The Cruel Prince's Captive

Chapter 10

Prince Ievos took both women to his chambers, Dresna was still sobbing and had not looked at anyone, she did not know what damage the Queen had done to her face and she felt shame. Tolanda feared the prince’s punishment and she felt for Dresna, although she knew if Tolanda had been hurt the elven noble would care nothing for it. The prince tossed Tolanda into his chambers, she stumbled but managed to remain on her feet.

“Please don’t look at me,” Dresna said hiding her face from him once more.

“I have a mirror over there, if you wish to see,” he offered, and she did so. Tolanda could not watch as the noble elven woman moved to see her face.

“She has aged me… in the long years of an elf… we don’t age as humans do but… now I look… old,” she began to cry. Ievos was looking at Tolanda, anger on his face but also puzzlement and then he moved to comfort his friend, Dresna turned into him and he held her whilst she cried on his shoulder.

“This is my fault,” he uttered and then lifted her chin to see what she saw and he smiled, “you might have aged a little, but you are still beautiful,” he said to her.

“My betrothed probably won’t see that… my father… will be angry,” the tears were audible in her voice.

“If your father has any issues you tell him to come and see me, the same with your betrothed. I’ll not have you suffer for my actions.” he said to her.

“Thank you, Ievos,” she replied trying to compose herself. “I suppose I should go and show them what has happened to me,” she said and left the prince’s chambers. Ievos now turned to Tolanda and she shrunk back.

“You risked everything to save her, what my mother did to hercould have been a whole lot worse,” he said, “why did you…?” he trailed off.

“It was cruel and unjust… Dresna did not deserve that and I… was scared for her,”

“Dresna… she would not have done the same, you know,”

“A person does not help another in hopes of a return favour, when someone is in trouble or suffering then it is done out of kindness and compassion but I realise you do not now what those are,” Tolanda spat. The prince looked away from her, his eyes still held anger.

“I must punish you… or my mother will,” he said and moved towards her. She clambered behind her cot trying to put something between them.

“You said you would never force yourself upon me!” she cried.

“I know…” he said sadly, edging closer. “We must make it look as though I have,” he said.

“What? How?” she asked him.

“You must trust me, I know it is hard, I have done nothing to earn that trust.” he said stopping at the front of her cot.

“You once said to me that I would submit to you… is this your way of tricking me into doing so?” she asked him.

“No, that other slave I was given by mother… I treated her as I treated you, but I never took her… my mother realised this and… gave her to the guards, the lower guards and they were not merciful. She then took me to see the girl once they were done… she was dead, beaten… raped and I would never forget how she looked lying there, bruised… it was…” he closed his eyes and turned his head, “it was my fault as I would not take her myself… I am cruel but my mother… is ruthless and evil,” he said and looked back to her. “I would have to hurt you, Tolanda if I am to spare you from the same fate,” he said and her eyes were spilling with tears and she could feel her body begin to shake.

“What do you need to do?” she asked him.

“I would hit you, hard enough to leave a mark and I need to put bruising on your arms and your thighs as though… I have held you down,” he said.

“I can’t… I can’t allow you to,” she muttered.

“Would you rather end up like that elven girl I just told you of?” he snapped.

“I…” she stammered and then decided to come around the edge of the cot towards him.

“Forgive me,” he said and then struck her across the face, it was hard enough to cut her lip and send her to the cot. He then took her arms and pinned them down, she winced as she felt his strong hands bruising her wrists. Her whole body was trembling underneath him as he did so. Tears fell from her eyes and she could not look up at him, he was still holding her arms and squeezing tightly. Her lip was stinging, and she could taste the blood. He had not released her yet, and this caused her to meet his eyes, she was not sure how long this was supposed to take but she already felt bruised. Meeting his eyes she saw the discomfort on his face also but they held eye contact and she began to feel more at ease with the situation, she felt there was a trust within his eyes, they were doing this to spare her and likely the prince from the Queen’s punishment. There was a knock on the door.

“I will allow them, it is a witness, you call to them for help, unless it is my mother, but she would not knock,” he whispered. “Enter but I am busy!” he called, and the door opened to some guards, some of the Queen’s higher guards.

“Oh! Apologies, my lord, um,” one stammered forgetting their orders and reason for visiting.

“Please help me!” Tolanda cried out and Ievos clasped a hand over her mouth.

“As you can see, I am currently occupied, would you come back later?” he asked, and the guards bowed in agreement and then left.

“Witnesses,” Ievos said turning back to her and she nodded. “I have to move to your thighs now,” he said, and she blushed and was cringing as he lifted up her dress.

“No,” she said trying to pull it back down.

“I have to,” he said forcefully meeting her eyes and she reluctantly moved her hands from her skirt, and he placed his own onto her thighs, pressing down hard. She cringed and whimpered at the pain, but she knew her situation could be a whole lot worse.

“Ow,” she could not help but say and looked to the prince.

She realised now he was not looking at her, he had turned to look to the side, his expression was of discomfort and there was a darkness in his eyes, he was angry but not with her.

“It’s ok,” she found herself reassuring him which felt strange and he looked surprised and now meeting her eyes. He moved his hands to bruise her thighs elsewhere.

“I have no issues causing you pain,” he said pressing his hands to form the bruises and she winced, “and I have no issues humiliating you… but this is difficult due to its nature, “ he admitted and finally released her. She stood as he moved to give her space and then he tore the dress she wore. She gasped and looked up at him.

“Necessary,” he said to her. “My mother knows my appreciation for cleanliness she would expect me to drag you to the oasis and have you bathe,”

“We’re going there again?” she asked.

“Yes,”

“Please allow me some modesty,” she asked as she tried to find a way to recover the torn dress, but he simply grabbed her by her already bruised arm and dragged her out towards the public markets. He loathed doing this, as anyone seeing would believe he had raped the girl. He tossed her into the water regardless of others bathing in it, he required no privacy this time. Tolanda looked up at him from where she soaked in the warm water, his violence and aggression had brought about genuine tears there was no need to pretend.

                                                                                       ~~

Iefyr had been on an early hunt and was now returning with his catches, entering the marketplace. He had rabbits tied to his belt and on his strong shoulders he carried a large boar. He could see there was a bit of a commotion as he entered the market and he asked a near stall owner what had happened.

“The prince took that slave and he’s dumped her in the oasis,” the stall owner said and Iefyr's heart sunk. Dumped her? Was she dead? He dropped the boar with a thud and pulled the rabbits from his belt pushing through the crowd to get to the oasis, his eyes wide as he grew closer, fearing what he might see and what his actions might be. The young woman was tentatively bathing her bruised body and she had a cut on her face. Ievos was standing over her on the bank of the spring, his back to where Iefyr approached. Iefyr’s blood boiled with rage and he suddenly ran at the prince tackling him and they plummeted into the water. Tolanda moved quickly out of the way, a guard helped her from the water while others clambered to stop Iefyr killing their prince. Ievos was completely taken off guard and tried to climb out but he had reached a side where no guards were there to help him. Iefyr pulled him back down and held him under. Ievos struggled but finally managed to get free, he struck Iefyr and then managed to pull himself out of the water onto the bank but again it was a side surrounded by rocks and no guards were here to aid him. Iefyr pulled himself out to follow, guards changing course to stop him. He retrieved a rock and clambered towards the prince, Ievos tried to recover himself and stop him but failed, he was yet to recover his breath. The guards were having to climb over rocks to get to where the boys were. Iefyr held the prince down with one hand around his throat and the other holding the rock high about to bring it down on his head but he was seized. He growled in frustration and Ievos pulled himself to his feet using a near rock finally able to gasp for breath.

“Iefyr…” he said between catching his breath, “I cannot save you this time, brother,” Ievos said as the guards dragged Iefyr away, the hunter still raged as though he could still get at the prince and finish the job. Tolanda watched as her former saviour was pulled to his fate once again.