The Crown's Creature

Below the Palace

The first thing that came to me was my sense of smell. I could smell the sweat lingering in the air and the damp air beginning to smother me. My head began to pound, I could feel my blood pulsing through my veins and the feeling of some kind of liquid sliding down my head. I slowly opened my crusted eyes and squinted at the bright light illuminating the area. I averted my vision down and peered at the cement ground I sat upon, which was filled with cracks and dried up blood. I looked at my hands which were bonded in thick rope, tied tightly around my pale thin wrists. My eyes began to droop but something warm awoke me and began dropping on my bare hands. I peered down and saw drops of blood rolling off my fingers and dripping soundlessly on the floor.

Was I hallucinating? What happened? Questions began popping up in my head, did someone sell me out? Who would even do that, I made sure to be as quick as possible! Even if it was my first quest and didn't have the best start, when first meeting with the Red fires. But still, it wouldn't make sense for the rebels to sell me out. We all have the same goal, which is to take down the king. Stop... nows not the time to ask questions on why someone would rat me out, I need to figure out where I am and how to get the hell out of here.

I lifted my head up and craned my neck to the left, sitting just two feet away from me was a girl that looked about 17. Her brown wavy locks that once would have been full and shiny were scattered across her face and limp looking, under the dull light. Her dark green tattered holed filled shirt, hung loosely to her small skinny form. Her blue denim jeans tightly clung to her legs as she looked to be wrapping her tan arms tightly around her legs, letting her head lay prompted up on her knees.

I scanned the line of girls sitting next to her, there looked to be about 10 other girls that looked to be about the same age as the girl sitting next to me. They all look like they have been in here for quite a while, I should try to ask the girl next to me for information I told myself, as my brown speckled eyes turned to stare at her limp form.

I started to move my scraped up elbow closer to her, hoping to slightly nudge her with it. I finally reached where I was aiming for and poked her own elbow with mine. She visibly flinched as she turned her head and raised her head. As I locked eyes with her green ones I could see the dreadfulness and fear displayed in her worn out eyes.

I decided to get straight to the point, not wanting to waste any of the precious time I had. "Do you know where we are at?" I asked straightforwardly. Well of course I knew why we had been chosen and taken to the castle of Henderson. Before I was in this predicament, I used to hear the rumors that spread around like mad fire, each time a young girl or young boy was taken. But no one knew what happened to them when they stepped into the castle of Henderson. I didn't bother to care as along as it wasn't me. Yes, that is terribly selfish and wrong but nowadays everybody had only themselves to rely on. And I knew if I was ever taken and brought here, I had only myself.
"All I know is that we are in the dungeon below the Palace." She whispered causing me to drift out of my own thoughts.

"How long have you been down here?" I asked trying my best to put a worried expression on. I know I can't trust anyone even this girl that is in the same situation as me. I have to get out of here, even if that means throwing her or anyone under the bus.
"I think it's been around one month, but time goes by slow down here, I honestly don't even know what time of day it is anymore." She spoke, her voice was s worn out and scratchy it sounded as if something was scraping against her vocal cords, causing her voice to sound strangely distorted.
"What's your name?" I asked calmly trying to soothe her into telling me more about where we were.
"It's... Isa-b-belle." She stuttered out nervously, looking around to make sure no one was listening to their conversation.
"What a lovely name, matter a fact my younger sisters name is also Isabelle." I lied. I needed her to trust me no matter what and if I needed to bend the truth a bit, then so be it. "My name is Delia... Delia Wither, it's nice to meet you Isabelle." I smiled as I bumped her bony elbow with my own as a friendly introduction.
She looked up at me and a sweet little smile began to graze her facial features. She was pretty but in a cute way, that makes you want to hug her and never let go. I glanced down the line of girls and skimmed through all their faces. Matter of fact, why was there only girls here? There were many rumors about how boys got taken plenty of times over the years.

I began to mutter to myself, we could possible be getting trafficked and sold to some rich old bastard. I said under my breath. I began to gasp for breath as sweat began to slide down my temple. My hands started shaking in my lap as I tried to calm myself down. Shit not another anxiety attack! My anxiety attacks were a real nuisance sometimes, always randomly showing up when I needed them not to. Breath Delia... breath. I told myself I can come back to this problem later, but for right now I need to look for a way out of these ropes.

I peered down at my ropes and started tugging on the rope with my fingers trying to loosing them a bit. I didn't really believe that doing that would actually loosing the ropes, but I tried anyway. The ropes were so tight that they began to rub into my skin causing a cut to make its way on my skin. I kept going at the ropes but from the struggle I made against them, blood soon began to drip from the wounds. I stopped sooner then I would have liked, but from the pain the ropes caused and risk of to much blood I needed to quit.

I looked around where I sat, hoping to find some kind of shard to cut my wrist loose. I looked to my right and saw a small rock that looked sharp enough to maybe cut through the tough rope. I was glad that I got put on the end of the line, I thought to myself as I began to scoot slowly toward the rock. Trying my best not to tip over on my side, because I knew I wasn't gonna be able to sit back up if that did occur.

I soon scooted over enough to bend my arms over my body and slowly pick up the small sharp rock. As I began to make my way back over to Isabelle, I saw her look up towards me and stare right at the rock I had tightly secured in my hands. I stared at her and shook my head, hoping she got the memo to be quiet. She nodded her head, and looked at the big metal door, positioned on the other side of the room. I looked back towards her and tilted my head meaning to ask her what she meant. She lifted up 2 pale fingers indicating that there were two soldiers she knew about on the other side of the metal door, standing guard. That's when I knew we weren't getting sold, we all were part of the rebels. I nodded to her telling her I got the message she tried to tell me. I looked back down and started to maneuver my way back to my spot positioned at the end of the line to start the long process of cutting the ropes.
...
My fingers were growing tired from all the cutting. It feels like I've been doing the same thing over and over for hours... Grab the rope with your thumb and pinkie finger and pull the rope close enough to the rock. Next take the rock with your other hand and bring up the sharpest edge and push your hand as far as you can push it. Next, try your best to cut a few strands of the tough rope. I've been keeping up with the routine for hours straight and I was almost done. Just a few more strands to go, then hopefully I will accomplish my task and be able to push my wrists against the rope hard enough.
My hands shakily dropped the rock as I pushed as hard as I could against the sides of my restraints. I started to hear small little snaps as the rope started to fray even more. One final snap and the rope was finally off.
I looked down at my cut up wrist and winced as my finger grazed the cuts. I soon began to untie my feet, knowing I only had a certain amount of time before someone comes in and checks on us. I grabbed the shard and start cutting at the rope around my ankles. I'm almost done... I'm almost done just a bit more to go, I pant out in a whisper. Thud...thud...thud. Shit, I say to myself as I hurry and put the rope over my wrist again, to make it look like I still had my hands tied up. I leaned my head again the hard wall behind me to pretend to still be passed out. I quickly clamped my eyes closed, bracing myself as the door slammed open and heavy footsteps entered the room.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! <3