Warlord's Ward

Irasus

King Detry cinched the tips of the two bars together inside Irasus, until they created a painful pressure. Letting the chain fall.

"Turn." He directed. Gesturing for her to rotate around.

She stood and carefully whirled about to face him.

He gestured for her to collect the dangling chain between her knees.

She lifted them and found the loops at the end. Tugging one nipple out, she threaded the ring through it. Moving to the other, she did the same. Then rounded and let her arms hang as he took the remaining chain and cinched it around the indentation of her waist to hook around her back.

As she faced him, the jewelry he'd had her wear for as long as she could remember, now carefully in place. The bits of metal created an undergarment of fine gold threads of chain. Hooked through her nipples and leading down to the bars between her thighs, which were seated so firmly within her. The gold stark against her naturally olive flesh.

"You don't take it out." He waved a finger in her face. "You know the rules."

She lowered her head in a nod.

"Good, wench." He reached around to swat the swell of one ass cheek. Letting it bounce before grabbing it a in a firm clasp. Growling in satisfaction at the way the plump flesh bounced. He stroked himself over his pants as he remembered how tight the mage was.

He'd indulge himself but he wanted her a bit plumper, softer, first.

"You will eat, and you'll put on some skin, then I will have you again." He crooned with a dark smile. "Eat well."

She nodded solemnly. Knowing this was her one chance to forever escape that dreaded dungeon. Where people were stacked over each other and there was hardly no light so corpses were just moved to the bottom of the pile to rot and create a stew of stinking sludge. They were tossed bucketfuls of food, so they had to fight for every morsel.

If she served the king well, she'd never have to go back.

***

"But before all that, you'll find the woman that has escaped me."

"Woman?" She said hopefully. Eager to please her cruel master.

"Indeed."

"I will need my book. It will help me to find the proper spell."

"Fine." He turned in a whirl of royal robes as he aimed for his chamber. Reaching it he went to the top of armoire and reached up to fumble for it. His hand coming down with nother more than dust.

He yelled for his manservant.

The thin, nervous man materialized in his doorway.

"Where is the book I typically keep up there?"

The man blinked. "I don't know, Sire. The only one that's cleaned in her other than me is the maid.

"What maid?"

"Well, several sir but the only one that was anywhere near up there was that one that was so terrifyingly plain."

King Detry immediately remembered the fat creature with large brown curls that he'd spoken to briefly. The one he'd decided against bedding because there was so little appealing about her.

"She stole my book..." He murmured. "She'd not have had the courage was Warlord or Hawk not behind it."

"What do you wish me to do, My Liege."

"Have they found Hawk?"

"No, Sire. He seems to be in the wind. After Warlord summoned the darkness we lost him in the WixWood.

"How could you lose him?"

"I'm merely your servant, My Liege." The man bowed his head. "But I heard the murmurings of the knights. They feared pursuing into the WixWood because it turns into the Wildwood and we all know the creatures that guard that."

"Braxus..." King Detry said hatefully. Dismissing the conversation because he knew there was nothing more he could do about it.

He stalked back downstairs to Irasus, who looked puzzled to not see her beloved book in his possession.

"Where is it?"

"I no longer have it."

"How could you lose it?" She demanded in uncharacteristic horror. Knowing how ancient the spells were in it, she feared that if it landed in the wrong hands, they'd all be destroyed.

"I do not answer to you!" The king roared.

She shrank. "Yes, My Liege."

"Master." He corrected. Purple-faced and huffing. "Have you forgotten everything already?"

"No, My Master."

He looked at her. Lip curled in contempt as he considered making her pay right then and there. But the thought of entering all that slack, wan flesh gave him the creeps.

"Do not forget yourself." He sneered.

She nodded demurely. Averting her eyes.

"Who am I looking for, My Master?"

"BailaLae." A powerful sorceress who can command nature. "Find her for me."

She nodded.

"I want her back." He emphasized. "Do not defy me in this, Irasus or I'll have your head lopped right off your pretty shoulders."

He indicated a sweeping motion with the edge of his hand.

She swallowed nervously. Knowing he'd do it.

***

"Find her." King Detry stepped aside.

Irasus blew a long breath and began swirling bits of bronze strands between her hands. Swirling them as though making a giant globe between them. Forming it until small images crossed between her hands. Dancing between the ribbons.

"I see him with your sorceress. Trying to cross through the Wixwood without entering the WildWood. He's skirting it headed toward the Asara Pack Wall."

"Why would he go there."

"He has family near there."

There was much shouting and fighting happening in the orb Irasus formed.

There was a blonde woman, with clothes half-shredded from her being tossed from one side of a dingy hut to the other by a massive scarred beast.

"Who is that?" Detry breathed. "She is fantastic."

"She is his sister."

"I shall have them both..." Detry said in wonder. "Can you imagine them in chains like yours?"

His head swiveled to Irasus.

"As you desire, My Liege."

"I do! I do desire it." He said evilly. Already envisioning inserting the gold bars in their holes. Blocking entrance for any man but he.

He was nearly shivering with glee. "That will be my revenge. Warlord only thought he knew suffering. Now he truly will. He's so eager to have them all together. I'll take them all from him!"