They brought him before the royal box, and Kalida, walking slowly down the staircase, joined him, to stand by Dagon's side. Reaching out boldly, he took her hand in his, lifting it to his lips to kiss. She could not help but smile at him, and a murmur of pleasure rose from their audience. Then the High Priestess raised her hand, and all grew silent once again.

"Kalida, Queen of Kava," Uphala said, "is it your wish to take this man for your mate, knowing that by doing so you must renounce your queen ship with all its power and authority?"

"It is my wish," Kalida replied.

"Do you comprehend that he is now your charge and responsibility and that you may not repudiate him slightly or in pique, but only if he becomes disobedient and cannot be corrected. Understanding this, Kalida, Queen of Kava, is it still your wish to have this man for your mate? Answer truly, for Suneva alone knows the secrets of your heart."

"It is my wish," Kalida repeated.

"You have heard the queen," Uphala said to the assembled. "Have you anything to say to her, oh women of Kava?"

"Is this your wish, Kalida, Queen of Kava?" the women cried.

"It is my wish," the queen said a third time.

"So be it," the High Priestess said. "Bring the mating cup."

Two young girls hurried forth from the space beneath the royal box. One carried a large double-handled gold cup, carved about with both male and female genitals. The other held a carafe. They came before Uphala, and bowed low.

"Pour the wine," she instructed them, and they hurried to obey her.

Then the girl with the carafe put it aside upon the ground, and helped her companion to hold the double-handled mating cup up for the High Priestess to bless, which she did. The cup was then brought to Kalida and Dagon, and they drank deeply from it.

The crowd cheered, and took up the chant:"Mate him! Mate him! Mate him!" This was, after all, what they had come to see. All mating ceremonies were alike, but this big man who had taught the queen how to love came with a reputation that was not to be believed. Still, they were anxious to see if those fabled attributes of his were real.

Dagon was once again surrounded by his escort of laughing girls. Dancing and singing in a tongue he could not comprehend, they led him to the marble altar in the center of the arena. Finally before it, they removed the wrap about his taut loins, revealing him to a thousand pairs of eyes as they turned him slowly about for all to see.

"Ahhhhhhh." The collective sigh went up. The rumor was truth. More than truth! The women turned to each other, chattering excitedly and pointing. Many were seen to rub themselves in lustful anticipation of the public mating to come.

Dagon's companions now set to work arousing him. A pot of pale-green cream was brought forth from behind the altar, and several pairs of hands began to massage him rapidly over his entire body. His legs were spread, and the cream lavishly laved on his genitals. One girl knelt before him, taking his penis in her mouth to suck vigorously upon it. Another slipped beneath him, and took his balls into her mouth, rolling them about, and tonguing them until he was groaning loudly with his rising lust. There wasn't a part of his body they left untouched, and where their hands moved, his skin became so sensitive that he was hard pressed not to scream with the acute sensuality that was rising up and threatening to smother him with his unfulfilled desire.

The girl entertaining his love lance could no longer contain it within her mouth. She fell back gasping for air. The girl with her teasing tongue also released him. His penis was enormous, and, seeing it, a shriek of excitement rose from the audience as they stood as one, pushing and shoving to better see this incredible man. The cup was put to his lips, and he was ordered to drink, which he gratefully did.

"He is ready now," he heard Kalida say.

His legs were near to buckling with the hunger racing through his entire body. The troupe of women brought him to the foot of the altar, and, laying him back, drew him up upon it. The audience was screaming with delight at the sight of his great love lance raised high to salute the queen. Dagon's head was swimming with a mixture of wine, and pure unfettered lust. He did not see them remove Kalida's simple white gown, but suddenly she was mounting him; slowly, and to his great relief, encasing him within her burning sheath. The sound of her voice calmed him.

"Do not release your juices until I give you leave, my love," she warned him. "If you shame me now, our mating cannot be completed."

Dagon drew in a deep, cleansing breath, and, reaching up, grasped her breasts in his hands. "Ride me, my queen," he said. "I will be strong as long as you are strong." Then he flashed a smile at her.

Kalida smiled back, and began to ride him; slowly at first, rising up, and then grinding herself back down into his groin. She went on like this for some minutes, then her tempo became faster and faster. The watching women caught quick glimpses of his great lance as it flashed back and forth within the queen, in and then out again. They screamed, maddened, and many tore their clothing, rubbing and playing with their own genitals until the entire arena of women burst with an orgasmic crowning of pleasure even as Kalida cried,"Now!" to her mate, and they together howled their satisfaction.

The arena was suddenly quiet, and then the women broke forth in a thunderous clapping of approval."They are well and truly mated!" arose the collective blessing of the women of Kava. They stood, hands applauding the newly mated couple.

"I do not think I can get up," Dagon said, a twinkle in his blue eyes. "You have totally exhausted me, my queen."

Kalida dismounted her lover, springing lightly from the altar, and said, "Show the women how strong you are, my love, and tonight I will give you leave to do whatever you desire with me."

"Anything?" he said, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"Anything," she promised him, and he leapt up to stand by her side with a grin. Kalida laughed. "You are a villain," she said.

"You have promised," he reminded her, "and I promise you a night of such unbridled ecstasy, my queen, that you will not regret your decision to give up your throne."

Together they exited the Arena of the Queens through a passage beneath the royal box that took them back to the palace without having to appear again in public that day. When they had reached the queen's apartments, Dagon excused himself.

"I must see Vernus if I am to keep my promise to you, my queen," he told her. "In another place this would be our wedding night, and I would have it be a very special one for you, Kalida."

"I am in your hands," she told him happily.

chapter 6

Vernus was more than delighted when Dagon came to him for his help. It was he who would be the most important member of the former queen's new household. Poor old Zeras would be relegated to managing Kalida's commercial interests, but he, Vernus, master of the queen's household, would reign supreme, and his mistress's consort was already paying him the deference due to his position. Vernus felt mellow, and overflowing with goodwill. He positively beamed at Dagon.

"How may I aid you?" he asked the prince. "I must say that your performance in the arena this afternoon was absolutely spectacular; if you will permit me to make the observation."

"I did not think men were allowed in the Arena of the Queens but for a consort," Dagon said, amused.

"I watched from the tunnel entrance," Vernus said, chuckling. "No one saw me, or I should be punished for my presumption. These women are so proprietary about their little ceremonies. Such a fuss over very little, but, of course, in your case…" He chortled once again. "Now, dear boy, how may I help you?"

Dagon told him, and Vernus's gray eyes grew wide, but he nodded vigorously as the prince spoke quietly to him. "Can it be managed?" Dagon finished.

"Yes, of course it can," Vernus said, "but why there?"

"Kalida has given me permission to do whatever I desire with her tonight; a reward, if you will, for my pleasing behavior this afternoon in the arena. Since I intend introducing her to some rather unusual experiences, I should prefer we be in a more private setting than the queen's quarters here in the palace. A cry of passion might easily be mistaken by the queen's guard, who could come dashing in at exactly the wrong moment." He winked broadly at Vernus. "Now, I shall also need…" he said, lowering his voice.

Again Vernus's eyes grew wide, and he said admiringly, "Of course, dear boy, I can obtain everything you need. I can but imagine how delightfully inventive you will be. I shall personally see to everything for you, and the queen will be there at the appointed hour."

He hurried off, humming beneath his breath in anticipation. Dagon's plans were broad in scope, and he wondered if Kalida would really cooperate… but one could ask.

One hour after the sunset, Dagon crossed the deserted royal square, hurrying along the private street to Kalida's home where she would live after her abdication. He saw no one as he moved through the darkness, but he had practiced the route several times during the late afternoon, and knew the way well now. He could have traveled it sightless. Entering the unlit house, he made his way to Kalida's bedchamber. This room was lit by many candles and empty except for a mattress set upon a wooden dais. On the floor next to the dais was a large basket filled with the items he had requested, a carafe of wine, and several goblets.

Kalida, herself, was restrained, spread-eagled between two marble pillars. She was blindfolded with a strip of silk, and gagged.

And she was totally naked. Seated silently near her was the young blond slave, Adon, also naked. Dagon removed her gag.

"W-who is th-there?" Kalida half whispered.

"Be silent, wench," Dagon replied in a harsh voice. "You are here to give pleasure, and to be pleasured in return, not to ask foolish questions." He removed his loincloth, and peered into the basket. For a moment he considered the contents, and then he drew forth a long, stiff white feather with a tiny, well-honed point. Seating himself cross-legged on the floor before Kalida, he ran the feather slowly along her slit, and across her plump lover's mount.

She gasped, surprised, unable to decipher just exactly what he was doing to her, yet he certainly was not hurting her.

Dagon ran the feather back and forth over the tempting little crease for several minutes. Soon Kalida was squirming, and her nether lips were beginning to pout and grow puffy. He could see new moisture just behind the folds. He plied the feather a bit more deftly with quick strokes and small jabs until he was able to push through her defenses, seeking her pleasure point.

"Oooooo!" Kalida shrilled as the feather's tip found its mark, and she began to squirm. Was it Dagon playing the feather?It had to be Dagon. She wasn't so certain now she should have offered him such freedom to act on his own, but she would look weak and frightened if she went back on her word now. "Daaagon!" she moaned, but he didn't answer, and the feather kept working itself over her pleasure point until suddenly it burst, and she sighed gustily at the release.

The feather brushed sensuously at the inside of her right thigh, and then was gone. "Whoooooo!" she shrieked as a tongue began to lap up her juices, setting her afire once again. The tongue moved relentlessly over her flesh, stroking at her pleasure point so hard that it hurt, but then the fire began to once again burn. She strained against her bonds.

Hands were fondling her, but as she couldn't see, she couldn't decide how many hands. They slid up her legs, stroking, caressing, pushing both into her sheath and her rear aperture, driving and thrusting inside her until her constrained body was twisting wildly. She realized she wasn't afraid at all, but was very excited as she struggled naked, blindfolded, and bound, totally at the mercy of who? Dagon?But who else?

The hands moved softly over her thighs and buttocks now. They slid across her belly, and up her back. A hand grasped her face, and turned her head to one side. Lips pressed down on hers, a tongue drove past her lips, and teeth into her mouth, sucking upon her tongue. Kalida's head whirled. Her breasts were being fondled, and kissed lightly. Another tongue began to lick at them, nuzzle between the twin mounds, lapping and encircling the nipples roughly. A mouth closed over a nipple, and sucked hard upon it, sending a streak of lightning from the nipple to her pleasure point. Teeth lightly scored the sensitive flesh, and she screamed softly with her pleasure.