Conquests and Crowns

by S E Meliers

  He groaned and his fingers tangled in her hair. She tongued a delicate circle around the slit before lowering her mouth to take him within, pushing her tongue up against the length of him to find that sensitive ridge that made his hips buck responsively. She moved her head so that he slipped until his tip was just within her lips before lowering it again and taking him back within with a slow stroke against her tongue. Her cheeks hollowed with the motion as she set a slow rock in and out.

  Just as his moans and motions seem to have peaked, she withdrew, letting him rest against her cheek. He groaned in frustration. ‘Praise,’ he moved his hips, seeking.

  ‘Do you know why the ribbon?’ she asked him administering a long lick from base to crown so that he twitched. ‘Edge taught it me: it stops the man from coming. That means the man will stay hard for as long as the ribbon remains tied. I am curious as to whether she told the truth,’ she took him into her mouth and grazed him gently with her teeth. His fingers clenched against her skull, massaging her scalp, and he moaned and arched into her.

  ‘Are you?’ his breathing was uneven. ‘I happen to know the answer to that question, but I am happy, more than happy,’ he ground out between his teeth as she took him back into her mouth, ‘to let you find out for yourself.’

  She caught him against her tongue and nodded her head in brisk motion, squeezing him against the roof of her mouth as he was pressed into her. He swore in dragon, and fisted the rug upon which they lay. A faint sheen of sweat dewed his stomach, gathering in his linea alba. When her jaw was beginning to ache, and his groans grew loud enough to be heard at the fire, she released him and kissed her way up his belly, tasting his sweat on her tongue; a potent potion of lust and nature.

  She settled him lengthwise between her folds, grinding him slowly against her, so that her clitoris rubbed along the knots and twists of veins that lay between his rigid flesh and satiny skin. His hands stroked up from her knees to her hips and rested there. He watched her, his eyes luminous in the half-light. ‘It seems to be successful, so far,’ she was breathless and licked her lips to moisten them. ‘Shall we continue?’

  ‘By all means,’ a grin flickered across his features before his eyes fluttered closed as she caught his nipple between her lips and ran her tongue roughly across it whilst maintaining a motion that was pleasing to them both with her hips. Her orgasm caught her by surprise, and she arched her back and ground herself down upon him to prolong it, gasping as he leaned forward to catch her nipple in his mouth and sucked it with gentle tugs. As the tremors faded to a tingling, she nibbled her way along his collarbone, grazing his chest with her breasts, then pressing them against him as she licked her way up his throat to his chin. ‘How do you feel, Ember Dragon?’ she kissed the corner of his mouth.

  ‘Thwarted. Very, very thwarted,’ he caught her head in his big hands and pulled her mouth to his own, licking his way past her lips and devouring her, whilst flexing his hips and rubbing up against her. She reached down between them and fit him into place so that his next flex drove him into her. ‘Hmmmm, better,’ he rumbled as her body weight sank her down along his length, pushing him deep and deeper. ‘But not complete.’

  He gripped her buttocks and rolled, so that she was below him, and drove himself into her with strong thrusts. She arched herself up, meeting him, before he overwhelmed her and she could only take what he had to offer, riding her into another orgasm.

  She reached between them and released the ribbon. He cried out and thrust deep as he came.

  ‘I think I like the ribbon,’ she said smugly.

  ‘Hmmm,’ his face was pressed against her neck.

  ‘Ember Dragon,’ she stroked the length of his back with her palms, up and down, up and down. ‘I need to talk with you, do not fall asleep.’

  ‘Hmmm,’ he mumbled.

  ‘I think we are going to have a baby.’

  There was a moment of nothing, then his muscles tensed but he did not move except to turn his head. ‘You think we are going to have a baby?’ he repeated mildly.

  ‘Well,’ she blushed. ‘I am pretty certain, to be honest. And when I say we, I mean mostly I, but you started it,’ she swatted his bottom, ‘so I am giving you credit.’

  ‘Well then,’ he propped himself up on an elbow and stroked a lock of hair from her face. ‘Well.’

  ‘Well?’ she prompted. ‘Is that all you have to say? Well? Are you happy, Ember Dragon? It is the natural result of your seduction and defilation of me as sacrifice, so one would think you would be happy.’

  He laughed softly and kissed her lips. ‘I am so happy I have no words in your tongue. Dragonets are rare. There will be celebrations tomorrow the like you have never seen,’ he kissed her nose. ‘You will be pampered and praised, and given presents,’ he kissed one cheek and then the other.

  ‘That sounds lovely,’ she stretched and yawned. ‘I like presents and parties.’

  ‘As much as you like ribbon,’ he had caught the green satin between his thumb and index finger and trailed it across her skin. She shivered as it tickled, trailing a path across each breast, then down to her belly button. ‘Because I know some uses for ribbon we have not yet explored.’

  She wriggled as he demonstrated. ‘Oh,’ she said, ‘I really like the ribbon…’

  Rogue

  ‘There is much happening in the world right now,’ Rogue said closing her eyes against the pull of the bone comb through her hair. Ash worked the knot loose, and the next sweep of the comb glided smoothly. ‘But I cannot focus beyond the shores of this land as there is too much underway here. Plotting, planning, and scheming. Loving and betraying. Men always must destroy if they cannot possess.’

  ‘It is a heavy burden you carry,’ Ash said softly releasing her from his ministrations.

  ‘One she wields like a weapon,’ Coal reminded with lingering disapproval as he poured wine into a goblet and set it within Rogue’s reach, before pouring for himself and his brother. ‘I do not see why it should concern us, the machinations of the Shoethalians and the Rhyndelians. Leave them to slaughter each other. We will retreat to EAery.’

  ‘Without your honour?’ she asked archly.

  ‘With our lives,’ Coal corrected gently. ‘That is more important.’

  ‘How long,’ she asked, ‘do you think EAery will remain aloof from the rest of the world? How long until the ogres and trolls unearthed by the Dwarvian mining flow across the Narrow and onto this continent? How long until the Elven racial wars release a magical weapon ripe to rip this world apart? How long until races so far from our discovery I have no names for them discover us? Whilst this land is in upheaval, it is not strong enough to withstand exterior forces. It is a rich land; there is much to appeal to the conqueror.’

  ‘I hate that you are right,’ Coal buried his face in her hair and breathed in her scent. ‘I hate that these true-dreams tear your sleep into shreds night after night, and that you feel you need to act upon them. I wish we could retreat to our home in the mountains and there raise a brood of children who never have to worry about the world beyond their vale.’

  ‘That sounds lovely,’ she smiled wistfully at the thought of letting responsibility go. ‘But, the world will intrude on EAery during their lifetime, and what will it look like when it does? It is my curse to see what is to be, but it is also my power to take that knowledge and with it change the outcome,’ she dipped her finger in her wine and sucked it. ‘There are worse curses to bear, and I have reason to be grateful for this foresight – it has kept my head on my shoulders more than once.’

  ‘For that we are also grateful,’ Ash used his dagger to divide a pear into slices, offering her a piece. The flesh was grainy, and deliciously sweet against her tongue, the fruit on the edge of over-ripeness. She caught his hand and sucked the pear juice that clung to his knuckles. He sucked in a breath. ‘We are having a serious talk here,’ he reminded her with a teasing smile. ‘No distracting me.’ He leaned forward on the edge of his seat and kissed her b
riefly but with promise. ‘So, you have allied with other more peaceful minded Hallows and weeded from the ranks of the Priests those who would oppose your goals, and the Hallows that would support them-’

  ‘Weakening the Monadistic Priesthood,’ Coal commented with approval as he took up the bone comb Ash had abandoned and separated her hair into sections to weave them with nimble fingers into a net close to her skull.

  ‘I prefer to see it as strengthening the Priesthood and Cinder’s rule by removing those who focussed on their own gain above that of Cinder and the Monad.’

  ‘Do you follow the Monad?’ Ash was curious.

  She considered. ‘He is the only God I know,’ she replied and shrugged. ‘I follow the Monad – but I do not follow the Priesthood as it was. I do not believe in forced conversion. I believe that many of the edicts they claim as the Monad’s are made by men seeking only to further their own causes and line their own purses. You cannot change the name of the god that is written in a man or woman’s heart, even if you force their tongue to speak another’s name.’

  ‘You seek to unify this continent under Cinder?’ Coal asked, tying her hair off with a thin piece of leather. ‘He is a man with many demons.’

  ‘I know,’ she said, softly. ‘Cinder is a brilliant war leader, and has and will achieve great things, but in doing so he will be reviled and hated by those he conquers. The leader that is needed in the future will need to be beloved of both Shoethalian and Rhyndelian peoples.’

  ‘And how does EAery fit within your plans?’ Ash asked warily.

  She returned his gaze evenly and replied with carefully edited honesty. ‘That is, as yet, unclear. I am walking a dark tunnel. My curse lights only a small section at a time, and that section often shows many corridors that I could take. As I take a corridor, the others fall into darkness. I cannot direct the light to shine deeper into the darkness, and I cannot illuminate the corridors I have left behind. I can only see a very small area lit directly before my feet, and I can only make the choice to go forward, turn left, or turn right.’

  ‘Sounds frustrating,’ Coal opened the window shutters to an orange and black sunset. ‘Has there been word from Cinder at Lyendar?’

  ‘They have taken the city,’ Rogue moved to stand behind him, putting her arms around his waist and leaning her forehead against his broad back. ‘The castle still sieges. The army at Guarn still has not moved, and there is no sign of reinforcements being sent from the West. I wonder at this King; is he clever at holding the majority of his army at bay, possibly sacrificing his easterly holdings, or is he cowardly?’

  ‘Hmmm,’ Coal’s voice rumbled in his chest. ‘What are the forces at Guarn waiting for I wonder?’

  ‘They took a scout,’ she rubbed her cheek against his spine. ‘Perhaps they are trying to break him.’

  ‘Or perhaps they have broken him. What would they find out?’

  ‘Not much,’ she smiled, ‘Cinder holds his secrets tight. I would imagine they may know our numbers, how many remain to cross from Shoethal, the current distribution, but that will be about all.’

  ‘That is enough; more than they had before.’

  ‘Cinder is pushing for the capture of Lyendar believing the army will head straight there. He will raze the city rather than risk losing it to the Rhyndelians.’

  ‘If they were intending to run to Lyendar’s aid, would they not have done so already?’ Ash pointed out. ‘They are obviously not in a hurry to do anything at the moment. They would know now thanks to the scout that they have not the numbers to take on the army at Lyendar. If I were Rhyndelian, I would attack Truen. The defences are weak from the siege, and there is only a holding force there. If they re-take Truen, they have a direct path to Amori, and Amori would be the goal. Retake Amori, and you strand Cinder in Rhyndel without access to supplies and reinforcements.’

  ‘Unless Cinder were to try to bring them through the mountains,’ she suggested.

  ‘Our people would be against that idea,’ Coal chuckled. ‘The mountains are ours, and shall remain inviolable.’

  ‘EAeryians are so secretive. What is it that you are hiding?’ she asked.

  ‘We cannot disclose the secrets of our people unless you were to return to our lands with us,’ Ash replied carefully meeting Coal’s gaze as Coal shook his head.

  ‘You fear my loyalties?’ she asked without insult.

  Coal chuckled. She felt it rumble through him. ‘Yes. Not in that you would betray our confidence, but that it would alter your perceptions.’

  ‘I do not understand what you mean,’ she was intrigued. ‘Maybe I need my perceptions altered? I am not embarking on a minor skirmish, here, but a war to end all wars between the people of this land. If there is something I do not know, something perception altering, then it is important that I know it.’

  ‘And yet, you do not see it in your dreams,’ Ash said. ‘Maybe you are not meant to know.’

  ‘Do you believe that my dreams come from a higher source, then?’ she demanded. ‘That I am being instructed as to what to do?’

  ‘Do you not?’ Coal was surprised. ‘Such a gift or a curse, whatever you call it, must come from the hands of a god, surely.’

  ‘Bah,’ she snorted releasing Coal’s waist and resting her hips against the window sill at his side. ‘I do not think the gods pay that much attention to us, really. I think my curse is no different than the colour of your hair, or Ash’s eyes. Maybe, if I knew my parents and theirs, I would find I come from a family with this ability, like some come from families of musicians, or warriors.’

  ‘I think there are gods, and then there are gods,’ Coal replied, regarding her solemnly. ‘I believe that gods are a people, not so different to us, but more powerful. There are those amongst them who perhaps watch us and care what becomes of us, and then there are those to whom we are nothing more than ants scurrying about our business.’

  ‘I would wonder what motivates your gods,’ she said. ‘And to whom they answer.’

  ‘That is a frightening thought,’ Coal frowned.

  ‘Or, an encouraging one,’ Ash suggested.

  Cinder

  War; blood; gore. The savage, primal music of screams; the rumble of walls falling; the crackle of fire; the grunts and groans of men pressed together in mortal combat. Cinder chased an armoured man through a city street, grinning and howling. A blow glanced off the armour on his shoulder, and he swayed, slicing out with his sword at his attacker. The man was unarmed and untrained, and Cinder’s sword cleaved through his arm sending forth a spray of blood. Cinder continued his pursuit of the more interesting prey: the armoured soldier. Cinder was bigger and fleeter of foot, and his armour better crafted and lighter than the common soldier’s making him the lither of the two.

  The soldier realised he was outmatched at a foot race and duck and spun. Cinder leapt, narrowly missing losing a foot as the soldier’s sword sliced the air where his ankles had been. Clever, Cinder noted, pleased. He half-handed his sword, and brought the hilt down on his opponent’s helm, the metal flexing and adding force. The heavy hilt rebounded, leaving behind a nice dent that sent his prey sprawling, retching, on the ground. Whilst the man was down, Cinder fended off a civilian attacking with a flaming torch and a poorly wielded sword. He ran the man through, and turned back with a bloody blade as the soldier managed to regain his feet, but that battle was over, Cinder realised as the man staggered. Cinder pushed the point of his sword through the weak point in the neck of the soldier’s armour, dispatching him.

  There were too few soldiers, Cinder realised. The deceitful Honesty had been cunning and withdrawn the majority of his forces into the castle, leaving his people to fend for themselves with only a handful of men. An interesting tactic; a truly callous tactic. His guard drew even with him; twelve men assigned to fight with him, plus his usual companions Granite and Obsidian. He opened his mouth to issue orders when a dark haired hellion launched out of a second storey window and knocked him onto his back, stabb
ing at him ineffectually with a stubby cheese knife. He wrestled with her momentarily before Obsidian pulled her from him. She had green eyes in a pretty, pale oval of a face. She reminded him of Spider. ‘Do not kill her,’ he ordered as the guard raised his sword to dispatch her. Cinder grinned. ‘Keep her for me,’ he laughed. His men roared in approval of his virility.

  He kicked in the door of the building she had exited so dramatically. She screamed, and clawed at her captor, trying to defend those within. The inside was typical of these dwellings, a parlour to the front, a common room which also served as a kitchen to the back, a narrow stair leading up to two sleeping rooms above. In one he found three young children and a grandmother crouching in a corner. They all had wide green eyes. ‘Kill the grandmother mercifully, but keep the children,’ he ordered to the guard who had followed him up there.

  The grandmother screamed, her scream inciting screams from the girl below. He returned down the stairs and took the girl from Granite who held her. ‘Guard the door,’ he ordered, pulling the girl into the common room which housed a heavy wooden table. In her struggles, she struck her chin against the table and spat blood. She was savage in her desperation, clawing against his helm, cutting her fingers against his armour. He forced her face down on the table and ripped open her skirts. She was a little on the thin side, but her flesh was firm, her skin fine. He rammed himself into her viciously. She wailed, and clawed the table top, her fingers gouging the surface, and one nail breaking in a bloody line. He put a hand on the back of her head, pressing her cheek into the wood, holding her still, but the fight had gone out of her, her green eyes awash with tears. He came quickly, with a battle cry, and jerked free of her, leaving her on the table top. She did not try to move.

  ‘She is all yours,’ he said as he re-entered the parlour. Four of his men, plus Granite and Obsidian, had followed him into the building. He could hear the others outside. Two of the soldiers exchanged grins and went into the common room. He heard the girl cry out. He turned to Obsidian. ‘Get the orders passed to gather up the remaining civilians between the city and the castle. We will take some of them as slaves. The other’s we will impale where Honesty can see them slowly die. Move the remainder of our camp into the city, and re-enforce the walls. We do not want the Guarn forces to sneak up on us and catch us vulnerable. Get the mangonels working against the castle - send bodies, debris, whatever, over the walls.’ Obsidian saluted, and stepped into the common room to have a word with the soldiers entertaining themselves within.