Taken to the court of the Empress

"Don't be frightened, little one." Kihara gave Marcus' hand a comforting squeeze. "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise." The young prince nodded faintly, staring up at the woman he adored from under the hood of the cloak she'd wrapped him in. He trusted her, of course he did, and that calming reassurance in her voice made him feel so warm and happy he wanted to snuggle up against her right now and shut the rest of the world away. It was just...everything was happening so fast he couldn't help be anxious anyway. Like right now, the pair of them stood in a lavish open hallway, the floors covered in the most beautiful colored mosaics like the young prince had never seen before. This was the palace of the Empress she'd pointed out to him from the air, where they were about to be bought before the woman who ruled this massive city and the entire desert realm around it.

Marcus had been stunned ever since he'd heard as much, and felt totally unprepared to meet a fellow royal. In his head, he kept going over the etiquette lessons his Mother had given him, trying to remember how he was supposed to behave in front of a lady of noble birth, one who was of rather higher status than himself in fact. Only Kihara had reminded him again just moments ago to stay behind her and keep quiet, so he wasn't sure he'd be given the chance to speak at all. He just hoped this Empress wasn't going to be too scary.

There were other things that were worrying him. Like the two severe female guards who'd escorted them to this room, who kept giving him strange, lingering looks like they were trying to peek under his cloak. Both were dark-skinned and muscly like Kihara, and carried wickedly spiked halberds against their armored shoulders. Were all the women here tall and strong like that? The thought made him blush a little, as anxious as he was, but it also left him wondering about the men in this strange new realm. His Father would never have let a girl take up arms in his Kingdom, but here it was starting to seem like the opposite was true. Well, if they were anywhere near as strong as Kihara was, he wasn't really surprised that they did all the fighting.

"Honored Marzban." Another woman, this one draped in a silk robe emerged from the doorway ahead of them, her sharp voice carrying over the room. Marcus let out a little squeak of shock before he managed to purse his lips firmly shut. She was quite old, her brown skin lined and wrinkled and her dark hair fading to grey. Still, she had to be almost as tall as Kihara, which meant she towered over him.

"Astabadh." Kihara murmured. She let go of his hand and stepped forward, lowering her head respectfully. The young prince watched her anxiously, already missing the comfort of her fingers squeezing his own.

"Her Imperial Majesty will see you now." The new woman announced, stepping to one side and gesturing to the doorway behind her. It had a purple silk curtain draped over it, the fabric line with rich, gold thread. "The...foreigner can stay here under guard." Her dark eyes flickered dismissively to Marcus who shrank back at the cold look she gave him.

"No, he comes with me." Kihara shook her head, her firm tone allowing no disagreement. "He is a part of the mission her Highness gave me. She will want to see the fruits of my labor for herself." The warm, blossoming relief Marcus had felt at her insistence he stay with her faded to confusion at that last part. Mission, what mission? What was she talking about?

"Very well then, Marzban." The old woman sighed, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Keep your foreign boy on a tight leash while in her presence or she will not be pleased. You do know how she feels about his kind, do you not?"

"I do." Kihara replied, her own dark eyes flashing. Marcus shrank closer to her, his heart pounding. He was really starting to wish they'd stayed in that tent in the oasis now. None of this was making any sense to him. Trust her, he told himself firmly. She was going to protect him. Sure enough, Kihara glanced back over her shoulder at him, a sympathetic smile on her gorgeous face. "Come." She told him gently. "Follow me." The young prince nodded quickly, and shuffled forward after her as she strode for the doorway. As they passed that horrible woman, her dark eyes followed him in a cold, lingering stare that made him very glad most of his body was hidden under this cloak.

Kihara ducked through the purple curtain first and he followed right after her, eager to be away from the scary old lady and those severe guards. As he stepped into the room beyond, the young prince froze in stunned surprise, a gasp of wonder escaping his lips. Rather than a stone hallway, Kihara and him now stood at one end of what seemed to be a large walled garden, open to the desert sky above. Two ornamental pools of clear, gleaming water ran along a central path, with pretty pink lilies floating on the surface. Other flowers grew in neatly arranged beds, perfuming the air with sweet scents. It was one of the most beautiful places he'd ever seen and he wondered at the amount of time it must have taken to carefully grow all these gorgeous plants within the walls of a palace.

"Approach the throne." A loud voice boomed from the other side of the garden. Kihara stepped forward suddenly, and Marcus scurried after her, his heart pounding. He risked a peek around her body, and saw two more fierce armed guards waiting at the end of the long pathway. Between them, there was another woman lying across a long chair and resting up on her elbow as she gazed lazily down the garden. She was quite beautiful, maybe around his Mother's age, with smooth coffee-colored skin and bright almond eyes. Instead of anything decent, she wore only a thin silk dress so sheer the dark flesh of her long legs and big, round boobs was clearly visible through the fabric. Marcus swallowed anxiously, pulling his gaze away from those tempting hints of smooth, brown skin under her clothes. Settled in her silky black hair, the woman wore a small golden headband, studded with gleaming rubies. This was the Empress, it had to be, which meant he definitely shouldn't be gawping at her, no matter that she was practically naked. Just in front of the chair, the pathway opened out into a wide square of marble, and it was here that Kihara paused suddenly, lowering her body into a deep bow. After a moment's thought, Marcus did the same, staring down at the smooth white stone underneath his feet. At least that meant no-one would catch him peeking at the Empress' boobs.

"My sweet Kihara, rise." The Empress purred. Her voice was sultry and smoky, just the exotic sound of it making the young prince's skin tingle. "I've missed you, my dear."

"I've returned from my mission as promised, your Imperial Majesty." Kihara straightened as she spoke, her head up and back ramrod-straight. She looked every inch the disciplined warrior, but as Marcus glanced across at her he swore he could see a hint of strain in her gorgeous face.

"How many times have I told you, dear?" The Empress chuckled, leaning back against her chair, which made her big boobs press even tighter against the sheer silk of her dress. "Don't call me by those silly titles. And stop standing there looking so serious, like I'm about to send you off to die in glorious battle for the Empire. This is a joyous moment, is it not? My favorite niece returned at last to civilization from the barbarous lands beyond the mountains. Come now, you can act a little happy to be back, can't you?" Kihara stiffened for a moment, then her lips curled into a strained smile.

"As you wish, auntie." She sighed. Hold on! Marcus gasped rather loudly, no matter that it made the Empress' eyes flicker curiously to his face. Auntie?