Here She Rules: The Chronicles of Erla: Book 1 (16 page)

Nera said, “I suppose that applies to me too?” All three women laughed.
 

“Did you see those eyes? Good God! They were more beautiful than a summer sky. I do hope he is not too emotionally scarred from what he’s been through,” Cassie said.

“Make him talk about the experience when he is comfortable in your house. That often helps with warriors after bad experiences in battle,” Kara said, and the Queen agreed.

“I will,” Cassie said. “Now, I think I should go to help him settle in.” The women grinned broadly as she rose. Cassie bowed to the Queen before saying her farewells and hurrying home.

When she entered her quarters, they were all sitting on the sofas, and Garen was speaking with the others. She could see from the look Mika sent her that they had made him feel welcome, and she nodded slightly to him in gratitude.

“My loves, Garen comes to me as a gift from Her Highness the Queen for the work I did in securing the captive village. I know you have welcomed him, but Garen has undergone a tremendously horrible experience, and I expect each of you to be there to comfort and support him as he needs.”

“Garen,” he looked up at her timidly, “have no fear in my house. You will not be beaten or abused. Look at your brethren here. I believe you can tell they are well cared for and loved. This is what I offer you as a member of my household.”

“Thank you, Mistress,” he said, head bowed.
 

Cassie’s heart melted with pity for this man. It was unthinkable that anyone would abuse such a treasure as he so obviously was.

“Stand, Garen.” He immediately stood and smiled tentatively when she advanced towards him. She reached up and removed the tie from his hair and let the glorious mass fall freely around his face and down his back.
 

“Turn around, sweetheart,” she said. When he turned, she plunged her hands into the thick, silky length, twisting it softly and rubbing it between her fingers.
 

“So beautiful,” she sighed, taking his shoulder and turning him back to her.
 

His eyes met hers as she looked at his face, and her body throbbed with desire, which she pushed aside. It would take time to gain his trust and gentle him. He was sure to be like a skittish horse after what he had been through, and she wanted him to feel safe and happy here.

She turned to the others and said, “Are we running today?” They smiled at her and replied affirmatively.
 

She sent them to get ready and asked Mika if he would assist Garen. He smiled and nodded, earning him a sweet kiss from his beloved Mistress.
 

Cassie went to her closet and withdrew the shorts and tank tops she had special-ordered specifically to be used for running. She had had all of the men outfitted with similar apparel. They enjoyed the freedom of movement the clothes afforded, while she enjoyed the sight of their behinds in the clingy material.

Moments later, they reappeared and were ready to go. Garen looked a little lost, so she touched his hand and bade him follow her.
 

They arrived at the running track which encircled the training fields, and Cassie set off a leisurely pace. She ran next to Garen, and when his eyes frequently turned to her face, she would smile reassuringly.
 

They ran two miles around the track, and then jogged around the Palace once, enjoying the sweet scent of the gardens as they passed. Garen seemed to be relaxing, and though his breathing was labored due to the lack of exercise he had experienced during his captivity, he had impressive stamina.
 

When they finally got back home, the men dispersed and gathered bathing material as was their custom following a run. Cassie picked up a towel and wiped the sweat off her face and then from Garen’s. She showed him the cooking rooms and where he could find the water, and they enjoyed a drink together. The strain was gone from his handsome face; the exercise had taken away a lot of his tension.
 

Cassie looked forward to the challenge of building his trust and earning his devotion.

She led the way to the bathing chamber, and once inside, her men helped her to remove her clothes, and then they removed their own. Garen followed suit.
 

“Mika,” she said, “after we have bathed, I want you to purchase new clothes for Garen. Get something new for all of you also. I have seen the Queen’s slaves wear formal attire which drapes over the shoulder, and I would like for you all to have some of those same garments in black.” The toga-style clothing she spoke of was short, hanging to mid-thigh, and was very sexy in her estimation.
 

“Yes, Mistress,” he said.
 

Cassie got into the bath followed by her men. She was shampooed and washed, and then, as they began cleaning themselves, she took the cloth from Garen and washed him herself. She enjoyed exploring him with the wet cloth and she delighted in the twitch of his muscles as she left no inch of him unclean, and his body responded beautifully to her ministrations. When his eyes met hers, she noted that there was no fear or pain in them—only curiosity.
 

Cassie wiped his face clean then kissed him tenderly on the mouth and, Garen’s lips parted slightly. A faint smile touched them before he closed them again.
 

Good. This is promising!

They finished up and got out, toweling each other and chatting companionably.
 

Mika had given Garen some clothing, and they all dressed. Cassie changed back into the black clothes she had worn earlier.

“Aidan, I am starved. Are you going to feed me today?” she asked.

“I will get it immediately, Mistress! Come, Arn. Let us not keep our Lady waiting!” They scurried off and brought out the food moments later. They all fell on it hungrily.
 

Cassie made sure that Garen’s plate remained full throughout the meal, and he ate with good appetite, even contributing to the conversation occasionally, making Cassie feel sure he would adapt to their family quickly.

After dinner, Cassie took them all for a walk in the gardens, which was now a favorite place of Cassie’s. They spent time admiring the flowers, and enjoying the delightful scents that filled the air before sitting on the grass. They quickly fell into a rhythm of talking and laughing.
 

Garen sat off just a bit from them, observing how they all interacted together. He could see the gentle, loving way she treated the men and their adoration and love for her. She would occasionally say something wicked and caress them in intimate places—much to their delight—showing him that her sexual favors were something they delighted in, competed for, and were eager to have. He thought back to the time before the Trevians when he’d had a good Mistress, and she had been kind to him, but it just seemed like another life to him now.

This Mistress was beautiful, tall, and so desirable with her rich brown hair streaked with red highlights, and those remarkable eyes of hers. One moment, they were green and the next, they were blue. She acted lovingly towards her slaves, which made him glad to be hers. He just couldn’t quite shake the shadow hanging over him from his time as a captive.
 

The sky began to darken, so they made their way indoors and back to her apartments.
 

Cassie sat on the sofa, and the men gathered around, bringing out the playing cards and looking at her suggestively. She laughed as they dealt the cards.
 

Garen only watched initially, taking note of how skilled she was at the game. Her bets were sweet, naughty offerings that the men tried desperately to win.
 

They soon convinced Garen to play, and when the Mistress bet something “special,” his fellow slaves made desperate attempts to win. Garen did not know what it was, but he soon got caught up in their enthusiasm, and when the last card was played, he found himself the winner—much to the good-natured chagrin of the others. The Mistress grinned at him with promise in her eyes, and suddenly, for the first time in months, he felt the stirrings of lust. He returned her smile, and the others looked on enviously.
 

Cassie was thrilled at his response. His smile was beautiful, and when she told him as much, he flushed bright red in happiness. She rose and bid them all goodnight. Taking Garen’s hand, she led him to her room and had him disrobe and climb into her bed.
 

Garen watched as Cassie undressed and lay down next to him, pulling him into her arms. He involuntarily stiffened, and his breathing hitched.
 

“Garen, relax. I make no demands of you tonight. I wish for you to become comfortable and learn to trust me.”
 

“Yes, Mistress.”
 

Cassie snuggled in and fell asleep listening to his heart beating.

XII

Time passed peacefully. Cassie had worked out a schedule for each slave’s turn to come to her bed, and she found it lessened the feelings of guilt she once had regarding choosing one more than the others.
 

She was still going very slowly with Garen. She told him that she wanted him to get used to her and overcome his past experiences before she took him. He seemed at once grateful and frustrated by this, and Cassie knew in her heart that she was secretly enjoying his longing.

One afternoon, as they sat lounging, doing a great deal of nothing, a messenger from the Queen came to request Cassie’s presence. She rose, slipped into some sandals, and headed to the Throne Room. She was followed closely by the messenger, who moved ahead only to announce her as she entered.
 

Nera’s eyes rose from a document she was reading and motioned for her to take her customary seat next to the throne.
 

Cassie made her obeisance and seated herself on Nera’s right.
 

The room held no courtiers—only a handful of noble women and the customary contingent of slaves.
 

Presently, Nera looked up again from the document she held and apologized to Cassie for keeping her waiting. Cassie waved away the apology and asked what the matter was, indicating the paper in the Queen’s hands.

“This is a letter from the Kingdom of Serlenn. They request to make a treaty with us for the trade of goods. As you know, our leathers are the finest you will find.” At this, Cassie nodded. “Also, they seek to align themselves with us militarily; they seek us as allies.”

“If they are worthy, Your Highness, then I approve of the idea. I believe it is always best to have allies at your back whenever you must fight a major war. The increase in trade would profit our people greatly too, I think. Of course, I will support any decision you make regarding the matter,” Cassie said after considering the proposal for a moment.

Something suddenly occurred to Cassie. “Wait, Your Highness, did you say
King
dom?” Cassie was astonished at Nera’s affirmative response.

Nera looked up from her document, saw Cassie’s face, and smiled.

“Yes, my dear friend. Serlenn is a Kingdom. They have a male monarch. Their lifestyle is slightly different. The ruling class is patriarchal. They do not keep slaves but have servants, their governing body is male-dominated, and they serve a King. The Serlenn Army is strong, numbering many thousands of men—much as ours has thousands of women. In essence, we are opposites. There have never been hostilities between our countries, and they have long been as accepting of our style of living as we have of theirs, but, in general, we tend to ignore one another’s existence.” Cassie was dumbfounded. She remembered Nera mentioning other countries where the men were different, but she really hadn’t given it much thought, so it came as bit of a shock to realize there were other lifestyles on this world, and she felt a little stupid for not having thought to ask.
 

“As the Commander of my Army, you would be expected to play the role of dignitary and ambassador to the Serlenn delegation. They would expect an open discourse on training methods and ideologies. Do you have any objection to such a role?” Nera asked.

“None whatsoever, Your Highness. It is my honor to serve you in any capacity you may require,” Cassie replied.

“What I am really asking, Cassandra, is how will you react to the potentially misogynistic treatment of their women and possibly even of us? Can you maintain a proper decorum under what may be a somewhat primitive mindset?” she asked, lifting one blonde brow and watching her Commander closely.

“Yes, I can remain polite. However, please understand that I will tolerate no disrespect of you, My Lady, nor will I tolerate it for the women under my command. So, perhaps a little demonstration of our fighting prowess may be called for on the first day to inspire a measure of respect for us as warriors?” Cassie suggested. Nera heartily agreed.
 

“When do we expect them, Your Highness?”

“I have sent my reply just now. It should reach them in a day or two, so I imagine we will see them within a week.”

“We will be ready, Highness; I will plan a demonstration with arms and hand-to-hand combat which will leave them with no doubts regarding our abilities,” Cassie said enthusiastically.

“Cassandra, come and have dinner with me in my quarters. I have not had your company outside of training in too long,” Nera said.

“I would be honored, Your Highness.” Nera rose and Cassie followed her through a door behind the throne which led directly to her personal apartments.
 

Nera’s slaves bowed to the women and quickly fluffed pillows on the floors and chaise lounges so the Ladies could have their choice of seating.
 

“Bring us Mull,” Nera ordered. “Cassie, help yourself to any of my slaves that please you.” This was a customary concession to any favored person who was invited to be in private with the Queen. It was also a chance to taste the finest of male flesh.
 

Cassie thanked her and took a moment to assess the pretty men in the room. Each one of them gazed at her with hope; she was legend in the Palace due to her treatment of her slaves, and the tales of her sexual prowess had grown to mythic proportions.