Delivered by the Defender (Kindred Tales)

After all, what if he wasn’t into it? What if he disliked what they had been doing? Or what if he was just playing his part and it wasn’t doing anything for him and he thought she was weird for liking it?

Gary had certainly thought so—he had complained a lot about the “kinky shit” she was into and how she was trying to “drag him into it” too, when all he really wanted was to just sit on the couch and eat pizza and watch the game.

No, better to just keep playing along and privately enjoying the fact that she was actually living a fantasy, Selena decided. It was better that way—especially since she didn’t know if the big Kindred had any BDSM fantasies of his own or not…

“…so I’ve got you seated near the head of the table, quite near the Emperor himself, since you’re such an esteemed guest,” the servant said, cutting into her thoughts. “But I’m afraid you’re going to be beside Empress the Third—sorry about that,” he added apologetically. “But there was just nowhere else to place you! So if you can just grit your teeth and bear it—”

“The seating arrangements will be fine,” Valen interrupted the servant’s long-winded explanation. “Just lead us to our seats before the Emperor arrives. I know it’s very bad manners to be standing when His Majesty enters the room.”

“Oh, yes! Right you are, Master Kindred! Come right this way, please,” the servant said quickly. “And do please, also remember, that it is rude to begin eating before the entire royal retinue is seated.”

As he spoke, he led them across the brightly tiled mosaic floor to the low table and indicated two cushions with long golden tassels for them to sit on.

“Now you two are here and your lady is right beside Empress the Third, who will sit to her left,” he explained to Valen. “And Empress the Third is diagonally across from the Emperor himself, who is sitting at the head of the table.” He indicated a rather larger cushion which was more of a chair, since it had an upright, cushioned back as well.

Like a little cushion throne, Selena thought as she looked at it.

“That’s fine. Thank you,” Valen told the servant. “Come, Selena—let’s be seated.”

They settled onto the plump, embroidered cushions and let their legs hang down into the well under the table. It was slightly uncomfortable for Selena, because her feet didn’t quite reach the bottom, but Valen seemed to have no problem—probably because he had such long legs.

The table was almost filled now, mostly with the double-faced royal Ma’shorkans. Selena looked at the empty cushion to her left with some apprehension, where Empress the Third would sit. Should she be worried about sitting next to her? Everyone in the palace seemed to be wary of her or hate the third Empress, but she wasn’t even a double-face. Unlike the Emperor and his first two Empresses, she had only a single face with no extra mouth and nose. What did that say about her origins? How had she married the Emperor if she wasn’t even Royalty?

Before she could ask Valen, who was seated to her right, any discrete questions, some musical notes were blown on what sounded like some kind of horn. Selena looked around, eager to see what instrument was making the music, but the musician seemed to be hidden. As the fanfare died away, a whole retinue of servants dressed in gold and black livery entered through the far door of the dining hall.

They marched towards the table and then, at the last minute, withdrew into two straight lines revealing the Emperor and his three Empresses, all in a line behind him.

“Well, well—welcome to the banquet, my friends!” the Emperor exclaimed. He seemed to be in a jovial mood as he came to the table and sat down at the head, positioning his bulk in the padded cushion chair and getting comfortable.

Empress the First and Empress the Second came and sat across the table from Selena and Valen, which only left Empress the Third still standing.

Empress the Third was wearing another red dress, which plunged to show her bare breasts and a lovely golden breast harness that adorned them. She was also wearing a bottom harness like Selena’s, which was made of gold chains. Her long purple hair was teased into an elaborate structure standing at least three feet above her head and her poison-green eyes were sharp and spiteful. All eyes were on her as everyone watched, apparently waiting until she sat in order to be able to begin the feast.

But Empress the Third appeared to be in no hurry to get seated. She glanced around at the attending nobles and royals, winking boldly at some and glaring at others. When she finally got to Selena, who was sitting right beside her—or would be when she finally sat down—her green eyes narrowed and she hissed,