Dream of a Vast Blue Cavern

Chapter 11: Marked By Fire: Dynat

 Dynat paced his bedroom in time to the chant of the Fire Spirit in his mind. Dreams, Dreams, Dreams. Lying little Icer. Enter her mind. Take her Dreams. The hissing voice was louder than the roaring Lava River below.

 Dynat knew he must obey, but he could not bring himself to do it. He had been so careful. No one alive knew his secrets, not even Bolv. He had to keep it that way. “I’m not disobeying,” he said, marching from bed to balcony, to the door to see if she had arrived yet, then back to the bed. “Only delaying.” It was ok to delay, the Fire Spirit had told him that long ago. Only direct disobedience would be punished. Dynat had dim memories of punishment from the last time he had truly tried to defy the Fire Spirit, years past. A shadow of the pain was enough to make him want to obey. The Fire Spirit seemed more urgent and obsessed with this command than ever before. Dynat did not think he would be able to delay very long.

 He heard the outer door open, and in a moment Bolv swept into the room, hips swaying and heels clicking. “My King,” she said, bowing slightly.

 Dynat stared at her in shock. She was covered with soot from head to toe. Her golden plate-cloth was black and dull, her hair in disarray. Dark circles ringed her eyes as if she hadn’t slept in days. “By the Lava Lake,” Dynat whispered. “Did you come from the Baths, woman, or the Mines?”

 “The Baths, my King. You see that they are not in any shape for bathing. Your presence is needed there sorely. The Nobles—“

 “There is a pitcher in the other room. Have a Semija get you cleaned up. Quickly.”

 The last thing Dynat wanted to hear about was the Baths. He needed a distraction, and Bolv had always provided one in the past. In her arms, he could almost forget the Fire Spirit existed.

 She frowned, making her plain face even worse. “Majesty, this is no time—“

 “NOW, Kinyara!” Dynat roared. Her eyes widened and she scurried from the room. Dynat stared after her, confused. He had never had to order her to this; always before she came willingly. What was wrong with everyone? Medoc all tense, disobeying orders, and now Bolv being difficult? Dynat ground his teeth and began to disrobe.

 By the time he was ready, Bolv lay on the soft furs of Dynat’s bed, nude and voluptuous, her spread body welcoming the soft torchlight of the room. Her eyes glinted, narrow not with passion but fury. Normally, her anger would spur him to greater depths of passion, but now he remained limp. He climbed onto her anyway, trying to thrust inside of her like a noodlesnake pushing into its burrow. Every other part of him was hard. Bolv turned her head to the side, staring at the wall; her anger cold and distant.

 Dynat snarled in frustration as his manhood shriveled completely. He kept pushing against her, trying to relieve his own anger. It was like making love to a doll. Bolv had never been like this before. The Ice Queen’s face reared in his mind. Cold and angry. The Fire Spirit continued to whisper. Enter her mind. Plunder her Dreamsssssss.

 He pushed into Bolv over and over, slapped her cheeks and bit her neck. Finally he rolled off her and towered above the bed. “You call yourself Kinyara?” he asked as she stood and began dressing. “You are worthless. You do not know how to please me. I will find a Lady who can satisfy me!”

 “Dynat, the Baths—”

 “Fire Spirit take the Baths to the Lava Lake! You are as worthless at that task as you are at this. Your one duty is to keep Chraun running smoothly. You have failed. I will throw you in the river and take a real woman for my Kinyara! Send me a Semija.”

 She did not look at him again as she slunk from the room. Dynat lay down, panting and angry on the soft furs of the bed. After a moment a Semija entered and knelt.

 “Send for Lady Jisthe,” Dynat gasped. “And Lady Mavel, and a few of their friends. Send for blissi and powderlux.”

 The Semija bowed and left, and Dynat noticed how little of her body her furs covered. The Fire Spirit still hissed in his mind. Enter her mind. Take her Dreams, Dreams, Dreamsssss . . .