Chapter 73: New Cage

 

Princess Emeline’s hands shook as she held the small vial in her hand. She could feel her heart hammering against her chest. She cast her gaze up to her mother who was limp in the chair opposite her. She could see a vial similar to the one in her cold limp hands. Then she heard a gurgle from her chest and she looked down to see her infant son. His baby brown eyes looked up at her, filled with innocence. Again Emeline turned her gaze to the vial of poison in her hands. She looked to her right and saw her younger sister staring at her, eyes wide in terror. 

The plan was for her to feed it to her infant son first then to her dear sister and finally she would drink a vial last. She knew this was the wise thing to do. If they were captured by the soldiers from Tralis they would be wishing for death before long. Then she felt her son’s grasp on the front of her dress, she looked down to see him looking at her breast intently. He was hungry…

Emeline let out a choked sob before screaming and hurling the vial across the room, shattering it across the wall. Her son began to cry after being frightened by her outburst and she instinctively began to soothe him. Almost robotically she pulled down the front of her dress and started to nurse him. 

“Big sister…” Emeline heard her younger sister say shakily from the side.

“Princess…” Emeline heard her one remaining attendant say from her position at the south side window.

Emeline could hear the sounds of battle raging downstairs. The soldiers of Tralis had breached the Beralis walls hours ago. They were now looting and raping their way across the city. There were still some pockets of resistance but those would fall as well soon…

Resistance was not that surprising, every city had wives and daughters. Tralis had a reputation for brutalising girls and taking them as spoils of war. The only comfort she could draw from this whole thing was that Heaven would eventually step in and burn Tralis to the ground. A few hundred years ago Tralis was formed from the corpse of the old nation. The fools had ended up burning most of the historical records in their looting, that meant the bandits and mercenaries that took power had no idea what would happen if they went down this path.

As for the other nations they weren’t exactly eager to enlighten them. Honestly, even if they did tell Tralis, Emeline doubts they would have listened. Most individuals who rise to power from low birth tend to go mad with power.

“We don’t have much time Princess.” the attendant said as she cast her gaze out of the window. 

Emeline shakily stood up as she walked over to the window. She looked down to see Tralis soldiers loitering downstairs in the great square. They were already in the castle, no doubt looking for her and her sister. 

She cast her gaze up to the night sky and saw the glittering stars above. Her family has chosen the tallest spire to commit suicide because it was closest to Heaven. A stupid and arbituary choice but it was the best they could come up with in the circumstances. 

Emeline shifted her gaze to the attendant and saw no fear in her sterling eyes. Her gaze was calm as a still lake. In truth Emeline has no idea who this woman was, she had never seen her before. Then again she didn’t remember most of her attendants, for most of her life she never bothered to pay any attention to those of lower social station.

Then she saw the attendant’s gaze shift to the door and Emeline turned her gaze to the door as well. At first she heard nothing, then she heard the sound of armoured footfalls. She felt a lump in her throat and her blood turned to ice. Her eyes darted to the shattered remains of the vial on the floor. In a panic she rushed towards her sister and grabbed her hand. She backed off the far side of the room and she looked out the north side window. While the other window was overlooking the city, this one was overlooking the wilderness north of the city.

Perhaps she could jump?

Just shut her eyes and leap from the edge? It would be quick, she would die the moment she hit the ground…

Emeline tearfully looked down at her son that was now half asleep against her bare breast. She turned to look at her sister and she felt the wrenching pain in her chest. She couldn’t do it… she was a coward…

She felt the tears fall as she realised what was going to happen to her. She fell to her knees and embraced her sister and her son as she felt her body wracked by sobs. She couldn’t do it, how could she? Her husband was probably already dead, how can she kill her own son?

Then she heard the banging on the door and she let out a blood curdling scream. She heard the soldiers shouting on the other side door. Reporting that they had found the Bandit Prince’s prize. Emeline turned just in time to see the door kicked open as five heavily armoured soldiers entered the room. The lead man turned his gaze to her mother’s corpse and Emeline realised that he had put two and two together.

“You’re a coward, lucky us…” the soldier said gruffly.

Emeline screamed as she felt their hands on her. She thrashed as she felt her dear sister torn from her grasp. She heard her sister’s screams, she was only 15 and they were going to do unspeakable things to her.

Then she felt hands reach for her son, this time she screamed even louder she tried her best to hug her son close. But their hands were stronger and soon she felt her child ripped from her hands. She screamed as one man held her back and the other helped her son by the back of his clothes like a sack of garbage.

“Hey captain, check it out.” one of the men said as Emeline felt him grab her exposed breast and gave it a squeeze forcing her milk out.

“Want a taste Captain?” the man said lecherously.

“Enough, if you value your head, get your hands off her.” one of the men growled as he approached Emeline. 

Emeline felt a hand on her breast, she looked down to see the man tilt it left then right as if examining it. Then he pulled the front of her dress back up covering her. 

“You're lucky you didn’t leave a mark. You better hope it doesn’t bruise. You know what happens when someone touches the Prince’s women?” the Captain growled as he brought his face an inch from the man holding Emeline.

“Head, spikes and walls.” the Captain spat as he turned back around and gazed at the squalling baby.

Emeline felt her breath catch in her throat as the man stilled for a moment, not saying a word.

“Check if it’s a boy or girl.” the Captain ordered.

“It looks like a boy.” the man said as he held up her baby to the moon light. 

“It looks like? CONFIRM!” the Captain roared and the other soldier tore open the bottom half of her son’s clothes.

“A boy.” the soldier replied.

“Fuck…” the Captain said through gritted teeth.

“Kill it when we take the mother out of the room.” the Captain said quietly, his voice deathly calm.

Emeline began to scream, she began to beg, her mind whited out in panic as tears poured down her face. 

“PLEASE NO!” Emeline screamed, her voice tearing and cracking under the hysteria.

“Gag her.” the Captain said and Emeline felt one of the sleeves of her dress being torn off before it was shoved into her mouth. She continued to struggle and scream into the gag.

“You know Captain, we can just throw it out the window or something.” the soldier holding her son said.

“MMMPPHHH!” Emeline screamed into her gag as she continued to struggle.

“No, knife to the skull. Make it quick and painless...” the Captain began as the soldier drew a dagger from his belt.

“AFTER we leave with the Princess.” Captain snapped and the soldier flinched as he sheathed the dagger.

“Heaven preserve me…” the Captain muttered as he shook his head at the soldier.

“What the hell?” another man said suddenly on the far side of the room.

“What are you doing?” the Captain asked as he turned around.

Emeline saw the attendant pinned against the wall and another soldier had his hand grabbing the front of her maid dress.

“I can’t get this dress off…” the man grunted as he tried his best to rip the front of the dress off from the attendant.

“Are you serious? You pull a muscle on the way up or something?” the man holding Emeline mocked and then she noticed the Captain was just standing there silently staring at the peculiar scene.

“No I didn’t, what the hell is this thing enchante…” the soldier replied but was cut off and Emeline heard the armour of the soldiers clink as the entire room flinched. At first Emeline had no idea what happened, then she noticed a white blade had emerged from his back.

The soldier gurgled as his body twitched for a moment. Then his body was thrown back revealing the attendant was standing there with an ornate rapier in her right hand. The attendant waved her hand and her maid dress dissolved into motes of light, revealing a set of ornate armour.

“Who are you…” the Captain said as he pointed his blade at the woman.

“I’m here for them… if all of you have any final prayers to say, now is the time.” the woman said as she swung her rapier to the side, shaking the blood right off the blade.

“Shit!” the soldier holding Emeline’s son said and she turned just in time to see the soldier drop her son like a sack of garbage. Her eyes widened as she saw her baby fall towards the floor. Then his body glowed as he began to float in mid air. Emeline turned to see the woman had her hand outstretched, her hand glowing with magic. 

“Use the girls and the brat!” the Captain roared and Emeline flinched when she realised they were about to be hostages. 

Emeline blinked and the woman vanished, the small puff of dust where she was standing the only evidence she was once there. Then she heard gurgles, then a scream from her sister. Emeline turned to see the soldier holding her sister loll his head forward, blood dripping from his neck right onto her sister’s hair. Then his body fell backwards onto the floor dragging her screaming sister with him.

Emeline then heard a croaking gasp from the man behind her, she felt the arms around her go limp and she turned her head to see a blood covered silver blade next to her. Emeline screamed as she backed off from the soldier, her heart hammering in her chest, panic filling her mind. 

She realised that the blade had been thrust in from the back of the soldier’s head. Then she looked around and saw the other soldiers all collapse to the ground, blood spewing from their slashed throats. 

Emeline heard a grinding sound and the blade in the soldier’s head was roughly torn out and his body pushed forward to crash onto the ground. Behind him was standing the woman from before, she was looking down at her son that was in her left arm.

“Shhh… shhh… it’s ok little one.” the woman said as she gently bounced her son to calm his crying.

“Here, a child needs his mother.” the woman said as she walked over to Emeline and offered her son back to her.

Emeline tearfully took back her infant son as she cradled him close. She looked over and saw the woman pull the corpse off her still screaming sister before casting a simple [Cleanse] spell over her to get rid of the blood that was all over her.

“Who are you?” Emeline asked, even though her first instinct was to tend to her son but yet this woman was… something else…

In the back of her mind Emeline realised that she could perhaps be a way for her to escape with her sister and son.

“You can call me Lyra, also Empress Cecilia of Averlon sends her regards. I was sent here to bring you to Averlon or at least keep you out of the Prince’s hands.” Lyra replied calmly as she took out a small handkerchief and began to clean the blood off her blade.

“Keep us out of the Prince’s hands? Did you mean you were prepared to kill us if it came to it?” Emeline asked shakily.

“Yes, but seeing as you were ready to drink poison, are you really so bothered by it? The Empress has her own objectives, her own goals, she is under no obligation to rescue you. I am only here because retrieving you brings her closer to her goals.” Lyra replied as she sheathed her sword.

“Her own goals… Why would saving me serve her purposes? Also… why didn’t you stop my mother from drinking the poison?” Emeline asked as she felt a lump in her throat.

“Did you see her? She chugged that down like it was the best wine in the world. She should have at least held off until she made sure all of you had drunk the poison. She left you to do it… what are you 20 years old?” Lyra asked.

“19…” Emeline replied softly.

“So she left her 19 year old daughter to kill her own sister and infant son while she took the easy way out. She could have just held off for what? Five more minutes? Would you have done it? Left your child to do such things?” Lyra asked.

“I don’t know… the women in Voleria are often beaten down towards the end of our lives… my mother was never the strongest woman…” Emeline admitted.

“Then it’s a lucky thing you are on the younger side, at least you will still be useful. A woman like the Empress has little use for incompetents. She has already killed one foolish king, there is no reason that list can’t be longer.” Lyra said as she sheathed her rapier.

“The Empress had no interest in your mother, she did have interest in you and your sister. So I suggest you let this little discrepancy go. Unless you would like me to leave you here for the next group of soldiers to find you. Maybe the next batch will decide to steal food from your son.” Lyra said as she pointed at Emeline’s chest before crossing her arms.

“You won’t leave us… it’s a great risk for you to come here, you wouldn’t go back empty handed. If you wanted us dead we wouldn’t be having this conversation…” Emeline replied as calmly as she could manage as her brain spun on why this woman was here. Then she realised why…

“Your Empress is confident she can win… very confident… she needs someone to rule Beralis after you defeat Tralis…” Emeline said and she saw Lyra smile at those words.

“Hmm…” Lyra muttered as she nodded slightly, looking quite satisfied.

“You know little princess, you just might survive this war…” Lyra said with a smirk.

Emeline soon found herself, her son and her sister floating down the side of the spire. This side of the castle was dark so no one would notice them. When they reached the ground Emeline saw a large hole in the ground. So they were going to escape through the underground.

Then she let out a yelp when she saw figures materialise all around her. She instinctively covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming.

“MMMMPHHH!” Emeline heard her sister’s muffled scream as she turned to see Lyra covering her mouth.

“Quiet…” Lyra said coldly and her sister flinched before stiffly nodding.

“Skittish aren’t you?” a female voice said and Emeline turned to see a tall slender monster appear.

“Legiana, hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.” Lyra said as she released her mouth.

“The night is young, now then we should be on our way.” Legiana replied.

“Are we going in that hole?” Emeline asked apprehensively.

“Yes…” Legiana replied calmly.

There was a moment of silence as Emeline fidgeted, she knew this was her best path forward. But at the same time, bringing her infant son and sister into a hole dug by monsters just seemed a little too dangerous for her liking. She had assumed Lyra had some other means of escape…

“Would you rather walk to Averlon?” Legiana asked and Emeline bit her lip as she trembled, remaining silent.

Then Emeline sensed movement from the monster called Legiana and she looked up to see her body twitch as if having a seizure. Then the twitching stopped and she noticed something odd. Her posture had changed, previously she had a pair of arms folded behind her and another pair folded neatly in front of her. Now her posture didn’t have the same grace. Her four arms were just hanging by the side and her back was slouched. Her posture made her look far more bestial.

“Hi…” Legiana said in a very different tone from before, the tone of voice now was sarcastic and almost arrogant. It betrayed absolute confidence and little moral compunctions, giving off the demeanour of psychotic killers.

“What?” Emeline stammered as she took a step back.

“Get in the hole.” Legiana said as she took a step forward.

Emeline turned around to look at Lyra and she just watched Lyra sigh in resignation as she crossed her arms.

“You are aware there is currently a hostile army burning, looting and raping their way through your city right? You are aware that they mean to capture you and turn you and your sister into the prince’s personal cock screws, yes?” Legiana said as she stopped right in front of Emeline.

“So shut up and get in the hole. I even dragged a carriage all the way here and dug a big enough tunnel to fit it. I did that because you had that…” Legiana faltered as she gestured at her son.

Then Legiana turned her head to the right and looked down… but there was no one there…

“What do you call it when you humans are smaller?” Legiana asked the empty space.

“No, not children… when they are even smaller and more useless. You know when they will die if you leave them alone for too long…” Legiana said as she continued to speak to air much to Emeline confusion and increasing terror.

The way she spoke… it showed a complete disdain and disregard for human life. As if their species was beneath her notice…

“Babies… ok… so since you have a babies… huh? Oh baby… ok since you have a baby, the Empress asked me to drag that stupid carriage all the way here. So get in the hole before I drag you down there and stuff you into that wooden box.” Legiana hissed.

Emeline opened her mouth mutely before closing it again and nodded. Her body was trembling but she knew she had to stay calm. She was as much at this monster's mercy as she was at the mercy of the Tralis soldiers from before.

Emeline climbed down into the hole and shakily boarded the carriage. To her surprise it was a rather luxurious carriage. She found herself only seated with her sister and Lyra. The monsters were all traversing outside of the carriage.

“The monsters…” Emeline began.

“Are not joining us here, they don’t like the same things humanoids do. In their words, comfort breeds weakness.” Lyra explained as she opened a side compartment and took out a bottle of wine and some glasses.

“Wine?” Lyra asked courteously.

“Yes please…” Emeline replied softly, a little wine would help calm her fraying nerves…

“The one thing you need to understand Princess is that you are going to a nation where monsters and humanoids live side by side. The monsters do not think as we do, they do not see the world as we do and I mean that both figuratively and literally.

If you play your cards right, give the right impression you just may find yourself back in your ancestral seat in a position of power.” Lyra said as she handed a glass of wine to Emeline.

“Impression? To the Empress or the Beast? That… thing that happened with the monster named Legiana. I wasn’t… talking to the same being was I? Was she being controlled by some higher power?” Emeline asked.

“She was, at first you were speaking to Legiana the right hand of the great beast. But later you were speaking to the great beast himself. He is ancient and powerful, I trust you understand one does not live for long if they are fools.” Lyra said as she took a sip of wine.

“Yes…” Emeline replied in a hushed whisper as she tried to steady her trembling hand.

“You will have to prove your worth to both the Empress and the Great Beast. Do not think that you will have an easier time with the Empress. Remember, she is a woman who has done the impossible. She is also a woman who gets along very well with the Great Beast. So let me ask you this, is it more likely that the Great Beast is similar to a human or is the Empress more similar to a monster?” Lyra asked.

“Then what can you tell me about the Great Beast?” Emeline asked, catching on to her meaning and she saw Lyra smile slightly at her words.

“The Great Beast commands a Hive. He will test you, in every conversation, in every meeting, in every interaction with his soldiers. Your every word, every expression, every inflection, every movement you make will be noted by him.” Lyra said.

“So I must be brave?” Emeline asked.

“No you must be useful. A sheep is easy to control but not that useful. The Great Beast is the kind of individual that will use everything at its disposal. If anything you need to show him that you can be used in a way that you prefer.” Lyra explained.

“In the way I prefer…” Emeline muttered in response.

“There is one other thing you should know. The soldiers of the Hive outside can hear everything we are saying and I am quite sure the Great Beast doesn’t want me to tell you these things.” Lyra said calmly as she refilled her glass as Emeline visibly flinched at her words.

“Then why…” Emeline sputtered.

“Because I wanted to help you, you have a son and a younger sister that now depend on you. Consider this a kindness. You are a small piece of the plan, an easily replaceable piece of the plan.

I am not…

I am very useful, that is why I can do this. Understand your position and just might survive.” Lyra replied before downing the glass and refilling her glass again.

“The Great Beast will not jeopardise his relationship with me for something like you. So then you have to ask yourself this when you deal with him. What can he afford to jeopardise by getting rid of you? Once you figure that out, do not do anything that will force him to make that choice.

Do you understand?” Lyra asked as she narrowed her eyes at Emeline.

Emeline nodded mutely as her mind spun, thinking of the implications of her words. Like it or not she was now a prisoner but at least she was a prisoner with a chance of a decent life… honestly this wasn’t that different from her past life…

“Any question?” Lyra asked.

Emeline bit her lip as she pondered how to reply. There was much to ask but for now she would start with this… it was going to be a long ride…

 

Can I have some more wine please…