Chapter 1: The Ordinary World
"Had prolly been a dead giveaway, with a loincloth and a set of snakeskin armor for a bra," my buddy Aeron muttered under his breath as I stormed into the tavern.
"Ah, Rael, you're just in time," the grizzled old man propped up on the bar shouted. "Just when I was about to finish my ale and call it a night." He waved my way with a lecherous grin. I rolled my eyes and strode towards him.
"You know I don't have time for your filthy flirting, Leo." I plopped down onto a battered stool next to him, my steel-wads jingling as I swung my legs over the seat.
Leo leaned closer, his eyes running down the curve of my waist and the hint of muscle beneath my chainmail. "Well, if you ain't interested, maybe someone else here is."
I glanced around the dimly lit tavern.
The room was filled with the usual suspects: old men playing dice in the back corner, a few women giggling and whispering in another, and the group of mercenaries huddled together at a nearby table, eyeing me hungrily.
Leo finished his drink and slammed the mug down on the bar, sending a wave of ale sloshing towards me. "I'm just saying, you can't blame us for trying.
A fine figure like yours, walking around this dump in that armor," the captain of the mercenaries leered, his tongue flicking over his lips.
I turned my attention back to Leo. "What was it you wanted to tell me, old man?"
He sighed and leaned closer. "It's about the contract. A group of villagers came in a while ago, looking for someone to find their missing sister. She went missing three years ago, while searching for a rare flower in an abandoned castle."
A shiver of excitement ran down my spine.
I had a weakness for abandoned castles, the thrill of exploring the unknown always got my blood pumping.
"Alright," I said. "I'll take the contract. But I have one condition."
The captain of the mercenaries raised an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling with curiosity. "What's that, love?"
"I want you and your men to leave me alone." I met his gaze, unyielding.
"I don't need your protection. Or anyone else's. I can handle myself."
He leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Well, if you're sure. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me."
I narrowed my eyes and turned to Leo. "Tell me everything you know about this contract."
Leo explained the details, but all I could think about was the abandoned castle, the danger it held, and the thrill of exploring it. My thoughts were interrupted as a hand landed on my shoulder.
"Hey, beautiful.
I couldn't help but notice you." The voice was low and husky, sending shivers down my spine. I turned to face the man behind me, my hand instinctively moving to my sword. I didn't recognize the man, but I sensed danger.
"Who the fuck are you?" I growled.
The man grinned, showing off a set of crooked teeth. "Just a traveler passing through. And I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see you up close."
I glared at him, not breaking eye contact.
"You picked the wrong warrior to mess with."
He chuckled. "I'm always up for a challenge, love."
The man took a step closer, his hand sliding down my arm, and my heart pounded in my chest. I could feel the anger rising within me as well as a spark of desire. It had been a long time since I had felt this attracted to someone, but it didn't mean I was going to let him take advantage of me.
"You know, you're even more beautiful up close," he said, his breath hot against my ear.
I could feel his hand tracing a line down my arm, igniting a trail of fire in its wake.
"Don't touch me," I warned, but my voice was soft, betraying the desire I felt building up inside me. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't help the way my body responded to his touch.
"Oh, come on now, love. I can see the need in your eyes." He leaned in even closer, his stubble brushing against my cheek. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
The man's heated breath against my ear had set me on edge, and I knew that giving in to him was a bad idea. But my body was screaming for release, for the raw, primal connection that he seemed to offer.
I could feel the heat of his body pressed up against mine, his hard muscles and firm thighs making my heart race. I could smell the scent of damp earth and wood on his skin, the musky, masculine scent that drove me wild.
I was acutely aware of his hand, still tracing a line down my arm, leaving goosebumps in its wake.
My heart pounded in my chest as I felt his other hand brush against my hip, his thumb tracing the curve of my belt. I knew what was coming next. The tension between us had been building since the moment he had sat down next to me, and now, it was reaching a breaking point.
"I can't resist you any longer," he growled, his voice low and husky.
Without waiting for a response, he closed the distance between us, crushing his lips against mine. I moaned as his tongue explored my mouth, the taste of ale and sweat on his lips making my knees weak. He pulled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me as I wrapped my legs around his waist.
I could feel his erection pressing against my thigh, and I ground my hips against him, desperate for release. He groaned, his hands moving to the ties of my armor as he began to tug at the strings.
I pushed against him harder, writhing as the leather constrictions fell away. I felt the cool night air on my bare skin, my nipples hardening and my breath catching in my throat.
He kneaded my breasts, his thumbs brushing over my nipples as I arched my back, feeling his teeth graze my neck. His tongue traced patterns over my skin, sending shivers down my spine as he roughly wrapped his arms around me.
"You're so fucking beautiful," he breathed against my ear.
His hand snaked down my waist, his fingers tracing the curve of my hip, and then he pulled me to the quiet side of the tavern, and forced his way to penetrate her vagina.
I gasped as he entered me, my body tensing with a mix of pleasure and pain. I could feel him filling me up, his thick cock stretching me open, and I couldn't help but moan as he started to move inside me.
His thrusts were hard and fast, and I could feel myself getting close to the edge. I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him deeper, and he groaned as he picked up the pace.
I could feel his hands gripping my hips, his fingers digging into my skin as he drove himself deeper and deeper inside me. I could feel myself starting to lose control, the pleasure building up inside me like a volcano ready to erupt.
I arched my back and let out a low moan as he began to thrust faster and deeper. His hands tightened on my hips, pulling me against him as he drove himself into me harder.
The room spun around me, the dim lights of the tavern flickering in the corners of my vision. I could feel my body tightening, my muscles clenching as I felt the orgasm building up inside me. I could feel him grow harder, his thrusts becoming more urgent.
I tried to pull away, to put some distance between us, but he held me tighter, his grip like iron.
"Stop!" I cried out, my voice hoarse. "Please, stop!" she cried out, her voice trembling with fear. But he wouldn't listen. He kept going, his hands rough and unyielding as they gripped her hips.
Raeligh tried to push him away, but he was too strong. She could feel his hot breath against her neck, his teeth grazing her skin as he forced himself inside her.
She let out a pained moan, tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. She had always been so careful, always kept her guard up. But she had let her guard down for just a moment, and now she was paying the price.
She could feel herself starting to black out, her vision blurring as the pain became too much to bear. But still, he wouldn't stop. He just kept going, grunting and groaning as he thrust himself deeper and deeper inside her.
Raeligh wanted to scream, to cry out for help, but she knew that no one would come. She was alone in this dark, seedy tavern, with a man who didn't care about her, who only wanted to use her for his own pleasure.
But then, just as she thought she couldn't take it anymore, he suddenly pulled out of her, leaving her feeling empty and used. She collapsed onto the floor, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to catch her breath.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she spat, her voice trembling with anger and humiliation.
He just shrugged, not even bothering to look at her. "You should be grateful, whore. I just gave you what you wanted."
Raeligh's heart was pounding with rage, but she knew that fighting him would only make things worse.
She stood up slowly, her legs shaking as she tried to steady herself. She could feel the wetness on her thighs and the heat between her legs as she took in the sight of the man who had just assaulted her.
"
"Listen, love, I didn't mean to hurt you. I just couldn't resist you." The man's voice was low and smooth, but Raeligh could hear the fear in his voice.
"
"You think I don't know what you're doing? You think I'm just some easy target?" Raeligh's voice was cold and dangerous. She couldn't believe this was happening to her, and she wasn't going to let him get away with it.
"
"No, love. That's not what I meant. I just wanted to show you what you've been missing out on.
But now, you're going to have to face the consequences." He leaned in closer, his hot breath against my ear. "If you can't resist my strength in violating you, then you'll be a goner in that cursed castle."
The words sent a chill down my spine. I had heard rumors about the castle, about the evil spirits that resided within its walls. And now, this man was telling me that if I couldn't resist him, I would suffer the same fate.
I pushed him away, my eyes blazing with anger. "You're sick," I spat. "I would never let you touch me again."
He just laughed, a cold, cruel sound that made my skin crawl. "We'll see about that, love.
We'll see." The man's laughter echoed in my ears as I stumbled out of the tavern, my legs still shaking from the encounter. I couldn't believe what had just happened, and I knew that I had to get out of there as fast as I could.
I grabbed my armor from the corner where I had left it, and began to quickly lace it up. I didn't have time to think about what had just happened, I needed to focus on getting to the castle and finding Nora.
The snakeskin armor felt cold against my skin as I pulled it on, the familiar weight of the steel giving me a sense of comfort and security. I strapped on my waist guard, feeling the metal clink against my thighs as I adjusted the straps. The leather-heeled boots were next, followed by the leather forearm gloves.