Chapter Text
Alice sat in the carriage awaiting her imminent doom. It had all been so fast– at least she assumed? She couldn’t actually see outside from where she was huddled up against Althea’s side. She remembered her loyal bodyguard suddenly tensing, stopping mid conversation. She remembered the brief confusion in between the sound of hooves and the sound of musket fire. She remembered panic beginning to set in right before Althea dragged her down to the floor with her in between Alice and the door. The worst part was honestly what she was doing right now. The wait. The sounds of fighting had reached their crescendo some time ago, and it was all but silent now. Her bodyguard tensing warned her of the approaching footsteps before she heard them. Dull, hard thumps making their way up to the carriage from the left.
“My lady, regardless of who’s on the other side of that door, it won’t do to be sitting on the floor: will you get up to the seats with me?” Numbly, she complied. Hauling herself up to a slightly more dignified position than leaning on her bodyguard’s shoulder on the floor of the carriage. Now she was leaning on her bodyguard’s shoulder on the seat of the carriage (despite Althea’s best efforts to shoo her off as the steps got closer). Much more dignified. “Okay, now just… let me handle this. Alright?”
“What? But I’ve assisted father in managing his army, and that includes the diplomatic side. Surely I can speak for myself?” She looked into Althea’s pleading eyes and felt her resolve falter.
“Just… I’m sorry, Alice. Trust me?” Althea laid her hand atop her own. Her resolve broke. Althea had always had her best interests at heart, she could trust her.
Alice nodded. “Usual plan?”
“If you’re referring to using your deadname, that won’t be necessary.” A new voice rang out as the door to the carriage opened. An imposing woman stepped inside, built only marginally slighter than Althea and wearing a revolutionary uniform. It looked fancier than the captured captain’s uniforms she’d seen back at the prison.
Althea spoke up first. “Who are you and what do you want with my charge?”
The woman, shifting her sharp gaze away from Alice, responded “Althea Boulaide. Princess Alice’s bodyguard. Raised to become a scholar, trained to become a soldier, and ended up catching the eye of a certain royal in need of protection. I’ve heard about you! Although not nearly enough. You’d be shocked at how many of those in that little palace of yours place their loyalty above their lives.”
Althea narrowed her eyes at the woman. “Really now? That’s all you know? And I would’ve thought with all the rumors swirling around, some would’ve seeped down into the sewers.”
At that, the woman barked a sharp laugh. “Ah but where are my manners! I am General Marie Lahr of the Third Committee. And you, Princess Alice, Knight Althea, are my captives.” So she’s a general then, Alice realized. They really do get nicer uniforms.
Althea glanced to her charge, sitting blankly beside her. “Alright, well, what do you want? I only ask that you do not hurt the princess.”
General Lahr took a seat across from them in the carriage. “You’ll be taken back to our camp, we’ll send a letter to the king, and as long as you cooperate you’ll both go back to him unharmed.” Now that she was close, Alice found herself somewhat captivated. Her uniform was elegant, and complimented the dark brown of her hair well. The way she held herself combined with the intensity in her eyes must’ve made her quite imposing to have as a superior. She was certainly quite imposing as a captor. It really was a shame she was trying to kill and overthrow her family, Alice thought.
Alice hadn’t been paying the slightest lick of attention. She realized with a start that as she’d been engrossed in the folds of the general’s uniform, Althea must have worked out terms as they were now rising to leave. She looked to her bodyguard, still latched on by the arm, who gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry. You’ll be safe.”
“Oh! I almost forgot.” Marie whirled around just before the door of the carriage. “While you don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not around me, the men might raise some questions if they see a princess walking out of the carriage instead of a prince. So just… keep that in mind, yeah?”
“How do you even know–” The door to the carriage was thrown open, and the captives ushered outside.
—
“Well. I suppose we could be doing worse”
Althea looked on, silently.
“Right? I mean, at least we’ve got a room to ourselves. Even if it is a cell. And locked.”
Althea looked on, stoically.
“But hey at least it has cushions! And the general was remarkably nice for someone who’d like to see us dead.”
This finally brought Althea back down to earth. “I don’t think she’d like to see us dead.”
Alice looked at her in confusion. “What? But she’s a revolutionary general, Althea. If she were just a soldier then maybe I could believe she did it for money or was pressed into service, but she’s one of their leaders.”
Althea shifted to get more comfortable, patting the seat next to her for Alice to sit. “Were you listening while we were discussing terms in the carriage?” Alice shook her head. “She asked if you were on any medications, saying that she could provide them. She also said that she’d assign one of her personal guards to keep track of us, so it wouldn’t just be some random soldier. Also she knew about your gender and respected it without a second thought. If she wanted to kill you, to make you suffer, would she really go all that way to ensure your comfort? She can ransom you back to the king regardless of your wellbeing.”
Thinking about the whole ordeal hurt Alice’s head. she leaned into Althea. “Surprisingly soft out of your armor.” she mumbled into her bodyguard’s shoulder. “I don’t get– Why– How did she know about me? My name. She knew my name before being prompted and… everything. How? I thought she said she didn’t have good intelligence on the palace.”
Althea put her arm around her. “Well, this was obviously a pre-planned attack. So she obviously knows a good deal about you. Regardless of whether or not she was lying about her intelligence on the palace more broadly, she’s clearly been gathering information on you for some time. I suppose it must’ve slipped, at some point. Maybe someone who can lip read with a telescope watching through your window? Maybe a servant or soldier who overheard something between the two of us? Who knows.”
At least being held close like this is nice, Alice thought. Although everything else about this sucks. Well, almost everything else. General Lahr had a really nice uniform.
—
“So, when do you think we get let out for ransom? What do you think father will agree to? Oh, six of spades.” It had been two days since their capture. In that time, they had been provided regular meals and a deck of cards. It was cold in the cell, but, between the pillows and her bodyguard, Alice didn’t feel it.
“Two of spades, yours. Well, it’d take probably about a few days to get a message to the king, plus a day for him to deliberate and a few more days for the response to get back back. Then we’ll have another week, maybe week and a half for whoever’s sent to represent him during the exchange to arrive. I’d say we’ve got just over two weeks of waiting left to go.” Althea Mused.
“Nine of spades. And what about General Lahr? Do you think we’ll see her again? I’d expected her to gloat or try and get some info out of us or to do something at least.” At this, Althea only shrugged and played a seven of spades. Alice stared at her for a beat. “Why don’t you want to talk about her?” She asked, card game forgotten.
“I… I don’t like this. You read the reports, you know they don’t treat prisoners like this. Even officers, hell even that one baron they captured a couple months back. Sure General Lahr may be kinder to prisoners than some other generals, and sure keeping you alive for ransom makes sense, but why the hell haven’t they tried to hurt me? They clearly have intelligence on you, which means they’re aware that we both know things. So why haven’t they tried to bribe or torture it out of me? However important to you personally I may be, to the king I am only an exceptionally loyal knight. Not nearly as important as his ‘son’ and assistant strategist. They know they can try to get intel from me without regard to my wellbeing, so why haven’t they? Also that hand is yours, you know.”
Alice looked down at the table in surprise.“Oh, so it is. Jack of spades. Well- I guess I get what you’re saying. So you’re anxious, then?”
“Dammit! Queen of spades, mine.” She looked ruthfully up at Alice. “Yeah I suppose I am. At this point I half want to talk to the general and just ask what the hell they’re doing.” At that, she heard footsteps approaching their cell. As they both began to turn, General Lahr stepped out from the corner.
“I believe I heard you have a question?” she asked, mouth quirked up into a hungry smile.
Althea threw her hands up into the air. “Fine! Why are you treating the both of us like this? Why haven’t you started torturing or bribing me, why have you given us pillows and a deck of cards and not just some dirty old blanket, and why the hell are you still playing nice?” Following Althea’s outburst, General Lahr stepped up to the door to the cell.
She reached for a key tied around her neck, “Well, why don’t I tell you? Come with me. Oh, and princess? Stay.” and unlocked the door.
—
It had been four days since the day the general had spoken privately with Althea, and still she refused to tell Alice what they’d spoken about. She came back unharmed, physically at least, but had been brooding ever since. Alice was about to give another go at comforting her knight, when she heard the sound of boots ringing out on packed dirt on their way to the cell. General Lahr approached them once again. “Well Knight Althea? Have you come to a decision?” She looked down at her with almost a sort of… kindness?
Slowly rising from her spot against the wall, Althea stood to her full height, straightened her shoulders, ran a hand through her short hair, and responded; “I… Yes. I agree.”
“To what? Althea, what are you doing, why won’t you tell me?” Alice tugged ineffectually at her arm, looking up into her grey eyes before turning to their captor. “What did you do! What did you make her agree to?”
“Oh princess” She somehow managed to make the title sound demeaning. “I didn’t force her to agree to anything. I merely presented her information and observances, and offered her a choice.”
“Okay, well, what did you have her choose? She won’t tell me, so maybe you will.” Alice stamped her foot in emphasis.
General Lahr wagged her finger condescendingly “ah-ah-ah princess. What is it they always say, ‘Show, don’t tell’? Here, come with me. Both of you this time.” She unlocked the cell, and led them out.
Alice walked through the camp, between the general and Althea. “So, where are you taking us?” she asked.
“To my tent. We’ll be given enough privacy that I’ll be able to discuss some things with you, and answer questions.”
“Oh, well, alright then.” They kept walking through the camp. The deep oranges of the Committee forces displayed on every tent or uniform she saw contrasting against her own green travel clothes. As they approached one tent larger than the others. The guards outside straightened to attention.
“General!” The first saluted. “We’ve received an acknowledgement from the king. He’s sent an emissary to negotiate, who should be here within a week and a half of travel, barring any complications.”
“Perfect. Ensure the messenger gets some rest, and make sure we are undisturbed.” The guard responded in the affirmative before running off, his partner moving to bar the entrance to the tent after they had passed through. “Well, welcome to my humble abode.” The general said, leading them past some dividers and into a small sitting room with cushions strewn about the floor and a low table. “Now, I believe you are owed some answers.” Alice took a seat beside Althea and a few paces across from the general, and nodded.
“When I brought your bodyguard out of the cell, I did not torture her, nor did I try and extract any information from her. Rather, I gave her an offer. I know you are not the prince everyone thinks you are. I also know the fear I’m sure you feel of others finding out, and the sibling fear of having to hide. But more than that, I know the pain, the disgust, you feel with yourself and your form.” She looked directly into Alice’s eyes. “The offer I gave to Althea was to let me offer to help you.”
Alice looked at her in bewilderment. “What… how? You’re my captor, and an enemy general at that– how could you possibly help me? And even if you could, why?”
“Because, Alice, I was once in much the same position as you. I was not born Marie Lahr, and I certainly didn’t grow to look like–” She gestured down at herself. “–this perfectly naturally. I had help. Both from medication for my body, and in knowing others like me: in having someone to guide me. The offer I gave Althea was to let me ask you if I could help. The offer I am giving to you, is to act as your mentor. I can give you clothes cut specifically for both your form and preferences, I can give you support for the issues of mental health and belonging I’m sure you’re undergoing, as well as be someone to talk to about anything related to your identity, and I can give you medication to transition your body from what it is now to what it always should have been. All I need from you is one thing.” Alice sat back in shock. Only staying upright due to Althea’s arm around her. Marie was like her? She had gone through the same thing, and emerged like this? But her voice! Her mannerisms, her body, they all… medication. Right, that must be it. But they make medications like that? Alice didn’t know about anything like that, and she’d had access to the entirety of the royal library.
Alice looked up at Marie tentatively. “Well… what, what does this medication do, exactly?”
“Feminizes your form. You’ll grow boobs, your skin will get smoother, you’ll smell different, fat will be redistributed across your body to make your form generally more feminine, and it’ll slow, but not stop, facial hair growth. Your voice you’ll have to train to be higher, but it’s doable for anyone. My own voice used to be lower than yours is now.”
“And… what's the price? You said you needed something.” At that, Althea held her closer.
“Ah, there it is. The price, my princess, is information. For each time I help you, you give me one piece of militarily useful information. It doesn’t have to be major, but it has to be usable. So the floor plan and layout of the barracks would count, but the amount of stones used to make up the castle walls would not. Although both are military, one is useful.”
Alice looked to her protector. “Althea… what, what do you think?”
Althea turned to face her, stormy grey eyes boring into her own. “Well, I let her ask you, didn’t I? I think… you need to do what’s right for yourself, and what that is isn’t up for me to decide.”
“But– I would be giving her information. About the military, it would be treason. You don’t… you’re not going to try and stop me from that?” Alice placed her free hand on Althea’s other shoulder.
“Alice. My loyalty, first and foremost, is to you. Then it goes to the king and kingdom.” She placed her hand atop the one Alice had brought to her shoulder.
“I… alright. Thank you, Althea.” She rested her head against the older woman’s side, before looking up at Marie. “General– or, Marie? This doesn’t feel like I’m talking to you in an official capacity. I… accept. As much as I hate to give you anything, I need someone to help me with this. I’ve known for years but I feel like I’ve gone nowhere. Nobody outside of you and Althea even knows. And, well, if making sure you know every floor plan in the kingdom is what it costs to get that help? You can call me selfish, but it’s a cost I’m willing to pay.”
At this, Marie’s face lit up. “Perfect. Oh I’m excited! I’ve never gotten to do this for someone before. Now, I’ll go get some food for us, then we can talk and start you on your medication.”
—
“So, what exactly is this medication you keep mentioning?” Alice asked, having put aside her bowl of remarkably good soup for a military camp.
“It’s a small off-white pill. You take one each morning with breakfast, and one each evening with dinner. What exactly it will do to you isn’t really knowable; you’ll grow to look more like how you would’ve if you hadn’t been born the way you were, but we have no way of knowing exactly what that’ll be like. If you want a general idea, you’ll probably look like a younger, hotter version of the queen.”
“I– do you even know what she looks like?”
Marie shrugged. “Probably a bit like you, but past that I can’t say I’ve ever seen her myself.” She munched on a piece of bread for a moment before digging into her pocket to pull out a small box. “This, is your medication.” She said, placing the box between them. “If, and only if, you give me one piece of militarily useful information, I will give it to you.” Alice sat there, pondering.
Could she really do this? She’d been confident earlier, and ideas were already springing to mind of inconsequential but still possibly useful tidbits she could give, but the principle of it. If she does this, she will have, in an official capacity, betrayed both her country and her family. Could she really do that, all for herself? She looked to Althea, eyes wide. Her bodyguard gave her a small nod, and that was enough. “I’ll do it. There’s a cave in the small grove to the west of the castle. The well within the central keep draws from an underground river within that cave.” Althea and even Marie looked a bit shocked that she’d given up information about something so close to home.
“Alright then princess, I’ll be sure to make use of that when we’re sieging you.” Althea snorted at that comment, before gesturing to the still unopened box on the table.
“Well, Alice? She did say to take them with dinner…” Alice reached across the table, locking eyes with Marie as she lifted the box and brought it back to her lap. Upon opening, it was as Marie had described: a collection of small, blueish gray rounded pills. The box was sectioned off into five equal parts with dividers in between, and each part included what Alice would guess to be 10-15 pills.
“Each section has a week’s worth of medication, and the entire box has enough to last a month with a few to spare. Go ahead and take one! Let it dissolve under your tongue.” She sat back, watching expectantly. Alice took one from the top left section, and placed it under her tongue. “So, Althea, you’ve been Princess Alice’s bodyguard for how long now?”
Althea glanced at her in confusion “you’re asking me… why?”
“Well, we’re going to be seeing more of each other, so I figure we should get to know each other a bit better. Unless you’d be opposed?”
“I mean I suppose not, it’s just still a little… odd. How helpful you’ve been, even with the obvious military benefit, you don’t have to be this accommodating.”
“Oh I’m wounded” Marie retorted, hand pressed against her chest in mock pain “is it really too outlandish an idea to think that I would do something out of the good of my own heart?”
Althea looked away, flustered. “Well– I suppose– it’s not out of the question. It does make sense you’d want to help someone else who’s like you.” She straightened herself up, trying to recover some of her composure. “Now then, I believe you had asked a question. I’ve known Alice since she was… eleven, I think?” Alice gave a nod in confirmation. “I was presenting some new guard recruits to the king for approval, and I suppose I must’ve caught her eye. She was always following him around when he was attending to military matters. I suppose some things never change.” Alice gave a slight smile at that. “Shortly after that, I found out I’d been assigned as the princess’s personal bodyguard, and I’ve been by her side ever since.”
“Huh. Okay, so no tales of gallantry or sports competitions then? Damn. Although, I suppose my own reasons for joining the committee weren’t all too different.” Althea raised an eyebrow and motioned for her to continue. “Growing up, a couple of my close friends were pretty staunchly anti-monarchy. So when the committee rolled through town, they joined up and I followed along. Eventually I came to agree with them about the monarchists, seeing your comrades get shot by them will do that to you, and I had a good enough head on my shoulders, that and it remained there, to rise to where I am now.” Althea shifted around the table until she was more equidistant from Alice and Marie, and the pair continued idly chatting for a time while Alice waited for her pill to finish dissolving.
“Well, you two certainly seem to be getting along.” Alice said, somewhat startling the other two.
“It’s nice to have someone you can just talk to without standing on ceremony! I’m sure you’ll agree now that you’ve finished your pill. Speaking of which, that go down okay?” Alice nodded, and the three of them continued to talk into the night.
—
It had been a few days since their meeting with the general. In that time, they’d seen her one more time, although she’d mostly seemed busy with planning for the royal emissary’s arrival. “So, Alice, we’ve been dancing around the topic a bit, but what do you think of her?”
“I think… if I put aside all the political stuff, she seems pretty nice. I like her.” Alice responded after a moment of deliberation, before continuing. “She’s easy to talk to, and if it weren’t for the fact we’re plotting against each other I’d love to talk strategy with her some time. Maybe after the war is over.”
“You think that’s possible? Their whole deal is to abolish the monarchy by any means necessary, and you’re standing in the way of that.” Althea said, looking suddenly more interested in the conversation.
“Well, if it gets to the point where they’re sieging us it’ll be over anyways, just a matter of time. That’s why I gave her information on the water supply, by the way, only usable if we’ve already lost. I imagine with our agreement we could make it so that her and her forces are the ones to actually breach the walls, and I think she’s a lot less likely to execute me than any of the other committee officers.” Althea sat back thoughtfully at that.
Alice was treated to a nudge in the side. “Huh. Ever the tactician, eh?”
“Something like that, yeah.”
They sat in companionable silence for a time, before Alice finally resurrected the conversation. “So, what do you think about her?”
Althea replied almost immediately. “I think she’s good for you. I’ve done my best to be here for you and to help you with as much as I can, but I’m only one woman, and I know just as little about all this as you do. My priority, above all else, is your happiness and safety. I think she’s good for at least one of those.”
“A royal bodyguard encouraging contact with an enemy general, think of the scandal of it.” Alice said, jokingly.
“A princess and military planner taking unidentifiable substances given by an enemy general, think of the scandal of it.” Althea mirrored with a smirk. “Well, it’s getting late, best to turn in for the night.”
“If you insist.”
—
Early next morning, they awoke to the sound of commotion in the camp. “What’s going on?” Althea shouted to the nearest guard outside their tent.
“Looks like you lot might be getting out earlier than expected. A runner arrived just a few minutes ago, apparently the royal negotiator is making better pace than expected and should be here by evening.”
Another guard ran up to their cell, he looked like one of the ones they’d seen outside the general’s tent on the night Alice got her medication. “Hey you two! General wants to talk.” his tone brokered no room for argument as the other guard moved to unlock their cell.
Alice turned to her knight. “Do you think it’s about the upcoming negotiations? They’ll probably start tomorrow, and who knows how long they’ll take. They might be playing for more than just our release.”
“We’ll find out soon enough, one way or another.” was all Althea said in response.
As they walked through the camp up to the general’s tent, they got a better look at the commotion. It seemed like extra accommodations were quickly being set up, while the camp as a whole was being cleaned up as to look a bit more presentable. As they arrived at the general’s tent, she was waiting for them outside. “Oh great you’re here! With the upcoming meetings, we’ve got some stuff to discuss.”
After she ushered them inside the tent, they could see that the front meeting room had a veritable storm of paperwork scattered across every surface. “Here come on to the back, we’ll probably be here a while.”
“If I may, what’s this about? Like I understand it in some way relates to the upcoming negotiations, but in what way? What are we discussing?”
“Well, princess, the king’s emissary is definitely going to want to see and talk to you, and there’s a chance they’ll even want you present at the negotiations. I figure that given our… arrangement, we should probably get our side of the story straight before they arrive. Also it probably wouldn’t do to show us actually getting along, they might get suspicious.” Marcia explained, she’d clearly put more thought into this than Alice had.
“Alright then Miss General, how are we going to do this?” Althea asked, taking a seat at the table and gesturing for Alice to do the same.
“Okay, first off, we need to agree on a way to meet. Someplace private and easily accessible to the both of us where people won’t bat an eye about either of us visiting. Anything you can think of? You –hopefully– know your hometown better than I do.” Marie asked.
“Hmmmmm, well me and Althea go out to eat at a couple places around town sometimes after we get done with a particularly long night planning– do you want a list of those locations so that we can pick one to meet up in and then rotate each time?” Alice responded.
Marie nodded amicably. “Sure, just, remember to keep this private, yeah?”
“Of course! This would be just as bad for me if it got out as you, after all.” Alice said, smiling.
Althea voiced her assent. “It’d be a good idea to keep you to ourselves, anyways.” Alice shivered at the thought of that for all the wrong reasons.
“Say– hey Marie? I have a request that I want to get out of the way before we might have to part ways for a time.” Alice asked.
“Sure princess, what is it?”
“Could you… help me with my voice? At least give me a few pointers and something to practice until I see you next time? I’ll give you information as per our deal.” Alice looked up at her hopefully.
And Marie looked back with hunger in her eyes. “Oh absolutely dear. Here, there’s a few things you’ll need to know, but one of the most important is how to adapt the physical structure of your throat. The sounds you make are determined in large part by the shape of your mouth and throat: like a bell. Now, what this means for you is– actually princess, is it okay if I come over there and show you myself?” Alice nodded, and Marie stood up and stepped over to sit back down behind her. “Perfect. Alright, so you feel this section of your throat here?” She reached around the princess to lightly press her fingers to a section of her throat. “You need to focus on physically raising this section upwards. Something like this.” Marie squeezed and dragged her fingers up the princess’ neck, and Alice whimpered.
Suddenly, Marie froze. She looked up at Althea, uncertainty in her eyes. Althea gave her a nod, before scooching across the pillows to be closer in front of Alice and taking her hand in her own. Alice’s heart was beating out of her chest as slowly, she felt Marie’s fingers slide gently across her throat only to dig roughly into the far side of her neck, palm now exerting light pressure on her windpipe. She felt the taller woman’s breath on her ear as she leaned down. “Is this alright, princess?” Alice flushed bright red and let out another weak whimper. With a slight nod she motioned for Marie to continue. Althea slowly brought her free hand up to join Marie’s in caressing Alice’s throat. As Marie slid her own down towards Alice’s collarbone to make way for Althea’s, the older woman’s calloused hands took over the job of squeezing the princess’ neck. Alice leaned back into Marie’s warmth, entranced by the two women caressing her neck and shoulders. “May I?” Marie asked, hand trailing lower down the front of Alice’s chest.
“Please…” Alice responded weakly. She leaned her face into Althea’s touch like a cat as her rough hand trailed up to her chin. Simultaneously, Marie’s softer digits snaked downwards to grope at her chest through her clothing. Alice tried to think briefly about what the hell she was doing, here with an enemy general and a woman almost twice her age, but those thoughts were quickly swept up and tossed out by Marie’s skilled hands tweaking a nipple. She moaned, pushing her face further into Althea’s hand as the other came up to mirror Marie’s on the opposite side of her chest.
“Soon, you’ll be much more sensitive, and you won’t just like this for the pain.” Marie’s voice whispered into her ear.
Alice startled and let out a whine. “The pain? That’s not why I like thi–” Her own debauched moan cut herself off as Marie bit firmly into the flesh above her collarbone.
She could hear the smirk in Marie’s voice when next she spoke. “Oh really princess? So you’re telling me I should stop?”
Alice suddenly blanched. “Waitwaitwait nono I never said that, please– please don’t–”
“Please don’t what, Princess?” Althea asked, bringing her face in close and gripping tighter at Alice’s neck.
Alice whimpered in place for a moment, clearly eager but afraid to take the plunge. Finally, after an agonizing second of held breaths, Alice begged. “Just hurry up and violate me already–” Althea surged forward to claim her princess’ lips. She pushed the smaller girl backwards, until her head was resting on Marie’s lap and her body was pinned beneath the woman above her. Neither of them broke their lips apart as Althea’s hands shifted to support her weight above Alice and Marie’s second hand trailed down to join the first in playing with Alice’s chest.
When they finally did part, it was only for Alice to catch her breath and Althea to whisper “My princess” before diving back in to taste her catch. Alice moaned into the kiss, and Althea’s tongue took advantage of the opening to slip past her lips and into the younger girl’s mouth. The two women held each other close as Marie began to drift her hands further across both of their forms, feeling the tight muscles of Althea’s back and the slim smoothness of Alice’s flanks. Althea pushed her princess further across Marie’s half-prone form, bringing her head up to the level of Marie’s chest where she could lean down and press a kiss to the smaller woman’s temple. Althea drew back from the princess once again, only for Marie to bend down and take Alice’s lips herself. Althea peppered kisses down Alice’s now exposed neck and on to her shoulder. Spying the bite mark Marie had left earlier, she quickly left her own beside it, drawing out another moan from the princess.
Marie pulled back from Alice’s lips, and brought her hand down to palm at the princess’ crotch. “Do you want this, Princess?” she spoke breathily into her ear, slowly applying pressure while Althea continued to litter kisses and bites across the princess’ upper chest.
“Please Marie, please touch me.” was all the response she was able to get out around her moans and whimpers at the two women’s ministrations.
“Hmmmm, give it to me, first. Tell me what I want to hear, and you know exactly what ‘information’ I’m talking about.” Althea paused for a heartbeat, looking up into Marie’s smug smile. An unspoken exchange occurred between them before Althea burrowed her face back into her charge’s neck, and continued to lather it with affection. Alice couldn’t think of what Marie meant for a moment, swept away as she was by the women’s touches and affection scattered across her body. Then it hit her, and she knew what to do.
“There’s… hng– a night attack,” Marie hiked up Alice’s dress. “Planned for– for the 24th,” Marie slowly shifted her hand forwards to slip under Alice’s panties. “At– at Bardouil,” Marie gradually wrapped her fingers around Alice’s shaft. “Ah– the– the main force,” Alice’s panting form already provided some movement of her hips, but she began to jerk forward as Marie tightened her grip. “Will attack from the fields– the fields to the west, as night falls,” Marie’s hand joined in the motion, slowly stroking up and down along Alice’s length and the princess let out an even louder moan. That moan being quickly silenced by Althea’s lips on her own, although she pulled back after only a moment to allow Alice to continue to speak. “However, there’s an– an auxiliary force, hidden,” Marie swiped her thumb over Alice’s head, drawing out a whimper and using the princess’ pre to lubricate the strokes of her hand. “Hidden in– in the forest on the south –fuckyesrightthere– southern side of the town.” Marie’s pace increased, Making the already shaking princess begin to spasm and twitch in her grasp. “They’ll– they’ll engage from the flank 20 minutes into the battle oh fuck please please please, please Marie, I’m so close, please–” Alice begged, as her captor gripped her by the chin to draw her into a kiss and the princess squealed, finishing into her general’s hand.
She lay there, panting, in the arms of the two women who had just taken her and did her best not to think. She was comfortable, still coming down from the high they had given her. She was safe, wrapped up in the embrace of her bodyguard and a general. And she was content, her appetite for touch sated. It was far easier to simply not think about the repercussions of what she’d done, and fade away into dreams of gleaming armor and orange leathers.