brooooo semantics is literally crazy i love both of them 😭😭😭 you got plans for a part four? 🧐🩷🩷
Semantics (IV)
Read Part One here // Continued from here
TW: moderately suggestive
Noble awoke screaming. Her back arched as liquid fire poured over her back into the deep lash wounds Usurper inflicted on her before she passed out.
Between her animalistic screams, that ebbed into mournful grunts, as something was dabbed against the wounds, she heard the bastard’s cheerful voice. “Oh good, you’re awake! I was getting bored.”
She heard the scrape of something against the concrete floor, getting closer to her, but she couldn’t make out what in her state. Her temples throbbed. It wasn’t a nightmare. Oh god. Oh god. The last day came back to her, the brutal conclusion to the drawn-out war. Being corralled into the throne room like cattle. Usurper greeting them, telling them all to bend the knee… that he was their new king.
And oh gods— she spoke out against Usurper and he took her; bound her in chains and dragged her to the dungeon to have fun with her. And… a chill ran down her spine, prickling every tingling wound edge on her back. His voice… she heard his voice, which meant he was still here. She lifted her head with an effort, her mind felt like a boulder in her skull but lift it she did.
She wasn’t lying down anymore. She was sitting backwards on a chair, her back exposed to whoever stood behind her, her wrists bound with rope to the legs of the chair, her arms trapped between the decorative wooden bars on the back of the chair. She didn’t struggle. She didn’t have the energy, and she didn’t want to aggravate her back further.
That’s when another wooden chair came into her line of sight and settled before her. A foot or two away. Her vision was grainy, the image like something from a dream. A hand cupped under her chin and forced her head up higher. Noble couldn’t stifle the whimper, but she wished she could. When she met his eyes, his smirking face, she wanted nothing more than to remain silent. Not give him anymore sadistic satisfaction.
“Beautiful,” he purred before dropping her head. She huffed a breath when he released her, thankful it wasn’t a groan this time. He sat in front of her on the chair, a delicious, deep green apple in his hand. He smirked at her as he took a bite, all the swagger of a noble bastard returned. She wouldn’t mistake that imitation for what it was again, he was a soldier, through and through. Not any high lords’ heir or spare, prancing around with no care in the world.
Noble’s eyes focused on the apple as he chewed loudly. Juice dripped down from his bite, a bead curling down the edge. She needed a drink. Her throat was wrecked raw from her screams from before… and her sudden wakeup call didn’t help either.
Usurper leaned back in the chair, his eyes tracking hers and his smirk widened. “Oh. How rude of me, Noble. Are you thirsty?”
Noble’s eyes darted from the sweet juice to glare at the bastard in front of her. At her silence, he continued his pantomime. “I’m nothing if not a good host.”
“You’re nothing but scu—” liquid fire arched up one of the bad wounds on Noble’s back at that time. She screamed so loud she was sure it could shatter glass, were there any around. When the pain subsided again, tempering to a sharp sting she slumped in the chair again, her head hanging as she panted. “What’re—” she licked her lips and tried again. “What’re you doing t’me?”
Usurper scooted his chair closer so he could reach her face and tilted her chin up again. She could feel the moisture on his finger, and she wanted to scream for a different reason. She was parched… her throat croaked when she tried to form words.
“I brought the doctor down to tend to your wounds,” Usurper told her softly, almost tenderly. His eyes turned sympathetic as she let the weight of her hear fall on his hand. “I don’t want to do any lasting damage to you, love. Besides, I like breaking toys, not broken toys.”
Noble’s pride burned at that. She forced all her dwindling energy into a glare that she wished would scorch the prick. “Oh, there’s that delightful fire, love. So feisty.”
“I’m not—” the back of the chair dug into her throat as she swallowed, cutting off her words. She sucked in a breath and tried again. “N-not a toy.”
“Not any toy, no.” Usurper’s eyes glinted with something Noble couldn’t place but made her chest twist, and her stomach clench, all the same. “You’re my toy. And I take care of my things.”
The smell of the fresh, slightly tangy apple wafted up to Noble’s nose and she swallowed a plea, a keening whimper at how much she wanted a taste. A bite. Something.
There was a swish of a bottle behind her and Noble tensed, knowing what was coming. Usurper stroked her cheek with the hand holding the apple, his knuckles grazing along her cheekbone, catching her tears.
It felt disgustingly comforting, and she hated how much she longed to lean into it. “Shh, you’ll be okay, love. Just look at me.”
That’s all the warning she got before white-hot pain flared on her back again. She was prepared this time. She clamped her jaw down tight, so only strangled hums of pain escaped her. She wouldn’t admit that looking Usurper in his horribly fond gaze distracted her a little. When the tension left her body again, the pain fading once more, Usurper praised her.
“Good girl,” he cooed, but it didn’t sound mocking. He almost whispered it; his voice was so soft. His smirk turned into an encouraging smile as well. “So brave. Here, a reward.”
Before Noble could bristle or recoil or call him any of the names that she had wanted to call him before, he slid his index finger along the juice of the apple and stuck it into Noble’s mouth.
Noble froze for a moment before her brain registered the juice on Usurper’s finger, and before she could think better of it, her lips latched onto his finger, her tongue running under while she sucked the measly drizzle of apple juice clean off.
Usurper’s eyes darkened as he watched realisation dawn on Noble and her face bloomed a hideous, heat filled red, burning almost as much as the doctor’s balm for her wounds. The shame stung as she released his finger and she blamed her — dehydrated and pain riddled— brain on why she didn’t bite his finger when she had the chance.
Yes. It was a physical reaction, based on survival. That’s why she didn’t bite him. And for whatever reason he was trying to— or attempting to — be kind to her while the doctor treated her to a new, more horrifying kind of torture; healing and cleaning.
“So good for me, love,” Usurper purred. “I didn’t even have to command you. You just knew what to do.”
Noble wanted to snap at him. She did. She wanted to tell him exactly where he can stuff his praise, and his condescending tone— but… but her body refused to let her. It wouldn’t allow her to jeopardise the only source of water it had, the relief she so desperately needed.
God… no. Was this all it took to break her? It was pathetic. It wasn’t even a day! Or maybe it was. Perhaps Usurper whipped her bloody and left her. He had to leave to fetch the doctor anyways, but still… her throat was hoarse, but the sour, tangy juice of the apple soothed a tiny part and she wanted more.
Needed more.
Her gaze turned weary as she looked into the Black Prince’s hauntingly beautiful face. She needed to appease him, which meant keeping him happy, on her side. For now, she told herself. Only for survival.
“Will she live?” Usurper asked, keeping his intense gaze locked on Noble’s.
“Yes,” Doctor replied, his voice silky smooth. A heavier lilt coated his words as he spoke, thicker than Usurper’s, it sounded like he was choking on the consonants rather than speaking them. “There are three particularly nasty gashes that I will have to tend to daily to ensure her bandages don’t sully.”
Usurper hummed. He ran his thumb along the juice of the apple and offered it to Noble who had the decency to pause. Her restraint amused him to no end, when they both knew she would lean forward and wrap her warm lips around his thumb eventually. She licked her lips before she leaned forward, her face flooding that delightful deep red as she opened her mouth. Her eyes downcast.
Usurper pulled his hand back an inch, “ah-ah, pet, look at me.”
Noble bristled, her nostrils flaring at the indignity of it all. If her father saw her now… if he knew… she would bring shame upon her family name.
“I’m not your pet,” she snapped, her eyes blazing, but there was no real bite to it. Usurper smirked, grazing his thumb along the apple again, coating it more.
“Of course you’re not,” he allowed with smirking eyes. “My apologies, m’lady.”
Noble’s glare cut into his eyes as she opened her mouth again. “Good girl,” he cooed and ran the juice along her lips first, pulling back and coating his thumb again while her tongue darted out to lick them clean.
This time, she almost bit his finger off with how eager she was to get more moisture in her mouth. “Easy, easy. It’s okay.”
Usurper’s dark eyes went to Doctor behind Noble who stared back at him, his expression impassive, except for an arched brow. Usurper grinned before his eyes flashed back to Noble’s.
“This next one will be bad,” Doctor said, his voice betraying no emotion. Simple, factual, clear. Noble’s eyes went wide around Usurper’s thumb and she pulled back, shaking her head.
“No. Please, please don’t.” The last one was bad enough. Surely the doctor had to be finished by now? Surely, this was all just another type of torment!
“Shh, love. This will make you better in the long run. Look,” Usurper lifted the apple and pressed it to her lips. “Bite down.”
Noble searched his face, forcing her breaths to become even before she opened her mouth hesitantly and bit down. The flavour of the apple flooded her senses as her back erupted in flames. Doctor was wrong. Bad was putting it lightly.
Noble’s teeth clamped around the apple as she screamed, thrashing in her seat, in the ropes holding her to the chair. She bucked up and a hand on her shoulder shoved her down again as Doctor rubbed something rough against the skin, followed by a cream that cooled the fire burning like acid on her spine.
The apple would have fallen if Usurper didn’t hold it to her lips while she thrashed. She got a bite, but the moment Usurper pulled the apple away, her mouth opened as she sobbed, pulling her wrists back to try and undo the ropes. The tiny piece of apple falling to the ground.
Sweat beaded down her forehead and her hair clung disgustingly to her scalp as she looked up at Usurper, shaking her head. “P-p-please, no more, nomorenomorenomore, please. Please.”
“Shh,” Usurper said, his voice soft as he pet her head and stroked her cheek again, like she was a babe to be cradled and held after a tantrum. “It’s alright. It’s almost over.”
She wanted to pass out again. She longed for the blackness that came when the pain was too much before, but now there was too much time between each burning sensation. There was time for her body to relax before the doctor cleaned the next wound. It was torture.
She hated that she leaned into Usurper’s touch, but it was the only softness she had at the moment. The chill of the dungeon prickled the wounds on her back and sent shivers down her spine; but it had nothing to do with her incessant trembling. She balled her hands into fists, digging her nails into her palms to try and focus her mind. She clenched her fists until her nails bit into her palms, a sharp sting singing, clearing the fog in her mind with pain, and it was like she could breathe again.
“How many are left?” Usurper asked, his eyes lingering on Noble’s face before they flickered behind her.
Doctor released a breath. Almost bored. “I can wrap the smaller ones that won’t need as much work if you like and come back later to treat the rest.”
“No!” Noble gasped, her head snapping to face to the doctor. The twist in her shoulders aggravated the wounds on her back and she hissed. Calloused, strong hands turned her again. Her hands snapped up instinctively, trying to shove Usurper’s hands away, but the ropes pulled taut and she released a frustrated cry. “No, don’t touch me! Get off!”
Her eyes turned sharp as they sliced up to Usurper’s, her trembling lips pulled back over her teeth as she sneered, “you did this to me. You! You hurt me, and now you want to act tender and kind? You don’t get to do that.”
Usurper pulled back, dropping all contact from her. Noble sucked in a shuddering breath, the chill of the dungeon embracing her now that the warmth from Usurper’s touch had disappeared. She didn’t miss it. She didn’t. She would have just preferred if it was somebody else’s warmth she had available.
“There are a lot of things ordinary people don’t get to do, love,” Usurper hummed, leaning back in his chair. “I thought we went over this. The rules don’t apply to me. That’s why I can whip you unconscious. It’s why I can have you treated by one of my best doctors—”
“The best.”
Usurper grinned at doctor’s interruption.
“Of course, the best of my doctors so you don’t die on me too soon. It’s why I could have left you on the table while Doctor worked, but I wanted to see your face while he patched you up. I wanted to see every wince of pain.” He leaned in, a smirk on his face. “I also wanted to see your legs wrapped around a chair with your skirts bunched around your thighs to expose your undergarments. Something ordinary people – polite people – are not able to do.”
Any and all remaining traces of heat vanished at Usurper’s words, filling Noble with a cool dread that froze her to the chair. She couldn’t resist looking down when he spoke of her skirts and her face burned again in humiliation at seeing exactly what he had said. She yanked against the ropes holding her hands on the outside of the chair, but the length was short, not enough for her to fix herself into a position befitting her standing.
Usurper drank in her embarrassment, her crushing silence, like he could feel the devastation the words had on her and revelled in watching it unfold like a torrent inside her.
“You brought yourself to my attention, girl,” he continued, his voice softer. “Look at me.”
Noble squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head stubbornly.
“Noble,” he said, in his voice of burnished gold and she wanted to burst into uncontrollable sobs. “Open your eyes, love.”
She sucked in a breath and jutted her chin up before she turned her head to face him and opened her eyes. Usurper’s gaze threatened to swallow her whole, like predators that hunted in the dark, clever and patient.
“You are far too interesting for me to give up now. Perhaps if you were smarter, less sanctimonious, I could be having this conversation with some other woman, but alas. Here we are.” He threw his hands in the air, a smirk descending on his lips that didn’t match the coldness in his eyes. “I like you, and I will do anything I like with you, to you.”
He leaned forward and pressed the apple against her lips once more. “And you’ll obey, or the punishment will be far more severe than a mere lashing.”
His eyes darkened. “Now open your mouth, and bite down.”
Noble searched his face, her defiance written all over hers, and locking her eyes on his in a challenge, she bit down on the apple again. Though she screamed during the rest of her treatment, her eyes never left Usurper’s, and his never left hers.
*****
Tag-list: @scp-1296 @sunflower1000 @whumplicity @castell-da-near @sun-dappled-willow
Yooo, this story just passed 10,000 words
