Endrine
Pitch black. This is how it was in this muddy hole half under the ground they call it dungeon. She was the only one there; she knew this. Someone's else presence would've been noticed by now. She couldn't see a thing, but she was not deaf.
The only time she could see a bit of light was when a guard would open the door at the end of the row of cells passage in the daytime.
With nothing to eat or drink since the Sun knows when, her only thought was death. She was sure that they won't allow her to die here in this cell. They needed her at the stone. As a dawner, her death would be an example. They will take out the whipping pebble because no dawner is allowed the chance to live. And she was looking forward to that. According to her calculations, it would be in a bit over a fortnight.
Lost in her thoughts, she heard the door open and a wolf's heavy steps approached with someone following. She couldn't see who it was, but certainly it was a lower, just another unfortunate prisoner. A lone, lost moon ray announced the nightfall.
The cell's door next to her opened and closed fast at the click of the iron key.
She lowered her head on her arm again for her prayers to be disturbed by the guard's harsh tone. "You there! Get up."
She got herself up on her feet and waited.
"C'mon! Don't make him wait!" He nearly shouted.
She took a few steps into the dark, reaching with stretched till she touched the bars in the darkness.
'Him'... did he mean the Prince? Surely he had slaves waiting in line, willingly. Why would he summon her?
The impatient beast grabbed one of her arms and yanked her out. Her shoulder and hip collided with the iron frame of the door and she screeched in pain, but the animal just laughed and pulled her forward harder.
"You filthy dawner, you shouldn't be allowed to get comfortable in here. You should be out, tied to the pole and whipped at out pleasure! If the old king would be alive still..."
She tried to match his big strides and kept her mouth shut. Endrine knew better than to reply to the dumb head.
As they approached the hall house, she scanned her surroundings.
On the left side of the path was what looked like a tall barn. At some distance, a few cottages still held some light from the warming fires inside. The trees stood proud behind, praying with their mighty arms at the Moon. On the right, an open space surrounded by a decayed fence was filled with the silhouettes of grazing animals.
They walked on the path near the fence in silence. Everything looked peaceful.It seemed like they the only ones walking at that time outside, but Endrine felt that someone is lurking in the dark. Of course, this was the king's seat. But it looked more like a peasant's.
Guards would be on their watch, ready to fight an attack at every moment.
The werewolf entered the great hall, nearly dragging her by the elbow, where a few men were sleeping. She could tell by the snores that they were beast. No human made such noises in their sleep... like they were in a pig chorus.
He ushered her towards the door that flanked the raised platform, at the end of the rectangular room, leading her to what it seemed to be the solar.
Uncommon was the fact that the fireplace was built in the inner wall of the place, not like the open ones from the Midland halls. No smoke filled the air, as all rose out through the stone chimney that pierced the high ceiling. When she stood here earlier, her mind couldn't process anything, being fogged by grief and sorrow.
From the solar they passed through yet another door, and from the upper end they used the stairs to get to the private chambers. As they walked down the long corridor, moans and muffled giggles filled the darkness from behind the closed doors.
The guard stopped in front of the last door. His fist was ready to knock when a rich masculine voice invited them in.
A cold shiver run down her spine. It was Him. The one she saw four years ago at the stone, the deadliest of them all.
She stepped carefully in and the door closed behind her.
Why did the wolf brought her here? She was a prisoner on a death row. She knew very well that there was no escape. Not that she wanted to live. For her, life ended when she placed her child in the cold grave.
But now... what did he want? Maybe to humiliate her, to take the one thing she had left- her dignity. When she first laid eyes on him, at the executions, he didn't strike her as such a man. Then why did he ordered for her to his chamber?
One thing she was sure of- she will not allow to be made a whore. Perhaps, if she finds a way to enrage him enough, she will meet her demise here and now.
He sat on a large fur sniffing at one of its corners, legs crossed, in front of the fireplace.
By his looks, he was a savage. By his clothes, he was a peasant.
He turned his head, measuring her from head to toe.
"You are the dawner," he stated. "Come closer."
She took a step and stopped. "Why am I here?"
"I thought I am the one to ask questions. You have yet to confess your crimes, but that is not why I want you here."
Endrine rose a brow. "You are a king. Surely you have a dozen of slaves claimed for yourself, more than willing to satisfy your needs."
"Actually, I don't." He looked into the flames. All the women he had, all that offered themselves to him, none could fill the emptiness in his soul. None would make him feel something... something he was craving for, even though he couldn't name what it was.
He tightened his grip on the fur and smell it again. The spot where the angel's tears fell was still wet.
He knew that the dungeon was no place for her, but he had no other option at hand. If he kept her in his den, he couldn't guarantee to restrain himself. To send her in the barn with the slaves was to allow his men to take her as unclaimed for their pleasures.
"Why don't you make yourself comfortable?" he asked as he poured some wine from a jug and, standing up, handed her a cup.
She took a sip. "I thought you don't drink."
"Usually we don't, but we are still part humans, so sometimes we do. I thought this might help you relax a bit. I can feel the tension."
"And why would I do that, king? Do you want me relaxed when you take me by force?" she said, narrowing her eyes to him.
He sighed, but said nothing. This is what all lowers believed. It might have been true, in the days of the old king, and it might be true still in the corners of some packs, but not for him and the wolves around him. Slaves and prisoners were brought to him, yes. And they didn't have to be forced, as they all looked for favors to gain or easy punishments. Unless death punishments.
"Why don't you take your dress off?" he asked. "It seems very... muddy. You can use the basin to refresh yourself."
"And then what?"
"We'll see. I will not force you, if that's your concern."
"Then why bother? You think I will be convinced somehow to moan under you? Why would I do that?" she asked, eyeing the basin.
Smell. An idea flourished in her mind. What was a strong smell that would provoke his authority? She walked to the table where the basin was, her hand undoing the strings of her dress' neckline. Looking into the water, she had her answer.
"Can you guarantee my life if I entertain you enough?"
"All I can give you, dawner, is a quick demise when the time comes."
"If you give me the moonberry back, I can do it myself." She took the cloth and dipped in the water, cleansing her face and hands.
"I can not do that."
"Are you not a king? The old one would do as he please."
Still staring into the flames, he gave no reply.
And she understood. "You have yet to straighten your reign."
His head turned to her. "Your smartness matches your looks, woman. I might overpower them all, but I need their support to make a difference. And they will never agree to what you ask, because you are a dawner."
"Was. Not that it matters."
"Not to them. Not yet. I would like to hear more about why you left them and why you were hiding in the north, but not now." Raiden said, sipping some wine.
Her scent was filling his mind, and he closed his eyes, picturing those blue eyes. What was wrong with him? He should focus on the comely lower his lust needed, not on a mere woman that thought a kiss will get her heavy.
Lost in the thought, he chuckled. To his amazement, she shyly responded to his kiss.
Endrine lowered the basin on the floor, positioning it between her legs. He wanted her refreshed, so she will refresh him! Taking a peek at the king, she released her bladder into the water. He didn't seem to notice. She grabbed the basin with both hands, praying that this will work, and her soul will be reunited with Dawn's soon.
"Hey, King!" Splash! The basin went flying, covering him and the fur with the spoiled water.
A wild growl filled the entire place. Grabbing her by the neck, he lowered his sharp canines to her skin.
"I am ready" she whispered more to herself, closing her eyes.
She was prepared. But the end didn't come.
His firm grip loosened, causing her to lose her balance and to fall on the wet floor.
"This is what you wanted the whole time, you shrewd woman." His laugher bumped loud in her ears. "You thought I have no self-control, but you don't know me."
The door opened like thunder. A worried Rhys looking at them, wearing nothing but what mother nature endowed him with- generously. So this was the reason for the giggles and moans she heard earlier. Behind him was the stupid guard.
"King?"
"Is nothing, go back." the king directed.
"Are you sure?" the prince's eyes jumped from her to him and back. "What's that smell? O..."
Realizing what just occurred, he stopped mid-sentence.
"Just a small 'shower'. Escort the lady back!" he ordered to the guard, taking the piss-soaked shirt off.
The warrior stepped in and grabbed the dawner by the elbow, lifting her up on her feet and pushing her towards the door.
"Don't you have nothing to wear, Rhys? You can borrow this." The shirt flew through the air and found the prince's head to land on. They both laughed.
"And you, Alar,"
The guard froze.
"If you will continue to treat the prisoners in the same harsh manner you did so far, I'll have you whipped."
Alar adverted his eyes to the ground. "I will not, lord. Forgive me!"
Endrine couldn't believe her ears. Why would he care? She turned her head to look at him one last time before heading back to the dungeon.
Naked from the waist up, he was enormous. With bulged muscles covered in heavy tattoos, he looked shaped by the Moon herself. His backside ink spoke of war tales, and as he lifted the basin from the floor, she noticed something unsettling. The same symbol her daughter had on the back of her neck, a crescent moon with a star attached to the lower point.
The guard pulled her towards the door, but she shake him off and stood her ground.
Raiden placed the wooden thing back on the table and turned to her.
Something shined on his chest. It was... a star?
Her vision blurred. Her heart pounced and broke into a wild gallop. She saw red before her eyes as she lunged herself to him.
"Curse on you, you bloody thief!" her dry neck managed to shout, more like a strangled scream.
But a lower was no match for him. He twisted her arms at the back and, holding them in place with one huge hand, he took his belt with the other hand and tied her wrists.
"You are mad, woman! I am no thief!" he shouted louder, to cover her shouts as she kept repeating the same thing over and over again.
Rhys grabbed her tied wrists and took her out, leaving a longed faced Alar behind with the king.
"What are you waiting for, you worthless?" Raiden growled. "It's your job to take her back, not his!"
The dumb warrior bowed and took his leave.
Even with the door closed, he could still hear her: "Thief! I curse you! You bloody bastard!"
Everybody heared; her crazed shouts woke up even the drunk men in the great hall.
What was she talking about? Clearly she was mad. A mad woman with bigger balls than all his guards put together. The chill of the dungeon will calm her down.
Did the worthless followed his order? he knew how the cells are. Did the sweet lass had a fur to keep her warm? He needed to make sure, but couldn't go himself, no. Because he would take her back to his den and kiss her senseless. And make lo...
"RHYS!"
In a few breaths his second, still naked, opened the door.
"For the Moon's sake, put something on!'
"Well, the Moon would beg to differ." Rhys replied. "For Her sake, I should remain like this, so at least she can look if she can't have!"
Raiden squeezed his nose bridge between his fingertips, smiling underneath his beard.
"Go cover that little worm of yours, you cocky arse. You will go to the dungeon and make sure the ang- hmm the other captive has a fur to sit on. And ask her if she had something to eat, as I ordered."
"A fur? What are you talking about? She's in a cell, not in an inn! Did you-"
"No! I did not!" the king nearly shouted while his friend looked at him stunned.
Rhys shook his head. Sensing that Raiden was heated enough for one night, he changed the subject.
"You know... is not a worm. It's a snake. Fully grown."
"Wanna compare? Should I strip for you to see how a grown snake looks like?"
"That's unnecessary." the prince said, laughing in such way that his laughter made the king laugh.
"One more thing."
Rhys stopped the door that was just about to close.
"After the midday training tomorrow, you will cross into Midland at the Rocky elbow, up in the north, and you will cover her daughter's grave. Search the surroundings well, see if you can find something."
"Why I can not simply use the bridge to cross? You'll really make me swim?"
"No one must know you are missing. You are fast, Rhys, and you are my only friend. I trust only you."
The guard opened the cell and, before pushing her inside, retrieved the belt.
"You filthy bitch!" he spit, full of anger - "If I get whipped because of you, I will make you cry the day you were born!"
She turned and faced him, grabbing the iron bars with both hands. With popping eyes, she shouted back laughing:
"My name is Endrine! And I will enjoy seeing you tied to the pole!"
Alar took a step back, and another. Then he turned and walked out, locking the big door behind him.
In the darkness, something stirred.
"Mother?"
.....