2: The dream
497 Words
Darkness surrounds me for the first time in a long time. Familiar voices reach my delicate ears. I quite my already shallow breathing.
"My king, are you certain publicly beating her will bring forth the desired outcome?" The sickly sweet voice of Myrah, father's concubine, reached my tender ears.
"Of course he is certain! You've seen the shadows that follow her everywhere she goes! We have to see what she is hiding!" Father's advisor.
Father never spoke, his advisor spoke for him. Gritting my teeth I run. One face surfaces from the depths of my memory. One that has always comforted me in times of need.Black hair flowing past his waist, piercing ice blue eyes, one hand reaching out to me, causing me to run faster, but he never gets closer.
"Please don't leave me!" Reaching out I scream.
A hand closes around the tender skin of my neck. Squeezing enough to reduce my air supply dragging me back further and further from my goal. Soon enough my wrists were bound to posts, along with my ankles, forcing me upright. A raspy voice filled my muddled brain. The threats yelled in my face didn't phase me nor did the pain from the lashings. Worse has been forced upon my body.
My mentor, Alistair Barron, did not look me in the eye. It was for the best. He shouldn't see his student this way. Broken and bruised with no fight left.
I am truly sorry, Master Barron, that you must witness the punishment bestowed upon myself like this. I shall do better to avoid this outcome of my actions in the future. The link I created between us drained my magical energy.
For a moment, he seemed to pity me. With a stone expression his gaze rose. Steely and determined he walked forward from the crowd. The gaze he cast on my father was one of masked respect. " Your Majesty, that is quite enough. I do not wish to be tending to wounds rather than teaching the lesson I had planned."
Everything stopped. Everyone fell silent. Thus far no one other than myself had ever stood up to my father in this way. The quiet lasted but a moment before the c***k of the whip could be heard again. Tensing for the blow I wait. But the sting never came. I open my eyes and see that Alistair had a long thin trail of blood under his left eye. Shock, worry, fear, then realization damaged across his perfect face.
Darkness stirred within me, for the second time in my life, I could not control it. The shadowy depths took over.
- Writer
