Blightcaller’s Gambit

5/27

Nathanos made his way into the Undercity by his usual route. The men and women of the Bulwark were, as always, pretty happy to see him. He made a point of killing quite a few scourge footsoldiers on his way past Andorhol, which usually meant that the small mountain pass between the proper plaguelands and Tirisfal Glades would have a few quiet days while they recovered and disabled the traps he laid along the way.

Most of the corpses would be reassembled, pieced back together, and returned to the front as mindless chaff, but that took time and effort away from the Cult of the Damned's other projects. Nathanos made an effort to cave in skulls of downed enemies whenever possible. The Scourge had quite a lot more difficulty making anything of note without an intact head, and they could only imperfectly repair a fraction of them. Not as effective as sanctifying the corpse, no, but he liked to think that encouraging the practice had at least irritated those among the Scourge handling logistics.

Once he made it past the walled camp, he was able to quicken pace. Channeling the aspect of the cheetah was a good start, and paired well with the fact that he could move at a dead sprint without meaningful fatigue. He was to the gates of Undercity in only a few hours. He walked right past the topside garrison, they knew better than to interrupt him, and made his way to the lift down into Undercity proper.

The sewers and crypts had started as a place to gather while they cleared out the ruins above, but that had taken long enough that everyone had time to get comfortable. They had knocked out some walls, reinforced the supports, carved out apartments, and by the time it was safe enough to start renovating the ruins nobody particularly wanted to move. They didn't exactly have many people starting families and buying new houses, and people that wanted to see the sun with any regularity could just live in Brill, or move further afield.

Nathanos didn't have any trouble getting in to see Sylvannas. Aelthalyste gave his mind a once over while she took the necklace from him, but he'd been trained to disguise his thoughts. If she'd really been suspicious he probably couldn't have completely deflected her, but she was able to see that his highest priority was still helping and protecting Sylvanas and she didn't think it was likely that he'd pose a danger.

Obviously his weapons were confiscated, but not his new cloak or the hidden compartment inside of it. The cape could be worn without activating it, thankfully, and it would reshape itself as he commanded. He had asked to meet Sylvannas in private, and had been shown to her personal chambers. He sat in a chair, facing away from the door, with the Relationship Shift pointed through himself to where she would stand when she arrived. He'd thought quite a lot about it, and had decided on a dynamic that wouldn't ruin anything and hopefully would even help her.

Once they had been lovers, but now neither of them had any taste for such things. It sometimes felt like their relationship was entirely too clinical, now. They had very different reasons to forego sex, but he thought it would be good to do something about that.

••••••••••

Sylvannas was very curious about why her champion needed to see her in private. The list of possibilities was short: it was something politically sensitive that should not get out to the rest of the Horde, it was something he did not believe some member of her court, probably Varimathras, should know about, or it was something personal. That last one seemed unlikely, but possible. After all, he had plenty of time to think out in the field, and he had come here primarily to deliver Bismark's amulet. It could be he was just taking the opportunity for something that wasn't worth a trip on its own.

As she entered the room, he was sitting with his back to her. As always, he was acting as deliberately nonchalant as possible. One of his more endearing quirks. As she greeted him, he glanced over his shoulder while fiddling with something in his lap. She tried to crane her neck to see what-

She closed the door behind her, hoping to not seem too eager. Her guards knew what they did together when he had the opportunity to visit the city, but that didn't mean she could lose her composure. She had standards. Once she had done the formal steps to make it clear she was behind closed doors, however, she started to strip.

Nathanos ignored her for now, acting his part and pretending he hadn't noticed, but she knew from his body language that he had a smile on his face. It was a smile that could give the weak nightmares, but she still treasured it. She knelt behind him, fully naked, and only then did she speak in her most docile tone. "Master, how may I serve you today?"

He stood then, and loomed over her with an artfully cold expression that excited her to no end. "Today, you will dance for me."

"Of course, my master." She rose gracefully and began to dance, as he requested. After everything, they had needed to change how they fooled around in private. She had, despite how much she hated Arthas, really developed a kink for obedience after serving as his sex pet for years. Nathanos, for his part, couldn't actually fuck her anymore, but he was on the very short list of people who could order her around with a straight face and any actual expectation of being obeyed.

"Stop, I have something for you to wear this time." He pulled out a mostly transparent outfit from the chair he'd been sitting in. It was a tiny black bikini top and short skirt. Well that's not entirely accurate; it also had pants and sleeves, they were just so sheer as to be transparent. It looked ridiculous, but half of the fun of their little games was her being demeaned.

"Would you like for me to put it on for you, or would it please you to dress me yourself?" He tossed it at her feet, and she dutifully picked it up and began to dress herself in the surprisingly comfortable clothes. She would need to ask him about where he got this later; had he stumbled across a fetish shop during one of his raids into Stratholme? She let a smile dance across her lips as she realized how perfectly it fit her. It made far more sense that he'd have grabbed a fetishized high elf costume if he stumbled across one precisely in her size.

https://imgur.com/a/11vNOHy

As she began her dance, a sensual display of her body that she knew he would like, the clothing clung to her tightly. She almost stumbled as it somehow entered her. It felt like a finger in her pussy; she paused for a moment to give him a look, and he put on a superior expression. "Is there something wrong with my gift, pet?"

That cheeky little bastard. "No, master. I was merely surprised by your generosity." She went back to dancing. It certainly wasn't an unpleasant sensation, just unexpected. In fact, it felt very good, and he seemed to like it. They had needed a bit of spice in their play; toys were nice, and an outfit that "fucked" her while she danced for him was certainly a new experience. It seemed to expand inside of her, making her feel deliciously full and more than a little embarrassed. She would definitely need to ask more later, but for now she just enjoyed letting him be entirely in control.

As she danced for her impotent lover, she wasn't sure exactly when she realized that Bismark had gotten her. In retrospect, assuming that his only tool was the necklaces had been foolish. He might not be a genius, but he was certainly clever and resourceful enough to make use of the tools he had. She and Nathanos finished their play more quickly than normal, then lay together in bed, and whispered to one another as he explained how things had gone.

The real surprise was when he told her that once she had been entirely put off of sex by her time with the Lich King. It was sweet of him to fix that, if he was mucking about in her head anyway. Thankfully, she could look forward to being dominated by Erich. Mmm, if she was lucky, Nathanos might even give the order himself. He'd had her debase herself for other men, men still capable of the physical parts of sex, before. In disguise, of course. She squirmed a bit in anticipation.

She hoped she'd be allowed her autonomy. That she would be able to keep leading the Forsaken as she saw fit. That the idea of him using her in public as a pet like Arthas did would never come to pass. But damn if it wasn't hot to know that he could.

••••••••••

Update:

The Scourge's Cradle

Convert Andorhol into a stronghold either owned by or friendly to the Forsaken. Bonus if the Forsaken lose no resources or people in the process.

Rewards: 10 credits, Capture coupon for 1 Windrunner sister, Royal Apothecary Morales, Heart Stealer

Bonus: Luxury goods: Masks, Fiendish Contract