Here She Rules: The Chronicles of Erla: Book 1 (19 page)

They were most definitely programmed differently from the men she had always known.
 

“It must be very uncomfortable to always make decisions and be responsible for the welfare of others. I believe we are the fortunate ones to have our Lady caring for us. They have no one to care for them and must provide everything for their women. All in all, I believe our way of life is superior,” Mika said, and the others agreed.

“We also must understand that not everyone is as blessed as we,” Taylyn said, looking at Cassie with love in his eyes.
 

She smiled and bade them to stay seated as she rose and went out onto the terrace.
 

Standing in the sun at the railing, she lifted her hair up off her neck and her robe lifted slightly with her movements but she paid it no mind as she worked with her hair in the sun, drying it.
 

Dropping her hair, Cassie rotated her neck; her muscles felt so much more relaxed after her men had given her such a thorough rubdown. She sighed dreamily and casually looked across the way until her startled eyes met those of the Serlenn King and his son as they stood on their own terrace. The men stood transfixed, watching her sensuous movements, desire plain on their handsome faces, and Cassie flushed to her toes.
 

Steeling herself, she threw an unconcerned wave in their direction before sauntering slowly back inside. In truth, however, her breathing was unaccountably fast.
 

What was it about these men that had her so on edge? It had to be the difference in their social status and the fact that they were the dominant half of their country. She felt like she had been caught doing something wrong when she was faced with a culture so much like the one she had grown up in. She berated herself for indulging in such ridiculous behavior and vowed to release that tie with her old life and move boldly before these men in the future.

“Gods above, my father, I have never seen anyone who compares to that woman. With a woman like that at your back, you would never have any worries.” Nall met his father’s eyes and saw desire mirrored in them.

“Such a woman is beyond value, my son. I could not have even imagined one such as her.” The King’s voice was rich with feeling. “We would do well to strengthen our blood with women such as these here in Erla. I will encourage the men to pay court as they desire with these women as their offspring would be a boon to Serlenn,” he said as they walked back inside their apartments to rest for the coming evening’s activities.

XIV

Cassie climbed into her bed to catch a nap, and when she suddenly awoke, her eyes fell upon the smiling face of Kara, who shoved her over and lay next to her on the bed.

“Is your own bed unavailable, Kara?” Cassie yawned out the question with a smile.
 

“Of course not. I merely wanted to demonstrate how easy it is for me to get into yours,” Kara laughed in reply.
 

“Kara, I didn’t know you felt like that!” Cassie giggled and rolled Kara over—attacking her with tickles.
 

Kara howled in pained laughter as the women rolled, tickled, and laughed until they collapsed back onto the bed.

“Had I known this is how it is with you two, I would have joined you ages ago!” They looked up to see their monarch standing at the side of the bed, her legs straddled and arms akimbo.
 

Laughing, they pulled her down and tickled her until she was breathless. The women lay companionably on Cassie’s bed, each recovering her breath before they began to talk about the visitors from Serlenn.
 

They had each had the opportunity to see the Serlenn women as they disembarked from the wagons. They were petite, delicate creatures—and tiny. The tallest woman Cassie had seen was perhaps five foot, two inches, if that .

They all had a varying shade of light-blonde hair like the men. Unlike their men, however, they had pale skin, and it was obvious they stayed out of the sun. Lastly, all of the Serlenn people appeared to have some variation of blue eyes.
 

Talk naturally turned to the attractiveness of the men, since they exuded pure male sex appeal, and Cassie commented that she thought they were so affected by them because they were so accustomed to subservient men.
 

Nera and Kara agreed this was probably the case.

“So, Nera, are you going to jump the King’s bones?” Cassie asked with a grin.

“Why no, Cassandra; I am saving myself for you this night,” Nera returned, which started a whole new round of laughing and horseplay between them.
 

The women continued to play like little girls for a long while until Mika came into the room and bowed, asking if they required refreshments.
 

Cassie waggled her eyebrows at Nera and Kara. Without missing a beat, the women grabbed and attacked him.
 

Poor Mika was so stunned that he could hardly breathe as the women tickled and gently groped him. His laughter was deep and musical as he tried desperately to get away from them. Finally, they released him, and he rose to his feet, a broad smile remaining on his face.
 

“Now, Mistress, would you like for me to bring any of you something to eat or drink?” They all laughed and declined. Nera and Kara knew they had to return to their own homes to ready themselves for the celebration.
 

Cassie escorted them to the door as they parted.

Sometime later, Cassie twirled around in the gown she planned to wear to the banquet. She felt awkward, since it had been so long since she had worn a dress. Her rich brown hair flowed in springy curls down to the middle of her back, as Kai had truly outdone himself. Nera sent over some cosmetics with which she had applied subtle shading to her eyes and cheekbones as well as pink rouge to her mouth.
 

The dress she wore was a blend of aqua blues and greens which flowed like water and accented her eyes. It was cut in the Grecian style, flowing from just under her breasts to her ankles. Sleeveless and V-necked, it highlighted her toned shoulders and arms. In a word, it was perfect.

She wore the jewels given to her by the Queen along with her silver dragon armlets, and she felt truly feminine for the first time in a
very
long time. She walked out from her room to show her men and stopped dead.
 

They were incredibly, fabulously gorgeous. She actually could not think of enough adjectives to describe the men standing before her.
 

Clad in their short, black togas with their muscular legs and arms bare, they had only one shoulder draped with fabric, and their sandals were laced up their calves, and they wore their hair loose as she preferred.
 

Less was definitely more when it came to clothes on men this spectacular, and her stomach tightened as she considered staying home and indulging in a private orgy.
 

Shaking her head, she smiled at them and said, “Wow, you are all so beautiful!”
 

They stared at their Lady in worshipful silence. They had always thought their Mistress a beautiful woman, but tonight she was like a dream. Then, the spell was broken, and they all spoke at once, praising her loveliness.
 

She grinned and held up her hands. “Enough! You will turn my head with so much praise, and we had better be going,” she said as she moved towards the door.
 

Mika opened it for her, and he then followed her out as they made their way to the Banqueting Hall.

Cassie was announced as they entered the room, and every eye swiveled to where she stood, surrounded by her slaves. They were an arresting sight—one which inspired desire and envy.

Cassie smiled brightly and moved with confidence towards the Queen’s dais where she dropped to one knee as her slaves knelt behind her. When she looked up at Nera, the Queen motioned to Cassie to take her customary seat to her right and Cassie’s slaves took their positions behind her quickly and quietly.

The King of Serlenn sat to Nera’s left, and his son was seated beside him.
 

Cassie looked to the King and returned his greeting with a bow to him and then to his son before she took her own seat.

“My dear Cassandra, you look wonderful tonight,” Nera said. The King of Serlenn quickly agreed and was seconded by his son.
 

The King’s eyes devoured her and lingered on her cleavage as Cassie blushed lightly, murmuring her thanks.

Nall could not take his eyes off of her as she glided up to the dais. He was sure she must be an angel. Never had he felt such an intense and instant desire . . . such
need
for a woman. He wondered if perhaps part of her allure was because he could not command her to his will as he could the women of his country.
 

His father was sharing very similar thoughts to those of his son. He wondered if it would be possible to seduce such a woman as his eyes drifted to the slaves who had accompanied her tonight.

They were all young, handsome men in their prime, and all were in excellent physical condition. The woman most certainly did not want for male attention. The Lady Cassandra would not want for attention in
any
country with her looks, spirit, and skill.

Nall’s thoughts ran along the same course, and he felt a surge of envy for these men who had her affection and shared her bed.

They were the ones who lay beside her during the night. They were allowed to touch her, kiss her, and to love her. The prince’s hand tightened convulsively at the thought.

Cassie had been speaking quietly with Nera when Garen touched her shoulder tentatively. She looked up at him, and he asked, “Is there anything that I might get you, Mistress?”
 

Cassie took his hand and declined. Then, she placed a kiss on his palm while her other hand played with the hair that had slipped over his shoulder as he had leaned down. When Cassie glanced up, she caught the dark look Nall threw at Garen and, frowning, she released his hand and hair while directing him to return to the others.
 

Cassie felt that somehow Nall was offended by her open affection for her slave, and she resolved not to give these men of Serlenn any reason to find fault with her actions.
 

She would have been surprised to know the truth behind his reaction.

“How do you find your rooms, Your Highness? Prince Nall?” Cassie put a smile on her face—realizing her mistake too late.

“Very comfortable indeed, and the view is truly astounding from the balcony,” the King said as he smiled at her in a pointed manner.
 

Cassie turned three shades of red, but she managed to calmly reply, “I am glad you enjoyed it.” She blinked at him for a minute before finally breaking down in laughter. When Nera could stand it no more she demanded to know the joke.

“Forgive me, Your Highness. I am afraid His Majesty and Lord Nall caught me drying my hair on my balcony wearing only a very short robe,” Cassie said.

“Oh my,” Nera laughed. “It is true, my Lords, that the Lady Cassandra is unused to sharing that wing of the Palace.”

“Rest assured, Highness, we enjoyed every moment unabashedly, and the robe was indeed
very
short,” the King replied before he sent Nera a devilish grin.

“I am glad things in Erla meet with your approval,” Nera replied.

“Indeed. I am very well pleased with Erla and
all
things in it,” he said as his eyes caressed the Queen’s face and figure.

For a while, the monarchs spoke of small matters regarding the running of their countries as Nall and Cassie drifted out of the conversation, listening to the slaves play their instruments instead.
 

Cassie looked over at Nall to find his eyes on her, and she flashed him a friendly smile, which he returned instantly.
 

Nall rose and approached her, offering his arm and asking if she would like to take a turn about the room. Cassie graciously accepted and placed her hand on his arm as they left the dais, bowing to their sovereigns.

As they walked about the room, Cassie frantically searched her mind for something to say. Finally, she thought to ask him about his home.
 

Nall, smiling into her eyes, spoke of snowcapped mountains, pristine lakes, and alpine meadows. She could clearly see the love he had for his homeland in his eyes and words. The climate was quite different from that in Erla, and she felt an honest desire to see the sites he described.
 

She told him how she would ski and snowboard during winter trips, and he informed her they had similar diversions in his land. Nall extended an invitation for her to visit during the winter, and he assured her that he would be honored to attend her.

“I would love that,” Cassie returned with a smile.

“Lady, I would share with you the true reason we wish to ally ourselves with your country—as I am sure my father even now tells your Queen.” His voice was very serious, and Cassie gave him her full attention.