Do I Wanna Know?

３. Pre Tadpole - Ketheric

Tw: Dubious consent, cnc

A father was something that Salem wanted for a very long time throughout her relatively short life... Well, a present father, that is. Bhaal was ultimately nearly entirely absent throughout her life, observing her from a distance, only showing up when she did something dreadful to give her some piece of 'inheritance'. Scelaritas Fell, her butler, for the longest time had been the closest thing she could call a father figure. He had been the only constant, the one who was always there... In his own twisted way, but it wasn't enough for the young woman.

She couldn't understand what her desperation for a father/daughter relationship was... Perhaps it was for a sense of normalcy in her hectic life, perhaps it was for no reason other than she just felt like she wanted it... But, upon meeting Enver Gortash, then being introduced to Ketheric Thorm... She thought she had found one.

The man had always lent her the ear she needed, listened to her when she had qualms, any poor emotions... Really anything she needed to get out, Ketheric was there, listening... It was normal at first, at least it seemed normal. He seemed to treat her like family, despite a few odd rough remarks regarding her violence or attitude... Or the lingering touches in hugs, the clasp of a strong hand upon her shoulder... That same hand trailing along her throat to cup her cheek...

Today seemed no different, for the most part. Salem had a problem, and she'd gone to Ketheric to vent her concerns. She'd had an argument with Gortash, something petty, stupid, ultimately something she shouldn't even had been bothered about but yet, here she was..

Ketheric was sat on his throne in the main hall of Moonrise Towers, and Salem had taken to sitting on the left side arm rest, her legs draped across the man's lap as she spoke. In her left hand, she casually twirled her dagger, whilst her other was mindlessly curling a strand of her hair around her finger. One leg was crossed over the other, her foot dangling off towards the edge of the throne, her focus wasn't on Ketheric's actions whatsoever, fully engrossed in what she was saying.

Ketheric had been barely paying attention to Salem's words, the position she was in certainly distracting him. His right hand rested on her thigh, calloused fingers absentmindedly running along the fabric that covered them, his left hand was against the small of her back, still against her. Occasionally, he nodded along as she spoke, though his mind was off in another place, imagining less than holy things.

"And then he had the audacity to mock me about it, that ignorant man called me childish for even having such an idea." Salem grumbled, swinging her dagger back then throwing it at one of the few guards that had been lingering in the main hall. She snickered when it struck the man in the shoulder, and watched as they hurried off.

Ketheric did take notice of this, and before he had a conscious thought about it, he'd slapped her thigh. "We do not need another injury upon our numbers, not one that comes from you." he chastised.

Salem was speechless for several moments, her thigh stinging from the harsh smack. She didn't quite know how to react, said action having caught her off guard. Eventually, she did speak, though her voice was slightly broken from her flusterment. "Was that really necessary?"

He couldn't help the slight smirk that tugged at his lips, though it was mostly obscured due to his facial hair. "One should discipline a misbehaving child when they act up, that is simply all I was doing." he paused, leaning back slightly on his throne before he gave her a squeeze along her inner thigh. "Don't misbehave and it shouldn't be a problem."

Salem felt her face heat up at his touch, and she brushed his hand from her thigh, giving him a frustrated look. "Don't touch me like that." She huffed, shifting to get up from the arm rest of the stone seat.