The Kept

The Palace

Nerys awoke to a lush white canopy above her head. The effects of the poison cocktail had not yet worn off, and she mistook it for the ceiling of her bunk. She rolled over expecting to see Kalea in the bed opposite her. Instead she found a lavish bedchamber. She sat up and retched into a large copper vase that stood beside her bed. When the heaving subsided, she steadied herself and examined her surroundings.

The bed was dressed in a white down blanket with orange, red, and gold pillows. The room was sparsely furnished. A small table, set with a simple bouquet, a plate of food, a pitcher and a goblet, was placed between a pair of couches that sat before a great fireplace. Despite the cozy arrangement, she was quite clearly imprisoned.

The door was locked from the outside, and the chamber was empty of anything that could be used a weapon. Inspection of the ornately carved wooden screen over the room's only window revealed that it was reinforced by cleverly disguised metal bars. The screen didn't offer much of a view, but she could just see the moon peeking out from behind dark clouds.

The locks outside clicked and the door creaked open as five women entered the room. No one spoke while they prodded her through wide halls to a pillared room that glowed with the light of hundreds of candles. In the center lay a wide pool where at least a hundred flower heads floated in the steaming water. Although accustomed to a total lack of privacy in the Esidiem, Nerys was startled when the women began undressing her.

She tried to push them away, but found that she could only manage to weakly flop her arms in a protest that went completely ignored. She finally gave in and tolerated the discomfort, mentally retreating as the women thoroughly scrubbed the dirt, blood, and a few layers of skin from her body. Job done, they pulled at her hands to guide her from the bath.

"I need a moment," Nerys resisted.

The women looked uncertainly at each other.

"Leave her be," the Prince said.

Nerys's flesh strained inward at the sound of his voice, as though trying to fold in on itself and disappear. The women retreated into shadows between the pillars.

"I'm a little under dressed for drinks," she said. "You'll have to poison me another time." With nothing but her thoughts concealed from the prince, she relied on her capacity for snide remarks to shield herself.

"It was a sedative, not poison," he said.

"Oh, well that makes it better."

Nerys closed her eyes and leaned back into the water, leaving just her face floating on the surface like a mask among the flowers. His reply was a barrage of muffled vibrations. Taking deep, slow breaths, she tried to focus her thoughts. What was she going to do? She exhaled and allowed her body to sink to the bottom of the pool. She had to escape, this much was certain. To do so, she would need to figure out the lay of the castle, the patterns of the guards, and single out any potential allies.

This final task would likely prove to be nearly impossible. Prince Gereon's twin brother, Dadien, had left the palace and begun gathering supporters in opposition to Gereon being named heir to the kingdom. The matter of which brother should be crowned was a popular subject of debate. With the kingdom divided, anyone of questionable loyalty was sure to have already been expelled from the palace.

As she thought of the prince's response to disloyalty, Kalea's lifeless face drifted across Nerys's consciousness. In the still, airless peace, she embraced the pain and guilt that she had been trying to resist. Her thoughts were interrupted by an iron grip wrenching her up out of the water.

Gereon stood in the waist-deep water holding Nerys roughly by the arms. His fine features were screwed up in fury, and his sodden clothes clung limply to his frame.