The act was worse than death.
This was the destruction of her very self, of her standing and prestige as a devil, was a complete and utter humiliation.
It was one thing to lose her body, because it would be with a devil; someone who was still considered an equal to her. Though if it were to somehow be a demon, or even worse, a being from a lesser race, then she would have sought death instead.
There was also the lack of care for purity in hell.
It was not something that would matter too much, as one's body or purity were merely considered a resource, or for some, a weapon.
Being forcible taken would at most, start a deep-seated hatred for the one who had assaulted her.
Yet things were very different if she were to be humiliated publicly.
Something's were considered sacred for devils, and pride, the very essence of their being, was definitely one of them.
It wasn't just the physical act; it was the utter annihilation of her dignity, of the pride that was the very core of her being.
It would be a humiliation that would damage her not only emotionally, but possibly even their soul and spirit; making growing in strength more difficult unless she could remedy the damage to her pride.
It was an ethereal, yet very real and crucial aspect to devils.
"NOOO!"
A scream was ripped from her throat, filled with pure, undiluted pride and desperation.
It was a shriek that tore through the basin, so piercing and heavy with royal command, that it seemed to momentarily silence the very hum of the barrier, echoing out to the armies who had started watching beyond.
"I SURRENDER! STOP! I am Saphira, devil of hell, royal blood of the abyss! You CANNOT do this! I demand dignity! I demand the respect owed to my bloodline!"
The words echoed in the air as a final, desperate plea from a princess who had lost her kingdom but would not, could not, surrender her royalty.
For if she were to be humiliated in such a way, then her bloodline would no longer mean anything.
"I promi- heuk!" Adam's hand stopped her from continuing.
Adam's hand was around her neck, pinning her into the ground harshly.
Her near-naked body was being pressed into the jagged ground, but the pain was nothing compared to the horror of humiliation.
Her gaze remained steadfast and unwavering with pride and resolution as they locked onto Adam's red eyes.
The world had narrowed to this patch of scorched earth, the searing heat radiating off his body, and the countless eyes upon her.
She could feel them: the hungry, leering gazes of the lesser demons, the cold, analytical stares of the other approaching devils…
The deviless's presence was a particularly loud silent judgment; her sliver pools staring emotionlessly at her.
Being stripped, beaten, and now to be taken… violated… in front of this horde, was a stain that would never wash out.
A desperate, pathetic thought clawed its way through the panic.
Dignity.
Just a shred.
Not here, not like this.
If her defilement was an inescapable fate, could it at least happen somewhere away from these mocking, insulting eyes?
Could the last vestige of the high-tier deviless she had been be preserved in some small, private way?
A short silence filled the air, as for what would seem unexpected, her words did not fall on deaf ears.
Adam, some part of his lineage and pride, seemed to resonate with her plea, or was it more of a demand?
Either way, it worked… slightly.
To deny Saphira's greater lineage would be to cast away his own. A hint of annoyance grew, but it wasn't directed towards Saphira, but instead the on lookers!
It was like seeing peasants watching the drama of royals.
At first, he didn't care, but with her reminder, his pride flared.
Hidden underneath all of his rage, lust, and annoyance towards Saphira, there was a hint of respect that one would have to an equal.
She had pushed him this far, she was a devil of hell, and she had held her head high and gaze steady at this final moment… albeit somewhat unsightly.
Still, although his mind and heart shifted slightly, he didn't plan to make it so easy for her.
"Beg for it," Adam's voice cut through the silence after mere seconds of silence, "Or die!"
The command hung in the air as a final, degrading hurdle.
Adam could chose to show her some form of dignity and respect by straight out killing her: an option he knew would be for the best.
Saphira's body went rigid, a silent war raging within her.
Accept her violation, surrender with humiliation, or death?
The choices were brutal.
Her mind, once so cold and calculating, was now a storm of uncertain logic and raw emotion.
'To live as his plaything?' The thought was painful, but it was her fault; she had ruined everything.
To beg would lead to subjugation, but what after?
Her assassination attempt had not only failed but had been a catalyst for him to become something greater.
There was no chance at an equal partnership, no chance of manipulation from within. No more chances of grooming the young devil into her pet and subordinate.
Now, she would be a trophy, a possession.
A gilded cage was still a cage.
'Is it worth it?' The question echoed in her mind.
'Will he even let me live?'
The way his anger and lust were so violently intertwined, it felt like he was seeking to claim her and then simply discard the used vessel. To take her purity and then her life, the ultimate act of his power over her.
A sudden chilling realization washed over her.
She was about to follow in her mother's footsteps: a powerful male devil, taking what he wanted by force.
Was it a curse, a twisted family legacy written in the blood of violated women? Or was it simply the brutal reality of hell, where any other, gentler form of sex was a naive fantasy?
Death.
The alternative was a final, absolute end.
No more ambition, no more schemes, no more future.
Just… nothing.
In the void of darkness, a single thought sprouted from the concept of nothingness: a fragile, desperate will to live, no matter how unlikely, sparked.
For any hope of life, it was… worth it!
Power and life are what drove a devil; the cardinal sins were merely the fuel for such ambitions. This was a loss she could, no, that she had to accept.
Her body went limp in his grasp, her fight utterly gone. She looked up at him, her molten brass-like eyes, once filled with cunning and ambition, were now bleak and listless.
"Please…" She begged, her voice broken, awkward, a pathetic whisper that was barely audible.
"Not… not here. Please, my lord… anywhere but here. I… I beg you." The words tasted like shit in her mouth.
She was begging not just for the meager dignity of a private violation, but for the chance to see another hellish sunrise, to cling to the faint, desperate hope that life, even as a slave or toy, was better than the eternal nothingness of death.
Greedy to her core.
She wanted to keep her pride intact, saving herself from soul damage, therefore leaving her potential unharmed, and all while keeping her life at the same time.
Truly, it was a subconscious, calculated act of greed; albeit, one that was laden with painful caveats.
To Adam, her appearance was truly a sight to behold.
Her sleek, black hair was a tangled mess; painted with dirt, sweat, and blood. The elegant amethyst horns seemed to droop from just above her brows. Her voluptuous, curvaceous body, was filled with elastic, explosive power; yet it was now a trembling, exposed, and pinned beneath him.
The vivid fist-mark was a brand of his victory; smoldering between her bare, jiggling breasts.
She was a conquered beauty, her pride wrapped in his fingers, pleading, trading the last of her dignity for a chance, however slim, to continue breathing.