This choice: The king visits Isallia to see how she is settling in to her new home. • Go Back... Isallia was inconsolable for several days after that. She was truly and utterly trapped. There was no reason for her to live anymore, she thought. She would never see her son or Inaril again. She could never go home. She would be forever locked in this prison of twisted torture.
Tevi had tried desperately to make the poor elf comfortable in her new home, but knew that nothing she was doing was helping. She could not possibly know why Isallia was so sad, but she could only imagine. She was probably scared and alone and the poor thing probably had someone back from wherever it was she was from that she was hopelessly missing. Unfortunately, Isallia had let this sorrow manifest in another way. "Please, miss," Tevi begged quietly.
"I'm not hungry," Isallia snapped for the dozenth time. "I'm not giving in to your king's despicable 'tastes.'"
"But, miss, his majesty has very explicit instructions to..."
"Then he can kill me if he wants to," Isallia snapped. "I don't care."
Tevi shook her head. "Oh, he's not going to be pleased about this."
She left, leaving Isallia with her own thoughts. Well, screw him if he wasn't pleased! That odious and disgusting man, and his harem. She wondered how many of them were there by choice, and how many were prisoners like her. Finally, she could hold back tears no longer. These were the tears only a mother could weep. Isallia wanted nothing more in that moment than to see her son, her baby, just one more time, hold him, and tell him that everything was alright, that she was not dead and gone. How alone he must feel. Her heart was breaking just thinking about it.
The door to her chambers opened once more. "Tevi, I swear, if you try again, I will throw something at you," Isallia growled.
"Oh, now that's a horrible way to greet someone," a masculine voice said.
Isallia jumped, when she realized it was the king. She quickly scrambled to the corner of her enormous bed that was farthest away from him, and held the quilt close to her, as if it were some sort of protective shield. "I want nothing to do with you," she said, even angrier knowing who it was.
King Roland set down a silver platter on a nearby table and that sat on the opposite end of her bed. "I understand you're not adjusting well to your new home," he said as sweetly as possible. "Tell me about it."
"No."
The king snapped his fingers. "See, you're going to have to get used to the idea that saying no to me is a bad idea."
One of the king's hulking knights loomed behind her. He could have easily snapped her in half if she wasn't paying attention. Isallia remained resilient and only crossed her arms. "What do you want to know?"
"Well, first thing's first," he said.
He took one of the pastries off the platter and handed it to Isallia. "You are out of your mind if you think..."
"Ah, ah, ah," the king taunted. "Elves must have terrible memories, because I could've sworn we had an arrangement about saying no."
Isallia looked at the knight behind her, who was cracking his knuckles menacingly. She tentatively took a bite. It was indeed a delicious and sweet-tasting thing, and considering she had not eaten for a couple of days, that made it all the better. But she felt like it was poison, knowing its purpose. "Now, I'll level with you, my dear," King Roland said, "you've rather captivated me when you first came here. I've never seen your kind, and you are incredibly beautiful. I don't think you realize the advantageous position you're in. You see, I'd give you just about anything to see you comfortable here."
Isallia swallowed a second bite. "What are you saying?" Her eyes narrowed, her mind working a mile a minute.
The king traced circles with his finger on the quilt. "Give me your demands, and perhaps we can come to an arrangement. I had thought you would find yourself happy here on your own, but I see there are some things I just can't give you to make you feel this way."
She thought for a moment. "I can ask for anything?"
He nodded graciously. "Within reason, my dear, within reason, but let's hear them."
She sat up straighter. "First, I will not be your concubine."
He made a disgruntled sound. "Sorry, that part stays on the table. You're here for a reason."
Isallia tried again. "Fine, you have concubines to settle your certain 'needs.' I will have no part of that. You may converse with me, you may hold me, and I may even let you kiss me on occasion, but you will not..."
He held up a hand to silence her. "I think I get your point. Physical to a certain degree. I might be able to work with that, though it will be tempting." He eyed her with a hungry glint.
It was all she could do to suppress an eye roll. "We will have all of this in writing, yes?"
The king was surprised. "I didn't think elves could read."
"Your people invade my land. We wanted to learn about you."
King Roland laughed heartily. "Clever little elf, aren't you? Very well, yes, I will have my scribes draft something up. What else?"
Isallia sighed as she tried to utter the next bit out. "I have a family: a mate, a son. I wish to see them."
He scratched his beard, thinking deeply about the idea. No wonder she didn't want a more physical relationship with someone as rich and as handsome as he, he thought. Hm, he could use this to his advantage. "We can arrange something," he said at last. "Provided, you meet certain demands of mine."
She had finished eating the pastry, and he handed her another from the plate. She saw how many more were there, and became quite worried. "How much?" she asked.
A devilish half-grin spread to his face. He had her. "Let's say, for every stone-worth you gain, I'll let you have a day to see them. Reasonable?"
Isallia's face fell. She knew she might have some freedoms while she followed his demands, but for how long? Would he forget his promises after a few weeks or months? Would he live up to them at all? She sighed, "Yes, I understand."   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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