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**Chapter 8**

Three days. Kipp followed the trail of the Duke’s army for three days. And then the trail went cold. Starving and exhausted, he decided to pull into Hawthorne to rest and have his horse tended to. He ached all over, but pushed through the pain hoping to finally catch up with the army.

*If I don’t rest, I’ll be no good to her even if I do catch up to the army.*

The tavern was seedy and full of unsavory characters but cheap.

*Ah, just like home.*

The scent of mead, alcohol and body odor permeated the air like a thick fog. Not a pleasant place to be, but somewhere he was least likely to be noticed. Brooding in the corner over a meat pie, he wondered about where to go next.

*Jagotville is known for its brothels, but generally, they don’t have the money to purchase a Princess. Just not a high enough class of clientele to give them that sort of coin to spare. Yolackt, on the other hand, their brothels almost exclusively service high-class clientele. Jagotville is closer, but Yolackt is the more likely location. What to do…*

Kipp picked at his meat pie with a fork as he toiled over his options. As exhausted as he was, sleep had not come easy. Every time he closed his eyes, it was the same dream. Elsie would be beneath him as they made slow, sensual love. He would lean in to kiss her, closing his eyes as he spilled his seed into her, her lips embracing his. When he opened his eyes, Elsie would be surrounded by flames as the forest burned around them, screaming for him to save her. A loud bang made him jump as a wide man in a militia uniform barreled through the door of the tavern. He roughly sat at the table, an irritated scowl stretched across his face.

“What’s got you in a sour mood today, Sergeant Sorben?” inquired the tavern maid as she handed him a mug of ale.

“The fucking Duke,” Sorben took a swig of ale, “Had my men pulling double duty shifts protecting THEM and not the town. They apparently ate half of the Bromm’s sheep herd and claimed it as foraging spoils. I swear, every time some noble prick comes through here, they and their men feel like they are entitled to everything they can see. All they do is take and break shit. I’m fucking sick of it.”

The tavern maid rubbed his back affectionately, “Cheer up, Sergeant, they are gone now and no longer your problem.”

*So I am on the right trail.*

Tipping the tavern maid, he paid for his meal and returned to his room. Fishing a small leather-wrapped satchel from his belongings, he unrolled it to reveal a set of etching tools. Breaking a leg off of a chair, he worked the end of the leg with the tools until there was the rough shape of an eagle on the end of it.

*Didn’t expect to be utilizing this trick again so soon.*

Taking a piece of parchment, he folded it up, then held a wax stick up to the candle. Quickly, he pressed the wax stick to the folded parchment and then applied pressure to it with the carved chair leg. When he lifted the chair leg off the wax, something resembling the Royal seal was left behind.

*It’s not perfect, but it will pass long enough for me to get information. Just as long as I’m not here when they unseal it.*

Retrieving his horse, he made ready for the road and took to the village’s Main Street. He acted casual, laid back before turning the corner towards the East gate. Only then did he spur his horse on at its top speed. A young guardsman saw him approach, and Kipp watched as his eyes grew wide.

“Whoa! Whoa!” the guardsmen held out a hand, the other reaching for his sword hilt, “And where be ye going in such a hurry?”

Kipp did his best to fake being out of breath and in pain, “I have… an urgent message… for the Duke. Please… tell me which way…”

He gripped his side where the arrow had passed through him over a week earlier, gritting his teeth. With trembling hands, he pulled out the forged letter with the fake stamp and showed it to the guardsman. He lifted up his tunic just enough to show the arrow wound as he stuffed the fake missive back in his satchel.

“Sir, you’re injured! You must rest!”

“No time… Undertow army… pillaging… murdering… I must get word… to the Duke! Please! Tell me which way!”

“Uh, they went east, out this gate!” the guardsman pointed, “Towards Jagotville. If you hurry, you can catch them. They left just this morning and should be there by nightfall.”

“Thank you, guardsman,” Kipp drove his heels into the horse’s flanks, “YA! YA!”

As his horse sped out of the gate, spurred on by his commands, the terrified screams of the Princess echoing through his mind pressed him on, despite his discomfort. Only a few hundred feet from the gate, he picked up the tell-tale, beaten path that the army had taken. Noon turned to afternoon, and afternoon turned to dusk. In the light of the setting sun, he turned around a sharp curve in the road. Only his quick reaction and years spent on a horse saved him from crashing into a cart with a broken wheel. Armored soldiers stood around it, trying to pull it from the mud and repair the wheel, cursing at the top of their lungs at their luck.

*Wait, those are the Duke’s men.*

Before Kipp could react, a burly man grabbed hold of the reins and examined him closely.

“Oi! I know you!” the burly soldier pointed a finger at him.

Kipp recognized him as well. He was the Sergeant of the squad of men he had been drinking within the camp. Immediately he felt his blood grow warm as his hand slid under his cloak, fingers poised to draw his longsword at a moment’s notice.

“Kipp, right?” the Sergeant asked, “You’re the lad who went to take a piss in the woods and never came back. I knew the mead was a bit strong, but I didn’t think it was THAT strong. We figured you were just sleeping off the hangover. Good to see ya again, lad!”

A rush of relief washed over Kipp as his fingers slid off the pommel of the longsword.

*He has no idea about what happened, does he?*

“Good to see you again, Sergeant,” he played along, “I can normally handle my alcohol, but it’s been a bit of a dry spell for me. All I remember is waking up, and everyone was gone.”

“Aye,” the Sergeant nodded his head, “Ain’t no shame in it, lad. We’ve all been there a time or two. I was going to send some fellas to look for you, but the Duke said he was going to leave a few of his knights behind to find you. You’re here, so I guess they found ye after all, eh?”

Images of the smoldering husks and warped armor of the so-called knights flashed through his mind, “Ya, they found me alright. Hell of a hangover that morning.”

“I bet!” the Sergeant laughed, “I bet you’re itching to catch up to the Duke and the Princess. They’ve already headed into town. Duke said something about some business to handle before we returned to the capitol. When you get there, tell the commander to send out an empty wagon to us, would ya? Oh, and try and save some of the ladies in the brothels for us, yeah?”

A smirk stretched across Kipp’s expression as he took hold of the reins again, “No promises.”

Urging the horse forward around the cart, he gave them a cordial wave before picking up speed towards the illuminated city of Jagotville.

**Chapter 9**

*This city has changed significantly since I was last here. It all looks familiar for the most part, yet… cleaner, more respectable.*

Thunder rolled over the water of the port town of Jagotville as the rain started to pour down. Careful to avoid the main roads within the city, he found his way to a tavern in the slums of the corner of the city. The scent of piss, old fish, and mud traveled on the breeze brought on by the storm. He wasn’t surprised, the breeze came right off the docks into this section of the city. Despite a few suspicious glares, everyone seemed to be just trying to get out of the rain and stay to themselves. Dismounting his horse, he attached it to the post outside of the tavern and gathered his belongings. His heart was screaming at him to go straight to the Princess. But his head prevailed, for now, knowing that he and the horse needed to be fed. Not to mention he needed to recon the situation and discover the Duke and the Princess first.

Walking up to the bar, the tavern owner looked Kipp up and down as he set his belongings on the floor. Water dripping from the brim of his hood onto the counter, he looked up and glared back at the tavern keeper.

The tavern keeper seemed to loosen up after making eye contact with Kipp, “I assume you’ll be needing a room? Two silvers a night.”

Setting the two silvers and some coppers onto the counter, he pulled his hood back, “One night, a flask of mead and a meat pie, if you don’t mind.”

“Done!” the tavern keeper accepted the coins, waving down a woman near the stairs, “Show our guest to his room, please. I’ll have the mead and the meat pie sent up to you.”

Kipp let out a long sigh as he picked his belongings back up, “Appreciate it. Oh, one more thing. It’s been years since I was last here in the city. At a glance, the city looks much better than I remember it. What was responsible for the change in the city?”

“Ah,” the tavern keeper set a mug on the counter, “That would be our new Trade Lord, Havus Lanrick. Rumor has it he’s a pirate turned trade baron, but you know how rumors can be. Rumors or not, he moved the headquarters of his trading empire into our city and used his massive amounts of wealth to turn things around here. All of the corrupt political figures have been killed or removed, the port guards have more authority than the actual guards around here, and he even set up a proper hospital here.”

*Sounds like a man who can afford to purchase a dispossessed Princess and whore her out for stupid amounts of money.*

“Tell me,” Kipp adjusted the pack across his shoulder, “What does this Baron Lanrick trade exactly?”

“Everything,” the tavern keeper said flatly, “You name it, fish, spices, silks, slaves, weapons, armor, women. He has a brothel just up the way, Golden Oasis. I swear it has the most beautiful and exotic woman I have ever seen on this side of Agregor. Almost put the smaller brothels out of business when he first opened up. Alas, the place is way too rich for the likes of you and me. I’ve heard one night with one of those beautiful ladies is more than this tavern makes in a year.”

Kipp nodded, offering another silver to the tavern keeper, “Thanks.”

The young tavern maid motioned for him to follow her up the stairs, escorting him to an empty room, “We’ll have the mead and pie to you shortly, sir.”

“Thank you, ma’am. Much appreciated.”

Dropping his things on the floor, he started a fire in the small fireplace in the corner of the surprisingly large room he had rented. Gently, he hung up clothing and the contents of his pack on a string and poised them near the fire to dry them out. Before he knew it, a knock at his door signaled his dinner had arrived.

“Come in!” he yelled over his shoulder as he rang the water out of his satchel.

The click of the lock made him look over his shoulder for a moment. A female elf with long, white hair was carrying a small platter with a flask of mead, and a pie sat upon it. The door clicked closed as she pushed it with her foot.

“Thank you, just set it on the bed for now. Give me a second, and I will get you a-”

An arm wrapped around his neck as he was skillfully thrown onto the floor, the air being driven from his lungs as a knee pressed into his back. The arm was replaced by the sting of a cold blade pressed to his throat, a hand pulling hard at a tuft of hair on the back of his head.

“Who sent you?!” an angry female voice growled into his ears.

“What?!”

“Who… fucking… sent you?! Do not make me ask again, or I will slit your throat right now,” the cold steel pressed against his neck harder, “And tell me no lies, Kipp, I know who you are. Tell me, are you here to kill me, or to spy on me?”

*Wait a damned minute… I know that voice.*

“Wha-” Kipp was certain he knew that voice, a voice he’d not heard in years, “Eli? Is that you?!”

“Tell me what I want to know or I will send your head back to Undertow as a warning!”

“Neither!” Kipper swallowed hard, “In fact, they might welcome you back with open arms in Undertow if you bring them my head.”

“The Council didn’t send you?”

“No, Eli! I swear! I am no longer affiliated with Undertow!”

“Then why are you here?!” Her voice growled, “Planning a heist?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

She pulled his hair even harder, straining his neck, “You’ll tell me now, or I’ll take great pleasure in ensuring you never speak again!”

“Okay, okay!” Kipp had only worked with Eli, or Elbereth, a few times, but her bloodthirsty reputation was well warranted, “I helped the Princess of Agregor escape from Undertow, and I was trying to get her back to the capital! But then we ran into her uncle, the Duke. We were escorted back to his camp, where they stole the Princess away and tried to kill me. I am here to steal her back before she is sold off to some rich merchant, I think, and whored out to whoever can afford her.”

“I SAID TELL ME NO LIES!” Eli screamed into his ear.

“I SWEAR IT, ELI! I should have gone to the royal guard for help. I should have gotten word to the King, I just didn’t think there was time!”

Eli’s grip on his hair faltered as the dagger moved away from his neck, “You… you haven’t heard?”

“Heard what?”

The knee in his back lifted away as he took in a deep breath. He rolled over onto his back as he looked up at his old friend.

Eli tucked her short sword back into its sheath, “Kipp, the King is dead. Murder by an assassin within his very bed chambers.”

Ice rushed through Kipp’s veins as the Duke’s words echoed through his mind.

“And what do you want with the Princess anyways? You know better than to get involved in the affairs of nobles. So what if she is sold off to a rich merchant and whored out?” Eli tore a chunk of the crust off the pie and popped it into her mouth, “She is royalty. You’re a mere thief, granted a very talented thief, but a thief nonetheless.”

Kipp rose to his feet, giving Eli a sinister glare, “It’s none of your damned business what I want with the Princess.”

“Excuse me, Kipp, but I’ll have you know-” her eyes went wide as realization set in, “You love her, don’t you?”

“No,” he looked away, drinking from his flask of mead.

“Bullshit, you always were a terrible liar,” Eli laughed as she sat roughly in the chair next to the fire, “You sprang her from Undertow and have been on the run ever since, all in the name of love. Kipp, I never took you for a romantic.”

“Eli, please just shut up.”

“Ah! So you are in love with her!” she clapped her hands in amusement, “The thief and the Princess sounds like some shitty bard song if you ask me.”

“ELI! I SWEAR IF YOU DON’T SHUT UP, I’LL-”

“You’ll what, Kipp? You and I both know you’ll be on the floor, bleeding out and gasping for your last few breaths before you can even reach that longsword on the bed,” she was enjoying watching him get so flustered, “Now answer me truthfully. Are you in love with the Princess, and do you plan on stealing her back?”

“I’ll tell you, but first, I want to know what happened to you. You did that job with us in Gentry a couple of years back, and no one ever heard from you again. What happened to you?”

Eli tore another chunk of the crust off the pie, “A little quid-pro-quo, huh? Okay fine. After the botched escape plan in Gentry, it became every man and woman for themselves. I thought I had made it out safely, but then a guard spotted me, and the next thing I knew, I was dodging crossbow bolts as I tore through the forest. When I finally stopped to catch my breath, there was a crossbow bolt stuck in my shoulder. I felt lightheaded and weak, but I had to keep going. I remember taking a few more steps, and after that, nothing. When I finally awoke, I was in a bed, a nice bed, as a physician was tending to me. Apparently, a young merchant had found me in the woods after he stopped to piss and took me in. As the weeks passed, I got to know the merchant better as I recovered. Weeks turned to months, and I realized once more that I was in love with that merchant.”

“Eli of the Shadows, conquered by a mere merchant,” Kipp chuckled to himself, “That’s almost as unbelievable as my story.”

“Oh, trust me, with the size of his cock, I was the one conquering him. You won’t find a cock that nice every day, ya know.”

“I’ll take your word on it,” Kipp shook his head, “So then, what happened?”

“I married him,” she stated flatly, “The same thing everyone else does when they are madly in love with someone. I cut off all ties to Undertow, and told him of my history. Together we worked together to expand his trading empire. I traveled the world with him, and it was beautiful and wonderful and amazing for a time.”

“I sense a ‘but’ in there.”

“But… the more successful he became, the less time we spent together,” the disappointment in her voice was unmistakable, “Now, I feel more like a distraction, an annoyance to him. He is always working. His physical desires are met by other women, and I am left with his fortune, but not his love or respect. But that’s enough about me, back to your story.”

Kipp let out a long sigh, “Yes. I am in love with Princess Elsie. I wasn’t at first, but I couldn’t help the way I felt about her. I thought I could return her to the capital, take the reward money and disappear forever. But truth is, I don’t want the money, I want her. We’ve had an intimate moment or two, but to hear her voice again and to drink of her beauty only leaves me thirsty for more. I have no clue how I am going to get her back. All I know is that the Duke is selling her to a benefactor to buy an army to take the throne by force. I hope I am not too late. I suspect that this Havus Lanrick character is the Duke’s benefactor.”

“You are correct, Kipp, Havus does have the Princess,” Eli’s voice was empathetic, “You are too late. She’s already been sold off. The Duke leaves in the morning for the capital. The good news is, there is going to be an auction tonight amongst the elites and nobles. They are going to bid for the right to be the first to mount the Princess. That said, I have no doubt I could get you into the auction tonight. After that, you’re on your own.”

Kipp closed his eyes as anger surged through him. The pressure in his chest, much like that in the forest with the Duke’s thugs, started to create up.

“Eli,” Kipp gritted his teeth as he spoke, “How the hell could you possibly know all of that? How do you plan to get me into the auction full of elites and nobles?!”

“Easy,” she giggled, “You’ll be my plus one to the event.”

Kipp shook his head, “Wha- How? How do you have an invitation to the auction?!”

Eli stood up, placed a hand on Kipp’s cheek, and slapped it in a gentle yet mocking manner, “You’re lucky you’re cute, even if a little bit simple, Kipp. I thought even you would have put it together by now.”

“Put what together?!”

Eli sighed with disappointment, “Havus Lanrick is my husband.”

**Chapter 10**

“I hate this,” Kipp grumbled as he pulled at the collar of his new tunic.

“Oh hush,” Eli smiled at him in her elegant gown, “You look rather dashing, I think.”

He said nothing but continued to grumble.

“Alright, now I’ve gotten you inside. The Princess is being held in a special viewing chamber down the hallway to the right. There are two guards outside of the entrance you will have to deal with first.”

“Eli…”

“I know, I know,” she fake smiled across the room at someone and waved, “You don’t like to kill needlessly. Believe me when I tell you that those guards are as unsavory as they come. They’ve done things that will make half of Undertow blush. Trust me, you kill them, and you are making the world a better place.”

“Eli, why are you helping me?”

“I’m not. I am helping myself. My husband has already paid most of his coffers to the Duke to purchase the Princess. The auction tonight is meant to restore those coffers. No Princess, no auction, no money. This means he won’t be able to afford to keep the brothel open and will have to resort back to honest trading again. It means I will go back to being his wife again and not feel like a mere concubine who has to beg for his affection.”

“Thanks.”

“Good luck,” she gave him a reassuring slap on the shoulder before slipping into the crowd.

Grabbing a goblet of wine from a passing servant, he studied the hallways Eli had mentioned. Walking past it once, twice, three times, he pretended to sip from the wine as he watched the guards in his peripheral vision.

*Longswords, full chainmail armor, gauntlets, leg guards, these guys won’t go down easy.*

Turning down the hallway with the guards, he noted how much louder the sound of the party was.

*Good, no one will hear the scuffle.*

As the first guard turned towards him, Kipp started to sway his steps, sipping from the goblet as he held himself up on the wall.

Upon reaching the first guard, he slurred his words as he patted him on the shoulder, “Yer doin’ a fine job, fella-sh. Keep up tha good work.”

The second guard’s tone was cautionary and gruff, “You can’t be back here.”

“I’m fine, I’m fine! I’m just tryin’ to find the privy to relieve myshelf,” Kipp pulled on a door handle leading into a servant’s closet.

He stepped inside as he heard the second guard’s voice behind him, “That is not the privy! You cannot be-”

The guard didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence as Kipp’s dagger pinned his bottom jaw to the roof of his mouth. Kipp listened to the clink of the armor of the first guard draw closer.

“Oi! Brom, what seems to be the problem? What in the world is-”

The first guard’s question was cut short as Kipp shoved the other guard off him, throwing the bloody dagger at the approaching guard. With a sickening wet sound, the dagger planted itself in the eye socket of the first guard. He quickly dragged them into the servant’s closet, retrieving the guard’s keys, then peering around the corner down the hallway at the party.

*No one even noticed a thing. They are too wrapped up in themselves to even realize what is happening around them.*

Peering around the closet, he found a spare servant’s gown hanging from a peg. It was dirty and well-used, but he grabbed it anyways.

Another glance down the hallway showed him the coast was clear as he rushed towards the door the guards had stood in front of. He quickly fumbled with the keys until the lock released, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. He heard sobbing from behind a curtain. Slowly, he approached the curtain, drawing it apart slightly and peering in. Elsie arms were chained above her head as she stood completely naked. Decorative gold and silver paint adorned her body. Kipp forgot to breathe as her beauty stole his breath away. She looked so vulnerable, yet beautiful at that moment, he almost forgot what he was doing. Her eyes looked over at him, the deep sapphire blue orbs of hers meeting his once again, and he felt his heart begin to race.

“Go away! Leave me alone!” she cried out.

He burst through the curtain, “How about you stop screaming, and I try to rescue you again, Princess?”

“KIPP!” the relief in her voice was joyous for him to hear again.

“Shhhhhh!” he hushed her as he worked the keys into the locks of the chains, “Here, put this on. We’ve got to go, now, before they notice the guards are gone.”

“Eww!” She wrinkled her face at the sight of the servant’s gown, “It’s dirty!”

“Do you want to get out of here or not!?” He snapped at her, “Put it on, dammit!”

Elsie said nothing as she slipped the gown on and looked up at him with a glimmer of hope.

Grabbing her roughly by the arm, they rushed out of the room. The only way out was through the throng of party members. With any luck, no one would notice a well-dressed man roughly handling a servant girl at a party like this. It almost worked.

Just shy of the entrance to the ballroom, a guard stopped him and the Princess, “The Baron said no servants are allowed to leave until after the event.”

*Shit.*

“But I…” Elsie started to say.

“Will hold your fucking tongue and remember your station, woman,” Kipp snapped at her and looked back at the guard, “I caught her stealing from one of the guest chambers. I am on the way to turn her into the magistrate myself, that is, unless you would like to do it. Judging by the number of people here and considering the purpose of the event, I imagine the Baron has you stretched thin on numbers. Now, you can take her to the magistrate and risk the lashing from your commander for abandoning your post, or you can move out of the way and let me handle this.”

The guard looked at his companion, who gave him a nod.

“Very well, carry on,” the guard said as he stepped apart.

With a scowl on his face and a stride that gave the illusion of purpose, he yanked on the Princess’s arm as they barreled through the entrance and out into the pouring rain. It wasn’t until they turned the corner around the mansion that he released his grip on her arm, and they took off in a sprint.

“Holy shit!” he said breathlessly, “I can’t believe that worked!”

They walked slowly into the tavern so as to not draw attention. The tavern owner made eye contact with him, and then glanced at Elsie. He shook his head and gave Kipp a thumbs up before returning to his work. Upon entering his room, there were two pairs of tunics, and leather armor layered neatly upon the bed. Between them rested a note. Kipp picked it up, examining the words as he started to gather his things.

“Kipp…” Elsie spoke softly.

“Give me a minute,” he told her as he studied the letter more.

“Kipp,” the Princess grasped the letter in his hand, “Can you not read?”

“I can!” he yanked the letter from her grasp, “Kind of.”

Elsie sighed, letting him study the letter further, “The word you are trying to sound out is escapade.”

“I know! I know! I just…” Kipp, admitting defeat, offered her the letter, “Who am I kidding? It’s all just scribbles and ink to me.”

She held the letter up to the glow of the fireplace, “It reads: *Kipp, if you are reading this letter, it means you managed to save the Princess after all. I took the liberty of making arrangements to purchase new garments and armor for you and the lovely Princess Elsie. Consider it my contribution towards helping the Princess earn back her throne. No doubt the Duke and my husband are going to turn this city upside down when they discover the Princess is gone. DO NOT BE IN THE CITY WHEN THAT HAPPENS. Take the north gate out of the city, ride for two miles and look for a tree with three trunks. Just past that is a small game trail. Follow the trail until you come to a small stream. Go right up the stream for four hundred paces and then cross the steam. On the other side of the stream is a small clearing. A cabin with firewood and canned goods is on the north end of the clearing. This is where I go when I want to be alone. Not even my husband knows about it. Remain there until the chaos has worn down. I shall join you there in three days to deliver fresh food. Best of luck – Elbereth.*”

They dawned the tunics and armor as fast as they could and loaded up the horse. Elsie rode behind him on the horse, holding him tightly as shouting erupted through the city over the din of the rain. As soon as they cleared the north gate, he spurred the horse into a gallop as the ding of alarm bells grew more distant behind them. Nearly two hours later, they finally arrived at Eli’s cabin.

Kipp started a fire as the Princess stood nearby, trying to warm up. He gathered his belongings off the horse and tossed them inside before latching the door closed behind him. His hand rested on the latch as he finally took a deep breath, praying silently that they were safe. He was tired. More tired than he’d been in a long time. But he was also happy to have her back with him again. As he turned to check on her, he averted his eyes as her naked form glimmered in the glow of the fireplace.

“Princess, I told you that you have to warn me before you strip down like that,” he looked down at the floor, “Are you okay? Did they…”

“No,” Elsie spoke softly, “They did not, thank the heavens. I am fine, thanks to you.”

“Good,” he said awkwardly as he stood next to her by the fire, water dripping from his armor.

“Kipp, look at me,” her voice seemed almost pleading.

“I can’t,” he closed his eyes.

“Can’t or won’t?” she held his hand in hers, “In the tavern the other day, you had no problem looking at me. I saw the look in your eyes, Kipp. I could see the hunger, the desire in your eyes. I ate your cum, for crying out loud! Do you no longer desire me?”

“I… I…” he gritted his teeth, “The tavern was a mistake. A moment of weakness. I do love you, but I am not going to be blinded by fantasies and illusions of grandeur that you would ever love me back. I am a lowly thief who can’t even read. I’m a fool for even entertaining the idea.”

“You think too little of yourself, Kipp,” Elsie grasped his face with her hands, “You might see a lowly illiterate thief, but what I see is a man with a good heart, brave and courageous, who is tormented by his own self-image and the hero that he has become. That hero, my hero, is a man worth loving.”

The warmth of her lips pressed to him as his resolve waned for a moment as he kissed her back before, grasping her wrists and pulling them away from his face.

“I can’t! I want to! But I can’t!” Kipp looked away from her, afraid her beauty would make him weak once again, “I do desire you. I desire you very much. I’ve never had a woman worth taking such risks for. Dammit, Princess, I hate that I love you. I hate the thoughts of what I want to do to you that go through my mind on a daily basis. You’re a Princess! Worse case, you’re married off to some other noble for political reasons. Best case, you actually love the person you end up with and live happily ever after, and that’s not with me.”

“Last I checked, it was my body, and I was free to offer it to whomever I wanted,” she quipped back at him, her voice sharp and direct, “You haven’t even told me what you wanted to do to me yet.”

“Princess,” he growled through clenched teeth, “Do not tempt me. I will not be able to control myself.”

Pulling at the strings of his armor, it fell to the floor with a wet thud. She peeled the wet tunic off his chest and tossed it next to the armor. Her fingers undid the laces of his pants as she looked up into his eyes.

“Princess, I am serious.”

“So am I,” she told him as she pushed his pants to the floor, “Now show me what you want to do to me.”

He finally let himself look at her. All of her. His heart fluttered as he soaked in her beauty. Her fingers teased up and down the length of his cock. It was taking every ounce of self-control to fight the urge not to pin her to the wall and take her. A fight he was losing. He held her face in his hands as he looked down at her, her expression full of desire and longing.

He reached between her thighs in a flash of movement, hoisting her up. Pressing her against the wall, her legs draped down his back as he pressed his mouth to kiss her delicate pink rose. Her nectar was sweet and savory as the flavor of her covered his tongue. Her moans of pleasure were a symphony of euphoria in his ears as his tongue found her clit.

“Kipp,” she moaned his name as her fingers grasped his hair, “That feels… so good… don’t stop!”

He felt her quiver around him, as he worked his tongue across her clit, relieved to finally taste her. It was everything he’d imagined and more. She pulled at his hair as her moaning grew louder. Her legs wrapped around his neck, her heels pushing him deeper between her thighs. Moments passed as he pleasured her with his mouth, the sounds of her voice moaning his name making him love her all the more. With a scream, she trembled as a rush of pure ecstasy and pleasure consumed her. As she caught her breath, he took a moment to examine the beauty of her pink flower, and then he realized something.

“Princess, I thought you said nothing happened at the brothel?”

“Nothing did happen!”

“But you’re a virgin? Right?”

“I am!” she said defensively.

“But you have no hymen?”

“OH!” Elsie blushed with embarrassment, “I um… I got a little too, uh… I got a little too aggressive one night in my bed chambers when I was using my fingers. Is that bad?”

“No, no,” he slid her down the wall until she was eye level with him, his arms holding her thighs as she was spread before him, “Just not was I was expecting.”

Elsie’s eyes stared into his as she grasped his cock, pressing it to her opening. She bit her bottom lip, the anticipation of the moment almost overwhelming her.

“Princess, I want to. I really do, but I shouldn’t,” Kipp tried to contain himself as the silky wetness of her pink curtains teased him.

“Why not? I want this, Kipp!”

“Because your first time should be with someone you love. Someone that, no matter what happens, you will never regret that moment with them,” he swallowed hard, desperately trying to withstand the urge to thrust into her.

Elsie held his hips and pulled against them as she smiled lovingly at him, “My first time is with someone I love. Nothing about this moment will be something I will ever regret.”

“Even if I spill my seed inside of you like I’ve been doing in my dreams? Even if it means I put a child into your womb?”

She pulled hard on his hips as he felt herself stretch around his girth. His resistance faltered as she pulled him deeper and deeper into her. The heat of his erection pressing against her insides, the feeling of his cock throbbing inside of her, the feeling of being full for the first time was beyond anything she ever expected it to be. Grasping his neck, she pulled herself up and kissed him deeply as she rocked her hips, the feeling of him sliding in and out of her filling her with a hunger like she’d never experienced before.

“I won’t regret this moment ever, especially if you spill your seed inside of me and bless me with a child in my womb.”

NSFW: yes

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