Knight Takes Queen, A. Pawn? (June 2012)

Gambit had suggested that she order something to eat from room service is she were hungry. About 45 minutes after she ordered it though someone knocked on the door.

She heard glass against metal jingle into place in front of her door then stop. “Room service!” A man said in a very creole accent. Even from the door it smelled delicious. However as she opened the door a crack with the chain engaged, there were no peek holes in these doors, The man was in a dark red coat just like those that every man wore that worked here. He smiled at her with his hands clasped behind his back.

“Ah Hello Miss, room Service, my apologies for the tardiness,” he said in a very thick accent. She didn’t see the 4 men, 2 on each side pressed up against the wall. They were all dressed in black. She did notice a few beads of sweat on the man’s forehead though it was very humid and warm outside in the halls of the hotel. In the lobby as well but worse in the halls. And he was in that hotel coat.

Serena was quite hungry. She hadn’t had anything to eat since the airport. She waited until Gambit left with Charlotte before placing a room service order. She then sat down on the bed and turned on the tv to wait for the food. It seemed to take a while but finally she heard someone at the door. There weren’t any peepholes so she had to open the door a crack to be sure it was her food being delivered. She kept the chain on and peered out and did indeed see a man dressed in the hotel uniform with a tray of food. She didn’t see anyone else. There were beads of sweat on the man’s forehead but it was quite warm. She closed the door and unlatched the chain and then started to reopen the door.

“That smells delicious...”

As she backed away and opened the door so he could bring in the tray Serena saw the man glance to his right. Just a quick glance and she saw a reflection of a man dressed in black on the metal cloche. Before she could close the door however the cart was pushed hard to the side and two men filled the doorway. She had to jump back as the one in front pushed into the room and grabbed onto her arms. He was a tall man, strong from how hard he gripped her. He wore a face mask that covered his mouth and face up to just below his nose.

Serena saw the hotel worker glance to his right and suddenly she felt that something was wrong. It was then that she saw the reflection of a man dressed in black in the polished cloche on the tray. She tried to shut the door but it was too late. A man in a black mask pushed his way in and grabbed her arms. Serena reacted quickly and shot him back with an energy blast.

The blast struck the man in the chest and her nose was immediately filled with the smell of burned flesh and leather. He hadn’t fell though he looked as if he were dead. Instead the man behind him held him up and pressed forward into her. Serena could not support the weight of two men and she was bore to the floor with the man she hit and another man on top of him. The mass of weight forced the air from her lungs. Even so she lashed out again with a blast that caught another man in the face as he entered the room. She saw a quick shift of black from the man on top of her and everything went dark.

When she awoke she knew she was someplace else. It had a different smell and a more open feel. The air moved more freely where she was and there was a musty smell to it. A basement? There was light but it was just a soft, white glow above her. As she gathered her senses and looked around she noticed that the basement was finished. Gray walls, white ceiling, dark slate tiled floor. She was sitting in a chair with her hand tied behind her and she felt that something was over her hands. They felt heavier than they should and when she tried to form an energy burst she found that she could but whatever was on her hands stopped it. That and it made whatever it was uncomfortably warm. So warm in fact that if she did it again she might be worried that she’d burn herself. Each leg was strapped to a leg of the chair but she wasn’t gagged. Two men played pool nearby. They were dressed in those same black outfits. They looked like some kind of modern ninja to her. They played pool as if she wasn’t even there, only 15 feet away from them, tied to a metal chair. The chair was bolted to the floor she saw and the tiles below the chair were marred with scratches as if this wasn’t the first time someone had been held there. She was still in her black dress but it looked as if it had see. Better days. She was in her bare feet though.

Serena blinked as she came to. Her eyes fluttered open and slowly her eyesight adjusted. She quickly realized that she was no longer in the hotel room, but she appeared to be in some kind of basement or bunker. She was strapped to a chair with her legs tied to the legs and her hands bound behind her. She quickly realized that her hands felt heavy...like something was attached to them. She tried to form an energy orb, but quickly stopped when she began to feel a heat coming from the device. She wasn't gagged, but she noticed that her black heels were gone. She was still in the black dress she had been wearing and there didn't seem to be any indication that she had been violated.

She looked over and saw two men playing pool a little ways away from her. They ignored her as they played. She tried to move the chair, but it was bolted to the floor.

"Hey!" she yelled to get the men's attention. "Where am I?"

The two men appeared to ignore her, no matter what she said and continued to play pool. After their second game was done she heard the sound of footsteps and two men appeared from around a wall. Likely the stairs were there and they had come from up above her. One man had no mask. He was larger than the others, a mountain of a man, bald with dark eyes and a black goatee with a little gray in it. He was handsome in a rough sort of way and his well muscled bulk looked as if it wouldn’t slow him down at all. He wore black with a bit of red on his short-sleeved leather jerkin and his pants were all black. His arms were covered in tattoos and she saw a hint of another on the side of his neck.

The man next to him was also not in a mask and he wore a black suit with a dark, blue button down shirt. He was not quite as tall as the larger man and much thinner but he moved with the dangerous grace of a tiger. He was extremely good looking with long, black hair that fell down to his shoulders in waves. His cheeks and face looked...hard, as if he had never known a day of joy in his life.

“I deserve blood price for what she did to Flynn and Marcus,” The man said. The larger man was looking at Serena and he rubbed his chin as if trying to decide something. “I will pay that debt, their families will not know squallar,” He said and that seemed to satisfy the other man. “As you wish but ask to take my part out on her hide,” he said then looked over at her. Serena couldn’t be certain but it sounded as if the two men were discussing whether or not to harm or kill her though you wouldn’t know that by how moderate their tones were. The larger man just looked at her as if he were deciding to let this man harm her. Or kill her.

Serena eventually gave up on trying to get the two men to tell her anything. She didn’t know where she was or how much time had passed. She also didn’t know if Gambit was alright or not. She sighed and could do nothing but just sit there.

After a while she heard two voices and she looked over as two men appeared from around a corner. One man was larger and more muscular. He was bald with a black goatee. He was dressed in a leather jerkin and leather pants. The other man was dressed in a suit and was thinner than the first man. She listened as the two men calmly spoke. There was something about a blood price and two men’s names were mentioned. Serena began to think it was the two men that had attacked her in the hotel. She began to think that perhaps these men were discussing harming or killing her. She wouldn’t beg for mercy. She wouldn’t give them the opportunity but she needed to get out of this situation. She saw the larger man looking at her and she softening her gaze as she looked back at him. She hoped he might find her attractive enough to spare her life.

“No Cyrus, I intend on making her my paramour. I would not wish that ‘fruit’ to be marred,” he said. As the man looked like he intended to argue the larger man turned toward him though his expression did not change. “Comme notre lien est écrit, de même vous obéirez,” he said in French and the smaller man nodded in respect and ceased in his protests. He did flash her a disgruntled look though as if he was not at all satisfied by this arrangement. Serena saw that he did want to harm her and make her pay with her own blood in the loss of the two she killed. Obviously they had families. She had killed them and they only intended on capturing her. She didn’t know that though and acted in self defense. The other man left the larger and the larger man came over to her.

“Whats your name girl?” he asked.

Serena became nervous when the larger man said that he planned to make her his paramour. At least though that meant that the other man wouldn’t be allowed to harm her. She had not known that those two men had families. She had only been acting in self defense. She had not meant to kill them but she had done what was necessary.

The smaller man left, leaving the larger man with her. When he asked her her name she decided to be honest with him. Perhaps knowing who she was would cause him to second guess what he was doing.

“My name is Serena Stark.”

Upon hearing that the large man laughed uproariously. His laugh was a deep, honest thing that made the other men stop their game and look over at him. He actually wiped tears from his eyes. “So you’re Tony’s Welp eh? Well, then I’m glad I didn’t allow Cyrus to harm you. He like to take the eyes,” He said and saw her face grow pale just thinking about that.

“You are Gambit’s...woman?” he asked but he knew that already by where they found her. “Oh Tony must really love that,” He said as if he knew her father to some degree. “So you must know Logan as well. And, you have my condolences on the passing of Rogue. I really liked that woman,” he said earnestly. He stared off into nothing for a moment as if he were thinking about Rogue and then shook himself back to the now.

“Well, my name is Belor, and I’ve paid a considerable price for you Serena. A debt that Gambit himself will need to square. Until then you belong to me. I know you’re a mutant. If I release you from your bonds I will have oaths from you. Things are happening around you that you can not possibly understand. Gambit’s return may well spawn a civil war within the clans and houses. Alot of innocent people will die if that happens. For my part I think there would be far less loss of life if he were to just die,” he said and watched her for any sign of a reaction. Her look was all he needed to know about how she felt for Gambit.

“So this is our bond Serena Stark, I release you from your power shackles and you do not try to escape or harm my men. You are to obey me until which time Gambit comes to claim you. Are we agreed?” he asked.

Serena did not know how she felt about Belor. She didn’t know if she could trust him, but it seemed as if she was going to have to. She didn’t like the idea of belonging to anyone but if she wanted to stay alive it looked like Belor was her only hope. She just hoped that Gambit was alright. She hadn’t liked what Belor has said about him thinking it would be better if Gambit was to die.

Before she agreed to Belor’s conditions of the release from her bonds she needed to know one thing.

“I need to know that neither you nor any other man is going to sexually assault me.”

Belor looked at the woman with fascination in his eyes. “We do not rape women Serena. Who do you think we are?” he asked and seemed honestly offended. “But as my paramour it would be a consensual thing. In that service I can protect you, especially if you make a mistake,” he said in such a way that that was very likely. When she didn’t say anything he gave her a wry smile.

“Would sharing my bed be such a bad thing? It would have no bearing on your relationship with Gambit,” he said. “I could have just let Cyris use his knives on you? But I offer you this as a favor...for your father,” he said.

“We do not keep prisoners or hostages Serena. Everyone here is here by their own will or deed. And bound by their own word of honor. Yes, even thieves have honor...not all though,” He said as if he definitely did not approve of those people that did not. He stepped up to her and lifted up her chin with his hand. He had very large hands. And thick, strong fingers. He leaned down and put his face near the left side of her neck and took in her scent. “I find I am...attracted to you Serena but it is your choice love,” He said.

Serena didn’t like any of this. This was pure madness to her. She was beginning to understand why Gambit had left this life. She was trapped. She didn’t want to betray Gambit, but she couldn’t turn down this man’s protection either. He said it would have to be consensual so she hoped he wasn’t lying about that.

She felt his thick fingers under her chin as he raised her head up to look at him. She was quiet a moment longer before finally agreeing.

“Alright.”

Serena was given a very nice room to stay in. It had its own massive bathroom and even a large balcony. As it turned out, the house was very nice. Old, as New Oreans was old, but updated and kept up. It must be worth over a million dollars, perhaps even more.

There was a tray for her on a small table with 2 chairs. Some kind of pasta dish that smelled amazing, salad and a sweet white wine that was probably one of the best she had ever tasted. She did not recognize the label, it was a local vintage. There were clothes laid out on the bed. Several different types. A couple of dresses, pants, blouses, t-shirts, shorts, socks, stockings and both mundane and very lacey and sexy under garments. Almost everything fit her surprisingly, obviously Belor had an eye for that sort of thing. Or someone in his employ. The shackles were removed and no one kept an eye on her. There was a huge TV with cable, a stereo and even a game system and computer. She could easily escape, anytime she wanted.

There were so many rooms and at least a dozen bathrooms. She saw several lounges, several rooms with alcohol in mini bars and on the lower level there was a huge ballroom which people were decorating for what looked like some kind of costume party with all the flair that New Orleans had to offer. She passed a couple of women who looked at her. They had symbols tattooed on the left side of their necks. She had seen it before, a flame between a set of eyes. Belor’s symbol perhaps. That evening there was no sign or word from Gambit. Though, how would he even know she was there? It was very hot and there was no air conditioning in a house this old. Another meal was brought to her room, a large piece of fish, hotly spiced, with greens and petite potatoes and more of the same wine. At least the wine was cooled. As she ate though she heard someone knock on her bedroom door. When she asked who it was she heard Belor’s voice.

Serena was glad to be out of those shackles. She was brought upstairs and she could now see that she was in an old mansion. She was given her own room and some new clothes. The clothes were a mixture of causal and not so causal wear and the lingerie made her wince and her stomach turn. She did not want to sleep with Belor.

Some food was brought up for her as well as some wine. She was quite hungry by now and she ate almost everything. She was allowed to explore the mansion and there wasn’t anyone really watching her so she could try to escape if she wanted to. However, she knew if she tried and failed that she would not be given the same leniency as before.

She went back up to her room and some more food was brought to her. She had the windows open for some fresh air and she ate quietly. However, after a few minutes she heard a knock on her door followed by Belor’s voice.

“You can come in.”

Belor chuckled as he entered. This young woman spoke as if she were the head of this household. She existed only by his forbearance. “Ah, good, so the clothes fit. I wish your company,” he said then moved up to the bed. He chose several lacey things that were all but see through, all in white lace and picked them up them moved back toward her and tossed them to her.

“You will put these on and then attend me in my rooms. They are at the end of the hall. You won’t need to knock.” he said with grin. He said no more and left as quickly as he came in.

Serena felt like a rock had been dropped into her stomach when Belor tossed some of the lacy lingerie at her and told her to put them on and come down to his room. She watched him leave and stood there for a long while as she tried to figure out what to do. She didn’t want to do this but she felt as if she didn’t have a choice. She slowly changed into them and then looked at herself in the mirror. She felt disgusted and ashamed of herself.

She forced herself to step out of her room and walked down the hall to Belor’s. She slowly stepped in and looked down.

Belor held a glass of scotch in his right hand as he leaned up against the edge of the doorwall. He blew out smoke from his cigar as he looked out over the orchard. This was his families home. He, himself had played out in that orchard when he was just a kid. This thing with Gambit had him on edge. Why the man came back he could not guess. A fools errand. One that will likely get the man killed. Belor would kill him if he had the chance himself. He heard a soft sound at his door. He was only in his small clothes and his entire body was covered in color. Brilliant tattoos of several different things but all of them beautifully done. He shifted to look at her.

‘Well, that’s more like it. How lovely you are Serena,” he said as he staunched the cigar in a nearby ashtray. He picked up the other glass that he had prepared for her. “Come here,” He said as he took a few steps toward her. His room was very nicely decorated. Alot of things were very old but very well preserved. His bed was large and there was an ornate quite quilt atop it. He held out the glass toward her and noticed her stance and the glumness on her face.

“Jesus woman, you act like this is a fate worse than death. I assure you, it is not,” he said as she took the glass from him. He clinked his to hers then took a drink. “It can be a very...pleasurable experience, and what Gambit doesn’t know can’t hurt him,” He said as he looked at her. She would feel his eyes on her and see the effect that she had on him.

“You are a very beautiful woman Serena. Is it a crime that I want you?” he asked.

Serena glanced around Belor’s room but she was too upset about what she was doing to appreciate it. She didn’t do this sort of thing. She was with Gambit and she loved him. This felt like betrayal and she hated herself for it.

She felt him put the glass in her hand and he clinked his glass against hers but she didn’t drink anything. She barely looked at Belor. She suddenly hated herself for getting on that plane to follow Gambit here. But how could she have possibly known about any of this? He had told her nothing.

“Can we just get this over with?”