Dutchess of the End

The time it would take for my requested books to arrive would be at least a month. A week for the messenger to ride back to Castle Telbud, two or three days to collect my desired material, and at least three weeks to ride back with it. I’d asked for a lot of things, no doubt it would fill at least a full wagon. In the meantime, though, I could discuss the things learned with my Mage- whoever she would be. 

 

I stood outside the tent that housed the Mages Guild. It was hardly a small shanty like the one I’d been in earlier today, nor was it the grand central structure like the Elder’s tent was. This one stood tall, its enchanted grass shooting out of its ventilation proudly, the fires within roaring hot with magic, creating heat but not the destructive power that could burn down its support beams. In the peaks within that I’d managed to get while I waited, I’d seen a great many Slajo women milling about with various purposes. I knew the conversation I was interested in wouldn’t be happening so close to the front, perhaps in a back room somewhere, or another tent entirely. It was nearly midday, and I was hungry. In my eagerness for this quest, I had ridden back into the Slajo encampment without so much as a scrap of food. I could buy some from some shop, but only if the store keep took my Cubes, and would require leaving my post.

 

No. I’d wait.

 

A woman exited the tent and looked at me, but paid me no further mind as she walked off. The wait was cold and lonely. If not for the Princess being so averse to such displays of patience and of weathering the temperature, I would not mind Stephanie’s presence so much. At least she could talk about court drama or her latest conquest to distract me from the wind blowing cold in my ears.

 

Another exited, and this one I had half a mind to ignore before she looked at me for a heartbeat longer than the other had.

 

“Resawn, it is I they have given to you.” The woman said. I stood up a little straighter as I looked her over. She wore a modest winter outfit of a heavy overcoat, thick fur pants, and a pair of boots from Telbud. She was a centimetre or two taller than me, her silver hair was curly from scalp to where it rested mid-back, her expression neutral as I tried to gauge it. She had the pale eyes of her tribeswomen, and the necklace she wore likely an heirloom from generations past. I stared at her for perhaps a moment longer than I should have, taking in her beauty. Her skin as pale as snow, flawless, running head to toe without any breaks safe the Marks on her hands. Uncultured Telbians would call her ‘deathly pale.’

 

She was beautiful.

 

“I am grateful for it. What is your name?” I asked her, wordlessly beckoning her to follow. My horse was tied to a nearby tent, this time with a saddle meant for two women.

 

“Prinna.” She said in her flat tone.

 

“Well, Prinna, I welcome you to Telbian life. We shall discuss arrangements while we ride.” I told her. I untied the horse and mounted it quickly, reaching down to hold out a hand for her. The Slajo had horses of their own, though rode them less often than they used them for beasts of burden. She needed the hand to pull herself up.

 

“I have been given instructions from the Elders.” Prinna said as the horse walked towards my encampment. “I am to offer you the services of translation and of interpretation of your stone writing. I am to offer additional services as I see fit. They have forbidden me from taking wages from you.”

 

“Very well. Those are terms I can accept.” I told her. I was expecting something a little more involved than that. These people were secretive at the best of times. It was a miracle that I was able to shower them in enough gold to allow this to happen.

 

“I shall require sleeping arrangements, as well as time once per month to worship the Blessed Earth.”

 

“I shall provide this time for you, given a week’s notice.”

 

“A week.” She said. Prinna rode behind me, her hands on my shoulders, gripping tightly to balance herself as the horse left the outskirts of the Slajo camp, instructions given to go at a trot now rather than a walk.

 

“There shall be three more. I require the knowledge of all four Alihjn Tribes. How well do you get along with your kinsmen?”

 

“The Tribes have good relations with one another. I have sisters married into Tilajn and Proja Tribes.” She said.

 

“And with Telbians?”

 

“I can be… polite. You are the first Telbian I’ve ever spoken with.”

 

“I have plans to hire a second Slajo woman to accompany us. Shall I have you two lodged together, provided she accepts my offer?” I asked, turning to look at her. She nodded.

 

“It would be a small comfort to me.”

 

“I won’t have my guests feeling mistreated, this endeavor is of vital importance to me, I’ll not stand for those in my employ to be unhappy.”

 

“It is appreciated.” I heard her say. The horse reached the camp, and I dismounted it first, offering her a hand once more. She took it, her boots hitting the ground much harder than mine had.

 

“Though I will say, the second woman I intend on hiring is a prostitute. She’ll likely be spending many nights with my betrothed.” I said the words absentmindedly, beginning to walk off, waving for her to follow. I turned to see her eyes wide in shock.

 

“I do not understand such practices.” She said.

 

“My bride to be enjoys a woman’s body more than I have the time for. She requires it of me to allow her to drink of other women on occasion.” I said, leading her through the camp. It was midday, and by now the circle of wagons was roaring with life. I saw Telbian women and Slajo women alike walking through the ground. Trades were being haggled, women socializing with one another, food being prepared and eaten, all with a buzz of activity that had been unparalleled during the days of travel. 

 

“Does the arrangement give you doubts about her?” Prinna asked.

 

“She is loyal to me and desires my body, mind, and heart. Other women’s bodies are all she wants of them.”

 

“You must love her, then, to accept such a thing with open arms.”

 

I found myself nodding, but stopped to think. She was the Princess, the Crown Prince, the one destined from birth to take King Mona’s place upon her death. I loved that idea. Did I love the Princess? Probably not.

 

“You’ll be sleeping in one of these tents.” I pointed off in the distance, across the compound, where there stood a small cluster of tents. Much like the Slajo tents, these rose on either end to meet at something of a point, but were much more curved, made with pieces of wood that interlocked in the middle to stabilise the structure. “Speak with Tanya, my quartermaster, she understands the situation and will have a tent ready for your private use.”

 

“Thank you, Resawn.”

 

“They call me Grand Archivist here. If you desire to fit in, you’ll do the same.”

 

“Grand Archivist.” She said, her face still as hard to read as it had been. Things were less tense with her now, as though she were getting used to her new life already.

 

“And Prinna, if you are ever lonely…” I said, placing a hand on her shoulder, running it down to her elbow. Her manner of dress meant I did not touch any of her skin, but the contact was welcome. The distractions of her arrangement with us had been great, or perhaps this was the distraction. “My wagon is always open to you.”

 

“I… Grand Archivist, I am flattered, if I understand your meaning.” She said. Pale skin was easy to see blood in, the blush on her face apparent as she turned away from me. I caught the faint beginnings of a smile on her lips as she did so. 

 

“Whatever you seek of me, ask it, and I will consider.” I said. 

 

“I… will need time to consider the offer.”

 

I didn’t pursue her further, and neither did she hold back longer. I watched as she walked off quickly towards the tents. She’d be back, I knew. For what purpose remained to be seen, but she’d be back.

 

Though the last day has been a whirlwind of events and excitement for me and my quest, the afternoon was filled with emptiness. With my recent discoveries concerning Alihjn writing and the introduction of our new Mage, I had little to do save to wait. 

 

I waited for the Alihjn prostitute to arrive at camp- I hadn’t actually asked her to journey with us, simply to work tonight. Surely Stephanie would appreciate the lengths I went through to acquire the talent of a warm Slajo body willing to lay with her. To lay with us, if it is in my future. I was quite active in that regard yesterday, whether or not my body will desire it remains to be seen.

 

I waited for the books I requested from Castle Telbud. I knew I would be waiting some time, and that we very well might be camping on the outskirts of the Proja tent city by then. Nevertheless, I would have my materials soon enough. My research would start the moment it deemed it necessary to start and not a moment sooner. 

 

I waited for Stephanie to appear. Throughout the day, I had only seen her in the morning, before she awoke. It was increasingly often that I began my day’s work while Stephanie lay naked in my bed, sound asleep as she rested off the previous night’s activities. A woman with a libido high as hers, knowing her, she’s probably distracting some guardswoman from her post.

 

So I waited. Afternoon turned to evening, the sun set on the encampment while I watched the milling about of my women, giving direction as needed or as I had the desire to give it. 

 

“Grand Archivist, a word?” I turned in my seat in front of one of the campfires, warming myself in the dying light to see a woman wearing far too little to be out in the cold. That long white shirt with the runes, the short skirt set against blinding white skin.

 

“Ah, so you came.” I said, turning back to face the fire.

 

“I did. I’d like to discuss earlier, with your permission.”

 

“Of course. I did leave in a hurry, and I may have deceived you this morning. Let us.” I stood and waved my hand towards the edge of the camp. My wagon was about twenty paces away. Lifting the cloth entrance away, I let her take the first step into it, sitting on my bed cross legged as though it were second nature to her.

 

“While I may have been deceived this morning, it was good work. I gave you what you wanted and you left satisfied. Is that not my chosen profession?” The girl asked with a cute smile and a turn of her head to the side.

 

“I suppose so.” I sat down across from her. “However, if I require information from you, there is another Alihjn woman I’ll ask you to collaborate with.”

 

“How long will your company be encamped here?”

 

“We leave in three days’ time. However, I have another proposition for you. One that might suit your needs.”

 

“I’m listening.” The woman said, licking her lips. I saw her Birth Mark begin to faintly flicker, then her Gift Mark a moment later. I leaned closer.

 

“Travel with us. We shall return to Slajo lands next winter. In that time, I am positive the women on this journey would enjoy the company of a beauty such as yourself.” I said.

 

“Quite the offer.”

 

“A tempting one?”

 

“They say Telbian women are voracious in their appetite for one another’s flesh.”

 

“So voracious that you walked the streets of your tribeswomen in the mornings?” I asked. I saw a second source of blue light out of the corner of one of my eyes. My own Gift Mark beginning to glow faintly. I could feel the rumblings in my body, the hunger for more striking.

 

“Or rather the promise of Telbian women eager to mingle.”

 

“You’re a smart one.”

 

“I’m just bold, forward. I know what I sell and so do the women that buy from me. Living alone at twenty-two requires it of me.”

 

“Will your customers miss you?”

 

“I’ll be back.”

 

“This is not a dangerous expedition, I can guarantee your safe return.” I said.

 

“Pay me later, I’ll keep a tab.” She said, whispering back to me. The closer I got, the brighter I could see all four of our Marks glowing. I kissed her once, a short, chaste kiss. Pulling away a second later, my eyes closed, melting into the feeling of her lips on mine. I crawled forward, pushing on her shoulder until she lay on her back, my body resting on hers, weighing her down. Her hands pulled off my overcoat, reaching for the innermost folds of my robes to discard those as well.

 

I pulled away, opening my eyes.

 

“I must confess something.” I said, staring at her, continuing before she had a moment to talk. “I brought you here tonight in hopes that you might not only lay with me, but with my betrothed as well.”

 

She nodded. I had been calling Stephanie my ‘betrothed’ even though she was technically not. We were just courting, she had no requirement to make me her Queen past her own desires. Desires that I kept alive by doing things such as hiring a lady of the night to entertain us.

 

“You mean to fetch her now?” The woman asked without missing a beat.

 

“With a work ethic like this you’ll earn a treasury’s worth of Cubes. Mark us down for double tonight, I’ll return in ten minutes. I have oils, wait for my return, I shall fetch them.”

 

“I’ll be waiting.” She said.

 

The girl waved at me, smiling innocently as I stepped out of the wagon out into the cold air of the evening. If I knew Stephanie, I knew she wouldn’t be out in the open air, not unless she was eating her evening meal. Even then, it was unlikely. No, I’d begin my search inside the wagons and tents. Likely the tents, though. It took a few moments of searching, but I found her within a wagon close to the tents- a compromise on my guess I supposed.

 

She was fully clothed- which was unexpected. The girl she sat next to was not, her full body on display as Stephanie and her laughed and talked. The girl had tanned skin and dark hair with freckles like mine on her face. Her chest full and enviable, body mature past Stephanie’s age, though I doubt she had more years than I. The smile on her face was genuine as the truth of her hands. About what they chatted was unclear from the few seconds of laughter-filled noise I overheard. It stopped as soon as I made myself known.

 

“Stephanie.” I called to her. 

 

“Oh, Carla, we were just- never mind.” Stephanie said. My Marks were still aglow, though foolishly I hadn’t put my gloves back on, exposing my hands to the entire camp as I searched. They had grown dim, but the sight of this girl made them shine a bit brighter. All four hands of the two giggling women within lit up the darkness. The sight of this girl dressed how she was in the cold seemed madness, however I was fully preparing myself to do much the same. I couldn’t blame her- Stephanie was a beautiful woman.

 

“Grand Archivist.” The girl said, smiling and giggling at me. I rolled my eyes, no telling which encounter of ours Stephanie had told her about.

 

“Stephanie, I have something for you.” I said. Someone would have been more appropriate, but I kept it a surprise.

 

“For me? You shouldn’t have.” She said, waving me in. I stood my ground outside the wagon, staring in. From inside, they could only see me from the waist up, my view of them like it would be were I sitting alongside them.

 

“You’ll need to return to my wagon for it.” I kept my hands at my side. The offer to crawl in was tempting, though I would be trading one encounter of the third kind for another. I would hate to disappoint the Alihjn woman further by doing so, however.

 

“Alright. Bye, Fiona. We’ll talk later.” Stephanie crawled out of the wagon, and with one of my offered, glowing hands as a balance, hopped to the ground bypassing the steps entirely.

 

“Who’s your friend?” I asked as we started to walk away. ‘Fiona’ as she was called blew a kiss towards us, though I knew not who it was aimed at. I winked at her before walking away.

 

“Pretty, isn’t she?” She asked, and I nodded.

 

“She has the freckles of nobility.”

 

“Oh, that. She’s the daughter of the Duke of Yona, taken the same path as you to practise the practical sciences.”

 

“The fool.” I said.

 

“Would you consider your actions foolish then?” Stephanie asked. She took my hand, interlocking my fingers with hers as we walked, clasping them tightly. I returned the grip, sighing.

 

“I was but eight years old, hardly able to make my own decisions.”

 

“You are courting the Crown Prince, are you not?”

 

“Just because the outcome has been kind to me doesn’t make it a wise decision. If we marry I will be Queen, but I could have been a peasant begging on the streets, or selling my body for what Copper Cubes I could earn.” We approached my tent. Stephanie opened her mouth to offer a rebuttal, but a raising of my hand silenced her.

 

“Sorry. I won’t bring it up again.”

 

“Thank you.” I said. 

 

I lifted the curtain to my tent to peer inside. My Marks had been shining softly in the darkness, illuminating our way even as Stephanie’s had faded. One look within, onto my bed, had both our hands reignited like the dawn.

 

There sat the Alihjn woman, fully nude, hands coated in oil, smiling at us.

 

“Your return was swift, your betrothed a beauty.” She told me.

 

“You got me-”

 

“Us.” I corrected her.

 

“Us?” She asked. Stephanie looked back and forth between the two of us, between me and the woman I had brought for us, I could see her face lighting up with a realisation, the Marks on her hands beginning to come alive with that familiar blue light.

 

She looked at me one last time and I raised an eyebrow at her, nodding my head into the wagon. With a giggle, Stephanie climbed up the steps, jumping in and beginning to untie her lacings and shrug off her petticoat.

 

I entered after her, sitting down to unstrap my boots.

 

“What’s your name?” I heard Stephanie ask.

 

“Alana.” She said.

 

“Pretty.”

 

“I’ve waited so long for this.” Stephanie said. I heard the familiar smacking of kisses on lips, smirking to myself as I undressed myself.

 

If I was forced to wait, then why not enjoy the time spent on it?