Slowly behead the Guilty.

You had almost forgotten how kind-hearted Ceno was, and this kindness and wisdom only seems to have grown with age. In hindsight, it shouldn’t have surprised you. Unlike nearly all the males who harried you and Thea during your **** stay in Deni, the primary reason why Ceno insisted on spending time with you was that he saw just how miserable you were. It was a difficult time; cooped up away from your Sisters, abandoned (even if for good reason) by your mothers and hounded by boys and men of all ages. You had been warned by your mothers about rakes and courtiers eager to pop your cherries, not just for the pleasure of stretching your tight young bodies, but so they could boast to their friends about banging an Amazon filly. It was particularly hard as the effect of the curse was amplifying the needs of your normal horny teenaged bodies. Unlike back on Accor, at the court of Deni you were surrounded by temptation. It is no wonder you two stayed away from young men as much as possible; judging by what happened that final night with Ceno it is just as well.

You glance up at Laoda to see if she has anything to say about Ceno's request but all she does is smile which makes your heart flutter but doesn't provide any real guidance. Perhaps she already knows what your answer will be, and judging by her silence she is either in full agreement or doesn’t care and wants you to make your own choice in this matter. You know exactly what Calista and her Daughters of Lycaon would think about this offer, but you've gone head-to-head with them before, and will do so again many times as long as you are queen. If they had their way, Sisters would have no interaction with men, and your people would grow by spreading the curse by **** if needed. Perhaps the contrast between Laoda and Calista is what makes you so confident in your decision.

You turn back to Ceno and take his arm in yours with a teasing smile, “Very well,” you reply pleased to see a tint of red forming on his fair cheeks, “what do I get in return for this.”

Ceno arches a brow and lightly stroke his chin as he thinks of a response. “Well we are planning to offer you iron ore that we hear you are in need of … and I will turn over any of your captured Sisters freed by Deni forces.”

You smirk and roll your eyes, “You would have done that anyway.”

“True,” he concedes without a fight, “but consider this. My merchants will be purchasing much of the loot plundered from the city, it is possible that your mother's crown and other possessions from Accor will pass through their hands.” This is something you hadn't considered and the possibility of recovering any of the weapons and personal possessions of your lost Sisters would mean a great deal to their families and friends. Hope for some kind of closure must change your expression because Ceno chuckles with satisfaction.

“I just wish I could offer more. Seriously though, you and your Sisters have done so much for us; no amount of iron ore or even gold can possibly make up for it. Honestly, I feel guilty even asking this of you, knowing how much your nation has suffered. If it wasn’t for your mother, Deni might not even exist.”

As you look into the handsome young man’s gentle eyes you feel your heart pulsing in your chest, and by the way his eyes meet yours you sense that he could be as excited as you. Before you become lost in each other’s eyes you are pulled out of the trance by Laoda placing a hand on your shoulder pad.

“If you don’t mind, your highness, your Majesty,” she bows first to Ceno and then you, “I must speak with Queen Resia. I’ll leave you two to become reacquainted.”

“Huh?” You blink a few times trying to focus on what she is saying. “O-oh yes, of course.”

Laoda gives you a playful wink before making her way to Resia’s tent, “Have fun.”

With Laoda gone you dismiss your guards. They must feel that you are safe enough now that you are in allied territory because they salute and turn away no doubt eager to get back to the Accor camp. As they do so however you catch a glimpse of them smiling at each other, and you almost hear the laughter of the two veterans. As if in confirmation, one mouths to her partner, “They are so cute.” You blush hard when you see this and ignoring the smirks of the two bearded warriors standing guard outside the closed flap of Ceno's tent you duck through the opening followed closely by Ceno. As a prince and queen, it seems you will have no chance to avoid the gossip of his people and yours.

“Alright Ceno,” you say closing the flaps behind your while trying to shake the color from your cheeks, “What makes you think that there is a traitor among the Amazons?”

“First things first,” Ceno started, “How are you and Thea holding up.”

You let out a long sigh, “We're…fine. Thea often talks about you and…I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about you.”

Ceno’s blush grows a little brighter and he rubs the back of his head, “I…I’ve been thinking about you too Xira, but that’s not the reason why I’m asking.”

Again, you feel a tightness in your stomach as someone reminds you of your mother’s **** though this time it isn’t anger you are feeling. “I would rather not talk about it,” you respond.

Ceno sighed, “Alright. What about Thea’s mother? Did she survive?”

You avert your eyes from Ceno’s so he can’t see your tears, “Worse.”

His face turns pale when he hears this. “Xira, I swear I will do everything in my power to find her and bring her back.”

“I know, Ceno,” you reply as you slowly turn your head back toward him. “Just…Just tell me what you know about the traitor, it’s important.”

You can see the expression in Ceno’s eyes change from sympathy to worry when he realizes that you already know about the traitor. “By the gods,” he says softly, “It's true then, How did you find out?”

Again your anger started to rise but even as your nose flares and your teeth grind together the tears that you had been fighting to restrain flow feely down your cheeks, “They knew about the drakes,” you say **** on the words, “The drakes were our secret weapon, no one had even though about building a ship to house and carry them, and we made sure that our drakeships were hidden within our formations. We should have won, we should have taken them off guard but…”

You stopped when Ceno places his hand lightly on your shoulder. Unable to stop yourself you slip your arms around him and cried on his shoulder. As you let out all of your sorrows into the pit of his neck Ceno supports your trembling body and comforts you in his warm embrace. After a while, you were able to pull your head back from his shoulder and he leads you to his bed. As you sit side by side, the soft fur of the wolf pelt lightly brushes up against your thighs, you feel the familiar heat that you have been fighting all day burning within you.

You had dreams like this for nights on end ever since your left Deni. Alone in a tent with Ceno, the only thing separating you were your clothes and the beating of your hearts. You did the best you could to shake these dreams from your sleep, Amazon’s aren’t supposed to fall in love with men, least of all their Queen, but it was to no avail. More nights than you can count you lay on your bed fingering yourself as you imagined that it was Ceno spreading your legs and joining with you.

It doesn’t help that now, Ceno appears to have these same desires the bulge in his leggings is unmistakable. You want so much to feel his toned body pressed against your fit curves as he shoves that hard member deep into your virgin pussy. You are a direct descendent of the first queen's daughter, and having the blood of Ares running through your veins makes you and all of your relatives the focal point of your people's curse. As far as you knew if you were to have a child out of love it wouldn’t break the curse, but at the same time, none of your relatives have ever fallen in love before. Could you even take that risk? As intense as your feelings are for Ceno, there is a chance that this act of love could break Ares' curse and make you as weak as any other woman. Stripped of your enhanced strength you could no longer lead your people and keep them safe. The child formed by a union like this might not be an Amazon, it could even be a boy! You might love Ceno enough to be happy as his wife, banished forever from Accor, but would it be fair to your Sisters to leave them just as war is beginning. What would Thea think, or your mother?

Resisting the urge to kiss him, which takes a great deal of effort, you breathe deeply and with a heavy exhale you ask him, “Tell me everything you know.”