His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 17: Punishment

Returning from my brother’s study, I took my time, ignoring any nobles lingering and looking in my direction. The time spent with Alaric lifted my spirits which was like a high in what was quite a bleak existence. The snowfall had calmed, adding to my serenity, the flurries small, disappearing as they land on me.

Any semblance of peace diminished, though, as soon as I stopped by the steps leading down the path to my palace. Two lines cut through the snow like a shallow trench, flanked by staggered bootprints. It was clear someone had been dragged across the ground from my home.

"She has the slave!" For once, Maggie wasn’t completely useless as she burst through the doors, aware of my arrival.

Ice shards clawed into my chest and sunk deep into the pit of my stomach at Maggie’s words. "Her Majesty, Queen Mother has Theo!"

Soren shifted behind me uncomfortably as my thoughts raced. I needed to change into one of my other dresses, a dress less extravagant, but fear was crippling my lungs with bloodied images and ideas of what Deyanira was already doing to Theo. Her questions were always followed by violence, whether you answered her or not.

There was no time for this! I spun around and sprinted back in the direction I came from. There was no ice on these pathways, and Soren swiftly pushed any nobles who entered my field of vision aside.

"How dare you touch me!" Their complaints whizzed by me.

Snow dust flew inside the cold corridor from where we burst through the doors. The courtiers backed away, startled at our appearance. Again, I paid little attention to them. But my strides slowed, as did Soren, who was following my lead.

They would gossip about my behaviour, and word would return to Deyanira. I couldn’t allow that to happen. Composed once more as my insides twisted with fear, adrenaline and rage, I walked to Deyanira’s quarters like my friend’s life didn’t count on it.

With a bored expression and a small sigh, I arrived by the double doors of Deyanira’s chambers. The guards stood stoically, eyes flashing slightly before turning and opening the doors for me without alerting the Queen Mother to my arrival.

Sconces erupted into flames on the walls as I passed, casting shadows along our features, the golden glow and the opulent splendour of Deyanira’s chambers passed by in statues, vases, jewels, paintings, furs and rugs to warm the cool surface of the sparkling black ground. I still didn’t know what the material was beneath my feet but I did not care. These chambers never looked the same since Deyanira moved in.

The pounding of flesh echoed along the high ceilings the closer I rounded the corner into Deyanira’s parlour. I didn’t stop even as her guards kicked and punched at Theo’s bare flesh. He’d been stripped naked. Blood splattered along the ground. His arms were wide, hands lifeless on the cold floor, butt cheeks bare.

Deyanira stood before him, arms crossed, and placed her heel atop Theo’s head, eyes flashing to mine with a cruel smirk. I didn’t blink, my gaze flicking to Theo and back to her, soulless, bored, nonchalance I did not feel. "Mother," I began submissively. "My maid informed me you took my slave."

Deyanira moved the end of her heel into the middle of his shoulder blades and dug it in. Theo sputtered and moved his head, pretty lashes blinking slowly as he looked at me. He tried to mouth something to me, but Deyanira was observing us. "Oh?" Her voice is almost lyrical, like a songbird. "You came all this way for this thing?"

"He needs to finish his duties," I proclaim. "I have guests entering my palace now; I cannot allow the cobwebs and dust to continue spreading."

Deyanira removed her heel and clicked her fingers. One guard grabbed Theo by his choker, yanking him to his unstable feet and dragged him back until the far wall by the hearth. He connected a chain to the choker and to the wall, then cuffed his wrists together, and turned him to the side.

"I never gave you my permission to take him." Deyanira grabbed Theo by the cheeks and smirked. "Although, I can see why you did. What a pretty face he has. It would be a shame to ruin it."

I feigned nonchalance still. "I’m deeply sorry for not asking for your permission, mother. I ended up being busy and-"

"Excuses," Deyanira snapped, glaring at me and released Theo’s face. His head dropped forward, blood trickling down from his bruised and swollen lips, eyes slowly shutting to the swelling of his beaten face. "Is he not your childhood friend?"

My head tilted. "I didn’t have any friends."

Deyanira smirked. "Right, you are. My poor, dear, daughter." She stepped towards me, her heels clicking against the ground. "Life has been unfair to you, hasn’t it." Her voice dripped with mockery while her expression was sincere.

She looked back at Theo, placed her hand on her chest as if she were in deep thought, and nodded with conviction. "I will allow you to have this pet, Idalia. You’ve already been through so much. It is hard to be without a mate at your age."

I didn’t care what she said to and about me as long as Theo was released. I nodded along, looking at her gratefully. "Thank you. You are so kind and thoughtful... mother," I added the term quickly, really working hard to keep the viciousness out of my voice.

Deyanira nodded, accepting the praise with a long sigh. "Yes, yes... Boys... You know what to do."

My brows shot down into a frown. "What...." I trailed off and forced myself to shut down all emotions when one of her guards strolled forward with a leather whip.

Deyanira stood by my side, watching closely as the first few lashes made me jump. I did not look away from Theo’s reddening skin. I breathed normally as Theo’s breaths grew louder to the pain.

I feigned boredom as I broke the silence between each crack of the whip and said, "Not too many. I need him to work."

The whipping extended, and the crushing weight on my chest made it unbearable to breathe. Theo’s ragged breaths turned into grimaces. He refused to make any noise as the smooth skin on his back started ripping and becoming bloodied. I fought hard against the urge to run to him and take him away from this monstrosity.

But I know Deyanira. This was all a test. Was Theo important to me? If I show concern and prove he is, then she would use him as another tool to torture me with.

Deyanira sighed and waved her hand. "Enough. I’m bored."

I released my breath slowly, but my nerves still zapped at my energy. "Soren," I called nonchalantly. "Take him back to his room."

Deyanira grinned like she was victorious and stepped forward. "Won’t let him walk?"

My head tilted, my flat expression on Theo’s body sagging forward, his head flopped down, and eyes closed. "He has passed out, Mother," I stated.

"Hmmm." She waved her hand for Soren to continue, then beamed at me like her floor wasn’t stained crimson. "I hear that pathetic Prince has taken you out on a date..." She was snooping for information.

Soren released Theo from the chains and scooped him up in his arms. He looked at me, expression slightly pinched. He didn’t want to leave me here with her, but my priority was Theo. With or without the knight by my side, Deyanira could still torture me, and he couldn’t do anything about it.

"Yes," I breathed, crossing my arms against my chest, looking vulnerable with a trembling lip, and continued in a whisper. "He’s... scary. What they say about the Southern Weres is true. He is a brute."

Deyanira grinned wickedly then cleared her throat, acting like she hadn’t just gleamed at me like my news didn’t please her. "Well, Idalia." She placed her hand on my shoulder and I ’flinched’ to make her feel more powerful.

It did.

"You should give Prince Eryx a chance. He might be a scary barbarian, but if he likes you... Then you can help this kingdom more than you know. A little suffering for this kingdom is what is expected of a princess for her people."

"Yes... mother." She just wants me to suffer.

Deyanira nodded along like she was full of wisdom and not shit. "Now go along and get out of those rags. Sun Silk hurts my eyes."

I visualised stabbing her in the eyes, then gasped silently to myself. I wasn’t a violent person, even to my tormentors. But it did make me feel better.