Champion, Chapter 48: Acquired Freedom

Still plugging away at my buffer. Writing is getting easier again, so it shouldn't be too much longer. Thanks for bearing with me.

AidanThe RealmsSecondday, 5th week of the 9th month, Age of the Chosen 1EveningAoife's chambers, Termondoon, Mistvale Highlands

There was an uneasy atmosphere in Aoife's suite as Aidan, Aoife, Sunnild, and Riama waited for Searlas. Sunnild had been quiet and withdrawn ever since their discussion earlier, while Aoife was still fuming from Lord Searlas's questions. Neither of them was in a mood to talk or cuddle, so Aidan busied himself practicing his magic instead. It was something he knew he should do more of but never seemed to have time for; back at Ceallach Macht, there always seemed to be some fresh demand on his attention.

And I've never been the best at allocating my time, Aidan admitted to himself. If I was, I probably wouldn't be here. He banished the thought with a slight shake of his head and returned his attention to his spellcraft. Given his recent successes with modifying spells on the fly, Aidan decided to concentrate further on that. Instead of casting his spells by rote, he tweaked their matrices in minor ways each time, keeping mental notes of successes and failures. It was an odd mix of intuitive and logical work; it was as if he was recompiling code for a program at the same time he was booting it up, and every spell had its own syntax. Some phrases were similar, but they were used in slightly different ways, and tweaking them brought different results.

As the minutes passed, Aidan gradually began to accumulate a mental map of his most-used spells. Straightforward effects like simple numerical increases tended to cluster around each glyph's outermost layer and use less complex patterns. The further inward he went and the more complicated the element, the more esoteric its effect was. Aidan's problem was that he didn't know the vocabulary, so to speak, of the glyphs. He made progress by transposing patterns from similar spells, but it was an error-prone process that resulted in the magic fizzling far more often than not. Thankfully, that was the worst that would happen—there was no chance of a malformed spell backfiring.

Partway through dissecting Kindle the Hearth-Flame, a knock broke the silence. Aidan completed the spell—another fizzle—then looked up as Aoife opened the door to the hallway and admitted Searlas. The Chieftan looked tired and frazzled.

"You bring almost as many problems as solutions, Lord Aidan. On the one hand, you bring peace to my tribe and one of my most troubled subjects," he waved his hand in Aoife's direction, "yet on the other, you bring dragons and deities into my realm. Your little display earlier today has caused a religious uproar. Divine Brigantia is not unknown to us, of course, but before today, she counted only a handful of followers across my entire territory. Now it seems that you have managed to convert half the lower classes in Termondoon to her worship."

Aidan grimaced. "That was not my intent."

Searlas gave Aidan a half-smile and a shrug. "You will find that intent and outcome are only loosely connected when it comes to people."

"Enough stalling," growled Aoife. "Did you bring the contract?"

Searlas eyed her for a moment, then reached into his vest and pulled out a sheaf of papers. "I did," he said and held them out to Aidan.

Aidan read through the contract several times to be sure, but he could see no new loopholes or gotchas. It was written in refreshingly plain language—if there was one good thing about the Highlands, it's that there was no use for professional lawyers—and only took him a couple of minutes to check over. When he was satisfied with both copies' contents, he borrowed a dip pen from Aoife, signed them, and then passed them to Searlas. The Chieftan signed it in turn, then handed one copy over to Aidan and kept the other for himself.

Aidan took in a deep breath, then turned to Aoife and said, "I swear to take Aoife into my household and treat her as one of my own. So long as I am her master, she will never lack shelter, comfort, food, or drink. I will not touch or strike her with intent to cause harm except in defense of myself or another of my household, nor will I deny her attention or support. I promise to protect her from those who would take advantage of her, respect her thoughts and desires, and give her the peace she deserves."

Searlas gave a sharp nod, then used one of his claws to prick his thumb, placed it against a flattened space on the back of the bracelet, and intoned, "I renounce all claim to ownership of this Dominion Band and its bonded servant." Aoife gasped and shuddered, her hands rising to the collar around her neck before jerking away and falling to her sides. Her gaze was fixed on the bracelet as Searlas pulled it off his wrist, eyes at once hungry and despairing.

Searlas handed the bracelet over and instructed Aidan on how to bond it to himself. A drop of blood from his thumb and a short assertion of ownership later, Aidan slipped the device onto his right wrist. It seemed to mold to the shape of his arm, contracting until it was a snug fit that would not slip off unbidden. It felt warm to the touch, and he was suddenly aware of Aoife in a new way, a strange fusion of empathy and location sensing. He didn't have the same emotional link as with Riama, but he knew Aoife's exact location and that she was healthy, unhurt, and unsettled.

Further, he knew that she was sexually compatible with him, nearing peak fertility, and not aroused. The implications of that knowledge brought bile to his throat that Aidan only barely managed to keep from vomiting. He reached to his wrist to tear the bracelet off, but Searlas caught his wrist before he could complete the action. "Do not do that," the catfolk Lord warned, "unless you are prepared for the consequences."

At Aidan's confused glare, Searlas elaborated, saying, "While the bracelet is unworn, Aoife cannot move more than a few paces from its position without intense discomfort, nor can she touch it or move it herself. I believe it is intended for punishments."

Aidan gritted his teeth but nodded and withdrew his hand. "This thing is disgusting, and I will do whatever I can to destroy it and whoever it is making and distributing them."

Searlas patted Aidan on the shoulder, then turned to address Aoife. "For what little my word is worth to you, Aoife, I failed to live up to the responsibility of taking care of you, and for that, I am sorry. It is my sincere hope that you find Lord Aidan to be a kinder master and that he succeeds in his goal to free you." He bowed until his torso was parallel to the floor, held the pose for a long breath, then rose and turned to leave. Aidan waited for Aoife to react to Searlas's words, but the door opened, then closed before she finally turned to him.

"So," she said, voice tight and muscles tense, "Master, what is your command?"

This, at least, Aidan knew the right answer to. "I have only one command for you, Aoife:" Aidan's red eyes locked onto Aoife's golden ones. "I command you to act only of your own free will, ignoring any current or future commands or restrictions from the collar."

The catfolk's breath caught in her throat, and she started to tremble for a moment before squaring her shoulders. She stepped forward, looking up at Aidan, emotions warring across her face. Then her hand whipped out toward his face, claws extended. Before Aidan could react, Aoife fell to her knees, fingers scrabbling at the gleaming symbol of her enslavement. Frustrated, choking sobs tore their way out of her throat as she gasped for air.

Once Aidan's mind caught up to the action, he knelt down before Aoife and wrapped her in his arms. "I'm sorry," he told her, stroking her back. "I really hoped that would work." Sunnild joined him, hugging Aoife from behind and enfolding all three of them within her wings.

It took a few minutes before the collar relaxed enough for Aoife to speak. "Thank you for making an attempt, Lord Aidan," she said in a hoarse voice. "That's more than Searlas ever fucking did."

"Well, we know that the collar still restricts you from attacking me, but we still need to test the rest of the command. Are you up for it, or would you rather wait until sometime later?"

Aoife raised her head and looked at Aidan through tear-soaked lashes. "Do it," was all she said.

Aidan sucked in a breath and let it out in a slow sigh. What can I order her to do that she won't want to do but is inoffensive? "Alright. Aoife, I command you to bark like a dog."

"Fuck you," was her instantaneous response, followed by a long pause, then a bright smile and a hug. "It worked!" she exclaimed.

Aidan smiled at Aoife and opened his mouth to say he was happy for her, but he was interrupted by the shorter woman sliding her hands to the back of his head and pulling him down into a kiss. Her fingers slid through his hair while her rough-textured tongue surged between his lips. A moment later, she pulled away, looking flushed, and said, "We should move this to the bed. I need to thank you properly, and I wouldn't want you getting rug burn."

"You don't need—" Aidan started to say, but Aoife cut him off again.

"Yes, I do, Lord Aidan. You had me in the palm of your hand. You could have turned me into your helpless sex slave, existing only for your pleasure, and I could have done nothing to stop you. Hell, you're good enough at it that you could have molded me into an eager, cum-craving kitten for you. You threw that away without a second thought, and that selflessness deserves a reward."

She rose to her feet in a single fluid movement, then shimmied her body in a peculiar way that sent her clothes sliding down to the floor. Aoife turned, walked toward the door into the bedroom, then looked over her shoulder at Aidan as her tail rose into the air. "Now, are you going to come and take your hero's reward, or will you reject a woman that you can no longer have any doubt is willing and ready for you?"

"Put kittens in her this time," Riama advised from her place on Aoife's desk, "and remember to keep your emotions to yourself, please."

AidanThirdday, 5th week of the 9th month, Age of the Chosen 1Dawn

When Aidan woke the next morning, it was with a purring Aoife wrapped around him. Her legs wrapped around one of his, her right arm stretched across his chest, and her head lay atop his bare chest. Despite the loud, pulsing rumble coming from her torso, Aoife appeared to be asleep, complete with a puddle of drool collecting at the corner of her mouth. Sunnild's wing draped over the catfolk from behind as Aidan's harpy bodyguard/lover snuggled up against the other girl's furred back. Her feathers obscured his view of Aoife's body, but both his memory and the feel of her against him told Aidan that Aoife hadn't bothered to slip into bedclothes after she finished with him the previous night.

Unfortunately, Aidan's bladder was sending urgent reminders that he hadn't emptied it before going to sleep. He maneuvered himself out of Aoife's clutches, then made his way to the ensuite bathroom. Riama jumped down from her perch as he passed her and yowled at him. <starvation, dessication> "Food! I need food!"

"Give me a minute to go to the bathroom," Aidan sent back with a pulse of <exasperation>. Riama followed Aidan, holding back her vocal demands to be fed but continued sending him mental pings. When he finished his business and turned to leave the room, she teleported from his shadow to the desk and yowled at him again.

"You are done, now feed me!"

Aidan grumbled back at her but made his way to his haversack and pulled out a pre-prepared cat meal, one of several he put together at Riama's demand and under her direction. The astral jaguar shoved her face into the food on the plate before Aidan even finished setting it down, drawing a wry chuckle from him. He started to turn back to the bedroom to rejoin Sunnild and Aoife and perhaps get more rest, only to find his newest lover leaning, nude, against the doorframe. Aoife's eyes were still bleary with sleep, but when she saw that she had his attention, she smiled at Aidan.

"Good morning," she said, pushing off the door frame and walking over to him. Her heavy breasts swayed with each step, and Aidan was still too tired to keep his eyes from straying for a moment. When he jerked his gaze back up to her face, Aoife's smile grew wider. "Look all you want," she said. "I don't mind. I like the way you devour me with your eyes; it makes me feel powerful. Besides, why would I be shy of my body around a lover?" When she reached him, she stood up on her toes to brush her lips against his, then pushed him down into a nearby chair and plopped down onto his lap. Aoife's purring started up again as she squirmed into a comfortable position curled up against Aidan's chest.

Aidan slipped an arm around the catgirl's waist to hold her steady, smiling as her tail curled around his wrist. "So, last night wasn't the last night that you will invite me to your bed? I have to warn you, Sunnild isn't my only lover aside from you."

"Oh? Catting around, are you?" Aoife asked with a snicker. "I'm fine being your mistress. Or are you saying that you wouldn't come if I did invite you?"

"Oh, I have no doubt of your ability to get me to come," Aidan smirked back. "But no, I just didn't want you to be surprised when we return to Ceallach Macht and you meet Brighid and Ailis."

"They're centaurs, yes?" Seeing his surprised look, she rolled her eyes. "Those are Starchaser names, not Sisterhood ones, and I know you're on good terms with them. It wasn't a big leap of logic. If I may ask... how does that, um, work? You're big," Aoife said, shifting in his lap, "but not that big."

Aidan chuckled. "I actually asked Brighid the same thing. Centaurs are more or less human-proportioned in that regard. There are still difficulties due to body shape, but we've managed to overcome most of those in one way or another."

"If you say so. Anyway, do all your lovers know about each other, or are you stringing everybody along? I won't lie and say the latter wouldn't be a disappointment, but it's not a deal-breaker."

"No, it's all in the open. Hell, it's mostly Brighid's doing; she's been pushing me to have other lovers since we started sleeping together. That said, she's my Soulmate—what she says goes as far as lovers are concerned. I've already received permission to sleep with you while I'm away," Aoife's eyebrows climbed toward her hairline at that, "but if she decides she doesn't like you once you two meet, that's the end of things between us, sexually, at least. And if push comes to shove, she gets priority on my time and attention."

"Normally, I prefer to be the pursued, not the pursuer," Aoife pouted. "But for you—for what you've done for me—I'll make an exception." She shifted and tucked her head into the crook of Aidan's neck. Her next question came out in a quieter, less confident tone of voice. "Do you think your Brighid will be okay with me?"

"She'll love you," Sunnild said as she emerged from the bedroom, naked as they were. She stretched, drawing both Aidan and Aoife's eyes, then walked over to the pair and leaned down for a kiss from them both. "Morning!"

"Good morning, little dove," Aidan greeted her back. "You're looking happier than you did yesterday. Have pleasant dreams?"

Sunnild wriggled her way onto Aidan's lap alongside Aoife and rested her head on his free shoulder. Both of the women were smaller and slighter than Aidan, but there still wasn't a lot of spare room for her. "Mm! Some of that, yeah. I dreamed of my mum, it was nice. But mostly, I just got over myself. You didn't seek out the fight, and the world is a better place with him dead. I'm still not happy with how far ya went, but that doesn't change who ya are."

"I'm glad to hear it," Aidan said, and meant it. Seeing the normally sunny Sunnild look pensive and withdrawn made him feel like something was wrong with the world. "Well, I intended to go back to bed, but now that we're all up, let's go over today's agenda."

"I vote we go back to bed and stay there," Sunnild chirped. "I only came out cuz you two left me alone and I got cold."

"I'm awake now; I'll never be able to get back to sleep," Aoife said, and Aidan nodded along with her.

"Fiiiine," the harpy pouted. "Then what're we doing after breakfast? Are we eatin' with Searlas again?"

"He will probably invite us, yes," Aoife said, slipping back into her more formal speech pattern at the mention of her former owner.

"I still need to talk to Searlas about the treaties," Aidan said, "so I'm probably going to be stuck in here most of the day. Aoife, though, now that you're free, would you mind doing some recon for me?"

"Depends on what you are looking for, but I have no reason to object out of hand."

"Okay, then here's what I'd like you to do, if you're willing..."