Chapter 3
"Spells that directly target another magus' magic circuits? Certainly they exist, but they are well-guarded secrets. You understand the threat that such magic poses."
Professor von Stolzenberg leaned back in his armchair, the image of the comfortable academic leisurely pondering a question. Rin was not fooled for a moment. She could see the calculations in his gaze as he considered her, seated in the chair across from him. Had he figured out that she herself was under such a curse? While not one of the most ruthless of the Clocktower's faculty – she would never have risked approaching him if he were – he might still find ways to leverage such knowledge. She was putting herself at considerable risk, but she had no choice. She was getting desperate.
Finally he gave her a knowing smile. "Got someone you need out of the way, mmm? You should never use such magic against a fellow student, of course. But if you were to develop such, I'm sure certain arrangements could be made."
Rin smiled back, careful not to show her true reaction to his words – both a wave of relief, and a shudder of disgust. Relief that he had misread the situation, and thought her the aggressor rather than the victim. Disgust at the implied offer and its underlying corruption. And a sense of pride that he clearly thought her capable of such a feat, which made her disgusted with herself.
She heaved a sigh of relief as soon as the door was closed behind her. She had known that the Clocktower was a nest of vipers, but there always seemed to be some fresh and unpleasant surprise everywhere she turned. Luvia was right, she really did need to watch -
She ground her teeth. Of course the Edelfelt heir would know about the ambient treachery – she was the worst snake of them all. A snake that would swallow her whole given the merest opportunity.
Which, Rin had to admit to her rage and despair, was looking increasingly likely. A week had passed since her heated declaration, and she was still far from escape despite all her scrambling. She had scoured the library's archives for any hint of a solution. She had bargained and traded for tomes from certain private collections. She had probed her instructors and others as discreetly as she felt she could get away with. And while she had learned much about magic circuits and the way they could be manipulated, she had yet to find a practical solution to Luvia's accursed brand.
As far as Rin could tell, it was some kind of modified geas, embedded deep in her circuits and correspondingly difficult to remove. No wonder Luvia had been so insistent on having Rin agree to her terms for the duel. It must have fulfilled some condition for consent, a less extreme example of the principle that underlied a self-geas scroll. She felt both anger and a kind of reluctant admiration for the Edelfelt's traditional magecraft.
Perhaps Rin might still have managed something if she still had access to her own magic. But with her circuits locked and all the power drained from them, she was irrefutably stuck. Even the mana painstakingly infused into her gems would avail her nothing without the ability to activate them. She might yet have enlisted help from one of her fellow students – Svin or Grey, god knew what might happen if Flat tried his hand – but that had the same problem as seeking help from Lord El-Melloi. It would mean publicly admitting that not only had she lost to Luvia, but she had been unable to deal with it herself. And Rin could not lose suffer another defeat in such a short time frame. Not without forever surrendering her pride.
She walked down the hallway and out into the warm afternoon sun. Its bright rays seemed to make a mockery of both her mood and the dark course she was now set upon. But she had run out of time. Practical midterms had crept up on her, and for all the excellent marks she earned with her essays, she could expect her grades – no, her entire reputation – to nosedive if she didn't perform. El-Melloi II might cut her some slack, but Istari and others were already itching for a chance to expel the upstart Asian from their institution.
She took reluctant steps towards the street and the inevitable cab. With von Stolzenberg's failure to be of any use, she had to make the best of two impossible choices – bow to the hyena, or throw away a lifetime of blood, sweat and tears on the path to magecraft. And as much as she knew Luvia was going to make her suffer, she couldn't face the alternative. If Tohsaka Rin was not a magus, then everything she had done – to Shirou, to Sakura, even to herself – had all been for nothing.
Even so, she'd only managed to force herself into the cab's backseat by reminding herself of the possibility of future revenge. This whole mess was a temporary setback, nothing more. Let the bimbo preen until she lost interest and moved on to her next victim. Then Rin could resume her education, collect her energies, and strike back when Luvia least expected it. Pride and elegance were magus virtues, but so were patience and revenge served ice cold. Rin could play the long game.
Rin knew perfectly well where Luvia's mansion was located, despite never having received either invitation or address. It paid to know where your enemies lived. It certainly had nothing to do with a series of letters that she might have found herself writing, then methodically burning over last few months.
She shifted in her seat as the cab rumbled forward, looking out the window as the house took shape ahead of them. It was a fine example of Italianate architecture, its sensible brown bricks and discrete columns a good counterbalance to its central tower. It was tasteful and restrained, so of course it was not originally of Edelfelt construction. No, it had once belonged to some unfortunate clan of local magi before Luvia herself had ruthlessly wrested it from them. Anyone else would have simply rented a place following their expulsion from the student dormitories, but not the blonde devil.
An expulsion caused by their first impromptu fight, come to think of it. Rin swallowed hard.
Sooner than she might have preferred, her ride had come to a stop on the mansion's circular driveway. She paid the driver, then took a moment to steady her nerves before stepping out and walking briskly up to the door. She was confronted with a door knocker in the shape of a snarling wolf's head. Perhaps the bitch had made some personalizations to the place after all, she thought with a mental sneer that did nothing to cover the pounding of her heart. She took a deep breath and grabbed the knocker.
She had barely struck the door when it swung open. A young maid in blue livery, her hair as blonde as her mistress', smiled brightly at her.
"Miss Rin," she greeted. "Please come in. Lady Luvia is expecting you."
Of course. Never mind that Rin had given no notice, the blonde devil had her ways. Or perhaps she had simply surmised that the ticking clock would force Rin to her door. Either way, it was yet another humiliation added to what was already proving to be a trying afternoon.
Rin managed to keep her composure as she followed the maid through the entry hall despite the frustration boiling inside her. Far from wiping the smirk from Luvia's face, it would only be wider and smugger than ever. And if Rin ever wanted the brand removed, she would have to resist the urge to punch her. Even if Luvia's gloating would try the patience of a saint.
She reminded herself that she was here because of her own imprudence. She had bungled things, and now she would have to go in and take her medicine. As much as she hated losing, even the school idol occasionally failed to come out on top. She knew how to fake graciousness when the situation called for it.
So she followed without complaint, past high windows and soft carpets and elegant carved furniture that put even the Tohsaka house back in Fuyuki to shame. And if Rin briefly fantasized about setting them all ablaze, she could be forgive. It was a petty thought, perhaps, but still a warming drought against the anxiety that threatened to freeze her heart as the maid stopped before the parlour door. A polite knock, a curt acknowledgement from within, and Rin was ushered in.
The parlour was a comfortable size, occupied by a number of Jacopean-styled chairs and a matching sofa. Royal blue drapes had been pulled aside from the arched windows, letting sunlight and fresh air fill the room. An ornate fireplace, with a polished mirror above it that shone Rin's eyes back at her. The room would have been quite lovely if not for the figure seated on the nearest chair, a glass of red wine perched on the table next to her.
Luvia nodded at her, a hint of a smirk on those lovely lips. Every bit of her, from her impeccable posture to the cool confidence of her gaze, reflected the noble blood that she never tired of flouting. Rin was keenly aware that she herself was ragged from stress and lack of sleep, and that her own blouse and slacks would never pass muster among the settled rich. Nevertheless she held her head high as she walked over and dropped into the chair across from her tormentor. A signal that even if she had to bend her knee here, she remained unbroken at her core.
"Come to pay your proper respect at last?" said the blonde, not even bothering to hide the amusement colouring her voice. "Unless you have come to show me that you have indeed removed my brand, as you so confidently said you would. Tell me, Rin, which is it?"
"The former," Rin managed to grind out.
"Ohohoho! And after all that effort over the past week. But then, that stubbornness is part of your charm." Now the familiar smirk was firmly in place.
It was a near thing, but Rin resisted the urge to pick up the glass and throw it in her face. Steady on, she told herself. You already got yourself into this mess by giving into your temper, don't give her the satisfaction of doing it again and digging yourself in deeper. So instead she forced a smile. "I may have been a little hasty earlier. Perhaps you would be gracious enough to put this whole sorry affair behind us?"
Luvia eyes were full of mirth, and something darker and hungrier underneath it. "I doubt that I shall be persuaded, but you are of course welcome to attempt it. I have already graciously told you where you might begin."
Rin nodded, a little more sharply than she had intended. Her smile was more of a grimace as she said, "Please remove the brand, Luvia. I would really appreciate it."
"Come now, Rin," said Luvia with an expression of affected pity. "Surely even you can do better than that?"
Rage burned Rin's throat, hot and malignant, but somehow she managed to choke it down. Your exams, she reminded herself. You have to do this. You can revisit these indignities a hundredfold on her later. So she took a deep breath and forced it out. "Please. I beg of you."
Luvia's look of fierce pleasure set Rin's heart racing, even though it came at her expense. That only made her angrier as she clenched her fists in her lap, her cheeks hot with anger and shame.
"I suppose that qualifies as begging," said Luvia, "although as with many of your assertions, it lacks sincerity. But that can come with time."
Rin did not like the mention of time. Just how long did the blonde devil intend to stretch out this ordeal? But before she could protest, Luvia rose imperiously from her seat.
"I believe it is high time that we established some rules," said the blonde, in a tone of command honed through years of directing servants and soldiers.
"Rules," echoed Rin through gritted teeth.
"I will not remove the brand. You would immediately forget your mistress if I did." She ignored Rin's angry hiss at her use of the term. "I am however not unreasonable, despite your frequent and rather crass assertions to the contrary. I will permit you to use your magecraft during class hours and for your assignments. I may also approve additional access to your circuits for other activities, entirely at my discretion. Otherwise I will keep them locked and drained for extra measure. Who knows what mischief you would forment if I allowed you to run loose?"
"Absolutely absurd!" shouted Rin. Any attempt at controlling her temper melted away before that before that outrageous proposal. "You want me to – to – call you every time I want to use magecraft?"
"Not quite" said Luvia serenely. "As the brand is more easily controlled in person, you will need to be physically present."
"I can't run across London each time I need you to unlock them" growled Rin. It was an absurd way to think of her magic circuits, as something that could be toggled on and off as easily as a light switch, but that was the reality she had been forced to accept.
"I agree. That is why you will be living in this manor from now on."
"Don't just decide these things on your own! You can't just order me around, I'm not your dog!"
"On a practical level," continued the blonde relentlessly, "You can no longer reliably maintain bounded fields around that hovel of yours. Since you are my property, any resulting breach of secrecy would become my responsibility. Keeping you here eliminates that risk."
She took a few steps forward, closing the distance between them. Rin found herself paralyzed in her seat, looking up at that insufferably beautiful face. Even in this impossible situation, her treacherous brain kept reminding her of how wonderful those lips had tasted. Even suggested that perhaps Luvia's proposal wasn't so bad, if it gave her an opportunity to be claimed by them again.
Suddenly the blonde was leaning down so that their faces were mere inches from each other.. Her familiar scent, a light fragrance that always made Rin think of sunlight on wild roses, hung in the air. When had she gotten so close?
"Also, it is common sense that property should remain by its owner. So it can be available whenever it is wanted. And I expect I'll be wanting you quite often, Tohsaka Rin."
Rin shivered violently. This was far too close to certain daydreams that had plagued her in the past, the ones she kept buried in her mind's deepest vaults. And here the Finnish harpy was effortlessly tearing off those locks, dredging up all her most shameful thoughts. Unacceptable. She had to put a stop to this, now.
"No way," she hissed, letting bitter venom seep into her voice. "There's no way I'll accept this."
"You will, because you want to pass your courses," said Luvia. "You are only wasting time with your blustering."
"You're taking this way too far."
"On the contrary. By the traditions of the Edelfelt, I am being excessively lenient."
Rin glared at her, but the blonde was entirely unperturbed. She straightened up, tapping an elegant finger against her cheek as if deep in thought. "One more thing," she said eventually. "You will turn over your codes and gems to me."
"That's just wholesale theft now," protested Rin. "Aren't you always calling me a pauper anyway? Surely my poor trinkets wouldn't interest the mighty head of Edelfelt."
"You are correct, I hardly need them. It is the principle of the thing. You are mine, so what is yours is also mine." Her smile took on a wicked edge. "Always."
Something in Rin's mind snapped at that last word, the final feather on the loathsome camel's back. She had managed this nightmare by promising herself that this humiliation was only temporary, that this too would pass. She had even managed to bow to her rival, however much it killed her inside. But realizing that she would have to beg, all the time, with no clear end in sight – she exploded into red fury.
Her body acted without waiting on her brain, riding on sheer rage. With the speed born of pure instinct, she launched herself at Luvia. The blonde's eyes widened in surprise before furious blows rained down on her. Rin drove her fists blindly, striking stomach, shoulder, anything within reach. She felt a thrill of vindictive fury. Let the bitch feel a fraction of what she'd put Rin through.
She kept pounding until a sudden burst of blue-green light forced her mind to click back on. Luvia's magic circuits were flaring to life along her arms and legs. Their dangerous glow was matched only by the grin on the blonde's face.
"Tch!" Rin froze, her hand still raised for another blow. She had never feared Luvia before, but being cut off from her own magic put her at a fatal disadvantage. It was time for a tactical retreat.
"Where do you think you're going, Rin?"
She had taken only a step towards the door when hands firmly closed around her shoulders. Yanked her backwards, hard. She stumbled and fell, her head hitting against the carpet she had so admired earlier. Before she could react, a heavy weigh pressed down on her. Heat and that familiar scent surrounded her as Luvia once again pinned her to the ground.
This time, without her reinforcement magic, there was no question of breaking out of that iron grip. She still struggled for a few moments, hoping for some miracle of strength that never came. Luvia held on patiently, a wolf with her prey's throat firmly caught between her teeth.
Eventually Rin's tired muscles gave up the fight, but her spirit still raged. How could it not, when that infuriating woman was smiling down at her in such a smug way? Maybe she could still spit in her eye. Rin lifted her head to give it a try, just as Luvia lowered her own. Their lips brushed, setting electricity tingling down her spine. Rin winced and tried to pull away, but firm hands pulled her up into the kiss.
Demanding lips crashed over her own, blazing hot and tasting of fine wine and sunlight. She remembered them all too well from that disastrous spar, had lingered on them in the following nights more than she would ever admit. But if that earlier kiss had held a hint of hesitation, there was no trace of it now. Luvia was a conquering queen, intent on wringing every pleasure from her spoils.
Rin meant to protest, she was sure she did. It was only lack of air that stopped her from voicing her anger, her disgust. Not because those lips were heavenly against hers, then as now. Warmth seeped through their shared breath into her belly. It touched something she had long hidden there, something dark and cold she had no name for. And it was because of that strange thaw, more than any physical exhaustion, that for a moment Rin let herself fall back. Her lips unconsciously began to mirror the blonde's, welcoming their possessive hunger and begging for more.
Luvia hummed in pleasure as she relaxed her grip, moved her hand to card through Rin's hair and tug gently on the locks. The soft pressure felt good, so good that for a moment she forgot the utter humiliation this devil had put her through. Was putting her through right now. But that all felt far away compared to the heat blossoming inside her.
Rin was never sure how far she would have allowed things to progress, had Luvia not chosen that moment to further her claim. Her tongue slid between Rin's parted lips and forcibly entwined with hers. She wasted wine more strongly than ever, just before blunt teeth nipped at her lower lip. The sharp sensations pulled her from her daze, snapped her back into reality. Luvia was practically ravishing her, as she would a captured maiden, and she was just lying back and letting it happen. Worse, she was leaning into it, inviting more.
The realization was ice cold water doused through her veins, wiping away all her earlier heat. Unacceptable, she growled to herself. She was neither a pet nor a whore, whatever Luvia had gotten into her head. She had to remind them both of that.
She slid her tongue back, shifted her teeth around the invading tongue. Then bit down hard.
Luvia screamed and jerked away. The taste of iron flooded Rin's mouth, bringing with it stark clarity. She had to move, now, before her mistress – no, rival, she cursed herself – recovered. Ignoring her muscles' groaning protests, she pushed herself away and scrambled to her feet.
She had only risen halfway up when her entire body suddenly locked up in agony. Pain flared in her right breast before expanding outward. It ignited every magic circuit along the way, so sharp and burning she thought they would explode from it. So painful she couldn't even scream, couldn't blink, could only try and draw up mental walls that were tossed aside like so much rubble in the face of that overwhelming pain, so much pain.
Then the burning sensation subsided, as suddenly as it had come. Not all the way, she realized as she drew shaky breaths, desperate to ground herself. There was still a distinctly unpleasant prickle in her circuits, a sharp reminder of what she had just experienced. Her body was heavy on the floor, her face pressed awkwardly into the carpet. Oh, she must have fallen. Wait, where was Luvia?
She got her answer when a foot planted itself roughly against her side. A small kick put her on her back, forcing her to look up. Luvia smiled fiercely down at her, a thin trail of blood dripping from the side of her mouth. She held her right hand aloft, its blue-green glow a match for the light spilling rom under Rin's shirt. The eerie light made her look almost inhuman as she delicately licked her lips.
"That was a very poor decision on your part," said Luvia almost companionably. "But perhaps I should have expected that a barbarian would only know persuasion through force."
Persuasion, what was she talking about – fuck! Her magic circuits. Unlocking them. The whole reason she had thrown herself in this wolf's den in the first place. Far from coaxing Luvia, she had only managed to enrage her.
"Luvia," she said, not knowing what else to do. Her voice felt rough and thick even to her own ears.
"Your antics have ceased to be amusing. The maid will show you out," said the blonde. She smoothed out her dress and resumed her seat. Took up her glass and lightly sipped her wine, but did not spare Rin another glance. A dismissal, in no uncertain terms.
No. She couldn't let herself be dismissed. Not when her entire future was tied up in her magecraft, and this devil held it under lock and key. Her mind raced as she considered her options. If Luvia were truly done, she would have called her butler to have Rin forcibly removed. That she hadn't meant she was offering Rin one last chance to play her part. To redeem herself by degrading herself, she frowned. But what choice did she have?
Slowly, each movement as heavy as lead, she forced herself up into seiza position. She advanced on her feet and knees until she was seated at the blonde's feet, close enough to reach out and touch her. Luvia made no indication that she had even noticed, but Rin had expected nothing less. Pretended indifference had always been a powerful weapon in the noble's arsenal.
Rin took a deep breath and forced herself into a bow. Each word felt like jagged glass as it left her mouth. "Please forgive me."
"Mistress," specified the other.
Rin bit her abused lip until it bled again, but choked it out. "Please forgive me, mistress."
"As I said, I am nothing if not gracious. But insolence deserves punishment, do you not agree?"
Rin looked up and met her gaze before nodding. She would not flinch, no matter what torture the blonde had in mind. She was a magus, born to pain. Surely she could at least keep that pride.
Luvia didn't seem to mind the small show of defiance. She even looked a bit pleased, judging from the smile that briefly showed itself before her expression smoothed out again. "I could ignite your brand again, but I think something more personal is in order. "
Go to hell, Rin desperately wanted to say, but losing her temper had already cost her too much. Who knew if Luvia would tolerate another outburst? So she only glared as Luvia rose from her seat and took a small case from above the mantelpiece. She opened it up and removed what looked like a bundle of leather looped around a wooden handle. With a flick of her wrist, it uncoiled and revealed itself as a whip. Rin took a sharp breath. She couldn't possibly mean to...?
"Stand up and remove your shirt, then face the fireplace," ordered Luvia.
"You can't be serious," said Rin, hoping against hope.
"Flogging is the prescribed punishment for unruly retainers. I will not repeat myself."
The underlying threat was clear. This was her last chance to submit, before Luvia forced her to fail a few exams to get her point across. You are a magus, Rin repeated to herself as she stood. This humiliation is nothing but fuel for your efforts. You will get your revenge in good time.
The mantra did nothing for the vulnerability she felt as she reached down to grasp the hem of her shirt. She was about to lift it up when she felt a gaze on her, so intense it was practically a solid weight. She glanced up to see Luvia unabashedly raking her eyes over her body. Blood rushed to her cheeks and she automatically turned around, shielding her breasts from that silent appraisal. Absurd, that she would feel embarrassed about her chest size in such a situation, but she couldn't help it.
She took a deep breath, then yanked her shirt off. She'd meant to do it in one smooth motion, but anxiety made her fingers awkward and she managed to tangle it up a bit. She forced herself to move more slowly with the bra, her fingers awkward as she undid the clasp and let it fall from her chest. The room was warm, but that did nothing to stop the goosebumps rising on her exposed flesh. She might as well have been completely naked, for how small and powerless she felt.
She heard the whip being flicked lightly behind her, small movements of the wrist. Warming up, she realized. Every muscle in her body tensed despite her best efforts to remain calm.
Then a sharp whistle in the air behind her. She felt pressure as the thong struck her back, followed by a curious numbness. Then a burning itch that swiftly grew in intensity until it left her gasping and heaving. She had no time to recover before the next blow came down, trailing stinging pain down her back. She shuddered as her muscles cramped under the assault, setting her to writhe as more strikes rained down on her defenseless back.
It was painful, but bearable if she grit her teeth and blanked her mind. Nothing like the agony that had sent her to her knees when Luvia had wielded the brand against her. It only confirmed what she already suspected. This exercise wasn't about pain, but dominance. Proving that Luvia could choose to do this if she wanted to, and as her property, Rin was forced to take it.
Her wounded pride burned more ferociously than all the lines scorred across her back, but she forced herself to stay silent. Held back the angry tears welling up in her eyes. She was a magus. She would bear her trials with as much dignity and elegance as she could muster. The thought gave her strength as the whip continued its cruel work.
Then a grunt from behind her, and the soft thud of the thong falling against the carpet. Rin stayed as she was, squeezing her eyes to eliminate any trace of wetness before she turned around and faced the devil's judgment.
"I have responsibilities to attend to," said Luvia lightly. "The maids will be in shortly to staunch the bleeding. See that you do not hinder their work with your stubbornness. I will not tolerate damage to my property that I haven't seen fit to inflict myself."
Rin shook her head before reaching awkwardly for her fallen shirt. At the very least, she could cover her front and whatever shreds of dignity she could salvage from the situation. But as her fingers closed around the red material, she suddenly heard Luvia padding across the carpet towards her. She tensed, unsure of what new torment the blonde had hit upon. Then a soft hand lightly and tenderly stroked her raw back, almost apologetically, before withdrawing. As much as the contact stung, it was also strangely soothing. But before Rin could untangle her emotions, she heard Luvia turn on smart heels and leave the room.
As soon as the door closed, she let herself collapse on the carpet. Her back was a dull throb of pain, tears stung at her eyes, and her pride felt as though it had been torn beyond repair. All she could think was that Luvia would pay for her every crime, a hundred times over. Even if it took Rin her entire lifetime to do it.