Chapter 42

“Tsakali, do you have my schedule for the day?” you asked.

“Right here, Your Majesty.” Said Tsakali.

You unraveled the scroll and took a look at the daily agenda.

“Public meet and greet and tour of the city… What does that entail?” you asked.

“You’ll be travelling through the city with Her Highness, introducing yourself to the commoners. All you need to do is smile and thank them for any gifts they give you.” Said Tsakali.

“Hmm…”

You took a sip of tea. Delicious. Petropa had never allowed you to make any suggestions while you were trapped in her castle, but the cooks here took every proposal you made in stride. Now, the meals were a little more balanced, and MUCH more authentic. Their first fumbling attempts at a casserole had been nightmarish.

“What’s this here? ‘Reading with Her Highness’?” you said.

“Lady Nauraea has asked me to scour your journal with her as an audience. Again… My humblest apologies, Majesty, but she is the only creature in the queendom that outranks you.” Said Tsakali sheepishly.

“Why do I need to be there?” you scowled.

“Because she demanded it.”

Of course she did.

“Tsakali, can you be honest with me? Is this going to end up like last time?”

Tsakali shook her head. “Certainly not! I really shouldn’t say this, but Lady Nauraea was quite embarrassed by her outburst the other day. Normally she is much more imperturbable. Though, she was more than a little surprised to learn that she did not fit your tastes as well as she hoped…”

“How the hell would she know what my tastes in women are? Oroba made certain that there was NOTHING in the information she distributed that would give mamono any hints.”

“I can’t account for Her Majesty’s eccentricities. Perhaps you can ask her why she chose you.”

“Perhaps I shall.” You set down your empty cup. “How long until we greet the masses?”

“As soon as you get dressed. The tailors have repaired your ceremonial robes, they’ll be delivered to your room.”

“Ceremonial robes? Do you mean the ones that I was wearing when I… uh…”

Tsakali pursed her lips. “Yes.”

“I see…”

“Do try to control yourself this time. You’ve already embarrassed yourself once in front of your people.”

“They aren’t MY people; they’re yours.” You replied curtly.

“As you say, Anon.” said Tsakali with a grin.

~~~~~~~~

“I must say, you look much better in that outfit when you’re not being dragged by Tsakali.” Said Nauraea.

“And that armor you’re wearing hides your fat, snake ass.” You said.

Nauraea stabbed your gut with her tail. “Call me fat again and I’ll crush you.”

“By coiling me, or sitting on me?”

She stabbed you again, and slapped the underside of your chin as you doubled over.

“Watch yourself. You’re on thin ice today. You’ve already embarrassed me twice in front of my subjects. It shan’t happen again. Is that clear?” she loomed over you.

“I’m just going to smile and wave. Don’t expect any impassioned speeches about how much I love you.”

One of the servants cinched the last strap of Nauraea’s armor taught. The lamia exhaled and admired herself in the mirror. A full suit of midnight blue armor engraved with pale, luminous runes. A full suit in a monster sense; she was showing almost as much skin as normal. The armor allowed most of her chest and some of her stomach to be exposed, but with how much magic was radiating off the stuff, you doubted that it mattered. Her helmet was adorned with a large chunk of moonstone in the center. Sweeping down, the helmet covered her cheeks with two stylized pieces that were embossed to look like a mouth bearing serpentine fangs. You hated to admit it, but it was actually pretty hot.

“Ahh~ Feels so good to wear it again!” said Nauraea, clenching her gauntleted fist. The symbols on her knuckles glowed.

“That looks… dangerous.” You mused, watching as the runes pulsed.

Nauraea beamed. “THIS is ancient apophis armor passed down by my mother. It was forged by my grandmother’s most loyal smith, and imbued with her magics just a few years after The Demon Lord remade her. She still had a little of her old power left over, so she dumped it all into this armor before the mamono mana replaced it.”

“That’s not going to make me sick, is it?” you asked.

“No, this is primordial mana. It’s not dangerous to you. In a health sense. If it breaks, it will unleash a shockwave that could flatten Apliseline and everything around it.”

Great, a wearable warhead. All the rage amongst tyrants these days.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t be more comfortable in something a little more… I don’t know, delicate?” you asked.

“I’m an empress, dear. I can’t afford to look weak in front of my subjects. I’ll be the one to lead them to war against Nefkara. They have to believe that I have the strength to ensure we are triumphant.”

“If I do marry you, the first thing I’m doing is reforming the foreign relations policies.” You said.

“If you so much as send that harlot a letter asking how her day went, I’ll inject you with enough venom to turn you into a vegetable. Now come, we ride!”

Nauraea quickly slithered away, forcing you to hurry after her as she headed for the royal chariot.

~~~~~~~

Just smile and wave, smile and wave.

The crowds of Apliseline were certainly excited to see you now that you weren’t being dragged around by the arms. Throngs of monsters and men alike crowded the streets as you passed, cheering for you and trying to catch your attention. A few girls flashed you, but the guards escorting you quickly apprehended them and helped them to regain their modesty. Nauraea’s tail crushing your ankle informed you that staring too long at any of the women in the crowd would earn you another harsh lesson tonight.

“Hi! Hello! Thank you! I don’t plan on staying here, but you all seem nice!” you shouted. You reached over the edge of the chariot to slap some of the citizen’s hands, but Nauraea pulled you back in.

“Imbecilic! What the hell are you doing?!” she hissed.

“You’re the one who told me to ingratiate myself with the locals. This was the best way to do it back on {Earth}.”

“How the hell did people on your world survive…”

A young succubus girl carrying a steaming loaf of bread parted the crowd and ran along side the chariot, offering it to you.

“Can we take food?” you asked quickly. It smelled delicious.

“Are you a dog?! I suppose you are something of a pet to me…”

You quickly took the bread, thanking the little succ. She beamed at you and waved as you trundled onwards.

“Put that down this instant.” Demanded Nauraea.

You glanced between her, the bread, and her tail snaking up your thigh. Ripping off a chunk, you quickly devoured the morsel before tossing the rest of the loaf to a family who looked to be on the more impoverished side of life.

“No more gifts unless I tell you you can accept them, understand? Do NOT disobey me again.”

You grunted an affirmation. Why the hell couldn’t you ham it up a little with the rabble? Nauraea took your hand and sighed.
“There will be a time and a place, dear. Once we reach the Grand Plaza you can take some offerings. Within reason. Some of these ‘gifts’ are only ostensibly charitable.”

Ahh. Even here monsters were still vying for favors with the queen. And since you were now second in command… Guess you had better start learning the arts of statesmanship after all.

The chariot wheeled into a sprawling plaza, swarming with monsters. Harpies lazily circled above the roiling crowd. Scales, tails, and claws scurried out of the way as your vehicle parked in front of a massive cathedral dedicated to Eros. Without missing a beat, Nauraea began to address the crowd.

“Citizens of Apliseline, today marks a momentous occasion for us, and our way of life! I give you your new king: the man who’s power I shall use to snuff out the sun for all eternity!”

The monsters cheered. You stood next to Nauraea, waiting patiently for the monologuing to end. Some of the rabble threw some flowers your way.

“Prepare yourselves! Even now, the false goddess’ army readies itself for war. They are mighty, yes, but we are indominable! Our will shall be made manifest by the strength of our sword arms! With I as your queen, victory is inevitable! Witness the power I command!”
Nauraea held her hands up to the sun. At first, you thought something had went wrong; nothing seemed to be happening. Then, you noticed a thin trickle of what looked like smoke wafting out of her hands towards the sky. Nauraea’s face contorted with effort, and the runes on her armor began to shimmer.

The plume of smoke grew thicker. It was a subtle change at first. You noticed the shadows of the citizens becoming less and less defined. Slowly, the light of the sun became more and more muted. Apliseline was bathed in a flat muted light, a soft shade that encompassed everything around you. A chill ran down your spine. Once again, you were left awestruck by the absolute power that Nauraea possessed; she was NOT to be underestimated. The only reason you were even allowed to step outside was because she allowed you too.
Flat light gave way to shade as Nauraea continued to block out the sun. At last, she lowered her hands with a loud exhale and panted, looking up to the dim sky. Monsters looked in wonder at the midday shade shrouding the city. Children giggled and ran about, enthused by the miraculous change.

“We stand at the precipice of greatness… With Anon’s power, we shall take our rightful place as conquerors of the Capsalisma!” roared Nauraea, swaying a bit from the exertion.

You clapped along with the crowd before you caught yourself and tucked your hands behind your back. Too used to applauding speakers.
Monsters began talking amongst themselves excitedly as Nauraea turned her attention back to you.

“Your turn. Say something too them.” She whispered.

“What?! What am I supposed to tell them?!” you hissed.

“Anything! Words of encouragement, a rousing, jingoist statement, I don’t care. Just don’t make a fool of yourself.”

 She nudged you forward towards the crowd. You gulped. Following an artificial eclipse was a tough act to follow. Most of the monsters were too busy reveling in the gift from their deity to even notice you.

“Uhh… Hello, subjects. I’m not very experienced with ruling an empire, but I’ll do my best to improve everyone’s lives.”

The monsters stared at you as they waited for you to continue. You could feel your face getting red.

“Is that it?” muttered Nauraea.

“I plan on reforming the education system to increase social mobility, and undertaking several public infrastructure projects to make the city more livable.” You continued. Oh fuck, you had no idea what to say. God help you if they actually held you to these promises. You prayed that Tsakali was writing down all these campaign promises.

Despite your insincerity, the crowd seemed pleased with what they heard. Some of the poorer children excitedly began talking to their parents, who were softly clapping.

“Right, let’s wrap things up before you have a chance to fuck everything up.” Said Nauraea. She moved you back with her tail, once again taking the front of the chariot.

“Fitting, is it not? That I should find such a benevolent and magnanimous husband. Strength of will, and strength of heart working in tandem to create the most prosperous empire in the world!” said Nauraea.

The more reserved monsters politely applauded their queen. But the situation was rapidly deteriorating into chaos as an orgy had broken out in the back of the crowd as they reveled in the darkness, and the rest of the onlookers were quickly succumbing to their own lust too. Nauraea gave a wave and sighed.

“I would never ask that they repress their love for each other, but sometimes I wish they would have a little more decorum.” She said, surveying the prurient carnage below her.

You nodded in agreement, watching a harpy carry her husband off to the roof of a nearby building for a quick tryst.

“Anyways, now is as good a time as any to tour the city. Shall we?” asked Nauraea. Without waiting for an answer, she drove the chariot onwards.

~~~~~~~

You said that you would repair and upkeep the public infrastructure of Apliseline, but it looked like your work was cut out for you. Come to think of it, it made perfect sense that a city run in part by Tsakali would be immaculate and efficient. Smooth roads, buildings in perfect condition, a fully functional sewer, spectacular fountains and inspiring statues… Apliseline was a cosmopolitan paradise.

“I know you said something about a school, but we already have an education system. I suppose you could always try to expand the university, but that’s a costly task in both gold and time. You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to attract scholars. ‘It’s too far away!’ ‘Aren’t you that psychopath who wants to destroy the sun?’ ‘Sorry, I’ve already accepted a position in Kyriavalissa.’ Ooohhh… I swear that damn Pharaoh was poaching my candidates out from under my nose!” said Nauraea.


“I must say, the city seems more… composed than I expected.” You said.

Nauraea squeezed your waist with her tail. “Naturally! Did you think a ruler as resplendent as I would allow my people to live in squalor?”

“I thought that they wouldn’t mind living in squalor as long as they kept fucking.”

“Love is the most important thing in life, but that doesn’t mean we neglect ourselves or our spouses. I could hardly call myself a good wife if I allowed you to sleep out in the cold every night.”

Nauraea continued to explain the various sights and attractions of Aplesline as you went. A labyrinth of shops, homes, plazas, clubs, and bars straight out of Arabian Nights. With a more licentious spin, but enchanting nonetheless. Most of the streets were abandoned or near empty, with most of the populace occupied with their significant other, but you could only imagine how packed they must be on a normal day.

You rubbed your shoulder. The sunlight was slowly returning as Nauraea’s spell waned, and you could already feel a sunburn coming on.

“Nauraea, ho-“

“Ahem.”

“…Dear. How much longer is this tour going to take?”

“An hour, I should think. Why?”

“Can we cut it short? I think my skin is starting to burn…”

Nauraea frowned. “Burn?”

“Yeah, you know, a sunburn.”

She snorted. “Oh! That? You’ll be fine. That hardly ever happens to foreigners. You would have to be out in the sun all day.”

“But-“

“Relax, husband. My magic shields Aplesiline from the infernal sun at all times. Your skin is quite safe while we are within the confines of the city. Speaking of which…”

Nauraea directed the chariot towards the great wall surrounding the city. The shadow it cast spanned several blocks. You caught glimpses of cave-dwelling and nocturnal monsters in the alleys lining the roads as you passed. Did they even realize that Nauraea had darkened the sun in this perpetual shade? The chariot stopped near a small gate leading out of the city. Nauraea dismounted and bade you to follow.

“I understand that you are still harboring ideas about leaving me.” She said coldly.

You suppressed a shiver. Did she find out about Lierus?

“No need to deny it, I am well aware of what kind of man you are. Always moving on to the next thing, be that a place or person…” said Nauraea wistfully.

She motioned for the guards to open the gate. The portcullis slid up. Dust wafted in.

“Anon, do you know why escape from Aplesiline is impossible?” she asked.

“Spare me the sphinx routine.” You said.

“Humor me.”

“I don’t know, constant vigilance by the finest soldiers in the Capsalisma?” you guessed.

“They certainly are. But that’s not the only reason you are trapped here. Try to walk out the gate.”

You looked at the open gate. The guards stood stoically next to the entrance, awaiting any command from their queen.

“…Is this a trick?” you asked.

“Walk through and find out.”

Sunlight shone through the gate into the city, faintly illuminating the oppressive shade cast by the wall. Judging by the way Nauraea’s tail was flicking, she wasn’t going to ‘suggest’ you obey her again. Tentatively, you took a few steps towards the gate. When nothing happened, you picked up the pace to a slow shuffle and continued your advance.

As you neared the center of the gate, the hairs on your arm began to stand. You felt a strange sensation, like being close to a massive source of static electricity. You faltered and stopped.

“Keep going.” Said Nauraea.

“What is this?” you asked.

“I said keep moving.” She snarled.

Gritting your teeth, you extended your arms and pressed onwards. After a few more steps, the tingling in your arms had amplified into an uncomfortable sensation of pins and needles. The dull, roiling pain spread through your body as you got closer to the world outside. But your headway was hindered by a NEW obstacle: the air itself. Somehow the atmosphere was taking on a thick, soupy texture. You could feel it growing denser as you walked, slowing you to an agonizing pace. Each step was more strenuous than the last.

“Stop. That’s enough. Return to me.” Commanded Nauraea.

You turned around and hurried back to her, gasping and rubbing your numbed arms.

“THAT, is why you will NEVER leave without my permission.” Sneered Nauraea.

“What is that?” you panted.

“A simple feat, really. The wall of Aplesiline is a massive teletomantic catalyst; it protects the city from the sun and invaders. All I had to do was create a few more runes attuned to your spirit energy. The wall keeps that whore Nefkara out, and you in.”

She slithered over to you and gently put her arms around you. “No matter how crafty you are, no matter how many times you try to escape, no matter what kind of task force Nefkara sends… you are MINE.” She hissed, flicking her tongue at you.

You grimaced. That certainly complicated things. Looks like Lierus would have to come up with something a bit more robust than carrying you out in the dead of night. If Nauraea had just created some runes to seal you in, then the barrier should drop if they were destroyed. You looked around. No, that just wasn’t viable. Any runes were no doubt closely guarded and inspected to prevent subterfuge by Nefkara’s forces. By the time anyone destroyed enough runes to free you, the damage would surely be noticed.

“Mmm~ You know I love when you squirm.” Cooed Nauraea. “Now that that silliness is behind us, we should see the port! I’ll even let you pick a fish for dinner, if you’d like.”

~~~~~~~

“Anon?”

You stared straight ahead, through Nauraea.

“Anon, I’m really sorry. I didn’t think it would be this bad…”

Her apology meant nothing to you.

“Are you mad?”

She gently caressed your arm. You winced as she touched your sunburnt skin. So much for her ‘protection’…

“You’re mad, aren’t you?” pouted Nauraea.

“YES I’M FUCKING MAD!” you shouted.

“Calm down, you baby. You’ll be fine. I’m almost done.” Said Sauritus. She added a few more leaves to the goo she was stirring and crushed them in with a pestle.

“Are you sure that will work?” asked Nauraea, eyeing the concoction.

“It should. A dragon with an albino husband swears it works, but this recipe is hundreds of years old…” said Sauritus.

“Even if it doesn’t he’ll live, right?” fretted Nauraea.

“Your Highness, it’s a sunburn. He’ll be fine. Keep him hydrated and don’t touch him until his skin returns to normal.” Sauritus wiped the pestle on the side of the bowl. Dipping her fingers in the dull, lavender paste, she rubbed it between her forefinger and thumb to examine the consistency.

“It’s ready. Turn around, I’ll start with your back.” Said Sauritus.

“Wait! I want to do it!” said Nauraea.

“Let her do it.” You said.

“Silence, both of you. YOU are MY physician.” She said, pointing to Sauritus. “…And YOU are MY husband. That means I OWN both of you.”
“Anon, does it really matter if she applies it?” asked Sauritus.

You grit your teeth. “Just watch the nails…”

Nauraea’s face lit up. “I’ll be gentle, I promise.”

Slathering her palms in the ointment, she began liberally applying it across your back. You tried to hide your satisfaction, but an inadvertent groan of pleasure rumbled out of your throat as the cooling sensation of the lotion permeated your singed skin.

“Does that feel good?~” purred Nauraea, running her hands down your sides.

You said nothing, and raised your arms to give her better access to your flanks.

“There… see how nice everything is when you do as your told?” Crooned Nauraea. Her fingers lingered around your neck as she covered your nape. Embracing you from behind, she reapplied more lotion to your chest, tracing around the muscles you had worked so hard for in Valisias. You flinched whenever she tickled you or she nicked your skin with her nails. More than anything, you hated how much she enjoyed this. Every time you squirmed, she giggled. Occasionally she would purposely tickle or prod you when you had gone too long without an amusing reaction to her ministrations.

“Almost done. Turn around.” Ordered Nauraea.

You about faced. Nauraea’s saffron eyes mockingly stared into yours as she wiped her palms on your cheeks. Her thumbs traced the bridge of your nose down to the corners of your mouth.

“Feeling better?” she asked, happily waggling the tip of her tail.

“I am, thank you Sauritus.” You said.

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Said Sauritus with a smile and a bow.

“I think that was just as pleasurable for me as it was for you. Perhaps I should leave you in the sun as punishment.” Mused Nauraea.
“I’ll tan, you know.” You said.

Nauraea scowled. “I won’t let you.”

“Anon, if you’re satisfied, I’d like to get back to work.” Said Sauritus.

“Of course. Come along, ‘dear’.” You said.

“You’re awfully mouthy for someone with such sensitive skin.” Said Nauraea, flicking you with one of her nails.

You cursed and hurried out of Sauritus’ office, apophis in tow.

~~~~~~~~

“Your Tea, My Lady.” Said Tsakali setting a tray down.

 “Thank you, Vizier.” Said Nauraea. She handed you a cup.

You slumped back into the pillow pile you were resting in and took a small sip. Tsakali opened your journal, now heavily annotated with small pieces of parchment she had used to mark certain things, and took a seat next across from you and your soon to be snake-rapist.
“Is there anything you’d like me to start with, Your Highness?” asked Tsakali.

“Yes, I’d like to know more about his proclivities with monsters. Not the species, but what ABOUT the species he finds attractive.” Said Nauraea.

Tsakali flipped through the journal with worrying speed. How much time had she spent reading that?

“Yes, he made quite a few notes about the subject. Especially in Valisias…” said Tsakali.

Oh God no…

“Tsakali, I command you to cease your translation of that book at once and go fuck your husband.” You ordered.

Tsakali paused and looked at you quizzically. She glanced at Nauraea with mild expectation.

“Don’t listen to him! Start reading.” Said Nauraea.

“This entry doesn’t give reference to any particular species, but the sentiment is clear nonetheless:

Holy shit, keeping my chastity safe in this city might be harder than I anticipated. So many girls with god-bods. I have to constantly resist the urge to… suck the sweat out of those cum gutters…”

Tsakali and Nauraea looked at you with mild contempt.

“’Cum gutters’?” asked Nauraea.

“I believe this must be some sort of mistranslation. Anon, could you please explain what this means?” asked Tsakali.

You nervously took a sip of tea. “Who knows? Sounds like I was tired when I wrote that. Probably just a typo.” You winked at Tsakali a few times to drive your point across.

She frowned and flipped through your journal. “Are you sure? Because those same words are written in here numerous times…”

You dared not look at Nauraea.

“I understand what {cum} is, but why is it being used in conjunction with {gutters}? That word had no anatomical bearing… does it?” asked Tsakali.

“Anon. Explain. Or I’ll start slapping your back.” Threatened Nauraea. She hovered her tail over your pink back, threatening to strike. You knew she would follow through with it too.

“Uhh… You know when a woman has a REALLY nice set of abs? And when she lays down, you can still see a bit of a cleft between the muscles? T-that’s what it means.” You said quietly.

“…{Cum gutters} means abdominal muscles?” asked Tsakali.

“No! It’s more than just abs! It’s abs so defined that they have the crease!” you said.

“And the abs are gutters for semen once you ejaculate on her stomach.” Nauraea deduced.

“Exactly.” You said.

“Fascinating…” said Tsakali, scribbling a note.

“So you like abs, hmm?” said Nauraea. She smirked and ran her hands over her navel. “Fortunately for you, I have a magnificent set right here.”

You eyed her gut. Lamia tended to get a rather firm set of abs by virtue of the way they slithered everywhere, but only if they didn’t gorge themselves at every meal.

“Uh huh…” you nodded, waiting for Tsakali to continue.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” scowled Nauraea.

“Nothing. Tsakali, move on to the next thing, would you?” you implored the dog-girl.

“Not yet, Vizier. I think my DARLING husband has something he would like to say to me.” Said Nauraea, voice oozing with venom.
“Fine, you want the truth? You’re TUBBY.” You said.

Nauraea recoiled. Clenching her teeth, she slithered over to you and shoved herself in your face.

“Care to say that again?”

“Tubby. I’ll say it all day, fatty. Look at yourself!” you said, prodding a finger into her pudge.

Nauraea balked as your digit sunk into her gut. “I may be a bit out of shape, but I am NOT fat.”

“He seems to put emphasis on well-defined musculature, Your Highness. There are dozens of other instances of his admiration for other various other muscle groups. Second to abs would be thighs, it would seem.” Said Tsakali.

“Thighs?! Why the hell do you want a ryu wife if you like thighs?” demanded Nauraea.

“Because I like ryu’s more than thighs! Besides, I can always buy a potion or something to give her a nice pair of legs if I feel like it.” You said.

“Hmph… I suppose I could use a bit of physical conditioning. I’ll need it anyways when I usurp that damnable whore. Tsakali, tell the archivist to pull what she can on temporary transformations, both potions and spells. I want to watch him writhe between my legs.”
“Very good, Empress.” Said Tsakali.

“What else is in there? There has to be SOMETHING I have over those horned-harlots.” Said Nauraea.

“There are, Empress!” Tsakali wagged her tail and flipped to a new page. “He seems to have a preference for black sclera:

I find it hard to look Voso in the eye. Seeing those twinkling amethysts gazing back at me from those pitch-black pools is almost too much to bear. But I must persist; I refuse to settle for anyone but my wife; whoever she may be…”

“Ah HA!” Shouted Nauraea triumphantly. “I KNEW IT.”

Nauraea sensually positioned her face in front of yours and clutched your head by your cheeks. You closed your eyes, but she used some sort of magic to pry your eyelids open.

“Is this to your liking I wonder?~” she asked. Her eyes were hypnotic. You wordlessly stared back into her yellow eyes as she held you. Even after her grip relaxed, you were powerless to resist her stare. It reminded you of the first time you met her; that same piercing, predatory gaze that promised all manner of torment and pleasure. One of her hands sunk down to your throat, thumb running over your artery.

“Mmm~… Feeling a little nervous, are we? I can FEEL your heart quicken~” said Nauraea, still staring into your eyes. She laughed and reclined, dragging you onto her coiled tail. Gently, but with enough force that it irritated your reddened skin.

“What else, Tsakali?” said Nauraea, looking quite satisfied with herself.

“Sharp teeth, fangs, and a long tongue are also things he mentions.” Said Tsakali, watching your discomfort in mild amusement.
Nauraea licked her lips. “Oh?~”

Lolling her tongue out of her mouth, she let the dark-purple organ hang out, dangling past her chin. Her fangs glinted as she flicked it up over them. Constricting your entire body with hers, she giggled as you winced and squirmed as she brought your face level to hers.

“Sauritus may have forbid me from biting you, but…” she pressed her forehead against yours. Like lightning, she lashed out and nipped your lip, making sure not to impale you with her fangs. “I make the rules around here.”

“She said… No bodily fluids…” you groaned.

“You survived a dose of my venom, albeit a fraction of a real bite. A little saliva won’t kill you…”

Diving into your mouth, Nauraea set about tasting her conquest. Her tongue seemed to have the same monstrous strength as she did. No sooner had it slipped past your lips than it had pinned your own tongue to the floor of your mouth. Her teeth gnashed your lips, savaging the tender flesh as she kissed you. Your eyes fluttered and your body went limp as the flood of mamono mana began to reach your head.

“Milady, I think he’s had enough…” Tsakali fidgeted.

Nauraea slurped her tongue back in and licked her lips. You moaned softly as vertigo made the world spin.

“I think he’s had just enough. I think I prefer him like this than that usual irreverent attitude he touts.” Scoffed Nauraea.

“Guards? Could one of you fetch the Head Physician?” called Tsakali.

You slumped over onto Nauraea’s tail, unable to support yourself.

“Ooh~ Look Tsakali, isn’t he cute when he’s like this?” said Nauraea.

“Yes, very cute.” Said Tsakali nervously.

“He’s perfectly healthy. Watch, Sauritus will enter, castigate me, and then be forced to cede that Anon’s body is indeed more robust than she claims, and that I can begin raping him in earnest. Stars above, you should have felt the way he wriggled when I started nibbling him…”

“Well, he does fantasize about being bitten occasionally.” Said Tsakali.

You gurgled as a trickle of black mana dribbled out of your mouth. Nauraea rubbed your back, compounding your pain by agitating your burn.

“Tell me Vizier, does he ever give a reason why he prizes ryus so highly? His tastes seem eclectic at best.” Said Nauraea.

“From what I can glean from his writings, he seems to prize their personality above all else. He writes that they’re “the kind of monster I could see myself starting a family with” and other such platitudes.” Said Tsakali.

Sauritus burst into the room, panting. Slithering over to you, she pulled you out of Nauraea’s coils and splayed you out on the ground. Cursing, she began administering medicine as you coughed and sputtered.

“I’m defecting to Nefkara’s side if you don’t behave!” shouted Sauritus.

“You’d never last.” Shrugged Nauraea.

“I’m still tempted to with you ruling…” grumbled the doctor.

You sighed in relief as the concoction began to take effect. It felt like you were sinking into the rug as the pain abated, replaced with a tantalizing numbness.

“He needs rest.” Said Sauritus.

“Take him to my room. I think I’ll pay a visit to the gymnasium while the night is still young.” Said Nauraea.

“Can you stand, Your Majesty?” asked Sauritus.

“Don’t… Call me that…” you slurred.

“See? He’s fine. I wouldn’t choose a weak man as my mate.” Said Nauraea.

“Come along, Anon. I’ll see you to your room.” Said Sauritus, helping you to your feet.

~~~~~~~

“You mustn’t let her treat you like that, Anon.” said Sauritus, depositing you onto the bed.

“Right. I’ll just stop her next time.” You said.

Sauritus sighed. “I suppose that is a problem we both share. Let me know if you need anything tonight. If she tries to accost you again, scream. I mean it. Your body isn’t prepared for the full extent of her ‘love’.”

Sauritus bowed and left you in the effervescent afterglow of the drugs.

“Anon.”

Lierus’ address would have startled you if your mind wasn’t so hazy.

“Your back.” You whispered.

“Indeed. I haven’t much time. The Pharaoh Nefkara has decided that your manumission is of utmost priority; we cannot allow Nauraea to wield your strength.”

“There’s a barrier. I’m trapped here. I can’t leave.” You rasped.

“The barrier? She altered it? That complicates things…”

“Nauraea is preparing for war.”

“We know. Has Nauraea mentioned what her plans are?”

“No. I can’t tell if she plans to attack or defend. If she has the barrier, she must be defending.” You said.

“And defend she can. If she takes you, her power will only continue to grow. With enough time, she may be strong enough to overwhelm us. This matter must be settled at once.” Said Lierus.

You looked past her out the window. The stars twinkled over the distant walls of the city, bathed in iridescent nebula.

“Can you get me out?” you asked softly.

Lierus hesitated. “…We will. There is no other alternative. I will return to Nefkara. We will increase our presence in the Apliseline. In the meantime, I need you to glean all you can about Nauraea’s plans. Her resources, how many troops she has rallied, her coffers, anything at all.”

“I will.”

Lierus nodded. “Sun preserve us all, what a nightmare…”

Her pointed ears perked up. Dashing out of the room and over the balcony, she escaped just before Nauraea opened the door.

“Ahh~ That was nice. It’s been too long since I had some proper exercise.” Said Nauraea wiping the sweat from her naked torso. “Husband. Come scrub me. I’ll be in the bath.”

You heard water slosh as Nauraea entered the bath. Slinging your feet off the bed, you slowly plodded after her.

Whatever Nefkara did, she had better do it fast.