Author Games: A Knight's Valor

Task Four: Female Entries

Lemaria Female: Ren Lancaster

AUTOMATIC 12

Valden Female: Colette Bennett 

It was the cold that woke her. Colette's eyes opened blearily, and she blinked slowly. The first thing she registered was stench of molding hay everywhere, permeating the air and sending a sliver of unease through her. Colette's eyebrows furrowed, and she became aware of an uncomfortable crick in her neck. Damp air surrounded her, covering her skin like a moist blanket and waking her up completely. She let out a soft sound of discomfort, and tried to shift into a more comfortable position only to find that she was immobilized. Immediately, she tensed and her breathing hitched.

What's going on? Colette racked her brain for an explanation. The last thing she remembered was going to bed after the trust test. So what am I doing here? Where is here? She looked around her fully for the first time, but everything was shrouded with darkness save for the pair of flickering torches across from her. The light lit her surroundings enough for Colette to realize that she was tied to a chair. A chair that was placed in the middle of a dungeon cell. It was eerily silent in the cell, and she felt goosebumps pebble her exposed arms. She licked her lips, trying to pull at the rope stretched across her body to no avail. Her breathing picked up again, and she swallowed, prickles of fear washing over her body.

What am I doing here? she wondered again, this time with a touch of fear. Had she done something wrong? Offended one of the royal family somehow? Millions of possibilities flashed through her mind, sending her into a dizzying wave of confusion and anxiety. Colette berated herself. She was a knight; she was supposed to be brave and ready for anything. With that thought in mind, she straightened as much as she could, and inhaled deeply. She called out in the darkness, her words reverberating around her like they were mocking her, but there was no answer.

Her heart thudded in her chest, and Colette fought the panic that threatened to overtake her. She could get out of this. She just had to think. Inhaling and exhaling slowly, she tried to think through what her situation. Her wrists, ankles, chest, and legs bound to a hard wooden chair. The knots were expertly done, impossible for her to get loose from, and as far as she could see, the only thing in the cell was her and the chair. Colette swallowed again. After a moment, she called out again, but just like before, there was no answer.

Fear snaked through Colette, but she clung to the threads of her composure. This is a mistake, I haven't done anything to warrant a place in the dungeons, and I won't. She repeated the words to herself quietly, the only form of comfort available to her as she sat in the darkness. An indeterminable amount of time passed, and her body slowly relaxed, her pulse going back to normal even though her anxiety never waned. Her head lolled to the side without her permission, tiredness sweeping through her abruptly. She'd had little sleep the night before, and despite her circumstances, the dark and the quiet pulled her towards sleep.

"Colette Bennett."

Colette's head snapped up at the noise, awareness flooding through her veins at the low voice. She tensed, and her eyes zeroed in on the tall, dark figure that had appeared before her.

She could tell very little about who the figure was. He was clearly male from the voice, but anything else was almost impossible to tell. His features were hidden in the dark. She licked her lips again.

"Who are you?"

There was no answer to her question, and for a moment Colette wondered if she'd actually said the question aloud. The figure simply walked towards her, their movements so slow and silent that it unnerved her.