Freedom's Price [darkest_fate & Magi_Monk]

[Magi_monk]

Princess Eleanor Rosalind Belleme was the youngest and most adventurous of three daughters born to the current reigning monarch of this land. Her sisters went about their lives with decorum and poise, attending to duties of court and filling their free time with elegant lady-like tasks such as needlework. Eli crashed from one misadventure to the next, proving to be a constant worry to her aging parents and a source of ridicule for the two far more suited to the life of a Princess.

While her sisters learnt dance steps, she had convinced the General of the royal guard to teach her swordplay; while her sisters sat side-saddle and ambled through the countryside, she straddled the horses back, bent low over the horses neck and thundered across the terrain at breakneck speed. Princess Eleanor was a mystery, an enigma that her father simply could not – or perhaps would not – understand and as a result she was mostly left to her own devices.

~~~~~~​

A pair of eyes stared unblinkingly up at the canopy of crisp white linen, swirls of forest green flecked with honey surrounding deep unending drops of ink black. The hushed quiet of the late evening hours is interrupted by an irritable sigh as the girl suddenly pushes herself up onto her elbows and shoots an accusing glare toward the nearest ornate stained-glass window, illuminated by the silvery glow of the moon. Surely it was late enough now?! It would have to be for she could not bear to lie in this bed another moment!

Throwing back the blankets, the teen swung her legs over the edge of her bed and set bare feet upon the cold stone flooring. A silk rug lay crumpled at the base of wooden foot, decorated in exquisite engravings and lined with gold filigree, which curved upward to support the frame of the bed – discarded by the young woman without a great deal of care some time before. Naked toes wriggled in delight at the refreshing chill as it drove away any inkling of weariness from the girl, before she sprung into action.

Despite the flurry of activity, each was preformed with a deliberate quietness, tiptoeing about the room so as not to be discovered. Rummaging within the depths of the large trunk which sat at the foot of a four-poster, canopied bed large enough to contain at least three people let alone the young woman, a set of clothes was produced. Clearly not the usual garb of one who lived surrounded by such luxury, the fabric was thread bare and coarse with the odd old stain here and there, as well as being the most nauseating yellow-brown colour – far more the garments of peasantry.

Without hesitation, the green-eyed lass bunched the soft white linen nightdress that hung about her young figure in both hands and dragged it over her head, replacing it moments later with the tatty costume of a peasant girl. Securing a thrice patched cape about her shoulders and slipping her feet into worn sandals, she crossed to the full length mirror nearby and inspected the final result.

If beauty in and of itself was a prerequisite of being a Princess then one could certainly not deny that in that (and perhaps only) regard Eleanor met such a mark. Nevertheless, it was an untamed and unrefined beauty. Wild, unruly curls of flaming red tumbled about the young woman’s slender shoulders, brushing against sun-kissed skin sprinkled with but a handful of freckles. Those startling green eyes held a whisper of mischief and unquenchable curiosity, soft lips drawn in a playful smirk more often than not.

She turns, brow furrowed critically as she takes a moment longer to appraise her attired before lifting her hands to catch back the long strands and secure them behind her head. Hair tamed, Eli returned to the trunk and produced a thin belt upon which was strapped a dagger that the General had gifted her not months before. With the weapon concealed beneath the cape that fell about her shoulder, she crossed to a nearby wall hanging and brushed it aside to place a palm flat against the stone walling.

What appeared to be solid swung away from the pressure she applied and within seconds the bedchamber was empty, near silent footfalls sounding down a narrow passage that led out behind the stables. The hood of her cape tugged up over her head and a faint smirk toying at the corners of her mouth, Princess Eleanor walked through the main gates leading out of the palace, watched by a dozen or more of the palace guards, and allowed unhindered into the night – as she had been several times before.

​

 

[darkest_fate]

"Where the hell are all the virgins in this godsforsaken castle?" muttered the sorceress. You could call her a witch and that wouldn't be too far from the mark. She certainly looked like a practitioner of the dark arts. Sleek black robes covered a shapely frame, with slits done here and there to showcase some of the strangely dark skin underneath. Yes, dark skin, as the sorceress had been born of foreign blood, the type that left one's skin with a hue a shade or so darker than most, almost caramel in color. Said woman happened to have brilliant violet hair that extended nearly down to the waist as well. Indeed, everything seemed to suggest darkness.

Said sorceress heaved a sigh of frustration as she stepped toward the castle. The spell, the scrying one, had said that she'd be able to find what she was looking for in there. A virgin, preferably a female one, who would provide juices that would be precisely what was needed for the upcoming spell. Said spell was quite necessary, hence Ruby's presence here. The sorceress sighed again, crossing her arms and nearly pouting.

Those lips moved for a moment, and a spell left. A virgin, one would be nearby, leaving the castle of her own volition. One that would be perfect for what Ruby needed. The sorceress would be loathe to admit, but she was certainly planning on more than the spell. That is, assuming she found prey worthy of playing with.

There. a girl coming out. An attractive girl, with hair of flame and a confident stride. Ruby's eyes went wide for a moment as she spent a few seconds studying the girl. She wore the clothes of a peasant, and her position suited Ruby quite well: alone, at night. No one that age who wandered at night could possibly be worth while.

The witch slid closer, raising her hand and preparing several more spells, making certain that she had every contingency covered. There was always a chance, albeit a small one, that the girl would go voluntarily. The peasant life was horrible.

"Hello there, girl," said Ruby, keeping her voice soft, inviting, almost velvety. She crossed arms and standing in front of the girl, awaiting a response, clearly expecting a reaction of some kind.

 

[Magi_monk]

Eleanor spared a brief glance over her shoulder, a fully formed smirk of triumph flooding across her lips as she quickened her pace, placing as much distance between herself and the castle walls as possible. Only once she was a comfortable distance away did she brush back the hood that had concealed much of her face in shadow. It was late enough now that no one was likely to notice her, nor really be paying her any attention and she certainly wasn't heading into the city below. The castle was perched upon the top of a craggy mountainside, with only its eastern slope gradual enough to provide safe passage to and from the fortress. A wide, well trodden road wound its way down the rocky terrain and into the sprawling metropolis that had grown about the base of the mountain. In the late hours of the evening faint lights twinkled down below, a great hush having fallen over the land as most of its citizens lay tucked in their beds - just as the young Princess liked it.

Drawing in a deep breath, the red head loosed the tie keeping the wild strands at bay and continued on down the slope, keen eyes searching for the small outcrop of rocks that signalled where she had to turn off the main thorough-fair. A quiet hum accompanied her steady footsteps, an air of confidence and purpose about her stride. This had to be at least the fifth time she had snuck out of the castle in this particular fashion and every night she spent her time at the same spot - her own private little paradise.

If one followed the outcrop round far enough, out of sight of the road and the castle above, and climbed down a few well placed rocks one came across a small plateau. A surprisingly thick carpet of hardy grass blanketed the ground, while several gnarled and ancient trees grew out at odd angles, twisted roots having wound themselves around the stone in search of water and nutrients. The centrepiece of this little marvel was the natural spring that bubbled its way free of the harsh stone and twisted its way across the plateau before crashing onto the cliff side below. Eleanor could almost bring herself to believe that this little spot of tranquillity had been created specifically to provide her with a place to spend her nights in relative safety.

Not that it mattered now, for her journey was halted abruptly by the sudden presence of a stranger, a stranger standing directly in her path. The girl pulled up short, slender brow furrowing slightly, at first in faint irritation upon being interrupted, then in uneasy curiosity. To say that the woman in front of her was unusual was an understatement, exotic perhaps, and certainly not native to the lands in which they currently stood. Eli's lips parted to utter a greeting in return, only to halt briefly as she reminded herself of the role that she was suppose to be playing. The curious, almost bold, stare swiftly shifted to the ground in a far more humble manner and the red-haired lass dipped her head respectfully, "Ma'am."

The Princess adjusted her footing a touch, careful to keep herself just out of arms reach of the stranger while the light pressure against her hip reminded her of the dagger that lay concealed beneath her cape. A multitude of long unruly strands had tumbled forward at the slight bow of her head, concealing much of the girl's face from view suddenly only to be tucked swiftly behind a small ear. At this point Eleanor chose silence as the appropriate behaviour, allowing the stranger to explain her presence or approach while the girl mentally cycled through the many possible outcomes and options that may or may not present themselves.

 

[darkest_fate]

Respectful, almost demure, but there was something about the behavior that struck Ruby as being slightly strange. The sorceress was trying to remember the rules of behavior, almost wishing that she'd had more exposure. Her skin had always been dark. Yet people had found that exotic for the most part, and it hadn't been until she'd professed interests in the fields of magic that she studied that she'd been ostracized. Until then, the beautiful, exotic genius had associated quite freely and thought herself to be quite skilled at it. Yet most of Ruby's dealings hadn't been with the "lower class."

"You're quite fetching," said the sorceress. She adjusted her gloves imperiously, mostly to cover gestures required for spells. A few to lay invisible boundaries in the area, a few prepared for suggestion. Ruby didn't want to waste more power than she had to, and too much would attract attention. She tried to remind herself that she was persuasive even without the magic.

"Tell me, girl," she said, raising her gaze from the gloves, "are you happy with your life?"

She paused for a moment, long enough for the question to hit but not truly long enough for an answer to fill the space. "I ask because I believe I have an offer for you that you might find appealing. I require a girl of your... caliber for various dealings. You would be rewarded quite well: food, clothing, care the likes that most royals would be jealous of. I could even, perhaps, be inclined to give some coin to your family."

There, that should be enough. No reason to go about kidnapping if she could just buy what she needed. Still, something about the girl made Ruby edgy, and she almost suspected that the offer would be torn down. After the hours spent scouring the land for a virgin, Ruby was not going to give up when she had such a beautiful one in her grasp. This girl was going home with the sorceress; it was just a matter of whether she'd do so willingly or not.

 

[Magi_monk]

A compliment. That was not what she had anticipated and it began a small ball of dread to curl within the pit of her stomach, sending the hairs on the back of her neck to raising. She straightened a little, offering a small faltering smile that did not need to be feigned as her gaze darted off to the side as if aware of the walls that were closing in about her. Yet all the girl saw were the dark, lonely shadows of uneven rocks and stone just beyond the sparse dusty road. She was alone. Moments ago that was exactly what Eleanor had wanted, now however....

The question which followed only served to bring to the Princess' attention how flimsy her cover story was. In fact it was non-existent. She had never been approached before and so it had not been necessary. Now this woman was asking her about how content she was about her lot in life and Eli did not have an answer that wouldn't reveal her true identity. Thankfully an answer wasn't required as the violet-haired stranger forged on ahead with an offer to make her life easier, to provide 'care the likes that most royals would be jealous of'.

Eleanor had to bite down upon her lip to keep the nervous laughter from bubbling into the space between them, the irony of such a statement not lost upon the teen. She shook her head lightly, working the curls tucked behind her ear free once again, "Thank you, Ma'am. That is a kind offer, but I am happy....I have work and a modest living that keeps myself and my family quite well..." It was a lie of course, but it was better than announcing that she was the youngest Princess of the King sneaking out for a brief few hours of freedom.

 

[darkest_fate]

{going to be a bit long here and slightly god-modding. If it's a problem, lemme know and I'll fix it, but I figured moving to this portion would be better all around.}

Well, there went Ruby's hopes that she could simply convince the woman to come with her. The sorceress nearly winced as she heard the girl's words. Two options opened before her: attempt to find another girl, or simply take advantage of this lonesome situation and abduct this one. Considering the beauty of the girl before her, not to mention the time Ruby had already wasted finding an actual virgin, this choice barely qualified as one.

"Pity," said the sorceress, actually meaning it, "for I had hoped we'd start better. No matter."

Then she waved her hand, unleashing the stored spells. One to relax and weaken muscles, another to render the target unconscious, and a third to make the target suggestive. Normally, Ruby couldn't have possibly layered three such spells upon each other, but she'd been storing these for a while. Even then, the sudden burst of energy left her feeling dazed enough that she stumbled, rocking on her feet for a moment. A quick swallow, and she looked to the girl, who, most likely would have been rendered unconscious by the spells' many effects.

Thus satisfied, the sorceress would gather her target and prepare her for the journey. She had some dusk powder, though doing this would burn the last of her supply. Muttering curses, the sorceress cast the magical item into the night. Trickling motes of shimmering darkness clung to the shadows, then parted them. The sorceress dragged/carried the unconscious girl through said portal, and soon stepped into her dilapidated home.

The sorceress almost immediately stumbled into a chair, cursing the effort such things took. A small, draconic creature appeared then, almost more snakelike than its normal brethren. The creature had been told to prepare for the arrival of the catalyst, and he quickly ascertained the presence of the beautiful redhead. His scaled hand moved to gently touch the girl, before Ruby informed him that what he touched belonged to her; she would get him a playmate later. For now, he was to escort the girl to a room, while Ruby rested and restored her strength.

The dragon would do so, leaving the shadowy study and climbing several flights of twisting, stone stairs. The creature knew the castle well, and could dodge around the handful of traps and much greater number of destroyed bits of castle. Eventually, he would be able to leave the girl in a room. It looked something like a guest room ,with a rather large, spacious bed and drawers for clothing. However, most of the clothing had been removed for robes that couldn't be called anything but scandalous. The creature had made certain to remove Eleanor of her clothing too, pausing to marvel at the beautiful skin underneath. Thus he knew before his master that she hadn't simply picked up a pretty peasant girl.

Nonetheless, the room would be there when the spells wore off. Eleanor would still find herself groggy, and freed of weapons and armor, but very much able to move on her own, free to some accord.

 

[Magi_monk]

((Totally fine with me, Eleanor would have no means to counter-act spells anyway! ^_^))

For the girl's part, she glanced briefly over her shoulder to cast a somewhat longing gaze toward the distant palace walls. While the stranger had done nothing particularly aggressive nor alarming, that little ball of dread had begun to grow and tightening within her stomach, dragging with it a sense of foreboding. The words that followed only exacerbated such feelings, bringing Eleanor's head round sharply to regard the woman, smooth brow now creased in confusion. "Start wha-..."

Her words trailed off, sentence unfinished, as the tension in her muscles suddenly went slack. No longer did she seem to have the strength to hold herself up, the last voluntary movement being the widening of the girl's eyes, fear and bewilderment intermingled into one look. The red-head's knees buckled, her body following shortly after - near enough a perfect faint as she met the ground with a light billow of dust. An unfocused gaze feel to rest upon the woman's feet, the last image she saw as all faded into darkness and was still.

~~~~~

Eleanor stirred, finally. Her brow dipping as a foggy, unsettled mind grasped weakly at consciousness. A faint groan escaped passed dry lips, the girls naked form curling in on itself, fingers grasping, groping for something to lay hold of. Heavy eyelids slowly drew back, a blurred item looming not far from her, almost within reach. Half-blind the girl stretched out her hand, fingers flexing toward what gradually revealed itself to be naught but a piece of furniture. Another faint groan escaped the teen as the hand fell to rest upon the surface on which she lay, finding a more upright position that caused the room to tilt and twist.

At first she had almost convinced herself that she was back in her own room, but as the furniture ceased its spinning Eli found that this room was nothing like her own. Where was she? What had happened? That woman! Suddenly the girl's mind whirred with activity, trying to recall the last thing she remembered. A pity. It was a pity. The Princess frowned, lifting a hand to clutch at her head, a dull throbbing resonating within her skull. Something else was wrong, the movement of skin against skin, and then her gaze fell to her own form.

Naked! Where were her clothes?! Her dagger? A hand instinctively went to her hip and, of course, found the weapon gone. Panic surged through the teen, rising up to near enough choke her as she scrambled from the bed, deep green eyes sweeping the room in frantic haste. Her heart raced wildly within her chest as she dashed toward the door, grasping at the handle and twisting.

 

[darkest_fate]

"You might want to try pulling; the door swings inward," suggested a voice. Said voice seemed to come from the shadows themselves, and soon, a mass of them gathered together, forming something vaguely humanoid in shape. The voice also happened to have a female timbre, and its tone could only be called "amused."

"You are in the Shad'lar Fortress, currently in the captivity of Sorceress Ruby of the Ninth Shadow," said the shadow. It had already figured that the door would be opened, and would actively follow the girl into the stairs, should Eleanor elect to head that way. If not, the shadow was perfectly fine speaking its monologue without moving. "You're welcome to move about freely, though you'll find that certain chambers are sealed. Soon, the mistress will summon you forth for her pleasure. Personally, I hope she lets me watch: it's been ages since she brought anyone here, and you're quite the scrumptious little treat. I bet you're brimming with life," there was an eerie breath then, almost like a sigh.

"Anyway, clothes are in the wardrobe over there, and if you need anything, I'm supposed to help you as best I can. The mistress will tell me when she's ready for you, so..." the shadow seemed to shift, gliding across Eleanor's skin, "I don't suppose you'd be particularly randy at the moment? I would love to see your dainty little fingers part that little flower of yours..."

 

[Magi_monk]

Eleanor whirled around at the voice which sounded behind her, almost falling against the door in her haste. She had looked, there had been no one within this room moments before and yet, even as she searched the corner from which the voice had come, the shadows shifted and collided to conform into the vague outline of a person. This was a trick, a trap? Was she hallucinating, imagining this spectre? Real or a figment of her strained mind, it really didn't matter, the girl was not about to stand there and let it move any closer to her.

Door forgotten for the moment, the teen edged her way along the wall, never once tearing her gaze away from the apparition, struggling to make sense of what it was telling her. A captive? Well she knew that part already. Sorceress? That certainly explained the void in the girl's memory that existed between standing on the road and waking in this room, without any of her possessions.

Eli's mouth had grown dry, the dull ache at her temple continuing to throb as her fingertips groped along the cold stone. The rest of the being's words made little sense to the girl, though she was not entirely naive to the subtle suggestion present within them - a subtle suggestion that became distinctly less subtle a moment later. It was a subtle caress, like the catching of a cobweb against your skin, spawning a shudder at the base of her neck which rippled all the way down her spine. Her arms flailed wildly, as if to disperse the shadow.

"Stay away from me!" Such an unabashed question brought Eleanor's attention back to the fact that she was entirely naked, colour rapidly rising in her cheeks. She stumbled away, an arm falling awkwardly to conceal the pale orbs of flesh which rose and fell with each panicked breath while the other fell to conceal the junction of her thighs.

 

[darkest_fate]

The shadow nearly sighed. Somehow, she should have expected that the stupid not-peasant girl would be surprised to hear/see a living shadow. Just because the shadow was used to its presence didn't mean something else would. However, the whole not going for clothes was a pleasant surprise, though the shadow could most certainly have done without the hand raising up to cover the good parts.

"I just told you: I have to watch you. Going away runs counter to that, and I serve a sorceress, not a super hot whateveryouare," replied the shadow. She sighed and slid over to the wardrobe, since the girl wasn't. For something told the shadow that if the prisoner wasn't wearing the provided robes, then Ruby might get upset, which wouldn't be good for either of them. The wardrobe slid open, revealing the fairly revealing clothes inside.

"There," said the shadow, slithering back to the girl. She prodded the female's foot, nudging it with her formless body. It would feel very much like having icy water slither over, except this had slightly more substance. The shadow being could obviously affect the physical world, if only in small ways. It pulled itself together and shifted to face the girl again. "Really, you're wasting your time being finicky about a shadow? I'm one of the nicer things in this castle," no reason to mention that most of Ruby's minions were surprisingly nice. "What are you going to do when you run into the flesh-eating demon? Squeal and spread your legs?"

 

[Magi_monk]

This all had to be a bad dream, a very strange yet tangible nightmare that she would wake from at any moment. Yes, that had to be what it was - none of this could actually be real! Despite how pleasant this idea sounded, nor how much she wished that she were curled beneath the warm sheets of her spacious bed, surrounded by familiarity and safety, Eleanor was not stupid nor given to wild flights of fancy. She was standing in an unfamiliar room, god only knows where, with a strange floating spectre criticising her for fear and caution that were born of youth and inexperience. Small shivers hand begun to seize hold of the teen's body, causing her to wrap her arms a little tighter about her body.

Despite the arms that lay strategically over her form, there was still very much to look at particularly in the way the girl half turned away from the shadow, perhaps believing this gave her slightly more privacy. The soft flesh so openly revealed was pale, but not entirely without colour for the sun's rays had kindled a slight warmth into it, providing a healthy but minimal tan. Dainty toes curled against the cold stone beneath small feet, slender legs supporting the girl's slight weight evenly - muscles toned and flesh lacking a great deal of excess fat. Before a hand had fallen to cover it, a small neat forest of curls, a touch darker than the flaming locks upon her head, had marked the junction of her thighs and, of course, the top of the Princess' womanhood.

The subtle swell of her hips gave a distinctly feminine curve to Eleanor's figure before slopping inward again slightly. A flat expanse of flesh extended upward toward the girl's chest, firm muscle shifting beneath with each subtle movement, while a small delicate navel lay within the centre of it all. Her breasts were modest in that they were neither overly large nor frustratingly small; a generous handful of flesh for each, the orbs of sensitive flesh topped with a pale pink nipples, slightly hardened by the coolness in the air. As for the offending arms that lay so deliberative within the way of an appreciative eye taking in the body as a whole, it was as slender and shapely as the rest of her figure, some strength evident within her biceps while still maintaining an entirely feminine shape.

Eli's eyes never left the apparition, tracking its movements as it drifted toward the nearby wardrobe and some how guided the door open. Clothes. Yes, she should get dressed. It would make no sense freezing to death once she had finally escaped this room and this-...what had the shadow called it? A fortress? The cold touch to her foot drew a brief cry from her lips as she jerked her foot back and inched away again, careful to keep some distance between them. If she could not fend off the spectre then she could certainly keep her distance.

Keeping a wide berth, the girl inched her way around and then toward the now opened wardrobe. She had just reached the item of furniture, just drawn a hand away to reach for the nearest item of clothing when she froze. A flesh-eating demon?! Out there, somewhere within the fortress? Eleanor's eyes widened, sparing a brief and fearful glance toward the still closed door. She had no reason to doubt the ghost-like being, why would she? A day or so before she would have scoffed at the idea of a the floating shadow that lurked not far from her, now the Princess could near enough believe anything was real.

Suddenly the idea of leaving this room did not seem as appealing as it had done seconds before, yet the girl still snatched at the first item of clothing her hand came in contact with. Not even sparing it a glance, Eli hurriedly pulled the fabric over her bared skin, clearly keen to regain some form of modesty, though just how much such a garment would provide remained to be seen.

 

[darkest_fate]

{Ugh, I wrote up an entire post and lost it >< }

The shadow had no qualms about leering at the girl as she undressed and lowered her guard. Naturally, the apparition compared what she saw to what she knew, namely her shapely mistress. The mature sorceress, well, relatively speaking: she appeared to be a woman of thirty winters or so, really, she had curves and a good deal of soft flesh. Where this girl was toned, with muscles that spoke of a good deal of exercise and exertion, Ruby's form spoke of softness and womanly seduction. The sorceress's bust swelled moreso than this woman's, so much that Ruby quite frequently complained of them. Though the shadow had noticed that the sorceress seemed to have no reservations about showcasing said chest, often wearing plunging necklines and tight robes. This girl's form was certainly lean though, and equally as appealing as the shadow's mistress. Already the lascivious shadow was picturing the two bodies entwined: her mistress's cocoa skin rubbing against the sun-kissed white of this woman. It had been far, far too long since the shadow had seen such action, and she longed for the connection.

"The robe suits you," teased the shadow. For said robe proved to be what most would consider "scandalous." The sheer fabric did nothing to conceal the body underneath, instead seeming to emphasize the body. For the flesh could be seen behind the sheer white, with only a few key areas obscured by an enchantment. For neither nipple nor pubic hair nor sex itself would show against the fabric, seemingly distorted and obscured despite the obvious clarity of the rest of the form underneath. This was how Ruby preferred it; she ruled the castle.

"You know," said the shadow, "most peasant girls are not as well muscled as you. In fact, those almost look like they were made by hours of practicing with a weapon. Like, say, a dagger that I found on your person. That was a rich weapon too, and nobody carries that unless they intend to threaten with it. So you're a well-muscled, beautiful woman with trimmed hair and nearly flawless flesh. In other words: you're a warrioress, or a noble, or possibly even more. I wonder what my mistress will do when she finds out. I suppose I should care, and possibly tell her. I don't have a reason not to..."

 

[Magi_monk]

((Argh, I hate when that happens!!))

Eli stared down at the robe in disbelief. This wasn't a garment, it was a decoration! The Princess half considered tearing the useless fabric from her body and endure her nakedness, but such a hasty thought remained just that - a thought. It was better than no clothes at all, despite how transparent it seemed, and at least it seemed to conceal the more delicate parts of her figure. Despite the extra layer of clothing, the girl shivered as her bare toes flexed and wriggled in an attempt to warm the chilled soles of her feet, lifting her gaze to the apparition once more at the compliment which brought a brief grimace to her pretty face.

Once again she eyed the door, weighing up her options. There was very little chance that she would have a clear run to some kind of external door, if not coming across more of the witch's pets then she would at least have the shadow trailing after her. And then there was the flesh-eating demon. Pushing aside the horrifying creature that reared up in her mind's eye, fuelled by a far too health imagination, the Princess began desperately sifting through her knowledge, trying to recall if she had ever heard of Shad'lar Fortress or anything remotely like it. Was she even within her father's Kingdom? How long had she been out cold, how far had she been transported before she woke to find herself here?

Despite herself, she felt the slight prick of tears beginning to gather. The high walls of the castle that had so often felt like a prison to the girl now had suddenly become a fortress of safety, the family she had felt so disconnected to the only people she now wished to see. Eleanor gulped down a deep breath and blinked rapidly, forcing back the encroaching emotions as a cold sense of dread crept over her at the shadow's next words. Her gaze swivelled to rest against the spectre once more, lips pressed tightly together as she struggled to hide the sense of panic that had sent her heart racing.

So they didn't know yet, they didn't know who she was, but it appeared to only be a matter of time before her identity was revealed - the apparition before her seeming to piece it together, speaking her thoughts aloud. As dire as her situation seemed now, Eli doubted very much that it would be improved by the sorceress discovering she was a Princess. "I-...I stole it...the dagger, it was my Mistress'..." The girl was clutching at straws, did she really hope to keep up this pretence of only being a humble peasant girl?

 

[darkest_fate]

The fortress might have been heard in myth or legend, as people often spoke of it in hushed tones. A dreary, grim building, it stood on the far outskirts of civilization, just barely within the realms of Eleanor's kingdom. The recent tenant had kept more or less to herself though, with none of the previous inhabitants proclivities toward torturing townsfolk or raising armies of the damned. Not that this last would be quite as common knowledge.

The princess stuttered through a lie, and the shadow let loose a raspy noise that sounded almost like thick fabric running across the ground. "You really do need to learn to lie better. Even if you did steal the dagger, which I'm really doubting right about now, that doesn't explain your body or the muscles. My mistress isn't stupid; she'll figure it out eventually. Though, I suppose I could help a little..."

Again, the shadow was hinting, trying to see if it could get what it wanted. It knew full well that the other servants were wandering the fortress, and it was quite plausible that one or two might arrive within the next few moments, ruining the shadow's fun. It desperately wanted to play with the girl for a little while longer.

"Come on; it's not like I haven't seen it already. Besides, it'll make you more relaxed. You want to be relaxed, don't you?"

 

[Magi_monk]

She was trapped, both in this place and in her own feeble lie. There was a brief moment when she considered fighting to keep the corpse of a cover story alive for a little longer, but it passed swiftly - she was caught. Grimacing again, the girl's fingers curled against her palms, knuckles fading white for a moment before they loosened again. Lying had not been difficult back home, she could almost make her father believe her most of the time, but here it was different. It was not so easy to lie when you life possibly hung upon its success, when you were trapped in a strange room in an unknown fortress with a shadow taunting and teasing you. Taunting, teasing and attempting to blackmail her.

The Princess had caught the hint, and had a fair idea of just what the apparition wanted her to do - after all she had hardly been subtle about it earlier. If the witch was as observant as the ghost said she was however then Eleanor imagined that her ruse would fall through rather quickly regardless of whether the shadow revealed her or not. Regardless, even if she thought she would benefit from making such an agreement, the girl was not eager to expose herself so openly and in such a humiliating manner.

"No." The word was stated with a surprising amount of firmness behind it, "No, I don't want to relax. I want to be free of this place, I want to be home." Besides, how could she relax given her current situation, it was untenable! With that said, the teen crossed back toward the door and grasped the handle only to halt in this position, hesitating. What lurked within the corridors outside? Drawing in a steadying breath, Eleanor tugged and pulled the door open just wide enough that she could peer out through the gap.

 

[darkest_fate]

The shadow nearly cursed its luck. This girl was far, far too innocent and stubborn. Which meant no fun for the shadow. It supposed that things would be all that much more enjoyable when this girl and the sorceress finally copulated, but the shadow wasn't even sure that it would be allowed to witness such a glorious event.

"Evil flesh eating beings exist outside that door!" called the shadow. It drifted over to hover near the girl again, knowing that it had to keep close, both for orders and for its own curiosity. "You're not going to be heading home anytime soon, so you might as well stop day-dreaming about--oh shoot."

The last came out as the shadow beheld what was on the other side of the gap: a strange looking creature. It was large, with chitinous skin, the black of it reflecting the light. The creature's face looked somewhat gruesome, with a strange dashing of "cute" thrown in. Bulbous eyes looked out from a too round face, especially wide and a strange, swirling lavender color.

"The shadow bothering you?" it asked, its voice evidently feminine. It shifted and looked around. "It stupid," blink, then pull back, "mistress ready. Follow me to her."

"That's the flesh-eating thing!" insisted the shadow, sliding across Eleanor's skin. "Don't believe it!"

 

[Magi_monk]

Eleanor halted abruptly at the shadow's warning, not even having a moment to be able to actually even look out into the hallway as her gaze swiftly snapped round to fix on the apparition as it floated toward her. Normally she would have ignored the warning and stubbornly marched out of the room without a backward glance, but this was not a normal situation and the notion of the flesh-eating demon already mentioned held the girl still. With her concentration drawn from the door, the teen had expanding the gap somewhat, and so when she turned back to see just what had cut the shadow short her gaze fell upon the strange creature instantly.

Had the girl not had a rather firm grasp on her emotions at that current moment in time she may well have screamed, but as it was naught but a gasp escaped her as fingers relinquished their grasp upon the handle and she stumbled backward, away from the door. That dull throbbing against her temple had returned again, Eli's balance wavered slightly as she stumbled awkwardly to place some distance between herself and the newest creature.

Swiftly she steadied herself, grasping a nearby piece of furniture to ensure that she remained upright, all the while staring at the-...well what was it? Eleanor had not ever, in her short life, seen such a creature and she certainly had no desire to see another. The instruction that 'mistress' - who she assumed was the woman she had met previous - was ready received a mute stare in response, and not a fraction of movement that suggested anything close to following. Not only did she have no wish to see this sorceress, nor discover what it was that she had planned for her, but she had no intentions of following a-...again the teen fumbled for a word that would adequately describe it. None came.

As if she needed any more reason to stay right where she was, the shadow drifted close, slithering against her skin once more that spawned a shudder which swept down the entire length of the girl's spine, a faint catch in her breath in response. It was the words of accusation, however, that cemented the girl's resolve, even while shying away from the cool dragging sensation that fluttered against her skin. She was going no where.

 

[darkest_fate]

The two servants sighed. This would be much, much easier if their mistress had given them more leeway. True, both didn't usually mind reining in their darker desires, and serving a mistress who didn't take out her frustrations by killing or abusing her servants was always a plus, but at moments like this, when utilizing some decidedly more evil actions would make things easier, they almost wished they could be more... well, evil.

The shadow had less qualms than the others, and slithered across the girl, running along Eleanor's back. If need be, the shadow could meld in with the girl's shadow and control her through that, forcing her movements and walking her. It was even preparing to do it, save that the other creature had stepped forward. As this creature had more rank, technically, than the shadow, it had to wait and see.

"You come," it said, nodding its round head, which, for some reason, seemed to be attached on an overlong neck. The creature was clearly some monstrous chimera: combined parts of various monsters and creatures and demons making up its form. She shifted again, and her eyes landed upon the girl. "Come by self, or else shadow move you."

"I promise not to enjoy it too much," rasped the shadow, sliding along the woman's form. Like this, it could even do what it wanted so desperately, though it knew this girl was saved for their mistress. They needed to get her there sooner rather than later, so as not to risk the sorceress's displeasure.

"You don't want our mistress to be angry with you, now do you?" insisted the shadow, forcing a step. "Just come along and quit resisting. It's futile anyway."

 

[Magi_monk]

Several more tremors ran through the girl as the shadow persisted in trailing itself against her skin as if cool air was being blown against her flesh, making it shiver and crawl. She jerked away, but not too far for now the other creature had stepped forward, effectively trapping her between the two of them. Eleanor had been ready to refuse once more, this time in a far more vocal perhaps even physical manner, but the chimera's words stole them from her lips before she even had a chance to speak a word of her own.

The shadow would move her? The girl's mind raced, struggling to keep up with the ever changing circumstances, even as she felt the cold presence of darkness stretching itself out across her back like a blanket. She shivered violently, a movement that shook her whole body as the shadow's voice continued to hiss, now seeming to whisper right at her ear. Then it began, the slow creeping cold began to seep into her very skin, into flesh and muscle and bone, drawing a shuddering breath from the girl. Without any input from herself, against her will, a bare foot raised off the ground and stepped forward, driving her toward the creature and the door.

For the second time in so many hours, her body was not her own and this, more than anything else, panicked Eli. "Stop it! I'll come, I'll follow."

 

[darkest_fate]

"I don't know if I want to give you up just yet," hissed the shadow. Yet the other creature moved threateningly, and the shadow retreated, lingering just at the edge of Eleanor's own personal darkness. The creature motioned for the girl to follow, and began walking on her own. The shuffling footfalls sounded almost reptilian, sliding against the stone in ragged motions. The creature knew the place well, and headed directly for where the mistress would be waiting.

The idea was to prepare the spell and take the flesh while she could. Thus, Ruby had prepared a room for the combination of the two. A bed hovered in the air several feet above the ground. A symbol had been carved into the floor, one that would serve to direct the energy and the spell into the castle. The sorceress herself wore a robe that matched Eleanor's own, except hers was black, showcasing the womanly curves that lay beneath.

The creature would stop several feet from the room, gesturing for Eleanor to walk inside. The moment the girl did, she would feel something slithering over her skin. It was partially the cutting off of the lecherous shadow that had attached itself to her. It was partially a sealing spell, preventing the girl from running. For what happened now would likely make the rest of what happened seem like nothing.

"My apologies for making you endure my servants," said Ruby, turning to smile. Her eyes took in the woman and she nodded. "Yes, you'll certainly do, do quite well. I'm going to enjoy every moment of this. Though," her smile had a hint of sorrow, a touch of cruelty, "I can't say the same for you. You'll just have to endure some more, I'm afraid."

 

[Magi_monk]

She twisted as the hold on her suddenly relinquished, though the chill that had fallen over her seemed to linger for some time after, flexing muscles and extending limbs to ensure that she did indeed have full control once more. A wary glance was cast toward the shadow that lingered nearby before she turned her attention to the chimera, reluctantly following after as she was led out of the room and through the crumbling fortress.

Eleanor kept her distance, trailing a good few steps behind her guide while casting furtive glances back toward the shadow and about her surroundings. With almost every third step, her fingers and toes flexed, trying to work some warmth into body through movement that the drafty stone building could not provide. Each doorway was given a particularly curious look, the Princess trying to formulate some sort of escape plan for the when the opportunity presented itself.

The walk was not all that long and soon enough she was being ushered toward a door left slightly open, the gap too thin to provide any real view of what lay beyond. Sparing both the creature and the shadow a final wary glance, the girl stepped forward and, pushing the door wider, inched her way into the room. She paused just within, those deep green eyes skittering about the room uneasily, attempting to locate the stranger that had abducted her.

Her eyes alighted upon the dark skinned woman the moment she felt her skin crawl, perhaps the witch was even the cause of such a sensation, the girl could not be sure. A creeping feeling spread across her flesh, as if a second skin stretched out over her own - beginning from the top of her head, extending down and out until it sealed about her fingers and toes. Whatever the sensations purpose, Eli did not trust it, just as she did not trust the woman that was now speaking to her, apologising of all things.

Once the biggest threat had been located, the Princess had a brief moment to take in the rest of the room, more importantly the bed and the symbol below. The moisture in her mouth seemed to evaporate in an instant as her agile mind made quick work of reconstructing phrases she had previously heard, all hinting toward just what was about to happen. "I require a girl of your... caliber for various dealings.." "..the mistress will summon you forth for her pleasure..." Such comments, along with the presence of the bed, the revealing outfits - even a fool could see where this was leading.

It was her body that reacted, mind still reeling from from the revelation. A small awkward step backward, that was all.

 

[darkest_fate]

"I take it you're just discovering what my purpose in bringing you here is, exactly," said the sorceress. She'd noticed the step back, and sounded quite amused by the whole thing. The spell would force the girl in place, and the terror really did make her seem more beautiful. Strange though, there was something in the way the woman was built, that skin and her movements, it didn't seem to quite match up. This should be a peasant girl, someone who wouldn't be missed.

No matter. Ruby took several steps toward the girl, quickly closing the distance between them. "This is going to happen," she informed her captive. "For I require your juices in order to prepare the necessary spell. That is all you need to know. Besides, perhaps, that you can't escape and that attempting so would be quite foolish."

The sorceress was standing just before her captive now, those eyes scanning the body and taking it in. A hand rose to just touch the girl, to test. If need be, Ruby knew she could immobilize the girl with a spell. A quick word, and Eleanor would be bound to the bed, bared and ready for the woman who held her now. However, again, the witch was attempting to seduce, to talk and convince instead of force. A gentle touch did much more than a strong shove. If she knew how, she might even have layered the comment with suggestion.

"Come now," she said, "come to the bed and I'll show you the pleasures of being a woman. You will fuel my spell. It shall be done."

No argument. Finality. This would happen. Period.

 

[Magi_monk]

A step, but no movement. The awkward stumble had provided no distance, nor brought her against any resistance, she was just still, held in place. Eleanor mocked her own surprise at such a situation, of course she could not run, of course this woman would not let her escape. Spells and incantations, magic. She had grown up on tales of wicked witches, vile individuals that lured children away into crooked shacks and haunted forests. Those had been fairy tales, stories intended to scare little girls and boys into behaving themselves, and yet here stood the very epitome of such myths.

With no means to move backward and certainly not about to move closer to the woman, the girl remained still as her captor closed the gap between them, pausing to stand right in front of her. The woman's hungry gaze, the transparency of the cloth that hung about her body - both left her feeling exposed, laid bare without anywhere to hide. Eleanor swallowed painfully, throat equally as dry now that she found herself face to face with her captor, staring up into the woman's eyes, searching.

She flinched, not even at the touch but at the extension of the hand, but there was no where to go. Warm skin lay against her, the thin material of her robe providing little to separate the darker tone with her own pale flesh. The touch wasn't unpleasant, but it was unwanted, and the Princess shied away from it - though where really did she have to go.

Soft words were whispered, beckoning her to give in, to comply with the witch's wishes, to accept that her situation was helpless. There was no escape. Eleanor's fingers flexed and she draw in a sharp breath, forest green eyes darting toward the bed and then back again, seeming to snap out of her horror-filled silence. Her actions were swift; if she could not run then she would fight. A hand shot out to aim a firm push at the woman's shoulder while another lashed out to swat the hand that lay against her. "Don't touch me!" She hissed, all pretence gone.

 

[darkest_fate]

For a moment, Ruby thought this might be simple. The girl didn't seem to be running or making a break for it, though, that was just as likely because the spell wouldn't prevent a complete escape. Then, the girl moved, moved quite quickly, catching the witch by surprise. The pushes and lashings caught the woman, and she stumbled backward, nearly tripping on the bottom of the robe.

"Perhaps I should have made myself clearer," said the witch. She snarled words, and chains formed out of the darkness. They worked their way around the girl, snagging her and dragging her toward the bed. The magicks drew her there, then locked her in place, preventing most movement, beyond the basic squirming. However, said spell also left the witch spinning. The woman took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. This was taking far, far more magic than she'd expected. Perhaps she should have spent more time searching until she found a more willing captive.

"You're quite beautiful," said the witch. She reached up to toss aside her violet hair, her chest already heaving from the magicks being utilized. "Quite willful as well, filled with life and energy. That will be quite splendid for the spell."

The witch took more breaths, reaching up to adjust her hair. She slunk toward the floating bed. Leaning over, she looked across the bed to the woman bound there, the beautiful woman, who knew how to fight... and had muscles. Shit, this was obviously someone of some worth. No matter; she was here, she was beautiful, and now Ruby truly wanted to climb atop this woman and enjoy herself.

 

[Magi_monk]

Eleanor felt a surge of victory, a flutter of confidence as she sent the woman stumbling. This gave her room to move, space to make a break for it and put some space between them. She got only so far, a handful of steps, enough to put her out of the witch's reach but not far enough to escape the chains, she didn't even seem them coming.

Something caught hold of her leg, winding about her ankle and dragging her back, throwing the girl off balance. She tumbled to the ground, fingers clawing at the binding, kicking and struggling as she was wound toward the bed, dragged across the cold floor. A second later something lashed around her wrists, first one and then the other, dragging them apart and away from her leg, while still more chains entwined themselves about her struggling form. Soon enough she could only wriggle and squirm as she was bundled toward the bed and then upon it.

The chains shifted, seeming to move as if one fluid line as they rearranged themselves, curling about each wrist and ankle and pulling them taunt. Eleanor released a frustrated cry as she find that nearly all movement was impossible, though she continued to strain and squirm against her bindings. Finally, chest rising and falling with the exertion of it all, the girl's gaze finally sought out the witch once more, glaring at her accusingly. The woman's own heavy breathing was not lost upon the girl, brow twitching a touch in thought before that information was stored away for later use.

As her captor drew closer toward the bed, towering over the prone girl, Eli clenched her jaw, shying away from her captor as much - or as minimally - as her bindings allowed. Muscles strained against the chains, flexing beneath the pale flesh, while eyes blazed with indignation.