Shadow of the Abyss

From dawn to the early glimmers of first light the following day, Altair had Lady Elena so hard her bones felt like water in his hands. There was no tension in her body, no stress or looks of regret. The only thing he could see was relief that perhaps it was over and the sting of euphoria sweeter than honey.

He hadn't known a Ninth Circle to sweat much, but Elena was drenched, her hair matted, clinking to her skin like wet paper. Her bare chest heaved up and down, bruised red, with the imprint of his hands. Her nippled twitch, inflamed from where he'd pinched and drawn blood to satiate his hunger.

A silly smile placated her lips that never seemed to fade. Altair almost wondered if she was all right by the way drool unceremoniously slipped from her lips.

'It's not any of my business,' He thought, ringing the servant bell. "I'll leave you to the maids." It was his Sword Maid that came in, drawing him a bath that he welcomed with open arms.

Soaking his weary bones, he sighed, finding Tasha staring at the one soldier standing tall and alone from out the water surrounded by sea foam.

"What is it?" he regretted asking the moment the words left his lips. He wasn't in the mood to hold a conversation; he wasn't in the mood for anything but silence.

Tasha tsked, a hint of disdain in her eyes, as she slipped into the tub from the steps. Fully clothed, she took him by his lower half and swallowed him whole, sinking underwater as if to make herself scarce.

'A woman on my cock, a drink in my hand, all that's missing is a nice…' he shuddered, his thoughts slipping away from the pair of slender fingers, sinking into his flesh from behind.

He hadn't sensed when she came in, but Medusa's slender fingers took the stress from his marrow. Bones turned to water as he allowed her to do as she pleased.

'She knows Tasha is there, yet she doesn't seem to mind. How curious…' A shudder ran through him, and he groaned, a palm reaching for the head, pleasuring his cock.

Medusa blushed, though her finger continued without pause.

Altair lifted his other hand and cupped Medusa's face, his thumb gently brushing across the serpentine scales threading along the cheeks. She flinched but said nothing, smiling.

"Did you enjoy yourself? Elena looks… satisfied."

Altair still did not wish to speak and stared, admiring the beauty whose skin was as white as pearls. Her eyes were big and colored, just like he liked. Yet sharp like a viper, as if to warn those that she bites.

"Do you bite?"

Deeper shades of red blossomed over the maid. She didn't know what to say. Didn't know what to do.

A thumb passed along her lips; they were smooth, smoother than the finest silk.

Medusa bit him, drawing blood. It happened so quickly that Altair didn't see it come. He laughed, all the same, staring at his Forsaken, his Medusa.

Defiance in her eyes, he grinned, all the same, pulling away, finding her fangs more adorable than they were frightening.

"We shall have to go on a hunt together one day," he told her, but Medusa shook her head.

"I don't like hunts."

"Even when your blood demands it?"

Perhaps it was his recent breakthrough, but he thought her eyes betrayed her meek personality. Warm though they might be, there was a sharpness to them, a predatory gleam he could not mistake for anything else other than some part of Medusa had marked him pray.

He knew the look well, though Medusa didn't seem to understand.

'Am I food to her? I…" he hissed and growled all at once, planting his seed in Tasha's throat.

When she pulled her lips away, the water suddenly felt cold as she came to the surface. "There… and now it'll stay down. How dare that sow not properly satisfy our Master. You would think she had never learned how to satisfy a man. The useless cunt."

***

Altair and his woman had ridden hours after first light graced Allmore. The Castillan had tried to have him stay a few days, but he refused. So he offered for the Marquess's men to escort them, but Altair still refused, claiming his men were all he needed.

Marquess Rivia hadn't been pleased, though he could do nothing of it. There were still many questions that needed to be answered regarding the Tribulations, yet Altair gave no answer, no matter how many times he was asked.

Strangely, no matter how much he asked, he found himself being persuaded to a different topic, ending with him promising to share the honor of riding into battle one day. That hadn't been someone a Lord ought to say to a child, much less the Duke-Heir. He had forgotten his title, and it made him blush, remembering.

'He handled me as if I were those that needed to seek his favor…bastard.' Marquess Rivia thought and suddenly began laughing, wondering if he had gotten too old.

"He's a good one. Isn't he."

"My Lord," Elder Ashe asked, frowning.

"Nox De Nier."

"Oh yes," said Elder Ashe, hastily agreed. "A fine young man. And quite the Schemer."

Rivia's smile thinned. 'Yes… he is quite the schemer.' He thought of the meeting with Renfi, the Red Queen and Ironblood of the Realm. She had stomped in furiously but left as silent as a mouse. That had never happened before. No one had been said to handle Renfi, not even her late husband.

'I wonder what he has planned. And why didn't he…' "Ashe, call for my daughter… what? What with that face."

Elder Ashe hesitated. "I thought the servants told you… my Lord. Nox he… Well… your daughter…" he fumbled over the words until Rivia glared coldly. He coughed, "My Lord, your daughter bedded Nox and has been told by the Medarc that she is to remain in bed for the next few days." He gulped but went on. "He said that her womb was so full with the Young Master seed, it was on the verge of rupturing."

Rivia felt his cheeks burn. He bit his lip as anger surged. "How is she?" he demanded.

"Nothing life-threatening, though the Medarc said that she is not to have any visitors and that she is in no state to meet others. It seems she is too… sensitive."

"BASTARD!!!!" Marquess Rivia's fist struck his office table, turning it to dust. "Show me to my daughter! Now!"

"My Lord…" Elder Ashe hesitated.

"Now!"

They found her in a medical ward with a lewd smile as she slept. Attended by a female nurse, who bowed at his arrival.

Rivia trembled. "Leave us. Now!" The nurse hurried out of the room like a rabbit fleeing a wolf. He checked her himself, cursing his name, forgetting he was no Medarc.

Elder Ashe hesitated. "How is she…"
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"She's fine. Just—"

"Father?" Elena opened her eyes. A shudder passed through her lids. She seemed so small, then. As small as the little girl he could carry in one hand.

"I…think… I'm pregnant…" Elena touched her belly. It was bigger than he remembered.

And just like that, she was a woman again. The memory shattered.

"You were right… Father…" she said. "Nox… is the only man for me."

"Heavens… Elena, this is not a game. You don't lose feelings for a man, so—"

"I wonder what I should call him?" she caressed her belly as if she were pregnant.

'She's bloody insane. What type of sorcery did that bastard pull.' When he glanced at Elder Ashe, and a Soul Whisper popped into his head.

"My Lord, the young Lady isn't in her right mind. As I said, the Medarc said no one was allowed to see her, but her attending nurse is suppose to see her until her hormones begin to die down."

"I'm going to be a mommy! Daddy, aren't you proud!"

'That bastard broke my daughter and left me to clean her up… Bastard!' the marquess thought, recalling that smile that led him around earlier this morning. He growled, tapping Elena on the forehead.

The light went out in her eyes as she fell limp, and the Marquess sighed, asking in a low growl," Did I do the right thing, Elder Ashe?"

"All nobles give their Daughters away, my Lord."

'But none of those lords have to see their daughters in such a state after she has been used up. He didn't even bother taking her with him. He just left her here. Left her to me."

"Your punishment." Elder Ashe covered his mouth, but it was too late. "I…I…I only mean. She only gave Conall her maidenhood because you approved, my lord. Perhaps…Perhaps the Young Master Nox wanted you to feel the same pain that tormented him so."

The marquess suddenly felt as if bile had crept up his throat. The Nox he knew would have never done such a despicable thing. 'But that was a Nox a thousand years ago.' he shook his head, biting his lips so fiercely he drew blood.

"When my daughter wakes and is in her right mind. Send her to Nox. The soon she does carry his child, the better… it'll save us the trouble down the line."

"Of course, your grace."

'And Eldere Ashe. Should you breed a word of this… It's not only your life that'll hang in the balance. Remember that."

"As you command," Elder Ashe said in a kowtow to his Master's feet. "I shall obey."