Five minutes passed like that and he wasn't able to hear anything other than the occasional giggle and name calling. "I guess, I misheard." Raymond decided that it was enough. He wanted to knock and let them know about his presence, however, he cautiously pushed it and opened a slit.
From the look of things, it was Ingrid's room. It was well lit, beautifully decorated, neat and clean. What he saw next, blew his mind. It was Suzanne and Ingrid, together, naked.
Raymond's eyes became as wide as saucers. His jaw dropped loose, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. The image was etched in his mind.
Suzanne was sat on the bed with her back to the headrest and Ingrid in her arms. They had snuggled against each other and their naked, milky legs were intertwined. Ingrid's head was rested on the shoulders of his aunt, and she was nuzzling Suzanne's neck.
"Uggh!" Raymond grunted unintelligibly.
The two women looked absolutely out-of-this-world gorgeous. Their bodies glistened in the light. Ingrid's blonde hair and Suzanne's violet ones appeared a little damp and Raymond licked his lips hungrily imagining the reasons for it. He was lost in his own little world, admiring the two mature women and their enchanting form, when all of a sudden, he heard his name being mentioned out of Ingrid's pouty mouth.
"Stop it, Suzanne! Ray is so much younger than me!"
"Oh, so he is Ray now?" Suzanne lifted the blonde woman's face by her chin.
Ingrid blushed slightly before she hummed her response, "He's cute!"
Raymond realized that he had been peeping on his own aunt, and that he shouldn't be doing this. However, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't bring himself to leave there. It was a chance, an opportunity to watch the Suzanne in all her naked glory.
Raymond did feel a little bit guilty, yet he reasoned that he didn't mean to do it, and it was all just an accident. Regardless, it was too good to pass up, and he didn't want to miss anything. He dared to extend the gap and listen closely, with his ears on alert and his eyes strained.
"He's sweet..."
"Of course, he's my Sweetie!" Suzanne smugly replied to Ingrid's mutter. Raymond fe
"The question is, what did you do after he, shall we say, exposed himself to you?" Suzanne continued in a tone that was a mixture of teasing and lustful.
"He didn't expose himself!"
"Did you want him to?" Suzanne throatily whispered. Listening to her, it made Raymond's blood rush to his dick. He always believed that his aunt was a sex-goddess and now it was proven true. Her tits, her massive tits, her thin waist, those mesmerizing curves and the bouncy ass, his eyes feasted on them, but there was more. The air around her was just too seductive to handle, he felt like he would faint from the heady feeling as he listened to her voice.
"Suzanne! You're so... so terrible and- and wrong!" Ingrid whined and hid her face by thrusting it against Suzanne's tits.
Raymond could see that Ingrid was a little shy and shaken. He recalled the angelic presence who had treated him only a few hours ago. She had almost seemed like a pious saint, as if she was above the worldly restraints and mortal desires. A fire of lustful urgency burned inside him watching the contrasting nature.
His hand moved downward and released his cock. The way Ingrid rubbed her lips over Suzanne's dark nipples, left him with no choice. Suzanne moaned and then pulled Ingrid's face in for a kiss. It was wet, it was hot. Their lips mashed against each other's and their tongues made sucking. Their heavy breathing and sexy moans were the only sounds in the room.
"You didn't answer me..."
"What?" Ingrid breathlessly asked.
"You know, if you wanted Sweetie to expose himself..." There was a twinkle in her eyes. Raymond didn't understand why she insisted on it yet even he was invested to know the answer to it. He was extremely interested.
"Stop it, Suzanne! I told you already... Ray is so much younger than me!"
"So?" Suzanne pressed on unwavering when Ingrid gave her a flabbergasted look. "So what? Didn't you like it when he played with your hair?"
"You saw it?" Ingrid squealed. Her face blushed as she escaped from Suzanne's arms. She seemed positively stunned. And so was Raymond. "You peeped on us?"
"What's wrong with peeping on my Sweetie?" Suzanne's face had a clueless expression, as if she couldn't comprehend the Ingrid's apparent shock.
Raymond was taken aback, not by his aunt's admission, but by how sensual she looked at the moment. Her head was tilted to the side, and her dazzling, violet hair dropped over one of her breasts. The image was breathtakingly erotic, accentuated by the glistening naked breast on the other side.
"I won't mind if Sweetie peeped on me too..." A drop of precum oozed out of his cock after that sentence of Suzanne. He could wrap his mind around the idea that his aunt would say something like that.
Ingrid shook her head and tutted, "oh, you dirty, dirty woman!"
"Look who's talking," Suzanne snorted and pushed Ingrid down. "Putting the moves on my Sweetie! Such a horny little hussy!"
"No, you don't. You, immoral woman!" Ingrid rolled them around with a giggle when Suzanne tried to pinch her nipples.
Raymond stroked himself as he watched the two gorgeous mature women frolic around, and he was not at all gentle. Suzanne's tits, those massive, beautiful tits, they jiggled as she pinned Ingrid underneath him. Her mesmerizing ass was raised high in air, pointed towards him.
"Oh my lord!" Raymond felt like he had been hit by a shockwave. His tongue rolled out, greedy to get a taste.
He ogled them hungrily, his whole being transfixed. There wasn't any sag in them, they were firm, they were perky, and appeared delectably delicious. He jerked himself picturing in his mind, the soft sensation of them if he could press his fingers to it. He wanted to massage them, knead them, die in them.
"Aunt Suzy!" He mumbled.
Raymond felt that his veins would burst if he stared at those hypnotic globes of flesh. However, as his eyes travelled down her impossibly voluptuous figure, he found out that it was impossible to feel anything other than carnal amazement.
Eventually, when he gazed at her bushy opening, he was frozen still. It was so beautiful, so inviting, that involuntary he humped the air. The little violet hair over it gave it a very exotic and arousing feel. His tongue rolled out and he panted in craving to taste his aunt, her moist pussy.
"You're so pretty!" Suzanne's lusty voice drifted in his ear. He looked up to find them locked in a passionate, wet, kiss. Her tits had perfectly rested over Ingrid's and shielded them from Raymond's eyes. He groaned in frustration, but was pacified by the heated tongue-play on display.
"... fuck!" He rubbed his thumb over his slick with precum mushroom head and mashed the small opening on it. "Aunt Suzy... you're killing me..."
The rustling of sheet broke his spellbound state. Their legs had entangled and were rubbing against each other. Their milky smooth skin looked wonderful as it gradually took on a shade of scarlet by the friction of their rubbing. He watched on hypnotized as Suzanne reached with her fingers and brushed them across Ingrid's lips.
"Fuck, this feels unreal..." Raymond jerked heavily. Suzanne's tongue and her fingers took turns to invade and defile the blonde woman's mouth.
"Ooh!" Ingrid's lewd moans drove him wild. He stroked with fervor as she writhed under the assault of her lover. Ingrid's hand suddenly took hold of Suzanne's breath-taking ass and yanked it down.
"Ah!" Raymond mouthed along with his aunt. Suzanne's back arched and her eyes closed as she shook her head. It was an image of mythical allure, a thing so incredibly beautiful, that Raymond was shell shocked.
Suzanne's heavy breasts pointed straight with her nipple glistening from the sweat. The heat of her lover's body seemed to radiate her being. Her violet hair draped over arched back and her ass jutted high after the impact.
Raymond gulped hungrily when Suzanne opened her eyes to smirk at Ingrid. She fed the blonde woman her finger and grinded her cunt over her lover's.
"So this is what you want?"
"Uggh!" Ingrid moaned as saliva dribbled down her lips and on her neck. Her gaze was smoldering, and her legs squirming.
"You, slut! Didn't you say he was too young? Did seeing his dick made you want to fuck it?" Suzanne asked and then pinched Ingrid at her nipples.
"No!" Ingrid denied, but Raymond watched she twitched uncontrollably at his mention. His throat felt dry and he jerked furiously.
"Oh yeah? You really don't want it?" Suzanne posed as her hips struck down over Ingrid's pussy.
"No- Yes!" Ingrid moaned and tried to rubbed her hands on the heavenly ass that had slammed down against her cunt.
"What is it, you want Sweetie's cock?" Suzanne penetrated Ingrid with her finger. She jabbed at her lover's cunt with a sloshing sound. Suddenly, Suzanne took away her fingers and asked throatily, "Which is it, cock or not?"
"No!" Ingrid flailed and sought after Suzanne's wet finger.
Suzanne obliged at her lover's urgency. The smell of pussy intensified and Raymond took a long sniff of it. His cock twitched as he watched Suzanne dominate a twitching Ingrid who looked nothing like the saintly presence of a few hours ago.
"Fuck me, Suzanne! Fuck me with your fingers!" Ingrid squealed. Suzanne covered Ingrid with her voluptuous body. Her tongue snaked out and took a long lick of the blonde woman's heaving tits. She mashed her thumb over the erect nub of Ingrid, while her fingers clamped on over Ingrid's leaking and twitching pussy.
"Ah Suzanne... please don't stop... rub my clit..." The quivering voice of Ingrid sounded extremely sexy. Raymond groaned deeply as his cock pulsed in his grip.
"Aunt Suzy!" He desirously mumbled.
Ingrid who had been wriggling under Suzanne, unexpectedly switched their positions. Raymond was fascinated when Ingrid's thin finger made contact with Suzanne's pussy lips.
"Ingrid! You, sneaky slut!" Suzanne throated lustily. She didn't try to overthrow Ingrid or stop fingering her blonde lover.
"Yes! Fuck me!" Ingrid ground her cunt on Suzanne's fingers. She thrashed her head and appeared to be riding a cock as she moved her hips with vengeance. "Fucking... fuck me!"
Lines of viscous liquid trailed down the legs of the two women. They were moaning and fingering each other while Raymond watched transfixed. The smell of their soaked pussy filled the room, and the sounds due to their heavy panting added to the charged atmosphere.
"You cock-crazed slut!" Suzanne teased. She removed her fingers from the soaking wet cunt and used them to rub Ingrid's jutting tits. Her fingers roamed over the massive flesh orbs, kneading them erotically; wildly.
Ingrid was getting breathless as their pussy lips mashed against each other. She rode Suzanne wildly, rubbing her clit over and over again. "Yes... just keep... like that..."
Raymond's hand was a blur as he watched the two mature women rub their pussies and massage each other's tits. It was the sexiest, hottest, most erotic thing he had ever witnessed. Their uninhibited and wild lovemaking had him on verge of cumming.
Suzanne spanked her lover before she whispered, "How did it look?"
"It was, was..." Ingrid grew breathless and shuddered a little as if the memory was too stimulating. She arched her neck and her free hand gradually sunk downwards to join the other one at her deliciously engorged clit.
Suzanne spanked her again and pressed on. "How did my Sweetie's dick look?" Her voice was like a sweet temptation of devil, unbelievably arousing yet calm at the same time. "Was it... fuckable?"
Ingrid paused for a moment, and then with a visceral cry she resumed her grinding, fervently. "It was so very fuckable! Ah!"
"You, slut! You, hopeless, horny slut!" Suzanne growled and spanked hard at the meaty ass of Ingrid.
Ingrid was like an otherworldly thing of sex and lust. "Ah! I'm close- Suzanne, I'm close..." She humped wildly. Her blonde hair was frazzled and her face disheveled. She was in a groove as Suzanne drove her wild with hands to her tits and those throaty whispers.
"You want to fuck my nephew? My Sweetie?" Suzanne spanked and pawed at the Ingrid's bucking ass, deepening the pink hue.
"Ah! Suzanne! I want-" Ingrid barely got out the words before another spank made her writhe with screams of carnal pleasures and desires. Her skin seemed to glow as the sloshing sounds echoed in the room. The scent of pussy intensified and so did the heat of their union. Surprisingly, it seemed with each passing second, Ingrid grew hotter and wilder, and when Suzanne whispered almost noiselessly, she lost all sense and thrashed violently.
"Cumming! I'm cumming!" Ingrid squealed. She sprayed her juices on her breathless lover trapped underneath her. It seemed endless. She crashed beside Suzanne, her body still shaking and spewing cunt juices.
"Oh my Lord! Aunt Suzy! Ingrid!" Raymond came at that cry of release. It was a cum of an earth-shattering proportion. His semen shot out in jets and his whole body twitched, almost in sync with Ingrid, who was holding on to Suzanne for dear life. His hips jerked and his tugged at his cock to let out that last bit of cum. He closed his eyes, fantasizing about the two women with him and furiously jerked until he felt spent.
"I- I should leave before they spot me..." He murmured after he had recovered from his knee buckling orgasm and had erased the traces of his cum.
Giving the two women one last yearning look, he left wearily.
***
Scene 9
The conference to discuss strategy and alliance for the upcoming war was about to begin. Atmosphere inside the hall was a bit solemn, as if everybody was waiting for someone. A few of the personnel were busy with the logistic work. The rest of the people kept silent, occasionally murmuring amongst their entourage. Everybody seemed focused and tensed, however, Raymond's mind was elsewhere. He was busy recalling the scenes from last evening. Even as the noises around him became louder, those highly erotic scenes kept replaying before his eyes.
Aunt Suzy and Ingrid! He couldn't quite believe it that he had witnessed Suzanne and Ingrid fucking each other. "That was pure..." Raymond felt a fire inside his loins. He stared holes through Ingrid's back, and couldn't resist a hungry gulp when she bent down and inadvertently gave him a full view of her round ass.
Their dialogues had been filthy and incredibly taboo. Raymond didn't have the heart to believe those to be true and as anything other than dirty talk to arouse themselves. It had certainly aroused him, aroused him enough that he jerked off to them again and again. The earlier shame and guilt that he had felt to peep on his own aunt had long vanished, such was the passion between the two women and his own lust for them.
It's absolutely fine if I only think about it, right? His fantasies ran out of proportions imagining the two women either side of him. He had struggled to come to terms with it, his feelings for them and his want for them. When only late at night, he convinced himself that he had done no wrong. No harm, no foul. Nobody got hurt, and looking is not a crime... It was weak, however, it assuaged him.
"Sweetie! Pay attention!"
"Oh!" Raymond nearly stumbled out his seat when Suzanne whispered to him. He was reminded of last evening and his cock started getting hard. Focus, you, dumb fool! It was difficult for him to get his faculties under control, especially with Suzanne so close. Nonetheless, he managed to do it, although it took some time.
Suzanne on her part, didn't seem to mind and began, "there, you see that guy," She indicated with her eyes. After a moment's pause she added. "He's Robert Muller, the marshal of the Gervaland Kingdom. Do you remember when you met him at Ostorth?"
Raymond observed the grey-haired man. The man looked quite ferocious with his hawk-like eyes and his burly build. He was quite fair, as were the members of his entourage behind him, and was donning a leather armor. "I don't know... He seems familiar but..." he trailed off indicating his failure to recognize Robert Muller.
"It's fine, it was some years ago. And that other guy, you met him yesterday..."
He gazed at the handsome red-haired man Suzanne was alluding to with her eyes. Johan Olson, Raymond remembered his name quite clearly. While Ingrid was in middle of his treatment, Johan had come to discuss something about the conference with her. They had met and chatted for a bit, Johan had left quite the good impression on him.
"Johan, right? Yeah, he seems nice."
"He's alright..." Suzanne mused before her eyes glimmered. She shifted a little closer to him and added in an excited voice. "He's Ingrid's cousin, you know? You're quite a bit younger than him, but I think both of you will get on swimmingly!"
Raymond rolled his eyes at Suzanne's comment. She had a habit of introducing people, males in particular, to him. "There's too many women around you..." She would say.
"Well, you will get ample time for it later..." Suzanne stared at him, her eyes deadly serious. "Sweetie, I want you to remember one thing. Even if Beltran and Gervaland are our closest allies, always be wary. Don't ever completely trust anyone, ever!"
Suzanne's whisper rang loud in his mind. The way she had said it, so desolately, it gave him the chills. He instinctively wanted to embrace his aunt yet he couldn't. They were disturbed by the sudden loud commotion inside the hall and looked towards the entryway. A group of five people arrived inside the hall.
The one in the front was a blonde young man of short stature and with a portly belly. He had a golden tiara over his head and was dressed extravagantly. His slightly sunken eyes leered at the women as he passed by them. He gave Raymond an impression of a rich, good-for nothing, second generation as he pompously settled in the empty position at the head of the table. He gazed at the representatives of the respective kingdoms in turn and declared arrogantly, "this prince allows you to speak."
Ingrid cleared her throat and began, "Our three kingdoms of Beltran, Gervaland and Gelodesh welcome the respected crown prince, Troy Kylaf. We hope for a fruitful collaboration between the three kingdoms and the great kingdom of Kylaf."
Ingrid continued for a while and introduced all the parties present. There was not a single angry syllable or an outward show of displeasure on her firm face all throughout her speech, even as the crown prince ogled her hungrily during it. Raymond commended her, because to not falter or get annoyed when you might actually be disgusted beyond belief, was an art in itself.
As the hall fell silent while Troy unpleasantly gawked at Ingrid, the slightly older man who was inconspicuously sitting beside him, coughed and spoke, breaking the tension. "The crown prince and Kylaf Kingdom feel very welcomed and motivated to make all parties successful in our future endeavors together."
Raymond was engrossed by the authoritative yet calm presence of the man. The other three men in Troy's entourage also seemed powerful, however they lacked the certain poise, the outlook that came by being an expert.
So the rumors are true... Mikhail Obertan really is great. Raymond had heard of him, and his exploits, countless of times. One of the pillars of the Kylaf Kingdom, he was an incredible warrior, famed for his individual strength. There was certainly an air of veteran warrior around him, that couldn't be missed and which impressed Raymond.
"Yes! This prince likes it here!" Troy nodded and animatedly looked around the table. "Specially the women, they are quite to this prince's liking... What a collection of beauties!"Raymond was stunned, and judging by the expressions on their face as were most of the people inside the hall.
Kylaf was a huge kingdom as compared to theirs, so much so that the combined population of their three kingdom's couldn't even make up half of Kylaf's population. Tibal Alliance and Frito Empire, as well, had always left them alone on account that there wasn't anything to be gained by annexing them. Kylaf had proposed a military alliance with them in preparation for an expedition on Prathjag. It also entertained a possibility of a future invitation in Tibal Alliance.
Raymond had learned of this from Ingrid, and thought that it was a great opportunity for the three kingdoms to gain precious resources and increase the land under them. He guessed there must be a profound reason behind their inclusion in this seemingly grand plan. Although he guessed it, he felt at a loss when he watched the crown prince of Kylaf acting like a lascivious bully.
"Where are the people from Tristinia? Are they late? I don't see any of them here. I wonder if their women are as good as these ones!" Troy heartily laughed as he reclined on his seat.
Who does he think he is? How dare he disrespect us like this? Raymond seethed with rage and found his sentiment reflected in the eyes of everyone who wasn't from Kylaf.
"Ha-Ha! The crown prince likes to jest." Mikhail cut in again before the situation could escalate anymore. "Prime Minister Tibal like to spoil his grandson, don't mind it..."
Hmm... Prime Minister? Tibal? Grandfather? There's only one person who is known by that title... Current Emperor Tibal's brother. Raymond understood that Mikhail was trying to diffuse the awkwardness, and at the same time hinting at the goliath presence behind them. A lot of people reserved their gazes at that mention. However, Raymond wasn't one of them. Am I supposed to be scared because of that? What a joke!
Troy shot Mikhail a displeased look before he questioned in a loud voice, "Where are they? Don't tell me they dared to ignore this prince?"
There was a pin-drop silence. Nobody spoke a word in response to that sudden outburst. Troy seemed to bloat with anger, his face red and his nose flared up. He stood up kicked the table, smashing it into pieces. An aura of 5-star awakened radiated from him. He roared with his fists clenched and his gaze vengeful, "They have the gall to reject this prince? I want them gone! The royal family, their descendants, their whole clan, I want them gone!"
Troy turned to a shocked Mikhail and ordered, "Obliterate that place from the history of this continent! There shouldn't be a thing left of it!" The conference had come to an abrupt ending as an enraged Troy walked out.
Raymond watched the crown prince of Kylaf with stunned disbelief and a hint of amusement in his eyes. What an idiot!
***
Scene 10
It was a few hours after the disastrous conference. Raymond laid awake on the infirmary bed. His mind was going a mile a second. Ingrid had finished the treatment for the day and he could have left there a lot earlier. The threatening tone and the arrogant declaration of Troy Kylaf, they were playing on his mind.
"That fucking son a bitch!"
Raymond had labelled him as an idiot earlier during the conference, however, the power fluctuations of a 5-star awakened was real. He could tell because it was a qualitative change from Emil and his 4-star aura.
"Even if he raised himself using magic stones and magic ores, he must have some talent to be able to cross that boundary from 3-star to 4-star..."
Once more, feelings of defeat encircled Raymond. He felt depressed to realize that he was worse than a spoilt brat of a man. Looking at his recovering state, he sighed heavily.
"Rose said it's only because I was rushing too much. I wonder if it's really the truth..."
His magic circuits were almost completely healed and he was quite over the moon about it. Still, the happenings from the morning had left a bitter taste. He wasn't worried about Tristinia. They were always isolated and non-cooperative. He was worried about Suzanne, Ingrid, Lily, Gelodesh. The thought that Troy could turn against them any moment was disheartening and troublesome.
"What a fucked up situation..."
He had been quiet in the conference; he hadn't earned the place to talk. However, he was sure that wouldn't have been the case if Troy had targeted Suzanne with his repulsive gaze.
Raymond had led a sheltered life, he realized it after spending time away from Ryhor. He had been ignorant and obsessed. Awakening and awakened, they were the be-all and end-all for him. Though after that wonderfully warm night with Lily, he understood that there was more to life than that. Now, he had more time to think and better things to worry about.
"I can't understand the reason behind it." Raymond shook his head ruefully. He wanted to curse everyone for hiding things from him, yet he couldn't. Because that would include cursing Miranda, and he physically was not capable of that. She had done her best, made him feel loved when he was lost, and if he was being frank, it was not her responsibility. He was not her responsibility.
"I just wish I had paid more attention! It's so frustrating to be in the dark about things... especially if it concerns with an asshole who could become an enemy at the drop of hat..." He regretted the fact that he didn't try to learn more things.
"And then there's that fucking dog of an old man. What a bunch of hypocritical bullies! I even respected him at the start. What a joke!"
Raymond couldn't tell the star level of Mikhail; the old man hadn't released his aura. Nonetheless, he was sure that Suzanne was much stronger than him, maybe even Ingrid.
"There's always the next thing. The trouble only ever increases..."
When Raymond had still not awakened, it wasn't that big of a deal because he didn't have a clue. Although he was ashamed of it now, he could see the point in not revealing everything to him. He wasn't happy about it, but he could see the point. He would have been beyond depressed and in despair if he had the whole picture.
"I need to be stronger, I can't remain still." After his spar with Emil, he realized how much powerful a difference of a single star level makes. He was confident that they could easily deal with a Mikhail.
"But what would happen after that? Kylaf is big, they don't just have a single Mikhail. And even if we kill them all, there's the whole Tibal Alliance." Raymond felt as if being crushed by an invisible hand, like he was an insignificant speck of dust going against a colossus.
"No! We won't give in! I won't, I can't!" He clenched his teeth and rushed out of infirmary. He needed to see his aunt, to get an idea about how to make preparations.
...
When Raymond reached Suzanne's room he heard some rustling noises. He had just been about to call for his aunt, when he recalled the unbelievable memory of last time. So he stopped midway.
Hesitating for a while, he decided to retreat. He had almost turned around before a particularly loud and sexy moan made him freeze. A quick reel of the erotic scenes where Ingrid and Suzanne made passionate love flitted across his eyes.
*Gulp*
He gently, extremely slowly, pushed the door. Leaning slightly, he peeked inside from the gap. The room was silent and seemed empty at the first look. The room was quite similar to the one he had found the two women in last time. Unfortunately, he couldn't spot the bed from that position. He cautiously pressed on the door to widen the gap.
Abruptly, though, the door jerked open. Raymond started at the sudden movement and it caused him to lose his footing. He stumbled inside the room, his heart filled with dread. He had already forgotten the purpose of his visit and that he had a valid reason to look for his aunt, not just to peep on her. Praying that he would be spared, he gingerly glanced up.
"Sweetie! Welcome!" Suzanne smirked from the table beside the bed. In a teasing voice she continued, "I guess, you were just about to knock, weren't you?"
Raymond was timid as he turned to meet his aunt's gaze. "Fuck!" He was greeted by a sight of a nude Suzanne sitting on the wooden surface with her legs crossed. She was holding her chin with her dainty fingers, while her elbow rested on her knee. Glossy, violet hair draped down over and shielded her breathtaking breasts from his view. His eyes were wide from the shock yet also a little regretful for not able to gaze directly at them.
"Wow! Sweetie! You seem happy..." Suzanne giggled. Her slightly hunched back made it appear like she was a goddess looking down on him.
He felt like dashing away, unable to stand her teasing, scrutinizing gaze. He felt embarrassed, not just because he had been caught peeping, or trying to peep. He felt even more ashamed at the rampant desire he felt for his aunt, barely able to restrain the impulse to jump at her and push her down beneath his raging cock.
"Two evenings in a row?! Can't say I'm not impressed..." Suzanne gestured with her alluring eyes for him to turn around. She looked absurdly sexy to Raymond in that moment, she was just absurdly sexy in every moment.
Raymond felt like dying of shame when he realized that his peeping had been exposed. Regardless, he felt him to be helpless against Suzanne and her magnetism. He moved according to her wish, almost as if he was a puppet being pulled by its strings.
"Oh My Lord!" Raymond groaned.
On the bed was Ingrid, without a stitch of cloth on her graceful body. Her face was flushed pink. She had covered her tits with her arm. Her legs huddled close, to shield her lovehole from Raymond's wolf like gaze. However, she had done a poor job of it.
"Fuck!" Raymond could quite clearly see her wondrous tits spilling out from the sides of her trembling arms. Her dark nipples looked delectable, and her quivering legs gave away her smooth opening increasingly frequently.
Like a moth to a flame, Raymond drifted towards the foot of the bed. He stood there motionless, gulping and heaving. His pant was tight and ready to burst at the seams by the pressure of his hard cock. The woman in front was awfully alluring. The slightly shy and timid face, coupled with her gloriously enchanting body, spoke to the animal inside him.
"Sweetie, you like?" The throaty voice of Suzanne sounded by his ear. He was startled by the unexpected intervention.
"Uggh!" Raymond whimpered in pleasure. He felt the sensation of two fleshy orbs pressing against his back and it was heavenly. He was rocked to the core by the implication. To have a naked Suzanne pressing against him, with only a layer of cloth between them, he shuddered in pleasure. His cock twitched and leaked as he breathed in her bewitching scent.
"Doesn't she look the sexiest..." Suzanne moaned in the sultry way, only she could. Her hands held him lightly while working at the buttons of his shirt.
"Yes!" Raymond mumbled his answer. His mind was on overdrive. The visuals of a squirming Ingrid, as well as, the sensations from his aunt's ministration had taken away his ability to think.
"Tell me, Sweetie, what did you feel for her when she treated you?" The hands invaded inside his shirt. They roamed across his muscular chest and teasingly brushed over his nipple.
"Oh! Aunt Suzy" He couldn't keep up with the myriad of taboo urges. His eyes were wide, lust addled, going crazy gazing at a defenseless Ingrid. Somehow, he voiced his response. "Worship?"
"Was that all? Don't hide it Sweetie..." Suzanne coaxed in her usual auntly way. Her actions, though, were far from auntly as she bit at his earlobe and whispered to him, "You don't want to hide it from me, do you?"
Raymond shivered at that particular act. The long, wavy, hair of Suzanne fell forward and seemingly involuntarily he ran his fingers though them. His cock made an enormous tent in his pants and he moaned with desire. It had always been his thing, to play with her hair, yet now, it felt so much different, better.
The glamorous body of his aunt glued to his back, left no respite for him. She once more asked about that afternoon. "Tell me! Didn't you also feel something else?"
Raymond was speechless, unable to speak, unable to breath. Ingrid appeared equally rattled to him, vulnerable and naked.
"You peeped at us... You heard us... You know it, right? She wants you!" Suzanne's whispers grew forceful, yet, it made them even more sensual.
The thought that his aunt and her lover knew he had been watching them, excited Raymond. He gurgled unintelligibly and struggled to turn around. He was like a caged-beast breaking out of its confines as a single thought dominated his mind. He wanted to have her, to have his aunt.
Suzanne held him tight. Her arms, snaked around his front, made him unable to move. Sweeping her hair behind, she placed her chin on his shoulder. She moaned in her amorous, sultry, voice when he tried to move his head and it made him jerk. "Look at her, look at her pretending to be shy..."
Raymond let out a groan of frustration when he couldn't get his way with his irresistible aunt, although his eyes remained transfixed by Ingrid's aura. As Suzanne's voice registered in his overloaded with desire mind, his cock dripped copious amounts of precum wetting his crotch, amazed by the implications of her words.
"She isn't trying to hide... she is sneakily rubbing her tits!" Suzanne continued while she nudged his neck with her nose, "see that! See how she is dripping from her cunt... rubbing her legs like a lewd slut in a desperate need of a young, meaty, cock! Watch her, Sweetie! Watch her!"
He couldn't understand, if the scene ahead of a silently writhing Ingrid, or the sensations of Suzanne's tits on his back and her hands on his torso, were more preposterous. It was as if a bolt of current had passed through him, snatching away his faculties.
"Tell me, Sweetie, don't you feel it?" The busty aunt tempted her nephew. Her murmur as sweet as the devil's whisper. "Don't you feel the need? The need to desecrate her cunt! To defile that lewd body! To corrupt that saintly presence!"
"Ahh!" Raymond humped the air. He wanted to do that, he wanted do everything that Suzanne just counted out to him. Ingrid, whenever he had met her before, had seemed so pious. After last night, he realized she could be lusty and wanton if with her lover. However, his aunt's mutterings painted her to be as filthy as a back-alley whore, just another bitch in heat.
"Are you hard, Sweetie?" Suzanne asked. She tugged at his waist band and before he knew his cock was free of its confines. It bobbed lightly. A whimper resounded in the room before Suzanne posed, "did you get hard for Ingrid? Did you, Sweetie?"
Ingrid was still silent, still squirming. However, now she was panting with her eyes glazed over. Her legs had opened wide to give him an unrestricted view to her soaked cunt. She was massaging her puffed up nipples and her fingers were playing with her swollen clit.
"Do you know what I said last night that made her climax?" Suzanne giggled. "I told her you were watching, and poof... she came like a fountain... Sweetie, do you think you can stop her if she wants to leave?" Suzanne's tongue rolled out and licked at his ear. She placed soft kisses over the length of his neck. "She wants you, she wants you bad!"
Raymond gulped. His head felt dizzy and his arms moved to grip his needy cock, although Suzanne swatted them away before he could. The only silver-lining was that the feel of her tremendous tits increased due to her action. He moaned as her erect nipple rubbed across his skin. The sensations were truly beyond anything, especially when she moved and those astounding fleshy orbs of hers massaged his, now, bare skin.
"Don't you want her?! Don't you want to fuck her cunt?!" Her tone was tempting as well as dissatisfied, as if she was sad that he would turn away from the pie in front of him.
I want her? Raymond's lust addled mind sobered. A feeling of shame and guilt took over his heart. It's still fine, I haven't done anything... It's fine! He wanted to run away, to get out before he committed any more errors, a real error.
"No need to run away!" Suzanne embraced him tightly, not leaving him any chance to escape. Her soft hands clasped him, stroking his muscles and massaging him. She soothingly spoke, "you don't have to run anymore... Ask yourself, do you want her?"
"Do I want her?" Raymond mumbled. The answer was, "of course, I want her..." He couldn't refute the desire he felt for Ingrid, he would be a fool if he tried to deny the obvious. At the same time, though, he could shake off the feeling that he shouldn't want her.
Suzanne pressed on. "Then have her!"
Have her? But then what about Lily...? He was scared to disappoint Lily, he didn't want to do anything to disappoint her, hurt her. Her love had brought him out of the mire of inferiority and loneliness. He couldn't do anything to deny her. His cock started to soften as myriad of worries came crashing down on him, not least about Lily.
"Follow your heart!" His aunt's words were like a ray of light in his hazy mind. "You have to..." Suzanne carried on, "follow your heart!"
Follow my heart? Raymond was unsure if he should. He reckoned he, along with the people beside him, would be in a world of hurt, if he always did it. Can I really follow my heart? Should I?
"Don't worry about the things you shouldn't worry about." Suzanne turned his face to gaze in his eyes and then placed a soul-stealing kiss on his lips. "Sweetie," she began, "listen to me. Don't worry, just..."
"Follow your heart!" All of a sudden, Lily's voice overlapped with Suzanne's, both asking him to follow his heart.
"Yes!" Raymond screamed. He was unsure if the memories of Lily repeatedly telling him to do the same thing, or the traditions of being a royal, were the reason behind it. Though the mind numbing kiss of Suzanne, had definitely played its part. He looked down to find his cock raging hard.
At the moment, he just wanted to fuck. His body, his mind, every single hair and pore on his skin, compelled him to do it, screamed at him to fuck.
"Go on. Conquer her!" Suzanne nudged him to bed. She added with glee and pride, "Conquer your worries, conquer everything!"
Raymond climbed the bed, and his leery gaze locked on to Ingrid. She slithered under his intense stare, and opened her legs invitingly. Her back was rested against the headrest and she had folded her legs at the knee. So this gesture of exposing her dribbling cunt, told him all that he needed to know. There was a glint of hunger in her eyes as she whined, "Ray! Come!"
He was upon her in a flash. However, before he could start to pound into the moaning lewd seductress, Suzanne remarked from behind him, "I know you have this constant need to rush to things... Don't! Everything will come with time. So just... enjoy the moment, Sweetie!"
Raymond heeded her call and slowed down. Smirking, he lifted Ingrid's legs in his palms and pecked her feet. Slowly, he moved upward, his stare hungry. Her skin was soft and smelled wonderful. He placed long, moist, kisses on each and every inch of her fair legs, one after the other. Her legs became slick with his saliva, asking to be worshipped. He brushed his lips over them, eliciting a growl of pleasure.
"Such a dirty boy! I need you here..." Ingrid pointed to her pussy and then pinched her nipples. The mature woman made it clear what she wanted from her young lover.
Raymond realized then, that the more aroused Ingrid was, the filthier she tended to get. Chuckling at the discovery, he lied down between her legs and parted them wide. Her smooth pussy was just inches away from his nose and he had to take a gulp because of the parched feeling in his throat. He took a greedy sniff and the scent was heavenly. When he opened his eyes, the little, angry, nub on top of her lips peeked out and cried for attention.
"So beautiful..." Licking his lips, he blew over it.
Ingrid thrashed and violently flicked her clit. She fingered herself while Raymond's tongue sucked on her pussy lips. "Ah! Ah!" She moaned and pushed down his head. His cock pulsed with need with each filthy-cummy-moan of Ingrid.
Raymond slurped her juices, he was thirsty for more. He could only watch from a distance last time, but Ingrid truly was like a leaking faucet. Her viscous pussy juice was sweet in taste and the scent of it was dizzyingly addictive. His tongue licked her feverishly as the pace of her fingering intensified. He wrapped his arms around her improbably thin waist, and let her grind away over his lips.
"Cumming!" With a loud shuddering squeal Ingrid squirted her climax.
Raymond lapped it all up in a hurry. The taste of her juices was like a sweet nectar and he didn't want even a drop of it to go to waste. He came up for breath to hear a distant giggle. He suddenly realized the empty feel at his back was real and that his aunt was no longer rubbing him, massaging his skin, with her wondrous tits.
He glanced at her, she was already dressed. The sadness of not having her naked in front of his view, was compounded by the realization that he wouldn't be fucking her, at least for now.
"Do you want me too?" Suzanne giggled. She wagged her finger and winked at him seductively, "Sweetie, it's not good to be so greedy, you know..."
Raymond heard the door close. However, before he could say anything to his aunt, Ingrid was upon him like a lioness on her prey. She licked his face, and sucked away all the traces of her own squirt. Her sexy tongue was dark red in color and untiring in its need. "Delicious!"
"It is!" Raymond remarked. "And so should be this..." He pulled her down and pushed his tongue inside her mouth. Their lips crashed together like they were stuck with glue and saliva dripped from the gaps of its union.
He took her flesh globes in his palms, kneading them gently. Mesmerized by the feel of them, their softness and their exquisiteness, he broke their kiss.
"You like them? You like my tits, huh?"
"Uh, yes..."
"You can have them anytime. You can play with them as much as you want, but right now, I want to fuck!" Ingrid growled and sat up straight on his waist. She gripped his jutting cock and gave it a couple of hard tugs. "So hard and thick!"
Raymond watched shell-shocked as the creature of sex sitting on top of him, amused herself with his cock. His vision would have been taken by her splendorous breasts, if it wasn't so pleasurable the way she jerked his cock.
"Ray!" Ingrid called his name and stared in his eyes. She lifted her ass and gradually she sat down, completely engulfing his trembling cock. "Ah Fuck!"
"Fuck!" Raymond groaned in pleasure. Her cunt was tight, extremely so, and the muscles clasped it tightly. As she rode him with increasing ferocity, it felt as if thousand little hands were jerking his cock simultaneously. It was warm, it was cozy, inside her cunt and his cock didn't want to leave that comfortable sheath.
"Ooh Ingrid! You are fucking wonderful! Simply awesome!" He praised her wholeheartedly. She was like a professional dancer, an artist, the way she grinded her hips and drove him wild with lust for her. He reached with his hands and took hold of her jiggling tits.
"I'm fucking Ray!" Ingrid seemed lost. She was furiously riding his cock, while her saliva dribbled down her lips and to her tits. He rubbed it over them and along with the sweat from the heat of their fucking, it looked as if somebody has doused her skin. She groaned again and again, "I'm fucking Ray!" The tightness increased each time she did.
When he pinched her nipples, she let out a growl and bucked furiously. Her fingers were a blur over her clit and she bit her own hand. A clear stream of liquid squirted out of her cunt as she moaned through her fingers. "I'm fucking him... fucking Suzanne's nephew..."
Raymond jerked violently at Ingrid's mutter. It could have been insulting, should have been, instead it drove him wild for her. I'm fucking Aunt Suzy's lover! He flipped her over and his cock bore down on her cunt with a fervent need to melt inside the moist, warm, hole of love.
The heaviness of his ball and the twitching of his cock told him that he was close. And as Ingrid thrashed uncontrollably under his momentous pounding, he couldn't hold back for more than a few hard and quick strokes. The smell of pussy had overtaken his senses and he fucked her crazily, prompted by her sensual mewls.
"Cumming!" They screamed in unison as Raymond emptied his load deep inside her fertile womb while she wrapped her legs around his waist to hold him tight. Volleys of semen shot out from his cum for a good whole minute, and they twitched in each other's embrace throughout it.
"Ingrid?" Raymond muttered.
"Shh..." She kissed him deeply and stroked his back. The orgasm was too great and too tiring for Raymond. He felt spent as if completely sapped of his energy and mana. A wave of dizziness assaulted his brain. He glanced at her to see her smiling face and the wetness at his crotch told him that she had once more squirted.
"Oh, Ray!"
He felt Ingrid's lips kissing all over his face lovingly, and that was the last thing he felt before a bout of sleepiness overtook his mind.*Huff*Huff*
Raymond breathed out a little erratically. His chest hummed up and down as he took his seat on the lush ground beside Rose.
"Hah!"
"Your stamina is still well below average."
"Hmmm..." Raymond agreed with his redheaded cousin's assessment. He calmed his breathing as he gazed at the gradually thawing ice caps. The distant pine trees had a green shade to them which looked incredibly beautiful in the setting sun rays. The tall trees still had flakes of snow on their leaves. The vegetation was starting to peek out from its winter slumber.
The valley ahead carried a stark difference from the forests of Gelodesh. Raymond marveled at the natural beauty of Beltran as he rubbed his hand over the hard, slightly moist ground and felt the softness of the grass. To be able to drink in the natural scenery in the company of a world-class beauty he would be thanking his good fortune, if not for the sourness from his one-sided defeat in their sparring session.
"Well, you were a little better than the previous times, so it's not all bad..." Rose said in a consoling tone when Raymond looked a little down.
"Yeah? You think so?" There was a thin smile on his face, happy to hear that there was progress for his hard work.
"Sure."
"Hmmm... good!"
Raymond brought his sword a little close to examine its sharp edge. Tracing the cold metal between his fingers, he exclaimed inwardly at the fine craftsmanship. He loved his sword, a precious gift from his cousin sitting beside him.
He replayed his moves from their spar a few minutes ago, trying to make out where he was going wrong. And the conclusion he reached, the same as every other time, that he, his body was still far off from comparing to Rose's. His skills were good, he could predict and understand her attack pattern, however, his body couldn't keep up with her speed and power.
'Still too weak...'
It had been more than a couple of weeks since Rose arrived in Beltran. They had a little time to prepare before the allied forces moved against Tristinia, thus commenced the extra hard difficulty level crash course on how to properly utilize his newfound awakened power. Rose was a little surprised at first due to the nature of his recovery. It was a swift and complete recovery after his mana channels were damaged due to overzealousness.
Raymond remembered how he haughtily asked her not to hold back against him and how then he proceeded to bite the dust every damn time. Rose was special in the sense that she didn't have to put much effort to train, her naturally violent manner and her affinity with fire element had propelled her to unimaginable height in Raymond's narrow view.
The slightly cold but comforting breeze against his skin somewhat pacified his angst and the memory of his recent injury, the bedridden condition due to it, did the trick to console him of the importance of patience. He couldn't become strong overnight; it was a gradual process one where he would have to put in the hard yards.
"I wonder what Mom is doing right now..."
"Huh?"
Rose turned to face him and spoke in a low tone, "I'm a little worried about how the discussions are going..."
Raymond's mind was blank for a few seconds before he caught on to his cousin's worries. Suzanne had left to discuss the terms of the cooperation with the Tibals. The upcoming joint military expedition against Tristinia was to be the first one for the combined forces of the Northern Forest Alliance and the giant that was the Tibal Alliance.
"She should be fine," Raymond muttered, his tone unconcerned. "It's Aunt Suzy after all!"
Rose shook her head a little concernedly. "And? So what? It's not just about her, her personal power or capabilities, there's more to it."
Raymond seemed to be taking in her words before he waved his hand dismissively. "Nah! She would be alright; after all, she was chosen as the representative for a reason. She is the most suitable candidate for it in all of our three kingdoms." By the end of his sentence, Raymond was quite convinced and it showed in his tone and expression.
"Hope so..."
His thoughts inevitably turned towards his aunt and that wonderfully salacious night. As it happened though, Suzanne had been long gone before he woke up the next morning. She had left him a touchy letter and apologized for her abrupt exit. She had also asked him in the letter to take care of the lovely Ingrid.
Raymond had been a little taken aback after his mind cleared up of the groggy memories. He was a little lost and a lot overwhelmed. Most of it all though he was upset that his Aunt Suzy had left before meeting him, however, he understood the grave importance of her departure and just sighed in helplessness.
When Raymond had later met Ingrid, all his memories came rushing back to him and it made him blush a little. He didn't quite know how to behave around Ingrid after their tryst. Quite obviously there wasn't a repeat of that night's event. Maybe because the glue between them, Suzanne, was absent or maybe because of something else but both of them never seem to be comfortable around the other, blushing and behaving like two teenagers in love.
He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts about Ingrid as he felt himself getting aroused by the lustful memories.
"What?"
"Nothing!" Raymond said a little loudly, ashamed of the dirty direction of his thoughts.
"You wanna go again?"
"Huh?" Raymond took a second before he understood Rose's intention. He, too, wanted to get in one last session before the sun went completely down. "Oh, wait... before that... let me ask you something first..."
"I'm listening," Rose responded with her gaze fixed ahead on the distant, tall, trees.
"You know, this would be my first time... on an expedition... and I've never really... you know, killed anyone..."
"What's there to think about it?" Rose flicked her stray, long lock of red hair behind her as she continued, "You just treat them as pieces of meat... they are just enemies, nothing more and nothing less... don't dwell on it too much."
Raymond was shocked by her cavalier attitude towards the life of a fellow human. Especially how she asked him to treat them as pieces of meat. He couldn't believe she held such disdain towards her enemies. However, before he could ask her about it, Rose said something else which caught his attention.
"I just mean that everyone has a different way to deal with it. Don't make it a bigger deal than it is. There's always the first time." The battlefield will get chaotic so make sure and keep close to Ingrid at all times! And-" Rose took a deep breath as she turned towards him. Her expression was serious and she concluded in a grave tone. "During the fight, stay away from me!"
Raymond blinked his eyes, taking in the meaning of her words. She had said a lot of things in those few sentences, but most pressing for him was to ask about the last bit. "Why? Why should I stay away from you?"
"I'm serious!" Rose glared, her tone allowing for no further question on the matter. "You will know later. So don't ask me now..."
Raymond stared into her eyes and studied her face. She was beautiful, as always. There was a sharpness to her features that he had never found in anyone else. Her red hair was blowing in the mild breeze, and the leisurely way she was sitting on with her knees bent made him shudder in awe. Her tight pants were an ode to her figure and her white shirt didn't do justice to her fit figure. The blue mantle hanging to her back added a regality to her look, it suited her.
He extended his hand and took the mantle between his fingers. Feeling the soft touch of the velvety cloth, his vision was taken by its blue color. He got reminded of an azure haired beauty as he kept staring at it.
'Miranda...'
It was a bittersweet feeling. The thought of her was always enough to bring a smile on his face, at the same time though, it told him of the wide chasm between their abilities. He was still ways away from catching up to her, to be able to look in her eyes with pride.
"Say," Raymond began, his thoughts now completely dominated by his azure haired cousin and his cute but silent sister. "Have you ever felt like... that... you... maybe are in love with two people at the same time?"
"What?!" Rose spurted as she eyed him suspiciously.
"Come on, it must have happened to you!"
"Haha... is little ray ray in love? Hahah..." Rose laughed uproariously and slapped his back. She kept shaking her head as if in disbelief.
"Yeah-yeah-yeah very funny. Now, can you answer my question?"
Rose smiled mischievously. "I've never been in love with two people at once but I've been with two people at once, if you know what I mean..." She ended her sentence with a smirk.
"What?!" It was now Raymond's turn to be shocked. He couldn't swallow that she would say something like that. He stared at her with his eyes wide open and his mouth hung agape.
Rose laughed heartily at his shell-shocked reaction. It wasn't in their habit to share each other's sexual conquests. In fact, Raymond downright despised to hear about her countless sexual exploits, so much so that he would leave the room in a hurry whenever she seemed to be about to brag about her latest encounter.
She seemed happy to have caught him off-guard with her comment. After laughing for a while more, she went silent as she gazed at the valleys ahead. With a contemplative look on her face, she muttered, "I don't think I have ever had that problem, to be honest."
"Oh..."
"To tell you the truth," Rose continued in the same vein without paying attention to him, "I don't think I have ever been in love. Yeah... I am sure I have never actually loved someone like that..." She turned to him and smiled.
"Are you for real?"
"Uh huh."
"Why, though?"
"Hmmm..." Rose took her time before she continued, "I don't know, never found anyone worthy, I suppose, not powerful enough..."
Raymond sighed at her response. He felt a little sad for his cousin. He always thought that she was a muscle head who didn't value herself or her relationships, in actual case the truth was something else entirely.
"And as for your "problem", it's not a problem at all!"
"What does that mean?" Raymond asked sharply.
"Yeah, if you love two people or three people or whatever there's no problem. Go with what your heart says... and if you aren't able to decide between them... just have them both... if you can't do it, that just means you are not strong enough..."
"Strong enough?" Raymond murmured, deep in thought.
"Yeah... now, come on, if you want to get in one last session for today, there is not much time left before dark!"
***
(Scene 2)
Royal Court, Tristinia Royal Palace
It was an empty hall. A large, ancient hall with some of its structures having seen better days. The metal chairs had their sides peeled out in some places and the cushions looked worn out. The windows were large and airy with an old man sitting at the throne.
The king's back was a little hunched and his shoulder-length white hair was thin at the front of his head. His beard was unkempt and his robe seemed too big for his thin build. He was resting tiredly with his back to the throne and his hands on the armrest. His stare directed towards the door was distant and empty.
Suddenly a man came swaggering in and broke the bleak and depressing atmosphere of the hall. The man was tall and well built. His aura was a little unstable pointing to his recent breakthrough. His dark hair was cut short and he had a long scar on his right cheek. As he got closer to the throne he reined in his aura and bent his knee.
"Your majesty!" He called out respectfully.
"Jorg, good of you to come to meet me."
"Your majesty, I have something to say regarding-"
"Did the magic stone I gave to you was of any help?" The king interrupted Jorg's words and asked while coughing.
Jorg, a little surprised by the question and the timing of it, had a frown on his face. "... Certainly, your majesty. I have broken through to 6* level."
"Good, good... You are the most talented awakened warrior of our kingdom, it's good that you have had a breakthrough in your strength. The Goddess will be happy!"
"Yes, your majesty. I have something urgent to-"
"Will you be joining me in my prayers tonight?"
"Your majesty?" Jorg asked, confused at the sudden mention of the royal evening prayers. He had been part of it a number of times and knew that it was a long and tiresome process. He didn't believe that they had time for such things now.
An army nearly five times their own size was right on their doorsteps, about to attack and raze them to the ground. This was no time for praying and making merry. He instinctively decided to ignore the king's question, though it may seem disrespectful, now was not the time to worry about such unimportant matters.
"Your majesty, would you not reconsider your decision?" Jorg pleaded.
The king didn't seem to be bothered by the apparent disrespect and spoke in a wheezing voice, "The goddess has already spoken."
"But, your majesty!" Jorg stood up and raised his voice. "Half the soldiers have deserted our ranks and the ones remaining are too scared to face the enemy. Most of the nobles have defected to enemies' ranks already. Please reconsider, your majesty! There's still time left to surrender and save ourselves from mass destruction."
The king sighed and had a bout of coughing attack, when Jorg tried to go help, the king gestured for him to stop. "The goddess spoke to me. This is to be our test. On the other side lies prosperity and happiness. I even heard Rolof's voice, he seems to be happy while staying with the goddess. He seemed really happy..."
Jorg started at the mention of young prince Rolof's name. A young boy with blonde hair, and a cute smile surfaced in his mind. It was quite unfortunate that the young prince passed away in a hunting accident.
"Your majesty-"
"It's time for my rest." The king said and waved off, signaling for Jorg to leave his presence.
Jorg was crestfallen as he exited the throne room. All his efforts turned out to be for naught. He had failed to convince the king to surrender even at the last moment. He could see that he, along with the rest of the kingdom was headed for doom. He hadn't abandoned his position and deserted the army because he loved his birthplace, his family, and his job. More than that, he remembered a much different king, one who ruled magnificently and with an iron fist, it was before that incident when young prince Rolof passed away.
"It's not all over. I will have one chance. One chance to kill that arrogant prince of Kylaf and maybe that will be enough. Or at least it would be my revenge!" Jorg muttered to himself with conviction, a steely gaze in his reddened eyes.
***
(Scene 3)
Raymond was standing on a level field. It was flat ground with no signs of any vegetation. The sun was shining down majestically. The ground was devoid of any snow from the long, harsh winter. There were no clouds in sight and there also wasn't a sign of any wind blowing. The isolated, distant calls of the birds were the only sounds in an otherwise silent atmosphere.
He raised his head to gaze up at the steep boundary wall built outside the city. It was red in color and it seemed to him that not much maintenance work had been done on them for quite some time. The plaster on the wall had come off at numerous places, and the wall itself had crumbled at one particular place and the inside of the city was visible from there.
"Tch... And it is supposed to be the royal capital..." Raymond clicked his tongue at the apparent poor condition of the city walls. It was hard for him to believe that the royal family had managed to let the condition deteriorate to this extent. Furthermore, there weren't any signs of any patchwork being performed at the last minute.
"I guess; I should have known..." He sighed, not for the royal family but for the common populace who will be the ones to suffer after the conclusion of the war, and from what he could gather they weren't much better off right now.
Though Raymond despised this purposeless war, the whims of the spoilt prince of Kylaf, he had made peace with the fact that he was powerless to change it. He still was just a 3* awakened with no rights to talk at the table.
"Such a tragedy, really," he sighed again. They were right on the outskirts of the royal capital and there wasn't even a sign of opposition from the local forces. It didn't make any sense to him. All through their march through the heart of the kingdom they, the allied army, didn't have to put up with more than a few tiny skirmishes. If not for the jeers of the few brave ones from the frightened and worried locals it was as if they had been marching through a ghost town.
The one major roadblock for them was the fortress right near the border of Tristinia and Beltran. However, when the scouts brought back the intelligence that the fortress had been abandoned and there were only a few awakened still left inside it, it came as a shock to everyone. Even then, they didn't have to fight, the warriors inside the fortress surrendered on their own initiative. Maybe because the difference in numbers was so huge, that the morale of Tristinian warriors was at an all-time low, such that they didn't even have the heart to raise their weapons.
It was actually great news for the alliance. There was no bloodshed and no need to look after the injured; apart from the few bloodthirsty individuals who were eager to get a taste of battle, there weren't many issues.
"Any time now!" Raymond tightened his grip on his sword. The commander of the allied forces, Robert Muller, the marshal of the Gervaland Kingdom, had already given the sign. They were about to start their attack.
Raymond looked to his right to look at the visage of the Healer-in-chief, Ingrid. She was covered in armor from her breasts to her legs. The backside of hers was covered by the leather garb. She looked all ready to dive into the thick of it. However, all this couldn't hide her innate beauty, Raymond thought to himself.
To his left side was the captain of the infantry division, Johan Olson, Ingrid's cousin. He had a sharp look glint in his eyes, ready to lead the charge. Since they were attacking the walls of the city there wasn't any use of cavalry. The horses they had ridden on were tied to the back, taken care of by the logistics division.
The war when awakened warriors got involved was much different from the ones where they didn't take part. After all, a single awakened can on his own change the entire course of the battlefield, especially the ones who had offensive elements like fire or lightning.
Also, the awakened didn't really have use of being in cavalry units; as their burst speeds were much greater than average horses. So apart from using them for conserving stamina, Raymond hadn't heard or seen an awakened riding on a horse and fighting. It was a bit redundant and interfered with the proper use of their power. Though he had heard of awakened warriors who could tame magical beasts and use them for this purpose, now however it was a thing of the past.Raymond took a quick peek at Rose who was standing on the far right and on the forefront. She was eerily calm but had a ferocious atmosphere about her. It made him shudder a little. His position was in more of the middle, beside Ingrid, who was also the vice commander. Their forces were spread in a long line with rows of ten warriors.
'It must be a frightening sight from the top of the walls of the city to have such a huge army right on your doorstep.'
He turned his head to glance at Troy, the one responsible for this whole farce. He seemed to be in a good mood, protected in all directions by his numerous guards and also enjoying the security of having Mikhail Obertan, the famed awakened warrior, right by his side. Raymond hadn't seen Troy around after that ominous conference, but he had heard that the prince of Kylaf had been enjoying the company of courtesans employed by the royal family of Beltran.
"What a joke!" Raymond shook his head.
Suddenly, the front gates opened and rows of poorly armed individuals marched out. They looked haggard and worn out as they took their positions. Their numbers were so few that it wouldn't even amount to a fraction of the allied forces' number. Raymond channeled his mana to his eyes and was at a loss when he saw the condition of the enemies. They looked as if they might have been just released from prison, and it looked like their weapons and armors were just for show.
"What is happening?" He asked, bewildered. He was not the only one, as murmurs of warriors rang loud in the previously heavy with silence atmosphere.
"Maybe it's for their pride and their last blaze of glory..."
Ingrid's words caught his attention. However, he was not entirely convinced. They may be the prisoners who had been promised freedom or the ones who were sure that they would be sentenced to death once the city was conquered; it still didn't justify this farcical show of resistance.
"Most likely they are offering this token resistance so that we don't violate whatever is left of the city out of our rage and greed... maybe... I'm not sure..." Ingrid sounded less and less sure of herself by the end of her words.
***
(Scene 4)
"Now this is a surprise!" Troy spoke with his hand under his chin. He turned to his side and asked, "What do you suppose they are doing, Mikhail?"
"I'm not sure, my prince. I'm at a loss at their tactics." Mikhail answered in a perplexed voice with his gaze fixed ahead towards the enemy.
"It sure is weird. I haven't heard of enemies coming out of their holes by themselves and serving their heads on a platter." Troy laughed shrilly before he resumed his words. "Well whatever, it's not like they pose any threat to me. Just crush them like the insects they are, this bunch of bastards who dared to disrespect me." He ground his teeth in anger as he slowly stared at the enemy forces.
While he was busy thinking of ways to torture the Tristinian royal family and having a night of pleasure with their women, the battle had started. Loud sounds of swords clashing and spears penetrating through armors resounded.
The earth awakened warriors who were responsible to manage the terrain were having quite an easy time, there weren't enough opposition numbers to keep them in check and it had created havoc in enemies' ranks. The enemy soldiers were falling down and getting swallowed by large pits. It was complete chaos.
"Hahaha... just like that... crush those insects. Let them know what happens if you dare to disobey this prince!" Troy was a safe distance away from the frontlines and didn't have to worry about any stray arrows.
"Destroy them! Kill! Kill them for me!" His shrill voice was drowned in the sounds of the clashing weapons. He was enjoying himself. The rivers of blood flowing, the tears of pain, and the cries brought him a perverse sense of joy and satisfaction. He wasn't actually the one killing the enemies, in fact, he hadn't even made the effort to pick up his weapon, nonetheless, he was living each and every tiny bit of it.
"Go on, you two, go and join the party!" Troy sent off two of his guards forward. They obeyed his order gaily. They were already itching for action, bloodthirsty and hungry, and Troy's words were music to their ears.
The opposing forces who were barely holding on, were brought down to the verge of collapse as two high level awakened joined in the fray. Their magic warriors and the half-awakened couldn't hold a candle against the sheer overpowering numbers of enemies. And even if the numbers weren't so skewed and one-sided, a single high level awakened was enough to go against the dozens of half-awakened and magic warriors, it wouldn't even be a contest.
The difference between each star level as one went higher up the chain was enormous. If a 2* awakened could quite comfortably hold his own against three 1* awakened, then the number of 2* awakened needed to fight off a 3* awakened was definitely more than five. And this disparity increased steeply. So the opposing forces were being cut down as stray puppets in a field. They had no answer against the might and number of awakened warriors in the allied forces.
"Mikhail- Mikhail, who is that?!" Troy asked suddenly in a loud voice. His eyes were focused a little distance away and had a shocked look in them. His heart was beating fast and there was a healthy flush on his face. He couldn't believe that there could be something, someone, so beautiful in the world, and that too right in front of him on the battlefield.
Mikhail took a while before he answered, "That's Rose Tygrine, younger daughter of Suzanne Tygrine, whom we met during the conference."
"Oh?" Troy paused, as if remembering who exactly Suzanne Tygrine was, and then he clicked his tongue, appreciatively. "Of course, like mother like daughter. Of course, she would be this beautiful." He licked his lips and felt himself getting aroused the more he stared at Rose's visage.
Rose was cutting through enemies' ranks as if they were made out of grass. Her whole body seemed like it was on fire and all anyone could see was red. It was hard to tell if it was due to the showers of enemy blood or the fire itself, but the smell of burnt flesh accompanied her. Her sword, a special magic sword resistant to her fire magic, was dancing around effortlessly. Whoever came across her couldn't hold out against her even one of her blows. The enemies started running away from her. A circle centered around her cleared up in the battlefield. It was as if they understood that it was of no use, that it was pointless to even try. She was fire itself, the harbinger of despair.
"Yes, she is... she is the one... the Fire Maiden of Despair!" Troy laughed maniacally. His whole body was crying out for Rose. He wanted to touch her, to hold her, to fuck her. He couldn't wait till the battle was over and he had his hands around her thin waist. He wanted to dive in those splendidly bouncy breasts of her. "I can't wait!"
Suddenly Troy's attention was diverted as an enchanted arrow came agonizingly close to hitting his chest. He furrowed his brows to find the culprit. It was a group of men charging straight towards him. Their leader was staring at him unblinkingly. There was unquenchable vengeance burning in those green eyes.
Troy snorted seeing that. "Looks like they are here for me. What pitiful insects!" He was not fazed by the look of hatred directed at him. He was as arrogant as ever as he ordered his guards. "Men, go deal with those peasants. They are an eyesore."
He once again tried to locate Rose when the sound of swords clashing near him intensified. He was stunned by what he saw. The supposed leader of the group was beaming towards him in a straight line. His companions were holding off the guards, or more accurately, were dying one by one just to knock them back. There was no hesitation in the eyes of those determined men. The death of their comrades couldn't faze them a bit, their own life hanging by a thin thread was of no apparent issue to them, they were focused and unyielding in their mission. He understood then that it was all a ploy to get to him, to get their revenge on him.
"Interesting..." Troy mumbled as his eyes met with those of the dark haired leader's. He grinned cruelly as the distance between them kept reducing. The dark haired man was like a shot arrow, as he proceeded to knock back the two main guards after crossing swords with them for an instant. The two guards were blown away, their chests bleeding profusely. However, through all this his eyes were trained on Troy like a hawk eyeing its prey.
"Ahh!" He shouted and swung his sword diagonally to slash at Troy. The sword was just inches away from striking Troy's chest when it stopped. The dark haired man turned to his side and found a man of incomparable strength gazing back at him. He fell to his knees at that instant as if all his strength had left him. It was as if it was the one final attack with all his power behind it, and after it had been stopped so effortlessly his whole body broke down. His fighting spirit which had been blazing so bright in his eyes turned dim.
"Hahahaha!" Troy laughed maniacally. He went forward and kicked the dark haired man's face with his sharp boot. "Do you think you could touch me with that feeble power of yours?" He laughed again as he said those words.
The man, now bleeding all over his body, glared hatefully at him. He coughed a mouthful of blood as he tried to open his mouth, and then again and again he coughed mouthfuls of blood.
"With Mikhail by my side, do you think a measly warrior from this backwater kingdom, could ever hurt a hair of mine? How pitifully naïve!" Troy spit on the man and then kicked him twice. "Do you see this?!" Troy pointed to the jewel hanging by his neck. It was a wonderfully beautiful and shining blue gemstone embedded in a gold locket. "This is a protection magic tool. Have you ever seen a magic tool? Huh? You damn peasant!"
Troy was in high spirits as he boasted about the magic tool. "With this even if a 6* awakened tries to attack me, they can't do shit against me. It was given to me by my grandfather..." He leaned down and asked, "Do you know who is my grandfather? Do you, you damn bastard?" He rambled on for a bit about the strength and reach of his grandfather. "Mikhail, hack him to pieces!" He screamed shrilly and then swaggered back towards the back.
"Now, I just want to get her... I want her... I want Rose!"
***
(Scene 5)
"What is happening? Why do you not come out of your tent?"
"My prince, it seems I am a little sick..." Mikhail, who was sitting on his bed, said while coughing.
"Sick? You?!" Troy furrowed his brow. He couldn't remember the last time Mikhail had said that he was sick. "I thought people like you don't get sick..."
"It would seem not, I am afraid."
"I think you are getting old, haha!" Troy laughed as he turned to go out of the tent. It was a big tent, second in size only to his own, Troy nodded approvingly as he thought that it was fitting that Mikhail would get a tent matching his status. 'At least these people have a bit of sense. Apart from their women, of course.'
"Rest well old man, I have "work" to do." He said behind him and walked out of the tent. He knew where his destination was. He had already asked Mikhail about the whereabouts of Rose's tent and he was headed straight towards it.
He hummed a tune as he walked leisurely. His sunken eyes looked lively and he was licking his lips at the thought of soon getting his wish. He envisioned bedding Rose and it aroused him greatly. "What a beautiful piece of ass she is... Can't wait to press her underneath me..."
He found Rose standing outside her tent. She was talking to someone, a man, whom Troy understood to be her cousin from their conversation.
"Uhm..." Troy cleared his throat to make his presence known. He was a little shell-shocked and dumb stricken to be near Rose. He never had this happened to him ever before. He just couldn't believe how someone so beautiful and flamboyant could be a real person.
"You want something?" Rose asked brashly.
Troy nearly stumbled hearing her voice. It seemed so disrespectful and casual. He was not used to this way of being talked to. He expected she would be glad and overjoyed to see him come talk to her on his own initiative. He got angry in a flash. "Don't you know me? Don't you know who I am?" He asked, holding back the annoyance from showing in his voice.
"Should I?"
Now Troy was really angry. He hadn't had a girl, a woman, disrespect him so much. He didn't want to wait any longer. His adoration turned to a will to dominate. He wanted to make her speechless, to make her unable to raise her voice, to make her unable to disobey. "Come to my tent and serve me," he told her with his nostrils flaring.
"Excuse me?!" Rose raised her eyebrow.
"You heard it. I am claiming you as my servant girl. You are to be this prince's possession from here onwards. Be honored!"
Rose clenched her teeth hard, and he could hear her grinding her teeth. It made him happy to see her so mad. He wanted to make her mad and make her helpless, that was his pressing wish, to make her feel trapped and powerless.
"Hahaha, are you angry? Are you angry with this prince?" Troy posed with his head held high. "What can you do? What can you do about it?"
She seemed like she was on the verge of exploding but was holding herself back. A look of realization flashed through her eyes when her gaze seemed to pass over his attire, his mantle which had the insignia of Kylaf embroidered on it.
Troy was proud when he understood why she was holding herself back. "Yes. I'm the prince of Kylaf. You understand? You all are just slaves in front of me and my will. Be honored that you are the one chose to spend the night with, and maybe if you do well I can reward you by making you my permanent slave girl. What do you think about that?"
Rose's eyes had turned red, her face had turned red, and her lips had turned red due to biting with too much force.
Hearing the commotion, the few remaining guards of Troy came and stood behind him. As well as the warriors from Gervaland and Beltran led by their commanders, Robert Muller and Johan Olson. Apart from Ingrid and Mikhail, all the leaders of the allied force had gathered near them.
Troy seeing this sight, grew even more conceited. It was now a matter of pride and honor for him that he "woos" the girl. "What are you waiting for?" He asked annoyed when he realized that she was staring at his magic tool, the blue gemstone. "Oh, you're taken by that?" He removed it from his neck and held it to her face. "Keep it as a reward for tonight. It is a magic tool. You must have never heard of it, I suppose. That's the problem with you backwater hicks." He tossed it to her and extended his hand to grab her.
Suddenly a whoosh sounded from the side of Rose. Troy could barely turn his head, when the man whom he had ignored till that point, treated like air, thrust his sword straight towards his eyes. Before he could react in time to dodge the strike, the sword was upon him.
It was a deadly attack with the complete power of a 3* awakened behind it. It was strengthened and full of mana. The sword effortlessly pierced straight through Troy's eye and into his brain.
"guug..." Troy choked unintelligibly and collapsed to the ground.
Everyone was shocked speechless at that moment. No one could react in time to that sudden attack and all of a sudden, just like that in a flash, the prince of Kylaf was dead.
***
(Scene 6)
Raymond was sitting on the bed inside Rose's tent. His head was reeling and he was in a state of confusion. His heart was racing, and he felt as if he had achieved something great but at the same time, something he shouldn't have done at all.
"How are you feeling? Are you alright?" Rose, who had been silent since they had entered her tent, said her first words.
She placed her hand on his thigh and gently massaged him. There was concern written all over her gentle face. Raymond liked this side of her, she seldom showed it to him.
"I'm fine, mana wise and all. There isn't any problem about that."
"Hmm. Good. It's good that everything's fine... And the other thing? You're not worried, or scared, or guilty, are you?"
"I- I'm-"
"Don't be!" Rose shifts close to him and hugs his shoulder. She lifts his face by the chin and places a kiss on his head. "There are people who will deal with it. Ingrid will take care of it, so be assured. There won't be any fallout over this."
Raymond was more than a little surprised by her soft and placating attitude but he welcomed it nonetheless. And it was a huge relief for him when she said there won't be any fallout over this. The thing he was most worried about was how it would affect their alliance and how will they deal with it as a kingdom. After all, he had killed the crown prince of the Kylaf Kingdom. It was no small matter, what more Troy's grandfather was the prime minister of Tibal, and he didn't just have a huge power behind him.
"Well to tell you the truth... I didn't know you had it in you..."
"Huh?" Raymond asked, confused.
"I mean you killed him, killed a 5* awakened! On your own, in a single strike!"
"Yeah..." Raymond heaved a long sigh.
"Why are you sighing like that? Don't you know what a big feat it is? You, a 3* awakened killed a 5* awakened all on your own... Do you not realize how incredibly rare that is?" Rose's excitement seemed through the roof. She was jumping up and down on the bed, holding his hand.
"It is kind of big, isn't it?"
"You think..." She thumped him on the back and then lied down on the bed. She pulled him to lie beside her.
...
"Hey, you're really fine, right?" Rose was really concerned about her cousin. He had done something so out of this world that it was hard to comprehend. She felt she would burst from the sheer joy of it, joy for his action. She was proud too, and not just because he had done the unthinkable, there was more to it.
"Yeah... I think I'm fine... I haven't actually- it hasn't gone down yet, the high of it."
Rose sighed. Their heads were touching and her long red hair had covered his vision. He tried to move those red locks away when she turned on her side and faced down to him, her hair hanging over his face.
"I want to ask you something..."
"Since when are you so docile and-"
"Shut up!" Rose interrupted him. "I am not in the mood right now for it."
"... okay..."
"So... why did you do it? What were you thinking?"
"What was I thinking?" Raymond smiled thinly. "Obviously... I wasn't..."
"Come on! Tell me!"
"You really want to know?"
"Yes!" Rose stressed her words as she closed the distance between them. Their bodies were almost in contact, however, the both of them didn't seem uncomfortable by the closeness. Raymond heaved a long sigh before he turned his face away from her, Rose though, didn't let him dodge her gaze. "Tell me!"
"Sigh... you know, how he was talking to you, I didn't like it..." Raymond stopped there. Rose waited for him to continue, as she was sure there was more to the story. "I was so angry that he was treating you as a two-bit whore. And then he just went on and on. You looked so frustrated and pissed off... You know, I thought you would rip his mouth off or something..."
Rose gave him a sad smile in response to that.
"But you didn't! You just stood there, letting him insult you. I could see that you were literally ready to turn him to ashes but you weren't doing anything. And when he tried to grab your hand... I just lost it... there was no way, someone was going to get away-"
Rose whose heartbeat had shot up listening to Raymond's words, couldn't handle it anymore. She just couldn't! Throughout her life, it was the first time, she had felt an attraction to someone so strong. He seemed so real and strong at that moment. No one had ever protected her like that, and she so liked it; she absolutely loved it. And hearing it from his own mouth, she couldn't hold back the urge to kiss him at that moment.
It was a kiss for the ages. Both fighting each other's tongues; their lips tried to melt into each other, fighting for dominance. Raymond turned them around, he was on top and he pinned her hands behind her.
Rose didn't try to change their position, instead, she sought his lips. His hot, and succulent lips. Her mind had flown away and all that she wanted at that moment, was to taste him, to taste her cousin, to taste Raymond.
"Do you want this? Really, do you want to do this?" Raymond was out of breath as he asked this.
"Yes, now shut up!"
...
Raymond bent down to kiss her again. His heart had been racing so fast and he needed it. He needed to feel something else other than the guilt. And when Rose attacked his lips like a woman possessed, he readily gave in. There weren't any other thoughts in his mind other than the girl underneath him who was equally passionate, or even more desperate than him.
Their clothes came off naturally as they continued their soul snatching kiss. They couldn't get enough of each other's lips or tongues. They traded saliva and it dripped down to their necks and jaws. They were so immersed in each other that all sounds ceased around them, the world ceased to a stop for them, it was just the two of them and nothing else.
"So fucking sexy!" Raymond muttered as he moved down from kissing her lips to her neck and then her breast. His hands played with her nipples as he alternated between her two puffed up brown nubs. He made blowing sounds as he tried to take all of her round flesh in his mouth.
Rose held his head tight and then in a flash she reversed their position. She was in the lead as she kissed him all over his face. She brought out her tongue and licked him hard. Her hand slid down his body and held his pulsing dick in between them. Slowly she fed it to her burning pussy and then sat on top of his thigs.
His whole cock was inside her cunt and she groaned in pleasure. She rode him, she rode him fast. Her nails dug into his arms as he moaned like a bitch in heat. Raymond, for his part, gave short strokes upwards to increase the force of their union.
It was like a whirlwind. They weren't in the mood for niceties or patience. It was hard, fast, and rough, both seeking pure unadulterated pleasure. She bent down and took his face in her hand as she kissed him with force.
Moments later they both moaned in each other's mouths as they reached their orgasm, and as Raymond shot his load deep inside her throbbing cunt.
***
(Scene 7)
Everyone was shocked speechless at that moment. No one could react in time to that sudden attack and all of a sudden, just like that in a flash, the prince of Kylaf was dead.
Johan Olson was the first one to move after that. He raised his sword and cut off the head of one of the guards of Troy nearest to him. Robert Muller, marshal of the Gervaland kingdom was the next, as he too moved in a flash and killed two of the remaining five guards.
The three guards, before they could raise their voice to call for help, for Mikhail, were beheaded on the spot. It was chaotic at the place. Johan and Robert along with two warriors from their respective kingdoms made a round around the dead bodies of Troy and his guards. The warriors to the back couldn't see and make out what had happened in that instant, as it took only a few moments from after Troy had tossed his magic tool to when the last guard was beheaded.
There was a commotion after a few minutes as the blood started to flow outwards from that little circle. However, before anyone could make out what it was about or what exactly had happened in there, the warriors were dispersed by the orders of Johan and Robert.
Ingrid was standing a few paces away from there, from Rose's tent. There was a thin smile on her face. It, the smile, looked a little proud as if she was really enjoying herself. She took a long breath and started to walk away, walk towards Mikhail's tent.
"Pardon my intrusion..." Ingrid entered while muttering that to herself.
Inside the tent Mikhail was lying on the floor, black blood dripping from his lips. He was shivering while trying to get up by holding on to the edge of the bed.
"Oh, Sir Mikhail, what happened here?" She asked in a concerned voice but, didn't do anything to help the wheezing Mikhail.
"It's you!" Mikhail said before he coughed a mouthful of pitch black blood.
"What are you saying, Sir Mikhail? I don't understand..." Ingrid widened her eyes as if she was gravely offended by the implication in his words.
"You are the one who poisoned me! You won't get away with this..."
"You have got it wrong, sir. And I'm offended by these severe accusations when clearly the truth is that a death squad from the Empire attacked us in the night and managed to poison your great self. How could I, a feeble and pious healer, ever have the guts and know how to poison someone as powerful as you?"
"You...!" Mikhail had a pained expression on his face. It appeared he was deeply impacted by the words of Ingrid. "How? When? Why?"
"The poison was of considerable might to go undetected and able to affect you. We were helpless to deal with it and couldn't rescue you in time. The death squad was fierce and they committed suicide before we could deal with them to get out the information, they killed all members of your party and, especially Prince Troy, he was their main target from what little we could gather." Ingrid's voice was apologetic and sad.
"I see... it was a long time coming... how careless of me..." Mikhail said before being assaulted by another wheezing fit.
She walked closer to him and then muttered in a low voice, it was so low that even if someone else were to be inside the tent they wouldn't be able to hear it. "We're truly sorry to lose a warrior of your capacity. However, there have always been collateral damages amidst war. Don't take it personally, it wasn't your fault. Now for the prince..."
Mikhail slowly breathed his last as he listened to her. His body gradually went limp and the shivering finally ceased. It was the end of a famed awakened warrior.
Ingrid walked out of the tent and gazed up at the setting sun. It was a beautiful sight, however, her mind was not so calm. "I hope Suzanne is right about this..."