Chapter 28 | The Tale of Two Kingdoms

In the castle, Emmae and Hildin were retiring to their wedding chamber, after sitting vigil with the body of King Gethin. "Tomorrow I am crowned King, and I shall then crown you my Queen," said Hildin. Gill helped him out of his mourning tunic, and loosened the ties of his shirt. "All my ambitions shall be realized."

"Are you not the least bit sorry your father is dead?" said Emmae, pacing slowly by the windows.

"Of course I'm a little sorry," the prince answered. "But he was old. And he loved my brother more than me--no, he actively hated me. I expect our father's death will finally drag Warin out of hiding. He always was sentimental, and I've never completely believed that he would renounce his throne. But now that our father is dead, the prophecy cannot be fulfilled. He can never take the throne."

"The prophecy that he'd have to kill his father to take either the throne or a wife," said Emmae, turning to face him.

"Ah, you've heard it." Hildin laughed. "He never had any intention of marrying you, my dear."

"He didn't need to," she answered, turning back to the window. In the day, it afforded a sweeping view of the great forest, but now it showed her nothing but her own reflection--

Her reflection. "Warin?" she whispered, touching the glass. Over her shoulder appeared a pair of green eyes, and the shutters were drawn against the night and the glass.

"Ah-ah," said Gill lightly. "It won't do to be pining over another man on your wedding night, my lady." He slipped his hands around her waist.

"What exactly are you doing here?" she said, shrugging him away from her.

"You and I have never spent an entire night together, have we? Gill is always with me," murmured Hildin. Gill crossed to his master's side and poured out three cups of wine. "Always."

"Even on your wedding night?" she said, not looking at the cup Gill offered.

"Especially then. Take the cup, Emmae," said Hildin, his voice dark. She took it, her fingers shaking only slightly, and drank it back for the sake of false courage.

Gill stepped behind her and took the circlet and mourning veil from her hair. She felt his fingers move deftly down her back and then slip her gown from her shoulders. The familiar desire began to seep into her, mounting slowly. She sighed in resignation and stepped out of the puddle of black silk.

"That's my girl," the prince purred. "Give in now. It's easier on you. Though I must confess not as much fun for me. Oh yes," he said at her look, "I have enjoyed every moment of your struggles against your enchantment, little wife. Struggle on if you really wish to, I still find it highly diverting. Continue, Gill."

Gill untied the ribbon of her chemise and she stepped out of it as well, leaving her in only her stockings, gartered at the knee. He sat her down on a chair, undid her garters, and slowly rolled her stockings down her legs and off her feet. Gill kept the last foot in his hand, running his fingertips lightly up and down her sole until she wiggled in spite of herself. He took her toes one by one into his mouth, running his tongue over the pads and nibbling gently. Emmae melted into the chair, moaning.

"That's enough for now, Gill." Gill turned on his knees to the prince, making his way between his master's legs. Hildin bent and kissed him full on the mouth as he gathered the prince's shirt. He broke the kiss and pulled the shirt over Hildin's head, then discarded his own. "We will not be parted, Gill and I," Hildin said. "He is my faithful boy. Aren't you?"

"Forever, sire," said Gill, burying his head in his prince's lap. Hildin slid his hands down the young man's bare back, then brought them back to the blond head. Gill craned up for another kiss. Hildin gave it to him, opening Gill's mouth with his thumb and kissing him deeply. Still locked together, they rose up to their feet. Gill finished undressing them both, gasping from the kiss.

"Now," said Hildin, looking down on his page with hooded eyes, "let's take my lady to bed." Together they lifted Emmae out of her chair and then crushed against her, Gill holding her by the neck as he kissed her, and the prince wrapping his arms around them both from behind her.

Hildin slid a hand down between her legs and slipped his fingers into her curls. She cried out, and he chuckled low in his chest. "Oh, Gill, she is very, very wet." Emmae's head fell back on the prince's shoulder. He scooped her up and carried her to their marriage bed, laying her down in its center and settling himself near its foot. "I want to watch first," he said, pulling Gill onto the bed.

Gill smiled, kissed his master again, and slithered up the bed to lie next to Emmae. She kept herself stock still, eyes shut, giving them as little as possible. "It's no use, sweetheart," Gill whispered as he straddled her. "Feel." He took hold of one of her hands and brought it between his legs. Her eyes opened wide. He was harder than she'd ever known him.

"That's not for me," she said, her breath hitching. She didn't remove her hand for a long moment.

"Oh really? And here you're in such a state. Why is that?" he replied. He ran tracing fingers over her breasts, lightly teasing the nipples and then returning to soft circles, over and over. "It tells me that if it isn't the spell flooding you with my desire, then you must want me for myself. Is that it, Emmae? Have we finally won you, my prince and I?" His emerald eyes sparkled with dark amusement as she flinched under his fingers.

Gill increased the pressure of his hands, finally molding her breasts and rolling the nipples roughly between his fingers. Against her will, she began to undulate with pleasure in his grip. He lowered himself down, propping himself up on one elbow, and took a nipple into his mouth. He suckled at it, kneading the soft mound until Emmae let out a groan. He released it with a wet pop and moved to the other side. "You haven't answered him, girl," came Hildin's thick voice.

"I--ah!" Gill slipped two fingers inside her and took her nipple between his teeth. She could hear her own wetness with each thrust. He bit harder as Emmae's cries spiraled, and he slid his fingers faster and faster into her.

She alternately beat at Gill's back and clutched the coverlet, her hips working, until finally she screamed, a long, agonized cry of pleasure that left her hoarse and shuddering, clenching so tightly within her that Gill laughed as he withdrew. "She nearly broke my fingers, sire." He stretched himself out atop her, circled her in his arms--

--and neatly flipped them over so that she was above him. He pulled her head down to him and kissed her, running his tongue delicately over her palate. Emmae sucked on his tongue, lost, lacing her fingers behind his neck. Gill took her legs and positioned them on either side of his hips. "I think," he said in a soft and urgent voice, "that we have gone beyond the spell, haven't we?" He thrust his hips up at her, sliding his cock against her belly.

Emmae came to herself. "No!" she cried, suddenly trying to break free.

"None of that," said Prince Hildin, suddenly much too close. "Gill, hold her tight." The page pinned her against his chest. She felt Hildin behind her, his hands painting circles on her bottom. Something cool and slippery dripped onto her, slicking her crevice, and then a thumb slowly began to intrude into her ass. It burned.

She took in a ragged breath. "I beg you not to do this, Hildin."

"Beg all you want, wife, but a virginity is called for on a wedding night, and this is the one you have left." The burning faded into a strange mix of pain and ecstasy. The thumb retreated, leaving her both relieved and disappointed--only to be replaced by two fingers that stretched and twisted inside her.

She pulled against Gill's grip. "Ssshhh," he soothed, kissing along her shoulder and neck. "The more you fight it, the worse it will feel. The enchantment guarantees you pleasure, but you could have so much more!"

"More to the point," growled the prince, "you will hurt yourself. Give me entrance, Emmae, or I will take it."

Emmae shook and sobbed in Gill's arms. "Calm yourself, little queen," he murmured. "This will happen, depend on it. Here--" and he reached up and caught her mouth. She sank despairingly into the kiss, losing herself in sensation. Through the enchantment, she felt Hildin's desire unfurl and grow inside her, building at the base of her belly to join Gill's. Beneath her she felt Gill's hardness sliding against her. And behind her, she felt Hildin seize her hips firmly. He placed his cock against her ass and slowly pushed inside.

She screamed into Gill's mouth, and he sucked the scream into himself with a chuckling hum. Hildin advanced and retreated, advanced a little further and retreated, deliberately, again and again until Emmae felt his body pressed against her round bottom. Every hair on her body stood on end; every inch of her skin was achingly aware. "Oh, Emmae, I possess you completely, you are my wife now," he rasped. His hands gripped her so very tightly, flexing and squeezing, and his breathing was deep and gutteral.

"Give way, let it happen," whispered Gill. He stole a hand between their bodies and found his way to her clitoris. She breathed in harsh wails that kept time with Hildin's sure thrusts and Gill's busy fingers.

Confusing, overwhelming waves of pleasure traveled up her spine, fighting against her revulsion, and she found herself pushing back against the penetration, wanting more, until she was delirious and screaming again. Gill replaced his fingers with the length of his cock, grinding against her vulva just short of entering her. "Do you feel that? Do you feel my boy, so close, just a little push away?" said Hildin, close to his crisis. "Not this time--you're not ready--can't damage my little brood mare just yet. I'm making you ready for next time. Next time, he'll be inside you when I do this. Do you understand me, wife? We'll both be inside you, and you will love it!"

"No! I won't! No! Ohhhh!" she sobbed, even as her second climax hit.

"Fight it--struggle all you want!" Hildin took a fistful of her hair and arched her back against Gill's arms. "I love it when you fight me, little bitch--I make you come--just the same--hunh!" Hildin stiffened against her with a shout as he came, pulsing inside her and leaving marks on her hip where he held her. He collapsed against her back, slipped unceremoniously from inside her, and rolled off. "Take your pleasure, Gill," he said. "I have taken mine."

Gill flipped Emmae over on her back and plunged into her dripping cunt. She felt boneless beneath him, spread wide, no strength remaining to fight. There was nothing to do but let it wash over her. She began to shake. "It's all right," said Gill, kissing her ruddy face, "shaking is to be expected, I shake too sometimes, after he takes me this way. My lady, you are so very beautiful, and never more so than right now!" He kissed her unresisting lips and looked into her dazed eyes so lovingly that she couldn't help but brush her fingers against his jaw.

"I don't understand," she said softly. "You can be so kind, and yet you will do this--" He twisted his hips, and she cut her words off with a moan.

"I am his," he said, staring down on her intensely. "I am his and so are you. I would do anything for him--anything--and you shall too, of your own free will. I want you to love this, I want you to love everything we do to you, I want you!" He lowered his head, his cheek pressed against hers. "We'll be his, together," he moaned into her ear. His thrusts picked up speed, and he clutched her breasts. She felt her third release tumbling inside her, working its way up through her body. "And we'll do anything he asks--any--thing--any--aah!" Gill pounded into her in his final moments of passion, and it was enough. She curved up into him, crying as she came, the page sobbing in her arms as he followed.

Emmae floated for what seemed like a long time, insensible. When thought finally returned, with it came misery. She was Hildin's wife. Warin would never take her back now, if he ever came for her. She would live out her life a slave to the spell, subject to the desire of her new husband.

"Sleep now, sweetheart," said Hildin, stroking her cheek. She opened her eyes at the unexpected gesture. Hildin had taken her against him on one side, with Gill on the other. The page was already asleep, his smooth young face slack and innocent. "Tomorrow we are crowned King and Queen. You must be rested." She closed her eyes again, feeling the fresh despair within her fade to a dull, deep throb. "I shall win you, Emmae," she heard him whisper. "All it will take now is my brother's death."

Never had Emmae hated Hildin more. She couldn't wait for Warin. Death would come to this house, she resolved as sleep took her, and she would be the one to bring it--if she had to, only to herself, but if she could kill Hildin first, she would.