Light and Shadows

The Harvester of Dominion

Which meant he had to do it right. Renathal's lips finally reached hers and he clung to them like a font of anima, but even her tongue tracing his fangs could not reignite what was fading in his body. His mind raced frantically, searching for something new, something he had not tried. He had planned this whole evening down to the last atmospherically-placed red candle, and everything had gone as smooth as glass. Why wasn't it enough?

The thrust of her hips meeting his petered out, and Renathal knew he had failed. Again. The way he had failed against Denathrius, failed to protect his fellow Venthyr, failed his entire charge to the Shadowlands as Harvester of Dominion to keep those in his realm from betraying their purpose. Was there nothing he could do correctly?

Renathal felt the Maw Walker's knees lock around his hips, and he knew what was coming. He let her flip him, moved with her as she guided him back to the bed and sat gently astride him. He closed his eyes to avoid seeing the look on her face. Disappointment, or pity; or that look she wore before a fight or at court, like she was fitting together pieces of a puzzle. Analyzing what was wrong so she could make it right.

Just once, thought Renathal bitterly, he would like to be the one solving the problem, saving the day. Saving her. But she never needed it. She, unlike him, always succeeded at everything she did.

The Maw Walker's hand caressed the side of his face, her thumb stroking the sharp angle of his cheekbone, but she still did not speak. It was not comfortable like their usual silences. It was a silence that held expectation, and Renathal disliked it.

"I fear I am a bit preoccupied tonight," he said, trying for casual chagrin.

"With what?"

The Maw Walker's voice betrayed nothing, and Renathal sighed. He suddenly felt exhausted.

"Oh, merely.... everything."

"I see," she said slowly. Her fingers crept up his forehead, nails lightly scratching his scalp as she ran her hands back through his hair. "Were you planning on using this time to solve every one of Revendreth's problems and I interrupted?"

Renathal gave a short huff of mirthless laughter and finally opened his eyes to look at Revendreth's champion.

Sure enough, the Maw Walker's face was back to smoothly impassive, a small smile at her own joke the only expression. Nothing to indicate what she'd been doing only minutes ago, except a small patch of color left in her cheeks.

"How do you do it?" murmured Renathal, her hand combing through his hair lulling him into a trance.

Her eyes widened slightly.

"Do what?"

"One minute, you are ... the Maw Walker ... Saviour of the Shadowlands! Un-killable, indomitable. And the next ... you are in here with me..." Renathal felt anima rush to his groin again, and his voice came out lower. "So yielding ... so submissive. Begging me to take you without a trace of pride."

The little shudder that ran through the Maw Walker at his words made her squirm against him, and Renathal heartened. He still seemed to have some effect on her which was a good sign. If he could just concentrate, focus on being here with her and not on the hundred and one problems he somehow had to solve. Renathal attempted to flip his lover over, ready to try again, but she held his hips in place with her knees. He let himself fall back against the bed, lifting an eyebrow at her. Not that he couldn't have forced her over easily if he tried; not that she would have minded, he was certain. But the Maw Walker had never stopped him doing anything before, and Renathal was apprehensive about what that meant.