The Bestial Valley, a vast opening between mountains in which the wicked and evil were prepared and given to Beasts to be devoured for their crimes. I never thought I would be one. Big Muscles did not strike me with her crook, and Red Hair simply led me to a single post. Surrounding the post were various clay pots full of different liquors, spices, herbs and oils, and a shallow cleansing pond. Red Hair stopped in front of the pool of clean water. She began to strip. Big Muscles did as well. I couldn't help but shake. Red Hair undid her barbed wire braid and led me into the waters, just like a hesitant sow. Big Muscles' powerful body was decorated with various scars, yet she wore those marks like war won medallions. Since I was already nude, Big Muscles used her crook to push me low into the water.
They scrubbed my bruised flesh with the sand at the bottom of the pond, using some of the soft mosses to wipe the blood from my nethers. The two of them were strangely gentle as they scrubbed me clean. Both caressed my thighs with the moss, the cool water soothing to my bruises. The two pulled out scentless soap oil, gently massaging the fluid into my skin and hair. This was the first time I ever could have such a true bath. I just wish it wasn't my last.
Once clean from any blood and filth, I was lead out of the pond and over to the clay pots. Red Hair, still nude, pulled me over to the post and arranged my sore limbs. The cooking oils were lathered onto my bare breasts, thighs, and neck. The spices were painted on me in decorative patterns and applied as makeup. And the herbs, which were dried in sprigs, were woven as necklaces, bracelets and one lavender and thyme circlet was placed on my shorn head. Big Muscles pulled out a red obsidian knife and traced a bloody line on my belly spelling "slaughtered." My hands were then bound in prayer and my legs bound under me like I was resting in the wind. Two more chains were added. One was wrapped between my breasts, making look as I'm a trussed up like a chwistrell. The other was wrapped around my waist, securing me to the post.
Red Hair and Big Muscles then dressed back into their armors and donned their weapons. The two then turned to head back to Aria. Tears welled up in my eyes, making the kitchen makeup run and ripen with scents.
"Please, don't leave me. I didn't do anything! I'm not a witch!" I cried out. Big Muscles kept walking, But Red Hair stopped and turned to face me.
"The headman stated you are a witch who tried to seduce him, but he fought back brilliantly. Why would he lie?" she asked.
"I don't know why he stated such false accusations. But please believe me! I'm not a witch. I just wanted to be human again." I trailed into a whisper. Red Hair gave me a queer look. She began to walk back towards my bound body.
"I…believe you. But I cannot go against the Headman's word. If I do, he'll dehumanize my family and have me exiled and marked. I saw how many Arians treated you, besides a few. My weans, I couldn't have them dehumanized. My eldest is only four springs. My youngest was born on the one-moon night, they would not survive a month. Please, forgive me for my treatment to you." She stated. I gave her a bruised smile.
"Luckily I am a forgiving person. But why did you treat me so when I was imprisoned?" I had to ask. Red Hair bowed her head in shame.
"I thought the headman was right. Why would a swine girl, who lived as such for thirteen autumns, able to be chosen as Lady Aria? I truly believed you bewitched the Headman. Not that that'll be hard, with how you look." Now I'm a bit confused.
"What do I look like?" I asked. Red Hair gave me another queer look.
"You don't know?" she replied. I shook my head. Red Hair rewarded me with a serene smile. She seemed…motherly. Oh, right. She is a mother.
"You look like the epitome of Evermore Gaia. A man would be a fool to not be bewitched by your appearance." Red Hair then stood and began to walk away.
"Swine girl Hyll, I know it is against tradition to do this, but here," Red Hair then turned back to hand me an obsidian and black steel dagger. It was no longer than my hand, and only two fingers thick, but I could see it was very well-loved. I looked up at her.
"Why?" I asked. Red Hair closed her vivid blue eyes, tears forming under the lashes.
"I wouldn't live with myself if you died without a fighting chance. That blade is sharp enough to eviscerate a Sleipnir. so, it should work on those chains. May the Kings be with you." She then ran off to join Big Muscles, who waited. The two then walked away, leaving me to my fate.
The dagger was heavy in my bound hands as I watched the last humans I'll ever know leave. The chains the two used to harness me to this damned post were braided and brined skeer skin. Since the skeer skin was brined, it made the braided chain tough and unbreakable…for a human. It was digestible for a beast. I turned my head slightly to stare at the post. And I felt my face drain of its color. It was also skeer parts but of smoked bone. That meant it was flexible, and shapes to my body, but also means unbreakable…for a human, of course. IF this knife is sharp enough to gut a Sleipnir, then it should be sharp enough to cut through these skins. One could only hope.
The sun was setting. I watched the horizon as the sun settled in the North, cascading glorious colors of rainbow shades, painting the twilight sky with various hues. As the violet star began to rest for the night, I saw a golden white glimmer rising from the painted rays. From a distance, I believed it to be a bird…but I was wrong. The beast is coming.
Keiser:
The scent of blood drew my attention on my nightly flight. All six of my wings went rigid as the alluring scent lead me to the Valley of Mat. How odd. Usually, the tinged mortals leave pots of oils, herbs, and spices with occasional dried kylling and Hjort. Every now and then the tinged beings will leave several casks of brined fish, or wine. Alas, I am a curious drage, so I go to investigate.
As I fly closer, the scent changed. I smell, thyme and lavender, rich spice and skeer oil, and…a woman. I snorted, a bit of blue fire whisking away from my snout. The tinged beings left another sacrifice. I shook my head to myself. Those tiny blue and purple mortals never learned drager don't eat humans. I began to circle the woman, at least a mile above her head. Glancing down by moving only my eye, I catch a glint in the woman's hands. I decided to turn my whole head down to check. It was a dagger. That's a new one. Were sacrificed beings now allowed weapons to help with their deaths? Deciding that I was done teasing and scaring the woman, I flew into a massive copse of Dragonwood elms and retained my human form.
Hyll:
The beast that was circling above my head flew off. I let out a breath I wasn't aware I held. As it flew off, I noticed it was a Rainbow Dragon. Such a magnificent beast. I feel bad now it didn't eat me, I wouldn't have minded being devoured by the creature.
A Rainbow Dragon is a massive dragon the size of a small mountain. His body scales are a beautiful pearl white, which reflects the violet rays of the sun, even as it fades, in a plethora of color. Its claws are long as I am tall, and a dazzling array of diamond beauty. The beast also has a massive head, with only two spiraling horns curving up and leaning back with another curve. Those horns are a deep gold. But the most awe-inspiring feature of a rainbow dragon: its' wings. Most dragons have no wings, a pair of wings or two pairs. A Rainbow dragon has three pairs of wings, its' feathers long and tasseled, so it appeared to wear a long shimmering cloak of white gold/silver. To even catch a glimpse of the creature was considered a sign of the Kings of the Galaxies, and the few who ever seen it was blessed with wealth, beauty and power.
The beast flew off towards the Dragonwood copse. The sister moons rising to greet the night, one swollen like a pregnant belly, the other crested like a dragon claw. I miss my wooly friends, the pleasantly tempered shickeners, the few villagers who cared for me. The night chill drifted over my nudity, pebbling my skin. I kept the dagger tight in my hands.
Something rustled in the brush. Turning my head to face whatever came for me, I readied myself to fight, no matter the severe disadvantage I have from being trussed.
"Who's out there?!" I shout, trying my best to sound fierce, and fail. Someone chuckled, it was a masculine sound.
"You are a brave mortal. To threaten one such as I, being trussed in edible rope and wielding a blunt dagger." Thanks to the lights of the twin moons, I gasped as a man stepped out of the brush. He was brutally handsome.
The man was tall, taller than any Razenyan, or Earth Folk. He was very broad with muscles, making the woman I called "Big Muscles" seem like a dainty and petite woman. His broad chest was hairless, lacking tit, and had a pearling sheen. Those arms…they were almost as big as the post I was tied to and rippling with corded power. He held long platinum-colored tresses, trailing and curling just under a neatly trimmed beard, which held a smirking mouth of pink lips. His eyes were a rich dark gold ringed with lighter gold. I glanced lower. He has wide hips, but not as shaped like a woman's or a pregnant man's. Thank the Kings he wore breeches of what appeared to be butter-soft leather, tanned and snug on his hips and powerful thighs…but they outlined what I hope was an exaggerated codpiece. He wore no boots or any other footwear. He would appear to be a Lord, judging by the twin horned crown of spiraling gold and the gossamer-like cloak which trailed just hairs off the ground. He also had large hands, the fingers painted a glistening sheen.
"I'm…I'm so sorry for my rudeness Lord…" I stammered. The Lord chuckled, his voice a deep baritone of rumbles, quite like a dragon's growl.
"Keiser. My name is Keiser. I was passing through and spotted someone tied up in the Valley of Mat. Why is such a woman here?" I bowed my head in shame.
"I was accused of witchcraft and sentenced to die by the maws of a beast. I've been prepped already, so now I wait to be devoured." I replied. Lord Keiser let out a brutal snarl.
"You? A witch? Witches are foul looking bitches and descend from White folk. You are too harmonious to be such a creature." I am confused about one phrase he stated.
"What's a 'White Folk?'" I asked. Lord Keiser looks a bit confused. His eyes widened, and he threw back his head and let loose a loud and contagious laugh.
"Oh, dear maiden! I forgot what your tinged folk call them. The Earth folk. They are colored in various shades of peach and white." I can feel my face flush with shame and embarrassment.
"I am of Earth Folk descent. My mother was of the Earth folk. Am I a witch?" I asked. Lord Keiser smiled and shook his head.
"No. You are not a witch. You are too beautiful to be such. To be accused of such a feat, your leader much be a slip of an idiot." He stated.
"He is. And more." I whispered. Lod Keiser then walked over towards me and knelt low on the ground in front of me.
"What happened, exactly? I may be able to help." He sounds so…empathetic. I couldn't help it now. I wept and told my tale.
Keiser:
I never knew how…horrid! The Tinged humans are! To do such a thing to not only a child but to the rare beauty of a lass! I can feel my eyes bleed to rich ruby colors as my rage tried to overcome my mind. The woman, whose name I never got yet, kept her head bowed to her breasts. How could her own people treat her in such a horrid manner? With her beauty, she should be a queen or a wealthy woman, but to first treat her like a worthless prey creature! Drager never would treat a female of such grace and dignity!
"This Gwrthdro…raped you? He took your most precious gift, and then sentenced you to die because he is a coward of a man to do so? He will pay for his grievances." I was snarling. The woman's weeping began to slow, and she looked up at me. Wow, her eyes were bewitching. Deep rich violet speckled with equally deep rich blue, thick lashes framing such jewels. Is this the reason that creep forced himself on her?
"I don't care anymore. It's not like anyone will care. Besides, he has a lot of support and power. He has a Mage under his thumb. Lady Damona." That name. I know her!
"That so-called 'Mage,' is a Grand Witch! She embezzles magic from slaughtering drager and feasting on their heart and brain. She then sells her 'gift' for a price. Lady Damona is wanted amongst the drager for her selfish slaughter." The woman shot her head up, flashing her bejeweling eyes, wide with shock.
"Lady Damona, a witch?" she asked. I nodded. I still knelt in front of her. Now that her shock has passed, she seemed resigned.
"Of course, she's a witch. Explains why she never helped me. To be honest Lord Keiser, I just don't give a fuck." Now I'm surprised. Such language!
"Maiden, watch that mouth," I warned. She now looks abashed. Good.
"Forgive me, Lord Keiser. I'm just exasperated after everything. All I wanted was to be treated as a human once more. I wanted to be an equal again, own land again, to have my own cottage. I wanted to marry one day. On my own terms, of course." She ranted. From the tone and sound of her voice, she was bottling this for a long time.
"I can free you, easily," I said. She looked shocked again.
"You can do that? These hide ropes cannot be broken by humans." I gave her a snarky grin, flashing the lovely woman sharp, white teeth.
"Luckily I'm not human."
Hyll:
What does he mean "Not human?" Despite his massive size, Lord Keiser seemed like a normal human, But not Razenyan or Earth folk. Could he be a different race of human? Pondering this, a vibration in the air made me lookup. Lord Keiser, he seemed to be pulsating rainbow lights from his body. As he pulsated, he began to grow. His platinum hair shortened, his cloak seemed to wrap around him, and then a brilliant white light lit up the dark valley. I closed my eyes at the brightness.
"You may open your eyes." Opening just one, I peeked. Both eyes are open now. I'm in awe.
"You're a…a…Rainbow Dragon." I let out with a timid breath. The dragon, Lord Keiser, smirked, his two-foot-long white fangs glistening with the lovely moonlight.
"Yes. I am the last Rainbow Dragon on Razenya. I am Lord Keiser, the Dragon Emperor." I stared at the massive beast and soon faded into the sparkling black once more.