Exotic Auction

Travis Almander

6'2", 195 lbs, blonde hair, green eyes, rakish looks
Athletic build from years of having to make a living on the streets.

Travis sighed, annoyed.

It's got to be better this time.

Looking to the throng of dismal humanity around him as his coach forced its way through the hurried masses, first one well polished boot and then another touched down on the worn cobblestone with a soft clack as his weight settled.

Almost as if they didn't want to get his rich blue finery soiled, many fell back from him, wide eyed and staring. Each man no doubt trying to measure his worth in gold should they somehow find themselves able to get past the gold platinum embossed rapier that hung tightly at his side.

Yet it was in his walk that belied his true self. Travis had only recently gained his wealth. Indeed, he'd not even known he was in line for such luxuries until just recently when a long forgotten relative suddenly passed on. The only thing that had surpassed the shock of being in the old man's will, was that the servants of the estate had been bold enough to go right to the town's theives guild to look for him.

And so here he was.....a pretender amongst many pretenders. A rogue now faced with the possibility of achieving any fantasy he imagined. But such fantasies weren't easily achieved....and not necessarily legal either. But after a life of stealing, who was he to care about the law?

Travis grimaced as he stepped in a puddle, shooting a sharp glare at the whisperings of a snicker to his left. Approaching a huge stone monolith of a building, the young man summoned his nerve, looking the guard in the eye as he straightened reflexively.

"Almander, do ya really think you'll find what you're looking for today?" The huge minotaur huffed, eyeballing him closely. He could probably squish this little runt, if it weren't for his masters....and those tales about him at the tavern....

"I'll not know if I don't look, will I, Thraxus? And if I fail, I'll be back next month. I'm patient."

With a disgruntled nod, the huge beast turned to the stone doors that barred his way, throwing his bovine weight into them with vigor until the sound of grating stone on stone nearly made the rich thief wince with the strain on his ears.

Striding easily past, Travis took a customary moment to let his eyes adjust to the dim lighting beyond. He had been buying slaves from the black market for several years now, almost as soon as he had come into his fortune. His connection with the thieves guild made it all too easily to locate such a place of ill repute with the law.

And yet, even as he filled his newly built mansion with lusty, nubile women....some of which already showed signs of spending a little too much time with their master....he had rapidly grown bored with many of his little pets, finding them all so very similar to each other.

Nudging aside other potential buyers, Travis kept an ear cocked for the cries of the slavers. Most were all too eager to flaunt their wares beforehand in the hopes of driving up the price on a valuable slave. Like any other time, "Lord" Almander shunned the partition of dingy courtyard where the men were sold, instead moving silently and with much practice to the much less unkept portion of the building.

The fact of the matter was, Travis was looking for something rare, something exotic. Someone that would make his heart skip a beat, and who would take more than a single day to break and remold into his personal pet. Humans were too easy, too predictable. An elf, a dark elf, a catgirl, dryad, nymph, SOMETHING!

Some day soon.

For just a moment, Travis stopped, his eyes narrowing as a well oiled servant dared approach him.

"Lord Almander, yes? Come, come see what we have for you today? My master begs your attention! He says you will be verily pleased with him as he has heard some of which you desire, and has humbly done his best to satisfy you."

Despite the fact that he was supposed to be poised and genteel in public, Travis found himself hurrying behind the man. His heart actually racing as his mind thrilled across possibilities that could be nearly anything.....

(Looking for anyone interested in playing a strong willed female demi-human character. Characters that are likely to kill a tiny human such as me, Lycan's, Vampires....well....I'd appreciate it if we gave those a miss this time. Maybe later. lol)

Lyssania

4'11", with a curvy and dainty build that screams fragile
Raven's wing black hair to her knees, long thick with some wave and bounce to it
Unusual eyes that, depending on the light and her mood, can fluxuate from red to blue to purple to any number of colors in between.

Lyssania struggled against the men who held her, letting out small sounds of frustration and annoyance with them as they held her still. It was no use, she knew, being so heavily guarded she stood no chance of getting away even if she could break free of their hold.

She'd been captured only a few days prior, and still in many ways held that wild look that some captives had before their spirit was broken. Her thick hair fell to her knees like silky spun obsidian. It caught the eye and much like a raven's feathers, reflected back a color that was both blue and black. It rested against her cream colored skin, pale and perfect, completely unmarred despite the struggles of the past few days.

Her strange eyes were surrounded by long charcoal black lashes, and her full delicate lips sat like a tiny rosebud on her face. They'd bathed her and dressed her in an outfit that was neither modest, nor too revealing. The top was cut in a Y shape, hanging at an angle to cover both full, firm breasts and hang down her front, covering the front of her midrift until it fell over a skirt that came up short enough it barely covered her sex in the front, then ran at an angle downward toward the floor in the back. Her top came down past the skirt's front, however, falling at a dramatic point to her knees.

They hadn't bothered with oils or scents, as she carried her own by nature, one that was alluring, so much so that the trained guards on either side of her had to fight to keep their composure, holding the dainty, busty beauty still.

The man who planned to sell her was standing in front of her, looking her over, and soon he turned without a word, disappearing through the curtain back out onto the little platform they would stand her on for the bidding. Her cage lay behind them, empty now. They wouldn't want to get their prize dirty, after all. For now, a temporary silver collar rested around her delicate neck, the metal chafing at her sensitive skin.

"My lord!" the seller exclaimed when Travis drew close. "We were rather hoping you would make an appearance, as my men brought in a most rare treasure... something I must most humbly ask you to have a look at. I think she may be to your liking." The man swept his arm toward the drawn curtain, as if waiting to see if Travis would accept.

It seemed his little jaunt hadn't been in vain after all. Even as Travis drew ever nearer to the slave stable's obviously belonging to this servant's master, the sounds of a muted struggle drew his attention. Though the slaver lept to his feet from a rather opulant velvet backed chair, the rogue wasn't much one for listening right now as he watched the struggled before him.

She was beautiful, that much was true. Her skin held the pale translucence of the moonlight, a perfect contrast to her dark hair as at flowed over her shoulders giving her a look of wild mystery. It was all Travis could do to tear his eyes from her, the very sounds of her frustrating struggle already beginning to have an effect on him....

"This, I trust, is your rare treasure?"

While he wanted to sound impassive...unimpressed....this was far beyond his level of skill to do. Travis found himself gazing at her once more, noting the second time that she was not as frail as she originally looked, for why then would it take three servants to keep her subdued? The blonde haired rogue whistled out loud, startling himself back into reality with his mistake, a mistake the slaver would be all too willing to capitalize on no doubt.

Stepping forward, hesitantly at first, it took a brief moment of self reflection to remember who is supposed to be the one in power here. Wasn't this exactly what he had been looking for?

Squaring his chin, Travis locked eyes with the dark haired beauty for the first time. A secret part of him was thrilled at how she didn't look away, unashamed even as he let his gaze run the full length of her, studying how her natural curvature filled out the modest clothes she had been given.

"She'll bring a nice price. You can count on my bidding. Are there others I should worry about? No doubt you've hawked this girl to everyone you can suck into your tent, merchant."

Travis' hand slipped into his deep royal blue cloak, exiting seconds later with a pair of silver. Hesitating, he extended his hand....the slaver's hand shaking with an ill concealed greed.

"First one for the information I asked, second one for her name should I choose to care to use it."

Gloved fingers remained clenched around the coins.....waiting......

Lyssania

She stilled in her struggles when the curtains parted and the blond man was revealed to her eyes.... or her to his, either way, it was the first time they would look upon each other. He looked her over, and she could see the way he gazed at her. Some part of her ego swelled, just knowing she could have that affect on a man. But another part of her hated him for staring at her. She never would have dressed this way, never would have allowed anyone, let alone a simple human man to look her over.

It was quite obvious she was fae, and from her proud stance, probably not low on the pecking order either. Her mother's people had raised her, and Lyssania knew she was above them, no matter what they thought of her. Humans were clumsy, brutish, disgusting. Never worthy to touch one of her kind. The kind who had walked this earth long before humans were ever thought of.

He stepped forward, and she returned his gaze unwaveringly, her body once again taking up it's struggles against the guards who held her still. She heard his questions to the auctioneer and couldn't suppress a smirk, her lips parting to let a voice that was as pure as the sound of wind chimes being carried in on a cool spring breeze while somehow, at the same time, it seemed more than that... fuller, laced with power no human could ever hope to possess.

The words were not the common tongue, and quite obviously fae speak, as the humans referred to the language.

Licking his lips, the slaver glanced between their catch and the potential buyer. The man was hooked, he could tell, and a greedy smile curled his lips. "I've let three others see her so far, M'Lord. Lord Dracus, The Baron of Dukestaff, and Lady Grey." True, the first two were not really too much to worry, as even on the most exotic of pets they were not likely to spend a lot of coin on a slave. The third buyer, however, was known for making large purchases, and only large purchases. It was not uncommon for her to walk away empty handed only because the auctions had nothing to offer that was of real value.

This fae, however, was of real value, and so likely a prime target for the Lady's bidding. "As for her name, M'Lord... we do not know. She has not told us, and infact has not said a single word to us in the common tongue. We only know she understands because she responds when she hears certain things. Your request for her name, for instance," he gave as an example.

His hand reached out, though not brazenly, simply to see if the coin would be dropped into his greedy palm or not.

A swift and easy practiced motion sent the extra coin back into a hidden slot in shadowy leather of his gloved hand, a single coin dropping into the palm of the greedy slaver.

"Half the information I requested, half payment."

Turning back to the girl, he hadn't missed her voice, indeed he found himself longing to hear her speak again. A shadowy part of his mind led him to think darker thoughts still....of perhaps how that same voice might sound in other more suitable situations.....huskier....lustier....

Reaching forward, Travis was mindful of her struggles even as he teased the hem of her modest shirt. Gloved fingers tickled the smallish expanse of her midriff that had been left bare, sliding upward slowly to cup a firm breast in one palm before kneading the flesh softly.

"Yes, I am pleased. And am more than prepared to do battle with those three. I'm sure you'll not keep my interest secret, so I'll not bother asking you to."

Leathered fingers rolled one stiffening nipple between them....giving a sudden harsh tweak as the hand retreated.

"I do think I'll be looking forward to this auction."

Turning and disappearing to the illusion of admiring the wares of the other slavers, in reality Travis' mind raced at the thought of his competition.

Lord Dracus? A blowhard, better than that, a miser. Easy to outbid, easier to intimidate into not bidding at all. Travis scowled at the thought of that pantywaist even venturing a bid on a creature like this. She was obviously fae, though not like any fae he had even read about in the multitude of books that filled his personal library. To have such a thing wasted on a man like Dracus would be tantamount to sacrilege.

The Baron of Dukestaff could be a little more interesting, if he had taken a shine to the girl. Spinning back to the market's enterance, it didn't take much to spot Thraxus as he herded in the petty nobles and much more that secretly slipped past the massive doors. It took even less to get his attention.

"Yes, Almander?"

It grated on Travis' nerves that the cow never bothered to address him by title, yet the young blonde youth always managed to swallow his pride simply by reminding him that this time a year ago, he'd not even had any pride.

"If you see the Baron of Dukestaff pass this way, please inform him that I wish his council regarding some excess wines that my vineyards have produced this season."

The Baron's love of fine wines was legendary....perhaps he could be "persuaded" to look elsewhere for a slave tonight.

Lady Grey.

He hated that name. Travis had seen how she had crushed other bidders, relying on her silk trade to deliver enough funds to outbid anyone for literally any slave she wanted.

She had yet to come into dispute with Travis, however.

Your silks are quality, Grey. But there are things more valued even than them. Do your worst.

Indeed, Travis himself had purchased most of his finery from one of Grey's stores. But nothing sold in this day and age like women and alcohol.....and Travis sold both. The young rogue grinned suddenly, silently thanking the old man for leaving that distillary and a bevy of brothels across half a dozen towns. The money made was more than enough to ensure his future as well as make him the envy of his entire guild. He had surpassed his guildmaster's wealth in a single night!

And now it was time to flex those muscles truly for the first time.

With a smile....the roguish nobleman turned once more.....moving slowly toward the main pavilion even as he heard the unmistakable sound of the first gavel falling.

Lyssania

Most of the slaves in the beginning of the night were the normal wares, nothing particularly special or unique. A few with odd coloring, sure, but they were all human... all... basic. It would be nearly an hour before the bidding on those normal specimens was done with and they were being herded out to wait for their new owners.

The crowd in the auctioneer's tent thinned as the hour ticked by, and then finally game the moment of truth. Only the richest could afford to bid on the "features" that were brought in. Some were simply humans from across the oceans, but every so often, like today, something truly special came on the block.

When the fae woman was carried, struggling like a wildcat, onto the block, a collective gasp went up among the crowd, followed by an awed hush. The bidding started at ten gold, an outrageous sum for a simple human, but expected for a specimen like the fae.

Immediately, the bidding began.

Lyssania, for her part, glared out over the crowd, her unusual eyes seeming to constantly shift colors, as if showing the storm cloud of anger that was brewing inside of her. Who were these pathetic beings to think they were high enough to be able to buy her? She'd show them... As soon as there was a bidder, she'd show that person just why fae were so rarely caught, and why her kind was so rare to be known among humans at all.

Travis found himself shifting from side to side uneasily, forced once more to move his weight to his other foot as he stood impatiently. Of course they would bring the cheapest sales first. The nobleman watched with almost cruel disinterest as each girl was flaunted before the crowd, the auctioneer crowing with praise about these girls so called "fine points."

Feh. There was only one girl at auction tonight and in Travis' mind, she was already won. The matter remained however, as to just how much that victory was going to cost him.

When the fae woman was carried, struggling like a wildcat, onto the block, a collective gasp went up among the crowd, followed by an awed hush. The bidding started at ten gold, an outrageous sum for a simple human, but expected for a specimen like the fae.

Still, Travis was content to sit back and wait, a careful ear cocked towards the auctioneer even as he studied the girl. Despite the predicament she was in, she still managed to put forth an aura of vengeful outrage in her stoic silence. Here very well may be the type of spirited fighter he was looking for.

The girl's face seemed to darken even further as she proved to be no exception to the rest of the slaves, the slaver bending low to grasp the hem of her shabby skirt, lifting high to show her most private of places shamelessly to the crowd. The bids skyrocketed again as the fat, old human spoke of her pedigree as if she were to be bred like a dog. As if to accentuate the point, one of the servants still busied with holding her in check reached forward and around her slender body to spread wide the V-cut in her blouse. A hand slid suggestively beneath one deliciously firm looking orb as it burst into view, hefting it softly for all to see...

The bidding had already risen to 400 crowns, and had begun to slow down dramatically as each bidder was forced to decide just how much they really thought the girl was worth.

"500 gold crowns."

Heated stares as well as several gasps of astonishment filled the air around Lord Almander. A soft, cynical smile being his only response, even as he turned coquettishly towards a new voice.

"600 gold, and I don't believe I know you, young man."

Just as he had known would happen, he found himself looking at the ice bitch of the auction, Lady Grey herself. His smile only widened as he sketched a mock bow.

"It seems I know you though, Lady Grey. Please allow me to introduce myself. Travis Almander, and I believe I'd like to raise my bid to 800 crowns if I might."

While she may have been a beauty at one time, time certainly hadn't been good to Grey, especially not now as she flushed a dangerous shade of scarlet at the good Lord's reprisal.

"I don't know who you think you are, LORD Almander, but I assure you I can wait you out all day long if I have to. One thousand crowns."

His blonde mane swished slightly as his head cocked thoughtfully to one side, regarding her with his trademark impish smile. "Well then, let's get down to it then. I'll make the first move if you don't mind, by upping my bid to two thousand gold crowns."

Lady Grey paled just as quickly as she had flushed, the thought that her dominant bet would be trumped so forcefully had never once occured to her. Scowling, she spat back at him, "Twenty-five hundred."

"Five thousand."

If it had been fun for him to see her reaction the first time, it was nearly impossible to keep from laughing the second time around. Lady Grey's mouth had dropped open, closing every so often, giving the witch a look largely reminiscent of a largemouth bass.

"S-surely you jest! I'd like to see you pay that amount, boy! Let alone for a slave!"

"I can surely pay that amount, Lady. However, in order for you to see it, you of course must concede that the bid is mine. Only should I fail to pay my promised amount, the girl would no doubt fall to the second highest bidder....yourself."

"Fine! Go then, and make yourself look the fool. Not a soul in here believes that you have that kind of coin."

A soft cough to her left had the old maid spinning. A suddenly bashful looking Baron of Dukestaff barely able to meet her gaze.

"Having had done business with Lord Almander before, Lady Grey. I think you just conceded that you've lost."

Sure enough, even as Travis strode quickly up the stairs to the auction block itself, the blonde rogue tossed a heavy sack of coins from beneath his cloak unerringly to the auctioneer. Giving a disdainful sniff, the man stepped in front of the nobleman, shaking his head softly.

"We both know ye cannae fit that much gold in a sack this small, lad. I'll hafta announce yer bid as forfeit."

Rapidly becoming as annoyed as his new purchase seemed agitated, Travis finally felt his good mood starting to slowly disappate.

"Perhaps you'd care to look inside, good sir. There might not be room for that kind of gold coin, aye. That's why I took good care to pay in platinum. Now, I trust that everything is in order. I'll allow you the time to count your coin, but plan to have my new slave delivered to my coach at the enterance within the hour, do you understand?"

Barely able to restrain his civility, he didn't miss the look of hatred and challenge coming from the girl he'd just purchased. Instead, she found herself met with a stubborn scowl of his own. He couldn't believe how much trouble she'd been already!

"My coach driver is a young, blonde human woman. She wears the colors of my house, and commands most of my entourage. See to it that you bind the girl hand and foot. Once done, seek out Celeste, and she will take her from there. I trust this will be done as expediently as possible. Remember...within the hour.

Still smoldering, Travis shot his new plaything one last look....before storming off the stage, disappearing easily within the crowd below.....

Lyssania stood proudly on the block during the auction, her body mostly still for a large portion of the bidding, standing proudly, her chin raised at a defiant angle. She didn't move much until the auctioneer lifted her skirt, showing her hairless sex for all to see, the pale white skin causing an uproar among the crowd, full of people bidding feverishly.

Despite the initial rise in interest at that hint, the bidding thinned out greatly by the time one of the guards, still struggling to hold her still, pushed her top apart, revealing both full firm breasts, their rosy nipples almost seeming like small sweet berries atop the pale mound of flesh that made up her breasts. She struggled still, small sounds of aggravation leaving her throat as she fought against their holds on her.

Despite all of this, however, she was not so caught up in her struggles to not pay attention to the bidding. Indeed, the bidding was high. Far higher even than the slavers that had caught her had ever hoped for. A few hundred gold, at most, they'd reasoned... but five thousand was far more than they'd ever imagined receiving for a slave, even one so lustrous as her. Some part of her swelled a bit with pride at her buying price being so high, but she didn't show even a hint of said pride as she stood there, fighting their holds still.

When the man who'd won the bidding approached the podium, she met his glare with one of her own. If looks could kill, he'd have been dead on the spot. Unfortunately for her, however, looks could do little more than send a chill down the spine when one looked into her eyes, seeing the power that was there, hidden deep beneath the surface.

As he walked away and she was dragged from the podium, one of the men who'd been eager to bid on her in the beginning approached Lord Almander. "I commend you on your victory, My Lord. I've been waiting ages to see someone trump that crow of a woman," the older gentleman said, sweeping a deep bow. "My name is Jedeus Havain, Earl of Stormshire," he introduced himself. "I take great interest in slaves of exceptional breeding. From what I understand from talking to the slavers, the one you just bought is not only young, she is still innocent and untouched. I take great pride in knowing breeding, My Lord... She is young indeed. By human years, I'd wager no more than 18 summers, though of course she's in reality many years older due to the fae's long life spans. She will make you a good treat. Once you've broken her, feel free to visit my home. I'd love to see how she comes along."

The Earl was a slightly hunched man, aging and carrying that look about him that seemed to simply ooze wisdom, with his long white hair and slightly pointed nose. All in all however, he was a kind man and his reputation for collecting the rare and exotic, as well as knowledge of the rare and exotic, was widely known. After excusing himself, the Earl hobbled away to collect his own winnings.

An hour later, Celeste was being presented with a struggling package, her scant clothing having been pushed back into place to cover her so as to avoid problems with the authorities once outside the massive stone walls of the building. Lyssania had not ceased her struggling, and when brought face to face with the human woman, she let out a sound that was much like a hiss, but far more intimidating than any cat, be they large or small, could muster.

Even as she was hefted into the coach, Lyssania's searing gaze did not leave the human woman who ordered people about, instructing them to put her in the coach. Her arms had been bound behind her with thick steel manacles, her ankles bound together as well, and a chain passed from her collar, to her wrists, then down to her ankles, keeping her held securely in place, her knees bent and feet forced to be tucked up underneath her as she half-knelt within the coach, awaiting the arrival of her new owner.

Travis halted in his tracks. Still more than annoyed, it was with ill temper at first that he turned towards the old man who'd dared to stop him.

"My name is Jedeus Havain, Earl of Stormshire," he introduced himself. "I take great interest in slaves of exceptional breeding. From what I understand from talking to the slavers, the one you just bought is not only young, she is still innocent and untouched. I take great pride in knowing breeding, My Lord... She is young indeed. By human years, I'd wager no more than 18 summers, though of course she's in reality many years older due to the fae's long life spans. She will make you a good treat. Once you've broken her, feel free to visit my home. I'd love to see how she comes along."

Despite his earlier foul mood, the blonde rogue couldn't help but begin to take a liking to the man almost immediately. He had been one of the bidders early on, and to concede defeat so gracefully said quite a bit of the Earl's own pedigree.

"I...shall do that, Lord Havain. I shall do that indeed. Should e're I find my new pet broken and more agreeable, I would be sorely tempted not to do just that."

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It had taken them long enough. No doubt they had to count the 500 coins a second time to make sure every one of them was there. Of course, when you consider how much more valued the metal was that he had just paid with, one almost has to sympathize just a little.

And yet, as he finally made his way back to the coach, having bantered entirely too long with Lord Havain and his ideas of "breeding", he was comforted to see that he had done well in trusting Celeste.

The ex-soldier had assumed her commanding role with grace and practice, having had been broken by Travis almost two years ago....and yet there was no signs of disdain or bitterness. She had made a fine guard for his manor these few years....partially due to what all he had to offer her now of course....

The cherrywood doors of his coach opened thanks to the actions of another girl, much more hesitant and flighty, stepping forward to make sure everything was prepared and ready. With well oiled grace, Lord Almander slid into place in the coach, eyes already scanning his "prize."

How she glared at him....bound beneath those irons. Indeed, how she must hate him!

He didn't touch her, but nor did her ignore her either, letting his gaze speak his mind for a change. Keeping nothing from her, knowing she too studied him in return, no doubt wondering how easy it would be to escape him should those chains ever loosen....his eyes continued to devour her. Each delicate curve, every shadow that crossed her pale skin as the city walls fell behind them, giving way easily to the forest that extended for miles in any direction....

"What should I do with you, I wonder?"

The silence broke with a simple question, though he knew she wouldn't answer, capable as she was of understanding him.

"You're a prideful creature aren't you? We'll have to change that, I think. Or perhaps only change what it is you take pride in."

The coach jarred and jostled as the road got rougher. Travis smiled softly, not missing how the girl's legs cramped and jumped beneath her, tied tightly as she was.

He only hoped that the mansion was prepared exactly the way he had asked. Many of his servants had been given simple instructions to carry out in the case their Master did come home with a new pet. There would need to be a room prepared, food, clothing, or lack thereof should it suit him better.

And then there were other things that only the two of them would know....things that Travis had already put into motion himself.....

It seemed like an eternity before the manor came into view. His skin almost crawled with excitement, hardly able to wait to begin, yet forcing himself to remain calm and collected. He certainly didn't want to alarm any of his other pets, though they'd certainly learn their place soon enough.

As the coach crawled to a halt, the door opened once more. The grim face of Celeste blocking what remained of the daylight for just a moment before stepping aside to let him out.

"Your orders....Master?"

"Yes....you've done well, Celeste. You and your daughter will be rewarded. Siobhan, please see to it that Allyson is releived from duty in the nursery."

The skittish brunette girl from earlier that day fairly flew off to go carry out her orders. Glancing over his shoulder at the still struggling fae girl, he turned back to Celeste once more.

"Gather my guards, and have her escorted to her training room. She is to be bound once more there, and so help me Celeste, if I find so much as a bruise on her body you'll have lost favor with me as easily as you gained it today. And I shouldn't have to tell you what happens to pets that displease me, yes?"

The woman winced, silently nodding her head. "It will be as you say, Master. We will....gently.....restrain her. Master's permission to keep her bound such until she is resituated in her room?"

The young lord's eyes widened, surprised not for the first time at the resourcefulness of the woman before him.

"Granted."

Striding off to ensure that everything was in order, Travis' usual cocky grin re-emerged as he paused for a split second to consider just how hot the fire was now that this fae girl had jumped out of the frying pan......

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Celeste looked down at the bound girl, her look blankly loyal despite the visions that danced before her eyes now. How long had it been since she was brought here in almost exactly such a fashion? What methods would he use to break this one? And when he finished with her, would she have a higher station than she?

Short blonde hair flew vigorously side to side. It was not a servant's....no....a slave's place to think of such things. Turning to curse at several armor ladies guarding the manor's enterance, it was a simple thing to recruit them to help her lift their bound captive. Though a much harder thing to ignore the gentle swelling of one girl's belly.....

Long and tiring minutes later....damn those chains!.....a half dozen hands set the raven haired fae gently down on the ground.

"One at a time girls," Celeste ordered, drawing the manacle key from its well hidden spot between her rather large breasts. Kneeling down, she first made to unlock the girl's ankles....the thick iron falling away easily enough.

As the girl kicked and thrashed almost immediately in a vain attempt at escape, the soldier girl had to fight back a sudden impulse to backhand her, remembering her Master's command at the last second as she gritted her teeth and ignored a painful kick to her shins that could be felt through her armor.

"Hold her down, damn she's strong. Clamp those chains around her, they're magical, so they'll shrink to size to fit those little stick legs. You know the drill, chain her to the wall, so she'll not be able to run. Then we'll do the same with her hands.....gods help us.....you'd all better pray she's not a spell caster."

And yet, even as the blonde woman unlocked the irons holding her arms behind her.....another sexy young guard reaching for the corresponding manacles on the wall even as the third attempted to haul her up from the ground so her wrists could be placed.....

"Captain? Captain Celeste?"

Turning with a scowl, Celeste gave one last look at the prisoner. How much trouble could she be? Sliding slowly towards the door, she gave the two guards a nasty look before exiting to find out who disturbed her......

The ride to the manor house was long, and Lyssania had to carefully tense and relax the muscles in her powerful legs to keep them from cramping too badly despite the awkward position she was chained in. She kept her glare on Travis, seeming to not need to blink, so steady was her gaze. Her hands flexed some behind her, fingertips tingling due to lack of circulation and the small bits of power she was drawing to herself, biding her time, building up what she could until the opportune moment presented itself.

What shall he do with her? The thought was almost enough to make her laugh, though her lovely face never once wavered from that death stare she gave him. No lowly mortal human could ever dare to do anything with her that would leave so much as a mark, she was sure. He could try to break her pride, or even change it, but that would never happen. Lifting her head at a still more proud angle, she kept her eyes on him, looking down her nose at him even.

The manor house drew nearer, and eventually they pulled up in front of it. The guard woman who had had her placed within the coach appeared at the door, and only the most trained and wary of eyes would have noticed the barely visible flinch the young fae woman gave when the sunlight hit her. No indeed, she masked it quite well and any who had seen it might have been inclined to think it merely a trick of the light falling on her moonlight features.

She was lifted from the coach with some struggle, carried through the manor and to a room that had only a few windows, set high in the walls, enough so that not much sunlight filtered through them, and indeed it would only filter through at mid day time. Mid day was still hours away, she reasoned, looking up at the windows, calculating the passage of time before the sun would set. Only a few moments now, she realized, and with slow even breaths, she began to wait, to count, to bide her time until true shadow began to fall on the room, now lit only with candles and a few torches.

They released her feet and she kicked out at them, thrashing wildly. It would be several moments and quite a few hard kicks later before they'd manage to pin her legs to the floor well enough to get the manacles around her ankles. In her thrashing, she'd manage to catch the Captain with a few swift kicks, including one solid one that would leave her shins bruised beneath the armor. When Celeste glared at her, the fae girl only stared back, full rosebud lips seeming to twitch at the corners, as if hinting at a dark smirk.

Night was approaching, she could feel it.

They unlocked the manacles around her hands, and Lyssania fought them, waiting, waiting... The Captain turned to leave the room... Now Almost instantly, even the most insensitive being to any source of power would have been forced to feel the shift of power in the room, the way it seemed to bend. The very air itself seemed to pulse, to breathe, to writhe with life. Despite the still lit candles and torches, it felt as if the light were being sucked from the room, making the shadows all the more prominent, more looming.

That hint of a smirk became full fledged as the two guards were forced to pause, to try to gain their bearings. That was all the time the fae needed, and in those moments the shadows themselves seemed to come alive, long dark tendrils reaching out, writhing, grabbing both the guardswomen by their ankles and wrists, pulling them hard, backward, a fifth tendril each wrapping around their necks, writhing like a snake, tightening to cut off air and circulation, as well as any hope of calling for help they may have had.

Her eyes flickered from one to the other, their color seeming to have shifted to a deep amethyst with silver sparks like the stars themselves within their depths, before settling on the one on the right. Her stomach bulged slightly, sure sign of pregnancy. Lyssania could feel the extra life growing inside of the woman, and her hair fell into her face as she stared, watching as the tendril that was around her neck grew longer at the end, snaking up to the woman's open mouth, forcing its way in and down, down, into the depths of her being, searching for that extra life, seeking it out to end the energy it gave off.

She would show these humans... especially the one who dared call himself Master... who truly held the power. And she would start by showing how nonexistent her pity for any human life, even unborn, really was.

It wasn't until hours later, that he found her.....shivering in a corner, terrified beyond thought. Travis had actually expected her to run screaming at the sight of him, but there was nowhere for her to run to....

That didn't keep her from whimpering out a small, strangled cry as he reached for her, fingers wrapping around her pale, slender throat.

"Where is she, Celeste? You let her escape?!"

Frantically, soundlessly, the blonde soldier shook her head, "N-no Master....please.....she is bound.....partially."

For a second, his countenance eased. So....his new toy hadn't yet slipped her bonds. And even if partially bound, she would find it aggravatingly hard to find a way out of them.

"The others?"

The look of fear returned instantly to the woman's already wild and disheveled appearance.

"D-dead, master. I stepped outside for but a moment...."

The rest of the sentance was lost as a heavy backhand connected hard with her cheek, sending her reeling hard to the floor.

"You fool. I thought you'd have taken utmost care not to let yourself become distracted."

Moving to the doorway, Travis instantly found himself glad for his change of clothing. Often did he find himself more comfortable in his old theiving garments than in the stuffy clothes of regality he wore so arrogantly in public.

Peering in through the crack, the first thing he noticed was the bodies.....Alysson and Tressa......still and pale as death itself. Even as his gaze lifted upward, supported only by the feeble pulsing of candlelight did their eyes meet once more, a smile sketching across her lips.

"Celeste.....you are to go to town immediately. I want you to enter the first tavern you find, and render yourself completely nude the moment you do so. You are to offer yourself to each and every male who desires you, is this understood?"

The woman paled suddenly, "M-master....but....only you....."

Again he cut her off, "Not anymore! Did I not tell you there would be punishment for failing me? Or perhaps you quail at this, and I should find a more suitable punishment, pet?"

Celeste's blond locks hid her face as her head dipped low, no longer able to meet his eyes, "No Master. It will be as you command."

Travis waited for long minutes as the soldier's footfalls grew more and more faint, almost smiling at the soft whimpering that carried all too well down the empty stone corridors.

Pausing for a moment, the rogue pushed fingertips into a smallish pouch at his side, his own belt cluttered with trinkets and magical knickknacks of all kinds. Withdrawing a moment later with a small stick coated with a gooey resin based substance, Travis smiled as he reached for the cell door giving it a firm push.

Even as he entered, the blonde haired youth reached blindly to his right, feeling for the warmth of the candlelight as he kept his eyes on his half chained pet.

"Can't escape, can you?," he smiled at her as he felt the small twig catch flame.

"Incense of the Sage. As long as this burns, I don't care what language you speak, I'll be able to hear every word of it just fine."

For a second, his eyes flickered back to the corpses at her feet, wincing at the sight of Alysson.....she had just concieved his child none too long ago.....

"Foolish, weren't they? And yet so loyal."

He could almost feel the power growing restless in the room, ever more so with every step that he took towards her, his smile never wavering.....waiting for her attack.

And yet when it came, it very nearly took him by surprise. There was no visible display of the arcane, no rush of sound or burst of fire and lightning. If not for the years of practically living on the edge of a knife blade, Travis most likely would have died then. As it were, he was not one prone to pausing as his soldiers did as the distortion wrapped around him.....a split second remaining before her power would engulf and destroy his frail human form.....

"Tar'oth izelyth"

The room filled with brilliant white eldritch light suddenly as the manacles on her ankles reacted instantly, silvery runes appearing in an instant where none had been before. A second later, and they poured their magic into her in the form of white hot lightning, electrifying the fae to her very soul. Travis could almost imagine the sight of her feminine skeletal structure visible through almost translucent flesh.

Normally, a slave would be forced to remain upright, held up by the manacles above. Yet his servants had failed to fasten those to her body just yet. Some help was just so hard to find.....

"One of the more interesting things I've found on my travels you see. Originally taken from a necromancer that I got on the wrong side of.....nasty man had a way of taming the very demons of hell with these. Forgive me for thinking that they might do well on a creature such as yourself."

He had only a few minutes before she recovered, he knew....and yet, he did not move to complete her imprisonment.....not just yet. Instead, he strode forward confidantly to brandish an ornate platinum collar.....leaning over her heavily as she in turn tried to regain her bearings. Sweeping her elegant raven locks aside, he took a step back.....admiring his handiwork.

"Well, now that is over, I'm sure you've a few questions.....or threats....for me. Now would be a good time to voice them. You're going to be here for a while."

Lyssania was crouched in a darkened corner of the room when she spotted him at the door, her hair falling partially into her eyes, her dark gaze finding his, that same sick smirk on her lips. She looked like an animal that while caged, was plotting to make it's next meal out of the unsuspecting person walking by.

And then he entered. Her breathing was calm, steady, even... waiting... counting, calling the dark around her to her, but still never showing even the smallest hint of what she was doing. He wanted her to talk, but she remained quiet, waiting for the perfect moment to strike out at him, to show him just how fragile he really was and how easily broken.

And then the moment came. The shadows seemed to come alive, silently lashing out toward him. Just before they could find their target, however, he spoke words that she did not have time to counter with her own, a bright white light flooding the room. Immediately, she began to curl in on herself, trying to block the light from her face and eyes, only to have her entire body stunned and shocked, the pain so intense she for long moments didn't think she could actually feel anything, that her nerves had died from the sudden force and shock.

When the shock was done, she slumped to the floor, laying there gasping for breath, her eyes open but unable to see, ears ringing. And then he was speaking again, and she found feel him moving closer. Unable to move away, she simply lay there as he knelt and clasped the collar around her delicate throat.

She blinked several times, slowly, lifting her eyes to look up at him despite the fact that her vision was so badly blurred all she could make out was color, not even shapes. At his further speech, she simply summoned up a small mouthful of spit, launching it at the general area where his feet were, too proud to give up as she tried to force herself up onto his hands, trying to gather herself and sit up.

Though he backed away slowly enough at first, not even Travis had anticipated this kind of reaction to the shackles' magicks. He had fully intended to deliver a painful blow...just as much as he had intended it as a staunch defense against whatever assault the girl had just launched. And yet....she seemed much more disoriented by the eldritch blast than any who had come before her....

"Nice...I admire your tenacity, girl. That must have hurt plenty."

She squinted up at him...obviously trying to regain full capability of her sight. She hadn't made a sound, not even a single whimper when the shackles had rebuked her. A thin eyebrow cocked curiously as the dainty maiden hocked up a mouthful of spit, hurling it most unladylike at his feet.

Even now, she struggled to rise. Her body slowly beginning to recover from what must have been agonizing pain. Reaching forward, Travis dared to touch her a second time.....his nimble fingers closing all too meaningfully around one wrist, the muscles in his back and shoulder straining slightly as he begin to lift her off the ground where she lay.

All he had to do was place that slender thing inside the shackle it was meant for......

And yet even as the pale flesh he held contacted the inner bindings of the shackle, its cool metal closing about her almost instantly.....he looked down.....directly into those twin orbs of ill concealed hatred.....

With no way of knowing just how much her magic would be dampened by the one armlet she had been forced into, Travis lept back almost immediately fully expecting another furious assault on his life.....no....his soul.

His mind raced, even as fingertips tickled open a small bag at his waist. The dust he carried there would be enough to dispel a single magical attack.....provided he could anticipate it.

Swallowing hard, his eyes narrowed. He was unsure if any man deserved to get that lucky twice in such a short span of time.

But he sure as hell was going to give it a try.

She could still hardly see, and she felt a great deal weaker than she should have, even after the feel of lightning pulsing through her body as if she were a lightning rod. She listened to his words, but still she would not give him the pleasure of her voice, remaining silent so long as the incense he'd put up to burn there so he could understand her was burning. She could still smell it, so obviously it still burned.

When he drew near, she could tell by the colors pulsing before her eyes that he was, and she drew back. When his hand found her delicately skinned wrist, she let out the same low hiss-like noise she'd given Celeste earlier that day, the sound deep, foreboding, and far more animalsstic than anything such a dainty woman should have been capable of making. It was truly a sound that, should one not be completely ignorant of what she were capable of, would make a person shudder.

Still though, he didn't draw back, instead sliding her hand into that manacle before he finally jumped back, as if ready for her to lash out. Good... he was on his toes, which meant that he likely believed her to still harbor more strength than she knew she did. Keep him guessing, fearing... that's what she needed to do.

Her dark eyes focused on him again as she hung there by one wrist, shifting to rest her weight on her feet so that she did not hang so much, relieving the pressure that was on her shoulder. It was as he stood there, tense and wondering at what would happen, that she summoned up the last bit of strength she possessed.

The spell took slow effect, and it was silent, not nearly as noticeable as the last had been, requiring no shift in the shadows around her. Indeed, instead, for a moment one would think nothing was happening. And then there, at the edges of the shadows, one could see tiny dark forms skittering across the cold stone floor, moving toward him at a quick pace.

At first it would just seem a dark blanket moving across the stone, but upon further inspection, one would notice that it was not one large thing, but many small dark things. Spiders... hundreds upon hundreds of them, advancing on him as he stood there, and her eyes had lightened to a much brighter shade of purple, laced with silver.

Her knees wobbled as she fought to stay awake, to continue her pets' advance on him, hoping to see them swarm him though she knew she likely lacked the strength to manage something quite so grand. Perhaps if she put up a big enough show though, he would think better of this foolish plight to continue to hold her captive.

And then it came....they came.

Thousands of them, tiny black spiders seemingly appearing from everywhere, converging slowly on him. It was Travis' turn to hiss his anger and disappointment at this new assault.

Praying to any diety who might be listening, the young nobleman threw the contents of his pouch before him. As he had imagined, the insects from that direction dissolved almost instantly into black wisps of smoke, the magic behind their creation instantly dispelled.

"Nice. Real nice. How the hell did you cast this shit anyway? Without a word out of you."

Still, it was what he was beginning to expect out of her. Even now his conniving mind toyed with the uses he could have for her....if he could ever manage to break her down. And this....this was only her second attempt. He had no doubts there would be more.

And yet, if he ever hoped to maintain the upper hand he had enjoyed so briefly, Travis knew he had to come up not only with a means of survival, but a counter-attack as well.

Drawing his rapier before him, his green eyes narrowed to slits as he regarded the advancing arachnids. So enrapt was he with his intended tormentors that he failed to notice the unsteady posture of the chained fae.

The young nobleman gritted his teeth, "So, you like playing with shadow do you? Fine then."

And yet despite his bold words, he found himself backing slowly away, buying precious seconds as the arcane creatures skittered ever closer, their red eyes somehow managing to mirror their mistress' hatred for him, a shiny liquid that promised deadly poison glistening from hundreds of tiny mandibles.

Doing his best to keep a cool head, Travis dug furiously into his pouch of tricks, frantically trying to call up something that might help against such a legion. Loaded dice did no good....a gem of fire would blow them both up along with the spiders.....a lightning charm would likewise rebound off of the thick stone of the cell walls until all inside were dead.....a globe of darkness was useless here.....

Or was it?

Once touted as an almost useless magic item by his guildmaster, the simple piece of onyx was as unadorned as it was plain. A gift, a challenge, and a joke wrapped up all in one.......and now the damned thing just might save his life.

"Shadow indeed."

Spinning on one heel, the rogue's arm cocked momentarily before letting the stone fly forcefully, grinning as it flew unerringly to shatter with a sharpness that nearly caused him to cringe.....

One of the room's two windows ceased to exist.....engulfed in a darkness that he couldn't hope to pierce with his own eyes.

"And now for my next trick."

With a soft click, Travis unfastened his cloak, whipping about him briefly in an attempt to drive his assailants back. This was going to hurt.....LOTS.

He could already feel them skittering across his body, looking for a weak spot in his armor as he bolted forward, doing his best not to think about how he felt no bonecrunching sensation beneath his boot soles. First one, then another, then another found purchase, tiny fangs nicking his flesh...trying to find a vein in which to deliver their toxin. Completely occupied, he missed the fae girl's soft smile, so sure of his doom was she.....

With a flourish designed to knock off clinging arachnids as well as serve another purpose, the rogue leapt forward even as he reached for a back sheath....stretching as far as he could before slamming bodily into the unforgiving stone.....

He clung there.....dagger point having only barely found purchase within the mortared stone. And yet this was no time to relax. Reaching out....he had to find some other way to cover the remaining window......

To make matters worse, he could almost swear he heard her laughing.

While the stone wall was awkward enough for him, it was no obstacle at all for the pursuing spiders. Already, he felt slightly dizzy, a sign that perhaps he had taken on some venom after all. Glaring at them all as they began their relentless climb for him.

"Starting to wish I'd brought more tricks."

Grinning suddenly, even as another spider managed to disappear into his boot, its presence announced seconds later with another sharp bite, the nobleman gave the fae a sudden quirky smile.

"Spiders.....right. Thanks for reminding me."

With his free hand, he palmed a small piece of cobweb, its strands barely visible in the confines of his dark gloves.

"Spinus devorum."

From his gloved hand came rope after rope of.....sticky spider webbing. This he aimed not at the spider.....but at the window so close, yet out of reach. Grimacing, he could feel more of them now, their fangs sinking deep even as he watched the starlight filtering through the dim aperture slowly fading to nothingness, sealed away within the magically gooey strands.

"You must think I'm crazy, huh? Frankly I've had enough of your spiders, so here's hoping I'm right. Now DIE!"

Letting go of the dagger he clung to, Travis felt himself drop, the army of insects surging upward to finally claim him in one last rush. Even as he fell, the uncanny rogue let fly with two daggers across the room....seeking not the life of the fae or her creatures......

The room plunged into total and complete darkness as the life of the candles he had really been aiming at expired......slamming the door on the existance of any light at all....

"With out light.......there can be no shadow.....my pet."

He hoped he wasn't really done for.....he felt the stone rush up to meet him and wondered if he really would feel it if he landed on the spiders should his hunch be wrong. Still.....there was the matter of the venom.....

He had lost the feeling in his legs.

Reaching downward with a soft groan, Travis struggled to stay awake himself as he teased a vial from a hidden pouch in his boots. What kind of rogue wouldn't have a toxin antidote on hand? Certainly not one that was as accustomed to disarming traps as he was. Popping the wax seal with a thumb, he swallowed greedlily, noting how rapidly the numbness was spreading.

Long minutes passed, minutes spent first in a cloudy haze, a haze that slowly began to turn red as the toxin battled the anti-venom antidote. She had had her fun.....

As soon as he was able....

It was his turn.

The light faded, and almost as soon as it did, the spiders faded into nothingness, leaving not a single trace that they'd ever been there in the first place. Lyssania's knees trembled, before finally giving out beneath her, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as the last of her strength was sapped from her, though whether or not the light had caused such a sap in her strength was too difficult for even the most versed in magic to tell.

She hung limply from one wrist, her delicate body slumped, making her look like a broken doll. Even as her hair lolled to one side, pulled there by its own weight and the weight of her knee length hair, which spilled down and graced the floor her feet had once stood upon with ease.

In her mind's eye, she could see her home, her mother... bitch that she was, she had given birth to Lyssania and as such would be respected until Lyssania had proven herself in the courts, proven that she could top her mother. Such was the way of things... A constant struggle of power and a chess game of political pawns. It was the most beautiful place in the world, her home... a place hidden far from the eyes of humans, home to all the wondrous creatures her kind felt a kinship with.

But she'd ventured into the land of humans with a small party of her kind, and as the most powerful among them and lowest in their status by birth, it was her job to guard them. When the slavers had come, Lyssania had fought valiantly, proving that she was far more than beautiful.. she was deadly. By the time they managed to catch her, the rest of her party had fled as she'd instructed, and more than half of the slavers were dead, lifeless at her feet.

Travis never knew how long he lay there....

Agonized and waiting for either death, or the pain to subside as he legs slowly struggled free of the creeping numbness that had threatened to consume him in death.

Sweat poured from the young man's brow as an icy shiver rippled through his sturdy, muscular frame. Desperately trying to avoid moaning aloud, he slowly began to ease his way upwards in a feeble attempt to stand.

No sound, no light, completely and utterly blind.

The sound of his own breath was gratingly loud to his keen hearing, a sense that he knew all too well was inferior when compared to his fae captive's. He had no way of knowing in this all consuming blackness that his tormenter had fainted dead away.....

And so he began, hissing softly in pain as his legs came alive with that damned pins and needles feeling, just in time for him to take his first step. A wobbly affair to be sure, the Travis devoted all his concentration to simply put one foot in front of the other.

And so it came as no surprise when a booted toe snagged something, and the blonde nobleman let out a soft and very ignoble curse as he crashed heavily back to the ground. Anger turned quickly to surprise, and again to disgust however, as he reached for what had tripped him. Fingers brushed against the foriegn surface just long enough for him to feel the sponginess of flesh....long dead, cold flesh....

And so she couldn't be that far away. In his mind's eye, Travis drew a picture perfect copy of the room, and where everything had been when he had first entered. If he was correct, then she couldn't be but more than a dozen feet....

"This way," he whispered. He flinched softly, unused to making such errors where potential death was concerned. Holding his breath, he waited for it to claim him, cursing himself as a fool the whole while for giving away his position.

Yet none was as surprised as he when it didn't come. Cautiously, the still recovering Travis edged forward, creeping closer still. Had he not been wearing gloves, perhaps he would have felt the silken strands of her hair as he leaned heavily on them to drag his throbbing legs forward in an awkward crawl.

Yet when he brushed gently against her, hanging softly from the one manacle, it nearly stole his breath away. Cheek to cheek, Travis froze, awaiting some reprisal even as his mind raced. Again....nothing.

Reaching forward, it took but a touch to confirm it....his hand sliding easily upward to cup the cleft of her chin, the weight of her head fully supported now even as he struggled to rise once more.

As much as he wanted to enjoy this small triumph, there were more important matters at hand, such as how to complete what his formerly capable Captain had failed so miserably at.

Practiced fingers traced her delicate curves. Sliding easily across her face, he could just imagine how beautiful it must look in sleep. Gliding softly down the nape of her neck with almost a lover's ease, he traced a gentle path across one shoulder, nearly holding his breath with trepidation as his hand dipped lower to seize the girl's remaining free wrist. This was it....

Reaching up, it took several attempts to both find the remaining manacle, and then exert enough effort to boost the fae's limp form up high enough to secure it. Hissing with consternation, Travis's breath fairly exploded from between parched lips as a soft flash of emerald light signaled the metal's encasement. Such illumination was fleeting however, and again he found himself blind.

Still more time passed, long minutes, as the rogue did his best to remember where any part of the candles had fallen. Groping blindly did little for him, but for now, there was no recourse. His tricks had come up short this time, he had nothing to produce light save for flint and tinder. For that to catch...well....he needed to find those blasted candle fragments!

Travis had to force himself not to crush his hand closed reflexively in a fit of elation as his boot bumped against something all too easily moved. It couldn't be a corpse, that left only one thing.....

A small whisker of flame broke the spell moments later, coaxed into life by the nearly desperate rogue. Looking frantically around him finally, Travis smiled in relief as he saw his captive dangling bodily from her imprisonment, her drab woolen blouse opening tantalizingly before his eyes and rekindling the desire within him. How it played across her pale skin! How otherwordly she seemed right now!

Searching the room brought both daggers back into their sheaths, though the third remained anchored in the stone wall. He dared not take his eyes off of her, even as the nobleman contemplated his next move. He could punish her brutally....

But a creature like this one might take that differently, would she know how much she had scared him?

Striding forward, he brandished his knife once more in a flash, its hardened steel edge slicing cleanly through first her blouse before descending even further to render the skirt equally useless. He felt his heart leap as he regarded her truely nude for the first time, and found her more than he had ever imagined her to be.....

"Your ego it is then."

He'd act like the attack hadn't even fazed him, the smug nobleman act back to the forefront once more. How better to counter her own act of superiority?

Grinning, he reached forward to cup an ample sized breast, taking the leisure to slowly pull his glove off first so as to delight in the warmth he found there.

Gradually, he kneaded the firm flesh, delighting the rosy peaks of her nipples with the occasional swipe of a teasing thumb. Was that a glimmer of awareness that shadowed her face for an instant? Or was he imagining again?

Kneeling down to place his face directly in front of hers, silhouetted by the candle's light, one thing was for certain as he regarded her soft, full lips. He would wait for her to awaken....and then demonstrate the first of many possessions he would take from her.

Her body was pale, perfect, and it shone as if the moonlight itself were captured and brought to this cool, breathing piece of flesh and blood. Her raven hair rested against her pale white skin, rosebud lips making a stark contrast to both hues as they rested on her delicate face.

As she hung there, his hand moved over her full firm breast, the light pink nipple hardening beneath his fingers. For long moments she simply hung there, before her face seemed to flinch, her eyes moving beneath their lids, a soft whimper leaving her. The sound was gentle, quiet, as if caused by pain and weakness... almost enough to melt the heart.

She groaned softly, her head rolling from one side to the next as she struggled to claw her way out of her unconscious state and open her eyes, to see if she had killed him. She was so sure he had to at least have been desperately ill from the effects of the venom... the venom which was, if anyone were to know her people's ways, comprised from pure hatred and malice. The anger she felt toward him, the contempt toward all humans, no matter how kind or gentle they could be... Those feelings burned within that venom.

After a few moments, her eyes opened finally, blinking slowly, their hue a swirl of colors laced with bright quicksilver. For a moment she only looked around blindly, obviously too disoriented to know how close he was. But then finally, after several blinks, she turned her head to find herself dangerously close to him.

A soft hiss left her as she tried to push herself back against the wall, to get away from him.

There was no time for even a smile as she began to stir. Yet he wanted her to know, so he paused just a little longer. Disoriented at first, he waited for her to voice her discomfort again, just as she had done with that whimper moments ago....how that had excited him!

And then she turned, almost lazily, until her gaze fell upon him. If he'd the time, Travis would have laughed at the widening of her eyes, the first true surprise he'd given her.

It certainly wouldn't be her last.

Reaching forward with his free hand as she recoiled away from him, he leaned into her, trying to ignore just how hard she had struck the wall before discovering escape was futile.

His lips pressed against her own.....firm....demanding.....her chin tilted upward between his fingers as he took what he wanted from her.

He had not relinquished his hold on her breast, his fingers continuing to tease, devoting everything he found pleasant about her flesh to memory....

Pulling away suddenly, he straightened with a cocky smile, giving her body another look of haughty appraisal.

"It's about time you woke up. As you can see, you're now dressed more appropriately for your new station here at my manor. It's been a rather amusing evening, so I'll be taking my leave of you for now."

Moving towards the door, the rogue gambled, knowing that she had most likely fainted due to an overuse of her power. And so, he turned his back on her, adding insult to the little assault he had just committed....

"Oh, and I hope your masters fed you well this afternoon. I've decided that you have entirely too much energy about you to be making these petty attempts at my life. Perhaps a little hunger might take some of the edge off."

He shot her another boyish grin from over her shoulder.

"Anyway, I'm off to get some sleep. Do take care, will you? I'll be back to see you this afternoon when I'm a little more.....rested."

It was only after the cell door had closed, that the manor lord crumpled to the floor, a shiver wracking his sturdy frame. A last reminder of just how close she had really come.....

Lyssania let out a soft sound that was half squeak, half scream as he kissed her, and he only just barely managed to pull back before her teeth sank into his lip. As he pulled back, she glared at him, her face showing nothing but pure, seething hatred for him. She ignored the throbbing in the back of her head from the smack to the wall, not wanting to show a single ounce of weakness to that pathetic human.

Part of her wondered just how much of what he was doing and saying was an act, and how much wasn't. There was no way a simple human being could withstand the amount of venom her pets had to have gotten into him. Even with his armor, she knew they'd gotten to him. How? Because they were a part of her. That spell was a direct link to her soul, she knew everything that each and every one of those spiders did.

She climbed to her feet, out of her hanging position slowly, watching him leave the room, her eyes narrowed the entire time in a glare that, if looks could kill, would likely have caused him to drop dead on the spot. She stood tall, watching him turning to leave the room, every word he said only making her hate for him grow stronger.

It wasn't until the door was closed that she leaned against the wall, a sudden rush of tears coming to her unusual eyes. A soft sob left her, but she kept it quiet enough that no one beyond the room's door would be able to hear her... given that the walls were stone and the door heavy and made of thick metal...

Leaning her head back against the wall, she looked up at the ceiling, watching the shadows the single candle created flicker over it. Tears slid down her pale cheeks as she stared up at the shadows, ignoring the fact that he'd left both the dead bodies of his foolish guards just laying there. Death didn't bother her... especially not human death. Their presence only served as a reminder of what she was capable of and the lengths she was willing to go to to gain her freedom.

Speaking of freedom... looking up, she eyed the manacles around her wrists, tugging at them slightly, observing them. They were magic, that she knew... but what kind of magic, she was unsure of. She knew she really didn't have the energy to expend attempting it, but she forced some of her own energy into one cuff, only to have it glow white hot, sending a shock through her. She whimpered some, withdrawing her energies immediately. It wouldn't do to over exert herself again and pass out once more...

No indeed... she needed to save her strength.

For long moments, he simply knelt there, collecting himself and his thoughts. The trinkets he had just used were petty things, easily replacable for the most part, though he was slightly disappointed at her refusal to speak. Such a waste of good incense.

Straightening with a soft huff, he slowly made his way back upstairs to the regular manor house. He was long overdue for some sleep, and damned if he wasn't going to get it. Glancing at another lithe, curvaceous servant, his mind flickered back to Alyssa and Tressa.....

"They deserve a decent burial."

"Excuse me, sir?"

He gave the blonde haired girl a slight nod, a weary smile painted across his face. "Maya, there are a pair of corpses I need removed from the new girl's cell."

The girl blanched softly beneath her fine tanned skin....

"I want you to find Siobhan, and deliver these orders. She is to have the guards clean out the cell as well as bury the bodies. This is to be done immediately. When you have delivered that meeting, you can meet me in my chambers for your reward."

Amazing how fast some girls can go from stark terror to blushing young maidens. Maya gave Travis a curt nod, and fairly danced down the hallway in search of the raven haired Siobhan.

"Oh, and one more thing."

Maya paused, turning with uncertainty back to her master, curiosity burning deep within pale blue eyes. Her pixie face held a cute little pout as she waited silently.

"I want you to bring Lorelei back with you. We have matters to.....discuss.

------------------------------------------

Travis stretched, yawning as he blinked sleepily, the sun filtering brightly into his room creating an almost angelic look on the young form of Maya, still curled up against her master whimpering softly.....

"Good morning, Master. I trust you're ready to begin with the day's exercises? I know I can hardly wait."

An impish smile painted across an even more mischievous looking feminine face framed with dark auburn hair. Travis let his eyes slide appreciatively down her lithe frame, noting the bountiful swells of womanhood she so proudly displayed with a low cut red satin dress, its bodice slit down the middle to proudly advertise her cleavage. A simple gold chain held the garment across her large chest.

"Or perhaps I'm not the only one hungry this morning?," the vixen purred.

Travis grinned, nudging Maya to one side as she continued to sleep. The girl hardly noticed, thoroughly exhausted as she was, that her Master was abandoning her to her dreams.

Several long minutes later, and he was back in his leathers....you could never be prepared. Opening up a small trinket box, the young nobleman selected several mundane looking items....slipping them in with the mix of magicks he held in his pouch.

"Let's be off then. While the day is still young."

The night had been largely uneventful, save for the appearance of a few guards who'd entered to remove the bodies of their fallen "sisters" in arms from her cell. Lyssania had watched them quietly, letting some of her hair fall into her face and letting out that hiss like noise whenever one got too close. As hardened as they were, the sight of the two dead women made them far more wary and far more skittish than they had been when first they'd come to do their job.

The fae woman took great pleasure in snapping her teeth at the younger woman, making her jump back, readying a weapon as if prepared for the fae girl to strike. She smirked, the smile blatantly sadistic as she continued to toy with the two women, even doing little "parlor" tricks to spook them, bending the shadows around them slightly, making them feel as if every shadow in the room were a living, breathing thing.

None of it was overly taxing, as these were all tricks she'd been able to do as a child. Once they left, taking the bodies with them, Lyssania leant back against the wall. She was glad she'd had her cry before the two women had come in, and as she thought things over, she sighed softly, staring into the darkest shadows in a thoughtful manner.

After a while, she found a way to prop herself against the wall that would allow her to sleep and while not overly comfortable, saw to it she didn't end up hanging from her arms either.

-*-*-*-*-

Morning came all too early, and the fae woman was woken as the light filtered in through the window, a tiny patch of it landing against the skin ontop of one foot. She hadn't noticed at first, still asleep, and so by the time she woke, there was an angry red mark that resembled a sun burn on her foot. She hissed, shrinking back from the shaft of light, doing her best to stay away from them.

Idly, she made it a point to stand with her legs crossed, her free foot over the injured one so that should anyone enter, they would not see the wound. It wouldn't do for them to see her hurt... not that they'd be able to tell what had caused it.

With a soft clank, the large iron door began to move once more. Glancing over his shoulder, he grinned softly at the auburn haired beauty behind him. She had been a tough one to conquer when she had first been introduced to the manor house, and now, Lorelei obeyed with the grace and subservience of any of his other pets....albeit a little more mischievously.

Travis wouldn't have it any other way.

Guiding her slowly into the cell, the handsome nobleman recalled the first time he had taken her, even as his hand brushed against her own, edging her forward almost as if he was unveiling a pleasant surprise.

For a moment, their eyes met, dark swirling orbs of moody angst glimmering silently as regarded by Lorelei's piercing emerald gaze. It held for only a moment, the woman's lips curling softly for just a moment before parting as her tongue reached out lascivously to wet their pale surface. It didn't take long for her gaze to run appreciatively across the fae's body, drinking in her slender womanly figure.

"I see....what a delectable treat you've found for yourself, my lord. I admit that I'm jealous."

Taking a small step towards her, the flame haired human woman continued to stroke the fae with her gaze. No blemish, no scars, and how cute that she keep her legs so tightly crossed in front of the Master.....

Lorelei stopped a hair's breadth away, cooing softly even as she reached out to caress the chained girl's soft pale skin.

"Oh dear.....I do think you're going to like what I have to offer you...."

She touched her then.....thin fingertips slowly reaching out to caress.....knowing just where to touch to ease the stiffness and soreness this strange girl had to be suffering from. After all....how long had it been since she had been the one down here in these chains? Featherlight caresses, soft murmuring, a gentle hand moved to cup a full breast not for the first time that day.....

Smiling softly, Lorelei looked up.....too well accustomed to the hatred she saw in the fae's eyes to be truly bothered by it.....as her pale lips parted, tongue flicking out to tease one dormant nipple.

Travis wasn't surprised at all to see the girl thrash, indeed, he'd known how this was going to go before he'd enlisted Lorelei's aid. The lesbian had been rather stubborn herself before she had broken, and now he'd actually found a constructive use for her "other talents."

Suckling softly, the human continued so soothe, growing more and more annoyed at the girl's thrashing. It made it sooo much harder to concentrate.

Finally disgruntled with trying it the easy way.....Lorelei sank to her knees, all gentleness gone as she looked up at the fae with a wicked grin.

"A dagger, my lord?"

Travis cocked a curious eyebrow. He'd told her that he wanted the girl unharmed, though he'd was rather loathe to admit to such a thing in front of her. Silently, he freed one of the throwing daggers he'd used last night from its sheath, sliding it across the floor for nimble fingers to snatch up.

Cold....

Sharp....

Insistant and demanding, the human girl slowly slipped the blade past fiercely clenched thighs, despite the fae's resistance. Amazingly, the girl hadn't yet been cut.....

Grinning evilly, the red-headed Lorelei slowly began to turn the blade....bringing the sharp steel to bear against the raven haired fae's tender inner thighs.....

"Come on sweetie.....open up.....let's have some fun with you....."

The door opened and in stepped a red headed woman, followed by the blond haired bastard that had had the gall to purchase her. She stood proudly, though her legs never uncrossed, her eyes meeting the other woman's green ones. Lyssania's eyes were as usual a torrent of colors, swirling from purple to red to dark blue to black to purple again, reflecting the ferocity of her anger.

She'd been saving her power all night since the guards left, and she'd soaked in the moonlight that came through the window, basking in the darkness that had surrounded her. Even as she slept, she'd been gathering her strength again, building it back up. Granted, after the past few days of mistreatment to her body, her energies were nowhere near what they should have been, but they were more than enough to deal with the bitch of a human woman that was now looking her over.

It was true she'd never been touched before Travis had manhandled her the night before, but that didn't mean she was completely naive to the desires of the human woman before her. Raven hair fell into her face, and those eyes stared out at the woman unblinking. She wasn't afraid, not in the least, and to be quite honest, she was considering the easies way to take the woman out of the picture. It wouldn't be hard... The woman had no magic around her, and her aura was weak, typical for a human that wasn't a caster. She wouldn't be able to withstand much in the way of magic that was thrown at her.

Even as Lorelei approached, Lyssania didn't move. It wasn't until she got close that that dark hiss left her, and the fae bared her teeth, showing sharp fangs that would almost resemble a vampire's, only shorter. The human woman's hands and mouth found her, and Lyssania thrashed. Much to Lorelei's likely dismay though, the only reaction she was getting at all was thrashing.

The fae's nipples stayed soft, not even beginning to grow hard at her ministrations, and the only even mild shudder she gave was one of disgust. It wasn't until the blade slid between her pale thighs that Lyssania did more than thrash. Her eyes met the other womans and she let a great mass of spit that had gathered in her mouth fly, watching it land right on the other woman's face. That was followed shortly by a string of fae words that while incredibly beautiful to hear, especially coming from such an ethereal voice, showed quite obviously her disdain.

Her eyes slowly began to bleed to red, the color going so far as to blot out the whites of her eyes, turning them crimson as she focused her gaze on the woman before her. Nothing else happened really, but one would notice that the air around her felt much more charged than normal, almost as if a lightning storm were brewing in the immediate vicinity around her.

A wan smile sketched its way across her face as she reached up with a crimson robed arm to wipe away the arrogant fae's spittle. Reaching up, she returned the favor by grasping a single rosebud of a nipple.....twisting hard.

She found it rather unnerving that the girl's eyes had changed color, yet found it even more disturbing that this little slip of a whore had managed to kill two of the Master's guards last night.

Still, she was chained now, right? And the Master had said she could do anything but bruise or disfigure her. The fae chanted something in her own language then, hauntingly beautiful.....if she had cared. Still, Travis seemed curious enough, as she glanced at him over her shoulder.

"Perhaps I should bring out more Incense?," the young nobleman purred. "Of course, you could always speak a language we understand. You could save yourself a lot of pain."

Stepping forward, he gave the auburn haired lesbian a sarcastic smirk.

"Problems, Lorelei?"

Reaching forward, he dug his own fingers deep into her nexus, cruelly ignoring her clenched thighs much as the dagger did moments before. He too was curious about the coloring of her eyes, but hadn't missed the sudden charge the air carried.

"Now, now, am I going to have to rebuke you again? Remember what happened the last time you decided to be naughty. And yet....remember just how complacent you were afterwards too. That just might be fun."

His arrogant grin never wavered as his fingers brushed her where she'd most likely never been touched before. He wasn't surprised to find her dry there, it was obvious how much she hated him. Still.....no woman had resisted forever....

"Please, continue."

With a soft sigh, Lorelei leaned forward again....fluttering kisses across the fae's bare, toned and perfect belly, climbing tantalizingly upward.

"You can make her stop you know......all you have to do is tell her to. Granted, she'd have to understand you. But I have given her those orders....."