The Amazon Captive

IC: Dereus



Two weeks ago Dereus on the orders of the self-declared Emperor of the world deep into the mountains. They sought and found the hidden valley, and began the onslaught. King Thelemon's invincible army had spent the last four years conquering kingdom after kingdom crushing those nations' armies by the sheer weight of numbers. It was the same for the women-warriors valiantly defending the valley sanctuary.

They fought fiercely, each one killing a dozen lesser soldiers by the dozen, but that had not mattered when they were out numbered by two hundred thousand. With no ability to repulse the invasion and nowhere to run to the Amazonians were routed. Those that survived were rounded up and passed around among the men as spoils of war. All save one.

This one was Dereus' captive. He had always been alone, set apart, different. He was strong and mighty. Some said he was the lost son of Mareseus, the god of war. He had never known having grown up a child on the streets. All he knew was war and that was what he was good at. None had bested him in combat. None had he found worthy save her. Something about her told him he had found where he belonged.

He had kept his Amazon captive in his tent, had her wounds tended, waiting for her to recover. Then last night he had found three of his men dead and his captive gone. It had taken him a day to track her down and recapture her and carry back to his tent here now.

He threw her on the furs of his bed. Looking down at her. She was tall for a woman. Not his height but as tall as any of the other men in Thelemon's invincible army. She was lean and lithe, but was strong in her own right with firm muscle complementing an attractive figure. She had a warrior's body honed as sharp as any blade. Yet it had been the indomitable spirit in her eyes that had drawn Dereus from the moment they had met over crossed swords.

He lifted the helmet off of his head leveling piercing blue eyes to spar with hers, "You killed three of my men."

Dereus set aside the helmet and began washing the dirt and grime from his hands ignoring her barbed retort. His back was turned to her. He didn't need to be on his guard with her even though she clearly meant him and any man with him harm. Nothing ever hurt him. As far as he knew nothing ever could, not knives, or fire, or water, poisons were useless against him...nothing ever hurt him.

His hands washed Dereus turned to her. "You are filthy. You need a bath." He crossed over to the opening of the tent and fetched a camp servant to bring hot water.

Sakira's head was held high, her posture proud, her emerald eyes blazing with defiance. Even moments after she had just been unceremoniously dumped on his furs, she still managed to comport herself with the pride of a queen.

Begrudgingly she had to admire this mountain of a man's strength. He was the only warrior who had ever defeated her in single combat. Her shame had been unbearable and Sakira had wished for nothing more than a swift warrior's death by sword. Ashurah had not been merciful. Instead she had been captured by him, this warrior and warmonger. He would find no joy in her. She would resist him with every fibre of her being until he would finally have to grant her her death. Sakira was not afraid of death or torture, she was an Amazon. They had been trained to withstand pain and she trusted herself to keep her honor should she be treated thusly.

She was one of the finest of the Amazon Warriors, who served Ashurah, blessed goddess who had led her people away from slavery at the hand of the barbarian men who wanted to own every single thing on earth. Sakira had been a foundling, taken in as baby by the Amazon's who had taught her all she knew. Whilst she had never known her parents, she knew her family, most of which were now either dead or being raped by the forsaken soldiers of this man.

Men were out of balance, like a disease. They waged war, strove to posess, to destroy, to conquer. They didn't understand that nature, just like a true woman's soul could never be tamed into the neat little boxes they tried to fashion for them.

As their warchief, he certainly must be one of the worst of the godless and their forsaken army, which destroyed any peaceful civilisation uneager to bend the knee to their crazy king. What madness. If this man, Dereus, was serving the crazy king, he could only be a bad man. No matter the kindness he had shown her, she was on her guard.

"You killed three of my men", he stated matter of factly.

"I wish there had been more. Your men are weak and therefore they hide in numbers. We call that cowardly", Sakira spat with disgust.

She was amazed that he had left her unbound on the bed, his back turned to her. Did he want her to shame herself by attacking him from behind? She was touchy about her honor, her temper easily stoked when she felt insulted. She, Sakira was no coward! Therefore she waited for her enemy and captor, no twice-captor, she corrected herself gritting her teeth to face her before considering her next move. She would not lower herself to their level. She would maintain her honor!

"Did you expect me to sit by your feet like a fathful hound, awaiting whatever your sick mind might want to use me for", she taunted. "You are a fool, trying to keep me here alive. I am no man's slave and there is nothing you can do to me to make it otherwise", Sakira challenged proudly, her voice managing to hide the small sliver of fear that had taken seat in her belly. He had been so strong, so invincible when she fought him. When she had run a second time, he had caught her again with the ease that a sheperd might feel when returning a straying ewe. When had she become so weak that a man could best her?

"Do your worst, coward! I dare you, do your worst", her eyes blazing fiercely as she shouted her last words, suppressing the slight tremble that was trying to take over her body. She could fight him. She might not win, but fight she would until her very last breath. This she swore by Ashurah!

IC: Dereus

His hands washed Dereus turned to her. "You are filthy. You need a bath." He crossed over to the opening of the tent and fetched a camp servant to bring hot water.

"Do your worst, coward! I dare you, do your worst!" She spat out.

"Coward am I," He asked looking over his shoulder back at her eyebrow raised, "Strong words from someone I defeated in combat."

He turned and looked into the fire of her glare. The fire in her eyes did not burn him, nothing ever hurt him, but at the same time he loved the heat and spirit he found in her. How in the name of all the gods was he going to sway her without breaking that spirit?

Dereus stepped over to the bed. "Remove those rags. It is time for your bath."

When she refused he reached for her. She fought it fiercely of course. Dereus did not expect anything else from her-to be honest he wanted nothing else from her, but in the end she couldn't stop him. He tore the rags from her body pinning her down with his hand around her throat.

"You need to learn to pick your battles," He told her, "No matter how hard you fight me, Amazon, you can not stop me from doing whatever I wish with you."

He threw her over his shoulder and carried her easily to the tub being filled with steaming water. After their struggles he laid her in their tub gently liked she was made of the most fragile of glass. He crouched down beside her looking into the fire in her eyes still burning bright with hatred for him.

That was fine. Fire didn't hurt him. Nothing ever hurt him.

His imposing form had turned towards her: "Coward, am i? Strong words from someone I defeated in combat."

Sakira's eyes darkened at the reminder of her shameful defeat at the hand of this...man. She could find no worse profanity than that title.

"You may have bested me in single combat", she hissed, "but a coward you are nonetheless. What would you call a man, who needs 200.000 soldiers at his back to fight 1000 amazons? Would you bid me call such a man brave? If so, your standards are clearly lower than mine. Coward!"

"Remove those rags, it is time for your bath".

"You really think your forsaken eyes will see my body naked at my own hand? At least turn around, cad, I can take my own bath. I do not need you as my lusty lady's maid", she said heatedly, irony dripping from every word.

When he came towards her, fear gripped Sakira's lithe, strong body. He was stronger than her, even though she didn't know how. Noone had ever worked harder at mastering their physical form than her. Hours and hours of rigorous training in combat, weapons and tactics had ensured she was the best of the Amazon warriors. How had he managed to get stronger than her? Was he even human?

When he simply ripped her clothes off whilst holding her by the throat, a wave of helplessness flooded through her body. She pushed such a shameful emotion down, before stamping on it in her mind with all the contempt she could muster. All men had at least one weakness, she would find his, find it and destroy him.

Sakira would have howled in frustration, if her pride had not made her hold her tongue. She had fought like a wildcat, scratching, biting and kicking him, resisting her manhandling. She might as well not have bothered. None of her strength and none of her attacks had had any impact on him. Rage was rising in her body at the casualness with which he overpowered her. Was he mocking her?

He had, yet again, effortlessly subdued her body, his hand on her throat easily able to end her life had he chosen to do so. And yet, the way he placed her in the bath tub, despite her struggles, was surprisingly gentle, almost tender. As though he cared about what became of her. If he really cared, he would let her go, but no, deep down he was like all men, seeking a lusty plaything to use and abuse as fancy took him. She would be no such plaything. And yet, he had clearly shown her that he could take whatever he wanted from her body when he wanted it. Why hadn't he done so yet?

Sakira denied to herself the wave of heat rising from her core at that statement. She had just been warmed by her struggle. She certainly wasn't admiring or appreciating of his unfathomable strength or the shapely curve of his hips, nor the rippled muscles which lined his large frame.

Akka, her leader, would have called him a fine specimen, before having used him to breed. Strong, handsome men, make strong beautiful girls, she had always laughed. Sakira had seen her leader's limp form spilling blood, eyes vacant, spirit, humor and fire gone at the hand of these savages. Sakira's fists clenched. She would avenge her tribe, she would avenge her leader, if it was the last thing she did.

The bathwater he gently lowered her into was pleasant. Hot water had been a luxury, with most of her sisters and her only ever bathing in the nearby waterfall. The water there had been cold, but so clear, that the falling cacades had sparkled like a curtain of diamonds.

When his hand reached out to wash her skin, she couldn't suppress a shudder. His touch had been gentle and yet manly. He had the power to crush her and yet, he was treading carefully. His touch felt... Acceptable. She chided herself for even terming it that. As his hand travelled further, she snatched a sponge from his hands and splashed him, shooing him away.

"I can very well wash those parts of my body myself, Coward", she spat, with a little less menace than she had used before.

IC: Dereus

He threw her over his shoulder and carried her easily to the tub being filled with steaming water. After their struggles he laid her in their tub gently liked she was made of the most fragile of glass. He crouched down beside her looking into the fire in her eyes still burning bright with hatred for him.

That was fine. Fire didn't hurt him. Nothing ever hurt him.

Dereus reached out taking the soap and sponge and lathered it up. "There is no reason for you to resist me," He told her cordially as he began to use the sponge to lather her arm, "You can't stop me whatever you do."

She apparently disagreed with him wrenching the sponge from his grasp and splashing the water at him. "I can well, wash those parts of my body, Coward."

Dereus' nostrils flared at that before his arm reached grabbing a fistful of her hair. "Do not try my patience, Amazon," He growled into the fire he saw in her eyes.

He released her then and raised back up. "Continue washing yourself."

He unfastened his bracers and removed them from his wrists, and then greaves and sandals. Finally he began untying his loincloth. Once naked he lifted his foot and stepped inside the tub with her. He sat down facing her.

He looked her in the eye, "Why did you stop? Continue washing yourself."

He sat there watching her. "You fought well. I enjoyed our battle. You were quite impressive with a sword in hand, better in skill than even me. If I were any other man I suspect you would've been the victor."

His arms spread as he relaxed as if he was not naked in a tub that would dearly love to kill him. "Let's have a conversation...I am called Dereus. What is your name?"

No reason? Did he really say there was no reason to resist him, just because of the small matter that she could not win? Men were so strange. Did he not know that every face of her sisters was etched into her mind, calling for vegeance? That he had desecrated everything that had ever meant anything to her? Her home, her family, her tribe, her entire way of being and her future extinguished with one swift swipe of his mighty sword.

He was likely telling the truth that she could not stop him, but fight him she must. Her honor demanded no less. How could he be so blind?

She got a small rise of temper from the giant as she ripped the sponge from his hand, both frightening and yet very satisfying. So he did have some emotions behind the mask of unfazable strength, he could be affected by her taunts and her resistance. Good. It might not have been much, but it was a small victory. Sakira swallowed. She was relishing the petty victory of annoying the man who had destroyed her entire life. Was this really the best she could do? Was she truly this powerless that she was nothing but an irritating mosquito, swatted away with ease?

A lesser woman than her would have let the tears of desperation come, which were threatening to overwhelm her courage. But Sakira was not such a woman. Her hands balled into fists, her nails digging into her flesh to push the tears and the desperation down. he would find a way. She would run again. She had to try.

She was so deeply engrossed in her own thoughts that she didn't notice the giant undress until his huge, perfectly shaped, muscular form was facing her. Sakira's mouth dropped at such a display, his huge manhood mere inches from her face. The Amazon could not suppress a furious blush. Her fiery eyes turned away in shame.

Had he not arrived in her village that night, her own maidenhood ceremony would have been a mere ten days later on the next full moon. It was in this ceremony that an Amazon was taught how to be with a man, how to use him to gain strong daughters, how to extract the seed that would bring new life. It would have been the first time she would have seen a naked man and tasted the delights of the flesh. And now, her captor was here, in his glorious nakedness, his manhood looking intimidatingly huge, was that normal? How could it even fit? Sakira blushed even more deeply at the line of her thoughts, keeping her gaze averted until his form had submerged completely in the water.

For the moment, even her biting tongue had been calmed by his rude intrusion on her bath.

"Why did you stop. Continue washing yourself", he asked. She could not help her eyes widening. Why had she stopped? Just a huge naked man inches from my face sharing my bath. Nothing else. What did he take her for? She could not trust the solidity of her voice and thus said nothing, avoiding his eyes, glad to have something other than the naked man in front of her to focus on as she continued to wash herself.

"You fought well. I enjoyed our battle. You were quite impressive with a sword in hand, better in skill even than me. If I were any other man, I suspect you would have been the victor", he said in his deep masculine voice, which had a strange effect on her.

Her eyes met his, tightening. "I am glad you enjoyed our battle. For me it wasn't something to pass the time, though. For me, I was defending my entire life, my family, my people and when I lost to you, I lost everything. Clearly I wasn't skilled enough if a man like you can best me in combat", she hissed, her voice trembling with the held back tears. "My shame is total as I have failed those that depended on me", she whispered, a single tear running down her flushed cheek, quickly averting her eyes, hoping he would not witness this moment of weakness.

"Let's have a conversation... I am called Dereus. What is your name?", he asked, as though they were newly acquainted people, hoping to become friends.

"You may have bested me in combat and you may have taken away everything I cared for, you may even be able to take from my body whatever you desire through your superior strength, but my mind is beyond your reach. You will gain nothing from me, so call me what you will", she responded, the fire of defiance back.

"What you choose to call me will at least let me know what purpose I am to serve here. Will you call me your servant, your whore, your slave or your maid? Whatever you call me, I will never belong to you. As long as my heart beats and as long as i draw breath, I will defy you and this traitor of yours who calls himself a god king with everything I am."

IC: Dereus

His arms spread as he relaxed as if he was not naked in a tub with a woman that would dearly love to kill him. "Let's have a conversation...I am called Dereus. What is your name?"

He had heard what she said of course. Dereus had seen the pain and the tear of shame that had rolled down her cheek. He wished he could do or say something to help her, but he knew he wouldn't be able to without opening the wound of her defeat and the shame and fear that came with that. He had never known such a pain. He had always accomplished whatever he set out to do. It was easy for him-too easy. Only this, only her, had or will ever challenge him. So in response he had tried to pull away from that painful course of conversation with just a simple introduction.

Her response to his question came reigniting the fire he had been first attracted to in her eyes once more. "You may have bested me in combat and you may have taken away everything I cared for, you may even be able to take from my body whatever you desire through your superior strength, but my mind is beyond your reach. You will gain nothing from me, so call me what you will."

Anger stirred in his eyes at her tone-she sought to enrage him-it was the only wounds upon him she could inflict in her current state, but he kept his emotions guarded instead nodding. "Very well. If you refuse to give me your name I shall call you..."

"What you choose to call me will at least let me know what purpose I am to serve here. Will you call me your servant, your whore, your slave or your maid," She put in as he considered it.

He looked her over wet from the bathwater. She did not have a mountain of muscle, but Dereus would not characterize her as soft or weak. He doubted there was a soft or weak inch of her on her body. Indeed, her body was toned and honed like the finest and deadliest of swords. That was it.

He announced, "...I shall call you Blade. For you are just as deadly and cutting and beautiful as any in a warrior's hands."

She had raised a good point though. What did he want her for? Yes he was attracted to her more than any other woman he had ever been with, and the gods knew he had no shortage of women throwing themselves into his bed. Only Blade would fight and scratch and struggle and challenge him every step of the way to it...He could break her easily. Dereus could treat her as basely as the other soldiers in his brother's army treated the other Amazon's unfortunate enough to be captured rather than killed honorably in the battle, but in doing so he'd shatter the spirit in her that had attracted him to her in the first place.

Then she growled, "Whatever you call me, I will never belong to you. As long as my heart beats and as long as i draw breath, I will defy you and this traitor of yours who calls himself a god king with everything I am."

"Traitor?! Watch your tongue lest you cut it on your own words, woman," He replied truly incensed for the first time when she had shifted her attack to his brother.

With that his hands suddenly shot out grabbing hold of her and pulling her in against his hard body. She fought it ofcourse, but Dereus was stronger and more determined she could only delay the inevitable in the end. His arms closed around her. One hand a clenched fist in her hair, the other grabbing her chin, fingers forcing her mouth open.

He stared into the blazing inferno of defiance still in her eyes as he said, "You wanted to know what I want from you? I want you, in my bed tonight. I wanted it from the first moment we crossed swords, Blade. And I want you to fight me with all the fire in you."

Then he moved his head in pressing his lips against hers, his tongue invading her mouth like his army invaded the valley her people called home here. It sought battle with that clever little sword she used as a tongue.

He would have her, break her spirit in the process perhaps, and then he would be alone in the world again. He would weep for it feeling a connection with only his brother and now with her in all his life only to lose this new tenuous thread between them. Dereus would weep, but would not stop now.

Blade. Sakira sounded the name he had given her in her mind and found it pleasing, her respect for this warrior rising slightly. It was a good name, a name that suited her well. That he had seen this spoke of a clever and observant mind beyond the strength of his arm. She couldnt help the flash of a smile appear as he called her Blade, nodding slightly in approval.

She had challenged him to name her in accordance with her new purpose here. The name he had chosen meant he valued her strength, sharpness and defiance. Indeed, whilst she could see a temper there in his eyes, it was well-controlled yet unaccustomed to be challenged. Was he truly so superior in his prowess that noone dared challenge him? Sakira herself had soon be the strongest of her warrior sisters and yet her training had never slacked. If she could beat one with ease, they gave her two opponents. When she could beat two, they gave her four, always stretching her to know that any woman, no matter how strong or skilled could be bested. This approach had kept her humble and grounded, traits that this Dereus was clearly unfamiliar with.

For a moment she tried to imagine the loneliness of being so far elevated above others that noone could truly reach you. Had he been another than the man who had destroyed her home, she may have felt pity, but this naked giant in front of her evoked other, way less comfortable and pious feelings in her inexperienced body.

He had not truly risen to any of her baits, seeming more amused than outraged at her jabs. However, when she had called the king a traitor, his rage had been true. Why would a man like him serve the usurper willingly? The king was widely hated by just about anyone. Feared, but hated, every member of his empire praying for the day where he would draw his last breath, releasing his insatiable grasp on the land. And yet, this giant seemed to care about him. Why? Sakira had little chance to think about this as his strong arm grabbed her and pulled her naked body against his.

His sudden nearness, the heat and the steely hardness of his body, his inhuman strength so close, pressed against her soft curves made her gasp. This was a battle she had no experience in, no defense against other than her formidable will and her strong sense of honor. Her nipples were crushed against his chest, her whole form shaping itself around him, as though she was made of the softest material, the heat of his body and the strength of his passion trying to melt something deep inside her.

Her body longed to soften in his arms, relax and let go of the burdens of this world, which she had shouldered for so long. Her mind on the other hand was scratching and screaming and after just a moment of startlement, Sakira fought, yet again only proving her own helplessness to her, one of the most frustrating feelings in existence. And yet, in his arms, there was another side to the helplessness, betrayed by the involuntary clenching of her maidenhood. Was this how it was for other women with men? Feeling weak and at the mercy of a stronger being, helpless to resist anything they wanted to do to them? This was an unfamiliar feeling to Sakira, unfamiliar and arousing. Her body pulled on her, enticing her to let go, the giants words just adding fuel to the flame he had ignited deep in her being.

"You wanted to know what I want from you. I want you, in my bed tonight. I wanted it from the first moment we crossed swords, Blade. And I want you to fight me with all the fire in you", his deep, resonant voice declared, his eyes piercing hers as his hand grasped her cheek roughly.

Sakira's heart beat faster, her breath came raspier as he assaulted her senses with his words and his presence. It seemed she did not only have to fight this freakishly strong enemy outside her but also her own body, which was aflame with desire. It was a testament to her strength of will that she resisted his kiss, the sensations of his forceful posession of her mouth overwhelming her senses and threatening her sanity. Close to responding to his conquering lips, Sakira bit his tongue with as much force as she could find. It did not break or even bleed and yet, his response bought her a brief reprieve in which to piece her fragmented mind back together.

He wanted resistance? That she could give. It was no longer just her maidenhood or her honor on the line. This man threatened to swallow and take everything she was.

"Be careful what you wish for. Fire burns", she said icily, her voice sounding much steadier than the torrent inside her should have allowed, her eyes blazing.

IC: Dereus

"You wanted to know what I want from you? I want you, in my bed tonight. I wanted it from the first moment we crossed swords, Blade. And I want you to fight me with all the fire in you."

He would have her, break her spirit in the process perhaps, and then he would be alone in the world again. He would weep for it feeling a connection with only his brother and now with her in all his life only to lose this new tenuous thread between them. Dereus would weep, but would not stop now.

There was a disappointing softness to her for just a moment she gasped and sagged against his hard body. She was molded against him. He breasts pressed against his broad chest, her hardening nipples poking into his skin. His hardening cock trapped between them.

His tongue tangled with hers, rolling over the surface, caressing the tip. Her teeth suddenly clamped down, trying to bite it off. It didn't hurt him, of course. In their previous battle her spear and sword failed to pierce his flesh. Her teeth had barely made any impression of his tongue. Still it roused his anger-one of the reasons he was so infatuated with this woman.

He broke the kiss pulling her head back to stare into her glaring icy eyes.

"Be careful what you wish for. Fire burns," She stated.

"Not me," He said into those eyes, "I can take your flames, Blade."

The fist in her hair pulled her head up baring her throat to be plundered by his lips. "I like the heat."

He laid kisses over the column of her neck finding the beating pulse of her heart at the side underneath her jaw and nibbled it between his teeth even as his other hand reached around and grabbed a buttock pulling her even tighter against the rising spear pressing against her stomach.

"Be careful what you wish for. Fire burns", Sakira had said triumphantly as he had pulled away and yet her victory had quickly turned sour.

Why didn't he bleed, why didn't he hurt? Her teeth should have separated his conquering tongue from his lips and yet her strongest bite hadn't even drawn blood.

"What are you", she whispered, her eyes widening for a moment in disbelief and slight awe before they narrowed again in defiance. Whatever he was, anything could be hurt. Even Arteus, the famous hero of legends had been defeated by a mere arrow through the place of his weakness, his heel. Dereus might be strong, might be near invincible and yet the gods generally did not allow any being to live on earth that rivalled their own power. Therefore he had to be flawed like all humans were, he simply had to be.

Judging from their earlier conversation there were just two possible spots of weakness so far. The king and herself. His behaviour towards her defied all reason. All this trouble to claim a Virgin? It made no sense. He made no sense. Why her?

"Not me, I can take your flames, Blade. I like the heat", he responded to her taunt, his voice a deep, silky caress, an invitation and a promise as his fist claimed her hair, pulling her head back to expose her vulnerable throat to his burning lips.

When he kissed over the pulsepoints along her soft neck, Sakira could not help the shudder nor the gooseflesh that his expert touch pulled from her body. A soft moan escaped her treacherous lips at his attentions, her sex on fire with a need she could neither accept nor comprehend. Her eyes wanted to close, the sensation so intense that a part of her just wanted to give herself to it, even if it was at the hands of the man who had destroyed everything she loved. It was a true effort to bring the faces of her dead sisters to mind to pull herself back from the brink of lust that he was skillfully fanning in her.

Maybe pain had no effect on him, but sakira bit her own tongue hard enough for the pain to clear her mind. She could not give into him. She could not let him claim her willingly. His large manhood was further growing, straining against her stomach, his intentions and desires obvious now. What could she do? If she did not act now, the conqueror of her people would claim her maidenhood. How could she hurt him?

The answer was pointing at her. With the courage of the desperate, Sakira's hand snapped forward, grasping his balls in her hand, squeezing hard enough to cause him some discomfort, her hand a threat of pain at this most sensitive place.

Her eyes flashed bolts of emerald lightning as she hissed: "Are you liking this, coward? You will not find this maiden an easy prize to claim".

IC: Dereus

He laid kisses over the column of her neck finding the beating pulse of her heart at the side underneath her jaw and nibbled it between his teeth even as his other hand reached around and grabbed a buttock pulling her even tighter against the rising spear pressing against her stomach.

"What are you," She gasped eyes wide looking into his.

"What are you?"

Dereus wished he knew. His earliest memories had been the hard-scrabble life of surviving on the streets of Stharna. He had never known his father or mother, though some now said he was the scion of the great war-god. He had no proof of that. All Dereus knew was that he had always been different. Never hurt, never ill, always shunned, separated from everyone, alone. Only his brother by solemn oath, Thelamon, had made him feel like he belonged, as if he had a place in this world...like he wasn't an afterthought or some sort of colossal mistake.

His fist in her hair bare her throat to his lips and nibbling teeth. She smelled like a warrior, earthy, full of fire, and determination, and will to prevail. Over the area where shoulder merged with throat his teeth bracketed her flesh biting down to give her a little lovebite.

Her arm slipped between them and fingers his walnuts, curling around them, squeezing.

"Aaaargh," He roared gritting his teeth as an entirely new sensation stampeded over him.

His hand released her hair and shot down to take her by the wrist, using his great strength he pulled her hand from his throbbing testicals. Twisting her arm nearly to the point of snapping.

"What was that," He asked her, "Was that pain? Is that how it feels to be hurt?"

He noticed the look on her face then, and then looked to his hand crushing her wrist. His fingers loosened, releasing her.

"I can see why people avoid it," He told her rising and stepping out of the tub, "Finish bathing. I will not bother you as you do so." He looked back over his shoulder into her eyes. "First blood in our battle belongs to you, Blade."

Sakira hadn't really known what she was doing, only subconsciously remembering one of Akka's stories about how even grown warriors would cry like girls if you grabbed them by their testes, the precious globes suspended between their legs.

His response had been both a triumph and great suffering. She had landed a blow, finally landed a blow and gotten a response out of the unfazable warrior. And yet the swiftness of his responses, his unbelievable strength against her wrist claimed a price for her victory, almost snapping her bones. It seemed almost as if he did not know his own strength, responding mostly on instinct, which was finely tuned for war, battle, killing and survival.

He was truly a formidable oppononent and the warrior in Sakira could respect his strength and skill, even if it was used for ill purposes.

His response was satisfying and yet surprising.
"Have you truly never felt pain before", she asked the startlement at his statement obvious. "Never physical or emotional pain, never longing, a heart broken", she added, her eyebrow raised in question.

"How can that be?"

He had let her wrist go as soon as he realised he was hurting her. There was a surprising gentleness in him for a warlord of such prowess sometimes. What a puzzle he was, confusing her mind and as she remembered with a blush, her senses. She had escaped just in time before shaming herself by grinding against his huge manhood or moaning his name in response to his skilled attentions. Instead she had emerged with some bruising and yet her maidenhood and her honor was still intact. Sakira pushed the small voice of disappointment and curiosity down that had voted to sink into his arms and let him show her the pleasures of the flesh.

"First blood in our battle belongs to you, Blade", he said with a gruff measure of respect.

"I wish that were true", she whispered, more to herself. "You have already defeated and captured me twice", she thought, knowing that her resistance was ultimately doomed. She could make the price for her hide and her innocence the highest one possible and yet she knew in her heart that there likely was little she could do to prevent this giant from doing whatever he pleased.

Sakira swallowed the feeling of helplessness down, reminding herself of her victory, trying to look menacing as she continued to wash herself, this time without the distraction of his chiselled form displayed before her.

Sakira loved the warm water, lathering the soap and caressing her form, massaging her arms and legs, taking her time in this refuge of peace her actions had won her. For a glorious moment she was able to forget about everything that had happened, instead focusing on the sensation of her hand on her skin, sensual and smooth, offering her some comfort in a world where she now was all alone, surrounded by enemies.

"You are not ugly. I am sure a warrior such as you need not force himself on many a woman. Why take someone like me, who despises everything you stand for? I truly do not understand you, Dereus", she said, using his name for the first time, the sound unfamiliar and sounding strange to her ears.

IC: Dereus

"I can see why people avoid it," He told her rising and stepping out of the tub, "Finish bathing. I will not bother you as you do so." He looked back over his shoulder into her eyes.

"Have you truly never felt pain before," she asked in surprise.

"So that was what pain was like," He said with a smile as he toweled himself dry, "No never have I felt pain from injury."

"Never physical or emotional pain, never longing, a heart broken," she added with an arched eyebrow a little skeptically.

He laid the soaked towel aside and turned to look back at her in all his nude glory. "First blood in our battle belongs to you, Blade."

Which wasn't to say he was denying her question.

How would he proceed now? If she could actually hurt him, should he proceed? Yes. Just looking at her he wanted her now more than ever. They had a level battlefield now. He would have to find a way to prevent her from using her knowledge of hurting her if he wanted to succeed in making her his.

"You are not ugly," She stated looking him over, "I am sure a warrior such as you need not force himself on many a woman."

"I have had many women jump into my bed at the slightest sign of interest from me." He answered reaching for his loincloth, "They bore me."

"Why take someone like me," She asked, "Who despises everything you stand for?"

What to answer to that....How could he tell her the way she made him feel when he looked upon her from that very first moment they met eyes. Especially when he did not truly understand it either.

"You are different," He finally told her.

"I truly do not understand you, Dereus," She announced in response.

He looked into her eyes as he put back on the loin cloth. "Finish your bath. I want to show you something."

So he truly had never felt pain before, at least not physical pain. How incredible that was. And yet there was something untrue about his statement.
Sakira was a skilled warrior and hunter and as such her perceptive senses and her ability to discern lies from truths were highly trained. She did not miss the slight tightening of his jaw at her question around emotional pain, an almost unconscious gesture.

"I can tell you have known pain before. This mantra that nothing ever hurts you. You use it far too frequently for it to be true. Instead it is an incantation, a prayer, a denial of truth isn't it. You have known pain deeply. But not from love or wound. I can see it clearly now. There is a deep melancholy about you, a sadness almost under all of the fierce strength and prowess you use to intimidate everyone around you. The problem is that it is working, isnt it? Everyone is intimidated and keeps their distance", she said, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
"You must be the loneliest man I ever saw", she added quietly, almost to herself.

Sakira bit her tongue as she caught his glance, which promised trouble. She had said far too much, likely insulted the proud warlord with her careless musings. And yet, deep inside she knew she was right. And right now she had actually drawn blood much more powerfully than she had before. She had glimpsed the chink in his armor, the lie he was telling himself that was threatening to crumble to pieces.

What would take its place? Rage? Lust? Fear? Sakira, did not know, but she knew her fate depended on it.

IC: Dereus

He looked into her eyes as he put back on the loin cloth. "Finish your bath. I want to show you something."

As she finished washing up he redressed himself in his loincloth and a fresh tunic.

"I can tell you have known pain before. This mantra that nothing ever hurts you. You use it far too frequently for it to be true," She told him from the tub and he turned to look at her as she continued, "Instead it is an incantation, a prayer, a denial of truth isn't it. You have known pain deeply."

He raised an eyebrow to her words. Like the name he had given her, Blade had way of finding the chinks of his armor to cut him straight to the truth he didn't want to express.

"But not from love or wound," She continued, "I can see it clearly now. There is a deep melancholy about you, a sadness almost under all of the fierce strength and prowess you use to intimidate everyone around you."

Yes, she was sharp, as shard as any blade one could wield in any battle.

"The problem is that it is working, isn't it," She surmised, "Everyone is intimidated and keeps their distance."

"If you don't finish by the time I've done dressing I will drag you out of that tub," He replied giving her a look that said he meant business.

"You must be the loneliest man I ever saw", she added quietly, almost to herself.

The look he gave her intensified and she finally ceased talking. "You're finished now. Get out."

When she had and got dressed in her rough wool tunic. He led her through the camp. He said nothing as she could hear what the soldiers were doing to her sisters in the tents as they passed. He brought her to an earthen field with row upon row of graves.

"This is where I had your sisters that had fallen in the battle were buried," He told her, "I will give you time to honor their passing."

Her own words, spoken in a particular voice scared Sakira. How did she know this about the invincible warlord? That her words were true was obvious from his response, but how had she seen him so clearly?

Akka's voice rang in her head again as she was very little. Sakira had jokingly foretold the death of a sister, who had then died the next day in a hunting accident. The priestesses of Ashurah had wanted to claim her then to become one of them, blessed with the "sight", whatever that was. It was only Sakira's tears and pleas to become a warrior and truthfully her terror at having seen the death of another, if not even having caused it with her strange "gift", enough that she had wanted nothing to do with it. Akka had allowed the girl to become an amazon and yet her words stll rang loudly: "this is a part of you, little one. Noone can run from themselves or their destiny for long. Remember that", she had said sternly, only the small laughter line around her mouth betraying her amusement and fondness for her little Sakira.

she was still deep in thought, mercifully therefore unaware of most of the sounds of her sisters being raped by Dereus's soldiers as she follwed him, dressed in nothing but her simple tunic. When he stopped and told her where they were, her eyes widened. He would allow her to honor her dead? Now this was a situation where Sakira wished she had attended some of the priestesses teachings. How could she ensure that the amazons went to ashurah's great palace of eternal feasting, dance and song? Dereus was turning away, but she called gently towards him. She didnt remember much, but she remembered something.
"Thank you for taking me here. I know I have no right to ask you this and yet I must. Could you spare me a skin of wine, a candle and a knife? I swear by my honor that I will return whatever implement you give me and I will not raise it against anyone here, you have my word", she said proudly, her eyes blazing with intensity. "Please", she added more softly.
"I know that nothing is for free. I will pay for this kindness. You want me in your bed tonight? I shall come willingly, for one night, tonight only after I have honored my sisters thusly, allowing them to move on to the afterlife they deserve. My maidenhood for their eternal peace is a small enough price to pay", Sakira said, the determination in her voice strong, even though the words almost threatened to catch in her throat.
"Make no mistake though, tomorrow I will again use everything I know to fight you and your desires til the bitter end", she hissed fiercely reassuring herself that her honor would still be intact even after giving herself to her enemy.

IC: Dereus

"This is where I had your sisters that had fallen in the battle were buried," He told her, "I will give you time to honor their passing."

"Thank you for taking me here," She told when he turned to walk and give her some space.

He stopped and looked back at her, "You show gratitude now? Has your edge dulled so easily, Blade?"

"I know I have no right to ask you this and yet I must," She continued, "Could you spare me a skin of wine, a candle and a knife?"

He shook his head, "I have seen your skill with knives. I can not risk-"

"-I swear by my honor that I will return whatever implement you give me and I will not raise it against anyone here, you have my word," She proudly declared.

He turned to face her, "I have your word?"

"Please," She softly added, "I know that nothing is for free. I will pay for this kindness. You want me in your bed tonight? I shall come willingly, for one night, tonight only after I have honored my sisters thusly, allowing them to move on to the afterlife they deserve. My maidenhood for their eternal peace is a small enough price to pay."

"You would surrender to me willingly," He asked her to make certain she knew what she was promising, "Tonight?"

"Make no mistake though, tomorrow I will again use everything I know to fight you and your desires till the bitter end," She hissed a bitter foe's vow with a fiercely intense glare in her eyes for him.

"Then our next battlefield is set," He agreed reaching out his hand for her to take anticipating the victory over her to come, "I will to take you to collect the items you require."