Kingdom of Lust and Lies

Chapter Twenty Four

"I've done what I can for her, my lord. The rest will take time."

"But she will recover?" Xanth fought the urge to wring his hands.

"I cannot say. She has retreated so far into her own mind that even my ability can't touch her." Madam Dolanus cleaned her hands in a basin of water set up beside Alayna's pallet. "This is a rare occurrence in people who have been through severe trauma. It's ultimately up to her to bring herself back."

"There's truly nothing else that can be done?"

"She'll need to be given food and water regularly to regain her strength. She seems to be swallowing fine on her own, but she'll be given broths or thin soups. You'll also need to continue giving her the aphrodisiac potion so she isn't weakened by the withdrawal effects." Dolanus turned a critical eye on him. "I would much prefer you move her indoors, where I can monitor her."

Dolanus had balked when she'd been brought out into the gardens to tend a patient. Beckett was adamant Alayna remain outside, in the fresh air. Xanth had ordered a pallet made for her on the ground and curtains erected on three sides, with the fourth open to a view of the forest. They'd covered the top to keep the sun from burning her skin, but now it was slowly sinking below the horizon.

Xanth grudgingly glanced at Beckett, who gave the slightest shake of his head. "She remains outdoors. It's... soothing to her, I've been told."

"Very well. You'll fetch me if her condition changes?"

"At once. You'll remain in the castle for the time being, so that you're close at hand."

Dolanus stiffened. "But my patients-"

"Have your other healers tend to them. Alayna's health is far more important."

"Yes, sir." She didn't like it, but Dolanus was a smart woman who knew better than to argue.

She excused herself and Xanth dismissed the guards to various positions around the garden. Far enough to afford him a little privacy with Beckett.

"Why outside?"

Beckett met his gaze directly. "She prefers being outdoors. Alayna has never been able to stay cooped up for long. She slept outside her room just as often as she slept in it."

Xanth hated the idea that she'd had an entire life before he found her, with experiences he wasn't privy to, habits he didn't know about. Once she woke from this trance, he resolved to make an effort to learn everything about her life before him.

"Why did being in the dungeon impact her so hard? With that defiant streak, this surely isn't the first time she's been locked away." Beckett hesitated before answering. "It's for her own good that you tell me."

"It isn't the first time and that's the problem." Beckett's gaze strayed over his shoulder, to Alayna's still body. Xanth let him look, knowing it was all he could do. "Her father made a habit of locking her in his dungeon when she misbehaved. He once left her there for so long, starved of sunlight and fresh air, barely enough food to survive, that it... broke something in her."

"Ah, when she came into her powers." He remembered her mentioning something about that, but hadn't paid it much heed. "She told you of this? When her magic came to her in such a rush that she blew the dungeon apart? If I recall, she said the Sisters of Viena found her in the rubble."

A brief look passed across Beckett's face, but it was gone before Xanth could figure out what it was. "Yes. They took her away after that. She... confessed it to me one night, how it happened. It isn't something she likes to think about."

"I see." He had much to think over. "You've done me a great service, Beckett. I'm not too proud to admit that. Alayna might have died because I wasn't given important information to properly care for her. Normally, I would reward you for the effort, but I can't forget how you barged into my study and made demands upon me. Then you took matters into your own hands and injured three of my guards in the process."

Beckett remained silent, his face expressionless. The man looked hewn from stone.

"Count yourself lucky you didn't kill them. For saving Alayna's life, your reward is my forgiveness. You'll face no punishment for defying my orders and injuring my soldiers, but see to it that it never happens again. I won't be so generous in the future."

"I understand."

"Good. You're dismissed, but I want your rotation suspended for the time being. Bast can handle things in the Gap. You clearly know things about her I don't, so I want you nearby in case something arises. You may go."

Beckett hesitated, casting another glance at Alayna.

"Do not test my patience."

The pause after those words was so tense Xanth thought Beckett might flatly refuse. But finally Beckett nodded and took his leave. Xanth sat beside Alayna on the ground and took her hand, squeezing it gently. He frowned when he noticed her nails were broken and dirty, like she'd been clawing at the stone walls. He immediately ordered servants to bring a tub from the castle and buckets of water to fill it. It was completely dark by the time they finished scrubbing the grime of the dungeon from her body and washing her hair. She never so much as blinked the entire time.

When she was settled back on her pallet and torches had been erected around the makeshift tent, Xanth shed his own clothes and laid down beside her, turning her body so that her back was nestled against his chest, one arm around her, hand cupping her breast just for the pleasure touching her brought.

He needed her to wake from this semi-sleep soon. Menirika would be coming with her aerial forces and expected payment. Elbrus would soon begin to hunger for her taste again. And he'd intended to win Tarian back to his side by using her. So many of his future plans rested on having her to manipulate his fellow wizards. Some wouldn't mind if she was in an unconscious state, but he assumed the vast majority would want her as an active participant.

He'd been idly toying with her nipple as he thought and only just now realized it had peaked under his touch. Xanth's brows furrowed as he reached for the other, it too hardening under his fingers.

Interesting.

He slid a leg between hers to part them and skimmed his hand down her body. When he reached her pussy, he was surprised to find it wet. Even with her mind somewhere far away, her body was still responsive. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Cum, Fox."

Nothing.

In a move that was purely out of curiosity and had nothing whatsoever to do with the gnawing, insistent hunger inside him, Xanth rolled her over onto her back and moved between her spread legs. The wetness of her perfect, pink pussy glistened in the torchlight and his mouth watered at the sight of it. He slid his hands under her plump backside and lifted her to his mouth.

The taste of her rolled through him like a drug, relaxing muscles he hadn't even realized were tense. Xanth groaned, his eyes nearly rolling into the back of his head. His tongue probed deeper inside her, but she wasn't wet enough. He removed his tongue from between her folds and instead used the tip to stroke her clit. The muscles in her thighs immediately tensed, hips jerking just the slightest bit. The first sign of movement she'd shown. He lifted his head to see her face, but her eyes still remained fixed above her, pupils dilated.

He did it again and she reacted once more. This time, Xanth pressed his tongue firmly against her and licked up her pussy. She made a tiny sound that was so close to a moan he jerked his head up, searching her face for any sign of life. There was none, but her mouth was partially open.

His cock painfully hard at just the first taste of her, Xanth used his grip on her backside to drag her up and down his tongue repeatedly. Those little sounds intensified until he could tell she was getting close. He took her clit between his lips and sucked hard, in the way he knew she liked. When she went over the edge, he was ready, his tongue sliding between her folds so he could experience the rush of her arousal. Xanth groaned against her folds, all thoughts emptying from his head as he lapped at that sweet, heady nectar. He brought her to climax twice more out of sheer greed for her taste.

He finally dislodged his tongue from her wet pussy, rising up to study her face. She was breathing faster, but there was still no sign of awareness in her sightless eyes.

His cock throbbed, painfully hard. Xanth briefly considered calling for one of his pets to service him, but he knew any relief they provided would be lacking. Besides, there was no point when his favorite pet was right here. He moved up her body, settling his hips between her spread thighs, supporting his weight on bent arms on either side of her. He brushed his lips across hers once, twice. His long, thick cock rested against the hot folds of her pussy.

"Wake, Fox. Your master commands it." As expected, there was still no reaction.

Xanth sighed. He knew another man might have felt guilt at using her when she was in such a state, but he had none. Aware or not, she was still his pet to use as he saw fit. It was still her responsibility to please him. He had to consider the very real possibility that she wouldn't wake from this trance. He would do everything within his power to ensure she did, of course, but she could still be of use to him like this. She could still produce his heirs. He could still pursue his plan to breed her with his studs. All wasn't lost.

With that thought in mind, Xanth shifted his hips so that the head of his cock rested just outside her entrance. He thrust gently, allowing her body time to adjust to his girth. A groan escaped him at how hot, how wet, her pussy felt around him. Her body was so relaxed that he had an easier time sliding inside, though the fit was still extremely tight. It took him some time to seat himself fully inside her.

Xanth reached down and gripped her thigh, hiking her leg up against his hip. The little sounds she made were proof enough of her pleasure, but gods he missed her moans. He'd never told her, but he long suspected there was something in her physical makeup, some product of the elves' breeding program, which made her moans... different. He experienced it every time he took her and had observed its effect the night of his party. So subtle the others hadn't picked up on it. It was like the very sound itself penetrated his mind and activated something primal, the base need to dominate and fuck. He'd hoped to study it further.

Xanth began thrusting inside her, gently at first. He watched her eyes, waiting for some spark of awareness, but none came. His thrusts turned harder as his own pleasure overrode his concern for her. He felt her body tense beneath his a moment before her pussy squeezed his cock like a vice. Xanth slammed a hand into the ground next to her head and buried his face against the side of her neck, groaning in pleasure as her arousal coated him. Her orgasms were so strong they were almost painful, pussy convulsing around him. It stole his breath and robbed him of every thought but to fuck her.

He took her hard and fast, like he would have if she was awake. He pounded her soft pussy without mercy, each of her orgasms driving him closer to the edge. He tried to fight it, to prolong the pleasure, but he'd been denied her body too long. When he couldn't stand it anymore, Xanth lifted both her legs and pinned them to the ground on either side of her. He threw back his head and roared as he came, cock pulsing mightily as he emptied his seed inside her.

When he had nothing left to give, he released her legs and let them fall back to the ground, though he kept his cock buried deep inside her. Perhaps his seed would take root this time. Knowing she was still weak from her time in the dungeon, he rolled to his side and took her with him.

It wasn't often he needed sleep, but he'd been so busy these last weeks that exhaustion weighed on him. He closed his eyes and let himself drift into sleep, Alayna clutched tightly in his arms.

***

Days passed with no change. Xanth had Madam Dolanus tending to Alayna personally, even for feedings. Dolanus reported that her body seemed to be growing stronger, but her mind was still somewhere far away.

When the responsibilities of war and running his kingdom, as he liked to think of it, called him away, he assigned Beckett and one other soldier to guard her.

Beckett, because he knew the man would die to keep her safe and because he didn't trust his soldiers to withstand the beautiful temptation she offered. And one other soldier because he didn't trust Beckett not to give in to the same desires.

He returned to her every night to slake his lusts, but it just wasn't the same. He missed her moans, he missed the way her eyes would widen, then immediately go heavy-lidded and dark when she came. Missed the needy tone in her voice when he made her beg to cum, the little hint of resentment there.

And time was against him. He'd managed to put her off for a short while, but Menirika would not be denied her payment. She would want an active participant. And Tarian finally seemed to be coming around to the idea of trying her for himself, even with his distaste for reluctance.

When he'd finally had enough, when he had exhausted all of Dolanus' suggestions, Xanth decided to try one more thing. It rankled that it had come to this, but he was desperate. If it worked...

Well. He had decided not to punish her further. Surely after her time in the dungeon, she wouldn't even think of misbehaving again. But if this worked, he might have to reconsider punishment, because she certainly didn't deserve a reward for all the trouble she was putting him through.

***

Beckett couldn't remember the last time he'd had a proper night's sleep. Worry for Alayna clawed at him every second of every day, followed him into his dreams. If she died here...

So when Xanth strode up to him shortly after he started his daily shift guarding her, Beckett wasn't sure he heard the man correctly. This had to be some product of all those sleepless nights.

"You want me to what?"

"I want you to talk to her. See if you can coax her out of this. She doesn't respond to me and my most talented healer can't rouse her. Perhaps hearing the voice of someone she..." Xanth trailed off, as if he couldn't bring himself to say the words. "Of someone she's fond of, she might stir."

Beckett soon found himself inside the makeshift tent, Xanth and the guard several paces away. Unable to stop himself, he sank to the ground beside her and gathered her up in his arms, using the thin blanket to shield her nakedness. He saw Xanth frowning at him, though he didn't stop.

Having her back in his arms felt so right after months of not being allowed to touch her. He felt his tense shoulders relaxing as he held her close and breathed in her scent. Gods, how he'd missed her.

"Alayna." He spoke quietly, not wanting anyone to hear the words. "I don't know if you can hear me, but you need to come back. I'm so scared you're going to slip away in your sleep. That you'll go somewhere I can't follow."

Emotion choked his voice. He swallowed it back. There was no way he could begin to tell her how important she was to him, so instead he spoke of other things. He reminded her of all the work they'd accomplished in restoring the keep and the village outside of it, of evenings spent around a table laden with food and the laughter of their friends. He laughed as he recounted that time she attempted to assist in the kitchen and ended up making them all sick. Of hours spent training her to wield a sword and how proud he'd been when she disarmed Garreth the first time. He even delved into stories of their childhood together, of mock battles fought with wooden swords and trying to catch tadpoles in a stream, though these words were quieter than the others. She had to have her reasons for lying about who truly took her out of her father's dungeon.

"I know you don't want to come back to... to this. But there's a whole different life waiting for you on the other side of the Greenfrost and I'll make sure you get to return to it. Gryff and Coen miss you terribly and wouldn't know what to do if you didn't come back." He stroked her bare arms gently, the same way he would have if they were lying in bed together. "I wouldn't know what to do. Alayna, you have to come back. Because I need you. More than you know."

He felt a stirring in him arms and held his breath, praying to whatever god might be listening it wasn't just his imagination.

"Beckett?"

"I'm here." He held her tighter, pressed his cheek against hers. "They might take me away, but I'm never leaving you."

He didn't fight them when soldiers rushed forward to pry him away from her under Xanth's orders. He didn't want to make things harder on her than they already were, even if letting her go was the hardest thing he'd ever done.

He watched Xanth take his place, imagining how good it would feel when he finally delivered the killing blow.