Dominion Ch. 09

Trigger Warning: This is a dark chapter, with elements of Non Consent in it. When Aryn slams her bedroom door, you can choose to skip past if you prefer.

Authors Note: Hello everyone. Sorry I have been so inactive. I'm in the process of moving, so I haven't had WiFi or the chance to really write much even if I could update more.

At any rate I'd like to reassure you all that I plan on writing these stories to completion. How long that is going to take, I have no idea considering my schedule right now. Also, for those of you talking about an editor... At this time I feel it is best to simply get the first draft out, and then when its completed I will contact beta readers and editors to revise. After that I will probably take down these chapters and post the new versions up.

So enjoy the new chapter, and hopefully at some point in the near future you wont have to wait as long in between chapters.

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Chapter 9

"Aysha, Atari, Ashai. Child of Fire, look upon the sky."

The boy stared up through the flames surrounding him, and squinted his eyes as a bird like creature began to circle around him. Was it a hawk? An eagle, maybe? The closer it came, the larger it grew, and as it reached the tops of the trees, he realized it was far too large to be an eagle. So what was it?

"The Gift has been given, now the guide must be met."

He looked on in awe as the bird finally came into view. It's crimson body was as large as he was, and it's thin beak almost resembled a crane in it's shape. As it landed before him with its wings arched defiantly, he recognized the flames cloaking it's body just as they cloaked his.

A Phoenix.

The giant bird lifted itself off of the ground once more, screaming a shrill call into the air as it dove straight for the boys chest. He closed his eyes and smiled as the spirit of the Phoenix entered his body, and the burning passion of it's presence filled him with a warm, comforting glow. It nestled itself inside of him, and found purchase in his soul, latching onto him with a possessive wave of heat. He welcomed the fire, allowing the fierce element to mix with his own.

"Aysha, Atari, Ashai."

He fell to his knees as the meaning of the mantra truly sank in.

Blood, Fire, Tears.

The power of the Phoenix smoothed over his pain and anguish like a healing balm, and he knew then that he would never be alone again. The flames that had been flowing freely from his body slowly curled inward and disappeared. Taking a deep, refreshing breath of air, he looked around at the blackened mess the fire created.

The guide has been met.

Nora was particularly testy when she woke up. She had been carried to her own bed after the fight with Serenad a few days prior, and she felt like hell. Her throat was sore, most of the muscles in her body were throbbing, and she had even more bruises to hide than she did before. The majority of her injuries came from combat or any other strenuous activity she preferred, but lately they were laced with much darker secrets. If it weren't for her own pride she would wear them in full view for everyone to see the shame Serenad caused her. How she wished she could wring his filthy neck for what he did to her. Who did he think he was to assault her like so, and then act as if he was in the right for it? She was no wayward damsel that needed to be tamed, nor did she want to be.

Nora would never forgive him for this.

She was bed ridden for three days, and if it weren't for Aryn doting on her and helping her recover, she might have been down for longer. The small girl spent countless hours bringing her food, tending to her wounds and singing to her. She rarely left Nora's side and even slept at her feet instead of going to the room she was given next door. The little doll was a blessing, and even as shy and timid as she was, she was beginning to grow on Nora.

Stretching to test her muscles, she found that she was in a much better condition today than she had been since the incident. She sat up and looked around, only to notice that Aryn was missing. Had the girl retired to her own chambers? Who knew. Placing a hand over her mouth to stifle her yawn, she climbed out of bed and began searching for some clothes to wear. She chose something loose and comfortable, instead of the typical tight fitting articles she picked to fit her active nature. She figured she wouldn't be doing anything today that would warrant garments like that anyway, and a corset would just agitate the bruises on her rib cage.

A knock sounded at her door, and she slipped her shirt on quickly before answering it. A young Naugu was awaiting her, which irritated her further. She was tired of seeing the nasty creatures throughout the castle. They were showing up more and more every day ever since Serenad was named Consort.

"My lady, you have been summoned to the council chambers."

"Whats the matter? Is my father feeling well?" she questioned as she slid on her shoes and made it out the door. "He usually doesn't summon me unless he needs me to take over for him."

"Rhyn was not the one who asked for your presence. Serenad has called for you personally."

Grumbling to herself, she decided to forgo her Daegra companion and simply make her way to the council alone. Working to level her head before reaching her destination, she tried to reason that it would be pointless to make a scene before the elders. It would only make her seem prudish and unreliable, which would further solidify Serenad's claim. She couldn't let him goad her into acting irrationally, because it would only show the rest of her fathers council-men that he is more fit to lead than her. She refused to play into his hands.

All reason was lost, however, when she found that Serenad was indeed leading the meeting. Alone.

Her father was nowhere to be seen, and the thought infuriated her. The other six men sat around the table with a map laid out, and it seemed that they were discussing military tactics. Tactics that they used to discuss with Trysten. The thought that this nosy plague of a man was here without either of the true royal family members present disturbed her. What was worse, it would be a simple matter for him to use Ohna to bewitch the rest of them like he attempted to do to her the day he nearly strangled her to death. And he dared to call her here to witness such a travesty?

"Why are you here without my father?" she demanded as she stormed into the room and stood opposite of him at the end of the table. "You are the Consort Overlord. Do you not understand what that entails? Must you always overstep your boundaries? Is the meaning of 'Consort' lost on you?"

"Your father asked me to take over so that he could retire," his reply was clipped, his expression unamused as he regarded her. "I called you here for that exact reason, beloved. Did you only come here to continue misbehaving and lashing out as you always seem to do? Or will you finally act as the Queen you are soon to be?"

"Do not condescend me, beloved" Only a woman as abrasive as Nora could manage to make such an endearment sound like an insult. She sat among the rest, crossing her arms and sending a withering glare across the table. "If I remember correctly, I'm not the one who tried to strangle you in the bathhouse, leaving you incapacitated for multiple days at a time."

"I will meet aggressive outbursts with the same intensity that they are dealt to me. It seems to be the only way to stop you when you are in such a state."

"Oh?" she sat up in her chair as she glared in his direction, "What state is it that you speak of?"

"The same state you are in now. It seems the only person who could ever control your wild temper was your brother," his retort was harsh and effective in its attempt to hurt her. "It is unfortunate that he is not here to keep you under thumb. However, this is not the place for childish quibbles. We are here to discuss matters of importance. Your wounded ego is not one of them,"

She held her tongue, knowing that she would inevitably say something she might regret in her anger. She already made a fool of herself just as she had vowed to do the opposite. Fuming in her seat, Nora could hardly focus on the discussion being held by Serenad and her fathers followers. It was pointless her even being here, since her gender basically confirmed their lack of interest in her point of view on anything. Not once was her opinion asked, not once was anything ran by her as each topic was introduced. The few times she even tried to speak up, she was dismissed with barely concealed contempt, as if she were simply a child who knew nothing of what they spoke about.

She wanted so badly to argue that her voice mattered; but she had already embarrassed herself by speaking out in a reckless manner earlier. She needed to pick her battles. If anything, it was something she needed to discuss with her father privately, and hope that she could win him over on this. If she had his backing, it would help in her quest to find her own footing as the monarch she was soon to be. Moreover, she needed to learn how to stand up for herself without acting like a child throwing a temper tantrum. When the topic of battle tactics was put to the side, she decided to focus her attention on the map laid out before her, hoping to find answers in the pawns spewed about the piece of parchment. The characters near Jagged Stone Cliff gave her pause. Something about that part of the map was gnawing at her brain, like a far off memory she couldn't seem to grasp.

Aysha, Atari, Ashai.

"Did you say something, my lady?" One of the council-men asked her as her focus returned. She blinked a few times in confusion and looked around.

"No, it must have been your imagination."

Her eyes locked with Serenad, and he had the audacity to look concerned. There was no question in his eyes, however. It seemed as if he already knew what she had been thinking. Strange, since she herself could not even remember the momentary lapse. She didn't recall speaking, and she couldn't remember what she had been thinking about before the elder asked her the question. The concept that she might have even blacked out for a moment alarmed her, and the fact that Serenad might have seen what she couldn't remember alarmed her even more.

The guide has been met.

The words were foreign and felt unwelcome in her mind. As if something forbidden was attempting to warn her of an imminent doom. What did they mean? The guide has been met? What guide? And who was meeting it? She tried to focus on the meeting but the words tumbled around her brain in a suggestive way that was beginning to drive her to madness. The ding of a bell brought her back to the present as the other men in the room stood from their chairs, and she quickly did the same.

"This meeting is adjourned."

She stared at Serenad as the men filed out. He had not yet moved from his place at the table, standing and staring at her just as she was doing to him. His demeanor was timid, which was strange for a man like him. It was as if he wanted to approach her, but had no idea how to go about it. The concern in his eyes was definitely real, but there was also a hunger there. A desire for knowledge, and it seemed the only person with that knowledge was her.

"What did you see?"

"I don't know what you are asking."

"Don't play coy with me," the tenor in his voice betrayed his nervousness. "What did you see?"

"I don't remember."

"But you admit that you saw something," he sounded accusatory and triumphant in the same breath, but his attitude was only confusing her more. "What you said earlier. Do you know what it means?"

"I didn't say anything!"

"Aysha, Atari, Ashai."

A sharp pain splintered across her mind and she cried out, shaking her head as she dropped into the chair behind her. Serenad was beside her in a second, kneeling beside her and petting her hair in an uncharacteristic display of empathy. He was attempting to comfort her but it only upset her more, and she screamed in confused anger as she tumbled out of the chair in an attempt to avoid his hands. His touch felt like fire, his presence alone a burden on her mind.

"The guide has been met!"

"What?"

"The guide has been met!" she screamed again, crawling backward to escape his approach. "You are the Forbidden! You are the Imminent! You!"

She gasped for breath, thankful that he kept his distance for now. Struggling into a sitting position, she closed her eyes and steadied her breathing. She blacked out again, and had no idea how she had gotten onto the floor. The last thing she remembered was Serenad interrogating her about what she couldn't remember. She looked up at his figure looming over her and did what she did best.

She assumed the worst.

"What did you do to me, scum?"

"Why must you always accuse me?" he took a step forward as Nora scrambled to her feet, "You began to hallucinate, and started shouting incoherently about a guide of some sort,"

"Stay back!" Nora stood, holding her hand out in a desperate attempt to warn him. He seemed undeterred as he took another step, and her breaths came in short gasps, "I said stay back!"

Telekinetic energy weaved around her, focusing in the center of her palm and shoving Serenad away. He stumbled backward in shock, and she took the moment to push her palm forward. The reaction was more intense this time, knocking him farther back and shoving him to the floor. She stopped and looked at her own hands, confused and fearful of the strength she just showcased. As he attempted to recover, she spun on her heels and escaped the room.

Nora did not slow down until she reached her bedroom chambers. Yanking the door open, she hurried inside and barred the entrance before sliding to the ground. Never in her life had she been so shaken. She tried to catch her breath as she relived that moment. How did she push him back? Looking at her hands once more, she frowned. Never had Nora heard of such a power before.

A shill scream distracted her from her thoughts. Recognizing the voice of Aryn pleading with someone, she growled as she picked herself up from the ground. Nora was the cause of Serenad's anger, and she could not allow the girl to suffer in her place. Only a coward would lock themselves away like she just did. Wrenching the door open she entered the hallway and made a quick turn into Aryn's room.

"Ah, there you are. I figured I could draw you out easily enough,"

"Leave her out of this. She has done nothing to you."

"She was a means to an end, and nothing more."

Nora let out a breath when Aryn was released from Serenad's grasp. The Daegra girl tumbled backward onto her bed and crawled to the other side before dropping down to the floor. Once Aryn was at a safe distance, Nora returned her attention to the monster in front of her. His face was an emotionless mask as he followed her slow retreat from the room. Once in the hallway, she backed up toward her door, walking so that she was facing him.

"Always on guard," he mused, "aren't we?"

"As if you give me reason to be otherwise."

"I could say the same of you."

Nora sneered at that, tasting her teeth as she reached for her bedroom door. Just as she stepped back, she heard Aryn's slam shut and took the chance to dash inside her own room. The door fell in as she bolted through the entrance, but Nora was not quick enough to shut herself in. Serenad caught the other side with his hand, pushing his way through and closing them both inside.

Now they were alone, and she was trapped... But at least Aryn was safe.

"I knew you would be a challenge, my sweet," his smile was dark as he turned to face her. "I anticipate these moments."

"Of course you do. First you weaken me with this cursed shackle and then you torment me for your own entertainment,"

"Ever the pessimist," he took a step closer, crowding her toward the edge of her bed. "Would you ever consider that there may be reasons why I do the things I do?"

"Do you think I care to hear your excuses? If you weren't such a coward, you would face me at my full strength. But even like this you will never best me."

"Is that a challenge?"

"It is a fact, scum."

The edge of Serenad's lip curled at her response, his eyes narrowing as he looked her over. His expression was thoughtful, like a player in chess who was examining the board before moving his next piece.

Squaring her shoulders, Nora refused to react to his approach. Each slow step brought him closer, and she could not help flinching away from the hand that reached up to touch her face. He didn't seem to notice her response as his fingers slid across her jawline and angled her head back toward him. Her hand pressed desperately against his chest, all fleeting hope lost when no inhuman power came to her aid as it did in the courtroom. His calm, careless demeanor began to unnerve her, and Nora wondered when he would become unhinged once again. Cool lips brushed against her stiffened mouth and a frustrated breath followed, tickling her skin as he migrated from her cheek to her ear.

"Whatever it takes," he whispered. "I will break you, Nora."

"I'd like to see you try."

Serenad's hands slid beneath her shirt, forcing the loose cloth up her arms and over her head. Once more, she refused to react. Resistance was what he was looking for. It would be pointless to play into his hands, so instead she chose remain passive. Swallowing back harsh words, she stood still as stone while he worked to remove all of her clothing. She wanted to kill him, but she would never beat him in strength with the suppression cuff on. No amount of anger or will power would get her out of this. All she could do now was relent, and rob him of his attempt to get a rise out of her. Fingers traced every curve of her exposed body, the ripples of sensation causing her to shiver. The only thing that kept her composed was her own pride; it was the only thing that could outweigh her need to shelter her body from his view. He was the first man to ever see her like this, and everything in her screamed to run. To hide.

But Nora was no craven. She would not allow him to see her cower.

"You are being awfully complaint, beloved," his breath was a kiss against her collarbone, his arms a prison as they surrounded her waist and lifted her onto the bed, "Have you surrendered already?"

"I will never surrender to you," Nora spat, his words digging at her and causing her to squirm against him in anger. "You are nothing but trash, and you will never be anything more."

He hummed in a mock display of disappointment, pushing her face down onto her bed and kicking her legs open. She braced herself against the mattress and blushed, wanting nothing more than to simply disappear. Somehow, she managed to hold onto her sanity enough to stay composed. His hands continued their lazy perusal, palms pressed to her backside, fingers digging in almost painfully.

"It never ceases to amaze me, the vile things that come from that pretty mouth of yours," he splayed a hand over her lower back as he spoke, "I can think of better ways to put that mouth to use... but I imagine your teeth would have different ideas."

"If you ever dared to try, you would soon grow to regret it."

"Lamentable," amusement laced his tone, bellying the terror Nora felt when his fingers strayed to the puckered entrance of her bottom. "There are other places I could explore instead, if you'd prefer."