Thursday 12 November 2015

[A Cold Winter] Who Has The Power?

Ceremon was busy reading through the books, a candle burned low as the air now grew cold and the light already falling as the night crept in. Hareavor was sharpening a blade on the far side of the room but the rasp of steel on whetstone was no less throught the high racks off books.
“Must you do that in here boy, we have a whole castle for you to annoy” Ceremon snapped darkly “I have a lot of work to do”
“The light is best in here, I get a better edge, and seeing as you stopped me playing with my bitch I have nothing else to do” Hareavor spat back coldly “Why the hell did you bring her here? I mean she has so far done nothing but obsess over that daughter of hers”
“That daughter of hers happens to be with Kane, she also seems to have brought him to full strength which is a problem, or do you forget what happened the last time you engaged him in such a state” Ceremon growled each word harder than the last as Hareavor ran his hand over the scar on his left cheek, a result of a sword fight with Kane.
“The next time he and I fight he will die” Hareavor bit back angrily.
“And yet he lives, I recall you saying similar before Hareavor, and seeing as both of us striggle to get the upper hand on him, we will tip his attention by having his girl in direct danger he will drop his guard and then we will kill him” Ceremon shrugged darkly “But Z’ress is key to that plan so I am telling you to do exactly as she says Hareavor her orders are as if they come from me”
Hareavor spat a string of curses before storming from the library angrily, his eyes flashing darkly toward any who passed him as he did so.
The faint sound of the heels announced the nearing approach of Z'ress, met with a momentary clash in the corridor outside to Hareavor's presence. Though, his glare was spat in her direction, Z'ress carried on as though he never existed.
She entered the library, with the grace of a powerful feline tigress, moving to slip in a settle upon his desk and a cross of her legs that offered him an exemplary view of those smooth ashen stems attached to the knee high boots that caused the sound of her entry. Z'ress remained poised upon the rise of his desk to the side of his work, her crimson eyes remained on the doorway, as her features, though, stunning were indifferent.
Ceremon placed his quill in the ink pot, closing the book he’d been working within before looking upto her “How are my prisoners? Have we got their undying support?” He knew the answer but the question was mere distraction as he eased her legs so they were now settle either side of her on the desk, one sharp tug had her on the edge of the table with her thighs either side of him.
“How were your travels in my deep dark cells?”
Z'ress, the cool and calm viper as she was, hardly reacted to his unfold of her legs and the swift tug that caused her legs to be spread on each side of him with the heels of her boots now pinning his hands to the arm rest of his current seat in a silent warning that he was treading on dangerous ground. "You know the answer, Ceremon. I have found some...weaknesses within them. I do plan to exploit such."
That was when she ensured the pressure remained on his hands, as she flipped up the strip of fabric that was to imitate a loin cloth of silk, to offer him the display of her succulent petals. Such dark flesh kissed with the tease of delicate pink beyond, no sooner had the display occurred, and then it was covered again. "Each of them are confused by my feedings and tending to their wounds. In which, I plan to continue, adding in a bathing session with the rat. She is a poor...poor confused girl, which is simple to wrangle within my web."
Ceremon placed a kiss on her thigh gently, before he looked back to her “She has watched her mother and father destroy each other for years, it makes no wonder she ended up so lost. However” He stopped placing another kiss to her thigh “Do not forget she wants to survive, she is hurt and she is smart a dangerous combination in a child”
He stood now his hand catching the back of her pulling her tight her hips meeting his as he held her tight in place “There is still plenty to be done for us both” his words were almost a hiss as he lent down to catch the flesh of her neck firmly “I wouldn’t want you dead before the fun began”
Z'ress watched him in silence, again, that expression enigmatic and calm, when his lips graced her thigh, the closure fractured for only a moment. She tipped her chin upwards now, to the second placement of his lips upon her opposite thigh, uninterested. But, the instant he stood and grasped her to cause their hips to clash, her crimson eyes snapped to him, narrowing critically.
Her skin between his teeth, was crisp and refreshing, like a bite of freshly fallen snow. "I can handle, myself, Ceremon." Z'ress hissed resting her cheek against his, the tip of her tongue writhing into his ear, proceeded by a purse blow from her lips. Then she leaned back, placing her hands upon his chest to depart from him.
His hand pressed firmly against her before they hooked under the loin cloth dipping into her with expert ease. His hand tightened at her back preventing any real attempt at escape “I do not for a doubt you cannot handle them” his words rolled slowly before he once more laid kisses against her neck
A hiss parted her lips to the plunge of his digits into the tight silken folds, the passage instantly pressing to be rid of the obstacle that pierced her. She was molten in the depths, as every woman. Since he cut off her chances of escape, one hand lifted to curl around his throat from the front, tightening with the fair bite of her nails, then the opposite hand moved to his back in giving a caress up and down, but, in the next instant tangling within his threads in a yank back.
Her crimson eyes were fixed on him, cruelly, while her expression was enigmatic.
He hissed in reply to the snap of his head, the motion was only momentary as he felt her nails break the flesh of his throat a low growl that was between a warning and a growl of twisted passion. As he finally pulled himself free of her grip on his hair he simply smiled.
He removed his hand from her with a soft smile before releasing his grip on her “Perhaps I should have asked first” his voice was cold and yet the challenge to her was there “Such ice cold beauty” and with that he stepped back watching her
The articulate plop was heard in the departure of his digit that plunged within her sweet comb of honey, his words brought a slow twitch to the corner of her lips, almost as though a flicker of amusement surfaced. But, as always, this was short lived and gone no sooner than it had appeared. Never though, had her eyes expressed anything but indifference or domination, cruel and cold.
She tilted her head, while moving forward to dip her head with a glide of her tongue upon the beads of ruby drawn by her nails. Stepping back, as a hand lurched viperously to grasp his top, pull him to force him on his back upon the table, no sooner had she released him, then he was met with a suffocating feeling over his nose and mouth. But, it was when the heat hit him and the sweet musky odor of a female. Z'ress had positioned herself to force him to please her. "Lick me. Do it good, then...I may consider forgiving you."
He didn’t even wait simply plunged his tongue it her his nails raking the back of her thighs as his tongue dipped deep into her, his nails raked back up her thighs then gripped at her ass kneading her buttocks firmly as he slid back to nip her clit before suckling against it.
He moaned against her adjusting himself so as to acomadate the hardening in his pants before his finger crept up along her butt sliding down against the path of his tongue before easing back along and into her butt
He heard the gasp from Z'ress to the writhe of his tongue that pierced into that tight molten passage, leading to the heavenly cradle of birth. Small white lines indicated the path of his nails that dug into her flesh, leaving a throbbing but fading impression on the silken skin. The perfection of her half-moons was soft but firm, melting into his hands as one with a hand placed in snow. He knew that she was a female of little sound when in the dominating position, since, that was all he ever witnessed from her. But, Ceremon began to recognize when he was doing things as she pleased, because, now her hips began to roll into his greedy mouth and slick tool. One hand curled within his hair, nails scraping at the scalp, practically force feeding him her delectable flower. She left him little room to breathe, but, the pressure incited upon her starlet gave after inciting more, the back pipe swallowing the stimulation of both passages being pleasured.
"Add another." She directed him in her cold voice, indicating a partner within her pucker. There was no strain of lust or passion in her voice, as always, calm and collected with the reigns of a man beneath her. He began to taste a sweetness tickle his pallet, this was merely a tease for him to achieve a higher success on forcing her to release.
He didn’t comply for the moment slipping his finger free of her his tongue now striking against her clit, short sharp flicks that struck and ran over the tender nub of flesh. He paid slow attention to her tasting her and incredible experience for one such as himself.
Finally he allowed her an answer his fingers slipping deep into her wetness coating them before easing two up into her butt, a slow motion before twisting and then easing them up further.
The plumpness of her clit dictated to Ceremon the pleasure that was left unspoken, while her body reacted to such stimulation. A hiss parted her lips when he removed his digit from her back pipe with a plop, yet, she continued to roll her hips down into his mouth. The fingers still within his hair, forcing him to take her while literally riding him, the instant the second digit was added to the tool already pre-slickened by the stealthy lubrication stolen from her flower.
The harder he worked within her back passage, the more she began to grow frantic upon him, that is when he was graced with a flow of her honey, filling his lips and beyond into his mouth. Warm. Sweet. Mouth-watering tasty.
The next moment, her body was removed from atop him, while he could breathe freely and his impending digits removed from her black pleasure spot. She stood now, in her calm composure, watching him with those crimson eyes.
He slid back slowly standing his eyes now settling on hers the taste of her still present in his mind “Control is only fun when you’re getting something from it in return” His words were soft and oddly calm “But here there is usually a willing to give in return” 
“But I when the last time you got yourself fucked?” his voice was half challenge half tease but enough to let her know their current arrangement would need to adapt to serve them both “Not that I don’t enjoy serving such beauty, only that I am not accustomed nor willing to simply act in such capacity because it is expected of me”. 
She remained still while he spoke, tilting her head to his words, as those crimson eyes fixed on him. Z'ress maintained her silence standing still, as that female prowess was ever present and demand for authority detailed. That is when she lifted a hand to shift the fabric of her dress, causing the silken folds to caress her body to a crumple upon the floor. This was a sight, Ceremon had not the pleasure to witness.
The delicate curve of her neck, slender shoulders down to the beauteous bosom that was full and plush, enough to make any man drool at the sight. The dark buds were perked with attention to the difference of temperature, marking the toughness of a mother to child through birthing.
Her torso blended in with the waist that nestled a perfectly carved naval amidst the soft flesh of her fit figure. The hips were lush and motherly, while the sensual V was dusted with soft snow and down to her legs.
Ceremon eyed her form slowly his eyes taking every inch of her as he stepped toward her his eyes calm as he eased her onto the desk, one motion unleashed his hard erection and one thrust sent him plunging deep into her, hear heat surrounding him as he held within her for a moment.
His hands slid to her breasts kneading them slowly before pinching her nipples causing them to harden allowing him to capture one in his mouth before sliding to the other.
As Ceremon eased her upon the desk, Z'ress was rigid and stiff, as though this was something very unfamiliar to her in order to allow a male to dominate. A muscle twitched within her jaw as the monstrous tool plunged deep within her silken passage. In contrast to her frigid exterior, her depths were tight and searing hot. The slickness of his prior deep kiss to her flower still remained allowing him the easy transition within her passage.
The succulence of her bosom was so full it spilled between any space of his fingers. Soft, yet, firm. The pinch of her tender buds immediately was presented with a pucker and increased peak, such a treat for his mouth when Ceremon indulged upon the sweet taste of her cold flesh.
Her expression remained, indifferent and calm, as always. Z'ress's crimson eyes remained fixed on him, but, her body reacted to him.
Ceremon was used to the stiffness it hardly bothered him, as he let his fingers tease the tender nub between her thighs before withdrawing himself and once more plunging deep into her, this time he pulled back and again drive into her, before several short shallow thrusts his hands now slipping to her hips allowing him to pull her into him each time their hips met with a resounding slap, a low moan escaping him enjoying the heat of her surrounding his hardened tool.
A sharp inhale was heard as a hiss between her lips from the slip of his digit between her petals for the nestled button, polishing it with his touch. The sight of his meat plunging into her dark flesh to stretch the delicate pink interior was enticing. Her crimson eyes remained on him the instant that his hands grasped a hold of the reigns to her hips, the articulate orchestration of his speed and depth was musical in the echoing walls of the library. Her body began to accept him as his tool ploughed her grounds, deeper and deeper until it wilted against the entry to her sanctum. Taunting him to push deeper and harder to breech past the gates to her womb, her lids closed to half mast, but, no expression nor sound parted her lips. Other than the rise and fall of her bosom, jiggling to the force he was taking her. 
He growled darkly before his grip tightened and his rhythm quickened each thrust now near violent as his control slid into lust and a need to release, each thrust now driving him hard and deep within her a hungry need for her and for his release.
He fed her his length with repeated force until it hit a deep violent release sending a surge of force through his body his hips snapped violently against her as he spilled his load deep within her.
Z'ress's tilted her head back with her lips parted, though, only the sound of her panting breathing left with the lack of vocals, clearly the more violence he displayed the increased lubrication occurred. She tilted her head to the side, while the terrain of her neck was exposed. The depth he sought was granted as the spongy tip writhed and breeched into her womb, partially strangled by her cervix.
She hissed as the fleshy tube expanded, stretching her corridor, while the flood of rope after rope of his seed flooded her to maximum effect and met with a trickle of her honey. Abruptly she leaned up and wrapped a hand around his neck, narrowing her eyes to him, a focused beam of light. "Did I give you permission to plant your seed in me?" Still with him buried, she somehow managed to push him back on the floor with both her hands now at his throat, inciting more pressure, but, then she released the hold and pulled him up by his hair to crush her lips angrily against his.
He returned the kiss just a deep and dark before his hand wound into her hair pulling her back his eyes flashed “You never said I couldn’t” before he shifted to sit with her in his lap. He nipped the side of her neck before smiling “If I didn’t know better I’d claim you didn’t enjoy yourself”
A deep seeded growl rumbled from her throat when he yanked her head back with the reigns upon her snowy threads. "You never asked." She linked her hands behind his neck in the shift, but, considered him in silence. Z'ress then pushed him square into his chest, a distraction for her to rise and return to gather her fallen dress. In the fold forward, she displayed the glistening petals, dark but the interior was pink and the trickle of a pearlescent juice of their moment gliding down her thigh.
He watched her for a moment catching that glistening petal a soft smile “Such beauty, true beauty is rare in our realm Z’ress, I am fortunate indeed” and with that he pulled himself to his feet, sliding back into his pants with ease and one motion sorted the mess in his hair.
“What is our next course of action?” A genuine question in knowing her plans would allow him to figure his next move in the ultimate game he played with realm as a whole.
She glanced to him over her shoulder, those crimson eyes fixed on him, gathering the dress but not placing it upon her form. She simply draped it over her forearm, remaining silent for a time, then nodding slowly. "Hades will undergo torture after tomorrow if his...mind has not changed. The rat...well, I have some special plans for her. I am enjoying her confused adolescent mind. While, I know, she will not give up my daughter, I have found cracks that I intend to monopolize. She will not be the same woman that Kane knew before we stripped her and starved her..."
“It will make for an interesting experiment, I shall leave you to weave your magic my dark one” Ceremon smiled darkly before making his way back to desk and his own work “Perhaps this won’t be such a waste of time after all”

Monday 2 November 2015

[A Cold Winter] A Confused Child

Aerian was bitterly cold, she huddled into the corner as best she could keeping her knees to her chest in an effort to stay warm. Winter was in the Everlands in full and violent force. Every part of her hurt especially after Hareavor had got done with her just a few hours earlier and act that made her sick to even think about.

She whimpered into her knees as another wave of pain rattled through her as she tried to mentally piece the layout of the area she was been held, her mind still fighting to maintain the control that allowed her to simply be herself. It wasn’t far to the room that Hareavor had tortured her in, never did it in the cell as it was open and Hades was only a few doors down, the room was sealed with a heavy iron door and well she guessed the walls were solid within. The door next to it led up to the castle she suspected that would be her way through. 

Once more she mentally counted the steps then she waited.

That is when Aerian heard the violent click of those heels, announcing the nearing presence of Z'ress, instead of earlier, they passed Hades' cell and proceeded to halt before Aerian's own.

Sure enough, the door was cried upon opening. Standing on the other side was Z'ress, adorning a tray with a pitcher and cup, the smell drifted was scrumptious. Stepping within, she was flanked by the two werewolves, as they stood by the door and the third guard closed the cell. Z'ress glanced back to the two imposing wolves, snapping her fingers when they looked to her with a snarl, she remained steady in her stance and eventually the door was opened and closed.

She moved to sit in the middle of the room, beckoning Aerian forward with a nudge of the tray. Z'ress then scooped up the food, it was delectable to a starving stomach. "Liver to help with the iron in your blood for the loss. Orange juice to add the necessary sugars in the body." Z'ress began to pour the juice from the pitcher. "Tell me. Has Hareavor touched you since we last spoke?"

Aerian remained in the corner her stomach growling loud enough to be heard “Since this morning? Then you and Ceremon visited just after so, no he hasn’t gotten back around to it yet but he will” Her words came on a flood of emotion which Aerian chose to promptly choke down wiping the tears angrily from her eyes.

“Why are you looking out for me? You know I won’t turn her over, nor will I will turn over the mansion, so unless you’re not quite as mental as Aishani tells it …. This seems a lot of effot to play nice?” I was half question half statement a ramble from the confused mind that Aerian was violently fighting to control.

Z'ress remained silent to Aerian's flood of questions, simply holding the fork forward to extend the vegetables and meat to the red head. The scent was indeed stirring her empty stomach, while Z'ress poured the juice with her other hand. "Eat, it is impolite to talk while ignoring my offer to you. As far as Hareavor is concerned, unless, he values his manhood, he will not touch you again." 

Her crimson eyes remained fixed on Aerian, still held with little emotion and absolutely no compassion for the injured girl, that flow of her white hair around her shoulders was like snow blowing in the cruel winter gales.

Aerian looked for a moment before crawling across the room, awkwardly she crossed her legs to sit in front, it was now the bruising was all too clear, almost every inch of her upper thighs were purple or blue, “Funny my dad says the same thing” she took the offered liver, not exactly a favourite but understanding the reasons enough were correct. She chewed slowly, feeling it finally hit her stomach as she swallowed.

Aerian didn’t speak only ate finally feeling some of her body fight back in response to more than the chunks of weeks old bread they had been fed to simply keep them alive.

Z'ress still kept her silence, while ensuring that Aerian ate and then offered her the cup of juice. "It is knowledge that you are stubborn and refuse to comply. Your grandfather, has a weak spot for you, which is to your own advantage. You spoke to me of wanting something you can never have, I am in the same seat as you. Everyone seems against me gathering my own flesh and blood. You see, I simply want to take her home. She has caused enough trouble in this realm and do not hesitate to consider for just a moment that if the situation best suits her, she will leave."

Those crimson eyes travelled upon her upper thighs, the bruising well defined. She then lifted her hand while the webbing of violet wrapped her and pulsed, as Aerian felt a warmth enter her body, as healing was occurring. It was minimal, perhaps, to avoid a shock to the body, but, Z'ress simply watched her.

Aerian watched the webbing vanish into her skin feeling the pain ease, she drank slowly “Ceremon may claim he has a soft spot, but only because he knows IF I wound up dead, my father would rip this castle apart and everyone and everything in it” She finished the juice and another bite of food before she slid back a little “Make no mistake Z’ress, he is afraid of my father, everyone is”

She shrugged softly that slight edge that kept others from getting close no crept into her body, the way she held or at least tried to as much as you could through the pain and the bruising and being naked, the latter barely bothered her anymore though the ice in the air wasn’t helping matters. “But you want your daughter, who will serve critical in protecting this realm, I already know this to be true, I’ve seen her in action, I fell in love with her, before she found my father” She drew a short breath “That one stung. Nevertheless I was sent to watch over her and ensure she got to Dentarius, which is why the bounty hunter my mother dispatched to take her life is now at the bottom of a ravine with half a dozen arrows in his spine, war is coming and we need her”

Z'ress tipped her chin a slight in a jut, at Aerian's words, those crimson eyes fixed on her with an impending chill that seemed to cause the room to grow even colder. "I have heard that twice now. Must be difficult for you, then. To watch the interaction between the two, to know, if only you moved faster that COULD have been you. Doesn't that make you angry? To have her beneath you, writhing and screaming out your name, instead of his? I taught her very well indeed, her manipulation is top of the line. I'm impressed."

She considered Aerian. "Why do you torment yourself? You allow for this to happen to you, perhaps, not knowingly. You wish pain to...numb, some part of you." Z'ress moved on hands and knees to crawl closer to Aerian, this image reminded Aerian as a predator stalking pray. "Was it your father? Your mother? Ah...yes, a lover. Was she taken away? Oh, no, I think killed..."

It caught her square in the chest her entire body tensed visibly at Z’ress’ words watching her move toward her the pain of Mayas death merely held her in place. Her mind simply shutdown as the defences fell all within a moment “I couldn’t protect her, couldn’t stop him, couldn’t find him, will kill him when I do” the words came in a flood, this time she didn’t even bother wiping her eyes falling back onto the floor her entire body exposed to Z’ress.

Her breasts were exposed and just as bruised as the rest of her, a layer of dirt missed leaving almost no area of her body untouched with deep dark patches, her hair had become matted and clung to her scalp with barely any motion, her brain reeled in a wave of confusion she could barely process. 

“It doesn’t matter none of it, because if you remover her from the equasion that this realm is so finally balanced upon you will kill us all, if the Everlands falls, then every realm from here to the netherealms will fall one after another until there are none left” Aerians words were oddly chilled as if not spoken by her but they were from deep within the desperate pit that she now fought to bury once more “I couldn’t protect Maya but I will protect Aishani I love her, she found dad I can make peace with that, eventually…..” her voice trailed off thoughts of Aishani swimming through her mind before her brain hit her with another wave of confusion and pain. 

Z'ress ran her tongue across the ruby polished lips, once Aerian reacted the way that she had. As Aerian was on the floor, she felt those ice cold hands creep up both her legs, but, then a tingling followed. Perhaps, it was her imagination, but, those hands continued to travel upon her naked form. Brushing the breath of frost upon her petals, while it was frigid, again that strange warmth remained, a look to Z'ress provided the display of her crimson eyes glowing like two embers of the deepest logs. Then her hands moved upwards from her hips to her bosom, slowly and very gently each was taken into Z'ress's hands, while tender kneading took place but it did not remain. Z'ress was healing her to the fullest, ridding the pain and the bruises, then met Aerian's gaze, as their mounds met with the thin fabric between them, her pert buds tickling that of Aerian's.

But, the instant that contact was made, Z'ress lifted from her and swept the red-head in her arms, cradling her close to her bosom. She was as though, swept into a drift of snow, but it was comforting. "Then, I will be here for a very long time it seems. It seems everyone is so wrapped up in their own desires and wants, which leaves you at the bottom of the pile, doesn't it? You never allowed anyone to comfort you. Caress your hair and tell you that everything will be all right. But, you know that isn't going to happen, don't you?"

As her hands crept over her body Aerian felt her body react, her flesh rippled with goosebumps, as her hands crept over her intimate parts she felt a whimper slip past which she promptly bit back midway through, her nipples hardened the instant Z’ress’ hands touched them.

It was as she took her in her Aerians that for the first time in a long time Aerian felt true panic, the kind that twists your insides, Aerian could feel her body heel and yet her strength remained all but gone as she twisted quickly out of Z’ress’ grasp slithering back along the floor, she remained on her hands with her feet planted against the floor “I don’t need to be told I’ll be OK, I have watched my life break down so many times it no longer matters, I survive because I’m Elcarus or because I’m stubborn to die depending on whom you ask”

She felt the panic settle which allowed her to drop the defensive posture, she couldn’t take Z’ress she had already worked that out, she was healed but she was far from healthy in that moment “Does make me curious as to your end game beyond retrieving your daughter, I mean you said she gravitates toward protective men, but you, you sided with a certified whack job and by my math you would have got to Dentarius and my father long before Aishani, which means Ceremon was already aware of your arrival” Aerian stopped her train of thought as she settled back “He knew, he brought you here, but why, certainly not to seduce his lesbian granddaughter that capture was does because the opportunity arose” She tipped her head ever so slightly as she let her eyes now trail every inch of Z’ress she could see, her own body still heated from being touched.

Z'ress sat motionless on the floor when Aerian escaped her arms, almost as though, expecting such, in the dimness of the room, her now snow white hair adding an almost surreal aura around her. "You survive. Because, unlike my daughter, you are NOT weak." She began to place the food on the try, calmly, including the pitcher but left the cup. Slowly she rose with perfect posture, while in the background light, ever contour and curve was revealed in contrast beneath the thin fabric. Z'ress turned now, while the wink of a pert bud was caught and then the shift of the fabric revealed the supple bottom that was contoured perfectly and a quick flash of the petals beneath.

Those cruel heels began to click in her walk to the cell door. "I would reconsider things, as they are. Do not pretend to know me, nor my plans. No one knows this, but, me alone. I risk everything to leave my house to my daughters in my stead...Yes, Aishani's sisters. I have much more to lose than her, nor any of you." She lifted her hand to knock on the door.

“I wouldn’t assume to know anything Z’ress, except the pieces of a larger I have, I would just make sure you’re on the right side for the right reasons, love is just as powerful as hate and I have family filled with both” Finally Aerian made her way to her feet leaning back on the wall, her body once more exposed though somewhat less unclean than before “Maybe next time you can clean me up properly, I still have more of Hareavor on me than I’d like”

Z'ress hesitated, but, did not turn to face her. "There are other meals, throughout the day. You will see me again, Aerian." The door opened to reveal the human and the two werewolves, she stepped through and pivoted on her heel to walk away. After the door moaned closed in defeat of the now lonely cell, the only remaining sound was the clicking of her heels upon each slow and steady step.