Chapter 2

The guards left as Sabina pulled Luria past the red stone gate and into an oasis of trees with a cool water pond that was blue and lovely.

"Where did he find you?" Sabina asked Luria softly as she pulled her toward the water, urging the cloak away from her body.

"His scummy guard Nigel killed my parents," Luria felt the tears so close to the surface. She pushed them back, unable to give in to them yet. "He took me from my bed and brought me to this place."

"He found the mark on you?" Sabina eyes roamed over Luria's naked curves. "I see no mark.

Shyly Luria turned her leg to the side, showing her the small spot that had excited Magnus so much. She'd had the mark since she was born and had never given it two thoughts. "What is so important about this? It is naught but a birthmark."

"You don't know the prophesy?" Sabina seemed shocked when Luria shook her head.

"You bear the mark of Atana Potnia, the mother goddess of animals and plants, child. She herself has blessed you with powers to control the animals around you. How could you not know of this?"

Luria shrugged, unconsciously setting her breasts to jiggle in a most enticing fashion. "I've always been around animals. They seem to like me. I've never had any special powers over them," she said softly as if trying to convince herself.

"But you do, little one." Sabina whistled holding up her hand. One of the small brightly colored birds that were flitting around the pond came at her invitation, landing upon her finger and looking around excitedly.

"Call her to you," Sabina said. "Just wish her to come to you, think of her coming to your finger."

Luria stared at the sapphire colored bird, holding out her own finger. Before she could think, the bird hopped from Sabina to Luria, setting up a whistle that set the rest of them off. Soon Luria was covered with the tiny birds, their little feet holding on to every part of her that they could. They were tangled in her hair, settled on her shoulders and arms until she looked to almost be dressed in a cloak of multicolored feathers.

With a shrug of her slender shoulders, she sent them flying back to the pond, wincing as one or two pulled out a few strands of hair and took them with them. "I just think about what I want them to do and they do it?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, little one, but we have no time for you to practice now. You must be bathed and balmed and prepared for the wedding night. Lord Magnus will not be happy if you aren't at your best."

She motioned for Luria to go to the pond and watched as the woman did as she asked, flinching a bit as the cool water lapped at her sore cunt. At its deepest, the pond was almost shoulder deep on her and she rested near the edge, letting the water soothe away her soreness and the blood that coated her. Sabina stepped into the pond also, armed with a sponge and a bottle of fragrant soap.

"Allow me, Lady Luria?"

Sabina rubbed at her shoulders, softly spreading the fragrant suds down her body. No part of her was left unwashed and Luria blushed as Sabina cupped her rounded breasts, her palms massaging her generous nipples until they hardened, creating a rush of need throughout Luria's body. She'd been left unfulfilled by Magnus and those feelings returned, intense and sending heat pooling in her loins.

"That's it, my lovely," Sabina said in her strange voice. "Lie back and let Sabina see to your needs."

The water lapped at her thighs, teasing her with touches that only sent her need rising higher. She did as Sabina asked, lying against the side of the pond where it was its shallowest, her thighs spread as she keened her need into the air around her. Sabina soaped Luria's stomach, feeling the muscles tense under her old fingers, fingers that had experienced many women's pleasure in her many years behind the red stone gate. She could take care of this pretty one as well.

Pouring another small amount of the fragrant soap from out of the jeweled bottle, she gently massaged the fleshy mound that hid Luria's sex. With the gentlest of touches, knowing her master's habit of roughness, she slipped into the sweet slit, pushing apart engorged lips to find the small bud of Luria's clit that would send her soaring with pleasure. She rubbed gently, hearing the woman's sighs and moans grow as her pleasure did. Bending her fingers, she slipped inside the soft, wet core, feeling the tight flesh stretch at her invasion.

Luria moaned, not in protest but in pleasure, her hips moving gently in the water, causing small waves to lap back at her, the water hitting her clit in just the right way.

"That's it, my pretty, push up against Sabina's clever fingers. Yes, I can feel the source of your pleasure against my fingertips." The old woman kept her fingers curved, finding the slightly rougher flesh in the top of Luria's cunt that would send the small girl over the edge and into pleasure as extreme as she could take.

Luria cried out, her body tightening into an arch, her toes curled under as Sabina's clever fingers brought her to bliss. Her head was thrown back, her hair growing wet in the water as she humped her hips against the older woman's hand, unable to stop.

When Sabina finally pulled her hand away, Luria had grown limp, her body relaxed against the side of the pond, her limbs spread, her eyes closed.

"That's good, Luria. Relax and let Sabina do her work. Sleep if you can for tonight shall be long, Lord Magnus is a determined lover and he will want you breeding as soon as possible. I shall make you beautiful for him," she said in her soft voice, pouring more of the soap into her hands to finish her washing.

The young girl barely moved as Sabina washed her body with gentle touches and then rinsed hert thoroughly, only standing when coaxed to rise. She allowed Sabina to wash and rinse her long hair and then pull her from the water to a soft silk covered backless couch.

"Lie on your stomach, dear girl. Sabina must massage your skin with oil so it will be soft for Lord Magnus's touch."

Luria did, closing her eyes and feeling the length of her hair spread out for the sun to dry. Hands moved over her, more hands than Sabina's two, but Luria couldn't force open her eyes to see who else was touching her. She could only moan her pleasure as they did their magic, rubbing the gardenia scented oil into her flesh. Nowhere was her skin left untouched, even her bottom was rubbed and massaged, more oil poured against the tightly furled rosebud that only Lord Magnus had dared breach.

She was coaxed onto her back and the hands reappeared, touching her everywhere but between her legs where she most wanted them. "Hold her now," she heard Sabina say, and felt her hands and legs grabbed and held down with an unbreakable grip. A warm thick paste was applied to her sex and Luria forced open her eyes, and leaned up as far as she could to stare at Sabina. She held a piece of material of some kind on the paste, rubbing the material with the ball of her hand.

"Hold tight now," she told those holding Luria and with a sudden strong pull, ripped away the material and all the hair under it. Luria's scream of pain was sharp and she struggled fiercely, trying to break free as Sabina picked up a small pot and dipped a wooden spoon in it to begin the application of the paste again.

"No! No more!" Luria almost begged.

"Be still, pretty, and it will be done quickly. Lord Magnus likes his women to be bare, despite your pretty white curls; we must do what the lord commands." She ripped off the material again, leaving another strip of Luria's pretty pussy bare of hair. It seemed to take forever before Sabina was happy with the smoothness, running her fingers over the bare lips and the smooth mound before reaching for the pot again.

"Now the legs, pretty. This shall be easier on you. Don't struggle."

Tears ran down Luria's cheeks, but she did as she was told, having no choice against the hands that held her still. Two men, one above her head, another at her feet, stared at her nude body with little interest. Luria had heard of these kinds of men before—eunuchs, men who weren't men, castrated and used to guard women in royal courts—she'd just never thought to meet any of them. Luria admired their handsome faces as Sabina started in with her torture, denuding her legs quickly and efficiently of any hair. Her underarms were done next and then oil was once again rubbed into her skin.

"You've done well, pretty," Sabina said, putting away her pot. "Now for pleasure." She snapped her finger at the man at Luria's feet.

He moved between her legs, bending down with a familiarity that sent Luria backing up into the man who held her arms. "What is this?"

"Pleasure. A treat for having behaved so well so far," Sabina said. "I taught them myself, lovely. But Sabina's mouth is too old to have the limberness needed to perform anymore. Relax Lady Luria and let Aelfric show you his talent."

She had no choice for the man moved quickly, his mouth finding her slit easily. The smoothness of her skin let her feel every touch of his tongue and hands as he pleasured her and soon she was moaning, arching her back and crying out in pleasure.

Sabina snapped her fingers again and the man holding her wrists bent, his lips finding her nipples, suckling one into the heat of his mouth. He gave a small groan, as if her pleasure was his own. With her hands freed, her fingers delved deeply into the thickness of his hair, holding his head to her breast. He nursed like a baby almost, suckling as if his world depended upon her pleasure.

Luria cried out, sprinkling her juices on Aelfric's tongue as she came. He continued to pleasure her until it became too much and she pushed him away, curling into a ball on her side and moaning contentedly. The sun beat upon her pale skin, warming her and Sabina's hands touched her back. "Sleep little one. When you wake, we shall finish getting you ready."

She could do nothing more but follow her advice, letting the world grow black around her and settling in to sleep.

In the Seventh Kingdom—the kingdom that belonged to the king and queen of Moonstone, their son, Prince Balor, rushed into the throne room, holding the missive sent by Lord Magnus in his hand.

"Magnus marries this night," he called furiously. "He must have found the maiden with the mark. It would be the only reason he would call for all royalty to come to him and his accursed nuptials."

"Do not be so hasty, son," his father, the king spoke up. "Perhaps he has given up this stupid quest, perhaps he knows that none of us will give up the ruling of our kingdoms without a fight and he's decided to be content with his own dark lands."

"Remember of whom we speak, father," Balor growled. "He will never give up wanting what we have, no matter how long of a wait he must have. No, he's found the maiden and now, with her powers added to his, each kingdom will be in danger. We must do something."

"Like what? His beasts are more powerful than our armies, more treacherous and evil. Even if we were to march against him, he would decimate our greatest powers. Our most powerful warriors are no match for him and the evil that he creates in that dark castle of his. What would you suggest the seven kingdoms do?"

"I would suggest that we fight as one kingdom with one central leader until we defeat Magnus. He cannot defeat our combined forces. I would also suggest stealing away his bride before the wedding ceremony can commence. The prophecy says that only if she conceives a child with him as her lord can his powers grow enough to overtake us."

"So you will go and rescue the girl and what? Take her as your own bride?" His father shook his head. "Balor, you are the bravest and truest of any in the seven kingdoms but even your strength and abilities cannot get you and the girl out of the dark kingdom without Magnus knowing what you are about and stopping you. He would kill you, my son, without blinking an eye."

"Then at least I would die fighting for what I know is right," he said softly. "Wish me well, father, for I go to stop Magnus. If he kills me, know that I will take the girl with me into death. Without her, the kingdoms will be safe once more." Balor gave his father a kiss upon his cheek and then his mother, his amber eyes shining with the adventure to come. He had the chestnut hair of his mother with highlights that shone gold in the light of the sun. With his armor, he was almost blinding as he strode to his horse, riding to do what he could to save his people from Lord Magnus.

He rode throughout the day, feeling the pull of the dark kingdom as it called to the wickedness that was inside of him. It was the only way to find the floating castle, to let yourself be pulled to it. He could only enter the main gates as darkness was falling and he had to be out of there before the first light of day, else he would be trapped inside until the next nightfall. It was something he had to keep in mind if his plan was to succeed.

As he waited for the castle to appear, other riders joined him from the other kingdoms. A great unrest was felt among them for this night could only mean one thing to the people of the kingdoms: they would be forced to give in to Magnus's power and grant him their kingdoms by might of leadership. Only Balor felt he had a chance to beat the evil Magnus and thwart his plan. But he dared not dwell on that or on the hope he felt, for the evil lord would feel it and then he would know Balor was up to something.

The gate shimmered into sight as soon as the last light of the sun faded into night. It opened slowly, the beasts atop it holding their bows at the ready, their arrows notched and pulled. Magnus himself greeted the weary travelers as they entered the courtyard, more of his strange beasts coming to take their horses.

"Welcome my fellow Lords and Ladies," Magnus's voice rang out. "Come, eat and drink, celebrate with me the coming ceremony when I marry with the lovely Lady Luria." He came up to Balor, staring the younger man in the eye. Balor felt the little fingers of that stare trying to sink into his mind and he fought them, forcing his mind to a blankness that couldn't be touched. Magnus stared for a minute more and then passed on to the next, glancing back to give Balor a strange look.

Wine was offered and Balor took a glass, knowing that to refuse would cause Magnus even more suspicion. But he didn't drink the dark brew, letting it dribble slowly to the ground as he walked around the courtyard. He needed to separate himself from the dark lord and search for the girl, but every time he moved, Magnus's green gaze would settle upon him.