CHAPTER THREE
1155 Words
When General Lestor returned to his pavilion late in the evening, the girl was already chained to one of the center poles, huddled against it, arms around herself, fighting the chill of night.
Lestor sneered silently, then came to stand over the girl—Lucia, Silas had said her name was. As if that even matter.
He dropped the loaf of bread to the ground, and watched as the girl slowly looked up, exhaustion and fear evident in her glittering blue eyes.
“Eat,” He growled, walking past to his desk. He sat then, wanting to finish several important letters that would need to be sent with the morning light.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the girl reach for the bread with shaking hands and tear off a piece, then place it into her mouth and chew slowly.
Lestor bent his head to his work, only looking up some time later, frowning as he saw tears slowly running down the girl’s cheeks, a look of utter bliss on her small face. The girl savored each bite as though it were the finest of foods, and she only finished a third of the loaf before she could eat no more.
Her gaze caught Lestor's, and she flushed, looked down, curling in on herself again.
Lestor sat back and considered this new complication to his life. What did his sister think she was doing, giving him this…thing? He had to admit that the girl looked much better cleaned up, but still…
“Come here.” The curt command made Lucia jump, but she obeyed, immediately scrambling to her wobbly feet and coming to stand before her new master, head bowed, hands clenched in the bindings as the chain trailed behind her.
“Look at me. I would see if you lie.”
Blue eyes slowly met his, and the color struck him once more. He curled his lip in distaste. This girl was so…so wrong, so different.
“You are Val’s daughter.” The name dripped venom and hatred.
The girl nodded. “I am his seventh child…master.” Her voice was soft and low.
“Your mother?” Lau's hard tone made the girl flinch visibly.
“She was an elf, from the faraway land at the southern part of Kasturia…”
Lestor's brows rose in surprise. There were rumors that some of elves still lived in hiding after the Black War, but he had never seen one in his lifetime. How in the Gods name had Val managed to find such a woman?
“She lives?” Lestor had full intentions of finding her if this was true. To have such a bloodline in their kin…
“No,” the girl whispered. “She was prisoner of my father, she fled and jumped…” Her voice broke a little. “They tell me that they cut me from her body…my father said that she was trying to kill me, not herself…”
Lestor gave a snort of disbelief, and the girl looked at him in surprise. “The true demon is Val himself. Anybody would flee from him.”
He remained silent for a time, surprised by this information. If this was true, then this girl was half elf. Was it possible that some of the ancient blood had produced the odd coloring? But Val himself was dark. Even if the woman had been light toned with silver hair…that still did not explain the pale complexion of this girl…
He narrowed his eyes. “Do you understand what you will be?”
Lucia swallowed hard. “I am to be your servant, my lord. I am…not quite sure what to do, but I am a hard worker…”
Lestor whistled then, making Lucia cringe, before a young man came through the flap and bowed deeply. “Yes, my lord?” He did not deign to look at Lucia.
“Talos. This is my new servant. I want you to train her and see she does everything well. Tell me if she does not.” He waved dismissively.
Lucia looked at the vindictive eyes of Talos and knew she’d been thrown to the wolves.
* * *
Lucia shook under the weight of the yoke and the pails of water across her thin shoulders, half staggering. She brought them to the large vat over the fire that was heating for her new master's bath, and with difficulty poured each one in, her slender pale arms trembling.
She avoided Talos hostile gaze and immediately turned back for more water, her steps slow and exhausted.
Talos had been watching her since she started without evident sympathy. It was obvious that he thought Lucia should be grateful for her position. Servant to Great Commander Lestor himself… Because someone of her caliber should be grateful for life itself. He watched with folded arms as Lucia filled up the buckets and picked up the yoke with difficulty.
Lucia paused, then suddenly put down her burden and reached for a nearby bowl. He dipped it into the water bucket, then with slow, hesitant steps approached the chained and huddled form of Val.
Talos looked about to interfere, but perhaps the expression on Lucia's face made him stop. Surely it held trepidation, pity, and fear all in one.
"You must be thirsty. I brought you some water, sir." She then bent to place the bowl within reach of her father.
Val exploded. A huge fist slammed into Lucia's right leg, making the girl stumble back and fall.
"Foul creature, abomination! Get out from my sight!" and the deposed king hurled insults at his supposed daughter.
Lucia huddled in on herself, then with difficulty gained her feet, favoring her right leg. Without a further look at her father, she slowly limped to the water buckets, brace herself, then put the yoke upon her shoulders once more.
Lucia took painful step after painful step, face twisted. She did not stop, or give up, or even complain but kept up the pathetic pace until she reached the vat.
Reaching out, Talos took the yoke from Lucia's slumping shoulders and poured the buckets into the vat himself. Lucia flinched, fearfully meeting the older man's eyes, but Talos looked away, something resembling shame in his eyes. He put out a restraining hand when the girl would have picked up the buckets and gone for another load.
“That is enough now, come into the tent and let me see that leg.”
Lucia stared, unable to move for her shock.
“You cannot work with a limp like that. We have to see to it.” Talos tone was gruff and strained.
Lucia was confused. And why does it matter? She lived her life like this since she could remember. Lucia couldn't fathom Talos intention. His care to someone like her, is confusing. And Lucia didn't knew what to think of it.
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- Writer
