When the sun rose Ijori came back into the room, his hair messed up, and little scratches from the females nails on his muscles. He only had his breaches on. Looking at Freyali in his bed, he swallowed and looked away, shaking his head.
Freyali stirred and lifted her head to look at him, starting to smile, pleased that he was back. And then she saw his mussed hair and the scratches on his body. Her eyes grew dark, looking upset, confused, and hurt. She bolted out of the bed, leaving the pillow and blankets a mess and flew to her room, the door slamming behind her. Once inside, she dropped to the ground, her heart pounding and tears starting to drip down her face.
She didn’t understand why it hurt so much to know he had been with another, why she cared. She just knew she did care and she hated the thought he had been with another, even though just last night she knew she hadn’t been ready for him to take her. But why did he have to go find another? Was she so easy to replace? She thought he had wanted her, had thought she was special to him, but maybe he just wanted whatever he could get and she had happened to be closest to him when his hunger struck. But if that was so, why had he left? Was it because she was inexperienced? She had thought it was some sort of honor but now she doubted that. She sat in front of her door, back against it, hoping and praying he wouldn't try to follow her. She didn't want him to know she was upset or why. She didn’t understand it herself yet.
He took in a deep breath and leaned against the window for a moment and then looked towards the door. He was torn between following her and staying right where he was. He knew that he had to face her sooner or later, but that didn’t make his decision any easier.
Why did he have to explain himself to her? Did it really matter? No it didn't. It didn't matter. Hell, she was just a woman...a woman that made him want to...
He didn't think of it. Instead he got up and slowly walked to the door, knocking slowly. "Freyali? Are you awake my lady?" he called softly and brushed his hair from his black eyes, trying to contain himself, to stop himself from pushing in on her.
Freyali stood up and moved into the bed more quickly than she had ever tried to move before. Once there, she buried herself under her blankets, turning towards the door. Wiggling so that her head peeked out from under the blanket, she plastered her ears flat to her head. "Come in," she said, and she knew her voice sounded sulky.
Slowly he opened the door and then walked in, not doing anything as he closed it behind him, looking at her for a long, long moment. "Are you alright, my lady?" he asked. Now wasn't that an idiotic question? He knew that she knew that he had been with another last night. He knew damned well that it had upset her and that she wasn't ‘alright’ – not by a long shot.
Her ears flicked once in irritation and she frowned and almost glared at him. But then her ears flattened once again to her head and she growled. "Yes my Prince, I am FINE," she answered, her voice spitting out the last word with more of a snap then she had originally intended.
He was taken aback by her tone and for a long moment he stared at her. "Do not lie to me. I hate liars," he said softly, though his voice had an edge to it. Slowly he walked to her and stopped in front of her, his black eyes starring at – no, into her, past her body and into her soul. "Tell me what is the matter." His voice was no longer a request. It was a demand.
This time she did glare at him. She didn't even care if she got in trouble anymore. "Oh, I don't know. I had a lovely night, though it was a tad lonely. How was your night?" She avoided his question, and ignored the fact that tears once again were glistening in her eyes. She knew it was irrational but right now she hated him. "And don't call me your lady," she said as she turned her head to the side to look away from him. "I'm not, I'm just your slave." She stressed the last word.
He stared at her for a long moment and then swallowed, trying to control his anger. “Listen,” he said with a growl that was deep and dangerous. “Don’t play with me. I HATE being played with! The only reason I haven’t thrown you on the bed is because I keep telling myself that you are my guest, so STOP BEING SO DAMNED STUBBORN YOU LITTLE…”
She yelped, startled, and then zipped faster than the eye could follow into the corner opposite him, leaving the blanket behind as she fled. When she came to a rest in the corner, her back was to him and her sobs were as audible as her shaking was visible. Her tail was fluffed out in fear and her ears were pinned flat to her head with her hands over them as she shook, part in pain from the yelling as much as the fear of him. She was hunched over, her arms clenched to her side, making herself as tiny as possible.
Looking at her he suddenly felt like he had been stabbed. Never in his life had he felt regret, sadness, or…well, pain for hurting another. He had just done it because he could or because people knew that he had the power over them so they couldn't do anything anyways. Normally he didn’t spare a second thought about how the other person felt, nor would he have cared if he did. For some reason, this time was different. "I...I...Freyali..." He walked to her, slowly, and then knelt down next to her and slowly wrapped her arms around her from behind. "I didn't mean to. I...I should not have yelled. I didn't mean to startle you, I didn't mean to seem terrible." Even if I am terrible, he thought to himself. "Forgive me, little one, I am sorry. No more tears. Please.” And surprisingly I am sorry and I truly do feel terrible for doing it, he realized.
She was still shaking but she turned her head to open one eye to him and gently lifted her hands off her ears. She then turned and buried her head in his chest and let her shaking and tears calm down, wrapping her arms tight around him. "I'm sorry...it just...hurt to know...you were with someone...I don't understand why...I don't know...but I suddenly got really mad and hated you for...being with another...it hurt…I don't know, I'm sorry...I've never felt like this before..." She paused and drew in a deep breath. “Please? I would...I would rather you take it out on me if you must. I would rather face that fear than feel that hate again.” Though why did I get so angry? She puzzled to herself, curious. I’ve never felt like that before, it makes no sense. Why do I feel so drawn to be all his and have him be all mine?
God, he did not know what to do. He couldn't take out his frustrations on her since she was unused to all of that. That wasn’t fair to her. But after seeing her reaction this time, he knew he couldn't bring himself to go off and find some forest wrench to please him. They never did very well anyways, but it was better than nothing. What was he going to do? It would become even harder with her around, her knew. She was innocent yes, but innocent could be seductive. She was able to drive him wild without even trying. Now where would he be able to find his relief? And if he couldn’t, would he be able ot keep controlling himself around her?
She quieted down in his arms and closed her eyes, breathing in his scent, trying to ignore the scent of the other girl that her keen nose could easily pick out, as well as the scent of the beer. But finally it was more than she could handle, especially the pungent scent of the liquor. She pulled away from him with a small smile. "I'll be fine now. Tell me, where can we take a shower in this place?" A part of her entertained thoughts of taking a shower with him even while her eyes roved up and down his body. The memories of his sweet kisses and even sweeter taste lingered from the evening before.
"Follow me." He stood slowly and took her hands and helped her up, touching her chin softly to tilt her head up. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips before he took her hand and led her to the bath chambers adjacent to his bedchambers. He started up the mechanism that began to rain water gently down into the tub-like bottom. The bottom was wide enough for two people to fit with spare room. "Here. After you are done I will take a shower afterwards. Relax, take all the time you want." He half-smiled and then moved as if to leave.
She looked between him and the bath. Memories of the previous night were still burning hot in her mind. If she asked him to stay, he probably wouldn't. So, what about trying another way? "Oh wow, it's even big enough for two people," she said, seeming to observe this without noticing he was still there. Her clothes were removed with ease, as she hadn’t been wearing much to begin with. She held one hand under the water to test the temperature. She then ‘realized’ he was still there. “Oh…are you sure you didn’t want to stay. I mean, if you wanted a shower too there is plenty of room.” Even though her voice was smooth and confident, the blush coloring her cheeks told of her nervousness.
He blinked and then turned. His eyes widened at the sight of her bare backside. "I-I..." For a moment he merely starred and then took a step and then took a step back. "I--y-yea." Taking in a deep breath he tried to relax his hormones. "I...I should go...good...have a good shower."
She slipped under the stream holding her face up to feel the raining water. “This is the best shower I’ve ever been in,” she observed as the water streamed down over her. She shook her tail to sprinkle the water off of it and giggled, flicking her ears under the stream as she turned to look at him, facing him front-wise now, the water cascading over her. "Okay I will..."
Taking in a deep breath he turned and left, though it took all his willpower. He leaned against the closed door, trying to catch his breath and banish the image of her from his mind. He didn’t have a lot of success. "I...god, what is wrong with me?" he thought to himself.
She sighed and her ears dropped as he walked out, her tail drooping. She had really wanted him to stay. She then turned to look at the soaps and selected one that smelled nice. She lathered it up between her hands and started to spread it on her body, singing softly a Neko-demon song to herself.
Brushing some of his hair from his face he relaxed. Well, he relaxed somewhat and then sat down on the bed, taking in a shallow breath. He felt a little better. He would be fine, as long as he didn’t see his little Neko naked again for a while. Listening to her sing he growled softly. Her voice was beautiful, alluring even. God, his grip on his physical desire was weakening.
She continued to sing as she rinsed herself off. She then looked around and didn't see any towels. Halting her song, she sighed and shook herself semi-dry and then walked out to the bedroom. She titled her head. Some of her wet hair clung to her body, while the rest hung free to below her waist. "Uh, I didn't see any towels and," she blushed, "I don't have any other clothes."
Looking up when he heard the door open he gasped when he saw the naked neko before him. "I--I..." Taking in a deep breath he brushed his air from his face and then his entire face turned a light shade of pink. "Here. Just...here." He took off his shirt and then literally put it over her body and turned around, facing away from her.
She blinked and sighed again. She tried to pull on the shirt but then blanched. It smelled like alcohol and that...girl. She hissed and threw the shirt across the room. She knew she needed a towel anyways; she still wasn’t completely dry. "I can't wear that shirt! It smells like alcohol and ...her." Her ears twitched and then she looked at him. "Why won't you look at me?" She slinked across the room to him and leaned towards him, still naked and wet. "I'm not that bad-looking, am I?"
Turning around he looked at her and then pulled open a drawer. He grabbed a towel and quickly wrapped it around her. "No, that is the problem. You look absolutely beautiful. Too beautiful. That is why I cover you up. So that I do not see you and I do not want you." Even if that is impossible, he thought to himself. He still anted her, and images of her, naked or otherwise, haunted his mind no matter what else he tried to think about.
Her tail flicked once. "But I want you to see me. And I want you to want me!" She sounded very determined and her eyes flashed once and she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. Then, letting the towel drop to the floor, she pushed him over onto the bed, putting her hands on either side of his head as she was perched on top of him, doing her best to ignore the scent of the other as she kissed against him. The desire that had been burning dully for the past two days, the desire she still did not understand, took over her in one burning flame of passion. Her lips crashed onto his and this time she slipped her tongue into his mouth, letting her weight rest on him as their bare chests pressed together and her arms circled around his head, one hand stroking through his hair as she kissed him.
He didn’t respond at first, too shocked at her sudden action to stop her. In fact, when they toppled onto the bed he felt himself returning her kiss and his arms itched to fold around her. Then he came to his senses and he groaned, forcefully pushing her off of him to stand. “Why must you tempt me so?” he asked in a grustrated whisper, looking at her as he controlled the urge to return to the bed with her.
She sat on the bed and looked at him calmly, though her ears drooped a little. "Because I feel inside of me this strange desire to be with you, touch your skin, feel your lips on mine. I don't know what it is and I can't explain it but all I want is to be everything to you as you have become everything to me."
"No. No. Do not say that. Do not ever say that to me!” He gripped her shoulders and shook her. “You are just trying to get close to me so that you can take my empire and everything that I hold dear! Well, I will not allow you to. You are a witch with your beauty and I can not give in to your temptress ways!"
She looked at him and her ears dropped and her tail melted from where it had been waving in the air. She looked down so that her hair slid over her face. She wanted to hide the tears in her eyes. "I am, as a Slave-Lady, bound to never betray you by a magical force. But even if were weren't, I would never betray you. I couldn't bear to; it would tear me apart inside. I thought you would know that. I guess you don't. Not only that, but how can a slave betray you? I am just a slave, I have no power to harm you or take away what is yours.”
Taking in a deep breath he starred at her for a long moment and then realized that he was gripping her arms and let go of her slowly. "You are right. I am sorry." Taking a step back he went to the window and put his hands on the sill, bending his head down and closing his eyes.
She looked at him as she massaged her arms where he had gripped. She wondered which part she was right about. Was she just a slave to him? Or was she right that she couldn't betray him? Either way, she just wanted to go. She turned and went into her room and looked at the bed.
Swearing under his breath he ran his hand through his hair and then walked into the shower, trying to relax as he turned the water on to cold and stepped in, putting his hands on either side of the wall to balance himself. After a moment or so he walked out, nude, and then grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, cold air blowing in and touching his skin. "Damn it," he muttered softly under his breath and then reached for his clothes.
