The Cruel Prince's Captive

Chapter 9

The following morning, she was woken by someone prodding her and she rolled over to see it was the prince’s friend from the night before, the one who had pushed her to the ground. She pulled her blanket around herself and he grinned at her.

“You look different to elven women, larger breasts, larger hips…”

“Leave me alone!” she hissed and looked over to the prince in his bed, he had not yet stirred. The friend went to pull away her blanket and she slapped him. He looked at her angry and then slapped her back. She gasped and he then dragged her from her bed. The prince woke at this and the elf that held her threw her towards the prince’s bed.

“I see you have yet to break her, shall we do it together? Of course, you can go first,” he said bowing to the prince as though mocking gentlemanly decorum that he should be so gracious and acknowledge the prince’s higher standing in society by inviting him to take her first. Prince Ievos rose from his bed and walked to Tolanda. He raised a hand and tucked some of her dishevelled hair behind her ear, it felt disturbingly affectionate and she slapped his hand away; eyes boldly glaring into his.

“You would like that wouldn’t you, Kelanrir?” he asked.

“Look how feral she still is! You let her get away with too much. Dogs need to be trained and punished when they are disobedient or misbehave,”

“That is true,” Prince Ievos said looking into Tolanda’s scared eyes, his words the night before held no truth it would seem. Ievos then moved his cold eyes from hers to his friend and proceeded towards him striking his friend across the face with the back of his hand. Kelanrir looked at the prince shocked he had struck him instead of Tolanda.

“How dare you?” he growled.

“How dare you!” the prince yelled back.

“Only for you, is she?”

“Yes, you don’t touch her,” he growled.

“Incredible, you are possessive of your new pet, Ievos, I never would have guessed it.”

“You do not just see yourself into my chambers, Kelanrir, it is impolite, and I forbid it,” The prince snapped, Kelanrir looked to Tolanda.

“Well I hope you enjoy.” Kelanrir turned to leave and the prince turned to face Tolanda.

“He won’t touch you again,” Ievos said.

“Thank you,” she replied in a whisper, slightly unsure of what had just transpired but it seemed the prince had protected her, but was it just so she was saved for him only?

“I would like to take a bath; would you wash my hair?” he asked. It was a request not an order. Tolanda felt very confused and she nodded in agreement. His bath was prepared and in it went beautiful flowers, she could smell the aroma rising off the steam. It was the sweetest smell and she realised he often smelled sweet as they did; this must have been why. She did not recognise the flowers as they floated in the water, but they were exquisite, and she was reminded of her love of beautiful flowers. He dropped his robe and walked towards the bath, not even the slightest bit shy, but Tolanda blushed and looked away from him as he stepped into the water.

“You really are a virgin, aren’t you?” he asked her smiling.

“Yes,” she said softly.

“I will let you know my intentions with you are not to change that,” he said. “I do not have s*x with unwilling women.” He informed her and she felt as though a weight was lifted from her shoulders, his words last night were true. “You are beautiful, of course, but that is why I like to keep you because your face, your rose gold hair and your human body,”

“So, I am a trophy of sorts? Another sparkling gem to add to your collection?” she asked him bitterly.

“Yes, I suppose so,” he said, and she began to wash his long silver hair.

“Tolanda… I feel a sort of trust has been built between us now, I don’t know if you feel the same,”

“I showed you a kindness and you showed me one in return, I believe that is all.” She replied.

“Shame, I still wonder why you did not take the chance to run, even after helping me to bed…”

“It did not feel right to leave you and I knew you would need your medicine at some point,”

“I have treated you worse than a slave and you sacrificed your chance to escape to help me?”

“I see you still wrack your brains as to why I would offer you of all people a kindness.” She began, “I might have made it out of the palace, I might have made it through the town, maybe even back to the river banks but Iefyr already told me that once you pass through the magic barriers there is no going back, I do not know what magic hides this place and I do not know how to pass through it. I can never go home. I am stuck here, forever.” She said and felt tears form in her eyes.

The prince lifted his arms and placed his hands over hers, indicating she stop washing his hair, he then turned to face her and saw one of the tears fall down her cheek. She met his violet eyes with her deep blue ones.

“Tolanda,” he used her name again, “I cannot allow you to return to your family, it is against our laws but I can make you more comfortable here,” he said.

“You are like a different person suddenly. Why have you changed so drastically towards me? I was little more than dirt on your shoe before.” She said disdainfully.

“I just feel like being nicer for now, but it will likely change back,” he said, and she felt a cold sinking feeling in her chest. “Tolanda, would you care to join me in this bath?” he asked, and her eyes widened, and her cheeks burned even brighter red.

“Wh… what?” she stammered.

“It’s warm and the petals have a relaxing property to them.” He said and moved closer. She pulled back and suddenly stood so she was further away from him.

“No thank you!” she said quickly, and he laughed.

“Virgins are so much fun,” he said and lay back in his bath once more, she went to resume the washing of his hair but he took her wrist and pulled her into the water with him. She gasped, soaked looking at him, her hair dripping wet in her face and they looked at each other; both began to laugh and she thought how handsome he looked when his laugh was natural from joy rather than cruel. She stopped laughing, he had turned playful it seemed but how long until he was cruel again? She wondered before she laughed and relaxed too much. She would not let her guard down.

“So, you allow your dog to bathe with you now?” they heard and looked to see the Queen.

“We were just messing around,” he said and Tolanda scrambled to get out of the bath soaking the floor as her dress was drenched.

“I heard laughter,” the queen added looking down her nose at Tolanda.

“It was funny,” Ievos said, his words were rigid, the Queen’s presence clearly unwelcome. “What do you want, mother?” he asked impatiently, “It must be important if you have come personally to my chambers,” he said and climbed out of the bath pulling a drying robe over his lower half.

“Your dog is wetting the floor,” The Queen said as Tolanda’s dress dripped. Ievos left his bathing room and ordered a servant to take Tolanda for a new dress and to dry her. Tolanda left obediently with one last look at the prince.

“What is it you wanted?” he asked his mother again.

“Are you getting a little attached to her, my son?” the queen asked.

“Don’t be absurd, she is a pet, a plaything, nothing more. If she found amusement in something that is down to her, I don’t need her tears all the time.” He replied and Tolanda heard his words as she left with the servant.

                                                                                           ~~

The queen looked at her son without saying a word. He grew tired of waiting for her reason to be in his chambers, rolled his eyes with a huff and carried on his business.

“I gave her to you to use not so she enjoyed it, so you enjoyed it,” she started.

“Your point, mother?” he asked impatiently.

“You are an exquisite young man, Ievos, any woman would fall for you, perhaps even one you hold captive and treat so harshly,” she said and he looked at her as though she was mad.

“Don’t be absurd, the way you dressed her for me clearly you intended her for a s*x slave and the way she behaves is as though she is living under constant threat of my forcing myself upon her because I allow her to, giving her the impression it is an impending inevitability! Why would she fall for me? That is insane, she is here against her will! Subjected to my cruel ways. She despises me and she should! I am what you made me, mother, nothing more.”

“Then I did not make you strong enough. No doubt it is your father’s dragon blood tainting you! Stopping you from becoming the son I was supposed to have!” She hissed and he felt that lead block of defeat fall to his stomach. He was never good enough for his mother and he was never good enough for his father. “You won’t take her, then?” the queen asked when he made no move to reply to her last words after she attempted to get a rise from him.

“No, I will not,” he answered and the queen sighed.

“Then she is wasted on you. I had thought with this one, you would be more willing to abuse her since she was human. That elven girl I gifted to you… do you remember what happened to her?” the queen asked and the prince’s eyes met his mothers, “perhaps I will give your new pet to our lower guards I’m sure they would enjoy passing her around.” The prince’s eyes widened, and he slammed his fist down onto the desk.

“You will do no such thing!” he barked.

“You forget yourself, my son,” she said edging closer to him, her movements slow but threatening. She lifted her hand and in it conjured frost. She stepped over to him and lifted it to the side of his head. He winced as she begun to freeze his skin. He pulled back and she smiled satisfied whilst he clasped a hand over the affected area, the side of his face and neck which now eased off.

“Remember, Ievos, you are just a prince,” she said.

“Tell me your original reason for visiting and then get out!” he growled.

“I heard you had s****l relations with Dresna, so you clearly have the desire for it.“

“I shall not discuss this with my mother! Now get out unless you have something important to say?” he yelled appalled and entirely unwilling to discuss his desires with his mother. He felt a sickening feeling rise within him.

“I require your presence in the throne room,” she ordered and at that Tolanda returned in dry clothes. He threw over himself a robe which would cover him and then took hold of Tolanda and dragged her with him to attend the throne room of their palace. It would seem she was back to being his slave, being dragged wherever he pleased.

                                                                                        ~~

There was a line of subjects waiting outside the throne room eager for their problems to be raised with their monarchy and hoping for aid or resolution. Ievos dragged Tolanda and forced her to sit on the floor once more as though she was his dog again. His mood had clearly turned since she left to get changed. His face was the picture of anger and it seemed the source was his mother and she wondered on their argument. The first two people stepped forward to be addressed one went to queen and one to prince. Tolanda noted the nervous expression in the male elf’s eyes as he approached Prince Ievos. He was of slim build, but it seemed that the elven kind tended to be of slight frame, aside from Iefyr and Prince Ievos who had inherited the physique of their dragon father, more muscular in build with broader shoulders.

“My lord, my prince, I wish... to address the issue of the food shortage in the forest district, crime rates there are souring. The people are starving, children my lord but we know your hunters bring in food as they come passed each day-" the prince raised a hand to silence the man.

“You say there is no food getting to the lowly elves?” he asked.

“No, my lord, some of us in the middle do what we can to help but-"

“It is not enough, perhaps you should try harder then,” the prince said cruelly, “or perhaps hunters should teach the lowly to hunt for themselves?” he suggested as though playing a game for he already knew the answer.

“Your mother only allows certain elves beyond the river, she would not allow the lowly,”

“And neither would I and I suppose they are too stupid and might mistake a unicorn in our own wilderness for edible meat. Yes, there is a reason only some elves are hunters. Why should I care about the lowly elves? I don’t have to look at them, or hear them, I don’t have to smell them.” He asked sounding disgusted that he even had to think of them.

“My lord, they are your people, and they are desperate, if I may, you could be facing an uprising if something isn’t done,”

“Is that a threat rolling off your tongue?” Ievos asked, his voice held a dangerous tone.

“No! Merely a warning, your highness!” the man pleaded.

“Guards! Cut out that tongue of his!” Ievos ordered and the man dropped to his knees whimpering and begging for mercy. Tolanda clasped a hand over her mouth and looked up at the prince. He had returned to his cruel ways already. Prince Ievos begun to laugh and halted the guards that had moved to obey. “You are pathetic, leave and I will consider what I might do in terms of your request,”

“Thank you, my lord, thank you!” the man replied and hurried out of the throne room as quickly as possible. The queen had finished with her subject also.

“Having fun, my love?” she asked him.

“Yes,” he replied simply, as he was still annoyed with his mother.

“Speaking of punishment. Guards, bring her,” Tolanda looked to see Dresna being dragged into the hall demanding why she had been seized but the fear was evident in her shining eyes. She was tossed to the floor. Ievos stood from his throne, his eyes wide.

“Ievos,” Dresna now cried, “what did I do wrong?” she asked tears now marring her beautiful face.

“Nothing, you did nothing! Mother what is this?” he barked.

“Dresna, for the crime of seducing my son for your own personal gains, I will take from you your beauty,” the Queen stood from her throne.

“No!” Dresna cried and Tolanda felt a pang of dread inside of her chest. The Queen walked towards the girl on her knees as the girl pleaded. “Queen Cauladra, please, I beg you, I beg you! Prince Ievos, please!” she cried now to the prince.

“You can’t do this!” Ievos yelled, “she did not seduce me! I sought her out!” he called.

“No, son, you didn’t, why would you bother when I have given you a perfectly wonderful s*x slave?” the queen turned, her cold eyes going from her son to Tolanda. Tolanda’s feeling of dread only grew.

“Please, my queen, I desired no gain from your son, other than the pleasure of s*x, please, you must believe me!” she cried. “I am promised to another, my only crime is betraying that other!” Dresna begged.

“He’ll not want you either once I am done with you.“ Queen Cauladra  took the girls face in both her hands one either side. Ievos immediately marched over and pulled his mother away, Dresna dropped to the ground and The Queen, terrifyingly turned to her son holding one hand in front of his chest as though she was clasping or crushing something in thin air, her hand twisted in a disturbing fashion. He began gasping for breath as it felt like she was crushing his heart or even his lungs, there was nothing he could do and he dared not move.

“I warned you not to defy me again, Ievos,” she snarled and then released him, he dropped to the ground on his hands and knees trying to catch his breath. He looked to Dresna.

“Ievos,” she muttered but was hiding her face from him fearful of the damage already done by Queen Cauladra.

“I wasn’t quite finished,” the queen said and pulled Dresna back upright. Tolanda found herself running forwards and she pulled the young elven woman out of the queen’s clutches. It was clumsily done, and she now lay on top of the young elven woman having only felt she could tackle her away from the Queen.  

“Insolent vermin!” The queen hissed pulling her up by her hair and tossing her to the ground she kicked Tolanda in the stomach and hard, Tolanda cried out and found she had to cough as the impact had winded her.

“Guards! Take her, do with her what you will!”

“Stop!” Ievos called and forced himself onto his feet, “she is my slave I will punish her,” he pulled Tolanda to her feet and shoved her forwards towards the door. He then turned and helped Dresna up, also taking her with him and away from his mother. Queen Cauladra’s eyes followed them, scowling dangerously after them as she concocted their punishment. Her son had to be put back in his place and that slave of his had the gall to interfere with her affairs.