Chapter 4: Corpus Eros
We get lewds! Why isn't it fully here? ! That's why! Some people will be spiteful and go 'I don't like this!' and report stuff! I'm happy you all like it!
The dress that she wore had been a rare fixture upon her flesh, cut far less modestly than she would regularly have allowed herself to wear, as proper decorum would need to be observed with anyone who dared lay eyes upon her save for her husband.
She knew that the pale flesh below the garment was not something people would find immediately attractive, though she knew well that the flesh of a man's loins could be stirred by any obese milkmaid. Men had their urges.
'It would be a shame…' Her eyes glowed in her reflection, waiting for her child to return. She could feel the brush press against her pale skin, the ancient art of doing one's own painting enough for her, as she applied a fresh dusting of powder to her face to even out the blemishes.
Without care, she would carefully make sure that she would appeal to her child, her eyes fixed upon the faintest of hopes that… that she would be to his tastes. 'What if he likes one of those dusky mongrels?'
It was not going to happen that she, Salem, would be denied by her own son simply because she was not one of the Faunus herself… 'That won't happen… No…' Tyrian Callows was a good one, despite his many faults and erratic personality. 'A singular Faunus I can admit as a concubine… But she must be a beauty worth to steal the breath from any man who gazes upon her.'
There was no room for error in that. Perhaps it would be time to inquire with her faithful associate to glean more about the standards of beauty…
She was not going to allow anything to be less than perfect. The red lipstick, a shade of crimson that she personally appreciated, coated her lips in the elegant small coating that would leave a crimson mark upon the flesh, one of the more novel inventions from the humans over these past three centuries.
"My lady, Hazel has returned." The voice of Arthur Watts came from the speaker, showing that her son had returned with his guardian. It was time to be there for him. A mother deserved nothing less than the absolute acceptance of her son's graces, after all.
"I will be there in a moment." The final touch, looking at her expression in the mirror. A snap of the fingers and an illusion taking its place, Selene Umbra, or herself at age twenty and four when she had first been cursed with the curse of immortality, striding out, the modest dress that she wore as much an illusion as the pale blonde hair.
She could see Hazel and Jaune already standing there, the young man looking a little sheepish at the moment, her tongue brushing over her lips. "You are done?"
The familiar bow and grunt of 'Yes' that the tall man gave were enough, even as she felt a dark craving inside her, as she could see her son look at her with eyes that were like her own. The darkness… Oh, the darkness around them was simply marvellous. "You are dismissed." The words were calm and without much emotion, even as her body heated up.
'I am going to show you how a woman needs to be treated, Jaune.'
"Arthur? Would you kindly be available this afternoon in to educate Jaune on the importance of the management of the economy?" The request seemed to make the good doctor raise an eyebrow, but the man merely nodded and bowed.
"As you wish, my Queen." The tone was reverent, yet she could not help but detect the surprise and distaste in his voice. She filed it away for later musing. There were more important things to do than to muse on some mortal's dissatisfactions right now.
"That's really nice, thank you, Mister Watts." The doctor looked at her child, surprise now visible on his face for the simple act of being thanked. To her it was not necessary. She commanded and he would do to the best of his ability. Her son did not know that it was his divine right to command the man if he were elevated to the status of her royal family…
"It has been decreed by the Queen. We have to obey." There was no other option for them to do so, except if Jaune chose otherwise. It was a flaw in the system… Yet it would teach responsibility. She knew well how economics worked, although the currency kept changing. Why a tael of silver had been changed to mere golden coins she wouldn't know… All she knew was that there was enough for the young man to know of.
"Leave us be. I have instruction to deliver to Jaune." She spoke his name with warmth, drawing looks from both of subordinates, who excused themselves, leaving her with him in the same room.
"A young man of your stature has need of education, my child." Her voice was soft, as she tore the illusion from her body, leaving her standing there in the dress, her makeup done impeccably. It was one of her moments of grace, of joy and of pleasure, which she would not waste.
Seeing the look on his face change was only the beginning to the feelings inside her. "You look... You look good." Pleasure sparked inside her, where there had been no pleasure before yet. Her eyes moistened slightly, even as she took a step closer. "No, you look beautiful, Mama."
A quiver down her thighs, even as she took a deep breath. It was time to educate her son in how to make love properly to a woman... and for a moment, she shelved those feelings of motherhood.
"A man deserves a beautiful woman." Her voice was breathy and seductive, hitting the right notes as she pushed herself closer to him, laying her fingers on his chest. The heartbeat that he had was like a comfort, as the heat of his body blossomed under her hands, the steady thumping of his heartbeat continuing to work once more. 'How long has it been since there was no fear in a man when I laid my hand upon his chest?'
"Mama, I-" Her lips pressed against his then, tasting the sweet life of his, knowing that it was real and that he was there with her now. 'No matter your inexperience... It has been aeons.'
She grabbed his hand, breaking the kiss, casting him a heavy-lidded gaze which had sent her husband's heart aflame with desire. "Hush." Her voice was soft, yet with the softest of thrills to it. "Go to the bedroom, Jaune."
"Ma-" Her finger placed against his lips, her eyes meeting with his own. His hand grabbed hers by the wrist, her eyes looking into his for the longest of moments.
"I will join you there... Now, go." She smiled, even as he walked, not disobeying her. She could feel the dark sensations inside her roil like a torrent of filth and vileness, even with her whole body shuddering and shaking all of a sudden. As he left her, she strode towards the bedroom, the faint creak of the door suddenly loud to her senses, as her eyes glinted with the faintness of anticipation.
'To be with a man again...' Her loins felt like they were threatening to leak, even as she pushed the door opening, seeing him stand there next to the bed. "Sit." Her voice was soft, yet directed to him, even as he obeyed her order, his eyes looking at her.
The dress slowly clicked loose, the clasps holding it up loosened and left to go, as the fabric fell down, unveiling her body to him, deathly-pale skin visible with the veins distending as the dark essence within her pulsated with violent desiring impulses.
"I am going to show you the joys of intercourse, Jaune."
DATA CORRUPTED. OZPIN DIRECTIVES ACTIVATED.
RESTORING DATA FILE. PROCEED TO READ, LAWFUL CITIZEN.
She laid on his chest, drawing little circles on the abdomen that had not yet been trained to perfection yet… But that would come soon enough. 'Was it… was it five minutes?' She glanced at the clock. Time had passed, she had gladly shown him the techniques to pleasure a woman if he felt the need to do so. Her nipples felt a little sore, a result from being tugged, squeezed and fondled, like the need had faded and there was just the two of them.
'No matter what… They cannot take this from you anymore… I was there first.' A dark pattern had spread through his veins, right from the heart. Like a dark blueprint, she was able to see the veins distend with the same vile corruption that the God of Darkness had within his pools, within her domain…
'The blessing is yours, my child…' Her fingers were drawing the patterns onto his skin, a circle meeting another circle, looping into a horizontal figure eight.
"I love you." His words were enough, even as his blue eyes met with her own. She had blue eyes as well, before the changes that had been wrought in her body. No matter what… He looked alike to her in her original state… and he was hers now. 'My beautiful child… I will miss you.'
"I love you too, Jaune." Her voice was like a soft whisper as she leaned up and kissed him, the bed sheets now covering the two of them, though she had little recollection of when she had done so. She pressed a little closer, her fingers brushing through his hair, now ashen in colour for only a moment, as the colour slowly returned to it.
"Try… Try to use the power within you." Her voice was gentle, as she held up a hand, a ball of earth appearing, crafted from the very fundament of the energies inside her. A very miniscule and infinitesimal shard of her power was drained… and she felt him do the same.
A ball of water appeared next to her ball of earth, joined swiftly by a flame. Her body felt him cool down, even as his breath stilled. 'Some work to be done…'
His control was not perfect yet… but it would be. 'Hmm…' She looked at the ball of water and flame, the two mingling together in the air there, her own power adding a small cyclone made of the air to it, leaving all four elements to be represented there.
"The power is yours to use." Her words were soft, yet the knowledge that he had was now his to use. Without the power that she had granted, he would be but a mere mortal… but now…
"I won't tell a living soul about where I got these powers from…" He said, her head giving a little nod as she knew well that he would keep his words.
"My former husband…" The orbs of magical energy collapsed with her ceasing the magic, as she looked at his little flame and water spheres, as she looked at him. "My former husband would hunt you down." There was no doubt about it in her mind.
Her former husband would hunt down this young man simply for the virtues that he has shown, a reminiscence to the hero that he had been in the past… To hunt down a young man who showed such promise… Who had the ability to wield that god-given gift…
'You will not take my son from me… Oh no, nobody will ever take him away from me…' She would accept concubines to sate his needs, as any man worth the crown that he wore ought to have at least several women for his pleasure… But she would not allow for him to be claimed as husband by anyone else.
'No… the proper order is good… As soon as there is no more threat…' Her eyes looked at his face, that young face that had held so much promise… A crown would look really good on it, as he would take his seat upon the throne of the world… A king demanded a queen and... well, she happened to have the pedigree, the expertise to govern and the power to back her claim up to the throne…
'Ozma holds his maidens… and my child will…' Now there was a thought.
"Will you make proper friends with young women, my love?" Her voice whispered in his ear, even as he looked up at her with that adorable look of half-understanding, his eyes a little wider as the meaning sank in.
"Of course. Mother always said that strangers are friends you just haven't met yet." It took some effort to not show her disappointment at the words of the other woman, yet… it was a start.
"Indeed… and I want you to make friends. Those who hold power are oft lonely at the top…" Her voice was normal, yet the words came out as a seductive whisper. "You are the first man who has graced my bed in millennia."
It would be shameful to admit such a thing, yet his laughter rang out. "Oh? You're really some sort of age-old witch?" The joking tone of his voice hurt more than she had thought, even as a dark sensation welled up in her heart.
"You're a beautiful woman. If you snapped your fingers, there would be hundreds of hotter, more attractive men lining up to be there for you." The words that he spoke next were enough to squash that feeling with their meaning. "You are… You're the prettiest woman that I've seen, prettier than even Weiss, but… Yeah, you've got that quality of caring, that… you're the one who's…"
He blushed, unsure what to say, knowing that between them there was a connection. 'I chose wisely…'
Her fingers gently tapped his chest. "I am your mama." Her voice was stern, even as she tapped a little harder. "You should never even think that I would consort with… with…" She growled deep in her throat, an animalistic sort.
"Plebeians."
His laughter was enough to calm her heart, even as he looked up at her. "I'm just silly Jaune Arc…" He said, her head tilting slightly. "Who will be a hero to defend you and make the world a better place." The words were so innocent, yet they were so meaningful. "Crocea Mors wasn't nicked for kicks, after all."
"I will see whether we have some time for an upgrade in attire." She said, already calculating the time that they had to shop for something more fashionable for a young heir to the kingdom… It wouldn't do to have him be there in his hoodie and looking like some common hooligan who impregnated the tavern maids… She had MORE taste than that!
"But…" He was silenced with a finger to his lips.
"No objections. I will not let my child look like he is the type for cheap thrills by slatterns who do not know the worth of his name." There was pride in her voice as she recalled the etiquette lessons that she had been forced to endure during her youth. "Compared to anyone on Remnant, you are superior. To have my blessing, to be called my heir and…" She dared not to voice the second term, as it would undoubtedly frighten him. A more moderate term would need to be used.
"legacy, is to be above anyone else. Any woman who spreads her legs before you will be approved of by you, and I will not tolerate some mere tavern wench to be soiling your pure bloodline with her inferior genes!" He looked at her, biting his lower lip a little, swallowing deeply. "Though I will allow you some liberty."
There were after all plenty of wenches who knew the proper technique to ensure that they would not conceive a mongrel in their womb. It had been explained by a professional courtesan after all. How could she be wrong?
'Everyone knows that to lay with a man is to show your ultimate expression of care!'
"Liberty?" She nodded to his question. It was reasonable for a prince to ask. She was his mother, after all, so why should she not be the best source of information.
"Their beauty must be vetted by my eyes. If you wish to indulge in their womanhood, I expect to know of their features, lest they merely seize the advantage to propagate their misshapen breed." She knew perfectly well the origin of the Faunus, having been alive since before they had even dawned upon the world.
The ancient records of the people of this time and age did not even list the origination of their kind, yet she knew it well… 'Some tales are not to be told to children…' "The story of the maiden in the tower…" She took a deep breath.
"It's one of my favourite ones." The words tumbled from her lips, speaking about the events as they happened from the perspective of the maiden. Like a mother to her child, she spoke of the princess of the world, who had been locked away for her father's dark schemes of consolidating the power. The moment when a gallant hero had freed her from the tower had been a moment when she had fought to keep the emotions from suffusing her words, her eyes glinting as she looked at him, a soft sound in the back of her throat as the encouragement.
"And then… The tale of the wizard and his four maidens…" Her voice was soft, as her fingers stroked through his hair. 'How should I phrase it…'
It was a perversion of the innocence to the core. To take power and infuse it into a soul… to do so to four maidens who had once been pure… 'It is NOT like how I have done. The boy needed something to kickstart his powers… The right to rule is determined… Yes, Ozma did it first, I am not wrong!'
"Posing as a weak and frail man, living in the woods without any sort of attachment to the world around him, content to simmer in his distaste for the world… And then, one of the daughters of a nearby village came forth, the youngest out of four. A young maiden whose name now translates to Winter…"
She had not heard of the fable as it originated, the retelling something that she struggled with. "He observed her, her peace and solitude banished by the acumen of her mind… Not a state in this world could twist her, as she spoke about waiting for her sister." The perfect state to become one to wield the gifts…
"And then, time passed. Her sister came, bearing the name of Spring. A fertile garden, grown by her hands for the old wizard, who lived there in quiet repose." There was bitterness in her voice, as she knew well what he had done…
"A third sister, bearing the name of Summer. There were now three maidens, three souls for which he could care, speaking of the lovelessness of his heart." 'He LOVED me, yet… Yet everyone would not know the tale… It has all been forgotten…' There was a shudder that went through her body then, as she recalled the time…
"And there was a fourth, called Fall. An outspoken girl, whose hair was brown like the autumn leaves, whose scornful eyes looked upon the witch and spoke words unkind and cruel." She was derailing from her tale, as the memories came once more to the forefront, the tale nearly two thousand years old.
"As the four maidens stood before the Witch in her castle, there was no time for them to gather their wits, as the wizard stood at their back, a smile upon his face. With their powers, granted by him, they surely could deal with the witch." Her eyes blazed with anger, yet her expression remained as cold as ice.
"We will defeat you!" The uppity-looking brat who had spoken levitated, leaving her to gaze at the sight, even as leaves appeared to whirl around her, similar to a true display of magic, as had been given to them by the God of Darkness. These aura-wielders were growing bolder.
She was half-amazed in her recollection, even as Ozma stood there, the form of a weathered old man there. One of the young women's stomach was swollen with young, a natural effect that could have only been begotten through ill choices and breeding… Not a noble girl, though their similar nature seemed to be more or less a factor here.
"What has he told you?" Her guardians were dead, torn apart by the way that he had brought them, the Grimm not even affected, yet her human minions held no such issue…
"We will fight for what is right!" The spark was there, as her eyes widened. She could see that spark reflected in the eyes of the girl, could see the flare of energy, of the elemental energies that had been within her, even as a blazing hot shaft of light shot at her, to be batted aside by a simple wave of her hand. "OZMA! You… you…"
They were not proud, like the people she remembered. They were frail and mortal creatures, who could not even touch the magical powers that were inherent within her and Ozma, the last two who remembered the true dominators of this world.
"Salem, your time is at an end." There was a finality in his words, even as one of the girls looked back at him, hesitating.
"Wizard, what… She is but a woman, why…" There was doubt in her words, the skin that Ozma wore hiding his true wickedness.
"Trust me… This woman has caused more death than any of you will ever bear to see in your life. She would not rest until she sees everyone destroyed…" The girl smiled and a sickening feeling came to her.
'He has…' Their faces came before her eyes once more, the little smile that he gave them whenever they had done something that made him especially proud, now on his face. 'He has replaced the product of our love?' Her eyes walked over the four maidens, their resolute features, sisters all, looking right at her as if she were something sick and diseased.
The castle collapsed around them, as cataclysmic powers worked against each other. Four against one and she had lost. As a final stroke, she had been seized by the wizard, Ozma, taking her with him into the depths even as the cataclysmic powers slammed into their bodies, disintegrating the two of them.
"Spread your kindness through the world! I will hold this evil witch off… Focus your power on me!" His final words had been to the four women, even as they vacated the collapsing castle.
Three hundred thousand tons of stonework and rock had taken her nearly a month to get out from under, only satisfied by the fact that her husband had been forced to incarnate once more…
"And then, the wizard and the witch fell into the deep abyss, whilst the castle crumbled and the maidens went around the world, defeating Grimm and establishing an order, heeded in some places, scorned in others." The words were soft, yet her eyes were teary now, even as his finger wiped away the tears.
"No matter what… Even if the fairytale was a little different… A pretty woman such as you shouldn't cry, mama." She smiled at her beautiful heir, pressing her forehead against his own. In the reflection, she saw that the veins had faded from her face, though she had barely glimpsed her expression, Jaune's own body laid there below her.
"It's a tale that is told wrongly… The four maidens exist, Jaune…" Her lips found his own, pressing a soft kiss to them. "And if you ever meet them, run away."
"I will." She smiled. Mama would be there to protect her beautiful child, if need be…
And if any of those 'Maidens' dared to interfere with HER child…
She would see how much they would be able to take.
Nobody took away from her that which was hers.
He watched her crawl deeper under the covers, knowing that she had given him an experience that he would forever recall as one of the most beautiful things that had happened to him. During the entire thing, she had been gentle, loving… motherly.
He could never have imagined that the world would be this beautiful… even as she had told the story of the maidens and the witch. 'I will make sure that she will never suffer…'
It was wonderful to hear her speak about her fairytales... and he had never heard the tale of the maidens and the witch. Almost as if she had personally been there, the hint of sorrow that he felt inside her not faked in the slightest. 'If this... if this is what she has told me... does that mean that she is related to the maidens?'
It would make sense... There was magic inside him and inside her. They were special now... and she had spoken of the Wizard who had given his powers to the maidens... It made him feel warm on the inside. 'With a single word, you can create with her the world that you wish. It would take but a mere utterance and she would raze this world to the barest remnant of its greatness...'
She would sleep... and he would be with the man called Watts. He stepped under the shower, enjoying the hot spray of water on his skin. 'Economy stuff, eh?'
She had the best of intentions for him, of course. She always had. He would do her proud.
As he stepped out of the shower and dressed, she was awake, looking at him with a soft smile on her lips, her dark eyes looking at him, her loose pale hair framing her features. "You are gorgeous." He said, to which the smile turned even more beautiful.
"Don't make an old woman blush, Jaune." Her voice was that soft sweet tone, even as her eyes looked a little moistened by the sudden admission that he had made, a low groan coming from her lips at the thought. "Though the thought is appreciated, you do have your classes. The king of the world is going to be well-educated." The thought that he could be a king must be flattery from her, even as he smiled at her.
"I'm going to need a queen for that... So, fancy being the queen of the world?" He winked at her, even as her head tilted in curiosity, the smile on her face widening.
"Oh... I am sure that we can arrange for a suitable coronation." He didn't know why exactly, yet the words seemed to be meant, even as he chuckled.
"Once we conquer Atlas, Vacuo, Mistral and Vale, of course." He had played enough Remnant: The Game to know that she was making an allusion to it, or at least he thought that she did.
"Hmm... I'll see what I can do about Vale. I am not wholly without my means." The smile on her face was predatory, yet it did not faze him, as she obviously was a good person.
"I'll head out now to meet with Mister Watts." She smiled at him, her eyes half-closed as she turned over in her bed.
"Have fun, my dearest." He walked over, giving her a gentle kiss to her lips, for some reason more intimate than just a peck to the cheek, her lips tasting like... something. Blood, probably.
As he emerged from the bedroom, he caught sight of the tall man named Tyrian lounging on one of the chairs, an intricate weapon in his hands, the inner workings exposed, the man busy with fiddling with one of the internal mechanisms. "Ah, great Master Jaune... How was your rest?"
He fought down a blush, as he didn't recall doing much in the way of resting since his mama had called him to bed. "Very... sleep-like, yes." He sighed, recalling how close he had been... and he was a man now, no longer the virgin that he had been before.
"Good! A proper rest is important!" The man seemed cheerful, even as he continued to tinker with the internal mechanisms of his weapon, directing his attention to that once more.
"Young mister Arc, as her highness has requested, I will be here to teach you the skills on economic management."The man's voice was soft and with that noble twist, even as he slid a Scroll towards him, a complicated summary of things already on the plate.
"A bit of a test in order to estimate your ability to parse through varying economical readouts and glean the pertinent information from it." The man explained, the Scroll looking a little different from the usual model, the sides a little thicker and a strange buzzing drone coming from the depths. "You have an hour."
"Gee, thanks..." He mumbled as he sat himself down, looking at the Scroll and tapping the screen. The first question seemed to be mostly about multiplying different import prices, working with a single supplier.
He struggled with the questions, looking thoughtful at the ninth question when the buzzer sounded and the man looked at him with a raised eyebrow, taking the Scroll and looking through the answers, tutting lightly. "Not the most studious in the field of economics, I see... But as the lady Selene has commanded, I shall see to it that you will be at the very least adequate." The man's hands plucked his Scroll from his pocket, sliding it open with a swipe of a gadget over the side, the unlocking as fluid as it has ever been.
"Here... My contact details. I will be sending you study material and test you on your knowledge once a week. I strongly urge you to keep your studies to a level that is deemed appropriate by the lady Selene, in order to please her." There was a collected tone in the man's voice, even as he nodded.
"Very well... Do you have any requests of me, Mister Arc?" The man's voice was smooth and well-practised at hiding the boredom that the man seemed to feel, as well as the frustration of having to come up with something like a lesson plan for him... Jaune could feel that on some level.
"Yes... Tell me why you are here." His voice sounded perhaps a touch more dubious than before, as his eyes fixed the man with a look, subconsciously shifting to the darker tones of purple, as the redness bled in from the depths.
"I have been selected by Her Eminence to-" Jaune's hand slammed on the table, as he looked at the man. There was now no shade of blue to balance out the red, as he felt the aura of power inside him blossom.
"The truth, Mister Watts." His voice, even though he barely recognized it himself, was a deadly whisper, his eyes looking down at the man, his countenance shifting enough to elicit a soft sound of intrigue from Tyrian, the man shifting in his seat to observe.
"I was selected for my skills, after a grave miscarriage of justice. I have delved deep into the secrets of the world and have not yet found answers... The answers that lady Selene may just extend to me should I serve her faithfully." The man's words were honest-sounding, yet something inside him told him that this was not the truth. 'A lie, wrapped within the truth. He does not trust you, yet he fears her... A love once lost to time, unable to be revived... A hope that has been crushed... Seize the opportunity.'
"You're lying to me." The man's eyes narrowed, his moustache plucked at by a hand. Jaune turned his head to the side slightly. "I don't like it when people lie to me."
The words were soft, yet they carried a threat within them, as his eyes darkened, the sclera turning pitch-black for an instant, as the air around the man's throat contracted, the effort of the power being contained enough to make his own breathing laboured, the instant that he had done so being enough to make the man's eyes bug out, even as a bead of sweat appeared on Jaune's own brow.
"Mister Watts...I may be only seventeen and not know a great deal of the world, but I know when I am being lied to." The man's eyes were regarding him, even as the man's lips pressed tightly to him. "I will give you another chance... please answer honestly."
Selene believed in him. She would not let the man take some form of petty revenge on him, nor would she allow him to be hurt... She had proven that much. "She can give me what I want." The answer was blunt and honest, and the man seemed to have gleaned something of him.
"Your... skill..." The man tried to find words to properly encapsulate the feeling of the air around the man's throat trying to crush it, Jaune knowing that the power within simmered. His veins felt tired and weary, even as he began to adjust himself a little. "You may make a worthwhile addition to Her Ladyship's side. Would you consent to a few tests?"
Something told him that to answer in the affirmative would not engender him some positive feelings from his mother. "I do not think that Selene would be happy to hear of me being used as a guinea pig."
"I would most certainly not be happy to hear of such an... unfortunate happening, Doctor Watts." The voice of Selene drifted from behind him, becoming aware of her presence, his head turning to her and giving her a smile.
"You have booked some progress... But you are not a master yet, Jaune." Her voice was soft, as her fingers touched over his shoulder, her gaze directed to the man. "There will be no experiments. There will be no tests." The eyes narrowed and he felt the power pulsate through the air. "Are we understood, Doctor Watts?"
"Yes, my lady." The man gritted his teeth, as he could feel the pressure that she was exerting, a dark glow wrapping around her, as he looked at her. "Perfectly."
'I can understand his type... Always curious, always in need to know more... Smugness with a superiority complex... Yet afraid when faced with the unknown...'
"As long as you are clear… Your desires will never come before my own. I hold the key to realizing that dream of yours… and the moment that you stray from ensuring that mine comes to pass…" The words were final, as the man paled slightly, the power that Selene had over him undoubtedly something that he had no right to know yet.
"Jaune… please go off and entertain yourself. It seems that Doctor Watts and I have some words to speak on the curriculum that you shall be studying." He got up slowly from his seat, watching her slip in the space that he had just vacated, her fingers tracing over his shoulder for an instant, a little smile on her lips, twisted in that manner that would make it more intimidating to most, those eyes looking up at him with the darkness swirling in those eyes… yet he could not find fear in his eyes, even as the red bled out of the blue.
"Good job on summoning the winds…" She said, patting his shoulder.
"My lady, may I-" The woman gave an audible sound, even as Jaune looked at Tyrian. "Well… Feeling up for a walk, Tyrian?"
The man clicked the magazine back into his weapon, the blade folded back again, a manic smile on his face. "Oh… Do I?! Why, Young Master… It would be an honour to accompany one so glorious as you are… perhaps the tasty morsel will be seen as well! I look forward to seeing you shut her down once more… three times is a charm, indeed, indeed!"
He smiled at the erratic man, his excentricity hardly phasing him anymore. "Perhaps." He watched Doctor Watts and his mama, the latter half-leaned over the Scroll, adding commentary to lesson plans. He wasn't exactly sure what 'Governance' was, but he supposed that it would be more homework, the man giving him a look, a complicated expression on his face.
"Allow me to open the door for you, Young Master Jaune… Exercise is not until the next morning, you must not have been utterly exhausted… but you may be! No more exercise until Her Grace speaks of it!" Jaune could feel the burn of his hips, knowing that his mama had been as gentle as she could be with him, her movements only adding fuel to the flames inside him and already burning his loins with a thought of a repeat.
As they walked out of the elevator in the lodge, he caught sight of the pale-haired girl once more, the man who was her pimp obviously berating her again, two of the bodyguards standing there at attention. The minute expression on her face, close to tears and so fragile made something inside him bubble up. "Do you think you can meet up with me outside?" He said, the man nodding, the strange belt that he wore looking like it twitched once… or perhaps that was merely a weird issue with the light.
"-do better! You missed a note there and it has led to questions in the media about your health. Are you listening to me, Weiss?" The man's act was horrifying to his eyes, even as Jaune noticed how the girl seemed to shrink back, his eyes looking at the man and narrowing. 'There's a villain if I ever saw one…'
There was a worry about his actions for an instant, before it was ruthlessly squashed. 'If someone needs a knight…' The hoodie slipped over his head, hiding his blonde hair, tucked a little around the scalp to further only show the chin, his body feeling an innervating moment of power, as he approached the man. The bodyguards took note, yet they did not move, Jaune's hands put in his pockets, retrieving a small piece of gum, the men tensing up a little.
"not understand why such simple things are not understood! Your little brother does better than you in all prospects!" The man must be some sort of sick freak who got off on selling people into slavery for the kicks of having power over them. He passed them by, not giving attention to the girl yet, feeling the surge of hopelessness and fear from her, enriching him with some sort of dark emotion.
"I will be taking some calls in the room. Do… Do what you do best. Practice." The man's words were disgusting, even as he tromped away with his bodyguards following, leaving the girl alone with a single bodyguard. He sprang into action then, seizing her hand.
"Come on, Weiss… Time to get going." Her eyes were wide, even as he dragged her along, the bodyguard making a protesting sound, even as the air around his feet turned solid for a brief instant, the burning of the magic through his body making his eyes flare up for an instant, the small and delicate hand in his own feeling so gentle and dainty that he could hardly believe that she was a professional who worked in the sex business…
"Wh-wha? " The surprise on her face as her bodyguard slammed against the ground, seemingly tripping over his own feet, his hand tugging on her hand, leading her outside and onto the streets.
"H-hey!" She sounded scandalized, even as he dragged her along. She didn't offer much resistance as he did so, her steps a little halting, as her heels seemed to drag her down. "S-stop! My heels, I… I can't run in them."
He grinned at her, bent low and then pulled her up in his arms. 'This'll be good weight lifting training… or something.'
She was closer to him than she thought, her face turning pale as she looked at him and he started to sprint, his body somehow full of energy, ready to face whatever the world threw at him. Three blocks down, he caught sight of Tyrian casually popping up from the corner, a smirk on his face. "Had a good bit of exercise, Young Master?" The man's fingers were tapping a rhythm on his pants, as his gaze looked at the girl.
"Saved a pretty girl from her pimp, so yes… I do think that this counts as a good bit of exercise." Her gaze was mystified, even as she blushed at his words, colour flushing her cheeks, uncertainty in her eyes. "Come on… Get back on your feet."
It was a change from earlier, when she had been dismissive, the intimidated look on her face having been wiped away by confusion and uncertainty, as she took a few quick steps away from him and Tyrian. She looked uncertain, rash… a little jittery, as her blue eyes looked up at him, the fresh scar on her cheek like a perfect adornment to her face. 'Perfection marred by something crude and visceral…'
"W-What do you want to do with me?" Her voice was soft, yet the jitter of fear was prevailing throughout it. "D-do you want money? I've got money, lots of it." Her eyes were pleading, even as he stepped closer to her, her eyes going wide, shaking her head. "N-no… I'm… I'm not…"
'A friendless, lonely girl… Ripe for the plucking…' The thought was sudden, whispered in his mind, as his hand seized her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Weiss." He spoke her name, the singular word rolling off his tongue and she whimpered, looking like she were afraid that he was going to hit her, her back against the wall.
She was starting to cry, the tears leaking from her face, the mismatched symmetry enough to draw a wondering glance from him, even as he noticed that she was starting to shiver. "I want to be your friend. Please…"
Eyes went wide and they teared up even more, a choked sob coming from her, even as she made a soft sound that reverberated in the back of her throat, more of the dark feelings coming from her.
"Why?" She said, her voice a little choked up.
"Because I see a pretty girl who's lost her way… Who needs a hand to help her up from where she's fallen. Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet… And I think you can use a friend."
He could see more than that. To see her break, to hear her gasp and hiss like a venomous serpent as he took her, to hear her whimper and whine for his attention like a needy pet…
'With a single push… widen her heart. Drive the spike in and rip… tear and rip, break and corrupt…'
She was a pretty girl… No... A very pretty young woman. His finger traced over her cheek, the shudder that she gave being mostly of discomfort, yet… she actually pushed back against his affectionate touch. "You…"
She didn't answer more, those eyes tearing up even more. He glanced around, spotting Tyrian nowhere. There were three guys around his age coming from their right, even with their looks right at him. "Look at what we've got here, boys… A pretty girl and her loser of a boyfriend."
He supposed that it would look like this, indeed. His eyes glanced at Weiss, to see her cheeks flush, a retort on her lips dying as her gaze met with his own.
A rough hand grabbed a hold of him, even as he felt Weiss leave his grip, coming face-to-face with a young man who seemed to be a few years older, dark brown stubbles on his chin and off-red hair, a cap with the Vale Falcons logo on it on his face, even as he was dragged along.
He did not feel like uttering any sort of acknowledgement, even as they were hustled into an alley, Weiss obviously being more vocal than him. "You dare touch me! Do you have any taste at all, you brute?!"
She was all energy and irritation again, the fear of before having been squashed by indignation at her treatment. 'This won't do…'
"So, we saw your lil' girlfriend and you get with that whole intimate spiel… and we figgered that you'd not mind sharing your girl with us, ya little cuck." The language was certainly not something that he cared much for, even as Weiss stilled, a look of horror and abject terror going through her. A whimper came from her lips, even as anger welled up in him.
"So… We're just gonna beat you up for a bit… and then we'll see about getting your lil' white slag properly jigged up, ya dig?" The look on the leading moron's face could be described as smug, as his brutish stature did not show much in the way of intellectual prowess. Weiss started to kick, fighting against the thuggish youths, her voice squeaking, yet not much aside from 'Let me go!' and 'No, you will not!' came from her mouth.
A knife was in the lead thug's hand, and Jaune felt anger well up inside him.
'You want to take what is MINE?' There was a dark sensation in his blood, as he looked at these cretins. "Weiss, wait for me outside the alley." His voice commanded, demanding obedience from her like she was already someone on his side, rather than a free actor in this little game.
"The boy wants to be a hero… Have you ever gotten laid, or does little miss milk-bottles have you wearing a bitch-metal collar?" The crude language was not language that his mother would approve of, as he summoned the power inside him, the two thugs that had accosted his friend jostled by a sudden gust of wind. 'The power inside me…'
His heart clenched, as he watched Weiss slip away. Her eyes met his for a brief instant and she whimpered a soft 'I'm sorry' before she dashed out of the alley, as fast as her heels could carry.
"The bitch escaped! Marb, what do we do now?" The leader, identified by Marb, gave a soft tssk. The knife flashed into his sight, and Jaune groaned. 'This is so tiresome… How can I make her my friend if she runs away?'
The power wrapped around him and then, the three thugs suddenly finding that they were pushed through the air by the force, landing in the alley, before the dead end closed off, hitting some garbage cans that were stacked there.
"I think he's a Huntsman, Marb!" One of them shouted, and the other one said something in response, even as he looked at them. 'They should just disappear.'
The flame was joined with the wind. The flames burst out with a blue flame, as the three young men melted, the crackle-snap-pop of bone and fat melting together enough, even as the flames lit up even higher, the flare of energy enough to burn everything to a crisp.
A small breeze through the alleyway had ashes scatter, his hoodie having a smudge on the side, as the ashes whirled past him...
'Now that the annoyances have been cleared away from the board… Let's find Weiss.'
He would like it if she were a little kinder, rather than running away…
Friends did not run away.
Another chapter, wooh. The adult-bits-included part can be found on Archive of our own. Search for Cyanide Sins. Enjoy that too, and if all goes well with my hospital engagement next week, you'll see another chapter pop up soonish! Uploaded Dies Irae to the Archive of our Own, and I hope to see you all enjoy the next chapter soonish!