For the Whored: the Future:

Lydia collapsed on the platform. "I HATE IT HERE!"

Darguni chuckled and rubbed her back. "I'm sorry."

"Some of us actually WANT to be here, you whiny pain in the ass." One of the soldiers snorted.

"Fuck you very much!" Lydia flipped him off.

"Dude, leave off. Lydia doesn't have a choice." Darguni frowned.

"Fucking bullshit that most of us had to bust our asses to be considered, and SHE gets in because she's fucking the trainer's SON!"

"Bart, shut the fuck up about things you don't understand." Darguni ran his fingers through Lydia's hair.

"Ugh, I don't even care." Lydia whimpered. "He can hate me all day long. Hell, I hate me all day long." She snorted.

"Aw, Baby."

"Kill me."

"Not a chance." He chuckled. "Besides, we haven't even told anybody our big decision."

"Bleh."

"What decision?" Grogek snorted.

"Lydia has agreed to marry me." Darguni grinned.

Grogek's eyebrows shot up. "Bradly?"

"I think you can claim we broke up." Lydia grumbled.

Grogek just blinked. "I'll be damned."

"Right?" Darguni chuckled. "She's all mine now."

"Fuuuuuuck. I need to talk to Gingy. I just kind of left her there."

"Yes you did!"

Lydia rolled over and stared up at Gingy. "I love the dress."

Gingy clasped her hands together. "REALLY?"

"Yeah, I kind of freaked out, sorry."

"You don't think I put too much lace?"

"How about later... when I can feel my spine again... I go and try the thing on and we can discuss it."

Gingy made a loud shrieky noise that had half the training yard jumping in alarm. "Oh, we'll make a DAY of it! I'll make those fancy little sandwiches and we can talk bips and bops and all the details. I assume you have a tailor for Bradly?"

"I'm not marrying him."

"Well, of course you are."

"No. She's not."

Gingy blinked at Bradly. "What?"

"She's marrying Darguni."

"But... why?"

"Because I love him." Lydia sighed. "Isn't that how it's supposed to work?"

Gingy considered for only a moment. "Oh, whatever. A wedding's a wedding."

"Oh, Gods, kill me." Lydia whimpered.

"You'll want Ina's help."

Lydia looked up at Elunara. "Yeah, I guess."

"Ever since Darguni was born, she's wanted a crack at hosting his wedding. You better let her."

"Of course." Darguni grinned. "I also want Momma Tuly to do my ceremonial vestments like dad's."

Elunara looked over. "Sugarbear? Is that a tear I spot?"

He licked his teeth. "Might be."

Lydia put her hands over her face and groaned. "Why is no one ending my misery?"

Darguni bent down and whispered. "I just like hearing you groan."

She put a hand to his face and pushed him away. "Horndog."

"Just like his mother." Grogek laughed.

After training was over, Darguni carried Lydia.

"So, why are you carrying me?"

"Cause I feel like it."

"Where are you carrying me?"

"Home."

"Going to rub my back?"

"Eventually."

"Now I'm just suspicious."

"You'll like it, I promise."

"If you say so." Lydia got comfortable. "Is anyone home?"

"Momma says no." He sat her on the couch. "Stay."

She sighed. "Fine. Not like I feel like going anywhere." She laid her head back and stared at the demon skull hanging from the ceiling.

After a moment, he came back naked, and tugged her clothes off.

"Oh, I see how it is."

"I doubt you do." He scooped her up and carried her through the back room.

"I don't think I've ever been in here."

"You'd know if you did." He grinned.

"Why is... oh, wow." She blinked at the massive tub.

He slipped her into the hot water.

"Oh, gods that feels good." She moaned and laid her head back. "I didn't know your family had their own hot tub."

He slipped in beside her. "Oh, yeah. It's pretty awesome." He cuddled her into his lap. "How else do you think we stay all limber and such?" He licked her shoulder.

"How come I've never seen it before?"

"Have to get prior permission from mom AND dad first." His hands cupped her breasts. "Plus there's a ritual and a dozen rules and things.

"Ah." She snuggled against him. "You know, I might consider making you stop in like... a week."

He giggled and slipped his fingers between her legs. "There's more to do in this fun little tub."

"Is that so?" She gasped. Writhing under his attentions, she reached back and wrapped her arm around his neck. "How many lucky women have been in here?"

"None." He snorted. "I told you, it requires both parents, and there's a ritual before and after. No one has been worth trying it out."

"Well, then I'm hoNORed." She gasped. His fingers pounded in and out of her. Grabbing her hip, he tugged her backwards and slipped her over his erection. "Gods this water is amazing." She gasped. "Even while you do that, the tension is melting out." She groaned. "Don't stop."

"I don't intend to." He whispered. "I have use of the tub for the next three hours."

Her eyes went wide. "So long?"

"I have plans."

After, she sat on the edge of the tub and watched him clean the thing. "I have to admit. That tub does wonders."

"Isn't it awesome?"

"But why must you scrub it like that?"

"Mother's rules. She doesn't want anything tainting the waters.

"Maybe next time I'll help." She sighed. "Right now I'm just happy to be feeling normal for the first time in weeks."

He grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."

The next day, Elunara handed Lydia a small package.

"Huh?"

"You're not pregnant now, so you're going to need these in the next few days."

"Oh! I forgot you track that." Lydia blushed.

"Not like I want to." Elunara snorted.

"Um, Darguni?"

"Yeah, Babe?"

"Elunara points out good point... I'm due to start my period soon." She blushed.

"Aw, that's fine." He kissed her temple. "Just let me know."

Days later, Lydia collapsed to the ground, desperate for air. "It hurts." She whimpered.

Darguni started forward.

Grogek's hand shot out and grabbed the back of Darguni's armor. "STAY OUT OF IT!"

"Dad, please. She's hurting. She shouldn't even be down here right now."

"Gods, get your head out of your pants." He snarled. "She needs to be down here just the same as anybody in my training regimen. I don't tolerate slackers."

"It's not a good week for her." Darguni growled.

"Do you think I CARE? How many women do you see in my regimen?"

Darguni snarled "Four others."

"Do you think I let THEM have a week off?" He yanked Darguni to him. "NO! MY soldiers are the best of the best and I don't GIVE A DAMN about their female cycles. If THEY can be here, then so can SHE."

"SHE NEVER ASKED TO BE HERE!" He shoved his dad. "YOU ALL MADE HER!"

Grogek punched Darguni in the head hard enough to knock him back. "YOU DEFY ME?"

"I HATE YOU!" Everyone stared back at Lydia, still crumpled on the ground. She flexed her hands and summoned her batons. "I HATE YOU!" She launched.

Grogek shoved Darguni out of the way and summoned his axe. Lightning fast, Lydia went after Grogek, landing blow after blow. Used to Elunara's fighting style, he was able to block most of her hits, but where she did manage to get him, hurt like hell. He knocked her down, but she still managed to get back up. He pinned her with his axe, but she was able to shake it off. She continued to scream "I hate you" over and over again. Several soldiers tried to jump in, but she dodged them effortlessly, and focused solely on Grogek.

Hearing the noise, Elunara dropped her things and bolted for the training yard.

"Gods, Baby... what's happening to you?" Darguni shook his head. "BABY! PLEASE! STOP!"

"She's beyond pleading. We have to bring her down!"

Darguni summoned his axe. "I don't want to do this." He dove in between them and blocked her next shot with his own axe. Together they kept Lydia back, and prevented her from landing more blows, but they couldn't make her stop.

Elunara dove into the training ring and managed to get behind Lydia, putting her hand to the back of Lydia's head. Lydia went down in an instant.

Darguni dismissed his axe and ran to her side. "Oh, my poor love..." He scooped her up. "What's happening to you?"

Lydia groaned and put her hand to her head. Looking around, she jolted up.

"Well, you're awake."

Elunara sat in a chair, working on her board.

"What?"

"You should know; Darguni has been making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches like the possessed. I've eaten most of them so they don't sit and rot."

"I don't... understand."

"You've been unconscious for four days. Do you remember why?"

"I..." She held her head. "It's fuzzy, but I remember Darguni trying to protect me, and... I was just so angry that Grogek was being such a dick."

"You're awake!" Darguni scooted over and put the tray in her lap. "It's lunch time... so..." He blushed.

She put a hand to his cheek. "You're always so sweet."

He grinned at her. "Eat."

Lydia put the sandwich in her mouth.

Darguni sat on the small bed and ran his fingers through her hair. "I was so worried."

Elunara switched sheets and captured the adorable scene. "Is that all you remember?"

"Yes." Lydia leaned against Darguni's hand.

"Momma, what's happening to her?"

Elunara sighed. "I finally sensed it when I knocked her out. You see, I think that... all of those times that I had to go through such extreme measures to save her life... I've been giving her a piece of myself. Now she has a backlog of all that I am, without the control I've developed all these years."

"But why hasn't it come out before?"

"I suspect that it has to do with your staff. I gave that to you, and it became the most important thing you've ever owned. On top of that, you quit training. Any of it that may have surfaced before, was dealt with in training, or because you had the training to deal with it. When you slowly backed away, you lost the ability to keep it in check. When the staff broke, something inside of you snapped... and it's been uncontrollable ever since."

"Oh."

"Those girls said some really awful things about the ones you love... didn't they?" Elunara asked quietly.

"At first they were stupid, jealous, and petty. Then they..." Lydia closed her eyes.

Darguni brushed his fingers on her cheek.

"I wanted them dead." Lydia's eyes went hard. "I knew... I abso-fucking-lutely knew that you and Tara had a bit of a thing... she bragged endlessly about that day in the shower... and here she is... saying such horrible things..." Lydia buried her face in her hands.

Darguni slipped the tray into the floor, before scooping Lydia into his arms.

"I've rearranged my schedule."

"Huh?" Lydia blinked at Elunara.

"Not only will you return to Grogek's training, you'll be double teaming it with me."

"But..."

"No. You've beat the shit out of my sons AND my husband. We're not reaching you fast enough."

Lydia struggled to get out of Darguni's grasp. "NO! NO! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY MORE."

Darguni clamped his arms around her. "Baby, please don't cry."

"I want to die." She whimpered, as tears streamed down her face. "I just want to die."

"Baby, no." He whispered in horror.

Elunara stood up. "I'll leave you two alone for now." She went down the stairs.

Lydia curled up against Darguni and shivered. "I can't do this."

"I'm so sorry, Baby. I don't know how to make them see."

Elunara walked into her bedroom and climbed into bed.

Grogek blinked at her. "Love?"

"She's awake. I told her what we've decided, and now I think I have to put her on freaking suicide watch."

"What?" Grogek sat his book down.

She climbed into his lap and curled up. "She..." Elunara rubbed her throat. "She'd rather die than go back to training."

He wrapped his arms around her. "That's... that's extremely concerning."

"Gods, I can't..." She put a hand to her mouth.

"Love, don't cry."

"I can't lose her. She's my daughter in every way that matters, and I've tried so hard for her. She makes my baby SO happy, I can't... I don't know how else to help her. It's my own fault she even has this beast in her, and now I have to teacher her how to control it. I don't know what else to do."

"You'll think of something, my love."

"Your bed is too small."

Lydia sniffled. "Huh?"

Darguni scooped her up. "We're going to my bed."

"I guess once we get married, we have to move out." Lydia shivered.

"That's a really good question. Maybe we could convince them to let us move into the tower room." He rubbed his cheek on her forehead. "See? You don't want to die. We can't get married if you do."

"I don't want to train. I hate it so much."

"I know, my love." He sighed. "We'll figure it out. So, I was thinking, that for our honeymoon, we could do what Momma and Momma Tuly did, and make love in every major city." He grinned

She laughed. "Horndog."

"I'm not hearing a no." He winked.

"Was I really out for four days?"

He laid her in his bed. "Yes."

"That..." She looked down. "I guess that took care of the period." She wrinkled her nose. "I probably made a mess."

"Momma kept you cleaned up and taken care of."

"Oh." Lydia said quietly.

He knelt in front of her. "She loves you, you know. She would do anything for you. This is new to her and she doesn't know how to help it. Maybe if you cooperate for awhile, she'll find something better."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm just so damned tired."

"I know, Baby." He brushed her hair out of her face. "You can borrow my strength."

Lydia groaned and put a hand to her head. It was late, but she couldn't figure out the hour. She tried to scoot to the edge, but Darguni had her pinned. She wiggled and struggled but his grip only tightened. "Darguni!" She hissed.

He mumbled something and tightened his grip.

"Let me up!" She whacked him in the shoulder. "Seriously."

"Huh?" He blinked at her. "wazwrong?"

"I need to pee, damn you."

"Sorry."

She wiggled out of bed and ran for the bathroom. On the way out, she blinked. "Elunara?"

Elunara sighed and rocked Tilly. "Baby woke up; I figured I'd get her. It helps."

"Helps what?"

"I found out, when Darguni was a baby, that when I get upset, holding my children helps me. Only one of you lunatics was actually born from my body, but it works just the same."

Lydia sat on the couch. "You lunatics?"

"You're just as much my child as any of the others." She ran her hand down the back of Lydia's hair. "I'm glad you're marrying my son."

"Kind of weird how that worked out." Lydia blushed.

"Yeah, it's funny how that works." She sighed. "Lydia, I don't like seeing you upset. If I had my way, all of you would be happy all of the time, but that's not how it works. You reach a point in which you have to do awful things, just to pass on by. I don't want to force you into training, because I know how miserable you are. I don't want that. I feel so incredibly guilty, because I know this is my fault. I... put this creature in your body, and now I must teach you how to control it, before you kill someone you love."

Lydia shuddered. "It hurts. It hurts so damned much. I can't... I can't keep this up. I can't go from not training, to training under the meanest taskmaster in our army. Not only that, I can literally FEEL the hate radiating out from the other soldiers."

"Wait, you feel it?"

"It's like lying in the sun for hours, and then waking up to the mother of all sun burns. Except, it all the time."

"Hold." Elunara shoved Tilly in Lydia's arms.

"Bwah?" Lydia juggled the baby into place.

Elunara stood up and put her hands on Lydia's shoulders. Concentrating her abilities, she searched Lydia's body.

"Oh, that feels nice." Lydia murmured. She cuddled the baby. "Aren't you a sweet one?" She murmured as the baby reached up and put her hands on Lydia's face. "Is love all you know?" She rocked her back and forth. "You're right." Lydia smiled. "The baby does help."

"Holy shit." Elunara broke the contact. "It's so much simpler than that."

Lydia blinked up. "Yeah, what?"

"New theory." Elunara stooped down and put her chin on Lydia's shoulder. "You're absorbing the hate and anger from those around you, and when it manifests... You were being attacked by those little bitches when you lost it... you were being reamed by Grogek when you snapped on him..."

"Jordan had reamed my ass for several days straight when I decided to quit..."

"You're quitting training."

"Oh, thank the gods." Lydia gasped.

"I need to work with you on emotional control and filtering. Pushing you into training is just going to cause you to explode." Elunara began pacing back and forth. "I created you; it is me who needs to train you. If we can get you focused on positives, on love and affection, we can supplement the training on the hate and anger. If we can reduce negative feelings towards you..."

"Momma! I can't fi--" Darguni blinked. "Oh, there you are."

"Kiss the man!" Elunara pointed.

"What?"

Elunara scooped Tilly out of Lydia's arms. "Kiss the man, dammit."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Darguni scooped Lydia up and proceeded to kiss her like a maniac.

Elunara put a hand on Lydia's arm. "It's THERE! I feel it!"

"What's there, momma?"

"I gave Lydia my energy absorption by accident. Except, she's been taking in all of the BAD emotions. I have to retrain her body to pick out the good instead."

"It's just that simple?"

"That simple AND that complicated." Elunara shook her head. "She can quit training."

"Oh. Oh, that's fantastic!" Darguni cuddled Lydia.

"In fact, she NEEDS to start singing again. I think if we can flood her with positive emotions, we can start undoing the damage of the negative emotions." Elunara twitched for her board, even as she cuddled the baby.

Darguni snorted. "So... sex...?"

Elunara looked back. "It's a piece of me, remember?"

He licked his lips. "I guess I should get started then."

Lydia blushed. "Oh, you."

"Oh, Lydia?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"You should reconsider your stance on babies." Elunara began to jog up the stairs. "Good night... morning... whatever the hell time it is."

Darguni looked down. "What does she mean?"

"Well," Lydia licked her lips. "I originally asked Elunara to... break me."

"What?" He squeaked.

She winced at the instant tears in his eyes. "She refuses until I'm in my thirties." She snorted. "But, earlier, when I held Tilly..." Rubbing her cheek on his chest, she sighed. "It was the best thing ever."

"Really?" He breathed.

"We'll discuss it." She snorted.

"I'll take it!" He jogged her back to his room.