Evelda pressed her hands together over her abdomen and prayed Talita would forgive her. After all…she had no choice but to answer, and to answer honestly.
“If I had to describe Talita…the word gentle comes to mind.”
“Oh? Why?”
She flinched when he turned to face her as well. Evelda would be damned if she looked up into those demonic eyes. Just one more sudden movement or snarl from the demon and she might faint. Her nerves were that shot.
“Talita has always been very kind and gentle. To everyone. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. Despite being heir to Douma she has always insisted on doing the same chores as everyone else. Her hands are as course as mine.”
“Admirable.” If only he’d look away…his gaze was so intense she felt it weighing down on the top of her coppery head. “Go on?”
“She is beautiful of course but some pretty pebbles can be hollow or rotten when pressed between your hands. That’s not Talita. She’s just as lovely inside as she is out. She has never looked down on me for being a peasant girl with no family or prospects.” Evelda smiled sadly, her guilt twisting in her chest. “When I was 7 I nearly died I was so ill. She brought me some of her food every day because I was too weak to make it to the great hall. I owe her my life…and…she’s the first friend I ever made.”
“I see.” He finally looked away, once again watching the blonde beauty busy herself with the loom rather than acknowledge his scrutiny. “A true Lady.” He seemed to mull something over. With the angle of her eyeline she saw his hands slide out of his cloak, one holding a scroll and the other a quill. “Definitely one to consider.”
Her hazel eyes followed the path of the scroll and quill, lifting her chin to keep the items in her sight. He opened the scroll and she saw it to be empty.
That was, until he wrote the name ‘Talita Bryne’ at the top of the parchment. He then jotted some notes, no doubt a summary of what she had told him to remind himself of later, before returning both scroll and quill to his robe. And just like that…Talita was on his shortlist.
It took her a few moments to realise they were staring at each other. By lifting her head to watch her friend’s name scrawled onto the paper, she’d opened her gaze up to his. Now however she couldn’t tear her eyes from his. He was seeing her true feelings in her hazel eyes. Horror, fear, self-loathing, and remorse. “I am done with you for the day. My familiars will repair your dwelling tonight, so sleep elsewhere. I will collect you at my convenience tomorrow.”
And just like that the demon Lord Turuk turned on his heels, his cloak flaring behind him as he walked directly into the shadow of a tree…and vanished through it…
The thought that he could disappear through a shadow as easily as that made her wary of all dark corners. Could he emerge as quickly as well?
“Evelda!” She didn’t react to her own name at first. Her hazel eyes were still transfixed on the tree’s shadow, like she didn’t trust that he was truly gone. It was only when Valdis grabbed her biceps and swung her around to face her, that Evelda broke out of her trance. “Evelda? Are you…ok?”
“Am…I…no. No I don’t think…” Valdis pushed her trembling friend into her bosom and embraced her tightly.
“It’s ok. He’s gone now. You’re so brave Evelda. You’re ok now.” Valdis rubbed her back and soothed her like an injured babe. “Damn that Demon. It’s bad enough he frightened the living daylights from you in the forest, but now he hones straight in on you on the first day he comes to ‘inspect the female masses’?!? How cruel.”
…I can’t even tell Valdis why he was talking to me…or why he will talk to me every day until he chooses a bride…I’m his property. His underling until the dirty deed is done.
Unable to voice any of this, Evelda just clung to her friend and sobbed. A moment later another pair of hands pulled her long coppery hair back and stroked it.
“Come and sit with us Evelda. I’ve sent a runner for some wine to steel your nerves. Poor dear. Did the demon threaten you?” Evelda lifted her head up from Valdis to look into the worried green eyes of the lovely Talita.
The friend she’d put on Turuk’s shortlist. Guilt tore more tears from her, but she allowed her two friends to walk her over to the nearest set of stools and push her down into one. “Come now. It’s over Evelda.” Talita pulled a soft cotton hanky from her sleeve and wiped the redhead’s face so tenderly, it was motherly in nature. “Now come on. You’re safe now and with your friends.”
“Here, take this for next time.” Valdis took one of Evelda’s hands and pressed something into it. “I was saving it for Anor, but you need it more than me.” As Evelda lifted her hand up for inspection Talita gasped and swiped the object from her hand.
“Are
you crazy?!” Talita shoved a small
breast dagger back into Valdis’ hands and chided her. “Giving Evelda a weapon?
How will that help her?”
“Obviously, so she can defend herself?” Valdis rolled her icy blue eyes and
returned the breast dagger to its seat in her bountiful cleavage beneath her
red dress. “The idea was that the next time he grabbed her like that she could-”
“Get herself killed?!”
Evelda was still in shock as the two argued at either side of her. Her hands had grabbed the pendant and the urge to tear it from her neck was great. If only he wouldn’t sense it and come to exact his wrath if she did so. Instead, she shoved the amulet down her new green dress and waited for her friends to stop bickering. “Really Valdis? How is a tiny dagger supposed to protect anyone from a Demon like Turuk?”
“Better to fight than roll over.”
“Better to live another day than die needlessly.” Talita huffed, much wiser than her two friends combined, and returned her worried gaze to Evelda. Just in time too, as a tankard of wine arrived with a little girl. “Thank you sweetie.” The girl ran off, afraid of Evelda, and Talita pressed the tankard into the redhead’s hands. “Now drink this. All of it mind you.” When Evelda didn’t move, a shell of herself still, Valdis cupped her hands around hers and lifted the tankard to her lips.
“You’ll feel much better once you’ve got warm cheeks Evelda. Come on now. Look, you’ve even got me worried now.”
Once the wine touched her lips she let the cool rich liquid pour into her mouth. What started as a reflex became urgent. The idea of numbing herself from her fear was rather appealing after that ordeal. She lifted the tankard back and started to chug the wine back. “There you go.”
“Well you could have taken a bit more time than-well alright then.” Evelda handed the empty tankard to Talita, who sighed sadly and placed it on the grassy floor by her feet. “Now…do you think you’d be up to telling us what happened?”
“Why are you asking me that?” Evelda finally looked Talita in her eyes, and resented the false ignorance her friend was portraying. “You saw me say your name. You know he asked me about you.” Her voice had an edge of bitterness. But it faltered when Talita’s green eyes watered.
“I…had
hoped I’d misread your lips.” Feeling guiltier than ever for taking her
frustration out on the woman she’d turned into a victim, Evelda grabbed the
blonde’s hands.
“I had no choice. Once he’d finished asking me questions about my parents and
what my role in the village was, he asked about you. I tried not to tell
him…but…”
“That’s when he grabbed you.” Valdis connected the dots and scowled. “That’s why. Bastard.”
“You had no choice.” Talita sniffled but smiled through her utter horror. “I don’t blame you, so stop looking at me like that. I expected him to be interested in me regardless.” She shrugged, very out of character, and then sighed. “I’m a Bryne daughter. He asked for a Bryne woman last time and was denied. Both my parents have accepted the fact that I am likely to be chosen…already they morn me and I’ve not left yet.” A genteel woman like Talita didn’t break down sobbing like Evelda did. She kept her composure even as one tear escaped down her cheek. One elegant swipe of her hand and even the tear had gone. “Worry not Evelda. I’m only sorry he went after information about me through you.”
“So he asked you questions too?” Valdis cut in, taking both of their attention. “He wrote something on a scroll. What did he write?”
“I think it’s a list.” Evelda cleared her throat and rubbed her eyes with her hands again. Her eyes and cheeks looked raw, but she didn’t care anymore.
“And he put your names on it.” Valdis, ever calculating shook her head. “Day one and he already has two of us on his hit list.”
A heavy silence hung between them. Evelda couldn’t find the strength to tell them that her name wasn’t on that list. Because then they might call into question why he was talking to her if she wasn’t a potential bride. Those were questions she couldn’t answer.
Her life depended on the fact that she didn’t. As much as she trusted
Valdis and Talita, the last thing she could afford was to be overheard, or for
either of the girls to be overheard talking about it. Chieftain Bryne was the
only one who knew about her servitude to the Demon…and he wasn’t exactly
someone she could confide in or talk to. In this…she was alone.
They busied themselves with chores for the rest of the day. Evelda transferred her frustrations into grinding the grain into flour and later they all helped to prepare for the evening meal. All talk was short and light, none of the trio wanting to talk of the demon any more than the village did.
As Evelda sat on her end seat by the draughty main doors, she felt her resentment growing. The people of Douma were celebrating yet another feast. Brought about in reward for Evelda’s torturous servitude, and none of them even knew it. Even the chief looked rather pleased with himself as he gnawed a large chicken leg. They laughed, got merry on wine, and stuffed their faces with glee. If she hadn’t been so hungry Evelda would have lost her appetite watching them all.
It’s all well and good for all of you. She thought bitterly as she chomped on a block of cheese. You just reap the rewards. I’m the one who has to stand beside a demon lord and risk my life every day. I’m the one who has to tell him about your daughters. I’ll be the one you blame if you ever found out what I was being forced to do.
Once her plate was empty she stood without excusing herself and pushed past the main doors to the hall. She headed straight home and broke into tears before she’d even dropped to her hay bed. This is so unfair. What did I do to deserve this? So I ate some wild mushrooms? So what?! There wasn’t a sodding sign there saying ‘property of a terrifying demon, don’t touch’. I was so hungry I just…I just…
Evelda lowered to lay on her straw bed and pulled her old dresses up and over herself with her one wolf pelt. The miserable woman cried herself to sleep yet again, unsure how she’d manage another day like today. She held her shoulder and could still feel the pressure from where Turuk had placed his hand. Invading her personal space to display his dominance and his displeasure.
God, his presence was terrifying enough. His touch was another level of frightening. At all costs, she had to avoid angering him again. A Demon could break a human man in half with one hand. Imagine what he could do to a little waif like her?
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