Chapter 54

The trios had skipped the evening's social festivities – even after Pernice and Jorgarn had visited the laundress to even out their hair. Leyota, Bralan, Astid and Saneth had put in a standing reservation for the two men to visit every 14 days so they could remain well groomed until one or more of the four women could get accustomed to working things.

Now, back inside their chambers, Leyota sat down on Jorgarn's lap and kissed him fiercely. She had seen little of her husband in the past 15 months and she had missed him.

"Do you really believe what you told King Landor?" Bralan asked once Leyota pulled back.

Leyota started to answer immediately but stopped herself.

"Believe? Probably not," she said with a sigh. "Denae truly regrets what transpired. Of that I am certain. But I do not know if she regrets what she did or what she lost. I do not know if she regrets her actions or that she was so obvious in them. Landor needs hope, right now. Jorgarn opened the door today. There will be nothing standing in Denae's way if she wishes to redeem herself. Well, nothing but herself. That might be enough. Can we talk of other things? Or actually, I had more in mind the doing of other things."

"If ever it becomes necessary for you to be gone for this long again, you had better plan for me to accompany you," Leyota said softly.

"And me," Bralan said. "I have come to realize that the atmosphere around the castle is dictated not by King Landor but by you. When you are around, I hear laughter in the corridors. I see people smiling in the courtyard. When you are gone, people are anxious, nervous. I did not enjoy your departure in the least."

"People are anxious and nervous because I have taken a large portion of their loved ones into harm's way with me," Jorgarn pointed out. "The people in the castle and in the capital have sons and daughters, husbands and wives in the Guard. Although the danger was slight this time, it was still dangerous. The people understood that. I'm sure the tension will lessen now that everyone has returned."

Leyota and Bralan exchanged glances and slight smiles.

"You need to learn to accept a compliment when it is given," Leyota said with a laugh. "You tend to push your accomplishments off onto others rather than take the credit you deserve. The castle is happy that their friends and family have returned but they returned because you led them. Soldiers have been trickling back into the capital for five months now. It wasn't until the people saw you striding from the ship that the tension eased – particularly for the three women who reside in these chambers."

Bralan leaned forward and offered Jorgarn a kiss, as well. She pulled back with a smile before kissing him again with more feeling.

"Do you mind sharing your husband with me tonight?" she asked Leyota. "Or would you prefer to be alone with him?"

"Our husband, dear heart," Leyota answered as she softly caressed Bralan's cheek. "Our husband – there is no more mine or yours. There is only ours. Rayna is watching Marnit tonight. Let us take our fellow to the bedchamber and demonstrate to him how much we have missed him these months."

If Jorgarn had any reservations about how highly they thought of him, they disappeared when two very nude young women, walked arm in arm into the room and snuggled up next to him.

Leyota turned his head for a deep kiss but he jumped when Bralan began stroking his member. His had just settled down from the initial surprise when the Heiress' head dipped below the covers and she gently drew his smallclothes down and took the head into her mouth.

"She has been looking forward to showing you how much she loves you for many months," Leyota whispered in Jorgarn's ear. "We have spent the past six months showing each other how much desire we share. Tonight it will be your turn."

"I won't... ," Jorgarn began but Leyota silenced him with her lips.

"No," she whispered when she pulled away. "Mouths will have to do for you until the wedding."

Jorgarn's eyes widened.

"Well, except for me, of course," Leyota clarified. "Now, if you grant me your leave, I believe I shall show our next Queen how you enjoy it. I am her Prime Attendant, after all."

Leyota didn't wait for a response before pushing the coverlet downward and joining Bralan at Jorgarn's midsection. The two women shared a passionate kiss when she arrived at her destination – which was almost as fascinating to Jorgarn as what Bralan was doing with her hands as she and Leyota exchanged tongues – but not quite.

The feeling of a second hand on his erection pushed the sight even further into second place but Jorgarn still found the view to be extremely erotic. It took Jorgarn a moment to realize that both women had their delicate rears pointed toward him and were wiggling them at him. He reached between each woman's legs and gently began rubbing their flowers.

Bralan and Leyota took turns licking and sucking Jorgarn's member. The other would stroke the stalk and fondle his sac. He, in turn, stroked their flowers and their buttons.

He was close to release when both women pulled away abruptly and shifted positions. Leyota straddled Jorgarn's erection and Bralan stood across his chest and parted her petals to allow Leyota's tongue access to her special spot.

Jorgarn watched with rapt attention as his wife's breasts swung back and forth while she rode him. Bralan's tight rear was right above him so he reached up to continue fondling her.

"Oh!" Leyota said, pulling away from Bralan's sweetness and off Jorgarn's pole. "Jorgarn, sit with your back against the headboard."

He complied and Leyota took her spot again. After she gave him a thorough kiss, she directed Bralan into place, then turned her around so she faced Jorgarn.

"This way, we both can do this," she said with a wide smile. "You take care of her from the front and I will take care of her from the back."

Sure enough, two tongues found their way between the Heiress' legs and she gasped in joy. It took her only a few moments to find her release and she slid downward between her lovers. She kissed and licked Jorgarn's face then turned around to repeat the trick with Leyota.

Her hands snaked down Leyota's body as they kissed, adding stimulation to the coupling. Soon, she and Jorgarn were each nursing on a breast tip as Leyota rode a constant crest of excitement.

Before long, her movements slowed as her lack of practice showed. She had mated with Jorgarn only a few times in the past 15 months and her body was out of shape for the exertions. Her time with Bralan always required less movement – though no less excitement.

"Rest, little love," Bralan advised. "I will practice my mouth skills. I'm sure Jorgarn won't mind."

"Uh, no," Jorgarn said. Bralan's mouth felt different from Leyota's. It didn't necessarily feel better. It just felt different. Leyota liked to suck on the head and use small, quick hand motions. Bralan let the head rest in her mouth and she used her tongue and long hand motions along the stalk of his erection.

Leyota laughed.

"I have heard only a fool would turn down an offer such as that," she laughed. "I have heard many men joke that this is the best part of coupling."

"Really?" Jorgarn wondered. He found the action to be too one-sided for his tastes.

"Oh, yes," Bralan advised. "They feel powerful when they have convinced some poor girl to swallow their seed. I heard my brothers relating the pleasures of having one of our housemaids 'attend to her duties'. I believe my father availed himself to her services, too. I can't see why they felt so manly. I feel very powerful with your tool in my mouth."

As if to demonstrate, she kissed the head and then proceeded to lick Leyota's spend off the sides. She turned back to her partners when she was certain it was clean.

"One false move from you and I make you a eunuch," Bralan said, snapping her teeth together playfully. Then she put his erection back into her mouth and spent the next several minutes pleasuring him.

"I am about ready to spurt," Jorgarn advised. Leyota often took his spend in her mouth but he didn't believe Bralan would be so willing.

He was wrong. The Heiress simply picked up her tempo and swallowed his eruption as it hit her mouth. Then she kissed Leyota firmly.

"I will share with you next time," she offered.

"I'd like that," Leyota answered. "I believe I would like that very much."

The second day of Court was not as hectic as the first. Few of the general populace usually attended and many of the Lords and Ladies were a little under the weather because of the first-night festivities.

But this year was different. Landor had asked that the celebrations be held later in the week, owing to Bralan's installation as Heiress. The party schedulers had agreed without much protest.

Landor had another reason in mind. He wanted the hall packed when he made his announcement, which was bound to be met with a multitude of thoughts from the aristocracy and the commoner.

He got his wish as the second day was as well attended at the first. The King had always tried to keep his speeches short. It allowed those visiting to spend more time discussing items of interest to them – and it made them pay more attention to his words.

Today would be an exception, but he doubted anyone would doze off.

The King stepped to the lectern at the front of the dais as soon as everyone was seated. Silence descended quickly.

"Ladies and Lords, ladies and gentlemen," the King said gravely. "I stand before you a humbled man. In order for us to look toward a positive future, we must accept the mistakes of our past. I am here today to admit to some of mine."

A small gasp – probably from Leyota's mother, Jorgarn thought – escaped from the gallery.

"There is not time for me to admit all my follies," Landor continued, "so I will restrict myself to current ones. Left to our own devices, Emertland would today be ruled by Frayon Troch or his father. I do not believe anyone in this room would wish for that. I almost ensured it would be that way by clinging to stubborn pride despite the facts.

"Thankfully, some plainspoken words from people I like and trust ended that foolishness in the nick of time. This crisis was perpetuated from another error. I refused to take the necessary actions when my daughter's actions came to light and I handled her dismissal badly when I took any action at all. Denae, I hope you will someday forgive me, first, for allowing you to think you were behaving appropriately and, secondly, for my harsh words when I dismissed you and my attitude toward your son."

Jorgarn could see Denae sitting at the end of the row. She did not look pleased by having her actions brought forth in an official setting.

"I will not repeat either of those mistakes," Landor said. He seemed to expect Denae's reaction and it didn't slow him down. "I will now attempt to rectify another error in judgment. For the last five decades, the Northern Provinces had produced nothing but problems for the rest of Emertland. The men and women who governed those lands seem to believe they are above the nation and above the rest of us.

"They are wrong but I allowed them to maintain their arrogance without checking them. From the Wesrings to the Symingtons to the Trochs, it has been the same. Before we annexed Salaria, Vecad and Gobrik, it was a problem. Now I have a solution. I have, for years, surrounded myself with men who told me what I wanted to hear instead of what I needed to know.

"Because these men have given up much in their lives, I will retain them in an advisory capacity. However, their advice will not be the only I solicit and they will have no say whatsoever in many areas where they exerted influence previously. I have, by Royal Decree, appointed a separate council whose primary purpose is to evaluate those being considered for promotion to landed gentry. Those lands will not be handed out to political allies or family friends unless their promotion is warranted. Four of five votes from this council will be necessary for a man or woman to receive a landed title."

There were drawn looks on many faces in the aristocratic gallery. Many of them knew they would not have passed the test if it had been done in their time.