Chapter 3

“Haaaah...” Sighed Avery Volk, the youngest prince of the Kingdom of Salka. He laid back on the bed, enjoying the warm body of his companion for the day. Lady Jana of House Elroy laid next to him, breathing softly as she nuzzled her face into his shoulder.

“That was amazing, Avery,” sighed the young blonde. “When will I see you again?”

Shit ... Avery grimaced inwardly. I feared she might be the clingy type...

Lady Jana was just the latest in a long string of lovers that Avery have had. His boyish good looks and his royal blood gained him many admirers. Young ladies across every rank of the nobility threw themselves at him, especially since the other two princes did not enjoy particularly good reputations. Avery, being the third prince, led a carefree life. He wasn’t burdened with heavy responsibilities and enjoyed the good things in life: wine, horse racing, and of course, women.

“Ah ... I can’t be certain, my sweet. I have many tasks laid out for me in preparation for the festival. I’ll be quite busy for the weeks to come.” Avery replied, which wasn’t exactly a lie. He was tasked with welcoming and entertaining the new ambassador of the Kingdom of Candra, not a trivial task considering how rich the kingdom was and how influential it was to the economy of the entire continent.

“Well then ... Looks like I should make the most of the time I have with you...” Jana shifted her body and ran her small hand down the length of the prince’s body, and clasped around his flaccid cock and started to stroke it up and down.

“Uggh, Jana...” The prince moaned, “we just did it three times ... I don’t think I can get it up for another.”

“Well ... Looks like I must do something ... special then...” Jana said playfully, a cheeky smirk on her face as she shimmied beneath the sheets and wrapped her lips around the prince’s cock.

Avery was shocked. A proper lady taking a man in her mouth was unheard of! The nobility considered such an act beneath them and only reserved for slaves and whores. Avery lifted the sheets, still in disbelief, to watch Jana’s pretty little head bouncing up and down on his cock.

“Mmmm ... You like that?” Jana took her petite mouth off Avery’s cock long enough to ask.

“W-Wow,” Avery stammered. “I can’t believe you’re doing this...”

Jana kept sucking dutifully, eager to please Avery. She knew the prince was a playboy, and hoped she’d be able to make herself stand out from all the other ladies he had been fooling around with.

Being an amateur cocksucker, Jana’s technique still left much to be desired. But just the mere sight of a noblewoman debasing herself to a whore’s level was enough to set Avery aflame and harden his tired cock again.

“Ugh ... Use your tongue more, and go deeper...” Avery guided his playmate through her first blowjob. “Look up ... I want to see your eyes.”

“Do you like that your royal highness? Do you enjoy having a noblewoman sucking on your cock like a whore?” Jana moaned as she lifted her crystal blue eyes.

“Oh ... yeah that feels so good my sweet.” Avery said as he reached his hand to the back of her head, guiding her head deeper onto his hard shaft.

“Gak ... ak ... Gah...” The little blonde choked, inexperienced but still eager to please. She kept going until she teared up and saliva ran out of her mouth and down along Avery’s cock.

Avery pulled her up and kissed her deeply, groping her round buttocks as he did so.

“Your mouth was great but I think our little friend down there is ready for some more ... rigorous activities.”

Jana moaned, sliding out of the prince’s embrace. Instead of lying back and spreading her legs, however, she smiled and turned around, propped herself on her elbows and stuck her rear up towards Avery.

Wow ... This must be my lucky day. Thought Avery. Being fucked from behind like a dog was also considered humiliating by nobles, and the sight of Jana’s pert little ass stuck up in the air while her face was buried in the sheets made the prince hard as iron.

Jana wriggled her peachy bottom to entice Avery even further. The prince rubbed her asscheek tenderly with one hand, and guided his shaft with the other into Jana’s wet little hole.

“Ohh yeeees,” whimpered Jana, “you feel so good inside me, my prince.”

Avery breathed hard as he fucked Jana with a steady rhythm, and Jana moaned underneath him. The prince reached down and grabbed a handful of her soft breast swinging beneath her slim body, kneading it as he plowed into her, making her whimper in delight.

The sounds of flesh slapping against flesh, Jana’s panting and Avery’s groans of pleasure filled the room. The prince preferred his partners to talk dirty during sex, but Jana was still a prim lady at heart, and only moaned and panted loudly. The slapping sounds became more and more lewd as the girl’s pussy dripped with her juices, making wet noises as Avery sawed in and out.

Jana’s moaning and panting became more and more frantic as Avery pounded harder and harder into her. Her rear flower felt cool as it was exposed to the air, and the slight shame of having her lover being able to look unimpeded at her filthiest area pushed her towards the edge, finally resulting in an earth-shattering orgasm that she screamed into her pillow.

Avery felt Jana’s already tight cunt pulse and clamp down on his cock as she climaxed, and could no longer hold his own. The prince drove into Jana down to the hilt with a loud groan and spurted his seed deep into her lusty channel, making her squeal in delight.

“Ohhhh yeah...” Avery sighed as he collapsed on top of her, panting. The lovers were both sweating profusely. “That was incredible, Jana.” He said breathlessly.

Jana was too out of breath to answer, and stayed in her downward pose, her body heaving up and down in exhaustion. The Prince’s cum started to dribble out of her pussy, dirtying the sheets.

“Well, I must be off, the ambassador is arriving this afternoon.” Avery patted the girl’s bottom awkwardly. He started to dress himself, pulling on his trousers and doublet. “And uh ... don’t forget to drink the cydrea tea.” He said sheepishly.

Jana sighed, hugging her pillow as Avery left the room. Obviously, neither of them wanted her to get pregnant, but it hurt her a little that he felt the need to remind her every time they slept together.

Avery stepped into the carriage waiting for him outside Jana’s villa. The carriage was flanked by four knights who held the banner of the royal family. Unlike his brother Jacob, Avery did not use a modified insignia of his own. He had never even wanted retainers with him when he went on outings, but as a member of the royal family, such inconveniences were unavoidable.

Waiting for the prince inside the carriage was Emma, his personal slave. She had dirty-blonde hair, a kind yet alluring face, adorned by a pair of deep hazel eyes. There were a few lines around her face, being forty-five years of age, but she kept herself in shape and firm with household chores and exercises, with hardly any loose flesh or skin anywhere on her body. Emma had been a royal household slave, and while the king was still healthy and she was still young, she performed various housekeeping duties, including sexual relief, for the royal family. She was assigned to be Avery’s carer when he was a toddler and had since watched him grow into a strapping young man.

When Avery came of age, he became a horny young lad just like the others of his age. Emma taught him everything he knew about sex, and he had used her body almost every day for release during his adolescence. However, as he grew older and more mature, he found that he enjoyed Emma for more than just her body. She had patience, a fine wit and a warm temperament which he found lacking from his mother, who had always been cold and distant. He gained more and more respect for Emma and came to love her as a mother figure in his life. They still shared the bed occasionally, but it had become fueled by more than lust, and was just as much for Emma’s benefit as it was for Avery.

As soon as Avery had his coming of age ceremony, he asked his father for Emma to become his personal slave. The king had been somewhat puzzled that the young prince would want an older service slave when he could have all the young and beautiful pleasure slaves he could want, but acquiesced to his son’s modest request readily.

Avery offered to free Emma many times during the time they spent together, but Emma refused every time with a smile. She was satisfied with serving the prince, and understood that a life as a freed slave was no paradise, especially for one in her middle age. The prince never took any other slaves, and always refused any slaves offered to him as gifts. He found the whole business of slavery distasteful, and especially hated the heinous Slaver’s Guild, and their secretive methods.

“You took quite a long time, Avery.” Emma raised an eyebrow at the prince as he stepped into the carriage. “I was about to go inside to drag you out.”

“Ah ... Sorry, Emma.” Avery said sheepishly, slightly embarrassed. “She was ... particularly enticing today.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “Well in any case, we need to get you ready to greet the Candran ambassador. The watchmen have already spotted their caravan a few hours outside of the eastern gate.”

Prince Avery sat down next to Emma and asked. “Why have they sent another ambassador anyway? What happened to the old one?”

“Do you really not pay attention to anything?” Emma sighed as she thumped the side of the carriage to signal the driver to get them moving. “The former ambassador Loran’s family was implicated in cases of corruption in Candra, and ambassador Falin has been sent to replace him.”

Prince Avery nodded. From what he’d heard, corruption was rampant in the Kingdom of Candra, a symptom of a vast and complicated bureaucracy.

“Anything I need to know about this ambassador Falin?”

Emma flipped a page of her notes. “He was a high-ranking bureaucrat in Candra, with ties to the royal family. I believe he’s the cousin of the crown prince, once removed. Married, with a daughter. He’s known to be sharp, even cunning.” She furrowed her brow. “He also seems to be particularly interested in the slave trade.”

Ah ... No wonder he would want to come here. Avery mused.

The slave trade had been dwindling over the years as the various kingdoms of the continent became more and more peaceful. The last real war had been fought between Candra and Mandora nearly sixty years ago, back when the Kingdom of Candra still called themselves the Candran Empire. Their imperialistic aspirations were quickly dashed as Mandora proved to be a small but hard nut to crack, and the two kingdoms signed a peace treaty after three years of hard fighting. Nowadays only Salka remained as a supplier on the continent for the slave trade, as it continued to launch repeated expeditions against the barbarian tribes that plagued the kingdom with raids in the north and west.

“Well anyway, let’s put me in a bath before we meet the ambassador.” The prince grimaced. “I’m all grimy.”

A few hours later, Avery and his retainers stood outside the eastern gate, awaiting the arrival of the Candran Ambassador. The prince was dressed in his most extravagant finery: a set of green doublet and pantaloons trimmed with gold with a scattering of opals, and a gold cloak embroidered with the royal dragons of House Volk on either side in silver thread. His knights sat in shined armor atop their mounts, spotless from head to toe, glinting in the afternoon sun.

A large dust cloud could be seen in the distance, signaling the fast approaching entourage from Candra.

Emma, who had been standing next to the prince, began to say softly. “Avery, I’d like to remind you...”

“I know, Emma.” Avery interrupted.

“It’s the first important task minister Orvon has assigned you...”

“I know.”

“Just ... Don’t be nervous.” Emma smiled, and put her hand gently on Avery’s shoulder.

Avery squeezed Emma’s hand quickly before brushing it off. “I’ll be fine.” He said, with a tight smile fluttering across his face. He was nervous despite trying to remain calm. Although nothing of real importance would be discussed between him and the ambassador, he knew that making a good impression as a prince of the kingdom was of utmost importance. He would have to be friendly and hospitable while remaining strong and confident. It was a fine and difficult line to walk, especially for a youth barely twenty years of age.

While Avery was musing to himself, the Candran caravan had approached and stopped in front of the welcome party. Two knights at the front in dust-colored armor held the banners of the Kingdom of Candra which depicted a copper circle containing the silhouette of the Hero Emperor Ustell of the second age, upon a field of dark yellow. The knights of Candra traditionally wore the color of dust, it served to hide their numbers when riding in the deserts of the East, where they had fought most of their old battles.

Avery and two of his knights trotted up to greet the caravan, with Emma slightly behind.

“The Kingdom of Salka welcomes the honorable Ambassador Falin of the glorious Kingdom of Candra.” Avery declared with a clear voice.

The knights at the front separated to reveal an ornate mahogany carriage with gold trim. The crafting style looked quite foreign to Avery. Curves along the edges seemed to dominate the structure of the carriage, whereas the Salkan style was usually much more straightforward.

The door of the carriage opened, and a somewhat short, portly man stepped out of the carriage, and waved to the prince.

“Ah, thank you very much for your gracious welcome, your highness. There was no need for you to come out of the city just to greet us. Hopefully we did not inconvenience you.” Said the man in a soft accent, his words flowed with practiced ease. “Falin Gamar, at your service.” The ambassador bowed deeply with a short, graceful flourish that was not overdone yet still respectful.

The prince, however, did not catch much of the subtleties of the ambassador’s greeting, for his attention was grabbed by the next person who came out of the carriage. A small and gorgeous young woman with large brown eyes, dirty blond hair and delicate features, wearing a dress that would have been the envy of the court, stepped down from the carriage with the help of a nearby knight. Various jeweled chains adorned her hair and clothes, and she wore jeweled rings and a necklace that shone brilliantly when it caught the softening rays of the sun. The sight was almost too much for Avery, who could not help but stare at the sheer display of beauty and wealth that was concentrated on one petite woman.

With a snap, Avery realized he was staring at who he assumed must be the ambassador’s daughter. His face turned red, realizing how rude he must seem to the ambassador. Noticing the ambassador’s eyes upon him, sizing him up and down during the silence, he quickly stammered. “I do apologize, this must be your honorable daughter...”

The ambassador laughed, gently pushing the girl forward. “This is my personal slave, Elsi.” He said with slight amusement. “My wife and daughter are of delicate health, and have chosen to remain home.”

Avery was stunned once more. A slave! In such finery! His mouth almost fell open in his surprise. He would have continued his gaping had he not felt a sharp jab at his back. He turned slightly, and saw Emma giving him a hard look, reminding him to keep his composure.

“Ahem ... I must apologize once more, I should not have assumed.” Avery said, clearing his throat. “Welcome again to Salka, Ambassador Falin. We shall ride with you through the city gates and show you to the estate we’ve prepared for you. Later in the evening we shall have a small ceremony to formally welcome you as the ambassador of the Kingdom of Candra, where you’ll meet with our Foreign Minister, with whom you have been corresponding.”

“Very good.” The ambassador replied, with mirth still in his eyes. “We place ourselves in your hands.”

Avery nodded as the ambassador and his slave Elsi went back inside their carriage, wondering whether the whole encounter was carefully crafted by Falin to disorientate him.

The entourage soon arrived in front of the estate prepared for the ambassador, the estate previously occupied by his predecessor. As the ambassador and his slave stepped out of the carriage, Avery was again struck by just how richly dressed Elsi was.

“Please take your time to rest.” said Avery quickly to avoid seeming awkward. “I’m sure you must be tired from your long journey. Minister Orvon will summon you later for the formal meeting.”

“Actually,” the ambassador said. “I would much rather stretch my legs a little after being crammed in that carriage for two weeks. Would you mind taking me on a small tour of the city?”

“Of course. It would be my pleasure.” Avery nodded.

The ambassador smiled, and turned to Elsi. “Get some rest, my dear.” He said while kissing her softly on the lips. The girl smiled faintly and went inside.

“Shall we go? I’m quite looking forward to this.” Said the ambassador with a smile.

The Prince took the ambassador around the city along with a few retainers, visiting most of the major landmarks. The statue of Hero Adon, the Green Tower, the fighting arena, none of which seemed to interest or impress the ambassador, though he smiled and nodded politely along. However, as they approached the jaggedly shaped Mages’ Guild, the ambassador stopped and asked. “Would it be possible to take a peek inside?”

“Not at the moment.” Replied Avery. “You’d have to speak to Orvon about it. I’ve never even been inside myself. The mages are rather particular and secretive about their studies.”

Falin nodded, and spared a lingering look at the guild before following the prince as he moved on. Avery fully understood Falin’s interest in the guild. After all, Salka was the only source of magic on the entire continent. The kingdom, while small, mined and sold its valuable runestones to the rest of the kingdoms of the continent. Enchantments, no matter how small, required runestones to cast. Salka of course sold the runestones for very high prices, and its economy flourished with its monopoly on the magical stones.