Checkmate, Lucio

Valdemar's POV

"I am mostly certain you will succeed, dearest", I said encouraging her, aiming to lighten her sombre expression."Lucio has not voted yet... Valerius said he smelled something fishy... uh... I need to offer something really mesmerizing to the man in order to get Lucio on my side... and... I simply... do not know"."Hey...", I said, tilting my head and standing in her way. "You have done enough, mastermind. Let this mad scientist fix it for you".She chuckled and, for the first time in a while, she looked into my eyes with sweetness."Thank you, Val", she answered, entangling her arm into mine."No need to, darling. Anytime"."Val... you said you had everything you needed with Lucio... is that so?", she inquired, stopping our stroll next to a charming jasmine bush."Why, I do, I have the bodies, the subjects, the place... I need nothing more... but your experience with him is not as satisfactory as such"."I do not think so... uh... I will make sure you still get the corpses... I mean, people still die, do they not?""Oh, the world would be so boring were they not to expire some day. How could science advance? Ah, the invigorating feeling of splitting a body into two identical halves... it takes centuries to do it simetrically and not losing anything in the process... oh! And! And! When you take infected organs out to give them a look and keep them in a jar with alcohol and analyze them... I spend hours drawing and comparing the healthy organ with the damaged one, sorting out a potential way to heal it. It is a fun exercise, you know? And so interesting and amazing...", I cut myself drowning into Y/N's shy gaze. "Anything wrong, sweetheart?", I asked tilting my head and taking her hand to my chest."Would you do that to me the day I am no more?", she asked sadly, no fear in her voice, just sadness. "Am I just a subject to you, Val?""Uh... though you must have dazzling insides and you would make the most interesting subject that has ever come to my dungeon... for..., uh, being the first one to ever catch my attention in such a way... I have promised you immortality... I do not want to ever lose you, Y/N... Nevertheless, was it not possible to achieve that goal, you shall have my word of honour: I will never dissect your body. I... I will make a funeral that will make justice to everything you meant to me. Off topic, would you rather be buried or cremated?", I inquired, attempting to ease my mind from the image of her death."Maybe embalming in your dungeon is a better alternative. Besides, that way you will be able to see my insides", she replied coldly. "We will sort it out, darling", she inhaled deeply and caressed my cheek with a feather's softness, making me melt into the touch.I hugged her tightly, allowing her heat to pierce through my cold skin. Y/N meant plenty to me, and that was when I came up with the ultimate detail to the plan. I sighed swiftly as I felt Y/N's loving heartbeat overwhelm me."It is all to end unquestionably pleasantly...", I whispered into her hair, laying a slight kiss on her forehead. "I am absolutely positive thereon"."I have never doubted of your abilities, dearest".I accompanied Y/N and left her with Vulgora, who squeezed her into a great hug. Despite my dislike for their loudness, I had to admit that they would definitely stand for my partner if Lucio dared to approach them. Meanwhile, I went to convince the consul.

Y/N's POV

When we got back to the room, the atmosphere was filled with tension. On one corner, Valerius and Lucio whispered in a surprisingly inaudible pitch, on the other Vlastomil was lecturing Volta about worms, and besides me were Valdemar and Vulgora, who would not actually shut their mouth about their plans as a supreme general.I reached out shyly for Valdemar's hand and squeezed it. My pulse was accelerated almost in despair. Perhaps I was overthinking, but today's success meant either my freedom or my demise. They massaged gently the palm of my extremity, easing my nerves and reducing my heart palpitations per minute."Better?", they asked.I nodded."Do not worry; it is going to be alright, dearest".

Suddenly, a deathly silence impregnated the room after Lucio cleared his throat and simply declared:"As long as you still attend these meetings, I suppose my vote is positive for this eerie proposal. You shall all be happy from now onwards".I felt the urge to cry as I gave each participant a copy of what they were agreeing to. Of course, Lucio's was to accept every term signed by the other participants, and Valerius' had been slightly modified by Valdemar's handwriting, and, though I did not have the time to read it I trusted they meant no evil to me.After they had all signed, I handed the papers to Lucio and waited for the inevitable to happen."So you conspired!", he cried. "You whore and you who claimed to be my friend"."I have never said that, besides, next to you I will never be the ruler I am naturally destined to be", answered Valerious wearily. "So, I stay with your palace, your wines and your menagerie. I will bring diversity to this place... not just albino animals. You truly have a something"."Oh, and, Lucio... you signed... there is no way to go back... I shall now declare you enemy of the state"."That is for me to decide! I still like Lucio!", Valerius protested. "An awful ruler, but a good lover", he whispered, hoping not to be heard."Consul Valerius... you agreed to be the ruling figure, not the actual ruler of Vesuvia... the quaestor and I have signed as the rulers and owners of every piece of land and soul that inhabits this domain". "Still, the title is yours... Count Valerius", I bowed softly.He smiled uncomfortably."Lucio, you now have a day to flee the city along with the former Countess. Otherwise, you will be public criminals and therefore be looked for all around the city"."Y/N... are you really going to let this end this way? After all I have given you?""Nothing you have offered me was for free. Nothing you have ever done will ever replace the slaughter of my people and all your abuse. And nothing will ever change it. Checkmate, Lucio. You lost to your own negligence. Goodbye".At that moment, the former count attempted to smash my face against a column, yet Vulgora jumped to stop him."Arrest him. Arrest them both, Commander Vulgora", I ordered. "By now he should know better than to attack a benefactor".

After everyone had left the place, I saw Valdemar sitting on Lucio's chair. Everything had ended for good. I sighed with relief and dumped myself onto Valdemar's lap, who received my intromission with a smile."Now that it is over, what are you going after, little rabbit?", they inquired, caressing my hips with devotion."Now... I will rest... and then we have to work on my immortality issue", I replied, gliding my fingers through their horns, making them blush."Seems like an awesome idea to me... May I be honoured with your presence in my dungeon, beautiful?", they asked in a tone of intimacy lifting me bridal style."Of course you may, Quaestor".

Once we got in there, Valdemar laid me over one of the tables."Do not fear, I have cleaned it roughly...", they blushed a bit more."Oh...", I smiled, sliding a hand behind their neck, pulling them close to my lips.I felt their lips press to mine with a passion I had not felt in them before. I threw my head back, allowing them to go down my neck while I unravelled the bandages from their horns tossing them on the floor, which were followed by my entire outfit.Valdemar got up and took a minute to examine my body."Hmmm... soft skin...", they rumbled as they stroked my legs. "The tenderness of your extremities is undeniable", they suggested lifting my right leg on their shoulder. "Excellent reflexes...", they observed as they pressed my knee. "Harmonious warmth and delightful musculature. I wonder how much more I can lift it. Tell me if it hurts", they examined. "Perfect", they chuckled after doing it."Hmm, Val...", I pronounced, setting both of my legs on their shoulders. "I... I thought I would not be comfortable to do this with anyone after Lucio... but, not like... uh... I... I never was, in fact... but you feel special"."And so do you to me. I do not do this to any patient. But... I love you... and I love pleasing my queen", they answered, kissing my thighs slowly. "The softness of your thighs makes an amusing contrast with their strength to squeeze".Suddenly, I felt their hands flow towards my abdomen, sliding them up and down from my ribs to my navel. The sudden feeling of chill made me gasp, moving me to grip onto their horns."Your rib cage seems to be complete, a pity I cannot get a proper look".I got startled."I-I will never", they clarified, noticing my bewilderment. "Your abdomen perfectly structured and with such a unique..."I cracked in laughter, their chilly fingers were tickling me so I could not take it anymore."My, my, are you not adorable?", they pronounced pressing their lips to mine, giving way to the warmth of my body, taking the lead to introduce their fingers into my genitalia. "Hope you enjoy it, little rabbit".

Later on, we were lounging on the table, my head on their chest, and my body wrapped up in a thick blanket they brought from one of the cells, claiming it was clean as well. Their thin fingers, once again in their black gloves stroked my hair sedately, forcing my eyelids to take a rest and my head to bounce once in a while. It had been an exhausting yet marvellous day.Suddenly, they broke the silence:"Y/N...", they stammered."Yes?", I looked at them with tender eyes."I... I... I might sound old fashioned... even a bit rushed. Yet, Would you still honour me with your loving hand? Will you become my eternal wife? Will... uh... Will you marry me? I... we could make the deal on our wedding and...""And I will take Valerius to help me decide on my wedding dress", I answered."Y-you...""I... was kind of thinking of asking you... there is nothing I would like the most than becoming your beloved wife. So... I do, Val"."Yes, and... about the deal... I... do not want you to do it. I am condemned... but... could you keep that chalice away from you... do it. Believe me, obeying The Devil may lead you to fools like Lucio. We should come up with something.""A temptative offer... something he cannot deny.""I know exactly what to do '', we cried in unison in great excitement."You go first, love", they said, red eyes hungrily fixed on me.