The Master of Her Fate
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Fantasy & Science Fiction › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
13
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13,799
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Currently Reading:
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Category:
Fantasy & Science Fiction › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
13
Views:
13,799
Reviews:
35
Recommended:
1
Currently Reading:
1
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
The Aftermath
The Master of Her Fate
Chapter 6: The Aftermath.
The four lovers slept together on the warlord's big bed, dreaming. Anna dreamed of love and lust, the events of the last two days running through her mind. Tharona and Nakree dreamed of their home, and of their husband, and of the things he had promised them. Power, wealth, and status throughout the world. Garshan dreamed of conquest, and battle, images of blood and violence. Then abruptly the violence shifted from huge battlefields to a tiny shack, where a small half-orc boy cried out as a bitter old man beat him with a strap for hours at a time.
Garshan's eyes sprang open and he almost lashed out with his huge hands, lost in the horrible memory of his childhood. Only the sound of Anna sighing slightly, and snuggling closer to his body, made him realize where he was. Taking a deep breath, he settled back down, holding onto Anna a bit tighter. She was curled up against his side, one small hand thrown across his chest, while Tharona pressed tight from the other side, and Nakree lay behind Anna, one arm wrapped across her stomach. HE smiled slightly as he remembered what had happened last night. Anna was quite a woman, with sexual desires that she obviously had no idea existed. It was good that he had captured her. A woman who enjoyed pain and domination would never have fit in back at that repressed, stuffy royal court. She might never have learned of her preferences and therefore never been satisfied.
As Garshan closed his eyes again, he felt Tharona stir beside him and looked down at her. She smiled sleepily up at him and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. They looked into each other's eyes for a long moment and then Tharona slipped from bed and walked naked to the other side, swaying her hips slightly. Garshan's eyes followed her lush body and she gave him a heated smile as she slipped from the room. The sound of the door softly shutting woke Nakree, who sat up and stretched, her generous breasts moving deliciously. She smiled down at her master and his new bride and drew a soft hand down Anna's back, making the younger girl stretch and mumble softly in her sleep, her skin rubbing against Garshan's body. Nakree rose and walked out as well, leaving him alone with his new bride. He settled her more comfortably against him and relaxed, waiting for her to wake up. He wanted to discuss the events of the previous night with her.
It was several more minutes before Anna's eyes slowly opened, and she propped herself up off her lover's chest, staring around blearily. Garshan placed his hand on her head and slowly ran his fingers through her hair, making her close her eyes and give a soft mewl of happiness. She snuggled back down against his chest and traced slow patterns over the firm muscles beneath her as he played with her hair.
"Good morning, Anna," he whispered. "Did you sleep well?" She mutely nodded, a bit too sleepy for talking just yet. He ran his fingers down her back and she shivered slightly at the feeling of his calluses against her skin. He smiled, enjoying the affect he had on her, and continued to do it. He went a bit lower, teasing his fingers across the top of her bottom, and she tensed a bit. Wrapping his arm around her, Garshan gently rolled her onto her back, so that he lay beside her and half on top of her. She stared up at him with heated eyes, still partially fogged by sleep, but also fogged by lust. Garshan drew his fingers around her body, moving up her stomach, and then onto her nipples. She gave a soft gasp as he teased the little buds with his fingertips, grazing back and forth across them to make them hard and perky. Leaning down, he kissed her firmly, his tongue sliding into her mouth, and she moaned softly, pressing upwards against him. Sucking on her lower lip, he broke the kiss, and then lowered his mouth to her neck as his fingers went down over her stomach. Anna tensed in anticipation, her legs spreading a bit, and as fingers touched between her thighs she gave a soft gasp. Slowly, he traced the outline of her pussy lips, feeling her grow hot and wet as he did, and then brushed her clit. Anna's arms wrapped around his massive shoulders, and as he touched her clit she dug her nails into his skin, arching her back up against him. He slid his finger up and down between her lips, teasing her clitoris and her entrance, until she was writhing beneath him, desperately trying to get his finger inside her.
Anna gave a soft whimper of frustration as he slid his finger away from her slit, back along her body, and then into her mouth. She sucked it eagerly, and a memory of how she'd done the same thing to his manhood brought a delicious surge of wetness between her thighs. She slipped her hand down his body, grazing her long nails over his firm muscles, and took hold of his hard shaft, slowly stroking it. The soft growl he let out made her shiver, and almost couldn't take the level of arousal it brought her to. Anna placed her hand on his chest and tried to push him over, but it did no good, and suddenly his hand was pulling her hair, forcing her to look into his eyes. There was no anger in his eyes, but there was a stern disapproval, and she realized her mistake.
"Master," she said in a voice breathless with arousal. "Please let me pleasure you with my mouth." She stroked his cock again. "I want to taste you."
Garshan smiled and whispered, "Good girl," into her ear in a way that made her shiver. Strange how hearing those words from his lips made her glow like all the praise she'd ever received from the people in the palace never had. Garshan rolled onto his back and she eagerly slid down his body, pressing every part of herself against him, until her lips hovered just over his throbbing head. Anna kissed him gently, a thrill going through her as she heard his soft groan, and then drew her tongue slowly over his tip. He rested his hand on her head, fingers lacing tightly through her hair, and she pulled him into her mouth, sucking softly. He growled and pushed her down a bit, and she eagerly complied, taking as much of him into her mouth as she could. Her hand gripped his shaft and held him as he moved her up and down. She could taste his arousal, musky and thick on her tongue, and her hand slipped almost unbidden between her legs, gently rubbing her dripping slit. A week ago, Anna never would have dreamed of touching herself there. Now, all she could think was that she had to have pleasure of some sort or she was going to go insane. She touched herself somewhat clumsily, having never done it before, but it still made a soft moan tingle through Garshan's cock, which brought a returning groan of pleasure out of his throat.
When Garshan realized what Anna was doing, he smiled and hauled back on her hair, yanking her lips from his tip with an audible pop and tilting her up to look him in the eye. "You naughty girl," he growled, and she felt a thrill of anticipation, for she had come to recognize that tone in his voice. "Rubbing yourself like a sex-starved barmaid." Garshan yanked on her hair and pulled her upwards along his body, making Anna let out a yelp that was half pleasure and half pain. He rolled her onto her back and positioned himself over her, those hot green eyes filling her vision. All she knew in the world was the feeling of his body above her, his eyes so close to hers it was overwhelming, his hard manhood, still wet from her saliva, rubbing along her slit. Garshan took his manhood in hand and stroked her with the tip, making her gasp. "Please, M-master," she said, her voice hitching as his slick head touched her.
"Please, what?" He demanded, his breath hot against her ear. "Tell me, and don't try to use delicate words. Tell me like the harlot you are."
Part of her rebelled against hearing that word, but a deeper, stronger part of her, the part that uncoiled every time this wonderful brute touched her, and the part that had loved seeing Nakree's face drip with his seed last night, stretched and purred in ecstasy as his voice caressed it. That part was in control now, and she didn't hesitate a second before saying,
"Please, Master. Fuck me!"
He growled against her ear as she spoke and then slammed his cock into her, filling her up in one hard thrust that made her cry out with joy. Garshan wrapped his arms around her, supporting his weight on his elbows, and pistoned his hips against hers, filling her over and over. So worked up was Anna that in just a few thrusts she was crying out, her nails digging into his back as she climaxed around his shaft, the pleasure hitting her so hard she couldn't breath. He kept going, and the pleasure kept going as well, flaring into another mind-shattering orgasm that had her thrashing and trembling beneath him. As she came the second time, she felt his manhood swell and then explode inside her, and heard his deep growl of pleasure as his seed filled her depths. She arched against him as the last bit of his seed flowed into her and then went limp as he did. The half-orc collapsed atop her, his weight pressing her down into the bed, and it was over.
Anna lay beneath her Master, breathing hard and floating in a soft haze of happiness. Thoughts of decency and her title were far from her mind at the moment. She was a wife who had just been pleasured by her husband, and that was all that mattered. For a long time they both just lay there like that, happy and content. He was very heavy, but Anna liked the feeling of his massive weight on top of her. It made her feel sheltered and protected, and when he finally pulled away, it was too soon for her tastes and she clung to him, trying to keep him from leaving. He laughed and gently disengaged himself from her grip.
"I have duties to attend to," he said. "Go, wash with Tharona and Nakree, and I'll be back later." He bent and gave her a soft kiss, then rose, drew his cloak and breeches on, and set out down the hallway. Anna sat on the bed for a long moment and watched him go, then sighed softly and pulled her own soft cloak on, stepping out into the hallway and walking the other way. That had been wonderful, even better than the wild, extreme pleasure of last night. Her cheeks flushed at the thought. Had that really been her, laying there and begging for THREE lovers to pleasure her? Yes. . .yes it had. She paused as she realized that didn't bother her that much. Now why didn't it? She had been taught her entire life that women pleasuring each other was wrong and evil, an unnatural perversion of what the god of her people intended. But if it was unnatural, how could it feel so incredibly good? The thought of Tharona's tongue working with the Master's to pleasure her was enough to send a rush of arousal through her body, thoroughly sated though she was. She shook her head as she pushed the flap aside and walked into the bathing area. Amazing.
Tharona and Nakree were sitting there in the pool already. Tharona was washing Nakree's hair, and Anna smiled as she remembered how those fingers had felt in her own dark curls. They both looked up as she came in and bright smiles spread over their faces. "Hello, Anna," said Tharona. "Finally awake?" Nakree laughed as she held her arms out to the brunette invitingly. Anna only hesitated a moment before slipping her cloak off and sliding into the water. It wasn't as though they hadn't already done far naughtier things than a naked hug, after all. She settled into Nakree's embrace. The redhead stroked her fingers through Anna's hair, making her shiver, and said,
"We were beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up." She giggled. "Then again, I'd sleep late after last night too." Anna blushed redder than Nakree's hair and both of the other women laughed delightedly. Nakree kissed her cheek and Tharona reached forward to stroke her hair. Together, they gently washed her, and this time the touch of their hands made her shiver with arousal. Anna was very flustered by the end of the bath, which just made them grin impishly. They dried off and walked together back to the main room of the wives's quarters, where they got dressed in small, comfortable barbarian dresses. Then it was off to breakfast, which was served by young girls who smiled brightly at Anna.
The morning passed very pleasantly, with Anna asking every question she could think of about the Master and also about Tharona and Nakree. Most of the questions about the Master they didn't answer, saying he would tell her if he wanted her to know, but they were happy to answer questions about themselves. Tharona and Nakree were both the daughters of chiefs among the various barbarian tribes that had united under Garshan's banner. Tharona had been his wife for six years, having been taken from her father when Garshan became warchief of her tribe, before he had gone to become High Warlord of all the tribes. Nakree had been given to him two years ago. He had seen her in her village and paid the bride price for her in barbarian custom. She had been delighted to be the wife of the most powerful man in the North, and her discovery of her sexual attraction to Tharona had been an added benefit.
"I touched her first," she recalled, laughing. "She wasn't sure if she liked it at first, but the Master was there and she relaxed enough to enjoy it." Tharona's cheeks colored at the memory and she laughed.
"She would have been on me all night if He'd let her," she said, smiling fondly at Nakree. "As you may have noticed, Nakree is very eager." The two women shared a look of affection, and then Nakree turned her attention to Anna.
"So! It's your turn," she said. "Tell us all about yourself. What is it like, growing up in a palace?" Anna was silent for a moment, thinking, and then she said,
"It's very different from here. There, everyone has a place, something they should be doing, and you're not allowed to be different from that at all. It's very strict." She noticed Tharona and Nakree looking at her curiously, obviously not having understood the word. "Strict, where you get a big punishment for a small thing." They nodded in comprehension and she continued. "For example, a man isn't allowed to have more than one wife. Some sleep with more than one woman, but they keep it a secret, and if they're caught, the woman is punished and the man is disgraced."
"That is not right," said Tharona, her brow furrowed. "Two people sleep together, so why are two people not punished?" Anna paused. She'd never thought to question her people's customs, but Tharona was right. Why indeed was the woman the only one punished?
"Well . . . I'm not sure," she said. "It does seem strange. I was always told it was the woman's fault for seducing the man, but that can't be true." She colored slightly and a shy smile spread over her face. "As the Master proves, a man can seduce a woman rather easily." Tharona and Nakree both laughed happily and nodded, memories in their eyes. "I've never seen a man do it like him before," said Anna. "The men of my country would pretend they were talking about something else, and wait until you all but begged them before they'd bed you." She looked up at Tharona and Nakree curiously. "Do all barbarian men take women like he does? Fast and strong and without being asked?" Tharona shrugged her elegant shoulders.
"Some do," she said. "Others are like your men, timid and afraid. I have always preferred the strong ones." Nakree nodded. "And the Master is the strongest I have ever seen. Once, when he was not yet warchief of my tribe, I watched him lift a freshly slain ox onto his shoulders that three of our strongest men could not lift. In battle he is a demon." She shivered slightly, and it was not a shiver of arousal this time, but one of fear. "I watched him fight when the Urkuks invaded our village. He killed several tens of them by himself with that great axe. He is as fast as the sabertooth and as strong as the white bear." Nakree nodded solemnly, and Anna looked at the table thoughtfully. Strange how hard it was for her to picture him as a murderous animal now. When she had first seen him, it had been all she could see. Now all she could see in her mind's eye when she pictured him was his beautiful eyes, his gentle, skilled hands, and the way his tongue and manhood could play her body like an instrument. Tharona and Nakree smiled knowingly and she blushed, looking down at her hands. At that moment, a young girl stepped into the room and said, "Chieftainess? The Warlord wants all of you to come to him." Tharona nodded and rose, Nakree and Anna following.
"It is not usual to be summoned to the war chamber," she said. Anna wondered what he could possibly need.
Chapter 6: The Aftermath.
The four lovers slept together on the warlord's big bed, dreaming. Anna dreamed of love and lust, the events of the last two days running through her mind. Tharona and Nakree dreamed of their home, and of their husband, and of the things he had promised them. Power, wealth, and status throughout the world. Garshan dreamed of conquest, and battle, images of blood and violence. Then abruptly the violence shifted from huge battlefields to a tiny shack, where a small half-orc boy cried out as a bitter old man beat him with a strap for hours at a time.
Garshan's eyes sprang open and he almost lashed out with his huge hands, lost in the horrible memory of his childhood. Only the sound of Anna sighing slightly, and snuggling closer to his body, made him realize where he was. Taking a deep breath, he settled back down, holding onto Anna a bit tighter. She was curled up against his side, one small hand thrown across his chest, while Tharona pressed tight from the other side, and Nakree lay behind Anna, one arm wrapped across her stomach. HE smiled slightly as he remembered what had happened last night. Anna was quite a woman, with sexual desires that she obviously had no idea existed. It was good that he had captured her. A woman who enjoyed pain and domination would never have fit in back at that repressed, stuffy royal court. She might never have learned of her preferences and therefore never been satisfied.
As Garshan closed his eyes again, he felt Tharona stir beside him and looked down at her. She smiled sleepily up at him and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. They looked into each other's eyes for a long moment and then Tharona slipped from bed and walked naked to the other side, swaying her hips slightly. Garshan's eyes followed her lush body and she gave him a heated smile as she slipped from the room. The sound of the door softly shutting woke Nakree, who sat up and stretched, her generous breasts moving deliciously. She smiled down at her master and his new bride and drew a soft hand down Anna's back, making the younger girl stretch and mumble softly in her sleep, her skin rubbing against Garshan's body. Nakree rose and walked out as well, leaving him alone with his new bride. He settled her more comfortably against him and relaxed, waiting for her to wake up. He wanted to discuss the events of the previous night with her.
It was several more minutes before Anna's eyes slowly opened, and she propped herself up off her lover's chest, staring around blearily. Garshan placed his hand on her head and slowly ran his fingers through her hair, making her close her eyes and give a soft mewl of happiness. She snuggled back down against his chest and traced slow patterns over the firm muscles beneath her as he played with her hair.
"Good morning, Anna," he whispered. "Did you sleep well?" She mutely nodded, a bit too sleepy for talking just yet. He ran his fingers down her back and she shivered slightly at the feeling of his calluses against her skin. He smiled, enjoying the affect he had on her, and continued to do it. He went a bit lower, teasing his fingers across the top of her bottom, and she tensed a bit. Wrapping his arm around her, Garshan gently rolled her onto her back, so that he lay beside her and half on top of her. She stared up at him with heated eyes, still partially fogged by sleep, but also fogged by lust. Garshan drew his fingers around her body, moving up her stomach, and then onto her nipples. She gave a soft gasp as he teased the little buds with his fingertips, grazing back and forth across them to make them hard and perky. Leaning down, he kissed her firmly, his tongue sliding into her mouth, and she moaned softly, pressing upwards against him. Sucking on her lower lip, he broke the kiss, and then lowered his mouth to her neck as his fingers went down over her stomach. Anna tensed in anticipation, her legs spreading a bit, and as fingers touched between her thighs she gave a soft gasp. Slowly, he traced the outline of her pussy lips, feeling her grow hot and wet as he did, and then brushed her clit. Anna's arms wrapped around his massive shoulders, and as he touched her clit she dug her nails into his skin, arching her back up against him. He slid his finger up and down between her lips, teasing her clitoris and her entrance, until she was writhing beneath him, desperately trying to get his finger inside her.
Anna gave a soft whimper of frustration as he slid his finger away from her slit, back along her body, and then into her mouth. She sucked it eagerly, and a memory of how she'd done the same thing to his manhood brought a delicious surge of wetness between her thighs. She slipped her hand down his body, grazing her long nails over his firm muscles, and took hold of his hard shaft, slowly stroking it. The soft growl he let out made her shiver, and almost couldn't take the level of arousal it brought her to. Anna placed her hand on his chest and tried to push him over, but it did no good, and suddenly his hand was pulling her hair, forcing her to look into his eyes. There was no anger in his eyes, but there was a stern disapproval, and she realized her mistake.
"Master," she said in a voice breathless with arousal. "Please let me pleasure you with my mouth." She stroked his cock again. "I want to taste you."
Garshan smiled and whispered, "Good girl," into her ear in a way that made her shiver. Strange how hearing those words from his lips made her glow like all the praise she'd ever received from the people in the palace never had. Garshan rolled onto his back and she eagerly slid down his body, pressing every part of herself against him, until her lips hovered just over his throbbing head. Anna kissed him gently, a thrill going through her as she heard his soft groan, and then drew her tongue slowly over his tip. He rested his hand on her head, fingers lacing tightly through her hair, and she pulled him into her mouth, sucking softly. He growled and pushed her down a bit, and she eagerly complied, taking as much of him into her mouth as she could. Her hand gripped his shaft and held him as he moved her up and down. She could taste his arousal, musky and thick on her tongue, and her hand slipped almost unbidden between her legs, gently rubbing her dripping slit. A week ago, Anna never would have dreamed of touching herself there. Now, all she could think was that she had to have pleasure of some sort or she was going to go insane. She touched herself somewhat clumsily, having never done it before, but it still made a soft moan tingle through Garshan's cock, which brought a returning groan of pleasure out of his throat.
When Garshan realized what Anna was doing, he smiled and hauled back on her hair, yanking her lips from his tip with an audible pop and tilting her up to look him in the eye. "You naughty girl," he growled, and she felt a thrill of anticipation, for she had come to recognize that tone in his voice. "Rubbing yourself like a sex-starved barmaid." Garshan yanked on her hair and pulled her upwards along his body, making Anna let out a yelp that was half pleasure and half pain. He rolled her onto her back and positioned himself over her, those hot green eyes filling her vision. All she knew in the world was the feeling of his body above her, his eyes so close to hers it was overwhelming, his hard manhood, still wet from her saliva, rubbing along her slit. Garshan took his manhood in hand and stroked her with the tip, making her gasp. "Please, M-master," she said, her voice hitching as his slick head touched her.
"Please, what?" He demanded, his breath hot against her ear. "Tell me, and don't try to use delicate words. Tell me like the harlot you are."
Part of her rebelled against hearing that word, but a deeper, stronger part of her, the part that uncoiled every time this wonderful brute touched her, and the part that had loved seeing Nakree's face drip with his seed last night, stretched and purred in ecstasy as his voice caressed it. That part was in control now, and she didn't hesitate a second before saying,
"Please, Master. Fuck me!"
He growled against her ear as she spoke and then slammed his cock into her, filling her up in one hard thrust that made her cry out with joy. Garshan wrapped his arms around her, supporting his weight on his elbows, and pistoned his hips against hers, filling her over and over. So worked up was Anna that in just a few thrusts she was crying out, her nails digging into his back as she climaxed around his shaft, the pleasure hitting her so hard she couldn't breath. He kept going, and the pleasure kept going as well, flaring into another mind-shattering orgasm that had her thrashing and trembling beneath him. As she came the second time, she felt his manhood swell and then explode inside her, and heard his deep growl of pleasure as his seed filled her depths. She arched against him as the last bit of his seed flowed into her and then went limp as he did. The half-orc collapsed atop her, his weight pressing her down into the bed, and it was over.
Anna lay beneath her Master, breathing hard and floating in a soft haze of happiness. Thoughts of decency and her title were far from her mind at the moment. She was a wife who had just been pleasured by her husband, and that was all that mattered. For a long time they both just lay there like that, happy and content. He was very heavy, but Anna liked the feeling of his massive weight on top of her. It made her feel sheltered and protected, and when he finally pulled away, it was too soon for her tastes and she clung to him, trying to keep him from leaving. He laughed and gently disengaged himself from her grip.
"I have duties to attend to," he said. "Go, wash with Tharona and Nakree, and I'll be back later." He bent and gave her a soft kiss, then rose, drew his cloak and breeches on, and set out down the hallway. Anna sat on the bed for a long moment and watched him go, then sighed softly and pulled her own soft cloak on, stepping out into the hallway and walking the other way. That had been wonderful, even better than the wild, extreme pleasure of last night. Her cheeks flushed at the thought. Had that really been her, laying there and begging for THREE lovers to pleasure her? Yes. . .yes it had. She paused as she realized that didn't bother her that much. Now why didn't it? She had been taught her entire life that women pleasuring each other was wrong and evil, an unnatural perversion of what the god of her people intended. But if it was unnatural, how could it feel so incredibly good? The thought of Tharona's tongue working with the Master's to pleasure her was enough to send a rush of arousal through her body, thoroughly sated though she was. She shook her head as she pushed the flap aside and walked into the bathing area. Amazing.
Tharona and Nakree were sitting there in the pool already. Tharona was washing Nakree's hair, and Anna smiled as she remembered how those fingers had felt in her own dark curls. They both looked up as she came in and bright smiles spread over their faces. "Hello, Anna," said Tharona. "Finally awake?" Nakree laughed as she held her arms out to the brunette invitingly. Anna only hesitated a moment before slipping her cloak off and sliding into the water. It wasn't as though they hadn't already done far naughtier things than a naked hug, after all. She settled into Nakree's embrace. The redhead stroked her fingers through Anna's hair, making her shiver, and said,
"We were beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up." She giggled. "Then again, I'd sleep late after last night too." Anna blushed redder than Nakree's hair and both of the other women laughed delightedly. Nakree kissed her cheek and Tharona reached forward to stroke her hair. Together, they gently washed her, and this time the touch of their hands made her shiver with arousal. Anna was very flustered by the end of the bath, which just made them grin impishly. They dried off and walked together back to the main room of the wives's quarters, where they got dressed in small, comfortable barbarian dresses. Then it was off to breakfast, which was served by young girls who smiled brightly at Anna.
The morning passed very pleasantly, with Anna asking every question she could think of about the Master and also about Tharona and Nakree. Most of the questions about the Master they didn't answer, saying he would tell her if he wanted her to know, but they were happy to answer questions about themselves. Tharona and Nakree were both the daughters of chiefs among the various barbarian tribes that had united under Garshan's banner. Tharona had been his wife for six years, having been taken from her father when Garshan became warchief of her tribe, before he had gone to become High Warlord of all the tribes. Nakree had been given to him two years ago. He had seen her in her village and paid the bride price for her in barbarian custom. She had been delighted to be the wife of the most powerful man in the North, and her discovery of her sexual attraction to Tharona had been an added benefit.
"I touched her first," she recalled, laughing. "She wasn't sure if she liked it at first, but the Master was there and she relaxed enough to enjoy it." Tharona's cheeks colored at the memory and she laughed.
"She would have been on me all night if He'd let her," she said, smiling fondly at Nakree. "As you may have noticed, Nakree is very eager." The two women shared a look of affection, and then Nakree turned her attention to Anna.
"So! It's your turn," she said. "Tell us all about yourself. What is it like, growing up in a palace?" Anna was silent for a moment, thinking, and then she said,
"It's very different from here. There, everyone has a place, something they should be doing, and you're not allowed to be different from that at all. It's very strict." She noticed Tharona and Nakree looking at her curiously, obviously not having understood the word. "Strict, where you get a big punishment for a small thing." They nodded in comprehension and she continued. "For example, a man isn't allowed to have more than one wife. Some sleep with more than one woman, but they keep it a secret, and if they're caught, the woman is punished and the man is disgraced."
"That is not right," said Tharona, her brow furrowed. "Two people sleep together, so why are two people not punished?" Anna paused. She'd never thought to question her people's customs, but Tharona was right. Why indeed was the woman the only one punished?
"Well . . . I'm not sure," she said. "It does seem strange. I was always told it was the woman's fault for seducing the man, but that can't be true." She colored slightly and a shy smile spread over her face. "As the Master proves, a man can seduce a woman rather easily." Tharona and Nakree both laughed happily and nodded, memories in their eyes. "I've never seen a man do it like him before," said Anna. "The men of my country would pretend they were talking about something else, and wait until you all but begged them before they'd bed you." She looked up at Tharona and Nakree curiously. "Do all barbarian men take women like he does? Fast and strong and without being asked?" Tharona shrugged her elegant shoulders.
"Some do," she said. "Others are like your men, timid and afraid. I have always preferred the strong ones." Nakree nodded. "And the Master is the strongest I have ever seen. Once, when he was not yet warchief of my tribe, I watched him lift a freshly slain ox onto his shoulders that three of our strongest men could not lift. In battle he is a demon." She shivered slightly, and it was not a shiver of arousal this time, but one of fear. "I watched him fight when the Urkuks invaded our village. He killed several tens of them by himself with that great axe. He is as fast as the sabertooth and as strong as the white bear." Nakree nodded solemnly, and Anna looked at the table thoughtfully. Strange how hard it was for her to picture him as a murderous animal now. When she had first seen him, it had been all she could see. Now all she could see in her mind's eye when she pictured him was his beautiful eyes, his gentle, skilled hands, and the way his tongue and manhood could play her body like an instrument. Tharona and Nakree smiled knowingly and she blushed, looking down at her hands. At that moment, a young girl stepped into the room and said, "Chieftainess? The Warlord wants all of you to come to him." Tharona nodded and rose, Nakree and Anna following.
"It is not usual to be summoned to the war chamber," she said. Anna wondered what he could possibly need.