Chapter 2
"Malcolm is looking for a way to… well, another place to find it, but it may be a long time until he does, and we NEED this, Abbie."
It was very difficult to hide the disgust she felt rolling through her body at his explanation, still not believing how undervalued women were to Bray. Breeding machines and nothing more. He had killed so many women in the span of 10 years, it was treacherous, and Abigail couldn't believe she still felt love and feeling for him. He was a cold-blooded killer, in her eyes, and yet, she remained because there was nowhere else for her to go. This serum would only do more harm than good and speed up the process of building his army, nothing more. It was selfish, inconsiderate and downright evil. Somehow, she kept the soft smile on her face and hid how she truly felt from him, a master at this after so many years.
"You will find a way. Going after the Undertaker, of all people, isn't wise, Bray. I know you already know this, but…I don't want you getting hurt. Or anyone else for that matter. There must be another place to find the Mythril. Give Malcolm some time to look for it, like he asked. That's my advice to you." What she REALLY wanted to say was forget the serum, forget the DOV and release these poor, defenseless women that were ripped away from their loving homes to become breeding slaves! "You will find your answer, as you always do."
"If I could send someone in… just in and out, someone who wouldn't be noticed…"
He disregarded her advice because they were so close… so close Bray could almost taste it. However, he couldn't send in one of his precious men either; they were needed, essential, necessary. And the women… no, he didn't trust his little breeding machines. Not to mention, he needed his human incubators here, busy with their one job.
"No… I need someone I trust, someone who can get in and find out where the Mythril is… how to get it." He was now staring into her face, wondering if he was willing to risk her.
"M-Me?"
This was too good to be true! Was he joking or was he serious? No, Bray rarely joked and the amount of conviction in his eyes spoke volumes. Her voice had come out soft and shocked, her eyes filled with perplexity.
"You want to send me, don't you?" It was more of a statement than an actual question. "You wish to send me as a spy to infiltrate and find out where the Mythril is."
Given she was the only one he fully trusted out of everyone in the DOV, Abigail still didn't think he valued her over men. Then again, she had witnessed, firsthand, what happened to those who dared defy his wishes to keep their hands off her. Case in point, a man named Zack Ryder thought he'd get handsy with her one day and Bray sliced his head off in front of her. Abigail had screamed, his blood coating the front of her chest and, needless to say, it was the only warning Bray ever had to give to his men to keep their hands off her.
"I will do whatever you wish of me, Bray. You know that."
"I know." Bray groaned, moving so he was on his knees before her; the only person in this world or the next he would ever put himself in this position for. "I know, Abbie, and that's my problem." He reached up, cupping her face tenderly in both hands. "You know how much you mean to me… so asking this of you," Bray stared into her face, his eyes searching hers. "I know it's a lot, and it could be dangerous," Frowning, he wondered just how much danger. "But with planning… and precautions…"
Pressing her finger to his lips, Abigail merely smiled while he held onto her, his hands moving from her face to her hips. This was her chance – her ONE opportunity to get out of the castle and find help. Bray wanted her to infiltrate the Wonderful, the Undertaker's domain, and she planned on doing it, just not the way he wanted her to. The Mythril was not her concern. She wanted to liberate all the women who had been forced to come here and hopefully save them, before they were executed for 'not meeting expectations'.
"If you think I'm scared, I'm not. If this is for the good of DOV, some sacrifices must be made. I'm not saying I'm a sacrifice, but…if I'm the only one who can do this task, then you should let me do it. You've always put the Dominion above everything else and, it sounds like this is very important to get our hands on. So, let me help you." This time, she brushed her mouth against his and felt his arms snake around her, kissing her a little deeper than before. "I'll be safe and careful, I promise, if you send me out to do this. I'll feel like I've achieved something other than standing around in white gowns all day. Let me actually CONTRIBUTE to your cause and help you pave the way." If he wanted to take her here and now, she would let him if he meant getting out of this castle and far away from him and the DOV.
"Abbie, my sweet Abigail," Bray whispered against her lips, breaking the kiss before he did something he would regret, the need for her growing with each passing day. "I don't know what I would do, who I would be, without you."
She was his best friend, his most cherished, and one of the main driving forces behind what he was doing. The DOV would ensure she would never suffer what she had suffered before, and he knew some of the things he did were wrong, but they were NECESSARY. Sometimes, the ends justified the means. Bray would ensure it, he had too, because if Abigail ever looked at him without that light in her eyes, he would know he had failed and then… then he didn't know what would happen. She was the only thing holding back the total darkness that consumed him, his one ray of light.
"What if I lost you because of this mission? I can't…" But he had too, and he knew it as Bray began raining kisses over her face.
"You won't lose me. We'll plan it out to where I'm not in danger and I'm inconspicuous." Abigail crooned soothingly, seeing she was getting through to him and convincing him this was the right thing to do.
Good. Sometimes, she could work her manipulative magic on him, but she didn't do it often. No, better to play her cards when the moment counted instead of squandering her opportunities. Abigail kissed him again, this time harder and moaned in his mouth when his tongue touched hers for the briefest of moments.
"Please let me do this for you, for us, Bray. For the DOV. Trust in me and my ability to get this done."
Caving, his hands moved to rest on her waist, no lower. He wanted too. Bless the Dominion, Bray wanted too; the times he had gone to bed with blue balls were considered penance half the time, suffering for the sake of her purity, suffering for all the sinful things he knew he was eventually going to do to Abigail, when the time was right. When they were both ready, and that moment was on the horizon.
"Fine… Abbie, we'll do this. We'll plan everything out to make it as safe as we can. I can't lose you."
"Thank you, Bray." Abigail hugged him tightly, stroking the back of his neck and narrowed her eyes, feeling his face bury in her neck. "Thank you for letting me do this for us and for DOV."
Just as she said that, a woman that couldn't have been more than 17 was dragged down the hallway by the back of her neck, tears streaming down her face. She was crying out, pleading with the man not to take her to his room, but he wasn't listening. Was this really the world Bray wanted Vesperia to be? Her eyes closed as she heard a scream followed by the door slamming shut, feeling Bray's body tense along with hers. After all this time, Abigail should've been used to it by now, but…she wasn't.
"I'll speak with Malcolm." Bray assured her, after a long silence, the woman's screams fading finally. He pulled away from Abigail, standing up and stretched his arms over his head, staring down at her. "We'll plan all of it, Abbie, ever last bit of this. I won't risk you." He was completely oblivious to the hypocrisy of what he had just said, after a woman had just been dragged into a room to be raped and bred with. Bray pulled her up, bestowing one of his rare, gentle smiles. "Go rest, all right? I'll work this out. I'll see you at dinner."
"S-Sure, see you then."
Abigail watched him walk away and couldn't get the disbelieving expression off her face. What the HELL was wrong with him?! Did he not just see a woman being dragged, against her will, into a room on the second floor to be raped?! Bray's soul was tainted, if he even had one. Abigail couldn't stand to think about all the cruel things that woman was going through and went to her chambers, shutting the door with authority behind her.
"I have to get out of here." She whispered, clasping her hands tightly to rest over her lips and walked over to stare out the window, tears sliding down her cheeks.
The ONLY good thing Bray ever did was make a decree that any sexual activity was to be done behind closed doors. There was to be no fornicating or showcasing activities of that nature for everyone to see. He had punished a few of his soldiers for not listening and obeying that rule, which pleased Abigail immensely. She had been the one to put the bug in his ear about how unpleasant it was to watch women being taken and pointed out it should've been a one-on-one affair instead of having an audience. He agreed with her and the ruling was made.
If only Abigail knew how much influence she could have had over him… she was his weakness. But when she was out of sight, the smile was gone, and the ice was back in his eyes, all warmth leaving with her. Bray spared a glance at a guard standing at the wall. His personal guards were all mute; they had voluntarily had their tongues removed, so they couldn't tell the things they heard in the castle, the things he said or planned. Frowning, he went to go see Malcolm again, he had an escapade to plan.
"My liege, I'm sorry, but you wish to do what?"
When Bray repeated himself, Malcolm felt faint and had to sit down, blinking. This man wanted to send his most prized possession, his one true love, his precious innocent Sister Abigail, into the lion's den?! To infiltrate and gather information for them regarding Mythril? Although it wasn't a bad idea, or a bad plan for that matter, Malcolm was having a hard time believing Bray would willingly sacrifice Abigail for the 'greater good' of DOV.
"How do you plan on having her infiltrate the Undertaker's domain, My Lord?" There was only say many things a woman could do without being caught and she had to be inconspicuous. No, this was not a good idea at all.
"I'm working on it." Bray studied Malcolm intently, seeing the disapproval written all over the other man's face. If not for the fact that Malcolm was a rare breed, sorcerers were not exactly easy to come by, Bray would have reminded him that he was in charge and he wasn't overly fond of having his decisions questioned, silently be damned. "I'm thinking as a low-level person, someone who isn't noticed easily, or perhaps… perhaps ignored…" He was sometimes a genius and began smiling. "No one will give a servant another look." They didn't, not usually.
That was…a brilliant idea, actually. Malcolm felt ashamed for ever doubting his Lord and lowered his head, clasping his hands in front of him. "I do believe that would work perfectly, yes, my liege. You never cease to amaze me, your intuition knows no bounds, you…" He gasped when Bray wrapped his hand around his throat, squeezing threateningly.
"Do not think for a minute I don't know what you're doing, Malcolm. Trying to get on my good side, after blatantly defying me…" Bray gritted his teeth, squeezing harder. "I shouldn't have to remind you that your granddaughter, Susan, is turning of age in a couple of days. And it would be MOST upsetting if she were to wind up in…let's say…Luke Harper hands, hmm?"
"N-No! P-Please, m-my liege!" Malcolm begged, coughing when Bray released his throat and gasped for air, clutching his throat. "I-I'm sorry…I'll n-never doubt you again! Just please…please not my Susan…you know what he'll do to her like all the others!"
"Of course, I do. He'll rip her apart, piece by piece, and take great pleasure in taking her BY FORCE." Luke was one of his trusted guards, with his tongue still intact, that enjoyed hearing a woman's scream as he took her for his own, filling her with his seed in the most violent of ways. "Doubt me again, and I will make sure she winds up in HIS hands…"
"I won't, my liege, you have my word. I'm sorry…"
"Good." Bray stepped back and clasped his hands behind him, a congenial smile spreading over his face. The venomous air about him gone almost as quickly as it had come on. "Remember Malcolm, if you are good to me, I can be good to you and to yours." Which meant he would find someone suitable for Susan; someone who would be gentle. If Malcolm decided to be a pissant… he would ensure Susan begged for a bullet to her forehead. "Now," He rubbed his hands together eagerly, boyishly. "Let's get to work. What do we know about the Undertaker and his little town?"
Unfortunately, Malcolm didn't have much information regarding Undertaker, his people or the town of Wonderful. He'd never made it that far east, especially since he was forcefully taken out of his home to live and work for Bray Wyatt. It was all against his will, Bray did not take well to people not bending to his whims and will. His daughter had paid for it, but luckily, his sons were nowhere near this lunatic and hopefully never would be in their lifetime. By the time Bray left, it was past dinnertime and Malcolm slumped against the wall in his chair, hoping the monster kept his word about choosing one of his kinder, gentler soldiers for her to mate with.
