Xana writes (and bitches probably.) Comments Welcome!

His Redemption Filler and Fluff:
Aurianna’s eyes flickered open as she felt Matthias arm move, turning the page in the book he was reading. She had fallen asleep on his chest, hair damp with sweat suggesting that she had been slumbering for quite a while. The dwindling candlestick confirmed her suspicions, and that Matthias had been up reading this entire time.

“You’re still up? Go to sleep,” She mumbled in a drowsy tone, shifting to find a comfortable place to rest against his chest.

“Soon,” he answered with a soft chuckle and a kiss on her forehead, “Just want to finish this chapter first.” Aurianna groaned softly, the brightness of the candle distracting her from falling back to sleep easily. Reading was never going to put him to sleep, not if he already spent half the night with his nose in that book, but she knew what would. So she crawled down the length of his body, planting small kisses on his skin along the way. He looked at over at her over his book. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t worry about it. Read your chapter,” Aurianna answered coyly, with a mischievous glint in her gaze. Matthias studied her for a moment longer, before going back to his book. A hand found his pants, and slipped underneath seeking out his manhood. Finding it easily, she pulled it out, stroking it in smooth, even motions. She licked her lips as she brought down her face.

“Ari,” he groaned, putting the book down with his thumb holding his place, “What are…are you doing?”

“Read your book,” She demanded in a husky tone, meeting his eyes with a smoldering stare. With that, she brushed moist lips against him, teasing along his shaft, enjoying the shudders and moans escaping his lips. “Read,” she commanded, flicking her tongue along the bulge and run along the underside of his meat. She waited until he returned his attention to his book, submerging his cock between her cheeks, taking half his length in the first go. She watched him as her head bobbed up and down his member, stopping if he tried to stop reading, unable to help noticing that he hadn’t turned the page in a couple minutes. Deeper and deeper she took him, slowly sliding up and down him, gleeful as he held the book down for a moment, head thrown back in pleasure.

“Ari…” he gasped, as she fit him in her mouth and throat, fingers slipping form the book he held until it dropped on the floor, losing his place. “…fuck” he groaned, too content from amazing head to care much. Aurianna beamed as she caught his eyes again, licking him lovingly. “I bet you’re proud of yourself?” He questioned.

“Maybe,” Aurianna cooed, breath cool on his damp cock. She crawled back up his body, planting moist kisses on his sweat damp skin, until she found his mouth with her. Moaning into the kiss, she could feel him throbbing against her thigh, and she was sure he could feel the heat coming off her. “Damn, sucking you off makes me so wet,” Aurianna admitted, tangling fingers in his hair.

“Yeah?” Matthias asked, nibbling at her lip, hands trailing down her bask and ass until he discovered her desire and groaned approvingly. He gripped his own shaft and brushed the head against her lips, as her sex dripped down his cock. “Show me Ari. Show me how much you love my cock.” He held himself still so she could slide down his length, eyes rolling into the back of her head at how good it felt. Thick, pulsing meat, pressed into each of her tight walls. His hand groped at her ass as she buried him within her. He pulled her closer as she began to rise above him, lips tracing her throat before finding a vein to latch onto.

“Fuck, Matthias…I love you,” Aurianna gasped out, fucking herself harder on him, metal fingers digging into his shoulders as her rapture overcame her. He pulled her face to his, devouring her worshipful cries with hungry lips and an eager tongue. Bliss flooded her mind and thighs as she gave in to it, trembling muscles holding Matthias tight within. She braced herself back, hands on his thighs, feeling the strain of her muscles as he drove into her form beneath. An awed praise of his name filled the room, until her orgasm left her limp upon him.

Matthias retaliated now, pushing her onto her back, head hanging on the side of the bed, still hilted deep with her. Aurianna gasped with renewed vigor as his feat pushed him against her far wall. Hooking hands under her knees to hold her in place, Matthias pounded her into the mattress, grinning wolfishly in the process. "Don't call up that which you cannot put down," he growled, recalling something he had told her when the demon was still in his soul, “Or did you want me to fuck you senseless?”

“You…AHHH…caught…me” Aurianna moaned out, his deep strokes interrupting her ability to speak. With her head hanging over the edge of the bed, blood pooled into her brain, making every thrust all the more intense. His grunts echoed her cries, as fluid friction guided him into her depths. This time it was his turn to call out her name as he sunk completely into her, flooding her channel with his seed. Fingers dug into her legs as Matthias rode out his climax. Once the overwhelming sensation finished passing through him, he pulled Aurianna up to him, and they both tumbled back against the headboard, in each other’s arms.

“Was that better than your book?” Aurianna teased in between kisses.

“You want to play chess? With me?” Aurianna asked, trying not to laugh. She ran metal fingers over the hand craved wooden piece, aware that she was missing out on the tactile sensations skin would have afford her. A small loss, she assured herself, placing the piece back down on the board.

“What? I know you know how to play,” Matthias reminded her, sitting down across the board.

“Yes, you taught me. Some misguided attempt to instill in me caution and patience,” Aurianna recalled, letting out a chuckle now. “But I haven’t played in years Matthias, not since…” She stopped before she could say anything more and sighed, “It’s been years.”

“You never played again? That whole time?” Matthias seemed surprised. Aurianna took the seat across form him.

“I was never very good, and you know I don’t like losing at anything,” she justified, looking over the board.

“You figured you get better if you avoided it for over decade?” he teased, moving the queen’s footman out two spaces. Ari mirrored his move.

“I figured I’d put my effort to improving the skills that would actually help me to be a better Paladin,” She countered, noting he brought out the next footman as well. She hesitated. This was a…what did he call it again? A gambit? She resisted the urge to take the other footman, and instead moved her knight out. “Besides, it never really made much sense to me.”

“Oh?” Matthias prodded moving it bishop out to support his footmen. Ari noted that he was taking control of the center of the board.

“Well, you have your archangel, which is a powerful piece, yes? But it can be taken by a footman with ease,” she explained, studying the board for a bit.

“Yes, that’s the point; you can’t just rush in. Finally you get it,” Matthias laughed, giving her a pointed looked that distracted her from her plotting. She couldn’t help but join in.

“I just mean, shouldn’t the archangel be more powerful than a mere footman. It should take several footmen to bring down the archangel,” Aurianna insisted, finally making her move.

“Perhaps, but you would still lose,” Matthias challenged, capturing her piece. Both the move and his words had caught her off guard.

“How do you figure?”

“Because you would still rely on the strong pieces alone to bring you to victory, and you would overextend yourself. You have to learn how to utilize each piece, and see through your opponent’s moves,” he justified, meeting her eyes. He had that knowing smirk on his face that was as sexy as at was irritating. She brought out her own bishop, to bait his archangel, but he saw through it, moving his knight to its defense. “And sometimes sacrifice is necessary.” His grin faded and his expression hardened and it was impossible for Aurianna to miss the pain in his eyes or the inference of his remarks. She reached her flesh hand across the table to caress his face.

“Matthias, I’m sorry,” She started, stopping as he grabbed her hand and kissed it.

“You were always worth it,” He assured her, forcing a smile. “It’s your move.” She was distracted from the game, moving without much thought. He studied the board for a moment and moved his rook, meeting her eyes with a genuine smile this time,

“Checkmate.”

“What?” Aurianna asked, examining the board again. “But…” Golden eyes traced invisible paths before she released a defeated sigh. “Fine, you win. Set it up again, I am going to win this time.”

“I gave you this one, didn’t I?” Aurianna asked, fingers tracing over the round scar on his shoulder. It was a lazy morning, neither of them having to be anywhere until afternoon at least. Matthias laughed lightly at the memory.

“You did. But I’ll admit it was my own fault. Should have trusted you when you said you were hopeless with a bow,” Matthias explained, running his own fingers through her hair.

“I’ll teach you to try and teach me archery,” Aurianna teased, stealing a kiss form his lips. There was a temptation to go further, to lose herself in the heat of his mouth and the warmth of his embrace. Tangled up with him like this, there was little doubt where things would lead this morning. And while the thought had her stomach coiling, she wanted to go slow, enjoy exploring his body.

Matthias however, had his own ideas. A deep kiss that caught her off guard had her on her back, his strong hands sliding up her bare skin until they were behind her back, holding her close to him. “Tell me about your scars. I bet each has a captivating story.”

“I don’t know about captivating,” Aurianna laughed, unable to take her eyes away from his. Fingers caressed her left shoulder, the jagged marked left there, before his lips moved to join them. She trembled as he kissed it, knowing he was making her blush now.

“One of these must have an interesting story behind it,” he reasoned, making as excuse to feel her up, smirking as she giggled from exhilaration, hands seeking out her sensitive spots. Hovering over her, his kissed his way down her body, lips soft on each of her scars. He hesitating a moment as he reached her stomach, and the red discoloration there, catching her eyes for a second before averting his gaze. She felt the mattress shift as he pushed himself up, “Let’s stop,” he murmured, his voice slightly hallow.

“I’m okay,” She insisted, sitting up to meet him as he moved off the bed. She smiled, pushing back the unease as her fingers came up to caress his face. Kissing him again, deeper, hungrier, needier this time, as old feelings threatened to come back up. Her lips brushed his cheek as they pulled back. “I love you,” she told him, reassurance, forgivingness and even happiness in those words. Another kiss, with him pushing her down this time, his hard body straddling hers. He smiled as he sat up, and she almost tried pulling him back to her before he began speaking.

“Should I show you my favorite scar of yours?”

“Favorite?” Aurianna repeated, a tense laugh leaving her lips. Matthias looked at her with hungry hazel eyes, speaking louder than words with his stare. Once more he moved down her body, not stopping at her stomach this time, but positioning himself between her thighs. Aurianna felt her body growing warm and her breathing growing rapid as he looked up the length of her body. Rough fingers brushed her already moist lips, finding the twin marks he had left on her, on that night all those weeks ago. She shuddered, unable to hold back the reaction, unable to deny the thrill his touch elicited. With a deep gasp her back arched against him as he brought lips over to kiss it, her body remembering, reliving the act in which he gave it to her.

“Mine,” he reminded her, as if she needed reminding. His lips grazed the sensitive folds, taking in the aroma of her building arousal.

“Yours,” she managed to cry out, in agreement, fingers gripping the sheets beneath her. “And uh, while you are down,” she demanded now, with her legs wrapped around his head.
 
“How is your boyfriend going to feel when he wakes up to you moaning like a whore for me?”

"He'd feel pretty pissed off, really. At you."

The sudden voice caught both the captain and Kaydia off guard, both sets of eyes seeking the source of it. Not that the captain was given a real chance to figure out, before desperate hands clawed at his neck, trying to pry off invisible fingers wringing his throat. Kaydia recognized it immediately, a power she herself used quite frequently. Force choke, it could only be Quentin. Knowing that he had her back gave her the courage to act, using the force to pull his lightsaber form the captain’s belt to her bound hands. Slicing though the chains, she landed gracefully on her feet, meeting the terrified eyes of the captain one last time before sinking the heated blade into his gut.

Quentin burst into the cell now, rushing to her side and pulling her into a tight embrace. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, mostly anyhow,” she answered, holding him just as tight, still shaking from SIN and how close she had come to being raped. His hands felt protective over her bare skin, and she wished he would never let her ago. But they weren’t safe yet.

“Here,” he offered, unbuttoning his shirt and presenting it to her, reclaiming his lightsaber in the process. She was buttoning the shirt when the door flew open and a woman looking like the now dead captain appeared at the door. Screaming in rage as she opened fire from twin blasters, Quentin was just able to deflect the shots away, standing at Kaydia’s defense. Tapping into the force, Kaydia sent the ornate vibro-blade from the captain’s waist into the woman’s chest, ending her volley of laser blasts, and her life.

Kaydia tied Quentin’s shirt over her chest now. It was tight against her breasts, and left her midriff bare, but at least she was covered. Quentin pulled the blasters of the woman and tossed her one, eyes lingering over her. “That didn’t help as much as I hoped it would.”

“Tell me about it,” Kaydia agreed, taking a moment to drink in his deliciously bare chest. But there wasn’t time, as they heard more men coming down the hallway.

“We can’t let them pin us down. I’ll take lead, you cover me.” Quentin directed, his lightsaber lit before him. Kaydia followed him into the hall, letting him play defense to her offense. Protecting her from the laser blasts, while she shot down those in their way. Once more they were perfectly in sync, moving as one as they fought their way through the pirates’ ship. As they reached the control room, there was one man left, hands up in surrender. Kaydia kept her gun trained on him.

“Spare him,” Quentin told her, flicking off his lightsaber and taking stock of their situation.

“You think he would have spared me?” Kaydia challenged. She pushed the gun against his chest, fury from her near rape bubbling up now.

“He can’t hurt you now,” Quentin reminded her, hand on her shoulder, calming the ire that tore through her. “Don’t let his darkness eclipse your light.” It took a moment, but the truth of Quentin’s words reached her, and she settled on knocking the man out with the butt of her pistol. She turned and threw her arms around Quentin’s neck, letting his love wash away the rage.

“Can we skip the lecture next time? I thought we agree that you were going to use mind-blowing sex to set me on a path to salvation.”



Before long, they were able to return to their original trajectory, letting their lone survivor go with his belongings and a small sum to send him on his way. “You’ve been given a second chance at life, to move away from the choices of your past. Don’t fuck it up,” Kaydia offered as she escorted him off ship. There was still a temptation to kill him, to show him the “mercy” he would have shown her, but she found that she didn’t want to disappoint Quentin. He was convinced that she was better than that, and in the first time in a decade, she wanted to be. She wanted to be the person he thought she was.

Selling the slaver’s ship netted them a handsome profit, more than enough to afford a lavish vacation on Procopia. A first class suite at the Glass Palace, with all the amenities: A king sized bed with silk sheets, a large hot tub, a fantastic view. If it wasn’t the perfect place to spend a couple days, it was damn near it. After a brief lunch in the in-house restaurant, Kaydia insisted on getting some getting some clothes for the both of them.

Shopping with Quentin quickly reminded her that he was in fact a Jedi. What it because she knew what to look for that made it obvious? Or was he more comfortable around her now, not trying to hide that part of himself from her anymore? While she threw herself headfirst into it, it was clear he was causally detached from the whole experience. Still, he demonstrated nothing but patience as she browsed to her hearts content.

It wasn’t merely disinterest that reminded her of his ties to the Jedi. In those little moments of distress, as the terror of her near rape bubbled up? He was always nearby with a tender touch, or affectionate peck on the cheek or forehead. Pulling her into his arms, letting his embrace shield her from the anxiety. It was nice, how he knew intuitively when she needed his love. He would never let anything hurt her. She still wasn’t sure she wanted him in her head all times, but right now, she was grateful for it.


“I understand you are looking for a force powered assassin, Scarlet?”

Linora hid her reaction behind a stoic expression. She hadn’t known what to expect when the unknown man reached out to her, but she had tapped into the vast information network the Black Sun could offer her. Whatever she needed to do to keep tabs on Quentin and Kaydia. And it seems she stumbled upon her first lead a few days later.

“Do you have some information on her?”

“Is this her?” A holovid was sent over, featuring a topless Kaydia groped and harassed by a flamboyant man. The rage Linora felt at the display was hard to hold down, and she knew it was written on her face as her features tightened. But Kaydia’s distress was ended when Quentin intervened, and the video ended with Kaydia and Quentin fighting their way from the cell.

“Where is she now?” Linora asked, in a calm that betrayed the rage she was feeling.

“You’ll pay for that information, right?” The man insisted.

“Yes, I’ll pay. 20,000 dactaries. 30,000 if you get me the man on the holovid as well. Where is she?”

“She and the Jedi are on Procopia. Landed just earlier today.”

Linora transferred the funds over with the press of a few buttons, and had her ship prepared to take off within the hour. It was going to be difficult to pull Kaydia away from Quentin now. Saving her from rape and fighting their away of a slave ship would have them closer than ever. Worst still, killing one would set the other off. Still she had to move before they decided to team up against her. Catch them off guard, and tidy up the loose ends. There wasn’t any other choice now.




Relaxing in the hot tub after a peaceful day was exactly the way she wanted to end the first evening of their vacation. Well, perhaps a few rounds of mind-blowing sex were in order, but the night was still young. Quentin refilled her champagne glass, filled another for himself before settling back next to her, to indulge in a sensuous kiss tasting of bubbly. The pace was slow, enjoying every peaceful moment between them. There was no rush, now.

“You should come back, to the order. You could become a Shadow, like me,” Quentin offered, "I could use someone to watch my back.”

“Go back to being a Jedi? Quentin, I can’t. I’m not a Jedi,” Kaydia protested. “I’d follow you to the ends of the galaxy, if you asked. But I can’t be something I’m not.”

“There is no one right way to be a Jedi,” Quentin argued.

“Perhaps, but there are wrong ways to be one. And I’ve done every one of them,” She looked up at him, flashing a cheeky grin, “Now.”

Quentin chuckled softly, kissing her forehead, “There is goodness in you still. It’s not too late to walk the path of redemption.”

“Quentin, after the things I’ve done?” Suddenly there was guilt filling her, and she drank deeply of her glass to push it down. “I don’t know that I deserve redemption, for what I’ve done. I killed my master. I killed innocents. I killed those who stood up to a criminal syndicate. The only thing I can do now is to use those skills to hurt those who would hurt others.”

“Kaydia, I know what you’ve done. I’ve been in your mind, felt your memories. But still, it’s not too late to atone. You were forced to make terrible choices, and you did what you had to do to survive. You could still return to the light.” Quentin cradled her face as he spoke, thumbs caressing her cheek. Kaydia wasn’t sure she believed him, but she wanted to.

“You are lecturing me again,” She teased, breaking the tension that was building. She kissed him, playfully, lingeringly. “What happened to saving my soul through sex?” Quentin pushed her back into the side of the hot tub, pushing his mouth onto hers this time. Her arms went around his neck, pulling him close, until her breasts pressed into his chest.

“You think it will work?” Quentin tantalized pulling her legs up to wrap around his waist.

“Maybe,” she answered in a coy tone, biting her lips as their eyes bored into one another’s, “Never know unless we try.”


Kaydia sighed at the blue light of Procopia forced her eyes open. She reached for Quentin, her hand blindly patted the bed beside her, seeking his warmth. Blinking a few times, her eyes confirmed what her hands suspected. Quentin was not in bed with her.

“Quentin?” She called, holding the sheet against her nude body. Silence echoed the fact that she couldn’t sense him nearby, and unwanted anxiety filled her. She was still bit apprehensive from her near rape, and without Quentin’s soothing presence the tension edged in her mind. You are being ridiculous, she tried to tell herself. Nothing was going to happen to them here, on a tourist destination in the mid rim. Needing a distraction from her own unease, she made her way to the bathroom, and slipped into the shower.

The hot water proved a relaxing distraction from waking up alone. A few moments passed under the stream, before the door open and Quentin was back. If missing him had her anxious, having him back had her elated, beaming as he peaked in on her in.

“Morning,” he said, eyes following the beads of water trailing down her skin. “I, umm, got some breakfast.” She could sense the desire building in his mind, making words difficult; see the fantasy of joining her in the stream playing out in his mind. A proud grin lit up her face.

“Breakfast sounds lovely. As does having you join me in here,” Kaydia suggested playful, adding another layer to the fantasy filling his mind, “I know you want to.” She teased him further, hands sliding up her slick body to run through her drench tresses. She could feel the shudder that passed though him as she did, and he was already unbuttoning his shirt without a word.

Kaydia didn’t bother hide her adoration for his figure, licking her lips as he stripped out of his clothing. It would have been pointless really, know she was practically broadcasting her desire through her mental link. More and more she was growing comfortable being so open to him, so comprehensively honest. It was so much better than the decade she spent playing roles and living a lie.

She pulled him against her as he was finally free of the last of his clothes, wrapping her leg around his waist so he could feel the longing soaking her thighs against his body. Her hands gripped his back, feeling his well-built muscles tensing as he held her just as close, her mouth engulfing his. “I want you,” she gasped between hungry kisses.

“I know,” he exhaled, his hands lifting her under her ass.




“…And they’re fucking,” Sanzor Maas reported over the transmitter.

“Wait, already? Did you say he just returned?” Linora reminded him. Not that it should have been all that surprising. She had fucked both of them before, after all. Neither shied away from desire when it caught up with them. But damn, the thought of it, the thought of them, tangled in a naked embrace, water flowing down their delicious bodies. It was enough to make Linora wish she were the one with the marcobinoculars. Or that she was there, sandwiched between them. Fingering and kissing Kaydia while Quentin fucked her from behind.

Dammit! This wasn’t the time. That ship sailed, and now they were just two people who could, and would kill her in time. She had to strike them, before they struck her. And it had to be soon, while they were too consumed with mutual lust to pay much attention to their surroundings.

“Keep me updated.”

 
With a cry he pushed her away, sending her stumbling towards the door. "Get out," he hissed, lips crimson with her blood. He watched her blood trickle from the wound in her throat, running in crimson rivulets over her collarbone and the swell of her breast, and he shuddered with desire. "Get out."

Aurianna stumbled a few steps, before catching her balance. Turning to face him with pleading eyes, growing wet with tears, she almost spoke. Instead she flew form his cell, choking down her sobs. She wiped a few errant tears from her eyes and cheeks. He isn’t worth your tears, she tried to tell herself, wishing she could believe it. After a moment of deep breathing to calm herself, she left the dungeons and headed for her room.

“Ari, baby,” Jeoram called as she walked through the courtyard, stumbling towards her. His friends laughed as he collapsed on her in a drunken hug, “I missed you,” he slurred, the scent of alcohol heavy on his breath.

“Jeoram you’re drunk, get off me,” Aurianna growled, angrier than she intended.

“I’m glad to see you looking so good for me,” he mumbled, greedy hands groping at her ass, “It’s been a lonely month without you.”

“Get off me!” She roared this time, pushing him hard enough to send him back into the wall. Riotous laughter exploded from his group of friends now, menacing, as his eyes flashed with fury. His hands gripped her arms like vices as he pulled her closer to him.

“I’m not the one who hurt you, Ari! Stop blaming me for what he did to you,” Jeoram snapped, matching her volume. He pushed her into the wall, grinding against her “They are going to kill him, and he can never hurt you again. Then you can fuck me on the altar, like you promised.” Despite her struggles, he leaned in to kiss her. She turned away, familiar disgust roiling in her gut as she remembered the last time they were together. His lips caught her jaw, and moved down her neck before stopping suddenly. “Ari, are you okay? You’re bleeding…” The words were soft, and his gripped weakened for a moment. She pushed him off her again, not as hard.

“I need to get some sleep, I have to travel in the morning,” Aurianna deflected, turning to leave.

“You weren’t wearing that for me, were you?” Jeoram asked, his voice ominously calm and quiet as he began to piece things together. “You were with him.“

“Nothing happened,” Aurianna protested.

“Nothing happened? His fangs were in your neck!” Jeoram exploded now. He moved to get in Aurianna’s face, even as she tried to evade him. “Are you fucking him?”

“I’m not fucking him, Jeoram,” she defended herself, hearing the armored footsteps of Jeoram’s buddies approaching her from behind.

“Bet she likes demons now,” one of them taunted, followed by the snickers from the others.

“Wonder if she’ll come back to liking Paladins if we all fuck her.”

“Come on Ari. We can give it to you better than the demons could.” A gauntleted grabbed her shoulder, reigniting past memories of violation. She lashed out at it, throwing a wild haymaker at the man who dared to touch her. The feral punch had the man on the ground, spitting up blood and a broken tooth form his mouth. All at once the rest of them jumped her, punches and kicks coming in from all directions. Aurianna defended herself as well as she could, but surrounded by six armored men, there was little she could have done. Battered, bruised and bloody, she was held still be three men, while three others tore off their armor.

“Wait,” Jeoram commanded, his voice carrying the weight of authority. They all looked to him as he walked up to Aurianna, wiping blood from her chin with him thumb. “She is still my fiancée.” His eyes met each of the men in time, before returning to hers, lips curled into a nasty smile, “So I get her first. Let’s fill this sinner with the glory of the Goddess.” With a triumphant cheer, she was dragged towards the Cathedral.


Before Dawn

She stood over Matthias’ sleeping body, letting the rhythm of his breathing soothing the whirlwind of erratic thoughts and emotions swirling through her mind. It took a moment before rational thought could return to her head. Why had she come here? Of all places, why here, to him? Why not to Justine, or Lord Mykel, or Rielle, or Oracle? Why Matthias?

Blood dripping from the sword in her hand reminded her why she was here. She had killed a paladin. Bryn, she thought his name was. Bryn or Reinier or Gilling or Ulric or Barnabas or Arthur. They all had raped her. Their names and faces melded in her mind, to the point she wasn’t sure which one she had killed. Whoever it had been, he was dead in the cathedral now.

“Matthias?” She called out, voice weak and raw.

“Ari? What are you doing here?” Came the sleepy reply. He turned to face her, and eyes growing wide as he took in her beaten figure. “Ari, what happened? Who did this to you?” She opened her mouth to answer, but she couldn’t speak. Instead of torrent of despair and hopelessness was released in gasping sobs, falling to her knees into his arms.

She might not have been very vocal, but it’s wasn’t difficult for Matthias to piece together what had happened. Maybe not the finer details, but a general understanding of what she had gone through. The scent of several different men sticking to her skin, the blood dried on her leather dress. Even with the knowledge, there wasn’t anything more he could do in the moment but wrap his arms around her, and wonder if she found any comfort in the act.

“Kill me,” She pleaded, echoing his words from nearly a month before. “Drain me, until I don’t have to feel anymore. It’s the least you can do…”

He nearly shook her as he pulled back to look into her eyes. “Ari, don’t kill yourself over this. Live,” his eyes radiated crimson, “Live, and kill them.”

“Kill them?” She asked, golden eyes lighting up in sudden understanding. She wrested her arm from out of Matthias’ hold, tearing off a leather pouch from her belt. She handed it to him, and after a moment’s confusion, he opened it and held up the key. “Help me,” she entreated this time, swallowing down the misery. His lips were soft against her forehead, a silent acquiescence of her appeal. A moment later the Demonqueller fell to the floor in a soft clatter.

“I’ll show them what pain really is.”
 
I've been on a Magic the Gathering kick lately, So I made cards for several characters in my rps.

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Damn Xana, Althaea is a pretty slick ass utility creature. And Thorkell is a beast. Though you might want to drop his Prot white, since as it is, Althaea can't use her abilities on him. Prot Black might be more his speed, keep him safe from the basic removal spells.

Okay, I'm done now. :p
 
“We need you to locate and neutralize the asset: Scarlet,” Xomit Grunseit instructed, passing over a holodisk filled with data on the one time loyal assassin. Linora looked over data briefly, as her eyes caught on the image of an almost familiar redheaded human woman. Kaydia Voss. She had seen the name before, seen the woman before, but where? She just stared at the vibrant red hair, until it hit her, seeing this same woman over a different hologram, wearing her padawan robes. Suddenly she remembered the quiet initiate who had gone missing with her master. The one that Quentin had been sent after, the one he never found.

“I’ll take care of her,” Linora assured them, already confident that she would have more luck finding Scarlet than her first lover did.



“Do you have to go?” Linora called after Quentin, reaching for his hand as he eased out of bed. He turned and placed a kiss on her lips before getting up.

“Yes, I have a mission with Master Valis,” Quentin insisted, looking for his discarded clothing.

“Just blow it off. I doubt it’s very important,” Linora tempted, sitting up in bed, revealing her bare chest to his eyes.

“It’s about Master Ki Aid and her padawan, who both went missing. I’d say it’s fairly important,” Quentin explained, reminding himself as much as her. Linora pouted for a moment before reaching for his datapad and browsing the files.

“Kaydia…Oh! I’ve seen her around,” Linora aexclaimed, examining the hologram of the girl. “Quiet, but hard to miss with hair like that. She’s cute.”

“Is she?” Quentin asked, pulling up his pants, “I hadn’t noticed.” Linora briefly tapped into his surface thoughts, trying to determine if he were being honest, or diplomatic. But his thoughts told her nothing, and she couldn’t help feeling a twinge of jealousy, so she decided to turn it back at him.

“Don’t get any ideas, you’re not her type. I think she has a boyfriend, Kazak. The Iridonian with the pretty eyes.” Linora explained, watching the flexing and bunching of his back and shoulder muscles until he covered them with a shirt.

“You think every pair of Jedi who go off alone are dating,” Quentin teased, rejoining her on the bed to tie on his boots.

“And how often have I been right?” Linora asked, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and caressing his chest. She took a deep kiss form his lips, trying still to distract him from his duty. All she needed was to get in another round of mind blowing sex, and he’d forget Kaydia even existed. It almost worked, as he half twisted to kiss her, rough fingers caressing her face, trailing down her neck…

“I really have to go,” He asserted, pushing her back with trembling hands. She could see the desire in his eyes, feel it pouring out of his mind, but his willpower was too strong to overcome easily.

“How long will you be gone?” She asked, not bothering to hide the disappointment in her voice.

“Depends how long it takes to find them. If they are even still alive.” Quentin said with a shrug. The words left a somber note in the air, overcoming the playful teasing atmosphere Linora had try to create.

“I’ll miss you,” she admitted, pressing her nude figure against his clothed one, to take one last kiss.





“Scarlet?” The seedy bar Linora had tracked her down to was loud enough the name didn’t carry far, just enough to the former assassin to shake her head.

“You’ve got the wrong person,” she insisted, downing her drink.

“Going by Kaydia again then? That’s good, don’t let the Black Sun take your name from you.” Linora asserted, pulling out the nearby chair. Her gaze didn’t waver as she met Kaydia’s emerald glare.

“How do you know that name?” there was fear and anger in the words, a guarded look protecting her innermost secrets. Linora placed her own lightsaber on the table now.

“I remembered you. We were padawans around the same time. I can still recall when you disappeared, but never would have believed you would end up here, like this.” Linora explained, a gentleness in her voice, almost sympathetic. The soft look on Linora’s face broke down the defenses Kaydia had built around herself. Kaydia just swallowed hard, signally for another drink to occupy her hands and lips. Linora puished the issue. “Why not go back to the temple? Is it because you know you were never cut out to be a Jedi?”

“Why would you say that?” Kaydia asked, on the defensive now. Linora sought to ease the tension, reaching a hand out to caress hers.

“Scarlet was an amazing assassin. I am sure finding out you were so good at killing people felt at odds with your decades of Jedi teachings,” Linora deduced, letting the redhead’s silence answer the previous question. Still, she seemed receptive, and that boded well for Linora.

“You are skilled, Kaydia. You can use those skills, on your own terms this time. Punish those who did this to you. Punish those that keep this planet under the thumb of the Black Sun.”

“How can I do anything all alone?”

“You wouldn’t have to be alone,” Linora insisted, scooting closer to the once assassin, until she could feel Linora’s breath on her neck. “I know what they did to you. I can help you. I want to help you”

“Why would you help me?” Kaydia question, trying and failing to hide the shiver that passed through her.

“Because, we aren’t that different. Women like us? We need to have each other’s backs.” Linora pulled back, smirking mischievously as she drank in Kaydia’s figure, “Among other things.”


 
60 posts, 79 pages, and 40,000 words later, and I have completed my first rp! Farewell, My Lovely has officially reached its conclusion, and while it is on the shorter side, it is a completed narrative, and that is an accomplishment worth celebrating. Big thanks to Quix for being an awesome partner to brainstorm, plot and write with. By next week, our third rp, Unholy Conspiracy, should be ready to begin, another plot I am rather excited for.

Amusingly enough, all my taboo threads will have major religious themes. All my threads, if we include Jedi as a religion. Does that make me a hypocritical atheist?
 
Forty thousand words? I had no idea how many it was, xD

And, no it doesn't make you a hypocritical atheist, but possibly being an atheist causes you to be more drawn towards themes of religious hypocrisy? Or is that just me? :) If the next story is half as fun as our just completed one, it'll be a blast.
 
Hypocrite? Bah. I'm an athiest myself, and I clearly enjoy the religious/mythical themes myself. Partly as a way to explore moral themes and human nature, but mostly beccause they tend to be metal as fuck. Particularly if you read a lot.

For instance, my favorite Judeo-Christian "metal as fuck" thing is Af, one of the Angels of Wrath and Punishment. Along with having a title that sounds like a Black Metal group, he happens to be 500 pharsangs tall (which is either 6,000 feet or 3,500 miles) and made of chains of black fire.

Religion is fun, if you don't take it seriously.
 
Slow Rp day, so I worked on my GIMP skills. :p
[img=600x120]http://i.imgur.com/S1tYUZQ.png[/img]

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Feeling kind of down today. Anyone want to send me a random pm? :blush:


Rps were dead today, so I wrote some stuff.

This first one is pretty dark, A scene from my character's off page torture.
“You’re burning her now?” Linora asked, leaning against the wall as she watched. Watched Kaydia straddle the Baronet backwards, just barely rolling her hips along his. It was a perfect position for putting the whore on display. Linora could see the pink lips of Kaydia’s pussy parted by his cock, and watch as it suck deeper with her folds, glistening with her juices. Her full breasts, swaying with every slight movement, nipples almost purple from being pinched and tweaked roughly.

“Oh, she loves it. Don’t you whore?” the Baronet teased, thrusting up into her. He singed her again, her body writhing dramatically, yet not trying to escaping the agony. The scent of cooking flesh was a strange counterpoint to musk of sex, but not nearly as jarring as the dead look in Kaydia’s eyes as she screamed in ecstasy. Dead eyes that begged, pleaded for release. Release form the punishment Linora had set up for her, and release from the icy grip of the Baronet’s touch within her mind. Still, she moved along his meat, rising higher before plunging him with her depths. Faster, as the sound of his shaft splitting her open grew louder. Almost as loud as her quick pants and moans, vicious mockeries of her repulsion. “Do you want to try?”

“Please…please burn me…I want it so bad…” Kaydia begged, reaching for Linora, who just frowned.

“What else can you make her do?” Linora asked in earnest, looking through the drawers for a toy, so she could join in on the erotic scene playing out before her.

“At this point, almost anything. “ The baronet explained, groaning as her ass slammed into his stomach, “I am working her up to taking a bantha.”

Linora shuddered at the suggestion. It seemed there were lines even she wouldn’t cross.“That’s not going to happen,” she protested, not quite so interested in joining them now.

“Oh? I’d pay double.”

“It’s not a matter of price.”

“But she wants to! Tell her you want to, cunt.”

Kaydia’s face twisted into a mask of revulsion and terror. Linora could feel her fighting the control, could feel the utter disgust and horror pouring from her mind. She was working her mouth, to beg Linora, to swear obedience and devotion and loyalty. And then her eyes were distance once more, at odds with the playful cantor of her voice, “Please Linora? Please let me fuck a bantha…”

“You are a twisted fuck, you know that?” Linora murmured, as he pushed Kaydia onto her hands and knees, pounding her viciously. His fingers dug into the burns on her hips, screaming red against her fair skin. It was few more jackhammer thrusts before he pulled out, to shoot his spunk over the burns he inflicted on her this day. Adding stinging insult to burning injury. “And that was just unsanitary.” Linora cleaned the wound, and applied a bacta wrap, hoping the minimalize the scarring.

“Protecting your asset?” Aldane snickered, cleaning himself off and dressing.

“Oh, I am still hoping to get some use out of her yet,” Linora explained, laying Kaydia on her stomach to rest while the bacta healed her. Aldane dropped a handful of dactaries on the dresser.

“Until next time, Sunfell.”

Once he left the room and cut the mental link to Kaydia, Linora hear the slight sobbing and trembling from the woman next to her. The utter violation of her mind and body tended to leave the whore particularly vulnerable. Finger tngling in her hair at the base, she pulled Kaydia’s face up so she could look her in the eyes.

“Who are you?”

“…Scarlet,” She whispered, as a part of her died before Linora’s eyes.

“Finally.”



And some light hearted fluff.
“Ari! Ari, slow down!” Matthias wheezed from behind. Aurianna turned to see him leaning against a tree, heaving desperately. She waited for a moment, jogging in place.

“Come on! We are more than half way done,” Ari motivated.

“I’m not a… a paladin anymore.” Matthias protested. Aurianna may have worked him a bit harder than she should have, but her reward was to see him covered in sweat with his shirt sticking to his skin.

“I thought jogging behind me would be motivation enough,” she teased, leering at him.

“Watching from behind was motivating, until I lost sight of you. Then I was just running for no reason,” Matthias grumbled, “If I am going to get sweaty and out of breath, I’d rather do it between the sheets.”

Aurianna laughed, getting the twinkle of inspiration in her eye. “Well, let’s up the ante. You catch me and you can do whatever you want to me. Any and everything. And I’ll even beg you for it.” She jogged backwards a few steps, biting her lips, “Please Matthias…please.” She watched as he closed his eyes and shuddered, before his lips curled into a lascivious grin. He darted forward, just missing her with his fingertips. Turning, she took off, laughing as she heard straining just behind her. She gave him a chance for a few moment, before pushing herself to her top speed, leaving him behind.

She certainly intended to make good on her offer, but she wanted to find the right place first. The place she scouted the day before, where she set up a picnic by a stream. So she felt guilty for only a brief moment as he called to her, until his voice was too faint to make out. It wasn’t much further now, to the spot.

She heard the brook before she saw it, and already she was stripping off her sweat soaked layers. A couple clues to encourage Matthias, as her top came off and landed on a branch. She leaned against a tree to unlace her boots enough to kick them off, and her pants slipped down soon after, lying on a nearby rock. Without hesitation she waded right in, the water shockingly cool against her heated flesh.

“Ari…?” She heard his voice again, before she went under, squealing at the jolt of chill water submerging her.

“Almost caught me!” she called back, watching him came into view once more. He was carrying her discarded shirt, and stopped suddenly as he caught sight of her.

“Very nice…” he managed, still catching his breath, “But did we have to run all the way here?”

“Of course,” She mused, eager eyes drinking in his figure as he shifted out of his shirt, still stuck to him at places. He seemed to glisten under the light, sun reflecting off each delicious indentation on his physique. “Get the …blood pumping…” She murmured eyes catching on his hardening cock. Emerging from the stream, water beading down her skin, she reached for him, breathing deep as his hot body touched her damp figure. “So…you caught me. What do you desire?”

His hard breath was calming now, just a rhythmic huffing as his pulled her closer to him, grinding his cock against her. With a devilish sexy smirk he whispered against her lips “Any and everything.”




Lying out under the sun on a picnic blanket, Aurianna fed Matthias fresh raspberries she had picked the day before. His lips tasted of wine and berries as pulled her down to kiss, and she didn’t want to leave this moment.

“That was worth it, wasn’t it?” Aurianna asked running her hands down his chest. He sat up and pulled her closer to him.

“It was,” he admitted, standing now and cradling her in his arms, “but now I have to pay you back.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Ari cooed, nuzzled his neck.

“Like this,” Matthias teased, dropping her warmed and sun dried body back into the frigid waters.

 
Seeing as the main characters from His Redemption include a Demon, a girl turning into a dragon, and a paladin with angelic gifts, I think this card is the fits the theme of this rp.

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So I competed in a mental gymnastics event today and my anxiety gives me a +20 to that ability, so I scored a 10, 10, 9.5 and 10. :-/

Dealing with anxiety is a process I am working on daily. Most days I can move past it, but every now and then it rears it's ugly head and I become irrational. The worst of it is I know I'm being irrational.

Sigh.

Anyways, here is a comic about anxiety that I need to take to heart a bit more.

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Aurelia Seabourne
Captain of the Silken Siren
Age 25

Nasir Yusef al-Udan
Leader of a mercenary group hired by Aurelia to provide protection to her crew.

The Silken Siren- Once a slaver ship known as The Sinners Delight, Aurelia lead the slaves on board to overthrow the Captain and its crew. Since then it serves as a floating brothel that traverses the Jeweled Archipelago.
Mei Kuang Hydrokinecticist
Namiko Ueda
Qitarah Taha Third Generation demon descended.
Safia Zekulu Enforcement
Ayanna Nasrin
Delinda Faraone
Gwynn Gibby Captain of the Cluanai
Amira Kaghat
Phedra Bali Bard
Lita Baltais
Nehime Does Hair
Amaravati Devi Does Make Up, pyrokinectist
Oliviero Lumia
Nishi Saburo Bookkeeper
Seith Mattocks Enforcement

Yusef's little banditmercenary band.

Fayette Cerylia Bookkeeper and Quartermaster. Clearly not a delicate vessel of femininity.
Ban Eitoku. Enforcement.
Kaarim Saeed al'Farha Possibly a delicate vessel of femininity.
Igama Nkosinhle Enforcement. Also A poet and a painter.
Muhyddeen Hamad Mage and explosives aficionado.
Senzangakona Ulwazi Solicitor and chiurgeon

al-Nithiel, the Jeweled Archipegalo
[img=432x210]http://i.imgur.com/ZvoIFWc.png[/img]

Harashi
Prince al Fhasir- ruler of Harashi. Fond of Oliviero, not fond of Kaarim.
Unnamed Princess- Fond of Kaarim, not fond of Oliviero.
Their daughter- Fond of Kaarim. No opinion of Oliviero.

Garabahad
Rudain az-Zuban ul-Janubiy The Evening Star rising in Scorpio- Prince of Garabahad. Defeated the Onyx Queen and ended her rebellion.
Annar
- Vizir to Rudain.
Esmeralda-One of Rudain's servants/slaves who participated in the mock mutiny. Assisted in the escape from the Arena, and is now a part of the crew.
Rayka Pishini- Emirah and widow, spent an evening with Kaarim and Gwynn.

Alfrick ul-Afrayit-Noble that harassed Aurelia, leading her to kill him. Related to the man who sold Aurelia into slavery.

Sons of the Scoprion- Low level gang. Igama and Eitoku have made enemies of them. Aurelia as well.
 
xanaphia said:
Me: *writes a cross dressing French female duelist in the baroque period* Nice.
Acutal history: It's been done, better.
Me: Well, shit. *Shrugs, takes notes*

Madamoiselle Maupin is twelve tons of pure badass. One of those historical figures that, if written up as a player character, would get accused of being a Mary Sue.
 
I suppose it's appropriate for the one year anniversary of His Redemption, our characters are engaging in an orgy. :D Just shy of 550 posts, it's been quite a journey, and we are closing in on the last part of the adventure. Regardless, I've fallen in love with the numerous characters we have created and will be sad to see it end. I am pretty sure I'll be writing Matthianna and Clarem fluff for the rest of my life.

♥♥♥ So big thanks to Corsair, for being an awesome and reliable partner, and for taking on my number one craving and helping me to turn it into something amazing. ♥♥♥
 
Has it been a year? Wow. Time flies, and all that. But yeah, I'll probably be writing Clarem fluff for some time to come myself. I seriously never anticipated that stroppy teen becoming such a huge part of the plot when we introduced her.

I'll take the thanks, though. As long as you accept some as well, for being such a great writing partner!
 
OKay, I managed a couple posts today, and I think I am getting back into my rhythm for writing. Thanks again to all my partners for their patience, understanding and kind words. Hoping to get another post or two out tonight, but probably later.
 
Alright, after being so depressed I could hardly write the week before last, I managed to get caught up with my rps! Including the new one I started and the one I revived, since I can't stop myself from taking on new rps, even when I know I am having a hard time working on the ones I have.

Pretty happy I actually manage to start my Count of Monte Cristo inspired Gangster Noire RP, Why Does the Caged Bird Sing? Of course, satisfy one craving and another pops up, in this case something with cross-dressing and pirates.And I already have a pirate rp going, but the cross-dressing element wouldn't work in it, at least not the way I want to play with it. :-/
 
Musings on rps:

Going to have to admit I have a type of character/ story I like to play, namely "wronged woman gets her revenge, and possibly falls in love in the meantime." Still had fun with Mercedes standing over her husband's sleeping body, trying to decide whether or not to kill him. Which felt fairly reminiscent of a Scene I wrote in Eclipse, with Kaydia trying to decide if she would kill Linora. Both women came to the same decision, but for markedly different reasons, and that's why this plot doesn't get old for me.


88 posts in, and Althaea and Thorkell finally held hands. :p Most of my characters would have made the first move by now, but Althaea continues to struggle with her perceived duty to her goddess, and the desire she had never had to contend with before. The slow burn towards passion and desire, alongside the building mutual respect between the characters, is interesting to write, and to continue to prove to myself that I do indeed have the patience to put off smut.
 
Working on replies, but it's been a rough week and the worst birthday ever. Hoping to get caught up by the weekend.



Musings on rps:
Identity as a theme

Identity is a major theme here, especially for Kaydia. This struggle against her assumed personas, and which one is the real Kaydia. The major source of conflict here is that all of her personas are her, parts of her personality that was turned up to eleven. Shadi, her sensual/ seductive side. Lorsha/padawan Kaydia, her ideas of what a Jedi should be, and what the expectation she tries to and fails to live up to. Scarlet, her rage and darkness. I had a great moment a few weeks back as Kaydia acknowledged that Scarlet is indeed a part of her, an aspect of her true self, but not solely who she is. Kaydia is definitely one of the most nuanced and complicated characters I have ever written, and I love it.


Identity is a major theme here as well, but unlike Kaydia, Viola isn't conflict by questions of who she is. Viola's identity conflict is mostly external, the limits her culture puts on her based on her gender, versus what she is allowed to do as she masquerades as Sebastian. Viola is comfortable in her skin, it's society's prescription as to what she is capable of that don't fit her.


Identity is something of a lesser theme here, With Althaea struggling with being an outsider in hostile territory. She wants to fit in with the Vikings, seeing as she has little choice in the matter, but she also wants to stay true to herself and her beliefs, with cause both internal strife and external conflict.
 
Alright, nearly caught up and I got some vacation time coming up, so I should be able to get some quick turn around for posts. Hoping to start one more rp, and I should be set on stories for the mean time. I have high hopes for this story, somewhere in the region of Gone Girl by way of Hard Candy, that is going to take the cliche of older male dom preying on a younger woman's naivete to use her and turn it on its head. Here is to hoping it's as compelling to write as it is to imagine.



This rp is loosely based on the Shakespearean play, and recently we got to include one of Shakespeare's popular plot devices, the bed trick. Usually it is used to force a man to sleep with a woman he is betrothed to, to consummate the marriage against his will. In this case, it is to allow a woman's former lover to take the place of her current lover (who the woman thinks was the same person to begin with). It's an interesting scene to write, one that I think just barely strains credulity. It's not the most unlikely thing to happen in an rp, at the very least.
 
A scene for Silken Siren that it doesn't look like I am going to be able to use, which is too bad because it had some amusing dialogue.
“I’d fuck all of them,” Phedra declared, to the collective giggling of the group.

“You would,” Delinda mocked, opening a bottle of rum, “And at the same time, too.” Phedra just nodded and smirked.

“Even Senzang?” Nehime prodded, taking a sip from the rum before passing it over to Phedra

“Hells yeah! He had that silver fox thing going on,” Phedra answered, taking her turn to drink.

“Yeah, okay. I can see that,” Nehime nodded thoughtfully.

“Plus, you know, older guys who have been around, they know things. They know it’s better to work smarter, not harder,” Phedra explained, miming a hip thrusting motion on her last phrase. Riotous laughter followed that comment. Aurelia took the bottle from her now, a generous swig before passing it over to Amira.

“You are such a slut,” Delinda teased, pushing her, and Phedra pushed her back.

“Captain, she being mean!”

“Hells, she’s not wrong. You are half the reason I have you guys go out in pairs, because you forget to charge the clients.” Aurelia lectured, arms crossed under her bust.

“Oh? And how much did you charge Yusef?” Phedra shot back, to the mocking gasps of the rest of the women. Even on her dark skin, blush crawled over Aurelia’s face.


A potential future scene for the same rp, with more dialogue I was rather proud of.
“Oh, what have we here?” The first of the brigands asked, his voice filled with mock curiosity, “Don’t you know these streets are dangerous at night, girl?” Aurelia rose her eyes to his, and took a quick appraisal of his companions. She might have hoped someone would start something with her, give her an excuse to unleash the rage and pain she had carried around for nearly a week, but this was risky. With three on one, the odds were not in her favor. The odds were never in her favor.

“We could escort you, hun. For a small fee,” Another offered, as the three gathered around her. “Nothing you can’t afford, of course.”

“Ten endubis a piece, to see you home safely.” A third offered, from behind her. The heat of the evening seemed stifling as she was surrounded.

“And If I can’t play?” She murmured, moving closer to the ringleader. Her eyes didn’t waver from his as her hand moved towards his belt.

“A pretty little thing like you? I am sure we can come to some arrangement,” He assured her, cupping her chin. Her fingers curled around his short blade, and she smirked at him.

“I know what arrangement we can reach,” She whispered, brushing her lips against his ear. With a swift motion his blade sunk into his abdomen, and ripped up through his chest in a splash of gore. “Your friends leave me be, and they can keep their pathetic lives.” He didn’t respond, just sputtered before crashing into the puddle of his own blood forming beneath him.
The man behind her slashed, but she ducked under it, retrieving her dagger from her boot. She pivoted as she stood back up, batting away swing with the blade, and opening her foe up for her dagger. Carving his throat, gurgled cries followed him down, until he drowned in his own blood.

Still, facing one man meant she had her back to another. And that, as it turned out, would be her downfall, as the man behind her hacked at her thigh while she finished off his ally. She twisted as she sunk against the wall, crossing her dagger and blade to protect herself from a fatal blow.
Kicking her in the stomach hard enough to knock the air from her lungs, he broke the deadlock and raised his blade high above his head. However, instead of bring it down in to her head, Aurelia was instead covered in a shower of blood, a familiar scimitar hacking her foe in half before her eyes, leaving only Yusef standing over her.

“The fuck are you doing here?” She snapped at Yusef, irrationally mad at him as she forced herself to stand on her injured leg.

“What am I doing here?” Yusef barked, cleaning his blade on vest of her attacker, “Saving your ass, apparently. You have a funny way of saving thank you.” His eyes caught on the blood running down her thigh as he stood and drew closer to her.

“I had it handled,” She snarled, adrenaline from the fight still flooding her veins as she pushed him away from her. She tried to brush passed him, but he grabbed her arms.

“You’re bleeding. Let me look at your cut,” he insisted, holding her still, even as she struggled.

With a feral scream she pushed him back, “Let go of me!” She managed to force him back against the wall behind him, but he was on her again in the space of a blink.

“You could have died!” Yusef yelled, cuffing her wrists to the wall behind
her, “You still could, if we don’t get your wound treated.” Glaring into her eyes, with his body pressed against her, it was a painful reminder of their first night together. Another regret.

“I don’t care!” she snapped, struggling beneath him. Just managing to put some space between them.

He slammed her back into the wall “What about those that depend on you? That need you? Is that duty too heavy to bear, Aurelia?”

“Fuck you!” She howled out, renewing her efforts to escape his grasp. His grip tightened, and the way he looked at her made her feel vulnerable. The only sound was her ragged breath for several long moments, as Yusef seemed to get control of himself.

“No, Aurelia, it’s…it’s too much. It’s too much, for anyone to bear for long,” he murmured, the gentleness in his voice that more effective at calming her down than violence or anger could ever be. Releasing her wrists, he pulled her into his arms. “You can’t carry it alone. You can’t, and you don’t have to. Not anymore.”

“Yusef…” She rasped, trying, trying and failing to hold back the tears any longer, “I am not okay. I’m not okay. I’m not-“ Words dissolved into sobs, wracking her body as she clung to him for stability.
 
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