Hello everyone out there!
So Magi belongs to Shinobu Ohtaka, my OC to me, there might be references to this world, music etc, spoilers for those who haven't read the manga this far and some spelling mistakes because I do the correcting stuff on my own and English is not my native language.
Warning! This story is rated M so if you're underage or have made similar experiences I order you NOT TO READ PAST THE THREE HORIZONTAL LINES, seriously! There is heavy psychological content ahead as well as... ehem... porn.
Even so, have a fun time reading!
Day 22 Drinking from the wrong cup
With the adoption problem in mind Lenka decided not to train on the next day but rather take a stroll through the city. Somehow everything started to go down fast, faster than she had ever feared it would go. Giving Miran away...
She knew Inara and Ryder only superficial from the short visits when she fetched Miran from playing with Marcus or when the couple visited the training grounds. Their Rukh were nice and loving towards their own son, friendly to the other people. Would he have a better life with them? A life without the constant struggle to achieve something to change the future?
Lenka walked into a part of Remano she had never been before. The houses were big and heavily decorated with murals or pillars, the passerby seemed to be a bit wealthier than in her own quarter where the majority were merchants and working families. Rich Reimian royals...
That mad her remember Muu, who was a noble, not a royal. And oh Solomon, what was he doing? What was she doing?
Flirting with a guy on occasions where they were bot a bit intoxicated was okay, and maybe even in sober state, but she had never experienced something of this dimensions. She remembered that she had never felt something similar during her relationships back home as they were part experimenting part peer pressure and incompatible with her, both intellectually and physically inferior to her.
Muu was someone entirely different. Strong, witty, handsome, a dream of a man. Her absolute ideal if she had to tell someone. Maybe the girls going for older man had been on the right path all the time, she mused while walking down a stone staircase and stopped in her tracks as she beheld a nice fountain where children were playing. A roaring lion standing with one paw on a rock, fresh water gushed from the jaws of the statue into a flower-shaped basin. The kids were splashing water at each other, squealing in joy and running around while their mothers were sitting on a bench a few meters away, watching them and discussing their simple lives.
Somehow this scene calmed her down, brought the smile back to her face when she leaned against the railing wall to watch the kids a bit longer.
"My children used to play in that fountain as well."
Lenka looked up to see a woman around the age her own mother would be now standing a few steps above her. White streaks lanced her red hair that was pulled up in some delicate hairstyle that went well with her long dress and the green stole she was wearing.
"I really miss those times," she admitted with a nostalgic smile at Lenka who smiled back. The woman was a fanalis, but she had never seen a fanalis so old that their hair would loose the red color. Another hint of the woman's true age were the small wrinkles around her eyes, but the rest of her face was still very smooth. She had been an astonishing beauty in her youth for sure.
"My siblings loved to play with water as well. We had a small pond in the garden and I used to catch frogs and dragonflies for them," said the traveler and flinched as one of the kids tripped and started to cry. The woman chuckled.
"My son is a few years older than his sister but it was always her who played pranks on him. He was too kind to do something against her," she told her with a dreamy expression which caused Lenka to grin.
"I couldn't go against my siblings as well, they would always make puppy eyes at me. Especially when they wanted to stay up late or wanted more biscuits or another bedtime story."
"Children truly are a blessing."
Lenka hummed in agree and closed her eyes to face the sun.
"As much as I like them having own children is a whole other matter."
The other woman raised a brow, or at least her Rukh moved accordingly.
"You don't want to have children?"
"I would need to get a man first," Lenka said with a smile then turned to the woman who eyed her with outwardly hidden curiosity.
"Would you like to drink a cup of wine with me?"
"I'd prefer tea, thank you very much. My name is Lenka, by the way."
The woman smiled and a shudder ran down the traveler's spine. The smile of a predator who had cornered it's prey and wouldn't let it escape, even if the sky was to come down and the earth to fall apart. She had seen this smile very often during her time with the corps.
"The name is Murciela Alexius."
Lenka felt her gaze wander down the stairs, searching for a quick escape route when Murciela suddenly grabbed her arm and began to drag her away, a dangerous happy glint in the crimson eyes, so similar to Myron's that it was scary.
"Now we will talk for a bit, future daughter-in-law."
A panicked yelp escaped the blonde but resistance was futile in fanalis' iron-crushing grip.
"Oh Solomon, no!"
Murciela giggled then entered the Reim version of a cafe with her prisoner, nodded happily towards the gaping owner and entered a private room in the back of the shop where she nudged Lenka into a chair before sitting down as well. She laced her fingers together and looked rather pleased with herself and her actions.
"Which tea would you like, Lenka, dear?"
Her left eye started to twitch at the boldness of Muu's mother while she was admiring her attitude at the same time because this was not exactly the best occasion to have an emotional screaming fit.
"... black... tea. Please."
"From Kou? I personally am convinced that tea from the east is a bit bitter, but everyone has her own preferences, right? A cup of black tea, one herbal tea and a plate of goodies for us," she told the servant that had followed them into the room and that bowed and disappeared quickly. Murciela leaned back and continued to look at Lenka until the requested items were brought to them and they were alone in the room before she picked up her cup and started to speak.
"So you are the woman my son spends so much time with."
"Maybe I am," Lenka said and took a sip then reached for the pot with sugar. Really bitter.
"If you are searching for Lenka Sensenmacher, that is."
"I do."
Damn it.
"So you were looking for me for...?"
Hopefully not skinning alive. Murciela smiled again and it was just really stunning how similar her children were to her.
"Just a little talk, dear."
"When I hear this I usually head for the exit as there will be dead bodies and broken tableware afterwards."
The fanalis chuckled then placed her cup on the saucer with the same elegance as her daughter did.
"I was interested in you. Muu didn't tell me much, I had to get the information from Myron but she was more than helpful."
She is dangerous. Not only physically, but psychologically as well, Lenka realized and nodded slowly.
"I understand, but there is not much about me worth mentioning."
"Don't be so modest. You have achieved much already and don't have the need to make yourself smaller than you are," Murciela said and leaned back, fingers laced again.
"Let's speak frankly. What is your relationship with my son?"
Lenka exhaled slowly and tried to collect her thoughts, find a way to calm the other and assure her that she was not a danger. She didn't manage to do so. This woman deserved the truth.
"I don't know," she said and looked straight at Murciela.
"I really don't know."
The other raised a brow.
"Do you really thin I would believe you?"
Lenka sighed again and placed her elbows on her tights to massage her temples.
"I have... issues. Severe mental problems. I can't trust people easily, though it has gotten better since I... left home. Much better. I don't think I'm in the condition to have a physical relationship with a man yet."
Murciela patiently waited for her to continue as the blonde's voice broke and she had to take deep breaths to calm herself. She had had similar problems in her youth, actually every fanalis that had been a slave had this issues, no matter if it had been only a few weeks. Her own children and the ones born now in the safety of the Reim empire wouldn't have the same difficulties with trusting others, but it was a long and painful process to get over the barriers built high and sturdy after years of pain and despondency.
Lenka looked up, her despair and confusion clearly visible.
"Muu is... when I was younger I dreamed of marrying someone like him. He's friendly, humorous, good with children, intelligent, handsome... even where I come from everyone would like to have a son-in-law like him. He's a perfect match."
Murciela hummed in agree, pleased though she didn't know where the young woman in front of her came from.
"I am nowhere near perfect," Lenka said in a voice dripping with self-loathing. "Not even good. I am wary of myself, but I try not to think about it because it would bring me too close to falling into depravity. I have build so many walls around me, but he... he slips through them, you know? I can't do anything against it. It confuses me, makes me insecure... and the worst is that I don't even have a hint of what he wants.
I really don't know," she sighed and took a large gulp from her cup. Murciela leaned forward to take her other hand and massage the back of it with her thumb.
"I know how you feel. Exactly the same happened to me when Tiberius tried to court me. Somehow the Alexius men are a bit retarded when it comes to courting, probably as it is noting you can solve with pure strength and war tactics."
"Funny that they say the same things about fanalis," Lenka replied with a weak smile.
"It is something men have in common, some are simply worse than others. And it was a lot more complicated because I was a slave of one of the more powerful families governing Carthage at that time. That was a huge shock to the elders as he came back from his duties with a fanalis ex-slave who was engaged to him. It took them a long time to accept me, but in the end I was adopted into a branch of the Alexius family and could marry Tiberius.
Turbulent times," Murciela added with a dreamy expression then her sharp gaze returned.
"Should I give Muu some advice how to properly court you?"
"Please don't," the traveler answered, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards into a weak smile.
"But I know that you probably wouldn't listen."
"Indeed," she dryly stated and her eyes shone warm.
"Your mother must be proud of you."
"I hope she would be. She died when I was seven, but I hope she would be proud."
"Surely she would," the fanalis said and reached out to ruffle the blonde's hair.
"Because I would be proud as well."
Lenka's eyes widened in surprise then they teared up as she smiled at Murciela.
"Thank you."
The founder's feast was a big celebration, as Muu had promised. The whole city had been preparing for months or so it seemed to Lenka, she couldn't explain the huge amounts of food and flower festoons otherwise. Everyone was dressed in their best clothes as was she. The new outfit she wore reminded her of one of the Greek or Roman statues from her world, the silk was so smooth and soft that it followed her movements like the ever-changing current, the sapphire-blue cape that was attached to small silver shoulder plates was slightly thicker but the drapery was done so delicately that it didn't bother at all. Her sandals were new as well and her hair was done nicely by Eligos and Gusion - who got amazingly solid if she infused them with more magoi than usually when her djinn decided to appear outside, solid enough to receive a crushing hug – and careful use of her shrinking make-up made her look like a goddess or so Miran was convinced. The boy wore a tunic like most younger Reimian boys did but with a new sash, his dagger and the flying scarf if something should occur and he had to get away fast.
She still hadn't found a solution for the adoption problem but after the conversation with Murciela Alexius she felt more prepared for what the future might bring her and instead enjoyed the time she had left with Miran.
Lenka left him with the fanalis corps' younger recruits as the older were attending the service as guards and slipped into the palace, following the Rukh to a chamber on the first floor where Muu and Ignatius were waiting already. The old man nodded approvingly while the fanalis had to collect his thoughts back together for a few second in which she mentally hailed her female djinn.
"You look stunning," he said and scratched the back of his head in awkwardness. Lenka grinned at him and slightly tilted her head. Apparently his mother had really given him some advice.
"I've noticed so, but I have to admit that you don't look that bad either. Rather polished I dare to say."
Ignatius coughed and she was absolutely sure that he concealed a chuckle with it. But really, Muu wore his freshly polished cuirass, looking like the fanalis version of Mars or so Mica had titled him once. Solomon, how she missed her friend. Micaela would probably agree with Myron's choice for her dress. And Muu's attire. She could almost hear her scream something about golden nipples and then cackling like an evil witch in the back of her head, but maybe it was just Eligos.
She shook her head at his curios glance then looked at Nerva and Scheherazade who had just entered the room. The Magi blinked slowly at he then nodded approvingly, just like Ignatius had, while the son of the emperor showed the same reaction as Muu. Gaping surprise.
"I see the bill was justified."
Lenka curtsied gracefully in front of the other.
"My Lady. I thank you for your graciousness and will try to serve you the best I can."
Scheherazade tilted her head to listen to the cheering outside then nodded.
"I will speak to the citizens now. Nerva, Ignatius, you go first, right side, Muu, Marlene-Karen, left side."
Oh, it's always funny how she's the only one who uses your full name, Orobas mused while she nodded then took the hand Muu held out to her.
"May I?"
"Of course, captain."
Six guards went through the door first and took their posts on the gray balcony then the dungeon capturers followed. The cheers reminded her of the arena at first but the mood was completely different. Those people wanted to see their beloved Magi, not the death of a poor gladiator, and a sudden rush of empathy made her feel with them as Scheherazade stepped into the light and onto the balcony, her staff glittered in the sun like her hair, the ivy crown was a beautiful contrast to the golden flood that touched the floor.
The noise died slowly as she raised her stave, hundreds of thousands interested eyes stared at the fragile figure over them, but the voice they heard was magically strenghtened.
"Citizens of Remano, of the Reim Empire, today is a day to celebrate, to honor our founder Remus who raised the first wall of this city..."
Silently the foreigner compared the facts she knew of the two worlds, finding that the story of the Reim Empire was almost identical to the Roman version. Scheherazade must have told it at least two hundred times but everyone's eyes and ears were glued to her and her words, especially as she started to talk about solidarity, the will to protect what was dear to oneself and duty, almost foreshadowing the upcoming war with Magnostadt and the treaty with Sindria that was yet to happen.
The Magi was a brilliant talker but the growing wariness of the future made Lenka all jittery and nervous and she had to focus on something else to keep herself from hugging herself for comfort, which was watching the others and using the warmth of her djinn to draw comfort. She applauded with everyone else and followed the other dungeon capturers as seats were brought so they could watch the colorful parade that marched by under the balcony, pompous and overloaded and yet showing the strength of the Empire. Reim was indeed a force not to be taken lightly.
The rest of the festival was almost a blur in her memory.
She remembered noticing Alibaba with the Shambal school gladiators and talking to them after the parade as he had been watching with them.
She remembered accepting receiving a bouquet by a young girl that smiled shyly at her, eyes widened at the sight of her metal vessels.
She remembered Scheherazade introducing her to her other admirals and officials as her fourth dungeon capturer, bowing politely and doing a bit small-talk.
She remembered Muu introducing his parents to her, officially introducing as she already knew his mother who winked conspiratorial. They were happy, more than thirty five years of being married had tied them together like only hardships and joys shared with each other could and her own hope of experiencing something similar someday started to grow like a flower.
Hours later she walked at Muu's side to the tavern where the big after-party would take place. The corps had rented the location for the evening and every member or ex-member came by. Under all those red-heads she was the only blonde but that mattered not very long, she had just to win a few arm-wrestling matches to get accepted. Apparently the fanalis genes were really dominant, even the quarter-fanalis had the fiery hair and uniquely shaped eyes, but sometimes green or brown irises. The food was more Mediterranean and the wine was even stronger than in Sindria, so she reminded herself to be careful, the dress was too pretty to be ruined already.
During her third drink the world started to get fuzzy. Lenka frowned and placed the half-empty cup on the table where she sat with Razol to watch the dancers and reached for a small bowl with this world's version of crackers when the shivering began. She dropped the cracker and stared at her blurring fingers, her mouth becoming unnaturally dry and she felt like she was wrapped in at least two blankets at midday in the desert, so. Fucking. Hot.
"Lenka? What's wrong?" Razol asked and touched her cheek then yelped.
"Holy Solomon, you're burning up! Did you have this crazy high fever the whole day?"
The blonde slowly shook her head then tried to stand up but her trembling legs were too weak to carry her weight so she leaned back against the wall behind her and wrapped her arms around her stomach to ease the nauseating feeling.
"Dizzy. I'm not drunk, this is not what it feels like to be drunk.
Gusion?"
The djinn looked alarmed, the now yellow eyes squinted as Lenka felt a tickling sensation all over her body as Gusion scanned her Rukh.
… poisoned. I can't do much from here. If we'd do that I could burn it from the inside but your Rukh are too unstable right now. The only thing I can do is trying to change it into something non-fatal, but I can't say what it will be at this stage.
"The drink..." she groaned and Razol grabbed the cup to sniff at the content. Her face turned from concentrated to shocked in a split second, then she jumped from her chair.
"Lenks, stay where you are. Captain! Relahe! Come over!"
The fast movement of the following wave blurred into a long, flesh-colored line for her eyes as the room started slowly tilting to the right. She groaned and pulled her legs up to take a sitting fetal position to calm down the shivering but the nearing footsteps made it worse again. Another cool hand touched her cheek and she instinctively leaned against it then slowly opened her eyes.
"Woah... there is more than one of you," she murmured surprised.
"Can I choose one to keep?"
Muu frowned then let the other woman near the blonde. Relahe quickly checked Lenka's pulse and temperature then sniffed at her and started to rummage in the small bag she was wearing. Her jaw fell in shock and she checked again.
"It's gone. Have you seen a small flask with a yellow cap? Perhaps drunk from it? Oh..."
She pulled a carefully sealed vial from the depths of her bag and paled until she was as white as Lenka's dress.
"Oh Solomon, no."
Razol handed the cup over for Muu and Relahe to smell the wine. The physician's wife nearly dropped it after she caught a whiff of the scent.
"Dear Lord Solomon. I really hoped it isn't..."
She took one of her rings off and dipped it into the alcohol then blew on the metal. The fluid sizzled and left a green film on the bronze surface.
"What is it, Relahe?" Muu asked and his brows furrowed even more. The woman started biting on her lower lip and glanced at Lenka before answering.
"I believe it's a poison called 'Copper Thorns'. Odorless, with a taste similar to wine. Causes a feverish state at first, nausea, shivering, high temperature but then the victim coughs up blood as the intestines start to melt because it reacts with the gastric acid. The drinker dies very fast and very painful."
Lenka managed a scowl, or so she hoped, the world was blurring so much it made her eyes tear up.
"Oh great. Luckily I have Gusion... Said she would turn it into something else."
Relahe looked she was going to cry, Razol was stiff with shock but then a dangerous fire lit in her eyes.
"I will kill whoever did this. Slowly."
"Find the culprit and warn the others, but do not scare them unnecessarily," ordered Muu with a low snarl. The scarred woman nodded, slipped from her chair and disappeared into the crowd. Lenka blinked slowly at Relahe who sniffed at her again.
"What?"
"If I'm not mistaken... your djinn said she would turn it into something else? Did she mention what?"
Muu turned back to them to lean against the wall and block the view but then smelled the air as well.
"Do you smell that, too?"
"Pupils dilated, permanently," Relahe said and lowered the candle she had taken from the table. Her lips turned upwards.
"Do you still feel dizzy?"
"And hot. My heartbeat is too loud and... erratic."
The other suddenly grinned wide and nudged Muu's arm.
"You should take her home captain, we don't know what the djinn will turn the poison into and it would be better for her to be in her own four walls when that happens."
"Just what did I drink?" Lenka murmured weakly but then warm arms slipped under her knees and around her back and then she was lifted, her right side firmly pressed against cool metal. Good. Cool was good. Hard was not so good, but cool was. The cool air of the night was even better, fresh and cleansing. The noise died down as soon as they left the tavern, the only things she could hear was the steady beating of Muu's heart and the crunching noises his sandals made on the ground. Lenka sighed and rubbed her eyes then remembered she was wearing make-up. Damn.
"Sorry for getting poisoned, Muu."
"It's not your fault. It could have been everyone. Think of it as a small inconvenience, but we were surely lucky that Gusion can heal you. I don't want to imagine if it had been someone else..."
"Yaay for being dungeon capturer."
His silent laughter caused the armor under her cheek to vibrate and Lenka groaned lightly at the growing pain in her head.
"Sorry, I didn't want to hurt you."
"You didn't. Major headache."
She inhaled deeply then coughed, a hard, raspy sound that caused he whole body to shake violently. And then the burning got stronger, the shivering as well and God it hurt. It hurt like a blistering hook in her intestines, pulling at her guts, twisting them in every possible direction, trying to get them out through her navel.
"It hurts. It hurts. Make it stop."
The steps and the heartbeat quickened as Muu started to run.
"A few more seconds, Lenka."
She thought she had had her fair share of mental and physical torture already but this was something completely new. The constant chill, the fever and the blurred sight were almost too much for her. Feverish illusions and dreams were high up on her list of things she hated, above critters but below persons spreading rumors but this could change after this episode. Faintly she remembered Muu opening a door and a series of loud clacks then she was laid on something soft and fluffy while the warm surface disappeared, fingers touched her calves and her shoes were dropped to the floor.
And then her vision blackened.
Something smelled good. Warm, spicy. Lenka opened her eyes and tried to find the source of this delicious scent, a nameless hunger grew inside her mind as well as a dull throbbing in her lower abdomen. Muu was only centimeters away, holding her face with both hands. His pupils were dilated, catching the light of the moon outside to see in the darkness of the bedroom. She smiled at him then closed the space between them as she leaned forward to kiss him. Hmm. Good. His lips were really soft. Lenka grabbed his shoulders to pull him closer but Muu placed his hand over her mouth.
"Lenka, what are you doing?"
A small, fading voice in the back of her head shouted that he was absolutely right, she should stop kissing the sexy guy but a louder one urged just to use this chance to the fullest, she might never meet someone like him again. Lenka wrapped her legs around his waist then rolled him on the back so that she was on top and lazily pulled off the forearm protector.
"Stripping," she answered, dropped it on the carpet and her sword next to it.
"Isn't it obvious?"
The biceps rings fell next to the shelf and she reached for the fastener of her necklace, smiling under half-closed lids as his eyes widened in shock then narrowed again.
"Lenka. You don't really want to do that."
Frowning she abandoned the necklace at last.
"Don't tell me what I want to do. What I want to be. Who I should be. I hate that. I am who I am. I do what I want to do."
She leaned forward, her lips ghosted over his ear, warm breath tickled his skin as she whispered:
"And I want you."
Muu tensed under her as she kissed him again, this time hungry, then playful, seducing him until he growled darkly and kissed her back, slipped his tongue in her mouth to explore and cupped her bottom to press her hips against his. A moan escaped her when she realized what the bulge pressing against her leg meant and the shivering sped up another notch. She made a small, surprised sound as he rolled around to pin her to the mattress and followed the line of her jaw with his lips, placing small kisses on her neck then bit down at her collarbone while opening the buttons of her dress at the same time. Lenka banged her hand against the armor then tried to find the openers.
"Take it off."
"You sure? There's no turning back," Muu said with husky voice then grinned as she started to pull at the shoulder plates with a whine.
"Strip I said."
The fire inside her started to burn brighter as he stood up, leaned his sword against the desk then almost painfully slow opened the fasteners of the cuirass then placed it on the floor, never breaking eye-contact with her. In the light he looked like a marble statue, deliciously shaped and muscular. And as unwilling to stop as she was, taken from the fire burning in his eyes. Lenka gulped and let her gaze wander south and the little piece of sanity disappeared with a frizzling sound. Oh. Now that was... promising. She was in for a good ride for sure. If he fit could into her. Oh God. Her breath hitched, pulse thrumming in her ears and a a gazillion of butterflies set off in her stomach.
Muu climbed back onto the bed to kiss her again, his fingers brushed over the skin of her tights before grabbing the dress' hem and pulled it over her head. Red eyes widened he saw her lying on the mattress, wearing only a small piece of cloth to cover her modesty before he cupped her ample breasts, a low whimper escaped her when he started to rub the hard pink nipples. Lenka couldn't help but to moan in pleasure as he sucked at them, her fingers tangled in the long red hair that was so much like a mane and gasped when he scraped his teeth over them. Muu chuckled then blew over the wet tip.
"You're so beautiful. If just your skin tastes this good..."
Her hips jolted upwards as his hand sneaked under the cloth and the thumb stroked the sensitive nub while another finger pushed inside. She pressed her hands over her mouth to muffle her cries, when he added another finger and started a slow rhythm that drove her mad, the burning got stronger with every second until her body convulsed and the tension caused by the potion erupted like a volcano, leaving her boneless and panting.
Grinning smugly Muu pulled his fingers out then licked her cum from them, not breaking the eye-contact with a blushing Lenka.
"Delicious."
Her mind was in a daze as he pulled down her underwear and positioned himself between her legs, then cupped her face in his left, thumb caressing her cheek. Skin flustered, gray eyes clouded with lust and cherry-red lips slightly parted as she answered his stare.
"Look only at me, Lenka."
"Please...," she whispered then gasped and wrapped her arm around his neck as he entered her with a swift thrust. Good. So good. What had she denied herself the past years if this could feel so good? She frowned at Muu who stared at her in concern and shock, his jaws clenched as he was trying not to move.
"Are you okay? You're so tight. We're you...?"
She shook her head as her eyes teared up at his worried glance.
"No, I'm not. You're so sweet."
Lenka kissed him and moaned against his lips as he started to move slowly at first then gradually sped up. Murmuring her name and small words while he placed small kisses on her face, her neck, nibbled at her shoulder while she dug her nails in his back as the different sensations overflowed her mind, her body tingled and her breath came out in little whimpers, pleading for more. And he gave her more, bent her legs to thrust deeper to loose himself inside her when she responded his movement eagerly. Her vision blackened for a second in intense, raw pleasure as her muscles contracted around him and she came with a muffled scream. Muu followed her a moment later with a deep grow that rivaled a lion's and collapsed, pressing her into the mattress before he rolled to the side and pulled her against his chest to caress her back while they slowly calmed down.
The smell of tears made him look down.
"Hey, don't cry, don't cry. I'm sorry," he murmured and pressed a kiss on her hair as she buried her face in his neck.
"I'm sorry, Muu. Sorry for making you do this."
He swallowed and stroked the back of her head when she started sobbing.
"It's not. It was my free will. You forced me to nothing."
"How aren't you disgusted by me?" she asked and the heartfelt desperation caused his stomach to churn. Just what had happened to her in her past? He continued to pet her, comfort with small words and hushing sounds until she calmed down, inhaled deeply then looked up to meet his gaze.
"My father raped me when I was eleven."
His body froze for a second but she continued nevertheless.
"He burned marks in my shoulder to make me remember to obey him. The tree holes. With his cigar. It hurt so much I nearly suffocated on my own vomit. He said that he had to do this because I killed my twin at birth. He threatened to kill me if I told anyone. Cut me with the knife he used to open letters with. Small wounds that would not scar.
He started to control my life. Tried to form me after his wishes because he thinks I'm not a suitable heir. Treated me like a dog. I even had a collar and a lash. Red leather. Steel chain. My stepmother encouraged him, said this would be the only way to raise me."
Lenka fell silent for a few seconds, maybe a minute and traced small patterns on his skin before speaking again.
"They tried to break me. They succeeded, more or less. I started to sneak out at night to pick fights with other people. I won. Always won. Grew tired of this. Distracted myself with learning. Suffocated in the environment I grew up in. Tried to get out and failed. Again and again. Finally I realized that I'm not the only one. I have a sister. I should protect her. I left her alone in this place."
She chuckled weakly and rubbed her eyes.
"Now you know the ugly truth about me. The truth not even my best friend Micaela knows.
I want to kill him. To make him pay for what he did to me. Make him suffer for hours and days and years until he begs me to kill him. And then I will refuse to do it myself to show him his place.
What a warped, ugly thing I am."
Suddenly she sat up to look at him, her cheeks stained from the running mascara but her eyes were clear and silver in the moonlight.
"You can leave now if you want. Now that you know me I'm sure you would like to run away more than everything else. Do and don't look back, 'cause I'll be gone soon anyway."
He stared at her for so long that she had to look down to escape the piercing gaze, distract herself with the sheets to forget what she had just told him, to forget the past she had revealed in a moment of weakness, to build up her walls again. The mattress shifted and her eyes teared up again so she closed them so that he was unable to see her cying and she couldn't see him leaving.
This was the end.
Muu's fingers cupped her cheek then his lips brushed over hers, light and soft and oh so gentle. The fluttering feeling in her stomach returned when he slipped his other arm around her to pull her on his lap and into a warm embrace.
"I'll stay."
She was unable to say which emotion had caused the tears that now ran down her face as she kissed him again and everything that had tormented her gradually faded away, slowly, so slowly.
Lenka would think of them when the sun was again.
Muu left early the next morning, sneaking out of the house so that no one of her neighbors would start talking. Lenka was still sleeping as the after-effects of the potion were still active. Her confession laid like a stone in his stomach. Which father would do something like that to his daughter? And what should he do now? Or rather, what could he do for her?
When he arrived at the training grounds some of the corps' members were already training and a strong feeling of pride filled his chest. He had achieved this. Made a place for them where they could come to and be themselves.
Oh Solomon what had he done the night before?
He had never imagined something like this would happen but now here he was standing and his sister and Lolo were walking up to him, looking at him with smug grins, faces that said 'I know what you did last night and want to hear everything, come on, you're our brother and best friend, out with the dirty details'.
Lolo punched against his shoulder so hard his knees almost gave in, but he continued to smile at them.
"Captain! I see you're up early. So did you do it with blondie?"
Myron hit the scarred man's arm.
"What a rude way to ask. We perceived that you had left the festivities early yesterday even though you didn't consume much alcohol, which is very unlike you. So we questioned Razol who told us you were bringing Lenka home as she had been feeling unwell. After you didn't return we assumed things were going well for you."
That was his sister, acting refined like she was the daughter of the emperor.
"So did you do her or not?"
"I warned you, you crude man, don't talk like this in public or you'll ruin my brother's reputation!"
And that was her other side, always picking fights with her fellow household-member.
"Come on, be nice to each other," he said and tried to separate the two who were standing nose at nose glaring daggers at the other. This had the effect he wished for but unfortunately they were focusing on him again.
"So? Did you?"
"Mister Muu?"
He looked down at Miran and almost flinched at the expression in the kid's eyes. Cold and hard and dead serious.
"Where is Lenka? You smell like her, but why isn't she here with you?"
"She was feeling unwell yesterday so I brought her home. She is probably still sleeping."
That was not exactly the truth but better than lying completely, or worse, telling the truth. Miran's eyes narrowed even more and a feral glint appeared in the crimson depths.
"I warn you, Muu Alexius. If you did something bad to her I will fight you. I don't care if you have a djinn and I'm still a kid. I will resort to everything I've got to win. As a fellow fanalis I ask you not to play with Lenka."
Muu nodded earnestly.
"I fully understand your position. I have no intentions to make her sad."
Miran stared at him for a few more seconds then nodded.
"Remember my words."
"Brother, what have you done to be threatened like this?"
He sighed and raised his face to the sun just to see the clouds gathering to block the light.
"I will try to get things right again."
I'm sorry! *runs away screaming in terror* really, but this part of Lenka's past was planned from the start, so please stay away with the burning torches and stakes! I'm not a vampire, but everyone would die from that!
… Aaah! *almost passes out from nosebleed* I can't believe I wrote *that* scene! My fall into depravity has begun... ages ago. When I was introduced to FanFiction. Sorry! *hides under the carpet*
Yeah, well, thanks for the reviews for the last chapter!
Kankri: Did you read my notes? Did you?! *points at the chapter* I nearly fell from the chair when I read that review! *hands you a cookie*
Nemeria: You left nothing, it's just that Lenka one day decided Alibaba was her pet. She has this strange moods some days... the same moods that caused her to think that it would be a good idea to act all grown-up and learn cooking on her own. You know, those moods that sound perfectly logical and are in reality just absolutely insane?
Orias in a pink apron: He's been forced to provide edible dishes for the others but Eligos loves messing with her peers. So she stole his other apron and forced him to wear the pink one. Orias disapproves of it but getting tomato sauce stains from the chains is a pain, so he wears it. And when the others complain about his food he gets quite nasty.
Your question of the wedding has been delivered to Lenka. She nearly fainted, had a screaming fit and now begs you not to tell her family in this world because she fears Micaela will start sewing the dress. But you would come to help with the flowers, wouldn't you? ;D
I made Muu's family up because I found nothing in cannon as well and hope Ohtaka doesn't specify in the future. Because of the strict patriarchal ancient Roman society I thought his mother had to be the fanalis, or else it wouldn't have worked out with him and Myron being half-bloods and part of the Alexius family.
The plot: Secret! Secret! I won't say a thing without my lawyer!
Your side thought: You're absolutely right. Al-Thamen would never survive Justin Bieber. Sorry to the Believers reading my story, but can you imagine Justin singing his songs to Ithnaan and calling him 'baby'? I can, and it's hilarious.
Star Wars: I save the story on a R2D2 USB stick. Hell yes! And have Vader ice cubes to my drink!
*gives you a cookie*
As always, I would appreciate if you'd continue to read the story, because it will get better from this point on. Thanks and sweets to everyone who read, favorited, followed and reviewed the last chapter!
Yours,
TheMultipleMeExperience