March, 908 E.C.

Elnead was awash with celebration and revelry. The defeat of the army of the Black Rose was cause for endless joy for the citizens of the city, Nalista hailed as both the savior from their long siege and also the one that defeated one of an enemy of the Empire. The blonde had rode through the gates of the city, and was given a welcome usually one would afford to the Empress herself. Behind her rode her command staff and the heroes of the hour. Of course behind them was a series of wagons bearing cages. 

Around the neck of Nalista, hanging by his arms and on full display for those that gazed upon the Grand General was Prince Rickard. Stripped naked and rather exposed he seemed a far cry from the dark armored warrior that had struck some level of fear in the people of Elsira. Most of his army had been routed. The ones that had been captured alive had the misfortune of being in those cages pulled along behind the procession through the city. Tiny naked figures, soldiers and warriors made small and pitiful. Almost as a mockery, the cloak Nalista wore this day was the banner of Prince Rickard.

Her victory had never been in question once she had forced a field battle. Especially after taking the Prince the disarray had made the feared army very much mortal. Now they were carted along the streets of the city they had held under siege. Oh they had gotten inside at last, just likely not how they intended to be brought. 

The noble lady of Elnead met her at the steps to the palace, the governess of the whole region, Governess Idriana Valstar. The brown haired and dusky skinned elven woman offered her hand to help the Grand General down from her unicorn before pulling her into a light embrace before the crowd. An embrace that rather knocked the wind from Rickard’s lungs. The prince gasped as two walls of fabric pressed in against one another and pinned him. The governess was the same size as Nalista herself so it was a pair of massive breasts that pressed him, his bones groaning threateningly before they parted. 

“People of Elnead, our Grand General has ended a great threat to us this day and restored the proper order of things! Praise her worthy name and offer her our thanks!” The governess boomed above, her voice amplified off the walls. 

There was a thunderous cheer that almost deafened Rickard as thousands of elves over the city chanted Nalista’s name. It was enough to set his tiny ears ringing. He doubted it was any more pleasant for those inside of the cages. They had been defeated. He had known what defeat would mean of course. He had read enough elven literature to know what they did to those bested. He had read enough about Nalista to know she was not merciful to those she conquered. 

“The armies of Albar are in disarray, good people of Elnead, citizens of our glorious empire. Soon enough our armies will tear through Albar and drag its people to the feet of their true masters. Their monuments cast down, their wealth granted to us, their lives in our hands. Until that day I offer a gift to the people of Elnead.” The mature elf’s lips curled into a smirk above. 

“The cages bear the survivors of the army of the Black Rose. I can think of no finer fate for those that defied our world order than to serve the city they rose a sword against. To toil and die in service to their betters is the highest honor truly.” She boomed, earning a cheer from the crowd. 

Rickard’s heart sank at that. She had promised him despair and watching those cages casually opened to the elves and knowing the fate that awaited his soldiers was despair. He writhed and tried to break free from the chain links holding him around Nalista’s necklace. Of course it was no use there. He burned with anger he couldn’t express beyond crying out, his sounds drowned out by the speaking of the elves above him. 

His dark eyes beheld some of the finest soldiers he had worked with torn from those cages, tossed to the streets, crushed beneath the feet of an angry populace. Devoured by others. Still others simply saved for later use. It was a state of absolute powerlessness, the royal unable to do anything but watch what Nalista declared made reality. Unable to do anything but look at the world order that Nalista fought for win out over his. 

“Grand General if it pleases you.” Idriana’s voice drew attention. 

A pair of servants approached Nalista. One bore a pitcher of the finest wine and the other held a golden goblet encrusted with diamonds. The one with the goblet offered it out to her and she took it with one hand. Rickard knew well the tradition Nalista had for all her defeated enemies. He squirmed and writhed but it was no use as her massive fingers nimbly worked his tiny bindings and sent him tumbling down into the bottom of the cup. 

Rickard grunted and rolled down the smooth slope of the goblet’s interior. He was surrounded by rich and gleaming gold on all sides, really it resembled a bowl from in here and looking up he could see the smirking expression of the Grand General on high. His breath was stolen. Like this she truly resembled some manner of deity. A goddess of war that had claimed her spoils and decreed how things were to be for the defeated. It was a sight that books and scrolls couldn’t capture. 

The sound of rushing liquid above was the only warning he had as a torrent of ruby liquid washed down within the goblet. He was washed up in it, the alcohol burning at his eyes and filling his mouth and nose as he clawed his way to the surface. He managed to surface upon the lake of wine, coughing and sputtering and wiping his hands upon his face. He had heard nobles talk about wine baths but this was probably not what they were talking about! 

He blinked away the stinging in his eyes before looking up again. Nalista had held her goblet above her head for all to see and her booming words rang out from his prison. “This victory is for all of Elsira to enjoy. We have ended a threat and a strong enemy, so we consume that enemy and add their strength to ours. Hail the Empress and hail the Empire!” 

It wasn’t the name of the Empress those people were cheering as Nalista’s face returned to his sky. He was able to see what his brother probably saw, only there would be no interruptions this time. No surprise that would save him a rather gruesome end in the belly of the blonde elf. She tipped her cup over her lips and started to drink deeply of the wine inside. It was a torrent, a riptide of liquid that Rickard fought his way through but it was no use. No matter how hard he swam, the force of the current headed for her lips was too great. 

He let out a cry before he was pulled under the wine again and pulled inside her mouth and past her lips. He couldn’t see anything, couldn’t understand exactly where he was. What he was aware of was the sensation of being pressed against something warm and fleshy. The air was muggy and sticky and humid. He had no idea where he was but he could hear something fairly nightmarish nearby. The sound of Nalistra gulping down a river of wine, powerful throat muscles dragging it down to its final end. 

That noise stopped and then he opened his blurred eyes, able to see some dim light as her lips were parted slightly. Enough to know he was stuck to the inside of her right cheek. Moments later her tongue, the massive fleshy member, came in and pulled him from the wall of her cheek. He was settled out on the rough taste buds, saliva pooling around him as they greedily drank the wine flavor from his naked body. Her tongue curled around him and toyed with him, tossing him around, his body little more than a toy for her to amuse herself with.

Eventually light flooded in again and he was aware of a sudden drop. He fell away from her mouth as she spat him out with a generous amount of saliva. His tiny form fell into now empty goblet and she looked at the confused elves around her with a broad smirk. Rickard was as surprised as they were, just the shock of what had just happened rather made it difficult to form many coherent thoughts. 

“No. He will not get such an easy end. This one challenged Elsira. Made Elsira bleed. Killed the people of Elsira. He doesn’t understand the natural order. So he will be taught it. He will know the order of the world and shatter as all humans do. That is the fate of the one to defy Elsira, an example of all that reject the natural order.”

Her booming words drew chuckles from nearby. Chuckles that followed Rickard into blissful darkness in unconsciousness.