Author's Note - Intro of some new chars - hope you like! Remember, I won't know what you like or don't like if you don't review! As I had said a few chapters before, things will get darker as it goes so you have been warned
Life of a Dancer 2 - Chapter Twenty Two
Lily leaned over the injured man, and wondered what he did to make the monks behave like that. Softly wiping the blood off of his wounds, she heard him moan and then whisper the word 'Axia'. Startled at the name, she leaned back and wondered how he heard of her aunt. Axia's name was very unusual, and without a doubt the only person with that name. Except of course for her Grandmother. Then it came very clear why this man was injured and she sighed. She couldn't help him get out of here, as she was the slave of the monks. When her Grandmother died so unexpectedly, her father was taken to the church for learning, as it was her grandparents wish for him to enter the priesthood. He did, and like his mother's original vocation, became a full support priest. Then when they all realized that he was not aging, as he should be, they locked him away for heresy. During that time, 20 years ago, when her father was finally looking older, he escaped and found Lily's mother. For the first time in 120 years, he was happy with her. Until they found them.
She still remembered the smell of the burning flesh as they burned her parents at the stake and enslaved her 5 years ago. That was when she heard of her great aunt and the story of her struggle. Wary of displeasing the monks, she broke off her musings, and completed wrapping his wounds.
Kiniro woke up and then looked at the woman that was dressing his wounds. Started at looking at the mirror image of Axia, with white hair instead, he attempted to open his mouth, but Lily stopped him, by placing a hand over his mouth in fright.
In a very soft and lyrical voice, with a slight lilt in it she whispered, "Please sir, do not speak. If they know you are awake they will hurt you again."
"You're Axia's niece aren't you?" he whispered
"Yes, and they will kill me if they catch me talking to you. Please, do not say anything. I am their slave, because of the heresy of my parents. Please, I don't care about the hurt they inflict on me, but I can not bear to allow another to be hurt." she said with tears in her eyes.
Just nodding and closing his eyes, he attempted to appear asleep. Seeing that she was satisfied with this, she placed a hot compress against his eyes, and exited the room. Waiting until he could hear that she had left, Kiniro then whipped off the compress, and slowly got himself out of the bed. Feeling very dizzy from the lack of blood, he held himself against the wall, and saw a bow and arrow next to the wall. Grabbing the bow, he was attempting to prime it, when one of the arrows slipped out and fell onto his leg. Crying out softly from the pain, he removed the arrow, thanking the gods that it did not go too far in, and strapped the bow and arrows onto his back. Slowly making his way out of the infirmary that he was located in, he was very relieved to find that he was on not only the first floor, but that there were no guards present.
Slipping out of one of the windows, he lowered himself as he stole across the grass. Hugging the trees he found, he finally made it to one of the walls. Looking down, he saw that the leg wound was starting to bleed profusely, he ripped off one of his sleeves, and wrapped it around the leg. Looking at the high wall that surrounded the church, he groaned, but made a run for the wall and leaped up and raised himself up and using the skills he learned from the academy, he pivoted on his arms, and into a handstand, vaulted off of the wall, and landed on his good leg, allowing the injured one to fall behind him. Making sure that there was no blood showing, as to not leave a trail, he slowly made his way back into Payon.
OoO
Lily had been watching him leave, as she wanted to make sure he escaped, had made sure that his path was clear, by distracting the guards. She loathed allowing the men touching her, as she was so skittish around people, but she sensed that the man that she had tended was family. And that was something she never knew she had. Warmed by that possibility, she did not see the head monk come near her. Grabbing her arm cruelly, he yanked her back to his chambers. Tearfully, she realized what was going to happen again and realized that she should have escaped with the man. When the monk got to his opulent chambers, he opened the door, and threw her inside, locking the door behind him and then turning on the crying girl.
"Stop your blubbering and pleasure me. Then maybe I will let you eat tonight." he said as he pushed her onto her knees as he undid his pants.
"Master please, don't make me do this again. I am begging you. I will clean your floors, I will be your bathing slave...but please don't debase me any further" Lily said sobbing as he forced himself into her mouth.
"Be lucky that I don't use your body, as it is so vile to me. But your luscious mouth has always been my weakness. Now use your mouth...oh...that's right...yes...take me harder slave...yes...that's it...maybe I will feed you well tonight...almost there slave...ah...ah...ahhhhh..." the monk said as she brought him to fulfillment, while tears streamed down her face.
"Good girl" he said as he wiped himself off with her shirt, and then closed the door on her. Through the door, he said "Now, stay here and maybe someone tonight will remember to feed you."
He could hear her sobbing through the door, but it did not faze him, as he headed to where his prisoner was stored. Entering into the door, he found him gone. Using his fist on the door and hearing it shatter into pieces, he sounded the alarm. With the alarm sounded, he turned back to his room, opened the door, and yanked the girl out.
"Where is the man?" he growled at her
"I left him alive and sedated in the infirmary before I was summoned by one of the guards. Then your honour found me" Lily meekly said, head down so that he could not see her face
"I see, well go assist the other monks in finding him. I am trusting you to return to us slave, as you will have to leave the confines of the church." he said as he yanked her out of the room and threw her into the hall
"Th..ank you sir." Lily said stammering at her good fortune. Knowing she had nothing of value in her quarters, she plotted how she could get away from them, and look for her aunt
OoO
Arden saw Lily and sighed. He knew what the head monk had done to her and was saddened by it. He had loved her for so long, but when she got near any man, she became frightened to death. With her shaggy white hair framing her heart face, to him, she was an angel. And with her sweet disposition, he was sure she was sent from heaven. He wanted her so badly, not only because of her sweet body, but because she was so perfect for him. She was still an acolyte, but he knew she would be a perfect priestess, as she was so meek. Watching her furrow her brow, as if in deep thought, he softly approached her with the stalking skills he had just learned a few months before.
"Lily dear, are you alright?" Arden asked her as she turned to him in fright
Startled by his presence, she turned back towards the way she knew the man went and just nodded, not trusting her own voice.
"Lily, you know I love you, and I would do anything to protect you." he said as he attempted to place a hand onto her shoulder
Cowering in fright at the touch of Arden, she shrunk away from him and turned to face him, eyes wide in fear.
Arden's heart broke at the sight of the woman he loved so fearful of him and all men, as he knew that it wasn't just him she behaved like this towards. Sighing as he retracted his arm, he said to her "When you are ready my love, I will be here for you. Now in the meantime, I have made sure that you are on my team on the search. Please gather a few things from the kitchens for tonight's meal and please, make sure you eat something. I know that Vidicar has made sure you have not eaten in days." he said speaking of the high monk and trying to hide the anger from his voice.
"O...okay" Lily said as she very slowly left his presence. Sighing in relief that he did not behave like the other monks did, she nearly ran to the kitchens. Arden did not know, but it had been nearly a week since she had been allowed to eat. But this was very common for her, as the monk would only allow her to eat after she had given him pleasure, and he only now requested it once a week so whatever food she squirreled away she made it stretch out to last her until he 'requested' her presence again.
As she approached the kitchens, one of the older matrons saw her. Opening her arms in silence, she allowed Lily to run into them and hugged her.
"He did it again, didn't he my precious girl." she stated. Hearing her begin to sob again, she just held her as she allowed it to pour out, her hurt and anger.
As the sobs subsided, the woman had led her to the kitchens and had prepared a large plate of food for her to eat. "Carra.." Lily started and then lowering her voice "I'm leaving. Today. That man escaped, and they are allowing me to find him. I am not returning here ever again." she whispered as Carra just nodded
"Good my precious girl. If you stay here, whatever is left of the gorgeous spirit of yours will be crushed. Eat up, and I will prepare the baskets. By the way, what team are you on?" Carra asked her as she was already making the baskets
"Arden's team." she said
"Arden loves you, you know. And he is one of the few honourable men in this church." she said as she finished making the baskets and handed them to her
"I know, but if I stay for him, next time it won't be just a mouth I will be using, and I will not allow them to make me their whore. He tastes just as vile as he is, but I will not allow him in my body. I would die first. Arden isn't high enough to get me out of here, and if I don't do something now..." she said trailing off as she saw Arden approaching.
"Carra I will miss you so much, but I have to take this chance." she said with tears in her eyes.
"Don't cry, or they will ask why you are crying my girl." Carra said as wiped away her tears with the edge of her apron.
"Carra are you taking care of my girl in here, making sure she gets plenty to eat?" Arden asked her winking.
"Yes sir, she has had her fill. Now be a dear and take those baskets from her. I made them very heavy." Carra said, not trusting her dearest friend's strength.
"Of course!" he said as he took both baskets from her arms and carried them towards the other monks gathered.
Hugging Carra one last time, she ran towards Arden and her escape.
