Drums of War

  Drums of War

  by Nick Storming

  Published by: Fractured Press

  Cover Art by: Moira Nelligar

  Copyright 2019 by Nick Storming

  All characters are 18 and older

  Discover other titles by Nick Storming:

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  Chapter One

  I awoke from a deep and dreamless sleep to be welcomed by a bright warm sun. The first sounds to greet me on my first morning as king, were the sweet songs of the nightingales who roosted in the eves off mothers tower. I climbed out of bed to find Gretchen waiting for me with my clothes for the day all laid out. A sight I hadn’t seen since I had first start to notice her as a woman. In those early years of adolescence I had struggled to ignore her buxom beauty as she dressed me in the morning and I had ordered her to wait outside my rooms while I dressed myself.

  I stepped into the dressing nook and Gretchen came over, her movements practiced and measured, just as I remembered them. This time however she added to the ritual several things that she had not done when I was younger, before but were very welcome.

  She began by wiping my body clean with damp warm rags. Taking her time to caress all of my sleek and powerful muscles she bathed me with soft hands. She wore her normal household livery but I noticed that today the neckline was plunging even farther than normal, revealing a massive expanse of her large pale breasts. My cock began to thicken the moment I noticed and Gretchen smiled a small smile.

  She still said nothing though as she finished bathing my upper torso. Our relationship was an old one and even with the wild events of the evening before we still had a rhythm between us that was comfortable and relaxed.

  Gretchen dropped to her knees beginning at my feet as she bathed me with the damp white rags. The closer I looked there looked like prayer rags. Then as she made her way up my thighs her eyes met mine and a warm smile lit her face.

  “Your majesty I have waited so long for us to be able to begin our day this way.” And cupping his thick cock in two hand she pressed it to the side of her face giving the tip a light kiss.

  “I too have dreamed of this day, my lady.” I said while reaching down and cupping her other cheek in my hand. “But I never dared dream that I may come to pass.”

  Gretchen looked up at me with adoration in her beautiful eyes and then her tongue darted out and licked along the side of my cock, kissing her way slowly back up to the tip, cradling it with her hands like it was some prized object of art. Then she was sucking me deep into her mouth, her tongue lick and flicking along the head and shaft as she sucked me deep.

  One of her hands had reached down and was pulling lightly on my ball sack and scratching the flesh lightly the other stroked my shaft in time with her mouths ministrations. I was an experienced boy-king as the mercy of this gorgeous woman. Looking down at her pleased and happy face and the heaving swaying cleavage beneath it I felt the orgasm building in my cock, but I fought to stave it off wanting to experience this great pleasure as much as possible.

  I began to fuck in and out of Gretchens mouth almost like it was a pussy and she moaned out loud in pleasure at this. Reaching to cradle the back of her head in one hand I lowered the other to graze along the outside of her uniform, brushing my fingers against the tits I had fantasized about so many times when I was younger. Then I dragged a finger to the deep valley of her cleavage, sliding it in and out. My hand on the back of her head guided her mouth back and forth as I fucked her face.

  Gretchen was limp and pliant in my arms, the room filled with the smell of her wet pussy and and the wet sounds we were making.I could hold back no longer, the pleasure for fucking her beautiful face was too much and without saying a word I pulled my cock back until just the tip was in her mouth. She must have seen the look on my face or felt the swelling of my cock, because her tight light turned up at the corners in a smile as I shot rope after rope of cum into her mouth. It filled quickly as she struggled to swallow it down and several lines of cum dribbled out the sides of her mouth and down her chin.

  “Oh gods, Gretchen,” I said. “Thank you for that.”

  “It was my pleasure your majesty.” She replied with a coquettish look. “I shall perform this service for you each morning that your bed is not already occupied.” Then with a deeper blush to her cheeks she said, “And even then, if your majesty wishes it.”

  I was stunned into silence at the possibilities and felt as though I might tip over the pleasure had been so great and my legs now so weak. But Gretchen would never let that happen. She sucked my cock clean, careful to stop before the pleasure had been getting hard again. Then she dressed me in a fine suit of dark blue cloth and covered that in my robes of office.

  “Now you look a King your majesty.” She said, with no small amount of pride in her voice at her work.

  “I hope the rest of the kingdom and our enemies see the same as your Gretchen.” I said, “There will be difficult times ahead as we continue to rebuild our kingdom.”

  “None better to lead us, if you don’t mind me saying your Majesty.”

  “No, I don’t mind at all.” I chuckled. “But in the privacy of my own rooms at the very least please call me Dainen.” The look of horror on her face when I said it was almost too much to take. There was no greater sticklers for propriety and courtly manners in the kingdom than Gretchen, except perhaps for grandmother.

  It was with a chuckle that I stepped into the hall, expecting to see grandmother or some other attendants but there was no one to be seen. Off down one direction of the hall I heard a great commotion and I turned to see what had drawn everyone off, it was then I felt a hard shove from behind and simultaneously a loud thunk of something hitting the wood of the doorframe.

  Gretchen had pushed me out of the way of the assassin's dagger that now stood in the doorframe. I recognized the dagger at once, the golden snake hilt and crossguard patterns being unmistakable. There in the shadows I could just make out the shape as it reached down for its side blades. The assassins movements seemed slow, as though it were moving through water or trapped in some enchanted trap, but then out of the corner of my eye I saw Gretchen moving with similar slowness.

  I turned and drawing my side knife I hurled it at the assassin, thinking only to distract it. For that dagger buried in the doorway was a Fang of the Emperor. The prized blades of the famed assassins of the desert. To my surprise and relief I saw my blade bury itself in the assassins chest just as its swords were clearing their sheaths.

  I had just begun to relax when I noticed Gretchen, now behind me, burying her dagger into another assassins neck who was inches from getting its own blade into mine. With a quick movement I rolled out of the way as Gretchen crashed into the second assassin, who had been hidden behind the door, tucked into a tiny shadow. The two of them struggled together, too close for me to intervene, still to my eyes and my own reflexes their movements seemed slow.

  The assassin was a burly man, short but rippling with muscles. I expected him to over power Gretchen in moments and prepared myself to attack him in that moment, but the woman held him off. Surprise was evident on Gretchen's face as she held back the man, obviously stronger than she was.

  It was then I noticed the swirls of energy flowing through me, almost like flight or flight but different. Far more powerful and focused and my mind was clearer. I could sense the power swirling in Gretchen as well. She was noticing it too and with an almost negligent flex she popped the assassins arm out of his socket.

  The man screamed out in pain then and the reality of our situation hit home. There would be time later to marvel at whatever magics were now affecting Gretchen and me, I reached over to the doorframe and pulled
free the assassin dagger. Turning back I saw Gretchen reaching up with one delicate hand and clasping clasping it around the man's throat, then her fingers came together crushing the man's throat. He felt back eyes filled with terror and Gretchen watched in horror as blood poured forth from the man's mouth as she gurgled his final breaths. The man had failed in his task, they both had, and I saw no need to prolong his torment. So stepping forward I drove the assassin blade up under the man's chin and into his brain.

  Soon the hall was filled with guardsmen and servants. I had a healer look after Gretchen and I had ordered that the bodies be placed in a cell for later inspection. Something didn’t add up about this assassination attempt.

  “Imperial assassins!” cried Lady Hornsby, wife of the late Baron of Beltway and fixture around court. “We must arrest that princess at once! Guards she must be behind this!”

  Several guards look at each other and began to move off. Before I halted them with a word.

  “None shall be placed under arrest until I have had a chance to question the captives.'' I told the guardswoman in charge.

  “Question?” Lady Hornsby said, “Your majesty whatever do you mean?” Her voice unnaturally high as she said it.

  “My mother has returned,” I replied thinking furiously. “Between her potions and the priestesses prayers, there are ways to speak with the dead. So long as not too much time has passed.”

  Lady Hornsby swallowed audibly and a queasy green look stole over her face. “Of course, your majesty.”

  Everyone knew that magic and the darker arts existed, however there were few practitioners and still so much superstition and false claims existed about the subjects. Lady Hornsby was one of the oldest and most conservative members of the court. She may be a bit backward in her ideas on magic but she had one of the sharpest minds for finances in the kingdom.

  “Please keep this to yourself Lady Hornsby,” I said. “I would hate for there to be a panic, or for someone to do something drastic with the Imperial Princess here. I remain unconvinced of these assassins origins.”

  “Of course, I will keep quiet your Majesty.” She said in a humble voice. I knew it was a lie, there were few gossips greater than Lady Hornsby, that served my purpose.

  “What makes you think they aren’t Imperial assassins?” asked Gretchen. “I’ve never heard of another carrying one of those blades.” She said pointing to the dagger I still held.

  “The dagger is one clue. There is only one and two assassins. Besides the assassin over there,” I pointed to the one I had ended with a knife through the heart, “threw the dagger at me, a blade not weighted for throwing.Such an unwise and foolish attack is unlike the Imperials. I sensed no magic in them either. It is all very curious.”

  “Made to look like the Princess was responsible,” Lady Hornsby whispered.

  “Exactly,” I said, “Let keep this to ourselves for the time being. Word of the attack will have already spread, but I would like an hour or two to come up with a plan to flush out the true threat.”

  “Of course, your majesty.” Both women replied in unison.

  With that Gretchen and I headed to the throne room. The nobles of the court had already gathered, abuzz with news of the assassination attempt. I heard their chattering voices as I approached and when I was announced and made my entrance the room became deathly silent as all eyes turned to me. Many cast surreptitious glances as the Imperial Princess who was in attendance along with her retinue.

  Grandmothers eyes found me the second I entered the hall and traveled the length of me looking for injuries. Her face softened in relief when she saw none. I noted that mother was absent, but that was not unusual, even before her coma she had rarely attended court.

  The Dowager Queen stood beside the throne dressed in the finest gown of blue and silver. Her dark and silver hair was pulled up into a cascade of curls that fell over one shoulder and her dress was low cut, something I had never seen her before. The sight of her massive pale bosom started my heart to pounding and visions of the night before swept through my mind.

  I set those thoughts aside, there would be time for all of that later, and marched up to the dragon throne. In my hand for all to see a Fang of the Emperor, covered in the blood of my enemies and I unharmed. I stopped before the throne and turned around, sliding the dagger into my belt in a place I could easily reach, should I be attacked again. The warning plain for those with half a wit.

  As I took my place upon the throne settling in I swept my gaze over the court. There were about a hundred nobles in attendance including some wealth merchants and tradesfolk. Women nearly one and all with the rare exception of an ancient man or young boy. The tragedy of our terrible invasion from the Orc hordes, the loss of nearly three generations of our men and many of the women to the war.

  I turned and gave grandmother a small nod, so that she could begin.

  “His Majesty calls forward, Lady Rosaline of Duskwood.” grandmother had a beautiful and clear voice that cut through the court and made every who wasn’t presently, pay close attention. We had worked these plans out between ourselves weeks ago, but I planned to add a slight twist.

  Lady Rosaline was a slight and beautiful woman, with dark brown hair a rosebud mouth and a sweet heart shaped face. A widow as most of the court now was, she had proven herself to be adept as court intrigue over the years, and had a sharp mind for politics. I could think of no better ambassador for our kingdom.

  “Your highness,” She said with a deep curtsy.

  “My lady, the crown has need of your services.” I began, “Or neighbors to the east have been out of our contact for far too long. We wish you to be our ambassador in the elven court.”

  Lady Rosaline had known this request was coming, for grandmother had sounded her out about her willingness long before. The woman did a masterful job of acting surprised and delighted however.

  “Your majesty does me great honor.” Said in a measured but obviously pleased manner.

  “Please align with the Dowager Queen Lydia for the particulars.”

  “Of course your majesty.” Then she withdrew from the hall to begin her preparations. Her mission would be critical, little was known about the elven court in the wake of the war. Little news had emerged and that had been scattered and troubling. Stories of internal conflicts between the elven houses, a royal house with only one member left and that a child.

  The trip would also prove whether Rosaline had the capabilities of a good spy mistress. She was promising, and we needed all the eyes and ears we could get.

  “The crown calls for Her Imperial Highness, Princess Jasmine of the Red Empire.” There was a buzz of whispers at that.

  The imperial guardsmen parted as their princess glide forward before the throne and gave a deep curtsy.

  “Your Majesty, how may the Empire be of service?” All I could see of the woman was her dark and enchanting eyes, but the hint I could make out of her body from the heavy black robes she wore were intriguing. Her voice was silken and deep with a huskiness to it that set my blood on fire. Had she woven some subtle magic into her words?

  “The crown would like to thank the Empire once again for honoring us with the presence of their favorite daughter.” I said my voice and manner perfectly formal, but our eyes were locked to one another's and they spoke different words.

  “My father had high hopes for your Majesty's reign.” Jasmine said, “And all in the empire have heard of the great working, performed by your lady mother in service of all peoples.”

  “Have you had a chance to see the Wall up close your highness?” I asked.

  “No your majesty, but I would welcome such an opportunity.” I was certain she would. The secret of that great working was one the Empire was hungry to know.

  “I’m sure we can arrange something in the near future, once the festivities have ended and the pressing matters dealt with.” I had no plans to ever let that happen but this was a game that had to be played out.

  “That
would be a great honor your Majesty, we look forward to it.” There was a twinkle in the woman eye when she said the word ‘we’ and I realized instantly that she had just given me a great gift by telling me that she was not the only sorcerer in her party.

  “It would do us a great honor, if you would accept a place at the high table this evening.” The offer was standard for friends of the court, but perhaps premature with the imperial envoy. I sensed a kindred spirit in this woman though. Her smile was evident in her eyes as she replied.

  “Once again, I thank you for the honor your majesty.” Then with a small curtsy, “By your leave” She drew back to her alcove conferring with her attendants.

  Chapter Two

  The rest of the morning business was relatively minor and we were able to get through it in an hour or so. Then I was whisked off by household staff to a meal in my chambers where i found mother waiting.

  The sight of her sitting there at the tea table, draped in a blue gown and inspecting one long wickedly sharp nail, was still shocking to me. She had spent many years in a coma only waking the day before at the moment of my coronation. Nothing about our interactions since she had awakened had been normal. Mother hadn’t changed physically, she was still the slight and haunting pale beauty that my father fell in love with. Her eyes shone with a wicked intelligence and her body was slender and elegant, her every movement was grace incarnate.

  In her presence I felt the magic swirl to life in me once again, as it had when I was in danger. Mothers smile broadened and she beckoned me over with one elegant hand.

  “You do not believe that they were Imperial Assassins.” She said this without preamble and as a statement of fact rather than a question. “It originated from within the court.”

  I said nothing just stroking the

  “Come my son we have much to discuss.” Her deep and throaty voice sent a tremor through my body and I could feel my cock firming up as the magic swirled even harder. They seemed to pull me to mother, her unearthly powers a twin to what was growing within myself. I felt that pull but I resisted it. My own stubborn pride refusing to let me be pushed or pulled even by my own desires.