Ryleigh found it hard to sleep that night. All the stallions did. But he more than most. He thought he was perhaps mistaken now, in thinking that the Queen had a soft spot for him. He had seen number seven and Jared return with the new Equerry, naked and both with obvious signs of arousal. No doubt they had been taken to her and judging by the smears of clear fluid on their faces, the pair of them had been licking her cunt.
He had expected to be summoned first. He hungered for it. But for some reason she hadn't done so. He pondered the possible reasons for this until the break of day, at which time sleep most tardily found him. Just a couple of hours later, the door to his pen was yanked open abruptly and the Equerry walked in dressed in embossed bronze coloured leathers and bear skin boots.
'Bathing in ten minutes,' he barked. 'Line up outside with the others. There shall be no exercise today.'
'Yes Sir,' muttered Ryleigh, blinking uncomfortably at the harshness of the morning. Running his fingers through his ruddy coloured hair, he stumbled outside a few moments later where he found the others waiting.
'You know where we're going?' he asked number three.
'Shut up you idiot, they don't like us talking.'
Rankled, Ryleigh stared at his bare feet, fighting the urge to punch number Three in the face. After a few minutes' wait, Callum reappeared.
'This way gentlemen, if you will follow me.'
He marched across the courtyard and led them through an ornate archway that funneled the seed bearers towards a fine building of large dimensions, built with skillfully hewn stones and possessed of many chimneys. When they entered, they were immediately hit by a wall of humid air and the impression they had been transported to a balmy summer's day.
In the center of the room was a large blue pool of water from which steam arose. From the tang in the air, it appeared to be scented with herbs and botanical extracts, possibly from the palace's own gardens. There were steps leading down into it and around the edges of the room wooden benches sat, likely for bathers to rest on after partaking of the waters. Opposite the pool a separate cubicle stood, tiled on the outside with vivid mosaics of marine life and what looked like underwater gods and goddesses. The interior of the cubicle was dark but the rest of the room was bathed in light by a series of tall candelabras each one containing eight tallow candles.
'You have one hour to cleanse yourselves,' Callum told them rather sharply. 'After that you will be served breakfast. Then you will be clothed. The Queen has commanded that you be prepared this way to accompany her to the tournament in Jarlsgard. As part of her entourage you will be expected to comport yourselves appropriately. You are part of the Royal household now. Being a member of the Queen's harem is a huge privilege. Be sure to remember that at all times but most especially when in her presence. Now go, bathe yourselves and relax. Much will be expected of you in Jarlsgard.'
The men wasted no time in obeying his orders. They descended the steps into the pool, whooping and laughing in pleasure as they dove in.
'Gods above!' laughed number one. 'I don't think I'm ever going to want to leave!'
'A bit like being in the Queen's boudoir then,' smirked Jared. He swam a lazy breast stroke to the pool's edge and laid himself back, arms outspread, his lounging posture emphasizing his considerable muscles. Across from him, on the opposite side of the pool, Ryleigh's eyes glittered like sapphires wrenched from the deepest parts of the earth.
The Equerry had left them alone for the time being, so the men were emboldened and more at ease due to the comfort of their environs.
'You never did say owt about what happened last night when you went to her,' said number four.
'Yeah. Come on. Tell us,' cried the others. 'We need to know what to expect.'
Jared liked the power this gave him. He missed having authority now that he was no longer Equerry. So he exercised it here instead. He raised his legs in a slow kicking motion, allowing his sizable penis to float exposed to the top.
'Well she liked this, that's for sure,' he declared, indicating his buoyant cock.
The other men laughed, except for Ryleigh.
'What did she have you do?' number two persisted.
'Seven and I fucked her for a couple of hours in all her holes. That's what. Our Queen is undeniably a filly of insatiable appetites.'
'Why you disreputable piece of shit!' roared Ryleigh, wading through the water like a bull to get to Jared.
Shocked but uncowed, Jared shoved himself to his feet ready to fend off any attack. The others stood back and watched.
'Have you no respect for our Queen - for our role?' Ryleigh bristled. 'Have you any idea of the offences you just committed? She is not some whore from the back streets. SHE IS OUR LADY! Our duty is to honour her, to fulfil her needs in any way she asks. With respect!'
As he said this Ryleigh ploughed a fist through the water sending a mini tidal wave over the incensed visage of the former Equerry.
'Who the fuck do you think you are?' Jared roared, lunging forward to meet him. He took Ryleigh by the throat and attempted to duck him. But his opponent was strong. The two flailed about, both quite equally matched, until they noticed the abrupt stillness of the others. Their attitudes had completely changed. They stood as if on parade, shoulders squared, heads facing forward, chins jutting with water dripping from their apex.
Jared and Ryleigh stopped to see what had captured their attention so fully only to observe a figure standing tall and regal in the doorway of the darkened cubicle. It was their Queen dressed in inky black velvet, the only light upon her, a flash of diamonds strung about her throat. They knew immediately, as did the others, that she had been watching and listening from within the cubicle the whole time and the shocking shame of it tainted their cheeks a conspicuous scarlet.
The warring men stilled.
They had been found out.
'Your majesty,' stuttered Ryleigh, dropping his head. Both men's cocks shrivelled to nothing. She began a painfully long drawn out walk along the edge of the pool and stopped at the top of the steps. The bathers looked on apprehensively - her muteness sending anxiety like bolts of lightning through their hearts.
Then she walked in - clothes, shoes, diamonds and all, into the rippling water. The majority of the men backed away. But not Ryleigh. And she was the first one she grabbed by his hair, ripping it from the roots.
'Come here,' she said coldly, to the sheepish Jared.
