WCIII: The Tale of Princess Artha (Kaybee x Drexel)

[Kaybee]

"Princess, we've been waiting here for hours, are you sure this friend is coming?"

Artha straightened a little from where she'd begun to slouch slightly, leaning on the haft of her hammer. It was not an unpleasant day for waiting, sunlight shone on the silver-trimmed blue of Lordaeron's standard and a gentle breeze shifted the grass around her feet, cooling her. Yet it was past noon by now, and standing for so long in full armor grew uncomfortable one way or another.

Still... "I'm sure," she reassured the captain. "Jaina always runs a little late."

Falric was a recent promotion, distinguished in her own service no less for his bravery and leadership after the previous captain of her personal guard was killed during the battle at Strahnbrad. The memory was bitter, she hadn't known the man long, but he had been loyal and faithful. Pushing herself away from the pain, Artha turned to worry instead. Where was Jaina? She was often late it was true, always wrapped up in her studies as she was, yet this was not the college at Dalaran. Surely something couldn't have happened to her, could it?

 

[Drexel]

Captain Falric, Princess Artha's right hand man and royal guard feels quite uneasy about this strange mission they are undertaking. Usually if its about slaying Orcs there will be more troops accompanying them but this time its just him and his royal princess, moreover waiting for someone claimed to be Princess Artha's close confidant means that the situation is more than just Orcs. His gut feeling is giving him an ominous mood. Not sooner just as Princess Artha ended her sentence, Captain Falric felt heavy thumps on the soil he is standing on, which tells him one thing from his experience from the Second War and that's nothing less than Ogres! With his already uneasy mood, Falric quickly readied his sword and proceeds a bit forward in front of the princess, there he sees Jaina sprinting from 2 Ogres chasing her.

"We must help her!"

Jaina summons a water elemental to aid her in fending off the Ogres but Falric doubts the female wizard can handle the two lumbering giants.

 

[Kaybee]

"Stay your blade captain." A gentle hand rises to quell the eager warrior with a gesture. "She can take care of herself." The water elemental is tall as the ogres but spindly and fluid, suggesting little in the way of durability, yet even as it's limb explodes into spray from the impact of a club the liquid is quick to reform, the 'injury' vanishing in seconds.

Then it counterattacks, and the offending ogre is knocked into a tree, to be pinned there an instant latter under a withering hail of frostbolts while the elemental shifts its attention to his partner. In seconds, the skirmish has gone from a one-sided flight to a total reversal as mage and familiar make their power know, forcing the ogres onto the back foot and then keeping them there.

In a minute, it's all over and Artha feels a familiar smile creep over her features as she moves to meet her childhood friend. "Captain? Meet Jaina Proudmoore, special agent to the Kirin Tor and one of the finest sorceresses in the land."

"Is that why you didn't come to help?"

"I figured you wouldn't have lost your touch~" The banter is familiar, teasing, the two of them had been practically sisters once upon a time. "It's good to see you again Jaina."

"You too Artha, it's been a while since royal guards escorted me anywhere,"

"Yes it has..." The silence stretches a moment as the princess shifts in her armour before she motions along the road. "I guess we should get underway?" Jaina just nods, "Our sources believe the plague originated in the region north of here. We should check out the villages along the King's Road."

"Right."

 

[Drexel]

The captain watched with high tension as he observe the wizard fight off the giant savages, he makes sure that he will immediately enter the fray on the slightest bad circumatance, but seeing how relaxed his royal princess is, Falric felt at ease with his grip on the sword. He was quite astonished on how the wizard dispatched the two ogres without much trouble, indeed they are still the alliance's trump card when it comes to unconventional warfare.

Pleasantries were immediately exchanged as soon as the female wizard went to converse with Princess Artha, of course Falric displayed his courtesy to Jaina with a salute as she was introduced to him.

And immediately the party of three went to the agenda at hand and now Falric learned that it is something about a plague, strange to hear things like this as he never recall Orcs doing such a widescale atrocious method like poisoning for territorial denial. Yes, his gut feeling was correct that something doesn't bode well.

The party went across the first part of the village where some of village girls greet the princess, its true that Artha's radiating beauty is the envy of many women across Lordaeron but too bad Jaina wasn't noticed. Some of the women looked in awe as they could only dreamed of having a beauty and grace like the princess, well if only they knew of the sordid acts she did in Strahnbrad.

Marie Claire Antoinette: Look! It's Princess Artha.

But quickly a village named Stacie noted the party that something is wrong on the bridge

Stacie: Princess Artha! There's something amiss at the bridge ahead!

Just a couple of clicks away from Stacie's house, a small number of villagers are gathered in front of a broken bridge, confused as they have no idea who cut the bridge.

Achilles: Milady, someone has destroyed the bridge from the far side of the river! There is another way to cross, but it is not as safe as it used to be.

Great, now things are getting more unnerving for the captain.

 

[Kaybee]

In another time, Artha would have suspected orcs immediately. The savages were not particularly intelligent, but they understood war and cunning. Still, there had been no reports of them this far North.

"If I did not know better, I would say someone is trying to slow us down..." The murmur was quiet, though Jaina delivered a worried look in return.

"Are you so certain you know better?"

The princess ignored the quip for a moment, informing the gathered villagers. "We must press North, where is this other route of which you speak?"

A few minutes explanation and an offer of a guide was politely refused before they were on the road again, making a slightly more hurried pace towards the ford he'd mentioned. These paths were dustier and less used, but Artha moved faster, concern furrowing her brow faintly. "I am not certain... In fact, I am concerned." She muttered to Jaina as they walked. "I would like to believe that this is a poor coincidence, but I have a feeling that perhaps it is not, and if that is the case..."

She trailed off, unwilling to voice that thought. Hopefully this crossing was not far. She did not like the idea of being delayed...

 

[Drexel]

The party needed to go further up north for a long cut to the town's proper. Meanwhile, as they trek on the grassy road, the party came across a clearing where a larger farm is situated, there a lone farmer stands in front of his large house but too bad for him he did not notice the champions of Lordaeron coming towards him. Although it seems that the party will not bother him but unfortunately for this lone farmer he seems to attract trouble on his own doing.

As the idiot as he is Garglemel the lone farmer quickly got nervous and panicked the moment he saw Princess Artha, as a result he proactively mentioned something he shouldn't have.

Garglemel: Milady! If this is about taxes, I can explain!

The fool said it out loud frantically as he shakes in fear, thinking that his property will be seized this day. He gulped seeing the frowned eyes of the princess whom he just called the attention.

 

[Kaybee]

Artha had noted the farmer in the back of her mind but saw little of note until he spoke up, blurting out a confession of some sort. She halted there, her eyes sliding over, piercing sapphires pinning him in place with a cool stare.

"Your taxes?" Her voice is cool and she moves again, this time stepping towards him. She does not actually tower over him, she's an inch or two shorter than the farmer on the whole but she exudes a presence that makes her loom despite that slight difference in height. Golden hair waving slightly in the breeze and heavy warhammer resting in her hand.

"You say you can explain..." She prompts.

 

[Drexel]

Garglemel trembled further as the princess gets closer to him, for some reason he could not move his body as if fear itself has gripped him like a man catching a rat with his bare hand. Her gaze is truly a striking look that gave his heart a real heavy feeling, moreover her intimidating maul that looks like its eager to be swung across his face.

At this moment Garglemel just don't know what to say as he couldn't figure what he just spilled.

"Y-y-y-ess..... milady.... uhhh... uhhh you see... I-I-I just lost.... a lot of .... money in th-th-the.... tavern..."

His gaping mouth is trembling rapidly to the point that his teeth could remain chattering forever. Having nothing else to think off, Garglemel thought of the only sane option that he can hand out.

"I-I can only pay..... a-a quarter of the whole tax..... P-p-please come inside with me for a moment.... so I can hand over the compromises."

Manners aside, Garglemel quickly heads to the door and opens it while gesturing only to the princess to come with him inside indicating that he wants to settle the "problem" privately. Falric could only sighed in this ridiculousness, he stayed on the fence guarding as he waits for the princess to be done with this unexpected yet troublesome interruption

Inside, Garglemel is in a hurry for the key to the trap door leading to the basement. Not minding that the Princess of Lordaeron is the guest of his house.

Once he had found the key, he looks over the princess like a deer on the headlights. "Oh.... please-please come with me down here, I will hand over the compromise."

The farmer opens the trap door and goes down the basement rummaging over some chest to get the gold.

 

[Kaybee]

Artha sets her warhammer in the dirt with a heavy thump , leaning its haft up against the side of the house as she nods. "Lead the way then." She is still in full armor and even unarmed she is easily a farmer's match in raw strength. To say nothing of her greater skill in combat and her command of the Light. She signs a quick 'wait here' as she steps into the shadows of the house' interior, her eyes adjusting to the light as she regards the farmer bent over a trap door in the floor.

Lordaeron's taxes are not excessive, and she regards the chest from over his shoulder with a critical eye. It seems surprisingly full, considering his excuses.

She waits, hips cocked, one eyebrow raised as she watches Garglemel. "Are you certain you haven't enough?"

 

[Drexel]

"Y-yes milady... This is only gold I have to pay a quarter of my taxes.... Please... I hope you consider this compromise as I have other debts to pay..." Garglemel hands over a pouch of gold to the princess. In an instant however, a naughty idea came to his mind: Garglemel was once a conscript during the second war, fighting alongside with the elves have earned him some of their small tokens of appreciation, but now that he is leading a life of a farmer, those trinkets are now useless to him, so it would be better to go in hands of the princess.

"UH-uh....milady I have some things here given to me by the elves some time ago, you might it useful on your journeys..... Here take this small book, the elves told me that it invigorates one's vitality." The tome has a pandaren face on the cover indicating that its a Manual of Health.

Garglemel had a lustful thought, seeing the princess waiting with cocked hips had given him a dirty urge that pushes him to cross a line that might put him to his utter demise, but rationality aside he still attempted it. "Uh...Princess.... if I may..... request one thing from you....Can I touch your body? I-its just that I find you very beautiful and attractive, I-I just want to see and feel your breasts with my hands...." Garglemel just requested a sleazy thing that could get him killed at the very hands of the princess of Lordaeron. He waits frozen in fear as his fate might be sealed by Artha's response.

 

[Kaybee]

Artha's eyes narrowed a fraction at the bold request, the faint tap of her fingers restlessly moving against her armored thigh going silent as she stilled. That was beyond the pale, bold to the point that many would call it foolishness, or perhaps 'suicide' given Artha's reputation. She was known to be kind and fair yes, but she was also known to be zealous and to have something of a temper, even if she did her best to keep her impulses in check. Most would expect such an impertinence to be punished in an instant, but despite the sudden tension in the Princess' stance, immediate retribution was not forthcoming.

No... As the seconds ticked by in silence Artha found -to her own surprise- that she was actually considering the question. There was a certain audacity to it, despite the unpaid taxes that were largely remaining unpaid, despite the cringing demeanor, this man was bold enough to ask such a thing of her.

Slowly, she removed one gauntlet, bared fingers shifting to toy with one of the catches of her breastplate, an idea forming in her mind. "And why should I do this when you are shirking your kingdom's due?" Her voice was silken, dangerous, yet the questioning tone was genuine, implicative even. Suggesting that perhaps if he were able to do better on his duty to Lordaeron, his princess might be more willing to consider his plea.

 

[Drexel]

For a moment, Garglemel's heart raced even further upon seeing the princess' eye frowned, fearing for the worst that he could be beaten to a pulp or get his house burned along with him. In reality Garglemel doesn't even know what he is doing anymore, before, he got the slight reckless bravado in asking a very insolent request thinking that he can grasp the impossible but now that the princess is showing off a seemingly infuriated face, Garglemel could not move his muscle and his legs were trembling like a house shaking on an earthquake while still waiting for the worse to come, every second of silence felt like being choked to a slow death. Oh how he wish that the princess would miraculously agree to his ridiculous request.

Garglemel's eyes grew wide when the princess removed her gauntlet fearing that she might go personal in beating him but then a feeling of sudden excitement rushed all over his body when he saw her hand going for the harness of the breastplate, at that moment he thought his wish was granted but his effervescent feeling suddenly got snatched in an instant as Artha ask him a very hard to lie to kind of question.

He stifled as his mind is confused on constructing a viable excuse, "Milady, I know this is very ridiculous but never in my life that I tried to run away from debts, yes I am slacking off in rendering my taxes this time but I've always laid down my life for land. Its just that its been a long time since I held a woman in my arms and I just hope that you would be the one to lift me up in these weary times.

Having said that Garglemel now looked sorry, its like seeing a treasure but only for it to vanish in a snap of a finger. Hopefully Artha would show her kind heart and give him a taste of royal leniency.

 

[Kaybee]

Another long silence, broken only by the click of the buckle, opening, closing, tic-tic, tic-tic. Artha's hand stilled, the buckle remained open, and the princess heaved a long suffering sigh before removing her other gauntlet and unlatching the opposite clasps as well. "Very well." She acquiesced as the breastplate came away, the padded shirt beneath clinging to her body, leaving only the details to the imagination as she carefully shed her pauldrons as well.

It was surprisingly easy, oh there was some embarrassment to be sure but ever since strahnbrad, the crushing sense of shame that came from this felt... Muted. Distant. Not nearly so real as it once had. Her cheeks were pink with embarrassment but hardly the crimson of shame.

"I will be making note of this stead, your taxes will be expected paid soon." She did fully intend to make note once this situation was resolved. "And of course, you will never speak of this instance to another soul." Artha's shirt peeled away from skin that gleamed faintly with sweat, exposing her toned stomach and narrow waist. Only her breastband stood in the way now, and as the cool air caught her skin her nipples stiffened in response, hardening against the fabric.

Her hand paused, poised at the hem of the royal blue fabric that preserved her modesty. "Do I make myself clear?"

 

[Drexel]

Every second that passes by in silence makes the sleazy farmer more and more tense. His whole body surging with fever of lust which he cannot wait to unleash, like a crack addict who is about to go for a withdrawal. The princess is clearly familiar on how to keep a sexual tension, indeed it puts Garglemel in a complete state of suspense that made him sweat as if he had plowed a farm for a whole day without rest.

And then his excitement rushed through his veins once again as the princess finally took off her dwarven forged breastplate, Garglemel almost salivate at the sight of his princess clad in her tight shirt which gave a prominent figure of her ample bosoms. "Yes... yes!" Garglemel spoke like hungry mongrel who looks happy at the sight of a big meal to be served as he acknowledged of the conditions and expectation set for him, of course Garglemel would never share stories about this "miracle" to anyone, for him, he has lived the dream!

His eyes grew wide even more when Artha pulled off her tight black shirt and in doing so revealing her slightly sweating cleavage that are glistening like porcelain! Not only that, he could also see the mark of her stiffened nipples from her silk blue breastband! Oh he cannot wait any further to get his hands on the princess' soft ample breasts! Then as the princess paused to clarify the condition, Garglemel strangely got the strength to finally moved his feet to walk in front of his princess and genuflected just 3 feet away from her.... Abdomen, its like he is about to worship her body like a sacred idol. Lust seems to give men the ability to do many weird things. "Yeeeeessss you highness! I will never forget thy commandments!" His hands reaching out like a believer who is about to receive a miraculous blessing!

 

[Kaybee]

For a moment she breathed out, nearly driven to take a step back at the manic zeal etching itself over the man's face, but she firmed her resolve, and pulled.

The breastband slipped up and over, catching for the barest of moments on her nipples, making her breasts bounce with the motion as she tugged it upwards, then smoothed where it hung around her neck. "See that you don't." She muttered, but for all that the tone was irritated there was no heat in it. Artha bit the inside of her lip. Why do this? Why allow this to happen? Because he asked, but was that really reason enough to let him touch her? To let him claim intimacy with her?

Yet at the same time as embarrassment swirled, excitement churned deep within. Something deep down finding a thrill in the danger, in the perversion, in the wrongness of it all...