Bound into Service Ch. 01

When she became aware of his presence, she stopped her stretching exercises and slowly turned to him.

He was dressed as the Teuthids usually did, in dark colors with comfortable robes and loose pants. He had on a cuirass bearing what was distinctly an eldritch design, and matching wristcuffs. She supposed that a female Teuthid would have found him attractive, and wondered why Zand'n and the other didn't find women amongst their own kind.

"Greetings," she acknowledged him politely. "Are there any questions you wanted to ask?" Despite her nervousness, she maintained her calm, taking on the demeanor of a priestess at work. She'd heard from others that the Teuthids were very inquisitive creatures, asking about this or that, even little things that a Biyesian never would have considered. They'd been peaceful during their time here, and although their appearance still unnerved many, their intelligence and placidity did much to ease the tension between the two sides.

Zand'n stood there, folding his hands together for a moment, the metal of his wristband catching the sun for a moment. From what she understood, he was a smith and craftsman, and had spent some time in several forges and studios where his peers would choose to peruse the royal library. As his gaze rested upon her, she took a step back.

She was clad in a comfortable ankle-length linen tunic of dark rose, with a girdle of the same color wrapped around her hips. The line flowed down her body, not clinging, but making no secret of her womanly curves, either. Her only adornment was her bracelet, and earrings.

"I have selected you to be my mate," Zand'n stated. She swallowed thickly, her suspicions confirmed. She wondered though, why he hadn't made his claim sooner.

"I can not." She paused as she stared up at him, remembering just who she was dealing with. "I mean no offense, sir. But I can not. I am a Blessed One, and in service to Kada."

"You are blessed, indeed, to be chosen as a Teuthid mate," he replied smoothly.

"I am not like other women."

"I know," Zand'n commented. "You wear a particular sort of bracelet. I found out what it meant."

"What it means..." She glanced down at her wrist, and paused as she realized what he meant. In preparation for her day, she had put it on. It was not only the adornment of a servant of Kada, the elegant band bore a design unique to the futanari. All servants of Kada had similar pieces of jewelry with which they could use to identify themselves to others, and the futanari had the distinction of a ruby and sapphire side by side, to represent their dual nature. One wouldn't see this particular detail unless they were near enough, however.

When she'd been showing the Teuthids around, she had not breathed one word of futanari to them. Not because she feared their disgust, but given the importance of their help, she'd focused on what she thought was the best information for that purpose. What sat between her legs would not contribute to the greater good, she was sure of it. The group had left, seeming to be satisfied with the answers she and the accompanying priest had given them.

She touched the bracelet as she looked down at it for a moment, remembering the commitment she had made to Kada. "The day I was given this, I committed myself to Kada. It is in Its service that I have my purpose."

"You and the priests and priestesses prayed to your deity for protection, did you not? Yet who was it that answered your call for help? Who is it that has blessed the country with peace and security?"

She stared into Zand'n's fathomless eyes for a moment before quickly looking away.

"Perhaps Kada sent you to do Its will," Leneivi retorted. A small snort met her ears.

"Do you truly believe that?" he challenged.

"... I don't know." There were whispers that the Teuthids were actually demons, their protective magic simply a cover for some darker, more sinister purpose.

"Come with me, Leneivi," Zand'n commanded in a quiet but firm voice. Teuthids did not have lips like humans did, so his 'v' came out sounding like a hiss.

"I don't want to. I'm happy where I am." She took another step back.

"A deal was made between your people and mine. We have honored our end of the bargain. Do you intend to go back on your word?"

She stiffened. "It was not I who made that deal, it was the King. He was prepared to give you all his gold and jewels."

"We find women much more valuable than any trinket your ruler might have in his palace. Your King promised us the riches of his land. What he and I consider riches may be different, but the promise still stands."

She shook her head slowly. She had no desire to leave a life she enjoyed for the unknown. What was a mate's life like? For all the questions the Teuthids asked of the Biyesians, they were very reserved about the details of their own world.

"I knew you would be mine, the first time I glimpsed you among the priests and mages. I have bided my time, but my wait has been long enough."

She took another step back, and he matched her pace. "You... you sent me these dreams, didn't you?" she whispered. The night after the Teuthids had been summoned to Biyes, she'd had a rather graphic dream about tentacles sliding along her body, penetrating her orifices, teasing her, caressing her, stroking her. When she'd woken up, her cock was as hard as it could be and aching fiercely while her inner thighs and throbbing pussy were slick. She'd had the same dream several more times since, with the same result every morning. Just thinking about it caused her cock to stiffen just a bit.

"I did. Did you enjoy them?"

She took another step back, taking a deep breath as she realized her predicament. Priests and priestesses of Kada were not supposed to shy away or feel shame from pleasure, but the life of a servant of Kada was not about hedonism. The life of a priest, Blessed or not, included meditation, self-discipline, and charity towards others. What was her own life weighed against the countless souls in Biyes? She understood the right thing to do was give herself up to Zand'n for the sake of her country, but at the same time he intimidated her. Had he been a Biyesian male, she would have been comforted with the fact that she would still have some familiarity in her life.

"There is no one else you could choose? There are plenty of women more attractive and intelligent than I," Leneivi pointed out, hoping to distract him.

"It may be true that there are women in your country, or this world, who are considered more... attractive by your conventional standards. However, it is you that I am drawn to."

One of his tentacles reached up to trace her jawline, and she gasped and flinched. She did not miss the momentary furrowing of Zand'n's brows, which she knew had to be a sign of displeasure.

"Kada preserve me," she whispered, uttering the prayer that was often used through Biyes when faced with a difficult situation. It was almost an involuntary action.

"It cannot protect you... not that you need protection from me. We do not harm or mistreat our mates." She moved back, and he followed her until he had her backed into the proverbial - and literal - corner. For a moment, she considered screaming for help, but she didn't doubt that her would-be master would effectively dispatch anyone who might come to her aid.

She could see her fuzzy reflection in the breastplate of his cuirass, and shivered as another tentacle reached to caress her arm, dragging down from near her shoulder to her elbow. The cool stone pressed against her back, and she quickly looked from her left to right, searching for an avenue of escape. Darting to her right, she found a well-muscled arm wrapped around her middle. Several tentacles reached for her face and hair, winding through the thick black tresses as her head was slowly but firmly forced towards his own face.

Her hand darted out to his breastplate, palm pressed against the cool metal as she squirmed in his grip.

"The dreams I sent you... pale in comparison to what I have in mind for us to share," Zand'n stated in a low rumble.

o0o

Feedback is the kindest thing you can give to an author after reading and enjoying their work. Please share your thoughts with me on this story, whether simply pointing out something you like or think I did well (so I can continue doing it) and any constructive criticism you think I might need. I am always striving to improve my craft, and feedback is the best way for me to do so.