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Queen Xanthera smiled wryly as she looked up from the parchment in her
hand. The messenger who brought it offered to interpret it into her
language, but she had no need of translation. She read and spoke Corthon
almost as well as she did her native Nurian. Her mother who had been Queen
before her had seen to that by giving her the son of her Corthon slave, one
of her many lovers, as her playmate and later as her own first boy. "Our
neighbors to the North are ambitious, my dear. One day they may come
calling. I want thee want to give them a 'proper' reception." The
carefully scripted words on parchment indicated that day she and her people
had been preparing for had now arrived. She re-read the brief document.

*

Honored Xanthera, Queen of the Nurians. Hail!

Marius Portius, Emperor of Cortho sends thee greetings.

Fame of the richness and splendor of thy realm Nuria has spread far beyond
thy frontiers. It has come to my Imperial Knowledge that many enemies
covet the prize of thy land. I, Marius Portius offer thee the protective
embrace of Cortho. Within the fold of my Empire, Nuria would be safe from
the predators which round about her compass as wolves about the defenseless
lamb. Thy ascent to our gracious offer cannot be doubted. In three days
my armies will be at thy frontiers. In three more, at thy gates.

Open then, the gates of Nuria to Cortho, as a maiden to her betrothed.
Make ready a banquet for the nuptials of our kingdoms.

Hail!

*

Ah! The insolence of the Corthon Emperor! "Safe from predators?" Indeed!
The lamb that has been consumed can fear the wolf no more. "The nuptials?"
Speak clearly, Marius! Thou meanest the subjugation of Nuria, our
absorption as yet another province of the Corthon Empire, another source of
gold and women. "No, Marius," she smiled. "Nuria will not be an appendage
to thy Empire. Nuria will fight thee, nay, vanquish thee as we did the
Thrussians and the Sirtaphs before thee," she smiled, "and thou wiltst
never know the battle has already begun."

Xanthera clapped her hands. "Run, Rini," she said to her serving girl,
"call the High Priestess Dolphia and the other priestess from the Goddess's
temple. I would see them in council." They had six days to prepare a
banquet. More than enough for a night Marius and his men would never
remember!

*

"Everything will be done, My Queen, even as thou hast spoken," Dolphia
smiled confidently. "One of my priestess will be at each officer's side to
lighten his heart. The praetorians will be similarly entertained. I will
accompany mighty Aldos the Strategeon. And of course Marius Portius is
thine, My Queen."

"What of the lesser officers and men who will not be at the banquet?"
Xanthera asked.

"The women of the city have been informed, My Queen, and are more than
equal to that pleasant chore," Dolphia chuckled. "After all, we keep our
husbands and brothers happily tamed and they KNOW our wiles. A few
thousand foreign soldiers will be in no mood to be troublesome that night,
even without the Zuma we will infuse in their officers' wine."

"The Zuma, have we enough?" Xanthera inquired.

"Enough and to spare," spoke up Munira, Dolphia's deputy. "The women of
Azunia were so grateful for our assistance in putting down the revolt of
their men that they have supplied us with seventeen cartloads of the finest
leaf. Thy temple priestesses even now are extracting the essence in
abundance. In two days hence we shall have enough Zuma to tame several
barbarian armies," the young woman concluded proudly.

Gassara stepped forward scowling. Towering over the priestess and even the
Queen, the Captain of the guard commanded respect. "Do not underestimate
these barbarians, my sisters. They are not like the soft and weak-minded
Nurian men. Their way is to take pleasure from women, not allow themselves
to be pleasured. And my spies tell me of a custom that makes them not so
easy prey. Corthon men refuse to drink from a woman's self. Nor will they
take a nipple into the mouth. They believe this to be penetration by the
woman and that a man must never be penetrated. So, my sisters, ye shall
not be able to drug them with the Zuma-rich fluids of your sex," Gassara
concluded.

"This is grave news, My Queen," spoke Dolphia. "The Zuma in wine makes a
man's mind soft and open to a woman's words, but only his worship at her
inner temple makes him fully her own."

"Fear not, my sisters," Xanthera replied. "These Corthons have never met
women like ye. What a man thinks and believes in the cool bright air of
Cortho, may be very different in the warm thick vapors of a Nurian
bedchamber. Somehow I doubt they will know the difference between taking
their pleasure and being taken by it when ye make their semen to boil up
inside ye. As for the city women, give each a pitcher of wine for her
"guest." It will do our work even though the woman understand not the power
of Zuma. Go now and adorn yourselves, my lovelies. Let us make our
visitors glad they have come before they regret it -- if they ever do," she
added, to the gathered women's giggles.

*

Dressed in the finest of diaphanous silks that hid nothing of her full
breasts and large dark nipples, queen Xanthera watched the triumphant
entrance of Marius and his officer into the palace precincts. Siting
proudly upright she faced the Emperor as he slowly approached her portable
throne. Her eyes fell on his narrow hips and broad shoulders. Glancing
over at Dolphia, she smiled, wondering if the High priestess was making a
similar appraisal of the rugged Strategeon. She could not refrain from
comparing these beautiful specimens of males to the nobles of her court.
She noticed Marius's large powerful hands and feet. "Large feet, large
..." she mused. None of the men in her kingdom, delightful as they were
with their practiced worship, measured up. Before handing the realm over
to her, Xanthera's mother had insisted she should produce a daughter as
heir as soon as possible, but Xanthera resisted allowing herself to be made
fat with the child of an effete son of one of the scheming baronesses who
coveted her crown. Least of all Utafi.

"This light-skinned barbarian may serve me in other ways as well," she
caught herself thinking. "And my priestesses." Xanthera knew that
Dolphia's and Munira's almost constant night play was more frustration with
their pretty-boy mates than real predilection for women on their part.
Indeed, the extended visit of the barbarian army could be "very fruitful."
Rising to meet him, Xanthera was aware of a growing wetness between her
legs.

*

"... In sum, My Lord Emperor, I, Xanthera of Nuria welcome thee and thy
men to our city. Even thought we cannot conclude any treaty or conduct
high business of state with ye during Thirteenth Moon Festival, we wish ye
to remain as our guests throughout the celebrations. In honor of the happy
visit of thy Imperial Majesty we offer ye the toast of "Pearls before
Wine." Hail!

At her word, the woman at each officer's side around the banquet table
reached to her necklace and quickly removed one of the many pearls that
adorned her neck. Xanthera did the same and` before the astonished eyes of
Marius, dropped the shining pearl into his wine flagon as did all the other
women. "What hast thou done, Queen Xanthera?" Marius asked. "The pearls
will dissolve in the wine; their beauty lost to the world for ever."

"Not lost, My Lord Emperor, transformed into thy further glory and of thy
warriors," she replied. "And to cover the first taste of the Zuma," she
discretely refrained from adding. After a few droughts, the tongue no
longer detected the bitterness of the essence. "Now let the banquet
begin!" Xanthera smiled, raising her goblet in toast.

The feast proceeded as planned with platter after platter of delicacies,
the flesh of exotic animals, fruits unknown in Cortho's colder climes,
seafood from Nuria's southern coasts. Each dish was prepared with just a
little more spice than necessary and Marius and his men partook liberally
of the wine that never ran short. If they had been more attentive, they
would have noticed that their flagons were refilled from different pitchers
than those of their smiling tablemates.

But the men's attention was already elsewhere. Except for campfollowers,
none of the men had been with a woman in weeks, certainly none like the
exotic beauties now at their side: high cheekbones, gleaming ebony-smooth
skin, hair that hung in hundred of tiny plaits interwoven with silver and
copper-hue threads. The eyes of the men were assaulted with images of
voluptuous black bodies, breasts that pushed against the flimsy upper body
ties, bare waspish waists, and ample womanly hips.

"The hospitality of Thy Highness surpasses even the fame of thy beauty,"
Marius said and he toasted Xanthera yet again.

"My Lord is too kind to the Queen of a small people," Xanthera replied with
downcast eyes, but she read in Marius's gaze more that mere flattery. He
was smitten. As well he should be. Her garment was of sheerest silk and
wound so as to display her dark breasts. After the first goblet of wine,
his eyes seldom traveled far from them except to gaze deeply into her dark
eyes. Xanthera noticed a massive bulge beginning to show itself beneath
his tunic. That was good; she had plans for it. By the time she finished
softening it, Marius would have taken the first steps to his eventual
enslavement.

It had been a day of surprises for the tired Emperor. Xanthera smiled,
remembering her powerful visitor's amazement when he first saw her.
Apparently, his intelligence had not informed him to expect a woman of her
age and with her beauty -- and black! Nor was he prepared to be greeted in
capitaline Corthon without the whistled "s" that betrayed his own
provincial origin. The luxury of the banquet brought further amazement and
she watched with amusement as Marius's face reflected the gradual shift
from arrogance to mere contempt, to acceptance, to admiration, and now
fascination with his scantily clad hostess.

As the night wore on, a large torchfire was lighted in the center of the
couches. Marius and his men reclined around the circle and pretty, flirty
serving girls continued to bring around plates of food and flagons of wine.
The torch burned down and a pounding drumbeat was gradually growing
louder. The serving women were now bringing more drink than food and their
clothing had grown skimpier. Large unencumbered breasts were dangled in
front of the men's eyes as the women leaned down to refill their drinks.
The loincloths barely covered their provocative little pussies. And when a
girl stood close enough to a seated man, he couldn't avoid smelling her
temple in heat.

Xanthera saw her women tittle and whisper to their delighted guests, making
sure their wineglasses remained filled. The men grew tipsy and boisterous
as their tablemates teased them. Seeing that all was in readiness, she
gave the signal. Suddenly silence welled up like a cobra rising from its
basket. At the sound of a gong, each man's companion leapt into the circle
and positioned herself, one in front of each man. Talking, laughing, and
ribald remarks ceased as a temple priestess began to writhe slowly before
each man, her movements in time with the imperceptibly accelerating drum.

The officers were riveted by the swaying of the women's hips and bouncing
breasts, none more than Marius himself by Xanthera. She was taller and
heavier and a little older than the others. But what she lacked in youth,
she made up in a dark sultriness. Like the others, she had a bright silver
disk dangling from her neck in from of her large round tits. Marius could
not take his eyes off of those tits and so he stared too, at the shining,
flashing disk.

As the dance accelerated, each woman inched closer to her unsuspecting
victim, forcing him to look up at an uncomfortable angle at those
wonderfully round, bouncing boobs.

The drum was louder now, as well as faster, and filled the ears of the
transfixed men as the flashing disks filled their eyes. Slowly, Marius and
his men were falling into the power of the Queen and her court. The men
were being "tamed!"

Now the drum grew still louder and the rhythm more frenetic. The dancers
ground their hips in the faces of the men. Their stares became glassy,
their bright blue eyes growing dim. Equally noticeable were their hands.
Quite unconsciously, the men had begun to slowly stoke their rigid cocks.
Suddenly the drum and the dancers stopped. The men hardly reacted, so deep
was the spell they were under. Perfect!

Yet Xanthera noticed a bit of light creep back into Marius's gaze. He was
a strong man, a willful man, not an easy man to "tame," by the looks of it.
Slowly, as if waking from a dream, he began to look around him. The
other dancers had fallen on his entranced comrades. Even Aldos was lying
cradled in the arms of the busty Dolphia, placidly nursing her breast, his
eyes closed in a docile, beatific smile as she stroked his face. His own
aide-de-camp's head was thrown back as he sucked from the font of Munira
who kneeled over him, slowly jacking him off. Two others -- Marius
couldn't see who in the dim torchlight -- were lying with their tunics up
around their waists, their heads lolling, as two smirking women
methodically rode them toward orgasm.

Like a lonely, cornered animal, Marius instinctively sensed the danger and
poised for fight or flight. Xanthera looked down at him and saw his
partially successful efforts to throw off the spell. Her nostrils flared
to think of the powerful mind as well as body that soon would be hers. She
had to act immediately.

Stepping forward, she dropped her skirt, and thrust her crotch in his face.
The scent of a hot vagina must have hit Marius with the force of an
assagai. She watched Marius fighting the powerful aroma of her rank,
dripping love slit. Marius was no longer looking around at his vanquished
followers; he was staring straight ahead, straight at the wet, bushy love
citidel in front of his eyes. Xanthera was looking down at the big man,
aroused but amused. She could see him weakening; subject to the one
instinct she knew that could overcome the anger leading to resistance, the
fear leading to flight: lust.

In a desperate effort as if to ward off the enchantment, Marius brought up
his hands, just about high enough to shield his eyes from the bewitching
sight before him, enough perhaps to push away the tempting vision that held
him fast. He stretched forth his hand and -- with a lunge, grabbed
Xanthera's ass and buried his face in her warm snatch.

A kind of cheer went up from the watching women as the barbarian leader
went down to defeat. The Queen allowed the slavering man to fill his mouth
and nose with her lust inducing juices for many long seconds, then dropped
them both to the couch placed nearby for that purpose. As Marius lost
himself between those plump, delectable thighs, nimble fingers removed his
clothes and the Queen began stoking his hardened prick.

*

At an early-morning meeting of her Council, Xanthera looked around at six
contented, if somewhat tired and disheveled women around the mahogany
table. "Did all go as well as your faces tell me?" Xanthera asked.

"Indeed, My Queen," reported Dolphia. "The men are all still sleeping. A
whisperer is with each filling his mind with lustful thoughts. She has at
hand a sleeping potion if her charge should stir. Not one will not leave
our beds until he is our slave."

"No, Dolphia. I do not desire them to be taken thus. If our foreign
guests disappear into our palace to quickly, the remaining troops may
become restless. Remember, our sisters in the city can only entertain the
army. They are not skilled in the use of Zuma and we cannot let them use
it in the powerful mixtures as we do. It can be many months before the
soldiers are so besotted with soft Nurian bodies as no longer to prove
dangerous to us."

"What then wouldst thou have us do, My Queen?" Dolphia frowned. "Our spell
upon them is well begun. Shall we now allow our captives to slip from
between our fingers -- and our thighs?" Dolphia added with a chuckle.

"Nay, my clever minions," Xanthera replied with a smile. "Our new foreign
friends will not escape from your skilled hands or your lusty loins. It is
a foolish fisherman who pulls hard on the line when the fish has just begun
to nibble. Play with your fish until your hook is deep into his mind. For
now allow him to awake each morning with memories of a night of unspeakably
intense sex. I trust ye had no difficulty with that 'chore.'"

"It is even as thou sayest!" Munira blurted out causing the older women to
giggle at her enthusiasm. "Lucas may be a barbarian, but he is skilled in
wielding his manly weapon. I have never passed such a night before. He
brought me unto a woman's pleasure nigh unto a dozen times."

"'Lucas' is it?" Xanthera teased her young companion. "Methinks were it
not for the Zuma in the drink of the Emperor's aide-de-camp, thou wouldst
be in HIS thrall." Munira blushed and the other women tittered before
Xanthera continued. "'Tis well, Munira. Cortho is our enemy, not Lucas.
Take thy pleasure from the youth, Munira. Thy sisters did the same. Their
quarters are not so far from mind that I did not hear THEIR ecstatic cries
last night." Xanthera looked around grinning at the other women whose
embarrassed silence confirmed her words. "I did even so with the Emperor.
His weapon is long and thick, but fortunately I have a sheath that is the
equal of it." All the women smiled and nodded.

"We want our guests to tarry long with us. Let's make their stay here a
pleasant one. I shortly will be awakening the Emperor Marius with a
delightful surprise. Do ye likewise. Later today I shall be showing him
the sights of our beautiful city. But I do not doubt he will wish to share
my bed again tonight. In fact I suspect he will not wish to wait that long
to drink again from my womanhood and allow me to melt the steel of his
weapon in my furnace. If anyone should venture to the Generalife gardens
about dusk this evening," she grinned, "please do not let thyself be seen."

*

Xanthera judged well when her captive would awaken and she was at his side
when his eyes fluttered open. "What...? Where... Oh, my head!" Marius
moaned. Then he saw the beautiful young black woman smiling down at him.

"Good morning, My Lord, the Emperor," Xanthera smiled and kissed him softly
on the lips.

"OH, my head!" the Emperor moaned. "What? What happened?

"I fear thou didst partake too liberally of our Nurian wine. As for later
... Surely My Lord has not forgotten last night. I never shall! My Lord
was magnificent!" Xanthera's flattery was purposeful, but not insincere.
She had indeed come many times on the barbarian's thick cock. The Zuma
weakened only his will; it fortified and stimulated his body. "Thou didst
slay me with thy spear and gladly was I slain! Never has any man filled me
as didst Thou. Aye! My Lord!" she gasped, her eyes widening in partial
surprise, "I scarce can believe my eyes! Thy weapon is again ready for
battle."

Marius winced at her words. Xanthera knew he was well aware of his
erection, an inevitable result of seeing her firm breast just inches before
him. Aware, but not pleased at that moment. As his large penis throbbed
to life, so his head throbbed with pain. He moaned again, partly with
arousal, partly the ache in his forehead. "I feel thy pain, My Lord.
Here, take this potion; it will assuage thy torment."

Marius shook his head, "'Tis nothing,"

Xanthera smiled and persisted, pressing a goblet she had prepared to his
lips. It was sweet to his tongue and he drank. "Yes, My Lord, drink it
all. It will cause thee to sleep and thy pain to cease."

"Sleep again? But I have just awakened. The day is well begun. My
officials will expect me at noon for Council," Marius protested.

"Ah my brave, noble Lord," Xanthera smiled. "Do not concern thyself for
them. Thou didst not battle alone last nigh. I heard Aldos slay Dolphia
many times, last not long before dawn. The Council can wait."

"Nay, Queen Xanthera. Duty is everything for a Corthon. We cannot allow
the weakness of the flesh to deflect us from our appointed tasks."

"It is as I feared, My Lord. Thy stubborn will prevents the potion from
giving thee its balm. Rest thy head on my bosom and I will make thee to
sleep."

"I must ... not" Marius replied, struggling not to pillow his head on the
Queen's perfect breasts. Xanthera could see the potion beginning to make
his eyes heavy. It was time to take him one step further.

"My Lord, it is thy weapon, drawn and ready for battle that does not allow
the to sleep. Let us battle again as we did last night, thy sword and my
sheath. Gladly would I have thee conquer me again!" And before the drowsy
and aroused Emperor could react, Xanthera had straddled him and positioned
her moist slit lips at the tip of Marius's engorged cock. "The sheath of
thy sword awaits thee, My Lord."

"Xanthera! No! This cannot be! A Corthon man never allows a woman to ..." A
gasp cut short his words and Xanthera lowered herself over the helpless
man's stiff cock. Slowly as first she began to ride him.

"Speak no more, My Lord. Let me ease thy pain. Aye, Thy manhood dost
please me mightily. Yea, My Lord, thrust deep and I will please thee, too.
Deep, My Lord, my sleepy Lord. Loose the hold on thy body, My Lord. Let
me take thee deep. Release thyself into me, My Lord, deep into me, deeper
and thou wilst sleep. Release, My Lord and sleep. Release ...release
...RELEASE!"

Xanthera had felt his orgasm building and his consciousness sunk beneath
her whispered words. With a final twist of her shapely hips and a
clinching of her vaginal muscles she triggered his climax. Surprisingly,
the flood of his hot seed released an irresistible warmth within her and
she collapsed on his hairy heaving chest. It was several long moments
before she was again in control of herself, but no harm was done. The
Emperor was safely entranced a faint smile on his face. Amazingly, his
thick cock was only now deflating. Xanthera let herself relax a few more
minutes in the Emperor's strong, though now limp, arms. She was aware that
his penis still dammed up her secret channel, not allowing his thick sperm
to drain out of her. It was a pleasant sensation and stirred a feeling of
tenderness for her imperial captive.

Her vagina twitched at the thought of what could result if they continued
to "battle" thus if she were incautious. Since she had become a woman, her
mother had taught her to drink a potion of Mea every morning on three weeks
of each four. "Do so and THOU canst decide when and with whom to have a
child, not thy need for a man's organ," her mother had advised with a
knowing smile. Xanthera had done so as did most of the elite of the Nurian
women. Now she was beginning to wonder if after twenty-five springs, if
the time was not approaching to put in practice the other part of her
mother's advice.

*

The treaty of accession was to be signed on the first day of the month
after the New Moon festival. The rains had ceased, yet the harsh dry heat
of summer had not yet come upon the land. The sun shone merely warm on the
lush landscape around them. The treaty was being signed on the portico of
the temple of the Goddess overlooking the newly whitewashed city below and
the green valley beyond. Originally scheduled for the fourth hour, the
ceremony had to be postponed until noon, as Marius and his men had greater
difficulty than usual in arising from the soft beds and softer arms in
which they slept.

Now all was in readiness as Queen Xanthera and her council of priestesses
met Marius and his council of warriors. An official of Corthon palace
protocol would have been surprise that rather than sitting on opposite
sides of the long table, Corthons and Nurians sat side by side. Yet is
seemed quite appropriates to the men, who only an hour or so earlier had
been sleeping with newly flaccid cocks deep in their lovers' warm pussies.

The formal toasts over, Marius arose to speak. Xanthera smiled reflecting
that unlike the banquet a month ago, no pearls were needed to disguise the
Zuma in the wine. The men no longer noticed the drug and indeed, would
have felt quite uncomfortable were it not supplied. "Queen Xanthera,"
Marius said, trying to sound severe with the woman whose bed he had so
recently shared. "There appear to be some changes in the treaty. It was
carefully considered by the Corthon Senate and drafted by our lawyers."

"Aye, My Lord. I asked that a few clarifying words be added in the spirit
of thy invitation to join the Corthon Empire. Thou didst ask us to 'open
our gates as a maiden does to her betrothed.' I believe My Lord will agree
that we have opened more than our gates." The men looked embarrassed as the
women at their side snuggled closer.

"But this treaty states that no legions, save the Emperor's guard will be
posted in thy land," Marius pointed out.

"True, My Lord. Now that we are wedded to the Empire, no enemy will dare
attack. Thy legions will be freed to defend thy northern marches. We can
deal with raiders as always."

"Aye, My Queen, but internal order?"

"Does the bridegroom send armed servants to watch over his bride, My Lord?
Besides, I dared hope My Lord would do his own watching." Marius was not
sure if it was and accident, but at that moment his eyes fell on Xanthera's
ample breast and he could not suppress a noticeable stiffing of his prick.

"But my Queen, soon I will return to Cortho. Business in the capital
demands it."

"Speak not of departure, My Lord. The marriage of Nuria to Cortho is but
consummated and the honeymoon is not yet begun. Stay yet the season.
Surely thou dost not wish to return to Cortho just as the cold rains and
bitter winds of the North sweep thy capital."

"But the Senate will be expecting a report and the first tribute."

"Report the plain truth; the capital is wherever the Emperor lays his head.
Do not thy own laws say thus? As for gifts, My Lord, with thy permission,
I shall send each Senator, Tribune, Praetor, and Pontifex the finest fruit
of our land, a Nurian maiden for to wife with a rich dowry." Xanthera
smiled at her words. Yes, the Nurian women would take dowries that
included many large flasks of Zuma essence. Perhaps next year when their
new wives became homesick for their native land, a goodly number of
Senators and other high officials would join their emperor in Cortho's new
Southern capital.

At each clever reply, Xanthera saw the Zuma-addled heads of the Corthons
nod ascent. "Set thy had to the treaty, My Lord, and let the marriage
celebrations begin." She smiled over that the Emperor who was gazing at her
almost in adoration. As she placed a quill in his hand her other hand
found his manhood beneath his tunic and gently squeezed. Marius's doubts
and objections floated away. He certainly did not want to feel the
miserable cold of a Corthon winter. Less did he wish to leave the bed of
this delightful woman who filled his nights and days with pleasure beyond
his previous imaginings. Carefully appended the initials to the document -

C. I. M: Corthun Imperator Marius.

*

The heat of the dry season arrived making it difficult for Marius to
conduct Imperial business around mid-day. Not that he conducted very much
at other times. Marius held Imperial court personally only during
mornings, mornings that grew shorter and shorter as the Emperor, exhausted
by long, vigorous sessions of lovemaking with Xanthera, arose later and
later. Marius was introduced to the delightful custom of siesta after the
mid-day meal, a custom made more delightful still by Xanthera's company in
bed. He took his meals with Xanthera and so it was quite convenient for
her to lead him to her nearby bedchamber. There beneath pukahs moved by
beautiful servant girls Xanthera let his suckle her breasts until he was
moaning with arousal and the send him to sleep by riding him to a volcanic
climax that left him almost comatose.

Marius did not realize it, but more and more Imperial affairs were
transacted in his name by Xanthera and her court. She now wore the
imperial Signet. It had been thus since the arrival of the Santhian
Ambassador. News had reached Marius in Xanthera's chamber just after a
long slow siesta of making love that, as usual, had left the Emperor quite
drowsy. Xanthera gave his eyelids a little kiss and offered to attend to
the matter. It had not seemed proper, but Marius was just too sleepy from
sex to refuse his lively young bedmate, who slipped off his ring and
scurried to great the visiting dignitary. Marius never remembered to ask
that she return it. A couple of times he started to speak about it, but
Xanthera was feeling amorous and soon the Emperor was on his way to getting
a marvelous afternoon in the Queen's arms.

As Xanthera spent more and more time on Imperial business, she introduced
Marius to her servants to keep him sated and happy. His vanity stroked by
being told he was "too much man for one woman," Marius accepted them into
his bed during the long afternoons. It was difficult to satisfy so many
pretty women, but he tried.

As the summer drought burned the landscape to dull brown, a challenge
arose. The wild tribes of Zaria in the West were causing increasing
trouble. A decisive blow was called for, but Xanthera did not wish to
rouse the Emperor from the lethargy she had crafted. The danger, she
decided, could become an opportunity and set a plan in motion. Several
weeks later a messenger reached the palace with news from the frontier and
Xanthera was summoned. Leaving the Emperor in the post coital bliss of an
early morning ride, she rose and persuaded the messenger that he should
refresh himself before delivering the message to the Emperor. The young
man's "refreshment" in the arms of two temple priestesses gave Xanthera
time to complete preparations.

She arranged for the messenger, exhausted by the priestesses, to stumble
into the imperial chambers just after the Emperor had come most
satisfyingly in his royal lover's warm wet temple.

"Grave news, sire! The Zarians have attacked Quoma. The Nurian defenders
fled and the women were taken away." Xanthera smiled secretly. The Zarians
had taken the bait. A few years with Nurian wives would tame the tribe,
but meanwhile for form's sake, they must be chastised.

"Villainy!" roared the Emperor, trying to arise from the couch. Guards!
Bring my armor. <gasp Bring my sword." The unaccustomed exertion told on
the Emperor who was growing flabby from too much food, wine, and sleepy
lovemaking.

"Do not concern thyself with the Zarian raiders, My Lord," Xanthera smiled
and pushed another goblet of wine into Marius's limp hand. "I shall deal
with these swine in thy name. Thou hast more important matters to attend."

"My Queen, it is not meet that thou shouldst deal with affairs of state
while I remain always within the palace. Of what 'more important matters'
dost thou speak?"

"The most important matter of all, My Lord," Xanthera smiled. "I have
brought thee the daughter of a powerful prince and if I err not, she is
ripe this night for thy potent seed."

"What? Thou wouldst that I remain behind to bed a foreign wench while thou
leadest our soldiers into battle?"

"The woman is Mai-te, from the Chen, My Lord. Make her womb swell with thy
child, and another kingdom will be mine, er, thine."

"Can I not service her another day? I would smash these insolent Zarians
with mine own strong hand!"

"Strong it is, My Lord, but stronger still the weapon thou wieldest here,
in thy loins! Lo, I feel it stir mightily!" the wily woman said, placing
her hand on Marius's cock.

"Xan -the-ra!" he groaned.

"Yeah, My Lord, the sword of thy strength is ready. Plunge it into her
belly and make her thine." The Queen clapped three times and two serving
girls led in a tall dark beauty with almond eyes, fighting to break free.
"Look on her My Lord. See the proud breasts, breasts that thou wilst make
heavy with milk to give suckle to thine offspring. See the wide hips that
shall bear thy child. Is she not comely? Aye! Thy sword leapeth in mine
hand."

"But is this not the one brought in chains, but days ago? Did she not cry
aloud that she would never consent to be my concubine?" Marius asked,
unable to take his eyes from the gorgeous woman.

"Indeed she is, My Lord, but she is but a woman. Her mind is weak and her
body is susceptible to the potions and philters of our Nurian priestesses
and enchantresses. She has been with them for these days. Now she burns
with lust for thee. Even now her temple weeps with the joyful anticipation
of thy manhood. Lie with her until the new moon and thy seed will find its
fertile field. Make her belly grow fat with the fruit of thy loins."

"But Xanthera, Th-The..." he swallowed as his eyes feasted on the scarcely
clad maiden in front of him, unable to formulate his sentence.

"Zarian raiders?" Xanthera finished his implied question. "My Lord, surely
thou wilts not let this beautiful flower wither on account of a few Zarians
who are foolish enough to defy thee." The queen lifted one of the thin
veils that barely hid the young woman's charms. Her olive skin contrasted
with the alabaster thighs of her imperial captive.

"My Lord, thy humble servant will deal with and rid us of this Zarian
nuisance. Thy kingdom and thy people need the issues of thy potent loins
to grow stronger." With a tap of her hand, she made the writhing young
woman spread her thighs a little.

"Behold My Lord, this ready vessel. The high priestess assures us she has
never born fruit. At Thy command my serving girls will ready her that thou
mightest pour her full of thy potent liquor.

"But how knowest, my Queen, that the time draweth nigh for conception?
Perchance we shall return and she be yet ready."

"Ah, my proud Lord! I am a woman and I know the signs of a woman's body
when it crieth out for child, but verily, I pray thee, prove my words."

Xanthera nodded to the woman. "Shew thy readiness to My Lord, wench!" she
commanded.

The servants released the writhing girl and Marius suddenly realized her
struggles had not been to escape, but to fling herself on HIM. In a
twinkling, she had flown to the couch where Marius reclined and had thrust
her mound into his face. Without thinking Marius drew her to him and began
to lick the copious fluids that leaked from her vagina.

Xanthera smiled as she saw Marius loose himself between the young woman's
ample thighs. "Taste and prove, but carefully, My Lord, lest the potions
she has been given affect thee, too. Do not drink too deeply of her
flowing fount or the desire to breed will overtake thee as it has her."
Even as Marius ate the aroused woman, Xanthera was slowly stoking him.
"Aye! "Thy sword is drawn and ready. My Lord is too generous to his
concubine, to pleasure her in this way. Wouldst My Lord make her come with
thy powerful tongue? Lo! A woman's pleasure is upon her! Her cup
overfloweth. Drink it not My Lord!"

The Emperor's enchantment was too deep to heed Xanthera's ironic warning.
As the woman's cum squirted onto the helpless man's face, the crafty
Xanthera she gave his cock a final jerk and made him erupt into her hand.
"Ah, My Lord, my generous Lord! Thou hast spent thyself giving pleasure to
this foreign woman. Even if thou willest, thou canst not now accompany thy
troops as we smite the Zarians. I perceive that slumber overtaketh thee.
Thy concubine is similarly spent. Sleep with her, My Lord. Take her this
night and every night 'til my return. Fill her with thy efficacious seed
and make her grow heavy with thy child."

Marius looked up at Xanthera through sated eyes, almost pleading. "Do not
speak My Sweet Lord. I know thy eyes grow heavy. Pleasure doth drug thee.
Thou wilst sleep and I will go. And when I return, the woman will shew
forth the fullness of thy handiwork. Thou wilst breed her well, My Lord.
But now thou must sleep. Sleep deeply, My Lord. Thine eyes close softly.
Thy thoughts are scattered and drift away from thee. Resist me no longer.
Sleep, My Lord. Sleep."

Xanthera smiled again as the woman gathered Marius's head to her breasts
and he began to suck softly. The woman looked up at Xanthera who winked.
This clever foreign prostitute Xanthera had procured would keep the silly
man happily occupied for the next several weeks, she thought. Several more
weeks of drinking her drugged wine and eating her potion-laced food would
keep her imperial "guest" too drowsy and horny to think about anything but
this and other nubile women in the harem Xanthera had carefully assembled
for him. Each was an enchantress in her own right, skilled in enflaming
the lust of any man and using that lust to keep his will soft and pliable.
Xanthera herself had taught Marius to allow a woman to mount him, pacify
him with her body and draw forth his sperm, sating him with sleepy
pleasure. As Marius lay abed letting one woman after another drain and
enervate him with pleasure, Xanthera would gather the reins of power to
herself. Soon the Empire would be hers alone! Just one more thing was
needed.

*

Several weeks later it was a self-satisfied Xanthera who presided over the
Great Council. One after another the reports had all been favorable. The
Zarians had been chased back over the border feeling lucky the Nuri-Crothon
troops had not pursued them to recover the abducted women. She imagined
what kind of homecoming the Nurian women had prepared. Nothing more would
be heard from Zaria raiders; that was sure.

Messages had arrived telling of the success of the Nurian maidens sent to
Cortho. Each had quickly become a cherished favorite of her new husband
without raising the ire of the first wife. Why should she? As the Zuma
increased the stamina as well as the malleability of the Corthon men, the
first wives found they were getting more loving, better and more often than
before the Nurian girl arrived. The Senate hardly met any more; with two
horny women at home, Senators had better things to do. In most households
both the Nurian and the Corthon wife were pregnant.

The Corthon foot soldiers were being rapidly absorbed as second husbands
for the women in the environs of the capital, although some of the city
women sent their former mates back to their elder sisters, preferring the
imported to the domestic product. Most of the Corthons had been farmers
before being forced into the army and would probably have been quite happy
to stay even if without having a woman who wanted to make love two or three
times a day. Fortunately, the Corthons were able to introduce several new
crops and farming techniques that meant greater agricultural output. The
extra food would be quite welcome as most of the Nurians with new Corthon
husbands were now found with child.

As Marius, Aldos and the other Corthon officials lost interest in matters
of state -- for months their sleeping ears had been filled by whisperers
making them forget such things -- their captors encouraged them to become
more physically active. Xanthera and the other women enjoyed going to the
stadium and watch their men wrestle, sprint, broad jump, throw javelins and
shoot bows, each cheering excitedly for her bedmate. Xanthera was pleased
that her Marius was seldom bested except by Aldos, and that only in
wrestling, where the Strategeon's greater bulk made him invincible.

"In sum, Nuria had never been more prosperous or more secure. Nuria is, to
all intents and purposes, the capital of an Empire that is Corthon only in
name. The minnow has swallowed the frog. There is but one thing more that
we can do to seal our place at the head of the Empire. I, myself, have
already taken this final step," the Queen stated proudly. "The choice is
yours, but for several weeks *I* no longer partake the daily draught of
Mea."

A little titter went around the table. "I may have softened and blunted
the Emperor's will, but I can report that his sword remains rigid and
sharp," the Queen announced with a little smirk. "About the time of next
Thirteenth Moon Festive, I will bear the Emperor's child!"

Xanthera paused and looked around; then she frowned. She was expecting a
reaction: surprise, jubilation, outrage; instead Council appeared merely
pleased. Dolphia saw the Queen's consternation and smiled. "We share thy
joy, My Queen, but did not share thy caution."

"My caution? Why I have allowed the Emperor..."

"We well know what thou hast allowed the Emperor," the High Priestess
smirked. "But thou art not the first."

"What?"

"My Queen, I am with child since the night of the treaty ceremony, although
Aldos does not yet know it," Dolphia announced.

"Lucas and I are expecting before the rains resume. Behold!" Munira stood,
lifted her short tunic and displayed to everyone the first signs of her
delightful bulge. "I knew I must have his child from the first night I
made him lie with me."

One by one the other Council members nodded and rubbed their bellies.
"Even I, My Queen," Gassara smiled at last. "Although in truth I cannot
say which of the Praetorian Guards is the father. As a precaution, I have
taken the whole lot for my household!"

This announcement at last brought the gasps of amazement Xanthera had
expected at her own. Although irked at being upstaged by her followers,
surrounded by so many happy women, she could not remain angry. "Well," the
Queen laughed, "It seems we need to arrange quickly for a joint marriage
ceremony, lest we cause scandal."

"There will be scandal enough as it is, My Queen, when thou and thy entire
Council present their swollen bellies before the alter of the Goddess where
an equally pregnant High Priestess will meet them," chuckled Dolphia.

"Enough? Oh, perhaps not," the Queen replied with a mischievous grin. "I
can think of something else to set the gossips' tongues wagging." No one
dared ask, although the Queen's broad smile harbored no threat. "Now that
we have gotten ourselves with child, we can begin to share the fathers to
be. Methinks Munira is not the only one to have admired fair Lucas," she
grinned, glancing at Dolphia who looked embarrassed, "and, too, I would
prove the mettle of Aldos sword," the queen smiled again. "Perchance for a
few nights my cries will disturb the High Priestess's sleep, as for months
hers have mine."