The story of the Elf Queen

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"Mhhhhh... what the..."

The awakening was unexpected and at the same time unusually pleasant. The shroud of sleep suddenly disappeared and was replaced by a growing pleasure. Ashuir opened her eyes, trying to realize what was happening. Almost immediately she couldn't hold back a moan at the incredibly pleasant warm wetness between her legs. Lifting herself up on the soft pillows, the sorceress saw Zitra in front of her. The white-haired elf was lying on her stomach, hugging Ashuir's legs to her thighs and spreading them apart. The thin blanket was thrown aside. Elf's face was just between the sorceress's spread legs. With a completely indifferent expression, Zitra methodically and diligently licked the sorceress's pussy lips, running the tip of her tongue over the labia.

As soon as Ashuir was about to open her mouth, the elf immediately wrapped her lips around the pea of her clit, pressing it between them. And began teasing it as hard as she could with the tip of her tongue. Biting her lip from the incredible pleasure, Ashuir leaned back on the pillows and almost reflexively threw her legs over the elf's back, wrapping her thighs around her and pressing her face into her pussy. She continued to work her tongue between the sorceress's legs. A very skillful tongue. With one hand Ashuir began to caress her breasts, and with the other she burrowed into the elf's white hair, tugging at it and directing her movements. Sensing the impending release, the sorceress pressed the elf into her pussy with all her might. She guessed the moment and again bit the bead of her clitoris with her lips, squeezing it gently. At the same time, Ashuir brought her legs together as hard as she could, squeezed the hardened nipple on her left breast, and finished with a loud groan, arching on the wide bed.

She exhaled and collapsed onto the sweat-wet sheets, breathing heavily with her mouth open. Sluggishly, she spread her long, slender legs and released the elf, trying to regain her breath and calm her racing heart. The freed Zitra slowly pulled away, wiped her face stained with her love juices, then leaned forward again and began to kiss her mistress tenderly, gradually rising from her pussy to her head. When her lips reached her heaving breasts, Ashuir buried one hand in her hair and pressed it against the nipple on her left breast. Zitra immediately embraced it with her lips and began sucking on it like a baby. Pressing her lips together in pleasure, the sorceress pulled the elfess affectionately against her and stroked her back, savoring the smoothness of her skin. What a marvelous find after all! Perhaps it paid for all the inconvenience she had to endure because of it. Yes, it did.

Gently laying the elf on her side next to her, the sorceress laid down opposite her and kissed her affectionately. After that, she stroked her cheek and said in a friendly voice:

"It was a glorious awakening, my dear Zitra."

The elfess with an emotionless face and an equally emotionless voice replied:

"Glad you enjoyed it, honorable Ashuir."

Smiling, the sorceress ran her hand over the elf's body, admiring her beauty:

"Did you sleep well, my dear?"

She replied in the same calm voice with a completely indifferent face:

"Yes. And I've been having very colorful dreams again."

Raising her eyebrows theatrically, the sorceress, who continued to stroke Zitra's thigh with her palm, asked with interest:

"Will you tell me about them?"

"I dreamt of you, honorable Ashuir. And there was a young man with you. A young man. I cannot remember his face. But I remember that he looked very much like you. He was very handsome. I felt very comfortable around him."

"Is that so? That's very interesting, my dear. Anything else?"

"I... I think... I wish I had a son like that someday. Just as handsome. Likewise... nice..."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that, my dear!"

The sorceress moved forward and brought her face close to the elf's face, looking directly into the emerald eyes.

"These are very interesting dreams. I'm sure you have them for a reason. Be sure to tell me if you see them again."

"Of course, honorable Ashuir."

Smiling, the sorceress touched the elf's forehead with her forehead and put her to sleep, but without dreams. Then, carefully laying Zitra on her back, she again passed her palm over the trained body, stopping at her chest. Squeezing it a few times, the sorceress pressed her index finger on the hardened nipple. She was pretty, but her tits were a bit small. With such a figure and pretty face, it is completely unacceptable. But that's okay, it's easily remedied. Especially since she would no longer have to run through the woods after any goblins or orcs, risking ruining such beauty for nothing.

She pinched Zitra's breasts on the nipple and then leaned forward. With her palms around the elf's face, she brought her forehead into contact with her. Concentrating, Ashuir made sure that all the blockages left in the elf's mind were working properly, as well as the corrective dreams that had been embedded. They were gradually forming a new personality for the elf. It would eventually merge with her current one, turning her into a loyal friend and reliable assistant. It was a blessing. Such an experienced gifted person would not be superfluous. Even if she had a different profile. But the most important thing is that she will make a great wife for her future son.

Smiling, Ashuir leaned back, admiring the beauty of the sleeping elf and taking her time getting off her. Should she have a little more fun with her? It was still early, and she didn't feel like going anywhere. She could have breakfast served in bed. Yes, that's exactly what she would do. Licking her lips, the sorceress leaned forward, about to kiss her new toy. But at the last moment, there was a knock on the door of the chambers. Who was it, and so early? Covering her eyes and sensing by an effort of will that her faithful Tonga and Otong were behind the door, the sorceress opened the lock with a snap of her fingers. A moment later, the swarthy-skinned brother and sister stepped inside the sorceress's chambers, freezing in front of her bed.

"Good morning, Mistress. Zaikhir-Wali ordered me to wake you. She asked me to tell you that at first light a messenger from the palace of the Illustrious Caliph arrived with an invitation for you."

The news made Ashuir groan out loud. Damn it, why today? Couldn't she at least rest for a couple of days? Not fair! With a face full of heartache, she climbed off the sleeping elf. Tonga immediately handed her a homemade robe, of insanely expensive dark blue silky fabric. Ashuir put it on but didn't bother to wrap it. She put on her sandals and walked to the closet with numerous drawers standing against the wall in the working corner of the chambers. With a loud yawn, the sorceress pulled out two sealed vials. One was medium-sized and puffy, the other small and cylindrical. Taking them in her hands, she turned to her personal slave:

"Otong, you and Feiruza will start working on Zitra today. First, she needs to have her breasts enlarged and her hair fixed."

Holding out the potions to him, Ashuir uttered:

"It's just like last time. This is to be given one sip twice a day, morning and evening after meals. After each intake, give her a thorough breast massage, this will strengthen and accelerate the effect. Use this one during morning and evening baths and ablutions. A few drops on her head, rub thoroughly, then rinse off. She should grow her hair longer because that elven warrior haircut doesn't suit Zitra."

"It will be done, Mistress."

"Feiruza should start learning to dance for now. Zitra knows how to care for her beauty and makeup, she's an elf, after all. But she barely knows how to dance. And she doesn't even know the dance of passion. Let Feiruza emphasize them."

"As you wish, Mistress."

"After lunch, take her to the special guest room, and work with her on the third scheme. Just make sure she's securely tethered. In the evening, I'll come back and put Zitra to bed again."

"As you wish, Mistress."

When she had finished instructing Otong, Ashuir woke Zitra up again, putting her in the state of an obedient and willless puppet. It is not a good idea to keep her in this state for too long, as it harms her mental abilities. If you abuse this state, instead of a smart assistant you will get a beautiful, but extremely stupid bimbo. Which was fine, but not what Ashuir needed. The sorceress quickly ensured that elf's condition was stable, and then handed her over to her personal slave. Still with the same indifferent face, the elf followed him obediently, wearing only a collar and sandals. At the same time, she walked, swaying her hips seductively, which caused the sorceress another satisfied smile. Well, the initial changes were already clearly visible. Before Zitra's gait was completely different. Ashuir nodded to Tonga and headed to her father's former harem. There, she immediately threw off her robe, handing it to the slave, and dove into the pool, shaking off the remnants of sleep.

The cool water was instantly refreshing and invigorating. After a few powerful strokes, the sorceress surfaced, took a breath of air, dove in, and rushed to the opposite wall of the pool. Her hair flowed behind her in a luxurious plume. After swimming it from edge to edge a few times, Ashuir slowly climbed out of the water. Waving away the towel Tonga held out to her, the sorceress walked leisurely towards her father's former wives. They, along with the rest of the harem had already been awakened and were waiting for her orders. The five women were lined up along the wall. They still wore only silver collars. Bibi was also there, standing at the edge of them and once again trying his best not to look at the naked Ashuir. He was also trying hard not to look at Ashuir's nakedness, and also to keep the excitement that was clearly visible through the thin loincloth that was his only clothing other than the slave collar.

Smiling, the sorceress walked slowly toward him, slapping her bare feet on the floor and swaying her hips. She tucked his wet hair behind his back and hooked her index finger under his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes:

"Good morning, Bibi. Tell me, did you like my present yesterday?"

Swallowing, trying desperately not to look at Ashuir's naked breasts, the young man said, trying to make his voice as firm as possible:

"Very much, Mistress. Thank you," he added hastily.

Smiling, the sorceress turned to Haryana, who was standing first in the line:

"And you, my lush-breasted cow, did you like Bibi?"

Her father's former senior wife twitched, but she couldn't help answering and said in a dissatisfied voice:

"No."

Twitching again, she added:

"Mistress."

Theatrically rounding her eyes, Ashuir asked cheerfully:

"How? And why didn't you like such a nice boy?"

Throwing an angry glance at Bibi, Haryana hissed:

"He took me four times last night. In the end, he barely managed to squeeze out a measly drop, but he still didn't let me rest. And this morning, before dawn, he took me twice more."

"Oh!"

Turning back to the boy, who shuddered faintly, the sorceress asked with a mischievous smile:

"Did you like that titty cow that much? You like bigger women, don't you, Bibi?"

The young man swallowed nervously again, but answered in a firm enough voice, looking Ashuir in the face:

"She's good, but that's not the point, Mistress. You said it would be all right if she got pregnant, and I tried hard to make sure she carried my child. So that if Mistress decides to strip me of my manhood, my lineage will at least continue in this way."

Smiling once again, the sorceress said contentedly:

"Honest answer, Bibi, well done."

"Lie to my mistress that she can read my mind is the greatest folly."

Smiling even wider, Ashuir stroked the boy's head:

"Clever boy."

She turned around and walked towards Haryana, who was standing motionless, trying hard to keep her face indifferent. Ashuir reached out her right hand and squeezed her left breast, pressing her thumb on the large dark nipple. Turning to Bibi, the sorceress asked:

"Why do you think I gave her to you for your enjoyment?"

The young man hesitated a few seconds, thinking hard about what to say. Then he said it carefully:

"Has she angered you in some way, Mistress?"

"Oh, yeah."

Turning back to Haryana, Ashuir stopped kneading the woman's huge breast and pressed a nipple into it forcefully with her index finger:

"She was my father's senior wife. Arrogant. Proud. Authoritative. She thought she was the real mistress of the house. She hated me and the children of other wives and oppressed me in every possible way. She wanted to marry me off as soon as possible. To someone richer, so my father would get more money as a bride price, and she would, too, as the senior wife."

Stopping torturing Haryana's hardened nipple, Ashuir walked around her and hugged her from the back, snuggling up tightly and resting her head on her shoulder.

"But then everything changed, and my grandmother became the boss of the house. You should have seen the look on that cow's face when she realized that! It was something, one of the best memories of my childhood."

Lowering her hands, the sorceress wrapped her arms around the still-standing woman's breasts and lifted her up. And then she let go. And lifted it up again.

"She screamed, threatened, got angry, but could do nothing! She hoped to the last moment that her family would save her. Naive little fool."

Ashuir whispered the last phrase in Haryana's ear, once again squeezing her huge tits with force.

"My Grandma wanted to get rid of her, but I convinced her to let me keep her as a toy. It would have been too boring and easy to kill her for all the things I'd endured from her as a child. As I grew older and mastered my gift, I worked very hard to restore her to her former beauty and add new ones. It worked out pretty well, I think. After that, every slave and servant in the house took turns sleeping with her."

Lowering her left palm, the sorceress slowly stroked her father's former senior wife on her stomach.

"Three times she got pregnant by one of them, and each time I was careful to make sure she gave birth and nursed the baby safely. It's a good thing she's got something now. And she's not fit for anything else."

With a final pinch on Haryana's hardened nipples, Ashuir kissed her playfully on the cheek and left her alone. Turning back to Bibi, she continued:

"It had become partly a tradition. Every new slave or servant in my house had to share a bed with her. It was not easy to keep her sane, I must say, but I tried hard to keep her from going insane from such humiliation and shame."

The sorceress was silent and folded her hands on her naked breasts, looking at the frozen boy thoughtfully. He tried his best not to look at Ashuir's breasts but at her face. But his gaze kept slipping downward. And further down.

"What am I going to do with you... Hmmm... Here's what I guess I'll give you a chance to keep your friend, Bibi. From this day forward, my servants will be in charge of your education. If you're diligent, I'll keep you as a house servant. Or a pet. Of course, I could easily put all the right knowledge into your pretty little head, or set you up to learn it. But that would be boring and mundane. And too easy. No, if you want to keep your small friend, you must try hard and do your best. If you're not diligent in your studies, I'll use my gift to put the right skills and knowledge into your head. After that, I will sell you, as it were, into the harem of the Most Serene Caliph Khattardin. After I've rid you of everything you don't need. Do you understand me, Bibi?"

The young man who had been catching every word hurriedly nodded his head:

"Of course, Mistress. I'll study, I swear I'll do everything!"

Smiling, the sorceress uttered:

"Clever boy."

Ashuir then slowly walked behind him. She rested her naked body against the frozen boy, so that he could feel the touch of her naked breasts, and rested her head on his shoulder. And with her right hand, she slid under his loincloth. With her right hand, she slid her hand under his loincloth and cupped his tense cock, squeezing her palm lightly and murmuring in his ear:

"And don't think, my dear Bibi, that I'm mocking you and trying to humiliate you. I'm just stating a fact. Khong!"

One of the house slaves who served the harem, a sturdy dark-skinned man, also wearing only a loincloth, which allowed her to appreciate his muscular body, immediately approached his mistress. As he froze in front of her and Bibi, the sorceress sent a mental command with an effort of will, and Khong tossed his loincloth aside in one motion, staying completely naked. Smiling, the sorceress whispered languidly in the ear of Bibi:

"See? No humiliation of your kid. Just stating a fact, Bibi."

With a giggle, Ashuir left the blushing boy alone and headed to the baths with Tonga. When she finished her beauty treatments and tidied up, she changed into her robe and went to the dining room where her grandmother was waiting for her. At the sight of her granddaughter, the young-looking witch frowned sternly:

"Ashuir, I told you that a messenger from His Highness has been waiting for you since dawn. What took you so long?"

Making an unhappy face, the sorceress said in a whimsical voice:

"Grandma, I just got back yesterday, and I expected to sleep and rest today. How could I inappropriately come to the palace? Or is there something really urgent?"

"Every task of His Highness is urgent simply because it is His Highness's command. Especially for you and me. Remember that, my dear. And hurry up with breakfast because you have to get dressed."

Ashuir groaned doomedly as she made a miserable face. You really shouldn't keep His Serene Highness waiting, even if you're a skilled sorceress and the granddaughter of a powerful coven witch.

"Also, Zekhir wants to talk to you about yesterday...."

"Yes, yes, of course," Ashuir nodded, quickly devouring her breakfast.

At the same time, she sent a mental order to Tonga and the other maids. When the meal was finished, they were waiting for her with the same gorgeous black silk garment she had worn yesterday. Ashuir left the room with Tonga accompanying her, having put it on in the dining room, but without covering her face. The manager was already waiting for her at the door, wearing his usual colorful robe and turban. Zekhir bowed politely and held out a sealed scroll:

"Good morning to you, Ashuir-Wali. The prisoners and the ship are settled as you requested. Here is the amount you can collect from your Grace's treasury."

"Thank you, Zekhir."

"I have also taken the liberty of ordering the preparation of your palanquin, for the journey to the palace of His Serene Highness."

"Oh, great. Where's the messenger?"

"Waiting for you in the guest room."

Taking the scroll, the sorceress thanked the manager with a nod and went to the room next to the main entrance of her father's mansion. There, at a small table sat a young man in a good white robe embroidered with gold and red thread. In front of him stood a bowl of tea and a dish of candied fruit. At the sight of the sorceress, he immediately rose to his feet and bowed to her:

"Honorable Ashuir-Wali, my master has commanded me to give you an invitation to the Palace."

With these words, he held out a sealed scroll to the sorceress. She took it silently, opened the Caliph seal, and ran her eyes over the contents. Then she nodded to the waiting messenger.

"Thank you. You may be free to go. I'm going to the Palace immediately."

Without paying attention to the messenger, Ashuir left the mansion with Tonga. A palanquin and porters were waiting for them outside. Four men dressed in light armor, covered by spacious dark gray cloaks. Their faces were hidden by wrapped shawls of the same dark gray cloth. Only narrow strips of their faces were visible, and their eyes were completely white, devoid of pupils or irises. Warriors, selected as boys, were raised and trained by the coven to protect the Daughters of the Desert. Completely loyal, fearless, and skilled with both weapons and battle amulets.

Grandma had only been given a dozen of them, but that was more than enough to protect her from hidden enemies. It was a shame she hadn't taken at least four of them with her to Morgrave, it would have been easier. But on the other hand, they might have caused more trouble than good. Here, in the south, the Coven's influence was strong and no one was willing to quarrel with it. But in the north, where the Daughters of the Desert don't have the same power, there might be those willing to risk it. Especially considering how much the Slave Masters were willing to pay for a living white-eyed man. The secrets of their training were among the most carefully guarded of the Coven.

As Ashuir climbed into his palanquin, along with the silent and obedient Tonga, the four fighters took their places on either side of him. The bearer picked up the palanquin in sync, slinging it over his shoulders, and moved on their way. Sprawled on the cushions, the sorceress threw her legs over the knees of the dark-skinned slave girl and habitually threw off her shoes. Why did His Grace need her today? At least she could have had a day to rest and recuperate after returning from her journey. But no, work is not waiting. Maybe she'll be assigned something interesting, but she highly doubted it. The most interesting job in recent memory was now left at home, in the company of Otong and Feiruza.

Immersed in not the most pleasant thoughts, the sorceress made herself comfortable on the cushions, looking around. The fabric of the palanquin curtains was enchanted in such a way that from the outside it seemed completely dense, but from the inside it did not interfere with the view of what was going on outside. Sakhib-Nere was waking up at first light, and the life of the city was in full swing. The streets were packed with people, wagons, and carts. The large and wealthy capital city was the permanent home to more than a hundred thousand people and non-humans. If you counted the surrounding countryside, of course. The land and river trade routes from the far south and the sea trade routes of the Middle Sea crossed here. The brisk trade never stopped from dawn to dusk. In some places, it never stopped. Sakhib-Nera traded in everything that could be traded. There were three really big bazaars in the city. There were even more small ones. And there would have been even more if it hadn't been for the constant threat of the Islands being swallowed by the abyss!

At the thought of their hardships, the sorceress's mood soured again. She should have turned all of them into drooling idiots instead of selling them to the slave traders with the ship. Or make them jump overboard in the middle of the sea with stones around their necks. And make them realize what they're doing, but they can't stop it! And before that, force them to have an orgy with each other! After some more fantasizing about revenge and humiliation, Ashuir calmed down and took the glass of chilled fruit juice Tonga handed her. She took a few sips and leaned back on the cushions, looking at the surrounding city.

No, this wasn't going to work. She had to get away from the fear and humiliation, or it would haunt her for a long time to come. It would have been easy to smooth over the unpleasant memories with magic. But her grandmother had taught her, and Ashuir agreed, not to use magic on her own mind where she could do without it. Otherwise, you'd be changing yourself into something you don't know what you're doing. First, you remove unpleasant memories. Then habits. Then emotions. And then you'll be looking in the mirror at a face that hasn't changed a bit, but a completely foreign face. Yes, it was decided that after all the affairs in the palace of His Grace had been completed, she should visit the main bazaar, which everyone called the Caliph's Bazaar. Because it was located right next to the palace, and only the best and most expensive goods were traded there. She hadn't been there in a long time, and it was time to fix that. Especially since she had some money to spare. Taking one of her binding amulets, the sorceress sent a short message. The reply came a minute later. After reading it, she smiled contentedly. It looked like the day wasn't going to be so bad.

Ashuir didn't realize that her palanquin had reached its destination. The palace of the Illustrious Caliph was a huge complex of buildings that stood on a separate island in the Iliyra delta. It was a masterpiece of architecture and fortification, built on the site where the castle of the Viceroy of the Isles used to be. During the fall of the Island Empire, it was razed to the ground, killing most of the inhabitants and enslaving the few survivors. But then it was rebuilt. It was too convenient a place to control the entire river delta. In addition, there were several powerful streams of natural magical energy from the depths of the Underworld. All this made the siege of the Palace of His Grace a real pain even for a large army.

The entire perimeter of Palace Island was surrounded by a huge wall of powerful stone blocks brought from the quarries of the Undermountin. In three places, forming an equilateral triangle, magical towers of white marble with tall spires rose above the walls. Even from a distance, anyone with even the slightest talent could feel the streams of energy permeating them. With the beauty and pride of Sakhib-Nere, few cities could boast such magical power. Under their cover were two wide stone bridges and a separate wharf. One of the bridges was the one that brought Ashuir to the island. The guards in good armor at the entrance checked the invitation and let the palanquin into the territory without any questions. Of course, a couple of escorts were assigned to the palanquin and reported through amulets about the arrival of an important guest. As the palanquin was carried under the archway of the gate, Ashuir felt several waves of scanning magic passing through it. It wasn't the most pleasant sensation, but what could be done?

After passing through the gate, the porters and their escorts immediately turned aside and headed for one of the side entrances to the palace. Away from prying eyes. In a small nook between the fortress wall and the outbuildings, two men were waiting for them along with a small entourage and guards. One of them was tall, thin, and of considerable age. His well-groomed beard and short hair were completely gray, but his brown eyes were sharp and clear on his strong-willed and predatory face. He was dressed in a snow-white robe with a red sash embroidered with gold, and an equally snow-white turban with a long feather. On his feet were bright red high-toe shoes. On his chest hung a massive protective amulet on a thick gold chain in the form of a filigree-engraved disk of the same pure gold. It was an insanely expensive thing, but well worth the money. It provided excellent protection. The finger rings with large gems were full-fledged multifunctional artifacts, created and enchanted by skillful masters.

The second man was a little shorter than the first, and much fatter, with a rounded, good-natured face, completely devoid of hair and beard. He was dressed much more modestly, in a loose robe of simple but good gray cloth with floral patterns, tied with a simple dark belt. No jewelry, protective or combat artifacts were visible on him. That only spoke of his skill in concealing them.

Stopping in front of the welcoming party, the porters lowered the palanquin. Two of them immediately came to the entrance, one bent back and the other on all fours. Pulling back the curtain, Ashuir stepped outside, climbing down their backs. Tonga followed her out, grabbing a small box with her mistress's magical supplies. The sorceress and her slave performed a graceful curtsy. Behind their backs, white-eyed bodyguards lined up in a row and bowed their heads in a synchronized, barely noticeable manner. The meeting men responded with short bows. Their retinues, except for the bodyguards, made full bows.

"Greetings, honorable Khatran-Shan and Vansir-Shan. It's good to see you both in good health."

A tall man in a white robe answered in a level voice with an impenetrable face:

"This joy is mutual, honorable Ashuir-Wali."

His companion with a much nicer expression and a warm voice continues:

"When we received the news of what happened in Morgrave, we were all very worried that we might lose your incredible beauty and equally incredible talent. It is good to see you in good health and with such rich and rare loot."

"Thank you for your kind words, honored ones. But I don't think you've invited me here for the sake of pleasantries. So let us not waste your time, for every moment of it is worth its weight in gold, and get straight to the point."

"Indeed," the older men nodded, "Please follow us."

The greeters, the sorceress, and the entourage entered the palace through a small gate. As they passed through, Ashuir again felt a wave of coldness run through her body, making her involuntarily shiver. It was almost impossible to get used to the sensation of scanning magical fields. Beyond the gate was one of the palace's service corridors, which most inhabitants were not allowed to enter. Ashuir had been here many times before, as most of her visits were kept private. To avoid unnerving the inhabitants of the palace. Or, on the contrary, to make them nervous, it was hard to tell. Almost immediately, she and the men who had met her went into a small circular room. All the scrollers were left waiting outside. There was nothing in the room but a large rectangular white marble altar in the center. Standing beside it was a man of advanced age, wearing plain gray priestly robes and a completely bald head. In his right hand, he held a staff of dark wood, with a silver metal top in the shape of a fisted hand clutching a ringed chain. On his bald head was tattooed the exact same sign. A fist clenching a looped chain.

The priest of Damokar, Keeper of the Oaths, bowed briefly to those who had come and spoke:

"Everything is ready, honored ones."

Ashuir and Khatran approached the altar and placed their open palms on it at the same time. At the same moment, a wave of cold ran through both of their bodies, and their palms felt as if they were stuck to the stone. The priest struck the floor with his staff, making the chain clank loudly, and spoke in a powerful voice:

"May my Lord be the Witness and Keeper of the words spoken here and now!"

Then he put his free hand on the altar. His eyes shone with a cold white light, just like the marble altar itself. The first to speak was the man in the snow-white robe, which seemed gray against the shining altar.

"On behalf of myself and my clan, I, Khatran son of Khathan, of the lineage of the Khessanids, confirm and renew the words previously spoken and given."

After a moment, Ashuir spoke:

"On behalf of myself and my clan, I, Ashuir, granddaughter of Zaykhirah, Daughter of the Desert, confirm and renew the words previously spoken and given."

A wave of cold once more passed through the bodies of all three of them, and on the shining white surface of the altar appeared clear and neat writing of dark color, forming into even lines. The words of the contract between the father of the current Illustrious Caliph and the coven of the Daughters of the Desert. Then, the glow faded, the writing disappeared, and all three removed their hands from the altar once, exhaling once as well. Taking a handkerchief from his robe pocket, Khatran wiped his soaked face and inhaled deeply several times. Then he turned to the sorceress and the priest:

"The word has been spoken and heard. That concludes my business here. If you will excuse me, honored ones, I have other business to attend to."

After bowing briefly to the sorceress, the priest, and his companion, the Grand Vizier, a cousin of the Most Illustrious Caliph, went outside and left with his retinue. When he had gone, Vansir made a graceful gesture with his hand:

"Please follow me, honorable Ashuir-Wali. Reverend, we thank you for your time."

The Oath Keeper's priest nodded silently and retired to a small back room of the altar room. The sorceress followed the secret advisor of the Illustrious Caliph through the almost empty service corridors of the palace, where most of the inhabitants of the palace were not allowed. When they left the altar room, Vansir discreetly activated the amulet that created a Hollow of Silence around them. A moment later, Ashuir activated her own amulet, creating a Hollow of Deception around them, distorting the words spoken. Once the protection was in place, the Privy Councillor spoke in a polite voice:

"If you wish, honorable Ashuir-Wali, we can take a short break before you get to work. If you wish, I'll have cold drinks and fresh fruit brought immediately. I know well how exhausting such vows can be."

"Thank you, honorable Vansir-Shan, I am fine and wish to complete what I was invited to do as soon as possible. By the way, now that you have confirmed your oaths, you may tell me what I have been summoned for."

"To my deepest regret, nothing is awaiting you that is truly worthy of your skill. His Grace has been given some new concubines and wishes you test them out. Nothing more. They will be trained and educated by the court masters. Of course, all of them have already been tested by our masters, but His Grace also wishes you, honorable Ashuir-Wali, to test them."

"His Grace's wish is a law."

The sorceress sighed wistfully to herself. Of course. Khattardine had been presented with a couple of new bed toys, and he wanted to ensure they weren't dangerous. Even though they have been checked by his Mind Magic masters, like every candidate for the lord's harem, caution is not unreasonable. For though there are more vows of obligation on each of them than on Ashuir and her grandmother, anything can happen. And sometimes they do. And just as importantly, it made her smile to herself, they were second to her in skill. Only two of them by a little, the rest by many times. Still, none of the court masters had the experience of an entire coven of witches that had existed for centuries.

"Anything else?"

"Also, His Grace has asked you to speak with one of the junior wives and two concubines already accepted into the harem."

"Just to talk?"

"For now, yes, just a conversation, nothing more."

"Any specific questions?"

"With the junior wife, he asked you to discuss issues of marital duty. Specifically, the fulfillment of it. The concubines are a little different. Both of them have a certain liking for His Grace, but they can't seem to find common ground between them. One more thing. His Grace has requested that you speak to them unofficially."

"I understand. I'll do my best."

"I'm sure you do. Please, we have arrived, honorable Ashuir-Wali."

He stopped at a pair of tall doors and opened them with a touch. Behind them was a large, windowless room, lit only by magical lights. A very secure room. The enchantments on the walls were excellent, so it was difficult to know what was going on inside from the outside. There were only a couple of chairs, a small table, and a comfortable wooden bed with cushions. Four young women were sitting on their knees on a soft bed on the opposite wall from the entrance. Quite attractive women. Although, some of them simply wouldn't make it into His Grace' harem. They wore only a few pieces of jewelry and collars, each with a thin leash. All the leashes were held by a tall, sturdy woman with an indifferent but stern face. She was dressed in the usual concubine's attire, leaving most of her body exposed. But her breasts and crouch were still covered, and a pair of daggers hung from her belt. On the woman's forehead was a silver hoop adorned with a jewel and engraved symbol. It concealed, as Ashuir knew, a branding seal.

Sakhi-Tanan. A combat concubine, or, as they were called, a harem guardian. She was there not for her beauty or nobility, but for her ability to fight and stand up for herself. She was a submissive toy like the others, but able to protect her master or other toys. Also, unable to conceive other toys a child, which is important. Once inside with Tonga, Ashuir turned to the Privy Councilor who had accompanied her:

I'll need a couple of hours for inspection. While working, I'll ask you not to disturb me, Honorable Vansir-Shan.

"Of course. As soon as you're free, let me know with the usual call, honorable Ashuir-Wali. I'll have everything ready for your future endeavors."

With those words, he bowed faintly and left the room with his small entourage. The sorceress's bodyguards froze at the sides of the doors outside. Not that they were necessary. The reputation of the coven of the Daughters of the Desert and the word given and confirmed on the altar of the Keeper of Oaths protected her better than many guards. But status and position obliged. When the doors closed and the room's defenses were working, the sorceress walked leisurely around the perimeter of the room closing her eyes. Trust but verify. Making sure there were no tracking amulets or traces of extraneous alchemy, she smiled contentedly. Peeping at her while she worked had been attempted twice. The first time, she destroyed the tracking amulets. The second time, she had complained to her grandmother, and together, albeit with considerable effort, they had planted the tracking amulets right in the chambers of the courtier who had ordered them to be installed. In the bed, under the covers. They'd gotten the hint, and no one else had tried to sniff out the secrets of her trade.

Ashuir sat down at one of the chairs and carefully removed the top of her robes, making her look like one of the inhabitants of the place the four of them were about to enter. There was no one to be embarrassed by, and the air was still stuffy, despite the purifying amulet that was working properly. Faithful Tonga took a nearby chair and placed a small box of sorcerer's supplies on the table. Carefully opening it, Ashuir placed a magical hoop on her head and pulled out a pair of wands. After awakening the artifacts, the sorceress took another look around the room before turning her gaze to the silent women and their guard. There seemed to be nothing suspicious. Good. With a graceful gesture, Ashuir pointed with the tip of her wand at the furthest woman. The battle concubine hooked the leashes of the others to a special ring on the wall and led her to the sorceress.

Having laid her down on the bed, the sorceress plunged the candidate into sleep with an effort of will and a single glance. The non-gifted woman had no chance to resist her. Making herself comfortable on the chair, the sorceress concentrated, penetrating the thoughts and dreams of the sleeper. Well, let's get down to the boring and routine work...

* * *

Checking all four candidates took almost three and a half hours, and was boring beyond belief. No hidden or repressed memories. No embedded directives. No keywords that changed priorities and associations. Nothing worth bringing in a specialist of her caliber for. Except that two candidates clearly showed a simple enough, but qualitatively invested desire to serve the new master in every possible way. There were no other desires or intentions hidden behind it either. Nothing, as expected. On the other hand, if there really was something there, only a master like her would be able to notice it. In her entire life, only once had she come across something truly dangerous. A sense of jealousy skillfully instilled by one of her junior wives was bound to grow stronger and stronger as time went on. And then force her to take a rash step, like physically removing the source of that jealousy.

It was a great commotion, especially since it was impossible to find out who had instilled this feeling in the woman and how, as the traces were too well cleaned up. Since then, she had not come across anything as dangerous in the heads of the Caliph's toys. To somehow justify the time spent, she made a small questionnaire for each of the candidates. Most likely, such questionnaires had already been compiled, but they would not be superfluous.

Having finished with the last of the candidates, the eldest daughter of a minor nobleman of one of the Free Cities from the northern coast of the Middle Sea, who had been captured during a pirate raid, and having brought her out of her sleep, the sorceress summoned the Privy Councilor of His Grace. Vansir appeared just a few minutes later. Once inside the room, he bowed politely again and inquired:

"How was the inspection, honorable Ashuir-Wali?"

"As you said, Honorable Vansir-shan, there was nothing in these girls' heads worth my attention. In order to justify the time spent, Tonga had compiled a small description of each of them. Preferences and aversions in bed, personality traits, and other details."

At these words, the discussed candidates cast disgruntled glances at Ashuir. But they did not open their mouths. Taking the pieces of paper in Tonga's handwriting, Vansir ran his eyes over them and tucked them into the pocket of his gray robe with a smile.

"One can see the work of a true master, honorable Ashuir-Wali. The Masters of His Grace, I am sure, will be very grateful to you for this help."

"A trifle, honorable Vansir-shan. Have you prepared everything necessary?"

"Of course. Follow me, please."

Ashuir went on with Tonga, leaving the bodyguards to wait in a separate room. The Privy Councilor led them through the same secret corridors to the other wing of the palace. In a small room, Ashuir and her slave changed into the modest and closed robes of the palace maids, placing magical artifacts underneath. At the same time, they put on Vansir's high-quality masking amulets, which were supposed to change their faces and voices, as well as conceal the upcoming manipulations. After finishing her preparations and receiving her final instructions, Ashuir and Tonga entered His Grace's harem through an inconspicuous entrance. It was as different from her father's harem as a ship stolen by a sorceress was from an islander's flagship. In fact, it was a separate world, fenced off from the outside world.

It had everything you needed for a comfortable life. Several baths and full wards for beauty care. A dining room and kitchen served by skillful cooks. Many separate sleeping rooms, for each of the junior wives. Сommon, but no less comfortable for concubines. There was also a huge garden full of flowers and songbirds, as well as a small pond where various brightly colored fish swam in the clear water. And a large pool, with equally clear water. In which several naked women were splashing. Another couple of pretty girls, dressed, in fact, in only jewelry, sat in the shallow part of the pool, along with small children who, screaming, splashing, and playing. Among the flowers in the garden were several other women, also almost completely naked, but carrying weapons.

At the entrance to the harem, Ashuir and Tonga were immediately greeted by a handsome young man. He wore only a thin golden collar around his neck and a snow-white loincloth. He bowed his head slightly and said in a quiet voice:

"Follow me, please."

Nodding briefly in response, the women followed the harem eunuch. The eunuch quickly led them, avoiding any encounters with the local female residents or inhabitants, to one of the rooms next to the baths and beauty chambers. Frowning at the door, he spoke softly:

"She's inside. When you're done, give me a sign."

With the same brief nod, Ashuir stepped inside the room with Tonga, closing the doors behind them. The room inside was in an intimate semi-darkness and filled with the scents of incense. Scented candles burned in special niches, and in the center was a comfortable massage table. On either side of the entrance along the walls were a pair of cabinets filled with vials, pots, bundles of fragrant herbs for the roaster in the corner, and clean towels and sheets. As soon as the door closed, a tall woman with long blond hair and a haughty, beautiful face emerged from a corner of the room, separated by a screen of fine cloth. She was wearing only a short and thin robe of snow-white silk, which allowed them to appreciate her slender figure, long legs, and large breasts. She looked at the servant girls with cold gray eyes and asked demandingly:

"Where is Khufar? I told them to prepare everything in advance! Why do I have to wait?!"

After performing a flawless bow, Ashuir said in a polite voice:

"Please forgive him, honorable Amantha-Wali, Khufar is on his way to you! Please, you may lie down on the bed, and we will prepare everything. As soon as he arrives, he will start the massage immediately. And all your worries and anxieties will pass away immediately."

With a displeased twinkle in her eyes, the woman snickered:

"Well, let her try."

Then she unbuckled the robe's belt and threw it off her shoulders in one motion, tossing it carelessly to Tonga. She caught up the incredibly expensive item and hung it carefully on a rack in the corner of the room. In the meantime, the junior wife of the Luminous One climbed onto the massage table, which was covered with a fresh sheet, and lay face down. Nodding to Tonga and showing her four fingers, Ashuir walked over to the cabinets of scented oils and creams. Simultaneously covering her eyes, the sorceress probed the room. Clear, no extraneous weaves, or tracking amulets. Opening her eyes, Ashuir, instead of one of the small jugs of fragrant oil, placed the amulet issued by Vansir on the shelf and activated it. Well, now we can begin. Handing the jug to her slave, Ashuir walked over to Amantha lying on the massage table:

"If Mistress wishes, we can start without Khufar. My friend can massage as well as he can. I assure you, you will enjoy it very much."

In response, the minor wife of Lightbringer said in a disgruntled voice:

"I asked for Khufar, not some servant girl! He is the best of masters and..."

The woman didn't get a chance to say anything as Ashuir came close to her and placed her palm on the base of her neck. It was a light and subtle touch that took one heartbeat to work through years of practice. After that, the woman lying on the table relaxed, falling into a dreamless sleep. The sorceress leaned over to her, gently pushed her hair aside, and said in an affectionate voice directly in her ear:

"Well, first of all, we're not some maids. Secondly, my friend was taught by the same master as Khufar. And thirdly..."

Bringing her lips close to the still woman's ear, Ashuir said in a husky voice:

"The Luminous Sultan's harem is a very dangerous place. You shouldn't have taken off your protective amulets."

She straightened up, stroked her silky hair, and did not deny herself the pleasure of slapping the sleeping woman's firm buttocks. Then she signaled Tonga to proceed took a chair from the wall and brought it over to the table. Making herself comfortable Ashuir took out her artifacts, awakening them again. First, she looked around the room once more, carefully searching for any signs of extraneous magic or alchemy. Once she was sure everything was normal she returned to the massage table. Tonga had already turned the wife on her back, and now, sitting on top of her, she was massaging her breasts with a generous amount of oil. The combination of physical stimulation of the right places with the influence on the mind gave excellent results and was one of Ashuir's favorite methods of work. The skillful hands of the dark-skinned slave woman aroused the woman even through her sleep, making her breathe heavily and blush.

Ashuir sat beside her and gently touched her forehead with her hand, gently changing her sleep into a deep trance. Amantha opened her eyes a moment later, blinked a couple of times, and stared at the ceiling, unable to see anything in front of her. Leaning over to her, the sorceress stroked her cheek affectionately and asked quietly:

"Amantha, can you hear me?"

"Yes."

The woman's voice was devoid of emotion, as was her face.

"Let's talk to you about your husband. And your duty to him as his loving wife. You do love him, don't you?"

"The question was combined with the pressure on her hardened nipples, causing the Illustrious One's consort to exhale involuntarily:"

"Yes..."

"All right. Then listen to me."

Ashuir leaned close to Amantha's head and began to talk quietly to her. At the same time, Tonga continued to massage her, strengthening or weakening her movements at the right moments at the sorceress' command. After saying everything she needed to say and ensuring the woman heard and understood what she said, but did not remember it, Ashuir removed the mental blockage. After that, Tonga literally in a couple of seconds brought the already heated woman to the peak of pleasure. Then, the sorceress smoothly plunged her consciousness back into sleep.

* * *

"Mmm... what... where..."

"Mistress? Are you awake?"

The woman opened her eyes in surprise, trying to realize where she was and what was happening. And the first thing she felt was the skillful and gentle hands kneading her shoulders, going lower and lower. Mmm. It felt so good...

"Forgive me, Mistress, you were dozing off and I didn't dare wake you."

"Mmm... That's okay. Yes, that's it. Mmm... Hoofar, you're the best."

Amantha moaned blissfully with pleasure and squeezed her eyes shut contentedly. It felt so good and pleasant. She didn't want to do anything. And not to think about anything. Just lie there and enjoy. With a sweet yawn, the woman fell back into a half-sleep. She didn't remember the two maids and the masseur's tardiness. And the "accidentally" delayed master did not think to say anything to her. He didn't remember anything unnecessary. He was sure that he had arrived on time.

* * *

Ashuir leaned back in her comfortable chair and took a sip of water from the crystal goblet Tonga handed her. She had checked its contents beforehand, of course. Concubines were much easier to work with than the younger wives of his Grace. You have to be very careful with the younger wives. Almost all of them are relatives of powerful nobles. And they can not be so easily turned into a very beautiful but stupid fool, suitable only for bedding and the birth of children. Relatives may not understand this and take offense. And considering who the relatives of the Caliph's wives are, it could be dangerous. Concubines are another matter. They can be handled with less subtlety, especially if the Illustrious One has given his approval.

Ashuir returned the glass to the slave and looked at the wide bed. A pretty, fair-skinned northerner with long brown hair and alchemically enhanced breasts was moaning loudly on all fours. Behind her was a kneeling mulatto woman like Tonga, only with straight rather than curly hair. Against the white-skinned northerner, her skin seemed darker than it actually was. With both arms around her partner's waist, she moved her hips rhythmically, driving the dark polished wood female savior, strapped to her with leather straps, into her cunt. Every now and then she slapped her flushed buttocks, eliciting particularly loud moans. At one point, she pulled her up by her shoulders, kneeling on her knees, and kissed her passionately with her lips on her neck. At the same time, she grabbed her breasts with one hand and slid the other between her legs, eliciting a particularly loud moan. Then they both collapsed on the bed, breathing hard and hugging each other tightly.

Not bad girls, smart, beautiful, and passionate in bed. But very ambitious, determined to achieve the title of junior wife at all costs. And rightly saw each other as rivals. So they spent all their energies on framing their rival for Grace. Instead of doing what they were bought to do together - to give joy and pleasure to their lord. It was a bit of a struggle, but in the end, the desire to be first and dominant was muted in one of them, while the other's desire to be first and dominant was strengthened. At the same time, a little bit mutually correct the image of each other in their minds. Remaking it from an outright rival and competitor in a favorable partner, together with which it is much easier to achieve the attention of the lord. Well and in small things to adjust preferences in bed, so they better fit each other.

For a master of her level, it's a couple of hours' work. Still, it would not completely change the worldview of a gifted elf while retaining all the skills and abilities she needed. All the more so because she acted, as Vansir had asked, with utmost gentleness and caution. Since His Grace was not yet willing to turn them into mindless bed toys, though he had some of those as well. After rising to her feet, the sorceress left his concubines to have fun with each other and left his harem with Tonga. A pair of maids, accompanied by a boy-eunuch, was not even noticed by any of the inhabitants of the harem.

They were met by Vansir at the exit through an inconspicuous door. The Privy Counselor bowed politely to the sorceress and inquired:

"How did it go, honorable Ashuir-Wali?"

"Successfully, honorable Vansir-Shan. I have done as you requested."

"Very well, in that case, I dare not detain you any longer, charming Ashuir-Wali. Allow me to escort you out."

Together with the Privy Counselor of the Illustrious One, they headed for the exit from the palace, having changed their clothes beforehand and taking the bodyguards of the sorceress on the way. As they walked along the hidden corridors, where there were almost no people to meet, Vansir suddenly said:

"May I give you a little advice, honorable Ashuir-Wali?"

Raising her eyebrows in surprise, the sorceress replied:

"I'm listening to you, honorable Vansir-Shan."

Smiling good-naturedly, His Grace's Privy Counselor, without stopping moving, said in a polite voice:

"I began my service under the current Grace's grandfather. One of my constant headaches as a Privy Councillor was and will always be the palace harem. And the most unpleasant and unexpected problems were caused by those of its inhabitants, who were characterized by sharp ears and eternally young bodies. The vindictiveness and vindictiveness of their kin became legendary for a reason."

For a few moments, they walked in silence. Then Ashuir said in a steady voice:

"Thank you for your advice, honorable Vansir-Shan."

"You're welcome, honorable Ashuir-Wali."

After escorting the sorceress out of the palace, the Privy Councillor bowed to her briefly and left. Ashuir, without saying a word, climbed into her palanquin with Tonga and ordered to carry her to the Caliph's Bazaar. On the way, she checked her palanquin first but found no tracking or eavesdropping amulets. Then how? Biting her lip, the sorceress frowned unhappily. Appearances can be very deceiving, the smiling and good-natured Vansir was perfect proof of that. If it were otherwise, this round-faced fatty would not have held the position of Privy Counselor already under the third Serene Highness. So how did he know about Zitra? Did he really have his own eyes and ears even at her home?

Could he report her to the Forest? She doesn't think so. The elves are not his friends and never will be. Not least because of a couple of the Caliph's harem dwellers. Unlike the Daughters of the Desert, who may not be his friends, but are at least reliable enough partners. Moreover, they provided very valuable and, one could even say, unique services. Vansir would not quarrel with the Coven for the sake of a possible return favor from the Forest. What does he want? A favor for silence? Doesn't sound like him. Just to let him know how much influence he has, and how many spies he has? This is more like the truth.

Or does he fear retaliation from the Forest if they find out about Zitra? Is he hinting to her to get rid of a dangerous toy? But they'd have to know about her for that to happen. And Ashuir's cleaned up her tails. And besides, the Daughters of the Desert already have a feud with the Forest, albeit not an open one at the moment. How the hell did he find out? Oh, well, we can think about that later. Tomorrow. For now, it was time to treat herself a little and enjoy some new purchases. Because she deserves it and she can afford it!

The palanquin stopped in the courtyard of a large rectangular building richly decorated with reliefs and colored tiles, which faced the square where the Caliph's Bazaar was located. The enchantress was already welcomed in the courtyard. As soon as the porters lowered the palanquin to the ground, four slaves, dressed in bright and expensive clothes, with shaved heads and branded foreheads, rushed to it. The first two leaned into each other's arms, the third got down on all fours, and the fourth lay belly-down on the slab-paved courtyard. All for the sake of an important guest. Pulling back the curtains of the palanquin, Ashuir, dressed in her black silk outfit, slowly climbed out, walking over the heads and backs of the servant-slaves. Tonga followed her out.

As they stepped onto the ground, a well-fed man of considerable age, with a luxuriant curly beard, dressed in an expensive robe of snow-white cloth and embroidered with dark green floral patterns, stepped towards them. On his head, he wore a large and equally snow-white turban. On each finger he had a jewel decorated with a gemstone, and around his neck hung a necklace of many small gold disks, engraved with protective ornaments. Very expensive and highly reliable protective artifacts. Behind him stood a pair of tall and muscular bodyguards in expensive armor, with skin as black as soot and stern, unfriendly faces. Bowing to the approaching sorceress, the man said in an extremely polite voice and with a broad smile on his face:

"What an unexpected and pleasant meeting, charming Ashuir-Wali! Glad to welcome you into my home!"

"The pleasure is mutual, honorable Khefur-Shan. I hope you have something of interest for me."

"Of course, of course! Just a couple of days ago, a new shipment arrived. A major auction is due to take place in a couple of days. But for you, charming Ashuir-Wali, the doors of my house are open any day! Please, come in. As soon as I received your message, I ordered to prepare the best for you."

Nodding to the head of one of the richest Houses, who had made a fortune in the slave trade, Ashuir went inside the building with Tonga and her bodyguards. To herself, the sorceress grimaced as if with a toothache. Though the thoughts of the molasses-spewing Khefur were protected by a very good amulet, they could be read without Mind Magic. She had been proposed to several times by a trader of living goods, both directly and through her grandmother, to start a permanent partnership. And he had been more than generous in his offers. The explanation was quite simple - the benefits of such cooperation would exceed almost any expenses for him. He was even willing to give her any of his younger sons who had the right of inheritance. Or even make his eldest son his senior wife, with priority to her future children in the inheritance. To his great dismay, despite many gifts, he was politely but still refused. His grandmother had made it very clear to him that only the Coven chose and approved the husbands and fathers of the future children of the Daughters of the Desert.

Khefur found the return gift, which was also very generous, along with the letter, in his chambers in the morning. In a very secure room, in the very center of the luxurious family mansion, which he had spared no expense to protect. The merchant had taken the hint correctly. He had not proposed to Ashuir again. But he was still able to negotiate a "private consultation," in exchange for the right of priority redemption of goods bypassing the ongoing public auction. The sorceress decided to use this right now.

A pair of servants opened another door for the host and his dear guest, and they entered a spacious room lit by magical lamps. There, several dozen humans and nonhumans were lined up in perfectly even rows. Completely naked, not counting collars, and completely motionless. The bodies of most of them were rubbed with oil, making them glisten seductively in the light of the skillfully directed lamps. All of them were in a state of willless puppets like the one Ashuir had put Zitra into before she left home. Smiling contentedly at what she saw, Ashuir spoke slowly:

"You have not failed my expectations, honorable Khefur-Shan."

"I wouldn't dare, charming Ashuir-Wali. I've ordered only the finest for you. Please choose."

With these words, the richest slave trader in the Caliphate made an inviting gesture. The sorceress moved leisurely along the frozen rows of slaves and slave girls, scrutinizing and evaluating them. In the first row stood the natives of the Free Cities, or even more northern lands. All of them, both men and women, were quite attractive. Among the former were a couple of very handsome young men, who were literally begging to be in the harem of His Grace, as well as a couple of sturdy men with bodies covered with scars. Stopping in front of one tall northerner with blonde hair and gray eyes, Ashuir reached out and ran her palm over her large breasts with pale pink nipples. Only the most expensive and important customers were allowed to touch the goods in this way.

"Where's she from?"

"From the Theocracy of the Sun Worshippers, from its northern borders. Captured by raiders from the Ice Islands and resold to traders from the Free Cities. It came to us through them." Khefur said. Despite his high status and fortune, he was meticulous in the details of his business.

Leaving the northerner's breasts alone, Ashuir took her palm in her hands, examining the fingers.

"Handicraft?"

"She was a working novice at one of their monasteries. She's quite good at sewing, and she sings beautifully. She's a good dancer, too, but their northern dances. You have to teach her the dances of passion."

Releasing the slave's hand, the sorceress gently squeezed her jaw, unclenching her mouth and inspecting her teeth.

"My Masters of Beauty had time to work on her. A little nurturing and feeding, those northern savages had nearly killed this beauty. They also gave her a little breast augmentation and fixed her hair. Also, my girls and boys have instilled in her a bit of submission and obedience. Nothing serious has been done to her mind yet by my assistants."

When Ashuir finished examining the northern woman's mouth and was satisfied with what she saw, she gently took her by the shoulders and turned her back to her. She ran her hand along her spine and noted the smoothness of her skin.

"Your artisans did a good job on it. I like it, I'll take it. Prepare it."

Khefur immediately beckoned to his servants. They immediately took the northerner aside, while Ashuir continued to move leisurely along the rows. In addition to the northerner, the sorceress chose two other slave girls in the first row. Both were natives of the Free Cities, shorter than the first and with more petite figures. One of them had been specially trained, or should I say bred, as an elite domestic servant slave. The barely visible stamp of the famous Os'Olon trading house on her left buttock was a guarantee of quality. The other was a simple townswoman who was lucky enough to be born with a pretty face and a good figure, but unlucky enough to leave home at a bad time. Of course, she still had to learn and teach, but the girl's looks paid off.

After selecting them, Ashuir moved on to the second line, there were only dark-skinned inhabitants of the far south, whose lands neighbored the impenetrable jungles of the lizards. From among them, the enchantress selected a couple of girls and one man of sturdy build. All three were from the same tribe captured by the scaly raiders during a major campaign. The latter was here, too, in the form of a pair of maidens with smooth, dark green scales and long, flexible tails. And even more flexible split tongues. But she was not interested in reptiles, she had other preferences in bed.

The lizards stood with the rest of the nonhumans in the third row. There were a few beastmen, too, with ears of varying length and tails of varying fluffiness. Separate from the others were several slave women and slaves, not just in collars, but in shackles on their hands and feet. One slave girl had dark, almost black skin, bright yellow eyes, powerful musculature, flat breasts, and a long, flexible panther-like tail. Her curly black hair was gathered in a tight bundle at the back of her head. Her body was covered in numerous healed scars, and her mouth showed fangs too powerful for a human. A pair of pure-blooded orcs stood alone, towering over the rest of the tallest slaves by a full head, and with the width of their shoulders and the strength of their muscles, they outnumbered everyone else present. And also the size of known things. Estimating their thickness and length even in a calm state, the sorceress involuntarily shuddered, imagining what it must be like to have intercourse with them. If she showed them to Bibi, he would probably give up his bro, realizing its true insignificance.

After estimating the size of the green-skinned giants, Ashuir turned to Hefur and said respectfully:

"How did you manage to get such beauties?"

The merchant smiled contentedly in response:

"I bought it from some scaly dealers. As they told me, if you want to catch a steppe stallion, you don't need a steady hand and a strong lasso, but a good domestic mare."

Smiling, the sorceress turned to the motionless giants that could have snapped her in half with one hand.

"Indeed."

Moving further along the line of non-humans, Ashuir walked it to the end. Among the interesting things was a single snakelike creature, with dark brown scales with yellow spots and a tanned human body with obviously alchemically enhanced breasts. The tip of her tail ended in a rather large rattle, and she wore a bandage of thick dark cloth over her eyes. Pointing to the rattle, Ashuir turned to the merchant:

"Be careful with her. The likes of her are sometimes capable of fogging the mind not only with a glance but also with a flick of their tails."

Khefur nodded in response and said gratefully:

"I was warned, honorable Ashuir-Wali. We keep her rattle wrapped in cloth, and I have ordered it removed to show it to you."

At the very end of the line was a pair of pretty half-elves. One of them was a quadroon, in favor of human blood. Her ears were subtly pointed, and her figure was more reminiscent of the dark-skinned women of the South. Or rather, those of the South who were notable for their lush shapes and lips. Her long, dark, curly hair was gathered into a luxurious ponytail that fell to the middle of her back. The other, though just as swarthy, was much more like her eternally young relatives. Light gray hair and dark violet eyes, coupled with a haughty and proud expression that even slave captivity could not smooth out. One of his parents was clearly one of the ever-younger inhabitants of the Underworld.

Ashuir clucked her tongue as she examined and evaluated both of them. She already had an eared one, and a purebred one at that. These ones were also worth an unconscionable amount of money. Eared ones were a rare commodity. When she had finished looking around and hadn't chosen any of the nonhumans, the sorceress approached Khefur, who was waiting for her:

"You have not disappointed me, honorable Khefur-Shan. These six will make a fine addition to my house."

"I do not doubt that, honorable Ashuir-Wali. And may I say, you have made an excellent choice."

"How much do you want for them?"

"I can give you all six for the price of three, in return for a favor from you. As I said, the bidding is due soon. And your help would be invaluable to me."

Mentally, the sorceress fiddled unhappily. She had a lovely long-eared slave waiting for her at home, who needed to be trained! On the other hand, such a discount was very tempting. It would be possible to buy some more. Besides, it's not just the Khefur House that will be bidding at the auction. The other merchants also sometimes had some worthwhile items. After hesitating for a few seconds, the sorceress nodded:

"I agree, honorable Khefur-Shan....."

After haggling a little more for the sake of decorum, as well as discussing the time and terms of the work, Ashuir left the merchant a receipt, secured by a personal magical seal, by which he could receive the necessary amount of money in the treasury of the Illustrious One. She said goodbye to the slave trader and left the trading house. Her purchases, already dressed in the spacious and clean clothes of ordinary townspeople, were waiting for the sorceress outside. All in the same submissive and disobedient state. Climbing inside the palanquin with Tonga, Ashuir ordered her to move towards the house.

The sun had already touched the horizon when she reached her father's mansion. She was greeted inside by a disgruntled grandmother and her maids:

"Ashuir, why are you so...what is this?"

"I decided to stop by the Caliph Bazaar on the way back, Grandma. I bought myself a couple of pretty toys. Aren't they cute?"

The witch frowned unhappily as she approached the slaves lined up in the hallway of the mansion. She walked along them and inspected the slaves, lingering longest with the only man she'd bought. His grandmother examined and groped him particularly closely. Then her face softened, and she nodded contentedly:

"Good ones. But they must have cost a lot of money, right?"

"Khefur gave them to me at half price. But I'll have to help him prepare for the auction."

"Oh, I see. Well, that'll give you some practice. Just be careful with that little bastard."

"Of course. Why don't we send him another gift again? His older wife is due to have another baby soon."

"That's a good idea. All right. Put your shopping away, and let's go to dinner."

After the meal, Ashuir went with Tonga to her brother's room. As ordered, he was in the special guest room in the basement of the mansion. There, strapped into a special chair, Zitra was half-lying soaked and flushed, completely naked. The elf was conscious and would have screamed at the top of her voice if she could. But the tight gag in her mouth only allowed her to moo and drool down her chin and chest. Profuse tears flowed from Zitra's eyes. The reason for her condition was simple.

Otong was sitting on a small stool between her wide-open legs, holding a small metal magic wand with a ball-shaped head. It buzzed quietly like a bee and vibrated faintly. The slave slowly guided the rod between the lower lips of the elf, from which a small puddle of love juices had already dripped onto the seat of the chair. But whenever the captive came close to reaching the peak of pleasure, Otong withdrew the wand, stopping the torment and allowing the captive to calm down. After that, he would start all over again.

Next to it, on a small table, were several other wands and a couple of long, fluffy feathers that were very handy for tickling helpless captives. After admiring this lovely sight for a few seconds, the sorceress slowly approached Zitra, who stared at her angrily and desperately. After circling the elf, Ashuir undid the straps at the back of her head and released her from the gag.

"Hello, my sweet Zitra. How are you feeling?"

Long-eared didn't answer anything, just bit her lip, breathing heavily from excitement and the impossibility of finishing. She clutched the armrests with her palms and tucked her toes in. Smiling, Ashuir leaned forward and brought her lips close to the captive's ear while slowly caressing her breasts, which should have been even more sensitive after the size-increasing alchemy.

"You know, this could all stop right now. All you have to do is ask me, my sweet Zitra. One request and this torment will end. It will be replaced by unbelievable pleasure. All you have to do is ask me, like a good girl. Of course, you can continue to be stubborn. But what's the point? You'll achieve nothing but unnecessary suffering."

Coming close to the heavily breathing elf's ear, Ashuir said in a languid voice:

"So, what do you choose, my sweet Zitra? Needless torment? Or pleasure and relief?"

Licking her lips, the long-eared woman swallowed hard and said in a hoarse voice:

"Please stop this, Mrs. Ashuir."

Smiling contentedly, the sorceress kissed her affectionately on the cheek and said:

"Obedient girl."

Then she nipped the sensitive tip of the long elf's ear with her lips and squeezed the captive's nipples with her thumbs and forefingers. At the same time, she was making a carefully calibrated impact on Zithra's tormented mind. Screaming, she arched as far as the restraints allowed, finishing violently and simultaneously wetting herself, splashing the Otong sitting in front of her. And in the elf's mind, the simple truth became even stronger and stronger: resisting Ashuir was bad. Submitting was pleasant. Caressing the eared woman's wet hair, the sorceress said in a friendly voice:

"You see, that was so pleasant, my sweet Zitra. Now it's time for you to rest. Sleep, my dear. Go to sleep."

The sorceress waited for a while, checked that all compulsions and corrective dreams were in order, and then woke Zitra again. This time, it was Zitra. After chatting with her for a bit, she headed to her chambers to get ready for bed. But first, she waited for Otong to take the elf to the baths, clean her up, and bring her back to her mistress. After letting the slave go, Ashuir checked the elf's condition one more time before going to bed, ensuring she was sleeping well and dreaming properly, and then fell asleep hugging the elf tightly with her arms and legs.

* * *

"Aaaaah!"

Opening her eyes, the queen glanced at the clock on the bedroom wall. Just as scheduled. Burying her face in the pillow, she pushed the dark one with her foot:

"It's your turn."

With a doomed groan, Titty crawled out from under the blanket and, eyes half-closed, made her way to the baby's lullaby, pulling her nightgown over her head as she went, leaving her completely naked. Sivila rolled over onto her other side and covered her eyes, trying to get back to sleep. Behind her, the baby's demanding cry was replaced by a loud smacking sound. Lulu's little boy had an appetite and an innate dwarven chronometer. Otherwise one could explain the way he woke up at the same time, demanding attention and food....

"Aaaaah!"

Oh, for crying out loud! The queen was about to reprimand the stupid dark one, but instead, she heard a sleepy voice:

"Your turn, Mistress."

Sivila opened her eyes and looked at the clock to see that it was indeed true. Several hours of the night flew by in the blink of an eye. Oh, for crying out loud. With a loud and doomed yawn, the Queen of the Forest crawled out from under the unbearably inviting blanket and headed towards the lullaby. Carefully taking the screaming bundle from it, she opened the collar of her nightgown, which she had stopped buttoning altogether, and pressed the infant to her breast. Loud and demanding cries were replaced by slightly less loud smacking. Oh, sleep would not come soon enough. With a yawn, the queen glanced at her watch. Well, it was time to get up soon anyway. Where would I find a way to make the morning half hour twice as long? Or, better yet, ten.

Katrina crawled out of her separate bed, as sleepy as the two elves. Bowing to the queen, she began to quickly clean herself up and dress. By the time Lulu's son had sucked all the milk from Sivila's breasts, Katrina had already prepared clean diapers and pots of baby powder. Gently handing her the contented infant, the queen left the bedroom and went to the bathing room. Aneta and Maryana were already waiting for her there. The water procedures invigorated the queen, and she had breakfast in a much fresher state. During the meal, Fiorel read the current mail to the queen, among which nothing important. Except for another letter from her husband, who was once again lingering on the eastern border of the Forest. It was, of course, only on Forest business.

Having finished breakfast, the queen together with her girls changed into her working dress, combed her hair, put on her beauty, and at exactly the appointed time went into the meeting room of her chambers. Three elves were already waiting for her there. The Supreme Emissary, the Supreme Treasurer, and the Head of the Secret Guard. After greeting all three politely, the queen took a seat at the head of the table.

"Greetings, honored ones. We don't have much time, so let's get right to the point."

"I agree. I'm not sure I should have come here. Since you've already talked to Arendal," the Supreme Emissary shrugged.

Mentally, the queen rolled her eyes. It's starting! In the name of the Forest, everyone is more than a thousand years old, and yet they behave like little children two hundred years old. With the most charming smile she could muster, Sivila replied:

"What are you talking about? If I thought you had nothing to do here, I would not have supported your candidacy for your current position. And I thought you knew very well that I prefer, wherever possible, to communicate directly with those who work directly on the ground. This often prevents the omissions that arise when communicating through the reports of superiors.

"Speaking of which," the Supreme Treasurer said. "We have just recently discussed the Morgrave issue. Why didn't you, my dear colleague, make that suggestion yourself?"

"Because, and you know it well, my honorable colleague, the budget for "gifts" allocated to the emissaries is planned for many years in advance down to the copper thaler. And it is directed mainly to the East. It is much easier to reach an agreement with green-skinned orcs than with northern fanatics."

"If that's the case, is there any point in us discussing anything here at all?"

"More than that," said the head of the Secret Guard. "The Priest-King has enough trouble in the north with the Ice Islanders. He could be persuaded to concentrate on fighting them and fortifying the coastal fortresses. Especially after the recent raid, which resulted in the looting of an entire monastery of their Sun-face."

"Since you say so, colleagues, let's decide what we will sacrifice for the sake of our dear northern neighbors," the Supreme Treasurer shrugged his shoulders and began laying out sheets of paper and scrolls in front of the audience.

Mentally, Sivila groaned. This is going to be a long time.

* * *

The meeting took all day and dragged on into the night, and it was exhausting. The short breaks for lunch and other urgent matters that all four had were no relief. The High Emissary was right, though, the orcs were much easier to deal with. Oh yes, the green-skinned ones were very fond of telling everyone about their incomparable military valor and fearlessness. And it's not all idle talk. But nevertheless, they quite willingly prefer to take a payoff, instead of storming the forest fortifications of elves, or castles and cities of humans. The size of the ransom directly depended on how large a band or, what is worse, a horde approached the borders of humans or elves.

The fanatics of the Sun in this respect are much more difficult. They may not take any gifts from those who do not honor their god on principle. Or die to the last in an unequal battle, but do not pay an oren to the vile pagans, forcing them to take payment in blood for the spoils. But therein lies the art of diplomacy. In the end, the right amount and type of gifts for his holy majesty was agreed upon. It is true that the palace's expenses were cut. But what would one not do for the good of the Forest? When the meeting was over the Supreme Treasurer and Emissary left, but Third stayed behind. After waiting for his colleagues to leave and for the defense to activate, he spoke briefly:

"We have a problem."

Rolling her eyes, the queen, realizing that sleep was being postponed, said in a tired voice:

"Why am I not surprised?"

* * *

"I didn't agree to this! You promised me! You gave me guarantees!"

The Secret Guard agent sitting in a comfortable chair looked at the queen with furious eyes. In the special room, besides her, there was a part of Twilight's team, Third, as well as several specialists in Mind Magic. The latter was currently standing next to a fellow agent lying on a special bed in the center of the ritual circle. She was naked, her eyes were closed, but her breathing was heavy. Not far from the mages stood a wide circular mirror that reflected the dreams the agent was now having. Quite wet dreams, involving a very beautiful human sorceress.

"Zitrael, listen to me, we're doing everything we can to get you out! Our agents are already preparing the operation, we'll get you out soon. You just need to endure a few more days..."

"And turn into a titty, dumb, dick-sucking bimbo!?"

"Zitrael, please. We can't completely negate its effects or we'll expose the whole operation. You know as well as I do how difficult it is to hide a link and transfer consciousness....."

"I know! I also know that I agreed to help catch the raiders in the Forest to save my niece, not to end up in the hands of a lustful lover of mind-warping! That was never agreed to, and you gave me guarantees!"

Rolling her eyes, the queen cursed softly to herself. Zitrael wasn't Turiel, after all. But what could be done, there weren't as many professional elven agents as she would have liked. And it turns out that some of them have not been agents for years, but branded slaves, instead of whom it is unclear who works and sends reports. So much trouble...

"Zitrael, we understand the risk you're taking. You have my word as Queen that the hardships you have endured will be appreciated once we get you out and you are treated in the Gardens of Life...."

Folding her arms across her chest unhappily, the Secret Guard agent, whose body now contained Zitrael's mind, spoke demandingly:

"And how much do you, Your Majesty, value my suffering for the good of the Forest?"

Still to herself, the queen smiled tiredly but contentedly. It was the same as always. Where could she find someone from whom she could demand additional preferences and benefits for her labor for the benefit of the Forest? But that was not what Sivila said aloud:

"The ability to prioritize the palace source of magic for the next hundred years and double the budget. For personal practice."

"Two hundred years and quadrupled!"

The Supreme Treasurer will be thrilled when he wakes up tomorrow morning.

"Okay, I'll agree. Please, Zitrael, hold on. Help is on the way."

After calming down the agent, who was probably just acting hysterical, the queen approached Third, watching the elf now taking the blow of Mind Magic. Together with him, they moved into his office. Once the defenses were at maximum, the queen asked bluntly:

"How's our business?"

"Better than we expected. We're lucky the witch was busy and couldn't get to work on Zitrael right away. There is a chance to delay this moment even further. We're trying to transfer and neutralize as much as we can, but the effects are cumulative. And the risk of Ashuir noticing the connection is growing. We need to get her out as soon as possible."

"Luaval will soon reach the rendezvous point. Is Twilight ready?"

"Yes, he and his subordinates will be there with Bravlin's warriors on time. The most important thing is that the fugitives make it."

"Their chances are good. What about Midday?"

"Nothing concrete yet. We have to proceed with caution, as it is unclear how long ago the agent was compromised, and how deep the enemy has penetrated. So far I can tell you that the last time Tiantrelle was reliably still herself was eight years ago, just before she left the Forest for the North. And the last person she interacted with was Arendal."

"Which isn't surprising, considering he's her supervisor and she keeps in touch through him, too. Any luck finding out about him?"

"So far, nothing suspicious has been found. Emissaries are always at risk, and special attention is paid to them. Especially those working for the Theocracy. But I have few available agents, and I have to tread carefully. Besides, I have other things to worry about, especially in the East."

"When has it ever been otherwise?" The queen shrugged philosophically, "What about checking the other agents?"

"We're being very careful. Given the nature of their work, it's not easy to check them out. Especially to do it in a way that doesn't draw attention to them. Nothing so far."

"I see. How are we doing in Sakhib-Nera with evacuation preparations?"

"Not bad. We're preparing additional special means, working on escape routes and several shelters. But we can't guarantee they'll be completely safe. So, ideally, Luaval and Zitraeel should leave the city immediately."

"Of course. Let's hope there are no new problems."

* * *

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Total stillness. Complete stillness. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Silence. Only the measured breathing of a sleeping woman and nothing more. Carefully opening her eyes, the Secret Guard agent, known among her colleagues under the call sign Whisper, lay motionless for several minutes, continuing to listen and "listen" to the surrounding space. The latter was not easy, given that she had to work in someone else's body and with a magic-suppressing collar. But nearly fifteen hundred years of experience in the Secret Guard of the Forest was a great strength. It allows for something, even in such a limited state. Especially when you have the support of that very Secret Guard at your back, albeit through a very limited channel. Though, admittedly, she's had her share of more complicated operations.

When she was done "listening" to the room and satisfied that everything was in order, she was careful not to wake the sleeping woman. It was a good thing she didn't have any tracking amulets or memory crystals in her bedroom. Otherwise, it would have been a lot harder. But it's understandable, security measures like that are a two-way street. If someone could gain access to them, it could get very ugly. That's why you don't put them in private quarters. She had spent most of her time that first night looking for them, and only when she was sure they were gone did she get to work. If it hadn't been for that magic collar, it would have taken much less time.

Gently laying the wizened sorceress on her back, Whisper immediately placed her palm on her neck, pressing her index finger on a certain point. The woman immediately calmed down, and her sleep became deep and restful. And no magic that the gifted were accustomed to. No spells, which are so easy to spot, or alchemy. Just vast experience and an excellent knowledge of human anatomy and the peculiarities of subtle bodies. It's amazing how much can be accomplished with the lightest influences in the right places. There were very few humans who were skilled in such an art. Mostly the inhabitants of the far eastern lands and islands. However, there were also masters of such practices on the western edge of the oikumen. But very few.

When she was sure the sorceress was in a deep sleep, Whisper put aside the blanket and carefully spread her legs. Sitting between them, she leaned forward and pressed her palms against the sleeping woman's face, then sat motionless for a few seconds. How easy it would be to cut her life short. Except it would be impossible to get the tribeswoman out afterward. And it would be much harder to work in the South. The Daughters of the Desert were as vindictive and vengeful as the elves. So we'll have to do things differently. Concentrating, Whisper slowly ran her palms along the body of the sleeping sorceress. From her face to her pussy. Back up, up her thighs, then along her arms. Back down again. Having tuned in to the energy channels of the sleeping woman, Whisper began to run her fingertips along them. In the right places, she increased the pressure and repeated the movement several times. In other places, she gently pressed her fingertips with as much force as possible.

No complicated spells or alchemy. Just muting some energy channels of the subtle body and strengthening others. One could easily kill or maim in this way. But what was needed now was something different. Minimal impact which is very difficult to notice, if you do not know where to look and are not an expert in certain practices. Even for a gifted Daughter of the Desert. An hour later, the work was finished and Whisper gently returned to the arms of the peacefully sleeping sorceress. Her subtle body had undergone subtle changes. The energy channels that led from the head to the rest of the body weakened a bit. But the three channels leading to the head, which started in the area of nipples and cunt, on the contrary, strengthened. A little. But still.

* * *