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There were always reasons to escape the royal palati.
While Elias of Stravos reveled in his bastardization of the throne room, of his emptying of the senate chambers and his enforced guard on the princess who lived on as his prisoner and his puppet, there was infinite utility to branching outside of the palace for private matters. Archontiko Stravos had been laid to ruin by the passing of Panamos, but even in ruins, the house still stood, and it was his duty to his family to oversee the repairs to it and ensure its protection. Several of the palace guard were stationed about the perimeter, with three of Elias' trusted Hydra's Men assigned to protect his family as an overnight vigil. The Headlord of Stravos made no effort to intrude on the privacy of his family members, and as such, no men were assigned specifically to their protection.
Should they desire such a thing, the palace will gladly provide that support.
It was, instead, Elias' prerogative to utilize the ruins of Archontiko Stravos for a different end. Elias made certain that his relatives had all left, then brought in the overnight vigil for an extra shift. He waited in the old theatre hall that made up the bulk of the manor, setting himself on a kline as he demanded a servant bring to him a vintage of wine. Fortunately, the cellar had survived the catastrophe, and the Headlord made sure to replenish its stores and drape the halls he sat within with lavish curtains as a gift to his mother and father. They still lived within this place, they and his sisters kept Archontiko Stravos as their home, even as their son left to the palati, and before that, to Kalospiti Korfyi as his primary residence.
I have my own life to live, one of significance. But always, there is comfort to be had in the halls I grew into adulthood in, he mused. Elias of Stravos had summoned someone to Archontiko Stravos, a woman who he wasn't entirely sure whether to call an ally or an acquaintance. In the place that his grandfather had built and his father had expanded... in the place that he'd personally seen both stripped bare, burned and torn asunder... he'd bring to par the alliance he was most concerned about. There was trepidation, in summoning Elysia. Elias was unsure as to where the woman's loyalties lay. Or rather, he knew for a fact that her loyalties were entirely to herself. Of course, he held a healthy respect for such a thing, but it was no longer tolerable that she try to draw closer to him and yet keep her allegiances in half-measures.
Today, I will have my answer, he demanded, both of himself and Elysia of Aetaea. He'd given her a note, hand-delivered by one of his Hydra's Men, one unadorned with any sort of signage, names, or locations. Instead, Elias offered Elysia a simple riddle to work out on her own, and he relied on the notion that Elysia was not unintelligent in order for her to decipher what he'd meant. Simple tricks, simple measures. Elias of Stravos would no longer form himself a prisoner of his own fallacy, of his negligence to keep things aloof enough so as to not imply his involvement in matters of dubious morality. There were masks to wear in all things, and in the position of power he held, he needed the arms of punishment and imprisonment hidden beneath the cloaks of finery and morality.
My reputation is a pendant of smeared silver. Let time act as a tarnish with which all smudges and stains be removed, he mused. When, at last, his servant returned to him with his bottle, he demanded she fetch two bronze goblets and a second bottle. In the interim, Elias pulled the cork from the first bottle, and placed it directly against his lips. Tipping his head back, he allowed the sanguine liqueur to seep down his throat and his head to rest against the kline as he awaited the woman -- who was a house guest, but also either a potential enemy or possible asset...
He'd find out soon enough.
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This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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There were always reasons to escape the royal palati.
While Elias of Stravos reveled in his bastardization of the throne room, of his emptying of the senate chambers and his enforced guard on the princess who lived on as his prisoner and his puppet, there was infinite utility to branching outside of the palace for private matters. Archontiko Stravos had been laid to ruin by the passing of Panamos, but even in ruins, the house still stood, and it was his duty to his family to oversee the repairs to it and ensure its protection. Several of the palace guard were stationed about the perimeter, with three of Elias' trusted Hydra's Men assigned to protect his family as an overnight vigil. The Headlord of Stravos made no effort to intrude on the privacy of his family members, and as such, no men were assigned specifically to their protection.
Should they desire such a thing, the palace will gladly provide that support.
It was, instead, Elias' prerogative to utilize the ruins of Archontiko Stravos for a different end. Elias made certain that his relatives had all left, then brought in the overnight vigil for an extra shift. He waited in the old theatre hall that made up the bulk of the manor, setting himself on a kline as he demanded a servant bring to him a vintage of wine. Fortunately, the cellar had survived the catastrophe, and the Headlord made sure to replenish its stores and drape the halls he sat within with lavish curtains as a gift to his mother and father. They still lived within this place, they and his sisters kept Archontiko Stravos as their home, even as their son left to the palati, and before that, to Kalospiti Korfyi as his primary residence.
I have my own life to live, one of significance. But always, there is comfort to be had in the halls I grew into adulthood in, he mused. Elias of Stravos had summoned someone to Archontiko Stravos, a woman who he wasn't entirely sure whether to call an ally or an acquaintance. In the place that his grandfather had built and his father had expanded... in the place that he'd personally seen both stripped bare, burned and torn asunder... he'd bring to par the alliance he was most concerned about. There was trepidation, in summoning Elysia. Elias was unsure as to where the woman's loyalties lay. Or rather, he knew for a fact that her loyalties were entirely to herself. Of course, he held a healthy respect for such a thing, but it was no longer tolerable that she try to draw closer to him and yet keep her allegiances in half-measures.
Today, I will have my answer, he demanded, both of himself and Elysia of Aetaea. He'd given her a note, hand-delivered by one of his Hydra's Men, one unadorned with any sort of signage, names, or locations. Instead, Elias offered Elysia a simple riddle to work out on her own, and he relied on the notion that Elysia was not unintelligent in order for her to decipher what he'd meant. Simple tricks, simple measures. Elias of Stravos would no longer form himself a prisoner of his own fallacy, of his negligence to keep things aloof enough so as to not imply his involvement in matters of dubious morality. There were masks to wear in all things, and in the position of power he held, he needed the arms of punishment and imprisonment hidden beneath the cloaks of finery and morality.
My reputation is a pendant of smeared silver. Let time act as a tarnish with which all smudges and stains be removed, he mused. When, at last, his servant returned to him with his bottle, he demanded she fetch two bronze goblets and a second bottle. In the interim, Elias pulled the cork from the first bottle, and placed it directly against his lips. Tipping his head back, he allowed the sanguine liqueur to seep down his throat and his head to rest against the kline as he awaited the woman -- who was a house guest, but also either a potential enemy or possible asset...
He'd find out soon enough.
There were always reasons to escape the royal palati.
While Elias of Stravos reveled in his bastardization of the throne room, of his emptying of the senate chambers and his enforced guard on the princess who lived on as his prisoner and his puppet, there was infinite utility to branching outside of the palace for private matters. Archontiko Stravos had been laid to ruin by the passing of Panamos, but even in ruins, the house still stood, and it was his duty to his family to oversee the repairs to it and ensure its protection. Several of the palace guard were stationed about the perimeter, with three of Elias' trusted Hydra's Men assigned to protect his family as an overnight vigil. The Headlord of Stravos made no effort to intrude on the privacy of his family members, and as such, no men were assigned specifically to their protection.
Should they desire such a thing, the palace will gladly provide that support.
It was, instead, Elias' prerogative to utilize the ruins of Archontiko Stravos for a different end. Elias made certain that his relatives had all left, then brought in the overnight vigil for an extra shift. He waited in the old theatre hall that made up the bulk of the manor, setting himself on a kline as he demanded a servant bring to him a vintage of wine. Fortunately, the cellar had survived the catastrophe, and the Headlord made sure to replenish its stores and drape the halls he sat within with lavish curtains as a gift to his mother and father. They still lived within this place, they and his sisters kept Archontiko Stravos as their home, even as their son left to the palati, and before that, to Kalospiti Korfyi as his primary residence.
I have my own life to live, one of significance. But always, there is comfort to be had in the halls I grew into adulthood in, he mused. Elias of Stravos had summoned someone to Archontiko Stravos, a woman who he wasn't entirely sure whether to call an ally or an acquaintance. In the place that his grandfather had built and his father had expanded... in the place that he'd personally seen both stripped bare, burned and torn asunder... he'd bring to par the alliance he was most concerned about. There was trepidation, in summoning Elysia. Elias was unsure as to where the woman's loyalties lay. Or rather, he knew for a fact that her loyalties were entirely to herself. Of course, he held a healthy respect for such a thing, but it was no longer tolerable that she try to draw closer to him and yet keep her allegiances in half-measures.
Today, I will have my answer, he demanded, both of himself and Elysia of Aetaea. He'd given her a note, hand-delivered by one of his Hydra's Men, one unadorned with any sort of signage, names, or locations. Instead, Elias offered Elysia a simple riddle to work out on her own, and he relied on the notion that Elysia was not unintelligent in order for her to decipher what he'd meant. Simple tricks, simple measures. Elias of Stravos would no longer form himself a prisoner of his own fallacy, of his negligence to keep things aloof enough so as to not imply his involvement in matters of dubious morality. There were masks to wear in all things, and in the position of power he held, he needed the arms of punishment and imprisonment hidden beneath the cloaks of finery and morality.
My reputation is a pendant of smeared silver. Let time act as a tarnish with which all smudges and stains be removed, he mused. When, at last, his servant returned to him with his bottle, he demanded she fetch two bronze goblets and a second bottle. In the interim, Elias pulled the cork from the first bottle, and placed it directly against his lips. Tipping his head back, he allowed the sanguine liqueur to seep down his throat and his head to rest against the kline as he awaited the woman -- who was a house guest, but also either a potential enemy or possible asset...
He'd find out soon enough.
“Ordering a glass and then drinking straight from the bottle?” Elysia asked from the doorway. She did not bother to knock, nor fawn for him this time. The hem of her lilac gown whispered across the floor as she moved. Rather than straying around the room, her eyes stayed on him as he lounged lazily on the kline. The note he’d sent and its riddle were not difficult, but she didn’t think they were intended to be. Nor did she understand the purpose of the riddle unless it was to be playful. Elysia did not verbalize these questions or suppositions because they didn’t matter. She hoped that the wine and the meeting were because Elias was going to tell her something useful, but she knew better than to be eager about it.
“What can I do for you, my lord?” she asked, sitting on the end of the kline and letting her arm drape along the kline’s back. Crossing one knee over the other, she looked away from Elias long enough to settle the fabric of her dress to her liking, before tilting her head and looking back at him again. It was interesting to note that Elias never became less beautiful. With other people, beauty became something that a person was accustomed to. Their beauty taken for granted and no longer noticed after a time, but rather, their personality was what people tended to see. Not Elias. Every feature of his face, every part of his body was, to put it bluntly, perfect, and that was...unusual. People often claimed the man was blessed and she didn’t disagree. He was like a piece of art, forever to be stared at and touched only with extreme caution.
Footsteps echoed in the room but Elysia didn’t look behind her. In her periphery, she saw the servant come into view, bowing, with head down, placing the cups before her lord and backing away into nothingness again. Only once the girl was gone did she twist around to look through the doorway. Getting into this place had not been a struggle. Merely presenting the note had allowed her past the guards and she’d been led by a servant right to Elias. But now she was wondering if getting out would be just as simple. The languid way she sat did not betray her thoughts, and she only allowed Elias to see the admiration she had for his exterior to show on her face. Despite what he was and what he could do, he was still very interesting to look at. Elysia liked pretty things.
She said nothing more to him, waiting for Elias to make the first move. He was the one who’d called her here, had chosen the forum in which they would meet; he knew why. Elysia could not know that he was having serious concerns about her allegiances, but she could guess it. However, she hadn’t, through personal bias. She wanted him to trust her, and after their last meeting, she didn’t see any reason for him not to.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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“Ordering a glass and then drinking straight from the bottle?” Elysia asked from the doorway. She did not bother to knock, nor fawn for him this time. The hem of her lilac gown whispered across the floor as she moved. Rather than straying around the room, her eyes stayed on him as he lounged lazily on the kline. The note he’d sent and its riddle were not difficult, but she didn’t think they were intended to be. Nor did she understand the purpose of the riddle unless it was to be playful. Elysia did not verbalize these questions or suppositions because they didn’t matter. She hoped that the wine and the meeting were because Elias was going to tell her something useful, but she knew better than to be eager about it.
“What can I do for you, my lord?” she asked, sitting on the end of the kline and letting her arm drape along the kline’s back. Crossing one knee over the other, she looked away from Elias long enough to settle the fabric of her dress to her liking, before tilting her head and looking back at him again. It was interesting to note that Elias never became less beautiful. With other people, beauty became something that a person was accustomed to. Their beauty taken for granted and no longer noticed after a time, but rather, their personality was what people tended to see. Not Elias. Every feature of his face, every part of his body was, to put it bluntly, perfect, and that was...unusual. People often claimed the man was blessed and she didn’t disagree. He was like a piece of art, forever to be stared at and touched only with extreme caution.
Footsteps echoed in the room but Elysia didn’t look behind her. In her periphery, she saw the servant come into view, bowing, with head down, placing the cups before her lord and backing away into nothingness again. Only once the girl was gone did she twist around to look through the doorway. Getting into this place had not been a struggle. Merely presenting the note had allowed her past the guards and she’d been led by a servant right to Elias. But now she was wondering if getting out would be just as simple. The languid way she sat did not betray her thoughts, and she only allowed Elias to see the admiration she had for his exterior to show on her face. Despite what he was and what he could do, he was still very interesting to look at. Elysia liked pretty things.
She said nothing more to him, waiting for Elias to make the first move. He was the one who’d called her here, had chosen the forum in which they would meet; he knew why. Elysia could not know that he was having serious concerns about her allegiances, but she could guess it. However, she hadn’t, through personal bias. She wanted him to trust her, and after their last meeting, she didn’t see any reason for him not to.
“Ordering a glass and then drinking straight from the bottle?” Elysia asked from the doorway. She did not bother to knock, nor fawn for him this time. The hem of her lilac gown whispered across the floor as she moved. Rather than straying around the room, her eyes stayed on him as he lounged lazily on the kline. The note he’d sent and its riddle were not difficult, but she didn’t think they were intended to be. Nor did she understand the purpose of the riddle unless it was to be playful. Elysia did not verbalize these questions or suppositions because they didn’t matter. She hoped that the wine and the meeting were because Elias was going to tell her something useful, but she knew better than to be eager about it.
“What can I do for you, my lord?” she asked, sitting on the end of the kline and letting her arm drape along the kline’s back. Crossing one knee over the other, she looked away from Elias long enough to settle the fabric of her dress to her liking, before tilting her head and looking back at him again. It was interesting to note that Elias never became less beautiful. With other people, beauty became something that a person was accustomed to. Their beauty taken for granted and no longer noticed after a time, but rather, their personality was what people tended to see. Not Elias. Every feature of his face, every part of his body was, to put it bluntly, perfect, and that was...unusual. People often claimed the man was blessed and she didn’t disagree. He was like a piece of art, forever to be stared at and touched only with extreme caution.
Footsteps echoed in the room but Elysia didn’t look behind her. In her periphery, she saw the servant come into view, bowing, with head down, placing the cups before her lord and backing away into nothingness again. Only once the girl was gone did she twist around to look through the doorway. Getting into this place had not been a struggle. Merely presenting the note had allowed her past the guards and she’d been led by a servant right to Elias. But now she was wondering if getting out would be just as simple. The languid way she sat did not betray her thoughts, and she only allowed Elias to see the admiration she had for his exterior to show on her face. Despite what he was and what he could do, he was still very interesting to look at. Elysia liked pretty things.
She said nothing more to him, waiting for Elias to make the first move. He was the one who’d called her here, had chosen the forum in which they would meet; he knew why. Elysia could not know that he was having serious concerns about her allegiances, but she could guess it. However, she hadn’t, through personal bias. She wanted him to trust her, and after their last meeting, she didn’t see any reason for him not to.
"They goblets are, of course, for propriety's sake. If you care for a drink, then I'll join you with the proper manners our meeting deserves," the Stravos answered. He hadn't quite expected for Elysia to arrive, and while not unprepared for her, he was in an awkward predicament nonetheless. Elias placed the bottle on the floor adjacent to his kline before he rose to his feet. He placed his hand in Elysia's own, applying perhaps just a bit too much pressure for what was appropriate before placing greeting kisses on either side of the woman's cheeks. Then, the Stravos escorted his guest into their home. He lifted the goblets and the bottle both before he gestured for her to follow them deeper into the house.
What had happened to Archontiko Stravos was a travesty, but one that could be put to good use. After all, what guest that walked through the manor could be led to believed that Elias supported such architectural carnage? While Elias had initially hoped that the manor would be spared from the inevitable riots that stemmed from his purposeful neglect of the common people, he was not sorry for the damage. His family was safe, and they were welcome to lavish accommodations outside of the manor if they so chose. But, in truth, no one had believed that the manor was so destroyed. The front doors had been thrown from its place and rendered to pieces, some of the curtains and furniture was destroyed by the peasantry. However, what was more prevalent was the fact that the house had been bare for ages.
No longer. While all of them are doing their tasks, Stravos manor is to be renewed. We can consider it a... royal donation.
Was it incorrect for Elias to seize royal funds and do with them as he pleased? Perhaps, but the Headlord of Stravos was never one to take stock in the morality of his actions. Rather, he continued to need the lord and lady of house Stravos, his parents, and to be in their good graces for the time had come when the fate of the kingdom teetered in the balance and they needed it to be in their favour. For that, Elias needed staunch allies, and no longer would he suffer half-measures and poorly crafted allegiances that could go awry at any moment. It was, after all, the whole reason he'd brought Elysia here this day. First, it was to show her the fact that even the Stravos were not invulnerable.
"What you can do, my dear, is clarify exactly what side of the fence you sit on. I'd greatly appreciate, if I had more to tie to your loyalty than the fact that you escorted Emilia to the Loutra that day and nothing went entirely awry. You are an intelligent woman, Elysia, and yet... my other resources continue to make themselves more useful when it should be you that is by my side, feeding me the knowledge that will make me king."
Already, Elias of Stravos wielded formidable power. The Hydra's Men were being pushed to their limits so that no longer would he need to hire outside assassins to carry out their will. He'd learned his lessons from the fiasco with Lukos and had cast aside any sort of hope for honour or morality as it was related to the nature of benevolence. No king could lay claim to the idea of true benevolence. The principles of morality were too pliable to interpretation for any sort of monarch to have their hands clean. After all, the needs of a kingdom were great and no one with a rigid sense of right and wrong could appropriately address them.
"I want to believe what you said to me that day in the palace. I want to think that we have an understanding," Elias murmured, the quiet encompassing as the doors around them closed at the behest of his guard. The servants who tended to the manor need not collect further rumours, and Elias had the intention of using more than just his words to enthrall the woman. It was the both of them that looked to one another with feverish desire, and Elias brought himself nearer. His touch was decidedly gentle as his fingertips played along the flesh of Elysia's throat. He drew himself closer to her, his chest pressed into hers as he breathed into her ear,
"I want to believe, Elysia, that you are a capable servant for the future King of Athenia, and not some wretch to be forgotten."
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"They goblets are, of course, for propriety's sake. If you care for a drink, then I'll join you with the proper manners our meeting deserves," the Stravos answered. He hadn't quite expected for Elysia to arrive, and while not unprepared for her, he was in an awkward predicament nonetheless. Elias placed the bottle on the floor adjacent to his kline before he rose to his feet. He placed his hand in Elysia's own, applying perhaps just a bit too much pressure for what was appropriate before placing greeting kisses on either side of the woman's cheeks. Then, the Stravos escorted his guest into their home. He lifted the goblets and the bottle both before he gestured for her to follow them deeper into the house.
What had happened to Archontiko Stravos was a travesty, but one that could be put to good use. After all, what guest that walked through the manor could be led to believed that Elias supported such architectural carnage? While Elias had initially hoped that the manor would be spared from the inevitable riots that stemmed from his purposeful neglect of the common people, he was not sorry for the damage. His family was safe, and they were welcome to lavish accommodations outside of the manor if they so chose. But, in truth, no one had believed that the manor was so destroyed. The front doors had been thrown from its place and rendered to pieces, some of the curtains and furniture was destroyed by the peasantry. However, what was more prevalent was the fact that the house had been bare for ages.
No longer. While all of them are doing their tasks, Stravos manor is to be renewed. We can consider it a... royal donation.
Was it incorrect for Elias to seize royal funds and do with them as he pleased? Perhaps, but the Headlord of Stravos was never one to take stock in the morality of his actions. Rather, he continued to need the lord and lady of house Stravos, his parents, and to be in their good graces for the time had come when the fate of the kingdom teetered in the balance and they needed it to be in their favour. For that, Elias needed staunch allies, and no longer would he suffer half-measures and poorly crafted allegiances that could go awry at any moment. It was, after all, the whole reason he'd brought Elysia here this day. First, it was to show her the fact that even the Stravos were not invulnerable.
"What you can do, my dear, is clarify exactly what side of the fence you sit on. I'd greatly appreciate, if I had more to tie to your loyalty than the fact that you escorted Emilia to the Loutra that day and nothing went entirely awry. You are an intelligent woman, Elysia, and yet... my other resources continue to make themselves more useful when it should be you that is by my side, feeding me the knowledge that will make me king."
Already, Elias of Stravos wielded formidable power. The Hydra's Men were being pushed to their limits so that no longer would he need to hire outside assassins to carry out their will. He'd learned his lessons from the fiasco with Lukos and had cast aside any sort of hope for honour or morality as it was related to the nature of benevolence. No king could lay claim to the idea of true benevolence. The principles of morality were too pliable to interpretation for any sort of monarch to have their hands clean. After all, the needs of a kingdom were great and no one with a rigid sense of right and wrong could appropriately address them.
"I want to believe what you said to me that day in the palace. I want to think that we have an understanding," Elias murmured, the quiet encompassing as the doors around them closed at the behest of his guard. The servants who tended to the manor need not collect further rumours, and Elias had the intention of using more than just his words to enthrall the woman. It was the both of them that looked to one another with feverish desire, and Elias brought himself nearer. His touch was decidedly gentle as his fingertips played along the flesh of Elysia's throat. He drew himself closer to her, his chest pressed into hers as he breathed into her ear,
"I want to believe, Elysia, that you are a capable servant for the future King of Athenia, and not some wretch to be forgotten."
"They goblets are, of course, for propriety's sake. If you care for a drink, then I'll join you with the proper manners our meeting deserves," the Stravos answered. He hadn't quite expected for Elysia to arrive, and while not unprepared for her, he was in an awkward predicament nonetheless. Elias placed the bottle on the floor adjacent to his kline before he rose to his feet. He placed his hand in Elysia's own, applying perhaps just a bit too much pressure for what was appropriate before placing greeting kisses on either side of the woman's cheeks. Then, the Stravos escorted his guest into their home. He lifted the goblets and the bottle both before he gestured for her to follow them deeper into the house.
What had happened to Archontiko Stravos was a travesty, but one that could be put to good use. After all, what guest that walked through the manor could be led to believed that Elias supported such architectural carnage? While Elias had initially hoped that the manor would be spared from the inevitable riots that stemmed from his purposeful neglect of the common people, he was not sorry for the damage. His family was safe, and they were welcome to lavish accommodations outside of the manor if they so chose. But, in truth, no one had believed that the manor was so destroyed. The front doors had been thrown from its place and rendered to pieces, some of the curtains and furniture was destroyed by the peasantry. However, what was more prevalent was the fact that the house had been bare for ages.
No longer. While all of them are doing their tasks, Stravos manor is to be renewed. We can consider it a... royal donation.
Was it incorrect for Elias to seize royal funds and do with them as he pleased? Perhaps, but the Headlord of Stravos was never one to take stock in the morality of his actions. Rather, he continued to need the lord and lady of house Stravos, his parents, and to be in their good graces for the time had come when the fate of the kingdom teetered in the balance and they needed it to be in their favour. For that, Elias needed staunch allies, and no longer would he suffer half-measures and poorly crafted allegiances that could go awry at any moment. It was, after all, the whole reason he'd brought Elysia here this day. First, it was to show her the fact that even the Stravos were not invulnerable.
"What you can do, my dear, is clarify exactly what side of the fence you sit on. I'd greatly appreciate, if I had more to tie to your loyalty than the fact that you escorted Emilia to the Loutra that day and nothing went entirely awry. You are an intelligent woman, Elysia, and yet... my other resources continue to make themselves more useful when it should be you that is by my side, feeding me the knowledge that will make me king."
Already, Elias of Stravos wielded formidable power. The Hydra's Men were being pushed to their limits so that no longer would he need to hire outside assassins to carry out their will. He'd learned his lessons from the fiasco with Lukos and had cast aside any sort of hope for honour or morality as it was related to the nature of benevolence. No king could lay claim to the idea of true benevolence. The principles of morality were too pliable to interpretation for any sort of monarch to have their hands clean. After all, the needs of a kingdom were great and no one with a rigid sense of right and wrong could appropriately address them.
"I want to believe what you said to me that day in the palace. I want to think that we have an understanding," Elias murmured, the quiet encompassing as the doors around them closed at the behest of his guard. The servants who tended to the manor need not collect further rumours, and Elias had the intention of using more than just his words to enthrall the woman. It was the both of them that looked to one another with feverish desire, and Elias brought himself nearer. His touch was decidedly gentle as his fingertips played along the flesh of Elysia's throat. He drew himself closer to her, his chest pressed into hers as he breathed into her ear,
"I want to believe, Elysia, that you are a capable servant for the future King of Athenia, and not some wretch to be forgotten."
“I will drink if it pleases you but I am fine without it,” she said, eyes following him as he rose. From where she sat, she could not see where he’d placed the bottle of wine, but it did make her wonder how often he did that - drinking alone and straight from the container. A lord he was and so well known for despising the common folk and yet...drinking from a bottle in a half abandoned house, like any wastrel in the gutter. Every man had his own pet delusions and Elysia guessed that Elias either hadn’t thought about how such an action looked, or didn’t care, still imagining himself far above the peasant languishing in the streets.
Movement caught her attention and she looked down in time to see his hand reaching for and then taking hers in a firm grip. His face moved to hers and she tilted her face a little, looking off in the distance as his lips ghosted against her cheeks in greeting. He smelled sweet, like what he’d just been drinking, but the scent was faint and disappeared when he pulled away. She did not move while he turned away except to massage her hand with her thumb in her palm where his firm pressure still lingered. When he raised back up, he held the bottle and the glasses, using them to gesture towards the doorway.
Elysia smiled slowly at him and slid off the kline, following after him. She turned to look behind her just once, noting the door she’d been shown through initially. Following him through rooms that did not fit the preconception she’d had of how the Stravos manor would be, despite the damage to the exterior, she looked around very little. Not for lack of curiosity, but because his pace and stride meant that she could not lag behind. The unfamiliar rooms and halls of this place, not to mention the sheer size, meant that it was easy to get lost and the last thing she wanted was to have Lord Elias have to come fetch her from some idiot wrong turn.
"What you can do, my dear, is clarify exactly what side of the fence you sit on.” He said as they walked. Elysia’s heart skipped two beats but she colored and smiled at him. Thankfully, he saved her from answering by continuing on, his voice echoing in the rooms they passed through. There was little furniture to moderate the sound.
” I'd greatly appreciate, if I had more to tie to your loyalty than the fact that you escorted Emilia to the Loutra that day and nothing went entirely awry. You are an intelligent woman, Elysia, and yet... my other resources continue to make themselves more useful when it should be you that is by my side, feeding me the knowledge that will make me king."
She could think of nothing that would immediately help her to that and chose to say nothing except a soft “Of course.” It was perfectly clear the knowledge he actually wanted - the missing queen’s location. Something that not even her husband knew. So, if she couldn’t give him what he most wanted, he was going to need something else substantial and she thought of something just then that made her chilled blood thaw a bit.
Elysia followed Elias through a pair of double doors and stopped just inside the doorway, looking around that the many and varied plants that stood in huge, gorgeously colored earthen containers, absolutely everywhere. The entire room was a jungle of vibrant leaves and tall stalks, with a few potted trees that branched out along the ceiling. The air was heavy with moisture and she felt enclosed and yet, inexplicably safe in this room, even though it was no more or less safe than any other.
That feeling didn’t even leave when the doors closed behind her, encasing both her and Elias, presumably alone, in this room. She watched his back and clasped her hands behind hers, waiting for him to turn around, which he did almost the second the last door clicked into place. "I want to believe what you said to me that day in the palace. I want to think that we have an understanding," he said and she thought back to his cock in her mouth. She hoped to the gods they had an understanding.
The distance between them was negligible and Elysia felt his gaze like a physical touch. She looked nowhere else and lifted her chin as he pressed close to her, his fingers caressing her throat as he spoke against her ear. Her eyes closed and she listened to the promise and threat breathed in unison into his words. Unclasping her hands, she brought them to his waist, hooking her fingers in his belt.
“You want to be king,” she said slowly, looking up at him from beneath her lashes. “What are you going to do with the queen when you find her?” She did not work his belt off him, merely toyed with it as she spoke. “Are you going to kill her? Marry Princess Emilia?”
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“I will drink if it pleases you but I am fine without it,” she said, eyes following him as he rose. From where she sat, she could not see where he’d placed the bottle of wine, but it did make her wonder how often he did that - drinking alone and straight from the container. A lord he was and so well known for despising the common folk and yet...drinking from a bottle in a half abandoned house, like any wastrel in the gutter. Every man had his own pet delusions and Elysia guessed that Elias either hadn’t thought about how such an action looked, or didn’t care, still imagining himself far above the peasant languishing in the streets.
Movement caught her attention and she looked down in time to see his hand reaching for and then taking hers in a firm grip. His face moved to hers and she tilted her face a little, looking off in the distance as his lips ghosted against her cheeks in greeting. He smelled sweet, like what he’d just been drinking, but the scent was faint and disappeared when he pulled away. She did not move while he turned away except to massage her hand with her thumb in her palm where his firm pressure still lingered. When he raised back up, he held the bottle and the glasses, using them to gesture towards the doorway.
Elysia smiled slowly at him and slid off the kline, following after him. She turned to look behind her just once, noting the door she’d been shown through initially. Following him through rooms that did not fit the preconception she’d had of how the Stravos manor would be, despite the damage to the exterior, she looked around very little. Not for lack of curiosity, but because his pace and stride meant that she could not lag behind. The unfamiliar rooms and halls of this place, not to mention the sheer size, meant that it was easy to get lost and the last thing she wanted was to have Lord Elias have to come fetch her from some idiot wrong turn.
"What you can do, my dear, is clarify exactly what side of the fence you sit on.” He said as they walked. Elysia’s heart skipped two beats but she colored and smiled at him. Thankfully, he saved her from answering by continuing on, his voice echoing in the rooms they passed through. There was little furniture to moderate the sound.
” I'd greatly appreciate, if I had more to tie to your loyalty than the fact that you escorted Emilia to the Loutra that day and nothing went entirely awry. You are an intelligent woman, Elysia, and yet... my other resources continue to make themselves more useful when it should be you that is by my side, feeding me the knowledge that will make me king."
She could think of nothing that would immediately help her to that and chose to say nothing except a soft “Of course.” It was perfectly clear the knowledge he actually wanted - the missing queen’s location. Something that not even her husband knew. So, if she couldn’t give him what he most wanted, he was going to need something else substantial and she thought of something just then that made her chilled blood thaw a bit.
Elysia followed Elias through a pair of double doors and stopped just inside the doorway, looking around that the many and varied plants that stood in huge, gorgeously colored earthen containers, absolutely everywhere. The entire room was a jungle of vibrant leaves and tall stalks, with a few potted trees that branched out along the ceiling. The air was heavy with moisture and she felt enclosed and yet, inexplicably safe in this room, even though it was no more or less safe than any other.
That feeling didn’t even leave when the doors closed behind her, encasing both her and Elias, presumably alone, in this room. She watched his back and clasped her hands behind hers, waiting for him to turn around, which he did almost the second the last door clicked into place. "I want to believe what you said to me that day in the palace. I want to think that we have an understanding," he said and she thought back to his cock in her mouth. She hoped to the gods they had an understanding.
The distance between them was negligible and Elysia felt his gaze like a physical touch. She looked nowhere else and lifted her chin as he pressed close to her, his fingers caressing her throat as he spoke against her ear. Her eyes closed and she listened to the promise and threat breathed in unison into his words. Unclasping her hands, she brought them to his waist, hooking her fingers in his belt.
“You want to be king,” she said slowly, looking up at him from beneath her lashes. “What are you going to do with the queen when you find her?” She did not work his belt off him, merely toyed with it as she spoke. “Are you going to kill her? Marry Princess Emilia?”
“I will drink if it pleases you but I am fine without it,” she said, eyes following him as he rose. From where she sat, she could not see where he’d placed the bottle of wine, but it did make her wonder how often he did that - drinking alone and straight from the container. A lord he was and so well known for despising the common folk and yet...drinking from a bottle in a half abandoned house, like any wastrel in the gutter. Every man had his own pet delusions and Elysia guessed that Elias either hadn’t thought about how such an action looked, or didn’t care, still imagining himself far above the peasant languishing in the streets.
Movement caught her attention and she looked down in time to see his hand reaching for and then taking hers in a firm grip. His face moved to hers and she tilted her face a little, looking off in the distance as his lips ghosted against her cheeks in greeting. He smelled sweet, like what he’d just been drinking, but the scent was faint and disappeared when he pulled away. She did not move while he turned away except to massage her hand with her thumb in her palm where his firm pressure still lingered. When he raised back up, he held the bottle and the glasses, using them to gesture towards the doorway.
Elysia smiled slowly at him and slid off the kline, following after him. She turned to look behind her just once, noting the door she’d been shown through initially. Following him through rooms that did not fit the preconception she’d had of how the Stravos manor would be, despite the damage to the exterior, she looked around very little. Not for lack of curiosity, but because his pace and stride meant that she could not lag behind. The unfamiliar rooms and halls of this place, not to mention the sheer size, meant that it was easy to get lost and the last thing she wanted was to have Lord Elias have to come fetch her from some idiot wrong turn.
"What you can do, my dear, is clarify exactly what side of the fence you sit on.” He said as they walked. Elysia’s heart skipped two beats but she colored and smiled at him. Thankfully, he saved her from answering by continuing on, his voice echoing in the rooms they passed through. There was little furniture to moderate the sound.
” I'd greatly appreciate, if I had more to tie to your loyalty than the fact that you escorted Emilia to the Loutra that day and nothing went entirely awry. You are an intelligent woman, Elysia, and yet... my other resources continue to make themselves more useful when it should be you that is by my side, feeding me the knowledge that will make me king."
She could think of nothing that would immediately help her to that and chose to say nothing except a soft “Of course.” It was perfectly clear the knowledge he actually wanted - the missing queen’s location. Something that not even her husband knew. So, if she couldn’t give him what he most wanted, he was going to need something else substantial and she thought of something just then that made her chilled blood thaw a bit.
Elysia followed Elias through a pair of double doors and stopped just inside the doorway, looking around that the many and varied plants that stood in huge, gorgeously colored earthen containers, absolutely everywhere. The entire room was a jungle of vibrant leaves and tall stalks, with a few potted trees that branched out along the ceiling. The air was heavy with moisture and she felt enclosed and yet, inexplicably safe in this room, even though it was no more or less safe than any other.
That feeling didn’t even leave when the doors closed behind her, encasing both her and Elias, presumably alone, in this room. She watched his back and clasped her hands behind hers, waiting for him to turn around, which he did almost the second the last door clicked into place. "I want to believe what you said to me that day in the palace. I want to think that we have an understanding," he said and she thought back to his cock in her mouth. She hoped to the gods they had an understanding.
The distance between them was negligible and Elysia felt his gaze like a physical touch. She looked nowhere else and lifted her chin as he pressed close to her, his fingers caressing her throat as he spoke against her ear. Her eyes closed and she listened to the promise and threat breathed in unison into his words. Unclasping her hands, she brought them to his waist, hooking her fingers in his belt.
“You want to be king,” she said slowly, looking up at him from beneath her lashes. “What are you going to do with the queen when you find her?” She did not work his belt off him, merely toyed with it as she spoke. “Are you going to kill her? Marry Princess Emilia?”
Failure was Elias' teacher. It brought to heel the weaknesses within him, the misplaced trust of another. But, it'd also lodged within him a dependence he'd been in better control of in his brighter days. In the privacy of his family home, the Stravos scarcely cared about how his drinking habits looked, all he knew was that in his indulgence, he reveled in the fact that everything from the bottled wine, to his attire, to the grandeur of the property itself was beyond the ream of comprehension for any peasant with similar habits. They could drink their swill, and his considerations for any parallel between them were negligible at best. It occurred to him that the woman in front of him might be affronted by the display, but as far as he was concerned, to her, he had little to prove.
Shen Elysia smiled at the Headlord, the expression was rank with insincerity in it. Her question brought to rise the feeling, and her demeanor did little to convince him otherwise. Irritation crossed his thoughts, and he considered how fortunate Elysia was to be as beautiful as she was, lest his frustrations with her grow and she never leaved the archontiko as a result. Elias began to clarify his position, informing her of what he needed from her and the placid smile upon her lips was all the more telling. It was unlikely that the woman had the answers he sought after, and then her supplanting 'of course' was all the more hollow because of it all.
Was Elysia of Aetaea merely going to accept his words as they were and do nothing to contest her worth? Perhaps he'd expected too much of the Master Informer's wife as a woman of challenge, and he almost felt shame in overestimating her capacity. Narrowed eyes held to her throat, the pressure weak at best but palpable as her eyes fell shut. Her thoughts were more obscured to him, not that he was entirely sure that he understood them in the first place. He'd thought Elysia to be capable and yet... she seemed intent on letting inaction and incompetence show up his assessment of her. Fingers hooked into the sash that wraped tightly about his waist just as his chest pressed into her breasts.
Despite the aggression in his distaste for her lacking information, he couldn't quite shake the appreciation. Elias of Stravos was a man in debate with his own mind, and it wasn't quite purposely done as his arm hooked about her waist and pulled her more tightly still against his chest. The hand at her throat lowered to curl about the shoulder, his fingers resting instead at the back of her neck, twisting lightly into the tresses. She deigned it correct for her to ask questions about his intentions, to garner intelligence about him when she offered him nothing save for the single incident of reckless abandon and sexual indulgence?
"You crave insight," he began, pulling back upon the woman's hair with the intent to tip her head back. He shifted forward, to coax his lips along the woman's jawline. He breathed his words into her ear, continuing his thoughts seamlessly, "And yet... you offer none for me. Never once did it occur to you that every bit of information is critical to my success, to the point that to this day, despite your husband's investigation in the matter, I don't know who threw that wretch into the Loutra?"
Anger was palpable in his tone. The 'Princess of Sorrow' incident was the least of Elias' concerns, for it's proven the point he wanted made and accomplished its goals. But, the example served its purpose to inform Elysia that without her body pressed against him, there was very little keeping the pulse in her throat a certainty. "Save the conjecture for someone who is more interested in addressing it, Elysia. You expressed a desire to be informed and yet, what reason do I have to trust you?"
With that utterance, Elias pushed off from the woman, creating a vacuum of space between the warmth of their bodies. They remained within arm's reach, for having her further would interrupt the gravity of his statements. The bottle lay forgotten on the floor, and the Stravos had more and more annoyance to pile on. He'd been interrupted from his indulgence by her imminent arrival .He'd been asked leading questions with nothing given in return. Elysia of Aetaea seemed, to him, a fool in the moment, arriving woefully unprepared for what he requested of her. Disappointment coloured his words, anger an unsubtle undertone as his honeyed gaze sought after hers.
"Look at me and tell me you deserve anything that you've been promised.
Look at me and convince me that you're worth more than your body."
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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Failure was Elias' teacher. It brought to heel the weaknesses within him, the misplaced trust of another. But, it'd also lodged within him a dependence he'd been in better control of in his brighter days. In the privacy of his family home, the Stravos scarcely cared about how his drinking habits looked, all he knew was that in his indulgence, he reveled in the fact that everything from the bottled wine, to his attire, to the grandeur of the property itself was beyond the ream of comprehension for any peasant with similar habits. They could drink their swill, and his considerations for any parallel between them were negligible at best. It occurred to him that the woman in front of him might be affronted by the display, but as far as he was concerned, to her, he had little to prove.
Shen Elysia smiled at the Headlord, the expression was rank with insincerity in it. Her question brought to rise the feeling, and her demeanor did little to convince him otherwise. Irritation crossed his thoughts, and he considered how fortunate Elysia was to be as beautiful as she was, lest his frustrations with her grow and she never leaved the archontiko as a result. Elias began to clarify his position, informing her of what he needed from her and the placid smile upon her lips was all the more telling. It was unlikely that the woman had the answers he sought after, and then her supplanting 'of course' was all the more hollow because of it all.
Was Elysia of Aetaea merely going to accept his words as they were and do nothing to contest her worth? Perhaps he'd expected too much of the Master Informer's wife as a woman of challenge, and he almost felt shame in overestimating her capacity. Narrowed eyes held to her throat, the pressure weak at best but palpable as her eyes fell shut. Her thoughts were more obscured to him, not that he was entirely sure that he understood them in the first place. He'd thought Elysia to be capable and yet... she seemed intent on letting inaction and incompetence show up his assessment of her. Fingers hooked into the sash that wraped tightly about his waist just as his chest pressed into her breasts.
Despite the aggression in his distaste for her lacking information, he couldn't quite shake the appreciation. Elias of Stravos was a man in debate with his own mind, and it wasn't quite purposely done as his arm hooked about her waist and pulled her more tightly still against his chest. The hand at her throat lowered to curl about the shoulder, his fingers resting instead at the back of her neck, twisting lightly into the tresses. She deigned it correct for her to ask questions about his intentions, to garner intelligence about him when she offered him nothing save for the single incident of reckless abandon and sexual indulgence?
"You crave insight," he began, pulling back upon the woman's hair with the intent to tip her head back. He shifted forward, to coax his lips along the woman's jawline. He breathed his words into her ear, continuing his thoughts seamlessly, "And yet... you offer none for me. Never once did it occur to you that every bit of information is critical to my success, to the point that to this day, despite your husband's investigation in the matter, I don't know who threw that wretch into the Loutra?"
Anger was palpable in his tone. The 'Princess of Sorrow' incident was the least of Elias' concerns, for it's proven the point he wanted made and accomplished its goals. But, the example served its purpose to inform Elysia that without her body pressed against him, there was very little keeping the pulse in her throat a certainty. "Save the conjecture for someone who is more interested in addressing it, Elysia. You expressed a desire to be informed and yet, what reason do I have to trust you?"
With that utterance, Elias pushed off from the woman, creating a vacuum of space between the warmth of their bodies. They remained within arm's reach, for having her further would interrupt the gravity of his statements. The bottle lay forgotten on the floor, and the Stravos had more and more annoyance to pile on. He'd been interrupted from his indulgence by her imminent arrival .He'd been asked leading questions with nothing given in return. Elysia of Aetaea seemed, to him, a fool in the moment, arriving woefully unprepared for what he requested of her. Disappointment coloured his words, anger an unsubtle undertone as his honeyed gaze sought after hers.
"Look at me and tell me you deserve anything that you've been promised.
Look at me and convince me that you're worth more than your body."
Failure was Elias' teacher. It brought to heel the weaknesses within him, the misplaced trust of another. But, it'd also lodged within him a dependence he'd been in better control of in his brighter days. In the privacy of his family home, the Stravos scarcely cared about how his drinking habits looked, all he knew was that in his indulgence, he reveled in the fact that everything from the bottled wine, to his attire, to the grandeur of the property itself was beyond the ream of comprehension for any peasant with similar habits. They could drink their swill, and his considerations for any parallel between them were negligible at best. It occurred to him that the woman in front of him might be affronted by the display, but as far as he was concerned, to her, he had little to prove.
Shen Elysia smiled at the Headlord, the expression was rank with insincerity in it. Her question brought to rise the feeling, and her demeanor did little to convince him otherwise. Irritation crossed his thoughts, and he considered how fortunate Elysia was to be as beautiful as she was, lest his frustrations with her grow and she never leaved the archontiko as a result. Elias began to clarify his position, informing her of what he needed from her and the placid smile upon her lips was all the more telling. It was unlikely that the woman had the answers he sought after, and then her supplanting 'of course' was all the more hollow because of it all.
Was Elysia of Aetaea merely going to accept his words as they were and do nothing to contest her worth? Perhaps he'd expected too much of the Master Informer's wife as a woman of challenge, and he almost felt shame in overestimating her capacity. Narrowed eyes held to her throat, the pressure weak at best but palpable as her eyes fell shut. Her thoughts were more obscured to him, not that he was entirely sure that he understood them in the first place. He'd thought Elysia to be capable and yet... she seemed intent on letting inaction and incompetence show up his assessment of her. Fingers hooked into the sash that wraped tightly about his waist just as his chest pressed into her breasts.
Despite the aggression in his distaste for her lacking information, he couldn't quite shake the appreciation. Elias of Stravos was a man in debate with his own mind, and it wasn't quite purposely done as his arm hooked about her waist and pulled her more tightly still against his chest. The hand at her throat lowered to curl about the shoulder, his fingers resting instead at the back of her neck, twisting lightly into the tresses. She deigned it correct for her to ask questions about his intentions, to garner intelligence about him when she offered him nothing save for the single incident of reckless abandon and sexual indulgence?
"You crave insight," he began, pulling back upon the woman's hair with the intent to tip her head back. He shifted forward, to coax his lips along the woman's jawline. He breathed his words into her ear, continuing his thoughts seamlessly, "And yet... you offer none for me. Never once did it occur to you that every bit of information is critical to my success, to the point that to this day, despite your husband's investigation in the matter, I don't know who threw that wretch into the Loutra?"
Anger was palpable in his tone. The 'Princess of Sorrow' incident was the least of Elias' concerns, for it's proven the point he wanted made and accomplished its goals. But, the example served its purpose to inform Elysia that without her body pressed against him, there was very little keeping the pulse in her throat a certainty. "Save the conjecture for someone who is more interested in addressing it, Elysia. You expressed a desire to be informed and yet, what reason do I have to trust you?"
With that utterance, Elias pushed off from the woman, creating a vacuum of space between the warmth of their bodies. They remained within arm's reach, for having her further would interrupt the gravity of his statements. The bottle lay forgotten on the floor, and the Stravos had more and more annoyance to pile on. He'd been interrupted from his indulgence by her imminent arrival .He'd been asked leading questions with nothing given in return. Elysia of Aetaea seemed, to him, a fool in the moment, arriving woefully unprepared for what he requested of her. Disappointment coloured his words, anger an unsubtle undertone as his honeyed gaze sought after hers.
"Look at me and tell me you deserve anything that you've been promised.
Look at me and convince me that you're worth more than your body."
Rumors about Elias swirled around Athenia and almost none of them had anything to do with a charming personality or caring touch. The whispers were about his level of incompetence or fear of the power he wielded. No one knew quite how much and that was the part that was working in his favor. Whether a little power or a lot, people at least thought he had quite a bit of bite behind his bark. On a personal, one to one level, there was little to fear. He wasn’t an elite soldier and most of his tyranny lay in the barbed words that shot out of his mouth.
Elysia didn’t have time to react before his fingers curled at the base of her hair, tangling in it and pulling back so that her face tipped up. Eyes sought his as he spoke and she narrowed her eyes for a single moment before they lifted towards the ceiling. Elias’s face was too close and she couldn’t really see him with his lips against her jaw. Her hands fisted in the fabric of his clothes as he spoke venom into her ear. She hated when he mentioned her husband. Cicero was never mentioned in a way that ever meant anything but harm and she closed her eyes, cheek pressed to Elias’s, thinking of how she’d make good and sure that Elias was dead if Cicero ended up that way.
Elias’s thoughts seethed from one to the next and the heat of his breath sent a shiver down her spine. She was not afraid of him physically hurting her. Not here or now, anyway, but she was concerned about what he could do to her life and the way she’d carefully set it up if he got it into his head to ruin it. All at once, she found herself shoved backwards. For the few careening seconds it took to figure out what was happening, the room blurred and she had only an impression of Elias’s beautiful face contorted into an ugly mask of loathing. She caught herself with an elegant grace, coming to a stop only a pace or two away from him. If only the room was bigger and they were further apart. And yet, there was a perverse want to be very, very close to him. It was like walking on the edge of a cliff face, seeing how close she could get and looking over the edge at the certain death below if she teetered even a fraction too far in the wrong direction.
"Look at me and tell me you deserve anything that you've been promised. Look at me and convince me that you're worth more than your body."
“Deserve,” Elysia smirked at him and then looked down at the wine on the floor between them. “What an interesting word to use.” She turned away from him. Before her, the lush foliage of the room offered a path as though one might walk through a forest. She stepped into it and disappeared from view. “All you do is threaten me,” she called, walking away quickly, wondering if there was another outlet to this room. “Is that why you think you deserve the throne, my lord? Because you deserve it? Perhaps if you spent less time being petulant and more time keeping your eyes open, I wouldn’t have to tell you that the Queen has been in Taengea this entire time.”
Her heart hammered and she struck out on a different path, imagining Elias to be a little too close. What he’d do with her walking away from him, she wasn’t sure. But if he wanted information, she would give it to him. Not while he had her in his grip. He was beautiful, yes, but she didn’t trust him not to be a little too brash if it came into his head. Leaves fluttered behind her and she couldn’t be sure if it was because she’d just come through that way, or if Elias was hunting for her.
Walking backward, Elysia glanced around, half smiling, enjoying this game just the littlest bit. “Nor would I have to be the one to inform you that I have every reason to believe she will come for her sister. Word has reached her by now that you have Emilia...and with the display in the loutra, I do not think Persephone will take long in coming here.”
To tell Elias this, Elysia did not believe it would harm Persephone. It wasn’t like Elias could reach her from Taengea, and to say that Persephone would come back? Well that wasn’t so wrong, was it? After all, if Persephone was clever, she could avoid being caught. At least, Elysia liked to think so. This was definitely information in the vein that he wanted, she was sure.
Elysia stopped and looked around, not seeing him right off. She backed against one of the trees, the leaves of which brushed against her shoulders as her back met the bark of the trunk. “Is that enough?” Elysia called out. “I’ll give you her exact location when I know it,” she lied. At the moment? No one knew Persephone’s location except Persephone, though Elysia was pretty sure that Iris might know something. She and Persephone were not the best of friends, to be sure, but Iris was loyal and married to a man more loyal still. But that would only give something away if Elias paid strict attention to the court and its machinations. Some observance, sure, but Elias had been busy, as of late, and Elysia didn’t know how much he knew about his fellows and how much he didn’t. Certainly not more than the Master Informer. And Cicero was unlikely to tell Elias anything that the man did not directly ask; and because Elias was not king, was under no obligation to do even that at the moment.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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Rumors about Elias swirled around Athenia and almost none of them had anything to do with a charming personality or caring touch. The whispers were about his level of incompetence or fear of the power he wielded. No one knew quite how much and that was the part that was working in his favor. Whether a little power or a lot, people at least thought he had quite a bit of bite behind his bark. On a personal, one to one level, there was little to fear. He wasn’t an elite soldier and most of his tyranny lay in the barbed words that shot out of his mouth.
Elysia didn’t have time to react before his fingers curled at the base of her hair, tangling in it and pulling back so that her face tipped up. Eyes sought his as he spoke and she narrowed her eyes for a single moment before they lifted towards the ceiling. Elias’s face was too close and she couldn’t really see him with his lips against her jaw. Her hands fisted in the fabric of his clothes as he spoke venom into her ear. She hated when he mentioned her husband. Cicero was never mentioned in a way that ever meant anything but harm and she closed her eyes, cheek pressed to Elias’s, thinking of how she’d make good and sure that Elias was dead if Cicero ended up that way.
Elias’s thoughts seethed from one to the next and the heat of his breath sent a shiver down her spine. She was not afraid of him physically hurting her. Not here or now, anyway, but she was concerned about what he could do to her life and the way she’d carefully set it up if he got it into his head to ruin it. All at once, she found herself shoved backwards. For the few careening seconds it took to figure out what was happening, the room blurred and she had only an impression of Elias’s beautiful face contorted into an ugly mask of loathing. She caught herself with an elegant grace, coming to a stop only a pace or two away from him. If only the room was bigger and they were further apart. And yet, there was a perverse want to be very, very close to him. It was like walking on the edge of a cliff face, seeing how close she could get and looking over the edge at the certain death below if she teetered even a fraction too far in the wrong direction.
"Look at me and tell me you deserve anything that you've been promised. Look at me and convince me that you're worth more than your body."
“Deserve,” Elysia smirked at him and then looked down at the wine on the floor between them. “What an interesting word to use.” She turned away from him. Before her, the lush foliage of the room offered a path as though one might walk through a forest. She stepped into it and disappeared from view. “All you do is threaten me,” she called, walking away quickly, wondering if there was another outlet to this room. “Is that why you think you deserve the throne, my lord? Because you deserve it? Perhaps if you spent less time being petulant and more time keeping your eyes open, I wouldn’t have to tell you that the Queen has been in Taengea this entire time.”
Her heart hammered and she struck out on a different path, imagining Elias to be a little too close. What he’d do with her walking away from him, she wasn’t sure. But if he wanted information, she would give it to him. Not while he had her in his grip. He was beautiful, yes, but she didn’t trust him not to be a little too brash if it came into his head. Leaves fluttered behind her and she couldn’t be sure if it was because she’d just come through that way, or if Elias was hunting for her.
Walking backward, Elysia glanced around, half smiling, enjoying this game just the littlest bit. “Nor would I have to be the one to inform you that I have every reason to believe she will come for her sister. Word has reached her by now that you have Emilia...and with the display in the loutra, I do not think Persephone will take long in coming here.”
To tell Elias this, Elysia did not believe it would harm Persephone. It wasn’t like Elias could reach her from Taengea, and to say that Persephone would come back? Well that wasn’t so wrong, was it? After all, if Persephone was clever, she could avoid being caught. At least, Elysia liked to think so. This was definitely information in the vein that he wanted, she was sure.
Elysia stopped and looked around, not seeing him right off. She backed against one of the trees, the leaves of which brushed against her shoulders as her back met the bark of the trunk. “Is that enough?” Elysia called out. “I’ll give you her exact location when I know it,” she lied. At the moment? No one knew Persephone’s location except Persephone, though Elysia was pretty sure that Iris might know something. She and Persephone were not the best of friends, to be sure, but Iris was loyal and married to a man more loyal still. But that would only give something away if Elias paid strict attention to the court and its machinations. Some observance, sure, but Elias had been busy, as of late, and Elysia didn’t know how much he knew about his fellows and how much he didn’t. Certainly not more than the Master Informer. And Cicero was unlikely to tell Elias anything that the man did not directly ask; and because Elias was not king, was under no obligation to do even that at the moment.
Rumors about Elias swirled around Athenia and almost none of them had anything to do with a charming personality or caring touch. The whispers were about his level of incompetence or fear of the power he wielded. No one knew quite how much and that was the part that was working in his favor. Whether a little power or a lot, people at least thought he had quite a bit of bite behind his bark. On a personal, one to one level, there was little to fear. He wasn’t an elite soldier and most of his tyranny lay in the barbed words that shot out of his mouth.
Elysia didn’t have time to react before his fingers curled at the base of her hair, tangling in it and pulling back so that her face tipped up. Eyes sought his as he spoke and she narrowed her eyes for a single moment before they lifted towards the ceiling. Elias’s face was too close and she couldn’t really see him with his lips against her jaw. Her hands fisted in the fabric of his clothes as he spoke venom into her ear. She hated when he mentioned her husband. Cicero was never mentioned in a way that ever meant anything but harm and she closed her eyes, cheek pressed to Elias’s, thinking of how she’d make good and sure that Elias was dead if Cicero ended up that way.
Elias’s thoughts seethed from one to the next and the heat of his breath sent a shiver down her spine. She was not afraid of him physically hurting her. Not here or now, anyway, but she was concerned about what he could do to her life and the way she’d carefully set it up if he got it into his head to ruin it. All at once, she found herself shoved backwards. For the few careening seconds it took to figure out what was happening, the room blurred and she had only an impression of Elias’s beautiful face contorted into an ugly mask of loathing. She caught herself with an elegant grace, coming to a stop only a pace or two away from him. If only the room was bigger and they were further apart. And yet, there was a perverse want to be very, very close to him. It was like walking on the edge of a cliff face, seeing how close she could get and looking over the edge at the certain death below if she teetered even a fraction too far in the wrong direction.
"Look at me and tell me you deserve anything that you've been promised. Look at me and convince me that you're worth more than your body."
“Deserve,” Elysia smirked at him and then looked down at the wine on the floor between them. “What an interesting word to use.” She turned away from him. Before her, the lush foliage of the room offered a path as though one might walk through a forest. She stepped into it and disappeared from view. “All you do is threaten me,” she called, walking away quickly, wondering if there was another outlet to this room. “Is that why you think you deserve the throne, my lord? Because you deserve it? Perhaps if you spent less time being petulant and more time keeping your eyes open, I wouldn’t have to tell you that the Queen has been in Taengea this entire time.”
Her heart hammered and she struck out on a different path, imagining Elias to be a little too close. What he’d do with her walking away from him, she wasn’t sure. But if he wanted information, she would give it to him. Not while he had her in his grip. He was beautiful, yes, but she didn’t trust him not to be a little too brash if it came into his head. Leaves fluttered behind her and she couldn’t be sure if it was because she’d just come through that way, or if Elias was hunting for her.
Walking backward, Elysia glanced around, half smiling, enjoying this game just the littlest bit. “Nor would I have to be the one to inform you that I have every reason to believe she will come for her sister. Word has reached her by now that you have Emilia...and with the display in the loutra, I do not think Persephone will take long in coming here.”
To tell Elias this, Elysia did not believe it would harm Persephone. It wasn’t like Elias could reach her from Taengea, and to say that Persephone would come back? Well that wasn’t so wrong, was it? After all, if Persephone was clever, she could avoid being caught. At least, Elysia liked to think so. This was definitely information in the vein that he wanted, she was sure.
Elysia stopped and looked around, not seeing him right off. She backed against one of the trees, the leaves of which brushed against her shoulders as her back met the bark of the trunk. “Is that enough?” Elysia called out. “I’ll give you her exact location when I know it,” she lied. At the moment? No one knew Persephone’s location except Persephone, though Elysia was pretty sure that Iris might know something. She and Persephone were not the best of friends, to be sure, but Iris was loyal and married to a man more loyal still. But that would only give something away if Elias paid strict attention to the court and its machinations. Some observance, sure, but Elias had been busy, as of late, and Elysia didn’t know how much he knew about his fellows and how much he didn’t. Certainly not more than the Master Informer. And Cicero was unlikely to tell Elias anything that the man did not directly ask; and because Elias was not king, was under no obligation to do even that at the moment.
Whispers and rumours had their uses, just as everyone and everything else that surrounded Elias did. Particularly in the days leading towards the Harvest Festival, that much grew more and more true. The young Headlord of Stravos, in his moments of introspection, surmised that it was correct for him to learn how to utilize those rumours to their greatest effect. The princess was easily enough fooled, even when he'd spelled out his intentions for her, due to his capacity to wear false emotions and present them as truths. Others were less simple to manipulate, but in those particular instances, he could utilize other assets he had at his disposal. For some, such as Elysia, it could be his beauty. Whether the lord Elias' threats were actually effective or the woman succumbed to them to make herself feel better... he truly didn't know.
Amusement caught within the Headlord's thoughts as Elysia tightened her fingers within the fabric of his chiton. He wondered how the woman reacted to his words, for she wore a proper veil upon her truest thoughts. It was impossible to fully trust such a being, but trust was something Elias of Stravos could only reserve for his family. The rest? They were tools and playthings, or else stepping stones for him to actualize his greatness. When at last the Stravos demanded her to tell him something, to give him a reason to keep her around, she answered with an intriguing preface. All he did was threaten her? Elias of Stravos promised Elysia everything that his confidence could bring to her. And yet, she refused to act for him. She gave him nothing to go on up until she moved through the foliage.
Of course, Elias was compelled to follow. There was no exit to the conservatory aside from the one they entered, and the further in Elysia delved the further into his clutches she remained. Then, she chastised him. Eyes narrowed, but she wouldn't see the motion. Elias of Stravos held Athenia in his palm, and he was well enough apprised to what went on in the capitol and all that transpired within his barony and those that fell under the mantle of his rule. Tighter and tighter his grasp upon the Stravos provinces grew, in order to limit the number of hiding places the witch-queen could have on her return. But, also, to ensure the loyalty of the people in them. Elias didn't bother to extend his influence to foreign kingdoms, particularly in light of the Colchian Prince's request for aid and the news of war that extended to his reach.
It was asinine to spread his influence beyond Athenia if he wanted to limit the interaction in this war that was so foolish for him to be involved in. Elias did not fear sending soldiers to die in Egypt, but didn't have the power to send them even if he wanted to. He needed Athenia isolated up until he acquired his throne and could properly utilize all of the authority that the crown bestowed upon him. Then, and only then, could the would-be king make a proper decision. The Headlord of Stravos didn't immediately react to the news. He suspected that she'd be offshore, for the very presence of him in the palati merited that she was well off and away.
But for how long? What would she bring with her from Taengea, if anything at all? Just what did Elias of Stravos need to caution himself and his forces against when the witch at last deemed Athenia worthy of her attention? He thought of all of this just as he drew closer still to Elysia. Elias drew closer to Elysia, intent upon enshrouding her waist with his arm. The Headlord sought to bring the woman into his embrace, his free hand snaring within her hair. Then, he'd press the woman, if she remained in his embrace, against a tree he was far too familiar with. The centre of the conservatory, he'd had more than one woman before Elysia pressed against it.
Lips sought to gain purchase on Elysia's own, intent upon parting them so as to claim the Master Informer's wife's tongue with his own. His fingers wound more and more tightly into her hair, kneading against her scalp up until the moment arrived that he released her lips to press his smirk against her jawline.
"It's not enough, and it never will be. I wasn't sure whether the queen was in Taengea or Colchis, but having a definitive answer is... nice, if not incredibly relevant. Her location, until it is confirmed to be in Athenia, is nothing to me. Knowing that the queen is aware that her sister is in my clutches... Well, that's a fascinating bit of information as well."
Elias' chest sought to press into Elysia's breasts, his arm unwinding from her waist to clutch at the flesh of her thigh. His digits played along her flesh just as the warmth of his body seeped into her own.
"Is it so difficult to be useful, Elysia? I am not difficult to placate, provided that you play my game. Be an active participant, feed me the information you know I want from you. I've done more than threaten you, my lady, or are the promises that I offer not enticing enough for you to remember?"
Elias' lips hovered just above hers, the supple flesh pressing into her lips just before he breathed against her lips,
"I am partial to you, Elysia, and I'd rather keep those sentiments in place. I don't need to keep my eyes on the Queen. I have you to do that for me. I don't need to pursue her interests in Emilia's life. Every day she spends isolated from her kingdom, it winds tighter into my clutches. Do you understand, the use I have for you now?" he murmured, his words a flicker of whisper before he raised a hand to slide between the fabric of her chiton, intent on slowly parting fabric from fabric to reveal more of her exquisite form to his scrutiny.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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Whispers and rumours had their uses, just as everyone and everything else that surrounded Elias did. Particularly in the days leading towards the Harvest Festival, that much grew more and more true. The young Headlord of Stravos, in his moments of introspection, surmised that it was correct for him to learn how to utilize those rumours to their greatest effect. The princess was easily enough fooled, even when he'd spelled out his intentions for her, due to his capacity to wear false emotions and present them as truths. Others were less simple to manipulate, but in those particular instances, he could utilize other assets he had at his disposal. For some, such as Elysia, it could be his beauty. Whether the lord Elias' threats were actually effective or the woman succumbed to them to make herself feel better... he truly didn't know.
Amusement caught within the Headlord's thoughts as Elysia tightened her fingers within the fabric of his chiton. He wondered how the woman reacted to his words, for she wore a proper veil upon her truest thoughts. It was impossible to fully trust such a being, but trust was something Elias of Stravos could only reserve for his family. The rest? They were tools and playthings, or else stepping stones for him to actualize his greatness. When at last the Stravos demanded her to tell him something, to give him a reason to keep her around, she answered with an intriguing preface. All he did was threaten her? Elias of Stravos promised Elysia everything that his confidence could bring to her. And yet, she refused to act for him. She gave him nothing to go on up until she moved through the foliage.
Of course, Elias was compelled to follow. There was no exit to the conservatory aside from the one they entered, and the further in Elysia delved the further into his clutches she remained. Then, she chastised him. Eyes narrowed, but she wouldn't see the motion. Elias of Stravos held Athenia in his palm, and he was well enough apprised to what went on in the capitol and all that transpired within his barony and those that fell under the mantle of his rule. Tighter and tighter his grasp upon the Stravos provinces grew, in order to limit the number of hiding places the witch-queen could have on her return. But, also, to ensure the loyalty of the people in them. Elias didn't bother to extend his influence to foreign kingdoms, particularly in light of the Colchian Prince's request for aid and the news of war that extended to his reach.
It was asinine to spread his influence beyond Athenia if he wanted to limit the interaction in this war that was so foolish for him to be involved in. Elias did not fear sending soldiers to die in Egypt, but didn't have the power to send them even if he wanted to. He needed Athenia isolated up until he acquired his throne and could properly utilize all of the authority that the crown bestowed upon him. Then, and only then, could the would-be king make a proper decision. The Headlord of Stravos didn't immediately react to the news. He suspected that she'd be offshore, for the very presence of him in the palati merited that she was well off and away.
But for how long? What would she bring with her from Taengea, if anything at all? Just what did Elias of Stravos need to caution himself and his forces against when the witch at last deemed Athenia worthy of her attention? He thought of all of this just as he drew closer still to Elysia. Elias drew closer to Elysia, intent upon enshrouding her waist with his arm. The Headlord sought to bring the woman into his embrace, his free hand snaring within her hair. Then, he'd press the woman, if she remained in his embrace, against a tree he was far too familiar with. The centre of the conservatory, he'd had more than one woman before Elysia pressed against it.
Lips sought to gain purchase on Elysia's own, intent upon parting them so as to claim the Master Informer's wife's tongue with his own. His fingers wound more and more tightly into her hair, kneading against her scalp up until the moment arrived that he released her lips to press his smirk against her jawline.
"It's not enough, and it never will be. I wasn't sure whether the queen was in Taengea or Colchis, but having a definitive answer is... nice, if not incredibly relevant. Her location, until it is confirmed to be in Athenia, is nothing to me. Knowing that the queen is aware that her sister is in my clutches... Well, that's a fascinating bit of information as well."
Elias' chest sought to press into Elysia's breasts, his arm unwinding from her waist to clutch at the flesh of her thigh. His digits played along her flesh just as the warmth of his body seeped into her own.
"Is it so difficult to be useful, Elysia? I am not difficult to placate, provided that you play my game. Be an active participant, feed me the information you know I want from you. I've done more than threaten you, my lady, or are the promises that I offer not enticing enough for you to remember?"
Elias' lips hovered just above hers, the supple flesh pressing into her lips just before he breathed against her lips,
"I am partial to you, Elysia, and I'd rather keep those sentiments in place. I don't need to keep my eyes on the Queen. I have you to do that for me. I don't need to pursue her interests in Emilia's life. Every day she spends isolated from her kingdom, it winds tighter into my clutches. Do you understand, the use I have for you now?" he murmured, his words a flicker of whisper before he raised a hand to slide between the fabric of her chiton, intent on slowly parting fabric from fabric to reveal more of her exquisite form to his scrutiny.
Whispers and rumours had their uses, just as everyone and everything else that surrounded Elias did. Particularly in the days leading towards the Harvest Festival, that much grew more and more true. The young Headlord of Stravos, in his moments of introspection, surmised that it was correct for him to learn how to utilize those rumours to their greatest effect. The princess was easily enough fooled, even when he'd spelled out his intentions for her, due to his capacity to wear false emotions and present them as truths. Others were less simple to manipulate, but in those particular instances, he could utilize other assets he had at his disposal. For some, such as Elysia, it could be his beauty. Whether the lord Elias' threats were actually effective or the woman succumbed to them to make herself feel better... he truly didn't know.
Amusement caught within the Headlord's thoughts as Elysia tightened her fingers within the fabric of his chiton. He wondered how the woman reacted to his words, for she wore a proper veil upon her truest thoughts. It was impossible to fully trust such a being, but trust was something Elias of Stravos could only reserve for his family. The rest? They were tools and playthings, or else stepping stones for him to actualize his greatness. When at last the Stravos demanded her to tell him something, to give him a reason to keep her around, she answered with an intriguing preface. All he did was threaten her? Elias of Stravos promised Elysia everything that his confidence could bring to her. And yet, she refused to act for him. She gave him nothing to go on up until she moved through the foliage.
Of course, Elias was compelled to follow. There was no exit to the conservatory aside from the one they entered, and the further in Elysia delved the further into his clutches she remained. Then, she chastised him. Eyes narrowed, but she wouldn't see the motion. Elias of Stravos held Athenia in his palm, and he was well enough apprised to what went on in the capitol and all that transpired within his barony and those that fell under the mantle of his rule. Tighter and tighter his grasp upon the Stravos provinces grew, in order to limit the number of hiding places the witch-queen could have on her return. But, also, to ensure the loyalty of the people in them. Elias didn't bother to extend his influence to foreign kingdoms, particularly in light of the Colchian Prince's request for aid and the news of war that extended to his reach.
It was asinine to spread his influence beyond Athenia if he wanted to limit the interaction in this war that was so foolish for him to be involved in. Elias did not fear sending soldiers to die in Egypt, but didn't have the power to send them even if he wanted to. He needed Athenia isolated up until he acquired his throne and could properly utilize all of the authority that the crown bestowed upon him. Then, and only then, could the would-be king make a proper decision. The Headlord of Stravos didn't immediately react to the news. He suspected that she'd be offshore, for the very presence of him in the palati merited that she was well off and away.
But for how long? What would she bring with her from Taengea, if anything at all? Just what did Elias of Stravos need to caution himself and his forces against when the witch at last deemed Athenia worthy of her attention? He thought of all of this just as he drew closer still to Elysia. Elias drew closer to Elysia, intent upon enshrouding her waist with his arm. The Headlord sought to bring the woman into his embrace, his free hand snaring within her hair. Then, he'd press the woman, if she remained in his embrace, against a tree he was far too familiar with. The centre of the conservatory, he'd had more than one woman before Elysia pressed against it.
Lips sought to gain purchase on Elysia's own, intent upon parting them so as to claim the Master Informer's wife's tongue with his own. His fingers wound more and more tightly into her hair, kneading against her scalp up until the moment arrived that he released her lips to press his smirk against her jawline.
"It's not enough, and it never will be. I wasn't sure whether the queen was in Taengea or Colchis, but having a definitive answer is... nice, if not incredibly relevant. Her location, until it is confirmed to be in Athenia, is nothing to me. Knowing that the queen is aware that her sister is in my clutches... Well, that's a fascinating bit of information as well."
Elias' chest sought to press into Elysia's breasts, his arm unwinding from her waist to clutch at the flesh of her thigh. His digits played along her flesh just as the warmth of his body seeped into her own.
"Is it so difficult to be useful, Elysia? I am not difficult to placate, provided that you play my game. Be an active participant, feed me the information you know I want from you. I've done more than threaten you, my lady, or are the promises that I offer not enticing enough for you to remember?"
Elias' lips hovered just above hers, the supple flesh pressing into her lips just before he breathed against her lips,
"I am partial to you, Elysia, and I'd rather keep those sentiments in place. I don't need to keep my eyes on the Queen. I have you to do that for me. I don't need to pursue her interests in Emilia's life. Every day she spends isolated from her kingdom, it winds tighter into my clutches. Do you understand, the use I have for you now?" he murmured, his words a flicker of whisper before he raised a hand to slide between the fabric of her chiton, intent on slowly parting fabric from fabric to reveal more of her exquisite form to his scrutiny.
Her heart thundered in her chest, as she looked around. Rich green foliage obscured her vision and where she thought an arm reached out, it was merely a branch. Twigs caught the ends of her hair and she didn’t feel unsafe with her back against the smooth bark of the conservatory tree. The branches shifted on her left and she jerked her attention there, not realizing that he’d moved the plant as he circled in from the right, fingers twisting in her hair. A gasp escaped but a short laugh of surprise followed as his arm immediately encircled her waist. The leaves parted and Elias’s face appeared before her.
She gave way to him as he pressed her back against the tree. His lips found hers and she closed her eyes, liking the chase and the ending, despite herself. It didn’t matter to her how many women he’d had in this exact same spot. Elysia wasn’t here for Elias’s heart and she certainly wasn’t here for him to pretend to love her. That wasn’t their arrangement and she didn’t want it to be. Love didn’t need to factor into sex. And so she met his kiss with her own, enjoying it for the pleasure that it would bring, learning his taste underneath the sweetness of the wine still on his tongue.
He moved his head and she raised her own as his lips caressed against her jaw. Her hands slid up his chest, over his shoulders, until her arms looped around his neck. Their bodies pressed together like complimentary pieces to a puzzle. She listened as he breathed his thoughts against her skin, lifting her leg against his hip for him when she felt the rush of air as the fabric of her dress was pushed aside and the warmth of his hand replaced it.
She turned her head more as he spoke, asking her if it was difficult to be useful and smiled. Actually, it was, when she was trying to play this game like she wanted to. Which information to give him and which information to keep hidden? Who would die as a result of this or that? And people would die. It was simply a matter of who. Turning her attention back to him, she found his lips hovering there, waiting as he spoke again. Her eyes remained on his mouth, listening, debating. Half formed plans rose up and fell away as he spoke, shifting and changing with each guess as to how to both please him and not actually give him too much, but she could think on that later. The warmth of his hand sliding over her skin as he removed the portions of her clothes that he most wanted made her tilt her chin toward him and press her lips along his jaw. He was so beautiful and she couldn’t seem to get over it.
“Don’t declare undying love to me,” she teased, as though he’d ever do such a thing. “Yes,” she finally answered his last question once he’d nearly fully exposed her form. “I understand and,” she pressed back, as much away from him as she could manage with her back to the tree, parting their chests for a few moments so that she could see him well enough to unfasten the belt at his waist. “I will give you whatever you want in return for a trade. I want to know about you.”
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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Her heart thundered in her chest, as she looked around. Rich green foliage obscured her vision and where she thought an arm reached out, it was merely a branch. Twigs caught the ends of her hair and she didn’t feel unsafe with her back against the smooth bark of the conservatory tree. The branches shifted on her left and she jerked her attention there, not realizing that he’d moved the plant as he circled in from the right, fingers twisting in her hair. A gasp escaped but a short laugh of surprise followed as his arm immediately encircled her waist. The leaves parted and Elias’s face appeared before her.
She gave way to him as he pressed her back against the tree. His lips found hers and she closed her eyes, liking the chase and the ending, despite herself. It didn’t matter to her how many women he’d had in this exact same spot. Elysia wasn’t here for Elias’s heart and she certainly wasn’t here for him to pretend to love her. That wasn’t their arrangement and she didn’t want it to be. Love didn’t need to factor into sex. And so she met his kiss with her own, enjoying it for the pleasure that it would bring, learning his taste underneath the sweetness of the wine still on his tongue.
He moved his head and she raised her own as his lips caressed against her jaw. Her hands slid up his chest, over his shoulders, until her arms looped around his neck. Their bodies pressed together like complimentary pieces to a puzzle. She listened as he breathed his thoughts against her skin, lifting her leg against his hip for him when she felt the rush of air as the fabric of her dress was pushed aside and the warmth of his hand replaced it.
She turned her head more as he spoke, asking her if it was difficult to be useful and smiled. Actually, it was, when she was trying to play this game like she wanted to. Which information to give him and which information to keep hidden? Who would die as a result of this or that? And people would die. It was simply a matter of who. Turning her attention back to him, she found his lips hovering there, waiting as he spoke again. Her eyes remained on his mouth, listening, debating. Half formed plans rose up and fell away as he spoke, shifting and changing with each guess as to how to both please him and not actually give him too much, but she could think on that later. The warmth of his hand sliding over her skin as he removed the portions of her clothes that he most wanted made her tilt her chin toward him and press her lips along his jaw. He was so beautiful and she couldn’t seem to get over it.
“Don’t declare undying love to me,” she teased, as though he’d ever do such a thing. “Yes,” she finally answered his last question once he’d nearly fully exposed her form. “I understand and,” she pressed back, as much away from him as she could manage with her back to the tree, parting their chests for a few moments so that she could see him well enough to unfasten the belt at his waist. “I will give you whatever you want in return for a trade. I want to know about you.”
Her heart thundered in her chest, as she looked around. Rich green foliage obscured her vision and where she thought an arm reached out, it was merely a branch. Twigs caught the ends of her hair and she didn’t feel unsafe with her back against the smooth bark of the conservatory tree. The branches shifted on her left and she jerked her attention there, not realizing that he’d moved the plant as he circled in from the right, fingers twisting in her hair. A gasp escaped but a short laugh of surprise followed as his arm immediately encircled her waist. The leaves parted and Elias’s face appeared before her.
She gave way to him as he pressed her back against the tree. His lips found hers and she closed her eyes, liking the chase and the ending, despite herself. It didn’t matter to her how many women he’d had in this exact same spot. Elysia wasn’t here for Elias’s heart and she certainly wasn’t here for him to pretend to love her. That wasn’t their arrangement and she didn’t want it to be. Love didn’t need to factor into sex. And so she met his kiss with her own, enjoying it for the pleasure that it would bring, learning his taste underneath the sweetness of the wine still on his tongue.
He moved his head and she raised her own as his lips caressed against her jaw. Her hands slid up his chest, over his shoulders, until her arms looped around his neck. Their bodies pressed together like complimentary pieces to a puzzle. She listened as he breathed his thoughts against her skin, lifting her leg against his hip for him when she felt the rush of air as the fabric of her dress was pushed aside and the warmth of his hand replaced it.
She turned her head more as he spoke, asking her if it was difficult to be useful and smiled. Actually, it was, when she was trying to play this game like she wanted to. Which information to give him and which information to keep hidden? Who would die as a result of this or that? And people would die. It was simply a matter of who. Turning her attention back to him, she found his lips hovering there, waiting as he spoke again. Her eyes remained on his mouth, listening, debating. Half formed plans rose up and fell away as he spoke, shifting and changing with each guess as to how to both please him and not actually give him too much, but she could think on that later. The warmth of his hand sliding over her skin as he removed the portions of her clothes that he most wanted made her tilt her chin toward him and press her lips along his jaw. He was so beautiful and she couldn’t seem to get over it.
“Don’t declare undying love to me,” she teased, as though he’d ever do such a thing. “Yes,” she finally answered his last question once he’d nearly fully exposed her form. “I understand and,” she pressed back, as much away from him as she could manage with her back to the tree, parting their chests for a few moments so that she could see him well enough to unfasten the belt at his waist. “I will give you whatever you want in return for a trade. I want to know about you.”
Whether or not Elysia chose to play his game, she was a participant in it. He'd mentioned to Circenia the potential utility in having her, and it was difficult to know what the matriarch of the Stravos line would do with that information. However, he would not apprise the Master Informer's wife of that fact. Better that she not know the viper hiding in the wings lest her proximity to Elias become sour and her utility came to an end. The heady feeling of having power over others, of being able to snuff them out with the stroke of a brush or the utterance of a word. While Elysia had seen Elias make a show of being drunk on wine, he was drunk on power and would not be satisfied with it until the bottle it came from was empty and the sanguine drops of the Queen's blood dribbled from his chin.
The answer to his question went without being said. She was dragging her feet, and the contest in his head was whether that feet dragging was out of loyalty or self-preservation. After all, she was an intelligent woman. When her possible utility came to an end, it was only a matter of time until he came for her, not for information but to ensure that she could not share what she'd divulged to him. Her life was arbitrary, save for the physical satisfaction she was so willing to give and the admissions of truth she was so reluctant to make. However, if she was truly wishing for self-preservation, she'd make herself useful eternally, already approached by him to be his mole... To act in her own interests was just as she'd said before, to play on his side and keep herself involved only in an indirect fashion.
But, Elias had no intention to tell her how to make her decisions. While he saw himself as a godling to be obeyed and the one who belonged on the throne of Athenia, the latter was not yet an objective fact. Then and only then was his word law and his demands required being met. But, in his eyes, it was only a matter of time and the right coaxing to make it so. When she teased him, the scrutinizing gaze as he awaited her answer whittled away. Laughter spilled from his lips as her body was exposed to him. Just as she answered his request, the sash that held his chiton in place fell from his waist, an easy enough task. Desire was well and alive within the Headlord of Stravos, and the idea of exchanging information wasn't all that... unappealing.
Once she made her counter-offer to him, he mulled it over, allowing to keep his body busy with lips that trailed along the length of her neck and to her shoulder. He raised one hand to unclip the fibulae that kept the garment together, then shifted his shoulders to allow gravity to do the rest of the work. Unlike chitons given to less attractive men, Elias' were sheer, made to cover his body but only enough to provide the modesty that was given to culture. Every contour was exposed always, every strip of muscular beneath his arms and along his shoulders given to any woman who saw him to gaze upon. The pool of silken fabric fell to the floor as he grasped at both of Elysia's thighs.
She'd have no escape. He pinned her to the wall as his heated flesh pressed directly to hers, his body shifting if only to toy with her breasts that were taut against his form. He breathed into her ear, every last syllable he spoke laden with the sultry desire he'd never quite hidden away, even as he chastised or threatened her.
"What do you wish to know, Elysia?"
Simplicity in it of itself. Elias of Stravos could prove amendable to requests so long as the result was to his favour.
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This character is currently a work in progress.
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Whether or not Elysia chose to play his game, she was a participant in it. He'd mentioned to Circenia the potential utility in having her, and it was difficult to know what the matriarch of the Stravos line would do with that information. However, he would not apprise the Master Informer's wife of that fact. Better that she not know the viper hiding in the wings lest her proximity to Elias become sour and her utility came to an end. The heady feeling of having power over others, of being able to snuff them out with the stroke of a brush or the utterance of a word. While Elysia had seen Elias make a show of being drunk on wine, he was drunk on power and would not be satisfied with it until the bottle it came from was empty and the sanguine drops of the Queen's blood dribbled from his chin.
The answer to his question went without being said. She was dragging her feet, and the contest in his head was whether that feet dragging was out of loyalty or self-preservation. After all, she was an intelligent woman. When her possible utility came to an end, it was only a matter of time until he came for her, not for information but to ensure that she could not share what she'd divulged to him. Her life was arbitrary, save for the physical satisfaction she was so willing to give and the admissions of truth she was so reluctant to make. However, if she was truly wishing for self-preservation, she'd make herself useful eternally, already approached by him to be his mole... To act in her own interests was just as she'd said before, to play on his side and keep herself involved only in an indirect fashion.
But, Elias had no intention to tell her how to make her decisions. While he saw himself as a godling to be obeyed and the one who belonged on the throne of Athenia, the latter was not yet an objective fact. Then and only then was his word law and his demands required being met. But, in his eyes, it was only a matter of time and the right coaxing to make it so. When she teased him, the scrutinizing gaze as he awaited her answer whittled away. Laughter spilled from his lips as her body was exposed to him. Just as she answered his request, the sash that held his chiton in place fell from his waist, an easy enough task. Desire was well and alive within the Headlord of Stravos, and the idea of exchanging information wasn't all that... unappealing.
Once she made her counter-offer to him, he mulled it over, allowing to keep his body busy with lips that trailed along the length of her neck and to her shoulder. He raised one hand to unclip the fibulae that kept the garment together, then shifted his shoulders to allow gravity to do the rest of the work. Unlike chitons given to less attractive men, Elias' were sheer, made to cover his body but only enough to provide the modesty that was given to culture. Every contour was exposed always, every strip of muscular beneath his arms and along his shoulders given to any woman who saw him to gaze upon. The pool of silken fabric fell to the floor as he grasped at both of Elysia's thighs.
She'd have no escape. He pinned her to the wall as his heated flesh pressed directly to hers, his body shifting if only to toy with her breasts that were taut against his form. He breathed into her ear, every last syllable he spoke laden with the sultry desire he'd never quite hidden away, even as he chastised or threatened her.
"What do you wish to know, Elysia?"
Simplicity in it of itself. Elias of Stravos could prove amendable to requests so long as the result was to his favour.
Whether or not Elysia chose to play his game, she was a participant in it. He'd mentioned to Circenia the potential utility in having her, and it was difficult to know what the matriarch of the Stravos line would do with that information. However, he would not apprise the Master Informer's wife of that fact. Better that she not know the viper hiding in the wings lest her proximity to Elias become sour and her utility came to an end. The heady feeling of having power over others, of being able to snuff them out with the stroke of a brush or the utterance of a word. While Elysia had seen Elias make a show of being drunk on wine, he was drunk on power and would not be satisfied with it until the bottle it came from was empty and the sanguine drops of the Queen's blood dribbled from his chin.
The answer to his question went without being said. She was dragging her feet, and the contest in his head was whether that feet dragging was out of loyalty or self-preservation. After all, she was an intelligent woman. When her possible utility came to an end, it was only a matter of time until he came for her, not for information but to ensure that she could not share what she'd divulged to him. Her life was arbitrary, save for the physical satisfaction she was so willing to give and the admissions of truth she was so reluctant to make. However, if she was truly wishing for self-preservation, she'd make herself useful eternally, already approached by him to be his mole... To act in her own interests was just as she'd said before, to play on his side and keep herself involved only in an indirect fashion.
But, Elias had no intention to tell her how to make her decisions. While he saw himself as a godling to be obeyed and the one who belonged on the throne of Athenia, the latter was not yet an objective fact. Then and only then was his word law and his demands required being met. But, in his eyes, it was only a matter of time and the right coaxing to make it so. When she teased him, the scrutinizing gaze as he awaited her answer whittled away. Laughter spilled from his lips as her body was exposed to him. Just as she answered his request, the sash that held his chiton in place fell from his waist, an easy enough task. Desire was well and alive within the Headlord of Stravos, and the idea of exchanging information wasn't all that... unappealing.
Once she made her counter-offer to him, he mulled it over, allowing to keep his body busy with lips that trailed along the length of her neck and to her shoulder. He raised one hand to unclip the fibulae that kept the garment together, then shifted his shoulders to allow gravity to do the rest of the work. Unlike chitons given to less attractive men, Elias' were sheer, made to cover his body but only enough to provide the modesty that was given to culture. Every contour was exposed always, every strip of muscular beneath his arms and along his shoulders given to any woman who saw him to gaze upon. The pool of silken fabric fell to the floor as he grasped at both of Elysia's thighs.
She'd have no escape. He pinned her to the wall as his heated flesh pressed directly to hers, his body shifting if only to toy with her breasts that were taut against his form. He breathed into her ear, every last syllable he spoke laden with the sultry desire he'd never quite hidden away, even as he chastised or threatened her.
"What do you wish to know, Elysia?"
Simplicity in it of itself. Elias of Stravos could prove amendable to requests so long as the result was to his favour.
His lips were soft and wandering as she lifted her head to give him more access to her neck. Her own hands came to rest on his shoulders, bracinging against him to give herself leverage when her feet left the floor. He’d taken both her thighs and lifted her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist. Despite her natural feelings for what he did to people, she didn’t mind what he did to her. At least, not in this capacity. Her fingers drifted through his hair once his lips met her shoulder and she tipped her head back, eyes on the leafy ceiling above, taking pleasure in his toying with her breast.
Elias lifted his lips to her ear and she closed her eyes, listening. Thinking. “What do you wish to know, Elysia?” The momentary delight that simmered through her body when he gave her what she wanted made her take his jaw between her hands and turn his head so that she could slip her tongue into his mouth. She liked when he was being a good boy and doing what she needed him to do. Besides, she liked the way he tasted. The sweet of the wine mingling with his own uniqueness drew her in more than it should. She liked that, too.
What didn’t she want to know, she thought as her fingers toyed with the fine hairs on the back of his neck. She shifted herself down a little, trying to get herself nearer to her goal of being utterly consumed by this man in the next few seconds, if she had her way. She thought about asking him about the ships that were reported missing by him but were also, according to her husband’s information, still in his harbor. She wanted to ask why he wouldn’t move to feed the people of Athenia. She wanted to know why he was keeping Emilia locked away instead of flattering her and moving into an immediate secret marriage. She wanted to know why he was playing games.
“Why do you even want to be king?” she murmured against his jaw“You have so much more freedom right now.”
That was definitely a real question that had nothing to do with her husband's interest. She actually wanted to know. Because he was doing absolutely nothing that suggested he wanted to be a good king. He was helping no one, starting no building projects, not mobilizing the army....why did he want the throne.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
This character is currently a work in progress.
Check out their information page here.
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His lips were soft and wandering as she lifted her head to give him more access to her neck. Her own hands came to rest on his shoulders, bracinging against him to give herself leverage when her feet left the floor. He’d taken both her thighs and lifted her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist. Despite her natural feelings for what he did to people, she didn’t mind what he did to her. At least, not in this capacity. Her fingers drifted through his hair once his lips met her shoulder and she tipped her head back, eyes on the leafy ceiling above, taking pleasure in his toying with her breast.
Elias lifted his lips to her ear and she closed her eyes, listening. Thinking. “What do you wish to know, Elysia?” The momentary delight that simmered through her body when he gave her what she wanted made her take his jaw between her hands and turn his head so that she could slip her tongue into his mouth. She liked when he was being a good boy and doing what she needed him to do. Besides, she liked the way he tasted. The sweet of the wine mingling with his own uniqueness drew her in more than it should. She liked that, too.
What didn’t she want to know, she thought as her fingers toyed with the fine hairs on the back of his neck. She shifted herself down a little, trying to get herself nearer to her goal of being utterly consumed by this man in the next few seconds, if she had her way. She thought about asking him about the ships that were reported missing by him but were also, according to her husband’s information, still in his harbor. She wanted to ask why he wouldn’t move to feed the people of Athenia. She wanted to know why he was keeping Emilia locked away instead of flattering her and moving into an immediate secret marriage. She wanted to know why he was playing games.
“Why do you even want to be king?” she murmured against his jaw“You have so much more freedom right now.”
That was definitely a real question that had nothing to do with her husband's interest. She actually wanted to know. Because he was doing absolutely nothing that suggested he wanted to be a good king. He was helping no one, starting no building projects, not mobilizing the army....why did he want the throne.
His lips were soft and wandering as she lifted her head to give him more access to her neck. Her own hands came to rest on his shoulders, bracinging against him to give herself leverage when her feet left the floor. He’d taken both her thighs and lifted her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist. Despite her natural feelings for what he did to people, she didn’t mind what he did to her. At least, not in this capacity. Her fingers drifted through his hair once his lips met her shoulder and she tipped her head back, eyes on the leafy ceiling above, taking pleasure in his toying with her breast.
Elias lifted his lips to her ear and she closed her eyes, listening. Thinking. “What do you wish to know, Elysia?” The momentary delight that simmered through her body when he gave her what she wanted made her take his jaw between her hands and turn his head so that she could slip her tongue into his mouth. She liked when he was being a good boy and doing what she needed him to do. Besides, she liked the way he tasted. The sweet of the wine mingling with his own uniqueness drew her in more than it should. She liked that, too.
What didn’t she want to know, she thought as her fingers toyed with the fine hairs on the back of his neck. She shifted herself down a little, trying to get herself nearer to her goal of being utterly consumed by this man in the next few seconds, if she had her way. She thought about asking him about the ships that were reported missing by him but were also, according to her husband’s information, still in his harbor. She wanted to ask why he wouldn’t move to feed the people of Athenia. She wanted to know why he was keeping Emilia locked away instead of flattering her and moving into an immediate secret marriage. She wanted to know why he was playing games.
“Why do you even want to be king?” she murmured against his jaw“You have so much more freedom right now.”
That was definitely a real question that had nothing to do with her husband's interest. She actually wanted to know. Because he was doing absolutely nothing that suggested he wanted to be a good king. He was helping no one, starting no building projects, not mobilizing the army....why did he want the throne.