BloodStar

Chapter 151: The Fourth Branch

Constance stood in front of her floor to ceiling mirror within her enormous bathroom housed within the master suite at the upper most point of Khan Castle.

She wore a black two-piece swimsuit with a shiny luster to it. Her outfit showed off her long toned legs, flat abs, and salacious cleavage. She didn’t need anyone to tell her, Constance knew she had a body that epitomized perfection in today’s sexual culture. So much so that even she found herself turned on.

She eyed herself up and down in the mirror, “Mmm. God, I want me. Big boobs, snatched waist. The only girl who looks better is Xenia.” She bit her lip before continuing, “I haven’t lusted for Xenia this hard in a long time. It might not be appropriate now that she is Empress, but next time I see her, I will have to get her in bed with me.”

A knock at the door jarred her from her thoughts as an attendant called out, “Mistress Khan, you are now 15 minutes late to your appointment this evening. Should I address the guests in your stead?”

She peeled her gaze from the mirror and threw a mesh t-shirt cover over her outfit before walking over to the master suite double door. She opened both doors swinging them wide open, “No need. I am ready and on my way down at this moment.”

She strut her way through the castle halls flipping her hair back over her shoulder until she arrived at the main terrace. She then slowed her pace as she descended the seaside walkway to the lower terrace housing the hot tub.

She spotted her guests in the hot tub, and much to her surprise, they were all smiles with lively conversation. She approached with a smile of her own beaming on her face; however, to her dismay, she received not a single glance.

She couldn’t help but feel a wave of disappointment as Ramses, Zara, Erika, and Jacek were all deep into conversation. From the sounds of it, a stately conversation. Constance stood a few feet from the hot tub and sighed internally, “It appears my tardiness has allowed the topic of politics to fester and take hold. No matter.”

She then crossed her arms as she reached down to grab her mesh shirt. She then pulled it slowly up her body and over her head. As she lifted it over her head, her eyes were waiting. While Ramses, Zara, and Erika were oblivious, Jacek was not, and their eyes met as her mesh cover cleared her head.

Constance smiled thinking to herself, “Oh Jacek, I was hoping you couldn’t help yourself. Fuck the others.” She winked at him, and his eyes darted away back to the conversation at hand.

Jacek immediately felt embarrassment as he worked very hard to avoid Constance’s obvious arrival. His main worry was alleviated though as he looked around to find that Constance’s playful wink had gone unnoticed by the others.

Constance grabbed the handrail of the hot tub and lowered one foot in. She then took a second step and a third as she submerged herself into the hot tub all to slowly. The others finally stopped their conversation to acknowledge her arrival.

Constance smiled and called out, “Don’t mind me. I was quite enjoying your conversation. See! Meetings don’t have to take place behind a formal desk. With the right setting and enough privacy, they can take place in the hot tub at a beautiful castle.”

She took a seat directly across from Jacek and released a sigh of relaxation, “Ahhh, this feels so good!” She leaned her back against the head rest and closed her eyes with a big smile on her face. With her head leaned back and her back arched, the top portion of her cleavage was on full display as everyone finally took her sight in. With the jets against her back she let out a pleasured moan as if she were all alone. She could feel their stares… a mixture of hate, jealousy, and lust. And she absolutely loved it, reveling in every second.

Zara finally broke the group’s astonishment, “Constance.”

Constance sat up with a smile, “Forgive me. After a long day these jets feel so good, have you tried them, Zara?”

Zara brushed her insubstantial question off and continued, “We were just discussing the structure of the BloodStar government moving forward now that an authoritarian monarchy will no longer be in place.”

Constance leaned back against the jets again and tilted her head with curiosity, “No more monarchy? I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t hear it from the Queen herself.” Constance smiled and laughed.

“No, I will still be queen and Ramses will still be king, to be sure.” Zara took a frustrated breath knowing that Constance would hardly take such a heavy topic seriously, “However, it will not be the only branch of government. We will be adding others.”

Ramses began, “A parliament-“

Constance was quick to cut him off, “Yes, yes, yes. A parliament and a judicial branch. How novel.” She continued to relax with the jet streams against her back. “A three-branch system has been implemented successfully throughout history though you must know its major flaw.”

Ramses shook his head, “It is hardly a major flaw, but nonetheless we are prepared to address it. With four branches.”

Constance opened one eye from her relaxed position to look at Ramses. She then closed it again and said, “My, my, my. I haven’t given you enough credit it seems. And who will head this fourth branch. Assuming it is what I think it is.”

Zara and Ramses looked at each other, and Zara began, “Yes it is what you think it is. A military branch of sorts. With Empress Victoria and Warlord Xenia dead, our empire is left without a powerful Master to lead us in the world. Yet, we wish to maintain our independence. This will require cooperating with other Master empires, but it will also require a powerful ki user of our own to head a state department.”

Constance smirked at the mention of Victoria and Xenia’s deaths knowing the statement to be only partially true. She then asked, “As a powerful ki user myself, I hope you choose someone wisely. Such a position would require more than just strength. It would require tact, intelligence, strategy, grace, and so much more.”

Constance smiled to herself knowing that although the BloodStar Empire had a formidable base of warriors, many of whom were incredibly strong, very few had the acumen to lead a branch of government. She made no effort to conceal her enjoyment of their predicament as she continued to smile to herself on the verge of laughing.

Zara snapped at Constance, “Smile all you want. Ramses and I have discussed this at great length for some time, and now that the day has arrived we are prepared. We think you will be quite pleased with our choice.”

Constance finally opened eyes and raised her eyebrows at Zara, “Do tell. My Queen.”

Zara grit her teeth before she reluctantly released her answer, “You.”

Aside from Ramses, a brief moment of shock commanded everyone’s attention until both Constance and Erika simultaneously said…

“ME!!?”

“HER?!!”

Constance laid back down against the jets with an incredulous smile as she thought to herself, “They would put me at the head of a military branch of government? They are more desperate than I ever imagined. Xenia will be pleased.”

As Constance rejoiced in the news, Erika lost it, “You cannot put her in a position of such power! I will not allow it!”

Zara shook her head and released a deep sigh, “I would be happy to outline our train of thought that has led to this decision. There truly is no better person.”

Ramses nodded his head, “Zara is right.”

Erika was still fuming. She hated the idea of letting Jacek out of her sight with Constance anywhere near him; however, more urgent matters overrode her insecurity for the moment. She stood from the hot tub and took a big step out from the side.

Without even sparing a second to grab a towel, she raised her voice, “Zara! You are coming with me! To outline your train of thought as you say. How could you not consult with me on such a decision? This is appalling.”

Zara eyed Erika aggressively as she too stood from the nearest edge of the hot tub, “Don’t forget who you are speaking to Erika. I may not be a Master of great power, but I am a Queen and this is an internal affair.”

Erika and Zara held eye contact until Ramses spoke from the warmth of the hot tub, “Master Sage, Queen Zara will be happy to explain our reasoning, and I believe you will be quite agreeable after having heard it.”

Erika stormed off and Zara quickly followed without saying another word.

Constance leaned up to look at Ramses, “It is a very clever move, Ramses. Erika may not have the foresight to see it, but I do. Again, you have impressed me.”

Jacek frowned, “I’m afraid I lack the foresight as well.”

Constance looked to Jacek, “You also lack the knowledge, Jacek. What do you know of my father?”

Jacek hesitated, “I have never met your father. And I know very little about him.”

Ramses answered before Constance could continue, “It is nothing to be ashamed of for you and Erika. This decision is rooted in BloodStar history. A Khan at the helm of a military group of the BloodStar empire would be a historic moment in our history.”

Constance had a smirk on her face as she spoke aloud to no one in particular, “Yes. My father is a very powerful man. And he would likely want to kill me should I accept such an assignment.”

Ramses could feel the tension in her words, and he wanted no part in spending the next hours discussing the ramifications of such a decision for he knew them all too well already. “I had better go see to it that Erika and Zara are playing nice. I will leave you two warriors to discuss strength, power, life, death, and all those things warriors relish in.”

He stepped out of the hot tub, dried off, and wrapped himself in a large towel before following down an outdoor corridor in Erika and Zara’s footsteps.

Jacek suddenly found himself alone with Constance Khan, and the very second Ramses disappeared from view… he felt the touch of a long, slender foot run the course of his shin from beneath the bubbling surface of the water.