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My dark savior [Degu x Tsukuyomi]

Cydros noticed the cute little smile that came onto her face when she saw the cat. It seemed like keeping the kittens around had been an excellent idea. If she liked cats, he just had to fill their home with those furry creatures to make her happy. Even if she despised her homeland, there were still plenty of places she could run to if she came to despise him as well. He had to be the perfect husband to make sure it wasn't worth it for her to run away to other lands.

"I'm sure they're happy that I keep my bed chamber heated at all times just for them," he grumbled. "Well, we're headed that way anyway..." His voice softened as he gazed back down at her. "That's the warmest part of my home. The warmth will do you some good."

"Do you think you can walk on your own from here?" he softly asked, setting her back down on her feet although his hands rested on her shoulders, ready to catch her if she stumbled. "Or should I carry you to the kittens?"
 
"I'm certain they do. Cats are very fond of warm things that are good to sleep on." The cats slept in his room? Did that mean that she would wake surrounded by purring furballs, if she was even able to sleep? Nessa had to admit that she was tired, the cold had sapped most of her strength that was left from the journey itself. Her wet clothes however, needed to be remedied, and she knew that anything in her pack was either wet or frozen solid at this point. Perhaps he could dry them as he had her hair, which felt tangled but somewhat soft when she ran a hand over the disheveled braid.

"I can walk, my lord." She settled onto her feet as he put her down, still holding the mug carefully and unsure of what to do with it. She could just take it with her to their destination, she hadn't drank anything in a long enough time she knew her body would savor something, anything to go in her belly. "I appreciate the concern, but I am able to walk on my own now."
 
She seemed quite pleased by the presence of cats, so pleased that he wondered where he could find more of the purring little devils. These grounds were quite massive and could easily accommodate numerous animals. With his servants keeping the place heated and providing food and water for the cats, this place could easily become a haven of sorts for those creatures. If his wife smiled every day here, she would be more likely to stay. He would provide a home for the cats and the cats would provide her happiness and she would in turn provide him with happiness. It was a perfect arrangement - he thought so, anyway.

He pushed open the main door and stepped inside, holding the door for her.

"You're going to need warmer clothes if you plan to venture beyond the bed chamber. Those won't do at all." He paused to think. "We'll have to travel to Dumor to buy some winter dresses for you. It's a town not too far from the border, and it's not part of your homeland so it's in line with our agreement." His gaze lingered thoughtfully on her face. "You'll need jewellery too. It wouldn't do for my wife to look like a servant girl. With your beautiful face, the right jewellery will make you shine like the sun." He smiled. "You'll be the envy of every woman in town."
 
She most certainly planned to venture beyond the bed chamber. She had no intention of hiding away in one room like a scolded child, and the thought of sharing a bed with a man, even for sleep, was rather intimidating. She was relieved when he had backtracked and specified sleep was what he had meant, although his offer of pleasuring her had been very unexpected. She had never been with a man in that manner before, and her understanding of that aspect of a marriage was that a woman was meant to please her husband and provide heirs for him. Why would he offer her that?

"Dumor." Had she been there before, perhaps once upon a time? Nessa nodded hesitantly, finding somewhere to set the mug down as she slipped into the room and clutched his coat tighter to her. "Jewelry?" A hand raised to touch her throat before she nodded hesitantly. "Yes, my lord, if that would please you."
 
She didn't seem too enthusiastic about the idea of wearing jewellery. He tilted his head a little to the side and he looked visibly concerned. Did she think him too frugal? That had to be it... She must have lived in a far grander place surrounded by far grander objects, and his lifestyle offended her noble senses. She thought he would settle for cheap jewellery - quite possibly fake, even. Cheap fabric, mass-produced dresses... The horror of it all!

"Only the rarest and most exquisite jewellery shall be allowed to touch your skin," he declared. "Don't worry about the expenses, I do happen to be sitting on quite a substantial wealth accumulated over centuries." He rested his hands on her shoulders, his expression most sincere. "And only the highest quality fabric for your dresses. The best fur for your coat. I will not be frugal when my wife's happiness is at stake. I will have you dressed like a sovereign queen if that is what it takes to satisfy your needs."
 
"Pardon?" Clearly there had been a misunderstanding between the two of them. She hadn't been concerned about the quality or price of jewelry, rather her mind had wandered back to the jewelry she had been forced to wear when attending formal events with her family. Did he think her a woman only after money and security like so many others? Security was something she absolutely needed. A home to keep her safe from her people, away from the world she cursed and loathed. Luxury was not something that she required, although her lack of knowledge about the world around her dictated some level of care be taken for her.

"I think you misunderstood my reaction. I do not wish for you to go out of your way to adorn me with rare or expensive gifts. I would be most pleased with simply having clothing that fits and keeps me protected from the harsh winter winds. I have no desire to spend all of your money, I wish only for a home to be safe in and the necessities to live a healthy life." They were never going to make it to any of the rooms if this kept happening.
 
He pondered over her words, pursing his lips thoughtfully as he took her words in. She seemed to be a woman of great modesty, a trait which he respected and admired yet he felt there ought to be a limit to it. She wasn’t going to live in a convent, so she ought to show off her beauty at least a little. Even if they weren’t going to present themselves in public much.

“Well, I think you should at least have a little something to compliment your beauty,” he insisted. “It’s important to me that my wife is happy.” He managed a small smile and grasped her delicate hands. “Don’t you agree it would be rather embarrassing for a husband to be either unwilling or unable to make his wife smile?” A low sigh pushed past his lips. “I don’t expect you to love me nor even like me at any point, Nessa. But I do want you to be happy here… in your new home.”

Perhaps, he had heard a few too many songs about tragic romance and read a few too many novels about the same subject, but he worried something terrible would befall the lovely flower before him if her sadness grew into an overwhelming despair. He saw something in her eyes, and while he initially mistook it for her initial fear towards a stranger, he started to wonder if there could be more to it. Those eyes had seen things… Terrible things. He couldn’t be sure what it was, but it had to have been so terrible that she nearly froze to death in her attempt to escape whatever was hurting her.
 
"I... Suppose so." It made sense when he put it that way, but she didn't want him thinking she was going to recklessly spend his fortune on silly material things. Her safety was the main concern, yet her soon to be husband seemed to eager to please her despite knowing nothing more than her face and her name. He hadn't questioned her status in her home land, hadn't questioned why she refused to return there or even near the border. He didn't question her secrecy, only the treatment that she would receive when becoming his wife. It was astounding.

"We hardly know each other, my lord. Perhaps you will decide that you do not like me, but I have no ill feelings towards you." She looked down to where his hands held hers gently, watching them for a moment before daring a look up at his face and those mesmerizing eyes.

"You have been nothing but kind thus far, and I am truly grateful for your hospitality."
 
He nodded quietly at her words and proceeded to put an arm around her once again, gently guiding her along as he turned and walked down a cold stone corridor. He couldn’t imagine he would find himself disliking this pretty elf accompanying him. She seemed thoughtful and modest - although the latter to a degree that made him feel compelled to buy her expensive gifts in hopes of increasing her ego.

“May I ask what you think can bring me to change my mind?” he softly inquired. “Out of curiosity, since you seem to be deeply concerned about it, addressing me by ‘my lord’ and all.”

Her hesitance in every little matter since he scooped her from the snow made him increasingly curious about her circumstances. He didn’t want to make it seem like he would throw her out without a second thought if someone might come looking for her - someone she wouldn’t want looking for her - but he had a feeling something or someone was troubling the elf and it wasn’t entirely his presence.
 
"Is there a title you would prefer I use? Does my lord displease you?" What did one call a god? Your godliness? Nessa avoided the question in favor of asking her own, allowing him to guide her through his home and in the direction of what was soon to be their shared bedroom.

"I meant no offense," she softly assured him, clasping her hands together in front of her person and examining her surroundings curiously. "Many arranged marriages never reault in love, my intent was not to offend or insinuate wrong, merely that as you said of me, I would not dare to expect love from our marriage. I am happy to be a companion and be of use around your--our home over the years." Did that sound wifely enough?
 
As they reached what would be their shared bedroom, he paused in the doorway. The room was lavishly furnished with expensive rugs and a fire crackled merrily in the fireplace. Off to the other side of the room stood a king-size four-poster bed with red and gold curtains drawn aside. But he paid no heed to this familiar sight, her words echoing in his mind. A marriage without love? Was that what he had condemned her to with this deal?

“When you speak of a marriage without love, you sound… sad,” he murmured. He glanced at her and bowed his head apologetically. “I sincerely apologize if you find me difficult to love. I’m aware that my purpose is rather… sub optimal for finding someone who tolerates my presence in the long term. If being near me upsets you, I will do my best to keep a distance and will instead be thankful for your presence from afar.”
 
"My people often marry without a care for love," she shrugged and offered him a small smile, "it was something I grew up expecting to become my future. This is... Far from what I expected, but I must admit I'm rather grateful, and I do have more optimism for this union than if I had been forced to wed one of my own." Clearly she wasn't good at explaining things properly, since her words kept coming out in ways that seemed to insinuate negativity about him.

"Being near you does not upset me. Forgive me if you took my words to mean that. I seem to be having trouble speaking in a way that is clear, perhaps the many hours of travel and the chill affected me more than I thought. My apologies." The bedroom was far from anything she had ever expected to call her own, shared with another or otherwise. It was lavishly decorated and homely, and she gently pulled herself from the God's hold to venture closer to the fire.

"It is a beautiful room."
 
He felt as though she spoke rather stiffly as if she was only being polite while cautiously hiding some dislike of him, but she claimed his presence did not upset her so he would have to take her word for it. Perhaps, in time, she would feel comfortable speaking more freely around him. She did mention she had more optimism for their union than she would in any other case.

He went around to the other side of the bed, bent down and picked up a woven basket padded with a soft blanket. Shrill, little mewls came from it as the three miniature bundles of fur within began to stir. He placed the basket on the bed and beckoned for her to come over. He scooped a dark tabby out of the basket, and it stuck out its tiny legs and mewled in protest although he held it quite gently in his hand to not squeeze the life out of the poor thing.

The mother cat wove her way around Nessa and trotted over to the bed, leaping up onto the covers and inspecting her two babies in the basket before sitting down and starting to wash them, further mewls of protest following as the mother’s rough tongue swept over their fur.

“Do these creatures make you happy, Nessa?” he softly inquired. “I’ll keep an eye out for more of them if they make you happy. The grounds are quite large and can accommodate a large number of of them if more homes are built for them.”
 
What was he doing now? Nessa turned from the fire slightly to watch him curiously, eyebrows lifting in surprise when he produced the aforementioned spawns in the form of multiple mewling balls of fur. The mother seemed less than pleased at her brood being disturbed and immediately set to cleaning them, an act that made Nessa smile wider. Would herr mother have been that affectionate had she lived?

"I admit I am rather fond of animals." That was an understatement. While her interactions with people was often less than favorable or constantly with a fake smile and graceful demeanor, animals had never judged her as her people had. They had been grateful for her aid when it was given and held only to their true nature, never seeking to harm her simply because they could. On the occasion she had managed to secret away one to keep her company in her lonely hours, they had been quickly found and removed from her chambers after she was chastised for daring to keep an animal inside their home.

"It would please me greatly to be allowed to keep the company of animals." She vacated the fire and approached the bed cautiously, leaning over to gently run her hand over the mother cat's head and back, to which the animal arched into her touch and purred gently.

"She is so soft!" When was the last time she had been able to pet an animal freely without fear of being chastised?
 
Cydros chuckled at her reaction to the mother cat. She seemed so much livelier when she had a cat to pet. He saw how the purring cat brought some color to her cheeks, and he held the kitten up in front of her, giving its tiny paw a gentle squeeze. Tiny claws came out from the tiny pink beans. He couldn't know what she had been through, but he saw now how much she adored these furry creatures.

"If these animals please you, they're yours to keep," he promised and gave her a soft smile. By the looks of it, he knew just how he could convince her to stay with him. Even if she couldn't love him, she would love the animals he gifted her.

Still, he could not help but wonder if the cats could convince her to stay even when she witnessed his monstrous strength. He looked perfect now, but his true form - or rather, the closest he came to having a corporeal form of his own - was a horror to behold... and even worse when one found oneself on the receiving end of his wrath. He wouldn't strike someone so kind and defenseless... but he had done things in the past. Once she saw it... whatever she was running from would surely pale in comparison.

Or so he thought.
 
The fire had already begun to warm her, although there was still the matter of getting into completely dry clothes, something that would have to be addressed shortly. Perhaps he could fashion her a makeshift robe or something until she could find a place to hang hers to dry, or maybe he could pull the water from her clothes like he had her hair.

"They do please me." Nessa took the offered kitten very gently, cradling it in her hands and drawing it close to her chest before remembering that her clothing was still wet aside from the coat he had wrapped her in. "Hello, sweet thing." Her fingers moved gently over the fur, tracing the darker lines over its head and down to the very tip of its tail before she cooed softly and set it with its other siblings for the mother to wash.

"I would hold them longer, but I fear I would chill them from my wet clothing," She looked down at her own clothing beneath the coat with a slightly apologetic expression and then looked toward the fire. "Perhaps I could dry some of the clothing in my pack before the fire so I will have something dry to wear later?" Speaking of, she still had no idea what time it was.

"Is night near?"
 
Something about her seemed even more beautiful when she cradled the kitten in her hands. Perhaps, it was the joy given to her by the little bundle of fur? The innocent, pure joy she radiated in the presence of cats... It made her yearn to draw her close to his chest in the same manner she did with the kitten. He possessed far greater strength than she could ever dream of having... although it came with a heavy cost. Outliving people was the least of his worries when he had such terrifying strength.

That a pretty, little woman like Nessa would fall into his lap seemed like an incredible stroke of luck. He wouldn't be the least bit surprised if trouble followed her. It seemed a bit too fortunate that she came by and just happened to be willing to marry him... particularly in exchange for not being returned to her homeland. He could only hope that whoever chased her so far from home wouldn't be too troublesome to deal with.

He paused as he recalled the manner in which she spoke about marriage. It sounded as though she had never been married before. Although she did mention it was quite normal for her people to marry without a care for love. She didn't have to be a princess on the run from an arranged marriage... He shuddered at the thought of facing an entire army on his own. It was doable... but the massacre would surely drive her to flee yet again, and he couldn't blame her if she did. After all, who would want to share a bed with a man who had single-handedly laid waste to an army? Even he knew his strength surpassed all reason.

Here he was, using that same evil magic to dry his bride's hair. There was nothing truly evil about magic, only its uses. Although not all understood this - and wanted to understand this, for that matter.

At the mention of her wet clothing, he glanced over her clothing. He had been using his magic in moderation earlier, not wanting to risk spooking her. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to dry her clothes as well given how calm she seemed in comparison to earlier.

"One moment." He stepped over to her and touched her shoulder. A rush of warm air seemed to pass over her, the water evaporating from her clothing in an instant and leaving the fabric pleasantly warm and dry.

He glanced out the window, his brow knitting thoughtfully. "I believe it's nearly time for the evening meal. It's becoming darker outside." Any longer out in the snow and she could have become a meal for wolves, if she hadn't frozen to death first.

He looked back at her, his expression softening. "Do you feel like eating?"
 
"Oh." He really could do it just as easily as he had with her hair. She had been curious how far his power extended, but drying her person and all clothing on it seemed like such a small feat for the god. Nessa shrugged off the coat he had given to her carefully, laying it neatly on the bed a distance from the mewling kittens and turned her attention to the window he looked out. Was it even possible for it to get darker? When she followed his gaze and looked out the window to where the snow was still coating the ground heavily, she saw that it did look darker than it had earlier. When she wasn't being blinded by the swirling snow or freezing half to death, it was really rather spectacular to look at.

"Eating?" It had been some time since she'd eaten last, her last meal the previous night before she had set to putting her plan to flee into motion. She had left in the early hours of the morning when the sun had only just begun its greeting to the world, which meant she had been walking for nearly the entire day before she had finally reached her intended destination. If she had continued to walk without the fortune of being found by her soon to be husband, she might not have reached his home until the next morning! If she had even reached it at all, the chances that she would have frozen to death or been eaten by wolves was staggeringly high.

"It has been some time since I've last eaten." Even her last meal had been pitiful, her family had been angry at her once more and had banished her to her chambers with only enough to keep her from being eaten alive by the hunger. She was reluctant to admit it and kept her answer vague, a hand moving gently over the kittens now that she was sufficiently dry and not a danger to their warmth.

"I would be happy to dine with you."
 
It didn't come as a surprise to him to hear that it had been some time since she last ate. She had to have been struggling through the snow for some hours, not to mention the journey from wherever she resided in her homeland to the border with his lands. It didn't look like she had packed much for this trip, either. Certainly not enough food to keep herself fed for long. He had a pretty good feeling it would fall to him to have food prepared for her. A hearty meal followed by a warm bed would do her some good.

Her mention of that she would be happy to dine with him brought a smile to his face. He had been quietly hoping she would want to dine with him. He would have asked if she had not explicitly told him of her own accord that she would like to dine with him. Whether she brought trouble with her or not, he knew she would make an excellent companion for the years to come. With a bit of luck, she wouldn't ever feel compelled to flee from him never to be seen again.

"Then my servants will prepare a meal for you as well," he replied. "I have quite a number working here, but I imagine you'll be more comfortable with not seeing them." He clasped his hands together behind his back as he spoke. "It can be rather alarming for the living to come into contact with the dead. Rest assured, the food will be perfectly ordinary."
 
He was smiling again. She hadn't expected such a feared man, a god, to smile like that. Was that smile all because she had agreed to dine with him without hesitation? It seemed a bit silly to agree to marry someone and then not have meals with him! He did eat, didn't he? He had said evening meal, but he hadn't explicitly asked her to dine with him... Oh, there it was, the servants would prepare a meal for her as well.

"I have never seen an undead before." Honestly, Nessa wasn't sure if the thought frightened or intrigued her. She doubted the dead would have any inclination to speak with her past serving a meal, they were likely to want to do their tasks and return to any semblance of peace they had. It must have been so lonely for Cydros to live all alone in his home, surrounded by nothing except for a few animals and the dead who served him. Loneliness was something she was accustomed to in her own way, and perhaps it helped her to empathize with her intended more than she had anticipated.

"I'm certain the food will be satisfactory, my lord." Oh hell, there she went again. Her hand stilled on one of the kittens before she turned to look at him curiously. "You did not answer if the title 'my lord' displeased you and you would prefer another."
 
"Cydros. Just call me that," he instructed. "There's no need for you to be so polite towards me. What I want is a companion, not another servant." A soft sigh pushed past his lips as he gently touched the mother cat's head and lifted his gaze to her face again. "I don't know how it is where you come from, but I want my wife to be comfortable about sharing her opinions with me... even if it involves telling me I ought to take a bath."

Recalling what she said about marriage in her homeland, he had a feeling she hardly had any expectations for him at all. Perhaps, it wasn't such a cruel act on his part to have her agree to this union in exchange for her living in his home. At first he had worried that he would only be exploiting her desperation, but now he understood that she would benefit more from this union in the long term than he initially thought.

His gaze lingered on her face even after he finished speaking. She really was quite beautiful. He found it hard to believe a woman like Nessa could look in a mirror and not be enamored by her own appearance. She had such perfect skin that it practically reflected the warm glow of the fire. Her face consisted of the daintiest features, even her pointed ears were a beauty on their own.

"I do hope you don't ever change your mind and decide you want to leave," he murmured. "Every moment I spend here with you, I feel less inclined to let you leave." He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I have many treasures hidden away here, but none compare to your beauty, Nessa. I must admit it gives me a strange sense of satisfaction knowing that no other man has the pleasure of your presence."
 
"Cydros." She murmured his name softly and nodded. "Perhaps I will just seek out your servants and have them draw you a bath if I find it necessary." Had she just attempted to jest with him? A look of surprise at her own words briefly crossed her face before she chuckled quietly. Perhaps the long journey had gotten to her far more than she thought, if she was standing here making a joke at her intended's expense. She would never have been allowed to make such comments in her home before.

"I have no desire to leave." She shook her head. Where would she even go if she had been inclined to leave? Certainly not to her people, and an elf all alone in the world wouldn't survive very long, much less one like her that lacked proper experiences. She had barely survived the last day, the chances of finding somewhere else to reside with someone as kind as the god were nearly none, and she had no immediate desire to leave his presence or his home. Their home, now.

"I had yet to be... Properly courted." Men had tried for her hand in marriage a couple of times, but their proposals were always denied immediately and vehemently by her family. She had been locked away and kept as a bartering chip, a beautiful flower to give as a gift to someone when the time was right and it would benefit her people. Her experience with men was limited, very limited.

"Perhaps a bath after dinner, if you did not have any other immediate requests of me?" Her cheeks filled with color as she realized it might have sounded like she was requesting him to bathe after his earlier comment, and her hands flew to her mouth before she shook her head.

"I did not mean to say you are in need of one!"
 
By the sound of it, she had suddenly loosened up in how she spoke to him. Of course, he welcomed this change. He had explicitly told her he wanted a wife who felt she could say just about anything to his face. Although… he wasn’t quite expecting this pure and innocent-looking elf to make a beeline for the topic of him having a bath. She looked downright mortified when she realized what her question could imply, and she immediately clarified what she had meant.

He threw his head back and laughed out loud at the sight of her burning cheeks. It wasn’t a cruel laugh by any means. His laugh was the sort of laugh that filled a person with a warm, comforting sensation when they heard it. It was a merry, goodwilled laugh.

Once he finished, he stepped a little closer to her and placed a warm hand on her cheek. “Oh my... You’re already thinking of making me get into a tub?” he teased. “Didn’t think you were capable of having such dirty daydreams, my dear little elf.” He released a pretend sigh, shaking his head and tutting softly. “Perhaps, I’ll fulfil those naughty little fantasies of yours later. Mustn’t let my bride’s daydreams remain daydreams when I have just what I need to bring them to life.” He dipped his head and pressed a kiss to her head. “I wouldn’t dare disappoint my wife.”
 
He was laughing, and he didn't appear offended or angry with her so that was a good sign. It increased her embarrassment somewhat, however, at fumbling over her words so badly when he touched her gently and directly teased her on it. She hadn't been having dirty daydreams! She'd never even seen a grown man naked before, so how could she be daydreaming about him in the bath? This teasing was strange to her, and her face had turned a brilliant shade of red as he tutted and pressed his lips to her head.

"I--I was not thinking of that, my lord--Cydros! I merely meant that perhaps I could bathe after our meal so that I did not dirty the furnishings from my journey!" Just because she was dry now did not mean that she was clean. Was he hinting at fulfilling marital duties, minus the need to bear an heir? He had already disclosed he was unable to have children, but it was starting to sound like he was speaking of pleasuring her in their bedroom, and she wasn't sure how she was supposed to respond to that. The thought of being seen unclothed, especially in her current condition was enough to make her step back and lower her eyes to the floor.

"We are not even wed yet."
 
Frankly, marriage was to him a more dignified manner of requesting her to stay with him. He imagined it would make her purpose clearer if she became his wife… although he had a feeling the purposes they each had in mind were worlds apart. Where he merely desired companionship, she had thought he wanted children. He yearned for a fresh perspective in his otherwise dull and repetitive life, and she worried about being a tool to him.

“Is that a rule they have in your homeland? That you should be wed before engaging in... less-than-innocent activities?” He stepped closer to her, once again closing the distance between them. He grasped her hands gently. “Don’t you think it’s about time you have more of what you want and less of what your fellow elves expect of you? Nobody’s around to notice, anyway.” A playful gleam came into his eyes as he spoke. “They’ll never know of any scandalous behaviour your may or may not partake in.” He paused, looking thoughtful for a moment. “Unless…” He grinned from ear to ear. “Unless you wish to send them a letter detailing all the most mortifying behaviours...”

He took a step back from her, releasing her hands. He lifted a hand, curling up all fingers except his index finger. “There’s one rule around here,” he softly began. The devilish gleam in his eyes practically screamed that it would be something most unusual.

“Everything Nessa says is law,” he proclaimed. “If you declare that I shall dine with my torso bared, it shall be done.” Then, his voice softened. “Although I worry food will get stuck in your throat if we do that...”
 
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