It wasn't long after she awoke that the guards came. One pinned her arms behind her back while the other approached, pulling a knife from his belt and fixing it up against her eye. Fiero had ordered that they take one from her and so they did, in the most painless way they knew how, before they shoved a rag up against it to staunch the bleeding and bound her hands behind her back. Every few seconds they sent nervous looks down at her collar.
The ordeal was silent.
It was only a few minutes before they brought her to her new chambers, pushing her inside and then locking the double doors behind her. Fiero had been waiting, sprawled out on the bed with a book in hand. He didn't so much as glance up as she entered.
(Sorry. I got engaged today, so I'll answer tomorrow)
(Bruhhh, it's all good. Congrats on your engagement!!)
As soon as the cold touch of the blade near her eye, she knew what was happening. Casting a small spell, Nora eased the pain. There was no way she was going to give him the satisfaction of her scream, though she knew it would hurt more later. At least they were nice enough to give her an eyepatch. Nora had dry blood down her cheek and neck and she hadn't taken a shower in a while, so she wondered why in the heck is she in his bed chambers. "Okay…. So why am I here?" It was a very nice room, she had to admit. Nora hadn't even looked at him yet, she was too much in awe of his room. She then wondered if she might get a room like this? The cave has always been her home. But royalty was different, they grew up with all the stuff they wanted. Spoiled. Finally, after admiring his room, crossing her arms her eyes landed on him.
(Sorry it's short.)
(It's fine, lol! As long as it's over three lines I'm gonna be happy!)
The room was pretty impressive, full of expensive furniture and tasteful but personalityless art, but the real highlight was the bed. It was a massive fourposter with ruby red sheets, a velvet canopy stretched luxuriously above it. Fiero rested on a mountain of silk-covered pillows, finally glancing up at her as he spoke. His eyes lingered on the patch, a satisfied smirk playing around the corners of his mouth. "You're filthy, darling." He was wearing nothing more than a flimsy sleepshirt, long legs curled gracefully around him. Without all the layers of finery, he looked younger, almost soft. The illusion was only heightened when he brushed a lock of hair behind his ear, eyes flitting down to the book once more. "We can talk after you've cleaned yourself, I don't need blood dirtying up your sheets. Especially if I'm to be spending the night here. The washroom is through that door." He barely tilted his head towards it.
Spending the night!? Nora was in complete shock. What exactly was he thinking of doing? If he touched her at all she…. wait, she wouldn't be able to do anything but push him away, thanks to her bounding spell. She looked away and to the door where his eyes lingered on. Without saying a word she went in to get cleaned. The bath was extraordinary and there were maids waiting in there to help her. It felt awkward getting undressed with so many other people around, but she didn't have a choice. The water was warm and smelled of rose petals. They scrubbed her down and made her look nice. Pulling the two front peices of hair back into a braid, they all just smiled a giggled. "What are you all laughing about?" They stopped immediately, but were still smiling. "We just all think you are very beautiful, one of the most beautiful girls we've seen. You look so different from a few minutes ago." It's true, she did look different. This was the cleanest and nicest the King would see her since he met her. They put her in a new, more comfortable outfit (https://pin.it/15dgula) Nora wasn't exactly used to wearing things like this, but it was better than her dirty clothes. Stepping out of the bathing room, she looked like a completely different girl. Her pale smooth skin was more visible now that the layer of dirt was gone, her eyes seemed to be more bright and her jet black hair had a shine to it. "I'm done."
Fiero forced himself to keep any expression off his face as he took her in, but it was clear by the way his eyes lingered that he hadn't expected the transformation to be quite so drastic. Even with half her face disfigured she was a sight, all creamy skin and curves. He turned back to his book dismissively after a few seconds too long, flipping to the next page with a sigh just a tad too forceful to be real. This was something of a surprise and he hated surprises. "You'll do. I'll have to grow your hair out if we want you fit for polite society and you walk like a peasant, but… it's not hopeless." He seemed to realize how soft his voice had gotten so he covered it in a thick layer of sarcasm as he curled further into the pillows. "Now get in bed, it is so cold without you here to warm it for me."
Nora saw that he was eyeing her, even if he tried to hid it. "Sorry my looks don't suit your high standards." It's not like we are in a relationship, so I don't see why I have to be this perfect girl. Rolling her eyes she moved over to the bed. "Just to let you know, I won't let you do anything to me." Her voice also a little less harsh, maybe it was because she was tired. "Goodnight." The bed was extremely comfortable, she wanted to just go to sleep tight then, but she made sure to keep an ear out for if Fiero decided to do anything. This was much better than the cell she slept in the past few nights. It was annoying. Every single thing here was.
"Now now, birdy, do try to keep things professional." He didn't even look up from his book as she spoke, more focused on dogearing the page an setting it carefully to the side than he was on what she was saying. "You're my prisoner. It wouldn't be appropriate." Once his book was taken care of he slipped under the covers, prim and proper even now. His entire life was strictly regimented, with specific rituals for every action he could possibly take. It helped him keep himself busy.
His back was turned to Nora when he finally seemed to drift off. He looked delicate like this, half exposed by the looseness of his nightshirt and curled inwards like a child fending off bad dreams. If someone walked in, it would be easy to think that Nora was the one intruding, the one plotting behind his back.
It had been hours since the King had fallen asleep. It was a mystery to her how he could easily sleep next to a stranger of the opposite sex. The moon was bright and light up the room nicely. Sitting up she upbraided her hair and leaned against the back board. Her blue eyes reflected the moons light as she looked out the window. Then her eyes wandered to the King. He looked so peaceful, it was a better look than his usual scowl. A piece of his hair had fallen into his face at some point in the night. Gently, she moved her finger across his face and tucked the hair behind his ear. "What am I doing?" She asked herself in a whisper. Carefully moving the blanket aside, she got up and headed for the balcony. The glass doors opened without making a sound and she shut them behind her. It was a tad chilly, but she didn't mind the coolness of the night. "Seriously, what am I doing?" She sat on the ground and just listened to the wilderness around her as a few silent tears slipped down her cheeks.
Fiero stirred at even the lightest touch, blinking awake and scanning the room with sleepy confusion. This wasn't his room, this was… oh. Oh yes, Nora. He looked around, let his eyes snag on the emptiness of the bed, and then squinted angrily when he saw her outside. The balcony was warded, of course, so it wasn't like she could really leave, but it was still annoying to have to drag her inside before she caught a chill and got herself sick and useless to him.
He padded outside quietly, sliding open the door and wandering over to her side. "Birdy, darling, it's late. You should be in bed, you'll catch your death out here." Goosebumps were already starting to pebble up across his legs so he took one of her hands, pulling her to her feet gently. "I'll get you a book if you can't sleep, let's go back where it's warm."
In shock by his sudden appearance, Nora didn't have time to wipe the tears that had streamed down her face. Why was he so angry, it wasn't like she was going to escape and she was wearing warm clothes. "Wait, I don't want a book!" She tried to escape his grip, but he was much too strong for her. "Why are you so angry? I didn't do anything wrong!" Was her being upset, really an awful thing? Did he expect her to be the fierce girl all the time? Was he really so cold hearted that he wouldn't just leave her to cry even for a moment. "I said stop!" Finally yanking hard enough, her arm slipped through his grip. "I don't want to go to bed, just leave me alone!" Her voice was so loud she was sure she woke someone up. "Are you really so cold that you don't care if a girl is crying. I may be a witch, but I'm still human." Now tears came out again, but not sad ones, no, she was frustrated, frustrated with this whole situation. "Leave me be." Her eyes narrowed eyes she glared at him. "I'm not running…" her eyes traveled down to the floor and she hugged herself. Stop showing weakness Nora, he'll use it against you. "Please…." When she looked back up, the tears in her eyes made her eyes reflect the moons light even more. She was no longer glaring, her face had softened. Nora looked more like a girl in this moment than she had the whole time she had been here. Small and petite, she almost looked…. helpless.
Fiero waved a hand at the door to lock it, concentrating very hard on not crushing Nora's wrist as he towed her inside. Magic had made him strong but when he was like this, half asleep and too annoyed to keep his thoughts in their neat little lines, it became a problem. See, he didn't want to hurt Nora. She was going to be presented to the court tomorrow and anyways it was clear she was feeling bad enough as it was, a little pain would only make her break down farther. and the last thing he needed to deal with was a bigger hissyfit.
He only started paying attention when she ripped herself away, sighing. "Darling, you're vastly overreacting. I'm not angry at you, I'm annoyed, and even that's starting to fade out. We both know why I can't leave you alone—the collar's a cute trick but if you try hard enough you can still cast. Now lay down. If you like, I'll refrain from sharing a bed with you, but there are things in motion beyond this little temper tantrum and I need you presentable, ergo the lovely bedroom I've so generously provided you. Stop glaring at me, stop curing in on yourself, and for the gods' sake stop acting like you're just an average girl." It was his turn to glare her down, a lazy sneer painted across his mouth as he squashed the pity rising in his chest. Nora was the black witch, the bloodletter. She was simply a tool, no matter how fragile she looked in the moonlight. "We both know how far you are from human."
Those last words left her speechless. Far from human? Her words wouldn't come out, it was like he had finally had her in his grasp and was squeezing the last bit of life out of her. "Not human…." She repeated in a hushed tone. She had this many times, so why now was it only hitting her? The tears stopped and she quickly wiped her face. He was right, in the first place she had no idea why she was crying. Regaining her usual composure, she moved to the bed and sat on the edge not fully getting in. "Forget this." In one twist of her finger, her hair had grown out to her mid back. Long hair was different, but she would have to get used to it. She was going to be officially presented tomorrow, she needed to get her act together. With that small spell, another crack appeared in the collar. "Let's sleep." She laid down and closed her eyes. Soon enough the darkness took over and she was asleep.
Fiero watched with satisfaction as she snapped back to herself, all those pesky tears finally fading away until she was the way she'd been before. He'd thought she'd be like all the other golems he'd seen in his life, trifling and eager to please, but it figured that a puppet made by the greatest witch of her time would come with its own quirks. And… Nora was an it, wasn't she? He wouldn't assign a tool its own pronouns, that was far too personal a connection. He'd have to keep from assigning any to her. But that could be a problem for a different night. For now, he slipped into bed, drew the blankets up around his shoulders, and fell asleep dreaming of ways to fix the collar before she broke away from it once and for all.
He woke up exactly three hours and fourty-seven minutes later, when the sun was just a glimmer on the horizon, and began to get ready.
Nora was still fast asleep, curled up into the blankets. She looked more like a child when she slept. It wasn't until a knock at the door, echoed through the room that she woke up. Her head felt heavy, this new long hair was going to be a pain and she knew it. "We are here to get the black witch ready." A maids voice came from the other side. But they knew better than to just walk in, especially since the King was in the room. Nora sat up rubbing her eyes trying to wake up more. She hadn't slept that well in a long time. A flash of memories flooded her mind of last night, and she was utterly embarrassed. Her face turned a slight red. What the hell was that? The way she acted last night only confused her, she had never been like that before. Even when she stood over the many people she had killed, Nora never shed a tear. Something's wrong with me. Swinging her legs over the side she stood and walked over to the window taking in the warmth of the sun. It felt nice, though she would be more relaxed if Fiero wasn't in the room. It was silent, Nora had no idea what to talk about or even if she wanted to talk to him at all. "What are we doing today?" She asked, tucking a piece of her new long hair behind her ear. It was only going to get in the way, but he wanted it so that she looked more…. presentable….
Fiero had gotten dressed in the early hours, long before Nora woke. He despised being bare around other people, finding it too trusting to let another person see him vulnerable in that way. Instead, he was reading again, a fat book on the theory of magic that he banished as soon as a knock sounded on his door. "Leave. I will tend o her today, I'm afraid we've left the room quite…" the pause was artificial, serving only to excite the gossipy maids. "… filthy. We don't require you today, attend to your other duties." There was a storm of quickly fading giggles behind the door, and then the maids were gone.
Fi turned to Nora with a sharp smile. "We'll be preparing you for court, darling. There's a gala tonight and you have the luck of being my date. I'm sure you feel blessed." His smile softened slightly and he slipped out of bed, gesturing for Nora to follow him through one of the mahogany doors and into a massive closet. It was full of everything from bedroom slippers to elaborate ball gowns. "But if you're asking about right now, we'll be picking an outfit for you—a gown. What do you have experience with wearing?"
Nora shot him a look when Fiero decided to fill the maids imagination with false information, now she'll have to fix all that later. "Oh yes… so blessed." Sarcasm slipped out her mouth followed by an eye roll. She followed closely behind. When the doors opened, usually girls would get all excited for the extravagant dresses, but this was something Nora dislikes. She'd rather wear pants and just a plain Tshirt. "I have no experience wearing anything like these." If she had to choose, she like to wear a black dress at least. "Am I choosing or are you?" She wanted to make sure, because if she was, it was definitely going to be black. There wasn't much that caught her eye, in fact she just wanted to leave. Running her fingers along all the dresses, Nora pretended to be interested, though he could probably see through her act since she wasn't trying too hard.
(https://pin.it/5LMrmNz https://pin.it/44hcZxs Here's a bit more of what she looks like just with purple eyes. And her with long hair.)
"Drop the snark, birdy. Appearance is everything, I can't have you walking around like some homeless vagrant." Fiero, unlike her, seemed genuinely interested in the dresses as he flipped through them, weighing fabrics and colors carefully before he moved on to the next selection. Black would be best against her pale skin, and dramatic enough to turn heads at the ball. Of all the people he'd invited, only he dressed in black. It would stir up conversation, get the nobility chatting about how exactly a concubine had managed to worm her way into the color only he was allowed to wear. "But I see you're inexperienced, so we'll stick to something simple. How much prodding will I need to do to get you into heels? And how well can you walk in them?"
"I've never worn heels before." She admitted, though her eyes were drawn more towards them than the dresses. "I wouldn't mind learning." Especially since the party was tonight, Nora felt she had a lot to learn in such little time. "What will you be wearing?" She moved from the shoes and back to the dresses, looking to see if maybe one stood out. "I also never learned to dance." A royalty party had dancing, or at least that's what she had been told before, but because she grew up in a forest inside a cave, there wasn't much she knew about the royal life. And being thrown into it so suddenly was overwhelming, especially to a stubborn, narcissistic King like him. He may be handsome, but he was difficult to deal with. As her thoughts ran wild she found a dress that she actually liked. Although it would show a lot of skin, Nora had no idea what to wear to a party, but she would love to wear this. And she had the body for it, turning head wouldn't be a problem, but for showing up in public for the first time in a long time, it might be too much. So she hung it back up and went back to looking.
(https://pin.it/44hcZxs I didn't really know how to describe it.)
"Got it." Fiero flicked his eyes away from more complicated gowns, watching Nora stumble through the collection and lighting up with a smile when she managed to find the perfect dress all on her own. Black, his color, with just enough gold and silver accents to show what an expensive investment she was. "I'll teach you how to wear them, and dancing's really not all that hard if you've got the balance for it, the same thing goes for heels actually," he was babbling slightly filling the time it would take for him to reach her. "Will you pick that dress back up?" He shuffled through the other outfits until he found it again, pulling it out and holding it up against Nora's body with an appraising eye. She'd be stunning. "What made you set it down? Too difficult to maneuver in?"
"No…" She looked away and crossed her arms. "I've never been to a party before, so I wasn't sure if showing that much skin was okay." Though she didn't really mind if she showed skin, it wasn't like she was hiding her body or anything. "Anyway, I'll do my best in the heels." Taking the dress from him, she found and grabbed just a random pair of shoes and went to the bathroom to change. It wasn't time for the party, but she wanted to get a feel for it and practice a bit. She left her hair down not wanting to do it at the moment. Her this body fit perfectly in the dress. Though she was the black witch, many guys were going to fell and she knew it. With a smile she walked out, ready to break some poor souls, plus the King wouldn't let any of them touch her either. Just watching them drool over her just to get crushed made her feel excited for the party. Surprisingly, Nora had no trouble walking in the heels. Maybe, just maybe she was cut out for this more than she first had thought. "Well…" She walked back into the closet, showing off her dress and heels. "How does it look?" Even though she didn't care much about his opinion, he was the King and she was being shown off as one of his concubines tonight, so she needs to make sure he approved. Nora felt amazing though. "Think I might be able to break a few hearts tonight?" The smile on her face was a bit twisted and malicious. Love was something she always dreamed of, but Nora had pretty much given up hope on that, who would want to be with the black witch? Well… besides those who want to use her, which is exactly what's happening now. But neither her or Fiero had feeling for each other, and she was going to make sure she never falls for him. It would only mean that he had won, and she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of that.
Fiero watched her strut out looking like a queen and grinned. He'd doubted his choices last night, an uncommon occurrence, and spent hours agonizing over whether the black witch could really hold out in the cutthroat world of his courts. Seeing her like this, willing and able to crush a man's heart beneath her heel just for the fun of it, was just what he needed. Normally he'd try to demoralize her, plant nagging seeds of doubt in her head, but even he couldn't bear to try that when such a beautiful creature stood before him, as immovably beautifully violent as the sea during storm season. "You look like you're about to use a courtier's blood as your lipstick, darling. Why didn't you tell me you were a natural?" He circled her once, catlike, and gave her a final approving nod. "You'll be able to break anything you like in that dress, you look like a force of nature." He didn't know why so many compliments were spilling out of him but he didn't much care. Like this, she was so close to his first concubine, his Tivona, with her raven hair and knowing smile. She had been his match, so perfectly opposed to him, so perfectly painfully clever. She had died in the fire, of course. Along with anyone else. "But that's beside the point. You can walk fine, birdy, but how well can you dance?"
His compliments made her blush slightly and made her feel powerful. "Hm…" She held out her hand and smiled. "Not sure. Want to test?" Again her playfully wicked grin on her face. If she could, Nora would love to smash the Kings heart as well, but that's a more difficult challenge, one she wasn't sure she was ready for yet. She stood tall and proud, confident like nothing could bring her down, not even Fiero. Actually, she quite confident that she may be able to keep up during the dancing as well. Now, now she couldn't wait till tonight, she wanted to test this dress out now and crush someone under her feet. "Question, can I give this dress a test drive after this dance session?" She would most likely just use it on one of those servants, they seemed simple enough.
(Sorry this one is a bit shorter.)
Fiero kept his heart locked securely away, and though the wicked smile on her face sparked something inside him he batted it down and ignored her hand, grabbing her around the waist instead. He dipped her smoothly, setting her back on her feet with a flourish and a smirk. "Only if you can keep up with me in our little dance lesson, birdy." She was so proud now, such a far cry from the tears and softness from yesterday. He detested broken things, and yet there was something in the set of her shoulders that made him want to crush her into dust, to break her so thoroughly nobody else could ever use her again. Possessive, that was the feeling, and violent. He wanted her to be torn apart and he wanted her to be his. "Summon up some music, and we can begin."
