Ilea's Suite

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale enjoyed Ilea's rapt and devoted attentions, though his mind was already reaching out to the Amber Forge. Giving commands and guiding its power was already becoming second nature, near habitual. Golems swiftly moved through its halls and chambers to transfer materials to the facilities where they would be shaped. By dawn, the product of Shale's recent innovation would be ready.

But, the stage had to be set. He began humming softly and absently as he crafted golems without moving, golems that could accomplish his will overnight. The taint in this land was the biggest difficulty in ruling it. So, he had to manage that issue while attending to the... discipline issues of the local population that had been under its sway.

Rewards and punishments were both traditional methods of instilling obedience and gaining loyalty. But, there were ways of punishing that simply had not been used before. Indeed there were ways that were slow and patient enough to terrify the most long-lived of species.

In the Forge, needles of silver taller than a grown man but thin as hair were forged. Golems with four legs and long tails tipped with great drills appeared in the basement of the castle and made their way outside before disappearing into the darkness. By morning, the wilds would host ten new wells. But these wells would never be used for water. Pierced into the ground at the bottom of each well through a basin of glass would be a spelled silver needle, so deep that only an inch could be seen. Walls of stone would surround these wells and roofs would cover them. In that darkness, the needles would begin their work. Gradually, droplets of darkness deeper than night would gather at the tip to run down that inch of needle to pool in the glass basin. The taint of Goh was being drawn from the land like poison from a wound. But, this was only part of Shale's plan.

This taint was nothing so simple as 'evil'. It was tainted divinity. Leaving it in so pure a form and collected so nicely was an invitation for others to take it. Of course, this is why he made ten wells instead of one great well. Furthermore, each well was guarded by a range of golems that monitored each other, the area, the well, and the contents of the well. If anything changed more than a certain allowed amount, not only would an alarm be raised and intruders attacked, the needles would disintegrate violently. This would force all of the remaining gathered taint back into the ground through the shattered remnants of the basins. The most any raider would get would be the contents of one basin. And that would prove an expensive gain.

The taint would be pure but not completely. Fully refining something like that would take more than a mere needle in the ground. Shale had a method in mind to fuse it with amber and gold from the Forge, turning it into a dark tear-like gem that could be consumed. Those who earned punishment would be made to swallow it. The tiny amount of taint inside would react with what their bodies already contained. They would crave it beyond all else in the world. The amber, meanwhile, would fuse with their blood and the gold with their bones. One such punishment would cause immense pain and an eternal addiction. Two would cause total lack of sensation in the body and turn the addiction to madness. Three... three would turn the person into a living golem without the ability to move unless commanded and raise the addiction to a song of suffering that would have far surpassed any living races ability to survive it. Of course, with a living golem body, death would no longer be within reach. Those who earned such punishment would never know that freedom, unless they were given mercy in destruction.

As for rewards for the loyal... That idea would take less time to prepare but more time to implement. The first thing he needed would be to set goals ahead of his people. The second would be to give them knowledge of the reward that he offered to those who contributed toward the completion of his goals.

His grip on Ilea tightened slightly. For the first time, he felt excitement without fear. This... dominating this place... would be fun.  

[Red Gypsy]

Haeo

Red Gypsy

Ilea's breathing increased when he tightened his arm around her. She could feel that he was excited, but not exactly why. There were times that she couldn't pick up much through the bond they shared, but she didn't complain about it. She actually liked it, to be honest. It kept things interesting for her and she didn't fear it with Shale, as she had with Goh.

She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder and slid her body against his as she tightened her arm over his waist, giving a small sound of desire as she seemed to almost feed off of his excitement. This was a first for her, to be honest. With Goh, she'd only felt desire if he wanted her to, she could also only experience pleasure if he wanted her to. He'd controlled all of that. But with Shale, she was experiencing it on her own.

She'd already decided to do whatever it took to keep him alive and safe. She only hoped that she'd be able to succeed.

In that moment, she thought she knew what he'd felt that day when she'd faced Goh... What he'd felt in sending her up to the top of that tower...

What she felt, exactly, in that moment, she couldn't define. She simply found herself sitting up to straddle his waist and leaned down to kiss him, suddenly needing to feel... She didn't know what it was but she needed him in this moment, to help her deal with whatever emotion was overloading her right now. All she could really think of was one sentence, 'I can't lose him...' She didn't actually say it, but it was almost screaming in her soul.

She didn't know why she felt like this all of a sudden, beyond feeling like this for the first time. She'd never felt this panicked sensation over someone, the thought of losing someone. She didn't know how he'd managed it when she'd gone to fight Goh, she simply didn't know how he'd let her go like that, how he'd let her face that and not gone insane...

She didn't even know why she was feeling this way right now. They were secure, they weren't currently at risk. Maybe it was the impending trip to the village. Maybe it was the fact that she was feeling for someone for the first time and wasn't sure what to do with that feeling. Maybe it was simply that she had something to lose for the first time in her life, besides her life...

 

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale's skin tingled pleasantly as Ilea shifted. It would take a lot to break his concentration under normal circumstances, but this was a bit different. Ilea was very, very high on his list of priorities. Every change in behavior, every moment of growth, was fully worthy of his attention.

And her needs were also worthy of his devoted efforts.

He could sense her sudden need and uncertainty, her fear and growing panic. As her choice of position roused his passions, and he answered her lips with a strong welcoming kiss of his own, his hands took a more bold role in ensuring that she knew his possessive streak was as far from waning as could be imagined.

However, while he knew that Ilea was disturbed and panic stricken by something, he had a deep sense of comfort and security that kept him steady and his movements sure. He had nearly lost her, not once but several times. Yet, here they were. No enemy had remained standing. No threat had lingered for long in their path. Yet, he was unsure if this feeling was overconfidence. So, he didn't trust it. He would enjoy it while it lasted, but... a great part of their previous successes had depended on his paranoia. That was an advantage that he was loath to surrender to a moment's peace.

Shale did not want to feel the way he had back then... ever again. The very memory of that feeling as he had let her go... made his fingers twitch and his muscles tighten and tremble. It was with only with effort that he refocused his senses on the present, raising one hand to twine his fingers deeply in Ilea's hair so he could deepen their embrace.  

[Red Gypsy]

Haeo

Ilea got lost in the kiss as he returned it, feeling a burst of heated desire as he gripped her hair to deepen the kiss while his other hand moved possessively over the rest of her. He got her distracted from most of the desperate feelings she was experiencing, but it didn't take it away entirely.

This time they came together with a desperation for each other that wasn't sated for a few more hours, full of such intensity that she couldn't even scream. She was reduced to harsh breathing and near-painful gasps as she shuddered with aftershocks while he shuddered with her.

When she could finally relax a bit, she gently brushed his sweat-drenched hair back from his face as she searched his face for a long moment. When she did speak, her voice was a bit hoarse, from desperation this time instead of passion-induced screams, "Use the guards... I know you already promised, but please... I can't lose you..." she whispered it softly, but no less intensely.

In truth, she had something to lose for the first time in her life and it terrified her more than Goh ever had...  

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale's breath still shuddered from exertion as he drank in every detail of Ilea's face and form as she spoke. Their union had marked a critical change. They were, at last, no longer Master and Servant. The bond remained, of course, but this before him was Ilea's own feelings being expressed freely.

A part of him was overjoyed to have come so far. But, he was not oblivious to her lingering fears and worries. After all, while a slave may fear their master's death, it takes a true partner to hope for one's safe return. At last, Ilea knew what it was to be... in a sense, an owner. She now had something precious and dear to her.

Shale pulled Ilea down to rest atop him running his fingers through her hair over and over as their bodies began to recover.

"I will use them. I will use a few of my own as well. The people of this land have yet to see me. My introduction to them will need a certain flare. Besides, it would be silly of me to waste time dealing with every small rebellious moment using my own power. The people here... they need to know that even if I am not here, they cannot escape either my orders or the punishment for treason."

In order to keep this land under control, he would use fear and selfishness. Those who supplied him with what he wanted would have their loyalty acknowledged in a very tangible way. Those who did not cause problems would largely be left alone. Those who did cause problems, whether for the noted loyal ones or the Baron himself, would be punished in a truly inconceivable manner.  

[Red Gypsy]

Haeo

Ilea resisted laying down fully until she'd heard him, only then able to relax at all. She knew he needed to go to the village, to start taking over the rest of the realm. She knew that. But she still couldn't get past this one new fear. In truth, she didn't understand this fear.

With Goh, he'd been her creator, but he'd always been... something else... He'd actually 'died' twice in her past, but he'd come back. She'd gotten used to the idea of him always being there, of him being somehow immortal. This time, she knew he was gone for good.

With Shale, she went into everything knowing that he could be killed, that he could be hurt. For her, the only time she wanted to see him in pain was when he pushed her into clawing at him in passion. Everything else was nothing but terror for her. Add to it all that if he died, she would wake up to a new master... Well, she had every right to be afraid for him.

But in this moment, with his reassuring words, she relaxed and simply shivered as he moved his hands over her to soothe her, pressing her head to his chest to hear his strong heartbeat, "Thank you..." was all she said for a long time. She simply laid there and let him get her to relax again while he pulled the sheet over them to keep her from shivering from the cold instead of his touch.

After another long moment, she felt that she had to say something, "I've only ever had my life to lose before. It didn't matter to me before now. I can die and be brought back by my master easily. But I can't bring you back..." she admitted to him in a bare whisper. This was something that she knew he really couldn't help her with, but she had to tell him anyway.  

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale listened to Ilea's breathing as he held her in that soft quiet. There was nothing he could do for her fears without forcefully taking them away through the bond. But, that would stifle her growth. It would be both foolish and cowardly. But, he did consider it. After all, it was... rather painful to see her afraid.

Then, at length, she spoke her feelings and revealed her reality. To have nothing but your own life and for that to be almost impossible to lose... was something that Shale couldn't understand. He had always had goals, targets, plans. While he was mortal and would die at some point, he had never been overly concerned about it. After all, death was simply the end of all present concerns.

At least it used to be.

Now, he had his Lady Necromancer... his own most important person. The thought of being separated from her was agonizing the first time. Now, it was far worse. Now, he didn't simply have to fear that she would die and leave him alone. He had to be concerned about what would happen to her in the event of his death.

That memory of pain, of needing to save her, flowed through him like glacial sludge, sickening and bitterly cold. His fingers wandered over her body, tracing each place where he had seen a wound on her with feather-light caresses. He had no words for this moment, no answer to Ilea's feelings and fears. He would be cautious. He would be ruthless. But, so long as he lived, he would be as much hers as she was his.

A soft determination sparked to life in him. He would grow in power. Perhaps, he could find a way to make himself... more difficult to kill, if not immortal. Then again, being immortally wed to his Ilea didn't seem like a bad idea at all. He channeled a tiny bit of his magic into the sheet, causing it to develop a faint pattern of swirling lines that glittered like crystallized blood. The enchantment made the sheet warm, warm enough to ensure comfort. Furthermore, it enveloped both of them in a private envelope of his magic.
Shale's arms could only hold so much of Ilea at once. His magic, though, could hold every bit of her at once.  

[Red Gypsy]

Haeo

Ilea shivered with each touch he gave her despite the added warmth from his magic, simply reacting to him touching her. Then she realized where he was touching her and she cupped his face so that he looked into her crimson eyes.

"I cannot be killed now unless you put me there. All you have to do is think of it and I will heal. As long as you take precautions, you will live. Those wounds you're touching now... You healed them. They are now nothing but faint scars to remind you of triumph," she told him softly, hoping he would understand her this time.

"I cannot die unless you die first. For all of your power, all you have to do is use caution. Use the guards. Use your golems. Use your powers. Be cautious, be prepared," she added while his fingers smoothed over a much older scar that made her shiver for a different reason.

With his access to her memories, he could easily tell that she'd gained that scar from Goh. That day, he'd killed her deliberately for the first time, just to see what would happen. He'd brought her back, but that was just the first of many. And sometimes, he used that same spot to do it, causing the scar to become hardened and hold deeper into the tissue. Goh had killed her numerous times, perfecting his method of bringing her back each time. Every time she'd gone into the dungeon room, she didn't know if she'd be coming out again.

She'd gotten to the point that she'd enjoyed the chemical high that came with bloodloss and being brought back.

There were other scars that had been from Goh killing her for his experiments and Shale found each one, triggering her memories with each one he touched. She didn't know why he was so fascinated with her scars but she didn't question it.

For now, she moved her hands to his and moved them up between them so that she could press light kisses to his fingers, "You can heal me... I cannot die unless you want me to or you die before me... Keep those two in your mind..." she whispered again, needing him to truly understand what she meant.  

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale understood what Ilea said and he answered with a soft smile. But he also knew that Goh had tried to kill her without attacking the bond first. If he had believed that she could be killed permanently without Shale's permission, then there was probably at least one way. Besides, as strong as the bond was, this was a magical link and its power was limited. It could be overpowered or cut. Though, that would require immense power and control, still the possibility remained.

But, it was true that Shale himself was the weakest link between the two of them. He had to be cautious as he was the best way for any of Ilea's enemies to strike at her. Preparedness and contingency plans would likely dominate the future.

"I know, my precious Lady." Shale whispered.

Commands were already given and the Forge was producing a number of golems of various types to aid in securing the region. Among them were many small bird types as well as snakes and worms. The region's own dismal wildlife would be apt camouflage for such agents. But, their strength and speed were on another level. Once released, they would be able to gain dominance over the whole of Darkness Abounds. Any oddity would be reported. Any attack would be harassed. And rebellion... would be met with absolutely merciless force.

And... finally, though it would take a great deal of time and effort, Shale would make a golem avatar for himself. With it, he could rule this region 'in person' without leaving the safety of the Amber Forge. But, in this moment... he had a precious lady to comfort and reassure.

So, he pulled her down into a soft and lingering kiss and opened his mind to hers. Not everything was revealed, but all of his recent orders and preparations. The scale of control that he intended and the use for the taint, the design for a type of symbiotic golem that was meant to interface with undead and augment their abilities while covering for their weaknesses, his incomplete thoughts for half-living golem towers that might suppress the evils of the people who lived close enough to them, an enormous amount of information was there to be seen. He was planning to dominate this area so thoroughly that every movement of air, magic, fluid, or solid would be detected and assessed. And, at the center of this net of defenses would be an avatar golem body to act as decoy.

He was planning to take no chances, with his life or hers.  

[Red Gypsy]

Haeo

Ilea was shocked at his plans and preparations, clearly not expecting such perfect planning. She'd expected him to plan some, but not to such an extent. And in that moment, she truly knew how much he cared for her. For him to work so hard to keep himself alive, she knew that he'd taken her seriously and wouldn't risk either of them dying now.

She finally pulled back from the kiss and placed a lighter kiss to his cheek then one right over his heart. That kiss over his heart meant something special for the Demons and she knew it. It went far back in their history, so far back that what she was doing now would speak to instinct more than thought.

That kiss told a partner that they were willing to take on a Soul-Bond Mark of true Mates. Not all demons did it, though the tattoo's from the MArks were truly beautiful to see. It was a bite with a touch of power that spread through body and soul and bound them on a different level, with the tattoo forming on the skin as a visible sign of the bond. In truth, if he gave her his Mark, it would truly free her from the Master/Servant bond. At that point, if he died, she would truly die and not go into stasis.

She really wasn't expecting him to do it. But she wanted him to know how far she was willing to go for him. She didn't know if she could give him a Mark in return, but to carry his was something she'd never considered at all until now.

Still, she gave him that kiss over his heart then kissed his lips briefly again and finally settled down beside him. With him telling her his plans as he had, she settled down with no problem.

They would have to bathe and rest now, then prepare for the trip to the village, but she was calm now.  

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale was as pleased by Ilea's shock as he was by her willing devotion. Indeed, if the mark could be reciprocated, he might have considered that very reply. He could not imagine a future without her. Well, he couldn't imagine a future without her that didn't involve him shattering the world and slaying a few gods... but that should go without saying. Perhaps he could do something more permanent about his own mortality... but that would have to wait for a better time.

They did need to rest and some time was devoted to that necessity, but only after a soothing bath in which Shale indulged himself in caring for Ilea before allowing her to care for him as she wished. They both needed to avoid additional exertion. The morning would come all too soon.

---
Skip to morning, pre-dawn
---

With their bodies rested and refreshed it was time to begin the trip to the village. Most of the time, Shale preferred efficiency and speed. When he moved, he moved decisively. But this trip, he would take his time and ride their on his golem mount with a potent golem escort as visible security to deter the simple and arrogant and as a show of force to keep the timid cowed. The first batch of his smaller golems were ready for testing in the field as well. Their... unique aspects would prove useful for providing motivation to the reluctant. Even at a relaxed pace, the ride would not be long.

((Transition to Village at your ready.))  

[Red Gypsy]

Haeo

Red Gypsy

Shale caught Ilea smoothly as she slipped into unconsciousness. He might have lost his composure if not for the bond, through it he knew that she would be alright. This attack had been strange. The situation in Darkness Abounds was unusual, but, there were a couple points that made the assassin's target seem more reasonable to the baron's mind. Ilea had history here. No doubt, there must be a very long list of people who would wish harm on her. Furthermore, most of those on those lists would lack the knowledge to understand how best to hurt her.

That last... was a fortunate deficiency. Without it, Shale himself might be dead... and Ilea with him.

Shale gave only the briefest of commands to servants as he carried Ilea to her chambers, directing both the golems that continued to spread through the territory as well as his magic as it wove through Ilea's body and repaired the damage simultaneously. .She would need rest, though perhaps not for long. The shock of being the target seemed to have taken a greater toll than the bullet wound.

The intensity of his focus and the density of the swirling magic around him were so potent that even the untrained could feel its oppressive force. None remained close for any longer than they had to and soon Shale and Ilea were closeted off in Ilea's rooms. Shale didn't know why he brought her here rather than to his own quarters, unused though they were, or the Forge. Still, it had felt right.

Laying her on the bed, he checked her wound one more time. Reassured that she would live, he took time to clean her and remove her leathers. His magic and Ilea's own regenerative capability had closed the wound at both ends but it seemed that the interior healing would take a bit more. So, Shale ensured that she would be comfortable and removed his own garments to lay down beside her. He knew that his close proximity would aid her healing better than most other forms of treatment.

His guards stood ready outside the door and the Amber Forge continued its work in obscurity. There would be a great many changes to Darkness Abounds, that was certain. That... was certain indeed.

Ilea stayed unconscious for a while but relaxed as Shale laid next to her. Her skin healed easily, though the shoulder blade was taking a bit longer to heal. Thankfully, it hadn't been a fatal shot, despite the damage it did. Her golem had also taken injury when she'd been shot and now curled up to one corner to rest and heal. Bullets were apparently not something that had been planned for by any of them...

While they were in the bed, the bodyguards were doing their job and pulling the bullet from the guard that had gotten it. They simply did the job and sealed up that wound then silently placed the bullet on the bedside table and left them alone again.

Downstairs, the ten oldest dead she'd raised were waiting in the main room, showing a patience that only the dead possessed...


After a while, Ilea gave a soft groan as she started to wake. She started to move but held still out of long-habit when she felt the pain. Another moment and she blinked her eyes open to find Shale watching her with an expression on his face she'd never seen before and couldn't identify. She started to reach up to caress his cheek and frowned at the pain in her shoulder, then remembered getting shot.

She looked confused for a moment then gave a shrug of her other shoulder, "I think that's the first time I've ever been shot... I still don't understand them targeting me, though..." she said in a soft whisper, unable to help her confusion over it all.

She never thought of herself as being that important. Maybe more of a road bump in the way of attacking her master, an obstacle to overcome to get to the real target.

She also didn't understand what she'd done when she raised the dead this time, what it showed. In truth, she showed a level of power in necromancy that should have been impossible...  

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale watched and listened... then he suddenly snickered. It was a completely out of character thing for him to do but it burst forth in all its relieved brevity nonetheless. It was just so very much like her to miss something so obvious. When the snickering stopped, Shale spoke in a quiet voice.

"They don't know me yet. Why would they target a stranger when you are right there in front of them? More than that, they don't know the relationship between us. Why would they target me to get to you?" The enemy's ignorance had been their best armor this time. It would not help them forever. In fact, it would probably be useless within the week. "I need to prioritize countermeasures to more modern weapons... and uses for them. You need to heal, my golems need to be... upgraded."

He lay his head down on the pillow and stared at the ceiling for a moment. The urge to exterminate the village was still strong, but he controlled it. The people were not all his enemies, not yet. The ones who were, well... he'd find out who they were and deal with them... spectacularly. His hand found Ilea's and rested there. In that silence, many orders were issued to the Forge and the golems working there. Work would never end, not for Baron Shale.  

[Red Gypsy]

Haeo

Ilea tilted her head as he laughed. Alright, it was a snicker more than a laugh, but it was the first time she'd heard a sound of amusement from him. She found that she liked it.

But she did listen to him when he explained and considered it carefully before giving a slow nod. He was right. There was no reason for anyone to attack him yet. Perhaps after this incident... But she would be at risk for a while longer, or a target at the very least.

She considered her reaction in the village and pulled her lower lip between her teeth in a nervous gesture, "Were you able to stop me before I killed them all? I admit that I may have overreacted a bit," she asked him, hoping that she hadn't killed everyone in the village.

Pulling in new residents would be problematic for a while, as would breeding a new population for the village. Still, perhaps it was for the best for now... They could repopulate once they were more secure, once they were more ready...

She still wasn't used to the fact that she'd reacted so... emotionally... She hadn't thought at all when she'd seen the guards piling on top of him and felt the pain, thinking that he'd been hit instead of her. There'd literally been no thought, just a feeling of pure rage. She'd reacted according to that rage.

She was used to reacting with careful thought, not emotion. Reacting with emotion had triggered pain when she'd served Goh, so she'd gotten into the habit of careful thought and consideration, tactics had been foremost in her mind before.

She remembered raising the dead and setting them on the villagers, but not much past that....  

[Haeo]

Red Gypsy

Shale's fingers began to draw random shapes on Ilea's skin as his mind worked on the upgrades and alterations at the Forge. Still, he did hear what his lady said and answered with a small smile.

"That was a bit of an overreaction. Some of them survived. I don't have a full tally at present but, more than a few and less than a lot."

The greatest sense of disappointment that he felt about that incident's aftermath was centered around the successful flight of the assassins. While Ilea's undead had been aimlessly attacking, for the most part, the enemy had managed to make a sound getaway. They had managed to get away from the pursuit of Shale's golems too, somehow.

He would need to have golems meant for pursuit and live capture as well. He simply hadn't had enough time. Things were moving so fast and his enemies were well entrenched. He would have to...

Suddenly a wave of pain ripped and seared its way through his body from his toes all the way up to his scalp. Violent and sudden, the thing caught him unprepared. His muscles locked rigidly and his spine arched as a pained hiss escaped the grimace that was all that remained of his earlier smile. The pain didn't last long but its implications were far more unpleasant and would last far longer.

Shale knew that Ilea was distressed by his sudden convulsion. He caught his breath and gave hurried orders to the forge for the making of messenger golems and scout golems. The situation had just become very delicate.

"King Lareth is dead." He said. "Enemies have made their move."

There were two possibilities. Either it was an assassination and an attempt at a political coup, or it was an assault and the kingdom was at war. A baron of a little desired territory would not be of much use in matters of political intrigue, especially while not firmly established. But, war would demand much from every noble, especially without a king on the throne.