Rising From The Ashes

Chapter 2

He stepped in his wings dragging behind him . He sat besides me and motioned for me to eat . I didn't even bother to say anything I just looked at him and the food then looked away . Abruptly two fingers yanked my face to face him . "I'm not going to ask again" .he said then let go of my face . I reached and simply took one roll of bread then bit into it and chewed it slowly my mouth closed. The bread tasted warm but bland against my taste buds . I swallowed then took a sip of the water on the tray . "That's better" he said then took an apple off the tray and cut out a piece with the knife which was also on the tray . He motioned for me to open and like a good little girl I did and he shoved it in . I chewed it slowly as well . "Now I'm gonna ask again Ivelle. I suggest you be honest. Where were you the whole entire day today?" . "I was in my room" . He looked at me for a second . Probably trying to read my face . Looking for a single mistake but it was in vain. One thing life has taught me is that being a good liar is an asset. "Fine." his hand landed around my neck , wrapping around the flesh . Not hard enough to cut off my air supply but enough to leave a mark . I grunted at the sudden action ."If I find out your lying Ivelle that mark on your back...will feel like mercy" he said his voice dropping at the last four words . He pulled me towards him by my neck. His hand still wrapped around it . His face touching mine but his lips directly in front of my ear . "I suggest you sleep . You look tired for someone who was in their room" with those he placed a kiss on my cheek then exited. He used to do that when we were young .

The sun creeped into my room through the small gap between my curtains. I watched it as it happened. I didn't sleep that night . I tried but sleep wouldn't overcome me . I got up from the bed and went to the bathing room . Where a warm bath of water lay in the middle. I took off my evening gown and got in and lay there. I took a long bath . Mostly thinking about anything I could .

My relationship with my brother was fine before . When we were young we did everything together. Ate , cried , slept and even bathed .We were inseparable. When we turned 10 and my wings never grew and our mother was exiled in front of us we were together . Comforting each other . Well mostly me comforting him. He promised to be my protector. Swearing that whatever happened to mother he would never allow it to happen to me . I don't know why I never saw his protection slowly changing into an obsession about controlling me . Everything became clear to me when I first snuck out . I was 18 years of age . There was a festival in the middle of the kingdom. A festival of the blue moon. Cause on that one night the moon was blue . I was forbidden from going obviously. For my protection Theon claimed but I didn't listen . I snuck out and unfortunately for me I got caught sneaking back in. My punishment I thought would be a week with no food and no sunlight just like before.

flashback

"What were you thinking?" . I remained silent as I was looking at the floor . Chained to the floor both hands and feet . "Clearly you weren't". I couldn't look at him . My body frozen and shaking. My lips felt numb as they were trembling along with my body due to the water I was doused with earlier. My dress sticking to me like my own skin . I felt dirty and vulnerable. "Maybe this will teach you a lesson to not disobey your king next time" . In stepped a man whose face was covered with a black mask revealing only his eyes and mouth alone . And in his hand a rod with a shape of two broken wings at the tip . My mind was racing and fear over took me . That was a branding iron . And the broken wings were given to outcasts, traitors and defilers. I remember it because the day mother was exiled she was branded with one on her wings. I didn't have wings . Where were they gonna place that . Then it dawned on me . My eyes shot open and my face quickly flew to my brother who looked at me with nothing but complete evil . And my back was exposed perfectly for the brand. I tried to move but my body felt completely frozen in space . The shackles tying me down were heavy .Smoke coming from the iron as the man approached me . His eyes emotionless . He placed it against my skin , burning the flesh beneath it , leaving a permanent mark . I cried out in pain , my voice uncontrollable . My whole body paralyzed by pain . "Next time I suggest you do what you're told" with those he left me . Soon the man also exited leaving me alone in that very room . My screams sounding throughout the whole area . I felt broken, alone and weak . Tears streaming down my face like an uncontrollable waterfall. I kept pulling at the chains on the hands trying to break free .

flashback end

My skin felt tight and painful at the memory. I finished my bath and got dressed in a long dress with loosely off shoulders, trimmed bodice, black rough work fabric , long white underskirt, black overskirt and loose gathered sleeves. I put on black shoes then let my hair down

I strolled around the castle grounds, avoiding the maids of course. One thing I wasn't in the mood for today was being the centre of tiny stupid gossip. I arrived at the castle garden and found myself a tree just behind where the produce was kept and sat under it . "Princess" a female voice said from an approaching figure. "Leyna" the girl only a year younger than me and the only one willing to talk to me like I'm also Esperian. She landed besides me her wings folding behind her . Her dirt brown hair tied in a bun behind her head and her side bang fully revealed. , dressed up in leather pants , brown leather corset over her white undershirt. which had bishop sleeves and had brown leather gauntlets over the shirts wrists and on her feet leather boots. She sat besides me , placing the sword she was carrying besides her ."Glad to see you outside for once" . "Please you make it sound like I never get out of my room ." I said facing her . Her face looking dirty from probably training all morning. Leyna is a soldier in the kings royal guard . It's how we met . "Well isn't that what you do lately?" . It was actually what I did . Well permitted to do. Unlike today , usually Theon assigns guards to stand watch outside my door every now and then . And those guards have only one order and that is to make sure I don't leave .