The General gave orders to the soldiers posted around the tent, but the words didn't reach her ears. Theodora was lost in her own thoughts. Shocked and angry faces stared back at them as she stepped into the sunlight, blinding her temporarily. Theodora stood behind him, clutching the dagger held at her chest. Her eyes were fixed on the ground in front of her, and she went over thier conversation over and over in her head. Could she really trust him? Did she really have a choice?
"Get some straw, a blanket, fresh clothes, and a bucket of water. Bring it all to my tent," he spoke to the young men near him. They bowed and scurried off in a hurry. The General walked a few paces down the worn dirt path towards his tent. Theodora followed close behind him, right at his heels. He held the tent flap open for her and pushed her inside, following close behind her. He walked over to the large wooden table in the middle of the room and picked up a few papers that were scattered across it. Theodora stood in the corner of the room and looked at him apprehensively.
"I'm not going to hurt you or even touch you. I don't fuck kids." He didn't bother to look at her when he said this, as if reading her mind, and she couldn't help but relax a bit. He seemed completely at ease as if he wasn't worried in the slightest about her standing there, clutching her dagger. It confused her even more that he gave it back to her so willingly and was treating her nicely. Though she still felt it was all a trick to deceive her, she kept her guard up. She would use this opportunity to her advantage. Perhaps she would be able to finally stick her 'beloved' master with her dagger if she stuck close to the General and did what he asked. She had met many people, and he seemed like a man of his word. She couldn't help but want to believe in him. But she had made that mistake before - she wouldn't make it again.
Soon, some young stable hands and squires came into the tent, bringing all the things the General had asked for. He instructed them to make her a small bed in the corner, and after they did, he instructed them to prepare a meal for the both of them. They snuck glances at her, thier eyes filled with distrust and disgust. Not that she could blame them - she was the enemy, and her current physical state was absolutely pitiful.
After they left, leaving her a fresh set of clothes and a bucket of water to clean herself with, Theodora sat down on the straw facing the corner of the tent, her back to the General. She removed her shirt and quickly washed the majority of the dirt, blood and sweat from her torso before throwing on another shirt, which she was grateful was oversized and hid her body. She did the same with her lower body, and in moments she was relatively clean and dressed. Dunking her old clothes in the bucket, she worked diligently scrubbing the blood and dirt from her clothes before wringing them out and laying them over a chair to dry near her makeshift bed.
"What's your name?" The General spoke up. He sat at the large table in the center of the room. It was covered in stacks of papers and battle plans. He was busy going over the paperwork, scribbling and scratching things with a feather quill dipped in black ink. Theodora didn't say anything, and after a while, he looked over at her, disappointment in his eyes, "How can we work together if I don't even know your name?"
"Theo... General. My name is Theo." She had shorted her name years ago, aiding her more boyish appearance. It was a good alias, and since she was a slave, she no longer used or even needed her last name.
"Hmm... Ok, Theo. Come sit with me. Dinner should be arriving soon." The General's golden amber eyes glanced at an empty chair across from him and motioned with his jaw for her to sit. Which she did. She suddenly felt awkward and wondered if she was making the right choice. How could she just readily trust this man?
The stories about him were neverending, each one more extravagant than the last. More propaganda, in Theodora's opinion. Even his childhood was cloaked in blood - his father, the real King of Gresas was violently murdered by his greedy uncle, and then the young General was sold off into slavery to a neighboring country. He was The Fang of Gresas, who had bought his way out of slavery by fighting in the Gladiator Pits of Veldula. He was the infamous free man who lead the Great Revolution, overthrowing the tyrannical government of Gresas. He was also named The Eternal Prince of the Red Sea after bringing order and safety to the shores of Gresas. The man had clawed and killed and slayed everyone and everything in this path mercilessly. He seemed otherworldly in his escapades.
Now that she sat across from him, his calm and collected demeanor and his benevolence towards her made her feel like he didn't quite live up to his reputation. But behind all of that, Theodora felt something deep inside her, even when she first laid eyes on him, that made even her bones shudder. Even the atmosphere seemed to bow in his presence.
She was pulled from her thoughts as the Commander she had seen days ago burst through the tent. His brown eyes glared with such ferocity at her that Theodora thought she might catch on fire. He tossed a chair in anger, and it flew across the room, smashing into pieces. He slammed his hands down on the table, causing the bottle of black ink to spill onto the table. The General casually grabbed a rag and blotted the spilled liquid, reminding Theodora of how gently he had washed her face.
"What is the meaning of this Lyonis?! That boy is an enemy spy sent here to murder you! And yet you..."
The General stood up slowly. His calm and collected action halted the Commander's barrage of yelling. He looked at his subordinate, who winced slightly, but stood firm, trying to remain composed under the unrelenting gaze of his superior. "Are you questioning my actions, Commander Kotas?" The General said, wiping the black ink nonchalantly off his hands with the dirty rag.
"General... With all due respect, this boy murdered 12 of our men and..." The Commander stumbled over his words but was silenced as General Tualon interrupted him.
"Need I remind you, Commander Kotas... It was your responsibility to secure the base? Did I not tell you I would hold you accountable if an assassin managed to get past your barrier and made it all the way to my tent? Or have you forgotten? Do my words hold such little weight to you?"
"General.... I.... I hardly think that is an issue at the moment. We need to discuss why you're letting this assassin sit at the table with you! Even letting him sleep in your tent? Have you gone mad? He needs to be flogged, hung from the gallows to pay for his crimes!" Commander Kotas glared down at Theodora. She scowled back at him, unintimidated by his threats.
"The child is now my sole responsibility, Kotas. Should they step out of line, I will handle it personally. However...." General Tualon looked down at the Commander, anger flaring in his amber eyes like wildfire. The intimidating presence that flooded off him took Theodora's breath away. She was in awe by the raw, powerful energy emanating from him. It sent goosebumps and shivers down her spine. Never in her life had someone elicited such a fearful response in her. Even after countless beatings, she never felt scared. The only things those men had over her were their fists and strength, they abused her physically, but pain was something she had grown accustomed to.
General Tualon had managed to terrify her with a single look. And the look wasn't even directed at her but the Commander! She watched him flinch as if burned by the General's amber eyes. She felt invigorated; awe and admiration swelled in her chest.
Without warning, the General slapped the Commander, easily knocking the man to the ground. "However... Kotas... You have failed me... You have failed your men with lackluster leadership and guidance. Their deaths and blood... are on your hands." His words were still as calm and collected, like an undisturbed crisp and cool forest spring.
Theodora watched as the Commander held his jaw, blood dripping from his mouth. A bright red mark swelled over his face, and one of his eyes reddened - bloodshot from the powerful impact.
"What should I do with you.... Commander?" General Tualon stepped over to the man who tried to stand. The General's heavy boot kicked him square in the chest, knocking his panicked subordinate to the ground once again. The calm, almost aloof attitude the General exuded seemed so unnerving and unnatural. Theodora couldn't even imagine what he was like when actually angered. The thought both terrified and enthralled her.
"General... please... forgive me. Allow me to fix my mistake." The man cowered at his feet, scooting away from him.
"I will forgive you when you can bring back the lives of those men..." The General's husky voice was warm and comforting - a stark and scary difference from the aura radiating off him. It coaxed exciting chills over Theodora's skin. It was as if the General could snap at any moment. She wanted to witness his full fury and rage. The thought almost brought a smile to her face.
The Commander stuttered, unable to respond. General Tualon turned to Theodora, who was quietly sitting there, consciously keeping her face stoic and unaffected. "Theo... What do you think the Commander should do to redeem himself? It's only fair to ask your opinion since you are the one who put him in this predicament in the first place. Maybe, he could learn a thing or two from you..."
Kotas's angry brown eyes bore into Theodora. She could tell he was trying hard to keep his composure but wanted nothing more than to leap across the table to strangle her. She clutched the dagger in her fist, hidden under the table in her lap.
She shrugged, "Maybe he should talk to Aïdes, General... Perhaps he could bargain for their lives, though there is little honor in begging..." Aïdes was the Gresas God of the Dead. She was being careless and insulting with her words, but she didn't care. She was asked her opinion, and she would share it. Somehow she thought the General would've expected this from her. He was already confusing her with his actions. What else did she have to lose at this point?
"You little!!" The Commander yelled and lunged at her, but even though she was exhausted, she was still quick and sliced across his face with the dagger, barely missing an eye, before leaping back away from him. She hadn't let the blade leave her clutches since it was returned to her. The Commander leaped at her again, but the blood cascading down the front of his face blurred his vision, and she was easily able to avoid him, slipping around behind him and taking his back, placing the blade at his throat.
"Theo." The General's voice cut through the tension, and she stopped right before she sliced the man's throat. Seeing his gaze out of the corner of her eye, she nodded and kicked off the Commander's back, releasing him, taking a few paces back, and making putting space between in the cramped tent. The Commander, blinded by blood and fury, howled and reached to grab her but was stopped as the General grabbed the back of his collar and flung him to the dirt toward the front of the tent.
The General clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Ohhh.... Careful there, Commander. It seems Theo will send you to Aïdes before you even get the chance to rectify your failure. I recommend you go get your face checked. And while you're out, go check the line to make sure it's secure..." Walking over calmy, he opened the flap of the tent, motioning for the Commander to leave, "We wouldn't want a repeat of the last few days... Would we?"
Anger and contempt swelled from the Commander as he clutched his bloody, swollen face, stomping out of the tent without another word. The General leaned down to whisper in his ear as he left, "We will discuss your actions another time... Commander." The words were thick with threat, conflicting with his nonchalant attitude. Commander Kotas walked out of the tent and out of sight.
A group of young men carrying plates of food and pitchers of liquid stood frozen outside the tent, thier eyes wide with shock and worry. The General motioned them inside with his chin, and they quickly dropped the food off on the table before scurrying away.
The General sat at the table as if everything that had just transpired hadn't fazed him in the slightest. He motioned to the extra plate of food on the table, telling Theodora to sit and eat with silent actions. She complied- the steaming food and pleasant smells drew hunger to her. It had been days since her last meal, and she was starved.
"So tell me, Theo... Who are we going to kill?" Bloodlust filled the General's amber eyes as he spoke.
...
Six months later, Theodora was standing on familiar marble steps. Her short ashy blonde hair had grown out to flutter over her eyes and ears. Her outfit was new, a skin-tight cream shirt and brown pants. She wore freshly made boots. She had filled out, thanks to regular meals, and as a now 15-year-old, her womanly charms seemed to had awakened. Theodora was a far cry from her past self, and she carried herself with terrifying and deadly confidence. The thin scar down her face only added to her ferocious demeanor.
She walked confidently towards a bloody and bruised pale-faced man, who was scooting back away from her as she neared. He pulled himself across the pristine white floors, leaving a trail of smeared blood behind him. His usually gaudy immaculate clothing and pristine royal appearance were soiled with his own blood and dirt as he scooted backward- weak and pathetic. His fat, disgusting face was swollen, and his icy blonde hair was plastered with blood and dirt. Theodora smiled to herself as she watched fear and anger cascade over his face once he recognized her.
"You... You were supposed to be dead! How... how dare you treat your Master this way, Theodora! I'll.... I'll have you flogged for this! I'll.... I'll rip out your tongue and... and cut off all your fingers!" Threats flew from his mouth in a panic. Swords and yelling clashed off in the distance. Theodora closed her eyes and smiled, taking in the moment. Listening to the sound of her Master's kingdom falling to ruin around them. The perfectly crafted marble hallway, with towering white pillars, arched ceilings, and ornate mosaic walls, glowed orange in the light of braziers. The sounds of war echoed off the large empty hallway. What a blissful, beautiful symphony. "You stupid, ungrateful BITCH! I'll ruin you! The only thing you'll be good for after I'm through with you is as a fucking whore!"
Laughter erupted from deep within her chest, "Oh... my lord... Could you shut the fuck up for a second? I'm listening to the music." She twirled around as if she were dancing in a ball. Her hands clutched her favorite daggers. The shiny black metal spoke to her, demanding blood.
She opened her eyes and looked down at her Master, cowering away from her. Broken. Bloody. It was a sight she had seen in her dreams. She pinched herself and smiled. The pain was real. The look in his eyes changed. Suddenly, his anger shifted into panic and desperation as he suddenly realized the predicament he found himself in. 'Pathetic.' She thought.
'Theodora... Please. Haven't I been good to you? Didn't I treat you well? You were like a daughter to me! I... I took you in! When no one wanted you! Please. Help me! You'll help me, won't you?" Tears fell down his swollen round cheeks. Blood dripped from his forehead and mixed with his salty tears.
She squatted next to him, placing one of her blades back in the sheath attached to her thigh. Picking the blood and dirt out from under her nails with the other dagger. Her favorite dagger. The black dagger she said she would use to kill her Master to free herself. The moment seemed so surreal that she felt like she was floating on clouds.
"My lord... Could you tell me where I can find Niko? I've looked everywhere for him... I can't find him anywhere... I'm... I'm scared he might be hurt..." She looked downtrodden, feigning sadness and innocence. "You... you told me you would keep him safe! You promised me!" She reached out to clutch his hands in hers, he tried to pull away from her, but she gripped ahold of him... Hard. He winced in pain, "You.... wouldn't break your promise... would you? My Lord?" Her voice grew dark, serious. She felt her anger reach new heights.
"N... Niko?" The man stuttered. His memory failed him. It was the wrong response, and she stabbed him in the leg, burying her blade in his fat thigh. He cried out in pain, and she smiled again, taking in the sound.
"You forgot?" She made her voice sound pained and sad before twisting the blade slowly, feeling his flesh tear under her hand. Blood gushed from the wound and pooled on the marble floor around him. The shiny dark red blood reflected the surroundings like a mirror. She saw her reflection in it and almost smiled, unable to recognize herself from even a few months ago. No longer a cowering child slave, but a fearsome battle-hardened woman.
"Niko! Yes! Yes, of course, I remember! How could I forget! Your brother! He... he is safe and sound! Let.. let me take you to him!" He lied, the whites of his eyes large and round in his skull. The blood was draining from his body, and his usual pale pink face was turning grey.
"Wonderful! Thank you so much, my lord! Let's hurry! The dreaded Fang of Gresas is coming! We must hurry before he finds you!" She looked down at him with mocking fear in her eyes. The man's dread seemed to reach new heights.
"Oh yes, l-let's go at once! Please, Theodora... h-help me up." The fat pale face looked up at her with desperation. How often had he looked down on her and others without sympathy or kindness?
She shook her head, downtrodden, "Oh no, my lord. I couldn't possibly touch you with my soiled hands. Please... lead the way." He looked at her with fear and confusion. Her face soured, "My lord... Please... Lead the way." She kicked his broken leg, and he cried out in pain. Seeing her seriousness, the man turned and crawled along the floor down the hall. The sounds of war outside grew closer, and fire seemed to have broken out somewhere in the villa. Smoke began to creep in and swirl around the ceiling.
"Theodora... My dear daughter..." The man began begging, "Please help me. I promise to give you anything you want in return." He coughed up blood and continued his slow crawl down the hallway.
She ignored his request, "Niko is waiting, sire. I'm sure he's scared. We must hurry... The General is coming...." Theodora had taken out her small sharpening stone from her pocket and started sharpening her blade on it. The rhythmic sounds bounced off the empty hall.