Ahh! Missed the deadline with some hours.
The next chapter will be released 29/7!
The western incursion. Pt 1
It was still morning when Esdese marched out through the gates of the palace with some of her forces. The rest of her personal legions waiting for them out in the fields.
She was calmly riding a large white stallion in the front column of the cavalry that made up the first part that moved out of the city. The infantry coming up behind the cavalry in the long military procession. A lot of people had gathered to cheer for them as they left. Gathering around the sides of the large road that the force occupied. All the way from the palace to the huge main gate that led out of the city. Confetti was raining down on the marching soldiers. The civilians waving flags and shouting encouragement.
Tatsumi found it all a bit sickening. He could understand that the people and the soldiers needed this encouragement. It was a way to cope with the brutality of what marching off to war meant. That these soldiers might never return. And that many of these civilians would never see their family members again. He understood all that. But he was a seasoned veteran when it came to violence and combat. And he couldn't help but feel that all this merriment also served the purpose of turning a blind eye to what the situation actually meant.
He was riding a couple of lines behind Esdese. Out on her left side. A couple of military leaders and advisors placed between him and the great general. This was a military operation and Tatsumi held no ranks or authority in the military. The title of head administrator that Esdese had made up for him did little more than make him a part of the government. So he was consigned to ride a few ranks behind her. Even if most at the top knew that he was one of the most influential forces in the city.
Not that Tatsumi minded. He almost preferred it this way. Now he could relax and observe the situation. Looking at the crowd and the environment in leisure. Since he had fewer eyes on him now. Unlike Esdese.
She was riding a few steps in front of those behind her. Sticking out in front. Tatsumi could easily tell that she was enjoying the attention. She had always been a show-off and there were no one that had more eyes on them than her at the moment. He couldn't deny that she deserved the attention, though.
Her long hair was blowing slightly to the side in the wind along with her long general's coat. Her hips and lower body moving in a slightly suggestive manner. Swaying forward and backward as she complacently rode forward. Her head held high and her chest puffed up. She smiled her more radiant smile out at the crowds and waved at them every now and then. Her stunning appearance being awarded by cheers and people shouting her name in unison as she passed them by. She knew how to charm the crowds.
It almost hurt Tatsumi a bit to see her like that. She looked so much like a true leader. A beacon for people to rally around. An incarnation of beauty and might. It stung him to see. As it reminded him of what she could have been. Just as it reminded him how different the world would have been if she only was what all these people saw and nothing else.
Tatsumi looked at her back almost all the way through the capital. Thinking about her and him. Where their road was heading. And what the end of it might be. He had never thought that he would get this far. So he had never even thought that he would face the problems that he now had to face. And he had already noticed that his old conviction had become more unsteady than ever. It scared him greatly.
When they finally reached the large gate that leads out of the city, they were met by a coalition of the leaders that would stay behind. Gallus and Faye standing in front with some of the ministers standing behind them. Surrounded by warriors from the imperial guard and soldiers from the city watch.
However, when Tatsumi looked closer he could see that Kotaro was there as well. Standing just a step behind Faye. Beside a bandaged up Ivan. This was the first time Tatsumi had seen Ivan since their fight. The lower part of his face was covered up in bandages. He was resting a gentle hand on Kotaro's shoulder. Tatsumi didn't like that one bit. He also couldn't help but notice that Kotaro was standing very close to Faye's back.
Tatsumi had not told the boy to be here. Not that he had ever indicated to Kotaro that he didn't want him there either. It was the fact that he was standing so close to Faye that bothered Tatsumi. His sources had not informed him that the two of them had had any contact with each other. It didn't sit too well with him. A young, inexperienced and lonely teenage boy could be rather easily be affected by a beautiful woman. Leone had thought him that lesson the first time they met.
He looked at Faye but she just smiled her usual carefree smile.
"General Gallus!" Esdese called out loudly as she steered her steed up to them. "I am heading out to crush these foolish invaders. Until my successful return, you will hold the capital for me."
Gallus bowed deeply and answered just as loudly. "You honor me, great general. I will defend it until I am relieved. Either by your words or by a death in the city's defense."
The crowd roared in approval. Gallus being somewhat of a legend in the eyes of the commoners. Tatsumi listened with disinterest. This was just a show for the people. All the details and orders had already been decided during many meetings the days prior to this. Gallus would be the one in direct control but he had very clear guidelines about what he should do. He had to send messages and ask for consent and authorization from Esdese if he wanted to divert too far away from those guidelines. Tatsumi listened as Esdese and Gallus had their discussion.
From far away, Night raid was also watching the discussion unfold.
They were at the top level of a tall clock tower. Standing beside its big iron bell. Far away from the gate in question. Sharing two binoculars between the three of them.
"It seems like our intel was right. Gallus and Faye seems to be staying behind in the city." Leone said as she looked through her binoculars.
"Mmhhmm" Akame said and nodded. Currently being the only one of them without a set of field glasses. Looking at the scene without them. Her back leaning against one of the four pillars that held up the roof above the giant bell.
"But both of our main targets are leaving." Isamu said and lowered his own binoculars from his face. Currently crouching down beside her. "Esdese and Tatsumi are both leaving the city. Are you sure we shouldn't follow them?" he said and looked up at her.
Akame shook her head. "Unless Esdese is killed out in the field, she will return. And most likely Tatsumi with her. We have been able to establish a good base here in the capital. We should stay with it." she said and held out her hand. Taking the binoculars as Isamu gave his to her. "Besides, it's not like we don't have other targets to take care of in the city in the meantime." she said and moved the binoculars up to her face. Looking at Gallus.
"Wait." Leone said. "Who is that kid standing with one of the generals?"
Akame moved her gaze from Gallus to Kotaro, who was standing beside Faye. "I don't know. Probably some noble's kid who has gotten a chance to stand beside the generals in return for some favor."
Leone didn't seem convinced. "On a big ceremony like this? Under Esdese's rule? I doubt it."
"Maybe you're right." Akame admitted. "Might be worth looking into either way."
"Soo..." Isamu said and stood up. "Who will be our main target in the meantime?"
"We will see." Akame said as she kept looking at those at the gate. "It would be preferable if we could take down general Gallus or Faye but we will have to see what opportunities that we get. If they stay huddled up in the palace during the entirety of Esdese's absence, then we will not be able to deal with them."
"Tatsumi looks bothered by something." Leone said.
Akame shifted her gaze to the boy that had once been her comrade. She could see what Leone meant. It was not discernable at first glance but both Leone and Akame knew Tatsumi's expressions well enough to tell that something was bothering him.
"Maybe he doesn't like being around Gallus that much. He must be aware of what that man is by now." Akame guessed.
"How could you be bothered by being near a rapist when you share the bed with one who both condones it and also is an inventor of other torture methods." Isamu said. Sounding skeptical. Leaving out that he had once been trying to get into that same bed.
Both of the other Night raid members stayed silent for a while before Leone spoke up. "Fair enough. But something is bothering him." she said. They both kept looking at Tatsumi as the procedure went on in the distance.
Tatsumi himself was in deep thought. Trying to determine just how much he should read into Kotaro's participation. But before he could reach any conclusion, the discussion in front of him was over and Esdese pulled at the reins of her big steed.
"I bid you farewell, people of the capital. Await my glorious return!" she shouted out to the crowd. A roar of applause and cheers answering her shout. She turned her steed around and the military procedure started to move out of the city.
Tatsumi followed her with his gaze for some movements before he spurred his horse on. Watching her smile as she steered her large white stallion out of the gates. He knew her horse since before. It was a wild and fierce animal. All of the head grooms and stable masters had said that the horse was untameable. Which had made Esdese pick him immediately. Now he was bent to her will. Following her commands obediently.
She had several flying creatures at her disposal but ever since she had lost her favorite one to Akame, back in Garu, she hadn't found one that she particularly liked. Losing a steed was not something new to her. She had already survived a lot of them. But all the flying ones she had caught and subdued since Garu had been weak of will and spirit. Their surrender giving her no real satisfaction. While her stallion might be a rather small animal compared to those creatures, he was still much more of a fighter. Still putting up a struggle whenever it felt that he was being mistreated. Even after many harsh lessons. Which had made Esdese take a liking to him.
If he survived long enough then she would let him breed properly. So that his strength could go on in his offspring. That would be her reward for his service. If he survived.
Tatsumi calmly followed her some ranks behind on his own horse. A far calmer and gelded animal. A creature of mild demeanor even if Tatsumi knew that he could still trust on its strength if push came to shove.
They rode through the huge gates and out on the vast fields outside of the capital.
On the other side of the wall that encircled the city, a huge mass of people was spread out on each side of the gate. Giving room to the passing military. But this crowd was not cheering or applauding. It was all the refugees that had gathered this morning. Waiting for the procedure to be over so that they could continue to move into the city.
Tatsumi was surprised to see how many that had gathered just during this morning. He had read the numbers but it was something different to see them with your own eyes. Just in this short waiting time, they had already established some tents and campfires. Most of them now only followed the force that moved out of the gates with silent stares. Some friendly. Some not so.
Most of them were huddled over but Tatsumi couldn't help but notice that a large part of them seemed to be in a rather good condition. Some even seemed to be well-trained. To his relief.
Far in the distance, they could see smoke rising on the horizon. Where the rest of Esdese's personal legions waited to join up with them. To then march towards the western incursion. And the battle their meeting would bring.
The sun had almost reached its highest point in the sky when Tom-Tom climbed up the small hill where the captains and warlords were having their meeting.
He had two of his tribesmen behind him. Acting as the guards that he knew that he didn't need. But he also knew that he needed to keep up appearances. These warlords and tribe leaders were surprisingly vain. Even if they wouldn't admit it. Since their vanity took on some different forms. But he knew that if he didn't at least bring two guards or attendants, then they would start thinking that he was having problems back in his camp.
He shook his head. Muttering something inaudible as his knees troubled him. He was getting on in the years. And his knees didn't allow him to forget it. Even if most couldn't see that his age was taking its toll. But he could feel it. In every move he took. Not that it was too much of a bother yet. He was still faster than anyone else in his tribe. A tribe that prided themselves on their speed and reflexes. But he had noticed that he had a hard time keeping up his top speed for as long as he had once been able to.
But that is just as it should be, Tom-Tom thought. He had already lived far longer than most of his kind did and he was still in surprisingly good shape.
He would not curse death when it finally came to him. He had already survived so many people that he shouldn't have outlived. He just hoped that he would be able to see this monstrous conflict to an end before his time came. He didn't want to leave it to the younger generations. They shouldn't be burdened with the wars of their parents.
He kept muttering to himself as he walked into the ring of warriors and soldiers that had gathered around their leaders. At the top of the hill. He walked through the crowd and into the ring in the middle of it. His two tribesmen following him into it.
"They say that you are so quick that you are able to see the future, Tom-Tom. Yet you are usually the latest one to arrive at our meetings." lord Belwarck said as a welcoming. He was a big man. Still in his youth. He was always pretty brash but Tom-Tom liked him nonetheless. He knew that the youngling's heart was in the right place.
"I had things to get done, my lord. My apologies." Tom-Tom said and took his place amongst the tribe leaders and warlords that were standing in the ring.
There were eight of them there. Though they were supposed to be nine.
"Where is Ulvik?" one of them asked harshly.
"He won't be coming, my lord." another warlord answered. "My brother and his fellow tribesmen held a great feast yesterday. To celebrate our latest conquering. I imagine that he will be spending most of this day in his carriage." Ulvik's brother excused. He was the leader of yet another tribe. Tom-Tom thought that Ulrick was his name but he couldn't quite remember.
Some of the leaders grumbled at that excuse.
"What conquering is there to celebrate?" one of the tribe leaders said. A man hardened by battle. Yet still prideful and easy to slight. "We haven't had a proper fight during this entire conquest. And by what right does he ignore one of these meetings when everyone else forces themselves to attend them"
They are sensitive in their own ways, these men of war, Tom-Tom thought before speaking up. "Let's begin without him then."
Most heads nodded at his words.
Tom-Tom and his tribe had always held a very revered position in the eyes of the other western tribes and warbands. Mainly because of their physical abilities but also because they had been a rather peaceful and nomadic tribe once. Something that was hard to be in the western lands. Though the empire had changed their position. Through Makeias' hand.
"Okay then." Ulrick spoke up first. Taking a step into the ring of leaders. "I want to suggest that we execute the prisoners we have taken and stop taking any more from this point on. They are slowing us down and I don't think we stand anything to gain from them."
The leaders mumbled approvingly. Many of them nodding. Causing Tom-Tom to speak up.
"Just let them go instead." he said slowly. "Killing them serves no purpose."
Ulrick turned to him. "Why? Then they will just reorganize with the enemy and we will have to fight them again. Better to kill them and rid us of that risk."
Tom-Tom shrugged. "I don't hold any power over you, warlord. I can't tell you what to do with your prisoners. But you as well as I know that we will always be outnumbered against our enemy when the real battles come. A few prisoners here or there won't cause any noticeable change on those scales."
"If it doesn't make any change then why don't we just kill them?" another warlord said. His name escaped Tom-Tom at the moment.
"For the sake of mercy." he answered in his low and raspy voice. "For the sake of respect between enemies."
Ulrick turned to him. His voice earnest when he spoke. "Tell me, wise Tom-Tom. Will we be shown the same mercy if the empire catches us? Will we be shown the same respect if we let these prisoners go?"
Tom-Tom slowly shook his head. "No matter how respectful or how merciful we are against this enemy, it will not change its behavior. If they catch us alive, they will be as cruel and disrespectful as their imagination allows them to be. Such is the nature of the imperial military under the ice queen's rule. The reward for the victorious is the suffering of the defeated. Nothing we do will change that."
Ulrick's expression had gotten bitter. He nodded to Tom-Tom and then turned around to the others in the ring. "I say we chop their heads off and then catapult their skulls at their allies when we meet them again!" he shouted.
The other leaders in the ring shouted in approval. The crowd around them echoing the loud shouting of their leaders.
"Every leader might do as he pleases." Tom-Tom said calmly. Trying to sow the possibility of mercy into the situation. Everyone growing quiet when he spoke. Trying to hear what he was saying. "Such is the law of this alliance."
"Hear hear!" some of the warlords said in response. Those who found their own independence very important.
"Aye!" answered some others. Simply to acknowledge the truth of it.
None of them held any power over anyone else in this circle of leaders. All were there on their own free will. The nation that they all belonged to was little more than it's soil and had been so since long ago. Its government system had broken down before some of the warriors that had gathered here had even been born. Crushed by the economic and political power of the empire. Since then, the people of these lands followed many different leaders. Warlords, tribe leaders, rich merchants that held dreams of ruling. But every now and then, all of the leaders gathered and formed an alliance.
It was such an alliance that had assaulted the empire so long ago. Prompting the imperial power to send an army led by Makeias to suppress them. And now the country's different leaders had gathered again. This time because of the promises of the same general.
"Well then, we have some other things to discuss." lord Belwarck said loudly and walked into the ring. Smacking one of his hands against his belly as he did. Ulrick backing back into his place in the ring when the other man walked into its center. "The empire has finally answered. A force is marching against us in this very moment. They set out from the capital earlier this morning."
"How large is this force?" Ulrick asked.
"According to what we know, not that big." Belwarck responded. "They don't even double our numbers."
The crowd seemed elevated to hear that. "We are being underestimated!" someone in the back called out. Those around him shouting in approval.
The truth was that everyone in this gathering had always known that the empire could send an army that was ten times the size of their own. Most had expected a lot worse than this.
"Though I must admit that we don't know who is leading them." Belwarck continued.
Tom-Tom felt the need to speak up. He had known who would be leading this force since a couple of days back when he got his letter from Makeias. "Esdese leads those that are marching against us."
The crowd grew considerably less cheerful at the sound of this. Most looking at Tom-Tom. Lord Belwarck one of them. "What does this mean?"
"It means that the very second that we can see their flags on the horizon, we must call a full retreat of all our forces." Tom-Tom said. "Probably separating them as we do."
If his previous announcement hadn't caused the atmosphere to die, his words now did. The entire crowd growing silent.
"Retreat? Without a battle?" one of the younger ones in the ring protested after a little while. "And give up all that we have gained and conquered?"
"Aye." Tom-Tom said and nodded. "Without a fight."
"How much of a difference can one general make?" Belwarck asked and looked at Tom-Tom.
"I have been told that she is only in her mid-twenties." Ulrick chimed in.
"I was born before most of your fathers, my lords." Tom-Tom said slowly. "You all look like kids to me. But don't let her age fool you. She has known nothing but blood and battle since she was a very small child. During her life she has seen more violence than most of you combined."
"That bad, huh?" another of the tribe leaders asked.
"With the forces we have, there can be no victory against Esdese. With or without an army to accompany her."
The mood in the gathering had turned sour. Some looked defeated while some clearly doubted his words. Whispering and mumbling to each other. Tom-Tom had expected as much.
"How do you know this?" Ulrick asked.
"I have seen her in action a couple of times."
"And she lives up to her rumors?"
Tom-Tom nodded. "Some of you have seen what a capable teigu user can do to a gathered force when you faced Makeias. Esdese is many times worse than that."
"And exactly where is the plague lord now, when things are starting to grow dire?" Belwarck said. Anger creeping into his voice. "We swore ourselves to him because he spared us during his military campaign. We kept calm and waited because of the promises he gave us. We united and attacked when he gave the signal. After waiting for all these years. And now that our real enemy is approaching, he is nowhere to be seen."
"Makeias is preparing to seize the opportunity that we have given him."
"And we are supposed to just give up on all that we have gained? We have sacrificed a lot to make this march and gain this land." one of the lords on the other side of the ring said. Many mumbling their approval of his question. Someone shouting from the back.
"If we leave at the first sign of the enemy, then we are nothing but simple marauders and raiders. Not conquerors."
"Simple plunderers." another voice agreed.
"Pillagers!" a third one shouted.
"My lords." Tom-Tom said in a louder voice and walked into the ring of people. Taking the center himself. Belwarck backing off as he did. "You all knew that this was how it would end. No one of you truly believes that we can topple the entire empire with this meager force."
"We would have better chances to defeat them if the plague lord was here with us." another voice called out from the back.
"Better chances." Tom-Tom echoed. "But not good enough chances. Our defeat would still be almost guaranteed. General Makeias is right at this moment taking advantage of our diversion. He has promised you a future. Peace. The end of the oppression. And you all gathered here because you believed in that."
"So if we don't flee, we are just going to be sacrificed for this dream?" Ulrick said bitterly.
"Listen to me, leaders and warlords." Tom-Tom said. His voice growing gentler. "I know that it is hard to give up all this that you have gained during the last week. You have suffered nothing but defeat, humiliation, and starvation over the last decade. Death and decay. I understand that it is hard to let go, now that you have finally started to win something back. For the first time in years. But it is that or certain death."
He looked around him. At all those staring at him. He let silence rule for a few more moments before he spoke again. "But if we retreat at the right time, and give up all that we have taken immediately, we might survive. And the time we have bought might allow us to win an even greater prize."
"Flee, you say." Ulrick said slowly. "But will we even be able to get away? We have been doing a forced march for almost a week now. Leaving behind everything we can and pressing our forces to the limit. Will we be able to outrun the fresh and well-rested force that is approaching us?"
You may outrun them but you will never outrun her, Tom-Tom thought. "We will have a good head start. And I doubt that they will pursue us for long. They will probably be satisfied with scaring us away. If we get close to the borders, we should be fine." he declared loudly.
Everyone was quiet for a little while after that. The different leaders and warriors looking at each other as his words sank in.
"We are all free to do as we please." Belwarck said. "But it would probably be prudent if we all decide on a single course of action here. Otherwise, a single tribe or people might be standing alone when they believed that they would not be."
Tom-Tom nodded. He knew that he had them. They would retreat. They just needed to argue about it some more in order to show their dislike for the strategy. To show that they were not afraid.
Not that there wasn't an underlying bitterness and grief over the situation among them. He could feel it as well. But they had heeded his words. To his relief.
He smiled a sad smile at them as they started to discuss amongst themselves about what they would do. All of them heading for the same conclusion.
These were his countrymen. This was where he came from. It felt like something ha had lost long ago. It felt like home.
These warriors and tribe leaders were his people. But he doubted that a single one of them would survive this.
Esdese sighed with satisfaction and rose from the bed.
"That was wonderful, Tatsumi" she said as she sauntered over to one of the cupboards in her tent. Taking a bottle of wine from it along with a wine glass. She walked over to the table closest to her and opened the bottle. Pouring herself a glass. The furniture in the tent was not the kind of luxuries that a march usually allowed for but there was always an exception for the generals.
Sometimes she longed back to the simpler days. When traveling meant that you slept on the ground and had to hunt for your food. She found that kind of lifestyle gratifying on some deep, primal level. Not that she didn't enjoy the luxuries she now had. They had their own charms and benefits.
She drank the wine with closed eyes. Just enjoying the moment. There was a light breeze that still made it into the large tent. Despite all its openings being sealed. She enjoyed the feeling of the wind against her naked skin. She had worked up a bit of a sweat, which was quite rare. So the breeze felt nice and refreshing.
She took a deep breath when she removed the glass from her lips. She reached down to the bottle on the table but when she did, she immediately noticed that she had blood on the fingers of the hand that didn't hold the glass. Her eyebrows rose slightly. She brought the hand up to her face and studied it. It must be from his back since she hadn't noticed it before.
"Oops." she said silently with a smile.
She kept looking at her hand as she sipped on some more of her wine. Walking back towards the bed. "It seems like I took some blood from you."
"Ohhweelley?" Tatsumi said through that rag that acted as an improvised gag. Well aware of the pain on his back.
Esdese grabbed a chair as she walked through the tent. Dragging it behind her. She then put it down on the side of the bed. Sitting down in it and putting her feets on top of each other on Tatsumi's naked chest.
She turned her hand around. Bringing it up to her face. Until a few moments ago, the red liquid on her fingers had been a part of him. A part of the existence in this world that she regarded as her true partner. Her other half. Now this part of him was trailing down her fingers.
She reached out with her tongue and started to lick it from her hand in long strokes.
"The bed sheets are pretty much ruined." she said as she cleaned her hand with her mouth. "Though I know that the camp has brought many extra sets with them."
"Mhhmmph?" Tatsumi said. This time, she had a harder time discerning what he meant. She looked at his face as she licked the last of his blood from her fingers. Smiling.
He had two pieces of white cloth wrapped around his head. Torn from the bed sheets. One that covered his eyes and one the went across his mouth. Forcing another piece of cloth to stay in his mouth under it. The little that could be seen of his cheeks were burning red. A couple of slaps had seen to that.
"This look suits you, Tatsumi." Esdese said as her eyes traveled down his naked body. His hands tied across each other behind his back. His body lying uncomfortably on top of them. His feet forced together as well. All tied by the same type of white cloth. Torn from the bed clothing itself. Large parts of it missing here and there. Revealing the mattress. "But then again, I think you look charming in almost anything, so I am probably not the best judge." she said and looked up at the ceiling. Drinking some more from her glass.
"Anngghouu"Tatsumi's muffled voice said.
She looked down at him. Moving one of her feet up to his face. Pulling the cloth around his mouth down from his face with it. Then she grabbed the cloth inside his mouth with her toes and slowly pulled it out. The fabric damp with his saliva.
Tatsumi coughed slightly and then cleared his throat. Still unable to see. Esdese waited for him to speak. Looking at the wine in her glass as she moved it a bit back and forth.
"You see, this is why I never trust you with any decisions regarding how I present myself." Tatsumi said in a voice a bit to calm and dignified for his current compromised position. Causing Esdese's smile to widen. "Half of the times you want me to seem cruel and powerful, and the other half, beaten down and submissive. Submissive to you, that is."
"Well." Esdese said and looked down at his appearance again. "You can't really see how you look for yourself in this moment. Can you?"
"I think I can manage a good guess. And by the way, the ruined bed clothes are on you. My participation in this was... well okay, it wasn't passive. But it was you who decided that you wanted to tie me down all of a sudden."
"Do you think some ruined cloth bothers me?" Esdese almost giggled. "I would probably ruin another set if you managed to break free right now."
"I will keep that in mind." Tatsumi said, turning his head around. "Mind giving me my sight back?" he said and turned his face in the direction he thought that she was in.
Esdese was silent for a while before she spoke. "We should probably keep some ropes or something around when we travel. They will work better and then we won't waste any sheets."
"You won't ruin any sheets. It was you that suddenly started tearing at them as you were pushing me down." Tatsumi said. "I didn't contribute to their destruction."
"You resisted." Esdese said. Her foot came down over half his face. Pushing his head to the side.
"I usually do. At least a little" Tatsumi defended and pressed back with his head a bit. Only being rewarded with more pressure. "Since I know that you usually enjoy it when I fight back."
"That is true..." Esdese admitted.
"Besides, I don't see why you would need any rope. Usually, you just overpower me or subdue me with some pain or threat thereof. Heck, when you want me to stay in place, you usually just seal parts of me into some kind of ice shackles. Ropes seem redundant."
"Ohh.. but there is some benefits to just tying you up like this." she said. Leaning back into her chair as her foot pushed his head around a bit. "It is true that using my ice would probably be easier. But it is not good in the long run. No matter how strong you are, your resistance to frostbite can't be increased. At least not in conventional ways. So I can't keep your parts sealed in ice for too long. Lest I want to cause you any permanent damage. But I can keep you tied up like this until the sun rises again without having to worry."
"Please don't." Tatsumi said in a plain voice. "We don't know when the fighting comes. I want to at least be somewhat rested then."
Esdese moved her foot away from his face. "Are you not comfortable right now, Tatsumi?" she teased.
"Does this look comfortable to you?"
"I wouldn't know. Never been in that position."
"Yeah yeah. Like you wouldn't understand the finer definitions of pain." he said. Not that the situation was really that uncomfortable for him. He had been lying on his arms for the last forty minutes but that was about it.
"You won't have to participate in the upcoming battle if you don't want to Tatsumi." Esdese said and reached over to the small table by the side of the bed. Putting the now empty glass on it. "It will be over quickly, with or without you. I have a lot of things that I want to test out."
"I can imagine." Tatsumi said. "You have been boiling with underlying maliciousness ever since you heard the news of this invasion. You have been quite... inflamed since then."
"Huh. I thought I was keeping myself pretty composed through all of this." she said. Tatsumi could feel how she lifted her feet from his body.
"I have learned how to read the signs. And besides, it has come out pretty clearly in the bedroom. You have been a bit more intense ever since then. In both good and bad ways."
"I am a bit restless, I will grant you that." she said. Tatsumi could feel how the mattress under him tilted a little bit to his side. Indicating that Esdese had moved up on it in some way. "But what good is a partner if they can't help you relieve some stress from time to time."
"You can spare me that "from time to time" bullshit." Tatsumi said and smiled. "I have barely been able to recover from each session before you come and demand to claim your rights again. And I suspect that these wounds on my back will not have healed fully before you cause me some other damage."
"I am sure that it is nothing that you can't handle, Tatsumi." Esdese's voice said. She was close but he could not tell how close.
"Who do you think I am?" Tatsumi said in a more cocky tone. "I know what real suffering is. This pain is nothing."
"Ohhh! How cool!" Esdese said with intentionally exaggerated girlishness. Her voice a lot more light than it usually was. "So does that mean that I can be a bit rougher with you?" she continued. Her voice growing a lot darker towards the end of her sentence.
Tatsumi nodded with a smile on his face. "That was absolutely not what I meant!"
That made Esdese chuckle slightly. She drew a deep breath as she looked at him. She loved him so.
"But seriously, though, I am thankful for the offer, Esdese. But I will join when the fighting begins. Hopefully, I can help you catch Tom-Tom." he said. And maybe give some mercy to our enemies, he thought.
Esdese nodded to him. Her gesture instinctual. Since he still had that cloth covering his eyes.
"And I am thankful that you actually take care to not cause any permanent damage to me. Like not using your ice. Most people think that you aren't capable of that kind of consideration."
"I don't show it to many." Esdese's voice said. A certain underlying pride in her tone. "While I am quite generous when it comes to rewarding those who are loyal to me, I do not show mercy to those that want to dance with me. Which is why my own underlings rarely defy me or want to challenge me to a sparring match. No matter how friendly the atmosphere is meant to be."
"I am truly blessed." Tatsumi said in a sarcastic tone. It translated well to Esdese as she looked at his current appearance. Her smile grew slightly harder as she moved closer to him.
"Well, I want your parts to be in a condition where they can keep serving me." Esdese said. Tatsumi's body tensed up as he felt how her hand grabbed hold of his manhood. First moving from his undercarriage, then up over his shaft. Pressing his cock down against his lower stomach with its palm. "Who knows, one day I might want your parts to do what they were built to do. Don't want to damage anything before then."
"How considerate of you." Tatsumi said. Keeping his sarcastic tone.
"Hmm?" Esdese said as she smiled down as he grew under her hand. "Is that some defiance I hear in your tone, Tatsumi?"
"I have no idea of what you are talking about." Tatsumi said. Smiling. "I just stated how benevolent and kind you are, didn't I?"
"It is always nice to find out that you still have the energy to be sassy." she said. Her hand suddenly grabbed a hold of his pole. Squeezing it hard enough to cause Tatsumi to bend forward slightly. Up from the bed. "But I think I will take that energy from you as well."
"I would appreciate it if I actually had some energy in me, come morn-" Tatsumi started but Esdese covered his mouth with her hand as she straddled him.
"That is not up to you, Tatsumi." Esdese said. Grinning down at him with a teethed smile. Her instincts were calling out strongly to her. Her more animalistic and primal side was urging her to do a lot of things right now. And she would answer to most of those inclinations. She was going to indulge in her more primitive side once more. And she knew that it would be exquisite.
Tatsumi was about to says something but then Esdese's hips went down on top of his. Her hand still holding his shaft. Making him move into her as she sat down. For the second time that night.
He halted himself before saying something. Forced to clench his teeth. This was the second round for the night but he still felt very sensitive. The stimulation a bit overpowering at the start.
"There we go." Esdese whispered. Grunting slightly as she began to move on top of him. "Whose is it, Tatsumi?"
"It's yours." he said through gritted teeth. The lack of sight seemed to make all of his other experiences more intense.
"That's right! And who do you belong to?"
"You." Tatsumi said.
"Good boy! That is just as it should be!" she said as her hands came down and grabbed hold of his throat. Not applying any pressure. Just holding it as her movements became rougher and faster. "We will crush these scared little invaders together. We will trample their hopes and lick their blood from our blades."
"We will!" Tatsumi wheezed. Caught up in the moment. The immense immorality of the moment not lost on him.
Even if he was on the receiving end, he was still making love to Esdese while on a temporary stop on their way to destroy a force that probably was following a much nobler set of ideas than them. And now he was not just being dragged along by the ice queen. Now he was working together with her. Trying to make the empire into a genuinely better place. He was here because he wanted to be here. He was what he had once condemned. He was well aware of the grimness that implicated.
Yet he kept moving his hips in rhythm with hers. As well as he could while being tied up. His instincts overruling his thoughts and reason. In that moment, the entire world only existed in her squeezing, warm and wet embrace. He loved how she grinded down at his hips. He loved how her breasts pressed down on his chest and face from time to time.
He loved when she grabbed his jaw and forced his mouth open. Placing her own over it. For while her teeth might bite him, her tongue was always warm and soft.
He loved it when he managed to get one of her breasts in his mouth. For when he sucked on her nipples, her body shuddered slightly.
He loved how her teeth sank into his shoulder. Because when he howled from it, her squeezing and humping became more and more intense.
He immersed himself in this more animalistic part of himself. Following Esdese down that road. Both of them only communicating with single words or moans and grunts. Yet in the back of his head, he knew that there was a very dark side to this moment.
But in the heat of their lust, hunger, and pleasure, nothing outside of this room existed. No empire. No Night raid. No lost friends. No memories of old love. His own moral dilemma was gone in this moment. Which was why he always embraced these chances for a respite from his own conscience. He loved to let all his guilt and sorrow go and just embrace the simpler side of it. Esdese's lips, tongue, hands, breasts, butt, and pussy were all that there was. Along with her will to either hurt him or please him.
He loved to just let everything go away like this.
And her. He loved her.
Author's note:
I think there will be 2 parts to "The western incursion." but I am not sure. Part 2 will be pretty damn long if that is the case. So maybe 3. We will see.
This will probably be the last chapter in this entire story that is mostly focused on build-up for the coming parts. Probably. The arc is about to start in earnest now. Things are about to start going down. Also, put in a small nod towards another one of my favorite literary works. We will see if anyone of you picks up on it. It is kinda subtle.
I had to cut out a lot from this chapter in order to manage this deadline(almost). Especially from the last "scene". But most of those ideas will make their way into later chapters. Since this lemon was more focused on it's implication than the act itself.
Either way, thanks a lot for reading and thanks a lot for all the comments and feedback. I know that there are still some PMs that I haven't answered. Will get to that in the coming days.
We will keep up this heightened tempo. Hopefully until this story's end. Though there is still a long way to go, so I am not entirely sure of that.
Until next time, take care of each other.