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Troy dismissed his men to their pre-assigned posts before climbing the final set of stairs into the palace of Obel. The island had wisely, yet mysteriously, surrendered without a fight. His troops had encountered nearly no resistance. Preliminary reports gave a possible explanation for this odd phenomenon- the king seemed to have escaped prior to their arrival, leaving his daughter and one fat official to run the country.
Troy paused among the fountains in the square. The clear water sparkled in the midday sun. He could almost imagine the sound of wind chimes tinkling in the distance. It was a perfect picture of summer. Perhaps the princess of Obel could sweeten the deal by giving him the answers he sought.
Inside, his subordinate waited, leading him to the throne room, where Flare and Setsu, their wrists bound behind their backs, awaited his judgment. Flare's calm face showed only the willingness to wait. Setsu seemed fidgety and annoyed. "Take him away. Then leave the two of us alone," Troy commanded.
Setsu protested his separation from the princess, but it was useless. The old man might be more easily made to talk, but Flare was more likely to have the information he wanted. Besides that, his best methods were generally more effective on women.
The room was cleared, and Troy advanced on his prey. Flare sat awkwardly on the step, leaning back slightly against her bound hands. "You can do this the hard way or you can do this the easy way," the Kooluk leader coaxed.
"I suppose you prefer the hard way," Flare snarled bravely.
"No," Troy shook his head. His honeyed words rolled softly off his tongue, "I prefer the hard way." He knelt down on the floor before her, gazing directly into her eyes. His own dark orbs held an enchanting sparkle, like the reflection of the moon over the night sea. "Where is your father? Why did you surrender Obel so easily?"
Flare's lips stayed tightly shut and she closed her eyes, turning her head haughtily away from him. Troy was undeterred by this lack of response and moved onward into a more active part of his plan, unbuttoning her bright red blouse. Flare's eyes snapped open. This was not what she had expected, but she supposed she shouldn't have put it past the arrogant pig. She'd see to it that he was punished in the ed. If he raped her, she'd manage to return the favor with a few well-placed arrows through the chest.
However, Troy made no attempt to rape her. He gazed intently at her bare breasts for some time before beginning to fondle them. Flare sat still in shock. It was certainly a bizarre and creepy thing for a Kooluk invader to do, but she had never been touched like this before...and it felt a little good. Troy's sturdy fingers pressed and caressed her skin, rubbing her growing nipples and areolas.
Flare drew in a deep, sudden breath and held it until releasing the air in small gasp as Troy leaned his head in close to lick her breast. His tongue swirled around her nipple.
"Ah!" she let out the tiniest sound. Despite herself, the princess was experiencing pleasure at the hands- and tongue- of her enemy.
As Troy carefully re-buttoned her shirt, she found herself inexplicably wishing for more. He had stirred up her senses and awoken her previously submerged sexual drive, but given her no real release. She hadn't told him anything in the end, but could this be some sort of devious interrogation technique? She did not speak of it to Setsu when they were reunited. There was no way he'd understand.
When Troy had her brought before him the next week, he had her wrists bound back again. He removed his armor and his short before ministering again to her breasts. He asked seemingly innocuous questions as his hands touched and teased her and Flare could not keep herself from answering, for as she divulged her secrets, he delved further, holding her against him, bare skin to bare skin, and began to kiss her neck, her cheek, her lips.
Flare quickly spoke of her father's way and activities, her childhood, the defenses and fortifications of the island... Troy nibbled at her ear and murmured appreciative whispers to her. If her hands were not restrained, it might have been infatuation, not interrogation. But as soon as he reached a topic she had vowed to keep secret- her father's plans while he traveled with Lazlo- Troy stopped, leaving her unsatisfied. It was frustrating and strange to be brought so far and then left waiting.
After some time, Troy called for her again, hands bound as usual. "I'm coming to think I have no use for you," the Kooluk captain frowned. "This may be my final attempt at using pleasure. You've turned out to be as hard a nut to crack as you promised."
Flare looked up at him, her eyes wide with worry. Somehow, she felt a tinge of regret that their intimate encounters might end like this. She couldn't say that she loved him- they didn't really know each other in that sort of way- but there was definitely a feeling of lust on her part.
Troy touched her chest gently, pushing her back from her knees to sit on her bottom. "Nothing to say, hmm?" he mused aloud, moving to unbutton her tight knee pants. His touch on her bare hips as he pulled the down was spine-tingling to Flare. He must have known that it was meaningful- the way she barely fought or struggled against his touch anymore.
Suddenly, Troy blushed as well. The sigh of those pink panties halted his militant advance. For all her acquiescence to his caresses, she was still quite young, and in all likelihood a virgin as well. Pink panties- what an expression of maidenhood. He overcame his awe and she cringed away as he pulled them back, tenderly delving in with his thick fingers before turning to his tongue.
She had never heard of the things he did with that treacherous tongue of his, nor had she ever imagined that a tongue could be put to such creative use. "I-ah, Troy," she gasped.
His dark eyes darted up to meet hers.
"Don't stop. I- I like you."
He stopped, but not immediately. "So you'll talk?" he queried. Flare was a little frustrated with his coldly business-like demeanor in this situation.
"I..." How could she give them away...? She would be breaking her vow to her father... But she didn't want to be taunted any longer... Perhaps if she spoke she could truly get to know Troy, to speak with him, to love him... Even change his mind. Unlikely as it was, what a powerful ally he would make for Obel. With Troy's expertise on their side, the war would quickly be decided in their favor.
"Forgive me," she thought of Lazlo and her father. "I'll talk," she declared, "Just untie me."
Troy smiled a little and untied her wrists. Flare launched herself on him, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him with all the passion she could muster. She pulled away and blushed, what innocence she had left shining through her red face. "I'll tell you everything. And please tell me everything as well."
"So," he gazed at her honest face, "You are my willing captive."
"Yes, I am," she sighed with regret and longing.
-----
Flare stood on the deck of the Dauntless, watching the way the ship cut through the waves. It was a clear day and the ship was quiet.
Looking back, she still wasn't sure she could, in all sincerity, call it love. ...But what else had she felt, all those nights they had talked and all those days they had met, a prisoner carefully escorted to the side of her jailer? It was the first she had ever learned of passionate, physical, romantic love. And the things she had told him- they had been worth every moment of it. In the end, Lazlo's tireless work had rendered many of the plans she knew of obsolete. Troy had been unable to use any of the information to defeat the fleet.
The princess stared into the sea. The voyage home was proving uneventful. The water was dark and enigmatic, hiding its unknown secrets deep in its death. The sea had stolen Troy from the rescuing embrace of her arms- no, that wasn't exactly true. Troy had given himself up to the sea willingly. Why did he accept death so easily? It was not as though Kooluk was destroyed. Didn't he see anything to live for?
Her stomach churned uneasily. She had never been seasick in the past, and now, on such a calm morning? After all their months together, she might be- she couldn't be. It was a ridiculous thought.
Flare was trying to be restrained about the whole ordeal with Troy. She hadn't told her father the details yet. She had a feeling he would be frightfully enraged but at no one in particular since there was no way to give Troy a piece of his mind anymore. And it would be embarrassing. No one would understand.
A single tear rolled down her cheek. She would never see him again. After all the time they had spent getting to know each other. ...And they had been getting by so wonderfully in the end...
Flare breathed deeply, trying to hold back the ocean of tears that could be unleashed if she allowed herself anymore sorrowful reminiscing.
It seemed that she had been bound the whole time. Her hands were only freed once her heart was tied.