The power of Love/Lust

A harsh movement of the cart when the wheels meet a pot hole makes me startle and I realize I have been dozing on Kyle’s shoulder. I rub my eyes, still dizzy, and look around me. The landscape has changed from the interminable fields of wheat and rye and now we seem to be in a deep forest. I blink. Were we supposed to cross a forest in this part of the journey?.

Kyle realizes I woke up and smiles at me. “Good evening, love”. His falcon, Tim, perched in his other shoulder; flaps his wings like happy to not to have to share his master’s shoulders with me.

I stretch. Get asleep at the narrow driver’s seat of the cart is more painful than rewarding. “Evening?”. I yawn. “Mmh, then maybe we should find a place to have dinner and to rent a room” I purr. “Where are we?”

I feel a bit confused but I blame the just awaken dizziness. We left the ship from Highever in Ostwick two days ago and we should be about to cross the Antivan border in any moment. We could have taken a ship direct to Antiva City, but hey, this is a honeymoon, and we wanted to see as much as possible, so we rented a cart and decided to admire the Free Marches landscape on our way to the Soreil’s lands.

But as I check the itinerary in my head, I realize the Antivan border should be a river, not forest… unless we took a wrong turning and get too close to Starkhaven. Then I look at Kyle. He’s making his expert puppy-one-eyed look at me. Of course. I got asleep, and he took the lead… The person with less orientation sense in all Thedas. I facepalm

“We’re lost, aren’t we?”

“Oh… ah… well, we’re moving north, as you said…” he stammers. “I’m sorry!!” he adds.

I sigh. I can’t be mad at him for long. Come on, any other man would have denied to be lost, he just admits it and apologizes. I finally smile and kiss his cheek. “All right, don’t worry. We’ll try to find a village, a tavern or whatever, and tomorrow we’ll reach Antiva all the same. Let’s say this has been just a… detour to admire the landscape”

I try to wonder how close we are to Starkhaven. Maybe if we can arrive to the city before it is too dark, we can find a good place to sleep. I’ve read it’s a beautiful, opulent city… and that the cuisine is rather good. My stomach growls.

“Do you want to stop and eat something?” he says at the sound.

“No… let’s try to find a civilized place first. I don’t feel like camping outside another night”. And since there are not many more choices, we follow the path. Despite the pot holes, it should lead somewhere.

And since logic almost never fails, after a long half an hour we see a building at the end of the road. Much to our surprise, as we see the impressive walls raise before our eyes, it is not a tavern, or a farm, but a small castle, which is much more than we need, but will provide shelter, if their owners are decent people.

I glance at Kyle, and he nods, reassuringly. He jumps of the seat, and lends me a hand to get down too. Then he walks one step in front of me, and knocks on the door. It's already night, and the weather is still cold, but the main reason I cover my head with a cloak and a hood is that I don't want everybody to see my elven features, specially my ears, at least until we see if we can trust whoever opens that door.

A couple of elven eyes appear through a small window. "Who's there?"

"Two tired travellers", Kyle says. "We would like to beg shelter for this night, if your master is generous enough to provide it to us". He takes me by the shoulders, so the elf can see my unmistakable female figure, and realize we're just a probably harmless couple.

"Wait a minute. I will ask the masters" the elf says, and we have to stay some extra time, until we hear the door bars moving, and the creak of the heavy wood. "Please come in", the elf says. Two armored guards wait behind him, casually, but it is clear the masters have sent them to make sure we're what we claim to be and that we don’t mean trouble. Can’t blame them.

The trio escorts us to a dinning room, where a couple in their mid thirties is enjoying quite a decadent dinner. My mouth drools at the sight and smell of all the delicatessen, and I decide that if that's what they eat in Starkhaven, the fame of their cuisine is probably well deserved.

The man of the couple gets up, with a wide, maybe too wide to be sincere smile. "Guests!!! It is always a pleasure to host lost travellers here! Please, my friends, take a seat and share our dinner. You've arrived just in time!"

The woman smiles from behind a cup of wine. "Oh, Lebuinus! Don't scare them! Maybe they want to rest and have dinner later? We can prepare a room for you… or two.".

Kyle clears his throat and looks at me. I feel a bit overwhelmed and embarrassed too. "We don't want to delay your dinner, messires", He says politely. "If we can wash our hands, we will gladly share it with you, if it is not an inconvenience".

"Of course it isn't!" Lebuinus says, offering a chair to me. I hesitantly take my cloak off, prepared for the comments about the servants having to eat in the kitchen or something like that, but Kyle doesn't give them a chance.

"My wife and I are very grateful, sir…"

Lebuinus glances at my ears and then at his wife. "My name is Lebuinus Cornelius Glauco, and this is my wife Minerva", he says, taking my hand to kiss it. "We should be nobles in Tevinter… but you know… we lack the talent they value best, so we had to move to a different country to earn this position by ourselves"

Which means they're not magisters, I guess. But they have managed to live like nobles in The Free Marches, for what I see. Kyle introduces us. "A pleasure, messires. My name is Kyle Mallory, from Highever, in Ferelden, and this is my wife Marilyn…"

"We're on our honeymoon", I can't resist adding, with a stupid smile. I always feel proud that he's not ashamed to confess his relationship with a knife ears like me. Minerva looks at her husband with an exaggerated expression.

"Honeymoon! So romantic!!! And how brave you were, ser Mallory, to marry an elven lady? This must have been true love!"

"We just followed the desires of our hearts, milady" Kyle says, trying to avoid the question. I would blush, but this is always hollow talk. A small price to pay for all this delicious food. I wait impatiently for the couple to start eating, and as soon as they do, I rush to fill my plate with all kinds of meat… slowing myself when I realize the way Kyle is looking at me, perking a brow.

I look around the dinning room, trying not to be very impolite. It's not big or impressive, like the one in Highever, and it has probably known better times, but it is clear this couple is wealthy enough to afford a small castle, maybe even more. Minerva, actually, wears clothes clearly expensive, as well as her jewels, and even if they're a bit… exotic, I wouldn't say they're excessive. She looks at everything, at everybody, with a hint of superiority and a pout in her full lips, as if she despised everything which was under her, but at the same time she wants to show she’s a lady, and she behaves as such. Lebuinus, by the other way, is a classy and elegant gentleman, and only his big round blue eyes spoil the general impression, giving him the look of a vicious man. I suddenly feel those eyes looking at my dirty armor and I stir on my seat, uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, milord. Maybe we should have changed our clothes before dinning with you… I'm aware this is inappropriate"

"Oh, no, no, little one!" Lebuinus says enthusiastically. "It's just… I'm surprised to see you both wear armors"

"One never knows what you may find on the roads" Kyle says. "We prefer to wear light armor while travelling, than regretting afterwards"

"No, no", Minerva adds, waving her jewelled hand. "What my husband means is… are you both fighters? I understand that your husband", and she looks at Kyle with that kind of look which makes me want to tear her eyes out, "such a big, strong, fierce man, is probably a skilled warrior… But we're surprised about you"

"Strength isn't everything", I say. "I have… other talents. And we make a good team", I shrug, looking at Kyle. He smiles at me, mouth full and a bit embarrassed.

Minerva smirks at her husband. "See? That's what I told you… Agility versus strength. That's where we woman can have a chance"

"I know of women who can be strong warriors too" I point out, thinking about Adrienne or Nadette.

"But a strong man will always defeat them", Lebuinus says. I hope he doesn't mean himself. Both he and his wife are thin built, and probably poor trained. They wouldn't have a chance in a fair fight.

"I still say agility has a good chance to win" the woman argues, as if they had had this argument often. I'm about to say something, but I'm starting to feel tired. The servant fills my glass with wine again, but I'm afraid I've drunk too much… and I think Kyle, no matter how much he brags about his capacity to resist alcohol, is in the same situation. Because his only eye is closing softly…

"Strength versus agility", I still hear Minerva say. "And what a couple of love birds they are… that would add an interesting new factor to the fight, won't it?"

"I don't think they remember that, honey", Lebuinus voice, each time further, replies to her. "The drug in their wine erases all kind of memories about the people they know or care for. I don't think they remember that they're in love…"

_______

Clouded sight. Heavy limbs. The elven girl stirs and moves around, shaking her head. She looks at herself as if she didn't recognize her body. Her belongings are near… a cloak, that she ignores, and a dagger and a sword. She takes the sword, weights it in her left hand. Changes it to the right hand, and smiles. Then she takes the dagger and grabs the handle. The smile in her face isn't a pleasant one. The look in her eyes denies it.

She sees a door in the cell and walks towards it. No real plans, nothing in her mind. Just keep moving. The cell is too small, so let's go outside. There's light outside, but not daylight, though she doesn't mind, or care about the difference. Just puts the hand with the dagger over her eyes, until she gets used to the difference of light.

Around her there's a wall of stone, and on an upper level, stands. Like a circus, or an arena. Quite a small one, but enough to walk around. The ceiling is tall, but there's a ceiling. This is actually a big, big room in the castle, somehow adapted to create this kind of ring. The light comes from several torches, lit around the wall, too tall to be reached… if she had the lesser interest to do it.

And on the other side of the ring, another door… and close to it a figure standing. A man, or at least, the shape is that of a man. The face, the smirk, is hollow, like hers. Probably humanity is lost in his brain too. He's moving around, playing with his sword, and when she sees him, there's only a single thought.

"Kill him…"

And the chance is just too precious, because he's not looking at her, so taking advantage of all her combat skills, which somehow have not faded, she moves quickly under the shadows, trying to stab him in the back.

________

The couple in the stands looks down and approves. Minerva points at the girl. "Stealth. Such a great move. If she's lucky he'll be dead before he can see her"

Her husband snorts. "But that's not fair! If he could see her, she wouldn't have a chance!"

_______

The elf reaches the man and slashes him, but the man moves in the very last moment and she only manages to make a superficial wound in the back. The man already had a beasty look in his only eye… but now it is a killer look… and she's his foe. The elf moves with the grace of a ballerina, and manages to dodge all his lethal blows almost without harm. If just one of them had caught her, he would have probably cut her in two halves.

He roars, tired of the game. None of them are able to speak, they've been reduced to the condition of animals, but the message is clear. Stay there, let me kill you.

She laughs, fighting almost a game for her. Spins over herself and fakes an attack with her sword, when he moves his to stop it, she slashes up with her dagger in his arm. Almost in the same movement, he turns his arm with all his strength and hits her with the flat side of the sword, since he couldn't calculate the movement properly, making her fall to the ground. But she's prepared for that too, and performs a somersault which allows her to kick his legs at the same time than she falls. He trips, but regains his balance quickly, and this only makes his rage bigger.

______

Somewhere upside the fighters, Minerva claps. "That was a beautiful move! Oh come on, admit it! She's quite a show! If she survives, can I keep her? Nobody will complain… she's an elf". Lebuinus just snorts, as an only answer.

_______

For a moment the two fighters stare at each other. Panting, sweating, primal instincts ruling their brains. She shows her teeth in a feral smile and he replies with a hiss, and both start walking in circles. Blood pours from both bodies, but no injury is too deep to stop them fighting. Moreover when they know as soon as they stop, the other will jump and kill them without mercy.

She fakes a slash with the sword, but he doesn't fail this time. She continues walking in circles, and he does the same, and she growls, because while his eye is focused on her, she can't use her special tricks. So he attacks and she dodges, or the opposite. The combat seems a tie. And she looks at his face, and for a moment the wicked gleam of his green eye distracts her, and this time she doesn't see his sword slashing from the ground to uppercut until the last moment, and she only can jump backwards… so the sharp point of the sword only tears her chest plate off, leaving a crimson line between her breasts.

She roars, furious. She's not aware of her nakedness, of course. She only is aware that, for a moment, she lowered her guard, and that makes her boil with rage.

But he is. His eye focused in the red line, and also in the small, well shaped hills it runs between, and the expression of his face changes. All his body muscles tense to jump, and she prepares to dodge another blow, but what she doesn't expect is that he's not using his sword this time.

This time he tackles her down to the ground, with all the weight of his body, and she's not fast enough. She falls, face to face, and for a second their eyes meet… and a tiny sparkle of recognition shines in them. His twisted grimace almost change into a tender smile, and she closes her eyes, feeling his lips go down to meet hers…

But the spell breaks soon. He chuckles in her mouth, and she opens her eyes surprised. One hand, still holding his sword, is caging her, the other goes to her nape grabs her hair forcing her to look at him, wrapping the braid around his fingers. She thinks she's going to die, closes her eyes and hisses of rage and frustration, but he smiles wicked, and licks her neck, up to her chin. Then, pulling her hair tighter, he moves down to her chest, and follows the red line his sword has drawn, licking the blood carefully.

She struggles, not caring about the pain she feels in her scalp, but the way he's over her, he cages her arms, so she can't move them. She tries to kick him away with her legs, but it is like kicking a rock. The fighter, who is now busy sucking her nipples, doesn't even acknowledge his kicks, and if he ever does, he moans in approval, glancing up at her.

"Kitty wants to play, huh?", he mumbles, tracing down to her tummy. She growls, half furious, half excited, as he moves his head down, still pulling her hair with one hand. With the other, he releases his sword and grips her breast. In this moment, she feels a moment of weakness and moves swiftly, trying to catch his head with her legs and pin him down in the ground.

But he's faster, or maybe he expected it. Or maybe it is just the way he pulls her hair, like an iron grip, but he takes advantage of her movement to spin her down, facing the ground, and grips her wrists with the other hand.

She hisses, turns her head back to bite him, and he just replies pulling her braid harder.

"Shh, I will tame you, wild cat". For once she regrets her long hair, because now he's wrapping her long braid around her wrists, forcing her to arch her back and not moving her wrists. Desperate, almost guessing what it is coming next, she kicks with her legs with all her strength. But he again he seems to ignore, and when he shakes her body trying to crawl away from him, he just laughs at her efforts, making her whole body boil with rage… and maybe something more.

_____

Meanwhile in the stands, the couple watches them. The woman smirks, a bit disappointed. "Seems strenght is more powerful, once the foe is in the ground"

Her husband smiles, clearly enjoying the view. "And the lovebird factor is going to provide us some extra fun, honeysuckle!"

_____

While she struggles to release herself, he takes one of her daggers. She freezes, thinking he's going to kill her, and he plays with that feeling sliding the point all around her naked back, her neck and the line of her jaw, enjoying the shivers of fear and excitement the cold metal causes her. Then he moves it by her side, still gripping her wrists with the other hand, and goes down to her trousers.

She closes her eyes, realizing what is coming next, and feels how the lower part of her body replies to the simple idea. Being excited also makes her more furious, so she makes a harsh movement trying to spin upside again. He gets a kick on his chin, surprised, and that makes him release her wrists, which are still tied with her own braid, so she can't get up and only has the chance to get up over her knees. Even so, she tries to run away from him, but he grips her trousers, jumps over her again, and uses all his weight against her, leaning his face against her ear and kissing it softly, glad that the prey is so hard to get, because that makes the game more exciting, and the prize worth it.

"You can't escape from me", he whispers, and is rewarded by a roar and a useless struggle, since she can't hardly move, and he won't get fooled again. He prepares himself, one hand grips her breasts, making her unable to move. The other cuts carefully her trousers  with her own dagger, just enough to release her butt for him. Then he grabs her legs with his own, and moves his hand to his own trousers, releasing his member, while he bites her nape to make her stay quiet, like a wild panther.

_______

The couple in the stands is watching, eyes wide open, because it is the first time their victims succumbed to this. Minerva clears her throat, feeling the need inside her, but she can't take her eyes away from the show, and when Lebuinus tries to grab her breast while watching, she slaps him.

"Shh, you bad guy!!! You're distracting me!!"

_______

The man's most basic instinct, more basic than the one of killing, is released now, and what happens next is inevitable. His hand helps his member to get inside her, and the way she moves her hips to struggle and try to avoid it only makes him more excited. Actually he's pleased to find she's quite wet an excited yet, even if she moves her head to try to bite his face when he gets into her, not wanting him to realize her weakness. But he smirks, catches her mouth, and sucks her tongue, while thrusting her deeply

Once he's inside her, he uses his free arm to slide it under her hips, forcing her butt up, and granting him a deeper access. She growls, and hisses, shaking her body like a snake, but that  only makes things funnier for him. Finally, before she can't avoid it, she releases a long, loud scream, and it is clear it is not a pain one, but the one out of primal pleasure… the one which shows that her climax has come.

She collapses on the ground, exhausted, and suddenly the clouds of her mind start to fade, the effects of the drug disappearing… maybe because of the intense exercise, maybe because of the climax itself. She shakes her head while he thrusts harder a couple of times more, but the fact that she has stopped moving bores him, so he decides to fuck her ass instead

When he withdraws to enter her other hole, she's starting to recover her memories. She gasps when she feels his invasion, not completely aware yet of what is happening, and she moans a bit while  he focuses in her ass, panting and grunting, and biting her shoulder.

She blinks, her mind clouded, her body shaking at his pumping, glances at him and whispers "Wait... wait…", while  trying to reach his lips to make him remember, but sometimes she can't but groan and bite her lips.

He stares at her, not quite recognizing her, but all the movement has loosen the knot around her wrists, so she can release her hands, and she tries to stroke his cheek. "What have they done to us?" she mumbles. She tries to spin the upper part of her body to face him, but he groans, disturbed because he has not finished to play with her, opens his eye and grabs her wrist rude, releasing her ass to spin her up again.

This time she allows him, aware of the situation, even if he's hurting her arm to force her, and when he sinks her face in her chest, beast manners, and penetrates her vagina again, she embraces him with her legs, bites his earlobe and tries to help him to come, hoping that will bring his memories back too.

He startles, surprised of such a collaborative behavior in his prey. But the prey now is on his side, unable to hold her own feelings anymore, and suddenly they burst up almost together, him collapsing over her, his mind slowly coming back to reality, his body sheltered in her arms…

He blinks, looks at her. "Mari? What…?"

She smiles, strokes his head, breathing heavily, still not completely aware of where they are. "It's all right…. it's all right…"

And suddenly the sound of someone clapping brings them back to reality…

________

"Impressive", is saying Lebuinus, standing up clapping his hands, with sarcastic voice.

"You've shown us that both strength and agility are nothing against the power of love... Or should I say lust?"

Minerva elbows him. "Don't spoil it! It was so beautiful!"

Suddenly I remember everything, and I realize Kyle feels the same. The conversation with the couple during the dinner… the strange sleep… and the combat… Maker's sake… Did we make love in front of that couple of… perverts? And… damn it! I'm naked!!!!!

Kyle gets up slowly, putting his trousers on with all the dignity he's able to, but I only feel able to curl on the ground trying to cover myself, since all my clothes have been ripped off. Kyle and his impulses, I sigh... Fortunately, one of the servants rushes to give me my cloak, that I had left on the small cell, at a gesture of the couple.

"Now what?" Kyle asks. Once covered, I stand up slowly by his side.

The woman shrugs. "We will have to kill you, my darlings. You can't go out there telling about our... little bets for the sake of science…”

And we see them making a gesture to their guards, so we both rush to grab our weapons, still in the ground close to where we…. recovered our senses. Great. Here goes my cloak again. And Kyle smirks… you pervert! You better don't get distracted! I finally spend the last seconds to tie clumsily the cloak around my body like a towel, and hope it will cover me enough to fight. As if I cared, they have seen more than I would allow to anyone. And well… I  value better my life than the fact that I'm naked in front of everybody.

The guards are only four, but we're tired and not only from fighting. So when I hear Tim's shriek coming from a window and flying over the pervert Tevinter couple, I can't but sigh out of gratefulness. The falcon grabs the woman's complicated hairdo, and in the movements they both make to get rid of him, she falls down the stairs, landing close enough of us for me to run and grab her head, putting my dagger on her neck.

"Stop fighting and release us!" I shout.

The guards stop confused, as the elven servants, who act just like stupid lambs. Lebuinus growls, and tries to run away, but Kyle runs up the stairs and grabs him by the neck of his shirt. The fight is short, because the guards and the servants are just employees, so as soon as their masters are defeated, they surrender they weapons and wait for our commands. Seem they liked their masters as much as we did, after all. Which is close to nothing…

With the decadent nobles under control, I adjust my cloak again and I look at Kyle, realizing suddenly one thing which makes me blush like a tomato…  "YOU RAPED ME!", I say almost without thinking.

"Whatttt?", he say back

"You raped me and we ended making love in front of these people!" I repeat

"Hmm ok", he seems to ponder, embarrassed. Then he thinks it better and mumbles. "But you liked it, didn't you?"

I feel my face burning, sure that I'm blushing even more. "That's not the issue!". I try to avoid the question

"Ppffftttt", he mumbles. "So you can do it front if people and..."

"Shhhhh!", I make him shut up. "All right, all right. This has never happened. We're not telling anyone, all right?" I glance at the couple, now tied and watched upon by their own guards. "We deliver them to the Justice and that's all"

"Hmm ok", he says, pinching my butt. I stick my tongue at him, then he leans down head to whisper at my ear. "Now answer me. Did you like it or not!?"

I blush again. "As if you needed to ask" I say finally. "You know I did". I'm looking away from him, and I'm sure I'm red as a tomato. He bursts out laughing, and pinches my cheek, making me look at him to kiss my tomato face.

"If you want to do any kind of sex you like... You know, just ask me" he whispers whit a pervert smile.

I resist a bit, but I finally look at him "I like anything" I whisper in his mouth, "as long as it is with you"

"Oh what if you can’t see me?"

I purr. "I will always know"

He teases "That is a way to have..." he just drops the word. Then he realizes what I said. "pfffttt. How?"

I close my eyes, and put a hand in his crotch. "This baby... I will always recognize it..."

He stops and holds my hand. "Shhh. I thought I had to change the smell so you don’t know, but this will be more difficult to hide". Then he releases my hand so I can rub him, and kisses my nose.

"So what do you have in mind?" I whisper in his ear. "A blindfolded session?"

"Yeah. You got me, baby" he says with a seductive tone. I make a catface.

"All right. We're on our honeymoon... everything is allowed"

"Ohhh. You mean after honeymoon. I can’t do it ehh?", he pouts.

I laugh "Of course. But who said the honeymoon will end when we return to Ferelden? We will make it last as much as we want", I purr in his ear, and my hand in his crotch feels how this excites him. "So say a day and a place..."

"I don't say day or time. The session should be a surprise one"

"I approve" I nod. "Should we get rid of those two to find a place?"

The couple is looking at us with hate. Well, maybe something more. Astonishment, because we're stuck here, talking about sex, instead of sending them to the Prince's justice. And maybe some lust, by the way Lebuinus eyes gleam. Oh well, maybe when they're in jail they can release themselves too, I think and I guess Kyle is thinking something similar.

I elbow Kyle "Let's send them to the guards. But first I want to explore this castle…. You know… we need loo… I mean, proofs. And a new armor" I giggle.  "I promise your baby will be happy again as soon as we get rid of the garbage"

He spanks my butt and sticks out his tongue, then he steps back. "You go to the upper rooms; I will search in the cells for bodies or traces of other prisoners”. I smile, because we both know the interesting loot is upstairs, so I kiss his nose and rush to do what I do better… Oh well, maybe what I do second best.

After a well deserved repairing night in the nobles' bedroom (which they didn't need because they were locked in their own cells), the morning after we take a detour to Starkhaven, with two nobles tied in the back part of our cart, the drug they mixed with our wine the night and some belongings which proved other lonely travellers had found a terrible fate in this castle. Oh, and some trinkets I took from Minerva's drawer nobody will miss of course, not even her I guess, since we've already confirmed in the nearest village that there's a reward for whoever finds out who was making people disappear in what they were starting to call the Enchanted Forest. Who could say our honeymoon would be so productive?

_____

And one night, in the best room we can afford with all the benefits of our previous adventure, I would wake up with my husband spooning me from behind… and my eyes covered so I can see him…. Only feel his expert hands… and his playful "baby"… And once we break the bed once more… (damn taverns, why don't they make them more solid?), he will smooch and cuddle me on the floor, taking the fabric away from my eyes, and scratching my body, making me laugh delighted, awaiting for my comment about his awesome performance.

And I will rub his nose tenderly, and wink. "That was more sweet than exciting", I'll tease him. And when he pouts, I'll add. "After you released the fabric, of course. Before… well…"

And I will kiss him, and show him again what I think of his way to make love to me. Rough or tender. All of them.