The Warrior and the Petulant Princess by Maggie Carpenter Read Free Book Online Page B

mother’s chair, but where will Larian be?” she murmured as she sat down. “Perhaps I will be next to him after all.”
    There were three tables in all; two long ones facing each other, then the King’s table at the head between the two of them with six chairs. Three permanent places for the King, his wife, and Lizbett, with the remaining three for visiting dignitaries.
    Handerah’s chair was larger than the rest, and Lizbett’s hope that she’d be next to Larian began to wane; she suspected Larian would be next to the King on his other side. She frowned. It would have been much easier to catch his eye if here were anywhere but there.
    The Head Of The Court had been waiting for the Princess to arrive, and when she was finally in her chair he pounded his large wooden stake on the floor; it alerted everyone that the King was about to enter and they were to stand.
    In the chamber next to the banquet room Handerah and Larian had been sharing some wine and special tidbits of food made especially for the two of them. It was a men’s only area, and while there were times the King would have other members of his court join him, tonight he had only Larian as his guest.
    The tidbits of food were being served by two topless maidens who considered it an honor to be chosen for the task. When The Head Of the Court would discreetly put out the word that he was searching for new girls to serve the King and his guests in the chamber before a banquet, he had more applicants than he could interview. The final list was limited to twelve, and it was often by personal recommendations that the young maidens would be fortunate enough to find themselves standing naked from the waist up under the scrutinizing eye of The Head Of The Court.
    His name was Farris, and he had been a servant of Handerah’s for many years. The hopeful maidens would stand in his office, and he would move down the line, studying their overall demeanor before plucking at the ripe cherries topping their breasts. He would calculate how quickly the nipples puckered, for how long they stayed stiff, and lastly, how the girl reacted. Beautiful breasts were a prerequisite, but the maiden had to have a sweetness and purity about her in order to serve in the chamber off the banquet room.
    The practice was well-known and accepted by all. The girls might be toyed with, but their honor was left in tact, and since they were from the modest villages it gave them an opportunity to meet men above their station. It wasn’t a far-fetched notion that they might be serving their future husband; nobles had no quarrel about marrying girls from the village, finding them grateful and eager to please.
    The King had requested one of his favorite maidens, a girl named Starling. She was a fair-haired, comely beauty with bounteous breasts, a mischievous smile, and a look that suggested she was up for more than a little breast fondling. Larian had been partnered with a brown-haired girl named Falayla, who had no such demeanor; she was subdued and appeared almost delicate.
    The men were seated in wide armless chairs, and as Falayla brought forth another dish of delicacies, she perched herself on Larian’s lap. Starling had been on and off Handerah’s knee several times, and Larian guessed Falayla had finally found the nerve to follow suit.
    “Would you like me to feed you, Sir?” she asked softly.
    “Certainly,” Larian replied, and as he opened his mouth the young maiden dropped the bite-sized morsel on to his tongue. “Mmm, that is delicious,” he smiled.
    “Would you care to fondle my breasts, Sir?”
    Larian chuckled. He was well aware of the customs of Handerah’s court, and while he didn’t object he knew it was something in which he would not indulge once married.
    “Do they not please you?” she asked.
    “They are very attractive,” he said warmly, and raising his hand fondled one of her luscious mounds, then the other, lightly pinching her nipples.
    “Oh, Sir, your