Crack! Her fist collides with the side of my cheek. The impact from her punch sends me stumbling back a few steps before I catch myself. Ducking to avoid the other punch she's thrown my way, I take a swing of my own, landing two swift hits into her mid section before I dive and roll. Landing on my feet and shooting up so that I'm balanced on the balls of my feet. There's murmurs of approval from the crowd. Tara growls and whirls, gasping a little as the air is returned to her lungs.
"You bitch. You think that just because you won the last two fights, that you'll beat me? Ha! I'm undefeated. I'm the best fighter in this court. You can't beat me, I don't care where you were born."
She talks too much for someone who's overly arrogant about her fighting abilities, she wastes a lot of time talking. Bouncing lightly on my feet, I watch her, seeing the way her body moves, which side she favors more- her right- how she plans to be one step ahead. I watch her.
Tara takes a step towards me, frustrated that I'm just standing there. "Well? Say something you idiot! Or are you mute?" I keep quiet, I won't let her bait me.
"Oh I figured it out, not only are you stupid, but you're mute as well. This should be a piece of cake then." She takes another step towards me, her arms up by her face. Tara's eyes are dark with anger. I'm not sure why she's pissed at me. I simply hit her after she hit me.
Inhale, exhale.
Tara takes a swing, I dodge to the left. She swings again I dodge to the right. Growling, she keeps swinging, it's the same pattern. Left, right, duck. Left, right, duck. Because she's taller than me, she leaves her midsection open alot and doesn't rely on her legs. It's all upper body strength. I can't win there. I have to hit her where she's weaknest, even if it's a cheap shot.
She swings again and her knuckles just graze my cheek. I feel the sting of the hit for a moment. Roaring in frustration, Tara whirls and rushes for the wall of weapons. By the gods help me...
Grabbing a dagger, she whirls again. "Ok, enough games. Now it's really time to play."
She wasn't kidding, She attacks me with a vengeance, it's difficult to keep up. To keep avoiding her hits. If she's swinging with the dagger, she'll hit me with her free fist. Blow after blow I take, stumbling back but I manage to keep my footing.
She gets a hit in on my face. I feel my eye swelling shut almost immediately.
Fuck that hurt. Again and again she swings at me, her brute force is enough to nearly knock me on my ass.
"Oh my god she's beating her. Tara might actually win. I'm shocked the someone from the Dawn court isn't a better fighter."
"Yeah I know me too, I thought she'd be better."
I hear their words, I hear the disappointment. I've never felt this disappointed in myself before, I've never known this kind of shame. I don't like it. My parents would be ashamed of me.
Althea. I hear a voice whispering to me. Soft, gentle, almost like it's trying to coax me along.
Althea. You can do this. Tara swings again while I'm distracted by the voice and her punch sends me flying. I hit the back wall with a loud crack. Blinding pain sears through my spine. The world spins for a second, people blurring together then fading away. I see the vague figure of Tara charging me.
Althea. You have fae blood in you, the spirit of a warrior. Do it. Do it now! Who the hell is that? She's getting closer. I can see something gleaming in her hand.
A dagger. She's gonna hit me with the dagger.
Go warrior blood. You can do this, you can beat them all.
Time slows to a crawl. The ringing in my head seizes. The world seems to align. I look at Tara, at the gleaming blade of the sword that's inches from my face and shift out of the way. When time speeds up again, her blade slices into the wall where my head was moments before.
"What?!" She growls. I don't waste another second. Swinging into her side, I hit her blow for blow. Tara begins to retreat, blocking my hits. She tries to swing with the dagger but her attempts are becoming desperate, sloppy. Hit after hit, I swing at her. Angry, free, and feeling like I've found something I'm good at, I don't stop.
When she swings with her dagger again, I reach up and grab her wrist, twisting it dangerously to the side, hearing her squeak in pain as the dagger falls to the ground. Then I whirl and flip her over my shoulder, smashing her back into the mat and landing with my knee on her throat and her arm twisted at an odd angle.
Tara snarls, "You can't do this. You cheated!!" But I didn't. She tries to squirm, but it's no use. "The more you squirm Tara, the closer you are to breaking your own arm." Tara snarls once more, spittle flying from her mouth. The resounding ding ends the match.
I've won.
Standing I leave Tara where she is, growling on the floor. She shoots to her feet and charges for me, but stops when Kazimir takes a step forward, "The match is over Miss Tara. If you proceed you'll be sent home."
"I can't lose. I NEVER lose. She cheated! She must have rigged the game. This is ridiculous!"
Heaving a breath and wiping the sweat from my face, I turn to Tara and say, "I didn't do anything of the sort. Your talking is what made you lose. If you spent half as much time reading your opponent as you do talking, maybe you'd have learned something." There's silent ooh's from the crowd. But I don't feel good about the win. I know I should but I don't. Turning I step off the mat and enter the group again. Lord Augustus and Kazimir announce me as the winner of the first tournament.
As soon as we are dismissed, I slip from the room and walk up the stairs. Bree slips her arm through mine, smiling.
"You showed her! Goddamn woman, I thought you were a goner for a second but then you kicked her ass. I've never seen anyone move like that. It's like you literally stopped time." I smile bashfully, "Thanks but I'm not half the warrior my mother is. She'd have been ashamed of me."
Bree shakes her head, "I doubt that. There's something about you that I can't quite lay my finger on. But I'm going to find out."
Upon entering the main level, I separate from the group and slip quietly outside, allowing the early afternoon air to hit my face. The breeze makes the throbbing on my face ache a little less.
"Are you alright? You took quite the hit." I don't need to turn to know it's Kazimir. "Thanks for the concern High Lord, but I'm fine. Don't pretend like you care." He stops beside me, I feel his hand reach for my face before turning it towards him. "What are you-" "If I didn't care, I wouldn't be out here asking if you're alright. Just because my Kingdom is one of darkness, doesn't mean that I'm all bad." I blink at him.
"You're being awfully nice to me. Why?"
He seems put off by that, his hand releasing my face but not before sliding a thumb over the cut in my lower lip. His eyes seeming to darken at my injury before he backs away and clears his throat. "You are the winner of today's tournament. I must check to see if your injuries are not too bad. I also came to congratulate you. Just because I am being nice, doesn't mean that you have to be rude."
I frown, but then shake my head. "Right. Apologies High Lord." He shakes his head, before looking away.
"You did well today, Althea." Then he turns and slips away into his mansion leaving me confused and wondering if maybe, the Lord of Night isn't so bad afterall.
⤗
Nope, I take that back. The Dark Court is terrible and the Lord of Night is just as bad. Both of them actually. After my interaction with Kazimir, I slipped back into the palace and went to my room, washing up then taking a nap after because I was exhausted. I'm woken up by a pounding on my door. Grumbling, I throw the covers back and stumble to the door. Wrenching it open I growl, "What? What do you want at this godly hour?"
"Apologies, but you are to come to supper." I blink. Amber eyes, medium black hair, strong build, Kazimir. Blinking blearily at him, I lean against the door frame and ask, "What? What time is it?"
"Nearly 6:30" I balk at the time. "I slept for seven hours?!" "So it seems." I face palm and sigh, "Good god. Alright I'll get dressed." I pause then look at the Lord of Night and state, "Did you want to come in or are you just gonna stand in the hallway?" He smirks at me, gives a slight bow, then enters my chambers.
"I'm not going to barge into your room without permission Miss Althea, I do have manners." Blinking I just shake my head and turn around, only to realize that I was too lazy to throw a full set of pjs on after my bath, so I'm wearing a baggy t-shirt that goes down to my knees and nothing else.
Kazimir clears his throat, but doesn't say anything. Either he's too proud or too stunned to point it out, but he keeps quiet. I don't really care, maybe I'll toy with the High Lord. Walking with a little extra swing in my hips, I open my closet and pursue through it; trying to find something decent to wear.
Settling on a pair of dark grey jogging pants, and a dark blue shirt I walk to my bed and set the clothes on it. Then I grab some socks and begin changing. I don't give the High Lord any warning, before I slip the shirt over my head, giving him full view of my spine and the under things I chose to wear. While they're not scandalous, they're still somewhat fancy; at least for me.
He makes a noise in the back of his throat. I smile and snicker slightly then slip my bottoms on.
His footsteps approach and the skin on my back raises with goosebumps. Kazimir pauses and trails a finger along my spine. I feel myself shiver, "You're back is severely bruised. Are you alright?" His touch is like fire. Sending tendrils of pleasure aching through me.
What the hell is going on? I barely know this male and already I'm reacting this way. "I'm fine." My voice comes out thick. He keeps his finger along my spine, stopping at the dimple that appears at the bottom of it, before I hear him inhale sharply and step away. Throwing my shirt on, I turn around and see the look on his face. How dark his eyes are, how his face has completely changed.
Confused but also shocked, like he found something he's been searching for; for a long time. "Are you alright High Lord?" He grunts then briskly turns and heads for the door.
"Lets go, supper will be getting cold and I hate tardiness." His attitude suddenly flips. Causing me to wonder what the hell is going on?
He storms out of my room, I follow suit and we descend to the dining hall together in thick silence. Kazimir enters first, striding for the empty chair at the end of the table, the other seven girls are already there waiting and, unfortunately, so is Augustus.
Even worse the only empty seat is across from Bree but right beside Augustus. Lord kill me now I pray silently. Striding for the seat, Augustus smirks at me, "Looks like you're stuck with me tonight pretty." I notice the bandage wrapped around his palm. As I pull my chair out I ask, "How's you hand?" Before sitting down and tucking my chair in. He glares at me for a second but then smooths his face out and puts the flirting charm back on, "It's fine baby. I'm strong, I can handle a little pain."
He slides his fingers along my thigh under the table. Immediately stiffening, I say with steely reserve, "Please remove your hand."
Augustus snorts, but removes it for now. Bree glances between the two of us, raising her brow; I shake my head and turn my attention to my plate. Today's meal is wild rice with chives, green onions, and spiced with lemon-pepper. The meat is chicken, with a vague scent of jasmine and thyme. Steamed veggies, bread rolls, cheese, and water to drink. The other girls are tucking in to their food, but I look around the room to observe. It's the same room that I had breakfast in this morning.
One of the girls is sitting at the far end of the table, her head down and plate empty. There's no food on it.
Tara is harassing her by stating, "Oh look, poor Eve got no food because she's at the end of the table. Doesn't matter anyways, she could afford to miss a meal." I watch the interaction. Eve just sits there in silence as Tara bullies her.
People from the Kingdom of Light are kind and pure, they don't harass others. But they also don't stand up for themselves because they've never been subjected to this kind of treatment. It makes my skin crawl.
"Are you mute too? Oh look ladies, the poor girl from the Light Kingdom isn't eating and she's dumb on top of it." Tara snickers, then flips her hair over her shoulder and shoots a glance at Kazimir. Does she really think that being a bitch will win him over? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it did.
Eve looks up finally and smiles at Tara, "That's not very nice to say Tara, you wouldn't like it if someone said that about you."
"I'm sorry what? Are you talking to me? I don't recall asking for your opinion." The other Bloodshed girls snicker. Bitches, all of them.
Tara is about to open her mouth again, when I sit up, take my plate and stand. My movement silences her. Tara glares at me as I approach, "What do you want?" She snarls. Ignoring her completely I turn to Eve and ask gently, "Would you like to switch seats with me?" Eve blinks, looks at the seat I just vacated, at the High Lord she'd be sitting next to then turns to me, "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure." She pauses, looks at her empty plate and sighs, "I'm fine sitting here, thank you though." I frown, Tara laughs, "Did you hear that? She said she's fine, now scram." I place my full plate in front of Eve, bend over and whisper in her ear, "Eat this at least. Ignore Tara, you are beautiful and don't need to starve yourself. If she keeps harassing you, come find me, I'll deal with her."
Eve looks at me, her eyes soft with appreciation. "Thank you..." "Althea" I say, "Thank you, Althea." I nod.
Tara speaks once more, "Hello, did you hear me? I said scram." Ignoring her once more, I straighten, pat Eve on the shoulder then turn to Tara. "One of these day, Karma will come for you and that's when you'll realize how alone you really are. I feel sorry for you actually, because you use bullying as a tactic to protect yourself. But you don't have to."
She spits at me, "You don't know anything about me or my life, so keep your opinions to yourself." I shrug, "Suit yourself Tara, goodluck in this world."
Then I walk back to my seat and settle into it. Eve munching happily on the food I gave her. "Oh. What about you then? What will you eat?" She says as she pauses and turns to me. I smile, "I'm fine." Not. I'm hungry, but she needs it more than I do.
Sipping on water, I sit there for the rest of the meal chatting lightly with Bree and ignoring both High Lords. Augustus keeps touching me and Kazimir throws looks my way but refuses to say a word.
When Augustus slides his arm around the back of my chair, and begins playing with hair, I've finally had enough. "Keep your hands to yourself High Lord." Augustus is amused, "Oh come on darling, you love it. Let me have some fun." He purrs. "No. Leave me alone, please." I try to scoot my chair over but there's not much room. Augustus reaches for me again, I swat his hand away, uncomfortable with the advances.
"Stop Augustus."
He pauses, looks around, then leans back in his seat, smirking at me. When the rest of the girls complete their meals, we're excused and begin to disperse. I slip up the stairs quietly, heading for my room when I hear someone following me. I've barley taken a few steps down the hallway when someone grabs my arm and whirls me around.
Slamming my sore back into the wall and knocking the air from my lungs.
"You think you can get away with calling me out in front of the others?" His voice is snarled, thick with anger.
I'm gasping, trying to get air back into my lungs.
"Well do you?!" I shake my head, trying to make sense of this but Augustus is pissed. He slides a hand around my throat, pinning me to the wall, the other one gliding along my side.
"You think that just because you won today that you have any say here?"
"Augustus, you were touching me. I asked you to stop."
"Listen here, you may be a guest in my home, but that doesn't mean you can do as you please. If I want something from you, you have to give it to me. Understood?" I clench my hands into fists, "No." He laughs deeply, "You're going to make me cross baby girl."
"Stop calling me pet names, I'm not yours to touch or do with as you please." Augustus snarls again, burying his face in my neck, inhaling my hair. He places kisses along my skin, his free hand roaming over my body, touching me where I don't want to be touched. Tears begin to prick my eyes. I feel hopeless.
Struggling, I try to break free, but he's much stronger than I am. He keeps touching me, keeps going lower and lower. "Augustus, stop." He smacks me, hard across the face. "You will speak when spoken too."
My ear rings and I taste blood. I bit my lip when he hit me.
His hand along my throat squeezes tighter, my eyes water more. I need to get out, to escape. "Let me go." I growl. Kicking one leg up, I land one swift kick between his legs. Causing him to groan and double over, his hand releasing me enough that I take this opportunity and break free. Bolting down the hallway I sprint for my room. Grabbing the knob, I twist it and swing the door open, launching myself into it. I've just swung the door shut when a hand flies out and slams the door open.
Augustus is glaring at me, his face contorted from pain and rage.
"You little bitch. You're going to pay for that." I back away, trying to find anything in here I can use to protect myself. But he's a fae and I'm not. What the hell can I do? Backing away more, trying to distance myself from Augustus I inhale deeply; my heart is hammering away in my chest.
He enters the room, his figure looming over me, I keep backing away. My legs bump into the frame of my bed and I guide myself around it, aiming for the door to my balcony. I can only get out that way, or try to rush past him to get to my door.
Looking around I see nothing in here that I can use as a weapon. Nothing that will make him pause long enough for me to bolt.
By the gods help me...
Augustus lunges for me and I dive out of the way, rolling over my shoulder and pushing to my feet. I rush for the balcony, throwing the doors open and launching myself outside. The only thing I have out here is a chair. It'll do.
When Augustus comes for me, I grab the chair and swing it at him with all my might. The wood splintering over his head when he shields his face from it. Causing him to stumble back and curse.
I take this window of opportunity and dive past him. Launching for the door. I've just reached for the door handle when I'm tackled to the floor, I hit it with a thunk. My face clocking into the corner of the door before cracking into the floor.
The world spins wildly.
I feel disoriented.
"Help!" I call out. But my voice sounds weak. Augusts laughs, "No one will come for you. You're in my home."
"Help!" I shout again. He's rolling me over, pinning my hands above my head, but I buck and kick and squirm. I'm a fighter, I will not let this insufferable, chauvanistic male defeat me. I manage to slip one hand free and clock him in the face. His head swings to the side., throwing him off balance. I use that to my advantage and roll away. The world keeps spinning, I think I might be sick.
I manage to hoist myself up onto my elbows when Augustus whirls to me again, a small cut over his eye courtesy of me.
"You bitch. That's it, I've had enough of your games. You will obey me or else." I can't process words right now, my head is spinning so much. I reach for the door, but it feels so far away.
I try to drag myself forward but my body won't respond to me. He grabs my legs and yanks me towards him, flipping me over I see Augusts looming over me.
I'm fucked. I can't get out of this now.
"Help.." I call out again, weaker than before. "Someone help me..." Augustus reaches for me and pulls me to my feet, grabbing my thoat again he spits in my face, "You're pathetic. You'll never win anything here again. You may as well quit and go home."
I try to glare at him, but my face hurts. It feels like I'm bleeding as well. He speaks again, "All you had to do was follow what I said, keep your mouth shut. But no you had to call me out in front of everyone, including my brother. Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was?"
I blink at him. "DO YOU?!" He shouts. "No.. But I don't care." I rasp out. He snarls at me. Then chucks me across the room, I go crashing into the wall and colliding with my dresser, objects shattering on the floor. I gasp for air, trying to push myself up, but I'm loosing more strength.
Augustus approaches but then someone else is there, slipping between him and I. A tall, dark figure with eyes that look like molten golden.
His face is contorted into fury. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" The second voice is angry.
"Oh come on brother, don't act like you care for her. She's not even a real fae, she's a halfblood. She's nothing. Let me play with her. I might even share and let you in on it too."
The second male is silent, his fury is palpable. Tangible. I can taste it.
"Help..." I whisper again. The figure doesn't turn, but shifts his foot back so that it brushes my fingers. "Get out." Augustus blinks, "What? Come on Kaz, you can't be serious. She embarrassed me in front of everyone today."
"You have a bad habit of touching what doesn't belong to you and she simply called you out, it's the least you deserve." Kazimir has gone deathly still.
It takes all of my energy and focus to pay attention, I just want to sleep. I feel like death.
Groaning, I try to stand, the world tilting to one side but I balance against the dresser. Trying to keep my stomach from heaving all over the floor.
Augustus smirks, "See. She's fine, she's standing." "Get out, Augustus. Now." "But-" "I said NOW!" He roars the last word. Augustus rolls his eyes and snarls, "You're no fun."
Then turns and storms from my room, I watch him go feeling myself sigh with relief.
The second male turns to me, his face softening before he rushes for me. The world is falling, tilting again and I'm aiming for the floor when strong, warm arms catch me, lifting me up and holding me tightly to their chest.
"I've got you, you're safe now." I'm moving. Then there's the soft sinking feeling of my bed, blankets sliding over me. I turn my eyes to my saviour, his face slowly comes into view. "Kaz?" I whisper, reaching up and brushing a lock of hair from his face.
"I'm here." He whispers. But then the world is spinning again and I succumb to the comfort of darkness, hoping that this nightmare will end should I ever wake up from it.