I remained on the ground, frozen, not daring to move a muscle. I heard the footsteps of his soldiers receding, and finally, he crouched down until he was level with me. "Princess Thalassa," he said, his gaze intense, "even you... are not enough, even for the King." His voice was calm, yet a palpable undercurrent of fury and menace vibrated beneath the surface. By now, I knew his cruelty was boundless.
"Do you understand what it signifies when I am personally tasked with someone's death?" he asked, but I remained silent, paralyzed by fear. "That person has committed something very, very grave," he continued. A tremor ran through me. "I... I didn't do—" "Silence," he commanded, and I instantly obeyed. "The Oracle has foreseen a vision: you and our King's offspring are destined to bring ruin to his reign and usher in peace throughout the land." He laughed, but it was a harsh, bitter sound. "Your reign, your people... they know nothing of peace." He gripped my jaw tightly and leaned in close. "Let me tell you, princess, my methods."
"First," he hissed, his eyes burning with malice, "you will feel the searing agony of lashes tearing across your back and buttocks."
"Second," he continued, his voice laced with venom, "I will parade you, degrade you like the royal filth that you are."
"And lastly," he concluded, a cruel smile spreading across his face, "I will take my great sword and slowly pierce your treacherous heart."
"You will finally receive the death you so desperately crave," he spat, shoving me backward. I couldn't control myself; I urinated right there on his floor. He smirked, clearly relishing my shock and terror at his pronouncements. He began to remove his tunic, revealing only his breeches bunched up to his knees. Then, he pulled on a thick hanging rope attached to a hook. He lifted me up, placing my bound hands on the hook, and used a lever pulley system to hoist me into the air, forcing me to stand on my tiptoes, straining in the agonizing new position.
He began a brutal tearing of my dress, ripping apart my braided hair and tearing out the gems and stones woven within. He grabbed a log and positioned it, forcing my feet onto either end and fastening them securely to the block. I stood there, naked and utterly exposed.
Tears welled in my eyes, but I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek. I will not cry! I will not! I will endure this! He will not break me.
He circled me like a predator assessing its kill. His body gleamed slightly in the still air, a testament to years of rigorous training and countless battles. Scars crisscrossed his arms and back, with more visible on his neck and chest. His hair was cropped short on the sides but long on top, styled into three thick black braids down his back. His eyes were a cold, dark blue, like chips of ice. His face was sharply defined, with an angular jaw. His skin was tanned from constant exposure to the elements. Against my will, I felt my body betray me, drawn to his imposing presence. He continued his predatory circling, his gaze sweeping from my ankles to my face. Finally, he stopped directly in front of me. "Princess, how utterly indecent of you," he mocked, his voice dripping with disdain. "I knew you were nothing but a filthy whore, just like all the women in your disgusting kingdom." I couldn't bear it any longer. I needed to understand his hatred. "Why do you hate me so much?! Why do you hate my people?! We served your King's father honorably! Our people were allies!" I exclaimed.
His gaze promised death. With deliberate slowness, he drew a dagger, its sharp edge skimming along my skin – starting at my neck, then tracing a path between my breasts, and finally up to my heart, the flat of the blade a dangerous caress. "Why do you ask?" he ground out through clenched teeth. "Ask your precious father when you join him in hell." "Wait! I... OH!"
A strange sensation washed over me, a feeling of something leaking. He looked at me, a question in his eyes. I blushed fiercely and turned my face away. His gaze dropped between my legs, where a thick strand of fluid was slowly dripping. "Well, well, well," he murmured, his expression shifting. He used two thick fingers to scoop up the fluid, then played with it between them. "You are remarkably aroused. I have never witnessed such a strong reaction." I tried to bury my face in my raised arm, shame burning through me. "This excites you? I knew you were sick, a disgusting whore." "I have never known a man's touch, I swe—" "Quiet," he snapped.
Just then, a soldier appeared at the tent flap. "General Valorik," he announced, the General gives me a sharp look and a finger pressed to his lips. "Speak," the General ordered. "Forgive the intrusion, General, but the Oracle and the King require your immediate presence. They urge you to hasten." "I will dress and join them quickly," the General responded, his eyes never leaving mine. The soldier retreated, and a small breath of relief escaped my lips. His eyes narrowed, his anger reignited. "Hold this for me, will you?" He reversed the dagger and violently shoved the handle deep within me. "AHH!" I cried out, the unexpected violation sending a searing pain through me.
"Do not be afraid," he seethed, his grip on my jaw tightening. "It is merely the handle, not the blade, that now resides within you." His breath was hot and harsh against my face. "DO NOT LET IT SLIP. Hold it firmly until I return. Is that understood?" I could only nod my head rapidly, tears streaming down my face.
The Generals POV:
I quickly changed into something less formal, but my sword came with me, a precaution. Interrupted just as the real entertainment was about to begin. That princess has been a constant source of the unexpected, more surprises than I can count. An oddity, strong, not easily broken. Nothing like those who shaped her. Yet, that cursed lineage still flows within her. The command to end her life left a bitter taste, an anger that I couldn't draw out her torment longer. I will push her to the edge of death. Taking her kingdom, finally enacting my revenge, hadn't delivered the joy I anticipated. And now, seeing her... my blood boils with a red rage, the things I long to inflict. I want to hear her cries, her pleas for mercy.
"My King, I am here. May I enter?" I said to him. "You may," he replied.
I stepped into his tent, noticing the Oracle was the only other person present. Usually, his bedchamber was filled with women. This meeting must be of significant importance.
"You summoned me, your majesty?" I asked, my head bowed. "Please, sit, Valorik," he said. I looked up and joined them at the table. "I gave the order to eliminate Thalassa, but in my haste, I've been reminded that she must still bear a child, as she is the sole heir to the Kingdom of Evermere." I stared at him, unsure of his intentions. "Do you still desire her death?" I asked. "Her death will have to wait. For now, her lineage must continue, but with a bloodline that I can control." He looked at me, then at the Oracle. "Thalassa and you must unite."
Thalassa and I? The King's words hit me like a physical blow, turning my world completely upside down.
"Impossible," I retorted, the word a venomous hiss. "Valorik, your blood is pure, heir to a lost kingdom, bound as my General to serve my ambition. We have finally achieved your desire – the annihilation of Evermere's leadership," the King reminded me. "Save for one," I muttered, my voice thick with disdain. "I will not contaminate my blood with that vile creature." "It is a King's decree that you will," he stated firmly, the Oracle echoing his sentiment with a nod. "This is of utmost importance; do not defy it. I have seen the great vision – one where the King's power knows no bounds, and your destiny is intertwined. This must happen, and her life must be preserved."
I ground my teeth, frustration building. "Why me? There are countless nobles we've conquered who would grovel at your feet." He looked at me, a hint of warmth in his eyes. "They do not possess your loyalty, my brother." It was true. I would sooner sever my own hand than betray my King, even though the title of king had once been mine. That title held no sway now. It seemed I would have to adjust my plans. "I am your general, my lord. I am no king," I stated, a sense of finality in my voice. "Not yet, but you will be. A great one!" he declared.
This had taken a decidedly unwelcome turn. But I would see it through. "If my King commands it," I said quietly, a new resolve hardening within me. My torture of Thalassa would continue, but it would have to be different, a torment that left no visible scars. She would know pain, she would know torment, and I would make her regret ever sharing the bloodline of the forgotten Kingdom of Birelle!