Terreille, Hayll

Hekatah listened behind the white painted door to the hushed voices… "What in the hell is she up to now?" she hissed to herself.

"I said that I wanted the wife." Claira scolded.

"Lady I thought you would pleased that we brought the Prince."

"I would be please if you brought him and his damn wife… How am I suppose to control him without incentive?" The last was said more to herself then to the male that she was speaking to.

"I think something is wrong with him… he didn't use any craft. And he doesn't seem to be wearing his jewels."

"Well then I hope for your sake that is true."

What in the Hell? They could have possibly caught Yaslana… Could they? Then again if they had… "Are you nuts?"Hekatah burst into the room. "Do you think that his brother let alone his father are not going to look for him?"

"And if they do… I'll kill him." Claira shrugged.

"Kill him! Kill him… if you kill the bastard then you will destroy the entire damn Eyrien race along with him including the dame territory. Kill him. You bitch haven't you listen to anything that I have told you? Haven't you?"

"Terrielle Belongs to me you bag of bones. Not you."

Anger flashed in her eyes, and in a cold dark voice she said "Well my dear if you feel that way. Then by all means kill the little bastard. I promise you will live long enough to regret it." Then she stormed out. If the bitch wanted to play that game she would go to ground and wait till she died the most horrible death… after all life would be so much easier if she didn't have to worry about the High Lords off spring.

Lucivar slowly woke. His head was fuzzy and the floor beneath of him was mushy. At least he thought it was a floor. Black widow craft. Damn sleep web. If he called in his weapons this would have never happened… then again he didn't want to risk that which Jaenelle had trusted him with. Slowly he tried to move his arm from the uncomfortable position of being above his head… and couldn't.

That woke him up. His arms weren't just tied above his head but they were pulled nearly from the joints… He would feel the pain later, but right now it was just uncomfortable. For that he was thankful. Then he felt his wings. Straps had been placed around them then locked to whatever he was laying on. A single move and the tiny bones would break. If he struggled the bones would be crushed. Well whoever wanted to play knew what it would take to keep him… or at least for the moment.

Somewhere from the other side of the room a door creaked open. It was too dark to see where.

If he had to he would free himself… may the darkness help him because if he got out of this Daemon would kill him. Then again this might very well be exactly what Daemon was trying to avoid. In that case he owed his brother an apology … he just hoped that he would be able to give it.

"Well you're not as good looking as that sadistic brother of yours but you'll do."

Lucivar narrowed his eyes, "Who are you?"

"Who am I?" she placed her hand over her heart, "I'm hurt. Then again you ran away before we were properly introduced." Claira grinned such an evil smile, "I'm the queen here. The queen who you help steal three territories of my lands… and that is something that you will pay for."

Her fingers trailed down his stomach till she reached his organ. "Can't leave you not ringed now can we?" Then she noticed the delightful swelling. "Already to be mounted I see."

He forced himself to relax. Had to relax because if he didn't he would bleed out before he ever got to safety. 'Let me go and I'll let you live."

"How delightful… you still think that you're in control here."

Pain shot through him. He tried to move and the pain of his wings snapping forced him to accept the pain between his legs.

"See my dear. I'm in control here not you." She let the pain fade away. "Now I want to hear you say it. I want to hear you say that I'm in control."

His answer was brief … after he spit on her had time enough to say, "Bitch." Before the pain started again.

Before asking another time she straddled him. "Don't want to waste a perfectly good opportunity."

He couldn't free himself with her on him… if he had he would have strangled her.

His legs quivered when she got off. "Such a shame that you didn't enjoy yourself. No matter I have things that will help with that.

"Bitch."

Three more times she gave him the opportunity to submit willingly and three more times he refused. After the third time she growled, "You like pain… fine have it your way." As she left his view he heard her tell someone, "Prepare him."

Prepare him for what? No matter he would get loose long before they ever came back.

Kealeer, the Hall

"What do you mean you saw Lucivar's death!"

"I saw his body not what caused it… Damn it Jaenelle I don't know how to explain it. I just knew if he was here… in the Hall he would be safe until I figured out what the vision meant."

"And you were going to tell me when… exactly." Jaenelle crossed her arms to make it clear that she was pissed at not being told last night. Had she, she would have told Lucivar to stay inside the Hall. At least if she made it a command he would have listened… probably listened.

"I was going to take you to the spiders and then all of us were going to figure this out… I wanted to do that today… and I can't since we have to look for him." The last came out as a frustrated growl.

"Did you ever think if you said, Lucivar if you don't do as I say you're going to make Marian a widow?" Blunt, to the point and in away Lucivar would understand.

"Damn it Jaenelle… any other time my brother would have listened for more than one damn day. One that's all I needed. One damn day. Then he suddenly came down sick and I thought he would have the sense enough to keep his ass in bed." And that was another thing he was going to drill into his head just as soon as he found the Prick.

"Just like you should be in bed?"

"I would be in bed if I didn't have to look after my brother." Daemon began to pace, "In fact I was hoping on cuddling up to you and actually sleeping for the next day or two… Damn prick. Just so we're clear on this as soon as I'm feeling up to it I get to dent his head first."

If you don't kill him first. "Deal."

Terreille, Hayll

Lucivar tried to struggle from the bindings. Tried to pass through them only to have pain in his stomach stop him. A reminder of what he needed to protect. Jaenelle trusted him with her child. Trusted him to keep it safe… and it would have been if he didn't leave the damn hall.

Daemon would find him. Eventually. He hoped. And in the mean time he had to stay alive and protect what was hidden away.

A tall burly man came over to him. A metal pail in one hand and a rag in the other. In a rough voice he said, "You should have yielded to the queen. Now you'll yield to her males."

He blinked. 'What do you mean?"

The man soaped up the rag and began to clean between his legs. "Some of the men die within the first day or so… some make it as long as month. Not more than two.'

"Die from what?" he was not going to die here. He would cause himself the most pain that he would endure but he was not going to die here.

"Don't have name for what they do. The first circle seems to enjoy the result though."

Some years ago a man that they rescued said something about a cut. Mother night. They wouldn't… They… His family was going to kill him… actually kill him. Forget about whatever the bitch was going to do… Daemon, Jaenelle… the High Lord… probably even Mephis were going to kill him.

He tried once more and nearly got his arm free when a burst of pain ran through him. "Are you ready to submit, my dear prince or are you going to make me butcher you?"

If it was just him he would fight… Hell he would already be out of the ropes… but it wasn't just him. He had Jaenelle's child to think about. He had his wife to consider. Surrender was his only hope at surviving. May the darkness be merciful and let someone fine him soon.