Snipping the Puppet's Strings [-Haru|vampire-]

"Starfall is not a nice city. In fact, where I might normally suggest that we get off the ship and explore and see a new place, in this instance I suggest that we stay put and on the ship." Kenshin told her and seemed about to say more when the crewman burst into the small room they had in the hold and dragged Aiko out whether she agreed to go or not. Kenshin/Okoru followed along, not happy that they had not asked nicely, but understanding the urgency and knowing that Aiko would help if she could.

The man was badly burned, and Okoru winced at the sight. As Aiko set to work Okoru used his great bulk to try and keep the men back, as they all wanted to crowd around. As her magic began to work the Captain parted the crowd to see what was going on. A fair and kind man, the Captain ordered his men to get back to work, and as Aiko's magic eased the man's pain, Okoru could see that the magic probably would not completely heal him, but his symptoms would be akin to a bad sunburn and much better than they were. As she grew in her power then she would be able to heal such things easily, but as it was she'd likely saved the man's life.

"I thank you." the Captain said, and Okoru helped Aiko/Lilliana to her feet as the magic had obviously taken a toll on her. She would recover quickly, but when working with Plum it had been made clear that, in many ways, the healing magic of the Fey drew on their own vitality and lifeforce. The more grievous the injuries that were healed, the more tired the Fey would become.

"I need to get her back to our quarters, and see to her." Kenshin told the Captain, and lifted Lilliana into his arms to head back the way they had come. "You will be alright. I will watch over you." he told her softly.

Her own breathing became shallow as the man's breathing improved. In moments Aiko/Lilliana felt light headed with her tumbling backwards on her ass. Before she could say a word Kenshin/Okoru lifted her lithe form up in his arms. It took so much out of her that she looked lifeless. The men parted ways muttering amongst themselves but they took their friend to the infirmary to recover. Though Aiko/Lilliana moved slightly within his arms but she didn't wake up when Okoru placed her in the tiny bed. At this point she was utterly defenseless and vulnerable to any attacks; even her own involuntary self defense impulses wouldn't react to an attack. Through the evening and morning she slept but when the late afternoon came she was up and moving around in a daze.

Out on the deck she sat under the cloudy sky where the sun once in awhile touched her cheeks. The sun felt like warm fingers just caressing her cheeks. Though she blushed as it also reminded her of Okoru's fingers touching her cheek. Just sitting there alone felt wonderful as it seemed to bring her mental state back to its peak condition. It must be her Fey blood when she's out in nature she recovered quickly or it could easily be her elven blood. The man she had helped did come by to thank her but he didn't stay as they had touched down in Starfall to deliver crates, take on more and refuel with more coal and water.

Keshin/Okoru watched over her as she slept, unwilling to leave the room, and taking his meals in their quarters as well, and managing to keep her hydrated with some water that she would swallow weakly. Never once did he leave her, and he slept just below her on the floor. When he happened to awaken the next afternoon she was already gone and he would find her up on the main deck. "I see you are feeling better." he said, and would take a seat with her at the railing, out of the way of the crew and dangling his long legs over the side of the ship. By now Starfall was in sight and the huge city was split in half by a river, which is where their airship would land, cutting through the water and coming to stop at the docks.

The crew was in overdrive and Okoru talked quietly to Aiko. "This is not a place we wish to be caught. I am sure that Xindara will be after us, and stops such as this are the few places we can be intercepted. You might be able to blend in and remain unseen, but I have no such luxury. I am going to go back inside." he told her, and would lean over to give her a friendly and companionable shoulder bump before standing and retreating out of sight.

Aiko nodded to him as she understood his position. In a way she was disappointed he had to remain in hiding would he be in hiding as well when they reached to Mendev? Sighing as he bumped her shoulder she looked at him with a faint smile. Though she watched in silence with him leaving to return to their quarters. Hours went by as she managed to get some food and moved to their quarters. There she pushed the door open and saw him relaxing on the bed.

"Got you some food. They plan to stay here over night and take off in the morning." Aiko handed him the tray of food before she sat down beside him. Sitting there in silence as she ate the simple soup with bread since you could add water to soup to make it last longer. "I can see why this place is unsavory. Since you been down here I heard screaming in the distance on several occasions that it scared me." She looked at him with soft worrying eyes. "Do you think in Mendev you'll remain in hiding?"

Okoru had hoped she might join him sooner and he busied himself with one of the many books he'd brought along in his knapsack. He'd gone to the galley to get some food at one point and returned to his rom to eat, able to walk about on the ship and stay out of sight. Eventually Aiko came back to the room and he welcomed her with a smile. Her news about the city did not surprise him. "The city is ruled by a dictator who lives in utter decadence while those in the city are kept under his thumb and miserable. I am sure if they knew who you were or that you were here, that you'd definitely be taken, and my presence can only serve to draw attention." he explained.

When she asked about Mendev he shook his head. "I shouldn't have to. we have allies there and it is not under the same sort of rule as Numeria. We should be alright once we reach Mendev and I shouldn't have to hide." he told her and scooted over on the bed and patted the spot next to him, inviting her to sit.

Sitting beside him as she didn't take her eyes off of him. "But yet you said we don't know exactly who is our ally within Mendev..." It felt like the further she got from home the more searching she had to do about who she was. After a few moments she looked down at the soupy dinner to see her reflection. She was jealous that everyone else knew who they were already but her, she didn't know who she was. Some would say she was suffering from a Princess meltdown but that wasn't it. When you lived your life one way and begin to think a certain way but then you're forced to change everything then you begin to wonder who you truly are right down to the core of one's being.

"I suddenly don't feel hungry anymore." Her voice was low and meek with her offering the remains of her soup to him. She didn't like to waste the food since the Captain offered them safe passage to Mendev. Once he took the soup and it was gone she took the trays and the dishes back to the gully but she didn't straight out return to Okoru. She stood at the railings of the ship looking out at the muggy, grimy city but as she looked upwards no stars were in sight. "Shame tonight would have been perfect to see the stars." Her slender fingers left the railing just as she made her way back down to their shared quarters. Seeing Okoru there on the bed she smirked at him. "How was the floor?"

Okoru could tell that she was oddly quiet, and he remained silent as well, unsure what to say and afraid that anything he did say would feed into whatever reservations she was having at the moment. More than happy to take the food, he would eat and watch her depart to take the things back, and though she was gone for quite some time he was not overly worried. Eventually she came back and her smirk and joking tone was met with a lopsided grin. "The floor is alright, and though the bed is more comfortable it is awfully small." he said, though he looked her up and down and said, "though we both know that the most wonderful things come in small packages." It was the closest he'd come to outright flirting with her or paying her a shining compliment.

Laughing as she shook her head. "There is nothing small about you." Blushing as she remembered those mornings of waking up to his organ pressing against her. Though she moved to lay on top of him but she looked across his chest with her fingers moving over his chest. "If you mean me then you're to sweet." She could have loomed over him but she would have been pushing the boundary abit between them. Though she did shift to where she was laying her head on his shoulder, her lips nestled close to his neck. Being this close to him made her tremble but she closed her eyes tring to stay calm. She liked him but she was still on the so called fence on which way she liked him, as a Friend or as a Lover. Soon she stopped trembling as she felt nice and warm on his chest.

"Good night..." Whispering softly to him wither slowly falling to sleep right on his chest. During the night the crew was asleep with everything locked up. In the distance a darken elf looked on from the shore line about news of the Princess was on that ship with the Asuran guiding her very closely. News gotten to this group this Asuran had shown some romantic interest in the Princess. Hearing this had meant he'd be guiding her extra carefully to keep males away from her.

The right amount of coin in the right places, as well as a bit of violence, and Xin had managed to learn where the two had retreated to, and a simple teleportation spell had him in Starfall well before them. The dark elf had met him there and finding out which ship they were on had been easy enough. Had the Princess been traveling alone she might have swerved them, but the Asuran at her side made her all the more easy to keep track of. How ironic that her guardian would prove to be her downfall. The tiger and the dark elf had an idea where they were headed next and already they'd contacted the human slavers. It would not be enough to kill the Princess or her guardian. Letting her mother believe she was dead while instead her bastard daughter was sold into slavery was a delicious thought. Already the wheels were in motion.


Back on the airship Okoru wraped his arms around the slight form of Aiko and held her close, well aware of how she felt in his arms and what she stirred in him. His immense hand gently rubbed along her spine and he stayed awake as her breathing slowed and deepened and as she slept he felt contentment.

The morning came and as the ship thrummed to life, waking both Kenshin and Lilliana and the vessel lurched as it started off and soon took to the air again. "Shall we go get something to break our fast?" Okoru asked.

The elf looked to Xin with a lustful look. "Why can't we storm the ship and separate the two? If it wasn't for the half bred bitch you could have killed Okoru. We have connections here and we can go underground with her."

A female elf slaps him so hard he did a double take. The blonde elf glared at him. "If what Xin said is true then her powers are growing fast. By the time we get ahold of her she may be able to break through the magical bindings you fool!" She was right the bindings they had was meant for a FEy who was starting to show not a Fey who could control massive trees and in large amounts! "I agree with Xin we hit them at the next stop."

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The thrum of the ship didn't bother her but it was Kenshin moving that woke her up. "Um yeah." Sitting up as she straddled him while she stretched but she stopped in mid stretch to feel something poking her from behind. "Uh, I'll meet you in the gully while you handle that. Sorry for making this uncomfortable." Reaching down as she ran her fingers around his ear with her hand moving across his cheek. Her thumb caressed his cheek for a short time before leaving him to take care of his hot morning poker.

Okoru rather liked it when Aiko sat up, her legs straddling him and the heat at the apex of her thighs rather lovely. It did not help the throbbing in his member and as she felt it press hot to the back of her, and she excused herself, Okoru saw the smirk on her face. Had he been more brave in his desire of her he might have asked her to help him with it, but such advances might not be taken well, and he did not want to ruin the relationship that they had. "You go ahead to the galley then and I should be there shortly. You certainly did not make things uncomfortable. I rather like your company, if you couldn't tell." he teased her lightly, and as her hand pressed to his cheek he would turn his head to nuzzle softly into her palm. The affection that he had for her was certainly growing, in more ways than one, and he wanted to give her those small clues that he could.

It was not long before Okoru did in fact join her in the galley, making a couple of biscuits piled high with bacon. "Hopefully we'll cross into Mendev by this evening. That seems to be the word that is going around the ship." Okoru said.

"I heard." She said as she ate some of her eggs and one of the cooks walked over with freshly cut apples and grapes. "Oh thank you." She looked up at the red haired Fey who smiled at her. He had the same look Plum did when she looked at Okoru. "You're sweet but I'm someone's female." He suggested if her male didn't mind sharing then neither did he. Though Aiko/Lilliana looked to Okoru/Kenshin. "Kenshin, do you want to share me with this Fey?" Asking him as she knew the answer to that question but she wanted to hear him say it. She wanted to hear him say she was off limits to show even in this situation he could protect her.

Once he said his answer she smiled at him telling the cook to buzz off. After breaking their fast she walked outside to train with him on hand to hand combat. There were often he spun her about to have her body pressed against his own. Those moments made her ache like hell to the point her own panties were wet and her inner thighs were trembling. "One more." During this one last training session the wind caught up under her hands that lifted her off the deck. "Kenshin!" Terrified about this sudden new change plus they weren't in a controlled surroundings.

"She's mine." Okoru said, a certain tone in his voice as Aiko asked if he wanted to share. The big lion was starting to get the gist of her game, and yet it made him feel protective and even possessive of her when she asked him to verbalize his desire of her, even if it was an act for another male. Though Okoru was not so sure, and knew that the feeling in his breast was no false thing.

Out on the deck, at the aft of the boat, they practiced her combat skills and she often pressed into him, and Okoru found his desire for her was growing, and he was glad that he had on something to hide himself, though she had seen him several times now. The gust of wind that lifted her up brought a bit of panic to her tone and he reached out to grab her and pull her back into him, arms wrapped about her and holding her close. "I have you, Little Aiko. I'll never let you go." he said to her, meaning it. "Maybe we should go back to our quarters for the time being." he suggested.

Heart racing as he grabbed her ankle to pull her back down into his arms. Trembling as she wrapped her arms around him to hold on to him. Her grip was tight on his to show she wasn't going to let go. After awhile he whispered they should head back to their quarters. "I agree since we can't do much out here." Aiko/Lilliana set her foot down and lead him back to their quarters. Her and Katie had talked about urges and such while they were having late night talks. Aiko felt the need to feel him pressed against her but that was a rushed instant satisfaction.

Back in their quarters she made sure their things were back in the pouches but she sat her Yang parchment from Katie. A smile crept over her lips as she turned to Okoru as he easily blocked the door way. "Thomas and Katie have settled in their new country home and like us to visit when its safe. Also it was Bryan who set up the assassination of her and Thomas. From what the inspectors suspected was a jealousy rage that she dumped him and he arranged everything but...." She looked down at the letter. "She doesn't mention the other Asuran, Xin, Bryan claims he knows nothing though they are going to talk to the Treants about that Tiger who attacked you at the wedding."

The magic parchment that she ahd Katie shared was a very nice thing, though the news on it was not surprising and very surprising at the same time. "So it sounds like it was a good thing that we left, but that attack on Thomas and Katie would have happened regardless, it sounds like. Or not, since if we'd have never shown up she'd be married to Bryan right now and likely miserable. I still think that overall we did a good thing." he told her.

Okoru had shut the door to the room and laid on the floor, looking up at Aiko as she spoke. "You should write her back and let her know we made it to Starfall ok and that we've now left." Okoru said, knowing that the two girls would keep in contact. Reaching out he put a hand on her leg, just to feel her under his touch. "Did you mean what you wanted me to tell that guy in the galley?" he asked. "Or was that just a part of our act?" he asked, his voice growing more quiet at the thought.

With a pen out she was writing as he asked her his question which made her stop. "It was an act and in a way it wasn't." Returning to write the letter to Katie as she continued to speak to him. "I like you and right now I'm on the fence about if I like you as a friend or a potential lover." Part of her mind was split on explaining her feelings to him as she wrote the letter. Writing bit more as she looked down at him with her legs draped over his torso. Clearing her throat as she wasn't sure what to say. "You're a wonderful male in my eyes, everything you do and say it feels like you never spoke that way with another female like that. I mean you may have had sex with them which is fine since I heard some beings can have sex without emotions being tied in with it all...." She fell silent as she put the letter down as the ink faded to have it imprinted on Katie's own form. "I'm rambling aren't I?"

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Back at Sevenarches Katie walked in from a morning ride to see her letter. "Awe...Wait...What?" She read the words friend and potential lover. She took her hat off already knowing who Aiko was talking to since there was only one being with her this entire time and she didn't form strong feelings with someone within a short amount of time. Katie covered her mouth knowing why Aiko was so confused about her own feelings towards sex and exploring that part. Smiling Katie wrote back. "He's a worthy life long partner, My Friend. He's a wonderful male...Don't leave him."

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Aiko sat there on the bed with her looking at him only to see the letter flashing. "I was hoping with this traveling I can figure out if I can love you like you would be a lover." She showed him the letter Katie sent her but there was an addition meant just for him Aiko didn't see. "Pussy Cat, treat her right. You don't I'll skin you myself."

Okoru was quite taken with iko's candid manner and speech and he could understand where she was coming from and the dilemma she was in. She had never truly been out and about and tried to be with any males, and yet here she was, possibly having growing feelings for a male that had been around her her whole life and perhaps he;d more of a fatherly manner than most. As she bared her feelings to him Okoru felt the need to respond. "I would be honored to be such a male for you. Of course, when I was much younger I learned of love and sex, loss and heartbreak. I can promise you that if I am your first love that I will never hurt you or abandon you." he told her.

The message meant for him in the letter from Katie was fierce and yet it still made him smile. He knew she was protective of her friend. As she should be. Daring to act a bit further, Okoru took Aiko's hand and pulled her down to him so she could lie atop his chest and his arms slipped about her slight form as he held her close. "I will never lie to you, Little Aiko. I want you as my very own, and I will try my best to make you see me as the male you want." he told her quietly.

To see him smile at the letter made her curious so she turned it over and her mouth dropped open. She began to write back to Katie when Okoru spoke about what he had experienced which didn't surprise her in the least. At his age she expected he bred with females to help keep the Asuran population up within Kyonin to guard the Elves. In mid sentence he had yanked her down resulting the letter to become blank, not delivered. Laying there on top of him with her hands on either side of his shoulders while she looked down at him.

The words he spoke made her smile she even enjoyed feeling his arms wrapped snuggly around her tiny form. Her thoughts ran with Promise to never let me go, Okoru. Though she felt like she had to say something to him. "Just be yourself. But we have time to figure out where we stand on the whole lovers position." With a smile she leaned in nuzzling his cheek with her wrapping her arms around his neck. Little did she know down at their next stop there was an ambush waiting for them.

It was almost as if the big lion read her mind and he spoke to her. "I'll never let you go Aiko. Even if you decide to take another, you will always be mine in ways that nobody else will ever understand." he promised. The feel of her cheek pressed to his, that small little nudge and nuzzle, and Okoru sighed contentedly. He would hold her like that for as long as she would let him.


Just over the border of Mendev the small group of attackers awaited. They were at the next stop of the airship in the capital of Mendev, Nerosyan.The Diamond City of the North, the city itself is structured like a huge fortification, set to turn back the neverending tides of demons that come forth from the Worldwound.

The dark elves and the Asuran stayed on the outskirts of the city, but knew that the airship their quarry was on would set down in the water. Plans were being made to board the ship.


The airship moved all through that day and into the night, the lights of Nerosyan coming into view close to midnight, the stars overhead casting down their silvery light along with the moon. It was bright and clear and one could see for miles.

Okoru stood at the railing with Aiko, looking out at the approcahing city as the airship started to descend. "It is beautiful." Okoru breathed at the sight of the capital city of Mendev, though he turned to Aiko and took her hand. "Not half as beautiful as you though, if I am honest." he said.

Before they got close to Mendev she laid there on top of him just as he commented he wouldn't let her go did shock her. Though she didn't pull up from his furry neck as she laid there letting his warmth sink into her. It wasn't long she was asleep on top of him but when the late night came around she was up on Deck, under his arm to keep warm with them looking at the lights of the city and the stars.

"Flirt." Laughing as she reached over putting her hand on top of his own but with a sigh of contentment she looked up at the large lion. "Once we reach Nerosyan where should we go from there? I imagine my mother gave you set instructions on where the allies will meet us." They were perhaps 59 miles away but she heard shouting of their slow descent to the water's surface. The decline was slow and gentle but she reached down into her pouch and pulled out the Unicorn brooch, looking it over. "I find it odd that the head of the Gandariel to give me something like this. As long as I can remember he lead the way of the Council to...You know." Sighing as she fingered the brooch thinking of throwing it away. The diamonds encased in white yellow gold of the unicorn rearing up to present its horn in a defensive manner. Everything bad came from Gandariel himself as he lead the way for her father to be killed, getting the council to not recognize her as her mother's daughter when her mother wasn't there.

When they landed in the calm waters of the river that would lead close to the Capital. Aiko pulled away from Okoru as she pocketed the brooch in her pouch. Before she could reach the ramp an arrow came out of nowhere hitting Okoru in his arm. "O-KENSHIN!" Aiko yelled out as the Captain was in shock yelling to his men to arms. The elves were quick to board the ship but Aiko stood her ground pulling out the blades Okoru gave her. The blades clashed as she noticed Xin out of the corner of her eye. "Kenshin! Its him!" Yelling out at him with her turning using the water from the river to rise up to slam into Xin but he used one of the elves as a shield which killed them on impact. Aiko didn't have time to be shocked as she was grabbed from behind, the side of her throat sliced open with a dipped small knife. The toxicant rushed through her blood stream as some poured out onto her clothes.

"Okoru..." The blades fell from her hands as she couldn't call on elements to help. "Okoru!" She called out in a weak voice as one male elf picked her up, rushed by the Asurans, diving in the waters below. The feys on the ship weren't that strong to pull the elf back as the current carried the elves to the Worldwound's lands. The toxic potion kept her from using her powers, and made her body useless. It wasn't much of a swim as the elves met up with their contacts taking her pouch but they took the brooch then threw the pouch back in the waters letting the pouch drift down to the bottom. Aiko was sold to demonic beings, stripped then dressed in skimpy clothing, handcuffed, her mouth covered but she could see the whole thing going on. "Okoru...Where are you?" Tears rolled down her cheeks as she was with other elves, feys, and few other creatures she didn't know what they were.

Okoru could only smile as she accused him of being a flirt. The brooch was another matter. "I would lose it at some point. I am sure that some sort of divination is upon it, likely tracking us and letting Gadariel know where we are." Okoru said, and as the ship sliced into the water, the unprovoked attack came.

The arrow that slammed into Okoru was not meant to kill him. The toxin on the arrowhead was meant to be delivered to the bloodstream, and even as Okoru drew his blades his arms felt like lead. The steel clattered to the deck and Okoru was down on one knee as his vision blurred and he struggled to draw breath. Things snapped back into clarity as his vision cleared but his body was so heavy and his thighs trembled as he tried to regain his feet.

Xin was there then, and a dark elf grabbed Aiko, knicking her neck, and she immediately almost went slack. The same sort of neurotoxin as was delivered to him, but a much smaller dose, and Okoru fell to his back, paralyzed. All he could do was watch as Xin closed with him, a wickedly curved sword placed at Okoru's throat.

"I plan to take your life, lion." Xin said in a snarl, and seemed about to drive the blade home when a geyser of water from one of the cannon on the ship blasted Xin over the side, once more sweeping the tiger away when it seemed victory was assured. The tiger was swept downstream, while magic carried Aiko and her captors upstream and northward, soon lost.

Slowly Okoru cam back to himself, and knowing that it mattered not about his own identity, which he could scarcely hide anyway, the large lion would go and seek aid in the city, trying to ferret out who he could and could not trust.


Far to the north Aiko had been unceremoniously stripped and dressed in hardly anything but a few scraps of cloth, not enough to even preserve her modesty. Shuffled through a marketplace of the damned, she was soon corraled with others - human and elf, dwarf and gnome, as well as a few others. Her royal blood, her fey blood, counting for nothing. Though her virginity had been determined and she would go for a high price.

Aiko was touched and soon as a hand went between her legs, her screams were muffled with her kicking out. The men laughed stating only a virgin fights this hard. One man grabbed hold of Aiko's chin and force her to look at him. "Elf but she's bit sample and supple for an Elf..." He smiled his blacken teeth showing as he grabbed her breasts making her flinch though a gasp of air left his lungs when her knee made contact with his groin. The human fell over just grabbing his groin writhing in agony while his co-workers looked on laughing. A large orc like male came forth and grabbed Aiko by her hair and lifted her up, sniffing.

"Fey blood is in this one." He threw her aside as if she was trash. "Train her but becareful. I smell an Asuran on her she may have picked up some of their tricks." Growling as he turned away while the virgins were forced into a back room to show both male and female slaves what was expected of them.

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Back in Nerosyan two beings were walking on the streets when Okoru came stumbling across their path. "Oh Lord!" A crowd moved around him to support him. Though one other Asuran, a female Wolf instructed them to take him to her home. There the men placed Okoru on the kitchen table while the female wolf moved to give him first aid. Once they were left alone she smirked at him. "You smell of smoke, oak, and....A female Fey? Since when do Asurans fool around with Feys?" Teasing him as she checked his limbs to only hear them hitting the hard wooden table with a thud. "Oh! Numbing agent." Rushing to her cabinet and searched the vales.

Okoru was only vaguely aware of the female wolf as she helped hi into her home, and apparently had some sort of healing expertise, moving to make a small tincture that would remove the paralysis when he drank it. The paralysis would wear off on its own, but it would be a couple of hours, but she could brew the potion in about ten minutes and he'd be just fine. She massaged his throat to get him to swallow and soon Okoru was able to sit up. "My charge... I have to find her... he managed to corak out, his throat dry.

"You're not going anywhere honey. Not right now." the wolfess said, and urged him to a small back bedroom where he could lie down. "You get some rest and I'll bring yoou some food. Once you have your strength back we can talk about this Fey of yours and see about trying to get her back.


In Kyonin, word reached Gadariel far faster than it should have, the unicorn brooch showing that the Princess no longer lived, and he fully expected it to be delivered to him in short order. Already the wheels had been turning, those supporting his cause having rallied under his banner. They'd depose the Queen and soon his family would be the rulers over Kyonin... as they should be.


One of the other virgins with Aiko was a young human man, and both he and Aiko found themselves thrust together as they were brought to a dimly lit chamber, where a male and female, both nude, were basically put on display on a dais. The heavy orc male came into the room, which held several of the virgin couples, and he gestured to the dais. "Pay attention, as these two will demonstrate the skills you are expected to learn before you are taken to auction." he said.

With that, the two on the dais began a display of various forms of lovemaking and all manner of positions.

Aiko's mother had denied Aiko's marriage arrangement decades ago when Gadariel first offered an opinion she'd marry one of the Council men's sons. She only replied her daughter will chose her own husband and she will love whoever it shall be. Though when she stood there hearing of the brooch Gadariel given to her daughter has returned into his hands, her wails echoed off the smooth wooden walls. Her only daughter, killed with Okoru, who she believed deep in her heart he did as much as he could to protect her only beloved daughter. It took her decades to conceive a child and she doubt she could conceive another one.

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Aiko was still cuffed and gagged but sooner or later her mask was removed showing her cracked lips. Glaring at the demons, orcs and other slave traders who made other slaves perform in front of them. She often was forced to turn her head back to watch the actions. "You expect us to do that?! You sick mother fuckers!" She yelled but was back handed so hard she was dazed. The demon with long sharp horns grabbed her hair and yanked her head upwards to force her to watch the entire scene. It was a crash course of nothing but forced sexual acts. Virgins weren't touched but told of how to pleasure their new masters or mistresses. Since slave trading was a black market shady deal the entire operation traveled through Worldwound with the slaves blindfolded to keep them from running. Where they were being trained was at Storasta then they headed north to Iz where if any escaped well they wouldn't survive between Iz and Storasta. The traders planned to keep traveling and sell off the slaves as they went.

Day broke and they were on the road and Aiko, blindfolded and tied like the others, was thrown in the back of a wagon then nickering rang in her ears. The wagon lurched forward and based on her hearing the other traders were on horse back following the wagon. The slaves were given enough food and water to make sure they stayed alive just enough so they don't fight back.

The distraught Okoru had spoken to the she-wolf, finding out that her name was Ngera. The lion had little recourse but to trust her and though she was not familiar with the state of things in Kyonin, she did not doubt his story as he explained to her everything. It placed a lot of trust in her, and he could only hope he could trust her, and uckiyl she seemed to have many ties to the underground in the city. Over the next few days Ngera introduced him to several people, and Okoru found the allies that the Queen had sent them to find, a movement known collectively as "The Knights of the Silver Flame". Their leader, a man who at first blush was unassuming, named Marcus Hone, had been waiting for Okoru and Aiko's arrival. Now vexed that Aiko had been taken, they set out to find her and get word to her mother that she was alright.


Far to the north Aiko was cared for as much as any other slave, and the large orc had taken it upon himself to try and break her, bringing her to his tent one night to have himself pleasured by her, his lecherous sneer telling her all she needed to know.