34 Chapter 33 (1/2)

If you considered the previous town as large… the capitol city was absolutely ginormous. A large city wall wide enough for three men to walk abreast surrounded a massive metropolis. The buildings were all stone, well planned out with absolutely magnificent architecture. As we approached, there was a line of carriages entering the city. Instead of waiting in line, the prince bypassed all of the carriages and moved up to the front.

As soon as he made it to the entrance, he announced in a loud voice. ”I am the 4th prince, Devon Hyburn, here escorting the princess Cornelia Batrum.”

Immediately, three guards ran from the post, two dropping down to a bow as soon as they got close enough. The third, who seemed to wearing slightly better armor took a few steps forward approaching Devon. He held out his armored hand, and Devon took it.

”Well received, my prince, the guards had been told you would arrive this week. Rumors going around imply the worst.”

”How are the rumors these days?” Devon asked.

”You mean the ones that aren't about the first two princes?” He gave a wry smile.

”Yes, well, more related to my current predicament.”

”Nothing new. The princess was taken by off and murdered or raped or murdered and raped. Some say it was bandits. Including some of the famous ones like Denova and Roxburry. Other say it was monsters. I've heard goblins, orcs, and even a giant. A few of the common rabble seem to take sadistic pleasure in imagining a princess being ripped in two by ah…” Suddenly, he noticed me and Min standing near Devon, ”er… with his mighty arms, that would be…”

I gave him a concealed smile, while thinking the story might have been a bit more graphic than that. So, a giant fucked me to pieces? Ha… and then I remembered that the real Princess Batrum had in fact been raped to death by bandits. Suddenly, my mood turned sour and I didn't feel like gloating at all.

”Well, as it would be, this is Princess Batrum.”

The man gave a nod and bowed. ”I am a knight under the service of the king, Commander Emmanuel, it is my pleasure to greet the princess of an allied country. We… should have sent out soldiers to meet you at the border. Perhaps the reinforcements would have been enough to stop the…”

”It was pigmen,” Devon explained, but when the man started putting on a look of pity he added, ”But, they didn't harm her.”

Emmanuel gave a look of disbelief. However, putting on my full deception, I took a step forward and gave a sniff. I put out my hand, and a moment later the man bent to kiss the back of it.

”Do I look like a woman who has been ravaged by Orcs?” I asked.

Emmanuel stiffened, ”As to that… I suppose not, but you must have been in their hands for days at best, would that be… a special skill? No, don't tell me.

This man jumped to his own conclusions, and I merely gave a gentle smile, neither confirming or denying. Devon gave a suspicious look too, possibly realizing that that seemed to be the most likely candidate. It was true, obviously, but I could bet all the gold in the kingdom that they wouldn't guess the skills used or what happened.

”And who would be this…” He was looking at Min, but suddenly leaned over and whispered to Devon, ”She wouldn't have been another girl in the orc's… err.. clutches.”

”No…no… she's just a slave the princess took a fancy to in the last town.”

Devon didn't seem to want to explain that she was a servant that had been illegally enslaved, or at least he thought so, and I agreed that even that story was more than this knight needed to know. The less people who knew, in fact, the better off I felt.

”But, she's a female elf?” The knight asked, ”taking her into that viper's nest could be dangerous, you know?”

”What do you mean?” I asked.

”Commander!” Devon gave him a look.

”Oh, err… it's nothing…”

”No, I want to hear it!” I insisted.

I was acting haughty and spoiled, but I was a princess, so my wants aligned well with my attitude.

”Eh… well, elves are… erm… sexual creatures, your ladyship…” The guy fumbled with the words.

”Those are just rumors…” The 4th prince huffed.

”No… no… now that's not true. I actually visited an elf village recently. They hold these erotic rituals. Everyone in the village gets together and they decorate two elves, a male and female. Then the two strip and… well… publicly put on a show.”

”Emmanuel…”

”Don't look at me like that, I didn't watch it, but it's hard not to notice when everyone suddenly fathers in a big dome and two people start fu- errr… enjoying each others company in front of the entire village.”

I looked back at Min, wondering if she could put some light on this. She looked somewhat irritated, but didn't say anything. I was starting to understand a bit about why Min had been willing to sleep with me. If elves were so… sexually unrepressed… as to have live sex shows… then maybe… except that the look in Min's eyes seemed to say that we were getting something wrong.

”Min?” I asked.

”…”

It looked like I wasn't getting anything out of her, so we bid farewell to the knight who maned the gate.

”If you ever need anything, miss,” The knight shouted as we walked away, ”Just asked the city guard for me and I'll try to help.”

”He says that like you'd need saving from nobles…” Devon muttered in annoyance.

”Aren't knights lower nobility?” I asked.

”Err… yeah, but he's a bit new. Was only knighted last year. He still has some trust issues. Most knighted men practically toss their daughters at nobility hoping to solidify their status. He's convinced that half of nobility are sexual deviants. You don't have to worry, he's just being an overprotective father.”

”Is that so…” I said nonchalantly, secretly hoping that maybe there would be a lot more sexual deviance than I feared.

”Ah… speaking of marriage…” Devon's eyes brightened up.

”I thought we were talking about sexual deviance…”

Devon ignored that and grabbed my shoulder, ”I know it's sudden, but you're betrothed is coming towards us now.”

”Eh?”I looked past Devon and there was a man riding a horse down the street.

However, there was also a woman sitting double saddle with him, and when his horse slowed to a stop, the two of them got off together, with him giving her a helping hand.

”Richard, big brother, I successfully managed to protect your princess and brought her here safely.”

Richard, who was still holding the hand of the girl he had helped off the horse gave his brother a nod. His eyes didn't flicker to me at all, not even to give a look of curiosity. On the other hand, the girl whose hand he held was giving me a very severe look. It was like she was trying to measure me up in one go, before I even opened my mouth.

”The knights sent a messenger. I came upon father's request. He is eager to meet his new daughter in law to be.”

When he said the word daughter in law, the woman next to him tensed, and her look turned darker. She still hadn't stopped looking at me. After every stood in awkward silence for a brief moment, I took the initiative and took a step forward. Using all of my abilities, I summoned up the haughty, superior, princess.

”It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Richard,” I gave the best courtesy I could, ”I am Princess Batrum.”

”Of course you are,” the man sneered, ”What, did you think I'd confuse you for that elf creature over there.”

”Eh?” I made a stupid sound, not expecting such a negative response.

Devon seemed shocked too, ”Brother!”

”What do you want creature, begone!” He snapped at Min.

I took a step back and grabbed Min's hand, ”No… Min is mine… um… my servant.”

Richard's lips twisted in disgust. ”A commoner elf? No… not even that. A slave, is it? Less than a commoner even. And a demi-human too… Well… father says we must be hospitable to our foreign neighbors, so I suppose we can find a place for it… somewhere in the castle. Perhaps the stables.”

”What?” My conceal broke for a second with a bit of anger. ”No… she's my servant, she stays with me!”

”Honey, you can do better. We have plenty of huuuman servants in the castle, all trained far more than some stupid elf.” That was the woman who spoke up, her voice full of condescension like she was talking to a child.

I nearly popped her in the face right there. How about turn her into my sex slave, make her lick my feet. No, make her lick Min's feet. No, that was too good for her, how about fuck her with Denova's Pain dildo until she dies. However, a hand touched my arm and I looked back. I had been holding onto Min's hand, and my anger was being transmitted through the tension in my hand. She gave me a look of comfort, attempting to soothe me. After a moment, I took a deep breath and regained my deception.

”And might I ask, who are you?” I gave her an icy gaze that held no warmth.

”Oh, of course,” She curtsied to me, grudgingly a bit better than I could. ”I am your husband's close friend, and the daughter of Duke Marionette, Sylvia.”

Devon leaned over and whispered for my ears alone, ”If father hadn't made a promise to your father, she'd be in line to marry him. They've been together their whole lives, I'm sorry, I didn't think even he would still act that way after you got he-”

I put up a hand, stopping him and then made a courtesy to the Duke's daughter, although it was less than the one she gave me. In etiquette, this was saying that I was superior to her. In her haste to ridicule me, she had made the mistake. This was one of the things Denova had taught me. The first person to bow or courtesy has put themselves at the whim of the other person. This is why a king would never bow first. They could be disrespected by being shown a lesser bow in return.

”Well received, Sylvia Marionette, daughter of a duke.” I emphasized duke as if to point out that it was just a duke, as opposed to a king.

Her mouth twitched, but then she gave a fake smile, ”Your dress is lovely, it's so simple. I suppose your slave girl sewed it for you, I can tell.”

I gave a sniff. ”You can get away with simple clothing when what's underneath is exemplary, I see your need for extra frills. But you decorate crap and underneath it's still…” I let the words go unsaid

The hostility was now open on her face. ”Of course, it's not like your country could even afford-”

”That's enough,” Richard unexpectedly spoke up.

She shot the prince an angry look completely unbecoming a lady, but she then turned her head away. ”Fine, Richard… have it your way.”

She turned away and left without saying another word, marching in a very inelequant way. This would be considered another breach in etiquette, but that usually occurred in meeting rooms and throne rooms. Since we were just standing in the middle of a cobblestone street reenacting a soup opera, I didn't really know what etiquette applied.

Devon seemed pleased that Richard had finally stepped up. It had been looking like Devon might have intervened if it continued on for much longer.

”Thank you, Richard…” I bowed.

”You must call me Prince Richard Hyburn or my lord.” Richard sniffed.

Devon tensed, but didn't intervene. I was taken aback. For a second I though I might have won a little bit of his concern, but perhaps I had overestimated. I gave him the same chilled look I gave the girl and curtsied again.

”Very well, my lord.” I would have been fine with it if he didn't nod like he was complementing me on a good job before turning away with disinterest.

”Well…” Devon spoke up to break the icy silence, ”Should we meet the king now?”