Chapter 10: Hand of a King, Heart of a King
The smell of salty sea air and the deafening cries of the Leviathan grow slowly distant, as the steady, soothing hum of the engine becomes the only noise surrounding you, blocking away the rest of the world.
Your fingers tangle with the wine-coloured hair as you thirst for every drop of the sin, intoxicated by the heat, tongue pushing against tongue, your chest heaving as fingers slide inside you. I want more. How could such a monster of a man be so gentle, so delicate and skilful in the manner he handles you? I want more. He rubs you with his thumb as his fingers curl inside you, drawing all of your attention to that one spot, your whole being into this one moment as it intensifies.
You sigh and moan into his mouth and he grins with pleasure, flames dancing in his eyes as he plays your body like a violin. I want more...
"My little darling, why would you ever resist it when you know it would be so good," he sings into your ear as you slowly dance along with his every move. "Do I not give you pleasure?"
"Yes..." you lean your head against the lifeless MT sitting next to you, wincing with pleasure.
He pulls his hand back, leaving his fingers at the entrance, only slightly touching your skin.
"But you told me 'no'..." his piercing gaze locked on you, he smirks at your frustration.
"No, please," you mumble, leaning forward to kiss him. His hands grip your wrists softly, and taking them above your head, you feel the cold steel against your skin again, as you hear a little lock click. A moment of nervousness takes over as you ralize you can't bring your hands down, and he can see it all over your face.
"Shh, my darling," he brushes your cheek, "You need to learn not to doubt me." His expression is gentle, he looks at you like hunter at a helpless fawn that has only lost it's mother.
"Let this be a little exercise in trust."
Lowering himself, he pushes your knees far apart, bringing his lips to softly kiss where his fingers had teased you.
"So sweet, my dirty little thing."
His tongue slides up, painfully slowly, lapping up all your arousal. You bang your head back against the back of the seat. He stops, lifting his gaze to look at you.
"Why do you defy me? Why do you insist on fighting your destiny?"
You glance down, anxiously waiting for his hot breath to come back, closer. He stays away, waiting for your response.
"I don't know..." you sigh, not knowing what he expects you to say. He has left you aching, painfully close, your mind blurred by the yearning for the ultimate pleasure only he can deliver.
"Neither do I..." he responds, shaking his head, coming back closer, a little closer, until his devilish tongue brushes you again, moving up and down, barely even making contact. You tremble with the sensation, grabbing the chains of the cuffs above your head, trying to push yourself nearer to him, but he immediately pulls away.
"That's very naughty of you," he chastens, "I thought I told you to trust me."
"I'm sorry," you whimper, adjusting yourself back in the seat. "I'll do anything. Please, I'll do anything..."
He stares at you, relishing the words you coming out of your mouth. "That's what you keep saying – " he protests.
"Let me please you," you interrupt, pulling your knees back together. Even the simple movement of your thighs sends waves of pleasure across your body. You're burning.
"Come here, please."
He grins. "You're wonderful..."
His eyes travel down to the little wet patch you've left on the edge of the seat.
"Please," you lean forward, the tiny amount your cuffs allow you, "Let me give you pleasure."
"You are, my dear," he raises his hands in a delighted gesture. "Hearing you say those words is a reward in itself. I have waited for you so long..." he looks away, pausing for a moment, remembering something. A flash of worry, or perhaps sorrow washes over him, only for a split second, before his burning eyes return to you again. "I can't lose you."
The blend of emotions he displays in such a short instant leaves you lost for words. You want to despise him, to hate him, you fear him, you question everything he says, and yet in that moment, you feel a sharp pain in your chest you can't quite understand. You remember the scar he showed you the first time you gave your body to him, and the same old feeling of wanting to be good to him, to help him tugs at your heart.
"Ardyn..."
His amber gaze lights up as you speak his name.
"Please let me..."
He stands up, slowly approaching you. You look up at him, biting your lip gently.
"Let me please you. Le me taste you."
He doesn't hesitate any longer, and you open your mouth, pushing your tongue out as he brings his member to touch your lips. Your tongue circles around the tip a few times, gently, making it wet before you slowly slide him inside your mouth, softly wrapping your lips around him.
He lets out a sharp breath as you tease your mouth around him, keeping your tongue soft against his shaft.
"You little devil..." he chuckles. You push him deeper inside your mouth, struggling with his size, and a low moan escapes him. Moving your head back, you pull your lips away, stopping to lick the tip of his erection. He rests his arm on the MT to keep his balance.
You look up, grinning at him. This is the first time you've ever felt like you have him under your control. You push your tongue against the tip again, licking hungrily, sucking on it like a lollipop. He thrusts his hips in time with you.
"You don't know what you do to me," he groans as you take all of him inside your mouth again, gliding your lips down slowly. A tiny drizzle of salty liquid hits your tongue, and you squeeze your legs together as, more than anything, you want him to be inside you. Letting out a small sigh, fastening your pace, you suck on him, up and down as he struggles to stay up, moaning your name as he slowly unravels, the warm liquid gushing into your mouth, dripping down your chin and down your shirt.
He flinches and slowly pulls away, swiftly tucking himself inside his trousers as he leans on the MT.
"My darling," he laughs, "My sweet little thing. You took me by surprise."
You lick your lips, looking up at him, awaiting your reward.
"I'm so sorry I kept you waiting," he smirks, steadily getting back on his feet. "Look at the mess you made..."
Kneeling down once more, he leans in to kiss you passionately as you part your knees, pushing yourself against him. His fingers quickly find their way back inside you, resuming what they started earlier, rubbing and fucking you at the same time, almost instantly making you shudder with pleasure. Unable to control yourself, you clench your legs around his hand, burying your face into his shoulder, trembling violently, wailing something incomprehensible as the blaze bursts through your body.
"There we go," he whispers into your ear, planting a soft kiss on your temple as your breath calms down. Once more the unnatural calm, the blissful afterglow spreads through your body. You draw back slowly, leaning your head against the metallic seat, as Ardyn gets up and carefully frees you from the handcuffs, dropping them on the floor next to you.
You turn your head to look at the MT, still frozen, idly staring ahead.
"Daemons..." you let our quietly, as you pull up your underwear and lazily tidy up your garments.
Your eyes travel to Ardyn, standing at the wide window, gazing into the distance.
"What happened?" you ask. Your own voice sounds strange coming out, making you chuckle to yourself.
"The Prince has forged the covenant," he responds, a gentle wind playing with his hair as he pushes down his fedora to cover it. "Three more to go."
The doors to the Imperial Manor fly open as the Chancellor of Niflheim joyfully waltzes into the empty building. You follow closely behind him, browsing through the photographs on your camera that's hanging around your neck, still dizzy from the ecstatic high.
"Watch where you're going my dear," he advises, just as you trip over a wrinkled mat in the hallway, barely managing to stay on your feet.
"Thanks..."
You hear Ardyn's melodic voice echoing through the walls as he enters the ballroom.
"Ah, what a pleasure to see you again, lady Claustra! I tip my hat to you, dear sir. But of course, what ever your highness desires! Commander Fleuret, the magitek infantry is at your disposal!"
You pause to watch in the doorway as he wanders around the parquet floor, engaging in little imaginary conversations.
"All their wishes have been seen to," he sings, turning to you, spreading his arms wide. "And tell me, my dear, where are they now, those deranged fools?"
Pursing your lips, you shake your head, giving him a little shrug.
Spotting a bucket of untouched champagne bottles left from the night before, he picks up one, popping it open as he approaches an antique gramophone in the corner of the room.
"I tell you where, my dear," he continues, choosing a record from a shelf underneath the gramophone. Lifting up his choice, he puts it on the disc carefully, picking up the needle of the player.
"They are all on their way – "
Gently, he lets it down to touch the record.
" – to hell."
Turning around, he lifts up the champagne bottle as the music begins to flow out of the beautiful old machine. Taking a sip, he crosses the room over to you.
"We must drink to that," he declares, handing you the champagne. You let out a confused sigh, and bring the bottle to your lips. "Yeah, fuck it."
You take a big gulp, getting a strange feeling it will be a long time before you'll have the chance to drink champagne again.
"Now my darling, may I?" Ardyn asks with a devious smile, giving you a gentlemanly bow.
Wiping your mouth with your hand, you place the bottle on the floor as you respond with a little nod.
"But of course."
He takes your hand, bringing you on to the parquet, and turning you to face him, places his other hand gently on the small of your back. With the first step of the waltz, you glide across the floor, as he leads you effortlessly, swirling around the empty ballroom. The grandiose waltz guides your movement, as the violin tells a heartfelt story.
Your gaze locks with Ardyn, the golden glare fluctuating between familiarly eerie, and eerily familiar. Somehow you feel closer to him than you ever have, the gradual realization creeping up on you. He needs me.
"You need me," you let out unwittingly.
"When did I ever suggest otherwise, my love?" he responds, spinning your around, then catching you in his arms again. "Haven't I told you not to worry too much? You should enjoy life while you're young."
You smile at his absurd remark. The more you think about it, the more ridiculous you find it all. Your life, completely overturned, replaced with the constant confusion of supposedly being someone of great significance. Bursting out laughing, you roll your head back, as Ardyn watches with great pleasure, the hollow room echoing with your uncontrollable laughter.
The needle skips on the record and jumps back on the track, repeating half a bar of the waltz, then skipping back again. Ardyn brings you to a halt, tipping his hat at you and marching to the gramophone. Picking up the record, he holds it up for a moment, giving it a little examination, before smashing it on the sharp corner of the table, making the vinyl split into little pieces.
"Alas, no more music," he turns to you and pouts theatrically, walking back and wrapping his arm around your waist. "Time to go and pack your bags, dear," he pushes you towards the door, nodding in passing: "Don't forget to pick up the bottle."
"Where are we going?" Lifting the champagne, you hurry along, looking up at him as he takes you to the red carpet staircase.
"Where else but Gralea, the seat of the Empire," he responds, offering his hand to help you up the stairs. Walking up the steps, you take another long sip of the champagne, breathing out slowly as you decide to let go of everything, to follow the current, where ever it may take you.
"To Gralea, then."