The Substitute Hostage

An agonising scream echoed through a shoddy room in the back of the castle. It was filled with pain and turmoil but no one paid attention to the plea. Villard dragged her hands forward to stop them, anything, whatever they were doing, was going to kill her. Unfamiliar hands held her in place and she screamed more, thrashing about and the water they forced her in was being knocked out of the huge tub.   "Filthy thing, stay still," came that condescending voice above that held her hair in a tight grip. Villard was immobilized by the huge clunk of chains that were around her wrists.  She struggled against them but they dug into her skin. She fought against all the restrictions against her but it was of no use. The woman above her seethed and pulled her head back almost breaking her neck against the collar that was already mending into her skin. Blood seeped down her face in an aghast manner from the wound this very woman put on her forehead. She felt faint and everything was spinning but the anger coursing through her couldn't be mistaken. She wasn't going to take this lying down. She refused to be killed by Avarions, anyone but Avarions.   "If you know what's good for you, you will stay still," The woman's grey eyes shone down at her in disgust as she pushed Villard's scrawny dirty body down in the wooden bath more. Villard's dusty tattered clothes were drenched. They hung off her dirty skin and almost slipped off her shoulders and breast exposing the plump flesh underneath.   "If it wasn't for your majesty's order, you think you would ever be able to grace my presence," The woman leaned down and lifted large golden scissors. Villard's eyes widened. The hands-on her arms tightened to a blood stopping clench. The scissors snapped in her face then lit up with luminous majestic blue magic. It filled the dank dusty room like a glowing orb. It swirled around the blades of the scissors, like water but Villard could only stare in horror. It illuminated her purple eyes that were covered in grime and years of dirt.    It was Hacriz Magic.  "Be grateful that you have some use, " The woman shoved the scissors to her neck like she was going to pierce it. She snapped the big metal chains off Villard's neck and it fell to the floor causing dust to rise bountifully in the other direction. The woman's white hair streaming like silk behind her back brushed against Villard's face. She moved swiftly to another side with distaste lodged in her throat. She snapped the other chain off the collar and it fell like an anchor into the water causing a big splash when it landed on the ground wetting the floor.  "Now," More hands reached forward and gripped Villard's neck, more like the collar. Villard couldn't tell the difference. The chains around her wrists were pulled tight stretching her arms into a T- shape completely. She felt like her hands were going to be pulled out of their sockets. Fingers sunk into the metal then pulled. She jerked back when the pain coiled through her whole body and wrenched a cry out of her already hoarse throat. They pulled like they were hell-bent on drawing her soul out of her core. Villard thrashed and thrashed but they pulled the collar mercilessly trying to separate it from her skin. She is almost wretched on the floor.  Her eyes rolled back from the immense suffering wrecking her being. The collar separated like spikes being drawn out of flesh. It snapped off her neck with more effort then fell to the floor in a useless heap. Villard drooped backwards drained of all the fight in her but she swore she was going to kill everyone in this room, every single one and their families, none was going to be spared. She moved her hazing eyes to stare at the woman who was causing all of this. She was smiling as she stared down at her like she was looking at the dust on her shoes. Blood poured out of Villard's neck and the skin was gone leaving only the red, raw dermis to be displayed. The woman walked forward more and stood in front of Villard. She was close enough that Villard could reach forward and shove her hands through her stomach but nothing was left in her to move even a finger. The woman moved forward and gripped Villard's aching neck.   "You're quite a beast for a Levarion," The woman chuckled but no amusement was reflected in her eyes, "but don't worry, you'll be right at home."  A creepy smile graced the woman's lips, "Because you're about to be sold to one,"  Villard shallowly placed a smile on her lips too then spat in the woman's face. A slap rang out through the room and across Villard's cheek.   "You f*****g-,"   Villard laughed menacingly then blacked out.                                                                                                                                                  - ━━━━━━ஜ۩۞۩ஜ━━━━━━━ "Are you really going through with this your majesty?" came a deep male voice that was seeped in fear. The voice broke through Villard's blank consciousness causing her to twitch. Her whole body ached. Every muscle in her being protested when she tried to move. The hard cold floor was uncomfortable and it chilled her skin. She couldn't even open her eyes to see where she was. Her memory was foggy but she definitely knew her neck felt free. "What other choice do we have you fool?" Another voice replied. It was deeper and sounded much older. Villard furrowed her brows in confusion. "Will this work? What if he notices she isn't Elvalian Royalty? That means war father!" "Then what other plan do you have! Do you really want to give your sister to that savage!" The response darkened the atmosphere completely. Not another word came from the other person in the room. Footsteps vibrated through the floor to her ears and hands suddenly sunk into her shoulders. Villard groaned lifting her hands to move away from the painful clutches but she was shoved down and restrained. She couldn't even struggle with how much force they were holding her down with. Her collarbones dug into the harsh stone ground. Will this ever end?  "Lift her," The voice was authoritative and cold. Villard was dragged up to her knees. She was forced to sit upright and her head was snapped back to look at a man with long silky beautiful silver hair. It moved like silk blowing to touch his cheeks and his lips then flowed back to reveal his whole face. Villard's expression immediately darkened into anger. Alvarion. Only Alvarions boasted purple eyes, bright purple eyes. That's what her mother said in passing when she was alive, sitting in that prison. "It's still amazing," The elf's lips moved. He stepped closer and peered down at her. His fair pale skin shone in the light that filtered throughout the large room. Villard shifted her eyes around. She wasn't admiring its beauty or the golden ornaments that filled it but the doors. The windows were too high for her to reach. Everywhere was a wall and only an arched type of door stood at the left far end of the room. She noticed they stood in the middle of it and a guard decked out in full silver armour stood straight, like statues.  Every detail was taken in. She scanned but nothing, no means of escape could be seen. Pale long bony fingers wrapped around her chin and shifted her head back to those imploring purple eyes. Villard stayed stock still. Her only option was magic but magic was not her strong suit. Her mother barely taught her anything. She was too weak to and the only thing Villard could hear was, "Alvarion bastards." "Your eyes are magnificent,"  Door, windows, guards. The grip on her chin tightened and the elf leaned down carrying his other hand up to brush against her eyelashes. Villard's thoughts shifted back and she took in how close he was to her. He was close enough where she could bite off his face. Four guards, the door was locked and this bastard. He was the most dangerous. She could feel it. It was charging the air and stung her skin. The purest form she's ever felt. It seeped into her blood and made her want to push back. This was on purpose. He knew her magic was the complete opposite of his own. He tilted her head back. "That dog will definitely take you, no matter how smart those beasts claim to be they'll never see through this one," Villard scraped her fingernails across the floor and clenched her hands into fists.  He titled his head back and looked down at Villard condescendingly. His purple eyes shone with imperiousness. A creepy smile landed on the elf's lips. "Now criminal, how would you like to make a deal with an Elvalian King?"