Alexan PoV
I stood by the mare bored and irate, I didn't have patience today. Not for anyone. I just wanted to go. It was so typical of father to ruin something I was looking forward to. I had told him weeks ago that I wanted to take Onyxia on what she called a honeymoon, that it was an important and compulsory tradition, that it would be an unforgivable insult if it wasn't done. Oh, he agreed, right away, but decided to make an expansion on it. Turning it into a trip to the mainland to visit our neighbouring allies. To see Luis, another prince, another rival. That little sh*t has always been over grasping and a bore. I've never wanted to knock someone out just to make them stop gibbering. And that wasn't all; I had to bring a parade of people with me. Her handmaidens, my friends, some servants, and my aunt and sister. I hated it. I knew, I knew it before I told her, that she would immedently refuse. Even now, everyone was set to go, the luggage was loaded and horses were readied. Yet, she was still absent. Who could blame her?
It's been almost a month, and I feared for her. I had noticed that she gradually dwelled into a spiral of sadness. I had no idea what her family had written her, I only noted that she had received a message from home. I often discovered her crying in her room, and became distant. She wasn't eating well, sleeping well. She was stuck. Even taking her faded in her enjoyment; from its usual indescribable extraordinary levels it darkened into the point of pointlessness. It started to feel like a job, it felt forced and every time she tried to respond with heartbreaking effort. She would ether get teary during or be as silent as anything. And it wasn't as if I was in the mood fully ether; my father's health was deteriorating rapidly and I had Kyarah to deal with. I wanted to go to bed with Onyxia, because at least anything that is felt or said is honest. It's blunt and in the open. That's why I wanted this time alone with her, I needed a break. I needed to start a family, and then perhaps I could settle.
"Alex!" I turned to glance at Lutz, he gestured his head. "She's here."
I followed his direction to lay my eyes on my wife. Her skin had lightened due to lack of exposure to the sun; it still held a healthy golden tinge though. Her pale hair was plaited in two over her shoulders. She looked tired and moody from here; her eyes were reddened with evidence that she had cried earlier today. She cried often. It was barely a week or two ago when I was coming to her rooms only to find chaos; her maids were in a panicked scramble and my wife lay calmly on the floor with her wrists cut thrice on each side. She had tried to kill herself. What was in that letter?! She was pretty much fine before then. What could possibly lead her to this? What had happened?
Under her fur lined, woollen cloak she wore a simple, embroiled green gown. The dark, forest colour reminded me of the nightgown she wears at times. My favourite thing I've seen her wear to bed if I counted what she had on, on our wedding night. I could see her warm boots sticking out under her hem, and knew she wore the type of tight fitted trousers she wore when fighting under her dress. Her jewellery was colourful, a clear plead for the wearer to be just as sunny. Her posture caught my attention, and when I realized what she held in her arms I was shocked.
"Hello, Husband." She said, simple and neutral. She looked down at my son in her arms; I'm going to kill Sarabii. I had noted with tremendous irateness that my mistress had gone out of her way to become acquainted with my wife. "This is the son of one of my handmaidens." She emphasized with a purposeful look, knowing that no one knew of Rekker, he was a secret. "I wish him to come with us. If you will allow it?" Onyx forced her quiet voice louder; "She offers to allow me to care for him as practice for when we have a child of our own, as she stays back to care for Logan." Rekker cooed in her arms, smiling in joyful cheer as he tugged and played with her hair. She looked down at him with a loving smile, and kissed his cheek casing him to beam and laugh.
"He can stay." I said tightly, my heart full and my throat caught. "Of course, he can stay." I cleared my throat noting the eyes upon me, "It's a good idea. You look breathtaking with a babe in your arms, skjöldur mær. It makes me impatient to put a son in you even more."
My wife looked at me steadily, "Do you want to hold him?" She asked quietly, gently.
I looked down at my beautiful boy, my blood, and shook my head. "I can't." It pained me so much to say so. "Not here, not now." I murmured to her, she nodded framing Rekker up so he could sit on her hip. He smiled at me, waving his fists. She had dressed him like a Viking child; with a pointed hat covering his flaxen hair, a woollen tunic and a tiny set of trousers and boots. He was sheltered warmly under her cloak. "Thank you, skjöldur mær minn." I whispered as I bent to kiss the top of her head. My son raised his head to be kissed as well, I laughed. "Alright, little man" I kissed the top of his head too, breathing in the smell of him. My hand shook as I knuckled his chin. "Strong lad."
"Like his father, my king." I stared into the beautiful eyes of my own; I couldn't stop myself from leaning in to kiss her firmly on the mouth. May the heavens bless this woman, she was a lost Valkyrie fallen from Valhalla. She barely kissed me back, but I knew that was more out of uncertain shock than refusal. Her lips were so soft and cushioned, she tasted so sweetly of the mix of fruit she'd eaten this morning. Apples. Strawberries. Grapes. So aromatic and delicious. When she opened her eyes my breath caught as I drowned in the maelstrom of black flicked blue eyes. "I don't want to go with you." She murmured, eyeing me carefully.
I bristled, "You're not heavy, skjöldur mær minn." I threatened, "If you refuse to come, I'll throw you over my shoulder and toss you onto that horse." I gripped her arm tightly, "You're not staying here."
She opened her mouth to argue, but shut it to think for a moment. "I don't know how to ride, you know that, right?"
I blinked. No, I didn't. I gazed back at the men, and at the horses. "Why? Don't your people ride? I mean, surely you have to, to travel to places." I bumbled out, "You're not frightened of them, are you?"
She gave me a sullen look, veiled with wan feelings. "Well... I've never ridden one before. They look.... strange. We use them to pull the carts and things. I mean, some men ride." It almost sound like a question, her brows were furrowed in unsureness of what I wanted to hear. "We just walk to wherever we wish to go. Or sail." She was bug eyed with brooding. "I'm sorry, Husband." She apologized softly. "I-I can learn... If you want me to..."
I gave a dismissive wave, "I'm not going to hurt you just because you don't know to do something. You don't need to apologize." I looked down at my son; he looked so perfect in her arms. She looked perfect. She looked like a mother, and by the Gods she deserved to be. I will get her with child on this trip no matter what I do; I couldn't care about anything or anyone else. "Come, I want you to meet someone."
Shyama stood by her pony, her shoulders tilted defensively and she was under clear intimidation from her two brothers. She studied my wife curiously as we approved her. I gestured a hand in introduction as we reached her. "This, my wife, is my little cousin. My favourite cousin, I should say. Shyama." Onyx bent down to shake the reedy twelve year olds pale hand. If she noticed the scar on my little kin's face, she hid it well. It ran along almost top to bottom of the right side of her face, starting an inch above one eyebrow and an inch short of her lips. Her eye was somewhat more milky in translucence than its dark blue twin. I glared darkly at my uncle.
Onyx smiled brightly, "Hello, Shyama. I'm Onyxia. It's nice to meet you." She greeted standing up again. Rekker cooed and buried his face in her pale hair. Shyama gave a tiny smile back, looking adoringly at the older woman. Shy stood thin and slender for her age, not yet grown womanly assets. Her dirty blonde hair was straight and wispy. Her small lips twitched with effort to hold back a lit smile. She had been quite taken with my wife when she arrived. "I have a younger sister called Luna who is around your age. Perhaps one day you'll get to meet her."
"I'm sure you'd love to see your family again, Princess." Fredrik hailed as he approached uninvited up to us. Pushing past me to take my wife's hand to his lips. "You look a vision of beauty, as always." I narrowed my eyes at the way he held her gaze in such an insufferable way. After a long moment Onyx tugged her hand free, looking at me with an unreadable look. My cousin ruffed my son's hair unknowingly, "Who do we have here?" To my pleasure my little boy roiled and began to cry with distress at my cousin's attentions. My wife expertly endeavoured to compose him, succeeding swiftly. She had so many siblings it wasn't a surprise she knew how to care for little ones. She murmured a foul oath under her breath in Germanic, one that made me chuckle, giving Fredrik a sour look for displeasing the child. "Apologizes, Princess. I did not wish to upset the boy." He stroked a hand through my wife's silky hair, my fists clenched. "You are proficient with children. I am astonished that we haven't any news that you are with child. Alex lacks finesse in that area, I suppose." He turned to shunt past me before looking back at her. "Not man enough to put a babe in you." He sneered before walking away. I moved to swing at him but a thin hand clutched my arm.
"Don't give him what he wants." She gripped my jaw to turn my face back to hers. "You'll make yourself out to be a fool."
"A fool?" I snapped, "I'll gut him! I don't want him near you." I pushed my forehead against hers, she didn't move away. "I don't want him around you. I don't want him to look at you. I don't want him to touch you. He wants- I can tell!" I growled in a livid whisper.
She looked at me unimpressed, "I know. But he can't have me." She spoke so softly that I knew that I was overreacting. Just a little. "I'm yours, your property. Well, as far as my body goes." She looked at me with steady, narrowed eyes. "It's not like he asked me to suck his c*ck in front of you. Be calm. Be patient. You'll get me with child soon enough, then you can rub his boasts in his face." She smiled at me with such cocky mischief; it was hard not to beam back. Nyx returned her attention back to my comely cousin, twisting down again to reach her level. "Shyama, do you see those two girls over there? They're my handmaidens. They'll be riding on a cart, would you mind sitting with them to care for this little ball of fun for me while I ride with you stupid cousin here?" Shy laughed before she caught my mocking look of sourness, and tried her best to hide a smile. She blurted an acceptance, taking my child carefully in her arms and scrammed over where the girls I knew as Sabe and Alet stood, both fair haired and youthful. For a moment I stressed over the absence of my son, but I felt Onyx take my hand and lead me back to my horse. It was comforting. I gestured for her to go up first. "I'm not an idiot, I'm not sitting in front of you. You sit in front; I'll sit behind you. That'll save me from being harassed by you on our trip."
I stared at her for a moment. She just stood there, smirking at me with one perfect eyebrow cocked. Irate that my intentions were unfoiled, I helped her up upon the horses back before settling myself in front of her. "Wretch." Her laugh was musical, but short lived as the mare restless shifted. She tightly gripped at the belt at my hips; a small startled sound exited her mouth. I reached back to pat her thighs straddled on alongside mine, stroking her through the tight pants as her dress rode up to pool around her hips. She pulled the fabric up and draped it over the horse's rump behind her. Shifting against my back, moving her hands to press flat on my back or at my hips constantly as we began to move. I squinted against the rising sun, as we moved, her quietness, though not unusual, dampening my mood slightly. "Put your arms around me, skjöldur mær." I murmured in sympathy, "You'll balance better." Her unsteady hands hesitated for a moment before wrapping securely around my waist. She rested her head on my back. "Good girl." To my surprise she turned her head to kiss between my shoulder blades in response. Even through the fabric of my clothing the gesture burned, my eyes closed against the thought of her lips on my bare skin. Or mine on hers. "When we stop for water, you're sitting in front of me."
She scoffed, "Forever trying to get me close to it, aren't you?" She clicked her tongue in disapproval. "I know you can do that, A.J, why don't you try showing me you're more than a rutting beast?"
I glanced back at her for a moment, "I'm a 'rutting beast'?" Raising my eyebrows, this woman was anything but direct.
She leaned close to my back, "Aye. You take me like an animal, always so selfish. Like a wild bull seeking a dairy cow." Her tone wasn't whiny or contained any hint of complaint, but its frank matter-of-factness troubled me. "I mean it's not like I had anything to do, all I was able to do was train in the yard and go on tours. And I was enjoying training, until you decide to make a show out of breeding me in public." I grinded my teeth at the remembrance, I couldn't regret it. She was the best f*ck I've ever had, and she doesn't even try to be. If she did I'd surely die. That night when she had her hands around me and heated words pouring from her lips, I almost came in her hands. The embarrassment of that knowledge was enough to warn me. "I wanted to see you fight more, I'd wish you take me to see you train. You fight like a God." I smirked, and according to her own pleasure driven lips I bed her like one to. Perhaps I should be an animalistic god, like Pan. "It's magnificent."
Her praised wounded me as selfish, "I'm sorry I took the only place of relief from you. I'm sorry for many things. But I don't regret most of them." I felt her sigh, her hands rubbing across my chest. "You're a good girl, I mean that. A worthy, resilient woman. You'll bare me good, strong children. My grandparents once told me a man who finds a true friend will never be happier than a man who finds that true friend in his wife. I trust you, and trusting you means more to me than any dramatic form of misleading attraction."
"I'm not going to betray you, my king." She muttered into my back, her warmth was soothing. "You haven't harmed me." I winced. Of course, that's what she took to heart most. If I ever did harm her, her family had the right to kill me. As is their right.
"So you have no plan to leave me?" I inquired, my voice sounding more flat than I wanted. My heart sped up a beat and I felt nervous. No matter our issues, I didn't want her to leave me. I wanted her in my bed, yes, but I needed her in my life. She'd grown on me; I counted her as my equal. She was my wife; one day she'd be the mother of my children. I'll put my sons in her, my daughters in her. My son was bastard born; yet she loved him as much as I. She made an effort to speak to my mistress to allow me this time with my son. For that alone I could worship the ground she walked on. Damn the Gods, I wanted to be alone with her! I wanted a honeymoon! Not a mission. She was silent for a long time; I began to think she hadn't heard me. "Skjöldur mær, are you listening to me? Listen to me. I asked you a question." I tugged at Wolfarth's reins to slow her pace. "Are you still panning to leave me by the years end?"
She squeezed my middle in rebuff. "I'm listening, Husband" I bit back an irate remark. How many times do I have to ask her to call me Alex? "I don't know, I'll think about it. Right now? Right now, as far as you're concerned, my place is by your side and in your bed. If you keep me there, I'll stay. Don't hurt me, I'll stay." I closed my eyes as she lifted a hand to stroke my hair with her thin, regal hands. "We should stop soon, it's been an hour."
I tugged the mare to a stop; everyone around me paused to see what I was doing. I hopped down from the horse. "Keep moving. She has a stone in her foot, best get it out in case she goes lame. We'll catch up." I waved them off in a dismissive gesture. "Hop down, we'll walk for a bit. I don't want you too sore before we stop for the night later on." I reached up to help her down, holding her tightly to me before letting her go. She smiled gently at me, stroking my cheek before moving away, taking my hand as she walked next to me. This was good; she was being to be comfortable with me.
The sun caught her hair, lighting it like it was part of its rays. She pulled it loose from its ties and let it flowed free around her. I inhaled the womanly scent of her, tugging her to me and breathing in her hair. I felt her sharp intake of breath, and the slow release as she let the breath go. She was so beautiful. No matter what she wore, what mood she was in, she was stunning. When she woke up in the morning, messy and unwashed, she was heartbreakingly gorgeous. When she cried she was as striking as the most enticing creature. Like a tragic statue, a thing of pulchritudinous allure. When she was smiling, laughing, happy, she was the most enchanting thing I ever seen. Enchantingly bewitching.
She'd give me everything. Whenever I slept in her bed and I fell asleep in her arms, or her in mine, she'd hold me. Nuzzle against me. She never pushed me away. Whenever I was inside her, she'd yield to me. Even if I rejected kissing her, she'd kiss me. She didn't do it to gain pleasure; she didn't have to the pleasure was shared. When I bedded her last, she was so quiet I was convinced that she wasn't enjoying it. I stopped; half way through making love to her I stopped. I moved away from her and sat at the edge of the bed. Not even bedding her had gotten me more than half aroused. I didn't even need to say a word; she sat next to me and told me that my father wasn't going to die. No one had bothered to talk to me about it. I humiliated myself by failing to please her, by stopping, but she still comforted me.
Without fully realizing it, I wrapped my arms tightly around her, hugging her to me. I closed my eyes tightly, and tightened my hold of her slender body. I felt her hesitation as she slowly held me back, stroking up and down my spine. My hands began to tremble, and my heart began to race. "He's dying." I forced out, "I know he is. I know he is..." I trailed on.
Onyx tightened her grip, "No," She held my head to her shoulder. "No, he's not going just yet. He's strong, and stubborn. He'd tell death to go f*ck himself because he would never leave you, or Emery, or Jay behind. You're just scared; it's alright to be afraid. It's normal. It's human, mien gott." She prodded urgently at me, "You're only human, mien gott. Only a man. You've got to many people pushing at you. Too many expectations. Too much pressure. You're going to be a great king, nothing bad as happened so far, has it? Your father will always be there for you. Listen to me, are you listening to me?" She forced my head up, and palmed it so I was made to look at her. "Don't worry about any of it. Trust the Gods, trust fate. I'm not going anywhere. I wouldn't know where to go. I'm here to make you happy, literally, that's why I'm here. The alliance wasn't made any other way. I'm not going to try and stop you anymore. I won't tell you no. I'll be good, I promise. I'm yours."
My mind felt as if it suddenly still, and everything became clear. I looked at her assiduously. "Did they threaten you?" That's how I knew it, the way she tensed and her eyes widened for just a small second. She started to shake her head; I couldn't look at her anymore. "Why didn't you tell me? You've had weeks to tell me." I barked at her, "You little fool, what were you going to do? Be my obedient servant until you were out of harm's way? I don't want you to be 'good'! I don't want you to be 'obedient'! I want my wife, I don't give two sh*ts if you want to fight me and call me names. Do that. At least I know that you're honest with me." She watched me carefully, "We have trust you and I, I want to keep that."
"My grandparents left to come get me as soon as they heard of our wedding," She spoke so flatly, it seemed unhuman. "My father hates my grandmothers, my grandfather has two wives you see, my mother's parents. He sent me a letter saying that he will order their deaths if they don't convince me to stay with you. If I don't convince my father's spies that I'm content to stay with you."
I nodded, "You love your family, that is very clear to me." I walked up to her, "Answer me then; are you planning to leave me come the end of this year?" I held her gaze in a firm and direct stare, doing my best to look intimidating and dominant. She pressed her lips together, narrowing her eyes. "Are you?!" She jumped at my sudden rise of voice. "Don't lie to me, just say it."
"I don't want to be with you!" She retorted, baring her teeth. "I hate you to your gizzards." Strangely, she looked more as if she was under pressure than giving me an authentic estimation of her abhorrent dislike. She started to back away from me but I dragged her inflexibly to my body. Pressing myself into her until I received the look of hateful disgust I was expecting. Good, I liked her better when she was willing to make an attempt at my life. She despised bedding me. Yet, I was completely sure it wasn't the act she hated; it was the fact that I brought her to climax. More than once. It was the fact that she couldn't deny she moistened at my presence. It was the fact that she couldn't call it r*pe, she liked me too much. And that was what made her very marrow sour. "Don't..." I watched her suffer just to push out one word. She pushed against me, yet I was simply holding her.
I pressed my lips to her ear. "I want to hurt you. I want to own you. I want to devour you. I want to make you mine. In every way I can." I whispered in a rumble. "No matter how you fight me, I will never stop. Every day, I'll try again and again. Every hour, I'll touch you, just to prove I'm willing to be everything you need to survive. You'll never be free of me because I can't live without you in my f*cking life." I moved away an inch, "So, please. Don't make me beg." She scoffed at me, "Say it. Say you're mine." I ordered.
For a moment I thought she wasn't going to relent, but she surprised me. "I'm yours."
I smiled, "Good girl." I pressed my hips into her, "Now, why don't we get back on that horse. We are so far behind and I do so enjoy a hard ride."
Shyama PoV
I was really beginning to struggle staying up in the saddle, we've been traveling too long and my body was as sore as my vision was blurring. I was fading, and fading quickly. Perhaps I shouldn't have insisted to ride on horseback instead of stay on the cart. I could almost punch myself for how weak I was, for being so sickly. For being born deranged and for the lesson of life I was given for it. A lesson that I must remind myself not to forget. I could feel the stares of my father and brothers as I shifted once again in the saddle. Although, I had noted that in the last few minutes their gazes wavered behind us.
I turned to follow their gaze to Cousin Alex and his wife. I frowned, she looked rather uncomfortable, her brows were furrowed and her mouth was pressed tight. Her body seemed tense as Alex held her with one arm across her midriff and the other one under her dress to hold her hip it seemed. I couldn't hear what he was whispering in her ear but she snapped back in short bursts. Her hands were fisted tightly in the fabric of his trousers, she looked as if she was in pain. I frowned, but she wasn't, not totally. Every now and again, Alex would say something and it looked as if she smiled at it. Sometimes.
I drew my attention away from them, once again trying to focus on staying upright. It was a difficult task. Sooner than later, I faded from task. My world falling into darkness. I barely noticed falling from the horse. I heard yelling, and my body was picked up with extreme carefulness, I barely opened my eyes to the sight of pale hair.
When I woke up later, I woke in her arms still. Seeing me come back into consciousness she cautiously lowered my legs for me to stand. Waiting with patients for blood to return throughout my body. "Come on, you best go to bed." She said softly, "We've just came to camp. The tents have been set up."
She held my hand as she led me to the tent in the centre of the camp. Alex followed his wife close behind, he looked anxious and vigilant of his wife. I wondered what happened when I was out. We walked into the tent, and I felt Onyxia tense immediately. She gave a sigh, her face was evident with something I read as disappointment.
"Kyarah?" Alex cracked, "What are you doing here?" His mistress just smiled, she was wearing nothing but a furred wrap. I allowed Onyx to tug me out of the tent wordlessly. "Nyx! Don't- F*ck!" I looked back at the sting of angered oaths that came out of my cousin's mouth.
As we walked to the tent where her maidens and Alex's aunt resided, I began to notice that as we passed the smells of dinner being cooked for the night that Onyxia was beginning to green. She looked like she was about to heave any minute. She made a gagging noise in her throat and quickly let go of my hand to run in the direction of a nearby lake. I followed her silently, not going up to her. She was bent over the water, vomiting violently. Gasping and choking as she mostly dry retched towards the end. With shake hands she washed her mouth. "Go back to camp, Shyama." She said, softly, not looking my way. She curled up on the ground, clutching her stomach. I gave her one last pitiful look before I obeyed. As I left, I heard the muffled breaths she gave as she began to cry. Whatever made her sick, it wasn't from eating the food.
Kyarah PoV
I watched him, growing slowly more and more aggravated each time he made to pace about the room. I grinded my teeth, flexing my fingers to prevent them from clawing and scratching his eyes out. Was he not happy I was here? Does he really think I want to stay in this filthy tent with these disgusting servants everywhere? I was standing here, in his tent, here to surprise him, and he is just pacing away. I'm completely naked! I'm literally just wearing a pelt of fur! Has his manhood withered away?!
Oh, who was I joking? It was that Viking b*tch! I knew it from the start. I knew he wanted her, it was so plain to see. Such an insignificant little worm has lowered his tastes to lose of a poor virgin bagger. So desperate for a woman's touch he'd take a little lamb to bed with him only to climax at the sight. She has unmanned him, made him weak. His mother was right to send me. If he chooses her over me, I won't just expose his little runt, his mother will have the b*stard drowned! They should bash it over the head like the unwanted pup it was! First he took that mutant breasted foreigner to his bed and impregnated her, now he was drooling over this savage weakling. Instead of my fine wine, he chose to dine upon sh*t and piss from the lowest regions of civilization. It was tragic!
I threw the fur off me with a gesture of impatience. Storming up to him and pulling him to a stop. I caught his look of surprise before I dragged his head down and crashed his lips to mine. Pinning him tightly in my palms despite his efforts to pull away. I kissed him with all the seductive skill I had, after a moment his futile struggles seemed to stop, and his resistant restraint faded as he began to kiss me back. As I opened my mouth to him, he gave a low groan as he tangled his tongue with mine.
I lowered one of my hands to clutch the stiffened bulge between his legs, stroking him through the fabric. Pressing my naked body to him, moulding it and rubbing myself against him. If she doesn't get pregnant, she'll divorce him and leave. She can't get pregnant if he's not interested in coming to her bed, can she? A smile curled my lips. And if she was already carrying a tiny audacity inside her. Well, a hard hit to the stomach would surely rid of that disaster, won't it?
I unbuckled his belt, throwing it away somewhere in the room. He raised his arms so I could pull his tunic off. His jerkin was already thoughtfully removed. I pressed my lips to that hard expanse of skin. Ignoring the hideous marks of scars, how distasteful it was to see them. I straightened, pulling him by the waist of his breeches to the bed behind me. A wicked smile lingering on my face.
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