Together Ssn 04 Ch. 12 - End of an Era

***All sexually active characters depicted are of age, 18 years old at least, and, some of what you read may cause distress. Be safe and vigilant!***

It is a sad day at the Cummings' castle, as all are in attendance for a funeral, honouring the long lives of Archibald and Elise Cummings, who recently passed away together peacefully. Many gather to pay their respects: their son, Domhnall, 65, and his wife, Gracie, 56; their eldest granddaughter, Gloria, 38, and her husband, Ray, 62; their youngest granddaughter, Pleasant, 25, and her wife, Frankie, 22; their great-granddaughter, Gabby, 20; as well as those considered as family, Lucy, 44, and George, 48, and Tiffany, 22, and Craig, 21, with their baby daughter, Joy.

The coffins lay side-by-side in the courtyard, with chairs arranged to sit and view them, as the mourners pay their final respects and bid their farewells for the last time.

Gracie stands before everyone, between the coffins, and begins, "We have come today because of our shared history, and shared love, and to help ease each other through this difficult time. Domhnall was set on saying something today, but, as I am sure you will understand, he is not up to it, so, forgive me Elise, but, I will say some words instead," hearing a few sniggers of laughter from the congregation, before she continues, "Many of you know Elise and I weren't particularly close, but, I miss her. I miss them both.

"Domhnall and I owe everything we have to Archibald and Elise, and, I'm not just talking about the castle, or the business, or even that they made and raised my husband into the fine man he is, father to our beautiful children, but, instead, we met, Domhnall and I, through Archibald and Elise. I rode horses in my youth, and we put on shows for the locals, and, Domhnall used to love coming to watch me ride. He would beg Archibald and Elise to let him see me. They arranged us to meet once, and we were very smitten, and adorably awkward, and they allowed us to be.

"Over time, Archibald and Elise welcomed me into the family as Domhnall and I dated. I was won over by how fanciful everything was. It was like living in a fairytale world. The wonder and the magic gave way to hard work, being nurtured into their business, and taught how to assert dominance, and lead with dignity and poise. Those lessons are ingrained into my entire being. It is also those lessons that strained my relationship with Elise. She saw me as too ambitious; perhaps I was. I learned not to argue with her. I am who I am, and, I think she respected that in the end.

"I miss being with Elise. I will never take for granted the time we had, nor grieve any time lost due to our differences. Instead, I will carry everything I learned from her forward, and pass that on to my daughters: Gloria, Pleasant, Frankie, and Tiffany. Tiffany in particular is someone who kindled an optimistic interest from Elise, enterprising as she is, a woman after her own heart, driven and passionate. More than any of us, Elise loved her brief time knowing Tiffany, and, Archibald himself was also impressed by her.

"Archibald and Elise is our past, and Tiffany and Craig are the future of their work. Domhnall and I, so too with Gloria and Ray, acknowledge the completeness of the legacy of Archibald and Elise, with a clear continuity that will extend for generations. Although they have passed on, they are not gone. They are immortalised by our spirit, and our ambitions.

"Archibald fostered a community of commerce because he was driven by his passions of love for Elise, and those passions drove her to repay that with an entrepreneurial interest that blossomed into a thriving and fruitful enterprise. It all started with a shy glance across a town square market. Isn't it just wonderful? If ever there was a lesson to just be humble, but, also, working hard, to not rest on your laurels; of that I am guilty. I admit it.

"Whatever our feelings were, I know only love now, and I understand them both more than they can ever know. It is all I can do to honour them to be as they were," choking up, Gracie struggles to continue, and sits down with Domhnall to grieve with him. She has said what she wanted to say, and that is enough.

After some time for quiet contemplation, the coffins are taken by attendants from the funeral parlour, with everyone following them through to the outer courtyard to be placed into the rear of hearses, ready to leave the castle for one final time.

Most of the guests take their leave, leaving Domhnall, Gracie, Gloria, Ray, Gabby, Pleasant, Frankie, Lucy, George, Craig, and Tiffany with Joy as they make their way to the lounge to sit and relax with a pouring of whiskey or wine as is their fancy, with Pleasant offered a green tea as per her request.

George breaks the silence to ask, "Pleasant, girl, how are you after what happened at the wedding?"

Pleasant feels a little sore from the gunshot wound she suffered a couple of weeks ago, but bravely replies, "I am feeling fine. I am set to make a full recovery, and have a healthy baby. For that, I am very much grateful, and also for Frankie's support throughout my recovery. It was certainly quite the ordeal."

Domhnall speaks up, "Speaking of ordeals, I had a word with the hospital and got Bonnie suspended pending review for what she did to you. The police are asking if you wanted to press charges, but, I leave that decision to you."

Pleasant thinks for a moment, and answers, "No. She really hurt me, and her anger was very much misplaced, but I'm not going to be the one to ruin her life, or her career. Bonnie and Sheena need to decide how they want to continue on their own."

Frankie rests her head on her husband's shoulder, and Pleasant leans her head onto her wife's, as Domhnall decides, "Very well. I shall inform the authorities that we do not want to pursue any action pertaining to Bonnie. You are right. She must decide for herself how things go from here."

Tiffany asks Frankie, "Did you get to talk with Pleasant about what you wanted to talk about?"

Frankie candidly answers, "Yes. We had a good, long chat about everything."

Pleasant confirms, albeit vaguely, "It was foolish of me to not be completely open with Frankie. I didn't want to hurt her. We are on the same page now though."

Tiffany tells them, "That is good to hear. It is nice that things worked out in the end."

Craig checks the time, and says to Tiffany, "We should get ready to go."

Tiffany announces to everyone, "We're sorry to do this on a day like this, but, we still have our honeymoon booked, and we have connections to make."

Gracie tells the young couple, "No need to apologise. Life goes on, and this was already planned. I'm certain you leave with Archibald's and Elise's blessings."

Domhnall concurs with his wife, "Mother and Father will be smiling down on you, as I am sure they are on everyone here."

Tiffany giggles, and says, "Yes, I feel their love warmly in me." She hands over Joy to Lucy, saying to her baby, "Granny will take good care of you. Be a good girl for her while Mommy and Daddy are gone, yeah?" Stepping back, Tiffany takes Craig's hand, and they take their leave.

As the afternoon draws on, Gabby goes to find Carmichael, finding him tending to his duties in the library. She approaches him, and sympathetically says, "I wanted to ask how you are feeling?"

Carmichael sincerely answers, "That is very kind of you, Miss Gabriella. It has been hard for everyone here; some more than most. Are you holding up well?"

Gabby sighs, "I will manage," and asks, "How did you come to be in service to the family?"

Carmichael remarks, "Yeah, you would be too young to really know," reminiscing, "I was kind of born to do this. My family, the Blake's were good friends of the Cummings, going back to Mr Archibald's and Mrs Elise's youth. I inherited this role because of long-lasting respect. I even inherited my name. I am Carmichael Blake, the third. It was my father, not my grandfather, who originally pledged service to the upkeep of the castle, but my grandfather did have a hand in it's renovation from ruin to residence."

Gabby politely enquires, "You're not that old, really. How long have you been in residence?"

Carmichael smiles, and proudly replies, "I was already a man when your Aunt Pleasant was born. Miss Angelina, as was her given name. It fell to me to help change her, bathe her, put her to bed... Most of the time it fell to me, I should say. There were more than a few nights where the master himself would want to tend to little Miss Angie, in all fairness."

Gabby wonders out loud, "Did you ever think you wanted to do anything else instead of working here?"

Carmichael laughs, smiling at Gabby, enjoying her sweet questions, and he candidly replies, "No, I never felt need to. In return for my tireless tenure, I am afforded a pretty privileged life. I don't have the wealth and influence of the master, or your family's estate, but, having free reign to live here is a pleasure. I would never want to do anything else. I love my life here.

"As a young boy, I was taught everything I needed to know from my father. He served under Mr Archibald and Mrs Elise themselves. When they retired, I was raised and tutored from when Mr Domhnall became master of the household with Mrs Gracie, and I succeeded my father's duties officially when Mistress Pleasant was expected."

Gabby cheekily asks, "What was my mother like when she was growing up? You're around the same age, and you were always around, so, you must know her."

Carmichael sees Gabby's reasoning, but tells her, "Unfortunately, I didn't have too much to do with your mother when I was a boy. We respected each other's boundaries, as are expected living within the expectations of etiquette. I had my work to do, and, for much of her time, she was living at boarding school with her peers. You would have to ask her if you want to know more about that time of her life."

Gabby pushes the question, "I'm asking what you thought of her when she was around. Do I remind you of her?"

Carmichael calmly replies, "You're not really anything like Mrs Gloria. You are very much hyperactive, and overtly energetic. Miss Gloria, in her youth, was very reserved, and very practised in propriety. I think you probably get your cheeky nature from your father. He always enjoyed a good laugh."

Gabby giggles a little, and contains herself to politely express, "It has been good to listen to you talk about your youth. I wanted to talk because I thought you might be mourning."

Carmichael explains, "I am mourning; remembering my father, and how he was with Mr Archibald, and Mrs Elise. I always tried to make them feel as welcome during their visits as he made them when they lived here. It seemed the most proper way to serve them, but, it also kept those memories of the past burning brightly in my mind. It is important to me to keep them alive in my memory, like stoking a fire, keeping it freshly lit."

Gabby mutters, "That sounds like a beautiful way to put it," and she probes, "Is that why you do things the way you do? You preserve their memory?"

Carmichael answers, "Yes and no. My work adapts to the person I am serving, and moods and attitudes change, and I am receptive to that, informing the best I can do to serve. I am not running a museum. This is a living residence. I do what I can in the traditions of those who came before, but I serve for the here and now."

Gabby offers, "It would be an honour to learn from you, as you did from your father. Now, I understand your work a lot more. Perhaps, one day, I can keep everyone's memory alive by understanding their needs, and how they like to live. Teach me."

Carmichael asks, "Miss Gabriella, you seem serious. Are you wanting to try to seduce me again?"

Gabby sincerely says, "I apologise for how I was before. I didn't understand, and that made me disrespectful. I really want to learn from you."

Carmichael accepts, "Very well, Miss Gabriella. You find me when you want to begin. Take time to be with your family for now though. You won't have times like this with them too often. They should be treasured."

Gabby reaches a hand for Carmichael's arm, but hesitates, saying, "I want to be here for you now, as a friend."

Carmichael checks, "Just a friend?"

Gabby nervously utters, "Yes. I'm not very good at just being a friend, but I want to try. I think it would be nice for both of us."

Carmichael smiles, taking Gabby's hand, and sipping some whisky, expressing, "You are very sweet. I'm not used to you not being perverted."

Gabby laughs briefly, saying, "Yeah, it feels weird for me too," giggling with her nerves. She feels Carmichael's hand grip hers stronger, making her feel more at ease, and she relaxes as they sit together, simply being in each other's company, without trying to do anything more.

That night, in a local prison, Linford sits on the bed in his cell, hearing footsteps beyond the door clack closer on the cool concrete. The door unlocks, swings open, and in steps a woman clad in black latex. Linford doesn't look surprised, or even scared of this woman's presence, saying, "I wondered when you would show." The cell then fills with men also clad in black latex, and Linford suddenly feels a great sense of unease.

Removing her mask, Pleasant commands of her men, "Hold him." They obey, dragging him by the arms on either side of him, forcing him down onto his knees. Pleasant then commands, "Gag him." The other men gather around, with black dildos presented and ready for insertion, with some men behind Linford's head, holding it in place as those at his front take turns thrusting their dildos into his mouth.

Linford braces himself for each cock being shoved into his mouth, even taking two at a time to really stretch his lips around them. He moans, and struggles, breathing harder and louder, and more infrequent. He tries to turn his head away, and wriggles around, trying to catch his breath and get more comfortable, but the medley of men don't relent, and stuff Linford's mouth more and more, slapping his face as they do so.

Pleasant watches as Linford struggles to maintain consciousness, with each slap sparking a brief moment of lucidity before his eyes droop again. The woman clad in black spits, "Pathetic. Choking on so much cock that you can't handle it. Don't go passing out, will you, Linford. It may very well be the last time you ever do so."

Linford's eyes snap open with a surge of adrenaline upon hearing Pleasant's chilling words, protesting with his mouth full garbled groans. Pleasant says to him, "Oh, look. That got you all nice and excited. I think you like the sound of never waking up again, but, your fate is to be decided by a very special person."

Into the cell enters another woman clad entirely in black, and Linford's heart races faster as she unmasks herself, as Pleasant introduces her, "This is my wife, but, you know her as Craig's sister, and Tiffany's best friend. What you didn't know, is that when you shot me, I was pregnant with our baby. So, I wouldn't count on her being merciful." Pleasant stands beside Frankie, running her latex-gloved hands over her wife's latex-laden body, asking her, "What do you think we should do with him?"

Frankie coldly gives her answer to Pleasant, "You were very gracious to him before, allowing him to work, to live a happy life, wanting for nothing as he enjoyed so many lovers, yet, he repaid that kindness by attempting to end your life. He didn't learn his lesson before, and, he is not sorry now. I want to watch as he lays in a ditch while these lovely gentlemen fill it in."

Linford sucks those silicone cocks with much more willingness, eager to please these harsh mistresses. He hears a frighteningly familiar voice speak the phrase, "You have been a very bad boy," causing his blood to run cold, and encouraging much more enthusiasm from the captive. Linford becomes a lot more vocal with his moans, displaying appreciation for the generosity of his hosts.

Pleasant graciously offers, "I'm feeling generous. He should at least enjoy one orgasm?"

Frankie considers the offer, looking into Linford's teary eyes as she says, "We will give him the release he deserves in due time. Very well. I will personally attend to it."

The men stuffing Linford's face step away, with those behind him restraining his arms and neck with their arms, feeling the sticky friction of the latex, and other men hold his legs apart to reduce his ability to kick and struggle. Frankie approaches, getting down on the floor, removing Linford's considerable dick from his jumpsuit. She feels it stiffen in her hand, and Linford whimpers as she asks, "You're not getting hard for me, are you? You don't like girls, right? It must be all the adrenaline, and being surrounded by these hunks."

The head of Linford's dick disappears into Frankie's mouth with a tender and slow suck, and he bitterly answers, "Fuck you."

Frankie casually says, "No. The point of this is to fuck you," and she goes down on Linford's dick, taking it as far into her throat as she can as she tends to the tenderly throbbing thickness with licks, sucks, and cradling the sides with her lips.

Linford feels much more uncomfortable from Frankie's attention, squirming and struggling to very little avail, being held as he is by such strong and handsome bodies. He whimpers more whiningly and desperately, and Frankie stops suddenly, backing away to resume standing beside her husband, watching as Linford wriggles and writhes, bucking his hips as his dick throbs out a trickle of thick semen, oozing from the tip, leaving Linford agonisingly wanting to finish emptying his dick and balls. He groans such forced whimpers, so hard as his eyes stream with more tears, hot and salty as they release from his eyes, unlike his ejaculate below.

Frankie giggles, delighting at the results of her efforts with Linford's dick, taunting him, "Aww, he is wanting to enjoy the rest of his orgasm, but he is unable to," laughing, leading a chorus of laughter at Linford's expense. She coldly orders to, "Bring him," and she watches as Linford is gagged, and dragged from the cell.

Out in the alpine mountains, the trembling thrum of the engine of a Troubadour VP-6 can be heard. The ashen grey roads are met by the rapid rotations of the tyres carrying the styled curves in a bold yellow, almost like the summer sun itself streaking along the side of the mountains. On the rear of the car is a special detail put on by Vittore Tremonti himself, a solid titanium embossed name badge in a single piece, reading, "Bright," in a bold, stylised, calligraphy font.

With Tiffany behind the wheel, windows down, feeling the cool mountain breeze filter into the cockpit, and Craig at her side, they wear their sunglasses to shield from the shining rays of the scorching sun, with their hair blustering in a trail behind them. Tiffany whoops as she feels the exhilaration of shifting through the gears to traverse the tight tarmacked roads twisting around the steep slopes. She has dreamed of something like this for so long, and, now, with the man she loves beside her, she feels truly special.

They find their way to a lake that pools in the midst of the mountains, with pristinely clear water fed by the trickling of streams from the nearby peaks. Around the water's edge grows plants and weeds, with dragonflies and birds of paradise flitting around and darting by. Picturesque and idyllic, the scene is perfect, crisp, calm, and peaceful.

Inspired by the natural wonder, Tiffany parks the car nearby, and she and Craig find respite by the water, partaking in the purity of the air refreshing them through their nostrils. With no other people around, in the heart of nature, Tiffany and Craig bare themselves, finding peace and joy with each other, in some way pure like their love has been born again. In nature's embrace, Tiffany and Craig are held in harmony with all in the surround.