Here She Rules: The Chronicles of Erla: Book 1 (9 page)

“Additionally, Lady Cassandra, the Queen has asked that I acquaint you with our normal protocol. Our warriors train five days per week. They train in the mornings, and they patrol during the afternoons and evenings. Additionally, there are guards whose sole task it is to police the cities,” Kara said, pausing to take a breath. “With regard to combining our techniques, I thought we could train in your arts part of the morning and work on your swordplay for the remainder of the time for the next few weeks. Then, we could combine the two types of training and develop a plan from there.”
 

“I think that is an excellent plan, Kara. Thank you,” Cassie said. She knew very well her sword work was not bad due to her physical conditioning, but she was far from being good with the weapon.

She looked at her slaves and gave them a dismissive wave. They gracefully rose and went into the main room, leaving the women alone outside.

“Kara, you know I am new to this world. I have questions—many of them in fact.” Cassie gnawed at her lip as Kara motioned for her to continue. “How many slaves do you own?” Kara’s brows rose as she said, “I have three, My Lady. My house is not large.”

“Please, call me Cassie,” she said with a smile. “I ask because I am not sure if women are different in my world, but, how do you keep them all satisfied? I felt myself stretched thin tonight giving them all of the attention they deserve,” Cassie said and sighed gently.
 

Kara’s eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hair line. “You mean to tell me that you enjoyed all of them? And after today’s rigorous training no less?” Kara was astounded. “Cassie!” Kara started laughing, and she laughed until tears came from her eyes.
 

“My friend, you need to schedule your personal time with them. Assign them each a day. They probably think they are in paradise if you take all of them on the same night.” Kara laughed harder. “You will wear yourself out doing that.”
 

“Well, I felt a little guilty leaving them hanging when I had purposefully aroused them. . .”
 

Kara sobered a bit. “Lady Cassandra, I know your world is different from ours. You should be aware that your slaves have no expectations of you. They live to serve you. Their joy is in making you happy. They do not expect to have an orgasm; they are bred and trained to think of your pleasure alone—not theirs. So, I am sure this may sound strange to someone raised in such a different culture, but although most of the Ladies I know love their slaves and wish for them to be happy and therefore do see to their slaves’ release, some do not care and treat them as objects. Regarding this, I recommend you spend some of the generous allowance, which Queen has given you, to purchase some female slaves. That way, when you take one of your men to bed, the females will be available to attend to the others when they have need.” Kara stared intently at her Commander, curious as to her reaction.
 

Cassie sat silently for a while taking this in. It made sense, and she started laughing at herself, thinking of her panic at how she was to take care of all of them. “Thank you, Kara. I was sure I was going to drop from exhaustion at the rate I was going!” The women laughed harder.
 

“Dear gods, your men must have indeed thought they had found paradise! Their Mistress taking them all every night? It is too much!” They laughed even harder.
 

Inside, the men were lounging on the couches, listening to their laughter and looking wistfully out towards the balcony, completely unaware they were the subject of the women’s conversation.
 

“Come, my Commander. Let us choose your new slave. The women will want to know about it tomorrow. When you have thought it over, I would be glad to help you choose some female house slaves if you would like.”
 

“I would appreciate that, Kara, and thank you!”
 

Impulsively, she leaned over and gave Kara a quick hug, taking the other woman by surprise.

Kara truly liked her new Commander. She would never have laughed like this with or at her other Commander; the woman had been cold and distant.
 

They rose and walked into the lounge, and as they entered, the men leapt up and bowed. Cassie informed them she would return soon and that they should prepare for an addition to the household—a gift for her from the troops.
 

The women walked to the entrance of the Palace where Kara ordered a horse for Cassie which was quickly saddled and brought forward. The women mounted and rode for the nearby village.
 

As they entered the village, Cassie got her first look at the city market. It was just barely dark. Torches lit the streets, people milled about, and laughter and shouts trickled out of a nearby tavern. The scene reminded her of a Middle Eastern marketplace. Some businesses were closed, and reveling warriors hung around the taverns and streets.
 

“As you may have noticed, no slave has been left unattended. Unfortunately, without some sign of active ownership, slaves are left vulnerable to attack, theft, or may simply be taken by another Lady if they are perceived as available.”
 
Kara quickly informed her before opening an ornate door to a large, two-story house. Inside, they were greeted by a familiar-looking woman. She was tall and heavyset with a weathered face and kind, twinkling eyes.

“Linnell!” Kara roared and hugged the woman tightly. “How are you, my friend?”
 

“I’m very well, Lady Kara! Very well, indeed,” she answered jovially with a mercenary look in her eyes. Linnell was very much aware of who was standing before her and of the deep pockets each of these women held.
 

“Linnell, allow me to formally introduce the Lady Cassandra, our Queen’s Commander. She is here with me tonight to choose another of your fine slaves as a gift from the regiment.”

“Welcome, Lady Cassandra! Welcome! I hope you are so well-satisfied by my merchandise that you will never look elsewhere for your personal slaves!” The woman shook Cassie’s hand firmly.
 

“I can assure you that the Commander is already
quite
pleased with the slaves she has recently acquired from you. We all know there are there are none better to be had in this Queendom.” Kara said.
 

Linnell smiled, bowed, and walked away to ready the available slaves while Kara and Cassie sat down and were quickly offered wine by a waiting female slave.
 

“Some of the other dealers are quite cruel to their slaves, which can make them timid and fearful. Linnell trains her slaves with a firm, but kind hand, so they are not scared rabbits. Timidity has no place in the bedroom.” Cassie nodded her head in agreement at this; she wouldn’t want a fearful, quaking man in her house or in her bed.
 

Kara shared that Cassie’s slaves had been brought from here the night she chose them at the Palace. Learning this, Cassie was sure she would find someone to her liking. The slaves were led in, and they stood in front of the women naked, with their heads bowed, reminiscent of the night she had chosen her men.
 

“These are the best of what I have now, My Lady,” Linnell said.
 

Cassie looked them over carefully. They were all very good looking of course. In the middle of the line, there was one who stood out. His hair was not long when compared with that of the others. Instead, it was a full curly mop of shining gold. Cassie rose and walked to him. Upon lifting his face, she could see he was young. He had beautiful hazel eyes, and she ran her hands through his hair. His body was lithe and strong looking, but he was a bit on the thin side, though his shoulders were broad; he would certainly have a nice physique when he was older.
 

“How old is this one?” she queried.
 

“That one is twenty cycles, My Lady,” Linnell responded.
 

“I don’t usually like thin men, but he is so cute—pretty almost—and that hair!”
 

“Yes, My Lady. Also, he is intelligent and has learned quickly. He is very proficient in oral pleasure.” Cassie flushed. She was still not used to the matter-of-fact way they talked of sex here.
 

“If you will sit, Lady, he will be thrilled to demonstrate now,” Linnell said as she motioned to the slave.

“That won’t be necessary, Linnell. Thank you,” Cassie replied, sounding firm and commanding. Inside, however, she quailed.
 

“I would prefer one a bit older.” She smiled at the slave and inclined her head dismissively.
 

Cassie looked the group over carefully, and while all of the men were lovely, none of them piqued her interest.
 

“Kara? A little help?”
 

“Personally, I would take any one of them. They are all very fine indeed,” Kara replied, leaning back on the sofa with her wine, being absolutely no help at all.
 

A loud, prolonged clanging came from a room to the right, and both women jumped to their feet, following Linnell as she ran to see what had happened. The next room was a kitchen, and a man stood surrounded by pots and pans, which had apparently fallen from a hanging rack above the work space. The man was tall and broad-shouldered with the kind of muscles that came from years of hard, physical labor: lean and sinewy. He stood in profile to the women and quickly bowed his head when they entered the room.
 

“Taylyn, what has occurred here?” Linnell asked.
 

“Forgive me, My Lady. I brought the produce in from the fields, and the basket hanging from the pot rack broke, causing the rest to fall.” He fell to his knees in front of Linnell, head still bowed. It was clear he expected to be punished.
 

“Drat the thing! I told Harve to fix it days ago,” Linnell grumbled. “Ah, well. Rise, Taylyn. This is not your fault.”
 

The slave’s shoulders eased in relief as he slowly got to his feet.
 

Cassie looked at him curiously. His hair was jet black, lightly laced with silver, and it seemed to have been cut with dull scissors by the way it stood up on his head. She could not see his facial features well because he kept his face downcast.
 

Curiosity got the best of her, and she moved in front of him and lifted his chin. Cassie gasped once she saw the long, jagged scar which marred his otherwise perfect features. Winged brows topped eyes so vividly blue they rivaled sapphires. A well-sculpted nose and full, sensuous lips completed his angular face. The scar ran from his temple down to the corner of his mouth, causing the side to be pulled up a bit in a permanent half-smile, which Cassie found very sexy.
 

“Lady Cassandra,” Linnell asked, “is something amiss?”
 

Cassie swallowed, still taking in his beauty while Taylyn shifted nervously, not meeting her eyes directly. He was certain he had angered the powerful stranger who still held his face in her hand.
 

“This one. I want this one,” Cassie said firmly, finally releasing him from her grasp.
 

Kara, Linnell, and Taylyn all gasped as one, in surprise.

“But, My Lady, he is a field slave, and scarred. He is not fit for your service! And then there is his age; he is nearly thirty five cycles!” Linnell was aghast, and Kara stared at her in shock as the slave gasped, nearly choking in astonishment.
 

“I don’t care. I want him. Is this possible?” She tore her eyes from the slave and looked at Linnell.
 

“My Lady, it is not within my power to deny the Queen’s Commander anything she desires. However, you should be aware that he is not trained to serve you in a pleasure slave’s capacity. He will require much work,” Linnell spoke slowly, still shocked by this turn of events.
 

Taylyn’s mouth hung open in stunned disbelief. The Queen’s Commander wanted
him
for a pleasure slave? He could scarcely take it in. Before he could find any words at all, however, he found himself, unbelievably, following behind one of the highest Ladies in this land on his way to live in the Royal Palace.
 

“I think I had better stay on my toes around you, Lady Cassandra. You ever amaze me,” Kara drawled as they mounted their horses.
 

Cassie held out her hand and pulled a silent Taylyn onto the horse behind her. “It’s good to stay on top of your game!” she said as she threw a wink at her Second, nudging her horse into a trot with her new slave grasping her hips for balance.

When she and Taylyn entered her apartments, she could see the surprise in the eyes of her slaves. Taylyn was definitely not what they expected. She arranged for a meal and bath for him and was proud of the kind way in which Mika dealt with the newcomer. As a matter of fact, each of her men went out of his way to make him welcome, and it warmed her heart.

Taylyn was quiet and his insecurity was plainly written all over his face, but Cassie could feel his eyes on her often. Curiosity and fear mingled in his lovely eyes, and she fully intended to see him as confident as her other slaves before long.

He was so beautiful—even with his scar—that she was very glad she had taken him. He broke her heart with his discomfort at being cared for as she and her men were now doing. His awkward attempts at relating to her pleasure slaves were far more endearing to his new Lady than he knew.

“Taylyn, you will sleep with me tonight.” Cassie still felt awkward giving such commands, but she hoped it wasn’t obvious.

“Yes, My Lady.” Amongst her men, his voice was, by far, the deepest, and the raspy growl of it ran down her spine pleasantly.

Nerves and tension assailed Taylyn as he followed meekly behind his Lady on the way to the bedroom. He had been relieved his fellow slaves were pleasant, friendly men, but he had very little idea how to behave with a Mistress as a pleasure slave. His training had been very brief before he was scarred, and now he was terrified he would displease her.