"I do not think I can get up," Dagon said, a twinkle in his blue eyes. "You have totally exhausted me, my queen."

Kalida dismounted her lover, springing lightly from the altar, and said, "Show the women how strong you are, my love, and tonight I will give you leave to do whatever you desire with me."

"Anything?" he said, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"Anything," she promised him, and he leapt up to stand by her side with a grin. Kalida laughed. "You are a villain," she said.

"You have promised," he reminded her, "and I promise you a night of such unbridled ecstasy, my queen, that you will not regret your decision to give up your throne."

Together they exited the Arena of the Queens through a passage beneath the royal box that took them back to the palace without having to appear again in public that day. When they had reached the queen's apartments, Dagon excused himself.

"I must see Vernus if I am to keep my promise to you, my queen," he told her. "In another place this would be our wedding night, and I would have it be a very special one for you, Kalida."

"I am in your hands," she told him happily.

chapter 6

Vernus was more than delighted when Dagon came to him for his help. It was he who would be the most important member of the former queen's new household. Poor old Zeras would be relegated to managing Kalida's commercial interests, but he, Vernus, master of the queen's household, would reign supreme, and his mistress's consort was already paying him the deference due to his position. Vernus felt mellow, and overflowing with goodwill. He positively beamed at Dagon.

"How may I aid you?" he asked the prince. "I must say that your performance in the arena this afternoon was absolutely spectacular; if you will permit me to make the observation."

"I did not think men were allowed in the Arena of the Queens but for a consort," Dagon said, amused.

"I watched from the tunnel entrance," Vernus said, chuckling. "No one saw me, or I should be punished for my presumption. These women are so proprietary about their little ceremonies. Such a fuss over very little, but, of course, in your case…" He chortled once again. "Now, dear boy, how may I help you?"

Dagon told him, and Vernus's gray eyes grew wide, but he nodded vigorously as the prince spoke quietly to him. "Can it be managed?" Dagon finished.

"Yes, of course it can," Vernus said, "but why there?"

"Kalida has given me permission to do whatever I desire with her tonight; a reward, if you will, for my pleasing behavior this afternoon in the arena. Since I intend introducing her to some rather unusual experiences, I should prefer we be in a more private setting than the queen's quarters here in the palace. A cry of passion might easily be mistaken by the queen's guard, who could come dashing in at exactly the wrong moment." He winked broadly at Vernus. "Now, I shall also need…" he said, lowering his voice.

Again Vernus's eyes grew wide, and he said admiringly, "Of course, dear boy, I can obtain everything you need. I can but imagine how delightfully inventive you will be. I shall personally see to everything for you, and the queen will be there at the appointed hour."

He hurried off, humming beneath his breath in anticipation. Dagon's plans were broad in scope, and he wondered if Kalida would really cooperate… but one could ask.

One hour after the sunset, Dagon crossed the deserted royal square, hurrying along the private street to Kalida's home where she would live after her abdication. He saw no one as he moved through the darkness, but he had practiced the route several times during the late afternoon, and knew the way well now. He could have traveled it sightless. Entering the unlit house, he made his way to Kalida's bedchamber. This room was lit by many candles and empty except for a mattress set upon a wooden dais. On the floor next to the dais was a large basket filled with the items he had requested, a carafe of wine, and several goblets.

Kalida, herself, was restrained, spread-eagled between two marble pillars. She was blindfolded with a strip of silk, and gagged.

And she was totally naked. Seated silently near her was the young blond slave, Adon, also naked. Dagon removed her gag.

"W-who is th-there?" Kalida half whispered.

"Be silent, wench," Dagon replied in a harsh voice. "You are here to give pleasure, and to be pleasured in return, not to ask foolish questions." He removed his loincloth, and peered into the basket. For a moment he considered the contents, and then he drew forth a long, stiff white feather with a tiny, well-honed point. Seating himself cross-legged on the floor before Kalida, he ran the feather slowly along her slit, and across her plump lover's mount.

She gasped, surprised, unable to decipher just exactly what he was doing to her, yet he certainly was not hurting her.

Dagon ran the feather back and forth over the tempting little crease for several minutes. Soon Kalida was squirming, and her nether lips were beginning to pout and grow puffy. He could see new moisture just behind the folds. He plied the feather a bit more deftly with quick strokes and small jabs until he was able to push through her defenses, seeking her pleasure point.

"Oooooo!" Kalida shrilled as the feather's tip found its mark, and she began to squirm. Was it Dagon playing the feather?It had to be Dagon. She wasn't so certain now she should have offered him such freedom to act on his own, but she would look weak and frightened if she went back on her word now. "Daaagon!" she moaned, but he didn't answer, and the feather kept working itself over her pleasure point until suddenly it burst, and she sighed gustily at the release.

The feather brushed sensuously at the inside of her right thigh, and then was gone. "Whoooooo!" she shrieked as a tongue began to lap up her juices, setting her afire once again. The tongue moved relentlessly over her flesh, stroking at her pleasure point so hard that it hurt, but then the fire began to once again burn. She strained against her bonds.

Hands were fondling her, but as she couldn't see, she couldn't decide how many hands. They slid up her legs, stroking, caressing, pushing both into her sheath and her rear aperture, driving and thrusting inside her until her constrained body was twisting wildly. She realized she wasn't afraid at all, but was very excited as she struggled naked, blindfolded, and bound, totally at the mercy of who? Dagon?But who else?

The hands moved softly over her thighs and buttocks now. They slid across her belly, and up her back. A hand grasped her face, and turned her head to one side. Lips pressed down on hers, a tongue drove past her lips, and teeth into her mouth, sucking upon her tongue. Kalida's head whirled. Her breasts were being fondled, and kissed lightly. Another tongue began to lick at them, nuzzle between the twin mounds, lapping and encircling the nipples roughly. A mouth closed over a nipple, and sucked hard upon it, sending a streak of lightning from the nipple to her pleasure point. Teeth lightly scored the sensitive flesh, and she screamed softly with her pleasure.

Then she felt her limbs being quickly untied, and the blindfold was taken away. Kalida blinked several times as her eyes grew used to the light once again. Seeing her mate, she smiled tremulously at him, and then her eyes swung to Adon, widening with surprise and delight.

"You are so bad," Dagon said sadly. "We pleasure you, and you do not even thank us, Kalida. You must be taught to be mannerly." Reaching out, his fingers closed about her slender wrist, and he dragged her across the room to the bed upon the dais. Sitting, he pulled her over his knee, and his hand descended hard upon her pristine white bottom. "You are a very wicked girl, Kalida, aren't you?" The hand came down a second, and yet a third time. "Answer me, wench!" He smacked her again, and again, and yet again. "Have you nothing to say to me?" His hand came down upon her buttocks a seventh and eighth time as she began to squeal, and he noted that the previously snow-white bottom was beginning to grow pink with his attentions. "Tell me just how wicked you are, Kalida!"

"Very wicked!" she confessed, wiggling provocatively as she lay across his knees. "I need to be spanked!I want to be spanked!"

He obliged her until her tempting haunches were red and hot, and his hand had actually grown sore. He was quite surprised by her capacity for this kind of treatment. The hand that had spanked her was firmly in the arch of her back now; he slid his other hand beneath her mount, and was not in the least surprised to find her wet with her juices.

"You are shameless," he said, half laughing. "Adon, bring me the balls. Our fair queen needs to be punished for so enjoying her spanking." He turned Kalida over, and, cradling her in his arms, kissed her soundly. "You really are quite naughty," he told her, but his eyes were dancing with amusement.

"What are you going to do?" she asked him.

"Why, teach you to be even naughtier, my love," he told her.

Adon brought Dagon a small red silk box embroidered with dragons. The prince took the box, and, opening it as he balanced Kalida in his lap, he showed her the contents. Inside, set in silken niches, were three little balls, each slightly larger than the other. One was gold, one was silver, and one was carved of ivory. Inside the gold ball, which was the largest, were several metal tongues. Dagon inserted it deeply into Kalida's sheath first. Next came the silver ball, which held a drop of mercury, and lastly the ivory ball, which was hollow and empty. "I think you will be well punished by these," Dagon said mischievously, and then he tipped her from his lap. "Walk about the chamber, my beautiful queen, and when you have completed three full circuits, you will dance another three. Then you will bring Adon and me a goblet of wine. Such sweet torture is thirsty work."