Maddening Compulsion (Salem) [completed]

[Razielle Alastor]

A rather tipsy vision, enfolded in layers of white silk, swayed down the halls of the palace. Princess Razielle, listed from one side of the hall to the other, making her way with measured footsteps to her bedroom. Various pieces of furniture, here and there, holding her upright. She had held her own up until this point. Her inebriation not even showing. She had bid her good night to her Queen, and graciously denying an escort, tried to remember which door was her's.

Stopping to pull off her heeled dancing shoes, Razielle sighed. She hadn't danced like that in years. Having been through many similar debacles before, they usually bored her to tears. But this one had been her own creation. Every.. last... detail. It had gone rather splendidly. She grinned down at the fishnet hose that had been concealed beneath her ball gown.

Not to mention the fact that she had shown Salem Ave exactly what he was missing by remaining cold as a corpse.. She would have traded her fortune to have read his face, behind his mask, at her antics. She knew she'd be in trouble with her Master. Callidus would have her punished, she was sure. But he would just have to wait, Anxia was not home right now. Just Razielle. The girl who had worshipped him for two years. Well she was done with worship. She was tired of being set aside like a bothersome pet.

She passed a servant returning bottles of wine to the cellars. Yanking a bottle out from his carrying basket, Razielle slurred an apology as she passed. "Might I borrow this? Thanks!" She waved and finally arrived at the correct door.

Stepping in, she immediately locked the door. Something she hadn't done since her arrival, just in case. But he never came, except on business. Popping open the bottle she took a lengthy gulp of the sweet red wine.

[Salem Ave]

Salem Ave was not a wrathful man. He was not angered easily, not even by those things that typically drove his species – the Arkanians – to distraction; specifically, a lack of self control and ill-manners. Trying to vex the Queen's adviser was a futile goal, yet one woman had managed it.

With the masked ball winding down to an end, the guests began to depart – the last among them to leave being the royal court themselves. Salem graciously thanked and shook hands with those departing, some stumbling from intoxication yet all pleased as punched that they'd come. The night was considered a huge success, a triumph for the Royal Princess. Yet, there were some murmurs, some mentions of one oddity that had marked the evening.

Stalking through the Palace halls, this was the only thing on Salem Ave's mind. Though she had been disguised at the time, Razielle had – whether intentionally or not – used the Force in the presence of hundreds of party goers. Not all of them had seen it, or noticed it, but some had and that was enough. All it took was one, one suspicious mind, to plant a seed of uncertainty in scores of others.

Arriving at last, Salem knocked hard on the locked door before him. He still wore his costume, and in the dim light of the hallway his death mask seemed almost luminous, his white eyes burning beneath it.

[Razielle Alastor]

When the knock came, she had been in the bothersome process of attempting to reach the tiny buttons at the back of her gown. She had only suceeded in turning around in circles. With a small growl of irritation, she yanked the buttons free and they rolled across her room, like tiny pearls.

Then the knock...

Raziellle didn't need to ask who it was. She knew. She also knew that if the door had been unlocked, she likely would not have been given the courtesy of a knock. For a long second she froze, not really knowing what to do. She really hadn't expected him this soon. He must be very...very.. unhappy with her.

Too damn bad.

Letting the gown slip from her shoulders to the floor, she stepped out and tossed the silly thing in a corner. What to do..? What to do...? She could attempt a snore, maybe he would believe she was asleep? No, indeed. He knew full well she was awake and paused just on the other side of the door.

With a sigh of resignation, Razielle simplly unlocked the door and walked away. Heedless of the fact that she was still walking as one who thought the floor might suddenly vanish. Without turning, she heard the door open and she shook the bottle a bit.

"Hello, Mr. Ave. A pleasure to see you, at this hour. Drink..?"

[Salem Ave]

The door clicked closed behind Salem, the lock turning itself without the aid of a key. The bottle in Razielle's hand began to warm, slowly, subtly.

“Haven't you had enough to drink?”

[Razielle Alastor]

Razielle spun around, just a tad too fast, wobbling a bit. Setting the bottle down on her vanity, she looked at it askance, as if she didn't understand why a bottle should toast up like a bun.

"Not at all.. I'm still standing." She caught her reflection in the mirror, clinging to the dainty chair. "well....sort of."

She pulled the diamonds from her ears and tossed them, negligently, next to the bottle. "So.. you didn't come for a drink.." She paused and tapped her finger against her lips in thought.. "I know you haven't come bent on seduction. So that would leave the third option. You've come to punish me, naughty girl that I am.."

She burst out laughing and walked right passed him into her closet, swatting about in the dark for a dressing robe. Tonight, she didn't feel like parading about for him. Calling out from the darkened closet, somewhat sarcastically.. she took the liberty of thwarting his plans, well she hoped she did.

"I should advise you, if you have something you want to stick in my head as a punishment, it may behoove you to wait until after breakfast. I doubt I'll remember anything you say now..." She was met with silence.. Not good.

Modestly tied into a violet dressing gown, she padded out barefoot and gave a peek around, suspiciously..

[Salem Ave]

She was acting like a child, but that was to be expected. She was a Princess, doubtlessly spoilt and so used to getting exactly what she wanted. "What is all of this in aid of? What do you hope to achieve?"

[Razielle Alastor]

Plopping on her bed, she fairly beat the hell out of her pillows getting them exactly as she liked them. "Achieve..? Well, I suppose that my thought for this evening would be to drink myself stupid and fall asleep. "

She really didn't care if it was warm. She was considering going after that bottle again.. Honestly, she really hadn't had all that much to drink. It was not a vice of her's to get this way. She just simply had not elected to stop, it was such a nice feeling.

"Why..? What are your plans for the remainder of the wee hours, Salem..?"

[Salem Ave]

The wine had begun to bubble, almost audibly. The liquid inside the bottle was heating up, slowly coming to a boil, as wisps of steam drifted from the neck. "Do you have any memory of what you did, how you endangered us both?"�

[Razielle Alastor]

Eyeing the bottle she wondered if she'd mistakenly grabbed self-mulling wine..? She was about to ask Salem his thoughts on the subject, but thought better of it. Oh my.. how grim! She was clearly suicidal, but not quite done provoking him, just yet.

Razielle slid out of her bed, now suddenly quite steady on her feet. She walked slowly over to him. "I recall, quite clearly. Adraudia was in trouble. I had a choice. I could have let the ruffians accosting her tear her mask off and reveal her, or I could choose action. I chose to act... and was back in my ball gown and escorting the Queen to her room, before anyone knew where the lady in black had gotten to. "

Holding up a hand to signal that she knew what he would say next, she continued. "Yes, we had absolutely no business moving forth with the charade. I can only speak the truth on that matter. My intentions were completely dishonorable and selfish. I knew that before I did it. "

Stopping just before her Master, she slid a hand into the lapel of his coat and pulled out a studded black garter. "My turn. Why do you think I bothered to unlock my door, knowing full well if you wanted to, you could enter?"

[Salem Ave]

"Evidently the state you're in isn't conducive to sane and logical thinking."� Salem paused, as he heard a member of the Palace staff passing by, pushing a cart of leftovers. "Do you honestly believe that maintaining your charade was more important than maintaining our secrecy? The ramifications of our being discovered would be far greater than the slap on the wrist you'd both receive for being unmasked."

[Razielle Alastor]

"Speculation! Nothing more! So a drunken jerk fell backward, seemingly as a result of a lady in black yelling at him to 'back off'. He might have fallen anyways."

She folded her arms across her chest in a displeased manner, which was completely absurd, given the circumstances. "Do you know what your problem is? It wasn't you who did it, otherwise there would be a grand and elaborate reason for the error. You are failing to see that it could work to our advantage. Anyone else Force sensitive enough to know what I did, will now be looking for the lady. We could use that.. Observe who is being more guarded now and seek them out first.."

Raising her arms above her head, Razielle gave a cat-like stretch. "But in anycase, you are evading the question. Why I let you in, knowing it was nothing more than a show of obidience...?"

"I'll tell you.. Because, you've always had my obidience, my loyalty, my soul. That was a given from the day I met you. But did you never stop to think what else I would give you..? Did it never occur to you that you could have more from me than a mere servant? Someone to do your bidding, without question?"

"No.. I suppose not."

[Salem Ave]

"Go to sleep, Razielle." Salem turned away. He wouldn't argue with her drunken ramblings, it was undignified. "We will speak in the morning... when you are of a more sound mind."

[Razielle Alastor]

There it was! The tactful retreat. She should have known he wouldn't rise to the occaision. Shaking her head, she was just incredulous. She was going to have to learn to be an automaton for him or just simply go insane.

Coward..

Walking over to her vanity, she grabbed the now scalding bottle and forced herself to take a sip, burning her throat. Frustrated, she hurled the bottle into the unlit fireplace. Refusing to be in her Master's presence another moment she walked past him, beating him to her bedroom door.

"I'm not tired anymore. I'm going for a walk. Good night.. Salem"

[Salem Ave]

The lights in the room flickered, slowly dying. The fireplace erupted in a roar. The wine had burst into flames, the liquid sizzling and hissing.

"I said sleep, Anxia."

There was a dark edge to Salem's voice, one that Razielle had heard before. It was not Salem speaking, but Callidus. If she was going to act like a child, then he would treat her like one. As she pushed by him, he seized the front of her gown, pushing her backwards slowly and with unstoppable ease. His palm against her chest, he forced her back to her bed.

"Sit," he commanded, and she did, whether it was her will to do so or otherwise. As he stood over her, his aura seemed to pulse with malevolent energy, his sinister disguise seeming now all too fitting.

"Is this what you want?" he asked, his voice harsh, mocking, as he pushed her again – so that she fell back against the bed. "Is this what you want to give me? Do you want to surrender your body as well as your mind? Do you want me to corrupt every part of your being?"

[Razielle Alastor]

Much better! She could withstand wrath. She could tolerate brute force, cruelty and punishment. What she simply could not abide was his indifference. That was what had provoked her entire debacle tonight. She had been determined to evoke some manner of a response from him. Well.. she had succeeded.

The only problem was that now she was a trifile irritated with him. Glaring up at him she wished he was anyone else so she could have knocked him flat on his back and walked over him to the door. As it was though, she couldn't move, pinned down like a pretty insect to the pages of a book.

"You've already corrupted every part of my being. I destroyed my entire planet to please you. However, you have no notion what I could or would give you, none at all. So I'll give you what you are happy to settle for, Master. Compliance and obidience."

[Salem Ave]

There was silence. The Red Death stared down at his victim, impassive.

"Show me then."

[Razielle Alastor]

She remained still, sprawled as she was against her mattress. Still glaring and a bit breathless. Now? Now he wanted her to continue?! She felt a great urge to break something. She was absolutely certain that he was most undeserving of what she had to give. He would likely use tonights events to further mock and humiliate her. She should tell him to jump off the battlements.

But was she really going to risk losing the opportunity? Of course not.

The smallest hint of a smile, threatened to show at the corner of her mouth. She was released and sat up on her elbows. This would be so much easier if she knew his likes and dislikes, but Salem was a Master of keeping things to himself. She would just have to muddle through, such a hardship..

Scooting back further, Razielle crooked a finger at her Master. A brazen move to be sure, but she wasn't about to let him make a fool out of her yet again, if he wanted a showing he'd have to play by at least some of her rules.

[Salem Ave]

He would let her have her way, for now. After all, it was for her. As much as Razielle may have desired him, he was confident that once she had overcome him, so to speak, he would no longer present any attraction. Such had been the way with previous students. They fell in love with the idea of him, the power he offered, and it was never long be fore they came to understand this for themselves. For all entangling them in some romance may have strengthened their loyalty, filled them with passion, it could also weaken them. No, Salem had been down that path once before. It was far too dangerous, for both of them.

[Razielle Alastor]

When he didn't move an inch towards her, Razielle risked a bit more. It wasn't as if it wasn't painfully obvious that she worshipped the ground he walked on. What was a bit more enthusiasm from her? Sitting up slowly, the palms of her hands settled on his waist.

She locked her gaze on his. Sadly, his expression was still unreadable behind the death's mask. She had been diligent in her studies though, he couldn't fault her there. Her mind touched his, unobtrusive, not seeking anything from him he wouldn't give. Instead, as her hands moved slowly up his chest, she thought about what she wanted to give. What she wanted from him. Playing out the scenes in her mind in great detail.

When her hands reached his shoulders, she had fully intended to slip his coat off, but she stopped suddenly. Realization slapping her across the face. The man was simply placating her! Furious, she dropped her hands to her sides and lowered her gaze, lest he see how wounded she felt.

"You know, I think you're right. This is not what I want." Not like this..

[Salem Ave]

To say that she was seeing sense would have been wishful thinking. She didn't know what she wanted. It was her pride that had made her back down, not any lack of desire. Silence held for a long time. “Very well.” Salem spoke at last, taking a step backwards. “Then I'll leave you to your sleep. Make sure you are well-rested... our next training session will be the most exhausting yet.”

[Razielle Alastor]

She scrambled away from him then, tucking herself beneath her covers, as if they could protect her if he changed his mind. Rolling onto her side, Razielle stared out the window at the night.

"As you wish, Master.."