Darkthorn’s Blog

In the capital, Cimon and the Queen were continuing their illicit affair. As they were still in mourning for the king, it would not be appropriate for the Queen to marry again so soon. Anyway, she was quite content, she still had her position as head of the household, and Cimon was not yet instated as the king. The circumstances surrounding the old king’s death were too shaky to rule out conspiracy to murder, so the council was still holding out for another heir to come forth.

Cimon rolled over, and spoke softly. “Wake up Ruiena, it is morning.”

The Queen grumbled sleepily and pulled the blankets up higher over her form. It was her bed, if he didn’t want to be found, he would have to leave.

“I’m going now.”

Good riddance thought Ruiena. Men rose much too early. She had a few more hours of beauty sleep to take, it wouldn’t do to lose her comely form, not now that she was single. She knew the ways of men, they would drop a maiden the moment she became old. He must marry her first, to cement her position, then she could do away with him. His usefulness was beginning to wane, soon he would be an intolerable nuisance. His bedtime playfulness was more violent than loving, and she wasn’t the kind of tavern wench who enjoyed such things. Too much more of this would ruin her. Better to finish it soon. When she got up, she would deal with the council.

She felt Cimon’s weight leave the bed, the mattress seeming to sigh with relief. Ruiena sighed herself, for the same reason, he often seemed to crush her with his overbearing presence. Now, back to sleep.

Cimon dressed quickly, the air was chilly now, and soon winter would set in around the palace, preventing any correspondence from taking place. He had not heard from the Wayland royals, and he had done his best to prevent the rumours surrounding Julia’s disappearance quiet in order to preven war from breaking out until he wanted it to. Curse that girl, even in her absence she was causing problems with the councilors. He would be best off marrying her, not the old Queen. Raping her was fun, although that man who had saved her had spoilt it, not to mention killing his best men. It had been convenient once he had thought about it, an easy explanation was that Julia had escaped him, and killed the men, trying her best to grasp the ruling of Naxos in her hands.

As if that tiny wench could have done any such thing. He licked his lips. Ruiena had to be beaten into submission; it wasn’t quite the same as having a helpless woman in his grasp. Like having a deer spellbound, or an elf trapped away in a shielded room, the thought was delicious. He let himself fantasize a little. Julia, splayed out on the bed, her hands tied in rope to the headboard and feet to each bedpost, covered in a see-through gown of soft silk. No, he corrected himself. She should be naked, and blindfolded, they always feared that which they couldn’t see. His weight pinning her down to the bed, forcing himself upon her. The tightness of her arousing him and bringing him to a head. Cimon looked down in dismay, the heady thoughts had brought his desire once again to the fore. There was no time for him to satisfy himself before the meeting, he would have to slip away sometime later, the was an inn he hadn’t visited for a while, there would be some new sluts for him to abuse.

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Several hours later Ruiena woke to the light curling around the shades. She screeched for her maids, who came tumbling in the door in their haste to reach her.

“Get me dressed. NOW!”

The maids bustled around her, pinning up her hair into a simple plait and painting her face with makeup. Ruiena studied her face in the refection, there were more lines than yesterday. She would have to make a visit to the apothecary again. Another maid caught her eye, her visage was tearstained and her clothes rumpled. It was probably just another one of Cimon’s conquests. The maid, it came to her now, her name was Senoia, noticed the Queen looked and tried to hide her face. Ruiena demanded only the most lovely of women to serve her. Beauty was catching. She took care to ensure that they were never as beautiful as she though, it wouldn’t do for her to be outshone.

“Come. Here. Now.” Ruiena demanded. Senoia crept closer, afraid of being rebuked. Ruiena was feeling generous, instead she indicated that Senoia be seated next to her, and her face made up to match. The maid squirmed uncomfortably, being elevated would do nothing for her relations with the others. Ruiena smiled, Senoia’s discomfort was delectable, she could almost taste it in the air. This way, they wouldn’t conspire against her, they would be too busy squabbling for her good-will. The trick was to be unpredictable.

As soon as she was dressed, Ruiena swept her rich, blue cloak around her and headed for the antechamber. Time to put her plans in action, the councilors wouldn’t know what hit them.