Sybil of the Sands Ch. 05-06

"So what will it be? The barracks? Or me?" he asked smugly. The answer was obvious.

"Y-you," I whimpered. He released my hair finally, and I sighed in relief.

"A wise decision," he commented, and then he was pulling my dress up, over my hips. He knocked my legs apart with his own, positioning himself between them. "I'm afraid this won't be very gentle, little egret," he said, and suddenly he was shoving himself deep inside of me. I gasped at the shock and sudden invasion. My body's natural instinct was to rear backwards, which worked in the king's favor as it only served to impale me further on him. He grunted his pleasure, the roughly shoved me down to the cushions again and began ramming into me in earnest. I whimpered, at first in pain, and then slowly it began to turn into pleasure.

My head screamed at me to keep my focus, to not lose myself in the pleasure, but my body was soon reacting beyond my control. Xentos was merciless, slamming into me without any letup. I felt the fullness inside me from his force, and bit my lip, trying to hold back a moan. He drew back and I craved his touch again, desperate to have him inside me and filling me again. I felt empty until he was there filling me, the force of him sending shockwaves through my body. I couldn't lift my hips to meet his, in this position, as his weight kept me pinned down, and I yowled in frustration. I wanted to meet him thrust for thrust, helping him to drive himself ever deeper. My hips moved the small amount they could, and I discovered the friction of the cushion beneath me was really quite delightful.

In a few minutes I was lost completely. I no longer cared that this was Xentos, my captor, all I cared about was the intense pleasure that I could feel building. He seemed to be able to tell once I was truly lost to the pleasure, for he pulled away from me, leaving me horribly, achingly empty, and then grabbed me by my shoulders, throwing down against the cushions so I was positioned on my back. I reached for him, desperately inviting him to be inside me again, filling me. I saw his manhood was bloodied and knew he'd torn me again with his roughness, but I didn't care. All that mattered was having him inside me, bringing me pleasure.

He obliged me, wrapping my legs around him and plunging in again. I moaned at the sensation, my head rolling back and my eyes closing so I could focus on the pleasure. I felt his fingers against my nipples, pinching them almost to the point of pain, but not quite. It was heavenly. Then I felt his warm tongue over my right nipple, strumming it gently and giving the barest graze with his teeth. I put my hand out to hold his head there, and to my surprise found long, soft hair.

I opened my eyes, momentarily distracted from the pleasure, and saw Jaslyn, her own eyes meeting my mine as she swirled her tongue over my nipple, lust written clearly on her face. I moaned my acquiescence and she lapped her tongue against my breast in broad strokes, Xentos looming over us and smiling. Jaslyn took the tip of my nipple between her teeth and carefully bit down. The pleasure and pain mix was exquisite, and suddenly I felt myself beginning to crest. My breathing became more frantic, and Xentos must have sensed I was nearing the peak, for he shouted down at me, "The hooded stranger, Anissa! Focus on the hooded stranger."

He might as well have been talking to the cushion as to me, for all I could focus on was the glorious sensation of him filling me while Jaslyn's tongue caressed my breast. The combination put me over the edge and as I crested, my world went dark and silent.

Three men were standing on a sand dune. They had a plan of some sort sketched into the sand below them, but I couldn't make it out. "It's time we rid ourselves of this nuisance," said the first. "He's held sway for far too long."

"It's not traditional," agreed the second, and the third nodded. They buffed out the writing with their feet and went separate ways.

"The moon," I said. "The moon, the palm, and the lotus." My world was still black, but the words pushed themselves out of my mouth. "They will overthrow the sun. Together, they win. Separated, they fall." I fell back against the cushion, exhausted.

"Did you hear all of it?" Xentos asked over his shoulder, and the scribe nodded. "Good," he said, and withdrew from me. I watched with dull eyes as Jaslyn eagerly guided the king to his back and straddled him, riding him like a horse. I did not know it could be done so. Her gasps of pleasure told me it was a very satisfying position indeed.

Good, I thought, my sister deserved her pleasure too. I had a curiously light, buoyant feeling, although I felt drained from the efforts. I lied still while I returned to reason and coherency, looking around the room while Jaslyn took her turn with the king. Laurent was busy with the papers in front of him, but I caught him sneaking glances at me. When our eyes met, he flushed and looked pointedly away.

Oh, I realized. I was still naked. I tugged my dress back down to cover myself as best I could without sitting up, pulling the straps over my shoulders and hiding my breasts again. Gradually I became more and more aware of where I was and what had just happened. Xentos had his hands on Jaslyn's bony hips and was guiding her onto him again and again.

A hot shame began to creep over me. I'd lost myself to the pleasure again. He'd bedded me here in front of everyone and I hadn't cared, had rubbed against him, desperate for more. I glanced at the king; he was still very preoccupied with Jaslyn. He'd gotten what he wanted out of me, surely I'd be free to leave now? I had to leave, had to get away. I stood, surprised to find my legs shaky and hard to control. The ache between my legs told me I'd be sore again for days. I took a careful step forward, and my leg started to give out. Laurent rushed to my side before I caught myself.

"Let me help you," he said, taking my hand.

"Leave me alone," I muttered, jerking my hand back. This man had seen parts of me, had seen me do things, that no man should see save for with his wife. I was embarrassed to be around him. I took another step toward the door, and the light-headedness overwhelmed me. My legs gave out and I sagged, vaguely aware of Laurent scooping me up into his arms before I hit the ground. My world went dark again.

**

When I woke, I was in my room and the long shadows told me it was almost evening. I was alone, although I had no doubts that Kirin had been in to check on me multiple times. I stirred out of sleep, and the sharp pang between my legs reminded me of this day's earlier events. I winced, but forced myself to sit up anyway. There was an ewer of water on a little table and I helped myself, thirstier than I would have expected. After drinking my fill, I sat back on the bed again, inevitably drawn to think about my vision.

I didn't want to supply Xentos with any knowledge that might help him, but the fact that I saw these things meant they were in my mind, and I couldn't help but be aware of them. Who were the strange men? What did my words mean? The moon taking over the sun? Surely it was nonsense and wouldn't help Xentos at all. I hoped. It was a strange way for things to work. Visions that were impossible to decipher, and words so cryptic even I didn't know what I meant. I was reasonably certain the men were in the Silehah, but I didn't recognize their faces. It's possible I'd seen them before; there had been so many dinner guests those first two nights I couldn't remember them all. I had been far too distracted with my own plight to pay them much attention anyway.

A glance downward told me I'd been changed out of my old dress and into something fresh. Kirin, no doubt. Or - Laurent? I blushed at the thought of him doing something so intimate. Surely not - he'd probably carried me here and then sent Kirin to tend to me. It was silly enough to think of him carrying me all the way back to my quarters. A grown woman shouldn't be so exhausted by simply having a vision.

Xentos' words echoed in the back of my mind. I knew he meant his threat. If I didn't comply, if I embarrassed him in front of other people again, I'd become a plaything for the barracks men. I'd have to work harder on suppressing my nausea at his touch. Being used by one king was better than a horde of men. Maybe it was a mercy by body never took long to respond to the touch. As embarrassing as it was to be mad with lust in front of Xentos' men, it would be worse to be miserable and suffering throughout the whole ordeal - wouldn't it?

The hard part was accepting that I had absolutely zero control over my body. Xentos controlled me externally, through brute force and the weight of his threats, and the curse- the gift- controlled me internally, locking me into a lust-driven state till I'd achieved satisfaction, overriding all sense and reason. Even my thoughts and feelings were not my own in that state, focused only on the pleasure and not the source of it.

I recalled Jaslyn's dark eyes meeting mine over my bare breast, and a tiny shiver of pleasure raced down my spine, followed by a wave of disgust. It wasn't that it had been Jaslyn specifically, or even a woman - what disturbed me was my easy acceptance of her attention, mid-coitus with the king and still hungry for more. Did my lust know no bounds?

I wished I had a source other than Jaslyn for this information. I wondered if any of the other chieftans ever visited and brought their seers, but my guess was no. Someone like me was far too valuable to take gallivanting about the desert. For a moment, I longed for my mother to still be alive, but then I remembered that if she was, she'd be a prisoner with me. It was difficult to say which fate was worse, but I knew it was selfish to wish she was here with me.

Kirin entered then, interrupting my somber train of thought. "You're awake," she said with a smile.

"Yes, awake again. I don't know how simply seeing a vision can be so tiring, but it absolutely wears me out."

She patted my arm. "It was so for the sacred vessel Jaslyn in the beginning as well," she said. "I believe it is something that you can build up a tolerance to, over time."

"Let's hope it never comes to that point for me," I said bitterly. The thought of being used over and over again till I became immune to the draining effects was horrifying. I'd much rather deal with the exhaustion. "Did the king get what he wanted out of us?" I asked, curious as ever about my prophecies.

"I think so. He has dismissed the threat of the hooded figure after Jaslyn's new input, fortunately for her."

"Oh? Would he have punished her for not having the vision he wanted her to have?"

"No, the king is most merciful in that respect. He understands you cannot control it. He's displeased with Jaslyn for... something else."

"Why?" I was eager to know what she had done, both because I wanted to avoid doing it, and because the days of inactivity left me bored to sobs.

Kirin blushed, red creeping up her cheeks to her brown hair. "I don't want to offend your delicate sensibilities."

"Delicate sensibilities went out the window when the king mounted me in front of all his guests," I retorted. "Tell me."

"Well," she began reluctantly, "Apparently King Xentos is quite determined to have you both - unencumbered - for a time, and Jaslyn did not, er, dismount when he commanded her to, and now she may become with child. With the king's child."

Ah. I leaned back against my pillow. This news wasn't that surprising to me at all, given my earlier conversation with Jaslyn. I remembered her riding atop him as I'd taken my leave from the throne room. No wonder she'd chosen that position, it gave her all the control.

"You don't look surprised," commented Kirin.

"I'm not. Jaslyn told me she wants to bear the king a son. She thinks it will gain her favor with him and he'll make her his queen."

Kirin clucked her tongue. "She's a fool. King Xentos might give her favor, but she'll never be his queen. Oh," she said, realizing what she'd just said. "Forgive me, Vessel, I forget my station-"

"You're right," I said, waving a hand to dismiss her apology. "She is a fool." I changed the subject to save Kirin further embarrassment. "Did you hear anything about my prophecy? None of it made sense to me."

"It was very clear to the members of Niacinth palace. The symbols represent three chieftans. Each chieftan has a chosen symbol as his sigil. One a moon, one a palm, one a lotus, among the many others."

"And the sun?" I asked, but I already knew. Only one man would take the sun as his personal sigil.

"King Xentos. He believes these three tribes are plotting to overthrow him because he has held Niacinth longer than any king before."

"How long does a king usually hold it?" I asked leaning forward. I winced at the tightening between my legs.

"Here," said Kirin, and produced from the little tray by the door a fat little container of salve. She was sensitive as always to my needs. "It will help - with the discomfort." She nodded at my upper thighs. I gratefully accepted the jar, and turned away from her to administer it to myself, hissing as it came into contact with a small tear. It did help though, I could feel the cooling, numbing effect taking place.

Kirin turned away to give my privacy, then answered my question. "It depends on the king. Some have held it as little as an hour, others for years, and once, very memorably, a queen held it for 20 years." I could hear the smile in her voice as she related the last bit. It was probably a story passed from mother to daughter - the queen who reigned over the desert - to be told quietly in the kitchens, a reminder that men were not invincible.

"How long has Xentos had it?" I asked. I tested a small patch of the salve on my upper thighs to see if it could ease the muscle ache.

"Ten years, almost. He will be celebrating his tenth anniversary in two months."

"Let me guess - a giant feast in his honor, with all the tribes of the desert come to pay their respects."

"A good guess."

I rolled my eyes at the thought. I already knew what one of the main attractions would be - me. Paraded around like a prized peacock and then defiled publicly. The salve seemed to be helping, so I spread it over my whole inner thighs, massaging it in.

"Should I bring you a dinner tray?" asked Kirin.

"Thank you, yes. That would be nice." I was quite hungry after sleeping through lunch. Kirin left to go get the tray, and I carefully stood and walked over to replace the jar of salve. My legs seemed sturdier, and my innermost area didn't hurt as much. I'd have to remember to request this jar for next time.

Next time? Was I actually growing complacent about my rape, already? I searched my feelings. No, the inner anger was there, the fury and the pride, the indignation.

I'd decided to fight in the only way I could, by accepting my situation till my captors assumed I'd grown complacent. Then, I'd make my escape, and no matter who got in my way, I'd be free.