The Heraclian duel

"Well?" you demand impatiently when Alrechi walks up. "What's the bet?"

He grins cruelly. "You are aware of the tale of Heracles and the amazons?"

You tense at his tone. You may be a thief, but you're not some uneducated peasant. "Of course. Heracles won the girdle of the amazon queen Hipolyta as one of his labours."

"Ah, yes, but the key is how he does it. In one version, he is captured by the amazons, but wins his way free by a bet - much as you are seeking to do. You see Hipolyta, as a good amazon, had never lain with a man. And Heracles bet her that he could pleasure her more thoroughly than any of her female lovers. And he won the bet, the girdle and his freedom. And it is the custom in my homeland, amongst the wealthy and noble-" again his tone shows contempt of your low-born origins "-to honour the heroes feat in duels between young nobles. Each selects a woman and takes her in front of the judges. The first to make her climax uncontrollably wins the wager."

"I'm not going to fuck some man for your games!"

"Of course not. That would hardly be fair. No, I have hired two of the finest prostitutes this city has to offer, as per the traditional rules. We'll see how good your uppity tongue is at other things." His smirk widened at your startled blush. "And if the whore doesn't find you to her liking, I get to enjoy you. And I warn you, if you don't please me I'll tie you up outside with your sluttish body on display, as a present to the invading troops."

He turns away with a laugh, leaving you to sit and fume silently as the women chosen for the challenge enter. You have never had an eye for your own sex - enjoying pretty **** girls was a vice for the city's noblewomen, not your kind - but you can't help but notice that these two are beautiful. It's not surprising that a man like Alrechi would have good taste in women. One of them was a red-head, dressed in low cut leathers that aped the garb of a soldier, but obviously weren't meant for battle. The other, a blond, wore a dress in the style of the city's aristocracy, although it would have been scandalous in a noble's villa. Both outfits clung tightly to their ample curves, and exposed large amounts of soft, pale skin.

As Alrechi began to untie the strings of his trousers, his friends gathered round to judge the duel - hardly fair, but you knew you weren't in a position to argue. Painfully aware of you lack of experience with women, you wondered which one you would be partnered with.