Codex Mortem

The missive

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."