Christopher Michael
Troubadour
So here's the setup:
In my WIP, I have Sirens among my other fantastic beings. Now, most of the lore regarding them I've kept- the magic of their voice and touch is there, the ability to completely overwhelm lesser beings (primarily humans) and bend them to their will. I've made one notable change:
If Siren's attempt to use their magic on each other, in a form of what I'm temporarily calling "seduction combat" it has a curious side effect. The loser of that combat is magically bound to the winner. They cannot operate in opposition to the desires of the winner. They cannot betray or attack them. They are utterly subservient to them.
They can be freed, but it takes a deliberate decision on the part of the dominant. All Sirens know this from birth. It is a part of their raising- and they've seen it in action.
Now for the problem. My protagonist is a siren, one of the most powerful to ever live. But he's been raised as a human, and had no access to the magic of that birthright until recently. (It's much more complicated than this, but this is enough to get going on.) What that means is he has absolutely no idea of this particular aspect of his new nature and powers.
Now the ultimate antagonist sends a female siren, quite powerful in her own right, to seduce and kill the protagonist. Unfortunately, she loses the fight and becomes bound to the protagonist.
Now here's where it gets twisted. "Because Plot", the protag is going to grow to actually care for her, even fall in love. Plot is going to happen and she's going to save his life (because of that binding). He'll free her and, of course, she'll leave.
Now for my questions:
1) How do I manage this situation without the (inevitable) sexual situations being rape?
2) The story ends up with them back together as equals and partners, through my WIP'S version of a wedding ("Rite of Mutual Binding" using blood magic that makes them mutually bound to each other but with no dominant or submissive partner). How do you think I can get them back together?
3) How do I make her a real person instead of a convenient object?
For the record, I have a few ideas regarding these elements (other than that first one). I'm just looking for other options and opinions I may not have considered.
In my WIP, I have Sirens among my other fantastic beings. Now, most of the lore regarding them I've kept- the magic of their voice and touch is there, the ability to completely overwhelm lesser beings (primarily humans) and bend them to their will. I've made one notable change:
If Siren's attempt to use their magic on each other, in a form of what I'm temporarily calling "seduction combat" it has a curious side effect. The loser of that combat is magically bound to the winner. They cannot operate in opposition to the desires of the winner. They cannot betray or attack them. They are utterly subservient to them.
They can be freed, but it takes a deliberate decision on the part of the dominant. All Sirens know this from birth. It is a part of their raising- and they've seen it in action.
Now for the problem. My protagonist is a siren, one of the most powerful to ever live. But he's been raised as a human, and had no access to the magic of that birthright until recently. (It's much more complicated than this, but this is enough to get going on.) What that means is he has absolutely no idea of this particular aspect of his new nature and powers.
Now the ultimate antagonist sends a female siren, quite powerful in her own right, to seduce and kill the protagonist. Unfortunately, she loses the fight and becomes bound to the protagonist.
Now here's where it gets twisted. "Because Plot", the protag is going to grow to actually care for her, even fall in love. Plot is going to happen and she's going to save his life (because of that binding). He'll free her and, of course, she'll leave.
Now for my questions:
1) How do I manage this situation without the (inevitable) sexual situations being rape?
2) The story ends up with them back together as equals and partners, through my WIP'S version of a wedding ("Rite of Mutual Binding" using blood magic that makes them mutually bound to each other but with no dominant or submissive partner). How do you think I can get them back together?
3) How do I make her a real person instead of a convenient object?
For the record, I have a few ideas regarding these elements (other than that first one). I'm just looking for other options and opinions I may not have considered.