The Voyage
"It seems that I've found you at last, Lady," Tyr said with a predatory smile on his face. They'd been traveling to the land of Tyr's birth for a week now and no one had seen the girl at all outside of mealtimes, which King Jonathan had to order her to participate in. The woman cringed and curled into a tighter ball in her seat. She'd been taking her meals with the royal family for days now and there was finally some meat on her scrawny bones. Yes, he saw straight through her glamor to the truth of her physical appearance. He breathed in her scent, frowning that it was drenched in fear. "What's the matter, little one?"
"The Queen is going to find a way to punish me for eating," she whimpered. "There's a reason she needs me weak."
"And what reason would that be?" Tyr asked. He growled when she kept her silence, but she still didn't answer.
"You know, eventually, you're going to have to trust me."
"No, I really don't," the woman said timidly. Her hands clasped over her mouth once she realized what she'd just said. "I meant no disrespect, My Lord."
"Tyr, Diva. My name is Tyr." He let the silence between them spin out slowly, stepping forward to touch her tense shoulders. "And you're right, my clever woman. You do not have to trust me. I would like you to, though. Trust is such a fragile thing." He leaned in and touched her cheek, smoothing his strong fingers down to her chin. Now that his fingers had found purchase, he retraced his path, ending at her soft, sensitive ears. She sighed happily, leaning into his touch and relaxing slightly out of her rigid pose. He knelt before her, still stroking her cheek and ear.
"You are so precious to me," he murmured softly as she relaxed.
"Oh Tyr," she moaned, sliding into his embrace. She leaned forward for a kiss, wanting to feel his power over her.
"Where is that stupid, shiftless, fat- ah! Daivya, my clothes aren't organized the way I like them. Fix it. Immediately."
"Yes, my lady," Daivya said dully, coming back to herself immediately and standing up from where she'd been almost in his lap. She didn't even look back as she scurried away to do her mistress' bidding.
"You might as well forget her," Camille said as she watched the woman go. "Daivya is just as useless as a slave can get. But she's my slave and I've grown accustomed to her. She'll always do my bidding. And Mother and I have found uses for her over the years."
"What uses?" Tyr asked forcefully, feeling far from polite at having his makeout session interrupted by a spoiled brat.
"Only the Queen herself is allowed to talk about it," Camille said cheekily. Then she looked over at the attractive man and blanched under her dark skin. The bodyguard looked seconds away from physical violence. The Princess wisely chose to stop taunting the dangerous man and find somewhere else to be.
Another week and they were Nylexia. Tyr was furious with the Queen and princess for constantly picking on his woman. They were relentless in their dedication to her misery. They piled chores on her and insulted her endlessly. The girl endured it without complaint, not seeming to notice the cruel jabs at her weight and repulsiveness. He cornered her whenever he could, but their time was always inevitably interrupted. As his temper rose, he lost his charming demeanor towards the women. He wasn't outright rude, but he wasn't quick to answer their questions and he didn't flatter them at all. Once they hit the surface, Tyr left to hit the gym.
"He hasn't been dismissed," Lillian said petulantly, secretly relieved that she wouldn't have to endure the vexing man's presence anymore. A lot of the time, when they were alone, she feared for her life. She shook her head and focused on combing her precious daughter's hair.
"Tyr and I have a rapport, Lady," Adam said respectfully as he watched her play in his girlfriend's hair. He really liked her. She was spoiled and selfish, but under that was an interesting young woman that he'd come to admire. All this despite the fact that she was no royal. Like any Nylexon, he could smell the Queen's deception. The 'why' was a mystery to him, but it was there nonetheless.
"A servant requires tight control and relentless discipline," the selfish queen said firmly. "Take my daughter's lazy, shiftless, fat-"
"I think we've all had enough out of you, wife," Jonathan said angrily, tired of her complaints against the timid girl after two weeks of hearing it. "You were saying, Barbarossa?"
"There are a number of royal children in my castle right now, our annual festival is happening. The Spring rains have caused the land to cool for the time being. Would you be interested in allowing your daughter to participate in the event? They usually sleep outside - under heavy guard of course - and their attendants are present as well. It may give your child a chance to unwind after such an arduous journey." The king considered this. Camille had been singularly vile to her servant over the last two weeks. She tended to be that way when bored or pouting. Perhaps a little unwinding with other royals her own age would redirect some of that energy and spare little Daivya some of her wrath. He didn't agree with the way his daughter treated the servant, but he didn't feel it was his place to interfere. The girl had but to ask for her freedom and she would have it, with enough wages to live comfortably for the rest of her life. But she'd never asked for her freedom from his family's tyranny. He had to wonder at that, but the child wasn't talking and he couldn't very well question his daughter about it…
He sighed heavily, watching his wife play in her hair. To see the two right now, you wouldn't think that they spent their time torturing a helpless servant girl. "Would you like to participate, love?"
"I'd love to," the young woman grinned, looking up at her mother happily. They both were thinking the same thing; this was the perfect opportunity to seduce the Nylexon prince and cement their union. Twenty-one was a perfect age to marry. Thus agreed upon, Camille ordered her servants to move her things to the castle. The girl worked with the other servants to set up the royal family's rooms.
"I smell a royal wedding," Rachel laughed as she set up the room for the princess.
"Imagine a Khaleesi being the one to unite the Imladris and Nylexia divide," Shera said dreamily. "That's our girl!"
"What are you doing spying on conversations, you filthy slug," Lillian snapped, pushing the girl into the room. The two women in the room immediately backed away and assumed a subservient position. Daivya scrambled to her feet and tried to back up, but the queen grabbed her ear and pulled her forward. "You disgusting worm! I can't believe that I have to rely on a bitch like you to look over my precious little one." She slapped the girl in the face, ignoring her silent tears. "You're a pig! A dirty, little worm that isn't fit to wipe my daughter's shoes. If I didn't need you, I'd have you killed. It would be a service to our species, you useless peasant!" She went to say more, but remembered her audience and settled on another slap. "Finish arranging Camille's room now! I will be inspecting her room personally and it had better be up to my standards." The girl scurried away to do the Queen's bidding.
Tyr found her scrubbing a spotless floor in the guest quarters. He could see her tears hitting the floor as she worked over the quarters to a spotless shine
"Diva… This has to stop. You should-"
"Her majesty is displeased with me," she said listlessly without looking up from her furious scrubbing. He grabbed her arms and forced her to kneel up. He was upset that she wouldn't look at him.
"Daivya! Leave this! The room is already perfect."
"Her majesty is coming to inspect-"
"That woman is nothing but a bully. She's been picking on you and she thinks she has you beaten. Leave her!"
"She does have me beaten," Diva yelled, trying to push him off. "I… I don't know what you want from me! Leave me alone!" Tyr leaned in and claimed her lips fully. The girl struggled at first, but gradually relaxed into his embrace with a sigh of contentment. He kissed her until she submitted to him completely, her body limp and pliant against him. When he finally released her, she had a dazed look in her eyes that made him groan with the need to kiss her again.
"This has to stop, Bliss. You don't deserve to have to live like this."
"I was born. This is all I deserve," she said dully.
"She's right," the queen said, walking into the room haughtily. Tyr stood to tower over her while Diva cowered on the floor. It angered him, his eyes bleeding gold in his fury. The foolish woman only raised her chin, secure in Barbarossa's promise of her safety. "You may be used to acting any kind of way around the royals here, but I am of royal blood and I demand respect, slave! Kneel."
"You have a lot to learn about Nylexon culture, your Highness," he spat furiously. "Here, respect is earned. I am no one's slave and I kneel to no one." She hissed at him, taking a step back, seeming to finally realize just how close she was to genuine danger. She turned to the sniveling coward still trembling on the floor.
"You fat slime! You are forbidden to associate with such an unruly and disrespectful servant. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, your majesty," came the automatic reply. Lillian looked triumphant as she stared into the eyes of her hated enemy. Death stared back at her. She fled with as much dignity as she could manage. The girl wouldn't consider disobeying her.
Diva stood up to leave the room. "Bliss?" She didn't answer, staring at the floor. "Bliss?" She walked away without saying a word and somehow that hurt him more than the foolish queen could have hoped for. He chased her down, whipping her around to face him. What he saw was her complete devastation written all over her face. Her scent suddenly had a whiff of something sour he associated with heartbreak.
"You heard the queen," she said quietly. She daringly looked up, "I told you not to challenge her. This is my fate." She turned away from him and walked away, her enticing scent replaced by that sour smell. His mind was reeling. That was it? That haughty bitch said 'jump' and she just did it?
But then again, what did he expect? She'd been brutally conditioned all her life to obey without question. She'd been taught that this brutality was all that she deserved, denied friends, raised to be alone. And it was killing her. He could feel her scent going away by degrees; this latest, cruel blow might be the last one. Resolving to free her somehow, he walked to his own quarters to train and rage.
Diva was a zombie for the next few days. She didn't speak, she didn't eat. She did her chores dutifully, but that was it. She didn't even respond to Camille's taunts. Even Barbarossa's wife, Victoria, noticed the extreme difference in the air. The entire planet seemed affected by it. Crops wouldn't grow, wounds wouldn't heal, It rained frequently despite this being the festival week that was famous for being sunny and clear, moods were low. On day three of this, Barbarossa asked the Khaleesi for a performance, but she begged off, looking pathetic and claiming that she couldn't combat whatever was happening.
"Listen, you stupid bitch! You need to stop this!" Camille hissed. "You're embarrassing me. You know that you-" she lowered her voice. "I need your power. Just do it." She started to sing, but only her normal, whiny, raspy voice came out. "You fucking useless slob! What do I keep you around for!" The girl only stared at the ground listlessly. Camille forced her chin up. "What the hell is the matter with you?" Diva's eyes locked on hers and suddenly she started sobbing as if her heart were broken beyond repair.
"What have you done to my daughter?" Lillian pushed the true Khaleesi away from her child and hugged her tight. "Camille? Oh sweetheart, come back to me! You stay away from her," she yelled, pushing the girl further away from her. Diva backed off, still staring blankly at the floor. "Leave!" the queen screamed. The servant left the princess' quarters and went to find the king of Imladris. It was time to end this.
"Y-your Majesty," she rasped brokenly after so long not speaking. The king looked at her and sighed. She was more than depressed, she was broken. He wordlessly led her to the office he'd been given for the duration of their stay.
"What troubles you, little one?"
"I… I… I don't want to be a servant anymore," she blurted out as if it were forbidden. The tears started falling from her beautiful brown eyes. "Her Majesty would never grant my freedom, but I can't… I can't-"
"You will be freed on our return to Imladris," he said soothingly. "I've calculated your wages already. I will be sad to see a gentle soul like you go, but you will be free to lead your own life. Even… find love?" He teased her gently. She looked up in shock. "I'm not so blind that I haven't noticed that the prince's bodyguard seems to have an interest in you. I encourage you to allow yourself to feel the magic of love. It's been so long denied to you."
"Her Majesty has forbidden-"
"Then I rescind her command. It's obvious that you feel strongly about this young man. You'll have your freedom and a love to come back to." He looked out the window and saw the sun peeking through the clouds after days of almost non-stop rain. He turned around to see the girl was gone. The timing was a little suspicious, but Camille had been miserable the last few days as well. But his daughter has to be a Khaleesi! The oracle had predicted it. And she'd been right, Camille was a Khaleesi. But had she ever performed her special brand of magic outside of the little one's presence? Or was it the other way around? He'd watch the two girls carefully from now on. He just couldn't shake that horrible suspicion in his gut that his wife had betrayed him.
Uh oh, it seems that Johnathan is catching on. Daivya has reached her limit too. Let's see how this plays out. See you next chapter ^_^
