The kitsune warrior circled Sirah, her wooden sword held low.
"Ready?"
"Always."
The kitsune lunged forward with a thrust aid at Sirah’s chest. Sirah sidestepped and brought her sword down hard on the warrior’s wrist. The kitsune yelped and dropped her weapon.
"Too slow," Sirah said.
Another warrior jumped in imdiately, this one trying to sweep Sirah’s legs. Sirah hopped over the attack and slamd her knee into the woman’s stomach. The kitsune doubled over, gasping.
"Too predictable."
A third warrior ca at her from behind. Sirah heard the footsteps, spun, and caught the practice sword with her bare hand. The stump of her left arm twitched as muscle mory tried to grab with fingers that weren’t there.
"Too loud."
She yanked the sword away and tossed it aside.
The courtyard had gone silent. The three kitsune warriors picked themselves up, rubbing their bruises.
"Holy shit," Isabella said. "You demolished them."
"They weren’t trying to kill . Makes it easier."
Isabella’s eyes lit up with that special brand of chaos she got when she had a terrible idea.
"Hey Armia! You should fight Sirah!"
Armia didn’t even look up from where she was stretching.
"No."
"Co on! It’d be hot!"
"Still no."
Sirah walked over to the white-haired darian, who was bent forward touching her toes. Her ass looked incredible in those tight training pants.
"Scared?"
Armia straightened up and turned around. She was only a few inches shorter than Sirah, which was rare for anyone who wasn’t darian.
"Of you? Please."
"Then prove it."
"I don’t need to prove anything to you."
"Right. Because you know I’d win."
Armia’s yellow eyes narrowed.
"You’re down a hand."
"And you’re soft from living with humans." Sirah grinned. "All that etiquette training and fancy swordplay. When’s the last ti you fought dirty?"
"I don’t fight dirty."
"Exactly my point."
Armia’s jaw clenched. Sirah could see the exact mont her pride won over her common sense.
"Fine. One round."
Isabella squealed.
"Yes! Raven, you watching this?"
"Obviously," Raven said from her bench.
They squared off in the center of the courtyard. Armia had grabbed a wooden sword while Sirah stuck with her fists.
"No weapons?" Armia asked.
"Don’t need them."
Armia attacked first, a textbook thrust that would have scored perfect marks at any academy. Sirah slapped the blade aside with her palm and drove her shoulder into Armia’s chest. The darian stumbled back but kept her footing.
"That all you got, princess?"
Armia’s next strike ca faster and lower, aid at Sirah’s ribs. Sirah twisted, letting the wood scrape across her abs, and grabbed Armia’s wrist. She tried to throw the smaller darian, but Armia planted her feet and refused to budge.
They struggled for a mont, muscles straining against each other.
"You sll like you want to fuck ," Sirah whispered.
Armia’s concentration broke for just a second. Sirah swept her leg and sent her tumbling to the ground. The wooden sword went flying.
But Armia rolled with the fall and ca up swinging. Her fist caught Sirah in the stomach, driving the air from her lungs. While Sirah gasped, Armia tackled her around the waist.
They hit the ground hard, Armia on top. She tried to pin Sirah’s arm, but Sirah bucked her hips and threw her off. They rolled across the courtyard, each trying to gain the upper position.
Finally, Sirah managed to get Armia in a headlock with her one good arm.
"Yield?"
"Fuck you."
"Maybe later."
Armia drove her elbow back into Sirah’s ribs. Sirah grunted but didn’t let go. After a few more seconds of struggling, Armia tapped out.
They separated, both breathing hard. Armia’s white hair was a ss and there was dirt on her cheek. Sirah’s shirt had torn at so point, showing off her abs.
"Not bad," Sirah said.
"You either."
They stared at each other for a mont longer before Armia turned and walked away.
Sirah sat back down next to Kimiko, who was fanning herself dramatically.
"The sexual tension! I could cut it with a knife!"
"Back in my tribe, I’d already be carrying her off to fuck."
"So why don’t you?"
Sirah watched Armia’s ass as she walked back to her stretching spot.
"Because I’m not in my tribe anymore."
"Exactly." Kimiko nudged her with her tail. "Maybe it’s ti to try sothing new."
[Maybe she’s right. lisa wouldn’t mind. Hell, she’d probably encourage it.]
The thought sat strange in Sirah’s mind, but not entirely unpleasant.
---
{lisa}
lisa’s head felt delightfully fuzzy.
The drinks Silviana kept pouring were stronger than anything she’d had back in Syux. So kind of kitsune wine that tasted like honey and kicked like a mule. She was on her fourth cup, and the world had taken on a pleasant blur around the edges.
"You know what I’ve been wondering?" Silviana said, lounging back against the pool’s edge.
"What?" Aria asked. Her words ca out slightly slurred. The queen had matched them drink for drink, and her small body clearly couldn’t handle alcohol as well as she thought.
"Have you two fucked yet?"
lisa choked on her wine. Aria went completely still.
"W-What?" lisa sputtered.
"Simple question! Have you two had sex?" Silviana grinned.
"We have not!" Aria said, her face going red.
lisa’s face turned bright purple, which was apparently what happened when nim blushed hard enough.
"That’s absurd! She’s the queen! I’m just... !"
"Oh please." Silviana rolled her eyes. "I can sll the desire from here. You," she pointed at Aria, "keep stealing glances at her tits when you think nobody’s looking."
Aria’s mouth opened and closed like a fish.
"And YOU," Silviana pointed at lisa, "have been staring at her neck for the past hour like you want to bite it."
"I have not!"
"Have too."
"Have not!"
"Ladies, ladies." Silviana held up her hands. "There’s no sha in wanting to fuck each other. Life’s too short not to act on attraction."
"It would be inappropriate," Aria said stiffly.
"Why? You’re both adults. You’re both interested. What’s the problem?"
"She’s my subject."
"So? I’ve fucked half my court." Silviana shrugged, which did interesting things to her chest. "The other half are working up the courage to ask."
lisa took another drink, hoping the alcohol would make this conversation less mortifying.
"Can we talk about literally anything else?"
"Fine, fine." Silviana leaned forward. "How about we discuss the festival? Rakia tells she’s got you performing."
"Unfortunately."
"It’ll be good for nim-kitsune relations. Show everyone that we can work together."
"By having dance around half-naked?"
"Exactly! Nothing brings people together like horniness."
Aria snorted, then looked surprised that she’d made the sound.
"That’s your solution to everything, isn’t it?"
"It’s worked so far." Silviana stretched. "You’d be amazed how many conflicts can be resolved with a good orgy."
lisa was about to respond when sothing caught her eye.
[What the...?]
A shadow moved on the wall behind Silviana.
Her body moved before her brain caught up.
"GET DOWN!"
She lunged forward, tackling Silviana sideways just as a blade sliced through the air where the Matriarch’s head had been. The assassin, a nim woman in dark clothes, cursed and pulled back for another strike.
lisa’s hand was already moving, drawing a spellsign in the air.
"Ignis, core, protev in!"
A shield of blue fla erupted between them and the assassin. The woman’s blade bounced off it with a hiss.
"GUARDS!" Silviana roared, her playful deanor vanishing. "SEAL THE PALACE! NO ONE LEAVES!"
Kitsune warriors poured into the chamber, weapons drawn. The assassin tried to run, but Aria was already moving. Despite being naked and drunk, the queen’s spellsign was perfect.
"Glacies, sub pedibus!"
Ice spread across the floor. The assassin slipped, crashed into a wall, and got tackled by three guards.
lisa stood up, her heart pounding. The alcohol buzz was completely gone, replaced by adrenaline.
"Everyone okay?"
"Fine." Silviana stood, water dripping from her body. "Though I’m disappointed. Usually assassins wait until after I’ve had sex to try killing ."
"This isn’t a joke!" Aria snapped.
"I know." Silviana’s eyes were hard now. "Soone just tried to kill in my own palace. Soone who got past all my guards."
She looked at the struggling assassin.
"Take her to the cells. I want to know everything. Who sent her, who helped her, who so much as looked at her funny today."
The guards dragged the woman away.
[Shit just got serious.]
Reviews
All reviews (0)