Heroes Fall

"But King Randal was a kind and benevolent ruler, and he was a progressive thinker!" Alexa protested. "He allowed equality in the ranks of his army with us Paladines!"

"Oh yes, nine or ten women out of how many who could wield a sword? And that's not including the few casters that you all had who were women," Ronin laughed. "He wasn't about equality. He was all about a publicity stunt just to shut you noblewomen up. How many women, overall, took to the field under Sephant's banner? Far more than they did for Randal. Sephant is more about merit and equality than Randal ever was."

Alexa stayed quiet as she stared into the fire and mulled that over for some time. Then she looked back at Ronin after a while. "You don't have to do this, you know. I could hire you to take me away from him. But... all I have to offer you is my body."

"I'm already on a contract and I finish contracts that I start," Ronin pointed out.

"Make an exception!"

"Do you know why I'm regarded as the best, hm?" Ronin asked her. "It's because I complete every contract that I am paid to do to the letter. To do no less means that people know that they can take advantage of you. I do not bargain. I do not relent. I get a job, I do the job, I get paid for the job. End of story." He held up a hand to forestall any more comment from her. "If you can't get the undertone of what I'm saying, then maybe you have no business being a free woman. Now get some sleep, our meeting with Kirgon tomorrow will be interesting enough as it is.

*

"Pleeeeeease..." Alexa blubbered not for the first time in the journey back to Kirgon's keep since coming through the portal a half a day's ride from the keep the next day. "Please, don't do this. Like I told you last night; I'll do anything! I'll be your personal slave! You can have my body whenever you want it. I'll give you all of my gold and all of family's fortune that I have access to! ANYTHING! Just please, don't give me back to that demon to be bred! Kill him and keep me for yourself for all time instead!"

"This is why most bounty hunters gag their marks," Ronin groaned as he stopped the horse by the front gate to the keep and motioned for the demon guards to open up for them. He dismounted from his horse and then dragged Alexa off of the saddle where she'd been sitting in front of him, setting her on the ground on her feet. Then, with her leash in hand, he led her through the gate and to the keep. He looked back at her as they crossed the courtyard. "Are you serious with your proposition?"

"Yes..." Alexa whined as she hung her head and wept. "Please. I'll give you my body and soul if you just won't give me over to him. I'll proudly fuck you every night and bear your children for you. Just... please... I cannot bear it being a slave to Kirgon again."

"Alright... I'll keep that in mind," Ronin said as they walked into the keep and up the two flights of stairs to Kirgon's throne room. "Just keep your head down and your mouth shut."

Minutes later, they were walking through the doors to the throne room. The red and black demon lord had obviously been appraised of their arrival. "Ronin," Kirgon said from where he rose from his throne. He had a big smile on his face and his arms spread in welcoming. "I didn't think that you would actually bring her back to me."

"A contract is a contract," Ronin half shrugged as he led Alexa to him. Alexa wailed in dismay as he handed the leash over to her master. Ronin stepped aside for Kirgon to examine his slave girl. "I believe that I've fulfilled the terms of our agreement?" he asked. "I walked her right through your front gate, walked her through those doors," he nodded to the double doors of the throne room that Kirgon had instructed him to use just days before. "And I handed her leash over to you, thus giving her back to you."

"Yes, and to my surprise and enjoyment, no less," Kirgon said. "You have more than earned your bonus of a slave girl of your own. Leave us and enjoy the comfort of my keep. I'll have more work for you in the future after I get reacquainted with my prize breeding girl here."

"Thus, one contract ends and another one begins," Ronin said, using his favorite line that drew a look of confusion from Kirgon and a look of shock from Alexa. He smiled as he pulled his magical handheld blunderbuss from his inside overcoat pocket and pointed it right at Kirgon.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" Kirgon demanded in outrage as his eyes darted from Ronin to the weapon, and back up again.

"You are now the contract," Ronin said as he pulled the trigger.

***
CHAPTER 9:

Alexa jerked and reeled back as Ronin shot Kirgon in the face with a magical lance of energy that erupted from the blunderbuss. As Kirgon's lifeless hand released her leash, she quickly backed away to give Ronin some room as he fired several more times, pumping multiple magical lances into Kirgon from his head down to his chest and then continuing to fire as the body hit the floor, Kirgon's body jerking from every shot. Then Ronin dropped the magical blunderbuss and drew his sword. Runes flashed to life along the blade as Ronin then decapitated Kirgon and then drove the sword down into the demon's chest. Kirgon's body exploded into red ash that then seemed to blow away on its own as the demon was killed once and for all.

She looked at Ronin in wide-eyed and open-mouthed shock. Ronin smiled and winked at her. "Funny thing about demons," he said. "They're all for upholding the letter of their agreements which makes it all the funnier when you use their agreements against them. I've learned long ago to do the same thing which is why I have a reputation of completing every contract that I take."

"I..." Alexa was at a loss for words as she gaped at him. "I didn't think that you'd do that," she said quietly.

"Well," Ronin said as he retrieved and sheathed his weapons. "This only works so long as you uphold the terms of our agreement. That means that you remain my slave, willingly, for all time, just as you dictated. Otherwise, King Sephant can try to have us both killed. So what's it going to be?"

Alexa swallowed hard as the enormity of what she agreed to set in. There was no hope for freedom for her now. Her fate was tied to Ronin's now. If she reneged on her agreement with him, made out of desperation, Ronin was within his rights to force her into servitude. But if she kept up her end, she was his slave regardless but one that would be protected. Slowly, she nodded, walked over to him, knelt at his feet, and bowed her head to him. "I was a woman of my word when I was a knight and I am one now even as a slave," she said, her voice hollow and raw with emotion. "I made the deal with you and you saved me from Lord Kirgon. I am now yours... now and forever... master."

Tears fell from her eyes even as Ronin reached down to stroke her hair before cupping her chin to lift it so that she looked up at him. "I'll protect you," he promised as he smiled at her and stroked the tears from her burning hot cheeks. "I swear to you that you'll have nothing to fear from me as a master and I'll be more than happy to provide you with hundreds of character references if you'd like. I just ask that you trust me wholeheartedly with your wellbeing and not question my judgement on something. Even though I might not tell you my thoughts or my plans, just trust me that I am going to do what I can to keep you safe. Okay?"

"Yes... master..." Alexa slowly nodded. She had no choice now. She had to trust him or else she'd be killed by defying Sephant's decree that she remain a slave for the rest of her life.

*

The test came later that day as she meekly followed behind Ronin as they entered Sephant's throne room... back where this all began for her. She kept her head bowed in supplication and her hands folded behind her back as she trailed behind Ronin, going down to her knees when they stopped. She did, however, look up so that she could see what was going on as Ronin and Sephant talked. "I must say that I was displeased with you when I heard that you assassinated one of my Lords, Ronin," Sephant was saying. "But then your missive to me that came with that report requesting an audience through Lord Kirgon's own portal was most... intriguing."

"I wanted to make sure that the air was clear between us. It is like I said before when I was last here," Ronin said evenly, not intimidated in the least little bit by Sephant. "A contract is a contract and I was legally contracted out to kill him. The payment of that contract is kneeling behind me," he explained, gesturing her way. "Alexa gave herself over to me as my personal slave, for the rest of her life, in exchange for killing Lord Kirgon. Once the terms of my agreement with Kirgon was over, I was free to activate her contract with me."

"But she's a slave," Sephant pointed out.

Ronin shrugged. "I don't care who contracts me out so long as the payment is good. She gave me her body. She gave herself over to me. She remained true to your decree that she remains a slave as part of her punishment for insurrection. So the payment was good and I fulfilled the contract. End of story."

"Indeed," Sephant mused, stroking his chin in thought. "What if I were to order you to just kill her so that I'd be rid of this symbol of defiance?"

"I'd tell you to go fuck yourself since while you may be the lord and liege of this land, I am not one of your subjects and ordering bounty hunters around would be bad for business," Ronin immediately countered. "Every bounty hunter and mercenary in the land would avoid you like the plague and go to work for your enemies and rivals. Besides, killing her robs you of the chance to hold it over her anytime you saw her." He then shrugged. "I don't see what's the big deal anyway. You won. She lost. You wanted her enslaved and here she is; naked, collared, and kneeling before you in servitude to me. Who cares if it's one of your orc warlords, demon lords, or me?"

"I could have you hunted down."

Ronin laughed. "Yeah, but I know everyone that you'd send after me and it turns out that they like me better than they like you."

"Very well," Sephant sighed at last, waving his hand dismissively. "You may keep her for yourself. I care not."

"Wasn't looking for your approval but thanks all the same," Ronin said dryly.

"Hmph," Sephant snorted in amusement. "Just make sure that wench is always naked, collared, and silent whenever you two are in my presence," he added pointedly. "Hell, whenever the two of you are in my kingdom."

"Fine," Ronin sighed irritably as he turned to go. She saw him motion for her to stand and follow and she did so.

"I don't recall giving you permission to leave," Sephant said behind them. For a moment, Alexa was gripped with fear and uncertainty at the nobleman's order to stay, but ultimately decided to follow her master out.

"I don't recall asking," Ronin called back over his shoulder, not breaking stride.

Sephant regarded him with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "Who are you?"

Ronin smirked. "No one of consequence."

"I must know!"

Now Ronin laughed. "Get used to disappointment."

"You know, I do have a keep that's open," Sephant blurted out as they reached the doors to the throne room. "It's yours if you want it."

Now Ronin did stop and turn, reaching out and grabbing Alexa's arm to pull her behind him, a move that both surprised her and made her feel protected and cherished. "No, because then you could order me to kill my slave and I won't stand for that. Besides, why would I be subservient to you when I already own my own nation in its own right, have the same status and power as you have, if not more, and already have more wealth and respect than you'll ever have? I didn't come here as a subject reporting to a superior. I came to you as an equal to inform you of what I have done while I was inside of your borders." He then tossed Sephant a mocking salute before turning and ushering Alexa out the door before Sephant could say anything more. "Good day."

Alexa's head swam with questions as Ronin locked arms with her and basically fast walked her out to the stables where their horse awaited them. She kept her mouth shut until Sephant's mountain castle was retreating in their wake beyond the horizon. Only then did she dare to ask her question. "Uhm... Master?" she politely asked in a meek voice while looking back over her shoulder at him. Ronin nodded for her to speak. "Do you really have your own kingdom, Master?"

Ronin smiled and winked at her. "Why else do you think that I'm usually so hard to find and am expensive as hell to hire?" He let the horse trot on its own down the road as he slid one hand around to cup her sex and the other around to fondle her breast. "I think that you'll enjoy it, my new pet," he murmured into her neck as he started nipping at her nape. "It's a warm, lush, tropical paradise where you'll never want for anything... especially clothes... ever again."

"Ooohhhh... Master..." Alexa moaned, melted back into him as his hands and mouth worked on her body as they rode on to safety. His fingers tweaked one nipple, then the other, as his hand massaged her mound and then spread her open to get at her clit. Her chest heaved as she gasped breathlessly while the pleasure assailed her senses. Ronin certainly knew what he was doing in his gentle touches, kisses, and caresses of her erogenous zones. Knowing that he instinctively protected her from the moment he'd found her in that brothel and continued to do so even when things looked bleak for her future made her all the hotter for him. Here was a man that she willingly gave herself to and now completely trusted... a man whose children she'd gladly bear for him now. She felt all warm and fuzzy inside, and not just from how he was pleasuring her. She felt safe, cared for, loved, and even owned by a master who would look after her.

She figured that she could live with this.

As he steadily teased her to orgasm, she realized that she wanted to give herself to him in every way imaginable which was when they finally got on his private ship that was waiting for them at one of the realm's port cities. When they got to his private cabin once they were away, she went down to her knees for him willingly and without any prompting at all, taking his stiff manhood out of his trousers and putting it into her mouth without question or reservation. She looked up at him submissively as she sucked his member to hardness and then sucked him to orgasm, willing herself to relax so that she could drink down every drop of his essence that he shot down her throat. Then, when he was spent, she sucked on him again to coax his cock back to life. Once she got him hard again, she crawled up onto the bed and presented her ass to him. "Please, Master, take me how you want me. I belong to you in every way imaginable," she said, looking over her shoulder up at him.

Ronin took her up on her offer, kneeling on the bed behind her and sliding his cock up inside of her wet and waiting pussy. This time it wasn't as a client, but as her owner and master. She found that she reveled in the sensation more this time than she had before. Alexa closed her eyes, gasping and moaning with every thrust of his cock into her, her breasts swaying in time beneath her. She pushed back against him, meeting his hips as he pushed into her. Then, he stopped. She looked over her shoulder again, giving him a questioning look, and he just smiled as he spread her bottom open even wider and aimed his cock a little bit higher. Their eyes locked as he then pressed himself to her and slid up inside of her ass. "Aahhhhhhhh..." Alexa breathed as the first man that she willingly wanted up her back passage now took her in that way.

She now felt that she totally belonged to him in every way imaginable.

He pushed her flat against the bed, laying on top of her while he slowly and methodically took her from behind. His hand came around to possessively hold her neck as his hips pumped against her bottom. Alexa closed her eyes and moaned, relishing in his touch and feeling of having him on her and in her. She felt his free hand slide down between her and the mattress, seeking out her sex and fingering her as he fucked her. When he came inside of her, she came right along with him, relishing in the feeling and wanting to give him more and more of herself now that she was safe with him and free from King Sephant's ruthless thumb.

She felt like she was home.

***
CHAPTER 10:

Two Months Later...

In the infernal plane of solar flame, Margas fumed to himself as he nursed another drink at his favorite pub. His plans to vault himself up in status by using Kirgon's son against him were all for naught as the demon lord of magma was now dead... killed by some mere mortal. Now all he had was a half breed baby that he was bound by oath to raise even though he never intended on keeping it for long. He took another long drink as he looked over at the baby who was now sleeping contently in its floating cradle that he had fashioned for it. Margas had to come into town frequently now to find a succubus to nurse it, something that he paid good money and favors for and would continue paying until the child could eat on its own.

The doors to the pub swung open, an event that normally wouldn't catch his attention except that everyone was looking at the black hooded figure standing in the doorway. Margas looked as well and then saw what the issue was; the man was not a demon like they were. He couldn't help but stare as such a thing should not be possible.

A mortal was in one of the demonic realms.

The hood seemed to shift from left to right as the man scanned the crowd. Then the hood settled in on Margas as the man made his way through the pub towards him, ignoring all the other demons, incubi, and succubi who were in attendance all either gaping at him or outright hissing at him. The hooded man ignored them all. He stopped a step away from Margas and looked down. "You are Margas?" he asked in a deep voice.

"Yeah," Margas said, looking up at him in a combination of curiosity and irritation. "What the fuck do you want?"

The hooded man didn't respond. In a flash there was a runed knife in his hand that he brought down and slammed into the table, right through Margas' hand. Margas reeled back and screamed in pain, something that shouldn't have been possible from a mere mortal's weapon but here it was happening. Margas tried to stand but was held in place by the runed knife that was now through his right hand and embedded into the table. He jerked and pulled, screaming in pain, something that woke the half breed baby and inciting the rest of the pub's patrons to action. The hooded man took two small black blunderbusses from under his cloak, spun in place, and opened fire on the advancing horde of demons. Bright white light erupted from the muzzles, cutting down a half dozen of the closest attacking demons and wounding the next rank and file enough that they backed off. The hooded man kept his weapons up as he scanned the entire room and then holstered them when everyone stayed put.

"WHAT IS YOUR INFERNING PROBLEM?" Margas shouted at the hooded man as he tried to remove the knife and free his hand. The hooded man ignored him, walking around him to the floating crib to pick up the baby and hiss a soothing sound to it in the demonic language. The baby calmed down at once and went back to sleep. The hooded man put him back down and closed the cover. Margas was now gaping at him. "How'd you do that? No mortal can speak our language like that!"

"Shhhhhh..." the hooded man bent over pressed his finger to Margas' lips to silence him. "It's okay. It will all be over soon," he said, leaning close and reaching for the knife. "You see... I do have you to thank for my little Mandalorian moment. I've been hired by the baby's mother to bring him back to her and you've constructed this nifty little floating crib for him that I don't have to carry. So, thank you for this."