𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 || 18+ 𝚢𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚜 𝚡 𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝙵𝙼𝙲

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─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It felt like the ice broke under her feet and plunged her into frigid water. She'd just started getting used to the idea of a life with Dekar, resigned herself to it. But now she was here. With the physical embodiment of her worst nightmare and no way of getting help. The dark waters were over her head, now. So far above it she couldn't see the light.

All she could feel was the cold.

Her body shivered as she pulled Dekar's cloak tighter around her to trap in whatever warmth was left. She hadn't opened her eyes yet. She couldn't remember when she'd first closed them, only that in her frightened state she'd been carried somewhere deep below the surface, where the sun's heat couldn't reach.

The air smelled like earth. It had been a while since she'd been set down on the hard floor—long enough to get a crick in her neck where she laid curled on her side. There was a texture under her that felt like something woven. A rug, most likely. It did nothing to keep away the chill seeping up from what could only be stone beneath.

She wouldn't dare open her eyes. She was scared of what she'd find.

Though her nightmare was out of sight, she could still hear him. The image her mind conjured from the sound of his rustling cloak and low breathing was a monster so terrifying that, in her need to escape, she almost let her lids fly open. But she didn't, because she knew the real thing was much worse.

It was all she could do to distance herself, to dissociate. She was too weak to use her body to escape. By now, all the borrowed strength gained from Dekar's custom tea was drained out. Every little drop of her remaining energy was put into hugging the cloak around her and cradling her heavy belly. Even breathing felt like an immense effort.

Charlie tensed at the unmistakable sound of the nightmare shuffling closer. At the brush of his hand, her heartbeat raced in panic, but all she could do was let out a groan of protest. She was slowly pulled up to sitting, an unwelcome arm around her back. The change in position made her nauseous and she fought to keep it down.

Something was pressed to her lips, but she turned her face away.

"Drink," Ja'kadira said before she felt the rim of a cup at her mouth again. "It's that tea I've seen you take every day. I watched your palace guard gather the ingredients, and yesterday I tried my hand at making some. It's cold, but it'll work all the same, won't it, my sweet?"

She didn't want to drink anything made by him, but if it had a chance of returning her strength so she could escape, she'd take it. She parted her lips, allowing the liquid to be poured into her mouth. It was cold just as he said, and she found it hard to swallow down, her nausea flaring up.

But too soon, he pulled the cup away. Her brows furrowed. That was barely anything. Though maybe he just didn't know how much was required to bring her back to full health.

"M... more," she croaked, lids cracking open.

The amount he'd given her was slowly starting to take effect, but only enough to subdue her nausea and sit up without help. Ja'kadira giggled and her blurry eyes met his. She wished she hadn't opened them.

His face was far too close for her liking, grinning down at her with dark amusement in his terrible, pale blue eyes. "No more. I can't have you trying anything against me, now can I?"