The kingdom keeps him busy, busy enough to ignore the little gray mare that he had so ruthlessly mastered and then left alone back home. There’s no worry that she will leave even without the ravens watching her. A tough lesson she had to learn but the knowledge was eventually pounded into her. Every now and then he watches her from afar but makes no move to be with her. Was it perhaps regret he was feeling in the way he treated her? No, far from it. There was simply nothing to be said, nothing he wants from her at this moment in time. The bite she had left on his chest has scarred and blends in with the many other raw and scabbed wounds from battles he had caused recently. It hasn’t left the lasting mark she had hoped it would. Unlike the one he had left on her.
Today he clatters down the mountain in a rather good mood, a spring in his step. Winter was coming and the frenzy that autumn sent him into has dissipated, leaving a far calmer Gryffen in it’s departure. The air is colder at the top and a chilly mist has spread throughout his mountain home, making him the epitome of a ghost in the midst of his haunting. Red eyes search through the sheer haze and he spots her figure. He knows it’s her and not the other one immediately. Her wounds are healing like his own but that is not what gathers his attention. It’s the swelling around her barrel. He knows what that means.
He comes to her, a silent wraith, and only stops when he is pressed to her side. His touch is soft, so unlike the way he had been before. It’s only because of what’s inside her, he isn’t stupid enough to put her at risk when she is carrying something that is his. Something he wants. ”Minette.” He whispers, his breath hanging with the mist.
G R Y F F E N
*********the big bad wolf
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When he appears through the cold mist, Minette is not surprised. The pale gray mare knew she could not escape his attentions forever. She has not ceased to shudder with loathing at his predatorial gaze. She is terrified of him and she is angry at her fear.
His touch elicits a soft whimper. Though every bone in her body aches to evade the white stallion's caress, Min does not move. She will not run again.
She is surprised at the soft, almost tender tone of his voice as he says her name. Minette had resigned herself to never hearing it again, as long as he had decided to call her minnow.
"Sir." Minette replies steadily. Her body betrays her, but her voice is clear.
She does not acknowledge the child aloud, but Min's pregnancy hangs in the air between the two of them. Gryffen is eager, and Minette wavers between denial and expectancy. She cannot allow herself to think too deeply of the coming foal. Part of her longs to ask Gryffen what plans he has for their little one, but the majority cannot bear to think of anything of his taking root in innocence.
She drops her head slightly, hating herself for her subservience. Though raised to politeness, courtesy has always been returned and so Minette has never dealt with someone quite like the stallion who claims her as his own.
"I-I beg a request of you, Gryffen." His name feels foreign on her tongue, but she forces herself to say it, hoping to gain whatever approval she can. Her dark eyes studiously avoid his, and those of the raven who rarely leave him. "I grow lonely with none to talk to. I have heard of the Meadow… from the voices of the other mares… perhaps, I-Would you let me find companionship with someone there for a time?"
Minette is not unintelligent. She realizes her value to him has risen with the conception of their child, but she isn't willing to press her luck or his forbearance too far. She suspects that Gryffen has a long memory and the slights of today will be rewarded with his particular brand of attention later. The memory of her punishment for attempted escape is fresher in her mind than the healing wounds.
ooc: Gryffen doesn't have to say yes. ;-) I'm enjoying leaving all of this open ended.
GRYFFEN
He is pleased with the way she shudders beneath his touch but doesn't run. The lesson had been learned. Her tone is polite and respectful although she refuses to meet his gaze. He waits for her to speak of her pregnancy but she says nothing, tight-lipped. It doesn’t matter. Lowering his head, he lips the swollen area of her belly. Of course he hopes for a boy. Not that girls were completely useless but boys always seemed easier to raise with his mindset. Of course he has plans for the little one and they have everything to do with the Chamber.
Thoughts on the foal are forced away when she addresses him and he returns his attention to her. ”A request.” He repeats, his expression blank and unreadable. Silence follows her plea and for awhile he says nothing. ”I thought the minnow knew she was not to swim too far.” His voice is dark but there’s no undertones of anger. Not yet anyhow. ”Have you made no attempt to converse with the other mare here?” Saige was lurking about and he was certain of this because the ravens were quiet. The shadow raven on his back would have been the first to fly had she gone missing.
Nudging her side again, crimson gaze searching her face and forcing her to look at him. ”And what of your condition? Do you think it’s quite safe in the Meadow when you’re so vulnerable?” He hasn’t said no but he hasn’t said yes. Rather toying with the idea, wondering how it might benefit him in the long run.
The Chamber Ghost / Big Bad Wolf
08-25-2015, 03:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-25-2015, 03:42 PM by Minette.)
His touch against her growing stomach sends shockwaves of instinctual fear down her back and she squeals. Minette knows that he would not kill their child, but she has learned that there are many ways to suffer and that death might be the easiest of those. She presses her nose to the spot he touched, unconsciously trying to rub his scent from her body. She wonders forlornly how the birth of the baby will affect their relationship. A wave of nausea hits her as she has a flash of suspicion. Will he want a foal from her during next year's fall season? Will she continue to supply innocents to her captor?
The silence that falls between her request and his response feels like hours. Minette feels frozen in time. A slight tremble shows in her body.
"I did not seek her out, sir." she replies. The truth is more complex and Min is not sure how to explain. She knew that there was another mare around, but she did not want to explain her misery to anyone. For a short while she wanted to pretend that she was full of life and possibilities again. And the ravens… the pale gray mare's dreams are filled with them, the same as her days. Her fellow herd mate and prisoner will not relieve her fear, because they are both trapped within the same labyrinth. But Minette does not know how to answer him, and so she says nothing else.
He pushes her to accept his gaze, and Minette does so with a small step backwards. She quickly tries to pass the movement off as simple readjusting. Gryffen is forever forcing himself into her space, and she has still not gotten used to his demands on her.
"What could happen to me that has not already happened?" Minette replies bitterly. "I am as safe there as I am anywhere." She exhales heavily, and then changes her tone, trying to be submissive and seem as if she does not care what his response will be. But she does. So desperately does she feel the need for an outlet that she is not above begging, or swallowing back her revulsion. Still, her longing and fear show clearly in the lines of her body, and it does not take a skilled hunter such as Gryffen to realize this.
"I thought perhaps a visit to the Meadow would make the…. the pregnancy- and my enforced isolation easier to bear through the winter. Especially since once I-when spring comes, I will probably stay close to ho-" she bites down on the word home, and changes it quickly, "to the mountains."
She is not good at games, having never needed to play them, but she tries to subtly hint that she would repay his permission with further unquestioned obedience. Minette avoids thinking of how little bargaining room she has.
GRYFFEN
Watching her try to rub his touch off, as if he left germs behind, amuses him. The way she shields her stomach as if it will keep him away from the unborn, as if he’s not entitled to it. He can only wonder what she is thinking, what she thinks she can get away with. It’s rather surprising at all that she still has the balls to ask him for anything. There was some spirit left to be broken, she was not quite as docile as he would like. Nor does it make sense how she avoids the other mare. Surely she would want someone to commiserate with, someone who shared her misery. He had expected them to be thick as thieves and braced himself for trouble. Everything remained quiet and he observed them both with silent curiosity. Always an experiment, wanting to know why they did what they did. There were still some secrets he needed to uncover when it come to the harem in his home.
Shrugging in response to Saige, he invades her space once more. Forever trying to get away from him and yet he floods her with his presence. ”And how do you figure that? Other stallions eager to add to their herd could easily whisk you away. Or a Kingdom trying to get back at the Chamber could steal you.” His voice is almost thoughtful, the words slow and quiet. ”And how would that make me look Minette? You would have me appear weak, letting my mare wander freely and exposed as she carries my child?” His voice is tinged with disgust at the thought, depths of crimson blazing as he feels his blood curdling with growing impatience. No longer would he avoid the obvious either, making the foal a reality that she couldn’t pretend to ignore. His expression remains blank and tight as he watches her carefully, every twitch and every unconscious reaction she has to him.
A soft sigh and a roll of his eyes, as if he doesn’t really care. ”Alright little minnow, I’ll let you swim. On one condition.” He turns his head and looks to the shadow raven, gesturing towards the mare. Instantly the raven spreads it’s feathery wings and hops from his back to hers. The talons dig quickly into the flesh of her shoulder, repositioning itself and folding it’s wings back against it’s side and becomes still as a statue. ”Can’t have you going unsupervised.” Little does she know that it won’t only be the raven watching her, as if he trusted her in any way, shape, or form.
The Chamber Ghost / Big Bad Wolf
08-25-2015, 07:20 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-25-2015, 07:21 PM by Minette.)
Minette adds his comments to her small treasure of knowledge. She had not known there were other kingdoms. Perhaps not all monarchs were as cruel as Gryffen's Queen seemed to be? Maybe she could find help. If she could build Gryffen's trust, maybe there was hope for a life beyond the mountains. She felt lost and hopelessly alone. No one in this land even knew she existed except for the white stallion. He could murder and torture and rape, and no one would be aware. She almost retorts that she wishes someone would kidnap her, but she thinks better of it. The thick scar above her eye is still healing.
Minette blanches at his mention of the child. He is relentless. His every word pokes at her, challenging and pushing, proving that he is in control. He make no secret of his impatience and disgust. The gray mare withers inside, certain he is, at best, going to deny her request, and at worst, punish her for her audacity at even asking such a thing.
“I am sorry. I did not think.” Her voice is subdued, even as tears threaten to well up. She had hoped and hope can be difficult to extinguish.
He speaks again and relief floods her features. She is a clear pool of emotions, every ripple showing. Having never needed to hide her feelings before, Minette finds the idea itself a struggle. Even the condition of the shadow raven accompanying her cannot dampen her small show of spirit. She winces slightly as its talons clutch at her back, and glances at Gryffen. She pauses, her emotions warring between gratitude and resentment. Never before in Minette's life has she been treated like this, and her heart has not acepted her conditon.
Finally she speaks.
“Thank you, sir.” She keeps her voice steady, unaware that her features are as transparent as they are. “When you next leave, I will visit the Meadow.”
She longs for him to say that he is through with her, that he has not further use of her company. And most of all, Minette hopes that he will not speak of their child.
The relief that floods her features makes him chuckle slightly. ”See, I am not completely heartless.” His red eyes are still hard, searching her face. He knows, deep down he knows that she is up to something. He trusts Minette as far as he can throw her and with a child in the picture… Something is definitely up. She thinks he missed the way a glimmer of hope sprung in her eyes when he spoke of her being stolen, he didn’t. Theres no point in commenting on it, on allowing her to know what he knew. How she even has knowledge of the Meadow’s existence is another question he would sorely like answered. But for now he will play along with her little game and let her have her hope. It will be a pleasure to extinguish it once and for all.
The raven knows it’s purpose, it will not move from the pale lady’s shoulder. It is silent and stoic but always watching. ”I will leave you then but Minette…” And here his eyes flash and his words are heavy with warning. ”Do not do anything foolish. And don’t think you can hide that child from me.” His nostrils flare, a front hoof striking the ground with his final word. It can always be worse. God forbid if he had to bring toxic little Cellar into the picture. His little mare had no idea what big guns he could pull out, how easily he could end her life. With a parting nod, he turns and heads into the burned pine forest. He waits till they are out of sight of each other before pointedly looking to the branches and staring down a raven. ”You know what to do.” The raven blinks in response. The moment she left, the raven would follow. As would the ghost.
Gryffen
- - - - - The Big Bad Wolf |
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