The Tattooed Princess

Sharvur's New Game

        After five days of Sharvur's horrendous attack to his manhood, most of the Pazyryk tent villages had heard the grusome story. Some took delight in the sordid details of the Amazon's attack—how their king was now keeping his bloodied and severed member in an iced container next to him at all times. Others feared his wrath, as no other man in the kingdom had a more vindictive and sexually cruel mind than Sharvur.

            It was reported that as he healed and gained strength, his princess, Zaria, had still been locked in isolation for her alleged assistance with the escape of the Amazonm warrior. Inside her chamber she could only fear what Sharvur's plans for her were. From Mila her trusted attendant, Zaria was informed that the king had installed in his bed chamber a secondary bed, located below his on the floor where he could watch the sexual antics of others. It was Mila's great concern that this would be intended for both Zaria--as some form of severe punishment, and in the future for the more petite and subservient Branka as her former duties dictated that she please the king in his bed on demand.

            Also rumored around the palace was the present condition of Svetlana, who had healed from her dagger wounds but now was in the delicate condition with the hero Murka's child. As was the ways of the Scythian tribes since time before time, it was not uncommon for a woman to attack with intent to kill another woman who threatened to steal away her designated mate—especially if that  mate was already the mother of the man's children. Death was many times a solution to this triangular conflict at the hands of the child-bearing woman. And that was almost what had happened in Dressa's case against Svetlana.

        However, the survival and evolution of these nomadic people also honored the fact that a woman who was pregnant from a man or who already bore him children, had equal rights of those of  the other woman with children. And she could therefore live in his house, with the other mother and children, and remain unmolested. These timeless 'rights of motherhood' among ancient people warranted Svetlana to move back in with Murka and share all his sustenance with his former mate—regardless of the feelings it would cause Dressa or her future relations with Murka.

            Preparations were being made by Branka for this to occur, though it would have to be done delicately and under the supervision of others, and specifially non-relatives of either woman. Branka accepted this role, as she wanted the best for her spiritual sister and fellow slave, Svetlana. The pregnant girl of nineteen was looking more radiant day by day, and having learned through Branka that Murka had missed her terribly during her convalescence in the palace, she now looked forward to being able to see her lover again daily and nightly. For it was the gentle and affectionate Murka whom had been both her mentor in physical matters between a man and woman, and also the person whom she had come to love with all her heart and soul.

            The risks Svetlana would have--sharing now in the house with Dressa and her children, were infinitely more secure under the "rights of motherhood" code she would now enjoy. The jealous Dressa, having not faced any charges for trying to kill Svetlana before, now, under tribal laws could be severely punished and tortured should she attempt any harm to her now as a potential mother. 

                                                                     *     *     *  

            On the sixth early evening of Zaria's lonely incarceration, she was given notice to bathe herself and report to the king's bed chamber. This she did, wanting to finally face her fate. She was then delivered to Sharvur room by armed guard escort. For the occasion she wore her most regal gown and jewelry in hopes to reaffirm her position in the kingdom, but with the fearful understanding that on this night, it could all change for the worse.