The Seventh Crow

Part 2

The next day I sat in my cell, waiting for a soldier to come by and tend to me. Whether they have new jobs for me or if they are going to give me a bucket of water.

I lay on the ground staring up at the cement ceiling. Cracks and what I have to believe to be water stains. Some of the cracks form into shapes if you stare long enough. Shapes of fallen trees, snow crystals, even a mermaid if I stare longer.

There was one shape, not molded by the cracks but by the "water" stains. A shape of wolf.

The wolf standing next to my brother, waiting for orders. Took him so long to get trained, probably because my brother just had to pick the most difficult wolf out of the pack.

"We'll be back," he said. "Shouldn't take more than a week."

"And what am I supposed to do while you're away?"

"You can think of something. Clean the house?"

"I don't clean, I have never cleaned."

"Yes, that's the problem."

I roll my eyes. If it wasn't such a scandal for women of Fjerda to be alone, I would've moved away long ago. Somewhere closer to the sea, to the border. Maybe find a job that was kind to unwed women.

Who am I kidding? I can't leave my family, my brother. He's all that I have left.

"Come home," I whisper to him.

"Don't I always?"

We laugh and I push him towards the group of his Drüskelle buddies. The ones that are from our village. His wolf trotting off after him, a smile on his mouth.

I miss that little wolf (even though it wasn't little in any way). Miss my brother even more. Stop thinking about him, it'll only make it hurt more.

I shake the thoughts from my head, stand up, and move towards the cell door. The person that sits in the cell across from me has his hands out the barred window.

His hands beaten. Skin scraped off, blood dried on each one of the knuckles. I don't want to know, or imagine, what he had to fight or the beating he got for fighting.

A soldier blocks my view of the man. A suspicious smile on his lips. His eyes are void of any type of mercy or surrender. His blonde hair reflecting the light.

He looks down and I hear multiple keys jingle. They must've found something else for me to do. Hopefully Dem is also there, I hate working alone. Being in a room with only Fjerdan soldiers.

"Back up," he demands. I follow the instructions. 

Seconds later the door screeches open. Another soldier floods into the room, chains in his hands.

"Hands out," he commands. I follow. The man clasps the chains onto my wrists, not caring if they were too tight. To them, if it's not tight then there is more chance for an escape. Not like I have anywhere to go.

Once the chains are on, the soldier pulls on them. I jerk forward and almost fall, but I get my footing before I could.

"Where are we going?" I ask. The two soldiers look at each other.

"The King has asked for your presence," the one holding my chains said.

I try to force the panic down, to not show them weakness. It's just the King. I have been in his presence more times than I can count. Maybe this time will be different? Maybe he is going to tell me that he has replaced me?

We turned a corner, then another, then another, until I was standing in front of a door. My heart pounding in my ears. Take a deep breath, everything is going to be alright.

The soldier opened the door. My heart drops to my stomach when I see the King standing in the middle of the room, his back turned towards the door.

The man holding my chains yanks me into the room. I try to pull back, to leave the same way I came. I don't want to escape, not in this moment. All I want is to go back to my cell. I'm safe there, I don't have to worry about anything there.

"Leave us," the King's voice echoes through the room.

The two soldiers bow and escape. I turn to the door and see it shut. They are going to be out there, waiting for any sign of the King being harmed. Knowing the difference between the sounds of pain and pleasure.

"It's been so long since we've talked, Nox," the King says, turning to face me. There was a smile on his lips. The smile that makes me want to vomit. Everything about him makes me want to vomit everything in my empty stomach.

He walks closer to me. I try to retreat, to run to the door and force it open. It's only two soldiers. I can take them. But my legs don't move. Frozen in their place by fear.

"Are you not going to speak, my dear?" He runs a wrinkled finger down my arm.

"Sorry, Your Majesty," I whisper.

The King drops his hand, letting out a disappointed sigh.

"I don't have much time today, so we can't pleasure each other," he speaks. "I want to enjoy myself whenever I'm with you." It takes everything in me not to attack him, but mostly to not show how thankful I am for the duties that call him away.

"Sorry to hear that, sir," I say.

"You know that Hringkalla is coming up, yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"I have someone who will be in attendance that I want to show you too. You must also be in attendance."

"But I'm a prisoner, what could he possibly want with me?"

"That's none of your business! I'm giving you a moment out of chains, a moment of freedom. Is this how you repay me?"

"Absolutely not, sir." I clench my jaw. I would treat him a lot worse if I could. If I wasn't in chains. I would wrap my hands around his neck and squeeze until all the light drained from them.

"I will send someone with a dress the night of," the King states. "Try to look put together. I don't want to be made a fool."

"Yes, sir."

"Well then, I must leave. I will see you on the day of the festivities."

Moving his fingers under my chin, forcing my head up to meet his eye line. His brown eyes flickering from my eyes to my lips before leaning forward to put his lips on mine.

I cringe backwards from the touch. I shut my eyes tightly, trying to think of a different place. A warm place with birds high in the sunny sky. The smell of the salty sea.

"Look at me," the King snaps. I blink, my gaze meeting his. "You brought this on yourself, my love. Guards!" The two soldiers filter into the room. "Take her back to her cell. Get her some wanden."

"Yes, sir," they both say with a bow. They grab my chains and yank me towards the door. 

My mind reeling with what just happened. A party, being shown off as a prize, the old man's lips on mine. You brought this on yourself. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. But what I do know is next time I'm alone with him, it will be the last time.