Chapter 19: Etain-Laim-ChiefHow: Dark thoughts.

I must say, I'm disappointed. I got one review. Though, I suppose I must apologize to a few reviewers from the last chapter, who-due to my computer's incompetence- were accidentally deleted from my thank yous. So, as I have n utter lack of reviews for this one, I'll answer them now.

ChildlikeEmpress- My wonderful numero uno reviewer. Thank you sooo much for reviewing! Eventually, yes, there is a rather inevitable battle. I'm still working on it! Thanks again!

BebegurlPR- Thanks for reviewing! I'm sorry you got cut out!

Jenny- Thanks!

TJ- You don't really think I'd leave Fulcinia unhappy and broken for the rest of her life, now do you? Thanks for the review!

Note- As I was in a terrible mood, there is no real MRC in this chapter. It gets kind of smutty near the end, but it reflects my dark mood. I wrote about the supposed villains, because whatever anyone tells you, the villains always win. When you see a movie or read a book with a truly heinous character in it, who do you remember, the evil one, or the pure one? I always find the evil ones to be more interesting from a psychological standpoint.

Etain watched Laim's chest rise and fall. She had gone to him on Rebekah's orders, though it wasn't exactly a sacrifice to roll around with this one for a while. What made her want to hiss was Rebekah shaming her in front of the group. Etain remembered the scene vividly. She had seen Tristan from across the fire. He was a very attractive man, and she was getting bored of the men available to her. After hearing Merlin's announcement that the Sarmatians had saved the Ladies, he was a very attractive man. If he was in favor, and he took her, so would she. So she had settled herself down right on his lap, trying to remember exactly how Rebekah had done it before. Rebekah always managed to charm men. She wasn't even that pretty! Etain was. She was better than that bitch in every respect. Both of their mothers had been warriors. Rebekah's mother may have been higher placed than hers, but Etain's father's status was much higher than Rebekah's father's. She should be the one to march equally with Guinevere, not some slut who had only joined the tribe five years ago! It was maddening! Why didn't anyone else see how hideous she was? Why didn't Laim?

Laim wanted Rebekah. To him, Rebekah was a goddess. He only shared his bed with Etain occasionally, and even then; it was only to keep boredom at bay. It angered him that he could want Rebekah so badly, but she never gave him a second glance. They had made love, if that was the correct term-as Rebekah saw it only as a release- only once, before a battle. He could still feel her flesh beneath his fingers. He could still taste her lips, her tongue. He could still see her writhing beneath him, over him, beyond him. It had been the ultimate experience for Laim, but Rebekah was unaffected. The next morning she had strapped on her battle gear, and left. She had never asked for him again. Laim had been crushed, and had run to the arms of a sympathetic girl, an ambitious girl. A girl who would bed him for her own advantage. Etain. She was himself, in the female form. Someone once said that before we are born, we are merely souls. When we have earthly bodies, our soul is split in two, and put into two separate bodies. We spend the rest of our lives looking for the other half of our soul. Etain was his, but he didn't want it. He had enough of his soul as it was. He wanted her.

Etain remembered that stance oh so well. Rebekah had stood, weight shifted to one side, head cocked, eyebrow raised. Her eyes had flashed dangerously, a smile that did not reach her eyes firmly in place. Her hands poised on her hips in the finishing touches. She was a woman. The posture, the tone, clearly implied what she was. She was staking her territory, warning off all others. 'he's mine.' She had insulted her coolly, not even blinking when Etain had tried to return the gesture. No one was left with any doubt who the alpha female was there. Etain had left in disgrace, looking over her shoulder in time to see the slut lean closer to Tristan, whispering in his ear. The bitch needed to be put in her place. It couldn't be done in the open, Rebekah had seduced too many to her cause. No, this would require cunning, this would require information.

Battle was a chancy business at best. People gambled with their lives when they took a sword into their hands. Why, one could easily be scarred for life, maimed for all eternity, even killed. Especially if one was a leader. Rebekah had always been the first one to throw herself into the fray. She saw it as a way of winning over peoples loyalties, of inspiring them. It was not required that the leaders do this, indeed, when Etain became the Warrior, she would simply direct. There was no real reason for risking herself. But in Rebekah's case, it was the perfect opportunity. She would need Laim for this. He didn't need to know it was Rebekah that she was after, there was no point in troubling him with that pesky little detail. Laim had been in on that meeting, he knew their strategy. He was always more agreeable after a good tumble. She would play with him a bit, and then ask.

She gently ran her hands the length of his body, waking him up slowly. He would be cross if awakened too suddenly. She straddled him, and leaned down, nibbling his neck, murmuring softly in his ear. His eyes fluttered open sleepily, but they quickly sharpened when he sensed Etain was ready for another round. His hands ran possessively down her back, and pulled her into a vicious kiss. He was angry. He had seen Rebekah go off with that damn Sarmatian, wrapped in his arms. He needed someone to take out his rage upon, and Etain was the closest target. Without warning, he roughly rolled her over, and took her, pounding away at her viciously. She was nothing more than a whore.

Now, do you really want to read something that disturbing ever again? Then REVIEW or suffer my wrath! Or we could look on the bright side of life and say that if you review, I will write some nice MRC and make everyone, including myself, happy.