Chapter 13

The Challenge is Set

Since that fateful day I have heard many different variations of what happened to me. I know for a fact that I was in a coma for several months. I also know the extent of my injuries. Four ribs were broken, two of which had punctured one of my lungs. The wounds I'd received from the claws in my sides went so deep and started bleeding so much that it was nearly impossible to seal the vessels. I could easily have bled to death or drowned in my own blood. I had only been saved by the magic used by several sorceresses and even the Matriarch has assisted in the fight to save my life.

The discrepancies to the tale were in the finer details. Little things like, where and how I was found.

The biggest discrepancy though, was that everyone started to say that Kain had done this to me, as I was his concubine. In fact Kain admitted it. I could only assume that he was still too proud to admit that he'd let another vampire touch me. He certainly was possessive; I had no doubt that Kain's feelings for me were not those of love or want, he simply wished to own me as a possession.

I had much time to contemplate what had happened during my long recovery as Hecate nursed me privately in her chamber after I'd regained consciousness. I was forbidden to leave her room for two months and I was under observation constantly by the others to make sure I didn't.

This was not a punishment. I was being protected. My injuries as well as the mental scars were considered too severe to send me back into service until I'd recovered.

I waited in almost complete isolation, save for Hecate nursing me, and it gave me time to think on what had happened. I had given myself to the one I loved... and he had nearly killed me... You may think that I would be upset by this knowledge, and at first I was. I cried for weeks after awakening, in the realisation that I had meant nothing to him, that he would so easily destroy me for his benefit, that despite what I had said to him about how I had struggled to be his alone that he had not felt the same for me.

Yes, I was destroyed in body and spirit for that time; but I forgave him his actions. The scars left upon my body became a mark of devotion, of love for the true cause; the other concubines came to me occasionally to be allowed to touch my wounds that they believed were dealt by our God of Gods and it would grant them good luck in their endeavours.

I was considered blessed, for I had been touched by His almighty hand and had survived.

I dare not tell anyone that it had been Lord Raziel who had done this, lest I be known to the world as a blasphemer, so I kept the knowledge safe within me and I forgave him; for he had not killed me after all, he had left me, left me to be found, healed and restored... Yes, I was indeed blessed by his hand.

Even Lord Raziel's newly appointed Higher Concubine came to see me to touch my sacred torn skin. She was an eighteen year old by the name of Calla; indeed she was a breath of fresh air to her collective of Razielim worshippers. Her face bore the scars of her Lord's lust but this barely dulled her beauty, both of her eyes were once hazel in colour, now one of them was white and murky where Raziel's Godly hand had marked her. In many respects I envied her scars which were a permanent marking of devotion upon her face. As she had looked upon my wounds her one hazel eye lit up in recognition. I remember being scared in that moment, thinking she must've recognised the markings, but she said nothing... She kissed my bleeding skin through the bandage that bound my ribs in place and smiled knowingly at me, then she left.

As I was not able to appease the Gods to their faces I was simply left in Hecate's bedchamber praying to an idol, the small bronze statue of Kain holding his almighty Soul Reaver aloft. I cut my finger with the small dagger to produce blood to offer the idol; alas it was not the same as actually offering my throat to him. I was instructed to pray to this idol for most of the hours of the day to make up for the time I had spent recovering.

I prayed for my quick recovery, I prayed for thanks to Kain for allowing me to be his and I prayed for Raziel. I prayed that he would be forgiven for what he'd done to me, if I could forgive him then maybe Kain could too.

Lost in my moment of thought, I did not realise that Hecate had joined me. She knelt before the bronze figure and she too took the dagger which lay at the base and sliced her thumb open. Her hand went red almost immediately and she dripped her offering over the statue. When she finished she removed her hood from her face and looked at me.

"It was Lord Raziel wasn't it?" she asked.

I looked at her, confused, "How do you know that?"

"The Matriarch told me, she's known all along but has only just revealed it to me."

"Of course she would know, she knows all doesn't she." I said harshly.

"Ana, why didn't you tell me it was him?"

"Would knowing that have changed anything? Does it really matter which one of them did this?"

"I thought we were friends Ana, I thought you would tell me something like that." I looked away from her. She was right. I should have told her. "Maybe I always knew that it was him. Kain is not known for having such lack of respect for his women so soon after acquiring them."

"It was not lack of respect that drove him to this, Hecate," I protested "He simply got over excited like you warned me they all do. Kain broke one of your ribs that night you went to him, or have you so easily forgotten that?"

"A single cracked rib and a puncture to the throat is not the same as what happened to you! You could have been killed by him, the one you so desire."

I rose quickly to my feet, "And I would let him do it again!" I yelled. A sharp pain tore through me and I held onto my side. I must have moved too quickly. I cursed at the pain and Hecate made me sit down with her again.

"You mustn't strain yourself Ana," she pleaded. We sat in silence for while after that before she spoke again, "I do understand. We are all devoted to our cause. Nothing would ever keep me from fulfilling my duties to my master and I would not expect you to be any different. I am only concerned for your welfare young one, most young girls do not experience that kind of brutality until they have performed the deed several times and I cannot protect you forever. I will not be here for much longer I am sure and Kain will need another higher concubine to take my place. When the time comes Ana, I want you to do it."

I gazed at her, I had never heard her talk like this before with such a sense of finality. She was twenty-seven now which was a considerable age for a worshipper, but I had never even thought about her leaving, let alone anyone replacing her and now she was telling me that I would be the one to do it.

"Hecate you should not say such things. It is not good for the morale."

"I only speak the truth, child. I am not the young woman I once was, at least I am not young enough to continue this work. I have chosen you to continue my work for me." She rose from the bed and brought her hood over her face, covering it with shadow, "If you can survive Raziel's lust at the age of sixteen, then you will not struggle to do so later in life, you only learn better ways to control their desires and will be better prepared to survive them." She strode to the door, only turning back after she'd opened it, "By the way Ana, Kain has summoned you." My head shot up to look into her shadowed face, "I suggest you do not keep your Master waiting, put on your robe and go to him." She said as she closed the door, leaving me alone in her room.

I was not looking forward to this encounter. I had not seen Kain since he'd found me dying on his bed. I could not be sure what awaited me as I approached the throne room with my hood up to conceal my face from my Lord and a goblet containing my blood as an offering to him.

I approached Kain who sat before the Pillar of Balance upon his throne like a true king and I knelt before him, my eyes fixed to the marble floor as I lifted my crimson offering to him. He took the goblet from me but did not drink from it, instead he held it in his clawed hand and tapped it. I licked my lips waiting for some kind of order from him, but he was silent, I could feel his eyes upon me.

"Stand up worshipper, let me look at you." I obeyed his order, keeping my hood over my face, "Remove your robe and look at me."

I did as he asked and stood nearly naked save for a simple negligee and my bandaged chest before him waiting for him to say something else. He rose from his throne and began to circle me. He was obviously inspecting me, making sure that I was fixed after his son had broken me so thoroughly. His claw continued to tap the side of the goblet as he came back to face me, looking down at me. He towered above me, his very presence was truly intimidating, even more so now I knew that I had displeased him. He was taking his time as he looked over my body. I tried to steady my breathing; I could not dare to offend him by seeming scared of his wrath. If he intended to punish me then I deserved it for angering him.

His movement was so quick I barely saw it but the force with which his hand struck my face I could not miss. His claws scraped my cheek leaving gashes in the flesh, I brought my hands up to cradle my face and when I looked at them they were stained in blood.

Kain turned his back to me, "Maybe that will teach you not to offer yourself so easily to my second in command."

I wiped the blood from my face with the sleeve of my robe, "Yes, my Lord." I said humbly. It stung but it did not matter. His touch had graced my flesh; whether he knew it or not, this was still a blessing to me and I smiled, thankful that my God had touched me at all. Now I understood why Lily submitted to Dumah as she did. Perhaps I would have a similar mark like Calla now.

For some reason this sparked a momentary lapse in my defences and decided to ask him the question that had been burning inside me for months, "Lord Raziel said that you and he have an agreement over me. He did not elaborate on the details of this agreement, but can I ask if it still stands?"

"Do you wish it to?" he asked still looking away.

"I wish only to serve, my Lord."

Kain turned back to face me and drank deeply from the goblet filled with my blood. He looked at the remaining contents of the vessel for a while before he spoke again.

"I had forgotten how good your blood tastes, Anastasia. But I have not forgotten that voice of yours." His eyes found me again, "Tell me, when Raziel mutilated your pretty figure, did it affect your voice?"

"Forgive me my Lord, but I have not sung since that day so I do not know if my voice is still to your liking."

"Pity," he said as he raised the goblet back to his lips and consumed the last of the blood in it before handing it back to me. "When will you return to my bed?" He asked, not looking at me.

"When my Higher tells me I am well enough to do so."

He sat back in his throne and casually waved his hand giving me permission to leave. I bowed before him, reaching for my robe which lay on the floor to cover myself and made my way towards the grand doors, "Worshipper," Kain's voice called, I turned to face him, "Do you still desire Raziel?"

I would not lie to him, not now with my face marked considerably by his hand "Yes, my Lord."

"Do you still desire me?" he asked in that low voice that made my legs tremble uncontrollably, sending that tingling sensation over my body.

"Of course, my Lord." I replied as I smiled back at him, my cheek ached from this movement.

Kain seemed to consider this silently for a while, "Hypothetically, if I were to let you choose, who would you go to?"

I opened my mouth to speak only to find that I could not say the name I thought I would. He had put me on the spot and I suddenly realised that I could not answer him.

I can't decide! My mind screamed, I can't choose between them. How long have I felt like this towards Kain? He was the one who had made me into the woman I am. He had been gentle with me. Had I really fallen for him as well as Raziel? I certainly found him attractive, but like this? How is it possible that I feel this way for both of them? I realised that I had been standing there in silence for a long time, looking rather lost while Kain looked at me. I managed to shake my head.

"I cannot choose Lord Kain. I thought I could but... now you've asked me which of you... I can't choose between you." I searched my mind for an answer that never came.

I heard Kain laugh softly, "Perhaps a bargain can be reached?" I looked at him questioningly, "I am to hold a council in two weeks. My sons will be present and we desire some entertainment afterwards. If you can sing once again, if you can prove to me that Raziel has not damaged you beyond repair, then I will let him share you with me again... If however you are too damaged, then you are without use to me and you will be removed from your services. You have two weeks. Go now."

I stood still for a few seconds, letting what he had said sink in. I was not sure if I'd heard him correctly. I began to smile again, "Th… Thank you, my Lord. Thank you." I quickly stepped out of the throne room and ended up tripping over my own feet in the process, luckily I don't think Kain saw me, but I fell straight into the arms of Lord Rahab.

"My apologies, my Lord" I said as I tried to steady myself, maybe it was the giving of blood that had made me clumsy, I had not offered a sacrifice for a long time. I looked at the floor hoping that he would not punish me for touching him.

"So," he said softly, "The broken siren has recovered. Although it looks as if she has just angered her Master." He must have been referring to the marks on my face, "I must admit, I look forward to hearing that beautiful siren's voice again."

Oh Gods, had he heard what Kain had said? My eyes widened in shock but stayed on the floor.

"Funny, I always had a feeling that Kain did not damage you. Your scent was strong on Raziel that day, so despite what Kain admits to I could always tell you were with him. My brothers do not seem to have reached the same conclusions as me, so who knows why they think he smelt of you." I started to tremble but Rahab simply placed his hand on my shoulder and said "You have nothing to fear from me, worshipper. Your secrets are safe… for your secret is also Kain's secret, and I would not wish to incur his wrath."

Could I trust him? I could not tell at that time for I did not know Lord Rahab particularly well, all I knew of him was what Sophia had told me in regards to his preferences in bed. The words "candle wax" suddenly sprung to mind, They all have their little preferences don't they? I had no choice though but to trust Rahab's word on this.

"Thank you, my Lord." I replied, genuinely pleased that he had not beaten me. I raised my hood to cover my face and ran back to the human chambers.