Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I've been really busy with school and such. I hope no one is ready to kill me...I'm still pretty busy, but hopefully I will be able to update more often. Hope you enjoy it!
Chapter Seven
Dahlia woke Cara the next morning when the sun was barely starting to peek over the horizon. Dahlia handed her a cup filled with a strange-looking liquid.
"This will help with the headache," she said.
Cara gave her a confused look. "I don't have a headache," she said.
Dahlia looked surprised, and Hally, who had been hiding her face in the pillow and moaning in pain, looked up.
"Not fair," Hally whined, before burying her face in the pillow once more.
Dahlia offered the drink to Hally, who quickly drank it. They waited for Hally's headache to subside a bit before going downstairs. They found Berdine and Raina already sitting at a table, a large plate of fruit and a loaf of bread in the center of it. They had a quick breakfast before leaving.
They walked for a while mostly in silence, with only a small groan from Hally every once in a while. Berdine and Raina led the way, with Cara and Dahlia close behind them, and Hally stumbling along in the back.
After a while, Dahlia spoke. "We're getting closer," she observed. "We'll be there by midday."
"What will happen when we get there?" Cara asked a bit nervously.
"Denna will begin your training," Dahlia said.
"Why can't you train me?" Cara asked.
"I can't," Dahlia answered. "I can't hurt you like that."
"I don't mind if you hurt me, Dahlia," Cara said. "I'm going to be hurt no matter who trains me."
"I know," Dahlia said, "But the pain you will endure…no one would want to do that to someone they love."
"Okay," Cara said, seeing that arguing was useless. She took Dahlia's hand in hers as they continued their journey in silence.
When the sun had nearly reached its highest point in the sky, they reached the Mord'Sith temple. Cara felt very small as she looked up at the stone building that towered over her head. When they entered the temple, they were met by a Mord'Sith with white-blonde hair who was about Cara's height. She stood with her arms crossed and looked Cara up and down before speaking.
"This must be Cara," she said in a cold, even tone. She shifted her gaze to Dahlia.
"Yes, this is Cara," Dahlia answered. "Cara, this is Denna. She will be training you," Dahlia explained.
"Pleased to meet you," Cara said politely.
Denna slapped her hard across the face in reply. In a second Dahlia had Denna on the ground on her back, her agiel at the blonde Mord'Sith's throat. Denna grinned at Dahlia and let out a very girlish giggle.
"Surely you can't expect me to train her without hurting her," Denna said, still grinning.
"No," Dahlia spat, "but never hurt her in front of me," she said, emphasizing the word 'never' to make her meaning completely clear.
Dahlia stood up and walked back to Cara, leaving Denna to get up on her own. She took Cara in her arms, hugging her tightly. They said a quick goodbye, and then Denna took Cara away from the others to begin her training. As she was lead away, Cara looked back at the others, and saw Dahlia looking after her, tears shining in her eyes.
Late that night, when Denna had finished with Cara's training for the day, Dahlia crept into the cell where Cara was kept. She felt as if her heart were braking when she saw Cara laying bruised and bleeding on the cold stone floor. Cara was already asleep, exhausted after the training. Dahlia spread a blanket over Cara, then laid down next to her, taking the sleeping girl in her arms. She held her all night, silently crying for the pain that had been inflicted on the one she loved.