The Crimson King

6

I am so sorry for taking so long. I started college and a full time job. I have been drained and it took me a while to update. Hope you enjoy

I stayed still, scared that if I moved too fast the image in front of me would crawl out of the mirror and eat me alive. I didn't know this person in the reflection; she looked like a living corpse. All the pain inside her had become visible in the form of dark bruises all around her skin.

I pitied her.

Even though her hair was clean, it couldn't distract from the large bruise growing out of her scalp and into her forehead. Her arms were so skinny that you could confuse them with pale sticks. They were covered in dark patches, all going through different shades of green, purple, and yellow. Her stomach wasn't any different; the remnants of the punches she took written all over her. Even her legs were covered in scars from the fire she walked through.

And her face... the one that resulted to be my face. It was tired; you could see it in the dark spots under my eyes and the way that the lines on the sides of my mouth that I always carried with me from smiling so much were now vanished. It was like seeing a ghost, and maybe I was a ghost. Maybe I had become the spirit of what I was before. I wasn't the great Lynor Maldivhre... I was the remains of what she used to be. I drank in the image in front of me, making sure to remember it. From my toes to the last inch of hair on the top of my head, I made sure to remember everything.

I would rather kill myself than allow someone to do this to me again. To denigrate my body like it was dirt. Seeing me right now, I promised myself to get so powerful that anyone would rather die than touch me or anyone close to me again.

I would die making sure that promise was fulfilled.

A light knock on the door brought me out of my mind; it was gentle and delicate. Probably Astrid, I had learned that Dalia would most often get inside without knocking, just announcing herself before opening the door.

I took the robe and covered myself. I should have gotten dressed, but since I hadn't seen anyone but my maids in days, I didn't worry about it.

"Astrid, is it you?" I asked, just to make sure.

"Yes, my Lady. May I come in?" After a short yes, she entered with Dalia following her steps. I was expecting them to come with dinner, but they were empty-handed. I frowned a bit; certainly, my appetite had become stronger in the passing time. The first days, I just stared blankly at what they brought me, eating just enough so I wouldn't pass out from starvation. I could hardly feel any hunger though, but as the hours became days, and the days weeks, I started slowly eating more, and I really enjoyed meals here. Since it was the only thing I could do apart from roam around the wardens and chat with Dalia and Astrid. It had been certainly boring.

"The King has asked for your presence during dinner, my Lady." That came as a surprise. I hadn't seen Theobar since the day we spoke about what happened to my land. All the time I had been here, I ate alone in my bedroom. Sometimes it occurred to me that they had forgotten I was here, that I became one of those toys you keep but never actually remember that you have. I wanted to complain about it, but at the same time, I couldn't. What would I be complaining about, exactly? Who would I complain to? I was lucky they even brought me food and allowed me out of my bedroom.

I came to the conclusion that Theobar wanted to hide me just so no one would know that suddenly he had a mysterious lady here. I don't know if my uncle had already found out that I'm missing or if he just assumed my body got lost in the chaos.

You never know who's watching, and it would certainly be suspicious if people started talking about the new lady living in Mirenna, who casually appeared at the same time I went missing from Desternia. So, at the end of the day, I had to hide like a rat.