Author Topic: That which yields is not always weak. [glooob!] [M/TW] (Read 19470 times)

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #100 on:** September 29, 2015, 11:01:32 am »

...Oh man.

As Esha stared down at herself, and at the belt circling her waist, that knot of fear only grew.

It was going to be difficult to be sneaky with that announcing her every movement.

It was going to be difficult to avoid Skerrondus with that letting him know exactly where she was. If his sense of smell wouldn't already do that for him.

Her chest tightened as she ran her fingers over the shiny, jingly bits, so like what a dancer might wear to make music of their own when they performed, but which was now just another symbol of captivity. Gods. Even if Ben promised to tell her people, would they even try to get her out of here? And how was she even going to report to them, if they even knew where she was? They had given her clear instructions for reporting from Peg-Leg's place, but now?

No...she had to just keep with the plan and hold onto hope that things would work out. She just had to endure and survive and learn. That was all there was to it. Otherwise she'd go mad.

She looked up at the Steggadonians and Raptian, shifting her weight awkwardly. "It's...all very pretty," she said quietly.

Daglobster · « **Reply #101 on:** September 29, 2015, 11:07:32 am »

"Damn straight it is," the Raptian woman said, and crossed her arms.

"Ol' Skerro likes his property pretty. You'd do best to keep yourself that way."

The Steggadonians hooked Esha's leash back on, and tugged her away.

"Off to see the boss, then. He'll want to have a look at you."

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #102 on:** September 29, 2015, 11:22:03 am »

Ohgodsohgodsohgods.

With the leash hooked back on and the Steggadonians tugging her along, reality hit her full force. Her breath hitched, her heart leaping into her throat, and she stumbled along after her guards on shaky legs.

Oh gods, could she do this? What if she couldn't.

The belt tinkled as she walked, making quite the pretty sound, and what she was wearing was likely quite expensive--but she'd never felt lower, or more afraid.

Daglobster · « **Reply #103 on:** September 29, 2015, 12:36:07 pm »

"Nervous?"

Her escorts laughed, and they brought her back out into the courtyard, heading straight for the mansion. The guards at the door, two large Raptians wielding what might as well have been light machine guns, parted them, and they stepped inside.

The decor was odd, in that it was pretty much freestyle with no attention given to symmetry or actual design. Things were there because they were valuable, and just like slaves, Skerrondus hoarded couches, random paintings, and other odds and ends with no seeming rhyme or reason.

On Rividea, power and material wealth was everything. Sickeningly enough, there were plenty of furniture pieces and decorations that were taken from Jeth, war trophies to celebrate his campaign against the Feylini.

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #104 on:** September 29, 2015, 12:51:36 pm »

"Of course I'm nervous, sir," Esha said as she followed along. There was no point in pretending she wasn't; she was sure they could smell it on her, see it in her wide eyes, trembling hands, and flattened ears. Guards at the doors with guns. Heavily fortified walls and doors.

It was less mansion, in her eyes, and more prison.

And as they stepped inside, that sick feeling only grew.

So much was Feylini. So many furniture pieces, art pieces, all raped and pillaged from her home. How many people had died when they'd taken those things? How much blood had been scrubbed from them so they shone again? How many of those items' owners were now slaves, suffering in the mines or in Rividean beds? She jerked her eyes away, not wanting to look too hard for fear that she might recognize a piece, unlikely as it was.

Could Rivideans make nothing of their own, or did they just have to steal from everyone else?

She kept her arms crossed protectively over her chest, feeling especially small now, and kept her eyes open to try to memorize the layout. But it was difficult, because she was soon to meet Skerrondus one on one, and all she could think about was how he'd torn one of his own people apart.

Daglobster · « **Reply #105 on:** September 29, 2015, 01:19:12 pm »

Of course, there were plenty of Rividean pieces as well. The problem with Rividean culture was that it was a culture of scavengers, warlords, and survivors. Their whole society exists in a state of constant recycling.

When fresh resources came in from Jeth, along with scrap and parts recovered from Feylini vehicles, buildings, and facilities, Rivideans saw a period of renewal. Things became newer, shinier. More advanced. In short, the Feylini were being assimilated.

Finally, they came onto a grand hall, and it was simultaneously the most impressive and terrifying room in the house. It stretched on for thirty meters, and the walls leading up to Skerrondus' throne were adorned with trophies. Turrets from Feylini tanks hung on chains, some adorned with the skulls of their pilots. War trophies from conquests on Rividea, taking the form of mounted skulls, steering wheels, or even entire vehicles, all decorated the room. Skerrondus' throne itself was made of around five engine blocks all put together and shaped into a rather magnificent looking seat. Exhaust pipes shot out from the back and pointed upwards, and above the throne, there hung a gigantic plaque, ripped right from the steps of the Feylini capitol building.

Skerrondus himself sat on his throne, slouched, looking bored. Da Rippa sat leaned against the side of his throne, and on either side of the throne there were racks of weapons, each every bit as outlandishly customized as the next.

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #106 on:** September 29, 2015, 01:30:27 pm »

For Esha, it was more terrifying than impressive. Impressive, yes. That was true.

But to her, all of it was just...death.

Those skulls, those gutted vehicles. Stolen items, stolen lives, all just to be trophies for a crazed warlord to hoard and show off. But what chilled her most of all was that plaque.

It was the one that had once been in front of their capitol building.

Realization began to dawn on Esha then, her breath catching--why would he have that? How could he have gotten that unless...unless...

...Oh dear gods above.

Her eyes finally fell on Skerrondus himself, surrounded by weapons--including the one she was most intimately familiar with, the one she'd viewed a demonstration of. And whatever bravery she'd been dredging up in herself, whatever threads of it that still remained, instantly shriveled up inside her as she took a trembling step backwards and stared openly in pale-faced terror.

The plaque. A throne. This heavily fortified mansion inside what she could only describe as a fortress. The way everyone deferred to him.

Oh gods.

Was he...was he the one that...that lead the...?

She swayed a little in place, feeling suddenly dizzy.

Daglobster · « **Reply #107 on:** September 29, 2015, 02:05:36 pm »

Skerrondus' eyes fell on Esha, just in time to see her take a few terrified steps backwards, so see all the blood drain from her face. Just in time to smell her fear...

He smiled, steel fangs glinting in the light, and the Steggadonians ushered her forwards. Skerrondus's razor sharp talons drummed against the armrests. The blind Raptian woman, it seemed, did a bang-up job on Esha, because he shifted to a more attentive position. His tail, which laid off to the side and over an armrest, swayed in place.

The Steggadonians brought her over to the foot of his throne, and forced her down onto her knees.

"Do you know who I am, Longear?"

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #108 on:** September 29, 2015, 02:17:02 pm »

They hardly had to force her to kneel. Esha practically crumpled to her knees as her legs gave out. She had been terrified of him before, after seeing what he did to Peg-Leg. But now, realizing who he was, that fear took on a new dimension.

She should have never volunteered for this. Gods, what had she been thinking? She was going to die here. They were never going to get her out--how could they?!--and he was going to kill her, going to rape her and shred her and eat her and mount her skull on the wall with the rest! Her eyes darted briefly to Da Rippa, then back to him, and she swallowed against the dryness in her mouth and throat.

"Y...yes, sir," she managed to croak.

Daglobster · « **Reply #109 on:** September 29, 2015, 02:23:47 pm »

Skerrondus smiled even wider, and he leaned forwards just a bit. He, for one, had never had a Feylini slave for himself. One could call him a purist, in that he didn't really seek out Feylini for his personal desires.

Rividean women worked just fine, after all.

"Who am I, then?"

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #110 on:** September 29, 2015, 02:42:42 pm »

"Y-you...you are the Warmasta Supreem," Esha managed to force out, her eyes falling on those glinting teeth. "You...you took the Capitol, Arta."

A pause, and she added, as though hoping to be proven wrong, "...Correct? Ah, s-sir."

Daglobster · « **Reply #111 on:** September 29, 2015, 02:52:52 pm »

"Great Warmasta Supreem, Longear..."

He stood from his throne, towering over her like a monolith dedicated to war, and the tip of his tail rested on the bottom of her chin, tilting her head up so she could look into those violent eyes of his.

"What's your name?"

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #112 on:** September 29, 2015, 03:00:24 pm »

...Correct.

His tail tilted her head up, and she stared up into his eyes with her own soft violet ones. She swallowed again, licking her lips, and forced herself to stay as still as she could.

Not a difficult task, really. Feylini tended to freeze up when very frightened, and Feylini soldiers were trained extensively on how to deal with, and overcome, that hardwired instinct.

"E-Esha, sir," she said, voice almost a squeak. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Esha Amaris, Great Warmasta Supreem."

Daglobster · « **Reply #113 on:** September 29, 2015, 05:46:53 pm »

"Esha," Skerrondus repeated, her name rolling off his tongue like it already belonged to him. He smiled, and his tail was slowly making its way around her neck, like a snake preparing to strike.

"I think I'll let you keep it, just like how I let you keep your life."

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #114 on:** September 29, 2015, 05:58:23 pm »

Esha swallowed hard, her shoulders hitching up as that tail coiled around her neck, her throat tightening with a repressed scream. He could no doubt feel her pulse rapidly beating as she braced for him to hurt her, to strangle her, something awful.

"Y-you are most merciful, Great Warmasta Supreem," she said, hands curled into trembling fists. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Daglobster · « **Reply #115 on:** September 29, 2015, 06:25:48 pm »

"Only temporary," Skerrondus continued.

A hand extended from his side, and planted itself right on the top of her head, petting her there.

"Speak out of line, or disobey me, and I will correct my mistake."

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #116 on:** September 29, 2015, 06:42:29 pm »

Esha tensed, shivering as she felt those clawed fingers stroking through her hair. Still she managed a small nod, lowering her eyes and keeping her ears pinned back, though they quivered like the rest of her.

"I-I wish only to serve you, sir," she whispered.

Daglobster · « **Reply #117 on:** September 29, 2015, 06:46:02 pm »

Suddenly, the hand petting her stopped moving.

"When that runt of a pinkskin talked me into letting you live, he told me you were... untouched."

The hand resumed stroking.

"Is this true?"

Rhi-Rhi · « **Reply #118 on:** September 29, 2015, 07:16:16 pm »

Esha closed her eyes, a fresh shudder going through her at the question. She licked her lips again and folded her arms over her chest, suddenly all too aware of how exposed she was.

"Th...that is true, sir," she said, hugging herself a little tighter. Gods, please. Let him have other business to attend...

She cracked her eyes open with a shiver as he resumed his petting, her blood gone icy and goosebumps all along her skin. It wasn't the truth; she had made love to Aeron, the night before he'd been killed all those years ago, and they had kissed and touched plenty before that. Then there was Maddok. But Skerrondus didn't need to know about Aeron, and she couldn't tell about Maddok, and he'd have no way to know it wasn't true, anyway, short of an examination--and even examinations couldn't deliver a real answer there.

Besides, as far as those things went, her time with Aeron had been bloodless and painless. She had stretched, but never torn. Her only worry now was whether claiming virginity was the right answer. Rivideans could have valued experience more, yet wasn't it Ben's claim that she was untouched that saved her?

And would she be killed if he learned the truth?

Daglobster · « **Reply #119 on:** September 29, 2015, 07:56:01 pm »

"Good," Skerrondus said.

Of course, Ben ended up not really saving his skin at the end. When the cards were down, he'd attempted to do business with an enemy of Skerrondus', in his own territory as well. Ben was currently in Rividean custody, which might as well have been prison.

Suddenly, his tail tightened around her neck, and he lifted her clean off her feet using the powerful appendage. He looked to the Steggadonians.

"Leave us."