals, the only maid who worked at night on a regular basis. It must be her day off, he realized.

"Oh, come on," the towel-clad one said with a laugh, "You can't expect us to believe that. She never sees anyone."

"It's true," Emma said, dropping the towel and shaking it out before laying it over a rod next to one of the claw-footed tubs and turning on the water. It had been an amazing thing when he'd first seen them, a central heater, fire-driven, provided hot water to the bathing rooms at all hours of the day. Now, he was used to it, but not used to seeing three girls, all attractive ones, undressing and bathing in front of his eyes. "I seen 'im come out of 'er room, an' he looked... well.. you know, big."

Both of the other girls laughed and shared a look. Bitta, the older of the three he thought, gave Emma, the youngest, a condescending look. "Big... you mean his cock was hard? Did you see it?"

"W- well, no, not rightly," Emma admitted, turning red, "but I could see the bulge in 'is trous'! He's huge, I'm tellin' you right."

"Oh, that I believe, even if your knowledge of big and small might be lacking," Charlene said with a giggle, running a hand over her breasts before she turned on her own water, "But I wouldn't mind a roll with him at any rate. He's right handsome, an' all. Never steps out with the other maids, though."

Bitta frowned thoughtfully as she removed her clothing efficiently and prepared her own bath, "I heard he might have a crush on the other lieutenant."

"That's weird," Emma laughed, "but I'm pretty sure he likes girls. I saw him lookin' at me, too."

Charlene laughed, "Why would he go for you, though? I mean, you're cute, but a mature man likes, well, a more mature body."

Dominic frowned. It was true that Charlene was very pretty, but between the three of them he thought Emma had the best figure. Not that he'd turn down a 'roll' with Charlene or Bitta, if they asked, but he wasn't interested enough to make the first move. Besides, he knew full well (at least according to their own gossip) that between Charlene and Bitta, nearly every other guard at the castle had been bedded at least once. Which is a turn-on of its own, yes, he admitted as he continued to watch the girls gossip and bathe, but it doesn't mean I want them for it.

He jumped when he felt hands touch his waist, and tried to turn, but Elsa had come up behind him, pressing her body against his. "Don't move," she exhaled, even softer than before, which was also likely muffled in the baths by the running water, which still filled two of the girls' tubs. "Keep watching."

He swallowed, then did as she asked while the princess maneuvered herself to stand directly behind him in the narrow corridor. He was acutely aware not just of the three girl's beauty, but his growing arousal, and more-so Elsa's not-small chest as it pressed against his back, or the heat of her lower regions as she stayed close to his rear. Slowly, fumbling, she reached down for the belt at his waist, unsnapped it, then went for his trousers. It took her a few minutes, but Dominic had no choice other than to obey. She had told him not to move.

So he did not protest or resist as she opened his trousers, then slowly pulled them down until they fell. His erection, free at last, slapped quietly against the wood, which made Bitta look up quickly. She appeared to see nothing, for after just a moment she shrugged and resumed washing her arms.

"I'm tellin' you," Emma continued to say as Elsa's long, cool fingers circled his length and began to explore him, "Dominic was in Her Highness' room, alone! An' he came out with his thing big! I donno what he saw, but it weren't no decent thing!"

"And what are you going to do about it?" Bitta, opposite Charlene from the younger girl, asked suddenly. "You can't exactly go complain, she's the princess. She can do what she wants, and if she wants to punish him, she will. If you complain to the Captain, he'd probably have to leave. You don't want him to get removed from his post, do you?"

"N- no," the young blonde admitted, "I like havin' 'im 'round..."

"Exactly," Charlene put in, running soap and a washcloth up one long, muscled leg, which was high in the air at the moment, "None of us want him gone, so we'll have to stay quiet. Whether what you saw was real or not doesn't matter any to us. We maybe could do something about it, but we don't want to, it doesn't serve our interests any to get him exiled, or rile up the Captain or anything."

"R- Right," Emma agreed.

Dominic had to clamp his jaw shut hard enough to hurt his teeth as Elsa, her body still pressed against his back, stopped her gentle explorations and actually began stroking him with her left hand, while the other moved down to knead his balls a little more firmly than she had while testing him out. He didn't dare move, couldn't make a sound, while the princess pumped his cock with her ever-cool fingers. After a few minutes more gossiping, the two older maids stood, presenting him once again with a view of the fun bits as they dried and then slipped into nightshirts, then bade Emma good night.

The young blonde waited a few minutes after they were gone, then muttered, "I'd still like to see that thing myself. He's much bigger than other blokes I've seen."

"You can finish when you want," Elsa breathed against his neck, exceptionally quiet, as the younger maid hiked both knees over the sides of the washtub she occupied, then slipped one hand down between her legs. "She's having fun thinking of you, you know."

He nodded, unwilling to make any noise against her express command, even if Elsa was talking occasionally. He doubted he could be that quiet anyway, not with her actively jerking him off. It was all the soldier could do not to turn around and hike up her skirts. Speaking quietly was beyond him, and Dominic knew it. Instead, he tried to ignore the feel of Elsa's chest against his back, but focus on her hands on his dick and the sight of Emma's chest, small but perky, covered still in a thin layer of soap-suds as she rubbed it. The maid began making small noises after a minute or so, and her eyes drifted closed. Then she began twitching, quivering, and Elsa's hand began moving faster.

"C-close," he groaned as quietly as he could. Elsa hissed behind him for him to be quiet, but Dominic was beyond caring, and Emma seemed that way too, for she noticed nothing as she cried out in sudden ecstasy, her back arching upward enough for Dominic to see her hand between her legs, still pumping two fingers madly into herself as she quivered. It was too much.

He climaxed just as she dropped back into the tub with a splash, splattering against the wall and running down his hard length onto Elsa's hand, which slowed but did not stop.

He kept twitching through several pulses more, and once he was done, Elsa gave a long pull toward the end, and closed her fingers as she passed his head before both hands withdrew. In the other room, Emma's chest still heaved with exertion, but she giggled quietly and stood in the tub, dripping for a few seconds in profile before she stepped out and began toweling off herself.

Behind him, he could just hear the sound of Elsa licking her hand clean of him slowly, accompanied by soft sighs of... something.

A moment later, the maid was gone, and Elsa whispered, "Turn around, Dominic."

He did slowly, to find the princess now a step away, barely visible through the light of the peepholes. Something white and pearly glistened between two of her fingers, which she brought to her mouth and lowered into it, eyes locked on his. Her lips closed around his seed, and she sighed again, before sucking the remnants with a last pop.

"That," she whispered, "was fun. You can use this passage when you aren't on duty, they bathe almost every day. I watch them sometimes."

He had wondered where she sometimes disappeared to when he was guarding her in the stacks, but it was obvious now. Safe enough, he supposed, especially as he now knew where to go if he couldn't find her during an emergency. But this whole encounter left several questions blazing in his mind, not least of which was, "So- you watch the girls, the maids, bathing? Do you... like girls?"

The princess, normally cool and aloof, turned pink, then shrugged and took his hand once he was encased in clothing again to lead him back down the narrow passage. She answered in a whisper again only after passing both sets of short stairs, when they were near the library again, "I don't know. Yes? I like looking at them. Sometimes I- touch myself when I do. It's never been enough, though. I'd never... been satisfied, until you helped me."

He nodded, then remembered she couldn't see it as he was behind her and they were in utter darkness, "Alright, so... have you... since? Now that you know what... to do?"

Elsa shock her head, the long hair swishing against his chest, "No, I still haven't. I try almost every night. Why... does thinking about it excite you?"

He coughed softly, "I- I'd be lying if I said no. I try not to think about it, though. You're... ab- a pr..."

"Above your station?" she asked quietly, apparently able to read him like a book on tone and hesitation alone, "A princess?"

He nodded again, then added so she could tell his answer, "Well, yes."

She stopped at the end of the corridor and bent to open the passage and slip out. He followed, half-expecting some form of retribution for the admittance, but Elsa only watched casually, then picked up the discarded candle and walked to the nearest torch to light it. Only when they could see again did she respond, "I'm not talking about marriage, Dominic. It would be... cruel of me, to expect you to help me, yet offer no aid myself. I am a woman, you are a man. I understand myself to be attractive by the common standards. Is this not so?"

"Of course, I just..."

"Then it would be unreasonable to expect you to not be aroused by helping me, yes?"

"Well, when you put it like that..."

"Thus, I have shown you one method of relief. Find your pleasure in the maids if you wish. Or... there are alternatives."

This time, he only raised an eyebrow. Elsa smiled, knowing she had him hooked, and began walking into the stacks. "I probably should do some reading this week... let's see, biology..."

Dominic wracked his brain for the next thirty minutes as Elsa browsed through the stacks, choosing two books, both rather thick tomes on the horticulture native to Arendelle specifically, and an older, more thoroughly-researched text on human biology in particular. He could not imagine what the princess had meant by other alternatives, no matter how much it gave him a headache to consider. Surely, surely, she could not, would not, be suggesting what he most hoped would happen. That would only be the case if the stunningly beautiful woman was thinking along the same lines he was, and Dominic was (in his own estimation) a pervert of the highest order.

After all, not everyone gets off by spying on maids bathing, or coercing relatively innocent if manipulative farm-girls into performing sexual favors for them. Or... or constantly think about his own sovereign (one of them, at any rate) in a sexual way. He couldn't help it these days, but knew that would be no excuse if Elsa ever tired of him, or someone else got wind of it and raised a stink. Somehow, he doubted that would be alright even if she were the queen, which would happen shortly after her next birthday if all went according to the loose plans he was privy to.

The princess closed the door behind her, both tomes clutched to her plentiful chest, after giving him a nod of acknowledgment, startling Dominic enough that he almost walked into the white paneling before he realized he had been following without thought of their current location, nor the princess' safety. In fact, he hadn't been paying attention to that aspect of his duties for at least an hour, ever since she had distracted him with the maids and... and the hand-job.

Shit, she really did do that, right? I'm not just imagining it? What... what other 'alternatives' could there be, then? It seems like she wants me to watch them- she could have just used her hands without that if she wanted to, she must know I wouldn't turn her down- but... no. I'm over-thinking this. I'll let her take charge. If- if things are to happen, it must be on her terms. She is the princess. I may be a lieutenant in her guard, but there are still a few nobles or royalty elsewhere she would have to choose first. I am simply too far down the list for her to choose me for anything serious.

Put it from your mind, Dom. Enjoy what happens, if anything does, but don't think about it. You can't afford to dwell on it.

The rest of his night, until well after three in the morning, was spent in torturous solitude as he heard the princess, no doubt aroused by her early actions, possibly by the maids, and perhaps even the human biology text, attempted to bring herself off for several hours, apparently unsuccessfully. But she didn't call him in, and Dominic dared not volunteer. He was frustrated too when he eventually made it to his bed a little after dawn, a trio of dirtied socks in his hamper.

---

Three days passed before Dominic's routine of becoming increasingly aroused and frustrated by the princess' attempts at bringing herself to orgasm continued nightly was broken. Elsa's care for the noise she was making seemed to drop to almost nothing. If he hadn't known better, a part of him might have wondered if she was trying to get him to barge in there and take her completely. But on this night, it was still too early for her attempts when movement out of the corner of his left eye caught Dominic's attention. "Who's there?" he called firmly, not too loudly, while his left hand tightened on the haft of his glaive. It was nearly eleven he guessed, far too late for most people to be wandering the chilly halls.

"It's just me," the tired, dry voice of Elsa's younger sister croaked as she peeked around the corner she had ducked behind a moment before, then stepped fully into the light of his post's lanterns, out of the shadowed side corridors.

"Ah... Princess. I meant no offense."

"None-" she stifled a yawn, then rubbed an eye before finishing her statement, stepping closer on slippered feet that made her own night-wear, pyjamas, a silken house-coat, and a thicker woolen over-coat held loosely over them, swayed with each footfall, "-ta- taken. It's your job, right, Dominic? That's your name, right?"

He nodded, "Y- yes, Your Highness."

"None of that," the strawberry blonde-haired girl said quickly, glancing up at him from much closer now, nearly to Elsa's door, "I don't like being too formal. Just call me princess, or Anna."

"As you wish, Princess Anna," he replied with a quick nod.

She glared up at him briefly, apparently trying to decide if he was teasing or serious, then shrugged and turned partially away to stare at her sister's door. He had seen her several times, they had even spoken a few times, but she had never asked his name. Nor had she ever visited her sister this late at night, looking quite sleepy. To his knowledge (usually pretty good, because the castle's staff were all incorrigible gossips, not just the maids), the girl was very much a 'day' person, and went to bed fairly early and slept in late nearly every day. "Is she asleep?"

He shrugged, "I can't tell. She's usually fairly quiet."

She stepped forward once, placing her within distance to raise a hand and knock with the back of her hand, three times, crisp and clean. Just like always. "Elsa? It's Anna. I- I wanted to talk to you. Please, I... I have something important to ask you."

Silence was the only answer. The distant clock continued its relentless tick, tick, tick, and even the eleven bells had rang out and fallen silent, the echoes fading into the hills long before Anna sniffled once and whispered a single word: "Please..."

A part of him suddenly felt the urge to tell Anna everything he had learned about Elsa. Perhaps that would give her enough leverage to convince the older sister to open the door at last, to talk to the sister she had, reportedly, once been very close to. But he couldn't do that. Good sense prevailed, and after a short time longer, Anna, fingers now twisting dejectedly in the white streak of her otherwise vibrant hair, turned away and began walking back toward her chambers.

She had almost disappeared when Dominic's strength gave out. "Princess Anna. Wait."

She stopped at once, half-visible at the edge of the pool of light, and turned a tear-streaked, freckled face toward him. "What is it, Lieutenant?"

He could only admire the strength in her voice despite the heartache he felt emanating from the younger girl, for while it trembled slightly, the words were clear and crisp. She's too used to this. "Is... is there something I can do? Some way I can help with... whatever it is you needed?"

Anna gave an almost snorting chuckle, one full of recrimination, but not aimed at him. Instead, he felt it was aimed at herself, and that was something he could not understand. Everyone in the castle adored the younger princess for her vibrant good cheer, curiosity, and zest for life. He barely knew her, and even he cared a great deal what she was going through. This, though, was so far outside what he would have expected from the girl, even far worse than her normal bad mood after being rejected by her sister yet again, that Dominic could not stand idly by. Not if he could help.

Anna took a few steps back into the light, her arms closed over her chest, her posture guarded and expression, while still wet, suddenly inscrutable. "Why?"

He could only shrug again, "It's... it's my duty."

"Your duty is keeping my sister safe," Anna reminded him, neither firmly nor gently but with a sort of deadened, emotionless neutrality, "and after that the rest of us. You don't have any duties beyond that."

He couldn't answer her quickly enough, so she was almost turned around when the words came to him, "I meant my duty as a man, as- as a person. I don't like seeing others... in need. I hate watching people suffer needlessly."

"And I'm suffering? I'm a princess."

The tone, suddenly cold, reminded him very much of Elsa herself when she was angry, but Dominic already had plenty of experience weathering that particular, if mercurial, mood. "You are. I don't know if I can help, but I can try. If you want me to. If you don't, then forget I said anything, but the offer is open."

Anna was quiet for a long time once again, but he saw her lower lip trembling even from almost twenty feet away. Eventually, she walked closer, stepping right up into him so she had to tilt her head back to look up into his eyes. Her eyes are a little more green than Elsa's, but they look very much alike, he realized, mostly to force himself to fight the urge to wipe away the girl's tears, which were now starting to dry, leaving salty traces on her freckled cheeks. "It's you, isn't it? You're the one."