Restocing the Glade

"I'm truly sorry to hear what has occurred." Bradrick apologized. Although insincere, the woman on the other end of the spell would never know. He was well experienced at deception. "Had I believed it was possible, I would never have sold one of my nymphs to your husband. I never thought he would have entered into the contract without your approval."

Queen Annalyse was not an unattractive woman. Although she had seen more than four decades, her figure remained firm. All the better, she had the bearing for royalty, despite the fact that she had reputedly been born in a brothel. Certainly, she had been nothing more than a tavern wench when then-warrior Carloff had discovered and wooed her.

"Approve? How could you have possibly thought I would

approve

of a nymph?"

"There are women who might find it adventurous to share another woman with their husband. Indeed, there are some, particularly in marriages of convenience such as nobility enters, that actually prefer the company of women to their men."

Bradrick kept any hint of irony out of his expression. In truth, the very nymph he'd provided them had once been a woman with just such interests. The queen flushed. It could never be said that hers was a marriage of convenience unless, of course, it was about the power she gleaned through manipulation of her husband. It was over the subject matter.

"How, exactly, could you not have seen this coming? Even an idiot should have realized that a man would take his pleasure when a nymph resided in his garden!" The queen accused. "Surely, as one of the most powerful wizards on the continent, you have more foresight than an idiot."

Sometimes, Bradrick wasn't all that certain of that fact. First, many idiots seemed to have remarkably perceptive heads on their shoulders, no matter what came from their mouths. Second, he had recently made some rather remarkable mistakes resulting from oversights on his part.

"Your majesty," that always mollified her at least a little, "please understand. It is told far and wide how devoted your husband is to you. If he had want of a highly skilled nymph, I could only assume that he wished to avail her services among his loyal followers. He is known for his wisdom and even an idiot knows the need to lead with a carrot as well as a switch."

Bradrick wasn't certain which of those lies was the most bold. Everyone knew that Carloff had no love for his wife. She had been a conquest, nothing more. She'd managed to trap him in marriage when she discovered the heights of power he might one day ascend to. A realization that occurred considerably before

he

had contemplated such a future. It was even said that she had goaded him into it.

Then, of course, there was the common knowledge of exactly how little the new king

thought

at all. He was a man of action, not leadership. Undoubtedly some of his soldiers and courtiers had made good use of his nymph, but it was far more likely they were anything but loyal. Carloff had doubtless reserved her for his own personal use and those brave souls had snuck in. He never would give up such a treasure willingly.

"I suppose." The queen responded, somewhat mollified. Although her anger with him had drained, her frustration over the situation had only grown. Now, she had no suitable outlet for her anger save the real culprit, her wayward husband.

As expected, she hadn't detected any of the lies. Of course, her lofty position had divorced her from reality very thoroughly. Unlike those born to nobility, she had yet to discover the means by which a ruler could glean the gossip that every maid knew. Then again, even many bred nobles neglected such a useful source of information.

"If I may make a suggestion?" Bradrick offered in a conciliatory tone. "Employ your own courtier as a form of vengeance against your husband. Not only would you teach him a lesson in fidelity but you would fulfill needs which he must obviously have neglected in order to have you so incensed."

Hope and vengeance brightened in her eyes at the thought. Bradrick could almost follow along as she plotted through the possibility. A moment later the frustration returned and her expression hardened further. "Who would be foolish enough to service me? The simple thought of such would be treason and my husband would take instant vengeance."

"You are quite correct." Bradrick schooled his face into defeat. He appeared to contemplate the problem for a moment. "However, if your suitor were suitably powerful, your husband might fear the repercussions should he attempt revenge. That would also put

you

beyond the scope of such retaliation by stint of your suitor's power."

A moment of hope and feral delight flashed across the queen's face before she attempted to eliminate it. The coy, innocent, expression she attempted to mask herself with would probably have been effective on most men. After all, she had practiced seduction throughout her life, practically from birth. He, however, saw through her illusion. He had guided her, stage by stage through the conversation to come to this very conclusion. She thought she was a master manipulator but she had never truly warred on his level.

"My dear Bradrick. I can only think of two men who might be powerful enough to give my husband pause. The first, Granlee, hasn't been seen in many years. Besides, I don't think I could sully myself to touch the old bag-of-bones, much less lie with him."

Even after all this time, Bradrick still bristled at the mention of his former nemesis. She had intentionally mentioned the liche to throw him off of his game. Too bad he actually knew where the "bag-of-bones" in question was. He might have become undead, but now he was just dead.

Bradrick pretended surprise at the suggestion that she left to dangle unsaid. "Your majesty! Surely you don't mean to suggest that I..."

"My good wizard, even in this backwoods kingdom, I have heard rumors of your prowess. You are a gifted and skilled...wizard. Certainly even King Carloff would hesitate to engage your wrath?"

It was clear from the purr in her voice that Annalyse suggested the rumors were about more than his 'prowess' as a wizard. He didn't know if it was true or not. Frankly, he didn't care. He had more than enough nymphs in his glade that variety was never a problem for him. If he decided that he needed a bit more, he could simply stock another.

Years of deception allowed Bradrick the skill to blush when necessary. He stammered something he hoped was convincingly humble. Now that she had tried flattery, she switched tactics and used guilt, as expected.

"Do you not find me attractive? Has my form grown so old as to lack appeal? Has my face grown so weary with time?"

"Never, your majesty!" Bradrick instantly responded. "Were that the case then I could not conceive of your beauty as a young lass! Today, you rival the goddess of love and beauty, and it is said to be impossible to surpass the divine within their sphere of influence!"

The blush that crept over Annalyse could have been as false as his own, but he doubted it. The manner in which her impressive cleavage leapt into view, upon her intake of breath, could be no accident, however. Bradrick wasn't as impressed as most men would have but he stared inappropriately in the manner she hoped for. To him, it was what was between her legs that was most interesting.

"Then, perhaps, you need to pay our court a visit?" Queen Annalyse suggested. "How long would it take for you to make such a journey?"

At last!

Bradrick had anticipated that question long before he had contacted the queen. A flick of his wrist tossed the finely blown crystal globe into a carefully prepared fire. The world wrenched and twisted at his body for what seemed like an eternity before it finally sorted itself out. "I think you could say it would take no time at all." He replied mildly.

Annalyse spun away from the now-empty mirror to regard him. Her first instinct was to scream for her guards. Royalty could never be too careful. It was particularly poignant when they had gained power in the manner in which Annalyse and Carloff had. Only the nature of their conversation kept her instincts in check.

It took a few moments for her mind to catch up to the situation. Bradrick watched patiently. He could see, in her unguarded expression, when she finally managed to engage her brain. The sultry demeanor not only returned but grew wildly with the realization that she need not wait the months that travel would require to have her revenge.

"Well! I certainly hope that travel is the only thing that wizards accomplish quickly. Speed has its uses, but there are some things that should be savored."

Her hands reached up to the puffy shoulders of her dress. What had probably taken the aid of her servants a considerable amount of time to don, slid freely from her shoulders. The weight of all those layers of fabric dragged the expensive gown to pool at her feet. Annalyse delicately stepped free of the material and stood before him in all of the glory of her natural beauty.

Bradrick hadn't needed to exaggerate much when he compared her to a goddess. There was no question how the warrior had fallen for her. Even with a veritable harem of unearthly beauty at his disposal, Bradrick's manhood jumped at the sight before him. The loose robes he wore did little to disguise his reaction and brought a hungry smile to her lips.

"I see you spoke truly. You

do

find me appealing." Annalyse purred as she glided across the room. "And the rumors do not do you justice. I find myself nearly breathless at the size of the

power

you can bring to bear."

To accent the innuendo, her hands reached out to close around his manhood, through the soft material of his robes. Bradrick rather suspected it really was his power that enticed her so greatly, and not his shaft, but he was willing to acknowledge that he'd been blessed with a fair specimen of the later as well.

"What...what would you have of me, your majesty?"

Annalyse leaned in close. Her body pressed against his, only the single layer of clothing between him and her luscious breasts. Her hands remained firmly around his cock, warmed by their combined bodies. She guided it carefully, as she stepped close, so that the tip now nestled comfortably at the juncture of her legs.

"Everything." She breathed into his ear.

Her hands released him, confident he would remained trapped by the wonderful softness of her legs. She reached up and parted the front of his robe. In a motion very similar to her own gown, his clothes slipped off his shoulders and fell to the floor.

Annalyse took a step back to regard him. Although her expression never changed from that sultry hunger, he could see in her eyes the wince at his slight gut. If the years had been kind to her, they had not been so forgiving to him. His years of adventure had ended a decade ago, unless one counted his sexual appetites. Unfortunately, those did not allow him to keep his physique in light of the scholarly work he now pursued.

"It is said," she mentioned while she stared longingly at his hard form, "that it is unfitting for any but a man's wife to taste him. Similarly, a woman of good virtue will only take her husband into her mouth."

She looked up and angry eyes met his. "That bitch of a nymph you sent has swallowed my husband on many an occasion. Indeed, the final straw was a banquet where he snuck her under the table to service him even as he ate and joked with his men."

She snorted in derision. "No. He didn't '

sneak

' her in. He made a pretense of it, but every single one of his soldiers knew she was there. He had the grace not to moan when he came in her mouth, but he still made jest of the 'creamy sauce' he delivered."

Annalyse licked her lips in an unconscious gesture when her eyes returned to Bradrick's manhood. "I should taste you. I should take you in my mouth. I should goad you until you spill yourself inside of me and waste not a single drop, as he jested with his men that your fey did."

Bradrick couldn't help the way his cock jumped with each suggestion. The thought of those perfect lips buried within his coarse hairs was maddening. As a tavern wench, she would undoubtedly be well versed in such pleasure. He had little doubt that she could do exactly as she claimed. She could let him pierce her throat, swallow every drop his body had to give, and then coax and milk even more from him!

A coy smile shifted up to meet his gaze. "I can see that you like the thought. Perhaps later, then. Make that a promise to entice your return and my safety. I can assure you, you will not regret your patience."

He smiled back at her. Before either of them could say any more, she stepped forward. The queen was tall and although Bradrick wasn't short he could not boast the same. As a result, her bow-legged slither allowed his cock to slide perfectly between her legs. He wasn't really inside of her, yet, but the way her legs closed around him offered the first hint of what she planned.

Her breasts pressed against his chest and caused his breath to hitch. Her hard nipples rested perfectly against his and sent a jolt of excitement through his body. She brought her arms up to rest her elbows on his shoulders and her fingers played idly with his hair.

"I want you to fuck me." She said simply. She grinned when the crude language caused his lust to pulse, trapped between her legs. "You will mark me. Cum deep and hard inside me. Make me scream your name over and over."

Bradrick had to swallow hard to get any air past the lump that formed in his throat. Even then, his breath was so ragged it was difficult to speak. She knew her game and, if she wasn't careful, the first seed he loosed would be between her legs alright but not inside of her!

"Majesty," he breathed. "While I would love nothing more than to hear you scream my name in pleasure, perhaps now is not the best time. Let us join, but let no one hear us. That way you can choose the time best suited to the revelation of your revenge."

A pout instantly erupted within her features that he was certain was not feigned. Disappointment tinged her eyes. "Bradrick,

my

Bradrick, I can't help that. I want to feel you inside me, feel your hot seed burst into my pussy. If I do, I can't help but scream out. I simply cannot make myself be quiet. The entire castle knows how seldom the king visits my chamber for lack of the cries!"

This was a difficulty that Bradrick had not anticipated. Annalyse was not a woman who would consent to be bound, even if only her mouth. Fortunately, there was a simple sollution, well suited to one of his training.

"There is a spell that might work." Bradrick answered with more confidence as the plan began to congeal in his mind. "It is designed to render another magician unable to cast spells. For most of my kind, if they cannot speak, they cannot cast. You would be rendered mute for the durration. Even your breath would be soundless."

Hope and fire sprung into her eyes. "Yes! Do it! And if you could, give me an amulet with that spell so I could use it as I please."

Bradrick suppressed a chuckle. He had discovered the reason that she had not taken other lovers before. His nymph had been at the castle for months now. Obviously the king had completely forgone the charms of his wife if she was this desperate.

"Of course, your majesty. For you, I will not even charge cost for its creation. Think of it as an appropriate apology for what you have been forced to suffer." He instantly offered. "Unfortunately, such an artifact requires time and preparation. For now, however, I can cast the spell with ease myself."

It took three attempts to cast such a simple spell. The moment he agreed, her hips began to roll forward and back. Although not yet within her, the effect on him was much more pronounced than if she'd used her hands. The plush warmth of her thighs gave far too close an approximation of her depths. She didn't even lack the damp lubrication. Clearly she was as excited for her revenge as he was.

When the spell finished, her soft moans instantly ceased. Annalyse paused in surprise. Her mouth opened, her lips moved, but nothing came out. Feeling experimental, one hand slipped between their bodies and he could feel her finger twitch across her engorged clit. Her head dropped back, and her jaw open, but not even a whisper of her delight escaped.

Bradrick had never considered this use for the spell before. Although he enjoyed the various sounds that he inspired in the women he lay with, there was something viscerally exciting about the knowledge that no one would be able to hear her reaction, no matter what he did to her.

Annalyse's hand jerked out from between their bodies to clutch at his waist. Her fingers twisted in his hair and she led dragged him along towards the bed. Given that she refused to release his manhood, as she shuffled backwards, it would have been more than enough to have driven him with her. Skillfully, she lay down when her knees brushed the edge of the bed. She guided him down with ease until he lay on top of her. Never once did her legs release the prize they kept captive.

Only when they were safely down, on the expensive mattress, did her thighs open for him. Before he could even think to adjust himself, those legs snaked out to enfold his waist. His body jerked as she pulled him towards her. His lust speared straight and true into her soaking hot pussy, an impossible feat that suggested experience gained while more than just a mere tavern wench.

Annalyse's mouth dropped open as her head flung back once more. Her back arched heavily. Yet for all of the sudden motion, only the sharp swelling of her chest suggested the sheer volume her voice would have reached had the spell not been in place.

Bradrick was more than happy to oblige. He planted his hands on either side of her shoulders and threw his hips forward. Her body jumped, once more, beneath his. Her legs loosened slightly, as he pulled himself almost all of the way out, only to constrict again in anticipation of another sharp thrust.

The rhythm became frantic almost immediately. The way her legs urged him on was almost as enticing as the silent screams. Her pussy, too long unused, grabbed at him and refused to let loose. He dragged his way out and bulled her aside when he buried his cock even deeper inside her core.

From the way her body shook, the way she gripped the sheets, the refusal of her legs to let go with each withdrawal, her climax had already begun in earnest. Bradrick discovered that her release spurred him on just as insistently as if he were able to hear every moan and scream of passion. Her pussy began to spasm even as it tried to pull him deeper. It was all too much.

Bradrick did allow himself to sound off when he felt his seed explode inside of her. His animal grunts and growls were too soft to travel far through the thick stone walls. She would have ensured that no guards were posted just beyond her door or else they would have heard their conversation, much less the sounds of his climax.

Those growls seemed to excite Annalyse even further. Or maybe it was the feel of the cum he began to pour into her tight, wet, pussy. Her hips and legs began to buck wildly. Her arms flailed out of control and she lifted off the bed as her neck took all of her weight.

Bradrick drove himself deeper and deeper. He lost himself in the need to thrust his seed straight into her very core. He didn't know if she was fertile but it didn't matter. All that mattered was the way that her body encouraged him, begged him to fill her up and leave her overflowing with his opalescent cream.

His body began to weaken long before either of their resolves. In the queen, he seemed to have found a woman who reveled in the pleasure of the rut as much as he did. It was too bad he could not make her one of his nymphs. She would have been without peer in the glade, particularly if he cultivated her transformation carefully.