I delay with the bath, by choosing to clean the attic. I don't care that it was my day off. It wasn't a part of the plan, but I also felt like it was a good way to get away from Claudius and have some space. After the pond this morning, and seeing his memory... I wanted to explore a bit anyway.
I find a crawl space above a wardrobe, which I stand on top of to reach the ceiling. I arm myself with cleaning equipment and a torch and my phone, then I hoist myself up and close the space back up.
I made sure not to leave a trace of which direction I had gone, so this was my chance to be alone for a little bit.
The intriguing thing, which I did not expect – is the attic is not empty.
I swivel on my knees and light up the space with my torch, only for my jaw to drop.
Dresses. Suits. Things that would be considered costumes today, but this is real heritage fashion.
I stand up and breathe in the stale air, shuffling forward very slowly to observe all the preserved clothing, there was so much of it, which Robert must have stored away, or his parents did.
This would be great content for my vlog. I take a video with my phone, and pictures too, walking slowly so I don't cause too much noise or disturb the dust.
Eventually I am drawn toward a beautiful wooden red chest. I open it up, and what's inside is a perfectly folded white wedding dress.
Etched into the wood of the chest is a name.
Aelia.
My fingers had been about to touch the material, but now my fingers curl back into my palm and I sit back on my heels.
I take a few photos, a strange lump in my throat.
On top of the wedding dress is another small box – for jewellery. I snap it open carefully, inside is a pearl necklace and diamond ear rings – and multiple gem stone rings. On the box is a handwritten note. Circus Gypsy. I'm confused if it's from a circus, or if it's the brand of jewellery. I place it all down and carefully lift the dress to see if anything else is underneath.
White shoes, lace lingerie... and strangely enough, as I pick it up, my elbow knocks one of the shoes over – and a dagger falls out of it. This tiny dagger has dried blood all over it – it's so old it's turned from a rust brown to almost black.
Before I pick up the hidden dagger, I hear the boards creak behind me.
Oh, no.
I drop the dress over everything and slam the chest shut. Why do I feel guilty?!
When I turn around with my torch lighting the way, Fontaine is simply standing at the hatch I climbed up, and he looks furious.
"It was never stated in the contract that you had to clean up here," he says so quietly, I can barely comprehend any emotion. He's pissed.
"Oh – oh, I..." I snap my mouth shut with that look that is on his face. I can't argue my way out of this one. I quickly stand up with my torch and phone, "I'll get down right away."
I walk forward toward him. Fontaine lifts the hatch and waits for me to climb back down.
I sit down on the edge, dangling my feet through.
I look up at Claudius with wide guilty eyes – no idea why I feel so intimidated for simply exploring. I just didn't know I would come across any of this. Clearly they were precious family heirlooms that survived the fire.
"I didn't know you were going to get married," I murmur to his ankles, and I lower myself down to the wardrobe below. When I land on top, the hatch above me slams shut.
I climb to the side of the wardrobe and jump down onto a rocking chair, that was already placed there before.
I jump onto the floor and look around this second furnished bedroom.
I wait for Claudius to appear while I spin around awkwardly, waiting for him to scold me further.
"I didn't mean to find anything, I was just trying to get some space – I thought it would be empty up there," I tell the air around me.
Claudius has chosen to do his disappearing act again.
I quickly go red in the face waiting for him to respond, so I storm to the door and decide I've waited long enough talking to the walls. I'm going to have that damn bath, I wanted to feel properly clean anyway.
I head downstairs to where the bath is set close to the fire. I start the fire, and I haul in some buckets of water to heat over the flames. It would take a while, but it would be worth it when I was done, even if it was only luke warm at the end.
One bucket at a time, I feed the pot over the fire, then throw the hot water into the bathtub.
I'm surprised to find it retains the heat quite well, even as I wait for each pot of water to boil between rounds.
I make sure to be very careful before I test the water at the end, when it's finally full.
It's honestly the perfect temperature. Finally. I can now relax.
I just had to undress.
I breathe as I look around the empty living area, and I just hope he's not watching from the ether-realm where I can't see him. I strip rather quickly, and don't stay out in the air long enough to look like a fool. I hop right into the water, it's full to my shoulders as I sit with my knees to my chest and wait for the heat to relax my tense body.
Fuck.
I was really tensed up – and didn't know how much until the heat is warming me back up.
I better keep that fire going all day, because I had a weird habit of only lighting it at night, and it wasn't exactly an easy space to retain the heat from a small fire.
I feel like the fireplace close by helps to keep the bath warm from the side, while I lay my head back and look at up at the ceiling, finally dropping my shoulders.
I dunk my hair under the water to get it all wet, then I rise to the top and recline back again.
As I start to close my eyes, I hear a bucket get kicked closer to the bath, and I tense up – just before someone pulls my hair up and then lays it out over the rim – so the water drips into the bucket, pattering down, as a comb is forced through my hair.
I look backwards, rolling my eyes back to see Fontaine brushing my hair out with one of his old world combs. It's so large.
With his hand touching just my hair, he cannot drain me of my life force. Phew.
Fontaine pulls a stool closer and sits, parting my hair and starting with a smaller section to brush through.
"What are you doing?" I ask, oblivious to his ways.
"I'm sorry about how I reacted before," he sounds unapologetic as he brushes my hair out, one stroke at a time.
I look away from him and face the other wall instead as he combs out my long hair, and I try to think of a proper response.
"It's personal items that mean a lot to you, I'm sorry I went through her stuff," I murmur under my breath, feeling a stab of unease through my heart. He was going to marry her. Not me, I was more the inconvenience, "If we go back in time, you won't marry me, you'll marry her," It slips through my lips before I can stop it. Fuck. Fuck. Why did I say that out loud?!
"So you do want to marry me," Fontaine whispers abruptly, bunching up my hair and halting his strokes.
"N-no," I regret it already. I sounded like I wanted to. Now I blush as I sink deeper into the water, and Claudius tries to keep my hair out of the water.
"Up," he snaps, and when I don't respond he grabs it all and helps me move back up by pulling on my hair. I wince as I sit up higher and he holds my hair tight in his fist at the nape of my neck. After a threatening and heavy silence, I wait with wide eyes, as I feel him pulling on my hair again. This time my head falls back so I look at him again, "Don't tempt me, I can still put my fingers inside you," he growls over my head. I part my lips at his drawled threat, and Claudius smiles as his second hand reaches around my head and his fingers lay over my lips, then pull into my mouth – pulling against my cheek. Then he slides those two fingers over my tongue, and continues to comb my hair as I taste him in my mouth.
My tongue can't help but push against them to taste the salt.
He rubs his fingers back and forward over my tongue, going a little further back into my mouth each time. Fuck – I, I liked it.
Claudius finishes combing my hair and brings his other hand over my second cheek, his fingers moving toward the other corner of my mouth.
With two more fingers, he opens my mouth wide.
I never understood why guys did that – it was so weird, but now that he was doing it to me, I feel myself pushing back against the bath, as if trying to lean back closer toward him.
Instead the water sloshes around me as I move my legs out, and I Claudius's lips kiss the back of my head.
"I can fuck you with inanimate things – how about an umbrella to hook inside your ass, do you like things inside your asshole, Alix? Or would you prefer my hand around your throat, while you suck on my fingers like a good little girl," he slides one hand to my neck, while his other fingers remain over my tongue.
It feels good, but I'm starting to feel a slight chill under my skin as my heart beats out of rhythm. He was draining me slowly.
Claudius holds me still, as his fingers move to the back of my mouth.
"It's my mouth," he whispers in my ear, "Your body is mine, Alix. As your husband, your body becomes my property – my asset. I can do whatever I want to you, you'll be mine to use. You'll learn to love it. You'll crave submission. It's only natural."
His hand gives my neck a slight squeeze, nothing too rough – but simply showing he controls me.
I gasp and his fingers slide even further back until I gag, and Claudius pulls them back out, to rub them across the middle of my tongue instead. I suck on them harder, my saliva gathering towards the corners of my mouth to coat his fingers.
This was so embarrassing, I was fucking drooling for him.
I try to shake myself out of it, and I move my head side to side, threatening him with my teeth.
Fontaine swiftly removes his fingers, but grabs my chin instead, keeping me still and hypothetically 'calm'.
Instead my heart starts to beat much faster, as he suddenly removes his hand from my neck, and his fingers slip away from my chin. With his touch now abruptly gone, I sink into the water to escape his presence for a moment.
I take a deep breath and stay under for a few seconds, before coming back up and twisting to the other side of the tub.
I rub my eyes clear of water and I look at Claudius. He is leaning with his forearms over the rim I was just reclining upon, with his shirt sleeves rolled up – his gloves removed.
"That was hot," I admit this quietly to him.
"What does that mean?" he asks, raising a brow, truly curious.
"Sexy," I say, "That was... really something else."
"You liked it?" Fontaine asks, pleasantly, but also high handily, before he reaches next to him, showing me what he had been hiding. He exposes a riding crop at his side, "You might not like this," he loses his smile, "But you need to be punished for going where you've been forbidden."
"Um, you never forbid the attic –"
"I just did," Claudius's lips frown in disapproval, "Alix. Stand up, turn around and give me your ass."
All of me would and should scream no.
But my pussy right now, is screaming yes.
My hormones are confusing my head after filling my blood, and I can't stop thinking about sucking on his dick. I could still taste his fingers in my mouth.
I close my eyes – getting spanked would honestly distract me from him potentially seducing me and killing me too. Resisting was a priority. So. This might actually help. There, brain, I've justified it for my pussy.
Against all better judgement, I act.
I stand up, eyes downcast in embarrassment as I turn around and grab the edge of the bath, showing him my ass dripping with hot water.
I was actually obeying Claudius instantly – what the hell.
I feel myself get wetter as I hear him stand and walk over.
I feel the top of the crop touch my right butt cheek and a tremble takes hold of my whole leg for a second.
Fear.
But also anticipation.
Smack. Twice. The riding crop spanks one cheek – then the other.
It does hurt, but it's not too bad.
I make the mistake of immediately smiling and looking back at him to show how much it didn't affect me. So much for a punishment...
Fontaine drops the crop to his side, giving me a look, as if to ask – really?
For that cheeky smile, Claudius really amps up the power of the next strike. Trying to fight a sadistic smile, he rubs the crop back against my ass, much harder – a warning for what's next to come.
I can't look.
He waits.
He makes me wait.
Then –
SMACK.
Hot, sharp pain – that will definitely bruise.
I shriek with the force of that one, before yelling, "Bastard!"
Claudius spanks the other cheek with the crop the same way and my knees almost give out. I want to hide back in the water. My ass falls toward the water line, and Claudius chuckles – before spanking me again, not so hard – but he didn't have to force it this time.
It hurts with the water and my aching skin from those previous spanks.
I raise my ass back up swiftly, "Okay, okay, okay," I beg, "Enough – please. I'm sorry."
"Oh, no, it's five more for each," Claudius steps closer and puts a hand on the small of my back, "Shh – it's okay," what a manipulative, perfect shh. It's sexy as fu –
"Fuck!" I squeak out as he spanks me again; 1, 2.
"Bite your tongue, not another sound or it's two more for every slip you make, Alix, quiet now," Claudius sounds too reasonable for someone spanking my ass beet-red with a riding crop. He is right at home.
I try my best to keep myself composed, keeping all noise contained.
2, 3.
4, 5.
Three more pairs.
6, 7.
Counting it out really does help, actually.
8, 9.
Just one more pair to go.
And I have not been breathing properly. I let out a shaky exhale, not sure if I can take the last two. I was so sore now.
"These two go extra hard," Claudius warns me, keeping his hand on the small of my back, to keep me steady, "But if you can take it – I'll be extra nice to you after, Alix. Undeserved."
Fucking prick. But okay.
I hold the rim tighter than ever.
"Just do it," I speak through gritted teeth – exactly at the same time as the riding crop lightly taps my ass cheek, then the other, "Wait. That was it?" I ask, breathless. That was extra hard? So, he tricked me?
"All you had to do was be quiet," Claudius sighs, "That was it –"
"That is it, right, great," I try to pull one leg out of the bath, and Claudius blocks my escape with his body.
Now my sexy demon incubus leans down to my eye level, to tell me what will really be happening now.
"That was it – I was gentle because you were so good, until you had to speak before the end, so two more, the care really was undeserved," Claudius raises a brow, "No gentle kisses for you this last round."
"Why were you gentle but now you have to be mean," I ask, frowning.
"Two more again," Claudius says, quietly.
Wait – damn it.
I almost speak again, but this time I look at the wall again, holding the rim tighter once more.
"Good girl – you're finally learning."
Why did I enjoy that just now.
Wait.
Smack! Ow! Mother fu – ! Smack! 1, 2. It wasn't that hard but it still hurts like hell on top of the others.
Just. One. More. Set.
I steady my breaths.
I can do this.
This last time, I feel the riding crop's gentle touch to my pussy – and I feel the juice cling to it, before he rubs it across toward my clit and back again, making me shiver hard.
Claudius takes the riding crop back to position – now very wet.
This was going to hurt!
He smacks – and it's harder than the all the others combined.
I could scream, but this time my lips are shut. However, a moan of building pleasure and pain escapes out of my throat, which I can barely keep hidden. He strikes the other cheek and drops the riding crop onto the floor, while I immediately spin around and hide my ass from him.
I stand naked in the water, ass tingling badly. It almost feels numb.
I just stare at him, blushing hard while Fontaine's eyes roll over me, from top to toe.
As soon as he's appraised me, he looks back to my eyes.
Before he says it, the answer comes to me. I already know what he's going to ask!
So I get to it first.
"Thank you, Sir," I whisper quickly.
Claudius is stunned.
I just impressed the sexy bastard.
I see it in the way his eyes glitter. Oh, I know he's going to fuck me so hard one day. In all the right ways. In all my fucking holes. I hope he can't read my mind.
"Now that deserves a reward," he whispers back.
"What kind?" I almost stutter.
Claudius walks toward me and he boldly slips two fingers straight into my pussy as we both just stand there, looking at each other. I try not to collapse right there, but I bite my bottom lip and my face can't hide the pleasure. I loved his fingers pushing into me like that.
I attempt to grind into his hand – but he immediately takes his fingers out, steps way too far away from me, and raises his fingers to his mouth.
I watch, aghast that Fontaine just wanted to taste me, nothing more, and I watch as he just arrogantly cleans off his completely drenched fingers, before explaining to me, "Not you – I was rewarding myself for training you so well, so quickly," he admits.
I try to ignore he just said that, and I want to sit back in the water and finish myself off.
I had a hand too you know.
But as I lower my ass tentatively toward the water – it hurts too much to sit on it.
I kneel instead, even though it's not as comfortable.
I start to move my hand down toward my pussy, with Claudius watching, I move very slowly.
"No."
One word from his lips.
I stare at his mouth.
I could – argh, fuck him!
I immediately drop my hand to my side, "But whhhhy?" I whine it, totally unsatisfied and so turned on!
He doesn't explain himself, he just shakes his head slowly, in content disapproval.
"Fontaine, please," I beg him, truly begging.
"See, it worked, you're finally understanding that you serve me. Good girl, it's not about you," Fontaine smirks at me – because for the first time, without directly thinking about it, I haven't impulsively called him Claudius.
It's now Fontaine without a question.
My eyes widen in shock at my own betrayal against myself.
As I contemplate life and all its meaning, Claudius vanishes – and with it, he takes the light of the fire too.
"No," I whisper, almost another whine, feeling the chill already hit the air.
The bath was getting cold too.
I step out and put on my fluffy robe. At least I was clean.
I was just... really... really... really horny.
I couldn't think straight. I pace around in circles for a bit, before I decide what I want to do.
"I'm going to buy some milk – I'm almost out!" I tell the air.
When Fontaine doesn't appear, I'm relieved, but my senses have changed.
I look around a bit, my eyes skittish.
He doesn't like it. I can feel that he doesn't like it.
But he can't stop me going to pick up extra food supplies.
I just had a ticket out of here. And oh boy, I needed the space to think straight about all this.