The Cruel Prince's Captive

Chapter 3

Tolanda was first led to a pool by servants, lowly elves who insisted she undress and bathe in the shining oasis within their kingdom. When she first stepped into the oasis her breath was taken away by its shimmering waters of which appeared to steam, some natural hot spring within the great mass of life that buzzed all around her. She slowly stepped into the water feeling its warmth envelop her like warm arms come to embrace and comfort her. The happy birds in the trees, all colours, flitting restlessly from branch to branch and tree to tree. She watched them with wistfulness knowing she would never know freedom again. Tolanda felt the tears spill down her cheeks and she closed them allowing more to escape. She felt a heavy feeling inside of her chest as she thought about meeting this prince and the look of fear in Iefyr’s eyes seemed to burn into her memory. He was in more fear for her fate than of his own. He was facing death, but it seemed, perhaps being slave to this cruel prince was a fate worse than death. She was terrified of what was to come after she was cleaned up and to be led to this prince, it was like a bubbling pit deep inside of her stomach, one of dread and despair. She was urged to get out of the water, and she obeyed, almost as though she was in a trance and she found herself fearing for her rescuer, Iefyr. His fate was execution, she had tried to have him spared but as they dragged him away, she knew it was unsuccessful. Would he be executed immediately, or would she get another chance to plead for his life? If he was to be executed right away, she only prayed that it was swift. The servants immediately began to dry her, and some began combing and styling her hair placing flowers in it and the dress they wrapped around her was sheer. You could see her body, she was trembling once more, her curves were visible through the golden robe, and the roundness of her breasts and the plumpness of her hips were showing. She wrapped her arms around herself attempting to maintain modesty and the servants led her to the Queen once more. She moved gracefully towards her, the cold scrutinizing eyes of the elven Queen looked her up and down. She pulled Tolanda’s protecting arms away from covering herself.

“You’ll let my son see you,” she stated sternly.

“The dress is… revealing,” Tolanda replied nervously.

“You have a beautiful body; you have nothing to fear,”

“If my body is beautiful and I am to display it to your son then I do have reason to fear. Your intentions for me to your son are apparent,” Tolanda found herself saying boldly and she met the Queens eyes disdainfully. The Queen smirked.

“My son’s intentions with you are whatever he pleases, human,” the Queen said and then waved her hand indicating the servants to offer the Cruel Prince his prize from a game he never played.

Tolanda could feel her legs shaking as she walked towards the palace. The elven palace was silver and beautiful, hidden away in this forest, deep within it. She wondered how nobody knew all of this was here but then she remembered Iefyr’s words about magic. Perhaps elven magic shielded it from the human world. She was led across a large bridge and then the gates to the palace opened receiving her and the servants. The first room was huge with a ceiling reaching so high with delicate stain glass upon some of the walls. It was utterly breath-taking that would be if this were not about to become her prison. She was soon led through halls and then finally to a room.

“My lord, prince,” one of the servants immediately bowed low and Tolanda looked about the room to see a form of a man standing behind some sheer curtains on what appeared to be a balcony. He was topless, it would seem with silver hair flowing down his back, he emerged and was wearing a robe to cover his lower half, but this robe had jewels around the waist. She noticed he was perfectly sculpted, muscles exposed, and his eyes were sparkling blue but cold just like the Queen’s.

“We have a gift for you, my lord, from the Queen,” the servant continued, and the prince stepped forwards, eyeing the human girl presented to him. Tolanda noticed the prince was otherworldly handsome but the cruelty in his eyes marred this beauty and his gaze bit into her like the coldest winter frost.

“A human? Don’t they carry disease?” he replied wrinkling his nose.

“My lord prince, this one is a virgin,” the servant continued.

“And has this been verified?” he asked them.

“Uh, not my lord,” the servant replied and the prince rolled his eyes then sighed.

“Mother is slacking,” he muttered. “Why would she send me a human virgin?”

“Because… she is beautiful, my lord,”

“Right, is she now?” he questioned and looked back at Tolanda.

“I was attacked by some men, Iefyr rescued me and now he is to be put to death! The elf named Morthil brought us back in binds,” her words appeared to peak the prince’s interest.

“Iefyr, you say?” the prince asked.

“He is to be executed now for revealing himself to me, but he was going to allow me to leave free, apparently that is against your laws.”

“I knew he would cause his own downfall eventually,” the prince muttered. “Leave us,” he ordered the servants. Tolanda began to tremble again; she was to be left alone with the cruel prince now.

“It is true, you are beautiful, I bet Iefyr was quite taken with you when he saw you and what perfect way to introduce himself by rescuing you,”

“If I am to be trapped here and live out my days serving you, am I not owed one favour? You have taken me from my life,”

“Little girl, you misunderstand and overestimate your position here. You are my slave and nothing more. Does a slave have any rights? No, little girl, a slave does not.”

“You would not have me if it weren’t for Iefyr. He saved my life and I remain… unspoiled because of it,” she cringed at her own words cursing her virginity right now. Those cold blue eyes of ice, even colder than the Queens like the coldest North, she shivered just looking into them and broke eye contact. She found it even harder to look into his eyes than she did the Queen’s.

“You wish me to spare him?”

“He saved my life, I am obligated to at least try and save his,” he appeared to contemplate her words.

“You are stronger than I first thought,” he said, “and nobler,” he added. “I suppose Iefyr is my brother, I should probably at least put some argument in his favour,” the prince sighed. He walked away to retrieve a robe which he threw over his shoulders, it hung open still so his chest and stomach were still visible. “Come, we must get there before the execution, my mother usually likes to get these over with,”

“He is your brother?” Tolanda asked and he shot her a sideways look as they marched the halls.

“Yes, a product of my father’s infidelity,” he said.

“Your father was killed by humans?” Tolanda asked.

“I see my mother has mentioned it,” he said, and they were soon in a courtyard. Tolanda looked around, there appeared to be a crowd gathered. She noticed the Queen had taken prime position, eager to see the offspring of her husband’s other woman meet his end. Tolanda noticed Gerenil, she had a front row seat with guards either side of her, she was sat near the Queen. It appeared the queen would be forcing her to watch her son’s execution and making sure she had a good view. The prince, of whose name she had yet to learn joined his mother, Tolanda trailing behind him.

“I see you approve of your gift, my son,” the Queen said.

“Yes, I suppose she is pretty, mother, so whose execution are we to witness today?” he asked and Tolanda’s eyes widened, was he pretending he wished to stop the execution? She looked to the stage before them; the execution appeared to be a hanging. The prince cast cruel sideways eyes to her, and she watched as the handsome Iefyr was led to his noose.

“You said you would free him!” she burst and both prince and queen shot her wide eyes. The prince stood from his seat and took a handful of her hair bending her head back and pulling her down until she was forced onto her knees, she winced but obeyed.

“Prince Ievos!” they heard call and it was Iefyr calling out from where they fit the noose around his neck.

“Please,” Tolanda whispered as she looked up at him from where he still had her hair in his grip holding her head in place, hurting her neck as he forced it into an unnatural position at the pulling of her hair. Prince Ievos looked from her to Iefyr. Tolanda feared the cold anger in the prince’s eyes, it was burning but a cold burn it was, and those eyes darkened.

“Drop him,” Prince Ievos said coldly and Tolanda’s heart sank, tears escaping her eyes, she could not bear to watch or to look at the prince, but she knew the prince watched her. Gerenil, was silently crying almost as though she refused to give the Queen the satisfaction of the true devastation she really felt. Tolanda, could not take her eyes off the mother.