***This is the first chapter of my very good friend Britishpixie's Christmas Wish story. Hope you like it so far my dear!!

And I hope you all like it as well...***

**She is My Sin**

A Darken Rahl Fic

* I am the Fallen
You are what my sins enclose
Lust is not as creative
As its discovery*

Nightwish

Chapter One: Arrivals and Greetings

Darken Rahl

"My lord Rahl, the newest crop of slaves have arrived."

Darken turned at the sound of the Captain's voice with a smirk on his face. He'd taken a personal interest in the conquest of Bir'hana, known throughout the lands as "The City of The Gods" with its riches, written knowledge and beautiful women. The men…he slaughtered, from babe to elder. And the women…ah, the women were to be slaves, concubines, and pawns in his never-ending quest for more lands and more power.

One by one the beauties were shuffled in, chained by wrist and ankle, some weeping, others cursing, and a few staring silently…either in dignity or out of sheer horror at what they had seen. Young and old, all bore the exquisiteness known for the region, high cheekbones, delicate frames, and lovely countenances abounded…all but one. Rahl stopped before a young woman, small in stature, plump in comparison to the willowy figures of the other ladies, with long wild curls the color of jet black. She stood silent, her head down as though expecting censure and the touch of a stout whip, until his finger captured her chin and with deceptive gentleness brought it up to meet his eyes. A pair of clear, bright green orbs met his with an expression of fear mixed with defiance, pain, and…the beginnings of arousal

Startled, and not liking it much, he said harshly "You will look up when your Master comes into the room, is that clear, girl?"

She winced, replying by nodding her head. "SPEAK!!!" he shouted, and she jumped, literally.

"Yes…yessir." Her voice was low with a husky timbre, and somehow pleasing to his ear…he wished to hear more. He moved it closer, so that his lips ghosted over her ear and grinned when he felt her shiver in terror and physical reaction to his touch. When he spoke it was in his tender and quiet voice, the one he liked to use before striking his opponent down like a snake.

"The correct term is M'lord …now, say it right girl." Stumbling over her words, she said what he wanted her to say. "That's a good child." He praised, patting her on the head as he would a small child.

Something must have snapped within her, because she whipped her head around before he could withdraw his and spit on him, "Do not speak of good Sir, for you would not know good if it bit you in the backside!"

He calmly wiped his face off as the guards rushed forward to drag her to her death…then he slapped her, hard across the cheek before hissing "You are either an imbecile or in need of an asylum. I have no use for you. Take her."

They began dragging her out, kicking and shouting, when…he noticed something.

"Wait."

She was barefoot…by the Spirits, barefoot! Well, so were many of the other slaves, but they had skinny, long feet with bony ankles…however she, ah, she had the most glorious feet of all! Tiny and plump, with toes so deliciously kissable, he all but purred his next set of instructions.

"Take her to the Chamber above this room and call on Esme to tend to her. Take the rest and distribute them according to what treaties we have made. Whoever is left over may be wives for the men…wives not concubines, they are to have all the benefits of matrimony before you take their maidenheads. Is that clear?!"

"Yes, M'lord" the Captain and the rest of his men all had identical perplexed looks on their faces as they stared at their master.

Rahl left the room filled with weeping and sorrow, deep in thought.

Victoria Allison

Victoria had been outside tending the farm animals when the raid occurred. After her parents had died of influenza she'd been forced to pen an entreaty to her uncle twice removed on her mother's side for shelter and food. Upon moving to his home, she soon discovered the price of her request…servanthood, or slavery for she was neither paid nor recompensed for her time and effort. No, more like punished when the food was not prepared on time, or the animals were not fed properly.

It did not take long for the Great City to fall to Rahl's armies. The Lord over the lands was more concerned with pursuing his latest passions then building up his armies. As a result, what was once a powerful military force to be reckoned with, was now a club for drunken men to seek out all the latest debaucheries they could find. The Seeker had failed in his quest, and was even now hiding somewhere, licking his wounds as his enemy hoarded wealth and land. The men were gathered together fathers, grandfathers, sons and brothers, all who would not swear allegiance to Rahl and D'hara were massacred in front of their loved ones' eyes. In that one act alone, the infamous warlord of the country accomplished one good thing in his miserable existence…he rescued Victoria from the hell she'd lived in since moving to Bir'hana.

Amid the chained and weeping women who were taken for Lord Rahl's pleasure, she ducked her head hoping to escape the Dark Lord's powerful gaze when he swept elegantly into the anti-chamber. Peeking out from beneath dark lashes she stiffened when her gaze finally rested on her (hero's?)...face. Dark and dangerous, his eyes glittered like onyx beneath an elegant brow. Soft, silky hair flowed from the crown of his regal head to his powerful shoulders, both of which were beautifully showcased in the deep crimson and gold robes he wore to ward off the chill of the damp evening. He radiated sensuality as some men radiate power, or a sadistic nature. His nature was raw sexuality and it made her knees go weak and certain secret places grow damp with arousal. Could he sense her excitement? Impossible though it seemed, he honed in on her…on her alone out of hundreds of beautiful women.

Their heated exchange of words only served to heighten her awareness of his power and strength and, perversely, these made her feel all the more comfortable in his presence. She made a token protest at being manhandled away to be bathed for his nefarious purposes, but…

That all depended what his purposes were…

Darken Rahl

Lord Rahl was accustomed to having his every command obeyed without question, so it was with complete satisfaction that he strode into his chambers and found the wench reclining on his huge bed, still recovering from the sedatives conveniently placed into her food. She wore sheer harem pants that left little to his imagination. Her translucent skin shone through the pale lilac fabric and his eyes hungrily followed her curves all the way up to the dark V at the apex of her thighs. By the Spirits, she was all that was woman! He longed to strip her of her innocence and spend the night wrapped in her warmth and softness.

She moaned just then, a tiny sound that struck him to the core. He turned and locked his chamber door before returning to her side.

"My dear one, you may awaken. You will find no harm here as long as you please me." His tone was pleasant, intimate and tender. Her eye lids fluttered open and she gazed upon his countenance quietly.

Perfect, she is still drugged, for she is not screaming in fear. He thought as he skimmed a calloused hand down her cheek and through her soft hair.

"I have kept you apart from all the others because there is something about you…I cannot explain just yet," here his voice grew husky as he lowered his face toward hers until his sweet breath fanned over her cheek and lips, "however I would like to show you…"

As though mesmerized she tilted her face to except his kiss, closing her eyes and puckering her lips slightly when he sat up straight and moved to the foot of the bed. Her eyes flew open…what the hell?

A table, royally set for two, graced the room with an array of mouth-watering aromas. She saw rolls, sweetbreads and biscuits arranged artfully among vegetable dishes, fresh fruits and nuts. Having had little to eat in the months before Rahl's "deliverance" of her from her uncle's tyranny, Victoria's eyes lit up when she beheld the abundance of food displayed for her consumption.

Her stomach took that very moment to make its presence known.

"My child, you are hungry! Yes, I reasoned you must be to have reacted with such fear. Well, you have nothing to fear from me dear one. I shall take care of you and you will want for nothing…if you remain here with me."

Looking at him in confusion, still groggy from the potion she'd been made to drink before they'd bathed and deloused her; she nodded, took his arm, and let him lead her to the feast.

Victoria Allison

She awoke slowly, the drug still swimming in her system, to find his darkly beautiful visage inches from her own; and his hypnotic voice weaving erotic tapestries of her most secret sexual fantasies within her mind. Was those her lips that lifted for his kiss? Was that her head that nodded in agreement to his proposal that she give up her freedom, such as it was, and stay with him? Even such as she knew what that meant.

A concubine. No...even they had more influence on their masters…and could eventually become a wife.

A slave then. A sexual slave with no rights, no thoughts beyond pleasing her master…and should she fail…

Death.

She smelled something then, the most delicious and mouthwatering smell she'd ever encountered in the whole of her life. Glancing down at the foot of her bed she beheld a round table, nearly groaning with the weight of the feast that lay upon it. Her eyes grew round and her mouth watered. Never, never had she seen so much food at one sitting! Striving her hardest to remain nonchalant about it, she opened her mouth to say something glib only to have her stomach upstage her with a loud growl.

Her stalwart protector chuckled and said "My child, you are hungry! Yes, I reasoned you must be to have reacted with such fear. Well, you have nothing to fear from me dear one. I shall take care of you and you will want for nothing…if you remain here with me."

She couldn't take her eyes off the food in front of her. If he would agree to feed her like this everyday…she'd do anything he'd ask.

***Uh,oh...should she stay??? Somehow, I don't think she has a choice. How about you? What would be your choice? R*E*V*I*E*W*