After a few minutes, Rowena grabbed a biscuit and proceeded to butter it and add blackberry jam. While engrossed in her task, she asked "How shall we get better acquainted, My Husband?" She looked up at him with a seductive half-smile as she spoke.
Daimon nearly choked on his eggs and sausage.
At his shocked and embarrassed expression, Rowena let out a melodious laugh. "Am I that scary?"
Daimon shook his head with a rueful smile. "No. I'm just having trouble getting used to the idea that I have a wife." He admitted.
"Are you sorry that you do?"
He looked up at her. Surprised by her question, he was even more surprised by his own answer. "No. I'm not at all upset that I married you." He said sincerely with a slight emphasis on the word 'you' that Rowena picked up on but wisely did not comment upon.
She smiled affectionately at him. "I'm not sorry I married you either."
He didn't understand why that made him happy, but it did.
"I hope that continues." He said sincerely.
She looked at him quizzically.
"The life of the wife of the Crown Prince of the Dragorian Empire will not be easy. You have many expectations and demands placed on you. Your every word and action will be monitored, scrutinized, and criticized. I've had many attempts made upon my life and there will be many more. As my wife, you may be considered a pawn to be used against me." He did not want to scare her, but he did want to prepare her. Her life would not be easy. She was in the fanciest and most dangerous prison in the world.
She shrugged. "I'm aware of what I've gotten into." She said simply.
But Daimon wondered if she really did. She seemed confident that she could handle whatever came her way. If it was from naivete or false bravado, he wasn't sure. He just hoped she would survive.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Back in the unknown prison, the young man who had already spent several days detained there was faking being more infirm than he was. They would soon discard him for being broken and useless. It would give him time to plan his next move.
He had divulged nothing so far and would escape soon. Although his captors' identities and motives were unknown, he would soon be gone and there would be no way for them to stop him or trace where he went. Then he would find out everything he needed to know and make sure they regretted the day they messed with the Dragorian Empire's Head Assassin and Spymaster. His name was Killian and to cross him or the Dragorian Empire meant death.
Killian closed his eyes and shifted to his Shadow Sight. He could see that his captors were few in number, but he knew they were powerful. Of particular importance, was the strange creature he referred to as the Interrogator and another man who appeared to be a co-conspirator of slightly higher rank. He mentally referred to him as the Warden for lack of a better term. He did not understand yet what was going on.
He did not have long to look around his prison when his interrogator and the warden entered the interrogation room from different doors. The warden arrived with a new prisoner.
"What have we here?" said his interrogator indicating the bundle his co-conspirator dropped rather harshly on the ground.
"A problem of the Seelie Court." Replied the co-conspirator.
"They can't handle their own problems? It's only one little girl." The interrogator scoffed dismissively.
"She was convicted of a serious crime but refused her punishment and escaped from custody."
"Is that all?" he sounded skeptical.
"No. They wouldn't send her to us for just that. She apparently knows things she shouldn't."
"What do they want us to do?"
"Interrogate her. Discipline her. Then dispose of her."
"Wonderful. I've been bored with these pathetic humans. She will be far more fun."
"Careful. I heard she is of mixed heritage. No one's exactly sure what she is or what she's capable of."
"Even more exciting." He said enthusiastically. "How did they catch her?"
"Betrayal, ambush, and copious amounts of debilitating drugs."
"Pity she has no real friends." He said laughing.
"…"
The two conspirators unwrapped the bundle and tied the prisoner's wrists and ankles tightly to an x-shaped device. She made no moves at all and slumped heavily against the restraints. Her head hung limply on her chest, so they put a collar around her neck and attached it to a chain that hung from the ceiling. It did not fully raise her head but kept her more upright.
"If she's so dangerous, what's to keep us safe?"
"Not to worry. The drugs she's ingested will keep her weak and docile. Her venom has been neutralized as well."
"Venom? Well now, I'm very intrigued." The interrogator said lasciviously.
"Sadistic pervert." The warden said, but he did not sound disgusted or angry. The interrogator just smiled salaciously in response.
"And I will give her additional drugs to make her more compliant." As he said this, the warden forced open the prisoner's mouth and poured a large amount of fluid down her throat. She coughed but did not open her eyes or make any other sounds. He held her mouth closed and tilted her head backwards so she no choice but to swallow the liquid or else she'd drown choking on the thick liquid.
Satisfied, the warden said "I'll leave you to your work. Try not to kill her before she gives us the information we need. Once we get it, you can do whatever you want with her." Then he turned and left.
The interrogator nodded. After the warden left, the interrogator considered his newest custodial charge.
"So, the mighty Seelie Court is afraid of this pretty little thing?" he shook his head. "You don't look so dangerous anymore." He looked her up and down lasciviously.
"Wake up, My Little Beauty." He said as he heated a sharp iron poker in the fire.
As Killian's long hair hung over his eyes, he could observe the scene without being seen as watching. He observed the situation with disgust.
"Such a pretty thing" the interrogator said again as he held the poker close to her face. "Stop pretending and open your eyes. It doesn't matter to them if you have both eyes so long as you give me the information required. But I would hate to mar such lovely skin. Cooperate, My Lovely, and I will make sure you remain unblemished." He chuckled. "Well, at least, there will be no permanent damage."
It appeared that he was at least partially right about her pretending. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at her captor. There was no surprise or fear on her face. She said nothing.
It did seem, however, that she was not faking the effects of the drug. Her eyes were unfocused, her limbs uncooperative, and her throat was dry. She may not have been out cold, but she was definitely under the influence of some powerful sedatives and who knows what else.
Just then a bell sounded, dragging the attention of the interrogator away from his quarry. It was a sound Killian had heard before and it indicated a messenger or visitor of some importance. Regardless, it meant that the interrogator would be gone for at least a little while.
"We will have to postpone our fun for a little while longer, My Beauty." He sighed. "I hope you won't be too disappointed. I promise I will return soon." He blew her a little kiss as he reluctantly left the room.
The female looked around the room briefly and then closed her eyes again. Whether overcome with weariness, drugs, fear, or most likely some combination of all three, Killian didn't know. Always silent, he appraised his fellow prisoner. She was unlike anything he'd ever seen before.
Her hair was not the normal red seen in the kingdoms to the North. Nor did she resemble them physically in any other way, such as their fair creamy skin dotted with freckles and wide emerald eyes. Instead, her hair was the color of pure rubies and streaked with black. It hung in long waves nearly to her knees. Her skin was as black and smooth as onyx and seemed to absorb any light around it.
She was generously curved with ample bosom, plump bottom, and almost impossibly thin waist. But her limbs were long and thin almost disproportionate to her body. Even her fingers seemed too long and slender to be human, but at the same time they were graceful. She was tall, too, at just over six feet. Anyone else with such proportions would seem awkward and gangly, but she appeared lissome and elegant.
Most striking of all were her eyes. They seemed almost too large for her face and were a deep blackish red like garnets or dried blood. She had a finely sculpted aquiline nose and high chiseled cheekbones that gave her an air of otherworldly inhuman beauty.
She looked human enough, but also something more. During his travels and even more so since his capture, Killian had seen many strange humanoid creatures, his interrogator included among them. He had never thought one was beautiful until now.
He wondered who she was, what she was, and why she was in this prison. He never got involved in the affairs of other kingdoms unless it directly affected the Dragorian Empire. Of course, since she was imprisoned by the same people who captured him, he could only see her as a possible ally.