Aerian could feel the dread in the pit of her stomach as she walked through the hall, she knew this place though couldn’t remember why. She looked down to see her stomach flat, well-toned, which then occurred to her she was in only a thong and bra, walking through the cold halls barefooted. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and continued to walk, turning down another hall and then beginning to descend a flight of stairs, much like the mansion, except she knew it wasn’t.
The floor below was the ground, she knew from the flooring which was scuffed with dirt of people as they came and went, she crouched to look at the prints, royal guard, or some equivalent, most soldiers in the realm used the same footwear, a real bitch if they ever kicked you in them, she thought for a moment before standing and continuing.
It was as she rounded the corner it hit her, she knew this place she’d spent enough time here, stood by the table the dark hair, drawn face, dark eyes of a man she hated. As she entered, he looked up that cold smile curling his lips.
“There she is, awake at last,” As he spoke, she felt her body freeze, her blood running cold as the well of fear twisted her gut she slid into the wall.
“Not again,” She breathed softly.
“Aerian?!” He snapped as he walked to her, as she sank to the floor, he caught her jaw lifting her face to face him “Are you feeling, OK?”
“You’re dead, you’re dead, you can’t be here you’re dead,” She cried, she could feel the heat of her tears as they streamed down her face, the panic twisting up inside of her now.
“Yea you dirty little thing, I’m dead, because of you, because you couldn’t do it yourself,” There was no malice in his words, just thoughts made loud in her own mind, another nightmare that was insanely real to her “But that’s OK, I’m dead but you still think about me, when you’re alone and need to feel something that isn’t love or the cute little life you built for yourself, you can’t ignore it Aerian, you like being used that’s why you like Virra, she’s strong and you don’t have to be, and you’re boy he’s there because you crave having your pretty little hole ripped apart by a man,”
She tried to crawl back but there was only the wall, the room had become that cold cell she spent so long inside, left bleeding and stinking of him, Hareavor crouched in the doorway those hollow emerald eyes staring at her “Admit it Aerian, you like feeling powerless, you like that they take your control away, and now you’re content to become another Elcarus with a child to care for and pretend it’s who you are,”
“It is who I am,” She bit back softly, fear quickly quelling the defiance in her “I’m happy, that’s what matters, I’m happy you’re dead, I’m happy I’m having a baby, to become a mom, I chose it,”
“True, you laid on your back spread your legs, like the whore you are Aerian, that’s why you enjoyed contracts that involved sex, you let them fuck you and begged them to make you squeal then when they couldn’t you left them,” He had closed the gap on her as she tried once more to retreat, again the panic in her chest tightened, fear rising in every part of her, “Come now my little toy, you know you’ve missed this, the fear, you running and then ultimately laying on your back welcoming me deep inside you, I miss the fight Aerian, I do, but if I do then you have to know that you do,”
She felt something against her wrist as she pulled suddenly she was chained, this room she hated, even more, the dungeon where Hareavor was free to do as he wished, the other racks empty but the blood of those he hurt still remained, she pulled against her restraints as she saw him close on her “Oh no, no, no, please don’t” she was screaming the words but somehow nothing came.
“Now then my little toy,” She hated those words, but that was all she had ever been to him a toy for him to play with as he saw fit, “You’ve missed me, haven’t you?” She knew it wasn’t real, but the words sent fear through her just the same.
“No,” She stated with as much defiance as she could find.
The leather strap came down hitting her across the midriff with a resounding crack causing her to screech in pain, she knew each time would be the same, this is how it went, she repeated no and again the strap hit her this time her upper thighs, the flesh of the impact burning, a third came down to her before she defied him again and again, he hit her. Then she felt the cold steel of a blade drawn up her thighs as he walked alongside her “You know this gets worse my little toy, just say the words and I’ll give you what you want,”
“No,” She replied, this time he slapped her clear across her face, now rounding the rack above her and back down the other side, the second slap to her breast causing her to cry out in pain, the blade catching against her flesh, slicing through with ease another shock of pain.
“Come on toy, tell me you want it, and this can end,”
Aerian had always wondered what got Hareavor hotter, the torture or the sex, she knew that each time she broke he took solace in knowing that his victims wanted him to end their suffering, and in some twisted way he then had never hurt anyone who didn’t want him to, she hated him for that, but there was always a point where she broke and he had his way with her, another slap this time her right inner thigh, snapped her from her train of thought.
“Last chance toy,” He had stepped between her thighs now the blade tracing over her stomach and she knew what came next, if she defied him again he would sink the blade into her as slowly as possible ensuring she felt every inch of metal tear through her insides, he had done in the past and she had never let him again always breaking before the blade broke her flesh, “You’re a seer Aerian, you know any harm in your mind in these dreams will cause harm to you for real, are you really going to put your baby at risk because your too selfish to fuck me?”
“I…” She felt him position the blade against her stomach right where her baby was growing within “No… please, you can’t hurt me,”
She looked down to him and within a moment she felt it him ripping into her as in the same moment he raised the blade and sank it down into her with so much venom she scream.
“PLEASE HAREAVOR NO!” She screamed aloud as she sat, she was on the edge of their bed her balance thrown as she crashed to the floor her head slamming against the bedside table on the way down, she curled into herself now crying hysterically.
Since Domi was in the middle as always, he was first at Aerian’s side, wrapping her in his strong and safe arms. Gently he rocked her, as Virra was next and trembling, wrapping her arms around his around Aerian. She kissed Aerian’s next and whispered to her. “I saw…felt…it all. It’s only true if you allow it to control you.”
Aerian remained crying and trembling violently against Domi, her whole body shaken to the very core and yet she remained silent her hands wrapped around her stomach tightly.
Domi remained holding Aerian just as tightly as before, slipping her into his lap while it was plainly obvious that Virra was in the same amount of pain as Aerian but attempted to conceal it, caressing the fiery crown. Each offering her strength and support, protection and safety.
Aerian held down the urge to run, laying back against Domi her instincts were to bolt. As she could hear his heart, she settled a little, as she looked to Virra she felt the pain twist her once more “I … he … I’m so sorry,” She murmured softly, she felt the sting as tears continued to roll down her cheek as she remained staring at Virra “I’m sorry ….” She knew Virra could feel everything within her mind just as clearly as she could, unable to hold back the wall that normally sat between those emotions and what she now experienced in all its twisted force.
As those thoughts to escape came through Aerian, it was as though Domi read her mind, tightening his hold and embrace. When Virra was addressed, the dark haired woman smiled tenderly, caressing her cheek and wiping away the tears. “You aren’t alone in this, Firefly. Never apologize for something that is not easy to control.”
Domi settled uneasy suddenly, placing his chin on the fiery crown. “How is your head? You smacked it good…”
Aerian reached up to touch the impact point as she drew her hand away, she saw blood “huh … didn’t really notice too busy being scared out of my wits I guess, kinda hurts now I know it’s there though,” Her voice remained low as she looked to Virra then up to Domi, “The baby is OK though, I managed to break my fall mostly with my head apparently”
Domi allowed for Aerian to fall back into the embrace of Virra, as he methodically inspected the damage with a frown. “I’ll be back, my dark angel. I’m going to get my medical items and clean this up.” He kissed her gently, glancing behind to Virra that held her tightly against her bosom and swell of her belly, then stood to leave the room.
Virra inhaled deeply as he left, caressing Aerian’s skin and then her belly. “You know…you are nothing he says. You are happy and deserving, I wish I could have done something to change the outcome of your dream. I could only watch…”
“That’s how they go, I can only watch as he tortures me, sometimes it’s physical, sometimes mental but always based on what he did to me,” Aerian replied softly “Almost like I can’t let go, I know he’s dead, and what he did made me stronger, but since I got pregnant it’s like everything is on overload, I feel it like it is happening, like he is inside me all over again, but I know it’s not about what he did,” she sighed wondering if she was even making sense of something she couldn’t quite figure out.
“Perhaps, it is time we figure out a way for you to let him go. Everything, which he did to you. Clearly it left scars, not the type that you can see. But, don’t you worry, Domi and I will be here for you. Just remember, you are worth it. This is something in your mind, he can only hurt you if you let him. You don’t have to let him anymore.” Virra whispered to her, resting her cheek upon her crown.
Suddenly they heard a low whistle of appreciation. Virra turned and when Aerian did, they saw Domi standing with his medical bag and a tray of tea and cookies. “Damn, even now, you two are the most beautiful women in Everlands…” He smiled and entered, moving to settle on the ground before Aerian. “Now…let’s take a look at this, hm?”
“I know it’s in my head,” She replied as she settled against Virra with a gentle sigh “I’m happy and I’m comfortable and it seems whenever I get close to that in my life I panic, I guess this is me panicking,”
She felt a flush creep through her at Domis words though shifted in Virra lap to allow him to treat the head injury “I think there might be a way, it would essentially put you in my head, not that you need to be I mean you can see it all anyway, but the spell supposedly allows you alter the world change the outcomes of what is there, we couldn’t kill Hareavor he’s in my head but it should severely diminish the effect, but you would be there but the connection between us would remain so it would be double the effect for the most part,”
Virra silently watched as Domi tended to Aerian’s head with such tenderness and care, Aerian barely felt any pain from his precise actions. When he was done and looked to her, he kissed her gently on the lips. “I want to do this…my…my family was cursed when I was a child. We are Dreamwalkers, this gives us the ability to enter dreams. Virra already can take the pain, allow me to be your company in your dreams, fiery angel…”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Aerian replied softly “I would need both of you to know I was safe, and find the strength face him even if he is a ghost in my head,”
Domi nodded putting away the instruments and caressing Aerian’s cheek. Truth be told, there was little she knew about this copper skinned man that had stolen her heart and earned her trust, plus being the father of her child. Virra chuckled now, but kissed Aerian. “What do we need to do in order to make the connection to you in your sleep?”
Aerian smiled kissing her back “I don’t plan to sleep, not really, we have everything we need after our man brought everything from the cottage,” She moved to her feet taking a moment to balance herself before heading for the front room, as she pulled a small chest out and looked within, a small piece of paper, a needle, several pots of herbs and a candle “Everything is here, Thank you Domi,”
Virra watched as Aerian stood and then glanced to Domi, which proceeded to assist the dark-haired female to rise, both of them walking with her down the stairs to the front room. “Only the best for my angels.”
Elcarus Mansion 