Heir, page 21
part #5 of Ressaline Series
“If Lady Olivia asks, I have to answer.”
“It is unlikely she will ask, but if you do tell her, also tell her this is a secret.”
“Of course, Ahlianna.”
“Gionna and I intend to work as partners in two nights. Please teach us.”
She tightened her hold. “In the mornings. Come to Lady Olivia’s house. Gionna will know when.”
“Okay.”
“We’ll have to tell Olivia, so she’ll let us use one more person to help teach you.”
“That’s fine.”
We had our dance, and one rotation, and then it was time.
Chapter Thirteen
Gionna took me to one of Claary’s restaurants for dinner. I told Allium before we left, “Don’t worry about me tonight. I’ll be with Gionna.” I think she understood what I meant.
After dinner we walked for a while. It seemed a little random, but when we reached Olivia’s house, I wasn’t terribly surprised. We arrived in her room entirely unannounced, which did surprise me a little, but then we turned to each other.
“Are you sure?”
“If you don’t get me naked, I’m going to cry.”
Grinning, she advanced on me. I backed away until she had me pressed against the wall. She slipped a leg between mine and slowly gathered my hands. They went over my head, against the wall, and then we were nose to nose. “Gionna,” I whispered. “You may do anything you want to me, and I’ll do the best I can if you tell me what you want. Do you mind if we do it that way?”
“No, Ahlianna. I don’t at all mind.” She brought our lips together, and we shared a deep, deep kiss. My eyes closed, and they would remain that way for some time. We kissed, and then she adjusted her hold on my hands, gathering them both to hold them in place with one hand, and her other began touching me.
“Yes,” I whispered into the kiss.
We kissed. She touched. And then her fingers found the stays of my dress, and she began releasing me from it.
“Yes,” I whispered again.
Eventually she needed two hands, but I kept mine where she had left them, and I remained like that as she undressed me. I remained like that as she undressed, and for that, I watched. But then she said, “Close your eyes.”
I obeyed, and she pressed against me, her skin against mine. I gave a moan.
We kissed. She touched. And then she took me to her bed, peeling back the covers. She arranged me on the bed.
And then, slowly, gently, she began stroking, touching, kissing.
And I touched as well, when she allowed me, but she whispered, “I want to learn your body. You will let me.”
“Yes, Gionna. Anything.”
She explored. She touched. I gave a gasp as she touched my mound. She touched and stroked, and then she slid inside of me.
She took me. She gave me deep pleasures, whispering to me as she did so. I don't remember the exact words, but I became enraptured by everything she said and did.
But she took her time, touching and kissing and whispering and sliding, and then I was whispering her name, over and over and over as the pleasure washed through me.
* * * *
I lost track of the times we made love that first night. I lost track of the things she did to me, and the things she asked me to do. But we eventually lay together, me on my back, her on her side with her head on my shoulder. I kissed her forehead. “That should have been my first time.”
She pressed her fingers to my lips, then turned it into a caress. I turned my head to look at her. “Gionna, I love you.”
“I love you, too, Ahlianna.”
Not long after, we slept.
* * * *
Olivia didn’t say anything at first. Instead, she gaped at me a few times. I finally laughed. “For the record, it was my idea.”
“I’m sure it was.”
“For the record, I suggested it prior to my First.”
“I suppose you did.”
“Do you have need of her today?”
“No.”
“Good. Have Bee and Dee talked to you?”
She smiled. “They have. I won’t tell a soul, but I’d like to know who you intend to capture.”
“Oh, please. I find it unlikely they can teach us how to avoid being broken apart.”
“Let us assume that doesn’t happen,” she said. “Who will you capture?”
“Maybe you.”
“Maybe plan on someone a little easier.”
I turned to Gionna. “Allium,” I suggested.
“As much fun as that would be to watch, I believe she would be upset, Ahlianna.”
“Well, I can’t go after her staff any more than she can,” I said. “I have no idea.”
“Dee, make sure they know how to convert a hunter into prey. They may need your help.”
Dee and Bee clapped. “That would be fun. Do you want us to also protect them?”
“No. If they get separated and converted, let it happen.” Olivia turned back to Gionna and me. “I have commitments this morning, but if you want to practice, I can linger tomorrow morning. Could you also use one more body for your afternoon sessions?”
“We’d love to have you, but if you come, bring one more person,” I said. “Well, that might not be necessary, as more of Allium’s household may join us. We were even yesterday.”
“I’ll come. I’ll see who else is willing to be a practice follow.”
“Thank you, Olivia,” I said.
She was gone shortly after. We finished breakfast, and then Gionna and I moved to the ballroom. Dee and Bee joined us ten minutes later, bringing two of Olivia’s household slaves with her. “No music this morning,” Dee said. “Ni and Fa-fa will be our practice follows. Each of you choose a partner, and we’ll show you how we steal.”
They spent two hours teaching us some of their tricks. At first, they simply showed us, and they worked every time against me, and nearly every time against Gionna. But then she and I took turns partnering with them, and so I found myself with Dee, stealing Ni from Gionna. Then Gionna and Bee stole Fa-fa from me.
Near the end, Gionna and I partnered. It was awkward, and we had several failed attempts, but with practice, we began having success stealing from Bee or Dee. They clapped happily.
* * * *
Gionna smiled at me. “So, we’re making sure everyone knows?”
“We sure are,” I said. I pushed open the embassy door and led her to my room. Once there, we kissed, undressed, and then I said, “Teach me something new.”
“I think that sounds like fun.”
* * * *
Allium wasn’t at all surprised to see Gionna. If anyone else was, she didn’t say a word, and there was even a place at the table for her. “Someone ratted us out.”
“Oh, please,” Allium replied. “Ahlianna, I’d like a moment of your time after breakfast.”
“With or without Gionna?”
“Alone, but it should only be a few minutes.”
“All right.”
We had an easy breakfast. Gionna made a point of feeding me from her fingers. As she hadn’t been doing it before, I decided she was showing off our relationship. I didn’t mind, and I let her do it.
But then we cleaned up, and I found myself seated across from Allium’s desk.
“I am sending a dispatch to Barrish this morning,” she said. “Do you wish to change your plans?”
“Yes, but I think I need to go, don’t I?”
“Yes, probably. I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“How serious are you with her?”
“How serious am I allowed to be?” I countered.
“That’s a cute answer. Pretend I know nothing about the politics.”
“Yours was actually a serious question, and I bet you do know nothing about the politics!”
“Yes, and yes,” she said.
“Well, my answer was serious, too. Asking you was rhetorical, but I don’t know the answer to my own question. I don’t even know the answer if she were a foreign prince.”
“All right. My next question: do you want me to arrange the earliest departure possible, or await your father’s response?”
“We’ll need an escort once we cross into Flarvor. Father would be incensed.”
“If you wish to leave soon, Lady Olivia will provide an escort to the palace gates, or until relieved by the Royal Guard.”
“How soon could I leave?”
“Three days.”
I nodded. “Three days.”
“I’ll make the arrangements. Will the princess be traveling with us to the border?”
“No.”
“All right. That’s all I had.”
I nodded. “Thank you, Lady Ambassador.”
* * * *
We had our lesson with Bee, Dee, and Olivia, then a long make-out session before going to lunch. There was a fresh lesson in leading, and then we parted.
* * * *
I wore the best gown I had brought. It was white with gold trim. Oh, not real gold. I left that style of clothing at home. But we did my hair, and I had brought one of my tiaras. Allium held it for a minute before weaving it into my hair.
I had to show her how.
“My future queen,” she whispered.
“Do I appear regal, Lady Ambassador?”
“Yes, Princess. You certainly do.”
“I wanted to ask you something, Allium. Gionna was teasing me earlier. She was threatening to partner with you to catch me.”
“Like she needs my help.”
“It’s in fun.”
“Well, it may be fun, but I would be very uncomfortable. I believe I will do what I keep telling people I will do, and allow someone to catch me. Maybe I can tell Dee I’d love to spend the evening with her and Bee.”
“I think you should issue them an overnight practice challenge before we go,” I suggested.
“You know, I think I will. Tomorrow night.”
“I’d like to be there to watch.”
“We’ll figure something out. I’ll ask Olivia to host something simple, I think.”
“That would be nice.”
We were still in my room, facing my mirror, and she was watching me. Then something came across her face. “You little vixen! Both of you!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You lied to me.”
“I’m sure I wouldn’t.”
“Gionna wasn’t threatening to partner with me.”
“Well, she did suggest that two of us should partner and capture the third,” I admitted.
“And now you’re feeling out my opinion. Ahlianna, please don’t do this sort of thing with me.”
“Olivia already said it was a bad idea. We haven’t figured out who we’re going to catch, but we agreed you’re safe from us.”
“Olivia knows,” Allium said. “I bet she was egging you on.” Then she snapped her fingers before pointing at me. “Bee and Dee have been teaching you!”
I giggled. “And we’ve been practicing with Olivia.”
She laughed. “I wish I could have been there.”
“I didn’t think you’d figure it out. I should have kept my mouth shut.”
“And wait until I threw a fuss in public?”
“No, no. We’re going to wait and see. We’ll probably have to convert a hunter.”
“And I bet Bee and Dee offered to help. Who will you go after?”
“I don’t know. Gionna will probably pick.”
“Well, have fun, but it better not be me.”
“I think everyone else is fair game.”
“Per the rules, yes. I should go dress.”
“Do you need help?”
“Viella should be waiting for me. I’ll collect you.”
“I have a book.”
* * * *
Allium and Olivia had arranged this quite readily. We would have a modest dinner party, but then there would be more guests for the dance afterwards. It offered the best of all worlds. And so I found myself in the foyer, waiting with Allium, when our first guest arrived: Gretchena. She looked quite lovely, and she was bouncing happily as she approached. “Mother said I may go! When are we leaving?”
“In the morning, two and a half days,” Allium said. “Darfelsa will be so pleased.”
She clapped happily before giving us both proper greetings. Then she stayed to talk to us while we waited for our next guests. She was full of questions, and we took turns answering as best we can.
“Is there any chance she has appropriate clothing?” I asked.
“None,” Allium said. “They don’t even have the right material.”
I turned to Gretchena. “Bring traveling clothes. If it gets too warm, I’ll loan you something of mine. They’ll fit well enough; it’s only traveling clothes.”
“Is this gown good enough for the palace?”
“It’s fine,” I said. “But it’s way too warm. You could bring it in the winter, or maybe late autumn.”
“It’s my thinnest gown!”
“I’m not surprised,” I said.
“But I don’t have time to have any made.”
“Let me worry about that, Gretchena. I will see to it you are properly attired. You’ll have to trust me.”
“Will we have a carriage?”
“Yes,” Allium said. “If nothing else, we need to transport Ahlianna’s chests.”
“So if Mother sends a gift for the king and queen, we have a safe place for it.”
“Yes. That would be lovely.”
“Good.”
“Do you ride?” I asked. “If the weather is nice, we’ll spend a portion of the time mounted. Well, if that fits your plans, Ambassador.”
“It does,” she said.
“I have a horse,” Gretchena said. “But I don’t have a spare. Mother’s doesn’t like me.” She put on a brief mock pout, quickly replaced with a huge smile. “Do I need to borrow one?”
“No,” Allium said. “We’ll take care of you.”
“I’m so excited.”
“I can see that.”
That was when the doors opened. Lisolte entered, Jessla on her arm. The two strode forward, and we offered more greetings. The five of us talked for a while, Jessla clearly amused with Gretchena’s excitement.
“Have you been, Judge Jessla?”
“Yes. Barrish is an amazing city. It is somewhat overwhelming, so you are going to promise something.”
“Oh?”
“You are going to promise to obey Princess Ahlianna and Princess Darfelsa. They know their city, and you do not. You will not leave the palace without them, or someone they assign.”
“You’re serious.”
“I am,” Jessla said. “Promise me now or I will assert my influence, and your mother will change her mind.”
“I promise!” she said quickly. “I would have listened, anyway.”
“But now you know how serious I am,” Jessla replied. “And as I am not given to the histrionics of the young, you perhaps understand how serious I should be. Am I clear?”
“You’re entirely clear.”
“Good.” She patted Gretchena’s cheek. “When you begin practice challenges, and you wish a series of unique experiences, come see me.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Not for your first few, but when you’re ready for something new.”
“I will.”
“I look forward to it.”
It was a few more minutes, and then the doors opened to admit Olivia and Dee. They stepped forward for greetings, and then Bee appeared with Gionna.
The princess looked absolutely amazing. Our gazes locked, and they remained that way. She walked directly to me, losing Bee to Allium, and we embraced tightly. “You’re so beautiful,” I whispered.
“This is going to be an amazing night,” she said.
* * * *
We had a lovely dinner. Gionna and I sat beside each other, holding hands through most of it. And that was when Gretchena announced our intended departure. Gionna tightened her grip and looked away, but then she turned back and smiled. “So, I have you a few more nights.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
We had a lovely dinner, and at the end, I stood. “I want to thank the people here for giving me a lovely stay. And one other, who can’t be here tonight.” But I looked at Gretchena. She nodded understanding.
“I want you all to know my intentions. I am speaking as myself, but I am also speaking as the Crown Princess. It is my intention for these friendships to flourish. I don’t know when, but I intend to return, subject to my duties to my father. If any of you come to Barrish, know that you are welcome, and that you have a friend.” I picked up my glass. “To lasting friendships that transcend time and distance.”
“To lasting friendships,” Allium said firmly, echoed by the others. We sat.
“To Lady Ambassador Allium Cuprite, tonight’s host. Thank you for all you have done for me, my sister, and Flarvor.”
“To the Lady Ambassador!” Gionna said.
I shifted my attention. “To Lady Olivia, Duchess of Charthan. She took an impossible situation. She upended countless lives. And she is now working to build friendships, trade, and good lives for people on both sides of the border.”
“To Olivia,” Allium offered.
“I have two more.” I turned to my right. “This is to Princess Gionna of Ressaline, my friend, my confidante, my lover.” I offered a little laugh. “Okay, I hope not everyone in this room says the last one, but I imagine some of you do.”
“To Princess Gionna!”
We drank, and then I said, “I have one more. For me, this is to the woman who is isn’t here. For Allium, it is for a woman who is. I do not know who this is for the rest of you. But to our First. Thank her for me, Gretchena.”
“I will.”
“To our First,” Gionna said.
I sat back down and laid my head on Gionna’s shoulder.
* * * *
The ballroom wasn’t full, but it was close to it. The entire staff was there. Olivia had arranged slaves to serve, and more slaves as musicians. Claary and Gigi had been on my original list, but they’d had another commitment. I was pleased to see they could make the dance. There were, in all, perhaps thirty dancers, more than enough for a healthy event.
