The Tattooed Princess

A Vicious Turn of Events

         That night Zaria was both happy and sad for her friend Svetlana. It was an uncertain future for all of them, but now her spiritual sister's life would be vastly more complicated. The ordeal of childbirth, though rewarding to a woman without complications, was still a life-threatening proposition in those times, both for the child and the mother. Zaria also took to heart the fact that she saw her young friend literally come back to life with the knowledge that the man whom she had come to love over those past months—even in the direst circumstances as his sex slave, now pledged his affections for her. It would be the greatest of mysteries to all of the girls now as to how Murka would take the news that Svetlana was carrying his noble child. 

            In spite of this development, the plight of the young Amazon, Aella, was clearly still in Zaria's mind. Fearing that Sharvur would call for her novel presence in his bed chamber—surely sooner than later, and knowing of his cruel ways, Zaria formed a plan to help the young Amazon escape. Using her growing authority within the palace, she slipped outside into the cold snow-covered grounds that afternoon. She made it a point to wear a floor-length and hooded fur coat. She also insisted that the guards saw, heard and knew of her movements. They acknowledged her presents outside the palace, as it was now inconsequential to them due to the severe weather and the knowledge that Zaria would not get far on her own in the current freezing conditions. 

            She went directly to the men who tended the war horses in one of the stables, not far from the palace entryway. She told the stableman that she and Sharvur would be taking a ride that evening down into the tent city and to prepare two horses to be ready for their short journey to visit one of the king's commanders for dinner. This order was responded to and as Zaria looked back while returning to the palace she could see that, indeed, a pair of swift animals was being led out of the stable, and soon were tied to the fence to remain in waiting. A light snow was falling and her thick wolf-pelt coat was covered with a soft powder when she reentered the guarded doorway. 

            As Zaria went in to visit the new feral prisoner of the palace and to tell her of her plan for that evening, she realized with a shock that it was too late! Aella's chamber was already empty. She knew immediately that Sharvur had already arranged to have her brought to his bedroom under guarded escort earlier. Zaria ran to the upper level of the king's sleeping quarters and from the steps could see that the door was closed tightly and secure. She also knew it would be counterproductive to her plans to try and intervene and now could only hope that the young woman could and would endure the cruel sexual games and antics Sharvur obviously had planned for her that evening. 

                                                                  *     *     *  

        Inside Sharvur's warm pleasure nest he sat up in bed for her, wearing his dark blue silk night clothes. Secretly, this evening he was armed with a razor-sharp dagger, hidden under his nearby pillow. He kept the weapon there within his reach should the woman warrior he planned to enjoy that night attempt to resist his advances or try and attack him. 

        Two armed soldiers had brought Aella to his room, and each stood holding her by the arms. The young Amazon looked understandably frightened in his presence, but also kept a stoical composure in accessing the situation. She was fully aware her fate that night would include acts she had never engaged in, and more disturbingly with a sworn enemy she had been trained to avoid and kill if necessary—a man.  

        As she was brought close to the bed Sharvur smiled at her as a greeting. 

        "You are looking far better than you did when you were first brought to my palace," he said, whimsically. And I am sure it was difficult giving you that bath yesterday which added to your attractiveness this evening, Aella."