Checkmate

I woke in the morning with the Queen still cuddled against me. She looked really good in her sleep, of course, she looked damn good when awake too. But there was something more this morning. How long had it been since she could let down her guard enough to be this ****?

It was also another reason to pick up Everlasting. She'd really give Snow a run for her money with a few years knocked off.

She woke with a languid stretch, then blinked at me as if trying to remember who I was and why I was in her bed. Then she smiled and kissed me.

"Good morning to you too, your Majesty."

"Please, call me Grimhilde." She purred.

I smiled, oh yes, all kinds of barriers were being broken down. And much more in just a few hours. "As you wish, Grimhilde." I was so giving her a nickname when I owned her instead of that mouthful. "Is there going to be a problem about my staying here?"

She laughed and waved a hand. "Of course not. No one would dare enter this floor of the castle uninvited, and I had a room for you made up earlier. As far as anyone else is concerned, you spent the night there."

"You truly are as wise as you are beautiful, my Queen. Grimhilde." I said before she could correct me. "I should move my things over from the Black Rose this day then. You won't mind if I install my servant in my quarters?"

The Queen raised an eyebrow. "She can be discreet?"

"I assure you, she will not say a thing I do not want her to. Her loyalty is absolute."

She snuggled back against me. "It must be nice to have retainers you can trust so. I had but the one maid I would trust not to put a knife in my back and had to let her go." We kissed again, long and heated, before she leaned back. "You, I trust as well, and I'll have to let you go to."

"Not for many days yet, Grimhilde, and I will stay here with you if you will."

She gave a throaty, sensual laugh. "And what of your bride-to-be?"

"We have a whole future together, what the two of us have is now." I told her, she seemed to like that. "Still, I should go and pack so I may return and entertain the two of you for breakfast, yes?"

She laughed again. "Yes, I suppose. You can find your way back to the dining room?" I nodded. "Very well then, an escort will be waiting for you. And Snow and I will be awaiting your return there."

I kissed her farewell, on lips and hand, before getting dressed, thankful that I had the foresight to drape my clothes over a chair so I didn't look rumpled. That was probably my persona at work.

The same nameless Captain was indeed waiting for me in the big dining room. "Good morning, my Lord, you found the accommodations to your liking, I hope?"

"Good morning indeed, Captain, and yes, I did very much. I'm just going to retrieve my possessions from the inn and then return in fact."

He gave me a shallow bow. "Very good, sir, if you would follow me then."

Because it has been bugging me, I finally asked. "Tell me Captain, are there not many people in the castle? I have yet to see anyone about besides you, the Queen and the Princess."

He smiled. "Indeed yes, but most stay on the lower floors and the back passageways. Was a time you'd see many a courtier about, but the lesser royals stick to their estates anymore."

"Interesting. And the guards? I find it shocking her Majesty has no personal security."

He chuckled. "The Queen is quite capable of protecting herself, believe me. And she enjoys her privacy, so I keep the guards to the entrance and the gates. Patrolling the town as well, of course.

"Of course." Curiosity sated, we walked along in silence until he delivered me to the Black Rose.

Finding the innkeeper, I gave him several more gems in thanks for his care and to leave a good impression. Entering my rooms, Ella popped up from where she had been reading in a chair. "My Lord!"

"Quickly, Ella, pack everything up, we're moving over to rooms in the castle. And don't worry about the book, read all you like as long as your duties are taken care of."

She gave me a winning smile, brightening up considerably. "Yes, my Lord, thank you, my Lord." Then rushed about quickly, packing what little had been displaced back in the saddlebags, then slung one over each shoulder.

The innkeeper had had our horses made ready while I was upstairs. We wouldn't be riding, but easier to cross the street with their saddles on than trying to carry them as well. The Captain was not only waiting but had taken charge of the horses as well.

"Plenty of space in the castle stables, your Highness. I will make sure they are taken care of."

I nodded, I had no doubt. "Very well Captain, lead on then." I felt a bit silly with the Captain leading the horses while Ella carried our baggage, and I brought nothing but myself. I guess that's nobility for you.

The Captain led us back to the dining room, where the Queen and Snow were waiting for us. "Thank you, Captain, if you would be so kind as to lead the Prince's servant to his rooms?"

"Of course, my Queen." He saluted fist over heart with a slight bow, then led Ella on.

I bowed, fist on heart, myself to the Queen, then nodded to Snow. "Good morning ladies, I do hope the day treats you well."

The Queen smiled, knowing that I knew just how her morning was going. "A good morning to you as well, my Lord." Snow bade me as I sat.

Breakfast was excellent as always, and the conversation was fun as the Queen slipped in many innuendos that went right over Snow's head. Interestingly, Snow had left several of the buttons on her dress undone, trying to show off some cleavage of her own. Sadly, she didn't have much in the way of cleavage to show. Might have to do something about that...

As we were finishing up, the Queen turned to me. "Tell me, my Prince, would you mind terribly if we borrowed your servant? With my maid unavailable, I would like to have someone who can be trusted to take care of the top floor." I noticed Snow twitched when the Queen mentioned her maid. Poor thing.

"But of course, your Majesty. While I am here, think of her as your own." For a very short while...

She smiled and turned to Snow White. "Dear, if you would go and show the Prince's servant what needs to be done on our floor." That didn't sound like a question at all, and Snow certainly didn't treat it as one. She quietly got up with a nod and hurried off. I wondered if she would just tell Ella what needed to be done or help her do it, I'd bet on the latter. Snow White was too kindhearted to just let someone else clean up and not pitch in.

"Well, my Queen, it is just the two of us again. Would you care to retire to the balcony and talk some more?"

She laughed and gave me a bow, showing off a nice expanse of cleavage that Snow could wish for. "That sounds like an excellent suggestion."

We passed the morning much as we had the day before, though I kept a closer eye on her this time. Very soon, the timer should tip over. I had my Company device in my pocket to let me know, but I kept wary for any interference.

I needn't have worried. Well before noon, I heard a chirp from my pocket, and the Queen got a startled look on her face. She turned to me in wonder then. "You own me?"

"Yes, I do. You will do anything I say, now get down on your knees and call me master." Best to get off with a strong start here.

She obviously really didn't want to do that, and started a fierce retort when her expression went blank of emotion, and she sank to her knees. "Yes, Master." Emotionlessness would have to do until I could afford Absolute Order. Hard to resist an order when you don't care.

I got a huge grin on my face. It worked, the Evil Queen was mine! A Tier 5 mage was fucking huge, and while here, I had her kingdom's resources at hand as well.

"Anyone around up here?" I asked the still kneeling Queen.

She shook her head. "Just Snow and your servant, and they're busy." She seemed to be trying to pretend she wasn't on her knees. Well, let's see if she could ignore this.

I undid my pants and dropped them, letting my cock spring forth. "Start sucking, I want you to get it as far down your throat as you can. Don't forget to breathe when you have to." Accidentally **** her to **** would be such a lame way to lose a Tier 5.

Her eyes went wide in shock at this further degradation. "I will no... Yes, Master." She started to yell, then went blank again before finishing her statement. Then she opened wide and started gagging on my dick. She'd learn her place sooner or later, now to check my device though.

Hmmm, two notifications pending. Odd, Snow shouldn't have popped yet. And holy fuck, I was at twenty-three credits! She shouldn't have been worth more than three, where did the other twenty come from?

The first notification was just the capture notice. Evil Queen Captured! +3 credits. The next must be the culprit.

Hidden Quest Found! Blindside a Precog: Capture someone with the Divination tag without them seeing it coming.

Hidden Quest Complete! Blindside a Precog: Reward +1 level of Trace Defense.

So hidden quests were a thing in the Gauntlet, good to know. And getting the first level of Trace Defense was huge. Not sure how that got me twenty credits though, unless... Yep. The Evil Queen, funny how it didn't list her actual name on my retinue, had a Trace Defense rebate worth twenty credits. Well, first things first, I paid off my loan.

Eighteen points left. Was there anything I really wanted? Oh right, Wild Talent. Still plenty of wilderness to travel. Talent Sharing? If I shared Combat Talent, then Snow and Ella started carrying their own weight. Stress Defense? Both Ella and the Queen gave rebates there, and not panicking sounded clutch. Right Stress Defense it was.

Ten left. Watching the Queen throating my cock, no longer looking blank, but more resigned than angry, I decided I wanted to grab Everlasting now. Finished making my selections, I hit confirm and watched her youthen until she looked no more than twenty-five. I grabbed her then with one hand and started to really rail her mouth, she was a quick study though, and did nothing to stop me but glare.

She swallowed without complaint as well after I unleashed down her throat. "Okay, get up and lead me to your room, I have something I think you'll really like to show you."

"Yes... Master." She said after a moment's hesitation and started walking off. A really quick study.

In her rooms, I took her to one of her ordinary mirrors and had her take a look. She paled in shock. "What? How?" She brought her hands to her face in disbelief.

"My servants get a number of perks, one of which is that you will never grow old. You will stay looking twenty-five as long as I keep you."

She turned to look at me then. "I serve you, and I stay young and beautiful looking forever?" My, that struck a chord.

I smiled, time for the other shoe. "Serve me well, and I may even put you in charge of my other servants. Piss me off, and I'll have you act as Snow White's urinal."

Instead of being angry or scared, she brushed that off as if it were immaterial. "Yes, of course, I'll serve you to the best of my capabilities." I raised a brow, and she sighed. "You have bested me, my only path to power now is by your good graces. You may have fooled me with your 'curse breaker' but I am not stupid. Master."

I nodded. "We will see. I may give you some obnoxious orders to amuse me just to test your resolve, but for now I'll take your word. Especially since you cannot lie to me."

She looked startled then, but quickly concealed it. "And what now, Master?"

I pulled out my Company device. "Now we have half an hour to kill until your daughter is mine as well." I dropped my pants again and sat back in a chair. "So get back to sucking. Get your tits out first, though."

Grimhilde pulled her dress down until her tits popped out. "Yes, Master."

Fuck I love days like this. Soon, Snow would be mine, and then to make plans. Wasn't the Queen some kind of alchemist?

Oh yeah, I could have some fun with that.