The Ward of Falkroy

by Loki Renard

  Victoria cast her gaze about the well appointed room, all stuffed furniture and carved curlicues and wallpaper tinted with gold. This was the room of a stuffed person, and she felt very much stuffed inside it.

  “It does not cross my mind that anyone would be content here,” she said with more than a little pique. “I am tired of attending to court matters. I am tired of explaining to the king why the Black River cannot be forded, and why it would be folly to do so even if such a thing were possible. I am tired of pretending to care about fish from Fissa, or arguing about the price of authentic Issland ice. I am tired, Leo. I am just plain tired. For all I know Kelsie has spent the last week harpooning passersby from the balcony. I have had so little time with her.”

  “Kelsie is well entertained,” Leo assured her. “When you have not been present, she has been tucked away reading.”

  “Yes, I suppose teaching her to read was a good idea,” Victoria mused. “I do worry she might learn something though.”

  Leo let out a chuckle and his hands began to roam her body. “Less worry about Kelsie,” he said gruffly. “More worry about yourself.”

  “Do you worry for me, Falkroy?”

  “I worry for the world when Victoria Varys is compelled to behave herself for too long,” he said, cupping her breast and running his thumb under her nipple with a teasing touch. “You are chaos' finest companion. It will seek you out if you do not at least have it to tea.”

  “You make little sense, Leo,” she breathed as his fingertips teased a nipple erect beneath her gauzy dress, then pinched it hard enough to send sensation shooting straight to the core of her. “But I appreciate the attempt to distract me.”

  “I'll do more than distract you,” he promised with an erotic growl.

  They fell into each other's arms, mouths meeting, hard rod finding hot sex. Domesticity had made their passion more regular, but no less intense. Yielding herself to his desire, Victoria lost herself in Falkroy. He was demanding and fierce, taking full control of her and making her forget her propriety and her powers. She was naught but a woman in his arms, a soft, willing woman whose flesh clung to the cock which plunged in and out of her, her internal muscles gripping him, drawing him deeper, coaxing his seed forth until it spilled inside her, coating the walls of her quivering pussy.

  He thrust languidly inside her for some time after he spent himself, pushing his cum deeper and yet also drawing it out with every other stroke. He had covered her sex most thoroughly in his sticky pale seed and she was caught on the verge of climax as he simply toyed with her, his shaft still hard as he pushed himself in and out of her with an almost casual demeanor.

  “Let me cum, Falkroy,” she gasped.

  “Ask me nicely,” he smiled, his gray gaze masterful.

  “Let me cum or I'll... ouch!”

  He had pinched her clit as she began to make her threat, warning her that he would not tolerate her usual attitude in this moment. She would never tell him, but she adored when he became so dominant and demanding.

  “Ask me nicely, Victoria.”

  “Please... Lord Falkroy...” she moaned as the head of his cock strummed between her cum soaked lips, bumping up against her clit every now and then. “I wish to cum...”

  “Have you earned orgasm?”

  Her eyes met his, her head tilting as she silently begged him not to play this game. But he was going to play it anyway, she could already tell.

  “I believe I have,” she said, answering with uncommon politeness.

  “Is that so?” He raised a brow and his finger hovered about her clit again, teasing her with light pinches which brought her closer to that blessed release.

  “Yes!” She could hear the desperation in her voice, the unbridled need. All the dignity she usually clung to was slipping away as she rolled her hips toward his cock, trying to capture it again.

  “Yes, what?”

  “Yes, sir! Please, Lord Falkroy! Allow me this orgasmmmmm... ohh!”

  He thrust himself back inside her roughly and she felt her inner walls clench tight around him with a grip so intense that she came immediately, release rushing through her, taking every thought, every intention, every bit of conscious control and unleashing erotic chaos through her quivering body. Her cries were as primal as they were ecstatic and for a brief, blissful moment she was simply floating in the space of pure sensation before being caught in his arms and bought gently back to earth.

  “Do you feel better now, m'lady?” He murmured the question down at her and attempted to restore the position of her lust torn dress with little in the way of success.

  “I do,” she said with a little sigh which spoke to contentment and yet inadvertently gave away her hidden emotions.

  “Coupling will not be enough, will it,” Leo chuckled, still caressing her body.“You need to get into some real trouble.”

  She cast a curious look at him. “You have something in mind, Falkroy?”

  “There is a trial of assassins beginning soon,” he said. “They're looking for a willing target.”

  She raised a skeptical brow at him. “You want me to make myself bait for novices?”

  “You could put your most wicked powers to use without fear. It's rare any of our apprentices have the chance to go up against a sorceress.”

  “And perhaps if there is a particularly talented neophyte, I find myself assassinated,” she smirked. “Leo, truly. We have responsibilities now. We cannot go about allowing assassins to try to kill us for practice. If I die, you die, and what will become of Kelsie?”

  “You will not die,” Leo promised. “I'll be there. If anyone gets uncomfortably close, I will tend to them.”

  “The poor lambs,” Victoria laughed. “Your 'tending' is not something I would wish on anyone.”

  ***

  Midnight found Lady Varys standing in the center of an empty bastion, one of the many at the walls of Englred. There were soldiers posted above upon the ramparts, and of course, both inside and outside the city. The likelihood of anyone reaching her seemed remote.

  The trial of the assassins was the worst kept secret in Englred, and every year there were quite a number of soldiers and citizens alike who delighted in attempting to foil the apprentice assassins. Anyone who captured one would be given a hundred gold pieces by the assassin's guild. What happened to the captured apprentice was not as well known, but it was universally known to be unpleasant.

  The shadows shifted and it took all her effort not to roll her eyes.

  “Really, boy,” she said to the darkness. “I can not only see you, I can smell you. Take a bath!”

  “Wha...aaaaaaa!!!”

  SPLOOSH!

  She heard the faint, but distinct sound of an apprentice falling into the moat beyond the wall and smiled with satisfaction. The moat was rather cold this time of year, but a bracing swim might give the young man a chance to clear his head and cleanse his body at the same time.

  The single candle before her flickered momentarily.

  “Hello, Leo,” she said to the shadows.

  “You're alert tonight, Lady Varys,” he complimented as he stepped into the crown of light.

  She very much liked how he looked in his assassin's attire. A man in black silk never failed to excite her. It had the effect of making Leo look both debonair and dangerous.

  “You've been quite ruthless,” he noted with a broad smile of approval.

  “They have been relatively tedious,” Victoria yawned. “I have turned one into a frog, magicked one to the center of Fissa, and I'm not sure how many white mice there are around the place now, but let us hope there is not a motivated cat nearby.”

  “A fair number have made it past the guard into your presence,” he said. “That's encouraging. It must be a good crop this year.”

  “Perhaps,” she said. “But Leo, I fail to see how this is supposed to serve as entertainment. It is like being a fish shooting fishermen from a barrel. Amusing for a time, but there is no real sport in it.�
��

  “No real sport, you say? One year during my apprenticeship the novices turned upon one another on the rooftops and it rained limbs into the courtyards. Nasty affair. Very much frowned upon. Compared to that, this is highly sporting.”

  “With recollections such as those, it's a wonder either of us survived your training,” Victoria mused, moving closer to him and taking him by the lapel. She drew him down and their lips met in a passionate kiss which was all the hotter for taking place at the axis of danger.

  As their lips met, a shadow dropped from the roof twenty feet above and landed nimbly mere inches from Victoria. Leo moved swiftly, but not quite swiftly enough. The dark little figure zipped forward, hand extended. In a fraction of a second, it made contact with Lady Varys' posterior, delivering a sharp slap along with a laugh.

  A moment later, Leo's boot met the novice's stomach as Leo kicked the assassin back, sending him sliding across the stone floor, short blade in hand.

  “How dare you, boy!” He thundered furiously, pacing after the novice. “You were sent to kill, not to fondle.”

  “Apologies, Lord Falkroy,” the hooded figured mumbled once he had caught his breath. “We were told to make contact, is all. That was the nearest part I could reach without harming her. I did it out of respect for you, sir.”

  “Respect for me? You'll lose your nearest part, boy,” Leo snarled, advancing upon the lad. He couldn't have been very old, for he was slight of frame and quite short as well. That did nothing to stop Falkroy's fury.

  “Easy, dear,” Victoria called out. “He was simply performing his duty.”

  Leo grasped the novice assassin by the front of his tunic and hauled him up off the ground.

  “And now I'll perform mine.”

  He gave the assassin a firm shake and in the process the boy's hood fell back, revealing...

  “Kelsie!” Victoria and Leo shouted her name simultaneously.

  “What are you doing!?” Leo demanded, renewing his grip.

  “The trials are open to anyone,” she said with a shrug. “I thought I'd try my hand. A little levitation, a hint of shadow walking... being an assassin is easy.”

  Leo's eyes sparked with fury as Victoria laughed, both in surprise and out of great amusement. Finally, something interesting had taken place.

  “I apologize for taking liberties with your person, Lady Varys,” Kelsie smirked over his shoulder, dangling quite comfortably in his grasp. “I just wanted to be sure I'd made contact.”

  “You've made contact,” Victoria agreed. “Now I wonder what will make contact with you.”

  Kelsie looked back at Leo and her smile faded as the very angry master assassin glared at her unrelentingly.

  “You could have been killed!” He snarled, very much not amused. “There are dangerous men afoot tonight. This is not a game!”

  “It seemed like a game to me,” she said, arguing quite boldly. “ A game I won. You underestimated me, that is why you're angry.”

  Victoria was impressed how Kelsie had the courage of her convictions. It was quite fascinating to see Kelsie and Leo butt heads. He was usually so mellow when it came to her, and she would usually do anything to please him. This little antic had put them at rare odds. Victoria was quite certain that Kelsie had not expected chastisement from Leo. She had probably imagined she would receive praise, but that was the farthest thing from the man's mind.

  “No, I'm angry because you could have been thrown from a roof by one of the others, or stabbed in the liver by an overzealous guard, or turned into a damned rat if Victoria had seen you coming. This is the most dangerous night of the year in Englred, and you are supposed to be at home in bed!”

  “It's the most dangerous night of the year and I won!” Kelsie shouted back. “I'm wearing the clothes you bought for me, wielding the dagger you gave me. I'm here because you led me here, Lord Falkroy, and I don't care what you say!”

  “Oh you'll care, you little wench,” he growled. “You'll care until you can't sit for a month.” He set her down, turned her about, and landed an open palmed slap full force across her cheeks.

  She hissed, but did not cry out. Kelsie was learning to control her reactions, Victoria noted with approval.

  “Go home,” he ordered. “I will deal with you tomorrow.”

  Victoria raised her hand just as Kelsie opened her mouth, and before whatever impertinence was able to be spoken, she was sent back to her chamber, safe and sound and very much locked in. Victoria did not waste her breath on lectures or threats. It would be quite some time before her apprentice had the freedom to leave her room, let alone the house.

  “I'm going to have to pay much closer attention to her,” Victoria mused, trying to keep the smile from her face as Leo turned to her, his expression incredulous.

  “Can you believe that? She infiltrated the trial.”

  “... and won,” Victoria said, allowing her mirth free reign.

  Leo turned his scowl on her. “What are you laughing at?”

  “I have been so concerned about being a bad influence, I did not realize it was you who would lead her astray.”

  “I did not lead her astray,” he said, sounding somewhat offended. “I have impressed upon her the importance of her sorcery studies. I have discouraged her from any notions of training as an assassin...”

  “Exactly,” Victoria smiled. “You have made it exciting and dangerous and transgressive – everything a young woman wishes to be. Oh, Leo. If you could have seen the look upon your face...”

  “Your mirth does not become you, Lady Varys,” he said sternly. “This is not a laughing matter. Our charge almost killed herself.”

  “She did no such thing,” Victoria disagreed. “She used her limited knowledge of sorcery for an alternate purpose and was successful in the act. She's creative, and intelligent, Leo. The more she learns, the more trouble she will be.”

  “We are both going to have to keep a close eye on her,” Falkroy said, his brow furrowed with concern.

  “Yes,” Victoria agreed. “Yes we are. I think I will forgo the royal court and make my apologies for future sessions. Kelsie needs my full attention. I positively yearn to see what she comes up with next.”

  “I do not think either of us will be bored for quite some time,” Leo agreed, his temper calming as he regained equilibrium. He was never angry for long, not even when he had reason to be so. In this case there was not truly a reason to be angry at Kelsie. She was more than powerful enough to manipulate the world as necessary to survive an assassin's nest. That was something she should be praised for – proof she had worked hard at her studies.

  “You are allowed to feel some pride,” Victoria teased as she watched him struggle internally. “It was quite a feat.”

  “It was,” Leo said. “And this time she survived. I hope I can say the same next time.”

  “So you know there will be a next time.”

  Leo took Victoria in his arms and looked down at her with a mixture of love, lust, frustration, and joy. “With sorceresses, there is always a next time.”

  The End.

  Really.

  Probably.

  For now, at least, definitely.

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  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to my wonderful beta readers Mary Lynne Nielsen and Sparrow. Without them, some of the i's would not have been dotted and some of the t's would have been entirely absent.