I Can Be Useful

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 16th September 2005

Characters: Verora, Meijah
Description: Verora tries to prove her usefulness to Meijah
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 7, day 28 of Turn 3

"Put that _back_!" Meijah roared as threw down the rabbit's he had brought for their supper. He had forgotten that he had left his skinning knife in his pack before he went off to check the traps he had set the night before. Meijah would not make that mistake again. Coming back towards the firelight he had seen Verora hide the knife in the folds of her skirt. **So we are to play that game are we?** his mind raged.

Verora nearly dropped the knife in her shock, and she turned to glare at him. "It was dirty," she replied sullenly, picking her skirts up and wiping one side of the knife off. "I was just cleaning it for you."

Meijah knocked her to the ground, wrapping his thick fingers around the hand that held the knife. With his much greater strength he forced her hand, knife pointing down directly at her heart. "_Dirty_? You'll see how dirty that knife will be when it's covered in your blood, you _bitch_, if I ever see you touch it again!"

She closed her eyes, doing her best to relax and not struggle against him. Maybe she would play the struggling game when he didn't have a knife to her chest, but now all she wanted him to do was let her go. She slowly, reluctantly opened her fingers, letting the knife drop into his hand. "Never again." "Don't ever let that slip your mind," he hissed as he threw the knife out of her reach. "Sometimes I wonder why I even bother keeping you alive, you ungrateful chit."

"Because I'm useful," she replied, opening her eyes and looking up at him. Sex or information... she had to give him one or the other before he really _did_ forget why he kept her around. The fact that she was a warm willing body who knew what he liked in bed only got her so far...
the fact that she knew which cotholds were likely to have things worth stealing kept her safe. For now, at least. "I could take any girl from a hold and make her _useful_" he sneered. "There are plenty of younger and prettiers ones, ones that would be less trouble to me. You just remember that."

She slid her hands over his shoulders, digging her nails in slightly.
"Younger and prettier, maybe... but good luck finding one who likes to play your little games. Don't tell me you don't love it, Meijah...
knowing I'd hurt you if I could." "I could find plenty of other girls to amuse me, and I _know_ they would all want to hurt me if they could." His sneer turned from one of anger to one almost like a smile. He was daring her to give him a reason not to find another girl to replace her. This was the game. So far she had won the game. He swore to himself that eventually he would get rid of this stone from around his neck. But he was willing to see what she would come up with this time.

She didn't disappoint. "The Smith Hallmaster's wife likes to ride to the Hold on restdays to do business. She's always loaded down with marks and fancy jewelery that's probably worth a fortune." "If that were true she would never be fool enough to go alone," he muttered, eyes narrowing to study Verora's face. She could be lying just to get herself out of a tight spot. She could be trying to get him into some kind of trap. He had to be careful with this one.

"I _know_ that she's a fool," Verora replied, sensing Meijah's attention slipping. "There's no harm in going to watch, is there? If there's only one guard, you can take care of things." She smiled at him and slid her hands down his back. "Maybe if there's two as well... I don't doubt your abilities." He wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck and pulled her towards him. Meijah lightly whispered in her ear "If this is a trap, Verora, so help me, you will wish you had plunged that knife into your heart yourself."

She didn't reply, smiling at him instead. "I've learned better than to send you into traps, Meijah... I can be useful. Let me come with you." "I think that's a good idea," he replied, his eyes hard. "That way, if you were wrong I can kill you on the spot. And I will, too."

"Kill me tomorrow, then, if I'm wrong..." She ignored the hardness in his eyes, letting her nails rake up his back hard enough that he'd feel it even through his tunic. She didn't bother hiding the hate from her eyes--he wasn't looking for her affection, after all. "But tonight..." "Tonight? Do you really think you deserve my attentions tonight?" She really was so appealing when she was desperate.

Verora laughed, though it wasn't a pleasant laugh. "Why, have I behaved too badly for a reward? Or just not badly enough for punishment..." "Perhaps a little bit of both," he said in a hoarse whisper before gently biting at her throat. Meijah knew Verora very well too. He knew just exactly the way she liked to be touched, and he allowed his hands to wonder over her body teasingly.

"So am I to be punished or rewarded?" Verora asked, her voice trembling between disdain and desire. There was nothing she hated as much as knowing she still wanted him. Meijah didn't answer. He instead devoted his attentions to losening the ties on her dress, moistening her skin with his lips, and letting the cool night breeze wash over her. Her contrasting hatred and need for him was not secret. There was nothing he enjoyed more than reminding her what kind of power he whielded over her. He could make even her own body betray her, and he found that to be intoxicating.

She'd just crossed the line between hate and need when he pulled back.
Verora blinked up at him in confusion. "I'm sorry, my dear," he said with a gleeful sneer as he picked himself back up on his feet, "but I don't think you deserve a reward tonight. Perhaps tomorrow night... if you're still alive." Verora glared at him, hate flooding through her veins again as she scrambled to her knees. "I'll be alive."

Meijah picked up his knife from the ground and wiped it off on the leg of his trousers. "We'll see about that." He couldn't help the gleeful sneer of a smile as he picked up the rabbits and got to work skinning them. Every once in a while he would glance over at Verora looking at him with such burning hatred, and embarrassed self-loathing. He couldn't help but chuckle as he thought, **So, you _can_ rape the willing.**

Last updated on the September 16th 2005

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I Can Be Useful