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yeetmeoutthewindowdaddy · 20 hours ago

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Tiefling rut is not my usual headcanon, but sometimes the idea of Rolan being submissive in rut strikes me and... unfff. Even more submissive than usual, in fact. All brattiness gone, so driven to earn his own relief that he’d do almost anything his partner asked.

Warnings: rut, biting, choking, sub!Rolan. More of this to come, but it’s been in my drafts so long I just wanted to get the first part out there!

You’re almost in awe of how beautiful, how pure his submission is, his tears and his drool and his wild, pleading eyes.

Last night, Rolan went to bed complaining of feeling unwell; not that it was any earlier than usual, because he’s always so damned stubborn about finishing his work, even when he’s ill. You stroked his hair and told him off gently for it, knowing full well that he’ll do it again next time too. He snorted in agreement, despite himself. Most likely. But why must I surrender to a blasted cold? The Tower won’t study itself.

So this morning, you expected to wake up to him coughing perhaps; or complaining of a temperature and a headache. But you awake to him a very different kind of feverish.

Squirming in the bed beside you, he writhes like a man possessed, sweat pouring down his forehead.

‘Rolan, are you alright?’

His eyes snap open, and he shoves you away.

‘Hells— don’t—’

‘What’s wrong?’ you ask, pushing back against him, pressing a hand to his forehead. No fear of disease would stop you helping him when he’s ill like this— whatever’s wrong, you would move the Sword Mountains themselves to fix. He is your Rolan, after all.

He whimpers, grasping your wrist, and as he rolls over into you, you feel it pressing against your thigh. His cock is angry. Hot and hard and throbbing, glowing like forge iron against your skin. Even when you’ve teased him until he’s sobbing, he’s never been this hard.

‘I should have told you,’ he gasps. ‘I’m sorry— I did not think it would happen— wretched Hells, I can’t—’

‘Rolan,’ you murmur softly. ‘Whatever it is. You can tell me.’ You press your thigh, very gently against his cock and he gasps. ‘Is it—’

He nods, eyes shining, conflict painted in flickering expressions on his face. At last, ashamed, he chokes the words out.

‘I am… in rut.’ Rolan grimaces, grabbing at his own wrist with his claws.

You gently prise his hands apart, holding them fast. So tight you’d worry about hurting him, but it seems to soothe instead.

‘It’s alright,’ you murmur. ‘Let me help you.’

‘No!’ he gasps, turning his head from you. ‘I don’t want to make love to you like that. I don’t want to use you. I feel… out of control. Wretched Gods,’ he sobs, and you let his hands free. ‘I am disgusting.’

Fuck. The words are like a knife through your soul. ‘You’re not disgusting.'

He only winces, his dark eyelashes blurring together with tears. The lines beside his eyes crease deeper, his lips arching higher— but he can’t stop another tear from sliding down his cheek, and you move to intercept it.

‘Please,’ you murmur, brushing it away. Rolan stares ahead, pretending not to feel it, but his sharp tooth eases a little where it digs into his lip. ‘I’ll admit, I don’t understand what makes this so different from any other time we have sex.’

‘There is…a knot, at the base, that locks the two together. Tiefling anatomy is complementary. You… would almost certainly find it uncomfortable.’

‘I like being full, Rolan. And even if I can’t fit it, I can help in other ways.’

‘You don’t understand,’ he chokes out bitterly. ‘It is more than filling, it is huge. And… rut requires more stimulation than normal, especially when— nngghh— I have come— too many times already—’

Squirming punctuates his words, his voice growing breathy. The situation is serious, you understand that, and you’re trying to stay focused but - it’s unbearably obvious that he’s aroused, more so by the second, and your cunt is growing hot and swollen in reply, demanding that you stop thinking and just take him.

‘What are you thinking?’ Rolan gasps suddenly, and you realise you’re half-growling, half-sneering with lust, your lips curled back at the sight of the desperate man beside you. Beneath you, you want him beneath you— fuck—

Wiping your mouth, you reluctantly pull yourself together.

‘Sorry,’ you groan. ‘Fuck— do you smell different? In rut?’ You can’t be sure, but there’s just something slightly muskier about his scent. Maybe it’s just the sweat— he’s usually so scrupulously clean—

‘Yes— but—’

‘But?’

Your nose is buried in his neck, lightning bolts of need flashing through you with every gasp of him. Musk so heady your mouth runs with drool, and some of it spills as you pant beside his neck, dripping onto his skin. He whimpers, arching back, panting—

‘I’ve never heard of a human smelling it. In tieflings it— increases the intensity of— a partner’s— arousal— Zurgan!’

‘Sorry,’ you gasp, pulling back from his neck. You had only meant to bite him a little— less harshly, even, than you usually do— but something inside you snapped and now teeth marks dent his skin, deep and flushed around the edges. Insane; his scent is driving you insane.

‘Do it again,’ Rolan pleads. ‘Take me… as your mate…’

‘Your mate?’

‘Yes!’

‘You want me to fuck you? Even though—?’

‘Yes!’ he sobs. ‘Please. I don’t care anymore just— just—’

‘If I fuck you like this, I’m going to be as mean as I always am. I’m going to bite you and choke you and fuck your hole when I’m finished with your cock, and you’re going to come for me, do you understand?’

‘Of course,’ he whimpers. ‘I will be your mate. Do anything to me— I am yours—’

‘How long does this last?’ you groan, summoning the last vestiges of your sense, your hand already closing around his neck.

‘Three days at least, or— until I have nothing left—’

‘And how many times have you come already?’

‘None!’ he whispers, his eyes streaming with tears. You’re astride him, rutting on his cock, and you can tell it’s taking every inch of his resolve not to desperately buck up into you.

‘One last question, before I take you. Have you ever been fucked in rut before? Have you ever had a mate before?’

‘No!’ Rolan groans. ‘No— I have never—’

‘Good,’ you interrupt. Reaching down, you press the head of his cock to your soaked cunt, your hand tightening around his throat— and then you lean close, growling in his ear as you take him. ‘Because you’re mine.’

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yeetmeoutthewindowdaddy · 20 hours ago

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The Dark Prince: Chapter 5, Chasing Answers

Paring- Dark Prince Rolan x Blessed Princess F!Tav

Warnings- 18+ MDNI, will include violence, naughty thought, smut, arguing, and two pinning idiots.

Summary: Routines are turned upside down with unexpected visitors.

A/N: Sorry I am a day late but it is here now! Thank you so much @sav-not-tav for this gif! I love it so! and of course than you Sweet anon for sticking with me when last night I was doing some crazy second guessing! They are my voice of reason for this series!

<- Chapter 4 -////////- Series Masterlist

When it comes to living in a new place and adjusting to new environments, it helps for one to build a routine. Tav's had become a pretty straight forward one.

Every morning, Tav would wake to the sun beaming through the curtains of her chambers. Shadowhaert would be there, ready and insistent on doing her hair while Lae’zel would share developments to the castle map she was making and Wyll would stand guard of the door with a chipper smile. Finally, a primped Alfira would come to guide them to breakfast while giving news on the kingdom, always pleasant things like upcoming celebrations and such.

Arriving at breakfast became one of Tavs newest favorite events, it was always a guessing game of who from the Dark kings court would be accompanying her. Arriving at breakfast had become one of Tav's favorite parts of the day; it was like a guessing game of who from the Dark King's court would join them. Gale and Tara were always at breakfast and she never needed to worry about having to keep up conversation with the wizard's gregarious personality.

After Lae'zel had largely finished surveying the Waldemar palace and began attending breakfast again, Cal became a welcome and familiar face at the table—explaining with some embarrassment that he had volunteered to keep an eye on the githyanki knight for his brother and that Lae'zel had sent Cal to the floor twice after catching him on that first night. Lae'zel didn't object to the chancellor's presence and the knight would regularly engage her Queen's brother-in-law, though unsurprisingly those conversations would often end up involving Lae'zel assessing Cal's combat knowledge. Karlach and Dammon would sometimes attend together or individually—though the smith had initially done so to express his apologies for a delay in the Queen's commission as apparently the shipment with silver of the required quality hadn't arrived when it was supposed to. Tav had been more concerned about what caused the delay in the shipment but did her best to ignore when the tiefling couple gently sidestepped answering her questions, Dammon insisting that a few absent shipments were hardly worth boring her over since the King was already dealing with it. Karlach had then proceeded to invite the Queen's knights to a spar sometime and the topic of shipments had been left behind.

General Zevlor was the most recent and rarest attendee at their breakfast table after the paladin got roped into a conversation he'd reluctantly interrupted between Karlach and Wyll to inform the royal enforcer that the King had sent for her. Karlach insisted that the General 'take a load off' and take her place at the table. The General had seemed so nervous as he sat at the table at first, but Wyll had been able to seamlessly ease the man into comfortable conversation. That fateful breakfast ended with a promise for Zevlor to join them again and an agreement for Wyll and the General to meet at the training grounds to see what they could learn from each other.

Afternoons ended up being the more grueling parts of her days here. The activities ranged from sending letters to her former court back home, rearranging and altering parts of the few outfits she had, watching Lae’zel and Wyll spar, wandering through the gardens, wandering through the castle, reading books from the Dark King's vast library, making notes on books and sections she'd found in all her wandering. Recently one of the things she had found was a few romance books. That had her lifting a brow. Of course, she had to borrow it.

As the day drifted to the early evening, Tav and Leon would find each other for more lessons Tav was all too eager to start. Getting to improve her abilities and learn more about herself and her divine blood. They quickly learned that while Tav was technically the more powerful sorcerer between them, as she could cast more powerful spells, Leon's spellcasting was indeed far more stable and controlled. In addition to being re-taught many basics of spellcasting, these nightly lessons had afforded Tav the chance to learn about some of the more... uncommon residents of the palace—namely the vampire spawn. Apparently, they had been found by the tieflings within one of the noble estates that had been abandoned not long after the final attack on the Waldemar palace that ended the revolt. Leon neglected to go into much detail regarding that aspect of the story, and Tav didn't dare to push for any; even the shadow sorcerer's persistent manners did little to hide that it was something he'd rather not linger on. What her fellow sorcerer did explain was that there had been countless spawn locked away in there and the ones who had proven willing to control their hunger for blood were offered a chance to find a place within the newly forming court.

There had been a moment of heavy silence when Tav hesitantly asked what happened to those who didn't show such control.

"Our King is an extraordinary wizard and it is thanks to his efforts that we were freed from some—though not all—of the burdens of our kind." Leon had begun, "The ones who used such freedom to be a threat were dealt with as such."

Tav had quickly redirected the conversation back to their lesson after that. It wasn't until later, when she had returned to her chambers to sleep that she realized that the Dark King had come up in the conversation yet again. King or not, it seemed he had a hand in everything going on around her yet she, as his co-ruler, was still being kept out.

While his behavior on her first day as Queen had bothered her—and Tav didn't regret refusing to engage with him when he spoke to her with such unprovoked hostility—she was still more than aware that they would inevitably need to work together. Surely he was aware of this, too! Yet whenever she asked, there would always be some reason for why it was too early or impractical for her to be involved in anything important.

First it had been variations of, 'You have only just gotten here! You must take all the time you need to adjust.'

When time had passed and Tav had set up her little routine the excuses changed, it became, 'Your court is still settling in and we would never dream of taking you from their sides before you have seen to them.'

Then when it was discovered that Tav, even prior to her wedding night, had arranged for the belongings of her friends to be delivered before her own—a fact her court and Alfira had learned when Wyll's belongings had arrived first with word that Lae'zel's and Shadowheart's were to follow—the reason was suddenly, 'Your own belongings haven't even arrived yet!'

It was almost a relief when she got word the caravan with her personal belongings had arrived.

Tav's quick steps clicked against the marble floor as she walked to her quarters—finally having begun to pick out a few decorations that could be used as landmarks to guide her through the halls. While the Waldemar palace was not lacking, it would still be a relief to have her belongings back in her possession. As she walked down the hallway she paused for a moment in front of the King's door. It's been days since she last saw him. He'd been leaving the library with a stack of tomes in hand as she was in the middle of her lessons. She glanced over to see what he had picked up for himself, but the tiefling pointedly avoided even looking at her, much less speaking to her. Leon and Gale were no help on this matter, the former merely apologized for slights that were not his doing and the latter continued imploring her to have patience for the Dark King.

Tav held her tongue for now, but it was approaching a month of her being brushed off whenever she tried to inquire about beginning her duties as Waldemar's Queen and of her barely even being in the same room as her co-ruler...

Patience could only last so long and hers was slowly wearing rather thin.

"Whatever the doors did, I'm sure they're very sorry.”

Jumping, Tav turned to see a smiling Wyll giving her a curious look.

"I- What?"

Her knight's smile turned more sympathetic as he gestured towards the ornate wooden doors to the King's chambers, "You were glaring at them."

She was?

Tav felt her cheeks blaze red with embarrassment. Perhaps her patience was dwindling faster than she thought. Heaving a frustrated sigh, she marched over to her doors with purpose.

"If it helps ease you, know the King has locked himself in his study for today." Wyll offered, falling into step with Tav, “Apparently he’s been having a hard time sleeping so the man has been keeping busy.”

"And how do you know this?" Tav chuckled, the sound simultaneously genuine and hollow as she silently swatted away a tiny misplaced twinge of bitterness that her friend appeared to have been granted more insight into her co-ruler than she had.

"I’ve been making friends." the knight said with a shrug, his kind smile never faltering, "Friends like to chat.”

Now that brought the Queen untainted joy and she smirked, "Again, are we certain you're not some divine avatar of diplomacy?”

"You exaggerate, but... Thank you.” Wyll chuckled bashfully, even as he accepted his friend's praise.

“Perhaps you should speak with him then.” Tav teased, waving a hand towards the King's doors, "Your charisma will have the man falling face first into joyful camaraderie by the end of the month."

Laughter escaped the knight before he could stop it as he opened a door to Tav's room, “Oh no, I fear that will be left for you to handle-"

Air was forced from him as several small forms burst out of the room, more than one hurling themselves against Wyll's body and forcing him to stumble back.

"Scatter!"

Of course, the one time Rolan encounters a sorcerer actually willing to study the arcane, it's when that sorcerer is some delicate royal he has no interest in dealing with and her studies cause her to be where he might cross paths with her.

It's always been a bad habit of his ever since he had a desk to fall asleep at it, but now with his wife spending her evenings in the palace library with Leon before returning to her room, the Dark King had begun spending more of his nights holed up in his study to avoid encountering her.

At least, Rolan can comfort himself with the fact that his Queen's persistence in this routine means she will be spending that time with Leon, who the Dark King trusts to both keep him informed if necessary and more importantly keep her occupied. It also means that he doesn't have to worry as much about potentially running into his wifeas he finally caves under Cal's pleading eyes to visit Dalyria so she might sort out the crick in his neck after falling asleep in his study so many nights in a row and to hopefully give him something to alleviate his increasing restlessness.

He'd only just barely begun to push through the already open door to Dalyria's work chambers, when the conversation of the room's occupants halted him before he thought to announce his arrival.

"Could you imagine it, sister? A blood tax, a thinking-creature blood tax..." Petras spoke emphatically, even as Dalyria huffed at him to sit still, "No more scrounging like dogs. Blood available for us whenever we want!"

"Rolan already turned the blood merchant's idea down." Aurelia nervously countered, the poor thing sounding like she'd rather be talking about nearly anything else, "Besides, nobody would ever agree to-"

"If the King would command it, it'd be law!"

At Petras' harsh retort, Rolan decided he'd heard enough.

"If you're so desperate to sate your hunger, Petras, I suppose you wouldn't mind handling another band of marauders." the wizard snapped, three sets of wide red eyes jerking to him as he fully entered the room.

"Your Majesty," Dalyria was the first to recover, "He's only just returned from his last mission to-"

The vampiric physician let the thought die on her lips as she met Rolan's stormy expression. Petras, for his part, was struggling almost as much as Aurelia to maintain eye contact with their King, instead he idly picked at the material of the cot he sat on.

"You should heed your sister." Rolan bit out, jerking his head towards Aurelia, before letting his gaze rake over the other two spawn, "That drow can make the proposition as often as she likes, but my decision has not changed. I still expect you to control your blood-thirst. Or is my command only law when it's to your convenience?"

He let the challenge of his words hang heavy in the air, like an executioner's axe poised to fall if they forced it too far and a reminder of the spawn who failed or refused to listen.

"We have already seen to it that you all are fed." the Dark King eventually continued, focusing his glare on Petras, "If you want more, either negotiate with someone for a sip or gorge yourself on those still foolish enough to pillage within Waldemar's borders."

None of the spawn dare say anything to that and Petras shuffles out soon after, his head down and mouth shut to avoid another verbal lashing. Rolan didn't look away from the vampire's path until the door clicked shut behind the pale man.

With a tired sigh, Rolan felt the sharpness of his demeanor drain out from him as he turned to regard Aurelia, "Are you alright?"

As usual, the tiefling vampire gave a small, nervous smile, "Oh, yes. I'm fine. You know how Petras is."

"He sometimes forgets to think." Dalyria agrees as she tidies up where she has been examining their brother after another—hopefully successful—gathering mission, "Though I would blame that wretched drow alchemist. Her endless ranting can turn ears for a moment—even if it's all madness."

Aurelia nodded, a smile growing as a rare chuckle escaped her, "Lia said the same."

Exhaustion pressed down on Rolan like a physical weight then, "How is she?"

"As a matter of fact, she came down to check on us not long ago." Dalyria answered, "She seemed... frustrated... but she insisted on taking inventory of what Petras brought back, even after I assured she needn't bother herself with that."

That wasn't much of a surprise. Since learning of the arranged marriage, Lia had increasingly gone out of her way to keep busy and away from Rolan. He could barely recall the last conversation they'd had that wasn't a few cold words or an argument. Now that his new Queen was in Waldemar with them, Lia seemed the only person who took greater pains to avoid his wife than he did.

Dalyria clearing her throat breaks Rolan from his thoughts. He looks up seeing the two pairs of bright red eyes on him—one red on black and the other red on white.

Correcting his posture as another twinge flickered through his neck, Rolan stepped forward, "Sorry, please say that again."

"What brings you down all this way, your Majesty?" the vampiric physician asked again, "Personal visits here are quite rare for you."

“A pain in my neck seems determined to no longer be ignored." the Dark King began, trying in vain to rub the persistent ache away, "I've also found myself in need of a... sleep aid. Something to help me rest without dreams.”

Confused, the elven vampire looked Rolan up and down as if looking for clues, "Would you elaborate-"

"Can you help or not?!" he snapped.

Unbothered, or at least putting on a good show of seeming it, Dalyria walked to one of her numerous cabinets. When she returned it was with a bottle containing a hazy liquid that smelled of blackberries and a small container of a simple, pale balm.

"A drop of this in a vial of water and you will be asleep by the time you count to ten.” she explained while handing him the bottle followed by the balm, "Just apply this to wherever is sore-"

Suddenly the door was thrown open and slammed so hard against the stony wall he hears the thick wood splinter. Heedless of the damage, Karlach ran into the room with one hand around Petras' wrist—which the vampire was failing to slip out of her grasp despite the hellfire warrior seeming unaware she was even still gripping it.

"No time to explain!" Karlach shouted with naked urgency, "We've a chase on our hands!”

A what?!

"Chase? What do you mean?" Rolan demanded, ignoring when his royal enforcer practically dragged him into the hall by his shoulder, "Who's chasing who? Where are Cal and Lia?!"

"Rolan!" cried a young voice and the King looked down the hall to see a familiar indigo tiefling child with curly hair scampering towards them.

"Ide?" Rolan believed that was the girl's name, "Why are you here? What's happening?"

"Quickly! Come quickly!" Ide pleaded, wasting no time tugging on Rolan's coat even as the wizard tried to steady her and look for any signs of serious injury, of which he found none, “That moon witch and her manservant are after us!”

Running down marbled halls chasing down little tieflings was not how Tav saw her day going. It was supposed to be a rather uneventful thing, unpack and set up her personal shrine to Selûne, arrange her books, and finally have items to remind her of home in this cold castle. Apparently, these young stowaways had other ideas.

Who are these kids anyway? How did they even get into the castle, much less get into her quarters? Did they not fear possible repercussions from the Dark King himself?!

Most of the children had disappeared down various corridors with the speed and confidence of those familiar with the place while Wyll desperately tried calling them back as he gave chase. Determined not to lose sight of whatever was happening, Tav rushed to follow only for her fancy heels to scratch and catch across the floor causing her to stumble and fall behind.

Ahead, Wyll let out a brief shout as a child he barely managed to capture flailed a clawed hand at the knight's eyes, giving the little tiefling enough of an opening to wriggle free. With a very unrefined grunt of frustration, Tav decided courtly etiquette could stuff it in the face of this sheer absurdity. Righting herself, she kicked off her heels and rushed forward to her friend as the two resumed chasing the small figures.

The children race by or even weave through wide-eyed palace staff, leaving her and Wyll scrambling between trying to keep up and not topple over some poor bystander. Queen and knight have to catch themselves more than once before sprinting off again with only hasty apologies shouted over their shoulders. Tav is only aware that they've passed by Shadowheart and Lae'zel when she hears the cleric's surprised exclamation and the githyanki hissing something at the guards they also must have passed—though what either said was lost as Tav and Wyll hurried to keep sight of a pointed tail vanishing through a pair of doors.

Rushing through moments later, both Queen and knight see a tiefling kid dashing across the large room for a set of servant doors only for it to burst open and Lae'zel's armored hand to snatch the child's wrists before the young one could scamper away.

“Alright now," Wyll begins calmly, carefully approaching as the child thrashes about in a vain effort to wrench free from the githyanki's grasp, "Why don't we all just settle down and talk.”

"I've nothing to say to you or your Witch Queen!" the small tiefling snapped, neck craning to glare at them, revealing the girl's face and the dark eyepatch that rested upon it, "You all best step back unless you want a patch like mine!"

The girl bared her teeth as Shadowheart joined them before the child turned back to swing a few ineffective kicks at Lae'zel's armored legs, prompting the gith to sneer slightly at the attempts, "Your spirit is admirable, young one, but misplaced confidence in one's own abilities-"

She didn't get a chance to finish the thought as the tiefling child rammed her horns into Lae'zel's stomach with surprising force. Tearing free of her captor and lurching forward as if to bite Shadowheart when the cleric's hands shot forward to catch her, the girl didn't get far before Wyll surged forward and scooped the red child up from behind.

"Please- Stop squirming!" he instructed, doing his best to hold her securely without squeezing too hard while also trying to avoid getting horns to the face as the girl attempted to claw and kick and bite herself free.

Lae'zel had been quick to recover, even as her eyes narrowed at the girl writhing about in her fellow knight's grasp and the gith's next words came out clipped with impatience, "We'd best relocate to a room with fewer entrances, lest this little menace attempt another escape."

"Do you have a place in mind?" Tav asked, unable to look away too long from Wyll and his attempts to keep hold of the squirming child.

"The throne room." Lae'zel answered matter-of-factly and for a moment the tiefling girl froze, "It's the nearest chamber with the fewest entrances."

Wyll let out another shout as he barely avoided the girl's attempt to crash her own head back against him, "Wherever we go, we'd best go quickly."

They hurried out following Lae'zel's lead as Wyll, at a loss for what else to do, once again tried to soothe the child even as her efforts to rip free of his grasp seemed to double by the time Shadowheart was pushing open the doors to the throne room. Distracted by the scene, by trying to piece together how and why this was happening, Tav almost jumped when the lady-in-waiting spoke up as they entered.

"My Lady?" her fellow Selûnite asked, brow furrowed in confusion as she stared down at where the Queen's skirt pooled on the floor. "Where... are your shoes?"

“Ah, well..." Tav started awkwardly, shifting as if suddenly aware of the feeling from the cold stone and plush carpet beneath her, "Running in heels was never part of my etiquette classes."

"Should've stolen them right off your feet!" the child hissed, eye glaring at the Queen, "Would serve you right! Let you see how it feels when stuff gets nabbed out from under you!"

"What of you then?" Lae'zel bit out angrily, stalking back from where she'd been assessing the room to ensure the few other exits were secured, "You trespass, disturb my Lady in her castle, insult her to her face, and attack her personal court. What punishment would serve you right?"

The tiefling girl jerked against Wyll's grasp, though this time as if to lean forward and meet Lae'zel's anger head on with her own, "Don't you dare threaten me you clueless-"

"Everyone! Please!" Tav interjects with more force than intended, "Nobody is getting punished or lectured or anything else of the sort until we know what is going on!"

Predictably, Lae'zel made a disgruntled huff even as she backed off. The tiefling girl, on the other hand, still regarded them all with open contempt.

Taking care to soften her voice, Tav bent down to better meet the child's gaze, "Listen, I don't know how or why you got in here, but you're clearly angry with me for having gone through the trouble to do so. I'm afraid I also don't know what I've done to upset you, but I would like to know so I may make things right."

"The nerve you got... Acting like you don't know." the girl practically spat, "If you want to 'make things right', then let her come back!”

Tav blinked at the girl, "Who- ?"

"Mol!"

The sudden shout makes everyone turn where they see a mortified Alfira standing in the doors. Peeking out from behind the trails of her attire was another tiefling child, a cloud of dark and curly hair almost completely obscured his horns.

Shadowheart blinked at the boy in surprise, "There's more of them?"

"Alfira?" Tav turned to the bard in confusion, pausing when the red face of the little boy further retreated behind his fellow tiefling, "Alfira, do you know these children?"

"I- Yes," Alfira nodded, fear still in her expression even as her voice remained steady, "I would visit and teach them once or twice a week-"

"Until the moon hag came here!" Mol snapped, eye boring into Tav as if hoping the Queen would drop dead on the spot.

Alfira is quick to hush the tiefling boy as he shouts his agreement before ducking back behind the older tiefling with a nervous squeak.

"I... haven't been able to visit them since I was assigned as your lady-in-waiting, your Majesty." the bard explained, words slow and careful.

"Wh- Why didn't you say so?!" Tav sputtered, mortification tearing its way through her, "Alfira, if you've obligations elsewhere, I'm sure we can manage without you for a day or two so that you may see them!"

Rather than relief, Alfira suddenly seemed unable to meet the Queen's gaze, "I- I'm not to leave..."

"But..." the little boy behind her started, looking up at the bard and the Queen pleadingly, "Why not?"

"Mirkon," Alfira said, tone soft even as her tail swayed with unease, "It's not so simple..."

"Alfira, what is going on?" Tav demanded, doing her best to keep the budding frustration out of her voice, "You're my lady-in-waiting and I'm giving you permission to go resume. Leave the palace to do so, if you must."

Still the blue tiefling would not meet her gaze, "It would be against my orders..."

"Well, then I order you to resume your weekly visits."

Mirkon's expression lit up as he excitedly bounced on his heels, clasping one of the bard's hands between his own, until he saw the look on her face.

"I-" Alfira tried again, appearing to struggle with her words, "It's not your orders that I need..."

Now it was Tav's turn to narrow her eyes as she scrutinized the blue tiefling, "Oh? Why would that be? You were assigned to me as my lady-in-waiting, were you not?"

"Well... I was assigned by the King to serve as a lady-in-waiting." Alfira responded, "He thought it would be best for someone from his court to be near so that he might-"

"Spy." Lae'zel cut in, “So that she might spy on you. It seems the Dark King is constantly having others watch us for him."

Shadowheart made a noise of bitter disgust, "So he ordered you to watch over our Lady, and report back? I knew there was some reason you'd been so insistent on accompanying us."

Again, Alfira can't seem to meet anyone's eyes and she falls silent.

She isn't even denying it.

The realization lodges itself cold and heavy in Tav's chest like a lump of ice. A moment later, the chill from this revelation burned away under rising anger as her thoughts turned to the Dark King.

How dare he.

Tav feels her magic swelling in her veins, dying to get out. That he evidently wants so badly to avoid the stranger he brought here that he would rather upend the lives of children than deal with her himself-

How dare he!

"What the Hells is going on here?!"

As if summoned by her thoughts, the Dark King himself angrily stormed through the doors with Cal, Karlach, Aurelia, and a few unfamiliar faces following close behind, including another tiefling child who stuck close to the King's side. The wizard's attention snapped to Wyll and Mol with rage in his eyes as he stalked towards the knight.

"Explain yourself, Ravengard." her husband practically snarled before Tav planted herself between them and halted the glaring tiefling's approach.

"A group of children went through the trouble of breaking into my room in retaliation for their teacher being restricted to spying on me." she bit out, staring daggers into his dark eyes, her own simmering with fury as she waved a hand for Wyll to set the tiefling girl down, "In response, my knight did his job."

"I was unaware you required protection from children." Rolan sneered in response, watching as Mol brushed imaginary dust off herself and sauntered over to join Ide and the little boy by Alfira.

His Queen let out a huff, "And I was unaware that the Dark King was a coward."

Rolan stiffened as though the words had physically struck him, eyes suddenly distant and his tail lashed as he regarded her coldly, "I do not need to explain myself or the actions of my court to you.”

Suddenly wanting to be anywhere other than here, Rolan turned to leave the throne room only for his wife's hand to snatch the fabric of his sleeve. Head snapping back towards her, the wizard was unable to keep the surprise from his scowl. For a moment, the sorceress too seemed shocked by her own audacity, though she smothered it quickly.

“Am I not your co-ruler? Your Queen?” she demanded, taking a step closer and releasing his sleeve, “Was that not the arrangement Sivailon agreed to? Or am I to learn that the Dark King is also a liar?"

Rolan rubbed the lines on his forehead as he let out a frustrated sigh—though it sounded more like a growl. Should word get out how uninvolved the 'divine' Queen was in the ruling of his kingdom, there would be a new ripple of unrest. Should it come directly from the Queen herself... He couldn't risk it.

"If you insist on forcing me to listen to your insults before granting me peace, then so be it." the Dark King snapped, forcing the words out, "But not here and not now. We will discuss this properly."

He turned to lead them out of the throne room but before they could pass through the door he caught sight of Mol. She stood with a scowl and her arms crossed, looking rather displeased.

"Think we'll be stickin' around to have our own discussion with the moon lady." Rolan had only opened his mouth before the young tiefling interrupted with a toothy smirk, "Not like you'll actually keep us out. 'Sides, next time we won't get caught..."

"I trust you'll find your way to Astarion's then..." the wizard sighed, receiving a curt scoff and eye roll from the child as if he shouldn't have even bothered to ask.

Behind and unnoticed by the Dark King, Tav watched the exchange, wide eyed and dumbfounded as her thoughts and emotions raced in countless directions at once. Alfira stole a brief glance at the Queen.

"I... can think of very few safer places they could wait." the bard awkwardly but resolutely added on, though clearly more for the benefit of Tav and her court as a murmur of agreement came from those who had entered with the Dark King.

Shaking herself from her stupor, Tav came to stand in front of the three children. Doing her best to ignore her husband's presence next to her, Tav crouched down in favor of giving them her attention.

"I will be happy to hear your side of this unfortunate situation." Tav began softly, doing her best to seem more calm and assured than she felt as she caught the gaze of each child and mulled over her next words, "Before we part ways, I would like to offer an apology by having my friend or I see to any injuries you might have gotten earlier.”

The little ones exchanged glances between themselves before the girl wearing the eye patch stepped away and closer to Alfira, "You're not gonna be casting any spells on us."

The other two children hurriedly mimicked their friend. At least that offered further clarity on which of them was the group's ringleader.

Unwilling to test her luck at the moment, Tav reluctantly nodded in acceptance and gently encouraged them to ask someone they trust to look them over if there started to be any pain. The children made various noises of various levels of agreement, at least acknowledging that they'd heard her even if they didn't plan on doing as she asked. That would have to be good enough for now.

When Tav rose to leave, she noticed the Dark King and several members of his court already exiting the throne room. At this point, Tav almost had to wonder how she could still be even remotely surprised by her husband's habit of slipping away from wherever she happened to be. Following after the man as he walks with purpose, his tail still flicking in irritation, Tav felt her own court fall into step with her.

"This is progress." Wyll whispered to her, tone unabashedly hopeful.

"Did you not hear us arguing?" she asked, regarding her human knight curiously, "I would hesitate to call that mess progress."

"True," her friend grinned, "But he still agreed to speak with you and no one insisted you go... adjust."

A rather unladylike peal of laughter nearly tore from the Queen. Instead she returned Wyll's smile and gave him an appreciative nod. While none of this had really gone how she'd hoped or expected, it could still be a step forward.

I just have to hope it's a step in the right direction.

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