The Princess' Predicament By Artful Dom - © 2006 Warning: This is an adult story. If you are not an adult in whatever location you are reading this, stop, go no further. Warning: Readers may be offended by sex, violence and much politically incorrect behavior. Read further at your own risk. Codes: MF, Oral, Anal, Fantasy, Magic, Humiliation, Piercing, MDom, Teen and Non-sexual Violence -------------------- "I'm getting to old for this shit." Thought Hegar as he slid along the wall. His back ached and his fierce bearded face bore a scowl. One of the mercenaries that the prince had brought in to kill the royal family stood just around the corner. Unfortunately the Mercenary was between Hegar and his goal, the apartments of Princess Aruyan. Many years ago Hegar had joined the Royal Navy and gained great renown, glory and promotion in the service to old King Jelar. But then after many years he had taken some grave wounds and, even after the healers were done with him, deemed unfit for duty at sea. At that point he was already a High Captain of the King's Royal Marines, and not yet 35. The King had offered him the duty of a royal body guard and he had soon been assigned to protect the tiny young daughter of the King, Aruyan. That had been twelve years ago. Hegar was now 46, nearly 47. Aruyan was 16. Her half brother Prince Kregosh was 25. The King and Queen were dead this night at the Prince's hands, and if Hegar didn't get to the Princess and get her out of the palace before the mercenary squad behind him, she would be dead too. Hegar slowly slid his dagger out of its sheath. Then he quickly slipped around the corner, grabbed the mercenary over his mouth, jerked his head up and shoved the dagger up under his chin. The mercenary died quickly. Hegar lowered him to the ground, pulled out his dagger and stepped to the door. Using his key he unlocked the heavy wooden door and pushed it open. Your highness?" He called out. No answer. He pushed the door closed behind him and relocked it. Then he turned and began to go through the apartment. When he reached the bedroom her again called out. "Your highness?" A faint voice came from the wardrobe, "Hegar? Is that you?" "Yes your highness." The door opened and the face of a lovely young girl peeked out. Her face was oval, place skinned and high cheeked. She had full lips, a cute little chin and eyes the color of storm clouds. Her hair and eyebrows were darkest black, thick and lustrous. She had obviously been crying from her puffy appearance and sad expression. On confirming Hegar's identity she rushed from the wardrobe and hugged the burley bearded soldier. "Now, now, Princess. It will be alright." He patted her back for a moment, then pushed her to arms length. "We've got to get you out of the palace. Are you up to a bit of running and skulking?" "What about mother and father." Hegar thought about what to say, and decided to get things set straight. "I'm sorry your highness, but I saw your brother put them to the sword not a quarter hour past. There is a squad of mercenaries coming this moment to bring you to him, no doubt for the same purpose." The princess' face bore a stunned look in response to this news. But she nodded. "I saw the banners from my window. I suspected it was him. He is keeping his promise, I guess." She looked torn between anger and sorrow, but she gave in to neither. "Come along now princess, not much time." Hegar lead her to the door, used the small peep hole to confirm the squad was not yet there, then opened the door. He paused long enough to pull the dead sentry inside, then strip him of his surcoat. He pulled on the poncho like garment emblazoned with the sigil of Kergosh, made a face of disqust, then closed and locked the door. He took the Princess by the arm and rushed down the hall. Over the next hour they spent their time dodging patrols, hiding in out of the way nooks and having to double back from blocked exits. They hid near the postern gate in the empty slave quarters. From tiny window Hegar could see this gate was open and guarded by only two sentries. Unfortunately the hallway outside had many men moving back and forth. They were trapped so close to an exit. He sighed and turned back to the princess who had been examining the contents of the room in which they hid. "It's no good your highness. The moment we step outside this room we'll be seen. If only you didn't look... Well, so much like you." The princess turned to him and said, "What do you mean?" "Well, the guards are all busy on errands and such. I could probably go out that door, walk like I had a purpose and thanks to this accursed surcoat, walk right out, or at least up to, that gate. I might be able to take out the two sentries by surprise, and then we'd be out into the dock ward. From there it's a short dash to the boats and trip down river and out to sea. I grew up either in the water or in a boat, so I could get us across the Bay of Winds, and maybe find a port on the far side that would grant you sanctuary." "And all that stands in the way of this plan is my appearance?" "That's the way I figure it." "So I need a disguise?" "Yes" "I don't look like a soldier, even if I put on armor and everything I am too small, too girly. Yes?" "Yes your Highness." She turned to the cabinet behind her and pulled out a jar and sat it on the table. Then she pulled out a slave collar and small box. She said over her shoulder, "Do you still carry a healing potion?" "Yes your Highness, you know all of the royal body guards carry one." "Then I have a plan." "You do?" "Yes, I shall go in a disguise that is even better than yours." "And what would that be?" "A slave girl." "What!?" "Think about it. The other soldiers would see your surcoat and assume you are one of them. If they saw a hairless, pierced, collared slave they would not think her the missing princess. Would they?" "But Princess! You can't! You'd have to be naked, and pierced. And we'd have to remove your hair. All the royal slaves are depilated." "I know. This was the slave master's office. This jar is the depilatory. This box contains the rings and needs for the piercing. If you give me a bit of the potion they should heal right up and look old. Here are collars, cuffs and a leash. Everything we need." "But you're a Princess." "If we do not get away I shall be a dead princess." "Yes, there is that." "Can you think of anything better?" "No your Highness." Aruyan removed her gown, then her undergarments. Hegar could not help but notice she had grown into a lovely young woman. She was fairly toned from riding. He breasts, though not overly large were very nicely shaped with large nipples. She opened the jar and quickly downed the depilatory potion. Almost instantly she felt a tingle sweep across her skin. She began to rub herself and hair began to shower from her. First the light down on her arms, then she ran her hands over he scalp, coming away with masses of long black hair. She swept, down her body feeling a bit embarrassed as her pubes fell away. In short order she stood there more naked than she had been since birth. Hegar felt himself becoming aroused. It was custom in the kingdom and surrounding territories to remove a slaves hair. It made it nearly impossible for them escape by posing as a free person, and served as a constant reminder of their status. He was quite used to pleasuring himself on the palace slaves when the urge was upon him and had become very accustomed to bald women. It struck him that the princess had a very nicely shaped head, and that the lack of eyebrows somehow made her eyes seem more piercing. He tried very hard not to look between her legs at the mons and labia that would now be exposed. The princess then picked up the box and brought it him. "You'll have to do the piercing." "Yes your highness." He sat down the box, and turned back to her. "You might scream, maybe?" She nodded and returned to the cabinet. She removed a gag, shaped like a man's penis and slowly placed it her mouth. She pulled the strap behind her head and buckled it. Then she spread he legs shoulder width, and put her hands behind her head. She had seen slaves stand like this countless times and knew it would give Hegar easy access to the parts of her body he needed to reach. Hegar sighed, prurient thoughts running through his mind. He shook his head focusing on the purpose of their actions, picked up the box and prepared. He selected six steel rings and a large needle from the box. He knelt before the princess and said, "I apologize princess, but there is no delicate way to do this." She nodded and closed her eyes. Herger began to gently work at her clitoris. It took several minutes and the princess was breathing quickly and very flushed by the time he was sure he could pierce her correctly. Placing the needle against her clit, he quickly popped it through. The princess jerked and squealed loudly, were it not for the gag they would surely have been heard. Once she calmed a bit her pulled the needle on through and threaded in the ring. Once it was through her flesh the enchantment kicked in and the ring fused into one seamless surface. Next he did her labia. Her lower three rings he place he stood. Her nipples were already very erect, but he deftly tweaked them to make sure they were as hard and erect as they could get. He pierced her left nipple, then her right. Last he pierced the septum of her nose. She reacted to that just as strongly as she had her clit. All these done he stepped back. She continued to stand there for a moment, till he said, "We're done princess." She shook her head. "You want me to do the ear cuffs and others as well?" He asked. She nodded. He looked in the box and couldn't find the necessary things so he went back to the cabinet and soon found several other boxes of rings, studs and cuffs. He also found the large pliers like instrument for putting the wide cuff bands into the cartilage of the upper ear. He set to work on those first. Then he unbuckled the gag and asked her to open her mouth. He easily pierced her lower lip, giving her the distinctive labret ring of the palace slaves. But he was nervous about the tongue stud. He knew it had to go in just so. She knew what was next so she stuck out her tongue and waited. He got out the healing potion and sat it aside. Then taking her tongue in his fingers he held the needle in place. She again closed her eyes. He counted to three then quickly forced the needle through her tongue. She reflexively tried to withdraw it, but between the needle and his grip she could not. He took the stud and slipped it into the whole from below and screwed the small ball on top. There was a faint glow as another enchantment kicked in. Once that was done he quickly opened the potion and poured about a third of it down the princess's mouth. A full vial would bring a man back from the edge of death, so he figured that would be more than enough. The princess, in more pain than she could ever remember felt a wash of coolness flow through her. Where it flowed pain passed. In its wake another feeling remained. She realized she was very aroused. So aroused that the sensations she perceived from her nipples and clit were almost, but not quite pain. She said, "Thank you Herger." "Uh!Yes your Highness." She picked up the collar with attached wrist cuffs, and slender chain link leash. She handed them to Hegar. He put them on her, snapping the catch. Luckily this style relied on the fact that the slave, their hands fastened behind their head, could not reach the catch. So no key was needed. He then affixed the leash and stepped back. Fifteen minutes ago he entered this room with elegantly gowned, raven haired princess. Now he held the leash of a luscious little slave. Her clit and nipples erect, pale skin flawless and smooth. "Well, do I look enough like a slave?" "Oh yes your Highness." "Then let us go. I don't want to have gone through all of that for nothing. I never imagined that kind of pain." "I'm sorry your Highness." "I know Hegar. Can we go now?" "Yes your Highness." Taking the leash in his hand he went to the door. Aruyan had no choice but to follow. He opened it and saw a pair of mercenaries moving along rapidly some distance away, and another moving toward them. He would have to pass the one closely. Well, this was probably as good a chance as they would get. He quickly opened the door and stepped out into the hall. He moved down the hall trying to radiate purpose. He wanted everything about him to send the message, "I am on a mission, do not interfere." As they approached the lone mercenary he spoke up. "I thought the king had summoned all the fuck toys to the throne room for a big celebratory orgy." Hegar shrugged and continued to walk. "He might have, I wasn't invited." "Me neither, so where you taking this little piece of flesh." "Captain told me to bring her to the back gate. I didn't ask why." "We have time to enjoy her?" "If we did, do you think I'd be talking to you?" The mercenary laughed and kept going, as he passed he gave Aruyan a swat on her ass that made her yelp. He did not see the look that Hegar gave him that would have told him that he missed dieing by the barest thread of luck. After that they made it down the grand promenade and to the door to the rear courtyard. From there they had only to walk across the courtyard and they were at the small postern gate. The two guards looke pleased but puzzled as they approached. One of them said, "What's this?" Hegar said, "A gift from the Captain. Don't ask me why, but he told me to bring this cunt to you two. I'm to relieve you while you take turns." The guards smiled and looked at each other. The one that had first spoke said, "I'll go first." "Like hell you will." "Look, someone has to go first." As they bickered, neither guard noticed that Hegar dropped Aruyan's leash. He stepped in close saying, "Now boys. Let's settle this like friends and comrades." He raised his hands to their shoulders in a friendly jesture. Before either of them could react he palmed the back of their skulls and slammed their faces together. They staggered apart just in time for him to slit ones throat. The other opened his mouth to scream but Hegar kicked him in the stomach knocking the wind out of him before he could call out. Then he plunged the dagger into the mercenary's left eye. He grabbed Aruyan's leash and ran from the gate before the bodies hit the ground. The next morning dawned on them in a small fishing boat. No land was in sight. Hegar had discarded Kergosh's hated symbol, and was sitting relaxed at the rudder. He had stolen a small single sail craft. The type used by a couple of fishermen to go out into the deeper waters. They didn't have any food, but there was fishing gear. And they had at least a weeks water. The way he figured it they would be across the bay in less than two days. The weather looked clear, the water fairly calm and the wind was favorable. He was sleepy, but he wanted to take a good bearing on the rising sun. He did so, then looked down at the figure curled up in the bottom of the boat. He had taken a bit of tarp and covered the princess during the night. She had curled up and started sobbing out her grief once it was clear they were safely away. He tied the rudder into position so that the boat would continue more or less on course as he slept, then allowed himself to doze off. Not long afterward Aruyan woke. She was disoriented for a moment, then everything came back to her. She slowly sat up and noticed Hegar asleep at the tiller. She let the tarp fall away and stretched. She felt very guilty. Last night she should have been mourning her parent's death. But instead, as soon as they got away she had crawled forward in the boat and began to jill herself. She'd kept it up till she finally dozed off, having lost count at half a dozen orgasms. She was worried what Hegar would think of her. She had never realized how sexy being naked was. Or realized just how wonderful the piercings would feel. Her nipples and clit were still erect. And she was thirsty. She went forward and drank some of the water. It helped but she still wanted something else. Her stomach grumbled too. But she knew they had no food. At least not until Hegar caught something. It was certain she knew nothing about catching fish. She sat quietly watching the sea and was soon playing with herself. Slowly bringing herself to orgasm after orgasm. Hegar woke some time latter and at first thought he was hearing the princess cry, but as the fog of sleep cleared from his eyes he realized she was wantonly spread in the front of the boat playing with her nipple and clit rings. "Your highness." Aruyan's eyes focused on Hegar, and she said, "Hegar, help me. I can't seem to stop. It feels so good." "Uh princess?" He moved forward toward her. As he got close, she got a wild look in her eyes and suddenly sat up and grabbed his belt. He fought her off, and backed away, but she crawled after him. "Hegar, I need you. I need you." "Princess, I'm a common soldier. You're a royal virgin. I can't!" "Then at least let me take you in my mouth. You've saved me. You deserve a reward. I don't have anything but my body to give you. And I need it. Please Hegar." Hegar's will was only so strong. He sat and did not resist as Aruyan opened his trousers, fished out the very hard penis inside and began to give him enthusiastic if inexperienced head. The princess had seen oral sex before. She had come upon the occasion palace resident availing himself of one of the slaves she now resembled. She remembered the slaves always seemed to be very enthusiastic about it. She loved the sensations. How he was hard and soft at the same time. And he smelled so very male. She tried various things, watching his reactions closely. If he seemed to like a thing she would repeat it. And try something similar. Licking the underside of his penis just behind the head seemed to get a big reaction, so she did that a lot. Sucking him into her mouth, running the ring in her lower lip, and the stud in her tongue along the underside of his prick as she tried to get it all into her mouth. It did not take too long before Hegar erupted into her mouth. Aruyan had never tasted anything so divine. It was like honey, wine, fresh fruit and rich cream all together. The taste triggered an endorphin rush and pushed her arousal to high level. She took one hand away from Hegar's prick and began to play with herself again as she carefully licked up every drop of his cum. He found himself so stimulated that he remainded quite hard. The princess pulled back and said, "I command you, fuck me!" "Princess, I can't!" "You mean you wont!" "Yes." "Don't you want me?" Said Aruyan in a hurt tone of voice. "Oh princess you are ... Yes I would like to make love to you, your highness. But it wouldn't be right. I'm not sure what has gotten into you. But it wouldn't be right for me to take your maiden head. Perhaps get you with child. You are your countries only hope of reprieve from the rule of your brother. Your best hope is to find an ally to marry. He'll want a virgin bride." "Then fuck my ass. I don't have an virginity there." "Your ass?" "Yes." "Your highness that will hurt." "I've seen the slaves taken there before. Some of them seemed to enjoy it." Hegar had been especially fond of one little round assed slave who seemed to adore being buggered. Thoughts of her sweet ass around his dick made it jump in Aruyan's hand. "Bugger me Hegar." "We'll need some lubricant." Aruyan let go of his dick and scampered to the bow. There she found a small container of whale oil and a couple of lamps. She brought it back, poured some in her hand then smeared it on Hegar's prick. He said, "And in your ass your Highness." Aruyan nodded, reaching around and slowly sliding a lubed finger into her ass. Hegar nearly came watching her face. Her mouth opened and her eyes go wide, but she didn't seem to be in pain. In fact as he watched she began to slowly pump her fingers in and out of her anus. She stopped, applied oil her fingers, and went back to it. She sighed and said, "I think I'm ready. Fuck me now!" She turned away from him and got onto all fours in the bottom of the boat. Hegar crouched behind her and carefully pushed against her sphincter. He was preparing to slide in when Aruyan pushed back, popping him in. She stopped, making a surprised sound. Then she slid slowly down him till he was in to the hilt. She pulled away, then began to pick up the pace. Hegar put his hands on her hips and just held on for the ride. Aruyan was in heaven. Having a dick in her was wonderful. It hurt a little, but it felt so good. The rings in flesh were pulsing with her heart beat and she could feel an orgasm coming. She pumped savagely, forcing herself all the way down, feeling Hegar's hairy balls slap against her hairless cunt. Then pulling away. At one point she pulled away to far and he popped out. She cried out in frustration and reached back to help guide him back into her ass. She again began to thrust, so hard that her breast swayed to the motion, the rings increasing the intensity of the situation. Then suddenly, she came. It was much better than the cums from her fingers. She screamed, took a breath and screamed again. Her sphincter clamped down hard on Hegar and he came, but she squeezed so hard he almost couldn't ejaculate. The sensation was exquisite and made the orgasm seem to last for a very long time. Aruyan was still having little after shock cums as he fell backwards and again came free of her nether passage. Still mewling Aruyan turned and took him into her mouth. She did not care much for the taste of the whale oil, or her ass, but Hegar's seed was the most wonderful thing she had ever tasted. She crawled up into Hegar's arms and hugged him. He smiled at her and they lay like that for quite a while. Eventually, Hegar pulled himself away and began to fish. Aruyan, watching began to masturbate again. "Your Highness. Maybe you should take a break." Aruyan gave him a look of desperate need and said, "I can't." And so the next two days pasted. The weather stayed calm. Aruyan would sleep for a while, then suck Hegar until he was hard. Then she get him to fuck her ass. Then she would jill herself to orgasm until she feel asleep again. Hegar managed to catch enough fish that they did not starve, but when they finally sighed land after three days, it was a welcome sight. Smoke could be seen to the North, so they turned that way. In short order they came into sight of Port Tor. Of all the cities on the far side of the bay, Port Tor would have been Hegar's last choice. It was a known pirate haven, and the council of lords that ran the city was legendary in their level of corruption. But they needed food. And he wanted to take Aruyan to a healer. Her unnatural lust was exhausting them both. He had remembered a rumor that the court wizard did something to the palace slaves to make them more amenable. He wondered if something they had done to perfect Aruyan's disguise might have invoked some enchantment. In short order they tied up a small dock, the harbor master charging him a copper coin and eying Aruyan with obvious lust. He offered to let him tie up for trade, but Hegar turned him down. He didn't have much money, but he wasn't yet ready prostitute the princess he had spent the last twelve years protecting. Aruyan was back in her collar, which was good, or she would likely have been jilling herself as they walked through the streets. It did not take long to find a healer. He took Aruyan in and paid him three silver coins to have her examined. The healer cast a few simple spells. And examined Aruyan in a very causal and intimate way that made Hegar very tense. The Healer seemed very surprised when he found her maiden head. "Virgin!?" Exclaimed the Healer. "Yes." "Never?" The Healer said in a dubious tone. "Obviously?" "Well, actually, if a healer gets to a girl fast enough, or she drinks a healing potion, the hymen will grown back." "Really?" "Yes." Said the Healer. "Interesting, but not why we're here. Healer, this girl is insatiably lusty. I want to know why, I don't think it's natural." "And you would be correct. May I ask how you came by this girl?" "No." Said Hegar in a grim tone. "Well, I think someone was playing a joke on you." "Why?" Said Hegar. "You see these rings in her nose, nipples, clitoris and labia?" "Of course." "Well, I've seen their like before. They are used by the better slaving houses in the Kingdom of Jurash. Typically only one is used, it causes the slave to be always just a little aroused. Six of them, I can only imagine how needy hot she must be." He looked at Aruyan appraisingly. "That's it?" "Well, there are other enchantments." "There are?" "Yes. She's been depilated. The potion used for that makes a person's skin extremely sensitive. The slightest touch will be acutely felt. As a side effect, if she is clothed for very long at all she'll break out in a painful rash. The stud in her tongue. It has a sensatory illusion spell on it. I'm not sure what, but I'd bet it makes a man's seed, and possibly other bodily fluid taste very good. It's a common way to cause a slave to want to perform oral sex. Make their reward taste good enough and they'll seek it like a old sailor chases rum." "So she suffers from all these together?" "Yes, and there is one more. This ring in her lip. I have heard of it's like, but never seen it. I don't have the skill to analyze the spell. But it is very powerful." Hegar raised his eyebrows, he said, "You say you've heard of it's like, what do you think it does?" Reluctantly the healer said, "I think it's a sort of love spell." "Love spell?" "Yes. I'd guess, given it's proximity that it is intended to work along with the stud in her tongue. She will be compelled to love anyone who feeds her his seed. The more she consumes of his seed, the deeper her love." Hegar looked at Aruyan, she had been listening and analyzing the healers words the best she could through her haze of lust. And she realized that Hegar's look was asking her if she loved him. She nodded. Hegar breathed out a great gust of breath. Then he said, "Well, lets take them out." "We can't." Said the healer with great finality. "WHAT!?" "These are very well made. The rings have no seam, once put in place they magically became on unit. Likewise the stud in her tongue. Only the wide metal cuff in her ears can safely be removed without surgery." "Well, you're a healer. Cut them out!" Aruyan gave Hegar a very alarmed look. Then the Healer said, "Well she's your slave and I'll do it if you want. But I don't recommend it. The residual magic from these items would interfere with any attempt at magical healing. So there would be only normal healing, lots of scar tissue. You'd go from having a lovely, eager slave to having a girl with scars where he nipples and clit used to be, a damaged tongue and lips. I'm not even sure if it's safe to try and remove that ring in her lip. It might be booby trapped. Whoever made it knew what they were doing and if you are going to do something like that to a slave, you don't want them, or anyone else, removing your handiwork." "So she is stuck as she is, unless I'm willing to maim her?" "Unless you can find a master wizard, who is also a master healer, and pay him the huge sum he would no doubt charge for such complex, dangerous and delicate work." "By all the gods." "Well, it could be a lot worse. She's hot ready and looks very fuckable. Speaking of which. I'll give you back you're three silvers, and seven more if I can fuck her." "No." "Look, I'll heal her maiden head and give her a potion to keep her from getting with child. She'll be good as new." Hegar knew that he had only two more silver coins, and a handful of copper. Having ten silver would give them a lot of choices. He looked a question at Aruyan. She nodded. "Alright." But I stay and watch. "If you wish." The healer opened his robe, pointed to the floor in front of him and said, "Kneel and suck me till I'm hard." Hegar said, "Do not come in her mouth!" "Wouldn't think of it. Aruyan had given Hegar head a dozen times and had improved quite a bit. The healer was soon quite hard, dispite Hegar's scowling gaze. He ordered her back onto the examination table, spread her legs and without any fanfare, thrust into her eager wet pussy. Aruyan yelped, but was soon moaning and writhing so strongly the healer almost fell. They finally found a rhythm together and were soon coming. The healer pumping his seed into Aruyan. She arching her back and shouting out a realease. The healer pulled out leaving Aruyan spread on the table. He looked over at Hegar and said, "Want to give her a ride before I fix her up?" Hegar nodded, stepped between her legs, took out his rigid member and thrust into her. Aruyan looked up at him with adoration in her eyes. It was like, and unlike, the looks she had been giving him since he came into her life. Her protector. Always there for her. Always the strong rock to which she could run for security. Hegar had been drained for the last three days. But the sensation of fucking into her tight swampy cunt while she looked up at him with those storm colored eyes was too much for any man. He took little longer than the healer, adding another load of cum to her pussy. While they had been fucking the healer had prepared a douche. He administered it and announced that Aruyan should be good as new. Hegar carefully inserted his finger and found Aruyan did indeed again have a maiden head. He looked at the healer and said, "She will not get with child?" "No, I mixed a couple of things together." Hegar thought for a moment and said, "How about you give me five silver, and give me another dose of that stuff?" The healer thought for a moment and said, "Make it six and bring her back for a return visit and check up. Paid for in trade." Hegar nodded. The Healer returned to his work bench and mixed a vial of liquids. He handed it and four silver to Hegar. The vial and coins went into her purse and they left the healer. Once outside Aruyan leaned forward and kissed Hegar on the hand. He lead her into an open area, not far from a market. No one could hear what they said. He sat down, Aruyan knelt on the ground at his feet. She looked up at him with that same look of utter adoration. He said, "I'm sorry princess. I didn't know about the enchantments." "It is alright Hegar. I didn't either." "Unless you have a better plan, I was thinking we could auction off your virginity a couple of times. With that money we could maybe find a wizard who could heal you up. Or, if that is something you think too terrible. I'll take you back to the healer had have those rings from you now." "Hegar, there is a third choice." "What is that, your Highness?" "Keep me." "What?" "Hegar, we have no money, no army, little hope of overthrowing my brother. If we try, we may die in the attempt. I have known you cared for me my whole life. And I always loved you as a little girl will love her protector. But now I love you as a woman. I have felt you in me. I want to feel that again and again. I want to bring you pleasure with this body. Keep me as your slave. I don't want to be a queen, ruling a torn and troubled nation at the side of some ambitious stranger who sees me as a way to more power. I want to feel the joy of serving the man I love. I don't want to again live in the artificial world of the court, I want to live in your arms." Hegar sighed, "I would like to princess, but how would we live?" "You have a fishing boat. You have pretty young girl slave. Both are sources of income." Hegar nodded. "You truly wish this?" Aruyan nodded, "Yes. But do you? I don't want you doing this just because I desire it. I want you to be happy." Hegar laughed. "Princess, I have a fishing boat and succulent little slave girl, how could an old man be happier." "Then you are going to keep me?" "Yes, if you agree to it. But if you do, it will not be pretend. You will no longer be the princess, you will be my slave." "Oh yes, I agree." "Very well then. You must call me master. And I think I shall call you... Cumbucket." Aruyan looked outraged, "Cumb!..." She stopped. Sighed, smiled and said, "Yes master. Can cumbucket suck master, she is thirsty?" Hegar laughed, "I doubt there's anything in there to suck out. Let's get a bed. These old bones want a good night's sleep. And some food that isn't raw fish. After that, we'll see what we can do." Hegar stood, Cumbucket stood gracefully. He walked off down the street looking for an Inn. The happiest slave in the city trotted along behind.