A Thorn In The Ice

Chapter 31: Chilled Depths

"Lock my newest wife in the chamber with the others." 
The villain growled after setting a metal circlet atop her head. He then roughly pushed her towards Groaa. 
The skinny gangly barbarian picked her up and tossed the queen easily over his shoulder, like a baker would a sack of flour.

Adelaide picked this time to put up a fight, pounding her fists into his back, but it was useless. Groaa was as immovable as a rock. 
He carries her down the stairs and pushed her into a dimly lit room.  
She pounded on the door after he shut it, but it was of no use.

Adelaide jumped in surprised at the touch of a soft hand. She turned and was further surprised at the sight of a strange young girl. She had long, smooth, raven black hair, almond shaped eyes teeming with a foriegn mystery stared back at Adelaide with a mixture of concern and pity. She was dressed in faded, but beautiful embroidered red silks, and judging from the way her garment bulged tightly at her stomach, she was with child.  In the low candle light of the chamber, the Queen could make out four other feminine figures behind her. Each of which looked like nothing the Aelford royal had ever seen before. They were standing in what looked like a large bed chamber, with several beds lining the walls, as well as some assorted furnishings.

The first woman that caught her eye was a brazen beauty with skin like umber, a dark, cool shade much like the deep brown jewels once favored by her brother. So captivated by her intense beauty that momentarily Adelaide was frozen in place, she had never seen such a person before. Her eyes were like amber, fierce and strong;  a small baby girl with slightly lighter skin, and spiraled, honey colored hair she held tightly against herself.

Beside her was a woman with intense hair so red it made her own seem brown in comparison, a large toddler supported himself by this woman's knee. To her right tall, thin brunette women dressed wearing what looked strangely, like a bed sheet wrapped elegantly around her body, she as well was with child. Finally another woman, if you could call her that considering she appeared so young, more like a girl; with bronze skin and dark hair, she had it braided and wore what looked like a dress of tanned animal skins and a necklace made of bone. Again, also with child.

All  remarkably beautiful In the most different of ways. In that moment Adelaide realized why he wanted to marry her rather than just kill and conquer. He was a collector. 
Despite their strikingly different garments, all of these woman wore a gold circlet atop their heads.
Symbols of Barbaric stature, and Adelaide realized that like herself, these woman were likely also all royalty.

"Are you ill?" The woman in the silk dress asks through an almost innegable accent. Concern filled her hauntingly beautiful gaze.
The one with the red hair steps forward. 
"What Meili means is are you hurt?"  
Immediately Adelaide recognized her voice, her dialect was that of an island far to the south, one called Aileena.
Once in a blue moon Aelford would receive a trade ship in the port that had wandered far from home. It was also her understanding that the current queen of the Southern Isles was originally from this land. Hence the famous red hair that Iolas and all his siblings bore.
"You are from Aileena?"
Adelaide asked. 

"Yes, I am.” A look of long forgotten familiarity takes root in her bright green eyes. 
“What are you doing here? How are you on this ship. You are royalty are you not?” The questions fall from Adelaide's lips quickly. 
“I am princess Ava.”
Her voice seemed sounded tired, and not in the way that could be cured by sleep.
 “A decade ago my ship was captured by the Scourge and I have been a prisoner ever since."
Said Ava.
"And these others,  are you all royalty as well?"
 Adelaide questioned, but already knowing the answer.  
Each of the woman nodded in turn except the one in the strange white dress.

"I am Callisto of Gennadios." She introduced herself, her voice also tired.
“My homeland has no monarchy.
It is a democracy. Run by elected officials instead of a lineage. But my mother was one of those officials so...."
So basically the same thing as a royal, at least as far as this barbarians were concerned.
Thought Adelaide.
"I was aboard a merchant ship with my father when it was sized.... I was traded for the life of the passengers."
She hangs her head low as she explains. Adelaide heart breaks as she began to contemplate the combined suffering these women must have endured at the hands... and in the bed of Lord Dregg. A suffering she too might soon endure.

Adelaide attention returned once again to the beauty with the darkest skin she had ever seen. 
"Its rude to stare." She snaps at Adelaide, narrowing her eyes and pulling her child closer. 
"Please relax Amoya," Ava speaks.
"I am sure the girl means no harm. She is one of us now..." 
Reasures the Eileenian.
 “She my dear, is Amoya, and is princess of another, beautiful, far away island that these cretins once touched their filthy boots down upon.” 
Adelaide next look to the leather clad girl. So quietly she stood at the back of the room. One hand resting on her swollen midsection. She couldn't have been much older than 12 or 13.
"What about you?" I ask her.
"That is Enemene." Aileen responds.
"She was the newest of us until you. She comes from a land of which distance cannot be fathomed. A land so far away and with warriors so fierce that even the Scourge could not conquer. She instead was stolen from her homeland, snatched right from it by these monsters, given as a souvenir by the brother of Lord Dregg; only 6 months ago as a gift.” 
Disgust struck Adelaide like a punch in the gut. How could living, breathing humans being be treated like a parcels? Apparently it was a great and profitable trade among these barbarians.

The ship wrenched violently side to side and Adelaide reached out for the nearest bed post to grip.
With each fire of the humongous cannons the whole vessel vibrated. She could hear shouting above, The Bloodhound had lost the rudder and another ship was coming up fast.

The Isles flagship rammed into this one. Above she could hear battle cries and the sounds of the physical fight beginning. Cries of pain mixed in with the clashing of steel. Adelaide covered her ears, trying to block out the screams. 

The other wives and the few children had barricaded themselves between the beds. Adelaide heard the crashing of heavy footfalls on the staircase above.
 Glancing frantically around, she reachef for the nearest object to use as a weapon, a piece of lumber from the stack beside the fireplace. 

The lock on the door is slid open and in the dim light, two men burst in. 
As quickly as they enter, they turn and press themselves against the door. 
One man reaches for the nearest chair to barrage the door with. 
She caught a glance of the face of the other, red hair, dark eyes, and the sharpest jawline is what greeted her
"Iolas!" She cried, running into his arms and burying her face into his shoulders.  
"You're alive!" She pulled back and happily cupped his cheek in her hand. 
"You came back for me!"
He is battle weary and his armor is encrusted with dried blood.
 Iolas smiles down at me and covers her hand with his.
"I had a good reason."

The other figure clears his throat. Pulling off his helmet Adelaide is greeted with soft, unkept blonde hair and the most soft and caring eyes.
Her heart stops in her chest. 
She cannot believe her own vision. 
 "SIMON?!?"

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A/N: Happy(ish) Friday Y'all!
For those concerned about my wellbeing, I am so incredibly humbled.
You are all such wonderful people.
So far no word when this virus will be over and allow me to return back to "real" work.
I unfortunately did not yet receive one of the stimulus checks sent out by my government, so and as much as I straight up hated too, I have since filed for unemployment. Hopefully I get approved soon, but I will be alright at least for now. How are you guys all doing? Anyone else (or your parents) lost their job and had their lives flipped around because of this?
Much Love
-QueenOfGeeks