The Land Below our Feet III (Legacy)

DISTRACTIONS

-Yarintzha´s eyes instinctively squinted when the door abruptly opened before her and the bright light mercilessly hit her pupils, making them hurt.

They had been keeping her literally in the dark… locked in her chambers with the blinds closed and a stone-faced soldier perpetually standing at her door without further explanation than a vague comment about her own safety, and how apparently it had been compromised.

It would take her a moment for the intense glare to subside enough so her senses could focus completely on the people gathered in the room. The confusion she was feeling showing in her perplexed frown as her eyes zeroed on her son.

-W- What the hell is this? – She stuttered. Her attention darting from Dahro´s handcuffed wrists to the rest of the present monarchs, and finally to the inscrutable faces of the Commander and his wife – How dare you mistreat my boy like that?

-Why don´t you ask him what he has done to deserve such treatment instead? – Souna snarled at her, crossing her arms over her chest – I´m sure you´d be thankful that we didn´t throw him in the dungeons, since he helped a group of rebels steal from one of our warehouses yesterday.

The Xiblenean monarch didn´t respond. She simply rolled her annoyed eyes at her peer, then raised an inquisitive brow towards her child while impatiently stomping her foot on the ground.

-They abducted me, mother! – The young prince rushed to exclaim, batting his eyelashes innocently at her – They forced me to do all those stupid things! I am the true victim here!

- Oh, I wouldn´t call them stupid – Ussiariah said, knowingly nodding in his direction – The things you did were reckless, yes, but they certainly were deliberate and fully premeditated. Nobody was holding a knife against your back when you weaseled your way into that vault.

-They said they would hurt my mother if I didn´t help them! – Dahro lied, pouting exaggeratedly, and letting out a fake anguished cry – What was I supposed to do? I was just playing my part.

-Were you playing your part too when you tricked the guards at the warehouse into believing you were in danger so the rebels could steal those guns? – The Commander incisively asked – Because there was a big smile on your face, according to them. If they were holding you hostage, why didn´t you use that chance to escape?

-Because I was scared! I had to be convincing, don´t you see! – The Xiblenean boy shouted, displaying his full histrionic skills – I thought that way they would be gentle and let me go.

He paused, looking pleadingly towards his mother with his eyes welling up with tears and a trembling lip.

-But they tied me down instead. As soon as they were done with me – He cried out – I had to fight tooth and nail when I realized that they were going to kill me! I barely got out of there alive!

-What? – Yarintzha gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. Her expression souring as she slowly turned to look at Ussiariah with visible irritation – Are you seriously telling me that my child just had a traumatizing experience at the hands of some… savages, and somehow you are holding him accountable for their actions?

-Trust me, I´m not – Ussi shrugged off – It is clear to me that your son is not the mastermind behind this insurrection. But what I find quite interesting is how fast they managed to turn him. I would be careful if I were you… Given his ancestry.

-Oh no… No, you didn´t! – The monarch growled at him with contained fury, raising a fist – You didn´t just bring THAT up, did you? What is that supposed to mean anyway? The man never got to taint my son. He was long gone by the time he was born.

-Maybe not, but still... They say blood is a very powerful thing. And it´s clear you´ve got an unruly kid. – The warrior casually commented –If you say his lineage is not the one to blame, then you might want to brush up your discipline methods a little bit.

-Don´t you dare lecture me about my kid or criticize my parenting, Yahun! – The Xiblenean queen yelled offendedly – You don´t get to opine until you have taken care of the mess in your own home!

She took a deep breath while her eyes traveled to Souna´s face and pointed an accusing finger at her.

-You think we are all idiots and that you can fool us with your lies, but you forget I am a mother too – She indignantly declared – I can smell a teenage tantrum from a mile away, and I would bet my entire kingdom that this precious child of yours is everything but indisposed!

Souna went to open her mouth and refute Yarintzha´s statement, but the Xiblenean regent immediately waved her hand in the air and interrupted whatever she was going to say next.

-And don´t bother denying it, Souna… I won´t buy your false claims – She dismissively grunted, eyeing her with palpable contempt, then nodding at Ussiariah – If I gave a damn about the actual truth, I would just ask your dear husband here.

She smirked, raising a playful eyebrow towards him and letting her words linger in the stale air, among the rest of the present rulers.

-After all, you still abide by the Yahurian code, don´t you? – The woman muttered in a purposefully venomous tone – That´s why you haven´t personally uttered a single word about your boy´s health, isn´t that true?

There was a long, silent moment in which she stared fixedly at the warrior´s emotionless face, before finally breaking eye contact with him and chuckling forcedly.

-Oh, but don´t you worry, Commander – She nervously cackled, pouting exaggeratedly at him – I´ll spare you the humiliation of exposing you as the fraud you are. Now, please take those handcuffs off my son and let us rest before we depart. We have a long trip back to Xiblen, and after this… awful discourtesy, I intend to leave this forsaken place behind as soon as I possibly can.

-You better do that… And there is no need for you to try and deflect attention from the real issue so desperately – Souna coldly intervened, silently gesturing at one of the guards, who rushed to free the Xiblenean prince – This time, he gets to walk with only a slap on the wrist. After all, he´s just a child… But I can´t promise we will be so understanding if there is ever a next time.

The grin on Dahro´s face was unbearably smug as he was promptly set loose and escorted outside the hall along with his mother, while he strutted around the room with a triumphant stance.

-Yes! That´s my mom! – He excitedly cheered as soon as the door closed behind them, throwing a careless arm around Yarintzha´s shoulder – I knew you´d show those morons not to disrespect us!

-Shut up! – The Xiblenean ruler commanded, grabbing him by the earlobe and pulling him down towards her face until her lips were at his eye-level – Listen to me, you little brat, don´t you think for one second that I stuck my neck out to save your spoiled ass in there because I believed a single word you said! I am YOUR mother, Dahro, and I can see right through your bullshit any day!

She let him go, composing herself enough to straighten her clothes and distractedly fix her hair, before delivering her next words in a quiet murmur directly into his redly squished ear.

-I know that you yearn for your stupid adventures, just like your father always did… But neither of you ever understood what that truly entails – She whispered – I am in charge here! So, if you dare to jeopardize our position again with your silly games, I will throw you in a dungeon myself and leave you down there.

The muffled voices were barely audible through the closed door as Souna doubtfully reached for the knob.

-We need to stop this infection before it spreads, Captain – Ussi worriedly commented – So, have them all gathered first thing tomorrow and let´s see how this plays out, all right?

-Yes, Commander – Greghan´s voice obediently responded just as Souna pushed the wooden plank open and entered the dimly lit room.

-It´s late – The queen said, lazily rubbing her eyes and nodding at the Captain – You need to sleep.

-I´m fine, Your Grace – Greghan meekly replied, bowing courteously to her – We´re almost done anyway.

-That was not a suggestion, Soldier – Souna dryly pointed out, drumming her fingers on the table the two warriors were sitting at – Go away, now.

The timid smile on Greghan´s face instantly froze as his stoic features slightly paled. He lost no time jumping on his feet and silently heading for the door, leaving the queen standing there before her husband in her translucid robe with puffy eyes and matted hair.

-You are exhausted – Ussiariah commented, raising a scolding eyebrow at her – You should rest too. That only brings out the worst in you.

-Oh, I am! – Souna bitterly grimaced, violently pouncing forward and straddling him against his chair – I am tired of wasting our time on all these trivial distractions! We should be focusing on the really important things here!

-We are… – The warrior started saying, but she grabbed him firmly by the neck and put her index against his lips.

-Quiet! – She ordered. Her hand darting to his lower garments and easily extracting his member from them a moment later.

She took only a second to stare at the shiny rod in her hand admiringly, before hurriedly kicking her underpants down her legs and eagerly guiding it inside her.

A low moan reverberated in her throat as she pushed him deeper into her crevices, feeling her body slowly give way and mold to the familiar thickness of his member. A warm sensation soon radiating from her loins and down her thighs, making her howl with pleasure.

Hungrily, she clenched his manhood with closed eyes and all the might that she could summon between her legs. Feverishly chasing the building up ecstasy that she was purposely seeking, and relishing at the edge of it for as long as she physically could linger in there, until she inevitably lost all control over her actions and her insides pulsated autonomously for a few times, leaving her drained and momentarily lightheaded as she let out a relieved groan.

-Are you alright? – Ussiariah´s voice tentatively asked, and she realized that she was still sitting on his very hardened pole.

-I… I´m sorry. That was selfish – Souna mumbled sheepishly – It´s just… I just needed this so much.

-Oh, no complaints here – The warrior lightly chuckled, running his rough fingers down her bare rear and suggestively biting his lip – I´m always happy to be of help, you know that… But tell me, what is actually bothering you?

-I told you – She huffed with annoyance – I feel like we should have started marching north ages ago! Instead, we´re stuck here, dealing with this stupid rebellion while our kids are up there all alone.

-They´re not alone, sweetheart, Akoh is with them – Ussi calmly reminded her, pecking her temple and sighing against it with concern – And the main reason we are going up there is to deal with the menace of a war, not to get our children back, you know that.

He paused, pulling her chin up with his finger and looking intently into her eyes with a severe frown.

-So, please, I need you to keep in mind that even if we find them… Axe is an adult now, we can´t force him to come home, no matter how hard you want that.

-But Skhana isn´t! – Souna stubbornly retorted, pursing her lips and staring back at him with equal determination.

-You´re right, she is not – Ussiariah agreed, letting out a tired exhale – But do you really want to make her choose between him and us, though?

-No – Souna admitted, her lungs audibly deflating as she leaned her head against his neck and wrapped herself around him even tighter – I don´t.

-That´s my girl, now come – Ussi cooed, softly patting her back. His strokes gradually becoming deeper as he felt her hand clutch his jaw longingly and her agape mouth begin searching for his tongue.

-What do you think they are doing? – Souna wondered aloud as they both rested a little while later, lying naked and sweaty on the cold floor – Do you think they´re fine?

-I don´t think so, I know it! – He animatedly chortled, pulling her closer by his side – I mean… They are both just as obstinate as you are.