As usual, thank you to EmmaKendrick01 for sharing her thoughts on the chapter!
The muted clang of dulled blades echoed out into the early afternoon air.
The retinue that the king had assembled to accompany him on this diplomatic trip included several knights along with the usual assortment of guardsmen. The guardsmen switched off on shifts protecting him, leaving some to their own devices. A few of them, along with the knights on the trip, had today stumbled upon one of the castle's sparring circles, where the orc warriors practiced, facing off in exhibitory matches, sometimes one-on-one, other times a free-for-all. The more daring of the men had involved themselves in the proceedings.
One such instance was now unfolding.
An orc with an unusually light shade of skin was pitted against Sir Justen Highmark. The second son of Carrick and Elena Highmark, nicknamed The Red Hawk for his richly auburn hair and prominently beaky nose, was one of the most beloved knights in the Free Lands. Recently, he had won the jousting tournament held several months ago to celebrate the birth of Treyar, the king's grandson. Along the way to victory, Sir Justen had defeated such martial luminaries as Sir Wulfric Mantle, the Captain of the Royal Guard, Sir Sheldon Sage, the Light of Sanderrion, and Sir Tobias Tusk, the Walrus Knight. The Red Hawk's skill had never been in question, but what had truly captured the affections of king and kingdom had been his genial and noble demeanor. It was difficult for many knights nowadays to live up to the chivalric standards set by the knights of old, but Sir Justen had no trouble. He was a paragon of virtue.
Which means he's absolutely boring to talk to.
Gwennalyn watched the proceedings from above, her handmaiden sitting next to her.
Much like the humans below, they had stumbled upon the sparring circle while exploring the castle.
However, they had been lucky enough to discover it from above, their vantage point a balcony off some nondescript corridor. It afforded her some measure of privacy. Had the humans seen her, it would have become an affair of honor, some misguided attempt to impress their princess.
The privacy also was useful because she was very much enjoying watching, and could do so without the threat of somebody stumbling upon her, this imaginary person likely to wonder why she was squirming so restlessly and breathing so raggedly.
Both combatants were shirtless, bared chests gleaming with sweat, hard-won muscles rippling as they fought. The orc displayed the strength and fury of his race, but those qualities were matched by the agility and skill of Sir Justen. As they sparred, the princess imagined them involved in a different sort of intense physical activity. Her eyes roved over the others assembled as well, all shirtless and fit and easily strong enough to fuck her into a stupor.
"Who would you rather have fuck you," Deiara murmured to her, "Sir Justen or the orc?"
Gwennalyn bit her lip, watching the two of them circle each other warily. Backing the knight were the other humans, shouting encouragement, while the orcs hollered boisterously at their champion.
Their time could be better spent gang-fucking me instead of sparring.
"I would rather they take me together."
Deiara giggled.
"Slut," she teased her princess, who smirked back.
"You helped make me this way."
Deiara giggled again.
"Princess Gwennalyn?" came a voice from behind them.
They spun to see an orc attendant, standing at the lip of the balcony.
"Yes?"
"The Princes Brash and Brand respectfully request your presence."
"When have they ever done anything respectfully?" Deiara muttered.
The orc ignored her, waiting expectantly for the princess.
"Where?"
"If you would follow me."
"Alright."
She stood, and padded away from the enticing sights, her handmaiden behind her.
"Apologies," the orc said unapologetically, "but the princes were explicit that it only be the princess."
Deiara rolled her eyes.
"I'll be fine," the princess assured her handmaiden.
"If you say so."
Gwennalyn smiled at her, and then turned to follow the attendant.
As he led her through the castle, her mind flew forward to what the brothers might have in store for her. Last night, they had tortured her by unleashing the energy she wished spent upon her, instead on her handmaiden. Although she had found pleasure in her abandonment, taking their abuse rather than just watching would have been preferable, especially now that her mind had been given a chance to rise from the sordid depths of submission.
I'll probably sink back down quickly.
Finally, the attendant led her through a door, and up a short staircase. As they tramped up it, she noticed an alcove to her right, cluttered with cloaks and boots.
The staircase ended, and although there was another staircase in front of them leading down, they instead turned left, into a large room. There were several couches, two bookshelves, and more doorways leading presumably into more rooms.
Sitting on one of the couches were Brash and Brand.
"Finally," Brand grumbled, the brothers standing to meet her.
"Hello, good sirs," she chirped.
They grunted dismissively, turning to head through the doorway immediately to their right. Frowning, she followed them, the doorway opening into a corridor, with more doors set in the wall on either side. The first door on their left was open. The brothers walked in, with the princess following behind.
The room was furnished sparingly, with only a bed and bedside table.
"What is this place?" she asked them.
"The guards' lounge. They come here during the day for many things."
"They use these rooms to sleep in?"
"They have their own quarters elsewhere, but guards on night-time duty sometimes take quick naps in these rooms after their shift ends."