Talia woke to bright sunshine streaming through her bedroom windows and the sound of pigeons cooing loudly to each other from the spires of the palace towers. Her hands were still cuffed behind her back, her shoulders and wrists aching in a not entirely unpleasant way, and she still wore her plain dress and stockings. To her surprise she had not only slept through the night but she had also had one of the best nights sleep she had had in a long time.
She rolled her shoulders as she sat up, flexing her fingers as she thought back on the previous night. Alec had treated her like a slave. He had degraded her and smacked her ass until it was red raw. He had made her gag on his cock and then fucked her until she could barely stand and all because of the images that he had of her fingering herself. He was blackmailing her and she knew she should hate him for it. Why then could she not stop smiling?
She scowled as she felt around behind her for the key to her cuffs. She was the Princess of Everdale, the future of the kingdom. She was meant to be the perfect heir to her father's throne; respected by all, a perfect example of faith and purity... Maybe that was why she was enjoying this? Maybe secretly she loved being used and treated as nothing more than a whore? After all, Alec certainly didn't treat her like the Princess that she was.
Knock, knock!
The sound of knocking on her bedroom door turned her blood to ice in her veins. She whipped her head around, frantically searching for the key to her cuffs. Fortunately they lay just behind her. She seized them, fumbling with the padlocks that secured them to her wrists as the knocking sounded again.
"Princess?"
She relaxed only a little at the sound of her handmaiden's voice. If anyone was to find her like this, Melissa would be the one that she could explain it to most easily. Not that she particularly wanted to have to do that, however.
"Just a minute!" she called as she shook the shackles from her hands. She stood and stabbed the key into the lock of her collar, tearing it from her neck and kicking it and the cuffs under her bed.
"Come in," she called before realising that she hadn't removed her stockings. She slid them down as fast as she could, shoving them under the bed and rising just as Melissa appeared through the door, her face thankfully obscured behind a stack of fresh laundry.
"Sleeping in are we?" her handmaiden asked as she staggered to the stool at the end of Talia's bed and set the pile of sheets and towels down. She looked up at the Princess with a smirk but as their eyes met her face fell. "Talia," she said uncertainly. "What's wrong?"
Talia frowned before catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror across the room. She still had on her make-up from the day before and her black eyeliner ran in streaks down her cheeks from the tears she had shed as she had gagged on Alec's cock.
"Oh, nothing," she said innocently, resisting the urge to scratch her eyes.
Melissa shook her head as she looked around. "Don't lie to me," she said. "You're still in the same clothes you had on yesterday and you've obviously been crying... What is it? You know you can tell me."
Talia bit her tongue, frantically trying to come up with some excuse for her appearance.
"Has your mother been leaning on you to marry again?"
She looked up at Melissa and nodded, seizing on the opportunity that she had given her. "Yes," she said, sinking onto the bed with a sad face. "Mother's been badgering me since the welcome dinner the other night and it all just got a bit too much."
Melissa sighed as she settled herself next to Talia and squeezed her hand. Her skin was warm against her own, quite unlike Alec's cold touch that made her shudder with anticipation.
"You know how your mother can be," she said softly. "She means well but has never had the best way of expressing it. At least your father supports you."
Talia laughed and nodded. She supposed she wasn't exactly lying to Melissa. Her mother was a stickler for tradition, a trait she had no doubt inherited from her parents who in turn had the ability to appear to be looking down on everyone they met, including Talia and even her father. She knew her mother wanted her to marry and start a family but she was still so young and there was so much of the world that she hadn't seen yet. Thankfully her father, ever the adventurer himself, understood her need to be free and had always been on hand to defend her when needed.
"I just don't want to be married yet," she said flatly. "I don't see what the rush is. Father is in grand health and I have a whole lifetime ahead of me."
"Was it the new minister?" Melissa asked gently.
Talia glanced sideways at her friend. "What do you mean?"
Her handmaiden half shrugged. "Apparently the two of you made quite an impression at the dinner. Talk amongst the town is that you are both smitten by each other."
"Pah!" Talia scoffed, pulling her hand from Melissa's grip and striding over to the dressing table. Her cheeks felt warm but were thankfully obscured by the mess of her makeup. "We danced and chatted. That was all."
She could see Melissa shift uncomfortably on the bed behind her in the mirror. Her tone had been harder than she had meant it and her handmaiden obviously thought she had overstepped her position.
"Beg pardon, Princess," she said as she stood. "I did not mean to pry."
"That's not what I meant, Mel," Talia said with a sigh. "I just... Theres nothing going on between me and Minister Alec."
Melissa nodded, the hurt expression on her face softening into a smile. "Let's get you cleaned up," she said. "You have a brunch appointment with Minister Talvin later and I'm sure you'll want to change for that."
"Yes," Talia laughed as Melissa stepped behind her and helped to unfasten her dress. As her handmaiden disappeared into the bathroom to draw her a bath she stood and let her dress fall to the floor around her ankles. She took a moment to admire her ass in the mirror, the round curves of her cheeks still a little prickly from the night before, and thanked the stars that she hadn't been left with any bruises. She followed Melissa into the bathroom, her handmaiden looking tactfully away as she climbed into the bath and lowered herself into the pleasantly warm, soapy water.
"You have all you need for your meeting with Minister Talvin?" Melissa asked as she began to help Talia clean the makeup streaks from her face.
"Yes," Talia said. "Talvin is stubborn but he's an old friend. I'm sure I can twist his arm to free up some more funds for another dozen schools."
Melissa smiled. "Someday you'll make a great Queen," she said.
Talia brushed the compliment off. "Is my afternoon still free?"
"Yes. Did you have something in mind?"
"I could use some air," she replied. "I feel like I've been cooped up in this castle for days. Can you get David to saddle Amadeus? I would like to take him for a ride later."
Melissa's cheeks flushed at the mention of the stable boy's name. "Y... Yes," she said. "Of course I'll ask him."
Talia smirked knowingly. "I thought you would enjoy that."
"I don't know what you mean!" Melissa protested.
"Mhmm," Talia said, still smirking. "Be sure to tell him that i'm planning on being out for most of the afternoon. Plenty of time for him to take you to that little cafe down by the river that you like."
"I have work to do," Melissa mumbled as she began washing Talia's knotted hair.
"Well, as both of your bosses I'm saying you have the afternoon off. Go, have some fun. You both deserve it."
Melissa looked like she was about to argue before a small smile tugged at her lips. "Thank you, Talia," she said quietly.
****
Talia returned to her room after what felt like a very constructive meeting with the Education Minister. As she had expected she had managed to convince Talvin to divert some of funds intended to go towards the lavish balls thrown for the school governors each year to establishing twelve new schools in some of the poorer districts and villages surrounding the city. The stubborn old dwarf had laughed as he'd made the agreement, noting that she was more politically savvy than her father perhaps realised and, like Melissa had said, that she would make for a great Queen when the time came.
She sighed as she stripped off the emerald dress that she had worn for the meeting. She rarely thought of what would happen when she became Queen. Everdale had been at peace for over a hundred years and what with her father being in perfect health and their naturally long elven life spans, it was not something she would have to worry about for a long time.
She kicked her dress across the room and began to change into her riding gear; a pair of white breeches that hugged her ass, black leather boots that stopped just beneath her knee and a dark blue top with white lace details upon the shoulders. She pulled on a pair of white leather gloves and made her way from her chambers down to the stable below.
"Afternoon, Princess," David said as she entered the stable. He was a tall man with dark skin and kind eyes. Melissa stood just behind him, looking very pretty in a floral dress with her black hair draped over her shoulders.
"Good afternoon, David," she said, smiling. "How's Amadeus?"
"Just fine, Ma'am," he said. "The farrier sorted his shoe yesterday and he's raring to go."
"Excellent," she said stepping into the stable to greet her horse.
Amadeus snorted happily at the sight of her, his tail flicking excitedly from side to side. He wasn't a big horse but he was fast which is what she loved most about him. He was grey with mottle patches of charcoal on his rear and long white socks. She patted his flank as she checked her saddle bags, pleased to see that Melissa had taken it upon herself to pack her some food and water for the afternoon.
"Are you sure I can't get Porter to accompany you?" Melissa said uncertainly.
"Yes, Mel," Talia replied. "I just want some time alone. Besides, Porter's old cob would never keep up with Amadeus!" She grinned as her horse whinnied in agreement.
"Just be careful," Melissa chided.
Talia shook her head as she stepped into one of her stirrups and hauled herself onto Amadeus' back. Technically she wasn't supposed to leave the city unaccompanied so she could understand why Melissa was worried but she did it all the time and nothing had ever happened.
"I'll be fine," she promised, nudging Amadeus out of his stable. "Now you two go and enjoy the afternoon. I'll be back before nightfall."
Before either of them could argue, she dug her heels into Amadeus' flanks and galloped out of the stable. They passed through the city and out of the gates before anyone could notice them and then they were flying across the plains that surrounded Everdale. She grinned as the wind whipped her hair about her face and Amadeus tossed his head in excitement. The sun warmed her body and the birds filled the air with music as they turned at a fork in the road and galloped in the direction of the Green Wood. Talia had always loved the woods. The oak trees that grew there were taller than anywhere else in the kingdom whilst rivers and streams the glistened like diamonds wound their way between their trunks. She slowed Amadeus to a steady trot, letting him pick his way though the forest as she sat back in her saddle and listened to the steady clip-clop of his hooves and the chirruping of the animals around them.
It was late afternoon when she stopped by a small river in the shadow of two massive oak trees. She dismounted, leading Amadeus down to the water and watching as he took a long, well deserved drink from its crystal waters. She tethered him to one of the trees before unpacking some of the food; a cheese and pickle roll and some dried fruit, that Melissa had packed her. She settled herself by the river, slipping her boots and socks off and dunking her feet in the cool water of the river. Half an hour passed as she sat there, nibbling her food and listening to the water and the gentle rustle of the leaves in the forest's canopy, when she suddenly heard movement behind her.
She turned and felt her breath catch in her throat. Alec was staring at her from the shadow of one of the trees. He wore a crimson waistcoat over a loose fitting white shirt and black leather trousers and was mounted upon a coal black charger with fiery eyes. He smiled at her, his eyes cold and hungry as they skirted over her figure.
