The Empress allowed me a day to recover - physically. But my mind was restless, over-active. I had survived the Night of the Knives, and lain with Yasina. But that did not mean that I was safe. Far from it.
My life hung in the balance. Yasina would decide if I lived, or if I died. I had made my case to her, providing solid arguments for keeping me, and continuing to use my resemblance to her son. But there might be other considerations, known only to her, or to her closest associates. I could not count on Opkor, for instance, to put in a good word for me.
Even if she did keep me alive, the threat would always hang over my head. And not only mine: Father and Minika were also in danger. After a while, though, I grew philosophical about the situation. I had done nothing wrong, made no mistake. It was simply fate, or luck, that Yasina had seen me outside Sumad's shop that day.
I was sent for the next afternoon. A new Palace guardsman, a young, slightly cross-eyed fellow, came to get me. He goggled at me when he saw my face, but kept his mouth shut. I had to wear a hood, again. The new man delivered me to a wing of the Palace I had not seen before, where the floors were green.
He left me in a small antechamber, where a young servant girl waited. She escorted me into a much larger room.
It was the Empress' private bath. She had her own bathing pools.
- "Priests!" I heard her say. "I would pay to see them all roasting over a fire! Better yet, I could just stuff them into an oven, and let the hot air that they spew bake them instead!"
Yasina lay on a massage table, completely naked. Her hair was piled up atop her head, in that extravagant fashion I had seen once before. She also wore a large necklace of semi-precious stones, but otherwise she didn't have a stitch of clothing on. Nanka, fully dressed, was rubbing oil into her calves and lower legs.
- "Come here, Carrach." she said, in a much milder tone.
I could not but admire her naked form as I approached. Nanka glanced at me once, and then returned to her work, massaging oil into Yasina's thighs and the bottom of her ass. I refrained from volunteering to take her place - but I was sorely tempted.
- "Over there - in the corner - there is a small table with a chessboard, and a box of pieces. Bring it over here."
I did as she asked, and placed it in front of her. Yasina raised herself on her elbows, which provided me with the most spectacular view of her dangling breasts.
- "Set up the board and pieces for me. I want to learn how chess is played." she said.
The chess set was magnificent. The white pieces were carved from ivory, and the black pieces were actually a dark reddish-brown - mahogany, I guessed. The pawns were soldiers, carrying spears. The rukhs were elephants, with mahouts riding them. The knights were horse archers, with horses rearing. The Counsellors wore ornate robes and headgear, and carried a little wand of office. The pieces were so delicate, so finely carved, I was terrified of dropping one, and breaking it.
The Shah pieces were much larger, and depicted the ruler as an older man, wise and stern. But the Wazir - that was a big surprise. For these key pieces, the strongest on the board, had been carved to represent a female figure - a stunningly beautiful female.
- "These were carved for you especially?" I asked, as I took them out of the box.
- "Yes. It was a gift from Zoer. I know the pieces. And I know that the Wazir is usually male. But I can't remember how they move. Will you remind me?" she asked.
I did, as succinctly as I could. She seemed satisfied with my explanation.
- "Thank you, Carrach." she said. "They
are
beautiful pieces, aren't they?"
- "Very. I'm surprised that you were never tempted to play. It is a game of strategy - I have a feeling that you would be very good at it."
Yasina smirked. "Maybe. But I don't like to lose."
Nanka had reached the Empress' upper back and shoulder blades. Yasina had to lie down flat again.
- "You can put them away, Carrach." she said.
I waited, and watched, as Nanka finished massaging her mistress. Yasina turned onto her back, and Nanka faithfully worked her way from the Empress' feet to her neck. It was quite erotic, and I grew hard just from watching.
When Nanka was done, Yasina thanked and dismissed her. She left without a word, or even a glance at me.
- "I think she likes you." said the Empress.
I had to laugh.
- "What's so funny?"
- "She hasn't said more than one word to me at any time." I said. "And those were all simple commands: strip, wash, again. She barely even notices me. Why would you think that she liked me?"
- "Because she doesn't scowl when you're around. Nanka dislikes virtually everyone in the Palace." she said.
I gave in. "Then I am honored."
Yasina smiled. "You should be. You can come closer, you know."
I had been standing some distance away, where she would be able to see me while she lay on her back, and from whence I could admire the view of her naked body. She was entirely un-self-conscious about her nudity.
Or perhaps the opposite. Yasina seemed perfectly aware of the beauty of her body, and of the effect it had on men. What I could not understand, at the moment, was why she was using it on me. I advanced to stand at the edge of the massage table, next to her feet.
- "I had a very trying morning, Carrach." she told me. "Everyone wants everything, all the time. And they want it right away. I needed that massage, just to work the tension out of my muscles. But I'm still in need of some relaxation."
"Can you think of something that would help?"
I could think of several things. But she had given me a strong hint: this was to be about her - her relaxation. In my experience with Min, it had mostly been about me, and my desires. Every so often, though, I turned the tables on her, and made it about
her
pleasure.
It would be much more intimidating, with the Empress. But I did not have to become the greatest lover she had ever had. All I had to do was help her relax.
I began by caressing her feet. I massaged them, not as Nanka had done, but slowly, gently. I didn't attempt to massage her - only to touch her skin. This was not what Yasina had expected, but she seemed to like it. She lay back and closed her eyes.
Nanka's oil made it even more sensual. I could feel more, through my fingertips, and I was pretty sure that Yasina's sensations were heightened, too. When I began to caress her lower legs, and reached the area behind her knee, she let out a purr of satisfaction.
I took my time with her thighs. I must have been doing something right.
- "Mmm." she moaned, softly, to encourage me.
Her hips, her belly, her arms all received attention. Then I surprised her by avoiding her breasts, and reversing direction. I lifted the leg nearest to me, and gently placed it a little farther toward the edge of the table.
She had very prominent outer lips, and a rather large clitoris. I ran my fingers around the edge of her vagina. Yasina exhaled deeply. She had been holding her breath.
