To Claim the Elvin Princess: Apprentice (9 page)

14

In the morning, they were awoken by Amein’s attendants. Rasten was still slightly awkward, being naked and helped to prepare for the day by one or two of the young Elvin females. That they seemed delighted to be in his presence, almost but not quite smiling knowingly or evincing a smug smirk at his nakedness, gave him little to complain about, even had he been inclined to. He found himself emerging from a shower, to have two cute ones apply towels to him, sexy and enticing. That they had been utterly clinical and proper the first time they had done this, but now seemed more familiar and to a large extent rather suggestive and naughty, only made him worry that Amein might see and be offended. He was less inclined to worry, having walked around the corner to find her, and discovered her being thoroughly played with by her own giggling servants.

“And I was worried that the elf girls were being too friendly with me!” he declared, causing a quick and guilty glance from Amein.

“Rasten!” she sighed. “You should feel no guilt...they will merely play and tease you a bit, like they do me! They know better than to do more, even if you beg them to!” she insisted, giving him a smug and wicked smile.

When they were dressed, they went off to have breakfast with many of the family. This required much more concentration, Rasten being still overwhelmed trying to remember names. That everyone treated him like they knew him, indeed had known him for a century was maddeningly troubling. He had already discovered that the Elvin had near perfect memories, able to recall any chance comment, conversation, or thing they had seen flawlessly. He had only just begun to grasp what that meant; any slip, error, any confession or lie could and would be perfectly recalled, much to his discomfort.

Rasten was reminded of this while eating, when Amein recalled word for word one of the sarcastic comments he had made several days prior while teasing her. That an entire table full of elves frowned at him in unison, made his heart sink. He decided to ask the elder, Midarini about this.

“Oh yes, it no doubt seems like quite a burden to you, but within Elvin society, it is an astoundingly wonderful thing. Perfect memories are what make elves so honest! There is no shading of the truth, such as humans might try, nor will any lie be able to be disavowed later! The normal elf discovers this quite young, usually while bent over and getting their bare bottom paddled, and they learn to just tell the truth, no matter how awful that choice seems!”

“So I’ve heard from Amein...she apparently had to learn that too?”

“Of course. Being the child of one such as Sayarin, the need for her to be honest and beyond any such dubious willingness to lie was paramount. She got that lesson applied to her bottom more than most, her parents wishing to deeply ingrain it at a young age!” the elder chuckled.

“What of truthsense...doesn’t that also make dishonesty more difficult?”

“Of course it does. Amein will have moments when she rues being so helplessly smitten to you, for that alone! Still, I judge it a good thing for her to experience. Rasten, Amein is quite young, by Elvin standards. Her leading as she does is most unusual. She is utterly special, and much beloved. You will benefit in many ways from her attachment to you. Just don’t let your head get too big!” Madarini cautioned.

After the meal, Amein insisted on visiting their captive Eridian, and she wanted Rasten to accompany her, even though he would not be able to understand her speech.

“Add that to the list of things you need to master...Eridian,” Amein teased, as they walked deliberately through the hallways.

Rasten had guessed that there might be a dungeon somewhere, for prisoners, but instead, they went up one flight of stairs after another, going high up into the clan home, as it sprawled up a tall hillside. They arrived at a short corridor, the sides of which were walled with clear, unbreakable elanite crystal. They passed two empty cells, before reaching one well occupied with the female Eridian warrior. A guard touched a small device on her belt, and a section of the wall slide to the side. This startled the woman, who was standing, wrapped in a sheet, and looking out a large window which gave view to Alarinad, the Elvin capital. The crystal door slide quietly closed behind them, and they stood, waiting.

“Is it my time to die...or will you torture me first?” the woman asked, speaking mostly for her own benefit, having no idea whom she confronted, or whether they spoke her language.

“Is that what you expect, or what you hope for?” Amein asked in flawless Eridian. “I am Princess Amien, and this is Lord Rasten, Sayarin’s son. Who might you be?” she asked this gently. The woman cringed upon hearing this so declared, assuming she was utterly doomed to a tragic fate, Amein being rumored to be a great and powerful sorceress, and the name of Sayarin, still terrible and a reminder of defeat and doom. That none among her people had known of Rasten’s existence, seemed dire of itself.

“I am no one...only a simple warrior, who has had the misfortune to not die in battle, but to end here, as your plaything!” the captive hissed, her misery profound. “You have no need of my name!”

“I have no desire to play with you. Neither do I wish to cause your death. I would only speak with you, and know more of your people!” Amein insisted, her gaze unblinking and intense. Rasten had been standing silent, eyes closed, listening to the exchange.

“Her name is Koharilla,” he suggested. The Eridian’s shocked expression confirmed this to be true.

“That is a proper name, among the tribes...it means one who walks in conquered lands,” Amein suggested, further befuddling her captive. Her searching glance at Rasten was brief, and hinted at her surprise. “Sit!” Amein now commanded, and the warrior moved over and plopped down on the sleeping platform, her expression amusing to Rasten. Watching her struggle, he noted her slowly shift from pliant to being well determined to resist their persuasion.

“I have nothing I wish to tell you. Do your worst, I will die before I co-operate with you!” she insisted, now sitting with her arms crossed.

“She is afraid of being naked and raped, of being made to surrender, and of aiding us,” Rasten spoke to Amein, who glanced at him and nodded, her tiny smile showing pleasure at his display of an odd talent.

“You expect us to beat and torture you? To rape you, to make you do our bidding?”

“We would do such to you...I expect no less, and no mercy. I would die rather than beg!” Koharila declared. “Or you will use some sorcery against me!” The woman no doubt thought Amein mad, when she laughed at this statement.

“Ah, dear girl, I have something else in mind, which will break your resolve. I shall overwhelm you with pleasure, not pain!” This gave Koharilla pause; what sort of pleasure might the Elvin bring to bear? Eridian life held few things that might be considered as such. She started to speak, but Amien held up her hand.

“You will discover soon enough!” she said, smiling at Koharila’s terrified expression.

“Come!” Amein commanded Rasten, and they were soon on the other side of the elanite. She spoke to the guards, outlining what she wished to have done to the woman. The guards may have thought this odd, but nodded.

“At once, Princess,” they agreed.

Rasten had seemed doubtful also, but when reminded of his first days with Amein, he soon reconsidered.

“The Eridians are poorly versed in the arts of love, viewing sex as merely a means to create children. This poor woman has likely never experienced a single orgasm in her life! That will change most wickedly, very soon!” Amein suggested.

When they returned the next morning, they found her naked and asleep, sprawled on the soft bedding. A brief chat with the guards informed them that Koharilla had been awake most of the night, being had and superbly pleasured by a dozen males, both human and Elvin, who took turns applying their skills to her over stimulated body.

They entered the cell, and Amein sat down on the sleeping platform, where she could touch the woman, and gently shake her awake. This took time, but when she finally managed to open her eyes, and discovered her bare splendor, she became utterly embarrassed. She reached frantically for a cover, but Amein grabbed her wrist. “You will sit up, and speak with us!” Amein proclaimed, simple and direct. Koharilla’s expression became hard, but Amein was not inclined to indulge a fit. “Do I need to have the males return?” she asked sharply.

“No! Please! I can’t bear to suffer such...such...” she fell silent, face burning hot and her eyes wet with tears.

“I am willing to inflict days of that upon you, such that you would be helplessly enthralled to it, should you not be honest with me! Then, I would only need to deny you such a thing, to make you beg!” The Eridian considered this, the suspicion that Amein was being honest, too terrible to ignore.

“Please...don’t make me betray my people!” she helplessly begged. Amein brushed the woman’s hair back, and wiped her eyes. “Let me die an honorable death!”

“You have not earned such! We have no desire for you to betray your kind, but wish only for you to help us understand them! We are tired of this senseless war, and are mystified as to what your leaders hope to gain from it!” This seemed to inflame the young woman.

“Is that not obvious?! Your people have great wealth and power, much rich land. Our people endure in your shadow, scraping by on poor soils and eking out a living as best we can! All we have to be proud of is our courage and our valor. Even our victories are few and small!” she moaned, naming this burning her heart and soul.

“So you envy us our civilization and accomplishments? What else disturbs you about us?” Amein wondered. Koharila shrugged, reluctant to name such a thing, which seemed now to be quite petty. Amein prodded her side with a firm finger. “Be honest!”

“It seems most unfair that all of your people are so beautiful!” the young one insisted, and looked down, somehow ashamed to feel as she did.

“Is that a common feeling or just your own?”

“Many, especially of the women, feel the same!”

“Rasten? Is she not attractive?” Amein asked, speaking in Elvin.

“On Earth, she would be considered very pretty and desirable...why?”

“Tell you later...” she whispered, and then repeated Rasten’s comment to the surprised human. “You look for reasons to justify hating us, don’t you?”

“Maybe we do. But we have long memories, of all we’ve suffered!” Koharila insisted.

Amein sat, unmoving. Only her eyes shifted, to captivate the Eridian’s gaze. “Your people killed my father, are you aware of that?”

“I...have heard such tales. Many consider it our greatest accomplishment. You hate us for that, don’t you?” she asked, with bated breath. The realization that she was only inches from Amein was daunting.

“No, it fills me with sadness and anger, that he died at the hands of a people whom he wanted only to befriend! He wished to have your kind be comrades and friends, to be able to live side by side, so you might also prosper. This too is my wish. Only with peace will your people have plenty and grow...”

“I have little understanding of such weighty matters! I wished to be a warrior since I was a small child, even though such is discouraged by our people. It took much will and effort to be as I am. I only hoped to serve my people well, or to die an honorable death!” Koharila moaned.

“And now you think you are doomed to a meaningless end? You will not return to your people,” Amein suggested.

“Because...why? If you don’t simply kill me, or keep me enslaved, I would surely not rest until I am home!”

“Koharilla! How many of those captured by us have ever returned?”

“Almost none do! That’s why...I am sure I am doomed also!” Amein smiled at this.

“You would be shocked to learn that most are among us, living as humans, free and unfettered?” Koharilla’s open mouth answered well.

“How can this be?!” she managed to gasp. “Were they all cowards?” she asked, unable to imagine any other reason this could be true.

“Do you consider yourself such?”

“Of course not!”

“But you will stay with us also,” Amein insisted, smiling at the female warrior’s outrage. “Do you remember what you felt last night, as the males pleasured you?”

The Eridian turned a deep shade of red, before hanging her head. “I was much shamed by my lust. No woman should be subjected to such terrible temptation!” she sighed. Amein pulled the woman’s chin up, forcing her to look in her eyes.

“I will send others tonight, to have you again...you want that, do you not? Your people know little of such pleasures, but we are masters of such delights. If you are had each day for a week, you will not be able to turn away from it. That is why your people are all still with us!” Amein declared.

“I will be a prisoner to my desires!” the once proud warrior sobbed, seeing the inevitability of the Elvin’s intent.

“Do not be ashamed, dear girl! I command all the Elvin, but I am just as much a slave to my own desires as you will be to yours! There is a better life for you here, free of death and destruction!”

“But I know little else!” Koharila sighed.

“Give us a chance to teach you, and you will!” Amein proclaimed, delighted by the confused look on the Eridian woman’s face.