Cylus 2, 719
Continued from here
Dorik awoke from his deep, but brief slumber. And he felt great. It had been so long since he'd slept so well, even if it felt like it had only been a few hours. That wasn't a big deal, down in Slags, you got used to not sleeping long, for fear of having your throat slit, ores stolen, and a myriad of other annoyances and inconveniences. He looked at the woman on his arm, sleeping against his chest, seemingly perfectly content. Looking upon her serene, innocent face, he wondered how far he could push her until she broke.
He looked forward to finding out.
He nudged her with his shoulder, "Wake up."
Her eyes were slow to flutter open, mewing groggily, "What time is it? Let's just sleep a bit longer." Dorik through the blanket off their naked bodies and climbed over her. "Come on, we have business to discuss."
Claudia huffed in annoyance, and sat up, glaring at Dorik while he dressed. He could feel her eyes on him, but ignored them. Couldn't let her get too chummy. He stepped out of her bedroom and went downstairs to the kitchen. He could hear her footsteps up above and smiled. He could hear her annoyance in how quickly she was walking. Dorik sat down at the table, the same table he'd fucked her on the night before. He sat, intentionally, on the side opposite where he'd mounted her.
He watched as she first lit some candles, and then sat down across from him, pleased that she'd sat just where he wanted her. He wanted her to be living in that memory during this discussion. He was sure that she'd cleaned it up after he'd left her laying there, but he found himself wondering if she could still smell it. Still feel it. He wanted her distracted by her own pleasures and poor choices. She was still glaring at him when he started the discussion.
"You have a comfortable life here."
He looked around her kitchen, not for his own discovery, but as a gesture that he understood what she had. She was by no means poor, and did not need supported. "People know you here. They like you."
Her glare softened into mild confusion, unsure of where he was going with this. "I can help you get more. I know you want more. Everyone does." Her gaze became suspicious, "All you have to do is marry me."
She flinched in her surprise, her mouth agape as she was about to speak. He held up a hand to stop her. "Or rather, stay married to me. Your husband was gone a long time. He's back now, he's a new man. And you love how he makes you feel."
She was now realizing what he meant, her eyes growing wide. She was clearly puzzled, she couldn't figure it out. "Why? Why me?"
Dorik smiled, "Opportunity served you up to me. And I don't waste such things." He leaned his chair back, "It will be a business partnership, with some domestic niceties thrown in." She looked around at her shop, her life's work around her, eyes panicking. "Calm down, I'm not taking anything from you. Not one copper nel from your business, nor will I change anything about it. You simply do what you did before your husband went to prison."
Her eyes narrowed, as she slipped back into cautious suspicion, "Be my wife, as far as all other people are concerned. You do that, I will bring you more business, more status, and I will keep you protected."
"Protected..? From what? Who?"
Dorik's grin turned devilish, "From all the people I'm going to piss off." He lowered his chair again and leaned forward on the table, "I can see you wondering if I'm even capable of such things. After all, I just got out of prison." He looked her directly in the eye, and spoke the truth, "I was put in for so long, my bones would be dust before I would've been allowed out." He leaned back away from her again, "And that was before this silly little government took over."
He stood up, walking over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "But it is your choice. I will not force your hand on this. If you want me to leave, say the word, and I go now, and you will never see me again."
He removed his hands from her shoulders, hovering behind her, "However, if you want to take this opportunity, I will see to it that you get everything you've ever wanted, and more." With that, he walked back over to his own chair, sitting in it neatly, folding his hands on the table, his eyes on hers.
She hadn't said for him to leave yet. That was a good sign already. He could see her mind thinking, could feel the wheels turning. "I.. have some questions before I decide."
He nodded, but interjected, "I cannot tell you anything from my time before prison. Doing so puts me, and you, at too much risk."
She nodded at him, understanding the reasoning. "You're a killer?"
"Yes."
"A liar?"
"Yes."
"A thief?"
"Yes."
"A rapist?"
"Yes."
She gulped deeply. He could see she wanted to know more about him and his past. She yearned for it. And he smiled just a bit, her eyes locked on the table and not him. That was one of his many hooks in her. The need to know more. He wondered just how lonely she'd been without her husband. He imagined it was bad, and even though she hated her husband, she'd remained loyal. A rare quality. One he craved for in a person. Loyalty no matter what was the most valuable asset.
She took a deep breath, "I have some conditions."
Bingo.
He nodded at her to continue. "You tell me nothing about whatever it is your business will be. You never hurt me. You do not rob me. You do not speak ill of me to anyone." Dorik nodded. These were easy conditions. She was too valuable now to do any of that to, and she held all of the cards, even if she didn't fully realize it.
"If you want anything to do with my own business, you ask first. No matter what it is."
He nodded. She didn't say anymore, so he spoke up, as an interrupt, figuring if he got her to end early, she'd make no more conditions. "Anything else?" He didn't say it with annoyance, but rather as if he were carefully taking note, that he was truly listening and caring. One of which was true.
"No, that's all."
He nodded, "I agree to all of it."
She laughed nervously, "I guess we're married now."
Dorik laughed with her, "So we are."
She looked at him with soft eyes, "So... what now?"
Dorik slapped the table, "I'm gonna head down to the water, get cleaned up. Get some breakfast going. We'll work the rest out over food." Dorik smiled, standing up. He made his way for the door, stopping and looking back, "That pork chop last night, that was the best thing I've had since I got out."
He took his time getting down to the shore, baptizing himself in the waters of his youth. He scrubbed his skin with the sand, rubbing himself near raw. Washing himself of his time in Slags. He stepped out of the frigid waters with a new man. He truly was Dorik now. The pirate had been buried out to sea.
Stepping through the door of Claudia's he smelled bacon and eggs. He walked back to the kitchen, seeing her there humming a tune he didn't recognize, as she worked the stove. She had a bunch of food laid out on the table, more cooking, cute little plates and even lit candles. There was water, juice, even some ale. She'd changed clothes into something nicer, she'd even braided her hair. The perfect breakfast for the perfect married couple.
And Dorik could only smile.
