MAN OF WAR

7

Miya paced the damp dirt floor of the dungeon. There was little light coming in through the bars of the sold oak door of his cell. The walls were thick stone, but there were no windows. The stairs leading to the dungeon had been steep and winding down. Miya figured that he must be deep underground. The ceiling was low; his head almost touched the top; he had to duck to enter through the door.

            He did not know what he was going to do. He was trapped alone in this blasted room while his poor little sister was at the mercy of depraved rutting sailors. He was powerless to protect her. All because of that blasted Titus and his quick sword. Had he not cut off his crystal, Miya would have torn the whole lot of them apart. He would have sailed the damn ship himself if he had to. He had failed Jade, and that bothered him. He was to protect her, and he been unsuccessful. How could she ever forgive him?

            Miya paused where he stood when he heard footsteps outside. They were not heavy booted footsteps like that of the guards that had put him there. These footsteps were soft, much lighter. Miya watched the door, and he saw a shadow pass the bars. There was someone outside his cell. Miya walked over to the door and peered out through the small barred window and thought he saw a wisp of golden hair. “Who goes there?” He demanded and heard the other person nervously press against the door, trying not to be seen; only he could hear their nervous breathing. “I see you,” he lied, hoping to draw them out.

            His fib worked, and a young woman stepped out of the blind spot from beneath the door’s window and into the flickering torchlight. She turned to face him in her light-yellow ball gown. She was a very beautiful woman, her golden curls laced with pearls and tiny white flowers. Miya recognized her immediately. She was the same woman he had held hostage in the banquet hall a few hours earlier. He could not fathom why she would be here now.

            “What is it you want?” He demanded. “To gawk at the freak?”

            “No,” she said quietly, her small hands nervously gripping the fabric of her skirt, “I only wished to get a better look. My nursemaid had told me so many tales of shifters as a child, but I never believed them to be real,” she said, moving closer to the small window. “Is it true that you are a witch?” She paused thoughtfully. “Well, I suppose you would be a warlock.”

            “Suppose I am. Are you not afraid I will steal your everlasting soul?” He threatened.

            “No,” she said softly. “Titus made it clear that you required those crystals to work your magic. Does it hurt?” She asked.

            “Does what hurt?

            “When you become something else, does it hurt?”

            What a strange question, he thought. Miya had never really considered it. He supposed it was relevant to what he was becoming. If their form was drastically different from that of his, sometimes rearranging his own structure did sting a little, but he had become so very used to it he hardly noticed. “At times,” he admitted.

            “Then why do you do it?” The Princess asked, her hands coming up and taking hold of the bars. She was up on her toes now to peer in through the small window, hoping to get a better look at him.

            “To hide,” Miya said as if the answer should be obvious.

            “But why hide?”

            Was she for real? Normally he did not speak this much to outsiders, let alone answer questions, but there was something about this angelic woman that compelled him to answer. “People fear what they do not understand. As you can see, my exposure has not bode well for me thus far,” he said, holding up his bound hands. “Nor has it for my sister,” he added sadly.

            She made an understanding sound and frowned. “So, the girl is your kin. That explains your outrage at seeing her sold off,” she said, watching him. “I am sorry for your loss,” she said with genuine feeling.

            Miya was taken back. He had held her hostage, and yet she was apologizing to him. Was this woman touched in the head? “I do not understand.”

            She sighed. “I was raised primarily by my nursemaid, who was a slave. I spent my youth playing with the children I could find at court. They were often children of soldiers or slaves. I was told not to, but I had little other friends. I do not like slavery, but it is my father’s Empire, and I am powerless to change it.”

            His interest was piqued by this new information. Miya reached his bound hand up and touched her hand. She flinched at his touch and withdrew her hand, blushing. “What is your name?” He asked softly, not wishing to frighten her off.

            She paused a moment as if determining how wise it was to continue their conversation. “I am the Crowned Princess Gaia,” she introduced her self properly.

            “Gaia.” Her name rolled off his tongue, sweetly. “That is a pretty name. I am Miya,” he introduced himself. “Do you think you could cut my ropes free?” He asked, holding up his hands. “I have been bound for days, and it has begun to ache,” he said softly, hoping to play on her sympathies. She backed away from the window and looked around awkwardly. “What harm can it do? I am locked away in here.”

            Gaia shook her head. “I do not have a blade,” she said regretfully.

            “Look around, do you see anything sharp? Perhaps a sharp rock, maybe?” He suggested.

            He watched as Gaia lifted the hem of her gown and looked around, moving farther down the corridors and then returning with a jagged rock. “Will this do?” She asked, holding it up.

            “It might,” Miya said, holding his arms through the bars. “Try to saw through the rope.”

            Gaia did just that using all her might to drag the jagged rock back and forth across the ropes, trying to cut away at it. He watched her bite her lower lip as she worked hard to cut the binding. She was young, beautiful, and clearly naive. She had no idea what she was getting herself in to. Once he was free, he could easily reach through the bars, grab hold of her and snap that pretty little neck of hers. She was foolish and unwise, even to be speaking to him. Miya could use her naivety to his advantage, though.

            The ropes gave way, snapping and freeing him. “Thank you,” he said, reaching out and boldly taking hold of her hand. She dropped the rock and looked up at him. Their eyes locked, and he held her gaze. “You are very kind,” he said, gently rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.

            She blushed and lowered her eyes, looking at his hand, holding hers. Gaia saw the abrasions on his wrists and gasped. “Oh my, that is terrible. It must hurt so much.”

            “Not as much as what will become of me if I do not get out of here,” he said, releasing her and holding on to the bars. “Your father will likely have me killed. All because I was defending my sister.” 

            “I doubt very much that he will kill you. You are far too valuable. The first of your kind ever found,” she said, her expression becoming grave, “but he will punish you. He will likely see that you are tortured for what you did.”

            Her reassurance did not fill him with confidence. Without his crystal, he could not recover from torture. He could die. He hated the situation he found himself in. Miya had never been forced to hold the same form for so long. “I need to get away from here,” he said, holding her gaze, pleading with her. Gaia just watched him but said nothing. “I cannot live this way. I am wild. Do you know what happens to a wild animal when it is forced to live in a cage? It withers and dies.”

            Gaia shook her head. “I cannot help you,” she said softly.

            “Yes, you can,” he said, moving closer to the door. Pressing his face closer to the bars, Miya gave her what he hoped was his most desperate expression. “Your father now holds a blue crystal that belongs to me. Bring it to me. That is all you have to do. I can do everything else once I have that crystal,” he urged her. “Gaia, please, you know this is wrong. You said so yourself. You must help me.”

            Gaia backed away and looked down the corridor. She seemed uneasy and nervous. “I am sorry, but I cannot help you,” she said. “I just cannot,” she then lifted the hem of her gown and rushed off toward the stairs, disappearing into the shadows. Miya cursed and kicked the door. He was so sure he almost had her, but it was far too difficult to seduce a woman behind prison walls. He rubbed his sore wrist and took a seat in the corner. At least he got those blasted ropes off.

***

            Titus was slipping through the back corridors trying to escape a marriage-minded maiden. His recent promotions had made him a target for husband seeking females this evening. He had done his best to mingle politely. When all he really wished to do was escape and retrieve Jade. She had been on his mind all night. He had spent a good portion of the evening at the banquet and felt he could safely steal away into the night now.

He decided to take the back way so he would not be seen and forced to say awkward goodbyes. He moved off to the courtyard on his way to the stables. Titus paused in his tracks when he saw a young woman coming up from the bowels of the palace. He recognized her instantly. Gaia tried to keep to the shadows so not to be seen, but Titus had already spotted her in her pale-yellow gown. What had she been doing down in the dungeon?

            Titus decided to follow her. He moved quickly through the courtyard and came up behind her. “Your Majesty,” he whispered, frightening her. She jumped, her back against the wall, and her hand covering her heart. She stared at him and then breathed a sigh of relief at seeing who he was.

            “Oh, Admiral Titus, you frightened me,” she said, offering him a smile.

            “What are you doing out here?” He asked. Perhaps he was overstepping his station in life, but they had once been friends, and he did not wish to see her harmed.

            “I was merely taking a walk,” she told him, clearly lying.

            “Through the dungeon?” He asked skeptically.

            She stiffened her spine and looked offended. “Are you calling me a liar, Admiral?” She challenged him.

            He was clearly being warned. Titus offered Gaia a charming smile. “By no means Your Majesty. I am merely looking out for your welfare.”

            “You are a loyal subject and a good friend, but I need no watching,” she said and continued on her way back to the banquet hall.

            He was skeptical of her secretive behaviour, but he was in no place to press her. So, he shrugged it off and continued to the stables. Titus entered the stable and found the stable boy feeding the horses. “Boy, my man brought a girl out here some time ago…” He began. The boy nodded and walked over to the tackle room. He pulled open the heavy door and pointed inside. Titus found Jade sitting on the floor in the corner of the small room. She looked up at him, and he reached down to help her up. He was annoyed that Gulliver had shut her away in a dark storage room.

            Titus brought Jade to her feet and escorted her out of the tackle room. “Ready my horse,” he ordered the stable boy. The young boy rushed off to do his bidding, and Titus drew his dirk from his belt. “I do not believe we will need these any further,” he said, cutting away the rope around her wrists. “The matter is finally settled. You belong to me.”

            “I belong to no one,” she said, bitterly rubbing her wrists.

            He sighed and shook his head. She was going to be difficult. “This will be a lot easier for all involved if you simply accept your situation,” Titus said, caressing her face.

            “That I am a concubine?” Jade spat out the distasteful title.

            “Concubine is such a cynical term,” he said.

            “Perhaps, but correct, is it not?” She asked, looking up at him with those stunning eyes. She was right; he had never taken a slave of his own before. He understood it was the way the Empire ran, and he had utilized their services in the public domain, but he had never wanted one for his own, but with Jade, it was different. He wanted her so terribly. He was willing to break every moral rule he had to have her. He had taken her specifically to be his mistress.

            “You cannot tell me you do not enjoy my touch,” he whispered into her ear, feeling her shudder beneath his hand. “The way I kiss you. The way I feel inside you.”

Her cheeks had taken on a beautiful pink blush as she looked away. “You must admit, Sweet Siren; there are far worse fates then laying with me.”

            Jade pulled away, putting distance between them. “I do so against my will,” she said bitterly. Her words bothered him. He had never taken anyone against their will. 

            “You consented to or tryst,” he reminded her.

            “Once, as p*****t for mercy. I will not do it again,” she promised. “Any intimacy will be forced.”

            He did not like that idea. Titus clenched his teeth, annoyed by her defiance. He was getting nowhere with her. Perhaps his approach was not the correct way to deal with Jade. He needed to help her come around on her own terms. After all, the loss of one’s freedom could not be easy to accept, and for someone as spirited as she was, the transition must be terribly difficult. He would take a new approach with her, Titus decided. He took her in his arms and held her close. Titus wanted so badly to kiss her, but he held back. “You will lay with me, and when you do, it will be of your choosing. You will ask me to kiss you. You will beg me to take you. Until then, you have my word. I will not force myself upon you,” he promised.

            Jade pushed his arms away and stepped back. “I will never ask,” she declared stubbornly.

            “Yes, you will,” he grinned as the stable boy brought him his horse. Titus reached for Jade, and she backed away once more. “Let me help you up.”

            “I do not need nor want your help,” she said, looking out the stable door. She was contemplating escape, he knew.

            “There is no sense in running. You are surrounded and outnumbered. Plus, you do not have your crystal… how far could you get?” She seemed to accept his reasoning, and with a reluctant grumble, she neared the horse. Jade reached up and took hold of the saddle. Placing her slippered foot in the stirrup, Jade pulled herself up into the saddle. Titus chuckled, so stubborn. He climbed up behind her and took hold of the reins. He then dug his heels into the animal’s sides and started back to the soldiers’ quarters with his new acquisition.