Well, here's chapter two. Please keep those R&R's coming. I am also open to
ideas on how this story could progress.
Disclaimer- I don't own the Scorpion King….yadda…yadda…yadda…
That's everything I think, so enjoy.
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To her astonishment, Myst was actually able to fall back to sleep that night. She did not dream at all, her fatigued body needing the rest. She awoke at sunrise to find a meal of cold bread and watery ale just inside of her cage's door. Next to that lay a long skirt and shirt of white cotton, a pair of simple leather sandals, and a few pieces of cotton fabric in assorted sizes, a deep basin, a roughly made brush, and a large pitcher of cold water.
Myst filled the basin with water and dipped in her hair, washing it quickly and then wrapping it in one of the makeshift towels. She then dipped another, smaller cloth into the water. The woman washed and dried quickly. She then put on the clothing, seeing with a great deal of discomfort that it was skin-tight and that it revealed all of her body. It was only a little more concealing than being completely nude would be. She towel-dried her hair and then ran the brush through her thick, copper mane, knowing that the hot desert air would soon dry it completely. Myst dumped out the basin of water in a corner of the pen, the parched sand soaking it up quickly.
She then picked up the bread and weak ale and sat on the disconcertingly familiar rough bench. Myst drained the ale quickly, so that she would not have to taste it. She forced down the dry bread, sipping at the rest of the cool water from the pitcher that she intentionally not used for washing.
Two of the slavers entered her small cage soon after she had dressed. One held a pair of iron manacles, which were connected to a long chain and a collar of the same metal. Myst began to back away from them, as the one with his hands free moved to her left, trying to circle around behind her. She continued to move away until she hit the corner of her pen. She lunged for the one on her right as the one on her left leapt behind her and grabbed her. She elbowed him hared in the gut, but he stood unmoving and pinned her arms to her sides and slipped one leg in front of hers, effectively making her immobile. She cursed softly as the other placed the hated iron around her neck and wrists. The metal affected her immediately, slightly weakening her due to her partially fae heritage. All that prevented her from being immediately fully weakened to the point of barely being conscious were the few hours of sleep that she had gotten, and the slight meal that she had eaten earlier.
All nine of the other women huddled together just outside of the King's audience room doors. Each of the two doors set within the frame had an intricately forged, metal scorpion along its length. Though the others were trembling and allowing their fear to outwardly betray them, Myst was not about to let anyone intimidate her to the point of visible fear. She stood apart from the others, her features unwavering in their expression of total calm and control, her shoulders set and her head up.
The leader of the slavers yanked her aside. "This is your chance, girl!" he hissed, his face close to her own, his foul breath hitting her in the face. His voice filled with intense hatred, his every word threatening. "Behave yourself or face my wrath. You are to act like the lowly wench that you are! Understand me?"
She nodded delicately. Inwardly she wanted to deck him, but her will again conquered her wishes. She remained in his grasp a moment longer. After glaring at her for a few more seconds, the slaver roughly shoved her towards the others.
Myst moved over to the door and peeked through the crack in the door. A wide aisle led to the throne and along its sides were many chairs, some of which were occupied. Her gaze zoomed in on the man sitting at the far end of the chamber, the man who was the Scorpion King. He was sitting at the far end of the chamber, looking extremely bored as a few people sitting on the sides of the room rattled on among themselves. She was too far away from him to really get a good look at his features, the fact that he was sitting slumped in the throne did little to aid her sight. She sighed softly, closing her eyes and knowing that she would be seeing him better soon enough.
She debated on whether or not to try and remove the iron manacles and collar. Myst knew that it would prove to be fruitless. There was nowhere for her to go once she did escape. A small, sad smile spread across her lips as an idea formed within her mind.
One of the palace guards spoke briefly to the King and then moved towards the door. Myst moved a few paces to her left, so the man would not bump into her. The guard opened the door and entered, flashing Myst a quick, kind smile as her realized that instead of standing around uselessly she had been surveying her surroundings. He turned to the slaver. "The Scorpion King will now see your women. Send them in one at a time, unaccompanied. Ladies, when you enter kneel before his majesty."
The slaver nodded. He then turned and pointedly glared at Myst. "You are last."
After the guard had rentered, Myst went back to her door-crack vantage point. Each of the women entered the room as they were bade, trembling and pale, all falling flat to the floor and cowering before the King. He sighed after each one entered, his bored expression not altering. Myst watched the pitiful spectacle. And then it was Myst's turn to take the walk.
She tossed her auburn locks and then entered the room, a smile upon her face. She had been slightly weakened by the iron, but not by much. As she walked towards him, she noted that his body was that of a muscular warrior. His sleeveless, black tunic revealed his powerfully built chest, and scattering of scars showed themselves on the places of skin that the tunic did not cover. His features were handsome and chiseled, his eyes showing a trace of interest as she entered boldly and unafraid.
She reached him, and instead of sinking to her knees she stood straight, unyielding to the whispers of the members of the court. The smile upon her lips did not fade, and her eyes challenged him, daring him to put a stop to her defiance. She spoke not a word, her actions displaying her mental power and strong-willed nature.
After a long moment, a pair of guards started towards her, swords drawn. They set the points of their blades against her, one upon her throat the other against her side. One of them spoke in a threatening voice. "Kneel girl."
The smile still did not fade from her lips. She had decided that she would rather be dead than be this handsome man's slut. Submitting to his power would be a slap in the face, both to her people and her Goddess, and at least this way she would die as the Celtic warrior woman that she was, not as some of the weaklings that had entered before her would. She closed her eyes, waiting for the blades to do their work and silently offering a prayer to Brigid, the Goddess for which she served as a warrior-priestess.
Her eyes opened again and she glared into the eyes of the Scorpion King. Her eyes betraying her desire to die the honorable death of a warrior.. He wanted to smile, having never before seen a creature so like himself. Othias rose from his throne and moved down the few steps towards the girl. He held up a hand, signaling his guards to hold on for a moment. Each nodded. He looked into the woman's emerald eyes. He forced his voice to be stern and commanding, and wiped all of the traces of amusement that he had felt from it. "You will not kneel before your King?"
She felt her smile spreading slightly. "Why ask questions for which you already know the answer? I am a Warrior-Priestess of the Goddess Brigid. I kneel to no man."
He finally allowed the small smile to slip to his face. "Finally, a lioness among the sheep." He gestured for his guards to lower their blades. Then he turned to one of them. "Arrange for the purchase of this woman. None of the others interest me. Then escort her to the harem and tell the other women to prepare her for me tonight."
Myst looked at him. "You know that I would prefer to die…"
He ascended to his throne and looked at her. "Never have I seen one with such spirit among the slaves. You will live."
She followed the guard, forcing herself to keep up the façade of strength. She would never allow this man to see her cry, she vowed silently. Myst moved from the throne room, her hopes of a warrior's death having seemingly been shattered before her eyes, like a dropped ornament of glass.
Othias sat on the throne, watching the fiery woman leave the room. For a split second, he had glimpsed a tiny bit of despair beneath her strength. He shook his head in disbelief at her boldness. Hers was like that of one certain mare that he owned. Caught wild, he had refused to tame her, and had just merely gotten her to trust him. After the trust had been built, she had carried him into many victorious battles. He could never break a spirit that beautiful.
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Author- Well, that's it for Chapter Two. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading this far, and I will try to get Chapter Three up A.S.A.P.
Disclaimer- I don't own the Scorpion King….yadda…yadda…yadda…
That's everything I think, so enjoy.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------
To her astonishment, Myst was actually able to fall back to sleep that night. She did not dream at all, her fatigued body needing the rest. She awoke at sunrise to find a meal of cold bread and watery ale just inside of her cage's door. Next to that lay a long skirt and shirt of white cotton, a pair of simple leather sandals, and a few pieces of cotton fabric in assorted sizes, a deep basin, a roughly made brush, and a large pitcher of cold water.
Myst filled the basin with water and dipped in her hair, washing it quickly and then wrapping it in one of the makeshift towels. She then dipped another, smaller cloth into the water. The woman washed and dried quickly. She then put on the clothing, seeing with a great deal of discomfort that it was skin-tight and that it revealed all of her body. It was only a little more concealing than being completely nude would be. She towel-dried her hair and then ran the brush through her thick, copper mane, knowing that the hot desert air would soon dry it completely. Myst dumped out the basin of water in a corner of the pen, the parched sand soaking it up quickly.
She then picked up the bread and weak ale and sat on the disconcertingly familiar rough bench. Myst drained the ale quickly, so that she would not have to taste it. She forced down the dry bread, sipping at the rest of the cool water from the pitcher that she intentionally not used for washing.
Two of the slavers entered her small cage soon after she had dressed. One held a pair of iron manacles, which were connected to a long chain and a collar of the same metal. Myst began to back away from them, as the one with his hands free moved to her left, trying to circle around behind her. She continued to move away until she hit the corner of her pen. She lunged for the one on her right as the one on her left leapt behind her and grabbed her. She elbowed him hared in the gut, but he stood unmoving and pinned her arms to her sides and slipped one leg in front of hers, effectively making her immobile. She cursed softly as the other placed the hated iron around her neck and wrists. The metal affected her immediately, slightly weakening her due to her partially fae heritage. All that prevented her from being immediately fully weakened to the point of barely being conscious were the few hours of sleep that she had gotten, and the slight meal that she had eaten earlier.
All nine of the other women huddled together just outside of the King's audience room doors. Each of the two doors set within the frame had an intricately forged, metal scorpion along its length. Though the others were trembling and allowing their fear to outwardly betray them, Myst was not about to let anyone intimidate her to the point of visible fear. She stood apart from the others, her features unwavering in their expression of total calm and control, her shoulders set and her head up.
The leader of the slavers yanked her aside. "This is your chance, girl!" he hissed, his face close to her own, his foul breath hitting her in the face. His voice filled with intense hatred, his every word threatening. "Behave yourself or face my wrath. You are to act like the lowly wench that you are! Understand me?"
She nodded delicately. Inwardly she wanted to deck him, but her will again conquered her wishes. She remained in his grasp a moment longer. After glaring at her for a few more seconds, the slaver roughly shoved her towards the others.
Myst moved over to the door and peeked through the crack in the door. A wide aisle led to the throne and along its sides were many chairs, some of which were occupied. Her gaze zoomed in on the man sitting at the far end of the chamber, the man who was the Scorpion King. He was sitting at the far end of the chamber, looking extremely bored as a few people sitting on the sides of the room rattled on among themselves. She was too far away from him to really get a good look at his features, the fact that he was sitting slumped in the throne did little to aid her sight. She sighed softly, closing her eyes and knowing that she would be seeing him better soon enough.
She debated on whether or not to try and remove the iron manacles and collar. Myst knew that it would prove to be fruitless. There was nowhere for her to go once she did escape. A small, sad smile spread across her lips as an idea formed within her mind.
One of the palace guards spoke briefly to the King and then moved towards the door. Myst moved a few paces to her left, so the man would not bump into her. The guard opened the door and entered, flashing Myst a quick, kind smile as her realized that instead of standing around uselessly she had been surveying her surroundings. He turned to the slaver. "The Scorpion King will now see your women. Send them in one at a time, unaccompanied. Ladies, when you enter kneel before his majesty."
The slaver nodded. He then turned and pointedly glared at Myst. "You are last."
After the guard had rentered, Myst went back to her door-crack vantage point. Each of the women entered the room as they were bade, trembling and pale, all falling flat to the floor and cowering before the King. He sighed after each one entered, his bored expression not altering. Myst watched the pitiful spectacle. And then it was Myst's turn to take the walk.
She tossed her auburn locks and then entered the room, a smile upon her face. She had been slightly weakened by the iron, but not by much. As she walked towards him, she noted that his body was that of a muscular warrior. His sleeveless, black tunic revealed his powerfully built chest, and scattering of scars showed themselves on the places of skin that the tunic did not cover. His features were handsome and chiseled, his eyes showing a trace of interest as she entered boldly and unafraid.
She reached him, and instead of sinking to her knees she stood straight, unyielding to the whispers of the members of the court. The smile upon her lips did not fade, and her eyes challenged him, daring him to put a stop to her defiance. She spoke not a word, her actions displaying her mental power and strong-willed nature.
After a long moment, a pair of guards started towards her, swords drawn. They set the points of their blades against her, one upon her throat the other against her side. One of them spoke in a threatening voice. "Kneel girl."
The smile still did not fade from her lips. She had decided that she would rather be dead than be this handsome man's slut. Submitting to his power would be a slap in the face, both to her people and her Goddess, and at least this way she would die as the Celtic warrior woman that she was, not as some of the weaklings that had entered before her would. She closed her eyes, waiting for the blades to do their work and silently offering a prayer to Brigid, the Goddess for which she served as a warrior-priestess.
Her eyes opened again and she glared into the eyes of the Scorpion King. Her eyes betraying her desire to die the honorable death of a warrior.. He wanted to smile, having never before seen a creature so like himself. Othias rose from his throne and moved down the few steps towards the girl. He held up a hand, signaling his guards to hold on for a moment. Each nodded. He looked into the woman's emerald eyes. He forced his voice to be stern and commanding, and wiped all of the traces of amusement that he had felt from it. "You will not kneel before your King?"
She felt her smile spreading slightly. "Why ask questions for which you already know the answer? I am a Warrior-Priestess of the Goddess Brigid. I kneel to no man."
He finally allowed the small smile to slip to his face. "Finally, a lioness among the sheep." He gestured for his guards to lower their blades. Then he turned to one of them. "Arrange for the purchase of this woman. None of the others interest me. Then escort her to the harem and tell the other women to prepare her for me tonight."
Myst looked at him. "You know that I would prefer to die…"
He ascended to his throne and looked at her. "Never have I seen one with such spirit among the slaves. You will live."
She followed the guard, forcing herself to keep up the façade of strength. She would never allow this man to see her cry, she vowed silently. Myst moved from the throne room, her hopes of a warrior's death having seemingly been shattered before her eyes, like a dropped ornament of glass.
Othias sat on the throne, watching the fiery woman leave the room. For a split second, he had glimpsed a tiny bit of despair beneath her strength. He shook his head in disbelief at her boldness. Hers was like that of one certain mare that he owned. Caught wild, he had refused to tame her, and had just merely gotten her to trust him. After the trust had been built, she had carried him into many victorious battles. He could never break a spirit that beautiful.
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Author- Well, that's it for Chapter Two. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading this far, and I will try to get Chapter Three up A.S.A.P.