Lady Of The Sky

Chapter 2

Arlina woke in Malum's bed the next morning, wrapped in a blanket. She slowly sat up, keeping the blanket around her. Malum, who was already dressed, was rummaging through the trunk she had seen last night. He stood and tossed a red velvet dress to her. 

"Put it on," he ordered. She obeyed, crawling under the covers to dress. He chuckled at that, and the sound sent chills up her spine. When she was done, she sat on the edge of the bed. 

"We're leaving for my castle today," he said bluntly. "Go to your old room and pack." She nodded and walked to the door. It was locked. Malum smirked, then pulled out a key and unlocked it. She brushed past him and nearly ran to her room. Arlina slammed the door shut and collapsed on her bed, sobbing. She hated Malum with all her heart. Slowly, she got to her feet and began to pack. She felt numb, like she was just watching from outside her body, not experiencing things herself. Would she feel this way forever? 

- 

A few hours later, Arlina was sitting in a carriage on her way to Malum's castle. She leaned her head against the window and stared at the seemingly endless sky. As she sat there, she thought she heard a voice.

"What?" She asked sharply. Malum glared at her and mouthed, shut up. She closed her mouth and went back to staring at the sky, listening hard. The voice came again, this time as a whisper in her mind.

"Don't lose hope. The wind may blow this way now, but it can always change direction." The voice had repeated a proverb she had learned when she was allowed to visit the small temple in the city, several years ago. The priestess used it whenever things when terribly, horribly wrong, but it always comforted her, made her feel at home. He father had put a stop to her visiting the when the turned twelve, worried that the independent, strong-minded priestess would make her want to be independent. She had been devastated. "Never lose hope," the voice repeated as it faded away. Arline, compiled by some instinct she didn't know she had, fell to her knees and bowed her head.

"Great mother, protect me and watch over me all my days. I ask this as your ever-faithful servant, Arlina. Please accept my worship, Lady of the Sky," Arlina whispered, repeating the prayer had heard so many times that it was in her bones. Malum grabbed her by the wrists and shover her back onto the bench.

"What the heck do you think your doing?" He asked, his voice terrifyingly soft.

"I had to worship the mother. She willed it of me." Arlina said, her voice quiet, but filled with an iron strength. Malum sat back.

"Restrain yourself next time, or I may have to do it myself." Arlina nodded, trying to hold back tears. Malum was a brute, and he clearly didn't worship the Lady, for She had decreed that worshipers were never to be kept from worshipping Her. She sat back on the seat, staring out the window. Malum set his hand on her thigh, and she flinched. The carriage continued rattling along the narrow road. After a few hours, hills began to rise in front of the carriage. Arlina stared at them, fascinated. She had never seen hills before. He noticed her staring, and leaned over to whisper in her ear, letting one of his hands drag across the skin that her dress left bare below her collarbone. Arlina squirmed. 

"Those are hills," he said slowly, as though explaining something to a child. 

"I know what hills are." She snapped back. Malum let out a small growl. 

"You don't speak that way to me. Get your dress off." Her eyes widened and she shook her head. 

"You will do it, or I will do it." Malum said, his voice dangerously soft, his hands roaming over her shoulder and back.