Hybern's Heiress (Shadowsinger Love Story)

Two

[Author's Note: WARNING! Mild dark chapter ahead with a mention of an almost sexual abuse and violence. Like I said, it is mild and not even detailed in any way. But I'd rather be safe and leave a trigger warning here. If you're highly sensitive with these things and if these chapter can trigger you, I suggest not to read. Consider yourself warned.]

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Her glamour remained intact, keeping her real form buried under that lesser faerie's appearance. So was her mind shield, even when she was unconscious. When she woke up in that dark prison cell, her hands shackled with a magic dampener and not knowing the fate of her boy, she wanted to cry and shatter completely.

But she didn't.

She knew how tough this life was, and she wouldn't give her enemies the satisfaction of seeing her vulnerable. She remained still in the darkness of her prison, hoping to Mother that her Thamrin was shown mercy despite his association with her.

Arwen was ready for whatever torment the Night Court, or any court for that matter, had for her in store. She was ready to die, accepting it as her fate at the cost of being the flesh and blood of the most cruel tyranny in the bloodiest history of Prythian.

But if they found out how much Thamrin meant for her, they would no doubt hurt him to hurt her-and that is something that she couldn't bear. It would destroy her completely.

So days gone by, weeks, maybe months, she didn't know. Arwen remained a living stone of a prisoner. She never utter a word, never cried once, nor breaking, no matter how much they taunted her. No matter how scared she was, her expression remained a perfect, unfeeling mask.

She thanked the Mother that her capturers never hurt her again physically, for a reason that she couldn't comprehend, though that didn't stop Rhysand from trying once in a while in an attempt to break her mind.

Her soul and strength withered slowly in that cage, but she forced herself to eat a little everyday for the hope of maybe seeing her son again someday. Her magic faltered; in the darkness she could feel her glamour slipping away. Inky black hair that once glow now matted with dirt. Pearly, otherwise pale complexion blanched from the lack of sunlight and nourishment. Her true form began showing-

Well, her worse for wear true form.

But one thing she refused to give away: her mind shield. She'd do anything to keep her father's enemy from gaining over her and break that one last defense she had.

Thamrin, she uttered the name as a prayer in her heart to anyone who would answer. To protect him wherever the innocent child was.

The door to her cell suddenly open. Two guards came not to drop her meal like they used to do, but rather to drag her out of her cell. Lacking energy, she didn't struggle. Her toes sliding against the cold black marble as they dragged her by her arms, head lolled forward and her long, inky black strands covering her once full and glowing face.

Once she opened her azure eyes again, she was met with a grinning, mocking face.

"Well well well, so the stories are true," murmured Keir, the Steward of the Court of Nightmare and the chief of the damned Hewn city, "Hybern did have a beautiful daughter. Tell me, my lady, why glamour such a pretty face?"

A series of barking laugh entered her ears. Disgust filled her when she saw the way the wicked male eyed her. She said nothing in answer, still refusing to talk.

"I heard the High Lord is having trouble breaking you," he purred to her ear, "You see, I'm going to prove my loyalty by cracking you open myself," a wicked grin, "Hell, you might as well enjoy the process."