Redamancy Ch. 16-17

Chapter Sixteen

"Get rid of it," Toros, the reigning monarch of Ielsal, sighed once he learned of his offspring's gender.

One of his vassals, bestowed upon the moment he sat on the throne, gawked at his lord. "A-are you sure, my lord?"

"It's 'Your Highness'," another vassal hissed. "Show the king his overdue respect."

"Squabble all you two would like, just kill the damned babe," Toros growled and placed his head in his hand, rubbing at his temples. How could this have happened? His family line only birthed males to carry on the lineage. Or rather, any female born had been either slaughtered or given away. There were no women Dreadsongs unless by union of faith and flesh.

Surely Velorina wouldn't have slumbered with another. If so, that would deem their marriage invalid, therefore, costing him the throne. He would take care of this at once.

Toros stood and straightened his form, sighing as he did so. He had been sitting on the throne for several hours, enjoying the feel on his backside. He needed to do something about his bride, force her to produce a male heir now that she was no longer carrying. He would call on the healers to examine her body, determine when she was ready to hold a viable fetus.

Broslans healed quickly and he knew she would be okay to carry once again soon. He'll have a son.

"Your highness, how will I-."

Toros sighed and struck a glare at the vassal. "I don't care. Drop it in the sea, feed it to the magewolves we keep in the stables, allow it to be trampled by a herd of serostags, toss it off the Silver Gorge. Figure it out." He pushed the vassal that dared challenge him towards the entrance of the throne room, tripping on his feet.

He was not going to allow some pathetic lowly subject to question his motives. He was king.

For now.

Once the vassal left, Toros turned to one of his advisors. A plan was forming in his mind. One that he knew needed to executed. "You there, search the archives and the ancient collections."

"What are we looking for, my lo-Your Highness?"

Toros used his power to drag the advisor closer to him, using invisible fingers to clench around the Broslan's throat. He muttered, "How I can stay King."

No more of this blatant disrespect towards him. No more of being just a "lord" or being pushed to the back of the mind. No more being at the bottom of the food chain. His family had been ridiculed all his life. He was growing old and would never have this chance again. He had married a fucking princess for the gods' sakes! He must stay King.

Nay, he will stay King of Ieslal no matter what it cost him.

This was right, granted to him by divine power. The gods gave him the idea to kill King Cassius, gave him the wits to influence Thalanil to be stronger for the fight.

The advisor blanched and his face dropped. "B-but sire, you're not a-a Blackenthor-."

His voice was cut off as Toros squeezed his throat tighter. "I know. Now, go!"

He tossed the advisor to the floor who then immediately scurried to leave before he endured anymore of King Toros's wrath. Queen Velorina had lapsed on the law of banning magic in the kingdom and Toros did not waste any opportunity to use his power. It felt great to allow the magic to flow freely once again. Other nobles used their power but after years of not using it, they were all so weak. Perhaps once he was King, he would allow his subjects to practice so they could grow stronger.

There had to be a way considering he was a lord. One's family didn't gain nobility just by being nothing. Who made the Dreadsongs lords? And how could Toros Dreadsong become a king? There must be a way.

"King Toros," he chuckled to himself and sat back on the throne. He could get used to occupying the seat, ruling over those who were lesser than him. "King Toros," he repeated and smiled devilishly.

"That just sounds lovely."

Chapter Seventeen

Fucking Elves.

Cassius scoffed when a particularly lean Elf offered him a purplish liquid in a pure gold goblet. He yanked it out of her hand, ignoring her wary expression. He gulped the drink in three long swigs. It was bitter and sweet and had his heart pounding, ready to burst from his chest. He tossed the goblet down.

He wanted another.

The Elf girl returned and he took two more.

He was currently seated at a lengthy feast table surrounded by many Elves as he watched them dance before him. It was a lively scene of bare feet and jewels pattering on the ground as they moved around to the lilting music of the deltial, a six-string instrument with two necks and three holes in the body.

"Brother, slow down," Annoris giggled from beside him. She was sitting on the lap of her lover, Lashul. She had her bright red hair coifed around her crown with numerous flowers intertwined with the strands.

Lashul grinned widely at her admonishment, his emerald eyes crinkling at the sides as he did so. Lashul was the complete opposite of Annoris who seemed to have endless energy. He tended to keep her grounded, calm her during her sporadic moods. He was slowly earning Cas's respect.

Cassius could tell that Lashul wasn't of noble blood as his ears were shorter and his hair was a dull blue, indicating he came from a lower wealthy family.

Cas hastily drank the third goblet and felt his insides almost liquify. He was enjoying this.

His throat ached, constantly, feeling sore from having been twisted so ferociously. How was he still alive? How had he come back to life?

He often wondered this as he lay awake for the past three nights in his new chambers. A large space with several cushions to both sit and sleep on. Drapes of several different colors adorned the tall, stone walls while many pillows littered the dirt floor on top of gilded rugs and tapestries. It was earthy and lavish at the same time.

He was not accustomed to living in the open like this in the deep forests of Drovalor. Cassius had been brought to the Elven Kingdom the night his neck was broken. He thought of why he was transported to Drovalor. How had his corpse gotten here? Was he going to be used in some grand scheme? He was no longer king of Ieslal after all.

Annoris and Lashul wanted him to stay, insisted that he remain in Drovalor to heal.

He listened to them as his body was weary from having been dead.

Perhaps this was his chance to begin again. Gain his bearings and perchance find out about his true lineage as there were rumors that his mother had been Elvin...

Annoris patted his back, causing him to slosh his fourth goblet onto his dark blue tunic. He was no longer sporting his usual armor or leather breeches. The Elves only wore cloths, robes, and gowns.

Cas growled and turned towards her. "What?"

She only chuckled before pointing to a small Elf girl across the broad banquet hall. The hall was in a cavern of sorts complete with rock walls, ceiling, and floor. Each night Cas had been in Drovalor, they'd spent them here, eating and drinking and dancing. It wasn't something he often did.

He didn't think he could like it either. However, after spending three moons in the company of Elves, Cassius was growing familiar with the nightly gatherings and festivities. The lavish music, dancing, heavy feasting, and even love making was all around him. This was a different way of living, one that he was unsure of yet knew it was something he wanted to experience the rest of his life. What was this newfound curiosity?

Cassius did not understand why he hadn't gone back to Ieslal yet. What was stopping him?

He could easily take his throne back. Could become king again however, what held him back from doing so? No one was begging him to stay. Was he that weak?

As he followed her outstretched hand, Cas caught a flash of violet eyes. He kept them in focus until Annoris smacked her hands in front of his face to garner his attention again. The violet eyes disappeared into thin air.

Cassius shrugged at the girl. She was lithe, her ears barely breaching the surface of her turquoise hair. She was clad in cloths that only covered her breasts and hips. She had gold chains hanging around her shoulders and off her waist that connected to the ends of her pointed ears. She wasn't looking at him but instead, her eyes were downcast and she seemed sad.

Lashul gestured for a passing servant to retrieve the female Elf.

"Concubine?" Cassius questioned Annoris.

"Perhaps," she trilled. "You need to umoni," she winked at him.

He hissed. How dare she imply he needed sex. "I do not need to fuck," he harshly snarled at her.

Lashul threw his head back and cackled. "Brother-."

Cassius stood then. "I am not your fucking brother."

Elves tended to address one another as sister or brother. It was quite annoying.

Lashul's expression changed then. His eyes grew darker and his mouth turned down. He snapped his fingers that had Cassius on his rear and out of the cavern in seconds. Lashul followed him and, with each step he took, the further Cas seemed to get.

Cassius tried to stand but found himself weakened from the drink. "Silent Shadow," Lashul said. At Cas's confused look, Lashul continued. "The drink inhibited your powers. One will not harm you however, you have consumed four and that has diminished your capacities for the night. I will take you somewhere to relish in the company of that tempestia." He grinned and flicked his wrist so that Cassius was flung forward again.

They seemed to be headed to his chambers for the time being at the edge of the banquet cavern. From this view, Cassius could see the castle of Drovalor that sat high upon the mountain with which the cavern occupied below. Everything was connected; the subjects and the royalty. Cas still had yet to meet the queen.

Once inside his quarters, set out against the Silver Gorge with steps occupying either side to lead to other chambers, Lashul wriggled his fingers until Cassius was on his cushion for sleeping. He was in an upright position, his back against the wall.

"Now, you will umoni," he chuckled and nodded his head.

As Lashul did so, vines and roots crept up from both below and above to keep Cassius in his place. He cursed in his mother tongue and tried to break free but found he could not. "Amun daquin icesee."

Lashul smirked. "Now brother, my mother is not a bitch and I am not a son of one."

At the clap of his hands, the tempestia entered Cassius's chambers, her face still downcast.

Lashul twirled a finger in the air causing the Elvin girl to sway her hips around. The chains rattled as she did so along with the coins wrapped round her ankles.

This did nothing for Cassius. He was unphased.

His eyes cut to Lashul who held a concentrated expression as he forced the girl to dance for Cassius. "Give it up," he growled. "She has nothing I need."

"Hmm," Lashul rose a brow before he paused his hand movements. He closed his eyes and tilted his head towards the sky, as if asking the gods for help would assist him in this situation.

"Why are you even doing this?"

Lashul held up a finger. With an appeased smile, he glanced at Cas. "To break thee, Cassius," he simply said and, with that, he clapped his hands again and the Elf girl changed.

She no longer bore turquoise hair. No, she had silver hair that covered her bare breasts and those violet eyes that haunted his dreams. He groaned and knew the tamped down arousal he hid so well would rear its face soon.

Lashul caused the imitating slave girl to swirl her hips once more. He felt himself heat and grow.

He was going to lose control. Soon.

"This one seems to be working," Lashul beamed and used his power to scoot the slave girl forward.

Cassius clenched his fists in his bindings. He could feel his power inching back into his being but knew he was far too weak to harm Lashul.

The girl was on him then, her body straddling his outstretched legs. She rose and fell, tossed her hair behind her shoulders. He knew this wasn't reality but gods save him, he wanted her. She had occupied his mind each night since he saved her from Toros.

How long ago that seemed.

Lashul broke his reverie when he chuckled again. "I'll leave you to it, then."

Once alone, Cassius struggled against the vines, wriggled his fingers to try and loosen them to no avail. On top of the slave girl grinding against him, he was losing his will and ability to concentrate.

"Devyn," he muttered, having remembered her name.

The girl looked directly into his eyes. Her violet irises were off; not as vibrant as Devyn's were but close enough. She bent her head, their lips nearly touching. He hadn't worn his mouth covering since the fight, no longer caring who saw his tattered features.

"Say my name," he demanded.

"Cassius," she whispered. She was still lifting her hips up and then down, up and down.

He snarled. "Again." He tried to capture her lips but she pulled away.

Why were these bindings so tough?

"Cassius," she practically moaned.

With a roar, he ripped free of the vines and pinned "Devyn" to the cushions. He wrapped a hand around her throat. "What's my name?" He bared his teeth, elongating his fangs first from the bottom and then the top.

"C-Cassius," she rasped out.

In her not perfectly violet eyes, fear arose. He did not care. She looked like Devyn and that's what he craved. He needed her.

The second he entered her, she cried out in pain but was halted as he leaned down to bite her shoulder. Blood quickly gathered in his mouth and spilled onto the cushion. She tasted like a damned Elf but he closed his eyes and imagined her tasting how Devyn would. Like a human-salty and hearty.

Broslan love-making was rough and quick with biting and occasionally choking.

Cassius pulled away from biting her and placed his free hand on the wall beside him, praying to the gods this was the slave girl he was fucking. He bent his head as the sensation overtook him. When he was king, he was able to let go whenever he pleased. In the last year or so, he hadn't gotten that opportunity as much as he became older, his body changing to not really need to let go as much.

He needed to find a mate.

He growled as hips thrust quicker with that thought of who he wanted. With a growl, he let go and fell limp on the lackluster imitation of her.