Less than a year. Less than a year until the Queen of all things evil will rule Prythian and I as her whore.

I had stopped feeling many emotions some time ago I realize as I stared at the crowd of Fae and newly made members of the Court Under the Mountain.I stand at the edge of the crowd close enough to be able to watch that bitch.

"Rhysand", her cold voice cuts through the crowd. As I approach I near the snickers and hisses. Some pitiful part of me can't wait till I die.

I've stopped hoping, waiting many years ago.

Once I near the throne I see some lesser faerie kneeling and covered in cuts. I've learned to contain my shudder some time ago.

Amarantha gives me a sweet smile and commands, "Hold his mind while we give his punishment". Being the submissive slave I am I do so.

I hear his pleads and fear as one of her wretched servants goes and takes out a long ash dagger.

He shrieks as it cuts through his flesh and despite his struggles I never loosen but mental claws.

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Later that night she calls me and gives me a smirk from her throne.

I immediately know what comes next, "Join me to my room" she says loudly enough that the room quiets. The only noise are the few jeers and laughs.

I give her a smirk, "Of course My Merry MidSummer".

I walk toward the familiar hallway that now fills my nightmares.

As we enter her room but body does not clench up. No, I've gotten beyond my normal reaction.

Right as we get inside she roughly shoves me against the wall while locking the door.

No escape, just like her prisoners she wants me contained while she plays.

Her hands roam mirroring and as her teeth find a tender spot on my neck I can't keep a throaty moan from escaping. She bites so hard to the point of pain and she nearly draws blood but tonight she won't go that far.

I know because tonight I watched her and though she had someone tortured she isn't upset and as such won't take her anger out on her whore, right?

Taking out a dagger she rips down my tunic and once it's in shreds she pushes me to the bed.

"She won't hurt you tonight, she won't-" All thoughts disappear when an ash dagger cuts right down my chest.

"Ugh", I make a sound partly out of surprise and out of pain.

"Did you think we wouldn't be playing tonight little Rhysand?" she asks with a satisfied smirk. "Take my clothes off, whore." I pause, composing myself. "Come now we don't have all night", she says after a minute.

With one hand holding my bleeding chest, I pull myself and slowly unzip her all black lace dress. Once it drops to the floor I make my eyes roam over her naked form.

Some small old part of my self wants to gag but I'm used to my tightly fitted mask. She slowly, tenderly kisses my lips and then...SLAM!

I find myself against a wall, her hands pinning me as she releases her tension and anger onto me.

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Later that night I find myself laying next to her naked,sleeping form.

I can't decide if I want to face my dreams or spend another sleepless night laying here. The dreaming High Lord part of me might have consciously thought about the wind, how it felt on my face. But as Amarantha shifts, I squeeze my eyes until I'm sure she's sleeping.

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Beautiful, blurred hands are carefully painting flowers on a table. I don't know who they belong to but they are peaceful and calm.

The snowy woods, a quiet forest. It's almost calming, I almost forget where I am...

I wake with a start.

I was dreaming...not of Amarantha or some wretched memory but of hands painting on a table and a calm forest.

I want to hug the girl, I don't know who she is but I want to thank her for that small gift. As I stare into the dark and for a moment I hope about the possibility of being free, just for a moment but nonetheless that moment is the best of had in awhile.

I breath in and out. "Thank you" , I whisper into the darkness and hope that gorgeous painter is happy.