The Blood King

Chapter 3

Neytiri

I'm terrified.

No one has said one word to me. The guards brought me to the throne room and had the servants bring out wine and food for Loris and his friends. Yet, I was given nothing.

The guard that helped me in brought me to the edge of the intimidating throne to kneel and placed a blindfold around my eyes. Now, all I can do is hear Loris and his friends' celebration. But I can't stop shaking in fear. Rumors about the blood king have not been kind. And, if the rumors are any kind of true, I won't be dead any time soon. He'll torture me, and then kill me. Just because of what I am.

The blindfold around my eyes is soaked from the silent tears I've been crying. I don't know how long they will keep me like this, waiting for my worst fears; for Gran's worst fear. Finally, after what feels like forever, I hear it. The door to the far side of the throne room eases open, and the room falls silent.

I can basically hear the shuddering of my heart in my ears as solid footsteps glide across the room. No one speaks. My heart rate rises when I realize the footsteps are coming in my direction. They stop directly in front of me, and I release a shuddering breath, waiting for the pain to come.

I gasp, when I feel a hand on my face. I can't stop the shuddering breaths that escape me. I immediately bite the inside of my cheek, flinching away from the contact.

"Her face. Did you come into some kind of trouble?" The voice above me is smooth. Demanding. Terrifying. It echoes off the walls and is followed by complete silence. The hands travel down my face, over the welts on my arms, and the bruises along my body.

"I asked you a question." I sense the irritation in his voice. I can also sense an accent as well.

"No, your majesty..." I hear Loris' unsure voice. The rustle of fabric sounds and when the king speaks again, he sounds further away.

"Then, what happened to her?" he asks.

Silence.

"My king, she plagued our village for too long with her curse, and we finally took things into our own hands, and brought her to you as an offering, for peace, in hopes that you would spare our clan in your quest to expand your k-"

The voice is cut off as a deep chuckle echoes throughout the throne room. It grows until it's a loud and hearty laugh. The laughter finally dies down, and I hear footsteps. Except they're moving away from me. And towards Loris.

"And where are you from, exactly?" the king asks.

There's a pause.

"The glinden forests, my king," someone finally says.

"Hm." The king's response is disinterested. I feel a stinging pain on my thighs and realize that I am scraping my nails against my legs from the amount of nerves coursing through me.

"Which one of you is the leader?" he asks.

"I am, my king," Loris speaks up.

There's a pause.

"Very well." That's the last human sound that I hear before the screams begin. They're blood curdling. Suffering. Begging for mercy. I can hear the snap of bones, the tearing of flesh, the splatter of blood, until there is the smallest whimper left.

"Take this back to your home. Tell them, I am coming for them. Tell them, they have incurred the wrath of the blood king. Tell them, their days are numbered, and their deaths will not be merciful. I will find each and every one of you and make you suffer." I hear a whimper, followed by the sounds of running footsteps, and then he screams.