The Taking of Lena Ch. 04

"What are you doing here?" she heard him say. Lena jumped and spun around, facing a curious-looking Renz.

"I was looking for you," Lena replied quietly. Renz approached her, circling her dangerously.

"I would prefer you didn't wander about at night alone," Renz replied. Lena nodded.

"Yes, sir," she replied timidly. Renz placed his hand on her chin and raised her face to meet his.

"You're not a maid anymore, Lena," Renz reminded, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, but I am here to serve you," Lena replied. Renz didn't immediately answer, and turned his attention to the painting Lena had been looking at.

"This is your wife," Lena stated.

"Yes," Renz replied.

"She's lovely," Lena answered.

"Yes," Renz said again. Lena turned to face him.

"Where is she?" Lena asked. Renz's eyes darkened for a moment, and he appeared to be deep in thought.

"She's gone," Renz replied eventually. Lena frowned, confused.

"And the babe?"

Lena watched in surprise as Renz, for the slightest moment, flinched.

"My child is dead," he answered. Lena felt a sudden urge to reach out to Renz, but she fought against it. She reminded herself that, although he had suffered a loss, he had still been cruel and torturous to her. His actions did not warrant her sympathy.

"I'm so sorry...for your loss," Lena said sincerely. A joyless smile appeared on Renz's face.

"It was years ago. But thank you," he answered.

Lena wrapped her arms around her waist and began to return to her room, but Renz gripped her arm.

"You said you were looking for me," he stated teasingly. Lena hesitated, suddenly feeling like her initial reason for searching him to be...inappropriate, knowing about his loss.

Lena closed her eyes and shook the feeling away.

"Yes. It is hard for me to say, but...I was wondering if you could send for a doctor tomorrow," Lena began. Renz raised his brow.

"Are you feeling ill again?" Renz asked. Lena shook her head, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with his hand on her arm. She squirmed away and took a few steps back, and a deep breath.

"Why do you need a doctor Lena?" Renz asked. Lena raised her eyes to meet his, feigning confidence.

"Because I do not wish to become pregnant," Lena replied. The sudden coldness that appeared on his face frightened her, and for a split moment Lena feared he was about to strike or hurt her.

Renz took a few circular steps, and sighed heavily.

"Your last monthly, when was it?" he asked.

"Just before the ball," Lena replied. Renz nodded.

"Very well. I'll call on him first thing tomorrow," Renz replied. Lena tentatively approached him, still afraid he would try and hurt her.

"Thank you," Lena said quietly. She reached out to him, but Renz rapidly stepped away from her, to her surprise.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

"No. Go get some rest, we've travelled a long way," Renz called, already halfway gone.

Lena stood there alone for a few moments, feeling oddly empty. With nothing else to do, she left the hall of paintings, and returned to her suite.

The fire was dying and the room was bitterly cold, yet Renz felt splendidly warm on the inside.

He suspected it had something to do with the imported Scotch whiskey he'd been nursing for the past few hours.

Renz had hoped that the bottle would diminish the strange feelings he'd been experiencing all afternoon and evening, at least temporarily, but Renz found that he was fixating on those feelings even more in his drunken state.

Renz couldn't get the image of Lena's naked body out of his mind, but not in a positive way. He'd been more than eager to have her now that she was his. He'd left her alone during their travels while she was in her catatonic stupor, suppressing his desire and hoping in vain that she would get over her loss. When she'd finally spoken today, his dormant appetite for her had reawakened, and increased tenfold. He thought for sure that his little Lena had returned to him.

Yet when he saw her naked for the first time since leaving Sterling's, the sight utterly disturbed him. Renz knew Lena hadn't been eating much, but he had no idea just how much weight she had rapidly lost during their travel. Her ribs were no longer gently peaking beneath her skin; they now looked as if they were moments from tearing through her thin, nearly translucent flesh. Every knob of her spine was now visible; her arms were thin and bony. Her delightful curves were rapidly disappearing, and Renz knew that if he'd touched her, he would have broken her.

And then there was her face. Her cheekbones were further hollowed, and her skin was ashen and pale, but the hardest part for Renz was the deadness in her eyes. Her eyes had been the source of so much fascination, for they were so open, so expressive. But after leaving Sterling's, Lena's blue eyes were empty and resigned. Still, dead water. It was as if the spirit that had given her so much life had left her body, and she was nothing more than an empty shell.

Renz stood up, bottle in hand, as he sauntered out of his library and back to the hall of portraits.

His movements were unbalanced, and he felt certain that the very house was tilting from side to side, as if aboard a ship, but he paid little attention as he returned to the painting that his curious little pleasure girl had of course managed to find.

Renz stared at the piece, wondering why he'd left it hanging for so long. It was tradition for Wolfenbarger heirs to have portraits of their families, but what he had with Ilise was hardly what Renz would consider family, retrospectively.

Not that they'd been lacking in potential. Renz had known Ilise since they were children, when they had originally been promised to each other. He'd never strongly cared for her, but he'd never disliked her either.

Upon their marriage, however, when they were both twenty, his perception of Ilise had drastically changed. She had blossomed into a beautiful woman, had been schooled in all the areas of charm and grace well bred girls were supposed to possess. She'd carried herself in such a gently proud way that she'd always kept herself slightly out of his reach. Her teasing whispers and deep green eyes had always kept some kind of secret. He'd found her very fascinating, and had enjoyed the constant challenge of trying to capture her. All of his lusts were invested in her.

And then, when he found out she was with child, his lust for Ilise deepened to love. From the moment her pregnancy had been announced, Renz had loved the little life inside of her, more than he had ever loved anything else. Throughout her pregnancy, Renz found himself growing even fonder of Ilise. She'd become more beautiful to him each day, for she was carrying and nourishing what he loved most.

Yes, Renz had loved his child. And he'd loved Ilise. But with the death of his child went his capacity for such feelings.

Renz looked at the painting through bleary, drunken eyes, and suddenly Ilise was not as beautiful to him as he had remembered. He had half an urge to violently destroy it, but the part of him that was beginning to become sober withheld such careless impulses.

Renz took another deep swallow of his Scotch whiskey, not yet ready for the sober part of him to be full-fledged. He pressed his palm against the wall for balance as he exited, resolved to have the painting removed in the morning.

Lena awakened early the next morning, and it took her a few moments to remember where she was.

A panic began to overcome her, as the dread of being with Renz, in his home, as his, began to sink in. Lena was fully aware now of just what she had agreed to, more aware than she had been since leaving Sterling's. Renz had complete power over her life. He was going to use and discard her at his whim. Her life was ruined, and it could never be fixed. She was dirty, wanton, worthless...

Before the panic became violent, Lena hid beneath the silky-soft sheets of the bed, and began focusing on lowering her heart rate and eliminating the panicky thoughts. Lena took slow, deep breaths as she attempted to self-soothe and stop her mind from racing in a manic frenzy. Eventually, the panic faded, and she became calm again.

Lena emerged from the bed and crawled to the edge, and pushed back the heavy bed curtains. Lena squinted as her eyes adjusted from complete darkness to the gentle light coming from the windows.

Lena slightly stretched as she stepped down from the bed, and reached for the robe Renz had given her the day prior to cover her nakedness. She carelessly tied it, certain that no one would see her, and opened the bedroom's double doors and entered the lounge.

The sun had barely risen, and Lena had been certain she was the only one awake in the estate, but waiting for her in the lounge was a beautiful array of breakfast. The spread seemed even larger than her meal the night before, and Lena rushed over to it in delight.

Some foods were native to her, while others weren't, but Lena found mostly everything to be delicious. Lena stopped herself before she became too full, feeling slightly guilty for leaving so much wonderful food untouched.

A gentle knock on the door startled Lena, and she fastened the robe to the best of her ability to protect herself.

"Might I come in, fräulein?" she heard Erich say from outside. Lena cleared her throat.

"Y-yes," she replied.

Erich entered, a cordial smile on his face.

"Good morning, Erich," Lena said pleasantly. Erich approached her with folded garments in his arms.

"Good morning, fräulein. I trust you had a pleasant rest," Erich mentioned. Lena nodded sheepishly.

"Yes, I did not realize I'd slept for so long. I'm sorry," Lena replied. Erich slightly chuckled.

"It is still very early, fräulein. And there is no need to apologize. The Master mentioned you were a maid of the Sterling Manor. I imagine you are used to rising much earlier than this. That is why I had your breakfast prepared first," Erich replied. Lena's eyes widened, and she found herself oddly touched by the gesture.

"Thank you, Erich. That is...that is very kind of you," Lena replied.

"It is my pleasure, truly. These are for you," Erich said, handing her the garments. Lena frowned in confusion, and handed them back without looking.

"I told your Master...I do not feel comfortable with him having clothes made for me," Lena began, blushing in embarrassment.

Erich shifted uncomfortably, and Lena thought he appeared almost as embarrassed as she was.

"Yes, the Master said that, and has agreed to adhere to your request. He also said that he does not want you to, what was the phrase...catch your death of cold. These clothes belong to the Master himself," Erich explained, offering them to her once more. Lena frowned.

"I am to be in men's clothing?" she asked. Erich slightly flinched where he sat.

"I suppose it would appear that way," he replied. Lena was furious on the inside, but she sighed heavily to release the anger. She knew Renz was testing her. But she would not let him win.

"Very well. Please convey my utmost, deepest gratitude to your Master," Lena replied sardonically. Erich slightly chuckled then, and Lena found it alleviated a bit of her frustration. His smile truly was gentle, and it made him look very young.

"I will, fräulein. I will," he replied, standing to leave.

"Erich, wait," Lena exclaimed. Erich turned around expectantly. Lena began to blush.

"You really needn't call me that...didn't the Master tell you the circumstances that brought me here?" Lena asked. Erich smiled faintly before responding.

"You know as well as I that a servant is never to question the actions of the Master of the estate. I know only what the Master has divulged, which does not include the conditions of your arrival," Erich said plainly. Lena nodded, head lowering, realizing Erich had certainly deduced why she was here.

Erich approached her, and Lena looked up at him curiously.

"I call you fräulein because that is how we show respect. Nothing you have done has compromised your worthiness of respect," he said seriously. Lena smiled, feeling suddenly very assured by his words.

"But I will call you Lena, if that is what you prefer," Erich finished. Lena's smile widened as Erich's warm honey-brown eyes gently leveled with her.

"Thank you," she said.

Lena decided to explore the outside of the estate after she dressed. She felt bare and exposed, due to her lack of undergarments, but she still retained a small sense of pride. She would not be Renz's personal doll to dress up as he pleased. It was humiliating to be in the men's clothes that were much too large for her, but it would have been even more humiliating for Renz to have dressed her up in harlots' wear.

Lena was wearing one of Renz's formal shirts, which fit more like a dress on her frame. She'd tried to wear the slacks he'd given her after getting over the initial embarrassment at the prospect of wearing something so improper, but no matter how many times she tied them, the pants refused to stay up. They were much, much too big.

As such, her legs were bare and goose-pimpled as she wandered around the expansive grounds of Schloss Wolfenbarger.

Lena walked through the gardens, admiring the incredible collection of blooms the estate possessed. There were many flowers Lena had never seen before, and she wondered what their names were.

She sat down on a bench in the center of the maze-like garden, closed her eyes and breathed deeply, taking in the faint warmth of the light sun and the scent of the flowers. For a dungeon, Schloss Wolfenbarger really was beautiful.

Lena heard the sound of slow, heavy footsteps behind her, and her heart began to race in anticipation. She swallowed hard and took additional deep breaths, trying to keep her anxiety under control. She reminded herself of Erich's brief, yet kind words that morning, and suddenly she felt calm.

Lena turned around to face Renz, but was surprised to find that he wasn't there. The heavy footsteps hadn't even been made by a human.

Standing in front of her was a large, muscular, four-legged beast.

"Good lord," Lena exclaimed. The animal approached her slowly, teeth barred. Lena took a step back in fear, but then it began to growl. A deep, heavy, threatening growl.

Lena considered running from it, but in her current state of fear she was certain it would manage to reach her and overpower her. Its teeth were so sharp, its body so large and menacing looking, Lena was absolutely certain it could tear her to pieces.

It pounded the ground with its front legs, slightly arching its body, and Lena had a sinking feeling it was about to attack her.

Lena turned on her heel and began to run, but before she could pick up speed the animal pounced on her, tackling her to the ground.

Lena was too afraid to move or make a sound as the animal hovered over her. Her lips trembled as it smelled her, moving its muzzle across her face, covering her with its hot breath. Lena watched as its large mouth opened, baring its large, sharp teeth. Lena closed her eyes, preparing to be eaten alive.

But then she felt it lick her cheek.

"Otto! Get off!" she heard Renz shout from a distance. Immediately, the animal got off of Lena and headed toward his master, eagerly awaiting his next command.

Renz fully appeared then, his brow slightly coated with sweat. He looked like he had been involved in some kind of exhausting physical activity.

Lena sat up on her elbows, surprised by how quickly the frightening beast had become almost docile.

"Did he frighten you?" Renz asked. Lena frowned as she stood up on shaky legs.

"Is that a dog or a bear?" she asked. Renz chuckled and kneeled next to the animal, petting its shiny black coat.

"This is my most trusted companion. The servants said you were nowhere to be found, so I sent Otto to look for you," Renz explained. Lena found something slightly comical about the sight of the two such formidable looking beings enjoying a playful moment together.

"Say hello, Otto. Politely this time," Renz instructed, giving the dog a light tap. Otto approached Lena slowly, and Lena tentatively extended her hand. Otto sniffed her for a few moments, and then began licking her palm. Lena couldn't help but laugh at the tickling feeling.

"You're not quite so scary, I suppose," Lena said, kneeling to level herself with the dog. She gently stroked the top of his head and rubbed his ears, which the dog seemed to enjoy.

"Someone's taken a liking to you," Renz mentioned. Lena stood up, and dusted herself off. Satisfied with the attention he'd received, the dog trotted off, sniffing for something else to hunt.

Renz removed his riding jacket and gloves, and Lena turned around instinctively before he removed anything else.

She felt his eyes on her as she smoothed the shirt, but she did her best to ignore him.

"I must say...that shirt is very becoming on you," he mentioned teasingly. Lena looked at him, her expression blank.

"I am flattered," Lena replied. Renz approached her, the look in his eye dangerous. Lena recognized the look.

"Turn around for me," he said. Lena did as she was told, slowly turning as Renz surveyed her. When she came full circle, Renz grabbed her waist and pulled her against his chest.

Lena suddenly felt very dizzy as Renz lowered his head, preparing to kiss her. She turned her face away, and Renz pressed his lips against her cheek.

"Come back to me, Lena," Renz said softly. She felt his hand slide down her back, gripping her bottom roughly. She could feel his hardness pressed urgently against her belly, and her eyes fluttered in anticipation of being opened up by him again.

Her knees shook as he reached beneath the shirt, slowly slipping in between her bare thighs. Lena's eyes fluttered the closer he came to her reawakening wetness, and she shook her head furiously.

"Sir, not outside...please?" she pleaded. All reason faded when his fingers came in contact with her pussy, and Lena was fully brought back to life. She was hyperaware of every part of her body, every part of his body, fully experiencing his touch. And she realized just how much she'd missed it; she needed him in her.

Her head fell back as his skillful fingers massaged her sensitive flesh. Renz was urgently stroking her, just beginning to initiate a full response.

"Sir," Lena muttered. He feathered kisses along her neck as he began to manipulate her clit, his thick fingertips circling the sensitive button in long, slow, hard strokes. Lena squirmed in pleasurable discomfort as all of her resolve to resist Renz flowed out of her and coated his hand. Her pussy tingled and throbbed, and she began rocking back and forth against his palm to create more friction with his skin.

"Come back to me, Lena," Renz repeated.

She heard something else in his voice, something she'd never heard before. It sounded as if he were summoning a deeper part of her that went beyond her sexual desire.

Lena's body began to move on its own accord, pressing, rubbing, and curling against him. He felt hard, strong, and powerful against her, and she continued to move against his body, desiring some of that power.

"Please come back to me, Lena," he said again. Lena slightly turned her head, and he caught her lips with his.

Lena lost herself in the kiss, and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer, to drink him in. She could feel and hear Renz's deep groan, and it excited a primal part of her. She excitedly moved her tongue around, earnestly curling it with his, hoping he would make that sound again.

She felt the cool stone of the garden bench against her warm skin, and her eyes opened in curiosity. She felt Renz's hands moving on her body, squeezing and pulling every part of her.