 
# Fayna

## By

## GERARD WHITTAKER

### FAYNA

### By Gerard Whittaker

### Smashwords edition.

### Copyright by Gerard Whittaker, 2011

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

### This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

### Started 23rd July 2011

###  Prologue

The first sounds she could remember was that of the College of Surgeons practising their skills on prisoners of war in the palace courtyard, but first they had to create the wounds they would have to patch up on the unwilling patents. And so the butchery began with simulated war wounds being left by sword and arrow as the trainee surgeons waited with a stop watch in hand before they would attempt to cauterise the wounds or remove the offended limbs.

Later she was placed in the school for the mnemonic training that would let her remember the Woman's Rules that would be the backbone of life in a society that forbade females from learning to read. Without a way of checking up on the thousands of laws, customs and probations that she needed to understand to be a Princess of the realm in the law books, she, and every other woman, would need to be able to recite word for word the mantra that told her how to behave under every condition.

At ten she was allowed to meet her father, Emir Hassan the Great, a great bear of a man of good humour but an explosive temper. He fit her in for five minutes between sentencing a thief to the College of Surgeons and choosing a new concubine, just long enough to name her Fayna. The only change it made in her life was that she was now a royal Princess and was given a blond girl of eight to serve her. She also met the crown prince Jallom, her elder by four years by a senior wife of great looks but limited understanding. He mirrored his mother in all ways.

Shortly afterwards her mother, and most of the other wives, concubines and children fell pray to palace intrigue and Fayna only survived because she did not like prawns.

The lessons of the Woman's Rules had taken up most of her intervening years, especially when she was too young to understand what the words meant. However as Fayna grew older she began to wonder why all slaves in the palace had to be naked at all times, and prostrate themselves before all free men. The blond, fair skinned ones from the Northern provinces were usually little more than savages dressed in animal skins and fought with flint spears, but they could be tamed enough to work the fields and their woman had a certain charm.

She had grown quite fond of her own slavegirl Silva, once the girl had stopped hissing at her and learned to bathe.

A couple of years later two more slaves entered the palace, both were blue eyed blonds but were treated with respect for they were captured from a merchant trader and were very well educated. It was the first time Fayna learnt of the existence of other worlds, or that some were far in advance of her own. Technically if not morally, for they taught their women to read and who knew what perverse thoughts they might pick up that way? But the woman was undeniably beautiful, and her husband promised to serve the Emir if they were allowed to be together. And so Ken and Cheri became naked slaves in the Palace's accounts department, protected by their love for each other and loyalty to the Emir. And Fayna got to know them well as she forced them to teach her about the greater galaxy and how insignificant was her own world.

### Chapter One

Silva bathed her mistress and massaged her for an hour, chatting away about the palace gossip that was little more than which slave had been batting her eyes at which guard. Fayna dressed in the formal robes that was little more than a see-through bikini with a short tabard of yellow silk that did little to hide her proud breasts. She had a dusky completion, large almond shaped eyes of jet, an aristocratic nose and long raven hair down to the small of her back. Her warm mouth was always smiling with mischief at thoughts she should not have had but were never acted upon.

"Today you come of age," Silva laughed. She was a small girl with collar length blond hair, blue eyes and a firm figure, and plenty of muscles on her midriff, as had her mistress from their compulsory daily exercises. "What's it like being sixteen?"

"This is when my duties start," Fayna sighed. "And I don't mean having the odd slave whipped for insolence. Sorry about that!"

"I earned it and am happy now to serve you. There are no hot baths where I come from," she laughed.

Fayna led her slave by the ceremonial leash towards the throne room as the marble halls sweltered in the heat of the day. A fresh breeze blew through the open doors and windows bringing some slight relief to the inhabitants of the imperial palace, but even Silva was sweating as they reached the throne room, and all she wore was a golden collar.

"And what do the rules say about female hair?" Emir Hassan the Great asked on seeing Silva.

"That none shall ever be upon a woman's body except upon her head," Fayna answered automatically.

"Then have your slave treated as soon as this interview is complete. And yourself as well girl."

"As you wish my father. I truly hadn't noticed this."

"You are a Princess, never apologise to anyone, just take it as it comes and keep your pride!" he insisted.

"Even if I am in the right father? I still have to submit?"

"To any man I put over you. I am assigning you a bodyguard from this day. Lemat is an old battle friend of mine, and will protect your honour as if it was my own." A battle scared warrior limped forward, a sabre on his right hip and a machine pistol on his left. He wore a white robe over black armour.

"I am honoured my father. Do you really think I am in danger in the palace?"

"Your future husband does." He let that sink in for a while. "Don't worry girl, I explained that you're still too young for that nonsense. Give it a couple of years and we'll see."

"Well then," she gasped. "May I know my bridegroom's name?"

"I haven't decided yet, it might be that young popinjay lord Wallsin."

"Oh, the hunter who can not hunt? Yes, the whole palace has heard of his exploits father."

"Don't get smart with me girl! he laughed. "His family has connections I need. Now kneel by me for the rest of the day and learn a little statecraft." Fayna knelt by her father with Silva lounging formally before her as the rest of the supplicants were brought forward one by one. The crown prince Jallom was next, scowling at his half sister who had gone before him, but on kneeling before his father's throne he started to stammer so bad he forgot what he had come to say.

"When you learn to talk get back in line," the Emir bellowed so loudly the boy ran to hide behind a guard.

Ken and Cheri were next, they handed the accounts to a servant and prostrated themselves before the Emir, awaiting permission to talk. The Emir spent some time going over the accounts with his humour rising all the time. "You tracked down the leak then?"

"Yes my lord, we set a trap giving six false stories and waited until the cartel tried to buy out the wheat crop, and then we knew who was betraying you."

"And the yearly profit is going up nicely."

"Simply better accounting my lord," Cheri said humbly. "You used to have lots of stock wasted because no one knew where it was."

"I'm impressed and you have earned a boon. Name it and it's yours."

"We are married my lord," Ken stammered, "but not on this world, and if we can not function freely because any man could take Cheri, then we can not perform our duties as well as we ought."

"We ask that you marry us my lord," Cheri begged earnestly.

"What think you daughter?"

"I know they have both been pressured into looking the other way, with threats against the slave woman," Fayna pondered. "It will cost nothing and bring great rewards father."

"Then I declared you married," Emir Hassan the Great bellowed in fun. "Let none threaten either of them or I shall be most displeased! Now get up the both of you, I'm sure you can think of better things to do than lay on the floor before a grumpy old man."

Ken and Cheri backed rapidly from the throne room and raced from sight, and Fayna felt the first stirrings of affection for the legend that she called father.

The evening meal was served in the cosy little dining room that was historically based of the tents her ancestors used to live in, and she finally met her father with his hair down as it were, laughing with his concubines and goosing his slaves. None of his wives or other children had survived the palace intrigues and so only Fayna and crown prince Jallom were acknowledged children of the Realm. Children of the Emir's slavegirls did not count, they were slaves as well. And Emir Hassan the Great liked it like that, he had truly regretted cutting the head off Jallom's mother after she had organised a little party that left most of his family dead by poison, including Fayna's mother. Jallom might be an idiot but he wasn't a poisoner, and Fayna had nothing to inherit but an empty title.

Fayna and Silva were escorted by Lemat to her room. The bodyguard insisted on chaining Silva's wrists and ankles before locking her in the gilded cage over night. And as soon as he was gone Silva shook off the old metal cuffs and pushed the cage open from the inside, to run and join her mistress in bed.

"This is going to be more fun than I thought," Silva laughed.

"Until he marries me off," Fayna sighed.

"Make yourself useful, don't just give in, he likes a good fight."

"From a man. I have to argue only the way he wants me to, and the moment I disagree then I'm just a silly little girl."

"But at least you do talk to him! The last time Jallom got out a complete sentence the Emir gave him a girl. Not that he knew what to do with her."

A few months later lord Wallsin arrived at the palace for a hunting expedition at the palace's game reserve, and as usual he brought all his own animals bred in captivity at his own zoo, including a young lion that had been de-clawed and fanged whilst still a cub, and fed on milk thereafter.

Fayna got a chance to meet the young lord with just Silva and her bodyguard present, and it did not go well at all.

"I am pleased to meet you my lord," she said politely.

"Why arn't you kneeling?" he gasped in outrage.

"Err, because I'm a Princess and you but a lord sir," she replied frostily.

"I'm your betrothed and you will kneel before me!"

"In my own palace? I fear that you can not tell the difference between a lady and a slave sir!"

"I can tell that the only difference is that one of you doesn't yet know she's a slut."

"Lemat, would you be kind enough to show this gentleman out before he starts a war?"

"I was just about to suggest that very same thing milady," the bodyguard laughed.

"You will never laugh at me," Wallsin snapped in anger. "For I'll find that which you love the most and crush it."

"Then you mean my father?" She replied with a voice of ice, "Beware sir, for he is not a toothless lion."

"I really suggest you leave now sir, before I charge you with treason!"

"I will have you kneeling before me girl, and will show no mercy."

"And I will show you the way out," Fayna snapped.

"It's just his way to treat all women like that," The Emir insisted. "You can still have a good marriage with a little accommodation between you."

"He almost threatened you father. And where does it mention in the Women's Code that a wife is no better than a slave?"

"Different Realms have different cultures," he brushed it aside.

"What? I've always been told that the Woman's Code is the same the world over!"

"Listen to me girl, forget it! You will marry him and that is that! I've too much balanced on the edge of a knife as it is."

The following day Fayna was wearing a blue caftan whilst hunting with her hawk, and the gentlemen were out hunting tame animals, lord Wallsin killed the pet lion that didn't even know it was a lion, and the toothless beast somehow managed to gain an impressive set of fangs and claws on the way back to the palace. Fayna didn't even know it was possible to build dentures for a lion, but they still came loose when she pulled hard enough. She exclaimed in surprise where her farther could hear and the young lord had to go home with a toothless rug. The Emir was very proud of his own lion that he had hunted and killed in his youth with little more than a spear, and the proud beast was still on display in the hunting gallery. It was even suggested that when he was troubled or drunk he would go at night to have a chat with the stuffed beast.

A few weeks later the Emir saw Fayna up to her usual tricks with the College of Surgeons, protecting those she could and confusing the professors as much as possible. She found a couple of young virgins who were scheduled to a mass rape, to see if the apprentice healer knew that the proscribed treatment wasn't to heal them but to slit their throats to prevent the shame from dishonouring their families. The girls disappeared when the professors were looking the other way and she assigned them to her private orphanage.

"It's my duty as a Princess to mete out whatever mercy I may," she insisted. "They are only prisoners of a war they don't understand, why should they be raped and murdered by the very people who should be saving lives?"

"And what's your solution?" he laughed.

"How many years has the College of Surgeons been conducting these barbaric tests? Two hundred? And how often do they ever go into war with your armies? Not once that I know of. So wouldn't it make more sense to assign them to your army groups so that they can see real wounds on real soldiers? And perhaps even save their lives?"

"But it's custom," he gasped. "A very expensive one at that."

"There is a woman about to be shot near the heart father, a valuable slave, and for what? We all know it will kill her."

"Go daughter, take the women and children while I think on this."

A few hours later the surviving slaves were being sent to be sold and the College of Surgeons were being split up to join the army groups. And crown prince Jallom was fuming that his hated half sister was gaining yet more influence over his father. He had never forgiven Fayna because her mother's death had led to the public execution of his own mother. And all he could see in her future was comfort and ease with a rich noble family.

"Lady," Silva whispered in bed. "Someone is here."

Fayna's mind clicked awake at once, smelling male musk in the perfumed air, she saw a dark form against the night and rolled from beneath the single sheet as a knife sliced down into the bed. She screamed and fled for the door as Lemat burst into the room, dressed in his night gown but carrying a sword.

The two men clashed in the centre of the room as Fayna and Silva fled through the door and into the main corridor. But yet more dark forms threatened them and they fled for their lives as the palace erupted into open warfare. Dozens of assassins struggled with palace guards, with swords and pistols flashing at random as the sounds of battle and smell of fresh blood sent the girls running in panic through the dimly lit halls.

Then a detachment of reinforcements arrived from the barracks and the young captain led his men bravely to drive the assassins away from the royal section and into the courtyard. Emir Hassan the Great led the battle from then on, dressed in only a robe and brandishing a great sword even taller than himself he hacked his way through the assassins as though they were made of straw.

Fayna and Silva met up with the Emir as he was promoting the young captain. "This is General Thyros, and all will bow before him, for today he saved the royal family and all my kingdom."

Thyros somehow managed to look not at all surprised by either the battle or his promotion, but he took it all with due humility as he was raised to one of the highest posts in the state.

None of the assassins captured revealed anything of interest before they died under torture, they only knew the name of the man who was paying them, and he had already been found dead with a slit throat.

Fayna and Silva made it back to their room to find Lemat bleeding from a thigh wound and two assassins dead at his feet. With the palace healers already at full stretch Fayna attempted to examine the wound only for Lemat to pull his robe back in shame. "So what have you got that no other man has?"

"This Princess," he slowly with drew his robe to reveal a cruel looking device strapped to his groin. "Only wearing this can I guard you. My master wanted to remove them entirely until I mentioned that this task might only last two years."

"And you want to get a girl to please you," Fayna finished for him.

"All my life have I served your family, and all I wanted was a nice little farm to retire to with a few slaves to run it and a couple to warm my bed."

"And who can blame you? This comes off tomorrow and I'll take you to the slave market myself! You saved our lives this night, and that Thyros is getting all the credit."

"Beware of that one, for his loyalty is to himself and not your family."

In the morning Fayna did indeed take Lemat to the slave market and watched as he chose a matched set of teenagers, one so dark she would vanish at night and a blond with hair the colour of sunlight.

Fayna arranged the purchase and vanished for a few minutes returning with a woman in her mid thirties and two children, a boy of eight and a girl of six. "These are who you really need Lemat. A mother and her children, locals who were sold by the gambling addicted husband. Lea was a freewoman till two days ago and knows how to run a home."

"I hadn't really thought..."

She turned to Lea, "Do you think you can reform this old wolf?"

The naked slave gasped, "He is not that old Princess, but I promise to try."

"See that you do. There's a suite next to mine, big enough for you all," she turned and left them staring at each other in surprise.

They boarded the sedan chair and were carried back to the palace by four burly porters past the main barracks. Silva pointed out the hitching posts outside the barracks, and the few unwanted slaves who had been left there. "What happens to them lady? Really?"

"Try serving a thousand randy soldiers every day and see how long you last."

"Will that be my fate when I grow too old to serve you?"

"Never! For I love you girl, do not ever doubt that." Fayna closed the curtains until they stopped within the palace itself.

Cheri was at her desk in the accounts office when Fayna called to see her, and the slave knelt in the submissive posture but not the full body position that was the due of a royal Princess. "I've just bought a few slaves and want you to go over the paperwork because I might have to free them. The slave master crossed the box I have to sign to free them."

Cheri took the papers and read them at her desk, "If you sign that box they will revert to the slave master Princess. Touch anything else and they'll spend the rest of their lives in chains, they are not yet registered as slaves so I'd just burn it and they'll be free."

"I didn't trust that creep's evil grin. Oh, Cheri, what am I to do? I'll be cheated for the rest of my life, and I'm so bound by tradition I can't make a fuss."

"Learn to read Princess," Cheri whispered. "Learn to free yourself."

"But women can't read, we haven't the intelligence. Or that's what the Woman's Code tells us."

"I'm a woman."

"But from another world! You're different."

"And so are you. You're brighter by far than any other in the palace, especially the men. If you want to learn I'll teach you."

"For a price? You want me to free you."

"Would you trust me to risk my life for nothing?"

"I can't predict the future Cheri, but if I can free you both then I will."

"Off world?" she gasped eagerly.

"I haven't the slightest idea of how to get a message off world. But at the worst you'll be still serving me as free people."

"No, at the worst I'll be dead."

Silva met her mistress outside the office, "You registered Lea as a slave lady?"

"I've still got her papers Silva," she laughed, "if Lemat thinks to ask I'll give them to him. But I'm hoping to burn them in a few months. She'll look better dressed."

"Why did you do this?"

"I'm going to need a bodyguard loyal only to myself, and I've promised Lea that if she seduces Lemat well enough I'll free her and the children. By the way, Cheri will be coming to my room at night, so if you'd rather not know why I'll find you somewhere to stay."

"She's going to start educating you," Silva guessed. "Then she can do the same with me mistress, for I'll serve you better if I know what I'm doing."

"We only have a year and half left. We'd better not waste it."

### Chapter Two

It was a year later that the war started for real. Fayna called to see Cheri in her office only to find her sobbing under a mound of broken furniture and covered with blood. "Who did this?" she gasped in rage on realising her friend had been brutally raped.

"Don't, leave it, forget about it, you can't help me!"

Fayna pulled the hysterical woman to her father's throne room. "I ask justice for this slave," she snapped.

"She is only a slave," the Emir replied without interest.

"You married her and Ken, declaring them safe from harm and persecution."

"A promise to a slave doesn't count."

"The promise came from your honour, you can't simply dismiss it. Cheri, who did this?"

"General Thyros Princess," Cheri gasped in anguish.

The Emir snapped, "And why General did you break your vow of obedience?"

"Look at her my lord, so beautiful and arrogant, standing naked and free before every man, flaunting herself and knowing none would dare touch her. Of course I raped the bitch."

"I'm standing this way because you won't let me dress," Cheri complained. "I'm not doing this on purpose."

"I demand justice," Fayna gasped in anger.

"You want this slave General?" the Emir asked seriously.

"That I do my lord."

"For what, sex or to keep?"

"Both my lord, for she inspires me like no other."

"But she is my wife lord," Ken gasped in horror. "You said so."

"Kneel before me for my judgment! All four of you."

They knelt before Emir Hassan the Great who drew his great sword and strode back and forth before the supplicants, weighing the needs of justice. But it came down to one thing: he needed a good general more than a penny pinching accountant. His sword flashed out and took off Ken's head.

"She is married no more General Thyros. You may have her. Will you want to breed with her?"

"No my lord, I'll not be needing half breed children. I'll have her sterilised."

"Then we are finished except for one thing. Fayna, you will watch the sterilisation, and see what your meddling has done."

"This is not justice father," she sobbed.

"No, it's politics. This matter should have been dealt with in private not an open court."

"And would the result have been any different?"

"Probably not for I need Thyros more than any slave."

Fayna was forced to watch as Cheri was bound to a bed in the medical centre, and a glass tube inserted inside her, which was then expanded until she began to scream in agony until the medic could see to work with plastic tongs and glowing wires. She held the woman's hand as the fallopian tubes were welded shut preventing the slave from ever conceiving a child.

She stumbled back to her room in shock with only Silva to guide her, sobbing her heart out as the slave held her on the bed.

With her tears dried Fayna called next door to see Lemat playing with the children as Lea directed the teenage slaves to clean the suite. "You are well I hope?"

"We heard about Ken," Lemat sighed. "He was a truly good man, I'll miss him."

"And do you want the same to happen to your new family?" She drew the slave documents. "If you sign these papers and register Lea as a slave she will stay with you as long as you wish. But if you burn them she and her children will be free, and will stay with you only as long as they wish." She tossed the papers onto the floor and walked out, saying, "It's your choice."

"Do you want me to get my chains or a match my master?" Lea sobbed.

"Your chains, and you can throw the bloody things through the window. I've got my own match! Then again, I think I should marry you before I free you, just in case!"

"You will order me to marry you?" she gasped.

"It'll probably be the last time I get to command you, so I might as well use it wisely," he laughed.

"Do you think the Princess would do us the honour?" Lea gasped with inspiration.

And so Princess Fayna gave her first marriage ceremony in her own rooms, as she sobbed with grief over Ken's death and Cheri's fate.

A few nights later Fayna was awoken by a blast of automatic fire right over her bed as Lemat fired at an assailant trying to break in through the bedroom window. The assassin leapt from the window to slide down the telephone cables towards the courtyard and vanished from sight before Lemat had even crossed the room. "He's good," the bodyguard sighed, "and I mean that. Not like the ones who attacked you last year."

"How did you know?" she gasped.

"I've had my girls taking turns all night long looking through the window into your bedroom. Don't worry, they'll not talk of what they've seen here."

"Lemat, tell Lea that if anything goes wrong to get to my orphanage and claim sanctuary in my name. It's the safest place in the city for my friends."

"You've few enough of those left."

"And I'm about to have one fewer. Wallsin is due back in a few weeks, and I'm sure he's understood by now that the only one I really love is Silva, so he's going to have her killed just to prove that he can."

"I agree, so what's the plan?"

"I have to free her and send her home. And that is far more difficult than it sounds, because she doesn't want to go!"

"Not just free her, but fake her death, or they'll be hunting her the whole way. I can help with the mechanics, but the play acting will be up to you."

"I was thinking about the next fake hunt. What do you suppose would happen if they met a real wild lion on the hunt?"

"I don't happen to have one of those on me."

"It doesn't have to be real silly, I just have to run screaming Lion! And make it look good."

"Where did a Princess learn how to lie?"

"I've been around my father's court too long," she chuckled. "But somehow they never expected me to be listening to what they were planning."

Lord Wallsin arrived with his usual caravan of tame animals to cement the final stage of the betrothal ceremony. It wasn't required that the couple meet this time, and might not do so again until the wedding night. There wasn't a thing that the bride could say at the ceremony that would change her fate and so it could well be a male only party.

At the hunt Fayna led Silva off to one side as her hawk brought a hare back to her. "Listen girl, I've no time to explain, but you have to trust me and go home." She brought a bundle of clothing from under her caftan, "Dress quickly." She unlocked the startled girl's collar and covered it with blood from the hare, adding a few hairs taken from the Emir's stuffed lion. "Head into the sun and you'll find a caravan, the old gipsy type, there's food, money and maps inside. Everything you'll need to find your way home. Now go and know I love you!"

Silva could only obey and ran off towards the sun to find the caravan as promised, she took the reigns and drove from her mistress before she truly understood what she was doing.

Fayna ran screaming into the hunt yelling that a lion had seized her slave, and to go and kill it before it ate her.

Lord Wallsin took a critical look at the bright blue sky saying to General Thyros, "I think it looks like rain. Should we call it a day?"

"Still plenty of animals to hunt in the morning. But I think we should send a patrol out tonight, a couple of hundred men ought to do it."

"Father, can't you find my slave?" she whimpered.

"The patrol will find her child. Don't fret, I'll let you chose a new one."

No sign of the lion or Silva was found except the bloody collar with a few lion hairs sticking to the cold metal.

Wallsin went home a happy man with Fayna now alone and officially betrothed to him, and he hadn't had to talk to the little bitch once. The two families could now begin to unify their strengths and eliminate their weaknesses into a force that would control the world.

Fayna received a message from Lea, "Lemat told me to get yourself to the barracks as soon as you can. And I think he means yesterday Princess. Don't know what it's about but he was exited."

"Care to come with me?"

"The sedan chair will move faster with only you. I've already arranged an honour guard of palace cavalry, and they're waiting in the courtyard. So scoot!"

"I think I liked you better as a slave," she chuckled.

"No you don't," Lea laughed. "I'm just as you made me."

The sedan chair stopped next to Lemat outside the imperial barracks, and as Fayna stepped out she saw him standing protectively over a woman bound to one of the hitching rails. "An old friend of yours?" she chuckled.

"No, of yours Princess."

Fayna ran forward to see Cheri bound harshly to the rail as half a dozen guardsmen were trying to cut her down. "You will put her in my litter," she commanded.

"But she's a condemned slut," one of the guardsmen insisted. "It's our due."

"And I am your Princess, and it is my due to say who is condemned and who is not, and I tell you that this woman is free."

The sedan chair carried them back to the palace as Cheri was on the verge of screaming in terror at every man she saw in the street.

Emir Hassan the Great was lounging in his private study when Fayna entered the room, "Father, you said I could choose my own slave. Well I have found the one I want."

"Then let me see her child."

"You know her already," she sighed and had Cheri brought into the room.

"I'm not sure. Gods above, it's that slave again. But what happened to her? She looks a wreck!"

"I found her condemned at the imperial barracks father. Her last master had grown tired of torturing her."

"You should have left her to die in peace, the last time you tried to help caused a near disaster."

"As a Princess of the Realm I have a duty to help the unfortunate and the unjustly condemned. And you have already promised to let me pick my own slave. Father, you can't back down this time."

"Then keep her in your room before Thyros finds out. After she is legally dead we can resurrect her."

"You're afraid of the General!" Fayna gasped in shock.

"Hush girl, I'm still master here, but I'm walking a fine line. Not many think crown prince Jallom is prepared to replace me, and so I might have to adopt Thyros as my son and heir."

"Jallom would be a disaster, but a few good councillors might steer him in the right direction, however, Thyros would be a catastrophe all on his own. Look what he did with the last toy you gave him, and think what he would do to the Realm."

"Take your slave and hide her well. I only wish there was another who could inherit."

"I'm sure you don't have a successor who you can talk to father, but if you ever need a chat try me and not that musty old lion."

"Oh, that reminds me, I put the hairs back in. You didn't think you could fool me did you?"

"It was lord Wallsin I was trying to fool, and he took it hook, line and sinker. He would have killed Silva father, just because I loved her."

"I know this child, but I don't have a choice. I either align with his Realm and create a very strong defence, or we go to war with a dozen smaller Realms and fall. It's all or nothing."

"But to recreate the old empire will cause world wide chaos, just like last time father. This world was meant to hang in the balance."

"And who taught you politics?" he gasped in surprise.

"You did father, I can listen very well. And I asked Ken to explain the difficult bits."

"And that's why you want Cheri, to continue your education?"

"I want to protect a friend father. She did not deserve to be widowed and tortured just because she is beautiful."

"If you had come to me quietly I might have worked something out, she would still have had to please Thyros, but her husband would yet live and they would be together."

"I think she preferred it this way! Try telling a loving wife to please a man she hates? At least this way it was out of her control."

"Take care of her daughter, but remember, you only have three months before you marry. A coach will take you from this Realm to your bridegroom's. And I fear that I may never see you again."

"I thought that under the law I had the right to refuse his suite?"

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

"I read it in the book of common law father. You should try reading it yourself someday."

That night Cheri was locked in Silva's old cage and snapped the door closed with relief. She did not leave the cage for the next three months except to bathe, eating and continuing Fayna's education from safely behind the bars, and even the sight of Lemat or any man would send her into uncontrollable hysterics.

### Chapter Three

The carriage pulled away from the palace carrying Princess Fayna into an enforced marriage and exile. She wore the voluminous robes that would protect her from the eyes of strangers on her journey, with a detachment of cavalry riding scout and a full platoon bringing up the rear. She was never sure if they were to protect or imprison her. What was the difference between a bodyguard or a prison guard if you could not give them orders?

Lemat sat at her side with a lackey from her future husband facing her, briefing her on the required protocol on meeting her husband, mainly how many times she had to kneel and bow, and the correct way of pleasing his vanity.

Her bodyguard had saved her life twice in the last month alone, but on handing her over he would be free to start a new life with his wife Lea, who had promised to care for Cheri. Fayna would be going into a gilded bondage alone to hide her shame, and because she would not put a friend into her husband's clutches. Even her father had looked shamefaced at their final meeting, as though he realised that the political expediency of the merger wasn't worth loosing the only person he could talk with. But his word had been given and so Fayna was forfeit to a snivelling little coward who could only kill tame animals.

The road curved to avoid the badlands twenty miles from the Realm of Emir Hassan the Great, skirting a ravine that fell away a few hundred feet into a maelstrom of thrashing water. At the other side the land rose fast with a rocky slope to join with the notorious badlands that reached far to the North. It was a maze of ravines and dry gulches that didn't show on any map and seemed to change year by year so that only those who lived there could truly understand the topography.

An explosion sounded from the rear of the coach and a second one from the front. There was a few short bursts of automatic fire as Lemat drew his weapons and leapt from the coach only to run into a burst of fire.

Fayna jumped from the other door only to balance on tiptoes an inch from a hundred foot fall into the thrashing river, and scampered rapidly back underneath the coach. She climbed towards Lemat as the man lay bleeding to see a second man dressed in light tan and green camouflage dropping down towards the coach.

"Leave him be!" she snapped in her most imperious as she climbed to her friend's side. "You have done enough damage today."

"This is the first time I've heard of a victim protecting a bodyguard," the assassin laughed.

"You came for me, then do it! Clean and simple. But don't hurt him further."

"She is not as you think master," Lemat gasped, "but a good woman, bright and cunning, caring and considerate, loyal and honest. I beg you not to kill her."

"I had a contingency plan," the assassin said aloud. "I could hold you to ransom."

"No!" the lackey screamed and flung himself at Fayna with a knife in one hand. His body slammed into her full of holes and with Lemat's knife sticking through his heart.

The assassin put his weapon down as smoke poured from the barrel, "Now I'm intrigued. Why should he want to kill his lord's future wife?"

"Then you don't know lord Wallsin," Fayna snapped, "for even I want to kill me! Do you think he would pay a ransom for me, it would be cheaper to pick a new wife. Let me patch up Lemat and I'll go with you quietly," she sobbed. "The patrols will still find us in a day or two."

"I'll be fine," Lemat gasped. "Take her, but remember that I hold you responsible for her welfare, and someday we shall meet again!"

"I'll look forward to it sir. This way Princess, we have a hard road to travel this day."

Fayna glanced back at Lemat and waived farewell, then turned to follow the assassin up the road a short way until finding a knotted rope hanging from the slope above, and started to climb it hand over hand. The assassin simply leapt to the top and grabbed her hand, pulling her to the top and hurrying her from sight of the road. He pulled the rope with him and coiled it over one shoulder. "You'll travel lighter without that shroud you're wearing," he pointed out.

"And have you staring at me!" she scoffed. "I don't intend to titillate my kidnapper."

"How do I know you could?" he laughed. "And I regard you as a prisoner of war."

They hurried through the badlands for a mile until reaching a crevasse a hundred feet wide, and he lowered her to a narrow ledge that connected the two banks. She felt her way along the ledge, unable to see her feet or a safe passage until he lost his temper and ripped the garment from her. "Satisfied?" she snapped as she stood there dressed in a near transparent top and short pants that glittered with small gems and golden chains. She was panting from exertion and covered with sweat that made to blue silk stick tightly to her body.

"Not bad," he said with admiration. "You can titillate me anytime." He led her across the ledge and pulled her up the other bank, dropping the rope down a hole. Once more they hurried through the harsh environment as a distant sound of horses could be heard.

"They'll be here soon," she pointed out. "And I wouldn't want to be you then."

"Only if they can fly. That ravine runs fifty miles both ways," he laughed.

"Then they'll cross on foot!"

"And catch us how? These aren't local troops but your husband's, and have no knowledge of the badlands." She thought carefully on that as they hurried on through the midday heat. He had planned well and she had a feeling that she wasn't going to get away easily. But did she really want to? At least he wasn't a snivelling coward like Wallsin.

"I've a request, can I have some water? And will you please stop calling that creep Wallsin my husband? I've only spoken to him the once!"

He handed over a canteen of chilled water with a curtsy, "You marry a man easily and young in these parts."

"Not easily at all, for I've lived in dread this two years. And I am two weeks off my eighteenth year." She handed him the canteen and he took a sip. "And how do you become an assassin?"

"I was paid to stop the union of your Realms. I was given limited options and one was to spare your life if it would further cause a rift between the families, and I think this will be better. Your father will want you alive and husband, who knows?"

"If I loose my honour here the wedding will be off and I will die of shame," she insisted.

"Shame does not last long before you start to enjoy it," he grinned. "Come, we have another mile of broken ground to cross."

"May I know your name so they will hang the right villain?" she asked sweetly as they ran across the baked ground.

"Call me Wolf," he laughed. "And they've been trying that for years."

"Princess Fayna, daughter of Emir Hassan the Great," she said with pride.

"Great, yes once he was, but now just a tired old man desperately clinging on to power, no matter the cost." They hit a steep slope and had to save their breath for the climb, and then turned into a cool gully where a raggedy horse was tethered next to a small pool of rain water.

"You came on that? Through the badlands?" she gasped in shock. "I'm not sure whether you're brave or certifiable!"

"He's a mountain horse is Old Joe, not one of your thoroughbred chargers, but he'll keep running on nothing more than dry grass. Your cavalry will have to bring their own oats, hay and water to survive out here."

"I'm sure he'll survive out here, for if he gets hungry he'll probably eat me!" Old Joe looked at her askance, as if weighing up her weight versus calorie content.

Wolf saddled the stallion and vaulted aboard, pulling Fayna to sit before him, laughing, "Well, now you know the plan, but I hope you won't try to slow us down on the way."

"I've as little interest in seeing my intended as you do," she snapped. "But they will find us, my father has some of the best trackers I've ever seen."

"And you've seen a lot in your marble palace have you? I've hired a few trappers to leave false leads across the badlands, that should tie up nine out of ten of your father's troops."

"I've seen more than you would believe," she insisted. "And I'm very fit."

"You certainly are," he said feeling her firm muscles. "But very pampered, have you ever slept on the ground? Or only in a feather bed?"

"I'll get used to it," she insisted. "Where are we going?"

"Across the badlands to the land of the Northmen. No one will follow us there."

"And when we get there, what will you do with me?"

"That I haven't decided yet, but if you cause any problems I'll sell you there. You know how your kind treat the Northerners? Well I'm sure they'd like a chance to return the favour!"

"You will make of me a slave sir!" she gasped in outrage.

"No, you will if you try to escape or lay a trail, so I'll examine that costume of yours every day for bits torn off."

"This is not a costume, these are my clothes," she insisted. "And they're bound to tear on the journey."

"I'll think of something, even if I have to strip you." They rode on in silence across the barren landscape, seeing the occasional bones of a horse or rider who hadn't managed to survive the crossing. The crevasses were getting more numerous but a lot shorter, as they wound between the hundred foot deep slashes in the ground. And more direct impacts littered the ground all around with ten foot deep craters.

"What is the place?" she gasped in horror. "This can't be natural."

"And what would you know of nature?" he scoffed.

"Enough to know that it hates straight lines. These are impact craters caused by man."

"This used to be the capitol of this world, until the last time one man tried to rule it all," he sighed. "And if your father unites with Wallsin it might happen again. That's why I'm here."

"To stop a war!" she gasped. "Not start one?"

"A knife in the dark is worth a hundred legions if you kill the right man."

"And a lot less people get hurt," she sighed. "Will you then slay me sir..."

"Only if I've no other choice. I don't kill for fun Princess, it's all business. You're safe so long as you're causing more trouble to Wallsin alive than dead."

"I hate that man just as much as you," she insisted. "Can't we at least agree on that?"

"And if you are rescued, you will still marry him and risk open warfare across the world?"

"I will obey my father's wishes. It's all I can do, for this is how I was raised! I'm as much a prisoner in my father's palace as the lowliest slave!"

"Look around you Princess, you're not in a palace now. This is the real world and you either adapt or die. We have to leave this place, it's still not safe to stay for long for the old poisons still linger." They galloped through the necropolis and towards the desert beyond.

"Why did we come this way if it's not safe?" she gasped as the horse began to slow.

"Because your would be husband will probably build a bridge to follow us, and spend days searching the old city. I wish him luck, he'll probably lose one in ten of his men within the next month."

"You're really not a very nice man," she insisted. "But I can only hope that he's one of the ten percent."

"I thought you weren't educated?" he asked in surprise. "They said you were only trained to submit to a man."

"Then you may be in for a surprise sir," she chuckled.

They rode through the badlands until nightfall and Wolf led them towards a prepared camp hidden in a barrow and protected by scrub brush. A small tent was already set up, with a fire laid and waiting to be lit. The sun had just vanished below the horizon when he lit the fire and started cooking a very simple meal. "This might not be up to your usual standards Princess, but it will replace the energy you used today."

"Adequate, but it could do with a woman's touch," she said with a grimace.

"Please take over the cooking any time you learn how," he laughed.

"With a hundred slaves in the royal kitchens I wasn't taught to cook," she sighed. "As I'm sure you well know."

Wolf put the fire out and lay on the single bed, chuckling, "Now's your chance to get used to sleeping on the ground. But you've a choice to make, are you going to run off? Because I'm quite prepared to tie you up all night if you wish. And if I have to chase you your bottom will be too sore to ride for a week."

"And where am I going to run to? A toxic city and straight into the arms of my loving husband to be? Or a desert that would kill me within a day?" She lay on the hard ground protected by only a single blanket, and felt the very bones of the world digging into her fragile flesh.

Two hours later Wolf felt her pushing him to one side on the bed, and nestling down with relief against his back. "I'll take it a bit at a time," she yawned, as he fought to avoid laughing.

A low pitched buzz woke them both in the early hours. "Get up and to the horse," Wolf whispered. "Visitors."

She rolled out of bed and sprang to Old Joe as Wolf was fitting a long barrelled rifle together. He pocketed a few items from the campsite and saddled the horse, as rustling sounds came from the dark.

Wolf sprang onto the horse and pulled Fayna up before him and rode for the break in the brush fence, firing his rifle into the dark as the campsite exploded with blinding flame. She could finally see the hunters, men from Wallsin's army dressed only in breechcloths and carrying pistols, but now exhausted by the all night chase and blinded by the fire. "Runners," she gasped. "Wallsin's top scouts. But what are they doing on my father's lands?"

Wolf was busy blasting his way through the trap, firing as fast as he could and scarcely missing as they fled into the night. Finally they broke through the encirclement and fled into the predawn light, racing for freedom. "I'd guess that Wallsin's army was a lot closer than we thought, right on your doorstep. I'm going to step up the pace Princess, the next time we stop it will be at the oasis. How are your thighs holding out?"

"I can ride sir, never long or far, but I can ride like a man."

"I hope so, because I don't want to leave you. It would be a long and boring ride without someone to chat with."

"If I'm caught by Wallsin my ride home will be far from boring."

"That's the first time you said caught and not rescued."

"A slip of the tongue," she laughed.

Wolf reached the next rise and stopped to rest Old Joe, taking the rifle he wormed his way under a stone slab. Fayna crawled next to him as the first of the runners came in sight. He took his time until the last of the runners was in view, and calmly shot the man through the head with a bullet that was almost silent.

Fayna was impressed by the shot and even more so as he proceeded to shoot them all from the rear on up, until only the lead runner was left pounding up the slope still thinking his platoon was behind him.

He fired once more and the man died without knowing the futility of his courage.

"You've just killed a dozen men, plus those in the dark," she whispered, "does it bother you at all?"

"It'd bother me more if they shot me and took you home. I can't afford mercy, it'll only get me killed. They were the best scouts of the army, so now lord Wallsin will have to do the tracking," he laughed.

"Old toothless," she laughed back. "That's what we all called him when the last lion he killed didn't have any teeth. Only dentures."

"I take it they were put in post mortem?"

"I'm sure they were, but I doubt if he even had the courage to put them in a dead lion himself. He probably ordered a slave to do the deed and had him killed afterwards to conceal the truth."

"I'm starting to be impressed by your fiancé," Wolf laughed. "He has a certain style."

"Yes, and so does a sewer rat. But I wouldn't want to marry one."

"Point taken. I'll try to make sure that never happens."

"By killing me?"

"From the sound of it, wouldn't a quick death out here be better than a long slow death married to that creep?"

"I'd spill a lot less blood in one go than in years of misery," she admitted. "But I hope you'll keep it for a final option? I might yet find happiness."

"You're still only seventeen Fayna, plenty of time yet."

"That's the first time you've said my name as though you liked me. And how old are you Wolf?"

"A lot older than that," he laughed. "Far older my child."

"I'm not a child," she snapped and stood before him. "Do I look like a child to you?"

"No, no child but not yet a woman. Still, you show a rare promise," he laughed. Wolf cleaned up the sniper position and mounted Old Joe, and Fayna leapt up to catch his hand and swing before him.

"How many of these hidden camps have you?"

"About a dozen, but we'll not be visiting them all, I built a few for emergencies."

"Then why not just carry a single tent?"

"The land is going to get rough Princess, I had plenty of time to get set up before the snatch, but now we're running for our lives and the extra weight could get us killed."

### Chapter Four

The barren dusty land stretched all around them as far as the eye could see as Old Joe plodded towards the horizon. The occasional outcropping of multi colourer weather smoothed rock broke up the mind numbing panorama of tan and yellow sand and dark brown stones.

Wolf edged the horse through a gap in a low wall of granite and down a concealed path that led far below the surface towards a deep pool of icy water, that was surrounded flowering fruit trees and bushes of large fragrant blooms.

Fayna almost fell from Old Joe into the water, and lay there as the moister seeped back into her desiccated tissue, luxuriating in the cool water. Wolf stripped of and dove in to join her, and started to wash the dye from his hair and skin until revealing dark blond hair, lightly tanned skin and grey eyes.

"I thought you were like me, but you're a Northman," she gasped in sudden fear.

"I'm even more alien than that," he laughed. "You worry too much about your Northern kin, they are more civilised than you give them credit for."

"Then what are you?" she gasped.

"From a long way away," he chuckled. "You didn't think this was the only continent on the planet did you? Come, we must eat and sleep, and the chill water will be bad on your weakened body."

"I don't care how small the bed is, I'm sharing it with you tonight."

"Well I'm certainly not enough of a gentleman to relinquish it to you. I need sleep of my own."

Fayna helped him cook the nourishing stew, and had to hang up her clothing to dry as she sat wrapped in a blanket eating with a spoon. "It tastes better the second time," she commented.

"Hunger and exhaustion does that for you," he chuckled. "I'd eat a second portion, you'll be needing your strength in the morning."

She slept curled against his back once more on the soft bedding, naked but protected by the blanket, and felt no fear of Wolf. For the first time she wasn't afraid of the assassin. And he had let slip one factor that she had pretended not to understand. He had called the World a planet.

They woke early before the sun, with the lake lit only by three of the five moons with a silvery light. "Wolf, I've a suggestion to make," she said seriously. "I want you to enslave me!"

"What!" he gasped in shock. "You want what?"

"If you rape me I can't marry Wallsin, and when I'm taken home I would rather live in shame."

"You've thought this through?"

"For the last two days, and I can't see a way out. I will be rescued soon, for all your tricks you can't defeat an entire army. And then I'm forced to be a slave to my husband. Or I can give myself to you for a few days and live out the rest of my days in shame at home." She dropped the blanket to stand before him naked. "And don't tell me I'm not your type."

"And what happens if you arn't rescued? You will belong to me." He watched her beguiling face as emotions flickered across it from mischief to anxiety, her slim body, proud breasts and a virgin slit that was bare of any hair. She was trembling under his scrutiny with more than fear, for this was the first time any man had seen her naked and she was not sure how he would see her; a spoilt bitch or a beautiful woman.

"Considering the alternatives, I can live with that if you can live with me, for you have never met my intended sir," she said seriously. "Will you take this girl master?"

"I'd be mad if I didn't," he sighed. "This will be the last time you dress until we reach the Northlands."

"I understand sir. According to the Woman's Rules I now have to serve you with my entire body and soul, and you have to take me! Now will you please rape me sir?"

He looked down at her fresh beauty, seeing the sincerity in her eyes and the fear of being rejected. Even a Princess can have insecurities. He also saw something else, a twinkle in her eyes as though she knew something that he did not. So it would be a game of wits, and Fayna though she was playing with a stacked deck. How could he refuse the challenge?

He led her back to the tent and pushed her onto the bed, and started to seduce her with a master's touch, leading her one step at a time as she though her mind was about to explode with ecstasy.

She awoke hours later sitting backward on Old Joe, her breasts against his naked chest, her knees over his own, and her wrists gently bound by a leather strap around his neck. "Is this what it means to be a slave?" she whimpered. "I'm surprised all women don't beg for the chance."

"Don't forget you volunteered." He said grimly, "Not many women are lucky enough to be taken by a man they like, and even then they will find some of their duties distasteful."

"I have seen slaves condemned to the imperial barracks just because their master could not get a rise in bed."

"You have seen just what a princess was supposed to see, and be thankful that you have not seen through my eyes, for the truth is sickening."

"The imperial barracks? That was always my greatest fear."

"Oh forget that, the soldiers know when they're onto a good thing, most of the girls sent there have had a hard life and find serving a soldier quite a pleasant change. And the more the gruesome tales spread the more sadistic masters are fooled into handing their unwanted slaves over. No girl, the thing you must fear the most is the bored aristocrats who make a hobby of torturing slaves!"

"Like General Thyros and lord Wallsin?" she gasped in fear.

"Those and a thousand more," he sighed. "I don't mind slavery as an institution, I've even got a couple at home; to train a girl to please you is one thing, but to torture her to death because it's the only way you can get an erection is quite beyond the limits of good taste."

"Would that have been my fate?" she sobbed.

"I'd bet on it, but you might have been forced to have a couple of boys first, before you conveniently died in childbirth."

They carried on across the rocky desert in silence, with Fayna holding onto him as if she was drowning and he a lifebelt.

The next camp was reached on time as the sun was setting and they ate hurriedly, before making mad frantic love as she gave him her soul. They shared love again in the morning and set off as the sun rose only to see the dust of hundreds of horses far behind them.

"Lord Wallsin's cavalry?" Wolf sighed. "To get this far I'll bet they're using nine horses to carry the water and fodder for the tenth to ride a day further. Hell, I'll bet only one in a hundred will make it this far."

"That could still leave a few hundred to dodge," she pointed out.

"Then let's move on," he sighed and they fled the oncoming army as fast as Old Joe could muster.

The sunlight wasn't very strong and so did not burn Fayna's delicate skin, but it did leave an all over tan and her muscles were being toughened up as she adapted to living in the wild. A few times they had to dodge recognisance patrols and missed the camp sites to sleep on the ground with little water or food, but after a week of being hunted even Fayna found she could sleep well in Wolf's arms, no matter how hard the ground. But finally the dry ground began to be covered with sparse grass which grew day by day into a luxuriant savannah that stretched from horizon to horizon, as herds of beasts lived and died on the bountiful world.

Then one morning she noticed a sheet of thin ice covering the pool they had camped besides, "It's cool," she gasped with a shiver as she tried to pick it up.

"You've never seen ice?" he gasped in surprise.

"Only in my drinks," she laughed. "Where are we?"

"This is the turning point to the land of the Northmen," he explained. "The nights will grow cool but the days will get hotter."

"So no change in my dress code. We're in no immediate threat are we dear? I wanted to try something as we ride, and this is my birthday," she said sweetly.

Sitting backwards on Old Joe she strapped her ankles to the saddle and sat firmly on his groin wrapping her bound wrists around his shoulders and looked deeply into his grey eyes, "The point is to control my orgasms with the horse, changing the canter and the ground to please me. I've seen it demonstrated at the palace education centre and always wondered what the slave was feeling."

"They teach you this at school!"

"I have to know how to control slaves, it would be terrible if I sentenced my Silva to something that accidentally killed her. A little whipping never harmed a slave, I hate seeing blood and I always thank them afterwards."

He started off slowly feeling her settling onto his groin and shaking slightly with the movement, and as the horse sped up the vibrations grew more intense as she began to come in ecstasy. The movement was great fun for him but he didn't want to come that way, only to please her as much as he could.

They rode on hour after hour with Fayna having orgasm after orgasm, until a few horsemen rode at them from the front. Wolf steered Old Joe to avoid them and jogged down a rocky slope, as Fayna finally became aware of the pursuit and the rough ground forced her to bounce more than she expected.

The horsemen split up and attacked from three different sides, forcing Wolf to turn away from each charge, always heading back to the smooth grass.

"Why don't you shoot them?" she gasped as another orgasm blew her mind, and only vaguely noticed the blond horsemen wearing beaded leather outfits.

"Why should I, they're only having fun?" he laughed as the Northmen tried to force him to take the rockiest paths as Fayna was screaming in ecstasy.

Finally he could stand it no longer and stopped Old Joe, cutting Fayna free and throwing her onto the soft grass to rape her as violently as he could, as she screamed for more.

The three young Northmen could only stand around and watch, laughing until they almost fell over.

Fayna awoke in the same valley only with a small encampment of Northmen around her, and looked around in panic for Wolf, only to see him talking with the elders as a dozen blond women were cooking and butchering a deer. These were the first free Northmen she had ever seen, and yes they did wear animal skins and use flint tipped spears and knives, but only because they were superior in the climate. She watched a young woman who was butchering the deer, seeing the flint knife slicing through the rib bones with ease, they were sharper than a surgical steel scalpel. The woman was naked as she worked, but washed herself clean as soon as she could and slipped on a magnificent leather dress that was ornamented with beads of coloured ivory and iridescent feathers in a stylised horse whose muscles seemed to quiver as she moved.

"This is the mobile camp of the Zebra hearth of the twenty third cave of the Northmen," Wolf explained as he walked up dressed in little more than the leather loin cloth that most of the men preferred in the heat of the day, "They built it as you slept, laughing all the time as the young hunters described what they had seen. In winter they live in settlements built inside very large open caves, but this is the time for hunting and gathering for the cold time."

As she wandered around the camp all she could see were laughing faces and no sign of a threat. "Is this because I'm your slave?" she asked Wolf. "What would they do to me if I was a free woman?"

"Probably marry you," he laughed. "But I'm laying it on rather thick that you belong to me."

"So if I'm naked I'm safe?" she gasped.

"I could dress you but you'll be more comfortable as you are," he chuckled. "It's a very warm day."

"And you enjoy it," she accused.

"Didn't you enjoy seeing your Silva naked?"

"We had our moments," she said dryly. "I loved that girl."

But as the cool night air closed in Wolf found a leather dress for her wear as they sat around the campfire eating well of roast deer, boiled vegetables, fresh berries and homemade beer. It was the first time Fayna had been allowed to drink alcohol of any sort, and she found that she liked the giddy feeling that it brought on. The camp sang and told stories, and as Wolf was asked to tell of how he met Fayna she noticed a woman writing the tale down in a leather bound book. "That's Fayna with a Y," she insisted. The writer had incredibly neat hand writing on the smooth velum sheets, and was recording the story word for word and almost as fast as Wolf was talking.

"We used to memorises the stories," the woman said casually, "but this is much better. Who can stand to memories how many times we have roast deer in a week?"

"Can you all read and write?" she gasped.

"Most, but not as fast as I. We hear that your people do not read, and have to use slaves to do that for you."

"There may be some truth in that," Fayna commented. "I know my father can read, but I suspect that many men don't bother to learn when they can buy a slave to do it for them."

"And you, Fayna with a Y. Can you read?"

"Quite well really, but I'll never be as fast as you. Of course that could get me killed at home but I though, let them get in line. There are plenty of people want me dead already."

"And you know a girl called Silva?"

"My best friend!" She gasped, "You have heard of her?"

"She came this way months ago, but her family are now deep in the woods and she followed them. She cried a lot at night, and your name we heard a lot. To save a kin of our kin is a big deal to us."

"Save her, she was my slave," Fayna snapped.

"You did not enslave her, nor punish her, you only trained her to live the life she had, and she loved you deeply. And then to save her life you freed her. That is no small thing."

"And you now know a little of being a slave," the Chief insisted.

"No, I'll never know what it is truly like, because I'm enjoying it too much," she admitted. "I asked Wolf to treat me like a slave, but he's making me love it, and him."

"You should beat her a few times," the Chief joked.

"There is too much of that already," Wolf replied, "how can we prevent wars if all we can see is violence? This one visit has shown that we can all get along in friendship."

In the morning Fayna was shown how to boil part if an antler until is swelled, and slip a freshly chipped flint knife blade into the pre cut hilt until if cooled and contracted around the blade holding it firm. And she now held a perfectly good knife that was sharper than any at home. The blade was brittle, but it could be chipped to resharpen the edge, or a new blade could be slotted into the handle to replace a broken one. And all without digging for ore and smelting the metal until it could be turned into a useful tool. For the bountiful world gave them all that they needed to thrive in the endless savannah.

She helped to preserve a deer hide and turn the natural legs into waterproof knee high boots. One of the women showed her how to turn a supple leather strap into a comfortable breast band held by a halter strap, and a loincloth that would protect her whilst riding.

Wolf dared her to race him around the camp that evening, getting them both back into shape, it was never determined who caught whom but they were both well pleased with the exercise.

They stayed a few more days at the travelling camp, and even took part in hunting a deer. Wolf and Fayna were loping along until she gasped in horror. He turned quickly to see blood flowing between her legs as she was turning from red to white and back to red.

"Don't look at me!" she gasped in shame. "It's my time, but I forgot to count."

"Fayna, there is nothing wrong, this is only your blood time. Every women has them."

"But we have to hide ourselves, I can't let anyone see me," she sobbed.

He wet a piece of leather from his canteen and began to wash the blood from her thighs. "This is not unclean, bad luck, dirty or any other thing. It's just blood, so don't worry about it."

"You'll forgive me?" she sobbed.

"What's to forgive, I've been expecting it for a week." He helped her back to the camp and one of the women noticed her condition right away, and rushed forward to take charge with a no nonsense attitude. She was given all the help she needed and a proper education on what was going on and how to deal with it in the wild.

The next time he saw her she was wearing a short loin cloth stuffed with the fibres of the cattail root. "Are you feeling better?"

"Wolf, forgive me, I thought you would leave me and panicked. Things are going so well and I really thought the blood was shameful."

"Anything to control you Princess. They will use any lie to put you down."

Fayna spent the next few days in camp learning to identify food plants and cook them in a leather cooking bag. She watched in fascination as a broth reached boiling point in the leather bag and continue cooking as the flames licked away on the outside, but could never burn the container because of the water inside. It made no sense to her but the broth was lovely.

They finally left the camp with regret, riding away from new friends was always sad. Fayna was wearing the loincloth and breast band, but was leaving it until her bleeding was totally over before removing them. It was still too warm in the day for clothing and Wolf was still wearing only a loin cloth. She had been presented with a going away present of the clothing she had helped make. A simple leather dress, sandals, the deer sock boots, the loincloth and breast band, and a fur wrap for the colder climate further North. It was hinted that it was in part for looking after Silva.

They rode for two weeks before she put the loincloth back on, with her flint knife on the thin belt. And as the area grew more populated she wore the breast band with reluctance. Her black hair had frizzled out with gold and red highlights and her skin was two shades darker than when she had left her father's home. She was a totally different girl now, tougher and more self reliant, but she expected to see Wallsin's troops every day now, and knew her time of freedom was almost up. So she gave herself to Wolf with determination at every chance, thinking that it might be the last time she ever made love. She might not even make it back to her father, Wallsin could kill her once he realised she was no longer pure, and that was evident with every breath she took and every step she made for she was now a woman.

### Chapter Five

The path led them upward to the wooded hills, as the temperature dropped and she was forced into the short dress. "Why is it I like being naked now?" she gasped. "And I've never worn anything like this dress."

"It looks good on you," he laughed. "And you'll need it, it can get cold as we go up into the trees." Wolf had changed back into his travelling gear, now turned inside out to reveal a woodland camouflage pattern. "Well, we're free, they'll never catch us now."

"But, I thought, what do you mean?"

"The army came straggling out of the desert half dead, and the Northmen were waiting for them with a stampede. The survivors are now being sold as slaves along with those pretty but useless horses."

"Then that's it," she gasped. "You knew that weeks ago, and you've only just told me! I've been worried sick of being kidnapped again..."

"You should have asked."

"And all the time I've been giving myself to you thinking it might be for the last time, and you knew! You were enjoying it."

"And now you realise that it could go on for the rest of your life," he laughed. "Princess Fayna, you are a bloody good slave and I'm not letting you go!"

"So where do we go now?" she sighed in confusion.

"There's an inn a few miles further on, that's where I get paid and we'll find out the current political situation. I might need to do another job to finish this off."

"My father!" she gasped in horror.

"He's a spent force, I was thinking of Wallsin or General Thyros."

"You're welcome to them both, but if you do kill them, twist the knife slowly."

The Inn of the Boot was set back in the trees from the small town of Boothill. About a hundred buildings of wood and thatch that seemed populated by the runaway section of the world.

Fayna saw a caravan parked near the inn and shouted out at the top of her lungs, "Silva, report!"

The girl came flying out of the inn as fast as she could and raced across the road tearing the dress over her head so that she was naked when she abased herself before Fayna, sobbing loudly. "They said you were coming for me, but I didn't believe them. Please take me back, I love you so much!"

"Your slave I take it," Wolf chuckled. "Pretty little thing, if I could see her face."

Fayna was frozen on the saddle, staring at Silva with longing. "Stand up proudly girl, I freed you."

"I'll not stand up till you take me again as a slave."

"Then I accept your service and friendship, now get up and kiss me you little fool, because if I get off this horse I'm going to fall over."

"She's not kidding, I can feel her knees trembling," Wolf laughed.

Silva leapt to her feet and ran to kiss Fayna's hand, sobbing with joy. "Get dressed girl, it's far colder than home. I'll see the rest of you tonight."

"I'll book a room whilst you're getting reacquainted," Wolf laughed. But as he entered the inn a dark man slipped behind him.

"I told you we would meet again," Lemat said dangerously. "I hope you took proper care of the Princess?"

Wolf turned to see the bodyguard standing with a machine pistol aimed at his guts. "She is well and will be here in a few seconds. So don't shoot until you've seen her. How did you track me? You couldn't, so you tracked Silva instead, you knew that Fayna would find that girl sooner or later."

"So what did you do to her?"

"Made her a slave and a woman," Wolf admitted.

"He made me a woman alright," Fayna laughed, "but not a slave, for he is an illegal alien and has no right to enslave me!" She entered arm in arm with Silva. "But I have the power to punish him for so abusing me. Wolf I hereby sentence you to be my husband for as long as you will live. And if you refuse I'll have Lemat kill you here and now."

"She can't do that, can she?" Wolf gasped in shock.

Lemat laughed, "You'd better believe it, she even married me off. Your reply sir, and quickly, for my trigger finger is not as steady as it once was and might slip."

"I, Gerd Percival do hereby accept Princess Fayna to be my bride," Wolf snapped. Then he strode forward to pick Fayna up over his shoulder and take a room.

"Hey, where are you going?" Silva asked.

"Our honeymoon," Fayna laughed, and they vanished up the stairs.

"Looks like it's just you and me kid," Lemat laughed. "Can I interest you in a brandy?"

"But we arn't allowed to drink," she gasped.

"By the time this is over I doubt if there's going to be much that you weren't allowed to do that you'll not have done. If that makes much sense? I'm not as young as I was, and even knowing where to find you it was a long trip."

"Then I'll try the brandy, for I've already done things that I ought not to have done."

"Just get this through you head, the Princess freed you, so you are now a free person. Everything that happens from now on is entirely of your own free will, and you can refuse."

"I have never refused my Princess anything."

"Nor have I," he chuckled. "And I just hope that lame brain assassin is up to keeping her out of trouble."

"I'm certainly not," Silva gasped on a sip of brandy. "Wow, that smarts!"

"I can water it down," he offered.

"I'm not a child anymore, or a slave, so I'd better get used to it straight," Silva laughed, and Lemat raised his glass in a salute.

Wolf woke as Silva was serving breakfast in bed, and Fayna was returning from a shower. She slipped back in bed to receive the serving tray as he sat up straight and noticed that Silva was back to being naked once more.

"You can dress," Wolf suggested.

"Why would I want to? I'm free to do as I like, and I like this."

"I hope you won't mind Silva joining us in bed? She's never slept alone in all the years I owned her."

"I can get used to that," he laughed. "Did you find your family?"

"Oh yes indeed, and they tried very hard to get me married off, but I'm not one for living in caves. Princess Fayna spoiled me too much I suppose, I like hot baths and warm rooms in winter."

"So why is Lemat here?" Fayna asked suspiciously.

"He waiting outside, I think he'd better explain himself."

"You're not worried about him seeing you in bed?" Wolf asked.

"He's my bodyguard," Fayna laughed, "he's seen me in bed before now, and worse besides. And I him."

Silva let Lemat into the chamber and slipped into the bed herself to share the breakfast.

"Sorry there's no more room," Wolf said dryly. "So are you here to guard us or kill us?"

"A message from Emir Hassan. Princess, he said that he is now ready to talk with you."

"That's all?" Fayna sighed.

"That was all he had time to say before General Thyros deposed him and took the Realm by force. The crown prince Jallom is now locked in the same tower as your father, screaming that Thyros tricked him."

"I have to go back," Fayna gasped in horror. "I can't leave him like that."

"They know that, and allowed me to bring you the message knowing that you would return. By now half our army is blockading the border looking for a spy claiming to be the princess Fayna. You'll be shot on sight."

"I could get through," Wolf sighed reluctantly.

"And do what?" Fayna asked simply. "This will take more than a knife to fix, I have to be there to take control."

"We go around," Silva pointed out. "If we keep going North and follow the coast around we'll miss most of the army."

"And it will take months," Fayna sighed.

"It will take forever if they catch us. And you'll have to use my caravan to survive the high snow."

"Even longer," Wolf sighed. "But we have no choice. At least they can't be certain that Fayna is still alive."

"How are things at home?" Fayna asked. "Your family?"

"Once they heard of the kidnapping Lea took refuge at your orphanage, with the kids, my girls and Cheri. They're all fine and Lea is a few months pregnant."

"Then I'm defiantly going to be there for the birth! Today we get kitted up and tomorrow we head North."

The caravan was fitted out with a couple of folding beds and a pot bellied stove just big enough to heat a kettle or warm a pan, but it would give them a mobile home through the worst of the snow, and folding sheets on the roof could be pulled down to form a space around it to protect the horses and increase the living area in case they were snowed in. Lemat had chosen it well to protect Silva and now it would protect them all. Old Joe and Lemat's horse were tied to the rear as the two draught horses pulled the caravan from Boothill and into the wilderness.

Silva had the reigns as she chatted with Fayna, and Wolf got to know the bodyguard he had shot in kidnapping the princess. It was awkward to say the least. "Alright," Wolf sighed at last, "you were right, she's nothing like I expected. And I'm sorry for shooting you?"

"Do you truly love her?" Lemat asked fiercely. "Do you love my princess?"

"She took some getting used to, but yes I do. I was never going to harm her, and I pretty soon realised that I wasn't going to let her go!"

"As a slave?"

"Oh, grow up, we had some good sex but can you imaging Fayna wearing chains?"

"Only those forged by culture," Lemat sighed. "A year and half of education wasn't near enough to over ride a lifetime's conditioning. You will have to teach her all she needs to know."

"And I'm not a teacher. Pity you didn't bring that Cheri with you."

"She's still too traumatised by her ordeal to even look at a man, she'd be screaming the whole way."

"How bright is Fayna, really? She was trying to outwit me the whole way here."

"And she succeeded," Lemat laughed. "You realises that she could have turned you into a slave if she really wanted to?"

"But she did succeed in that, for now I'm bound to this crazy quest like it or not."

"The bright side is that if we win you'd better get used to living in a palace."

"It wouldn't be the first time, but I'm more at home like this, on the open road."

"That's what I thought till Fayna bought me Lea and the kids, and now I can't wait for the birth of our baby."

"Domesticated, me! I never thought it would happen."

"Don't knock it till you try it," Lemat laughed.

The caravan drove passed the last few houses of Boothill and towards the farms in the surrounding valleys, and ever higher in the mountains as the trees of oak and ash began to loose their leaves and the temperature plummeted to near freezing at night. Fayna and Silva were now glad of their leather dresses and slipped into felt overdresses as well as the temperature sank ever lower the higher they climbed.

The bare deciduas trees thinned out and mixed with pines, and soon vanished altogether leaving millions of acres of evergreens stretched across the landscape.

Wolf and Fayna were now sharing the same sleeping bag on their bed as the first sprinkling of snow began to fall. "That was a short year," she objected.

"The higher you go the earlier the year ends," Wolf tried to explain. "But it works both ways, when we come back down the mountain the seasons will reverse and we'll be going back through autumn to late summer."

"That was the worst explanation I can remember," she scoffed. "Can't you do any better?"

"I'm a field agent, I have to put up with the vagaries of nature, but I'm not a teacher. Just wait till we do come down, it's like going back in time."

"And you know that because?"

"Trade secret. When did you know I was from off world?"

"The night before I gave myself to you. You used the word planet instead of World, and the inference was obvious. Did you think I'd just give myself to any creep on this dump? No, I knew that I'd be safe if you took me with you, for slavery is illegal amongst the stars."

"You place too much trust in that," he chuckled. "Slavery might be illegal, but every time we block one form some bright eyed genius invents a new one. Voluntary slavery is quite common, especially amongst ship crews, we're always finding a new damsel to rescue who doesn't want to go home. And at first I thought you might be another, until I realised that you were playing me, and there's a big difference between passion and respect."

"As you were playing with me," she laughed. "You held so much back I could strangle you sometimes."

"And if everyone knew I was an alien how long would it be before I wound up a naked slave?"

"Never, because you're too good to be caught."

"Don't bet too much on that, but I can usually get out of trouble when I have to."

"We can have children, can't we?" she gasped suddenly. "I mean, we're from different worlds!"

"And from the same human stock, yes my love, we will have fine children together." She snuggled against his arm happily. "But there is no rush is there? We have years to get ready to be parents."

"I'm only eighteen, I think twenty five would be a good age," she purred.

He bent down to nip her neck slightly, tasting her blood with relish. "Yes, I think I can live with that." She caught her neck with shock and felt a tiny drop of blood on her finger.

The caravan headed ever higher as the sudden storm grew in intensity and pretty soon visibility was down to a hand full of feet. Lemat pulled over and started to erect the storm covers over the horses, as the rest blundered into the snow laden night to erect the side shelters, lacing the screens together as the snow grew ever stronger covering the land with a blanket of white.

Silva hurried into the wood looking for enough firewood to last them through the blizzard as savage forms crept through the blinding snow.

Wolf and Fayna were warming themselves at the stove when a knock sounded on the door, Lemat drew his sword and opened it to see three teenage girls holding the shivering Silva. The leader was a redhead bundled in cold weather gear and carrying a rucksack. A brunette came next holding Silva as a blond brought up the rear.

Wolf gasped in horror, "No thanks, this is my world. Leave the girl and go!"

"That's not very friendly uncle," the redhead laughed. "We were just passing through and found your friend in trouble, and thought you might want her back."

"Who are they?" Fayna gasped.

"Trouble," he sighed. "Come in before all the heat goes. We call them the Last Hope."

"Who's Hope?" she asked as the four frozen girls entered and closed the door behind them.

"None of them. The redhead is the leader, Lady Lainna, the brunette is her bodyguard Paula and Sue is the blond. And when they show up we know that all hope has fled."

"Why is that?" Lemat looked at the attractive trio in surprise, they would blend into and crowd on the world.

"Because if they can't find any trouble they'll make it. Lainna is the sister of my brother's wife Gwenna, and I wish Simon would keep a tight leash on them all."

"Lady Lainna," Fayna gasped, "have you been holding out on me again love?"

"Oh, forget the titles, they just get in the way," Lainna brushed it aside. "We came here to meet you Fayna, and Silva, as the newest members of our family. And to provide the education you so need."

"We'll be stuck in this snow drift for a month," Paula sighed. "So we might as well get started. One of the annexes will do for a school room."

"And I've brought all the supplies we'll need," Sue stated. "You should have checked the weather uncle."

"Are you uncle to them all?" Fayna gasped.

"Just Lainna, but when they were adopted into the family they were like sisters, and so they all call me uncle."

"We're all Percivals Fayna," Lainna laughed. "All of us, including the both of you."

"So? I've no idea what you mean."

"So you've never heard of us," Lainna laughed, "and Gerd still managed to land you! Nice going."

"We're a sort of clan," Paula took over. "A very large family who look out for each other, and if you ever need help in space just try yelling Percival in trouble, and see how long it takes for help to arrive."

"And you'll get about a thousand times more than you need," Wolf said dryly. "They do get bored easily, that's one of the reasons I like to go solo."

### Chapter Six

The snowed in caravan now had a shelter at the front covering all four horses, two side annexes of canvas, one as a makeshift schoolroom and the other serving as the girls bedroom. And a final porch covering the entrance to the caravan itself.

Lainna took over the education, checking how far they needed to go and setting a course that would cram as much education into Fayna and Silva as possible using whatever means she had.

Fayna went to bed with her head almost ready to explode. "Who are they?" she gasped aloud. "They know more than I thought possible about everything."

"Just a good all-round education my love. When this is over you could probably do with going to a proper school for a few years."

"They never once asked about my title, it's great being just one of the girls but arn't they interested?"

"I'm sure they know you're a princess, but they just don't care. They're interested in you because you're a Percival, and that alone. Let me put it this way, if they met a man who introduced himself as the Galactic Overlord, they would say, 'That's nice.' But if he then told them to bow down before him, they would kill the creep."

"How tough are they?"

"The best warriors on this world are about a twentieth as good as our space marines, and that's not counting our weapons, all three are marines and pack the right firepower. In short, you don't control them, you point them at the target stand well back and cover your ears, because the fireworks are sure to start."

"That's why you don't like them?"

"Oh, I love them, they are my nieces, but I have to obey the rules about off world weapons and technology and they don't. And so I spend a lot of my time cleaning up the mess they leave behind."

"Why the difference Wolf? Another department?"

"That's right. To be honest I'm more of a cultural anthropologist studying this world, and so I'm not supposed to make waves and change the experiment. But they see everything as a military objective to blow up."

The sun came out for a couple of hours in the morning and Fayna found the Last Hope practice fighting on the snow, Lemat tried to join them only to get buried up to his armpits the moment he stood on the soft snow. Wolf bounced from the caravan to land next to Lainna going all out with a series of blows that would have flattened an elephant, but she dodged the attack with ease and counter attacked forcing him back to the edge of the snow bank. He seemed to leap into the air and flew over her head to land ten feet beyond his niece, grinning at her with a come on wave.

Lainna did the same jump and kicked at his head as she passed over him to land as lightly as a feather on the snow, laughing at him.

It was only then that Fayna realised that neither were leaving tracks on the fresh snow that was too soft to support their weight.

The four fought without a break until the sun faded away and the blizzard returned forcing them to return to the caravan.

"So what was that?" Fayna asked Lainna before they could resume their lesson. "If you weren't flying out there you were close to it."

Lainna sighed, "Something we arn't supposed to do, but you're family. Your level of existence is only one of a multitude, and if you can understand them all you can sometimes ignore what you don't like and choose what you do. And that's the worst explanation you'll ever get from me. It's far too complicated to explain yet, ask me again in a hundred years and you might have the background knowledge to understand what I'm talking about."

"I'm not stupid," Fayna gasped in outrage.

"Never even thought it, but I'm not up to explaining parallel universes just yet. Look, hand me your flint knife and I'll try to show you."

Fayna handed the knife over and Lainna started to examine it closely. "This will do, I want to change it and make it stronger. But I have to truly believe it will work or it never will. Watch closely Fayna and believe!"

For ten minutes Fayna stared at the flint blade until it finally seemed to shimmer into a perfect transparent crystal blade. She held the knife in astonishment until it faded back to its normal form.

"That's all I have to do, just believe!" she gasped.

"Try believing in the imposable?" Lainna laughed. "You get locked up for that. I showed you how but you still have to learn the why it works, and that is a very long road to take."

"Are there limits?"

"The Lady Gyor likes building cathedrals when a Percival gets married, but her sense of good taste is a bit questionable, so be glad you eloped with my Uncle or there would be an oversized Gothic monstrosity where your palace is now. I've a question now, how are Wolf and Silva getting along?"

"Not that well, Silva is jealous and doesn't trust men and I Wolf thinks she's still too young. But I love them both so I hope they'll get over it."

"You were intending to share her?"

"I had that in mind," Fayna admitted.

"Then let him pick a slave of his own and see if you feel jealous."

"A slave, damn it I've a palace full of the bloody nuisances. He can have as many as he likes!"

"And that would destroy you marriage before it even starts. One special girl who you can love as well."

"A concubine? My father went that route and it turned into a dead end."

"Definitely not. That's the last thing you need. You don't want to start a harem with all the girls trying to poison their way to the top. You want a girl who knows she's a slave but can love you as equals."

"And that makes even less sense than changing reality," Fayna sighed.

The month wore on with Fayna and Silva being crammed full of knowledge that they didn't know how to use, as the blizzard blew itself out and the snow started to thaw. It took another week for the road to dry out enough for the caravan to use, and they finally folded up the storm shelters and harnessed the horses.

"So how long are you stopping Lainna?" Wolf asked as he was checking the harnesses.

"Not much longer, we only have a final job to sort out," she said innocently.

He caught the sense of imminent catastrophe at once. "This is why you're really here?"

"Nonsense, we had to meet Fayna, she's just what you need, responsibility. But it's the army that's been tracking you that has us worried."

"But I thought we'd taken care of that?"

"Oh, lord Wallsin came the long way round with another one. Not as big as the first and they lost a lot of men riding in the snow, but they still have you outnumbered."

"And where are they?" he gasped.

"About ten minutes away. Really Uncle, you should use the spy sats more often."

"I'm a civilian, not military!" he snapped in anger.

"You're still a Percival. Just type in your name and you have access."

"Only if your ship is still in orbit."

"And we won't be for long. Why don't you pass on the news before the scouts get here?"

Lord Wallsin rode hard through the melting snow with his scouts barely mile ahead of his main army. He was furious with the chit of a girl who had cost him so dearly, not just in the men and equipment he had lost chasing her, but the loss of prestige could well hamper his chances of declaring himself Overlord of the Midlands. For a man who could not control his own wife could not control a nation.

The caravan was ahead travelling slowly as the lightly armored scouts rode across the soggy ground like wolves after a hare. Wallsin and his bodyguard were only slightly behind them drawing weapons with the intent of butchering all in the wagon.

"Hey, are you looking for me?" Wolf called from the middle of a very muddy plane. "I've been waiting for you Wallsin."

The scouts veered off to attack Wolf but Wallsin only had Fayna on his mind and carried on to the caravan.

Silva stopped the caravan and jumped down to hide below it as Fayna and Lemat jumped down from the rear to stand waiting for Wallsin.

The scouts raced across the plane of mud and found their horses becoming bogged down. They struggled to reach him and finally had to abandon their horses and continue on foot as the mud reached their waists. Wolf carried his rifle but the main barrel had been left with the caravan and he only held the carbine sized stock.

"So, have you come to kill me or marry me?" Fayna scoffed.

"I was leaving that choice till now," he gasped in rage. "Are you so desperate to escape me?"

"The bad news is that I'm already married Wallsin. Very happily I assure you! So why don't you take your toys back home?"

"And I married you in absentia, so you belong to me!"

"That has no validity in the book of common law! I have to be there and give my consent, and I wasn't and didn't. I'm a free woman not a slave sir."

"Not for long. I had considered killing you here, but I think the original plan would be more fun, to break you and rape you till you give me an hair. Within a week you will beg to please me, if I stop the pain."

She drew her flint knife, "Then have at it sir! If you dare attack a woman on your own. But remember this, I'm not a toothless lion!"

"You'll be a toothless bitch when I'm through training you." He scoffed, "A stone knife against armour. Bad choice."

"Then try it out," she laughed and stabbed out with the flint blade and felt it crunching through the chainmail armour until it drew blood.

Wallsin pulled back in shock, feeling the blood pouring from his shoulder. "Take the bitch!" he snapped to his bodyguards.

But Lemat stepped forward with his machine pistol, snapping, "This is a duel of equals, it is not our business."

"Our duty is to our lord."

"And mine to my Princess! But she chose the duel."

A guard dived forward to grab Fayna and she slashed out across his throat slicing deeply until her blade grated against his spinal column, but as he fell spurting blood she felt the flint snapping.

Wallsin grinned on seeing her disarmed and leapt forward.

Fayna looked dumbly at the broken knife and saw Wallsin only seconds away, and she believed. Just for a second she believed that her broken knife was whole and made of pure crystal, and thrust out, shearing through his armour and deeply into Wallsin's guts until the blade found his spine and sliced straight through until he dropped like a puppet with it's strings cut.

She stared in shock as he slid off her broken flint knife falling at her feet in agony.

The bodyguards went wild in rage and Lemat opened fire as he drew his sword and waded in to protect his princess.

The scouts had almost reached Wolf when he heard the gunfire and ran lightly across the mud towards his wife.

The main army was just about on the scene when the General saw his master laying covered in blood, and ordered a full scale massacre.

Wolf saw the first unit racing towards the caravan and opened up with his carbine, spraying fully automatic fire through the first rank.

Lemat reloaded and opened fire at the General.

And then the Last Hope appeared wearing glistening skin tight suits of armour that seemed to change colour and transparency at random intervals. They all carried two blaster pistols and a sheathed sword. Lianna raised a winged helmet and grinned at her sisters, "Ready ladies?"

They fastened their helmets as one and drew their blasters, and charged the army laying down such a rate of fire from the six pistols the army was blown to a standstill.

Wolf stopped next to Fayna, covering her and Lemat.

"What are they wearing?" she gasped.

"Beats me, something they picked up on one of their shenanigans I suppose."

"Or something they only believe in," she gasped.

"They're only playing with them, the pistols and swords are only defensive weapons."

"And what would happen if they got serious?"

"There would be a hole in the middle of the army."

"How big?"

"About as deep as the army is wide," he sighed. "Now you see why we call them the Last Hope."

"Abandon Hope all ye who enter here!"

"That's right. So Lainna did manage to teach you something." He turned to look at Wallsin who was still screaming and bleeding. "What do you want to do with this piece of shit?"

"He might be useful. Help me get his armour off and I'll patch him up."

"You realise he'll never walk again?"

"I never intended that he should. But I'm sure he knows all kind of interesting things."

"I'm sure he'll be only too happy to fill us in," Wolf laughed as he saw the mud covered scouts finally free of the mud, and fired a grenade that exploded in front blowing them back into the slime.

It was a week later when the blizzards returned and the caravan was once more driving through torrential snow fall as starving wolves howled in the forest and frozen trees cracked like gunshots in the twilight.

Wolf and Lemat were driving as the girls sat in the back huddling in blankets to keep warm. "He's looking for that cliff overhang I mentioned," Lainna explained. "But it's still miles from here, we might have to park under the trees."

"And have one blown down on us?" Fayna sighed. "I think not."

Sue looked at Wallsin where he lay bound to a board on the floor, still groaning and moaning about how he was going to get them all. "What are we going to do with this one?"

"I'm certainly not talking him home," Fayna insisted. "We're going to have to leave him."

"Plenty of wolves in the forest that haven't had a good meal lately," Paula pointed out innocently.

Wallsin looked up in horror, "You can't Fayna, I'm your husband!"

She stood up with a bright smile and opened a jar of herbs, sprinkling an hand full on him as Silva rubbed it into the bloody chest. "What's that for?" he gasped.

"I know the wolves don't usually eat people, they prefer carrion, but even they might balk at eating shit, so I thought I'd spice you up a little."

Silva opened the rear door and Fayna lifted up the board by the head and slid it into the night, as Wallsin landed hard on the thick snow and screamed on seeing the grey forms that slunk hungrily through the night.

"By the way my lord," Silva shouted, "these animals have their own teeth."

"Bon apatite!" Fayna called out to the wolves. "You know, I think they're my favourite animal."

"I should hope so," Lainna laughed, "you married one."

Fayna called out into the night, "By the way my husband, consider this a divorce!"

That was the last thing he heard before the starving wolves started fighting over his entrails.

The caravan reached the pinnacle of mount Versue and turned into a little known valley that held a kind of temple with a hundred foot high statue of a man that now lay broken on the ground. "Why didn't you replace it?" Lainna asked sadly.

"I hadn't the heart to," Wolf sighed. "We had such hopes then, that we could live in peace and justice."

"You'll have to take over Uncle. Fayna can't do it on her own."

"Then that means abandoning the experiment completely and direct interference. Strictly against my ethical code."

"But now your wife is the only force that can bring peace, if you can keep her alive long enough. It's no longer about your morals."

"So I'm here for the long haul," he sighed. "I had hopes of taking her home for a few years. Starting a family."

"Do you think she would abandon her world to play happy families?" Lainna gasped. "That's not the woman you married."

"But she needs the treatment, I can't give it to her yet and she won't be safe until I do."

"I know you don't want an eighteen year old wife forever. You'll just have to wait and hope Wolf."

"I still feel like a cradle snatcher," he sighed. "I warned her I was older than she thought, but not how much."

"She loves you as you are, but its time to start bringing her into your secrets, before her ignorance does get her killed."

"Then they can see your ship?"

"See it, I think they deserve to hitch a ride to the coast. We can't interfere again though, so you'll be on your own, just as you like it."

"No," he said wryly, "I'll never be on my own again."

### Chapter Seven

Fayna looked up in awe as the battleship Prometheus fell from the heavens to land gracefully next to the broken statue, she was a dangerous looking craft that consisted of seven tubes of nearly the same length, the wide hull and six immense energy cannons, and three stubby wings as long as the ship. The tubular hull was as long as her palace, with a clear dome at the front for the bridge. Two short wings extended to the main cannons that rested on the ground. A further wing extended straight up with another cannon mounted on top, and three more cannons were built running along the entire pitch black hull. The caravan was driven up the loading ramp into the cargo hold, and then the ship floated silently away.

"If you have this, why do you need..." Fayna gasped on realising she was flying.

"Might does not make right," Wolf sighed. "Would you rather sort out your own problems, or have us tell you what to do at gun point?"

"But you're helping us now!" she objected. "And you're an alien."

"Ha, but since I married you I'm now a local. Got that? And I have to support my wife in whatever hair brained scheme she comes up with."

"I was hoping that with your help my schemes might not be so hair brained," she laughed.

"Given a choice I'd be quite happy to stay on the Prometheus and take you home for a few decades, I could do with a rest."

"But instead you're about to unseat a tyrant and put the rightful monarch back on his throne."

"No my love, it won't work that way," he sighed sadly. "Your father is no longer capable of ruling. And so I'm going to put you on the throne!"

"But I can't do that! I'm a woman, they'll never accept me."

"However, they might accept Princess Fayna if she has a strong husband to support her. And that's why I want to go home."

"Don't you want to be a king?"

"No, I want to be a husband. They get to live longer. It's not just about seizing the palace but about running the country and defending it in peace and war until our children want to take over. And if they're as bright as I hope, they'll decline the honour as quickly as they can."

"Or somebody poisons your wine," she said dryly. "But you know all the tricks of that trade my love."

"I know how to avoid being poisoned, don't eat anything, don't drink anything, and don't breath anything. It also helps if you don't have sex with anyone as well, but after all that, who'd want to live?"

"So what now?" she sighed.

"We going to orbit over the palace for a day and do a detailed scan, while we get you kitted out for a battle. I'd like to give you the full armour but it wouldn't work in your culture. But I can fit you out with an armoured body suit that will look natural enough, a pistol that will look like it's firing bullets, and a knife that will cut through steel."

"You want us to look like natives and not alien invaders?" she guessed. "So no tiny costume."

"When the battle is over my love, then will be the time for Queen Fayna to shine."

Lemat received a new machine pistol and better armour, and Wolf was happy enough to wear a similar body suit to Fayna's, with a couple of pistols and his carbine. Silva would go with them but only as far as the orphanage.

A Lander dropped them off on the coast a few miles from the palace with their horses, and they raced off into the night.

General, now Emir, Thyros's army was swarming around the countryside, searching every farm and outhouse in the Realm.

"I thought they'd get bored by now?" Wolf sighed as they approached the next checkpoint that was manned by a hundred warriors with the black insignia of the household troops.

"Leave this to me," Fayna sighed as she rode forward. "Do you recognise me captain?" she asked the leader.

"Can't say as I'm certain, but you do look like the princess," he grunted.

"Then why arn't you saluting me?"

"Sub Captain Jooler your highness," he snapped with a salute. "You are her then? I was hoping you'd lie you way passed me, but I've got to arrest you now. Sorry about this, orders you know?"

"And I'm giving you fresh orders in my father's name to take us to the palace," she snapped.

"Well, just so long as we're going the same way like," he sighed mournfully. "I always did like the old man."

"And as you now have me, I think you might as well bring your men with us," she said brightly. "In fact I insist that you do!"

"You're planning to attack the palace then?" he sighed once more.

"Certainly not, that is my home. But I was considering throwing out some trash. All you have to do is get us inside and we'll take care of the rest."

"No your highness, we can't let you do that. You're sure that your father will approve? I mean you used to be such a nice unassuming little girl..."

"But now I have to fight for my Realm. We all grow up eventually, and I am a married woman now."

"Then your husband's armies are with us in this?" he gasped happily.

"All of my husband's forces are behind me in this," she replied truthfully, but she didn't say which husband. If he wanted to think that lord Wallsin was trying to put his bride on the throne then so much the better.

The small army formed up into an escort detail, picking up more men as they rode to the palace, as couriers raced off to contact other loyal detachments.

"By the way Captain," Fayna said conversationally, "is it true that the slaves left outside the Imperial barracks are actually living with you?"

"Shh! Not so loud Princess," he gasped. "If that gets out we'll never get anymore, and the poor girls will be found other ways to die."

"Things are changing, and that's one of my first objectives. How would you like it to be an official policy to look after unwanted slaves? I was even considering freeing some."

"We can't free any, for fear that word will get out and the slaves are reclaimed by angry former owners. They live with us but we don't own them legally."

"That can change. I could also allow you to marry, if any of you wish that."

"But I've three girls and four children, who am I to chose?"

"Marry them all if you can look after them, and I think you can. From the morning they will all be free, to marry or not as they wish. And there will be no more hiding in the barracks."

Getting into the palace was one thing, the Household guard had free access bringing prisoners to be sentenced by Thyros, but they had to be handed over to members of his own regiment first. That was the drawback to the plan.

Wolf could think of no way to reach the throne room without drawing his pistols and shooting his way through the guard.

Meanwhile the Household guard, now a thousand strong, were quietly taking over positions of power throughout the city.

Wolf, Fayna and Lemat stood facing a hundred of Thyros' personal guard, and didn't like the odds one bit. All of the guards were alert, sober, armed and wary. They had wanted to walk into the throne room and simply shoot the usurper through the head.

"Hey, want a hand?"

Wolf looked up to see the Last Hope standing on the balcony, just a second before they opened fire with their pistols at the guards.

As the fire power tore into Thyros' guards Wolf and Lemat drew and fired from the hip.

Fayna ran through the distracted guard towards the throne room as a full scale battle erupted behind her, and no-one was interested in stopping her.

She burst into the Throne room to see Thyros sitting in all his glory. "You're in my seat!" she snapped. The ranks of nobility stood lining the walls as Thyros sat glowering on the throne. "Gentlemen, you have the option of aligning yourself with Thyros or serving my family as you always have. You've about two seconds to decide."

"Somebody shoot the crazy slut," Thyros drawled.

About half the nobility drew their pistols on the other half, but none knew who was backing who. "May I suggest that you all clear the room before this is a general blood bath?" Fayna snapped. "Men! I ask you?"

Thyros called his guards to surround him as the atmosphere grew electric. "All who support me into the middle of the room." And twenty men backed towards the throne as the rest opened fire.

Fayna dropped to the floor as bullets ripped through the air at random and men fell dead around her. She drew her pistol and started firing at the mass of guards surrounding the throne, cutting through them with ease.

Wolf and Lemat burst into the throne room only to be targeted from all sides. "That's my husband you're shooting at you idiots," she yelled.

"Who's who?" Wolf gasped.

"Beats me!" she yelled back.

"All who support Thyros," Wolf yelled out, "raise your right hand!"

After that it was easy. Discipline is a wonderful thing.

Fayna holstered the pistol and drew her knife. "Thyros, this must be settled by steel not lead. Face me now to contest your claim."

"With my men dead," he scoffed.

"Would you die like this or in a public execution? I don't really care but I'll sleep better tonight if you're dead."

He stood slowly and drew his pistol with a flash and fired, the bullet hit her in the sternum blowing her to the floor.

"I think this is over," Thyros laughed. "Get out of my palace!"

"The deal was steel to steel," Wolf gasped. "This isn't over yet."

"The bitch is dead and no one can contest my claim to the throne."

"What about Fayna's husband?" Wolf snapped. "I claim the throne in my wife's name!"

"An assassin for hire," Thyros scoffed. "Do you think any will follow you?"

"Better that than an Oath Breaker," Lemat swore in rage. "I support King Wolf!"

"My lineage is higher than anyone here," Wolf snapped with a voice of ice. "For my name is Gerd Percival and you should know that name and tremble."

"Never heard of you," Thyros snapped.

"Then you should have learned to read, and paid more attention to your legends. For I own this world and all on it. For a thousand years I've tried to teach you to respect your fellow man, only to be laughed at. Well now I'm mad." He held up his right hand and Thyros's pistol flew into his grip.

"No my love, for I must do this alone," Fayna gasped as she struggled to rise.

"Got your breath back?" he asked with a grin. "I kept him talking as long as I could."

"Any longer and I'd have fallen asleep. Thyros, know that you can not kill me with a pistol, so will you draw your sword?"

"If I must. But you know I'm a fine swordsman, you can not win." He drew his sabre and leapt at Fayna slashing at her unarmoured head.

She raised the knife and threw it as hard as she could and the blade entered his chest to sheer his heart in two.

He stumbled to the floor as blood gushed from his mouth and a grenade fell from his left hand, rolling on the floor.

Wolf grabbed Fayna and pulled her from the room as the grenade exploded blowing the throne room to bits. "I think we might want to redecorate a bit," he sighed.

"Plenty of empty wings," she laughed. "But now we have to take control before some idiot tries to steal the throne again."

Lainna joined them as Paula and Sue brought the Emir and crown prince Jallom from their tower prison. "Thought you might like these. But doesn't prince Jallom outrank you Fayna?"

"I do," the prince gasped. "If Thyros is dead and my father incapable I do hereby claim the throne!"

"Oh shut up you stupid boy," the Emir sighed. "I've heard you moaning about how you made a deal to let the assassins into the palace to kill Fayna and me, and Thyros betrayed you. That is treason! Fayna, can you think of a suitable punishment?"

She started to laugh, "Several, but I'm not ready to start killing kin. Lainna, any ideas?"

"Well, he's tall, handsome and not very bright. Just our type. Why don't we take him off your hands?"

"Two things," Wolf insisted, "he never comes back and doesn't have children- ever!"

Jallom turned white. "Your sending me in to exile?" he gasped. "But I'm a prince!"

"No you twit," Lainna giggled, "we're going to put you in chains and cut your balls off."

"Otherwise, enjoy yourself ladies," Fayna laughed. "He'll make a fine slave! Now father I'd like to introduce you to Wolf, my husband and the future King."

"Reluctantly," Wolf sighed, "the king bit not the husband."

"And you think you're capable of running my Realm?"

"Eminently sir, because I know more about this world than any other. You are too old to carry this much weight sir, but we will need your blessing to save as many lives as we can."

"This will be a joint monarchy," Fayna insisted, "with a king and queen in equal partnership. And so your line will live on through me."

"Then it's not a complete break," he sighed. "I doubt that I could stop you if I wanted to."

"Please say no sir," Wolf gasped. "And we'll be off this world so fast you'll never know we were here."

"How much do you know of ruling Wolf?"

"Too much. If you're doing your job well it's nothing but pomp, pageantry and boredom, but if you make a mistake it's a constant blood bath and dodging assassins. Neither of those options really appeals to my sense of adventure."

"There may be hope for you after all. I shall order the Grand Council to be assembled at noon, and turn the whole lot over to the both of you," he laughed. "At least this way I'll live to enjoy my retirement."

"Not just yet father, we'll need your advice for many years to come."

"Fayna my daughter, I trained you well, better than I ever dreamt possible. And I take it this idiot is the one who kidnapped you?"

"Actually, I think it was the other way around," Wolf laughed. "I was out to stop her marriage to lord Wallsin, but I never intended to do it the hard way by marrying her myself."

"I've always had difficulty saying no to her," the Emir laughed in sympathy.

"But I'll bet you never had her point a gun at you and tell you what to do?"

"I think I missed that."

"Fayna ordered me at the point of Lemat's gun to marry her," Wolf sighed. "Not the most romantic proposal, but it worked."

"Did you ever put her over your knee?"

"Not yet!"

### Chapter Eight

The Grand Council was called to order in the grand council room, and Emir Hassan the Great was formally reinstated in his office only to immediately resign due to ill health and hand the Realm over to his daughter and her husband. The transfer of power was done so fast and smoothly none of the nobles had a chance to object.

The Household Guard was back protecting the Royal household, under the command of Senior Captain Jooler, who now had three wives and four children to support, and welcomed the promotion.

The Last Hope had vanished with slave Jallom about five minutes after the battle was won, and Wolf was looking forward to not seeing them again for a hundred years or more. He needed a rest.

Fayna had brought her favourite slaves over from her orphanage, four girls of about twenty who had lived together for the last ten years, they were a matched set of Northern, Midland, Mediterranean and Oriental ancestry. Lea also brought her children and Silva along as she was reunited with her husband Lemat. Cheri followed on her own, now dressed as a freewoman, but her terrified eyes betrayed her.

"Free me master," she begged. "Send me home please."

"I had given though to keeping you Cheri," he sighed. "You are free but you just missed your ride home. The Prometheus left orbit last night. But I still need you here to help organise this confounded mess, hardly any of our senior department managers are literate, and the accountants can't count."

"How would you like to take a broom to the lot of them?" Fayna laughed. "But this time you will be in charge! A freewoman with a title and a host of bodyguards, and a mandate to reform the lot of them."

"Even if I have to hang a few of them?" she gasped eagerly. "And I can appoint my own staff?"

"Try using the Northerners," Wolf advised. "We like them."

King Wolf finally relaxed in the new wing, lounging on the double seat that was doing duty as a makeshift throne, only to see a tiny face peering at him from behind the floor to ceiling curtains. She had a dusky completion, sparkling grey eyes and a dull mat of dark hair that was between brown and grey, and was only about three foot tall.

He watched her smiling at him for a few minutes before she felt brave enough to leave the curtains and come into the room, revealing the short chain that connected her wrists. "Well, what do they call you?" he asked with good nature.

"Maisy," she whispered after serious thought. "My mum looks after the flowers, she's called Daisa."

"And you thought this wing was still empty?" he guessed. "Does she often let you play by yourself?"

"No, but I was hiding from her," she laughed. "The dungeon is no fun, nobody ever laughs."

"There is fruit if you're hungry," he offered.

"But I'll be punished for stealing. I'm a good girl," she insisted with dignity.

"Promise I won't tell," he laughed. She took a bite from an apple and then stuffed it into her face core and all. "You can have more," he laughed again with delight. "And there is a basket for the bits."

And pretty soon the charming girl was sitting on his lap as he fed her segments of orange. Fayna caught him feeding the child slave and started to laugh, "Hail the triumphal hero, who could be out ravishing all the woman of the Realm, and here I find you feeding a child."

"A hungry child," Wolf laughed, "don't they get fed in the dungeon?"

"If they did everyone would want to be there," she said dryly. "Where's the mother?"

"Tending the flowers of a wing she still thinks is empty. Have her brought will you Silva?"

Daisa appeared soon carrying a bunch of lilies, and almost fainted on seeing her daughter sitting on Wolf's knees. She sank to the floor in abasement touching her forehead to the carpet in terror. "Stand up girl, I can't judge you like this," he laughed.

The mother stood trembling, her hair was of a very dark blond and straggled far down her slim back. Her large expressive eyes were a mix of grey and green, her nose small and snub, the mouth sweet and wide and she had a stubborn little chin. She looked about twenty six or seven, with a slender build, full breasts and wide hips that were glowing hair between them.

"Why weren't you depleted?" Fayna asked in curiosity.

"This wing was empty milady, I was bought to tend the plants and forgotten," she stammered in terror.

"And your daughter?" Wolf asked.

"I was forced when kidnapped, a few times only but I don't know who the father was. I was born a slave from slave parents," she sobbed. "Please have mercy on us."

"I'll have you returned to the dungeon," Wolf said gently. "You have nothing to fear from us."

A disgusted guard almost dragged them from the suite as Maisy turned back to wink at him.

"You like her?" Fayna laughed. "A big tough warrior going all to pieces over a slave."

"Daisa!" Wolf gasped in shock. "I never even looked at her."

"Yes you did, but I meant the child. You can keep her for a pet if you like. And the mother was sweet."

"I'll give it some thought, but it's not like buying a dog, I can't keep her in a kennel."

"Why not?" Silva sighed. "I was!"

The senior servant harrumphed, "Excuse me sir, but if you truly wish them no harm I suggest you go to the dungeon fast. Some of the guards do not like being embarrassed."

"Hartman, isn't it?" Fayna sighed. "I think you'd better show us the way, that's one part of the palace I was never allowed."

"I'll not have that child hurt," Wolf snapped. "Take us there." They followed the servant through the palace, seeing half a dozen brands on his back from his chequered career in the palace, as each promotion was marked by a new brand.

The dungeon started off nice and clean on the first two levels where the higher ranking slaves were kept overnight in comfortable rooms, but as they got lower the rooms became cells and the beds damp straw, and even lower even the straw was missing as the lowest ranking of fresh slaves slept on cold stone floors that reeked of stale urine. A mixed lot of Northmen, Southerners, Midlanders and even a dozen of the far easterners stared at them in fear through rusting bars. Men, women and children it made no difference, they had to endure being broken in spirit until they could be trained.

"I'll sort this out Wolf," Fayna insisted. "In a week you'll not recognise the place."

"In a few months we could start to free some of the Northmen," he thought aloud. "But I'm here on a different mission today. Hartman, where are they?"

"The torture chamber is on the next level sir, and it is as I feared, the slaves are there."

Wolf and Fayna entered the dank chamber to see a dozen slaves held on the walls by rusty chains, as strange contraptions of metal pipes and wooden frames held yet more in agonising positions. A young brunette was bound into a kneeling position in a wooden contraption that already had two shafts forced into her backside as her tongue was being pulled from her mouth by a metal hook and a cord leading to a small windlass; a pair of sheers lay in the brazier growing ever hotter until they could be used to mute the terrified girl.

Others were held in similar positions of humiliation and agony as they awaited their bodies and spirits to be broken by cruel devices and savage men.

They saw the guard warming up with a short wide whip behind Daisa as she was bound by her steel collar to the whipping post. Maisy lay on the floor holding her mother's legs sobbing her heart out.

"You will stop this now!" Wolf barked in rage. "Touch one hair and I'll have your head on a pike outside the main gates!"

Hartman hurried over to free them as Wolf looked at the other prisoners with anger. He released the young brunette until she could stand wearing only short chains on wrists and ankles. "Your crime girl?" he snapped.

"Please master I was only talking on duty, and lord Alfonzo sent me here," she whimpered.

"How old are you?"

"About fourteen my lord," she sobbed. "please let me go..."

"Your lord Alfonzo had a bad day yesterday, I killed him," Wolf said grimly. "So you are free, but no more talking on duty, right?" The girl could only nod in shock.

Fayna and Silva were soon freeing the rest.

"And why are you here?" Fayna asked a Northern girl with a broken nose.

"I gelded my master when he tried to rape me," the girl gasped with pride. "My name is Kate and I will die with dignity!"

Silva laughed with delight, "No girl, you will live with dignity, for you have earned your freedom with that act."

"Hartman, you will take them to the medical centre and then to clean cells until we decide what to do with them." Wolf snapped and gestured to Daisa and Maisy, "And I trust you will take care of these, for now they belong to the Royal family."

"I will have them prepared master," he promised eagerly. "If there is one who is not..."

"No slave!" Fayna snapped. "We are not giving one to you."

In the morning Hartman led Daisa and Maisy into the royal suite, both had been depleted and branded on their right hips, the mother was wearing light chains on wrists and ankles, and the daughter only on her tiny wrists. "I had to brand them masters, for their protection, now no one will ever hurt them. I also took the liberty of bringing the teenager we found yesterday. I hope you do not mind but she can help Daisa tend the flowers." He pulled in the brunette from the torture chamber.

"After all that and you branded them," Wolf exploded.

"They were done under a local anaesthetic master, and I will make sure that it is renewed daily, and in a week tablets will be enough to keep the pain away. I know what it feels like master, more than most, but I also know the sense of security they will gain knowing they belong to the Royal family. And if you wish their services to be more personal I will have a brand made up just for you sir. I would suggest a wolf's head."

"This is normal practice," Fayna reassured her husband. "You could have any slave in the palace, or any of my four maids, but if you decide to have your own body slave you'll have to brand her yourself. It's a position of great honour."

"Hartman, you have the key? Then please free Maisy's wrists." The scared kid could only stand trembling as her wrists were unlocked and the manacles removed for the first time in years. "You trusted me yesterday girl," Wolf sighed, "will you trust me today?" He held out his hands and the child fled to his lap, holding his chest as she sobbed on his shirt. After half an hour the child stood up and Wolf pulled a silken cloth off a small table and slipped it under her left arm, tying it firmly over her right shoulder so that a narrow strip of her side was uncovered revealing the Royal brand on her right hip.

Wolf looked at the two inch high stylised palace on her dusky skin with confusion, it wasn't the first time he had seen a branded slave but he now realised that the child belonged to him. And he didn't mind one bit.

Maisy danced around the room laughing as her mother broke down in tears of happiness. Wolf turned to Daisa, "You will serve me as you are girl, naked and in chains, but know that your daughter will be treated as if she is free until she comes of age. Now kneel in the corner and don't talk. "

Daisa stumbled backwards on her knees until she reached the wall and assumed the submissive posture with her legs wide open and hands palm up on her thighs. Wolf turned to the brunette, "I didn't really want you but you might as well stay. I think I'll call you Etta." The girl nodded and walked backwards to kneel next to Daisa who was trying to believe her good luck to have found a man who wanted her daughter and herself. She spent the next few hours focused on his face, seeing as he dealt with difficult problems and handled them wisely. Two men he had executed for acts of treason, but it was over before they even knew they were condemned, and he did not like doing it. Their families were treated with compassion whilst their fates were decided, but none were tortured or killed as she had expected. And the worst that happened was that the senior wives who should have supported the Emir were publicly sold.

Fayna turned to Hartman, "Yesterday you were about to ask for a slavegirl. Have you ever been permitted one?"

"I was ordered to please a few, but never allowed one of my own, my last master did not want conflicting loyalties."

"Well this one does," Wolf chuckled. "We want you to find a girl who wants to be with you. I'm not talking about buying a pleasure slave, but a partner. Search the dungeons and the slave market if you have to and charge it to my account."

"You are a very bright and compassionate man," Fayna explained, "and I'd like you to find a similar woman. However, when you find her I want you to be connected by three feet of chain between your collars that you will never take off."

"There is a reason behind this Princess?" he gasped.

"If you can survive a few months of that without killing each other you just might be happy in the long run," Wolf laughed.

"Daisa, serve me." She looked up to realise that she had been dozing and that the day's business was over and the room of state almost empty but for the Royal family. "Serve me girl," Wolf repeated as he sat on the chair of state, and she fumbled forward on her knees to please him as best she could wearing chains as she smiled sweetly and her clean hair was now a glowing honey blond. But he soon learned to appreciate her sweet mouth and came over her face as she looked up at him with devotion. She moved back to the wall without being told, leaving the mess on her face with pride.

"Why don't you just fuck her?" Fayna laughed. "I know you want to, and she's crazy about you."

"All in good time," he laughed, "I'm going to enjoy playing with her first."

"Well, every man needs a hobby," she laughed again. "And I know all about it from the start. Things could be worse, you could be invading our neighbours."

A few hours later he called for Daisa again. "And this time swallow," he commanded. She did as he bid, gagging slightly but obeyed to the letter and licked him clean afterwards, and then sat back to await his next command. "I want to taste you girl, bring your thighs up here and support yourself with your arms.

Daisa fought to raise herself to his level and then bent backwards with her head and hands on the carpet as he tasted her private juices with his tongue, tickling her where he knew best to please her but she did not know at all. She was steaming under his control, thrashing in time with his licks as he drove her insane with ecstasy.

"How is she?" Fayna asked as she examined the delirious slave with surprise.

"Taste her yourself," Wolf laughed with delight. "The sweetest girl I've ever tasted, and not just on the outside."

Fayna licked delicately and laughed, "She ought to be called Honey. Have you ever made love girl?"

"No Princess, I was only forced six times."

"God, you might as well be a virgin," he laughed.

"Can I ask you master, do you like me like this?" she sobbed.

"You mean silent and sweet? Yes I do, just keep kneeling there and begging me with your smile."

"But now you can help serve the lunch," Fayna insisted. "I want my husband in my bed tonight."

"With Silva?"

"Of course," she laughed sweetly. "Maisy can help you and Etta serve and then you'd better sleep in the cage."

"Busy day tomorrow," Wolf chuckled, "physical training for the family, and that means you as well."

Daisa and Etta served the meal and cleaned up wearing just their chains, and they ate what was left of the meal and curled up in the cage to be locked in securely, and Maisy asked to sleep with her mother.

In the morning Wolf taught them all basket ball, and had the chains removed from the slaves, and soon the whole family was dancing around the court with no way to tell who was slave and who was free. Everyone was soon laughing even though no one had any idea which side they were on, and the four maids soon joined in the fun and games. And the Emir sat on a stool laughing at them as Maisy alternated between serving him drinks and dashing around after the ball.

Later Wolf had the adult girls going through an intense series of push ups and weight lifting, until it was time for a one mile run and a swim to finish off.

The slaves could hardly walk home and gladly put their chains back on to avoid a second forced march. In the morning Daisa and Etta could hardly move a muscle without agony, but Wolf still had the flower girl serve him on her knees.

Every day he took his family for the exercise, knowing that it might one day save their lives, and the slaves were catching slowly up as firm muscles were beginning to develop under tanned skin.

Cheri came round at nights to teach them all to read, and was beginning to recover her self esteem, even though she had a bodyguard with her at all times. Hanging a few of her least favourite department managers had done her confidence a lot of good.

After a month Daisa reached a point of physical exhaustion, and Wolf gave them a day off to lead her and Etta around the city, seeing all the sights as Maisy danced around them in her short open dress. They sat at an open air wine bar to see the city walking passed them, and he gave Daisa permission to speak.

"Why are we doing this master?" she sobbed. "I can hardly walk with the agony."

"First, it pleases me to see muscles on a girl, I can't stand fat slaves. And then someday you might have to run for your lives. I'm intending to take you with my family into the wilderness, and you will have to learn to serve us as well there as in our suite."

"Then you want me to be your chosen girl master?" she gasped in delight.

"That will depend on your devotion, please me well and I will chose you to take home with me."

"And I master?" Etta sighed.

"You're still too young, you can serve us in the palace but no further."

"It's as I thought master, I hoped you would see me as old enough to please you, even though I know that I am not. When you go, will you sell me? For I can not wait in an empty wing until you come back."

"Fair point. I'm not going to sell you, but I can't leave you either. I'm not sure, but you have earned the right to be looked after."

Hartman had found his own chosen woman, a Northern girl called Fawn with long blond hair and large blue eyes. He had found her in the slave market about to be sold to a brothel and had explained his instructions to the letter, especially the bit about the chain, and she was now his shadow as he taught her about the palace and life in the Midlands.

A couple of months later Maisy saw her mother bound as Wolf drove her mad with his tickling. "Please master, will you be done with this and take her? She loves you so much she cries your name in her sleep. It's not fair!" she insisted.

"I was getting to that," Wolf laughed. "What do you think I should do?"

"Make her your chosen girl master, your first slave."

Wolf freed Daisa, watching with admiration the firm muscles playing under the golden skin as the woman got up and stretched her arms. She had reached a point of physical perfection he realised, the cramps had gone and her strength, stamina and agility now matched his own and Fayna's. There was only one thing left to do.

He wrote a simple message and sealed it, "You have a final choice Daisa, you can be my body slave only if you give up the ability to have children. I want you to think all night on this. You can take this note to the medical centre asking to be sterilised, or you can report to the dungeon and ask to be reassigned in the morning. If you do the latter I will make sure that you are well cared for."

She took the message and walked from the room, bumping into the furniture as tears filled her eyes.

Fayna joined him, "I think we'd better get there before her, just in case she jumps off the roof."

"She'll not do that," Wolf sighed. "But it's time for the games to end. Fayna my wife, I'm crazy about that slave."

"We'd never have guessed," Silva laughed. "You've been playing with a girl who's already devoted to you for three months. She must be as frustrated as hell."

"She loved you from the moment you gave me the dress," Maisy insisted.

Daisa handed over the note and lay on the surgical bed as the medic strapped her down tightly at a dozen points across her body. "This is a very painful experience," he explained. "We don't waste anaesthetic on slaves."

"I saw it done when I first came here," she sobbed. "This is to please my master. How long afterwards until I can please him fully?"

"A few weeks to be safe, I don't want you rupturing the blood vessels or tearing the stitches. That could kill you. Are you sure you want to do this? You can still change your mind."

"What chance have I? If he leaves me I'll die!"

"Then just relax and everything will be alright," he bound a blindfold across her eyes and left the room as Wolf entered and began to seduce the bound woman as she thrashed in worry until recognising his touch, and then submitted to him with all her body.

Fayna watched the seduction with interest but no jealousy, she had her own slave and he was entitled to the same. After a while she began to release the straps until Daisa could move and return his embraces, and learn how to please him on her own. The seduction lasted for hours until he finally removed the blindfold and saw her crying with ecstasy, "My master!"

"And that makes you my slave," he laughed.

"I then passed the final test?"

"It took you no time at all to chose. You almost beat us here."

"I promise to serve you as long as I may," she sobbed.

He bent to nip her neck and tasted the blood, sensing the physical perfection, the love she felt for him, and the desire that held her entire being in rapture, and then bit deeply injecting the venom into her bloodstream as she gasped in shock.

"What did you do?" Fayna gasped in horror as the slave began to thrash wildly on the bed. "You tasted me like that once! What is it?"

"You are still too young my love, would you be eighteen forever? But as Daisa is now so shall she ever be, perfect in form and in love for me."

"The Last Hope? How old are those know it all teenagers?"

"I'm not really sure, we don't keep count any longer. A few hundred years at least."

Daisa stopped thrashing and sat up in surprise, "Then I will be forever bound to you my lord?" she gasped in disbelief.

"As you are so shall you remain," he said gently. "You see why I could not choose Etta? Who would want to be fourteen forever?"

"Then there is but one final task my lord, you must brand me as your personal slave. And I want you to do it here!" she pointed to her bare pubes an inch above her vaginal slit. "I've dreamt of this for weeks my lord, and worried of where you would choose to put the brand. This is where I want to declare my love for you!"

"That will hurt like anything," Fayna gasped in shock.

"And I want to feel it! No anaesthetics. This is my body!"

"It's no longer your body but mine," Wolf snapped. "But it is your right to ask. The brand is being heated."

"Then do it my lord. My Queen, will you help me fasten the straps?"

"Gladly," Fayna sobbed with pride, "and know that forever after your name is Percival and you are a sister."

Wolf retuned with the small brand a touched it to Daisa's flesh as the smell of burnt meat wafted around the medical chamber, and as they saw the skin bubble and swell it also cooled and withdrew rapidly scabbing over and then healing into a perfect scar of a wolf's head that looked a month old.

"The pain is gone," Daisa gasped in wonder. "I felt it for but a second and then it fell away."

"That is your gift?" Fayna said faintly. "To heal any wound before you even know about it!"

"I had to brand her straight after the treatment or the brand might have healed over completely," he chuckled. "It's been known to happen. Girl, you are my chosen one and I name you Honey."

"Because of her hair and taste," Fayna laughed. "It's perfect.

They walked back to the suite with Honey following proudly. "You can dress if you like," Fayna pointed out.

"I didn't spend all those months to get this body only to hide it. And I want them to see my brand."

"What have we created?" Fayna asked dryly. "She used to be so shy."

"I used to be a mouse My Queen, but now I feel like a lioness."

"You were very sweet," Wolf insisted, "and still are."

Fayna saw Hartman and Fawn chatting in the corridor, "Hey, you two, back to the suite. We've a job for you."

The couple turned on their chain and followed swiftly.

Back at the suite Honey ran to greet her daughter with a fierce hug. "We have something for you kid." Fayna opened a bundle of silk squares that were dresses similar to the one she had almost worn out. Her mother wrapped a new one on the child fastening it with laces on her right shoulder and waist, leaving the Royal brand on her hip exposed.

"Much better," Wolf laughed, "now you look like a Percival."

"Mum's your chosen girl?" Maisy asked. "So what does that make me?"

"You can start calling me father," he explained and hugged the girl. "And the Queen will be like a second mother to you."

"And that means you wash behind your ears and go to school," Fayna laughed. "Now, Hartman and Fawn, that job we mentioned. Did you get a list of all disgruntled Northmen slaves? I'm not talking about girls like Silva, but the ones who really want to go home."

"We have several lists Princess Fayna," Fawn pointed out. "You asked us to compile it but never said in what fashion."

"I think we could round up about five hundred that match that description," Hartman agreed. "What are you planning?"

"You are going to take them home!" Wolf laughed at their surprise. "We are freeing you both and giving you ambassadorial status. So take them home and we'd like you to stay there a while to smooth things out between us, you might even winter there if you wish."

"Yes Fawn, I know you came here as a slave and you must hate us, but we don't want a war between us. I was a slave in one of your hunting camps and was treated with the utmost courtesy and consideration. I swore then to end this raiding, and so never again will a Northerner be sold in our Realm as a slave. And I've got the Household Troops out searching incoming caravans for illegal slaves."

"We will try to find any others who wish to go home," Wolf continued. "Not all can be freed, or even want to be. I'm afraid too many of you have got to like hot baths and a warm climate."

"I'm one of those," Fawn laughed. "But the chains I can do without."

"Will you remove your collars Hartman?" Fayna asked. "I'm sure you have the key."

Fawn gave her partner a dirty look as he pulled the key from his dark hair and unlocked both collars.

"You will find appropriate clothing on the chair behind you," Fayna continued. "Northern dress. If you wish to return you'll find a nice little house waiting for you, while we see about some more slaves for you to take back home." Fawn slipped into the leather dress with relief as Hartman pulled on a simple tunic and leggings. "There will be a detachment of cavalry to ensure your safety. Now, have we forgotten anything?"

"Yes Queen Fayna," Fawn whispered as she straitened her new dress, "will you marry us first?"

"You wish this too Hartman?"

"With all my heart my Queen."

"Then you are married, and if any object let them come and see me!" she laughed grimly. "Can you be ready in a week?"

"We shall Queen Fayna," Fawn laughed. "You are sure that we are free?"

"You were never branded? Or sold? You are free child, and I'll have anyone who says otherwise on the whipping post."

"I did try to buy Fawn," Hartman laughed, "but when I gave your name they were very glad to see the back of her."

"A reputation is a wonderful thing." Wolf laughed out loud. "Do you have another list of intelligent girls who like it here but don't like being slaves? We want to start a proper school and a bureaucracy, with bureaucrats who can actually read for a change. They will be freed and paid with a clothing allowance."

"I might even join that myself," Fawn laughed.

"You'll be too busy being an ambassador," Fayna laughed. "I think you should take one of my dressmakers with you, some of your embroidery is incredible and I want her to see how it's done. And I'd like to invite you to dine with us this evening to discuss the details."

"If we could bathe Queen Fayna?" Fawn gasped at the privilege.

"You can use our bath if you wish. But if we don't hear from you in a few hours we'll send a search party," Wolf laughed. "That thing could fit a dozen and an elephant besides."

Formal state dinner robes were laid out for the couple, which meant a sequined swim suit for Fawn and a silken robe for her husband. But with Fayna, Silva, Cheri and Lea wearing even less, and the slaves nothing at all, she was quite comfortable and was soon chatting with Fayna like an old friend as Honey sat on her other side laughing with her daughter. Wolf and Lemat were entertaining Hartman with tails of the Northmen, trying to explain how they could thrive using the most basic of technology, and still keep their pride and freedom.

"I was thinking of leaving Etta with you Lea when we have to go away," Fayna sighed. "We can't think of anyone else we trust."

"Then she can start to dress. Both Etta and Honey have been slaves long enough to learn to love you, and I think you can return a bit of compassion."

"I got a couple of dresses like Maisy wares," Wolf pointed out. "I expected her to need them. And I'm sure you can find a formal bikini to fit Honey."

Etta was soon dressed like Maisy gasping, "But master, I thank you but slaves arn't allowed to dress."

"Look kid," Fayna laughed, "all the word slave means around here is that you belong to us. You're part of our family, but we haven't decided on what to do with you yet. You could be freed or learn to serve us like Honey in a few years, and that will be a joint decision. But you are going to get the best education we can provide until you come of age."

"I am even more confused now than ever," she gasped. "Am I a slave or a daughter?"

"You're our ward," Wolf tried to explain. "We will treat you like Maisy and you'll never have to be naked or wear chains again, and the rest will be up to you."

Honey walked in wearing the tiniest outfit any had ever seen, that fitted her just about, and still left both her brands clearly visible. "I've spent five minutes before the mirror for the first time in memory, it took that long to recognise myself. I look good!"

"So you'll have no problems going dressed?" Wolf sighed. "Come to think of it, that outfit leaves you looking even more undressed than normal. Honey, you're incredibly beautiful."

"I think I could get used to this," she sighed. Even Cheri was looking surprised on seeing the slave transforming into a really beautiful freewoman before her eyes. Wolf raised his glass to Cheri and looked deeply into her eyes until she began to blush.

"You'll need more outfits as well Honey," Fayna explained, "for we'll be going on the odd trip to scout out the world. And you'd better learn how to fight."

"This could be fun!" she laughed.

"I'd say staff and knife," Lemat said thoughtfully. "You'll want to look unarmed most of the time, so the staff will be for walking and the knife hidden somewhere. I'll check you out in the morning, after I sober up."

"I'm opening another bottle of wine," Fayna giggled, "so it might have to be in the afternoon." She raised her glass to the table, "Family!" Looking straight at Honey, Cheri and Etta. Leaving no doubt that if the spacer wanted to change her mind she would be welcome to join them.

"Look Etta," Wolf sighed, "if you don't want to join us I could free you here and now."

Etta grinned and lifted her own glass, "Family!" As Cheri looked into her wine for a few seconds and then tossed it down with a smile.

Fayna called Honey, Lea and Cheri into her boudoir, making sure that nobody else was in sight. "Right ladies, this is just us girls together, so no titles and first names only. Lea, you're here because you'll be running the show when we have to take off, and you might need a cosmic view to help you understand what's going on in the real universe. Honey, I think Wolf is right to include you in the team. And Cheri, I want you to tell us what you know of the Percivals. We need to understand what we've gotten ourselves into." She opened a bottle of white wine as Honey got the glasses.

"First off, who are the Percivals? I've met Wolf's three nieces, and they scare the hell out of me."

"They're a legend," Cheri sighed as she took a sip of wine. "That doesn't mean they don't exist, because obviously they do. The clan is mostly human, but with a few adopted aliens thrown in. And it doesn't seem to matter to them at all. Some of Wolf's genes might well be alien. They don't seem to have a planet, but they control thousands, and I've reason to believe that they might have colonised them all way back in time. Their home is considered to be a space station called Percival Base, although no one has ever found it. Oh, and they are reputed to have the biggest fleet of warships in the known universe."

"But are they the good guys?" Lea asked. "We all trust Wolf, but even he hates to use his real name."

"I think he's embarrassed to use it," Fayna laughed, "he's afraid his family will come butting in to his business."

"They are a force for good, but sometimes they have their own agenda that mere mortals can't understand. There have been very few wars in the last thousand years though," Cheri said brightly. "Some think that certain Percivals have staked out planets and are using them as toys, creating the society and meddling until they think it's perfect."

"So we're Wolf's hobby," Fayna sighed. "And how long do they live?"

"No one knows. They are probably the most powerful and mysteries force in this galaxy. Everything I've just said is pure speculation, somebody thinks this, someone else says that. I'm sorry but all I do know is that if a Percival gives his word he keeps it, even if it kills him. And I heard that when they mate they do it for all their eternal lives."

"I think you picked a good one Fayna," Lea laughed. "And you thought he was just an assassin when you married him."

"Queen..." Honey stopped at her frown.

"Look, you are my husband's Chosen Girl, and I accepted you as a sister. And when we're out in the wilderness I don't want to hear Queen this and Queen that. All right?"

"It will get tiring Fayna," Honey laughed, "and might even get us killed."

"That's better. To be honest I hated being called princess all the time, and Queen is far worse. I just need friends," she sighed.

"If Wolf has given me this treatment, how long before he will give it to you?"

"He gave you the treatment?" Cheri gasped in shock. "I didn't know that was possible without medical equipment."

"We both hope that you will reconsider Cheri? We will need you in the coming years."

"And when I am ready I'll let you know Fayna. But I'm a long way from being normal."

"Who is?" Honey laughed. "I was born a slave but Wolf made me love it, and then freed me, so I'm still learning how to behave. And I keep wanting to tear my cloths off and beg to serve him."

"You don't need to beg," Fayna laughed.

Honey scrambled through the brush towards the encampment of cavalry, rushing up to the startled guards as if in desperation. "I ask for help in the name of King Wolf. I was kidnapped by brigands and have been wandering this land alone for weeks."

The Captain walked over and saw her with surprise, "Are they still near?"

"I gave them the slip two weeks ago captain, but I'm really starving if you could bring yourself to feed a desperate girl."

"How can you use King Wolf's name in this Realm?"

"I am his Chosen Girl, and as such have diplomatic immunity, you must take me home."

"We'll escort you to my General and see what he thinks."

"That is the first step and I thank you," she sighed.

The cavalry mounted at first light and turned back to the city of Nohen with Honey hitching a ride in front of Captain Grebbs. "You are a long way from home," he sighed.

"I was hoping to ask for your protection the whole way Captain. I know it's an inconvenience but I saw a few bands of brigands camping along the route I was brought by my kidnappers."

"That might liven up a boring duty lady. What is your title miss?"

"Just the King's Chosen Girl, I'm not a lady or anything."

"A slave?" he gasped.

"Neither a slave or a concubine, I'm as far from either as you could imagine. Look Captain, you could kidnap a girl off the street, strip her, beat, chain and rape her, and to most men that would be enough to make her a slave. But not for King Wolf, I had to endure three months of further training at his own hands to reach the highest possible standards of health and physical perfection, mental training and psychological balance before I could prove I loved him. I can run ten miles without becoming exhausted, and read, write and figure as well as any scholar."

"But why?"

"Our children can never inherit the throne, that is for the Royal couple's children alone, but not chosen by gender or first born, the most able will inherit. But our children will be trained to take over the baronetcies and dukedoms, to support our kin in times of trouble. You might well find one of your children marrying one of mine, or the King's marrying into your Royal family, but only by choice. In a few generations we're hoping that the entire Midlands will be one big family with peace and justice for all."

"But how did he teach you to read and write?" he gasped as though it was heresy.

"Oh Captain, even the Northmen have near universal literacy, you should know that. I could take a girl off the street and teach her myself in a few months."

"I admit to having a problem with the Emir's Realm Honey. My sister was taken by slavers a few years ago, and we fear for her."

"In the last few years his grip was slipping and terrible things started to happen, but we are trying to fix those mistakes," she said sadly. "Come with me and I'll try to find her for you."

"But will she want to see me?" he gasped. "Could I bring her home?"

"If she wants to go with you we will free her, that I promise in the Kings name. But don't expect miracles, for she might prefer to stay a slave than go home in shame."

"That was my worry," he admitted.

It took a week for the cavalry to reach the city of Nohen, and Honey and Captain Grebbs were becoming friends despite the differences in rank, status, upbringing and education.

The General in charge of Nohen military affairs met them with civility and asked to see Honey's brands to prove her claim as a Chosen Girl. And for once she began to blush, "I'm sorry but I wasn't expecting this. Damn it, I'm a big girl now! General I should not be acting this way, but I chose where the King would brand me and I never expected to become shy about it. I've been wearing clothes for too long."

"If you would care to show me in private young lady," he said graciously.

"Thank you General, but I would not mind if Captain Grebbs were there also."

"As a chaperone," Grebbs laughed.

"Of a sort," she laughed. In the General's private office Honey stripped off her dress to reveal her two brands. "You can see why I wanted to do this in private," she sighed with embracement.

"He must have been really mad at you that day," the General gasped in surprise.

"Not really sir, because Honey chose the location herself to prove how much she loved her master."

"And why did you have to do that? Or the education."

"General, when was the last time you talked with your wife? I don't mean asking when the dinner would be ready, I'm sure your slaves would know that better than a woman not taught to cook. But a real conversation?"

"I think this could be a first for me," he gasped. "And I'm enjoying it. Your king may be on to something here."

She dressed again hurriedly. "So will you grant my safe passage General? King Wolf would take it as a personal favour."

"And if I took you hostage? I take it that it would annoy him more than slightly?"

"You would get no ransom except in swords and arrows sir!"

"The threat I did not need," he laughed. "Captain Grebbs, will you escort this young lady home?"

"There are lots of Brigands out there sir, you don't mind if I have some sport on the way do you?"

"Not at all, and I want you to meet this young king to see if we can do business. And talking of that, I think you can do me a favour miss Honey. I have a thief in my town who is causing problems, and yet I can't arrest her for her boss is very powerful. How would you like to take her with you?"

"You intrigue me General, will you show me this thief?"

"She is in a cell at this moment, until her master threatens her victims into withdrawing their compliant."

"Attractive?"

"Oh yes, and a real runner, but corrupted by a crime lord who treats her like a slave."

"No education but picking locks and climbing through windows," Grebbs sighed. "And she still thinks her boss loves her. Tell you what, if you teach her to read I'll sign her papers over to you."

"To pass through so much territory surrounded by cavalry a lady must have a female companion," the General laughed. "She is held awaiting trial, and so with a slip of my pen I could find her guilty."

"I will have no dealings with breaking the law gentlemen, I've seen too many girls condemned merely because they were too beautiful. But it sounds like this girl could use a holiday."

"And if you realise that she is indeed guilty, will you then keep her?" the General laughed. "As your personal slave?"

"Only if my master agrees. But I think I could talk him into it. And Captain Grebbs, I have promised to find your sister if she still lives, so consider this a swap," she laughed.

Honey took one look at the tiny woman, seeing the blind arrogance from knowing that her lover would have her free in a few hours and that no force of law could touch her. "Grebbs my friend, strip the bitch and put a collar around her neck. She'll need tough running boots and lightweight manacles at her wrists and ankles. The rest we'll pick up along the way, if she earns the right."

"Why the running boots?"

"Because she'll be running most of the way home. I think I'll call you Sugar," Honey laughed on seeing the neatly braded pure white hair.

"You can't do this, I have rights as a freewoman!"

"And your victims also had rights," Grebbs snapped, "and you drove most of them to bankruptcy. There are good people living as slaves now because they couldn't pay their taxes or bills."

Honey mounted a borrowed horse next to Grebbs, with Sugar tied to her saddle as a disturbance started down the street and a dozen toughs appeared surrounding a fat man in expensive dress.

"Leave the slut alone, I can prove she was on the other side of town."

"You are talking of my slave sir," Honey said coolly, "and I shall decide if she is to be a slut."

"Then I'll get you too! I'll teach you to stand up to me!"

"Grebbs, can I borrow your knife?"

"Certainly Honey, what for?"

She took the knife and casually cast it at the crime lord, and buried it hilt deep into his chest. "Does that answer your question?" she asked sweetly as her victim sank to his knees. "Sugar, I want you to get the knife and wash it clean before handing it back to the good captain."

The girl stumbled forward in horror to see her lover laying on the dirt street as the blood pumped from his chest, she held the knife with disbelief and pulled it free spraying herself with hot sticky blood.

"Now clean it girl, and yourself, in the horsetrough. And you'd better sit in it, I want a proper bath," Honey snapped as an officious looking oaf rushed up gasping, "I'll have you both arrested for this murder."

"The town magistrate, and brother of your target. The reason we could never arrest him."

"That's good, do you have another knife?" she giggled sweetly. "I'm sure my diplomatic immunity will cover more than one death. And it occurs to me that you were looking for Brigands, and these spare lackeys look as Brigandish as you could wish for. Why don't you round them all up while I have a word with his honour here?"

"Without legal immunity I'm sure we can hang about half of them," Grebbs laughed and called his men to order as the city centre of Nohen became a battleground.

Honey waited till the battle was in full swing and threw the knife again and no one saw who had killed the brave city magistrate who was trying to stop the riot. Sugar had her second bath washing the knife once more as order was restored and the surviving thugs rounded up and jailed.

The General came to see the tail end of the rule of anarchy, gasping, "Honey, the next time you decide to take on the entire criminal underworld, go right ahead. You're welcome back anytime."

"Then I hope that if you find any slaves from my Realm kept by these creeps you will send them home sir. And I'll pass the same word at my end."

"As an ambassador you have my respect, and I'll send a favourable report to my king. This could well prevent the next war."

By the time the situation was stabilised it was too late to set out on the journey, and so they let Sugar show them around her Boss's private lair to see the document she claimed gave her right to half of his estate.

Grebbs almost burst out laughing on reading it. "Honey, I want you to keep this and teach her to read it, but only when I can see her face!"

She read it herself and fought to avoid laughing, "I'll see to it."

"But he wrote it down, on paper!" Sugar gasped in disbelief. "I saw him do it!"

"I'm not going to read it to you, but I will teach you to read it for yourself," she sighed. "Let's have a brandy Grebbs, I need something to steady my nerves."

"You've time to pick up a knife of your own Honey, I've a feeling that you'll be needing one soon."

They visited the weapons shop and she came away with a belt holding half a dozen throwing knives and a combat knife strapped to her calf, as well as a five foot long walking stave. Then they spent a couple of hours at the inn with Sugar chained kneeling at Honey's feet.

The cavalry detachment set off in the early dawn with Honey calling down to the girl who ran at her stirrups, "ABCD, now remember this, I'll teach you to write them tonight. ABCD..."

Grebbs sighed with laughter, "This is going to be the best time of my life."

After a couple of stubborn weeks Sugar started to form her letters with chalk on a slate, hating her mistress the whole time. Grebbs had a chance to bait some Brigands and let a couple of wounded men ride home with the survivors. And Honey was having fun using all the tricks that Wolf had taught her on the treatment of slaves. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to keep the obstinate girl but was having fun anyway.

In the third weeks as they passed through a stretch of firm moor land Honey stopped the troupe and freed Sugar, "Right then girl, if you want your freedom go for it. I'll only chase you on foot."

"Think you can catch me?" she scoffed, and set off running so fast she might as well be on a horse.

"I told you she was a runner, that's why we couldn't catch her," Grebbs sighed. "You'll never catch her now."

"She is faster than me, but only in a sprint," Honey laughed. "I'll grind her into the ground. Why don't you start lunch and bring us something when you catch up?" She stripped down to her leather loin cloth and breast band and loped off after Sugar like a gazelle.

Grebbs ordered the cook to serve lunch and lay down on the grass to wait. They mounted and hour later and walked towards the distant trees expecting to see the girls at any minute but it was three hours before they saw Honey leading a chastened Sugar towards them. Both were exhausted and covered with sweat, grass and dirt, and Sugar was holding her backside tenderly, but she wasn't as arrogant as usual and there was something new in her eyes: awe.

Honey stripped off and washed herself down, as Sugar washed herself clean. She dressed and mounted her horse, pulling the slave up to sit side saddle before her for the first time.

"Good run?" Grebbs asked with a smile.

"Yes sir," Sugar replied. "We both enjoyed it."

"Slaves are temperamental creatures," Honey laughed, "they go from hate to love within a moment. You just have to reach their level."

"And backside," Sugar mentioned with a wince as her sore bottom touched the cold saddle. "Thanks for the ride, I'm run out."

"Same time tomorrow?" Honey asked hopefully.

"No mistress, I'll need two days to get over that exertion," she insisted. "Where do you get that energy?"

"From love!" she laughed. "Are you ready to learn now?"

"Teach me to run like that and you can teach me anything."

Grebbs gasped, "You almost sound like fiends now!"

"We didn't run all the time," Sugar giggled, "we fought as well, until she beat me at that too."

"There is far more to making love than just being fucked," Honey sighed. "But that's a lesson many girls never learn."

They were a week from home when Sugar was allowed to read the message left by her boss and she screamed for a full two hours. "This white haired idiot must be the stupidest bitch in the world," she read for the twentieth time. "She risks her life for me every day and all I have to do is fuck her once in a while. It's better than having a whore even if she isn't as good."

Honey held the girl until she stopped raving as the remaining cavalry looked on with sympathy. Even Grebbs was feeling sad as his long waited for revenge turned dry in his mouth.

"I must be the stupidest girl in the world," Sugar sobbed, "to believe that fat creep loved me."

"Well now you know better," Honey sighed gently. "And because you can read you can not be stupid."

"Now's the time to use your intelligence Honey," Grebbs called out. "One of your scouting parties is just coming over the horizon, and I think they want to check our travel documents."

"We've been under a close watch for two weeks Grebbs, I'm sure they know all about us by now."

The scouting party split into two groups to the right and left as a lieutenant rode forward. "We are relieved that you made it back Lady Honey Percival, and our honour guard will lead you to the palace. Captain Grebbs, we thank you for the mercy and wisdom you showed in bringing her safely home."

"And since when was I a lady?" Honey gasped. "And a Percival? I don't remember Wolf marrying me."

"But your actions proved you to be a lady," the lieutenant laughed, "and you are a Percival through countless acts of wisdom and courage."

"I think he's trying to say that the promotion was automatic once you had earned the right in combat," Grebbs laughed. "And I agree. Lady Honey Percival, I'd marry you myself, but I think your king might take offence."

"The Kings party is still away lady, but there is much to do at home."

"Then lead us sir, and please fill me in on my tasks."

Honey, Grebbs and Sugar reached the Royal wing to see Maisy playing with Lea's children. She grabbed her daughter and burst into tears.

"Your daughter?" Grebbs asked. "I see why you need Sugar to look after her."

"She will not be short for duties," Honey laughed. "And now I'm a lady I can organise things without asking permission. You first Sugar, I'm having you branded like me. The Royal seal on your right hip and my personal bee right where I can see it when I'm pleasing you. Oh don't worry it'll be done under anaesthetic, you'll not feel it. And I want two roses tattooed growing around the bee, one white and one red, about an inch wide. And I'll let you guess where the shoots will be growing from. But first I'll have you permanently depleted, so I'll not be tasting your hair again. And I want this doing fast so that I can start looking for Grebbs' sister."

"Show me what you want in the catalogue and I will have it done," she sighed.

Leaving Sugar being tended Honey and Maisy led Grebbs through the palace towards the records department. He was surprised to see about a hundred slaves sitting at desks going through the paperwork that ran the Realm, most were Northerners with a fair number of men.

The reception clerk stood as they entered wearing a semiformal two piece that left her bare midriff showing firm muscles. "So what's changed while I've been away Kate?" Honey sighed.

"All the Northerners are free, so if you see one naked it just means they like it that way. I was employed by a merchant in the city so I never got used to that. What do you need lady Honey?"

"The whereabouts of a slave girl called Bappy, Bapptira is the full name."

"This won't take a moment, if she is register under her real name." Kate began searching the files, opening box after box until coming up with a file card. "I'd almost lost her, she was registered as dead two years ago, luckily we also have a file for those who pull through. She's employed in the shipyard. I'm ending my shift so I'll show you if you like?"

"You're a very helpful girl," Grebbs sighed.

"I was a slave for ten years sir, it pays to be helpful."

"But now you're free?"

Kate turned away asking, "What colour are my eyes? And don't peek."

"Blue green, but the left one is more green, and the right eye has a slight scar on the outside, and your nose is slightly out of line. Did you get into a fight?"

"Not bad Kate," Honey laughed. "He noticed you!"

"My last master tried to rape me and I fought back, so he bashed me in the face with a mallet. I found a flint nodule and a hammer stone lining the road and made this," she whipped a flint knife from the waist of her pants. "The second time he tried... Well, he'll not be raping another slave. They were going to torture me to death, yes Honey, I was in the same party as you and Maisy until the king rescued us."

"You should fix that up with a hilt and sheath and wear it with pride," Honey insisted.

Grebbs checked the three inch long blade and winced as it left a bloody scar on his thumb. "I'm impressed, and you made it in captivity from two common stones?"

"And nine more from the same flint," she said defiantly. "Northerners waste nothing."

"Honey's right, you should finish the blade and wear it with honour," Grebbs said sincerely and she looked at him in surprise.

They entered the ship yard to see the new fleet being built with stout rams at the waterline, and turned into the artisan sector where nautical embellishments were being perfected. The figurehead department was an old warehouse with a mock ship's bow where a woman sat wrapped around the frame holding a trident boldly, oh, and she had green hair and a fish's tail.

"Bappy," Grebbs gasped in joy. "Bapptira."

The girl took one look at him and turned white, dropping the trident and slipping from the fish tail to run from sight into an office, leaving the green wig still falling to the floor. They entered the warehouse seeing artisans carving ship sized figureheads as the aroma of fresh wood, resin and paint hung thickly in the air.

"You think we should have made an appointment?" Honey asked.

"If we had she'd be halfway over the horizon by now," Kate sighed. "Bapptira, this is your brother, he wants to take you home."

"So that my family will lock me in an attic and starve me to death?" she shouted back. "I can't go back, not ever!"

"I glanced through her medical file," Kate sighed, "Raped repeatedly, tortured because her master was too drunk to get it up, pregnant but the child died still in the womb when her last master tried to kill her. It gets worse. The only good thing is that her body has recovered, even if her mind has not."

The site foreman walked over, "I'll not be having you upsetting the poor girl, she's been through enough."

"I'm her brother sir, I'm here to save her. So what is she doing here?"

"The best model we've ever had." He pointed to a full sized figurehead of a beautiful warrior maiden wrapped around the prow, holding a sword and shield, with her full breasts pointing high as a strip of linen was wrapped around her waist blowing in the wind. "She's like that in real life too, until she sees a man within ten feet and then she starts screaming. We all love her but she needs more than that."

Kate looked spellbound at the figurehead, and at another ten that she could see carved using the same model. "Greet your brother girl, he came a long way to see you."

Bappy stepped from the office naked and proud of it, her dark hair was waving around her magnificent figure as her face seemed to glow with an unholy light. "Is this what you want to take home brother? I'm a slave and that's all I can ever be."

"We can give you a new life," he insisted. "Even find a husband..."

"Look at me brother, really look me in the eyes and tell me the truth. Would any man deign to marry a broken slave? For that is what I am! And if any man tried to even touch me I'll either die or kill him, and I not sure which."

"But you must want a family!" he gasped in horror.

"My family was taken from me when I aborted. I can never have children now, and what man would want to be childless?" She knelt to see Maisy in tears, "I've longed for such as you child, someone to love that they can never take away. But it can never be!"

"I could help," Kate sighed. "You live here? I've a small apartment with two bedrooms, if you like you could try bunking with another ex slave. We could try it for a week, and I promise it doesn't smell of the resin they use here."

"You are free from this moment," Honey snapped. "If you still wish to work here you are welcome, but I think you should live at the palace. Free accommodation, food and clothing."

"We even get a small allowance," Kate chuckled. "So you can still work here and get paid if you wish."

Bappy look shocked, "But why should you? I'm not even of your race."

"We were all slaves once," Maisy sighed. "That makes us sisters."

"You can see our brands if you like," Honey laughed.

Kate held her hand out to the slave, who grasped it tenderly, as Grebbs took her other hand, and together they led Bappy from the shipyard and towards the palace.

"I have to see this," Honey laughed as a tear rolled from one eye. "Will you pick up Sugar and bring her to Kate's apartment? You're not afraid?"

"I'm a big girl now mummy," Maisy laughed. "I know my way around the palace."

"Yes, of course you do," Honey laughed loudly.

A few weeks later Honey and Sugar met Kate in the records office. "You know Grebbs moved in with me?" Kate asked eagerly. She was wearing a leather outfit that was half midlands and half Northern, with a tailored bra embroidered with an eagle in each cup, and a loin cloth with a wolf that seemed to lope with each step she took. It was a perfect compliment to each society, and the dyed porcupine quills and polished ivory had been replaced by a multitude of eye catching plastic beads.

"I was expecting it to happen," Honey laughed. "But as an ambassador he's entitled to a fair sized home."

"And then Bappy would lock herself in one room and we'd never see her," Kate sighed. "This way they have to talk to each other."

"So how is it going?" Sugar asked. "Are they still fighting?"

"Yes, and it's doing her the world of good. He keeps asking her to dress and she insists that she's still a slave and it would not be proper, she even started to smile last week."

"The human mind is a wonderful thing, it can always repair itself given enough love to hold on to," Honey chuckled. "In a couple of years we might need you to visit their home on an official tour."

"Are you asking if we plan to marry?" Kate gasped.

"No, none of my business. But it would be nice to slip in the calendar."

"I'm not even sure we could, our ranks are so far apart," she gasped.

"Trust me, by the time of the tour your rank will be the same as his, and if he's promoted at home then as his wife your rank will rise automatically."

"Will I be safe?" Kate gasped. "His family won't like a blond ex-slave as an in-law."

"We'll be going with you," Sugar insisted. "I have to go back anyway, I left a few messes that I need to clean up. They can't prosecute me for my past crimes now I'm a slave, but I have to make amends somehow."

"I'm impressed Honey, are you sure she's a thief?"

"She only steals what I tell her to," she laughed fondly at her slave. "Where did you get the outfit? I'd like one myself."

"Oh, one of the girls here is a fine seamstress, she'll whip you up whatever you want."

"Then I might even get one for Sugar," she laughed. "If she behaves."

Sugar laughed richly, "When do you let me misbehave? Is that one S or two?"
