A risky play

Aurelia was clearly putting up a facade of strength, but equally clear was the mortal terror seeping up through her face. Another witch, someone who shares her greatest fear. But there was something else, a primordial impulse slithering upward from the core of her power. She was a potential threat, a rival. You have no need to spare her.

Into her mind came an image of her possible future. She was naked, leashed, kneeling beside Maleorns throne, her belly swollen with his second child, writhing within her like a parasitic worm. Her first child, her daughter who had stolen her power, was latched onto her breasts, suckling the milk and life out of her like a vampiric ghoul, just like it had stolen her power. Chained like a dog, a breeding bitch, on her hands and knees, being fucked from behind by her captor, day after day and year after year, child after monstrous child stealing the years from her life, as her flesh sagged and her hair greyed and her womb faded from fertile to barren. To be used until she was used up, sucked dry.

A knife sat on the table in front of her, glistening with the juices of a rare steak.

She had one chance. One way out. She just needed bait.

"Breed..." She choked on her words, swallowing, before repeating herself, louder. "Breed me!"

Malaeorn was visibly surprised, though only mildly. He stared at her in silence for a few moments, before sighing and shaking his head, tut-tutting softly as he stood.

"Interesting. Did you feel compassion for your fellow witch- unlikely- or suddenly come down with baby fever?"

Her heart racing, Vivianna spoke. "You are an immensely powerful mage, sir. Far stronger than I. Your wealth, your power, your arcane knowlege, all dwarf mine." She rattled off the flattering words, trying to get him to let his guard down without making him suspicious. "I would be honored to stay at your side, for you to take me as your... as your wife." She nearly choked on these final words. The idea of being permanetnly bound to any man, let alone Malaeorn, was horrifying to her. And she was even more terrified of being bred by him.

She had one chance. One chance only.

Standing and turning, she pushed herself back and sat on the table, carefully positioning herself such that her body hid the knife from his view. Not taking her eyes off of him, smiling enticingly, she closed her hidden hand around the knife.

Malaeorn gestured to a guard, to took Aurelia and led her swiftly out of the room. There were only a few guards left, and their positions were such that maybe, possibly, her plan was not revealed.

She had her trap. Now she needed bait.

Smiling, she spread her legs apart, hitching up her jewel-studded skirts, exposing her toned yet plump and succulent legs,