A Court of Hope and Anguish

Eleven

Hello a little update I will try to get chapters out atleast two times a week before 5 pm eastern time. I will also be going back in the next week to revamp the previous chapters to fic mistakes and correct some things that need it. Thank you so much for the support! also feel free to at any point contact me with anything you need!!

ALSO Trigger warning for end of chapter

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Nesta had dressed up in a finer pale green dress that elain had bought for her some time ago. She wasn't sure why but she felt nervous. Most of the men she had been with or drank with had been a spur of the moment. Never had a male gone out of his way to pick her up and take her places. There had been a few to give her things like flowers as thanks. Some even went as far as searching for her at the bar she frequented. She had always made a point to avoid them. Never once wanting to sleep with them more then once. Not since Thomas. She had herself so convinced that she loved him. But it turns out that he wanted only one thing from her.

She shuttered and put the book she had been reading down. Her stomach ached as she realized again she hadn't eaten other then breakfast. Cassian had probably sought her out earlier to make sure she ate. She had said so many unkind words to him. Then and when kai had come home. Even so she wouldn't let herself be regretful.

As the sky grew dark she got up and went outside. Meeting kai as soon as she left the house. He told her that there was a small bar on the other side of the camp. Frequented by the lords, their offspring, and the higher ranked officals. He explained his father was a local lord, he himself was at the bar often. Nesta had simply just listened as they walked, nodding.

She tuned him out the last half of the walk as she noticed some of the women she had trained with about. They kept their heads low as they worked and cleaned. The smaller redhead girl that had been so swift during practice she almost hit nesta in the face was scrubbing clothing and hanging it. Her hands dry and cracked. The distant look on her face as two men whistled at her from afar had nestas blood frozen. She had never cared for how some of the women in her old village were treated. Made it a point when the servants were hired that they were all treated with respect and dignity.

Some sort of resilient, angry, and bloodthirsty need to right this wrong filled her for a few moments as her gaze shifted from the girl to the men. They seemed to quiet as they felt her gaze. But as soon as it was there it was gone. Kai tapping her shoulder with that stupid expression she now felt like punching off his face.

"They are just boys. Let them be pricks. They will learn eventually." Kai quipped that had nesta huffing but not retorting. She fell back into that darkness to keep from letting herself feel those cold flames on her fingertips.

They arrived at the bar sooner then she had thought and he held the door for her. It was quaint. A few shabby tables and little light. Fae lights and candles were the only few lights in the room. The smell of cheap liquor filled her nose and she kept moving forward. The ground was uneven and a bit dirty but she supposed it wasn't velaris so she couldn't complain. It was the first time in a very long time that she was having a date. If that was what this was. She sat and he when to the bar and brought back one bottle and two glasses. He poured her the drink and they sipped on the liquid slowly.

"Its a bit shabby but its the best we have around here" He said with a quirky grin. In this light his eyes seemed to glow in some supernatural way. She shivered again and took another sip from her glass.

They talked for what seemed like an hour, They had worked their way through the bottle. The effects of the alcohol stronger then she had thought it was going to be. A light buzz and blur to the world told her that she indulged too much. Cassian was going to kill her for being out this late and getting this drunk.If hangover in the morning didn't kill her first. She went to stand and the world tilted to the side before she caught herself. She let out a small laugh before willing herself to sober some. It became clear enough that she could stand. She fixed her dress before turning to Kai who seemed unbothered leaning back in his chair.

"Its late, I would like you to take me back to the house." She said without any room for question. Kai put his drink down and stood. He made a remark but the world shifted again and she reached out for the bar to steady herself. She looked to him and gave him a tight lipped smile before setting forward.

They had gotten out of the bar and into the ally between the bar and what she assumed was a store house. She didn't remember walking out but as she came back to conscious some she felt it, and heard him. Kai was running a finger down her jaw in soothing strokes. She wanted to pull away, she wanted to push him away. But her body was so weak. He had put something in the alcohol. Panic rose in her chest.

"ahhh yes. You figured it out. I never wanted to court you. Oh no." He chuckled a dark laugh. Dark figures moved in on either side. The others in the bar.

"You see nesta darling. I can sense the power on you. If I remember correctly you were made by the cauldron." He snipped with a playful tone that now felt like tar in her stomach. She tried to move away but when she moved the world spun.

"Did you know that syphons are used to channel power for ilyrians. Yes, you keeper as you called him. Has seven. Powerful indeed. But No one ever stopped to realize that maybe we could use the syphons for greater things. Such as taking the power from others. " He whispered coolly. He was so close to her ear she could feel his lips on her neck. Her body began to shake lightly at the fear that twined with the anxiety she felt.

"Now with organically born subjects it gets tricky. But you Nesta. Beautiful nesta. were made. not born. So you are the perfect subject." He said with a deep chuckle. HE stepped back looking at his buddies.

"With you, we will be stronger then even those bastards you know so well." He spat at her. Now that he had stepped back and she could see his entire face. She realized the look wasn't playful at all. But cruel and loathing.

cassian.... she thought to herself. Where was cassian. Kai seemed to understand what she was thinking.

"Haha your keeper isn't coming. Not after all you said to him." He mused. He placed a hand back on her chin as tears began to stream down her face. He wiped away the tear. He pulled her harshly to him as he kissed her. She tried to pull back but the drug made it so it was all she could do to stand.

Her fear and anxiety reached a boiling point where the thing that began to overflow was anger. Anger at herself for letting this happen. Anger that a male was touching her like this without her consent. Then from the darkness within, that icy rage blossomed and frozen flame filled her veins. It burned through whatever he gave her. So slowly but it was enough. feeling her palms ignite she pushed her self back with all she had and used her hand to push his face away. the sound and smell of searing flesh filled the ally. Along with cries of agony from Kai. Her rage so pure on her face that the figures dare not to move.

She fell back as her body collapsed from the drug making her weak. She fell to the cool ground and panted at the effort that had taken. Holding his face kai looked at her with a furious expression.

"You foul bitch." He seethed as he lifted his leg and kicked her in the jaw. She cried out in pain and let her head hang to the side. He kicked her again and again. Tears soaked her face.

As he kicked her again she fell back into herself and looked for that string that she had felt cassian pull when she was falling. It was so small and so limp. She yanked on it as hard as she could. She kept yanking It. Pleading to whatever gods would listen as kai beat her to a bloody pulp.

As she began to fade into unconsciousness she felt something. A heavy strong wind. An earth shattering tremble. The screams of men. Maybe this is how she would die.

She would die weak, broken, and bloody in an alley. How long had she been in that alley now? Ten minutes or two hours. She didn't know.

Strong arms picked her up and carried her away from the screaming. With the silence she faded out. the warmth calling for her. She accepted her fate and all it had to offer.