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The party is very fine, all things considered – with one exception. When she spots her Seneschal, it's with a little guilt and a lot of relief. 

"Abelard!" Katherine purrs. "Lord Ryskamp was just telling me about his time on Tempest II. You have to hear it."

Ryskamp launches into his tale from the start. Abelard, far too dignified to glare at his own Lord Captain, stands stiffly as Katherine abandons them both. She'll find a way to thank him later. 

Her plan is to slip into the entry hall, then loop back around a side entrance. Maybe she can find Kibellah, or wherever Yrliet's slunk off to. She thought she saw Pasqal and Nomos still near the windows, as well; surely Nomos would enjoy meeting Lord Ashton, or that Lady Kishor, as long as they're cautious about it…

A figure distracts her, and she pauses. 

"Lady Sauerbeck!" Katherine calls out, surprised. "I didn't know anyone else was out here."

Regina Sauerbeck, standing halfway up the staircase at the side of the entry hall, turns with a smile. "Lord Captain von Valancius! A pleasure to see you again. I was admiring these." 

She waves a hand at the portraits lining the wall. Ancient, elegant von Valanciuses watch with painted eyes as Katherine mounts the stairs, joining Lady Sauerbeck. 

"Do you know who they are?" With the tip of her fan, Regina touches the edge of one golden frame. Her dress is cut low, a band of complicated lace the only thing keeping it from being positively indecent. Katherine lets her gaze linger; when she looks back up, Regina is blushing. 

"Oh, some old ancestors," Katherine smiles. It's an easy, lazy sort of smile. Arrogant. "I find myself not caring much. I'd rather admire you, my Lady Sauerbeck."

It's a horrible line – downright awful – but Regina simpers behind her fan anyway. Good woman. "Why, Lord Captain…"

Katherine draws nearer, enjoying the sudden power of the situation. "I can think of quite a few things, actually, I'd like to do with you."

"Lord Captain!" She flutters her eyelashes. "I'm a married woman, you know."

Katherine is a little shorter than Regina – a fact emphasized by Regina's high pile of curls and waves, while Katherine's own dark hair hangs loose around her shoulders. Sheer confidence is in her favor, however. She trails a hand from Regina's waist to her sternum, then pushes her against the wall. It's more of a suggestion than an actual push – she's not a beast – but Regina cedes easily. 

"I'm aware." She doesn't particularly care, but she is aware.

 "Of course, they say a Rogue Trader can have whatever she wants…" Regina places her hand over Katherine's, then tilts her head. "Who would I be to fight that?"

"Who indeed," Katherine murmurs, considering the noblewoman with narrowed eyes. Regina's heartbeat thuds beneath her palm. 

When she steps forward, she shifts to take each of Regina's hands in her own, interlacing their fingers. The fan is dropped with a clatter as Katherine pins Regina to the wall with her body, hands held on either side of Regina's head.

Katherine kisses her deeply, greedily. There is no soft buildup, no sweet slow chasteness. There's only Regina's soft lips parting under Katherine's, ceding quickly to her demanding tongue. 

For she is a Rogue Trader. And if Regina's here and willing to be so taken – well. 

Regina shifts against her, and Katherine feels the swell of her breasts against her own. It's enjoyable, the way she squirms. So is the way her ruby lipstick has started to smear, made messy by Katherine's kisses. 

A curl of heat is settling wonderfully between Katherine's legs, a simmering thing born of arousal and power and the sheer softness of Lady Sauerbeck's body against her own. She pushes one thigh between Regina's legs; the noblewoman starts, then gasps as Katherine ducks to nip at the side of her neck. 

"Don't mark me," she manages. "Lord Sauerbeck –"

Katherine tightens her grip on Regina's hands in response, pinning her firmer against the wall. The skin of Regina's throat is soft beneath her teeth, and tastes of expensive perfume as she sucks against it. 

"Giving your own Rogue Trader orders, Lady Sauerbeck?" She pulls back to admire the bruise she's left. It's stark against Regina's complexion, dark red and pretty. "I've executed people for less than that."

"I only meant –" Regina falters, then moans as Katherine jams her leg further between her thighs. 

She is aware of the soiree still happening dangerously close to them. She can hear soft clinks of glasses, chatter, laughter; which means anyone could surely also hear them, carrying on so on the stairs.  

Katherine doesn't unduly care – let them gossip! let them know their new Rogue Trader can have what she wants, who she wants – but she also doesn't relish the idea of being caught like Scholum brats kissing behind the bunks. And hickeys aside, if Lady Sauerbeck wants discretion…

"Shh." Untangling one hand from the noblewoman's, Katherine shoves her fingers into Regina's mouth. "Or I'll find something better for your mouth to do."

Regina's tongue convulses as she gags, before she nods as best she can. Her lips close around Katherine's knuckles; she stifles a groan as Regina's tongue tremors again, then swirls against her. 

"Talented." Her voice is rough. "Now stay quiet." 

Seizing a fistful of Regina's dress, she ruches the skirts around her waist. Her own pants stay on; she'll take care of herself later. 

Or maybe Regina can. There's a long night ahead of them, and her office isn't far off. The image of herself behind the heavy desk, Lady Sauerbeck on her knees as she uses that talented tongue, is enough to make the breath catch in her chest. 

For now, she pushes her fingers a little deeper into Regina's mouth, just because she can, before pulling them out fully. Strands of saliva connect them to Regina's ruby-painted lips, glittering delicate as spiderwebs under the chandeliers' high lumens. 

"We shouldn't –" Regina gasps as soon as her mouth is free again. "Don't go too far, Lady Kath –"

Katherine runs spit-slick fingers over the silk of Lady Sauerbeck's underthings, then snaps her garter against her thigh. Regina yelps. 

"If you continue to be so noisy," Katherine murmurs, "I'm going to take your garter and stocking, and gag you with it."

She digs her nails into Regina's thigh. She's delightfully plump under the layers of skirts: she's able to grab her hip and squeeze as she speaks, sinking her fingers into the tender flesh. 

"Yes, Lord Captain," Regina gasps, shivering. 

"Good," Katherine says. Leaving little crescents where her nails pressed, she rubs her thumb against the thin fabric of Regina's undergarments. Regina bites her lip as she rocks into it. "Take these off."

"Lord Captain, should we really…"

Katherine wrenches the panties down herself. She's lost most of Regina's saliva to her underthings – but as she parts her lower lips with a dragged finger, she's pleased to find her wet enough for it not to matter. 

"Should we…?" Katherine repeats, teasing against that wetness. The noblewoman gasps, then visibly bites down on her lip, quieting herself. Still she emits little whimpers, breathy and needful, each sending a little shiver of pleasure through Katherine. "Should we, Lady Sauerbeck? Hm?"

Lady Sauerbeck only squirms against her, legs spreading easily beneath Katherine's ministrations. 

Katherine circles once more, then pushes two fingers deep inside of Regina, not stopping until she's knuckles-deep within the noblewoman. Regina does moan now, quite loudly, and the wantonness of the sound sears through Katherine to pool between her own legs. 

She doesn't allow Lady Sauerbeck any time to adjust to the intrusion. She only rocks her wrist, driving her fingers hard and fast. Regina pants and mewls, clinging to Katherine as she whines into her shoulder. She's slippery against her hand, growing wetter even as she tightens and trembles around Katherine's fingers. 

"I'm –" Regina gasps. "Lord Captain, I'm going to –"

She can feel how close Regina is, in the way her cunt flutters and the way her thighs are shaking, whole body starting to tremble against Katherine's. 

"You can come," Katherine purrs, "when I say you can come. Do you understand, Lady Sauerbeck?"

"I…" Regina whimpers. "Yes, Lord Captain." 

Her free hand returns to holding Regina's against the wall; she clings to Katherine's grip. If she wasn't pinning her by hand and by cunt, she thinks Lady Sauerbeck might collapse to the floor. She keeps her pace steady, working Regina nearer and nearer to completion. 

"Do you want to come, Lady Sauerbeck? Clench around your Rogue Trader's fingers like a good little noblewoman?"

Lady Sauerbeck just groans unintelligibly, hips thrusting to meet Katherine's hand. Her eyes wheel, lashes fluttering. 

That's good enough for Katherine. Letting the palm of her hand rock against Regina's clitoris, she keeps driving her fingers steadily into her. She presses fervent kisses against her throat, her ear, the smeared lipstick at the edge of her mouth, then murmurs against her lips: "Come for me, Regina. Come for me. Good girl."

Lady Sauerbeck orgasms with a cry: Katherine presses her mouth against hers, swallowing the sound. She shakes against Katherine's body, tremoring deliciously around her fingers.

She kisses Regina through her comedown, tongue soft and hot against her own, as footsteps sound from downstairs. Someone else has left the soiree; a glance over her shoulder confirms that yes, it's Lord Sauerbeck. He stands in the open doorway dividing party and entry hall, backlit by the brighter lumens of the celebrations. 

"Regina!" He calls, scanning the empty hall. "Where have you gone?"

Katherine withdraws her fingers slowly, letting the skirts fall back with a rustle; the noblewoman leans against the wall, still trembling slightly. With her thumb, Katherine pulls gently at Regina's bottom lip.

"Lord Sauerbeck –" she starts.

"Will find us up here shortly," Katherine says agreeably. "So let's clean up the evidence, shall we?"

Regina's eyes widen. But she lifts Katherine's hand, as elegantly as if she were asking for a dance, and takes the two still-wet fingers into her mouth. 

"Talented!" Katherine purrs again, as Regina's tongue laps at the remnants of her own arousal. She pulls her fingers out with a soft pop, and watches, smug, as Lady Sauerbeck swallows. 

"Regina!" Lord Sauerbeck says from the bottom of the stairs. "I've been looking – oh. Rogue Trader. I didn't realize you were out here…with my wife."

"She's been most agreeable company," Katherine calls back. "We've decided to become penpals."

"I see." Lord Sauerbeck's eyes flicker from Katherine, one hand still holding Lady Sauerbeck's, to his flushed wife. Does he notice the bruise upon her throat, the saliva on Katherine's fingers? "Regina, come here."

It doesn't matter either way, honestly. She's had her fun, and stands smug, now, in her lordly apathy. 

Katherine lifts Regina's hand and kisses it, then watches as she runs down the stairs.