A child sat alone in bedroom crying. Her long black hair draped around her covering her face and her knees. She was scared for her life and couldn't the trust the males of her family to protect her. There was no one would step forward and care if her life or died. Another tear stung her eye. She had enough knowledge about hourglass craft to spin a tangled web. What web didn't tell her, her ears did.

Her name was Katarina. She was barely 400 years old. Old enough to just start her moon cycles but not old enough to be able to know when they would start. And that was the was the problem. Oh she had been safe enough when she was living the outcast, the minor queens who couldn't set up a court. Black widows who were in hiding. Or other children that didn't live up their mother's hopes. Children that where only in the way or worth more dead than alive.

She was both. She was born a queen, that couldn't be helped. The beating she received when she at home because she refused to take part in anything her mother was involved with; Refused any way she could that would keep her alive but leave her soul clean from the taint, was much worse than being an outcast with so little food.

Katarina sighed. 400 years old wasn't old enough to do what would save her live. In fact any man that might help her… any male that she might persuade… would be killed on the count of rape. And if she didn't get help her sire would have her killed. She didn't want to die and she was certain there had to be a way.

It was near dark when she snuck down the old wood steps and into the caller. She had heard some of the older girls saying earlier it wasn't that bad. Had overheard how they had used the male to have their virgin night and had come out whole. There was no talking required. No connection of heart. She could do this. No she had to do this.

It was dark but a few candles had been left burning. The smell hit her. She didn't know what that smell was but it reeked. She took a gulp then finished the last few steps that would take her to the man who would see her thru her virgin night.

He was handsome. Or at least from what she could see. Thankfully he was masked. It would be better if he didn't recognize her and she not recognize him. A better way to make sure there was no awkward meetings or misinterpreted glances.

Her hand stroked his chest. Smooth golden tan Hayllian. She was too young for this. She knew it, probably so did he… still it had to be done.

He was feverish and flush. She could only assume that it had to do with what he was doing and hoped it was nothing more.

The liquid was in a bucket near the bed. Just a sip for herself and a bit more for confidence. It was for him too or so she thought. Carefully she lifted his head and the dark liquid trickled down his throat.

He reacted quicker than she did. His organ swelling and readying itself for use.

She had to do this or she would be dead before her next moon time. Unfortunately she didn't really know when that would be. It wasn't something she could track. Not fully since they had just begun. She just hoped nothing further came of tonight.

Witch tried from the abyss to coax Daemon back to his Self. She tried and hoped that he would listen.

She felt the change in him and didn't care. She was lost in her world. Her own thoughts. She didn't realize that part of him had wakened while she was riding him. Didn't have the understanding what it meant to milk him. Truly didn't understand anything as she let herself go over a finale thrust.

Much too young for this to understand it wasn't her he was seeing. That it was Witch that had provoked him into coming back to his Self. And it was her scent that had been the reason he had let that part of him go.

She would never understand that he hadn't been aware of her until after.

Her heart was hammering in her chest. She hurt and was bleeding but she was whole and that counted for something. Slowly she lifted off him and felt him shiver. She didn't have time to wonder what that shiver meant, because the door that lead down here was beginning to open. If she was caught the prince would be killed for rape. It wouldn't matter that he had been held down and hadn't touched her. No, all that would matter would be that she … a girl … nowhere near old enough to have her virgin night but might be fertile… was no longer a virgin.

Quickly she hid under the bed. A bed that she saw was no bed but a table that held a nasty secret. He was bound but not in a way that was concentual. It made her think about other things… things that happen before the purge… things that her mother had been trying to teach her…

…ways to tame even the most difficult warlord princes.

It would be the reason that her mother had placed her with a caste of outsiders to be picked off one by one. It would be the reason that she survived… If a warlord prince was so dangerous then why try to tame him? There had to be another way to gain his trust and service…

"Now it's my turn." The voice was a woman's probably the owner since her scent was on the whole house.

Mumbled words. The words themselves were too jumbled to make out. The venom in the voice told her what had been said. Defiant and crude and most likely something that would earn him lashing…

The arms that had been pulled already too far were pulled till the sound of popping and tearing started then was drowned out by a murderous scream. Two heart beats later and the prince laid still once more…

She stayed still under the table despite what she knew was going on above her. She stayed quite despite drops of blood dripping down the table.

It seemed like hours past till she crawled out from under the table. Slowly she created a small ball of witch light and got to her feet. Once standing and stable she half turned expecting to find the "bed" now as it was when she had come down here. Well maybe not exactly since he had been screaming despite something being in his mouth but she hadn't expected this.

She jumped back nearly backing into the steps. Nearly screaming in horror. Her heart slammed against her chest hard enough to crack ribs. Years of self-preservation kept her screams silent.

The Prince's head was now uncovered. His eyes open, unblinking, and hollow. She had seen people like this before. Some if lucky found help and were sung back to their inner webs… the rest faded into the darkness.

He was beautiful rather than handsome. Coal black hair. Her eyes scanned his body taking in details that she had ignored before. He was dangerously thin now. His skin was dull and hung loosely from his frame. Not natural for that she was sure. Although she couldn't explain why he looked like he did, not unless he had been doing something to drain his jewels at the same time as he was being starved? Surly that couldn't be it… she prayed to the darkness that that was not the case. She only hoped she was right.

His shoulders were now disfigured. The joints barely still covered by skin. Possibly broken, possibly just pulled from the joints. If she had eaten before coming here it would have been on the floor by now. As it was tears were starting run down her face. This was heart breaking.

What she saw next would be burned into her thought for the rest of her days and would be her defining moment. The moment when she could choose to walk away and silently condone the treatment that he had had, or fight against it with all that she was. He was clamped to the table by some instrument. Something she was sure was the cause of the blood curdling screams and the reason he had snapped the connection to his inner web.

Her small hands curled into tight fist. She had hid while this had happen. Had used his dark spicy scent to stay safe while he screamed probably begging for mercy. She could have helped him well damn it she would help him now.

Leashing her temper and slowing the deadly ice in her veins just a bit, she allowed her hand to lightly stroke his face. He was burning with fever. Her voice was soft, breezy and still so young. "Come back sweet Prince. Come back ."

His eyes closed for a minute. Then two, before blinking open. Still hollow but something seemed to be there. Oh it was faint and far away but it her was there, she was sure of it. Encouraged she leaned closer and soothingly began to speak to him, "My name is Katarina. You helped me. Please let me do the same for you." She paused to check his pulse and breathing, even if she didn't know how fast his heart should be beating, or how hard or fast a man in this condition should be breathing. She still tried. If anything she could tell whoever she found that would help him. "Can you tell me your name, please? Show me. Help me so I can help you?"

A feather light touch on her outer web. She almost ignored it. Would have but he was looking at her. So far away but still close. She allowed him in. allowed the images to flow.

Not what she expected. His hand… healthy and unharmed… a plain gold band on his left hand. His right hand another ring… Black…

Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. Prince Sadi? The most dangerous man in the realm … the most feared… mother night… mother night… mother night…

"Prince Sadi?" the light was gone again from his eyes.

He had come back and gave her his name so she could stand witness… Damn him… he had gained the reputation for killing the bitches that had played with him. His story was one mothers used to scare their children into behaving and damn him he was not going to give up now.

She strapped some steel to her spine, "Damn you. You are not going to let that bitch do this. Don't stop fighting now. Don't you dare." No luck. No sign that he heard her. She tried a different approach, "Would you're brother let the bitch win? Or would he stand and fight? If she were a queen would it make a difference? Well I'm a Queen and I'm asking you for help prince? Please will you help me? Will you stay with me till I can find you the help you need to take care of that bitch?"

He blinked once. Then slowly opened his eyes. He was giving her a chance. He wouldn't last much longer. How weak he was and thin… she gave him till morning if lucky … if he was more than lucky and perhaps stupid he might use the power he still had in his inner web and last a bit longer. She hoped with all she was that he wasn't that willing to help her. She hoped she could find help before that.

It was dark outside. There was no one in Hayll she could trust. Not with this. The Keep even if she rode the winds would take a day or better for her. Her money was home but so was her Father. Not the choice she wanted to make but there had to be a way…