The Concubine in the Court
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Solos =&gt; Topic started by: dangerduck on 10-08-2010, 05:12:36</h2>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>10-08-2010, 05:12:36</strong>
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				The Kingdom of Benedetto is very vast.&nbsp; It's eastern border lies on the Serpent Sea and to the west it borders upon the Titan Mountains.&nbsp; The southern border is the Arrakis Desert where a number of Nomadic Traders live.&nbsp; There is no real government there, well none that lasts more than a few months, but it tends to be a safe neighbor.&nbsp; The northern border of Benedetto was much less obvious.&nbsp; There was no real dividing line, and no government in which to have conflict with, but there were a number of less than civilized tribes.&nbsp; The tribes did not fall under the rule of Benedetto, but they like the neighbors to the south often traded with the resource rich country.&nbsp; <br><br>Benedetto is ruled by Ignius Pallius the Third.&nbsp; He, like his father and his father before him, is a powerful dictator who rules with an iron fist.&nbsp; The country had been the victim of countless wars before Ignius Pallius the First brought the country together and drove out all the invaders besides himself of course.&nbsp; He set up a council that worked beneath him, but he retained the real control of the country. <br><br>Each and every year the people of the kingdom send tithes to Ignius to show him their support.&nbsp; The land had been at peace since they had come to power, even though there was a strong military presence almost everywhere.&nbsp; He walked out to the grand hall where his men had gathered most of the gifts that had been brought in.&nbsp; He walked through the large marble chamber and his eyes fell upon a cage.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>10-08-2010, 17:08:29</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Indeed, the borders of the north were less than clear for most, because it simply didn't matter that much...Most people who passed through there were either residents or merchants.&nbsp; However, there had been an agreement when the first Pallius had taken control.&nbsp; He established order, and promised the northern tribes would not be plagued by his huntsmen.&nbsp; Game was scarce enough at certain points of the year, and the last thing they needed was a hoard of poachers.&nbsp; This line was made absolutely clear.&nbsp; Travelers in their lands could take anything either given, purchased, or already dead (meaning that visitors may not cut down any trees for their fires).&nbsp; Before these pacts had been made, the northern residents exchanged raiding parties, massacres abound on either side.&nbsp; Should the treaties be broken, it would surely begin again.<br><br>Having been told the histories of her people, Katja was brought up to be suspicious of strangers.&nbsp; She wasn't afraid of outsiders, no; in fact, she made friends with many traders' children as she grew up.&nbsp; She just understood how fragile their balance was, and how easily it could be disturbed.&nbsp; Dressed in wools and furs from head to toe, the girl, no, she was a woman now by her tribe's standards.&nbsp; At nineteen, she had received bids on her hand in marriage, but she wasn't quite ready to settle down just yet...Even though most of her friends her own age had at least one child...Anyway, she tramped through the snow, heading away from the village and toward the thickly wooded forest.&nbsp; She was out on a search for a special type of moss that could survive the harsh conditions of the north, for it had medicinal properties.&nbsp; She knew very well not to stray past the hunting border; she had been told stories of girls who had been snatched by their neighbors.&nbsp; Slavery was legal in Benedetto, but under Pallius, "No man may enslave his brother."&nbsp; This meant that citizens of Benedetto could not be taken as slaves by their own countrymen, but indentured servitude was another matter...The point was, she wasn't a citizen, so she was not protected by this law.<br><br>As she walked, further and further away from her people, something caught her eye.&nbsp; Something was suspended in the air, and wriggling like mad.&nbsp; Drawing a knife from her furred boot, she silently padded toward the object.&nbsp; She bit her lower lip and warily peeked around a tree.&nbsp; Instead of some mischievous snow spirit, she found a white rabbit, struggling frantically with a snare.&nbsp; It had given up on trying to get loose, and simply aimed to gnaw its own paw off.&nbsp; Gasping, Katja rushed to it without thinking, and quickly cut the line suspending the poor thing.&nbsp; As the rabbit fled, she examined the trap; it wasn't made by any of her people...She had to get back and inform the tribe that there were poachers in their woods!&nbsp; But a shadow fell over her, and before she had time to scream, a thickly gloved hand was over her mouth, and another grabbed her knife hand.&nbsp; "White furs like that are particularly valuable, Missy," a voice growled in her ear as she wriggled.&nbsp; "But you'll do just fine as a replacement, I think...Such pale skin and light hair are just as rare where you're going..."<br><br>Bound and gagged, Katja was transported like common trading goods to the south.&nbsp; She struggled every step of the way, but they never hit her.&nbsp; She tried their patience again and again, making the trip as difficult as she possibly could, but they wouldn't beat her.&nbsp; One of the men almost struck her once, but one of his companions stayed his hand, muttering something about damaged merchandise.&nbsp; Soon enough, her furs and woolen clothes were traded away, and she now wore a simple linen tunic and leggings in the warmer climate.&nbsp; The central kingdom was so different from what she was used to; the colors, the smells, the temperature...As they got closer to the capital, they encountered a group that had given His Majesty exotic beasts for his menagerie.&nbsp; This gave her captors an idea...&nbsp; They bartered for one of their cages, cleaned it up, and threw the girl inside.&nbsp; They were forced to drug her, to prevent her from hurting herself with her constant assault on the bars...and they figured she would be much more attractive to their ruler without the gag; drugged, she couldn't scream curses upon them or Pallius.&nbsp; <br><br>Before carting her into the throne room, they had piled their collection of furs underneath her, stripped her, and cut her bindings for presentation.&nbsp; When the recipient would look upon the offering, he would find a naked, pale, slender girl, sleeping on a bed of furs, her dirty fair hair fanned out around her head.&nbsp; They had tried to clean her up the best they could, but the hunters could do nothing about her hair or the rope burns on her wrists and ankles.&nbsp; It would have to do... 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>18-08-2010, 03:54:30</strong>
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				He looked at the woman in the cage.&nbsp; His footsteps were silent because of the soft leather on the soles of his shoes.&nbsp; Though the room itself had a marble floor that made quite a bit of noise when the guards passed through.&nbsp; They were outside of the room on all exits and could be easily called if Ignius so demanded it.&nbsp; They would have made sure that the cage was secure though his steward had not told him about the girl.<br><br>She was very beautiful.&nbsp; His mouth had dropped open for just a second when he saw her naked form lying there.&nbsp; She was presented on a bed of furs.&nbsp; Though whoever had given her to him had not treated her right.&nbsp; He kept that in his mind for later.&nbsp; He wasn't sure what he was going to do with them yet, but it would probably not be pretty. <br><br>His eyes remained on her face for a minute, just watching her sleep.&nbsp; Her chest rising in and out of his peripheral vision.&nbsp; He finally broke out of his daydream and he tapped his finger loudly on one of the metal bars of the cage.&nbsp; "Who are you?" He asks in a soft tone, but there is power behind it.&nbsp; He was the leader of the kingdom after all and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't remove all the authority from his voice.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>18-08-2010, 18:42:07</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Recognizing it for what it was, Katja had not taken the "tonic" her captors had offered.&nbsp; They said they wanted to perk her up a bit for her master, but in reality, they wanted to put her down and keep her quiet.&nbsp; Having experience with village healers, she knew how to fake medicine.&nbsp; She had no intention of letting them make her sleep, and if she had to stay still and quiet to prevent it, so be it.&nbsp; Over the weeks of travel, she had so little control over what happened to her, and she'd be damned if she surrendered her awareness as well.&nbsp; She hung limp, and didn't fuss as they took her clothes and cutk her bindings.&nbsp; She let them arrange her on the furs, taking care to keep her breath easy and slow.&nbsp; Her eyes were opened to the narrowest slits she could manage as they moved her cage; she wanted to know where she was being taken.<br><br>They left her in a magnificent marble hall, and went to speak with a man holding a roll of parchment.&nbsp; There were gestures to her, some nods, and scribbling on the parchment.&nbsp; It seemed that everything was in order, and...they were gone.&nbsp; She didn't dare sit up, even though her captors had left.&nbsp; All she could do was wait.&nbsp; Footsteps of boots across the floor echoed in the room, but after a short time, one particular set of steps caught her attention.&nbsp; Someone was coming closer to her.&nbsp; She kept her eyes closed, and tried to keep her breathing under control, but...she couldn't help the anxiety that had fallen over her.&nbsp; She wondered if he noticed how she jumped a little at the sudden sound of tapping on the bars.&nbsp; Obviously he had...He knew she wasn't asleep, else he would not have spoken to her.<br><br>The young woman didn't even pretend to be waking; she simply sat up, fixing her grey eyes on him.&nbsp; Most would have cast their gaze downwad in respect for this man; she could tell by the way he spoke that he was a man who gave orders.&nbsp; She did not hide her body from him with her hands or the furs around her.&nbsp; She merely acted as if nothing was odd about this at all, that she was exactly where she intended to be.&nbsp; "Katja," she replied, seeing no reason to not answer him.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>20-08-2010, 08:24:58</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				His piercing green eyes stared at her as she told him her name.&nbsp; Katja, that was a northern name.&nbsp; It made sense with her features.&nbsp; She had an exotic look to her, very wild.&nbsp; Her hair was in tangles.&nbsp; It was very alluring.&nbsp; Ignius had thick auburn hair that was cut short.&nbsp; His head was adorned with a simple golden ring with three red rubies at the front of it.&nbsp; His own clothes were of fine silk.&nbsp; They were a light blue color right now, though he had many more outfits than most people did nowadays.&nbsp; <br><br>"Where are you from Katja?" He asks as he continues to watch her.&nbsp; She was not afraid to hide her body.&nbsp; It seemed like such a show of strength to him.&nbsp; Ignius himself was a strong man.&nbsp; Like his father before him he believed that a leader had to be strong in both mind and body.&nbsp; He trained daily in the many arts of combat as well as physical endurance.&nbsp; His hands were rough from blocking with swords and throwing punches.<br><br>Most of the time he enjoyed a nice spar to political affairs.&nbsp; There always seemed to be some problem that he would have to send troops to.&nbsp; It was his hand that guided men to their deaths.&nbsp; It was beginning to tax him since he had no one to help him bare the burden.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>21-08-2010, 19:16:45</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja did her best to fight off the blush as he looked her over, but her pale cheeks turned the slightest bit of pink.&nbsp; She wasn't very happy about losing her clothes, but she didn't want to appear the least bit shamed or humiliated in front of strangers.&nbsp; Hers was a proud people, and she could not show weakness.&nbsp; To draw her attention away from her nakedness, she studied him just as he studied her.&nbsp; He was well-groomed, dressed in fine clothing, and solidly built; one thing in particular caught her eye, the circlet upon his head.&nbsp; This man was very important...and though she hated to admit it, rather attractive.&nbsp; His hands surprised her; not many people of the noble class had the scarring and calluses he did.&nbsp; He wasn't afraid of hard work.&nbsp; <br><br>Drawing her legs up and folding them neatly at her side, she brushed a stray knotted lock of hair away from her face.&nbsp; The corner of her mouth twitched into something of an impish smirk when he asked where she had come from.&nbsp; "I wonder," she said, slowly and deliberately.&nbsp; "Do you ask, out of concern of the border laws?&nbsp; I know very well that it is unlawful for your countrymen to capture and trade fellow citizens of Benedetto.&nbsp; If that is your worry, I am not a subject of the Pallius line.&nbsp; I was, however, stolen from within the bounds of my tribe's lands.&nbsp; These pelts, too..."<br><br>The girl idly inspected her fingernails before glancing up at his face again, "And who are you, then?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>22-08-2010, 14:47:46</strong>
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				His face did not betray his thoughts or emotions of what she was saying about his countrymen on the borderlands.&nbsp; Though once again it was something that he needed to take note of for later.&nbsp; He had much to discuss with his advisers now. He is about to reply, but then she asks him his name. <br><br>"I am Ignius Pallius the Third, King of Benedetto, Swordsman of the Fourth Rank, Savior of the Six Cities..." He could have gone on for hours, but he found it too boring and tedious.&nbsp; The first two were the only ones that anyone needed to hear to know who he is, and the other two were to show that he wasn't just hanging on to his father's coattails.&nbsp; <br><br>He lifts up one hand and snaps his fingers.&nbsp; An attendant comes almost instantly.&nbsp; "Key," Ignius says and it is placed in his outstretched hand.&nbsp; He puts it into the lock on the cage and turns it.&nbsp; He pulls open the door and he grabs a fine silk cloth from one of the other piles and throws it around her shoulders.&nbsp; It was a pinkish red color, almost identical to the color of her cheeks, and it covered her a bit more modestly than nothing. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>23-08-2010, 16:58:16</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Politics.&nbsp; That was the first word to come to Katja's mind as she watched him.&nbsp; She knew that this man was important, but to what degree, she could not be sure.&nbsp; She had openly taunted him, in a playful manner, but it was slight mockery nonetheless...and he didn't react.&nbsp; She behaved like a neglected guest in his house, rather than a prisoner, by subtly pointing out that a polite host introduces himself first.&nbsp; She suspected her sass would have earned her quite a smack from most other noblemen.&nbsp; He just continued to observe her; he was no idiot, so he had to be forming some knind of opinion of her and what she was saying to him, but his face told her nothing of his findings.<br><br>Whatever the man said after, "Ignius Pallius," was lost on the girl.&nbsp; Her eyes flicked back up to his face, wider than they had been a moment before, but she recovered quickly and resumed studying her fingers.&nbsp; She gave a soft, "Oh," as if she wasn't very interested, or even perhaps knew all along and only asked out of courtesy...Though, she had a feeling he could tell this was not the case.&nbsp; She was doing fairly well to conceal it, but she was suddenly rather afraid.&nbsp; She had no idea she was in the presence of the King of Benedetto himself!&nbsp; <em>He's just a man,</em> she tried to reassure herself.&nbsp; <em>Sure, I was a bit intimidated from the start, but certainly not frightened...Why should his title make any difference?</em>&nbsp; It only took an instant to remember why.&nbsp; <em>Because, he can do anything to me without anyone questioning his right...No one would dare stand up to him if he hurts me...</em>&nbsp; He hadn't been openly aggressive toward her, but she would be wary around him.<br><br>Putting her hand down again, finished with her inspection, she began watching him again.&nbsp; She saw how quickly he was obeyed, and wondered if he would expect the same from her in the near future...The scrape of the key in the lock was a sound she was looking forward to hearing all morning, but she had hoped it would mean open an opportunity for her to escape.&nbsp; That wasn't going to happen just yet.&nbsp; Ignius was blocking her path, and if she tried slipping past him, his strong hands could easily break whatever limb he managed to grab.&nbsp; Her eyes followed him suspiciously as he took up the length of silk.&nbsp; She instinctively inched back from him, about to hiss for him not to touch her, but she felt the soft fabric on her skin, rather than wandering hands.&nbsp; Realistically, he had nothing to fear from her, but he treated her with the respect one gives a cornered animal.&nbsp; She couldn't do much harm, but he apparently wouldn't risk her panicking and trying something desperate...and stupid.&nbsp; The girl draped the silk over herself like a shawl; other than that, she didn't move.&nbsp; It didn't cover much, but she appreciated the gesture all the same.&nbsp; "Thank you," she said softly.&nbsp; &nbsp; 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>31-08-2010, 02:11:04</strong>
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				He noticed the widening of her eyes.&nbsp; It was for just a brief second and he knew that she was trying to hide her emotions from him.&nbsp; She wasn't lying though.&nbsp; He could pick up deceit in an instant.&nbsp; It was something he had to learn from a young age since many of his father's advisers were really just vying for the throne.&nbsp; He had to make sure that none of them were trying to use them for their plan to take the throne.&nbsp; He could still feel the coldness of the blade between his left ribs.&nbsp; There was a thin scar line where one of those assassins had tried to kill him before he could take the throne.&nbsp; It was the first of many scars that now littered his body after seven years as ruler.&nbsp; <br><br>"It's the least I could do." It probably was the least he could do with all of his resources.&nbsp; He leans over and whispers into his stewards ear.&nbsp; The man nodded and hurried off.&nbsp; Ignius circled the scared woman.&nbsp; She was very good at hiding it, but there was a slight shiver in her frame, and it was definitely was not because of the temperature.&nbsp; It was not very warm in the chamber, but she was from far to the north where this was summer weather.&nbsp; "Why do you fear me?"<br><br>As he asks that two women come up to her.&nbsp; They spread her arms and legs out.&nbsp; They seemed to be measuring her body with strings.&nbsp; Her waist, her shoulders, her chest.&nbsp; Each measurement as precise as they could make it.&nbsp; Before she was given a chance to respond to the "assault," they disappeared just as quickly as they came.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>31-08-2010, 17:18:01</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				After the silk was arranged around her body to her liking, Katja didn't move an inch.&nbsp; She only watched him carefully, especially when Ignius whispered to his servant.&nbsp; The two men were too close together for her to try to lip read, making her quite anxious as to what they could be up to.&nbsp; She was twitchier than ever when the king began circling her cage.&nbsp; He didn't even bother closing the door, but she knew he could easily catch her if she tried to bolt.&nbsp; Her eyes followed him on his circuit, and she quickly twisted around to gaze at him through the bars when he reached the other side of her prison.&nbsp; With her back turned to the opening, she was easy prey for his seamstresses.&nbsp; The women gripped her arms and bustled her out of the cell.&nbsp; The girl let out a surprised shriek, and wriggled like mad at the sight of the cords in their hands.&nbsp; But then...she saw that the strings were already knotted...and they weren't being wound about her wrists and ankles.&nbsp; She looked down as one of them measured the expanse between her hips and the floor, and call out the number of knots.<br><br>She was distracted from the women by a strange question.&nbsp; She looked back up at him, feeling a bit unnerved without metal bars between them.&nbsp; He knew.&nbsp; He knew that he frightened her.&nbsp; Surely he would know why she ought to be afraid...Was he taunting her?&nbsp; "I don't!" she snapped, narrowing her eyes and desperately trying to control her shaking.<br><br>This became much harder to do once the women had left.&nbsp; She was alone with this man, a man who had virtually no restrictions upon him.&nbsp; The measuring had shifted the pink fabric, so she rearranged it to cover herself better, and clutched it tightly as if it provided some kind of protection and she expected him to take it from her.&nbsp; Her grey eyes were fixed on Ignius, and her bare feet, slowly becoming numb on the cold marble, gingerly felt around behind her before each small, cautious step backward.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>18-09-2010, 18:07:48</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				He just waited for the seamstresses to finish what they were doing and then he turned away.&nbsp; "Follow me," he said as he started to walk towards one of the many exits to the grand hall.&nbsp; He knew that she would follow him.&nbsp; Even though he was a dangerous man to be with, it would be far more dangerous to get on his bad side.&nbsp; They pass by hand woven rugs, masterfully crafted weapons, large paintings and tapestries, chests filled with coins and gems.&nbsp; There was more wealth in this room then there would ever be in Katja's home town.<br><br>He lead her through an open doorway.&nbsp; "What did you do back in your hometown?" he asks as he leads her up a set of stairs.&nbsp; The castle was huge, much larger than she had realized.&nbsp; There were some windows off the stairs and Katja could easily see that they were over 50 feet above the town, and still climbing higher.&nbsp; It was an amazing sight from the castle. The people moved beneath them going about their normal daily routine, and she could see the mountain peaks far to the west.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>19-09-2010, 16:50:28</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja stopped her slow movements backward the instant Ignius turned away from her.&nbsp; Just when she thought he was simply going to leave her there, like the rest of his gifts, he instructed her to follow him.&nbsp; The girl hesitated, briefly considering staying put, but trotted after him to catch up.&nbsp; She didn't know how he would have responded to such active defiance, and she thought that maybe if she followed him, she might get to know this place better and be able to find a way out someday.&nbsp; That hope was soon thoroughly squashed.&nbsp; It was too big!&nbsp; She could never learn these corridors!&nbsp; She had seen the Benedetto fortress with its watch towers south of her lands, and that had been the largest building she had ever seen.&nbsp; The palace of Ignius Pallius, however, could have easily fit at least five of the northern fortresses, towers and all.&nbsp; The wealth and splendor of the Pallius line were not only visible in the size and beauty of the architecture, but it was also openly displayed in art and riches filling the halls.&nbsp; She knew that, like her, a good portion of this had come from years of tributary gifts from all over the country.&nbsp; She hated to show any admiration while in captivity, but she had never in her life seen so many fine things...even at the spring fair!<br><br>She padded along after Ignius, her bare feet making almost no sound on the marble.&nbsp; She didn't dare try to separate from him, for fear of getting lost.&nbsp; She tried to keep her face as neutral as possible, but she found it increasingly difficult to keep her eyes in her head with each new tapistry she saw.&nbsp; She followed him up the stairs, wondering where they were going.&nbsp; Light poured in from a window, drawing the girl to the amazing view.&nbsp; She had no problem with heights, having climbed trees and hiked smaller mountains with her friends when she was young; she had frequently looked down from a rocky peak, but now, it was so strange for her to see so many <em>people</em> from above.&nbsp; She was distracted by his question, and she wanted so badly to tell him off.&nbsp; She had found a moment of peace, and he broke it.&nbsp; Not only that, but he dared to ask her about a life she would probably never see again!&nbsp; She didn't want to talk about that...she didn't want to tell him anything.&nbsp; But...they were on stairs.&nbsp; Long, mable stairs.&nbsp; She didn't like the thought of tumbling down them for displeasing him.&nbsp; He wouldn't even need an excuse, or even be expected to claim that she fell.&nbsp; "I-- My mother and I worked a spinning wheel and loom," she said, trying to keep her voice even and drive her thoughts away from her parents.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>20-09-2010, 16:49:58</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius listened to Katja talk about her home with genuine interest.&nbsp; It was comforting to have someone not trying to win favor from him.&nbsp; So many people thought of him only with how they could use his power to empower themselves, and not as a man himself. "Were you married?" He asks her after they have reached the top of another set stairs.&nbsp; Even though there were so many they were set at distances apart so that it was not too tiring to continue the climb.<br><br>She must have known the reason he asked though.&nbsp; If she was married then she was property of her husband as were the laws of the northern tribes.&nbsp; You could still have been sold though, traded like any other piece of property.&nbsp; <br><br>They turn down a long corridor with few doors.&nbsp; Ignius walks up to one of them and opens it up.&nbsp; "Here is where you shall be staying for now.&nbsp; You'll get some clothes in a little bit once they are finished being sewn.&nbsp; I'll call for you later once you get used to your new home."&nbsp; You could fit your entire house in this room, and then some.&nbsp; Ignius steps back and leaves the distrated Katja alone.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>20-09-2010, 17:14:46</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja noticed that the king's pace was matched to hers as they ascended the stairs.&nbsp; He could have easily reached the top first, but he slowed down for her.&nbsp; She had known some traders who went on ahead of their servants, only to complain that they had to wait for them to catch up.&nbsp; Sometimes the servants were punished for taking so long...regardless of the weight of whatever burden they bore.&nbsp; He didn't expect her to keep his pace.&nbsp; The only demand he had made of her so far was to follow him.&nbsp; Still...she wanted to go home.&nbsp; How happy they would be if she returned!&nbsp; By now, her people would presume that she was dead.&nbsp; His next question didn't surprise her at all.&nbsp; The border laws were a concern to him, and he didn't want to anger the northern tribes by stealing their wives from under their noses.&nbsp; He had the military force to wipe them out, should they start raiding again, but it would be at a great cost of men.&nbsp; "Yes," she lied.&nbsp; "I <em>am</em> married."&nbsp; She wanted to emphasize the present tense, meaning that her change of residence would not change her marital status.<br><br>Maybe if he thought she was married, he would send her home!&nbsp; Maybe even with compensation for the tribe in order to appease them.&nbsp; But would he believe her?&nbsp; There certainly were holes in her story...For, she didn't have the telltale signs of having borne a child, and she couldn't very well fake a pregnancy...any of his physicians could prove that false.&nbsp; The first duty of a northern wife is to bear children, and she had no evidence of having done so...Not only that, but a simple check between her legs would tell that she had never shared a man's bed.&nbsp; Not saying another word about it, she followed him along the magnificent hallways until they reached their destination.&nbsp; <br><br>The room was enormous.&nbsp; None of the houses back home were this large...not even the ones belonging to the shaman or the headman!&nbsp; She barely heard him tell her that he was leaving, for she was too busy scanning the space.&nbsp; The sound of the door shutting behind him broke the spell, making her turn to see the last of his shadow through the tiny gap under the door.&nbsp; The first thing she did was test the doorhandles.&nbsp; It opened with ease.&nbsp; Then again, why would he bother locking her in?&nbsp; She would get lost in a heartbeat...With a sigh, she went back inside and flopped onto the bed.&nbsp; All she could do now was wait until these people decided what to do with her.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>20-09-2010, 22:12:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She had lied to him.&nbsp; He did not like it when he was lied to.&nbsp; He made his way back down to his throne room.&nbsp; She would have to be watched for now, but he doubted that Katja would try to escape.&nbsp; He sat down in the finely crafted, gold encrusted seat and started to go through his daily duties with his steward. <br><br>The door to Katja's chambers opens up and one of the women who had measured her came in with a couple of plain ordinary dresses and the other comes in with a very fine light blue silk one.&nbsp; "The king requests your audience this evening for dinner.&nbsp; He expresses his displeasure in being lied to and if you would like to stay on his good side then it would be prudent to speak truthfully from now on."&nbsp; <br><br>They put the dresses for you in the wardrobe, giving you one of the plain ones to wear until this evening.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>20-09-2010, 22:44:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Having been awake since dawn, she decided that now was the time for a short nap.&nbsp; She needed the rest, and she couldn't be sure when she would have another opportunity.&nbsp; After weeks of traveling with her previous captors, she had become a light sleeper, so she was not worried about being caught unaware if someone decided to come to her room.&nbsp; After a couple of hours, she bolted upright on the large, soft bed, awakened by the sound of someone entering the room.&nbsp; Katja was relieved to see it was just the seamstresses from earlier that afternoon.&nbsp; She scooted back on the bed to sit up among the pillows, just watching the two women.&nbsp; She had to admit that they did fine work...However, she had to roll her eyes when they relayed the king's "request" and his feelings on her dishonesty.<br><br>"He's a sharp fellow," she said, sliding off of the bed to accept one of the dresses.&nbsp; It was of simple design, and pale lavender in color.&nbsp; She let one of the women help her put it on.&nbsp; Even after several days of dressing with so few layers, she still hadn't gotten used to it and felt naked without her wools and furs.&nbsp; "I'm sure he understands why I did it.&nbsp; Anyway, you may inform him that I accept his invitation, and will join him for dinner."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>22-09-2010, 00:58:23</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius finishes up his business in the throne room.&nbsp; The seamstress gives him Katja's response through the steward.&nbsp; He heads over to the the fencing room.&nbsp; He pulls out one of the epees from the wall.&nbsp; He motions two of the guards to come over to duel with him.&nbsp; He quickly takes care of them.&nbsp; He sighs and goes to clean up after the bit of exercise.&nbsp; <br><br>One of the women from before comes into her room.&nbsp; "Its time to get you ready Katja," she says as she opens up the closet and pulls out&nbsp; the nice dress.&nbsp; "Now come over her and get this on!" She yells at Katja while she holds up the dress.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>22-09-2010, 01:39:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja spent much of the afternoon gazing out the window, down at the capital city below.&nbsp; It was such a strange place...She wondered if they ever had snow.&nbsp; The sunlight was all wrong here; it was so bright, and much warmer, and it stayed out longer too.&nbsp; She didn't cry for her homeland, though.&nbsp; She had done plenty of that on the road while her former captors slept.&nbsp; She simply sat there, staring at what would more than likely be her new home.<br><br>As the sun began its descent below the horizon, the seamstresses came to her again.&nbsp; The girl was taken to a room where she could bathe, and she did so eagerly.&nbsp; She hadn't seen a bath in days, and her hair was on the brink of becoming matted.&nbsp; She scrubbed off the road dust, and washed her hair, finally getting all of the tangles out.&nbsp; Had she not been so dirty when she had gotten into the water, she would have soaked for hours in the soothing warmth.&nbsp; But the water was becoming discolored, so she didn't waste any time getting out.&nbsp; Wrapping a towel around herself, she gaped at her reflection in a full-length mirror.&nbsp; The last time she had seen herself was in a the surface of a lake where her previous captors had stopped and let her wash...about five days ago.&nbsp; She was soon called away from the mirror, summoned to get dressed for dinner.<br><br>She eyed the women suspiciously when they held up strange garments she had never seen before.&nbsp; One of them was a white sleeveless dress made of a very light fabric; they called it a shift.&nbsp; She helped them pull it over her head, and raised her arms for the second unfamiliar piece.&nbsp; They wrapped a stiff fabric with some sort of rib-like things at regular intervals around her torso.&nbsp; At home, they used narrow bands to keep their breasts at bay, but this was much wider; she suspected it would serve a simliar purpose.&nbsp; One woman stood in front of her, holding her hips as if to steady her while the other woman went around behind, fiddling with the laces.&nbsp; It was called a corset.&nbsp; Suddenly, she felt an uncomfortable squeeze throughout her upper body.&nbsp; "I- I can't breathe with this thing on!" she exclaimed.&nbsp; The seamstress muttered something about getting used to it, and loosened it a little for her.&nbsp; She still felt a significant amount of pressure, but she could breathe comfortably.&nbsp; Finally, they slipped the blue silk dress over these strange garments.&nbsp; It fit her perfectly, and the deep blue color suited her.&nbsp; She swished the skirt, and admired the bell sleeves before she was instructed to sit while they braided her hair and powdered her face.<br><br>When all was said and done, her golden hair was in a long plait down her back and secured with a ribbon that matched the dress, her lips had been painted crimson, and her cheekbones were dusted with the lightest pink powder.&nbsp; She had never worn makeup before, so she barely recognized herself in the little mirror they showed her.&nbsp; She was then given a pair of simple black soft-soled slippers and escorted downstairs toward where she would be dining.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>23-09-2010, 02:50:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius made his way up to his chambers.&nbsp; They had warmed up water for a bath for him.&nbsp; He striped himself of his clothing and sunk himself into the warm water.&nbsp; His shoulders were a bit sore from the fight.&nbsp; He knew that he shouldn't push himself so hard, but after talking with all those self centered nobles he needed a relief, and a work out helped took care of it.&nbsp; He used a wash rag to wash the grim off of his body which was peppered with scars.&nbsp; Most were just tiny nicks, but there were a few decent sized ones from various fights.<br><br>He finally got out of the tub before his body started to prune.&nbsp; There was a servant girl there ready to dry him and then helped him into a robe.&nbsp; He went and got himself dressed in his finery.&nbsp; He put on a pair of white silk pants.&nbsp; His shirt was a red button up with gold trim.&nbsp; He picked up his simple golden circlet and put it on his head.&nbsp; He had other crowns for different occasions.&nbsp; <br><br>Katja was lead down to a dining room where there was a small table set up.&nbsp; He didn't know why he did it, but there was something about Katja's exotic look that excited and intrigued him.&nbsp; He got up from the chair he was sitting in when she entered.&nbsp; He walked over to her.&nbsp; "I hope that you find your&nbsp; quarters suitable Katja."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>23-09-2010, 03:48:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She really didn't know where she was being taken; would Ignius risk bringing her in public and have her dine in his great hall with the rest of his court?&nbsp; Or would he actually bother with a more private meal with her...a nobody, stolen goods from the northlands.&nbsp; She wasn't sure which would surprise her more.&nbsp; She was rather glad to find a smaller room with a table set for two.&nbsp; A more intimate setting was more suited to her preference; she couldn't handle being around many people at once just yet.&nbsp; She was, however, a bit anxious when the women left her alone at the door, closing it behind her.&nbsp; She stood just in front of doorway, frozen for a moment, before actually stepping farther inside.<br><br>There he was, Ignius Pallius the Third, king of Benedetto.&nbsp; Katja wanted to stare at the floor when he got up from his chair and approached her, but she forced herself to meet his gaze and keep her eyes there.&nbsp; She took note of his manner of dress, a casual ensemble of finery.&nbsp; The girl stood her ground as he came to greet her, not retreating as she did in the hall where she first met him.&nbsp; There was something about the way he looked at her.&nbsp; Some of the young men in her village looked at her like that, but his eyes were different; there was a greater sense of strength and confidence behind them.&nbsp; <br><br>A sort of angry defiance flared up inside of her when he spoke.&nbsp; She wanted to say something about her room not being satisfactory, that it wasn't home, and she didn't want to be here.&nbsp; Or maybe say, “It will do,” in the haughtiest tone she could produce…But what actually came out was, “Yes, the room is quite lovely, thank you.”&nbsp; Her voice was quiet and polite.&nbsp; She knew deep down that he had done nothing to her, and treated her only with respect.&nbsp; He didn't <em>ask</em> for those men to bring her here...But…he wasn't sending her straight home either…She didn't know how to feel.<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>23-09-2010, 17:50:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He was taken aback for a moment from her response.&nbsp; She had been strong headed and fairly vocal earlier, but now she seemed shy and innocent.&nbsp; Maybe it had been because of her lack of clothes.&nbsp; She wanted to appear a stronger force since she was in such an unsafe position?&nbsp; If that was so was she feeling more comfortable around him?&nbsp; These thoughts went through his head, but he just said, "That is good." <br><br>He leads her over to the table and pulls out the tall back dining chair for her.&nbsp; He waits till she is seated and pushes her back in.&nbsp; When he had first seen her she was this naked, wild woman, and now she is dressed as a prim and proper noble, her hair and make-up immaculate.&nbsp; &nbsp;He walked around the table and sat down in his own chair.&nbsp; "Do you ride?" he asks as servers bring out two silver plates of food.&nbsp; It was venison.&nbsp; A common dish in Katja's culture.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>23-09-2010, 19:17:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja clasped her pale, delicate hands in front of her to keep herself from anxiously fiddling with the sleeves of her stress.&nbsp; She didn't want him to see her fidget like that.&nbsp; He still intimidated her, but she didn't necessarily want to let that show.&nbsp; She was establishing an environment of mutual respect.&nbsp; As long as he didn't give her a reason to behave otherwise, she would be civil.&nbsp; She hoped this might work toward some sort of understanding, and maybe even a point where he would send her home.&nbsp; <br><br>She didn't offer him her arm, not wanting to unclasp her hands and let him catch her trembling, but simply followed him to the table.&nbsp; She was about to pull the chair out, but he had beaten her to it!&nbsp; She didn't understand...She raised an eyebrow and carefully swept her skirts out of the way before sitting down, elegantly crossing her legs at the ankle.&nbsp; Another surprise: he pushed her seat closer to the table before she could scoot it forward herself.&nbsp; It was so strange, but she did not question it and just watched him as he made his way to his own chair.&nbsp; Her corset kept her back straight as a board, and she found the near-perfect posture to be rather flattering for her figure when she saw it in a mirror.&nbsp; She didn't like having to sit still like this, and the few moments of silence were a little awkward.&nbsp; He was staring again...Thankfully the servants gave her an excuse to look away when they came in with food, but the king called her attention once more.&nbsp; "Ride?" she replied.&nbsp; "I-- No.&nbsp; Not really.&nbsp; Once, when I was little, a merchant let the children take turns on his pony, but that was all.&nbsp; Though, I used to help take care of pack horses and mounts at the spring market fairs.&nbsp; Our stables house traders' horses year round, but the market fair brings so many, that they need the extra hands..."<br><br>After saying that, she cast her eyes to her lap, surprised she had said so much...She had no idea why she had.&nbsp; She supposed that she really did want to make a little conversation, and minimal responses couldn't do that.&nbsp; When she looked up again, her plate was piled with venison and roasted root vegetables.&nbsp; She glanced back up at Ignius, her grey eyes slightly widened in surprise as the familiar aromas filled her nose.&nbsp; What was he doing?&nbsp; It was obvious that he was trying to make her more comfortable, but why?&nbsp; Was it just to make her waiting period smoother until she was able to go home?&nbsp; Or did he intend to keep her, and was just trying to help her adjust?&nbsp; For the moment, she would put that aside; she was starving, and the steaming dish was making her mouth water.&nbsp; With only that brief hesitation, she picked up her fork and started eating without any shame.&nbsp; She might have looked like a lady, but she most certainly didn't eat like one.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>25-09-2010, 16:27:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius listened intently as Katja talked about her life back north.&nbsp; She seemed to be opening up to her.&nbsp; He didn't understand why he wanted her to open up to her.&nbsp; He could have any of the noble's daughters that he wanted to, but he was always too stressed out and busy from his duties.&nbsp; He didn't know why he went out of his way to clear some time so that he could have an actual meal with her.&nbsp; He was supposed to ride out to Fort Brax this evening to check on its construction.&nbsp; He tried to be as hands on as possible.<br><br>"They breed some good horses up north.&nbsp; I keep a few of them in my stables." He comments as he picks up his knife and fork.&nbsp; He let out a small smile as he sees how messy of an eater Katja is.&nbsp; Ignius had been raised strictly to be very proper, and it was very hard to not use proper etiquette.&nbsp; "How is the food?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>25-09-2010, 21:24:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				While she hadn't been raised to attend royal banquets, Katja surely hadn't been brought up to eat like some ravenous beast, either.&nbsp; At the moment, she could care less; it had been far too long since her last hot meal.&nbsp; After a few bites, she slowed down a bit so she could actually taste the food before swallowing.&nbsp; The meat was tender, and the herbs were such a delicious blend.&nbsp; Flecks of sauce appeared at&nbsp; the corners of her mouth as she ate, not even looking up at Ignius when he commented on the horses her people bred.&nbsp; She seemed to forget anyone else was there until he asked her how she liked the dish.<br><br>She set her fork down, her cheeks burning red with embarrassment.&nbsp; She swallowed the bit of potato she had been chewing, and dabbed at her face with her napkin.&nbsp; "Please forgive my lack of manners," she said softly, anxiously twisting her cloth napkin in her hands.&nbsp; "It has been a while since I've eaten food of this quality..."&nbsp; She neglected to add that she hadn't been given very much to eat at all during her journey south; she didn't want him to think she was seeking his pity.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>25-09-2010, 23:51:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She was worried about being proper in front of him.&nbsp; There were many women who tried to impress him, mostly the daughter's of nobles in his court.&nbsp; They want the power that is associated with marrying him.&nbsp; Katja didn't seem like that was what she wanted, and it was refreshing.&nbsp; He let a small smile form across his lips.&nbsp; "Don't worry about it.&nbsp; You've had a long trip."<br><br>He finishes up his slice of venison and then wipes off the small amount of juice that had gathered on the edge of his lips.&nbsp; "How is the food?" He did pick a meal that would remind her of home.&nbsp; It was obvious how scared and nervous she still was.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>26-09-2010, 15:30:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja's blush remained, even as Ignius assured her that he wasn't offended.&nbsp; She reached for her goblet and sniffed the contents.&nbsp; It was strange; wine wasn't exactly new to her, but it was not something that her people served often.&nbsp; Their environment wasn't suitable for a vineyard, so they had to wait for imported Benedetto wine.&nbsp; Whenever they did drink it, it was only for very special occasions, and it was served hot...mulled with spices.&nbsp; She took a cautious sip, finding it to be room-temperature, and quite fruity.&nbsp; It was a perfect selection to go with the venison; it certainly wasn't what she was used to, but she found herself enjoying this new taste.&nbsp; Smiling sheepishly, she returned to her meat, working at a much more controlled pace.<br><br>Starting to feel rather full anyway, she turned her focus from her food to the king.&nbsp; She wanted to him what he planned to do with her, but she didn't want to spoil these moments of peace.&nbsp; Maybe she could draw him to the subject without directly bringing it up...&nbsp; "It is fantastic," she answered him, her smile fading the slightest bit from thoughts of home.&nbsp; "Just like Mother's..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>06-10-2010, 00:05:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I'm sure that you helped her out in the kitchen on numerous occasions.&nbsp; What do you like to cook?"&nbsp; He still wasn't sure what he was going to do with her.&nbsp; He knew he couldn't just send her back, that would be a sign of weakness, and that was one of many things that he couldn't show.&nbsp; It was hard to be the king. He took another sip of his wine, having already had his fill.&nbsp; His back was straight as a board while he held the chalice in one hand, swirling it every few moments just to inhale the aroma.<br><br>*Maybe she can work in the kitchen if she enjoys cooking.&nbsp; Though it wouldn't be bad work for her to be a maid.&nbsp; There is quite a bit of the castle to clean, and if I station her near my chambers I can see her when I wish.&nbsp; Though I could do that anyways.*&nbsp; He ponders to himself as he waits for her response.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>06-10-2010, 01:39:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Almost forgetting her manners, Katja nearly snorted into her goblet when Ignius spoke of cooking.&nbsp; Though she did cough a little, for only a couple of seconds, she quickly composed herself once more.&nbsp; With a little bit of a laugh, she said, "Oh gods, no!&nbsp; I'm a disaster...no, a menace in kitchens.&nbsp; I don't know what it is, but I just can't seem to get it right.&nbsp; It's become something of a village joke, really...The other women used to tease and say I'm cursed."<br><br>It was true; after just a few days of cooking lessons, her mother discovered that she could burn any dish she set out to prepare.&nbsp; The girl was skilled at needlework, weaving, and spinning, but she couldn't be trusted with any kitchen work other than boiling water.&nbsp; Her parents had been rather worried about the prospects of trying to marry off such a culinary failure, as it was a wife's duty to cook for her husband.&nbsp; <br><br>Still smiling, Katja issued a soft sigh and folded her hands upon the tabletop, shaking her head.&nbsp; Her sleeves shifted without her notice, revealing the redness at her wrists.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>06-10-2010, 07:09:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He chuckles as she got a very funny look on her face when she nearly snorts.&nbsp; "Well then I'll make sure that you stay away from kitchen while you reside here." He couldn't remember the last time he had enjoyed dinner company this month.&nbsp; Then she put her hands on the table and he saw the redness once again and the smile quickly faded.<br><br>"I'm sure that we have some aloe around the castle to put on those rope burns." He snaps his fingers and one of the staff comes in.&nbsp; "Get some aloe for the lady." "Right away sir," he replies and heads out of the room as quickly as he came in.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>06-10-2010, 18:57:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				In her distress, Katja hadn't expected to smile, never mind laugh, so easily.&nbsp; It was so strange how he could get her to open up a little.&nbsp; She blushed lightly, nibbling her lower lip...that wasn't something that happened often either.&nbsp; She had grown up in a rather remote area, and been around the same people year after year, save for visitors, so she rarely experienced shame or embarrassment at home.&nbsp; It to took a lot from her fellow villagers to make her blush.&nbsp; A new male in her environment certainly threw her a little.&nbsp; <br><br>She fingered the stem of her glass, just watching him.&nbsp; Then, his face fell, and she immediately worried about whether she had said or done something wrong or inappropriate.&nbsp; Following his gaze, she saw that he had noticed the red marks where ropes had chafed her skin raw.&nbsp; If she was lucky, there wouldn't be a scar...but she felt that her luck hadn't really been the best over the last few weeks.&nbsp; She quickly adjusted her sleeves and hid her hands back in her lap.&nbsp; She met his eyes again, a little confused by what he said.&nbsp; Before could ask him about what this strange "aloe" thing was, he had summoned a servant to fetch it for her.&nbsp; She didn't want to appear ignorant or foolish, but she was curious.&nbsp; After the other man left, she asked, "What is 'aloe?'&nbsp; I've never heard of it before...is it a kind of poultice?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>11-10-2010, 01:48:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Your cheeks are the most beautiful rose color," he comments as she blushes hoping to get her to blush more.&nbsp; It was true though.&nbsp; Her pale skin looked beautiful when her cheeks went flush.&nbsp; It gave her such an innocent demeanor.&nbsp; <br><br>"Aloe is a very useful plant.&nbsp; There is a gel in the leaves that soothes burns."&nbsp; The king stands and walks around the table over towards Katja and his servant.&nbsp; He takes the jar from the servant and opens it up.&nbsp; His finger dips into the green gel and then sets down the jar.&nbsp; "Give me your wrist."&nbsp; He takes her hand and rubs the cooling green gel onto her irritated skin.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>11-10-2010, 15:24:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja had no control over the way her face changed color as Ignius spoke kindly of her; all she could do was stare at her lap and murmur a quiet, "Thank you..."&nbsp; It was incredibly strange for her to feel so awkward in her surroundings; since she had never left the Northlands before, she felt most comfortable in her frozen home.&nbsp; Everything about this place was odd and different, even the people.&nbsp; <em>Especially the people,</em> she decided, risking a glance up at the king, as she considered the way he had been treating her.&nbsp; He ran a tight ship, but he was kind to her, a newcomer.&nbsp; Only one thing in particular had upset him,&nbsp; though: when she claimed to have been married...<br><br>The girl was about to get up, but Ignius was already beside her, asking for her wrists.&nbsp; She pulled the sleeve back a little, and offered him her hand.&nbsp; The tremor was so slight, but she knew he would notice how she quivered.&nbsp; She tried to relax, but his warm hand around hers made her every nerve hum strangely.&nbsp; She watched him treat her burns, wincing at the cold against her skin; it stung at first, but she didn't pull back until he was finished.&nbsp; As she examined his work on that wrist, she gave him the other.&nbsp; <em>This came from a plant?!</em> she thought.&nbsp; She had seen pastes made from plants at home, but she had never seen the spiked, fleshy leaves of the aloe in the South, and could scarecely imagine so much liquid coming from a plant.&nbsp; She sniffed the ointment, and it definitely smelled like something that came from a plant.&nbsp; When he was finished with both hands, she looked down at them, a small smile forming on her lips.&nbsp; She had a feeling that this cool gel would be more effective than how she dealt with burns at home...going outside and sticking your hand in the snow...<br><br>"Thank you," she said, smiling up at him.&nbsp; She worked her sleeves, tucking the fabric so that they wouldn't get into the ointment.&nbsp; When she looked at him again, her smile had faded.&nbsp; "I- uh---I'm sorry about earlier...When I said that I was married.&nbsp; I thought it might encourage you to send me home.&nbsp; We both know why those men presented me without clothes, and I figured that you wouldn't care for...'sampled goods.'"<br><br>She had learned the term her first night on the road.&nbsp; The poachers were discussing their route to the capital, and one of them noticed that they wouldn't reach an inn for a few days.&nbsp; He gave their captive a significant glance as he mentioned that this meant no pretty bedwarmers for a while.&nbsp; He was tried to strike a deal with his partner on who got the girl first, offering to take turns; the other man immediately turned him down, saying that "sampled goods" aren't worth much, even when they're pretty.&nbsp; Now, in Ignius' palace, Katja was rather ashamed of using such a crude term, but she didn't know how else to put it...She even winced when she said those two words, but forced herself to look the king in the eye.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>11-10-2010, 18:07:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Aloe grows in a very arid climate, the area around Arrakis Dessert."&nbsp; He continues his explanation as he takes her other wrist and rubs the gel-like substance on it as well.&nbsp; "It doesn't rain much down there so the plants have to adapt.&nbsp; They tend to have thick shells that hold a lot of moisture in."&nbsp; <br><br>"Now does that feel better?" He doesn't let go of her wrist as he talks, just continues to hold it in his hand gently.&nbsp; She could feel the rough callouses of his hands contrasting well with his gentle grasp.&nbsp; His eyes peer into hers as she apologizes though his own eyes do not reveal what he is thinking.&nbsp; "Do not worry about your attempt to deceive me. You were fearful.&nbsp; Though I do hope I no longer come across as ominous."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>11-10-2010, 20:15:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja was a little surprised when Ignius didn't seem to want to let go of her hand; it made her a little nervous, but she didn't protest.&nbsp; His touch was gentle, and quite pleasant despite the callouses and scars.&nbsp; They weren't the soft hands of your average nobleman; they were just as rough as those of the working men of her village.&nbsp; The corner of her mouth twitched into a small smile.&nbsp; "I'm glad you didn't take it personally," she said.&nbsp; "It wasn't because I thought badly of you...I didn't really know what to think; I still don't."<br><br>She found herself unable to look away from his gaze, but...she didn't care.&nbsp; She couldn't learn anything from his emerald eyes, but that didn't stop her from trying.&nbsp; To close the gap a little, she got up from her seat, still holding his hand.&nbsp; Her smile broke into a playful grin as she said, "And I wasn't scared!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>12-10-2010, 00:16:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You weren't scared of me which is why you have trembled every time you have been in my presence," Ignius comments as Katja stands up.&nbsp; "Though you were probably fearful because I can do whatever I want with you."&nbsp; Their faces were much closer to each other now.&nbsp; "Whatever I want."&nbsp; He leans in and kisses her lips.&nbsp; His hand not holding her wrist goes behind her head.&nbsp; His fingers run through her hair as he cups the back of her head and kisses her very passionately.&nbsp; <br><br>Ignius had known his fair share of girls when he was younger.&nbsp; He was a curious youth and often spent time exploring the female bodies of other nobles.&nbsp; Those little getaways from responsibilities had ended when his father passed away and he took the throne.&nbsp; That had been 10 years ago, and he was craving companionship.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>12-10-2010, 05:02:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja placed her free hand on her hip feigning indignance as Ignius teased her.&nbsp; She was glad he was able to catch onto her kind of humor and wasn't offended by her behavior.&nbsp; This was turning into quite a fun game for her.&nbsp; She raised her eyebrows when he named the exact reason she feared him at their first meeting.&nbsp; He knew; she thought he might.&nbsp; She was about to declare him the winner of their little banter, but he repeated that reason.&nbsp; His tone changed.&nbsp; It had been playful, but now it was almost predatorial, possessive, even sensual...Then, his lips met hers.<br><br>The girl's grey eyes widened; she instinctively pulled back, but his hand was on the back of her head, his fingers winding themselves into her hair.&nbsp; She had been kissed before, but they were boys she had grown up with...half the time it had been to settle a bet.&nbsp; It never meant anything to her; so why would it feel like this with a complete stranger?&nbsp; She hesitated, but once the initial shock had worn off, she actually started kissing him back!&nbsp; Her free hand moved from her hip to rest on his shoulder.&nbsp; His mouth was warm on hers, their lips moving harmoniously, but she suddenly pushed against him.&nbsp; <em>What is wrong with me?!</em> she thought in alarm.&nbsp; <em>What am I doing?!&nbsp; He's been kind to me, but he hasn't said anything about his intentions...Is he just trying to charm me into his bed?&nbsp; I don't know him at all...but here I am, kissing him!&nbsp; What is wrong with me?!</em>&nbsp; She was frightened now.&nbsp; Afraid of him, and of the possibility that she could feel something for him...a man she barely knew.&nbsp; No.&nbsp; She couldn't just go on attraction and impulse...She had already lost her home and her family; she wasn't going to surrender her heart so easily.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>12-10-2010, 08:37:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He enjoyed the kiss while she kissed him back.&nbsp; It had been a very long time since he had wanted a kiss so badly,&nbsp; and when her hands went to his chest he though she was just getting more into it.&nbsp; He realized that she was actually pushing him away and he reluctantly let go over her.&nbsp; He sighed as he looked at her.&nbsp; "I'm sorry I should not have done that."&nbsp; <br><br>Ignius turns and starts to head off towards the door in shame.&nbsp; He couldn't believe that he had just forced himself on the poor girl.&nbsp; His strides were slow and somewhat sorrowful.&nbsp; He had thought he'd understood her reactions to him.&nbsp; The blushes, the laughs, the kiss, it all seemed like she like him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>12-10-2010, 15:02:34</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Enjoying his touch only sent her into a greater panic as she pushed against his chest, not hard, but enough to make her wishes obvious...even though she was still confused as to what they were.&nbsp; It was an even bigger shock when he let go of her.&nbsp; He didn't have to; just as he said, he could do whatever he wanted, but he let go when she asked.&nbsp; At first, she thought he might hit her and return to kissing her, but he...apologized?!&nbsp; Her heart was pounding as she stared up at him; she could tell she had hurt him.&nbsp; She hadn't meant to outright reject him, and she wanted to explain and say she was sorry, but she couldn't find the words.&nbsp; It was too late; he was gone.<br><br>Katja sank to her knees in the middle of the room, shaking a little, with tears glistening on her cheeks in the candle light.&nbsp; She raised one hand to her mouth, delicate fingers tracing along her lips.&nbsp; She sat there, dumbstruck, and stared at the floor as more tears streamed down her face.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>12-10-2010, 23:01:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The door slammed shut behind him and he doesn't hear the soft cries.&nbsp; He heads down the hall and punches the wall.&nbsp; He shakes off his hand though he doesn't really feel the pain.&nbsp; His knuckles were scraped on the wall.&nbsp; He still couldn't believe he'd read her so wrong.&nbsp; Ignius continued off towards the sparring room to let some stress out.<br><br>An hour and a dozen injured guards later he finds himself feeling only slightly better.&nbsp; The good part is that he has exhausted his body and he heads to his bedroom for some much needed rest.&nbsp; Once his clothes are changed and the maids are out of the room he lays down into his large comfortable bed.&nbsp; After some tossing and turning he is finally able to drift off to sleep.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>13-10-2010, 02:01:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The girl flinched as the door slammed, but she didn't look up.&nbsp; A maid entered the room upon hearing the loud bang.&nbsp; Her eyes fell on Katja's crumpled form, and she rushed to where she knelt.&nbsp; "Come on, Miss," she said softly.&nbsp; "Let's get you cleaned up..."&nbsp; The servant surveyed the other woman's face, surprised not to see any signs of having been hit or mistreated in any way.&nbsp; She had no idea what had transpired in that room between the Northern girl and Ignius to make her cry and the king so angry.&nbsp; Nevertheless, she helped Katja to her feet, and led her upstairs back to her room.<br><br>Katja followed the servant without a word, sniffling a bit.&nbsp; She let the maid help undress her and get her into a nightgown.&nbsp; It was white cotton, nice and light for the warm weather.&nbsp; Sitting before a mirror, she sat unmoving as the maid unbraided her hair, combing out the golden waves the plait had formed.&nbsp; She didn't even protest when the other woman started washing the streaked makeup from her face.&nbsp; She watched the servant turn down the blankets for her, and issued a soft word of thanks, though it was hollow.&nbsp; The servant started to leave, but turned and said, "If you need anything, Miss, even if it's just a sympathetic ear, go ahead and call."<br><br>Katja gave a half-hearted smile, and nodded on her way to bed.&nbsp; She found no comfort in the soft pillows and blankets.&nbsp; She wished so badly that she had went on kissing Ignius, but...she was a nobody.&nbsp; She might have looked like a lady, but how could she expect to have any kind of meaningful relationship with the king of such a vast empire?&nbsp; He would flirt and play around with her, but when he got tired of her or his advisors pressured him to marry, she would be tossed aside.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>17-10-2010, 20:58:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius woke up early the next morning before the sun even started to rise.&nbsp; He quickly got dressed in his riding clothes and headed out to the stable.&nbsp; One of his stewards ran up to him as he saddled his fastest horse.&nbsp; "Sire! Sire! Where are you going?&nbsp; You have too much to do today to go out riding!"&nbsp; The steward was obviously frazzled by the kings sudden change of mood.&nbsp; He knew something had upset his majesty but did not know what to do with it.<br><br>"I will return when I am done with what I need to do.&nbsp; Have Katja start working with the women in laundry while I'm gone."&nbsp; Ignius throws his leg over the saddle and hooks his feet into the stirrups and rides out of the main gates of the castle and through the city.&nbsp; The horses hoofs clop against the stone roads as it carries the king out of the city.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>18-10-2010, 14:44:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				No one really knew what to do with the strange girl sleeping in&nbsp; the king's guest quarters...and she didn't know what to do with herself.&nbsp; Katja had been accustomed to waking up early, for at home, they took advantage of every minute of daylight.&nbsp; She was awake around the same time Ignius was, but she stayed in bed, snuggled warm in her blankets.&nbsp; The events of the night before still troubled her, and she had a feeling the king hadn't forgotten it either.&nbsp; Part of her wanted to talk to him, to explain herself, but another small part never wanted to see him again, for fear of being tempted a second time.&nbsp; &nbsp;It had hurt to see him so angry, but what was she supposed to do?&nbsp; Let him play with her for a little while, and then watch him move on to start a family?&nbsp; Besides, she didn't know him at all...<br><br>Her thoughts were interrupted by a servant entering her room.&nbsp; The woman didn't knock, she just bustled in, carrying a different sort of outfit.&nbsp; The maid looked up at Katja and said, "M'Lord says you're to report to laundry.&nbsp; Get dressed, and I'll see about getting you some breakfast."<br><br>No one was there to dress her this time.&nbsp; The girl rolled out of bed and removed her shift, staring down at the dress that had been laid out for her.&nbsp; It wasn't new; there were some stains, and the colors were faded.&nbsp; It must have been a deep navy blue, but now it was a dark grey.&nbsp; There weren't any special undergarments either, just a simple band to wind over her breasts to keep them in check.&nbsp; Once that was in order, she donned the stained white blouse; the sleeves went only to her elbows, and she suspected it was specifically for the washerwomen's benefit so they didn't have to keep rolling the sleeves up.&nbsp; The dress was sleeveless, and went on over the blouse.&nbsp; It was a little too long for her, but she wouldn't trip if she was careful.&nbsp; Next, a pair of worn leather slippers, which were mercifully in her size.&nbsp; Before putting on the provided scarf, she sat and brushed the tangles out of her hair.&nbsp; The scarf was newer, having retained most of its navy blue color, and looked quite nice on her head, keeping her blond locks out of the way.&nbsp; The servant returned just as she was finishing up; that was when she noticed that her manner of dress matched that of the maid.&nbsp; The woman had returned with a plate of warm bread, cheese, and grapes.&nbsp; "Eat up, and I'll show you to the washroom."<br><br>Katja wasted no time with breakfast, but she didn't gobble it all down either, and followed the servant from the room.&nbsp; <em>Laundry?</em> she thought as they walked.&nbsp; <em>Is this because of last night?</em>&nbsp; When they arrived, her jaw dropped.&nbsp; How could he expect her to do this kind of work?!&nbsp; She saw the other women working there, and their hard muscled arms made her feel very small and delicate.&nbsp; She wasn't a weakling, but she knew she couldn't carry those heavy loads, or scrub so hard all day long...A woman who appeared to be supervising came over to them, and the servant who had fetched her left for her own work.&nbsp; "Let's see here," the older woman mused.&nbsp; She looked like she had been in laundry for a long time, and though she wasn't as strong anymore, she could still spot any substandard work and bellow for it to be remedied.&nbsp; She walked around Katja, looking her over.&nbsp; She gave an aggravated sigh.&nbsp; "What's in his head, sending someone like you to me?&nbsp; Let me see your hands."&nbsp; Obediently, the girl offered her pale, dainty hands.&nbsp; "Gods...What did you do to make him so angry?&nbsp; Never mind...I wouldn't dream of destroying hands like that.&nbsp; Go over there with Tess and do some mending."<br><br>"Thank you," Katja replied, scurrying over to the woman the supervisor had indicated.&nbsp; It was hot in the washroom, filled with steam and sweat.&nbsp; As she worked, she frequently had to mop her forehead.&nbsp; From time to time, the old woman came to inspect her work, whistling at the tiny, perfect stitches.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>19-10-2010, 16:39:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius rides off towards the north.&nbsp; It had taken the convoy carrying Katja three weeks to come from the northern border, but they took a zigzagging route in order to stop at more towns along the way. Ignius' path was much more straight forward, and on his fast steed he arrived at the northern border around high noon on the fourth day from his departure.&nbsp; He dismounted and walked his horse through the light snow.&nbsp; The cold wind cut at his face with little shards of ice whenever it picked up, but he continue to move bundled up now in a heavier coat than he'd left with.&nbsp; He'd purchased it during a stop he made to water his horse.<br><br>The castle was in a panic at his departure.&nbsp; Nobody seemed to know where he went. Rumors were running wild that he'd gotten waylaid by bandits or lost in the woods.&nbsp; They'd sent out a number of search parties, but nothing ever came back.&nbsp; There were many people who were crying because of his absence.<br><br>Ignius finally made it to the small town where Katja had come from.&nbsp; He walks through the center of town, leading his horse as he shows no fear.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>19-10-2010, 19:27:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Having been gone for the better part of a month, Katja's hometown pronounced her dead...or stolen, which was basically the same to them.&nbsp; They searched the woods with their shaggy hounds for days without finding a single trace of her.&nbsp; Her parents were still mourning the loss of their only child by the time Ignius arrived in their village.&nbsp; No one greeted him, his hair color and skin tone revealing him as a foreigner.&nbsp; The wariness of strangers always heightened whenever one of their own was taken.&nbsp; They gazed at him from their hovel doorways with resentment, almost daring him to try and approach.&nbsp; They didn't know who he was; it never occured to them that one of the Pallius line, a descendent of the man who had created the treaty of the borderlands, would come to them...never mind showing up without guards.&nbsp; The villagers regarded him with suspicion, for they rarely had visitors outside of the market seasons.&nbsp; One man in particular felt his blood boil at the sight of a southerner, his hand straying toward a bow slung on his back.&nbsp; His wife lost control, bursting into tears and disappearing into their house.&nbsp; They were Katja's parents.<br>__________________________________________<br><br>Meanwhile, in the capital of Benedetto, Katja had been moved to the servants' quarters.&nbsp; She still had her own room, but it was much smaller.&nbsp; The only things she possessed were three sets of her laundry uniform, and they weren't even hers...They were spares belonging to the crown.&nbsp; She owned nothing, for no one was certain whether she was a servant to be paid, or a slave for unpaid labor.&nbsp; The laundry supervisor explained to her that she would set aside wages for her just in case.&nbsp; When His Majesty returned, all would be clarified; she could be paid and given days off, or things would stay the same.&nbsp; Until then, she would work according to the instructions the king had left.&nbsp; <br><br>Though she never asked, the girl listened for news of Ignius.&nbsp; No one knew where he had gone or why, but she felt as if it would be her fault should something happen to him.&nbsp; She wondered how long they would wait for him to return.&nbsp; Where she was from, they would search for only about a week, for not many could survive much longer than that in their harsh, wintery environment.&nbsp; And what if he never came back?&nbsp; She heard talk about how he didn't have any children, no blood heir.&nbsp; There would be civil war if the nobility quarreled over who was fit to succeed the Pallius line.&nbsp; Where would that leave her?&nbsp; Would she be able to escape the turmoil?&nbsp; Or would she be caught up in it all, and simply be passed down to whomever took over?&nbsp; With each day the king remained missing, Katja's mending gradually lost its precision.&nbsp; She was sick with worry she couldn't explain, and it made her hands shake.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>20-10-2010, 07:23:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius could instantly see the resemblance between the crying woman and Katja even though the woman had more than a dozen winters on her daughter.&nbsp; He couldn't let that distract him now though.&nbsp; He walked to the very center of town and boldly announced, "I, Ignius son of Ignius, call for Kal'Vak!"&nbsp; Kal'Vak was an ancient tradition of the northern tribes in order to minimize war between them.&nbsp; The warriors of a tribe would come into town and fight any male in the village who accepted the challenge in unarmed combat.&nbsp; It would go on until the challengers had been defeated or there were no more men to take the challenge.&nbsp; It was a very risky move because the victor lay claim to something of the losers tribe.&nbsp; There was a lot of strategy involved.&nbsp; Does the tribe send its strongest in first or does it wait till the other side has weakened and use that as an advantage.<br><br>It was insane to do it alone.&nbsp; No one, even in legend had ever succeeded, but there were many stories of those who tried and failed.&nbsp; Fedor, one of the tribes best hunters, and one of Katja's suitors steps forward first.&nbsp; "I, Fedor son of Kolya, accept your challenge."&nbsp; He walked to the center of town as all eyes fell upon them.&nbsp; Many rushed out to see what was going on, and a crowd soon circled around them.&nbsp; The tribe was not the strongest in the land, but it was far from the smallest and weakest.<br><br>It was to Ignius' advantage that no one knew who he was.&nbsp; Even declaring his name was meaningless to the tribe because the name they knew was Pallius.&nbsp; Ignius pulled off his jacket and shirt, exposing himself to the elements as was part of the tradition.&nbsp; It revealed him as a warrior who had seen many battles, but that did not intimidate Fedor in the least.&nbsp; He came in with surprising speed and agility for someone so large.&nbsp; Ignius deflected the first swing by Fedor and got a quick shot into his gut.&nbsp; The two men exchanged blows for a few minutes until Fedor lost his footing and left a wide opening.&nbsp; Ignius' foot spun around him and nailed Fedor in the jaw, downing him onto the ground.<br><br>This was not the last fight though, and more able bodied men accepted the challenge.&nbsp; The fights went on for hours.&nbsp; Ignius' left eye was swollen shut completely, there were bruises forming all over his body, and he had a few cracked ribs, but he continued to fight.&nbsp; He took down all that stood before him, and then Katja's father finally entered the arena.&nbsp; "I, Volya son of Anastas, accept your challenge."<br><br>Ignius knew that it was Katja's father.&nbsp; He had the same fiery passion burning in his eyes, that Katja did.&nbsp; He knew that even if he hadn't been injured and exhausted this would be a challenge.&nbsp; Ignius took his hands off his knees from catching his breath and stood up, holding his arms up to defend himself.&nbsp; Volya wasn't as strong as he had been in his younger days, but he had a reason to fight.&nbsp; It might not have been this foreigner in front of him, but one of them stole his daughter from him and he couldn't forgive that.<br><br>The two fought as the sun set.&nbsp; Due to his swollen eye, Ignius' punches rarely seemed to land.&nbsp; He knew he'd have to do something.&nbsp; He left an opening and Volya kicked him in his flank.&nbsp; Ignius brought his arm down around Volya's leg and grabbed hold of him.&nbsp; He used his extra weight and threw the two of them back onto the ground so that his body crushed Volya's.&nbsp; Ignius rolled off of him and everyone looked on in wonder of what would happen.&nbsp; Volya started to rise first slowly, then Ignius started to stand.&nbsp; Ignius got to his feet as Volya fell back onto his back in defeat.<br><br>No one else was able to fight him, and the town watched him to see what he would claim.&nbsp; Their lives now rested on his shoulders.&nbsp; He could take anything, their food, their weapons, even the few livestock they cared for.&nbsp; Ignius looked at them all.&nbsp; "I, Ignius Pallius the Third, King of Benedetto, claim Katja."&nbsp; He whistled for his horse to come to him and with his last ounce of strength he pulls himself onto the horse and points it south.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>20-10-2010, 19:18:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It had been decades since anyone had called for the right of Kal'Vak in that village, but the tradition had passed through the generations.&nbsp; There was a brief dead silence, until Fedor, one of Katja's childhood friends who risked ending that friendship by pursuing her hand in marriage, came forward to fight the stranger.&nbsp; Volya watched as man after man failed to defeat the southerner.&nbsp; This man just wouldn't go down, and he couldn't help but admire the display of strength and resilience.&nbsp; Finally, when there seemed to be no more hot-blooded youths who still bore the old grudge, he stepped forward.&nbsp; The stranger was looking worse for wear, but he couldn't pass up this chance to take a couple of swings at a southern foreigner.&nbsp; It was one hell of a fight, the most exhilaration he had felt in years.&nbsp; However, as he fell at the stranger's hands, he secretly wished this man was of their tribe.&nbsp; He would have gladly given Katja to him as a wife; he could have protected her, maybe even prevented her abduction.&nbsp; Volya sat up in the snow, staring at Ignius with Katja's grey, calculating eyes, which widened when the southern warrior stated his claim.&nbsp; Katja was alive!&nbsp; Tears streamed down his face and into his yellow beard.&nbsp; She was alive, and in the hands of this man, the king of Benedetto.&nbsp; Though no laws of his own people obligated him to do so, he, a king, had traveled far and observed obscure tribal traditions that so few knew about!&nbsp; He could have simply kept Katja, but he came all this way to fight for her...&nbsp; Volya scrambled to his feet, and took a few steps toward Ignius and his mount.&nbsp; "Please," he said, "Tell my daughter that you have our blessing, mine and her tribe's..."&nbsp; With that, he returned to his house to reassure his wife that their child was in good hands.<br>_______________________________<br><br>When she had first heard about the King's disappearance, Katja had begun a new nightly routine.&nbsp; After everyone had gone to bed, she would creep out of her room to explore the palace.&nbsp; If Ignius never returned, and there was war as everyone predicted, she wanted to know where she could hide, and maybe even find a way out.&nbsp; She used her daily paths from her room to the kitchens and laundry as a basis for the expeditions, trying one new corridor at a time.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>20-10-2010, 19:36:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It took him nearly twice as long to get back as it did to head north.&nbsp; Many feared his death even though no body was found, but as Katja repaired one of the guards uniforms there was a commotion in the great hall.&nbsp; One of the maids came rushing into the wash room.&nbsp; "The king has returned.&nbsp; He is injured."&nbsp; Ignius had road straight into the grand hall of the castle and dismounted near his throne which he sat down in.&nbsp; "Next!" He called out as though nothing had happened.<br><br>One of his stewards came up to him.&nbsp; "Sire, you are injured.&nbsp; You need medical attention."<br><br>"I am fine and behind on my duties.&nbsp; What is on the agenda?"<br><br>"Let me go grab the list sire."&nbsp; The steward rushes off towards the hall Katja was coming from.&nbsp; "You there fetch a bucket and wash cloth and clean the King's injuries."&nbsp; He rushed off to get the doctor who was working on some of the stablemen because one of the horses threw a hoof and went on a small rampage earlier in the day.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>21-10-2010, 00:51:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Word had not been sent to the fiefs of their king's disappearance, for fear of prematurely triggering conflict.&nbsp; However, people were starting to catch on to what was going on.&nbsp; Rumors leaked through the wagging tongues of gossiping servants, though they had been specifically ordered not to breathe a word to anyone outside of the palace.&nbsp; Everyone was getting itchy with each passing day.&nbsp; Katja's nightly wanderings were starting to really take their toll, for each night, she went a little farther, meaning she stayed up a bit later.&nbsp; Her head was drooping sleepily as she was sewing new buttons onto a guardsman's uniform.&nbsp; She was on the last one, and she was so out of sorts, she was sewing the button onto the wrong side of the cloth!&nbsp; Then, a flustered maid burst into the wash room, proclaiming the news of the king's return.&nbsp; Katja bolted upright, her grey eyes wide.&nbsp; She glanced at the supervisor, who nodded her permission, before dropping her work, hiking up her skirts, and running for all she was worth toward the throne room.&nbsp; By this time, she had opened up to the other laundry women about what had happened between her and Ignius, so the woman in charge felt it was only right to let the girl go to him the instant he turned up.<br><br>As she rushed through the halls, she was stopped by one the king's steward.&nbsp; She was especially anxious to go to Ignius, but it was not her place to refuse this man's orders.&nbsp; She raced back to the washroom and collected all she needed, hurrying back toward the throne room, careful not to spill any of the warm water.&nbsp; She finally reached her destination, panting heavily, as she knelt at Ignius's feet.&nbsp; She didn't look up at his face, but she saw the strong hands that gripped the arms of the throne.&nbsp; The knuckles were bloody, and his hands were chapped raw.&nbsp; She soaked the rag and wrung it out before timidly reaching for his right hand.&nbsp; Keeping her eyes downcast, she asked softly, "Your Highness...May I?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>21-10-2010, 17:16:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				His other eye had nearly swollen shut and he could barely see out of it.&nbsp; He saw a form beneath him asking him a question.&nbsp; By the colors of the uniform she was wearing it was probably one of the servants.&nbsp; He just nodded his head and let her do her thing as he waited for the return of the steward.&nbsp; <br><br>His clothes had not been washed since he left, and they told the tale of the journey he'd been on.&nbsp; On his pant leg there was some barbed seeds that grew to the north.&nbsp; His boots were caked in mud and a green moss.&nbsp; Part of his white tunic was stained red not with blood, but berries.&nbsp; They were a poisonous kind that only grew very far to the north and were easily recognizable by Katja.&nbsp; It didn't look like he'd eaten them, they just appeared smeared across his belly as if he'd laid down on them.<br><br>The steward came back with one of the Vassals who'd arrived earlier in the day.&nbsp; "Sir Ezio, my lord."&nbsp; The steward then bows and steps away.&nbsp; <br><br>"Sire you are looking worse for wear.&nbsp; May I inquire as to what happened?" <br><br>"No.&nbsp; Proceed with the business on hand."<br><br>"Of course your highness.&nbsp; I wish to change the crops grown on my land from wheat to soybeans."<br><br>"And of my troops?"<br><br>"Sir Vincent will change his crops from soybeans to wheat."<br><br>The conversation continues in this way for about 20 minutes as the king makes sure that his troops are fed, the two fiefs have the seeds to produce the change of harvests, and that Sir Vincent was aware of the situation.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>21-10-2010, 19:33:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The only acknowledgement Katja received was a nod and a hand extended for her to wash.&nbsp; Though the scrapes were old, she could tell he had been fighting...but who?&nbsp; She cleaned his swollen knuckles, and as she reached for his other hand, she noticed something odd about his pant leg.&nbsp; Something was stuck to it.&nbsp; She heard voices behind her, but she ignored them while she examined what had latched onto him during his travels.&nbsp; She recognized the seed, having collected them on more than one occasion for the village shaman.&nbsp; As far as she knew, the plant that produced these seeds only grew in the northlands, which was why they were on high demand among southern merchants during the market season.&nbsp; They brought them home and sold them to apothecaries.&nbsp; Her eyes wandered farther up his weary form, resting on the red stains.&nbsp; There was no tear in his clothing, so it was not blood from a wounded torso...it could only be berry juice.&nbsp; For a moment, she panicked, but she remembered that if he had eaten the berries, he wouldn't have made it home alive.&nbsp; <br><br>She rinsed her rag after finishing his left hand.&nbsp; The steward had instructed her to wash Ignius's injuries, but...only his face and hands were exposed for her to do so.&nbsp; Surely he didn't expect her to wash any wounds that might lay beneath his clothes...at least, not in such a public place, in front of one of his subjects.&nbsp; His hands were finished, so, all that was left until she was given further instructions, his face was the only thing left for her to clean.&nbsp; She waited until he and Sir Ezio were finished talking before she got to her feet, biting her lower lip.&nbsp; She met his eyes as she raised her cloth to wipe the dirt from his forehead.&nbsp; "I know where you were," she murmured, so softly that only he could hear her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>22-10-2010, 19:42:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He held up one hand to silence the court. His less swollen eye looked over the people as his steward brought in the next order of business, but stopped shy because of the motion. "I need to change out of my riding clothes. Court will be recessed for one hour." He stands up.&nbsp; Even injured he had a powerful presence.&nbsp; He showed no weakness, no sign that the injuries were bothering him. He was probably even more dangerous right now than normal. He strode without a limp even though he probably should have and motioned Katja to follow him. <br><br>He lead her from the throne room and to the stairs. When they get out of sight of the masses he slows down. He takes the stair one step at a time, bringing his left foot up to his right before continuing up. He does not say a word as they walk and they reach his chamber. It was a large room, fit for a king. He made his way over to his bed and sat down. "Help me with my boots." 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>22-10-2010, 22:23:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He smelled of pine; she was close enough to tell that underneath the smell of sweat and old blood, was the scent of pine.&nbsp; There was no mistaking where he had gone for almost a fortnight.&nbsp; The remnants Ignius brought of her homeland reignited her spark.&nbsp; She couldn't be sure if he had found her village or not, but she hoped to find out.&nbsp; Katja was full to bursting with questions, but she remained silent as she obediently followed him out of the throne room.&nbsp; <br><br>She noticed the way he carried himself, almost as if he were in perfect health...until they were in an empty hall, and out of the courtiers' sight.&nbsp; Then, he started favoring is left leg on the stairs.&nbsp; She could have easily overtaken him at this pace, but she stayed just behind him, bucket in one hand and rag in the other.&nbsp; She hadn't gotten this far in her nightly explorations, so she needed him to lead the way to his rooms.&nbsp; They finally stopped, and when they went inside, she had to pause and stare.&nbsp; It was even more magnificent than the rooms he had given her on the first night she spent in the palace...She expected it to be so, since he was King, after all...but she could scarcely imagine anything grander than that suite.&nbsp; She only gaped for a few moments before returning her attention to Ignius.&nbsp; She approached the bed, but she did not bend down to assist him with his boots.&nbsp; Her eyes narrowed, and her arms crossed over her chest as she said, "Not until you tell me why you went to the Northlands..."&nbsp; She wanted to ask why he didn't take her with him, but she didn't even know exactly where he was in the northern territory...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>23-10-2010, 02:10:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He took off the leather vest he had on, tossing it to the floor as she walked over to him.&nbsp; She denied his order taking off his boots, but that didn't stop him from continuing to take his clothes off.&nbsp; He opened up his tunic and then pulled it off of his body, tossing it over onto the floor.&nbsp; She could see his muscular body was covered with little cuts and bruises.&nbsp; There were also a number of scars that had been there for a long time.&nbsp; "Personal business," was his response to her demand.<br><br>He leans over and starts to unlace his boots.&nbsp; He sighs as he pulls the first one off.&nbsp; He hadn't realized quite how sore he was until he'd sat down on his bed.&nbsp; He laid back a little.&nbsp; "Now get my other boot off please."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>23-10-2010, 02:42:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja didn't move as Ignius removed his clothes on his own.&nbsp; She stood there, frowning at him.&nbsp; She eyed his bare chest, seeing new injuries among old scars.&nbsp; She bit her lip, scanning over the wounds and wondering where they came from.&nbsp; He was definitely attacked, but there was no telling who or what.&nbsp; She could see that he was strong, and that physical strength and resilience kept him going.&nbsp; An ordinary man would not have made it home after such a trying journey.&nbsp; She gripped her upper arms tightly, her nails digging into her flesh, when she heard his answer.&nbsp; She watched him shift, her eyes gleaming angrily, and she didn't even glance at his other boot that he offered her.<br><br>"Tell me," she cried, tears of frustration welling up in her eyes.&nbsp; "Why did you go north?&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; Where did you go?&nbsp; What was so important that you risked civil war?&nbsp; They almost stopped looking for you!"&nbsp; Other questions formed in her head, but she was too proud to voice them.&nbsp; <em>Why did you leave me behind?&nbsp; Why did you leave me alone?</em>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>23-10-2010, 08:22:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He sighed once again a little irate now that she wasn't doing anything he ordered. He leaned down and removed his other boot and the lifted his legs up onto the bed and laid down.&nbsp; His head fell back onto the pillow and he closed his eyes for a brief moment, relaxing a bit.&nbsp; "There was no risk of civil war.&nbsp; It would only have been a risk if there was a chance I wouldn't come back.&nbsp; There was no chance therefore no risk of civil war."&nbsp; He kept his eyes closed as he talked.&nbsp; It was good to lay down in his bed once again.<br><br>"Now I told you before that I was out on personal business."&nbsp; He was obviously drifting off to sleep there.&nbsp; His muscular chest lifted and fell whenever he breathed.&nbsp; "You have your father's eyes," is all he gets out before he pasts out from exhaustion.&nbsp; The trip had taken a much longer toll on him than even he admitted even to himself.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>23-10-2010, 15:42:56</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When she saw how much it pained Ignius to bend like that, how much effort he had to put into such a simple task, Katja felt rather guilty about her stubbornness...But if he was willing to suffer that much to avoid a reasonable question, it was his own fault...Wasn't it?&nbsp; He was weary, so she let him talk without interruption hoping he would get to answering her before he finally dropped.&nbsp; With every word, she shook her head at him, thinking to herself, <em>Men...They think they're gods, don't they.</em>&nbsp; She wasn't very pleased when he stuck to his original answer: "personal business," but she realized that was all she was going to get until he woke up again...Or perhaps not.&nbsp; She gasped sharply at the mention of her father; he had gone to her former home, and seen her parents.&nbsp; <br><br>Part of her burned to ask him what he was doing there, but most of her seethed with rage.&nbsp; If he was going there, why didn't he take her with him?&nbsp; She could have gone home...Things could have gone back to normal.&nbsp; What was this "personal business?"&nbsp; She sank to her knees at the bedside, pounding a fist on the mattress before resting her head on top of her arms, sobbing, "WHY?!&nbsp; Why are you doing this to me, you bastard?!&nbsp; Why?"<br><br>The doctor arrived, accompanied by a guardsman, who imediately seized Katja when she didn't move.&nbsp; He dragged her from the bedside, and she protested, insisting on staying with Ignius.&nbsp; The physician had heard about what happened between the girl and their king, and said that she could stay, as long as she was quiet and let him work.&nbsp; She nodded, wiping tears from her eyes, and made her way to a chair on the other side of the bed.&nbsp; She sat there, teary eyes fixed on the king's face.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>23-10-2010, 18:59:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The physician talked to the king even though he knew he wouldn't get a response.&nbsp; "Got yourself injured again."&nbsp; He picked up Ignius' hands and bandaged them around the knuckles.&nbsp; "What were you doing fist fighting?"&nbsp; He then cleaned the wounds around his chest and sighed.&nbsp; "Multiple fights?&nbsp; You know that if you need to deal with people send your troops."&nbsp; He wrapped bandages around Ignius' torso to help pad the cracked ribs.<br><br>After had finished cleaning and bandaging the king's visible wounds, the doctor went for his pants.&nbsp; He undid the button holding the waistband together.&nbsp; The pants were pulled down slowly revealing all of Ignius to Katja.&nbsp; His right leg was badly bruised, and there was a cut along it that he had obviously bandaged himself earlier.&nbsp; The doctor threw a cloth over the king's member before he removed the impromptu bandage.&nbsp; He then cleaned the wound and put a new bandage on it.&nbsp; <br><br>He pulled a sheet over the king and stood up.&nbsp; "I'll have the cook send up some food and drink for him when he wakes up."&nbsp; He walks out the door with the guard who remains just outside.&nbsp; The sounds of the physician's footsteps echo through the stone halls as he leaves.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>23-10-2010, 21:44:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja watched quietly as the physician tended to Ignius.&nbsp; She listened to the man's soft words, for they told her much.&nbsp; <em>Injured again?</em> she thought.&nbsp; These spontaneous adventures were clearly not unheard of.&nbsp; He wasn't a man who could be content to just sit in his palace all of his days.&nbsp; As more wounds were examined, she wondered who could have done this?&nbsp; Fist fighting?&nbsp; Why hadn't he defended himself with his sword?&nbsp; She didn't understand what had happened or what he had been doing in the north.&nbsp; <br><br>She glanced over at what the physician was doing, only to quickly look away as Ignius's pants were removed.&nbsp; She only turned back around when she heard sheets shifting, signalling that the king's...parts...were covered.&nbsp; She wanted to ask the doctor what he thought happened, but she wouldn't risk getting thrown out again.&nbsp; If she left Ignius now, there was no telling when she would be allowed to speak freely with him again.&nbsp; She folded her hands in her lap, watching the king's face, only looking up when the doctor was about to leave.&nbsp; She gave him a weak smile and nodded, communicating that she understood.&nbsp; All that was left now was to wait for Ignius to wake up. <br><br>A couple of hours passed, and Katja was fast asleep, her head lolling back over the chair.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>24-10-2010, 00:09:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sometime after the physician left and before Katja fell asleep, a tray of food was brought in and set down on the nightstand.&nbsp; The servant who brought it up was not one that Katja could recognize.&nbsp; There were a lot of people who worked in the castle, and even in the two weeks she'd been here, Katja had barely scratched the surface of what was held.&nbsp; <br><br>Ignius woke up to find a tray of food on his nightstand, and Katja fast asleep in the chair next to the bed.&nbsp; He slowly sat up so as not to make a noise and took a roll and the goblet of water off of the table.&nbsp; He slowly ate and drank, picking at the food on the tray until he was satiated.&nbsp; He looked over at Katja once again as she slept.&nbsp; She did look very cute and innocent, he had to give her that.&nbsp; He knew that it was time to talk to her though so he set the goblet down on the table loudly enough to wake her up.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>24-10-2010, 17:00:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja dreamed of happier times, hiking through the woods with Fedor.&nbsp; <br><br><em>They talked and laughed together as they stomped through the snow.&nbsp; She paused for a moment to fix a lace on her furred boot, insisting the Fedor not wait for her.&nbsp; When she was finished, she raced up to catch him, pouncing with a cry.&nbsp; Fedor toppled forward with a yell.&nbsp; His strong form heaved upward, and she was dumped into the snow next to him before he flopped back down again.&nbsp; They lay on the forest floor, breathing hard, Katja giggling mischievously.&nbsp; Fedor propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at her, smiling and shaking his head a little.&nbsp; The girl stretched out with a sigh; Fedor was still watching her with an odd look in his eye.&nbsp; Still laughing, she asked him, "What's the matter?"&nbsp; <br><br>"Nothing," he replied, trying to smile again.&nbsp; <br><br>She softly retorted, "Liar..."&nbsp; <br><br>Fedor snorted and sat up, gazing down at her.&nbsp; He composed himself once more, and said softly, "Katja...I-- I'm going to ask your father for permission to marry you..."<br><br>Her eyes widened with shock; she didn't understand.&nbsp; They were friends...She didn't feel like she could think of him as anything else.&nbsp; She bit her lip, sitting up, but before she could speak...She was woken by a small thump.</em><br><br>Katja jolted upright in her seat, searching for the source of the noise.&nbsp; Her grey eyes fell on a bandaged hand wrapped around the stem of a goblet.&nbsp; She followed the extended arm to the body attached to it, and finally the man's face.&nbsp; Ignius was awake..."Have you been awake long?" she asked, frowning.&nbsp; "You could have woken me up if I've kept you waiting..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>25-10-2010, 02:37:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He pulled his hand back from the goblet as he watched her wake up and lay his hands over his lap.&nbsp; "No I was just having something to eat.&nbsp; It had been a while since I last ate a good meal."&nbsp; He started to unwrap the bandage on his left hand even though the physician probably wouldn't allow him if he knew.<br><br>"How long have I been out?" Ignius turns in the bed so that his legs dangle over the edge.&nbsp; He steps down with the sheet wrapped around his waist and walked over to the armoire.&nbsp; He pulled open the door and pulled out some pants which he pulled on under the sheet before tossing it back over onto the bed.&nbsp; <br><br>Ignius grabbed a tunic off the hangar and pulled it over his body before he walked back over towards Katja.&nbsp; He sat down on the edge of the bed and watched her for a moment.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>25-10-2010, 05:01:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja stretched, her back arching as she raised her arms with a yawn.&nbsp; Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that he had undone one of his bandages.&nbsp; Frowning, she opened her mouth to insist that he let her tie it back on, but he cut her off.&nbsp; She wasn't really sure how to answer his question, because she wasn't sure how long she had been sleeping.&nbsp; So, she glanced out the window, and seeing that it was still daylight, she said, "No more than a few hours...unless of course we slept through the night and into late afternoon, but I highly doubt that.&nbsp; You really shouldn't be up..."<br><br>Her voice trailed off as he made his way across the floor without stumbling.&nbsp; She folded her arms, just watching him.&nbsp; His injuries didn't seem to be fresh, so maybe he just needed a bit of rest and simple medical attention.&nbsp; His journey had stinted his recovery, but he was strong.&nbsp; He dressed himself without showing signs of stiffness or pain, but he still looked tired as he came back to the bed.&nbsp; Once he was settled, her eyes met his, and all was quiet for a few moments.&nbsp; Finally, she gathered her nerve and asked, "What happened to you?&nbsp; Why did you go to my people?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>29-10-2010, 05:12:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He pulled open the drawer next to his bed open and pulled out a pair of socks.&nbsp; His left leg went up over his knee and he didn't even wince even though he should have from the wounds he'd received.&nbsp; He listens to to her describe her thoughts of the time as he pulls on one sock.&nbsp; He then switches to the other, all the while keeping his eyes locked on hers. <br><br>He reached down to get his boots as she asked him what had happened.&nbsp; He remained silent as he put his boots on and stood up.&nbsp; There was a slight shake as he became erect, but it lasted barely a moment and he began to walk towards the door.&nbsp; He stopped for a second and grabbed the crown and put it on his head before opening the door.&nbsp; He stepped through and started to pull it closed behind him.&nbsp; "Kal'vak," is all he says before the door slams shut behind him, leaving Katja alone in the king's room.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>29-10-2010, 19:10:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Unwilling to end the silence, Katja just watched Ignius continue dressing himself.&nbsp; She wouldn't be the one to break the eye contact either.&nbsp; She had regressed back to games of pride and resentment.&nbsp; She wanted him to know that she wouldn't drop this until she got answers.&nbsp; Why had he gone there?&nbsp; And why wouldn't he tell her what he had been doing?&nbsp; He had gone to her home and seen her family; didn't she have a right to know?<br><br>She didn't move an inch as he put his boots on, growing more annoyed with each moment he denied her an answer.&nbsp; Still seated, she watched him move toward the door.&nbsp; One word sent her out of her chair, hiking up her skirts, and rushing after him.&nbsp; <em>Kal'vak</em>.&nbsp; It wasn't difficult to catch up with the king.&nbsp; "You're lying," she accused with a growl.&nbsp; "You went alone; you couldn't have survived Kal'vak.&nbsp; What business would you have to be calling upon such a tradition?&nbsp; What could you possibly want to ask of them?!"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>30-10-2010, 18:33:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He counted the three steps he took before he heard the door swing back open.&nbsp; He had barely made another three before Katja had yelled his ears off.&nbsp; A smile crept across his face.&nbsp; "I told you that I knew I'd come back.&nbsp; I wouldn't lose in a simple fist fight."&nbsp; He continued his steady pace down the cold hallway.&nbsp; "And as I said it was personal business.&nbsp; Why are you so interested in it anyways?"&nbsp; <br><br>He begins his decent down the flight of stairs towards his throne room.&nbsp; His soft leather boots barely making a sound as he made his way down.&nbsp; His steward came up to him.&nbsp; "Sire you really must wear nicer clothes if you are to go in front of the nobles."<br><br>"I'm the King.&nbsp; I should be able to wear what I wish, and tell them I'll be there in an hours time.&nbsp; I need to stretch first."<br><br>He takes a turn away from the path that led back to the throne room and he went down a side hall lined with tapestries and torches.&nbsp; The steward left them and headed back towards the throne room to tell the nobles what his plans where.&nbsp; Ignius lead her into a training room.&nbsp; There were a number of weapons on the walls, some real, some obviously used for practice, a number of dummies set up around the room, and the ground was covered with padded mats. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>01-11-2010, 22:07:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja knew very well that Kal'vak was not a "simple fist fight."&nbsp; It was an old tradition; no one had tried it in her village in her lifetime, or even in her parents' lifetimes, and no one ever survived when going it alone, never mind winning...&nbsp; She gaped at Ignius, having no idea how this could possibly be true, and why he would do such a thing.&nbsp; The only reason to partake of the tradition was to gain something they knew the tribe would never give up willingly.&nbsp; What could he have asked for?&nbsp; He was a King, he didn't have to ask for anything!&nbsp; Her astoundment was dampened, however, by her frustration when he kept to his story of "personal business," and even asked her why she wanted to know.&nbsp; How could he not understand?&nbsp; She had been taken from her home, her family, everything she knew, with no hope of returning.&nbsp; She was desperate for news of her people, and he had the gall to go to them and then not say a word about it to her.&nbsp; If he did understand, it would be even more cruel of him.&nbsp; <br><br>She kept pace with him, and probably would have slapped him had the steward not come along.&nbsp; She controlled herself, keeping her silence, as she followed him to his practice room.&nbsp; Finally, they were alone.&nbsp; With a yell, she threw herself at him, trying to tackle him to the ground; she didn't care about being punished for this, she couldn't contain herself anymore.&nbsp; Hot tears streamed down her cheeks.&nbsp; "Why?" she sobbed.&nbsp; "Why did you go there?&nbsp; What did you want from them?&nbsp; Please...tell me.&nbsp; I miss them so much..."<br><br>The girl had finally broken down; the games of pride and strength were over.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>01-11-2010, 22:48:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He knew that she was about to attack him.&nbsp; He turned around and let her hands flail against his muscular chest.&nbsp; He felt her fists pounding against him and he wrapped his arms around her body.&nbsp; His hand clasped against the back of her head as she cried against his chest.&nbsp; He dropped them down to the ground as she continued to sob, but did not say a word.&nbsp; He felt her hands clutch at his shirt and he kissed the top of her forehead.<br><br>"You're parents are fine.&nbsp; Your father has a mean left hook."&nbsp; He feels her tears soaking through his tunic as he spoke.&nbsp; "They obviously missed you, but I couldn't let you go back.&nbsp; I had to claim you."&nbsp; He tilted her head back and leaned down, kissing her lips.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>01-11-2010, 23:30:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He didn't waver or push her back as she rammed into him as hard as she could.&nbsp; He did nothing to stop her, not even warning her of possible consequences for this outburst.&nbsp; They sank to the floor, and he treated her just as gently as always.&nbsp; She clung to him, and he let her cry.&nbsp; He didn't seem angry with her at all; his tone was even, and soft...as were his lips...She couldn't help but feel comforted by him, no matter how upsetting his absence was and how angry she had been.&nbsp; She instinctively kissed him back, but it only took a few moments to push him back once again.<br><br>She kept hold of his tunic, determined not to let him leave her again as he had that first night.&nbsp; Her free hand wiped at her eyes, as she murmured, "I- I don't understand..."&nbsp; She really didn't.&nbsp; If he had meant what she thought he did, it would mean that he had gone to her people only to declare that she belonged to him...That she was what he had asked them for.&nbsp; But that didn't make any sense...He was King; he could do as he pleased...He didn't need anyone's permission to have her, not even hers.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>02-11-2010, 00:18:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The time for words had past.&nbsp; Ignius kissed her as she declared her confusion.&nbsp; His lips press hungrily against hers as he lays her onto her back and gets on top of her.&nbsp; He kissed her along her neck as his hands ran down her arms.&nbsp; He grasped the coarse material of her dress and slowly pulled them up her body.&nbsp; His fingers traced along her skin as he pulled the dress up.&nbsp; His lips found hers again as the dress made its way above her hips.&nbsp; He bit gently on her lower lip and tugged on it as the dress made its way over her stomach then chest.&nbsp; He pulled away for a moment so that he could get the dress above her head and neck then leaned down and kissed her again.<br><br>He straddled her body and he pulled his tunic up over his head.&nbsp; There were still bandages around his body, but it was easy to see that his body was still strong.&nbsp; His lips met Katja's once again as he laid on top of her.&nbsp; She could feel his arousal as his hips pressed against her body.&nbsp; His fingers ran through her hair and held her head against his as they kissed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>02-11-2010, 01:37:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja's final syllables were muffled by Ignius's mouth on hers.&nbsp; She struggled and cried, but he was too strong for her.&nbsp; Her panic was even greater as he eased her onto her back; there was only one direction this could be headed, and there were too many unanswered questions for her to just let it happen..."Please, don't," she whimpered, shivering as his lips trailed along her neck.&nbsp; His fingers traced down her pale, bare arms, and she could feel the hem of her dress being lifted.&nbsp; His lips were on hers again; why, gods, why did his kisses have to make her feel so good?&nbsp; This was why he had frightened her from that very first moment; he could have her, and she couldn't say no...she couldn't even want to say no.<br><br>Eventually, the dress had been pulled off, leaving her in only her undergarments, the simple band over her breasts, and petticoat.&nbsp; When she first met him, she had been able to let him see her naked without hiding in shame, but now...things were different.&nbsp; She blushed deeply, and tried to cover herself with trembling hands.&nbsp; His tunic joined her dress in a heap on the floor, and he kissed her again.&nbsp; She didn't kiss him back, but she didn't resist either.&nbsp; It was clear that he wanted her, the bulge pressing against her leg was enough evidence of that, but...Sure, he wanted her <em>now</em>, what about later?&nbsp; He would surely just have his bit of fun, and never even look at her again...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>02-11-2010, 21:57:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He realized that she wasn't kissing him back.&nbsp; He'd done so much to win her yet she still seemed fearful of him.&nbsp; He'd never hurt her and he went through all the effort of making her his by her culture as well as his.&nbsp; Ignius removed his lips from Katja's but continued to kiss her.&nbsp; His lips traced along her shoulder while his hands slid down her arms.&nbsp; He wanted her to be comfortable before he moved farther, but he still couldn't resist the primal instinct to grind against her body.<br><br>His lips came back across her chest while his large hands found hers.&nbsp; She could feel the bandage still wrapped around the palm and first joints of all his fingers as he laced his fingers with hers.&nbsp; He nipped at her neck as he finally reached back to it hoping to tease her and arouse her as much as he was aroused by her.&nbsp; He could feel her heart racing as their chests pressed against each other, but he wasn't sure it it was really hers or just his pounding away.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>03-11-2010, 00:12:16</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja had felt a connection between her and Ignius that first night when they had dined together, when he first kissed her.&nbsp; It felt natural; it felt right.&nbsp; He had been kind to her, and understanding whenever she lashed out at him.&nbsp; He wasn't the problem that prevented her from reciprocating his affectionate gestures.&nbsp; She wanted it; she wanted to respond the way he wanted her to, but...what would come of that?&nbsp; If there really was anything between them, it would never be allowed.&nbsp; She knew when he held her after her attempted attack that she belonged to him, but he could never belong to her.&nbsp; She wanted to be his, right then and always, but she wanted him to be hers, too...<br><br>She no longer squirmed underneath him, but his gentle touch tickled a little, making her twitch.&nbsp; His lips on her neck made her decision for her; if he didn't care about rules anymore, neither would she.&nbsp; She tilted her head for him with a soft moan, offering him more of her skin.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>03-11-2010, 00:51:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her moan echoed into his ear.&nbsp; He couldn't believe how amazing her moan sounded to him.&nbsp; The king became more aroused at this and he quickly found her lips with his.&nbsp; He kissed Katja as his hands took hold of the band and slowly pulled it off of her.&nbsp; His lips started down her body as he tossed the cloth over onto the rest of their clothes, but then turned back to her lips.&nbsp; He loved the feeling of her kissing him.&nbsp; It just felt so right.&nbsp; <br><br>His arms wrapped around her body and he pulled her against him once again.&nbsp; He could feel her warm breasts press against his muscular chest.&nbsp; His arousal rubs more and more against her exotic lithe body.&nbsp; He bit gently down on her lower lip and gave it a playful tug as his hands start to push her petticoat down her legs.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>03-11-2010, 18:58:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja eagerly kissed him back, finally able to respond with minimal inhibitions.&nbsp; That shadow of doubt still lingered in her mind, that possibility that Ignius would toss her aside when he had what he wanted, but it was a distant thought and nowhere near powerful enough to stop her.&nbsp; Her arms slipped around his neck, one of her hands entangling itself in his hair.&nbsp; She shifted and squirmed, but only to help him remove the band of cloth from her chest.&nbsp; He had seen her breasts before, but she still blushed.&nbsp; She did not attempt to cover herself, for she was much too busy kissing him and finger-combing his hair.&nbsp; <br><br>She grinned as he playfully nipped at her, tugging on her lip, and then returned the favor.&nbsp; Her hips lifted for him, pressing more firmly against him, so that he could pull the petticoat off.&nbsp; She slipped the shoes from her feet, and wriggled out of her petticoat just before weaving her legs with his. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>10-11-2010, 20:44:45</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He stayed on top of her for the most part as they laid on the padded mat.&nbsp; His lips stayed firmly planted on her own as his hands began to explore her naked body once more.&nbsp; He needed more than just to touch her though.&nbsp; He really needed to feel her.&nbsp; His hands go to his trousers and he pushes them down.&nbsp; She could feel his manhood resting against the inside of her thigh.<br><br>He grabbed himself and he guided his shaft to her virgin entrance.&nbsp; He pushed himself into her slowly, enjoying the feeling of opening up her entrance.&nbsp; He breathed heavily against hers lips in a deep moan.&nbsp; The feeling of pain and sore muscles had left his body as he took her.&nbsp; She was a gorgeous woman, and all of his concentration fell on pleasing her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>12-11-2010, 15:34:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When her former captors took her clothes just before presenting her to Ignius, Katja expected something like this to happen sooner or later...lying naked underneath a man she barely knew, his lustful hands trailing all over her, about to lose her virginity...She just never expected it to be consensual.&nbsp; She never thought she would find happiness in this fate.&nbsp; She was beginning to understand that he would not have risked Kal'vak for a girl he regarded as a mere fling.&nbsp; He was taking this every bit as seriously as she was, and she could trust him enough to give herself to him.&nbsp; <br><br>As they kissed, she could feel him adjusting his trousers, pushing them down.&nbsp; His manhood was hot against her cool skin, and she couldn't help but feel a bit anxious.&nbsp; It wasn't his fault; she wasn't afraid of him anymore, but this was something new and she was a little nervous.&nbsp; She held onto him tightly, bracing herself as he pressed lightly against her sex.&nbsp; Her sharp nails were digging into his shoulders and back, and a sharp gasp followed by a whimper escaped her lips.&nbsp; He slowly stretched her, making her bury her face in his neck.&nbsp; It wasn't out of pride, but she didn't want him to see her in pain; she wanted him to enjoy this, and she didn't want to take away from that by letting him think he had hurt her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>12-11-2010, 20:09:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius was a large man in more than just stature.&nbsp; His shaft tore into her virginal opening as he went in and out of her slowly.&nbsp; He let out a long moan of pleasure into her ear as he realized just how tight she was around him, and how good that felt.&nbsp; He ran the fingers of his right hand through her thick hair and held her against his shoulder.&nbsp; His hips continued to move against hers driving his shaft deep inside of her.&nbsp; The weight of his body pressed down against her body, pinning her against the mat.<br><br>It felt so good, so right to be in her like this.&nbsp; He pulled her head back away from his shoulder and then pulled her head against his and kissed her lips.&nbsp; Ignius couldn't help but moan against her lips as he felt the pleasure inside of him slowly beginning to build up.&nbsp; There was something about this exotic woman which made him feel so alive with desire.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>13-11-2010, 16:03:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja knew this first time would hurt; her people valued the knowledge passed on from mother to daughter, as opposed to other cultures who left their girls in the dark until they reached the marriage bed.&nbsp; She clung to Ignius, breathing faster, and whimpering.&nbsp; He tore through her again and again, the friction of his first thrusts rather difficult to bear.&nbsp; She nuzzled and kissed his neck, waiting for the pain to pass.&nbsp; She was comforted by his gentle hands stroking her hair, and the weight of his body over her made her feel safe and protected.<br><br>Her body finally started to relax, and the painful, stretched sensation was starting to ease into pleasure.&nbsp; She responded to the shift, moving her head away from its hiding place so he could kiss her once more.&nbsp; She smiled at his moans, glad that she could please him so.&nbsp; One of her legs hooked around his waist, a silent signal of her own desire for him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>19-12-2010, 09:39:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He felt her slender leg wrap around him as he made love to her.&nbsp; She was bringing him into her body, telling him without words that she wanted more.&nbsp; Ignius kept his chest pressed against hers as he continued to take her virginity.&nbsp; The warmth of her body against him was comforting him as they lay together, moving in harmony.&nbsp; He felt her hips lift up with every thrust he made rolling over his own body.<br><br>The pleasure was definitely starting to grow on him and he moved his hips faster and harder.&nbsp; Their bodies slowly began to slide along the matted ground.&nbsp; It was not as soft as the bed that Katja had grown used to here in the castle, but was much closer to that which she grew up on.&nbsp; Ignius' lips molded against hers as the heat of the passion grew intense.<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>20-12-2010, 04:07:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja noticed that the way she had adjusted her leg altered the angle at which Ignius penetrated her.&nbsp; It felt strange and new...and...wonderful.&nbsp; She wrapped her other leg around him and began lifting her hips to meet his.&nbsp; She could feel him thrusting deeper into her, making her dig her nails into his shoulders once again...the first time had been to cope with pain, this time was to help her handle this new source of pleasure.&nbsp; She moaned loudly against his mouth, her back arching in ecstasy.&nbsp; She loved the feel of his lips on hers, and how his shaft filled her so completely<br><br>He pressed her hard against the ground with his weight, but she didn't mind.&nbsp; His force told her just how much he wanted her, and the hard surface under her back wasn't any worse than what she was used to sleeping on at home.&nbsp; The beds she slept on in the king's palace were much softer, even the ones in the servants' quarters, but she was far too preoccupied to regret where she and Ignius had chosen to make love. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>20-12-2010, 05:15:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her moans were as sweet as the greatest cake that his baker could make and as beautiful as a rose on a moonlit night.&nbsp; It was as if she were an angel singing in his ear.&nbsp; He made love to her as her other leg wrapped around him.&nbsp; His hips pounded against hers, lifting her up a little with each thrust he made.&nbsp; The feeling of her around him was ecstatic.&nbsp; His heart was pounding as the blood raced to the surface of his skin making him blush at the thought that he was taking her innocence.<br><br>He drove on through it all.&nbsp; The pressure inside him was building rapidly.&nbsp; He could feel it getting closer to bursting, but he couldn't let that happen yet.&nbsp; He slowed down his movements, let his cock slide in long smooth movements.&nbsp; He staved off his climax just a little longer.&nbsp; It was her first time and he wanted it to be wonderful.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>20-12-2010, 18:03:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja's legs squeezed him a bit as his every thrust rolled her hips up into his, inviting him deeper.&nbsp; Delicate fingers slid up his back to twist in his hair, tugging lightly as she ran them through his russet locks.&nbsp; She could hear their bodies coming together again and again, and her breath came in short pants.&nbsp; All inhibitions had left <em>her </em> by now, but it made her smile to see the redness in Ignius's face.&nbsp; Was she working him too hard?&nbsp; Surely not...But was she really making him blush as she always did through her enthusiastic responsiveness to his advances?&nbsp; <br><br>The girl had been informed of the general happenings of sex, and it was not forbidden for a female to pleasure herself, so she knew exactly what that warming sensation was as it rushed through her body, making her tense a bit.&nbsp; She knew the both sides of orgasm, but it was hard for her to really understand the male side until actually witnessing it.&nbsp; She expected some sort of crescendo of wild, almost frantic thrusts and a dramatic release, so she was very confused when Ignius seemed to pause, taking it a little slower.&nbsp; Her own impending climax began to fade with the slower, smoother motions.&nbsp; It still felt amazing, but she wanted <em>him </em> to drive her to orgasm...Was he finished and just continuing for her pleasure?&nbsp; She didn't understand that he was trying to make this last for her.&nbsp; She looked up at him, still panting a little.&nbsp; "Please..." she said softly.&nbsp; "Please don't stop.&nbsp; I was almost there..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>21-12-2010, 18:57:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He saw the pleasure on her face and then the look of confusion.&nbsp; He had been wrong in thinking that she did not know anything about sex.&nbsp; He believed that for women, the loss of ones virginity was something that was supposed to be very special, though in all honesty he new very little about the sexual customs of the people of the north.&nbsp; He did know that she was a virgin before this day, but that does not mean that she was inexperienced.&nbsp; She told him that she knew that she was knowledgeable about her orgasm.<br><br>He didn't respond verbally to her request, but she could feel his momentum building.&nbsp; His body moved against hers at an accelerating rate.&nbsp; His thick shaft pushed deeper inside of her with every thrust.&nbsp; He could feel her juices dripping down him as he built up to his own orgasm.&nbsp; He pushed himself up on his hands and looked down at his lover though his hips continued their relentless assault on hers.&nbsp; He let out another long moan of pleasure as he watched the expressions on her face.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>22-12-2010, 06:23:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja didn't know much about the sexuality of other cultures, and how the young were educated in such matters...she figured the sexual practices would be almost the same, but she had no idea how much women of the south were told before they married.&nbsp; Among her people, a first sexual encounter for either a male or female was considered a very signifiant event, almost spiritual; they believed that it was an experience that created bonding ties.&nbsp; While marriage wasn't always certain for the couple, attachment was, so the youth was advised to choose wisely.&nbsp; That was Katja's very fear with Ignius...until she realized what he had done for her to demonstrate his commitment.&nbsp; <br><br>Anything the girl asked for, he provided (except for passage home, but that didn't turn out to be such a bad thing, after all).&nbsp; Soon after her pleading whimpers, she could feel him resume the faster, harder thrusts into her.&nbsp; She nuzzled his neck affectionately, understanding that he was not finished with her, merely making the pleasure last for them both.&nbsp; She clung to him tightly, moaning softly with each movement.&nbsp; Then, she felt him start to shift; she let go of him for an instant, only hanging on with her legs, so that he could raise his upper body, looking down upon her.&nbsp; Her arms free, she raised them above her head, between his hands, so that her body was open to his eyes.&nbsp; Her hips continued to move with his, and she could feel the boiling tension building once more within her, begging for release.&nbsp; Her hands entangled themselves into her own pale golden hair, twisting the locks, just something to hold onto.&nbsp; She gazed up at him, her cheeks flushed and her eyes ablaze with the passion between them.&nbsp; She couldn't hang on anymore.&nbsp; Her back arched suddenly, a soft cry escaping her lips as she climaxed, her sex clenching and releasing around his.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>25-12-2010, 04:44:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He looks down into her eyes as she cries out in pleasure.&nbsp; He felt her hips press up against him as she arches her back. Ignius felt the tightening of her hole as he took her, the juices squirting out onto his hips with each thrust he made.&nbsp; His own hips started to buck like crazy, his cock driving into her over and over again.&nbsp; He rammed into her one last time very deep.&nbsp; His tip pressed against her cervix, and he let out a long moan of pleasure as his cock quivered inside of her.&nbsp; Katja could feel it pulse inside of her and the warmth of his seed spreading out inside of her.<br><br>His body collapsed on top of hers and his lips crushed against hers one last time before he pulled out of her.&nbsp; He took a few deep breaths as he lay there before he said anything.&nbsp; "That was truly wonderful." He saw his steward standing at the doorway waiting for him.&nbsp; "I have business to attend to."&nbsp; He rises to his feet and pulls on his pants.&nbsp; "Meet me in my room in a few hours.&nbsp; Get anything you'd like until then, but I need to deal with business."&nbsp; He pulls on his tunic and puts on his crown once again.&nbsp; He leaned over and kissed Katja's lips gently.&nbsp; "See you later."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>26-12-2010, 21:32:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja was just starting to come down from her orgasm when Ignius resumed his thrusts.&nbsp; This time, they were more erratic.&nbsp; It seemed as if he had lost all control, and began taking her hard and fast.&nbsp; Her climax had made her terribly sensitive, making this part all the more enjoyable.&nbsp; She could hardly breathe as he delved into her over and over again.&nbsp; At last, after ramming himself deeper into her than her had before, he paused, and she could feel him tense and his cock pulsing within her.&nbsp; She had satisfied him; that alone would have been enough, but he cared enough to make sure she enjoyed it too.&nbsp; She smiled up at him, catching her breath...having to let it all out again when he flopped down onto her, making her giggle a bit.<br><br>Her arms snaked around his neck, and she eagerly kissed him back.&nbsp; She knew they couldn't stay in this room forever...someone would eventually find them, but she wanted her time with him to last.&nbsp; But he pulled back too soon, and retreated from her body, leaving her feeling empty without him inside of her.&nbsp; She saw him glance over her shoulder, and the look in his eyes turned her cheeks bright red...someone was there!&nbsp; Once the king got off of her, she scrambled to her knees and covered her chilled body with her hands, frantically looking for her dress.&nbsp; Once she found it, she didn't put it on, but covered her exposed flesh with it, waiting for the steward to leave.&nbsp; Her wide eyes wandered back to her lover as he dressed; she didn't want him to leave her so soon.&nbsp; She was a little too dazed by things happening so fast to really respond to the soft kiss.&nbsp; <br><br>Katja watched him leave with his steward, and began putting her own clothes back on.&nbsp; She would have to clean herself up before doing anything else.&nbsp; Blushing at the dampness between her legs, she scrambled back to her room in the servants' quarters, heading straight for the wash basin.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>21-02-2011, 00:07:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius walked through the halls in powerful strides.&nbsp; His thoughts lingered on his time just spent with the exotic woman from the north.&nbsp; The feeling of her soft skin against his finger tips.&nbsp; Her little cries of pleasure.&nbsp; His smile stayed on his face as he walked, but it vanished along with the pleasant thoughts as the doors opened in front of him to the throne room.&nbsp; Two of nobles stood there, swords drawn at each other.&nbsp; "Lay down your weapons or you will be forced to lay down your lives!" Ignius roared as he saw them.&nbsp; The two men each take a few steps back from each other, and from the king himself.&nbsp; Their blades lower towards the ground, but don't drop until they see the fire in Ignius' eyes.&nbsp; <br><br>He moves to his throne and takes a seat, letting himself calm down for a few moments "Now what is going on here?" he asks as he looks at the two men. <br><br>"My lord," says the one on the left with a bow.&nbsp; "Lord Fredrickson's men have been chopping down trees on my land for the past week.&nbsp; I have told him to...."<br><br>"I have not been chopping down trees on your land.&nbsp; The Filly Forest is mine and I can do what I like with the trees," interrupts Lord Fredrickson.<br><br>Ignius let out a sigh and his fingers strum on the arm rest of his throne.&nbsp; "There are two ways we can deal with this.&nbsp; We can have the scribes look up the records of the lands or I can strip you of your land and title and be done with this."<br><br>--------<br><br>As Katja gathered herself and headed to get cleaned up she could hear the whispers of many other servants as they watched her.&nbsp; They huddled in corners and gave her glances as she passed by though none dared come forward to speak with her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>21-02-2011, 01:13:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja's blush never faded as she scurried through the corridors.&nbsp; Though she was sure no one had seen her with Ignius except for the steward, she felt like everyone she passed knew what she had been up to.&nbsp; There wasn't really any shame in what she had done, but she wasn't exactly keen on having everyone in the palace know about it...The whispers were the worst of it.&nbsp; She didn't want to come out of her room ever again.&nbsp; Locking the door behind her, she stripped off her tousled uniform, tossing the garments into a corner.&nbsp; She scrubbed every inch of herself, particularly cleaning the mess between her legs.&nbsp; Once she was finished, she put on a fresh uniform and hurried to the laundry...<br><br>Gasping, she approached the woman in charge.&nbsp; "Where have you been, Child?" she demanded.&nbsp; "I have plenty of mending and embroidery restoration for you to do!"<br><br>"Tess, I-" she stammered, not sure how to explain, and feeling very reluctant to say anything about her intimacy with the king.&nbsp; "His Majesty wants to see me in his rooms in less than an hour..."<br><br>"Gods above!" the woman interrupted.&nbsp; "You can't wear <em>that</em>!&nbsp; You stay right here!&nbsp; Drink some water and calm yourself...I'll be right back..."<br><br>Katja sat on the supervisor's stool and helped herself to the pitcher of water resting on the woman's desk.&nbsp; She caught her breath, and tried to ignore the way the other washerwomen stared at her.&nbsp; She kept her head down, eyes in her cup.&nbsp; Tess returned shortly, puffing and wheezing, with a simple gown in her arms.&nbsp; "We had a feeling Ignius would change his mind, so we kept the fine things he had made for you...and our seamstresses even made a few more dresses just in case.&nbsp; Now, Girl, come on; I'll help you get this on.&nbsp; In my office, that's right..."&nbsp; The girl obediently went into the little workroom and started taking off her servant's uniform.&nbsp; Tess helped her with the corset and petticoats and then pulled the lavender silk gown over her head.&nbsp; The hem, neckline and ends of her bell sleeves were trimmed with silver embroidery, and a silver cord sash was tied fashionably around her waist.&nbsp; Her hair was given a quick combing, but it was left down, and soft leather slippers were put on her feet.&nbsp; She thanked the servant, who shooed her on her way.&nbsp; <br><br>At least half of her hour was up...She had a fairly good handle on the layout of the castle, and figured she had plenty of time to reach Ignius's chamber in time.&nbsp; When she finally found herself at his door, she raised her hand to knock, only to find her wrist snatched by a gloved hand.&nbsp; "Oy!" a guardsman yelled, pulling her from the doorway.&nbsp; "I recognize you, Missy...From the laundry, yes...Just what are you doing up here?&nbsp; And dressed like that?!&nbsp; Who did you steal all this from?&nbsp; Thought you'd dress up all pretty, try to look like you belong in the noblemen's suites, and try to sneak into&nbsp; His Highness's room?&nbsp; Hmm?!&nbsp; There are penalties for servants who dress above their station...then there's stealing the clothes, and sneaking about where you ought not to!"<br><br>The girl squeaked in terror, pulling at his grip, and insisting again and again that she was there by invitation and hadn't stolen anything.&nbsp; "Don't make things worse by lying to me, Girl...You're coming with me..."&nbsp; He started dragging her off, ignoring her protests.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>21-02-2011, 03:56:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The two lords looked at each other after the king's ultimatum.&nbsp; "We'll have the scribes look." They say almost in unison.&nbsp; <br><br>"That's what I thought," he replied as he motioned for the scribes to go.&nbsp; Two men quickly hustle from the chambers to head to the library.<br><br>--------<br><br>The guard pulled Katja off and down to the dungeon.&nbsp; The guards didn't seem to have heard the rumor.&nbsp; They ignored the cries of the girl as she tried to tell them the truth.&nbsp; As they went down the stairs there was a definite change in the temperature of the castle.&nbsp; It got colder quickly and the air grew damp. <br><br>A guard opens a door to a filthy little cell and the one holding onto Katja is about to throw her in.&nbsp; "Halt!" Says a commanding voice as he comes over.&nbsp; He stands and looks down at Katja.&nbsp; "We can't let stolen goods get sullied in the dungeon.&nbsp; Take off that dress."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>21-02-2011, 05:26:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja pulled against the man's grip, but he was too strong for her.&nbsp; She stamped at his booted feet and scratched at his forearms, but he was too well-protected.&nbsp; She cried and screamed, insisting that he was making a mistake, however a sharp twist of her arm, one that could break bones if he twisted just a bit more, silenced her as he warned her not to make a scene on the main floors.&nbsp; She stayed quiet until they reached a chilled stairway, leading downward...<br><br>She was panicking now.&nbsp; Her screams of protest resumed.&nbsp; He ignored her, pulling her along behind him.&nbsp; She was dragged to an empty cell, and she thought she was saved when she heard someone tell the guardsman to stop.&nbsp; However, she became even more afraid.&nbsp; "No!" she whimpered, "It's mine!&nbsp; Tess had it made for me...This is a mistake...I haven't stolen anything; His Majesty asked to see me!&nbsp; He's expecting me!"&nbsp; <br><br>"You expect us to be fooled by that nonsense, Girl?" the guardsman growled.&nbsp; "King Ignius returns just this morning, heavily injured, and you show up, trying to discreetly enter his rooms...Coincidence?&nbsp; I think not!&nbsp; Now, hand over the dress, and then, you can tell us who you took it from and who you're working for..."<br><br>Sobbing, she carefully removed the silver cord and reluctantly surrendered the dress.&nbsp; She was ordered to give up the corset and petticoat, and her hesitation caused a drawn blade to sever the laces; she shed the petticoat without such aid...Naked and freezing, she was shoved into the dirty cell, and curled up in a corner, trembling.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>21-02-2011, 07:10:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The guardsman pushed Katja into the cell. There was some standing water in the middle, and it might not have just been mud on the ground.&nbsp; The heavy door slammed shut, blocking all but a few rays of light from reaching Katja.<br><br>------<br><br>Ignius waited while the scribes came back with an old parchment from his fathers reign when he set out the provinces.&nbsp; They unraveled the scroll and read it.&nbsp; "The western edge of Lord Fredrickson's land will be the Filly Creek."&nbsp; It was a creek that ran through part of Filly Forest which cut it into two unequal parts.&nbsp; <br><br>"Well that should solve your problem.&nbsp; Lets not hear about it again." Ignius pushed himself to his feet.&nbsp; "Now are there any other situations that need dealing with?" He looked around the court as he stood proud.&nbsp; His injuries not being shown.&nbsp; Many had come thinking that the king was weak and this would be a good time to strike, but seeing him still in command quickly stopped them.<br><br>Ignius stepped from his throne.&nbsp; "Then the court is adjourned for the day."&nbsp; He moved from his seat and out a set of doors on the side which closed behind him.&nbsp; Once away from the throne room he took his strides a bit slower once again, but continued to his room. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>21-02-2011, 18:01:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Huddled in a corner, Katja sobbed and tried to keep herself covered with her hands.&nbsp; When she had first been brought there, she put a brave face on, kept her head held high, and didn't cover her bare flesh.&nbsp; This was different...She had just regained some kind of stability and comfort in her life, only to have it taken away in an instant.&nbsp; <em>Ignius will come for me,</em> she thought.&nbsp; <em>He'll see I'm not there and come looking for me...Ignius will come for me...</em>&nbsp; But then...why would he think to look for her in the dungeons?!&nbsp; But she kept her mantra, "Ignius will come for me," even if she might have been lying to herself.<br><br>She heard the scrape of wood on stone, and picked her head up; one of the guards had pulled a stool over so he could sit in front of her cell.&nbsp; She couldn't see who it was, but she could hear him speak...It was a higher ranking officer, the one whose voice had such a commanding air.&nbsp; "My men thought you were a simple laundry maid," he said gruffly.&nbsp; "But I remember you...I saw those trappers deliver you to the throne room.&nbsp; You were angry, weren't you?&nbsp; Angry that you were taken from your home, and brought here.&nbsp; Here's what <em>I</em> think happened, Girl...You were so put out by this whole mess, you somehow managed to convince His Majesty to go one some wild goose chase in the wilderness, hoping he would get himself killed!&nbsp; But, he came back...So you were headed up to his rooms to finish him off..."&nbsp; He paused for effect, just listening to the girl inside whimper.&nbsp; "Now, I have no idea if any of that is true, but it's a story the Council will believe.&nbsp; And, if you don't start talking, that's the story they're going to hear...Did you know that regicide here is concidered an offense against the gods?&nbsp; If found guilty, do you have any idea what we're allowed to do to you?!"<br><br>He was only answered by a fresh round of sobs.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>22-02-2011, 01:33:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius came up to his room.&nbsp; He was saluted by one of the guards.&nbsp; "Someone tried to break into your room sire.&nbsp; We have taken them down to the dungeon."&nbsp; Ignius just nodded his head as he walked past the guard.&nbsp; It wasn't the first time he'd had a thief, and that wasn't really on his mind.&nbsp; He opened the door to his chambers and was welcomed by the warm light of a fire in the fireplace and the candles set up around the room.&nbsp; Tapestries hung on the walls to keep the heat in, and a tray of fruit waited for him on the table.<br><br>He didn't see what he wanted to see.&nbsp; The gears started to turn in his brain and he realized what had happened.&nbsp; He turned and grabbed the guard and shoved him against the wall.&nbsp; His face was red, but then he remembered that Katja was in the dungeon, and that wasn't a place that he should leave her.&nbsp; He tossed the stunned guardsman onto the ground and headed down the stairs two at a time for the first flight, but quickly realizes his folly.&nbsp; <br><br>He continues at a slower pace down the next flight, a slight limp on his right leg.&nbsp; Katja hears the sounds of doors being opened up and the shocked sounds of guards.&nbsp; The clatter of metal echoes into the dank cell as the shadow of the guard at the door seems to vanish for a moment but is replaced.&nbsp; The cell opens up and there is a tall figure standing in the opening.<br><br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>22-02-2011, 02:33:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja remained huddled in her little corner, trying not to listen to the guardsman as he listed all of the disadvantages she had if she were to stand before the Council.&nbsp; She was female, a Northerner, and a slave...He also listed what had happened to other court assassins, the tortures they endured, and described each and every graphic detail.&nbsp; In her mind, she kept repeating her mantra, <em>Ignius will come for me.&nbsp; Ignius will come for me...</em><br><br>The only thing the girl could do was wait...Wait for something to happen; she didn't know what that something was, but she was truly stuck without something changing outside of that heavy door.&nbsp; She hated that helplessness, but she could only wait for someone to come and question her more forcefully or for Ignius to collect her.&nbsp; As distraught as she was, she had to admire the loyalty the king had instilled among his men.&nbsp; They were determined to intercept any plots to harm the man; they were dead wrong in her case, but they were just trying to do their duty by him.&nbsp; <br><br>She lay there, shivering, naked, and weeping.&nbsp; Suddenly, she sat up; she couldn't make out the words used outside, but something was creating great unrest among the guards.&nbsp; The man who had been speaking to her was shoved away from her cell and the door opened.&nbsp; She peered through the dark, cringing away from whoever it was, unsure if they had come to release her or question her further...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>22-02-2011, 02:59:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius looked down at her.&nbsp; He could tell that she was shivering and obviously looked scared.&nbsp; He bent over and picked her up off the ground.&nbsp; He cradled Katja in her arms and pulled her out of the tiny cell. He carried her out of the cell.&nbsp; The guardsman on the ground was starting to push himself back up, but when one look from Ingius and he crabbed walked back into the corner.&nbsp; <br><br>The other guards seemed to shy away from him as he made his way out of the dungeon.&nbsp; "Are you okay?" he asked as he looked down into her eyes.&nbsp; He offered her a warm smile as he took her towards his room.&nbsp; He thought better of it for now and took her towards the baths.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>22-02-2011, 03:08:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Though she was the image of a broken woman, Katja was ready to fight this shadowy figure.&nbsp; She started to slap the hand away as it reached for her, but...she stopped.&nbsp; The care with which this person handled her revealed who it was lifting her from the dirty stone floor.&nbsp; With a cry of relief and happiness, she clung to him, throwing her arms around his neck.&nbsp; She buried her face in his chest, still shaking.&nbsp; Ignius was there, holding her; all was well.&nbsp; She paid no attention to her surroundings anymore, the fact that she was naked, or the guards cowering before their infuriated lord.<br><br>She was still shivering, but she drew her face away from his tunic to beam at him.&nbsp; "I'm fine," she answered softly.&nbsp; "I knew you'd come...You didn't survive Kal'vak just to lose me the very afternoon of your return."&nbsp; She hugged him tightly, then let her body relax, finally feeling safe once more.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>22-02-2011, 03:42:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He carried her off into the bathhouse.&nbsp; "Well its good you are fine, but I think you need to get warmed up and relaxed."&nbsp; He set her down in front of a tub of water.&nbsp; He let her feet sink down into the water.&nbsp; It wasn't very warm, but it did help start to get the mud off.&nbsp; Ignius looked around and grabbed a towel.&nbsp; He draped it around her lithe body.&nbsp; "I'll be right back."&nbsp; He gave her a little kiss on the lips before standing up.&nbsp; He headed back to the door and stepped out.<br><br>Ignius returned a few minutes later with a few servants in tow.&nbsp; They went about starting to get water heated up for a bath as well as readying the large tub in the center of the room for it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>22-02-2011, 06:46:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja had never been to this part of the palace, but she could smell the steam and fragrant oils in the air.&nbsp; He was taking her for a bath.&nbsp; She had already washed up twice that day!&nbsp; However, she hadn't had a luxurious soak since her first day there.&nbsp; The guest room she had been given that first night had its own washroom, but the tub in the center was much bigger.&nbsp; She smiled as he set her on the rim of a smaller tub off to the side, letting her dainty feet dangle into the cool water, some of the dungeon much falling away from her smooth skin.&nbsp; A fluffy towel was placed over her despite how dirty she was, keeping her warm and protecting her modesty.&nbsp; She tucked the towel under her arms so her hands were free but she was still sufficiently covered, and returned the kiss.&nbsp; She didn't want to leave his side for even a moment; the last two times he had left her alone resulted in him being beaten within an inch of his life, and her briefly visiting the dungeons.&nbsp; She bit her lip, anxiously waiting for him to come back, and stared at the swirling water as she kicked her feet a little.<br><br>She was glad he had returned so quickly, only having been gone a couple of minutes...though they dragged on horribly for her.&nbsp; She greeted him with a warm smile, and beckoned him over to her, still idly kicking her feet in the tub.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>22-02-2011, 07:04:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He hadn't just gotten the servants to ready the bath for them.&nbsp; He'd made sure the guards were properly trained after the incident.&nbsp; The ones involved were all running drills and would be until morning.&nbsp; The frown he had from dealing with them melted as he saw his Katja's smile.&nbsp; He walked over to her and sat down.&nbsp; "Sorry about that." <br><br>He used the towel around her shoulders and wiped the muck and grime off of her.&nbsp; Cleaning most of it off.&nbsp; He brought her feet out of the water one at a time, wiping them down.&nbsp; The servants pulled a leaver and the hot water started to pour into the large tub.&nbsp; The scents of the bath salts and oils started to fill the air.&nbsp; Ignius picked up Katja and brought her over to the tub.&nbsp; He lowered her into the warm water as the servants left.&nbsp; When the door shut, he started to remove his clothes.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>22-02-2011, 23:13:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja felt like a little girl again, having her ma dabbing at her face and body, cleaning away the mess she had made.&nbsp; She wriggled and shifted herself so he could reach all of the muck that was smeared all over her.&nbsp; Unlike her mother, though, he didn't rub her raw with the towel, just gentle wipes at the mess instead of turning her a bright pink.&nbsp; "Don't be sorry," she cooed, tracing circles in the water with her toes...but then, he had lifted them from the tub, drying them off and cleaning off what a simple rinse could not.&nbsp; She blushed, thinking it strange for a king to wash the feet of his slave...lover or not.<br><br>She glanced over her shoulder, and eyed the big tub eagerly as the servants began to fill it with hot water.&nbsp; Grinning, she nuzzled him as he carried her over to it, and she practically melted inch by inch as she was lowered into the tub.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>23-02-2011, 02:41:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He dropped his silk shirt down onto the ground next to the tub.&nbsp; His trousers then gathered up around his ankles.&nbsp; He stepped out of them and down into the tub next to her.&nbsp; He let out a sigh of relief as the warm water soothed his sore muscles.&nbsp; One strong arm came up and rested around Katja's shoulder and he pulled her against his chest.&nbsp; His lips kissed her forehead as his hand came under her chin, lifting it up so that he can look into her eyes.&nbsp; His lips then found hers once more for a few minutes.<br><br>He finally pulled away from her, but as he did he pulled her up into his lap.&nbsp; "Now I washed you off.&nbsp; Would you help clean me up?" He asked her as his eyes locked with hers.&nbsp; She could feel something prodding her gently from beneath her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>23-02-2011, 08:17:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja had been in her own little world of warm, weightless bliss, floating on her back with her eyes closed.&nbsp; She felt a muscled arm snake around her body, gently pulling her upright and into a warm body.&nbsp; Sighing, she opened her eyes, smiling up at Ignius.&nbsp; Her own arms wound about his neck as he leaned down to kiss her.&nbsp; She responded eagerly, her delicate fingers toying with his hair.&nbsp; She even nipped him affectionately a couple of&nbsp; times.<br><br>Had he not pulled her onto his lap, she would have been very disappointed that he had stopped kissing her...She pouted at first, but smiled coyly at his request.&nbsp; "Yes, My Lord," she purred.&nbsp; "Of course..."&nbsp; The girl reached behind him to grab a cloth and soaked it in the hot water before wringing it out a little and gently scrubbing the back of his neck with it.&nbsp; Something shifted underneath her...but he hadn't moved.&nbsp; There was only one thing that could be ever so slightly poking at her thigh, and it made her bite her lower lip and eye him with a knowing smile.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>23-02-2011, 17:56:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius watched her grab the wash rag and dipped it into the water.&nbsp; The swell of her breasts were still partially obscured by the hot water.&nbsp; He watched her wring out the wet rag, the water dripping down onto her. He let out a long sigh as she started to wash him.&nbsp; It was so relaxing with the hot water and the movements of her body on him.&nbsp; He couldn't help but start to get aroused.<br><br>His hands reached over and he started to run his hands over her sides as she gave him that look.&nbsp; That look was so enticing that he couldn't resist it.&nbsp; He pulled her down against him and grinded her gently against him.&nbsp; "Are you going to wash all of my body?" He had a wide grin on his face as he looked back into her beautiful eyes.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>26-02-2011, 02:34:09</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Grinning, Katja pressed herself against his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck so she could scrub his shoulders and back.&nbsp; She couldn't help but take the opportunity to start kissing and nuzzling his neck.&nbsp; She could feel his strong hands running up and down her sides, almost possessively, and it made her shudder excitedly.&nbsp; She decided she was finished with his back when he began rubbing against her.&nbsp; She sat up again, smiling coyly.&nbsp; "Somehow," she said softly, "I doubt you'll let me finish..."<br><br>She leaned back a little and began washing his front, starting with his neck and his chest.&nbsp; She smiled up at him, knowing that this little adjustment would raise her breasts from the water the slightest bit...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>26-02-2011, 05:33:19</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well I think I'll let you finish..." Ignius replied as he leaned over and kissed her lips passionately.&nbsp; After a few moments he pulled away.&nbsp; "But I don't mean washing me." He watched her lean back in his lap.&nbsp; His eyes moved down to her breasts as they came out of the water.&nbsp; He slowly leaned down to them and started to kiss her down her neck to her left breast.&nbsp; His teeth grazed over her soft breast until they clamped gently onto her nipple.&nbsp; His tongue flickered against it slowly.<br><br>It was obvious that he was getting aroused by more than just his actions.&nbsp; His shaft was completely rigid now.&nbsp; It raised up and slapped against her ass ever so gently.&nbsp; His eyes looked up to her pretty little face as he pulled her back down into his lap.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>02-03-2011, 05:12:36</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja couldn't help but playfully raise her eyebrows at Ignius's claim that he would, indeed let her finish...She had a feeling he wan't talking about her current task of bathing him.&nbsp; She grinned and greeted his kiss with much enthusiasm, almost as if she wanted to make up for the lost days when he was traveling in the wilderness.&nbsp; She leaned back once more, for she had noticed the sight of her breast rising from the water had pleased him.&nbsp; She closed her eyes with a sigh, and let the water hold her up, her pale golden hair fanning out behind her.&nbsp; <br><br>She smiled contentedly, feeling him lean over her and caressing her skin with his lips.&nbsp; He trailed gentle kisses down her neck to her breasts, his lip finally closing around her nipple.&nbsp; She moaned softly, but didn't sit up, she let the water hold her while her lover explored her body.&nbsp; Her eyes opened, though, when she felt his hard cock against her ass, but she let him pull her upright into his lap.&nbsp; Her steady gaze met his eyes; one hand reached to cup his cheek, guiding him down to kiss her, while her other hand slipped down between their legs to gently stroke his shaft.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>05-03-2011, 08:20:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He looked into her eyes as she held his cheek.&nbsp; He let her pull him down and kissed her lips passionately.&nbsp; He felt her soft delicate fingers slowly wrap around his thick quivering member.&nbsp; He let out a pleasurable moan into her mouth as it slowly moved along him.&nbsp; Every time her hand neared the base it would throb in response.&nbsp; His teeth bit and pulled at her lower lip as he looked into her eyes.&nbsp; A soft growl rumbled from in his chest.<br><br>Suddenly he grabbed her hips more roughly and pulled her against him, forcing his cock inside of her.&nbsp; He held her hips and forced her to slide up and down along him.&nbsp; His thick shaft penetrating deep each time.&nbsp; The water splashes out of the tub as he kept her moving.&nbsp; His eyes wandered over her body as he had his way with her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>10-03-2011, 04:33:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She hadn't ever touched a man like this before, but she had been compelled to reach for him.&nbsp; She wanted to please him, and she knew that men often did this for themselves when there wasn't a woman to warm his bed.&nbsp; However, she was very careful in handling Ignius, not really sure how a man liked to be touched.&nbsp; Her dainty fingers loosely wrapped themselves around his member, and the resulting moan made her smile against his mouth.&nbsp; She liked knowing that he liked what she was doing.&nbsp; The nipping and growling made her tingle all over, the gestures reaffirming that she did, indeed, belong to him.<br><br>His hands returned to her waist, so her own retreated to his shoulders for balance.&nbsp; She stared at him, wide eyed with anticipation.&nbsp; Within moments, she was impaled upon his cock, making her arch her back with a cry of pleasure.&nbsp; He guided her up and down on his shaft, and she held onto him tightly, moaning each time he thrust deep inside of her.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>12-03-2011, 10:28:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He could feel her walls tight around him as he guided her along him.&nbsp; He let out a moan of pleasure as he watched her scream in pleasure.&nbsp; He leaned over and he started to kiss her under her neck.&nbsp; His teeth bite and tease her as her moans escape into his ears.&nbsp; Ignius whispered into her ear.&nbsp; "Do you like that my exotic little nymph?"<br><br>He turned the two of them around and pressed her ass against the side of the tub.&nbsp; His hips moved against hers, sinking his shaft between her warm folds.&nbsp; He took her legs and wrapped them around his waist so that her heels sunk into his firm ass.&nbsp; He didn't show his injuries at all when he was like this with her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>12-03-2011, 15:51:31</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja let go of him for only a moment to move her hair away from her neck, and tilted her head so more skin was exposed for him to kiss.&nbsp; She loved the feel of his lips on her skin, and encouraged him with her sighs.&nbsp; His breath tickled her ear, making her shudder as she answered, "Yes...Oh gods, yes..."&nbsp; <br><br>She clung to him once more, detecting movement other than the regular thrusts.&nbsp; He was turning...She gazed up at him, smiling as he pressed her against the side of the tub, taking an even more dominant stance.&nbsp; Her legs had fallen loosely at his sides once they had settled, and she let him place them around him once more.&nbsp; The leverage was incredible, and her legs wrapped tightly around him allowed him to go even deeper.&nbsp; Each thrust made her gasp now, leaving her panting softly in between.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>16-03-2011, 23:42:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He felt her constrict around him with her arms and legs and something else as well.&nbsp; He let out a deep moan into her ear responding to her own cries of pleasure.&nbsp; He wanted her to know that he was loving it just as much as she was.&nbsp; He slid his hands down her sides, pulling her body tighter against him as he moved.&nbsp; His lips teased and caressed her neck while his teeth occasionally made an appearance with small bites.&nbsp; <br><br>Ignius took her hands in his and pulled them up over her head until they met.&nbsp; He grabbed her wrists together with one large hand as the other worked its way back down her body.&nbsp; He arched her back over to the floor of the tub, still surprised how flexible and limber his lover was.&nbsp; His free hand pressed against the small of Katja's back to help it arc even more.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>19-03-2011, 03:54:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius's voice joining her own made her hips buck lustfully as she clutched his shoulders.&nbsp; She loved knowing that she was pleasing him as well.&nbsp; He could easily have forced himself upon her whenever he pleased, but he ensured mutual bliss in their lovemaking.&nbsp; She was reluctant to let go of him, but Katja trusted him enough to relax her grip on his shoulders so he could draw her arms over her head.&nbsp; She had no idea what he was up to until his one hand secured both of her wrists there, pulling her taut so her back was forced to bend.&nbsp; Her body was accustomed to twisting and bending in whatever manner she wished, so a simple backbend should have been nothing for her...However, paired with their passionate activity, she wouldn't have been able to hold the pose if he hadn't held onto her wrists and pressed the small of her back.&nbsp; Had anyone who didn't know any better seen them, it would almost look as if the girl were being held against her will. <br><br>Her cries of pleasure grew louder, but she shivered; while this position let him hit all the right spots inside of her, it also partially lifted her from the warm water, causing goosebumps to rise all over her body.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>23-03-2011, 04:56:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He listened to her moans and felt the swell of her breasts pressing against him.&nbsp; He leaned over and kissed her lips once more.&nbsp; The head of his large shaft pushed deep into his lovers body.&nbsp; Ignius pinned her against the bed and continued to drive his thick hard shaft deep into her very warm opening.&nbsp; They nearly came completely out of the water now, just their legs still inside.&nbsp; He continued to thrust his hips down against hers as he held her tightly in his arms.<br><br>Katja's cries just drove him to continue even more.&nbsp; The pleasure of her walls around him were so enticing.&nbsp; He was getting closer and closer to climaxing.&nbsp; He squeezed her wrists a little more roughly as he felt the pleasure slowly creeping over him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>25-03-2011, 04:49:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja's legs squeezed him tightly as she continued to raise her hips to meet his, and she kissed him back with every ounce of fire she possessed.&nbsp; Their lovemaking was wild and passionate, as she felt it should be; he allowed her to unleash the feral Northerner in this fashion, the savage bloodline of her ancestors.&nbsp; The restraints provided by his strong hand and solid body only excited the untamed spirit.&nbsp; <br><br>Every deep penetrating thrust kept building on the pent up tension within her; she couldn't hold back for much longer, not that she even wanted to...She wanted him to see how he made her feel; she wanted him to see the pleasure he brought to her- body and soul.&nbsp; His grip on her tightened, resulting in the slightest shift in the rest of her body when she was stretched just a little more over the rim of the bath.&nbsp; That miniscule shift allowed him to rub against her more sensitive spots more thoroughly, enough to send her over the edge.&nbsp; She gasped sharply as her sex pulsed around him, tightening and releasing around his cock; her body tensed for a moment, her toes curling, before all of her muscles relaxed under him.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>31-03-2011, 08:17:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He felt her body shift under him and her walls begin to constrict around his large shaft.&nbsp; It slowed his thrusts, but not the strength of them.&nbsp; As her juices started to squirt out onto his hips, he buried his shaft deep inside of her.&nbsp; His hips bucked up once more, lifting her away from the tub as he started to fill her up with more than just his cock.&nbsp; His thick warm seed filled up her folds as he looked down at her.&nbsp; He breathed heavily and bit gently at her soft skin.&nbsp; Then slowly, after he'd finished his release, his lips traced along her jawline to her own lips.&nbsp; He kissed her gently and slowly pulled her back into the water with him.&nbsp; He slowly pulled her off of him as he looked into her eyes and just relaxed with her in the warm water.<br><br>"That was definitely the best bath I've ever had," he commented with a grin.&nbsp; "But after hot baths I usually like to go to bed." He yawned, his body was still recovering from the wounds, but he'd exerted himself twice that day, not that he was complaining about it even though his body was.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>01-04-2011, 05:49:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As the waves of her orgasm washed through her, Katja became even more sensitive to Ignius's movements.&nbsp; He had slowed down, but his thrusts were more powerful, and just before he spasmed within her, he lifted her body clean off the rim of the tub with his own.&nbsp; She sighed contentedly, smiling as he eased her back into the water with him.&nbsp; Her limbs felt like jelly, not wanting to work properly, but her mind was buzzing, as awake and alert as ever.&nbsp; Her head lolled as he covered her with gentle kisses and affectionate nips, grinning like a fool.&nbsp; She somehow managed to slip her arms around him once more, nodding in agreement that baths were certainly better when taken with company..."Indeed, My Lord," she purred, nuzzling him.&nbsp; "I've only bathed alone...and I like this much better.&nbsp; I do worry for you, though.&nbsp; Your physician will be after my blood if I don't make sure you get some rest.&nbsp; But what of me?&nbsp; Shall I return to my work in the laundry, or do you still wish for my company?"<br><br>It was obvious in her flirtatious tone which she wanted to hear, but she asked out of&nbsp; caution as well.&nbsp; Their situation was so strange, and in her position, she couldn't afford to make assumptions.&nbsp; She wanted to believe...no, she believed he had genuine feelings for her, but the consequences would be disastrous if she overestimated his affections.&nbsp; How impertinent she would seem if she were to follow him to his quarters with the assumption she was wanted when it was not true.&nbsp; She couldn't bear to be turned away like that.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>01-04-2011, 06:22:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes, and he'd chain me to my bed if he thought that he could get away with it," Ignius told her with his charming smile.&nbsp; His hand ran over his body to clean the sex off of him.&nbsp; He slowly stood up out of the water.&nbsp; The water droplets followed the contours of his muscular chest as they make their way down his body.&nbsp; He slowly steps out of the tub, the water continuing to drip off of him before he grabbed a towel.&nbsp; He began to dry himself off, thinking about her question for a minute.&nbsp; He wrapped the towel around his waist after he'd dried himself off.<br><br>"Yes, I think that it will be good to have some warmth with me during the night.&nbsp; Plus I might need someone to comfort me if I feel too injured." He looked down at her and waited for her to join him at his side before he was ready to go.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>01-04-2011, 06:38:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				While the king rinsed himself off, Katja lowered herself into the water so she was completely submerged for a moment, wiping at her eyes when she resurfaced.&nbsp; Her hand strayed between her legs, too, clearing away the slick juices she found there.&nbsp; Her eyes followed him, drinking in his scarred, muscled form as he climbed out of the bath.&nbsp; He enjoyed looking at her, so she thought she'd take her turn as well, and she was not disappointed.&nbsp; She had found him attractive when he had first approached her cage, but now she had a full, clear, undistracted view of his naked body.&nbsp; She had experienced the feel of his body over hers, but there was just something about looking at a person for a few moments, taking the time to really notice things.&nbsp; He wasn't the pampered prince she had expected when she first found herself in his grand halls, but a man who knew the value of hard work and a good sweat.&nbsp; <br><br>As she watched him, she appeared to be in a slight daze, but her little trance was broken by the invitation to his bed.&nbsp; With a knowing smile on her lips, she slithered out of the water, and retrieved a towel of her own.&nbsp; "Well, then," she said softly.&nbsp; "Next time I'll just be more up front about it and ask permission to accompany you.&nbsp; I didn't want you to think me a manipulative little minx..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>05-04-2011, 16:24:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He watched her as she got out of the water and joined him.&nbsp; "The only thing that I think you'll manipulate me into is seeing you naked more." His hand lifted up the back of her towel and he gave her ass a squeeze.&nbsp; "Now that is a very nice backside you have Katja." He gave it another rougher squeeze.&nbsp; "Well I think its time we go and lay down for a while." He walked towards a door in the back of the bath house and opened it.&nbsp; <br><br>The door opened to a stairwell.&nbsp; He turned back to Katja and spoke, "I want you to lead the way.&nbsp; I want to watch you as you move." Ignius gave her a warm smile and motioned her to get in front of him on the stairs.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>05-04-2011, 23:40:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When she had first met him, Katja would have given anything to make Ignius stop looking at her; now, she enjoyed knowing that she was pleasing in his sight.&nbsp; There were young men in her village who told her she was pretty, but their affections were mere infatuation from boys she had grown up with.&nbsp; She was more like a cousin to them, not by blood, but even so, they couldn't possibly look at her the way Ignius did.&nbsp; Those boys assumed they could have her heart simply because they had known each other their entire lives, but the king was a man who could truly hunt her.&nbsp; He knew to be silent and careful as he approached her, and draw her into his trap without her even realizing the danger.&nbsp; He had tamed her- something they could never do.<br><br>The girl started drying herself off, not bothering to cover the rest of her body as she did so.&nbsp; Once she was certain she wouldn't drip everywhere, she wrapped the towel around herself and found a separate one to wrap around her hair.&nbsp; His hand sneaking under her towel made her squeal in mock protest, playfully swatting his hand away.&nbsp; Still grinning, she followed him to the other side of the room, but paused, raising her eyebrow.&nbsp; "My Lord..." she giggled.&nbsp; "Are we to wander your keep in only our towels?&nbsp; I might get jealous if I see another maid admiring your physique..."&nbsp; Her hand had reached to trail her fingertips very lightly across his chest.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>06-04-2011, 04:08:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius smiled down at his lover when she called him "My Lord." There was just something about the way she said it.&nbsp; He grabbed her towel and gave a sharp tug, pulling it from her body.&nbsp; "Well I think by asking that you've lost your towel privileges."&nbsp; He put the towel over one shoulder and held it there as he looked over her naked body once more.&nbsp; His hand went to her own chest, mimicking her movement until his fingers pinched around her nipple and he tugged her to him for a kiss.<br><br>"Now as for the staircase, this one leads directly to my chambers.&nbsp; Well as directly to them as you can get from here.&nbsp; There won't be any maids to look over my body, or guards to check out yours, but I know I want to." His hand went from pinching her nipple to cupping her breast.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>06-04-2011, 04:49:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja yelped in surprise as the towel became untucked and fell away from her.&nbsp; She tried to pout pathetically, but she couldn't stop laughing.&nbsp; Her cheeks flushed a light pink as he looked her over, but she still smiled.&nbsp; She was glad to know that she wouldn't be naked and out in the open for very long once they left the stairs.&nbsp; It was one thing to let him look at her and bask in his lustful gaze, but it was another to put herself on display for others to see.&nbsp; She belonged to him; no one else.&nbsp; She instinctively drew closer to him at his gentle touch, gasping softly at the light pinch at her breast, and welcoming the quick kiss.&nbsp; She quickly glanced at the stairs, smiling, and sighed as he continued to fondle her breast.&nbsp; She took a step back from him, grinning wickedly, and said, "I'm afraid you seem rather torn, Your Highness...Are you unable to decide which to look upon for the present- my back or my front?&nbsp; If you'd prefer to continue admiring my front, I'll have to take the stairs backward..."<br><br>She took another step, placing the ball of her left foot upon the first step of the staircase as if she truly intended to climb them backward for his pleasure.&nbsp; 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>06-04-2011, 05:30:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He felt her pull away from his hand and his fingers slowly closed around to her nipple and he tugged on it gently before he dropped his hand.&nbsp; His eyes fell down her legs and he watched her take the first step.&nbsp; "The physician is going to truly be mad at me if I do not get to bed soon, and you if you do not get me into bed." He took a step forward, letting the towel drop from his shoulder and into a crumpled mess on the floor.&nbsp; <br><br>"Now as for the direction you take, this side of you is very beautiful, but it confuses the body into thinking you are coming towards me.&nbsp; I think walking away will be more seductive.&nbsp; It'll call out to the lion in me.&nbsp; It'll really make me want to roar."&nbsp; He took another step towards her. "You better start walking faster or I don't think we'll make it up to my chambers."&nbsp; He let the towel around his waist slip away from his body.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>07-04-2011, 03:57:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja really had no intention of climbing the stairs backwards; she didn't trust her balance, knowing she would be more interested in looking at him than at where she placed her feet.&nbsp; She gave him an innocent smile, shrugging.&nbsp; "I would have had you in bed much sooner, if I hadn't been forced to take a little detour," she reminded him.&nbsp; "But then, we wouldn't have had so much fun in the bath!"<br><br>His reasoning for his choice of direction made the girl shudder.&nbsp; She loved him completely, but it was this side of him that stoked the fires within her.&nbsp; Her eyes met his, straying lower when she heard his towel hit the ground.&nbsp; She smiled coyly and moved her tongue as if she were rolling her r's, purring like a kitten, before she turned to face the stairs.&nbsp; She cast the towel from her tangled, wet hair and scurried up to the first landing, glancing back over her shoulder to check on him.&nbsp; She wanted to see him as he followed after her; she wanted to see that possessive, almost predatorial look in his eye.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>07-04-2011, 05:42:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He just smiled at her when she reminded him of the bath making him think about what he had done with her before and what he would do to her again.&nbsp; Ignius could hear the purr from his seductive lover and he let out a growl from deep within his chest.&nbsp; His eyes only left her body for a moment when the towel sailed past his vision.&nbsp; He watched her wet hair become free, and felt the hundreds of tiny droplets splash against his bare chest.&nbsp; <br><br>As Katja rushed up the stairs, Ignius continued his steady ascent.&nbsp; He knew that she could not escape him and she was only delaying the inevitable.&nbsp; He could see the excitement in her eyes as he gave his slow chase.&nbsp; Another flight and she would be at the door to his chambers.&nbsp; There was another reason he didn't run after her.&nbsp; He didn't want to say anything, but all the activity had drained him.&nbsp; Even though the bath had relieved a lot of built up stress, it hadn't done much to help the physical pain.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>08-04-2011, 15:13:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She was mindful of Ignius's injuries, and considered that the pain might be an issue on the staircase.&nbsp; Even so...The way he moved made her grin excitedly.&nbsp; He looked like a wolf who had cornered his prey, and was biding his time to strike.&nbsp; He moved with a slow grace, almost hiding his discomfort completely.&nbsp; She didn't want him to think she was going easy on him, so once he was only a few steps below her, she raced up the next flight, waiting just by the door for him.&nbsp; She watched him with a bit of concern, though, making sure he didn't fall.&nbsp; She knew that some men's bodies gave up before their minds...and in this case, his lust...did.&nbsp; She decided that once they reached his rooms, there wouldn't be any more messing around.&nbsp; She would get him to bed and make him rest; surely, she would lie with him for comfort, but she promised herself not to initiate or respond to sexual advances until he had rested a bit.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>09-04-2011, 18:03:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius was having the exact opposite idea as he followed her.&nbsp; It was obvious that, with each step he took, his shaft slowly grew in length as it hardened.&nbsp; His pace slowly began to quicken as he neared her.&nbsp; Before he allowed her to open up the door, he put one hand on it, keeping it shut.&nbsp; His body pressed against hers, pinning her against the wall as he kissed her.&nbsp; They were just outside of his chambers, but his burning desire for her couldn't seem to hold back any longer.&nbsp; His large rough hands ran over her soft skin as he held her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>10-04-2011, 06:42:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Once she was certain Ignius wouldn't fall and hurt himself- he even seemed to have picked up his pace- Katja turned to the exit, starting to open the door.&nbsp; A strong arm appeared at her side, the hand attached shutting the door again.&nbsp; She turned back around, only to be pressed against the door, her surprised squeak muffled by her lover's mouth.&nbsp; She kissed him back eagerly, loving the way his lips felt on hers, the way they fit together, as well as his natural dominance.&nbsp; A shudder ran through her body as his hands trailed along her pale skin, but despite her pleasure, she remembered herself and what she knew had to be done.&nbsp; She squirmed under him, trying to wriggle away, but he wouldn't budge; she wasn't strong enough.&nbsp; Her hands found his and tried to shoo them away before they got too carried away...
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>12-04-2011, 11:06:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He felt her kiss him back and knew that he had her heart.&nbsp; His hands roamed her body as he pressed against her, holding her lovely body in place.&nbsp; He felt her hands clasp his as they moved down between her legs.&nbsp; He felt her hands take his and stop him from moving down any farther.&nbsp; She was denying him of what he desired.&nbsp; Ignius wasn't going to let her take control of the situation.&nbsp; He grabbed her and lifted her over his shoulder, swinging the door open as he did so.&nbsp; He didn't say a word as he carried her over to the large bed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>12-04-2011, 18:36:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As much as she wanted the king to take her again, right there and then at the top of the stairs, Katja was also worried about her lover's condition.&nbsp; He needed bed rest, but she couldn't hope to get him into his room against his will...at least not on her own.&nbsp; When he finally released her mouth, she was ready to call for help...but she didn't get the chance.&nbsp; She gave a yelp of surprise and gasped, "No, My Lord!&nbsp; You mustn't!&nbsp; You need to rest!"<br><br>Her protests continued until they reached his chambers, but she didn't struggle for fear of hurting him by accident.&nbsp; Getting dumped onto the soft mattress silenced her, and she stared up at him, panting a little.&nbsp; Biting her lip, she scrambled away from him to lie among the pillows in hopes of luring him onto the bed so he could rest somewhat properly.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>13-04-2011, 02:02:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He smiled a bit when he was able to lift her.&nbsp; It showed him that he wasn't weak because of his physical condition.&nbsp; He tossed her onto the bed and watched her scramble around it.&nbsp; "You can't hide from me my Katja." His hands went onto the mattress and he slowly climbed onto the large bed.&nbsp; He stalked her over to the pillows and put his arms on either side of her.&nbsp; He growled a little at her as he leaned over and kissed her lips.&nbsp; His right leg moved over her body so that he was straddling her.&nbsp; "Now I have you right where I want you," he whispered into her ear before teasing her earlobe with his teeth.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>13-04-2011, 02:32:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				As planned, Katja was cornered; she watched him climb onto the mattress, crawling after her.&nbsp; She grinned mischievously and waited, trembling with anticipation, for him to pounce.&nbsp; It was painfully slow, and she knew he was doing it on purpose to draw this out, teasing her.&nbsp; Finally, he was on top of her, and his growl made her shudder.&nbsp; She kissed him back, slipping her arms around his neck.&nbsp; She felt the shifting of his legs, and his warm body resting over hers.&nbsp; With a soft moan, she obediently tilted her head for him, exposing her ear and neck for him to touch and toy with as he wished.&nbsp; "Mm, I always want you, My Lord," she teased, playing on his own words.&nbsp; "No matter where you 'have me...'" 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>13-04-2011, 03:29:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well that is a good little servant girl."&nbsp; Ignius grabbed her wrists and put her arms over her head.&nbsp; "But don't think that I forgot about what happened at the door.&nbsp; I don't like being pushed around."&nbsp; He grabbed the sheet and tied it around her wrists.&nbsp; He tied the other end to bed post so that she could not get away.&nbsp; His hands wandered her curvaceous body.&nbsp; Teasing that soft skin as his hands groped her.&nbsp; <br><br>It was obvious that Ignius was becoming aroused.&nbsp; The weight of his large cock rested upon her bare thigh.&nbsp; He could have taken her right there in his bed, but he wanted her to know that she'd been bad.&nbsp; He crawled up her naked body so that she felt his thick member dragging along her.&nbsp; He sat down on her firm stomach and placed his cock between her breasts, squeezing them together around him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>13-04-2011, 04:45:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She had certainly been bound before, and it tended to make her feel a dreadful blend of anxiety and rage; however, she hadn't ever been restrained for sexual purposes, and this new context excited her.&nbsp; Not to mention, she preferred the soft sheets over the harsh rope that had been used in the past.&nbsp; Her wriggling and struggling were half-hearted as he tied her to his bed; she didn't want to go anywhere and was merely trying to maintain the level and heat of their excitement.&nbsp; She bit her lip, keeping her eyes on his; his hold on her and the way he touched her heightened her arousal...and obviously his own as well.&nbsp; She could feel his cock on her leg, stiff and hot; she wanted to feel him inside of her once more, but he seemed to have something else in mind.&nbsp; She squirmed as he moved along her body, straddling her torso.&nbsp; Smiling coyly, she raised an eyebrow at him, arching her shoulders back to press her chest up toward him.&nbsp; "And what do you do with a little servant girl," she purred, "when she has acted out of place...above her station?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>13-04-2011, 05:40:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He felt her pressing her chest up to meet his hands as he played with them.&nbsp; He squeezed them together around his thick shaft and pinched her nipples between his fingers.&nbsp; He listened to her ask what he did with servant girls who acted above their station and smiled.&nbsp; "Well I make sure that they know where their station is, and with you I know just the way." He gave her nipples one last tug before he let go of her breasts.&nbsp; He lifted his hips up so that the tip of his large cock pressed against her lips.&nbsp; "Suck," he ordered her with a smile.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>13-04-2011, 06:01:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja smiled, watching him fondle her breasts, pressing them around his cock so he could rub himself against them.&nbsp; Every pinch and tug at her nipples made her moan softly, always wanting more.&nbsp; She couldn't help but giggle as he explained the "proper response" to little upstarts like her.&nbsp; "Going to put me back in my place, are you, My Lord?" she asked slyly, and then extended her tongue to greet the tip of his cock.&nbsp; She knew very little about oral sex, save for what one of her married friends shared with her, but she understood the general idea...allow the man to use one's mouth as he would use one's slit...It sounded simple in theory, but faced with his thick shaft, it seemed like a much more daunting task.&nbsp; Nevertheless, she welcomed the challenge, parting her lips and inviting his cock inside.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>13-04-2011, 06:19:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes Katja.&nbsp; You are my servant and you will do as I please." He moaned out as he felt her tongue touch his mushroom tip.&nbsp; He'd never received oral before either, but he'd walked in on one of the cleaning servants giving it to a guard.&nbsp; It had fascinated him at that time, but it'd slipped his memory when other pressing matters came up.&nbsp; He didn't know how it would feel or how she would react.&nbsp; He slowly let his cock slide down her throat.&nbsp; This was a different kind of pleasure, and he loved it.&nbsp; Slowly Ignius began to move his hips back and forth so that his shaft moved between her lips.&nbsp; "That is a good girl Katja," he moaned in praise.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>15-04-2011, 04:03:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Though she didn't show any signs of it, Katja was beginning to feel rather uncomfortable.&nbsp; There was&nbsp; no doubt in her mind of how she felt about him, and he had done much to prove he felt the same.&nbsp; However...He kept referring to her as a servant, and didn't insist that she call him by his name.&nbsp; Most of this had been said in a playful manner- him asserting his dominance, but she couldn't really be sure how much of it was just play.&nbsp; There was a nasty little thought buzzing around in her head, insisting that she was nothing more than a servant to him, but she shut it out, deciding to worry about that later and just enjoy the moment.&nbsp; <br><br>The tip of Ignius's cock was smooth to the touch, and she could smell the musky scent of his groin.&nbsp; She accepted his member into her mouth, feeling out the veins with her tongue.&nbsp; He filled her mouth, forcing her to breathe through her nose, and was soon pressing at the back of her throat.&nbsp; She almost panicked, feeling like she might choke and gag, but she was able to relax her throat in time.&nbsp; She couldn't move her head very much, because of the way she was bound, so she was glad to see that he was able to take this task upon himself.&nbsp; He rocked his hips, drawing his cock in and out of her mouth; her tongue gently massaged him, and her eyes flicked up to meet his as he moaned.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>16-04-2011, 18:46:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He groaned out in pleasure as he felt her tongue dancing on the underside of his cock.&nbsp; Ignius eyes locked with his lovers as his hips moved slowly in and out of her mouth.&nbsp; He put his hands onto the headboard and lifted his hips up.&nbsp; His cock slid down into her mouth at a different angle which made him let out another moan of pleasure.&nbsp; "You have such beautiful eyes Katja," he comments as he watches them.&nbsp; There was something about her eyes that just drove him crazy.&nbsp; <br><br>His fingers suddenly gripped the headboard harder.&nbsp; His knuckles turning white from the loss of blood flow.&nbsp; Ignius had to resist the urge to thrust his hips against her like he did when inside of her other entrance.&nbsp; She could feel his cock throb in her mouth and he couldn't hold back.&nbsp; His hot sticky load shot out into her mouth.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>16-04-2011, 19:00:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja squirmed a little underneath him; she didn't know why, but having his cock in her mouth that excited her, and her thighs were becoming moistened once more.&nbsp; She hummed softly around his cock, letting him know that she was enjoying this too.&nbsp; She loved that she could make him feel this way, and his moans brought her much satisfaction.&nbsp; She was a little anxious when he adjusted his position, because it allowed him to penetrate deeper, making it a little harder for her to breathe normally.&nbsp; She noticed how he tensed, and was suddenly reminded of the passionate thrusting of their earlier lovemaking...Her eyes widened with this slight panic, knowing she couldn't handle something like that, but he put her worries to rest.&nbsp; He didn't harshly force himself down her throat, but kept his movements steady.&nbsp; He was obviously close to orgasm, and she wondered where he would cum.&nbsp; In her mouth?&nbsp; Or would he pull out and cum on her face or chest?&nbsp; His choice was made clear when his cock began pulsing in her mouth, filling her with the thick, salty fluid.&nbsp; The sudden burst had taken her by surprise, making her choke a little before she managed to swallow most of it.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>16-04-2011, 21:47:40</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He slowly pulled out of her mouth.&nbsp; A line of saliva and cum spanned the gap between his tip and her lower lip.&nbsp; As he pulled away the strand snapped and little bits flew everywhere.&nbsp; He sat back down on her stomach as he untied the sheets.&nbsp; "Well I definitely enjoyed that.&nbsp; What did you think?" Ignius rolled off of her as he asked the question, letting her move around and regain feeling to her arms once more.&nbsp; He ran a hand over her naked body and considered the possibility of staying up even longer.&nbsp; He knew that his physician would get angry at him, but he was the king after all and he knew what he wanted.&nbsp; He also knew that it would take Katja a little while to swallow all that.&nbsp; "There should be a pitcher of water on the nightstand beside you."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>19-04-2011, 01:53:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja's eyes watered a bit as she struggled to swallow properly, but she mastered herself as Ignius slid his cock from her mouth.&nbsp; The taste of his cum was strange to her, and while she didn't particularly care for it, she wasn't repulsed by it either.&nbsp; She watched him move to untie her, knowing that their erotic frolicking would have to be paused until the king was well-rested, but she was almost sorry to have regained the use of her arms.&nbsp; She would just have to hope he would do it again sometime...<br><br>She smiled up at Ignius when he asked for her thoughts, but her mouth still felt sticky and unfit for speech.&nbsp; She shuddered pleasantly at his touch, and gratefully helped herself to the pitcher of water, gulping it down and rinsing her mouth.&nbsp; She turned to him, stroking his cheek with her cool fingers.&nbsp; "As much as I love having you inside of me, My Lord," she purred.&nbsp; "This is a most pleasant alternative to bring some variety..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>27-04-2011, 08:51:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				He traced his finger along her spine as she turned away from him to get a drink.&nbsp; He liked the natural curve of her body.&nbsp; Ignius's eyes followed her movement as she turned and looked down at him.&nbsp; "Well I love being inside of you my Katja," he replied to her comment and leaned up, pressing his lips against hers as his arms wrapped around her and he pulled her down against him.&nbsp; After the kiss he let her rest her head against his powerful chest and kept an arm around her as they went to sleep. <br><br>------<br><br>The next few weeks were quite busy, but the king always seemed to have time for lunch with his favorite servant.&nbsp; Though they did rarely eat much during those times together.&nbsp; She could feel him getting stronger each day when they found time alone together, and every night they lay in bed.&nbsp; He was growing fond of her and even gave her a present.&nbsp; It was a necklace though it was tight around her neck, almost like a collar.&nbsp; It was made of a soft leather with a number of jade stones set inside of it with silver borders.&nbsp; On the front of the collars held his royal symbol in silver, showing anyone who saw her just who she belonged to.&nbsp; <br><br>------<br><br>It was a warm morning and the rays of sunlight seemed dance over her skin.&nbsp; They'd had another night of passion and hadn't even made it under the sheets. His eyes roamed her sleeping body once more before he rolled out of bed and got to his feet.&nbsp; He pulled his robe over his shoulders and tied the belt as he walked over to grab a piece of fruit from the table.&nbsp; The doors suddenly flung open.&nbsp; "Sire! An army has been seen coming over the Titan Mountains!&nbsp; It holds the colors of the Thadlian Kingdom!" <br><br>"What?!" Ignius roared and rushed out of the room with the messenger.&nbsp; The Thadlian Kingdom had never been much of a threat because the mountains between the two kingdoms was so rough and dangerous that even if someone controlled both sides rarely anything would reach the other side.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>30-04-2011, 08:58:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius's fingertip running ever so lightly down her back made her wriggle at the tickling sensation.&nbsp; When she had turned back around, she smiled against his lips, kissing him back, and let him reposition her.&nbsp; He reminded her of a child settling down for the night with a beloved doll, the way he moved around with such ease and held her tightly, close to his heart.&nbsp; She listened to his breathing gradually become slow and deep before closing her eyes for her own night's sleep.<br><br>_____<br><br>Days passed, and Katja did not return to the servants' wing.&nbsp; Dresses were regularly delivered to the king's room with breakfast, and certain items were moved to his washroom--a brush, comb, and her powders and paints.&nbsp; He spent his mornings in the throne room, while she continued her mending duties for the laundry.&nbsp; However, she never set foot in that place of steam and sweat; instead, she was allowed to work wherever she pleased, be it the gardens or the king's rooms.&nbsp; Midday would always find her in the king's bed, without fail, entangled in a knot of arms and legs as they made each other moan and sigh.&nbsp; They would return to their work in the afternoon, and would sometimes dine privately together for supper; other times, he would be called away for a meal conference with some noble or other and she would eat alone.&nbsp; The late nights belonged to her, though; she often joked that nothing kept him away from his room when he knew a naked Katja would be waiting for him.&nbsp; <br><br>She never ran into any more problems with the palace guards, either; even the soldiers who had eyed her suggestively kept their distance once Ignius presented her with his unique gift.&nbsp; The soft leather was comfortable, and the stones went well with her eye color.&nbsp; She often found herself absently running her fingers over the silver, smiling to herself.&nbsp; Throughout all of this, she continued to call him Lord; she didn't want him to think she was putting on airs or taking advantage of his liking for her.&nbsp; She also paid regular visits to the palace apothecary; she wasn't quite ready to be a mother, so she took medicines to prevent it, wondering if there would ever be such a time that Ignius would ask her to stop taking such measures.<br><br>_____<br><br>The night had been warm, and the heat of their lovemaking kept Katja out from under the blankets.&nbsp; As always, she slept bare and dreamed of previous moments of passion.&nbsp; She was fast asleep and didn't notice the king leave the bed.&nbsp; She lay on her belly with her arms folded under her pillow and her golden hair in a loose braid swept away from her back.&nbsp; A sudden noise sent her bolting upright with something between a gasp and a shriek; panting, she glanced around the room frantically, wiping sleep from her eyes.&nbsp; "M-My Lord," she mumbled sleepily.&nbsp; "What is it?"&nbsp; But he had already gone.&nbsp; Frowning, she flopped back down onto the bed with a sigh.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>dangerduck</strong> on <strong>03-05-2011, 20:58:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Ignius was brought clothes as he talked to his advisors and generals.&nbsp; Messengers rode in and out of the castle so often that they were forced to bring more horses from the ranches outside of the city to provide them with fresh steeds.&nbsp; It seemed that war was upon Benedetto.&nbsp; <br><br>The castle was alive with activity and gossip about what was going on behind closed doors.&nbsp; Ignius did not return to his chambers for his lunch and lover, nor did he return for dinner, or even that night to bed.&nbsp; By the light of the next morning there were hundreds of men armed and equipped beginning their training.&nbsp; Some barely 15 winters while others had seen more than 30.&nbsp; Smoke rose from the city as every blacksmith was employed to create weapons, armor, and horseshoes.&nbsp; <br><br>Ignius looked at a map as the numbers of enemy troops came in.&nbsp; The counts varied, but the amounts were all high.&nbsp; Ignius wondered how they managed to get so many troops through without them noticing, but also new that they would be weak on supplies.&nbsp; "We must stop them here and here or else they will have a foothold to garner supplies."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: The Concubine in the Court</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Songless Siren</strong> on <strong>04-05-2011, 15:19:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Katja tried to go about her day as if all was well, as if nothing strange had happened that morning.&nbsp; She took her sewing into one of the palace gardens and settled herself upon the lip of one of the many magnificent fountains.&nbsp; The sound of the falling water behind her was soothing, but it didn't keep her from wondering what was going on.&nbsp; She gathered her things up at the noon bell, eager to get back to Ignius for their usual afternoon interlude, but when she reached his bedroom, she found it empty.&nbsp; She frowned, but tried to brush it off, telling herself that he didn't <em>always</em> make it back to his room for lunch.&nbsp; She was getting nervous.&nbsp; She waited, in case he was just running late from a meeting or something, but he never came.&nbsp; She remained in his room, sulking; she would have asked one of the servants what was going on that kept the king away from her, but she remembered the immediate silence that greeted her whenever she walked into a room--as if they had just been talking about her.&nbsp; Dinner was a lonely affair, and, to her dismay, she spent the night alone for the first time in at least a month.&nbsp; She barely slept; she just watched the door with teary eyes, waiting for Ignius to come back.<br><br>The girl slept in the next day, and didn't leave the room or even get dressed.&nbsp; She slipped a silk robe around her shoulders and went to the window to look out upon the capital.&nbsp; The sky was filled with smoke, as if every single forge and bake shop were working furiously to fill a quota.&nbsp; The lines of men marching along the streets toward the palace explained the need for more food and arms.&nbsp; Ignius was preparing for war...There was no other explanation.
			</dd>
		</dl>
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