Raiden
The sound of the wooden plate wick announced the day's last meal. Warriors gathered in the great hall, moving, talking and laughing until they filled all the benches at the long tables.
The king entered and the wolves rose with their heads bowed, waiting for him to take his seat on the platform, so the dinner could be served.
"Your highness, shall we wait for the prince? By the way, where is he?"
"No." At his sign, the slaves start bringing in the platters. "He is where he is, Liam."
"Lord, If I may... the one from the dungeon... the one called Dawn... have you decided about her?" Saeban asked. Despite his youth, his skills were unmatched. He was the finest killer, with such talents that he could sneak upon a dozen vampires at night' peak and come back with their heads in a sack.
Raiden nearly choked. It wasn't enough that she was in his dreams all night and she was in his thoughts all day, now she had to be mentioned as well.
"It is no business of yours, Saeban."
"My lord, is everyone's business.", another replied. "We can smell her from the training field. And she is... pleasant to the eye."
The chair went flying back as Raiden got on his feet with a hellish glare.
The voices subsided and seemed that everyone found their plates very interesting.
"She is not to be claimed! Do you understand?"
Only the slaves' breaths cut through the strange wave of silence that has settled on. Suddenly, the air felt hot and heavy.
"Do you understand?"
All the men nodded their heads.
.....
"One ?"
"One. That is my decision."
"And then I am free to leave, Lord?" One year didn't sound too bad. The women cleaning the great hall after supper appeared in good health and well fed. She looked at them and they looked at her as she was escorted to a room the guard called it 'a solar'.
Soon she discovered it was a room with an ornamented table chaotically filled with pieces of paper and writing instruments, an enormous leather- dressed chair behind it facing the door and few smaller ones in front of it. On the left side wall, near the empty fireplace, a cabinet held a few bottles, different shaped cups and three books. She never saw a book in her life, but she knew what they were.
"No one will stop you. But, as other lowers, you are free to stay as well."
"You are telling me they choose slavery over freedom? Why would they do that?" Dawn asked, amazed.
"Only a few. And I can not provide an answer to that." Raiden said, while he tried to focus on anything but her. Why was he acting like a silly lad?- that was the question he would like an answer for. His heart will cease bumping like crazed and his breaths will turn to normal once the little thing standing in front of him with her head bowed will be out of his sight.
"Uma will tell you what to do. She is in charge of organizing the slaves here. Starting tonight, you sleep with the others, in the long barn."
Under her lashes, she peered at the books. She grew curious, but mother's voice echoed in her mind. "Common girls don't read. No one must know!"
"One more thing. You take orders only from me and the prince. If, somehow, we are both away, only from the one I name in my place. And you are NEVER to accept an invitation from a man."
"An invitation? To where?" Her hands slowly moved in front of her as she spoke, rubbing one another.
Raiden cleared his throat. "Go find Uma."
Instead of leaving, she stood there with her head still bowed, escaping a faint sigh.
"Is there anything you'd like to add?"
"I would ask, lord, if you don't mind... the woman from the cell... is she to serve you as well?"
The king put down the letter and, for the first time since she stepped into the solar, his gaze settled on her.
"The Stone awaits her. Why do you ask?"
With knitted brows, he scrutinized her, waiting for an answer.
Dawn lift her eyes from the floor and looked at him for a moment. "I... I noticed she didn't have anything to eat or drink. Not today, nor yesterday. I know how it feels to be hungry..." her soft voice whispered. "And thirsty."
Raiden clenched his fists. That bastard, Alar, needs a good lesson. He knows the prisoners need to be kept alive in order to get to the stone. But he couldn't be punished yet, not for a dawner. That would look bad in the eyes of the wolves. Bad for him, the king.
"Find Uma. Remind her to send a meal to the cell every day."
"Is there no other way for the prisoner? For her to keep her life?" speaking these words, Dawn focused, like her mother taught her. She focused on her breath, for that was the key to control her heartbeat. She had to be careful not to raise any suspicions.
Raiden rose from his seat and blew one of the candles from the sturdy table. He moved in front of the display cabinet, reaching for an old, dusty bottle.
"Not for that one." His words carried a hint of sadness, or so she heard.
As he filled a goblet to the brim, the door opened with the prince stepping in.
"I would say 'good evening', my king, but I can not." A bone-chilling heaviness hung into their silent look exchange.
Dawn bowed respectfully, scurrying out of the solar, where her escort was waiting.
.....
"Are you sure?" Raiden asked with a clenched jaw. He squeezed his eyes shut to calm his nerves.
"Maybe he attacked her. And she had no other choice but to defend herself. If he was out of control... well... you know how the venom works." Rhys stated with a deep sadness. "He was loyal."
"And strong. But he was dead from the night his she wolf was killed."
"He died an outcast. We can't even honor his dead." Rhys added.
Raiden got up from his chair and held the wine cup high. "To him!"
The prince mirrored his gesture. "To Jayce!"
They drank to the bottom and slammed the empty cups on the table.
"With your permission, I will find out what she did with his body. The grave of her daughter was covered already, so she lied about that too."
The king turned a questioning look.
"When she was brought, she told me that the grave was open and Zain dragged her away before she can finish the burial. If you are thinking that she could've put him in the grave, that's not the case. The smell of his blood was nowhere near it. But it was around her hut, or what remained of it."
"She said her daughter died. Is it possible that he killed her? Did you catch any scent from the hut?"
"I am not sure. I felt something at one point, but the fire was still fresh. The smoke covered anything I could detect."
Raiden grabbed the missive he was failed to focus on earlier, when he announced the punishment to the sweet lass. Actually, he failed to focus on anything else since two nights ago, when he found her in his room. Shaking his head, he tried to get her image out of his head.
"This came earlier."
Rhys took the letter and studied it. "It's from the tarians!"
"Their new leader wants a meeting." The king confirmed.
"On their territory, nevertheless. This doesn't smell good, Raiden. Tell me you are not-"
"I must. You know we need friends."
"So you are not asking my opinion. You already decided." Rhys lowered the piece of paper and grabbed the cups. He stepped towards the cabinet, stopping midway. "You are not going alone. And don't even think of denying my company! You are worthless if you are dead!"
Raiden opened his mouth to say something, but then he pressed his lips together. His nostrils flared as he passed a hand thru his hair.
"You must name the First Aga then. Liam is waiting for a long time, and I can't think of anyone else right now. I know he is not the best choice and I will let you have the final saying. But do it soon."
"I see no other choice either. Liam it is then!"
.....
"So you are the new one." With hands on her hips, the 'plump' woman studied her. That didn't bother Dawn, she got used by now with everyone scrutinizing her.
"Yes, lady, I am Dawn."
"Hmmp. No 'lady' here! Uma is my name. I need at least five pairs of new working hands and he sends me one! Uma do this, Uma do that, Uma, Uma, Uma! And the one he sends me looks like she's going to faint any moment!" The woman exclaimed. She was in her mid-thirties, with fair hair plaited in a single braid that reached just above her big breast. She seemed a sturdy woman, but her playful earthly eyes gave away her good nature. "What can you do, girl?"
'Girl?' she sounded just like mother, Dawn thought, plastering a big smile. "I can do all sorts of things, but mostly I forage for greens, tree bark and roots. I know the mushrooms and the wild fruits, and I can climb the highest tree for bird eggs."
"Well then, you start in the morning. But you will also help with cleaning the hall after evening meals and lit the fire in the rooms." Uma decreed. "Now come, we'll see if they are any scraps left from this evening." She took her elbow and marched to the pantry.
Dawn tried to match her steps.
"Uma, the king told me to remind you about the prisoner... she needs something to eat as well."
The woman stopped with a worried look. "I did sent her meals, as I sent yours. But Alar said there is no need for that." She frowned. "Well, since you know the way, you can take the food to her. Take a jug of water, the bucket is there." The woman pointed to a table in the corner. Under it, Dawn spotted the bucket.
After munching on a piece of dried bread crust with cheese, Dawn wrapped the rest in a clean white cloth and walked out of the pantry with the scraps and the filled jug in her hand.
She made her way to the dungeon, under the brightness of the moon, turning several heads. Some wolves sniffed at her as she passed, and she tried to ignore that. 'I must get used. Smell is one of their greatest senses.'
Dawn stopped in front of Alar, the dungeon guard, who was smirking at a bonnie slave while his hands disappeared under her skirt.
Seeing him, Dawn took a step back.
"Where the hell is your escort?" he tore his eyes from the slave and looked at her with menace.
The woman he was with closed her eyes and moaned.
"I don't have one. I am in His service now." Lifting the jug and the wrapped leftovers, she continued: "Uma sent me here, at the king's orders. For the prisoner."
The guard gestured for her to undo the cloth. He looked at the crumbs and, taking a hand out from under the woman's skirt, he popped the piece of cheese into his mouth.
"You are 'in His service'?" He mocked. "You are in Our service, remember that! Once him and the prince leaves their smell on you, you are for all of us."
Sticking his hand back, he continued with the slave. "I will wait my turn, slave!"
Dawn opened the door and walked down the stairs. There was no light, but she was familiar with the surroundings. Her steps halted in front of the bars and she cleared her throat.
"I was sent here with food and drink." She spoke in a loud voice, just in case Alar might listen. He was quite busy at the moment, but she wouldn't risk.
Endrine gathered her powers and walked to the cell's door, recognizing her daughter's voice. Fearing that she will fall any moment, she lowered herself and leaned on the iron bars. She felt dizzy and weakened for lack of food, and her mouth was dry.
Dawn searched with her hand through the darkness and took the captive's hand in hers.
"Hold on, mother." She whispered. "I will get you out soon."
She lifted the water and held it for the prisoner to drink thru the bars. "We have a window."
Endrine unrolled the material and chewed on a crust of bread. "Did he do anything to you, daughter?"
"He told me my punishment. One year to serve him. But I found the way for you to escape. Mother, how do you get a wolf's smell on you? Does he- does he have to... pee?"
Endrine tightened the hold on her child's hand. "No. Is other smell. If he decides to make you a woman, you will understand."
"To make me a woman? I am a woman!"
"Shush, girl. The dog outside might hear you. Listen to me- if He takes you to his bed, do not resist, that might get him angry. You must stay alive. It's his seed's smell."
Dawn swallowed up the many questions she had. Instead, she reassured mother that she will heed her advice.
"What is the way you found?"
"While I was in his solar, he had a letter. It was an invitation to Taria. Then, when I was in the pantry with Uma, I heard the prince shouting that they will go together."
"That means the First Aga will remain in charge, and everyone will be more relaxed with the king and the prince gone. It will be at least three days for them to come back, which provides us with an excellent opportunity." Endrine said in the whispering tone. "As they don't have an Aga, I assume one will be named and there will be a celebration for that, so they won't leave tomorrow."
"I will observe them carefully and try to come see you as soon as I can."
Dawn took the things and rose on her feet.
Before their hands separated, Endrine kissed her daughter's hand. "Do not risk anything. I love you!"
"I love you too!"
.......