Sorry for the long wait. Finals and MMORPG's distracted me enough to let my beloved fics aside.

There are transitions from p.o.v to p.o.v, so be careful when reading.

WANRNING: dub con and mentions of futanari.

Finished on 15/11/2014

Bittersweet Symphony

Freedom

Setsuna's Quote

None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Droplets of water ran down her back. She shivered, her body and mind crossed, as I could see in her embarrassed scowl and smell in the muskiness of her arousal. She was by far one of the most magnificent delicacies I've ever hosted in my chambers. Fiery and challenging, never relenting. I found it a thrilling and annoying trait she possessed.

"Finish your bath soon," My impatience grew with every minute of watching her wash. She turned her back to me and rinsed, not even bothering to answer. I smirked at her defiance, and though I did think it refreshing she was still mine and I would not tolerate her disrespectful manners much longer. Glancing at my side, I grabbed the only robe available and threw her bloody clothes out of the window. Konoka gaped as I smiled politely and walked away with the robe in my hands, pleased to have accomplished my goal of teaching her a small lesson. No doubt there were many to come.

"Am I supposed to just come out nude?" Konoka's outraged voice reached me from the other side of the room. But I could hear the fear underneath her facade. Perfect.

"Not like you will need clothes for a three-meter walk to my bed," She did not respond. I could practically see the gears work in her mind, taunting her, preparing her for what was to come. I thanked Konoemon mentally for overprotecting his granddaughter's chastity so fiercely. Now taking it away would be much sweeter, a beautiful fact that would forever haunt the family. I hoped he slept with the images of me and his young heir in bed. I hope he heard Konoka's screams of pleasure as well as her wails of agony. I hope he saw me inside of her, pushing and pulling whatever was left of her dignity.

"I don't know what my family did to you..." Konoka walked out of the bathroom, trying fruitlessly to cover herself with her hands as much as possible. "But I do know that you will be just like them if you follow through this night's plans." I scowled at her. How dare she? How dare she presume she knew me and my pain?

My feral side made an appearance. I ignored her yelp as I hoisted her over my shoulder and threw her carelessly on my bed. Her chocolate locks painted my bed and fused with the dark fur beneath her body. I didn't give her time to catch up with my actions, jumping on top of her and holding her hands over her head like the brute she thought me to be. Her breath heaved as she tilted her head to her side and sank into the material, desperately trying to get away from me. I smirked, getting off on the terror oozing out of her pores.

I kissed her neck and sucked on the delicate skin, breaking through with my fangs and marking her body as my property for everybody to see. She would walk with me tomorrow, willing or not, and I would show her off to my fellow demons. Her disgrace would be my honor and her pain my source of energy. Every Kingdom would hear of her humiliation, I would make sure of it.

"Please," What was that plea for? This oblivious girl's words were no different from any other I had heard before. And yet, I don't know why or how, I stopped myself from going further down the valley of her breast, clasped roughly in my hand. "Please," She repeated in a whisper, looking at me with defeated, teary eyes. There was that fire again, slowly diminishing. Giving up so fast? I couldn't have that. Not so soon.

But why? Why couldn't I hurt her like I wanted to? She was a human, she was innocent. And above all, she was a Konoe. Why couldn't I just get it over with and have her like I promised?

I slowly raised, seizing her up with cold eyes. She did not even cover, still shocked and frightened.

"Good night," I spat out as I sprang off of her and marched out of my own room. I could hear the beginnings of sobs and almost snarled. Good, let her cry all night.

The sunrise was nothing short of magnificent. Setsuna stood in the middle of the withered field as she meditated in peace. It had been three hours since she left her room unsatisfied. At first she wanted nothing more than go back and give the human girl a piece of her mind on... well, she still didn't quite know what it was, but she fully intended on doing it.

"I'm a withered flower; mellowed by time, forgotten by the hour, pretending I'm fine," Setsuna smiled at the newcomer, one of the few allowed in her field without question.

"Ayaka, good morning." Softspoken eyes lowered before the Lady as a sign of respect. The young vampire smiled warmly as the Lady returned the gesture and motioned her to close her distance. "What brings you here so early, if I may ask?" Her friend twirled with a lock of hair, briefly glancing at the dead plants with nostalgia.

"Still asleep, I see," She commented. Knowing she wouldn't receive an answer she continued. "The Queen of Andrasia requests a meeting as soon as possible," Setsuna rubbed her chin in deep thought. Andrasia was probably the most neutral Kingdom she's ever dealt with, thought last time she had a meeting with them, it was not with the current monarch but her mother. Rumor was, she was a fiery idealistic thing with a heart of gold and the manners of a crocodile, which meant bite first, ask later.

Setsuna had no deals with Andrasia, as far as she was concerned. But Andrasia did have deals with the Konoe, and the Queen herself was coincidentally fond of the young lady resting in her chambers.

Slowly, she opened her mouth and drawled, "Arrange one for three days from now on. Tell the maids to fix a room for our royal visitor. I'm sure she'd like to stay the night, given the nature of her visit and the long travel she will endure." She tsk'd. "I also want you to be Konoka's shadow for as long as I see fit. Take Chizuru with you, but let her know that any inappropriate touching will only mean her immediate death." Ayaka vowed before the Lady and promptly walked away, having a full day ahead of her.

"Not a day here and already causing trouble," She remained impassive for a minute, before glancing back at her castle. "That girl..."

The rise of temperature indicated the hour, and Setsuna left for her morning walk around town, still thinking about her decision. Maybe she had rushed into her vengeance after all.

"Oh, well. Nothing to do about it now." She put dipped her hands into her pockets and headed into town. As usual, it was full of rockus; merchants, towns people and far-landers all yelling the best prices and counter-prices as they shoved their products on other demons' faces and viceversa. Setsuna politely shrugged off a few merchants and greeted the few acquaintances she had in town with a terse nod.

She mused to herself. How ironic it was to see demons behave the same as humans. If only men could see this for themselves maybe they wouldn't judge so much when the first thing they noticed where the protuberances, beaks, slime-like bodies, red eyes, etc. Then again, men were stupid.

Murmurs around her picked up, and in turn, so did her curiosity. The yelling subsided all too sudden and the Lady frowned in displeasure. The chaos here was the main reason she liked to venture into town. Here it was business first, and everything else to Hell. Het title held no ground unless needed, and the people shared their ass-sucking equally unlike at the palace.

She hissed under her breath as her captive's distinctive smell reached her nostrils. She ignored the way her heart did a little leap of pride when she also picked up her own smell mixed in.

Sure enough her senses were not deceiving her. Her newest pet was trailing behind her like an oblivious puppy walking into a den of wolves. She looked confident, like she belonged there, in turmoil and disarray. Setsuna purred, momentarily forgetting the previous night's chain of events. The princess looked deletable enough to eat.

"I'm sorry. She really wanted to come here and talk to you," Apologized Ayaka at her side as she, Chizuru and Konoka finally reached her. Setsuna waved them off, showing that it was alright. She dismissed them both and told them to wait for her calling. She could babysit for a day, she supposed. With a sigh, she beckoned Konoka to walk closer. The stares of the other demons unnerved her, so she glared them away.

"What on Earth are you doing?" She asked, tilting her head to a side in confusion and annoyance. "If I hadn't asked them to watch after you something bad could have happened to you," Konoka scoffed and crossed her arms. Setsuna's hackles raised at the small sign of defiance.

"Now you care," She yelped as Setsuna seized her by her arm and dragged her away from the curious eyes. Of course, the Lady ended up having to carry her on her shoulders like a barbarian after putting up with one whole minute of struggles and empty threats. She barged into the castle like a furious beast and stomped all the way to her room, ignoring the giggles bubbling up her throat as Konoka's arms brushed her sensitive feathers.

Throwing the princess on the bed she huffed, "Let us get this straight, honey. You are mine!" She jumped on top of the brunette and curled her lips in a cruel smirk. A feeling of dread filled Konoka as she gazed into the very same dark eyes from the previous night. Her breath hitched as Setsuna proceeded to scratch her sides in a less than gentle manner and claim her neck and collarbone with nips and licks. Her rough tongue was one of the few traits that indicated her ascendance. It tended to change from soft to coarse, she noted.

Setsuna bit just below her ear, her hand covering Konoka's pained yell. She observed with interest as blood oozed from the wound and hit the furry covers, tainting them with her prisoner's smell. She licked the wound softly, mixing as much saliva as possible to speed up the healing process. Konoka had stopped struggling, and now she just lied there, waiting for the worst. Setsuna smiled, pleased with herself. At least she was behaving.

She leaned in, briefly noticing how Konoka tried to inch away. She held her in place and growled, "Do not think that you are immune in my land, just because you are my new plaything. Sooner or later I will get bored with you and this little act. Depending on how well you behave, I may consider hiring you as help around the castle," Hope surged forward, but Setsuna was quick to crush it. "You are never returning home. As long as I live, you will remain here. With me." The brunette sobbed under her, clutching at her arms in a silent plea. "You will be at best my bed-warmer on occasion, and you will enjoy it." She ripped her lower clothes and covered her genitals with her palm. Konoka sobbed harder. "This is mine. Forever." She caressed the slightly wet area before retracting her fingers and licking them. "You are foolish to think that in here, with me, there is freedom." She pushed herself onto the princess, muffling her sobs with a rough kiss.

She held the princess' arms with a hand and pulled down her own pants to her mid thighs with the other. Konoka's eyes widened as she struggled against the Lady with renewed strength. Setsuna laughed as her nails scratched her back, before pulling her flush against her body, letting their sexes brush. She held back a snort. For someone so unwilling, she was dripping wet from arousal. Without further preparation, she pushed inside the brunette, almost smiling in triumph when that guilty feeling from the previous night disappeared completely, only leaving space for toe-curling ecstasy.

Beneath her, Konoka was biting on the fur to stop herself from screaming. She felt humiliated in every possible way. Denigrated to the core by this... this monster on and inside of her. And worst of all, for some morbid reason, she was excited. Had she not been it would have surely hurt ten times more to take the Lady in.

Demons take their mates like animals, she once read. Now it was her turn to verify such statement.

"I will never forgive you," They lied there, looking into each other's eyes. The sun was still up, but it would soon disappear behind the whithered hills. Setsuna smiled sadly at the prisoner, caressing her cheek with a nail. Konoka did not put up a fight.

"Good. I don't want you to." The Lady tenderly cradled the brunette in her arms. They spoke no more, and went to sleep.