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madame_dennaRating: NC-17
Words: 2939
Warnings for the whole story: Mord'Sith Content, Dubious Content, Violence, Discipline
Summary: The sequel and directly following the events in 'A bond of trust that even time can't sever'. You could read this story as stand-alone, but it would make more sense to read the other first.. It explores Denna's and Cara's backstory at the People's Palace pre-show, until the events in the episode "Denna" up to the events in the episode "Bloodline".
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended. They are not mine and - of course no money is made. I don't any of the characters mentioned in this story. (Even though Mistress Denna might own me.
A/N: Written for
endgirl who gave me the prompt/idea for this story (in 2012).A/N²: I shelved this in 2012 when I lost 10k of this fic in a technical mishap. I didn't feel like writing it again until now. Even though I think it might even better now... I'm glad it got it's ending after all.
Part I
Her eyes widen almost comically, and she takes in the object of her constant musings directly across from her. Of course--of all of her sisters in this temple --it just had to be her.
The blonde Mord'Sith leans with a shoulder against the stone-wall at the juncture of the corridors, arms folded neatly across her chest. Not quite seven feet from where Dahlia's head is still buried tongue deep between her legs.
The breath Cara has been holding since spotting Denna rushes out in a startled gasp and Dahlia--still merciful oblivious to their seemingly unfazed audience--takes it as a sign to plunge two fingers knuckle deep inside her. She is quite wet enough to accommodate them already, but Denna's unexpected arrival and her waywardness in general increases her arousal tenfold. A mixture between moan and sob rips free without her permission, but with the sensation of Dahlia's tongue on her clit and slender fingers thrusting inside her--under Denna's watchful scrutiny--Cara just can't help it.
To her increasing horror, one of Denna's sculptured brows raises at the wanton sound of pleasure, at what may be or not be, intrigue or just blatant mockery. Cara reaches down to grasp Dahlia's hair and pull her mouth away from her throbbing flesh. Then no, she is definitely no longer in a state where she can form coherent sentences and just tell her to, especially not with Denna watching her meticulously. Even as more wetness pools between her legs, Cara is nonetheless painstakingly aware that this encounter will have very unpleasant consequences for them both. Even if Denna's expression is still one of complete indifference and Cara doesn't have a clue about the woman's true feelings about the encounter. She continues to hold Denna's penetrating gaze for she not dares--feels bodily unable--to look away.
Her hand fists in Dahlia's hair and her posture straightens just a bit, but then Denna raises a single finger to her lips, ordering her to keep the quiet-- and continue . Denna can't possibly miss the look of incredulity flicker over Cara's features, but chooses to ignore it.
After a heartbeat or two, Cara decides to raise to the unvoiced challenge staring so blatantly back at her.
With a trembling hand, she urges Dahlia's mouth more urgently against herself--instead of away. As Dahlia's teeth graze over the hardened nub, Cara bites her lip until the heavy taste of iron trickles over her tongue. She still observes Denna's face closely, looking for a reaction to the scene unfolding before her, but so far, gets none.
Even if she is going to regret all of this probably later on, she still plays to win. And at the moment provoking any kind response from Denna seems as good as a prize as any. Widening her stance as far as the leather trousers bunched at her ankles will allow, she parts her legs a little further, offering the sight of pink, slick flesh to Denna's eyes. A faint upturn of the blonde's lips, albeit minuscule, but still there--brings Cara closer to the steadily increasing rush of ecstasy.
A particular hard thrust from Dahlia's hand slams her back against the hard stone behind her and the sensation unleashing within as her fingers curl and twist, has her eyelids almost fluttering shut at the overwhelming sensation. Almost. The wet slap of Dahlia's bare hand, smacking against her flesh, rings obscenely loud in the eerily quiet hallway and Denna swallows hard, unblinking. Another forceful thrust has her rising to the tip of her toes and Cara almost whimpers as Denna's gaze flickers downward to where Dahlia's tongue still flickers back and forth over her clit and now two shiny wet fingers fuck her at a punishing pace.
For the fraction of a second Denna sucks her lower lip into to her mouth, staring down at shining fingers as they sink and appear. Cara's breathing quickens, harshened, then begins to come in steep, panting gasps at the sight of her Mistress' obvious pleasure, that even Denna's stoic features are not able to contain any longer.
'Please, Mistress' Cara mouths tonelessly, shaking as the beginning of her orgasm already darkens the edges of her vision. A free hand curls against the smooth stone behind her, forcing herself to keep upright. Knowing full well that without Denna's explicit permission she won't reach the high she so desperately seeks. The acceptance of Denna's power over her keeps her teetering on the brink to pleasure filled insanity.
At her request, Denna's lips twist into a sly smile and bearing witness to it, Cara is certain Denna is going to deny her. To punish her for her insolence and the willful disregard for the rules of their temple.
A few long torturous moments come and go while Denna just regards her with an unreadable expression. The pent-up pleasure slowly shifts to pain, until her mistress finally gives her consent in form of a nod, dismissive but too jerky for Denna to appear thoroughly unaffected. A command Cara finds herself wanting to hear spoken out loud but at Denna's challenging gaze her orgasm washes over her with brutal intensity--shivering herself away on the fingers still plunging inside her. She convulses, batters herself against the body in front of her but only ever Denna's voice in her mind. Her body clenches and spasms around Dahlia's fingers until the world around her fades into shades of black. When it comes slowly back into focus, Cara knows that Dahlia's hand sprawled out against her breastbone is the only force holding her upright. Dahlia rises with a satisfied smirk, wiping the lingering wetness off her mouth with the back of her hand. But before she can say anything, a slow, rhythmic clapping sounds out from behind them.
With the remnants of her orgasm dissipating quickly, the reality of what has just happened comes rushing back to her. Dahlia's flushed face drains of color quickly and she turns around with obvious hesitation, while Cara uses the opportunity to pull her pants up, rather quickly.
Denna pushes herself off the wall and out of the semi darkness, still clapping and even though her presence doesn't come as a surprise at least for her, Cara feels her face burn with sudden vigorous heat.
"Bra-vo." Denna finishes as painted lips curl into a sneer. "My, my... quite a show you put on for me. Should I pretend to be impressed?"
"Oh, Mistress Denna. I... We..." Dahlia shoots Cara a devastated sidelong glance, before looking back to the older Mord'Sith in front of them.
"Please, don't waste my precious time anymore than you already have." Denna's tone drops to a dangerous shade of icy. "Return to your chambers immediately. The chime for night's rest and time for reflection has already sounded--and long faded out. But rest assured, I'll deal with you both appropriately."
"Yes, Mistress." Dahlia and Cara respond almost in perfect unison.
"Dismissed." Denna barks and Dahlia hurries down the corridor without a backwards glance at either of them. Cara lingers for a moment longer, for what exactly she isn't sure, only that she needs to.
"You too, Sister Cara." Denna warns and Cara can't fail to notice how her jaw clenches tightly together, the muscles straining under the pressure. "Or what exactly are you waiting for?"
"Nothing at all, Mistress." Cara grounds out, suddenly annoyed with Denna's display of authority. Even though she is in no position to do anything about it quite yet.
"Goodnight, Mistress Denna." Cara drawls and inclines her head, making sure Denna won't fail to notice her displeasure. Getting no reaction whatsoever from the other Mord'Sith, she turns sharply on her heel and walks towards her quarters. Unaware of Denna's eyes following her until she is swallowed by night's darkness.
---
When Dahlia does not show up for breakfast the following day, something cold settles in her stomach, that could easily be dread. Cara lingers at their regular meeting point a few feet from the entrance of the dining hall as long as she can until it becomes clear Dahlia is not going to show.
Her empty chair beside Cara's is a painstaking reminder during the meal and she just manages to swallow a few pieces of freshly cut fruit until the growing storm in her gut spoils her appetite completely.
Without listening to her neighbors converse in an undertone across the table, Cara's eyes flicker across the hall where she finds Denna among her sisters almost immediately. The First Mistress is in conversation with another Mord'Sith to her right, listening attentively as the woman entertains her with what must be an enrapturing tale. For the rest of the meal, Cara keeps on watching her, while trying to be not too obvious about it. She has the sinking feeling that Denna might be responsible for Dahlia's unusual absence, but to her dismay, Denna pays no heed to her--nor the empty seat beside her.
Later, when Cara takes her usual place at the mid-morning devotion, she is startled to see Dahlia sidle up next to her.
"Where have you been!?" She bites out, harsher than she originally intended. But the brunette grins up at her and is in a better mood than Cara would expect her to be.
"Master Rahl guide us. Master Rahl teach us. Master Rahl protect us."
"Overslept." Dahlia rushes out in between, before her voice joins back in to a chorus of several hundred voices sounding as one.
"In your light we thrive. In your mercy we are sheltered. In your wisdom we are humbled."
Cara rolls her eyes and makes sure Dahlia doesn't miss it. Even if the tight knot she felt since breakfast slowly begins to dissolve.
"We live only to serve. Our lives are yours."
Two hours later the mid-morning devotion comes to an end and Cara spots one of the older sisters, who oversees their duties and training most days, at the front of the large hall. Patiently waiting for a group of younger Mord'Sith still undergoing training, to which Cara as well as Dahlia also belong, to gather around her. Today, they would head outside into the practice grounds, honing their skills of wielding a bow and arrow on horseback. Something Cara thoroughly enjoys and actually looks forward to.
The huge hall is still teeming with hundreds of people, all kinds of servants, soldiers of Lord Rahl's guard and Mord'Sith trying to find their way through the crowd and their respective exits. A few of their fellow Mord'Sith have already gathered around the Mistress in charge for the day while Dahlia and she have only one third of their path left to cross. But then Dahlia grasps her arm and motions with her head to the far right corner. Cara notices Denna first, closely followed by Mistress Constance as they make their way through a throng of people. It means nothing, Cara tells herself. There could be practically a thousand different reasons why they are here now. By the time Denna reaches the Mord'Sith who is in charge of their training, Cara's heart rate spikes with sudden vigor.
And the apprehensive look Dahlia is sending her way, is not helping matters either.
It is not like Cara expected Denna to forget about the incident the evening before, but she hadn't expected it too happen so soon. But then there is still a chance that this has nothing to do with either of them, Cara admonishes herself and tries to loosen some of the stiffness that has crept up her spine at the first glimpse of platinum blonde hair. They are still a good distance away and Cara can see Denna only sideways as she leans forward, closely to the other Mord'Sith's ear, her lips moving, painted in a dark shade of crimson. Constance lingers a few feet behind Denna, facing the crowd head on with her hands clasped behind her back.
Cara's gaze flickers back to Denna just in time to see her head turn, slow and deliberate, right at them. As if the hall that fits up to four-hundred people is all of the sudden gapingly empty but for her and Dahlia.
By now, Cara's heart pounds with the fierceness of a hammer hitting an anvil and she resists the urge to press her hand against her chest to relief herself of the increasing pressure. Denna's lips twist into a smile, mischievous with an overture to vicious, as their eyes meet over the moving crowd between them. All the while the dark lips are still moving, but it is impossible to discern a single word from this distance.
"Oh shit." Dahlia breathes out beside her, startling Cara out of the hold arresting blue eyes have over her.
Oh shit, indeed.
Cara doesn't trust herself to speak but then she notices Constance's attention now firmly fixed on them too, sporting a sadistic smirk if Cara has ever seen one.
"Just do as they say." She forces out between clenched teeth, painstakingly aware of Denna's gaze still burning holes into her. "Don't raise to the bait."
When the Mord'Sith responsible for their instruction nods sharply, Denna straightens from her leaned forward position, her back all the while poised and rigid as if chiseled from a block of marble.
By the time Dahlia and she make it to the front a minute or two later, their fellow group of sisters have already vanished into the slowly dispersing crowd, leaving only Mistress Denna and Constance in their stead.
"There-- you--are." Denna greets them with such bubbling excitement and a wide smile that Cara has to clench her hands behind her back tightly, so the pain might keep her expression from betraying her rising anxiety.
Blue eyes, sparkling bright with pure delight, flicker back and forth between them--over to Constance--and then back to Cara and Dahlia, is if Denna is waiting for them to share her obvious rapture. Out of the corners of her eyes, she notices as Constance's lips tug slightly upwards--obviously without her intending so, but Cara suspects it has more to do with Denna's strong penchant for twisted mind-games with a shade of cruelty, than the maddening smile revealing a row of perfect white teeth.
Dahlia gulps audible beside her and Cara forces herself to not turn to her.
"I am so very pleased..." Denna goes on and her voice drops to this dark, gravelly register as it sometimes does. And Cara feels an entirely inappropriate tug low in her stomach at the sound of it. "... we get to spend some quality time together."
"Mistress Constance." She purrs, looking over to the dark-haired Mord'Sith and the two of them share a secretive smile that sets Cara's teeth on edge and only the sound of her pounding pulse brings her back to the present. "Could you take care of Sister ..." Denna looks expectantly at Dahlia, who bristles with anger at the audacity of Denna's inquiry for her name. The gleam in Denna's eyes melts into something even darker than before, something cold and tinged with morbid fascination.
"It is Dahlia, Mistress Denna." Her friend bites out, barely holding on to a modicum of composure. Despite her better judgment Cara glances over, to see the bright red flush on Dahlia's cheeks and the twisting of her fingers.
"Ah..." For a moment, it seems like Denna mulls the name over as if to spark a memory, but drops the pretense with a scrunch of her nose. It's such a condescending and derisive gesture that Cara finds herself appalled at how sickly appealing she finds it. "Anyway..."
Dahlia trembles with rage until Denna eventually takes pity on her. "Constance, please show our dear Sister what a proper training session entails. I trust you will make it worth her while."
"With pleasure, Mistress Denna." Constance concurs right away with a slight bow of her head, belying any doubt she had no idea for what they came here for.
"Maybe this will give you an opportunity to make a more... lasting impression." Denna addresses Dahlia once more with an air of conspiracy, which just adds insult to the injury, before she turns back to Cara.
Dahlia growls and Cara can't fool herself that neither Constance or Denna can hear it. Especially not when Denna turns her head very slowly, her voice low and dangerous enough the hairs on Cara's neck stand on end. "What was that?"
But then Mistress Constance is already stepping forward, a hand curling around Dahlia's upper arm. "Mistress Denna." She says in a way of farewell and even though Dahlia won't enjoy her time with Constance, Cara finds herself glad she is here, because she pulls Dahlia off before her dark-haired friend can do or say anything else she might not survive long enough to regret. Constance seems to have sensed the immediate danger too.
With both of them gone, Denna focuses her attention solely back on her.
"I believe you, Sister Cara, have also quite a few things left to learn." Her voice dips low at her name and Cara only realizes she has bit her lip, as Denna suddenly steps in far too close and flicks her tongue over the stinging cut.
"But I will show you." Her smile never falters.
Part III
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Date: 2018-11-06 04:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-11-09 02:23 pm (UTC)