Disclaimer - I own only the characters that have not previously appeared in
Goddess Tamora Pierces books. Everything else she owns.
Twisted Hearts Chapter 3 -
Whips of Love
Authors Note - It may seem as if I'm rushing this story along but its just that I want it well finished before school starts because I will have no time then to carry on with it and I really want to publish it. Tell me if it's a problem thanks!
The Past (2 years ago)
"I TOLD YOU THIS ROOM HAD TO BE SPOTLESS," he roared, advancing on the small slave girl in his wake. She shied away from his anger, backing herself into a corner. "I said every surface had to been cleaned thoroughly before I arrived back and what did you do? YOU LAZED AROUND AND DID NOTHING"
"Master I did" the girl whimpered, huddling herself closer to the wall "But this Badger appeared and I accidentally dropped the dirty water and-"
"A badger appeared did it?" he said, his voice dangerously low, "And I suppose this one had a nice long conversation with you like the last animal to visit you. What did you call it again, a duckmole?"
She didn't answer. He grabbed her face with his hand roughly and pulled it up to face him.
"ANSWER ME" he roared at her. Her hands flew to her eardrums. He roughly grabbed them and pulled them down. The force of his pushing her hands sent her tumbling to the ground.
"For your insolence, laziness and lies you will be punished" he said a glint in his eye.
She looked up quickly "Please Master.No." her frightened eyes tried to meet his.
He unwound the whip from his waist "I cannot let you go un-punished, Erone. It would not do"
She cowered into the corner, covering her head with her arms "Please no.please" she muttered as he advanced upon her.
Minutes later Erone woke. She lay for a moment trying to shake the red spots from in front of her eyes. Once her head cleared she sat and took in the mess around her. Splashes of blood had landed on walls and surfaces alike around her fallen body. "This will have to be cleaned up to," she thought, "If he comes back and finds me lying in all this I won't wake up again"
She stood and swayed for a moment then her legs collapsed from under her. Her only friend, Mina appeared at the kitchen doorway to watch her collapse heavily onto the cold floor.
"Not again, Erone" she moaned rushing across the kitchen to help her friend. "You get whipped more than the rest of us put together"
"Its these visions" the girl muttered, "I hate them and I wish they would stop"
Mina sighed, "I'll get this cleaned up quickly" she said, "You stay here and gather your wits back again"
"Thanks Mina"
The short, red head bustled off into the storeroom of the house kitchen. Mina was Erone's only good friend. It was she who had found Erone lying unconscious outside the house garden and who had convinced Tark, the kitchen salves master that she could be useful.
Mina was pretty really, in a cute way. She had dull red hair, which could have been beautiful and shiny if she had the means to care for it properly. It was quite long, long for a slave, reaching to her shoulders but was always kept tightly tied back.
Mina was small, smaller than Erone herself even though the girl was older by two years. She was brown-skinned and had small features, her small hazel eyes tinged with green flecks.
What amazed Erone the most about her friend was not her kindness but the fact she never seemed unhappy with her life. She never complained about her slavery as others did but kept silent and worked hard. If she had one fault it was that she often would get into trouble by helping others.
Returning with water for Erone and a rag she began to scrub at the floor.
"So what happened this time?"
"The badger appeared again and it startled me so much I dropped a pan of dirty water on the floor" she pointed to the mess near the fireplace. "And Tark told me this room had to be spotless when he got back-and he was back early- and it was still there-and-" The memory was still fresh in her mind as her wounds throbbed. She couldn't continue.
"What did it say this time?" Mina said quickly changing the subject.
"What?"
"The badger of course" Mina giggled.
"He called me Daine again. And he asked what I was doing here, serving others. He said my Mother and Father were beside themselves. And mentioned Kitten again."
"What did he say about her? Did he tell you who she was?"
"No. He just said Kitten was distraught and wouldn't eat. He said the People were sad and wondered why I wasn't talking to them. He said they think I'm angry with them"
"I wish I knew where you came from Erone. And who all these people are"
"So do I" the girl agreed.
Now
"I wish he wouldn't keep doing this. I can't cope when he runs off trying to kill themselves like this"
"I know Varice. It numbs the pain he still feels at losing Daine if he thinks he is avenging her death. He still hasn't made peace with himself"
"I know and I wish he would. I love him Lindhall but.I can never compare to her in his eyes and I don't know if I can live for the rest of my life knowing I am second in Numairs emotions. I love him solely yet if she was here I would be but a mere speck compared to her in his eyes. No disrespect intended of course"
"I know how you feel" he said kindly patting her shoulder "But Numair does love you really. He will always love Daine to and she was so harshly taken away from him. Who knows if she hadn't died maybe they wouldn't have been together for much longer. But hush look he is stirring"
They both turned to watch the sleeping mage as he slowly opened his eyes. "How long did I sleep?" he questioned.
"About 3 days" said Varice "How are you feeling?"
"Tired but ok. What happened after." he didn't finish.
"I am glad to see you back with us Numair. Everyone was worried. But I shall leave Varice to the explanations shall I?" he grasped the mage's shoulder gently then left the room taking great care to shut the door fully behind him.
Varice turned to look deep into Numairs eyes "I was so worried about you" she said grabbing his hands "When Thayet rode back with you. you looked. you weren't moving, I thought" her head dropped and she choked back a sob.
Numair lifted his hand and pulled her gently to look again at him he kissed her softly, gently easing his lips over hers, taking all the time in the world. When he had finished he lay back on the bed pulling Varice into his tight hold.
"I love you Varice," he whispered into her hair, breathing in its scent of flowers. "And I'm sorry. There will be no more running into battle so hastily any more. I want you to marry me."
Varice sat up quickly "Marry you? But?" she squeaked
"Yes" he said grabbing one of her hands "I want you to be my wife"
"Numair, Daine and marry you but you love, loved, I don't know" she hung her head.
"Varice listen to me. Yes I loved Daine and I always will. I will never forget her. If she hadn't died we would never have been apart again. But she did and I have to be content that we were not meant to be. I know that Daine will want me to have a good life and I don't want to endure her wrath when I do die, so I want to be with you"
"Really?" she whispered
"Really" he answered
"Then Numair" she said happily "I will marry you"
"This is better than I imagined" Chalice squealed with laughter "Now if the Gods ever do manage to get Daine's memory back, and it will take them awhile the state I left it in, her one true love will be wed to another. It almost makes me want to give it back to her just to see the look on her face when she sees he has wed that awful Varice."
"Well why don't you then. You can do as you wish with it," said the gravely voice.
"No I think we shall leave her and the Gods to suffer for awhile longer. They have a good idea how to give it back to her now anyway. And it was fun watching the Great Gods swallow their pride to ask for help from the dragons. She might even be damaged beyond repair when she does get it back. That will be amusing"
"It will your Majesty, it will"
Authors Note - Well I just thought I put I disclaimer in here in case anyone feels like suing a poor, penniless teenager that Erone does not really belong to me. I didn't want to give it away at the beginning though. She is of course Tamora's character Daine.
Authors Note - It may seem as if I'm rushing this story along but its just that I want it well finished before school starts because I will have no time then to carry on with it and I really want to publish it. Tell me if it's a problem thanks!
The Past (2 years ago)
"I TOLD YOU THIS ROOM HAD TO BE SPOTLESS," he roared, advancing on the small slave girl in his wake. She shied away from his anger, backing herself into a corner. "I said every surface had to been cleaned thoroughly before I arrived back and what did you do? YOU LAZED AROUND AND DID NOTHING"
"Master I did" the girl whimpered, huddling herself closer to the wall "But this Badger appeared and I accidentally dropped the dirty water and-"
"A badger appeared did it?" he said, his voice dangerously low, "And I suppose this one had a nice long conversation with you like the last animal to visit you. What did you call it again, a duckmole?"
She didn't answer. He grabbed her face with his hand roughly and pulled it up to face him.
"ANSWER ME" he roared at her. Her hands flew to her eardrums. He roughly grabbed them and pulled them down. The force of his pushing her hands sent her tumbling to the ground.
"For your insolence, laziness and lies you will be punished" he said a glint in his eye.
She looked up quickly "Please Master.No." her frightened eyes tried to meet his.
He unwound the whip from his waist "I cannot let you go un-punished, Erone. It would not do"
She cowered into the corner, covering her head with her arms "Please no.please" she muttered as he advanced upon her.
Minutes later Erone woke. She lay for a moment trying to shake the red spots from in front of her eyes. Once her head cleared she sat and took in the mess around her. Splashes of blood had landed on walls and surfaces alike around her fallen body. "This will have to be cleaned up to," she thought, "If he comes back and finds me lying in all this I won't wake up again"
She stood and swayed for a moment then her legs collapsed from under her. Her only friend, Mina appeared at the kitchen doorway to watch her collapse heavily onto the cold floor.
"Not again, Erone" she moaned rushing across the kitchen to help her friend. "You get whipped more than the rest of us put together"
"Its these visions" the girl muttered, "I hate them and I wish they would stop"
Mina sighed, "I'll get this cleaned up quickly" she said, "You stay here and gather your wits back again"
"Thanks Mina"
The short, red head bustled off into the storeroom of the house kitchen. Mina was Erone's only good friend. It was she who had found Erone lying unconscious outside the house garden and who had convinced Tark, the kitchen salves master that she could be useful.
Mina was pretty really, in a cute way. She had dull red hair, which could have been beautiful and shiny if she had the means to care for it properly. It was quite long, long for a slave, reaching to her shoulders but was always kept tightly tied back.
Mina was small, smaller than Erone herself even though the girl was older by two years. She was brown-skinned and had small features, her small hazel eyes tinged with green flecks.
What amazed Erone the most about her friend was not her kindness but the fact she never seemed unhappy with her life. She never complained about her slavery as others did but kept silent and worked hard. If she had one fault it was that she often would get into trouble by helping others.
Returning with water for Erone and a rag she began to scrub at the floor.
"So what happened this time?"
"The badger appeared again and it startled me so much I dropped a pan of dirty water on the floor" she pointed to the mess near the fireplace. "And Tark told me this room had to be spotless when he got back-and he was back early- and it was still there-and-" The memory was still fresh in her mind as her wounds throbbed. She couldn't continue.
"What did it say this time?" Mina said quickly changing the subject.
"What?"
"The badger of course" Mina giggled.
"He called me Daine again. And he asked what I was doing here, serving others. He said my Mother and Father were beside themselves. And mentioned Kitten again."
"What did he say about her? Did he tell you who she was?"
"No. He just said Kitten was distraught and wouldn't eat. He said the People were sad and wondered why I wasn't talking to them. He said they think I'm angry with them"
"I wish I knew where you came from Erone. And who all these people are"
"So do I" the girl agreed.
Now
"I wish he wouldn't keep doing this. I can't cope when he runs off trying to kill themselves like this"
"I know Varice. It numbs the pain he still feels at losing Daine if he thinks he is avenging her death. He still hasn't made peace with himself"
"I know and I wish he would. I love him Lindhall but.I can never compare to her in his eyes and I don't know if I can live for the rest of my life knowing I am second in Numairs emotions. I love him solely yet if she was here I would be but a mere speck compared to her in his eyes. No disrespect intended of course"
"I know how you feel" he said kindly patting her shoulder "But Numair does love you really. He will always love Daine to and she was so harshly taken away from him. Who knows if she hadn't died maybe they wouldn't have been together for much longer. But hush look he is stirring"
They both turned to watch the sleeping mage as he slowly opened his eyes. "How long did I sleep?" he questioned.
"About 3 days" said Varice "How are you feeling?"
"Tired but ok. What happened after." he didn't finish.
"I am glad to see you back with us Numair. Everyone was worried. But I shall leave Varice to the explanations shall I?" he grasped the mage's shoulder gently then left the room taking great care to shut the door fully behind him.
Varice turned to look deep into Numairs eyes "I was so worried about you" she said grabbing his hands "When Thayet rode back with you. you looked. you weren't moving, I thought" her head dropped and she choked back a sob.
Numair lifted his hand and pulled her gently to look again at him he kissed her softly, gently easing his lips over hers, taking all the time in the world. When he had finished he lay back on the bed pulling Varice into his tight hold.
"I love you Varice," he whispered into her hair, breathing in its scent of flowers. "And I'm sorry. There will be no more running into battle so hastily any more. I want you to marry me."
Varice sat up quickly "Marry you? But?" she squeaked
"Yes" he said grabbing one of her hands "I want you to be my wife"
"Numair, Daine and marry you but you love, loved, I don't know" she hung her head.
"Varice listen to me. Yes I loved Daine and I always will. I will never forget her. If she hadn't died we would never have been apart again. But she did and I have to be content that we were not meant to be. I know that Daine will want me to have a good life and I don't want to endure her wrath when I do die, so I want to be with you"
"Really?" she whispered
"Really" he answered
"Then Numair" she said happily "I will marry you"
"This is better than I imagined" Chalice squealed with laughter "Now if the Gods ever do manage to get Daine's memory back, and it will take them awhile the state I left it in, her one true love will be wed to another. It almost makes me want to give it back to her just to see the look on her face when she sees he has wed that awful Varice."
"Well why don't you then. You can do as you wish with it," said the gravely voice.
"No I think we shall leave her and the Gods to suffer for awhile longer. They have a good idea how to give it back to her now anyway. And it was fun watching the Great Gods swallow their pride to ask for help from the dragons. She might even be damaged beyond repair when she does get it back. That will be amusing"
"It will your Majesty, it will"
Authors Note - Well I just thought I put I disclaimer in here in case anyone feels like suing a poor, penniless teenager that Erone does not really belong to me. I didn't want to give it away at the beginning though. She is of course Tamora's character Daine.