Sienna was walking in the dark corridors. The candle in her hand flickered gently as she walked close to Sharmut. Her father-in-law was very sneaky, serious and formidable. His strong arm was around her waist tightly as he was leading her to his rooms. Sienna was a bit puzzled.
"What is his purpose?" she thought worriedly. She was grateful to him for saving her but was wary of him. He was way too firm!
Sharmut took Sienna up the dark corridors into his bedroom, he sat her on the black velvety sofa and lit up a few more candles...." Be at home here..." he smiled."It is your home anyway..." he chuckled entertained. He noticed Sienna was a bit stiff and he liked it. "I will find a way to lower her guard eventually."He thought.
Sienna watched as Akita brought all the cage parts to Sharmut's room. She glared at the stupid servant..." I will tell Sharchan to get him out!" she thought a bit scared.
"All cage parts are here. " The wicked servant bowed to Sharmut as he stood next to the window.
"Well done, Akita."Sharmut nodded.
Suddenly Sharmut lashed out his sword and cut Akita's head off throwing him out of the window in a split second! Sienna could not believe her eyes. Akita was gone in the gush of wind !!!
Sienna felt sick at the realization and held her hands over her mouth staring at Sharmut with quiet horror in her eyes...
"He deserved to die...no one threatens the life of my son's queen."Sharmut chuckled at her startled reaction as he cleaned his sword of blood with a white silk tissue."It is the law...your king Sarcos decided."He said sweetly and put his sword back. He went to his bathroom to wash his hands and Sienna just stared blankly...
"Did he just kill him?..."The realization hit her hard...He is a killer! Sharchan is a killer, S is surely a killer, Sarcos is a killer, Tyrell is a killer, Marco is a killer, so all my mates are killers!!! Well, all warriors are killers, ok... I will call them warriors, it sounds better...it is normal here, my father-in-law is perfectly normal... OK? He is fine..he likes me...he killed that guy for me...just now...he is caring...he is nice..." she tried to turn her head around to keep sane...
"Now, to your cage... "the manly voice disturbed her thinking daze...
Sharmut took a few golden disks and started to unroll them slowly." It was quite a big cage, with a nice tall ceiling." he nodded as he placed the straightened parts next to Sienna's feet. "What do you think, Sienna?"
"Wow, you are so strong, father-in-law..."Sienna was on her best behaviour. She was just hoping to survive the night...
"Come, "he gave Sienna a hand to stand up and walked her around the parts of the golden cage." It fits your bed, cupboards and the table...with your sewing...do you want me to build it?" he asked cheekily.
"No, "Sienna shook her head. She felt scared and even more upset. She sat back on the sofa with a loud sigh."Why he is doing it? Father-in-law..."
"It is in our tradition..." Sharmut nodded..."To hold close whoever is dear to us..." he smiled charmingly."But my son is too barbaric..." he shook his head. "He wanted to hold you in this as an animal. I'm much more considerate."
He took one golden bar and started ripping it apart with his bare hands like playdough! Then he started twisting the smaller piece of gold to create a longer piece with spiral patterns...it looked like a long Celtic bracelet ...
Sienna watched in awe. She was still not sure what was going on...
Sharmut took the twisted golden line and kneeled at her feet! Sienna felt frozen! She stared at him in unbelief as he took her feet to his hand gently.
"Do you like gold?" he asked her smiling a bit cheekily again, he was definitely sneaky...
"Not really," Sienna shook her head.
"Oh yes, you have nothing on you...no necklaces, bracelets or earrings..." he smiled playfully." I will give you at least this." he put one golden ring around her ankle.
"Aww, thank you father-in-law, but I do not like to wear jewellery much," Sienna said worriedly staring as he held her feet in his hand!
"It is not jewellery. "Sharmut added a few more links to it making it a golden chain!" And I told you to call me Sharmut." he smiled.
Sienna was in shock and did not move. She could do nothing about it anyway! Sharmut was very skilful and made the chain links really fast!
"You must have practice with this father-in-law...Sharmut, your chain is perfect..."Sienna nodded approvingly, turning two rounds around her feet just so he would make it longer...
"So, did you make a lot of chains? "She smiled at him.
"You see, I always held my queen on the chain, when I went hunting..because if she ran outside, she would be taken..you might know the feeling well..." he glanced at her..." but my son decided she was safer running around in the forest..." he talked as he worked fast on more golden links. Each of them was perfect like an expensive jewellery.
"So I'm wondering....why my son doesn't let you run around in the forest and build you this cage?" he nodded. "He should be fair as a king. Don't you think?"
Sienna nodded. "You make sense, Sharmut. I should be also allowed to run around freely. And I'm happy with the garden, it doesn't need to be a whole forest..." she nodded.
Sharmut chuckled entertained. "Silly wild thing you are!" he looked at her gently." I saved your life, so you are mine Sienna..." he smiled and sat next to her hugging her shoulders. Sienna looked at him smiling. "Of course, I'm your daughter-in-law, so I'm your's as well..." she tried to ease him.
"Yes, but, I meant it differently. You will see..." he nodded.
"I don't like that,...you will see..., sentence."Sienna shook her shoulders.."It is very childish..." she provoked him a bit." I hope you can let me give you a kiss on the cheek as my thank you and take me back to my room..."
"Sure, I like the kiss, but it is not enough." he nodded thinking.
"So what else would you want?" Sienna asked curiously.
"I took you, so I can get what is mine..." he said seriously and stood up.
"Ah, so you want to exchange me for something? How can you give up on me so easily?" Sienna shook her head pitifully. She could see he likes mind games!
"Well, I have a mate running wild," he chuckled."So what do you think, which son I should negotiate with?"
"With both of them." Sienna smiled gently. She rather played along.
"Why?" he furrowed his brows curiously.
"They both are kingish..." she added.
"Hahaha, yes, that makes sense ...double answer..."He walked around slowly thinking. Sienna felt he was kind of sad. She felt a deep longing seeping from him...
"So what now... father-in-law?" Sienna asked when he finally stopped.
"We will wait till they come back! Do you care to play chess?" he asked cheekily. His son's queen was quite entertaining...
"Sure. "Sienna smiled.
"What for?"He smirked at her playfully.
"What would you like?"Sienna asked curiously. He was puzzling to her.
"A portrait of me and my mate," Sharmut said.
"Sure, it will be my pleasure."Sienna nodded.
"And what you will like?"He asked.
"To melt that golden cage and make pendants from it..."Sienna's lips curled up cheekily.
"Pendants? For who?"Sharmut asked intrigued.
"For all snake females." Sienna smiled..."With a writing; "You deserve to live a free life the way you want..." she smiled sweetly...
"Haha, you are so funny! Let's play then...I got white figures, agreed?"He put the chess on the table.
"Sure, black ones are my favourite..." she smiled happily, the chess figures were carved from delicate marble. They were smooth and cold."As my father-in-law..."Sienna noted in her head.
Sharmut arranged the figures fast and Sienna looked into his composed face.
"They are such a playful family.." She sighed sarcastically in her mind.
Sienna played chess with Sharchan's father and won! It looked like he let her win, but she was glad for it. It looked like he wanted to see Sharchan's reaction to those pendants...
"You play chess surprisingly well," he nodded thinking. He was quite nice to her as they played and he chatted with her jokingly, so Sienna started to relax. She was giggling a lot and felt a little wild...
"Don't be sad father-in-law, I will make you that portrait anyway because you are amazing..." she smiled sweetly.
"Thank you, you are so kind..so here, have some paper and sketch that pendant of yours... "he chuckled as he sat her at his writing table.
Sienna smiled cheekily as she sketched quickly the pendant design, it was a delicate heart-shaped pendant with decorative writing...
Sienna sat back on the velvety sofa. She cuddled up to a few silk pillows as she waited and fell asleep. She was just too tired...
Sharmut looked at the sleeping queen."So cute, I almost pity her next to my son. Well, she chose to save him so many times already...Lucky brat." Sharmut mumbled as he scooped sleeping Sienna up and put her into his bed."Rest well, little queen."He chuckled quietly. Then he turned into a big white snake and curled around his bed."No one is getting to her, till I get what I want! My Chantelle." he closed his eyes to rest...
When Sharchan and S came back, Akita's body half eaten by ravens was waiting for them in the castle atrium...the big black birds still feasting on it, screeching loudly into the misty cold morning...
"What is this?" Sharchan furrowed his brows.
"Sienna!" S called as they both ran to her room, but it was empty...