Bound and gagged, Lucina was un-ceremonially dragged towards her opponent's tent by two guards before being thrown down before him. She looked up, hoping to at least see the familiar face of her old teacher. He had only been her teacher for one year after he and her father had returned from the continent of Valm, but he had left a very strong impression. An impression that had lasted to her early years of adulthood. He had been her father's closes friend and advisor and his betrayal had shaken her father to his very core. She remembered a man who was kind and patiently imparted his knowledge to his young charges. A man who could make her laugh and had a kind smile on every occasion.
She did not see anything of that man now. The creature that stood before her had her teachers face, but none of his kind features. The king of Plegia was supposed to be around the same age as her father, but still looked like the young man who once tutored her when she was a little girl. His eyes were cold and dull, and Lucina knew that she would not receive any mercy here. He then smiled, it was an unnatural and twisted smile.
''Welcome princess.''
Her uncle Robin never called her that.
They kept her alive, for what purpose she was not sure. Tied to a post in the king's own tent, the days flew by with barely any interactions with her captors. They rarely feed her, and she grew weaker for each day that passed. After a week, her captor finally bothered to talk to her. He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head up so that she was forced to look at him. He was clearly displeased and the words he spoke was plainly meant to just wound her.
''Your father has forsaken you. He has refused to trade the heirlooms of your family for your life.''
She yanked herself from his grip and spat at him. The man did not flinch, but calmly whipped her defiance from his face before paying her back with a hard slap. Her world was turned upside down and she could barely make out the next words.
''Be grateful that I may still have a use for you alive. Your body shall serve as a steppingstone for my ascension.''
He then turned towards a guard that was posted at the entrance.
''Clean her up and keep her alive.''
Lucina lost consciousness soon after.
When the princess regained awareness again, she found herself bound to a bed and clad in a simple white dress. Immediately she tried to break herself free, but her strength failed her.
''You should conserve your energy.''
Turning her head to sound of the voice. Lucina saw her captor sitting at a nearby chair.
''Awake? Good, I want you to be conscious for what is to come.''
The king of Plegia slowly rose op from the chair and approached the bed. Sensing his intent, Lucina began to struggle anew to no avail. At this the man before her chuckled, he then gently caressed her chin with his left hand. The princess in turn tried to shake his hand off or even bite it, but his grip was strong.
''Why do you struggle? You should feel honoured. From you I shall breed a tool that will turn this conflict to my advantage.''
He slowly moved his left hand down to her throat before tightening his grip. The bluenette could feel her body struggle for air. Using his right hand, her captor began to tear the upper part of her dress revealing her breast.
''From your linage I shall have a child that is fused with the blood of the Naga and the blood of Grima!''
The king of Plegia began to climb into the bed while maintaining his grip around her throat. Using his right hand, he spread her legs and moved himself between them.
''A vessel that will finally enable me to ascend this pathetic world!''
Lucina could do little while he forced himself upon her except feeble try to kick him away. She soon grew tired however and stopped resisting him. Shame began tear at her from the inside and she could feel tears began to swell around her eyes.
When he was done, the king ordered some servants collect the sheets and again clean up his almost comatose prisoner. The sheets, stained with her maiden blood, would make a fitting gift to her father the king cruelly stated.
As exhaustion soon overwhelmed her, the Ylissean princess sent a small prayer to Naga that his seed would not take root.
A prayer that seemed to be answered for she was not burdened with a child, despite the king's continuous efforts. He would visit her nearly every night whenever they sat up camp. Lucina would try to fight him off during those visits, but her captor would always overpower her. He was not a gentle lover, and his touch was devoid of any warmth.
This continued for days before one night, the Princess heard a commotion outside her tent. She knew those sounds for it was the sound of battle. A small flame of hope was suddenly lit inside her chest for she hopped that this was her father who had come to rescue her.
But regrettably, it would not be so.
The sound of blades clashing soon stopped, and the flap to her tent swung aside soon after revealing two Plegian soldiers. The lead man grinned at the sorry state of the king's royal prisoner.
''Seems that your Ylissean dogs failed. Come! My liege wants you to witness this.''
The soldiers freed her from her shackles before binding her hands behind her back. As she was escorted outside the tent, the cold air of the night made her shake for her captors had not given her any new clothing except for her now torn white dress.
The sights that greeted her outside almost made her cry out in sorrow. Bodies littered the ground dimly lit by the torches of the camp, most of them were of her countrymen. Worse still was that she could recognise most of them for they were people of her father's famous shepherds. As they moved towards the outskirts of the plegian camp, Lucina could make out a few familiar faces. Among the bodies that was strewn across the camp was the ever-boisterous great Vaike, gentle knight Stahl and tragically more.
She had known these people since she was a little girl.
They soon reached the outskirts of the camp, there the Plegians were in the process of executing any survivors by cutting their throats with ceremonial knives all while a Grimleal priest chanted in the background. She was brought before the king who was overseeing the execution of the last two prisoners. She recognised these two unfortune figures too. It was her father's guard captain Cordelia and knight Sully.
At the undignified sight of their princess, both soldiers reacted differently.
Sully spat on the ground before furiously turned her gaze towards the Plegian king.
''BASTARD! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE ONCE TRUSTED YOU! MAY YOU BURN FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! IF I EVER GET MY HANDS ON YOU, I'LL…''
The fiery knight did not have the chance to finish her threats, as the King silently nodded to one of the soldiers behind her who swiftly drew his knife, covered her mouth, and slit her throat. Sickening sounds were heard as the Plegian soldier held the knight's head up. He soon released her, and the red-haired knight fell down convulsing before going limp.
Guard captain Cordelia looked defeated at the princess.
''Forgive me my lady. I have failed you and your father.''
Lucina did not know how to answer. The words simply wouldn't come out.
The guard captain then turned towards the king.
''Just finish it Plegian.''
As another soldier moved towards her, the king signalled the man to stop.
''Not her, I have something else in mind for her. Escort the vermin and the princess to my quarters.''
Lucina's heart sank at his orders for she knew what he intended for the captain. Better that she had died at the battlefield then live through what was coming for her.
The king of Plegia wasted no time defiling his new prisoner, while he made the princess watch. To Cordelia's credit she remained stoic, refusing to give the king the satisfaction of any reaction. Only after he was done with her and left his prisoners to their own devices did the guard captain let her façade fall, crying silently.
Lucina wanted to move to crying woman to comfort her, but both she and the red head was bound and unable to move. Instead, she tried to talk to the captain.
''Lady Cordelia? Lady Cordelia? I'm…I'm sorry that this has befallen you…''
The guard captain did not respond for the entire night.
Despite their circumstances, a small part of Lucina was happy that she now at least had a companion in her captivity. Cordelia proved to be a source of much needed news and support. The guard captain could tell much about the current state of affairs. After Lucina's capture, the war had been fought to another standstill with both armies withdrawing to prepare for the winter months. The butchered rescue attempt was her father's last desperate attempt to rescue her after all other more discrete methods had failed. Now that winter was at their doors any large-scale rescue attempt was out of the question. Lucina felt terrible that so many good people had to die for her, and she cursed herself for being captured in the first place.
She did not however regret going to war. As heir apparent she needed to prove herself worthy of her father's legacy and his sign of office: The family blade Falchion. But alas, with her capture she proved herself a failure, her honour lost and defiled by their enemy. She silently prayed that her sister would prove to be a better candidate for her family's legacy, as for herself an honourable death was all that she wished for now. Yet death proved to be hard to achieve as her captor had seen to it that both her and Lady Cordelia was always watched.
Their situation soon grew worse, as Lady Cordelia began to experience sign of morning sickness. The thought of carrying her rapist's child terrified the guard captain and the princess tried her best to console the older woman. Days turned to months and the guard captain soon showed visible sign of pregnancy.
''I don't want this. I don't want this…''
The red head would muter this sentence again and again in her sleep. The captured women had at this point been moved to more permanent quarters, deeper in Plegian territory and given freedom to roam within these boundaries. Lucina would often at these times hold Lady Cordelia's hand as she slept, hoping that this small gesture could offer her a small comfort in her sleep. The two women had grown as close as sister's during their captivity and the red head's suffering filled the princess with sorrow.
Another part of the princess also felt dread for how long till she too would share Lady Cordelia's predicament? Months had passed and the king would often visit her whenever he had time, yet she still was not made with child. Was she maybe barren? The princess hoped that this was the case, maybe the king would finally execute her then.
Lucina soon banished these dark thoughts however as it would mean that Lady Cordelia would be all alone in this terrible land.
The day finally came when Lady Cordelia went into labour one early morning. They were alone except for the usual guards that was posted nearby, and Lucina desperately begged their guards to find a midwife. Despite her pleas, the guards, clad in ceremonial dragon motived armour, simply ignored their blue haired charge. The princess began to curse at them and in her frustration was about to assault the armoured guard, when another scream called her back to the red head side.
Lady Cordelia was in great pain and desperately tried to lift herself into a more appropriate position. Despite having little knowledge about it, Lucina tried her best to assist her companion in her labour.
Again, Cordelia muttered the same sentence that she had repeated in her sleep for the last nine months. Lucina for her part held the red-haired woman's hand while trying to make her focus on delivering her child.
It was night when Lady Cordelia finally managed to give birth to a baby girl with small tots of red hair. The child was obviously healthy for she cried with an ear shattering cry for her mother. Yet her mother was unable to take her into her arms for she was spent delivering her daughter to this world. Instead, another blue haired woman had to clean her and wrap her in some blankets before trying to hand her over to her exhausted parent.
Lady Cordelia shakingly took her new-born daughter into her arms. The babe instantly tried to move closer to her mother's warmth to nurse. Yet there was no joy, the birth had taxed Cordelia heavily and she was bleeding. Lucina once again tried to appeal to their guards to bring a healer, but again the stoic guards ignored her.
''Se…Se..Severa…''
Lucina immediately turned towards her companion.
''I-…I want to name her Se…Severa.''
It was clear that Cordelia grew weaker, her hold loosened around her daughter and her breath grew more erratic. Lucina rushed to the older woman and tried to help her hold her daughter close.
''L-Lucina? C-can you p-please take care of her? P-please?''
Lucina felt herself panic.
''You'll do it yourself! You will survive! CALL A HEALER! PLEASE! IT'S YOUR LORDS CHILD FOR NAGA'S SAKE! PLEASE! Please…''
Her pleas went unanswered, and the princess could only watch as the life of her companion slowly left her eyes.
When the king of Plegia finally came into the room of his prisoners a few hours later, he found the lifeless body of one in her bed and the other huddled in a corner holding a small bundle tightly to her chest. Casting a quick glance at the deceased body of Lady Cordelia, the king promptly gave orders to his guards.
''Get rid of that and send someone to clean this up. Find a wetnurse for the child.''
He then turned towards Lucina in her corner and approached her. He was flanked by two guards. Lucina instinctively held Severa closer as they approached and stood up. The babe had fallen asleep not long ago.
''Surrender the child now.''
Lucina knowing it was hopeless to resist and not wanting to put the baby girl at risk, tried to bargain her way out.
''Let me take care of her. I promise I won't cause you any trouble. I'll be good and I promise I won't fight you anymore.''
The king was unmoved.
''You're in no position to negotiate girl, as if you could even nurse that child with those useless breasts of ours.''
Signalling his men, the guards moved to seize their lord's child from the princess. Knowing that the battle was lost, Lucina reluctantly but carefully handed the small bundle over to the nearest guard. Satisfied, the king turned around and prepared to move out with his newest acquisition.
''Her name is Severa.''
He stopped at his tracks and turned around.
''What did you say girl?''
Lucina gathered her courage and spoke with a stronger and clearer voice.
''Her name is Severa. Lady Cordelia wanted her name to be Severa.''
At this the king made no indication of acknowledging his late prisoner's wish, but merely snorted and continued to move out of the room.
When they were gone, Lucina collapsed into the ground. Depleted, the princess was sceptic that the king would even grant Lady Cordelia her last request, but a small voice in the back of her mind assured her that he would.
Originally planned this to be a separate short to the main story, but I reconsidered as I find it to be a natural fit now that Morgan's own story has reached a certain pause. Planning to make another chapter from Lucina's point of view before moving back to Morgan. Seya around til then ^^