Prologue:

Unknown POV:

For years they have kept me locked down in dark. There was no light when I was alone, here there were no stars, or sun to bring me the comfort of a promise for a happier day. There was no kindness so much so that even hope seemed to run in fear of this dank cave.

For years I was taught to fear this place… Hybern. The place where they truly believed humans were nothing but underlings that had no other purpose than being their slaves. My family always remained in our village where we were safe. Making our money embroidering the clothing for the rich estate a few miles out. My father had been an excellent tailor. Anything he made me, and mother would spend hours decorating with our stiches so that we could fetch enough money for food and more supplies.

That was before HE came. The fae warrior with the unforgiving eyes, who took me but not before destroying everything I had ever cared for. Then he took me. Took me to this place where my very existence was a crime in and of itself. That I dared have the audacity to believe I had the right to freedom was unthinkable for a creature as low and disgusting as myself.

The king of Hybern had what could only be described as a bowl that he ordered his men to throw me in. It felt like days that I was drowning in whatever liquid that bowl contained before it was tipped over and I came sprawling out. It took them a while to realize that whatever they had expected to occur didn't and as a result I was dragged by my hair out of the room and to my now cell. Chained by my ankle to the wall and blocked by an iron door from ever getting out.

For years they experimented with different torture methods over what does the most damage and when one is closest to death. Most times they stopped before I could ever hope to meet death's embrace but when they did get too close, I would be dragged out of the cell and thrown back into that bowl before once again being returned for another round.

The attacks left their scars both physically and mentally. I know I was going mad when I started seeing things like a beast behind a mask, a wolf sent to slaughter, and the kind heart hidden in blackness. Although if I was being honest, I preferred the madness to their torture. It wasn't until they started mocking me for the things that I saw did I realize I must mumble to myself when I see them. It also meant that they watch me even when I'm alone. That thought made my already broken body break a little more.

This was the routine for years before one day they never secured my ankle in the chain, they never locked the door. I spent hours thinking I was hallucinating it all and that if I wasn't it was a trap. Even if I did run, I would never get far before they caught me. Not with the injuries I had. My body was covered in bruises and cuts of varying sizes and degrees, I knew for a fact my one ankle was essentially shattered from being attacked with the ankle band still on preventing me from going where the hit should have sent me.

So, I waited staring at that open door with the tears pooling in my eyes of the frustration of being so close to freedom yet not being able to taste it for even a second.

I couldn't tell if it was days or weeks but eventually one of them came down and brought me before the King again. I would have been terrified had it not been for the utter brokenness that left nothing but a numb void where emotions once stood. He didn't say anything as he took my hand and sent me whirling through time and space.

I was falling and falling from a height well above what was survivable. I knew any minute I would splat onto the ground. With that being said I closed my eyes and sighed for I could finally be free from this pain. I would be in deaths embrace…

I felt the collision of something slamming into my body and I thought I finally must've hit the ground and soon it will be done. So, when the darkness began crawling forward to claim me in it's embrace, I allowed it to consume me. Not realizing that it wasn't death but rather sleep that claimed me in its arms.

Authors note: So yeah, I just finished the series and I am not quite ready to give up the characters and have had the itch to write again so I came up with this little piece. That being said I don't like messing with original characters so much as I liked how Maas portrayed them and agreed with all their decisions. Therefore, I prefer to use my own original characters to mess with things. So yeah hope you like it and I hope to update it soon.