You Are Made of Iron

Prologue pt. 1

       A girl was speaking. In truth she was less speaking as she was pleading for mercy.

       "I'm sorry your majesty" the girl said "It won't happen again." Her hands began to tremble and a bead of sweat inched across her face.

       "What if I decide that there won't be another time!" The king snapped, his eyes flashing with a cruel anger. "What if I decide to kill you?"

       ​The girl in question was tall for her age, but she was very skinny. The bones showing through her shirt were a testament to the amount of food she was regularly allowed.

​       "Your highness please" She whimpered as she snuck a glance at His Majesty, and then lowered her eyes again. Even from his hiding place, the man in the shadows could see fear in the slight girl's strange violet eyes.

       ​She spoke again. This time softer, pleading, and more sincere, "Please, do not kill me. I am sorry! I won't ever try to run away again."

       ​King Galleon took a deep breath as if trying to calm himself down, but this only made him more menacing. He spoke to his counselor in a deep gravelly voice that had made many people tremble, "What do you say, Cameo? Do I order her beaten, or flogged?" he spoke the words slowly, and although he didn't actually care whether or not Cameo answered his question, he made it quite clear to the girl that she would be hurt before she went home.

       ​Cameo spoke, his long nose and small beady eyes doing nothing to discourage the image of crow whispering into the King's ear, "As much as you and I both would love to know that this brat is sufficiently punished," His lip curled in distaste, "I believe that some bit of her should be left for her master to deal with. We wouldn't want to return her in shreds. I think the best course of action is to have her beaten."

​       King Galleon nodded his approval. He spoke to the guard on his right "Have her beaten and then returned to her usual cell. Let me know when you're done with her. I won't mind any cuts, but do not break her bones." The King turned his gaze back to the girl and glared, he spoke quickly and with a hiss in his voice, "You would be wise to keep your word about not trying to run away again, because if you do, the consequences will be far worse than this time. If you ever try anything like this again; I will contact your master and convey to him that I will be keeping you for a much longer time than previously. In that time I will personally see to it that you are harmed in ways Silas Gruff has never even imagined. My adviser here is skilled in many areas, one of which he has refined through years of practice. You may call it torture, he calls it the affliction of extreme agony. Either way, he is a master at it. And I'm certain that he would enjoy the opportunity to have a chance at you. This is the last time you run away. Because if it is not, you will have hell to pay."

​       By the time he had finished with his speech the poor girl was quite literally quaking in her boots. He had obviously thought this through, and his threat was far too specific to be made up. She cowered further as if trying to hide behind her long bangs as she complied, "Y-yes Your Highness. I-I p-p-promise I won't run away again. I promise!" She was still trembling as she let herself be led away.