Chapter 68
Author's Note: Hey another chapter. Sadly there's no Basta in it (he'll be in the next chapter I swear). Cappy's the focus of this chapter. Cappy has to be my favourite next to Basta to write. He's just so evil it's so much fun! Thank you for my reviews. I know I say that in every AN but I really like receiving them :D Enjoy chaps! Oh btw adult theme-kinda in this chapter plus one bad word. Just warning you to be safe.
"My, don't you look pretty," Capricorn said as Dafne entered his bedroom wearing the red dress. His tone was both admiring and mocking.
Her jaw tightly clenched, Dafne bowed her head so Capricorn couldn't see the fury in her eyes.
"Thank you," she said quietly with forced politeness and no sincerity.
"It's good to see you in that dress again," Capricorn said, approaching her languidly, "It was my gift to you after all."
He stopped in front of her, frowned slightly as he went to remove a speck of lint from the dress. Dafne stiffened as he did, her hands clenching the dinner tray.
"I don't like seeing my gifts go to waste," Capricorn went on, flicking the speck from his fingers with distaste. Then he looked at her with a thin smile on his lips, "I trust you haven't forgotten the nightly routine..."
He turned and walked away from her with the confident gait of a lion.
"It hasn't been that long since you were my personal maid."
He stopped, close to the bed and faced her. He was still smiling.
"I doubt you'll have much trouble slipping back into the role."
"I'm going to be your personal maid again?" Dafne said with unpleasant surprise.
Capricorn sneered at her,
"Why else do you think you're here?"
This development was troubling to Dafne. What did it mean for Resa if Dafne was to replace her as Capricorn's personal maid? Did it mean Capricorn was planning on having Resa executed like Mortola wanted? She wanted to ask him outright but she was trying to heed Basta's warning not to bring up Resa's name.
"Will this be a... temporary appointment?" she asked instead.
Capricorn folded his arms and regarded her with his head slightly cocked to the side.
"Until someone more suitable comes along, yes."
Dafne's brow furrowed. She didn't like the sound of that answer. She brushed aside Basta's warning.
"What about R-"
"No more questions," Capricorn cut her off sharply. Had he anticipated what she had been going to say? "My dinner is getting cold."
Dafne put all enquires about Resa to one side as she went to set down the dinner tray. She did remember the nightly routine. Capricorn always changed before dinner. So she helped him out of his pale yellow suit and into his pyjamas and dressing gown. Then she served his dinner.
"Tell me a story," he ordered as he sat down to eat it.
"What kind of story?" Dafne asked. She wasn't in the mood for storytelling but that made no difference if Capricorn wanted to hear one.
"One about a woman who makes a rather unfortunate error in judgement," Capricorn answered without missing a beat.
Dafne's heart quickened. She knew this was a veiled reference to Resa. What other woman had made a rather unfortunate error in judgement lately?
"Do you know a story with that premise?" Capricorn said.
Dafne nodded.
"Yes," she said slowly. Fortunately she knew one which had nothing to do with Resa.
"Go on then."
Dafne told Capricorn the story of Pandora. A woman created by the Gods, Gods who then gave her a golden box as a wedding present. A box they warned her never to open.
"Let me guess," Capricorn rudely interrupted, "She ends up opening it obviously. What was inside?"
"Every evil you can think of," Dafne answered, "Every kind of sickness and madness. Every kind of darkness which poisons men's hearts and minds, driving them to hate and murder. Evil which flew out of the box and into the world to plague mankind."
Dafne omitted the part about Hope flying out of the box too. Capricorn would only sneer at that inspiring notion. Hope in the face of evil.
Capricorn pushed his empty plate aside and leaned back in his chair.
"Well that was an interesting tale," he remarked contemplatively, "Just goes to show that you can never trust a woman not to do something stupid."
Dafne said nothing but a few choice words floated about in her head. Capricorn didn't seem interested in her opinion anyway as he carried on:
"When told not to open a jar, you open it. When asked by a stinking vagrant traitor to find a book, you look for it..."
Dafne grimaced as she watched Capricorn's face harden.
"You look for it even though it means betraying your master to do so," his tone had become hard too, hard as his eyes which were like colourless gems, "Yes. Women can make the most foolish and disappointing choices," his hands clenched the table edge, "And when a woman of my household, a servant of mine, makes the idiotic and regrettable choice to betray me, I in turn have no choice but to punish her for it."
Dafne had found herself tensely holding her breath during this speech. It was all about Resa though he hadn't mentioned her name. How was he going to punish her?
Something like melancholy ghosted across Capricorn's face.
"Something I find a burden and pity," he went on, "since the woman in question is so beautiful," his nails scratched along the wood, his face hardening again, "And treachery is a crime which demands nothing less than harsh punishment. Do you know what fate befell female traitors in my world?"
Dafne jumped as his eyes turned to her. Up until that point he had been starring off into space. She shook her head, not wanting know the answer. She knew it had to be some kind of awful punishment.
It was.
"They were burnt at the stake," Capricorn told her in calm resolute way which frightened her.
"Surely you're not..." she stammered, her tongue unwilling to speak her fear. Finally she managed, "You're going to burn Resa at the stake, are you?"
"Why not?" said Capricorn, cold eyes boring into her, "Our mute flower is a traitor. Why shouldn't she be given a traitor's execution, along with the Fire-eater she conspired with?" a dark smile played on his lips, "In fact I rather like the irony of Dustfinger being killed by very thing that was his trademark."
But Dafne's mind was not on Dustfinger. The only image in her head was that of Resa being engulfed in flames. That terrifying image prompted her to lay her hand swiftly, imploringly, on Capricorn's sleeve.
"Please don't kill Resa," she cried, "Don't burn her. Please."
"Are you begging me Dafne?" Capricorn said with a hint of his amusement in his voice. "Don't you think you should be on your knees if you're going to beg me?"
Dafne hesitated only a split second before she complied.
"Oh how fast she falls to the ground," Capricorn immediately mocked her, "As if you really think it's going to change my mind."
Humiliation burned on Dafne's cheeks as she blinked away tears prickling her eyes. She felt so stupid. She was stupid and he was cruel.
Capricorn reached to stroke her cheek almost tenderly. She wanted to slap his hand away but she couldn't risk angering him. What hope did she have of saving Resa if she made him angry? What hope did have of saving Resa at all if Capricorn had already made up his mind?
"I suppose you thought it was worth a shot," Capricorn said, smiling at her in a mock-benign fashion, "you had to try something. You're desperate. You love Resa like a sister, don't you?" his sympathetic tone was dripping with mockery, "I bet you think you would do just about anything to keep her from harm. Am I right?"
"Yes," said Dafne, one word breathy with conviction and desperation.
"Touching," Capricorn sneered, his contempt like a slap in the face.
He gestured with his hand.
"Stand up."
Dafne stared at him enquiringly, still as a statue.
Capricorn dragged back his seat and rose himself.
"Come on, hurry up. It's not like begging is working in your favour."
Dafne struggled to her feet, having to manoeuvre all the heavy folds of her dress.
She followed Capricorn to the centre of the room.
"Turn around," he instructed.
Dafne hesitated, experiencing prickling feelings of unease.
"Do as I say," Capricorn said more harshly.
Dafne faced her back to him, feeling intensely vulnerable. She didn't like him being behind her, out of sight. She clenched her hands nervously in the ensuing silence. Her breath seemed loud in her ears, too loud to hear Capricorn's. Then she felt his hands on her back and she started, sucking in a sharp breath. Her body stiffened but her heart began racing. To her horror she felt his finger hook under the corset strings. She immediately tried to turn, twist away.
"What are you..." her voice sounded so squeaking and terrified.
She felt herself being dragged back like a puppet on a very short string. Capricorn's fingers were still hooked on the back of her dress and he leaned over her shoulder and put his mouth close to her ear.
"Would you go to bed with me if you thought it would make me spare Resa's life?" he murmured.
Dafne took in the words with dazed slightly disbelieving horror. She struggled but he held her there to hear more of what he had to say.
"Would you turn whore just to save her? Is your sister worth that much to you? Is she worth sacrificing your dignity and your fidelity to Basta? Is her life worth all that? Is it?"
Dafne whimpered as his mouth brushed her neck. His lips were soft but the contact made her body want to crumble into ash out of revulsion.
"Please, let go of me," she managed to choke out. That was all she wanted in the whole damn world right now!
Capricorn laughed softly.
"I'll take that as a no. Her life isn't worth it. Not at the cost of debasing yourself."
He swiftly extracted himself from her, leaving her to stand on her alone on jelly legs. She found herself too filled with fear to feel any relief at him releasing her. She was afraid he might come back. But he didn't.
He sank into his armchair, looking bemused if not a tad scornful.
"So much for sisterhood," he said with a smile, "I guess you don't love Resa as selflessly as you think you do."
Dafne felt something eating through her fear. It was shame. Anger followed. What had happened had been nothing more than a sick psychological game. If she had a sword, she would run him through with it in her fury. But she didn't have a sword. She could only stare at him impotently, taking fierce quick breaths.
"I bet the truth stings a little, doesn't it my dear," Capricorn drawled, "If it's any consolation, even if you had accepted, it wouldn't have made me change my mind about Resa."
He began fiddling with the cord of his dressing gown.
"Don't presume your answer disappoints me by the way," he went on, "As fetching as you are in that dress..." his lips twisted into a dismissive smile, "I've never had any real interest in bedding you. If I did, I would have done something about it a long time ago. But no, you're not my type pigeon," he said it as if it should be a shame for her, "I've always preferred women with fair hair."
"You mean like Resa?" Dafne said through gritted teeth.
Had he ever forced Resa to...
No she didn't want to think about it.
"Yes like Resa," Capricorn agreed. His face suddenly became pensive. "Her hair once resembled the colour of gold you know, before it got darker. I used to have her sit by the fireplace so I could watch her hair gleaming in the firelight."
He starred at the fireplace and sighed in an almost regretful way.
"If Resa's your type, why have her killed?" Dafne said, her anger making her direct.
Capricorn snapped from his nostalgia to scoff.
"Do you think Resa is the only woman in the world with fair hair?" he said, "She's certainly the loveliest I've seen but she's not irreplaceable by any means. I'll find another out there like her," he looked towards the window even though the curtains were drawn, "Beautiful with golden hair. I'll have her brought here to be my personal maid," he turned back to Dafne, "Until then, you will wear that dress and serve me in place of Resa."
"I won't!" Dafne found herself shouting, "I refuse! If you kill Resa, I'll..."
"You'll what?" Capricorn's voice rose up high from the depths of where he sat, dark and forbidding, "There is nothing you can do except obey me!" he stabbed a finger at her contemptuously, "You have no power. You're a slave. My slave. Displease me and I'll give you to Cockerell to play with," he smiled at Dafne's horrified expression, "Yes I think he'd like that. Basta's sure to object of course but I'll make sure he's locked up and powerless to help you."
Dafne stared at him in utter helplessness.
"Why... why are you like this?" she asked in fear and incomprehension, "Why are you so evil?"
Evil was the only word to describe him.
Capricorn's reaction was one she wasn't expecting. He didn't sneer or laugh. He just looked at her curiously for a moment.
"Perhaps you should be asking another man that question about me," he said, almost to himself.
He sat for awhile in contemplation. Dafne spent that time trying to work out what he had meant by saying that. She figured he was mostly likely referring to Fenoglio. If any man understood why Capricorn was the way he was it was the author who was now a prisoner. Fenoglio had created Capricorn to be that way. Dafne was sure Capricorn didn't find this truth very appealing, knowing another man was responsible for all the qualities he admired in himself.
Capricorn emerged from thought with a wave of his hand.
"In any case," he began, focusing on Dafne once more, "here are the facts laid out for you. Resa will die," Dafne's heart grew tight in her chest, "Dustfinger will die. You will serve me to my satisfaction or you and Basta will both suffer," Capricorn leaned forward, taping a finger to his forehead, "Commit these facts to memory Dafne. Remember them each time you go to speak. Because if I hear you saying anything in discordance with these facts, something awful is going to happen to you. Do I make myself clear? You will not protest Resa's execution. You will not beg me for clemency. You will bow your head in acceptance and be grateful you're not dying with her. Is that understood? Say yes Lord Capricorn."
What else could she say?
"Yes Lord Capricorn."
Capricorn settled back in his armchair looking satisfied.
"Good. Now get out before the idea of beating you becomes any more appealing to me."
To be continued...
Some tidbits for this chapter:
In the Middles Ages, female traitors were burned at the stake as punishment. I figured in Inkworld they would do the same since it's a Medieval-based world.
Also fair hair was an ideal for women in the Middle Ages so I see Cappy liking blonde women as being influenced by this.
Reviewer comments:
Fletcher lol yeah he is rather especially after that episode.
Ziliverina yeah Dafne suffered but considering what could have happened to her she should be fine I hope (with lots of therapy).