Princess Andrea looked warily at the new crop of suitors. She had heard from her retainers that the mysterious and evil Lord Master was attempting to take over her kingdom. Ever since her father, the King had been killed by ogres during the Battle of the Red Forest, Andrea had known that there would be many people hoping to win her hand in marriage. But she knew that very few sought her hand for its own sake. Rather, many sought to claim either the kingdom, her wealth, her power, or her body.
But there had been rumors of Lord Master which suggested another route, the claiming of her mind. It was said that Lord Master had some sorcery by which he could ensnare any mind, and then use it to willingly do his bidding.
Andrea thought these were mere fairy stories, used to scare children and create unease in her kingdom. Indeed, she feared Lord Master's other abilities far more than any unfounded mental domination sorcery. But that did not mean that she did not take precautions. Indeed, Princess Andrea was incredibly well-defended.
To protect her kingdom, she had her generals. The greatest military minds of the era, commanding score upon score of well-trained and well-equipped soldiers. And yet she did not trust her generals fully. Too many were ambitious in their attack and looked to her bed as their greatest conquest.
To protect her wealth, she had her scribes. They came from the greatest universities in the world with knowledge of mathematics, economics, trade routes, and accounting. And yet she did not trust her scribes fully. Too many were calculating in their decisions and saw her crown as just another trade piece.
To protect her power, she had her knights. The most honorable and chivalrous warriors in all of history with feats that would put the greatest tales to shame. And yet she did not fully trust her knights. Too many were powerful in their own right and knew the stories where a knight won a princess for a prize.
And to protect her body, she had her Ladies. A group of the finest spies and secret-keepers. They had foiled countless plots against her already. Plots of assassination, plots of kidnapping, even a plot by two young ruffians to take her maidenhead. She trusted her Ladies fully, and at their head, Mary, her most faithful protector of all.
Since the rumors of Lord Master's mental abilities had begun spreading, Mary had never left Andrea's side. She stood by the throne as Andrea held court, hearing petitions and settling disputes. She tasted the food before Andrea ate it in case there was poison. She advised Andrea when a particular faction of generals, scribes, or knights grew too powerful. Mary even defended Andrea while she slept, arms wrapped around her princess in a protective embrace.
As another suitor was dismissed, the next tried to woo Andrea with a poem. Andrea had heard it all before. Her pale skin was compared to the light of a moon as she rolled her eyes. Her dark tresses of hair were as soft as silk as she glanced expectantly at Mary, who was struggling not to laugh at the poor man's terrible verse. Her eyes were deep and easy to lose oneself in...
"Milady! I must be allowed to speak to you! Oh, my eyes! I have come and you are indeed more fair to look upon than any but the loveliest of days!"
Princess Andrea was used to this by now, sometimes the suitors thought they could jump the line by clamoring for her attention, but they were all summarily thrown out. She turned to find Mary looking genuinely surprised for the first time in her life, and a man kneeling before her.
"Mary, milady, but you are named true for my heart is merry and glad to look upon thee! I had heard tell of the beauteous maid who guards the equally beauteous princess, but the stories do neither of you justice! Please milady! Allow me the pleasure of a single day in companionship with you, that I may know true contentment!"
Mary looked stunned and taken aback. Her long blond hair stood in stark shock at the first suitor to ignore the powerful, wealthy, and beautiful princess (while still retaining his decorum and courtesies to royalty).
"I...um..."
Mary faltered, and blushed as the princess rose from her throne. Normally, it was Mary who rescued her, but in these situations, with a handsome man vying for her attentions, it was always Andrea who could step in and rescue Mary.
"Your advance is a most welcome diversion from the proceedings, good sir..."
Trailing off, Andrea motioned for her guards to clear the room of everyone except for herself, Mary, and the gentleman who was introducing himself presently.
"Lord Jeff, your highness. And I must say that I meant no disrespect to thy loveliness. If I may be so bold, you are the moon and Mary is the night sky, and neither looks so lovely as when the other is nigh."
Finishing his short verse, he did a comedically exaggerated bow, which made all three burst with laughter. This Lord Jeff was quite a refreshing change from the other men at court. Andrea realized that she had not seen him before.
"From where do you come, Lord Jeff?"
Princess Andrea thought to keep her guard up as the handsome man had completely disarmed Mary.
"From the West, I originally came bringing tidings of the wicked Lord Master, but was distracted by tales of Mary and her loveliness. I apologize for my outburst earlier. I simply could not contain myself."
Mary looked quite excited too. Her long blonde hair trailed down her back, ending just above her toned rear end.
"Allow me to give you two a moment's privacy. Not long enough to be scandalous, but long enough for the two of you to get better acquainted."
Andrea stood with a smirk and made her way back to her waiting chambers. Her Ladies flanking her on either side she made it clear that their "moment" would be as long as they liked. Casting one final look back, Mary was gazing deeply into Lord Jeff's eyes while listening to him whisper sweet nothings into her ear.
The rest of the day was uneventful. Princess Andrea yawned as she listened to her generals give reports on the movements of her troops. She let her mind wander as her scribes tallied her accounts. She dozed off as her knights boasted of their achievements.
She sat bolt upright as Mary shook her shoulder.
"Princess? You seem tired, we should retire to your bedchamber. We have much to discuss."
Andrea nodded along. Days without Mary were always so boring. As they undressed, Andrea asked Mary about her afternoon with Lord Jeff. Mary beamed, and blushed as she pulled off her dress, telling the princess how sweetly he had spoken, how tenderly he had held her.
"But he told me other things too Princess, secrets about the evil Lord Master."
Andrea felt a cloud of fear settle around her. But it dissipated as Mary wrapped her arms around her princess.
"Lord Master can indeed control your mind, but Lord Jeff has taught me how to protect you. Just sleep soundly, and I will recite the incantation of protection."
Andrea was quite tired, and she quickly drifted off to sleep.
During the night, Andrea had a strange dream. She dreamed that Mary's hands began to tease her breasts while she slept. Mary was whispering the incantation in her ear when one of her hands trailed down Andrea's stomach. Andrea felt Mary's hand slip between her legs and begin to rub.
"Always say 'Yes' when Lord Jeff asks..."
The whisper in her dream seemed to wind its way around Mary's tongue, through Andrea's ears, and back through her mind and body.
"Always say 'Yes' when Lord Jeff asks..."
Andrea felt her body responding to the caresses, her legs opening to the pleasure as her mind opened to the words.
"Always say 'Yes' when Lord Jeff asks..."
Andrea heard the words echo and vibrate through her mind and body. She was so close, so close...
Princess Andrea woke up, feeling her hand, wet between her legs as she ground herself onto it. She stopped before she made a commotion, and embarrassed at her wanton behavior, called for a bath.
After her bath Andrea made her way to breakfast, where she found Mary waiting. Andrea sat and surveyed the court, Mary was testing her food, and Andrea was happy to see her there. She knew that she could always trust Mary as she leaned in and whispered,
"Lord Jeff asked for an audience with you after breakfast."
Andrea felt a moment of panic. Lord Jeff was clearly infatuated with Mary. He would take her away, back to his estate out West. Nearer to the evil Lord Master, nearer to danger. Andrea would deny his request...
But then she felt a heat between her legs. She remembered how good she had felt in her dream last night.
"Tell Lord Jeff to meet us in my private chambers after my morning walk."
Andrea had barely realized she was saying it, even as she was agreeing. She was looking right at Mary, and although Mary's lips did not move, Andrea could swear she heard Mary's whisper,
"Always say 'Yes' when Lord Jeff asks..."
Andrea gripped the table tightly but managed to keep her composure in front of the court as the heat peaked. She quickly excused herself from the breakfast feast and walked swiftly back to her private chambers.
Mary shut the door behind them and jumped into an embrace of Andrea.
"Thank you, my princess! I told Lord Jeff you would agree! You have always looked out for me in my foolishness when it comes to love!"
A knock on the door gave Andrea a moment of reprieve to gather herself. Mary opened the door and Lord Jeff stood outside.
"Thank you for agreeing to see me, my princess."
Andrea's heart jumped a bit when Lord Jeff called her "his" princess.
"I would ask your leave to spend the day with Mary again..."
Andrea felt her body heat up as she tried to hold back the arousal pounding inside her. She wanted to say yes to the implied question.
"...but I would feel terrible stealing one of your protectors away. Instead, may I accompany her while she attends to you today?"
"Yes, Lord Jeff."
Andrea felt the heat wash through her mind and body. She held back a cry as Mary embraced her again, and it was all she could do not to rub herself against Mary's body while Lord Jeff met her eyes. His smile was one of genuine care for Mary. And for Andrea.
The rest of the day was a whirlwind of emotions for Andrea. Joy at seeing Mary so happy. Fear that she would lose her most loyal protector. Arousal whenever Lord Jeff asked her a question. Boredom in her council meetings. Terror when her advisors confirmed that two of her Ladies had been captured plotting against her.
"They were worried about me sleeping in your bed, my princess. They knew that my presence was the only thing keeping you from being controlled by Lord Master's will. Your mind broken with obedience to him."
Mary filled in the details. She soothed Andrea.
"I will always share your bed. I won't let Lord Master control you."
The day ended with Lord Jeff asking for a walk in the garden, just he and Andrea, no Mary.
"Yes, Lord Jeff. Mary, prepare our bed and my defenses."
Andrea had dismissed her Ladies; she couldn't trust them. But she trusted Mary. Mary would always protect her.
Lord Jeff gently took her hand and sat down on a bench in the garden. Andrea sat down beside him. Her heart was hammering, and her body was so warm. She felt a liquid heat pooling between her legs.
"I wanted to speak with you about Mary, my princess. I have known she would be mine since I first laid eyes on her. But, so too, I knew she would always be yours as well. If I were to ask her to come away with me, she would deny me, so that she might protect you. Similarly, if you were to ask her to forsake me, she would deny you, and she would protect you while loving me."
Andrea was a confused mix of emotions, but she sat in silence that stretched on.
"However, I believe I have a solution. I want you to think back on all the time you spent with Mary. In all that time, you must have realized how beautiful she was. Your eyes must have drunk in her body, her smile. You must have wished that her chaste embrace in bed turned more carnal. You must have longed to feel her lips brush your neck, moaning while her hand toyed between your legs."
