The Princess and the Blade

[Emora Deen]

Tenara wobbled on her feet, bringing her hands up to her head. The world seemed to twist in her vision, and sound roared in her ears. It felt like her mind was rewriting itself, and she felt a bubble of nausea swell in her belly. "Gods," she huffed, trying to rub the ache out of her temples. She hadn't thought her body could hurt any more than it already did. She looked down at the circle carved into the floor, watching it swirl in her vision. "We have to get rid of it," she said, dizzily kicking at the dirt.

[Soran Nightblade]

Artisuren carefully guided her backward until the backs of her knees touched the cot and eased her to a seat. Then he spun to the sigil and dragged his foot in a sweeping motion, scribbling it out. He bent and threw the rug back into place. "It may help to close your eyes," he said. He was worked up again, tense and breathless. "I'm not sure how to tell if it worked. We may have to wait until we get there." He frowned at his hands and rushed to the bathwater Tenara had used earlier, scrubbing the dirt from under his nails. Then he thought of the other things that had dirtied his flesh over the previous 2 days. He grimaced and scrubbed the water almost violently over his face. He paused, shivering, and had a mad impulse to claw at his skin.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara rested her head in her hands, waiting for the dizziness to pass. She heard the sound of splashing water, and looked up to find Ren washing his hands and face. But, then he paused, and he got this look in his eyes that she knew, somehow. A touch of horror. Disgust. Anger. He seemed to sit with it a moment, until the look in his eyes made her frightened for him.

She bit back the queasiness and eased to her feet, then down near the tub with him. She dipped her hand into the water, searching for the rag that Elias had used to wash her. The water had been terribly hot earlier, and had cool to a comfortable warmth. She pulled the rag free and eased it towards his face.

"Let me," she said, because she knew if she didn't make it some sort of command he'd feel as if he were burdening her some how. "I want to." And she did. She wanted to help him. He was helping her. Tenara washed his face, her shaking hand running the water down his neck and what of his chest she could reach. She got lost in the act, thinking of how she had washed Havi after he'd cut his horn, and before when they would bathe together in her palace. A tear escaped her eye, going unnoticed as she smoothed the warm rag along the back of his neck. "I would wash Havi like this. I liked it. I think he thought it was strange, especially when I asked to wash his hair." She lost track of the rag as her eyes glassed with grief. "I wish he was here, but also I am glad that he isn't... I wouldn't want him to... to see me like this."

[Soran Nightblade]

Ren gazed into the water with wide eyes. He forgot to breathe or blink, preoccupied with the cloth smoothing over his skin. "An Ivis is always overjoyed to see their Yurivis. She is a beacon, a home for his flame. Nothing can sully her brightness."

He could tell she was growing upset, and he wanted to divert her. "If they hear back home that Thvoros let you wash his hair, people might fight over you," he scoffed dully. "Yurivie who can tame powerful Ivie are rare. The marquesses will all want to bring you into their courts." He reached up and took the rag absently, relieving her of her task. "Laurius brushed my hair once. I think that asshole was just impatient to go to breakfast. Startled the shit out of me. No one ever..."

The words blew out like a snuffed candle. He blinked, and the rag dropped forgotten into the water.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara's fingers worked in the folds of her dress. "Laurius struck me as the type that wouldn't brush just anyone's hair," she said. "He is... was... a practical man. The type of person who would treat a blade as a blade, even if it could be a person. But, he chose to treat you like a person. For all his faults..." He was the reason she had been taken, not once, but twice... "I think he cared about you." Her voice broke. She was trying to help Ren feel better, but all she felt was a sudden blistering rage at the merchant. Why hadn't he told them Arken was coming? He could have warned them. She could have gone home early or hidden or... anything!

Tenara gripped the tub and dragged herself to her feet. "I... I am going to lie down," she said, and went back to the pallet. She sank there, curling onto her side, and covering her head with her arms. "Good night, Ren."

[Soran Nightblade]

Tenara's goodnight rescued him from the thoughts that had nearly closed in on him. Ren blinked as if someone had just pulled him back from a cliff. He looked up from the abyss inside him and stood, rubbing his face dry with his sleeve. He had the power to help this Yurivis. That was all he had at all, really. There was no sense in thinking about anything beyond it.

"Good night," he echoed her words as he retrieved the grimoire and sat with it at the foot of her pallet. There was a lot to research, and no time.

He researched well into the morning, huddled in the light of a candle next to Tenara's bed. The desk would have been easier to work at, but the Yurivis's close proximity was a source of meaningless comfort. '

The studying went very slowly. It was a strain to understand the text at all, but keeping the various translations in his working memory without writing anything down made it doubly challenging. He was determined not to leave any notes that would make the book or his language simpler to understand for others. At the same time, it was crucial that he not miss any details. If a spell like this failed, it would not end prettily. As the first signs of daybreak appeared outside, he was still working, fueled by adrenaline and panic. What if he couldn't make this work? What if the prince wouldn't agree to the plan? He was too anxious to stop and too tired to continue, so he sat working through the details again and again in his mind, terrified there was some detail he'd missed that would come back to ruin everything later.

He heard the sound of footsteps outside the tent. Ren shoved the book aside and leaned on the edge of Tenara's cot, dropping his head onto his forearms and pretending at sleep.

[Emora Deen]

In the night, a figure moved through the woods on a black horse, a lamp in her hand, visible in the moonlight and through the breaks between trees. Narissa muttered a curse every time she smelled one of those tattered rags that bitch had dropped. She sighed and slipped off her horse, thumping down into the packed snow they had rode on late that morning.

She swept the area, taking a deep breath through her nose to pinpoint where, exactly, it was. She stooped, flicking loose snow off the red splattered ivory. She picked it up by pinching it between her long black fingernails and grimaced like it was the grossest thing she’s ever touched.

She took a whiff of it, but caught something else familiar on the wind. Smoke and ash and... But, it couldn’t be. Not possible. She gazed off into the woods, her eyes glinting gold like a wolf’s in the dark. But, not seeing anything, she turned back for the horse and stuffed the bloody rag into her satchel.

—-

Elias slipped into the tent, gaze sweeping the space and settling on the sleeping figures. He approached and kicked Ren in the thigh. “Up,” he said.

Tenara startled awake at the voice. She hadn’t meant to actually sleep, but had fallen into it anyway—perhaps because she was in Ren’s presence.

“You’re coming with me to Milandra’s tent,” he told Ren. “She’s going to help you with the preparations for this afternoon’s spell. Come.”

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi watched the sun rise through his altered senses. Laurius's breathing still didn't sound healthy or rested to him, but he couldn't put off waking the man any longer. If the man's health was declining, they had to balance the timing between restoring strength to fight and finding the fight before their time ran out. Tenara could already be...

He slapped the thought back like a biting insect.

*It's time to go,* he said.

_______________


Artisuren jerked as if startled. It wasn't that hard to fake; he was tired enough that even pretending to doze had made his senses brittle. On top of that, Elias's command compelled his muscles in a way he'd never get used to. He pushed up to his feet and looked over his shoulder at Tenara. If he left her alone... Don't think. Don't think about it.

He didn't know what to say to her, so he shoved the book under his arm and followed Elias out of the tent. Only once he was outside did his instincts begin to switch focus from not wanting to leave Tenara to not wanting to go to Milandra. He far preferred Narissa's more direct cruelty to Milandra's sadistic lust. He forced his legs forward, and when he couldn't bring himself to go any further, the dagger did so for him.

Milandra was in a different tent today, waiting with several of Elias's men. "Oh, my puppy found his way home," she said with a cold smile as he walked in escorted by Elias. "I brought you some new chew toys." She pushed the strongly-built men at her sides a step forward, presenting them to him. "I've been thinking about your little problem," she rolled her eyes down to his belt. "Then I realized, maybe the toys we've been giving you weren't the right kind for you. Maybe you missed the ones we burned up at your old home."

Alarm struck like a stab of ice down his center. He couldn't bring himself to look directly at either of the men. "My lady, I think you have the wrong impression-"

"Wrong? Are you questioning your master when she's trying to do something nice for you?" Milandra snapped.

The rebuke made him instinctively shut down. "No."

"No, 'Master'."

"No, Master," he repeated numbly. "I think I have misled you about my tastes."

"Well, which one don't you like?" she snapped. "I'll let you pick. This one fucks harder, the blonde one licks better."

"I..."

"Pick," she snarled, her eyes going violent.

Ren flinched. "Then..." He slowly raised a hand to gesture to the blonde.

Milandra's eyes roamed to the man he'd indicated. Then her hand lashed out like an eagle's talons and grabbed the blonde by the throat, shredding it apart before the poor bastard could even scream. "Well. We don't always get what we want."

Ren winced, but managed to keep his eyes off the man drowning in his own blood on the floor. "We should keep as many alive as possible. The ritual... requires souls," he said.

Milandra shot her eyes to Elias. "Your Highness, our puppy is proposing that we sacrifice our precious men for his little experiment. Seems a little too convenient a plan for our new pets. Have you agreed to this?"

[Emora Deen]

Laurius startled awake. He lumbered to his feet, took out his watering can, and drank. He stuffed some bread in his mouth and made for the East. It was easy enough to see now that the sun was rising. He put one foot in front of the other until he stumbled out into a road freshly used.

By the look of the packed snow, it had been traveled recently by a good number of people and wagons. However, there was a fresh pair of hoof prints going the opposite direction.

He chose to follow the group, and headed down the path.

—-

Elias paced the room, looking over Milandra’s things. “Not yet,” he said and stepped over the dead body for her trunk. He flipped the lid. “He didn’t mention it last night. How many do you require?” The prince made himself at home, admiring the clothes on the inside. “Tenara needs something new to wear. Your pet says the women dress provocative where we’re going.”

[Soran Nightblade]

Milandra's attention snapped up at the mention of provocative clothing. "Why should she get to go? Send me, my prince."

Ren coughed. "Tenara's complexion and lack of visible horns could be overlooked as rare traits, but my lady-... Master's skin tone is too fair. You would appear alien there. In addition, red eyes do not exist among my race."

"Nothing a little glamour spell couldn't fix," Milandra scofffed. "I want huge horns. Black, like your friend's.

The Ivis's expression grew ashen. "Yurivie's horns are silver."

She tossed a hand. "Shall I go as a man?" she grinned.

"I do not recommend it. If you behave abnormally, it could put you in danger," Ren stammered. "Also, the princess knows our language." Before Milandra could demand he simply teach her, he added, "Thvoros used a ritual on her." He was relieved when the half-truth successfully left his lips. Maybe it was possible because Elias was still holding the dagger.

Wanting to change the subject before they asked him to elaborate, he said "As for how many souls, it depends how many you intend to send through. The portal could lose stability with each passage. To send the three of us, we would need at least ten men. Since we intend to return, more would be safest."

Milandra burst out laughing. "You want to slay our entire company so you and your princess can run away together?"

"I am not lying," Artisuren said, and it was the truth. He looked directly at Elias to emphasize it. "Your men are not the only souls available. You have the ones attached to the dagger also."

[Emora Deen]

“Are you suggesting we destroy the dagger?” Elias scoffed as he picked a blood-colored garment from Milandra’s chest. In his hand, it looked like little more than a bundle of scarves. Then, he stepped to her and passed her the dagger. “He can’t lie, apparently. There must be some truth to what he’s saying, but we aren’t putting him out of his misery for the spell. We passed a house yesterday. I’ll send Haggerty and a few others for some… volunteers.” Elias stepped back over the body. “Do not play too hard, Milandra. He needs to be able to walk and think properly.”

Then, the prince was gone.

----

Tenara watched the soldiers carry the cold bath out of the tent. She had grown frightened when they entered, how they leered at her, and she had thought that Elias had sent them to hurt her. But they collected the troff and began to leave. Then, Elias ducked back in. The flap closed behind him, and he went to a small wood box on the floor. He flipped the lid and brought out a tiny vial filled with a glittering black powder.

"Something for the pain?" he asked.

Tenara curled her lip.

"It's not poison," he said. He draped the fabric over his arm and popped the cork off the vial. He poured a small amount of powder onto the back of his hand and brought it up to his nose and breathed it in sharply. A moment passed. He smiled and shrugged. "See? We can't have you moving so slowly in that strange world, right?"

"I think it's the bruises that are the problem," Tenara said, motioning to the ring of fingerprints around her neck and the black on her face and the red in her eye.

"Well, I can't help that."

She crushed her teeth together, knowing she really couldn't refuse. He would either pour it down her throat or have someone hurt her until she agreed to take whatever he wanted. She and Ren were going to escape. She just had to behave a little while longer. She held her hand out for the vial.

"Put it to your nose and breathe it in," he instructed, and she did.

The powder filled her nose. It smelled of old blood—metallic. It tingled.

"Now, for a change of clothes," he said, and moved toward her. Like the night before, he undressed her slowly, admiring the damage like a favorite painting. Elias came around to her front and traced his fingers along her bruised ribs. “He was vicious. Was this before or after you bit his nose off?”

“Before,” Tenara said.

“What did you say to him?”

“I told him not to cry because I couldn’t feel him. It wasn’t his fault Havitharon had a cock the size of my forearm and his was little more than a thumb,” she said, her mouth twitching. The ache in her bones was beginning to ease, but her skin was starting to buzz with warmth.

Elias laughed. “You are lucky to be alive, Princess.”

“It’s unfortunate,” she said, looking away. “I tried really hard not to be.”

“Vardner would have had a fate worse than death if he’d killed you. He knew the limit. Was that your sword’s name? Havitharon?”

Tenara lost her focus. Instead, she saw Havitharon’s pain filled eyes as he snapped her wrist.

Elias broke the image when he brushed her hip and the touch sent a shiver through her. It felt... She shook her head, opening her eyes and seeing how the colors in the tent swayed. "What... did you give me?"

"Something for the pain," he said, smiling. "You should lie down. It can be intense at first." He guided her down onto the rug. "That's it. Shh."

She burned and the room warped and her limbs were heavy, and wonderful—she felt wonderful. A shadow shuffled around her, metal clanging accompanied the soft sound of fabric slipping away. Heavy warmth spread over her, and then invaded her, and a traitorous sound tore out of her chest. Tenara's mind clamored to pull her focus in, to get some control over her body. When that didn't work, she fought to find a place inside her mind to hide until it was over, but her skin raged. It felt so strongly, so keenly like her magic. But it wasn't her and she didn't want this. Tenara shook her head, feeling that sensation building even as she willed it to stop. She gathered the presence of mind to find her broken wrist and dig her fingers into the bandaging, but it didn't work. Even that felt good, and she crested the edge, hating every part of her being for betraying her.

Tenara lost track of time. Her mind turned fuzzy, becoming a fever dream of the past few days. Then, he was speaking to her, telling her a story as the canvas blurred together above her head.

"I'm not leaving you there," he said, laying beside her. "I know what you are, Tenara. You are special. Rare. A bridge between worlds. I know who your father is. A guard I met at your ball, who happily shared information after the right amount of drinks, said you became trapped beneath a building. Your mother said three words, Sera Reion, Knight. The King Soul disappeared and the god came forth." He traced featherlight circles over her skin. His words were warped—muffled and loud all at once. "I know nothing of that book your friend reads, but I know those words. My brother used them when practicing the ritual for the sword. His words were Sera Reion, Detic Vilitarico." Tenara understood them. Come forth, angry spirit. He kissed her breast, traced a bruise with his tongue. Now she understood, it was the damage he liked. "So you see... I know that book holds the spell I want. Your friend will either give it to me, or test this toothsbane on you."

[Soran Nightblade]

Late that day....

"Hurry up, puppy. How long does it take to pick out something for your precious princess to wear?" Milandra scolded. "I'm starting to think you might be stalling."

Ren took deep breaths to stay calm as he rummaged through Narissa's clothing looking for anything that might fit the fashion trends on his world. He'd lied about the scandalous clothing. Their world was freezing, even colder than this one. But he needed an excuse to convince Elias not to wound her any further. On top of everything else, if the portal worked at all, he wasn't sure where it would put them out. There was no guarantee he could find clothing to steal. Even if there was, that was no way for a Yurivis to make her debut.

But the real reason he'd been taking forever to go through Narissa's things was because of another element of Tenara's current outfit they had to contend with. He was losing hope when he finally felt a tiny bump hidden in the neckline of a red dress. He was hyper-aware of Milandra's eyes on him as he subtly felt the object's silhouette against the fabric. There was no question that it was a key. Narissa had actually left it in her clothing the night before. He held his breath as he drew the garment up and pretended to evaluate its design.

"This one should be fine," he told Milandra.

"You just like it because Narissa wore it while she sat on your face last night."

He fought back a wince. He needed it to be this one. "I felt that yours was prettier."

Milandra's brows raised in pleased surprise. "Good of you to notice, puppy. Alright, then. Sister always has loved this dress. It will be a hoot to see her reaction to the princess borrowing it." She handed it off to a soldier, who took it out of the tent.

Ren didn't hear what his captor said next over the sound of blood pounding in his ears.

"Puppy!"

He twitched. "Huh?"

"I said, with this, everything is ready, yes?"

"...Yes." At least, it was as close as he could hope on such short notice. They'd already set up the ritual outside. Laurius had summoned the bulk of the camp to stand near the circle, and the poor saps had no clue they were waiting to be sacrificed.

"Then we can finally have some fun until the princess finishes getting dressed. Would you like to play with Henry, now?" She gestured to the soldier he hadn't chosen that morning. "He's a very good fuck."

Ren looked at her, the life draining from his face. He was so tired and overwhelmed, it almost surprised him that he could be more afraid.

"What's wrong, pet?" She touched his cheek gently. "We'll make sure you enjoy it. You just have to be a good boy."

He knew the warmth in her voice was a lie, but he closed his eyes anyway and let the words comfort him. The small, non-violent contact was enough to overwhelm his emotions.

"Didn't you like it when Marr fucked you?" she asked, her finger swirling on his bruised cheek. "Don't tell me it's not good unless it's him."

He looked away, eyes burning. It would be absurd to disagree with a Yurivis's wishes, but he didn't want that man to touch him. His chest throbbed. Was he bond broken? No, that made no sense. He hadn't even been bonded to Laurius. But that was the only thing that could explain such an unbearable sense of attachment.

"Puppy," she crooned, pulling his face back toward her. "Tell me why you're crying."

Was he crying? He took a sobbing breath and met her red eyes, unsure how to apologize for his behavior. He wished she would just beat him again instead of asking questions when he was unable to lie. "I miss him," he whispered.

Her gaze went cold. "Ugh. You're not just a terrible lay, you're also boring as hell," she scathed. She gave his cheek a disdainful smack. "I'm shocked that Casanova actually bothered to fuck you at all. Guess that proves he'll still do it with anyone." Ren blinked as if the words had physically struck him. "Tell the princess to hurry up," Milandra demanded to Henry. Henry bowed and fled the room.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara was lost for hours in whatever Elias had given her, time and place bleeding between past and present until she didn’t know what was dream and what was reality. Sometimes she thought she was making love to Havitharon, and others she knew she wasn’t. Sometimes she was in the dining room and the walls were on fire and she was burning with him.

By late afternoon the drug had worn off enough for her to see straight again, but her limbs were weak and her mind weary. Someone brought her a dress, and another helped her into it, and Elias asked if she wanted the pain to stay gone, and she did. She did. She wanted to go back to the dream where she sat with Havi in the dining room and they burned together.

Someone pulled her to her feet, and they were walking outside the tent. Her gaze swept the area, wincing at the low-lying sun with her dilated eyes. She caught something glinting on Elias’s chest, and found the gold chain and Havi’s pendant, and the world tilted.

“Give it back,” she said, reaching for it.

“But you gave it to me,” he said, catching her hand. “Don’t you remember?”

Tenara snarled and threw herself into clawing at him, grasping for the pendant until one of his men curled their arms around her and hauled her back. “Are we ready?” the prince called to Milandra’s tent.

—-

The woods were thick here, the snow soft enough to muffle sound, but the voices ahead echoed off the wood. It was hard to tell how far away they were, but he thought he saw canvas through the brush. Each step he took was agony. He wanted to run to them, wanted so much to know they were alive, if not safe… but he knew he would only get himself killed.

“What’s the plan? There’s a plan right? I am not a battle strategist but I feel like we should have a plan…”

[Soran Nightblade]

Havi strained his senses outward. "You are not in good condition, and there are a lot of them. Even if I guide you through the combat, attacking directly would not be wise. Sneaking in is a risk as well, but we need to know where they are before we can move to free them. Stealth is our only option. I will lend you all my senses while you sneak in, and if something happens, I will do my best to get you out."

____________

Ren's head snapped up at Elias's call.

Milandra sighed away some of her boredom. "Coming," she called back, and gestured to him to move. "Make sure everything's ready, pet. Don't forget what will happen to you if your little spell fails.

Artisuren had no confidence that he knew what he was doing, but he nodded. He followed her from the tent to the ritual site and walked shakily around the edge, confirming each sigil against the ones in the book, double checking the location of the torches, reading and re-reading his clumsily translated directions. If this failed, the spell would most likely blow the whole camp to kingdom come. If it worked...

His focus broke as he noticed Elias walk Tenara out into the open. At first, he was just relieved to see her wearing the red gown he'd sent. But then, he noticed that she looked disoriented. Had they drugged her? His stomach twisted as he noticed the object she was trying to claw from her captor's neck. The shard wouldn't do Elias any good, but when he thought of how Thvoros had devoted it specifically to Tenara, seeing the shard worn by an enemy was a kick in the shins. Not only that, but possessing the shard was the only proof that she'd tamed Thvoros - a fact that would be important to establishing her rank in the Porthi courts.

We'll get it back once we're there, he told himself. The prince would have no power to hurt her once they were off this awful world.

"Everything is ready," he said to Milandra. "The men can take their places."

"Oh, goody," Milandra said, passing the dagger back to Elias. "Safe travels, boss. I'll just be way, way over there."

[Emora Deen]

Elias took the dagger and motioned for the guard to bring Tenara closer. They all stepped nearer Ren, but Elias broke away and went to the men on their knees. He and two others slit their throats and dumped them in a circle at Ren’s feet.

Tenara sucked in a breath. Even if she hated them, she had not expect to see such violence. It made her worried for Artisuren, and her half-focused gaze fixed on him.

—-

Laurius crept along the edge of the encampment, his heart pounding loud enough to deafen him and make him dizzy. Focus, he thought. Focus.

He did not see them yet, but heard a sudden rush of male screaming before silence. He peeked from around a tent and saw a gathering across the way. He saw a group gathered in a rough circle—Elias, a few guards, a line of bodies and blood on the ground, Ren, and Tenara. His breath hitched at the sight of them, and he began to shake.

*I see them. Gods, I see them… what. What are they doing?*