The Blood King

Chapter 20

Neytiri

It's torture, really. Sitting here in the dark having my memories come back to me one by miserable one. I can remember my childhood. Friends that I watched die in the center of my home world. Family that was killed in front of me, in the worst of ways. And thinking back to Gran's death, I can't help but wonder if fate had a hand in the way she died.

I remember clearly the Dragonborn coming from the skies and burning our way of life with their breath of fire. I can remember seeing my people burn. I can remember it all. Clearly. But what tortures me the most is the death of my mother and brother. Because I know the man that took their lives. The same man that I thought of as my only friend. And yet, he spared me.

Even now he is the only one that has told me any semblance of the truth about my past and how it ties in with Cassian. I can only wonder why?

I keep my head down, but I can hear footsteps. More than one person. I also hear the familiar cling of metal. It must be the guards. I keep my head down as the sound ceases when they finally reach me.

"Cassian wishes for you to join him," I recognize the voice as Ulric. The guard that replaced Caius on our travels. I take note that there are men on either side of him. I let out a bitter laugh looking up.

"And if I refuse?" I ask. Immediately the guards on either side of him pulls their swords out from its sheath. He holds his hand up stopping them. I narrow my gaze.

"I don't want to be the one to force you if you refuse, Neytiri," he says. I finally look up, mustering all the hate I can. I spit at his feet.

"I refuse."

* * * * *

More chains. As if my degradation wasn't enough, they added them around my throat. But I guess I can't blame them seeing as I head-butted one guard and bit another.

After the fight of my life, Ulric and the guards forced me into a room where the servants washed me and dressed me in clothes that are inappropriate to roam the castle. They also fixed up my hair, pinning the wild curls out of my face. All the while my hands were chained rendering me helpless.

And now here I am, atop the king's bed, forced to my knees with chains holding me steadily in place. I flinch as the doors to the far side of the room are pushed open, and in comes the center of all my nightmares. Cassian.

My breath catches in my throat. I didn't realize how much I missed his face while I was down there hating myself and him. I hate the conflicting feeling that I have as I watch him cross the room. Then I remember all the horrible things he has done, and all of my hatred comes back to the surface.

He finally glances my way, and his gaze sends a cold shiver down my spine. His face is solid and emotionless, until a smile cracks his lips. A condescending smile.

"Don't look at me like that. You're making my heart ache," he says jokingly. He continues crossing the room and looks away from me. He makes his way to the candles on the walls, and lights them with only his hands. He still doesn't speak. He only watches me. Cold and calculating. Nothing like the king he was when I first arrived.

He takes a seat next to the bed, and tilts his gaze at me. My muscles react the moment I lay eyes on him. I lunge at him, but the chains are just long enough to stop me from reaching him. He doesn't even flinch. He just watches me with disinterest and irritation.

He watches me struggle, until all of my energy runs out, and I fall to my knees, trying to catch my breath.

"Don't bother trying to fight with me, you won't have your normal strength back for at least another week. And besides. Those are Rodrog steel," he says lightly pulling on the chains. My heart is filled with so many emotions right now. He took everything from me. And I don't mean just my virtue. He took my home, my family, my people, my freedom, and after he took my virtue for my power to control, he threw me in the dungeons.