Dark Assassin Ch. 03

"That's horrible," Elaine whispered, her eyes wide. Zinfer was once again reminded of how sheltered Thieves' Valley was from the rest of the world. There was no political intrigue within those walls, and the games played among the rulers of the continent were unknown to those like Elaine who had grown up within them.

Zinfer nodded his agreement with a meaningful look at Talia, "Very. But the new King was not as thorough as he had hoped. One very important child – a young bastard girl of the King's who had been visiting Sylvan Elves with her mother when the coup had taken place. When news of Manson's demise had reached the woman, one of his mistresses, she ran west with the bastard, dogged by assassins and mercenaries. The flight lasted for years and eventually the Sylvan Elves got wary of having their land constantly invaded by these unsavory men. So they plotted to turn the mistress and her child over to the King.

Fortunately for the child, someone tipped off her mother just in time, and the child was able to make it out of the King's grasp. By then the bastard was in her early teens and spent the next few years wandering, learning how to fight and survive. Eventually she made it to the land of the Mountain Elves where she found a home and trained as an assassin..."

Elaine was staring at the table by the time Zinfer finished his short tale, her eyes moving frantically as she considered the implications of what she had just been told. There was much more to be told about Laura and her flight across the continent, but Elaine could learn of the details in due time.

"That child," she said carefully, "Was my mother?"

"Eventually," Craglia nodded.

"So that means...," Elaine looked up, her emotions too muddled for Zinfer to read properly.

"You are the last remaining heir to King Manson," Talia supplied with an impatient roll of her eyes, "And number one on King Wyatt Slynt's 'to kill list'."

"I don't know who any of these people even are!" Elaine cried, "How do they even know I exist?"

Zinfer could feel the anger and confusion in Elaine about to reach a tipping point so he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and said calmly, "King Manson is your dead grandfather and Wyatt Slynt is his illegitimate successor and current King of Men. And his assassins have never stopped trying to get to your mother. Word of your birth has surely reached his ears by now. News travels slowly from the foothills, but two decades is plenty of time for it to have made it all the way east," Zinfer turned Elaine's body so that she was facing him more fully, "I made a promise to your father to protect you no matter what. I suspect that there has already been plans put into motion to reach you within Thieves' Valley – three years without your father's protection was too long and for that I am truly sorry - but as soon as I heard of his death I stopped at nothing to rescue you."

"Rescue me?" anger flared up in Elaine and she pulled away from Zinfer's grasp, "I didn't need rescuing. My life in Thieves' Valley was perfectly safe. I thought you had come to rescue me from mediocrity, not thrust me into some political strife my mother was involved with. Now what - I dodge assassins for the rest of my life because some King I don't even care about thinks I want take his throne from him?"

Zinfer and Craglia exchanged a harried look. Neither knew what to say. Elaine had a point – what kind of life would she have? Laura had been able to protect herself by virtue of being a part of the Dark Assassins, but when word that her daughter was just a girl from Thieves' Valley, the wolves would begin to circle. Slynt would be eager to end a decades-long feud with the Manson family. He was technically an old man, but if the rumors were true, Wyatt Slynt would be King for many more years and would be happy to finish his reign uncontested.

"You will not have to dodge assassins your life if you don't want to," Talia said smoothly from across the table. She pulled out a small rolled up piece of paper from gods knew where and handed it over to Craglia, who took it and read the short message it contained.

"What does it say?" Zinfer asked, his eyes narrowed with suspicion while Elaine continued to fume next to him.

Craglia furrowed her brows and glanced first at Talia, who wore an infuriating look of smug satisfaction, then back to Elaine and Zinfer. "It's from the Drow King," she explained, "It appears as if he offers us a solution to our current problem."

"Suspiciously timely," Zinfer growled, "How would he even know of Elaine's arrival here?"

"Very little escapes our King's knowing," Talia smiled, "He knew as soon as you left for Thieves' Valley and why you were going there."

"Your King," Zinfer corrected, "And I told none but the queen of my departure. And I know she would not betray me."

"You should learn how to keep your secrets more secure, then," Talia said, "Because he found out."

"Enough," Craglia said sternly.

Zinfer's retort fell silent and he nodded toward the queen in apology. Of course the Drow King had known of Elaine – there were no secrets safe from his dark arts. Either way, whatever 'solution' the King offered would not be a savory one. There was only one interest the Drow King served, and that was his own. In the end this would only benefit him somehow.

"What does the message say?" Elaine said with surprising control in her voice despite her continued fury, "What is this solution?"

"Slynt has offered to cease his pursuit of Elaine's family," Craglia said, "As long as she promises to swear her fealty to him on neutral ground. This way there will be no debate over whether Elaine was coerced into this agreement nor over her sincerity. After the pledge, Elaine will be allowed to live the rest of her life any way she chooses and the humans of the East will have no doubt who their one true King is."

"And this neutral ground is the Drow King's palace," Zinfer guessed.

"Yes," Craglia confirmed, "He and Slynt have a good relationship. As he has with me. There is no better a place to make this deal."

"What will it mean to pledge fealty to this Slynt person?" Elaine asked, "Will I have to serve him?"

"Nothing like that," Talia said, "All you have to do is promise not to move against him and publically state that he is the one true King of Men. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"Fine," Elaine nodded, "I'll do it."

Talia smiled broadly and Zinfer slammed his fist on the marble table, "Absolutely not!" he roared, "The Drow King is a duplicitous monster. I refuse to accept any deal he offers – not while Elaine is under my protection."

"This is not your decision to make," Talia remarked, "It is Elaine's and hers alone. You would deny this poor sweet girl her freedom because of some misguided grudge you have against the Drow King? How very noble of you, Zinfer."

"It is not misguided!" Zinfer growled, making to stand up, but a gentle hand on his shoulder kept him in place.

"Zinfer," Elaine said calmly, "I appreciate the concern, but from what I understand this is my one shot at a normal life outside of Thieves' Valley. What is there to lose?"

"Elaine, please," Zinfer urged, "Think this over. The Drow King, he...he is not your savior." His eyes pleaded with Elaine, implored her to see reason. There would be nothing but pain for her in the northern lands – Zinfer knew this better than anyone else.

Elaine frowned and looked around the table before saying, "I'd like to discuss this with Zinfer alone. Is there a time limit to this offer?"

"Sooner rather than later would be nice," Talia grumbled, her good spirits seemingly dissipated.

"You have until tomorrow," Craglia said with command, "Think this over carefully, Zinfer. Do not let your personal feelings for the Drow King cloud your judgment."

Zinfer stood and bowed to his queen, "Of course. Whatever decision Elaine reaches will be well informed."

Elaine stood as well, and with a final, smoldering look toward Talia, Zinfer led Elaine from the antechamber.

As they made their way back to Zinfer's residence, the Dark Elf reflected on how poorly the meeting had gone for him. It had started out simply as a way to finally reveal the truth of Elaine's heritage and then deal with the emotional fallout. Then Talia had to go and bring the Drow King into the equation, wrenching control of the situation out of Zinfer's hands and putting it squarely in hers.

What are you up to? Zinfer mused as they neared his chambers. There was never anything the Drow King did that did not serve some personal gain and if Talia was involved it was surely nothing good.

"Zinfer," Elaine said when they had entered the solar, "Please tell me what is so bad about swearing fealty to Slynt if it means I can put the nastiness of my past - which I did not choose I'll remind you – behind me."

Zinfer took Elaine's shoulders in his hands and looked down at her, "There is nothing wrong with swearing fealty. That is nothing but meaningless words. What is wrong is having the Drow King involved in any way. He is evil, Elaine. True evil like you have never known."

Elaine's eyes were wide as she regarded Zinfer's words. He could read doubt on her, and that was good. Doubt could lead to reason if manipulated correctly. "Would you be with me?" she asked after a pause, "If we go?"

Zinfer blinked. This was not the question he had been expecting. "Of course," he said, "But..."

"Then I'll be safe," Elaine interrupted, "Whatever you think the Drow King has planned, you can protect me, right?"

"Yes," Zinfer nodded, "But by keeping you here."

Elaine shook her head, "I will not live in fear of assassins for the rest of my life. You saved me from Thieves' Valley. I know, it's a dramatic use of words, but I can't think of anther way to put it. You did rescue me, Zinfer. If I have to put myself in danger one more time to take advantage of that, then I will. And you're going to be there to protect me."

"I...," Zinfer was at a loss for words. He could not convince Elaine to deny the offer, he knew that now. And if that was the way it was going to be..., "Of course I will protect you."

Elaine smiled and reached upward to plant a kiss on his lips, which he eagerly accepted. "Discussion over?" she asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Discussion over," Zinfer growled and gripped Elaine's bottom, hoisting her up against him. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her into the bedchamber, kissing her all the way before depositing her body into the bed.

Door, Zinfer said in Old Elfish and the doors to the chamber slammed shut and locked themselves. Climbing up with Elaine, he came over her, wedging his hips between her thighs, grinding his growing arousal against her. Heat emanated from the spot where they met and Zinfer groaned.

Reaching between their bodies, Zinfer cupped Elaine's sex in his hand and ground the flat of his palm against her clit through her breeches. They were already damp and grew more so as he continued to rub at the swollen bud.

Elaine's hands had been wrapped around Zinfer's head while they had been kissing, and now traveled down his back before sneaking beneath the hem of his shirt to stroke his heated skin. Nails dug into the flesh, and Zinfer sat up just long enough to rip his shirt off over his head in order to maximize the contact of her touch. Keeping clothes on around Elaine was starting to become a very difficult task. He wanted to feel her against him constantly.

"You are beautiful, Elaine," Zinfer whispered, trailing kisses down her neck and then continuing across her chest and stomach, pulling up the bottom of her shirt when he reached her pelvis and tasting her there, "And you are intoxicating."

Elaine moaned and squirmed when the Elf pulled down her breeches just far enough to expose her sex to his mouth. He latched onto the distended nub above her slit and sucked. Elaine arched off the bed and he lapped up the small trickle of fluid that escaped her.

"Don't tease me anymore," Elaine begged, pulling up her own shirt and tossing it aside, "I need to feel you – all of you."

With another lingering lick across Elaine's slit, Zinfer stood from the bed and removed the rest of his clothes while she did the same, kicking off her boots and pants an then positioning herself at the head of the bed, her legs spread and her knees bent invitingly. The smell of her arousal was already filling the room and a small, thick pool of her cream was gathering on the sheet beneath her bottom.

There was no more need to prepare her for him. It was time to finally finish what they started that night in the cave.

Zinfer's cock was a hard rod as he knelt between her legs and gripped his shaft. More honey oozed from her slit and he gathered it up with the head of his cock, coating it and prodding at her clit just like he had the first night they had spent together. Except this time he did not intend to stop here.

"Are you ready?" he asked Elaine.

She nodded, biting her lip and watching Zinfer carefully as he poised the tip of his shaft against the entrance to her channel. She was molten desire against him as he breached the tight lips and buried just the head of his cock inside her. She hissed and gripped her breasts, toying with her nipples, her eyes never leaving the spot where they were joined.

"This will sting for a moment," Zinfer warned. He could feel her maidenhood stretch as he moved forward the barest of inches and Elaine cried out. Then, without another warning, Zinfer plunged forward and buried half his shaft into Elaine's depths, breaking easily through the wall of her virginity and claiming what was and could only ever be his.

"Gods!" Elaine cried and her walls clenched around Zinfer as it got used to the new intrusion. Her chest was flushed and heaving, and she squirmed under Zinfer as he continued to thrust himself forward into her.

She had the tightest, wettest, warmest cunt the Elf had ever entered and he was lost in his own rapture as he finally bottomed out inside her, his pelvis against hers, joined as one at last.

They stayed like that a moment, not speaking, enjoying the perfect way they seemed to fit together. Then Elaine said, "More," and Zinfer pulled out halfway before thrusting back in. She was wet, and they made an erotic sucking sound as they were fully joined again and Zinfer could feel a surge of cream trickle out around his cock and down his balls.

Planting his hands on either side of Elaine's body and keeping his above her, Zinfer pulled out again until only the head of his cock remained. The rest of his shaft glistened with her cream and there was only a little blood mixed in from when he had taken her maidenhood.

"Zinfer," Elaine moaned and tried to arch her hips into his and take him back into herself but he gripped her hips with one strong hand and held her in place.

"Tell me what you want," Zinfer growled, keeping himself just inside her, teasing. This was agony for him too, but he wanted to hear the human say the words.

"Please...I want you...," Elaine struggled to find the right words.

Zinfer leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Tell me you want me to 'fuck you', Elaine."

Her cunt clenched and gushed at the words. "Fuck me," she said and cried out when Zinfer buried himself in one thrust, wrapping her legs around his waist to hold him in place. Elaine's hands left her breasts to dig her nails into his forearms.

"You'll have to let me go if you want me to continue," Zinfer said ruefully, wiggling his hips against her grasping legs to demonstrate.

Elaine blushed and released him, "I'm sorry it just felt so...good."

"How about this?" Zinfer asked and thrust his hips in a slow, tortuous rhythm. Her walls glided against his shaft with each movement, aided by the generous amount of honey she was providing.

"Don't...stop...that," Elaine moaned with each thrust.

"Faster?" Zinfer asked.

"Faster," Elaine nodded.

He picked up his pace, thrusting harder now that she had gotten used to his size. The sound and smell of sex filled the bedchamber and Elaine moved her hands from Zinfer's arms to his back, digging her nails in deep. She arched her hips upward to meet the Elf's cock and their pelvises ground together, stimulating her clit and driving her near orgasm.

"Come," Zinfer whispered, "Spill your nectar around my cock. I want to feel you come around me, Elaine."

She came, her walls clenching at him as honey dripped from their joining. Elaine was calling out, and writhing beneath Zinfer. Gripping her knees, he hoisted them upward, bending her almost double so he could continue to pound into her cunt unimpeded.

"Gods," Zinfer groaned softly. He felt his balls tighten beneath him as they got ready to spill their load into Elaine's core. Zinfer had wanted this to last longer – to take Elaine in every position he knew would bring her pleasure – but he had not expected her to feel so wonderful around him and his orgasm came quicker than he anticipated.

Angling his hips slightly, Zinfer started to thrust the head of his cock against the spongy spot halfway down Elaine's channel. She cried out and ran her nails down his back at the added sensation and more cream spilled between them. He did not let up, ruthless as he took their pleasures higher and higher together.

When the pressure in Zinfer's balls became too much to bear, he gave one more thrust of his hips, burying himself completely inside Elaine as jets of his come filled her to capacity. Something in the moment triggered a second orgasm in her as well, and their combined come leaked out onto the sheets as they rode down from the cliff together.

Finally, Zinfer released Elaine's legs and collapsed next to her, pulling out as he rolled away. "Don't you dare taste that come," he warned as his sweat-slick chest rose and fell heavily.

"I wasn't going to," Elaine promised, but Zinfer felt the lie in her voice.

"There is a washbasin in the corner," Zinfer told her, pointing, "Perhaps you should remove the temptation."

The bed shifted as she climbed out of it and walked across the room. A thin trail of moisture trickled down her thigh as she walked.

"Zinfer," Elaine said as she took a rag from the basin and placed it between her legs, "That was..."

The Elf sat up on his elbows and quirked an eyebrow at her, "Was what?"

"Amazing," Elaine finished, "Every time I'm with you, that's the only word I can think of."

Zinfer almost smiled, "Trust me – that is nowhere near the amount of pleasure I can draw from you."

Elaine finished washing and came back to him, lying down and draping her body over his, "Promise?"

"Promise," Zinfer said, kissing her and rolling her onto her back, "Now it's time for dessert." And he slid between her thighs, quirking his lip at the surprised squeal of pleasure that escaped from Elaine as he delved into her.

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Thank you, thank you for all the kind votes and feedback!!

The next three chapters will leave Elaine and Zinfer for a time. Next we will meet King Wyatt Slynt, followed by the Drow King, and finally end back with Elaine and Zinfer, but from Talia's point of view.

As you can maybe guess from the characters of focus, the following three chapters will be a little dark. There will be less focus on romance (for the most part) and all three chapters will contain more violence and more sex than these first three.

Never fear – we will return to Elaine's point of view following Talia's chapter.