Milady’s Wiles             by: Brandy Dewinter, with the invaluable assistance of P.J. Wright

 

Chapter 6 - A Picnic

The next morning I was summoned to Mother’s chambers quite early. I wrapped a dressing gown around my always-present steel companion and went to her rooms without delay. I still wanted to find out why she had al-lowed Julia unrestricted access to my, that is, to Lyonidas.

I found Julia already in the room, also in a dressing gown. Mother was wearing much the same. She ushered us in to her private bathing chamber which was dominated by a quite large tub, already filled with steaming water and sprinkled with fresh rose petals.

"All right, girls, this will be our normal practice from now on. You will bathe in my presence since it will require removal of your maiden’s lovers. After that, I will replace them and you can get dressed for the day."

I was so excited at the thought of getting out of my constricting tormentor that I didn’t realize for a moment that Julia was part of the same plan. Instead I whirled to present my back to Mother, dropping my dressing gown to allow her unrestricted access to the lock and flexible steel rod. I was not to be released immediately, though, since first Mother had to reattach the conventional lacing panels to relieve the pressure on the closures. It became even tighter, a feat I would have sworn was impossible, but then I hard the faint click of the lock being released and the slither of the rod withdrawing from the interlocking loops.

Still I had to stand there until she released the lacing panels as well, but with each inch of the flexible rod’s withdrawal, my most inti-mate discomfort was relieved. I had become used to the sensations suf-ficiently to ignore it, but it had never been comfortable. Even the continuing constrictions at my waist paled to insignificance in comparison with the almost obscene pleasure of releasing the lower binding. Finally even my waist was free, the silken undergarment also removed, and Mother was shooing me into the bath.

I entered it gratefully, letting the heat soothe the many pinched points of my flesh, and most of all soothe the aching compression of those parts of me incongruous with my general appearance. I let my eyes close with pleasure and sank down until only my nose was clear of the perfumed water.

A surge in the water roused me as I felt another body enter the tub. I looked up to see Julia, naked as a nymph and twice as lovely slide with her own gratitude into the embracing warmth. In a single heartbeat the dull ache I had been gently assuaging climbed to sharp need, causing me to gasp.

"What’s wrong?" Mother asked.

"Um, nothing, uh, nothing really," I lied.

Mother’s eyes got shrewdly sharp for a moment, but she nodded accep-tance of my words, if not their content. She handed me a bar of scented soap and while I worked on the parts below the water line she began to work other soap into my blonde tresses. Once Julia’s eyes opened from their own initial bliss, soap was handed to her as well and she began her cleansing ritual. Her hair was as long as mine and perhaps even fuller, acting as a thick sponge to draw a mass of water from the bath. When the time came for Mother to wash Julia’s hair, she raised herself up to rest her elbows on the edge of the tub.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, or whatever, this exposed assets that captured my attention a thousand times more thoroughly than her enhanced breathing exercises had done the day before. They were so, lovely, so, shapely with smooth flowing curves that changed in complex yet always compatible ways. The . . . um . . . accents, were spectacular, dark and mysterious and much larger than I expected. The ache hidden under the hot water became much more intense, much more demanding. If I had to put that infernal outfit on at this time, well, the kingdom would never see an heir from my bloodline. Still, I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Or, at least I didn’t think I could. Though I stayed soaking in the bath after Mother finished with my hair, when Julia was finished she was told to stand up and get dressed. That revealed a distraction that made even her other treasures seem, well, never uninteresting, perhaps challenged for attention.

Julia seemed unaware of this and slipped on a thin robe while she began to run towels through the heavy mass of her fiery hair. I still stared. I knew I was doing so but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the slim goddess sitting in the morning sunlight, her damp robe caressing her so intimately.

"Cherysse!" Mother said sharply, and I realized it was not the first time she had called.

"Um, yes, uh, what?" I babbled.

"Stand up, you now need to dry yourself," she ordered.

"I, um, well, um, not now," I muttered quietly, trying not to let Julia hear.

"Yes, now!" she said even more sharply.

In the face of a direct order I really had no option. I stood up, revealing a surprisingly slender waist of my own, and a bit of shape above due to the forced redistribution of what little excess flesh I owned. Still the water was deep enough that the most strident disclaimer of my femininity was concealed.

"All the way," Mother demanded, but gently. She was trying to get us both through this issue. I didn’t think she knew, though, just how much of an issue had ‘arisen.’

I would have been better off to have obeyed immediately as my exten-ded reluctance had captured Julia’s attention. When I finally stepped fully from the water her eyes widened in surprise then narrowed in con-centration. I was too embarrassed to study her reaction more closely, turning and reaching for my own robe.

"You’ll both have to get used to this," Mother explained. "It is normal for noble companions protected by a maiden’s lover to help each other in their needs. That is all that you are doing. Remember that."

Julia’s eyes now twitched in a grin she tried to keep off her lips.

"It appears that will be easier for me than for, um, Cherysse."

"Actually not," Mother cautioned. "Cherysse will not find it dif-ficult to think of you as female. You will have to be careful not to let anything slip."

"Cherysse was so perfect that I had quite forgotten," Julia said, and I tried to decide if that was good news or bad.

"As I hope all others in the castle will do without a constant remin-der," replied the Queen.

By this time both of us had toweled our hair dry enough to stop active dripping, which was all that we needed before we dressed. Once we were again in our diabolical devices the palace servants for hair dressing and cosmetics would attend us. Before Mother brought our lovers back though, she handed each of us a sharp blade.

She ordered us, "Remove all the body hair from each other. It is important to be as smooth as possible under the garments."

Julia looked at me, a spark of humor in the green jewels of her eyes, then dropped her robe without comment.

I should have done it first, for the sight of her once again nude and glowing resurrected my interest, and its undeniable sign.

"Oh, you poor . . dear," Julia giggled.

"It’s not funny," I snapped.

"Actually, it is," she disagreed, "but it’s no more ladylike of me to recognize it, than it is of you to . . show your interest."

Her humor still shown forth with bright glory from her eyes, and it just would not be denied. Even Mother was struggling to contain a grin. I finally gave in and laughed with them. But I decided I could have a little fun of my own.

"So, Julia, Mother says we need to help each other, closer than sisters," I began. She nodded, still laughing, before she really absorbed what I had said.

"Then perhaps you could give me a little help with my, um, need before we are again imprisoned," I grinned.

Her eyes flashed with instant anger at the thought that I would suggest she would do such a thing. But before she used the blade she held to solve the problem permanently, she realized I was teasing and calmed down. Somewhat.

"I suppose I deserved that," she grumped.

Mother nodded on my behalf, since I was treading lightly right at that moment.

"This will require you both to be tolerant and helpful, not make fun of each other. Now finish your duties."

Julia had very little body hair and the fine down that was all I had ever possessed grew slowly. As a result, it was only a few minutes with the blades and soothing oil before we were each as smooth as porcelain. If I had thought things through more carefully, I would have taken longer so that I might delay the next step.

The only other thing that needed to be done before we went out to the waiting servants was to be locked again into our enforcers of maidenly virtue. The process was much the same as before. Actually, the days of constant embrace had narrowed my waist and the corset portion fit more easily. In the presence of Julia, though, the nether region was even more uncomfortable than before. At least when she saw the real distress the device caused me Julia’s eyes showed correspondingly real sympathy. I didn’t think she’d make jokes about that problem again.

Though we had been at our morning bath for over an hour, it was still only the first part of our daily preparations. The palace servants brought forth gowns of more durable cloth for us that day, though they were of course still black, still relatively simple in adornment. In another hour we were ready to go to breakfast.

Lyonidas was just finishing up as we made our entrance. He stood in welcome and I was gratified to see that his eyes went first to me.

"Are you feeling better this morning?" he asked me politely.

"In some ways," I reported.

"But not in all ways?" he asked.

Queen Selay interceded, "She has rested well, but I think she needs to get some fresh air. It looks to be a beautiful day, today, and it has been some time since the fields south of the castle have been inspected."

Lyonidas looked surprised. Well, so was I. "She conducts inspec-tions for you?" he asked.

"It is a royal duty, and she is all the royal family there is left besides myself," Queen Selay reminded the Regent with a voice too flat to carry the emotion that showed in her eyes.

To his credit, Lyonidas looked embarrassed. To his further credit he did not apologize for the war he thought they had won.

"Then I shall accompany her," he declared. "It is appropriate for me to understand this land as well."

The look of satisfaction in Mother’s eyes was almost too subtle to see, but in the next instant her eyes found mine and I knew I had not imagined it.

Hugh of Sandars was summoned to prepare the royal outing. Since I was going, Julia would go. Our proper escort also required at least one member of the palace guard. Hugh went off to arrange for horses and provisions. Lyonidas summoned his anonymous tan-garbed shadow and motioned that he should drop his hood.

"This is Strane," he introduced the man. Strane was dark with more than hair coloring. He brooded under heavy brows, not happy at being revealed.

"Strane, go find Olrin. The two of you will escort me. It is in my mind that you need to know about this new land as much as I do."

Strane nodded without comment and left, followed shortly by the rest of us as we completed our simple breakfast. Hugh had arranged things with his usual efficiency and it was only when I saw the Achaiean guard who would accompany us that I saw a potential problem. It was Drayson, the one who had insulted me when it was unclear who would be executed as part of Kragdle’s consolidation of power. Though he was under sentence of death along with the rest of us if my secret came out, still he had the greatest reason of all to hate me.

The situation had to be resolved, and immediately. I expected some sort of confrontation as I walked directly to him where he waited. However, before I could speak and though it was a breach of protocol, he blurted out, "Princess Cherysse, may I introduce my fiancee, Yvina? I would do anything to keep her safe. And of course, my life is already committed to your safety."

Well, that pretty well cleared up that issue. I had always disliked Drayson because he was exactly what Father would have wanted in place of me: big, blunt-spoken, strong as an ox and about as intelligent. His betrothed, though, looked quite a bit smarter and I suspected his little speech was the result of her understanding of the situation more than his. She was a pretty girl, though not in Julia’s class in more ways than noble rank. Her brown hair was unbound per our new orders, but surprisingly short. I converted my intended confrontation into a greeting to his lady and we mounted our horses.

This was much worse than I expected. Riding side-saddle at a gentle walk was no real problem. Riding while wearing that accursed maiden’s lover was problem enough, though. No position I could take relieved the discomfort, compounded in my case in ways the designers of the device had never considered. It was some time before I could overcome the distrac-tion. Lyonidas noted my distress, though he misinterpreted the cause. The lands we rode through were close enough to the castle to have been plundered by the High Canyon horde and this was more than adequate ex-planation for concern.

Lyonidas tried to open a conversation with an offer to participate in the rehabilitation of the land, "We’ll have to bring in some seed and a few sheep for these people."

"It will take more than that," I observed. "This village has no blacksmith, now, nor a potter."

"How can you tell?" he asked in surprise. Even Julia’s eyes showed she hadn’t picked up on the telltale signs.

"The hearth in the forge is cold, though there is coal nearby. No active blacksmith would allow that. The same is true of the potter’s kiln, though of course he uses wood, not coal. They have had enough time to return to their homes if they were able. Without them, this village will die. There is no mill here to give the site inherent value, nor millpond or stream. Without local craftsmen there is no market for a farmer’s products and so they will be taken elsewhere."

It had been obvious to me though I had never been in the hamlet before. Only after I explained did I remember that I had learned of this interaction in one of the books I had ordered. I expected that our Chamberlain already knew of this problem, but not many others in our kingdom would recognize the signs.

"That is very, um, insightful," Lyonidas mused. For once even Julia seemed to be impressed. At least, she made no immediate move to regain Lyonidas’ attention.

"Do all the women of Achaiea possess such insight?" he asked.

"Perhaps not," I answered. "While my brothers were learning sword-play, I was studying other things."

For once, I actually answered a question with absolute honesty.

I’d have to remember this occasion.

"Until you came," I explained further though the explanation returned to the problems High Canyon had caused us, "we had no need for people to gather together for defense. As you can see, this hamlet had no barrier wall. Our villages arise from economic causes. The farmers are efficient at providing food, allowing specialized craftsmen to thrive as well. It is our way."

By this time we were leaving the village. Since the High Canyon horde had approached from the north the land on this side of the castle returned to prosperity in a few miles. The villages showed the truth of the signs I had recognized, with the forge and kiln if present at all, always heated. One town we passed also had a mill near a bridge over a stream.

"Drayson," I summoned the palace guard, "what is this place?"

"Not surprisingly, it is called Miller’s Crossing. We have several villages with that name. Your Father, the King, referred to this one as the one with the wide wheel."

I saw that the millwheel was indeed strangely proportioned. The land did not support a very high millpond and to make up the required force the wheel had been made unusually wide.

"I see evidence of two blacksmiths here, though only one forge. See if there is someone who could move to the other village we passed."

While he went off to obtain the information I requested, Lyonidas looked carefully at the blacksmith’s shop for the clues I had recognized, then shook his head.

"I confess, my Princess, that I cannot see how you determined that."

I looked at Julia with a small smile of invitation, but she shook her head as well. She might have the flirtation thing down better than I, but it could be that I would keep Lyonidas interested after all.

"There are two anvils, of course, set up and ready for use. A single blacksmith would only need one. If he had a spare, he would keep it out of the way in that small shop."

While we waited for Drayson I rode over to his fiancee. When I reached her side of our group I saw that she was not alone. Another tan cloak was perched atop a horse quite near hers.

"Your Highness," Yvina said quickly as I approached. The tan cloak moved back a bit.

"Who is your conversationalist?" I asked.

"This is one of the men from High Canyon," she offered.

"Really?" I grinned. "I never would have guessed."

"Good day, Olrin," I said to the man, making a guess despite my words.

He started at my naming him, then pulled back the hood of his cloak.

"Princess," he said. Only intense study under Kragdle could have put that much sneer into so little inflection.

It angered me. We might have to submit to Kragdle, but even Lyonidas treated me, that is, us, respectfully. This hitherto faceless minion of High Canyon was not of our nobility and I would not submit to him until he demonstrated the same power as his king. I felt the white-cold mind boil up within me and let my eyes lock onto his.

"In the future, I will thank you to remember that these were our lands for generations before you came. The wealth and peace you covet are the result of my family’s management. Do you think you can remember that?"

His eyes stared unmoving until I finally let my own gaze relax. This caused another small start in his taut body, followed by much more genteel words, "Yes, Your Highness, I will remember."

"I’m not going to ask how you knew it was Olrin. I know the explana-tion will be obvious as soon as you say it," Lyonidas said with a smile. He had ridden up as I was speaking. Though he hadn’t really seen the depth of intensity in my will, he had felt the tension between us and was trying to defuse it.

I nodded my head in acceptance of his decision, a grin of my own feeling strange after so much controlled fury. Then I caught Julia’s eyes with a challenging grin for her as well and took as deep a breath as my tormenting guardian would allow. Her eyes widened in shock first, then in humor of her own. Lyonidas didn’t notice her expression of course. His eyes were riveted to the swell that graced the front of my dress. Julia’s gown was no more revealing than mine, this day, and Mother had apparently had a bit better figure when her maiden’s lover was tailored than Julia did. Of course, that made my own life even more difficult, but it did give me an advantage at the moment.

Julia’s responding grin was wide enough to show her real pleasure in the challenge. She moved her hand to flip at her hair, but I beat her to that gesture as well, flicking my blonde tresses to capture the morning sun. My motion caught Lyonidas’ eye and redirected his focus, though still not toward Julia. Behind his back she gave me a jaunty salute, then a grin that promised further battle. Now, though, we were on the same side and we both knew it.

Drayson returned before anything else could happen, confirming my suspicion on the number of blacksmiths. Better yet, one was a senior apprentice essentially ready to move out on his own. It solved a couple of problems at once to help him relocate to the village nearer the castle.

We rode on. Now and then a peasant would approach us with a problem, but more often one would approach us with flowers. This area was nicely fertile and the people had time for luxuries like flowerbeds.

Lyonidas noticed. He didn’t say anything but I knew it was no accident that Mother had sent us through a devastated area to the closest fertile area untouched by the recent war.

As it came near to noon a peasant woman came out with some hot, fresh bread. It was excellent and while she refused payment, I made sure that Drayson left her small child with some coins. We nibbled on the bread as we rode but all it did was whet our appetites and Lyonidas soon called a halt.

We had reached a small lake surrounded on three sides by trees and on the fourth by a pasture let go to wildflowers. The farmers often did this; rotating fallow fields to allow them to renew whatever made the soil most fertile. The wildflowers were very inviting but I could tell the crystal pure lake interested Lyonidas even more.

He directed his men to spread a blanket out near the water, then made some excuse for Julia to look to her horse so that he and I could go there by ourselves.

"You are a most wise young lady," he began as we sat. Of course, I had to sit with a most prim posture due to my hidden "aid".

"Thank you, Milord Regent," I replied formally, but I smiled to let him know I was not ungrateful for his comment. That was it, really, just a smile of thanks for a compliment. It wasn’t that there was meant to be any other message in my smile. His own smile was quite open. It softened his features from the too-spare leanness that reminded me too much of his father. He really didn’t look much like his father at all, once you got past that leanness.

The gentle breeze kept blowing my loose hair, and I kept gathering it up. Trying to prop myself on one hand, while frequently using the other for my hair, kept me from enjoying much of the provisions that had been laid out for us. He noticed my difficulty and reached out with his own hand to gather my errant golden cape.

There was something about the feel of his hands in my hair that affected me most . . . strangely. I felt my whole body tense, then relax as though a potent elixir were flowing through it. My eyes closed as though the world were receding and the only sensations I needed were flowing through the strands of hair that his hand caressed. I felt myself lean into his hand, pressing it with my cheek, squeezing my thick tresses between my skin and his.

"Your Highness, Princess Cherysse," Julia’s voice intruded into my mind.

"Yes," I replied dreamily, not really caring.

"Your Highness, could I help you with your preparations, before our return journey?" she offered.

What preparations? I was doing just fine. Or at least I had been until she interrupted us.

Then it came to me just what I had been doing. It was wrong for a woman to allow a man to fondle her hair, as wrong as having it down in the first place. Only a lover should be allowed to touch me as Lyonidas had been touching me and that forbidden caress had come near to making me lose control.

I struggled to my feet in shame, not daring to look at Lyonidas, nor even Julia. She grabbed my arm and pulled me into the trees a bit further along the edge of the lake.

"That’s twice you’ve let him in your hair," she hissed as soon as we were private.

"Oh, Julia, I don’t know what came over me. One minute, I was trying to keep it out of my face, the next, he was, and after that . . ."

"After that, you looked like you really needed your hidden guardian," she finished for me.

"I never felt this way before. The only one who ever touched my hair was Mother and she just brushed it for me, as I did for her," I promised.

"Well, you’re behaving exactly right for a maiden of Achaiea, which is exactly wrong if you want him to remain at a distance," she declared.

"You’re right, of course," I admitted. "Thank you sister. I needed you. I’ll probably need you again."

"If he ever caresses my hair like that, you’ll need to come to my rescue," she giggled.

The image was so dreamy, both my memory of his touch and the idea of Julia’s hair being caressed, though in my mind the hand doing the cares-sing of her hair was my own. I reached out to touch her flowing fire in response to my dream and felt the same sort of energy from the other side. Her own eyes drifted shut in languid surrender and I was reaching my hand to capture her cheek when her eyes snapped open.

"Don’t," she denied me. "We can’t."

I snatched my hand back as though her hair were as hot as it looked, my guilty shame renewed a thousandfold.

"If that’s what that feels like," she mused, "we’ll need to help each other. A lot."

Then she grinned with her normal humor. "It’ll take both of us to protect ourselves from each other."

I wasn’t sure I quite understood that statement, but it sounded right somehow, so I smiled back. Before I could excuse myself once again, she became businesslike.

"We both need to take care of things before the long ride back, and unlike the men, or the common women, we need to help each other."

She was right, of course, and we did the necessary things. They were embarrassing not erotic, and I was glad when we were done. I could tell that Julia felt the same way, and in any event the moment between us was quite thoroughly past.

Lyonidas had seen to it that the others were ready, and we were soon on our way. The ride back was by a slightly different route but the story was much the same. I could see that Lyonidas was impressed with the wealth declared by time for flowers, for carved decorations on houses, and for weavers who produced brightly-colored fabrics rather than uniform tan. Queen Selay had clearly understood this, but it was unclear to me how she had known that Lyonidas would accompany me when she had ordered me to go.

On our way back we passed the smaller keep where Duke Kestrel, executed brother to King Andros, had resided. His widow, Duchess Amity, greeted us as we approached. She was another who had known my real gender but it was clear as soon as we got near enough for conversation that she had been informed of the masquerade. I suspected the Chamberlain’s usual efficiency.

"Princess Cherysse, I am so glad you have come," Amity called.

"Can we be of assistance?" I asked.

Amity explained, "I have been summoned by the Queen and hoped to accompany your party."

"Of course," I replied.

She was already prepared to travel. I didn’t know why she hadn’t made her own way. We were only a few hours ride from the castle and Amity had escorts of her own. Still, there was only one proper response to her request, and we waited while she was helped to mount.

Though the remaining trip was relatively short, still it had been a long day. Instead of a formal dinner the outing party retired to their various chambers for a light supper and early sleep. I was almost ready to summon my servants when Amy, Mother’s favored messenger, arrived with a summons to the Queen’s chambers.

"How did the day go?" Queen Selay asked when I arrived.

I described it, beginning with the logistical matters we had addressed. She was particularly interested in Lyonidas’ responses, which I reported as well as I could.

I also discussed the use of the white-cold mind on Olrin.

"Be careful," she advised, "that was another use of anger for power. It is a too-easy trap to take your strength from emotions. In time, they will be using your strength rather than being used."

I was ready to declare my acceptance of her logic, but she smiled to show she already knew I was being careful and spoke again, "What about Duchess Amity?"

I was about to describe that portion of the trip, when Mother inter-rupted, "Yes, I know what happened, tell me why."

"Why did you summon Duchess Amity to the castle?" I asked to confirm the question.

At her nod, I said nothing for a moment, trying to decide. Amity was another of the Achaiean nobility, native to our land rather than immi-grated like Queen Selay herself. She was a bit older than me, closer in age to Queen Selay. Both could have been factors.

"So that you would have someone your own age among the nobility," I guessed.

She laughed, a small laugh, but better than the despair she sometimes showed and I was thankful for that at least.

"Well," she said, "your instincts are good, now tell me why that is important."

At my befuddled look she explained, "I am sure that Kragdle will soon be sending men of my age to woo available Achaiean noblewomen. I want Amity to be here at court where I can take advantage of her as a prize."

"Is there no one who you won’t use in your plan?" I complained. Then I wished I could have the words back as I saw the pain in her eyes.

"I’m sorry, Mother," I continued. "That was unfair. All loyal Achaieans owe our nation their very lives. What you ask of her is no more than you ask of yourself."

Her soft voice reached out to me, "Or of you, my child."

 

(continued in Part 7 )

 

*********************************************
Milady's Wiles © 1998 by Brandy Dewinter. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.