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“Master van Calox, if you keep talking about your duty to the inquisition I'm going to get you a red and gold leash to go with it.” He’d almost forgotten about that conversation. It was just like Isiabel to be dismissive like that of his duty. She never would accept the inevitable.
2 days later, Interrogator Heinrix van Calox woke up from a nap in her quarters with the exact item described lying next to the couch he had slept on. She had apparently delivered it while he was asleep. The Lord Captain could be a rather infuriating woman at times and took way too much enjoyment from tormenting him.
He sighed loudly, not that there was anyone to hear him. “Void take that girl,” he commented to thin air as he put the collar on. At least it would amuse her when she returned. He smoothed his hair out briefly and returned to the report he was working on, the water of the pool - something of that size was not a bath - making soothing noises behind him. The room was warm and humid and he’d set his
He noticed when Isiabel returned but didn’t look up from his work. His senses already told him who it was, so there was no need. He’d almost forgotten that he was still wearing the leash until she tugged on it. Her hand ran up it, over the collar, and under his chin, pulling back until his head rested on her collarbone behind him.
“Isiabel, I’m trying to get some work done here.”
“You’re always trying to get some work done. You should relax sometime.”
“I can’t say that relaxing is how I’d describe our recent activities. Now if you don’t mind…”
“Heinrix, pick up that pen and I’ll tie your hands up too.”
He opted to ignore her and return to his report. This was promptly interrupted by a cuff snapping around one of his wrists. Why was she even carrying those?
“Isi…” he protested as she pulled his other wrist up into the handcuffs. Her fingers were elongated and delicate, typical of the voidborn and unlike his own heavier build. She’d never be particularly strong - as Lord Captain her strength was her ship and her retinue rather than her shoulders.
“I did warn you.” Satisfied in his inability to continue working, she sat on the plush bench next to him and pulled back on the leash until his head was in her lap.
“You are enjoying this entirely too much. It’s quite unseemly for the head of a Rogue Trader dynasty to encourage neglecting duty.” He gave a very slight attempt to pull away. She wasn’t letting go of the leash, apparently. He supposed it was best to humor her while he was stuck on her ship. Especially since he had agreed to stay there.
“You’re always busy. What’s the point of building an imperium if no one ever gets to enjoy it? You can relax and enjoy yourself for a few minutes without it being a betrayal of the Golden Throne. And I’m guessing you haven’t had anything since breakfast either other than too many cups of recaff.”
“You know I don’t need…”
“Hush.” Somewhere behind her a servoskull floated in carrying a little food bag with a von Valancius crest stamped on it. “Eat. I’ll still care about you if you don’t get all your reports done on time.” Lithe fingers pressed a small cube to his lips as he tried to protest again. It tasted of fruit and honey. He was hungry enough to accept it, especially since she obviously was going to insist.
He didn’t really understand why she insisted on spending so much time and energy on him. For her to tie herself to him - in the less literal sense - would be unthinkable as a Rogue Trader and the surviving daughter of a noble line.
Her fingers slipped down his chest between bites of fruit and a sweet salty cheese, running briefly over the rosette before caressing his skin. He shifted a little, finding a more comfortable position curled against her. She ran her other hand through his hair in response, pulling his head in close to her body.
“You know, I did always like your hair. It’s so soft. You always act like it doesn’t matter, but you take care of it so well.”
“My auntie used to tell me a story, back when I was young, about a girl who was the daughter of one of the laborers in the shuttle bays. One day a boy came to visit. He was from the planet below and he had the most beautiful dark hair, not like the pale hair that all her family had. And in his hair he wore a strand of flowers from the surface, like nothing she’d ever seen.” Her own hand continued twining through his hair as she told the story. He didn’t hear the rest - the sound of the water and the sensation of her fingers was too calming for him to stay awake anymore.