warm shadow . fernando

[Anna gully]

"Your grip is too tight." Protest would not help her-- it never has, and it never will. If anything, her master's fingers would only tighten against her skin, until she was forced to squirm back against him. In an effort to prevent the temporary sting, she moved back against him anyway, wiggling her hips just the way he liked.  The fire was warm, but Anna can't help but feel ice cold. His grip. The services. She was lethargic, if anything, and it was sure to translate into whatever task he gave her next. As much as she told herself to sit back and enjoy the flames steadily licking the empty space above them, she can't help but feel her eyes droop. Can't help but feel her mind begin to wander. The fire begins to paint pictures-- first of the knoll where they romped, the way he touched her-- the feeling she had been craving yet resented so much. There was no such thing as 'consensual'. He knew how she felt-- Anna was obvious, her eyes could convey anything she had done against him. Luckily those days are over, and as much as she tells herself to enjoy the company of the warm body, she can't help but feel the icy touch, feel the frozen words fall. "You belong to me." You don't control yourself. You're nothing but property. You're mine, Gully. I own you, Anna." She shivers, hoping it's subtle enough to be ignored. She shifts again, holding back a grumble of protest. "Are you awake, sir?" His lack of response concerned her, and she despised that. Anna Gully does not want to feel. She only wishes to remain indifferent, and so far she has done an atrocious job. She cranes her neck to look back at him, without permission. "Sir?"

[FERNANDO SILPH]

If there's one thing Anna Gully should be familiar with by now, it's her role in the social caste system. She is nothing more than a speckle of flesh with no more merit than the creatures she watches her master eat. Fernando could squash her on a whim, ending her miserable life without the slightest consequence. Perhaps someone might inquire into her sudden disappearance but within a week the world will move on. No one will remember nor miss Anna Gully -- except Fernando. But he will not miss her as a one misses someone they hold dear. The only sentiments Fernando has towards Anna is one of convenience; she is his favorite tool. She knows what's expected from her. Whenever he beckons for her, she moves. Everything she does is to please him, or so she pretends. Whether or not she actually appreciates the privilege is of no importance as long as she follows up with her duties. The way her body coils around him bring an acute nostalgia to his hips, the primal motion reminding him of his adolescent days. It both pleases and bothers him with how much he's changed. Years ago Fernando would've been satisfied with using Anna as nothing more than a release for his hormonal outburst. Now? He applies himself to the act. Anna is his test dummy and a proving ground for his technique. The crackle of the fireplace goes unnoticed as Fernando begins to break away from his vivid daydreams. Anna's words echo in the silence and Fernando stops himself from cringing. There's no point in responding. Her answer comes with the release of her arm as Fernando finds a new resting place for his hand. Placing it on her outer thigh proves comfortable considering his position behind her. "What?" It's rare for Fernando to hold back from snapping at her. His voice is filled with what seems to be genuine curiosity. His actions say otherwise. Those idle fingers soon find themselves brushing against her bare skin. The fire isn't enough to keep him warm -- he needs more. He needs Anna's. His hand trails against her naked legs, coming to a rest against her inner thigh. It's warmer here. He doesn't have to say anything to get her to squeeze his hands with the plushness that are her legs. "Did you want something?"

[Anna gully]

"You're cold." It's simple, and she can't exactly pin down the real reason she wanted his attention. To avoid the scolding, however, she gently brushes her lips against his, allowing their foreheads to touch only for a moment. It's not her place, and she's almost certain she'll be punished for it later-- but the more she acted desperate, the more content Fernando would seem after he finished whatever he chose to do with her. Make him think you're dependent. Make sure he can never replace you. Without him, you're-- Nothing. A shit stain on the earth. Where would you go, Anna? Home? A mental scoff crossed her mind-- as if she even had a home. "Nobody has ever wanted you. That's why you're here, isn't it?" Anna cringes, the feeling eating deeper into her heart. She brings her attention back to the current situation. It's dangerous to leave for too long. He'd start asking questions. The cold fingers slide against her, leaving Anna to wiggle again. Everything for his sake, everything for his benefit. Anything to keep him interested, to convince him to let her stay. She allows a thin smile to take over her lips as she recognizes his touch, reacts to it, moves her hips a little closer. Anna welcomes him, as she should-- as she's expected to. "I do not have permission to want. I apologize."

[FERNANDO SILPH]

"Do you want me to keep you warm?" It doesn't matter what Anna wants. Fernando decides everything, it's his right. Irregardless, it's odd to see Anna act on such impulse. Even more so to feel her reach out for him with such need. Her ploy works well and for a moment Fernando believes it. Even without the poking and prodding, Fernando can reason out her sudden forwardness; Anna wants it, he's trainer her well. The very thought drives him wild and suddenly his precaution about dirtying the Tauros pelt they're lying on is gone. Something about indulging her proves amusing. Humiliating her is always fun. "Do you remember the last time you were allowed to want?" For a man who doesn't like to dwell on the past, the question seems uncharacteristic for the Silph heir. His fingers wriggle in between her thighs as he raises his head. His mouth hovers dangerously close to her cheek, the warmth of his breathe tickling her exposed earlobe. He bites back the urge to nibble on it. "Do you want me to punish you, again?"

[Anna gully]

What a horrible, horrible mistake. She instantly regrets her decision, yet it is too late to reverse it. It's always too late. So stupid. So irresponsible. It is too late to turn away from him, it will make matters worse. Does she really want him as she claims? Anna is left to ponder that-- if she didn't, why would she have asked? To keep him content? Perhaps she held on to a sliver of hope that he would "forget" their nightly routine? She can still feel the bruises in her hips, the thumb marks of a relentless man. Her whole body aches, but it's a feeling she's become a accustomed to. Her neck had started healing, until Fernando decided that would just not do. All she wants is a decent night's sleep, undisturbed. An impossible idea, especially as the designated bed warmer. The rasp in her throat had started to die down, at least. Screaming over and over had run her raw, and her throat was never the only thing to be overworked. "I do not want." As if he would let it go. It's an obvious lie. The only thing Anna ever does is want, whether she proclaims it or not. "Yes sir, I do." Hey eyes stray from him, back to the fire. His pre-pubescent voice is clear as crystal, even in her memories. "You're mine now, father said so." At the time she had fought back, stubborn. She did not wish to be bested by an over-fortunate child. Time and bruises put her in her place. There was a particular scarring involved-- she shook her head. The memory remained on her chest, and she recalled never acting out again after that small rampage. Years passed and he started relying on her, trusting her. If he didn't he played it well. Incompetent as she was, she would get the job done. "We're going to be like them. Lie down." His fingers bring her back once more, with a shiver. She can feel him, feel his intentions, feel his frustration. Her spine crawls, but she has no choice but to ignore it. She only turns her head, slightly, lips barely parted. Her voice softens, and as much as she despises herself, she gives the only acceptable answer she can think of. "If you wish to, it is not my place to present my desire."

[FERNANDO SILPH]

There will be no rest tonight just as there isn't with every passing night. Anna is destined to keep his bed warm and whether or not he reciprocates means little in the way of their daily tradition. The last thing he wants is for her to recover. Those marks he afflicts on her skin define her. Every time they bathe together Fernando can bask in the sight of his ownership. Anna Gully belongs to him. He wants to kiss her. Watching Anna shiver and resist his advances always spur him to go further. Push her until she begs. The only problem is that she'll beg on command. Years of belittling her do nothing to help with her already non-existent dignity. There's no resistance when he commands her to beg. Like a dog, she'll eagerly wag her tail at his behest. Anything for a treat or in her case a lack of. The only solution is to push her buttons until she caves. Make her want it and then take it away. Her whimpering is only matched by her thunderous outcry when everything comes crashing down. "But it's there. Keep it quiet and when I ask you to present it, you may." His fingers press against her lower thigh but he doesn't dig into her skin. It's a light, feathery touch, one he's learned to adapt in order to punish her. There's nothing else to say so Fernando lets his actions take over. Rough lips tighten around her ear as his tongue flickers against the skin. Soft sucking noises start to fill the room as the master returns to work. There's so much to do and the night is anything but young.

[Anna gully]

Take all, steal all. That's all he's ever done, that's all she's ever had to over. He cast himself upon her, and there was no fighting him off. The case would repeat itself and never end. He's warm, but his intentions do not comfort her, do not let her doze off, do not bring relaxation to her being. There is nothing soothing about his touch. There never has been, and she does not hold high hopes for the future. "Yes sir." She speaks clearly despite her mood, for both of their sake, more so hers. Anna moves against his touch, the way he would want her too. Her legs move in a way that suggest his fingers are much too low on her leg-- surely that would please him. Surely that would tell him what her body wants. She exposes her neck to him, exposes the already sore reddish bruise that dirties the white skin around it. There is no hiding. She only moves on unspoken commands. Anna can't help but hope one day she'll mean it. That one day she'll move because she wants to, not simply to please another. That person would never be Fernando. At least, that is what she hopes, what she believes for the present time. Her spine curls into his stomach, her hips slowly circle against his lower abdomen. She keeps quiet for her own sake-- anything she says can and will be held against her. Does she dare to test the acidic waters today? Most likely not. Fernando will want to have his way with her without protest, yet her complete silence is a tad unusual. Her throat is still-- not even some feigned, playful giggle. Not a moan, not a whimper of protest. "Just get it over with."

[FERNANDO SILPH]

Things are progressing smoothly, as always, and if last night was of any indication of what's to come then both of them will be intertwined within the hour. The soft pelt they lay on scrunches underneath their movements, tickling Fernando's sides as he squirms to accommodate her. There's no such thing as personal space between them, their skin-ship set long before in the deserts of Akiro. He's allowed to tread however he pleases and it's her place to welcome him. So why doesn't he take her? He doesn't know, a whim perhaps? Those invasive touches are becoming alarmingly milder. That prodding starts to soften until there's nothing left but the back of his hand caressing her leg. It's an unnatural gentleness that Fernando rarely exhibits. Something's wrong; his mind is elsewhere. "Do you remember Akiro?" Of course she does. Neither of them will ever forget the scenario that forced them to become one. He took her innocence that night and in return she was promised a life. Whether or not Anna Gully regrets willingly living through that life is something only she will know. As for Fernando, he's content with the way things are now. But there's always more to be had. Anna should know more than anyone that nothing can quench his appetite. "They are not a rich people but they have good man power." Fernando does not absentmindedly talk to hear himself speak. Anna is to answer him with her own opinion on the matter. It's one of the few privileges she has-- that Fernando will listen to her no matter how much he disagrees with her. It may seem odd considering their relationship but he trusts her to speak her mind. At worst he can rebuke her for being stupid and rectify her mistake. It's more than obvious that he's planning something. But what exactly? Whatever it is, it's important enough for him to advert his attention away from her. Maybe she will be getting some rest tonight. Maybe.

[Anna gully]

Only when his touch hinders does Anna feel her spine begin to fall, her body begin to relax. Even if it is slightly, it's enough to let her breath a sigh of relief, quietly. She's too tired to take not of his change in behavior, and even if she was at attention, there would be no changing it. Her response comes all too quickly. "Yes." No formalities-- simple, blunt, the obvious and correct answer. She still hasn't decided if she has wanted to forget that chilly night, only made warm by two bodies coming together. What she does forget was how he acted upon instinct. Anna would like to believe he was softer then, gentler, almost treated her delicately. Unfortunately, her memory probably served her wrong. "You cannot enslave a broken nation. Appeal to them. Make yourself out to be a good man with gracious intentions. Do not turn on them, but use their trust and hope to your favor. Start small, as always. Leadership takes time, especially with a country that trusts no one." Subtle insults, all proven to be true in her mind. She was no grade-A counselor, but her opinion did see the light of day occasionally. She finally decides to turn her head again, to actually look at him. Her body twists with her, naturally, and she finds herself turned around in no time. The whites of her eyes are faintly red, the dark circles under them starting to become more visible in the fading light. The fire on her back makes her sleepy, and she's half considering using Fernando as a pseudo-pillow, if he allows it. Anna considers brushing their lips together once more, only to decide she is better off without disturbing the beast next to her. "Gripping them with fear, however, is never the answer." Her tone is a tad more bitter than before. "They're humans who want to live their lives, whether they be in communities or the hills of Akiro. They will not bow to a rich man who wishes to use them solely for their bodies." Are you still talking about Akiro, Anna? No? Try to make it less obvious next time.

[FERNANDO SILPH]

Leave it to Anna to overstep her bounds. She should know better by now that her little back talk never got her anywhere. Neither of them are stupid enough to think that she's still talking about Akiro. All she had to do was voice her opinion but here she is going off a tangent. Even so, he doesn't stop her. There's no reason to. Every snide comment she makes will come back to bite her in the ass. As soon as the silence settles in she'll start to panic and the paranoia will return. Just how much did she fucked up? Anna might not be too bright but she's savvy enough to know when she's fucked up. "Are you done?" The words come out cold and for a moment the air nipping at their skin doesn't seem too bad. Nothing's worse than the lead up Fernando's retaliation. He'll milk the moment for all it's worth and often times the wait is worse than the punishment. He doesn't wait long though, as Anna has found another way to kick start his appetite. It's unfortunate since he had planned to allow her a night to rest but her tone was several times too disrespectful for him to not rectify. He'd have to postpone developing the plan until later but that was a small inconvenience to suffer in order to teach her how to tame her tongue. Maybe she wanted it after all. "I don't need them to bow." Nothing can stop his palm from landing squarely on her rear. The loud audible smack of skin on skin makes it seem worse than it is. She knows that he would never intentionally harm her. He could beat her for the slightest mishap but in all her years of surface the only real pain he inflicted was the soreness in her legs. She's much more than a simple toy but in the end they both know he has no use for a broken doll. "Just bend." For someone who didn't want to disturb the beast, Anna's doing a terrible job.

[Anna gully]

The second her last word leaves her lips Anna realizes what a terrible mistake she has made. Her mouth closes and her hands curl into fists-- she prepares for the word. Eyes avert away from her master's in desperate attempt to escape the glass they would push into her. Her stomach clenches and her body tenses; she's physically trained to not shiver, but her mind goes unstable for the moment. The fear is spreading through her veins, replacing the exhaustion that she had been lapping up so greedily before. There is no use in an apology. There is nothing she can do now but follow his command. His question is met by a small head nod, quickly replaced by a very soft "Yes sir". This is not the first time she has put herself in this situation, but every time she does it strikes a new fear into her. What will he do now? How will she be punished today? The sound of his palm is enough to make her flinch, the action forcing her to recoil into him. Anna has never seen a day of beating (by Fernando, at least) in her life, yet each time she feels the ice creep into his tone she fears for the worse. It would be so easy to simply... kill her. She gives him a whimper as some sort of defeat, some sort of white flag. Not that she ever truly stood a chance on the battlefield. For a moment Anna lets herself contemplate the source of his anger-- her manner of speaking outside of her terms, or, perhaps she has been too honest? What was she to him? To anyone? Nothing but a body to be used. Her mind is weak, irrelevant, uneducated in a formal manner. The answer is constantly chewing her up, making her sick to her stomach. The food she consumes rarely stays down, and despite her promises not to, Anna Gully cannot help but shed, at maximum, one tear for the life she could have avoided through death. Her thoughts wear her down. The struggle to remain competent wears her down. The struggle to please the master. In her mind she is nothing but skin in bones-- a corpse with its heart torn out, with its brain decayed. I am nothing. His touch brings everything but comfort. "I understand, sir." She is not content leaving it at such. Anna squirms in her place, hesitant. "Wh-" Is she permitted to ask questions? It's too late, he would already inquire. She might as well keep digging her grave, seeing the progress she has made thus far. "What am I, sir?" She's not content with that question. She wants to be more specific, but already knows Fernando will simply snap her in two. "Will I mean anything?"

[FERNANDO SILPH]

Anna ask for a question that has no definite answer. Sure, he can lie to her but what does that do? Make her happy? At what cost? If he spares her the rod then he'll spoil her inner child. But Anna Gully cannot afford to invest into her inner child. It makes her weak, fragile, careless. As if she wasn't already. All Fernando can do is whip her, lash her until she straightens her back and learns to carry her load. Every lies he tells her comes with a thorough lesson to be learned. What she takes from it is entirely up to her. Whether it takes her one try or twelve, Fernando will patiently wait until she catches on; he has to. "You are what you make of yourself." It's not the answer she's looking for but he doesn't give two shits what she wants. Her wants are irrelevant. All that matters is that he gives her an answer, a tool to be used to further herself as a person. It might not be the kindest manner Fernando can muster but it'll do; it has to.

[Anna gully]

His answer is anything but satisfying, but she's in no place to protest. Anna simply nods and peeps a word of thanks. She's left to contemplate what she has been offered though, seeing as Fernando is sparing her this moment of peace. While she remains on edge, she can't help but let her mind wander. How is she supposed to make herself anything when she is chained down? Anna cannot do much of anything, when she thinks into it. She only does what he allows her. So she will be what he allows. Nothing. It's not a comforting though. Then again, the man who put it in her head is not a comforting person. Anna feels herself try to shuffle away from him, the pelt underneath them twisting with her movement. He did not order her to move, but she's stupid, careless. "I apologize for acting out."

[FERNANDO SILPH]

And so she apologizes once more, always continuing the next step in their vicious cycle. It's a terrible routine that neither know how to break. They're bound by it, kept in a frightening ignorance as they repeat each action with every coming week. Fernando is nothing but a man lost to repetition and bound to complete the circle every time he sets out to find an escape. Anna can do nothing but follow him shortly after. It is her duty as his right hand, as his property. That's what she is, right? No, she's much more. Anna is... What is she? Anna Gully is nothing but a slave. A slave to her emotion, chained by the unfortunate instincts that drive her. It doesn't matter how much her brain interjects because her instincts overpower her, control her. It renders her to be nothing more than a stubborn mule, one who refuses to plow akin to the Tauros that she was raised to become. Fortunately, Fernando is a merciful farm hand. Where others may see some unfit waste of flesh, he sees much more. He's a resourceful man, an optimistic economist if you will, able to see the value of everything despite what people think otherwise. If there is a purpose for the young, lost Anna, he'll be the one to find it. And he does. She may not be the specimen he desires but even a Tauros who cannot work can still be used as food for the farm. And so there lies in Anna's only purpose in life: to be devoured by someone much greater than herself, to fess up her body and hope he can find some promise in the small morsel that clings to her bones. "But you're not sorry." It's rare to see Fernando bow his head but he doesn't have a choice. There is no option but to concede to the fact that he will never find a delicacy as delectable as Anna. His mouth is beginning to water so he remedies this by nipping at her exposed back, spoiling his appetite with a small snack. But it isn't enough. The aroma of her skin is simply too appetizing for him to pass up. Within moments he succumbs to her allure. The grumbling in his stomach overtakes him. It makes him crazy, proactive, needy in his desire to hunt. Those bruised legs are starting to look dangerously succulent. Anna knows better than to expect an escape from Fernando's sharp claws. She has no choice but to submit herself to her fate and accept that she's on the wrong end of the food chain. He can hear her sobbing while he devours her, each rough kiss causing her to bawl out for help. Her crying is to no avail, no one is there to help her. She's strayed too far from the pack and now the only person who can hear her dismay is the one set to end her. "You're cute," is the only thing she'll be able to make out from loud slurping that is his feasting. He repeats it several times, reminiscent of a Hyena playing with its food. The mocking laugh that comes out is one that hits way too close to home. Again, Anna resorts to weeping, fully well knowing that no one will answer her call. Why does she do it? Fernando can only attribute it to weakness, the herbivore flaw that relies on the pack for the safety of the individual. Fernando, a carnivore, shows no such weakness. It's why he's the one on top, mounting his prized kill so he can enjoy the rest of his meal sprawled out before him. It's why he is the master and she is the slave.

[Anna gully]

Anna Gully is nothing more than a slave. A slave to her emotion, a slave to Fernando. Instinct drives her, but it also causes her to crash, to impale her head, her heart. It doesn't matter how many times her brain screams the directions at her-- she will always take a wrong turn. Such is her nature. Anna Gully is nothing more than mule, stubborn, not too bright. She refuses to plow in the manner or direction she is told. Unfortunately, Fernando is a strict farm hand. One mistake leads to a lashing, another leads to a strict speech on how she should simply follow the orders she was given. She is told she has no value. She is told she is nothing. Anna the mule is only there to keep the farm looking alive. She is only there because the only other option is death, and the farm hand, for some reason, has not found her fit to slaughter. Perhaps she is not the ideal victim-- she lacks the credentials to even be a morsel on a homeless child's paper plate. Her apology is discarded, left to rot for the birds. It will be devoured, such as she will. Anna can only lie and wait for the predator to make his move. Her skin begins to prickle, her fingers feel like ice against her arms. She is scared to look back at him. She soon finds she would not have to. His teeth graze her skin and her eyes widen-- she is surprised, yet she expected his lunge any moment. Anna feels her mind curl up, beginning to stray from her attacker. Her back flexes at his touch, her body responding in the appropriate manner, while her mind is left to run and hide, to cower in its shell. She feels his hands begin to creep upon her hips, to manipulate her body in the way he sees fit. Instinct tells her to cry out-- he has told her to cry out. Any noise she makes is simply another contribution to Fernando's game of cat and mouse, fake or genuine. She whines, she squirms against him. She's an injured deer flailing in the water, attracting the predator with her every essence. The hunter does not hesitate to take his meal with pride. Her body will be riddled with fresh wounds by the end of the night, and her previously-sore muscles only make her cry out with every bit of pain inflicted upon her. Fernando has never been a gentle man, and as many times as he may take his prize, Anna will never be accustomed to his new methods of achieving his goals. His voice registers somewhere in her hideout, leaving Anna to whimper in response. He will have his way with her whether she disagrees or not, and as she feels him begin to truly overpower her she allows her eyes to flicker open, to catch a glimpse of her killer, her conqueror. Her master. If she wished to think of him as merciful, Anna would go as far as to call Fernando her savior. She can feel the pelt underneath them begin to fold and curl with every movement. Anna allows her eyes to trail upon her maker's only for a moment. The brief eye contact, she fears, may show how dead she really is inside. Her body may react, cry, curl, bend, break, even, but Anna Gully had left long ago. She is numb to him, lost within herself, running from him in the only way she truly knows how. Her pupils dart away, leaving her to stare at the fire. Akiro. This is similar to Akiro. It always is. There's nothing to be said. The beast will toy with his meal and then leave it to rot as he always does.