Elwanda

Chapter 5 - The Black Serpent

Elwanda woke up to an oddity.

Ifa had not visited in two days.

Ever since she was imprisoned, the bird had never skipped a single day. It suddenly made her worry. She was slowly starting to understand what the bird's presence meant, but its total absence was new and utterly confusing. Stretching out, she decided to give it until evening. Perhaps, the bird was bored of the cell and had gone somewhere different for a change.

As she stretched out her stiffened limbs, Blackburn, the short guard, strolled past her cell and halted. He was a stout man, almost dwarfish, but beardless. He stared at her blankly then continued on his stroll. Elwanda's head jerked back in surprise. That had never happened before.

Without warning, her thoughts rebounded to Elbyn and she smiled. Even though she was yet to see him again, thinking about him made her stomach flutter and a goofy smile paint her face. She was dying to tell Miri about him and their first intercourse. It was as pleasant as she had imagined, perhaps, even better. Elbyn was a natural gentleman and she was already in love with him. Were the circumstances a bit different, she would have let him court her.

She sat leaning against the wall, imagining how her father would beam upon meeting Elbyn, a palace guard; one handsomer and morally upright than Velus.

Suddenly, the thought of Velus stained her daydreaming.

She stared down at her hand, questioning herself over and over on why she had done it. There were other options. A deep injury or a stab in the shoulder could have guaranteed her escape, but she wasn't thinking when she drove the knife into him. She wasn't scared. She only felt true fear when she had witnessed the sincere shock on Elbyn's face.

Her thoughts trailed to the future; would she someday be able to, after everything, confess to Asari that it was by her hand Velus had died? Would Asari forgive her, or was her sister equally sick of the relationship, but kept quiet over it because of the benefits? Velus was uncultured and rascally. The Steward had been right in calling him a lecherous hood rat. Secretly, she liked that he was dead and gone. The world had been rid of one filthy imprint.

The creaking of bars was no novelty anymore, and so when the gate opened, Elwanda did not stir. Although, she did wonder how Elbyn managed to open them without making a noise. He was such a slyboots.

"Witch." The Steward's salty voice reached her ears.

She lazily rose and turned to him. In his hand was a half eaten apple.

"Already wishing for death, no?" He sniggered. "Don't worry. It's found you."

"What do you mean?" Elwanda asked. The Steward was alone. He came with a single guard, but the soldier stood far outside the cell.

"The day Edwina decided to throw her loyalty down the drain was the day she declared everlasting enmity and hatred between the throne and Dracedge." He tossed his apple to the ground. "Every single piece of filth from that town is rotten to the core and they do not deserve to live. You, on the other hand, did not fall far from the tree. Your case has been under critical judgement for the past few weeks and a decision has finally been reached."

Elwanda could taste the tension in the air.

"You will come face to face with The Black Serpent himself."

"The who?" Her voice was shaky. The mere mention of the name made her blood run cold.

"He will be the deciding factor." The Steward explained, leaning outwardly, his eyes roaming around her. "He will tell us whether you live or die, even though you will most likely die. His evaluation of you will prove your connection to Thorold and her Bright Ravens. Besides, it was he who cut off your mother's head."