Fantasy Farewell to Kings: Temple of Hyxia

[alwaystheOptimist]

Delilah sat near the hole dragging a stick through the dirt. Rheitz sat a few feet away, looking at her. She was confused. Very confused. Delilah had only told her a few nights before when she was drunk that she thought the dhampir was "quite a snack" and that she might have to catch him before he ran away on some other adventure. So why had she choked Lautrec? From the bruising, it was obvious that it hadn't occurred during the fight but a few nights before.

"Winston did say that there was a lot of noise when we stayed at the inn. D-did she attack him?" Rheitz rocked on her feet, squishing her knees against her chest.

Delilah hadn't dare look anyone in the face nor had she spoken a word after they had made camp. She glanced up at Rheitz and quickly turned her head back to the ground when she made eye contact with the goat girl.

 

[Jodyguru]

The prisoner had a rag tied over her eyes. Lautrec had told them she was able to enchant Delilah with a look and a touch. He also mentioned that she might've done the same before. There was no way of knowing. This was before his nap.
"Aren't you going to turn me in or something? I have bounties in Dominion and the Emerald Vale. I'm worth more to you alive than dead, for sure."

Lautrec emerged from the dirt nap and brushed himself clean with a small dust broom. "Delilah... thank you for your help. You were so courageous, that I feel I owe you a debt. Let us drink to our success."

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Delilah stared at the ground harder, refusing to look up. She dragged her stick through the dirt, pushing the stick further into the soil until the it snapped. She cursed, moving over slightly to get a new stick and began to draw in the dirt once again.

Rheitz frowned. "You're not even going to apologize? I thought you were better than this." She stood up. "I'll drink. Will you guys?"

 

[Jodyguru]

"Always" Tobias said.
"Sure, we've got some wine in stock. Half a cask of ale too." Einus said. They started getting the party ready. Lautrec knelt next to Delilah.

"Hey... look at me." He said. "I forgive you. Tonight I'm going to show you how I feel. No words can express it." He stood up and walked away, towards the fire where people were gathering around.



He was playing a violin. The dhampir had transformed his sword into a violin. The silver instrument sat under his chin as he played with his cloak on and hat off. Half the group was stunned by the performance, and the other half were getting teary eyed.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

She hunched over, peeking through a gap between her arms. Sitting back in the shadows, she shuddered, trying to hold back tears. When he had finished, the entire group applauded him. Rheitz glanced back at Delilah, who sat unmoving in the corner. She glared at her.

"That's it. I'm done. You can't even applaud his performance?! You choked him! There are marks on his throat! Did you know that? But no! You have to sit there, feeling sorry for yourself." She threw her arms into the air, for emphasis. "So appreciate him, would you?!"

Delilah sniffed, letting out a muffled and half-hearted "Thank you." She stood and crawled into the hole that Lautrec had been in.

Rheitz shook her head. "Why can't she apologize? It's so simple!"

 

[Jodyguru]

“I already forgave her for it. That’s why I put on a show.” Lautrec said to Rhietz. “I forgave you when you did it. You should forgive her, or better, take your anger out on Aida.”
“Yeah, she probably brainwashed Queen into doing that.” Tobias said.
“You ruined the mood, Rhi.” Einus said in a disapproving voice.
Lautrec grabbed a bottle of wine and left the violin by the fire. The other campers got into an argument with the goat girl.

“Delilah?” Lautrec saw her in his burial bed.“I brought a snack.” He showed the bottle. He was keeping his promise.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz stomped her foot. "Fine! All of you are probably just like her!" She grabbed her glass and walked out of the cave with a huff.

Delilah was silent for a moment, keeping her head down on the flat surface.

"When did I do that to you?"

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec swallowed hard. “It was last night. Do you remember anything?” He asked, now genuinely concerned she had been totally blacked out.
“It’s alright. I’m not bothered by it... I actually find it rather sexy that you can kick my ass.” He said with a somewhat devious grin.

Aida called Rhietz. She was moaning about needing to go to the bathroom.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

She sat up, hitting her head against the top of the chamber. She hissed, rubbing her head.

"Can I see it? The...bruise, I mean. Not the wine." She laughed awkwardly at her joke, folding her legs.

 

[Jodyguru]

He knelt down in front of her and unbuttoned his shirt. There was a faint purple bruise around his neck. It looked mostly healed. His power surge earlier healed some of it away.
“You dug in pretty good too. Those nails felt like something intense.” He pointed to his left pectoral with a faint scratch on it.
“I can withstand all kinds of pain, but I can’t stand losing someone special. Losing you... would leave a lasting wound on me.”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

When had she done that? She stared at the fading bruise, the distinct lines of fingers marking his throat. "I-" she reached her hand out, fingers brushing the bruise. "What else did I do that night?" She studied the marks, tracing the lines that had marred his normally perfect skin with her finger.

 

[Jodyguru]

“You... called me beautiful, and said you wanted to die. I had to put you to bed. You also said something about our duel way back when we were bounty hunters. You fell in love with my eyes.”
He was looking deeply into her eyes. “and I said I got lost in yours. How deep and ferocious your eyes are.” He was blushing, wishing he could hide his feelings a little bit better.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

"Did I tell you that I thought it would be sexy if you drank my blood?" her finger had begun to circle the bruise on his pectoral. Her hair was mussed and a few strands had escaped her braid, falling around her face.

 

[Jodyguru]

His eyes opened wide. “Y-yes I think so. I wouldn’t recommend it. I’m scared of what might happen.” He put his hand on her hand. Their fingers mingled together.
“and... I’m a little scared of how attractive you are.” He finally confessed. It explained his reaction when they first met. He was really scared of her beauty. Also scared of his wife’s memory, but finding someone attractive was not something the dhampir concerned himself with, not for 10 years at least.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

She groaned. "Gods, wine can make me say anything, can't it." She pulled the bottle from its place next to him, holding it up in her other hand. "I'm a coward. Wine is the only thing that can make me say what I want to say." She twirled the bottle in her hand, watching the glass glimmer in the little light that was found in the hollow. She looked back at him, her hand sliding up to his neck. Her fingers wrapped around the marks, squeezing slightly. "Why didn't you fight back?" she grinned slightly, "Did you like the pain?"

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec had a sip of wine and laughed. “I wish I could. You were an emotional wreck. I was handling you like glass. Maybe if you were enjoying yourself I could as well.” He handed her the bottle. “Look at us, talking about something like this, and we haven’t kissed. You young people have lost the art of courtship. It’s a shame, it’s an awfully rewarding experience.”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

She bit her lip. Hard. Gods, he really didn't know how delectable he was, did he?

She tightened her grip on his neck, placing the wine bottle on the ground. Her hand found its way to his chest and she pushed him to the ground. Throwing a leg over him, she straddled his waist, looking down at his face with hooded eyes.

She ran a knuckle over the bridge of his nose, fingers dangerously close to his mouth. "Shouldn't we get over that part then Moonface? Then maybe we can get to that." She began to trace the edge of his jaw, turning her face to study his expression.

 

[Jodyguru]

His heartbeat quickened. He held her waist and the back of her head as he reached forward, planting lips firmly against her. They were cold but quickly warming to her touch. He embraced her lovingly.

Einus stepped up to the cave and peered through the cloth. he chuckled and turned to find the others, letting them know she was ok. They were having a drink together.

He grabbed her and rolled over, pinning her to the cave floor. His nails were sharp and dragged across her tan skin.
“You may be the Queen, but being firstborn makes me the King, doesn’t it? Father is no more. If I bite you, you’ll become my thrall. You’d relinquish your humanity and serve me. That’s the power my bloodline holds. It’s why Amelia and I had no children together. The curse cannot live past the children of Dracül. That was my knightly pledge.”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

She grinned mischievously, reaching up to grab his shoulders. The tip of her tongue peeked out from her mouth, running across the expanse of her bottom lip. "King, huh?". She flipped them over, looming over him once more. "Maybe I should bite you. Make you mine. I serve no one but myself." She kissed the edge of Lautrec's ear. "But maybe you can serve me." She whispered, breath hot.

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec hummed quietly and played her tongue with his own. She’d feel one of his fangs in the hot moment. He wouldn’t give in to her dark fantasy, just because he knew the dangers that came with it. He had a great amount of restraint, even when she was seducing him like this.
“We’ll see... I won’t bite you, but you may do as you wish.”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

She grinned. "Anything I wish. My, my, the possibilities."

....

Rheitz sat on a rock, glaring at the sky. She seemed to be finding herself in the wrong time and time again. She heard Aida call out to go to the bathroom. "Gosh, fine." She stood up, walking back into the cave to get Aida. Untying her, she wrapped a cord around her wrist. "Come on. Let's go."

 

[Jodyguru]

“It’s not like I can break free. These chains are soul bound. Bastard made me a prisoner for life.”
She managed to slide down the hill enough to get her pants off.
“Damn it... you’d think a vampire wouldn’t get periods.” She groaned. “This is the worst.”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz couldn't help but snort. Pressing a hand to her mouth, she turned away from her, still holding the end of the cord. "If you need anything just ask." She heard a strange shout, and then a cry of "Tocash!". She craned her neck, spotting two specks in the distance.

 

[Jodyguru]

The specks in the dark were her adoring aunt and uncle from the cottage she mentioned.

“interesting to see what life forms have taken shape since Daddy’s rule. Are you a common ancestor of tieflings?” Aida asked. Tieflings had demon blood but were born mortal, with horns slightly different from Rhietz, and the skin and eyes were way off.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

"No. They're distant cousins though. They hate us." Rheitz waved. "Uncle Ivsal! Aunt Tobesi! Ithmora!" she called the greeting of her tribe, smiling. The two smiled back, "Ithmora!" Ivsal was a rather husky looking faun, with curly rams horns and black ears. His hair was worn in long black braids that were adorned with gold. Tobesi was a rounder faun, with a big smile and bright brown eyes. With pointier horns, she had speckled white and tan ears that were heavily adorned with golden hoops. "W-what are you doing here Rhi?! You haven't come back home in years!"