I'm back! But beware, this rewrite is the longest chapter yet. 11k words. Enjoy!

The Unforeseen Midnight

The unshackling of Malinda’s self-imprisonment has continued for an hour since Xe’Reth heard Taryna’s cry. A cry that has now silenced itself, for Taryna sits on her own chair next to her sister, but their seats are so close that she has her head on Tanya’s shoulder. Her eyes are shut and hands cover her ears from the moans and pants that resound from her Mistress’s mouth.

However, not only the sisters and Cerinn remains seated by the table. Even Annettria have joined them – Xe’Reth’s newly appointed handmaiden. Hence Taryna’s end of tears because Annettria has heard of what she threatened Xe’Reth with, which she can just use as more proof of what she really is – a handmaiden of betrayal. She fell in love with her Mistress, an unforgivable emotion that she shouldn’t have, especially for a handmaiden.

For servants, it’s slightly different since they should love and support their benefactors with their all.

Because Taryna kept her love for Malinda a secret, it has only worsened the outcome if she were to reveal it. So many years have gone by, but not a word of such feelings have been spoken. Only kept it in the dark.

If Malinda would’ve known of Taryna’s love, would she show herself naked to her when bathing, changing in front of her? Because she has been seen by Taryna too many times to count. Were her eyes secretly lustful for her? Was she thinking of forbidden acts involving her? She has, and will continue to do so for as long as she loves her Mistress. But a blow so menacing has hit her.

A blow from Ereanna and Annettria.

Taryna could’ve stopped their conjoining, yet through Xe’Reth’s word-spilling mouth, she has suffered defeat. A loss that has given her no other option but to do something so unforgivable that she just wants to hit herself until she reaches the Divine Sky. An option that involves Madelyn, which she will aid.

All the servants have indeed been let off duty for tonight, even the Battle-Maidens who roam will not be allowed entrance into Malinda’s wing. The whole second floor even. Everything will be set for the coming of midnight that’s approaching in two hours.

“Young lady, who gave you permission to drink wine…? I didn’t, neither did the boy,” Annettria whispers to not bother the moving couple behind the drapes. She’s having Cerinn’s pouting head in her grasp, while Cerinn’s eyes are unresponsive, only her hands flap about trying to make Annettria let go of her, yet keeps her voice down unknowingly.

‘The whole bottle…! She drank a whole bottle by herself… This little girl is a disturbing one. She did try to show her superior rank to the servants and to me when she came back.’ Annettria gives Cerinn a gentle smile, letting go of her in the process. ‘But she’s a coward, that’s for sure. Just a little lamb among bloodthirsty wolves. I’ll have to train her thoroughly to be someone worthy of being a handmaiden. She lacks a lot.’

Even Tanya is holding herself back from Annettria’s presence. She wanted to speak up about her newly gained rank, but Tanya knows better than to talk back to someone like her, for Annettria is indeed the only successor that Ereanna considers to be worthy.

She has a lot of power inside the Sanctuary, but outside of it, Annettria has none, or at least she didn’t have. Yet now that she has positioned herself as a handmaiden, she can decide important events involving Xe’Reth’s and Malinda’s future with all the others.

Because when Malinda and Xe’Reth gets married, their handmaidens will band together to form a greater circle, which will become even bigger when children come into play. New servants, new handmaidens will be welcomed into the circle. Which’s why Annettria wanted to be a handmaiden to Xe’Reth. It’s all about the future of the Tertin dynasty.

It’s a family that saved Annettria from being killed. Or more precise, Matilda Tertin saved her from the gallows.

Matilda had heard the news of Annettria’s betrayal to the Kingdom. A betrayal that was false, for plotters aimed for her life, because her position in the spying organization belonging to the Ebon Wall was a pillar of shadow.

She was a person of rank. She had a life before joining this household, a family. But betrayed she was, by her very own subordinates who worked for another that sought her removal. And what better way than accuse her of treason to the Slave Kingdom? Because she had ventured out many times beyond the Forest of Scarlet, to spy on the enemy movements.

When she was sentenced, she gave up all hope since even the proof of her treason was faultless. Witnesses of people seeing her leave through the Ebon Wall’s passages and papers in a foreign language in her office. All her life she gave her body and soul to the Kingdom, and what did it give in return?

Nothing but a family who turned their backs on her when they heard of the accusations.

But, upon being transferred to the Capital where all traitors were sent to get their due, her DLO carriage was beset by shadows. Shadows that knocked every agent to sleep. Even she was put to slumber, only to wake up in another cell, yet a cell it was not.

It was a small sleeping quarter.

The expensive fabric covering the bed; her clothes, changed to something more comfortable, almost like the robes that initiates of the Divine Queens wear; and her shackles, removed. Only bruise marks around her wrists and ankles remained.

She had gathered her courage to venture beyond the steel framed wooden door which had been left slightly opened, yet no fright clouded her mind. Just pushing forth to accept whatever awaited her beyond the flickering crack.

She took her first step into a corridor of carved stone and caged torches lighting the place up on every wall beside every door. So many of them, so many lights, but a woman was indeed outside to greet her with only a nod of her head, then began walking down the hallway, treading on a crimson carpet.

She followed with mistrustful eyes, scanning the area as she walked with new shoes on; no windows, nothing to indicate what time it was, but she trailed behind the woman until they finally arrived at their destination; a large hall with ornamented statues riddling by the walls.

She caught the engraved nameplate on one of the pedestals. What took her by complete surprise – the last name.

Tertin.

Though with a snap of the woman’s fingers, her attention switched to gawk at the two women in front of her. One in her middle years, the other, slightly older. However, she knew who was standing there with a caring smile on her lips upon witnessing Annettria with her newly fitted attire.

Matilda Tertin, who Annettria would swear her undying loyalty to…

……

…

“Xe’Reeeth… How long do I… do I need to be in this position… Aren’t we finally finished?” Malinda moans while Xe’Reth is still inside her. He has recently planted his seeds, which has made him put a pillow under her pelvis to make his sperm have its greatest effect by remaining in such a stance. “It… it—Mmm!”

Xe’Reth leans forward to kiss her, to make Malinda shut up because he needs to impregnate her immediately. He doesn’t care if it’s a boy or a girl. As long as he gets a child in her, he can breathe easier. But it all depends on what cycle of the month she’s in.

Unlocking their lips, he comforts, “Malinda, you’ve been absolutely fantastic. You’re a Goddess. For our first time, we did go a little overboard. But I’m glad that I could make you enjoy this night, even though you’re under the influence.”

“You… You’re also fantastic Xe’Reth…” Malinda says with a blush while licking her lips off of his saliva.

She and Xe’Reth has been doing all kinds of positions, but this one is the same as when they first started, though, without the pillow raising her pelvis. With a slight move from the looming Xe’Reth, she shivers in pleasure, gaining a face of ecstasy. “Ah-ah…”

“You were tight, and you tensed up in the beginning. Though after a while, you did relax to take me in fully,” Xe’Reth says as he caresses her breasts, even biting them softly to make her moan some more. “Heh. But now, you and I have finally become true lovers – true partners in life. And I would like to ask you a question: You do know what might happen now that I’ve released inside, right?”

“Mm,” Malinda nods, giving Xe’Reth a gentle smile while her hands drag Xe’Reth’s head to plant his lips on hers again. She so enjoys the taste of his saliva. It’s an addictive scent, causing her mind to go into a trance. “I… I… I want to be like my mother… She never did like seeing me in armor. It was my father who convinced her to let me become a warrior of the Ebon Wall with my brother. Yet, I know my duty as… as… as an heir to Tertinum. That duty is to keep the line safe… by producing children…”

“Oh, and that you will do, my sweet, beautiful Malinda,” Xe’Reth says, wiping away a tear from Malinda’s eye with his thumb. He descends upon her, embracing her entirely with his bigger build of a man whose muscles are ripped, and so smooth and soft to one’s touch when he isn’t flexing. “As I said before… you’ll be even greater than your mother. A goddess among people, spreading your kindness to all. And the first you gained as a worshiper – me. I’ll stand by whatever decision you make. So please don’t cry, it only saddens me to see you in tears.”

“Mm,” Malinda nods again while smiling with closed eyes and arms around his bare back.

“I’m going to pull out now, so be ready. But don’t move from this position just yet, alright?” Xe’Reth confirms, raising to loom above her once more.

She has had a ravaging night.

A night not many girls would manage. But as she’s a woman who’s much older and stronger than the regular coming of age girls, she could handle it all. Nevertheless, most girls save themselves for their wedding day to appease the Goddesses. Rather everyone keeps themselves pure, even the men, to not gain the ire from the priestesses because excluding Honored Ones, regular nobles and commoners must gain permission from the Divine Queens before they are allowed to perform their ceremony.

Having a child while not being married is sacrilege. It can give them the ire from the priestesses that regulates everything. People have even left their Cities if such anger was directed toward them by their Holinesses.

Some are like Malinda, not having the time or the perseverance to wait for their day of sanctity.

Xe’Reth was rather surprised by her willingness to comply with every single act that he has done to her. Yet more acts of pleasure will still be done in the coming days ahead. He’ll ravage her every night until she doesn't want to get out of bed.

With Malinda clenching her teeth to show a shuddering grin of delight, Xe’Reth removes himself from within. Even Malinda’s legs spread in reflex as her stomach moves up and down in a somewhat relaxing motion.

Her hands travel to her stomach as the warmth of Xe’Reth’s seeds keep her in the clouds since she’s still very intoxicated from the wine. But her breathing accelerates as her eyes stare straight up into the ceiling.

With her lids gradually closing, darkness takes her again.

“M-Malinda?” Xe’Reth asks as her breath becomes absolutely calm with a smile on her lips. “Hey, hey…! Ah. Well, we did go a bit too far, didn’t we, my love?” He chuckles at Malinda’s exposed body as she sleeps.

Hands on stomach, legs spread, and that smile – Xe’Reth can’t help but be grateful to her.

She has given him so much trust, yet that trust is something she shouldn’t have given. However, he sighs as he adjusts Malinda to keep her pelvis still in his wanted spot. Then with a shout, he calls for the handmaidens to begin the cleaning of the bed, “We’re finished! And she has fainted from the exhaustion!”

Taryna is the first to jump from her seat to run with terrified legs while her breathing speeds up.

But Annettria is faster, she goes to stand right in front of her. “You’re not allowed anymore to witness your Mistress naked,” she says with a hand stopping her.

“What?! How dare you stand in my way, hag?” Taryna hisses as she whips away Annettria’s hand to push her out of the way. Yet she’s the one that gets thrown to the floor instead, with a leg sweeping behind her feet as Annettria drags her with an arm. She falls backward, landing on her buttocks first. It shocks Taryna, gaining a pair of widened eyes.

“You’ve betrayed your Mistress. That’s why I’m not allowing you to see her anymore,” Annettria says while looming above her.

‘No…! No…! No…! Did she find out about my plan with Madelyn…?!’ Taryna fears with a lower lip beginning to tremble. “I-I haven’t betrayed her! What are you talking about?!”

“Oh, you have. By not revealing your true feelings for Malinda, you’ve broken the single tenet that shouldn’t be broken – having pure sexual feelings for your Mistress. Yes, you may sleep with her if she and her mate choose to do so. But to actually be in love, that’s not allowed. You know that, yet you ignore it to sate your own wants. Completely disregarding your oaths.”

“If you were a man and your feelings would be revealed, you would’ve suffered a worse fate than you’ll suffer now. Never again will you be allowed to witness her naked. Never again,” Annettria sentences with eyes gazing down at the open-mouthed woman. However, with her orbs traveling to Tanya, she glares. “Tanya. You’ve betrayed your Mistress as your sister have. You kept it a secret knowingly of how dire of a situation Taryna is really in.” She sighs, “Yet you’re a proper one, so no punishment will be sentenced. And these words are not from me but from the Matriarch. So without further delay, come Tanya, it’s time to clean the bed and our Mistress.”

“You… you can’t… You have no power here, wench!” Taryna shrieks while standing up. “You think you can come into this wing and change everything with a snap of your fingers, don’t you?! Well, you—!!”

“I can! And I will!” she barks loudly, but she pauses. “Because if Mistress were to hear the words you threatened Xe’Reth with, you wouldn’t go unpunished for your crime.” Annettria shakes her head in utter disappointment at Taryna who has gone more wide-eyed as her hands cover her mouth in terror. “You are like Lady Madelyn… As twisted and as cruel. Hiding behind a façade while utterly gazing with arrogance. So leave now, before you force my hand…”

“T-Taryna…?” Tanya utters in horror with quaking lips. Her head shakes side to side in minute movements as the words from Annettria sinks into her mind. “Did you… Did you actually threaten Xe’Reth… like Madelyn did…?”

Taryna’s breathing quickens the longer her voice is withholding her excuses.

With a hasty glance toward the well-lit drape, she turns around to sprint out of the room, and right as she gets past the opened door, tears start to flow out once more…

“Tanya… Your mother and father will hear of this disappointment,” Annettria says, shaking her head some more in shame while facepalming. “But, we won’t reveal it to Malinda…yet… For she needs a couple of days of rest from this awful day that she has had.”

She switches her eyes to the shadow of Xe’Reth who’s standing by the bedside as he clothes himself with a towel around his waist to cover his pulsating private part up.

“Now then, our Mistress awaits,” Annettria adds, giving a quick eyeing to Cerinn who has fallen asleep at the tableside, even silently snoring.

Pulling the drapes to the sides, Tanya’s and Annettria’s eyes do widen at Xe’Reth’s erected bulge under the towel.

“It’s impolite to stare, isn’t it?” Xe’Reth asks smilingly while treading towards them, then steps past, down the few steps. “Ah, and be careful so you don’t wake her up. Better to have her sleep until morning. Otherwise, her times will get switched up. Just change the sheets and clean her. I’ll be washing off my sweat, and the blood…”

“As the Master commands,” Annettria smirks, giving Xe’Reth a chuckle as she goes to stand on the opposite side of the bed from Tanya.

“W-Why is Miss in such a position…?” Tanya asks while dotting with a wet towel on Malinda’s forehead which has been dipped in a bucket of water next to the bed. Everything has been arranged for both the start and the aftermath of their conjoining.

“For child making girl, why else?” Annettria responds as she removes the pillow under Malinda’s pelvis, causing Xe’Reth’s seeds to spill out onto the white sheet that is already stained with faded crimson and liquid substances.

“Bu-But it has only gone… They are moving way too fast!” Tanya shouts across, sitting on the bed next to her sleeping Mistress. But she lowers her voice and head, “This… this isn’t right…”

“Tanya!” Annettria barks in a hushed tone, climbing on the bed too as she points at Malinda. “You heard what they spoke about. About her being willing to go to the length of bearing his child. We need this, we need an heir to the Tertin line. Not some blind girl who we can’t put our faith in. Because Tanya, she may not recover from her illness. And I’ve heard that it has gotten worse… again.”

“You know of Madelyn’s suicide attempt. What if she actually died? That would only make two remaining heirs – Mistress and Lady Merissa. And we won’t hand over Tertinum to that snake of a woman. Do you understand, girl?”

“What do you mean by, snake of a woman? You mean Madam Celyssa…?” Tanya asks but grows silent, squinting her eyes toward Xe’Reth who’s currently behind the decorated screens, having his whole body in somewhat warm water to wash off the sweat.

He could’ve gone on for far longer.

Xe’Reth is only giving Malinda his least effort in pleasuring her. Next time when they’ll have sex, is the time he’ll go all out, making Malinda do some work instead of lying there like a dead fish on a strand.

However, for now, he needs to finish the last book he read to its conclusion. Then go to bed and wake up beside his lovely maiden.

“After we’ve finished. Go talk to your grandmother, she’ll explain everything to you in a light you’ll understand. But for now, do your duty for your Mistress,” Annettria answers, smiling at Malinda’s face of contentment. Pure happiness blesses her expression. Talking about her mother – telling herself that she wants to be like her – has her in a pleasant dreaming mood.

As they clean her, Tanya’s face grimaces upon witnessing Malinda’s private part all reddened from Xe’Reth’s slight roughness. But since she didn’t protest, Tanya tuts while shaking her head. Her Miss will be sore tomorrow, that’s for sure. And judging from Xe’Reth’s bulge she saw, she wouldn’t want to be in her shoes.

‘Men…’ Tanya scoffs with a headshake. She then takes a deep breath to return to her tranquil self.

“I understand. I’ll go talk to grandmother. But not today, tomorrow because I need to see to my foolish sister so she doesn’t do something she will regret,” Tanya sighs. But putting up a gentle smile, she hesitates, “A-Annettria?”

“Yes, girl…?”

“Do… Do you think that I’ll become Malinda’s replacement when she becomes pregnant…? Because you can’t do these things when you have a baby inside, right?” Tanya says with flickering eyes, stroking Malinda’s breasts off of the dried up oil.

“Hehehe, girl… Who told you such a false fact?” Annettria snickers as she wipes Malinda’s thighs.

Every part is being tended to so she doesn’t need to get out of bed. More towels have been placed around her to soak the water that’s running down her body on all sides.

“M-My other older sister… She said that if one has sex while being pregnant, the baby will… will…—”

“—die?” Annettria finishes but shakes her head as her chuckling voice declares for Xe’Reth to hear. But he catches everything. “Mm, hehe. No, girl. A baby doesn’t die if one has intercourse while being pregnant. Honestly, a healthy relationship while carrying won’t hurt it at all. But I don’t think Malinda will let him have another woman than herself. You might have not noticed yet, but our Mistress is the jealous type. A woman who will not allow another to taint her man. Just remember Malinda’s mother. Oh Divines, she could be jealous indeed. May she rest in peace with her ancestors in the Divine Sky…”

“May she rest in peace…” Tanya repeats, closing her eyes and clutching her hands in a prayer.

“Though... Tanya… You had better grades than your oldest sister. So how in the Divines didn’t you get educated in such activities…?” she asks as a final question.

“I… I don’t…” Tanya avoids but sighs, setting down her wet towel on Malinda’s moving stomach. “I’m not particularly fond of acts involving—,” she gulps, “—sex. Rather, I’m extremely scared. What if Mistress suffers a miscarriage? You know that many in the Tertin line have suffered such fates in the past because of their—That… That’s why the Tertin family is so small.”

“Your qualms are warranted, girl. But all we can hope is that the Divine Queens delivers us from doom. To bless Mistress with many children,” Annettria says, gazing up at the ceiling as her palms ascend. “If I were to decide, I would have Mistress pregnant as soon as her resting period ends.”

“Miss will be devastated if she does miscarriage. I fear for her. It has only gone such a short time, yet we’re already speaking about children. I just feel that it isn’t right, that’s all,” Tanya concludes, sinking her head while bringing Malinda’s hand to her cheek.

“You worry too much, girl,” Annettria calms, caressing her other cheek with a motherly smile.

‘We will need Malinda’s future read when her aunt arrives, immediately.’ She narrows her eyes while turning her head to the bathing area of the room. ‘That boy too. He is an extraordinary young man. His healing, his… heightened senses… That body of his… He’s only a child… I can only hope that he won’t do something stupid in the future. Though, he’s starting to grow on me.’

Smiling, she returns to clean her slumbering Mistress.

……

…

“Everything is changed to be suitable for sleeping, boy,” Annettria says with a curtsy, standing below the few stairs while Xe’Reth is only in his new black underwear. Tanya, however, has left since Malinda sleeps soundly with a tucked in cover. A bed of whiteness unstained by nothing. Only Malinda’s head displays above a pillow.

With a tiresome sigh while closing his book, Xe’Reth thanks with a nod, “Then let’s talk more in the morning, and do take care of that little girl. Oh, and what we talked about before, about the scouting – let’s do that tomorrow night after Malinda has fallen asleep, alright?”

“As you wish Master Xe’Reth,” Annettria chuckles with such a smirk, giving him one more curtsy as she goes to pick up Cerinn who’s snoozing away her remaining working hours. “Also, I’ve been thinking… As your last name is fake, don’t you think using the real one would be better suited? To start fresh? I can arrange everything to go smoothly, just say the word.”

“Won’t I need to take Malinda’s last name later on?” Xe’Reth asks, raising his scarred brow while crossing his arms.

“That’s solely up to you if you wish to be called Xe’Reth Tertin… or Vaethren… Up to you,” Annettria answers, then carries Cerinn out the opened door while the drunk handmaiden mutters in her sleep, causing Annettria to smile in the gentlest of ways. “Good night… Boy!”

Chuckling, Xe’Reth walks to the door to close it. He can’t help but smile at Annettria’s personality. She’s acting too young for a forty-year-old woman. No, almost everyone is acting younger than they are. Though he’s truly thankful for her aid involving his mother.

Theresa was in the clouds again when she woke up. She didn’t manage to catch any of the servants who were on the upper level with Xe’Reth and Annettria. They had stared at her body – stares of pity, however, no disgust were in their eyes. At least which he didn’t catch.

‘A new day awaits… Though hopefully, it’ll be a calm one until night time arrives so I can get some more reading done. Much to learn, much to do. The garden… My little bear friends… And about what Maldoran asked of me. To assist with the army with Malinda and Madelyn. Divines… I must read a lot of warfare, military handling, and…' Xe’Reth shakes his head as he chuckles.

‘Tomorrow. Tomorrow is when I’m going to get a little exposure… and that snake? Yes, she has her work cut out for her to bring the City’s luster back. But unfortunately, I’ll not let her take that honor. My Goddess will be the one who saves this City, not you… murderer…’

His teeth clench, his eyes narrow, and with his feet treading toward Malinda, he climbs into bed. As it has only one big cover, Xe’Reth snuggles up to spoon his Goddess once again. He does enjoy her aroma very much.

She’s fully naked under the concealment of whiteness.

The candles and the hearth, unlit; the room, silent with only Xe’Reth kissing Malinda’s neck. But with time he too closes his eyes to be swallowed up by the darkness. Though, the two moons shine in the light of night through the undraped balcony.

With a last escaping sigh warming Malinda’s neck, Xe’Reth slumbers away into his own dreams…

……

…

Xe’Reth’s closed eyes unseal themselves upon hearing a quiet knock on the door as if it isn’t supposed to be heard, but Xe’Reth, he hears it loud and clear. He even heard the opening of the double doors that lead out into the corridor thirty seconds ago, thinking that it was only a servant.

The silent knocks are in intervals of ten seconds.

Xe’Reth tosses away the cover to expose Malinda’s naked unmoving body to him. She’s sleeping while breathing through her nose. Xe’Reth just tucks her in again as he moves with such silent footsteps on the scarlet carpet.

Arriving at the door like a ghost after he clothes himself with a specially made black bathrobe, he waits for the knock. Xe’Reth listens carefully with a turned head, interested in who it might be.

Only a single breath outside the door, nobody else.

‘The person must know of Malinda’s deep sleep. While I, on the other hand, isn’t known yet for my sleeping patterns. The knocks are for me, not for Malinda,’ Xe’Reth concludes but waits for a couple of more silent thuds on the door. After ten more, he smirks. ‘Persistent huh?’

But when the ten seconds turns to twenty seconds, Xe’Reth frowns while leaning crossed armed with his back against the wall by the left side of the door. He pushes his body off of it to get ready, for the handle descends to be opened up.

Standing on the left side as it slowly moves, Xe’Reth’s whole body is hidden since the door covers him thoroughly.

As the person treads into the room on the carpet with carefully placed steps, the door behind the now visible woman closes shut behind her, causing her to unsheathe her sword in a startled draw while spinning around to gawk at the shadow behind her. But since the moons and stars shine in through the undraped balcony, the woman witnesses the shadow step toward her, while she takes a step back in reflex.

With a somewhat relieved sigh escaping from the woman, she sheaths her curved sword to curtsy while gripping the sides of her handmaiden dress. Her voice as silent as it can be, but very gentle, “Forgive me for interrupting your sleep, Master Xe’Reth. But my Mistress summons you to her chamber. She has a proposition for you. I urge you to accept. Though if you were to decline, I’m ordered to convince you otherwise.”

Xe’Reth’s eyes travel to the shaft on the wall, utterly unmoved by her verses, ‘I hope they aren’t listening in right now… Though, her voice won’t be heard if she keeps it that quiet.’ Traveling back to the handmaiden, he eyes her up and down. Scarlet let out hair and glistening crimson eyes. ‘Which twin is it again? Their names… Velyn and… Verelin…? They should update the Citadel’s handbook. Better paintings of the handmaidens. I can’t even tell those two sisters apart.’

Since Xe’Reth has only seen them once for real, he didn’t manage to memorize their features, but the woman standing in front of him is Verelin. She has much more lavish jewelry than Velyn, much more. Earrings, hair decorations, a jeweled neckless, rings on her fingers, and her makeup, as extensive as Madelyn’s usual appearance.

Chuckling, Xe’Reth puts up his hand, then forwards it to the door as he whispers with a closed-eyed smile, “Unfortunately, I’ll have to decline your Mistress’s offer. You may now take your leave.”

Verelin narrows her eyes, clicking with her tongue. She knew that this wasn’t going to work, but her orders are clear. She unsheathes her sword once more while holding it with one hand, saying silently, “I insist that you reconsider.”

“I wonder what would happen if I were to yell right now?” Xe’Reth says with such a grin, even giving her a taunting wink, which turns her frown into furrowing eyebrows while blinking her eyes excessively fast. “But… what does Madelyn want? You might be able to convince me… if your offer is good enough.”

Verelin recoils with wide eyes as if stunned, not prepared for that kind of counter. But she lowers her sword away from him while his eyes follow the tip until he finally turns his attention to the gorgeous lady in front. He tilts his head while eyeing her some more, ‘A beauty indeed,’ turning her expression vile with contempt.

‘What does Mistress see in this… Dammit! Why did I lose to my sister again?! I always get the hard jobs!’ Verelin rages inside herself, but Madelyn ordered her to do whatever it takes to bring him to her chamber, even if she has to charm him with her own beauty. ‘I swear if I don’t get anything from you Madelyn as a gift after doing this… Diamonds, yes. I want a diamond neckless…’

She sighs, sheathing her sword once again.

Her whole guise changes. She puts on an alluring smile on her pouty mouth and eyes gazing at Xe’Reth like a woman in heat. She walks with swaying hips toward him, having learned it through practicing the art of attraction which Madelyn told her to do.

Standing there in front of Xe’Reth, him towering slightly above her, she places her hand on his chest while bringing her head so close, whispering as her crimson eyes have fixated on his. “You like older women, don’t you, boy…? You aren’t even eighteen yet, but you’ve bested a woman such as Lady Malinda. Though, really, she’s nothing compared to my Mistress…”

Verelin moves with her hands to the top button of her dress. Her eyes and smile are so alluring with her swaying body as if she’s dancing like a snake, trying to enthrall him. With one button opened, her hands go to the next one, then the next, until she reveals her naked breasts to Xe’Reth which are larger than Malinda’s. Yet a scrape from dueling Taryna still shows on her collarbone.

“My Mistress will offer you pleasures beyond your imaginings. Young, older, even younger? You say, they come with a snap of her fingers… while here… You can only enjoy a minute portion of what pure desire feels like,” Verelin offers silently, smiling while cupping her breasts up and down in her own hands.

A pause exchanges between them; Verelin trying to be as desirable as she can while Xe’Reth stares at those bouncing bosoms, thinking, ‘Those are the fourth pairs I’ve seen today.’

“I pity you…” Xe’Reth utters in a quiet tone, shaking his head in sheer disappointment. Sure, those pair of mounds are goddesslike for her age, but such temptations are beyond Xe’Reth. He has had his fill for tonight. Even if Xe’Reth didn’t have sex with Malinda, he isn’t so stupid to fall for such round objects of fat.

As his shaking head concludes, he begins to chuckle while gaining a mischievous grin, striking forth his hand to fondle one of her bosoms as Verelin slaps it away as soon as it makes contact. “I thought so… Only showing, but no touching huh? Are you so disgraceful to stoop to this kind of tactic? I may not know you, but for the Queens, show yourself some respect will you?”

Buttoning up her front in lightning speed, Verelin grimaces, not with anger, but with such excruciating shame.

“But please,” Xe’Reth says as his mouth appear next to her ear while she gawks at his quickness, “Do lead the way…” He licks his lips for good measure, even smells her perfumed hair to make her shudder in fright, making her think that he’s the one that’s the beast and not she, a full grown woman.

Lowering her head as if she’s being suppressed by a greater force, she heads out the door as she opens it with Xe’Reth following behind her while he enjoys the view. Breaking such a woman a little bit was easier than he thought. However, he smiles at his own act.

Xe’Reth doesn’t even bother with Malinda, he just walks behind the hurrying handmaiden.

He knows how innocent these women can be. So exploiting their inexperienced minds will work out in Xe’Reth’s favor. But he’s only playing along, for now. He’s rather interested in what Madelyn wants of him since his mother, Theresa, is safe and sound because of the two servants who stand guard inside her quarters.

Ever since Madelyn’s and Taryna’s threat, he has put up precautions to secure her safety. Though he does raise a brow as he steps out into the corridor.

Pure darkness. Not a single caged torch is lit.

Nevertheless, while walking past his mother’s chamber, he does catch the flickering lights between the cracks of the doors while his ears listen to two snoring women inside, causing him to frown, which Verelin sees with a smile, thinking that he worries that her Mistress has done something involving his mother.

“My Mistress would never harm your mother, not even a hair. Know that. Her threats were merely empty,” she assures with a turned head, yet her tone as silent as always. “Now come. She eagerly awaits your arrival.”

……

…

“What’s taking her so long?! I don’t want to push this up another day! I know, I know! He has no obligation to come, but I know him! I know him!” Madelyn screams in anxiety while she wears a transparent red negligee, showing her black laced underwear.

She’s inside her bedchamber with Velyn who sits next to her on a stretched out seat that’s aligned with the foot of the bed. Madelyn is grimacing in pain as her whole body aches terribly, breathing in heavy breaths. Dizziness has taken over her mind, almost wanting to vomit as if she has drunk alcohol.

“And you, I hope you arranged so nobody will see Xe’Reth coming to my wing from my sister’s, otherwise… Well, you know what will happen if I don’t get what I want,” Madelyn puts up a smirk, gazing with mocking eyes at Taryna who sits silently on a chair a few meters next to the doors leading out into Madelyn’s own place of relaxation. “What, the Divine Queens got your tongue or something?”

“You just worry about holding up your end of the bargain,” Taryna growls with such a deadly scowl directing toward Madelyn. “And I hope YOU cleared out all of your servants too. Because I want everything to be revealed at the same time. So it can have its greatest impact to thwart that spawn of darkness.”

Velyn stays quiet next to her Mistress while arranging Madelyn’s let out hair to have no strands out of place. But the pity in her mind for Taryna has her in a great mood. She tries so hard to keep her smile in check, which she manages.

While Madelyn, she can’t stand the haughtiness that Taryna shows at this moment. A mere handmaiden talking to someone such as her with that kind of tone? She wants to throw her out of the Citadel. But Madelyn strengthens her mind to put up with it, for her time will come to suffer humility.

As an impressive whistle comes from Xe’Reth in the other chamber, the ladies perk up in their seats. Even the silent Liriana who sits on the chair next to Taryna. She’s almost invisible to all the others, because for once, she’s as quiet as night.

“How do I look?” Madelyn asks, trying to contain her excitement.

“Like the original Goddess herself,” Velyn adores while bobbing her head in contentment.

But as Xe’Reth’s voice declares outside the doors, “In here?” Madelyn feels sick to her stomach. Such a pulsating headache plagues her skull. But clenching her teeth, she toughens up as she takes a deep breath.

The double doors to the bedroom burst wide open to reveal Xe’Reth while he has his arm around Verelin’s shoulder. Her face is in turmoil, her body and mind as a little kitten upon making eye contact with her Mistress. And Xe’Reth, all smiles with his white teeth showing.

“Really Madelyn, tempting me with this old lady? Ordering her to seduce me by showing her breasts? You’re bold with your handmaidens, I give… you… that…” Xe’Reth interrupts himself upon turning his head to witness Taryna, which causes Verelin to sprint away from Xe’Reth as if she doesn’t, she’ll die from the poison that spits out from Madelyn’s eyes.

Throwing herself onto the carpeted floor right below Madelyn’s bare feet, Verelin pleads while grabbing around her Mistress’s ankle, trying to shackle herself to her, “F-Forgive me! No matter what I would do, he would not come! I knew that! So I went—I tried to seduce him! But I never sought to take him from you, I promise, forgive me! He forcefully put his arms around me, saying that he’ll go back if I don’t let him!”

Though as Verelin gazes up to her Mistress, she’s stunned. Madelyn is peering at Xe’Reth now instead of punishing this charlatan of a handmaiden.

“So this is your doing? Gaining aid from Malinda’s worst enemy to try to separate me from your loved one…? Bold!” Xe’Reth declares with his eyes going wide, grinning, paying no attention to the stunned maidens by the bed, not even the gawking Liriana who has an open mouth catches Xe’Reth’s interest. “First, you threw your disdain at me. Second, you tried to choke me to death. Third, you threaten to murder my mother like that girl over there. And now?” He sighs with a headshake. “For what? What have I done to you? Oh. Ah yes, that’s right, I took away your sexual object which you masturbate to.”

“Hold you lying tongue!” Taryna shouts with such startling eyes, rising from her seat.

“No! You hold your fucking tongue, you whore!”

Both of them turns to the fuming Madelyn who has stood up to point at Taryna with a shaking hand. Velyn and the extremely relieved Verelin supports their Mistress so she doesn’t fall down from her exhausted body.

“Did… Did I hear correctly just now…?” she utters with death in her squinting eyes.

“You did,” Xe’Reth nods while moving closer to Madelyn. “She tried to kill me, and my mother. But she has failed… like you did.” As he reaches the twins and Madelyn, he tilts his head down, for Madelyn’s height is a tiny bit shorter than Malinda’s.

She shrinks under his gaze.

Xe’Reth is actually trying to be as big-headed as he can possibly be because dealing with Madelyn, he can’t show any weakness. Otherwise, she’ll be the dominant one.

He needs her to submit to him, so Xe’Reth can cover up everything after he is finished here now that he has a somewhat firm grasp of what’s going on. And judging from the thick drapes hanging on every wall and corner of the room, the eavesdroppers won’t hear. Though he isn’t sure if they have any caged shafts in this wing.

Xe’Reth’s body isn’t like the average seventeen—no, sixteen-year-old.

He knows that he grows quicker than everyone else, making his build much more frightening in front of squirming little girls. Will he grow more? He doesn’t know, at least he hopes not since his height is higher than the average height. Though a little more wouldn’t hurt, rather being taller makes it easier to look down on people… literally of course.

“No, Xe’Reth, no! I would never—” Madelyn shuts her mouth, thinking about her suicide attempt and the knife that she wanted to use on Xe’Reth and herself. “I… I was wrong! I did something terrible, please, you need to forgive me!” Noticing the patch on his neck, she mumbles so quietly, “And I’m sorry for doing that to you too.”

Xe’Reth raises such a surprised scarred brow. So does Taryna, but with worry, while her head shakes side to side. This wasn’t part of their plan. They were supposed to drug him when he arrived after a little talk. Nothing about this. Madelyn wanted to rape Xe’Reth, then reveal it to the Citadel that they slept together. That’s what she promised Taryna, so Malinda will finally know what kind of man Xe’Reth really is.

“What are you waiting for?! You have him! So do what we agreed upon! Now!” Taryna yells with a pointing finger straight at Xe’Reth. But neither Madelyn nor the twins react.

“You know what? I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to force Xe’Reth anymore…” Madelyn says with a nonchalant flick of her hand, gaining such a leer on her mouth while sitting down on her seat at the foot of the bed.

While the twins, on the contrary, flickers their eyes at their Mistress’s sudden unexpectant decision. Verelin especially bites her lower lip for she showed her breasts all for nothing. Also being felt up. And she was handled like a typical whore by him who she now turns to gaze at.

Xe’Reth is as calm as ever. He has even taken a few steps to the side to not block Madelyn’s view, making Verelin rather furious, yet hidden away from her Mistress.

“W-What…? You can’t back out… Lady Madelyn, you can’t!” Taryna shouts in desperation, for she has committed everything to this plan to expose this secret relationship that’s being forged right now. “You gave your Honored word, Lady Madelyn! You wanted your sister, my Mistress, to feel pain, yes? Then all you need to do is follow what we decided upon!”

“While you swoop in to comfort her in your embrace, yes?” Xe’Reth interjects while chuckling.

He can’t help but feel contempt for Taryna. For she’s trying to separate him from his beautiful Malinda. He does like her a lot. Even love would be a better word. Malinda has given him so much, and giving her his love, now that’s a price he’s willing to pay for such luxury.

He turns to Madelyn, awaiting her next move.

Such nonchalance as if they’ve known each other for a very long time, well at least Madelyn has known of Xe’Reth the longest, watching him, fantasizing about him…

She clears her throat with a rasping cough, then narrows her eyes at Taryna’s sudden change in tone. It’s laughable to even consider that this waste of space was supposed to aid her in violating Xe’Reth.

In a split second, Madelyn’s eyes widen as an idea pops into her mind. ‘Instead of revealing it right away… why don’t I reveal it when…’ she begins to giggle uncontrollably. As it turns into pure laughter, everyone gawks at her. “Hahahaha, yes, yes, yes! That’s it!”

“Mistress…?” both of the twins asks, being rather worried about her burst of insanity.

“Taryna…” Madelyn begins, waving away her handmaidens while her mouth can’t stop leering. “I did hear correctly, yes? What Xe’Reth said? You threatened him, like me?”

“Lies, Lady Madelyn. He uses the people around him to further his own goals by telling pure lies. Though… choking him… That was the only real moment of happiness I’ve felt since he took away my Mistress from me,” Taryna says while gazing down at the floor with sharp, intent eyes, having madness clouding her mind. “Madelyn,” Taryna narrows her lids to glare at Xe’Reth. “Instead of wanting him, you should cut off his head before he hurts you.”

Xe’Reth whistles at her boldness, taking a few steps backward with hands raised as he taunts her with a chuckle, “Heh, you really hate me that much, huh?”

As a long pause exudes in the bedroom, Madelyn scowls at Taryna for even uttering such a ridiculous offer. However, as she switches her gaze from Velyn then to Verelin, she smiles.

Both of them have their swords, while Taryna, her sword is nowhere in sight. Because she had taken a quick bath together with her sister, for Tanya worried that she would do something to herself since she has done self-harm before. Scars are hidden away under her handmaiden attire.

Scars of sins.

Waving to both of her handmaidens, they lean close to Madelyn’s mouth, while Taryna squints with a turned head to hear what they’re whispering about. But catching Xe’Reth’s now wide eyes going alert, she becomes nervous. And as Xe’Reth gives her an incredibly sad smile, having not seen such an expression before, she jerks her head to Madelyn.

‘What is that girl saying to them…?’ Taryna worries, slowly moving her hand to her… sword. ‘Oh no. I didn’t put my belt on after I left Tanya...’ Her mind had just focused on one single event. An event that she wants to succeed. But now her heart can’t stop beating faster and faster.

As the twins arch back up, Velyn and Verelin walks to the double doors while having unfazed expressions. Nothing but two gentle forced smiles.

Velyn stops half way to the door to turn toward Taryna while sliding out her curved sword.

Verelin, she takes out a key chain as she begins to browse to find the right key. And with a gaping mouth going ajar and eyebrows raising, she locks the double doors, then slides out her own curved sword, gaining such a hideous grin.

“Taryna… Taryna…” Madelyn fusses with a finger moving side to side. “My handmaidens… Well…” She licks her lips in excitement, “They’ll now humiliate you… as you humiliated them. Though, much worse of course.”

She’s stunned by her statement, while Liriana who stands behind her has also frozen in place.

Taryna starts to snarl at Madelyn with scowling eyebrows.

As she bites hard to grind her teeth, she spins around as she stretches out her arms to grab the lip-trembling girl. She positions Liriana in front of her while having her head in a chokehold, lifting her up so her feet are in the air.

“Open the door and let me leave, or I’ll snap this girl’s neck!” Taryna barks, holding Liriana who tries to levitate the stress on her frail neck by clutching her hands on Taryna’s arms.

The twins show their grimaces as clear as day, for Liriana is a fresh air in Madelyn’s wing which has made it so many like her gentle and innocent ways, even though people won’t really show it.

They hesitate, taking a step back, but with a declaration from their Mistress, their hearts sink into the void, “Oh, do go ahead and kill her for me, so I don’t need to bother with such an incompetent little girl. Can’t even complete my orders to the letter… Tut, tut.”

“M-Mis-Mistress…” Liriana chokes out a cry with a grimace of sorrow upon hearing her Mistress’s verdict. She did mess up when she went to her house. There were too many vials of potions, pills, and medicine to know which was what. Though Liriana did manage to find some of the supplies, which’s hiding away in a satchel on her waist.

“You do not care for her life?!” Taryna bellows so loud as if trying to call for help.

“Oh, do keep your voice down, will you? You’re giving me more of a headache than I already have,” Madelyn flicks her hand at Taryna, not caring if somebody hears because two sets of double doors shield this little meeting from unwanted listeners.

“And why would I care for that waste of air, huh? Tell me? Why? She’s nothing but a betrayer like you’re to your own Mistress. Ahh… When she find out about what you’ve done… I’ll enjoy watching it unfold…” Her gaping smile clenches shut to begin growling at her two disobedient handmaidens. “What are you waiting for?! Are you as dumb as Liriana?! Go and exact your revenge by beating her to death! But don’t harm her face, we can’t leave visible bruises for my sister or anyone else to see!”

“A-As you command…” both of them replies, thrusting forth their swords to point at Taryna who grimaces at Madelyn’s disregard for her own handmaiden’s life. Even tears river down Liriana’s face with snot running from her nose.

“You’re as revolting as everyone says you are…” Taryna hisses with twitching lips.

However, as a sigh escapes from her mouth, she lowers Liriana to the floor to let her go, making her cascade down to rub her tender neck. Yet as she stands up, Taryna kicks her rear so she stumbles forward right toward Velyn who’s halfway between the door and Madelyn.

Taryna wastes no time, she dashes toward the bed, which causes both of the twins to gawk at their own stupidity, but a shadow emerges between her and her hostage. Taryna commits, for this shadow, is just a weak seventeen-year-old. However, her mind is in a panicked state, not remembering that this particular seventeen-year-old has such a ripped body.

The instantaneous movements from the twins, Xe’Reth, and Taryna makes Madelyn cover her eyes with startling hands. All she feels and hears is a gust of wind, then a resounding impact as Taryna’s gasp for air declares. And with a loud thud on the floor slightly to the right of her, Madelyn opens and uncovers her eyes to reveal Taryna lying there while clutching the side of her waist. Her grimace of pain, humility and anger show her torment.

The twins stand stunned beside the frowning Xe’Reth. He doesn't like how this turned out at all. He holds no feelings for Taryna, but from what Madelyn told her handmaidens, he can’t let them do what they will to her.

“Master Xe’Reth… that… that was a good kick… And such a fast one too. Thank you for protecting our Mistress,” Velyn admires with a smirk, liking the sound of his leg connecting to Taryna’s waist. Then her grin turns dreadful with joy upon witnessing Taryna lying there all vulnerable. “Come, sister, let us enjoy this moment while it lasts.”

“Oh yes indeed. Walking will be the least of this whore’s concerns when she wakes up later. Heh-hehe…”

Both of them goes wide-eyed as Xe’Reth walks between them and their prey, putting up his hands to stop them from going any closer.

“Unfortunately,” Xe’Reth winks at Verelin to remind her of what happened in Malinda’s bedroom, “I’ll have to stop you. You won’t hurt her more than I already have.”

“You… You bastard… I… I don’t need your aid…” Taryna groans in such pain while being on the floor. Taken out by a single kick, a kick that she underestimated gravely. She did guard with her arms to block it, but it was too powerful, for she wasn’t trying her best, even in this kind of situation.

“You don’t do you?” Xe’Reth shrugs his shoulders, turning around to gaze down with pity. “Then I shouldn’t stop them from raping you?”

“W-What…?” Taryna chokes.

“Yes. Madelyn told them to ruin your body while you would be unconscious. After you would wake up…” Xe’Reth whips his head to Madelyn to glare at her, which makes her lower her head as her eyes flickers in shame at her own orders. “…you would be broken beyond curing. And I’m not talking about bones. Rape of the sickest form… A sick little girl is what you are Madelyn. You’re disgusting for coming up with something like that. And you two, you’re as twisted as your Mistress.”

“Three repulsive women.”

Madelyn’s head and heart sink to the bottom in disgrace. How did he hear her? She whispered so quietly. But she narrows her eyes as she almost forgets what she was prepared to do to Xe’Reth. She jerks her head up as teeth grind and eyes glare.

“Then how about you switch with her, huh?” Madelyn asks with a haughty curve on her mouth. “I’ll let her be unharmed if you spend one night with me, a night of sex. Though, you’ll be unconscious since… You shouldn’t be able to witness me naked until… Well, you know. Until I take you away from my sister, of course.”

“And how will you do that, as you said, I’ll be unconscious. You drugged me and dragged me here to violate me. Your sister wouldn’t believe you, nobody would believe you if there are such circumstances,” Xe’Reth says with a headshake.

“So be it. If you don’t obey, I’ll just have my handmaidens hurt you a little bit, then continue to do those repulsive acts to my sister’s whore. As you said,” Madelyn counters with a dangerous smile, leaning back to put her hands on the bed behind her. Her smooth skin is exposed; her legs, her arms, her bosoms, her stomach, everything is visible because the transparent negligee doesn’t cover much of her body. Sure it goes all the way down to her feet if she was to stand up. But now that she has her legs spread apart, pushing the soft material out of the way, she’s indeed tempting.

“Tell me… If Malinda would somehow know of our time together. What will happen to my mother and me?” Xe’Reth asks as he gives up trying to convince her. Because she’s so stubborn. Too stubborn to waste any more time trying to bargain with her.

“Oh…? So does that mean you accept to switch with this whore?” Madelyn asks with a smile of joy while pointing at Taryna.

“Answer me,” Xe’Reth retorts, glaring.

“Ah, of course, you’re always welcomed in my embrace, Xe’Reth. For I’ve all the time in the world to savor my revenge that awaits my sister,” Madelyn replies, gazing up at the carving of her ancestors. ‘Sister will die of sadness when she finds out, hehe.’

“Good,” Xe’Reth nods with such a charming smile directing toward Madelyn, which she smiles back at with such innocence. ‘Dammit, I could take those two out… But that will only bring more trouble in the future from Madelyn. I better put up with this single night, then wash my hands off of her, for good.’

“Liriana, come here!” Madelyn shouts all of a sudden to her handmaiden, who jumps from the floor to run to her Mistress.

Arriving, she obediently flaps open her satchel to take out what she got from her house. One bottle with a button at the top that can be pressed to make it spray out its liquid substance. One colored vial with some kind of potion inside. And the last, another colored flask of medicine.

“Now go back and sit down on your chair… Away with you! You useless piece of space! And wipe away those tears before I hit you again!” Madelyn warns with a raised hand, making Liriana cower before her as she runs to her seat, sniveling.

“What are you waiting for?! Take off your robe and underwear! Or are you hiding something extremely humiliating under there?”

Xe’Reth scoffs with a chuckle as he does remove his robe willingly, while Madelyn shouts, “Catch!” to Velyn, causing her to stretch out to grab the liquid bottle that’s flying toward her. Catching it, she moves closer to Taryna.

“Wha… What is that?!” she shouts, trying to get up but grimaces in pain, thinking that her ribs are broken, but they aren’t. Xe’Reth made sure of that.

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Velyn hisses as she grips Taryna’s bun to make her face turn upward.

With a press of a button, a watery mist sprays out onto Taryna, making her hold her breath. Yet as the mist flows into her nose, she gasps for air while her whole body tenses up. After a couple of seconds, and being rather disappointed that she can’t hurt this bitch, Velyn sprays some more.

She grins when Taryna’s flaming globes travel to the back of her head, then closes her eyes as darkness takes her; her whole body lying completely limp.

“Madelyn, I’ll trust you that she won’t be harmed when I fall asleep. And make sure I wake up next to Malinda. If you reveal this event, I’ll be profoundly unhappy with you,” Xe’Reth says with his robe removed.

The twins scan his body with four wide eyes of utter surprise.

No wonder such a powerful kick came from that leg. Xe’Reth has a body of an utterly trained soldier as if he had starved himself, then trained his muscles to their utter limit. But they can’t help but think, ‘Is he really seventeen?’

An untarnished body. Only his eyebrow and neck patch are the only flaws at the moment. As if a God created his body to fit the image of greatness.

Xe’Reth is kind of surprised by his body himself. He knows of his enhanced features. But having an extremely sped up metabolism and all that includes is extraordinary. An unfair advantage which he uses to the best of his being.

“I give you my promise… for what it’s worth…” Madelyn says, totally eyeing Xe’Reth’s body with a lustful curve on her mouth. She fixates her gaze on Xe’Reth’s private part as she bites her lower lip. But she blinks several times to get out of her trance, clapping her hands. “Come on, hurry up and put that whore beside the useless one. And give me the bottle back.”

“Yes, Mistress,” the twins responds with bending knees, and with their bottom dress raised, then carries Taryna to be left beside Liriana. She’s still sniveling with tears running down her eyes. Hiccups, too, resound from her throat.

Velyn bends down to Liriana as she whispers, “You’ll only make it worse if you continue. So remain resolute. Mistress will forgive you, you just need to give her time, understand?”

She responds with a pouting nod, making Velyn pat her head as she gives Taryna one last glare.

Both of the twins return to be beside their Mistress with the cross armed Xe’Reth who has his head raised to show nothing but superiority. They need to be careful of him in the future. They won’t underestimate him as Taryna did.

“Well? Off with it,” Madelyn demands, jerking her head up with an overbearing excitement displaying on her face.

Sighing with rolling eyes, Xe’Reth slides his underwear down, not being embarrassed at all. This situation reminds him of his first time with the landlady. Two handmaidens beside the haughty lady. And the lady herself not bothering with hiding those eyes of lust. However, Xe’Reth goes to pick Madelyn up as she’s completely stunned by his nakedness. She gives him a gentle smile, thinking that he’s showing her some emotion of tenderness.

Holding her, he gives her a grin, flinging her onto the bed as she lets out a startling, “Aaah!” as she flies through the air. Upon landing, she grimaces in pain, for her whole body is hurting from the workout.

But Madelyn doesn’t yell at him. The twins shout for her instead in anger, “How dare you handle her so rough?!”

“Quiet!” Madelyn barks as she breathes in heavy breaths, turning over to peer at Xe’Reth while holding the bottle.

Xe’Reth climbs onto the bed unfazed, pushing Madelyn to the side as he bluntly situates himself in the middle of the bed. He just wants to get over with it.

Madelyn crawls with aching muscles, and arriving beside Xe’Reth, she caresses his chest to feel the abs, to run her fingers through the cracks. Giving him a smile, she says in total contentment, “You do know that doing this means that you’re cheating on my sister? But don’t worry, even if my sister will find out,” she brings her lips to his ear, “I’ll always be here.”

“I know,” Xe’Reth only utters. But those two words are filled with such agony. ‘Why do I feel so sick from what I’m about to do… Am I really so weak to be moved by… by love?’ Xe’Reth clenches his teeth and closes his eyes to await for his forced slumber. ‘Forgive me, Malinda. I’ll never deserve to be with you after I’ve done this. And hopefully, they won’t do anything to Taryna…’

‘Love huh?’ Xe’Reth chuckles.

As Madelyn’s hand arrives at his cheek, Velyn forwards an uncorked bottle to her as she whispers in a soothing tone, “Drink this, my love.”

Xe’Reth does drink it without making a fuss about it, while Madelyn thinks, ‘Why haven’t they invented a love potion yet… It would make everything so much easier…’

Madelyn eyes Xe’Reth for a couple of seconds before finally spraying him with the same liquid mist which was used on Taryna. But Xe’Reth grits his teeth while still having his eyes closed. Madelyn pouts her lips because of his tenacity. Spraying another time, he furrows his eyebrows. However, Xe’Reth is still wide awake. That causes Madelyn to spray too many times in a row while forcing his mouth open so he can take it in entirely.

Letting out a shuddering sigh, Xe’Reth falls unconscious.

Madelyn waves to her handmaidens to give her a wet towel that has now been prepared. She wipes Xe’Reth’s face to remove the residue. Yet she must be careful not to put her tongue into his mouth. Otherwise, she might fall asleep too.

Being pleased, she slaps Xe’Reth right across the face to see that he’s actually sleeping.

She sighs out in relief.

“Give it to me,” Madelyn waves another time to get the last concoction, which Velyn gives. This time, she drinks it while grimacing in disgust. “Yuck! Why does it taste so bad?” She throws poison at Liriana who shrivels even more in her seat.

“Mistress?” Verelin asks, lowering her head. “You weren’t serious when you agreed with him, right?”

“About what?” Madelyn replies, pulling her cord to make her robe descend onto the bed. Then she removes her underwear, yet even such a simple act makes her experience pain.

“About not touching that whore?” Verelin says, leaning to help take off Madelyn’s bra and underwear while Velyn stands by a table to arrange for her Mistress’s comfort in taking him in. She can’t help but raise a brow since she too wants to hurt Taryna for what she did. Such humility. To be knocked unconscious in front of her own Mistress.

“Are your ears not working…?! I promised him. And if I hear that anything other than what Xe’Reth did to her comes to my knowledge, I’ll throw you out of the Citadel! I mean it! Ah, yes. Liriana, do see to it that they don’t misbehave. Otherwise, I’ll whip you until you bleed,” Madelyn says with a gentle smile. “Understand?”

Liriana immediately spasms her head up and down.

“Good girl,” Madelyn nods, but slaps Verelin at the back of her head, “You heard me now, yes?!”

“Yes, Mistress,” the twins says in unison, throwing away their vengeance… for now.

Madelyn climbs onto Xe’Reth fully naked. She presses her breasts against his chest to rest there for a minute. Upon no movement from Verelin, Madelyn whips her head to her disobedient handmaiden.

“Why are you just lying there for?! The drug won’t work as effective if you don’t touch him! You know? Use your hands and mouth? I’m going to lie here for a while so do your job correctly,” Madelyn blatantly orders as if it’s nothing to her. They are her handmaidens, they do what she desire. They’re air, they’re only slaves to do her every bidding. She doesn’t really mind them touching him if it means that she gets to have him. Plus her exhaustion is weighing on her mind continuously. “And remember what I said before? If I were to faint?”

Verelin nods with blank eyes as if she just wants to kill herself right here and now. She gazes to her sister, who’s busy with… whatever she’s doing. She’s actually trying to slow down her work so she doesn’t need to help her sister, which Verelin sees as her head sinks into her own oblivion.

As Verelin doesn’t start, Madelyn stops cuddling Xe’Reth.

“You… why are you crying…?” Madelyn utters with furrowing brows.

“Please… Please, Mistress… I... I don’t want to do it… I don’t want to touch it…” Verelin cries, wiping away her own tears, but that only worsens her outcome in Madelyn’s eyes.

“You disappoint me time and time again…” Madelyn utters in a calm tone as she gets off of Xe’Reth to crawl closer to the recoiling handmaiden, for that peaceful expression screams in Verelin’s head, telling her to run away.

As Madelyn’s eyes widen, she grabs tightly onto Verelin’s hair to push her down forcefully to make her lips touch Xe’Reth’s crouch, while Verelin surprisingly has her whole body untensed to make it easier for her Mistress.

“If I hear you disobey me again, I!” She presses down harder, “Will!” She forces her mouth open, “Kill!” Then shoves Xe’Reth’s slightly erected penis into her opening, “You!”

“You hear me?! I’ll kill you, you ungrateful woman! Be grateful! Be grateful! Be fucking grateful! For you will never experience someone else! Never will you know love! Your life belongs to me! I do what I will with you! And if I tell you to jump off the City’s wall! You’ll be grateful to even be able to do it!”

While Madelyn forces Velyn’s sister, who screams in terror with a full mouth as her Mistress thrusts her head up and down, Velyn shudders in fright. That could’ve been her. But Verelin lost since she got the shorter straw. However, a smile curves on Velyn’s cheek, ‘Heh. Hang in there, sister… Heh-hehe. That’ll teach you a lesson you won’t soon forget, you pompous slut.’

Even Madelyn smiles in absolute joy as she forces her handmaiden against her will…

………

……

…

Thanks for reading!

This will probably be the end of sexy time, for now at least. Next, it'll focus on more pressing matters outside of the Citadel. I hate rape of any kind, especially cheating, ugh. But hey, I gotta do what I gotta do. Be at ease, though, Malinda nor Madelyn will never do the cheating on Xe'Reth. I've noticed that many on this site don't like such things, I don't too, so... yeah. :D

Phew, thought I wouldn't be able to put this out today, but rejoice, I managed! If you see any mistakes, like me not putting in italics, do give me a heads up.

Dang, Madelyn is as ruthless as always, with her handmaidens too. Taryna, Taryna, how foolish you are to trust a snake. And Xe'Reth's kick, remember the time when he was in the woods with the DLO agents? And him connecting his leg with the sturdy one's neck? What can I say, Xe'Reth likes to kick, hard.

Don't forget to voice your thoughts!

(Still working on the character sheet.)

Until... Next Time...

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