Chapter Trigger Warnings: Implied and Talk of Sexual Assault

Chapter 116:

Penalising Compliance

The pounding grew worse. Ariella squeezed her eyes tighter, as if that would help. It came again. Merlin, she needed it to stop.

"Ariella? Can I come in?"

Oh. So the pounding was…real this time.

"Theo?"

Concerned, Theo opened the door wide to find his friend pale and trembling, dripping with sweat. He came to kneel in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He could feel her damp shirt beneath the robe.

"Dr – Draco. Please. C – can…Draco?"

"Can't you request just his presence?"

"Plea – please. Can't right now."

"I'll be right back."

Ariella let her head fall against the edge of the bed. Things were hazier than usual. She didn't know how long passed until she felt slender fingers pressing against her bond mark. She tried to jerk away from the pain, the sudden touch, but she was held firmly in place.

"Steady," she heard a voice say, though it sounded distant, far away. Unconsciously, she whimpered, trying to make herself smaller.

"Help me strip off her clothing," Draco requested sharply to his friend.

"Malfoy – "

" – just do it. If you don't want to see or help, get out," he interrupted sharply, already reaching for Ariella's sweat–soaked robes.

The two young men made quick work of her clothing, leaving only her underclothes on.

"Hold her steady," he ordered, grasping her left arm. Once he saw his friend prepared, he pressed into the bond.

It was…darker, somehow, than it normally was. He looked around, not even sure what he was searching for. Though he did finally find it; acting almost like an alert. He walked towards it, beginning to "read" it.

It didn't take him long to figure out what must be causing this. Between lack of…some form of health routine, even for her, and the orders she was being required to follow, without some of the necessary parts of the bond being taken care of…it was taking its toll on her. He could see why – following orders without the correlating bond's part being taken care of, it was weakening her even more so than the bond usually did.

Merlin, he should have known something was up. He felt it. But he had thought it was something with his Father and the war. Not that he was wrong, but he should have known it was something more.

Pulling out, he could see it had gotten worse. He briefly rubbed

"Malfoy? What's wrong with her?"

"The bond's not happy. Though it's less to do with her and more to do with how the bond is being…treated."

"Meaning…?"

"Meaning, some orders have more direct consequences than others do. Some, they have a bond equivalent of what must be done to…even things out, so to speak, within service."

"English, Malfoy."

"The bond isn't happy and I'm going to have to take care of it shortly. You won't want to be here for it."

"That bad?"

Solemnly, if impatiently, Draco nodded.

"Can I do anything to help?"

"No. Not right now. In fact, I think it's best – for us and the bond – if you aren't."

"Right then. I'll just…" Theo gestured to the door, rising. Glancing again at his friends, he felt his throat tighten.

"It'll be fine. I'll let you know later."

"Good luck."

Nott left, noting the falling sinking feeling in his gut growing; Merlin, they couldn't catch a break, could they?

Lucius ran a hand down his worn face. Suddenly, he felt some of the pressure ease. Sitting straight up at his desk, he looked around the empty office. He couldn't sense anyone there. Nor could he sense anyone else of significant threat having entered the Manor.

So then, what was it?

Rising, wand sliding into hand with practiced ease, he started towards the door when he felt even less pressure. Twirling around, he still saw nothing.

Was he finally going mad? Was this what happened when he hosted Death Eaters and even the Dark Lord himself, constantly? Glancing up, his gaze caught on an old picture; one of Draco riding his first broom.

Draco.

Of course.

Lucius lowered his wand, moving to sink back into the chair. Why hadn't he realized it sooner? The bond's needs, some of them, at any rate, must have been taken care of. He didn't know whether to be proud or annoyed that Draco was taking care of the bond more seriously; now the question was: was it for the bond's sake, or to take care of the girl…Draco cared far too much for her.

Ariella grimaced, beginning to open her eyes, only to close them against the brightness. Her whole body felt weak. Slowly, eyes still closed, she began to sit up; almost immediately leaning back again as nausea swept through her.

"Easy," a voice said gently, a hand resting on her shoulder, lightly, but firmly, pushing her back against the bed.

"Sir?"

"I've dimmed the lights, but I'm not surprised you're still weak."

Slowly, she opened her eyes, this time able to handle the lower amount of light. Draco was sitting on the edge of the bed, shirtless. She was glad to see none of the scars from the summer looked inflamed.

"What happened?"

"The bond."

"I don't understand. I – I know it's been scolding me, but I don't know why…I've been obeying everything you and your father have asked of me."

He could hear the plea, the desperation in her voice, for him to believe her. And for understanding. Logically, she shouldn't be feeling this horrid if she'd been obeying…but the bond was not a fully logical thing.

"It isn't you. Or rather, this isn't being caused by lack of obedience. I think it's being caused because you've been obeying."

She shook her head. "I don't understand. Now it's punishing me for obeying."

Instead of answering straight, Draco looked away and asked, "How many people has he allowed to… borrow you? To do as they please with you?"

Ariella looked at the wall across from Draco's back, willing herself not to cry from the shame and embarrassment, even as she hung her head. "I – I don't…I didn't keep track. I don't like to think about it, Sir. I just – "

" – then let me ask this," he interrupted. "Has my father…taken care of you, dealt with some of the "normal" demands of the bond since he starting lending you out?"

"Some of the punishment he has, but not the – the sex. And not all of those he's lending me out to want that, if it makes you feel any better."

That actually did explain some of it; not that he was entirely surprised to hear his father was still punishing her regularly.

"Dr – Sir? I don't understand. What is it punishing me for?"

"For…pleasing and serving others, but not showing the same or more…attention to your owning family. Not fulfilling the bond's typical requirements in addition to your new role as barter."

"But I – I thought that by serving them, I was serving your family?"

"I don't know, Ariella!" he snapped, standing, causing her to jerk back against the pillows. She tried to back away, but there wasn't anywhere for her to go of course.

He was breathing hard, but though his back was to her, Draco hadn't failed to note the fear that had jumped into her eyes as he raised his voice, at his sudden movement; and Merlin, but he felt guilty to have caused that in her.

He leaned against the wall, head against his arm, and glanced back at her. "I think all it wants is to have you prove your…devotion to us. That even though you are only serving the others due to following orders, you are still going to put your owning family above them, show them your…best service."

"What do we have to do?"

"I've taken care of some of it for now. Try not to worry about it. Now we know."

Shakily, she nodded at him; Draco could see her hands still clenched in the sheets.

"What do you feel you need from me right now?"

This time, she shook her head. "I don't – I don't know, Sir. It's getting harder to read."

"Right. Then tell me if you figure it out. That is a direct order."

"Yes, Sir…I'm sorry. I know you said it's not my fault, but that doesn't stop me from feeling guilty for continually interrupting you."

"And I'll tell you again; the bond, its harsh demands bother me. You do not. We're tied together…may as well fight through it together."