Once upon a deception

Hard choices

"Why would Lina ever volunteer to put her life on the line?" Clarisse thought.  The girl had only just arrived a few moons ago. It did not make sense. It was difficult to restrain herself.

"Why would you?"

The girl opened her mouth to speak but Lord Vincent's next words cut her response. "Why can't she? Doesn't everybody deserve an equal opportunity?"

Clarisse narrowed her eyes. Lord Vincent did not implore the girl to rethink her brash decision as he did with her. It did not take long for Clarisse to get his intentions. "Very well." Clarisse let out a beleaguered sigh, glaring at Lina who sent her a timid smile. Hollow, That was what it was. The girl was a threat to her plans. Lord Vincent would surely push her off and take the girl to the Masters. Clarisse sensed the girl had a purpose too. It was the only reason, someone, with years before she would agree to that or maybe it was the dependent nature of a slave. For the span of three weeks, the people had nothing but porridges to eat following the failed raids and lack of funds from the higher powers. For the new ones, It must have been torture. Even the lowly of slaves had a change of food each week. It would be no surprise for a young fool to dream that her freedom be taken away once again for bread.

"We now have two volunteers, I will let the superiors know." Lord Vincent said, taking a sip of his ale and welcoming the wicked burn as it blazed down his throat.

Clarisse's heart leaped. The Lord considered her a volunteer. It was a small win. Clarisse took a bite of the savory dish before diverting her attention back to Lina. Now that the Lord was conversing with his men, There was no one left to hold her back from questioning the girl.

"Why did you volunteer?" Clarisse politely inquired, making sure to keep her tone more of a whisper.

"Why did you volunteer?" The girl retorted, pushing the tendrils of her fiery red hair closer to her eyes in an attempt to halt whatever small talk Clarisse had struck.

"I have nothing to live for. " Clarisse admitted. "I lost everyone and anything I ever cared about the second I got attached to them. After years of torture, an opportunity to put my cursed self to use finally presents itself. It is just something I cannot refuse."

Lina hesitantly looked in Clarisse's direction. She tempered a small smile. "But you have a family here. Your past might have been tragic but it should not define your present."

Clarisse looked down, at the initials printed to her ankle. The past would always define her future. That scar dampened her enthusiasm for life. It reminded her of everything that went wrong in her life.

"I have made my choice," Clarisse breathed, adjusting the loose old gown that had become more like a second skin than a dress. "But why did you make the choice?"

  Ceramic and metal plates clanged as people done with their food stacked them in front of Lina and Clarisse who were on dish duty. Swiftly, Lina stood on her feet and carried the dirty plates.

"I will go wash these." The girl said, ignoring Clarisse's question and immediately heading in the direction of the lake.

"Lina!" Clarisse called, topping after the secretive redhead. Without knowing her reason for volunteering, There was no way she could convince the girl out of it. Clarisse did have a plan to stop Lina from interfering with her plans, albeit unconsciously but she needed a valid reason to do something so unlike her.

"What!" Lina squawked, walking faster. "Just leave me alone."

"I told you my reason. Why won't you tell me yours?"

Lina finally stopped, allowing Clarisse to catch up to her. She turned to face her whip-thin, raven-haired tormentor. "I never asked you to tell me anything about your past and if you want to know that bad, It's simple. I have made my choice too and I will follow it to the grave. There is no convincing me otherwise because my purpose is not from selfishness or self hate like you. I have a fair and true purpose for taking this path."

That said, Lina continued on the path but Clarisse was not done. She would not rest. Not until she had gotten an answer.

"The only feeling that can bind a human to follow to the very end is revenge," Clarisse said with conviction.  "Maybe your purpose is not a noble one after all."

Her statement broke Lina. Her eyes snapped with a similar flame that blazed her bright orange hair as she met Clarisse's teasing stare.  All hell broke loose.

"I made a promise!" Lina shrieked before breaking down, the plate in her hands scattering across the cold Earth. "Before my mother was punished for having an affair with a freeborn. She made me promise I would protect my sister no matter the cost. I... never saw her again and I broke that promise during the raid that brought me here. My sister wasn't there. She was working in one of the farms. I kept praying through the raids that she was rescued too but we kept on losing the fight. This opportunity is the only way I am going to ever see my sister again and I will not let it pass."

Lina wiped a tear off her cheeks and bent to salvage the plates. Clarisse wandered to her side, thinking. She had assumed it would be an easy task to push Lina out of her way but after hearing her confession, Clarisse was torn. But remembering that man. A man whose face she hadn't even seen, A man whose first name she never got to know, and once again, the passion for revenge burned brighter. Noble or not, Lina was getting out of her way.

***

WOHAR

King Evan Dupre hurried across his chambers to the royal garden as he was requested. No one had the power to push a King but Evan would be deceiving himself if he referred to himself as a true King.  As he stumbled his way there, he heard a voice.

"My king!"

The Queen, Lady Salome, and mother to the first Prince called to him. The King was in a bad mood and was not ready for another one of the Queen's drama. As she wobbled up to him, his rage only intensified.

"What do you want woman!" He demanded.

Bowing in response, The Queen answered. "I heard the awful news, My king. I was curious. What does the church of Corbeau want this time?"

The woman was impossible. As much as  King Evan wanted to be mad, The woman had a valid question. What did the cult want? They only came by when they had demands. Difficult demands. King Evan wasn't so sure he could keep up aiding them at the expense of his rule.

"I do not know Salome but what I do know is you should not be here. If they..."

"My King..." A familiar voice said from behind him.

"Malachi."

It was the Grand Duke alright. Oh, they were good.  Sending someone he had a personal relationship. If they were ready to go that desperate, whatever demand they had must be an impossible one. Queen Salome's eyelids dropped on the sight of the Grand Duke, another member of the church of Corbeau.

"I apologize, My Lord. I will be on my way." The Queen quavered, bowing in courtesy before leaving the two be.

They watched her go before getting right to business.

"So, What does the church want this time?"

"I want you to understand my King, If I could change the Church's decision, I would. But my hands are tied. The church wants your..."

"What!"

"They want the Crown Prince." He revealed.

King Evan choked in his saliva. "They want the Crown Prince?" He repeated. "What! I gave them the salt mines. They are swimming in gold! This is wrong. When they promised me the throne, They never told me I would have to sacrifice this much."

"I know it is Evan. I have tried to reason with them but you know the Grand Master. His will must be done and if you do this, Your grand right will be fulfilled. No more demands."

It was true. However, King Evan was done with their games. The church had caused a battle between the royal house when his father was forced to choose him as Crown Prince in the place of his older brother. He had lost half the respect of his people for monopolizing the salt mines and now the church wanted his only son. Evan wire he would not let it happen. His son would never be a figurehead in the affairs of Wohar.

"You are right. Tell the Grandmaster. No more demands. My son will not be initiated to the church."

"My liege, " The Duke called out in concern. "That is preposterous. You are declaring war on the royal family."

"Then so be it!"