“Master?”
“I have watched them for quite some time now, and they hardly talk to one another. Look how tense they are?”
Well, obviously. They know you’re staring at them and deciding their futures. I’m bloody tense and I’m right next to you. “I think they will be themselves if they believe I am not watching them. Truly themselves.”
“I don’t understand?”
Turuk bowed his head and cleared his throat. She knew what he wanted. With all her courage Evelda made herself step closer to the shadow lord and turned her ear to him. With a hushed voice he continued.
“I will come to you tonight in the form of a cat. You will take me with you to the main hall where you have your evening feast. You will remain there until I instruct you to leave, so I might observe your women as they make merry. As they are naturally and truly themselves.” She opened her mouth to beg him not to. “You will tell no one of this plan of mine. Or you will be dearly sorry. Do you understand Evelda?”
“MMm hmm.” She squeaked.
“You must speak for the amulet to-”
“Y-yes. Yes Master.”
“Good.” He craned back to his full height and chuckled at her. “Until later, then.”
Evelda stood there and watched as Turuk strode away from her and towards the treeline of Skygget forest. He vanished as soon as he stepped into the darkness of the canopy.
“Evelda.” She yelped with fright and span round on her heels, only to find it was Valdis who startled her. “Evelda it’s me.”
“Oh Valdis. I thought he’d come back.” the redhead held her chest and felt her heart hammering beneath the surface. Only the fence separated the two friends. Valdis reached over the fence and cupped her face.
“Get over here.” Evelda nodded and unceremoniously climbed over the fence and dropped down beside her friend. “Come with me and tell me all about it.” they hooked arms, and Evelda wished she could confide in her friend. She truly wished it. But alas, she couldn’t.
In fact as she sat down with Valdis at the long table with many trays filling up with brooches and necklaces, she found herself face to face with Freydis. Her guilt increased tenfold and she looked to the girl sadly. “What did that brute want with you this time?”
“He asked more questions.”
“About?” Valdis pressed, busying her hands once more with threading beads onto a cord.
“Yes do tell us.” Freydis added. Oh the curiously that twinkled in her big brown eyes. if only she knew…
“He erm, asked about what Douma women are like.” Technically true. One thing Evelda had to watch out for was the fact she was still wearing the pendent beneath her brown dress. Turuk had told her never to remove it, but it meant she was bound to tell the truth at all times. “I really don’t want to talk about him.”
“Oh it must be awful to be hounded so?” Freydis looked left and right, and once she was confident they were safe, she pulled a flask from her lap under the table. “Here. I swiped this from my brother this morning. Drink.”
“I am such a bad influence on you.” Valdis spoke with a smirk. “I’ll be having some of that next.” Joy beamed on Freydis’ face. Going up in Valdis’ good opinion meant a lot to her. “But you will not.”
“Oh.” She pouted.
Evelda threw a mouthful of heavy wine back and gasped as she handed the flask to Valdis. Eager to block out her fear of tonight, she grabbed a cord and began threading various yellow and black beads onto it.
Evelda allowed Valdis and Freydis to dominate the conversation as they worked. Mainly some back and forth about Anor and the postponed wedding. Obviously Freydis was eager for it to go ahead so she’d gain a sister. Valdis however didn’t bother to tame her distain towards her ‘fiancé’, even with his sister present. Of course, being a dutiful sister Freydis defended him, but mainly she spoke of how lovely it would be to be a family.
Evelda stared down at her beads, wishing she could feel a part of the domestic conversation. But she could not. All she could think about was guilt as she threaded beads onto finely woven thread as her evening engagement. The deception she would be an accessory to.
Sooner than she would have liked the work hours were over, and people started to return to their homes to complete chores and rest before the evening meal. This allowed Evelda to make her excuses and leave Valdis and her probing questions to the sanctuary of her new home. As she walked through the streets she noticed that her home wasn’t the only one that the deathly familiars had repaired last night. It was odd to see condemned and abandoned buildings she’d walked past every day look so brand new. People were already moving their belongings into the new dwellings with glee. Apparently Bryne and his second had allocated a list of names to correctly and fairly allocate the rehousing of Douma.
Thankfully her home hadn’t been assigned to anyone else, so her belongings were still inside when she pushed the door open. Perhaps Turuk told the chief about her home being repaired for her last night, and therefore they didn’t dare give it to anyone else? Evelda would never know.
She stepped out of her boots and climbed up onto the bed. In a few hours Turuk would come to her. She hoped the monster was already in his feline form. Those eyes haunted her, as did his towering presence. To date he hadn’t raised his icy voice to her, and yet she felt her heart might stop if he did. His tone was so…penetrating. It cut into her like shards of glass when he was angry. Which appeared to be most of the time…
Evelda cast her hazel eyes around her luxurious log cabin and knew that without Turuk’s influence this place would have been given to a larger family to reside in.
She flexed her toes against the wolf pelt on the floor by her bed and sighed. The fact that Turuk already had three names on his list meant he was closer to selecting his ‘brides’ and getting the hell out of her life. She should be pleased with his progress. He apparently wasn’t wasting any time, with his intention to return tonight.
But…the women on his list were her friends. Even Freydis didn’t deserve to be carted off into the depths of Skygget forest to wed a shadow master. The Demon Lord Turuk. Evelda shuddered. If anyone found out just how much she was being forced to help the demon to select his sacrifices, she’d be killed. She just knew it.
The memory of how Anor looked at her this morning appeared in her mind. if he found out that I’d told Turuk about both Valdis and Freydis he’d have me torn apart and gutted. It doesn’t matter that I have no choice.
Evelda felt her stomach rumble and remembered the kitchen area to the right of the fireplace. She opened the cupboard and found a loaf of bread, a large lump of cheese and even a gourd. She removed the cap and smelt the trademark sweet fragrance of mead. Her stomach gave another growl and she eagerly retreated to her bed with half a loaf, a clump of cheese the size of her fist, and the gourd.
As she chomped through the food and washed it down with mead, she thought more of her predicament. The food she was swallowing down eagerly came from the very demon she feared. Douma was reaping the reward of her daily torment as the demon’s slave. The long term benefits came from the deal the chieftain made with Turuk. All immediate and lifesaving aid came from her deal to be his servant. A deal she had no choice but to agree to…stupid mushrooms.
Once her belly was full she sighed. There were no chores to do for now, as her home had been fully stocked and was eerily clean. She hadn’t been assigned to field work as she was ‘already employed’, and both Talita and Valdis would be busy. So she laid back on her bed and sighed.
Well, at least when I’m not scared out of my mind next to Turuk, and waiting for my clansmen to realise how much of a pawn I am, I can sleep on a comfy bed.
The thought of sleeping was actually rather…nice…
Evelda turned onto her side on the soft pelt covers and nuzzled a soft stuffed linen pillow with her cheek. That would restore her aching body and shot nerves, surely?
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