(no subject)
Muse: Fiona Reilan
Fandom: The Black Jewels Trilogy
Rating: R/NC17
Prompt: where
Her family didn't want her to leave Terreille. No matter to them that she wasn't a minor, and hadn't made any promises that she'd have to break to immigrate.
"They needed her." Those were the words they used. Fiona had pointed out, quite calmly, that there were plenty of Healers about. Many of those were far more experienced than she was, to boot. She had two older sisters who would be around to look after her parents in their 'old age'.
Fiona resisted the impulse, several times, to suggest to her mother that if she didn't stop angling for yet more wealth and standing in the court, that might be a pointless concern. She had met Dorothea, Hayll's "Priestess" only once. Dorothea had behaved charmingly, but their eyes had met, and each had silently assessed the other as a threat, not a friend or potential ally.
Thank the Darkness, this was after Fiona had had her Virgin Night, though Dorothea and her parents were unaware of that fact.
She'd gone to a Warlord acquaintance who lived in one of the villages that she knew. His lover had been a patient of hers some years ago, when a house fire left her injured. Fiona had been visiting her cousins at the time, less than a mile away.
She'd slipped out one night and ridden the Opal winds to the village, long after sunset, finding the couple's house by memory. They'd been surprised to see her, and more than a little taken aback by her request. He'd just nodded, though, when Fiona had said that she didn't trust the 'young men at her home Court' to see her through it safely. He and his lady had exchanged a grim look. Then the woman had smiled reassuringly, and left them alone in the house, no questions asked.
He'd been gentle, caring, concerned both for her safety and for her enjoyment. As he laid her down and covered her mouth with his, as he had led her through, with touch and voice, making a slow dance of it despite the urgency beneath their actions. Generous as well as protective. Fiona wished that she might offer him the same sort of sweet pleasure that nearly made her forget herself, but then, he seemed to have no complaints of their lovemaking.
When they lay together, afterward, spent and relaxed, she had known her inner web to still be intact. She gave him a warm smile and nodded to answer the unspoken question in his eyes. Kissing him softly on the mouth, she rose to retrieve her clothing. She sponged away the blood that had dampened her thighs, using Craft to help with this, before she dressed.
*May the Darkness protect you, Tieran,* she sent.
*And you, Lady. Be safe, wherever you may go.*
She'd returned home, her absence unnoticed by anyone but her twin, whom she knew wouldn't betray her...or not willingly.
She'd barely acted in time.
The next night, her parents had a 'guest' to dinner, an Opal-Jeweled Prince whom she recognized as one of Dorothea's discarded toys. She smiled politely, acted the submissive daughter.
Presumably, he was there as Dorothea's messenager, to extend Fiona a formal invitation to join Hayll's Court. Her mother preened, dreaming of a daughter who might make a good marriage, or rise as high as the First Circle.
Lies.
His stare alone was enough to make her feel as if she'd fallen into a pit of manure.
When his hand lingered on her arm just a little too long, Fiona caught the images skittering across his mind. Cold anger flooded through her.
They were of the same Jewel rank. She could have outpowered him. Killed him. It was the first time she'd felt the temptation to do so. There was no law against murder. She could. Yet, that knife could cut both ways. No. Think like a Healer, a daughter of the Hourglass. Fight on your own ground.
She let him lead her out to the gardens, out of earshot of anyone else. Even if she screamed, no one would admit to hearing it.
She let him pin her down, broken bits of rock and muddy earth digging into her back as he shoved her skirts up, knelt between her legs, and thrust brutally into her, his hands gripping her painfully. He thought she was too terrified to fight. She hadn't resisted...so far.
He groaned. Bit down on her neck in a sickening parody of a kiss.
He didn't notice that she'd set an Opal shield around the spot where they lay, or that she was being unnaturally motionless. She felt him probe her mind, trying to slip past her inner barriers while he was buried inside her, his cock throbbing against sore but not bloodied flesh.
Her hand slid through his hair. He jerked, feeling the prick of something sharp against his pale skin.
Fiona smiled up at him, showing teeth. She drew her hand back, retracting the snake tooth, and
pushed him off of her.
The shields hid them from sight. No one heard him beg for help, or scream as the poison made him vomit, coughing up blood and bile, turn blue.
He lay still.
Fiona rested a hand on his head, sending a sharp probe of her own. She wanted to make sure this was done. If he became demon-dead, it would complicate matters.
No. He was completely gone. She breathed a sigh of relief, and vanished the body.
A minor illusion spell hid the few bruises she'd received. She took the time to set it with care. The half hour or so she needed, was also time for her to decide what she would or wouldn't do about her parents.
Leave.
She didn't need revenge. She suspected they'd realize, sooner or later, just how big a mistake they'd made.
Whether they did or not, however, they would no longer have a third daughter to blame for this.
*Conlan,* she sent privately.
*Fiona? Are you coming back to the house?* He sounded troubled, afraid for her, but underneath that she caught the determination to help, whatever had happened between her and their 'guest'.
If she needed protection, comfort, or healing, he would do whatever he could, no matter what it cost him.
*Only long enough to pack and to make ready to leave in the morning.*
* They won't just let you...*
*I didn't mean to ask them. If they try to stop me...* She shrugged. *On their heads.*
A long silence followed.
Her mother wore Summersky Jewels and her father, the Yellow. Neither was a Black Widow. If it came to a fight, they were terrifyingly outmatched. Fiona meant to leave, with their cooperation or without it. *But I hope it won't come to that. I suspect our parents will be unwilling to risk it. Conlan, I can't stay. If you want to come with me, you need to decide. Now.*
*Do you truly have to ask?*
She smiled. *All right...*
At the next sunrise, they were on their way to the Service Fair in Kaeleer. The Shadow Realm.
Fandom: The Black Jewels Trilogy
Rating: R/NC17
Prompt: where
Her family didn't want her to leave Terreille. No matter to them that she wasn't a minor, and hadn't made any promises that she'd have to break to immigrate.
"They needed her." Those were the words they used. Fiona had pointed out, quite calmly, that there were plenty of Healers about. Many of those were far more experienced than she was, to boot. She had two older sisters who would be around to look after her parents in their 'old age'.
Fiona resisted the impulse, several times, to suggest to her mother that if she didn't stop angling for yet more wealth and standing in the court, that might be a pointless concern. She had met Dorothea, Hayll's "Priestess" only once. Dorothea had behaved charmingly, but their eyes had met, and each had silently assessed the other as a threat, not a friend or potential ally.
Thank the Darkness, this was after Fiona had had her Virgin Night, though Dorothea and her parents were unaware of that fact.
She'd gone to a Warlord acquaintance who lived in one of the villages that she knew. His lover had been a patient of hers some years ago, when a house fire left her injured. Fiona had been visiting her cousins at the time, less than a mile away.
She'd slipped out one night and ridden the Opal winds to the village, long after sunset, finding the couple's house by memory. They'd been surprised to see her, and more than a little taken aback by her request. He'd just nodded, though, when Fiona had said that she didn't trust the 'young men at her home Court' to see her through it safely. He and his lady had exchanged a grim look. Then the woman had smiled reassuringly, and left them alone in the house, no questions asked.
He'd been gentle, caring, concerned both for her safety and for her enjoyment. As he laid her down and covered her mouth with his, as he had led her through, with touch and voice, making a slow dance of it despite the urgency beneath their actions. Generous as well as protective. Fiona wished that she might offer him the same sort of sweet pleasure that nearly made her forget herself, but then, he seemed to have no complaints of their lovemaking.
When they lay together, afterward, spent and relaxed, she had known her inner web to still be intact. She gave him a warm smile and nodded to answer the unspoken question in his eyes. Kissing him softly on the mouth, she rose to retrieve her clothing. She sponged away the blood that had dampened her thighs, using Craft to help with this, before she dressed.
*May the Darkness protect you, Tieran,* she sent.
*And you, Lady. Be safe, wherever you may go.*
She'd returned home, her absence unnoticed by anyone but her twin, whom she knew wouldn't betray her...or not willingly.
She'd barely acted in time.
The next night, her parents had a 'guest' to dinner, an Opal-Jeweled Prince whom she recognized as one of Dorothea's discarded toys. She smiled politely, acted the submissive daughter.
Presumably, he was there as Dorothea's messenager, to extend Fiona a formal invitation to join Hayll's Court. Her mother preened, dreaming of a daughter who might make a good marriage, or rise as high as the First Circle.
Lies.
His stare alone was enough to make her feel as if she'd fallen into a pit of manure.
When his hand lingered on her arm just a little too long, Fiona caught the images skittering across his mind. Cold anger flooded through her.
They were of the same Jewel rank. She could have outpowered him. Killed him. It was the first time she'd felt the temptation to do so. There was no law against murder. She could. Yet, that knife could cut both ways. No. Think like a Healer, a daughter of the Hourglass. Fight on your own ground.
She let him lead her out to the gardens, out of earshot of anyone else. Even if she screamed, no one would admit to hearing it.
She let him pin her down, broken bits of rock and muddy earth digging into her back as he shoved her skirts up, knelt between her legs, and thrust brutally into her, his hands gripping her painfully. He thought she was too terrified to fight. She hadn't resisted...so far.
He groaned. Bit down on her neck in a sickening parody of a kiss.
He didn't notice that she'd set an Opal shield around the spot where they lay, or that she was being unnaturally motionless. She felt him probe her mind, trying to slip past her inner barriers while he was buried inside her, his cock throbbing against sore but not bloodied flesh.
Her hand slid through his hair. He jerked, feeling the prick of something sharp against his pale skin.
Fiona smiled up at him, showing teeth. She drew her hand back, retracting the snake tooth, and
pushed him off of her.
The shields hid them from sight. No one heard him beg for help, or scream as the poison made him vomit, coughing up blood and bile, turn blue.
He lay still.
Fiona rested a hand on his head, sending a sharp probe of her own. She wanted to make sure this was done. If he became demon-dead, it would complicate matters.
No. He was completely gone. She breathed a sigh of relief, and vanished the body.
A minor illusion spell hid the few bruises she'd received. She took the time to set it with care. The half hour or so she needed, was also time for her to decide what she would or wouldn't do about her parents.
Leave.
She didn't need revenge. She suspected they'd realize, sooner or later, just how big a mistake they'd made.
Whether they did or not, however, they would no longer have a third daughter to blame for this.
*Conlan,* she sent privately.
*Fiona? Are you coming back to the house?* He sounded troubled, afraid for her, but underneath that she caught the determination to help, whatever had happened between her and their 'guest'.
If she needed protection, comfort, or healing, he would do whatever he could, no matter what it cost him.
*Only long enough to pack and to make ready to leave in the morning.*
* They won't just let you...*
*I didn't mean to ask them. If they try to stop me...* She shrugged. *On their heads.*
A long silence followed.
Her mother wore Summersky Jewels and her father, the Yellow. Neither was a Black Widow. If it came to a fight, they were terrifyingly outmatched. Fiona meant to leave, with their cooperation or without it. *But I hope it won't come to that. I suspect our parents will be unwilling to risk it. Conlan, I can't stay. If you want to come with me, you need to decide. Now.*
*Do you truly have to ask?*
She smiled. *All right...*
At the next sunrise, they were on their way to the Service Fair in Kaeleer. The Shadow Realm.