The candles had burned low, casting a warm, flickering glow across the tangled sheets. Teressa slept soundly on Eon's right, her body curled against him like she finally felt safe, her soft breaths steady after everything he'd put her through.
On his left, Carla pressed close, her head resting on his chest, fingers drawing lazy circles over his skin. Both women were completely worn out, limbs heavy and relaxed from the intense hours they'd shared.
Even though the women beside him collapsed, his High Elf blood, even weakened from years of neglect, kept him alert and buzzing with energy. Satisfying two passionate women back-to-back felt almost effortless to him.
He glanced down at Teressa's peaceful face, so innocent in sleep, and a confusing mix of feelings hit him. Without thinking, he muttered under his breath, "How can someone who looks this innocent keep so many elves locked up downstairs? It just... doesn't add up."
Carla shifted beside him, her voice became sharp but tired. "What the hell, Eon? What are you talking about? It's not like she wants you down there. You make it sound like you don't know anything."
Eon froze, his heart skipping. Shit, he'd forgotten she was still awake. "Uh, nothing. Just thinking out loud."
She propped herself up on one elbow, looking at him with narrowed eyes. The sheet slipped down a bit, exposing her shoulder, and she didn't bother fixing it. "No, really. Why say something like that? Don't you remember what she's been through? It's not fair to judge her for keeping slaves when she fought tooth and nail to make things better for all of you."
Eon rubbed the back of his neck, buying time. Damn, he'd slipped up. Memory loss excuse again? No, that trick might not work this time. She'd see right through it. "Look, I didn't mean it like that. It's just... seeing her like this, all soft and vulnerable. Doesn't match the image of the big lady running this place, with elves chained up right under her feet. That's all."
Carla's expression softened a little, but she wasn't letting it go. She traced a finger down his chest, almost absentmindedly, her touch was light and warm. "It's more complicated than that. You know that too. She was basically sold here, right? Imagine political marriage when she was just ten. Low-born barons for parents, with barely nobility, she came here, and everyone treated her like an outsider i heard. But she never broke. Learned to be the perfect lady through hard work, held her head high no matter what."
Eon stayed quiet, letting her talk. Teressa murmured something in her sleep and snuggled closer, her hand resting on his stomach. It felt... protective, somehow.
"Why did you stop, go on. Tell me more."
Carla pressed her eyes together at him, "but you know her story better than me. You were in this house much longer than me. Why do you want to hear it from me? Dont you know it better than me? I just heard it, but you were here."
"Well, It's not that i stay up on the house, right? I stay on the underground. I might have missed something, you know." He pressed his bearded mouth on her face after saying that, tickling her and forcing her to speak.
Carla giggled as she moved her face from his prickly beard, "Okay, okay i am saying. Stop it, okay." she went on saying, with her voice dropping lower, "When she was fifteen, the count finally saw her as a wife. Things were good for a while. He was crazy about her, wouldn't look at anyone else, even when she was pregnant with Julius."
She paused for a while, "But after the kid was born? Poof. Gone. Stopped caring. Started bringing women home, right in their own bed."
She paused, her fingers stopping their tracing. Eon reached up, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Sounds rough."
"Rough?" Carla scoffed, but there was no bite in it. She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his collarbone, like she needed the contact. "She caught him once and asked why. He laughed in her face. Told her to get a lover if it bothered her so much, or he'd send her back to her family. Her smile just... died after that i heard. She turned into a ghost in her own house."
Eon felt a pang of something, pity, maybe. Teressa's grip tightened on him in her sleep, like she sensed the conversation.
Carla continued, her hand sliding lower, teasing his skin as she talked. "Years went by. He got worse, maids, servants, no one was safe. She tried confronting him again. Same crap answer."
Eon nodded slowly. "And just then the elves slaves came in i pressume?"
"Yes, When the war ended and you all showed up... she saw a chance for something different. Curiosity, I guess. But the count took over, threw everyone in the dungeon, treated them like worse than dogs. She fought him on it, hard. Wanted better for you all. And i guess you all know the rest better than me."
"And he punished her," Eon said quietly, piecing it together.
Carla's eyes darkened. She shifted closer, her leg draping over his, warm and intimate. "Count locked her away in this wing. Only me for company most days. He brought in concubines, let one take over the house. While Countess Teressa rotted here, everything fell apart, debts piling up because the count spent like an idiot i guess."
She kissed his neck lightly, her breath was hot against his skin. "When he finally gave her control back, she saved what she could. Sold everything, land, jewels, to pay debts. But she refused to sell any elves, even when it would've lightened the load on her. Knew you'd end up with worse masters than this house. She's not the monster here, Eon, you all know that. So dont blame her for your misfortune. She's just... trapped."
She looked up at him, her eyes were shiny. "So yeah, she's got elves in the dungeon. But she's not the one who put you there, you got it? And she's done everything she could to make it less hell without losing what little she has left."
Eon held her gaze, guilt mixing with understanding. He cupped her face, pulling her into a slow, deep kiss, tender this time, not hungry. When they broke apart, he whispered, "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to badmouth her. Just... seeing her like this, it's hard to match with everything downstairs."
Carla smiled faintly, settling back against him. "She's dear to me too. More than you know. Just... don't judge her without thinking about her own position in this house, okay?"
"Yeah," he murmured, stroking her hair as Teressa sighed in her sleep. "I get it now."
But in his mind, plans were already shifting. Teressa wasn't the enemy, he'd seen that tonight. Trapped, broken, but still fighting in her way. Carla too, caught in the mess.
This house was rotten, but maybe he could change that. The revenge he wanted to pursue for the elves down below felt a little more complicated than he thought. And a little more personal now.
Author Note: If anyone can guess the next potion Eon is going to create, I will personally give a special gift to that reader. Be sure to comment on your guess.
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