Submitting to the Dragon

**Warning potentially triggering scenes in this book ** I screamed in agony as the searing pain of the brand settled against my skin.   “Try to run away again and I’ll brand your face.” My new master threatened with the red hot iron. “My kindness will only extend as far as you allow it.”  A familiar rage filled every sense of my being as I looked up into his eyes. The eyes of “good”. The eyes of the light bearer. The one who is supposed to embody all the good of the universe and lead the nations. This man was the one spoken of in prophecy who was supposed to wipe out darkness and bring eternal light.  This man who took my heart, my body and my soul.  “Kindness-“ I spat out the word feeling the searing pain and tightening of the skin around the brand. My wrists aching from the restraints. I eased my arms back to give them relief.  He actually looked pained at the venom in my voice. I hated him for that. He knelt close to me “You know I never wanted this to happen.” He whispered and gently smoothed the hair away from my face. I cried out in pain and he quickly snatched his hand back. His familiar scent made my heart ache, but his rough hands burned into my skin reminding me of my hatred. That touch that I had once longed for now physically hurt me. I whimpered as the place he touched ached. My weakness fueled more anger in me. “Get away from me.” “It wasn’t supposed to be you. I told you not to listen to them. They made you evil. They changed your heart!” He pleaded with me still kneeling down at my level. "Please understand this is for your own good! We have to remove your markings to cut your ties to the Evil One and then you can be the person you used to be before they hurt you.""You are deluded. They protected me from people like you! How dare you call them evil when the only evil thing here is you!' "Oh, Lia, im so sorry for what you went through, but don't worry once we change those marks it will all be ok." I struggled against my bonds as my knees ached from kneeling. "You don't know what you are talking about. My bonds are deeper than some markings. No matter how hard you try to change me you cannot. What else could you possibly want from me?” I said weakly as the pain began to sap my strength “Forgiveness? Comfort? Assurance? Love? You gave those up a long time ago.”  “I had no choice! You know that!” “And neither did I!” We stared at each other now. Years of hurt and anger filling the space between us. “I will never forgive you. But it isn’t me you should beg. You signed your death warrant the second you touched me. He will come and you will bend your knee to him and beg for your death. You have never been half the man that he is and soon you will understand the great distance between you and him. Our connection cannot be broken and he will move heaven and earth to get to me. You think that your meager light would stop him? He would bring eternal darkness to save me.” He stood angrily throwing the iron against the wall and cursed loudly “So it’s true then.” disgust dripped from his voice “You let that — that dead thing touch you.” I grinned widely mocking him “Over and over again.” My vision exploded as he hit me across the face.  “Let him come. Ill destroy him piece by piece as you watch.” I watched him stalk away. I remembered the time when his presence brought us hope and joy. He was the one who would end wars and bring us peace. I was supposed to stand by his side as he united the realms. How can good be so evil? How can he justify the cruelty and bloodshed, the deaths and suffering of his people? They always said that the Realms of Light were good and fought for equality and justice and peace. The realms of Darkness were evil full of hatred deceit and suffering. But if thats true doesn't that mean that the Realms of Light have fallen?  Doesn't that mean that the Realms of Darkness are good? Didn't the Gods determine that the descendants of the Light Goddesses would be forever good and the descendants of the Daemons would be forever evil? What if it was always a lie? ================================================================