The Overlord landed with a groan of stone and a flash of blue fire, carrying what looked like a chaise lounge on one broad shoulder. Gnarl gave him a wry look as he practically bounded out of the portal. He knew the boy well enough to know that he was grinning like an idiot under the helmet.

"Master," he sighed, for what felt like the hundredth time. "What are you doing? The minions can carry those for you. Being Overlord means you don't have to do any heavy lifting!"

The lad shrugged.

"It's not heavy."

"That's not the point, sire!"

"Is Kelda around?"

"Mistress Kelda is out hunting, sire. She said she might be gone for awhile."

"Oh," he said, sounding disappointed. "Well, Juno's upstairs, right?"

"Mistress Juno is in the private quarters, sire." Gnarl paused, eyeing him. "You should really go get more...acquainted...with her. At the very least go talk to her. You've hardly said two words to her since she came here!"

"She's confusing," the boy said slowly. "I think I'd be happy just maybe...looking at her."

"She certainly does brighten the place up, sire," Gnarl said patiently. "But I do think she wants you to do more than look at her. Much more."

"I mean, I know she's trying to...manipulate me, but somehow, I don't really mind it." He sat on the lounge, dwarfing it. "Does that make sense?"

"Sometimes it can be rather nice to be manipulated, sire. Maybe you should go engage in a little bit of mutual manipulation."

The lad threw him an exasperated look. Gnarl just grinned.

"Go on, then. You're young! Go enjoy yourself."

"And keep the helmet on this time, is that right?"

Gnarl gave him a look that was all wide-eyed innocence, pressing his hand to his heart.

"Sire, you wound me! I just want you to enjoy yourself, that's all."

The boy snorted in a most undignified fashion.

"It's true, sire! Juno's mad for you, I can tell."

"So long as I'm a steady source of gold."

"So cynical, for one so young!" Gnarl mourned.

"Well, yes, you were the one who raised me, after all."

"Point taken."

"She's...a little intimidating," he admitted.

Gnarl raised an eyebrow.

"More so than Kelda?" he asked, incredulous.

"I've known Kelda since I could hardly talk. We grew up together. But Juno...she's had so much experience. What if I don't..."

He fell silent. Gnarl rolled his eyes. Young men and their inadequacy issues.

"Sire, you are the demon lord of Nordberg, and, I might point out, her savior and benefactor. A woman like Juno is willing to overlook a little...inexperience...for that." He reached up and patted his shoulder. "Think of this as an...educational experience."

"Right." The Dark Lord rose, hesitated. "You're right. I should talk to her, at least. I can do that."

Gnarl sighed. The boy would dive into battle without a second's hesitation, and moved with all the grace of a snow cat, but around women he was awkward and almost, even, shy. He supposed he was partly to blame- being raised by minions didn't exactly lend one to social graces.

"Right," the Overlord said again.

He picked up the chaise and clanked upstairs.

Juno was sitting by the fountain, brushing her hair. He stopped short, staring at her. He'd never seen hair quite like hers, dark as her wicked eyes, spilling in a wild confusion of curls over her olive-skinned shoulders. She turned and saw him, rose and walked to him, toga clinging to her hips.

"Welcome home, Master," she purred.

"I brought you this!" he said abruptly, dropped the chaise lounge in front of her.

She stopped short, startled, blinked at it.

"Oh. Er. Thank you. What is it?"

"Um. It's some kind of chair?" he said uncertainly. "You said something about needing more furniture. If you don't like it, I can find somewhere else to put it, I guess."

"Oh! No!" She smiled up at him. "How thoughtful. You can just put it in my bedroom."

"Oh. Right." He picked it up again, followed her.

"Go ahead and put it over there, against the wall," She directed him, leaning back most distractingly on the bed. "Oh, and while you're here, could you move that vanity for me? Oh yes, that's just perfect."

She smiled up at him, red lips perfectly painted. He stared back at her, feeling oddly flushed.

"Thank you," she said. "You've really gone to a lot of trouble to make me feel at home, haven't you?"

"Is there anything else you need?"

"Oh, some more space to myself would be nice." Juno rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you insist on keeping that peasant girl around, to be honest. Her room is so much bigger than mine."

"I can have the minions knock out a wall for you, maybe."

"It's really quite irresponsible of her to go running off hunting at a time like this, don't you think?" She asked him. "Don't you think I would make a better First Mistress?"

She said it like it was a title. He stared at her, not sure how to reply. She smiled and shifted, a motion that pulled the white linen toga tighter against her breasts, patted the space on the bed next to her.

"Why don't you come here and let me show you?"

"I should, uh. I should go get cleaned up," he said hastily. "I'll, um, talk to you later."

He almost tripped over himself in his hurry to get out of the room. Juno stared after him, pouting, wondering what was wrong with him. He was obviously interested in her, that much was apparent from the way he watched her. But the way he spoke to her- it was almost as if he'd never really been with a woma-

She stopped short and sat up, smiling like a cat as the pieces fell into place.

"Well," she murmured. "This is going to be fun."

-x-

He sank into the magma-heated warmth of the baths with a sigh, closing his golden eyes. For a minute or two he let himself drift, thinking of nothing, letting his head clear. Solitude was a rarity in the minion-infested fortress, which made it all the more precious.

"Do you mind if I join you?"

He opened his eyes, frowning. Juno stood at the edge of the bath, wearing nothing but a towel around her generous curves. He swallowed, trying to find his voice.

"Sure," he managed, hoped he sounded nonchalant.

She smiled at him and dropped the towel, slinking towards him. He stared at her, entranced by the sway of her hips, her heavy breasts, the soft dark thatch of hair where her thighs joined. She smirked, watching his eyes move over her, slipped into the water beside him.

"I never got a chance to thank you properly for thanking me," she said, voice like velvet. "You've gone to so much trouble for me."

Juno slid into his lap, and his hands went to her hips, hesitant. She trailed her hands over his shoulders, down his chest, trying not to shiver at how strange his skin felt beneath her fingers. He was warm, she realized, surprised, warm as the Empire sun in summer. She traced the strange patterns in his skin, fascinated.

"You have a lot of scars," she said slowly. "How did you get all these?"

"They're not scars." He sounded amused. "Gnarl says it's the mark of magic. I think the Cataclysm had something to do with it."

"Ugh, don't talk about that gross old troll."

"Sorry."

She moved her hands lower, gave him a look through her lashes that made his heart race. She felt his hands tighten on her hips and smiled, trailing her fingers down in increments, teasing. He felt like he'd been carved from living marble, she thought, marveling. She'd slept with gladiators who hadn't been as well built.

"Isn't this nice?" she purred. "Just the two of us." She reached down, stroking. "Wouldn't it be nice if it could always be this way?"

He was tongue tied. Juno smiled, slipped off his lap and to her knees, ducked her head under the warm waters and took his cock into her mouth. He gasped, tangling broad fingers in her hair, pushing her head down without thinking. She pulled back, startled, scratched his wrist, thrashing. He let go. She popped up out of the water with a gasp, glaring at him as she backed away.

"What the hells?" She snapped. "Are you trying to drown me?"

"Shit! No, I'm sorry, I didn't- I wasn't-"

She stared at him, then shook her head and smiled.

"Just...be careful, will you?" She knelt again, sliding her hands up his thighs. "You're just...so much stronger than me. And so much...bigger."

She took him into her mouth again, tongue tracing the tip of his cock. She heard him grit his teeth, looked up to see him resting his arms on the rough rock wall of the hot spring. She smiled, working her way lower, wrapped her hand around the base of the shaft. She heard him groan. She slid a hand from his thigh, up to cup his balls, felt him stiffen. She pulled back, smiling.

"Are you enjoying this?"

"Don't stop," he commanded, voice hard as steel.

Something in her answered immediately, and she wrapped her lips around him again. She took him as deep into her throat as she could, mouth wet and hot, hands working skillfully, employing all her arts. He came quickly, gasping, head thrown back, hands tightening on the stone so hard that it creaked. She tilted her head back and swallowed, water running down her breasts, licked her lips and gave him a sly smile.

"See what I can do for you?" she asked.

"Gods," she thought she heard him say.

"Think about it. Just you, and me, and the private quarters all to ourselves." She climbed out of the bath and wrapped the towel around herself. "I'll be waiting for your answer."

He felt dazed. He stared after her, gaping like an idiot, and then shook himself, trying to get hold of himself.

She wanted him to get rid of Kelda, which wasn't about to happen, obviously. He should explain that to her, he thought. So things were clear. He rose and dried himself off, pulled on his trousers and went to her room, trying to convince himself he had no ulterior motives at all.

The door swung open at his touch. Juno lay back on the bed, candlelight dancing over her bare skin. She beckoned to him, smiling wickedly.

"Come here," she whispered.

He went to her like an eager puppy. Juno grinned, put a slim foot against his chest as he climbed onto the bed, stopping him in his tracks. She had him eating out of her hand, she thought, gleeful.

"Let's take this slow, my knight," she purred. "We have all the time in the world."

He just looked down at her, face unreadable, brilliant eyes expressionless. She shifted, suddenly uncomfortable, wondering for the first time what he really saw when he looked at her.

"Gods, you're gorgeous."

She relaxed, preening, as he kissed the top of her foot, sliding a hand up her leg. Men had been telling her that for years, she thought, though with never quite such reverence. He was hers, she thought, smirking.

He spread her legs apart and hesitated, suddenly seeming almost shy.

"Do you-" he started to ask, stopped.

"Do I what?"

"I want to try something," he said slowly. "I've...read about this, but I haven't..."

She gave him a suspicious look, part of her worrying about what a Dark Lord might want to try in bed.

"What is it?"

"Just tell me if you don't like it, and I'll stop."

"What are you-"

He bent his head, and she felt his tongue teasing at her clit, tentative. She gasped, arced her hips towards him.

"Oh, oh gods. Yes, keep going."

He was a little clumsy, but he was certainly enthusiastic. She wrapped her legs over his shoulders, buried her fingers in his hair, guiding him.

"A little faster," she whispered. "Oh gods, yes, yes, just like that. Put your fingers there, yes, just like that, yes, oh gods, don't stop-"

He was a quick study. She writhed beneath his touch, body burning with the heat of him. She felt his tongue exploring her, curious, teasing moans from her lips. She was used to faking, used to rough men who used her fast and paid her for the pleasure. She wasn't used to someone, well, making love to her, with a strangely gentle care and delicacy.

She stopped him at last, flush and shaking. He looked up at her, concerned, suddenly seemed uncertain.

"Was that...was it not alright?" He asked.

"It was more than alright," she said breathlessly, undid his belt with the ease of long practice. "But I want you in me. Please."

He held himself above her, straddling her. She stared up at him and shivered. He was so strange, she thought- she wasn't even sure if he was entirely human. For an instant she wondered if what she was doing was wise, and then he kissed her neck with lips as hot as sun-warmed stone. She moaned, guiding him into her, arcing her hips to meet him.

He stared down at her as he fucked her, wondering what it would feel like to break her. There was a dark part of him that wanted to leave bruises on her olive skin, twist her curly hair in his fist until she whimpered and begged him to let her go. She met his eyes with a smile, trailed her hand down his stomach, reached down and did something that made his mind go blank for a second. He pushed the thoughts away, holding himself carefully above her. She had called him her knight, he thought. He had been her rescuer. She wasn't afraid of him now, but what would she think of him if she could see into his head?

Juno did something else with her fingers, teasing, drawing him back to her. She trailed her nails down his back, moaning, and part of him thought of Kelda, how she'd clawed him hard enough to draw blood. He pumped into her mechanically, trying not to think. Juno came with a cry, shuddering, and he snapped back to the present. She moaned, wrapped her arms around his neck, nipped at his shoulder.

"Oh gods," she whispered. "Gods, you feel so good."

She curled her legs around his hips, and he drove into her harder. She gasped, made a small noise of pain, and he came, panting. She smiled up at him, eyes dancing.

"How was that?"

He sat back on his heels, looking down at her. She smiled and stretched.

"Well? Say something."

"You're..." he shook his head, still staring.

"I'm incredible, I know." She slid a slender foot up his thigh, smirked. "It's like we're made for each other."

"Hmm."

She frowned, sat up. He looked distracted. That had never happened before. She slid her hand between his legs, fondling him, felt him harden at her touch.

He was only a man, after all...even if he did have a certain...stamina. She hadn't met a man yet who could resist her charms.

"You're not tired yet, are you?" she asked him, teasing. "I have so many more things to show you."

"No." He ran a hand through her hair, surprised by how soft it was. "I'm not tired."

"Good." She pushed him down onto the bed, wicked. "But this time, I get to be on top."