Charmingtiger, Leering Dragon

[RacingRodent]

Republished for the very first time ​

​

A Roofless Rodent Presentation​

​

​

Staring Messaline​

​

co-staring LittleSiss as Li'hi'sisu​

​

​

Script by Racing Rodent​

​

​

Illuminations by Messaline​

​

​

Charming Tiger, Leering Dragon​

​

​

The Story of Princess Messaline of Jin​

​

​

Set amid the mountains in a rare green valley there are but two approaches to the great Imperial City of Xinjiang the ‘Western Capital’ of the Jin Empire that rules northern China. You can came down from the mountains following the Silk Road that will have taken you from the Great Wall itself or perhaps even further afield from the uncivilised lands beyond. If you come from civilised parts east then you will have likely travelled alongside the calm flowing waters of the Sanggan River or if you have the correct Imperial permits on a boat upon those very waters.

You will find yourself confronted on either approach by a city of organised architecture safeguarded by stout walls. At the gates all travellers are carefully scrutinised by alert guards. Once past the queuing line of merchants, peasants and mendicant priests you enter the thrusting bustling chaos of a typical Chinese city. Hordes of people engaged in pursuit of either the righteous life or the joyous one or maybe a little of both depending, the cacophony of commerce contending with the calls of animals and the harangues of bickering rivals attempting to drown out the serenades of musicians and lovers and the learned discourses of philosophers.

After this storm of noise and it must be admitted smells, both fragrant and offensive, after the heaving jostle that challenged even the burly men of an elite Imperial Guard detachment you might expect to find the palace at the centre of it all a centre of calm repose and sound government. A humble emissary from the Central Capital of Zhongdu might be forgiven for being alarmed instead to hear the clash of weapons and the sounds of battle.



She stood upon the slippery rocks at the centre of the ornamental fish pond in the innermost courtyard and sanctum of the Palace and reaffirmed her grip on her sword. It was made of bamboo but such a weapon could quite easily break bones and pulp internal organs if wielded with enough force and skill. The assassins were reduced to two in number but still they came. Each man bore two staves, their intent to capture or kill the Princess if they could.

They were tall men, handsomely dark in the manner of the desert hardened Western Han, the Princess was paler despite her origins from a Dynasty that once were accounted mere northern barbarians, then again perhaps it was no surprise, through the female line ran more than fifteen hundred years of noble Chinese blood, a pedigree that predated even the First Emperor Qin Shihuang. Her raven black hair was cast back in a ponytail and her fine beautiful face could not disguise the look of steely determination in her eyes. The darker spots of green upon the jade silk of her dress were a warning reminder that many of the assassin party had spilt blood that day, their own.

Still the men were not afraid. They lunged across the water. Muscles hard with years of long practice drove legs down so fast that rather than splashing aside fluid set like brief stone under each footfall. Thus they were able to skip across the water rather than be mired and slowed as the Imperial blooded warrior maid had intended.

They charged and a dancing duel began among the little mountain of slick stones, skilled feet as adept as goats leaping from rock to rock. Torsos swaying as arms propelled attacking strokes or spines shifted to avoid incoming blows. Lunge and parry, twist and turn. A shout of triumph and the Princess was doomed!

Then suddenly she was spinning, leaping straight up and above the heads of her adversaries. Their attack not merely thwarted but colliding in the suddenly empty space. Two quick blows and her would be conquerors went sliding into the waters they had avoided so easily but moments before, they came up spluttering as inquisitive carp circled.

“Hold,” A stern voice commanded, “Your Imperial Highness Messaline, your father’s Emissary the Honoured Kwa-Feng-Den is here and awaits an audience, we must adjourn this training session for the nonce,” Said Captain of the Guard Bor Ling,

“We must, must we?” Queried the Princess Messaline with haughty disdain. Then she leaped like a deer, easily clearing the pond, its fish and its much drenched men of her personal guard.

“Very well, summon my handmaids, I suppose this Kwa would be shocked were I to appear the least bit sweaty,” Messaline noted.

“Your Imperial Highness I really do not see the point of this close arms training, battles are won by a storm of arrows from a distance not this, this stick play!” The Captain protested yet again.

“And yet you teach your guardsmen to fight with swords and train them hard do you not Captain Bor?” Said Messaline arching an eyebrow, “I think there may be something in it, even if as you say battles are won with bows many an assassin in a palace has chanced somewhat closer.”

The matter was closed her tone said and the humble Captain could but bow to his Princess. She went now to her perfumed bath among a cloud of tittering young women and if the Noble Kwa had to wait then so be it, it would remind him that he was merely a lackey of her father the Son of Heaven and she his daughter.

Besides was it not simple bliss to be able to lean back into the welcoming embrace of a shapely young girl and relax amidst the jasmine scented steam as delicate and sensitive fingers expertly worked away knots and aches from hard tested muscles. A thought struck Messaline and she raised a graceful yet deadly hand and regarded it a moment, tomorrow perhaps she would go out hunting, there were tales of wolves harrying the peasants of the hill country farm villages and her archery probably could do with the practice, not to mention but there was something truly magnificent about a great stallion galloping between your legs.

“Rice wine Princess?” Inquired yet another maid quite as naked as her Mistress.

“No, I expect I shall need a clear head later, the green tea if you would,” Messaline decided, soon enough the bath would be over and she must deal with matters of State. Still there would be time after her bowel of tea. Her handmaidens were not just selected for their delicate beauty and could do other things with their hands than just serve drinks and simple massage, yes Messaline thought into that delightful tingle, yes she would greet the Emissary with a warm glow in her cheeks.

Kwa-Feng-Den was more than a jumped up nobody but he stood as far below the Princess Messaline of the direct Royal line as he did above the common peasants. He might look uneasy, he might feel annoyed but he dared give no insult to her Imperial Highness so he genuflected deeply as she entered the Audience Chamber in the Third Formal Gardens and ascended the high steps that left her towering more than man height above any man.

“Noble Kwa, you may deliver the words of my father,” Commanded Messaline.

“Your Imperial Highness Messaline your Father, the Most High Son of Heaven sends his regrets and says that he cannot spare further troops for either your garrison or the Northern Army of Vice-Marshal Du, such forces as can be spared from the conflict with Song have already been sent,” The man stopped nervously expecting an explosion of outrage but none was as yet forthcoming, “Also, I am most humbly to beseech you but your Father the Emperor reminds you that it is time and past time you were wed, he has commanded me to present a list of eligible suitors whom he might consider worthy to court your hand.” A lesser servant scurried forwards with the scroll and handed it over to a lesser servant of the Princess

“Are there any princes or noblemen from Song on the list?” Asked Messaline with unusual interest in what had become a rather boring formality over the years.

“Song, Your Imperial Highness? But Song are our sworn enemies!” Protested Kwa.

“And were they bound to us by marriage they would become our sworn allies and we would have ample troops to crush the ever more arrogant Mongolian barbarians and this ‘Perfect Conqueror’ this Jenghiz who leads them,” Replied Messaline, “Return to the Central Capital and remind my Father, the Most High, the Most Perfect Son of Heaven that if he is determined to spend his daughter for the needs of the State then he should at least look to get a good deal out of the exchange not more grovelling from some petty noble duke who already owes him everything, good day.” Messaline got up to leave.

“But Your Imperial Highness where do you go?” Asked Kwa in surprise enough he forgot all protocol.

“I have better things to do than be bored by you,” Said Messaline and left.

As she strode back inside her Royal Apartments she turned towards the bed chamber and crooked a finger at Captain Bor, “We shall enjoy Blissful Union but I expect your discipline in this matter, you are not to spend inside of me, now lose that armour outside the bedroom if you please, I find the rattling of iron sets my teeth on edge.” Losing the long silk of her dress Messaline disappeared among the tiers of shrouding but sheer drapes about her bed. She became ghost like and insubstantial as if a thing of smoke and haze rather than flesh but what glorious smoke and haze thought the Captain as he hastened to her command.

​

​

To Be Continued​

 

[ROMAN MASTER2]

it rocks the second time even better

 

[RacingRodent]

2​

Bor came to Messaline hot with eager passion. She was reminded that her body was not simply head, torso, arms and legs but that each individual body part was composed of parts, her feet had toes and soles and heels and tops, each hand fingers and knuckles and palms and backs, even her ears had tips, rims, lobes and that hole at the centre of the swirl and each part of parts responded differently to being kissed or licked or caressed. Bor was careful to explore every part of her body before he ventured near her jade gate and Messaline for her part was not content to be merely passive. A man too is composed of parts, hard muscles, ribs, thighs, lips, eyes and more. Messaline caressed her champion with tongue and lip, hand and hair.

By the time his mouth settled between her legs the Princess was already in flood but she found herself roused to still greater flights of passion. She writhed a while, grabbing at sheets and pillows, knotting fingers in Bor’s hair until finally she could bear no more and commanded him enter her.

Their first union was in the manner of the dragon and he pressed into her as she lay still half swooning from his earlier efforts but as she recovered herself Messaline desired fiercer joys. They proceeded to the congress of the tiger, Bor entering her from behind as she knelt legs and forearms upon the bed, his hips supported by both his legs and her thighs his hands were free to run over her and caress her neck and shoulder, breasts and ribs, taking in the line of each rib and remembering that each breast was in turn comprised of nipple and the orbs themselves had a top and lower half and that each felt his fingers in different ways and he lent forwards as he did so to kiss from between her shoulder blades to the nape of her neck.



Messaline again turned and this time they entered into the congress of the cranes. She sat in his lap straddling him, enfolding him inside her most completely, feeling him pressed perfectly into her most delicate parts so that she might come and come again until a sweating Bor begged for mercy.

“Not just yet,” Said the Princess and she climbed from him and pressed him back upon the bed. Then she grasped a breast in each hand and enfolded his manhood between them. Then she teased the end of him with just the tip of her tongue and then her lips.

“Your Highness you commanded me not to spend,” Bor pleaded.

“No I commanded you not to spend in me,” Messaline replied with a giggle and a final jiggle of her tits. It did not surge forth, he had been trying to withhold but even Bor was mere man and had his limits. The sprinkle of white snow was a most gratifying proof of her feminine power and Messaline collected one of the pearls that was her prize with a fingertip, “I win,” She laughed.

There is something particularly pleasing about having a fine male animal between your legs thought Messaline. She jumped her horse over the low stone wall and landed it neatly between an old peasant couple who had been working the narrow field and now stood gawking at the cavalcade dashing past and around them. Messaline had spied her quarry, grey fur darting low to the ground but it would not long evade her. Again her proud stallion leaped and as it did so the Princess saw her rival in this venture Vice-Marshal Du closing for the kill with arrow notched.

There was no time to wait for perfect shot and so she took her aim now, standing upright in the stirrups even as rider and mount reached the apogee of their arc, bow stave pushed away to full arm extension while the string remained solidly against her cheek, then the downward arc began and release.

Strong well trained thighs took the impact transmitted through horse and harness and a touch of her hand upon mane prevented an undignified tumble. The wolf coveted, snapped at twin arrows in side and back and then died.

Marshal Du leaped down from his horse, his blade already out to claim the tail as his prize.

“My kill I think,” Said Messaline trotting up.



“My arrow hit first Your Imperial Highness,” Responded Du, both firmly and with a genuinely respectful bow.

“But mine hit the heart,” She pointed at where the green fletched arrow pointed upright from the corpse and then to the red and white goose feathers projecting from further forwards among the ribs.

“Indeed you are correct Your Imperial Highness,” Du bowed again, “A most excellent shot from so awkward an angle, more so moving at speed, would that all my cavalry could shot so well. The tail is yours.”

“And you may keep the pelt Honoured Marshal, we shared this one,” Smiled Messaline and Du smiled back.

Later on the road back following the hunt the conversation turned to more serious matters. “The Mongols grow bold,” Messaline remarked.

“Let them, I have one hundred and fifty thousand cavalry and a quarter of a million foot soldiers, their Great Khan even were he to mobilise every old man and stripling has but one hundred thousand horsemen entire,” Opined Du confidently.

“And are all your soldiers gathered in one place?” Asked the Princess.

“Impossible, even without the servants and the subtlers and the ah camp followers there would be more mouths to feed than in Xinjiang,” Said the general, the lines on his face hard won with experience in the Empire’s long wars.

“By camp followers I take it you mean prostitutes?” Messaline smiled, “Please Vice-Marshal I am not so innocent as that,” Then she frowned, “But like you say, you cannot concentrate all your warriors all the time and thus the barbarians might yet surprise some detachments like they did last year.”

“It is always a risk Princess but we have a great many detachments, I am not happy that the Imperial Court fails to act on both our urging but there is a great deal of difference between that and fearing that the Mongols can do more than win a few skirmishes,” Du stated firmly.

It was then that the commotion was espied up ahead. Both the nobles gazed inquisitively at the group of peasant who approached Bor and his mounted guardsmen, then the Captain was spurring back to speak with his Mistress.

“Your Imperial Highness, these peasants have captured a Mongol spy, they say she seduced the commander of a border post and had stolen his papers, they offer these as proof,” Bor extended a selection of small scrolls, both Messaline and Du took a couple each and examined them hurriedly. Three of them were simple routine requests for the usual restocking of supplies but one contained a detailed map of local dispositions.

“A spy, Your Imperial Highness this is a genuine spy,” Said Du in some alarm.

“Perhaps but we cannot take the risk, Bor bring her back to the Palace, tonight you and I have work in the dungeon, we shall discover the truth of the matter,” Commanded Messaline.

To Be Continued​

 

[RacingRodent]

3​

The Mongolian woman stood before Messaline and looked fearfully at her. Then she flinched and screamed as Bor came up behind her and she felt the kiss of sharp metal at her neck. Instead of a death stroke though the blade went down the back of her dress, before Bor sliced it back opening the hem all the way to mid-thigh, then he sliced along the shoulders freeing the sleeves and roughly pulled the garment down to her hips from where it puddled at the floor.

“Step forwards,” Commanded Messaline. The girl hesitated a moment too long and Bor gave her a rough shove, the Princess eyed her captive from head to foot. A pretty girl in that rough barbarian way, it would be a shame to spoil her but she could be improved, besides there was business to attend to. “Set her to the rack,” Messaline commanded.

“No, please no, I told you the truth, I told you everything,” The Mongolian wench protested as Bor sheaved his sword and grabbed her roughly, strong arms simply lifting kicking feet from the ground. Though the girl struggled, the Captain had little difficulty in capturing first one arm then the other and binding them in the waiting nooses for the wrists, then the same procedure repeated with each leg and ankle.



Messaline meanwhile searched among the array of tools until she found a razor, she stropped it hard on a leather strap and then dipped it in some ready boiling water. Torture could be a messy business and the dungeons were thus well supplied with tubs water, some heated by small but fierce fires so the torturer could cleanse themselves or for other purposes, nothing here was for the comfort of the condemned.

“Tell me again how you came to my land?” Asked Messaline, finding a tub of lard and using it to slick the dark coiled hair at arm pits and groin that the woman had allowed to grow, peasant fashion. The Princess preferred her women much more trimmed, she noted with amusement that the girl did not resist. Maybe she thought to escape the pain by pleasing the Princess.

“I come from a clan near the border, I…” The girl recited all over again, if this kept up they would learn nothing new.

“Bor, stretch her!” Messaline snapped and the Captain set to with an evil chuckle. The girl on the rack screamed yet they were hardly taught, real pain was yet to come.

“Please, please, I have told you everything, everything you asked me, I told you the truth,” Protested the woman as she was forced to maximum human extension, her arms well above her head, her long legs flat out and lying side by side, her hips and breasts forced high by the posture.

“Enough,” Messaline brought Bor to a stop.

“But Your Imperial Highness if I stretch her a little more she will know real pain,” Whined the Captain looking with eager hunger at the taut, trim body before him.

“Not yet, first a little shave, now girl tell me your name?”

“Li’hi’sisu, I told you when you first asked,” The girl was not meaning to be rude but she had clearly forgotten her place, Bor stepped around from the rack wheel and slapped her once across the face, his hands were hard and the bonds made it impossible to dodge the entire force of the blow.

“You will address the Princess Messaline as Her Imperial Highness bitch,” Snarled the warrior.

“Li’hi’sisu is my name if it please Your Imperial Highness,” Said the wench.

“It does not, tell me your real name,” Messaline brought the razor down making the girl squeak but it was only to shave her right arm pit, Li’hi still squealed at the heat at that sensitive part but it was nothing to the pain that Messaline had it in her power to inflict.

“Ayy, I was born Ayy in the Fierce Fox Clan, it means little sister in my native tongue, I had seven brothers you see, so my mother named me as their little sister, then she died,” Li’hi sobbed, “I was never fed properly, just the scraps left over and then when I started to show womanly parts my brothers said they would start to sell me to their friends, so, so I ran away.”

“Go on,” Said the Princess leaning across the girl to attend and cleanse her left arm pit, she enjoyed the hot feel of the helpless body beneath her as she did so.

“I was taken in by Captain Lo-som-fat of the Border Guard, he gave me my Chinese name your Imperial Highness,” Said Li’hi.

“I can quite understand, your old name sounds like the barking of a Japanese dog,” Sneered Messaline, she reheated her narrow little blade and then set to shaving away the cunt hairs, “Go on.”

“He kept me and fed me and I, I serviced him in bed, Your Imperial Highness,” Explained Li’hi.

“So you are a little whore as well as a spy,” Accused Bor, Messaline shot him a look, he was forgetting himself in his eagerness to lay hands upon the girl.

“I only did what I had to I swear it and I never was spying for anyone, Captain Lo-Fat sent me to the city with dispatches, I can’t read I don’t know what was in them,” Protested the girl once known as Ayy, “Please Your Imperial Highness you have to believe me!”

“Bor, release the tension a little,” Messaline commanded.

“Thank you Princess, thank you Your Imperial Highness,” Said Li’hi in relief as the pain as the stretching relaxed.

“Spread your legs girl, I need to get to your jade gate,” Messaline instructed, the girl did as she was bid even though she squeaked again at razors hot caress.

“Stretch her again Bor, this time keeping going until I say stop,” Messaline commanded.

“But I told you, I told you,” Cried out Li’hi’sisu and then she began to scream as the real pain started.

“Hold!”

“But Your Imperial Highness if we go a little further you will see the red marks, I like the red marks,” Said Bor avidly.

“What you want is of no concern to me, I want you to hold the girl here,” Messaline ordered, she went back to the table and found a set of the large pincers that had been heating in the coals of one of the braziers, she put on the gloves of thick padded cotton and felt and took them up and showed them to Li’hi, “Tell me again what you know and the truth this time, why were you spying on Captain Fat?”

“I was not spying Your Imperial Highness, I was taking messages to the Capital,” Li’hi protested watching the red hot metal wave near her face, her eyes, those precious parts which panic commands us to protect, “Please, please I am telling the truth.” Just then came a knock on the chamber door.

Bor went scurrying to open it, drawing his sword just in case but it revealed one of Messaline’s eunuch bureaucrats. The man in his ornate robe of red silk with the Green Tiger of the Princess upon them bowed low as she came over to speak with him.

“And Lieutenant-General Chen, did he request a map of the border array or not?” She whispered to the unmanned official.

“He denies it Your Imperial Highness,” Said her lackey.

“And is he telling the truth?”

“Why would the General lie Princess?” Asked the functionary in surprise.

“Because he is Chen, he has made a career out of it never being his mistake, never being there and never ever taking responsibility for anything save his or better still someone else’s success, if he was not a good military administrator I would have shortened his head a while back,” Snarled the daughter of the Emperor crossly.

“I don’t know Your Imperial Highness,” Responded her servant.

“Well go check with the records office, there is a reason for all your pettifogging red tape, every order is recorded see what orders he has sent to Captain Lo-Fat and find out if he asked for a map,” Messaline sighed in exasperation, men, even taking their balls away from them did not encourage them to use their brains.

As the man all but ran away and the door closed she went back to her toy, her prize for the evening. “General Chen says you lie,” Messaline calmly told Li’hi.

“He is a liar,” Li’hi snapped, annoyance once again causing her to forget her situation, Messaline enjoyed her spirit, she would like breaking it even more. She selected a smaller more delicate pair of tongs and heated them till they glowed. That was the trick, if you were going for showy heat, do not use too much metal, burns need not be too severe to cause immense pain and time was on the side of the careful torturer.

“Why would a general lie and you are forgetting your place little Li’hi,” Messaline reached across with the pincers and took up just a small portion of the Mongol’s breast, just below nipple, she squeezed but not too hard, letting the heat do its work for just a second. The distinctive odour of burning flesh filled the air as the metal seared the supple skin. The shrieking faded to sobs.



“I am sorry Your Imperial Highness, please I don’t know why a Chinese general would lie but I am telling the truth, Captain Lo-som-fat was commanded to report on the border defences to Xinjiang. He did not want to send a soldier because of the recent troubles and he did not trust any of the male servants not to get drunk at the first tavern so he sent me instead, I swear I am not a spy!” Li’hi begged and begged again.

Messaline was amusing herself by rubbing the cooling but still burning hot metal of the tongs against the girl’s ribs, the skin turned red but it would not blister like the first wound. Messaline set the tools back in the brazier and looked for something else. Ah, she noted the rasp sitting close but not in the fire.

Applied to the soles of Li’hi’s feet it made the girl shriek most satisfyingly all over again. The metal was rough and the soles were sensitive so it did not need to be pressed that hard for the burning biting combination to be most unpleasant.

“Again tell me again as to how you came here, how you got your decent civilised name and how you came to be carrying those messages,” Messaline asked and not for the last time.

A little while later Li’hi’s sobs were interrupted by a knock on the door. The Eunuch had returned, he did not need to speak but simply presented a scroll containing the log of all message sent out in a given day. Messaline nodded. The she went back to the beautiful but pained girl on the rack.

“It seems you are completely the liar,” The Princess said taking up a hot but not red hot metal rod, she forced it between Li’hi’s legs as she shrieked and began to walk up the rack table, reaching the gateway to those parts that normally give a woman pleasure she tilted the metal ready to shove it in, “Admit you’re a spy!” She demanded.

“I am a spy, I confess, I stole the messages, please not that, not that, I will tell you everything!” Li’hi begged.

“Bor leave us and summon my handmaids, the girl is innocent,” Messaline stood up and put down her metal and then stripped off her gloves.

“But she just confessed,” Protested Bor.

“Of course she did and that proves she is not a spy, a spy would have been tougher than that, especially as the records show that Chen really did ask for the map,” Messaline worked the wheel of the rack herself allowing Li’hi a sudden release from hours of pain, “There, there pretty little one, the Princess is going to make it all better.”

“But Your Imperial Highness…” Bor protested, his voice hot with jealousy as Messaline kissed the delicate sweat stained forehead of Li’hi.

“You have your orders Captain, now go do your duty!” Messaline snapped and then pressed a soft kiss on yielding lips, “Oh my brave little one, what fun we shall have now, no more mere captains for you!”

To Be Continued​

 

[RacingRodent]

4​

​

For Li’hi it was like going from a nightmare to a dream. The hours of proceeding agony did not leave her the pain lingered both physically in the throbbing of her burns and the ache of her joints and even more so in her mind that teased that feeling of helplessness. Yet the memories were becoming oddly bitter/sweet as the warmth and tenderness at the fortified core of Princess Messaline’s being revealed itself to her in gradual stages.

That first kiss had been a mere yielding, an admission that the Princess had triumphed in their duel. That Li’hi’sisu would have done anything, said anything to avoid more pain, yet in that triumphant moment the Heir of Jin claimed her not as a conqueror would.

First came the handmaidens a flutter of silk and perfume. Cold compresses to take the heat from scorched wounds. Then a litter born by strong male servants while Messaline clutched Li’hi’s hand, the journey to the Princess’s personal quarters was short. Yet it brought a girl who had only known the dour life of the steppes and the meagre one of a frontier post to a place of wonders.

Here Messaline herself bathed the injured girl in waters of a carefully moderated warmth and then wrapped elbow and knee, wrist and ankle with heated towels to relax the muscles that had strained too long against all powerful ropes. She also carefully bound Li’hi about her shoulders and middle with yet further bandages carefully soaked in sweet honey and rose oil and warmed by the fire so they carried away the ache from a spine that amidst all her other pains Li’hi had not yet realised how much it hurt until the rest of her agonies relented.



The night was spent in the sweet arms of the Princess, enfolding, protecting, defending and owning in a way that made Li’hi feel truly complete for the first time since her mother last held her. It was in the morning they first made love for only then was the Mongolian girl restored.

It started with kisses, on the lips, the cheeks, the eyes and neck, spreading outwards. Soft hands held each other and then went exploring only to return and embrace again. Tenderness gave way to urgency. Passion rose. Messaline deployed all her learning in the arts to set Li’hi on a new kind of fire. The Princess was kissing her way across her companion’s belly circling in towards the navel when her lover’s confidence exploded and suddenly a brief playful tussle ensued and Messaline was on her back.

Now Li’hi explored the wonders of this woman who had so overwhelmed her in so many ways. The mounds of her womanhood, temples of virtue and earthly pleasure topped with sweet nipples that responded, sometimes delicately sometimes ardently to each new kiss or caress be it of fingers or tongue or lips. Li’hi put into practice what Messaline had just taught her, that you could kiss with the finger tips just so and you could stroke with the mouth in so many ways.

As her Princess arched in ecstasy Li’hi descended until her lips found that woman’s join. Delicately she explored its companions, those thighs hardened from years in the saddle but still ripe with soft woman’s flesh, the mons a swelling little mountain host to senses most profound and most eager for touch, the curve of the hips. Only when well explored did she move inwards to those sacred gates that opening flower of bliss and abandon, only then did she feed on the sweetness with her tongue and the flowing throbbing pleasure with her heart.

Messaline cried out and clenched, not one part of her but all of her, legs and one hand too held Li’hi just so, in that sweet spot a moment. Li’hi had a brief instant to feel that Messaline was hers and then the Princess recovered herself and fierce Messaline was back and Li’hi was again the one on her back but fierce Messaline could be sweet and fingers and tongue set to work, teasing, then probing, then delving and finally pushing, pushing Li’hi over into an abyss where she forgot that there could be pain in a world, forgot even her own name and for a time measured in eternities knew only pleasure.

Later Li’hi experienced the pleasure of having someone else bring her breakfast, a repast that she was to share in bed with Messaline before another soak in jasmine scented water. Afterwards she joined her Mistress in some sword training, something she had only played at with stick when a little girl and never since.

Of course not all a Princess’s life is pleasure and indulgence and Messaline had a great deal of work to do, as a great and singular honour Li’hi was invited to kneel on a cushion besides the high throne from which the Princess conducted formal business and dispensed justice across the western provinces that gave allegiance to Jin.

There were rumbles of thunder both from the Capital of Zhongdu and the Mongolian Plains. “The leader of the Mongols has offered insult to your father the Son of Heaven, His Most Perfect and Heavenly Majesty has sent reply by way of the Mongol Ambassador’s head back to the barbarians,” Explained an envoy from the Imperial Court.

“Well that was foolish, recommend to my father the Most Perfect and Most Blessed Son of Heaven that he would be wise to withdraw more of our elite cavalry from the frontier with Song and redeploy them here and to the North, I doubt we shall have else but trouble on this frontier and Song is quiescent at the moment,” Said Messaline.

“I shall duly convey your words to your father the Emperor Your Imperial Highness,” Said the Envoy bowing low.



“And my father will duly ignore them,” Whispered Messaline in an aside to Li’hi, “As he always does,” But she nodded a gracious dismissal all the same and then proceeded to the appeals of two merchants condemned on some minor but expensively fined technicality. When the Court session was done she turned to Captain Bor.

“Saddle my horses and transmit orders to Brigadier Hong, I shall exercise his squadrons outside the city today, we might need the practice if things continue developing the way they are,” Instructed Messaline and then she turned to Li’hi, “Can you ride?”

“Of course, I am a Mongol woman,” Replied Li’hi slightly offended and then remembering they were in public, “Your Imperial Highness.”

“Good, then you shall accompany me,” Said Messaline with satisfaction a statement which wiped the smirk from Bor’s face.

The day was spent with the working of thousands of men and horses. There were manoeuvres, troops demonstrating they could respond to the signals of flags and drums and trumpets. These were followed by tests of arms, archery from both foot and the saddle, the plucking of quoits from hook studded posts with lances from galloping horses. Then the troops were feasted on cattle roasted on long spits.

Finally the Princess rode out from camp and dismissing a sulky Bor and the rest of her guards to a safe distance she and Li’hi made love yet again under the stars.

Once they were done however Li’hi noted that the Princess seemed pensive and ill at ease. “What is wrong my love,” She asked.

“We are not ready, we court war here on the northern frontier but we are not ready, I fear that the Mongols may yet do us greater hurt than my father realises they are capable of, he is too long in the Capital, too surrounded by his favourites…” Messaline trailed off unhappily.

“But you have armies upon armies, you have the Great Wall, you have the city wall and millions of subjects, my people are fierce but they are few, surely even with Genghis Khan in command they can do no harm from which you cannot recover?” Li’hi pointed out.

“You are right my love and maybe I am silly to worry but this whole situation has concerned me a long time,” Messaline took first Li’hi’s hand and then her lips and then some more. The night dissolved in happy giggles.

Upon their return to the Capital things returned to their established routine. Business involving long hours of correspondence with officials scattered across the western provinces or in the Capital, reams of paper work, more hours spent in audience listening to the concerns of nobles, merchants, priests and even the occasional peasant delegation. Time for pleasure could be snatched in amidst all of this.

Then one day Li’hi returned from an errand to her Princess’s quarter to find a brazier in the centre of the room and a bed with ropes affixed to each corner. A bucket with ice wrested from atop one of the mountains waited besides the new bed. Li’hi felt both fear and thrill that Messaline might have decided to recapture some of the rougher games that started them on the road to love.

“Do you recognise this?” Asked Messaline taking up with a gloved hand a white hot arrangement of metal on the end of a thin rod, Li’hi vaguely knew the sign, she had seen Messaline doodle it several times in her fine calligraphy but not being able to read she had no idea what it meant.

“No Your Highness,” Said Li’hi feeling suddenly very formal as she picked up the sense of the gravity of the impending moment.

“This is the pictogram for Mie-sia-lin of Jin,” The shape that the Princess demonstrated would have looked to the eyes of far western barbarians like that of an M but with extra foils and curlicues, “In a moment I shall tie you down and brand this into your shoulder marking you as mine forever.”

“Of course, I am your slave,” Said Li’hi surprised at the eagerness the word forever evoked in her.

“Do you recognise this?” Messaline raised a shape like an elegant curved L with spurs top and bottom again Li’hi could but shake her head, “Can you guess?”

“Another brand for me?” Li’hi ventured.

“No my dearest Li’hi, this one is for me, when we have done with using the ice to cleanse the heat from your mark, you will tie me down and mark me with the pictogram for Li’Hi’Sisu and I will become yours forever,” Said Messaline and quickly had to whip the hot iron to one side as Li’hi sprang towards her and hugged her.

“Oh my love, I love you, I love you,” Cried Li’hi with tears of spontaneous and overwhelming joy.

“And I you,” Responded Messaline and Li’hi could not get out of her clothes quickly enough as she readied herself for the delicious pain to come.

​

​

To Be Continued​

 

[Yupar]

M n L.... how abt R n Y.. u r really good in love making scene...straigth or lesbian...that's all i like..

 

[RacingRodent]

5​

​

The morning that had started with languorous kisses had now gotten a might more strained for Li’hi. She hung strappado style above a tub of water, all she had to do was hop off the water on to the edge of the tub and she could easily unhook herself from her bonds and escape. She just had to learn to stand on water first. She kicked and splashed everywhere but she was no nearer escape.

“It’s impossible!” She cried out in frustration.



“It is not,” Said Messaline calmly and signalled a serving girl to pour two more jugs of water in so that the tub was full again, the girl departed to collect more likely expecting the same result that Li’hi did, “This is how I learned to do this,” She seemed to dance across the ornamental pond, feet impossibly skipping across the water, “Kick down hard enough and the water will hold firm, once you have mastered it with two feet, then you can learn to do it with one and then even the river can be your road.”

Li’hi lacked Messaline’s serene confidence in the matter and her arms were already beginning to ache. “I can’t do it, how long to I have to keep doing it until you will let me stop?” Li’hi kicked down again resulting in yet another splash.

“Until you can and once you know you can it will become easier, again,” Another splash, “And again.”

Perhaps an hour later a damp but triumphant Li’hi was untying herself by the side of the pond, when a messenger arrived.

“I have come straight from the headquarters of Vice-Marshal Du, the Mongols have attacked the rear of his army and he is responding with full force, Your Imperial Highness,” The man announced bowing and handing over the scroll he carried.

“How does the battle progress?” Asked Messaline.

“The situation is ah, fluid, Your Imperial Highness,” Said the messenger cautiously even though he bore the rank of colonel.

“You mean we are losing,” Snapped Messaline, “Get you to the commissary, restore yourself and then present yourself to Generals Wei and Chen they will need your information for their planning, Bor summon Brigadier Hong, I think we need to take out his cavalry and reconnoitre the situation ourselves.”

The Captain and Colonel both gave a bow and scurried off. Then Li’hi quietly asked Messaline, “Will I be coming with you?”

“Of course, I would not be parted from you,” Said the Princess, “Why do you ask?”



“Because I am not very good in fight, I am nowhere near as good at anything as even the least of your guards,” Said Li’hi feeling ashamed.

“Nonsense, you have progressed in months what it took those men years to achieve and they are the elite of the Imperial Guard, you are already far superior to most warriors you are ever likely to meet, besides we shall have five thousand cavalry with us, it is hardly likely we shall be troubled ourselves,” Messaline smiled, “On the other hand readying that many horsemen will take some time, a bath and lunch I think, we can play in the bath,” She grinned mischievously.

The thunder of hooves was loud, as it ought to be, five thousand fighting men, over a thousand servants and remounts made for a vast herd indeed. The cavalcade was proceeding at a vigorous trot, it would fall back to a walk in half an hour to spare the horses for a bit before returning to the higher tempo. Even so it had taken the best part of three days to come close to the Great Wall and enter its immediate hinterland.

In the distance hung a cloud, it billowed up into the sky like smoke from a huge fire but any fire that large would have turned the sky red. “Send messengers to the forward scouts, have them advance their picket line and report on what lies ahead,” Messaline ordered Hong who spurred his horses over to his officers from whom issued further riders then from the column behind gallopers going out to transmit the new orders.

“Should we deploy into line of battle?” Asked the Brigadier returning.

“No it is too early, we can gain more ground than this, let us see what we have come to see before we start leaping at shadows,” The Princess declared. Soon enough though they had the answer, a battered looking Lieutenant-General came riding up with is equally shabby looking staff under escort by some of Hong’s troopers.

“Lieutenant-General Tai Bei, formerly second in command the Hebei area troops, latterly attached to the command of Vice-Marshal Du,” Said the General from the back of his horse, “I bring bad news Your Imperial Highness, the Marshal is dead.”

“Dead?” Queried Messaline and then collected herself, “Then who now commands the Army General?”

“Erm I might do, I don’t know, things all fell apart after we lost the Marshal, there were many officers senior to me but I have not heard from them since, the army is routed,” Said Tai-Bei nervously.

“Then we must un-rout it General,” She turned to Hong, “Brigadier we continue the advance.”

Not that they needed to advance much further to see for themselves. Twenty thousand horsemen filled the road and to either side of it from horizon to horizon. It should have been an impressive sight but from the disorder in their ranks and the droop in their shoulders even Li’hi could recognise that this was a defeated army in retreat.

“Hong, send six of your picked squadrons, rally those men and have then reform either side of the road, the rest of us shall proceed on, see if we cannot learn more yet,” Messaline ordered. Organised and disciplined her troops had little or no trouble in performing their tasks. No one barred the passage of the Princess and in her wake the soldiers reformed in organised divisions awaiting commands but it was a fragile order, all too likely to shatter upon contact with the enemy.

That enemy was found as the day was closing. Only a few hundred Mongol horsemen but they had the fate of thousands of fleeing Jin foot soldiers in their hands. As so often in war confidence and organisation counted for more than mere numbers. Then again Messaline could never be said to lack for sheer confidence.

“Order the charge, we attack!” She commanded plucking her bow from its case affixed to her saddle. As Hong’s troops swept into line from their previous column of march more regiments of Mongols revealed themselves, the first visible troops having just been their vanguard.

Besides her Princess Li’hi notched the first arrow of the day and let fly, her accuracy atop a bounding horse firing at moving targets was likely to be abysmal but with so many arrows filling the sky some had to lucky and some men and more horses unlucky. The man Li’hi had aimed at went down, she might even have been the one to hit him.

The cavalry lines raced towards each other, the arrow storm getting deadlier and taking more of a toll as the range closed. Li’hi was pretty sure that hit a man with her ninth arrow and watched his horse lurch into a companion bringing them both down. Then the lines were in spitting distance and she set her bow down and took up the sword.



Broad Chinese blade now duelled with narrow curving Mongol scimitars. At first there was too much movement, each opponent flashed past and was gone in a single stroke but as the lines interpenetrated the melee pressed in and slowed everything down. Desperately Li’hi tried to cut her way to the Princess who rode like a storm through the ranks of her foes leaving death and carnage in her wake but the Mongols had other ideas.

A big warrior rode his small pony in front of her and they duelled. He was confident that his strength would smash her down. Blow after blow fell like rain. In fact he was still grinning when Li’hi swung down the side of her saddle and came back up to part his head from his shoulders with a roundhouse blow before he could recover from his overextended stroke. Then there was another warrior and another neither of whom Li’hi was confident she killed but she succeeded in driving off. Then suddenly someone stuck a lance in her horse. It fell like a mountain but she was Mongol born herself and had lived most of her life in the saddle, she kicked free of the stirrups and landed on her feet a safe distance from the thrashing beast.



A horseman charged her then but she struck across the snout of his mount and as it reared she shoved her sword in its belly. The pony went over backwards and the snapping of bones assured her that it is rider would never rise again even as it hauled itself painfully to its feet. Two more horse warriors rode up and fenced with her a time but then they backed off.

She never even knew of the lancer behind her until his horse slowing to a canter and then a walk rode right past her. Fortunately for her the rider was no longer aboard, lying in the ground with two of Messaline’s green fletched arrows in his back.

“Bor you ignorant fool you had the shot, why did you not release?” Screamed the Princess at her Captain of Guards.

“I am sorry Highness I thought I might need the arrow to protect you,” Bor tried to excuse himself.

“Well stop sitting there like a pudding and go get that horse for my Li’hi,” Messaline raged. As Li’hi regained a saddle, different from the Chinese ones she had become used to but well remembered from childhood Hong rode up.

“Princess we have won the battle, what are your orders?”

“A skirmish no more, we have won a skirmish, we must cover our infantry and continue the retreat,” Messaline decided, “We shall fall back on Xinjiang with all the troops we can recover, how many soldiers are in the garrison there?”

“Including my own Brigade fifteen thousand cavalry and twenty thousand infantry, Your Imperial Highness,” Said Hong.

“We can have some ten thousand more infantry from the Silk Road Forts and another twenty thousand acting as police in the villages, we can concentrate those too, with the cavalry and infantry here we might have the seeds of a respectable host. I want messengers sent straight away to Zhongdu, my father the Son of Heaven must hear of this, he must be urged to send us more troops, have them brought to me before sending them off that I might affix my seal to their travel documents, the fast courier network will ensure they reach the Capital soonest.” Li’hi watched as Messaline became a war queen in full command and setting forth a stream of orders as she tried to salvage some good from the disaster.



“Send messengers back to Xinjiang, I want a camp prepared for the returning troops, the brothel keepers are to turn out all their whores for the purpose of revitalising the soldiers and the store houses are to release sufficient meat for a feast day,” Instructed the Princess.

“You mean to feast a defeated army Princess?” Asked Hong utterly confused and taken aback.

“No, I mean to feast an army that will win, these men must be brought back to themselves and back to pride,” Messaline told him, “Now see to my orders.”

Later that night as the huge column made its slow plodding way back down the road they had come up Li’hi turned to Messaline in the tent they shared. “I am sorry for almost getting killed and making a mess of things today.”

“Nonsense my love, you did well, if but half of our soldiers had fought as well as you at the first battle we would be celebrating a triumph,” Messaline told her and hugged her to bare breasts.

“I love you, I will never betray you, never let you down,” Li’hi whispered fiercely.

“I know and I will never desert you,” Said Messaline and kissed her until passion drove away fear and the harsh taste of the day just gone.

To Be Continued​

 

[RacingRodent]

6​

​

The night was warm but love was warmer still. The night was dark but love was all the light that was needed. The night was punctuated by sounds and disturbances but love comforted and caressed until sleep beckoned again. Dawn was breaking from the east and arms stirred sleepily across one another, then lips pressed in soft tender kisses, wakefulness stirred and passion roused. The kisses became deeper and more urgent, bodies pressed and moved against each yielding and demanding by turns.



The sound of horns could not have been more unwelcome. Still the deep siren calls demanded attention and so with grumpy attention to duty Li’hi and Messaline climbed out of bed. Li’hi fitting her Princess with a robe and then scurrying for one of her own as Messaline stomped with an unusual lack of grace into the reception room of her most personal chambers.

“Your Imperial Highness, the vedettes report Mongol scouts have been seen coming from the east,” Bor reported with formal military stiffness, he had taking refuge in punctilious attention to etiquette to cover over his former lapses.

“From the East? Well to be expected the mountains offer no easy passage for such numbers let alone sufficient fodder for the horses,” Messaline mused out loud.

“The army is being mobilised Princess,” Bor told her.

“Already? General Wei is an alarmist the scouts likely proceed the main force by a good hour if not more, very well though, let him form them up, however once the battle array is ready he is to relieve units by turns so the men can breakfast, it is not good for moral to face battle on an empty stomach,” Messaline commanded and with that Bor departed.

“Are we ready?” Li’hi asked picking up on her love’s pensive frown.

“As ready as we are likely to get I suppose but the army is not well drilled together, I…ah good ladies I was expecting you,” Messaline turned bright smiles as the handmaids filed in bearing breakfast along with some of the more highborn ladies of her court expecting to be entertained, once again duty had to take a temporary advantage over desire.

Later on Li’hi rode besides Messaline as they passed the serried ranks of infantry. The Jin did not favour their foot soldiers by and large preferring to lavish attention on their cavalry. Still the sheer numbers of halberdiers, crossbow and spearmen could still be expected to turn a battle if their courage held and if it did they would provide the rock on which the Mongol cavalry, alarming superior on a regiment by regiment basis than that of Jin, would break.

“You have heard that Genghis Khan won a great battle, that he came in from behind Marshal Du’s army and crushed it, looked behind you, see those walls? No Mongol pony yet born could climb those walls, the Mongols will not be coming from behind you today and the foolish horseman to your front? Why you can kill him of course as pay back for his stuck up airs,” Messaline told a unit of troops drawn from along the Silk Road, she had a different speech crafted for those that had come from the forces that had faced the Mongols already but each speech drew the required cheers, at least the forces of China were starting in good spirits.

“Can we win?” Asked a Brigadier at the final staff conference before the senior officers dispersed once again to their units, already out in the field forward squadrons of horsemen were skirmishing with their bows.

“We cannot afford to lose, besides the main battle will not start today, it will take at least that long for Genghis to assemble all of his troops, the valley is too narrow for the multiple columns he favoured at the Badger’s Mouth,” Messaline told the man calmly, later when she could see his back a safe distance away, she leaned over to Li’hi, “Nervous simpleton we would do better to have you commanding his brigade.”

“The men would not follow me Your Imperial Highness,” Even in whispers Li’hi was carefully formal in public.

“More is the pity,” Sniffed Messaline, “What our troops lack is leaders with courage, the heart has gone out of Jin I fear.”

Messaline was right, the Mongol horde stretched quite literally for leagues but that made it slow to come into action, a few regiments would arrive each hour and the skirmishing intensified but both armies were holding their main strength back, in readiness for the real contest tomorrow.

“They will face a cold night tonight, no tents and no time to gather wood for their fires,” Opined a Jin General, their moral will hit rock bottom come morning, we should attack then.

“No General the Mongols warriors do not need tents every night they will take pride in their hardiness and they will have gathered and dried the horses’ dung as they marched, tonight that is what they shall burn for their fires,” Li’hi explained, “If you attack they will make as if to flee but only so as to draw your cavalry after them.” She well remembered the boasts of battles past from sitting around the campfires listening to the men talk, Li’hi could almost be said to know steppe warfare and its ruses in her bones.

“We shall hold our ground, make them come to us, there is not sufficient grass in yonder pastures for a third of a million horses while ours can be feed on hay from the city stocks, they must attack or starve, we shall meet them first with the rock of our infantry, our cavalry shall deploy behind them and cover them with archery,” That the horsemen would just as happily shoot down any peasant foot soldier who ran away went without saying, it would be equally well known amongst those foot soldiers and would steady their feet. Better the chance to die a hero than the certainty of an ignominious death at the hands of your own.

The day was perhaps rather too exciting for many in the forward most horse regiments but for the rest relatively boring as war could surprisingly mange quite often. The night rang with noise as the drummers and trumpeters attempted to intimidate their foes and rally their friends’ hearts. Still Messaline and Li’hi and several other senior Jin officers were able to escape to the relative tranquillity of Palace or town houses even as a quarter of the army stood to at any time during the night.

The dawn was again breaking and this time both women were awake to meet making last minute checks of each other’s armour as the light increased. “Stay close to me my love, I will need to know you are safe,” Messaline told Li’hi.

“Don’t worry, I won’t go charging off anywhere,” Li’hi promised. With that the two women descended into the courtyard and joined Captain Bor and Messaline’s personal Imperial Guard Squadron before leading that company in riding out of Palace gates along still largely deserted city streets and out into the valley beyond where battle loomed.

The Jin waited in ordered blocks, the Mongols came towards them in a great swirling crescent formation the tips aligned with the outer edges of their enemies line and seeking open flanks but thwarted by the steep mountain sides. The Mongols prided themselves on their archery but it was the Jin who fired first. The crossbowmen could hold more power in their highly mechanical weapons and while such mechanisms slowed the rate of fire they did lend themselves to longer range and accuracy. Even the Jin cavalry who preferred similar recurved horn tip bows to the nomad warriors were taking advantage of their fixed position to dismount at least some of their archers while servants held the horses, this allowed each man a longer draw. The Mongols had to press deep into a rain of death before their first bow shots rang true among the men of China.

Yet even now the advantage still lay with Jin, their tens of thousands of infantry might have fewer shooters who shot less fast than the Mongols but they were more resistant to damage. The spearmen bore large shields and each could cover himself and a crossbowman. The halberdiers wore stout armour. The Mongol warriors might wear good mail but their horses save for those of the luckiest nobles bore no such protection and many a warrior would be crushed under a writhing arrow struck mount.

The Mongols preferred to linger at a distance with the bow until their enemy was well and truly beaten but now stung badly they realised they had no choice but to close to hand strokes. Fronted by tight wedges of noble lancers the Mongol hordes charged. The thunder of hooves was enormous, the weight of animal and human flesh measured in the thousands of tons, the force of the coming impact immense, the whole unstoppable.

“Hold firm,” Messaline rode her horse out to the front most rank and stood before them, “Hold firm, for we are Jin and today we shall win,” Not one man in a hundred might have heard her little speech but those who did hear passed the words to those next to them and so on through ranks and line. “Win, win,” Rose up the battle cry, “For Messaline.”

The ranks crouched, spears tips out, shields raised, halberds poised. The horses came within sight of that waiting wall of human flesh and they flinched. Not stopped, the mighty tsunami of muscles and bone behind them pushed them on but the lead animals started fighting and bucking their riders in an effort to turn away. The charge rocked up against the front ranks and some went down but more stood firm and more again in each rank behind.

Spears plunged, crossbows twanged, more distant arrows sent by the cavalry rained down from above and halberds wielded by strong hands as savage axes carved human and animal skull alike. The charge floundered and died.

But not everywhere, somewhere the luckiest wedge of Mongol lancers had found the join between two regiments and plunged through the gap, here they poised a moment to regain themselves, a deadly knife at the back of the previously steadfast Jin infantry.

“With me, Guardsmen with me,” Messaline ordered, there was no time to wait, no pause could be allowed in transmitting orders to some subordinate, she herself had to take care of this now. Spurring her horse she hurtled forwards towards the breach, close at her heels was Li’hi, then Bor, then her standard bearer and then the whole company of guards, a spear head forged in the finest Chinese steel.

They crashed amongst the Mongols and battle was joined. A giant of a man on a horse larger than the typical pony challenged the Princess, his blade struck true but hers struck better and it shivered the Mongol sabre into pieces as tang was drawn from hilt. A slash opened his face, a cut his throat and the giant champion was down among the dead.

Another Mongol rode up to Li’hi. She knocked aside the groping lance head and swung hard, relying on the saddle to hold her to her mount, the impact sent the Mongol falling back head over heels, likely his armour preserved him from death but he would be at a disadvantage even should he find the wind to regain his feet. Another foe rode up and Li’hi cut his horse sending him reeling back as she spurred tight up to her Princess. Now the rest of the guards and yet more cavalry were piling in and the infantry regiments up ahead closed the ranks and reserve companies came in to complete the slaughter of the plains warriors.

Everywhere else too the Mongols were in retreat, deadly on the move they had no means of breaking the solidity of the Jin formation. They lacked everything required for a long drawn out stand up battle. They had no stocks of arrows nor food supplies nor medical support, their camp was a simple thing. Denied shock and awe they had to fall back and look to nursing their wounds.

“We have won,” Messaline cried out joyously, “Hold firm and we have won,” Then from her left, to the north she heard the sounds of trumpets sounding the cavalry charge, “No, Chen no, someone, a galloper, restrain the fool, he is to hold his position, this retreat might be a feint.”

It was too late the left flank corps of Jin cavalry was surging out in pursuit of the Mongols who raced away beaten and broken.

“But Princess the enemy is stricken they flee in fear, might not a general pursuit seal the victory,” Asked Tai-Bei now attached to her staff.

“No, no it is a trap, a ruse, my peop…the Mongols have long practiced the feigned flight, they will rally together with their reserves at a spot that favours an ambush, as horsemen they are better than the Jin and know it, it is the whole army they cannot fight so they divide it,” Li’hi tried to explain but the ears of most of the men around were deaf to a low born woman’s voice and more so that of a barbarian. They urged Messaline to repeat the folly of Chen and not continue the restraint that has thus far won the battle.

Even as they did the distant kettle drums sounded a new beat. Fresh, previously undeployed Mongol regiments now sprang into action and the flight halted as the beast of a horde turned to devour its pursuers.

“Tai-Bei, go quickly, take control of the left flank infantry, they must hold the line, not even our retreating cavalry must be allowed through, no one must pass, they must hold the line come what may and we can still win this day,” Messaline urged, “Hurry you fool hurry,” She snapped and the man overcame his hesitation the light of a chance at promotion in his eyes.

Somewhere beyond easy sight but well within earshot the cavalry of Lieutenant-General Chen screamed and fought and died. Mongols too screamed and died but they had the advantage. In tightly controlled divisions, regiments and companies they manoeuvred to pierce and surround the formations of their Jin foes breaking them into ever smaller and more digestible pieces.

Yet there were upwards of ten thousand men in the trap, it was hard to kill them all and besides the Mongols were not seeking that, what they wanted was panic and panic is infectious. The survivors hurtled back to their lines as fast as wind broken horses could bear them. Whether or not Tai-Bei had reached his new command mattered not, the foot soldiers hesitated to close out their allies, who rode in amongst them and disordered them. They were without order as the Mongols formed once again into precise wedges struck them and the entire left flank shattered.

“Quickly, we must reform to cover our open flank, Hong the reserve cavalry take them to cover the north, messenger to General Wei, he is to leave half his infantry in place to cover the withdrawal and start bringing the rest of his infantry and then his cavalry back into Xinjiang, I will take command of those troops to remain on the battlefield,” Messaline commanded.

Men sprang to obey. Yet elsewhere panic was increasingly gripping the Chinese troops and order was collapsing into chaos.

“Princess, you must retreat, save yourself,” Bor urged.

“And if they see my banner leave do you not think that the entire army will try and flee to the city gates? No we must hold as long as possible,” Messaline scorned the notion and went back to issuing the order that might if they were obeyed in time, see the way to victory clear.

The problem was increasingly it was becoming each man for himself and the Mongols had the advantage in that kind of fight. Already the first regiment were probing towards the central position and the standards of the Commanding General Princess Messaline.

Then inspiration struck Li’hi, “Shadow Song,” As close as she could come to the strange sounding name of the female barbarian from islands far distant to anything she knew of, “Take the Princess back to safety in the Palace, I will stay here and represent her with her banners,” Li’hi commanded.

Suddenly Messaline found the reins of her horse taken from her hand as figures in black garments with tight black pants but looser tops that still failed to fully hide their femininity came forwards from where they had lurked unremarked among the horsemen, they threw a black cloak over the Princess to conceal her features.

“What, no, Bor you keep Li’hi safe, unhand me…gurk,” Messaline was roughly manhandled away from the dangers of the field. Li’hi was left alone with the Guards who waited solidly for orders, she could feel Bor’s dislike of her as an almost palpable thing but for the moment she decided that duty held him tighter.

“We must assume a defensive array, I will pose as the Princess, the Mongols will expect to see a woman beneath the Tiger Banner but they will not know me from Messaline,” She instructed.



“By your command Princess,” Bor loaded the title with a ringing mock but he could not deny the soundness of her strategy, the army was fallen into a state of collapse except for hard pockets of resistance, these took their cue from the staunch banners of the centre. The Mongols knew this and knew if they could crush the commander then the whole host would fall to ruin and only a handful of troops would be left to escape to safety behind city walls.

Now they came in full force and Li’hi took up her bow as around her the Imperial Guards dismounted to mount a stronger defence.

To Be Continued​

 

[Yupar]

View attachment 70454
in actually the girl wz white dress is daughter of Mongol's king in movie..that dress influence by mongol culture.. but who care i m also more care abt Messa n Lihi 's passion..

 

[messaline]

She's Li'Hi, yupar, but it's not easy to find real photos to illustrate this kind of story and, obviously, sometimes it could be not looking like History...
But, you're right: Messa and Li'Hi passion and adventures are most important!

And our squirrel'writer is great !

 

[Yupar]

She's Li'Hi, yupar, but it's not easy to find real photos to illustrate this kind of story and, obviously, sometimes it could be not looking like History...
But, you're right: Messa and Li'Hi passion and adventures are most important!

And our squirrel'writer is great !

I love not only his writing but also ur pics abt u n siss's naughty n lovely games..

 

[RacingRodent]

I love not only his writing but also ur pics abt u n siss's naughty n lovely games..

I consider myself very fortunate that Messaline took considerable pains with her pics. They really do capture a lot of subtle details from the story if you look closely

 

[Eulalia]

it's always nice to know Messaline's taking pains -​

girls just wanna have ooooooowwwwwwwwch!​

 

[RacingRodent]

7​

​

As soon as the cloaking cape was lifted from around her Messaline flew into a rage, “Unhand me you, you sow. I will have you flogged until you are flayed, I will force you to ride the shaking donkey and then have you burned alive on a spit, how dare you take me from Li’hi?!”

Shadow Song bowed deeply, “My apologies most noble lady, my life is yours to take, I am aware that the Shadow Sisterhood would not exist unless you had taken us in after the male ninja drove us out of Nippon, we are forever in your debt and will continue our sacred charge to preserve your life even if it cost our own, may I recommend that you appoint Twilight Whispers as my successor?”

“Oh you are insufferable!” Sniffed Messaline, “Come we must go back to the city walls, I want to see how Li’hi and my guards fair.”

“But we were commanded to bring you to the Palace for your safety Imperial Highness,” Shadow Song said reluctantly caught between the duty of care and the duty to obey.

“The Palace is no safety should the city walls fall and besides only a deliberate siege will breach well defended walls, come, I need to take command of the recovery of my army,” Messaline turned around and strode through the gates that she had only just passed through, her black clad bodyguards hurrying to throw a protective cordon around her.

Yet by the time she reached the walls it was all but over. “A most gallant stand, your beloved slave’s sacrifice and that of your guards has saved the army from Chen’s incompetent treachery,” General Wei assured her and got in a good lick at his former colleague to make sure that he was not tarnished with the disaster.

Messaline sank to her knees and wept.

Li’hi had felt her heart churn at being parted from her beloved but the needs of the moment were compelling. If Messaline was to be safe then she needed to hold out for as long as possible, only then could she even begin to think of her own safety. The arrows sang all around her and let fly time and again with her own bow, long practice uniting hand and eye and arrow in a sacred unity of fell purpose.

She smiled grimly when she plucked the chieftain of a regiment from his saddle with an arrow to the throat. All around her Guardsmen fought and died as the battle swirled to a new ferocity the Mongols determined to bring down all resistance and clear a path to Xinjiang. Thousands of steppe warriors converged on Li’Hi’s few hundred guardsmen and the neat square formation collapsed to a ragged circle and began to shrink rapidly.

Her quiver expended she chanced a look over to the walls. Someone there had used the siege engines and a few troops with intact morale to enforce discipline. About two dozen men lay crushed or pierced by the weapons of their own side but now orderly columns were double timing through the gates in sequence while those same fierce war machines held the nomads a careful distance at bay.

“Those who can flee, it is every man for himself,” Li’hi gave the order. There was no point in trying for an organised retreat, the lucky ones would carve their way to safety, the rest would die amidst the surrounding horde.

Li’hi was just about clear when she heard a cry, “Li’Hi help me,” Cried out Bor as his own mount went down. Li’hi circled her own beast back smoothly, leaned down and plucked the heavy armoured man from the ground. Somehow she kept hold of her burden all the while impelling her horse to head towards the city and safety. Eventually they between them managed to haul Bor up astride the rather uncomfortable bow of her saddle.

“There we can still…” Suddenly shocking pain burst from her nose as the helmeted head snapped back, then an elbow struck her ribs and then came a violent shove. Instinct took over and rather than be dragged to her death behind her pony Li’hi kicked free from her mount and went into a tumble. She came up to see Bor take a more comfortable seat and send her a mocking salute.

“Every man for himself slave, know I will happily comfort the Princess for her loss,” Bor laughed and then spurred away. He did not get far before an arrow plunged through his linked plates into a kidney. Then came a second, most likely piercing a lung, once again he tumbled to earth.

Meanwhile Li’hi had problems of her own. Six and then more Mongols converged upon her. One tried to lasso her but she cut the rope in two with her blade and then it was her sword against the axe and three scimitars of three Mongols who had dismounted to engage her. Blades rang and she sent one man back with a blooded face and then another, a third wept into the grass over his severed hand and then more came.

They piled into her and drove her to the ground, a leering noble grabbed at trousers and with visions of rape strong in her mind Li’hi kicked him with full force. Her foot shrieked with pain as it dashed against the iron but she felt some internal organ set hard like stone and then splash like water as the man recoiled away. Blood frothed from his mouth and nostrils and his eyes filled with horrified surprise and then quite simply he died.

But the other men had her now and bore her before their sovereign, “Great Khan, we have captured the Princess Messaline,” They announced to the squat ill-favoured man upon his squat ill-favoured looking horse.



“No you fools, this is a decoy an impostor, no Guardsman would dare betray her as that carrion over there did,” Genghis Khan pointed to the corpse of Bor already being stripped of weapons and valuables, “But if our spies speak true I think this is one dear to the Princess and I have plans for her, oh yes, I have plans for her indeed.”

At first when she caught sight of the naked girl being paraded before the vast Mongol army arrayed just out of bow shot of the walls Messaline felt her heart leap with relieved joy. Li’hi lived! The though she watched as her dearest once was bound to a wooden frame that left her hanging and painfully displayed before all watching eyes. The Mongol envoys now approached with a few captive who would be released if they were not shot at but would serve as handy human shield if they were.



“The Great Khan in his wisdom and favour seeks audience with the Princess Messaline of lowly Jin, in honour of his great dignity and her own unworthy lowliness she is to present herself before the gates, naked as she was born to be taken to his tent for his pleasure and conversation,” The evil looking man like nothing so much as a moustached toad continued, “Should she prove reluctant then motivation will be provided, every hour she lingers away from the greatest conqueror the world has ever known then an arrow will be shot into Li’hi her beloved slave concubine, as token of our good faith we released these officers back to your care, good day.”

The Mongol party then spurred away leaving a few Han and Jin nobles to be gathered inside the gate.

“You cannot go,” Said the Chief City Bureaucrat.

“You must not go,” Said General Wei.

“We cannot protect you if you go,” Said Shadow Song.

“All of you calm yourselves, I would have lists of the garrison and our state of supply within the hour, hurry, we have much to plan hurry!” Messaline commanded, reassured her minions went scurrying off while she gazed with anxious eyes at her beloved straining with ropes at ankle and wrist holding her upright and aloft.

Upon the hour, the first arrow was shot and Li’hi shrieked as it pierced her left buttock. Messaline looked up anxiously and then went back to the staff conference assessing all the supplies and fighting and labour forces contained within Xinjiang. An hour later a second arrow entered Li’hi’s right buttock and she screamed but Messaline snatched her eyes back to the task at hand, drawing up a defence plan to keep the Mongols out of the city. Upon the third hour an arrow was shot into Li’hi leg and this time her scream faded to anguished sobs as the pain in her arms and her wounds grew ever greater as she tired from the strain. When the forth hour came around Messaline was assigning commanders, removing the incompetents and ensuring only able men would be in positions of responsibility.

Messaline feigned calm but inwardly she raged. She understood well from her own training and the experience of exacting such tortures upon others what her beloved Li’hi must be suffering. Not merely the stabbing burning throb of each intruding arrow. Bound fast in their ropes but bearing the full weight of that hanging body the muscles in the limbs would knot and cramp, within the first hour they would be a savage agony and that pain would only grow worse. The heat of the long northern day would bake the skin and boil the sweat from Li’hi’s body, inside and outside her own flesh would become a torment as it cooked and dried slowly. Finally and worst of all was the knowledge that no matter how much Li’hi loved her there would be that little whisper of doubt, had Messaline deserted her to leave her to die in anguish while she stood safe and surrounded by every luxury?



Yet it was only as the fifth hour came around that, as the latest archer took up his stance and all details of the defence plan carefully fixed, the Princess called down from the walls, “Hold your shot, tell your Great Khan I am coming, I surrender my Imperial Person into his protection providing he honours my slave by releasing her alive from her torment.”

“You cannot do this Your Imperial Highness,” The protests came in thick and fast.

“General Wei, you will order the execution of the next man to speak out of turn, I can and I will, the Khan will likely spend days amusing himself with me, in that time his chieftains will grow bored and fractious, they are barbarians, they will turn from this city in search of easier spoils or my father will send an army, use the time I will buy you with my body wisely or the Son of Heaven will hold you all accountable,” Messaline spoke in a voice absolutely used to command.

“But Your Imperial Highness you are heir to the Jade Throne,” Wei protested further.

“Indeed, my father will be somewhat relieved that he can more easily pass me over in favour of one of my nephews, he has been anxious to be succeeded by a boy for some time, now stand aside, I go to my duty and my love and will broke no further insolence,” Messaline ordered.

Half an hour later the Dragon Gate to the City heaved open and Messaline strode forwards, naked and alone as Li’hi was cut down from the archery frame. The two women hugged briefly before rough hands seized them and dragged them to the tent of the Great Khan to learn their fate.

​

​

To Be Continued​

​

​

 

[Yupar]

I consider myself very fortunate that Messalinetook considerable pains with her pics. They really do capture a lot of subtle details from the story if you look closely

RR..would like to rqst u to post pdf when ur story finish...if u dont wish my eyes become poor.. ....so i can see dtls when i get time infront of my destop... Kisses for Squirrel..!!!

 

[RacingRodent]

RR..would like to rqst u to post pdf when ur story finish...if u dont wish my eyes become poor.. ....so i can see dtls when i get time infront of my destop... Kisses for Squirrel..!!!

Yes I will try this weekend to put together a proper PDF for Charming Tiger, Leering Dragon with proper sized versions of Messa's beautiful pictures

 

[Yupar]

Yes I will try this weekend to put together a proper PDF for Charming Tiger, Leering Dragon with proper sized versions of Messa's beautiful pictures

squirrel is so lovely...

 

[RacingRodent]

8​

​

“Abase yourselves before the Great Khan, Genghis, most perfect conqueror in the whole world!” declared a Mongol noble shoving the bound and naked women so that they fell prostrate upon the rough earth of the tent floor. Looking up they could gaze on a man who did not look all that formidable, rather squat, a bit too fat and with eyes that squinted just a little and sat on soft cushions.

“So Messaline of Jin the Tiger Princess, you lie before me naked and alone…” Began the Khan.

“I am not alone I have Li’hi with me,” Messaline got in quickly, mainly just to tick off the pompous barbarian while she yet could.

“So Messaline of Jin, the Tiger Princess, you lie before me naked and alone save only for the company of this one slave which is alone as it gets…” Messaline opened her mouth to speak again, “Silence, silence,” Roared Genghis in a rage at having his prepared speech ruined, “If either wench speaks chop off the other one’s head.”

Messaline’s mouth shut with a snap.

“Yes,” Now the warlord gloated, “Yes now you realise you are in my power but you should be glad for despite the low baseness of your usurping family I have decided to make you a most generous offer, you will marry my youngest son and heir Tolui,” Genghis indicated a tall strapping man of profoundly martial appearance marred only by the fact that the flagon of arrack or fermented mare’s milk did not appear to be his first of the day.

“Well what say you?” Asked the Khan after a pause in which Messaline had regarded Tolui and Genghis and then the son again. There was silence, “Well speak,” Said the barbarian ruler growing impatient, Messaline indicated with her head Li’hi lying beside her, “Oh damn you woman you have permission to speak without your little friend having her head cut off.”

“Never!” Said Messaline.

“Never what? You have to speak when you are at my command, you are in my power,” Growled the Khan not happy that he did not appear to be as in control of the situation as he expected.

“I will never marry your wife’s son,” Said Messaline getting in a quick if risky jab at the Khan’s manhood, “My father the Son of Heaven has armies upon armies yet and you cannot even begin to comprehend the power he shall bring against you, release me and Li’hi now and he might yet show mercy.”

“You will marry my son because I say you shall marry my son,” The Khan rose from the cushions upon which he had sat, quite furious.

“Never, never and thrice never will I the Daughter of Jin consent to be the willing spouse of the descendants of swine!” Replied Messaline hotly.

“Take them away!” Ordered the Khan, “You shall have this night to think but think carefully for it shall go ill for you and your traitor bitch cunt if you continue to defy me, now summon the Chinese engineers we shall begin planning our attack on the city.”

Later as the women lay naked under the stars each bound to an upright post so that the only contact that could give each other was by stretching out till their toes met the women talked, more as equals that ever before. “I am sorry my love, I cannot give in to his demands, if his son gets a son off me then he will try and claim that this spawn is the rightful Son of Heaven and at least some of our traitorous and ambitious nobles will pretend to believe him, I cannot give him the means to conquer Jin when he has already done hurt enough.”



“I understand,” Said Li’hi, “Politics is not my thing but games of inheritance went on all the time in the Fierce Fix Clan, you must do your duty by your family and your father the Emperor, I wish my family had shown such loyalty to me but I can share this fate with you and it makes me glad.”

“I am so sorry my love, I fear they will do terrible things to you,” Stroking Li’hi’s toes with her own Messaline spoke earnestly of her deep love and affection.

“I am not sorry, we shall share in all of this together, whatever they do to our bodies our hearts are united as one,” Li’hi responded in both word and action, the tentative strained caressing of the feet might look ridiculous to an onlooker but in that moment it meant the world.

“Yes we shall be together,” Messaline smiled while from all around the night time camp came the sound of urgent wood work.

In the morning’s light Genghis Khan proudly displayed what his captive artisans had produced during the night. The parade of slaves pushing catapults and battering rams and sieges towers under the lash of Mongol overseers did not dismay Messaline quite as much as he hoped.

“So you have the weapons to attack the city, it has the weapons to defend itself,” She shrugged, it made a change from shivering the cold of the night had not yet left her bones.

“But you must see that if you do not relent your city will fall,” The Khan prodded.

“And if I do you hope the Empire will fall to you so I say never, never will you be the grandfather of Emperors, you will die and history will forget your name,” Messaline told him.

“Take these bitches and lash them between horses teams, we shall see how her courage holds up when she and her pretty toy are being stretched,” Genghis Khan ordered and the two women were seized and dragged away.

Manacles were affixed to hands and feet and then these were bound to ropes that were attached to yokes slung between teams of Mongol ponies. At the command the horses were whipped into walking a few paces and the strain was taken up first by the ropes and then by the girls limbs and then by their bodies. They screamed, they had no choice, every joint, every socket felt as if it were being torn asunder as it so very nearly was, pain raced up and down spines, crashing in waves of pure agony somewhere in the core of each being. The skin became dappled with red tiger like stripes as the blood vessel gave up on the unequal struggle.

“So now you truly are a tiger Princess,” Laughed Genghis, “see how much pain you can suffer, now surrender yourself as my son’s loving wife and you can have your comforts, otherwise I will give the order to tear your little slave apart!”

“Don’t give up your honour Messaline, even if they kill me I still love, you will always have that!” Called out Li’hi even in her agony.

“Never, never will I betray you my only love, never will I betray my people,” Messaline called back.

“Flog the bitch cunts, flog them till they bleed, we shall speak again Princess Messaline, perhaps you will be in more receptive mood by then?” Genghis left the question hanging and went off to observe the preparations for the assault.

The Mongols attacked the women, helpless and naked , suspended in agony, with one and multi-thonged whips and riding crops. At first the attack was aimed solely at the exposed fronts, being concentrated on bellies, thighs for these took the blows aimed at the women’s parts and breasts. Some of the more expert aimed their strokes at less obvious but more sensitive parts, the ribs, armpits and hollows of the elbow.



Then some evil minded but cunning soul realised that the women could be turned round by tying lengths of bamboo crossways across their limbs and attaching ropes to the opposite ends. With teams tugging on the ropes either side the women could be turned over at whim, the twisting of their coils and limbs adding extra pain and then flogged on the back and buttocks before being released suddenly to spin around to where they were before adding yet more pain and dizziness to the assault.

It should come as no surprise that before long both Li’hi and Messaline had vomited in addition to their training and the blood course their flesh and dripped down to sweeten the sacred soil of China.

“Now do you see you would be wise to reconsider, you can keep your precious slave but you must marry Tolui,” Ordered the Great Khan.

“Never, never in a thousand years, never,” Declared Messaline.

“Well then have it your way, you will mend your mind in the end, in the meantime,” Genghis turned to his henchmen, “Have stones heated, I believe our fine lady guests are feeling the cold.”

Dung fires were lit and stones clawed from the earth by captured peasant shovelled into them until they glowed red hot. They were scooped out and piles assembled under the two women. At first the heat was welcome but as more stones were added and it continued to build the pair began to feel there were roasting alive.

The two women screamed, over and over again they screamed as the blisters marred once perfect skin and then burst hotly, they shrivelled and dried and cracked as the day wore on and flesh began to cook.

“Courage Li’hi, we must endure, I love you,” Messaline called out even in her pain.

“I have courage and I have because I love you Messaline,” Li’hi responded and then screamed for the flogging had started anew upon the wounded bodies already much weakened and sorely abused they now suffered under redoubled assault. Over and over again, twist, one side spraying blood under the lash while the other side withered in the furnace blast and then the nauseous spinning.

Only after some hours of this did the Khan return from watching rocks being flung, to disappointingly little effect against the city walls.

“I have reconsidered, if you do not wish Tolui who I admit can be a bit of a brute then I offer you Ogadai, he is a smart young man, almost a gentlemen as you Chinese count such things, why he has his Han slaves read to him from real books,” Declared the man who reckoned he might conquer the world.

“Never, I will never marry any mangy spawn of yours,” Said Messaline.

“I fear you have become overheated, it sits ill with a woman,” Genghis chuckled, “Slaves cool them off and douse the stones.”

Buckets of water were now thrown over the rocks but it brought the women no release. Instead hot steam rose and scalded them with its wet clinging vapour. Both women screamed.



“Release the horse teams I would let these ones rest,” The Khan pronounced. With savage jolts the two women were suddenly cut loose to land with heavy thuds upon the still searing stones, bad enough for those with unblemished skin its effect on their already sorely abused backs sent shrieking agony coursing in loud yells to the heavens and back.

Both women writhed free of their torment and then crawled to meet each other still in their chains. They embraced, kissed and passed out.

“Put them in cangues for the night, they can add sore necks to their stiff ones,” The Khan commanded and then stalked off back to his war.

​

​

To Be Continued​

​

 

[messaline]

Messa and Li'Hi ......Suffering but always proud !

 

[RacingRodent]

9​

​

There was no relief from the pain. Every last inch of flesh throbbed with it. The scorched skin of the two women was a maze work of criss-crossing welts, marking the bite of the lash and the flowing of blood that had boiled and dried in the oppressive heat. Even without the whip marks savage burns still blazed with trapped heat this late into the night. Inside of them the captives could feel the ache of tormented muscles and ligaments and hungry animal growl of growing hunger and thirst. Their stiff, half upright postures, twisted by the weight of wood and iron around their necks further exacerbated the suffering.

Yet of what did Li’hi speak? “I am sorry I was not braver Messaline, I hope my screaming did not embarrass you too much.”

“Nonsense Li’hi I was screaming too, no one can avoid it under such tortures, bravery is one thing but I do not expect you to try and work miracles,” Messaline chided but there was kindness in her whispered tone, “We shall have to expect worse tomorrow, this was just a taster of the Khan’s wrath, tomorrow he will have planned for our intransigence, how inventive a barbarian he will be I know not but more pain is inevitable.”

“I shall be strong for you Messaline,” Said Li’Hi, “I won’t let you down.”

“I know Li’hi and I want you to know I have never loved you more than now if only we could kiss were it not for these chains…what was that?” Messaline turned and peered into the darkness.

“I heard nothing,” Li’hi said, then corrected herself, “Okay that sounded odd, weren’t there three guards a moment ago?” She whispered to her companion.

“And before that there were four,” Messaline replied, “Half asleep yes but still…” As the women watched the last two men suddenly seemed to be engulfed in writhing shadows, they gurgled briefly, a stink of the latrines wafted into the night air and they lay still.



“Highness apologies for the delay we came as soon as we could,” Shadow Song bowed her Princess.

“Your arrival is timely, now go kill the Great Khan,” Sniffed Messaline.

“Your Imperial Highness surely our first priority should be to free you and your slave?” Queried the female assassin and bodyguard.

“The life of one princess is neither here nor there, kill the barbarian Khan, chop off the head of the snake and the rest will fall to fighting amongst themselves over the leadership, we shall have won the war whatever the outcome of our escape,” Messaline stated coldly, “You will kill Genghis and then return for us.”

“We can do both Your Imperial Highness,” Shadow Song bowed deeply, “Twilight Whispers, Night Cries to the tent of the Khagan, see that he does not see the dawn,” Two of the shadows departed swiftly.

In the meantime the remainder of the Princess’s private ninja retinue set to work on the chains and the cangues. Both women whimpered at the sudden easing of the pain as if feeling its full force for the first time. “We have brought these cloaks, wrap yourselves in them we shall carry you.”

“We will walk,” Said Messaline haughtily.

“Your Highness neither you nor Li’hi is in any condition to walk anywhere, let alone like shadows passing through an armed camp of tens of thousands of their enemies…” Shadow Song was interrupted.

“…The Khan he is not in his tent, we slew the guards and the servants but he is not there,” Said Twilight Whispers urgently.

“Then we must hurry, soon enough someone will discover his bodyguards are slain if not these, better we were on our way before then, time for the Fujima Neck Massage,” Said Shadow Song.

“Now is not the time to be rubbing anyone’s oh sleepy…” Started Li’hi and then she passed out as a female ninja pressed fingers to certain pressure points on her neck. Then the two women were bundled up in their black shrouds and within moments had joined the night air itself or so it seemed.

Li’hi awoke with a start, she seemed to be floating in a tub of very cold water, she shivered and made to get out. Gentle yet firm female hands were laid upon her, she realised she was surrounded by hand maidens who were also in the great bath that had unusually been filled with lumps of ice floating in the unusually chilled water. “You have been gravely burned, your wounds still bear much heat, we must bring it out of you, then we can see to setting right your other injuries, also cold water is best for cleaning the blood off of you, do not worry little one we shall warm you yet.” Explained a Handmaiden.

“The Princess?” Croaked Li’hi.

“The Daughter of the Most Perfect Son of Heaven is hot for business,” The Handmaiden rolled her eyes nodded to the other side of the pool, “She will issue commands for the defence of her city even now.” Messaline was talking quietly yet urgently with Generals Wei and Tai-Bei.

“We must be extra vigilant, the Khan was not in his tent, he was planning something, something dreadful no doubt,” The Princess informed her military commanders.

“We shall be doubly on our guard, extra sentries on the walls and the grain stores and additional patrols in the streets after curfew,” They assured her before departing.

Messaline turned as they were gone and then beamed with delight when she set eyes on Li’hi, “Oh good you are awake, though my precious one you did not miss much, these hell devils I call my servants have been freezing us like river caught fish for hours, at first it was not so bad but as time went by they claimed our bodies were adjusting and added more ice, brrrr, now look at it, like a mountain spring in winter!”

Messaline then hugged and kissed her slave even as the handmaids scolded. Still after a while the women allowed themselves, rather eagerly in fact to be helped out of the chill water. Then they were taken to soft beds and rubbed with cooling, soothing mint and honey scented lotions. Then and only at long last was warmth restored to them with towels carefully brought to blood heat and no further. These were applied in swaddling folds. “Aieee you make cocoons of us,” Complained the Princess.

“Indeed, for still you must remain while the medicines do their work and injured limbs and bodies heal,” The Chief of the Handmaids told them before retiring leaving only a single servant to watch over them.

“I cannot believe we are still alive Messaline,” Whispered Li’hi.

“I too am somewhat surprised but relieved, most relieved indeed that you are safe and close besides me,” Messaline tried to wriggle against her bonds, “Even if I cannot touch you, aieee where did I find such servants, why does everyone else get the good obedient ones and Princess Messaline is left with the interfering busybodies?”

Li’hi could not help but giggle, “Because they all love you so, even if it means taking care of you despite yourself.”

“Do not tease me Li’hi or I…I shall…I shall tickle torture you most severely when I am free,” Messaline too it seemed could find the humour in the situation and both women laughed while the servant sighed at the girlish antics of her charges.

At first all seemed calm, the women healed slowly but steadily and the siege dragged on as sieges are wont to with a lot of noise but little actually achieved on either side. Then one night two bodies not fully themselves but the strongest they had been in many days embraced. They caressed, lips sought out lips, passion rose, ardour spun higher, slow movements became urgent ones and the alarm bells rang…the alarm bells rang! Both Women sat up in surprise as Shadow Song and her warriors entered the chamber.



“Your Highness the Garrison is betrayed, the Mongols must have suborned some of the officers, they opened gates and now the horde is inside the city, we must flee,” Said the Chieftain of the women Ninjas.

“Fetch my armour I shall command the defence,” Declared Messaline clambering to her feet.

“No Your Imperial Highness you are stronger yes but not yet strong enough for battle and besides all is chaos, one more warrior will not save the city but if we save you we can rally the peasants and the towns and save the country,” Her bodyguard informed her.

“Aieee why does everyone contradict me these days?” Complained Messaline.

“Your Highness,” Said Li’hi speaking formally, “She speaks truly, study your heart, if the army cannot win this fight without you then it is lost but you are a talisman to the common people they will fight on even after Xinjiang the western capital is fallen to ruin and pillage, the Mongols are expert pillagers and raiders but they cannot linger long in lands where the people take up arms against them and strike from ambush.”

“You are right,” Messaline agreed reluctantly, “Gather my standard and my armour and my seal, I will need those to convince people who I am, for the rest people may take what they can carry easily and no more, see that my servants obey this, we shall make our way out by the secret passages up into the mountains, aieee My Father the Most High Son of Heaven will be cross when he hears of this.”​

​

To Be Continued​