“Anya and Yevgeny have managed to get a number of loyalists inserted into the palace.” Greta said. “Many of the maids have been loyal to your family for years, and I instructed some of my guards to pretend to be loyal to Antyny once we realized the palace was lost.” She glanced down sadly and Janessa reached out a hand to comfort her friend. Greta smiled up at the former prince and continued, a slight hitch in her voice.
“With their help, we will be able to move around the palace in secret and pass information onto your forces who are still battling the rebels.” She said. Janessa felt a wave of relief wash over her. She’d felt scared and alone for what felt like days. The amulet had protected her from the rebels, but it was growing harder and harder to remember what she’d been like as a man.
After their conversation, Janessa and Greta emerged from the private room into the main chamber. Borya lay asleep, a satisfied smile on her face, while Francesca lifted her head up, looking exhausted but just as happy. “The king is such a wonderful lover.” She purred. “You’ll love it here, Greta.”
Several weeks passed, and before long several more former men had joined the harem as beautiful women devoted to Antyny. Janessa was impressed at Greta’s skill at posing as a devoted woman; whenever Antyny scooped her up into his muscular arms she giggled and squealed with the same excitement as Janessa or any of her harem sisters, kissing the king with a fervor that would have made Janessa think she had no memory of ever having been a man.
Slowly but surely information began to reach their ears. The guards outside the harem talked freely, and reports of battles won and lost flowed freely. The men seemed happy them were able to stay in the comfort of the palace, rather than marching through storms and heat and mud to clash with rebels that Antyny’s forces never seemed able to catch.
Antyny visited the harem more and more as the days went by, and Janessa wondered how much time he was spending ruling. It was mid-day, and instead of sitting in the throne room he was in the harem quarters with her. Clad in a very skimpy, short jade green dress that was almost transparent, Janessa shivered in excitement as he pulled her in for a kiss, one hand wrapped around her waist. Just outside the room she could hear Greta giggling and moaning as she made out with one of Antyny’s commanders.
“Janessa….” Antyny said softly as he reached over, caressing at the beautiful redhead’s breasts. Before long Janessa was naked and pinned beneath the new king as he thrust into her. As usual, it felt wonderful, and Janessa almost wished she could stay like this forever.
A short time later she lay in his arms, exchanging the occasional kiss with the man as they dozed. The amulet felt warm and comfortable against her skin, but thankfully Antyny hadn’t shown any serious interest in it.
Janessa decided to ask a few questions about the war, making sure to word her questions carefully as to not draw suspicion. Antyny answered without hesitation, and soon Janessa knew of several places were additional rebel troops would be sent, as well as different kingdoms Antyny hoped to forge alliances with in the future.
Antyny eventually departed, and Janessa slowly rose from the bed and emerged into the main chambers, catching Greta’s eye. Almost a dozen women—none of whom had been female before they had displeased Antyny—lounged around the harem, in their uniforms or the sorts of short dresses Janessa wore. She caught Greta’s eye, and made a subtle gesture to let her former guard know she had information to pass on.
Late that night, when all of the other were sleeping, one of Greta’s former soldiers silently slipped into the chamber, where Janessa passed him a note containing the information. None of the royalists working as agents in the palace knew Janessa was the prince, much to her relief. The fewer people who knew, the safer she and Greta would be.
Next….