Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 30 - The Need for Love

The door to her home eased open, allowing Minerva to see the immaculate, well-organized pieces of furniture and bits of art recovered from some of the Bosco destruction. The scant dawn light touched at its fringes, afraid to show what'd been a highlight of a now-dead nation. Minerva kept her hair up as she sauntered through the foyer into the first corridor and then the living room, where her dutiful husband remained, at work as always.

Kiyl was hunched over a desk, whatever light of dawn blocked from touching him as he was covered by a curtain yet had a small lamp flickering there.

"Welcome back," he said, voice as droll as always. His hair was pulled back, an almost welcome sight, so that he could read his reports. No doubt he was writing up a trivial retelling of how the operation to recover her father went.

The young, battle-hungry woman in Minerva screamed out from the depths of her soul to ask what'd happened to Jiemma, if it was true that he was, at last, a demon of Tartaros. But she couldn't summon enough care for that, nor to answer her husband.

Husband.

"Don't disturb me," Minerva said. "I'm going to draw a bath."

Kiyl didn't respond and continued working. Minerva closed the door to her room, decorated with various pieces of paraphernalia from the old Sabertooth guild hall. Trophies of their battles, a few bones of her enemies, and a bow that she'd used in her days on the run from other guilds as she attempted to prove herself to the Twilight Empire.

She eased out of her blue dress, it already loose from her night with Ruhan, an up-and-coming General in the Crystal Division. They'd met at their usual spot at the bar before returning to his home, where they fucked. Or, rather, he fucked her first because she needed to take her mind off of things, and then she fucked him because she needed more release than whatever he could provide on his own.

He was good at it, fucking. Real good. It was what kept her going back to him. The man couldn't tie his shoes without Minerva's help but he knew how to move at a rhythm and with a power Minerva enjoyed; then, he knew how to let his own legs bend to her, how to quiver at her superior touch.

He, at least, had a soul, too. He could look into her eyes as he thrust and grunted, he could demand something from her because he liked it and wanted to. He was not so much an automaton of the Twilight Empire as some.

Minerva eased into the bathroom, catching a glimpse of herself. Her makeup ran a bit down her face. She'd used her Territory magic to get from Ruhan's home to her home in the Dragon Division's tower. Though she and Kiyl were of equal rank, the Empire wasn't so progressive as to let Minerva be the one technically in charge of the relationship. She played second fiddle to his whims and wishes.

The bath warmed quickly, partly because of her own magic, and she dipped a toe in.

Sometimes, she wondered if Kiyl would react if he walked in on Ruhan and Minerva caught in the act at their home. The thought tantalized Minerva, not only for getting a possible reaction out of Kiyl but to get away from the gruff, earthy place that Ruhan lived in.

She sank into the water and let her slick leg stick out, water trailing down it, little droplets running a race back for the rest of the bathwater. Her hair pooled out all around her.

Some bruises were still obvious on her body, particularly her arms and part of her legs. Those weren't from Ruhan—he was rough, but, he wouldn't beat her.

It was those damn Fairies.

When Minerva returned, having failed in her mission, she anticipated a full reprimand. Orga had received one, and he'd apparently only just been released from the torture chambers for his failure. Perhaps he'd finally been Broken, like Kiyl.