A War Of Traitors( ARTK, Book 2)

Chapter 62

I know I said I wouldn't do these before individual chapters, but this one is extremely difficult to read.

Manor 7th,3329 A.G

In just her first day at House Tomhend, Ysmen had managed to gather nearly everything she needed- but garlic ran out fast. It went into salves, powdered medicines, people's mouth, and directly on small scrapes and wounds just like moldy bread- so this was expected. She'd taken from the kitchens then, and the next farmland's harvest was still growing- but a woman she'd met at dinner had agreed to let her pick from her garden. She would not go home for some time, so Ysmen handed her coin and set out to find her hut.

  It was almost completely dark, though she didn't mind. The army had traveled in darkness a few times, and Ysmen had grown up doing most of her work at night anyways.

  "Follow the path from the main home outwards, then go down the second one on the left- the path next to the blacksmith's. Mine's the only hut down that path with a garden next to it." It was difficult to see, but the blacksmith' was such a distinct building one could not miss it.

  Ysmen shivered. It had been over a week since the last snowfall- a strange amount of time for the continent, yet the last round was still unmelted. She wore her thickest coat and grey dress, yet it didn't seem to matter. She thought briefly that someone needed to study the continent's plants to see exactly what it was that allowed them to survive such conditions.

Holding onto her basket tightly, she went around the side of the blacksmith's. She understood then why there were no garden on that path- there was no room. Most of the "huts" were too large to be called such, the servant woman's as an only exception. Hers was at the very end, built small to allow room for crops. No one appeared to be home, so she assumed the woman lived alone- and for that she felt bad. Humans simply were not meant to be alone. It would slowly eat away at them until the very foundation of who they were as a person crumbled, and by then they'd be unrecognizable.

Ysmen had nearly gone insane traveling alone when she first came to the continent, and that said something. Having no friend to talk with, no one to go home to.... It had to be an unbearable hell.

When she reached the woman's garden, she was forced to climb over the fence- not knowing how to get into the locked home from outside. Almost a quarter of the garden had been dedicated to garlic.

Ysmen smiled, leaning down to get as long of a whiff as she could stand. Murenian food was heavy in garlic, so while some people were put off by the smell- it reminded her of home and what little she could remember of those who'd cared for her as a child. She began to harvest them, and not long after the basket was as full as it could get.

  She began to walk back, slightly jumping when a man stumbled out of someone's home.

  "Wiittttchh-" She recognized him as Mace when he stepped close enough. He reeked of wine, and her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Whatt are you doing ...out so late?"

  "It isn't that late yet." She said shortly, stepping as far away as she could without being rude. "Perhaps you'd like.... something to eat to absorb..... that wine. The kitchen made bread for tomorrow."

  "It is not bread I'm  interesttted in." He somehow got out, a look on his face that made Ysmen want to run. He grabbed for her, but she yanked her arm away not a moment later.

  "Touch me again and you will regret it." Ysmen warned. "I am no whore anymore."

  "Once a whore, always a whore." He said, laughing as if it was the most humorous things ever. "Come here."

  He reached for her again, and she pulled away again- but he'd been expecting it that time. He was stronger too, despite being shorter and thinner.

  "Stop it-" His arms wrapped around her waist, confining her arms and pressing her closer to him before she could fight. She dropped the basket, scattering garlic everywhere."STOP!!"

She screamed, and yet he didn't seem to hear her. She kicked him however she could as he brought her to the ground, but it didn't seem to matter.

  This was really happening, and it was happening to her. Mace held her wrists over her head then as he worked to lift her dress up to her chest and ripped the breeches she wore under. Ysmen kept fighting, but it didn't seem to matter.

  She had no idea how long he had her pinned as he took what he wanted. It could have been just a few dozen moments, or a few thousand.

  At some point, he heard footsteps and saw someone- and that was when he ran. Ysmen heard those same footsteps approaching, yelling after him as they tried to focus on her- but she could only stare up at the sky.

  "You hear me? Flee to another continent if you wish and you will still be found!!" Maude's voice was recognizeable anywhere. "My gods-"

At times, it was easy to forget the girl was only twelve. She spoke, and yet Ysmen did not hear a word that came out of her mouth then. She could still feel his hands on her and the disgusting scent of whatever cheap alcohol he'd consumed... him inside of her..... why the gods had allowed such a thing to happen.

She had no idea how long it took either, but at some point the child reached for her- and she flinched.

"Don't... don't you fucking touch me-"

"Ysmen!" She finally broke through, and even that made Ysmen break further. "I am not him. If you can stand, I'm going to help you inside. You cannot lay out here and freeze to death."

Ysmen's entire body shook, and she flinched again as the child reached for her arm- but she did not move. Maude moved as if she'd done this before or knew someone who'd been through it.

"Up now-" She said gently. "It'll only get more difficult the longer you sit in snow."

  Slowly, Ysmen listened.

Not because she cared if she died; for a brief moment it even seemed like the better option, but because there were others who needed her.

  No, she would not let others suffer pain because she had. She could have many decades of life left, many decades to teach others what she'd learned of the healing arts. The gods were cruel and unfair, but Ysmen was not.

  Each step came with a stumble.

  By the time they reached the steps of the main entrance, Ysmen could go no further. Two of the male narenian soldiers on guard stepped down to help, but Maude shook her head. A man touching her- however innocently, would only make things worse. Ysmen flinched again when they shouted inside for female servants.

  When they appeared, Maude grabbed one of them.

"Go to the queen and Tuyon directly." She said. "No one else. Tell them their is a soldier who needs to pay for his crimes."