"Mistress Kelda!"
Kelda waved a hand, head-first inside a troll carcass.
"Over here!"
Gnarl hobbled to her as she pulled her way free with a squelch, eyeing the foot-long knife she held with wary respect.
"The Master is on his way, Mistress. I thought you'd like to know."
"Oh!" She brightened, jammed the knife into the troll's meaty thigh. "He's conquered Everlight, then?"
"Mistress, he has crushed it," Gnarl said proudly. "I've taught him well."
"Excellent!" Kelda wiped blood from her hands with a towel, gave her face a cursory scrub. "How do I look?"
"Like you've just been gutting and skinning a troll, Mistress."
"Hmm." She frowned, running a hand through her hair, peering at her reflection in the fountain. "Eh, I've looked worse." She rinsed her hands in the fountain, raked her unruly hair back into place. "Come on, then."
"Coming Mistress, coming! I'm not as young as I used to be, you know."
She paused in the throne room, smoothing her skirts.
"There's so much still to do!" she exclaimed. "I want to go through the armory and inventory what we have- oh, and tan that troll hide- oh, and I can't wait to visit Everlight! I wonder what the hunting's like there?"
There was a thunderclap, a rush off wind that flattened her skirts against her legs. She smoothed her hair, grinning- and then her smile fell.
There was someone else with the witch boy.
"What." She said.
It was a woman- the woman from the beach, in fact. She was tall, made even taller and more imposing by a mass of dark, curly hair that looked like it had taken hours to arrange. She wore a white linen toga, the glint of gold caressing the swell of her breasts, and a purple silk scarf that likely cost more than Nordberg was wrapped around her shapely hips. Kelda glanced down at her own rough-spun skirts, her cheeks flaming.
"Hmm." The woman was looking around critically, red lips in a perfectly sculpted pout. "Little on the dark side, no natural light...but I think I can work with this."
"What?" Kelda said again.
"Oooh!" the woman said, delighted, sashaying towards her. "I can see you've already arranged a peasant slave as my lady in waiting. She's a bit scruffy."
Kelda stared at her, furious. The woman cocked her head to the side, studying her critically. Kelda strode towards her and stared her in the eyes. The other woman faltered, uncertain.
"The only think I'm waiting for, Empire, is for you to put a toe out of line so that I can hang your carcass from the wall...with all the other pretty, vacant things."
She gave the witch boy a look that could have boiled lead, turned on her heel, and stalked out of the throne room.
"How rude!" Juno exclaimed. "Are you going to let her talk to me like that?"
"Ah, Mistress Juno." Gnarl waggled his ears. "Hellllllooooo."
"What is that?" Juno asked, stepping back and grabbing the Overlord's arm.
"Ah, that's Gnarl."
"What's a Gnarl?"
"He's my adviser."
"Huh. He's not very easy on the eyes, is he?" She studied him. "I think we might want to replace him with someone, I don't know, tall, shapely, and maybe blonde."
"I'll leave you in his capable hands," the Overlord said distantly. "I have work to do."
"Oooh, yes, Master, you can leave her in my hands, eheheheh."
"Ohh, but we've only just arrived." She pouted up at him. "You must let me find some way to...thank...you."
He stared down at her, inscrutable beneath the helmet.
"But you already thanked me."
He sounded confused. She stared back, equally nonplussed.
"I- what?"
"Mistress Juno, if you will follow me, I will take you to the private quarters." Gnarl beckoned her up a set of stairs behind the throne. "You've already met Mistress Kelda. I'm sure the two of you will get along like a house on fire." He snickered.
"Wait, Mistress Kelda? You mean that pissy little skinny redhead?"
"Ah...Mistress Juno, I'd like to keep you around for awhile, so take my advice. Don't say that to her face."
The sound of tearing skin and muffled cursing greeted them as they entered the quarters. Kelda popped her head over the troll's flank and glared at them both.
"What the in the hells?" Juno gagged, covering her mouth with a delicate hand. "Peasant girl, clean that up, straight away!"
Kelda rose, wiping the knife on her thigh.
"I don't know who you are or what you want," she spit. "But I was the first 'mistress' around here, and what I say goes, is that clear?" She jabbed the knife at both of them, eyes icy. "And if you ever tell me what to do again, Empire, I'll make you into a pair of gloves."
"Oh, er, I..."
"I'll just leave you two alone, then," Gnarl purred. "Have fun."
"I- I think we got off on the wrong foot," Juno said. "I'm Juno."
"I don't care."
"You're Kelda, right?" Juno licked her lips nervously. She hated to lower herself to the level of peasants, but she'd be damned if she let that knife anywhere near her dress- it had cost well over a thousand Imperials. So what if she hadn't been the one to pay for it? It was valuable, and more importantly, it was stylish. "So, how long have you been...um...wearing your hair like that?"
"My what?" The other woman wiped a smear of blood from her cheek.
"Er, your hair. It's a most...unusual style."
"Style?"
"It looks, if you'll let me be frank for a second, like you cut it with a dagger, to be honest."
"I did."
"You know, if you let me, I think I could do some nice things with it..."
"You can do something else," Kelda grunted. "Hold this."
She thrust a stained bag into her manicured hands. Juno held it gingerly, eyeing it with distaste.
"What- what's this for?"
Kelda thrust an armful of offal into the bag, and Juno squealed and almost dropped it.
"Hold that steady," Kelda snapped. "You can bring that down to the minion hives when you're done. They'll eat just about anything."
"Minion hives?"
"Don't you know anything? The minions are the little creatures that serve the wi- I mean, the Master. They come out of hives."
"I don't really do heavy lifting," Juno said, gingerly setting the bag aside.
"Well, what do you do, then?" Kelda asked, exasperated.
"Oh, make witty conversation." Juno twined a dark curl around her finger. "Look ornamental. Bring a little class wherever I go."
"Witty conversation," Kelda said drily. "Really."
"I've always been praised for my wit and my charm."
"Are those euphemisms?" Kelda asked sweetly.
"Um, what?" Juno said hesitantly.
"Nevermind." Kelda gestured to a minion, directing him to the troll. "Take that down to Quaver, will you?" She slung the hide over her shoulders and looked darkly at the other woman. "Stay out of my way, Empire, and we'll get along just fine. Get in my way, and I'll toss you out the window."
-x-
Juno lay on the bed in her new quarters, staring angrily up at her perfect nails.
"Who does that little bitch think she is?" she muttered. "How dare she talk to me like that? Doesn't she know who I am?"
"And who might you be, Mistress?"
She shrieked and tumbled out of the bed.
"Who's there?"
She heard the jingle of bells, and a lizardlike head in jester's motley poked around the corner.
"Sorry, Mistress. I didn't mean to scare you. Well, alright, maybe I did." It giggled, bells jingling.
"Ugh." She glared at it, picking herself up gingerly. "What are you?"
"I am Quaver, Mistress." He drew himself up to his full height. "Jester and bard to the Overlord."
"And what are you doing, lurking around in my room?"
"I had heard tale that the new Mistress was as radiant as the dawn, as beautiful as a poet's dying gasp! I had to see for myself. I hope you can forgive me?"
"Huh. Well, you heard right."
"If anything, Mistress, the rumors didn't do you justice. You are even more beautiful than I had heard."
"Hmph. You're the first...er...person in this awful place to appreciate me, anyways." She sniffed, feeling sorry for herself.
"Oh, Mistress, don't cry!" He produced a dirty handkerchief from somewhere and offered it to her. She took it, blowing her nose noisily. "Why come here, Mistress, if it's so terrible?"
"Where else was I supposed to go?" she said bitterly. "If I stayed in the Empire, they'd throw me into the Arena, and I'm much too pretty for that. Where else could I go? Out among the barbarians in the North? I'd take the Arena over that, thank you."
"Poor Mistress Juno." Quaver took the handkerchief, shaking his head. "If the Master doesn't appreciate you, then he's a fool."
"Hmph. That's the first thing I've heard that's made sense all day." She wiped her eyes, pouting. "Will you- will you talk to him for me? I want to thank him for rescuing me. Personally."
"Of course, Mistress. The Master is a lucky boy, indeed." He offered her a clawed hand. "Now, Mistress, the Master would like it if you would join him for dinner. I've made roast troll!"
"Ugh." Juno shuddered, then paused. "Really? He asked for me?"
"Personally, Mistress."
"Hmm, well, then. Go on ahead, I'll meet you downstairs."
She opened her trunks when he had gone and surveyed her arsenal, holding up dresses and admiring herself in the mirror.
"You've never met anybody like me before, peasant girl," she purred. "And I've never met a man yet who I couldn't wrap around my little finger."
-x-
Kelda was staring at the troll haunch on her plate like she wanted to kill it a second time. She was hunkered deep into a parka, hood pulled low over her eyes.
"Kelda?" the witch boy asked hesitantly.
"What."
"Are you cold?"
"What? No, I'm fine."
"Then...why are you wearing your hunting gear? You look kind of sweaty."
"It's traditional Norbergian hunting gear, thank you very much. It's what we Nordbergians wear, in case you've forgotten."
"But I thought you hated Nordberg."
She stabbed a fork into the meat, twisting viciously.
"I do," she snapped. "But I hate the Empire even more."
"So, because you hate the Empire...you're wearing a parka."
"Exactly." She popped a forkful of troll into her mouth and chewed savagely, glaring up at him.
"Kelda, are you angry about something?"
"What do you think?"
"Yes, I think you might be. Did something happen?"
She gaped up at him, swallowed.
"You're kidding, right?" she asked incredulously.
"What do you mean?"
"You drag that painted-up Empire tart here without even a word to me, and-"
"Ooh, my knight in shining armor!"
Juno swept into the room in a cloud of perfume, wearing a red silk toga that somehow managed to stay just barely poised on her generous curves. Gold glinted at her wrists and throat, from her dark, curly hair.
"This looks...um...delicious," she said, settling herself into the chair to the Overlord's left with a little wiggle of her hips.
"That seat's taken, Empire," Kelda snapped from the depths of her hood.
"I don't see anyone sitting here." She pouted up at him, pleased to see that he'd turned out to be good-looking beneath the helmet- she'd slept with ugly men before, but it was so much more enjoyable when they were cute and gullible. "Do you mind if I stay here?"
"No."
She scooted her chair closer, twirling her hair around her finger.
"What's for dinner?" she asked. "It looks delicious."
"It's troll," Kelda smirked at her. "Eat up, Empire. It's delicious."
"On second thought, maybe just a salad or something for me. I want to maintain my figure, after all."
Kelda shoved another forkful of troll into her mouth and glared at her, chewing noisily. Juno winced. What on earth was she wearing?
"Quaver, dear?" she called. "Can you be a darling and bring me a salad?"
He bobbed over to her side, scratched his ear quizzically.
"What's a salad, Mistress?"
"Oh, you know, leafy greens, maybe a bit of protein, some sort of dressing mixed in. Do you think you can handle that?"
"I always dearly love a challenge, Mistress!" He saluted and raced away to the kitchens.
"You've already met Quaver, then?" The Overlord asked. "Has he serenaded you yet? If he has, I'm sorry."
"Oh, he's a sweetheart," Juno said, shifting subtly in her chair. The red silk dress slipped fractionally lower.
"A sweetheart?" Kelda asked incredulously.
Juno ignored her, twined her arm through the Overlord's.
"You know, I think I will try just a bit of troll," she said. "Can I have just a little bit of yours?"
"Alright."
She opened her red lips, flicking her tongue against her teeth, eyes half-closed. After a moment she looked up, frowning, to see him staring at her. He was offering her his fork.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, of course," she said, momentarily flustered. "I- I meant for you to feed it to me, though."
Kelda snorted in amusement, face hidden in a goblet. Juno glared at her.
"Is this some kind of Empire custom?" he asked curiously.
"Something like that. Here, let me show you." She took the knife and fork with a dainty flick of her wrist. "Like this."
"Hmm," he said, bemused, chewing.
"Now you do the same for me," Juno purred.
Kelda growled and stood abruptly, dumped a plate of greasy meat over Juno's head in one quick motion. Juno shrieked.
"My hair!" She looked down at the grease dripping down her breast. "My dress! You bitch, do you know how much this cost?"
"For the Mistress!" Quaver said proudly.
He deposited a platter full of leaves and pine needles in front of her. Gravy dripped wetly down the slimy leaves. Something was trying to wriggle its way free. Juno looked around at them all, wild-eyed.
"You're horrible!" she cried, jumping to her feet, wiping frantically at her dress. "All of you, horrible! I hate you!"
She burst into tears and ran sobbing from the room.
"Heh." Kelda licked her fingers. "That'll show her."
"Gods damn it, Kelda." The Overlord rose, gave her an icy look that froze her in her tracks. "What's wrong with you?"
She stood, stunned, as he strode after Juno, sat down hard, looking at her hands.
"I just want things to be like they were before," she said in a small voice.
He'd never looked at her like that before, with such cold disapproval, as if he didn't know her, or even care to know her. She sniffed and rubbed at her nose with a furry sleeve.
She should go after him, she thought. She'd apologize...even apologize to bloody Juno, if that was what it took. It hurt, if he was more interested in some Empire harlot, but she'd push it down and ignore it. If she could be nothing else, she thought, she still wanted to be his friend, after all.
She rose and hurried up to the quarters, shrugging off her parka on the way.
"Witch boy?" she called, parting the curtains. "Witch boy, I'm sorry-"
Juno was sitting on the edge of the bed, red dress around her shoulders to reveal one perfect breast. Her hands were on the witch-boy's thighs. He looked utterly gob smacked. Kelda's vision darkened.
"I'm going to murder you," she said, clearly and distinctly.
"Oh please." Juno smiled at her, sliding her hands higher. "You wouldn't let anything happen to me, would you, sweetie?"
"Sweetie?" he asked, looking down at her hands.
Kelda snarled and hurled herself at Juno, knocking her off the bed. Juno squealed in outrage, grabbed a handful of auburn hair, and yanked. Kelda punched her in the nose. Juno toppled back on her ass, startled.
"You- you hit me!" she cried. "You hit me in my face!"
"I'll do more than that," Kelda growled. "Get up and fight like a woman."
"Kelda!" The Overlord snarled.
"Shut UP!" she screamed, swinging wildly.
Juno rolled out of the way of her fists, scrambled to her feet, back against the wall. Kelda pulled a long knife from her boot and swept the air with it, teeth bared.
"No, please!" Juno babbled, dodged a swipe of the knife. "Don't cut me, you'll leave a scar!"
"I'm not just going to cut you, I'm going to kill you!"
Juno shrieked, stumbling down the stairs into the throne room. Kelda snarled and lunged at her, and the blade struck stone, snapped with a high ringing. Juno shrieked, flailing at her, as Kelda straddled her, slamming her down against the floor.
"Kelda! Juno! Stop this, now."
An invisible force seized Kelda by the temples. She growled, clawing at her head like a wolf in a trap. The force tightened its grip, and she felt her limbs grow stiff. Juno hissed like a cat beneath her and scratched at her face, and felt cold talons settle around her own mind. She gasped, going limp.
"Master, what's going on?" Gnarl hobbled into the room, stopped short at the site of the Mistresses. "Ohhh, I've had dreams like this."
"Gnarl, take Juno to her quarters, will you? I have to deal with Kelda."
"I...I need to go sit down," Gnarl said breathlessly, toddling into the fortress.
The iron grip loosened. Juno pulled free of Kelda and sat up, felt hundreds of yellow eyes on her. She flushed, pulling her toga up over her chest.
"I'll- I'll just be upstairs," she said, voice unsteady. "If you...if you want me."
She wobbled away, legs shaking.
Kelda glared up at him with eyes like flint, still locked in place, kneeling. He sighed.
"Minions. Leave us."
They began to grumble, and he raised his voice.
"Leave us! Get out!"
They hissed fearfully and skittered into the shadows. He sat heavily on his rough-hewn throne and stared thoughtfully at Kelda. She jerked fitfully at the invisible bonds that held her, flushed and panting, eyes promising murder.
"Things can't go on like this, Kelda," he said quietly. "I don't know what's wrong with you, but I can't have you here like this."
She stared at him mutely, face crumpling, said something very softly.
"What?" He released his hold on her, and she crumpled to her hands and knees, staring at the floor.
"I'll leave," she said again. "I'm sorry."
"Leave?" He rose, startled. "What do you mean, leave?"
"Isn't that what you want? To be left alone with her?"
"Alone with Juno?" he looked confused. "Why would I want that?"
"Because she's beautiful, and she's cultured, and she smells nice, and she's-"
"Full of useful information about the Empire."
"W-what?" She looked up at him, startled. "You're...you're using her?"
"Of course I am. She's been in and out of the Empire ports. She can get us past their mines."
"Is that all you want her for?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why was she half-naked in your bed?"
"She said she didn't have anything to wear. She wanted one of my tunics."
"Witch boy, she showed up with enough luggage for an entire army. You believed her?" She looked up, searching his face, and then she sighed. "Of course you did."
He offered her a hand, pulled her to her feet. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I was just so afraid I was going to lose you- that I was going to lose what we had together, after we'd just found each other again, and I-"
"I'm awfully hard to lose," he said, amused.
'You know what I mean." She rubbed her temples and made a face. "If you ever do that spooky thing to me again, though, I'll kick your arse."
"Really."
"Well, I'll at least try my damndest." She stood on tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck. 'Although you do look very...impressive...when you're angry."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yes." She kissed the corner of his mouth. "You almost even scared me."
He made a low, feral noise, pulled her close and kissed her savagely. She gasped and then returned it, knotting her fingers in his hair. She guided him back across the throne room, pushed him back into the throne, sat on his lap, bit her lip, looking down at him with a furious hunger she'd never felt before.
"My witch boy," she whispered.
He lifted his face to hers, and she took his chin in both hands and kissed him, marveling at the strange feel of his skin beneath her fingers. She felt him harden beneath her and grinned down at him.
"I've waited too long for this," she gasped. "It's been far too long since I've been properly tumbled."
His hands paused in their exploration of her hips. She frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Hmm." She smiled, fumbling with his belt. "I know what's wrong. Let's get this heavy armor out of the way, and then-"
"Master, we've been over the maps Juno brought along, and-" Gnarl paused at the foot of the stairs, yellow eyes widening. He grinned lecherously. "Oh, oops. Don't mind me."
"I am going to kill him," Kelda muttered. "Seriously, Witch Boy, I'm going to kill him. Can I kill him? I'm going to kill him."
He lifted her from his lap and rose, gave her a wicked grin.
"Later," he promised again.
"Okay, now I'm going to kill you." She squeezed his hand. "Come find me when you're done, hey?"
-x-
The Overlord leaned over the ragged maps, frowning.
"Gnarl, I have a question," he said at last.
Gnarl looked up hurriedly from a bawdy scroll he'd found in Juno's luggage, rolled it hastily up and stuck it into a pocket of his robe.
"Ah, yes, Master. What can I help you with?"
"It's about..." the Overlord looked around, shooed a minion away. "It's about...er, it's about women."
"Oh?" Gnarl waggled his eyebrows. "Well, I have over eighty decades of experience, sire. What can I help you with?"
"I...I would like to know how to..."
"How to what, how to what, sire?"
"Um. How does one...please a woman?"
"Oh! Well, that's easy, sire. Women like pretty things. Buy them pretty things, tell them they're pretty, and then-"
"That wasn't what I meant."
"Ah." Gnarl's eyes widened, realization dawning. "Aaaah! Close the door, sire, and I'll tell you what you want to know."
The Overlord slammed the heavy door on the inquisitive muzzles of a pair of minions who'd crept closer to eavesdrop. They leaned closer, straining to hear the muffled voices through the wood.
"...and then you take the...of course, pumpkins, and..."
"...really? With honey?... But what's the spoon for?"
"...wasps, so you have to be careful..."
"...but what about the..."
"...press above her...not too hard, sire, you must listen to a lady..."
"...you do what with what?!..."
They fell silent. The minions back hurriedly away from the door, though not quickly enough. The door flew open, smashed them against the stone, as the Overlord stalked into the depths of the fortress.
"Worth it," one of them muttered.
Its friend gurgled in assent.
-x-
She was waiting for him in their quarters, perched on the edge of the fountain, sharpening her spear. She looked up with wicked eyes, testing the point with a finger.
"I've been waiting," she said, and then, "Come here."
She set the spear aside and slipped through the red curtains.
"I don't think I've had a chance to show you my hunting scars," she said.
She turned her back to him, stripped off her corset and dress, stood naked, hair blazing copper in the candlelight. Her slim sides glowed with firelight as she turned to him, suddenly shy.
"I hope you like scars," she said quietly.
They traced over her curves like the markings on a cat, white and stark or red and angry against her pale skin. She traced a new scar on her leg, smiling faintly.
"This was from a seal bull," she said quietly. "This one was from a snow bear. These...I was whipped once, back when I was a slave." She bared her teeth. "I broke that soldier's arm. They never dared whip me again after that."
"You're beautiful," he said quietly, taking off his helmet, set it on the armor stand.
She flushed, crossing to him.
"Witch boy, you say the sweetest things."
"I...I don't have much time," he said hesitantly, unbuckling his heavy breastplate.
"Ooh, the five little words every woman loves to hear," she teased.
He was silent, pulling off his gauntlets. She looked up at him and frowned.
"Are you alright?" Her eyes widened as a thought occurred to her. "Oh. Oh my gods. You've...never done this before, have you?"
"I've spent the last thirteen years living in a tower with strange little goblins who are spawned from hives, Kelda. What do you think?"
"But you...er...you do know how this works, don't you?"
"I'm not stupid. I've read things. Talked to people."
"Oh my gods. Human people, I hope. You haven't been talking to Gnarl, have you?"
He didn't reply. She sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Are you disappointed?" he asked her.
"That you're a virgin?" she asked. "No, of course not."
"Are you?"
"Am I what?"
"A virgin."
"No." She brushed a strand of hair out of her face, suddenly shy. "Are you disappointed?"
"By what?"
"By the fact that I'm not a virgin."
"No."
"You're not angry?"
"Why would I be angry? Would you be angry if I lay with other women?"
She thought for a second.
"No," she said slowly. "No, I don't think I'd be. So long as it's not bloody Juno, at least."
"So there's your answer."
"Hmm." She smiled up at him, wicked. "I'm not disappointed, witch boy, because there's so many wonderful things I can teach you."
"Like what?"
"Let me show you."
Her hands reached down, unbuckling his belt. She raised her face, and he bent to kiss her, hot as a summer wind. She shivered, stripping his trousers from his hips, pulled away from the kiss after a long moment and knelt in front of him.
"Oh," she said, surprised. "Oh, dear."
"Is something wrong?" he asked, self-conscious.
"Haaa." She grinned up at him. "No. I just didn't expect you to be so...er...so big, is all. I guess it makes sense, you're taller than any man I've ever known, so..."
She slid a hand along his cock, and he shuddered, She smiled at the reaction, took him into her mouth in one abrupt movement. He gasped, muscles tightening, as her lips worked against his shaft, her tongue quick and clever. Instinctively, he reached down, tangling his fingers in her hair. She moaned against his cock, the sound vibrating through him, sucking with a renewed urgency. He felt everything narrowing to a single bright point, the hot insistence of her lips on his shaft-
She pulled back, wiping her mouth, and he groaned.
"Gods damnit, Kelda!"
She climbed onto the bed and lay back, beckoned him.
"Come here," she whispered.
He pulled off trousers and greaves hastily, joined her in bed, cock throbbing. She seized him and pulled him close, guided his dick into the warmth of her cunt.
She was so hot, so soft, so yielding- and yet-
He held himself over her, looking at her, almost embarrassed. She felt him growing softer, and frowned.
'What's wrong?" she asked hesitantly. "Do I- do I not please you?"
"No, it's not- you're beautiful. I just- I don't know. There's something missing."
"Missing? What's missing?"
He made no reply. She sat up and slapped his shoulder, irritated.
'What's wrong?"
He shook his head.
"Come on, you big idiot, tell me!" She punched his shoulder, hard.
"Damn it, Kelda!"
He seized her by the wrists, rolled over on top of her. He stared down at her, breathing hard. She could feel his erection like iron against her leg. She grinned up at him, tugged at his grip.
'So," she whispered. "This is what you like."
"What I like?" he asked, confused.
"You like it when I struggle," she whispered into his ear. "So make me struggle, Dark One. Make me beg."
He looked down at her, incredulous, and then he smiled. It was not a nice smile.
The minions had brought him books, over the years. Amongst the books had been numerous romances, delivered with plenty of winks and nudges. He'd read them all, of course, as he'd read everything he'd been able to get his hands on. Most of them had been full of heaving busoms and dashing knights, and ultimately, boring. But a few of the books they' brought him had...darker things, the promise of pleasure with pain.
He slammed her back against the bed, wrapped a broad hand around her throat. She choked, flailing at his wrist, kicked at his side. He pinned her leg with a hand and spread her thighs brutally apart, pushed his cock into her. She yelped, nails digging into his back, and he growled, bit her neck hard enough to make her whimper.
"Oh gods," she gasped. "Gods, yes! Please!"
"Shut up," he purred, and his hand tightened around her throat.
She bucked against him, vision darkening. She clawed at him, and a hand caught her wrists, pinned them above her head. She writhed against him, helpless, furious, burning with desire, knowing that his strength was far greater than her own, greater than that of any human man.
Her struggles lessened. Her limbs slackened. The hand around her throat loosened.
"Kelda?" he asked, concerned. "Shit! Did I hurt you? I didn't mean-"
She surged upwards beneath him, catching him off guard, flung him to the side. She grinned at him, twining her arms around his neck.
"Got you," she said.
"Minx." He grabbed her by the hips and lifted her bodily, dropped her on her stomach in front of him. "Just for that, I'll teach you a lesson you soon won't forget."
He pulled her up by the hips, thrust his cock deep inside her. She cried out as he filled her, trying to arc up against him. He pushed her down against the bed, tangled his fingers in her hair, yanking her head back against his fist.
Kelda moaned, her world narrowing to the thrust inside of her. She grabbed at the hand that held her auburn hair, nails digging into his skin.
"Oh gods," she whispered. "Gods, don't stop, don't stop, don't-"
He yanked at her hair, and she gasped, knuckles whitening. She pushed back against him, trying to take as much of his length into her as she could. He was filling her, filling her world, bright points of pleasure and pain, and nothing else existed but the pulse and rush of blood, the thrust of him into her, her muscles tightening, ears ringing, soul arcing-
She came in a hot rush, cunt spasming. As she came, the motion of her muscles against his cock pushed him over, and he came, too, wild and furious, lay gasping against her back, cradling her close.
"Oh my gods," Kelda said again, muffled by the blankets.
He pulled free of her, wrapped his dark arms around her.
'Was that alright?" he asked uncertainly.
"Ooooh, gods." She turned to face him, looking dazed. "Are you sure that was your first time?"
"Yes, why?"
"Nevermind." She snuggled against his chest and smiled up at him. "That was wonderful. More than wonderful."
"I...didn't hurt you?"
She reached out, batted at his chin.
"Witch boy, if you haven't guessed by now, I like it rough."
"Ah. Are all...all women like you?"
"No, I don't think so. Just like all men are not like you."
"Ah."
She nudged his side with her elbow.
"As much as I'd love to lie with you forever, you have a glorious Empire to conquer."
"Hmm. Yes, I suppose I do."
"Bring me Solarius's head." She looked up at him, eyes feral. "I want to mount it in here, so he can watch us fuck."
He laughed, rose from the bed and donned his armor, bent to kiss her. She caught his arm as he turned to go, smiled up at him wickedly.
"Oh, and witch boy," she said. "Next time...keep the armor on."