Private Tales Dead Deals

[Maxine Steelborne]

“D-don’t..” Maxine muttered weakly. Her right hand moving and clasping the queen wrist in light resistance as she combed her fingers through her long raven hair. It feel away limply as Maxines mouth hung open in half awake protest.

This allowed the queen easy access to accomplish her task. Maxine pulled into the kiss at first before suddenly trying to pull away as Alexandria began to breath more has into her lungs.

She whimpered before her glowing eyes rolled back in her head leaving twin glowing orbs. “Your will is my will..” S

“I..I was tired from the road and fell asleep?” She said for a moment when she came to.

Her eyes still glowing that bright, ghastly green. “Your..going to help me..” She struggled with the thoughts as she blinked a few times and the glow dimmed.

“W..What’s wrong?” She asked. An odd question but her head was still swimming slightly. Why did she care what was wrong? But despite the internal conflict raged she couldn’t fight the feeling that she felt better about the queen. She wanted her near even now though the feeling was hidden under her subconscious leaving it to simply be an uncomfortable feeling seeing her at any distance that wasn’t within reach. What was wrong with her..

It was odd but her brain was slowly filling in the blanks with guesses and slowly eased its self into calm.

“I didn’t think you one to pace.” She continued her tone less airy and slurred sounding more grounded and firm.

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

The physician helped her sit up in the chair and handed her a glass of water before he started packing up his kit.

“W..What’s wrong?”

The physician responded, "It appears you're suffering from a server case of exhaustion. You fell unconscious while in a meeting with Queen Viacian."
He put away his herbs and potions.
"I recommend plenty of rest and staying hydrated."
He stood up and bowed to Alexandria before taking his leave.

“I didn’t think you one to pace.”

Up till this point Alexandria had kept her face turned away, arms crossed, but now she looked at Maxine with a look that was a combination of fury and worry.
"Yes... I don't... But when my new head of security collapses in front of me after I've been dealing with assassination attempts and civil unrest for weeks!"
Her voice was growing louder with each word but then she stopped and took a deep breath to calm her rising hysterics.
"I was understandably worried, Captain Steelborne. If the leader of the Steel Legion cannot even take care of herself then..."
She shook her head slowly, tears standing in her eyes.
"... I'd be right back where I started... I thought you could have been poisoned!"

 

[Maxine Steelborne]

“I-I can over do it at times.” Maxine said standing quickly seeing her queen distressed...Her queen?.. She shoved the thought aside for a moment. “It must have been all of the trips back and forth from the old guild hall. I assure you my behavior does not reflect the steel legion.”

She said approaching her and getting a bit closer than she had in the past. The subtle changes went ignored by her brain, but held in them change nevertheless.

“I have never done such a thing before..Im sorry for worrying you.” She finished awkwardly. She didn’t know what to say really. This was simply so not like her, but she had risked so much already she couldn’t have the queen getting cold feet about their ability to serve.

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

“I-I can over do it at times.” Maxine said standing quickly seeing her queen distressed...Her queen?.. She shoved the thought aside for a moment. “It must have been all of the trips back and forth from the old guild hall. I assure you my behavior does not reflect the steel legion.”

This wasn't ideal, Alexandria didn't want to force Maxine to do her bidding, it would have been better and a greater accomplishment if she could have convinced the Steel Legion without coercion or manipulation. While using this magic was a way of subconsciously changing her desires and making Maxine WANT to do things for Alexandria of her own freewill, it still subverted the fact that Maxine was impurely loyal and if she were ever to break free everything would have been for nothing.

But that was Alexandria's pride at play. She couldn't stand the woman looking down on her as someone inferior... Lesser... A former whore slave. Maxine needed to learn obedience, and now through her the Steel Legion would learn it as well... This wasn't the direction she wanted to take this, but now she was committed and she couldn't turn back.
Perhaps once her spy master returned he could complete the brainwashing process to become more permanent.

“I have never done such a thing before..Im sorry for worrying you.”

She looked up at her fiercely, "You DID worry me, Grandmaster. But enough of that..."
She walked past Maxine to sit in her chair once again, crossing her legs and leaning against the arm like she did before.
"... Let's try again. You were expressing your concerns about the other Grandmasters not being very supportive. You were saying that this might have been a mistake?"

 

[Maxine Steelborne]

“Why..” Maxine blinked. Her mind struggling to process conflicting thoughts.

It made sense...She would say that...But it felt so....Wrong..Why would it be a mistake? Alexandria had helped her so much...Done so much for her legion...Her family.. “I mis spoke.” She said finally

“But not about the others support. They may pose a threat if we push them to hard to join us.” She turned and paced a bit.

“The legions weaponry and man power is spread across our four guilds. Ronin will support me but the others resent how the west once ruled.

They respect my title and position in name and ceremony only..” Maxine finished. Barely revisiting the urge she suddenly felt to kneel at at Alexandrias feet.

What was wrong with her..She must truly be exhausted...

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

“I misspoke.”

Alexandria nodded, giving her a shred of approval, "Good."

“But not about the others support. They may pose a threat if we push them too hard to join us.” She turned and paced a bit.

“The legions weaponry and man power is spread across our four guilds. Ronin will support me but the others resent how the west once ruled.
They respect my title and position in name and ceremony only..”

Alexandria was thoughtful at this for a moment, "Our support will certainly aid you with your equipment rationing. That may have to suffice until the other guilds change their opinions of us. This chapter of The Steel Legion is sufficient for my needs but if we can bring in the rest of the guild it would only benefit everyone involved. I leave the other guilds to you, Captain Steelborne."

She could still see Maxine's internal conflict still raging within her. Perhaps it was time to let her relax and distract her thoughts a bit. She smiled as she addressed the leader of The Steel Legion
"You've done well, Maxine. I am grateful that you've come to me in my time of need. I assure you that you've made the right choice."
She stood up from her chair and gently caught Maxine by the wrist. She tugged her gently towards her chair again.
"You're still tired from the road, please sit down, rest before you pass out again."
She wouldn't take no for an answer and would seat Maxine down in the plush chair before moving around behind her and placing her hands gently on her shoulders.
"It's said that a ruler should have the hands of a healer. I'm not a skilled practicioner of medicine but perhaps you'd let me give you some comfort, help you relax into your new role as military commander of Ravencrest."
She leaned down to whisper in her ear, "It would be my pleasure."

 

[Maxine Steelborne]

“I am not your..captain..” She began before her eyes unfocused once more.

Caught by the wrist and led to the queens chair with no regard for her opinion on the matter.

Feeling her hands on her shoulders..

It had been so long sense she had felt a commanding yet, soothing touch. The brain washing had not bent her will she was not controlled by the woman. It simply eroded her misgivings.

“I-I’m fine really I..” She shivered as the queen whispered in her ear. “I..” She tried valiantly to struggle mentally but her desire and the queens power was too great.

“Please...My queen...” She finished her shoulders relaxing at her touch. Her voice finally breaking to the longing she had been hiding.

“My thoughts have been on you more frequently..” She admitted despite herself. “I would very much enjoy any comfort you are willing to provide me..” She whispered back. The years of stress and strain finally aiding the brainwashing to take even further effect. Maxine would fight a dragon bare knuckled for this woman of it meant she could have her approval and her touch. Maxine had never had many lovers.

Her personality too dominant.

Her skill to intimidating.

Her prowess humiliated men that had thought themselves the head of their relationship.

But now she had someone who could finally take the weight from her shoulders..It felt so..Freeing.

Her eyes remained clear and untainted. These were her own words. The magic simply dragging them out from behind her facades.

She paused before standing with a jolt. Her sword drawn.

Seconds after the door crashed open.

The commander of a part of the mercenary company that had been released as the steel legion moved in.

“You bitch!” He yelled a small detail following in his wake.

“We had an agreement! I will not stand by and be cut out of this deal by some tough looking grandma with a big sword! You need us to protect you.” He paused. Drawing his sword with a grin: “from enemies and from becoming one of ours.” Maxine glanced at Alexandria. “I was willing to hear him out until he drew his sword weren’t you?” She mused. An eyebrow arching as she seemed to almost vanish.

Her fist flashing in a viscous arc snapping the mans head back so far it nearly snapped it off completely. She turned away as the guard detail recovered from their shock and began to rush her. Raising a simple fist in the air before dropping it. Black steel slaughtered the skilled detail in seconds.

A quick volley of crossbow bolts from the shadows peppered the men and women before they brought out their daggers and short swords. Finishing off those still able to fight.

“Apologies..I had a feeling about him..” Maxine said with a cold blank stare meeting her queens eyes. Unwavering.

“His other soldiers will be rolled into the steel legion if they survive the training and prove loyalty. If not. No loss.” She spat. Her cold, unfeeling eyes meeting Alexandria. She had made Maxine her captain. But what was that unleashing.

By removing her reservation she had allowed Maxine to come to embrace her darker side. What she had been running from her whole life. The Raven Queen and the Grandmaster were no longer on opposite sides of the coin.

They were now indeed almost the same. With the exception of one thing. Maxine wasn’t the top of the food chain and unlike her queen she had no desire to be.

 

[Alexandria Viacian]

“I am not your..captain..” She began before her eyes unfocused once more.

Caught by the wrist and led to the queens chair with no regard for her opinion on the matter.

Feeling her hands on her shoulders..

It had been so long sense she had felt a commanding yet, soothing touch. The brain washing had not bent her will she was not controlled by the woman. It simply eroded her misgivings.

Just a last few bits of resistance...

“I-I’m fine really I..” She shivered as the queen whispered in her ear. “I..” She tried valiantly to struggle mentally but her desire and the queens power was too great.

“Please...My queen...” She finished her shoulders relaxing at her touch. Her voice finally breaking to the longing she had been hiding.

That was more like it.
Alexandria firmly applied her fingers to Maxine's hard muscles with just a touch of magic to aid in loosening the knots and tension. She kneaded and massaged her shoulders with an expert touch... Though she ruefully reflected that this was a skill she learned as a slave to pleasure her masters and mistresses... But now that the roles were reversed she actually enjoyed the power she felt being able to make this woman melt in her hands.

“My thoughts have been on you more frequently..” She admitted despite herself. “I would very much enjoy any comfort you are willing to provide me..”

She moved her hair to the side and worked her fingers on her neck. She smiled at her words, "Oh? How bold of you, Grandmaster Steelborne. Where do your thoughts lead when you think of me?"
She soothed her hands over her skin, her fingertips dipping past the collar of her shirt as she reached for more tensions to soothe... But suddenly Maxine had broken free and was on her feet with sword in hand.
With shock Alexandria thought that the grandmaster had broken free of her spell but then the door smashed open and the dismissed mercenary captain barged into the room.

“You bitch!” He yelled, a small detail following in his wake.

“We had an agreement! I will not stand by and be cut out of this deal by some tough looking grandma with a big sword! You need us to protect you.” He paused. Drawing his sword with a grin: “from enemies and from becoming one of ours.”

Her expression grew cold and murderous... The audacity to so openly defy her after he'd been dismissed from his service to her... And then to draw a sword on her?!
It was Maxine's words that brought her back to reality...

“I was willing to hear him out until he drew his sword weren’t you?”

That was right... She wasn't alone... It was no longer up to her to deal with every dangerous situation. Her glare turned into a wicked smile.
"Indeed, Grandmaster Steelborne. Show him the error of his ways."
She was calm now and took her seat again, assured of her safety.
Maxine was a barely visible blur as she instantly snuffed out the other captain.
Then she was pleased to watch as the rest of his men were also dispatched with deadly efficiency by the Black Steel.

“Apologies..I had a feeling about him..” Maxine said with a cold blank stare meeting her queens eyes. Unwavering.

“His other soldiers will be rolled into the steel legion if they survive the training and prove loyalty. If not. No loss.”

Alexandria met her gaze with barely contained pleasure... This was the deadly Steel Legion she'd heard legends about... Now at her beck and call.
But she visibly swallowed her glee and turned up her nose, putting on a dissatisfied air.
"There's only one thing you need to apologize for, Grandmaster Steelborne... His crime demanded a far longer death. But I forgive you, this proves to me the efficiency of your guild and I am pleased."
She smiled again and stood up. She walked towards the broken body of the dead captain, her pale thigh vanishing and appearing through the slit in her dress with every step.
She stepped barefoot in the blood that pooled around him as she regarded the unnatural angle of his neck. She looked back at Maxine... The older woman now loyal to her was perfect, a killing machine and that's what she wanted and needed... With a cold hearted Steel Legion she could finally begin to expand her borders.