Finding Thea

Bonney finds and takes Thea

Dust. Work. Sweat. Long days and longer nights, watching, training, evaluating, and improving. Turning raw iron ore into sharpened blades of stainless steel. You spent a month totally focused on work, the better to evade thoughts of a personal nature or see what lived and breathed around you. Drilling and exercising under the brilliant sun to physical exhaustion, then stalking twilight halls to test surveillance readiness until you could at last fall asleep for a few hours. Dreams of naked flesh and breezes scented with perfume and women, and the feeling of blazing skin touching yours until you watched the dawn and faced the cycle again.

You saw Saheem occasionally, at the edges of the drilling fields, or at the end of hallways, observing you as you observed the soldiers and guards. No conversation exchanged at this point, each intent on your respective jobs. But then you were summoned to his chambers, before the month was up. Clad like your men, in the black robes that distinguished them from the civilians in white or colors, you walked in, boot heels ringing on the tile floor. Passing the guards lining the walls of the room, you stopped before his desk.

"Chancellor." Staying neutral in tone, uncertain of the purpose behind the summons, and unwilling to come to heel for any man. Looking for a "tell" like any gambler worth his salt.

"Captain. I think the time has come to discuss the state of the guards. What is discovered or overlooked. How effective they are at saving us from spies and criminals in our midst."

Early though he was on the original deadline, you knew it was useless to protest, knew that there wouldn't be much more improvement. The guards were as ready as you could have them, you'd just been fine tuning lately anyway. You didn't let your blue eyes waver from his dark ones as you slowly nodded your assent. Lowering yourself into the chair before the desk, you paused only slightly as you heard the door behind you open and close, admitting what sounded like three or four people. Saheem smiled slightly as he said, "Bring the prisoner forward."

Maybe not a problem with the guards after all. You could distinguish bare feet among the booted ones and felt a chill. Only slaves went unshod here, another way of distinguishing them. Was the charade up? You waited until the shadows came within your peripheral field of vision before turning.

Two small bodies were flanked by black robed guards who impassively gripped their arms. Clad in rags, and barefoot, the slender figures were nevertheless definitely not female, barely even adult. Allowing the breath of a grin to show, you turned to Saheem.

"Not much of a catch to show off, I admit. I regret to report the failure of my men, sir."

Saheem's level stare slipped as he replied "Failure? These gutter thieves have been a thorn in my side for too long. This palace is supposed to be secure - and the men in it are used to having their own way. It has not gone well when they suffer from thieves. Catching these two is a start. It shows me they can be caught, and now we can show the others what the price is. Captain, I wanted to commend you for what you have accomplished."

Well then. "Thank you. The credit goes to my men. The capture was well done. However, they will be corrected for their failure - to report to me." You paused briefly.

"In light of their success, I would like to reward their work this month. Would it be possible to lend some support to a celebration in the barracks common room? Some serving help from the palace perhaps?"

Not a sound from behind you, but you could feel the air move with the anticipation. The wave of pressure built, wavering like a silk strand until Saheem nodded. "Yes. That can be done. A party will be sent at sundown, and more sent later after the main banquet is over."

Sundown. A blazing glow of orange, red, and gold, washing the land in a glaze of copper light that faded to violet dusk. You walked the gardens, avoiding for now the soldiers' revels, listening instead to the deep laughter in the main banquet hall that escaped through the high arched windows above you. Leaning back against a black­ barked tree, you gazed meditatively at the arched openings, letting your imagination color the music.

Coming from Polaris, you were used to a different style (a lot of country, a little bit rock & roll). The instruments here were basically wind or percussion, lending a harsher tone to most of the tunes. But the music was not created or heard for its own merit. Like much else, it was accompaniment ... to women - no, slaves. Slaves, dancing naked, gleaming in candlelight, twirling on marble floors as though guided by silken strands concealed in the melodies.

You had sat through banquets by now, and knew how seductive they were, wearing only their hair tracing patterns in the air and over their bodies. They were hypnotic, and you had found yourself hard at times, surrounded by women for the taking, seeing breasts with rock-hard nipples, thighs oiled and stretched tight, asses lifted for enjoyment... But you had yet to see the one you wanted.

Darkness. For how long you didn't know. Time to check on the celebration in the barracks. First to your room, changing to fresh clothes. The black robes hung lightly on your frame, weighted here and there by your weapons stash. For the evening you selected a lighter, softer pair of boots, the better to move quietly on the stone floors that pervaded the palace compound.

The common room could have rivaled Salter's or any bar in Polaris for activity. Your men were proving they could play as hard as they had worked for you. Sliding to one end of the bar, you received and nursed the local beverage that passed for beer.

Around the room you saw "boys being boys" with games of skill and chance and strength, stories that stretched the truth more with each telling, and women. For the first time since you had come, women in the barracks. Saheem had made good on his promise. You saw perhaps ten women scattered about, some naked in their tan skins, some painted gold. One artfully posed silver statue knelt on knees and elbows, food placed in the curve of her back, with her ass lifted and exposed for caressing or use. None of the faces familiar.

You maintained your reserve and your distance, not intending to stay long. But as you finished your beer, Saheem leaned on the bar next to you, signaling for more. Grinning more broadly than you had ever seen, he raised his glass to you. "His Lordship is pleased with your work. And therefore, I am pleased. See, he has let me bring the girls from the banquet to reinforce those already here."

More bodies were entering the room, swirling into the smoke and crush, gold skin and nude licking like flames among black robes. "You should pick one. Enjoy her. You deserve the reward as much as the men."

You shook your head. "This is for them. I don't think it would be proper for me to do that. It might affect the leadership relationship I have established."

Puzzled, Saheem frowned. "No, I think not. Not here. The slaves are to be used. For you to refrain actually might have greater impact on their questioning of your command. You have proven yourself to be able to separate work and pleasure. But do not let them think you cannot use a slave as she should be." He glanced over your shoulder. "And I think you may be called upon ... imminently."

The warning kept you from startling or reaching for a knife when a touch on your shoulder made you turn. One of the squad leaders stood at attention, his squad behind him, clustered without any sign of formation. With a sharp salute, he solemnly thanked you for the celebration, and said the men wanted to let you know their thanks for the sense of pride you had instilled. Bowing low, he stepped back and aside, and the squad parted, leaving a single figure totally concealed by a black robe.

As a new melody drifted through the haze, a soldier pulled loose the covering, long legs of gold were revealed. They started to dance even before the robe was completely gone, slow steps to the music, the hands running over ripe curves, tracing the waistline and pinching the nipples. She swayed toward you, then away. As the hands rose higher, lifting her hair up and away from the nape of her neck, you looked at her face.

Thea. Green eyes, shining through the golden paint. Glassy, unfocused. Gone again, as she executed a slow pirouette. Long cool fingers running up your arms, down your cheek in a feather-touch. Long hot legs caressing yours, up between your thighs. A knee nudging your balls, coupled with that light touch seeking out your cock, teasing its outline through the robes, lifting the robes, ...

You were frozen in your reserve. You wished it were dark, and private. Another place, another time. But Saheem's words rang in your ears. And this was Thea. You caught her by the nape and covered her mouth with yours. She tasted like honey, with a touch of spice. Warm full lips softened and opened, and you tasted her deeply. She suckled your tongue and arched into you, twining arms and legs around you to fit your bodies as closely together as possible.

You heard a low moaning in her throat, the unconscious expression of pleasure missed by the rest of the crowd. Her hands moved down again, like a magnet to your crotch. Seizing them, you backed her to a table and bent her back on it, raising her hands above her head and pinning them with one of yours. She writhed sinuously against the restraint, thrusting her breasts up and opening her legs to allow you to stand between them. Looking at the glisten of moisture of her pussy, you realized it was still shaved.

You were lost, if you ever had stood a chance. Keeping her hands out of the way - you couldn't let her control your exposure - you opened your robes and freed your cock. Guided it to the source of the wetness. The throbbing resonated from your scalp to your boots, intensified as the head touched and parted the bare lips. Nothing so soft or silken as the skin there.

Thrusting, in and out, fractionally deeper each thrust, parting the warmth that continued to grip and squeeze, thrusting until you felt the end of the tunnel, rammed to the hilt, feeling her grind her shaven, silken pussy against the wiry hair of your crotch, seemingly trying to get your cock deeper even as she grunted whenever you reached her end. You paused there, feeling the flesh move, adjust around you.

A second of waiting, then moving, slowing at first, like walking through a still pool where you didn't want to leave ripples. Faster then, through ocean waves where ripples didn't matter, only the crashing of the surf, the rhythm of your bodies, the way she urged you faster and harder with her hips, feeling her dampness grow to slickness, hearing the moisture and the impact as your hips slapped into hers.

Finally crossing the crest of the wave and shooting hot come into her, throbbing spurts timed to your thrusts though your hips had stilled. Holding tight in her as shot after shot came out, filling her and running to mingle with her juices on your balls.

You had lost the crowd during the ride, but they were coming back now, cheering and applauding raucously. Raising one hand, you gave them a short bow from your position still astride her. But that movement was enough, you felt yourself sliding out, and covered with your robe. Looking down, you saw the golden splendor on the table, still stretched and wet, breathing deeply, hooded eyes looking back glassy and blank.

Smiling, feeling like your face would crack, you moved back, allowing the crowd to close, heading at last, much too late, for the door. As you passed Saheem, he too smiled and bowed to you, acknowledging your efforts. Quietly in his ear, you murmured, "Good advice. And as you have also advised, I should select a slave for my own use, and that one strikes my fancy. Save her for me."

"As you wish, Captain. The night is almost done. She will be taken to rest soon. And tomorrow is a silver day. I could change that, but she will need the time off after that night. Shall I send her to you after that?"

"Clean, shaven, and blindfolded. Yes, do so." And you escaped into the night.