Maitcan
Kailani
How many meals was she given? She had lost count after eight hundred twenty-one.
The darkness protruded into her nose and mouth. The darkness forever forbid her from the light. How long have these chains rattled along with her? Hikaru felt wetness nearing her toes. She, by a grown instinct and fear, gathered her body close. She whimpered in fear like a caged experiment animal. Hikaru's began hyperventilating. She did not have the strength to shout out – to call someone for help.
At times, in the dark, the water would reach right below her nose. Hikaru struggled in terror; kicked with all her might to stay above the water line. But the chains – the chains kept her where she was. In the back of her mind, she knew that she could have drowned more than once but there was something that kept her alive. Hope? Tenacity? Courage? No, she had lost those. Courage was only but a memory.
Her memory faded with each day – each day that the water comes into her dark prison. There was only absolute fear.
Alas, the sparkle in her eyes died out by the end of the third summer.
It was nearing the end of the year; the colorless snow blanketed the land. Cruel north winds blew through the bleak castle and between the dark rich trees surrounding the castle. It was nearing the end of the third that Charity decided to look up on her visitor.
Charity's heavy dark violet dark cloak trailed behind her as she stalked down to the dungeon. Behind her were her two most trusted guards, Amos and Dougal. Charity was a really dangerous beauty. Charity smirked at the sentries. Some cheeks, stomach, and beyond were stroked as she strode on. When Charity was far away did the sentries groan. She was a beauty, and yet, she was dangerously powerful. To have her as an adversary was denouncing your right to live. She stopped at a steel door. Charity saw water seeping through the edges and smiled.
"Open the door." Commanded Charity as she adjusted her sword at her side. The soldier guarding the door faltered to complete the task immediately for he was to busy nervously licking his lips as Charity adjusted her skirt as well. Charity looked up to meet the eyes of a boy who lusted after her. Charity knew better than to control with rage. Desire was a better tool that rage. Amos advanced towards the boy but Charity drew up a hand to stop him. The boy blanched when he saw Charity's piercing green eyes flicker wildly.
"Of all that is blessed, ma'am, I drop to the lowest point on this universe to pa-"
Charity drew the boy up from the ground by his curly red hair. Charity took her time to examine the boy's face.
"What is your name, boy?" asked Charity.
"D-d-d-d-du . . . dur-dur-dur- Durward, my ladyship. And if I d-d-d-d-dare correct m-m-m-my ladyship, I am not a boy. I am an age of 18 ma'am."
"Are you new, Dur-dur-dur-Durward?"
"Y-Y-Y-Ye-Yes my ladyship." The boy blushed uncontrollably.
There were a couple of chuckles in the background.
"And where is the regular guard for this cell, boy?" asked Charity.
"Kerwin, ma'am? He died a week before I arrived at Maitcan."
"Why wasn't I aware of this Amos?" asked Charity.
The large man named Amos moved in to her right. "I did not think of it as an importance to report."
"But you would have reported it to Manoma; isn't that right?"
Amos opened his mouth to speak, however, there were no sounds. There was a brief moment of tension. To the relief of the soldiers, Charity began laughing.
"Haha, Mamona has been absent from his position and from Maitcan for over three years now to fight a war that doesn't even deal with Maitcan. This position, my rightful position in Maitcan, is as good as mine. Who knows, he might be as well as dead." From the corner of Charity's big eyes, she saw the shock in some of the young soldiers, who could not do anything but stand and watch Charity talk about their leader like that. Charity slyly giggled once more.
"But then again, what is a war to a stallion such as him?"
Charity caressed the darkness. The cold water from the rose up to her waist by the time she reached the creature whimpering and shivering; squeezing itself to the corner which the water had not touched. Charity touched the creature's hair with her gloved hands with a face of almost sincerity.
"Poor Manoma's pet. What was I to do with you. One day, he comes in with you and then leaves for the war without telling me who you are? How am I to know if you are his whore or a mole?" Charity saw the wild spirit and amazing power the creature possessed when it first came in. Charity wanted to kill it for she knew it may have been what Manoma craved for, a lady who possesses a wild spirit and power. Only she, Lady Charity of Maitcan is.
Charity scooped up a handful of water and poured it onto the creature's red hair. The creature tried to dig into her corner even more. Charity laughed out loud.
"You have no memory! You cannot speak!" Charity bent closer to her ear.
"You have a beautiful mane, creature. If you were a stallion, I would ride you too." whispered Charity. Charity giggled as she exited the room. She stepped outside and into the center garden to the brisk winter morning air. She inhaled deeply and exhaled the Maitcan air.
Maitcan was beautiful and flourishing - something Charity despised. The land was producing life while in the middle of it that castle was producing death. Maitcan was never this 'flourishing.' It was dark, gloomy, rain, thunder, war. But one night brought forth the most horrible storm exactly three years ago this day. Thus far, Maitcan 'flourished.' The warriors of Maitcan believed it to be because of the horrible storm; however, Charity knew better. She had no proof; but Charity suspected there had to be some connection with the creature inside cell 29015. There had been many prisoners brought into Maitcan, but none made Maitcan as vivacious with life as this.
Her thoughts were interrupted with hooves from the outside walls. Once the soldiers entered, they briskly found Charity in the center garden.
"Manoma is returning in a week's time. The war is won." The soldiers, followers of Manoma, bowed and left Charity at peace.
"So, the stallion cometh." Charity looked at herself and grinned. She laughed as she thought about the hopeful day when Manoma begs at her feet for pleasure, granting her anything in his possession. Charity knew Manoma was nothing like her followers; he was surrounded by a blanket of mystery and darkness and yet Charity knew for a fact that he was strong-willed, brawny, skilled, and unfortunately for her, intelligent for it got him to this point. Charity's big eyes flashed as she planned to set her plans in motion. As she walked on, Charity spot the cell 29015 guard, Durward, behind a tree, watching her movments. Charity walked even more enticingly for the besotted boy. Charity threw the sides of her cloak over her shoulder and grabbed for her sword. Durward ran off when saw the blue gleaming sword outlining a water dragon. Charity thought it was going to be a fine morning despite the freshness and life energy surrounding her. She replaced her cloak around her once more. The blue gem that held her cloak at her neck flashed as Charity hurried off to set the plans into motion.
"… the stallion cometh…."