Editor's note: this story contains scenes of incest or incest content.
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AN: This chapter is more extreme than the last ones, I feel. So just a heads up.
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Almost a week had gone by for Cassia in a blur with her unable to catch up and make sense of what happened six days prior. Thank the gods that Feowyn was there beside her, the elf a skilled statesman in his own right and excellent advisor for the young Empress as she went about her courtly duties.
It was easy to lay into bed and just fall asleep each day, having spent every single minute of her time consulting with this and that advisor alongside audiences with nobles upon nobles who wished to garner more of the empire's favor. She was pleased to see that the Optatus family was only there to provide support, the right hand man of Veterius acting as a deterrent lest particular people overstay their welcome.
Just as yet another noble, this one a well-known slave trader called Endonitus, made his way out of the palace, Cassia heaved an inward sigh of relief. The corpulent man was utterly despicable in his posture towards her, having sent stinging and subtle barbs at her right to rule while still somehow maintaining a decorum of a loyal subject.
Thankfully he was the last one of the day as the sun was already setting and the fatigue slowly set in. She felt like her brain would melt in her hot skull from all of this and nearly toppled over when she got up.
Nayla was luckily there to catch her from falling, wrapping her armored arms around the nude empress in one swift motion before scooping her up off her feet.
Feowyn had gasped in surprise before smiling at Nayla. "Very good, captain."
The Optatus patriarch rushed to the throne. "Your highness! Are you well?"
Cassia flushed red with both shame and surprise to be held in such a way by her half-sister and nodded slowly to the armored man. "I'm just a bit tired, is all. No need to concern yourself too much, master Arruns."
Her soft and fearless words didn't seem to console the man who frowned but nodded.
"How about you and the Optatus family have a little chat in the gardens tomorrow? It is well in your right to close the doors of the palace for one day" Feowyn asked in his chirpy voice. Arruns glanced at the elf with a strangeness in his eyes before the graying man nodded in agreement.
"It would be my honor." He said with a low bow.
Cassia smiled at him and nodded as well. "That would be splendid. Captain, please take me to my chambers."
Nayla carried Cassia away from the throne room and towards Cassia's personal domain in the palace.
Cassia kept her hands on her belly, her lithe fingers running down the invisible line that the blade had cut in her belly six days ago. She's yet to tell anybody about it with only Feowyn knowing what had happened as he found her sitting on the floor and clutching her shallow wound. It made a mess despite how light the wound was.
The elf had been so caring and understanding as he cleaned her up and the mess, healed the wound with his magic and put her to a dreamless sleep. She still felt fear, the shadows having become so deep they might contain yet another assassin bent on taking her life. But the way Nayla carried her now made the place look a lot brighter, knowing her strong sister would protect her.
Feowyn lagged behind, the soft slaps of his bare feet accompanying Nayla's own heavy and metallic ones, and the elf seemed to hum to himself a familiar tune.
The elf had been in Cassia's life since she'd been born and it was often that he reminded her that he sang her to sleep on many occasions, both as a babe and a young girl. It was decadent irony that he ended up being her first time when she was fourteen and hadn't stopped since.
She felt sad that Feowyn has been barred from her bedchambers, wanting to once again ride his lovely long cock. The thoughts made her flush even harder, exhaling softly.
This caught Nayla's eye and the half-orc shifted a bit as she moved but the empress was too distracted by remembering how many times Feowyn had taken her.
Feowyn seemed to appear right beside Cassia's head just then and the elf had that innocuous grin on his face like he always did. "Having dirty thoughts, your highness?"
Cassia bit back a soft gasp, on reflex to maintain her regality, but then realised only Feowyn and Nayla were around. She felt safe acting like a wanton slut in front of them.
"Y-yes...what of it?" She murmured, lifting her nose a bit. She found the constant need to maintain face exhausting, that wasn't what a woman should do, after all. She felt great while father was here, sucking his cock during audiences and swallowing his seed in front of everybody. But she was in charge now and that was bothersome.
"No offense meant, empress. I'm simply asking because our delightful captain over here is more than willing to fulfill those desires." The elf say coyly, smiling brightly at his empress.
Nayla grunted in response but Cassia spotted the hopeful glint in her half-sister's amber eyes. Ever since the attempt on Cassia's life, she'd been barred from her bedchambers and hasn't had the chance to unload. Nayla cared deeply for her half-sister but she also had needs, needs she'd gladly fulfill deep inside Cassia.
The hopeful look was also full of unadulterated lust that made Cassia gasp and get instantly wet.
They arrived to the doors to Cassia's own personal palace-inside-a-palace and she ordered Nayla to put her down.
"I can walk the rest of the way." She said confidently even though she still seemed lightheaded. Her sister watched her pad away on bare feet, eyes trailing all over Cassia's buttocks, her flawless back and to the golden hair that was tied in a long braid that hanged in the center. As always, Cassia forgoed clothing and instead wore only jewelry as a woman should even in her husband's absence.
Feowyn clapped twice and servants appeared at his beck and call. "Prepare a milk bath for her highness. And I expect full privacy for her and the captain."
The servants nodded with both Nayla and Cassia missing the conspiratorial looks the servants sent to each other and Feowyn. The elf announced his departure and bowed lowly.
"Please enjoy yourself, your highness."
Cassia smiled back at him and nodded. "I will. Thank you, Feowyn."
"My pleasure."
The servants went ahead of the two to prepare Cassia's bath of fresh milk scented with roses and sandalwood while firing up the furnaces beneath the pool to heat it from underneath. All of this went unnoticed behind the interior of the bathing room that was richly decorated in reliefs of naked maidens bathing and playing together. Pillars covered in chiseled ivy rose on each point and supported a small roof inside the room with incense burning in the rafters.
Nayla had never been to a place like this, having mostly been using the baths the Praetorian Guard shared together in the barracks and barely stopped herself from whistling her surprise.
Cassia went in without a second glance at the decorations, removing her jewelry and setting it aside. She had her back turned to Nayla who stared when she bent forward to remove her shin jewelry. "Can you please undo my braid?"
Her question nearly landed on deaf ears, the half-orc enamored by the sight and the scents, but luckily she still had a presence of mind to move forward and try to do it with her gloved fingers. It just ended up tugging on Cassia's golden strands with the empress hissing her displeasure.
"Not with your gloves on."
Nayla nodded dumbly and quickly unclasped her gloves and set them aside before going back to unraveling the braid, this time successful with only one mistake.
Cassia didn't mind it much, finding Nayla adorable as she struggled with such female tasks. She really was raised like a man. The empress sighed in relaxation and rolled her head left and right to loosen her neck. It's been stiff from all the regal sitting she'd been doing.
"I can massage it for you, your highness." Nayla suggested quietly. Cassia giggled and turned around, flushed from the humidity that steadily rose in the room, and looking perfect for a ravishing.
"Nayla, we're alone. You can call me by my name." She told her, reaching up with her hands to place palms against the sides of Nayla's helmet and rose on her tiptoes to place a chaste kiss on her thin lips.
Nayla's lips moved to continue the kiss but Cassia had already pulled away and began fiddling with the clasps of her breastplate in an attempt to take it off. Her long ivory fingers made short work of the belts and hooks keeping it together and Nayla lifted her arms up so she can undo the belts on her sides.