- Chapter 3 -

It was nearly noon when she first saw Medren.  He was wearing his bright red clothing again so it was impossible to miss him.  He had his beloved lute hung across his back and he was whistling as he headed towards the solar.

Afiona hesitated.  She wanted to hear his music but she didn't want to be surrounded by the dozens of woman that squeezed into the solar daily to weave, sew, and gossip.

:Wrong?  Not going.:  Demon asked if anything was wrong since she froze mid-step. 

:You will watch, but not growl if we go see the many women?:

:I watch.  None touch you.:

Afiona wished she had thought to bring Demon along as her protector before.  She felt much safer with him at her side.  :We go then.:

She waited until Medren settled down to play before she slipped in the door and took a seat in the corner.  A wave of whispering told her she hadn't gone unnoticed.  She tensed and rested her hand on Demon's shoulder.

:Growl?:

:No.  They will scream if you do.:

:No growl.:  Demon agreed and his ears pinned themselves back against his skull at the thought of the women screaming.  :Red man sounds good.:

:I agree.:

Tashir's wife approached her hesitantly, one hand out as a gesture of peace.  "I wonder what brought her here."

"Maybe she is just lonely."  One of the younger ladies suggested.  "And she probably brought the dog for protection."

Tashir's wife paused and withdrew her hand.  "Could he be dangerous?"

"I doubt she would bring a dangerous dog in here."  Medren assured them. 

Afiona watched expressionlessly as everyone settled back down and Medren finished tuning his lute.  The first notes from the instrument swept through her as his Bardic Gift brought the tale to life. 

A candlemark later he set his lute aside to rest his voice and fingers.  Afiona nearly jumped at the sudden silence.

:Attack?:  Demon tensed.

:No.:  Afiona assured him.

Medren tuned to smile at her and beckoned her over.  She stayed where she was, just watching the women with their needles and looms. 

"Do you think she is in love with Medren?"  Someone suggested.

"She does seem to follow him quite a bit."  Someone sniggered.  "It is almost enough for me to feel sorry for her."

Afiona recognized the voice easily.  Giry had tormented her for years.  First by throwing rocks at her when she first came here, later by tripping her in the hall, now she petitioned for Afiona to be sent away, preferably to a locked, padded room.

:Cruel.:  Demon said succinctly.

:Very.:  Afiona agreed.

:Bite?:

:No.:

Demon sighed and resumed his watchful stance at her side.  :Want to bite.  She be quiet if I bite.:

Afiona scratched his ears and smiled.  :Chase her pet cat.  Fluffy could use the exercise.:

:Cat?:  Demon tensed eagerly.  :Eat cat?:

:No eat.  Just chase.:

:Where cat?:

:I show you later.:  Afiona put him off.  :Like music?:

:Like.:  Demon agreed.  :Go?:

Afiona stood and slipped soundlessly from the room.  Outside the early chill of winter was starting to creep into the stones.  :Fire?  Warm?:

:Food?:

:And food.:  Afiona led him through the halls.  :Outside?:

:No.:  Demon's long tongue lolled out the side of his mouth as he trotted at her side.  :Food.:

Afiona led her new protector back to the kitchen.  The cook once again supplied a plate for each of them and they returned to the small breakfast room.  No one had disturbed it since they had left several candlemarks before.  Afiona placed the bowl of meat scraps the cook had saved for Demon and settled on her favourite couch.  It had been easier than she expected to start joining the flow of the palace.  She wasn't certain of what she expected but now that she had forced herself to remain when every instinct she possessed told her to run as far as she could she felt that her goal wasn't so insurmountable.

If they all thought it was because she was trying to impress Medren, let them; she would do anything to keep from being sent to another prison.

~ * ~

Everything was dark.  She could hear something move in the darkness near her.  Try as she might, Afiona couldn't move a muscle.  A scream was frozen in her throat.

A pinprick of light in front of her slowly grew until it engulfed her.  Her heart pounded in the complete silence.  The light slowly formed into a nightmare, where the colours were harsher and brighter than they ever could be in life.  She was in a torch lit room with no windows.  The only furnishings were a chair by the single door and the table she stood next to.  The bare rafters above her played home to endless rodents.  The only other people in the room were three figures huddled around the table with her.  The hands attached to her body were larger with blunt fingers.  A scar on the hairy back of the hand was a crescent shaped scar that was horrifically familiar.

Afiona's heart froze.  She couldn't even blink. 

"It can not fail.  I am telling you, I can get her to let us in."  Her mouth said against her will.  The masculine voice had changed from the last time she heard it but she knew she would never forget it.

"Tomorrow night?"

"Of course.  Tashir will be dead within two days.  And his little 'pet' will be his down fall."

"It has been nearly fifteen years.  Will your sister even recognize you?"

"She is an idiot.  It doesn't matter if she does, she will do as she is told."

Suddenly Afiona was back in her room, Demon at her side.

:Hurt?  Scared?:  Demon started licking her face in concern.

A sweat covered her body and her hands were shaking.  :Safe.:  She assured the worried dog.  She slipped off the bed and padded to the window.  Resting her forehead against the cold panes of glass she slowly felt her heart slow and her breathing return to normal.

Thirteen years…

~ * ~

Afiona peered around the corner before she scampered towards her room.  She knew these halls better than anyone.

A fist shot out of the darkness and struck her in abdomen.  She collapsed to the ground gasping for breath.  There wasn't even a chance for her to look up when the foot hit her temple.

Afiona didn't need to look up to see her half brother's twisted, malicious face.  He had sworn he would get revenge.  All she had done as trip while carrying his wine but it had spilled over his new tunic, ruining the golden fabric. 

She knew from previous beatings that even if she screamed no one would come to rescue the magicless bastard.  She lay as still as possible waiting for his fury to abate.  Instead it only grew worse.  What made everything scarier for the little girl was the absolute silence.  Her brother didn't utter a word.

A blow to her shoulder rolled her onto her back.  The light from the end of the hall cast a horrific glow on the fifteen-year-old face.  The pleasure he took in each blow was obvious.  One last blow to her head sent her into the familiar darkness that had become a haven.

As she slowly opened her eyes she saw the familiar brown eyes of the healer staring back.

"How many fingers am I holding up?"  The healer held up three fingers, just inches from her face.

Afiona just stared up at him.  She hoped that if she pretended he wasn't there he would leave her alone.

"Afiona, can you hear me?"  The Healer shook her shoulder.

"Well?"  The handsome man stood several feet away from the bed with a look of vague disinterest.

"Milord, I believe your son has damaged her mind."

For the first time in her short life her father actually looked at her.  The pure disgust was obvious, even to a child her age.  "So she's worthless?"

"I am sorry sir.  But I told you before; she can't take the constant beatings.  If your son had some self-control you would have had a powerful healer when she grew up.  Now you have a useless child with no chance of her becoming anything."  The healer's tone stayed level, despite the harsh words.

Afiona just stared up at them.  Inside her heart was breaking.  She had tried to be helpful so they would love her…now she was useless.

Her father stormed from the room.  The Healer sighed and left without another word to her.

Afiona lay in the room waiting for something, anything to happen.  Not even a servant entered the room until noon the next day.  Every bone in her body screamed with pain and she couldn't even get out of bed to tend to the calls of nature.

The room was filled with the noon light when the door opened again.  Her half brother stepped into the room and locked the door behind him.

"You worthless bitch!"  He hissed and advanced on her.  The rage in his eyes was worse than anything she had seen before.  He stared down at her for several minutes but she didn't cower.  He slowly reached out and wrapped his much larger hand around her mouth and nose.  Afiona's eyes widened.

He was going to kill her like he killed her kitten.

Her vision started to darken and her dark haven beckoned her. 

She didn't want to look like her kitten.

She opened her mouth and bit down on his hand.

His scream echoed through the room but she refused to release.  His blood filled her mouth and she started to choke but she refused to release his hand.

"You idiot!"  Her father raged into the room and tore her brother away from her, ripping the flesh of his hand.  "You have already ruined her for any possible use later.  Unlike you, she had the potential to become useful.  This is the last time I am going to say it.  Touch her again and you will be my next sacrifice.  Am I understood?"

Her brother nodded as he backed out the shattered door.

Her father turned back to her.  There was no tenderness in his eyes even though he had protected her.  "First you were going to become a great Healer.  Now you are worth less than the sheets you lie on."

Afiona turned her head and spit the blood from her mouth.  If being worthless saved her from her brother, she would rather be worthless.

"Vedric, the carriage is waiting."  A distant cousin stepped through the wreckage of the door.  "What the hell happened in here?"

"Nothing."  Vedric turned away from her.  "Make certain Gelird doesn't kill her.  The last thing I need is her mother's family making a fuss."

Moment's later Afiona was alone again in her room.  It was many weeks later, when she was up and about again, that every Mavelan but herself and her brother exploded into dust.  The screams of so many minds had sent her cowering under her bed, trying desperately to block out the sound.

Her brother, who possessed a sharp sense of self-preservation, vanished before anyone showed up looking for Mavelans to blame for whatever they had done.

For the first time in Afiona's life she was left alone.  Unmolested, uninjured, and ignored.  A sense of overwhelming relief flood her, only a strange feeling emptiness haunted her.