Maid Marian vs. Velasca

12. Robin Revealed

Velasca led Alaric through the winding halls of her castle, her steps deliberate, her presence overwhelming. His wrists were still shackled, the cold bite of the iron serving as a grim reminder of his helplessness. They passed by darkened chambers and shadowed alcoves until, at last, they reached her bedchamber—a grand, opulent room, draped in silks and heavy curtains, the air thick with a cloying sweetness.

Alaric's eyes darted around the room, searching for Robin, his heart pounding with dread. Velasca, with her golden fur gleaming under the dim light, moved with the ease of a predator, her lips curled into a smirk.

"You've been so eager to find your dear friend," she purred. "Let me show you what's become of your precious Robin Hood."

With a graceful, almost theatrical motion, she lifted the heavy curtain at the side of the room. Behind it, Robin sat slumped in a chair, his once-proud form now reduced to something gaunt and hollow. His eyes were dim, his skin pale, and he stared blankly into the distance, unseeing. The Robin that Alaric had known—the brave, noble outlaw—was barely recognizable.

"Robin," Alaric whispered, his voice filled with shock and sorrow. "What... what have you done to him?"

Velasca's smile widened as she stepped closer to Robin, her hand lightly grazing his shoulder. "Robin has been... squeezed dry," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Every ounce of his will, his spirit, his essence has been drained. He is nothing more than a shell, a vessel for my pleasure."

Robin's eyes flickered briefly at the sound of his old friend's voice, but the recognition was faint, as though it was slipping through his fingers like sand. "Alaric...?" His voice was weak, almost unrecognizable. "I... I know you... don't I?"

Alaric swallowed hard, his throat tight with emotion. "Yes, Robin. It's me."

Robin's gaze drifted, his focus slipping back to Velasca. His eyes, once filled with the fire of rebellion, were now dull, clouded with a fixation that made Alaric's stomach twist. Robin's gaze moved hungrily over Velasca's body, as though she were the only thing in the world that mattered.

"He... he barely remembers you," Velasca said, her voice low and seductive. "He has no need for memories, no need for anything but me." She placed a hand on Robin's cheek, tilting his head slightly to meet her gaze. Robin's breath quickened at her touch, his once-strong resolve reduced to helpless adoration.

Alaric's fists clenched, the sight of his friend in such a state filling him with both anger and despair. "You've destroyed him," he growled. "Turned him into... into this."

Velasca laughed, a rich, mocking sound that echoed off the stone walls. "Destroyed him? No. I've freed him." She stepped away from Robin, moving toward Alaric, her eyes locking onto his with a predatory gleam. "You see, I merely tap into the singular fixation of men. Left to their own desires, free of restraint, this is what all men would become."

Alaric's jaw tightened. "What of romance? Of love?"

Velasca's laugh was sharper this time, more biting. "Romance?" she scoffed, her lips curling with disdain. "A pretty illusion, nothing more. A convenient lie to keep men chained to something other than their own desires." She stepped closer to Alaric, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "By the time I'm done with you, you'll know the truth. Romance is nothing compared to the power I offer."

Alaric's heart pounded, but he held her gaze, refusing to back down. "I won't become like Robin."

Velasca's smile returned, slow and deliberate. "Oh, but you will," she said softly. "They all do, eventually."

She let the curtain fall again, hiding Robin from view, as if to say his fate had already been sealed. She turned her back to Alaric and crossed the room, her hips swaying with an almost hypnotic rhythm. "Soon, you'll see. There is no escaping me."

Alaric's fists clenched at his sides, the weight of her words pressing down on him, but deep inside, a spark of resistance still burned.

For now.