Dark Eros

10

Ife was lead to a large hut, inside sat the king, queen and their children. Fumnaya was laughing at something one of his sisters had said. There were many of them, six daughter to be exact. Fumnaya was the eldest and only son; thus the only heir to the throne.

Her entrance was made known by the jingle of her gold and silver bracelets as they danced upon her arm.

All eyes fell on her. Fumnaya stood, a goblet of pure silver in hand. "Ife, come forward."

Her hair was free, and wild about her head, as he liked it to be. Her arms were adorned with gold and silver bracelets that matched well with her brown skin. She wore a dress with short sleeves, cinched at the waist, flowing down to her feet. She came forward, nervousness in her steps.

King beckoned her to him and she kneeled before him, bowing before meeting his gaze.

As he gazed on her he frowned slightly, turning to Fumnaya, "I expected a woman that would blind me with her beauty...this girl is that of any other."

Ife did not react. She had heard such things before, her sister, Dada, was the beauty of the two of them. Ife was a pretty girl but beauteous, she was not.

The king turned back to her and his eyes landed on hers, her gaze holding him hostage. For a long, quiet while he was entranced in her eyes, lost in them before he managed to break away. She blinked at him, in his eyes she had seen years of peaceful reign...and then darkness.

"You look at me as if you can see within me, girl." The king said warily.

The queen laid a hand on his, "She is a seer, did you not remember?"

"It is unsettling."

Fumnaya called her to him. His eyes had stayed glued on her the minute she walked into the room. She moved toward him, her heart pounding, feeling the sudden urge to run from the room to avoid him.

She fell to her knees before him. He reached for her, gripping her chin inbetween his forefinger and thumb. He lowered his cup, bringing the rim to her lips, offering her a sip. She could not refuse, it would be an insult to do so.

He tilted it and she drank the bitter tasting liquor until he pulled it away, wiping her wet lips with his thumb. His gazed on her was burning, thunderous in his obvious desire for her. It was so pointed it was almost tangible.

He caressed her lips once more before leaning back in his throne, his eyes still holding onto her hers, "My mother wishes for you to read her once more. Since I am the cause of her delayed excitement, you may do it now."

She nodded but that did not satisfy him. He grabbed hold of her arm as she moved to do as he asked. "My name, Ife."

Shame crossed her face and before she could stop herself she tried to snatch away from him. His grip never faltered. "Ife." He demanded.

He said her name slowly, darkly, ravenously. Her knees buckled and a shiver traveled down her spine, despite herself, hot, coursing need erupted in the pit of her stomach. She hated it. She hated her body. She hated him. She hated what he made her feel. She hated her gift for conjuring him up.

"Yes, Fumnaya," she whispered huskily.

He grip tightened on her, the look in her eyes, the dilation of her pupils, her sudden intake of breath. He nearly took her then and there. But instead he released her, downing the rest of the potent alcohol in his cup, before having more served to him.

Ife took the hand the queen offered and proceeded to look into her eyes. Again she saw happiness, contentment, heard distant laughter ringing in her ears. She saw the queen being embrace by the king and then sudden darkness as the king came into view once more.

She blinked then, confusion coursing through her. She had never seen such rapid darkness before. She did not know what it meant.

"What did you see?" The queen asked eagerly.

"Happiness. You are full of contentment and joy and love. Your good fortune will prosper." Ife said, though she did not mention the darkness.

The queen clapped happily, "I am glad that it is you that my son craves. I was in need of a new advicer, you will do. I shall call upon you when you are not aiding my son."

Several of the princess demanded readings as well, and each of them she gave. The last of the princess's, Hiava, scoffed once Ife came near her. "I agree with father, she is plain and yet you crave for her as if you starve."

Fumnaya had already had two chalice's two many of liquor and was no longer content to watch as Ife's attention was seemingly taken from him. "You and father may be content in knowing that it is my bed she fills and me she satisfies."

Hiava gasped, a frown crossing her face. The king turned a dark look on him as well.

Fumnaya stood then, "Ife, come. You will do no more readings today."

Ife did as he asked, moving toward him. Leaving princess Hiava fuming. He stood and took hold of her before walking from the hut. She stayed silent as he pulled her along beside him, his steps purposeful. He ushered her inside his hut. He ordered her to remove her clothing. She hesitated, her hands at her side as she looked at him.

A scowl crossed his face but he sighed, realizing that he had taken one two many drinks. His urgency would be unparalleled, uncontrolled and the last thing he wanted was to hurt her in his need. "Do not look on me with such distate. I will only hold you this night."

She still did not move and frustration had him walking toward her and removing her dress himself. He pulled her toward his bed, pushing her onto it. He stripped of his jewels and clothing before joining her on it. He grabbed hold of her but she twisted away, pressinng her hands against his chest. "No, do not sleep with your arms around me. I do not give you permission for such affection."

He was drunken in his response, grabbing her wrist and holding on either side of her head. "What right do you have to tell me I can not hold you?"

"You do not love me."

He huffed, "Love you?"

"You have thrown your lust at me, but you may not share intimacies that only real lover's do."

"You would not fight me if I loved you?" He asked.

"I would."

He frowned. "You make no sense."

"I do not love you either."

Her words angered him and he grit his teeth. "You test me too much, Ife. Yet you proclaim to fear me, where is your fear when you speak without holding your tongue?"

"I fear what you make me feel, I fear what you feel when you come to me. The amount of your need frightens me but you...you do not frighten me."

"I could have you killed or sentenced to hard labor." He said so suddenly that she had not seen it coming. He had said it with darkness, such...angry spontaneity that she believed he actually would.

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Do you fear me now?" He asked on a slur.

She looked away from him for a moment before meeting his eyes once more. "You want me to fear you?"

He paused and then suddenly he was holding her close, one of his arms around her waist, the other around her shoulders. She pushed at his arms, pounded at his shoulders.

"I do not want your fear. I want your warmth, the touch of your skin, the kiss of your lips, the sound of your voice screaming my name."

She froze in his embrace. "Why?" She whispered before she finally managed to pull back enough to look at him. "Why me? Why not my sister? Why not anyone else?"

"I do not know." He said truthfully, "Must you fault me for wanting you? Am I a villain in your eyes because my desire for you consumes me?"

He buried his face in her neck, chuckling drunkenly, "If anything, it is you that is the villain here. It is you that makes me this way. Those eyes of yours that make me crave you. The feel of your skin that dictates I touch you. The eroticism of your voice that has me hypnotised."

"You can not blame your lust on me! I did nothing to warrant it!"