Elson Comes and Goes
1629 Words
I wanted to crawl away from him, but I stood up, determined to meet him with dignity. He grabbed my throat with one hand and covered my mouth with the other.
I smacked his arms and bit down on his palm, but that only made him tighten his grip on my neck. I couldn't breathe. My face turned red and I squeezed my eyes shut.
I couldn't breath. I was going to die.
Even as he lifted me off the floor, I kept struggling, even as I grew weak and my vision faded.
Elson let go for long enough for me to get one breath, but not long enough to scream. He covered my mouth back up. I breathed in and out of my nose frantically, looking up at Elson with pleading eyes.
He spun me, so my back was to him. He rested his chin down on my shoulder, chuckling to himself quietly in the dim light of my room.
"Without sounding cliche here, I really tried, Aire. You could have just said yes, fallen head over heels for me. I would have treated you well, even let you keep that slave you're so fond of." Elson sighed. His breath was hot against my ear. "I heard from your parents you've had him a long time."
With only one hand on my mouth now, Elson's other hand started roaming my body. I tensed at the invading digits, but it was no use. His hands groped my hips, to my chest, to my breasts. I struggled, but he closed his hand over my nose till I was fighting for breath again.
I was scared. I was so scared. Maybe I could use my magic to-
"Shh." He coaxes. "How about this. Since I'm feeling generous, you do something for me, a tiny little favor, and then I'll go downstairs and tell your daddies they can still retire. That it was all a misunderstanding, wedding is back on, AND I'll let you keep your demon. Your kingdom will have a king, and you will have your beloved slave. Nod if we have a deal."
I swallowed. What if he was right? That it was best that I married him. I mean, I could at least be with Oberyn still.
No, Oberyn was leaving. He was a free man. I narrowed my eyes. Elson tightened his grip on me, his hand back to my throat.
"Let me tell you. Please, just marry me. Because if you do not, I will take everything from you. Understood? Your kingdom, your family, your little slave. Don’t make me do that." He said, his voice remiss of someone trying to make a deal.
I nodded. I didn't doubt he would make my life hell if I pissed him off. And I was tired of fighting for air. Tired of trying to delay the inevitable. It's not like if I agreed we would be married tomorrow. I still had weeks of study and it would take months for the wedding to be planned. If I just nodded, he would leave, and I could go back to Oberyn and my sisters. I nodded again, and he took his hand from my mouth.
"Now about that favor." He said, as I turned to face him. "I want a kiss." He went and sat on my bed.
I sighed. If it would make him leave, I was willing to do almost anything. I walked over to him and placed my lips on his. As soon as I closed my eyes he grabbed me and pulled me onto the bed and under him. His mouth went to my neck and he moaned, brushing my hair away so he could look at the bruises he left.
"I love seeing these marks on you. You're mine." He bit my neck and I cried out. "Keep it down, or your parents will come up here." He hissed.
"You said- just a kiss!" I gasped out.
He covered my mouth again with his. "Your kiss got me so excited." Elson unbuttoned his pants then used his other hand to bring my hand to his crotch. It wasn't a request. It was a demand.
He slipped my hand into his pants and I felt his hot, hard length. It was so warm and the skin was soft, and my fingertips fluttered against it. Elson moaned and shuddered against me.
"Oh, princess, your hand feels so very good. Stroke me." He growled in my ear.
I gripped my hand tighter, bringing it up towards the head of his shaft. I felt a warm bead of liquid, and slid my thumb over it. I had never seen or touched a man before, and found myself fascinated.
I gripped his member harder and he cried out, bucking his hips to move in and out, as if he was f*****g my hand. I cringed, but almost as soon as it started, it was over. His seed splattered my hands, my arms and my dress.
Elson climbed off me and smirked at me, before heading towards the door.
"I knew you were going to make the smart decision." He said over his shoulder, as he buttoned his pants. "This way, it is best for everyone."
He left, and I finally breathed, as if I had been holding my breath the whole time he was holding me hostage in my own room.
I could hear him from the open door telling my fathers he had smoothed everything over, and that we were still engaged. I felt sick.
Again. It had happened again. I didn't want to do these things with Elson, but I couldn't speak up for myself. It was as if letting him have his way with me was easier than fighting. He was exhausting and commanding and he had a way of making me feel like I couldn't say no. I buried my hands in my hair and pulled my knees to my chest.
Predictably, Oberyn came running into my room. I tried to turn away from him, to hide my shame. I was still covered in Elson’s spend. I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Leave! Don’t look at me! Please.” I begged.
Oberyn, for the first time in 10 years, ignored my order. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to look at him. “Dy’myl, what did he do to you?” His voice was deep, angry, an emotion I had never seen on him before. Not since the first day, when he was on the auction stage.
“He-” I struggled with what to say. “I had to.”
His eyes narrowed as he saw my arms and my dress. “Did he hurt you?” His voice was both fragile and terrifying. Like a dagger made of ice, both deadly and beautiful, brittle and serious.
“No.” I said, my voice a breathy whisper.
Oberyn pulled me to my feet and into his arms, breathing a sigh of relief. I hadn't realized how worried he was. For a moment he just stood there, clutching me to him as if to remind himself I was safe.
He took my hand and pulled me towards my bathroom. It was attached to my bedroom, through a pair of panel doors, and he pushed them wide open and sat me down on a stool. He turned to light the furnace that would warm the bath.
I felt so ashamed of myself for not speaking up and telling him no, for not screaming and fighting. He was terrifying, commanding, and domineering. I just wanted him to leave me alone. I had agreed to marry him, and once we were married he’d never leave me alone again. My head fell into my hands.
A gentle hand settled between my shoulder blades. I didn't lift my head long to look at him until I felt him tugging at my dress.
"No-" I protested, and he froze.
"Aire, let me help you." He said softly, brushing my cheek with the soft pad of his palm. I nodded, and allowed him to slip my dress over my head.
He offered to help me in, but I settled into the stone tub on my own. My personal bathroom was elegant, dark grey stone with stained glass windows and shelves with plants and various soaps and oils.
“Watch this.” He said, waving his hand towards the shelf. The lid popped off a jar, and out floated an arrangement of colored salts. Oberyn magically dropped them into the tub, and they fizzled all around me.
The bath tub itself was a round pool in the middle of the room, under a large skylight. Through it, in the dim light of my room, I could see the stars. I sighed, and sunk deeper into the water.
The room smelled like citrus and rose petals. I stared at the water as it steamed up from the surface. I thought about how Oberyn turned away until my body was covered by the water. It was polite of him to do, but he had seen me in the tub before. He had brought me drinks or a towel on occasion. He was my steward.
He knew more about me than anyone. He crouched beside the tub, grabbing a sponge and gently wiping at my chest; then my shoulders and down my arms. My eyes fluttered closed and I relaxed against the wall of the tub.
"I'm sorry Oberyn." I said quietly, my eyes still closed.
"Sorry?" He asked, stopping what he was doing. "What are you sorry for? I should be apologizing to you."
"To me?!" I gasped out, sitting up. "Why on earth-"
He cast his eyes down to the floor. "I knew what Elson was capable of, and yet I still let him come to your room alone."
"That's not your fault, my father stopped you. And I was the one who told you not to tell them about Elson."
Oberyn still looked solemn. "That's kind of you to say." He paused. "Dy'myl, I have to ask you... Did you allow him to do that to you?"
- Writer
