Emrys sat on his throne, overlooking his court. He swept his long blonde hair back over his shoulders and adjusted his crown made from interwoven gold and silver filigree. He scrunched up his dark, thick, defined eyebrows above his golden eyes. A scowl crossed his pale, beautiful, sculpted face, he was irritated because he was so unbelievably bored. He had been king of the woodland elves for centuries, he brought his people peace, prosperity and kept them free from strife. Easy to do with humans banished from his realm, pathetic beings. What was even the point of such short lived creatures?
There was nothing to do except repeat virtually the same day over and over. While he was mulling over exactly what he was going to do to relieve his perpetual boredom...the doors of his court burst open. His guards were dragging a human woman in, with a mop of wavy red hair looking dirty and disheveled.
They dragged her to the foot of the stairs his throne sat atop of, before throwing her to her knees. The captain of his guards stepped forward and addressed him.
"Your Majesty, we found this human in your forest. We would have executed her on sight as per your laws...but there are extenuating circumstances. She was being pursued by bandits through the trees. We saw as they caught up and began to attack her..."
Emrys saw the front of her dress had been torn apart, her thin undergarments visible.
"... we filled them with arrows. Then brought her back here. We wished for your judgement on the matter."
He grabbed the woman's chin and made her look up at Emrys.
"Speak before the King, plead your case and beg for mercy. For it is not in my power to grant it." He barked at her.
Emrys studied her more closely. Beneath the filth and grime she was beautiful. Her fair elegant face with its high cheekbones could have been mistaken for an elven maiden's were it not for her full pouty lips. Her sapphire blue eyes looking up at him filled with fear. He felt his cock stir as he looked at her, taking in her generous curvaceous figure that marked her as human.
She spoke, her voice dulcet even as her tone betrayed her scared nervousness.
"I apologise to your Majesty... I was travelling with a trading caravan and an escort traversing the edge of your forest when we were attacked by those bandits... They started killing everyone... I tried to run...and some of them started to chase me... The only place I could find cover was in your forest... I knew it was forbidden...but I had no other choice...please forgive me and have mercy your Majesty!"
Tears pricked the corner of her eyes.
Emrys gazed at her speculatively. Then spoke with a smooth imperious baritone.
"Why was a young woman like you with the caravan?"
He asked curiously.
"I was being escorted to my betrothed... My parents have arranged a marriage for me."
She answered.
Emrys directed a question to his guard captain.
"Did you find anything on her?"
The guard captain responded.
"Letters of introduction, no weapons. We had reports from scouts that there is wreckage from a caravan along the western border. Confirming her story."
Emrys nodded.
"What's your name girl?"
" Lady Sigrun."
He hid the smile creeping onto his lips. His new source of amusement had just been dropped into his lap.
"I'll grant you my mercy Sigrun..."
He saw her visibly sigh in relief.
"...my attendants will escort you to a bathing room. You can clean yourself up...we will provide you with some clean clothes later and discuss what to do with you."
He gestured for her to be taken away. He signalled for an attendant to approach and then issued an order.
"Escort her to my personal bath, take her clothes and burn them. Do not give her any replacements until I explicitly order it."
The attendant nodded before marching to join up with the group to direct them accordingly.
Emrys sat on his throne and smirked.
Sigrun was led into an opulent bathing room. The bath was closer to the size of a pool and there was a small waterfall next to it keeping it filled and another next to a drain. The whole room was warm and the water was too. There was a second door leading elsewhere. A female attendant stood in the room with her, looking at her.
"I need to undress..." Sigrun said nervously.
"I know..." Said the attendant. "...But I need to take your clothes. New ones will be brought."
Sigrun detected the mild disdain present in the way she was spoken to. She relented, trying to bury her embarrassment as she undressed in front of the elven woman. Handing over her tattered clothes. Once she had them in her hands the attendant left through the door. Sigrun could have sworn she heard it click like it had been locked. She chose to ignore it, not like she could do much about it. She didn't know how to pick a lock and even if she did she was naked in the middle of an elven palace.
There was nowhere to go.
She entered the bath, the water going up to her wide hips, fully covering her large thighs. She commenced scrubbing, rinsing off the filth that had accumulated as she pondered her situation. What were the elves going to do to her? They were known for treating humans like vermin, yet here she was in this luxurious bathroom? Something didn't add up...she was waiting for the pin to drop.
She was thankful to even be alive. The bandits, entering the elven forest, the hail of arrows that had rained down when they had caught her. The elves arguing with their captain over whether or not to kill her before marching her to the palace for a judgement. Then thrown before the King, she had marvelled at his beauty when she saw him. A King with true majesty who had been gracious enough to grant her mercy.
She dunked her head back, urgently scouring her hair. She submerged herself to fully wash it, closing her eyes. When she raised herself out, she wiped the water from her eyes. To find the King standing at the edge of the bath gazing at her naked form. She gasped in surprise and she desperately tried to cover herself.
Emrys had seen all of her. Her bountiful breasts with their pink nipples, leading to a narrow waist with a patch of red hair between her generous hips. As she turned around to hide herself from him he saw a round heart shaped behind.
She was better than he had expected, now that she was divested of the filth and her ruined clothes. A lustful look entered his eyes.
"Your Majesty, I'm sorry there seems to have been some kind of error. If I have ended up in your bathing room by mistake then I apologise."
She burned with humiliation, her cheeks going pink.