To the Parade Grounds

4th Madidae, the 31th day of the month of Semens (Sem), the 3672nd year of Salvation's Landing

Gaining composure from her sister's prod, Yelena looked up and forward. Unfortunately for her, that was exactly where her older sister was sitting. Her older sister looked like she was trying to look at Reglin as he stood on the outside of the carriage and back at Yelena herself, all the while trying not to look like she was observing either of them.

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes slightly, though it was hidden a fair share by her lazy eyelids. The tiny Princess really was exhausted. She would never complain about why she was so, but it didn’t change the fact.

She glanced over at her new lover, he really was something to look at nowadays, wasn’t he? Yelena caught herself from smiling too widely and quickly schooled her face to impassivity.

Her handmaid Oliyah was under no such compunction. The girl was smitten, Yelena could tell. To Oliyah’s credit though, she wasn’t making outlandish faces of daydreaming while she stared at the tall man. Instead, her face was simply intent and maybe a bit bemused. One thing was for certain though, the rest of the occupants of this carriage were completely out of her mind.

Giving her head a small shake of amusement, Yelena closed her eyes for a moment. She admitted that she enjoyed watching Reglin in action the other evening when matched up against his fellow armsmen. However, she would much rather have the young man to herself in the library. If not to herself, at least with the small group of people that seemed to form some sort of social circle.

With her eyes closed, the little blonde thought to just the other night and seeing Reglin being so very forceful and domineering with Asha, and how much it excited the Princess. Yet, last night he had been the consummate and thoughtful lover, paying every attention to her desires. A growing part of her was really looking forward to the time that she was the one put through her paces at Reglin’s whim. As royalty the idea of being so thoroughly dominated and used was just about as alien a concept as there was, and it was the more exciting for it. Yelena could feel her slit moisten at the thoughts, accompanying that lovely sore heat she had throughout her naughty bits.

“Thinking of your little friend out there, my little sister?” the murmured voice brought Yelena from her erotic thoughts and **** her eyes open. The middle Polivander Princess saw her older sister leaning forward, a smirk on her lips and an all too familiar narrowing of her eyes, that was usually indicative of something cruel coming.

She was tired of being so easily culled. But she wasn’t so sure of herself as to openly defiant of her imposing sister, not just yet at least. She felt a bit guilty for what she was about to do, but it was also true. So she leaned in slightly and spoke quietly, “I was just amused by dear Oliyah’s fascination with our engaging new House guard. I could not help but notice that your own eyes keep looking his direction.” Yelena said it quiet enough that most would not hear, given the noise the horse and carriage created. Though she did notice her Cirsha leaning in ever so slightly, apparently trying to make out what was being said. Oliyah made no reaction, letting Yelena off the hook in regard to her guilt by a nominal amount.

Rolling her eyes to Yelena’s words, Katya gave a small, exasperated sigh, “Pssh… I will admit to him having a look about him that is… dangerous. Moreso than I remember from just the other day.” She put a forefinger to her lips in thought, “Perhaps it is the beard coming in…” She waved a hand then “But it really does not matter. He’s a commoner. A servant whose entire life is to be spent protecting and defending me.”

Dangerous? That was interesting to hear from Katya. When Yelena looked at him, she saw the tenderness she had known in his eyes almost always first and foremost. After that, take your pick, she thought. That artifact of his had really given him a new look in a number of ways. The fact that her older sister mentioned ‘dangerous’ first might be more of an indication as to what Katya’s proclivities might be.

Yelena gave a shrug, her face composed and her eyes heavy-lidded in her tiredness. “I do not think that is what Reglin thinks about at all times… Would he protect with his life? Of course. Is it an all-consuming compulsion? Hardly…” She sighed, “Plus, if I understood some things correctly, he might not be so much a commoner for very long…” Yelena didn’t know why she was trying to pump up the esteem for Reglin in her adversarial sister, but she did it for some reason.

Arching a brow at that, it was Katya’s turn to mask her face in indifference. Try as she might, Yelena could still hear the inquisitiveness in the words, “Oh? I really doubt it really matters all that much…”

Yelena saw Cirsha lean in just a tiny bit more before the middle Princess spoke, still not sure why she was saying she was, “Apparently, saving a landed Lord from certain **** may bring out dear Guardsman up in the world. The young Lord Bormley has seemingly offered Reglin and his unit no small parcel of land. With the possibility of more if they were to take the fight to the Clans.”

The brows on her older sister climbed ever higher at that and her younger sister made a small ‘oh’ sound, telling Yelena that Cirsha was in fact comprehending the quiet conversation.

After a pregnant pause Katya waves a hand in a dismissive gesture. “Nevermind that…” She leaned in a little closer and spoke even softer. It was strange how her sister was acting with her, Yelena thought. Almost as if they were friends, or maybe not quite. Maybe they were what they were: strained siblings, “I have heard that your big man out there is cozying up with some of the help.” She gave a head nod behind her, clearly indicating Asha Yelena knew, “Is there truth to this?” Her lips had formed a devious looking little smile.

Rolling her eyes once more, the middle sister couldn’t suppress another sigh, “Maybe he has. I would not be surprised in the slightest from what I know of the young woman.” She glanced from looking at Asha over Katya’s shoulder, to a look at Reglin standing outside the carriage, his profile looking imposing and masculine. “And it is not like he could not have his pick of just about any or all the women around here.” Her last sentence was delivered with a bit of an unintentional airy quality.

Smirking once more, Katya gave a soft snort of a laugh, “He’s not all that handsome…” Her head looked at him too and her words died. She watched him for more than a few seconds before looking back to Yelena, “But, it’s not like the girl is working with much up top.” The barb delivered with almost effortless ease. Her eyes then gave an obvious look down at the modest cleavage that Yelena was revealing in her own dress, “More than some, I suppose… but not much really.” Katya’s own bosom was then enhanced by a melodramatic deep breath.

She wanted to pummel her older sister with the fact that her tiny breasts were all that Reglin wanted last night. Well, not all, but he did talk about how wonderfully responsive they were to his touches, his kisses, and his bites. How amazing she felt under his attention, relieving her of her self-consciousness in regard to her puffy nipples. Reglin seemed enthralled by them for a bit of time. But, she decided to bite her tongue and stayed quiet.

When she didn’t get the rise out of Yelena that she was looking for, Katya’s smirk became more of a smile, “Not so easy to take the bait anymore, little sister…” Her eyes looked as though they were gauging Yelena, “Maturing all the time, it seems.”

Giving her own snort of a laugh this time, Yelena couldn’t keep a bit of spite out of her voice, “Katya, you have not received any reaction from me for some time now. I have moved on, big sister. I have no idea what I ever did to you growing up, but I have given up trying to understand it. Instead, I keep away…” That came out of nowhere. It was things that she had been keeping bottled up, and then, boom! Yelena could feel surprise in her own face in reaction.

The wide-eyed look her sister gave Yelena told her that she wasn’t expecting such a naked expression of honesty thrown at her. Her mouth even hung open slightly in a look of bewilderment. She blinked a few times but remained wordless.

Feelin a bit uncomfortable with the silence, Yelena jumped in, “Look sister, a part of me appreciates you talking to me like at least a cordial family member. But there is a bigger part of me that is on guard, waiting for the attack. It has been my experience that they usually come often enough.” She spoke quietly still and tried to not let too much venom into her voice. She was legitimately trying to tell her sister about what the last decade or so had been to her. Giving a small shrug and wearing a sheepish look on her face, “I guess that has been festering in me for a bit. I would apologize for releasing such a torrent, but I think I would be lying. I think I needed to give voice to those feelings.”

Her sister still looked at her with a mildly shocked expression. Glancing to her right and left, Yelena could see that Katya’s handmaidens were looking a bit nervous. Well, not Gyynfuir. She looked out the opposite window of Oliyah’s, watching the Capital city’s citizens move about the streets as they made their way to the parade grounds more than likely. With a glance at Oliyah, the tiny Princess saw that her own handmaiden had taken a break from looking at Reglin to look at Yelena with the smallest of smiles. It might have been her imagination, but she thought she saw pride in Oliyah’s eyes as she looked at her. A deep sigh came from Katya, drawing Yelena’s attention back to her older sister.

Breathing her own, Yelena did feel somewhat bad about just laying all of her pent up emotion out there on the drop of a hat. Especially after Katya did seem like she was extending herself to her younger sister, “I do not know… I do not want to shut down the way you are speaking to me now, sister. But I had to be honest. I still wait for the dagger… And the part that has always truly bothered me is that I have no inclination as to what it was that I ever did to you?” Her words did come out as a bit of a plea.

Her older sister looked struck then. Yelena was not sure if it was her words or something else that caused the grimace of realization on her sister’s beautiful face. Yet, seeing it brought about a sense of sadness in Yelena. She did not wish to hurt anyone. But before she could placate things Katya had smoothed her face and waved her hand once more in a dismissive motion. “Oh, I would not remember if you had done anything or not. Perhaps I am just a rotten soul my sweet sister…” Her words were given in an almost jovial fashion, but Yelena thought she heard a wavering in them that sounded of something more underneath. Her next words did not waiver. They came with a conviction that Yelena had not expected. “No. As I think on it, you, nor Cirsha here…” her eyes looked over at the prying youngest Princess. Whose eyes bulged at her mention, “Neither of you have wronged me truly… I fear that you just were there for me to lash out at… It all comes from elsewhere…” The last sentence was almost too quiet for Yelena to make out.

With a shaking and tentative hand, Yelena reached out and gave the smallest of touches to the back of her sister’s hand that lay in her lap. The start that Katya gave told the little blonde that her older sister had indeed gone somewhere in her head. “I-I… am sorry that you had to… lash out at us. If I… If we could help you, we would have. We can now! It is not too late, my sister.”

Giving a snort that sounded a derisive, something more akin to how Yelena was used to Katya sounded, her voice had some venom in it, “Gods, you are a sweet thing, are you not… I cannot fathom you ever leaving the comforts of the castle, little sister. I fear the world would chew you up in no time at all.” In spite of the words that sounded harsh, Katya’s hand turned over and gave Yelena’s hand a squeeze. “If I had thought you could help, sweet one, I might have shared with you. Alas, I do not think you can even to this day… No, we will have to see.”

That squeeze of her hand felt… miraculous. Yelena had not realized just how much it had hurt her spirit to not have her sister. Not that she did now really, just yet, but it was something. Something that could possibly be built upon. She had to guard herself. Was this just another ploy? She looked at Katya who still held her hand lightly, but her eyes had gone to looking out the window once more. Right at Reglin, of course.

Leaning in once more, Katya put on a devious little smile, “So… She might have much up top. But she does have some admirable assets below the waist, I will admit. Similar to a certain sister of mine.” Yelena had not really thought of herself as truly anything special in regard to physicality. She fought herself from feeling too much affection for the compliment, as off-color as it was. “Who do you think puts who through their paces of the two?” She raised a brow inquisitively.

Her cheeks flushed thinking about the intimate encounters she had as well as the ones she’s witness between Reglin and the other girls. She cleared her throat a little and looked over at their House guard. He wore a small smile as he surveyed the surroundings. His shortly-shorned beard making him look ruggedly masculine, but it was cut in such a way as it was still dignified. “Look at him. Do you think he would come out on the wanting side of anything requiring physicality?” She tried to keep the affection out of her voice. Just a bit of admiration of a boy she grew up with that had blossomed into an incredibly attractive man.

That devious smile was still on her lips, “Hmmm… I will admit to him being a sight, even for a commoner. But looks are not everything little sister. I would wager a good deal that if he were to see a woman such as me in a state of undress, his tongue would cease to function. Let alone his ability to perform. I doubt he would last two minutes…”

Unable to hold back giggles that drew the eyes of all the girls in their row, Yelena had to bite her tongue and let the others return to their distractions. Once they had, the tiny Princess leaned in, “Sister, you are a beauty, of course… But I would be willing to wager an equally good deal that he would have you howling… Not that a Princess would ever engage in such things, of course.” She giggled again, but much less conspicuously. Over Katya’s shoulder Yelena saw her uncle looking in their direction, his usual jovial expression missing. Instead, he looked like he was trying to puzzle something out.

As the carriage approached the parade grounds, the team of horses started to slow. Katya’s eyes weighed Yelena’s own for a few moments. She then leaned in very close, “Do not be so sure, my little sister… We may have to negotiate such a wager. It might be worth it just to see the poor boy struck dumb at the sight of me. And it that does not do the trick I am confident that he would be weeping at what I would do to him.”

The carriage came to a stop and she saw Reglin hop off out of the corner of her eye, though she was thoroughly engaged with her sister and the current topic, “You come up with what you are willing to wager, my sister, and I will think and come up with my own that will be on the level of yours.” Her own smile became devious, she could tell. “But now we will get to see just how masterful Reglin is with that body of his. I have watched him train. You are in for a treat.” She waggled her brow at her sister suggestively. This was perhaps the most bizarre turn of events that Yelena could have imagined when she climbed into the carriage, but she was glad for it, strange as it was.

The door opened and Reglin retrieved the step down from inside. Once he had set it up, Oliyah was the first to stand and hurriedly went to the door. The girl still seemed like her mind was elsewhere. Or perhaps it was right where she wanted to be that moment. Yelena saw Reglin smile widely at her handmaiden and offer a hand. Oliyah took it with a small giggle. A giggle! No doubt about it now as Reglin led her down to the parade grounds. Since her handmaiden had been first, it was her place to follow suit. She stood and walked over. Reglin’s grin managed to widen a slight bit as he offered his hand. Yelena heard herself giggle then as she took his large hand. It wasn’t just him, she knew. It was the convergence of things that drew that out of her. Regardless, she came down and was led to stand next to Oliyah, who was once more watching the big man intently.

The other guards stood sentry with the pomp required as Reglin then led Yelena’s younger sister and Iridia down, Cirsha showing a toothy, innocent smile, as if she were meeting a childhood hero. Iridia was far more reserved, but was still not immune to Reglin’s charm, giving him a cute curtsey at the end of his escort. That was something! That girl was quite subdued usually. Not rude, but her courtesies were usually exactly proper.

Next came Katya’s handmaids, starting with the buxom redhead, Caterine. She giggled relentlessly as Reglin escorted her down, seeming a bit on the nervous side. After her came Erynna. She was always so preoccupied with making sure she did everything just right for Katya, that she too looked nervous at the singular attention of the handsome guard. She gave her own nervously cute curtsey at the end. Then came Gwynfuir. The brunette western woman was doing a good job of looking disinterested in the whole thing until Reglin asked her if he had offended her in some manner. She immediately broke into a smile that gave the lie to her cool exterior and apologize to him, saying that her mind was on her upcoming duties. Yelena knew that to be a lie. The girl tried her damnedest to avoid tending to her older sister. Reglin accepted the explanation with grace and the two exchanged a bow and curtsey.

Waiting at the top of the stairs was Katya, looking stunning Yelena had to admit. The smile she wore did not have the usual smirkiness to it. She looked downright pleasant. She took the offered hand from Reglin with an overabundance of grace and she even gave him thanks at the offering. That was completely out of character for the eldest Princess. Yelena had to hide a smile. Katya was laying it on thick, giving Reglin a look as close to a ‘come hither’ look as she could and still remain proper. Reglin was thrown off balance by all this, though he did a great job of not showing it, Yelena thought. Once done, Katya gave even more effusive thanks to her giant lover causing Yelena to bring a hand to her mouth to hide her giggle.

The rest of the carriage disembarked with nothing of note to speak of besides a bit of an understated flirt from Asha and an equal response from Reglin. Her father seemed suitably pleased with Reglin’s performance as he came down after Reglin had remained with her mother, offering her is arm until the King came to stand. Reglin saluted her father and then made a bow for her mother. Even her mother seemed to wear a subtle smile.

Once all were out the carriage, the entourage made its way into the parade grounds and toward the grandstands. Once inside the grounds proper Reglin spoke some words to his fellow guards and then broke off. He looked around and made eye contact with Yelena, offering her a smile before he left to get ready. It looked as though he might have done the same for a few others in the cadre, but that was to be expected, Yelena thought. As he left Yelena thought she heard a giggle from Katya even… The man was a **** of nature, she thought and smiled.

~This is knowledge for the Reader~

The Affection Multiplier

~Mana: 319 (+52) 371~

~Mana Channels: ~Labiae Passionii (Lips of Passion) free, ~ Corpu Vigorii (Vigorous Body) 100, ~ Uirtau Proelium (Martial Prowess) 100, ~Mensu Lucidae (Bright Mind) 100, ~ Tactu Beatae (Blissful Touch) 100, ~Plurem Amatrixae Normalii (The Normalcy of Many Loves) 500, ~Corpu Libidaem (Lustful Body) 100, ~Corpu Spectabilum (Intimidating Body) 100, ~Mentulae Potencii (Potent Cock) 150, ~Limbu Infinitum (Endless Loins) 100, ~Voluptae Gustatum (Delightful Flavor, Gratify the Appetite), ~Figurae Cultura (Shaping Culture), ~Vulgum Venerae (The Love of the Masses), ~Corpu Vigorii Magii (A More Vigorous Body) 400, ~Fluxii Magickae (The Flow of Magick - Yelena Polivander) 500

~Lovers~ A: 300 E: 300 L: 300
~Tabitha~ Affectionae: 100 Erosii: 100 Libidae: 100 (Effective 80)
~Asha~ A: 100 E: 100 L: 100 (Effective 81)
~Princess Yelena~ A: 100 E: 100 L: 100 (Effective 65)

~Royal Polivander House~ A: -21 (+18) -3 L: 2 (+8) 10
~King Oren~ A: 6 (+1) 7
~Queen Delliah~ A: 2 (+2) 4
~Princess Katya~ A: -48 (+13) -35 L: 0 (+5) 5
~Princess Cirsha~ A: 22 (+2) 24 L: 2 (+3)
~Crown Prince Tilan~ A: -9

~Nobles~ A: 132 E: 13 L: 89
~Lady Wilmyna~ A: 75 E: 13 L: 64
~Lady Falina~ A: 30 L: 10
~Lady Vidala~ A: 27 L: 15

~Royal and Noble maidens~ A: 234 (+21) E: 24 (+1) 25 L: 171 (+3) 174
~Maiden Caterine~ A: 24 (+5) 29 E: 1 L: 6 (+2) 8
~Maiden Gwynfuir~ A: 16 (+3) 19
~Maiden Erynna~ A: 9 (+4) 13
~Maiden Oliyah~ A: 70 (+6) 76 E:16 (+1) 17 L: 58 (+3) 61
~Maiden Iridia~ A: 6 (+3) 9
~Maiden Freighla~ A: 78 E: 7 L: 69
~Maiden Deela~ A: 18 L: 2
~Maid Camilla~ A: 32 L: 36

~Day watch~ A: 253 E: 3
~Grahm~ A: 41
~Lim~ A: 65 E: 3
~Boll~ A: 43
~Halpern~ A: 29
~Nimit~ A: 22
~Gamil~ A: 10
~Magnurs~ A: 14
~Canith~ A: 12
~Yohan~ A: 9
~Sebestin~ A: 5
~Yorick~ A: 5

~Evening watch~ A: 22
~Thedin~ A:10
~Vorn~ A: 12

~Night watch~ A: 6

~Palace Staff~ A: 61 (+1) 62 L: 8
~Lina~ A: 48 L: 6
~Govren~ A: 8 (+1) 9
~Shonda~ A: 15 L: 2