Forgotten Children

Roddi helped him back to the training room. While she and the others had had some time between their return and the funeral, he apparently had not and the exertion was showing. She guided him along the halls and over the debris that used to be the room’s doors.

“Don’t throw that out,” he mumbled. “We’re… gonna need it.”

Roddi cooed and kissed his head. “I don’t do anything without your say so. Come on, let’s get you into bed.” She pulled him along, and upon reaching their room laid him carefully down in the straw bed. He almost immediately fell into a deep sleep, so Roddi left him alone and went back into the main hall.

She looked around and sighed deeply. Everything was is such disarray. She walked over to the toppled bookshelf and after clearing out the scattered books around its base, set it back upright. Picking up the books with her magic, Roddi put them back on the shelf. She was shortly finished, and turned back towards the center of the room.

Stretching her wings, Roddi flew up towards the hanging lamps, one of which had lost its magical flame. Roddi inspected it quickly to make sure it was still sturdy, and focused as her horn glowed in the darkness, fire jumping from it to the lamp, which burned a brilliant green before dying away into a familiar pattern.

She flitted about, checking the other lamps. One of them still lay on the floor, cracked and broken. Fext had not attempted to hang it again, and Roddi didn’t think that she alone had the strength to put it back up on the wall anyway. Instead, Roddi landed outside of Mara and Kishi’s room and peeked her head inside. They both appeared to be sleeping, so Roddi backed up and poked her head inside the next room.

Inside, Fext and Lamia had curled up together but Acheri was nowhere to be seen. Roddi furrowed her brow but said nothing, again backing out slowly as not to disturb them. Near their door were the mass of sheets that they had brought back down. Roddi picked up the first, and folded it up before setting it back down. She repeated with the other sheets down to the last one. Picking it up, it was caked with a green substance that permeated its fibers. Roddi looked curiously for a moment before realizing what she was looking at.

She winced. “Oh, Chakora, I’m sorry dear,” she said aloud to no-one. Roddi tried to pull the sheets apart but the dried blood held them together. Roddi settled for folding it best she could and placing it next to the rest.

From behind her, a voice answered, “It’s not your fault, Roddi.”

Roddi turned to see Fext there. Roddi nodded, saying, “I know that, Fext, but it doesn’t stop me from feeling sorry about what happened. He might not show it a lot, but your father really cares for all of us.”

Fext nodded slightly, and Roddi inquired, “Have you seen Acheri? I don’t know where she got off to.”

“Aye,” Fext said, “When we got back she said she was ‘going for a walk’. I don’t know to where or when she’ll come back, and none of us felt it right to question her on it. I just kind of assumed she’d go somewhere to cry for a bit.”

Roddi walked up beside Fext. “She’s like you father in that way, bottling up her emotions.” Roddi took a step back. “Are you feeling okay? Feel like helping me?”

Fext bent her head to the side. “Doing what?”

Roddi led her towards the broken door frame. “Master told me to keep this stuff. I don’t know what he wants it for, but maybe we can clear up the entrance a bit and stack it so he doesn’t have to when he gets up?”

Fext shrugged. “If you say so.” As they struggled to lift the first piece of wooden door, Fext asked, “Why do you call him ‘Master’ anyhow? Is it the sex?”

Roddi grunted. “It’s a hard thing to explain. I didn’t understand why I did it at first either. It just kind of…happened. I guess its just calming to me to have someone else stand up for me, to take care of me.” Roddi paused. “And the sex is also excellent.”

Fext panted as they set the first piece against the wall. “Give me a second. These things are damn heavy.”

Roddi raised an eye at her. “Already? That’s just the first one.” Fext sat down, so Roddi shrugged and sat down next to her. “Does sex interest you, Fext?”

Fext furrowed her brow for a few seconds. “I guess? It seems like it’d be nice to try, especially seeing how much you and Kishi like it. But I’d like to see other...things.”

Roddi put an arm around Fext. “You don’t need to hold back from me. We all have things that we’re ashamed of.”

“Well…” Fext looked unsure.

“I’ll tell you what,” Roddi told her, “I’ll tell you what I’m ashamed of and then you tell me whatever it is has got you all wound up, okay?”

Fext didn’t respond, so Roddi tool her arm off from her and moved Fext’s head around to look at her. “See these marks, here?” Roddi bent her head down, stretching out her neck to reveal deep scrapes in her shell around her neck.

“I was once very ashamed of these. But they’re not what makes me ashamed anymore.” Roddi traced a hoof around them. “What really makes me ashamed is how weak I am. These marks show me, remind me that I can’t do things on my own, that I need someone to do it for me.”

Fext widened her eyes at Roddi, who continued, “I needed Chrysalis to raise me. I needed her to shield me from taking on other duties because I wasn’t fit for them. Then I needed your father because I couldn’t stop myself from falling for him.” Roddi paused again. “I don’t know what I’d do with myself if I lost him.”

Fext kissed Roddi’s cheek. “I think you’re strong, Roddi,” she said. “I just feel abnormal. My eye makes me different. Its a handicap and I’m afraid that I’ll end up like Chakora. Dead and gone because someone else needs to protect me.”

“I don’t think that’s it,” Roddi said softly. “Your broken eye has provided you with a way to scan beyond the range of any of us. It’s a gift in disguise.” Roddi prodded Fext in the side. “You said you wanted to see other things. What is it you want to see?”

“I...I can’t really describe it,” Fext stammered. “I don’t know why, but death...intrigues me.”

“Ah, well, we can help you with that,” her father said confidently from behind them.

Fext and Roddi spun around. “Master! Uh, how long have you been there?”

“I just arrived,” he said, walking up to them. “I finished my nap and feel much improved. Where is everyone else?”

“Most everyone else is sleeping,” Roddi replied. “Acheri seems to have left some time ago and has not yet returned.”

He mused over the last part. “Someone will have to go find her, eventually. Do you know where Mali went?”

Fext cocked her head. “The scout? What do you need her for?”

“Well, we’ll need her later,” he said, walking away from them and changing the subject. “We need to do a little… setting up, first.”

Fext trotted after him. “Okay, now I’m curious. what is it that you have planned?”

He smirked at Fext, still walking. “I want to have a little fun, is all. Blow off a little steam.”

“Isn’t that what you use Roddi for?” Fext asked dryly.

Roddi, who had stayed back to move another piece of broken wood, shouted, “Hey!”

“Eh,” he shrugged, “Sometimes. But sometimes I need something more cathartic.” He stopped suddenly and spun around to face Fext. “And you want to kill a pony.”

Fext gritted her teeth and looked away.

“Fext,” he cooed, “Let’s not lie to each other. Tell me what you want. Young? Old? Female, I suspect?” He leaned in, and Fext turned her eyes back to his. “Tell me what you want.”

Fext’s eye trembled. “I… I want to take them apart. See what’s inside.”

Her father leaned back, smiling. “And so you shall. But we’ll need a place for that.” He motioned to the two empty rooms at the rear of the hall. “We’ll make cells. We’ll fashion a… workbench for you. Sound good?”

Fext thought about it for a second. “But we’ll need subjects, yes? Where will we get them?”

"Well, we’re going to need Mali to show us back to the surface. Then, we’re going to need your sister's help. I think Mara would be into it, don’t you?”

Fext broke into an evil grin. “What do you need me to do?”

He put an arm around her. “I’d like to know what your sisters want. Maybe you can pry it out of them? When they’re all awake get them out here.”

Fext slipped out from him embrace and went to go to her room, but turned back to face him. “Thank you, Father.” She smiled again and turned away to find her siblings.

He waved her off. He turned to back to where Roddi was still struggling with the broken doors. “Hey, pick it up, you worthless slut!” he hollered. “I need iron!”

Roddi started to make an obscene gesture at him, but seeing his cold eyes staring back from across the room, thought the better of it and instead replied meekly, “Yes, my Master.”

…

Fext wasted no time in talking to her sisters, one by one, and they all seemed to respond positively to the idea of being allowed to do one thing they wanted. Some hours had gone by and seeing everyone in reasonably good spirits, Fext asked them to come to the main hall.

“What are you, the boss now?” Mara asked incredulously.

“Well, I suppose you could stay in your room and pout while we have all the fun,” Fext taunted.

Mara scoffed. “Fine, whatever.” She pushed past Fext on her way out of her room.

Fext followed them, and was momentarily panicked that she’d done wrong that her father was nowhere in sight but he shortly emerged from one of the rooms, which now had a heavy wood and iron door covering its entrance.

“Ah,” he greeted them. Glad to see we’re all… wait.” He paused. “Where’s Acheri?”

Everyone looked around. Fext shrugged at her father.

“Well, Fext, I asked you to get everyone, so it looks like you’re going to have to go find Acheri.” He waved Fext off.

“But…!” Fext protested.

“Ah bup bup bup!” he interrupted. “The sooner you get back the sooner we can go. Oh, and find Mali, too, okay?”

Fext grumbled and walked away, silently cursing herself for forgetting about Acheri in her rush to get things rolling.

He turned back to everyone else. “Now!” he said excitedly, “Fext was going to talk with you all! What horrors do we have planned for our soon-to-be captives?”

Mara spoke first. “I want to beat one of them to a bloody pulp! Slowly… make them feel what was was done to Chakora!”

“Mmmm,” Kishi moaned. “I want more cock. We need a big strong stallion to give me more!”

Lamia rolled her eyes. “I just want them to think I’m one of them. Play with their emotions.”

Their father chuckled. “We can do all of that. But we need to go retrieve them first. So, anyone care to postulate on where we’re going to find these equines, and how the fuck we’re going to get them all the way back down here?”

“That farm seemed good enough to me,” Mara said. “Why not just find another one? Knock them on the head and drag them back down?”

He raised an eye at Mara. “Oh? And when it took four of you to carry Chakora back down you’re already strong enough to carry a full-grown male all the way back down here, eh?”

Mara huffed. “Fine, so how would you do it, then?”

He smiled. “Coercion. Find a smaller family. Husband and wife, one child. Hold the child captive, bind them all and march them back down. Equines have a weakness for foals. Even more so for their own family.”

“Don’t you feel the same way about us, father?” Lamia asked meekly.

He smiled softly and walked over to Lamia. “Aye, but unlike them, who raise their children under protection and care, I raised you to be independant. I’ll still help you, but I also trust you to be able to take care of yourself.” He leaned down and kissed Lamia’s head. “If all else fails, blend in and when able, sneak back to us.”

He stood back up. “Until Acheri and Fext return, we can’t really do much. How about we divvy up the sheets?”

“Ooh!” Lamia jumped to her feet. “I want one!” She bounded across the room. “How many do we have?”

Lamia shuffled through the sheets as the others walked over. “It looks like five,” Lamia said, not looking at them. “But one is, uh…” she trailed off, not knowing how to finish her sentence.

“I’ll take that one, plus one more,” he father said, stepping in to whisk one clean, and the only bloody sheet away. Mara, why don’t you and Kishi take one each for your beds, and Acheri, Lamia, and Fext can share the other two? Seeing as how they sleep together anyway?”

Kishi looked at Lamia. “You all sleep together?”

Lamia looked back adamantly. “It’s comfy!”

Kishi rolled her eyes and picked up her sheet, carrying it off to her room.

Mara followed suit and Lamia struggled to get the other two sheets onto her back. “Will you help me, father?” she asked.

“No, Lamia, you got this,” he replied. “I’ve got a few more things to do. Just do one at a time. And come find me when Fext and Acheri get back.”

Lamia shuffled off with one of the sheets, and her father threw the clean one inside his room, taking the other back to the makeshift prison cells. Opening the door, he stepped back inside and dropped the bloody sheet in the corner. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the intentionally-dim interior.

“You figure out that soundproofing spell like I told you, slut?” he said into the darkness.

A muffled sound came back to him. “Ah, right,” he mused. He took a few steps forward to where he had left Roddi bound and gagged to the table, her front legs attached to shackles on the table and her rear legs on the floor past the other end of the table. He inspected her. “It looks like this will work fine.”

Roddi mumbled around the gag in her mouth as he walked past her. “What’s that, slut?” he said mockingly. “You want to get fucked again?”

Roddi mumbled around the gag again. It wasn’t particularly comfortable the first time, and she wasn’t restrained that time. Her stomach hurt from banging against the rough table he had fashioned from a piece of the door, and would much prefer to do it back in their bed. Or on the floor. Or anywhere but here.

He walked around behind Roddi and placed a hoof on her rear, pushing it away to reveal her green sex, still puffy and leaking a bit of white. He chuckled, pushing against Roddi’s flank. This only served to make Roddi squirm around to try and relieve the pressure, but his length popped free of his sheath as well.

“Mmmm,” he growled lustily, “I love it when you act like you don’t want it. I kind of miss those first few times when you were so tight and so timid.” He lowered his face to her opening and lapped at it, tasting not just her but also himself.

Despite her uncomfort, Roddi let out a low moan of pleasure around the wooden gag stuffed in her mouth. Her body pushed back toward him, which was met with a firm smack against her rump. Roddi whimpered and tried to look back, but her vision was obscured by his massive stomach plate floating above her head.

He straddled the bound Roddi, and opened his jaws to place around her neck. “Time to give you another mark,” he growled.

Roddi’s eyes shot wide open and she started to struggle a bit as his teeth came down around her neck, his slick tip bumping against her simultaneously. Her muffled shouts only encouraged him to be even rougher once his pointed tip found the right spot and he rammed himself home.

Roddi cried out in pain against the wooden block in her mouth, her insides being forced to move and her whole body aching from her earlier abuse on the same table. His teeth scraped new grooves into her skin, but at least for the moment that was the least of her concerns.

The sturdy table shook and rattled as he rammed in and out of her, and Roddi started to think it might either crumble or fall to the floor in pieces, but the iron he had woven through it and into the stone floor kept it firm, and Roddi was forced to bear his abuse of her body.

He seemed to notice that she had given up, at least for the time being and pulled out, stepping off of her and releasing her neck from his jaws. As he stepped around her left side, he used his magic to release the shackles around her head and pull the wooden gag from her mouth.

Roddi panted, gasping for air.

“So, tell me, then,” he whispered, leveling his head with hers just above the table. “Sometimes you beg for it, sometimes you don’t want it. And sometimes, like now, I wonder if you even want me at all anymore.”

Roddi whipped her eyes to meet with his, holding her breath. His words hurt, hurt more than her neck, or any other part of her body. He raised his eyes at her, and when she didn’t respond, he lifted his head away.

“Hmm,” he mused insultingly, “I suppose this is it, then? You’re finally done with me?” He started to walk around the front of her and towards the door. “Shall I take you back to the archives? Find myself another slut and let you live the rest of your life away from me?”

He turned from Roddi to open the door and leave, but her sobbing cry made him pause. “No! Don’t go!”

He waited, one arm still outstretched towards the barred door. “Oh?” he asked, not moving or looking back. “And why should I believe you? How am I to be sure you’re worth my time and attention? Or how would I know you’re not just using me for sex?”

“I…” Roddi struggled to find the words that would bring him back. “I can’t do this without you. You… you protect me and care for me in a way no one else ever has.” Roddi laid her head back down on the table. “But I’m not worth your time. I’m worthless… which is why… I don’t fight it.” Roddi sniffled. “I’m only good for being used.”

He put his hoof back on the floor. “A worthless one such as yourself made the right decision to submit to one such as me. However,” he turned and slowly walked back to the shackled Roddi, “You need to understand that doing what I tell you is your responsibility, no matter how much it hurts.”

Roddi, still sniffling nodded her head as much as her restrained posture would allow. “Yes, please Master, I’ll do what you tell me. Please.. use my body, that’s the only thing it’s good for.”

He shook his head. “I’m no longer in the mood.” He used his magic to loosen her shackles, and she fell to the floor at once. “Clean yourself up, and when you’re presentable, come join the rest of us.” He moved swiftly to the exit, not bothering to help Roddi up and walked out the door without another word.

Outside, he found Lamia sitting on the floor patiently. He looked surprised, so she said, “It sounded like you two were having an important conversation so I didn’t interrupt.”

He moved to Lamia. “How much did you hear, my dear?” he asked

Lamia shook her head. “Nothing of substance. there was a lot of grunting, which means private time. Then there was some yelling, so I just waited. I really couldn’t hear much of anything at all.”

He nodded. The soundproofing spell had worked quite well and he’d need to learn it himself. He patted Lamia on the head. “Did Fext and Acheri return?”

Lamia stood up and nodded. “Mali too! Are we ready?”

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Almost. Go get them and we’ll have a family meeting.”

Lamia scampered off and within minutes everybody was gathering into the center hall. “Ah!” he exclaimed, “Welcome back Acheri. Did any of your sisters tell you about what we’re doing?”

Acheri had her head hung low, and she didn’t look up when she responded. “Yeah. And I know what I want. but let’s make some plans first and make sure no-one dies before we get that far.”

He sighed. “Yes, good point.” A bang sounded from his side as Roddi let the door swing shut behind her. “Okay, so we’re all here. Let us talk for a bit…”

…

Sitting in the middle of the hall, everyone discussed and memorized their assignments. He stood watch over them and when he felt they had enough time, he said, “Okay, so everyone tell me what the plan is. Uh, Mara, Acheri, Kishi. You go first.” He motioned at them to speak.

Mara nodded. “Right. So we're responsible for at least one male. A family if we can get it but one male.”

“And how?” he prompted.

“Acheri and I are still going over that,” Mara said, glancing back at her sister, “But we figure since we can’t use coercion we might drug him using one of your recipes to make him more...susceptible.”

Her father nodded. “Good idea. Are you comfortable enough in finding the ingredients?”

Mara looked unsure but Acheri was quick to speak up. “I am. I’ve been studying the guides you wrote down and am quite confident. Something quick and dirty, just enough to get the job done.”

Kishi walked up beside them. “I think we’ll head to a local bar and slip it in a drink. Or maybe just sex up the target a bit and get him to ingest it some other way.”

“Okay,” he said, nodding again. “Fext and Lamia, you two are coming with Roddi and me. We’re after a family target. If possible, are you two capable of drawing the child, whoever it may be, away from the family and taking care of it without getting too distracted?”

Fext nodded solemnly. “Now we work, later I can play. We’ll take care of it.”

He turned to Mali, standing in a far corner. “Okay. Mali, you’re just going to lead us up and back, as last time.”

Mali saluted him but said nothing.

Turning back to the group, he said, “And everybody remember to be on the lookout for food. We don’t need it but equines do, and to keep them for any reasonable amount of time we’ll need something to feed them. If any of you could find a cart that would be helpful too.”

“Okay!” He motioned for them to all stand up. “Let’s not waste time. Mali, what time is it?”

From the far corner, Mali thought for a minute, and said, “I’d say noonish. So we should be getting up there around late afternoon. Earlier, if you all can be faster this time.”

Acheri scowled and shot a look at Mali, who got the point and changed the subject. “Anyhow,” Mali continued, “We need to be on our way. We’ll be taking a different route, there’s a number of small towns to the southeast of the Smokey Mountains that have sprung up around the logging operations taking place there.”

Mali led them out the now doorless entry to their room, and right, down a number of dark hallways. Walking along, Roddi took note of how much more activity could be heard in other parts of the Hive. Chrysalis was obviously working on something. But her Master had instructed her to stay quiet and follow his orders, so she looked away and back towards Mali, not wanting to fall behind.

…

This climb up was actually much easier due to the relatively flat ground, but it took just as long as the tunnel wound back and forth, seeming to bend back on itself several times. All were panting with exertion as they reached the exit.

Mali stepped to the side and nodded to them. “One day,” she repeated, and tucked herself in an alcove, nearly disappearing from view.

“Change, everyone,” he commanded. “No need to use code-names for a quick op like this. But make sure your forms fit your assignment.” His form changed only slightly, with black fur and a dagger cutie mark flowing forth, and his green eyes shifted to a dark purple. Dark purple hair, matching the color of his eyes came forth but stopped just inches off his head, well below his purple-tinged horn.

Roddi followed suit, her fur black with a noose cutie mark. She retained her natural green eyes and formed a blue mane cropped short.

Fext and Lamia were next, both taking a similar black mane. Fext’s cutie mark, should it even be called as such was a skull and crossbones, and her hair came out in a milky white, matching her blind eye. It reached past her shoulders but Fext was quick pull it back up just slightly to hang loosely around her neck.

Lamia in her shorter posture forwent the cutie mark and instead let her mane come out a splotched red and orange.

Kishi smirked. “I’m glad we got the assignment we did, at least I can have more fun with my look.” The fur Kishi sprouted was a light red, not quite pink. A pair of red lips sprouted on her haunches and a beautiful blonde mane fell down her shoulders in a braid. “What stallion could resist someone as beautiful as me?”

Mara chuckled quietly. “This isn’t some fancy society we’re walking into, sister. They’re going to want someone a little more down to earth.” Mara’s skin shimmered and a light brown coat sprung forth, with dirty blond hair rising from her head to form a short bob. She turned her haunches towards Kishi, were a potted plant appeared from nowhere. “Like this.”

Kishi scowled but Acheri pushed past the both of them, not taking too much time to form her light blue coat, lighter blue mane and scissor cutie mark. “Stop your bickering and let’s focus on the task at hand, eh?” Acheri continued to walk toward the forest, where even from this distance a soft glow could be seen coming from one of the logging encampments.

Their father took one more minute to assure everyone, “You’ll all do fine. Just remember the way back. If anything goes wrong, blend in and get back here at midnight. If anyone does not return, I’ll come up to the entrance every night to wait for you.”

Acheri had nearly disappeared into the trees, so he hurried Mara and Kishi off to meet up with their sister. He motioned for the other three to follow him along the ridge of the mountain to the north. “We’ve got to find ourselves a road, and a farm. Come on.”