My King My Curse
(A Sequel to My Lady My Mage)
Mage's POV
Inspiration: The Devil and the Huntsman (King Arthur soundtack)
:::Summary::: Arthur had it all: A woman he loved, peace in his kingdom, and a place he called home. But a King, must have a Queen…Arthur has a difficult decision to make. Either forsake his birthright and marry his love, or live a lie with another. He chooses to save his kingdom at the cost of her heart. Overwhelmed with despair and pain, The Mage comes up with a curse that will forever change Arthur's life.
Leannάn- (Gaelic for lover)
/
It seemed like ages since I had seen him in person. I had sent an eagle overhead of Camelot to see how he had been doing. The Born King. The last Pendragon. My Love...
It took me almost a week but I arrived to the castle. He had shown me over the years that Man was still able to be trusted. As well as the sexual encounters they could provide...
Walking up the brick steps, I nodded to the door guard. He nodded in return and opened the massive wooden door. As I walked in I saw a couple of the knights Arthur had appointed sitting at the round table.
"Ah Mage. It's been too long." Sir Percival rose from his chair and walked over to me, reached for my hand. I gave it as he lowered his lips and kissed the back of my hand.
"It is good to see you Sir. Where is the Born King? I have something I must speak with him about."
"I believe he's up on the upper balcony. Shall I show you?" I smiled. 'Such a chivalrous deed.'
"No I'll be fine. Thank you." He smiled, nodded and stepped out of the way. As I made my way up the stairs, I could feel the inner coil tightening in my stomach. I had last seen him for a quick afternoon meeting in the woods. He took me nearly on every surface he could find. A tree, the edge of a river, in a cave by the waterfall...
I walked down a hallway that opened up on the left side into an open space—I froze. There he was, leaning over the railing, his arms taut and flexed. She remembered all too well their strength...
"It's been a while...Mage." He said it in that tone that quickly had me in his sights. He turned and glanced at me. 'Gods...' His chiseled chest was bare, his muscles tight. I didn't even notice I had walked to him until his hands were lowering my hood and grabbing my face. His kiss drew me into a spiral I never wanted to end. He picked me up, and sat down on a bench, keeping me in his lap.
"Fuck I missed you..." His hot breath groaned into my neck. It only spurred me closer to my goal as my nails scratched his back. Grabbing his hair, I kissed him with everything I had, hoping he'd feel just how much I missed him.
His hands slid up my dress, quickly finding my core. His fingers were quick, bring me to my first orgasm I'd had in months. Almost screaming, I relished my core releasing... he didn't let me recover as he had opened his pants, his member sprung free...and slammed right into my tight pussy. I cried out as he sunk to the hilt, and bit my neck. I couldn't help it, I rocked my hips. "Oh fuck Mage..." His hands got rougher, his kisses harder, his teeth sharper...I was lost to him and the bliss he offered.
Eventually we had made it to his sleeping chambers. I slowly woke to his light touch stroking my shoulders.
"It's been too long Mage." His kiss on my shoulder had me grinding my bare ass against his cock...which was already half way ready. "I don't like waiting that long to see you." He gently played with my hair. "You cut it short..."
My hair had been almost to my butt. I wanted to change it up, cutting it to just above my shoulders. "I did."
His hand tightened on my hair, the lick of pain ignited my core. "I like it," He smiled as he kissed me again. "There's something I want to show you. Get dressed." Curious, I slid out of the bed and dressed. After a few, he led me down the secret stairs, and into a dungeon looking area. My nerves creeped up on me.
"What is this?" I was unsure. Most of the stuff looked like torture instruments. Chains, rope, a bench with shackles on it. Whips...
"This is our new room. I had it designed for us." He circled me like a hungry predator. Slowly closing in... "Down here, no one can hear you scream Mage..." His smile was devious. "Get undressed. Now." As I reemerged naked, I suddenly felt exposed.
"Do you plan to torture me Born King? What sick plans are you-" His hands tightened around my throat, but not enough to cut off air. Just enough...Gods was I wet? Do I enjoy this?
"Oh, I do Mage, but a different kind of torture..." He kissed me hard, as he backed me up to a wall. Raising my hands above my head, I was at his mercy. I was lost in his touch when I barely heard the shackles lock. I tore my lips away to look up. My hands were bound to the wall. 'He really was going to torture me...'
"Arthur-"
"Shhh it's alright Mage." He calmed me down with soft strokes on my cheek. "If it scares you too much we can stop at any time. Clear?" I nodded and he sank to his knees, his head slightly lower than my waist. "I don't want you addressing me by anything else other than My King. Understand?"
"Yes..." A slap landed right on my ass cheek. It stung kinda bad. Enough for the lesson to be remembered.
"Yes, what."
"Yes My King."
"Good girl." His smirk drew me in. He scooted forward, taking my legs on his shoulders. "Lesson one: edging." I couldn't tear my eyes away from him. His hot tongue dove in and did sinful things to my womanhood. I was quickly becoming a mess, my orgasm not far off. I held onto the shackles for the life of me. I'd never felt so helpless in my life.
It was absolutely wonderful.
He tore his mouth away from my core and slid a finger inside, slowly rubbing. "Are you close Mage?" I nodded. "Can you feel the coil tighten?" Oh Gods I could. My back arched as I felt it rise.
Then suddenly he stopped everything, and my body began to simmer. I was annoyed. "Why would you do that?"
His smile was devious. "It's called edging. Get you as close as you can without going over. And keeping you there." He rose, kissing a trail up to my lips. "You don't get to come until I want you to."
"My King..." I groaned. "I don't know if I can take that." His fingers slowly circled my clit, that dark need rising again.
"You will Mage. For me, you will."
What seemed like days, I was removed from the dungeon. I was limp when he finally unbound me. He carried me in his arms up to the main bedroom. There, he took me to the bath to clean me up. Gods knew I had red marks and bruises everywhere. So tender with the wash cloth, he left not one spot dirty. After I was cleaned, he gently set me down on the bed to rest. My eyes were so heavy, my body so used up...I was asleep before he left the room for food.
It was night time when I woke. Candles flared around the room, the soft flickers of light dancing on the ceiling. I stretched, smiling at the tight muscles. What he had introduced me to was incredible. The stings of the deeper cuts tickled my skin. Looking over my shoulder, I see My King, sleeping soundly. Even snoring a little. He'd been so good to me the last few hours...it saddened me that I had to leave. I had to return to the Mountains, Merlin was starting to worry. Even though the relationship between Man and Mages had been restored, Merlin cautioned me nearly every time. 'Don't be surprised when he falls for someone else and leaves you in the past.' He'd always tell me. But My King wasn't like that. There wasn't anyone else. Just us…
It had been months since I had heard from him. I was beginning to worry. I sent an eagle to his kingdom and circled the town square to see if I could catch him walking about. He was nowhere to be seen. Urging to continue, I sent the raptor up towards the castle. Seeing a parade of sorts, I landed on a perch nearby and saw what the commotion was about:
There, in front of everyone was My King…and some dressed up woman who was obviously royalty. They were being cordial, and such. I couldn't hear what was going on but I knew I didn't like it. He had gotten a lot of requests to marry lately…But he wouldn't ever take them, would he? Shaking my head, I cleared my connection with the raptor and went to work on scrolls for Merlin.
I couldn't take it anymore. It had been almost a year now since I had seen My King. Merlin always had something for me to do to keep me from leaving, but no longer. I was going to My Love, and he couldn't stop me this time. I went to the main doors when I heard him coming down the stairs. "Mage, wait!"
"No Merlin. I won't prolong this anymore. I will go to him."
"If you do, you will not want to see him again." Those words froze me in my tracks.
"What do you mean." I all but growled. "What do you know old man?" His sigh was heavy, his eyes were sad.
"You will not like what you will discover. The King has…taken another."
"I know he's had lovers."
"Not lovers…He has taken a wife." He revealed a small parchment. I slowly grasped it. Surely this had to be a joke. But the more I read the more official it seemed. "I am so sorry—" I felt my hands burn.
"No!" The paper ignited in my hands. "He wouldn't! He was forced to do this!" As the ashes fell to the ground, Merlin took my hands gently.
"Whether he was or not, it does not matter. Your encounters with him must cease." Turning from his embrace, I headed for the doors. "Ariadne!"
I stopped and glared at him. "How dare you use my name! Don't you ever say that name again." I needed to leave before my rage was expelled through Magick. Mordred's tale was one that was taught to all: Magick is fueled by emotion. The more you have it in check, the more controlled it is.
I had to see him and resolve this potential issue. But as fate would have it, things had changed for the worse.
As I walked up the castle steps, I noticed new guards at the doors. I could see a crowd inside; I knew Arthur had to be in there somewhere. As I nodded and went to continue inside the doors the guard's spear came down, halting my entrance.
"Stop. I don't recognize you, and you ain't royalty. What business do you have with the court?"
"I have personal matters with the King. Stand aside."
"Not unless you identify yourself. For all we know, you could be an assassin here to kill the new Queen." My eyes widened. It was true.
"The…new queen…" I stuttered with shock. No…He wouldn't… I felt tears form.
"Yeah your new Queen. Their wedding is in a few days. The announcement was sent everywhere. Didn't you get the letter? You know…in the brothel?"
Instantly, I glared at him. "What. Did. You. Say?"
"Listen, I know you must'a felt special that the King picked a whore like you, but it wasn't real!" He laughed.
"She's with me." A dark voice ended the laughter. We both turned to see a massive knight, one I didn't recognize. He was taller than Arthur by a head at least. His hair, pulled up half way, was as dark as his voice. A long scar ran from his hairline, over his left eye, and to the corner of his lips. His left eye had a small silver line in his otherwise dark brown iris. His demeanor was aggressive…he was someone to tread lightly with. And hell, he was staring right at me.
"Oh, uh, of course Sir. We had no idea—"
"Shut the fuck up. Return to your post." With the guards straightened out, he reached a somewhat marred hand out to me. "This way MiLady." I took his hand lightly as he led me around the edges of the court towards the lower balcony.
"Thank you, Sir…?" I couldn't tear my eyes from his. They were hypnotizing
"Adragain. I am a Knight of King Arthur's Round Table." He smiled barely, the scar contorted his mouth.
"Oh, I am—"
"I know who you are Mage. Believe me, all of us knights do."
"And how, may I ask?"
"Well, before this whole fucking thing," He gestured to the filled courtroom. "Arthur sat us down at the table, explained that you'd be coming and going. That you were off limits. That you were his." As if on cue, we stopped and I looked to my left. At the same moment, Arthur's gaze met mine. He went to excuse himself from the couple he had been chatting with. He was coming our way—shit I couldn't do this.
"My apologies." I went to leave. I couldn't see him yet.
"Oh, I get it leannάn. It was my honor." He leaned down and kissed my hand. As I left I could hear Arthur come up behind, but was stopped by Adragain. "My King, I wouldn't."
"Stand aside. She's my—"
"Was yours. As of this morning, she isn't your lady anymore." Adragain almost growled. I watched Arthur be deterred by a Knight he picked to serve him, knowing he had given up on us. He had made his choice…And I wasn't it.
I don't know how long I had been staring at the full moon on the balcony. I only knew it was getting late, I could feel the evening chill in the air. The party had settled and died down a while ago, but I didn't care. I only found solace in the moon. I heard familiar footsteps approach tentatively.
"How long?" I spoke sternly.
"How long what?" His voice was rough.
"Had you known? Had you fucked her? Take your pick My King." I said the word with as much distain as I could.
"A week after you left me." I turned and glared at him.
"That was almost a year ago! Is that why you stayed away for so long? Because of her?!"
"If I wanted to keep my kingdom, I had to marry someone of noble birth like me."
"I understand."
"Do you?"
"I am not royalty. I am nothing!" I yelled at him with an icy venom in my words.
"You are everything to me!" His rage came through.
"Not enough to say no! Not enough to ask for my hand!"
"I couldn't! Merlin wouldn't allow it!"
"I don't care!" I yelled over him. "I would recede from the Order. All of it. For you…" My voice died off with each piece of my heart breaking. "You and I have been together for years. I helped you through countless wars. And this…" I noticed movement behind him. We both turned. It was her. His new Queen.
"Arthur, my love." Her voice was smooth and hearty. "Who is this?" He turned and glared at me with pain in his eyes.
"No one." I watched in utter hopelessness as he turned and walked to his bride to be. He kissed the side of her head, and walked inside. In that instant, I felt nothing but hate and anger. My veins grew cold, my blood boiled.
I noticed a shadow watching from the entryway. Adragain. His face showed no emotion as he too disappeared into the hold. In that moment, I swore I would find a way to destroy everything he loved. This castle, his knights, his Queen…Nothing he cared about was safe from my rage. I glanced at the full moon, and I knew what I had to do.
Deep in a cave, I began the curse that would end Arthur and all he held dear. He wronged me. A Mage…
**The Devil and the Huntsman by Daniel Pemberton, Sam Lee**
I found a bowl and filled it with samples of every knight of the Round Table. Arthur took pride in his elite team of warriors. They too would be fated to this curse until the Mage bloodline had been righted.
Oh, brother dear, let my bed be made,
For I feel the grip of the woody nightshade.
I ground up a nightshade flower and sprinkled in sage.
Out of the light of a Mage's Moon.
But it's not by bone, but yet by blade,
Can break the magic that the devil made.
I sliced my hand with a silver bladed dagger. As the red fluid dripped into the bowl, I chanted dark words.
And its not my fire, but was forged in flame.
The bowl ignited, the small blaze turned black.
Can drown the sorrows of a huntsman's pain.
At this point, I thought of a form Arthur and all of his knights would take each full moon. A force would override their humanity, consuming them whole. Friend, lover or foe, all would be the same in their eyes. The need to destroy would be their end. My eyes opened, and I gazed out at the world in the eyes of a wolf. As I felt the curse take hold, my smile showed canines.
But every curse had a flaw… A balance. A price that must be paid. I didn't care, with every fiber in my body, I completed the ritual. It wasn't long until I heard howls and screams of terror.
"Every full moon, a man takes shape of a wolf. His hunger drives him to consume anything and everything in his path to find peace within his heart. He would be hunted as the beast he is, for the heart of Man, knows little of forgiveness."
A hooded figure watched Camelot enraged by death and fear. A price must be paid for her hatred. Casting a spell of his own, he forged her hatred with the King's curse. The longer she remained scorned, the quicker he lost his humanity. The flipside: she lost her humanity too. With each shift of the full moon, her need for blood would rise. She would have to consume the blood she hated to live in the light, or burn in her resentment.
And so began the lore of the wolf and the vampire, cursed by blood and silver.