Mnemosynis/RWMemoriesThree

I watch them enter the town ruins. I watch them marvel at the horror of the desecrated bodies. Though they are alien things they can appreciate my handiwork. So few people can. It is a shame to have to slay them, but they are an invading force. The do not see me standing in the town square. They can not see me. I hide myself from their sights with the Deception of Seven Veils. The Incarna themselves would not see me if they looked.

There are about two dozen of them. Most are stinking hobgoblins, their twisted and gnarled bodies defiling the very ground they walk on with their ugliness. The noble that leads them, however, is a shining example of an Eastern woman. A woman so feminine and of achingly gorgeous exotic beauty she is the very concept of those things, yet she is a warrior of great skill. She is certainly more fair than my former wife. I decide to take her as a prize for myself. I will make her suffer personally for leading a force into my lands.

They search the buildings and explore what's left of the town. I can hear them speaking. Some of the hobgoblins are afraid. Only the noble keeps them here out of the threat of punishment. Eventually they make their way into the town square. She begins forming her minions into groups to sweep the town for food, but there are no human survivors in this place, of that I made sure. She mentions something about reinforcements, and another group of folk. I will be sure to send them a messenger.

I move slowly into position as to not tear the Veils. They still cannot see me. I move the massive grasp of my gauntlet around her. I will take her first to make sure she's not damaged in the fighting. I want my prize well and lively.

I break the Veils and immediately wrap my grip around the noble. I activate the Unending Grasp of the Mountain and lock the gauntlet into place. She will be unable to break out. The hobgoblins let out screams of surprise and attack me. Their spears of fey steel slide slick off my flesh. My defenses cannot be penetrated by ones so weak. I kill the quickly using my free hand, all the while leaving the noble to struggle against the grasp of the gauntlet. Some of them flee. I care not for the time being. I grab the last one near me by the throat and hold him high. I'm careful not to damage him as he will need to speak. I tell him to go find the others of kind and tell them to leave my lands and go back into the Wyld at once. I tell him to tell his kin that they will not receive kindness from me twice, and that I'm taking the noble as payment for my mercy. He runs off to the East. I'll have to remember that.

She is still struggling. She is a noble, a leader, a warrior. A being of power. Now she is my whore. Before the weight of Creation fades her away I take her to my manse where she will continue indefinitely. And there she is mine. I keep her held in the gauntlet as I take her. That way I can know every bit of fear, every pain, every humiliation, every violation she feels. I will take her against her will until she collapses emotionally into nothing. As the Fair Folk strip humans of their will and mind so shall I do to her. I dispose of the corpse of my former wife and chain the noble to the bed in her place.

At first she weeps when I'm not there and displays silent, indignant anger when I am. She would rather be dead than this. Surely enough, things change with time. Four months of night after night she lasts until there's nothing left but the vapid shell of someone who's given up completely. It's delicious. I'll keep her as a concubine for the time being. Perhaps when I tire of her I'll give her away as a gift.