Fox, Satyr, Dragon Pt. 02

"No." Branigan choked out.

"I can wait. Natalia, Jack and I can wait." She kissed him, knowing her lips would provide comfort. "All I ask is that you keep that in mind."

"I will."

They hugged for some time, against the front door, until Sasha silently led him to the bedroom. She began stripping without a word, her eyes on him as he did the same. The chains slithered over him. The resemblance was there before, but after her experience with the naags, the black chains looked even more snakelike. Constricting and writhing all over his brown skin. With them moving at their own pace, no matter how slow or fast he breathed, it seemed to her that they were smothering him. As though he was not breathing as well as he could if his skin was free of these chains. They weren't normal tattoos, of that she was sure. The word chained, or rather her mother cutting herself off from saying it, had hurt him too much for it to be a coincidence. Sasha had slowly been coming to like the chains, despite them unnerving her at first. Not anymore. She wanted them gone. And if she was right, if these chains were what wrought the downfall of House Stone, she'd rid him of their curse.

"No." Sasha shook her head as he moved to kneel in front of her and eat her out. "Get on the bed. Lay on your back."

Branigan did as he was told and watched the slim girl climb onto the bed. Her breasts were a little over a handful, with hard pink nipples. Her chest always flushed slightly before anything beyond kissing happened, a trait that he found markedly endearing. Just like how her ears get red whenever she's angry. She could say whatever she wanted, make whatever face she wanted, but her blood would tell the truth.

Sasha laid on top of him, hugging him tightly. She carefully wriggled her waist until his cock popped up between her thighs, then crossed her legs. The gap tightened around his cock and began to grow slick from her arousal. "Grab whatever you like, Bran."

He grabbed her ass. Supple in his grip, it was addicting to hold. Then, at her encouragement, he began thrusting up between her thighs. He didn't take his hands off her ass to spank her. Instead, he squeezed it and spread it as he fucked her thighs. His finger occasionally grazed her pert butthole, feeling it spread and close with each motion. She whined at his teasing, then sighed when his finger pushed in. Her asshole gripped his finger tightly and she got into rhythm with him, pushing her hips against him whenever he thrust up and pulling away whenever he relaxed into the bed. The sound of their hot, sweaty flesh slapping against each other filled the room, accompanied by their grunts and moans and wet kissing.

Her fingers were running through his hair, getting lost in their mess as she went through the motions mindlessly. Her tongue also took on a mind of its own, twisting around in his mouth or retreating back and inviting him into her own. Breaths were drawn quick and shallow, the warmth of the desperate gasps for oxygen washing over each other's faces. What seemed to be her whole body was a subtle shade of pink now having experienced multiple orgasms. Each time the quivering took control from her, making her writhe and shake on Branigan. He'd continue thrusting throughout, still not having cum yet. He was enjoying himself too much and wanted the experience to last. To continue to feel her hard nipples press against his chest, offsetting the soft, firmness of her breasts. To keep listening to her moans and the wet sounds of her arousal. To keep his pointer finger, now two knuckles deep, in her asshole.

This desperation to stay in this embrace inevitably built up his orgasm past the point of no return. With a deep grunt into her ear, Branigan's cock sprayed cum up into the air before it splashed back down onto her ass, thighs, and his own hand. He continued thrusting through his orgasm, each pulse adding a splatter of cum. When his cock finally calmed down, he had made a mess of her. And, he realized, his finger was fully in her ass.

"Bran...No..." Sasha moaned. She could feel another orgasm coming. The suddenness of having his whole finger in her had surprised her and for now she felt more pleasure than pain. "Keep it... Keep it in...Wiggle it...Oh...Oh...Ah! Bran...!" She came a final time, a flood of her fluids joining the mess of cum that was leaking down between her thighs.

"I saw God for a moment there." Branigan said when he felt both their heart rates calm down.

"So did I." Sasha breathed. "Uhm... You can take your finger out now." He did so slowly so as not to hurt her. She gasped softly with each knuckle passing through. "Eventually. After we've had normal sex... You can fuck my ass."

"Seriously?"

"Mhm." Sasha bit her lip. "I really liked having your finger inside me. I've only ever done it to myself."

"Not even Nat?"

"Nope." Sasha said. She laughed at his grin. "What is it with men and wanting to be the first at things?"

"Like women don't like being first?"

"We do." Sasha said. "But guys make a bigger deal out of it."

"We're louder about it." Branigan said. "But I won't believe for one second that women care less about it than men. It's just fun. Being first. I wouldn't have minded if other people had done that to you. But since they haven't... It's fun."

"Hmmmmmmmmm." Sasha smiled wickedly.

"What?"

"You ever been pegged, Bran?"

"I've been with men before, Sash."

"Yeah but has a woman ever done it?"

"Nope."

"I call dibs."

"Jack already did."

"No way!" Sasha sat straight up on him. "She did?! No fair! How'd that come up? Did you finger her ass too? Or have you two already fucked?"

"I'm kidding, Sasha." Branigan laughed, pulling her back down into a hug. "Just wanted to briefly upset you. You're cute when you're mad."

"I hate you. Dick." Sasha pouted while letting him kiss her all over her face. "Have you two had sex yet?"

"No. And no to Natalia."

"I wonder which of us will be ready first."

"I wonder too." Branigan said. "But I don't mind the wait."

"You're a good guy, Bran."

"Am I a good guy? Or am I just really relishing in the wait so it feels extra good when it finally happens?"

"I'm positive it's both."

***

Quinn Sarkan looked like a clone of Jack, albeit significantly taller. She stood at six feet and smiled down at Branigan and Sasha as they returned to Jack's infirmary room. "The other significant others are here!"

Declan Jack Sarkan, Chief Artificer of Sarkan Dratech, turned his attention from massaging the ends of Jack's thighs. His white hair was tied up in a half ponytail and his horn-rimmed glasses hung on a chain over his chest. He put them on, framing the brown eyes that he had passed on to his daughters, and got up to shake Branigan and Sasha's hands. His grip was gentle with Sasha's, seemingly aware that she wasn't much of a hand-to-hand combatant. Branigan's hand was gripped firm and tight, both of their arms bulging under their suits. "A pleasure to meet you both."

"Likewise." Branigan said to the behemoth of a man in front of him. He looked like every portrayal of blacksmiths, but dressed like a wealthy noble. Sasha smiled and went to stand by Natalia.

"Jack has told me a lot about Sasha and Natalia." Declan returned to Jack. "But I didn't know that you were dating her until I arrived ten minutes ago. Has other faculty been made aware?"

"Sasha's mother and Coach Seymour know. Other faculty have likely guessed." Branigan said. "Headmaster Blackvine has no idea. I think."

"Ah the excitement of sneaking around. Hold on to it!" Declan laughed a booming laugh. "Sasha!"

"Yes!" Sasha jumped. "Yes, sir?"

"Jack says you two are working on a project together."

"We are, sir."

"I look forward to seeing it during the exhibition at the end of the year."

"I-We'll do our best to impress you, sir." Sasha said. She had hoped for it and Jack had even said it was likely her parents would come. But to have confirmation that the Chief Artificer of Sarkan Dratech would be there to see her project wracked her nerves. No pressure, Sash. Just a man that can set your future for the better at the blink of an eye.

"Even if you fail, Sasha, do it with style and grace." Quinn said. "Da is a sucker for repeat failures finally working in the end."

"Well don't tell her that!" Declan laughed goodnaturedly. "It'll be hard for me to be objective. Seeing as you did an excellent job providing first aid to Jack."

"I didn't do much, sir." Sasha blushed. "Just basic stuff."

"I just sat there crying." Natalia pointed out. "So you're definitely cool, Sasha."

"You've been living a warrior's dream, Jack." Quinn said. "Killing the baddie and having a lover cry about your injuries. While another tended to your wounds. Did you wince dramatically and all that?"

"No."

"She did." Sasha and Natalia said in unison.

"Just trying to catch up to the amount of stories you've got, Quinn."

"Good luck." Quinn snorted. Then fondly ruffled Jack's hair and did it again when Jack laughed out a protest.

"We can all talk more over dinner later." Branigan said after a few more minutes of idle chatting. "I think Jack would like her legs."

"You've been twitching since you arrived, Branigan." Declan smiled. "You hate seeing my kid like this. Makes me glad."

"Unfortunately," Quinn said. "You three will have to leave. There are proprietary spells involved during the first set up. Company ears only."

"Before you go, though," Declan stopped them. "Branigan, how long has it been since your last sparring session? A real one."

"With Seymour. Beginning of the year. We kept our emotions in check, though." Branigan said. "I've earned the Sarkan Welcome already?"

"Eh." Declan shrugged. "It's just for fun nowadays. None of that traditional 'winning my daughter' bullshit."

"What's the Sarkan Welcome?" Natalia asked.

Declan looked to his daughter to explain. "Jack?"

"It used to be a thing where a suitor would challenge a member of the Sarkan family to marry a Sarkan." Jack said. "But for the past hundred years or so it's just been a fun thing we do. Win or lose, Branigan will still date me. And won't be locked in to marrying me."

"What do you say, Stone?" Declan smiled. "Lakeside after Quinn and I are done here. Loser pays for everyone's dinner."

"Weather the storm, Branigan." Jack added to show him she was aware of his house's history, just as he was aware of hers.

"You're on, Sarkan." Branigan shook Declan's hand.

"How about us?" Natalia asked, pointing at herself and Sasha. "We don't get the Sarkan Welcome?"

"In a few years. After you've had more than a handful of sparring sessions under your belt." Declan said. "You two can have as many Welcomes as you want."

"My lucky day that your wife isn't here." Branigan said.

"She wouldn't challenge you, Bran." Declan smirked. "Wouldn't be a fair fight."

Natalia and Sasha didn't have much knowledge of Juliet Sarkan's fighting abilities. As far as they knew, Juliet just worked for Sarkan Dratech in the weapon's division. Branigan's shudder when he said it was his lucky day told them otherwise.

***

"Food has been ordered." Quinn called out, taking a place next to the girls. "You can pay me back when you lose, Stone."

Declan and Branigan were stretching on the shoreline. Branigan simply smiled at Quinn's jibe. "I'm fighting the right Sarkan, Quinn. History can repeat itself this evening."

"What does he mean by that?" Sasha asked.

"The Sarkan and Stone families were enemies. Long ago, before the Empire formed." Quinn explained. "They were sovereigns of their own nations and fought over land."

"Seriously?" Sasha gasped. "How come we've never heard of it?"

"You probably have. Names just change over time." Natalia said. "Sardrakan became Sarkan. Sta'an became Stone. But there have been a lot of wars so it's just as likely you still won't recognize it."

"I haven't. But." Sasha looked at Jack and Quinn. "Are you serious?!"

"Wanna know something even more interesting?" Jack asked. "House Stone's words 'Weather the storm' first began to be used due to its war with House Sarkan, a noble family believed to have drunk dragon blood. That part's just a myth. All we did was take our name from the word for dragons."

"Because a group of dragons is known as a storm." Sasha breathed. As far as she was aware, House Blackvine didn't have that kind of brutal history. After all, focusing your fein and speaking the name Blackvine made you intoxicated. It didn't make you feel like you could forge a new world like the name Sarkan could. Or do whatever the name Stone had done before its meteoric downfall. "Sta'an won the war though. That's why Bran said history can repeat itself."

"Yeah." Quinn said with a grimace. "Typical Stone. Arrogant as a Sarkan in a forge."

Natalia and Sasha looked at her.

"What? We're self aware about it." Quinn said, then noticed Branigan walking over. "Backing down, Branigan?"

"In your dreams." Branigan took the gold ring off his thumb and held it out to Sasha. "Hold this, please."

Sasha took the ring and watched as he handed his suit jacket to Natalia. "I won't crumple it, you know."

"Trust, once lost, can be impossible to regain." Branigan smiled. "You can put the jacket on if you want, Nat. I see you shivering."

"The shirt looks expensive, Branigan!" Declan called out as he took his own shirt off. He tossed it to the ground and weighed it down with gravel so it wouldn't flutter. "Take that off too because I won't pay to replace it. Or can you not handle a little chill?"

"A Stone feels nothing." Branigan took his shirt off and tossed it to Sasha with a smile. Natalia, Sasha, and Jack all thought he was purposefully not making eye contact with them as he did so. He walked back to face the Sarkan on the shore.

"Well we know that's bullshit." Sasha muttered. If there's a stone that can bleed, its name is Branigan.

"That's a sick tattoo your boyfriend has." Quinn said, bending down to murmur in Jack's ear.

Jack grunted.

"No time limit. No hits below the belt. Only deal injuries that can be healed with a quick visit to the infirmary, at most." Declan said. "To do otherwise is to admit defeat."

"To stupid mistakes, surrender, or death." Branigan nodded while doing air quotes.

"May the better warrior win." Declan took a fighting stance.

"Draw iron with steel, Sardrakan." Branigan mirrored him. With the sun beginning to set, the two were cast in shadow. It made minute physical details hard to see. Natalia, Jack, and Sasha were glad for it.

Declan clenched his fists, muscles bulging throughout his arms. "Weather the storm, Sta'an."

The two men tensed. Quinn cried out in shock, dragged the girls behind her, and threw up a magic shield in time for a wave of raw, emotional power to hit it. She was brought to her knees by the blow anyway, her eyes tearing up and blood leaking from her nose. "You three okay?!" She asked through clenched teeth. "Fuck I didn't expect them to do this immediately!"

"We're fine!" Jack said, staring with jaw dropped at her father and boyfriend fighting.

"What happened to 'no serious injuries'?!" Natalia asked. She could feel emotions coming off Branigan and from Declan despite the shield Quinn had created. She guessed the magic tinged with impatience and anger was Branigan's, reminiscent of the night he had threatened Lucas. At its core, Natalia was surprised to feel love. Love? Bran's base magic works off love? I thought love is what ruined his fein when he was younger? Declan's seemed to be.... Sadness? Natalia frowned and focused on the core. Calm, self-confidence.

Quinn stumbled to her feet, leaning on Jack for support. "Serious physical injuries."

The only spellwork that was in action, at the moment, were spells to boost strength and endurance or healing whatever punches and kicks managed to cause damage. It would be healed, defenses would be applied, and the fight would continue. No tangible breaks could be seen.

"Are they..." Sasha frowned. "Are they talking?! Their lips are moving!"

"They are!" Natalia said. "How the hell can they talk in the middle of all that? They should be on their knees from the emotional fallout!"

"It's how a Sarkan Welcome is done. The courtesy of keeping your emotions in check is dropped." Jack said. "It's to test that strength as well."

"It's stupid, that's what it is." Sasha said. She bit back a worried yelp when Branigan took a fist straight to the nose, blood spraying to the ground. He didn't even pay attention to it.

"Shut up!" Quinn yelled. "I can't concentrate with you three yapping! Or should I let the shield drop and we can all piss and shit our pants from the fallout?"

The message was received.

On the shore, the conversation continued. "We were friends, your father and I. When we went to school. We had a falling out."

"Really?" Branigan jumped and punched Declan in the jaw, receiving a satisfying crack in return. "I didn't know. Truly."

"Stupid fight between kids." Declan casually set his jaw and healed it. "But we let it get away from us. We haven't spoken in years. I talk to your mother on occasion."

"What are you building up to, Declan?" Branigan asked, avoiding a kick by ducking. "Inviting my family over to dinner to reconcile?"

"Imagine my surprise when I found out what happened to you." Declan said. "And how your parents didn't even consider asking me for help." Declan shook his head. "My blood would have worked, lad."

Branigan stumbled in surprise and his mistake was answered with an elbow jab to the forehead. His head snapped back, the muscles in his neck stretching painfully, but he kept his stance. "It ended up fine." Branigan rooted his feet to the ground with gravel manipulated into holding him, lifted Declan with a temporary boost to his physical strength, and tossed the Artificer.

Declan landed on his feet and came running back. He tackled Branigan and kept going, ramming Branigan along the shore and ignoring the hits Branigan was landing on him. "You were too young for-Hnggh."

Branigan found purchase for his feet so he could push back against Declan and stop their momentum. They began wrestling while standing up. "I'm doing well, Declan. As you can tell."

"I can." Declan admitted. "That's what this is for. I need to believe it."

"Will this do?" Branigan broke Declan's nose.

"Ha!" Declan's magic grew less sad as he grinned through the blood. "I'm glad you're dating my daughter. If only so I can be your father's friend again."

"I look forward to it."

"Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"If you ever need help, Branigan." Declan put the librarian in a chokehold. "Promise you'll come to me and mine."

Branigan manipulated the gravel into forming a blunt-ended spike that shot up towards Declan, stopping a hairsbreadth from the man's face. It was enough to shock Declan into loosening his grip. Branigan escaped from the chokehold, scrambled up Declan's back like he was scaling a tree, and began choking Declan with the crook of his elbow. When Declan tried to throw Branigan off, he found that his hands were being gripped by gravel. He attempted to break the hold Branigan had on the small stones but the strength of the spell was too strong. His head began swimming. "I c-concede!"

Branigan let go and dropped to the ground. He held out a hand to the gasping Sarkan. "And I promise."

Declan took the proffered hand and stood. "Good."

"Mmm."

Declan eyed Branigan's chains. "Obsidian. As they should be."

"Coming back to Foxcastle helped." Branigan said. "And, of course, those three."

"Three." Declan said. "Your luck isn't all gone then. Managing to find three powerful houses to ally with you. Wholeheartedly."