Their time in the eastern lands had worn thin, and as the two did they traveled to their next location. No where ever really felt like home to Duchess, at least not since Indigo and them had branched off into the band. Not even in her time in the Hallows either. She wondered if Noir felt the same. Maybe the two of them could find somewhere soon to put down actual roots. Maybe Noir could have had some closure with his homelands being dissolved. Or maybe it was no closure at all. Even with what she'd call a breakthrough, she wouldn't keep pushing him about it. Only if he wanted to talk about it.

She had left their little makeshift temporary den for the night, or probably longer than that, much earlier than she usually would. She didn't go far, just walked around the woods of the shrine until she met with the mystical pool in the heart of the land here. She had spent a long part of the early morning walking along the old trails and laying here by the runes and barely frozen pool of the shrine. She had a lot on her mind recently, and a part of her didn't even want to bring it up. She knew what was going on with her physically, it was a feeling she'd never forget. But a part of her told herself there was no point in telling Noir the news. She'd end up losing them in the end. And a part of her was scared of how he'd react too.

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

He didn’t think that his dark black heart could let go of the hate and history that bred and bubbled within his heart. However, after his night with Duchess none of the memories had that deep seated oil any longer. He could stop remembering and reliving them for the first time. Maybe he wasn’t experiencing peace, but he had found a higher state of being. One that didn’t have him living in the past any longer.

One would believe moving past the previous events of his life but Noir felt the opposite. He wouldn’t have ever admitted it, but without holding onto that hate the aging man felt old. Noir spent so long obsessing over what happened and how much he hated his family life felt empty. Like his purpose was gone, but had his dark feelings ever really been a purpose? He had been chasing his own pleasure for so long. Did he even have a real purpose?

With these heavier thoughts of his mind, some of them that should have appeared years and years ago, Noir woke alone in the temporary den. Groggily he pulled himself up, wanted nothing more than to lose himself in Duchess but she wasn’t even there. He was becoming addicted to what she could do for him, when he was in the throes of pleasure nothing else mattered and he could forget about the mess that his life had turned into.

He picked himself up and followed Duch’s trail, finding her sitting quietly by the water of the shrine. He approached slowly, trying to decide if he was upset or not about her not being there when he woke up. ”What are you doing out here?” He rumbled deeply, though he wanted his question to have been ‘why did you leave me?’

She didn't flinch at his presence, she wasn't afraid of him. Most of the time. But even in his rough tone she brushed it off. Easy to acknowledge him, harder to say what she needed to. Bright and yet somehow dull eyes looked up towards him, just the smallest of smiles looking back at the waters below. Her eyes squinted slightly just for a few seconds while she was caught in that thought. It would be too soon to tell, she knew. Though, had this been the first time and she knew so early she'd be eager to throw some kind of celebration. Back in the good days that was.  Maybe a part of it was because it was Noir as the father, but mostly it was the thought of losing them again.

She looked back towards him again, her paw lifted from out of the glistening pool and patted down beside her for him to join. In any case, she felt like she had to speak up. "There's something I should tell you." A pause, not too terribly long. It felt like forever for her, but for Noir? Who knew. That may have been more dependent on his mood. Her gaze diverted into the waters, if he was clever enough to notice just how difficult it was for her to say or even accept. "I... am pregnant. I've known for a few days now." She was silent, waiting for his own reaction. But there was little inside her to jump up to that news for him. It was deeper than he may have ever known for her. She wasn't sure what all she wanted to tell him. But she expected these to be just like the last.

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

After their time together Duchess had become accustomed to his presence and showed no fear, but as he drew close there was a dullness in her gaze that never really seemed to disappear. That thought was barely at the back of his mind though, she was here for his own pleasure. Noir didn’t care for her well being nearly as much as his own. Just to keep her alive and in relative health. She requested that he sit beside her and he obliged her, lowering himself to his haunches beside her.

Her voice was soft and almost timid as she started, proclaiming her need to talk to him. Noir couldn’t have predicted what she wanted, his best guess would have been that she was going to finally go off on her own. Noir was getting older now, not that he had ever planned on settling down. He waited on her to spit it out, she was obviously struggling finding the words but the only impatience that could be seen in him was the subtle shifting from paw to paw.

Eventually she did speak and the words were certainly not what he expected. Noir’s eyes widened slightly, and surprise was swiftly overtaken with anger. He showed his teeth but did not snarl or growl. ”How did you let this happen?” He eventually returned beneath his breath.

Her soft and mostly emotionless gaze caught enough of his surprised eyes before finding it hard to look back at him. She wasn't sure what to expect. It could have gone in a million directions. Noir could have wanted to be a father given the circumstances, maybe he would just be fine with it but have no real purpose for them. Or he may have refused them completely. His tone, and words made her believe the worst. She found it easier to look back at him now, though her usually neutral flat tones when they weren't tangled together had changed to a difficult painful look in her eyes. She held her breath and eventually showed a silent quiver before she could say anything else. "I didn't mean to." Just a quick pause, "I'm sorry." Maybe in a time before she would have quickly offered to get rid of them. She wouldn't now though, she expected them to be lost on their own but she wouldn't willingly let them go after all that had happened to her. Noir's or not. She didn't know what would happen next. A sick part of her didn't want to lose him, her constant. A place she found peace and safety in rather than running to the next best. He wasn't everything, but he could be enough for her. But she didn't think she would let him take this from her if he tried.

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

Noir decidedly did not seek nor desire this course for his life. He was older now and he had thought much about where he was. He had no legacy or progeny that he cared to acknowledge, and Duch’s were no different. If he had a choice this never would have happened. Instead thoughts of ending the path where they were right now heavily crossed his mind as the woman realized his own feelings of the matter. She was frightened of his reaction, and her shallow voice offered an apology. Duchess offered no solution, so Noir was going to be forced to take action into his own paws.

He suddenly surged to his feet before she could react he’d aim to bowl her over. If he was successful he’d use his superior size to get her on her back before starting to pummel her belly. Uncaring how much he injured her, his goal was to rid her womb of his spawn. There was no real expression on his face, only a silent determination in his task.

She never could have imagined the way he responded. She thought maybe he'd ask her to get rid of them, or she'd have the chance to run before inducing an abortion if she found the internal strength to. She never thought anyone could be capable of what he began to do to her, not even Draco.

It didn't matter though. She didn't have a chance. Noir would get what he wanted and there was nothing she could do to stop him. She was hit with instant shock as he barreled over her, but as he went to work she started shouting and pleading out. It didn't take her long to shut down, Maybe that made it easier for him. There would be days to follow to know for sure if he had the job done, or if he had to come back. And in the end... it wouldn't stop her from coming home. He was all she had. If he didn't throw her out when the night came she would be there. For her babies, for all of her babies, it was always her fault. Not Noir's, not Indigo's, she was always failing them. She'd try to find comfort in him as sick as it was. But it would never be them same between them again, at least in her mind.

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

Noir attacked her, his massive size leaving no room for her to fight back. Shock took her to begin with, and then as the pain truly set in she began to beg and plead with him. The man was old and set in his ways, and it was possible he never had a shred of empathy to begin with. How his father had tried to bring him to the light but Noir had been rotten to begin with and now even more so and he beat against Duch’s soft underside. He didn’t have to be on the offensive for very long before she completely shut down, knowing anything she did was completely useless. Noir would have his way. He had never grown attached to the woman, and he didn’t try to spare her life either. He wasn’t attached, she had always just been the means to an end.

"Aslatiel Indarra" Everyone had been so worried about her. Everyone was checking on her, babying her, smothering her. Aslatiel, always self sufficient, understood where they were coming from, but gods... she needed a break. So, one evening the blonde fae meandered off, not saying a word to anyone. Perhaps she would go off to die. Perhaps she would return. Either way, she was out in the open and for the first time in a long time, she could breathe. Her paws continued to carry her, steps more like shambles, towards the shrine. She'd always liked the little fish there. It would be nice to see them again. Up ahead, a commotion caught her attention. Grey ears perked and she continued to move forward, galactic eyes open and senses on alert. What she saw was surprising. Never again had she expected to see Duchess. The former hatred that she felt for the woman was no longer there, however. Seeing her being mercilessly beaten... Indigo wouldn't like it. So, Asla picked up her shuffling pace. She was as good as dead anyway, so maybe she could cause enough interference so that Duchess could escape. That was the plan, anyway.

Indigo knew that Aslatiel would have rather he didn’t follow her out of the pack when she went, but he couldn’t help himself. He didn’t want to think about it, but if she came out here to die he wanted to at the very least, carry her body back to Valta. He hated that the thought even crossed his mind as massive paws carried himself after his sister’s trail but there was no denying the truth. She was dying, and nothing he did could change that fact.

He felt like he was counting down the minutes, like any day he was going to face the inevitable. It was a horrible existence, and he knew however terrible he felt, so did his sister. Did she crave the end after wasting away like this? He shook the tears from his eyes as he went on, keeping far enough behind Aslatiel she wouldn’t be offended by his presence, at least until he heard commotion up ahead.

Indy rushed forward, no thoughts but keeping Asla safe when his blue eyes found the scene unfolding. Surprise and confusion overtook him for a single moment as he realized what he was looking at. Duchess was curled, soothing injuries as a dark man was turning his fierce attention to Aslatiel. Indigo’s brain didn’t lag much longer as he acted without even thinking. Like a purple blur he moved swiftly to intersect the man, keeping him from touching Aslatiel. The emotions that had built up inside him were unleashed, his frustration and despair at not being able to help Asla.

He went blind with rage, and unseeing and unfeeling he attacked the blue marked man, and however ferociously he attacked he was not immune to the defense. Blood splattered everywhere, he didn’t know if it was his or the offenders as time went on. His mane was covered, wounds opened, but eventually everything was stilled an silenced. Breathing hard, Indigo stood victorious over the stilled body.

"Indigo Fatalis"

As the moments passed she went numb. Not just to the physical pain Noir inflicted on her, but she was wholly dissociating from herself. Like she was a ghost outside her body watching herself get beat to death. Nothing mattered anymore. This was her end whether she knew it or not. Her life flashing through her eyes she supposed. Everything wrong she had ever done. This was everything she deserved. She had accepted this fate long ago, she just never imagined it would end like this.

It was like she was in a whole other void, not conscious to anything, but the next thing she knew she was opening her eyes to her most surprising noble sacrifice. She barely remembered her, but she did know it was Aslatiel. The last wolf on this earth she would imagine throwing herself between Duch and her abuser. She couldn't move, she couldn't do anything. Paralyzed by shock or just the pure acceptance of what was happening to her. Her breath was shallow and she laid there nearly lifeless, just watching as everything played out. Still a ghost inside her body.

She'd see as Indigo rushed in, tearing into Noir until there was nothing left of him to fight. How she found herself in this situation twice she would never know. She couldn't cry out, she couldn't plead for him to stop. But tears fell down her face as every other part of her laid there limp. A harsh part of her wondered if Asla and Indy would still leave her here to die, the way it was meant to be. She was worthless to everyone, and she was ready to give up.

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

Time seemed to slow as Asla placed herself between Duchess and her attacker. Teeth were bared and razor sharp feline claws protruded from each toe. The blonde fae set her defenses, ready to give it her all, but it seemed as though it was entirely unnecessary. A massive, royal purple form flew over her head, colliding with the other man. So confident was she in Indigo's abilities that she turned her attention away from him completely.

Duchess seemed to be in shock, not moving even when Asla shook her. Okay then... round two. The fawn colored fae bit into the scruff of the purple woman and began dragging her away from the fray. The sounds of battle and death echoed behind them as Asla drug Duch to the other side of the pool; the little, glowing fish within swimming to the edge to investigate. That was as far as she could drag the other woman before her strength gave out.

Dropping the purple fae, Asla dropped as well, forelegs hanging over the edge of the pool, toe-tips dipped within. She panted harshly, galactic eyes open wide as the little fish congregated, giving gentle butts with their heads. It was hard to breathe for a moment and little stars swam before her eyes much like the fish below, but things soon started righting themselves and, by the time Noir was dead, Asla was okay once more.

Casting her gaze towards the battered fae beside her, Asla spoke low, making sure that the woman could hear her. "We need to talk."

"Aslatiel"