This is the piece I wrote before writing this. I liked it too much to just throw it away and it could be along the same lines of the Reader being human but not knowing or realizing they are due to what Belos did to them.
It's short, but the Reader is a Captain under Belos who is having second thoughts about capturing Eda due to a small kind gesture on Eda's part. Belos is enraged by it.
This most likely takes place before Luz comes into the picture.
Manipulation galore. This would count as torture too so read at your own risk. Yandere!Belos under cut.
“No!” your voice rang out, a tone of disobedience present. This caused Belos to pause and turn to you.
“No?” he repeated.
“I’m not…! I-I can’t do this anymore!” you stood your ground as he stepped toward you. “I don’t want to hurt anyone! Especially not the Owl Lady!”
“You are teetering on treasonous talk, Captain-!” Kikimora screeched behind Belos.
“I have this, Kikimora. Go prepare your guards for the mission. I will be removing Y/N from future missions until further notice. Take another captain in their place.”
"Wait, until further notice?!" you interjected but were ignored. "Y-You can't be serious! Sire!"
Kikimora hesitated but agreed. It took only a moment for her small frame to disappear through the darkened doorway and the door shut, isolating you with the emperor. Your attention went back to Belos who had not taken his eyes off of you with a disappointed scowl. His voice dripped with poison.
“Explain yourself.”
“I-I… Sire, the Owl Lady is not dangerous… I-I’ve met her. She helped me when I broke my leg while I was in training out on the Knee last year. There’s no reason to attack her! She can be reasoned with!” you tried to reason. “I-I’m beginning to think that wild magic isn’t as dangerous-”
Belos’ eyes flared with rage and his arm moved from under his cloak. Holding his hand out, your eyes widened at the sight of your heart appearing in his palm.
“Sire, no- Wait-!” you reached out for your heart before his grip tightened on it.
Pain shot through your body, starting from your chest and flooding outward. You clutched the spot over where your heart should have been, gasping and grunting, your eyes staring hard into the floor as your knees buckle under you. Your chest burned horribly.
“S-Sire-!” you choked out. The hand holding you up moved to grasp the hem of Belos’ cloak. “P-Please!”
Belos glared down his nose at you and his hand tighten again, forcing a scream from your throat that echoed off the walls around you. The pain in your chest had become excruciating. Belos remained silent as he watched you writhe.
“I-I’m sorry! I’m-!” you gasped. You could feel his grip enclose your heart at a steady pace as the fear of him actually killing you this time filled your head. “I-I’m sorry! Please! Make it stop! Forgive m-me, Sire!”
After what seemed like an eternity, his grip waned and your body collapsed onto the cold stone floor. You landed on your side, instinctively curling your body into a ball as you tried to ride out the final waves of pain. Tears streaked your face and you let out a choked sob. It was the only thing that you could do that didn’t cause you more pain.
“Hmph. I suggest you remember your place from here on out, Y/N. I will not tolerate insubordination.”
His footsteps departing with the door shutting and locking behind him was the last thing you remembered.
-----
When you finally came to, it wasn’t to a cold floor pressed against your cheek, but the sound of a heartbeat against your ear. Opening your eyes, you found yourself still in the war room but you were sitting upright. An arm with a gold gauntlet was draped over your legs with another around your waist. You were laying with your side against someone and something was resting against your head. Letting out a moan caused the arm around your legs to pull them closer and the other tightened, keeping you in place.
How long were you out this time?
“Shhhh, I’m here. You’re safe,” Belos’ voice rumbled in your ear through his chest. When you put all the pieces together, panic flooded you and you tore yourself away and forced yourself to your feet. Whirling around, you watched Emperor Belos stand from a sitting position against the wall, not a foot away from where you had ended up after the punishment. “Easy, easy.”
You found yourself out of breath as an aching arose all over your body. When he moved forward, you stumbled backward into a table, trying to catch your breath. You hit the table hard enough to knock over any standing objects. Your legs decided to give out again and your knees hit the stone floor once more, your hand clenching your chest. It was as if your body was remembering the trauma all over again.
His hands ran over your head and his fingers hooked under your chin to pull you where you were looking up at him. They began to glow and the pain started to ease. Emperor Belos was kneeling before you, the enraged expression was gone, replaced by one of remorse.
“Forgive me… I overreacted…” he whispered as he coaxed you closer to him. “I should have not allowed my past trauma to get the best of me… I’m sorry, Y/N… Please forgive me…”
Your eyes widened slightly in realization as all those times he mentioned wild magic destroying his family filled your mind. A pang of guilt rose in your chest. You caused him to lash out. Hesitantly, you brought your hand up and slipped your fingers between your cheek and his hand. The anger and fear you felt toward him drained.
“I’m sorry, Sire…” you pulled yourself closer to where you were sitting on your knees looking up at him near his inner thigh. “I did not mean to upset you that way…”
“She deceived you to get to me and I did exactly what she wanted and took it out on you. Mark my words, Captain, she’ll pay for this…” he murmured, his blue eyes gazing into yours with a sad, but determined expression. “This is why I tell you to be careful, just as I do with Hunter. Wild witches will do anything to sow chaos and turn us against one another.”
“I-I understand, Emperor Belos. I won’t be deceived again…” you nodded. Belos leaned down and set his forehead against yours.
“Good. I don’t know what I would do if they were to succeed in turning you against me.”