Casimir returns swiftly to his Lady

Queen Catherine gazed from her throne. Neither smiling nor frowning, she held Prince Casimir's gaze for a long moment. Her blue eyes sparkled with mystery, arched over by her finely lined dark brows.

"Your Majesty," he acknowledged.

"May peace and prosperity attend Sarmata in her closer association with Zalessia," Queen Catherine pronounced. She slid the tip of her tongue around her lips.

Casimir quivered.

She smiled, the slightest little smile, and added, "And send my warmest compliments to Lady Velimira."

"I shall, your Majesty," Prince Casimir said. Making a deep bow, he walked backward from the Queen's presence. The doors opened as he withdrew, attended by the Queen's concealed assistants.

Casimir struggled to control himself, shaken by the Queen's military and political demands followed by a brazen, seductive invitation. By the time he arrived at the office of Sarmata's ambassador to the Queen's court, he was almost kingly again. He conferred with the ambassador, confirming the agreement with Zalessia on the terms demanded by the Queen. Without stopping to stay the night, Casimir sought swift passage back to Sarmata, where he would remain ruler in name, if diminished in fact by Zalessia's leverage. Let there at least be peace, he thought.

Traveling swiftly with a mounted escort, Casimir returned incognito through a side entrance. He let his faithful steward know of his return, telling him that he would convene his Council soon to make known how Zalessia proposed to support his rule.

Then, aching to see his Lady, Prince Casimir passed through secret back hallways to his Lady's chamber. He closed his eyes and smiled, taking a deep breath, remembering how he had left her sprawled in erotic exhaustion upon the bed, the covers twisted every which way. At least here there would be solace.

Letting himself out through a concealed panel, he entered the hall where Lady Velimira's chambers were. One of Velimira's ladies of chamber drowsed upon a stool outside, lost in dreams as she awaited her mistress' call. He raised his brows. Usually her attendants were within. Perhaps Velimira was sitting up with one of her intimate friends, or a fortune-teller, perhaps. He paused at the door, and froze.

Inside he heard the rising moans of his wife in pleasure. His hand trembled in anger and fear as he placed it upon the door.