Chapter one: part II
"Hurry up wench." my capturer sneered at me as he tugged mercilessly upon the rope attached to my bound hands. I quickened my pace not willing to be dragged face first through the dirt floor of the slavery. I had my pride to think of, as no matter where I went, I would not betray my people by giving this savage the pleasure of disgracing me. I was the daughter of a chieftain, a child of the light, the blood of the goddess Selene ran in my veins and as such I would rather die than submit unwillingly to another's will, especially that of one below my station.
I walked proudly, head held high, blue eyes defiant as I gazed to neither the right, nor the left, but straight ahead. I refused to give in, even as they stripped me of my dress, making lewd comments as they sent appraising glances over my body before handing me a cotton shift and shoving me into what could only be described as a cage.
It was a filthy place, occupied by a half dozen other prisoners all maidens captured in the raiding of my peoples towns I assumed. I sat silently like the others, back straight, eyes ablaze with my defiance towards the situation. I was no animal to be bound in chains, trained to come at a call and delight in another's pleasure with my actions, nor would I ever act thus, so instead I bided my time until I could alter the path upon which I was currently set.
My fellow prisoners and I did not have to wait long before a collection of finely dressed men and women came to check the latest "goods". I could hear the slave-master's tone of utmost respect, and from the corner of my eye I watched him kiss the boots of a dark-haired young man.
Royalty I thought, my suspicions confirmed when the man babbled,
"Your highness, we have numerous maidens in from the westerns, all fully obedient." As what I suspected to be the Prince's eyes landed upon the cage where I was sitting.
"We are not interested in them" The prince stated formally "We saw them all the last time we were here"
"Of course highness" the man replied bowing deeply, "we do have some new slaves in from the south…"
"We would like to inspect them."
I watched the man bow once more before signaling a guard with his hand. Suddenly the door was opened and we were pulled out one by one and made to kneel in a line with our heads bowed.
I sat as instructed, listening as his footsteps came closer and closer until he towered above me. My back straightened then, and I lifted my head. I would bow before no man, even if I died for my defiance.
The prince stared at me with outrage, his eyes seeming to say, "How dare you defy my will!"
I did not back down, nor did I give him the satisfaction flinching when his glove connected with my cheek. I was a mountain, unmoving through out the changing seasons of his emotions as I watched his outrage turn to amusement, and finally determination.
"This one." he stated pointing at me then lifting his hand to run it down my cheek, and over my lips he whispered just for me to hear, "I will have fun breaking you my wild-fire." before he stormed out, his entourage in tow.
The next morning I was placed atop a wooden wagon loaded with twenty other slaves, all of our hands were shackled together to prevent any thought of escape. I shook my head at their stupidity; only a very dumb person would try to escape in broad daylight from a wagon surrounded by crowds of people, but then again, who knew what these people thought of our intelligence. Besides, I'd heard it was rumored that they were afraid of the magic we were said to possess.
"Hey, I'm Mina" someone introduced themselves to me breaking the train of my thoughts. I turned to look at the girl that had spoken, noting her very blonde hair, and blue eyes,
"Hi, I'm Serena" I introduced myself, watching as she digested this fact her brow creasing in a small frown as if she had heard the name before, and indeed if she had been born free she would have.
"Oh, I'm sorry about your home milady." I bowed my head in acknowledgement of her sympathies at the loss of the oldest settlement, before I asked, "Where are you from?"
"I'm from Venu..." she began, but we were prevented from conversing further as the guards ordered the prisoners to be quiet. In silence the wagon passed under a covered stone archway into a large courtyard at the back of the palace and pulled up in front of where a middle aged man stood atop a raised platform made of stone, in black trousers and shirt.
"Unload them." He stated curtly barely sparing the guard whom had approached him a second glance.
We were unceremoniously unloaded from the wagon and forced to stand in three straight rows. It was only after the wagon had been moved to the other side of the courtyard that the man walked down the steps to address us.
"You may all address me as Sir." He began, his voice ringing with authority "I am the Slave-master, and if everyone performs their duties then everything will run smoothly. If you do not, then you will be punished." I rolled my eyes, that was obvious wasn't it? "do you understand?"
Everyone except I replied, "Yes sir"
"Good! now all the men go through that door and you will receive your instructions." The men trudged through the indicated entrance, leaving only the women in the yard. It was then that I looked around to notice that we all must have been under the age of thirty. What is going on? I thought… oh no, it couldn't be… could it? I shuddered as the prince's parting words rung in my mind, "I will have fun breaking you my wild-fire".
"Ladies, the prince will be down shortly and two of you will become his personal slaves"
oh goddess, Selene, Save me. I prayed feverently, there was no way I would willingly consent to warm his bed, and only an idiot would think that a personal slave could escape this fate.
"Are they here?" came what could only be the Prince's voice floated out from the open door way.
"Yes your highness, they are here and ready for your inspection." the slave master replied before ordering us to kneel as the Prince stepped out from the doorway eyeing the kneeling slaves, before his gaze settled upon my defiant face as I remained standing off to one side.
I watched from the corner of my eye as he strode purposefully towards me, the slave master at his heels.
"Why aren't you kneeling Slave" the middle aged man demanded as the prince looked on. I denied him any response, in my books he was my inferior, and he did not have the courtesy to even look at the list in his hands to read my name.
"Well Slave, why don't you answer" I remained silent, watching his eyes darken in anger at my display of stubbornness. "Well if that is the game you want to play" he commented raising his hand to strike me across the face. I prepared myself for the blow that never came; instead the prince stood before me his arm blocking the offending hand.
"Do not touch her under any circumstances" he stated calmly, his blue eyes flashing in anger at the underling.
"Yes, your highness, sorry your highness."
"Good, because we will be most displeased if there are any marks upon her. Now remove the chains, from her and this blonde here." He stated pointing at Mina.
"Yes highness" the man replied bowing deeply before quickly undoing the chains which bound my wrists.
"Malachite" the prince called to a tall white haired man whom had been watching the entire encounter
"Would you take them to the bathing facility for me, I must speak with Rei about the new arrangements"
The man bowed his head in assent, and as Mina and I moved to follow the prince grasped my arm holding me back for a moment to look at me through his deep azure eyes.
I gazed back at him, with out flinching. If he wanted a battle of wills, I would give him one. His eyes narrowed slightly, even as a small smile turned up the corners of his sensual mouth,
"What is your name" he demanded
With out breaking eye-contact I answered him, "I am Serena De'Lune" I replied my voice steady, "and if you lay a hand on me I will kill you."
He laughed a great booming laugh, "well Serena, I can assure you that I will, and you will like it." With that he turned away effectively dismissing me. My head still held high; I walked towards the door where I had seen Mina and the man disappear thinking,
Let him laugh, he will be receiving no other favors from me.
I stepped through the door to find Mina talking away with another slave while the man stood off to the side waiting.
"this way" he stated in a neutral tone getting up. Mina and I followed him down the stone hallway and up a flight of curving steps light solely by strategically placed rectangular windows.
Finally we reached the top, and were greeted by the site of yet another vast corridor lined with doors branching off to both the right and the left.
"where are we?" Mina thoughtlessly burst out.
Our guide did not reply, instead leading us down the hallway to a door at the far end, upon which he knocked lightly.
"Who's there" an older woman's voice demanded
"Malachite with the Prince's two new slaves"
The door opened to reveal a tall, graying, middle aged woman, unsure as of what was expected Mina and I stood motionless until she snapped,
"Don't just stand there, come in." Startled we did as she said.
Once inside I allowed my gaze to roam about the comfortably decorated room with its large plush chairs, padded woven rugs, and expansive murals. It was obviously an area where one came to relax, and judging by the quality of the furnishings the area was only for those of great importance.
The room was silent as the woman inspected us, taking in our long hair, and plain linen shifts.
"Hmm… first a bath, then wardrobe change... and I must see what their knowledge of proper etiquette is." I could here the woman mumble to herself. You see, for all that we were slaves, the old King had written strict laws in which although the property of their masters and privy to their wishes, slaves must be well cared for, unless they abused their privileges, making punishment acceptable.
"Girls" the woman began, "I am Lady Hyacinth, Matron of the Prince's Harem. You are to do as I say, and as the Prince says at all times or else you will become a drudge. Do you understand?"
"Yes" we responded
She nodded, "there are a few rules you must follow: you may NOT sleep with any men aside from the prince unless he gives his permission, you are not permitted to leave the palace with out permission, and you are to remain within the Prince's chambers unless otherwise notified."
Mina and I exchanged glances; our new lives were going to be very different from the ones we had led in the Mountains.
"I hope worshiping Selene is still permitted" I commented, for I would rather die than stop perusing my inherent gift.
"You would have to ask the Prince, but there is time for that later, first you must bathe." The Matron ordered pointing to a door on the far wall.
Mina and I dutifully entered the indicated room, gasping in shock at the site before us. The bathing area, was huge, a small lake really, and from the steam rising up from the waters' calm surface we knew that it must be hot.
I quickly discarded my shift, let down my hair, and dashed across the pleasantly warm white tiled floor to the water, dipping first my feet in, before pushing off the ledge to submerge myself in the waters' glorious heat.
I sighed rolling onto my back to float lazily in the water, letting the soothing warmth seep into my bones relieving all the previously unnoticed tension that had built up over the past couple days. As I floated I stared up at the ceiling admiring the bright fresco which told in pictures the great love story between our people's founding gods, and thought how strange it was that the power balance between the two had managed to shift so abruptly when the dark-arts had been unleashed.
I do not know for how long I lazed in the pool, oblivious to Mina's splashing but eventually I paddled over to the side and removed myself from the water. Standing on the heated tiles at the edge of the now empty pool, I looked to where I had left my dress, to find that it had been replaced by a rather large fluffy looking white towel.
With a shrug I picked it up and wrapped it about my body, tucking the loose end at my side to hold the towel about my slender frame as I wringed the water from my long honey locks, before leaving the bathing chamber.
I stepped back out into the common room only to find it empty. Unsure as to what to do I stood still listening for any indication as to where Mina and the Matron had gone. Remaining still I looked at the three open doorways upon the right wall wondering which room they could be in. when I heard the sound of light laughter from the door on the right, I strode purposefully across the chamber secretly enjoying the softness of the carpet under my feet after the wooden floors of my home, and the dirt of the slave-pens.
"Ah, so you have finally decided to come out of there" a girl I had never seen before remarked as the matron patiently brushed her long raven locks.
"Who are you?" I asked not rising to her jest.
"I could ask you the same thing" she responded her eyes flashing "after all I am your superior here"
I raised an eye-brow at her response, a senior bed-slave perhaps I thought as I bowed my head slightly acknowledging at least for now her superiority,
"I am Serena" I told her not waiting for a response as I shifted my attention to the woman behind her, "may I have something else to wear?"
The raven haired girl laughed,
"Rei" the matron reprimanded her giving the girls hair a tug to silence her.
"No Serena, you will not be dressing until after the Prince has come to conduct a full examination.
I struggled with myself to maintain my composure even as I felt myself blushing red, "What?" I gasped pulling the towel tighter about me, as a knock sounded at the outside door caused the Matron to rush off to answer it,
"Oh don't worry Serena, I'm sure you'll pass" the dark haired girl on the bed stated before turning to Mina who was trembling slightly, "don't be afraid Darien is a very kind, and loving master"
I glared darkly at Rei, I was not worried about passing this so-called test, nor was I afraid, I simply refused to be treated as if I was nothing more than a piece of meat, and resolved to refuse his instructions to lay my body bare for him to see. I did not wish to, and I would not be forced. Yet, as Darien entered the room, his well toned body a study in feral grace, eyes a deep cobalt darkening to midnight as they looked upon me in a mixture of lust and adoration, I felt a fire build in my belly, and my resolve waver. It would be so easy to give in to the obvious desire I felt for this man, to answer the primordial need I could see rushing through his being, and yet even as I felt my blood burning, my senses returned the instant he opened his mouth and called me by that silly little nick name,
"well, my little wild-fire, you will not have to worry about competition, as Mina here is actually a gift to my friend Malachite"
I did not reply as I stood head high, shoulders back, gaze focused straight ahead even as my hands clutched the towel to my body.
"Not going to answer?" he continued, moving to stand before me,
I maintained my silence, refusing to look at him.
"I will not tolerate your impertinence forever, and it is within my rights as your master to punish you as I see fit"
I felt the iron control over myself snap as he dared to name himself my master, "I have no master" I spat ignoring the amused look upon his face,
"I bow to no man, as my ancestor before me. I give my favours as I choose, and no threats, physical or verbal can change that"
"Really?" he asked,
I denied response; let the man do as he would, as I refused to take part in his game. I watched as his hand moved forwards to caress the side of my face, fighting hard to resist the urge to lean in to his touch as tingles of pleasure shot through out my body.
"Seems to me, that your body and your mind are not in agreement"
I glared, focusing all my energy upon staying upright as his warm breath blew against my ear as he whispered,
"We must talk again you and I for I think there is much we could learn from each other, daughter of Selene"
I stood shocked that he had recognized my name for what it was, D'Lune, the ancient lineage of the moon goddess the line which was born from the blood of her very heart, as his was born from the heart of her consort.
I heard Rei's voice somewhere in the background, and his laugh, before his lips came into contact with mine as he left calling,
"Tomorrow we will meet again Serena make no doubt, and I must say that you were truly worth the marks I paid."
His last comment jerked me out of my reverie, and I gasped, shouting out a curse as I realized that I had somehow unknowingly let the towel I had been clutching fall to the floor.
Author's note:
If u r thinking that Serena is out of character, it's simply because I do not believe that the daughter of a chief, nor anyone that has witnessed the destruction of their home can be ditzy. At least not to the extent that Serena comes across in the show. So for now, she will be serious, though. I'll have her loosen up as time goes on, seeing as she becomes more comfortable with/in her surroundings.
Oy, long long long… but I'm getting somewhere… the next chapter we learn more about what is going on in his kingdom, and with her people. Also learn a bit more about my interpretation of where the nega-verse (black moon) comes from.