‘Twill’s coming back?’ the dragon-lady asked.
‘Uh-huh, sometime on the twenty-fifth. Great isn’t it?’
‘That means I have less than four days!’
Ceri blinked. ‘Huh?’
‘Dusting, cleaning. All the sheets will have to be washed again.’
‘But… this place is just as clean as it was when she was here.’
‘And you think that’s good enough?! No, no, no.’ She turned, heading for the kitchen. ‘You too get about your business. I’ve got so much work to do.’
Lily grinned at Ceri, suppressing a giggle, picked up a bag she seemed to have repacked while waiting, and held out her chain for Ceri to take. It was entirely unnecessary; they were not going to meet anyone in the castle and leading her slave around by a chain was for show. Except that this was for show. Lily was showing that she was comfortable with how both of them were going to feel once they crossed over. Ceri took the chain and turned to lead the way through the portal.
A quickly stifled giggle accompanied Lily’s emergence into the portal chamber in the castle. The half-succubus kept her eyes down, unable to willingly look up at Ceri’s face. ‘Sorry, Mistress. The tingle in my skin was sort of ticklish.’
‘Same here,’ Ceri replied. She wanted Lily to call her by her name, but they had been through this. With the crown on her head the best she could hope for was “Mistress,” and there was no way Ceri was taking the crown off while she was here. ‘Right, we need to get to somewhere with a window so I can see what time it is. We’ve got travelling to do and I’d like to know whether we’re going to be waking people up when we start.’ She started for the entrance.
‘Is that going to stop you?’
‘Probably not.’
They went out through the corridor which led into the throne room and then out into the huge central stairwell with its twin helical stairs leading down through the building. Technically it was one staircase, the stairs designed for people much taller than a normal human, and one slope. Ceri ignored them both, heading instead all the way around the upper balcony to a door on the other side and the far narrower staircase within. They climbed for five minutes before reaching the watch post near the top of the spire-like tower at the front of the castle.
From there they could look out on the Mountains of Khedra below them, part of them anyway. The black rocks sloped down from here toward the foothills and the plains beyond them. Somewhere out there was the wild mining town of Dorilla in the Khedra Lalgash. Close up was the deep bowl of rock in front of the castle with its flat, mirror-like lake. From here it looked more and more like an impact crater. Long, long ago something had crashed into the planet and left that hole in the side of Mount Khed.
There was no real sun here. Between the world and its star, assuming the laws of physics here were sufficiently similar that the world orbited a star, was some sort of cloud which diffused the light and give it a reddish tint, even at midday. The evenings were very long and from the colour of the sky and the darkness in the east Ceri could tell that this evening had begun. She guessed they had around ten hours until the dawn light began to show again.
‘We’ll start in Shilfaris,’ she said. ‘We have some recruiting to do.’
Shilfaris
Captain Torn was a little perplexed. There had been no word that a new lord had arrived at the Grey Castle. No one had seen anyone arriving through any of the city’s gates. And yet a slave, a Lorril in silver collar, cuffs, and slave chain, had come to the barracks and asked for him by name, and now she was leading him to the audience chamber in the Lord’s Tower. The slave had said her name was Lilith, and that was the name of the Lorril who accompanied the Overlord, Lady Ayasha, but surely if the Overlord had come to Shilfaris they would have been told?
When he arrived in the chamber his perplexity just increased. A tall, jet black woman with silver hair was busy yanking down the curtains the last lord had used to screen his throne from those seeking audience. She was dressed only in a white loincloth and a bandeau top, both of them slightly translucent, and when she turned to look at him and he saw her blue eyes he knew exactly who she was.
‘Sha? You’re Sha, the det who came here for the men the night the last lord died.’
‘Hmm,’ she said, smiling at him, ‘you have a good memory. It’s the eyes, isn’t it? Blue eyes aren’t common among demons.’
‘Yes. No. But… What are you doing? You can’t be here. And pulling down those curtains…’
‘The new lord is going to be sitting in the open, Lord Torn.’
He blinked at her. ‘What?’
‘My name isn’t Sha,’ Ceri told him, ‘and I came to the castle that night to rescue Lilith there. Destroying the lord of this place was just an added bonus.’
‘What?’ He shook his head, realising he was sounding like an idiot. ‘If she is Lilith, then that would mean…’ Torn really was not stupid. He fell to his knees as the illusion around Ceri dissolved revealing her normal form in her tabard dress with the iron crown sitting on her brow. ‘Lady Ayasha, my apologies…’
‘Clearly I selected a form which would make you think I was someone else, Torn. Apologies are redundant.’
‘Of course… Lady, I’m just a Captain…’
‘No, you are the new lord of Shilfaris. In twenty days I will be holding a meeting of all the Lords at the Castle of Bones. You will be there too. For now you’re going to get this place in order. I expect Shilfaris and its surrounding lands to be run fairly and you struck me as both an ambitious man and a fair one when we last met.’ She paused. ‘Of course, if I turn out to be wrong, there are plenty of people I can get to hang your head on the walls before I replace you.’
‘I will do my utmost to fulfil your wishes, Lady,’ Torn replied. The hint of fear in his voice suggested he would.
‘I’m quite sure you will. Now I have business elsewhere in the city. Good evening, Torn.’ Picking up her staff from beside the throne, Ceri walked out past the bemused Devos toward the stairs.
~~~
The city’s East Ward was the cheapest part of town. When you saw full demons there, rather than det, common demons, it was because they were very down on their luck, or they were on business, or they were slumming it among the poor. The Devim’s Horns was probably the best inn in the place, but it still managed to look like something out of the Wild West and you rarely saw a demon in the place. It was usually loud, full of people intent on drinking themselves into a stupor before bed, or on feeding the few Lorril who frequented the upper floor giving sex for food.
The taprooms went silent as the grave as the doors swung open and Ceri walked in, followed by Lily doing her best demon pet routine. A second later there was a loud scraping of chairs as every det in the room scrabbled to prostrate themselves.
‘That’s quite enough of that,’ Ceri yelled. ‘Not long ago half of you were coming to my house to be treated for injuries and ailments. Get back to your drinks, you misbegotten wretches!’ There was an equally loud scraping of chairs as everyone struggled to comply with the Overlord’s wishes. Ceri rolled her eyes and walked over to the bar where the tentacle-faced barman was quaking in his boots. She ignored him, heading instead for the pretty, blue-skinned girl at the end.
‘L-l-l-lady Ayasha,’ Hiffy said, trying to bob a curtsey, avert her eyes, and bow at the same time.
‘Hiffy. It’s a pleasure to see you again. Now get out from behind that bar and come with me.’ Ceri turned and headed back toward the doors. The conversation still had not restarted and she wanted out of the place so they could get on with their lives without their Overlord standing over them. ‘We’re going to see your grandfather,’ she said once they were outside. ‘I have a job offer for the two of you.’
‘Y-y-yes, Lady,’ Hiffy stammered lifting her skirt with her tail to avoid tripping over it in her haste.
‘Good grief, girl! I spent a very pleasant hour or two writhing around on your tail. You know full well who and what
I am. Stop acting like I’m going to eat you.’
‘I can’t help it, Lady,’ Hiffy replied, half moaning. ‘It’s like… like you’re just so powerful it’s impossible and demons always bow before greater power.’ At least she had stopped stammering.
‘Hiffy is right, Mistress,’ Lily said, ‘but it’s kind of nice for me. My demon side has never been so submissive. I’m entirely subject to your whim, but I actually find it easier to control myself.’ She gave a little shrug and offered up a winsome smile before lowering her eyes again.
‘I suppose that’s a plus,’ Ceri said, her voice low enough that only they could hear it, ‘but having everyone afraid of me is no fun at all. So stop it. You can be all subservient if that’s how you feel you have to be, but I’m not going to harm either of you.’
‘Thank you, Lady,’ Hiffy replied. ‘I’ll try my best not to cower too much.’ Ceri laughed; that was more like the Hiffy she knew.
Ruffa, Hiffy’s grandfather, lived in what could have charitably been described as a hovel near the city wall in East Ward. He was a grumpy old man who had worked at the castle before being discovered stealing silver cutlery and having his hand cut off. Ceri had regrown the lost appendage when she was last in the city, but Ruffa was still grumpy. He even managed to look grumpy while cowering before her on the floor of his one waterproof room.
‘On your feet, old man,’ Ceri told him. ‘I’m here to offer you and your granddaughter a job, so I don’t want to be looking at the top of your head.’
Wincing, Ruffa climbed to his feet, but kept his eyes away from hers. ‘What’s a great Lady such as yourself want with an old det and a barmaid, if it’s not too much trouble to ask?’
Ceri smirked at him. Just as much of an old curmudgeon as ever. ‘I’ve recently come into possession of a rather large castle,’ Ceri said, pulling out a chair with one short leg and sitting down. ‘It needs staff and someone to run it, and I’m not planning to spend all my time here. I want you to head up the household. Hiffy will be your apprentice and assistant so that she can take over when you retire. You’ll select the staff and keep the place running while I’m elsewhere.’ Hiffy let out a tiny squeak and covered her mouth.
‘I think the Lady forgets why I lost my job at Grey Castle,’ Ruffa replied.
‘No I’m not. I gave you your hand back, so if you cross me I’ll separate it from you again. Only this time the hand will be the only thing left.’ She smiled, making a joke of the threat. ‘But I don’t think you will anyway. I’m giving you real responsibility and a high position for you and Hiffy. I believe you’ll treat that with the respect it deserves. The question is, do you think you can do it?’
Ruffa paused, considering his answer. Ceri could tell Hiffy was holding her breath, but the old man’s delay suggested she had made the right decision. ‘Aye, I think I can, but all I can promise is to do my best.’
‘That is all I ask, Ruffa,’ Ceri replied. She grinned at Hiffy as the blue girl bounced up and down in glee. ‘Get whatever you need together and go to the castle in the morning. Speak with Lord Torn. He’ll arrange an escort for you to the Castle of Bones. Take whoever you wish to staff the place, or pick them up along the way. I’ll need to arrange for pay at some point, but for now I think people will be willing to give the Overlord credit.’ She rose to her feet. ‘I’ll be calling all the Lords together in twenty days. You’ve got until then to get the place ready.’
‘You’re leaving?’ Hiffy asked.
‘Yes. Lots to do. See you both soon.’ She raised her hand and Lily vanished into thin air.
‘See you soon, Lady.’ But there was no one to hear it.
The Castle of Bones
Lily had insisted on feeding Ceri. They had managed to get a fire going in one of the rooms in the private chambers, though they had had to get wood and bring it with them from Shilfaris. Ceri had used magic to shift the enormous, heavy, wing-backed chair closer to the fireplace, and Lily had got a cushion down to kneel on while Ceri sprawled on the chair. The food had come from Shilfrais too, picked up on the way from the castle to East Ward. Lily perched on her cushion and cut bread and cheese, and reached up to hold it while Ceri giggled and bit into it. Lily was giggling too.
‘We are going to have to get some new furniture,’ Ceri said. She waved her hand toward her goblet, and Lily picked it up, holding it to Ceri’s lips to let her drink.
‘Yes, Mistress. Furniture designed for fifteen foot dragon-people isn’t best suited for more normally proportioned rulers.’ She giggled again, picked up her own goblet and taking a drink. ‘It’s good wine.’
‘It’s gorgeous cheese too,’ Ceri agreed. ‘It’s really goaty, strong flavoured.’
‘Impressive, considering there are no goats.’
Ceri giggled. ‘There are no grapes, or wheat for that matter. The flour comes from a flower seed and the wine is fermented from berries.’ She hiccupped. ‘And it’s quite strong.’
‘It’s a good thing we got two bottles then,’ Lily replied. ‘Mistress might get over her hang-ups about being my mistress with enough alcohol in her.’
Ceri leaned forward and placed a finger under Lily’s chin, lifting her face to look into her eyes. ‘Does my gorgeous pet want her mistress then?’
‘Mistress knows her control of pet makes pet intensely horny,’ Lily replied, her voice a whisper. She giggled. ‘But a little more alcohol will dull Mistress’ inhibitions so she uses me in ways she’d never normally dream of.’
Ceri swallowed. ‘We won’t need the nursery. I’ll get Ruffa… No, I’ll get Hiffy to set about turning it into a dungeon.’
‘Mistress is most wise,’ Lily purred.
‘Not as wise as you, shekushka.’
~~~
She was standing in the watchtower, looking down on the world below. A cool wind blew over her skin like a caress. It was good, nice; despite the night air and the breeze Ceri felt as though she was on fire. Feverish, that was the sensation; hot, breathless, intensely aroused. Damn it! She had just spent two hours making excessive use of Lily’s gorgeous body and she was having a wet dream? And why was she dreaming of being up here of all places? The view was spectacular, true enough, and maybe she would bring Lily up here sometime, but…
‘You’re here for the view of the realm you rule.’ The voice was male, very male, a voice so masculine it reached right down between Ceri’s legs and squeezed.
‘Who… who are you?’ She did not turn around. She could feel some sort of presence behind her, something male, primal, animal, and she was not sure she wanted to see it.
‘Hmm… how best to describe what I am? The Spirit? The Essence? The Life?’
‘Spirit of what?’
‘Everything.’ She felt hands on her hips, sliding upward sensuously, gliding over her skin. ‘I am the sum of all the living things in this world, and of the world itself, and you are my Mistress, the ruler of all you see.’ More hands stroked the inside of her thighs, applying gentle pressure. She bent forward slightly, taking her weight on her arms and allowing her legs to be spread. The sheer masculine presence of the being could not be denied. Hands gripped her breasts and she felt her labia being parted by a thick phallus.
‘Uhhh… What… what are you…?’
There was a soft chuckle. ‘I’d have thought that was obvious.’ He entered her slowly, teasingly slowly, until she felt so full she could bear no more. ‘A union of land and ruler. A true union. A sacred marriage.’ He began to move, sliding out and then in again, gaining speed slowly and driving Ceri half mad as her body reacted to the sensation of being filled by the being’s sex. She felt her inner muscles starting to pulse and knew she was close…
But something made her pull back, panting and struggling to focus. ‘No,’ she whispered, ‘not like this.’ Her hands gripped the wall of the balcony and she concentrated hard as he continued driving into her, and the dream shifted around them and she heard a gasp. Opening her eyes she looked down to see the figure of a heavily
muscled man with jet black skin and horns growing from his bald head. She was straddling his hips now, she was controlling the action, and his hands gripped her thighs as she rose and fell on his shaft, and now it was him who was struggling to hold back the inevitable climax.
‘I’m the Mistress,’ Ceri told him. ‘I’m the ruler. I speak, you listen. You belong to me.’
He let out a moan, part pleasure and part despair, and she knew she had him. Reaching down she grabbed his horns and pulled him upward, and a long forked tongue snaked out from between pointed teeth to caress her nipples. Her muscles began to clench around his shaft again, but this time she allowed the sensation to build. He was hers and she could enjoy herself; he would not be gaining release until she let him. This was going to be a good dream.
~~~
Her breath coming in shudders, Ceri opened her eyes and blinked at the canopy over the enormous bed in the master bedroom. Lily was sitting, cross-legged, a couple of feet away with a goblet of wine in her hands and a slightly bemused grin on her face. The bed had been designed for at least two people around twice their height so there was plenty of room for her to give Ceri some space.
‘That was one helluva dream you were having,’ Lily said. ‘I could feel… some of it. I hope Mistress wants to make use of her pet before we go out because her pet is about ready to pop.’
Ceri laughed and it came out as a husky groan. She held out her hand for the goblet and sat up, feeling shaky and weak. The wine wet her throat and restored some of her mind at least. ‘I think I just had my wedding night.’
‘I wasn’t aware that you’d got married.’
‘Me neither. The world came and… Well, the “sacred marriage” isn’t unheard of. Various cultures have enacted rituals involving the portrayal of sex between their gods for fertility purposes and the like.’
Thaumatology 11 - For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll Page 19
