Rebuilding the King.

Chapter 9: The Battle of the Black Gate (part 1)

Elayna's POV.

I sat staring as the sun rose and noticed something for the first time. The clouds that normally keep the land dark have thinned enough that the light from the sun is visible. I would have smiled, moved, jumped for joy, but I can't I am bruised and battered. My body and mind were put through enough yesterday to the point that I don't even stir when I notice that Sauron has begun to wake. The only time I risk moving is to pull my knee away when he places his hand on it. I hear a frustrated sigh as he stands up and strides across the room to a dresser and proceeds to get dressed. "I'll have that servant girl come in and help you get ready for breakfast, I'll be back in a while to get you," he says. It sounds like a threat, but then again after yesterday anything he says I would find threatening. After a few moments of silence there is a knock on the door and Naevys comes in holding a silken robe. "My Lady, put this on please and follow me, I have drawn you a bath," her voice is soft, soothing and it makes me want to cry again. But I just manage not too. Naevys holds my hand as we walk to the bathing chamber and I barely react as she helps me out of my robe, into the bath and helps me wash. Once I have finished in the bath I dry myself vigorously and put the robe back on. Naevys then brings me back to the bedroom and leads me over to the vanity in front of the mirror where she begins styling my hair. She mostly lets it hang loose and just plaits the bits that frame my face at the back of my head.

I finally brave looking at myself and I startle a little when I notice... nothing. There is no bruises, no bite marks or scrapes or anything. Every single mark that asshole gave me yesterday is just gone! I examine my reflection just to make sure that I am not imagining things but no, there's nothing to show what I went through. My teary eyes meet Naevys's steady stare and she nods her head once. "Now then my Lady, shall we get dresses?" she asks calmly. I start to nod and then stop. "How did the bruises go Naevys?" I ask. She smiles. "So, you do have a brain... think my Lady, think and you'll have your answer," she responds cryptically as she helps me stand and move over to the bed where my dress has been laid out. I stand still, mentally stroking the head of my beast, keeping it calm despite the fact it is chomping at the bit for blood. I step into the dress Naevys has placed on the floor and slip my arms though the straps. I then turn my back to Naevys and move my hair as she closes the fasteners. Think.... what am I supposed to think of? Naevys helps me step into another pair of ridiculously high heeled shoes and I gasp when I see my reflection. Purple lace is sewn over a nude coloured dress. and I appear mostly naked. Again, it's provocative but this time I will not provoke him.