"Belmair is a star, Princess," Alka pointed out.

"And when you are on Belmair it is Hetar that is the star," Zagiri told her.

Alka looked as if she didn't believe the girl but she said, "If you say so, Princess."

"You are ignorant," Zagiri remarked. "It is not your fault."

The bathing chamber was actually several tiled rooms. In the first one Zagiri was stripped of her sleeping garment and rinsed with warm water. Then she was scrubbed down with a fragrant soap and a rough cloth before being rinsed thoroughly a second time. Her long golden hair was washed, her fingernails and toenails carefully pared. Then she was told to soak in a small fragrant tub while a bath attendant toweled and brushed her hair dry. A massage with scented cream followed. She was re-dressed in a lovely pale green silk gown, and taken to Lady Farah.

"I have no shoes," she protested as she left the bath.

"You do not need them indoors," Alka said.

Lady Farah was waiting for Zagiri. She welcomed the girl, kissing her on both cheeks, and then dismissed Alka. "How do you feel, my dear?" she asked.

"I slept well last night," Zagiri answered.

The older woman laughed. "You have slept two nights and a day," she told her. "I felt it best you do so. Your initiation not to mention your trip across the Dream Plain had to be exhausting. Now, are you ready to begin your lessons?"

"Aye, I am," Zagiri said. "I want to know everything you can teach me that I may please my lord Jonah. I am not afraid of pleasures, and, like my mother, my lusts run hot."

Lady Farah smiled broadly. "I knew you were a sensible girl, and once we rid you of that silly maidenhead of yours you would understand. I think you will be pleased with the tutors I have chosen for you, Zagiri." She clapped her hands, and two men emerged from an alcove. "You will remember Casnar, of course, and this other fine specimen is Doran. He is mute, but he hears, and he is very talented. Casnar, however, will be in charge. Doran will assist him. Casnar will teach you what pleasures a man, and will therefore pleasure you. He will answer any questions you need to ask him. Go along now, my dear. You have much to learn, and little time in which to learn it."

"Come along, little one," Casnar said, taking Zagiri's hand. Both he and Doran were naked but for gold breech clothes. Where Casnar was tall and slender Doran was of medium height with a heavier build. Both men, however, were well muscled, and had very impressive manhoods, from the looks of the fabric.

"Where are we going?" the girl asked him. "I have not eaten yet."

"To your chamber. We will begin by examining each other's bodies. There are several erogenous zones that when touched properly give pleasure. You must learn them all, and learn how to touch them in the correct manner. When you can satisfy me that you have educated yourself and have gained the skill of touch you will be rewarded."

"What will you give me?" Zagiri wanted to know. "I'm hungry!"

"You will receive a most thorough reaming from one of us. It will be your choice, little one, as to which of us receives that privilege," Casnar told her. "Food later!"

"What if I want to be reamed by both of you?" she asked teasingly.

Casnar's blue eyes twinkled. "We shall see, my greedy little one." He chuckled.

When they reached Zagiri's bedchamber and had entered, Casnar told the girl to remove her silk garment, which she did. The men set aside their breech clothes.

"We will all recline together upon the bed," Casnar said.

"Are these sensitive places the same on both sexes?" Zagiri asked Casnar.

"You are quick," he said, pleased. "No, little one, they are not. I will show you those places that best please a woman, and then a man."

"Nay," Zagiri told him. "Let me learn the places that best please me in our lovemaking. But I would learn what pleases a man first."

"Take your hand, then," he told her, "and move it beneath Doran's twin sacs. Then, using the middle finger only of that hand, stroke it between the sacs."

Leaning back against the pillows, Doran spread himself open for the girl. His large manhood was limp, and lay lazily against his left thigh. She reached beneath him to cup the large pendulous sac in her hand. It overflowed her palm, and was cool to her touch. Zagiri separated her middle finger from its companions and reached out to seek where the sacs could be separated. Finding it, she began to stroke the soft flesh with her finger and within a very short time Doran groaned.

"Am I hurting you?" Zagiri asked, looking up into his face.

The sex slave shook his head and smiled.

"Continue, little one, and notice how his cock is now beginning to awaken from its slumber. That small area of flesh is very sensitive as you can see. Now crawl between his thighs, little one, and take the twin sac into your mouth. Use your tongue, and gently play with him. You may suck, but not too strongly."

Zagiri did as she was bidden, kneeling between Dorans legs and lowering her upper body so she might reach her desired target. The twin sacs were slightly downy with a soft growth. The girl licked them, taking them into her mouth, rotating her tongue about them, sucking lightly. The man began to groan, but the sound was not one of pain. Then suddenly Zagiri felt the tip of a finger sliding between the twin halves of her buttocks to rub softly at her rose hole. Instinctively she arched her back, and heard Casnar chuckle. She would have broken off her sucking, but Doran put a hand on her head to keep her in place.

"This, as you have realized, is a very sensitive spot for the female," Casnar said as he rubbed the tight little hole, which was now beginning, in spite of Zagiri's surprise, to relax. "Now I think you have teased Doran quite enough, little one. You may suck his cock, and enjoy his juices while I continue to attend to your most delicious ass. Of course, with just one man to attend to you will not yourself receive quite as much pleasure as you do with two, but we have little time in which to teach you what you must learn to please your future husband and master. You must be perfection for him, and an example to all the women of Hetar."

Zagiri heard his words, and was proud as she realized the responsibility she would have as Hetar's First Lady. She took Doran's extra-large manhood in her mouth. He was so big her lips were stretched to aching, but she gamely absorbed the thick peg of flesh, and sucked hard upon it. His fingers tangled in her hair kneading her head, encouraging her as he drew near to releasing his juices in her mouth. He came with a groan, and Zagiri swallowed, and swallowed, and swallowed his cream until she thought she could swallow no more. But then it was done, and he withdrew his manhood from between her pretty lips.

As he did the finger that had been arousing her, causing her nether regions to twitch with excitement, pushed into her body. Zagiri squealed, but Casnar reassured her with soft words. And then the finger was withdrawn to be replaced by his sturdy cock as his big hands first held her steady as he inserted the fleshy peg into her fundament, advising her not to struggle as he did so lest he hurt her. Zagiri wasn't sure she was breathing, but she gasped when he sheathed himself fully, then remained perfectly still, allowing herself to experience the sensation. Reaching beneath her, he began to play with her love bud, and she came upon his fingers as he throbbed within her.

"You see how even more sensitive the bud of your sex is when you are primed in other areas. Now Doran and I will show you how we three can have pleasures together." Still within her body, he gently eased Zagiri onto her side.

The girl was amazed to see that the other sex slave had, using his own hand, brought his manhood to a hard stand. He moved next to her, raising her leg and positioning it over his shoulder while he began to push himself into her female channel.

"You cannot!" Zagiri cried. "My lord Jonah cannot do something like this alone."

"But he can, little one, using a fine ivory dildo in either of your channels. You are going to give him a nice assortment of toys on your wedding night. And there might come a time when he will want to honor someone from whom he needs a great favor, so he will share your favors with his guest. This is not unheard of, Princess," Doran told her. "For now, however, I want you to just enjoy being taken by two men. Dildos are fun but not nearly as nice as the real thing."

Then together the two men began to use Zagiri vigorously. Her head spun as she concentrated first on the manhood plunging in and out of her female channel, and then upon the other one plundering her alternate channel. The two men were but separated by a thin membrane. The friction they created was incredible. They gave her pleasures twice and beyond anything she had ever imagined before the three of them came in an outpouring of orgiastic splendor that left them breathless and briefly weakened.

When they were all finally conscious again Casnar opened the door to Zagiri's chamber, and called to a servant. "Bring food!" he commanded. "We are all ravenous."

The food came. A half-barrel of oysters, the shells opened and ready for consumption; a large, juicy capon roasted to a golden-brown, stuffed with bread, sage, celery and onions; four ribs of rare beef set in a platter of its own juices; a bowl of new peas; another of fresh strawberries; bread, butter and a small wheel of hard yellow cheese. There were two decanters. One contained a heady red wine, and the other a peach-flavored Frine which was a mixture of wine and fruit juice. Both decanters were well-laced with aphrodisiacs so that the trio might continue.

Zagiri was starving, but Casnar would not allow her to eat right away. "Remember what the Lord High Ruler told you, little one. Obedience first. Lie back now, and learn." He covered her breasts, torso and mound with the cool gray oysters, which he tipped from their shells and onto her body. Then he and Doran began to eat the oysters off of her. They sucked the mollusks from her breasts, sucking the juices from her nipples. They nibbled them from her belly, licking her as they did so. They delved between her slit, seeking out every bit of oyster juice until she was wiggling with her rising desire, and they laughed wickedly. Then they sponged her with scented water to rid her of the sea scent.

Casnar sat Zagiri up. "Open your mouth, little one," he said, and when she did he fed her the half-dozen remaining oysters.

The two men fed her capon and beef with their fingers. They taught her to lick their fingers, and suck all the juices off of them in a sensual, suggestive manner. They made her close her thighs, pouring peas in the indentation she had made. Then they each ate from that natural bowl. When they had finished Casnar made a small hollow between his thighs, and Zagiri ate peas from it, licking his manhood free of the butter with which he had topped the vegetables.

"What a grand way to eat!" Zagiri told them.

"It keeps the passions alive and eager when one must stop to restore one's strength," Casnar explained. Then he had her lie back again and open her legs for him. Carefully he pushed a dozen fat hulled strawberries into her female channel. Then he began to suck each berry out one by one, licking the juices from her flesh. Zagiri was moaning with open desire at the conclusion of his exercise. Doran covered her breasts and torso with more strawberries, and began to pick them up, and eat them one by one, licking her breasts, her nipples, the taut flesh of her body as he did so. And while he delicately ate the berries, Casnar pushed two fingers into Zagiri, frigging her gently to help ease her excitement. Before his companion had finished his strawberries, Casnar was licking the girl's copious juices from his fingers, and she smiled at him.

When the lusty meal had been concluded the trio repaired to the baths. Afterward Zagiri was made to nap, for she had spent more than half the day in sensual pursuits, and she would be spending much of the night engrossed in these studies, too. Casnar went to seek out his mistress, and report to her on the girl's progress.

"Does she take to training?" Lady Farah asked the sex slave.

"Very well considering she was only recently a virgin," he replied. "Of course, we have concentrated on the most pleasurable facets of pleasures so far. May I ask if the Lord High Ruler enjoys giving and receiving pain in varying degrees?"

"Perhaps a little, like all men," Lady Farah said slowly. "I have never asked it of him, but Vilia never said anything, nor have any of the Pleasure Women registered a complaint against him for undue cruelty. And to my knowledge he has never visited any of the Pleasure Houses catering to those tastes. Still, his wife should know a little about such things. Spanking, of course, and he has already done that. She was indignant but did not hold it against him. I would suggest chaining her, using a blindfold, the tawse and a dog whip applied very lightly. Make certain she understands obedience, and will obey without question. If Jonah does anything other than spank her I should be surprised, but at least Zagiri should know there are greater consequences for disobedience. You will not, of course, have time to introduce her to toys, but see she is conversant with them all. I will help her to pick those she thinks will please him."

"I shall do everything as you command, mistress," Casnar replied.

"Has Doran had her? Was she able to take that wonderful cock of his?"

"She has been made familiar with it, aye, mistress. As a matter of fact, she took both of us at the same time. He had her female passage, and I the other," Casnar said.

Lady Farah sighed regretfully. "What a shame my son is so enamored of her. If she were just an ordinary girl I would make her a Pleasure Woman. A female who can take both your cock and Doran's at the same time would bring me a fortune. Be careful you do not stretch her so she cannot give her husband the pleasures he deserves."

"Yes, mistress. We were careful, and her passage seems to restore itself quite nicely. The Lord High Ruler will have no complaints."

"Excellent," Lady Farah said. Then she dismissed him, telling him to send Doran to her. She had done nothing all day but think of the sex slave who had belonged to her late daughter-in-law, Vilia. He was quite a perfect creature. Vigorous. Creative. And able to plow her without ceasing. And he did not talk. A man who did not swagger and brag was truly a treasure.

Lady Farah smiled to herself. Her life, for all the trouble Hetar was now facing, had taken on a rosy glow. They had stolen the Terahn princess for her son to wed, which would surely force the faerie woman, Lara, into being their ally. And the prestige the girl would bring to Hetar would certainly quiet these unpleasant rumors of a Hierarch. And she had found a lover without par, who, if she could convince the Lord High Ruler to sell Doran to her, would bring her a fortune. She had already sent to Squire Darah requesting he seek out healthy young women in his Midlands Province so she might begin her breeding program. Aye, life was very good for the Head Mistress of the Pleasure Guild these days. Very good indeed.

6.

LARA RETURNED FROM THE New Outlands to be greeted by her twins. She had been gone for eight days now. Coupled with her sojourn at the Oasis of Zeroun she felt more rested than she had in several months. Anoush had told her mother as they traveled to the New Outlands that she did not want to return to Terah to live.

"I am Fiacre, Mother. I am Vartan's daughter, and I am happiest with my clan family. I want to remain with them. I will come and visit you, and you will come to see me, but I will not make the castle my home any longer. I had spoken to my stepfather before his death on this matter, and he said I must be where I was happiest," Anoush said.

Lara sighed but she had known this moment was coming. "I will have a house built for you," she told her eldest daughter. "Until it is constructed you will live with Liam and Noss."

"Aye, I should like my own home," Anoush responded. "It will make me a good marriage prospect despite my un-Fiacre talents." Then she laughed softly. "But most of my clan folk are now used to me."

"You wish to wed?"

"When I find a man whom I can love, aye, Mother. And I want children, too," Anoush surprised her mother by saying. "Despite my talents I am really just a clanswoman."

"I will see you have livestock and grazing land," Lara told her eldest daughter.

"Thank you," Anoush replied.

And so Lara had made the necessary arrangements for her child's comfort. Vartan's daughter would rejoin her father's clan family. She would be a young woman of property, and even before Lara had departed the New Outlands young men were beginning to visit Liam's hall. Mildri, Liam and Noss's young daughter, knew all the gossip, and happily expounded to Anoush what she knew of the young men.

Lara could see how happy and relaxed her daughter was to be among her father's people again. She saw how eagerly they welcomed Anoush, and realized that, as Anoush had assured her, they were used to the girl's talents now. And, too, Anoush was not faerie as her mother had been. They saw her first as Vartan's daughter, and that was good enough for the clan folk of the Fiacre. She left Anoush filled with a mixture of both happiness and sadness. She had but three children left.

But now as she hugged Taj and Marzina her eyes were sweeping the room looking about for Zagiri. "Where is your sister?" she asked her twins.

"She is still at Grandmother's house," Taj told his mother.

"And she is not yet back?" That was strange. While Lady Persis adored Zagiri, the girl did not usually remain with her grandmother more than three days when she visited. "Zagiri does not usually stay that long."

"I think she was just avoiding her lessons," Taj replied. "Marzina and I have studied hard in your absence, Mother. And we have not fought once! My twin is most respectful of my position and my high office."

"Your twin is clever and wise," Lara said dryly. Then she called a servant to her. "Send a messenger to Lady Persis's home saying I have returned and would like Zagiri to come home immediately," she instructed the servant.

"Yes, Domina," the servant replied, and bowed himself from the chamber.

An uneasiness overcame Lara. It was very unlike Zagiri to stay so long at her grandmother's house. But perhaps Persis had attempted to put forth a candidate for Zagiri's hand in marriage. Perhaps she had invited him to visit while Zagiri was with her and Zagiri actually liked her grandmother's choice, and remained. Could it actually be that simple?

An hour later the servant returned. "Domina, the messenger has returned. Lady Persis says she has not seen Princess Zagiri in many days."

Lara had no sooner heard the words he spoke than in a puff of lavender smoke she disappeared from the servant's sight. Reappearing in her mother-in-law's hall, she found Lady Persis actually expecting her.

"What is this all about?" the older woman queried Lara.

"I took Anoush to the New Outlands," Lara said. "Zagiri said she wanted to come and visit you while I was away. I gave her my permission. I just returned this afternoon. I was gone eight days. You have not seen her in that time?"

Lady Persis shook her head. "Nay, I have not. What can have happened to my darling golden girl? Did she ride?"

"Nay, Marzina says she said she would walk because the weather was fair, and the distance short," Lara said.

"Could she have fallen from the cliffs?" Lady Persis quavered.

"I will send searchers, but Zagiri was like a mountain goat on the fjord paths," Lara replied. "I do not believe she would have fallen, but we will look." Then in another puff of smoke she was gone from Lady Persis's hall.

It was but two miles between the castle and Lady Persis's home. The cliffs were searched for the remainder of the daylight. Two of the Forest Giants helped, walking in the fjord and searching the cliffsides carefully, but no trace of Zagiri could be found. Lara was beginning to become frantic in her worry. Finally she knew she had no choice.

"Prince Kaliq, heed my plea. Cease all else and come to me!" she called aloud.

He appeared immediately in a swirl of his snow-white robes. "What is it, Lara, my love?" he asked her.

"Zagiri is missing! She said she was going to visit her grandmother, but she never did, Kaliq. No one has seen her in over a week," Lara cried.

"Have you asked your twins what they know?" he inquired.

"They know nothing! They thought she was at Persis's house," Lara said.

The Shadow Prince turned to look at Taj and Marzina. "The Dominus knows nothing," he told Lara. "But your princess daughter does, don't you, Marzina?"

"I promised not to tell," Marzina said softly.

"But you will tell us now because you understand how serious this situation may be, don't you, Marzina?" Kaliq said quietly.

Marzina nodded slowly, and then she spoke. "A few weeks ago Zagiri awakened to find a miniature of the Lord High Ruler of Hetar on her pillow."

Lara drew a sharp breath.

"She showed it to me. She thought him handsome. I thought him old," Marzina said. "Zagiri didn't know how the miniature had gotten on her pillow, but she didn't want anyone else to know of it. She was a little angry because you would not let her marry this man so she could become the ruler of Hetar's wife." Marzina did not tell her mother that Zagiri had boasted that as First Lady of Hetar she would rank above her mother, who was merely the widow of a Dominus. "She seemed intrigued and fascinated by the face in the miniature. She said it was a strong face, the face of a real ruler. If she had not been normal otherwise I would have thought her bewitched."

"She was," Kaliq informed the girl.

"How could she be?" Marzina asked, surprised.