The decimation of the One Hundred families had started with the Witchstorm, though to be honest, it had started centuries prior. The rot of Dorothea spread through the bored and indulged ranks of the privileged; then passed downwards as the behavior was emulated. Then the Witchstorm had come; suddenly and yet too late for so many of the common members of the Blood. The main branches were wiped out with one resounding psychic blast. Those that didn't die immediately were left as husks of their former selves; empty and broken in both mind and jewels; easy prey for the Landen looking for a scapegoat to generations of suffering. Those that did not survive were just bits and pieces that once were assembled into refined aristocrats of society; their presence was reduced to just another mess needing to be cleaned up.
Within one day the majority of the territory's priestesses and acolytes were wiped from existence. The strongest of them gone in a simple blink of an eye to become nothing; not even a whisper in the darkness. The entire ruling construct was gone; none of those who had held the reigns of the courts of Hayll were dead or maimed beyond use. The queens that remained were either too young, too broken, or untrained; easy prey for the the rebellion as it swept through the territory pushing back the ravenous landen that threatened to exterminate their Blood counterparts.
Only a few managed to hold out through those first hard decades. A few outliers of the families who had something to protect; in this instance Leona their Purple-dusk to Opal priestess. The last remaining matriarch of an outlying branch of the Domani family. Kiera knew, on some instinctual level that she should count as one of those treasures. Her jewels were weak, with her offering Jewel barely reaching a pale Rose, and overlooked she had remained hidden in the annuals of her family. A mere footnote with no merit or training. A rare and forgotten queen, left to rot in the chaos that came from the calamity and rise of minor territories shaped by the remaining aristocratic families.
Perhaps it was the fact her hair was not the perfect straight black of the long-lived races, her eyes were not a rich gold but instead a pale butter yellow. Kiera knew she was pretty, beautiful really if her cousin was to be believed. Still, she was shunned for traits beyond her control. It wasn't her fault that her mother's chosen consort had produced a queen of dubious bloodline and weak jewel strength. Not that Dorothea had been accepting of strong-willed or dark-jeweled queens. Most were broken in unfortunate accidents before their offerings; turned into nothing more than vacant-eyed broodmares to produce their one legitimate child before their husbands could stray to more fertile fields.
Kiera knew she should be thankful that her branch of the family survived. That somehow her cousins, brother, and mother were spared from the storm that took so many. Their estate was far enough away from the capital city that the first wave of landen uprisings didn't reach them until they had recovered their strength. She wasn't thankful though; trapped within the high walls of the estate. Not when she could feel the suffering of the land beneath her feet. Its hunger cried at her, beat at her mind until she tossed and turned in her sleep unable to find rest.
Shalador, they had heard, had started training queens and forming ruling courts that circled a territory queen. The territory had produced several queens in the decades that had passed between The Tragedy and now. The shorter-lived races were faster to adapt; to pivot to the change in times. Hayll, stubborn as Askavi, had remained stagnant with the Blood fighting the landen while retreating and holding to the old broken ways, with Queens being nothing more than vats of power to fuel the gardens and farmlands needed to feed the armies raised by the survivors of the great families.
Only her cousin's protest had kept her from serving in the fields alongside the serfs and remaining slaves. The broken and damned toiled beneath the hot sun as the queens poured their strength into the ground for the few stunted crops that would grow from the tormented earth. Those who should rule and shape the territory were instead used as a battery to fuel the tenacious hold of the old families trying to hold on to their former power. Kiera served only to aid in her family's garden. Her blood enriched their foodstuffs and kept cheeks within their manor from hollowing with hunger. A decade of bloodletting, of kneeling in the soil, had left its mark on her in the manner of small white scars along her palms and forearms.
A decade of their holding out as ruling family after ruling family fell to the Rebellion and their leader. Alessi Gerodi; an Opal to Sapphire Warlord Prince from a line only noteworthy for having produced several strong Princes before him. Men that Dorothea had targeted to be broken, killed, or turned into eunuchs shattered to her will. His father had been ringed, tortured, and killed for his vocal protest over the destruction of the next generation of strong young witches and promising young males. Before the Witchstorm he had been a known Witchslayer; unbalanced and unleashed on top of being a Warlord Prince and dark jeweled. Alessi was everything the covens feared and while he wasn't on the level of The Sadist, whispers of him echoed through the rumor mills. After the calamity, Alessi had joined with other men left standing who had fought back against the corrupt courts in their small ways. He and his rebellion were the rock that trapped the aristos in their fortified estates, with the landen pressing from the other side until one by one the estates fell and occupants within either slaughtered or absorbed into the menial ranks.
"Kiera.. are you even listening to me?" Luca's voice broke through her reverie. Kiera sighed as she looked away from her bedroom window. The haze of smoke rising from the dry brittle autumn fields gave testimate to the battle that had happened outside; of an army that had marched forward and fires created by craft that had burned through on both sides. She clutched her hands in front of her, forcing a slow breath through her lips as she steadied herself "They are approaching. Your father's forces have surrendered and our sires are both prisoners of that savage." Luca tugged at her arm, urging her to rise.
Kiera rose at the gentle pressure. Her attention turned over the small room, finally noticing the rich dress draped over the foot of her bed. A beautiful thing of damask silk in a rich green, a color that brought out the golden highlights of her skin and made her pale eyes seem exotic rather than defective. A pair of matching slippers sat beside the bed as she looked over at her cousin for a moment bewildered. If their doom was approaching, why was she being wrapped up like a present to be offered at a banquet?
"Mother darkness... they mean to.." The words caught in her throat; bit back the bitter bile that rose in her horror. She ignored the fact that her cousin had already half unfastened the lacing to her gown. His interest didn't lay in the distaff sex and he was the best to assist her in dressing. Kiera shivered as the cool air kissed over her skin as the ratty faded yellow dress fell to the floor and pooled at her feet. Her thin slip beneath barely provided cover, much less warmth.
"Better than certain death. Now lift your feet." He tapped her calf and raised each foot, allowing the worn leather shoe and often patched stockings to be removed from her legs. As soon as the most visible parts of her worn clothing were removed, the rich gown was guided up her hips and over her arms. The heavy material offered warmth as it settled with its full sleeves that draped down to her fingertips. The neckline dipped low enough to show the top of her breasts with the threat of too deep a breath causing a nipple to escape the stiff fabric.
"Easy to say, you aren't the sacrificial goat" Kiera replied bitterly. She knew she should be honored to sacrifice herself to preserve her family, to guard the last of the dark jeweled priestesses of Hayll. Keira wasn't; she was livid despite burying the emotion as far down as she could; focusing instead on being dressed. New stockings were slid up her legs before the delicate slippers were slid over her feet. Luca tsked his tongue at the tangled mess that was her hair before pulling out a simple silk snood studded with a few chips of quartz to catch any stray light.
"Well you are a pretty goat. As well as one of his demands." At her alarmed look, Luca shrugged. "Did you think that our people not withering wouldn't catch attention? The Witchbane is a smart man, Piccola. Prince Gerodi has been bringing all the queens to justice or service." Luca shrugged trying to hide his fear for her buried beneath his usual light-hearted banter. Once she was fully dressed and her bracelet that held her yellow jewel donned along with the necklace that her pale rose jewel was set into. Thus at least she would go armed as much as she could be before the conqueror.
The pair of them reached the marble foyer. Beautiful, it had once been an immaculate sweeping room with its polished marble flooring, arched roof with painted murals, and expensive fragrant wood furniture. Now it was hollow, emptied but for a few pieces of mismatched tables and cabinets. Cobwebs and dust coated much of the surface, and the marble was dull from grime and wear. No one had time to worry about frivolous luxuries as they struggled for basic survival.
Her mother stood there before the door. Her shining black hair was loose down her back where it touched her hips. Tall and slender, her mother stood straight with squared shoulders. Her deep burnished gold eyes were fierce as she braced herself for the events to come. Dressed in a deep red gown that clung to every curve; her mother was a beautiful woman. Sensual with lush curves that deprivation had lessened; leaving Kiera to feel like the little waif. Even fierce Leona Domani could not stop the constant tide of war through the force of her will.
Luca brought them to the back of the party that had arranged itself in the foyer. All anxious gazes on the heavy wooden doors as they waited for the impending arrival of the victorious rebellion and what their final fate would be. Kiera's heart beat loud enough to drown out the murmurs of the others around her. Servants, half-bloods too weak to hold jewels but too different to remain with the landen, surrounded them among the common blood witches, young priestesses, and healers that her family had managed to scavenge from the countryside. Warlords formed the perimeter with the occasional Prince dappled through as they formed a physical shield between the women and the door; leaving only her mother exposed as those doors swung inwards at the invisible push.
The strength of his presence filled the room before he had even stepped in. Fierce and determined, Alessi was a creature to be marveled at. Pure Hayllian from the rich brown of his skin, the deep nearly blue-black of his hair, and bright gold eyes. He was handsome and angry. His gaze searched over their motley gathering dismissing each of them in disgust before falling on Kiera. Quickly she dipped her head, hiding her eyes even as her mother snapped her fingers indicating the girl should come forward.
"Prince Gerodi, we are your humble servants." Her mother's silken voice laced over the room. Slithering and insidious; Leona wasn't exactly wicked but she certainly wasn't a paragon among witches either. She was the one to make the hard choices that no others wished to face. Pragmatic she would do what was necessary to maintain her influence and life; even if it meant sacrificing the life of her only daughter.
"Spare me the false humility, Leona." He interrupted her greeting rudely; continuing the disrespect by dropping any titles due to the matriarch by bloodline or caste. "You are beaten; your armies gone and even your jewels empty from your futile defiance." Alessi didn't spare any time before correcting the woman's hubris. Instead, he marched in further and paused before the gathering looking over each one of them again. "Where is the queen you harbor here?"
"My daughter is untrained and simple." The words stung at Kiera. Even now her mother worked to diminish her; to make her seem lesser in the eyes of those around them. Kiera was accustomed enough to the sting of the not-so-subtle barbs. She could hope that this time the dismissal would serve in her favor. "Though I am happy to trade her for the peaceful retreat of your army. Perhaps you can find a use for the girl." Leona kept her tone carefully neutral, barely hiding her contempt for the man standing before her. Kiera took her first step forward before freezing as her mother's eyes bulged and her nails clawed at an invisible hand clenched around her throat.
"Do not toy with me, Priestess. You will die badly." Alessi's expression never changed, nothing about him indicated the strain of craft, as he released the hold on the Priestess. The indomitable Leona Domani fell to her knees and slumped over on the hard marble as she gasped in each breath. The sight of her mother kneeling at the man's feet, still gasping each breath, spurred Kiera forward. She knew her duty. Hers was the task to preserve what she could of the Domani family even if it meant selling part of her soul.
"I am here Prince." Kiera raised her voice just loud enough to be heard over the dull murmur of voices that came with too many bodies in a small space. "Lady Domani kept her part of the treaty" Kiera managed to dip a low curtsy as she stepped in front of her mother; an indication of her lesser jewels to his. The volume of her skirts was meant to help hide her mother from immediate view, to distract his gaze from Leona, and to allow her mother to regain her composure. Kiera fought the urge to flee, the depth of his jewels hung between them almost suffocating with the malice that emanated from the man.
"So you are." She felt his fingers curl beneath her chin, tipping her face up, forcing her to meet his gaze. "You understand that your survival depends on my will, don't you?" His voice held contempt for her. Either her caste or her place as an aristo; but either one she didn't have a choice in the accident of birth that had produced her. His fingers curved around her jaw roughly until she glared at him and jerked back against his touch. Whatever he saw in those brief moments seemed to appease him as he released her and shoved her back at Luca. Her cousin caught her before they both were surrounded by three of Alessi's men; warlords the each of them.
"Kill the aristos, screen the rest of them.. except the girl and her escort." He turned away from the queen as he uttered the command. Nothing in his tone indicated his emotions; just the cold chill that lingered in the air. The danger of warlord princes affirmed in the calm command to shatter what agreement had been arranged between himself and Lady Domani. Her mother seemed prepared for the turn as purple dusk shields snapped into place around the tight gathering. Several others snapped into place behind it; white, yellow, and the continued rainbow of light-colored jewels. Horror and desperation had Kiera lunging at Alessi, her fingers digging into the material of his coat as she pulled on his arm.
"No! Please, Prince, I beg you.." Kiera cried out, watching in horror as the rebels surged forward. Their organized attack shattered those fragile shields in a breath. Their swords descended, plunging into the warm living bodies of the remaining warlords, acolytes, and witches alike. The half-bloods screamed and ran, becoming a hazardous obstacle as they attempted to escape the carnage. More than a few died from accidental strikes as they wove between the two forces in their panicked flight. Her eyes closed as the first spray of blood arched in the air; not from craft but the cleave of a blade. The soldiers were trained enough to reserve their power during battle. A sword killed just as finally as a strike of magic.
"Yes, beg pretty little aristo bitch. Beg like my father, my uncles, and grandfather did as your mother and her aristo friends mutilated them before breaking their minds leaving them little more than walking corpses. Beg as my mother was forced to when she could not find work to feed herself and her children. Just like then it won't change their fate." He pulled his arm from her digging nails. Just as quickly he grabbed her, turning her around to face the battle giving her no escape, no illusion of what he was. No way for her to pretend their world was not this violent and dangerous place. His hand flattened against her belly as he pulled her back hard against his chest, giving the little queen no quarter to escape.
"At least they are granted clean deaths. Be thankful for that and remember your fate could be so much worse." He released the queen then, allowing her to slump downwards as the force of her sobs tore through her body. Her eyes pressed closed as Luca came to kneel in front of her, his arms circled her shoulders allowing her to bury her face against his shoulder. He offered a shield against witnessing the fall of House Domani. Even her stalwart escort could not save her from the sounds and glimpses of death around her; Kiera's attention locked onto the final image of the mighty Lady Domani. Her mother's eyes were vacant and empty as she stared between the worlds in death. A death Kiera wondered if she could ever avenge.
"The Commander has demanded you be bound and jewels confiscated Lady." The warlord's voice was soft, almost trying to sound reassuring despite the unflinching obedience to his leader's commands. Kiera felt the conflict in the male and could see the way he hesitated to strip the defeated queen before him of her remaining dignity. Temptation rose to push back, to strike out and if luck would have it join her family in the darkness, and then withered at the feel of Luca's grip on her. She bowed her head in defeat, passively allowing the man to loop the rope around her wrists before he slid her bracelet from her wrist and with a sharp jerk broke the delicate chain of her necklace slipping both jewels into a soft calf hide bag.
"You too Prince." Luca had already released Kiera long enough to remove his jewels. The ring containing the summer sky of his offering jewel was given over to slide into the bag before the matched cufflinks of his birthright tiger's eye joined the rest in the bag. Only their jewels were taken and slipped inside the bag that was promptly carried to the leader for him to fasten to his belt.
"A poor goat I made; though still ended up tethered," Kiera whispered to Luca, holding still as the soldiers swarmed around them, looting the manor home of anything that was either foodstuffs or of monetary value. The scent of smoke rose along with the stench of burning wool as one of the expensive rugs was left to smolder by a carelessly broken lamp.
"I should have run with you... right after, I should have taken you into hiding Piccola. I am so sorry." Luca whispered as he held her close trying to shield her from the sight and smells around them. Then they were walking, a sudden pressure on the ropes around their wrists the only notification they were expected to follow along like a pair of leashed dogs. Her thin shoes were worthless as they were saturated with the blood of the fallen around them. Only Luca's hold on her kept her on her feet instead of being drug by the bonds on her wrists.
"Don't be, you did what you thought right Luca. Now we have to face the consequences of our actions along with our family's." She whispered as they walked, brought out in a parade of triumph. The hem of her fine gown soaked in blood and slapped against her ankles with each step. Tears streaked along her cheeks but somehow Kiera kept her chin lifted and expression impassive as they marched out through the parted sea of landen rioters, Blood rebels, and serfs who had served in the fields. All of which were vocal about their disdain for her aristocratic status.
A glob of mud struck her cheek, sliding down to fall off and land on the bodice of her dress. More followed until Kiera was forced to jog to stay ahead of the rocks and filth being flung at herself and Luca. Her caste didn't protect her from humiliation, from the forced march outside of the small city that her family had lorded over for centuries. The sly laughs, jeering cries, and lack of protection from the actual soldiers further ground in the change of her circumstances.
Once they were beyond the worst of the masses, with only the rebels surrounding them, Luca and Kiera attempted to wipe the filth from their skins. Their feet aching and their legs rubbery from the forced march towards the encampment. The threat that had waited for them on the hill, a vague smudge of smoke from their home, and now a looming reality that Kiera hoped would be a respite for her aching and exhausted body.
"Prince Alessi wants that one in his tent. Her companion goes in with the others." The soldier seemed to hold some rank over the ones leading her and Luca. A cry of protest came to her lips even as Luca squeezed her fingers in reassurance.
"Stay strong, I will return to you as soon as I can." Luca's last words cut back the sob that wanted to escape her. Her carefully cultivated world was shattered in one day. Everything she had come to depend on gone along with her way of life. Suddenly forgotten and neglected seemed to be an envious life rather than this nightmare she faced.
"Ugh, she stinks. Rinse her off first at least." Kiera jerked her head up at that. A cloud of dried dust flurried off her skin at the motion. The caked-on filth tugged at her skin where it had dried. Before she could even ask a bucket of stale tepid water was dumped over her head, soaking her gown and sending a river of grime drizzling down to stain the once-expensive fabric. Another bucket soon followed until the worst of the muck was gone. The force of the water loosened the snood holding her hair, leaving a few soaked strands to pool haphazardly around her face.
Shivering Kiera shifted in the muddy grass where she stood. Waiting for the next indignity, she was surprised by being led inside the tent. The warmth of the tent's interior immediately enveloped her. The heating spell was enough to end the chattering of her teeth from the cool outside air combined with being soaked down to her skin. The tent was private; empty of prying eyes that delighted in watching her debasement.
"You will be brought food and drink soon." The rope was slipped off her wrists, allowing her to rub the chafed skin to restore some feeling to her fingertips. The soldier indicated a spot in the corner for Kiera to settle herself. A sad mostly flattened pillow and pile of blankets made up what she took to be her bed. The cold drip of water against the top of her foot reminded her of her sodden condition. As tempting as the bedding was she didn't want to foul it up with her wet clothing. Determined not to cry before the hateful guard Kiera bit the inside of her cheek until the pain chased away the burning tears that threatened to fall.
"You may want to stay standing until your clothing dries if you don't know basic housekeeping craft." The man laughed before marching off, leaving Kiera in the tent. Her jaw hurt from biting back her anger and humiliation. She knew basic craft and could tap into it, however, she didn't trust herself not to ignite her clothing into flames or worse with the state of her mind. Kiera had never had to learn how to manage the basics while her emotions ran high as servants had attended to her basic needs before The Tragedy; even defective she was still a daughter of the Domani family.
Exhausted she couldn't summon up the strength and instead just allowed herself to sink onto the floor, curled up against one of the tent posts. Her body aching and exhausted Kiera fought the urge to sleep where she sat; too afraid to be even more vulnerable in the lair of the enemy. She forced herself to remain awake, running through all the lessons she had hastily read of blood law over the past year. Laws she should have known by heart before her offering; but was just now studying. Kiera didn't have to wait long before Alessi walked into the tent.
The wash of his power announced him rather than the fall of his footsteps. Silently she watched as he pulled the heavy wool coat off, slinging it over a foldable stool before the rough desk coated with ledgers. His shirt sleeves were rolled up and his dark hair was mussed from the day. A thin smudge of soot streaked over his cheek and jawline only highlighting the masculine beauty of the monster before her. A beautiful, lithe, monster; but still a monster.
"Bring a change of clothing and a basin with soap and heated water" He called over his shoulder. A slender witch stood at the entry to the tent, waiting for his instructions. "For her too. She stinks." He qualified his decision with a sneer. Kiera glared back; as if she had a choice about her state of appearance. "Food after." The woman nodded before turning to leave casting a pitying look at Kiera. Alone with the man who had murdered her family, Kiera forced herself to stagger once more to her feet. Her sodden dress was tangled and heavy around her legs. Her hands clenched at her sides, ready to defend herself as best she could from him. Alessi looked at her, snorting derision as he raked his gaze over her.
"Sit down little queen. I have no interest in you. You are safe enough here; I am not stupid enough to throw a virgin queen in with the rest of the riff-raff that we picked up along the way." He crossed to press a hand to her shoulder, the pressure firm but not hard enough to hurt. Kiera's knees gave out in exhaustion and she dropped to the ground with a soft grunt. "You will get used to the pace. We have several weeks to go until we reach Draega." He stepped back at the soft scratching sound against the canvas flap that served as a door. "Enter." He turned away as the woman from earlier stepped in. A small plump little hearth witch that carried a large basin with a ewer of steaming water and soaps. Behind her floated a simple outfit of a full skirt, blouse, and a few strips of cloth.
"Thank you, Mirella." Alessi took the ewer and emptied half of it into another bronze basin. The ewer floated back over to them as the hearth witch pulled a draped curtain around the small area before indicating that Kiera should strip off her ruined clothing. Her tongue tsked against the roof of her mouth at the raw state of the queen's wrists. Mirella shot a glare at Alessi's oblivious backside as she tended to the shivering woman in front of her.
"Thank me by telling your men to be less of bastards. Poor girl's wrists are chewed up." The purple-dusk witch retorted in a huff before handing Kiera one of the strips of cloth, soaked in the hot water and lathered with softly scented soap. Hurriedly Kiera used the scrap cloth to scrub off her face, chest, and arms of the filth while the other woman worked her hair free of the snood and slowly combed through the mess loosening any dirt that had encrusted each tangled lock.
The makeshift bath removed the worst of the dirt and once changed into dry clothing with her wrists soothed by a thick salve Kiera felt a little better. The cold at least was chased away by dry clothing and the warmth within the tent. Grief still threatened to steal her breath and fear kept her on edge, but at least she didn't smell like a farm animal. The curtain whisked open as Mirella cleared the fouled clothing and filthy water. With one last glare directed at Alessi, the woman left the tent with only the rustle of the heavy canvas to signal her disapproval.
"Why?" The statement escaped her. The demand to give voice to her anger, her grief, and her strange sense of betrayal forced the words from her mouth. "They had surrendered. She had surrendered. So why?" Kiera just wanted to understand. She needed to understand the day, to make some sense of the waking nightmare she was trapped in.
"Why?" He echoed back, his voice deep and velvety, as he focused his attention on her fully. Watched the heave of her chest as she pushed through her fear. Studied her slight form, so delicate and breakable, a temptation to see how far she could bend until snapping beneath his will. "Because of the men she and her coven ordered mutilated for entertainment. For the children left without mothers or fathers because she followed orders to purge any suspected of rebellion" Alessi watched as horror bloomed over her face. Her skin paled beyond the exhaustion that rode her.
"Oh yes, just because your mother survived the witchstorm didn't mean her hands were clean of blood. Justice, that is why. Because everything has a price Lady, and she finally paid for her crimes against those weaker than herself." Alessi tried to remind himself that the woman before him was barely past being a girl herself. At least five decades his junior and sheltered; as the anger of injustice passed pushed his short temper higher.
He stalked closer, pausing at the scent of her, her skin clean of perfumes and filth, she smelled alluring. A call to home that had him taking a half step forward before he pushed off whatever hold she threatened to hold over him. This woman child that called to him; offered him the leash every warlord prince sought. His queen, his to serve, to protect, and to cherish; he refused to succumb. His will would remain his own and not this spoiled child's plaything.
" I didn't.. she couldn't.." Kiera stammered at his approach. Her hands rose to protect her face as if expecting him to strike her. Her physical recoil a challenge and insult rolled into one. He stepped closer, narrowing the space between them, as he pulled her hands down away from her face unable to resist stroking his thumb along the back of her hand.
"I know, and she did. Now rest little queen. You won't be touched or bothered." He gave her a little push that sent her toppling to the pile of blankets. The force of her landing was cushioned by the layers of blankets. her soft squeal and then huff of outrage earned a sharp bark of laughter before Alessi sat at his desk, starting to review the reports sent over from other camps as they all worked to converge on the capital city.
Reports of the poisoned earth, of drought and famine, came from across the territory, branching even into others while Dena Nehele and Shalador alone seemed to be recovering and finding their balance again with their proper Shadow realm-trained queens. Their meals were brought and he ate while working, listening to the soft scrape of her spoon against the bowl as she slowly consumed her meal. The sound of her movements stilled as her breathing dropped into the peaceful pace of slumber.
At a stopping point, Alessi put down his pen and rubbed his eyes in exhaustion before rising to go to his bed. As he went to cross the small space he looked over at the hunched figure of his captive queen. She had fallen asleep where she sat with her neck at an uncomfortable-looking angle. Quietly he approached her, carefully shifting her to lay down on the blankets before drawing another one up over her.
Satisfied that she would at least sleep peacefully Alessi slid into his bed to fall asleep; his shields wisely still snapped into place even while he slept. Even in the middle of his camp of trusted and loyal soldiers, his guard was never let down.
Kiera woke to the sound of footsteps, muffled voices, and the harsh jangling of metal bits and other tack for the horses. The warmth of her pallet tempted her to roll back into the blanket, to pretend to sleep and will the day prior to have been nothing more than a nightmare. Less than a day and she already longed for the contemptuous glare of her brother, or the uninterested looks of her mother, as she joined them for breakfast.
Her bladder was unwilling to cooperate and forced her to rise from her little nest of blankets. Groggy she barely avoided stepping on the tray laid attentively near her bed. A simple offering of boiled grain cereal, topped with a drizzle of honey and diced raisins; but the scent of it had her stomach growling in complaint. With her body at war, Kiera debated on which need to attend first, and decided on the need to empty her overfull bladder.
Tentatively she crept towards the closed flap of the tent. Alone, the tent showed little sign that Alessi had been present over the night outside of the rich spicy scent of the warlord prince. She shook her head, reprimanding herself for finding anything attractive about the male who had slain the majority of her family. The pinch of her bladder reminded her of its unrelenting threat of soiling herself if she didn't find a place to go. Desperate measures had her pushing the flap open, blinking at the bright light of the rising sun and paused immediately at the sight of the two men who stood guard on either side of the opening.
Both were older, fit but their hair was streaked with lines of gray, and the skin around their eyes deeply creased from squinting against the unrelenting summer sun over many years. Both were armed with the short broad sword favored among the laboring class. It served as both a weapon and a tool; the dual edge making it good for both hacking and the pointed tip giving it a stabbing edge. Practical and unadorned swords that declared them tools rather than something ornamental.
"Commander said you were to remain inside, Lady." The one to her right spoke first. His head didn't dip in respect but his voice was gentle, soothing. The tone one used on frightened children and perhaps to him she appeared so, disheveled as she was, and so much younger. Kiera knew she couldn't afford to be seen as meek and frightened, an easy target in a camp of predators.
"I am certain he would prefer I didn't piss on his tent floor." The words were crass but she did her best to mimic her mother's imperious tone. Her chin lifted as she summoned what courage she could before stepping out of the tent. The sound of steel clearing its scabbard caused her to pause as the flat of the blade pressed against her chest. The motion was so smooth and rapid it served to remind her these men were ruthless killers; even if they sounded like a kindly grandfather.
"He said you were to remain inside. Now I suggest.." The words cut off as Alessi approached. His long strides cleared the distance as he took in the sight of the barefoot queen trying to face down his armed soldiers without even the meager protection of her jewels. The way she shifted uncomfortably from side to side hinted at the desperation that had driven her from the tent. Something rose in him at the sight of the bright flash of steel pressed to her chest, even if it was the flat of the blade it would only take a flick of the wrist to injure or even main the woman seriously.
"She giving you trouble, Illario?" Alessi forced his tone to remain calm and neutral as he broke the stare-off between the diminutive queen and his most loyal of warriors.
"Nothing I can't handle. Says she needs to take a piss." The sword was withdrawn at Alessi's arrival and swiftly sheathed. A bit of the silent tension the warlord carried swept away by releasing the responsibility of the queen back over to the Warlord Prince. He could see her discomfort written on her face. The way her mouth tightened and nails bit into her palms trying to distract her mind from that pressing need. He hadn't lived as many centuries as he had not to know when a witch needed to relieve her bladder and bowels. No doubt with the swaying movements the girl's control would be lost against simple need.
"I will handle it." Alessi sighed as he stepped forward, taking a moment to glance at her bare and blistered feet. The useless silk shoes she had worn the day prior had done little to protect her feet and soon she would be feeling the injuries. "Do not think to get used to this gattina." With that he swept her up into his arms, carrying her towards the thicker brush where she could find a reasonable amount of modesty to attend to herself.
Kiera bit back a squeal of alarm as she felt his arms surround her. Her arms circled around his neck out of instinct, the innate fear of being dropped had her clinging against him as he took those long rapid strides towards her salvation. She didn't waste time, the moment her toes touched the ground she hurried to the first tall bush she could find and once behind it lifted her skirts enough to avoid soiling them before giving a sigh of relief as the sound of liquid striking against the grassy ground started. The pinching ache of over-extended kidneys came with the release of her bladder.
Once done she remained squatted down. Her skirt released as she took slow breaths, hoping that if she took long enough Alessi would go attend a different duty, leaving her an opening to escape. His boots remained firmly planted in front of the bush she was working to befriend. Finally, she had to give up as her thighs started to cramp at the unaccustomed position. The mocking lift of his eyebrow told her that he had guessed at her ploy.
Kiera shot him a hateful glare before turning to storm toward the camp. The sting of a twig against the lacerated flesh of her feet had her pausing as she hissed softly as a blister was opened. "Son of a harpy's asshole.." The uttered curse escaped her as she lifted her foot to relieve the stinging pain.
"That is rather unladylike language for a pampered aristo." Did he sound amused? Kiera worked through the indignation and humiliation that he had first seen her loss of composure and then had the nerve to mock her for it. "Don't worry, I won't tell." Again, without asking for permission or even offering a warning she was lifted from her feet. At least he held her cradled instead of slung over his shoulders like a stray goat.
"She is going to be trouble that one.." The laughing voice of the guard taunted her as Alessi paused waiting for the flap to be pulled open for him.
"Nothing I can't handle, Uncle," Alessi replied for the first time sounding amused. His tone finally broke that carefully cultivated calm and that frightened Kiera on a different level. Cold and distant she could easily place him as a monster; something to be vanquished for the greater good. Emotions made him real, more than just flesh and bone, made him a complex creature of shades of good and bad.
Once back into the tent he unceremoniously dumped her back on her pallet. A grunt of shock escaped her at the impact and she hurried to jerk her skirt back down over her knees and buried her toes against the edge of a bunched blanket. Kiera didn't bother to stand up, he could easily subdue her without much effort. Instead, she wrapped her fingers around the bowl that had floated up towards her.
"Eat. I will send for Mirella once you are done." He motioned towards the bowl that she held as he looked down at her tattered slippers and muttered something that vaguely sounded like 'aristos' and 'fools' though the rest she couldn't place but knew there would be expletives mixed in. Kiera wasn't thrilled about putting the stiff gore-covered fabric back on her feet either, but she wasn't airing her grievance.
"I'm not hungry." The lie came as a last measure of defiance. The small control she could wrest on deciding when she would eat or not. The bowl was set aside and her stomach gave a mournful grumble as she pushed it aside. At the arch look he shot at her Kiera just shrugged and went to finger-combing the strands free of each other before plaiting them into twin braids that ran along either side of her head before coiling around her brow. A basic application of craft secured the braids in place while she searched for a bit of string to tie it into place.
"Suit yourself. Lunch is a long way off though." Alessi's tone again turned cold and distant. Anything remotely human was gone. Kiera refused to give him a reply as she worked on securing her braid in place, weaving a short piece of thread loosened from one of the worn blankets through the braids, binding them together securely on her head. Satisfied her hair wouldn't release itself to form a puffy tangled mess over the day, she turned to grab the ruined slippers only to watch them disappear.
"You need real shoes to travel. Mirella is sourcing you a spare pair of boots. You will be properly thankful for her effort, understand gattina?" Repeated calling of her kitten had Kiera clenching her jaw as he reminded her she was currently his pet. That her only options were limited to the basic functions of her body and he decided the rest of her fate, of what she wore, who she saw, and if she should continue to breathe.
"Of course, Prince." Kiera forced herself to dip her head, to allow herself to appear beaten. Longingly she eyed the bag that held hers and Luca's jewels. Suspended tauntingly from the man's belt as he kept them mostly powerless among his people. Subterfuge was the only weapon she had left to her. The temptation to flash a vulgar gesture at him, as he turned away to return to his desk, was strong and barely repressed. Kiera resolved herself to be a model prisoner and bide her time for the perfect moment to escape.
The silence between them was only broken by the muffled sounds of the camp breaking down and the irritating scratch of his pen against paper. Finally, the hearthwitch from the night prior appeared. A pair of thick, though often mended, wool socks were draped over a pair of worn boots that looked approximately the right size.
"Thank you," Kiera uttered the words honestly, glad that she wouldn't have to spend a day walking in shoes coated in the blood of her relatives. A small gift that helped her retain her sanity and Kiera quickly pulled on the socks and boots. A little big they would serve. Mirella squeezed Kiera's hand in quiet encouragement. The gentle touch was almost enough to bring tears to her eyes as the hearthwitch walked off carrying out the tray of uneaten food.
"We have wasted enough daylight." Alessi rose, his letter clutched in one hand before he pulled her up with the other and marched out towards the opening. The moment they were out she watched as the tent folded in on itself. The efficiency that the camp broke down around them was surprising and spoke of their experience in the routine.
"Here send this to Prince Matteo. Be certain to put the letter in his hands directly." A young Prince took the carefully folded letter. Kiera's disapproval of someone so young being drafted into their fighting ranks must have shown on her expression as Alessi turned his attention back to her. "Aristos drafted and threw younger as fodder on the battlefield. At least here I keep them as camp aides." He released her arm then as the pair of older warlords approached. The one Alessi called Uncle offered his arm to her politely and uncertainly Kiera placed her fingertips against the sleeve of his wool coat.
"I have her, go make certain that everything meets your standards." He easily waved off the Warlord Prince, the confidence of the lesser-ranked male a surprise to Kiera as she tried to judge the mercurial moods of the man who controlled her very fate. Surprisingly the guard was at least polite as he led her over to the small gathering of the other captives waiting to be sorted. Luca was there, looking no worse for wear outside of the dark smudges of exhaustion around his eyes. Without thought she released the guard's arm to run to her cousin, falling into his arms with a soft relieved sob.
"You are alright.." The whispered words of relief escaped her as she took in the solid feel of him against her, his familiar sandalwood scent, and the steady beating of his heart. Guilt seeped in as she looked over all the other faces still smudged with soot and dirt from their trek the day prior. Most looked numb as their minds worked to cushion the shock and trauma from the day prior. Among them, she only saw a few young male children, no adults.
"I haven't seen him, but your brother is smart." Luca squeezed her slightly in the hug between them. "He probably escaped when it was clear he was on the losing side." The disgust in her cousin's voice told of the emotion he held for her older brother. Kiera sighed softly against him before looking up as the crowd of them shifted nervously. A cart, nothing more than a flatbed with some straw and latticed walls, stopped beside the ragged group.
"Children and healers in." The command was clear and they wasted no time pulling the younglings and healers out of the crowd. One by one sorting them to fit onto the wagon. So many faces she didn't recognize; faces that told her that her family's estate was just one stop among many that this party had conquered in the name of the rebellion. Once filled the cart pulled away and started towards the long line of moving carts, wagons, and marching members of the rebellion. The flutter of dresses and colorful scarves told her that women were mixed into the Prince's troops.
The rest of them milled, waiting to see what their directions were, before at last it was their turn. The guard's shouted orders sounded garbled over the noise of an actively moving camp, but some of these people had been with the troop long enough to understand the cue and started to line up three abreast. Following example the rest of them did so, with Luca in the center and Kiera holding to the outside.
"I don't care how good they are, eventually their attention will lapse. When it does I want you to run as far as you can." Her lips parted in protest only to be shushed by her cousin. "I know, your jewels, but better to be without them and alive, than have them in death" The statement wasn't something she could completely agree on. What was a queen without access to her strength? It wasn't something she wanted to ponder even if her mind kept circling back to the question as they marched.
As Alessi promised, lunch was a long time away from when they started. Her stomach started cramping and knotting on itself long before the caravan started to slow. Her stomach felt tight and angry despite being empty and she realized she had been a fool to pass up the breakfast. Images of it taunted her, floating around the back of her mind, as she walked leaning more and more on Luca. Blisters from the day prior burst and new ones formed despite the thick socks and boots; leaving her limping as she stubbornly walked on.
By the time they had stopped for lunch, Kiera was ready to lay down in the ditch and simply wish herself to the afterworld. Just the idea of standing in line for rations brought tears to her eyes as she crumpled to the ground unable to take another step. The scent of the warm bread and reheated stew had her stomach heaving as nausea replaced the extreme hunger. She leaned against Luca, letting him brace her for a moment before he pushed her upright.
"Stay here, I will get us food." Gently he patted her hands while silently cursing Alessi and the other men who ruthlessly pushed them despite Kiera struggling to keep pace. He didn't acknowledge that she probably would have refused help just to be obstinate.
"Feed yourself. I don't think I can eat." She gave a wan smile in an attempt to reassure her cousin. "I am just too tired to chew." The clawing in her stomach turned and when she was handed a beat-up tin cup filled with water, just that small mouthful sent a lancing pain through her forcing her rock forward as she heaved up even that bit of moisture into the earth. The camp aid closest to her cursed before handing off his water bucket to the nearest person and taking off running.
Luca returned as she was wiping her mouth, uncertain if she should put the effort into righting herself, or if her stomach had more to protest. As swiftly as he could without spilling the bowl of soup in his hands, Luca dropped to the ground, putting the soup to one side as he helped her sit up.
"Piccola?" The endearment told her that he was worried. They weren't court bonded, but they were family and that bound them in different ways. Her head tipped back to rest on his shoulder as she sighed. "You need to try and get something down. It will only get worse if you don't." He retrieved the cup that she had emptied and carefully poured some of the broth into the cup. Luca didn't hand her the cup but instead held it to her lips, forcing her to drink only a couple of sips before pulling it away.
"Slowly, alright?" He coaxed her to take another small mouthful until the cup was emptied and the dry bread consumed. She didn't look much better, but there wasn't much more he could do to help his cousin. Carefully he shifted to guide her head to rest against his lap. "Rest now, I will wake you when it is time to march again." He crooned before picking up his meal only to pause as Alessi broke through the crowd. Frightened witches and warlords parted before the Warlord Prince and the cold snap of his anger. His face gave nothing away, but the chill that emanated spoke of his temper riding a thin razor line.
Luca put down his bowl and wrapped his arms around his cousin even as he moved enough to shield her with his body. It wouldn't do much, but even with his jewels, he wouldn't have been a challenge for the warlord prince. "Leave her alone." He snapped at the man who held their lives to his whim. "She hasn't uttered one complaint." The justification to spare the exhausted queen fell on deaf ears as Alessi knelt to gather up the bundle of pathetic witch.
"Out of stubborn pride." Alessi retorted before glaring at the caravan guard who had been marching closest to the duo, being only one row behind. "You should have notified me. I gave clear instructions didn't I?" His voice lowered to a silky purr, a threat to a warlord that he had never before found fault in.
"Leave him alone you bully." Kiera managed to whisper as she tried to push away from his chest, her back arched in protest as she tried to slip from his arms to reach the ground. "and I can walk." The words lacked the fire she had aimed for, ending up more a mewling whine than the fiery snap that she would have given.
"Bully?" He questioned, uncertain how to respond to the woman as he shifted his grip to keep from dropping her. "Stop writhing like a child damn it, or I will put you over my knee and spank you like one." The threat stopped her continued efforts; feeble as they were. The guard looked at his commander, still trying to comprehend a good reply.
"You did. She was up and fine until we stopped." The excuse came as a partial truth. He had noticed her distress and taken some delight in watching the aristo struggle through the first part of the day. He would have eventually followed Alessi's command and sent for him before they ended the break.
Luca bit his cheek to keep from lashing out at the warlord. If his caste had been anything but Prince he would have reacted with violence. Instead, he clenched his fists against his thighs as he looked at his cousin. The stiff way she held herself despite no longer fighting to free herself. He didn't like the arrangement any more than she did, but his hopes of her escaping had lowered as the day went on and her lack of stamina became evident.
"Was she now? And I suppose her puking was just a side effect of her pure joy. I said the moment she showed distress I was to know. Aristo or not, her caste is precious right now, and finding an unbroken queen was nearly impossible." The ground around Alessi was covered in ice and Kiera's teeth started chattering in reaction to the cold fury that poured off the male holding her.
"I. I understand Prince. I will do better." The man bowed deeply as he apologized with pure terror in his voice. Witchslayer, the whispered insult lingered behind their commander's back but never had he feared the man's temper before now. He took a step back as Alessi turned to walk back towards the head of the caravan.
"See that you do. If he doesn't I will also hold you responsible Prince. If you are going to claim escort status, then act it." The last barb was thrown at Luca. An unfair statement as the unfamiliar sensation of guilt ran through him as he looked at Kiera. She looked spent. A sigh of frustration left him as he strode through the camp, ignoring the questioning looks from his followers. His distaste for the fair sex was well known. The fact that he loathed aristo witches wasn't exactly a secret and he had killed a fair amount of them during the reclamation of Hayll.
"I told you to eat this morning. Your sorry state is your pride's doing." He growled into her ear as he lifted her higher against his chest, adjusting the balance of her weight as she remained rigid against him. It wasn't fear that he took from her scent; but frustrated anger. The tick in her jaw gave away the efforts she was putting into snapping back at him. "Poor little aristo, couldn't even handle a day of walking." The crooned taunt continued as he watched her cheeks redden with her temper; the color flooding back into her features served as a reassurance that she would recover.
"Maybe you should have left me then. Or maybe it was your lack of foresight to think I could march on raw blisters." The snapped words escaped her before she moaned as her stomach spasmed again. The ache was relentless as her stomach fought between the desire to retain the food and the reflex to empty the contents. Kiera second-guessed the addition of the bread and tried to push back the nausea.
"You could have sent for me. Would it hurt your pride too much to ask for help?" A small curl of basic healing craft wrapped around her, just enough to ease the pains of her stomach. He didn't have enough skill to repair her feet and he was afraid to even look at what the boots hid until he had time to sort through his emotions. "Or do you enjoy my carrying you too much?"
"Ask the maniac who murdered my entire family and half of our retainers for help? I would be a lunatic to do that." She hissed her reply as she shoved her palm against his shoulder. "Stop easing your conscious. You deserve every ounce of guilt, Prince. I find no enjoyment in this" Luca had once stated she would cut off her nose to spite her face if the mood struck her and in that moment she understood what he meant.
"Stop being a martyr little queen, your suffering won't bring anyone back from the dead." He replied, barely keeping his tone even. Something about this little sylph of a witch managed to rattle him. He wasn't certain what he should feel and when he reached his horse all he could feel was relief to have something else to distract him from the frustrating creature. Of course, Mother Darkness would see fit to bond him to a damn coddled aristo.
Wordlessly he handed her over to his Uncle, pausing long enough to make certain the warlord had a good hold on her before mounting. Kiera did her best to remain still as the warlord who held her now did his best to pretend that he held nothing more than just a particularly heavy pack. A hiss escaped her as Alessi pulled her up onto the saddle in front of him. Just the action of her feet bumping against the horse's side sent pain chasing from her heel bones directly up to her spine.
"Damn fool.." Alessi muttered and Kiera wasn't certain which one of them he referred to. As the shouts and whistles rang across camp Alessi took his place in the lead group. His Uncle on one side along with the other older warlord on the other. Neither commented on the witch he cradled close as he did his best to settle her comfortably as one could be across a saddle bow.
Kiera fell asleep to the sound of hoofbeats mingled with the steady thrumming of Alessi's heart beneath her ear. Later she would reassert that he was a bastard, but right now that just took too much energy.