Reviewing the Situation.... (Dimitri)

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

Dimitri waited by the door to the cell, in a few moments two more orcs appeared rolling a new device thusfar covered with a white sheet, the grin that met Dimitri's mouth with this event was beyond horrible. Glorious pride and lust came to his mind as he looked at this hidden device of his own invention. "I am going to let you sit on the Wladisyaw throne my dear."

He said the words softly, slowly he turned, two of the orcs left leaving only the two standing resolutely near Avrie. They were disiplined orcs and clearly respected the captain, unlike most orcs they remained wonderfull quiet and loyal.

He moved over to her and was about to run a finger up her spine when he noticed one of her arm restaints was gone, "Wha..."

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

The orcs were big... bulky... clumsy. She hoped it was enough. It had to be enough. She couldn't... wouldn't abide Dimitri's touch any longer. Better them, she thought... better them by far than him. And when he spoke, she knew it had to be enough. If he caught her this time, if he touched her once more... even now she couldn't get the sensation of his tongue off her toes... she'd break and she knew it. Avrie had never known true terror until now. And she'd found the point where she couldn't simply go any further, not and have any hope of coming out on the other side with a semblance of who or what she once was. As he moved around her, made his threats, spoke of a throne... her fingers curved into claws and bile rose in her throat. Run... everything in her demanded it of her. She was free... for now... and hitting him and proved futile.

She also knew she didn't have a chance. But she wasn't not going to try.

As soon as the words were out of of his mouth... the soft "Wha..." she surged to one side and rolled off the device, landing hard on the stone floor, her broken septum screaming in pain. But it didn't stop her. It couldn't. She found wings with her fear and bolted, hoping that because they'd been moving big objects, and thought her secure, the door would be unlocked, open... and the guards shocked enough for her to get past. If she could just get to the corridor and run, she'd have half a chance. It didn't matter that the building might be crawling with Dimitri's people. She wouldn't lay down and cry... not her. She'd run, fight if she had to... find a weapon... kill him.

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

Dimitri stood aside and smiled as she fled, he let her run even, he was impressed by her fortitude and he had had his fill of torture, the Wladisyaw throne would have deformed her too much, a torture too cruel if he wished to stay in the good books of Anora.

She would be caught of course, no use her running out all naked and bloody. No he had had the torture and now he would begin to prepare his defense to Anora and the world.

Two men in the corridor would catch her easily enough, a broken nose did not do much good for the balance and her injuries and loss of blood would make her lightheaded, her fight could not be doubted but some odds were too great even for her skill at survival. Men of the guard were skilled at restraining prisoners, they carried looped ropes ready to be tightened on the wrists of prisoners and they were fastened around Avrie, she would be led back along the corridor into a door across the hall from the torture chamber.

Inside it was a bath, large enough for a small number of people. It suited many needs, sometimes Dimitri drowned people in it, sometimes he bathed in it and today he was to bathe his dear prisoner.

She was given over by the guards and Dimitri immediately went behind her and clasped her with one hand around her waist to hold her still. The other hand held her head up so she could listen to him. "Now look Avrie, if you persist in the struggle you are going to die, you will die of blood loss or I shall drown you myself." He smiled and clicked his tongue thoughtfully, "I am going to clean you and give you some nice new clothes and use my magics to heal you...for I am a good man in that regard, I always clean up my messes when I make them." He paused, "Understand, or do you want to indulge your inner wildcat and struggle you way down to the hells?" His hand carefully rubbed her tummy, fondling the slight swell.

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

The flight took the last of her strength. And when the guards caught her it was as if they were catching a child. There was no struggle left in her. She hadn't eaten the whole of the day, and while it was true that she was bruised and battered... the dizziness and weakness she didn't equate to blood loss because she'd never suffered any. They took her back to him. They weren't gentle nor where they rough... impersonal. It was worse than either extreme, she decided as she stood before him, uncaring that the whole of her person was exposed for his eyes. Her hair was wet, matted, tangled... and coated with blood that had once flowed in both their veins. Her bronzed skin was darkened in too many places to count. Some bruises were the shape of his hands while others were the shape of their blows traded in equal measures. Her face was a mess and her eyes dull with fatigue. She felt like curling in a ball and sleeping. Bloody rings around her wrists and ankles shouldn't have been there save for what she struggled.

It was only when his hand traced the slight thickening of her waist did she really hear his words. If she behaved, she'd live. She blinked the dullness out of her eyes and really looked at him, and read the expression clearly. Even in this, Venn had saved her by what he had gifted to her and Dimitri knew it. Dimitri hadn't truly touched her because of who else had. A memory of love filled her then... a powerful feeling that the blows had driven out of her before, driving her past any semblance of civilized behavior. Inner wildcat. Dimitri had called it true and in his touch reminded her why such things couldn't always be allowed to rage. If he was looking, really looking, he'd see her quiet and understand in that instant he'd won.

She started to speak but her voice cracked. It was no lyrical husky bardic whisper. It was the voice of an abused throat, fresh from screaming and hissing and indulging in more primal things. Avrie tried again and this time got a few words out. "If... this was just you and me, it wouldn't end until then... until someone died. But it isn't, and you know it." She took a harsh breath, swayed slightly on her feet and shifted to keep herself upright. She was so tired... but she must make him understand. "I'll... " She couldn't finish saying it, but the meaning hung between them very clearly. She'd behave for him... not for herself, but for the love of her children and lifemate. But something else hung there too, heavy and apparent in her eyes as she looked at him. Hate.

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

"No interaction is between just two people Avrie, so many beautiful external factors to consider in every moment." He gently patted her tummy and smiled knowing at last he had found the chink in her steadfast armour.

He would help her step into the bath, a great tin thing that held warm water, evidently it had been prepared during her torture by a gaggle of servants the gaol employed. Dimitri was nothing if not preapred.

He himself was soon disrobed, and for the first time Avrie would seem him without his armour and silks, but rather in his most impressive form, as a specimen of a man he was impressive but of course she knew of the cold and calculating cruelty that hung behind his eyes. He would step into the tub with her and pull her down him him keeping a hand on her belly to remind her of her duty.

Casually he rested his own head against the back of the tub and then rested her head against his chest, already dried blood seeped away from her body and turned the water a light crimson, herbs and salts had been added to the water, they were uncomfortable on her wounds for a moment but would certainly help heal them.

"Sleep for a moment Avrie Eventide, imagine my chest is that of his and you are at peace, I know you are so tired." She would be able to sleep and he would be able to hold her and maintain an elaborate fantasy he maintained in his mind, of a glorious world where both Eventide sisters were his to enjoy.

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

She understood what was happening and that Dimitri was painting a fantasy for both of them in his own mind. Like a unruly child brought firmly into check by a parent, Avrie allowed him to lead her into the bath. She knelt then settled completely when he pressed her to do so. Her body was stiff and unyielding as he pulled her back against his chest. No... Dimitri would never be Venn Drega. There was no warmth flooding her, no playful need to turn and nip his jawline and tease him into something more than a bath that would last for hours and leave them both satisfied to the core of their beings... and perhaps too lazy to even bother to get out of the bath before they slept. She was a bundle of energy with the Naturan Silverstar, bold and fearless both as a lover and a friend. But... this was different. This was a yielding that cost her something on a deeper level. It shattered resolve and sent a knife through the heart of the Cougar, skinning it and leaving its pelt out in the sun to dry after scraping. The blood in the water probably suited Dimitri as much as it horrified Avrie. But she was so tired... too tired to even care that she could feel all of him against her bare back. Too tired to care too that his hands wrapped around her and kept her pressed back against him. Wounds stung in the treated bloody water, but it was a feeling Avrie welcomed for it made her feel a little bit more alive in the etherealness of the scene. Did he know she was a Zarlista, a ‘water touched' spirit and this was the way to pierce her resolve? And though he'd tried to drown and break her in her element with violence, this was more thoroughly the way to go about such things?

His breathing moved her body lightly and she found her eyes drifting closed. Tears fell then, concealed from him by their positions, creating long ugly rivets of bloody salted water as they passed by her nose and ran off her cheeks. She cried silently though... broken.... useless now. Dimitri's hand continued to caress her stomach as if what she carried inside her was indeed his own."No interaction is between just two people Avrie, so many beautiful external factors to consider in every moment." Anora. Venn. Dimitri. Avrie... how many others? The words haunted her even as she fought the need to sleep and lost the battle held tenderly in the arms of her enemy.

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

He held her softly and let her sleep, as she did so he took a small flanel and gently rubbed it over her body removing the cracked blood and anything else that had stuck to her body. He was caring and considerate, gently removing the blood from her nose but with a light touch so as not to hurt her, it was as though they had had a hard day and this was the time they could calm down and exist together as lovers. Of course they were not, but Dimitri enjoyed his power, he had worn her out through torture and now she was too exhausted and she relied on him to fix her with his magic.

Carefully he ran a hand through her hair, he removed grime and more blood and began to gently massage her scalp, it was once more rather loving and careful, one mate grooming another, in his mind this was somewhere between that happy circumstance and combined with cleaning a toy to make it look its best.

The hair would soon be an acceptable state, then he would begin to braid it while she slept, carefully done in the Vortexian way, the hair rigidly controlled around the back of the head and melded into a wonderful ring in on the back of the head with a small braided ponytail appearing from the right side of her head and hanging down over her shoulder. The way only Vortexian noble women had their hair, and now Avrie had it also.

Carefully he would nibble on her ear, gently kiss the side of her face and stroke her belly until she awoke again and became a more sentient plaything.

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

The sleep was not restful, but it was necessary. It did two things really. It allowed her to regain a bit of strength, calm down, and let the panic subside a bit so she could function outside of hysteria and panic. The second thing it did was allow her to escape him for a little while. Normally, she wouldn't have let herself drift off, but the exhaustion was crushing and her anger could only be sustained so long. As it was, she was tired often, and wouldn't have been traveling in the first place if it hadn't been for the funeral. But this... even more than escaping the cougar in the forest, was one of the hardest battles in her life. And it was one she knew on so many levels she'd lost.

Hadn't she? Avrie simply couldn't think of anything else she could do to change the situation. All she could think of was surviving it. Dimitri had killed before. He'd admitted that. Would he kill her? Would her face spare her just because she looked like Anora? Anora......

Dangerous thoughts. Anger rose then, partially waking her to the point she could feel his grooming, his gentle cleaning of her hair. Anora had turned her affections on this man and loved him after her own fashion. Avrie had a fierce desire to protect her sister, but that protection was torn. Protect her by telling her that this man was a monster? Protect her by driving her twin away from him? Or let her find a measure of happiness and trust that this man would not harm her? No... that wasn't right. Avrie's mind was working in circles and racing down dark alleyways that had no exits. There was no clear path, for the first time in her life, and no true understandings of the impact of what was happening here.

Her hair was put up, lovingly, and she kept her eyes closed the whole time. He'd know she was awake though, because her breathing changed and her back stiffened once more. There was nothing she could think to do but wait. But she couldn't... not really.

"It's a lie, Dimitri. The whole of this... is a lie. You're treading on dangerous ground and weaving lies and deceptions in a game that could destroy you in the end. The truth always has a way of getting out, regardless of how we try and hide it...." Her voice was tired, staggered almost, and ill used. It was barely a whisper, and she blinked as her strength returned and gave her the ability to cry once more. Tears wet her lashes, but she was still facing away from him, glad for it now too. His hands had been on her, but she was past the point of caring. She had pride left, and dignity, though both in only shredded measures. And she clung to them, holding them only as her own.

Enough... she decided suddenly, tiredly. She had enough. Avrie turned then, looking over her shoulder at Dimitri. Her face was a mirror of her sisters, but Dimitri having known them both could never now fail to tell the two apart. Even with an arisocratic uptwisted braid, she could never be a noble. Gypsy... held a gypsy in his arms, one that was every bit a lady, but not what his beloved was. Her voice was exhausted, still broken... useless. So she asked him with her eyes. Let me go.... haven't you had enough?

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

Dimitri hummed in a perfect picture of bliss as he held her and toyed with her, the domestic idyll was painted before him and he loved it. How glorious it was to posess and not to coexist with something. A woman was perhaps in his mind the finest thing to exert ones will over, such a challenge and promising such rich rewards in the end.

She woke and his covetous mouth stopped its nipping and kissing, instead he listened to her when she spoke and gently soothed her with gently cooing noises. Her belly was still given some affection with his hand, he enjoyed the stroking it made him feel so close to life and the soul of Avrie, it made him feel powerful.

He smiled at her words and relied in his own rasping and beautiful voice, too beautiful for him, "Oh Avrie, I cannot be destroyed now, I have been broken for many many moons, have you not worked that out yet?" He chuckled to himself and cast his head back and stretched his neck, "Lies are the basis of life Avrie, we all have so many lies binding us together, I care little for a few more when as a reward I get you and I get such perfect bliss for my soul."

She turned her head but Dimitri wanted more, he turned her fully so she faced him. His invasive eyes drank in her form for a few moments before he drew her to him, he embraced her warmly, one hand trailing over her buttocks and the other about her waist and pushing her into him. He made sure her ample chest pressed against his and her head was but a few inches from his. His eyes locked with hers, those great blue windows seemingly so foreign on a man of the dark lands, he stared into hers for a moment. They seemed to suggest many things to her, they suggested that she should fight, butt her head directly into his nose, take a bite from him again, spit in his face. The other suggested eternal peace, a warm and melodic embrace with a man of proud physical attributes and some beauty.

His lips curled into a slight smile and his lips pursed and unleshed those three devilish words, those words that in human civilization had caused so much ill, "I love you."

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

A hundred thoughts went through her head. A thousand violences that she wanted to commit against his person painted a dark and bloody masterpiece on the canvas of her mind. She reflected on each one and discarded it... not possible... not feasible... too messy... there was no way she could carry most of it off. And then the thought struck her, a last firm thought that overshadowed all the others that had come before.

He was making his illness her own.

Her mind had no place for such things. Violence rarely touched her life. Her heart was filled with music and joy and the gift of family and more than anything else, love. Not his brand of covetous love, nor the need to possess and control. No... his poison had been seeping into her system as deeply as his blood when she swallowed it down into her stomach.

So she listened to his words, remained still, let him do what he would with her form. All the while she watched silently as he drew her closer, and gave her words that held no meaning between them. Her answer was a soft sigh. "You don't know the first thing about love, Dimitri. And for that, I'm truly sorry. If you did, this wouldn't have had to happen." She whispered in as loud of a voice as she could manage. Her hand came up and traced his jawline, touching him as she would a piece of artwork she was unsure of. More thoughts came... if her nails were longer, her teeth sharper... and she could taste his blood once more.

She pushed them away. They weren't her way, not now... not ever if she could help it. The bardess sighed, took a deep cleansing breath, and whispered softly. "I forgive you, and I'm sorry that the world has made of you such a monster." The bardess said, eyes soft now, having lost their glint of steel and rage. She was just too tired to maintain it... too broken to be that which he wanted her to be. Avrie suspected that half of what Dimitri liked about her was the fire. If it was gone, would he too lose interest?

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

"Your enjoy your own wisdom so much Avrie Eventide." He paused, "Your view of the world is glorious is it not, where lovely deer roam in arcadian hills and drink from bubbling brooks." He smiled at her and quickly darted in stealing a kiss before pushing her away from him and letting her rest in the middle of the tub by herself.

"My love may be somewhat different than yours, I do not view love as respect and commitment it is true, for me it is possession and jealousy, sexual excitement and illicit thrills." He paused, "It also means protecting those you love above your own life, it means doing what you can to help them." He paused, "I do love you Avrie, you will never understand it but you can beleive it."

He leant back against the bathtub and ran a wet hand through his hair, "Oh please, you dont forgive me one bit, you are defeated my dear and you seek a sort of victory." He chuckled, "I would not forgive me, I am not crafted by the world, I was eductaed in the church and had a loving family, I have merely reached certain conclusions about life, love and morality. I go my own way, a way that provides me with a generous lifestyle and a rather fun range of hobbies."

He pushed himself away from the side of the back and moved over to her splashing water at her face playfully, "Now ask me nicely to use my magic to heal your nose and your cuts, we want you nice and presentable for when I give you back to Venn." He grinned and splashed more water, "I could teach you a few tricks, I imagine he makes the act of sex a rather sorry affair, the church views it as a necessary evil, then again he was never good at towing the line in the church." He smiled and moved over to her slipping behind her and running a wet tongue along her right ear, "Next time he takes you, rake your hands over his back and bucks your hips like a horse...." He grinned and whispered further, "Although I imagine you have had practice with enough farmboys in your time, is that right free spirit?"

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

She remained silent through his entire speech and kept her eyes downcast, not even remotely looking at him. One was black and swollen, though it didn't hinder her sight. She stood by her words, her forgiveness, and believed nothing he said about his upbringing being loving. "Your education leaves a lot to be desired." The bardess said softly, almost beneath her breath. The truth was that she couldn't look at him, not at all... and though she had no choice at his touch, her options were somewhat limited now. Avrie's mood had moved from violence to stoic endurance, even if it was tinged with exhaustion. Her thoughts moved from him. He wasn't enough of a man to hold her attention. A bully, obviously ill in the head... somewhere in her mind a decision was made. She didn't know if Dimitri could be helped, but she'd do her best to keep Anora out of his clutches. Once she got free, if she survived this, she'd find a time and a place to tell her sister... everything. Even as water splashed her face playfully, causing her to glance up, she knew suddenly that if she didn't tell Anora how big of a monster Dimitri was, she'd be doing her sister the worst sort of injustice. How? She couldn't think of how... her head pounded too much, her broken nose ached. Her jawline smarted where he'd slapped her repeatedly, and she licked at a broken lip. She wasn't sure her scalp was even intact because he'd yanked at her hair so often.... she frankly ached, everywhere, and was somewhat in shock at all the violence. Numb shock... but she fought for her thoughts.

Dimitri kept speaking and Avrie only half listened. When he began commenting on her husband, Avire said nothing as well. There was no way she'd expose the sanctity of her relationship with Venn to Dimitri here and now. It had no place, and she wanted no taint on it. His comment about farm boys fell on deaf ears, though she did move her head aside and away as he licked her ear.

And as for healing.... she'd take nothing from him. Avrie wanted nothing, but the ability to stand up, put a robe on, and walk out. But she wasn't going to say it. Ever.

[Dimitri Wladisyaw]

Dimitri chuckled to himself at her silence and stood. He was for a moment resplendant, a good image of a man, the best of his bleak city. Slowly he moved away from her and sat upon an edge of the bath and began to softly enter clara. It would not take him long to find it, finding the strands about him and weaving them into a careful cuccoon.

Softly he focused and wafted his hands before him, he carefully moved the cuccoon around Avrie and focused his energies on healing, softly he would heal the wounds he could, all cuts and bruises would be gone, the larger wounds would look better but would still hurt, and the mental scars could never be healed save by a very good mystic.

Upon completion Dimitri would wipe his face with his hands, "Arcana is so draining, the art of a druid is refreshing however, a powerful sphere." He smiled, "The Naturan druids raise pretty trees and so forth, nature is in my mind a force to be raised, a potent power that can crush and rend flesh from bone, a force that can tame even the wildest animals." He paused, "Though I fear I would need to get a mystic to deal with you Avrie Eventide, what a wonderous idea, a puppet to perform any tricks I wanted." He smiled and leaned forward, "Maybe a trigger word, whenever Venn says I love you, you stab him, how would that be?"

He smiled at his own sadism, not revealing for the moment the lack of a good mystic in his service to perform the trick. He stepped from the back and nodded to her, "Now we must make an arrangement, for I will be in trouble if you decide to reveal all." He paused, "So an agreement, I will keep you in here for one night and not touch you again and tomorrow dump you on the street." He paused, "You do not speak of this to anyone and I will be kind, if you tell Anora, Venn or anyone else I will commit a few acts."

He paused and smiled, "First I will attempt to kill you and your little friend you nurse inside you, then I will find a way to kill Venn, I will then kill every gypsy I can lay my hands on." He paused and stroked his chin carefully, "I hope by now you have no doubt as to my resolve, I will marry your sister and make her happy and you will be far away in Natura or Daltina or wherever." He chuckled, "Unless I want you, then we shall see...."

[Avrie Eventide Drega]

She simply sat there, saying nothing and watching him not at all. Her attention drifted, focusing inward, and longing suddenly for the cool protection of the Ambarando where this would have never happened to her. The bardess knew without a doubt she'd rarely, if ever, stray from its protections in the future... if she survived this. So focused were her thoughts on the cool blue-green river of energy that she barely noticed him exiting the bath. She wouldn't look at him, not caring about his beauty or ugliness... nor would she notice his arcana. She fled in her mind, as far away as she could... so far in fact that she could smell the fresh air of the dolwoods and the soft fur of a cougar as it wrapped around her protectively.

Both images soothed her... and she relaxed even more, even as some of the bruises healed.

But as for deals, she'd make none. She wasn't sure she could face her mate after this anyhow. And if she couldn't protect herself, how could she protect a child in the future? If he killed her now, it'd be a relief. She wouldn't have to face Anora like she knew she had too...e Nor would she be obligated to destroy her happiness by telling her what sort of monster she was engaged too.

The bardess sighed softly, almost silently... and said nothing else.