Legends of Belariath
Seretta
Seretta's Meeting
Seretta gave the emperor a look of cool disdain. Another man to decide her fate. Men always decided her fate. Her sire was the first of many such men. This one would most likely be the last. Dark eyes flicked then hide the intelligence behind dark pupils schooling her features to an emotionless blank. Her fate was in his hands. His decision would be final and no doubt terminal. Mentally, she chastised her own stupidity for taking the peasants word on the whereabouts of her victim. He'd landed her in the middle of the imperial guards hangout. Her quarry too well protected. Questions asked. Questions answered. Suspicion cast and being searched by three of them. They finding the equipment of her trade brought more questions and answers yet more suspicion until they hauled her into this man's dungeons. She couldn't nearly believe that she'd been caught. The peasant squealed like a pig when confronted over who her quarry was. She'd take care of him later if she lived through this.
She silently studied the man whose word could see her dead in seconds. At least that would be better than his dungeons. A light quirk tipped one corner of her lips. She'd been left alone after the first two weeks. Amid the countless whippings and beatings of the cats and bullwhips that left more of road map of scars across her back after they healed. She'd fought them from the beginning with a vengence of fury born nearly beating the meanest, vilest female prisoner to a bloody pulp for putting moves on her the second day. The rest of the prisoners left her alone after that not bothering to approach when their hormones took over their sexual desires. The guards were much worse. Smelly, putrid lumps of manhood, whose only thoughts that the women were for their sexual gratifications and amusements, enforcing their wants with more beatings till she would pass out. Two wouldn't need to worry anymore. The rest soon found easier quarry after a few found out she would use her teeth on things being shoved toward her mouth that she didn't want. Good swift kicks and punches nearly driving noses into skulls had sent the cowardly scum to leave her be. Even in numbers they soon found out, she could hold her own unarmed against them. The head keeper scowled and had cursed her telling her that he'd see that the emperor knew of her actions. Seretta had responded in kind to with strings of curses in several languages ending it by spitting in his face. “Do it,” she'd dared him. “He be finding something worse for you girlie besides a little rub and tickle from us. You be beggin him to end it and kill ya, long for he tires of havin a bit of fluff like you put in her place.” He'd sneered.
An inward snort of her breath brought her suddenly back to the present looking at this man. “Nobles” she thought pricking an eyebrow meeting his look with one of her own. “Do be getting on with it, I grow tired of waiting for your decision, “ Seretta spoke with at lift of her head. The guard beside her promptly cracked her alongside of her head sending her falling toward the floor for speaking to the emperor without permission. Instinct alone shot out the foot to the back of the guard's legs landing in the back of his knees to send him sprawling onto his ass. Seretta rose back to her feet giving the guard a jaundiced smirk brushing off the dirt from her usually meticulous leathers. She once again looked into the eyes of the emperor. “Well”....
Stormbringer smiled, one of those quiet aimless smiles that could have meant anything or nothing at all. “It seems the guards grow fat and lazy if they can't even ravish a single prisoner without losing their balls. A couple of years on the border fighting barbarians might teach them to try harder.” There was no sense that he felt in any personal danger. He could have been discussing the weather with a friend over coffee. “But what to do about you..” The girl's attention was barely on the words. One man and an open door behind him... But as she sprang forwards both guards quite used to her sudden movements scrambled to clutch and yank her backwards. Amid a scuffle of kicks, punches and groans, the two finally gained control of the girl as the first guard grunted loudly as Seretta’s knee found his groin. “Get your stinking hands off me,” she nearly snapped in vexation breathing heavily.
Still with that smile on his face, an expression that was growing rapidly quite irritating, the Emperor looked down at the panting assassin. “You kill easily. Ten years ago you killed someone I cared about. I doubt you even remember that person, so insignificant in your pursuit of whatever drives you to mete out death for money. Do you die as easily as you kill?”
”Just do it, you old windbag. Nobles, worse than scum. Kill me and get it over with. Too bad the contract wasn’t for you as well as your friend. Do you think I care?” She tossed her head in defiance. She knew how to face fear. Everything died. It was just her time and she didn’t care.
The smile was gone now. “Yes, death is easy. It's an escape from pain and decisions. A freedom from looking into the mirror or into the soul. But are you brave enough to live without your strength, without your speed, an easy prey for anyone who wants to rape, rob or kill you, afraid of every raised voice.... every shadow, every night?” The smile was back now but this time there was no doubt it was mocking the girl.
An old man sidled into the cell and despite her struggles the guards held her fast, unable to escape their clutches this time. The assassin was unable to prevent him from breaking and forcing the vial under her nose to inhale the drug. She struggled at the scent that filled her nostrils feeling its aroma filter into her lungs. Violently shaking her head as if to throw it off, she glared at Stormbringer and the old man. As the old man crept out again, the Emperor's face swam into focus. “Can you hear me? Yes, I see that you do. The drug you have just taken will have absolutely no effect on you... providing you take the antidote every day. And guess who holds the only known antidote?” He almost laughed at the reaction.
”No girl, if I wanted your body I would take it. If I wanted to make you willing I would train you until your worst fear was being released.”
”No, I am going to set you free.” The look that she gave him was skeptical and full of disbelief until he began to speak again. Her face quickly schooled the shock from her features as he continued.
”The drug? Oh yes, that. If you fail to take the antidote even once your body will start to become enfeebled. The effects are quite irreversible. Within three months you will be less able to defend yourself than the feeblest nymph. And you will live the rest of your life like that... a very long life as the drug also preserves you from aging. Hundreds of years will await you to experience the fears of being a victim to any whose attention you attract.”
Mental images of trolls and orcs holding her captive for their carnal desires flittered through her mind. Both usually ate their captives when finished piece by piece and she shuddered outwardly shoving her chin upward to glare at him again.
”Ah I see that doesn't appeal to you very much.” The man's face hardened. “Of course it's easy enough for you to kill yourself. It's not difficult for me to resurrect you either and I *will* know if you take that option. But I have a deal for you. You, who kill so easily for such trivial reasons, will have a chance to pay. I need someone to take charge of the Healers Guild, organizing and protecting those who are dedicated to *saving* lives. Do you not find it somewhat fortuitous that my need coincides with your capture? Too ironic for you maybe? But that's your future. Do the job well and you will get the antidote every day. Or fail and live as a victim, suffering for a very long time.”
The Emperor walked out without waiting for an answer. The girl would have almost a day to decide her fate, then she would come to him. Or not. A parting comment hung in the air he had so recently vacated; leaving the assassin in no doubt that this was not the action of a benign ruler. “Either way, I think my friend would approve of the revenge I have devised for him.”
Amid the chuckles of the guards as they quickly released and scrambled from the cell slamming the cell shut with a resounding click. “Oh, do not take the drug my little pretty wench. We might get to sample you yet when you get weaker and weaker.” Glaring in anger at the guard, she snapped. “Won’t take much strength to shove that pig nose of yours into your skull.”
After the guards finally left, she sat down on the makeshift cot running a hand over her forehead. “I’d have rather been dead.” She spoke flatly to no one. Taking a deep breath rubbing her nose furiously. “Everyday. I have to see that that *Noble* every day! Now I am truly cursed. “ A slow smile touched her lips as she began to think. “Oh, I will earn his stinking antidote each day. Healers bah, weak-witted fools and do-gooders always keeping things alive that should be dead. Protect them…” She laughed for the first time. “Oh yes I will protect them. I will see they work themselves into early graves. “
The hours till the next day passed slow. No one came for the longest time. No voices could she hear filtering along the corridors. Soon it would be time to give him her answer. Live under his rule and obey his commands and run his damn Healer’s Guild or turn into some feeble piece of fluff terrified of any look. Seretta shuddered at the last option. “ Someone else is sure to know what drug this is and how to combat it. Perhaps time is the answer and once it’s found I will be free of him. That will be the day he will rue his decision to keep me a prisoner without bars. “