The Lineage Ch. 10

"Y-yes, of course! Please do tell," he piped out immediately, falling for the bait Zenna had set.

She pointed her finger out at him, "I expect you to never raise your voice or become frustrated with me ever again! No matter what I do, you must treat me cordially and with respect! And you can expect the same treatment from me, as well! Do we have a deal," she stuck her hand out for him to shake.

Her behavior unsteadied him, to say the least. To have this quiet and reserved woman now speaking with him as if they had been friendly for decades and demanding an agreement between them, he hesitated. Trinas stared down at her hand as if shaking it would cause his arm to be ripped off. Yet if he refused, he could stand to lose as much as his entire kingdom. Zenna had him up against the wall, and everyone present knew it.

Though he tried his best to suppress it, a gulp was heard as his hand latched the elf's own tiny, soft paw. Zenna's grin grew more pronounced at her success. All the confidence she had suppressed for decades seemed ready to explode out of her today. Trinas also put on an, albeit shakier, smile to match the elf's own.

But as the two continued their shake, a face suddenly appeared between them, so close to the elf's own she had to lean back to not collide with it.

At first she thought it to be Marianne, with the same ocean-blue eyes and wheat-gold hair. She even had the same soft jaw and dim pink lips. Her face was even red as the queen's was only moments ago. Yet as Zenna studied her more, she could tell this was not the queen's face she had studied so readily. Her skin was even more flawless than Marianne's with a youthful glow that was accentuated by the sunlight behind her. In addition, there was a manic look in her eye as if the young woman was barely holding herself back.

"H-hi, Zenna... it's so good to s-see you again..." the girl began, leaning in even closer to the elf. Zenna released the king's hand and stepped back in bewilderment. The girl followed her.

"I've been w-waiting you to come back... with such e-eager anticipation of us having a real heart-to-heart... last time we met was such a bore and such a rush we couldn't really take each other in..." the woman purred, standing to full height as Zenna continued her retreat.

The blonde cooed as she looked down at her, "wow, you really are small, as they say... well, except for some parts of you, huh?" she studied the blue-haired woman intently. The elf felt her clothing left her too vulnerable for the woman's prying eyes.

"Umm... s-sorry... have we met, before now...?" Zenna asked with unease. The blonde seemed confused for a split second before glowing warmly again.

"Ah, I see. You were so engrossed with your meal the last time we met, you must not have heard me talking in your ear..." the entire group twitched as they recounted how the elf was downing truly apocalyptic amounts of food. Trinas laughed as he recalled this.

"Ah, that is one thing I must take into consideration! We will most certainly have to keep you well-fed on top of everything else, Zenna. Gods, we all saw how much it to make you full last time!" he laughed heartily, his family joining in to tease the overly-indulging elf.

"Oh, I wasn't full. You simply ran out of food..."

The voice came with such a surprise the entire group clamped their mouths shut. Their visions creaked down to the elf, who was smiling coyly. Trinas gulped, "s-sorry? What was that?"

"I said I wasn't full, my king. The table simply ran out of food. I have a very big appetite, as you saw... we can only hope your chefs can keep up. Maybe I'll have to lend them some of my own culinary talents, hmm?" she put her finger to her lips playfully.

Trinas went pale, mentally racking his brain. Although he had never before considered it to be a problem, he worried how deep his kingdom's coffers truly went - the elf was certainly an expensive girl.

With her father lost in his own mind, Mare continued from where she left off. "Let me be more proper in our introductions, as compared to the last time," the girl curtsied, then slowly dropped down to one knee before Zenna. She reached out slowly and took tender hold of the elf's hand, holding it so her palm was face-down. Everyone in the room, elven individual included, was stunned.

The blonde beauty stared up at Zenna through her eyebrows as she held the little pale hand close to her face. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance; allow me to introduce myself. I am Princess Mare of Underhill, daughter of King Trinas and Queen Marianne, younger sibling of Gamlen and Torin, and to you, my exquisite elf..."

"... your eternal, loyal servant," she finished, kissing Zenna's hand tenderly. The elf went red.

"M-Mare?" her parents questioned behind her.

"S-sis?" her two brothers questioned also.

Zenna was steaming, visibly letting it pour out of her pointy ears with a whistling sound while her entire cranium was bloody. Her mouth stammered endlessly for a few moments as she constructed a response. "T-t-t-t-thank y-you, my p-princess... it is my p-pleasure to make your acquaintance as well... y-you look just like your mo-mother... and very b-beautiful... like her as well..."

Mare grew even more manic, letting her eyes bulge and her fingers to wrap tighter around the elf's hand. "Coming from you, that means the world to me. And speaking of meaning, I whole-heartedly meant what I said. As long as you are here in Underhill, I am yours to do with as you please... or, you could allow me to do with you as I please..." she trailed off, her vision falling.

Zenna looked over her own bust to see the princess was staring right at her elven crotch, inches away from what slumbered there. In addition, Mare was rubbing herself with her free hand right along her thigh, dangerously close to her sacred grounds. For how long she had been doing this, was a secret only the princess would ever know. Mare rubbed herself more and licked her lips, her eyes never leaving that tool hidden under the elf's dress.

"Eeeeeeek!" Zenna squeaked at the sight, trying to pull her hand away from the horny royal.

"Whenever you might need me... or wherever... I promise I will come to your aid... in whatever way you require of me..." Mare's breaths grew ragged as she worked herself up.

"Ahh... ahh...!" the elf was speechless.

"... for whatever desires you need sated... cordial or otherwise..."

"Ahh... ahh... umm..."

"...by the way... I'm single..."

"Alright, that's enough, sis," Torin stated as he and his older brother Gamlen hooked their arms under Mare's own and hoisted her up and away from the elf. The princess reluctantly let them carry her further from Zenna, yet her crazed eyes certainly never stopped looking at her. It was only now the little lady realized the young blonde never blinked during their encounter. The two brothers set Mare back down and then stood slightly in front of her, acting as a shield to keep her back. Still, she peered over their shoulders at her. Zenna realized she was quite tall for a woman, given how she stood next to her brothers. She likely inherited such height from her mother.

"Although we are not as malleable as our sister here," Gamlen started, taking Zenna's intentions, "we are still willing to assist you however that may be, Zenna."

"Same here," Torin continued, "forgive Mare for her behavior, she has not been the same since you arrived in Underhill. But in a similar vein to my siblings, I also promise to be your aid during your... labors. T-to an extent..." he sheepishly added. The entire royal family seemed equally embarrassed at the princess' behavior and found it difficult to look the elf directly in her fiery eyes.

Zenna leaned down at scratched at the back of her head tediously, sharing in their humiliation. "Um... thank you... I really appreciate any assistance you would be willing to give me... I know I certainly can't do everything you are all expecting out of me on my own... s-so I ask for your help... however you are able..."

Marianne gasped, "Z-Zenna, does this mean you're... willing to consider staying? A-and trying to undo our curse?" she barely contained her own excitement. Other members of the royal family perked up in addition to how the elf might answer. Although no one seemed to notice it, a door audibly creaked open off to the side.

The elf scratched her head even more, nervous about their enthusiasm. "I honestly still have no idea if your hopes are placed properly. There's still no way to tell that I am the person you've been searching for these last years..." she raised her head up to meet them. "But if there's even the slightest chance that I am that person, I am willing to give it my all. Sorry it took so long to convince me, and I can only hope I measure up to your expectations..."

"I'll gladly measure you... every fleshy bit..." the princess whispered to no one hearing. The group was simply too distracted with their own joy to notice anything else.

"I can still barely wrap my head around it... all the people you want me to help... your kingdom is so vast and there's just me... and that's even considering that I can..." the elf paused as she heard something rapidly approaching her. More appropriately, a group of something. Multiple sets of fast-paced feet were rushing in from her right, clattering on the marbled throne room floor. Zenna barely had enough time to look in the sound's direction and shout, "wahh!" before she was laid out on her back. She felt no pain, however, from the impact - given the set of squishy little bodies which were now fighting for a controlling interest in her form. Their shouts and tears made it almost impossible to figure out what was going on.

"I sorry! Sorry! So sorry, elf!" one of them shouted as she held Zenna's head.

"We sorry!" the other woman corrected, gripping tightly into the other half of the elf's skull.

"More sorry! I more sorry! My fault!" yet another one cried out, rubbing her face into the little woman's belly while her arms crushed her organs.

"Most sorry! Me! Me! I sorry I hurt you! Please forgive me!" the final one sobbed, sharing the other half of her waist.

The royals looked on in awe as the quartet of familiar woman wrestled over who could hug the elf most tenderly - with all four of them screaming their heads off and bawling their eyes out right into the elf's flesh or dress. They frantically kicked their legs into the air like toddlers throwing tantrums. Although their faces were half buried in elf, their uniforms and voices were readily identifiable to those watching.

"S-Sienna?" Marianne questioned. "Ain? Talley and Fey? What are you all doing?" the rest of the royals asked of them, with no answer being given. The maids instead continued smothering the elf, who was wildly throwing her arms up in the air in bewilderment as she was buried among the women. These four women who flung themselves at the helpless Zenna her first night in Underhill now let their remorse run down their faces and fill the open air. For weeks now they had been besides themselves, barely able to converse with anyone besides themselves - and even when they did, they would find themselves randomly bursting into tears.

As the scene went on and those watching calmed themselves, they found a strange delight in how the maids were apologizing in their own way for what they did. Not reserved and calm by any means - yet it was as heartfelt as they knew. The five watching on smiled as the girls continued squeezing tighter around Zenna.

This continued for a few more minutes until the elf's arms were visibly slowing their frantic pace. It was a bit concerning how still she was growing under the weight of the four larger people atop her. Actually, she had been rather silent throughout this ordeal, as Underhill's royals came to notice collectively.

"Is... uh... Zenna able... to brea...?" Torin asked his parents. All of them suddenly snapped their necks to glance at each other in terrifying realization. Trinas, Marianne, and their two sons leapt forward in unison, each grabbing a maid of their choice and harshly yanking them off the tiny elf. They screamed and kicked in protest, but the short Hertonese women had no chance to escape. Thankfully, Zenna, began to rasp heavily for air after the weights atop her had been removed. She clutched at her chest some, yet was gratefully relieved at being able to breathe again.

She stood up slowly, legs shaking a bit under her dress until she was upright. Zenna wiped away the sweat and tears away from her eyes so she could see again. Staring at the royal family now, most of them still barely holding back a maid from running at the elf again, Zenna wished there could be a painter present to capture the moment. The four little women were still sobbing lightly and thrashing around where their wrists were held above their heads or behind their backs. The elf thought it would have been difficult to convince the maids the error of their ways, even felt a bit scared of how the conversation would be - yet much like Marianne, she could see the group of servants had already tortured themselves enough.

But as she continued to watch them, the entire group rapidly slowed their movements and sounds to deathly stillness and silence. Even Mare was taken aback, her eyes bulging. Despite all those eyes sharing the same expression, that of shock - not a single searchlight was aimed at Zenna.

Instead, they were aimed at something behind her. It was only now the elf noticed that planet-shattering booming coming behind her. With each step, that gigantic, fearsome creature grew closer to her defenseless backside. She swayed side-to-side weakly with each impact. Despite the sunlight coming from in front of her, the presence behind her overpowered it, casting a long, endless shadow that swallowed her and the rest of the room.

She had no reason to turn around. Zenna knew exactly what, or more specifically who, was barely feet away from her now. She dreaded this encounter more than any other. More than facing the queen. More than facing her husband. More than facing the maids, even. Truthfully - she dreaded it to the point she refused to even imagine how it was go. It was simply too painful to bear.

Finally, that deathly chill running up her spine was too much, and she allowed her ashamed face to fall into her bosom. Clearly, her shyness would never truly fade. Zenna formed fists of shame down at her waist and struggled to keep from crying. The looming monster behind her back came to a rest, standing so high above her that Zenna wished she could just shrink into nothing. So gargantuan was its size, when it huffed, it felt as if a dragon were emptying its lungs into her back. The elf collapsed into herself more, her fists growing tighter.

Slowly, she could hear it circling around to her front like a shark drawn by her spilt blood. Heat rose in waves off its flesh to the point her pale skin was shearing off. Its gaze alone caused her knees to buckle and she shook wildly before it. When it came to a stop in front of her, she silently wished the royal family would rescue her. Yet, she knew in her heart this was her battle, not theirs. She sniffled.

Zenna wanted to become invisible or simply deaf as it cleared its throat.

"Look. At. Me."

As if the creature were dragging her head out of her chest, Zenna obeyed. She reluctantly raised her face to meet the man, yet immediately wished she hadn't. It was such an ugly sight that met her eyes. He was hideous. Facial hair overgrown and gangly. Unshaven and unkept, he looked as if someone had stolen him straight out of a sewer and her certainly smelled worse than one. Dark, demonic eyes were the only piece of him that shone brightly; even his mouth was yellowed and putrid. The royal armor coating him, once bright and clean, looked as if it had been salvaged from ancient ruins. Zenna was a moment away from turning tail and running away when he spoke again.

"So here you are. You came crawling right back."

"Marcus!" the queen chastised him. "There's no need to...!"

"Hold your tongue, my queen. This does not concern you," he brazenly interrupted. Everyone else in the room, the maids, the royal children, king and queen and even the elf felt their jaws fall to the floor.

"How dare you use that tone with my wife, Throydill! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Quiet, Trinas. You'll have your turn with me, but for now this little one and I have business to attend to."

The king's eyes bugged wildly and the noose flooded before his vision. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Marcus continued.

"What do you have to say for yourself, little elf? Choose your words carefully. I'm not in a patient mood," his voice was enflamed enough Zenna began melting. Every bodily fluid she had cascaded down her façade. The last time she and the knight met, the two had a screaming match the elf had never before pictured herself within. With that core memory barely buried, this new one dredged it right back up to the surface. Zenna began to cry softly, unable to speak.

"I don't speak in tears, only words, elf. Talk. Now."

Zenna knew all too well that Marcus would never lie to her. She also knew him to always be straight and to the point. Tears or crying or apologies would never break through his shell. He was, after all, a soldier first and foremost. Would she try and sob her way out of this, it would only push him further over the edge. Without something concrete to deal with, Marcus would never be satisfied. Throydill understood actions better than anything else; it was his most fluent language.

With no words in her arsenal and no other clear path to take, Zenna turned her head and presented her cheek to the knight.

"What is this?"

An apple-sized gulp flung down her throat, "g-go ahead..."

"Go ahead with...?"

She sniveled again, "I'm... I'm your slave and I... I ran away... you need to punish me..."

The entire room gasped, save Marcus himself. "Zenna! No!" the queen begged, "you don't have to...!"

"Actually, she does," the knight growled through his grit teeth. "She's a smart girl and she knows what she has to face now," Marcus began to undo the armor around his arm, letting it clatter to the floor. Everyone stared at him as he flexed his fist, cracking his fingers in anticipation.

"I swear to the gods, Throydill, if you lay one finger on that girl..." the king threatened.

"Stay out of this, my royal highness. This concerns no one except me and the elf. This is nothing more than a matter between master and slave."

"How dare you!" Marianne howled, "what the hell has gone wrong with...!?" she paused as Marcus glared over his shoulder at her. The queen shut her mouth quickly enough. If Marcus chose to dig his own grave, no one present would stop him from making it deeper.

Seeing he was free from obstacles, Throydill turned his attention to back to the tiny girl before him. He knew a smack from his hand would nearly rend her to pieces. Fully knowing this, he raised his trained arm high above his head fingers spread wide in anticipation. Zenna squeezed her eyes shut, bit her lip and sucked down a scream as she heard his fist whistling through the air towards her.

She was knocked back, almost coming off her feet. But it wasn't because Marcus slapped her. Instead, it was because of the weight on her chest. She would have fallen over had that weight not wrapped its arms around her, rooting her in place.

Zenna let her eyes open slowly, fearfully taking in the world around her. Strangely, Marcus was no longer before her face, nor was he above her. Instead, she glanced down to see him buried amongst her chest, her breasts conforming around his head as he pulled himself tighter into her. The elf had her own hands still available and raised them to her head in confusion. The knight was silent for a while before the entire room went silent at what they heard.