Her screams rang through the woods as she caught sight of a figure in her peripheral vision, coming at her from the right. Knocked to the ground from the impact of the man’s body against hers, she landed with a hard thud, her assailant’s weight adding to the pressure which pinned her down. Determined not to be taken she fought back, the tip of her elbow making contact with the man’s face, a loud crack emitting from his nose, followed by a pain-filled cry. Taking advantage of his distraction Kaori pushed him away, clambering back to her feet, desperate to be away from the man.
Recovering quickly, her assailant grabbed for her legs, wrapping his arms around Kaori’s knees to prevent her from running. In her haste she felt her balance falter, arms flailing wildly to try and keep herself upright. It was no use. The man’s grasp was solid. Already she could see the ground coming up to meet her face, finding herself back in the soft soil, fingers clawing at the leaves in hopes that she might be able to crawl out of her attacker’s hold. He was stronger than her. Able to maintain control while sliding forward to place his knees over Kaori’s legs, his weight leaned over her back to pin her down. She could feel his hands grabbing for her wrists to wrestle them behind her. Frantically she fought against him, the quick, desperate movement of her arms making it difficult for the man to get a firm grip without losing his own balance. It was the only advantage she had. If she could get him off-balance, there was a chance she could roll him off her and find a way to escape.
Others would be coming soon. Her time was limited, and she was all too aware of that fact. Once they reached her, she wouldn’t have a chance at getting away. They would overpower her. She refused to let that happen. Rocking her body from side-to-side she focused on the unsteady weight of the man as he struggled to stay on top of her. Through her constant movement she hugged her arms in closer to her body, sliding them under her chest, grateful for the softness of the ground which allowed her to press into its cool surface and dig down. Utilizing every ounce of energy she possessed, Kaori gave one final rock before pushing herself upward, feeling the man’s body fall to one side at the unexpected shift. Like a graceful cat she brought her legs back under her in a swift leap, barely evading the hands of her assailant as he reached for her again.
Back on her feet, Kaori set off into the woods with renewed purpose. A second burst of adrenaline enhanced the speed with which she was able to run, blinded to everything around her but the path ahead. There wasn’t time to focus on anything else. Whatever pain she suffered could be dealt with once she was out of danger. The close-call left her invigorated. No longer hindered by the fatigue which clouded her thoughts when she first entered the woods.
From somewhere in the distance she could hear a horse approaching. The steps were too quick to be those of a human, coming closer at a steady gallop. But from where? She didn’t want to take the time to look. Go deeper into the trees. Her mind called out orders, directing her further into the depths of the woods, off the usual trails which would be easier for a horse to traverse. While it seemed a good idea, it also worked against her when it came to speed. She had to slow down in order to climb over the wild brambles and uprooted trees, hurdling each obstacle, the sound of the horse’s hooves still drawing nearer. They were surrounding her. Blocking every possible means of escape.
Until she saw them, she refused to give up. Maybe there was a path they didn’t know about. It was unlikely, but she couldn’t lose faith now. She had already made it so far. To surrender now would be unacceptable. Gasping for breath she leapt over another branch, feeling the fabric of her skirt catch on a jagged edge. She could hear it rip, hung up for a moment before finally tearing enough to come free, slowing her pace drastically. Why couldn’t she have asked Therek to borrow a pair of his trousers? Dresses weren’t suitable for her line of work anymore.
Regaining her balance she continued onward, aware of a break in the trees up ahead. Was she really so close to the road? It didn’t seem possible. Every road which passed by the Losuva estate was in the opposite direction. She didn’t want to believe she had somehow doubled back and was so close to the house. There was no way to know how many men were after her. Some of them had likely stayed behind while the others entered the woods to take chase. She could be running right into their hands.
Finally she forced herself to slow down, twisting her head rapidly from left to right in search of something which would tell her where she was. She hated not knowing the layout of the woods. Her only experience was from their failed attempt at a peaceful ride along the trails which ended in the injury to her leg. None of the trees looked familiar. When she and Therek took off into the woods back then, it had been in a different direction from that which she ran today. This section of trees was foreign to her. Beyond her ability to map.
A twig snapped to her left, catching her attention, her eyes darting to the side in fear of what she would see. Her heart nearly stopped to find herself staring into the narrowed, gloating gaze of General Deliao, a slight smirk visible on his lips to see the horrified look in Kaori’s eyes. “I knew the bastard was lying,” he scoffed, folding his arms across his chest in satisfaction. “You cannot hide from me, Levadis. It’s time you accept that.”
Her mind reeled. If she let him believe Therek was aware of her presence, he would bring charges against them both. She couldn’t let that happen. Therek remained Sivar’s best chance at freedom. No matter what happened to her, it was imperative her brother be alive and free to lead the rebellion in her stead. This war was started because of her. There was no reason for Sivar to die for her recklessness. “No one has lied to you,” she stated, surprised by the calmness she exhibited despite her racing pulse. Image was important. She didn’t want this man to think he had her rattled. “What are you doing in Siundel? I thought this the last place you would bring your soldiers.”
“You know exactly why I’m here, Kaori,” he wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Rumor has it that you’ve been whoring yourself between two men in order to use them for your silly games. Of the two, Torust doesn’t have the stones to stab our Emperor in the back. Losuva was the obvious choice.”
Appalled by the implications, Kaori’s eyes opened wide, staring back at Deliao, defiant and proud. “I am no whore. The Duke was close to my family. Our relationship goes no further than that.”
“Perhaps not a whore, but you are certainly no lady. Maybe you’re sleeping with them for free.”
“You filthy pig,” Kaori spat. At her sides she let her hands ball into fists, trembling with the effort it took to keep from striking at Deliao. He was uncouth. Boorish. Insulting. She knew he did it to get under her skin – and it was working. “I did not come to Siundel to sleep with the Duke. My reason for coming here was because I was under the assumption he would be in Eykanua.”
“If you thought he was out of town, why come here?”
“There are ways to get into a home without the need of its master. But you don’t need me to tell you that.” She glanced back toward the direction she came, inhaling a deep breath at the sight of several men coming through the trees behind her.
The smirk on Deliao’s face stretched into a cavalier grin. “So you admit you came here with the intent of breaking into the home of the Duke of Avishul? You are adding some impressive charges against yourself, Levadis. But I know you were already inside when we arrived. Losuva only left a short while ago. There is no way you got into that house without his knowledge.”
“I came in through a window at the back near the servants’ quarters. When I realized he wasn’t gone, I hid in one of the rooms until I heard you break through the door.”
“You’ll have to forgive me if I think you a liar.”
“And you must be mad to believe I care one bit what you think.”
“Oh, you’ll care soon enough,” Deliao chuckled, taking a step toward her. Instinctively she moved back, disallowing him from coming closer. His laughter grew louder, feinting another step to see how Kaori would react. Muscles tensed, she
prepared to move, watching him carefully, wise to his game. When he chose to step again she was ready, moving backward, closing her eyes in dread to feel the sturdy figure of a soldier blocking her way. “Kaori Levadis, by order of the Emperor, you are hereby under arrest on suspicion of treason.”
Stiffening at the touch of the soldier’s hands grasping her biceps Kaori lifted her chin proudly. Deliao may have won, but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing the fear in her eyes. “You have no proof to back up your claims, Deliao. This arrest is unwarranted.”
“We have more than enough proof which links you to the rebels, girl. Don’t talk to me about the law when you clearly haven’t an inkling how it functions.” With a snap of his fingers he directed the other soldiers toward Kaori as she started to struggle against her captor. They were on her within seconds, adding their strength to the already firm hold which prevented her from breaking free. Deliao’s laughter rang through the woods, his head falling back to let out a loud bellow, taking pleasure in seeing Kaori restrained. “You are a feisty one, Levadis. It’s a shame, really. Such beauty wasted.”
Knowing it was futile, Kaori pulled against the hands of the soldiers, disgusted by the compliment bestowed upon her from within Deliao’s insults. It made her skin crawl to think he took enjoyment in her appearance. A man like him wasn’t capable of appreciating true beauty. He wasn’t even worthy of being called a man.
At Kaori’s struggle Deliao moved in closer, his fingers reaching out to weave through Kaori’s hair, gripping it hard to pull her head forward, the sound of his voice sending shivers through her spine as the warm breath passed over her ear. “We will break you, Kaori. And when we’re done, you will regret ever having tried to stand against the Emperor.”
Lips pursed, Kaori couldn’t help the smile which played over her mouth at Deliao’s threat. She wasn’t afraid of him. Her blood was of the noble Levadis line. Vor’shai. She wouldn’t be defeated quite so easily as Deliao thought. “You can break my bones, but you will never break me or my people.”
“We’ll see about that,” Deliao nodded, leaning away to release his hold on Kaori’s hair. Before she could say anything in retort Deliao brought his right arm up to drive a solid punch into Kaori’s stomach, the wind escaping her lungs in a harsh wheeze. Pain shot through her abdomen, unable to defend against the strike, her body held in place to prevent her from doubling over at the impact. “Bind her hands and take her away.” Deliao gave a smug glance at Kaori, amused by the power he held over her in that instant. “And make sure she’s gagged,” he added, slapping the side of her face lightly with his palm. “She’ll provide better scenery if we don’t have to hear her speak.”
The cell was cold. Dark. Moisture hung heavy in the air, a distinct smell of soil perceptible amidst the other putrid scents which lingered in the prison. Kaori sat on the hard stone floor, staring down at the shackles binding her wrists. She didn’t want to think about what might happen to her in fear of going mad, but her mind could think of nothing else. Her parents had been in this very prison and their innocence hadn’t been enough to save them. Given the charges laid upon her, she didn’t stand a chance.
It seemed odd that she could see no one else in the cells along the hall. The corridor was quiet. Devoid of even the slightest sound which might indicate another prisoner within the vicinity. They must have decided to keep her in solitary confinement. Contained far from the other captives she knew to be in the General’s custody, perhaps out of fear that she might rally them together and create a riot in the prison. She couldn’t deny that she would try if given the chance. Her people didn’t deserve to be in this place. The only one guilty of anything was her and she was prepared to die if it guaranteed the safety of the others. Unfortunately, she knew it wouldn’t. Promises made by Deliao and the Emperor were empty. Unreliable. It was this which made her adamant that she wouldn’t strike any deals with those men. Even if they gave assurances that the prisoners would be released upon her admission of guilt, she couldn’t trust it, and she had no intention of dying for nothing.
Her stomach ached from lack of food and water throughout the trip to Eykanua. The soldiers were less than hospitable, finding it more entertaining to throw the meals at her rather than allow her to eat. Had it not been for one soldier who took pity on her, she feared she may have died from dehydration along the road. Since her arrival to the prison she had been provided nothing more than some moldy bread and a tin of dirty water. Leftovers from the kitchen that weren’t fit to feed the animals.
A wave of dizziness caused her to wobble, slowly lowering herself onto her side, nose wrinkled in disgust at the pungent aroma of the floor. Urine and sweat. She shuddered to think how disgusting this place was. Unsanitary. But complaining wouldn’t help. No one cared if she got sick. Down in this darkened hole under the palace, she wondered if anyone even knew she was alive other than the men that brought her there. It pained her to think that Therek was so close, walking the halls of the palace, oblivious to her presence in the damp cell. Given the caution and care Deliao had taken to sneak her into the prison unseen, it was doubtful Therek would have been informed of her capture. He was under too much suspicion for Deliao to trust him with any pertinent information.
Don’t cry. She wanted to. The salty liquid burned at the corners of her eyes, blurring her vision with their unwanted warmth. If the soldiers came, they couldn’t be allowed to see her weep. That wasn’t how she wanted to be remembered. Fearless in battle but cowardly in the face of death. It was important that even if she and Sivar met their end in this miserable place, the Levadis name would be remembered for their strength and courage. Those were the only things Deliao and the Emperor couldn’t take from them. But that didn’t make the experience any less terrifying. She didn’t want to die. There was still so much she had yet to experience in life. Ever since she was a little girl she dreamt of seeing the world. Having a family of her own. It was funny, in a morbid sort of way, how life could lead you down paths you never dreamed of, only to destroy everything.
Footsteps somewhere in the prison pulled Kaori from her thoughts, shaky in her motions as she struggled to sit up. Her body was weak. Malnourished. If the person was coming for her, she doubted whether she would be able to stand and greet them. Heart racing, she strained to hear the sound, each step bringing the person nearer. There was no other reason for anyone to be in this area of the prison if not for her. All the cells were empty except for the one she had called home for the past few days.
As the person approached, Kaori slid backward to sit closer to the wall, her confidence failing. She didn’t want to see who it was. She wasn’t ready to hear her fate. Death may be inevitable, but she wasn’t prepared to accept it yet. Part of her clung to the hope that Therek would discover her arrest and find a way to get her free. A foolish notion, she knew, but the mind was capable of convincing itself of almost anything when under duress.
To her dismay it wasn’t Therek’s face that appeared outside the bars, the all-too-familiar uniform of the Imperial Army visible through the dim light of the corridor. The man paused outside Kaori’s cell, waving his hand in a commanding gesture toward two other men who came to stand at his side. “Get the restraints ready. This one isn’t going to go easy.”
Easy? Even if she desired to fight these men, she didn’t have the energy. And what was the point? She couldn’t escape. There would be other guards along the halls which led to the palace proper. While she knew she was capable of defeating one or two soldiers, there was no way she would be able to take on every guard between her and the palace gates. Especially not while in her current condition.
Metal scraped against metal with an uncomfortable screech as the door was pulled open, the men surrounding Kaori quickly, fingers grasping at her arms and legs to prevent her from getting away. It made her feel violated. They paid little attention to where their hands were placed, sliding under the tattered fabric of her dress to grip around her calves while fetters
were clamped at her ankles. One of the other men stepped around in front of her, an evil toothy grin on his face to see Kaori sitting there at his mercy. Her stomach lurched, immediately recognizing every detail of his appearance, their image burned into her head from the night Therek rescued her from Deliao’s soldiers. Ellias. She could still feel his hands upon her, pressing her back against the tree. The sound of his laughter. It rang through the cell now as he grabbed ahold of her hair, yanking Kaori’s head back while a metal cuff was positioned around her neck like a collar used on a dog, a heavy chain connected to the front to form a sturdy leash. “Did you miss me, sweetheart?” he puckered his lips at her, repeating the gesture at the sound of laughter coming from the other men. Disgusted, Kaori turned her head away. Scoundrels. Every last one of them. A disgrace to the emblem of honor they bore upon their uniforms.
Not caring whether it caused her pain, Ellias lifted Kaori to her feet by the chain at her neck, his laughter building intensity to hear her choke under the force, gasping as the metal pressed into her skin, cinched tightly, making it difficult to breathe. She hated giving him the satisfaction of hearing her labored intakes of air but some things she couldn’t hide. It felt as though she was slowly being suffocated while the men stood there and watched.
The chains at her feet nearly caused Kaori to topple forward when Ellias moved toward the door, leading her gruffly along behind. Each of the other two guards took up a place at either side, nudging her occasionally just to watch her stumble. She didn’t have the patience for their games. At the feeling of one of their hands slapping against her backside she turned to face him, her arms lifting to meet with the soldier’s nose, sluggish, yet precise enough to take advantage of the added weight provided by the shackles. Her hands had barely retracted before she felt a hard tug at her neck which sent her sprawling, the man’s childish cries echoing down the corridor. “I think the bitch broke my nose!”
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 55
