He walked over and took her hand and led her towards the barn. And Karina went. And she went with him into the barn like a pretty one, and bent down the way he bent her businesslikely on some kind of workbench, feeling his strong arms, his confident movements. He leaned on her from behind and at some point almost lay down, his long hair tickling her ear and cheek. The workbench staggered, Karina wanted to moan loudly under Arel, but she was afraid that they would hear her in the yard. And then she still couldn’t resist and groaned, because she even more wanted him to understand how good she felt and as if to thank him. Arel, coming, groaned too, she went crazy from such sincere direct groans. The prince was very strange, he loved guys, but he also enjoyed women. He could take pleasure and give it in any interaction. And now he fucked her with pleasure, apparently, understanding for himself her smile in that way. It was like it was an invitation, and he accepted it. And Karina didn't want it to end. She then despised him, then pitied him, then adored him, and it was not clear how to combine all this. And now, he dominated her much more than when he used force. Then Karina resisted inside and was angry. And now she was simply angry with herself – for being a whore, for being wet under the prince, and for betraying Lis. Arel let her go and, zipping up his fly, left as if nothing had happened. And she, all in languor, suddenly decided to conduct a stupid experiment. Apparently, what she had drunk in the morning already affected her actions.

Karina took the cat (he absolutely didn’t resist) and went with him to Lis’ room. Lis was counting something, bending over some report, he turned his head when she entered, and… immediately saw the cat.

And he, to her surprise, laughed and said:

“Well, why the hell did you bring him?”

“Just for no reason,” she replied, not knowing what to say.

Karina put the cat on the floor, he went up to Lis and began to sniff his boots. Lis, reaching out his hand, stroked his head, scratched behind his ear.

He stood up, collecting the papers:

“I have plenty to do.”

“What about the cat?”

“You can leave him here if you want.”

Lis left the room. He drew attention to the cat and even stroked him, but Karina thought that she didn’t regret at all that Lis had left now. And nothing happened between them, she didn't want him.

Continuing her research, Karina again took the cat in her arms and went into the room to Nikto. Nikto, fully assembled, lay on the bed. Was he sleeping? There was a sharp, specific smell of chemistry in the room, and Karina realized that Nikto had switched from the “restorative” to very heavy drugs, which she was terrified of and which she had never taken at all. He raised his head and, narrowing his eyes strongly, looked at her (apparently, the room was too light for him). Karina was at a loss, she put the cat right on the bed, and Nikto noticed him right away and didn't drive him away either, but stroked him. The cat purred.

“He’s good, isn’t he?” Karina asked; in fact, she didn't care anymore. She thought about the creepy stimulants he was using.

“Do you know what beautiful cats I have in the limit?” Nikto said. “And a bunch of other beautiful animals. I'll show you when we get there.”

Karina took the cat in her arms:

“Forgive me for interrupting you, have a rest”.

“No, it's ok. I have to work.” He shook his head. “Are Arel and Lis already downstairs?”

“Yes. And I have just finished training with the peasants. And Lis made an estimate.”

“Okay.”

Nikto got up, and they left with Karina. Now on his chest was always a mask that their father had given him back. And out on the street, Nikto always put it on. Moreover, in the narrow slits for the eyes, through which, in Karina's opinion, it was already impossible to see normally, he additionally inserted black glass, probably so the bright southern sun blinded his converted eyes less.

They returned to the backyard and Karina put the cat on the porch. He raised his paw and began to lick himself. Arel and Lis approached them. And she and Nikto began to discuss some economic issues, Karina didn’t listen to them. She thought that she was horny and wanted a man who was the only one of all three to shit on a cat, and he didn’t even notice him. And she also thought she was stupid and worthy to be fucked in the barn.

Chapter four. News from Tol

They gathered at a common table, although no one wanted this. Lis was distracted from the construction of the barracks and was clearly nervous, because he had a lot of things to do on the construction. Arel looked exhausted, and they knew that Nikto tormented him every night until dawn, and during the day, Arel also did a lot of things, taking care of the servants and soldiers from the Estate and nearby villages. Karina was amazed at his endurance, he was really chosen, not like other people, not a single ordinary person could bear the Demon's “love”, and the prince endured and did routine things during the day: watched the servants and peasants, trained the militia soldiers. Now she respected him. Because she felt completely exhausted herself; the presence of Nikto, who every day developed more and more active activity, literally sucked her out, and this despite the fact that, fortunately, he hardly touched her. He didn’t tug her with constant reports and questions, like he did with Lis, much less mocked her as he did with the prince. Otherwise, she would have simply died, so it seemed to her. But Arel was alive, he was haggard, and bruises appeared on his face, but he walked, sat and was still thinking about solving some endless economic issues. Now Karina understood that being a master and having soldiers, servants and slaves under his command was not at all easy, and it was boring and daily work. But Arel seemed to have been trained to do this, trained to watch and deal with them; of course, he often went too far, using his whip on every occasion, and more often, as it seemed to Karina, for no reason at all. But he worked, took it for granted and did not shirk. And he was not so bad, the discipline was iron. And he didn't complain either. And she respected him more and more every day.

Now he was sincerely delighted with the letter from Tol. Probably, yet, unlike Karina, the prince believed that everything was in order with them and he was living a good life, maybe because he didn’t know another.

“Finally! He has given a birth to a report. The very last! Even Kors has already noted, and Tol, as always, is fucking slow!”

“Not the last, my Ver has not arrived yet,” said Nikto.

“And the soldiers?” Arel started at once. “Does he have soldiers behind?”

Nikto nodded.

“Yes. And more will come.”

“We will win! We will win!” Arel didn’t hide his joy.

“Are they unclean?” Lis asked.

“Half-breeds, unclean, everyone I have, Lis. You know, only you are my people.”

“What's the difference, Lis! They are soldiers! This is power!!!”

“Absolutely none,” agreed Lis with the prince. “I'm glad about it too.”

“You will have an army! Your army, Lis!” Arel said. “Right, Nik?”

Nikto nodded.

“Yes,” he smiled at Lis.

And he was embarrassed:

“Okay, Arel, let's open the envelope.”

Arel opened the envelope and took out a small cardboard with a colored picture painted on it.

They froze. Arel twirled the cardboard rectangle in his hands.

“Tol sent a greeting card?” With some surprise, he asked a little dumbfounded.

“Fucking shit…” Lis drawled. “He's hopeless. It's good that there are Borgan and Coal, otherwise I would have worried about Lower.”

Arel turned the card over and read:

“Hi everyone! You, prince, red-haired half-breed (I have forgiven you, Lis), Karina (I dream to drink with her again) and Nikto.”